Strength Reigns Supreme

The error in the way things had been handled lay, without a doubt, with the Yunlan Sect's leader who had sent Nalan Yanran to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement.

Nalan Jie, who had arranged the marriage contract back then, was still alive. For the Yunlan Sect leader to bypass Nalan Jie and make decisions for Nalan Yanran was truly meddling where they didn't belong.

While disregarding the Xiao Clan, they had also disregarded Nalan Jie. They were utterly arrogant.

The three-year agreement that followed had been an impulsive decision by the young girl.

It had completely turned what should have been a matter between the Xiao and Nalan Clans into a matter between the Xiao Clan and the Yunlan Sect.

"Since Grandpa is still alive, the marriage contract between the older generation should be dissolved as soon as possible. When it comes to marriage, you should find someone truly worthy."

For Xiao Yan, that truly worthy person was undoubtedly Xiao Xun'er.

She had continued to stay by his side even when he had fallen into disgrace, and Xiao Yan was deeply moved.

However, his cousin seemed to know about the nourishment of her meridians, and her background was incredibly mysterious!

So mysterious that even the clan's three great elders feared her!

Fortunately, he should be outstanding enough. Xiao Yan smiled faintly and chose B.

[That evening, you sneaked into your cousin Xiao Xun'er's room and began nourishing her meridians.]

[Having reached the fifth stage of Dou Qi, you were no longer drenched in sweat, but completing the process still left you somewhat exhausted. It was barely within your limits.]

[Not long afterward, Xiao Lin had no choice but to go out. On his way home, he was attacked by an enemy. Though he killed the enemy, he was seriously injured as well.]

[However, after recovering for a time, Xiao Lin survived.]

[His meridians were ruined beyond almost any possibility of recovery, and he became crippled.]

[After handing his Storage Ring, along with the Storage Ring taken from his enemy, to Xiao Zhan, he formally passed the position of clan head to Xiao Zhan.]

"Grandpa... was crippled?!"

Xiao Yan froze.

He had intervened, but he hadn't resolved the source of the problem. He couldn't reverse fate.

Even though Grandpa had gone out later, the surviving enemy had still seized the opportunity.

Fortunately, because Grandpa had cultivated for that extra period of time, his strength had improved faster than his enemy's.

This time, after killing his enemy, he returned with all his limbs intact.

Not only had he kept his own Storage Ring, but he had also brought back his enemy's Storage Ring.

Still, roughly a year of time had brought only limited changes.

Grandpa had preserved his life, but not his strength.

Xiao Yan sighed. Grandpa was the key to his confidence that he could keep Lin Shuiyao alive.

Now that he was crippled, he could only hope that the two Storage Rings he had brought back would prove useful.

Originally, after Grandpa died, he had left nothing behind. That was why the Xiao Clan could only contend with Wutan City's other two great clans.

[Using the resources within the Storage Rings of two powerful experts, Xiao Zhan's cultivation speed improved somewhat.]

[However, not long afterward, your mother Lin Shuiyao fell ill.]

[Faced with Lin Shuiyao's rare condition, Xiao Zhan took out the two Storage Rings and searched for a treatment.]

[With enough money, he soon found precious medicinal pills effective against Lin Shuiyao's illness.]

[Lin Shuiyao's health began to recover.]

"Thank goodness..."

Xiao Yan let out a long breath, and his taut nerves gradually relaxed.

The future differed somewhat from what he had expected, but the outcome was barely acceptable.

Lin Shuiyao had been treated, and Grandpa was still alive.

As long as they were alive, once he became strong enough, he could find a way to restore the ruined meridians.

[Fifth year: Without Grandpa as your support, your plan to go to the Nalan Clan and dissolve the marriage contract could no longer proceed.
As the plan encountered an unexpected development, you cultivated while pondering what to do.]

[Sixth year: Xiao Lin, whose strength had been crippled, passed away.
Although you had allowed Xiao Lin to live for a while longer, you were still saddened.
If Xiao Lin had been able to preserve his strength, he definitely would not have died at this time.]

[You turned your grief and anger into strength, and before long, you broke through to the ninth stage of Dou Qi.]

[The entire Xiao Clan was delighted for you, and the praise nearly gave you calluses on your ears.
However, the Xiao Clan still lacked the means to prepare Qi Gathering Powder for you. You could only rely on yourself to break through and become a Dou Zhe.]

[Seventh year: In order to break through and become a Dou Zhe, after nourishing Xiao Xun'er's meridians one night, you decided not to go again.]

[Some time later, on the day before you were about to break through and become a Dou Zhe, Lin Shuiyao, whose body had always been weak, passed away.]

[You were especially grief-stricken. After the funeral, you searched out the Pitch-Black Ancient Ring that you had asked Lin Shuiyao for when you were a little over a year old.]

[Even after learning the future, the fates of Xiao Lin and Lin Shuiyao had remained lamentable, and a mad idea arose in your mind.]

[You chose...]

[A: Cultivate madly. Once your strength reaches the Dou Huang level, use your overwhelming power to force out Medicine Elder, kill him, and obtain the treasures stored within the ring.]

[B: Put on the ring and prepare to let Medicine Elder absorb your strength. Endure a period of being useless, accept Medicine Elder's help, and learn alchemy.]

[C: Tell your father the ring's secret and have him find a way to deal with Medicine Elder, allowing the Xiao Clan to obtain an enormous fortune.]

After reading the three options, Xiao Yan immediately ruled out the third.

If he had truly intended to do that, why hadn't he done it long ago?

He hadn't said anything while Xiao Lin was alive, yet now that the man was dead, he wanted to pull something like this.

For Medicine Elder to have hidden beneath Xiao Lin's nose for so long, he probably wasn't someone ordinary people could deal with.

The Dou Huang strength in the first option was fairly reliable.

After comparing the first two options, Xiao Yan decided to choose B.

As far as he knew, alchemists required a teacher's hands-on guidance. Simply obtaining Medicine Elder's collection might not allow him to master alchemy.

Besides, he had previously resented Medicine Elder for harming him for no reason, so he naturally wouldn't take the initiative to harbor murderous intentions. He definitely wouldn't choose A.

[After pondering for a long time, you put on the ring.]

Xiao Yan took a deep breath. "Strength!"

Even though he knew the future, without corresponding power, he could ultimately only save Grandpa and his mother to this extent. He was far from being able to keep them by his side for long.

Now, almost everything had returned to square one. Without a powerful Xiao Lin, he no longer had any possibility of going to break off the engagement.

Because, given the Xiao Clan's level of influence in Wutan City, no matter how tactfully they handled the broken engagement, it would still be an insult to the powerful Nalan Clan. The Nalan Clan could easily use that as an excuse to destroy the Xiao Clan.

[After pondering for a long time, you realized that this was a world where strength reigned supreme.
Nalan Yanran had come to break off the engagement because you were too weak. In Yao Chen's eyes, the Pill King Gu He wasn't even worth calling a person—he was nothing but a fart. That was because of Yao Chen's terrifying strength. Even if Yao Chen was arrogant beyond measure, he had every right to be.
Although you knew the future, without the strength to change it, your loved ones still suffered through hardship.
You prepared to put on the ring and try to uncover your potential as an alchemist. Perhaps it could help you.]