Don't You Dare Look Down on the Young!

"Hehe, Mr. Ge Ye, please, go ahead. If it's within our power, the Xiao Clan won't refuse." Xiao Zhan forced a smile.

"Cough..."

At the thought of what he was about to say, Ge Ye's face turned awkward. But remembering how dearly the Sect Master cherished Nalan Yanran, he gritted his teeth and smiled.

"Clan Leader Xiao, you know the Misty Cloud Sect has strict rules, and the Sect Master has high hopes for Yanran. At this point, she's practically being groomed as the Misty Cloud Sect's next Sect Master... And due to certain special rules, the Sect Master's successor can't become involved with a man before formally taking the position..."

"After asking Yanran, the Sect Master learned that she has a betrothal to the Xiao Clan, so... so the Sect Master would like to ask Clan Leader Xiao to... dissolve the engagement."

"Crack!"

The jade cup in Xiao Zhan's hand shattered into a cloud of powder.

Before those words were spoken, the situation had been one thing. Afterward, it was something else entirely.

Before this, perhaps the Xiao Clan had simply been jumping to conclusions. Perhaps Nalan Yanran hadn't come to break off the engagement, or would at least have had the decency not to demand it in front of a crowd.

But now that she'd said it aloud, there was no taking it back!

"Good, good, good!" Xiao Zhan laughed in fury, repeating the word three times. "Nephew Yanran, Elder Nalan is truly fortunate to have a daughter like you!"

As his words fell, pale green Dou Qi abruptly rose from Xiao Zhan's body, gradually enveloping him. At last, it gathered around his face, forming the faint outline of a phantom lion's head.

A high-tier Profound Class technique, Kuangshi Nugang!

"Uncle Xiao!" Seeing the situation turn bad, Nalan Yanran hurriedly stood up.

"Don't call me Uncle. I'm not worthy of that title!" Xiao Zhan's voice was cold, every word carrying a bone-chilling edge.

Ge Ye's expression shifted. His Dou Qi stirred quietly within him as he stepped forward and shielded Nalan Yanran, speaking in a low voice.

"Clan Leader Xiao, perhaps this matter was somewhat abrupt, but please—"

"Abrupt?" Xiao Zhan laughed in fury.

"You humiliate my son and trample on the Xiao Clan's dignity in front of everyone here, and you think one word—'abrupt'—will make it all go away? The Misty Cloud Sect... certainly knows how to throw its weight around!"

Overwhelmed by Xiao Zhan's imposing presence, Nalan Yanran paled slightly. Yet at no point did she think she'd done anything wrong.

"Uncle Xiao... Clan Leader Xiao, you can't force a melon to be sweet! Yanran truly didn't think this through, and she's willing to apologize. I have a Juqi Powder here, so please accept it as..."

"Heh..."

At the peak of the tension, where humiliation and anger were tangled together, a voice heavy with restrained fury and icy mockery rang out from the hall, cutting Nalan Yanran off.

Everyone turned toward the sound. Xiao Yan, who had been sitting silently in the guest of honor's seat, slowly rose to his feet.

His handsome, youthful face was now full of contempt and cold fury. His gaze cut straight toward Nalan Yanran like a blade.

"Miss Nalan... I'd like to ask you something. Did Elder Nalan agree to what's happening today?"

Nalan Yanran's brows drew together. "My grandfather didn't agree, but this is my business. It has nothing to do with him."

"How touching—'nothing to do with him'!" The contempt at the corner of Xiao Yan's mouth deepened.

"Since Elder Nalan hasn't spoken, then forgive my arrogance, but you, Nalan Yanran, have no right to throw your weight around in the Xiao Clan!"

"Our grandfathers personally arranged this engagement. Neither of them has spoken to dissolve it, so it still stands!"

He strode forward, ignoring Ge Ye's wary gaze, and stopped before Nalan Yanran. His voice was cold.

"You, Nalan Yanran, are the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master and its future leader. Your status is exalted, so naturally you look down on a good-for-nothing like me, a member of the Xiao Clan. Fine! I, Xiao Yan, am no shameless clinger!"

Xiao Yan turned away without looking at her, strode to the table, and began writing furiously!

His brush flew across the paper, leaving trails of ink!

Then he abruptly drew a dagger and slashed his left palm!

He pressed his bloodied hand hard onto the sheet of white paper, leaving a glaring bloody handprint!

Xiao Yan snatched up the blood letter, swung his arm, and sent it flying straight toward Nalan Yanran.

The girl caught it instinctively. It felt warm and sticky to the touch. The stench of blood and the huge character "Repudiated" on the page nearly made her black out.

Xiao Yan's voice was terrifyingly calm, like the stillness before a volcano erupted.

"Nalan Yanran, remember this. You didn't come to the Xiao Clan to break off our engagement..."

He lifted his chin slightly and poured every ounce of strength into his roar at the young woman everyone called a heaven-blessed prodigy.

"I, Xiao Yan, am the one who doesn't want you!"

"Miss Nalan, out of respect for Elder Nalan, I'll offer you one last piece of advice: Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don't you dare look down on the young!"

His voice shook the rafters like a clap of thunder, exploding in everyone's heart!

Hearing a line that iconic, Ning Chen could barely stop himself from applauding.

Nalan Yanran trembled with rage after the successive blows, her face deathly pale. She clutched the repudiation letter as if it were a red-hot brand.

"You... You dare repudiate me?!" Her voice was shrill with disbelief.

"Fine! Xiao Yan, you've got guts!" Nalan Yanran's chest heaved. She abruptly put away the repudiation letter, fury rising in her eyes.

"Since that's how it is, I, Nalan Yanran, swear this here and now! Fifteen years! I'll give you fifteen years! In fifteen years, at the summit of Misty Cloud Mountain, you and I will fight! If you win, I, Nalan Yanran, will serve you as a slave or maid—whatever you wish! But if you lose..."

"Why wait fifteen years?" Xiao Yan cut her off, his words firm and decisive.

"Three years! Just three! I'll go to the Misty Cloud Sect myself!"

"Fine! I'll be waiting!"

Nalan Yanran gave Xiao Yan a long look. The humiliation she'd suffered today was etched into her bones.

She didn't linger. Turning around, she prepared to leave with the Misty Cloud Sect's people.

"Miss Nalan..."

Just as she turned, a girl's cool, emotionless voice rang out.

At some point, Xiao Xun'er had quietly taken her place in the hall. She regarded Nalan Yanran calmly, yet her gaze made even Ge Ye's heart seize, as if he were looking at something utterly terrifying.

"Miss Nalan, I hope you won't regret your shortsightedness today."

Xiao Xun'er spoke softly, but no one could ignore her.

"The Misty Cloud Sect is indeed powerful. But on the Dou Qi Continent, there are forces that neither you nor your entire Misty Cloud Sect can afford to provoke."

The blatant threat made Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye's expressions shift again!

"Hehe..."

Just as the atmosphere grew taut once more, a light laugh rang out, lazy and amused.

Everyone's gaze immediately settled on the blue-robed young man beside Xiao Xun'er, who had watched the whole scene from the sidelines.

Ning Chen slowly set down his teacup. His gaze swept over Nalan Yanran's grim face, and his tone remained utterly calm.

"Miss Xun'er is right. The Dou Qi Continent is vast. Even Yun Potian, the Misty Cloud Sect's founder, only managed to make a name for himself in the Central Plains."

"As for you, Miss Nalan, you have decent talent. In the Jia Ma Empire, you can certainly be called a genius."

He paused slightly, a faintly amused smile curling his lips.

"But that's all."

"When you reach the Central Plains, you'll understand. Setting aside the great powers known as One Hall One Tower Two Sects Three Valleys, even the Four Square Pavilions have geniuses you can only look up to."

Ning Chen raised his eyes and gave her a casual glance before adding the rest in a mild voice.

"And people like you are more common than turtles in the Yongning River."

"..."

The entire hall fell into deathly silence.

Nalan Yanran's body shuddered violently. Her face flushed red, then turned green!

The Central Plains! He dared to use the Central Plains to put her in her place! And he'd compared her to... a turtle?!

But when she met Ning Chen's calm, unruffled gaze, as if he were merely stating a fact, a chill from the depths of her soul left her unable to retort—or even utter a threat!

Ge Ye was drenched in cold sweat. The Central Plains! This man spoke of the Central Plains as if it were nothing. And what were One Hall One Tower Two Sects Three Valleys and the Four Square Pavilions?!

Who on earth was he?!

"Let's go!"

Through clenched teeth, Nalan Yanran forced the three words from her throat. She could no longer endure the suffocating pressure and humiliation. With the Misty Cloud Sect's people in tow, she hurried away, almost as if fleeing.

For now, the upheaval had come to an end.