Breaking Off the Engagement

The sporadic whispers vanished in an instant. The hall was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.

"What did you say?!" Xiao Zhan slammed his hand onto the table. The teacup clenched in his other hand shattered with a bang as he failed to control his strength.

The crackling of shattering porcelain, the splashing of tea, and Xiao Zhan's furious breathing pulled Xiao Yan back to reality. Unable to spare another thought for the mysterious Girl's intentions, he raised his head toward the front—

"Father." He stared blankly ahead, veins bulging across his tightly clenched fists.

Seeing Xiao Zhan about to lose his temper, Nalan Yanran hurriedly stood up and said nervously, "Uncle Xiao, Yanran knows you are displeased, so I specifically asked Teacher to bring something as an apology."

As she spoke, the Girl hurriedly tugged at Ge Ye's sleeve. The old man immediately seemed to snap out of a daze and took out an exquisite ancient jade box.

He carefully opened the box. The next instant, a rich medicinal fragrance spread through the center of the hall, making everyone who had yet to reach the Dou Practitioner realm feel noticeably more comfortable.

Inside the box lay a jade-green pill the size of a longan, resting quietly in the groove at its center. Clearly, that unusual fragrance came from it.

"Qi Gathering Powder?!"

As the Three Elders cried out in surprise, the young men and women seated below widened their eyes, their burning gazes fixed firmly upon the jade-green pill.

"Hehe, this was personally refined by Lord Gu He, our sect's honorary elder." Seeing everyone's stunned expressions, Ge Ye could not help feeling smug as he smiled.

"This pill was actually made by Pill King Gu He himself?" Upon hearing this, even the Three Elders, who had barely managed to remain rational, could no longer sit still. Their expressions changed dramatically.

Pill King Gu He not only possessed the strength of a Dou Wang, but his alchemy had reached the sixth tier, enough to call him the finest in the Jia Ma Empire.

A Qi Gathering Powder from such a person's hands was likely worth several times more than usual.

"Indeed."

The old man, well versed in reading people's expressions, finally felt at ease. His previously uncertain attitude grew several degrees firmer. "I am sure everyone present has heard of Lord Gu He's name. Is this gift sufficient as an apology?"

Seeing Xiao Zhan keep his head lowered, his face dark and unwilling to look up, Ge Ye secretly rejoiced. Just as he opened his mouth to press the advantage, a disdainful sneer came from the far corner.

"Heh, Qi Gathering Powder? The Misty Cloud Sect truly is generous. But I'm afraid my Xiao Family has no fortune to accept it!"

The noisy discussions in the hall abruptly stopped. Every gaze swung toward the handsome youth in the corner, whose face was dark with anger.

"Xiao Yan, this is not your place to speak. Shut your mouth!"

"Xiao Yan, step back. I know you feel terrible, but we will handle this matter ourselves!"

The Three Elders could no longer remain seated and began rebuking Xiao Yan for his insolence. Yet what infuriated them was that Xiao Yan seemed not to have heard them at all. No matter how they glared and raged, he offered no response.

And since Xiao Yan was the Clan Leader's son, they could not simply drive him away in public. Seeing that they were beginning to lose face, they cursed the brat's thick skin inwardly, then could only helplessly allow him to confront the people of the Misty Cloud Sect on the platform.

Ignoring the hypocritical performance of the three old fools, the youth took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the fury in his heart, and slowly spoke.

"Nalan Yanran, I would like to ask: did Old Master Nalan agree to this matter of breaking off the engagement?"

"Grandfather did not agree, but this is my affair. It has nothing to do with him." The Girl's voice was soft and calm, yet it carried an unquestionable arrogance.

"Since Old Master Nalan has not spoken, then forgive me, but my father will not agree to your demand either. The engagement was personally decided by the old masters of both families. No one would dare dissolve it. Otherwise, it would be a desecration of our deceased elders! I assume no one would commit such an act of defiance, would they?" Xiao Yan's words were not directed solely at Nalan Yanran; they also carried a barbed mockery toward the Three Elders who had opposed him at every turn.

With such a huge accusation placed over their heads, the Three Elders immediately fell silent. Clearly, Xiao Yan's words had struck their weak point.

"You—"

Seeing that no one dared refute him, Nalan Yanran's pretty face turned livid. She stamped her foot heavily, and the young lady's temper she had concealed so well was finally provoked.

Disgust showed on her face as she said irritably, "How can the engagement be dissolved? One Qi Gathering Powder isn't enough for you? Then I'll give you three! On top of that, I'll permit you to enter the Misty Cloud Sect and cultivate profound Dou Qi techniques. Is that enough?"

One tempting condition after another spilled from the Girl's lips, making everyone present unable to help swallowing.

Contrary to what everyone expected, Xiao Yan's lowered head left his expression hidden behind his fallen hair. His body trembled slightly before he raised his head a little.

The next moment, Nalan Yanran inadvertently met those pitch-black eyes. The blazing gaze seemed filled with bone-chilling coldness, making her legs tremble as a chill shot straight to the top of her head. She actually took an unconscious step back!

This is... killing intent? He wants to kill me?!

As Nalan Yanran experienced this unprecedented feeling, the thought involuntarily arose in her heart.

The youth clenched his fists and slowly raised his head. The coldness in his gaze had already vanished, replaced by a strange smile.

That earlier killing intent seemed as illusory as a dream. Had Ge Ye, the handsome young man, and Nalan Yanran not been standing in the same position, they likely would never have understood why their Young Sect Master had unconsciously stepped back.

This brat can actually rein in his emotions in an instant under such circumstances. Even if he is a cripple, he is certainly no simple character. Ge Ye's heart turned cold as he thought to himself.

Sure enough, aside from Ge Ye's group of three, everyone else who saw Xiao Yan's expression nearly believed that the blow had driven him mad.

Yet completely contrary to everyone's expectations, Nalan Yanran no longer held herself as arrogantly as before. Instead, as if she feared something, she said, "Xiao Yan, you should still dissolve this engagement. My Teacher is a Dou Emperor, the Misty Cloud Sect Leader. She personally approved it!"

Seeing the Girl bolster her courage by bringing up her Teacher's identity and strength, Xiao Yan could not help shaking his head. This young lady, a Three-star Dou Practitioner, had actually been frightened into such a state by the Third Stage Dou Qi he displayed. She truly was... pathetic.

After inwardly scorning her, the youth sneered. "Miss Nalan's noble status is known throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire, so there is no need to repeat it. But do you know how humiliating it is for a man when the woman breaks off an engagement on the Dou Qi Continent? Yes, my skin is thick enough to laugh even in this situation. I suppose everyone present thinks I, Xiao Yan, am a madman, don't they?"

"I do not care how you view me. But my father! He is the Clan Leader of my Xiao Family. If I agreed to you, what about him? How could he govern the Xiao Family in the future? How could my Xiao Family continue living in Wutan City with any dignity?!"

When Xiao Yan mentioned Xiao Zhan, even with his current temperament, he could not help allowing emotion to seep into his voice. His aura erupted like a volcano, leaving everyone in the hall stunned.

His words were fierce and his tone resolute. Even the Xiao Family members who had mocked him earlier fell silent. This concerned the family's honor. Though they still looked down on Xiao Yan inwardly, they had to admit that every word he said made sense, and they could not help feeling a trace of respect.

After all, not everyone had the courage to resist power, especially at their lowest point.

"You!"

Nalan Yanran's gaze flickered. She glanced at Ge Ye beside her, who kept signaling frantically to her, then gritted her teeth and said, "What happened today was indeed somewhat impulsive on my part. How about this... I am willing to make a concession. Three years. I will give you three years. Three years from now, I will give you an opportunity to challenge me at the Misty Cloud Sect."

"A challenge?" Xiao Yan lowered his eyes, making it impossible to discern the meaning within them.

As the Girl spoke, she gradually recalled the gap in strength between them, and some of her former confidence returned to her voice. "That's right. If you lose, I will publicly dissolve the engagement. By then, you should be an adult, so even if you lose, Uncle Xiao will not lose too much face. This is my final bottom line. The Three-Year Pact—do you dare accept it?"