After a pause, Chu Keqing said, "In my master’s generation, before his passing, he entrusted the three Cloud Orders to three individuals respectively.
As the Sect Leader, I took one.
My senior brother, being the first disciple, was given one by our master as well.
The last one was given to my third senior brother.
Among these three Cloud Orders, my senior brother passed away three years ago, and his descendants have already returned the Cloud Order to me.
So now, I have two in my possession.
But the last one has always been with my third senior brother.
Back then, he left the sect abruptly. Although we had a falling-out, he never betrayed the Cloud Sect. Moreover, he had made a promise to me that he would return the Cloud Order when he died."
Speaking of this, Chu Keqing gritted her teeth and said, "Other matters aside, if my third senior brother brought his misfortune upon himself and died, I wouldn’t bother with his affairs. At most, I would go to his grave and pay my respects!
But the Cloud Order handed down by our ancestors is a significant relic of our Cloud Sect. As the Cloud Sect Leader of this generation, I must make a trip to retrieve it by any means necessary!!"
Chen Yan sighed, "Actually, it doesn’t make much difference now.
Your third senior brother was murdered, and the Cloud Order is in the hands of his disciple.
But it seems that the disciple has likely been silenced by the person who killed your third senior brother.
In other words, if you go to Port City, even if you don’t intend to investigate your third senior brother’s death, even if you just want to find the Cloud Order, you will have to face the one behind his death!"
Chu Keqing’s expression turned serious as she slowly said, "To tell the truth, senior, I have thought of these things as well. My third senior brother was quite capable, so the person who killed him must also be formidable. Though I have some abilities, a dragon cannot suppress a local tyrant. Going to Port City, it’s their territory.
I have already divined for myself today. This trip to Port City will have unpredictable results! If it were just about my third senior brother, I wouldn’t dare to trouble you, senior. But the Cloud Order is an important relic of our Cloud Sect, which is why I am making this bold request!
Although I have a few friends in the same field, none can compare to you in terms of technique and cultivation!
After much consideration, only you can deal with this matter..."
Chen Yan didn’t speak, lowering his head to think.
To be honest... he was somewhat reluctant to get involved.
He had previously made millions through her from the He Family—but in the end, that money came from the He Family, not Chu Keqing.
And he had also helped her modify the Cloud Sect’s cultivation technique, which was a significant favor!
In terms of actual value, Chen Yan did not owe Chu Keqing anything.
But Chu Keqing had always been respectful and obedient to him, carrying out all his instructions without complaint.
Thinking of this, Chen Yan slowly said, "The Cloud Order you mentioned, is it a magical artifact?"
Chu Keqing smiled bitterly, "That’s the strange part.
The three Cloud Orders have been preserved through many generations in our Cloud Sect, carefully studied by each generation of Sect Leaders—they are just ordinary objects. If they were magical artifacts, they wouldn’t be so easily given to disciples.
All along, our Cloud Sect has regarded the Cloud Orders as symbols of our sect’s lineage and tokens of identity for direct lineage disciples in the martial world, which is why my third senior brother was given one."
Chen Yan thought for a moment, "Don’t you have two in your hand? If it’s convenient, could you let me take a look?"
Without hesitation, Chu Keqing immediately agreed, "Of course! If you want to see it, senior, I’ll go get it."
Chu Keqing turned and walked into the inner hall. Moments later, she returned with a wooden box, which she carefully placed on the table and opened slowly.
"Please take a look, senior. These are the Cloud Orders of our Cloud Sect."
With Chu Keqing’s introduction, Chen Yan lowered his head to look...
Inside the wooden box, two metal pieces lay quietly.
Judging by the color, they seemed to be made of copper. Due to their age, some parts were slightly oxidized, but they were well preserved, and their overall condition was still quite good. Minor oxidized spots did not detract from their value.
Each Cloud Order was about the size of a mobile phone, oval in shape.
But the center of the copper pieces had a square hole.
From their shape, they looked like elongated copper coins.
Unceremoniously, Chen Yan picked up one and carefully examined it, secretly infusing a trace of primordial Qi into it.
However, the copper piece did not react at all.
(It really seems to be just an ordinary object?) Chen Yan frowned in doubt.
After a while, he slowly put the Cloud Order back into the box, his expression calm, "Alright, you can put them away."
Chu Keqing’s eyes showed a trace of disappointment. She had hoped that this powerful senior might discover some extraordinary aspect of the Cloud Order.
But seeing that Chen Yan found nothing unusual, Chu Keqing sighed——Could the legend about the ancestor hiding a cultivation technique in the Cloud Order really be just a myth?
"Do you have any leads regarding your trip to Port City? You can’t just wander around aimlessly in such a large place, can you?" Chen Yan asked, "Do you have any clues?"
Chu Keqing’s heart stirred with hope.
Since this senior was asking, it must mean he was willing to help!
Otherwise, why would he ask such things?
Chu Keqing answered earnestly, "I wouldn’t call them clues, but I do have some leads.
My third senior brother often mentioned a person to me, someone who claimed to be a descendant of the Southern School of Yin-Yang Art, but actually practiced the Southern Ocean Evil Arts.
That person was very famous in Port City, as was my third senior brother. They were seen as equals. From opponents to, I heard, eventually becoming collaborators.
Speaking of abilities—my third senior brother mentioned him several times. Though he was prideful and cryptic, I could infer from his tone that the person’s skills were superior to my third senior brother’s.
My third senior brother did many unscrupulous things in Port City, and they are mostly connected to that person!
He died suddenly, and the first person I suspect is that person. Moreover, in Port City, there aren’t many who could kill my third senior brother, but that person is capable."
Continuing slowly, Chu Keqing said, "That person’s name is Zhong. In Port City’s mystical art realm, everyone respectfully calls him Elder Zhong..."
Chen Yan’s heart stirred, and he slowly raised his head, staring intently at Chu Keqing!
Before he helped Lu Sisi break the tribulation and change her fate, using the Paperman Tracking Spell, he tracked it to Port City...
Vaguely, he had glimpsed through a spell, and clearly heard the name "Elder Zhong"!!
After a moment of silence, Chen Yan slowly nodded.
"Alright, I’ll take on this matter!"
Chu Keqing was overjoyed upon hearing this!
She had divined for herself and found that this trip to Port City held unpredictable outcomes. She was also anxious about being unable to retrieve the sect’s ancestral relics.
But with this powerful senior’s help... everything would be different!
"Thank you, senior, thank you..." Chu Keqing said, bowing deeply.
Chen Yan stood and helped her up, then slowly said, "I can go with you. But I need to clarify some things!
This matter is you hiring me to help you with your affairs!
It has nothing to do with my position as an instructor at your academy! This must be clear!
And also, please swear by the Heavenly Dao.
This trip is for me, Chen Yan the cultivator, to help the Cloud Sect Leader. I am to receive independent payment.
It is not I, Instructor Chen Yan of the academy, helping the academy’s Dean, Chu Keqing, on a business trip!!"
Chu Keqing was stunned, "Ah?"
"Don’t ask, just swear." Chen Yan said sternly, then added, "By the way, let’s set my fee at one million."
He wasn’t genuinely after the million but wanted the payment to separate this from his role as an instructor at the academy!
Chu Keqing didn’t quite understand, but seeing the senior’s determination, she knelt down and swore an oath on the spot.