Breaking off the engagement!

Time flew by, and evening arrived.

Now that he had a system, Xiao Zhan naturally had no interest in comforting Little Yanzi.

Young people benefited from suffering a few setbacks.

As the saying went, jade had to be carved before it could become a fine vessel.

At that moment, Xiao Zhan was pondering how to use his cheat to grow bigger and stronger.

Since relying on their father can make me stronger, all my sons need to do is keep stirring up trouble and provoking powerful people, and my strength will rise rapidly.

Then, if I simply send Little Yanzi to the Misty Cloud Sect to provoke Yun Yun, Yun Shan, and the like, I'll soon reach Peak Dou Emperor or even Dou Zong!

As though something had occurred to him, Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up.

Yet just as that thought arose, an electronic voice suddenly sounded in his mind, dousing him with a bucket of cold water.

"Reminder to the host: the 'A father's love is like a mountain' function can only activate when the host's sons provoke others naturally, of their own accord. Any instigation driven by the host's deliberate intentions is invalid!"

Hearing the notification, Xiao Zhan immediately understood that the system had such a restriction.

Still, that was no great problem. Since he could not directly encourage his sons to provoke anyone, he would guide them in other ways, turning them into people who were unafraid of trouble. That would not count as breaking the rules.

Those people from the Misty Cloud Sect will arrive tomorrow morning. When the time comes, it'll be time to show Little Yanzi my true strength! After thinking it over, Xiao Zhan continued examining some of the rewards he had just obtained.

The next day, Xiao Zhan had only just stepped out of his room when he saw an elderly man in blue robes standing a short distance away. According to the memories Xiao Zhan had acquired, this man was the Xiao Clan's old steward, and he was exceptionally loyal.

"Clan leader, you're awake!" Seeing Xiao Zhan emerge, the blue-robed elder immediately approached and said softly, "The honored guests from the Misty Cloud Sect have just arrived. The three elders are all waiting for you to join them."

"What's the hurry? Let them wait... Steward Mo, go tell Yan'er to come to the reception hall. Tell him there are a few people I want him to meet!" Xiao Zhan instructed the elder.

"Yes!"

Although Steward Mo found it somewhat strange to hear the disdain for the Misty Cloud Sect's honored guests in Xiao Zhan's words, he said nothing. He acknowledged the order, then quickly turned and headed toward Xiao Yan's room.

After Steward Mo left, Xiao Zhan followed the route in his memories, passing through the Xiao Clan's rear courtyard at an unhurried pace until he reached the reception hall.

Quite a few people had already gathered inside the Xiao Clan's reception hall.

At the far end of the hall, four chairs stood in the seats of honor. One was empty, while an elderly man occupied each of the others. These three were the Xiao Clan's Three Great Elders.

To the left of that uppermost row of chairs sat several members of the Xiao Clan's older generation, along with some of its more promising youths. To the right sat an elderly man and a young man and woman, all three dressed in moon-white robes.

Familiar with the plot, Xiao Zhan identified the three instantly. The elder was Ge Ye, an outer sect deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect, while the young woman and man were Nalan Yanran and Liu Ling respectively.

At that moment, Xiao Zhan saw that the three elders in the seats of honor were conversing with Ge Ye.

As Xiao Zhan stepped through the doorway, everyone in the hall turned their gaze toward him.

That fellow Xiao Zhan knew perfectly well that honored guests from the Misty Cloud Sect were coming today, yet he still arrived so late. Doesn't he realize he'll make them think our Xiao Clan has no manners?

Hmph! To treat honored guests with such neglect-what on earth is he thinking?

The Xiao Clan's Three Great Elders were displeased by Xiao Zhan's arrival, grumbling inwardly without even rising from their seats.

"Greetings, clan leader!"

"Greetings, clan leader!"

Although the Three Great Elders gave no acknowledgment, the other Xiao Clan members stood respectfully and greeted Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan gave those clan members a slight nod, then walked slowly into the hall and took the empty seat of honor. Throughout it all, he did not spare the three visitors from the Misty Cloud Sect a single glance.

Seeing Xiao Zhan's manner, the Three Great Elders beside him could not help frowning. The Xiao Clan's first elder finally spoke up. "Clan leader, the man seated over there is Deacon Ge Ye of the Misty Cloud Sect!"

"Mm."

Only after hearing the elder's words did Xiao Zhan slowly turn his gaze toward Ge Ye and give a slight nod, his expression utterly cold.

Within the clan's territory, Xiao Zhan was invincible. Even if Yun Yun and Yun Shan came together, they could do nothing to him. Why would he care about a mere outer sect deacon from the Misty Cloud Sect?

Xiao Zhan's attitude surprised the Xiao Clan's Three Great Elders, while also stirring their dissatisfaction with him.

Below them, Ge Ye and his two companions, who sat relatively close to Xiao Zhan, also noticed that his manner differed somewhat from everyone else's.

Why is the Xiao Clan's leader so cold toward us? This isn't how it should be. Could he have already guessed the purpose of our visit? the girl beside Ge Ye wondered privately.

The young man frowned, clearly somewhat angered by Xiao Zhan's dismissive attitude.

Just then, a tall, straight-backed youth appeared outside the reception hall.

"Father, elders!"

The youth glanced inside from the doorway, then walked straight to the center of the hall and greeted Xiao Zhan and the three elders.

"Hehe, Yan'er, you're here. Come over to your father!"

Seeing Xiao Yan enter, Xiao Zhan's cold expression instantly changed. He smiled, nodded at Xiao Yan, and beckoned him over.

"Mm!"

Smiling and nodding, Xiao Yan pretended not to notice the impatient, faintly disdainful looks the three elders cast his way and quickly approached Xiao Zhan.

"Father, you called me here to meet them, didn't you?" Recalling Steward Mo's earlier words, Xiao Yan pointed to the three unfamiliar faces beside him and asked.

"Mm."

Hearing Xiao Yan's question, Xiao Zhan nodded. "These three all come from the Misty Cloud Sect. That young girl is Nalan Jie's granddaughter. Before you were born, your grandfather and Nalan Jie betrothed the two of you while you were still in the womb."

"Betrothed before birth?" Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned by Xiao Zhan's explanation.

Nalan Yanran was startled that Xiao Zhan had revealed her identity in a single sentence. Then a sweet smile appeared on her face, and she said softly, "So Uncle Xiao had already recognized me. I've never come to pay my respects before. Please don't hold that against me, Uncle Xiao!"