Reckless Youth for a Beauty

"Shenwei Senior Brother, Yanran has been waiting here for you for so long."

Nalan Yanran skipped up to the man she loved and affectionately hooked her arm through Yun Shenwei's.

"Good girl, Yanran. Since I promised you, of course I wouldn't break my word."

Yun Shenwei smiled gently and fondly tapped the girl's delicate nose with his finger.

In that instant, the air was filled with the sweetness of love.

The two embraced and gazed into each other's eyes, one glance lasting ten thousand years.

Yun Shenwei could not help but sigh. Love was something that caught people off guard. It seemed intangible and worthless, yet it could outlast time and conquer the changes of the world.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. That kid's got skills. He actually made Junior Sister Nalan Yanran fall so deeply for him."

"Standing together, they look like a pair of Golden Boy and Jade Girl. It really makes the rest of us jealous."

"What did you expect? Yun Shenwei is a rare genius the Misty Cloud Sect has seen only once in a century. If this old lady were thirty years younger, I'd chase after him too."

"Yeah, his talent truly is exceptional. He could even become the next heir of our Misty Cloud Sect. And the way he conducts himself is very much like the Old Sect Leader in his youth—dashing as the stars, confident and invincible..."

There were also several patrolling guards in the hall. Seeing this scene, they could not help but be astonished and began whispering among themselves.

After all, no one had expected Nalan Yanran, who was always portrayed as Heaven's Proud Daughter in the eyes of others, to be as gentle as a little kitten before the new generation's Senior Brother of the Misty Cloud Sect. If word got out, those young men who pursued Nalan Yanran and had always been turned away would never believe it, even if beaten to death.

Though they were worldly men, this was an important area of the Misty Cloud Sect. Normally, no one dared make a racket here, much less have two juniors openly flirting in public. It really was rather inappropriate.

"Junior Sister Yanran, Junior Brother Shenwei, may I ask why you have come? We can go report it for you."

A guard walked over and reminded them.

"Almost forgot about the important matter."

Yun Shenwei smiled and gave Nalan Yanran a subtle look. The girl released his arm and returned to her usual frosty, aloof demeanor.

"Senior Brother Guard, we have come to see our master. Please lead the way. Yanran would be deeply grateful."

Nalan Yanran stepped forward and spoke politely.

"Junior Sister Nalan Yanran, there is no need for such courtesy. How could such a small matter be worth mentioning?"

The guard smiled and waved his hand, then took the lead and guided them toward one of the passageways.

Along the way, Yun Shenwei constantly surveyed his surroundings. Everything before him continuously overlapped with the memories in his mind.

The Misty Cloud Sect's grand hall covered an extraordinarily vast area, with layer upon layer of structures. The passageways inside automatically shifted at regular intervals.

An ordinary person would lose their sense of direction the moment they entered. Even for him and Nalan Yanran, without a guard's guidance, it would take considerable effort to quickly find the Core Hall where Sect Leader Yun Yun was located.

After winding through countless turns, a majestic hall finally appeared before them. Although it was only a little over a hundred meters tall and far less spacious than the previous halls, its exquisite decorations made up for it. Even the tiles on its walls were carved with patterns unique to the Misty Cloud Sect.

After bringing them there, the guard took his leave.

Yun Shenwei looked ahead and saw three middle-aged elders standing within the hall, all dressed in moon-white elder robes.

At the heart of the hall stood a throne. Seated upon it was a woman in an azure-green dress, her aura soaring like a rainbow.

Her phoenix eyes were lively, her beauty peerless, and her long dark hair was arranged into an elegant phoenix-style coiffure. She appeared no older than twenty-five or twenty-six, while her dress outlined her graceful, exquisite figure.

Such a peerless beauty could be called devastatingly beautiful without the slightest exaggeration!

She possessed an air of nobility even greater than Nalan Yanran's. If Nalan Yanran's bearing came from her family's heritage and upbringing, then this stunning woman's presence came from having long occupied a position of power.

Yun Shenwei knew that this woman was Yun Yun, the current Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, and the woman who had once shared an intimate relationship with Xiao Yan in the original story of Battle Through the Heavens. Alas, her love ran as deep as the sea, yet she was always wronged by heartless, faithless men.

Pah! Xiao Yan, you really are a bizarre and selfish piece of work. You've completely disgraced the people of Blue Planet.

If you had no intention of marrying her, why possess her? Back on Blue Planet, surely you'd heard that sometimes love means letting go—giving up everlasting togetherness for love?

By the later stages of Battle Through the Heavens, you had already married Medusa Queen and Gu Xun'er as your senior and junior wives. You had exhausted the fortune of ten lifetimes, which was why none of your descendants lived long enough to care for you in your old age and see you off.

Yet you were still greedy and shameless. Such a peerless beauty suffered through the latter half of her life because of your selfishness. It truly chills the heart! Yun Yun was like a blank sheet of paper when it came to love. Otherwise, how could she have let a lecherous man from two lifetimes take advantage of her?

Yun Shenwei was stunned by Yun Yun's beauty, while his contempt for Xiao Yan deepened even further.

"Nalan Yanran greets Master and greets the elders."

At that moment, Nalan Yanran stepped forward several paces. She first bowed to the young woman seated upon the throne, then greeted the three elders, all of whom were over fifty, one by one.

Yun Shenwei followed her example, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Yanran, come up here quickly. Let Master have a good look at you."

Yun Yun beckoned to Nalan Yanran. Hearing this, Nalan Yanran glanced at Yun Shenwei. Only after receiving the young man's approving gaze did she flit over to Yun Yun's side like a little bird.

"Yanran, have you been cultivating properly these past few days? Before long, it will be our Misty Cloud Sect's Young Generation Disciple Competition. As the heir to the next generation's sect leader, do you have the confidence to take first place?"

Yun Yun smiled as she examined Nalan Yanran, not forgetting to ask about her cultivation.

"Ah, Master, with Shenwei Senior Brother here, how could Yanran possibly take first place?"

Nalan Yanran glanced at Yun Shenwei, pouted, and put on a pitiful expression.

"Then why aren't you working harder in your cultivation? Your Shenwei Senior Brother is already at the Nine-Star Dou Zhe Peak and could break through at any time. If he becomes a One-Star Dou Zhe, Master cannot guarantee that you will remain my only personal disciple."

Yun Yun pretended to be angry, her words seemingly carrying a trace of displeasure.

"Master, has Shenwei Senior Brother not broken the limits of our Misty Cloud Sect's young disciples enough times these past few years? Every time, you say you want to take him as your disciple, but you only talk and never act. I really don't understand what kind of trick Master is playing."

Nalan Yanran snorted softly, standing up for the man she loved. "If Master finds it inconvenient to accept Shenwei Senior Brother as a personal disciple, Yanran can voluntarily give up her status. I only ask Master to help Shenwei Senior Brother. He is so talented and handles people and affairs so well. Our Misty Cloud Sect should flourish in his hands!"

The more Nalan Yanran spoke, the more emotional she became, until her pretty face had flushed red. Clearly, in the girl's heart, the man she loved was a peerless hero worthy of her willingly giving up everything.

"Silly girl, your Shenwei Senior Brother is a True Dragon. Our Misty Cloud Sect may not be able to contain him in the future. That is why Master has not accepted him as a personal disciple. After all, there are many sects, factions, and reclusive masters on the Dou Qi Continent who are stronger than our Misty Cloud Sect. Master fears that if I accept your Shenwei Senior Brother, those factions and masters will avoid any appearance of impropriety. Would that not ruin your Shenwei Senior Brother's bright future?"

Yun Yun shook her head with a bitter smile and revealed the truth.

"That's right, Yanran. You understand your master far too little. Even if she truly accepted your Shenwei Senior Brother as her personal disciple, your master would never abandon you. Have you forgotten who went to the Nalan Family to bring you here when you first came to the Misty Cloud Sect? Who personally raised you? Who taught you everything without holding back even the slightest bit?"

Below the throne, First Elder Yun Ling interjected.

The other two elders did not speak, but they nodded in agreement as well.

The Misty Cloud Sect had always been harmonious and caring. It would never ruin someone's future over petty gains, much less abandon them halfway!

"In that case, Yun Shenwei boldly makes a request. I ask Sect Leader Yun Yun and the three sect elders to grant it!"

Seizing this opportunity, Yun Shenwei suddenly knelt and spoke.

This immediately alarmed the three sect elders and Sect Leader Yun Yun.

First Elder Yun Ling, in particular, was frank and direct. "Yun Shenwei, if you have something to say, say it without hesitation. The four of us can represent the Misty Cloud Sect today. As long as your request is not too excessive and falls within our abilities, we will do our best to grant it."

Yun Shenwei still did not rise. Instead, he fixed his gaze firmly on Yun Yun, clearly wanting her response.

"Master, Yanran also begs you to grant it!"

At the same time, Nalan Yanran suddenly left the throne and came to Yun Shenwei's side, then dropped to her knees.

"Yun Shenwei, Nalan Yanran, get up and speak. You are both the most promising juniors of our Misty Cloud Sect. So long as it is something we can agree to, we will certainly agree. But if you continue kneeling, then even if I wished to agree, this Sect Leader will not."

Yun Yun realized that things were not as simple as they seemed. After considering the matter from every angle, she gave the most generous answer she could personally offer.

Your support is my greatest motivation.

This low-level author's abilities are limited, so I hope everyone will be understanding.

Fellow taste-testers, thank you for testing the poison! I thank you all... If you can persist until this work goes premium, then you must truly love it. Oh, heavens, will anyone really follow this work? Tell me loudly, is there anyone—

If not, then forget it. I'm used to writing solo anyway...