Upon witnessing this scene, Nuo Qing was instantly consumed by terror.
He desperately wanted to escape, but with his limbs paralyzed, he could only crawl with great difficulty across the cold floor, leaving behind long smears of blood.
As he struggled, he pleaded for mercy, tears streaming down his face:
"Long Yan, I was wrong! If you want Nalan Yuer, I'll give her to you!"
"Please don't kill me! Once I return to the sect, I'll beg my father not to pursue today's events. I'll even ask him to accept you as a true disciple and teach you the Cloud Sect's secret techniques..."
Despite Nuo Qing's desperate promises, Long Yan remained unmoved. With nothing but disdain in his eyes, he stepped toward him without hesitation.
Then, under Nuo Qing's horrified gaze—
Swish—
The sword was raised—and then brought down.
In an instant, the sharp blade sliced through skin and flesh, piercing straight into Nuo Qing's heart.
Nuo Qing's face contorted in pain, his body convulsed, and his voice fell silent forever.
Seeing Nuo Qing die by his own hand, Long Yan slowly withdrew the sword from his opponent's chest. As he stared at the blood-covered blade, he felt as though he were in a dream—everything seemed surreal.
Before Long Yan could gather himself, Long Chen's voice echoed through the hall:
"Well done. Now, do you want to spare this woman… or kill her?"
Startled, Long Yan turned instinctively to look at Nalan Yuer.
Upon sensing his gaze, Nalan Yuer was overcome with fear.
She had never imagined that after Kai Kun and Nuo Qing's deaths, she would be next.
A strong desire to survive surged from within her. Clinging to a final shred of hope, she disregarded her dignity and sobbed:
"Long Yan, it was Nuo Qing who forced me to break off the engagement. He threatened that if I didn't marry him, he'd destroy the Nalan family.
I didn't want this! I was just too afraid to disobey him!
Now that Nuo Qing is dead, I'll cancel the annulment. Just give me another chance—we can marry today…"
Her face was tear-streaked, black hair in disarray, her delicate figure collapsed helplessly to the ground.
But hearing her plea, the haze in Long Yan's eyes cleared completely, and he shouted in fury:
"You think the honor of the Long family is a game?! One moment you break off the engagement, the next you want to restore it? How disgusting!"
Remembering the image of Nalan Yuer and Nuo Qing holding hands, Long Yan's rage surged. He raised the sword to strike her down!
Seeing her begging fail, Nalan Yuer's expression twisted from sorrow to malice.
She scanned the hall—no one stopped her. A cruel smirk appeared on her face.
She was at the first level of the Spirit Refinement Realm—how could someone with no cultivation kill her?
With that thought, she secretly gathered energy in her palm, hiding it behind her back, planning to strike and take Long Yan hostage to escape.
As she inched closer, her plan was fully exposed to Long Chen's awareness.
Seeing her movement, Long Chen immediately concentrated pure innate Qi at his fingertips, then flicked it—
A piercing stream of energy burst forth!
Just as Nalan Yuer's palm was about to strike Long Yan, Long Chen's Qi attack hit its mark, piercing her hand and reducing it to a mist of dark red blood!
Ahhh!!
Nalan Yuer screamed in agony, her voice now hoarse and terrifying.
Long Yan paused in shock—but only for a moment.
He gripped the sword with both hands and charged forward!
Stab—
The sword pierced through Nalan Yuer's chest, its blood-drenched tip emerging from her back.
Her pupils contracted. Trembling, she reached out her remaining hand, trying to drag Long Yan down with her.
But Long Yan pulled out the sword without hesitation, and her body shuddered violently.
Blood poured from her chest, and with a final, weak gasp, her life ended.
Long Yan stood still, gripping the sword tightly. Looking at the lifeless bodies of Nuo Qing and Nalan Yuer, he felt a surge of satisfaction.
"Hahaha…"
He tilted his head back and laughed loudly.
Finally—after all this time—he felt free.
At that moment, a system notification appeared before Long Chen.
[Ding ~ It is detected that Long Yan, the family's genius, is in a state of mental clarity. Family Luck +100]
[Ding ~ Crisis resolved, fate defied. Branch family survives. Family Luck +200]
Seeing this, Long Chen smiled.
He had long suspected that if Long Yan could regain his confidence, it would earn him valuable family luck. The system had just proven him right.
Long Yan, now calm, approached Long Chen and bowed respectfully:
"Thank you, Clan Leader, for your help!"
Long Chen nodded.
"Rise. The Long family is one—we do not need thanks among kin."
Then he turned and swept his gaze across the crowd, noticing the fear and concern in their expressions.
He looked at Long Hong Wen.
Long Hong Wen immediately stepped forward to the center of the hall.
Seeing the elder move, the hall fell silent.
With all eyes on him, Long Hong Wen spoke solemnly:
"Before leaving the main family, the Patriarch declared:
Once this matter is resolved, we shall leave Cloud City and settle in Star City with the main family.
From today, the two branches shall reunite as one!"
His words struck like thunder.
For a moment, everyone was stunned. Then a wave of relief and joy spread among them.
Their long-lost hope ignited once again.
Tears glistened in their eyes as they looked to the future—not with fear, but with pride and purpose.
From this day forward, they would return to the main family.
A new chapter had begun.