"No need!"
"Elder Ge Ye, you should take this pill back to the Misty Cloud Sect!"
"I, Xiao Yan, will never agree to breaking off this engagement!"
In the crowd, a young man suddenly rose to his feet and said coldly to Ge Ye and the others.
"Xiao Yan! What gives a junior like you the right to speak here?"
"Get back in your place!"
It was worth noting that
before Ge Ye and the others had even responded to Xiao Yan,
several elders of the Xiao Clan had already stepped forward to reprimand him.
"Heh..." Xiao Yan let out two cold laughs. His gaze icy, he looked at the Xiao Clan elders and said, "If I heard correctly, this matter concerns me, doesn't it?"
"If it's my business, why shouldn't I be allowed to speak?"
"But you elders are so quick to scold me. Is it really for the sake of the Xiao Clan, or for your own personal gain..."
"That's hard to say, isn't it..."
Xiao Yan's voice echoed through the hall,
making the elders' expressions change.
"Impudent!" An elder's face darkened. He was just about to rebuke Xiao Yan when the sound of a hand slamming on the table cut him off.
"Bang!"
"Enough!"
The one who spoke was none other than Xiao Yan's father, the current head of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhan.
His face was ashen. His gaze swept over everyone, and the aura of a Five-Star Great Dou Master instantly filled the hall, pressing down on their shoulders.
"Don't forget, I am the head of the Xiao Clan!" Xiao Zhan stared at the elders, his eyes flickering, his voice deep and forceful.
At his words, all the Xiao Clan elders fell silent and obediently returned to their seats.
"Hmph!" Xiao Zhan swept his gaze around the hall and snorted. Then he looked at Xiao Yan, his expression softening. "Yan'er, this is your marriage. If you have something to say, speak freely."
"As long as it's reasonable, your father will support you!"
Xiao Yan felt a warmth in his heart. He cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhan and said, "Thank you, Father!"
He turned around and looked at the stunning young woman standing beside Ge Ye. "You're Nalan Yanran, right?"
"You're the one who wants to break off the engagement?"
A trace of displeasure flickered in Nalan Yanran's eyes. She hadn't expected the young man before her to be so rude as to address her by name.
But since she had indeed been the one to seek an end to the engagement, she said nothing.
She simply looked at Xiao Yan calmly and said, "That's right. It was me!"
"You're Xiao Yan?"
"To be honest, our engagement was arranged by my grandfather alone. He never asked for my consent, so I don't recognize this engagement."
"If the Xiao Clan is willing to end the engagement with me, this Qi Gathering Pill can serve as compensation."
"If you think it isn't enough, we can discuss it further!"
"What do you think?"
After hearing the young woman's words, a trace of disdain flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes.
He let out a cold laugh. "I don't think much of it!"
"You came to the Xiao Clan with such a show of force, using the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation to pressure me into ending the engagement, and you actually think that one measly Qi Gathering Pill will settle things?"
"You're treating the Xiao Clan with far too little respect, aren't you?"
At Xiao Yan's response, Nalan Yanran's expression darkened. "Then what do you want?"
A cold smile curled Xiao Yan's lips. He spun around and strode to the desk, where he began writing furiously.
The ink dried. The brush stopped.
A contract had been written in a flash!
Holding the contract, Xiao Yan strode over to Nalan Yanran and slapped it down in front of her. "Nalan Yanran, remember this."
"Today, you didn't come to break off the engagement with me."
"Rather, I, Xiao Yan... am giving you a letter of repudiation!!!!"
"A... a letter of repudiation?" Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes widened. She could hardly believe it. "You... you dare to divorce me?"
"That's right!" Xiao Yan stared at her coldly. "I'm divorcing you!"
"Did you really think I, Xiao Yan, would care about having a genius like you for a wife?"
"Take this letter and get out of the Xiao Clan!"
His stance was firm and resolute.
But as soon as his words fell,
a cold voice suddenly rang out.
"Impudent!" The speaker was Elder Ge Ye, standing off to the side. His face was ashen, and his eyes grew increasingly savage. "How dare the Xiao Clan insult the holy maiden of the Misty Cloud Sect?"
Boom!
The Dou Qi of a Seven-Star Great Dou Master erupted.
It surged in like enormous waves, beating relentlessly against everyone.
The people in the hall could barely breathe.
"Elder Ge Ye, this is the Xiao Clan, not the Misty Cloud Sect!"
A deep, steady voice rang out. An immensely powerful force of Dou Qi erupted as well, and the pressure of a Five-Star Great Dou Master spread through the hall, clashing with Elder Ge Ye's.
The one who had stepped in was none other than
Xiao Zhan, seated in the clan head's chair!
"Hmph!" Elder Ge Ye's expression was icy. "Clan Head Xiao, today I represent the Misty Cloud Sect in coming to discuss the end of the engagement with the Xiao Clan."
"We have shown great sincerity."
"But it seems your esteemed clan doesn't appreciate it!"
His gaze flickered, and a hint of hostility showed on his face.
The pressure of a Seven-Star Great Dou Master swept through the hall, easily overpowering Xiao Zhan's Five-Star Great Dou Master aura.
"Damn it..."
Feeling his opponent's oppressive force bearing down on him, Xiao Zhan's expression darkened. He gave a low growl as pale green Dou Qi covered his body, forming the phantom head of a lion.
This was none other than the Xiao Clan's mid-level Black Tier technique—Furious Lion Rage!
"A mere Five-Star Great Dou Master..."
"You overestimate yourself!"
A trace of disdain appeared on Elder Ge Ye's face. Standing in front of the young woman, he slightly curled his eagle-claw-like hands. Green Dou Qi gathered in his claws, releasing streams of fine, sharp sword energy.
A low-level Black Tier Dou Technique—Green Wood Sword Art!
As the two men's auras erupted, everyone in the hall felt a tightness in their chests, as though an invisible pressure had settled over them, making them deeply uncomfortable.
"Clan Head Xiao, you'd better think this through!"
"Does the Xiao Clan really intend to oppose the Misty Cloud Sect?"
At these words, Xiao Zhan stiffened, his expression turning unbearably grim.
He looked around.
He saw that not only were the people from the Misty Cloud Sect watching him with hostility,
but the many Xiao Clan elders and higher-ups beside him were also looking at him with deep dissatisfaction. Their gazes seemed to say, "You, Xiao Zhan, should be considering the interests of the entire Xiao Clan, not those of just one person!"
The pressure weighed on Xiao Zhan, leaving a trace of despondency on his face.
Just as Xiao Zhan slowly began to withdraw his Dou Qi, preparing to accept the reality before him,
a booming laugh suddenly rang out.
"Well said!"
"That's exactly what a son of the Xiao Clan should say!"
"What Misty Cloud Sect? What Nalan Family?"
"You think you can come to the Xiao Clan and run wild?"
As his voice fell,
a figure suddenly appeared before everyone.
He had refined features, sharp brows and bright eyes. Two locks of hair fluttered beside his face, and his tall, straight figure stood proudly before them all.
With his hands behind his back, he looked around the hall, radiating an aloof and noble air.
His appearance left everyone in the hall utterly perplexed.
The younger generation, in particular, was filled with confusion.
"Who is this man, exactly?"
Before you continue