On the day of the three-year agreement, the Yunlan Sect Plaza was packed beyond capacity.
Representatives from every major force within the Gama Empire had arrived early. Even many unaffiliated experts lingered at the edges, unwilling to miss a battle that would determine not only personal honor, but also the future balance of interests surrounding Qingshan New City.
The white jade plaza gleamed under the sun.
On the high platform, Ning Fengzhi sat with composed elegance, his hands folded within his sleeves. Beside him, Medusa's expression was cold and unreadable, her gaze drifting lazily across the plaza like a predator surveying prey. Jia Xingtian sat upright, his face stern.
Not far away, Yun Shan sat with his eyes closed, his newly stabilized Dou Zong aura faintly rippling around him. At the very center of the platform, Yun Yun occupied the sect master's seat, her posture dignified—but her fingers, hidden within her sleeves, were clenched tightly.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Clear, measured footsteps echoed from the stone stairs.
The crowd instinctively quieted.
A single figure stepped onto the plaza.
Xiao Yan.
He wore plain black robes. The Profound Heavy Ruler rested diagonally across his back, its weight bending the air around it. His figure was lean, his shoulders straight, his bearing calm to the point of sharpness—like a blade that had already been drawn halfway from its sheath.
His gaze swept across the gathered crowd, unhurried.
When his eyes reached the high platform, they paused—just for an instant—on the cloud-colored figure seated at its center.
Yun Yun.
Her breath caught.
Those eyes—
That face—
They overlapped perfectly with the man who had once fought beside her in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. The man who had risked his life without hesitation. The man she had believed to be named Yan Xiao.
Shock crashed into her heart like a tidal wave.
Before she could react, Xiao Yan clasped his hands lightly and spoke, his voice calm, clear, and steady enough to carry across the entire plaza.
"Junior Xiao Yan has arrived as agreed. Greetings to all seniors."
The formal words struck Yun Yun like a hammer.
Her composure nearly shattered.
"Yun'er?"
Yun Shan's low voice reached her ears, carrying a hint of suspicion.
Yun Yun jolted back to herself. She averted her gaze, forcing down the turmoil surging in her chest. Her lips barely moved—but a precise strand of soul force pierced the air, carrying her voice directly into Xiao Yan's ears.
"It's you… Stop. This battle is bad for you—and for Yanran. Leave now. I can agree to any condition."
Urgency. Panic. Pleading.
The transmission struck Xiao Yan's heart with undeniable force.
For a brief moment, his steps slowed.
Yun Yun's emotions were real. Too real to fake.
But then—
His gaze drifted unconsciously to the ring on his left hand.
Xun'er.
Her pale face bent over refining tables.
Her forced smile after nights without sleep.
Her red eyes that never once complained.
Then his father—Xiao Zhan—standing in Wutan City, fists clenched, humiliation buried beneath a father's hope.
This battle had long since stopped being about him alone.
It was about the Xiao Family's dignity.
About promises carried for three years.
About the weight of trust placed upon him.
If he retreated now, what would remain?
Hesitation was severed cleanly.
Xiao Yan lifted his head.
His gaze met Yun Yun's across the plaza—steady, resolute, unyielding.
"Sect Master Yun's goodwill is appreciated," he said, his voice ringing clearly through the silence.
"But this agreement concerns my family's honor and the resolve of those who stand beside me."
"This battle—cannot be avoided."
He turned.
"Nalan Yanran. Please."
Yun Yun's heart twisted painfully.
Before she could say anything further, a subtle surge of Dou Qi spread from Yun Shan, pressing invisibly upon her shoulders—an unmistakable warning.
Yun Shan opened his eyes.
"Since the agreement has been met," he said calmly, "then let it begin."
The moment his words fell—
Nalan Yanran moved.
Her figure flashed forward, sword already drawn. The blade gleamed coldly as it pointed directly at Xiao Yan.
It was sharp—but not a Spirit Tool.
This was deliberate.
Nalan Yanran did not fully understand her master's unease, but she understood the stakes of this battle better than anyone.
Yunlan Sect's reputation.
The Nalan Family's prestige.
The justification of her decision three years ago.
And the negotiations surrounding Qingshan City.
She intended to win—cleanly.
By her own strength.
Only such a victory could silence doubt.
"You are talented," she said coolly, chin lifted. "But talent alone won't bridge the gap between us."
"Today, I'll show you just how far behind you still are."
The battle erupted.
Wind-attribute Dou Qi howled as Nalan Yanran's sword light surged like a storm. Her movement technique was agile, relentless, her offense sharp and oppressive.
Xiao Yan did not advance.
He stood firm.
The Profound Heavy Ruler swung with calm precision, its immense weight intercepting each strike like a mountain wall. Sword light shattered upon contact, unable to break through.
Minutes passed.
Nalan Yanran's brows tightened.
"Do you only know how to defend?" she snapped, frustration seeping into her voice as her rhythm began to falter.
On the platform, Yun Shan frowned slightly.
This was not the decisive suppression he had expected.
Then—
Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened.
Azure flame bloomed.
The Green Lotus Core Flame surged out, wrapping around the Profound Heavy Ruler. In an instant, the massive ruler transformed into a blazing inferno, the air twisting violently from the heat.
Wind met flame.
And lost.
Nalan Yanran's sword light hissed as it dissolved, its power rapidly eroded. Xiao Yan stepped forward, the burning ruler descending in a crushing arc.
Clang!
The longsword screamed.
Blood sprayed as Nalan Yanran's grip tore open. She was sent flying backward, skidding across the stone before barely stabilizing herself.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
On the platform, Ning Fengzhi's expression changed.
Green Lotus Core Flame.
Medusa's eyes narrowed.
This was not casual favoritism—it was sanctioned.
Yun Shan's gaze darkened.
Without hesitation, a soul transmission pierced into Nalan Yanran's mind.
Her face paled.
She clenched her teeth, shame and fury surging together. The storage ring on her finger flashed, and a longsword wreathed in azure light appeared in her grasp.
Rank 3 Spirit Tool — Startling Wind Sword.
"I cannot lose," she said hoarsely, forcing herself upright. "As the Young Sect Master of Yunlan—this battle—I cannot lose!"
Xiao Yan did not mock her.
The Green Lotus Core Flame receded. The Profound Heavy Ruler vanished.
Instead, a crimson heavy ruler materialized in his palm, forged seemingly from molten fire.
Rank 3 Spirit Tool — Blazing Flame.
Then—
Light erupted.
One by one, five Spirit Tools activated.
Ring.
Belt.
Boots.
Necklace.
Armor.
Five radiances intertwined, forming a towering five-colored energy giant that enveloped Xiao Yan's body. The plaza trembled beneath the surge of power.
Nalan Yanran froze.
"A… full set of Spirit Tools?!"
Her last shred of composure shattered.
With a scream, she overdrawn her Dou Qi, igniting everything she had. The Earth-tier Dou Skill, Wind Aspect: Shadow Split, tore free—three massive sword qi ripping across the plaza.
Xiao Yan did not dodge.
He planted the Blazing Flame ruler before him.
Boom!
The explosion tore the plaza apart.
When the dust settled—
Xiao Yan still stood.
Unmoved. Unharmed.
Five-colored light towered behind him like an unbreakable divine guardian.
Nalan Yanran lay broken in the distance, blood staining her robes, her Spirit Tool dull and discarded.
Silence fell.
Absolute. Crushing.
Nalan Yanran understood.
She had lost.
Not just the battle—
But everything she believed separated them.