Taking the Initiative to Break Off the Engagement

In the VIP room, Xiao Zhan stared excitedly at the ancient golden scroll in his hands. On the way back from Qingshan Town, he had thought that even if he were willing to pay a steep price, it would take at least a year or two to obtain a Profound Tier technique.

Yet in just three days, and for merely the price of an Intermediate Profound Technique, he had acquired an Advanced Profound Rank technique.

Xiao Zhan was overjoyed, but he had not lost his head. He said gratefully, "Thank you, Miss Ya Fei, for what you did just now."

Normally, if there was a gap between an item's value and its price, an auctioneer would stir up the atmosphere and drive the bidding higher. But the shrewd Ya Fei had not done so. After calling the price three times, she brought down the hammer.

He did not understand why, but she had genuinely done him a favor. Otherwise, once Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa came to their senses, their earlier bidding would have been wasted, and he would still have had to spend much more money.

Xiao Zhan put away the scroll and continued, "Please also prepare a Storage Ring, a cauldron suitable for a novice alchemist, a formula for a first-grade medicinal pill, and three hundred sets of the corresponding ingredients with the remaining gold on that crystal card."

Ya Fei had been feeling rather frustrated, but upon hearing that there was more business, the professional smile she had maintained gained a touch of genuine warmth. "You are too kind, Clan Leader Xiao. This is also quite beneficial to the Mittel Auction House, so how could it be a bother?"

Master Gu Ni was highly sensitive to anything related to alchemists. Hearing the words "cauldron" and "formula," he asked in surprise, "Does someone in Clan Leader Xiao's household possess the aptitude to become an alchemist?"

"Could it be that exceptionally gifted Young Master Xiao Yan?" Ya Fei boldly guessed. Xiao Yan's fire-and-wood Dou Qi attribute was no secret to Mitre, and it now seemed that his soul perception was outstanding as well.

Xiao Zhan smiled. "It is hard to say whether he has that kind of aptitude. Fortunately, he is still young and has plenty of time, so we are simply letting him try."

Having learned her lesson, Ya Fei did not ask any further questions. She said with some envy, "Young Master Xiao Yan is truly fortunate to have such an open-minded father. The auction house currently has Storage Rings and medicinal ingredients, but the cauldron and formula will take a few days to prepare."

"Fine, I'll come collect them together in a few days." Xiao Zhan nodded heartily. After exchanging a few more polite words of thanks, he left the Mittel Auction House with the Advanced Profound Rank technique scroll.

After Xiao Zhan departed, Ya Fei muttered in confusion, "Buying techniques, Storage Rings, a cauldron, and a formula... Where did the Xiao Family get so much money?"

Master Gu Ni pondered for a moment. "A cultivation genius and a future alchemist—no amount of money spent nurturing them would be wasted."

Pouting slightly, Ya Fei rested her fragrant cheek in her jade-like hand and let out a soft sigh. Why did she possess neither talent for cultivation nor the aptitude for alchemy?

After removing his disguise along the way and returning to his room, Xiao Yan found an unexpected young girl there.

She wore a violet dress and held an ancient book in her hands. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon her, giving her youthful figure a mysterious yet scholarly beauty.

Hearing someone open the door, Xiao Xun'er closed her book, stood up, and asked, "Brother Xiao Yan, where did you go? Uncle Xiao waited for you for a long time, but you never came back."

Xiao Yan shut the door. Since he had taken a long detour, he had naturally returned later. He looked around and asked, "Where is Father?"

"He went to discuss matters with the elders. They are probably talking about how to earn money as quickly as possible to cover the expense of buying the technique." Xiao Xun'er picked up the scroll from the table and handed it to him, saying happily, "Uncle Xiao just won this Advanced Profound Rank fire-attribute technique at auction. It suits your cultivation."

"You guessed wrong about that." Xiao Yan smiled as he accepted the scroll, lowered his head beside her ear, and quietly explained what had happened.

He briefly told her about retrieving the treasure, explaining that he had obtained a great deal of wealth in the cave, so the Xiao Family was not lacking money now. Then he described what had happened at the auction, how he had raised the price to make Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa lower their guard, ultimately allowing the technique to fall into the Xiao Family's hands at a cheap price.

To conceal his ability to ripen medicinal herbs, Xiao Yan had been growing herbs since childhood. Over the years, this had left him with a distinctive natural fragrance. It was usually difficult to notice, but became very obvious at close range.

Xiao Xun'er caught that refreshing scent as warm breath brushed intermittently against her ear. Her body went weak and tingly for a moment, and when he finished, she could not help but laugh. "If they found out that you were the one driving up the price, they would probably be even more furious."

Xiao Yan glanced at the scroll and said, "Father was willing to let you safeguard something as precious as an Advanced Profound Rank technique. In his heart, he truly considers you family."

Warmth filled Xiao Xun'er's heart. She replied as though it were only natural, "I already am part of the Xiao Family."

Xiao Yan smiled. "If I remember correctly, your Dou Qi attribute is fire as well, so you can cultivate this technique too. Once you break through to Dou Zhe, I'll teach it to you."

"Who knows how long that will take? I'm only at the fifth stage of Dou Qi right now." Xiao Xun'er sighed faintly, then smiled. "I heard that your fiancée, Brother Xiao Yan, was taken in as a disciple by Yun Yun, the sect leader of the Misty Cloud Sect. You should hurry and cultivate this Advanced Profound Rank technique, or Miss Nalan might leave you far behind."

"My fiancée..." Xiao Yan seemed to have no memory of her. After thinking for a moment, he said, "You mean the Lionheart Marshal's granddaughter, Nalan Yanran?"

Xiao Xun'er nodded. "Grandfather and Nalan Jie were friends who had faced life and death together, so the two old men arranged your marriage. Unfortunately, in the third year after you were born, Grandfather suffered grave injuries in battle against an enemy and passed away when they could not be healed."

Xiao Yan said solemnly, "I will cultivate this technique properly, but not to surpass Nalan Yanran. In a few years, I will personally visit the Nalan Family and break off the engagement. The Xiao Family and the Nalan Family have had no contact for years, so why cling to an old marriage pact?"

Times changed. This time, it was his turn to go and break off the engagement.

"Break off the engagement?" Xiao Xun'er was startled. She tried to persuade him, "The Nalan Family is one of the empire's three great families, and Miss Nalan is Yun Yun's disciple. Maintaining the engagement would bring many benefits. Uncle Xiao probably would not permit you to do this."

Xiao Yan smiled. "There are two sides to every matter. What if the Nalan Family is worrying over how to break off the engagement? If I go there to end it, I would be giving them exactly what they want."

Xiao Xun'er nodded slightly. The Nalan Family was not quite that anxious, but Miss Nalan was indeed very dissatisfied with the engagement. The Xiao Family's information network was simply too limited to know about it.

Knowing the girl's influence, Xiao Yan was certain that since she had learned so quickly of Nalan Yanran joining the Misty Cloud Sect, she must also know that Nalan Yanran wanted to break off the engagement. His eyes burned as he looked at the lively, youthful girl until her cheeks flushed red, then he took the scroll and sat down by the bed.

Slowly opening the scroll in his hands, Xiao Yan carefully and intently read its contents, ready to begin cultivating at any moment.