Chapter 97: [Cloud Sect’s Past] (7500 words)
Chen Yan heard this and his eyebrows rose!
Even if Chu Keqing didn’t ask him, Chen Yan himself had planned to go to Port City recently!
The matter with Lu Sisi was still unresolved! The true culprit who stole her Life Chart, changed her fate, and caused Lu Sisi misfortune until she was eighteen, was in Port City!
Originally, Chen Yan had planned to go to Port City after the Spring Festival to catch that true culprit—he had intended to help out even before he and Lu Sisi became a couple. Now that Lu Sisi was his confirmed girlfriend, both emotionally and logically, he couldn’t let go of the mastermind in Port City.
It was just that after returning from his hometown for the Spring Festival, he immediately encountered the illness caused by "Good wealth is hard to give up," both people in his family fell ill, which delayed things for some time.
After recovering from the illness, in order to solve the regular difficulties posed by the Heavenly Dao, he had to first find time to get a job.
This forced Chen Yan to temporarily push back his plans—he originally intended to go to Port City with Gu Qingyi at the end of the month.
Chen Yan pondered for a moment and asked, "I wonder why you’re going to Port City?"
Chu Keqing took a deep breath, her tone a bit complicated, as if tinged with a hint of sadness: "To be honest, Senior, this matter has something to do with some old internal grudges within my Cloud Sect."
Chen Yan didn’t speak, just slowly raised the teacup in front of him and took a sip, indicating with his eyes for Chu Keqing to continue.
"Years ago, before my master passed away, he appointed me as the Cloud Sect Leader.
But within the Cloud Sect, among the fellow disciples, I, Chu Keqing, was the youngest and joined the sect the latest. Not to mention my master’s only son, Luo Qing—he is the bloodline of my master and originally should inherit the position of Sect Leader.
But Luo Qing’s thoughts were scattered, infatuated with the mundane world, and incompatible with our Cloud Sect’s cultivation techniques, so he couldn’t enter the Dao, and Master gave up on that idea.
But even setting aside Luo Qing, I still had several senior brothers above me, among them one third senior brother, who was also an enlightened person, had received some of the master’s true teachings, and his skills and cultivation were not much weaker than mine.
Plus, he had been in the sect longer than I had, had a more sociable nature, and was a man, making his relationships with other fellow disciples better, so..."
"Hmm, so he wasn’t happy with you being the Sect Leader. That’s not hard to understand." Chen Yan nodded slightly.
Chu Keqing sighed faintly: "Yes, after I became the Sect Leader, as soon as our master was buried, he started opposing me at every turn, pretending to comply but secretly opposing my decisions, and even incited other senior brothers to point fingers at my decisions.
At that time, I was the youngest and a woman. Although I had learned some cultivation, the other senior brothers were not necessarily convinced of me. So, after this third senior brother incited them a few times, he indeed made some senior brothers waver. Although they didn’t openly stand on his side to oppose me, there were quite a few who folded their arms and watched coldly."
Chen Yan sneered softly and shook his head slightly: "You’re too polite. You were appointed Sect Leader by your master himself. Their passive stance in your dispute with the third senior brother was no different from openly siding with him. You don’t need to obscure their actions."
Chu Keqing shook her head and said softly: "At that time, I was young and lacked prestige, so I don’t blame them for acting that way."
Chu Keqing took a deep breath: "I was determined to fulfill my master’s last wish and make the Cloud Sect great in Jinling Prefecture.
But that third senior brother had made some friends in the south and repeatedly said that in Port City, the atmosphere was conducive to mystical techniques, and society, from top to bottom, revered such techniques. Especially the wealthy families who liked to associate with high-level mystical practitioners. He said that anyone in Port City with real skills would become a guest of the elites and make a fortune.
He always advocated for our Cloud Sect to leave Jinling Prefecture, move south, and establish a foundation in Port City..."
Chen Yan laughed heartily: "A good plan!"
He looked at Chu Keqing: "Making friends in the south wasn’t something he did in a day. When he demanded to move the sect to Port City... if you went there, he would have a group of peers to help him and introduce connections.
But you would be a stranger in a strange land, completely alone.
By that time, how the Cloud Sect stood, developed, and operated in Port City would all be up to him. Over time, you, the Sect Leader, would become just an empty titular head."
Chu Keqing’s eyes flickered, but she lowered her head and said softly: "Senior, you are absolutely right. Back then, he had such intentions, but I, Chu Keqing, am not a fool and naturally saw through his thoughts. So, of course, I wouldn’t let him succeed.
Moreover, I had no selfish motives. My master wished for the Cloud Sect to take root in Jinling Prefecture and grow strong, so... no matter what, I wouldn’t agree to my third senior brother’s plan to move south.
Then... after several arguments with my third senior brother, one day, the quarrel escalated, and he proposed a duel.
In the presence of other senior brothers, we swore an oath, agreeing to determine the sect’s future through the outcome of the duel. If he won, I would give up the position of Sect Leader, and the entire Cloud Sect would be under his control in the future.