The Moment of Breaking the Engagement

Nalan Yanran came back to her senses as well. Looking at Xuan Jin, she felt an inexplicable flutter in her heart.

She took a deep breath, suppressed the panic within her, stepped forward, and offered Xuan Jin a graceful bow.

"Nalan Yanran of the Misty Cloud Sect greets you, sir."

Her voice was crisp, carrying a young girl's distinctive softness. "My senior brother was rude and offended you. Yanran apologizes on his behalf."

Nalan Yanran then turned to the senior brother sprawled on the ground, anger flashing through her cold gaze.

"Why aren't you apologizing to this gentleman at once?!"

Xuan Jin said nothing. He merely waved a hand, indicating that they could leave.

He was not some murderous madman. Why would he kill everyone he met?

Then Xuan Jin resumed walking, brushed past them, and headed alone toward the mountaintop.

Only after Xuan Jin's figure vanished around a bend in the mountain path did that invisible pressure finally disappear completely.

Only then did Ge Ye straighten up, his forehead already drenched in cold sweat.

He glanced at the disciple still trembling on the ground, then in the direction Xuan Jin had gone, fear lingering in his heart.

"Elder Ge Ye, that man just now..."

Nalan Yanran spoke, a faint tremor still in her voice.

"Let's enter the city first!" Ge Ye said in a low voice.

Ge Ye quickly went over to the disciple, checked his breathing, and found that he had merely suffered a tremendous mental shock and was not in mortal danger. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

How could a small place like Wutan City be hiding such a terrifying figure?

Nalan Yanran bit her lip and said nothing more.

Yet the scene from earlier kept replaying in her mind.

The black-robed young man's calm profile and unfathomable bearing had been deeply imprinted in her heart.

Who exactly was he?

After entering Wutan City, Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran still could not calm themselves.

Their encounter on the mountain path weighed on their hearts like an enormous boulder.

Nalan Yanran looked at the bustling crowds on the street, but the figure of that black-robed young man kept surfacing in her mind without her control.

Irritated, she lowered the curtain.

What was wrong with her?

They had merely met by chance. Why did she care so much?

"Elder Ge Ye, let's first ask about the Xiao Family," Nalan Yanran said, pulling her thoughts back to business.

"Alright."

Ge Ye nodded and found an inn.

After giving the waiter a few Gold Coins, information about the Xiao Family came pouring in.

"The Xiao Family? Sir, do you mean the Xiao Family that has recently caused such a stir?"

The waiter spoke animatedly.

"Oh? What kind of stir?" Ge Ye asked without changing his expression.

"You don't know? That useless young master of the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan, suddenly became able to cultivate again a month ago!"

"They say a mysterious alchemy master came to the city and personally cured him!"

The waiter grew more excited as he spoke.

"That Master Xuan is incredible. They say he's a Sixth Grade Alchemist! Even Manager Ya Fei of the Miter Auction House treats him with the utmost respect!"

A Sixth Grade Alchemist?

With a boom, those words exploded in Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran's minds like thunder.

A Sixth Grade Alchemist!

Such a person stood on the same level as the Misty Cloud Sect's Guest Elder, Pill King Gu He!

Why would someone like that appear in a small place like Wutan City?

Nalan Yanran's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Almost instinctively, she connected this "Master Xuan" with the black-robed young man they had encountered on the mountain path.

Was it him?

No!

Impossible. He was so young. How could he possibly be a Sixth Grade Alchemist?

"Continue."

Ge Ye forcefully suppressed his shock and handed over another Gold Coin.

The waiter accepted it with a wide grin and embellished every rumor he knew about Xiao Yan and Master Xuan.

After listening, Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran exchanged a glance, each seeing the gravity on the other's face.

Xiao Yan's talent had returned.

But that was not important to Nalan Yanran.

She had never wanted to break off the engagement because he was useless.

It was because she did not want her fate bound by a single marriage contract.

More importantly, a Sixth Grade Alchemist was actually hidden within Wutan City!

If they could recruit such a person to the Misty Cloud Sect...

Nalan Yanran's thoughts began to stir.

"Young Sect Leader, shall we..." Ge Ye looked at Nalan Yanran, awaiting her decision.

"Go to the Xiao Family first."

Nalan Yanran's voice regained its coolness. "The matter of breaking off the engagement must be settled."

The next day, at the gates of the Xiao Family.

When Ge Ye revealed his identity as an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, the entire Xiao Family was alarmed.

Xiao Zhan personally welcomed the three of them into the main hall, though his heart was full of doubts.

What were people from the Misty Cloud Sect doing at the Xiao Family?

"I wonder what brings Elder Ge Ye to our humble home?" Xiao Zhan asked politely.

Ge Ye said nothing and merely looked toward Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Yanran rose to her feet. Her gaze swept over the Xiao Family elders present before finally settling on Xiao Zhan.

"Uncle Xiao, your niece has come today for one matter."

She paused, then said coolly, "I hope to dissolve the engagement with the Xiao Family."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire hall fell deathly silent.

The smile on Xiao Zhan's face froze instantly. He could scarcely believe his ears.

"Dissolve the engagement? Niece Yanran, what do you mean by this?!"

"The marriage between you and my son Xiao Yan was personally arranged by your grandfather and my father back then!"

Anger had already entered Xiao Zhan's voice.

"That was merely a joke between elders. It cannot be taken seriously," Nalan Yanran said indifferently.

"Outrageous!" Xiao Zhan slammed his palm against the table and rose to his feet. "Is the Xiao Family's honor something you can discard whenever you please?!"

The Xiao Family elders in the hall were also filled with righteous indignation, glaring furiously at Nalan Yanran.

This was simply going too far!

Just as the atmosphere in the hall became tense enough to draw swords, a calm voice came from the doorway.

"Let her break it off."

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw Xiao Yan, dressed in black, slowly walking in from outside.

In one month, although his cultivation had only recovered to Dou Disciple Stage Four, his entire bearing had undergone a complete transformation.

There was no longer any dejection in those black eyes, only steadiness and resolve.

"Yan'er!" Xiao Zhan was both anxious and angry.

Xiao Yan ignored his father. Step by step, he walked to the center of the hall and stopped before Nalan Yanran.

Looking at her pretty yet cold face, he felt no anger in his heart, only relief.

"Nalan Yanran, if you want to break off the engagement, you may."

"But I, Xiao Yan, have my dignity as well."

He took the marriage contract from his robes and wrote the character for "repudiate" upon it.

"Today, it is not you, Nalan Yanran, who breaks off the engagement with me. It is I, Xiao Yan, who repudiates you!"

He slammed the marriage contract bearing that word onto the table.

"You!"

Nalan Yanran's expression instantly turned ugly. She had not expected this former useless wretch to dare treat her this way.

Xiao Yan did not look at her. Instead, he raised his head and swept his gaze across everyone present. His voice was not loud, but every word rang with force.

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Never mock a young man's poverty!"

"I, Xiao Yan, will remember today's humiliation!"

"Three years from now, I will personally go to the Misty Cloud Sect and challenge you, Nalan Yanran!"

"Then, all grievances between us will be settled!"