"Nalan Yanran? Why are you here?"
Mu Zhan was momentarily stunned upon seeing the intervening person, evidently recognizing her. The young lady from the Nalan family, one of the three major families in the Imperial Capital!
"Mu Zhan, you are still as barbaric as ever!"
Nalan Yanran first glared at Mu Zhan, then nodded in greeting to Ya Fei. Soon after, she took the initiative to approach Yun Tianming, wearing a concerned expression as she asked, "Senior Brother of the sect, are you okay?"
"Thanks to Miss Nalan's intervention. I am just Yun Tianming, a mere outer disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect. I dare not accept the title of senior brother."
Yun Tianming clasped his hands in gratitude, and after a moment of contemplation, he understood the reason for Nalan Yanran's intervention. Considering the timing, Nalan Yanran was likely about to join the Misty Cloud Sect, and her actions were aimed at upholding the sect's reputation.
"As fellow disciples, Yanran naturally won't stand idly by. However, judging by Senior Brother Tianming's calm demeanor, it seems I may have acted unnecessarily?"
Nalan Yanran scrutinized the young man before her, dressed in coarse linen attire and looking like an outer disciple. Her face revealed a hint of curiosity.
Although he was only a fifth-stage Dou Disciple, he had briefly held his own against Mu Zhan, a sixth-stage Dou Disciple. Yun Tianming even forced Mu Zhan to use a Black Rank Dou Technique. Nalan Yanran intervened to support her fellow disciple but unexpectedly found that when facing Mu Zhan's threatening Black Rank Dou Technique, Yun Tianming maintained a calm and composed expression, as if he had some hidden trump card.
"Not at all, I was just scared stiff and couldn't move."
Yun Tianming scratched his head, displaying a simple and honest smile.
"Huh?"
Nalan Yanran blinked her eyes, seemingly not expecting such a response. Her expression suddenly became a bit awkward.
Could it be that she had misjudged the situation?
"This guy is fooling around again."
Ya Fei's mouth twitched, thinking that despite this little brother's young age, he had quite a cunning mind!
"Hey hey? What fellow disciple? You mean this little stinker?"
Mu Zhan looked utterly confused, appearing somewhat slow-witted.
"Mu Zhan, please show some respect! As a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect, I won't allow anyone to tarnish the sect's reputation!"
Nalan Yanran said with righteous indignation.
"Oh, come on! Nalan Yanran, when did you join the Misty Cloud Sect?"
Mu Zhan grumbled, and even if he was a bit dull, he now understood her position.
The three major families in the Imperial Capital had relatively independent statuses, but their overall stance tended to favor the Gamma Royal Family. Nalan Yanran joining the Misty Cloud Sect was no ordinary signal!
"Hmph~ Who asked for your opinion?"
Nalan Yanran chuckled, her smooth chin lifted high, resembling a proud swan.
One month ago, while cultivating in a certain place, she coincidentally encountered the Misty Cloud Sect's Sect Master, Yun Yun, who was passing by. Yun Yun, draped in a stunning palace gown, with ethereal green Dou Qi wings behind her, planted an unparalleled admiration in the young heart of Nalan Yanran!
Coincidentally, Yun Yun also noticed Nalan Yanran, finding her young, diligent, with exceptional aptitude, and possessing a Wind-type Dou Qi attribute identical to hers. Additionally, with her adorable and likable appearance, Yun Yun whimsically entertained the idea of taking her as a disciple. However, as the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect and a powerful Dou Emperor, she wouldn't be hasty in accepting disciples. Hence, she set up a trial.
Yun Yun gave Nalan Yanran a token and instructed her to come to the Misty Cloud Sect for the sect's grand competition in a month. As long as Nalan Yanran passed the trial, Yun Yun promised to accept her as a direct disciple!
For the Nalan family, the olive branch from the Misty Cloud Sect was quite unexpected. After all, Nalan Jie was the Lionheart Marshal of the Jia Ma Empire, and their stance leaned towards supporting the royal family. However, Nalan Yanran didn't think too much about it. Taking matters into her own hands, she came to the Misty Cloud Sect today because, in her view, it was a golden opportunity to break free from the family's constraints. Bound by a marriage arrangement made by her grandfather, Nalan Yanran was supposed to marry the third young master of the Xiao family in Wu Tan City in the future.
Nalan Yanran is independent and strong-willed, unwilling to let her life be controlled. Despite repeatedly expressing objections to the family and the arranged marriage with a stranger she had never met, she consistently faced unanimous rejection from the family's higher-ups!
Her betrothed, Xiao Yan, is a widely renowned super genius, achieving the ninth stage of Dou Disciple at the age of ten! As someone of the same age but only at the sixth stage of Dou Disciple, the difference in their talents is not just a mere 1-star discrepancy. Frankly speaking, excluding the influence of the family, Nalan Yanran marrying Xiao Yan is already considered a "high climb." In this situation, Nalan Yanran's proposal to annul the engagement is seen as ungrateful by onlookers!
Nalan Yanran joining the Misty Cloud Sect is partly due to her admiration for Yun Yun, a Dou Emperor powerhouse, and partly a desire to break free from the marriage contract with the Xiao family by becoming stronger. In the basic laws of the Dou Qi Continent, strength is revered! As long as one is powerful enough, there are no rules that cannot be broken!
"Hmph! This time, you're just lucky, stinky brat!"
"The next time I see you getting close to Ya Fei, I'll break your legs!"
Mu Zhan threatened Yun Tianming with a fierce glare. He knew that with Nalan Yanran's support and the righteousness of defending the Misty Cloud Sect, he couldn't act recklessly against Yun Tianming.
"..."
Yun Tianming ignored Mu Zhan's provocation, as his spiritual awareness detected the arrival of another group of distinguished guests.
After a moment, a luxurious carriage, exuding an aristocratic air, arrived at the foot of the mountain. In front of the carriage, two pure white steeds with no impurities in their fur stood quietly. On the golden silk curtains around the carriage, a mythical beast with blue flames emanating from its body was depicted. The beast, not small in size and somewhat ferocious in appearance, exuded an intimidating aura.
"The royal emblem?"
Subconsciously, everyone's gaze turned towards it. As members of the three major families in the Imperial Capital, they were well aware of the emblem of the Gamma Royal Family.
From within the carriage curtains, a hand as white as jade extended gracefully, elegantly grasping the handle at the carriage door. Subsequently, two graceful figures stepped out one after the other, appearing in everyone's line of sight.
"Oh~ so many familiar faces? I don't suppose this is a welcoming committee for us, is it?"
Adorned in a purple robe with silver patterns, her delicate features radiated an innate aristocratic temperament. She appeared relatively young, roughly similar in age to Yun Tianming and Nalan Yanran.
The other woman wore a luxurious brocade gown, boasting a tall figure, with cheekbones bearing some resemblance to the former. She also carried an air of nobility, though unlike the sly and adorable demeanor of the former, her bearing exuded a hint of cold elegance. Her age was comparable to that of Mu Zhan and Ya Fei.
"Greetings, Princess Yao Ye and Princess Yao Yu."
Nalan Yanran, Mu Zhan, and Ya Fei immediately stepped forward to bow.
"Welcome, Your Highnesses, the two princesses."
Yun Tianming also followed suit, deliberately keeping a low profile to avoid drawing attention.
"No need for formalities, we're all familiar here. Ya Fei, Mu Zhan, and Yanran."
Yao Ye greeted with a smile.
"The members of the three major families in the empire gathered together, what could you be up to? Let me take a guess?"
Yao Yu's lively purple eyes sparkled with mischievous amusement, clearly not one for tranquility.
She cheerfully took a few steps forward in her small shoes, brushed past Ya Fei and the others, and walked straight up to Yun Tianming. Her lips curled up with a playful smile.
"Hey~ what's your name?"