Nalan Niece, Are You Sure You Want to Break Off This Engagement?

Nalan Yanran instinctively glanced at Xiao Yan, wanting to take another look at the young man.

However—

Xiao Yan was currently turned slightly toward Xiao Xun'er, speaking to her in a low voice. He wasn't looking at Nalan Yanran at all.

His expression and posture made it seem as though Nalan Yanran didn't exist.

Nalan Yanran's brows furrowed slightly.

For some reason, she felt a little uncomfortable.

She was his fiancée, at least in name. The engagement hadn't even been formally broken off, yet he was being so intimate with another girl right in front of her?

But Nalan Yanran quickly suppressed that feeling. She and Xiao Yan had no real connection, after all. Whoever he liked was none of her concern.

"Could the Xiao Family be treating Xiao Yan this way because of that old man's identity?"

Nalan Yanran studied the old man carefully. His bearing was indeed extraordinary; perhaps he really did have some kind of background.

But compared with the Misty Cloud Sect, it was surely far inferior.

In any case, nothing could change her resolve to come to the Xiao Family and break off this engagement!

She, Nalan Yanran, was the Misty Cloud Sect's favored daughter!

She was destined to inherit the Misty Cloud Sect!

How could she possibly marry a good-for-nothing?

With that thought,

Nalan Yanran gave the old man beside her, "Master Ge Ye," a slight nod.

Master Ge Ye understood and cleared his throat.

"Ahem."

He rose to his feet, cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan, and said with a smile:

"Clan Chief Xiao, I have come to your esteemed family today to ask a favor!"

The old man's voice was unhurried, and his manner was courteous.

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan promptly smiled. "You're too polite, Mr. Ge Ye. Please, speak freely."

He had already guessed most of the reason.

Nalan Yanran had brought people from the Misty Cloud Sect. Most likely, it was about the engagement.

But—

Xiao Zhan glanced at Xiao Yan, who was sitting beside Xiao Xun'er, and a smile crept onto his lips.

Before yesterday, he might have been worried.

But now?

His Yan'er was a Dou Wang at the age of fifteen!

And he had an Eighth-Tier alchemist by his side!

A mere Misty Cloud Sect...

If they had come to honor the engagement, that would naturally be good news.

But if they hadn't...

Heh.

Xiao Zhan felt entirely at ease, but kept his expression unreadable as he waited for Ge Ye to continue.

Ge Ye cleared his throat and went on:

"Clan Chief Xiao, I have come on behalf of the Misty Cloud Sect to discuss a marriage arrangement with your clan."

"My sect master's disciple, Nalan Yanran, and your clan's third young master, Xiao Yan, were betrothed to each other when they were children."

"Now that they are both older, under ordinary circumstances, the time would have come to honor the engagement."

At this point, Ge Ye paused, his gaze sweeping across the hall.

"However—"

A trace of awkwardness appeared on Ge Ye's face. But remembering how much the sect master doted on Nalan Yanran, he could only grit his teeth and smile. "Clan Chief Xiao, you should know that the Misty Cloud Sect has strict rules, and the sect master has high hopes for Yanran. At this point, she's practically being groomed to become the next sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect..."

"And because of certain special rules, the sect master's successor may not become involved with a man before taking up the position..."

"After asking Yanran about it, the sect master learned that she was betrothed to the Xiao Family. So... so the sect master would like to ask you, Clan Chief Xiao, to... dissolve this engagement."

"Crack!"

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

The hall fell quiet.

As soon as those words were spoken,

the atmosphere in the hall grew tense.

The three elders seated above the Xiao Family were also so startled by Ge Ye's words that they nearly spat out their tea.

What?

Had they heard that right?

So... Nalan Yanran... really had come to break off the engagement?

For a moment, the three Xiao Family elders' expressions shifted again and again as they stared at Nalan Yanran with strange looks.

A fifteen-year-old Dou Wang!

Nalan Yanran, you were turning down a treasure like that?

A hint of mockery flashed through their eyes.

Then again, she probably didn't know Xiao Yan's true cultivation and still thought he was that good-for-nothing with Three-Stage Dou Qi?

Meanwhile—

The other Xiao Family members in the main hall were also staring at Nalan Yanran in astonishment, their expressions utterly peculiar.

Good grief!

Nalan Yanran was going to break off her engagement to Xiao Yan?

After Medicine Elder appeared, they'd assumed she had come to honor the engagement and lend Xiao Yan her support!

Some had even guessed that Medicine Elder was a master from the Misty Cloud Sect who had been secretly guiding Xiao Yan for years.

And now...

This was... a visit to break off the engagement?

Nalan Yanran, did you really have the nerve to do that?

You were turning down a prodigy who was a Dou Wang at fifteen?

The Xiao Family members looked at one another, their faces filled with disbelief.

Those who had confidently guessed that Medicine Elder was a master from the Misty Cloud Sect were now all staring in stunned silence, their expressions a sight to behold.

"W-what's going on?"

"Didn't Nalan Yanran come to honor the engagement?"

"How did this turn into a breakup?"

"Isn't that old man from the Misty Cloud Sect?"

The crowd whispered among themselves, utterly confused.

But Xiao Mei and the other young women reacted very differently.

They froze at first, then a barely concealed look of delight flashed across their eyes.

Nalan Yanran was breaking off the engagement?

That favored daughter of the Misty Cloud Sect was actually choosing to end her marriage arrangement with Xiao Yan?

Wouldn't that mean...

Xiao Yan was single now?

Xiao Mei's heart leaped, and her eyes involuntarily settled on Xiao Yan.

The young man was sitting beside Xiao Xun'er, his expression calm, as though Ge Ye's words had nothing to do with him.

His unruffled manner, paired with his handsome features, made him seem all the more extraordinary.

Xiao Mei's heart skipped a beat.

If that fool Nalan Yanran chose to break off the engagement, wouldn't the rest of them still have a chance?

After all—

Xiao Yan was now a Dou Wang at fifteen!

His future was boundless!

If she could marry him...

Xiao Mei's cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes filled with longing.

And she wasn't the only one thinking that way.

The young women of the Xiao Family all looked at Xiao Yan with suddenly blazing eyes.

They looked at him as if he were a rare treasure.

At the same time—

Their gazes all shifted to Xiao Xun'er, and a fierce hostility flashed in their eyes.

The girl who was always by Xiao Yan's side was their greatest rival!

Xiao Xun'er seemed to sense their gazes, but only smiled faintly, unconcerned.

Her eyes remained fixed on Xiao Yan, filled with tenderness.

These people...

Did they really think they could compete with her?

Meanwhile—

Nalan Yanran noticed the crowd's stunned reactions and felt a little confused.

Why did these people look so surprised?

Didn't they know she'd come to break off the engagement?

She didn't understand, but she didn't dwell on it.

After all, ending an engagement on one's own initiative was indeed asking a lot.

Feeling guilty, Nalan Yanran didn't dare look up. She lowered her head, fingers twisting together nervously.

Though proud, she wasn't heartless.

She knew just how humiliating it was for a man to have his engagement broken off.

Especially when...

The other party was a good-for-nothing with Three-Stage Dou Qi.

This engagement might have been his only chance to marry into a powerful family.

And she was about to snuff out that chance with her own hands.

A pang of guilt passed through Nalan Yanran's heart, but determination soon replaced it.

She, Nalan Yanran, was destined to inherit the Misty Cloud Sect!

How could she possibly marry a good-for-nothing?

Even if she felt guilty, she had to do this!

"Clan Chief Xiao..."

Ge Ye sighed helplessly as well. He knew these words were indeed rather callous.

But there was nothing he could do—

The sect master doted on Yanran. Since Yanran didn't want to marry, he naturally had to help her.

Ge Ye cleared his throat and continued:

"Clan Chief Xiao, I know this request is asking a great deal."

"But..."

He paused, his tone growing meaningful.

"I ask you to dissolve this engagement for the sake of the sect master!"

The moment those words fell, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.

A threat!

This was nothing less than a blatant threat!

For the sake of the sect master—

In other words, if the Xiao Family refused to cooperate, they would be making an enemy of the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master!

Xiao Zhan's face darkened instantly.

He glared at Ge Ye, fury surging in his eyes.

Just as he'd thought!

They had come to the Xiao Family today to break off the engagement!

Xiao Zhan sneered inwardly.

Anyone who didn't know the truth might indeed be cowed by the Misty Cloud Sect's power.

But they didn't know—

His Yan'er was now a Dou Wang at fifteen!

And an Eighth-Tier alchemist was by his side!

What was a mere Misty Cloud Sect worth?

However—

What made Xiao Zhan even angrier was the timing of their visit.

If they knew Xiao Yan's true strength and still wanted to break off the engagement, that would be one thing.

But they clearly didn't know!

In their eyes, Xiao Yan was still that good-for-nothing with Three-Stage Dou Qi!

If they chose to break off the engagement at this moment, while Yan'er was still a good-for-nothing in their eyes, wouldn't that be another crushing blow to him?

The Dou Qi within Xiao Zhan's body began to surge wildly.

He cultivated the Xiao Family's top technique—Mad Lion Furious Aura!

At that moment, fury surged within him. His rampaging Dou Qi took the shape of a phantom lion, as if it were about to burst out of his body!

"Niece Nalan—"

Xiao Zhan shot to his feet, his gaze as sharp as lightning as he fixed it on Nalan Yanran.

His voice was low and icy, laced with suppressed anger.

"Are you sure you want to break off this engagement?"