Xiao Yan: Brother Yun, I Will Never Forget Your Great Kindness!

In a rather large restaurant in Black Flame City, in the northern Jia Ma Empire.

"Hey, have you heard? Things are about to turn upside down in the Misty Cloud Sect..."

A black-robed youth carrying an enormous Black Ruler on his back had only just sat down when he heard gossip drifting over from the next table.

"...You don't mean that young man named Xiao Yan beating the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master on Misty Cloud Mountain, right in front of the memorial tablets of all their past ancestors, do you? Even the deaf old granny at the village entrance knows about that!"

Xiao Yan gave a wry chuckle. He had never imagined the gossip would travel faster than he did.

He had only just arrived in Black Flame City, yet gossip about the three-year agreement had already spread throughout the city!

"Of course not!" The mercenary at the neighboring table seemed to have drunk too much. He slammed his wooden cup down on the table like a storyteller bringing down his attention block.

"Do you know why Xiao Yan could leave unscathed after defeating the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master in front of all their elders?"

"Ooh, I haven't heard a tall tale from that angle before. Let's hear it."

"What do you mean, a tall tale? It's insider information with a few minor discrepancies." The man rolled his eyes, then poured out his earth-shattering "insider information" in one go.

The beginning was fairly normal. His account of the grudge between Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan, and the circumstances surrounding the three-year agreement, did not stray too far from the truth.

Just then, Xiao Yan's wheat beverage arrived. He filled himself a cup and continued listening with his ears pricked up.

"That should have been the end of it, but the Misty Cloud Sect's Grand Elder suddenly made trouble and tried to force Xiao Yan to stay. Now, do you know why?"

Yeah, why?

Xiao Yan leisurely sipped his wheat juice, letting the question drift through his mind.

"Because he'd secretly loved Nalan Yanran for ages! Seeing his beloved bullied, he wanted to abuse his authority and seize the chance to win the beauty's heart!"

"Cough, cough, cough..." Xiao Yan nearly choked to death on that mouthful of wheat juice. He gave a bitter chuckle. This insider information is just too... wild...

"Not bad. That isn't the most outrageous version I've heard," someone remarked.

Xiao Yan looked toward the voice. A man sat down to the left of him at his square table, greeted him with a smile, then waved for the beauty accompanying him to sit down too.

The beauty glared at Xiao Yan and sat opposite him.

"Uh... Xiao Yu, Yun..." Xiao Yan forcibly swallowed the offending words already on the tip of his tongue and smiled awkwardly.

How could he possibly let the words following "Yun" slip out? Whether he said Elder Yun or Sect Master Yun, he would give the game away!

Yun Congxin quickly interrupted him. "You're being too formal, Little Yanzi! Just call me Old Yun or Big Mountain like before!"

When have I ever called you Old Yun or Big Mountain? Xiao Yan thought, only to catch sight of Yun Congxin's dangerously kindly smile. He dared neither argue nor actually address a mighty Dou Zong, the esteemed Misty Cloud Sect Master, as Big Mountain, so he changed the subject instead. "Ah, I understand. But how did you two end up together?"

"Ah, it's a long story." Yun Congxin sighed, handing Xiao Yu the menu as he spoke. "Let's eat first. Once we've finished, you'll understand when you meet someone."

Seeing how relaxed the two looked, as though they were on vacation, Xiao Yan relaxed as well.

His food arrived just then. Noticing Yun Congxin and Xiao Yu's fine clothing, the waiter delivering the dishes smiled tactfully. "This main hall hardly does justice to our three honored guests. A party has just left one of our private rooms. Shall I have it cleaned up for you?"

Seeing that neither of the Xiao siblings objected, Yun Congxin settled the matter. "Then have it cleaned up. Lead the way."

With that, he touched his Storage Ring and flicked a finger, sending a glittering gold coin through the air toward the waiter. The waiter hurriedly caught it, his face instantly lighting up with delight, then led the three of them to a private room on the second floor.

"Please take a seat. Just let me know if you need anything."

Once they had ordered their dishes and liquor, the waiter saw the three honored guests put down their menus and tactfully withdrew, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

"Since when did you start drinking? And such strong wheat liquor, too?" Seeing Xiao Yu actually order alcohol herself, Xiao Yan leaned closer and asked in a surprised whisper.

"None of your business!" Xiao Yu glared at him and lowered her voice as well.

"Fine, fine. Then how did you end up hanging around with him? Surely you can tell me that."

"Because I had to clean up your mess! You went to the Misty Cloud Sect to stir up trouble, thinking only of your own satisfaction. You never stopped to think that even if you could withstand becoming their enemy, the Xiao Clan might not. Fortunately, Mr. Yun was there. Not only did he keep us safe, he also gave the Xiao Clan a tremendous opportunity..."

"What does any of that mean? I don't understand. Who was trying to cause trouble for the Xiao Clan?" Xiao Yan asked, utterly bewildered.

"You've dragged the Xiao Clan into the teeth of the storm, and plenty of people want to cause trouble for us. Out in the open, lurking in the shadows, seeking credit, borrowing someone else's knife to kill, muddying the waters—so many eyes are fixed on the Xiao Clan, all eager to rush up and take a bite!"

"Where did you learn all those fancy expressions...?" Xiao Yan was extremely sharp himself, and actually managed to glean something from her bewildering words. "This... I didn't think it through. With the Xiao Clan's current strength, rashly stepping into an arena of this level really would be dangerous. How is the clan doing now?"

"Mr. Yun arrived and exposed those people's schemes. Not only did he give the Xiao Clan a steward's post in the Misty Cloud Sect, he also prepared a new place for us to settle," Xiao Yu said. "Uncle Xiao discussed it with Mr. Yun. They plan to turn the enemy's scheme against them by staging an attack on the Xiao Clan, luring the enemies hiding in the shadows into taking the bait!"

"Uncle Xiao and all the clan's Da Dou Shi are here in Black Flame City now. If we hadn't been worried you would suddenly come back and ruin Mr. Yun's plan, we would have spread the news to lure them in already!"

Yun Congxin chuckled. Finding Xiao Yan had been his idea. He knew about Xiao Yan's passive knack for arriving to save the day at precisely the right moment, and feared he might suddenly appear and intimidate the scoundrels of the Jia Lie Family and Ao Ba Family. If they lost their pretext for wiping out the Jia Lie Family, all their efforts would come to nothing.

"In that case, I must thank you for stepping in and keeping the Xiao Clan safe, Brother Yun! Xiao Yan will remember this great kindness until his dying day."

"If we really traced it all back, I'd be the one owing you an apology. So let's spare ourselves all this messy etiquette. We're friends—why draw such clear lines between us?"

With that, Yun Congxin raised his cup. "Come on, let's clink cups and put all of this behind us. Come on!"

"Here's to landing a big fish and returning with a full haul! And to the Xiao Clan's smooth relocation and ever-growing prosperity!" Yun Congxin said.

"And may everything go smoothly for Mr. Yun, and may he achieve his next breakthrough soon." For the first time ever, it was actually Xiao Yu who followed up on Yun Congxin's toast.

After everyone drained a cup, Xiao Yan gave Xiao Yu a strange look.

Her cheeks were flushed, her spirits bright, and a smile lingered at the corners of her lips. She looked like a gentle, gracious lady, utterly different from the madwoman who used to chase him all over the mountain.

Has this lunatic turned over a new leaf? Xiao Yan muttered inwardly.