Qi Gathering Powder Turned from an Apology Gift into a Meeting Gift

Seeing how tactful Xiao Yuan was, Nalan Yanran felt even more embarrassed.

She was already thinking to herself, Should I give him more compensation? But there was nothing she could offer that he would find useful! "However, Miss Nalan, our two families do share a connection. Regarding the annulment, Xiao Yuan has one more presumptuous request."

Nalan Yanran immediately became wary, thinking Xiao Yuan was about to go back on his word.

"Please don't be nervous, Miss Nalan. This engagement should indeed be dissolved. But if the woman's side is the one to call off the engagement, it would be nothing for me to lose some face. I've grown used to it over the years.

But my father is the head of the Xiao Clan. I fear he would be utterly humiliated. Therefore, I hope the annulment can be delayed by another three years. At that time, Xiao Yuan will bring the original engagement contract to the Nalan Residence and dissolve the engagement with Miss Nalan. What do you say?"

Xiao Yuan looked at her intently and made his plea in a grave voice.

Nalan Yanran frowned upon hearing this. Before coming here, she had indeed planned to use force to pressure them if things came to the worst.

But now that Xiao Yuan had put it this way, even she could not bear it.

It seemed she had acted rashly and failed to consider how serious the consequences would be.

Seeing Nalan Yanran hesitate, Xiao Yuan's expression suddenly darkened. "Forget it. Since Miss Nalan is unwilling, let us leave it at that. Xiao Yuan is willing to dissolve the engagement with Miss Nalan now. I only hope that, for the sake of the bond between our two families, Miss Nalan will not publicize this matter. Let it be as though there was never an engagement between us."

Nalan Yanran was only a fourteen-year-old girl, busy every day cultivating Dou Qi and Dou Techniques. When had she ever encountered such a scene?

For a moment, she was completely at a loss.

A sense of guilt rose in her heart. Am I going too far? He really looks so pitiful! He can't cultivate, and who knows how much hardship he's suffered all these years. Yet I'm treating him like this. I'm horrible!

"Oh, no, that's not it! I didn't mean that I wouldn't agree to your request! It's only three years, right? That's no problem!"

Nalan Yanran hurriedly said in a flustered manner.

"Miss Nalan needn't force yourself."

Xiao Yuan had been ready to turn up the pressure further and show Nalan Yanran the latest problem-solving formula from Blue Star, throwing out a line such as "agreeing doesn't mean consenting." Yet Nalan Yanran continued:

"This time, Yanran was indeed too rash. When I came, my teacher had me bring a Qi Gathering Powder as an apology gift. I'll have Uncle Ge deliver it to you later."

Xiao Yuan was first stunned, then shook his head. "I appreciate Miss Nalan's kindness, but I absolutely cannot accept this Qi Gathering Powder. This is how the engagement matter should have been settled in the first place. From now on, neither of us owes the other anything, and there will be no further ties between us. How could Miss Nalan possibly need to offer an apology?"

Seeing this, Nalan Yanran thought the handsome young man's pride was at work and that he simply did not wish to accept it. After some thought, her lively eyes shifted slightly, and she suddenly said softly:

"Very well, then we won't mention it again!"

"By the way, does Miss Nalan have paper and a brush? Let us draw up a written agreement here today, with each of us keeping a copy. If any changes arise in the future and I fail to arrive at the Nalan Residence on time, this agreement can serve as proof that the engagement has been dissolved."

Xiao Yuan revealed a smile that said, "This is exactly how it should be," then continued.

"I do."

Nalan Yanran had actually been worried that Xiao Yuan might change his mind, but she had been too embarrassed to ask. Upon hearing this, she promptly pulled paper and a brush from her Storage Ring and handed them to Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan took them with a nod and a smile, then walked to a nearby pavilion and swiftly drafted the agreement.

The ink fell, and the brush stopped! Then Xiao Yuan bit open the middle finger of his right hand and pressed two blood-red fingerprints onto the two agreements.

Only then did Nalan Yanran finally breathe a sigh of relief. When she saw Xiao Yuan looking at her, she naturally did not hesitate. She drew the long sword at her waist, lightly nicked her fingertip, and pressed her own fingerprint beside Xiao Yuan's.

"?"

Then she saw Xiao Yuan take out Wound Medicine, apply it to his fingertip, and hand the medicine bottle to her as well.

Nalan Yanran had wanted to say that such a tiny wound did not warrant this, but the matter had already been settled, so there was naturally no need to reject his goodwill. She accepted the bottle and treated her own wound.

By then, Xiao Yuan had already put away his copy of the agreement. He picked up the other copy and handed it to Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Yanran accepted it and stored it in her Storage Ring. After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked, "Young Master Xiao, may I ask something presumptuous? Why are you unable to cultivate? You know, my teacher is a Dou Emperor, and Pill King Gu He is also an honorary elder of our Misty Cloud Sect. Perhaps they might be able to solve your problem."

"Hehe, thank you for your kind intentions, Miss Nalan, but my body cannot contain Dou Qi, much less form a Dou Qi Cyclone. It is probably an innate issue with my physique. Still, I've grown accustomed to it over the years."

Xiao Yuan shook his head regretfully, then changed the subject. "To be honest, I already have someone I admire. I simply have not confessed to her yet. Compared with a favored daughter of heaven like Miss Nalan, her talent is quite ordinary, but she is more suited to me."

This put Nalan Yanran even more at ease. She even thought that while she and Xiao Yuan might have been fated to meet but not meant to be together, they could still become friends.

"All right, then I wish you success."

Nalan Yanran was very curious about the girl Xiao Yuan admired. After all, she wanted to see which woman would ultimately win such a handsome man. But she was far too embarrassed to ask, so she could only offer an awkward blessing.

"Hehe, then I'll borrow Miss Nalan's auspicious words. Now that the matter has been settled, shall we return first? Everyone is still waiting in the hall."

Xiao Yuan smiled and continued.

"Mm, all right."

Nalan Yanran nodded at his words.

The two then quickly returned to the hall.

At this moment, everyone in the reception hall had long been waiting anxiously. After the two parties involved had left, Ge Ye and Xiao Zhan had little to talk about, and the atmosphere had naturally grown much colder.

The moment Xiao Yuan entered the hall, he saw the concerned looks Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er gave him.

He gave them a confident smile, then walked over and sat down.

Nalan Yanran, meanwhile, stepped forward, bowed to Xiao Zhan, and said, "Uncle Xiao, Yanran has not come to visit for many years and feels truly ashamed. I have prepared a few modest gifts, and I hope Uncle Xiao will accept them."

With that, she turned her gaze toward Ge Ye.

Hearing Nalan Yanran's words, Ge Ye knew that the greatest purpose of this trip had been accomplished. It seemed the Young Sect Master's exchange with this young master of the Xiao Clan had gone quite pleasantly as well. The original apology gift had now become a meeting gift.

He raised a hand and brushed the ring on his finger. A jade box, green throughout, appeared in his hand out of thin air...

He carefully opened the box, and a strange fragrance instantly spread through the hall, refreshing the spirits of all who smelled it.

The three elders curiously leaned forward to look into the jade box. Their bodies suddenly shook as they cried out, "Qi Gathering Powder?"