Drawing My Sword, I Looked Around in Despair

Yun Shenwei knew this could not go on. He pulled Nalan Yanran to her feet, and the two held hands tightly, their fingers interlocked.

The three elders were all over fifty and shrewd as foxes. How could they fail to see what was going on? Yet after exchanging glances, they all nodded in tacit understanding.

Seeing through it without exposing it! Who had not been young and reckless once? Had they not all lived through the age of raging for a beauty? "Speak freely. The Sect Master and the three elders will decide for you."

Yun Yun had roughly guessed what was happening. She had seen the two below holding hands, but her position as Sect Master made it inconvenient for her to ask too much.

"Reporting to Sect Master, this disciple has come today with only one request."

Yun Shenwei looked at the girl beside him. Her face was filled with determination, and her eyes shone with happiness. At that moment, all his misgivings vanished, and he spoke bluntly, "This disciple and Junior Sister Nalan Yanran are in love. Though we are still young and have not yet reached marriageable age, this disciple does not wish to see the one he loves married to a stranger she has never met.

"Therefore, this disciple humbly asks the Sect Master, in consideration of my exceptional talent and immense potential, as well as the fact that Junior Sister Nalan Yanran is your personal disciple, to permit Nalan Yanran and me to become Cultivation Partners once we come of age, and to allow Nalan Yanran to go to the Xiao Family in Wutan City to break off the engagement!"

As he spoke, Yun Shenwei took Nalan Yanran's hand and knelt down with her once more.

Although Nalan Yanran had not said a word, every one of her actions showed that she and Yun Shenwei would advance and retreat together.

"You insolent brats! At such a young age, instead of focusing on diligent cultivation, you are thinking about marriage? Is this something you can bring up as you please? What a farce!"

Before Yun Yun could speak, First Elder Yun Ling took the lead in rebuking them, looking as though he might make a move at any moment.

"Calm your anger, First Elder. This old man believes Yun Shenwei and Nalan Yanran are not joking. When have you ever seen such deep affection and loyalty treated as a child's game?"

At the side, Second Elder Yun Li, his head full of white hair, sang a different tune.

As for Third Elder Yun Heng, he said nothing. Clearly, he supported neither side and remained neutral.

"Yun Shenwei, this Sect Master must remind you that marriage is no trifling matter. Moreover, Nalan Yanran already has a childhood betrothal. You must understand that marriages are arranged by one's parents and matchmakers, especially since this engagement was decided by her grandfather, Nalan Jie, and Xiao Yan's grandfather, Xiao Lin."

As the Sect Master, how could Yun Yun not know about the marriage of her beloved disciple? When she had brought Nalan Yanran out of the Nalan Family, she had heard Nalan Jie mention it. At the time, when Nalan Jie spoke of the two juniors' betrothal before birth, his face had been full of pride. Yun Yun had not forgotten it even now.

After bringing Nalan Yanran to the Misty Cloud Sect, she had also made inquiries into her beloved disciple's fiancé and his family.

The Xiao Family was highly renowned in Wutan City. Together with the other two great families of Wutan City, they were known as Wutan City's Three Great Families.

Xiao Yan was the son of the Xiao Family's current patriarch, the grandson of its former patriarch Xiao Lin, and a genius youth rarely seen in the Xiao Family for a century.

"Master, Yanran does not want to marry a stranger she has never met!"

At last, after remaining silent for quite some time, Nalan Yanran spoke firmly. "Ever since Yanran came to the Misty Cloud Sect, she has cultivated diligently. Whenever Yanran was unhappy, Shenwei Senior Brother would patiently comfort her! Master, do you remember when Yanran caught a virus at the age of nine? During the days after she recovered from her serious illness, everyone avoided Yanran, but Shenwei Senior Brother alone was not afraid of being infected and guarded her every day.

"Master, do you remember when Yanran was ten and secretly went to the Yunlan Mountain Range with several senior and junior sisters to play?

"That time, we encountered a third-tier magical beast, an Earth Demon Ape. Shenwei Senior Brother happened to be patrolling the mountain range that day. He risked his life to buy us the chance to escape.

"Master, do you remember the night before Yanran broke through to become a Dou Zhe?

"Before Yanran's breakthrough, several senior brothers in the sect had failed to break through, and one senior sister even suffered a cultivation deviation and exploded to death.

"It was Shenwei Senior Brother again. He took the initiative to tell Yanran about his own experience of breaking through to become a Dou Zhe, and he told many jokes to encourage her. Before leaving, Senior Brother even cheered Yanran on.

"All these things were major events in Yanran's short life of little more than ten years. Perhaps Master and the three elders will think them insignificant after hearing them, but in Yanran's heart, Shenwei Senior Brother is very important. He has always stayed by Yanran's side and never abandoned her."

The more Nalan Yanran spoke, the more agitated she became. Her pretty face was flushed red, and within moments, tears streamed down like rain.

Second Elder Yun Li and Third Elder Yun Heng awkwardly shifted their gazes elsewhere. Sect Master Yun Yun also understood perfectly well, for everything Nalan Yanran had said was true.

"Crying, all you know how to do is cry! Look at that little bit of backbone you have. You are the heir to become the next Sect Master of our Misty Cloud Sect, yet something so trivial has moved you to tears of gratitude? Is it not only natural for a senior brother to look after his junior sister? If you do not believe it, ask your Second Elder and Third Elder. Which of them did not take care of Junior Sister Yun Yun?"

Only First Elder Yun Ling snorted coldly and spoke impatiently. "Even now, with you, Yun Yun, having become Sect Master, whenever you need us, you are still that little junior sister from back then, babbling as a child and needing the careful companionship of your senior brothers!"

As First Elder Yun Ling spoke, he deliberately glanced at Yun Yun, who nodded in agreement.

"Yanran, affection between senior brothers and junior sisters is perfectly normal. Even if senior brothers and junior sisters become Cultivation Partners, that should only happen after both have achieved something. If you were not bound by an engagement, Master would also be happy to see you and your Shenwei Senior Brother become a loving couple in the future."

Yun Yun pondered for a long while before delivering her final word on the matter. "But you must understand that your marriage was arranged by your parents and matchmakers. Marriage is not something a child like you can do as you please. If there is nothing else, go back. Cultivate properly from now on, and stop thinking about useless things all day. This is not something you should be considering right now!"

After speaking, Yun Yun gave a slight signal to the three elders below. First Elder Yun Ling immediately understood. "Yun Shenwei, what are you standing there for? Hurry back!

"Do not think that having some cultivation talent means you can act recklessly. Nalan Yanran is the heir to the next Sect Master, while you may have talent but no backing. Before you grow into a true powerhouse and possess absolute strength, do not speak of this matter again, much less pester your Junior Sister Yanran.

"If this old man sees or hears again that you have no ambition for progress and care only about romantic affairs, do not blame this old man for dealing with you according to the sect rules!"

As he spoke, First Elder Yun Ling impatiently waved his hand, his meaning unmistakable.

"Enough. You two should go back quickly. We will treat today's matter as though it never happened. How we treated you before is how we will treat you in the future. We will not bear a grudge against you over this."

Second Elder Yun Li remained kindly and gentle, afraid that the two children would be deeply affected by this matter.

"Since I, Yun Shenwei, came here today, I must have a solution. I will never agree to Junior Sister Yanran marrying someone she has never even met in the future!"

Yun Shenwei suddenly rose to his feet, his entire body radiating sharpness. As he spoke, he drew the Azure Cloud Sword from his waist. With a sharp ring, the blade was already held against his neck, faint streaks of crimson spreading across it.

The youth's sudden action caught everyone completely off guard. The three elders' eyes widened as they cried out in alarm:

"Yun Shenwei, calm down! Do not act impulsively!"

"Put down the sword first. We can talk this out!"

"Never act rashly out of emotion!"