Chu Qingyang
1205 Words
Jiangcheng.
Cloudmist Mountain Security Division.
"You… Why did you come down the mountain?!"
An elderly man frowned deeply, his gaze locked onto the young Taoist sitting in the chair. The young man’s robe was tattered, his posture lazy, and his expression completely indifferent.
"Hmph, what does it have to do with you whether I come down the mountain or not?"
Chu Qingyang shot the old man a sideways glance, his face filled with contempt.
He was still annoyed at how the old man had been groveling before that rich brat just moments ago.
"Where’s your master?"
The elder’s voice was calm, but the underlying tone carried an undeniable weight.
Chu Qingyang, however, didn’t answer.
Instead, he stood up nonchalantly, completely ignoring the guards whose eyes widened at his blatant disrespect.
Even the elder’s suppressed anger couldn’t stop him from swaggering toward the door.
As he stepped out, a casual, lazy voice drifted back—
"Oh, my master? He’s already ridden the crane to the west!"
The elder’s heart skipped a beat.
His fingers clenched involuntarily.
Dead…?
A Shocking Revelation
He, along with the other Cloudmist Mountain officials, had long known about the mysterious Taoist temple deep within the mountains.
And more importantly—
They knew of the old Taoist living there, rumored to possess supernatural abilities.
Even though the Empire valued science over superstition, there were still hidden figures in the world—people with true abilities.
Not just the Liu family, but even some of the most powerful figures in the Empire had chosen to befriend rather than offend these hidden masters.
Decades ago, when the Liu family developed Cloudmist Mountain, they had encountered the old Taoist.
The details of that meeting were unclear, but one thing was certain—
The Liu family, despite being one of Jiangcheng’s wealthiest merchant clans, had reached a silent agreement with the mysterious Taoist:
They would not interfere with each other.
But now…
That old master—
Was dead?!
And his disciple had come down the mountain?!
The elder paused for only a moment, then made his decision—
He would not get involved.
This young Taoist was clearly reckless, daring to provoke the Li family’s heir immediately after leaving the mountain.
Even if he had some skills, he wasn’t worth befriending.
The Empire had changed.
Centuries ago, when the royal family still ruled, mystics and martial artists enjoyed privileges.
But now?
Now, the Empire belonged to the aristocracy and the powerful clans.
Forget a small Taoist—
Even if his dead master had come down the mountain himself, he would have had no choice but to submit.
The era of warriors overruling law was over.
Tying Up Loose Ends
"Liu Chief, are we really just letting that brat go?"
One of the security officers finally spoke up.
The elder glanced at him sideways.
Without warning—
CRACK!
He swung his baton twice, striking the questioning officer hard.
Blood trickled down his nose.
The rest of the guards instantly shut their mouths.
"Let him go?!" The elder scoffed coldly.
"That brat assaulted security personnel, overpowered you all, and then escaped!"
His gaze sharpened.
"Understand?"
The officers nodded frantically.
"Understood! Understood!"
Satisfied, the elder left, already making plans—
The Taoist temple in the mountains occupied prime real estate.
Perhaps it was time to demolish it and turn it into a famous tourist attraction…
Where Did She Go?
Chu Qingyang had been wandering around the mountain base for half an hour—
But he couldn’t find that beautiful girl anywhere.
He felt devastated.
"Damn it! I finally left the mountain and met the girl of my dreams…"
"And I lost her just like that?!"
But fortunately—
It was summer, and Jiangcheng was filled with tourists.
As he wandered, Chu Qingyang spotted at least five other girls who caught his interest.
But…
Every time he approached one and tried to strike up a conversation—
They would chat for a few seconds—
Then walk away quickly.
And he could clearly hear them whispering into their phones:
"Who can understand this?!"
What the hell?!
Going to the Su Family
Chu Qingyang sighed.
"Forget it."
He gazed into the distance.
Maybe…
It was time to follow his master’s last wish—
And go to the Su family?
The Secrets of Qinglian Sect
Chu Qingyang had been raised on Cloudmist Mountain by Daoist Xuan Zhen—his master.
Xuan Zhen claimed to be the 229th generation head of Qinglian Sect—
Once the Empire’s most powerful Taoist school.
According to him—
Back in its glory days, even imperial princes and nobles had sought their teachings.
But then—
The imperial family vanished, and Qinglian Sect declined.
By the time of Chu Qingyang’s birth, the sect had dwindled to just two people—
Him and his old master.
Now, it was just him alone.
A Cryptic Warning
One week before his death, Xuan Zhen had handed him two things:
A jade pendant—the sect’s insignia.
A black box—a long-preserved artifact of the sect.
Before passing away, Xuan Zhen had revealed a shocking secret—
Qinglian Sect did not fall due to natural decline.
Centuries ago, at its peak, it had been erased overnight—
By a powerful, ancient family.
Their only reason?
A simple ideological disagreement.
The Su Family Connection
Xuan Zhen had also confessed—
Twenty years ago, he had saved a woman’s life while traveling.
That woman’s husband had later risen to power, becoming a high-ranking official—
None other than Su Mingshuo, the Governor of Jiangcheng.
So before dying, Xuan Zhen urged Chu Qingyang—
"Take this jade pendant to the Su family. They will help you."
And one final warning—
"The world will soon change."
"Chaos is coming. Catastrophe is near."
"Cloudmist Mountain will not be safe. Only by aligning with powerful forces can you survive."
"Warn Governor Su. Tell him to stockpile food and water. Increase security. Be wary of suspicious people."
It all sounded vague and cryptic—
And Xuan Zhen’s thick accent had made it even harder to understand.
By the time Chu Qingyang wanted to ask more—
His master had already breathed his last.
But honestly?
Chu Qingyang wasn’t too worried.
"That old man must’ve been senile."
"Monsters? Disasters? Come on, man."
"This is the modern world. Science explains everything!"
A Golden Opportunity
Still—
He’d always wanted to leave the mountain.
So, after burying his master, he had kept the mourning period brief—
And rushed down to the city.
And damn—
Life down here was amazing!
The food—delicious.
The drinks—plentiful.
The women—gorgeous.
And this was just Jiangcheng’s outskirts.
The city center?
"Must be even better!"
But first—
"Time to visit the Su family!"
- Writer
