Put away your magical powers now! Chapter 97
Chapter 97: Past Shadows of the Cloud Sect
Harbor City?
Chen Yan’s brows arched the moment he heard those words.
How coincidental!
Even if Chu Ke Qing had not come seeking his help, Chen Yan had already been planning a trip to Harbor City. The matter of Lu Si Si remained unresolved. The one who had stolen her fate, who had twisted her destiny, causing her to suffer relentless misfortune before her eighteenth year—
That true culprit was in Harbor City.
Chen Yan had long since resolved to unearth that villain after the Spring Festival. Even before he and Lu Si Si had become a pair, he had intended to help her. And now that she was his confirmed partner, how could he possibly allow the mastermind in Harbor City to escape unpunished?
Only, after returning home from the New Year celebrations, he had immediately encountered the ordeal of the Calamity of Reluctant Fortune, an affliction that had laid both him and Lu Si Si low with illness. That had already delayed him.
Once recovered, he had been forced to find a job to resolve the looming issue of Heaven’s periodic reckoning, postponing his journey further. He had originally planned to go at the end of the month, bringing Gu Qing Yi along.
Chen Yan pondered for a moment before asking, “What business do you have in Harbor City?”
Chu Ke Qing took a deep breath, her expression tinged with complex emotions, a faint shadow of sorrow flickering in her eyes. “To be frank, Senior, this matter is intertwined with past grievances within my sect—Cloud Sect.”
Chen Yan said nothing. He merely lifted his teacup, sipped lightly, and gestured for her to continue.
“In the past, before my master passed, he personally appointed me as the Leader of Cloud Sect.
“But within our sect, among my fellow disciples, I was the youngest and the last to enter. Not to mention Luo Qing—Master’s own son—who, by blood alone, should have rightfully inherited the position.
“Yet Luo Qing’s heart was bound to worldly pleasures, his nature incompatible with the ways of our sect. Because of this, Master abandoned the notion of passing leadership to him.
“Even if we set Luo Qing aside, I still had several senior brothers above me. Among them, my third senior brother was a man of great skill, having inherited much of Master’s true teachings. His cultivation and abilities were not far behind my own.
“Moreover, he had been in the sect longer, was well-traveled, and, being a man, naturally had a stronger camaraderie with the other senior disciples. Thus—”
“So, when you became sect leader, he was displeased,” Chen Yan interjected casually. “That’s not hard to understand.”
Chu Ke Qing sighed, her voice tinged with fatigue. “Indeed. From the moment I took the position, before my master’s body had even turned cold in the earth, he began opposing me at every turn. He paid lip service to my words but undermined me in secret, rallying our fellow disciples to resist my decisions.
“At the time, I was the youngest and a woman. Though I possessed cultivation, I lacked the prestige to command full respect. My third senior brother, through his manipulations, caused many of our brothers to waver in loyalty. While few openly sided with him, many chose to remain silent, watching from the sidelines.”
Chen Yan scoffed and shook his head. “You put it too gently. Your master named you as the sect leader himself. If they stood by and did nothing while he opposed you, that is no different from supporting him outright. There is no need to make excuses for them.”
Chu Ke Qing lowered her head slightly, speaking softly. “At that time, I was young and had no renown. Their actions… I do not resent them.”
“What happened next?”
Chu Ke Qing drew in a deep breath. “I was determined to carry out my master’s last wish—to establish Cloud Sect firmly in Jin Ling Prefecture.
“But my third senior brother had made connections with several associates from the southern regions. Time and again, he advocated that we relocate to Harbor City. He claimed that the city’s reverence for mystic arts was unmatched, that the entire society—from commoners to aristocrats—respected practitioners of the esoteric.
“In particular, the wealthy elite of Harbor City actively sought out those skilled in the mystical arts, treating them as honored guests. My senior brother argued that anyone truly capable in such arts would naturally find great fortune in that land.
“He insisted that Cloud Sect should leave Jin Ling Prefecture and migrate southward, rebuilding our foundation in Harbor City.”
Chen Yan let out a hearty laugh. “Quite the shrewd scheme!”
He fixed his gaze on Chu Ke Qing. “He had long cultivated friendships in the south. When he proposed moving the sect, he already had allies in place—associates who could offer introductions, who could provide support.
“You, on the other hand, would be entering unfamiliar terrain, without kin or allies. You would be isolated.
“And once in Harbor City, who would control the sect’s affairs? Who would dictate its direction, its dealings? With time, you would become nothing more than a figurehead, a powerless leader in name only.”
Chu Ke Qing’s gaze flickered. She lowered her head, her voice hushed. “Senior speaks truly. That was precisely his intent. But I was not blind. I saw through his ambitions and would not allow him to succeed.
“Moreover, my decision was not born of personal bias. My master had clearly wished for Cloud Sect to take root in Jin Ling Prefecture, to flourish in that city. I could not betray that vision.
“Thus, no matter how vehemently my third senior brother pushed for relocation, I remained steadfast in my refusal.
“In the end, after repeated arguments, we finally clashed in earnest. He issued a direct challenge—to determine the sect’s fate through combat.
“In the presence of our fellow disciples, we swore a sacred vow: the victor of our duel would decide the sect’s path.
“If he won, I would relinquish my position, and he would take full control of Cloud Sect.
“But if I triumphed, he would cease his opposition, acknowledging my authority once and for all.”
Chen Yan nodded. “So, if we see it this way, you won the duel, didn’t you?”
“Indeed.” Chu Ke Qing gave a slight nod, her tone calm as rippling water. “It was merely a matter of diligence in cultivation. Though my martial skills were on par with Third Senior Brother, I had devoted more effort to the study of talismans. In terms of mastery, I edged past him slightly. That was how I managed to suppress him in our battle.”
Chen Yan listened, his gaze resting on the woman before him, yet his thoughts rippled like a hidden undercurrent.
She made it sound effortless, but things were never as simple as they seemed.
To establish Cloud Sect’s dominance in Jin Ling Prefecture, to carve out a name as Elder Zi in such treacherous waters, all while bearing the face of a young beauty—how formidable must her path have been?
This Chu Ke Qing was no helpless doe.
As for that duel in the past…
If Third Senior Brother had opposed her so vehemently, it was likely because he believed that, as her senior, his cultivation outmatched hers.
But Chu Ke Qing—she had been concealing her strength all along, hadn’t she? Feigning weakness, biding her time.
Third Senior Brother had likely challenged her, confident in his superiority.
And yet, when the battle was over, he must have realized too late—he had been ensnared in her web from the very start.
One could hardly blame her. From her standpoint, it was simply the natural course of things. Yet there was no doubt—this woman harbored a deep and meticulous mind.
Chen Yan understood, but he would not lay things bare. Instead, he spoke evenly, “After his defeat, did he truly never trouble you again?”
Chu Ke Qing shook her head. “After losing, Third Senior Brother was humiliated beyond measure. In his fury, he abandoned the sect, declaring that as long as I remained, he would never return to Cloud Sect. He then ventured south, settling in Harbor City. True to his word, he never once set foot in the sect again.”
She continued, her expression composed, “He was talented. His cultivation was strong, and his talismanic arts were exquisite. He was also well-versed in geomancy, divination, and fortune-telling. With such skills, he thrived in Harbor City, carving out a renowned name for himself.”
“However, in recent years, Harbor City’s fortunes have waned. The waters have receded; the pond is too shallow to nourish so many fish. Seeing this shift, he contacted me multiple times. On the surface, he spoke of reconciliation, but in truth, he sought to use me.”
“He wanted me to open the doors for him—to pave his way into this land of growing prosperity. With his reputation as Harbor City’s Esteemed Adept, he aimed to return in grandeur, establish ties with the influential, and amass great wealth.”
Chen Yan let out a cold chuckle, casting her a sidelong glance. “Let me guess—you turned him down.”
Chu Ke Qing slowly rose to her feet, her gaze steady as steel. “Before a senior such as yourself, I dare not lie. I refused him. But—” her voice firmed, “not out of selfishness!”
A sharp gleam flickered in her eyes. “I swear upon the heavens, had he merely wished to set aside old grievances and return to Cloud Sect, I would not have stood in his way. He was, after all, a fellow disciple under the same master. Even if our paths had diverged, even if our camaraderie had soured, I would have welcomed him back for the sake of the bond we once shared.”
“But—” her tone sharpened, “my Third Senior Brother did not walk the righteous path. His dealings in Harbor City led him astray.”
“Those so-called allies of his—they claim to be practitioners of the Southern School of Yin-Yang Arts, but in truth, they have long fallen into corruption, consorting with dark forces from the southern isles.”
“I have heard whispers of their deeds. The methods they employ—vicious and insidious—are far from the ways of honor.”
“How could I permit such a man to return? To let him taint the name of Cloud Sect? That, I could not allow! And so, time and again, I refused him.”
Chen Yan’s eyes flickered with insight. “And now, your trip to Harbor City—is it because your Third Senior Brother has stirred some trouble that now reaches your doorstep?”
Chu Ke Qing was silent for a breath, then sighed softly.
“Third Senior Brother… is dead.”
A brief hush fell.
Chen Yan’s brows lifted slightly as he scrutinized her expression. There was no grief in her eyes—only a quiet, intricate emotion, a ripple of remembrance.
Perhaps it was the thought that a man with whom she had once clashed so fiercely was now gone—
That though they had been adversaries, their enmity had not been deep enough to erase the memory of shared years beneath the same master’s roof.
“Last night, I received a call from his foremost disciple,” she continued. “It was a notice of death—an unexpected accident, he claimed.”
“That disciple of his, if we follow seniority, would be my junior nephew. He told me that before passing, Third Senior Brother left behind a will, stating that an item must be delivered to me. That item now rests in my junior nephew’s hands.”
“The call was to ask if I would come to Harbor City to attend the funeral, to bid my final farewell—and to receive the item that Third Senior Brother left for me.”
Chen Yan frowned. “So you travel to Harbor City merely to settle the dead’s affairs? If that is the case, why invite me along?”
Chu Ke Qing’s expression darkened. “At first, I thought the same—just a matter of closure. But this morning, things changed.”
Her voice dropped into a chilling note.
“Something… isn’t right.”
Chu Ke Qing’s voice carried a trace of coldness. “That junior nephew of mine called me this morning. He barely had time to say one sentence—‘Master was murdered!’—before the call was cut off.”
Chen Yan instinctively sat up straight. “And then?”
Chu Ke Qing shook her head, her face like frost. “Nothing more. That was all he said before the line went dead. No matter how many times I tried calling back, there was no answer.”
Chen Yan’s expression darkened.
Chu Ke Qing’s voice remained cold as she continued, “I spent the entire day reaching out to my contacts in Harbor City to gather information. It’s true—my Third Senior Brother is dead. The newspapers published an obituary, and a mourning hall has been set up in his dojo.
“But the disciple who called me, his most senior student, has vanished without a trace. No one knows where he’s gone.”
She paused, her eyes sharp. “And my Third Senior Brother’s death is… peculiar. He perished while staying overnight at a woman’s residence. There was a gas leak. An explosion. The fire consumed the entire floor. His body was burned beyond recognition.”
For a long while, silence hung between them. Then Chen Yan furrowed his brows and spoke in a measured tone. “Your Senior Brother… his cultivation was about on par with yours, wasn’t it?”
Chu Ke Qing nodded. “Yes. Third Senior Brother was exceptionally gifted. Among our peers in Cloud Sect, only I surpassed him. He started cultivating earlier than I did, and he was older. In pure martial skill, he might have been my superior. The only reason he lost to me back then was that I had a deeper understanding of talismanic arts.”
[So, his internal strength wasn’t weaker than hers, but his techniques were less refined,] Chen Yan mused, shaking his head inwardly.
A cultivator on par with Chu Ke Qing, meaning he had most likely reached the Origin Stage!
Though Gu Qing Yi had once scoffed that the so-called Origin Stage cultivators of this world were weaklings, the truth remained—Cloud Sect’s techniques were inherently flawed. Their methods guided vital energy into the body but failed to temper the flesh. Their physical endurance was barely better than that of an ordinary mortal.
Moreover, they lacked offensive spells and methods of combat.
But still!
Weakling or not, an Origin Stage cultivator should not have perished in a common fire.
Even if he had been trapped and unable to escape due to his untrained body, even if he lacked techniques to break through the flames—
Surely, as a practitioner of the mystic arts, he could read his own fate? Had he not mastered Qi Observation? Had he no forewarning of impending disaster?
Did he not even understand the most basic principles of averting misfortune and seeking fortune?
Impossible!
And then there was the message from his disciple—‘Master was murdered.’
A cry for help, abruptly cut off.
A call that was never answered again.
Most likely, the disciple had been silenced as well.
Chen Yan deliberated before asking, “So, you intend to travel to Harbor City and uncover the truth? To avenge your Senior Brother?”
Chu Ke Qing shook her head, her expression complicated. “Not quite.”
She let out a slow breath. “My Third Senior Brother was an extremist. Ambitious. His reputation in Harbor City was formidable. But as I mentioned earlier, he was deeply entangled with the Southern Mystic Practitioners there. I fear his hands were far from clean.
“The first teaching of Cloud Sect’s Doctrine states: Fate is cyclical. Karma spares no one.
“If he strayed from the righteous path—if his death was the consequence of his own actions—then he has merely reaped what he sowed.”
Her gaze hardened. “I will investigate. If he was killed unjustly, I will not stand idle. Even if he distanced himself from Jin Ling Prefecture, he was still a disciple of Cloud Sect. My master’s own pupil. If he was wronged, Cloud Sect will not let such an offense go unanswered.
“But if his death was merely the result of his own misdeeds—if he was slain over some illicit dealings or internal conflict—then I will not interfere. That is simply the hand of fate.”
Chen Yan nodded. This was acceptable.
If she had insisted on blindly seeking vengeance, disregarding the possibility that her Senior Brother was far from innocent—then Chen Yan would have wanted no part of it.
Fortunately, Chu Ke Qing was no foolish saint.
And as for the likelihood that her Senior Brother was truly innocent?
Both of them knew that was unlikely.
“I have another reason for heading to Harbor City,” Chu Ke Qing admitted.
Chen Yan’s eyes flickered with realization. “The item that disciple mentioned?”
She nodded solemnly. “Before my master passed away, he left behind three treasures.
“Three Cloud Tokens.
“They are heirlooms of Cloud Sect, said to have been split from a singular artifact once wielded by our Founding Patriarch.
“Legend has it that when the three are reunited, they will reveal a profound martial scripture left behind by our sect’s founder.”
She exhaled, eyes distant. “For generations, our sect has been unable to decipher the mystery within these tokens. Over time, the legend faded into obscurity. But no matter its truth, the Cloud Tokens remain relics of our lineage. They have been carefully safeguarded by each generation.”
Pausing, she continued, “When my master passed, he entrusted the three tokens to three individuals.
“I received one, as the Sect Leader.
“My First Senior Brother, as our master’s eldest disciple, was given another.
“And the last one… was entrusted to my Third Senior Brother.”
The three Cloud Tokens—one had once belonged to my eldest senior brother. But he passed away three years ago, and his descendants have since returned it to me.
Now, I hold two of them.
But the last one remains in the hands of my third senior brother.
Back then, he left in defiance, though we had our falling out, he never truly betrayed Cloud Sect. Moreover, we had an agreement—if he were to meet his end, he would ensure the Cloud Token was returned.
With a grim expression, Chu Ke Qing gritted her teeth. “Other matters, I could care less about. If my third senior brother brought misfortune upon himself, then so be it. At most, I would pay my respects before his grave and fulfill the bond of our shared sect lineage.
But the Cloud Token, left behind by our forebear, is a legacy of Cloud Sect! As the sect leader of this generation, I must make the journey—I must find a way to retrieve it!”
Chen Yan let out a sigh. “It makes no difference now.
Your third senior brother was murdered, and the Cloud Token is now in the hands of his disciple.
But judging from the situation, that disciple has likely been silenced by the same people who killed him.
Which means, if you go to Harbor City, even if you intend only to recover the Cloud Token and do not wish to avenge your senior brother—you will still have to track down that missing disciple.
And that means one way or another, you will come face to face with the mastermind behind his death.”
A shadow passed over Chu Ke Qing’s face. She nodded slowly. “I have thought of this as well. My third senior brother was no weakling—anyone capable of killing him must be formidable in their own right. My own abilities may not be insignificant, but even a mighty dragon struggles when it leaves its domain. If I set foot in Harbor City, I am stepping into another’s territory.
I have already cast a divination for myself today—this journey will be fraught with unknown dangers. If it were only my third senior brother’s death at stake, I would not dare trouble you, Senior. But the Cloud Token is the very lifeblood of my sect’s inheritance! That is why I am making this shameless request.
I have some acquaintances in the martial world, but in terms of skill and cultivation, none could compare to you, Senior—not even one in ten thousand! After much deliberation, I can only plead for your help…”
Chen Yan remained silent, deep in thought.
To be truthful…he wasn’t particularly inclined to get involved.
He had made millions through his dealings with her in the He Family, but at the end of the day, it was the He Family who had paid the price, not Chu Ke Qing herself.
And he had already rewritten Cloud Sect’s cultivation method for her—that alone was an immeasurable favor.
If one were to measure debts, he owed her nothing.
Yet, Chu Ke Qing had always treated him with utmost deference, never failing in any request he made of her.
After some thought, Chen Yan spoke at last. “This Cloud Token you speak of…is it some kind of artifact?”
Chu Ke Qing let out a bitter chuckle. “That is precisely the problem.
The three Cloud Tokens have been passed down in Cloud Sect for generations, yet despite countless examinations by successive sect leaders, they are nothing more than ordinary objects. If they were artifacts, they would not have been entrusted so easily to disciples.
For us, the Cloud Token is simply a token of inheritance, a symbol of a direct disciple’s identity in the martial world. That was why my third senior brother was given one.”
Chen Yan mused for a moment. “You hold two of them, do you not? If you don’t mind, may I take a look?”
Without hesitation, Chu Ke Qing nodded. “Of course! If Senior wishes to inspect them, I will fetch them at once.”
She turned and disappeared into the inner chamber. Moments later, she returned with a wooden box cradled in both hands. Setting it down, she carefully lifted the lid.
“Senior, please have a look—these are the Cloud Tokens of Cloud Sect.”
With her words, Chen Yan lowered his gaze—
Inside the wooden box lay two metallic plaques.
From their sheen, they appeared to be made of bronze. Time had left traces upon their surface, minor signs of oxidation, though they had been well preserved. Despite the patina, their form remained unblemished.
Each Cloud Token was about the size of a palm, its shape elliptical. In the center of each plaque was a square hole, reminiscent of an elongated copper coin.
Without ceremony, Chen Yan picked one up and ran his fingers across its surface. He quietly infused it with a sliver of his Qi.
But the bronze plaque remained utterly inert.
[Is it really just a mundane object?] Chen Yan frowned, skepticism flickering in his mind.
After some time, he placed the Cloud Token back into the box, his expression calm. “That will do. You may put them away.”
A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Chu Ke Qing’s eyes.
She had secretly hoped that this master of great renown might uncover some hidden mystery within the Cloud Token, something that had eluded countless sect leaders before him.
Yet, seeing his fruitless examination, she sighed inwardly—could the legend of their ancestor hiding a secret art within these tokens truly be nothing more than myth?
Chen Yan then asked, “Regarding Harbor City, do you have any leads? Surely you do not intend to wander blindly in such a vast city?”
A flicker of hope sparked in Chu Ke Qing’s heart.
For him to ask—
Meant that he was considering aiding her!
If he had no such intention, why bother with these details?
Taking a deep breath, she answered solemnly, “It may not be much, but I do have some leads.
While my third senior brother lived, he repeatedly mentioned a certain individual to me. That person claimed to be an heir of the Southern School of Yin-Yang Arts, but in truth, he had steeped himself in the dark sorcery of the South Seas.
Both he and my third senior brother were widely known in Harbor City, considered equals in fame and skill. At first, they were rivals, but over time, I heard they became allies.
From what my third senior brother let slip…though he was arrogant and never admitted it outright, I could tell from his tone—
That man was stronger than him.”
In the shadowed alleys of Harbor City, the tides of karma ebbed and flowed with unseen forces. The Third Senior Brother had committed many disgraceful acts in this place, and all of them, in one way or another, traced back to a single figure.
Now, with his sudden demise, there was but one suspect in Chu Ke Qing’s mind.
“Given the power needed to bring down my Third Senior Brother, there aren’t many in Harbor City who could have done it,” she said slowly, her voice edged with certainty. “But this person… he has the skill.”
She hesitated only a moment before continuing, “He bears the surname Zhong. In the circles of mystic arts, everyone in Harbor City addresses him with the utmost respect—they call him Elder Zhong.”
Zhong?
Hearing this name, Chen Yan felt a subtle ripple in his heart. He lifted his gaze, eyes locking onto Chu Ke Qing with a piercing intensity.
Elder Zhong…
He remembered clearly—before he had rewritten Lu Si Si’s fate, before he had severed the threads of calamity upon her, he had used the Paper Man Guiding Method to trace the origins of her ill fortune. That thread had led him straight to Harbor City, where a glimpse of spell-woven visions had unveiled fragments of a conversation—
And within those whispers, he had heard this name. Elder Zhong.
For a long moment, he remained silent, then finally, with a slow nod, he spoke: “I accept.”
Hearing these words, Chu Ke Qing was overjoyed.
Before setting out, she had divined her own journey, and the omens had been uncertain—fate hanging precariously between fortune and disaster. The ancestral relic of Cloud Sect that she sought was still missing, and doubt gnawed at her heart. If she had to face the unknown alone, the road ahead would be treacherous. But now, with this formidable cultivator at her side, the tides had shifted.
“Many thanks, Senior—Senior!” She dropped into a deep bow, her gratitude as profound as the mountains.
Chen Yan stood and reached out, lifting her to her feet with a calm yet unyielding strength. Then, he spoke with slow deliberation: “I will accompany you, but there are matters that must be made clear.”
His tone sharpened as he continued, “This arrangement is a private one—you have hired me for a task that is yours alone. My position as an Instructor at Falling Cloud Academy has nothing to do with this.”
His gaze was unwavering. “You must swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao—a vow of truth. You must make it clear that this is a commission you have entrusted to Cultivator Chen Yan, who aids the Leader of Cloud Sect in her endeavor. And for this, I will claim an appropriate reward.”
His lips curled slightly. “Let’s set it at one million.”
The number wasn’t the point. The money was merely a veil to separate this endeavor from his other obligations—to keep the matters of the Academy and the world of cultivation from intertwining too deeply.
Chu Ke Qing blinked, momentarily taken aback. “Ah?”
“No questions,” Chen Yan said, his expression firm. “Just swear it.”
After a moment’s hesitation, she knelt, pressed her palms together, and with utmost reverence, made her vow beneath the boundless sky—her voice carried by the winds, sealed under the will of the Heavenly Dao.
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