154: Nalan Yanran's Harmony

Mo Linglin's arrogant demeanor lessened considerably upon seeing Nalan Yanran, her eyes complex, carrying a trace of imperceptible jealousy, but she still bowed along with everyone else.

Nalan Yanran did not immediately respond to Mo Li. Her clear, cold eyes first lightly swept over the tense scene, finally landing on the Xuanqing figure in the shadow of the corridor pillar, who remained as calm as water despite facing Mo Li's pressure.

When her gaze touched Mo Yuhan's still childish yet unusually serene face, a subtle hint of surprise flickered in Nalan Yanran's clear, cold eyes.

Too young.

He looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, his figure still appearing slender.

However, how could such a young man remain completely still, his eyes calm to the point of indifference, under the oppressive aura of Mo Li's Peak Three-Star Da Dou Shi?

This level of composure, this deeply hidden aura, was absolutely extraordinary.

Nalan Yanran's heart stirred, and she suddenly recalled an old incident her teacher, Yun Yun, had casually mentioned before she left.

Her teacher's expression at the time held a rare hint of regret, saying that while obtaining a purple spirit crystal for her deep within the Monster Mountain Range, she had encountered a child whose talent could be described as monstrous. He was extremely young but already a Dou Zhe, possessed a strange flame, and had a resilient character.

Her teacher had originally intended to take him as a personal disciple and bring him back to the Yunlan Sect for intensive cultivation, but unexpectedly, the child had politely refused.

Her teacher had also sighed at the time, saying the child's name seemed to be... Mo Yuhan.

This young man before her—his age, his demeanor, his composure when facing the pressure of a strong opponent—all perfectly matched the monstrous child her teacher had glimpsed and described.

But their strength was worlds apart.

How long had it been? He couldn't have gone from Dou Zhe to Great Dou Shi already, could he? Nalan Yanran's heartbeat quickened slightly.

She looked at Mo Yuhan, her red lips parting slightly, her clear, cold voice carrying a trace of imperceptible inquiry: "This young master, to possess such an imposing presence at such a young age, is truly astonishing. May I ask, young master... have you ever been deep within the Monster Mountain Range? And do you... know a woman named Cloud Zhi?"

Her voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. The name Cloud Zhi was unfamiliar to most people present, only Mo Li and Mo Linglin's eyes flashed with a hint of confusion.

Mo Yuhan's gaze finally shifted from Mo Li and landed on Nalan Yanran.

He calmly assessed this long-renowned Young Sect Master of the Yunlan Sect.

Moon-white robe, light silver waist sash, clear and ethereal, keeping people at a distance... indeed, just as the rumors described.

She mentioned Cloud Zhi... clearly, it was the alias Yun Yun had used back in the Monster Mountain Range.

Thoughts raced through his mind, but his face remained impassive.

He slightly shook his head, his voice clear and calm, with the unique purity of a young man, yet without the slightest awkwardness: "Miss Nalan, you flatter me. The depths of the Monster Mountain Range are perilous and unpredictable; my strength is meager, and I have never ventured deep. As for Cloud Zhi... I am afraid I am ignorant of that name and do not know her."

He denied it.

A hint of understanding and deeper curiosity flickered in Nalan Yanran's clear eyes.

She did not press the matter; since her teacher had used an alias, it was reasonable for the other party to deny it.

However, his calm and decisive denial further confirmed her suspicions.

"So that's how it is."

Nalan Yanran nodded slightly, her clear, cold face showing no emotion.

Her gaze turned to the somewhat displeased Mo Li, and her tone reverted to the detached and indifferent manner of a Young Sect Master, "Young Master Mo Li, today is Elder Mo Cheng's birthday, and your esteemed residence is filled with guests. A minor misunderstanding, why escalate it and disturb the joy of the birthday banquet? How about giving Yanran a little face and letting this matter go?"

Her voice was still clear and pleasant, but the weight of the Yunlan Sect's Young Sect Master in her words pressed down heavily. This was not a request but a conciliatory remark with a hint of warning.

Mo Li's expression changed again and again. The anger in his heart towards Mo Yuhan had not subsided, and he had lost face in front of Nalan Yanran, but he dared not disobey Nalan Yanran's words, nor dared he refuse to give her this respect.

The Yunlan Sect, that was the true behemoth of the Gama Empire.

He forcibly suppressed the frustration and anger in his heart, squeezing out an extremely forced smile on his face, and cupped his hands to Nalan Yanran: "Since Junior Sister Yanran has spoken, Mo Li will naturally grant this favor."

He turned his head to look at Mo Yuhan, the gloom in his eyes almost overflowing, but he stiffly squeezed out a few words: "Kid, consider yourself lucky! For Junior Sister Yanran's sake, today's matter is temporarily dropped! I hope you're sensible and don't cross paths with my Mo family again!"

This was less of a reprieve and more of a blatant threat.

Mo Yuhan seemed not to have heard the malice in Mo Li's words. He simply nodded slightly in Nalan Yanran's direction, his tone flat: "Thank you, Miss Nalan."

He neither reacted to Mo Li's threat nor showed any sign of overwhelming gratitude, his attitude remaining neither humble nor arrogant.

Nalan Yanran watched Mo Yuhan's reaction, a flicker of unusual brilliance in the depths of her eyes.

This child's character was indeed extraordinary.

A storm, under Nalan Yanran's intervention, temporarily subsided.

Mo Li, with a gloomy face, pulled the still unwilling Mo Linglin, who glared fiercely at Mo Yuhan a few times, and turned to enter the bustling inner hall.

Nalan Yanran, under the gaze of the crowd, also led the Yunlan Sect disciples into the main hall. Her appearance immediately became the new focal point of the inner hall.

Mo Yuhan remained standing in place. The shadow of the corridor pillar effectively concealed the undercurrents surging beneath his calm facade.

He glanced at the scene of clinking cups and chatter deep within the inner hall, then at the direction where Mo Linglin had disappeared, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

Let it go? The game had just begun.

The atmosphere of the birthday banquet reached its climax after the protagonist, Mo Cheng, made his appearance.

This Great Elder of the Mo family, clad in a dark purple brocade robe, his face majestic with an imperceptible hint of sinister cruelty, accepted the flattery and birthday wishes from various factions.

Toasts were exchanged, songs and dances played, a scene of false prosperity.

Mo Yuhan sat in a relatively rear VIP seat in the inner hall. Exquisite dishes and wine were laid before him, but he barely touched his chopsticks.

His gaze seemed to casually sweep the entire hall, but his soul perception, like invisible tentacles, quietly covered the entire hall, capturing every subtle movement and piece of information.

Mo Linglin's seat was near the front of the host's table, right next to Mo Li.

She was clearly still immersed in her previous anger and humiliation, her pretty face taut. She merely perfunctorily responded to the guests' toasts, drinking one cup of sullen wine after another. Her fiery red palace gown accentuated her flushed cheeks, and her eyes took on a hazy, drunken look.

When she saw Mo Yuhan's calm and indifferent demeanor, as if he were an outsider, the anger in Mo Linglin's heart flared even more, as if oil had been poured on a fire.

Using the alcohol as an excuse, she once again fiercely glared at Mo Yuhan, the venom in her eyes almost materializing.

Time flowed by amidst the clamor. After three rounds of wine and five courses, the atmosphere of the banquet became increasingly relaxed, with many guests leaving their seats to move around and chat with each other.

Mo Linglin also seemed unable to sit still. She stood up somewhat irritably, whispered something to Mo Li beside her, probably to change clothes or get some air, then swayed towards the side door of the inner hall leading to the garden.

Her steps were slightly unsteady; she had clearly drunk a lot.

An opportunity!

A cold glint flashed in Mo Yuhan's eyes. He quietly stood up, like a shadow blending into the crowd, and followed at a measured pace.