The Desert Performer

"Y-Yun Lan Sect Master?!"

Xiao Meier and Xiao Yu followed over as well. After hearing my explanation, Xiao Meier's face filled with shock. Covering her lips with one small hand, she said incredulously, "We... we're going to meet the Yun Lan Sect Master?"

Over the past thousand years, the mortal dynasties had changed four times, from the distant De Lan Empire to the present Gamma Empire.

The so-called Three Great Families, including our Nalan Family, had changed hands even more frequently.

Only the Yun Lan Sect had stood atop Yun Lan Mountain Peak all along, looking down upon that majestic city whose banners and name changed time and again, remaining as aloof and serene as when it had first been established.

The Yun Lan Sect was the true overlord of this land!

Of course, due to the Yun Lan Sect's elegant and detached traditions, people did not like calling it an "overlord." They preferred another title—holy land of cultivation.

And the Yun Lan Sect truly deserved that title. As far as I knew, it had at least two Dou Emperors and four Dou Wangs—while our Nalan Family only had a single Dou Wang...

In short, the Yun Lan Sect Master held an extremely high reputation within the Gamma Empire. And—

"A Dou Emperor... a legendary Dou Emperor... Am I really about to meet a Dou Emperor...?"

Xiao Meier clasped her hands before her chest, her expression almost worshipful. Staring at the Flying Magical Beast in the distance, her eyes practically sparkled with little stars.

The corner of my mouth twitched as I looked speechlessly at my fiancée. Xiao Yu snorted, lifting her chin as she said, "It's just a Dou Emperor. I've already seen two of them at Canaan Academy."

Xiao Meier immediately turned and glared at Xiao Yu. After a pause, she mocked, "So what if you've seen two? It's not like you're a Dou Emperor. Hmph!"

Xiao Yu brushed the hair hanging before her chest aside and chuckled. Shooting Xiao Meier a provocative glance, she said, "It just means I'm well-traveled and knowledgeable. Unlike some people, who've spent their entire lives in Wutan City without ever seeing a Dou Emperor. Besides..."

Xiao Yu's expression turned solemn. Gazing at the Flying Magical Beast in the distance, she declared firmly, "I'll definitely become a Dou Emperor someday too!"

"...You? I doubt you'll even reach Dou Spirit!"

I rubbed my forehead as I watched the two of them. So noisy—far too noisy!

Shaking my head, I quietly walked over to Xiao Yan and Xun Er. Seemingly casually, I said, "Third Brother, the reason I was able to arrive in time earlier... was because Sect Leader Yun sensed an unfamiliar Dou Emperor aura here. We came to investigate."

"Did you see anything?"

After saying that, I smiled at Xiao Yan. His expression stiffened, and he looked a little unnatural.

But who was Xiao Yan? He quickly recovered, gave a dry laugh, and said, "There was actually a Dou Emperor nearby? I didn't see anything. Could Yun Yun have sensed it wrong?"

Go on, keep pretending.

I sneered inwardly. Wasn't it the aura leaking from the Old Grandpa in your ring? You still pretended not to know and thought you could fool me?

Little did you know, I already knew everything!

A troubled look appeared on my face. Frowning, I said hesitantly, "That's impossible. Yun Qianbei excels at sensing auras. She shouldn't have made a mistake..."

"Xiao Yan Gege, perhaps there really was a Dou Emperor?"

With a soft laugh, Xun Er took Xiao Yan's hand and guessed seriously, "Perhaps a Dou Emperor really did pass by earlier, which was why Sect Leader Yun sensed them. But our cultivation is low. If that Dou Emperor deliberately concealed themselves, it would be normal for us not to notice."

"Mm, that really is possible. Xun Er, you're so smart!"

Upon hearing that, Xiao Yan hurriedly nodded in agreement. He reached out and tapped Xiao Xun'er's delicate little nose, making her giggle sweetly.

That adulterous pair, in cahoots with each other...

Watching the two laugh and fool around, I quietly slapped a label on them in my heart. Then, after frowning in thought for a moment, I nodded heavily and said with utter seriousness, "Perhaps that really was the case... I'd long heard that Little Sister Xun Er was clever, and now that I've met her, it truly is as rumored. A question that had troubled me for so long was answered by Little Sister Xun Er with just a casual remark."

As we continued onward and drew closer to the Flying Magical Beast, Xiao Yu and Xiao Meier stopped bickering. Although Xiao Yu's tongue was sharp, she still harbored fear toward a Dou Emperor.

Xiao Yan also stopped fooling around with Xiao Xun'er, his face turning stiff. It was not out of respect for Yun Yun, but anger and displeasure. His somewhat handsome face was as gloomy as if someone owed him an Exotic Flame.

Only Xun Er remained as calm and composed as ever. Clad in a violet dress, with her long black hair flowing in the wind, she showed not the slightest hint of solemnity or nervousness.

I shook my head, told the four to wait below, then brought Mo Wang up onto the Flying Magical Beast's back.

Yun Yun was standing there, turning her head toward me. Seeing this, I felt somewhat grateful. Could it be that she had been standing here all this time, watching me from afar?

"Qianbei, I'm back."

Stepping forward, I clasped my hands in salute and said, "Qianbei, those are two local mercenary groups from Stone Desert City—the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and the Sand Mercenary Group. They were fighting... I did not see any Dou Emperors."

"Perhaps those two Dou Emperors merely happened to pass through this place and have already gone somewhere unknown."

"Is that so..."

Yun Yun nodded lightly and did not pursue the two unfamiliar Dou Emperor auras any further. She glanced beneath the Flying Magical Beast and asked, "Who are those four little ones?"

I laughed, rubbing my hands together with some embarrassment. "Qianbei, one of those girls is my fiancée, while the other three are members of my wife's family."

"The Desert Iron Mercenary Group among those two mercenary groups over there was also established by my wife's family... These little ones merely came to visit relatives. Who would have thought they'd run into something like this?"

"So, Qianbei, I'd like them to ride the Flying Magical Beast with us to Stone Desert City. It'll be safer there. What do you think...?"

Yun Yun fell silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. Delighted, I hurriedly told Mo Wang to bring the four up.

Of the four, Xiao Meier came first, her face full of excitement and a touch of shyness. Behind her was Xiao Yu, wearing the air of a good girl. Xiao Yan came last, his face dark as he held Xiao Xun'er's hand.

I introduced them one by one. Yet when I introduced Xiao Yan, Yun Yun's reaction was utterly ordinary—had she completely forgotten that Xiao Yan was Yanran Jie's former fiancé?

Fiancé... and a former one at that. Perhaps Yun Yun, the Yun Lan Sect Master and a Dou Emperor, truly did not remember him.

That lack of reaction, that indifference and disregard, undoubtedly enraged Xiao Yan. He snorted coldly and was about to say something.

I hurriedly reached out to pull him back, then smilingly finished introducing Xiao Xun'er before blinking at Yun Yun.

Yun Yun looked back at me, our eyes meeting. Her gaze was calm and elegant, carrying a trace of cool detachment—but it did not contain what I wanted.

After looking at each other for a while, Yun Yun and I gradually became a little awkward. I looked away, gave a dry cough, and said, "Um, Qianbei, aren't you going to give them a meeting gift?"