Chapter 6: Yan'er: My Dad Said Except Him, All Other Men Are Either Old or Yellow!

Nalan Yanran smiled, concealing her embarrassment. "Um... Yan'er, we still have a long way to go to Wutan City. I've asked the sect elders to arrange for us to travel."

"Oh, I see," Qi Yan'er nodded thoughtfully, a bit puzzled. "Sister Yanran, when will your elders arrive?"

"Very soon!" Nalan Yanran said confidently, her expression tinged with pride.

As soon as she finished speaking...

"Wow!"

A piercing eagle's cry echoed from the distant sky. Qi Yan'er looked up and saw a massive blue goshawk swiftly descending towards them.

"Whoo~"

Accompanied by a gust of wind, the goshawk flapped its wings and gracefully landed. On its back stood an elderly man who appeared slightly bewildered upon seeing Nalan Yanran.

"Yanran, weren't you supposed to travel with Mo Li? Why..."

"Huh? Who's this little girl? And where's Mo Li?" The elderly man, dressed in a moon-white robe, wore a friendly smile and radiated vitality. His small eyes sparkled with curiosity as he glanced at Qi Yan'er.

Qi Yan'er tilted her head, scrutinizing the elderly man who had just arrived. He looked like an elder indeed, much more reliable than "Senior Brother" Mo Li. Moreover, the crescent moon and seven-star pattern on his robe marked him as a Seven-Star Fighter!

"Uncle Kuzu Ye," Nalan Yanran called out, then turned to Qi Yan'er, "Sister Yan'er, let me introduce you. This is my uncle, Ge Ye, the deacon of Yunlan Sect."

"Uncle Kuzu Ye~" Qi Yan'er greeted cheerfully, her smile beaming.

"Ah, what a well-behaved little girl!" Kuzu Ye chuckled warmly upon hearing Qi Yan'er's greeting. His affection for her was evident; even though Kuzu Ye was aging, his fondness for children was purely benevolent.

"Yanran, you haven't explained yet!" Kuzu Ye prodded after the introductions. 

Upon hearing this, Nalan Yanran's expression darkened. "We encountered danger... I was..."

"What?" Kuzu Ye interrupted, shocked. "You were almost captured by mercenaries? And Mo Li abandoned you?"

As Nalan Yanran recounted the events, Kuzu Ye's disbelief was palpable. If these words hadn't come from Nalan Yanran herself, he wouldn't have believed them. A little girl had actually taken down a group of mercenaries, including an Eight-Star Fighter!

"That wretch Mo Li!" Kuzu Ye clenched his fists angrily, his face flushing. "When we return to the sect, I'll report this to the sect master and have the Mo family punished!"

"Nanran, do you know where these mercenaries are from? What's their name?" Kuzu Ye inquired further.

"I... I'm not sure," Nalan Yanran admitted with a hint of embarrassment. "I passed out... I don't know much about them."

"Ah, Yanran..." Kuzu Ye sighed in exasperation. "You're too trusting. You need more experience outside the sect."

Unspoken was Kuzu Ye's thought: You're over ten years old and still less capable than this little girl!

"I understand," Nalan Yanran acknowledged, recognizing her shortcomings. No matter her talent, she couldn't afford to neglect practical experience. To truly become strong, mere talent wouldn't suffice.

"Yan'er, do you know?" Kuzu Ye turned to Qi Yan'er with a gentle smile, his eyes twinkling.

Qi Yan'er rested her chin on her hand thoughtfully. "I don't know their exact group, but the big guy was named Hemeng, the third regiment commander."

"Good!" Kuzu Ye's eyes lit up, impressed. "That information will be useful for the Yunlan Sect."

With a glance at Nalan Yanran, Kuzu Ye shook his head, a mix of concern and amusement in his expression.

Nalan Yanran: (⊙o⊙)??

She understood Kuzu Ye's unspoken message: Look at this... child!

Feeling a twinge of bitterness, Nalan Yanran could say nothing to refute it.

Kuzu Ye scanned their surroundings and decided, "Alright, forget about Mo Li for now. Let's head to Wutan City."

With that, Kuzu Ye moved swiftly and mounted the goshawk's back.

"Sister Yan'er, let's join him!" Nalan Yanran swept Qi Yan'er up into her arms.

"Yan'er, hold on tight! Yanran, please be cautious," Kuzu Ye instructed, his face softening with paternal concern.

"Don't worry, Uncle Kuzu Ye," Nalan Yanran reassured him, her heart still holding a grudge.

"Wow!" With a powerful flap of its wings, the goshawk soared into the sky, swiftly disappearing from view.

Meanwhile, deep within the forest, a bloodied young man staggered out, clutching his sword. Pale and hopeless, he muttered, "It hurts so much! Those mercenaries... I, Mo Li, swear to kill them all!"

"Whoo~"

A gust of wind swept by, causing Mo Li to collapse to the ground, weakened further.

"Wow!"

Mo Li gazed up, spotting a familiar figure riding a majestic beast in the sky. He reached out weakly, calling, "Uncle Kuzu Ye, Uncle Kuzu Ye..."

But his cries fell on deaf ears as the goshawk continued its flight without pause. Moreover, his shouts attracted several recently awakened figures.

"So, you're still here," a familiar voice boomed.

Hearing the voice, Mo Li's eyes widened in horror. Hemeng had found him!

"Hiccup~" Mo Li moaned, feeling as though trapped in a nightmare.

Unable to withstand the blow, Mo Li's head drooped, and he passed out.

"Captain, should we kill him?" a mercenary asked Hemeng, brandishing his sword at Mo Li's neck.

"No," Hemeng decided, his eyes flashing with cunning. "Keeping him could prove valuable. Carry him back; the brothers will have some fun with him."

Though Hemeng appeared robust and imposing, his heart was unexpectedly delicate. Witnessing the goshawk earlier, he knew it belonged to someone from the Yunlan Sect. Keeping Mo Li alive might provide leverage; killing him would eliminate any chance of bargaining.

"No, I must return to the mercenary group and report this to my elder brother..."

...

On the goshawk's back, Qi Yan'er marveled at the view. "Wow! It's so high up and beautiful!"

Nalan Yanran and Kuzu Ye weren't surprised; they'd felt the same excitement on their first flight on a flying beast.

"Sister Yanran, you mentioned breaking off the engagement because that person was a loser. Is that true?" Qi Yan'er blinked, her large eyes curious.

"..."

Nalan Yanran hesitated, astonished by Qi Yan'er's sudden change in tone.

This child... truly unpredictable!

"No!" Nalan Yanran's tone was resolute. "I broke off the engagement because I refuse to let others, even my elders, control my fate!"

"Sister Yanran, I completely agree," Qi Yan'er responded sagely, like a mature adult. "My dad said all men other than him are either old or yellow-haired!"

Kuzu Ye's mouth twitched involuntarily.

Old and yellow-haired... Could that be referring to me?

...