Chu Keqing’s tone sank: "Something... isn’t right!"
Chen Yan’s eyes moved: "What’s not right?"
Chu Keqing’s tone turned cold: "That apprentice nephew called me this morning and hurriedly said one sentence to me! He said that Master was murdered!"
Chen Yan instinctively sat up straight: "And then?"
Chu Keqing shook his head with a stern face: "That’s it! He just hurriedly said that over the phone, then the call was cut off. I tried contacting and calling back later, but no one answered!"
Changes appeared on Chen Yan’s face as well!
Chu Keqing continued coldly: "I spent the entire day today asking friends I know in Port City to gather information. My third senior brother is indeed dead; the newspapers have published obituaries, and there’s a mourning hall set up at the dojo.
However, the disciple who contacted me, his first apprentice, has vanished without a trace—nobody can find him.
My third senior brother died in a very suspicious manner too. He was staying overnight at a woman’s place when a gas leak caused an explosion, resulting in a fire that burned him to death."
After a moment of silence, Chen Yan, with furrowed brows, slowly said, "Your senior brother’s cultivation should be about the same level as yours?"
Chu Keqing nodded: "Yes, my third senior brother has quite good talent; aside from myself, he has the best talent among our fellow disciples.
Moreover, he started cultivating earlier than me and is older than me. If we purely compare cultivation, his might be slightly higher than mine. The reason he lost to me back then is because I have slightly more expertise in Talisman Art."
Hmm, got it, his inner strength doesn’t lose to yours, just his techniques are a bit weaker... Chen Yan shook his head more in his heart.
A person whose cultivation is not weaker than Chu Keqing, which means, most likely he is also in the Guiyuan Realm!
Although, according to Gu Qingyi’s words, Guiyuan Realm practitioners in this world are weak Guiyuan Realm practitioners.
Moreover, the Cloud Sect Technique is inherently flawed: Primordial Qi enters the body, but they don’t know how to nurture the physical body, so their physique isn’t much stronger than an ordinary person’s.
They also don’t know any spells, nor do they understand offensive techniques.
But! A weak Guiyuan Realm practitioner is still a Guiyuan Realm practitioner!
A Guiyuan Realm practitioner, dying in a fire?
Even if trapped by the fire, unable to understand spells to escape, and his physical body not strong enough to leap tall buildings like a superhero...
But, a Guiyuan Realm warlock, wouldn’t he observe his own Qi luck? Wouldn’t he understand Qi Observation Skill?
Wouldn’t he sense impending disaster or calamities?
Doesn’t he understand the simplest avoidance of misfortune?
How is that possible!
His disciple called and said "Master was murdered."
It appears his words were not untrue.
And before finishing the call, it was disconnected, and contact couldn’t be reestablished—more likely something happened—maybe even silenced!
Chen Yan pondered for a moment and asked: "So, are you heading to Port City to find the mastermind behind your third senior brother’s death and avenge him?"
"...Not exactly." Chu Keqing shook her head, her tone complicated: "This senior brother of mine was radical and impatient, and in recent years, he’s made quite a name for himself in Port City.
But, as I mentioned to you earlier, he’s been colluding with those Southern Seas warlocks in Port City to commit numerous misdeeds.
The first tenet of our Cloud Sect Technique is: Qi luck cycles, karma retribution!
He strayed from the right path, even if he died an untimely death, it’s the result of his own actions, ultimately reaping what he sowed.
I aim to investigate his death on this trip.
If he was murdered innocently, I might intervene—though he hasn’t returned to Jinling Prefecture in years, he remains a disciple of our Cloud Sect, a direct disciple of my esteemed teacher. If he was killed innocently, our Cloud Sect members cannot be killed so casually!
However, if my investigation reveals that his death was due to his own misdeeds, reaping what he sowed...
Or killing each other due to uneven splits in their wicked collusions...
If that’s the case, it’s his own karma, and I will not intervene!"
Chen Yan nodded in agreement.
If she blindly insisted on intervening... Knowing that the third senior brother is not a good person, yet still seeking revenge for him...
Then Chen Yan would rather not accompany her!
Thankfully, Chu Keqing isn’t going to act like a saint.
As for the possibility of the third senior brother being killed innocently... it’s more likely just words, both Chu Keqing and Chen Yan feel that with his character, the likelihood is slim.
"I’m actually heading to Port City for another important reason." Chu Keqing slowly said.
Chen Yan thought for a moment and had an inkling: "Is it related to what his disciple mentioned about handing something over to you?"
"Yes!" Chu Keqing’s expression turned solemn: "When my master passed away, he left behind three treasures of our Cloud Sect. They are three pieces of [Cloud Order], which have been treasured by our Cloud Sect for generations.
It is said that these Cloud Sect artifacts were once owned by the founder of our sect. Before the founder passed away, he split this treasure into three pieces of [Cloud Order]. Legend has it that if the three pieces of Cloud Order are combined, it will reveal a profound cultivation technique left by the founder.
Though many generations of Cloud Sect disciples have tried, none could unlock the founder’s treasure, and over time, everyone began to see it as mere legend.
Nevertheless, since it was personally left by the founder, it naturally remains a precious sect treasure, and each generation of Cloud Sect disciples have kept them safe."