"Senior, why did you come looking for me?" Ye Xin Lan asked with a face full of curiosity. Her expression looked innocent and adorable.
"Your acting is good, but do you think you can fool my soul perception?" Cao Ying sat deeply in her chair and stared at Ye Xin Lan with a critical gaze.
However, the latter remained unfazed. She blinked blankly and said, "Senior, I really don't understand what you're saying."
"To be so young yet already know how to hide your abilities—impressive." The corner of Cao Ying's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a fox-like cunning smile. "Before meeting you, I asked your grandfather.
"I heard he planned for you to study at Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy when you turn eighteen, but you went to him and said you wanted to go to Jia Nan Academy as soon as possible to study in the Outer Academy. What do you think is going on?"
Originally, Ye Zhong had planned to send Ye Xin Lan to Jia Nan Academy in six years and use the help of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to let her study in the Inner Academy for a period. The Ye Family had always cooperated with Jia Nan Academy.
But Ye Xin Lan taking the initiative to go now was very interesting.
"I…" Ye Xin Lan opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
In the end, her impatience had given her away.
"Senior Cao Ying is exactly like me. We could have had a tacit understanding. Why expose me?" Ye Xin Lan pushed up her glasses, her expression turning serious.
"I'm not trying to monopolize the chance to silence you. If I did that, you would only end up being noticed by Young Master Xiao Ting anyway.
"Even if I wanted to silence someone, I shouldn't rely on you openly—I should do it secretly."
"I don't understand."
Ye Xin Lan sensed that Cao Ying had no ill intentions, but she still remained vigilant.
She had been precocious since childhood. Seeing her grandfather and parents work hard for the family, she understood that the family was in a very dangerous situation.
If the Ye Family lost its position among the five great clans of the Pill Region and the status of Pill Tower elder, it would be more than just losing power.
After they completely declined, those who had long coveted the Ye Family would divide them up!
Therefore, since childhood, Ye Xin Lan had told herself to act sensibly, work for the family's prosperity, and seize every opportunity.
Thanks to the newly obtained Journal, she had glimpsed a corner of the world's truth, learned of the existence of a genius like Xiao Ting, and knew there was a chance to meet him.
In her original life, she should have entered Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy at eighteen. By then, her cultivation level would probably have been at Dou Spirit, and her alchemist level around fourth-tier. In the near future, she would have met Xiao Yan—who was four years older than her—through the rumor of the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
But now, the uncertain factor called Xiao Ting existed. By the time she enrolled, he might already have left.
That was why she wanted to depart earlier than planned!
Xiao Ting could train Cao Ying to teach the Yao Clan a lesson. There should be no problem training her to the level where she could save the Ye Family.
As soon as the decision was made, Cao Ying had come to see her herself!
"Sister, you can't go to Jia Nan Academy. Something big will happen." Cao Ying lightly tapped the table and summoned a copy of the Journal. "Summon your copy too and you'll understand the reason."
Ye Xin Lan pursed her lips. After a moment of hesitation, she summoned her own Journal copy.
The next moment, she became friends with Cao Ying and was pulled into the group of Journal holders by her.
[Cao Ying]: Zi Yan, the youngest sister in the group has really grown up. You and I no longer need to compete.
[Zi Yan]: I'm not competing to be younger than you. Obviously, I'm competing to be the older one. Anyway, call me "Big Sister."
[Cao Ying]: Fine, fine. There are people younger than me anyway, so I won't argue with you.
[Ye Xin Lan]: What's going on?
[Xun Er]: Hello, Xin Lan. I am Xiao Xun Er, also known as Gu Xun Er. Welcome to our group. Actually…
…
Thanks to Xun Er's careful explanation, Ye Xin Lan understood the situation.
She was indeed not the only protagonist who had received such an opportunity in the story. Many people before her had received similar chances.
But that was fine. With these older sisters around, even if she couldn't meet Xiao Ting, she could at least surely complete the mission of reviving the Ye Family.
[Yun Yun]: Welcome, new little sister.
[Cai Lin]: No need to welcome. First, let's think about what to say when we meet Xiao Ting.
[Yun Yun]: What is there to think about? Just tell the truth and speak openly.
[Cai Lin]: Have you forgotten the relationship between your Misty Cloud Sect and the Xiao Family?
[Yun Yun]: !!!
…
"Teacher!" While flying through the sky above the mountain range within Jia Ma Empire territory, Yun Yun turned her head to look at Yun Shan.
"What is it?" Yun Shan asked with his hands behind his back, as if his feet were floating on air.
"There is something I must tell you first," Yun Yun said after thinking for a moment. She then explained the background of the three-year agreement.
Yun Shan's expression gradually grew interested, then turned as black as an iron pot. He asked,
"Yun Er, if I understand correctly, because the eldest daughter of the Nalan Family was dissatisfied with her engagement to Xiao Yan of the Xiao Family, you took her as a disciple. Then, in the name of the Misty Cloud Sect, you went to the Xiao Family to annul the engagement despite the Nalan Family's disagreement.
"You learned that Xiao Yan's master is at least a seventh-tier alchemist, and his younger brother is a fifteen-year-old genius who has reached six-star Dou Spirit and become a third-tier alchemist. Is that right?"
"Yes." Yun Yun felt a little awkward under Yun Shan's gaze.
"Let's put practicality aside for now." Yun Shan frowned with a displeased expression. "Whether it's the Xiao Family or Xiao Yan, just because you took Nalan Yanran as a disciple, where do you get the right to make such a decision for her?
"Nalan Yanran was born into the Nalan Family and has enjoyed all the benefits the Nalan Family brought her since childhood. You noticed her and took her as a disciple precisely because she was raised by the Nalan Family. Otherwise, if she were a commoner more talented than you, you would never have met her or taken her as a disciple.
"She is still young and doesn't understand things. How could she make such a decision? Your teacher has never taught you like this before.
"What is the difference between the current Nalan Yanran and that ungrateful scoundrel who found a new backer and became arrogant?"
Yun Yun's expression changed repeatedly with each scolding, and for a moment she was at a loss for words.
"Don't tell me you didn't like this marriage," Yun Shan's eyes were cold. "Listen well. The decision you made has strained the relationship between the two families that were originally allied through marriage. Are you going to compensate both families?"
"Since Nalan Yanran has become your disciple, and you have gone to such lengths for her, why not repay the Nalan Family in some way and tell them that from now on you hold final decision-making power over Nalan Yanran's matters?"
Yun Yun: "…"
"Indeed, great power grants absolute authority, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." Yun Shan sighed and spoke seriously. "Our Misty Cloud Sect is not one of the forces in the neighboring Black-Corner Region. If today you bully others with your power, tomorrow others might destroy you with their power without saying a word.
"We must have a moral compass!"
"Yes!" Yun Yun answered obediently.
"It's good that you understand." Yun Shan's stern expression softened. He spoke earnestly, "Why did you step forward earlier?
"The marriage arranged between the Nalan Family and the Xiao Family concerns only those two families and the parties involved. What does it have to do with our Misty Cloud Sect?
"You are her teacher, not her disciple. She is not being bullied, so there is no need for you to defend her.
"What does the three-year agreement between the Nalan Family and the Xiao Family have to do with my Misty Cloud Sect?
"This three-year agreement should not be concluded under the Misty Cloud Sect.
"As soon as I return, I will immediately have Yun Ling announce that the three-year agreement is to be resolved by the Nalan Family and the Xiao Family themselves. Afterward, I will discuss it with Jia Xingtian and leave the decision to him.
"Furthermore, we should send apology gifts to the Xiao Family and the Nalan Family to show that our Misty Cloud Sect should not have interfered in this matter."
Yun Yun: "…"
[Cai Lin]: What a righteous and eloquent Yun Shan! I am impressed by his acting.
[Yun Yun]: …