A New Three-Year Agreement

"If you can withstand one move from me, this engagement will be called off!"

The moment Xiao Yan said this, the entire hall erupted in uproar.

One had to know that the Xiao Clan had tested the strength of their younger generation just yesterday. At that time, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had shown no improvement whatsoever—he was still only at the third stage of Dou Qi.

Yet Nalan Yanran before them was already a three-star Dou Practitioner!

With such an enormous gap between them, only a madman would say something like that.

Even Nalan Yanran and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Before coming to the Xiao Clan, they had already looked into Xiao Yan's circumstances. They knew that his cultivation had regressed and remained stuck at the third stage of Dou Qi.

A smile appeared on Nalan Yanran's face. She even found Xiao Yan much more pleasing to the eye than before. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do!"

Xiao Yan nodded seriously. "However, if you cannot even withstand one move from me, then one day I will go to your Nalan Residence and publicly repudiate you!"

"You..."

Nalan Yanran flew into a rage upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, but when she tried to retort, she could not find any reason to do so.

After all, she had started this matter herself. Xiao Yan's intention to publicly repudiate her at the Nalan Family was merely learned from her coming to the Xiao Clan today to publicly break off the engagement.

Looking into Xiao Yan's calm eyes, Nalan Yanran knew that if she truly lost to him today, he would absolutely keep his word.

Of course, there was no way she could lose!

Not only was Xiao Yan's current strength far below hers, but even if they were at the same level, as the disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect's sect master, Nalan Yanran had absolute confidence that she could defeat him!

With that thought, Nalan Yanran took a deep breath. A pale green Dou Qi instantly surged from her body.

She pressed together the index and middle fingers of her right hand, firing streams of pale green spiraling gale force. They intertwined and formed a sword of wind.

A low-grade Xuan-class Dou Technique, the Azure Wood Sword Art!

"Teacher, I'll have to trouble you!" With a thought, Xiao Yan quickly contacted Yao Chen within the black ring.

Although Xiao Yan had obtained quite a few treasures from Lu Qingshan that could speed up cultivation, only one night had passed. He had merely reached the fourth stage of Dou Qi. To defeat Nalan Yanran, who was already a three-star Dou Practitioner, he still needed his teacher to possess him and act in his stead!

Buzz!

Yao Chen's soul instantly entered Xiao Yan's body. At the same time, the sparse Dou Qi within Xiao Yan began to circulate.

"The fourth stage of Dou Qi?"

Xiao Zhan, seated in the place of honor, could not help showing delight.

Although Nalan Yanran's visit to break off the engagement had thoroughly humiliated him today, Xiao Yan being able to cultivate again was something that made him even happier!

[Pang Bo: Xiao Yan, it seems your father really does care about you. He can still be happy even in a situation like this.]

[Yue Buqun: Every parent loves their child!]

Seeing the messages in the chat group, Xiao Yan felt even greater respect for his father.

"The fourth stage of Dou Qi? Brother Xiao Yan is back!"

In a corner of the hall, Xiao Xun'er could not help smiling as well.

But aside from these two people who cared about Xiao Yan, everyone else looked at him with disdain.

How could a piece of trash at only the fourth stage of Dou Qi dare challenge a three-star Dou Practitioner? He had even claimed that she would not be able to withstand a single move!

When Nalan Yanran saw that Xiao Yan was only at the fourth stage of Dou Qi, the gale-force sword formed by her Azure Wood Sword Art weakened somewhat. She then calmly looked at Xiao Yan. "You make the first move!"

"Hmph!"

Xiao Yan snorted coldly, and his figure instantly shifted. He was so fast that even Ge Ye, a seven-star Grand Dou Master, failed to react in time.

When Nalan Yanran saw Xiao Yan suddenly appear before her, panic rose in her heart. Her Dou Qi immediately coursed through her entire body, and the gale-force sword in her hand stabbed straight at Xiao Yan!

Bang!

With a muffled explosion, a powerful shockwave spread outward from the two of them.

The next moment, a graceful figure flew backward from the center of the hall and smashed into the tables and chairs to one side.

"Yanran!"

Ge Ye's expression changed drastically. He hurried over and helped up the figure that had been sent flying.

Clearly, the one who had flown backward was Nalan Yanran!

At this moment, not only Ge Ye, but even the Xiao Clan members were utterly shocked. They all stood up and stared in disbelief at Xiao Yan, who stood completely unmoving in the center of the hall.

That was a three-star Dou Practitioner, not to mention the personal disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect's sect master!

How could such an exceptional genius have lost to Xiao Yan, who had only the fourth stage of Dou Qi?

Elsewhere, after sensing that Nalan Yanran had not suffered any serious injuries, Ge Ye finally sighed in relief. He quickly fed Nalan Yanran a healing pill.

Nalan Yanran was the sect master's favored disciple. If anything had truly happened to her under his protection, even a hundred deaths would not be enough to atone for it!

At this moment, confusion also appeared on Nalan Yanran's face, so much so that she forgot the pain in her body.

She had lost—and she had not even lasted one move!

Then Xiao Yan, standing in the center of the hall, spoke calmly once more. "Since you have lost, according to our agreement, I will go to the Nalan Residence and publicly repudiate you!"

"You cannot!"

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Ge Ye abruptly rose to stop him.

If others learned that Nalan Yanran had failed to break off the engagement and had instead been publicly repudiated at the Nalan Residence, her reputation would be utterly ruined. Even the Cloud Mist Sect would suffer greatly because of it.

Xiao Yan looked calmly at Ge Ye, the seven-star Grand Dou Master. "What? Does Mister Ge intend to interfere?"

"You misunderstand, young friend Xiao Yan!"

Sensing that he had been locked onto by an inexplicably terrifying aura, Ge Ye was startled. He quickly forced a smile. "We were indeed in the wrong today. If you are willing, we will certainly offer compensation that satisfies you. Could we forget about the matter of publicly repudiating her?"

"Three years!"

Nalan Yanran, who had been lying on the ground, had already risen. She wiped away the glistening tears at the corners of her eyes, clenched her fists, and endured the pain in her body as she spoke to Xiao Yan. "Xiao Yan! Give me three years. In three years, I, Nalan Yanran, will surely surpass you and wash away today's humiliation!"

[Pang Bo: Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran stole your lines! Hahaha! Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully a young girl because she is poor! Hahaha...]

[Xiao Yan: Brother Pang, can't you be quiet for once? You make it very easy for me to lose focus!]

Seeing Xiao Yan remain silent, Nalan Yanran continued, "Xiao Yan, if I still lose to you three years from now, then even if you make me, Nalan Yanran, your servant—or even take my life—I will have no regrets!"

[Pang Bo: I didn't expect Nalan Yanran to be so clever. She actually thought of becoming your servant. Either way, she loses nothing! Oh, right, I remember that Nalan Yanran falls for you later on, doesn't she? And her teacher Yun Yun too...]

Seeing Pang Bo's messages in the chat group, Xiao Yan felt helpless. He could only turn to his father and say, "Matters of the Xiao Clan should naturally be decided by the clan leader! As the saying goes, 'Our bodies, hair, and skin are bestowed by our parents.' My father's decision is my decision!"

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Nalan Yanran felt even more ashamed.

Compared to Xiao Yan, who respected his father, her previous act of coming to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement without informing her family elders appeared all the more rude and improper.

Thinking of this, Nalan Yanran could only turn to Xiao Zhan once more. "Uncle Xiao, Yanran failed to act with proper consideration in this matter. Please forgive me, Uncle Xiao. If you have the time in the future, please come visit the Nalan Family!"

"Enough."

Xiao Zhan waved his hand from the seat of honor. "Let today's matter end here. As for the engagement, it is indeed somewhat inappropriate. Let us set it aside for three years. That will also give Nalan Su and me time to discuss it properly!"

Upon hearing this, Nalan Yanran hurriedly bowed slightly. "Thank you for your understanding, Uncle Xiao. Yanran will take her leave now!"

Before leaving, Nalan Yanran gave Xiao Yan one final deep look, as though she wished to carve him into her mind.

No matter where Xiao Yan went in the future, she would absolutely challenge him again three years from now!

After Nalan Yanran and her group had all left, everyone in the hall turned their eyes toward Xiao Yan in the center.

They had all realized it by now!

Defeating a three-star Dou Practitioner with the fourth stage of Dou Qi was something even a fool knew was impossible—unless Xiao Yan's talent had never disappeared!

After all, Xiao Yan had already successfully condensed a Dou Qi vortex and become a one-star Dou Practitioner three years ago. If his talent had never disappeared, he would certainly be far beyond a three-star Dou Practitioner by now.

His Dou Qi vortex had inexplicably dissipated?

His realm had regressed for no reason?

He had remained stalled at the third stage of Dou Qi?

The Xiao Clan's disgrace, a cripple?

Thinking of how they had viewed Xiao Yan before, their faces burned with shame!

Now it seemed that Xiao Yan was not merely a genius—he was practically a monster!

Xiao Yan's cultivation had remained at the third stage of Dou Qi because he must have been practicing a technique that concealed his realm!

Yet over the past three years, each and every one of them had mocked and ridiculed the greatest genius in the Xiao Clan's history?

"Clan Leader!"

The Xiao Clan's Third Elder, who had once looked down on Xiao Yan the most, was the first to react. With a solemn expression, he said, "Third Young Master possesses unparalleled talent. He may serve as the young clan leader!"

"That's right!"

"Brother Xiao Yan deserves to be the young clan leader!"

The other members of the Xiao Clan quickly came to their senses as well.

Seeing the drastic change in everyone's attitude as they began praising him, Xiao Yan found it dull. After greeting Xiao Zhan, he strode out of the hall.