Holy crap, just call off your engagement properly!

Xiao Long sneered and rose straight from his chair. "When my little brother was riding high, why didn't your Nalan Family come asking to break off the engagement?

"Back when my little brother became a Dou Zhe at eleven.

"Who in the entire Jia Ma Empire didn't call him a genius?

"Did your family breathe a single word about this then?"

He strode forward as he spoke, reaching the center of the hall in two steps, his voice rising. "Now my little brother's cultivation has regressed, and everyone calls him trash, and your Misty Cloud Sect brings people right to our door!

"If that isn't serving a different dish depending on who's at the table, what is it? If that isn't heartlessness, what is it!"

Overwhelmed by his imposing presence, Nalan Yanran retreated half a step, her back nearly hitting the chair's armrest. Her lips moved, but no words came out.

Xiao Long took another step forward, leaving less than three feet between them, his gaze fixed on her. "You're the Nalan Family's legitimate daughter, aren't you?

"Your grandfather and mine had a friendship forged through life and death. Back then, my grandfather took a claw strike meant for yours and nearly lost his life!

"That's written right there in your family records!"

"This engagement was arranged by our elders. If you wanted to break it off, your father should have come. Your grandfather should have come.

"But look at you, bringing people from the Misty Cloud Sect to speak for you! You've thrown the honor of every Nalan Family ancestor into the dirt! If that isn't unrighteousness, what is it!"

Nalan Yanran's eyes reddened. Her mouth opened and closed, and her voice trembled. "I..."

Xiao Long gave her no chance to speak and pressed another step closer.

Only an arm's length remained between them. He lowered his head and looked into her eyes. "The Nalan Family and the Xiao Clan have been friends for generations, and on your very first visit, you announce you're breaking off the engagement in front of my entire family, young and old.

"Couldn't you at least have written a private letter?

"You just had to bring all these people here and make my father lose face in front of everyone!

"Did the Nalan Family never teach you manners? If that isn't impropriety, what is it!"

Tears were already swimming in Nalan Yanran's eyes. She fought hard to hold them back, her chin trembling.

Xiao Long edged another half step forward, the tips of his shoes almost touching hers. "How many years has this engagement stood?

"You think you can just call it off? Then what was that cup of wine our grandfathers drank when they kowtowed together back then? Was it worth a fart?

"You tear our elders' honor to shreds the moment something displeases you. If that isn't faithlessness, what is it!"

"One last point!"

Xiao Long's voice turned cold. He now stood directly in Nalan Yanran's way, face-to-face with her, looking down at her.

"The marriage your elders arranged for you was guaranteed by decades of friendship between our families.

"If you're unhappy, take it up with your father. Take it up with your grandfather. That's your family's business to settle behind closed doors.

"But you brought outsiders here to annul an engagement your grandfather personally promised!"

His voice suddenly rose. "If that isn't unfilial, what is it!"

He practically roared those final words. Nalan Yanran recoiled, her back slamming into the chair's armrest, and tears spilled down her face.

Xiao Long stood half a step before her, looking down at her. "I've laid out all five charges, clear as day. Tell me, which one have I falsely accused you of?

"And you still dare say you aren't heartless, unrighteous, improper, faithless, and unfilial?"

Tears streamed down Nalan Yanran's face. She wiped them away with her sleeve again and again, her voice thick with sobs. "I didn't look down on your little brother... I never wanted to marry someone I'd never met!

"Today was the first time I saw him!"

Xiao Long snorted and turned back toward his seat, speaking as he walked. "Oh, sure, sure. Did you only find out today that you were engaged?

"You've known you had a fiancé in the Xiao Clan since you were old enough to remember, haven't you?

"What were you doing all these years?

"You should've kicked up a fuss two years ago, while my little brother was still riding high. If you'd broken it off then, I would've praised you for having a backbone, and our family wouldn't have suffered this humiliation."

He sat back down, crossed his legs, and gave Nalan Yanran a sidelong look. "But you just had to come when he was down on his luck. Put your hand on your heart and tell me: if you were a member of the Xiao Clan, could you swallow this insult?

"Without my grandfather, yours would've died in the Magical Beast Mountain Range long ago. There might not even be a you in the Nalan Family.

"Even an ungrateful wolf wouldn't behave the way you have."

The young man beside her, wearing a Five-Star Dou Zhe badge, finally could no longer sit still. He slammed the table and sprang to his feet. "Watch your filthy mouth!"

"Junior Sister Nalan is the Misty Cloud Sect Master's personal disciple! Who the hell do you think you are? Apologize right now!"

Xiao Long barely lifted his eyelids as he glanced at him. "Fucking idiot."

The young man's face flushed crimson. "What did you say!"

Only then did Xiao Long look him in the eye. He sized him up and clicked his tongue twice. "I called you a fucking idiot.

"You're from the Misty Cloud Sect too, right?

"Is this the standard of your Misty Cloud Sect these days?

"The mighty Sect Master's personal disciple is only a Three-Star Dou Zhe, and you've eaten several more years' worth of meals than I have, haven't you? Yet you're just a Five-Star Dou Zhe?

"If you walked a dog down the street, even the dog would think you were too slow."

"Your Sect Master is certainly somebody. You, though? That's another story."

The young man shook with rage, pointing at Xiao Long and stammering "You..." for ages without managing a complete sentence.

Every word Xiao Long had said was solid fact. He had no room even to argue.

Ge Ye's face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He set down his teacup and stood, pointing at Xiao Long. "You're bringing upon the Xiao Clan..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Xun'er suddenly stood up.

The young girl stepped forward, placing herself diagonally in front of Xiao Long. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes stared coldly at Ge Ye. She said nothing, simply watching him.

The rest of Ge Ye's words lodged in his throat, and every hair on his back stood on end.

He was, after all, a powerful Da Dou Shi, yet when this fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl fixed those eyes on him.

He felt a chill shoot up from his tailbone. He forcibly swallowed his unfinished words, his lips trembling twice, and ultimately dared not utter another sound.

Sitting in his chair, Xiao Long watched Xiao Xun'er's small frame shielding him. He clicked his tongue inwardly, said nothing, and lifted his teacup for a sip.

The room was so quiet that a falling pin could have been heard. Only Nalan Yanran's sniffles broke the silence as she stood there wiping away her tears.

Xiao Long's furious rebuke had released much of the anger pent up in Xiao Zhan's heart. Seeing Nalan Yanran crying as well, he could only sigh. "I will speak to the Nalan Family's old patriarch about this."

"Since Miss Nalan does not wish to marry, we will not force her! But from now on, the Xiao Clan cannot presume to reach as high as your Nalan Family. Please refrain from casually calling us longtime family friends in the future."

Ge Ye no longer knew what to say. Their objective had been achieved, but Nalan Yanran, the Nalan Family, and the Misty Cloud Sect would likely all have their reputations dragged through the mud.

Once Xiao Long's words spread, Nalan Yanran would be known as someone heartless, unrighteous, improper, faithless, and unfilial!

Just then, Nalan Yanran raised her head and fought back the sobs in her voice. "Fine, I won't break it off! I'll get married!"

"Huh?"

Now Xiao Long was stunned.

He had brought the plot back to life. Would Hun Tiandi still die, then?

But Nalan Yanran's next words stunned everyone even more. "But I want to marry him!"

Nalan Yanran was pointing at Xiao Long. He shifted to the side, but her finger followed him.

Holy crap, just call off your engagement properly!

How am I becoming the fiancé instead!