Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

His behavior during the day, especially the scene where he "scared Zhao Hu away," was completely different from his predecessor, the cowardly and mediocre "Shen Mo," which was bound to arouse suspicion.

This is a problem that must be handled with care. A poor explanation could create misunderstandings; an overly abstract explanation could sow the seeds of future problems.

Shen Mo put down the spirit stone, but instead of answering directly, he smiled. The smile appeared somewhat unfathomable in the firelight, and also carried a perfect amount of weariness.

"Junior Sister Xiao, what do you think is the difference between us today and us yesterday?" Shen Mo asked in return.

Su Xiao paused for a moment, thought carefully, and replied softly, "Yesterday... we were still worried about Black Wind Stronghold pressing us for debt, and we couldn't even get enough to eat. Today... we have spirit stones, and... and we don't seem to be as afraid of them anymore."

"Yes." Shen Mo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the three of them as he slowly said, "We have spirit stones, but more importantly, we have hope. This hope didn't fall from the sky; it was something we fought for ourselves."

He picked up a spirit stone and rubbed it between his fingertips: "Do you think the patriarch might have left a backup plan? I don't know."

"But I know that if our patriarch is watching from heaven, he would certainly not want to see his lineage die out."

"A sect may fall into ruin, but its lineage must not be severed, and its spirit must not be lost!"

He paused, then looked up at the dark night sky outside the hall, as if speaking to some unseen being:

"Perhaps the greatest trump card left by our ancestor was not some specific treasure, but a spirit, a tenacity that never gives up even in dire straits."

"When the sect is at a critical juncture of life and death, when the embers of unwillingness in the disciples' hearts are rekindled, the 'backup plan' will naturally emerge."

These words, though spoken in a cryptic and ambiguous manner, were nonetheless profound in meaning.

He neither denied the existence of a "backup plan" nor denied that it was a "backup plan," but rather attributed it to a mysterious "spirit" and "opportunity," cleverly attributing his current "abnormality" to an "enlightenment" and "responsibility" under the "commission to serve in a time of crisis."

Sure enough, after listening, Su Xiao's eyes flashed with a hint of realization, followed by even deeper admiration.

She automatically filled in the blanks in her mind: That's it! It must be the sect's crisis that awakened some dormant potential within the sect leader, or perhaps it was some kind of divine guidance from the patriarch, making him different overnight! This is an awakening of a legacy!

No wonder the sect leader's words and actions today exuded an unprecedented decisiveness and wisdom!

Shi Tie only half understood what was being said, but he took the phrase "we mustn't lose our spirit" to heart. He waved his fist and interjected, "The sect leader is right! We can't lose face! Our ancestor is definitely watching us!"

Even Ah Yuan, who was almost asleep, nodded groggily and mumbled softly, "May the Ancestral Master bless us..."

Shen Mo secretly breathed a sigh of relief; he had temporarily gotten past this hurdle. He then smoothly steered the conversation towards tomorrow: "So, whether we find it or not depends on ourselves."

"Tomorrow, we will use these eyes and these hands to find any 'backup plan' that our ancestors might have left behind! We cannot give up even if there is only a sliver of hope!"

"Yes!" Su Xiao nodded heavily, her eyes hardening. Looking at Shen Mo's profile, which appeared remarkably calm in the firelight, her curiosity gradually transformed into an indescribable trust.

Although the new sect leader's cultivation level seemed unchanged, his calm demeanor and ability to see through people's hearts gave her a sense of inexplicable peace of mind.

Perhaps, Qingyun Sect has truly ushered in a turning point?

"Senior Brother Sect Leader," Su Xiao remembered something else and asked curiously, "How did you know yesterday at the mountain gate that Black Wind Stronghold's steward had an old lung injury? And that jade pendant... can it really unleash the Ancestral Master's attack today in the market?"

This question is even more pointed, directly touching on Shen Mo's "secret".

Shen Mo already had a prepared answer in mind. He smiled slightly, a smile tinged with mystery and bitterness, and replied:

"When people are in dire straits, their senses can become exceptionally sharp. Although Wang Ren's aura was fierce, his vital energy was weak, and a faint murmur could be heard from his chest when he spoke. His steps were unsteady, which were signs of unhealed internal injuries and poor blood circulation. As for the jade pendant..."

He took out the still-dimmed jade pendant of the sect leader and looked at it in the firelight: "I'm not sure if it can launch an attack. Perhaps it's just a token, a symbol, left to the sect leader by the founder."

"But in that situation, we had no choice but to believe! Believe in our ancestors, and believe in ourselves! Sometimes, belief itself is a powerful force."

He looked at Su Xiao and admonished her with a profound gaze: "Junior Sister Xiao, you must remember that on the path of cultivation, strength is certainly important, but a fearless heart that is good at seizing opportunities can often create miracles."

"Yesterday we were able to frighten Wang Ren away, and today we were able to resolve the crisis. Three parts of our success depended on luck, and seven parts depended on this momentum."

Su Xiao was deeply moved. Her senior brother's words seemed to have opened a completely new door for her.

It's not just about sitting in meditation and practicing breathing exercises; it also involves understanding and utilizing people's hearts and the right timing!

This is simply... a battle of wits! She suddenly felt that following such a sect leader, her future path of cultivation might be even more exciting and... thrilling than she had imagined?

"Xiao'er understands!" Su Xiao replied respectfully, her opinion of Shen Mo rising even higher. Not only had her senior brother, the sect leader, shown responsibility, but he also seemed to have grasped some unique "Dao"?

The four of them then discussed tomorrow's plans. Shen Mo assigned tasks and emphasized important points. The atmosphere was no longer as tense as it had been at the beginning; instead, it was filled with a more positive and energetic spirit.

As night deepened, the campfire grew weaker. A-Yuan had already fallen into a deep sleep, nestled against Su Xiao's lap. Shi Tie was also snoring.

Su Xiao wasn't sleepy at all. She looked at the flickering flames, then at Shen Mo, who was resting with his eyes closed but with his brows slightly furrowed as if he were thinking about something. Her mind was filled with a thousand thoughts.

She recalled Shen Mo's words about "belief" and his sharp, sword-like gaze and unwavering, mountain-like aura when facing Wang Ren and Zhao Hu.

Is this really something that can be explained by a "sudden enlightenment"? Or is it that... the sect leader has always had this potential, but it was suppressed in the past?

Or perhaps there really was some ancestral lineage that awakened at a crucial moment?

The girl has a rich imagination, especially in this mysterious and unpredictable world of cultivation.

The more Su Xiao thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and he even imagined a scenario where "a useless sect leader is given a mission in a time of crisis, and the patriarch's divine sense awakens within his body."

The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. Her gaze towards Shen Mo became filled with even more awe and curiosity.

Although Shen Mo's eyes were closed, he could feel Su Xiao's probing gaze. Some seeds had already been planted. Next, he needed to nurture these seeds with concrete actions and results, allowing them to grow into fruits called "loyalty" and "faith."

"Go to sleep," Shen Mo said softly without opening his eyes. "Tomorrow, there's still a long road ahead."

His voice was soft, yet it carried a calming power.

Su Xiao gave a soft "hmm," helped A Yuan straighten her clothes, leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes.