As the days passed and the date set for the duel arrived closer, the more it aroused the people's interest. Many people started traveling towards the Jia Ma Sacred City, the empire's capital.
Among them, not many people were invited, but they couldn't help themselves and still went to watch the duel.
While everyone waited for Xiao Clan's reaction, the result disappointed them. Due to Xiao Ning's order, the clan remained silent and operated as usual, as if the outside world had nothing to do with them.
Many spies who were present in the city to spy on Xiao Clan also couldn't find any difference. That reduced their vigilance, and they failed to notice the arrival of a new group of people headed toward the Xiao Clan.
...
Somewhere in the inner circle of the Jia Ma Sacred City, a youth with a trace of maturity on his face sat dazed on his bed. His eyes showed the chaos in his heart.
This youth was none other than Xiao Yan, who had disguised himself, and at this moment, many questions rose in his heart.
The moment when he learned the news, the shock Xiao Yan experienced was no less than the eruption of a volcano.
"I openly challenged the Misty Cloud Sect? When did this happen?" He mumbled. 'It was clearly a personal matter between him and Nalan Yanran,' Xiao Yan thought.
Moreover, Xiao Yan felt like crying after looking at the letter in his hands. It was a letter from his father, in which he cursed Xiao Yan for creating such big trouble for the clan and finally told him to be careful.
"Brat!" As Xiao Yan was deeply lost in his thoughts, Yao Lao's voice interrupted him.
"Don't think much; you just do your part and leave the rest to the teacher," Yao Lao spoke calmly, his voice filled with confidence. But, the worry in the depth of his eyes wasn't concealed.
Xiao Yan's mood became better after Yao Lao's comfort, and he threw everything else at the back of his mind and began cultivating his dou qi.
After seeing Xiao Yan cultivating diligently, Yao Lao shook his head and smiled, yet, the next moment, his face turned icy cold. He turned his head toward the Misty Cloud Sect's direction and stared with an icy gaze.
With his years of experience, if Yao Lao couldn't even detect that everything happening smelled like a conspiracy, then he has really lived his life like a fool.
'It's like there is someone in the shadows guiding everything. Is it against Xiao Yan or the entire clan, or is it against that brat Xiao Ning,' he thought in his heart.
Yao Lao more or less knew the origin of the Xiao Clan and felt that everything happening was a part of something bigger, and the Xiao Clan was at the center of it.
'Sigh!' he sighed and went back into the ring, and rather than continuing to worry about it, he was more willing to stay in the ring and nourish his spirit.
...
Outside the capital, in the distance, stood a majestic mountain; clouds covered the mountain peak, and it looked like a paradise on Earth. It was none other than the Misty Cloud Mountain, named after the Misty Cloud sect.
Deep within the sect, in one of the training grounds, Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran stood together.
The yellow shade from the lamps illuminating the training ground added to their beauty. It's just no one apart from them was present to appreciate it.
Yun Yun looked at her disciple standing in front of her, and a satisfied look flashed in her eyes. As the sect leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, she rarely had any free time, yet, Yun Yun accompanied Nalan Yanran to guide her.
It clearly showed just how much Yun Yun cared for her disciple, to the extent of letting Nalan Yanran use her training ground.
"You have truly surprised me," Yun Yun lightly stroked Nalan Yanran's head with her soft hand.
She could sense that Nalan Yanran's dou qi was solid, and there was even a faint sense that her cultivation would rise in a short period.
Nalan Yanran, who always had a cold face and haughty look in her eyes, showed a rare childish smile on her face. "Um," she nodded softly.
"Here, take it. I had it specially made for you," Yun Yun opened her palm, and a long sword appeared above it. This sword was similar to the one she used.
Nalan Yanran's eyes sparkled after she saw the sword; she happily took it and stored it in her storage ring.
"Thank you, teacher," Nalan Yanran jumped forward and hugged her.
"You...kid," Yun Yun shook her head after seeing her acting like a baby.
The next moment, Yun Yun's face turned solemn, "Yanran be careful; about this challenge, something is not right."
"Yes, teacher," Nalan Yanran nodded earnestly.
Yun Yun just warned her and kept the other matter to herself. Only she and a handful of people knew that this challenge was not a small matter.
...
She still remembers it vividly, the black-clothed person who infiltrated the sect and silently appeared before her in the main hall.
The latter only said one sentence, "Xiao Yan, the third young master of the Xiao Clan challenges your disciple Nalan Yanran."
The dou qi momentum released by the mystery man was no lesser than hers; hence she immediately concluded that a strong force no weaker than their Misty Cloud Sect stood behind Xiao Yan.
The next moment, when Yun Yun reacted, the black-clothed man had already left. For a while, only she was left alone in the hall, sitting on the sect leader's seat.
A moment later, Yun Yun took a deep breath and sent a sound transmission through her token to all the elders for a sect meeting.
Even if there was no force behind Xiao Yan, the mysterious peak Dou Emperor alone was enough for her to treat this challenge carefully.
After discussing it with the elders of the sect; Yun Yun chose to act accordingly, and the Misty Cloud Sect let out the news that Xiao Yan openly challenged Nalan Yanran, which led to the current situation.