Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

However, some people felt extremely uncomfortable and were consumed by jealousy.

Inside the Dan Ding Pavilion in Qing Tai Fang Shi.

"Snap!"

A beautiful celadon teacup was smashed to the ground, shards flying everywhere. Wang Bao, the triangular-eyed waiter, trembled in fright, standing meekly at the lower end of the table, not daring to breathe.

At the head of the table was Manager Qian, the person in charge of Dan Ding Pavilion in this area. He was a short, stout middle-aged man with a ruddy complexion, but at this moment his face was ashen and his eyes were sinister. He was panting heavily.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Manager Qian cursed, spitting as he spoke. "That idiot Liu Mang! A dozen men couldn't even take down the gate of a run-down village? And they were scared out of their wits by some damn stone lion? They're utterly disgraceful!"

Wang Bao cautiously advised, "Manager Qian, please calm down. That Qingyun Sect... is indeed very strange! Last time, that Shen Mo..."

"Strange? Strange my foot!" Manager Qian rudely interrupted him, a calculating glint in his small eyes.

"It's nothing but a bunch of silly tricks! Now, thanks to this hype, their 'Ancient Pill' reputation is really going to spread! If this continues, won't they be trying to ride roughshod over our Pill Cauldron Pavilion?"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Originally, the Qingyun Sect was so poor that it was not even worth his attention.

But now, with the "Enlightenment Cave" and the "Stone Lion Manifestation," even the Treasure Pavilion is treating him differently, which makes him feel threatened and even more annoyed by being offended.

"We can't let them get away with this!" Manager Qian said through gritted teeth. "We have to find a way to ruin their reputation!"

Wang Bao's eyes darted around, and he leaned forward, lowering his voice to flattery, "Manager, going openly is probably not going to work; Liu Mang is a prime example. But... we can try a covert approach!"

"Oh? What do you mean?" Manager Qian glanced at him sideways.

"We can...spread some false information." Wang Bao smiled sinisterly, "Let's say...that the pills from the Qingyun Sect are problematic! They'll cause stagnation of spiritual energy and damage to one's foundation! Anyway, they don't sell many of those pills, and hardly anyone has used them, so there's no way to prove it!"

"Find two more accomplices to pretend they've had some problems after taking their pills, and cause a scene at the mountain gate! Then, public opinion will be overwhelming, and their slander will be utterly devastating! Let's see who dares to buy their pills then! Let's see how arrogant Shen Mo can still be!"

Manager Qian squinted, stroked the few sparse whiskers on his chin, and a sinister smile gradually appeared on his face:

"Hmm...that's a good idea! Let's do it that way! Wang Bao, you're in charge of this. Be thorough! Find a few clever and reliable people; you'll be well paid!"

"Don't worry, sir! I've got it covered!" Wang Bao patted his chest and assured him, his face full of pride.

The wicked plan was thus devised.

A few days later, a sinister rumor began to spread like a plague in the teahouses, taverns, and streets of Qingtai Market.

"Hey, have you heard? It seems there's something wrong with that 'Ancient Pill' from the Qingyun Sect!"

"Really? Wasn't it said to have been left behind by the founder of the Qingyun Sect?"

"Pah! What patriarch! I think it's a scam! My distant cousin's aunt's neighbor bought one out of curiosity the other day, and what happened? Her spiritual energy couldn't circulate smoothly, and she didn't recover for several days!"

"My God! Is that true?"

"That's for sure! It's said that those pills are not only made with inferior ingredients, but the refining process is also extremely crude. They're harmful and offer no benefit! The Qingyun Sect is just trying to swindle spirit stones!"

"No wonder it's so expensive! It's a rip-off!"

The rumors spread like wildfire, becoming increasingly detailed and convincing. What started as whispers escalated to the point where some people were even asserting that their friends were the "victims."

Some independent cultivators who were originally interested in Qingyun Sect's pills suddenly hesitated. Some even began to look at Qingyun Sect disciples with strange eyes.

That day, Su Xiao went down the mountain as usual to the market to buy some daily necessities and low-grade medicinal herbs. As soon as she entered the market, she keenly sensed that the atmosphere was a little strange.

Several familiar stall owners, upon seeing her approach, exchanged glances that flickered and their smiles became somewhat forced. Some even deliberately avoided her gaze.

Along the way, one could hear some hushed conversations, and vaguely make out words like "Qingyun Sect," "elixirs," and "problems."

Su Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition welled up inside her. She walked calmly to her usual treasure shop.

When Manager Chen saw her, he still had a smile on his face, but during the greetings, he said with a hint of apology:

"Miss Su, there have been some...unpleasant rumors circulating lately, concerning your sect's elixirs. I'm sure you've heard about them. I naturally don't believe them, but...public opinion is a fearsome thing..."

Su Xiao's heart sank, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Thank you for informing me, Manager Chen. The innocent will remain innocent, and the guilty will remain guilty. There is absolutely no problem with the pills from my Qingyun Sect."

That being said, when she finished shopping and left the store, she clearly felt that there were even more eyes watching her from the shadows.

There were even a few men with unfriendly eyes pointing and whispering not far away, making no attempt to hide the sarcasm and malice on their faces.

Su Xiao quickened her pace, her mind in turmoil as she returned to Qingyun Mountain. Trouble was truly brewing.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader! Something terrible has happened!" As soon as she returned to the mountain, Su Xiao didn't even have time to rest. She hurriedly found Shen Mo, who was instructing Li Xiaocao on how to take care of the herb garden. Her pretty face was full of worry as she reported everything she had seen and heard in the market.

Shen Mo listened quietly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger, but his gaze gradually deepened.

"Sect Leader, this must be a deliberate rumor! It's probably those scoundrels from the Pill Cauldron Pavilion!" Shi Tie was so angry that his face turned red, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"It's definitely them!" Zhang Daniu roared in a gruff voice. "They got jealous because we're doing well!"

The new disciples also gathered around, their faces filled with anger and unease.

They had just been elated by their sect's victory, but then they were met with this slander, their emotions like a rollercoaster ride.

Shen Mo raised his hand, quelling the commotion. His gaze calmly swept over the faces, filled with righteous indignation yet tinged with worry, and he spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful:

"What's the panic?"

"The fact that they resorted to such despicable tactics shows that they have run out of options and dare not act openly. This rumor, though seemingly fierce, is actually quite weak."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips as he continued, "They want to play? Then we'll play along. Perfect opportunity, let everyone see who the real clown is."

Shen Mo's composure and confidence acted like a stabilizing force, instantly calming the disciples' restless emotions.

"Junior Sister Xiao," Shen Mo instructed, "you don't need to go down the mountain for the next few days. Spread the word to everyone: continue your cultivation as usual and observe the situation. If anyone dares to cause trouble... I will deal with them accordingly."

"Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader!" Su Xiao nodded emphatically, feeling reassured.

A storm is brewing. The entire Qingyun Mountain is united and on high alert.

The rumors spread by Dan Ding Ge, after several days of fermentation, finally reached their climax with the instigation of those with ulterior motives.

At midday that day, under the blazing sun, an unusually large group of twenty or thirty people gathered in front of the Qingyun Mountain gate.

Most of these people were dressed in rags, and their cultivation levels varied greatly. They were mostly rogue cultivators and idle thugs who mingled in the lower levels of the market.

They appeared to be indignant, making a racket and completely surrounding the mountain gate.

The leader was a thin man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face, and a sly look in his eyes. His name was Hou San, and he was a notorious rogue in the market.

At this moment, he was jumping up and down, pointing at the mountain gate and cursing loudly:

"You swindlers from Qingyun Sect! Come out here!"

"Selling counterfeit medicine harms people! It's an outrage!"

"Give me back my spirit stones! Give me back my cultivation points!"

"If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll smash up this lousy mountain gate!"

Behind him, several servants also started shouting and wailing, complaining about how they felt unwell after taking the pills from the Qingyun Sect and how their cultivation had been delayed.

The uninformed cultivators were immediately incited and joined in the shouting, creating chaos in the scene.