Chapter 70: Ambush

Xiao Yan doesn't lie, and he certainly won't go against his own thoughts. He listed the reasons why he wanted to marry Yun Zhi one by one.

(Although her appearance may not match yours, Senior Yao, she is definitely a rare one in a million beauty. And as a man, I'm bound to like that.)

(Her character seems indifferent, holding an attitude of indifference towards everything. However, after spending these days together, it's clear that Yun Zhi's true nature is warm on the inside, like an older sister next door. It would be comfortable to be with her in the future.)

(Most importantly, Yun Zhi's values align with mine. She should be the most upright person I have ever met. If I marry her, we won't have to worry about conflicting beliefs.)

Xiao Yan explained his reasons for wanting to marry Yun Zhi, ranging from her appearance, character, to values. Then he shrugged lightly.

(But in the end, all of these are just my wishful thinking. I want to marry her, but she most certainly doesn't want to marry me.)

(She is a lofty Dou Huang (Battle Emperor, 7th Level), and she definitely has a powerful force behind her. It would be despicable and sacrilegious for me to continue fantasizing.)

(And the most important thing for me right now is to help you, Senior Yao, to help you rebuild your body and pursue my righteous path. Marriage is still far away. By that time, Yun Zhi might already be married, perhaps even with children.)

With these thoughts in mind, Xiao Yan decisively dismissed his unrealistic fantasies.

It's good to have this kind of relationship, like an older sister next door. There's no need to take it further.

Then Xiao Yan stretched and glanced at Yun Zhi, who was still meditating with her eyes closed. He lay down on his side, pushed aside the cluttered thoughts, and started thinking about how to promote the righteous path. Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.

Inside the ring, Yao Chen looked at the sleeping Xiao Yan and then at Yun Zhi, who was still meditating with closed eyes. A mysterious smile appeared on her face.

Fate is not something that comes by waiting, Xiao Yan'er~

As Yao Chen was contemplating something in her mind, she suddenly sensed something and shouted in Xiao Yan's mind.

(Xiao Yan!)

As Yao Chen's voice echoed in his mind, Xiao Yan, who had just fallen asleep, instantly leaped to his feet. Yun Zhi, who was meditating, also opened her eyes abruptly and looked towards the dense forest in the dark sky.

However, there was no movement coming from there.

"Xiao Yan." Yun Zhi stood up slowly, still gazing at the depths of the forest, and asked Xiao Yan in a low voice, "Have you recently offended any enemies?"

"I rarely make enemies, but if I have to mention someone, it would be the three groups of bandits I wiped out earlier."

Xiao Yan lifted the Heavy Black Ruler and propped it on his shoulder, his deep black eyes fixed on the depths of the forest.

"But I don't think someone with that level of strength would act as a roadside bandit."

"You're right," Yun Zhi agreed softly, her voice turning colder. "A 3 Star Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level), if someone with that level of strength acts as a roadside bandit, they truly have no shame."

As she spoke, a black-clothed figure wearing a cloak dashed out from the depths of the forest, their sinister gaze fixed on Xiao Yan, completely ignoring Yun Zhi by his side.

After a long pause, the black-clothed person asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you Xiao Yan?"

"Yes, I am," Xiao Yan admitted without hesitation. If he couldn't even admit his own name, then there was no point in pursuing the righteous path.

Besides, since this person could find his location, it meant that they had already confirmed his identity. Even if he denied it, it would be meaningless.

"Why did you come to disturb me so late at night?" Xiao Yan asked coldly, his body tensing up.

"It's nothing, just received a commission from someone to take your life."

As soon as the words of the black-clothed person fell, their figure flashed before Xiao Yan, and the dagger under the cloak gleamed with a chilling light, barely three inches away from Xiao Yan's throat!

Xiao Yan had no time to react!

This was the speed of a Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level)!

Ding!

Xiao Yan watched in horror as a long sword blocked the dagger in front of him, and cold sweat covered his face.

It was a hair's breadth away from death!

"Hmm?!"

The gaze under the black-clothed person's cloak suddenly froze, following the long sword to the person holding it—it was Yun Zhi with an icy expression!

This woman... wasn't she just an ordinary person?

The black-clothed person was greatly shocked and quickly retreated, vigilantly staring at Yun Zhi.

When Yun Zhi was meditating, she had suppressed her aura, making the black-clothed person completely mistaken that she was just an ordinary woman accompanying Xiao Yan on his journey.

Little did the black-clothed person expect that Yun Zhi could accurately and swiftly block their attack at such a speed.

"Thank you, Sister Yun Zhi!" Xiao Yan immediately thanked Yun Zhi, and she nodded lightly, holding the long sword in front of Xiao Yan while staring coldly at the black-clothed person.

At that moment, a dim white light quietly receded from the ring on Xiao Yan's chest, and Yao Chen inside the ring also breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Yun Zhi was there; otherwise, he would have to protect Xiao Yan's life at the cost of his own soul.

Xiao Yan was currently just a Dou Zhe (Battle Practitioner, 2nd Level) , and even with his borrowed power, he was only at the intermediate level of a Da Dou Shi (Battle Grandmaster, 4th Level) . Even with Xiao Yan's strong physique, he could never contend with a Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level).

Let alone winning, just being able to escape would be considered a success!

After calming down, Yao Chen furrowed her brows tightly.

Who sent Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level) to assassinate Xiao Yan? According to Xiao Yan's character, he shouldn't have offended anyone to the extent of having a Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level) commissioned to kill him. Moreover, Xiao Yan shouldn't have reached the level to encounter someone of this caliber.

However, soon, Yao Chen had a speculation in her mind.

No, that's not right...

There is still someone who has a grudge against Xiao Yan and possesses the high-level power to commission a Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level) for his assassination.

The largest sect of the Jia Ma Empire, the Yun Lan (Misty Cloud) Sect!

And the only reason to commission a Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level) to assassinate Xiao Yan is the three-year agreement between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran!

As the proud daughter of heaven and the future young sect master, if Nalan Yanran wins the three-year agreement with Xiao Yan, she would have to marry this previously renowned waste on the spot. It would be a huge blow to the reputation of the Yun Lan (Misty Cloud) Sect!

As for finding a way to make Xiao Yan win?

That's ridiculous. It would only prove that the young sect master, whom the Yun Lan (Misty Cloud) Sect has invested so much in, is not even on par with a waste who rose to power halfway. It would undoubtedly be an even greater blow to the reputation of the Yun Lan (Misty Cloud) Sect!

Whether they win or lose, it's not a good situation for the reputation of the Yun Lan (Misty Cloud) Sect, at least in the eyes of those people!

So they want to solve this dilemma, and the only way is to stop this three-year agreement from happening and resolve the problem at its root!

And there are two roots to this three-year agreement: Nalan Yanran, who proposed it, and Xiao Yan, who was forced to accept it.

As Nalan Yanran is their own young sect master, she is naturally excluded as a target.

Therefore, the target is narrowed down to one person.

Nalan Yanran's fiancé, Xiao Yan!

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