Yun Yun

This voice...?!

Xiao Yan, hidden in the darkness, shuddered. That tone, that manner of speaking—it was all so familiar!

He jerked his head up and looked toward the sound.

Yao Lao's hazy figure also stiffened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.

High above them, a figure in blue robes had appeared at some point, hovering in the air with his back to them as he looked down at the Amethyst Winged Lion King.

Though they couldn't see his face, the outline of his back and the way he stood with his hands behind him...

"Is that... Big Brother Ning Chen?!"

Xiao Yan nearly cried out. His heart pounded wildly.

Yao Lao's face twitched violently. He couldn't help but groan inwardly.

Though he had made a deal with Ning Chen and secured his promise to intervene once, he had once been a Nine Revolutions Dou Zun and knew all too well that experts on the level of a Dou Sheng were unfathomably shrewd. There was no guessing what they were thinking.

As the saying went, being with a ruler was like being with a tiger. Dealing with a Dou Sheng Expert required even greater care and caution.

If he could, he'd rather give up that promise and have had nothing to do with Ning Chen from the start.

At the center of the battlefield, Yun Yun, who had been preparing to flee, trembled. Her flight abruptly halted.

She looked up in astonishment at the blue-robed figure who had suddenly appeared.

He hovered in the air. No earth-shaking aura emanated from him, yet he carried an air of looking down on all living things.

Who was he? When had such a young expert appeared in the Jia Ma Empire? Judging by his aura... he seemed to be only a Dou Wang.

But that presence... Yun Yun was uncertain and didn't dare act rashly.

The one who reacted most strongly was the Amethyst Winged Lion King!

The moment that voice rang out, its enormous body froze as if locked in place by invisible ice.

Its fierce, overwhelming aura faded in an instant, and the fury and killing intent in its amethyst eyes gave way to panic.

It was him!

...He had actually come back?!

The Amethyst Winged Lion King would never forget what had happened a year ago.

A young man who seemed to be only a Dou Wang had blocked all its attacks with a single finger, then declared that the Magic Beast Mountain Range belonged to him.

It had been furious then. It had raged... for a moment.

What else could it do but submit? Was it supposed to risk its own life and its entire clan just to verify that the Magic Beast Mountain Range had changed hands?

"M-My lord!"

The Amethyst Winged Lion King's voice held none of its earlier ferocity. Its eyes were filled with fear, and its enormous head lowered involuntarily.

"This little lion... This little lion wouldn't dare! It never meant to offend you! This... this human woman trespassed into the depths of the mountain range and demanded Amethyst Crystal. She even attacked first! This little lion was only forced to fight back! I beg you to see the truth, my lord!"

It hurried to explain, pointing its enormous claw at Yun Yun, whose aura was unsteady. In an instant, it shifted all the blame onto her.

Yun Yun's heart sank at its words.

She watched as the blue-robed figure slowly turned his gaze toward her.

His eyes were calm and still, yet in that instant, she felt pressure unlike anything she had ever experienced.

"Your Excellency..."

Yun Yun forced herself to remain composed and parted her red lips, hoping to explain what had happened. But when the words reached her lips, she realized that while the Amethyst Winged Lion King had lied, its account wasn't entirely false.

For a moment, she didn't know how to explain herself. She could only grip her sword hilt and meet his gaze, wary and solemn.

"Oh?"

Ning Chen's gaze lingered for a moment on Yun Yun's pale yet still stunning face before he spoke in a casual tone.

"You barged into this one's secluded cultivation grounds, injured my guardian, and disturbed the peace of the mountains... Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, you certainly carry yourself with great authority."

Yun Yun's heart tightened. She knew he had recognized her, and that he was clearly displeased.

She tried to summon her strength, suppressing the roiling blood in her body and the ever-heavier power of the seal. Her voice held a faint note of sincerity.

"Senior, please calm your anger. I was indeed thoughtless and disturbed your peace. On behalf of the Misty Cloud Sect, I apologize for the disturbance and am willing to offer compensation. I only hope that you..."

Before Yun Yun could finish, the sealing runes on the right side of her chest suddenly flashed.

She grunted, feeling her Dou Qi lock up completely. Even the last of the strength keeping her aloft vanished!

At the same time, the hidden injuries she had sustained from enduring the Lion King's attacks and unleashing her ultimate move flared up all at once!

"Ugh..."

Yun Yun's vision went black. A wave of dizziness and weakness swept over her, and her body went limp. Unable to stay airborne, she fell straight toward the valley below!

Ning Chen raised an eyebrow. Seeing Yun Yun plummet like a butterfly with broken wings, he moved.

The next moment, he appeared beside her like a specter, sweeping an arm around her and catching her soft body securely in his embrace.

She felt warm and soft in his arms, carrying a faint fragrance and a hint of blood.

Yun Yun had already fainted. Her stunning face was as pale as paper, her eyes closed.

Seeing this, the Amethyst Winged Lion King's eyes flashed with a vicious glint. It hurried to proclaim its loyalty.

"My lord! This human woman is brazen enough to pretend to faint in front of you to avoid questioning! Why not let this humble one deal with her on your behalf? That would make amends for what happened today!"

As it spoke, purple light began to gather faintly around its claws.

Ning Chen held the unconscious Yun Yun and glanced at it. His gaze was calm, but the purple light gathering around the Amethyst Winged Lion King instantly vanished, and its massive body shrank back.

"Deal with her?"

"When did I say I wanted to deal with her? You have nothing more to do here. Go back to your cave. Without my permission, don't fight anyone again or disturb the surrounding area."

"...Yes! Yes! This little lion understands! This little lion will leave at once!"

The Amethyst Winged Lion King was relieved. It didn't dare ask another question.

It hurriedly nodded and bowed, then flew sheepishly toward its lair, disappearing behind the mountains in moments.

Ning Chen looked down at the unconscious Yun Yun in his arms, then glanced in the direction Xiao Yi Xian had gone.

After a brief moment of thought, he didn't linger. With a beat of his wings, he became a streak of crimson light and flew leisurely toward the tranquil lake he remembered, holding Yun Yun close.

In a concealed spot in the forest, Xiao Yan had been watching the situation anxiously.

Seeing Ning Chen suddenly appear and take control of the scene, then catch Yun Yun when she fainted and carry her away, Xiao Yan felt relieved—but his curiosity flared as well.

"Teacher, Big Brother Ning Chen took that woman away! Should we... follow him and take a look? Maybe catch up with him?"

Xiao Yan looked at Yao Lao and made the suggestion.

"Follow him? What for?"

Yao Lao's hazy figure drifted in front of Xiao Yan. He shot him an exasperated look, though his expression suggested the kid was still too young to understand. Lowering his voice, he said,

"You little brat, didn't you see? Your Big Brother Ning Chen never intended to do anything to that young woman in the first place!"

"Huh?" Xiao Yan stared at him blankly.

"What do you mean, 'huh'?"

Yao Lao stroked his beard and assumed the air of a worldly sage.

"He really was trying to scare the Lion King, and he was also giving that young woman from the Misty Cloud Sect a warning. But his real goal... Heh, I'm afraid the second act is only just beginning!"

He pointed in the direction Ning Chen had gone and chuckled, his smile carrying a meaning every man understood.

"The hero saves the beauty, the beauty faints, a man and a woman alone... Ahem. Kid, if you go after them now, are you trying to ruin his fun? Or do you think your life's too long and want to see whether he'll slap you into dust?"

Xiao Yan froze for a moment, then caught on. His face warmed slightly as he muttered,

"You old lecher... Big Brother Ning Chen shouldn't be that kind of person, should he?"

Even so, he felt that Yao Lao's reasoning wasn't without merit. After all, men understood men best.

"Neither you nor I get to decide whether he's that kind of person."

Yao Lao dropped his teasing and spoke seriously.

"In any case, don't go bothering him now. Just wait and see what happens. Come on, while the Lion King has just left, let's hurry and take care of your business."

With that, he urged Xiao Yan to leave the trouble behind, not giving him a chance to argue.