The Three-Year Agreement Finally Arrives

"Class is finally over!"

Zi Yan stretched her back and darted out of the classroom like a wisp of smoke, leaving the lecturer to shake his head helplessly as he packed his notes to return to the office.

"Qing Lin? Why haven't you left yet?"

Seeing that everyone else had packed up and prepared to leave, the lecturer noticed Qing Lin still sitting in her seat, head bowed in a daze. He walked over and took a look; her thick notebook was filled from edge to edge with neat, elegant handwriting.

"T... Teacher, there is still a part here I don't quite understand..."

Startled back to reality by the teacher's voice, Qing Lin spoke with a touch of reserve, her stuttering tone revealing her embarrassment.

The teacher was astonished, then broke into a smile as he began to explain. This young Hall Master was gifted and diligent, yet for some reason, she was incredibly shy and disliked bothering others, preferring to rack her own brain for an entire day rather than ask for help.

"Thank you, teacher!"

Suddenly enlightened, Qing Lin bowed to the teacher before happily packing her things to head back.

"Yay! (σ≧?≦)σ"

Before Qing Lin had even returned to the small courtyard, she heard a high-pitched, excited cheer from afar. Just as she wondered what could be causing such joy, she heard the voices of Zi Yan and Yun Zimo.

"Brother! Is something happening tomorrow? Why don't we have to go to the classroom or the Martial Arts Hall?"

"Tomorrow is the day of the Three-Year Agreement between your Senior Sister Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan. The sect will suspend all activities to let them settle their grievances."

"..."

Hearing Yun Zimo's voice, Qing Lin trotted the rest of the way and pushed open the courtyard gate, her eyes immediately locking onto Yun Zimo as he turned around.

"Brother Zimo."

Qing Lin offered a faint smile and called out softly.

"No classes tomorrow?"

"Mm, all the sect disciples will be heading to Misty Cloud Square to observe the ceremony. You two should stay with me and not run around."

Qing Lin was obedient and sensible, but Yun Zimo feared that Zi Yan would once again take those few Beast Kings and sneak down the mountain.

The last time Zi Yan was hauled back to Misty Cloud Mountain by Jia Xingtian, Yun Zimo had to go personally to offer an apology.

"Brother! How could I ever cause you trouble? You know Zi Yan is the best!"

Zi Yan guiltily tugged at Yun Zimo's sleeve, acting spoiled as she blinked her bright, watery eyes at him with a pitiful expression.

"Come here first thing tomorrow morning. If you dare to sneak down the mountain, I'm locking you in confinement!"

Yun Zimo remained unmoved. The time before last, she had lured out the Nether Sea Demon Python, the guardian beast of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, and nearly dismantled the imperial palace; the time before that, she had gone down the mountain and beaten up a Dou King from the He Clan in the east of the empire...

In just this past year, the Misty Cloud Sect had gained more notoriety than the Misty Cloud disciples had shown their faces in the city since the Jia Ma Imperial Family first rose to power...

"Fine, if I can't go, I won't go..."

Zi Yan pouted and hummed, pulling a bag of medicinal pills from her pocket and turning her back to him to chew on them by herself.

"Sister Zi Yan... just listen to Brother Zimo."

Qing Lin, who was much taller than Zi Yan, gently tugged at the sulking girl.

"I'll go play with you after tomorrow."

"Really?"

Zi Yan's eyes lit up. In the past, little Qing Lin was either stuck in the classroom or soaking in the Martial Arts Hall all day. She had been bored to death on her own, leaving her no choice but to take the Beast Taming Hall down the mountain to experience the "local customs" of the Jia Ma Empire!

Now that little Qing Lin had offered to accompany her, she would naturally be much better behaved.

Little Qing Lin smiled helplessly; she found studying quite interesting, so she couldn't understand why Zi Yan couldn't sit still for even a moment...

"Yanran, tomorrow is the day of the Three-Year Agreement. You should return to the sect today to prepare!"

Nalan Su looked at Nalan Yanran, who was kneeling before Nalan Jie's door, and sighed.

"Grandfather, Yanran has never regretted the decision I made. The Three-Year Agreement has nothing to do with the Nalan Clan, and besides..."

Nalan Yanran lifted her head to look at the tightly shut door.

"I will never lose!"

With a deep bow, Nalan Yanran rose and saluted Nalan Su, then turned and left the Nalan Clan without hesitation, heading straight for Misty Cloud Mountain.

"Father, Yanran, she..."

With his daughter gone, Nalan Su didn't know how to console her. Turning back, he saw his father, Nalan Jie, suddenly appear outside the house, and he quickly bowed.

The Lionheart Marshal of the Jia Ma Empire, usually a spirited and refined old man, now had brows knit in anger, his eyes filled with a trace of nostalgia and sorrow.

"Old Lin, it is my Nalan Clan that has failed you..."

"Xiao Yan, tomorrow is the day of that Three-Year Agreement. How are you feeling?"

Late at night, Yao Lao floated beside Xiao Yan, watching his disciple, who wore a calm expression under the moonlight.

"Three years ago, I might have been excited and stirred by this. After all, she had ruthlessly trampled the dignity of my Xiao Clan into the dirt."

Xiao Yan sat on the rooftop, gazing up at the full moon, thinking of Yao Lao's gratified gaze, his father's kind face, Xun Er's smiling, pretty face, and that Brother Yun who always pretended to be so serious.

"But now? I don't feel much. This is something I must do, but it is merely a task that must be completed."

Yao Lao floated in mid-air with his hands behind his back, white mist churning beneath his feet. He looked as if he were riding the clouds, his white hair fluttering, possessing the distinct air of a celestial being.

"Teacher, these past few years, I have caused you so much trouble."

Xiao Yan spoke suddenly, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. Beside him, the ethereal Yao Lao dissipated into the moonlight with the wind.

"We don't want this cursed thing! Go, this teacher will take you out of here!"

"No! Teacher, this is your only hope for resurrection..."

"A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime."

"Teacher, your eyes will never be blinded again..."

"Xiao Yan, the Dou Technique you have created is already enough to contend with a Dou Emperor. This teacher is very gratified, but for the time ahead, you may have to walk alone for a while..."

"Tea... Teacher?! No! It was my willfulness that harmed you, Teacher..."

Scenes from the past flashed before Xiao Yan's eyes. Gently wiping away the tear stains on his cheeks, Xiao Yan jumped off the roof with a firm gaze.

"Teacher, I will definitely find a way to awaken you!"

As it turned out, the Yao Lao from just moments ago was merely a figment of Xiao Yan's imagination; for reasons unknown, Yao Lao had fallen into a deep slumber...

"Mr. Yan Xiao?"

On the street outside the Mittal Auction House, Nalan Su recognized Yan Xiao. This was the man who had helped purge the Brand Poison from Elder Nalan's body and had shone brilliantly at the Alchemist Grand Meeting to win the championship. He had only just exchanged for the Seven-Illusion Green Spirit Saliva from the Nalan Clan yesterday, so why did he look so dejected now?

"Clan Head Nalan."

Xiao Yan, who had been walking slowly in thought, returned to his senses and bowed politely.

"You, this is..."

"Oh, I went to the Mittal Auction House to buy some tonics for the Elder. The residual Brand Poison is difficult to remove, so I thought I would help him restore his foundation."

Nalan Su was quite courteous toward Yan Xiao, unlike the cold demeanor he showed others.

"Mr. Yan Xiao must also be looking for some medicinal herbs at the Mittal Auction House, right? If there is anything you need, our Nalan Clan can certainly help."

Nalan Su wanted to befriend this young alchemist, so he took the initiative to ask.

"This..."

Xiao Yan hesitated slightly before speaking.

"I wonder if Clan Head Nalan knows of any medicinal herbs similar to the 'Seven-Illusion Green Spirit Saliva'?"

"Seven-Illusion Green Spirit Saliva?"

Nalan Su's smile froze.

"Mr. Yan Xiao, it was precisely because of this 'Seven-Illusion Green Spirit Saliva' that our Elder was afflicted with the Brand Poison in the first place; where else would such a rare item be found?"

"However, there might be some in the Alchemist Guild. Since you won the championship at the Alchemist Grand Meeting, you are now considered an honorary elder of the guild and should be able to view their medicinal herb records."

Nalan Su said quietly. Although this was internal information of the Alchemist Guild, as the head of one of the three great clans of the Imperial Capital, he knew quite a few inside stories.

"Many thanks."

Xiao Yan thanked him with a look of disappointment in his eyes. Although Nalan Su could not provide direct help, having a lead was still a good thing.

"There is a sparring match among peers at the Misty Cloud Sect tomorrow. I wonder if Mr. Yan Xiao has any interest in watching?"

Seeing that Xiao Yan was distracted, Nalan Su took the opportunity to ask.

"A sparring match?"

"Yes, the Misty Cloud Sect has invited all the major clans to observe the ceremony. I wonder if Mr. Yan Xiao would be willing to go?"

"I will go!"

Xiao Yan chuckled softly. Of course he would go, but he would not be an observer!

"However, there is no need to trouble Clan Head Nalan. I will go to the Misty Cloud Sect myself; there is no need to waste a spot from the Nalan Clan."

Xiao Yan replied politely, then walked toward the Mittal Auction House without waiting for Nalan Su to urge him further. There, Hai Bodong was already waiting quietly, leaning against the door.