"Elder Ge Ye, if you can produce thirty portions of Qi Gathering Powder, we can put this matter behind us today.
Otherwise, I'll have to go with the first option!"
The entire assembly hall fell so quiet that a pin dropping could have been heard.
Everyone was stunned senseless by Xiao Yan's earth-shattering demand!
Thirty portions of Qi Gathering Powder!
Young Master Xiao Yan, I admit I cursed you too loudly just now!
I'm sorry!
Turns out I was the ignorant, worthless one!
This wasn't just a lion opening its maw!
This was an ancient void dragon opening its maw!
"You...!"
Nalan Yanran's pretty face turned from livid to purple, then from purple to red, her chest heaving violently!
She was about to explode with rage!
"Why don't you just ask me to prop your Xiao Clan up as one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest clans?
That would actually be easier!"
Xiao Yan smiled.
"There's an offer that good? I wouldn't say no!"
Nalan Yanran suddenly discovered that when someone was utterly speechless, they really were speechless!
After choking on her words for a long while, Nalan Yanran finally said through gritted teeth, "Xiao Yan, must you make this so ugly?"
Xiao Yan also suddenly discovered that when someone was utterly shameless, they really were shameless!
After savoring her words for a long while, Xiao Yan smacked his lips and said:
"Miss Nalan, if I remember correctly, you were the ones who started this, weren't you?
You came here to slap our Xiao Clan in the face, and now you're blaming us for holding our faces at the wrong angle for you?
Isn't that a little too unreasonable?"
Without waiting for Nalan Yanran to retort, Xiao Yan continued, "Miss Nalan, make your decision. Which option will you choose?
As the illustrious future master of the Misty Cloud Sect, surely you can produce this paltry amount of medicine?"
Nalan Yanran desperately wished she could become the Misty Cloud Sect Master right now, then fling a bag of medicine straight into Xiao Yan's hateful face!
Unfortunately, she wasn't the sect master yet!
She had to swallow this anger and resolve the matter!
Forcing down her rage, Nalan Yanran said, "Xiao Yan, be realistic! There's no way I can accept your price.
Nor can I afford it. It's too high!"
Xiao Yan smiled.
"Miss Nalan, you think my price is too high, but I think it's too low.
On one side is medicine with a price. On the other is my Xiao Clan's priceless honor and my father's dignity.
Miss Nalan, if I paid thirty portions of medicine, would you let me publicly humiliate your father and your family?
Can you put a price in medicine on the Nalan Family's honor and dignity-a price that buys the right to humiliate them?
If not, what makes you think you can put a price in medicine on my Xiao Clan's honor and my father's dignity?"
Nalan Yanran remained silent.
Some of the Xiao Clan members below who had thought Xiao Yan was opening a lion's maw with his demands finally came to their senses!
That's right!
This isn't about money! It's about honor!
Are we really going to measure our Xiao Clan's honor with a number?
For a moment, every Xiao Clan member looked at the three representatives of the Misty Cloud Sect with the shared fury of people facing a common enemy!
Ge Ye inwardly lamented his plight.
He finally understood now. From the very beginning, Xiao Yan had never intended to negotiate a price!
The Xiao Clan's honor had already been ruined!
So the Nalan Family's honor had to be ruined too!
There had never been a second option!
Ge Ye felt nothing but endless regret!
But things had already reached this point. He couldn't bear the consequences of a complete falling-out, so he had to find a way to resolve this!
"Nephew Xiao Yan..." Ge Ye forced out a smile uglier than a crying face, trying to ease the tension.
"Everything can be discussed. This condition really is... really is too steep! Let's discuss it some more."
Xiao Yan cut him off without hesitation.
"So you can't pay? Fine! I'll take that as you choosing the first option.
Someone! Bring brush, ink, paper, and inkstone!"
With that, Xiao Yan turned back to Nalan Yanran with a beaming smile.
"Miss Nalan, please wait a moment. It's only a repudiation letter. It won't take long to write!"
A perceptive clan member had already dashed off to fetch the writing supplies.
"Don't you dare!"
Nalan Yanran trembled all over with rage. Pointing at Xiao Yan's nose, she spat out each word: "Xiao Yan! Don't push me too far!"
At that, Xiao Yan finally couldn't hold back his delighted laughter.
"Hahahaha!
Miss Nalan, are you finally getting a firsthand taste of the humiliation my Xiao Clan suffered today?
Doesn't feel good, does it?"
Once his laughter stopped, Xiao Yan abruptly straightened, his gaze turning icy as he looked at Nalan Yanran.
"Miss Nalan, if you can't bear suffering it yourself, why would you inflict it on someone else?
Has your status as the future master of the Misty Cloud Sect already made you too arrogant to consider anyone else's feelings?
If you can't consider them, then I, Xiao Yan, will do it for you!
Today, your Nalan Family's honor must fall to the ground too!"
"You...!"
Xiao Yan's blatant provocation enraged Nalan Yanran so much that her vision went black, and she nearly toppled over.
She stared fixedly at his face, full of delight and mockery, desperately wishing she could blast him apart with a single punch!
After glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan for a long while, Nalan Yanran suddenly drew a deep breath, and her expression abruptly returned to calm.
"Xiao Yan, well done. You've succeeded in enraging me!
But even if you can play a few clever tricks, do you really think anything good will come of opposing the Misty Cloud Sect?
Hmph! Since today's matter has reached this point, I'll give you two choices as well!
First, you repudiate me. But if I gain power in the Misty Cloud Sect in the future, I will do everything I can to take revenge on the Xiao Clan!
If my honor is gone, I'll have nothing left to hold me back! I'll show you just how far the Nalan Family can go when it no longer cares about saving face!
Second, we both take a step back today.
I won't call off this engagement today! But I want to make a three-year agreement with you!
Three years from now, come to the Misty Cloud Sect, and we'll discuss the marriage again!
If you can defeat me then, not only will I honor my promise and marry you, I'll willingly serve as your slave or maid, yours to command!
Xiao Yan, arguing is pointless. On the Dou Qi Continent, strength ultimately speaks!
This wager, heh... do you dare accept it?"
After Nalan Yanran declared that she would take revenge on the Xiao Clan, the clan members below, who had been seething with indignation, finally calmed down!
They had only gained the upper hand in this war of words because the Nalan Family and the Misty Cloud Sect still cared about saving face! They still wanted to resolve the problem!
But if the Nalan Family and the Misty Cloud Sect truly decided to abandon their honor, could the Xiao Clan really withstand their retaliation after losing face?
Probably not!
Yet even if both sides took a step back today and revisited the marriage in three years, with Nalan Yanran's talent and the Misty Cloud Sect's resources, how could Xiao Yan, with his merely mediocre aptitude, possibly defeat her?
It would only end in another humiliation three years later!
Everyone fell silent!
They were clearly trying to think of some way to resolve today's matter without losing face.
After a moment of silence, however, Xiao Yan smiled and slowly spoke.
Before you continue