As Xiao Yan’s blazing red eyes swept downwards, an immediate silence fell over the square. Some Yunlan Sect disciples swallowed nervously, their hearts filled with unease. Now that the mysterious great devil had fled, it was likely time for Xiao Yan to settle scores with their sect.
Gazing at Xiao Yan’s grim expression, Hai Bodong and the others were startled. They swiftly appeared beside him, eyes fixed intently on the scene below. Seeing the formidable stance in the sky, Yun Yun’s lovely face changed slightly. She gently pressed her hand down, suppressing the commotion on the square. With Yun Shan now dead, she had become the new leader of the Yunlan Sect once again. She could not watch helplessly as her sect was destroyed by Xiao Yan.
“What… what do you want?!” Biting her silver teeth, Yun Yun’s wavering gaze finally settled on Xiao Yan’s unusually cold face. Her emotions were in turmoil. Although her relationship with Yun Shan had grown distant over the years, he had always been her master. According to common sense, she should avenge his death. But given all of Yun Shan’s actions in recent years, his fate could only be described as self-inflicted. Even Yun Yun could not dispute this.
Yun Shan’s death at Xiao Yan’s hands, though unjustifiable from a moral standpoint, carried a sense of poetic justice. Emotionally, however, as one of Yun Shan’s disciples, Yun Yun still felt a responsibility to avenge him. But not only was the Yunlan Sect now at a serious disadvantage, but even if Yun Yun had the strength, it would be difficult for her to kill Xiao Yan in revenge. So, in the midst of such internal conflict, Yun Yun’s heart was wracked with intense struggle.
Hearing Yun Yun’s voice, Xiao Yan’s face twitched. He suddenly threw back his head and laughed loudly. His laugh was bitter and full of anger: “What do I want? The Yunlan Sect first captured my father, then destroyed my Xiao Clan, and now they’ve led to my teacher being captured, with his life unknown. You’re still asking me what I want?”
Feeling the bitterness and fury in Xiao Yan’s words, Yun Yun clenched her slender hands, her nails digging painfully into her palms. She understood the intense pain in his heart. She had no defense against the Yunlan Sect’s actions over the years. “These years, the harm your master has caused you is indeed great, but can’t you stop now that the Yunlan Sect is in such a state?”
Her chest rose and fell slightly as Yun Yun bit her red lips. After a moment, she couldn’t help but speak, her voice tinged with a hint of pleading. “Stop? Ha! As long as the Yunlan Sect exists in the Jia Ma Empire, I will not stop! The blood debt of the Xiao Clan can only be repaid with blood!”
Her sharp eyes stared at Xiao Yan’s face, which was starting to lose its rationality. A trace of sorrow appeared on Yun Yun’s lips as she rasped out, “Do you have to go this far to be satisfied, Xiao Yan? The Yunlan Sect has already paid the price, can’t you show some mercy?”
“Haha!” Hearing Yun Yun’s words, Xiao Yan’s laughter was wild. But the rage in his voice was clear to all. “Mercy? When the Yunlan Sect attacked the Xiao Clan, did they show us any mercy? If not for the help of the Mi Teer Family, the entire Xiao Clan would have been massacred by the Yunlan Sect. Was there anyone who showed us mercy then?”
Yun Yun’s face turned pale, her body trembled slightly. Every word Xiao Yan spoke was like a sharp blade, leaving her without grounds for rebuttal. All these events were started by the Yunlan Sect, and the Xiao Clan was nothing but a complete victim from the beginning.
“Regarding the matters of the Xiao Clan, I know the Yunlan Sect was in the wrong. But regardless, I am the Master of the Yunlan Sect. If you wish to destroy our sect, I will do everything in my power to stop you, even if it means risking my own life.”
Gazing at Yun Yun’s bitter, conflicted face, Xiao Yan’s fists trembled. After a brief moment, he roared, “Yun Yun, don’t think this will make me spare the Yunlan Sect. I have said, only one side, either the Xiao Clan or the Yunlan Sect, can exist in the Jia Ma Empire. This point, I won’t change for anyone, including you!”
Yun Yun looked at the young, enraged face, her lips curling in a bitter smile. She had let him down before, and it seemed she would let him down again today. “If that is so, then defeat me first. With your current power, it should be easy.”
With a grip of her small hand, a slender green sword appeared. Yun Yun lifted her delicate face and softly said, “Xiao Yan, don’t let your anger get the better of you! There are still… “
“Yun Yun! Don’t be too presumptuous!” Seeing Yun Yun raise her sword, Xiao Yan’s heart ignited with rage. His face twisted as he shouted angrily.
“I’m sorry…” Seeing the fury and brutality on Xiao Yan’s face, Yun Yun bit her red lips, shaking her head slowly. She knew that such an action would hurt Xiao Yan, but as the sect leader, her upbringing made it impossible for her to abandon her duties.
Xiao Yan glared fiercely at the trembling Yun Yun. Clenching his teeth, he fished a handful of pills from his ring, shoving them into his mouth. As the medicinal effects took hold, his weakened energy began to recover slightly. But this method of forcing his way through exhaustion was not a good solution. Once the effects wore off, his weakness would multiply, but at the moment, Xiao Yan ignored that.
“Xiao Yan, perhaps you should stand down. There are still… ” Hai Bodong hastily tried to dissuade Xiao Yan, clearly sensing that the young man’s mind was not in a stable place after the successive blows.
“I’ll handle this myself!” His voice hoarse, Xiao Yan chewed the medicine, his eyes fixed on Yun Yun below.
Feeling the battle aura slowly surging from Xiao Yan, Yun Yun gave a bitter smile. Tightening her grip on her sword, she awaited the combat she dreaded most.
“Teacher…” Nalan Yanran, who had been watching Xiao Yan’s energy surge, flashed before Yun Yun. “Let me deal with this… The situation we are in is all due to my recklessness years ago.”
“Refusing to marry someone you didn’t like is not your fault,” Yun Yun sighed.
“But I am, at least, a member of the Yunlan Sect. If he wants to destroy it, I cannot stand aside. Leave this battle to me.” Nalan Yanran smiled gently at Yun Yun, then looked up at Xiao Yan, her crisp voice echoing, “Xiao Yan, I deeply regret the events of the past three years. But I am a part of the Yunlan Sect. If you aim to destroy it, you must first defeat me!”
Taking a deep breath, a majestic battle aura surged from Nalan Yanran!
“Yanran! This is a matter between Xiao Yan and the Yunlan Sect. Do not involve yourself!” Nalan Jie and Nalan She, up in the air, immediately paled and cried out. The Yunlan Sect was on the verge of ruin. With Xiao Yan’s current power, it wouldn’t be hard to utterly destroy the sect. If Nalan Yanran fought Xiao Yan, she would surely lose, possibly infuriating Xiao Yan further and causing trouble for the Nalan Family as well.
Nalan Yanran, looking up at Nalan Jie and Nalan She, shook her head slowly. Her beautiful face showed a streak of stubbornness. “Everything I know came from my teacher and the Yunlan Sect. I cannot stand aside at a time like this!”
Seeing Nalan Yanran’s resolute stance, Nalan Jie and Nalan She were incensed but helpless, as her strength now exceeded theirs.
“Mr. Xiao Yan, please wait. Let me try to persuade this girl!” Nalan Jie, seeing Xiao Yan’s darkening face, called out hastily.
Waving a hand to cut off Nalan Jie, Xiao Yan didn’t so much as glance at him. His gaze was fixed on Nalan Yanran, whose face was set in determination. Silvery light flashed on his feet, and instantly, with a beat of his wings, he lunged downward, transforming into a blur.
The sudden terrifying speed of Xiao Yan made Nalan Yanran’s face change. She raised her hand, a fierce sword aura shooting from her palm, aimed at the blurry shadow.
Whoosh!
The black figure in the sky moved oddly, avoiding the sword aura. The dark green wings on its back flared, their color deepening. A faint rumble of thunder echoed in the air, then the shadow of Xiao Yan vanished abruptly!
Xiao Yan’s sudden disappearance made Nalan Yanran pause, shock filling her eyes. Such speed… how could a Dou Wang possess such abilities?
As Nalan Yanran was momentarily stunned, a strange ripple appeared in the space before her. The ghostly black figure suddenly reappeared.
Her pupils contracting, Nalan Yanran raised a hand, sending a powerful gush of battle aura hurtling out.
Bang!
A green flame flickered forth, colliding with the incoming battle aura. In a low rumble, it exploded.
As the two attacks canceled each other, Nalan Yanran was about to retreat when a black figure pierced through the obstructive space, firmly grabbing her slender neck, paralyzing her.
“Although we are both at the peak of the Dou Wang realm, it will take but a few rounds to slay you!” A cold voice whispered, and Xiao Yan’s phantom-like figure reappeared before Nalan Yanran. His hand held her neck, and a mere exhalation of force could snap it.
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