On the Misty Cloud Platform, an Old Agreement and a New Battle

The night passed without incident.

When the next morning's sun pierced the thin mist over the Misty Cloud Mountain Range and bathed the Misty Cloud Platform in golden light, a sea of people had already gathered.

The Misty Cloud Platform was where the Misty Cloud Sect held major ceremonies and competitions. Now, not only was it packed with sect disciples, but numerous elders and even the sect leader, Yun Yun, were seated on the high dais, their gazes fixed on the two figures at the center of the platform.

On one side stood Nalan Yanran, dressed in a moon-white gown, her posture upright and her bearing cool and aloof. The fluctuations of her Dou Qi had already reached the peak of Seventh Stage Dou Qi. She was more than twice as strong as she had been when she broke off the engagement three years ago. She held an exquisite longsword, and though her gaze was calm, it could not quite conceal a trace of hidden pride.

On the other side stood Xiao Yan. His blue robes snapped in the mountain wind, his expression calm as the power of Sixth-Stage Dou Qi circulated steadily within him. After a night of recuperation, the fatigue from his exchange with Zhang Hao the day before had long since vanished.

"Xiao Yan, the three years are up. Today, we settle the grudge between us." Nalan Yanran's voice was as cool as ever, carrying across the entire Misty Cloud Platform. "For the sake of our former ties, if you admit defeat now, you may leave the mountain on your own. The Misty Cloud Sect will not stop you."

As she saw it, Xiao Yan had already reached his limit by clashing head-on with Zhang Hao yesterday. An almost impassable gulf separated Sixth-Stage Dou Qi from the peak of the Seventh Stage, to say nothing of the fact that she had mastered the Misty Cloud Sect's high-level Dou Technique, the Wind Spirit Sword Art.

At her words, a faint smile curved Xiao Yan's lips. "Our former ties? When you came to my home to break off the engagement three years ago, did you ever think of those ties?" He raised his eyes to Nalan Yanran, his gaze sharp as a blade. "I didn't come here to admit defeat today. I came to tell you that the Xiao Yan you looked down on back then has returned."

[Ding! Main quest triggered: settling the Three-Year Agreement!]

[Quest requirement: defeat Nalan Yanran on the Misty Cloud Platform and wash away the humiliation of the broken engagement.]

[Quest rewards: Seventh Stage of Dou Qi cultivation, increased system shop access (Mystic-tier Dou Techniques available for exchange), and one chance at a mysterious draw.]

The system notification sounded at just the right moment, and Xiao Yan's fighting spirit burned even hotter. Defeating Nalan Yanran was not only a way to wash away his humiliation, but also an important step on his renewed path to becoming an expert.

"Stubborn fool!" Nalan Yanran frowned slightly, a flash of anger passing through her cool eyes. "In that case, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

Before her words had faded, she moved, her peak Seventh Stage Dou Qi erupting. Her longsword hummed, and a crescent of pale cyan sword Qi shot straight for Xiao Yan's face with a piercing rush of wind. It was the opening move of the Wind Spirit Sword Art, Wind Chant.

The sword Qi was blindingly fast, arriving in the blink of an eye!

Everyone below the platform cried out in alarm. Many disciples who knew Nalan Yanran's strength were already certain Xiao Yan would lose.

But Xiao Yan instantly used Wind Walking Step, gliding several feet to the left like a ghost and narrowly avoiding the sword Qi. It grazed his shoulder and struck a stone pillar behind him, sending a shower of sparks flying.

"Too slow," Xiao Yan said calmly.

"Courting death!" Nalan Yanran was enraged by his composure. She swung her longsword again, sending cyan sword Qi shooting out as thickly as raindrops to cover Xiao Yan from every direction. It was the second move of the Wind Spirit Sword Art, Rainfall.

Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, sealing off every escape route. She meant to drive Xiao Yan into a dead end!

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened, and he stopped dodging. With a flip of his right hand, the black iron ruler appeared in his grasp once more. He poured his Sixth-Stage Dou Qi into it without holding anything back, while shouting inwardly, System, spend the remaining points to temporarily raise Flame Splitting Wave Ruler to minor mastery!

[Current points: 150. Temporarily raising Flame Splitting Wave Ruler to minor mastery requires 200 points. Insufficient points. Overdraw 50 points from the next quest's rewards?]

Overdraw!

[150 points deducted, 50 points overdrawn. Flame Splitting Wave Ruler (minor mastery) temporarily unlocked!]

In an instant, a far more immense power surged into the iron ruler. The pale red halo of Dou Qi around it grew solid, with faint traces of rising flames and roaring waves. Xiao Yan turned his wrist and swept the iron ruler out, unleashing Flame Splitting Wave Ruler at minor mastery!

"Flame Splitting!"

As the ruler's shadow swept out, it seemed to become a long whip of scarlet flame. Carrying a scorching wave of air, it caught every streak of densely packed cyan sword Qi and tore them apart!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Sword Qi and ruler shadow collided in a series of muffled impacts. Waves of air burst outward, but not a single streak of sword Qi could break through the iron ruler's defense.

"What?" Nalan Yanran's pupils narrowed. She had not expected Xiao Yan's Dou Technique to be so powerful that it could withstand even Rainfall head-on.

Yun Yun and the others on the high dais were also visibly moved, surprise flashing in their eyes.

"My turn!"

With a low shout, Xiao Yan closed in and swung the iron ruler again. This time, he was no longer defending, but attacking with deadly force!

"Wave Devouring!"

The ruler's shadows rolled toward Nalan Yanran in layer upon layer, like a surging scarlet tide, bearing down on her with the force of something that would devour everything in its path. At minor mastery, Flame Splitting Wave Ruler was more than twice as powerful as it had been yesterday.

Nalan Yanran did not dare let down her guard. Her longsword danced frantically as she pushed the Wind Spirit Sword Art to its limit. Cyan Dou Qi gathered into a five-foot-long barrier of wind, attempting to block the onslaught of ruler waves.

"Boom!"

The ruler waves and wind barrier collided with a crash, scarlet and cyan light intertwining and exploding!

Nalan Yanran felt a violent force surge toward her like a tide. The wind barrier shook violently and was covered in cracks in an instant. She grunted, involuntarily stumbling back three steps, her sword hand trembling slightly.

"Impossible... How could you have such a powerful Dou Technique?" Shocked and furious, Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan in disbelief.

But Xiao Yan gave her no chance to catch her breath. Using Wind Walking Step, he followed her like a shadow and swung the iron ruler again. Its scarlet shadow pressed in on her like maggots clinging to bone.

He brought his Sovereign-level combat experience to bear, every attack landing precisely on an opening in Nalan Yanran's moves, forcing her to retreat again and again, struggling just to respond.

The crowd below the platform was already watching openmouthed. Who could have imagined that this seemingly foregone contest would turn into Xiao Yan pressing Nalan Yanran so hard she could only defend?

"Enough!"

Driven to the edge of the platform with nowhere left to retreat, Nalan Yanran's eyes flashed with resolve. The Dou Qi within her suddenly surged, showing faint signs of breaking through to Eighth Stage Dou Qi!

"Wind Spirit Sword Art: Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds!"

She poured all her strength into her longsword, which became a cyan whirlwind that swept toward Xiao Yan with the might to tear heaven and earth apart. This was her closely guarded ultimate move, and her final trump card!

"Have you finally gone all out?"

A bright light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. With the system drawing out his potential, the Sixth-Stage Dou Qi within him also showed faint signs of a breakthrough. He took a deep breath and pushed the power of Flame Splitting Wave Ruler to its limit. Scarlet light blazed from the iron ruler, as though it had truly become a flaming ruler that could burn the heavens and boil the earth!

"Flame Splitting Wave Ruler: Unification!"

At that moment, the concepts of flame and waves merged perfectly. The ruler's shadows no longer came in layer upon layer, but gathered into a scarlet pillar of light that spanned heaven and earth, blasting straight toward the cyan whirlwind!

That strike contained all his strength and will!

"Boom!"

An earth-shaking blast erupted across the Misty Cloud Platform. The scarlet pillar and cyan whirlwind collided violently and annihilated each other. Furious waves of air spread in every direction, tearing a layer off the ground across the entire platform!

Dust filled the air, obscuring everyone's view.

Yun Yun and the others on the high dais rose to their feet, staring intently at the center of the dust cloud, unable to keep themselves from holding their breath.

When the dust slowly settled, the two figures appeared before the crowd once more.

Nalan Yanran's longsword had broken. Blood stained the corner of her mouth, and her face was as pale as paper. She was clearly exhausted.

Xiao Yan, meanwhile, still stood motionless with the iron ruler in hand. Though his clothes were torn and his breathing was somewhat uneven, his gaze remained sharp. The power of Sixth-Stage Dou Qi surged within him, showing faint signs of a breakthrough.

The outcome had been decided.

Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan, her eyes full of conflicting emotions and unwillingness. In the end, they turned into a bitter sigh, and she slowly lowered her head. "I... lost."

[Ding! Main quest "settling the Three-Year Agreement" completed!]

[Rewards issued: cultivation raised to the Seventh Stage of Dou Qi, system shop access increased, mysterious draw chance stored.]

[50 overdrawn points automatically deducted. Current points remaining: 0.]

A warm current instantly surged through his entire body. The barrier of Sixth-Stage Dou Qi shattered as though made of paper, and Xiao Yan's cultivation soared, taking him firmly into Seventh Stage Dou Qi! The fullness of power lifted his spirits, sweeping away his earlier fatigue.

He looked at Nalan Yanran, who had lowered her head and admitted defeat. He felt no pleasure in revenge, only the calm of dust settling.

"I won the Three-Year Agreement."

Xiao Yan's voice carried across the Misty Cloud Platform, reaching everyone's ears clearly.

A deathly silence fell over the crowd below the platform, followed by an earth-shaking uproar!

No one had expected the Three-Year Agreement, which had drawn the attention of the entire Dou Qi Continent, to end this way-the Xiao Clan youth once regarded as trash had won!

On the high dais, Yun Yun looked at Xiao Yan in the center of the platform, her beautiful eyes shining with shifting light. No one knew what she was thinking.

Xiao Yan put away the flying ruler and swept his gaze across the crowd, finally looking toward the depths of the Misty Cloud Sect, where several unfriendly gazes seemed to be watching him in secret.

He knew that defeating Nalan Yanran was only the beginning. The waters of the Misty Cloud Sect ran deeper than he had imagined.

But he was fearless.

Living a second life, with the system's help and a Sovereign's perspective and experience, he would never stop here.

Dou Qi Continent, wait for me, Xiao Yan, to ascend to the peak once more!