Hearing Nalan Yanran concede, Xiao Yan let out a sharp breath of relief. The next instant, aches swept through his entire body. He had been holding on through sheer determination.
Now that he had abruptly relaxed, the injuries he had suffered during the battle suddenly flared up.
Meanwhile, Nalan Yanran slowly rose from Yun Yun's embrace, biting her red lips. "According to our agreement, I should become your slave and servant, but... please forgive my willfulness!"
With that, she swept her sword sideways toward her own neck. Just as she had said before, whether they lived or died was in heaven's hands. She had long since prepared herself!
"Ah!"
Nalan Yanran's sudden action sent the faces of every Misty Cloud Sect disciple in the square, including the elders, changing drastically.
No one had expected Nalan Yanran to attempt suicide over losing the match, much less so decisively that she gave them no chance to react.
Some elders wanted to save her, but they were too far away. They could only watch helplessly as the sharp blade drew ever closer to her neck.
"Yanran-"
Just as the sword was about to slice through Nalan Yanran's snow-white skin, at that hair's-breadth moment, a sharp burst of force struck her sword arm.
Clang!
With a clear ringing sound, the sword fell to the ground. Yet its sharp sword energy still left a shallow streak of blood across the delicate skin of Nalan Yanran's neck.
"Teacher!" Nalan Yanran turned toward Yun Yun, whose face was filled with lingering fear. It was she who had acted in time to stop her.
In so brief a moment, only Yun Yun had possessed both the strength and the proximity to intervene.
"Yanran, why put yourself through this?" Seeing the wretched smile in Nalan Yanran's eyes, Yun Yun