Chapter 7: Nalan Yanran: The Patriarch Turns Out to Be This Young!

Atop the Yun Lan Sect.

As all the outsiders departed, the originally clamorous mountain gate gradually quieted down, leaving behind only the crowd of elders and disciples within the Yun Lan Sect.

At this moment, on the now-empty Plaza, the various elders and disciples all gathered toward where Yun Yi and Yun Shan were.

And by the side of the unconscious Gu He, a young man was anxiously keeping watch.

The young man was Gu He's disciple, Liu Ling.

Liu Ling kept his head lowered, glancing askance at Yun Yi, a trace of bewilderment flashing in his eyes.

At this time, he seemed completely out of place with the entire Yun Lan Sect.

He gently shook Gu He, calling out softly, "Master, Master, wake up."

"What should this disciple do..."

At this moment in the Yun Lan Sect, besides him, not a single person dared stand by Gu He's side.

All disciples and elders silently watched Yun Shan and Yun Yi.

The atmosphere appeared somewhat heavy.

"Junior Brother, what exactly is the matter with that Difa Protector having tampered with the souls of our Yun Lan Sect elders?"

Yun Shan's face was full of deep puzzlement as he also looked toward Yun Yi.

He simply could not understand; after all, his contact with the Eagle Protector had not been short, yet he had not sensed any problem with his soul.

Yun Yi's expression was grave, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding crowd before finally settling on Yun Shan.

"Senior Brother, all of you who accepted that Eagle Protector's help already have marks planted in your souls by him long ago!"

"Planted marks??"

Yun Yi's words instantly caused the faces of those surrounding elders who had accepted the help and broken through to the Dou Huang cultivation base to change slightly.

They themselves understood clearly that the mark the Eagle Protector planted was absolutely nothing good!

Even Yun Shan's face looked unsightly at this moment.

Yun Yi took in all these people's expressions, then paused slightly and spoke with heavier tone, "If one day you become disobedient, or lose your value, he can at any time use the marks to hook away your souls!"

"Resistance is impossible."

As his words fell, Yun Shan seemed struck by a bolt of lightning, his body shuddering violently.

He knew deeply that his junior brother would not deceive him, and absolutely had no need for alarmist talk.

If it was truly as Yun Yi said...

A chill of lingering fear rose in Yun Shan's heart.

If his junior brother had not returned, or returned late, the Yun Lan Sect might really have been ruined in his hands!

Thinking of this, Yun Shan felt as if ants were gnawing at his heart, his face full of self-reproach.

"I... sigh!" Yun Shan wanted to say something, but the words reaching his lips turned only into a deep sigh.

He could only bite his lip tightly now, wishing he could give himself two punches.

"Would this mark have other harms?"

"Heavens, won't we turn into puppets then?"

"Soul damage... hiss..."

Those elders who had accepted the help now looked at each other in dismay, faces full of worry.

"Would it... damage our foundations from now on, causing our cultivation base to stagnate?"

"Our souls aren't even our own anymore, what cultivation base is there to speak of?"

Once these words came out, these elders panicked even more.

Yun Yun's delicate brows furrowed slightly, asking Yun Yi with a worried face, "Master, the Eagle Protector is dead — will it affect Uncle-Master and the others?"

"Can those marks be resolved?"

As the current Sect Master, she naturally did not want the Yun Lan Sect to lose so many elders in vain because of this evil mark.

Although Yun Shan's temperament had changed greatly these years, ultimately he still had the Yun Lan Sect's interests at heart.

Yun Yi nodded slightly, expression calm.

"Rest assured, since your Master has returned, those mere Protector-planted Soul Marks, your Master can erase with a wave of the hand."

Hearing Yun Yi's words, the surrounding elders all secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, Yun Yi formed a complex hand seal with both hands, muttering incantations.

"Come out for me!"

Only to see a soft light ripple between his hands.

The light transformed into several slender, wisp-thin threads, drifting toward Yun Shan and the others.

Then, a white transparent palm appeared before each person who had been planted with a Soul Mark by the Difa Protector.

These palms slowly reached into everyone's chests, then suddenly clenched.

"Jii!!!"

A loud buzzing exploded in the ears of every person who had been planted with a mark.

Immediately, a mass of black mist was forcibly yanked out of their souls by the white transparent palms.

Yun Yi's eyes sharpened, his hands abruptly closing together.

All the black mist was instantly crushed to dust, dissipating into the air.

Instantly, Yun Shan and the others only felt their souls turn clear and bright, as if they had shed a thousand-jin burden.

Countless strange emotions surged in at once.

Only then did they realize that those marks had been able to imperceptibly alter human nature, letting them fall toward darkness.

It was because of this that Yun Shan changed from previously loving quiet cultivation to becoming ambitious, and completely disregarding others' feelings.

And the other elders had all undergone more or less changes in their dispositions.

During this period they had each done some things that went against their original nature.

At this moment, they lowered their heads one by one, their faces showing shame.

"Junior Brother... it seems Brother has done many wrong things these years."

Yun Shan wore a face of regret, slowly walked up to Yun Yi, then turned to look at Yun Yun.

"And Yun'er..."

Speaking, he bowed, lowered his head, and apologized to Yun Yun in a sincere tone.

"Master Uncle, you must not..."

Seeing this, Yun Yun hurried forward to support Yun Shan, her face full of unwillingness.

"Master Uncle, don't be like this, let the past be the past."

Yun Shan sighed.

Ever since he left seclusion he had taken back Yun Yun's position as sect master, and now he only felt unworthy.

He had nearly led the entire Yun Lan Sect into the grave.

"Junior Brother, this sect master position, I am unworthy."

"From now on, the Yun Lan Sect will be handed to you..." Yun Shan looked at Yun Yi, his eyes full of determination.

"This is the Senior Brother I know..."

Seeing Yun Shan return to his old self, Yun Yi also felt very happy in his heart.

However, he did not want the sect master position.

By nature he disliked managing affairs, and even more unwilling to be constrained.

So he turned his head to look at Yun Yun.

"Yun'er, this sect master position, you should take it up."

Yun Yun was slightly startled; having experienced being dismissed as sect master before, these years her disposition had also changed, and she no longer had much desire for the sect master position.

She gently shook her head and declined, "Master, you have returned, I only want to follow you and cultivate."

"The sect master position, let it be given to someone else."

Just as the few people were discussing who should inherit the sect master position, a clear sword cry rang out from the Yun Lan Sect's back mountain.

That sound was crisp and pleasant, as if it could pierce through a person's soul.

Then, a figure flew over lightly like a swallow.

The arrival wore a dark skirt, three thousand green threads of hair smoothly cascading down fragrant shoulders, like black silk brushing past a slender waist, reaching to delicate hips.

The woman's eyebrows were like paintings, her twin pupils like a clear spring, clear and bright.

That skin of hers was crystalline and transparent like snow.

Her slightly thin pretty face just happened to form a perfect outline, exuding a cool, unworldly temperament.

"Master!"

The woman arrived before the crowd, respectfully saluted Yun Yun, her voice crisp and moving.

Then she bowed gracefully to Yun Shan.

"Ancestral Master Uncle."

"Yanran, you really broke through the Life and Death Gate!"

Seeing the arrival, Yun Yun's face revealed a surprised smile.

"Master, what major event is today, why are so many people gathered here?"

Nalan Yanran's gaze swept over the crowd, her face full of curiosity.

"Your Ancestral Master has returned! Why don't you quickly pay respects!"

Yun Yun laughed, pointing at Yun Yi.

"Ancestral Master?"

Nalan Yanran looked at Yun Yi, her face instantly showing a surprised expression.

This Ancestral Master of hers was actually so young, looking about the same age as herself!

Is this really her Ancestral Master?

But when she carefully made out Yun Yi's features, her heart was even more shocked.

He was actually the person in the portrait hanging in Master's room!

(Chapter End)