Ascending, Do Not Disturb!

Chapter 123: Hug

“Everyone, please.”

Splendid Cloud Sect’s people stepped into the hall, and found the furniture inside was in the style of Harmonious City. The servants were gentle in tone, so much so they did not seem like cultivators of Radiance Sect.

Lin Hu did not enter the rear half of the hall. He stood at the entrance to the halls and said, “Honored guests, please rest. This one will not disturb you.”

“Thank you.” Qiu Shuang had to admit that Radiance Sect was enthusiastic and serious in receiving their guests, and even considered each flower and tree. This felt just like home.

Kong Hou smiled at Lin Hu and winked. She followed Qiu Shuang into the inner hall. Lin Hu stood in the corridor and watched as they walked away.

Had Master and Miss Kong Hou told each other their feelings after being together for so long? There were many people around. Even if he wanted to ask, he could not speak.

Over in the main hall, Huan Zhong told Jin Yue briefly about what he had heard and seen in the last year and a bit. When he mentioned Splendid Cloud Sect, his expression gentled. “This sect looks indolent and unreliable in its conduct. But in reality, this is not true.”

Jin Yue saw that he would only show such gentleness when mentioning Splendid Cloud Sect. He couldn’t help but sigh inside. One would love the house and its crow as well. His apprentice fell in love with a person, and also an entire sect.

“They are relaxed in their teachings but not indulgent. They are protective but not unreasonable; they are an… indolent but clear-headed sect,” Huan Zhong said. “What is scariest is that people feel this sect is the easiest to talk to and bully. But in reality, people who offend Splendid Cloud Sect will never have good outcomes. For these years, Splendid Cloud Sect has always been like this, never advancing another step, but also never falling down.”

Jin Yue nodded slowly. He never dared to think he understood Splendid Cloud Sect. For many years, major sects would rise abruptly but then fall in a few short centuries. Splendid Cloud Sect was different. They appeared to not be at the very top, but they could not be dismissed.

This was a seemingly strange sect protected by the heavens. In reality, all of their good fortune came from themselves. If one attributed to the heavens everything Splendid Cloud Sect gained, it meant that this person was not wise enough and did not have sufficient breadth of mind.

This was a smart and wise sect who also had open minds.

Jin Yue still remembered, back when he was young, he heard people outside mock Splendid Cloud Sect. The Splendid Cloud Sect disciple who had sat with him laughed along with the other people, slapping his leg as he said some jokes of the sect.

At the time, he did not understand. He asked that path friend of Splendid Cloud Sect why he would do that.

The path friend said that ordinary mortals would live just a few decades. Cultivation, in their minds, was a distant and untouchable dream. Mocking them in private for amusement was not a major matter. They were not saying that Splendid Cloud Sect were evil people with bad morals. He would let them do as they wanted.

Back then, he felt the path friend was too casual and did not care about the reputation of his sect. Afterwards, he frequently heard people speak of Splendid Cloud Sect. While Splendid Cloud Sect was mocked, the tone was always one of closeness. If Splendid Cloud Sect was in conflict with another sect, those ordinary people would unconsciously be partial to Splendid Cloud Sect.

Splendid Cloud Sect’s indulgement and respect of the people caused the people, with their short longevity, to feel some natural protectiveness of them.