In the grand and heavily guarded hall within the vast estate of the Mittel family in the capital of the Jia Ma Empire, three figures sat, the atmosphere somewhat tense. “Yaphira, why such urgency in summoning us here? What’s happened?” Below the hall, an elder in a light blue robe, gazing at the graceful and beautiful woman seated at the head, raised his voice first, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Haha, indeed, Miss Yaphira, we just received a mission today and are still pressed for time,” said a man from the other side of the hall, sitting in a wheelchair, his eyes also on the woman at the head, with a smile.
“Xiao Zhan, call me Yaphira. Such formalities feel distant.” The woman at the head, with a jade-like face, eyebrows like delicate paintings, and a smile that curved her crimson lips, exuded maturity and allure in every move. Her familiar face was none other than the well-regarded Yaphira, who had a close relationship with Xiao Yan. However, hearing her address the man as “Xiao Zhan, Elder Brother,” it was clear she meant Xiao Zhan, the stalwart leader of the Xiao family.
“I hastily summoned Haidao and Xiao Zhan because I received some rather unsettling news.” Yaphira lightly tapped her slender finger on the table, then frowned slightly, saying, “According to the intelligence, the Yunlan Sect seems to be making some significant moves. The last time the Yunlan Sect acted, it was against the Xiao family. If they’re stirring up trouble again, it must be for something big.”
When mentioning the Xiao family, Yaphira glanced at Xiao Zhan in the wheelchair. However, the latter’s expression remained unchanged, still wearing a spring breeze-like smile, as if the almost extinction of the Xiao family had nothing to do with him.
“The Yunlan Sect is making moves again?” Hearing this, Haidao, who was standing by, frowned deeply, “What do they want this time?”
“We don’t know their intentions yet, and their actions are quite covert. If not for my intelligence network infiltrating the Yunlan Sect, it would have been hard to detect.”
“Could it be aimed at us? How did they find out that the survivors of the Xiao family are under the protection of the Mittel family?” Haidao, frowning, asked in a deep voice.
“This is just speculation, but over the years, the Yunlan Sect’s actions have become increasingly unlike the ones of a sect that once maintained a transcendent status. I think the royal family has been watching them closely, but Yunshan’s power is too strong, so even the royal family dare not make any moves, fearing to provoke this nearby giant, leading to an unmanageable situation.”
“The Mittel family is one of the three major families in the Jia Ma Empire, involved in extensive affairs, unlike the Xiao family back then. If the Yunlan Sect were to act against us, it might cause unrest within the empire. Other forces should not allow the Mittel family to be destroyed by the Yunlan Sect. Of course, there are always exceptions. As you said, the Yunlan Sect is already the strongest force in the Jia Ma Empire, and now with Yunshan, other forces, even if they want to help, would have to consider carefully.”
Xiao Zhan, sitting in his wheelchair, interlaced his fingers in front of him and spoke slowly.
“That makes sense, but caution is key. During this period, Xiao Zhan, tell your clansmen to avoid going out much, and the Mittel family needs to be on high alert. If the Yunlan Sect really does something, it won’t catch us off guard.”
Haidao walked back and forth in the hall for a moment before speaking in a stern voice.
“Alright.”
Xiao Zhan nodded slightly, looking at Haidao’s furrowed old face, and sighed softly, “Old Haidao, I’m truly sorry. Because of my Xiao family, I dragged the Mittel family into this mess.”
“What are you talking about now?” Haidao waved his hand at Xiao Zhan and smiled faintly, “And this is not without reason. Just think of it as this old man and the Mittel family taking a gamble.”
“Are you betting on my third brother returning and defeating the Yunlan Sect? If so, it’s a huge gamble.”
Xiao Zhan smiled slightly and said.
“Do you believe that the little guy will return and turn things around?” Haidao asked with a smile.
Xiao Zhan touched his nose, smiled, and said softly, “I do believe it. And I feel that perhaps this day is not too far away…”
“That’s exactly what I think, haha.”
Seeing the two smiling faces, Yaphira’s lips curled into a smile. In her mind, the image of the black-robed youth with a pair of clear black eyes slowly emerged.
“Little guy, I believe you’ll return as a powerful figure to the Jia Ma Empire!”
In the isolated hall on the back mountain of the Yunlan Sect, the large, empty hall was silent. In the center, a windingly beautiful white-robed woman sat on a mat, her eyes closed.
“Squeak…”
A door-opening sound suddenly echoed in the empty hall. The tightly closed doors slowly opened, and a beam of moonlight spread in, enveloping the white-robed woman in a layer of faint silver gauze, making her look like a celestial maiden, exuding an indescribable nobility and ethereality.
The door opened, and a elderly figure slowly entered, stopping not far from the white-robed woman, and said with a smile, “Rune, are you still angry with your teacher?”
Hearing the old voice, the white-robed woman slowly opened her eyes. Her gem-like eyes, under the moonlight, exuded a peculiar charm, contrasting her noble and aloof face, making one feel inferior. This familiar face was the former leader of the Yunlan Sect, Yun Yun!
Three years had passed without leaving a trace on her face, and under the nurturing of time, her noble aura had only grown stronger. Yet, beneath that nobility, there seemed to be a hint of the coldness she once possessed.
“Teacher, why are you here in the ‘Forbidden Hall’ today?”
Looking at the old man, the white-robed woman did not get up, her voice tinged with self-mockery.
“Ah, Rune, you still have that temperament. For a Xiao family unrelated to you, have you forgotten the cultivation your teacher gave you?”
The old man sighed and spoke with a hint of regret, as if he was frustrated by unfulfilled potential.
“Of course, I remember the teacher’s years of guidance,” Yun Yun said with a slightly bitter smile. After a moment, she muttered, “But for a small Xiao family, why go to such lengths? You’ve made it a life-and-death situation with Xiao Yan.”
“So be it. A youngling with some talent, what need have I to fear?” Hearing Yun Yun mention that person again, the old man’s face darkened. He waved his sleeve and sneered, “That boy fled the Jia Ma Empire three years ago, chased down. But in the past three years, there has been no news of him in the nearby empires. Who knows where he might have perished.”
Hearing Yunshan’s words, Yun Yun shook her head, but did not speak further.
“Enough. I didn’t come here to talk about that boy. Once you forget him, I will let you regain your position as the sect leader. But right now, you can’t forget him.”
Yunshan, noticing the tense atmosphere, frowned and then said coldly, “The Xiao family, I will never let go. I have received news that the surviving Xiao family members are under the protection of the Mittel family. Haidao, that old man, keeps interfering in our Yunlan Sect’s affairs. Does he think I can’t handle him? This time, I will completely exterminate the Xiao family in the Jia Ma Empire!”
“You want to target the Mittel family?”
Hearing this, Yun Yun was shocked, her tone filled with anger, “The Mittel family is one of the three major families in the Jia Ma Empire. If the Yunlan Sect acts against them, it will cause discontent among many forces. Do you want to put the Yunlan Sect against everyone in the Jia Ma Empire?”
“Just a bunch of clowns,” Yunshan’s face showed disdain, and he sneered, “If they want to act, it’s just as well. The Jia Ma Empire has been too peaceful for too long. A great purge would not be a bad thing for us.”
Yun Yun stared in shock at Yunshan, whose personality had changed drastically. She found it hard to believe that her most respected teacher had become like this.
“Teacher, if you persist, the Yunlan Sect will eventually fall by your hands!”
Yunshan’s face turned cold, and he chided, “Yun Yun, you are growing bolder! To dare speak to me like this!”
With a wave of his sleeve, he turned and walked toward the hall’s exit, “The Yunlan Sect will not fall under my watch. Instead, I will bring it to unprecedented heights, a level no previous sect leader has ever reached!”
As he was about to step out, Yunshan stopped and said coldly, “And, you’d better forget that boy. Don’t dream that he will return to the Jia Ma Empire. Even if he does, I will end his life the moment he arrives. And, since the Yunlan Sect destroyed his entire clan, your position as the sect leader means there’s no possibility between you and him!”
With that, Yunshan stepped out of the hall. With a wave of his sleeve, the heavy hall doors slammed shut.
Watching the closed door, Yun Yun clenched her hand. After a moment, a look of sorrow clouded her bright face.
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