Inside the ancient box lay a pill the size of a red date, emanating a peculiar fragrance.
On the Dou Qi Continent, anyone who wished to become a true Dou Zhe needed to condense a Dou Qi Vortex within their body. However, there was a high chance of failure when condensing a Dou Qi Vortex. If it failed, not only would one fall from the ninth stage of Dou Qi to the eighth stage, but in severe cases, their meridians could be damaged, leaving them unable to condense one ever again.
The Qi-Gathering Powder could allow someone at the ninth stage of Dou Qi to successfully condense a Dou Qi Vortex with a one hundred percent success rate!
Such an effect made countless people who dreamed of becoming Dou Zhe drool with desire.
Now that the Misty Cloud Sect had offered a Qi-Gathering Powder as compensation, it meant the Xiao Clan could reliably produce a Dou Zhe. If it were given to a gifted disciple, not only would it save time, but the clan might even produce a Da Dou Shi or perhaps a Dou Ling expert. At that thought, the elders all stared eagerly at the box.
"Mr. Ge Ye, we will not agree to this matter today, so you should take the pill back."
As soon as those words fell, the discussions in the hall abruptly ceased. Everyone turned in unison toward Xiao Yan, seated in the corner. Those words had come from him.
"Xiao Yan, it is not your place to speak here. Shut your mouth!" One of the elders had been considering how to secure the Qi-Gathering Powder for his grandson. Hearing Xiao Yan's words, his face darkened as he roared.
"It has nothing to do with me? The ones who truly have nothing to do with this are you people, aren't they? Setting aside whether I agree or not, it is not for the three elders to decide what happens to this Qi-Gathering Powder!" Xiao Yan looked at the three elders with contempt and spoke coldly.
"You..." The three elders' expressions stiffened. The hot-tempered Third Elder glared furiously as Dou Qi slowly covered his body.
"Three elders, Brother Xiao Yan has a point. He is the person involved, so you should stop interfering." The young girl's lively voice rang gently through the hall.
Hearing Xun'er's words, the three elders immediately deflated. They exchanged helpless looks, then nodded.
Seeing the dejected elders, Xiao Yan gave Xun'er a curious glance before slowly stepping forward. He bowed to Xiao Zhan, then turned to Nalan Yanran. "Miss Nalan, may I ask whether Elder Nalan knows about this matter?"
Nalan Yanran had thought Xiao Yan would readily agree, but she had not expected him to keep pestering her. She said coldly, "Grandfather has not agreed, but this is my marriage. I can decide for myself."
"In that case, my father naturally cannot agree either. After all, this marriage was personally arranged by our two grandfathers. Since they never agreed to dissolve it, neither can we casually end it. Otherwise, it would be a grave disrespect to our deceased elders," Xiao Yan said calmly.
With Xiao Yan pinning the great charge of defiance and disrespect on them, the three elders no longer dared to force the issue. In a clan with strict rules, that accusation alone was enough to cost them their positions as elders.
"You!" Nalan Yanran had not expected Xiao Yan to say such a thing. Her young lady's temper flared at once. She stomped her foot angrily and looked at Xiao Yan with disgust. "Then what exactly will make you agree to break off the engagement? Think the compensation is too little? Then I will give you two more Qi-Gathering Powders. On top of that, I will let you enter the Misty Cloud Sect to study profound techniques. How about it?"
As she finished speaking, she raised her chin.
In her eyes, Xiao Yan merely wanted more compensation. As long as she could completely get rid of him, she could easily satisfy those demands. In her view, the conditions she had offered were enough to drive any young man mad.
The three elders were even more shocked upon hearing Nalan Yanran's words. Their mouths fell open as they stood and glared fiercely at Xiao Yan, wishing he would agree at once.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression instantly turned grim as he stared at Nalan Yanran. "Hmph, I really want to..."
Nalan Yanran was frightened by Xiao Yan's sinister expression. The young man beside her immediately drew his longsword, glaring sharply at Xiao Yan.
"Yan'er, do not be rude." Xiao Zhan spoke at that moment, bringing Xiao Yan back to his senses. He lowered his head and took a deep breath. When he raised it again, his expression had returned to normal, without a trace of savagery.
Nalan Yanran looked at the calm Xiao Yan and said, "I was indeed too rash about today's matter. However, if you can agree to one condition, I can temporarily withdraw my demand to dissolve the engagement."
"What condition?" Xiao Yan asked with a frown.
"I can delay the matter of breaking off the engagement for three years. Three years from now, you may come to the Misty Cloud Sect and challenge me. If you lose, I will publicly dissolve the engagement. By then, you will already be an adult, so even if the engagement is broken, it will not make Uncle Xiao lose too much face. Are you willing?" Nalan Yanran said indifferently.
Xiao Yan sneered. "Heh, if I lose then, I will bear the shameful name of a loser for the rest of my life, right?!"
Nalan Yanran had become impatient after being repeatedly obstructed. She snapped at Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, stop talking nonsense. If you do not want Uncle Xiao to lose face, then accept the Three-Year Agreement. Three years from now or now—which do you choose?"
"Nalan Yanran, there is no need for you to put on such a tough front. You only want to break off the engagement because you believe that trash like me, Xiao Yan, is unworthy of a heaven-blessed girl like you. Fine, I am indeed trash right now. But three years ago, I created a miracle and became a Dou Zhe at twelve. What stage of Dou Qi were you at when you were twelve? What makes you think I cannot rise again in the future?"
Faced with the girl's aggressive attitude, Xiao Yan could no longer hold back. His expression turned cold and stern, and his words left everyone in the hall dumbfounded. Who would have thought that the youth who had remained silent for three years was actually so formidable?
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Nalan Yanran's face turned ugly from Xiao Yan's words, yet she could not refute him. Back then, she herself had only been at the eighth stage of Dou Qi.
"Miss Nalan, for Elder Nalan's sake, Xiao Yan would also like to offer you a piece of advice: thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—do not bully the poor young man!" Xiao Yu's cold, domineering words made Nalan Yanran's delicate body tremble slightly.
"Good! What a 'do not bully the poor young man'! That is exactly how my Xiao Zhan's son should be!" Xiao Zhan abruptly stood up, slammed his fist hard onto the table, and shouted.
Nalan Yanran glared at Xiao Yan through gritted teeth. "What right do you have to lecture me? Even if you were once a genius, you are nothing but trash now. Fine, I will not mention today's matter again. Three years from now, I will wait for you at the Misty Cloud Sect. If you have the ability, defeat me openly then. If you can beat me, I will be your servant or your maid—whatever you say goes!"
"However, if you are still such trash three years from now, then you must obediently hand over the agreement to dissolve the engagement."
Seeing Nalan Yanran's livid expression, Xiao Yan sneered. "Why wait three years? I cannot even summon the slightest interest in you."
After saying that, he strode to the table and began writing with forceful strokes.
The ink fell, and the brush stopped!
Xiao Yan drew a short blade and cut open his palm, then pressed it fiercely onto the document.
Holding the document, Xiao Yan walked before Nalan Yanran and angrily flung it at her.
"This is not an agreement to dissolve our engagement. It is a letter of repudiation from me, Xiao Yan, casting aside you, Nalan Yanran. From this day forth, you, Nalan Yanran, and my Xiao Clan will have nothing to do with each other."
After saying that, Xiao Yan dropped to one knee before Xiao Zhan. He bit his lip tightly but could not say a single word.
Though he claimed before the clan that he had cast aside Nalan Yanran, who would believe it? In the end, his father would still suffer...
Xiao Yan rose and left the hall. When he reached the entrance, he turned his head and said to Nalan Yanran, "Nalan Yanran, three years from now, I will come find you."
Among the crowd, Xiao Yu watched Xiao Yan leave and smiled faintly to himself. What a famous scene from Battle Through the Heavens. This is thrilling!
At that moment, the system's voice sounded once more. Xiao Yu checked it and found that a new mission had been issued.
Hearing Century Egg announce the mission, Xiao Yu hurriedly opened the panel to check.
[Strongest Supporting Character System]
Name: Xiao Yu
Level: Level 2 (Experience 1/200)
Strength: Dou Qi, Seventh Stage
Technique: Sun Devouring Technique
Dou Technique: Yellow Rank Low-Grade Raging Flame Palm (Not Yet Learned)
Item: Low-Grade Storage Ring
Main Quest: Xiao Yan is publicly rejected, and everyone mocks him. Only you stand behind Xiao Yan and speak up for him.
Reward: Experience +50, Dou Technique Experience Card (after use, it can increase Dou Technique proficiency and quickly master a Dou Technique), Eighth Stage Dou Qi.
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