NOVEL NEXT Xiao Yan’s Arrival
Thousands of magical beasts circled in the sky, each one out of control with blood-red eyes, looking as though they might slaughter the Misty Cloud Sect disciples at any moment. The piercing screeches were like the devils of hell, deafening and terrifying.
The disciples were petrified by the scene before them, some even fainting. Clearly, they had never experienced a magical beast breakout before.
Grand Elder Yun Leng hurriedly led several Dou Kings into the air, attempting to subdue the rampaging beasts.
However, Li Xiao knew who was behind this.
Turning to Bai Ling, he said softly, "That's enough. There's no need for such a commotion; we're just here to watch the duel."
Bai Ling nodded and slowly extended her slender fingers. With a slight movement, the Misty Cloud Sect disciples who had previously insulted Li Xiao were all plucked up and thrown into the pond at the back of the mountain, giving them a lesson.
Yun Yun's face was slightly unpleasant, but she felt no disrespect towards Li Xiao. Instead, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Master Li Xiao. It's my fault for not properly disciplining these disciples, leading to this offense. I hope you can forgive us."
"No harm done," Li Xiao replied softly. "I have no intention of blaming you, Sect Master Yun. You're overthinking it."
Yun Yun breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her seat.
With Bai Ling no longer controlling them, the flying magical beasts in the air quickly calmed down. Under Grand Elder Yun Leng's guidance, they were all returned to their cages.
After ensuring the disciples were unharmed, Yun Leng finally relaxed. The disciples were only a bit frightened, nothing serious. A few days of rest should be enough.
Li Xiao propped his chin on his hand, gazing at the entrance of the Misty Cloud Sect. He saw a young man in black approaching, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly.
At the same time, Grand Elder Yun Leng, who was floating in mid-air, turned his head to look at the newcomer, squinting as if he understood something. He asked, "Are you Xiao Yan?"
"Xiao Yan of the Xiao family, here to challenge!" Xiao Yan replied.
Nalan Yanran also arrived at the square, her gaze indifferent. "Nalan Yanran of the Nalan family."
"The three-year agreement, I'm here as promised. Today, let's settle our past grudges. The humiliation you brought upon my Xiao family back then, today, I will repay in full!"
Nalan Yanran looked at the imposing Xiao Yan with a cold heart. The engagement back then was arranged by her grandfather and the others; why should she have to accept all this? Seeing the young man before her, memories from the past flashed vividly.
Nalan Yanran, holding a long sword, pointed angrily at Xiao Yan, "I don't think I did anything wrong back then. I have the right to choose my own destiny. Perhaps my actions were inappropriate at the time, but if time were to turn back, I would still make the same choice!"
Xiao Yan merely snorted coldly, not responding further.
However, when he noticed Li Xiao sitting in the main seat, his expression changed.
He hadn't expected that the Misty Cloud Sect would even invite the master of Heaven Ascending Pavilion. What a grand setup!
Yun Yun subtly moved her fingers, signaling to Grand Elder Yun Leng to host the duel.
Grand Elder Yun Leng nodded, stepping forward and announcing, "I am Yun Leng, Grand Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Today, I will be the host. This duel is meant for sparring, and should stop at a fair point."
Just as Yun Leng finished speaking, a voice full of hatred echoed through the air.
"Life and death, each according to their fate!"
Yun Leng's mouth twitched. Such an arrogant young man, daring to embarrass him in front of so many people. Truly, if one doesn't seek trouble, they won't find it!
"Young man, it's wise to leave a way out in everything you do. But since you insist, then let it be as you wish—life and death, each according to their fate!"
Xiao Yan, not wanting to hear Yun Leng's nonsense, immediately started fighting with the Misty Cloud Sect's Young Sect Leader, Nalan Yanran.
Yun Leng gritted his teeth in anger. How dare this insolent brat be so disrespectful!
Li Xiao smiled. As expected of the initiator of the three-year agreement, he truly lived up to his reputation.
However, this sharp tongue had brought him a lot of trouble. Without the Heavenly Flame, without the support of Queen Medusa, and without the help of Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, it was uncertain whether Xiao Yan could succeed in washing away his shame.
Nalan Yanran smirked coldly and launched a fierce palm strike. The powerful aura forced Xiao Yan to retreat rapidly, creating distance between them.
"A Dou Spirit... I didn't expect you to have advanced to a Dou Spirit!"
At this moment, Xiao Yan was merely a Dou Grandmaster. Fighting against a Dou Spirit was undoubtedly courting death.
Nalan Yanran said, "Xiao Yan, I admit that the shame from back then was my fault. However, the man worthy of me, Nalan Yanran, must be a strong person in this world, not a worthless wretch like you."
Xiao Yan, thoroughly enraged, slammed his Heavy Xuan Ruler onto the ground, shattering the blue bricks beneath him.
So what if she's a Dou Spirit? No matter how strong the opponent, he must cleanse his family's shame from the past three years!
Seeing Xiao Yan's obstinacy, Nalan Yanran snorted coldly. A Dou Grandmaster challenging a Dou Spirit was simply like an egg hitting a stone!
At this moment, Pill King Gu He arrived with his disciples. Observing the fight, he was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected the rumored waste to have leapt to the level of a Dou Grandmaster. Indeed, it was astonishing.
"Master Li Xiao? You are here too?" Pill King Gu He, upon seeing Li Xiao, quickly ran over, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Master Li Xiao."
"Oh?" Li Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Pill King Gu He, I didn't expect you to come as well."
Gu He chuckled, "As an elder of Misty Cloud Sect, I naturally have to witness the three-year agreement. It's been months since we last met, and it seems Master Li Xiao's strength has improved again."
Li Xiao nodded slightly. "Improvement" was an understatement; "surge" was more accurate.
He had jumped from a Nine-Star Dou Spirit directly to a One-Star Dou Emperor in such a brief period. No one else in the world could have achieved this.
"Pill King Gu He's disciple, Junior Liu Ling, greets Pavilion Master Li." At this moment, a young man behind Gu He stepped forward. While not exceptionally handsome, he carried a noble demeanor.
Liu Ling... Li Xiao had heard of him. Gu He's disciple, a Tier-4 Alchemist, highly renowned in the Jia Ma Empire. Despite his courteous appearance, he was known to have a narrow-minded character.
Liu Ling had known Nalan Yanran since childhood and had always secretly admired her. However, Nalan Yanran was not an ordinary woman.
Proud and lofty, she had personally sought to annul her engagement with Xiao Yan when he turned from a genius to a waste. Therefore, she had never taken Liu Ling seriously.
Even though Liu Ling was more outstanding than most men, he still fell short of Nalan Yanran's standards. He had expressed his admiration when visiting Nalan Jie but was met with rejection.