The Yunlan Sect was one of the top powers in the Jiama Empire. Its main compound was situated directly on a majestic mountain range, just over ten li from the imperial capital. Because of the Yunlan Sect, this mountain was known as Mount Yunlan.
Mount Yunlan was steep and precipitous, with three sides covered in cliffs and dense forests. A path led up to the peak nearby, making it a strategic location that was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Furthermore, Yunlan Sect disciples patrolled diligently across the entire mountain, from top to bottom, effectively turning the entire range into a massive stronghold.
Nearly two li from the foot of Mount Yunlan, over fifty thousand imperial cavalry were stationed. Although they were ostensibly the capital's guards, anyone could see that the empire's rulers had established this protective measure against the "fierce tiger" so close to the capital.
In the back mountains of the Yunlan Sect, mists swirled, creating a scene like a celestial realm.
On a black rock protruding from the cliff face, a woman in a pale green robe was cultivating, her hands forming seals. Her eyes were tightly closed, and with each breath, a perfect cycle formed. With each rotation of this cycle, the dense energy surrounding her emitted faint wisps of green qi that swirled around her body, then continuously surged and absorbed into her, undergoing refinement and assimilation.
After the last wisp of green qi was absorbed into her body, she slowly opened her eyes. Faint green light flashed through her pupils, and her black hair on her shoulders fluttered without a breeze.
"Senior Sister Nalan, Master Nalan Su has arrived at the Yunlan Sect. He asked for you to come meet him."
Seeing that the woman had emerged from her cultivation state, a maid who had been waiting nearby quickly spoke respectfully.
"Father? What is he doing here?"
Hearing this, the woman's dark eyebrows furrowed slightly. She shook her head in confusion, then elegantly moved to the edge of the cliff. Gentle gusts of wind pressed her pale green robe tightly against her lithe and soft body, revealing her alluring curves.
Her languid gaze swept over the bottomless chasm of the cliff. The woman's jade hand lightly flicked her pale green robe, then she turned and departed.
In the spacious and bright main hall, a middle-aged man with a somewhat gloomy expression was holding a teacup. His hand, resting on the table, tapped restlessly, betraying his agitation.
Nalan Su was currently very agitated, because he had practically been chased back to the Yunlan Sect by his father, Nalan Jie, with a stick.
He hadn't expected that after merely leading troops to be stationed in the western region for a year, his audacious daughter would dare to unilaterally break off the engagement that the old master had arranged years ago.
Everyone in the family knew that Nalan Jie valued his reputation immensely. Nalan Yanran's actions would undoubtedly lead others to say that the Nalan family looked down on the Xiao family's weak influence and scorned the alliance, effectively destroying their credibility.
Such gossip caused Nalan Jie to fly into a rage every day at home. If he hadn't been unable to move, he would have probably dragged his almost decrepit body to Mount Yunlan long ago.
Regarding the engagement between the Nalan family and the Xiao family, Nalan Su actually hadn't been very supportive. After all, at first, Xiao Yan was famously known as a good-for-nothing. To ask him to marry his daughter, who possessed both exceptional beauty and cultivation talent, to a good-for-nothing, Nalan Su was truly a hundred times unwilling.
However, "at first" was "at first." According to the information he had obtained, that Xiao family brat had not only shed his good-for-nothing reputation, but his current cultivation speed was almost more terrifying than when he was at his peak before. You are reading this story at Truyen FULL – www.Truyen FULL
The potential Xiao Yan displayed at this moment undoubtedly commanded Nalan Su's attention. However, Nalan Yanran's personal actions had chilled the relationship between the two parties to an icy, extremely deadlocked state, which greatly embarrassed Nalan Su.
Given the worsening relationship, Nalan Su would not only lose a son-in-law with limitless potential, but it was also possible that Xiao Yan would harbor hatred towards the Nalan Clan.
Just thinking of someone who had the chance to become a Dou Huang expert in the future becoming an enemy of the Nalan Clan, Nalan Su stomped his foot, both worried and angry.
"That girl. Her guts are getting bigger and bigger now..."
The more he thought, the angrier he became. The teacup in Nalan Su's hand suddenly slammed heavily onto the table, sending tea splashing everywhere, making the maid serving nearby even more frightened. She hastily and cautiously replaced the cup. "Yun Lan Sect, why didn't you inform us at all?"
Just as Nalan Su was seething with anger, a clear female voice suddenly echoed in the main hall. A beautiful, azure figure slowly emerged from behind the gauze curtain, smiling sweetly at Nalan Su.
"Hmph, do you still have this father in your eyes? I thought that after you became a disciple of Yun Yun, you wouldn't even know what the Nalan Clan is!" Seeing his daughter grow more beautiful by the day, the anger in Nalan Su's heart slightly subsided. He snorted coldly.
Seeing Nalan Su's displeased expression, Nalan Yanran shook her head helplessly. She waved her hand at the maid nearby, dismissing her.
"Father, we haven't met in over a year, and you're scolding Yan'er first? When I go back, I'll definitely tell Mother!" After the maid left, Nalan Yanran's slender nose wrinkled. She sat down beside Nalan Su and pouted.
"Go back? You still dare to go back?" Hearing this, Nalan Su's mouth twitched. "You still dare to go back? See if your grandfather dares to disown you."
Pouting, Nalan Yanran understood in her heart. She naturally comprehended the meaning behind Nalan Su's words.
"You should know the purpose of my visit, right?"
Taking a fierce gulp of tea, Nalan Su said with a gloomy face.
"Is it about me breaking off the engagement?"
Lightly stroking her black hair with her small arm, Nalan Yanran said indifferently.
Seeing Nalan Yanran's calm demeanor, Nalan Su was instantly so angry that his vision blurred. He slammed his hand heavily on the table and said furiously, "That engagement was personally arranged by your grandfather back then. Who gave you permission to annul it?"
"That's my engagement! I don't want to marry anyone according to your wishes. My affairs are my own to decide! I don't care who arranged it. I only know that if I follow the agreement, it's me who gets married, not grandfather!" When this topic came up, Nalan Yanran's face also showed displeasure. She had a somewhat independent personality and detested having her major life decisions controlled by others, even if they were her elders.
"Don't think I don't know, you simply thought Xiao Yan was a good-for-nothing back then and wasn't worthy of you, right? But now, his potential is not inferior to yours! With your status in the Yun Lan Sect, you should have long since received news regarding his strength, shouldn't you?" Nalan Su said angrily.
Nalan Yanran's dark eyebrows furrowed slightly. The image of the tenacious young man from back then flashed in her mind. Her red lips parted slightly, and she said indifferently, "I have indeed heard some news about him. I didn't expect that he truly managed to shed the label of a good-for-nothing. This indeed surprised me greatly."
"An accident? An accident is enough? Your grandfather has spoken, giving you some time. Go to Wu Tan City again, and it would be best to apologize and ease this relationship." Na Lan Su said with a frown.
"Apologize? Impossible!"
Hearing this, Na Lan Yanran's willow-like eyebrows shot up, and she flatly refused without hesitation, huffing, "Even if Xiao Yan is no longer a good-for-nothing, I, Na Lan Yanran, still won't marry him! And don't even mention me apologizing. If you like, go yourselves. Anyway, I'm not going to Wu Tan City again!"
"Then you're refusing a way out! You caused this trouble, and you must go resolve it for me!" Seeing Na Lan Yanran refuse outright, Na Lan Su was instantly enraged.
"I won't go!"
Her jade-like face turned cold, Na Lan Yanran stomped on the snow, a hint of arrogance flashing across her face: "Isn't he very capable? If he dared to agree to the three-year pact back then, then I, Na Lan Yanran, will wait for him at the Yun Lan Sect to challenge me. If I lose, I'll be a slave, a servant, to be dealt with as he pleases. Hmph, and he still wants me to apologize? Impossible!"
"You scoundrel! If you ultimately lose the three-year pact and become a slave, won't the Na Lan family, and I, lose all face?" Na Lan Su roared.
"Who said I would lose? Even if Xiao Yan has recovered his talent, am I, Na Lan Yanran, inferior to him in any way? Moreover, the Yun Lan Sect has countless profound cultivation techniques, and even more abundant high-level Dou Skills. Plus, I have Grandfather Gu He, the Pill King, helping me refine pills. How could a young master from a small family possibly have these things? To speak frankly, just finding a high-level Dou Qi cultivation technique could probably take him decades!" Being looked down upon by Na Lan Su like this, Na Lan Yanran instantly felt as if her tail had been stepped on. What she hated most was being told she was inferior to that good-for-nothing whom she disdained a thousand times over!
Being talked back to by his daughter, Na Lan Su was so angry that his beard bristled and his eyes widened. He suddenly stood up, raising his hand to strike Na Lan Yanran.
"Brother Na Lan, you shouldn't act rashly." Seeing Na Lan Su's movement, a white figure quickly entered, blocking in front of Na Lan Yanran.
"Ge Ye, you scoundrel, I heard you were the one who helped her last time at the Xiao family, weren't you?" Looking at the figure blocking his way, Na Lan Su grew even angrier, saying furiously.
Smiling awkwardly, Ge Ye said with a bitter smile, "This was the Sect Master's intention; I had no other choice."
"What is Yun Yun doing? How could she allow Yanran to do such a foolish thing? If Xiao Yan truly defeats Yanran three years later, does she really intend for her to become someone's slave?" Hearing the words "Sect Master," Na Lan Su's anger somewhat subsided, but there was still a lot of resentment in his tone. After all, naturally losing a son-in-law with immense potential, and gaining such an enemy, his mood was far from good.
"Ah, Elder Nalan, there's no need to rush. What's done is done, and anything said now is useless. Besides, even if you force Yanran to apologize, it would be difficult to salvage the relationship between the two families. Why bother inviting more unpleasantness? As for the three-year agreement, rest assured, the Sect Master has recently descended the mountain personally to prepare the final medicinal ingredients for Yanran. Once Elder Gu He refines the pill, that Xiao Yan will absolutely be unable to catch up with Yanran's cultivation progress. As long as Yanran shows mercy during the three-year agreement, it will also dissipate the resentment in his heart," Ge Ye said with a smile.
"What kind of formula has such miraculous effects?" Nalan Su asked, frowning.
"Ah, I still can't say. This medicine was originally obtained by Elder Gu He last year during his travels, coincidentally from deep within the mountains. It must have been left behind by a predecessor. As for its medicinal effects, you'll know when the time comes..." Ge Ye said mysteriously.
Seeing that Ge Ye wouldn't speak, Nalan Su impatiently waved his hand. He looked at Nalan Yanran, who was hiding behind Ge Ye, her expression still as stubborn as ever. He could only stamp his foot helplessly and said angrily, "Forget it, I can't control you. If you fail then and have to become someone else's maid, don't you dare say you have any connection to the Nalan family. I won't be able to save you either." With that, he left the main hall, full of resentment.
Watching that figure disappear from sight, Ge Ye finally let out a sigh of relief. He turned to look at Nalan Yanran, whose expression was equally helpless, and sighed again, saying, "I really didn't expect... that little fellow from the Xiao family could actually rise again."
"Let him, if he can..." Nalan Yanran said indifferently, sitting on a chair.
"Yanran, do you... truly have the confidence to defeat him in the three-year agreement?" After a moment of hesitation, Ge Ye suddenly asked.
"Uncle Ge, how can even you think that I'm inferior to that good-for-nothing... Xiao Yan?" Hearing this, Nalan Yanran immediately said unhappily.
Shaking his head with a bitter smile, Ge Ye sighed and said, "I feel that little fellow is a bit strange..."
Pouting, Nalan Yanran's jade hand, holding a teacup, tightened slightly. Her eyes stared intently at the pale tea, and she snorted coldly in her heart, "I don't believe you can climb over my head! There's still a year and a half. Let's see what level you, a three-star Dou Practitioner, can reach!"
"I, Nalan Yanran, will wait for you at the Yun Lan Sect! If you have the ability, come as scheduled!"