The Young Hall Master Returns to the Mountain

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The summit of Misty Cloud Mountain, usually shrouded in clouds and mist all day long, was clear today. The usually rather quiet Misty Cloud Square was now packed with sect disciples.

"Is he here? Is he here yet?"

"No idea!"

"Hey, quit shoving me!"

The Misty Cloud Sect disciples, clad in silver-white robes and usually appearing ethereal to the people of the Imperial Capital, were now like street vendors in the markets of the city below, jostling and pushing with none of the bearing of cultivators.

"He's here! He's here!"

Suddenly, someone shouted. The many disciples turned their gazes toward the staircase at the far end of the square. A figure dressed in white, whiter than snow, slowly stepped into the square, his footsteps ringing out.

"Brothers and fellow disciples, it's been a long time!"

The young man beamed and waved at the Misty Cloud Sect disciples with a warm smile.

"Junior Brother!"

"Senior Brother Zi Mo!"

The fellow disciples all surged forward. The grand scene left several passing elders and instructors a little surprised, but when they thought of the little rascal Yun Zimo, they simply shook their heads with understanding and went about their own business.

"Why isn't the Young Sect Master here?"

Yun Zimo suddenly asked, puzzled. Seeing the people who had been so enthusiastic a moment ago suddenly stumble over their words, he vaguely understood what had happened.

"I'm going to see the Sect Master!"

Yun Zimo's expression darkened slightly. He saluted his fellow disciples, then took a step into the air and vanished before their eyes.

"Junior Brother Zi Mo's cultivation has improved again. He's nearly caught up to the elders, isn't he?"

A Misty Cloud Sect disciple murmured with a wry smile. This junior brother truly was someone they could only admire from afar...

"Sect Master! Sect Master!"

Yun Zimo barged into the Misty Cloud Sect's main hall without a care. Seeing all the elders present, he paused in surprise, then hurriedly saluted.

"Greetings, Elders, Teacher..."

"Shouting in the council hall—what kind of conduct is that?"

Yun Yin, the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall, furrowed his brows and spoke sternly.

"Enough. Zi Mo has just returned from his travels and still has some wildness in him. The uninformed are not to blame."

Yun Yun, the Misty Cloud Sect Master seated in the main chair, smoothed a few loose strands of hair and gently dismissed the matter. Then she gestured for Yun Zimo to continue.

"You've only just returned, yet instead of resting, you came straight to the council hall. You must have something important to report. Go ahead."

Yun Zimo was delighted to hear this. Ignoring the stern look from his father, he met Yun Yun's gentle gaze and spoke.

"Sect Master, may I ask where the Young Sect Master is today?"

A glint flickered in Yun Yun's eyes, but she still parted her lips and answered in her clear, melodious voice.

"Yanran had important business to attend to. She left the sect yesterday."

"Is it because of her engagement?"

Yun Yun had not wanted her disciple's private affairs to become the talk of the entire sect. Now Yun Zimo had bluntly brought it up in front of all the elders, without the slightest regard for their presence. Yun Yun's expression immediately darkened, and her tone turned much cooler.

"Zi Mo, you must be exhausted after returning from your travels. Rest properly and prepare to take over the duties of the Punishment Hall. Leave this matter alone."

With that, Yun Yun swept her sleeve. The Misty Cloud Law Enforcement Team members who had hurried in exchanged glances, but still carried the unresisting Yun Zimo out of the council hall.

Watching the council hall's creaking doors close, Yun Zimo clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and headed straight for the mountain gate.

"Where are you going, Young Hall Master?"

Hearing the voice behind him, Yun Zimo's eyes flashed with confusion.

"Why is he on duty today?"

He quickened his pace. Just as he was about to rush through the mountain gate, a flash of light appeared, and someone blocked his way.

"The Young Hall Master has only just returned to the sect, yet he's already in such a hurry to leave. Do you have a sect-issued travel permit?"

The young man before Yun Zimo let out a hearty laugh. He swept his spear across, and several members of the Law Enforcement Team surrounded Yun Zimo. Though they were in a difficult position, they could only apologize as they firmly blocked his way.

"Captain Yun Yun, could you make an exception? Would it be all right if I made up the permit after I return to the mountain?"

Yun Zimo did not want to waste time arguing with them, so he tried to reason with them politely. But when he saw that Yun Yun's expression remained unchanged, he knew that leaving the mountain today might prove troublesome...

"Forgive me."

Yun Zimo gave a slight bow. His steps suddenly turned mysterious, and in an instant he slipped past the many Law Enforcement Team disciples blocking his way. Clouds and mist surged in his palm as he lunged straight for Yun Yun's face.

"None of you move! I'll spar with the Young Hall Master."

Yun Yun shouted down the hesitant members around him. His spear thrust out, blossoming into countless spear flowers. Afterimages flickered, and waves of fierce wind forced Yun Zimo to dodge and defend.

"It's been a few years, and your battle sense has improved quite a bit. Take this!"

Yun Yun's spear darted out like a snake striking, but he still called out a warning. He didn't want to hurt him.

"Clang!"

Yun Zimo had no choice but to draw his sword and meet the attack. With the sword in his hand, his entire bearing changed. His blade danced in a flurry of sword flowers as he traded blows with Yun Yun on even terms.

"That's more like it!"

After exchanging dozens of moves, Yun Zimo deliberately left an opening to draw Yun Yun into attacking. He dodged aside and slapped the spear away. His speed suddenly surged, leaving behind an afterimage that the spear pierced through the chest, while he himself shot into the sky.

"Captain Yun Yun, thanks!"

A pair of blue-and-white Dou Qi Wings unfurled behind him, and Yun Zimo's voice reached Yun Yun's ears.

"Clang!"

Yun Yun planted his spear in the ground and gave a smile that said he had known all along. All that holding back had paid off—the kid really had reached the Dou Wang level...

"Captain, the Sect Master requests your presence..."

Just then, a cautious report reached his ears. Yun Yun's expression stiffened. He turned and saw that figure not far away. He was done for—his elder sister had seen through him...

The blue-and-white Dou Qi Wings behind him beat rapidly. Yun Zimo accelerated to his limit, drawing a long trail of clouds across the sky and making the commoners of the Jia Ma Empire look up in wonder.

"The Misty Cloud Sect has another Dou Wang..."

Jia Xingtian, the old ancestor of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, looked up. Sensing that familiar yet unfamiliar presence, he couldn't help sighing softly.

The other factions had their own thoughts, but Yun Zimo had no interest in what anyone else was thinking just then.

He flew at full speed toward a medium-sized city in the northeastern part of the empire—the last among the empire's ten great cities, Wutan City.

Blue-and-white Dou Qi surged behind him. When a gust of wind struck, Yun Zimo used it to accelerate once more. In just half an hour, he arrived outside Wutan City. Ignoring the powerful crossbows slowly being raised atop the city wall, he flew straight over it and toward the Xiao Clan's residence, home to one of the city's three great clans.

"Yun Zimo of the Misty Cloud Sect pays a visit to the Xiao Clan!"

Yun Zimo landed in front of the Xiao Clan's gate. His soft voice nevertheless rang out clearly throughout the entire clan.

"You can all go back. It's nothing."

When the Wutan City Lord arrived first and heard the announcement, he waved for the soldiers who had rushed over to stand down. He glanced at the other two clan leaders nearby, their expressions varied, and sighed to himself. Wutan City was about to be thrown into turmoil again...

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Don't bully a poor young man!"

Just as Xiao Yan shouted those words of youthful defiance, his voice rang clearly into the hall.

"Young Hall Master?"

"Uncle Zi Mo?"

Ge Ye and Mo Ling, who had been sitting there with composed expressions, suddenly sprang to their feet. Their faces showed a hint of panic.

Why had that bastard come back now?!

Nalan Yanran, standing off to one side, also froze. Her fury at Xiao Yan's insolence eased somewhat.

Seeing the Misty Cloud Sect's esteemed guests looking so serious, the three Xiao Clan elders hurried past Xiao Zhan to go out and greet them.

On the surface, the Xiao Clan was one big family, but only Xiao Zhan and Xiao Xun'er stood beside the isolated Xiao Yan.

At the sight of this, a trace of hostility appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes. He clenched his fists, biting his lip so hard that tiny beads of blood almost seeped out.

"Brother Xiao Yan, it's been a while..."

Stepping into the Xiao Clan, Yun Zimo ignored the Xiao Clan members trying to ingratiate themselves with him, along with Ge Ye and the others, whose faces were plastered with smiles.

He coolly acknowledged Nalan Yanran, then instead walked into the hall and smiled at Xiao Yan.

"You are?"

Xiao Yan froze slightly. He couldn't remember when he had met this man...

"Three years ago, outside the bamboo grove..."

Yun Zimo smiled and swept a hand across his face. His features shifted slightly, then returned to their original appearance.

"Big Brother Yun Li?!"

Seeing that familiar face, Xiao Yan suddenly remembered. The night before his Dou Qi had vanished three years ago, in the bamboo grove! He had been beaten up!

Seeing that Xiao Yan finally remembered, Yun Zimo nodded and walked to the seat of honor. Turning to face everyone below, he cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Clan Patriarch, and politely asked:

"Patriarch Xiao, may I borrow this place for a while?"

Xiao Zhan furrowed his brows slightly, but seeing the unfriendly looks from the Xiao Clan members, he sighed and agreed.

Yun Zimo swept his gaze around the room and paused briefly on Xiao Xun'er. Seeing no injury on Xiao Yan's hand and no letter of divorce in sight, he felt much more at ease and spoke.

"Yanran, you've been away from the mountain for several days. It's time you returned, isn't it?"

"Uncle, I..."

Nalan Yanran started to say something, but Yun Zimo raised a hand and stopped her.

"I know why you came here. That's enough for today. This matter is inappropriate. We'll discuss it again!"

Seeing that this uncle, who was not much older than her but outranked her by a generation, had casually dismissed her opinion just as he had back then, Nalan Yanran stubbornly lifted her head and looked at Yun Zimo.

"Why?!"

But she hadn't expected Xiao Yan to shout the exact same thing at the same time. The two stared at each other in surprise, then turned their heads away.

Yun Zimo looked helplessly at the two childish youngsters. They didn't understand a thing—one was being unreasonable, the other was rash and impetuous...

"Do you know how much trouble this will bring to the Xiao Clan?"

Yun Zimo put on an elder's air and spoke in a cold, quiet voice.

"I... I already offered them compensation!"

As Nalan Yanran spoke, she accepted the brocade box Ge Ye had timidly handed over. The lid stood open, revealing a shimmering pill inside.

"Compensation? A single Qi Gathering Powder?"

Yun Zimo sighed softly. This little girl really was... Then he glanced at Ge Ye and Mo Ling. A trace of coldness flickered in his eyes. These master and disciple...

"What else do you want from me? Ever since I was young, because of this fiancé I'd never even met, how many of my peers mocked me? And Uncle Chu... Five years ago, just because he broke through to Dou Zhe, how much did my Nalan Family have to sacrifice to get me into the inner sect? All so... so I could be worthy of him!"

After years of holding it in, Nalan Yanran finally roared. Her eyes grew misty as she looked at Yun Zimo, and her voice choked with grievance.

"I was lucky enough to be taken as a disciple by my master. From that moment on, I swore that one day I would take control of my own life. What bullshit genius fiancé? I, Nalan Yanran, don't need one!"

Nalan Yanran's eyes brimmed with resentment as she glared at Xiao Yan, her pupils bloodshot. Countless memories flashed through her mind, and she would never regret the choice she had made!

Everyone in the hall fell silent. Even Xiao Yan, rash and impetuous as he was, felt the hostility in his heart fade somewhat.

Yun Zimo also froze for a moment. Remembering the judgment he had passed on her back then, he felt a little lost. Had he been wrong?

"I'm sorry..."

Xiao Yan let out a long breath and cupped his hands. The composure he had forged through three years of frustration once again claimed the high ground.

"I never realized that my past self had caused you so much trouble... I'm willing to apologize for that, but my father is the head of a clan. If we break off the engagement today, how will he be able to lead the Xiao Clan?"

Then, before everyone's eyes, Xiao Yan knelt before Xiao Zhan.

"Father, what happened today was my fault. If Miss Nalan agrees, please go to the Nalan Family in person tomorrow and dissolve our engagement!"

As he spoke, Xiao Yan kowtowed three times.

"Yan'er, you..."

Xiao Zhan helped Xiao Yan up and sighed softly, his eyes full of tenderness.

"Miss Nalan, take this back. I'll go to the Nalan Family tomorrow and dissolve the engagement!"

"Xiao Zhan, you..."

The three Xiao Clan elders couldn't help trying to say something, but Xiao Xun'er cast them a calm look, and their expressions changed. They promptly swallowed their words.

"Xiao Yan, if you want to dissolve the engagement, you can, but!"

Nalan Yanran suddenly spoke in a low voice. The noble bearing she had cultivated since childhood flowed from her with quiet ease.

"I am the Young Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, and you are the Young Clan Head of the Xiao Clan. Neither of us represents only ourselves anymore!"

"You're right. Whether or not we break off the engagement today, the Xiao Clan's face and Uncle Xiao Zhan's dignity have already been lost. So I can give you a chance to wash away the shame. Three years from now, the two of us will fight. After that, the roads will stretch to the sky, and we'll have nothing more to do with each other!"

"Young... Young Sect Master!"

Nalan Yanran's words startled Ge Ye so badly that he cried out. It would be fine if Nalan Yanran won three years from now, but if she lost, Xiao Yan would be washing away his shame on the reputation of the Misty Cloud Sect!

If the matter came under scrutiny then, the Young Sect Master was of noble status and could do no wrong. All the blame would probably fall on him, the one who had brought them here!

"Good!"

Xiao Yan replied firmly. With his wits about him, he held no resentment toward the proposal. On this continent, the strong preyed on the weak, and strength was supreme. Opportunities and rules had always been made by the strong for the weak!

Seeing that everything had finally settled, Yun Zimo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, he had arrived in time. Otherwise, the two of them might have fought to the death, setting off the main storyline where the Misty Cloud Sect was destroyed. His friendly fellow disciples, his stunning Sect Master elder sister... Ahem, ahem...

Although the final outcome was no different from that of the original world, the moral high ground and the initiative were now in his hands!

After all, one was his senior sister's disciple, the Young Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, while the other was his little brother, who was connected to him in more ways than one...

"Next, we should talk about..."

Yun Zimo gazed at the pair of master and disciple who had stirred up trouble in the sect while he was away. He felt it was time to purge the Misty Cloud Sect of these parasites.

But since they were in the Xiao Clan, Yun Zimo had to consider the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation. Once they returned to the sect, though, he would have countless ways to make them die by their own hands...