The Iconic Scene Begins

While the Mittel Family was holding its clan gathering, almost all the other families in the Jia Ma Empire were also holding their own clan gatherings around the same time.

Meanwhile, in Wutan City of the Jia Ma Empire, the Xiao Family, one of the Great Family of Wutan City, was also holding a family gathering.

The vast square was now crowded with people, and in the center of the square, a middle-aged man stood in front of a huge Stone Stele.

Everyone on the Dou Qi Continent recognizes this Stone Stele, for it is the Magic Stone Stele used to test a martial artist's cultivation level at the Dou Qi stage.

"Next, Xiao Yan!" the middle-aged man in the center of the square announced.

Long after the middle-aged man finished speaking, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen slowly walked out from the back of the crowd. As he walked, some of the onlookers stepped back, as if afraid to make contact with him, while others wore mocking and sarcastic expressions, as if they were about to see him make a fool of himself.

The boy, seemingly numb to the expressions on these people's faces, kept his head down and continued walking forward on his own.

"Hurry up! Stop dawdling, don't you know there are people waiting behind you?" The middle-aged man scolded the boy after he reached the center of the square.

Faced with the middle-aged man's reprimand, the boy did not refute, but simply walked to the magic Magic Stone Stele and reached out to touch it.

"Dou Force, Level Three!"

After the boy placed his hand on the Magic Stone Stele, these five large characters appeared on the Magic Stone Stele.

Looking at the large characters on the Magic Stone Stele, the boy's expression finally showed a hint of resentment, but after only a moment, he returned to his previous state, lowered his head, and went back the way he came.

"Xiao Yan, Dou Force, Level 3! Rank: Low!" At the same time, the middle-aged man next to the Magic Stone Stele loudly announced the information displayed on the Magic Stone Stele.

"Dou Qi Stage Three! Haha, that's hilarious! Our young master Xiao Yan has been stuck in the same place again this past year!"

"Young Master? If his father weren't the Clan Leader, such a good-for-nothing would have been expelled from the clan long ago and left to fend for himself. He wouldn't have this opportunity to bring shame to the clan."

"You have to admire those people who have good fathers. Even if they're useless, they can still live in the family. Unlike people like us."

"Shh! You can't say things like that."

"What's there to be afraid of? He still thinks he's that genius young master from before, but now he's just a good-for-nothing. Once next year is over, even if Xiao Yan's father is the Clan Leader, he'll still have to leave the clan."

Faced with the mockery of these people, the boy's hands clenched so tightly they turned white, but then he loosened his grip and walked away on his own.

"Next, Xiao Mei!" At this moment, the middle-aged man in the center of the square called out again.

Those below, upon hearing the person who had called out, were filled with obsequiousness.

Inside an inn in Wutan City, three people were sitting down. All three were dressed in moon-white robes, and those around them showed expressions of awe upon seeing them.

"Yan Ran, we just received information that Xiao Yan is still at the Dou Qi Stage Three." At this moment, the elder among the three spoke to a girl who was also about fifteen or sixteen years old.

"A mere waste at the Dou Qi Stage Three is not worthy of being engaged to Yan Ran." The last man among the three spoke up at this moment. This man was about twenty years old, and what was most noticeable was the five golden stars drawn on his chest.

In some powerful factions, they require their disciples to demonstrate their cultivation level, and these five gold stars represent the strength of Five Star Dou Practitioner.

In the Jia Ma Empire, having the strength of a five-star Dou Zhe at the age of twenty is considered a minor genius, hence his confident demeanor.

"Steward Ge, I, Nalan Yanran, will make my own decisions about my marriage. If I don't like someone, even if he has the cultivation of Dou Master, the engagement should still be annulled. So there's no need to inquire about the Xiao Family anymore. Let's just go and annul the engagement tomorrow!" The young woman expressed her opinion.

"Alright! Then let's annul the engagement tomorrow." The old man nodded and said.

"Yan Ran, after the engagement is annulled, we will have to return to the Misty Cloud Sect. Your cultivation will probably be even more arduous from now on!" After a while, the old man sighed and said.

"Steward Ge, what happened?" the girl asked.

"We just received news from the sect that Lin Ming, the genius who disappeared from the Mittel Family a few years ago, returned to the Mittel Family yesterday. None of the people from the sect who went to the Mittel Family were able to see through his cultivation level," Steward Ge said with a sigh.

"Could it be that Lin Ming has reached the Dou Wang level?" Nalan Yanran asked in surprise.

The Misty Cloud Sect sent someone to the Mittel Family to participate in the clan meeting, the highest of whom had the cultivation level of Dou Ling cultivator. Now, even they couldn't see through Lin Ming's disguise. Could it be that his cultivation level had surpassed theirs? That's why Nalan Yanran asked this question.

"It's impossible for him to be Dou Wang. The sect believes he must be wearing a treasure to conceal his cultivation level, which is why they couldn't determine Lin Ming's exact cultivation level. However, judging from Lin Ming's demeanor, his cultivation level is definitely not low. So much so that after these people who came to pay their respects returned to the sect, they suggested that you disciples increase your cultivation. Yan Ran, although you are the Sect Master's disciple, you can't escape this matter either. So be prepared to undergo even more arduous cultivation upon returning to the sect!" Steward Ge said.

After hearing Steward Ge's words, Nalan Yanran's expression softened slightly, but it was soon replaced by a resolute look.

The next morning, the three of Steward Ge headed towards the Xiao Family.

The main hall of the Xiao Family was filled with people after Steward Ge brought Nalan Yanran there.

A moment later, a young man entered, bowed to those seated in the hall, and after searching for a while, sat down next to a girl in a corner.

"Ge Ye, now that everyone has arrived, please speak freely. If it is within the Xiao Family's power, we will not delay." The person sitting in the center at the head of the table spoke after Xiao Yan took his seat.

"Hehe, Clan Leader Xiao, do you know her?" Ge Ye smiled and pointed to Nalan Yanran sitting next to him.

"Uh... forgive my poor eyesight, but who is this young lady?" Xiao Zhan paused for a moment, then shook his head and asked.

At this moment, Xiao Yan, sitting in the corner, seemed lost in thought, appearing somewhat absent-minded. It wasn't until he heard the young woman say, "Cancel this engagement," that Xiao Yan snapped out of his reverie.

"Miss Nalan, for the sake of Old Master Nalan, I, Xiao Yan, would like to offer you a few words of advice: fortunes change, and one should never underestimate a young man's potential!"

"Today, it is not you Nalan Yanran, who have come to annul the engagement, but I, Xiao Yan, who am disowning you Nalan Yanran, from the Xiao Family!"

"Father, three years from now, Yan Er will go to the Misty Cloud Sect to personally avenge you for today's humiliation."

Inside the hall, everyone was shocked by Xiao Yan's sudden outburst, and they only came to their senses after he left.