The Fifth Generation Sect Leader

"Look, it's a cultivator from the Chu family of Qi Yun Sect!" 

"It's Si Yuan! Si Yuan brought a cultivator from the Chu family!"

"That's great, the Chu ancestor hasn't forgotten us!" 

The room exploded like dropping water into hot oil. Everyone rushed over and crowded against the wooden door, peeking outside through any crack they could find.

Caught off guard, Qi Xiu was pushed to the ground by the crowd. "Master! You were right about him, master!"He curled up on the ground, crying with snot and tears, feeling relieved for the lonely old man lying cold in the west hall. "You didn't waste your care on him, Sect Leader Qin Shi Yuan brought a Chu family cultivator!"

The Chu Family Ancestor that the Qi Yun sect disciples were talking about was named Chu Zhen. He was an Elder in the Qi Yun sect, and his cultivation level was late-stage Nascent Soul. 

He had been renowned in Qi Yun for a thousand years. The founding ancestor of the Chu Qin sect, Qin Lie'er, had been Chu Zhen's disciple. Back then, he had been able to establish his own sect, partly because of Chu Zhen's help. 

The name "Chu Qin Sect" puts "Chu" before "Qin" forever to honor Chu Zhen's kindness.

Though the Chu family of Qi Yun sect was a superfamily that possessed Nascent Soul cultivators, they hadn't formally separated from the Qi Yun sect, so strictly speaking, they couldn't be called an independent sect. 

Nonetheless, they're not to be trifled with by mere Foundation Establishment cultivators. 

In spite of the unpleasant entry, the three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the three sects respectfully welcomed the two descending from the sky.

Everyone eagerly watched as the Chu family cultivator and Qin Siyen walked into the Sect Hall, then finally dispersed from the door and started chattering, speculating about what might happen next.

"Didn't they say Ancestor Chu Zhen declared he wouldn't bother with our Chu Qin Sect anymore? Why did he send someone now?"

"It must be Si Yuan. That kid probably begged him, and Ancestor Chu Zhen felt sorry for him and decided to send someone."

"No way! Si Yuan just left a few hours ago. How could it happen so quickly?"

"You don't get it. Our ancestor is a disciple of Ancestor Chu Yuan. Of course, they have ways to stay in touch!"

"Anyway, the Chu family coming is definitely a good thing for us and the sect," said Senior Sister Qin. "No matter what, they wouldn't come here to harm us." 

The middle-aged cultivator from the Pavilion of Manuals nodded in agreement. "Anyway, things have reached this point, and it can't get any worse. There's nothing we can do, and worrying about it is useless. Let's just wait for news." 

With that, he simply sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes, starting cultivating.

Everyone realized he was right, so they stopped guessing and quietly sat down to wait for news.

That's when someone noticed Qixiu still sprawled on the floor, his face buried, a big mess of tears and snot pooling around him. He was crying and mumbling to himself. They rushed to lift him up, offering comfort until he finally calmed down.

As the night wore on, the martial arts competition on the public square had finished, and a male disciple from the Drifting Cloud Sect claimed the position of Sect Leader.

Gradually, cultivators from the three sects dispersed to rest, marking the end of a significant day for both the three sects and Chu Qin Sect.

Senior Sister Qin's baby had slept soundly during the day but was now wide awake and crying vigorously that the heavens shook and the earth trembled. She swiftly cast a soundproofing talisman around them and, along with a few female cultivators, began soothing the child inside.

Everyone was tired and hungry, their minds preoccupied with the uncertain future. They stared at each other blankly, worn out and lost in thought. Qi Xiu, having cried all day like he had never done, was exhausted, so he just leaned against the door and dozed off.

Suddenly, the door swung open. A disciple from the three sects stood at the entrance and shouted: "Uncle Chu of the Qi Yun sect has instructed you all to meet him in the Sect Hall."

Instantly, everyone jumped up with relief, thinking that the moment had finally come.

Qi Xiu had been leaning against the door to begin with, so as he came out, he followed closely behind the disciple from the three sects leading the way. Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder, and he turned around.

A young fellow disciple pointed at his robe. "Senior Qi Xiu, your robe's hem is dirty," he said.

"Hmmm?"

Qi Xiu stopped and leaned down to check where the young disciple had pointed. But in the dim light of night, he couldn't see clearly. He lifted the hem of his robe closer to his face to get a better look.

A nearby muffled chuckle came into his ear then. 

Qi Xiu looked up only to see that the middle-aged cultivator from the Pavilion of Manuals had moved past him to the front, flanked by several fellow disciples.

It was only then that he realized he had been tricked. "Ah... forget it." He sighed. 

Senior Sister Qin caught up to him and whispered softly, "Don't worry about it." She and the other female cultivators had been behind, so they had seen everything that had happened.

Just came out of prison, and people were already starting to scheme against each other. Qixiu felt mentally drained and didn't feel like saying anything. He nodded silently to Senior Sister Qin and followed behind quietly.

They were led into the Sect Hall. The plaque of Chu Qin Sect on the lintel and within the hall had already been taken down, and the new one yet to hang up, leaving the spots empty.

In the hall, two groups of cultivators sat facing each other —- four people in each group.

One side had the three Foundation Establishment cultivators from each sect in a row, along with the newly appointed sect leader from Drifting Cloud Sect, all holding a small cup and leisurely sipping tea.

On the other side, at the head, sat a middle-aged cultivator with an extraordinary aura. His luxurious robe and jade belt were decorated with white clouds that were slowly drifting like an illusion. He must be the Chu family's cultivator from the Qi Yun sect.

Next to him was an elder of unknown background; he was cultivating with closed eyes.

Surprisingly, the third person was a stunning young female cultivator, around sixteen or seventeen, her wide eyes curiously watching everyone.

At the bottom sat a young male cultivator, none other than the fourth-generation sect leader, Qin Si Yuan. His red robe matched his handsome face and white jade-like skin; truly a good-looking young man. At the moment, he was staring at the ground, lost in thought.

The middle-aged cultivator from the Pavilion of Manuals led everyone in a round of greetings.

None of those seated, including Qin Si Yuan, showed any reaction, except for the newly appointed sect leader who slightly nodded in return.

"I have another important matter to do, so I'll make a long story short," said the Chu family cultivator slowly. 

"Our ancestor originally didn't want to meddle with Chu Qin Mountain affairs. However, recently, another ancestor of ours founded a sect in the desolate lands of South Xinjiang, where people are scarce. He asked us to bring over some cultivators and mortals from Qi Yun to populate the area. Our ancestor thought that since you've lost your foothold here, it might be a good opportunity for you to move to South Xinjiang. If you agree, Chu Qin Sect can still continue to exist as an independent sect, and would also help maintain some connection of gratitude with our ancestor. Down there, under the protection of our other ancestor, no one would dare to harm you. What do you say?"

Everyone exchanged uncertain glances, unsure whether to agree or not. Wasn't this something the sect leader should decide? So, they all looked towards the newly appointed leader, Qin Si Yuan.

But Qin Si Yuan was still staring at the ground, not saying a word, as though a flower was blooming there.

"How should we proceed, Sect Leader?" the middle-aged cultivator from the Pavilion of Manuals asked him directly.

Qin Siyen remained unresponsive.

The cultivators from the three sects sipped their tea, barely holding back their smirks, clearly amused by the situation.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Sister Qin, who was technically Qin Si Yan's elder by mortal standards, stepped forward. "Si Yan?" she softly called.

But Qin Siyen still didn't move.

A trace of impatience flashed across the Chu family cultivator's face, and he cleared his throat loudly.

This finally jolted Qin Si Yan awake. He jumped up like he had been pricked and blurted out, "I like An Hong'er!"

"Huh?" Senior Sister Qin was completely taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

The Foundation Establishment female cultivator, who was the esteemed leader of Lotus Flower Temple, couldn't hold her composure any longer, and she spat out her tea onto the floor. Then she quickly hid her face behind her teacup, shaking with laughter. 

The other sect cultivators were also struggling to suppress their laughter.

On the other side, the Chu family cultivator held his forehead, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, the unknown elder beside him finally opened his eyes and nodded approvingly at Qin Siyen, while the stunning young woman beside him blushed, covering her face with her hands, even her neck turning red.

Even Qin Siyen, slow as he might be, knew he had misspoken. But at this point, he had no choice but to brazen it out. "I like An Hong'er, but her family, the Huang Hou An family, has no male cultivator to carry on the lineage. So they will only let her marry someone who will join their family. I told my master before, but he was firmly against it. Now that I'm the sect leader, I can make my own decisions."

"You... you want to marry into her family?" Senior Sister Qin, experienced in such matters, immediately understood.

"Yes, as soon as I became the head of the sect, I went to the An family to propose. It's already settled; I just want to be with An Hong'er!" Qin Siyen replied, then exchanged a loving look with the young woman beside him.

"You animal! Your master treated you so well, and you..."

Qi Xiu trembled with anger. His master's body was noy yet cold, and at this critical moment for the sect, all Qin Siyen could think about was proposing! He had thought Qin Siyen hadn't let down his master, but now it seemed like all those tears had been shed for nothing. 

What a load of crap he turned out to be!

"You animal!" Qi Xiu charged forward to punch him, not caring about anything else.

Senior Sister Qin, tears streaming down her face, sobbed softly. "Si Yuan, you're the direct descendant of the Qin family's eldest branch! How can you, how can you... marry into another family?"

"Hmph!" The unknown elder waved his sleeve, and Qi Xiu, who looked like a mad tiger ready to pounce, was swept aside and went tumbling on the floor a few times, giving him bruises and swelling.

The middle-aged cultivator from the Pavilion of Manuals remained calm. "Sect Leader Qin Si Yuan, the An family wants someone to marry into them because they have no male heir, but you're the only heir left in the main branch of the Qin family. Don't you have any responsibility to the Qin family?" he said after choosing his words carefully.

Qin Si Yuan's face showed a flash of pain. "The Qin family... " he said bitterly. "Look at them, always fighting, scheming, colluding with outsiders against their own people!"

He pointed to the empty plaque in the hall, "From childhood to now, the Qin family showed me nothing but jealousy and oppression. They never treated me like family! Sect Leader, I don't want this position! I don't want to be part of the Qin family either!"

He took out a wooden token. "This sect leader token, I'm giving it back to you today!" He stared at the over twenty Chu Qin sect disciples, one by one. He finally rested his gaze on Qi Xiu, who was still sitting on the ground, looking dazed.

Besides his master, Sect Leader Qi, Qin Si Yuan had the best impression of Qi Xiu, who had often brought him things. He made a decision. "The position of sect leader, I pass it on to Senior Brother Qi today," he declared before throwing the token into Qi Xiu's lap.

"From now on, I have nothing to do with the Chu Qin Sect!" 

With that, he rushed out of the hall.

"Brother Qin!"

The beautiful An Hong'er hurriedly followed him.