No Shortcuts? How Could That Be?

Nalan Chaoge knew perfectly well that breaking off the engagement meant the Nalan Family would be resented by the petty Xiao Yan, and the Misty Cloud Sect would be destroyed by him.

How many disciples did the Misty Cloud Sect have? Calling it over a thousand would not be an exaggeration. Just because his father had been captured by Soul Hall, he was going to vent his anger on innocent people?

Besides, the Misty Cloud Sect had never harmed anyone from the Xiao Family.

Why didn't he take his anger out on the people from Soul Hall and seek revenge on them?

Huh?

Why was he so angry?

Nalan Chaoge recalled something. Why had he transmigrated into Dou Po? When he had read this book back then, he had felt indignant on Nalan Yanran's behalf. Deep down, he had always harbored a powerful question: had Nalan Yanran really done anything wrong by breaking off the engagement?

Nalan Jie was also stunned by Nalan Chaoge's words.

That was right!

According to their agreement, even if that brat Xiao Yan had not yet undergone his coming-of-age ceremony, Xiao Zhan should have come to visit.

He and Xiao Lin had been friends who would die for each other. That made him something of an uncle to Xiao Zhan as well.

After Xiao Lin died, the Xiao Family had failed to show up for years in a row. Were they planning to cut ties?

Even if the Nalan Family wanted to visit them, they would inevitably invite criticism.

However!

Nalan Jie could understand.

The Xiao Family had produced a genius like Xiao Yan. Perhaps, at the time, they had felt Yanran was not qualified to become the Xiao Family's daughter-in-law.

Later, Xiao Yan had fallen from grace, and they no longer had the face to come calling.

But no matter what, Nalan Jie would never break a promise he had given.

Even if the Xiao Family had declined to the point of begging for food, he would still marry his granddaughter into their family according to the agreement.

"You still want to marry my sister to someone like that? Grandfather, have you considered my sister's feelings?" Nalan Chaoge looked sincerely at Nalan Jie.

"Xiao Ge, I understand what you're trying to say, but there are many things you still don't understand! The Xiao Family actually... Sigh, why am I even telling you this? What matters most for you right now is cultivating diligently, understand? Don't bring up urging Yanran to break off the engagement again!"

After saying that, Nalan Jie gave Nalan Chaoge a few more instructions before turning and leaving the room.

The observant Nalan Chaoge suddenly felt his heart tremble.

Why did Grandfather seem afraid whenever the Xiao Family was mentioned?

Could Grandfather know some secret about the Xiao Family?

For someone to befriend a Dou Wang like Nalan Jie, his grandfather's strength had to have been at least that of a Dou Wang, perhaps even a hidden Dou Huang.

The Xiao Clan had once been an Ancient Race, after all. They possessed no shortage of good things. Perhaps Xiao Lin had found some rare item within the clan and made a breakthrough.

There might even have been remnants of an ancient Dou Emperor bloodline. His grandfather's death might even have been related to Soul Hall.

This was getting more and more interesting.

It seemed many things were not as Tian Can Tu Dou had described.

There were many secrets waiting for him to uncover.

Xiao Yan?

I'm really looking forward to meeting you soon!

As Nalan Jie left, he happened to run into Guo'er and the old man who had come over.

"How is it? Can Xiao Ge cultivate now?" the old man asked excitedly.

"He can. He finally can. Come on, let's have a couple of drinks at my place!"

"Haha, then I must congratulate you..."

"Hahahaha..."

The voices of Nalan Jie and the old man gradually faded into the distance before disappearing.

"Young Master, you..." Guo'er entered the room bashfully and sized up Nalan Chaoge, who was still lost in thought.

"Huh? Uh, it's nothing... I'm a little hungry. Go get me something to eat! After I'm done eating, I'll cultivate too!" Nalan Chaoge came back to his senses and instructed Guo'er.

"Yes, Young Master! On the way back just now, I already told the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes!

Watching little Guo'er busily run about, Nalan Chaoge admired her with a certain sense of satisfaction.

This sort of treatment, having a maid to warm his bed, simply did not exist on Earth.

He was thirteen now. If he counted carefully, he should be old enough to make the dragon rise, right? Should he... Hehe...

Nalan Chaoge's thoughts drifted in the wrong direction as he watched little Guo'er. He had not expected himself to be a lolicon.

Forget it, forget it. This could wait until later. Nalan Chaoge looked at his little brother, which was like a tiny earthworm. He had been unconscious for two years, and his body had barely developed. It seemed that, even more important than cultivation, was quickly strengthening his body.

Otherwise, if he turned out to be impotent, that would really be a spectacle.

After casually eating a little, Nalan Chaoge resumed his life of showing off.

Nalan Chaoge walked in front with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger—the sort of swagger an evil young master from ancient times would have. Little Guo'er followed behind, carrying a purple clay teapot. Guo'er was somewhat puzzled. Her Young Master usually drank Longjing or Da Hong Pao, so why had he switched the tea leaves to goji berries today?

"Greetings, Young Master..."

"Greetings, Young Master!"

"I heard Young Master can cultivate now. Congratulations, Young Master!"

Along the way, many people in the Nalan Marshal Mansion watched this little young master pretending to be an adult with amused expressions.

Nalan Chaoge was thirteen now, but because he had been unconscious for two years, his body still basically looked like it had when he was eleven.

An eleven-year-old brat walking ahead with his hands behind his back while little Guo'er carried a teapot behind him was truly a sight too embarrassing to behold.

"Mhm, mhm. You must cultivate well too. In the future, you can follow me onto the battlefield, slaughter enemies in every direction, and serve our Jia Ma Empire!" Nalan Jie was the Jia Ma Empire's Marshal Lionheart, holding a position of immense power. Along with the Mu Family and the Mite'er Family, the Nalan Family stood as one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great families.

Of the three great families, only the Nalan Family had few descendants, and Nalan Chaoge was its sole male heir. The marshal's position would inevitably be his in the future. Spoiled as he was, no one bothered arguing with a little brat.

"Yes, we shall heed Little Young Master's teachings!" More than a dozen Nalan Family disciples replied with smiles.

After making an appearance, Nalan Chaoge immediately slipped back into his room. His father and mother lived in the military camp year-round, while Nalan Yanran had not returned since joining the Misty Cloud Sect. There truly was no one in the household Nalan Chaoge could be close to.

That was fine too. He could seize the time to cultivate.

Before becoming a Dou Zhe, there were no shortcuts to take.

Even Nalan Chaoge, who possessed a system, was no exception.

Every day, he absorbed Dou Qi and repeatedly honed the Transformation Jutsu and the Eight Inner Gates. The Eight Inner Gates in particular—the Eight Inner Gates that had let Nalan Chaoge gain such a huge advantage—would be tremendously useful in the later stages.

"Eight Inner Gates, Gate of Opening, open!"

One month later, a cold shout suddenly rang out from a small forest atop a mountain within the Nalan Family grounds.

A nimble figure leaped nimbly through the woods. Though the forest was filled with thorns, they seemed to have no effect on him at all.

The next instant, the figure suddenly stopped before a small tree as thick as ten centimeters across.

His feet shifted, his body tilted sideways, and his right hand clenched into a fist. He threw a fierce punch at the small tree.

"Take this...!"

Bang!

A dull thud rang out!

The small tree instantly bent over, and then the figure was swiftly... flung away by the bent tree.

"Hey, hey, holy sh—..."

Thud!

Nalan Chaoge staggered back more than ten steps before tripping over a stone and falling flat on his back!