Three Year Pact

Nalan Yanran stared at Xiao Yu in shock and cried out, "That's impossible! How could he be a Four-star Dou Zhe?!"

Although Nalan Yanran was only a Three-star Dou Zhe, having grown up in the Misty Cloud Sect, she had naturally seen Four-star Dou Zhes before. Moreover, the young man beside her was one himself. Yet a fourteen-year-old Four-star Dou Zhe like Xiao Yu left even her, the Misty Cloud Sect's foremost genius, utterly overshadowed!

For a moment, Nalan Yanran's face turned somewhat pale.

The young man standing beside Nalan Yanran seemed to want to help her recover some face. His expression darkened as Dou Qi surged through his body, fully revealing the strength of a Four-star Dou Zhe. He abruptly drew his longsword and, without pausing, sprang toward Xiao Yu!

"Can't win, so you're coming at me one at a time?" Xiao Yu chuckled softly. His figure suddenly vanished from where he stood, causing the young man to lose his target and halt in place.

Xiao Yu could evade the young man, but not Ge Ye, a Seven-star Great Dou Shi. Ge Ye shouted at the youth, "Xia Jie, watch your back!"

But it was already too late. By the time Xia Jie reacted, Xiao Yu's fist, infused with Dou Qi, had smashed fiercely into his back.

Xia Jie was immediately sent flying, accompanied by several bone-cracking sounds that made one's teeth ache.

Pfft!

Xia Jie spat out a mouthful of blood in midair.

Bang!

The sound of tables and chairs shattering rang out. Xia Jie, covered in blood, lay sprawled on the floor and promptly passed out!

The Xiao Clan youths who had already retreated to the side trembled as they looked at Xiao Yu standing in the middle of the hall, silently thanking their luck that they had not provoked him!

"How dare you, brat!" Ge Ye roared when he saw his disciple Xia Jie beaten into such a miserable state by Xiao Yu.

Yet Xiao Yu's expression remained unchanged as he smiled. "What? He's allowed to sneak attack me, but I'm not allowed to fight back? Besides, I didn't do much to him. I just broke a few ribs and knocked him out. The Misty Cloud Sect is such a great and wealthy sect—just give him some medicine and let him rest for a few days."

Seeing Xiao Yu's innocent-looking expression, Ge Ye nearly coughed up blood from anger. What did he mean, just a few broken ribs? What did he mean, the Misty Cloud Sect was rich and powerful? The Misty Cloud Sect did not belong to him, Ge Ye—did medicine for injuries not cost money?

Yet he truly had no way to refute Xiao Yu's words. His disciple had attacked first, and being beaten into this state only showed that his skills were lacking. But what shocked Ge Ye most was that it was one thing for Nalan Yanran to lose to Xiao Yu, since she was a Three-star Dou Zhe and a star below him. But his disciple was a genuine Four-star Dou Zhe, yet he had still been beaten so badly by Xiao Yu. It was simply too humiliating!

Ge Ye glanced at the somewhat dazed Nalan Yanran beside him, then at Xia Jie lying unconscious on the floor, and said helplessly to Xiao Zhan, "Clan Head Xiao, since the Xiao Clan has no intention of forming a marriage alliance with the Misty Cloud Sect, then the engagement between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran shall end here."

As he spoke, Ge Ye took a jade box that glowed green all over from his Storage Ring. The moment he opened it, a strange fragrance spread throughout the hall. Seeing the dragon-eye-sized, emerald-green pill within the jade box, the three elders exclaimed, "Qi Gathering Powder?"

Ge Ye smiled proudly. "That's right. This Qi Gathering Powder was personally refined by Lord Gu He, an honorary elder of our sect. I presume you have all heard of his illustrious name?"

Everyone present who had heard of Gu He was visibly moved. Pill King Gu He was the most influential alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, and his own strength had long since entered the ranks of Dou Wang. He was one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts!

A Qi Gathering Powder personally refined by such a great figure was naturally extraordinarily valuable. The three elders gazed at it with blazing desire. They all wanted to obtain this precious Qi Gathering Powder, because if the clan had it, they could produce another young Dou Zhe!

Ge Ye continued, "The Sect Master said that this Qi Gathering Powder is our compensation to the Xiao Clan. If the Xiao Clan is not satisfied, the Misty Cloud Sect can provide three more Qi Gathering Powders!"

Just then, Xiao Yu gave a derisive snort. "You think one Qi Gathering Powder is enough to dismiss us? Do you really think I care about this Qi Gathering Powder?"

Ge Ye's previously smug expression became awkward. Indeed, before a young genius like Xiao Yu, a Qi Gathering Powder was truly not worth mentioning, since he had no use for it at all!

"Don't go too far! The Qi Gathering Powder is the Misty Cloud Sect's sincerity. Don't insult the Misty Cloud Sect!" Nalan Yanran snapped, her delicate brows shooting up.

"Three years. Three years from now, I will challenge you at the Misty Cloud Sect. By then, both of us will have undergone our coming-of-age ceremonies. I, Nalan Yanran, will defeat you openly and honorably. I will prove to everyone that I am the true genius!" Nalan Yanran said, her small face stubborn as she looked at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu raised a brow. "Oh? You're challenging me three years from now?"

"That's right. Do you dare accept?" Nalan Yanran asked provocatively.

"Don't try to provoke me. But I accept your challenge. I'll wait for you to defeat me three years from now!" Xiao Yu shrugged indifferently.

Nalan Yanran was instantly furious at Xiao Yu's casual attitude. At that moment, Xiao Yan also spoke solemnly, word by word. "Three years from now, I, Xiao Yan, will definitely go to the Misty Cloud Sect to challenge you. Together with Brother Yu, I will return every bit of the humiliation you brought upon the Xiao Clan today!"

Nalan Yanran was beside herself with rage. Having been pampered all these years, when had she ever suffered such humiliation? Her anger immediately clouded her mind.

She glared at the two youths before her through gritted teeth. Her slightly childish voice was sharp as she said, "Fine! I'll wait for you to come to the Misty Cloud Sect in three years. Then, I will prove to the world that I, Nalan Yanran, was not wrong. You are the one unworthy of being my fiancé!"

After saying that, Nalan Yanran bowed to the expressionless Xiao Zhan, then walked out of the hall. Ge Ye also sighed, scooped up Xia Jie, and hurried after her.

"Take the Qi Gathering Powder with you too!" Xiao Zhan coldly flung it away. Ge Ye reached back with one hand and caught the Qi Gathering Powder steadily, then put it away in his Storage Ring with a bitter smile.

Xiao Zhan's expression was not very pleasant either. After all, someone had come right to his doorstep to break off an engagement. Fortunately, his son Xiao Yu had helped the Xiao Clan regain some face, preventing the clan from being disgraced in Wu Tan City and preserving Xiao Zhan's authority among the Xiao Clan's branch families!

What had happened today would surely cause a huge uproar in Wu Tan City. News that the Xiao Clan had produced another peerless genius would certainly spread throughout the entire city!

"Father, three years from now, Yan will naturally go to the Misty Cloud Sect and prove himself!" Xiao Yan kowtowed heavily to Xiao Zhan, then rose straight to his feet and walked out of the hall without hesitation.

Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan's departing figure with some relief. It was not frightening for someone to have achieved nothing; what was frightening was losing the will to fight. And now, Nalan Yanran had helped Yan regain that fighting spirit!

Xiao Yu also smiled as he cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan. "Father, Yu will be leaving first as well!"

Seeing Xiao Yu's mischievous expression, Xiao Zhan immediately laughed and scolded, "Get out of here, both of you!"

Xiao Yu grinned and shrank his head. "You got it!" Then he turned, grabbed Xun Er's hand, and ran out of the hall.

As they walked along a small path within the clan, Xun Er tilted her head and smiled lightly. "Brother Xiao Yu was quite impressive just now."

"You're making fun of me too?" Xiao Yu said, touching his nose.

"Not at all. Xun Er truly thinks Brother Xiao Yu was very impressive!" Xun Er pursed her little lips and chuckled.

"Alright, alright, enough of that. Let's go eat something delicious in Wu Tan City. Want to come?" Xiao Yu asked.

"If Brother Xiao Yu is treating, how could Xun Er not go?" Xun Er said playfully, then hesitated slightly. "But what about Third Brother?"

Xiao Yu smiled softly. "Don't worry. He'll figure it out!"

Xiao Yu thought to himself, Xiao Yan should be in the back mountain now, meeting Yao Lao for the first time, right?