“It is really unexpected that the Misty Cloud Sect’s Yun Shan is actually still alive... it really has exceeded my expectations.” Xun Er’s expression changed following the faint words from Xiao Yan’s mouth. A long while later, her eyebrows were slightly vertical and a cold glint flashed across her autumn watery eyes while she softly said.

“It is indeed quite troublesome.” Xiao Yan also sighed softly. If it was not because of Yun Shan’s existence, the Misty Cloud Sect would not have been able to chase him until he had to flee all the way out of the Jia Ma Empire.

The corner of Xiao Yan’s eyes glanced at the dark, black corner of the wall, where one could make a turn, behind him. He heard the soft sound of footsteps, which were gradually leaving from that spot. Only then did he turn his head to look at Xun Er. His expression was serious as he said, “Xun Er, there is something that I need you to honestly tell me, because this is very important!”

“Oh?” Xun Er was startled when she heard this.When she saw Xiao Yan’s serious face, she immediately nodded and said, “As long as Xun Er knows, Xun Er will naturally not hide anything that Xiao Yan ge-ge wants to know.”

TL: ge-ge - elder brother or used to address an older male friend/relative (latter usually used affectionately by female)

“After the first time I have left the Misty Cloud Sect successfully, I was worried that the Misty Cloud Sect would implicate the Xiao clan because of their anger. The truth was indeed so. When I returned to Wu Tan City, the Xiao clan had already received the revenge of the First Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect.” Xiao Yan’s voice was slightly dark and cold.

Xun Er’s expression immediately changed when she heard Xiao Yan’s words. Her eyebrows were nearly vertical and her pupils contained some anger, “Isn’t this Misty Cloud Sect a little too bold? Did the clan suffer a serious blow?”

“There were some losses but they weren’t too serious. However, father was chased out of Wu Tan City by the three elders of the Misty Cloud Sect. From that day on, he has been missing.” Xiao Yan voice may have sounded extremely calm but his hand, between Xun Er’s, trembled slightly and still revealed the anger within his heart.

“Missing?” Xun Er was initially startled. Quickly following this, her face also turned dark and solemn for the first time. She clearly understood the position Xiao Zhan had in Xiao Yan’s heart. Therefore, she also came to a sudden realization as to why Xiao Yan would actually once again take the risk to charge into the Misty Cloud Sect after successfully leaving it.

“I think that Uncle Xiao Zhan should have landed in the hands of the Misty Cloud Sect, right?” Xun Er voiced her thoughts.

“No.” Xiao Yan gaze looked directly at Xun Er. He shook his head and said softly, “The First Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, who chased after Father, has already been killed by me. Before he died, he said that while he was chasing after Father, Father had suddenly and strangely disappeared...”

“Disappeared?”

“That’s right. He disappeared under the eyes of the First Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, who was chasing him...” Xiao Yan’s eyes focused intently at Xun Er’s face as he slowly said, “I guess that Father might not have disappeared by himself. Instead... he was captured by a mysterious strong person!”

“Mysterious strong person?” Xun Er’s willow eyebrows deepened further when she heard this. She lifted her head to eye Xiao Yan as she said, “What does Xiao Yan ge-ge wants to ask Xun Er?”

“Xun Er, I know that you are not someone from the Xiao clan and that your background is also extremely powerful. I don’t know exactly what kind of connection the strength behind you has with the Xiao clan, but I have my own source of information. Therefore, I guess that Father’s disappearance may perhaps be related to the faction behind you. I trust you. This has nothing to do with you. However, I need to find evidence that my father is safe. Otherwise, I will have problems eating and sleeping peacefully.” Xiao Yan held Xun Er’s hand instead as he said in a deep voice.

Xiao Yan’s words caused Xun Er’s face to change a little. A long while later, she shook her head and said in an extremely calm manner: “That won’t be the case. It was definitely not them. They and the Xiao clan have a certain provision. Therefore, they will definitely not do something brash, like forcefully capturing a person! The binding power of this kind of provision is not as simple as what you imagine. Therefore, even if there was someone among them who did this, he would face severe opposition. Moreover... since that person is able to capture Uncle Xiao Zhan in front of a Dou Wang without letting anyone find out, that person’s strength must at least be of the Dou Huang class. During this period of time, I have not received any news regarding this.”

“No? With the exception of myself, no one in the Xiao clan has come across a strong person of the Dou Huang class. What is the use of other strong people inexplicably capturing my father? Only the faction behind you has some relationship with the Xiao clan that I am aware of. At the same time, they also possess this kind of strength!” With the guess in his heart being overthrown, the hand which Xiao Yan used to hold Xun Er’s hand abruptly tightened. There was an additional anger within his voice.

“Xiao Yan ge-ge, Xun Er really did not lie to you. The faction behind me does indeed have some ties with the Xiao clan. At this moment, I cannot tell you some of the details and reasons for it. If I told you, it will instead be detrimental to you. However, regarding the matter of Uncle Xiao Zhan, Xun Er assures you that it is definitely not done by them!” Xun Er’s originally calm expression immediately crumbled when she saw Xiao Yan’s face, which contained a slight anger. She could not resist speaking in an aggrieved manner.

Seeing Xun Er’s face, which contained some grievance, Xiao Yan also gradually recovered some of his clear-headedness. His hands gently scratched his head and exhaled a deep breath of air while muttering, “Looks like there were some secrets within the Xiao clan which I was unaware of. Alright, since you are unwilling to say anything, I shall not force you to. If it is really as you have said, and this was not done by the faction behind you, I’m afraid that the Misty Cloud Sect would still be the biggest suspect... That sect does not appear to be as simple as everyone thinks.”

“Alright, you can go back and rest first. There is still the Qualifying Competition tomorrow. Temporarily put this matter regarding father aside. Although I am not certain about his current condition, his life should, at the very least, not be in any danger. Ah, I need to quickly raise my strength. Otherwise, even if I manage to find traces of my father in the future, I’m afraid that I also won’t have the strength to retrieve him.” Xiao Yan turned his head toward Xun Er. He patted her head, smiled, and spoke in a comforting manner.

“I will get someone to help investigate this matter and will immediately let you know if I have any clues.” Xun Er nodded her head. Her delicate hands were suddenly intertwined together as her bright eyes looked at Xiao Yan. In a somewhat uncertain manner, she asked, “Xiao Yan ge-ge, will you blame Xun Er for not telling you the exact faction behind me, as well as their relationship with the Xiao clan?”

“Will you harm me?” Xiao Yan smiled, rubbed Xun Er’s head and asked instead.

Xun Er was slightly startled. A smile appeared on her pretty face as she shook her head and whispered, “I won’t.”

“Therefore, I believe you. It is quite late, go get some rest.” Xiao Yan extended his hand and hugged that soft, seemingly boneless, lovely figure for a moment. He immediately released her, waved his hand toward her, and finally turned around before walking to his room.

“Ah.” Xun Er nodded her head slightly as she eyed Xiao Yan’s back, which had disappeared at the door frame. She mused for a while before turning around, and swiftly walking back to her room. With a flipped of her hand, she closed the room’s door and flicked her finger gently. A wisp of golden light shot toward a certain corner of the room. A dark, black shadow immediately became distorted before turning into a black-colored human figure, appearing in the room, with one knee kneeling on the ground.

“Let Ling Shi go to the mountain behind the academy tomorrow. Additionally, send someone to inquire if there are any traces of a mysterious strong person within the Jia Ma Empire. Additionally, I need all the information regarding the Misty Cloud Sect!” Xun Er’s face was calm as she glanced at the black shadow. Her voice was clear and cold as she ordered.

“Yes, xiao-jie.” The black shadow did not voice any opposition when she heard Xun Er’s orders. Following the appearance of a soft, female voice, the body swayed and once again turned into a dark shadow, which melded into the darkness before completely disappearing.

TL: xiao-jie - young lady of a certain wealthy or powerful family.

Xun Er only slowly sigh in relief when she saw the black shadow disappearing. Her muttering voice softly resounded within the room, “Dammit, just who exactly did this? He actually set his eyes on Uncle Xiao Zhan?”

The faint, warm sunlight scattered down from the sky the next morning. Following the slow rise of the dazzling sunlight over the horizon, the academy, which had been quiet for the night, was once again filled with energy. Countless youthful men and women repeatedly swarmed out from all over the academy. Their destination was extremely clear. It was that large stadium at the middle of the academy.

The Qualifying Competition these two days seemed to be an annual grand event within Jia Nan Academy. Those who had the qualifications to participate in the Qualifying Competition were all people who belonged to the outstanding group. The giant competition between them was worth watching. Moreover, the Qualifying Competition this year still had the participation of Xiao Xun Er, Bai Shan, as well as the red-dressed young lady, who were among the most outstanding people in the academy. This fact alone gathered more than half of the viewers.

Of course, other than these three, the large Jia Nan Academy still had some other outstanding competitors. Among them, Xiao Yan, who was able to defeat his opponent by using a blitzkrieg-style method despite having just arrived, was naturally the one who was the focus of attention. Moreover, the intimate relationship, which existed between him and Xun Er, who was viewed by a countless number of male students as the goddess in their hearts, further caused numerous people to grit their teeth, wanting to see him embarrass himself.

After washing himself simply within the house, Xiao Yan, along with Instructor Ruo Ling, Xun Er, and Xiao Yu walked out of the house together. After which, they walked toward the stadium.

As the person who was the focus of attention in the academy, there were a countless number of gazes, containing various different kinds of emotions, being shot over during the journey, causing Xiao Yan’s forehead to feel numb. Seeing his helpless expression, Xun Er by his side also could not resist laughing softly. Her lotus-like elegant and warm smile directly caused the sound of people swallowing saliva to sound from both sides of the path.

Under the scorching hot gazes the group continued on pretty soon Xiao Yan’s group walked into the stadium, which was already crowded with people. After which, they walked toward their designated seats.

With Xun Er and Xiao Yan, this pair who attracted stares, the entire stadium’s gazes were naturally instantly shifted over to them.

After sitting down at his designated seat, Xiao Yan brows suddenly twitched while conversing with Xun Er. He seemed to have sensed something as he raised his head and threw his gaze toward the viewing gallery on the opposite side. At that spot, which was an excellent viewing location, a white-clothed Bai Shan was standing, while holding his hands together. Seeing Xiao Yan’s gaze looking over, the corner of his mouth was lifted into a faint, cold smile. His palm was on the guardrail in front of him, and his finger did a very obscure provoking action toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan eyes narrowed as he eyed the white-clothed, extremely handsome, jade tree like Bai Shan. He smiled faintly as a thread of a cold glint flashed across his lowered, dark, black pupils. He had never boasted that he was a good person. Since the other party has provoked him repeatedly, then he would act in accordance with him...