Repudiation!

After the longsword in his hand was snapped, the young man flew back like a kite with its string cut, blood arcing through the air from his mouth.

Even the sleeves around his arms had been shattered to pieces!

The outcome of this match was already obvious. Xiao Shuang had defeated this Misty Cloud Sect prodigy with overwhelming force.

After Xiao Zhan announced the result with delight on his face, Xiao Shuang slowly walked down from the square and stopped beside Xiao Yan. He patted the latter's shoulder and said, "Hold your head high. I'll protect your dignity for you, but not forever!"

Xiao Yan smiled, though his voice still carried a trace of sobbing.

Hearing this, Xun'er raised her head in surprise and looked at Xiao Yan beside her. Light had returned to the young man's eyes—the light he had possessed three years ago.

Seeing the defeated young man, Nalan Yanran shook her head. She was not one to go back on her word. After glaring at the young man lying on the ground, helplessness flashed through her eyes. What an idiot.

However, the young man raised a trembling hand and said weakly, "The responsibility for this lies with me. Yanran, there is no need for you to worry. I am willing to leave the Misty Cloud Sect. I alone will bear the consequences of today's match. It has nothing to do with you."

After saying that, the young man collapsed completely, no longer making a sound. Seeing this, Ge Ye immediately stepped forward to examine his injuries.

Xiao Shuang had shown restraint. The young man's weakness was caused by taking medicinal pills, and Ge Ye could only shake his head helplessly. They had violated the rules to begin with, and he could not bring himself to make trouble over it.

After returning to the Xiao Family hall, the young man woke up after receiving simple treatment from the Xiao Family. With a look of shame, he followed behind Ge Ye. The pride he had worn when he first arrived at the Xiao Family was gone.

"Uncle Xiao, Yanran was discourteous today." Nalan Yanran took a deep breath and said, "We can put aside the matter of the marriage contract for now, but Yanran has one more request!"

"What is it?" Xiao Zhan's tone softened somewhat. Xiao Shuang's victory had put him in a rather good mood.

"I can postpone today's demand for three years. Three years from now, Xiao Yan can come to the Misty Cloud Sect and challenge me. If he loses, the marriage contract will be dissolved!"

The moment Nalan Yanran finished speaking, Ge Ye hurriedly echoed her words, causing Xiao Zhan's face to turn livid once again.

"Miss Nalan, you know Yan'er's circumstances perfectly well. What is he supposed to use to challenge you? Is it interesting to humiliate him like this?"

Xiao Zhan was directly interrupted by Nalan Yanran. The forcefulness this woman displayed at this moment truly made her worthy of the position of Misty Cloud Sect Master.

"Uncle Xiao, back then, the Xiao Family of Wutan City had two genius youths. Even then, I, Nalan Yanran, was dissatisfied with this marriage contract. So what if he was a genius? Why should I marry someone I had never even met? And someone must bear responsibility for breaking off an engagement!"

"Heh, Miss Nalan is absolutely right. I, Xiao Yan, have no interest in this marriage contract either!" Xiao Yan's young face was cold as he looked at Nalan Yanran indifferently. "Miss Nalan, I became a Dou Zhe when I was twelve. What makes you think I cannot rise again in the years ahead? I, Xiao Yan, offer you this advice: thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—Never underestimate a poor young man!"

"Good, what a 'Never underestimate a poor young man'!" Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up, and he became greatly excited. He felt that his son had regained what once belonged to him.

"Hmph, then I'll wait for you at the Misty Cloud Sect. If you lose, obediently call off this engagement!" Nalan Yanran snorted coldly, looking at Xiao Yan with disdain.

Xiao Yan smiled mockingly. "There's no need to wait three years. I have no interest in you at all." With that, he turned around and strode to the table, writing furiously!

The ink fell, and the brush stopped!

Xiao Yan suddenly drew the short sword from the table and slashed a deep cut across his left palm!

His blood-soaked palm left a glaring bloody print on the white paper.

Looking at this contract, Xiao Yan sneered. He walked up to Nalan Yanran and slammed it heavily onto the table before her!

"Don't think I, Xiao Yan, care so much about a genius wife like you. This is not a contract to dissolve the engagement—it is proof that this Young Master is expelling you from the Xiao Family!"

"Y-you dare repudiate me?" Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

After doing this, Xiao Yan turned around, dropped to his knees before Xiao Zhan, and knocked his head heavily against the floor.

After standing back up, Xiao Yan said coldly, "Three years from now, I will come for you."

Then he turned and left the hall.

Nalan Yanran took a deep breath and steadied her emotions before saying to Xiao Zhan, "Uncle Xiao, Yanran apologizes to you for what happened today. If you have time in the future, please visit the Nalan Family!" After bowing, Nalan Yanran turned and left the hall. Ge Ye supported the young man and hurried after her.

"Take the Qi Gathering Powder with you as well!" With a slap of Xiao Zhan's hand, the jade box on the table flew up and landed in Ge Ye's grasp.

With a bitter smile, Ge Ye put the Qi Gathering Powder back into his storage ring, cupped his hands, and turned to leave.

Xiao Shuang remained seated. After the guests in the hall had left, Xiao Zhan walked over to him.

"Shuang'er, thank you for what you did just now!"

After saying this, Xiao Zhan fell silent for a moment, then said apologetically, "I saw that man break the rules by taking pills, but I did not stop him. I'm sorry!"

The apology was extremely solemn, and it was made in front of so many people. Even the three elders exchanged glances, their gazes toward Xiao Zhan carrying a measure of understanding.

As the clan leader, he could not step forward when his own son was humiliated. When members of his clan suffered unfair treatment, he could not speak out because of threats.

Because he represented the Xiao Family, every word and action of his represented the clan. It was destined that he could not handle matters as he wished, only compromise and retreat again and again.

Xiao Zhan's apology stunned Xiao Shuang for a moment. Then he gave a soft laugh and said, "I believe that if I were in danger, the clan leader would never stand by and do nothing."

Hearing Xiao Shuang's words, how could Xiao Zhan fail to understand what he meant? He laughed heartily twice, waved his hand, and turned to leave the hall.

With Xiao Zhan's departure, the people in the hall also left in twos and threes.

After only Xun'er and Xiao Shuang remained, Xiao Shuang smiled and said, "I stepped in today for Little Yanzi's sake. After all, I wasn't very confident about facing that Misty Cloud Sect disciple either."

Xun'er looked at Xiao Shuang in confusion, unable to understand what he meant.

"It's a matter of resources. This physique of mine does consume quite a lot of them, doesn't it?"

"In a few days, I'll provide the Ice Attribute medicinal herbs you asked for!" Xun'er frowned slightly, but remembering that Xiao Shuang had indeed stood up for Xiao Yan today, she could only agree helplessly.

Thinking that she had essentially been extorted, she found it both amusing and exasperating.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan absentmindedly made his way to the Xiao Family's back mountain. Sitting atop a cliff face, he calmly gazed at the mountain range opposite him, shrouded in mist.

"I do not want to suffer today's humiliation a second time. I must protect my dignity with my own strength!" Xiao Yan's voice was hoarse yet resolute.

"Hehe, little one, it seems you need some help?"

Just as Xiao Yan etched this oath into his heart, an aged and eerie laugh suddenly reached his ears.