Chapter 121: Soul Xin, the Triple Loyalty Servant
Early in the morning, Nalan Yanran tiptoed toward the Sect Master's Hall.
"I wonder how much that scoundrel Xiao Yan bullied Teacher. If he went too far, I won't forgive him!" she muttered angrily, her cheeks puffed with indignation.
As she reached the door, she raised her hand to push it open but hesitated, remembering an awkward incident from before. Instead, she knocked lightly.
"Teacher? Teacher, are you there?"
No response.
"Teacher? Teacher?" Nalan Yanran knocked again, her tone more anxious.
"Could it be... did Teacher faint like Ya Fei when Xiao Yan bullied her?" A worried look crossed Nalan Yanran's face, but as the thought of a similar fate for herself flashed in her mind, her face turned pale.
"Yanran, come in," a tired female voice called from inside.
Hearing the response, Nalan Yanran exhaled in relief. "As expected of a Dou Huang level expert Teacher is much stronger than Ya Fei."
She steeled her resolve. I must train harder. I can't let myself faint like Ya Fei if Xiao Yan tries anything.
Her goal, however, had unknowingly shifted from surpassing Xiao Yan to merely enduring him.
She carefully opened the door and walked into Yun Yun's room, covering her eyes halfway, as if embarrassed.
To her surprise, the room didn't carry any strange odors or show any unusual traces only a beautiful woman dressed in a red wedding gown, sitting silently by the window.
"Teacher, did Xiao Yan not come to see you last night?"
Blinking in confusion, Nalan Yanran's gaze fell on the wedding gown. A realization struck her.
"Wait, this was supposed to be my outfit! Teacher wearing it is crossing the line!"
Before she could voice her thoughts, Yun Yun turned around. Her face, usually radiant and composed, now appeared haggard and weary, with her eyes red and slightly swollen.
"Teacher, what happened to you?" Nalan Yanran exclaimed.
"Yanran..." Yun Yun called softly, gesturing for her to sit by her side. As Nalan Yanran complied, Yun Yun leaned gently on her shoulder.
"Do you think I've made a mistake?"
Elsewhere, Ya Fei froze mid action, her brush pausing over a ledger as she processed Xiao Yan's words.
"You're leaving the Jia Ma Empire?"
"Yes," Xiao Yan replied with a slight nod.
"Why? Isn't it good here?" Ya Fei bit her lip, her crimson lips trembling as she stared at the young man who had changed her fate.
"It's wonderful here, especially with you by my side. It's so good that I don't even miss home," Xiao Yan said with a playful smile.
"Then why are you leaving?"
"It's not about wanting to leave. My cultivation technique requires me to search for Heavenly Flames to grow stronger," Xiao Yan explained gently, his gaze warm.
"And what about me? What am I supposed to do when you're gone? Who will help me improve my strength?" Ya Fei asked, her eyes glaring.
"I..." Xiao Yan opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"I'll arrange for a few strong experts to settle in the Jia Ma Empire and help you with the initial development of the Flame Alliance. As my trusted secretary, you must manage this well," Xiao Yan reassured her.
"I don't care! I won't let you go!" Ya Fei huffed, shaking her head stubbornly.
Suddenly, the hands that were helping him dress shifted direction and began undoing his clothes instead.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Xiao Yan asked warily, stepping back.
"What am I doing? You think you can leave just like that? Before you go, I'm not letting you off until you help me break through to Da Dou Shi!" Ya Fei declared, seating herself boldly on his lap.
"Big sister, you're only at five star Dou Shi! No matter how miraculous the Yin Yang Sacred Scripture is, it won't help you advance to Da Dou Shi in one night!" Xiao Yan protested, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Heh, you're not leaving the Jia Ma Empire until you've paid up!" Ya Fei's luscious lips curved into a seductive smile, her words dripping with mischief.
Meanwhile, in the Sect Master's Hall, Yun Shan's face was dark with displeasure.
"You're telling me that nothing happened between you and Xiao Yan?" he demanded, his tone cold.
"Nothing," Yun Yun replied hollowly, shaking her head.
"Ridiculous!" Yun Shan's anger surged, his hand raised as if to strike her.
Yun Yun gave him a sorrowful smile and closed her eyes, her posture resigned.
"You..." Yun Shan's fury faltered as he looked at her defeated expression. His hand hovered in the air for a long moment before it dropped powerlessly.
"Forget it," he muttered with a heavy sigh.
The bond he shared with Yun Yun, whom he had raised from a child, was too deep for him to harm her. Despite his frustration, he couldn't bring himself to act against her.
"Yun'er, don't blame me. If this is our sect's fate, so be it. The future is now up to us," he said at last, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.
"Yes, Teacher," Yun Yun replied, her voice devoid of emotion as she left the hall, her gaze empty as though she had lost her soul.
Three days later, Xiao Yan sat in a small pavilion, exhaustion evident in his expression.
He no longer dreamed of managing three wives and six concubines. For now, all he wanted was to relax and escape the chaos.
"Master! Master!" A small figure darted into the pavilion Soul Xin, bouncing excitedly.
"Don't bother me." Xiao Yan flicked his finger, sending a light tap to Soul Xin's forehead, making her stumble.
"Elder Sister Yao Ye wants to know when you'll visit the palace again," Soul Xin asked, blinking up at him.
"Visit the palace? Let me rest for a night first," Xiao Yan replied, rubbing his waist.
"Elder Sister Yao Ye said she'll be wearing a battle outfit tonight and expects you to charge into battle with her," Soul Xin said, pulling a candied plum from one of her pockets.
Her clothes now sported eight bulging pouches, making her look like a beggar sect elder.
Hearing her words, Xiao Yan remembered the playful promise he had made to Yao Ye.
"Let me finish helping Ya Fei break through to Da Dou Shi first," he sighed, shaking his head. Then, narrowing his eyes, he looked at Soul Xin.
"Where did you get all that candy?"
"I won't tell you!" Soul Xin puffed up her chest, hands on her hips.
"Won't tell me, huh?" Xiao Yan smirked, raising a hand. A surge of suction power sent all the candy flying from her pouches into his palm.
"Master, I was wrong!" Soul Xin immediately knelt before him, her expression pleading.
"Now tell me who gave you all this?"
"It was Sister Ya Fei, Sister Yao Ye, and Sister Nalan Yanran!"
"And why are they giving you so much candy?"
"Because I'm your precious disciple!" Soul Xin answered, her voice pitiful.
"Hmph, so you're a triple loyalty servant now," Xiao Yan sneered, tossing some candy back at her.
"Thank you, Master!" Soul Xin's face lit up, and she began kowtowing enthusiastically.
"You're hopeless. Having you as a disciple will shave ten years off my life," Xiao Yan muttered, shaking his head.
In a dark spatial rift, Xiao Wu stood with a cold expression, wielding a long whip as she stared down an elderly woman from the Soul Clan.
"Speak. How many remnants of your Soul Clan are left?"
(End of chapter)
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