A Maiden Shall Not Be Bullied for Being Poor, Taking Yao Lao as Master, Ready for Takeoff

When Xiao Yan arrived at the Xiao Clan's main hall, Misty Cloud Sect elder Ge Ye had already arrived with Nalan Yanran.

Because of the butterfly effect from the original story, his relationships were not quite so poor. When he reached the hall, there was still a chair for him.

Coincidentally, though, it was still beside the girl in purple.

Under everyone's gaze, Xiao Yan calmly walked over and sat down with a smile. "Xun Er."

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Xun'er's usually cool face. "Brother Xiao Yan, you're here."

"Mm, after all, I'm the protagonist." Xiao Yan's gaze swept over Nalan Yanran.

Xiao Xun'er nodded, then said, "Brother Xiao Yan, you should prepare yourself. They haven't come with good intentions."

"Don't worry." Xiao Yan gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's just breaking off an engagement. It's no big deal."

Xiao Xun'er was slightly surprised. "How did Brother Xiao Yan know?"

Xiao Yan said, "I'm a useless good-for-nothing whose talent has vanished and whose cultivation has stagnated at the eighth stage of Dou Qi. Meanwhile, she's the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect, with a bright future ahead of her. Now that she's suddenly come to our door, I can't think of any reason besides dissolving the engagement."

Xiao Xun'er nodded, accepting his guess, though she was somewhat angry. "This Nalan Yanran is so shortsighted. She'll definitely regret this someday!"

While Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er spoke quietly, in the center of the hall, Nalan Yanran saw Ge Ye and Xiao Zhan beating around the bush for ages without getting to the point, so she simply stepped forward herself.

"Uncle Xiao, your niece has come to the Xiao Clan today because there is something I must do." Nalan Yanran wore a solemn expression.

Xiao Zhan's heart skipped a beat, and he had a bad feeling.

"What is it, Nalan?" Xiao Zhan asked.

Nalan Yanran glanced at Xiao Yan, whose expression remained indifferent, then turned back and said coldly, "Uncle Xiao, I am now the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect."

"You surely know that major sects usually have certain rules."

"According to my master herself, the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect may not become involved with a man, so..."

Nalan Yanran paused briefly. The next moment, she was about to utter those two words.

Everyone in the hall could already guess the two words Nalan Yanran was about to say.

Xiao Zhan's face turned livid in an instant.

Breaking off the engagement was an insult to Xiao Yan, to him, and to the entire Xiao Clan—one that would leave them unable to hold their heads high.

"Enough!"

Just before Nalan Yanran could say the words "break off the engagement," Xiao Yan rose from his chair. His expression remained calm as he said, "You don't need to say those two words."

"I already understand your intentions."

"You look down on this engagement, and I have never cared for it either."

"Since you wish to cancel it now, I naturally won't stop you."

"But you should never have used such a humiliating method!" Xiao Yan frowned as he spoke.

"Fight me once. If you win, then you will be the one who breaks off this engagement. If I win, then you will..."

He tore off a strip of his robe, bit his fingertip, and wrote a large character for "divorce" upon it in blood.

"Accept my divorce letter!"

The fluttering piece of cloth landed on Nalan Yanran's face. She clenched her silver teeth and cried out, "Divorce... divorce me?"

"Xiao Yan, do you think you're still the Xiao Clan genius I once had to look up to?!"

"Since you're so confident, take a sword strike from me!"

Nalan Yanran gripped her sword and thrust it at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's physical body was comparable to a second-tier magical beast, and his strength rivaled that of a Dou Master. Nalan Yanran was merely a three-star Dou Zhe. How could she possibly be his match?

He merely extended two fingers and, with perfect precision, caught the sword thrusting straight at him.

Then...

Clang!

The longsword snapped at once. Before most people in the hall could react, Xiao Yan flicked the broken blade caught between his fingers back at her like a throwing dart.

The broken sword shot through the air at terrifying speed.

Nalan Yanran's pupils shrank to pinpoints as she stumbled backward in panic.

Whoosh!

The broken blade grazed her cheek, slicing off several strands of hair.

Nalan Yanran collapsed to the floor as waves of chill belatedly crawled up her spine.

Xiao Yan withdrew his hand and swept his gaze around the hall. "You had to look up to me before. You still have to look up to me now, and you will have to look up to me in the future as well."

"Work hard. Don't let it end with you unable even to see my back."

Nalan Yanran trembled all over, her hair disheveled as she glared fiercely at Xiao Yan. "Xiao Yan, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully a maiden for being poor!"

"You are nothing but trash whose cultivation has stalled at the eighth stage of Dou Qi, while I will continue to grow stronger."

"Three years from now, I will return to the Xiao Clan to challenge you! I will wash away today's humiliation!"

With that, Nalan Yanran rose to her feet and fled as though escaping for her life.

Xiao Yan's mouth fell slightly open, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

Wait, wasn't something seriously wrong here?

Why was Nalan Yanran challenging him and stealing his famous line?

He hadn't received any copyright fees.

This Nalan Yanran truly had no respect for copyright.

At that moment, Ge Ye finally recovered from his shock at witnessing Xiao Yan's strength. He hurriedly pulled another Misty Cloud Sect disciple along and followed her out.

Today, the engagement had indeed been dissolved, but they had lost all their face. It truly wasn't worth it.

After the three from the Misty Cloud Sect left, Xiao Yan alone remained standing in the center of the hall.

Xiao Yan cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan in salute. "Father, the matter is settled. Your son will take his leave first."

"Good, good. Go attend to your own affairs." Xiao Zhan's eyes were brimming with delight. He had never expected Xiao Yan to so easily defeat three-star Dou Zhe Nalan Yanran with only eighth-stage Dou Qi cultivation. Worthy indeed of being his son!

After leaving the Xiao Clan's main hall, Xiao Yan went alone to the back mountain and gazed absently at the distant Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Isn't Yao Lao coming out yet? Xiao Yan wondered inwardly.

As he pondered, his third-grade soul power suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation of soul energy.

Xiao Yan was overjoyed and immediately realized that this was a good opportunity. His expression instantly turned stern as he shouted at the Ancient Ring on his hand, "Who is it? Come out!"

No one responded.

Xiao Yan did not avert his gaze and continued staring at it.

A few seconds later, an aged, illusory soul form floated out from within. With a helpless smile, it said, "Little one, your soul power is truly exceptional. I showed only the slightest flaw, yet you discovered me."

Xiao Yan maintained his wary expression and asked, "Why are you inside my mother's keepsake? Was my cultivation disappearing related to you?"

Yao Lao awkwardly stroked his beard and chuckled. "Little one, well... due to certain circumstances, this old man fell asleep inside your ring, so I absorbed some of your Dou Qi."

"But don't worry. Since I have absorbed your Dou Qi for so many years, I will naturally compensate you."

"Hehe, this old man was the continent's greatest Alchemist in life." Yao Lao proudly raised his head.

Xiao Yan found this amusing, but he put on a shocked expression. "No wonder you can exist as a soul body. Senior is truly remarkable."

Yao Lao became even more pleased with himself and said, "Of course. Little one, this old man has observed you for quite some time."

"This place of yours lacks resources, and your cultivation methods and Dou Skills are even lower-grade."

"Take this old man as your master, and I can give you high-grade cultivation methods and Dou Skills. Besides, when you broke through to the Dou Zhe realm before, you revealed Dou Qi with wood within its fire attribute. You have every chance of becoming an Alchemist, and this old man can teach you."

Xiao Yan knew just how responsible this unserious old man before him was, and what a capable teacher he could be. He immediately went along with it, feigning excitement as he said, "Teacher, please accept my bow!"

At the same time, he thought to himself, Ready for takeoff!