The Old Sect Master? When Did He Arrive?

On the stone platform, Yun Leng, who had been muted, had already decided how to detain Xiao Yan after hearing Ge Ye's report.

But the sudden upheaval in the square changed his expression drastically. Nalan Yanran, who had already lost, suddenly moved to slit her throat. The longsword was about to cut through her delicate neck!

Though he wanted to stop her, he was too far away, and Nalan Yanran moved too quickly. He could only watch helplessly as the precious sword in her hand drew closer and closer to her throat.

At that critical instant, Xiao Yan caught the blade himself.

"The Three-Year Agreement is over. I have no interest in taking you as a slave, so there's no need to do something foolish to preserve the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation."

Xiao Yan smiled somewhat helplessly. Green flames leaped from his fingertips, burning the letter of repudiation to ashes.

"You know as well as I do that the agreement wasn't all that binding."

"Today, I'll repeat what I said three years ago." Xiao Yan's clear voice rang across the entire square.

"Nalan Yanran, from this day forward, you and I have nothing to do with each other. You're free. Congratulations."

Watching Xiao Yan visibly shed a great weight, Yun Congxin also smiled from the heart. For a boy in his teens to distinguish right from wrong and understand what truly mattered so clearly was rare indeed.

By contrast, Nalan Yanran had caused trouble three years ago, dragging the Misty Cloud Sect into disgrace along with her, and even now, she showed no sign of improvement.

You're the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master, yet after the duel, you talk about slitting your throat for the sect's dignity. Isn't that practically rushing to make enemies for the sect?

Well, sure, you get your dazzling moment of glory, but how are we supposed to settle the aftermath? The Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master was driven to death by the Three-Year Agreement's condition that she become a slave, and she died for the sect's dignity. Wouldn't that mean Xiao Yan drove her to her death?

A disciple who had lived in the Misty Cloud Sect for over a decade—the sect's young sect master, no less! And in the end, she actually wanted to kill herself! Where would that leave the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation? Where would that leave its dignity?

If that really happened, the Three-Year Agreement would turn a minor matter into a major disaster, and the Misty Cloud Sect would truly become mortal enemies with Xiao Yan, that chosen one already half a step into the author realm.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan performed consistently, his last-second passive activating right on schedule. Only when the sword's aura had already drawn a bloody mark across Nalan Yanran's neck did he intervene, stopping it by the narrowest of margins.

"Everyone, the show's over. Time to go home."

Watching Xiao Yan smile at the old fellows up in the towering tree, put away the Heavy Xuan Ruler, and prepare to leave, Yun Congxin drew a deep breath.

He knew the Three-Year Agreement ended here. If he didn't want the Misty Cloud Sect to follow its old path to destruction, it was time to prepare for his entrance.

"Mr. Xiao Yan, please stay a moment. There is a matter concerning the Misty Cloud Sect that requires your personal verification..."

From the stone platform, Yun Leng's voice rang across the square. Though he tried hard to sound strictly businesslike, he couldn't help placing heavy emphasis on "Mr. Xiao Yan."

"Could Yun Leng be trying to forcibly detain him just because they lost the match?"

Jia Xingtian, who had already stood up, promptly plopped back down upon hearing this. He smiled in anticipation of a good show, though no one knew what calculations were running through his mind.

"Oh? Is that so? Why not tell this old man about it first?"

Yun Congxin knew his moment had arrived. No longer concealing his aura, he walked through the air at an unhurried pace—he was afraid of falling—and came to stand before Xiao Yan, adopting the serene bearing of an otherworldly master.

"O-Old Sect Master?" Yun Leng sprang up in fright. He hurriedly bowed to Yun Congxin and said respectfully, "Old Sect Master, weren't you in life-or-death seclusion? This..."

"What? Must I report to you whenever I emerge from seclusion?"

Yun Congxin wore a faint, ambiguous smile, frightening Yun Leng into a cold sweat.

"I... I wouldn't dare..."

Yun Leng's knees went weak, and he smoothly dropped to the ground at once. He prostrated himself, putting on an aggrieved air. But Yun Congxin paid no heed to his excuses. With a sweep of his sleeve, he demanded sternly, "So you still know there are things you shouldn't dare do? Let the youngsters settle their own affairs. Making such a spectacle and disgracing us before everyone—do you think the Misty Cloud Sect's face is too clean and needs you to smear some mud on it?!"

Yun Leng pressed his forehead firmly against the floor. Cold sweat streamed down him, and he dared not utter another word.

Seeing that Yun Leng had finally fallen into line, Yun Congxin stopped looking at him and turned his gaze toward Jia Xingtian and the others in the towering tree.

"How did a bit of childish fooling around bring all you old fellows here?"

With those words, Yun Congxin set the tone for this grandly staged Three-Year Agreement.

At heart, this was merely a contest between juniors. It was certainly embarrassing for the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master to lose to an unaffiliated cultivator, but if the older generation threw its weight around and forcibly detained Xiao Yan, that would be far more than embarrassing.

That would mean losing both the fight and their standing, forfeiting both face and dignity.

"It's not just us. There's another one over there." Jia Xingtian gave a chuckle, then went straight to the question that concerned him most. "Judging by the look of you, have you advanced to Dou Zong?"

No kidding. Look at me walking through thin air. What else could I be besides a Dou Zong?

Yun Congxin waved a hand and said without blushing or missing a beat, "Just a lucky break."

Mr. Lucky Break: ?

"Hai Bodong? You're still alive? I heard Queen Medusa had killed you. I was even planning to avenge you once I came out of seclusion..." Having stolen Mr. Lucky Break's catchphrase, Yun Congxin felt thoroughly refreshed. He looked toward Hai Bodong, an old acquaintance of Yun Shan's.

Back in their youth, the two had been so excited upon first seeing a Dou Wang expert that they had hugged each other and jumped for joy. Each held embarrassing dirt on the other.

In the original course of events, Yun Leng had only awakened Yun Shan when the situation at the Misty Cloud Sect had reached the point of mutual destruction. Hai Bodong and Yun Shan had been arrows on drawn bowstrings, forced to fight without even a moment to reminisce. Yun Congxin's early appearance had turned that clash of arms into a vanishing dream. This reunion held only the joy of old friends meeting again.

"Heh, you haven't died yet. How could I possibly die?" Hai Bodong chuckled and immediately began exposing Yun Shan's dirty laundry. "We can catch up later. Your first elder still has something bottled up..."

"Ah, how humiliating. Even an old fellow like you is pointing out my shortcomings... Very well, I'll settle the matter at hand first."

Yun Congxin sighed, then turned toward Xiao Yan and said with a genial smile, "Don't be nervous, don't be nervous. This old man means you no harm. You're Xiao Yan?"

His entire body tense, Xiao Yan cupped his fists in salute. "This junior is Xiao Yan. Greetings, Sect Master Yun Shan."

"Hahaha, good! An impressive bearing indeed. The younger generation is truly formidable," Yun Congxin said with a smile.

"An agreement between youngsters, and the old fellows turned it into such a grand affair! Nearly a thousand Misty Cloud Sect disciples watched, and senior figures of the Jia Ma Empire gathered here. Everywhere you looked were Nalan Yanran's fellow disciples and acquaintances. They all hoped you would lose, and not a single one cheered for you. Truly, enemies as far as the eye could see. Did you feel nervous?" Yun Congxin asked.

"Not really." Xiao Yan scratched his head and said with a smile, "I wanted to win to wash away the humiliation of three years ago, not for them."

"Mm. A firm will and exceptional talent. You're someone of real substance!" Yun Congxin nodded in satisfaction.

"But arranging things this way did smack of throwing our weight around. The Misty Cloud Sect has always upheld justice, and such conduct is contemptible. On behalf of the Misty Cloud Sect, this old man apologizes to you, young friend."

The moment he said this, the entire gathering erupted in an uproar!