The True Master of Qingyun Sect, Is It Him

Lu Qingyun's words made everyone in the Qingyun Sect break out in a cold sweat. After all, this was the Qingyun Ancestor—a single sentence from him could send shockwaves through the entire sect.

Recalling the events that had just unfolded, the crowd grew tense.

Chen Chang'an's methods were too ruthless. The fate of the Cao family was still fresh in their minds, and if Chen Chang'an held a grudge over what had just happened, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"It's nothing too serious," Chen Chang'an said.

"All of this was caused by matters concerning my disciple."

Disciple?

Those two words struck a chord with Lu Qingyun. Hadn't he once yearned to become Chen Chang'an's disciple as well?

But he hadn't dared. He had been too timid, lacking the courage, so he had instead offered to serve as a servant, hoping Chen Chang'an would accept him.

Yet, to his dismay, Chen Chang'an hadn't even granted him that opportunity. Still, he had held onto hope.

And now, Chen Chang'an had actually taken a disciple?

Lu Qingyun turned his gaze toward Ye Zhiqiu, standing nearby, and his heart shuddered.

What a monstrously talented youth!

Not even twenty years old, yet already at the fifth level of the Divine Ability Realm, with a physique that seemed extraordinary as well.

"May I ask, brother, what is your name?"

Lu Qingyun's words left the entire Qingyun Sect petrified.

Especially Lu Mengran and the others—just moments ago, they had been eager to recruit Ye Zhiqiu into the sect. Now, their own Ancestor was addressing him as a brother?

Didn’t that instantly elevate Ye Zhiqiu’s status above all of theirs?

"This…"

"You are my disciple, so in terms of seniority, it is indeed appropriate," Chen Chang'an remarked.

Ye Zhiqiu had naturally heard of the Qingyun Ancestor’s reputation. The idea of being addressed as an equal by such a figure was something he had never even dreamed of.

Thankfully, Chen Chang'an's words clarified the situation, or else Ye Zhiqiu wouldn’t have known how to respond.

"I am Ye Zhiqiu. Greetings, Qingyun Ancestor."

"Hahaha! So it’s Brother Ye. None of this 'Ancestor' business—if you don’t mind, just call me Brother Lu."

"For you to be taken in as a disciple by Senior Chen, young brother, you truly have incredible fortune."

"Alas, I never had such an opportunity in my time. Ah, I truly envy you."

Lu Qingyun’s enthusiasm and the regret in his eyes sent shockwaves through the crowd. So, even the Qingyun Ancestor had once sought to become Chen Chang'an’s disciple?

And such a figure had been rejected? Just how stringent were Chen Chang'an’s standards for taking disciples?

"Brother Lu also wanted to become Master’s disciple?" Ye Zhiqiu asked curiously.

"Become his disciple? I only wished to serve as his attendant."

What the—?

What did he just say?

The crowd doubted their own ears, some even slapping their heads in disbelief, wondering if they were hallucinating.

An attendant?

Lu Qingyun had wanted to serve Chen Chang'an as an attendant—and had been rejected?

If anyone else had said this, they would have dismissed the speaker as a madman or a fool.

But these words had come from Lu Qingyun himself. Who could refute them? Who would dare?

Ye Zhiqiu was also stunned. An attendant? Just an attendant?

"Enough, that’s all in the past now. No need to dwell on it."

"Brother Ye, Senior mentioned earlier that this was about your matter? What exactly happened?"

"Tell me, and I will see justice done."

Ye Zhiqiu nodded and recounted the events in detail.

After listening, Lu Qingyun frowned slightly. The matter wasn’t insignificant, but it didn’t seem to involve any direct conflict with the Qingyun Sect.

At most, it concerned Lu Yun and Cao Jinxiu’s relationship—but they hadn’t married, so it didn’t count.

Besides, with Cao Jinxiu’s deceitful nature, how could she ever have been allowed to marry into the Qingyun Sect? She was clearly a cunning and malicious schemer.

"Do any of you have anything to say?" Lu Qingyun turned to the sect members, his voice grave.

"Ancestor, what Ye Zhiqiu said is true, but they never proved that the assassination attempt was real, much less that it was linked to Cao Jinxiu."

"Nonsense! Do you think someone of Senior’s stature would lie?"

"A minor family like the Cao clan—are they even worth his deception?"

"If Senior wished, he could reduce the Qingyun Sect to rubble in an instant. Why would he need to explain anything to you?"

"Are you even worthy of an explanation from him?"

Lu Qingyun’s words left them speechless. Had they known Chen Chang'an was a powerhouse of this caliber, they would never have doubted him.

A supreme expert at the Emperor level, framing a mere girl? Impossible!

What virtue or ability did Cao Jinxiu possess to warrant a lie from an Emperor-realm expert?

"It seems Cao Jinxiu was indeed vicious and skilled at deception."

"Ah, I nearly fell for her act. She always seemed so kind and gentle—I truly thought she was a good-hearted girl."

"Because of her alone, the foundation of our Qingyun Sect was nearly destroyed. She deserved death."

"Well, she’s already dead. No point dwelling on it now."

Though Cao Jinxiu had gotten what she deserved, Lu Mengran and the others still felt Chen Chang'an’s methods were excessively cruel.

The rest of the Cao family had been innocent, yet they had been wiped out—completely contrary to the principles the Qingyun Sect upheld.

Just because he was an Emperor-level expert, should the Qingyun Sect turn a blind eye?

"Ancestor, I understand your relationship with this Senior is… unique."

"But I must speak my mind. Our Qingyun Sect has always upheld the principles of rewarding good and punishing evil. Our disciples are taught to abhor wickedness."

"Everything we teach them emphasizes what is right and wrong, and that they must never bow to power or turn a blind eye to injustice."

"Yet now, this Senior has massacred the entire Cao family with brutal methods. If we remain silent simply because of his connection to you, how can the Qingyun Sect justify its existence?"

"From now on, whenever we face a powerful figure, must we ignore all wrongdoing and feign indifference?"

"Ancestor, I need an answer!"

Ignoring the dissuading looks from those around him, Lu Mengran spoke his mind firmly.

Hearing this, Lu Qingyun chuckled.

"Lu Mengran, if I recall correctly, you are of my Lu bloodline, aren’t you?"

The position of Qingyun Sect’s leader wasn’t exclusively passed down to Lu Qingyun’s descendants—after all, the role was meant for the most capable.

But Lu Mengran was indeed one of his descendants.

"Reporting to the Ancestor, I am a thirty-fifth-generation disciple of the Lu family."

Lu Qingyun nodded approvingly.

"Good. That you dared to speak these words under such pressure proves that the sect made the right choice in selecting you as its leader."

"Everything you said is correct—except for one thing you are unaware of."

Hm?

What was he missing?

"Please enlighten me, Ancestor," Lu Mengran said respectfully.

"Do you know why the Qingyun Sect exists? Why did I establish the Qingyun Sect?" Lu Qingyun asked with a smile.

This...

Why was the Qingyun Sect created?

"Didn’t the Ancestor establish the Qingyun Sect to build a legacy, gather talents, expand influence, and uphold righteousness in the world?"

"Haven’t we always done exactly that since the founding of our sect?" Lu Mengran frowned as he questioned.

"You’re not wrong—that is indeed what we’ve done. But you still don’t understand why I created the Qingyun Sect."

"It was on the orders of a senior."

"In other words, it was this senior who instructed me to establish the Qingyun Sect. The Qingyun Sect exists because of him."

"In a sense, this senior is the true founding ancestor of our Qingyun Sect!"

What?

The true founding ancestor of the Qingyun Sect… is actually Chen Chang’an?

Lu Qingyun actually created such a sect solely on Chen Chang’an’s command?

So when Chen Chang’an annihilated the Cao family… it was essentially the Qingyun Sect that destroyed them?

Because Chen Chang’an is the true master of the Qingyun Sect!