Chen Changqing opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He had to admit that Daoist Wuzhen had a point.
Shushan was a cultivation sect, and the rules of the cultivation world ultimately boiled down to one word—strength. If you were strong enough, every voice of doubt would fall silent.
But a thorn still lodged in his heart.
"Grandmaster." After weighing his words for a moment, Chen Changqing said earnestly, "My cultivation is still shallow, and I lack experience. I fear I'm not yet ready to shoulder the responsibility of leading Shushan."
His words were sincere, without a trace of false modesty.
He really wasn't ready.
It had only been a few years, all told, since he'd crossed over into this world. Going from an explorer in Shennongjia to the Shushan Holy Son was already absurd enough, and now they wanted to make him Sect Leader outright? Take too big a stride, and you risked tearing your balls.
Daoist Wuzhen looked at him, a flicker of approval passing through his clouded old eyes.
"The fact that you can say that proves I haven't misjudged you."
He set down his teacup and leaned forward slightly.
"Of course I've considered your circumstances. So—"
Daoist Wuzhen turned toward Daoist Chen Yuan, who had been standing silently to one side.
"Three days from now, the sect will formally announce Chen Changqing as Shushan's next Sect Leader."
Daoist Chen Yuan inclined his head slightly, his expression unchanged.
Then Daoist Wuzhen changed tack.
"However, until Changqing's cultivation and experience are sufficient for him to stand on his own, you, Chen Yuan, will serve as acting Sect Leader. You will continue to handle all sect affairs."
Daoist Chen Yuan's expression froze.
The corner of his mouth twitched, then twitched again.
Chen Changqing keenly caught the complicated look that