The Broken Engagement Uproar (Part 2)

Xiao Yan ignored the commotion in the Hall and strode forward. He first bowed respectfully to Xiao Zhan, then turned to face Nalan Yanran. Taking a deep breath, he calmly asked, "Young Lady Nalan, may I ask whether Old Master Nalan agreed to this matter of breaking off the engagement?"

Unable to refute him, she could only invoke her grandfather. This Xiao Yan was no ordinary person.

Nalan Yanran slowly rose to her feet and stared at the youth before her, who should have become her husband. Her voice was soft and calm. "Grandfather did not agree, but this is my own affair. It has nothing to do with him."

"Since Old Master Nalan has not spoken, then please forgive me, but my father will not agree to your request either. The engagement was personally arranged by the old masters of both families. Since neither of them has spoken to dissolve it, no one dares dissolve this engagement. Otherwise, it would be desecrating our departed elders! I believe no one in our clan would commit such an act of disobedience, would they?" Xiao Yan tilted his head slightly and sneered at the three elders.

Crushed beneath the enormous accusation Xiao Yan had placed upon them, the three elders immediately fell silent. Within a strict clan, such a charge was enough to cost them their positions as elders.

"You..." Nalan Yanran froze after being cut off by Xiao Yan. Her little face turned pale with anger as she stamped her foot hard and drew a breath. "What you mean is that since we cannot disrespect our elders, and your grandfather Xiao Lin is no longer alive, this engagement cannot be broken? That I, Nalan Yanran, must marry a scoundrel like you?"

"You... you... If you want to break off the engagement, then have Nalan Jie come and do it! I would like to see how the Marshal Lionheart of the Jia Ma Empire breaks his promise to my Xiao Family!"

"My grandfather would naturally never do anything that went against his word. But my marriage is mine to decide. Xiao Yan, if you are a man, do not use a dead old man as a shield for your own marriage!"

Nalan Yanran's spoiled Young Lady temper, nurtured over many years, had finally been provoked. She glared at the youth before her in disgust. She had never expected Xiao Yan to use a dead man as a shield!

What was she supposed to be, a spare tire?

Was he going to kick her aside once he had had enough fun and found a woman more suitable than her?

Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Nalan Yanran could not help feeling irritated. She made her meaning clear. "What exactly will it take for you to agree to dissolve the engagement? Do you think the compensation is too little? Fine. I can have my teacher give you another three Qi Gathering Powders. In addition, if you are willing, I can allow you to enter the Misty Cloud Sect and study profound Dou Qi cultivation techniques. Is that enough?"

Hearing the tempting terms tumbling from the girl's lips one after another, the Xiao Family's three elders felt their breathing grow hurried. The youths in the Hall swallowed hard as well. Enter the Misty Cloud Sect to cultivate? Heavens, that was the dream of countless people...

After naming these conditions, Nalan Yanran's eyes suddenly reddened, and tears streamed down her face.

Perhaps before meeting Xiao Yan, she had not been so resolute about dissolving the engagement. But after this, even if she died, she would have no regrets!

Rendered speechless by Nalan Yanran's words and unable to argue back, the youth before her suddenly began to tremble violently. He slowly raised his head, and his delicate, youthful face had twisted into something terrifyingly savage...

Though he had endured ridicule for three years, Xiao Yan still possessed a bottom line of his own. Nalan Yanran's lofty, charity-like behavior had brutally trampled upon the last remnants of dignity hidden within his heart.

Nalan Yanran stood firmly in place, two streams of clear tears slowly running down her delicate face. She did not retreat in the slightest, while the handsome young man beside her abruptly drew his longsword and pointed it at Xiao Yan with a cold gaze.

"I... truly want to slaughter you!" Through his trembling teeth came words brimming with killing intent. Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly, rage burning in his black eyes.

"Considering the things you have done, you are not worthy of Yanran!" the stern youth said flatly.

"That is your freedom!" The indifference in Nalan Yanran's eyes had reached its peak. She gently used her hand to push aside the stern youth's sword aimed at Xiao Yan.

"Yan'er, do not be rude!" Xiao Zhan, seated at the head of the Hall, was startled by Xiao Yan's actions and hurriedly shouted. The Xiao Family could not afford to offend the Misty Cloud Sect now.

Xiao Yan clenched his fists fiercely and lowered his head slightly. After a moment, he slowly raised it again. Yet the previous savage terror had already turned into calmness...

Though he had suffered discrimination and mockery throughout those three years, they had also forged within Xiao Yan a restraint far beyond that of ordinary people.

Nalan Yanran was the favored daughter of the Misty Cloud Sect. If he truly did anything to her now, he would likely bring endless trouble upon his father!

Watching the youth before them almost instantly suppress his emotions, Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran suddenly felt a chill run through their hearts...

If this boy remains a cripple for the rest of his life, then so be it. But if he truly gains power, he will certainly become a dangerous person... Ge Ye thought gravely.

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Xiao Yan's mouth. "Young Lady Nalan... you should know how humiliating it is for the man when the woman breaks off an engagement on the Dou Qi Continent. Hehe, my skin is thick, so it does not matter much to me. But my father! He is the head of a clan. If he truly agreed to your request today, how could he lead the Xiao Family in the future? How could he continue to hold his ground in Wutan City?"

"Is my lifelong happiness worth no more than your humiliation? Your father's dignity? Am I merely a puppet for your Xiao Family to use for appearances? If I do not break off the engagement, will your Xiao Family be able to dominate the world and earn the admiration of countless people?" Nalan Yanran's words made Xiao Yan's eyes nearly split with rage.

Seeing the fury filling the youth's face, Nalan Yanran frowned slightly. Her gaze flickered toward Xiao Zhan, who seemed to have suddenly aged greatly as he sat at the head of the Hall. A trace of guilt rose in her heart. She gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, bit her cherry lips lightly, and pondered for a moment. Her bright eyes shifted slightly before she suddenly said softly, "What happened today was indeed somewhat rash of Yanran. Today, I can temporarily withdraw my request to dissolve the engagement, but you must agree to one condition!"

"What condition?" Xiao Yan asked with a frown.

"I can postpone today's request for three years. Three years from now, you may come to the Misty Cloud Sect and challenge me. If you lose, I will publicly dissolve the engagement. By then, you should also have undergone the clan's coming-of-age ceremony, so even if you lose, Uncle Xiao will not lose too much face. Do you dare accept?" Nalan Yanran said evenly.

"Hehe, if I lose then, it truly will not damage Father's reputation any further. But I may have to bear the shameful name of failure for the rest of my life!" Xiao Yan laughed bitterly inwardly, his face filled with mockery.

"Our marriage was once perfectly proper. Have you ever considered who brought things step by step to this point, Xiao Yan? If a man does not even have this much responsibility, how can he accomplish anything great!"

"You know perfectly well what Yan'er's condition is. What can he possibly use to challenge you? Is there any meaning in humiliating him like this?" Xiao Zhan slammed his palm onto the table and rose in fury.

"Uncle Xiao, someone must bear responsibility for dissolving an engagement. If not for preserving your dignity, Yanran would forcefully dissolve the engagement this very moment, then announce it to the public!"

By now, Nalan Yanran had made up her mind. Turning toward the silent Xiao Yan, she coldly demanded, "Since you are unwilling to let Uncle Xiao lose face, then accept this agreement! Three years from now or right now—which do you choose?"