Brother Yan, Step Back and Let Me Handle This!

Wutan City, Xiao Family.

"Nalan Yanran, today, you're not breaking off the engagement—it's me, Xiao Yan, divorcing you! From this day forward, you have nothing whatsoever to do with the Xiao Family!"

Xiao Yan roared furiously and flung the divorce letter from his hand. The paper cut a sharp arc through the air before finally landing at Nalan Yanran's feet.

"You... You dare divorce me?!" Nalan Yanran's pretty face turned deathly pale, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Get lost. Three years from now, we'll meet at the Misty Cloud Sect!" Xiao Yan said coldly.

Bang!

The Xiao Family's gates slammed shut, and Nalan Yanran and her group left in fury.

Inside the hall, Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly. His nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood, yet he didn't notice in the slightest.

"Little Yan, don't take it too much to heart." At that moment, a clear voice rang out.

Xiao Yan looked up and saw a familiar face—Lu Yu, the son of the Xiao Clan Guest Elder, who had been close to him since childhood.

The young man wore a dark teal robe. His tall, slender figure was straight as a pine, and his black hair was casually tied with a silver band. A few loose strands fell over his forehead, accentuating his picturesque features and strikingly handsome appearance.

Lu Yu patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "She's just an arrogant woman. Three years from now, I'll accompany you to fight your way into the Misty Cloud Sect and let her know what regret feels like."

Xiao Yan smiled bitterly. "Brother Lu, I'm not even a Dou Zhe yet. What can I use to fight her?"

"Who says you can't?" A profound light flashed through Lu Yu's eyes. "As long as you want it, you'll definitely be able to do it."

Not long afterward, at the Xiao Family's Back Mountain.

Xiao Yan and Lu Yu sat side by side atop a massive blue stone, several empty wine jars scattered at their feet. The night breeze was slightly chilly and carried the fragrance of grass and trees, yet it couldn't dispel the gloom between the young man's brows.

"Brother Lu, tell me... Am I really useless?" Xiao Yan tipped his head back and swallowed a mouthful of strong liquor. His throat burned, but it couldn't compare to the bitterness in his heart.

Lu Yu shook the wine jar in his hand and gazed at the distant, undulating mountain silhouettes. With a light laugh, he said, "Little Yan, do you believe that some people are destined to soar into the heavens?"

"Heh..." Xiao Yan tugged self-deprecatingly at the corner of his mouth. "I can't even retain my Dou Qi. What can a good-for-nothing use to fly?"

Before his voice faded, a gust of sinister wind suddenly rose!

"Hehehe, two little brats mourning the passage of spring in the middle of the night?"

An aged laugh abruptly exploded beside their ears. Every hair on Xiao Yan's body stood on end, and he sprang to his feet. "Who?!"

An illusory elderly figure slowly emerged. His white hair fluttered in the wind, and although his face looked benevolent, it carried an indescribable majesty. Most astonishing of all, the figure was actually floating in midair!

"He finally appeared, Old Man Yao!"

Lu Yu shouted inwardly, but his expression remained calm as he moved to shield Xiao Yan behind him.

"Brother Yan, step back. This old man clearly isn't simple. I'll hold him off. Hurry to the family and bring reinforcements!"

The old man paid no attention to Lu Yu's vigilance. Smiling amiably, he floated closer, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them. "Not bad, not bad. One is born with powerful soul power, while the other is deeply loyal and righteous. Both are rare talents..."

Lu Yu warily kept Xiao Yan behind him, refusing to let him approach Old Man Yao in the slightest. He pretended to be cautious as he asked, "Senior, who exactly are you?"

"This old man is Yao Chen." The old man stroked his beard and smiled. "You may call me Old Man Yao."

Lu Yu was just about to speak when a piercing mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind:

Ding! High-level energy entity detected!

Future Simulator activating...

Crackle... Plane coordinates shifting... Timeline shifting...

Plane locked: Great Thousand World main plane

Ding! The host currently has one simulation opportunity. Would you like to activate the simulation?

"Damn, I'm already a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner, and my cheat finally arrives?"

Lu Yu's pupils suddenly widened. He suppressed the excitement in his heart, took a deep breath, and quietly shifted aside, revealing Xiao Yan behind him.

Then he thought inwardly, Don't activate it.

Seeing Lu Yu suddenly change his stance, a hint of amusement flashed through Yao Chen's eyes. "What? You're not guarding against this old man anymore?"

Lu Yu's expression remained unchanged. He cupped his fists and said, "So it's Venerable Yao in person. I heard your name mentioned while chatting with Xun'er, so please forgive my earlier discourtesy."

Xiao Yan was startled when he heard this. "Venerable Yao?"

"This little fellow has decent knowledge."

Yao Chen gently stroked his long beard. A trace of shame appeared on his aged face. "To be honest, the Dou Qi that inexplicably vanished from Xiao Yan over the past three years was actually absorbed by this old man."

Xiao Yan's pupils abruptly contracted. His fists clenched instantly, and his knuckles cracked.

Lu Yu keenly sensed the change in his emotions. Without revealing anything, he stepped forward half a pace and placed himself between Xiao Yan and Yao Chen.

"However..." Yao Chen's gaze fell on Xiao Yan. He suddenly straightened his robes with great solemnity. "I, Yao Chen, am a Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist. As compensation, I'm willing to take you as my disciple today. I wonder..."

"You old bastard!" Xiao Yan suddenly exploded, his eyes bloodshot as he lunged at Yao Chen. "Do you know how I've spent these past three years?!"

Lu Yu reacted with lightning speed and grabbed Xiao Yan by the wrist. He shouted in a low voice, "Brother Yan!"

Yao Chen neither dodged nor evaded, allowing Xiao Yan's fist to pass through his illusory body. He sighed. "Your master truly has wronged you..."

"Your master?" Xiao Yan laughed in fury. "Who acknowledges you as his—"

"Brother Yan!" Lu Yu suddenly raised his voice, tightening his grip. "Calm down and think carefully. What does a Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist represent?"

Xiao Yan's struggling movements abruptly froze.

Seeing this, Yao Chen immediately took out a scroll glowing with azure light. "This is the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid formula. It can help you quickly recover your cultivation. In addition..."

He took out a Jade Slip. "This contains an Earth-tier cultivation technique. Consider it a gift for you, Young Lu."

Lu Yu accepted the cultivation technique and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder. He said softly, "Brother Yan..."

Xiao Yan drew in a deep breath. The fury in his eyes gradually gave way to reason. He stared fixedly at Yao Chen and said each word clearly, "I want to become stronger—strong enough that I'll never be bullied by anyone again!"

Yao Chen nodded in satisfaction. "Good! With my guidance, forget Nalan Yanran—even destroying the Misty Cloud Sect won't be difficult."

"From today onward, you are the closed-door disciple of me, Yao Chen!"

As soon as his voice fell, a crisp, melodious call suddenly came from nearby.

"Brother Yu!"

The three of them turned toward the voice. Under the moonlight, a Young Girl in a purple dress was lightly stepping across the rocks toward them. She appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen, with snow-white skin and picturesque features. Her long black hair was simply tied with a purple ribbon and fluttered gently in the night breeze.

"It's Xun'er..." Xiao Yan said quietly, a complicated look in his eyes.

A trace of surprise flashed through Lu Yu's eyes before he revealed a gentle smile. "Xun'er, why have you come to the Back Mountain so late?"

Xun'er lightly landed atop the giant rock. Her gaze lingered on Yao Chen's illusory figure for a moment, and a hint of wariness flashed through her eyes. "I saw that Brother Yu and Brother Xiao Yan hadn't returned late into the night, so I was worried..."

Yao Chen studied Xun'er with great interest before suddenly letting out a soft "Huh?" "What pure Bloodline power..."

Xun'er's expression changed slightly at his words, and she instinctively moved closer to Lu Yu. Sensing her unease, Lu Yu gently took her hand. "Don't be afraid. This is Venerable Yao. He just took Brother Yan as his disciple."

Only then did Xun'er relax somewhat, though the wariness in her eyes did not completely fade. She bowed to Yao Chen. "This junior is Xiao Xun'er. Greetings, Senior."

Yao Chen smiled meaningfully. "There's no need for such courtesy. It's getting late. You should return and rest. I've only just awakened and still need some time to recover, so I won't keep you company."

Lu Yu cupped his fists in acknowledgment and gently tugged at Xun'er's sleeve. "Let's go. I'll take you back."

The three of them then slowly descended along the mountain path. Xun'er wanted to speak several times but hesitated. Finally, just as they were about to part, she said softly, "Brother Yu, that Venerable Yao... You must be extra careful."

With that, before Lu Yu could respond, the girl in purple had already drifted away, leaving only a faint fragrance lingering in the air.

Lu Yu gazed at the girl's disappearing figure and rubbed his nose. He muttered inwardly, As if I don't know whether Old Man Yao is good or bad.

I originally wanted to hitch a ride with the Flame Emperor and Old Man Yao as a duo, but now that my cheat has arrived, there's no need to go through all that trouble. I can just maintain a normal relationship with them.