"Giggle~"
High in the sky, the sizable Blue Eagle flew at high speed when a light laugh suddenly rang through the air.
Gu Han: "..."
Ever since he declared they were friends, she had been showing these symptoms.
This girl was indeed somewhat love-deprived and prone to anxiety about gains and losses.
"Do you think we can make it in time?" Little Fairy Doctor reined in her joy.
Her happiness wasn't because Gu Han said they were friends.
Rather, it was because Gu Han didn't hesitate to share the same pot of rice porridge with her, and reached out to support her when they mounted Xiao Lan's back.
These unconscious actions all demonstrated that Gu Han practiced what he preached, showing absolute trust in her without any defenses.
Everyone else she had encountered in her life would claim to be her friends one moment, but would distance themselves upon discovering she could use poison and might be a Poison Master. Only Gu Han, after learning she had the Woeful Poison Body, was still willing to be her friend.
The difference between these situations, and the feelings they evoked, only she could understand.
"It doesn't matter." Gu Han stood with his hands behind his back, sensing the rhythm of the wind. "If we make it, I'll take first place in the Outer Sect Disciple Competition. If we don't, I'll directly become an inner sect disciple, and you can rightfully become my Sword-bearing Maiden.
The Cloud Mist Sect's rules are strict—outer sect disciples aren't qualified to have personal attendants.
"Mmm~" Little Fairy Doctor smoothed her wind-tousled hair, her eyes growing increasingly gentle.
He didn't answer whether they could make it, but instead told her it didn't matter if they were late. Truly a man cold on the outside but warm inside.
Unaware of Little Fairy Doctor's thoughts, Gu Han was currently studying Wind Attribute Dou Skills.
After mastering the Sky Goose Nine-Line Wings, his cultivation of Wind Attribute Dou Skills had become nearly equivalent to that of innate practitioners.
As a disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect, it was necessary to master several Wind Attribute Dou Skills to maintain appearances.
Morning sunlight bathed Cloud Mist Mountain.
Today, the Cloud Mist Sect's gates stood wide open, but the mountain path was more heavily guarded than usual.
As the number one power in the Jia Ma Empire aside from the royal family, the Cloud Mist Sect possessed top-tier influence and prestige.
The Cloud Mist Sect's Outer Sect Disciple Competition served as a way to showcase the next generation of disciples to the outside world. Those who could distinguish themselves in the competition, provided they didn't meet an untimely end, would at minimum become Dou Grand Master-level outer sect deacons in the future.
During this time, the Cloud Mist Sect would invite and permit distinguished outsiders to observe, serving as a way to flex their muscles.
At this moment, the high platform before the main hall atop Cloud Mist Mountain was already filled with people.
Representatives from various powers had arrived: Jia Xingtian from the imperial family, Fa Ma from the Alchemist Association, the Mu Family from the capital, the Nalan Family, the Miteer Family, the Mo Family from the northeastern province, along with several Dou Kings and Dou Spirit experts.
Within the area designated for the Nalan Family, several special guests attracted the attention of Jia Xingtian and others.
"Isn't that Xiao Lin's son, Xiao Zhan?" Jia Xingtian sat at his table, conversing with Mu Chen, the Mu Family head at the neighboring table.
"Yes. Elder Xiao Lin was once just one step away from becoming a Dou Emperor. Who would have thought the Xiao Family would decline to this extent in ten years? Truly regrettable." Mu Chen sighed.
"Xiao Lin was too eager to break through to Dou Emperor. Taking the family's Dou Spirit experts to secretly explore such dangerous places was simply unfortunate timing." Jia Xingtian shook his head slightly before asking, "When you and the Nalan Family were investigating the group that ambushed the Xiao Family all those years ago, did you uncover any leads?"
"That group is very cunning, and their composition is quite complex, making them difficult to investigate thoroughly, but we've already made some progress." Mu Chen answered without much enthusiasm.
The Mu Family and Nalan Family's joint investigation was merely for show to outsiders.
After all, the Xiao Family had once been meritorious subjects of the empire and maintained decent relations with both families.
However, after discovering that the evidence pointed toward a Dou King and several Dou Spirits at the time, both families tacitly halted their actions.
The declining Xiao Family wasn't worth making enemies of a Dou King and several Dou Spirits.
Now, several of those Dou Spirits might have reached the Dou King level and become lords of major cities.
"The Nalan Family's decision truly surprised this old man." Jia Xingtian shifted the topic, as if his previous inquiry had been mere casual conversation.
Unable to grasp what the old fox was thinking, Mu Chen pondered briefly before saying: "I heard that Cloud Mist Sect's recent Snow Sword Young Master played a role in this. Originally, Nalan Yanran intended to directly break off the engagement."
If the engagement had been directly broken off, Mu Chen thought it would have made for quite a spectacle - the Xiao Family, Nalan Family, and Cloud Mist Sect would all suffer damage to their reputations and become enemies as a result.
Although the Xiao Family couldn't truly affect Cloud Mist Sect and the Nalan Family, some things would inevitably feel different.
Yet all this had been perfectly resolved by Cloud Mist Sect's Gu Han devising a solution.
"Snow Sword Young Master?" Jia Xingtian smiled meaningfully: "The other young masters from major empires all break through to Dou Grand Master before eighteen. By the next Sect Tournament, they'll most likely advance to Dou Spirit."
"To share their fame, the attention and pressure one must endure is anything but ordinary."
With only two years and four months remaining until the Northwest Continent Sect Tournament recruitment, could Qin Che possibly reach the Dou Spirit level by then?
Reaching Dou Grand Master would already qualify him as having young master-level cultivation talent, but to truly benefit Cloud Mist Sect, he would need to wait for another Sect Tournament.
Meanwhile, in the main seating area, Yun Leng stroked his beard: "Yun Sheng, I heard your youngest son is also participating in this Outer Sect Competition. It seems he's determined to take first place?"
"Lan Ge placed fourth last year. The three ahead of him have all become inner disciples now, and he has made progress this year too." Yun Sheng smiled as he spoke: "Grand Elder, you were in seclusion during last year's Outer Sect Competition, so you wouldn't know about these matters."
"In that case, first place seems a foregone conclusion." Yun Leng lost interest and turned to Yun Yun: "Sect Master, how confident are you about the Young Sect Master?"
"Yanran?" Yun Yun sat solemnly in the main seat, her demeanor noble and her bearing dignified, speaking calmly: "I merely want her to gain more combat experience by sparring with her peers."
"As for ranking, making the top ten would be quite satisfactory."
Yun Yun didn't make absolute claims, but this answer wasn't what Yun Leng wanted. He shifted the topic: "Does the Sect Master have any disciples she favors to win the championship?"
Although the three weren't speaking loudly, the powerful figures present could all hear them.
Curious gazes naturally turned toward them now.
Yun Yun's eyes flickered slightly, the corners of her lips lifting: "Then I'll guess Gu Han."
Just as expected!
Everyone thought to themselves.
Not far away, Nalan Su spoke up: "Nephew Gu Han has earned the title of Snow Sword Young Master. I have high hopes for him too."
Standing behind Xiao Zhan beside him, Xiao Yan, who had been chatting with Nalan Yanyun, spoke with admiration: "Brother Gu Han's growth is truly remarkable."
To make peers "despair" with just the cultivation of a Nine-Star Fighter, and even capable of defeating a Seven-Star Dou Fighter while surpassing levels.
Even with some special methods, it still feels unbelievable.
"Snow Sword Young Master..."
Muttering this title in her heart, Yun Yun's lips curved into a deeper smile.
This little fellow has truly made quite a name for himself.
"Gu Han, I've also heard about him recently. I hope the rumors are true, so our Cloud Mist Sect can boast another prodigy," Yun Leng nodded seriously, though his words sounded as if he doubted the authenticity of Gu Han's reputation.
"Am I overthinking this?" Xiao Yan wondered inwardly.
Shouldn't the sect's Grand Elder hope for his disciples to grow stronger?