"As sons of the Xiao Clan, how can we be so cowardly in the face of a broken engagement?"
"If this matter gets out, wouldn't it bring shame upon the Xiao Clan?"
"Absolutely not!"
Xiao Ze's deep voice rang out.
Xiao Yan glanced at his father. Seeing the helpless expression on his face, he asked cautiously, "Then... Ancestor, how do you think we should settle this?"
Xiao Ze cleared his throat. "How about this? You and this young lady from the Nalan Family will make a Three-Year Agreement!"
"Three years from now, you'll represent the Xiao Clan and challenge her at the Misty Cloud Sect!"
"If you win, the matter will be settled!"
Xiao Ze's words plunged the whole hall into silence.
Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Clan's patriarch, was especially alarmed. He immediately spoke up. "Ancestor, this won't do. Yan'er, he..."
"Hm?" Before he could finish, Xiao Ze turned and said coldly, "What does this have to do with you? Sit quietly to the side!"
Whoosh—
A thread of pressure swept out in an instant.
It pressed down on Xiao Zhan, forcing him back into his chair.
Then Xiao Ze looked at Xiao Yan again, waiting for his answer.
"Uh..." Xiao Yan couldn't help but jump at those words.
He looked at Xiao Ze, raised a finger, pointed to himself, then pointed at Nalan Yanran on the other side, as if to say, "Ancestor, are you serious? You want me to fight Nalan Yanran?"
He, Xiao Yan, was the Xiao Clan's famous good-for-nothing. He was only at the Third Stage of Dou Qi.
His opponent, Nalan Yanran, was a famous genius of the Nalan Family. She had even become a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect Master, and at such a young age had already reached the terrifying level of a Three-Star Dou Zhe!
He was supposed to challenge her three years from now?
Forget three years—even if he had ten, he still might not be her match!
"An-Ancestor, how about we just forget it?"
"There's no need. Really, there's no need..."
Xiao Yan forced an awkward smile, hoping to talk Xiao Ze out of the idea.
"What? Are you afraid?" Xiao Ze looked at him calmly.
"Uh... To be honest, Ancestor, I'm only at the Third Stage of Dou Qi. How could I possibly be her opponent three years from now?" Xiao Yan's face was filled with helplessness.
The Three-Year Agreement.
Did he think Xiao Yan didn't want revenge?
But her strength was plain to see, and he was a good-for-nothing. What right did he have to agree to this so-called Three-Year Agreement?
"Young man, don't be so pessimistic!" Xiao Ze patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "You're no match for her now, but who can say you won't be in three years?"
"Remember, this world changes every day!"
"Maybe tomorrow, you'll turn into a genius!"
Xiao Yan gave a dry laugh. He was about to say more.
But Xiao Ze waved him quiet.
"All right, no more arguing."
"It's settled!"
Then he turned to Nalan Yanran beside him. "Young lady from the Nalan Family, what do you think?"
What did she think?
What else could she think?
Of course she agreed with both hands and feet!
This Three-Year Agreement was exactly what she wanted.
She nodded at once. "Senior, this junior is willing to accept the Three-Year Agreement."
"But I have one condition."
Xiao Ze asked, "What condition?"
Nalan Yanran steadied herself and said, "If I win three years from now, I hope to formally end my engagement with the Xiao Clan."
"Of course, if I lose three years from now, I'll accept any punishment. You can cut me or carve me up, and I won't have a single complaint!"
As soon as she finished, Xiao Ze agreed.
He clapped his hands. "Good!"
"That settles it!"
With Xiao Ze's appearance, the famous scene of Xiao Yan's broken engagement came to an end.
The process had been a little bumpy.
Still, the Three-Year Agreement that would drive Xiao Yan's early struggle was now in place.
All he had to do next was quietly wait for the story to unfold.
"All right, this matter is settled!"
"You lot, get out of my Xiao Clan!"
Xiao Ze raised his hand and released the Dou Qi that had been pressing down on Elder Ge Ye.
The moment Ge Ye regained control of his body, he gasped for breath. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and even his moon-white robe was soaked through.
He struggled to his feet.
His eyes fixed on Xiao Ze in terror.
He didn't want to spend another moment in the Xiao Clan. If he could, he would have gone back in time and stopped his past self from coming here.
Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!
The Xiao Clan actually had a suspected Dou Huang expert watching over it?
Ge Ye had just escaped the gates of hell!
"Th-thank you, Senior!"
"We'll take our leave..."
Ge Ye cupped his hands toward Xiao Ze, then tried to leave without looking back, taking the man and woman beside him along.
But just as he stepped through the door,
Xiao Ze's voice rang out behind him again.
"Wait!"
Ge Ye turned around and asked in alarm, "What else do you want, Senior?"
Xiao Ze was playing with the emerald-green Qi Gathering Pill. Feeling the immense medicinal power it contained, he spoke coldly.
"Though the matter of the broken engagement is settled, the Misty Cloud Sect's insult to my Xiao Clan today is not!"
"Go back and tell that man in your Misty Cloud Sect who calls himself the Pill King to send my Xiao Clan twenty Qi Gathering Pills and one Fifth-grade Pill as compensation within a month!"
"If he doesn't..."
Xiao Ze paused, then gave a cold laugh. "Heh, heh..."
"Then I'll go there myself and take that dog's head!!!"
Boom!
A powerful surge of Dou Qi erupted.
Elder Ge Ye hurriedly nodded. "Yes, I understand, Senior. I'll deliver your message for sure!"
"Get out!"
"Yes, yes—"
The three from the Misty Cloud Sect had arrived with their noses in the air, but they left in a frantic, wretched rush.
Watching them go,
Xiao Ze couldn't help thinking of a famous line from the internet in his previous life.
They should have been calm, composed, and in control, but now they were rushing around, scrambling away on all fours—
After the three from the Misty Cloud Sect left,
the once-bustling hall gradually fell quiet.
Every member of the Xiao Clan now had their eyes on Xiao Ze.
Some were visibly excited, completely won over by his strength. They believed that with someone like him watching over the Xiao Clan, it would surely prosper again.
Others looked wary, privately doubting Xiao Ze's true identity and suspecting he had come to the Xiao Clan to overthrow it.
The rest were half-convinced. They hoped in their hearts that Xiao Ze really was their ancestor, but also feared he might be plotting against them. The two feelings tangled together, leaving them both fond of and suspicious of him.
Whatever the Xiao Clan members thought of him,
Xiao Ze had still gained a large number of Trust Points.
His performance just now had been well worth the effort.
"An-Ancestor..."
Xiao Zhan led a group of senior Xiao Clan members over to him and respectfully bowed.
"What? Do you still doubt my identity?" Xiao Ze asked calmly.
"Uh..." Xiao Zhan gave an awkward smile, at a loss for words.
The Great Elder beside him suddenly spoke up. "Ancestor, please don't be angry. We were only so wary for the sake of the Xiao Tribe's survival. We hope you can understand..."
Seeing this, Xiao Ze didn't press the matter.
He nodded and continued, "Then, can you acknowledge my identity now?"
At his words,
the senior members of the Xiao Tribe exchanged glances.
In the end, Xiao Zhan stepped forward and said, "Ancestor, if we're to prove your identity, I'm afraid there's one final test."
"Oh?" Xiao Ze raised an eyebrow. "What test?"
Xiao Zhan's expression was solemn. "A bloodline test!"
Before you continue