A conspiracy
Misty Cloud Sect, back mountain.
When Yun Shan returned to his secluded retreat, a cloud of black mist suddenly appeared before Yun Shan —it was Protector Wu!
"Heh heh heh! You can't bear to part with this child? Why go through all this trouble, even teaching her? Is this your fake compassion?" Wu Ying sneered sarcastically.
Yun Shan looked at the Wu Ying in front of him with indifferent eyes and said, "This child is destined to be extraordinary. She is still Yun'er's child. I can't give her to you now. I have to wait for a while. However, I see that you are in such a hurry. Do you value her soul very much?"
The Wu Ying sneered, "Of course. This girl's Soul Power isn't strong, but it's pure. I must get my hands on her soul!"
Yun Shan said solemnly, "Giving you my soul is no problem, but you will have to pay a corresponding price!"
Wu Ying looked at the person in front of him. He knew that Yun Shan wouldn't hand the child over to him for no reason. Wu Ying asked, "What do you want?"
Yun Shan lightly stepped forward and sat down in front of a futon. Looking at the Wu Ying, he asked in return, "Don't you know what I want?"
"Your strength is already comparable to that of One-Star Dou Zong. If you were to improve it further, the effect would be minimal, and it might even negatively impact your own strength. Are you sure you want to do this?" Wu Ying said.
Upon hearing Wu Ying's words, Yun Shan fell silent. In truth, he could sense that his foundation had become unstable after his strength had increased so much, but the temptation of rapid growth in strength was simply too great.
Greed gleamed in Yun Shan's eyes as he looked at the Wu Ying and said, "One thing for another. You can take the child's soul, but you must use your secret technique to exchange for it. How about it?"
A chilling laugh echoed from within the black mist, "Heh heh heh! Yun Shan, your appetite is a bit too big, isn't it? The secret techniques of my Soul Hall are not for outsiders like you to dabble in. Don't accidentally throw your life away!"
His calm voice carried a chilling killing intent and a warning, but Yun Shan didn't care about any of that. This was just a negotiation. He quietly watched the black mist, waiting for an answer!
After a long while, the Wu Ying's voice came again. "I can give you half of the secret technique, which is enough to elevate you to Five-Star Dou Zong. Don't push your luck!"
A slight smile finally appeared on Yun Shan's indifferent face. Half of the secret technique was enough!
"Deal!" Yun Shan said with a smile.
A dark chain shot out from the black mist with a clang, and an ancient scroll was handed to Yun Shan. Wu Ying coldly snorted, "Send that girl over here as soon as possible!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Ying vanished from the spot. A short while later, Wu Ying figure reappeared atop another mountain peak. Looking at the cave where Yun Shan was, he sneered in a low voice, "How dare you cultivate the secret techniques of my Soul Hall? Once my mission is complete, I'll recoup some interest from the Misty Cloud Sect. Yun Shan, you won't escape my grasp!"
The Wu Ying's sinister laughter echoed across the misty mountaintop, finally dissipating into the world with a gentle breeze!
The next day.
Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan walked out of the inn together and headed out of the city. Today, they were going to pay their respects to the Misty Cloud Sect!
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li did not go with them. Their strength was too low, and they wouldn't be of much help if they went. Moreover, Xiao Yu was worried that something might happen at the Misty Cloud Sect this time, so he did not let his two older brothers go with him.
Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan stood at the foot of the mountain. Xiao Yan exhaled a breath of stale air and was about to go straight up when suddenly several disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect stepped forward and blocked their way, coldly saying, "The Misty Cloud Sect martial law. No one is allowed to enter or leave!"
Xiao Yan said calmly, "Go up and report that Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan, along with his younger brother Xiao Yu, has come to the Misty Cloud Sect to keep the Three Year Pact!"
Upon hearing the name Xiao Yan, the Misty Cloud Sect disciples exchanged glances, then sized up the black-robed youth carrying the giant ruler before them, and sneered, "You're that good-for-nothing Xiao Yan that Senior Sister Nalan broke off her engagement with?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the group burst into laughter.
Xiao Yan raised his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over the Misty Cloud Sect disciples before him. His eyes, filled with killing intent and ruthlessness, made these people feel like ducks with their necks being choked, and they could no longer laugh.
One of them stepped forward and said, "You wait here, I'll go up and report right away!"
Xiao Yan nodded slightly without saying a word, and the disciple quickly ran up the mountain!
In the main hall of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Leng looked at Yun Yun sitting at the head of the table, a hint of resentment flashing in his lowered eyes, while Nalan Yanran was talking to Yun Yun about the various matters of the Misty Cloud Sect these days.
"Teacher, the Alchemist Tournament that just ended yesterday produced two genius alchemists!" Nalan Yanran said to Yun Yun.
"Oh?" Yun Yun's beautiful eyes flickered, and she looked at Nalan Yanran with interest, saying, "Not Liu Ling and Little Princess Yao Yue?"
Nalan Yanran shook her head slightly and said, "No, they are even more powerful. At only eighteen or nineteen years old, they are already fourth or Fifth-grade Alchemist. Their Yao Tian is terrifying!"
Upon hearing Nalan Yanran's words, Yun Yun's eyes flashed with shock, and she asked in surprise, "Eighteen or nineteen years old, a fourth or fifth-grade alchemist?"
Nalan Yanran gave a soft "Mmm" and said, "Yes, teacher, one of them, named Yan Xiao, even cured my grandfather's Poisonous Mark!"
Yun Yun naturally knew that Nalan Yanran's grandfather had been Poisonous Mark. She had heard that the poison was extremely difficult to treat, and even Gu He had no way to cure it. Now, it had actually been cured by a young alchemist. If Nalan Yanran hadn't told her herself, she definitely wouldn't have believed it!
"Do you think it's possible to recruit her to our Misty Cloud Sect?" Yun Yun asked Nalan Yanran softly.
Nalan Yanran couldn't help but smile bitterly at the thought of Yan Xiao's cold attitude towards her. She slowly shook her head and said, "Yan Xiao seems to dislike me a lot, but I don't think I've ever provoked him. I don't know why, but anyway, it's probably unlikely that Yan Xiao would do that!"
"Dislike you? With your talent and beauty, who would dislike you?" Yun Yun chuckled.
When Nalan Yanran thought of Yan Xiao's cold attitude towards her and the indifferent look in his eyes, as if she had a grudge against him, she couldn't help but feel confused and angry.
"Never mind, teacher, let's not talk about him anymore, let's just talk about..." Nalan Yanran hadn't finished speaking.
A disciple rushed in from outside the main hall and said, "Sect Master, two young men have arrived. They claim to be Xiao Yan and Xiao Yu from the Xiao Clan of Wu Tan City. They've come to the Misty Cloud Sect to Three Year Pact to Senior Sister Nalan!"
"What?" Nalan Yanran stood up in shock, as did the elders sitting below.
Yun Lei scoffed, "Isn't it not yet time for the Three Year Pact? Are you already in such a hurry to suffer humiliation?"
Yun Leng looked at Yun Yun and said, "Since the Xiao Clan boy has come today, Sect Master, what do you think...?"
Yun Leng glanced at Nalan Yanran standing next to Yun Yun. Nalan Yanran said expressionlessly, "Since you're here, let's have a match. The Three Year Pact is only two days early; it's no big deal!"
Yun Yun nodded slightly and said softly, "Since you've come to keep the Three Year Pact, then issue the order to ring the bell and announce that the entire clan should gather in the square outside the palace. Also, notify Imperial Capital Nalan Family, the Mu Family, the Mittel Family, and the Imperial Family family in the capital to come and watch the battle!"
"Go and tell the disciples at the foot of the mountain to let the people up," Yun Yun instructed.
"Yes!" Yun Sheng accepted the order and went downstairs.
Yun Yun stood up, her slender figure rising and falling in the still air. She said in a deep voice, "Let's go. We'll go out and greet them. The Xiao Clan of Wu Tan City!"
"Yes!" the elders replied in unison.
Then everyone followed Yun Yun out. A large number of the Misty Cloud Sect disciples quickly gathered in the square outside the main hall. Yun Yun led the elders to sit at the top of the square, on those towering stone steps.
At this moment, Yun Yun was sitting on the highest stone platform, and the majesty of the Misty Cloud Sect Master was truly revealed!