"Thank you, Sect Leader."
Gu Han had been waiting precisely for Yun Yun's promise and bowed solemnly.
Feeling this wasn't enough, he made no attempt to conceal his desires.
"Sect Leader, if you're giving me a reward, I hope it will be something beneficial for ice attribute cultivators' training."
He practically came right out and named the Ice Toad Snow Pearl.
"You're actually making requests now." A smile bloomed on Yun Yun's exquisitely beautiful face. "Don't worry, as Sect Leader I wouldn't give you something useless."
"Also, take this. Think carefully about which Elder you wish to apprentice under."
As she spoke, Yun Yun lightly tapped her desk, sending a jade slip wrapped in Dou Qi flying toward Gu Han, landing in his hand.
Clearly, this jade slip contained information about various Elders, undoubtedly more detailed than what that Outer Sect Steward had provided before.
Gu Han stored the jade slip in his Storage Ring and asked, "Sect Leader, do all these Elders meet the requirements I mentioned?"
"Don't worry, they do." Yun Yun felt an inexplicable urge to knock Gu Han on the head.
"You may leave now. Come find me after you've decided." Yun Yun waved her hand.
But Gu Han remained standing still. "I'm just an outer sect disciple. The process to see you is quite troublesome."
A sect leader, a Dou Emperor powerhouse, wasn't someone just anyone could meet with.
"You can go now." Yun Yun took out a token and tossed it to Gu Han.
This was the identity token representing the sect leader, containing Yun Yun's essence blood aura that couldn't be forged.
"I take my leave."
Gu Han bowed and withdrew, his movements impeccable.
Yet from beginning to end, he never once referred to himself as "this disciple."
"No respect for elders, no sense of hierarchy." Yun Yun silently scolded him.
"Teacher, what conditions did Junior Brother Gu Han propose?" Nalan Yanran asked after Gu Han left the hall, her voice carrying a previously absent playfulness and charm.
"He said he'll only choose an Elder of the same generation as the Great Elder as his master." Yun Yun didn't conceal this.
"What kind of condition is that?" Nalan Yanran was somewhat puzzled.
"I don't know either." A thoughtful glint flashed in Yun Yun's eyes. "Perhaps he thinks that Dou King Elders can offer similar status benefits and advantages, so he wants to add seniority?"
"For example, if he apprentices under Elder Yun He, then he could call me Sect Leader Senior Sister, and you would have to call him Uncle Gu Han."
Both Yun He and Yun Shan were personal disciples of the Cloud Mist Sect's seventh generation sect leader, belonging to the Dou King Elders of the sect leader's lineage.
"Isn't that taking advantage of me?" Nalan Yanran was shocked.
"So I believe that's exactly his intention." Yun Yun looked at Nalan Yanran with a smile. "Let's discuss the details of your marriage annulment."
"Alright, Teacher." Nalan Yanran beamed with vitality.
Although the matter wasn't resolved yet, at least this time there was great hope, and it could be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
"Junior Brother, is Junior Sister Nalan in the hall?"
Just after Gu Han left the rear hall, two young men approached him. One wore inner disciple robes, while the leader wore Alchemist Robes and reached out to stop him.
"Yes." Gu Han nodded, then prepared to leave.
"Junior Brother, what kind of attitude is this." The other young man stepped forward to block Gu Han's path.
"Ah, Junior Brother Ka Long, don't make things difficult for this junior brother," the leading youth spoke up. "Although this junior brother is an outer sect disciple, he has no obligation to answer my questions."
Ka Long's face immediately broke into an ingratiating smile. "Junior Brother Liu is right. I just felt this junior brother was being too aloof, which isn't conducive to unity among fellow disciples."
Gu Han gave him a deep look, committing this face to memory, then turned to the leading youth. "Are you Liu Ling?"
"I am." Liu Ling's eyes showed a hint of displeasure.
This outer sect disciple truly lacked manners.
"The Alchemy King is a guest elder, and you're a guest disciple. Do you even count as a Cloud Mist Sect disciple?" Gu Han inquired.
Liu Ling's expression shifted slightly, momentarily speechless.
Strictly speaking, even the Alchemy King was only half a Cloud Mist Sect member, so he as a disciple was even further removed.
Whether he was or wasn't, he wasn't qualified to answer.
"Take care."
Leaving these four words behind, Gu Han strode away with large steps.
Both Ka Long and Liu Ling wore unpleasant expressions, never expecting an outer sect disciple to show them so little respect.
"An outer sect disciple who can come and go from the main sect hall must have an unusual status," Liu Ling chuckled, making his thoughts difficult to discern.
A glint flashed in Ka Long's eyes as he felt it necessary to investigate further.
After leaving, Gu Han immediately went to the Outer Sect Affairs Hall, produced the token Yun Yun had given him, and requested to purchase items.
When the steward saw the Sect Leader Token, he offered that Gu Han could use gold coins for purchases and receive a twenty percent discount.
This was clearly a gesture of goodwill, which Gu Han didn't refuse.
After completing his purchases, Gu Han returned to his small courtyard and resumed his regular daily routine.
When not tired, he would cultivate. When tired, he would meditate on the Black Tortoise Shell to restore his energy and enhance his soul power. When hungry, he would eat Grain Avoidance Pills or homemade Magical Beast Jerky.
Every day at midnight, he would check the day's intelligence reports.
First Day:
[Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran reached an agreement. At noon, they brought abundant resources to the Nalan family to express gratitude for Nalan Yanran's upbringing. However, they stated that the Young Sect Master's marriage couldn't be lightly decided and returned double the resources. This nearly caused Nalan Jie's Branding Poison to flare up in anger, but with Yun Yun's help it was barely controlled. Still, without a sixth-grade detoxification pill within seven days, it will erupt.]
[Nalan Yanran met Nalan Yanyun. After testing her, she discovered this once ambitious cousin now feels hopeless about her future, believes she has failed her family's upbringing, wants to do something for the family, and is quite willing to marry an ordinary person for a peaceful life. She was deeply affected by your statement "What is poison to one may be honey to another."]
Second Day:
[Nalan Yanyun is deeply hidden. Her destroyed talent and father's death have made her distrust her maternal family and suspect the Nalan family. She wholeheartedly wants to escape and find opportunities to become stronger so she can investigate the truth later (the poisoner was her maternal cousin Xue Qin'er, who was jealous of her talent while pretending to care for her).]
[Ka Long investigated your identity under the pretext of helping Liu Ling. He determined you're a new talent the Cloud Mist Sect plans to heavily cultivate and prepared to send this information back to the Golden Goose Sect at an opportune time to implement their Seed Decapitation Plan.]
Third Day:
[Mo Yu heard you've gained Yun Yun's favor and plans to personally befriend you. Upon learning this, Mo Qing wants to eliminate you as soon as possible. Since you've been in closed-door cultivation, both are waiting for an opportunity.]
[At the hour of Si today, Yun Yun once again discussed the annulment of the engagement with Nalan Jie in detail, ultimately achieving her goal. She will summon you again at the hour of Wei and allow you to choose one from the Low-Level Profound Fighting Skill "Heavenly Frost Palm," the Ice Toad Snow Pearl, and the Grade Four Pill Snow Lotus Pill. She cunningly did not explain the situation regarding the Ice Toad Snow Pearl to you.]
"So many people harbor ill will toward me."
Gu Han opened his eyes, a hidden killing intent gleaming within them.
Mo Yu was quite adept at disguise, but Mo Qing's determination to kill him was resolute.
He needed to devise a way to eliminate him.
"And Yun Yun, she actually tried to play tricks with me."