Misjudgment

Xiao Yan's words shocked the entire hall.

At first, Ge Ye had thought he had misjudged him. Now, he felt that he had misjudged him again.

Ge Ye could not help shaking his head inwardly. "Sigh, his pride is getting in the way. Nalan Yanran cultivates the sect's Mystic High-Rank cultivation method, and her Azure Wood Swordplay has already reached minor mastery. A clan from such a remote little city probably does not even possess a Mystic High-Rank cultivation method."

Ge Ye had not guessed wrong. The highest-grade Dou Qi cultivation method in all of Wutan City was merely Mystic Middle-Rank. The higher the grade of the cultivation method, the stronger and deeper the Dou Qi it cultivated, and naturally, the more powerful the Combat Techniques it unleashed.

Just as an official one rank higher could crush those below him, the same principle applied to Cultivation Methods.

However, Ge Ye had failed to notice that when Xiao Yan proposed such an "unreasonable" Bet Battle, not a single Xiao Clan disciple present—not even Xiao Zhan or the elders—thought it inappropriate! At that moment, none of them realized where their calm confidence came from.

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Nalan Yanran revealed a faint smile. She found him much more pleasing to the eye now.

"Do you mean that?"

Before Xiao Yan could answer, Xiao Mei beat him to it and shouted, "Brother Xiao Yan's word is as good as gold, unlike certain people who go back on their word."

Nalan Yanran's eyelid twitched involuntarily. On the Dou Qi Continent, marriage was still like it had been in ancient times, emphasizing the commands of parents and the words of matchmakers. Nalan Yanran had not even dared tell her grandfather, Nalan Jie, that she had come to break off the engagement. After all, she was the one in the wrong.

Xiao Yan nodded with a confident smile. "Naturally, I mean it."

"However, if you cannot withstand it, then I will go to Nalan Mansion and publicly divorce you."

!!!!!

"You!" Nalan Yanran froze. She wanted to refute him, yet could not find the words. Her pretty face turned somewhat livid with anger as she clenched her fists.

Because what Xiao Yan had said was exactly what she herself was doing now.

Nalan Yanran made it sound nice, but in truth, it also stemmed from her spoiled temper and willfulness.

Xiao Yan did not oppose Nalan Yanran pursuing freedom, but he could never forgive her for hurting his father in pursuit of her own freedom.

Although Xiao Yan spoke with a smile and a gentle tone, Nalan Yanran could see it in his eyes. If she truly could not withstand a single move, Xiao Yan would absolutely do as he said.

Xiao Yan held grudges deeply.

Nalan Yanran took a deep breath, and pale green Dou Qi surged from her body. The cultivation method she practiced was of the Wind Attribute.

Her index and middle fingers on her right hand came together like a sword, releasing spiraling pale green gale force that entwined with itself and formed a wind sword.

Azure Wood Swordplay could cultivate a Mystic Low-Rank Combat Technique to the level of Dou Qi Transformation. This proved that Nalan Yanran truly possessed the talent that had caught the Misty Cloud Sect's eye.

Originally, Nalan Yanran had not wished to bully anyone with a high-grade cultivation method, but Xiao Yan's wager meant she could not afford to lose no matter what.

Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran and said with a teasing smile, "Wait, I forgot something."

"You want to take a Medicinal Pill?" Nalan Yanran frowned slightly. There were indeed some Medicinal Pills that could temporarily give someone the strength of a Dou Zhe.

Xiao Yan ignored her. He reached into his pocket and rummaged around, then, amid Ge Ye and the others' dumbfounded expressions, took out a golden star and leisurely pinned it to his chest.

Of course, they knew what a golden star represented—it was proof of being a Dou Zhe! This meant that Xiao Yan was already a One-Star Dou Zhe! When Xiao Yan pulled another golden star from his pocket, Ge Ye's expression turned strange and unnatural. He was actually a Two-Star Dou Zhe! Only then did Ge Ye notice the mocking smiles on the faces of the surrounding Xiao Clan disciples. They all looked as though they were watching a joke unfold.

Ge Ye's heart skipped a beat, and a terrifying thought arose within him. "N-no way."

When Xiao Yan reached into his pocket once more, Ge Ye's suspicion was confirmed.

"Th-th-three-Star Dou Zhe!!!!"

Staring at those three gleaming golden stars, Ge Ye and the other Elder completely lost their composure! They had indeed heard that Xiao Yan of Wutan City was a genius when they came, but they had only scoffed at it. They believed that the genius of some remote little city, a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old like Xiao Yan, could at most have reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi. Perhaps with external assistance, he could barely qualify as a Dou Zhe.

They had been wrong—absurdly wrong!

Why had Ge Ye and the others listened to a junior and come to Wutan City to break off an engagement? It was because Nalan Yanran had reached Three-Star Dou Zhe shortly after turning fourteen, had been accepted as a disciple by Sect Master Yun Yun, and was even being groomed as the next Sect Master.

With the talent of becoming a Three-Star Dou Zhe at fourteen, as long as resources were sufficient, one would basically be able to reach the Dou Emperor realm.

Ge Ye himself was only a Da Dou Shi. Above Da Dou Shi was Dou Ling, above Dou Ling was Dou Wang, and only above Dou Wang was Dou Emperor! The gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth.

To put it plainly, they wanted to curry favor with Nalan Yanran because they thought highly of her future.

Yet Nalan Yanran had been born into an illustrious family, her grandfather Nalan Jie was a Dou Wang powerhouse, and she had the aid of Medicinal Pills refined by Rank 6 Alchemist Pill King Gu He. Even so, she had only barely reached Three-Star Dou Zhe.

There was probably not even a Tier 2 Alchemist in this remote Wutan City, yet Xiao Yan's Cultivation Level was actually the same as Nalan Yanran's! Did that not mean that Xiao Yan's talent far surpassed Nalan Yanran's?! At this moment, Nalan Yanran had only three words in her mind: I don't understand!

What was wrong with this world?! Even in the Misty Cloud Sect's history, those who reached Three-Star Dou Zhe at fourteen were exceedingly rare. Yet such a genius had appeared in a remote little city! She could not understand it!

Only now did Ge Ye understand that the confidence of the young man before him, who wore such a self-assured smile, came from his strength! Xiao Yan's proposed Bet Battle was not meant to give them a way out. He genuinely believed that Nalan Yanran could not withstand even one of his moves! He was serious! Xiao Yan patted his clothes, and the three golden stars reflected the light.

"Make your move. It's getting late."

Nalan Yanran was now in an impossible position. If she retreated without fighting, she could forget about inheriting her Master's legacy and becoming the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect. Her mentality might even be damaged, affecting her cultivation.

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Nalan Yanran slowly adjusted her breathing. Her Master's instruction echoed in her ears: remain true to your heart.

The gale force of the Azure Wood Swordplay immediately grew several degrees stronger.

Seeing Nalan Yanran's Azure Wood Swordplay, Ge Ye finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief. So what if they were at the same Cultivation Level? Nalan Yanran cultivated top-tier methods and Combat Techniques, and she also had guidance from the Sect Master. Between cultivators of the same level, combat strength mainly depended on Cultivation Methods and Combat Techniques.

"Say, have any of you ever seen the young clan leader fight?"

"With the young clan leader's Cultivation Level, who would be stupid enough to go looking for a beating?"

"Still, I heard that a few years ago, Xiao Yu Tangjie chased the young clan leader all over the mountains to beat him up. Back then, Xiao Yu Tangjie had cultivated longer and her Cultivation Level was slightly higher than the young clan leader's."

"I really have not heard of anyone at the same level fighting him."

Nalan Yanran opened her eyes, her gaze sharp. She took a swift step forward, and the gale-force slender sword in her hand stabbed straight at Xiao Yan.

Facing this powerful Mystic Rank Dou Technique attack, Xiao Yan did not panic in the slightest. The Dou Qi within him instantly circulated through his entire body, and he roared inwardly, "Eight Extremities Collapse—Elbow Strike!"

As their auras erupted and their attacks collided, a powerful shockwave spread through the entire hall, shattering flowerpots and cups one after another.

The next second, a graceful figure flew backward out of the hall and crashed through its wooden doors with a bang.

Ge Ye had misjudged him yet again!