Gu He looked at the Little Fairy Doctor with suspicion. "She came to see me? What for?"
Hearing this, the Little Fairy Doctor shook her head. "The Sect Master didn't say anything, but she left a scroll for you before leaving. According to Senior Sister Nalan, the Sect Master has left the sect again."
As she spoke, she retrieved a scroll from her ring and handed it to Gu He.
"She left again? Why?" Gu He took the scroll, feeling puzzled. 'Hadn't she just made a breakthrough? Why was she in such a hurry to leave?'
Seeing the confusion on Gu He's face, the Little Fairy Doctor quickly explained, "I heard from Senior Sister Nalan that the Sect Master left this time to gather cultivation resources for herself to speed up her progress."
"It's said that Xiao Yan, who divorced Senior Sister Nalan, has awakened his talent and seems to be exceptionally gifted. This has made the Sect Master uneasy, so she left the sect as soon as she brokethrough," the Little Fairy Doctor added slowly.
At this, the Little Fairy Doctor's expression grew complicated. She knew deep down that the Sect Master's departure was somewhat related to her. If she hadn't pressured Nalan Yanran so much, perhaps this wouldn't have happened.
Hearing this, Gu He was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected news of Xiao Yan's restored cultivation to spread to the Misty Cloud Sect so quickly. He sighed inwardly. Yun Yun, as the Sect Master, was truly irresponsible. She was rarely in the sect—how could she be considered a qualified leader?
With a hint of curiosity, Gu He opened the scroll in his hand.
"Advanced Black Tier agility-type Dou Technique: Treading the Wind!"
Gu He's eyes narrowed as he read the scroll. This was a High-Level Black Tier Dou Technique. While Gu He had no shortage of advanced Black Tier Dou Technique., he was surprised to find that this one was a physical dou technique.
It was well-known that among combat skills of the same tier, physical skills were the most valuable. A high-level Black-tier physical combat skill was almost comparable to an ordinary Earth-tier skill.
Gu He felt a flicker of joy. He happened to be lacking a physical dou technique, and Yun Yun had sent him one. Could this be her way of thanking him?
…
At that moment, the peak of the mountain behind the Misty Cloud Sect was shrouded in clouds and mist, resembling a fairyland.
On a protruding black rock at the edge of the cliff, a woman in a moon-white dress sat with her hands forming a cultivation seal, her eyes closed as she practiced.
With each breath, a perfect cycle of dou qi flowed through her, and faint wisps of cyan air seeped from the dou qi-rich atmosphere around her. The air currents swirled around her body before being absorbed, transformed, and stored within her.
When the last wisp of cyan air was absorbed, Nalan Yanran slowly opened her eyes. A faint green light flashed through them, and her blue hair fluttered slightly in the windless air.
"The teacher was right. The dou qi in the back mountain is indeed much stronger," Nalan Yanran murmured, smiling as she felt the results of her training.
"Senior Sister Nalan, Master Nalan Su has come to the Misty Cloud Sect. He asked to see you," a female disciple waiting nearby said respectfully, seeing that Nalan Yanran had finished her cultivation.
"Father? What is he doing here?" Nalan Yanran frowned slightly, shaking her head in confusion. She stood up gracefully, her moon-white dress clinging to her exquisite figure as the breeze blew against her, accentuating her curves.
She glanced lazily at the bottomless cliff below, then flicked her dress with delicate hands before turning to leave the training ground Yun Yun had personally chosen for her.
…
In the spacious and bright hall, a middle-aged man with a slightly gloomy expression sat holding a teacup. His hand tapped irritably on the table.
Nalan Su was deeply upset. He had been chased out of the house by his father, Nalan Jie, with a stick. He hadn't expected that after leading troops to the western part of the empire for just a year, his bold daughter would dare to annul the marriage his father had personally arranged years ago.
In the family, everyone knew how much Nalan Jie valued face. Nalan Yanran's actions would undoubtedly lead to rumors that the Nalan family, seeing the Xiao family's decline, had broken their promise and abandoned them.
This gossip had enraged Nalan Jie, who had been fuming at home every day. If not for his poor health, he might have dragged himself up Misty Cloud Mountain already.
As for the marriage between the Nalan and Xiao families, Nalan Su hadn't been entirely in favor of it. After all, Xiao Yan had been almost synonymous with being a waste. To marry his daughter, who had both beauty and talent, to such a person was something Nalan Su couldn't accept.
However, according to recent information, Xiao Yan had not only shed his reputation as a waste but had also displayed a terrifying speed of cultivation, surpassing even his childhood peak.
This potential had caught Nalan Su's attention, but Nalan Yanran's actions had turned the relationship between the two families icy, leaving Nalan Su both angry and embarrassed. If this continued, he would not only lose a son-in-law with immense potential but also risk making an enemy of a future powerhouse.
The thought of a future Dou Emperor holding a grudge against the Nalan family filled Nalan Su with dread.
"This girl... she's becoming more and more reckless," Nalan Su muttered, slamming his teacup on the table in frustration, splashing tea everywhere. The maid nearby hurried to clean up the mess.
"Father, why didn't you inform me before coming to the Misty Cloud Sect?" Nalan Yanran's crisp voice sounded through the hall as she stepped out from behind a gauze curtain, smiling sweetly at her father.
"Hmph! Do you still have your father in your eyes? I thought you'd forgotten the Nalan family after becoming Sect Master Yun's disciple!" Nalan Su's anger subsided slightly as he looked at his increasingly graceful daughter, but he still snorted coldly.
Seeing her father's displeasure, Nalan Yanran shook her head helplessly and waved the maid away. "Father, it's been over a year since I last saw you, and you scold me as soon as you arrive. I'll have to tell Mother about this when I return!"
"Return? Do you dare to go back?" Nalan Su retorted. "If you dare, let's see if your grandfather doesn't break your legs!"
Nalan Yanran pursed her lips, well aware of what her father meant.
"You know why I'm here, don't you?" Nalan Su asked, his face dark.
"Is it about the annulment?" Nalan Yanran played with a strand of her hair, her tone indifferent.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Nalan Su was both amused and furious. He slammed his hand on the table. "Your grandfather personally agreed to this marriage! Who gave you the right to annul it?"
"That's my marriage. I'll decide who I marry! I don't care who agreed to it. If it's my marriage, it's my decision, not Grandfather's!" Nalan Yanran retorted, her tone firm.
"Don't think I don't know. You just thought Xiao Yan wasn't good enough for you, didn't you? But now his potential is no less than yours! With your status in the Misty Cloud Sect, you must have heard about his rapid progress, haven't you?" Nalan Su said angrily.
Nalan Yanran frowned slightly, the image of the stubborn young man from her memories surfacing. She pursed her red lips and said lightly, "I've heard some news about him. I didn't expect him to truly shed his reputation as a waste. It's quite surprising."
"Surprising? Is that all you have to say? Your grandfather wants you to find some time to go to Wu Tan City again. It's best if you apologize and ease the tension between our families," Nalan Su said, frowning.
"Apologize? Impossible!" Nalan Yanran raised her brows, refusing without hesitation. "Even if Xiao Yan is no longer a waste, I, Nalan Yanran, will not marry him! And I certainly won't apologize. If you want to, go yourself. I won't set foot in Wu Tan City again!"
"You have no choice in this! You caused this mess, and you'll clean it up!" Nalan Su roared, his anger flaring.
"I won't go!" Nalan Yanran's pretty face turned cold, her chin raised with innate pride. "Isn't Xiao Yan capable? Since I dared to make that three-year agreement back then, I'll wait for him to challenge me at the Misty Cloud Sect. If I lose, I'll serve him as a maid and do as he pleases. But if not, there's no way I'll apologize!"
"You fool! If you lose the three-year agreement and become a servant, won't you bring shame to the Nalan family as well as Misty Cloud Sect?" Nalan Su scolded.
"Who said I'll lose to him? Even if Xiao Yan has regained his talent, how could I, Nalan Yanran, be inferior to him? The Misty Cloud Sect has countless advanced techniques and a rich collection of combat skills."
"Elder Gu He refines pills for me. How could the young master of a small family like his have access to such resources? It would take him over a decade just to find advanced dou techniques!" Nalan Yanran retorted, her pride flaring.
Nalan Su was so angry he could barely speak. He stood up abruptly, raising his hand as if to strike her.
"Brother Nalan, don't act rashly," a white figure hurried in, blocking Nalan Yanran.
"Ge Ye, you scoundrel! I heard you were the one who accompanied Yanran to the Xiao family last time?" Nalan Su glared at the man, his anger unabated.
Ge Ye smiled awkwardly. "This was the Sect Master's decision. I had no choice."
"Sect Master Yun? What is she thinking, allowing Yanran to do something so foolish? If Xiao Yan defeats her in three years, will she really become his servant?" Nalan Su's anger was slightly restrained at the mention of the Sect Master, but his resentment was still evident.
"Brother Nalan, there's no use worrying about what's already done. Even if Yanran apologizes now, it would be difficult to mend the relationship between your families. As for the three-year agreement, you can rest assured."
"The Sect Master has recently gone down the mountain to gather the final ingredients for a special medicinal concoction for Yanran. Once Elder Gu He refines it, it will be nearly impossible for Xiao Yan to catch up to her. And if Yanran shows some mercy during the agreement, his anger should be appeased," Ge Ye explained with a smile.
"What kind of medicine has such an effect?" Nalan Su asked, frowning.
Ge Ye smiled mysteriously. "This prescription was obtained by the Sect Master during her travels last year. It's likely a legacy from ancient predecessors. As for its effects, you'll see when the time comes."
Seeing that Ge Ye wouldn't elaborate, Nalan Su waved his hand impatiently. He glanced at Nalan Yanran, who was still standing stubbornly behind Ge Ye, and sighed. "Forget it. I'll leave it to you. If you lose and end up as someone's servant, don't come crying to the Nalan family. I can't afford the shame."
With that, Nalan Su left the hall, still fuming.
Ge Ye watched him go, then turned to Nalan Yanran with a sigh. "I really didn't expect... that kid from the Xiao family to rise so quickly."
"What does it matter? In three years, I'll defeat him fair and square," Nalan Yanran said firmly, sitting down.
"Yanran... are you really confident you can defeat him in the three-year agreement?" Ge Ye asked hesitantly.
"Uncle Ge, do you really think I'm inferior to that... waste?" Nalan Yanran said, displeased.
Ge Ye shook his head with a wry smile. "I just feel that kid is a bit... unusual."
Nalan Yanran clenched her jade hand slightly, staring at the light green tea in her cup. Coldly, she thought to herself, 'I don't believe you can surpass me, Xiao Yan. I won't let you climb over me!'
"Xiao Yan, I, Nalan Yanran, will be waiting for you at the Misty Cloud Sect. Come as promised, if you dare!
…
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