Fortunes change with time

Han Chen heard the voice and looked up in confusion at the graceful figure.

"S-Sect Master, what brings an elder like you here?"

Yun Yun frowned in displeasure at his words and set him on the ground.

"Do I really seem that old to you?"

"No, no, of course not."

Hearing Yun Yun's words, Han Chen hurriedly gave her an ingratiating smile.

"Stop grinning at me. You still haven't explained what you're doing out here in the middle of the night."

Yun Yun was not as easy to fool as Nalan Yanran. There was clearly something wrong with Han Chen coming here at this hour, so she questioned him with a stern expression.

"Well... sigh. Sect Master, I'll be honest with you. I want to leave the Mist Cloud Sect!"

"Leave... now?"

To Han Chen's surprise, Yun Yun showed neither shock nor reluctance to let him go. She merely wore a complicated expression, murmuring to herself.

"Yes! Right now. I want to go out and make my own way. I might have been useless before,

but I don't want to stay useless my whole life. Remember, fortunes change with time."

At his words, Yun Yun set her thoughts aside. Looking at the boy before her, who seemed a little more mature now, she covered her mouth with a smile and flicked his forehead.

"You're still a child, and you're already talking about fortunes changing? Very well, you have my permission. Don't leave this way, though. Climbing down the mountain is too dangerous. Use the main gate tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sect Master Yun."

Hearing that Yun Yun would let him leave, Han Chen bowed deeply to her.

Whatever else might be said, she was still his master in name and had taught him for several years.

"There's no need to thank me. You've grown up, after all, and should have ideas of your own. But you still need to explain this to Yanran."

"What? Surely I don't need to tell the young sect master?"

These days, the mere mention of Nalan Yanran made Han Chen's legs shake. He genuinely feared she would tear his arm off if she pulled too hard. Her grip that morning had nearly suffocated him.

"Chen, do you really dislike me that much? I'm your big sister."

Just as Han Chen was about to make an excuse, a voice filled with sorrow came from deep within the woods, as mournful as a cuckoo's cry.

Han Chen's eyes widened at the sound, and he looked at Yun Yun. She raised her gaze slightly, refusing to look at him, as though she knew nothing about it.

He immediately understood. Yun Yun must have brought Nalan Yanran here, and now that she had caused trouble, she refused to own up to it.

With no other choice, he sighed and walked over to Nalan Yanran, drawing her into his arms and gently stroking her back.

"Sister Yanran, that's not what I meant. I was just afraid you'd be sad when you heard. I don't want to make you sad."

Han Chen nearly made himself sick saying it. It was far too sappy. In all the years of his previous life, he had never said anything so mushy.

But there was nothing he could do. Sickening as the words sounded, they were true. He really could not bear to see Nalan Yanran upset.

Nalan Yanran hugged him in return, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes, her face full of reluctance to part.

"Then you should have told me. Doesn't hiding it from me only make me feel worse? If you really think of me as your big sister, I should have been the first person you told."

Han Chen released Nalan Yanran, reached up to wipe away her tears, and smiled at her.

"Aren't I telling you now? Don't worry. Wherever I go, you'll always be my big sister. I won't forget you."

As he spoke, Han Chen took the Heavenly Thunder Bead from his system storage and handed it to Nalan Yanran.

Feeling its cool surface against her palm, Nalan Yanran studied the smooth blue bead with a puzzled expression.

She looked at Han Chen and asked curiously,

"What is this? Where did you get it? It looks expensive. Don't tell me you stole it?"

Han Chen's brow twitched at her barrage of three questions.

He tapped Nalan Yanran on the forehead and said irritably,

"What do you mean, stole it? Couldn't it be a family heirloom?

I found it at a market when I was out having fun a while ago.

The old gentleman told me it was a very powerful treasure. If you're in danger, pour your Dou Qi into it,

and it can instantly take out an enemy two ranks above you!

But as you know, I've always been a useless good-for-nothing who can't cultivate. The pitiful amount of Dou Qi in my body isn't enough to activate it.

Since I'm leaving today, I'll give it to you. You can keep it as a memento, and it can protect you in my place."

At his words, Nalan Yanran finally smiled. She put the Heavenly Thunder Bead into her Ring of Holding and gave Han Chen a look that said he had finally shown some sense.

"Since you put it that way, I suppose I'll reluctantly agree. But if you want to leave, you have to do me one more favor!"

"What favor?"

Han Chen looked at her in confusion. Nalan Yanran was the Mist Cloud Sect's young sect master. What could she possibly need help with from a sweeper like him?

"Well... it's just..."

At his question, Nalan Yanran suddenly grew embarrassed. She clasped her hands behind her back, lowered her head, and scuffed her toe against the ground as she spoke haltingly.

"You know how Grandfather arranged an engagement for me,

but I really don't have those feelings for him. So I'm planning to go break it off in a couple of days. Will you come with me?"

As she spoke, an expectant expression appeared on Nalan Yanran's face, her bright eyes fixed on Han Chen.

Hearing her words, Han Chen inwardly exclaimed, Well, damn!

Am I really going to witness the Flame Emperor's rise firsthand? And on the side that humiliates him, no less?

At first, he did not want to agree. If he really went with Nalan Yanran, he would surely end up on that petty Xiao Xun'er's radar.

She could not stand to see her Brother Xiao Yan bullied. If he ran into her on the continent later, she would undoubtedly make trouble for him.

But on second thought, breaking off the engagement was the cause of the Three-Year Agreement, as well as the starting point of the Flame Emperor's eventual rise.

If there was one check-in location on the Dou Qi Continent connected to the Flame Emperor that carried the most significance, it had to be the site of the Three-Year Agreement.

The system had just issued a mission to earn experience through check-ins. Wasn't this an opportunity served up on a silver platter?

Besides, if he went, he could speak on Nalan Yanran's behalf.

Nalan Yanran was not actually a bad person. She was simply a girl unwilling to accept her circumstances.

Who would want to spend their entire life bound to someone they had never even met?

Unfortunately, Nalan Yanran was too proud to explain herself personally.

And Ge Ye, whom she had chosen to handle it, was a bumbling speaker who rambled on and on without ever getting to the point.

Instead, he had worsened relations between the Xiao family and the Mist Cloud Sect. If Han Chen went, he could mediate between them. Perhaps he could change how things turned out.

The Mist Cloud Sect was practically his family, after all. Both Nalan Yanran and Yun Yun had shown him kindness. If this could prevent Xiao Yan from clashing with the Mist Cloud Sect in the future, that would be a good thing.

"All right, I'll help. When are we going? I'll get ready."

"Really? That's wonderful!"

When Nalan Yanran heard him agree, a radiant smile spread across her face.

Seeing her like this, Han Chen could only smile helplessly.

Outsiders thought the young sect master was as cold as snow on a frozen mountain, never knowing how lively and endearingly innocent she was in private with those closest to her.

Watching the change between the two from a distance, Yun Yun's lips also curved into a smile.