With a muffled thud, a surging wave of energy gushed out from Xiao Yan’s palm. Nalan Yanran let out a painful groan, and a mouthful of blood trickled down the corner of her lips. The bright red color starkly contrasted with her rosy lips, making them appear even more sorrowfully alluring.
Her beautiful eyes, filled with a mix of emotions, gazed at the cold, young face. Nalan Yanran slowly closed her eyes, her arms hanging limply by her sides. Her body, like a withered flower petal, floated down helplessly toward the ground, carried by the wind.
In that moment, the entire scene fell into silence!
All eyes were fixed on the graceful figure descending from mid-air. The faces of the Yunlan Sect disciples were filled with disbelief. Nalan Yanran, the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Yunlan Sect, had condensed her Qi whirlpool at the age of thirteen, successfully advancing to the rank of Fighter. At sixteen, she had climbed to the rank of Fighter Master, and at twenty, she had ascended to the rank of Grand Fighter!
A Grand Fighter at twenty years old—such cultivation speed, while not the most impressive in the Yunlan Sect over the years, was still sufficient to place her in the top ten. However, this person who was so outstanding that ordinary people would revere her, had been defeated by Xiao Yan, who had once been considered a waste of the Xiao family. For the Yunlan Sect disciples, who had always regarded Nalan Yanran as their goddess, this was a deep and painful blow…
As they recalled Nalan Yanran’s cultivation progress, some people involuntarily thought of Xiao Yan. When these slightly shrewd individuals set aside their prejudices and carefully calculated Xiao Yan’s age and his cultivation speed, a sense of shock suddenly rose in their hearts.
Three years ago, Xiao Yan was not even a Fighter. Yet, three years later, his strength had already caught up with Nalan Yanran, reaching the level of Grand Fighter…
In just three years, he had crossed the boundaries of Fighter and Fighter Master, leaping directly to the rank of Grand Fighter. If Nalan Yanran’s cultivation speed was something that inspired awe, then Xiao Yan… perhaps should be considered something to fear.
When some of the informed people looked past Xiao Yan’s face, which seemed to have lost its youthful innocence, they couldn’t help but tremble inwardly. Only now did they remember that, three years ago, Xiao Yan was only fourteen. Three years later, he was seventeen…
Xiao Yan’s consistent display of maturity and calmness had masked many people’s guesses about his true age. At this age, most people would have just reached the rank of Fighter. Yet, this Xiao Yan, once considered a waste, had already begun to walk the path of a strong cultivator!
A Grand Fighter at seventeen! The founder of the Yunlan Sect, that almost legendary genius, had also reached the rank of Grand Fighter at the same age!
Recalling all this, some people quietly swallowed, exchanged glances, and their faces were instantly filled with shock and cold sweat.
Of course, Xiao Yan’s cultivation speed was also due to the Pharmacist Elder’s help. But if it weren’t for the time wasted when the Pharmacist Elder secretly absorbed Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi in the past, who knows if Xiao Yan might have reached the rank of Grand Fighter even earlier?
But without the three years of hardship that tempered his will, who could be sure that Xiao Yan would have developed the remarkable mental fortitude that even many of the older generation admired? Sometimes, what seems like a misfortune can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
“Ah…” On the giant tree, Nalan Jie’s expression became much darker. His once straight posture slumped slightly, and he sighed deeply, the bitterness in his sigh thick and hard to dispel.
What had been a good situation had turned sour, not only losing a son-in-law who was so outstanding that anyone would envy, but also losing face. It was truly a case of losing both the battle and the war.
Hearing Nalan Jie’s sigh, Mu Chen and the others beside him could only exchange a bitter smile and shake their heads. Xiao Yan’s performance had far exceeded their expectations. This seemingly solitary little guy had managed to defeat Nalan Yanran, who had been the focus of the Yunlan Sect’s training. In just three years, his growth speed was so astonishing that even Mu Chen and the others were left speechless.
“Not a simple little guy…”
Pharmacist Elder sighed softly. Although Xiao Yan had taken some shortcuts in the battle due to his flying technique, the keen combat awareness showed that he had gone through real, grueling training, far beyond Nalan Yanran’s sheltered and cautious cultivation methods.
“Indeed, not simple. Given time, this boy will surely achieve great things!”
Jia Xing Tian nodded and gave a faint evaluation, which was the first time he had given such a high compliment to someone so young.
Staring at the figure in mid-air, Hai Bo Dong felt a slight relief, but then quickly tensed up again. He knew that the most dangerous part of this trip to the Yunlan Sect was not the battle with Nalan Yanran, but the elders of the sect.
Lowering his gaze, he glanced at the group of Yunlan Sect elders sitting on the stone platform. His brow furrowed slightly when he saw the slightly pale face of Yun Lin. His fingers gently flicked within his sleeves, and a chill slowly swirled around his palms, ready to deal with any sudden situation.
“Damn brat!” Yun Lin slapped the stone platform beside him with an angry hand, his face turning slightly green. He had never expected Xiao Yan to be so disrespectful. His previous warning had been completely ignored.
“Great Elder, what do we do next? Yanran… has already lost.”
A Yunlan Sect elder asked with a bitter smile.
Yun Lin’s face fluctuated. Nalan Yanran represented the entire Yunlan Sect, and her loss would certainly damage the sect’s reputation. With the Sect Leader absent, as the Great Elder, he had to think of a way to salvage the situation.
“But with so many influential leaders present, how can we salvage it without a proper excuse? If we force it, wouldn’t that make us seem like bandits?”
Yun Lin’s thoughts raced as he tried to find a solution. His gaze suddenly landed on Ge Ye, whose face was deathly pale. Ge Ye was staring at Xiao Yan in the air, his expression one of sheer terror, which made Yun Lin even more furious. “Ge Ye, pay attention to your image! You are a senior official of the sect!”
Ge Ye’s whole body trembled at Yun Lin’s rebuke. He finally came to his senses, turned abruptly, and stuttered, his trembling finger pointing at Xiao Yan. His voice, though low, was full of fear. “Great Elder, he… he is the mysterious person who killed Mo Cheng!”
Ge Ye’s words caused a sensation. The expressions of all the Yunlan Sect elders on the stone platform changed instantly!
…
Xiao Yan watched the graceful figure fall, recalling the bitter, wistful look on Nalan Yanran’s face. A hint of fatigue flashed in his eyes. For this so-called three-year agreement, he had left his family and the lovely girl who always tugged at his heartstrings. Now that the three years were over, his body and soul seemed to have shed a heavy burden that had been pressing on him.
“Finally, it’s over…”
He sighed lightly, and his wings fluttered, his body descending along the same path as Nalan Yanran.
Just before landing, a white shadow suddenly drifted out from Nalan Yanran’s embrace, floating towards Xiao Yan with the wind.
Xiao Yan grabbed the white shadow, but his body stiffened slightly when he saw it. It was just a neatly folded piece of white paper. Due to countless folds, the edges were already showing signs of wear. Xiao Yan recognized this paper… because, in the Xiao family hall, the young boy had once pulled out this sheet and written a shocking document… a divorce notice!
He slowly unfolded the paper, and the slightly childish handwriting leaped out. His gaze swept over it, and the bloody handprint, under the sunlight, was glaringly bright.
Staring at the divorce notice for a moment, Xiao Yan finally shook his head lightly. Glancing at Nalan Yanran, who was about to land, he waved his sleeve, and a surge of energy appeared, gently carrying her down to the green stone floor.
“Cough…”
Nalan Yanran coughed violently, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. She supported herself on one hand, raising her head stubbornly to look at Xiao Yan and the white paper in his hand. Her expression was complex, and after a while, she seemed to have made a decision.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Nalan Yanran struggled to stand, her voice hoarse and bitter. “Xiao Yan, you won… As per the agreement, I, Nalan Yanran, should serve as a slave or maidservant.”
“But, for the sake of the sect’s reputation, please forgive me for not fulfilling it. Since my unreasonable impression is already deeply rooted in your mind, let me be selfish one last time…”
“Looking back, my actions towards the Xiao family were indeed inappropriate. So, please convey my apologies to Uncle Xiao in the future…”
With those words, Nalan Yanran’s hand suddenly raised, and with a slight gesture, a long sword near a Yunlan Sect disciple was pulled towards her by a suction force.
Grabbing the sword, Nalan Yanran clenched her teeth, her hand moving, and the sharp blade swung fiercely toward her long, white neck.
“Ahh!”
Nalan Yanran’s sudden action shocked all the Yunlan Sect disciples and elders on the square. They never expected her to commit suicide because of her defeat.
However, Nalan Yanran seemed to mean it, and the sword moved directly towards her neck.
Though some elders wanted to save her, the distance made it impossible, and they could only watch helplessly as the sharp blade neared Nalan Yanran’s neck.
“Clang!”
The sword, carrying a chilly aura, sliced through the air. Just as it was about to touch her skin, a pair of slender fingers appeared, clamping down on the blade. The sword stopped, leaving a shallow cut on her delicate neck, with blood slowly trickling down, staining her fair skin.
Nalan Yanran, startled, lifted her head to see a pair of indifferent black eyes. “I have no interest in making you a slave or maidservant, so there’s no need to do this to protect the Yunlan Sect’s reputation.”
Xiao Yan glanced at Nalan Yanran, biting her red lips, and couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated. Even though he had won, it didn’t mean he could really make Nalan Yanran a slave. After all, she was the Young Sect Leader of the Yunlan Sect, and the elders would never allow such a thing that would damage the sect’s face. Moreover, if Nalan Yanran really committed suicide here, the Yunlan Sect would erupt in anger, and their relationship would truly become hostile—a situation Xiao Yan didn’t want.
“The three-year agreement is over. We won’t have any more entanglements. Your failure today is a small price for your previous mistake…”
Xiao Yan said calmly, his fingers pulling the sword and tossing it away. The sword shot out, embedding itself forcefully in front of the Yunlan Sect disciple, its hilt vibrating.
“You know, this paper treaty has no real binding power.”
Shaking the divorce notice, Xiao Yan flicked his fingers, and a green flame rose, burning the paper to ashes in front of Nalan Yanran.
“Three years ago, I said this. Today, I’ll say it again.”
Xiao Yan smiled, and his soft voice echoed across the quiet square. “Nalan Yanran, from now on, you and my Xiao family have no connection. You are free… Congratulations.”
Looking at the smiling, handsome young man, Nalan Yanran’s face was filled with complex emotions. She had achieved what she pursued, but for some reason, her heart felt empty.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the show is over. Please return to your homes.”
Xiao Yan smiled at the crowd in the trees, turned, and walked a few steps, pulling out the enormous Heavy Black Scale from the ground and casually slinging it on his back. Then, under the watchful eyes of many, he slowly walked out of the square.
The sunlight shone down, and the somewhat lonely figure appeared much more relaxed than when he arrived.
As he stepped out of the square and was about to descend the stairs, the voice that most made his heart sink finally sounded. “Mr. Xiao Yan, please stay for a moment. There is something our Yunlan Sect needs you to verify personally…”
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