Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Su Xiao, with his quick thinking and ability to disrupt divine senses, has repeatedly achieved remarkable feats. He is awarded 250 contribution points and will have priority in studying the incomplete 'Flowing Cloud Escape Technique'."

Su Xiao bowed gracefully: "Thank you, Senior Brother Headmaster."

"Zhao Qingyan, your early warning system for the formation played a crucial role. You are awarded 200 contribution points, and the 'Star Pattern Steel' is yours for researching formations."

Zhao Qingyan's face flushed with excitement: "Thank you, Senior Brother Sect Leader!"

"Zhang Daniu, though impulsive, showed great courage and made contributions later on. He is awarded 150 contribution points, which can be exchanged for a 'Azure Water Stone'."

Zhang Daniu grinned widely: "Hehe, thank you, Sect Leader!"

"The remaining disciples who stayed behind," Shen Mo looked at Li Xiaocao and the others, "for their meritorious service in guarding the mountain gate, each of you will be rewarded with fifty contribution points."

"Thank you, Sect Leader!" Li Xiaocao, Ayuan, and the others also bowed happily.

"As for the Vermilion Fruit and the main root..." Shen Mo pondered for a moment, "The Vermilion Fruit has a powerful medicinal effect, and it would be too wasteful to consume it directly."

"First, Xiaocao should keep it safe. Later, when a suitable formula is found, a master alchemist will refine it into a pill so that it can exert its maximum effect."

"The main root will be cultivated by the smaller plants. This is a very important matter, so please be careful."

"Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader!" Li Xiaocao replied solemnly, feeling the burden on her shoulders grow heavier, but even more so, she felt excited and motivated.

After the rewards and honors were distributed, the atmosphere in the main hall became even more enthusiastic. Everyone's face was filled with the joy of accomplishment and anticipation for the future.

However, at this moment, Wang Lie hesitated before speaking, "Sect Leader... there's one more thing..."

"Hmm? What is it?" Shen Mo asked.

"Yes...yes, that's how it is." Wang Lie organized his thoughts, "In the few days you were away, a lot of people came to the mountain gate."

He recounted in detail the events of the past few days in which various forces had come to deliver gifts and invitations.

"...Right now, those gifts and visiting cards are still piled up in the side hall. We...we don't know what to do with them..." Wang Lie said with some difficulty.

Upon hearing this, the crowd's joy subsided slightly, and their gazes all turned to Shen Mo. This sudden "fame" brought not only benefits but also endless trouble.

After listening, Shen Mo remained silent for a moment, his face showing little surprise. All of this was within his expectations.

"Well done." Shen Mo first affirmed Li Xiaocao and the others' handling of the situation. "They did not accept any lavish gifts without authorization, nor did they agree to any visits."

He stood up, walked outside the hall, and looked down the mountain. Although he couldn't see much, he could imagine that countless eyes were fixed on Qingyun Mountain at that moment.

"Pass on my order." Shen Mo turned around, his tone calm yet firm, "Effective immediately, Qingyun Sect will be closed for one month. All visiting cards and gifts from outside will be returned unopened."

"If they ask, say that the sect leader has gained some insights into the patriarch's sword intent and is currently in seclusion to consolidate his cultivation, so he cannot receive guests. All visits are declined."

"All disciples, without my order, are not permitted to descend the mountain. Focus all your efforts on digesting this harvest and improving your cultivation!"

"This..." Li Xiaocao hesitated, "Sect Leader, wouldn't this... offend too many people? Those are all... people from major sects..."

"It's alright." Shen Mo waved his hand, a glint of wisdom flashing in his eyes. "Pretending to be weak and going into seclusion at this moment is precisely the best course of action."

"It can maintain mystery, keeping them guessing and preventing them from making any rash moves; it can also avoid getting involved in unnecessary social interactions and disputes, thus buying valuable time for our Qingyun Sect to develop."

"After a month, when our strength has improved, we can decide how to contact the outside world."

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood and nodded in agreement. The sect leader's thoughts were indeed profound!

"Alright." Shen Mo's face broke into a smile again. "The harvest has been tallied, and the orders have been given. Now... let's truly begin to enjoy the fruits of this victory!"

He picked up the tattered jade slip containing the "Flowing Cloud Escape Technique," his gaze intense.

"Seclusion, begin!"

At Shen Mo's command, the small hill of Qingyun Sect, which had just experienced a huge blow to its reputation, seemed to be silenced in an instant, quickly and completely isolated from the outside world.

At the mountain gate, Wang Lie and Sun Xiaohou, along with several outer disciples, politely returned the mountain of gifts and visiting cards to the envoys from various forces who were still unwilling to give up and lingered at the foot of the mountain.

No matter how the other party probed indirectly, tried to gather information, or even used subtle threats and inducements, they only repeated the same sentence:

"Our sect leader is currently in seclusion to consolidate his cultivation after comprehending the patriarch's sword intent, and is therefore declining all visits. We appreciate your kind intentions, but please take back your gifts."

Initially, some factions were displeased, thinking that Qingyun Sect was too arrogant and didn't know how to be worthy of respect.

But recalling the earth-shattering starlight sword in the sky above Yunmengze that day, this displeasure quickly turned into deep apprehension and speculation.

Could it be... that Shen Mo has really comprehended something extraordinary from the patriarch's sword intent, and needs to immediately go into seclusion?

If that's the case, wouldn't his cultivation level be even higher when he emerges from seclusion? And what level will the Qingyun Sect's strength reach then?

All sorts of speculations have made Qingyun Sect even more mysterious and unpredictable in the eyes of outsiders.

Those smaller and medium-sized forces that had originally hoped to curry favor by giving gifts all backed down and dared not cause any more trouble.

Even major sects like the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Profound Ice Pavilion temporarily abandoned their probing intentions, only instructing their subordinates to secretly keep an eye on the movements of Qingyun Mountain.

The turmoil outside the mountain was temporarily kept at bay by an invisible "seclusion order." Inside the mountain, however, a scene of bustling cultivation unfolded.

Next to the Enlightenment Cave behind the main hall, several simple yet functional stone chambers have been newly built.

One room is used as an alchemy room (among the new disciples, only Li Xiaocao can barely refine the lowest-level Bigu Pill), one room is used as a weapon-refining room (mainly where Shi Tie clangs and bangs his heavy iron rod), one room is used as a talisman room (shared by Zhao Qingyan and Su Xiao), and another room is a library (currently containing only a few jade slips and a few paper books).

All the disciples were immersed in an unprecedented passion for cultivation. The gains from this trip to the Water Palace were not only material but also spiritual.

They witnessed firsthand the sect's "foundation" (although it was fabricated by the sect leader), personally experienced the miracle of the weak defeating the strong, and were filled with confidence in themselves and the future of the sect!