Have You Heard of "Three Days East of the River, Three Days West-Never Bully a Youth for Being Poor"?

Ge Ye's expression was bitter. He had never wanted to be the bird that stuck its head out first. Before coming, he had known that accompanying Nalan Yanran to the Xiao Clan would mean offending people.

But what choice did he have? He was close to Nalan Yanran, after all.

Besides, Ge Ye wanted to climb further up the ranks. The position of Misty Cloud Sect Master would surely pass to Nalan Yanran someday, and he had hoped that helping her with this matter would earn him her patronage in the future.

Originally, Ge Ye had thought offending the insignificant Xiao Clan of Wutan City would be no great concern. Who could have imagined things would turn out like this?

Although Ge Ye did not know exactly how powerful Xiao Xuan was, a single glance from him had filled Ge Ye with terror. His strength could hardly be low.

Then there was that Dou Huang expert named Ling from earlier. Ge Ye reckoned that Xiao Xuan's cultivation was probably no lower than a Dou Emperor's. Being marked by a Dou Huang expert was no good thing. He had stirred up quite a hornet's nest.

Ge Ye was already regretting coming to the Xiao Clan. Had he known, he would never have supported Nalan Yanran's willfulness. But things had reached this point, and he could only steel himself and keep talking.

"Senior, however unwilling we may be to see this happen, it has already happened. I hope you will understand the greater good and grant this child her wish. Please allow the engagement to be dissolved. The Misty Cloud Sect will remember this favor."

Once an arrow left the bow, how could it turn back? Things had come this far, and Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran had to see the annulment through. If they were frightened into backing down now, where would that leave the Misty Cloud Sect's dignity?

Xiao Xuan had no interest whatsoever in speaking with Ge Ye. He said, "Xiao Yan, this is your business. Why don't you speak for yourself?"

Xiao Xuan looked toward Xiao Yan. At its heart, this was still a matter for Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan. He could back Xiao Yan up, but Xiao Yan had to resolve it himself.

Sure enough, Xiao Yan had backbone. Rather than shrink away, he stepped forward, straightened his back, and addressed Nalan Yanran.

"Miss Nalan, you should know how humiliating it is on the Dou Qi Continent when the woman breaks off an engagement. Heh, I have thick skin, so it doesn't bother me much.

"But my father is the head of a clan. If he truly agreed to your demand today, how would he lead the Xiao Clan in the future? How would he hold his head up in Wutan City?"

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran glanced at Xiao Zhan and said, "I admit I was somewhat rash today. But please remember that my teacher, the Misty Cloud Sect Master, personally approved my coming to the Xiao Clan."

Pressing her lips together, Nalan Yanran tilted her head slightly and said with a hint of helplessness, "You may regard this as coercion. But you should also understand that this is reality. Nothing is absolutely fair. Although I don't mean to imply anything, you know the gap between us perfectly well. There is essentially no hope for us."

With that, Nalan Yanran released the aura of her cultivation.

In an instant, the aura of a Three-Star Dou Zhe filled the Xiao Clan's hall. Breaking through to Three-Star Dou Zhe at her age truly made her one of the Jia Ma Empire's outstanding young talents.

Nalan Yanran had investigated beforehand. Xiao Yan's talent had vanished, and his cultivation was still at the third stage of Dou Qi, wasn't it?

Even the strongest of the Xiao Clan's younger generation did not seem to have broken through to Dou Zhe.

Xiao Yan's talent three years ago had certainly been terrifying. He had broken through to Dou Zhe at twelve, making him stronger than she was.

Back then, Nalan Jie had been delighted. He had specifically urged Nalan Yanran to spend more time with the Xiao Clan's genius whenever she had the chance. Nalan Yanran had also been quite interested in the prodigy named Xiao Yan, but that was all in the past.

Xiao Yan was a worthless cripple now, wasn't he?

Xiao Yan watched Nalan Yanran release her Three-Star Dou Zhe aura, while every other word out of her mouth was about the Misty Cloud Sect.

His fists tightened, a fire bottled up inside him. Through gritted teeth, he laid bare Nalan Yanran's true motives.

"You only want to break off the engagement because you think a piece of trash like me isn't worthy of a favored daughter of heaven like you. To put it harshly, aside from your beauty, there isn't a single thing about you that this young master thinks much of.

"The Misty Cloud Sect is indeed strong, but my Xiao Clan isn't weak either. I'm still young, and I have plenty of time. What makes you so certain I can't turn things around in the years to come?"

Xiao Yan's point was that the Misty Cloud Sect's Dou Emperor sect master was impressive, certainly.

But didn't his Xiao Clan have a Dou Sheng ancestor?

What right did she have to look down on his Xiao Clan? Granted, its overall strength was still weak at present.

But a perfectly good Dou Sheng was hardly weaker than a Dou Emperor! What made her think his Xiao Clan could never turn things around?

Nalan Yanran had not expected Xiao Yan to possess such backbone, so she spoke.

"Very well. Since you insist, I can temporarily withdraw my demand to dissolve the engagement today. However, I need you to agree to a challenge."

"What challenge?" Xiao Yan asked with a frown.

"I can postpone today's demand for three years. Three years from now, you will come to the Misty Cloud Sect and challenge me. If you lose, I will dissolve the engagement publicly.

"By then, you will presumably have undergone your clan's coming-of-age ceremony. So even if you lose, Uncle Xiao won't suffer too much humiliation. Do you dare accept?" Nalan Yanran asked calmly.

This could be considered a concession to Xiao Zhan and the Xiao Clan's dignity.

Nalan Yanran set the three-year agreement, giving Xiao Yan three years.

If he had the ability, he could come to the Misty Cloud Sect and defeat her three years later. If Xiao Yan could turn the tables, she would willingly serve him like an ox or a horse. She would be his slave or servant for the rest of her life, entirely at his command.

If Xiao Yan remained just as worthless three years later, he would have to obediently hand over the document dissolving their engagement. When that time came, he had better not blame her or the Misty Cloud Sect for showing the Xiao Clan no respect.

Xiao Yan naturally understood what Nalan Yanran meant.

If he lost, it would indeed do little further damage to the reputations of the Xiao Clan and Xiao Zhan. But Xiao Yan himself might have to carry the disgrace of that defeat for the rest of his life. This woman was truly ruthless.

Unfortunately for her, times had changed. Her calculations targeted the worthless Xiao Yan of the past, but the present Xiao Yan was no longer worthless.

Xiao Yan said, "A challenge, is it? Fine, I accept. But why wait three years? Nalan Yanran, have you heard of three days east of the river, three days west? Never bully a youth for being poor!

"If you want a fight, there's no need to wait three years. I can oblige you today. Set your terms, and we'll settle who wins and who loses right now."

Xiao Yan's cultivation had already returned. Not only had it returned, but he had advanced even further and broken through again. Two days ago, he had been a Four-Star Dou Zhe. Now he was a Five-Star Dou Zhe.

It was not as though Xiao Yan lacked the courage to fight a Three-Star Dou Zhe like Nalan Yanran.

Although his cultivation had only just returned, he knew few Dou Techniques, and his actual combat experience might not measure up to Nalan Yanran's, she had already planted her foot on the Xiao Clan's face. Even if he had to use his teeth, Xiao Yan would bite her to death.

The next second, Xiao Yan released his own aura.

The Xiao Clan Grand Stage-come if you have the guts.

Xiao Yan abruptly unleashed the aura of a Five-Star Dou Zhe, catching both Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye completely off guard.

Nalan Yanran froze. As she stared at the Five-Star Dou Zhe aura surrounding Xiao Yan, shock surged through her.

"Five-Star Dou Zhe? How is that possible? Didn't everyone say he was already worthless?"

Ge Ye was stunned as well.

Wasn't this brat at the third stage of Dou Qi? How had he become a Five-Star Dou Zhe?

All Ge Ye wanted to do now was curse. Fuck, which bastard had been spreading rumors everywhere these past few years that Xiao Yan was at the third stage of Dou Qi?

This is going to get me killed. Do the waters of Wutan City run this deep now?