Three-Year Agreement

"Xiao Yan, what right do you have to behave so recklessly here?" The Xiao Family elders could no longer sit still and loudly rebuked Xiao Yan.

Even though Xiao Le had already known how things would unfold, he was still furious. Their father, the Xiao Family's clan leader, was bound by his duties and repeatedly pressured by the elders. Nalan Yanran's group disregarded the Xiao Family's dignity and humiliated them again and again, yet the Xiao Family elders did not stand with their own kin and instead fawned over outsiders.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

A round of applause rang out. Another youth rose to his feet beside Xiao Yan—it was Xiao Le.

"What a fine performance. Since when had our Xiao Family fallen to such a state?" As he spoke, Xiao Le's sharp gaze swept over the aged elders one by one.

Pointing at the Qi Gathering Powder, Xiao Le said, "Even if our Xiao Family accepted this Qi Gathering Powder, it would never end up in your hands. This is my brother's matter. What right do you have to interfere?"

"Xiao Le, don't be so arrogant!"

"I think Brother Xiao Le is right. Today's matter concerns Brother Xiao Yan, so the elders should stop meddling!" At the crucial moment, Xiao Xun'er's words still carried weight.

As soon as Xiao Xun'er finished speaking, every elder in the hall fell silent. The atmosphere was exceedingly strange.

Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan and cried out, "Xiao Yan, this marriage agreement was decided by the older generation without regard for our wishes. What will it take for you to agree to dissolve it?"

Again and again, they had trampled on Xiao Yan's dignity, his father's dignity, and the dignity of the Xiao Family.

"Heh heh!" Xiao Yan sneered. His fists clenched tightly in fury, his expression turning savage as his bloodshot eyes fixed on Nalan Yanran. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I really want to kill you!"

"Ah..." Even Nalan Yanran was frightened by that terrifying gaze and involuntarily took a step back, prompting the young man beside her to draw his sword and confront him.

"Yan'er!" Xiao Zhan shouted worriedly.

Xiao Le could no longer bear to watch. Looking at Nalan Yanran, he sneered, "As the little princess of the Nalan Clan, of course you don't need to understand propriety. But today, I'll tell you this: on the Battle Qi Continent, if the woman breaks off an engagement, do you know how humiliating that is for the man? Especially for our father—how is he supposed to keep his footing in the Xiao Family and in Wutan City? Even if you wanted to break off the engagement, look at what you did today. You came in such a grand display, acting high and mighty, bringing up your sect leader Yun Yun at every turn."

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran looked toward Xiao Zhan. Sure enough, he seemed several years more haggard and aged, and guilt immediately welled up within her.

"How about this? Three years from now, Xiao Yan, do you dare fight me? If I win, I hope you will agree to dissolve the marriage agreement. What do you say?" Nalan Yanran's eyes struggled for a moment before she spoke.

The moment Xiao Zhan heard this, he flew into a rage. Wasn't this like roasting Xiao Yan over a fire? He snapped, "Miss Nalan, you cannot possibly be unaware of Xiao Yan's situation. You are humiliating him!"

The matter of breaking off the engagement still had no resolution, and Nalan Yanran had lost her patience. She cried out, "Uncle Xiao, I have yielded again and again, but that does not mean I am easy to bully. Xiao Yan, are you even a man? Do you dare accept this three-year agreement?"

"Nalan Yanran, other than a pretty face, what is there about you that I could possibly admire? Isn't it because you think I, Xiao Yan, am trash? I was already a Dou Zhe at twelve. What about you? What stage of Dou Qi do you have, genius of the Misty Cloud Sect?" Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran with utter disdain.

Xiao Le firmly supported Xiao Yan. "Three years from now, I'll accompany my brother to your Misty Cloud Sect. I hope your Misty Cloud Sect's geniuses can give me at least a little excitement by then. See you there!"

Xiao Yan said nothing. He strode quickly to the table and began writing furiously. Then he took out a dagger and sliced his palm, picked up the letter stamped with his bloody handprint, and threw it to Nalan Yanran.

"I, Xiao Yan, will give you one sentence: thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully a poor young man!"

Looking at the confident and resolute youth, Xiao Le's spirits soared, while Xiao Zhan, as his father, began to laugh.

"Today, it is not you, Nalan Yanran, who are breaking off this engagement. It is I, Xiao Yan, who am casting you aside! I, Xiao Yan, do not want you! Three years from now, I will ascend Misty Cloud Mountain and seek justice for today's humiliation!"

His words rang like a hammer striking the ground, and Xiao Yan's bold declaration echoed through the hall without fading.

Everyone present was stunned. It was Xiao Le who broke the brief silence.

"Good! As his younger brother, I can't fall behind either. Three years from now, the two of us brothers will ascend Misty Cloud Mountain together."

Xiao Yan suddenly dropped to his knees before Xiao Zhan. Seeing this, Xiao Le also stepped forward and knelt.

"Father, Yan'er will surely reclaim today's humiliation for you!"

Looking at Xiao Zhan's face, which had aged several years, memories of fifteen years of meticulous care surfaced in Xiao Le's mind. Choking up, he said:

"Father, because of my brother and me, you have endured far too much pressure over these years. Le'er promises you today: your sons are not trash. Three years from now, I will make the world know that the Xiao Family twins are peerless geniuses!"

Their oaths rang strong and clear. The two brothers kowtowed to Xiao Zhan.

"Good, good! You are both my good sons. The sons of Xiao Zhan are not trash. Your father has always believed in you!" Joyful tears welled up in Xiao Zhan's eyes as he embraced his two sons, remaining silent for a long time.

The bitterness of so many years finally dissipated at this moment.

The two youths who had always been looked down upon by the Xiao Family had given them far too many surprises today.

The brothers rose and turned to leave. As they passed Nalan Yanran, both left behind harsh words.

"Xiao Le, thanks!" Once outside the hall, Xiao Yan gave Xiao Le a hug and spoke earnestly.

Xiao Le pushed Xiao Yan away in disgust and laughed. "What nonsense are you talking about? We're real brothers. Anyway, I still need to chase girls. Brother, I've already recovered to the third stage of Dou Qi. Don't let me catch up to you!"

With that, Xiao Le left.

Watching Xiao Le's retreating figure, Xiao Yan clenched his fists.

Xiao Le is about to catch up to me. I...

Xiao Le left the Xiao Family directly and arrived at the marketplace.

Yesterday's stall that had gambled on Magic Beast cores was long gone. He asked a Xiao Family guard and learned that after the stall had closed yesterday, it had never returned.

There were also many mercenary groups in Wutan City. After all, nearby mountains and forests were inhabited by Magic Beasts. Although their resources could not compare to the Magic Beast Mountain Range, they still drove countless people to strive for them.

The moment he picked up a Magic Beast core from a stall, the downloadable trait appeared before him, and Xiao Le was immediately thrilled.

Free loot really was the best!

Soon, a bizarre sight appeared in Wutan City's marketplace: the Xiao Family's Fourth Young Master went from stall to stall, touching Magic Beast cores without buying any.

Half a day passed, and Xiao Le's gains were quite abundant. However, they were all traits from first-tier Magic Beast cores. Unwittingly, Xiao Le's actions created quite a few pure incomplete Magic Beast cores.

"The largest Magic Beast core trader is still the Mittel Auction House." Xiao Le gazed toward the most magnificent building in Wutan City.

Somewhere Xiao Le did not notice, Xiao Yan's old grandpa finally came online!

"Teacher, teaching one is teaching, and teaching two is teaching. Can you teach my little brother too?"