What was called the Grand Elder was just a pie he drew for Li Qingran to cultivate and improve her strength. In reality, there was no Grand Elder in the Sword Pavilion, let alone a Grand Elder surnamed Chen.
But what should they do now?
Her master was poisoned and would not live long.
It wouldn’t be good to just leave it like that.
But if they were to help, they didn’t have the money…
“Qingran, did you or your master come up with the idea of telling me this?” Su Qinian decided to hold back for now and probe first.
“It was Master’s idea, and also disciple’s!” Li Qingran bowed again: “May I ask, does Sect Leader have any way to help Master? Disciple is willing to do anything!”
Su Qinian was stunned.
This was great.
Taking on a disciple and recognizing a Grand Elder for the Sword Pavilion?
Is this appropriate?
Is this right?
Given the complexity of the situation, Su Qinian still planned to distance himself. He probed again: “When I took over the sect, that Grand Elder had already left the sect to travel. I only know his surname is Chen, but I don’t know his exact name…”
“Master’s name is Chen Huaian!” Li Qingran quickly added.
“Oh, is that so? Then come with me to the sect’s ancestral hall. I will find out which specific Grand Elder it is, and we can think of ways based on his cultivation level.”
Su Qinian thought, in the ancestral hall were tablets of ancestors who had passed away, some of whom had left the sect and their fate was unknown.
If he went to the ancestral hall and did not see a tablet of an ancestor surnamed Chen, he could simply admit his mistake, and later draw another pie for Li Qingran to improve her strength. This would be a win-win.
It wasn’t that he was selfish.
The Sword Pavilion simply couldn’t afford any more upheaval.
Resources were dwindling and were insufficient to support others.
Li Qingran didn’t know why she needed to confirm the identity, but she followed Su Qinian to the ancestral hall with hope.
The Sword Pavilion’s ancestral hall was old.
But inside, it was very clean.
Li Qingran noticed a female sword cultivator sweeping the courtyard covered with fallen leaves. She wore simple white clothes, her tall and slender figure bathed in morning light, her fair face seemed to be enveloped in a faint halo, and time had left no marks on her face.
In a daze, Li Qingran felt as if time had merged with this female sword cultivator.
“Senior Sister Lin,” Su Qinian nodded to the female sword cultivator.
This was the first time Li Qingran saw such a serious expression from Pavilion Master Su.
“Mm.” The female sword cultivator lightly nodded, seemingly indifferent to their arrival. Su Qinian didn’t explain Senior Sister Lin’s specific identity to Li Qingran and led her quickly into the ancestral hall.
The ancestral hall was filled with tablets, and compared to the dilapidated hall, these tablets were spotless, as if they had just been placed.
Unconsciously, Li Qingran thought of the extraordinary Senior Sister Lin, whom the Pavilion Master called a sword immortal. The tablets in the hall must have been carefully maintained by her day and night to look so new.
Su Qinian lit three incense sticks and placed them in the incense burner, bowing three times before turning to Li Qingran: “Let’s search separately. Remember, don’t move the tablets, only look, don’t touch!”
Li Qingran, with a stern face, nodded: “You can rest assured, disciple won’t touch them!”
“Mm, since you’re obedient, I won’t watch you.”
The ancestral hall had multiple levels. Su Qinian slowly went upstairs, thinking about how to handle the situation.
After all, he remembered that there was no ancestor or senior named Chen Huaian in the ancestral hall.
Li Qingran searched meticulously inside the hall, growing increasingly anxious.
Especially among the tablets with the surname Chen, she did not find her master’s name.
Time passed second by second.
Su Qinian came down from the top of the hall, looking at Li Qingran’s anxious face. Although he felt sorry, he still said firmly: “How is it? Did you find your master’s tablet? If you didn’t find it, perhaps I made a mistake, sigh—! As one gets older, memories sometimes get confused.”
Li Qingran continued searching, ignoring him.
Not even the tablets behind Su Qinian that he had already ‘searched’ were spared.
Her eyes were red, her lips tightly pressed, determined to check everything again.
Su Qinian didn’t stop her, continuing patiently: “Qingran, even if your master isn’t our sect’s Grand Elder, I will try to provide some assistance. You don’t need to…”
“Found it!”
A joyful voice cut off Su Qinian’s words.
“What?!” Su Qinian turned around in disbelief.
Li Qingran walked over, tightly hugging a tablet, her reddened eyes glistening with tears, a relieved smile on her face: “Disciple, disciple found Master’s tablet!”
…
