Three-Year Agreement

Nalan Yanran stared at Xiao Yu in shock and cried out, "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. What was more, the young man beside her was one himself. Yet a fourteen-year-old Four-star Dou Zhe like Xiao Yu made even her, the Misty Cloud Sect's number-one prodigy, pale in comparison!

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 dignity. His expression darkened as Dou Qi surged through his body, fully displaying the strength of a Four-star Dou Zhe. He suddenly drew his longsword and, without pausing, leaped straight at Xiao Yu!

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

Xiao Yu might have been able to evade the young man, but he could not evade Ge Ye, a Seven-Star Dou Grandmaster. 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, slammed viciously into his back.

Xia Jie was instantly 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 sounds of tables and chairs shattering rang out. Xia Jie crashed to the ground, covered in blood, and immediately passed out!

The Xiao Family's young men and women, who had already fled to the side, trembled as they looked at Xiao Yu standing in the center of the hall, inwardly rejoicing that they had not provoked him!

"You insolent brat!" Seeing his disciple Xia Jie beaten into such a miserable state by Xiao Yu, Ge Ye immediately roared in fury.

Xiao Yu's expression did not change. With a cheerful smile, he said, "What? He's allowed to ambush me, but I'm not allowed to fight back? Besides, I didn't do much to him. I only broke a few ribs and knocked him unconscious. The Misty Cloud Sect is so wealthy and powerful—just give him some medicine and let him rest for a few days. Won't that do?"

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

Yet he truly had no way to refute Xiao Yu. His disciple had launched the sneak attack first, and being beaten so badly 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—after all, she was a Three-star Dou Zhe, a full star behind him! But his disciple was a genuine Four-star Dou Zhe, yet he had still been beaten into this state by Xiao Yu. It was utterly humiliating!

Ge Ye glanced at the somewhat dazed Nalan Yanran beside him, then at Xia Jie lying unconscious on the floor. Helplessly, he said to Xiao Zhan, "Clan Head Xiao, since the Xiao Family has no intention of forming a marriage alliance with the Misty Cloud Sect, then the engagement between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran shall be annulled from this day forth."

As he spoke, Ge Ye took a jade box with a green sheen from his Storage Ring. The moment he opened it, a strange fragrance filled the entire hall. When the three Elders saw the dragon-eye-sized, emerald-green pill inside, they cried out in shock, "A Qi Gathering Pill?"

Ge Ye smiled smugly. "That's right. Moreover, this Qi Gathering Pill was personally refined by our sect's Honorary Elder, Lord Gu He. I'm sure you have all heard of his illustrious name?"

Everyone present who had heard of Gu He was deeply moved. Pill King Gu He was the most influential alchemist in the Gamma Empire, and his own strength had long since entered the ranks of Dou Wang. He was one of the Gamma Empire's Ten Great Experts!

A Qi Gathering Pill personally refined by such a great figure was naturally extraordinarily valuable. The three Elders stared at it with burning eyes. They all wanted to obtain this precious Qi Gathering Pill, because if the family possessed it, they could produce another young Dou Zhe!

Ge Ye continued, "The Sect Leader said that this Qi Gathering Pill is our compensation to the Xiao Family. If the Xiao Family is dissatisfied, the Misty Cloud Sect can provide three more Qi Gathering Pills!"

At that moment, Xiao Yu gave a derisive laugh. "You think one Qi Gathering Pill is enough to dismiss us? Do you think I would care about something like this?"

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

"Don't go too far! The Qi Gathering Pill is the Misty Cloud Sect's sincerity. Don't insult the Misty Cloud Sect!" Nalan Yanran snapped, her willow brows raised.

"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 fairly. I want to prove to everyone that I am the true genius!" Nalan Yanran said, her little face stubborn as she stared at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You'll challenge me in three years?"

"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 and see whether you can defeat me in three years!" Xiao Yu shrugged indifferently.

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

Nalan Yanran was furious. Having been pampered all these years, when had she ever been humiliated like this? Her anger immediately clouded her mind.

She glared at the two young men before her, her slightly childish voice sharp as she gritted her teeth. "Fine. I will wait for you to come to the Misty Cloud Sect in three years. Then, I will prove to everyone that I, Nalan Yanran, did nothing 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 sighed, scooped up Xia Jie, and hurried after her.

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

Xiao Zhan's expression was not much better either. After all, someone had come to his door to annul an engagement. Fortunately, his son Xiao Yu had helped the Xiao Family recover some dignity, preventing the family from losing face in Wutan City and preserving Xiao Zhan's authority among the Xiao Family's branches!

What had happened today would surely stir up a huge uproar in Wutan City. News that the Xiao Family had produced another peerless genius would certainly spread throughout the entire city!

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

Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan's departing back with some relief. It was not frightening for a person to achieve nothing; what was frightening was losing the will to fight. Now, Nalan Yanran had made Yan'er regain that fighting spirit!

Xiao Yu also smiled as he cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan. "Father, Yu'er will be leaving too!"

Seeing Xiao Yu's mischievous expression, Xiao Zhan immediately laughed and scolded, "Get lost, get lost!"

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

As he walked along the family path with Xun'er, she tilted her head and smiled faintly. "Brother Xiao Yu was quite impressive just now!"

"You're making fun of me too?" Xiao Yu rubbed his nose.

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

"Alright, alright, enough about that. Let's go to Wutan City and get something delicious to eat. Want to come?" Xiao Yu asked.

"If Brother Xiao Yu is treating, how could Xun'er refuse?" 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 on the Back Mountain now, meeting Yao Lao for the first time, right?