The moment those words rang out, everyone present was stunned.
Everyone stared at Ge Ye in disbelief, while the veins at Xiao Zhan's temples bulged.
"Ge Ye, you've betrayed your word! How dare you disregard your promise!"
Xiao Zhan rose to his feet, his face blazing with fury!
The other members of the Xiao Clan looked astonished, though understanding dawned on some of their faces.
Xiao Mo's gaze drifted involuntarily to Xiao Yan. His fists were clenched as he glared fixedly at Ge Ye, clearly never having expected him to kick him while he was down.
Xiao Yan's gaze drifted involuntarily to Nalan Yanran's face, as though waiting for her to speak.
Seeing how furious the Xiao Clan members were, Ge Ye smiled and took out a wooden box, presenting it to Xiao Zhan with both hands.
"This is a token of our goodwill."
The box opened, revealing a pill that gave off a delicate fragrance. It was actually Qi Gathering Powder!
Disdain flashed through Xiao Mo's eyes as he looked at the pill. Its grade was indeed much higher than yesterday's Spirit-Gathering Pill.
Qi Gathering Powder was a precious resource that countless experts flocked to like ducks to water, but it was nothing unusual to him.
Xiao Mo opened the shop, and an exchange option for Qi Gathering Powder appeared right there on its main page.
It cost 50 points to exchange for one, a fairly reasonable price, and he happened to have exactly 100 points.
These people wanted to humiliate Xiao Yan with a pill like this? Not a chance.
To him, this stuff was utterly commonplace.
Unfortunately, Qi Gathering Powder was extremely precious to the Xiao Clan.
After all, accidents could easily occur while condensing Dou Luo energy, whereas Qi Gathering Powder allowed someone to break through safely without damaging their meridians.
For a small clan like theirs, the Misty Cloud Sect offering such a pill as compensation was effectively a guarantee that they would produce a Dou Zhe.
When the Xiao Clan members, who had been burning with righteous indignation just moments earlier, looked at the box in Ge Ye's hands again, a hint of fervor had entered their eyes.
Xiao Yan clenched his fists, glaring furiously at the box.
Back when he still had his talent, becoming a mere Dou Zhe would have been easy even without this lousy pill.
But now...
Thinking of his circumstances, he ground his teeth so hard they clicked. Even Xiao Mo beside him could feel his overwhelming fury and resentment.
Just then, the system suddenly chimed.
[Mission issued: host, please stand up for Xiao Yan. Reward: 500 points.]
Xiao Mo's eyes immediately burned with excitement. Five hundred points would let him exchange for ten portions of Qi Gathering Powder outright.
Those points are mine.
With that thought, he stood and grabbed Xiao Yan's trembling hand.
Xiao Yan glanced back at him in surprise, and some of the fury in his chest subsided.
Xiao Mo quickly tapped the shop interface.
"System, exchange for two Qi Gathering Powder pills."
[Host, two Qi Gathering Powder pills will cost 100 points. Exchange now?]
Xiao Mo immediately selected yes.
A flash of white light passed before his eyes, and two Qi Gathering Powder pills appeared directly in his palm.
Without hesitation, he pressed both pills into Xiao Yan's hands.
"They're yours. Why should we put up with this?"
Surprised, Xiao Yan raised his hand and looked at his palm.
When he saw the two Qi Gathering Powder pills in his hand, his face filled with astonishment.
"Where... where did you get these?"
Xiao Mo wasted no words and simply shoved him out.
"Never mind where they came from. As long as they work."
Still stunned, Xiao Yan stumbled out of the crowd and stood in the center.
Everyone's eyes settled on him.
By now, several elders of the Xiao Clan had switched sides and were trying to persuade Xiao Yan to compromise.
"Xiao Yan, why not accept the Qi Gathering Powder? After all, it could help us raise a Dou Qi expert."
"That's right, Xiao Yan. Your strength is only at the third stage now. Why insist on locking horns with them? You'd be better off taking the good on offer."
Some had even begun shoving his arm, urging him to accept the pill.
Ge Ye swept his gaze around, his eyes brimming with contempt.
Only a tiny clan like this could be so shortsighted as to covet a pill of this sort.
He stepped forward, about to press the pill into Xiao Yan's hand, only to notice the youth's lips curl upward, a trace of coldness in his eyes.
"One lousy pill? Our sect has stuff like this too. Trying to fob us off with something like that isn't very sincere, is it?"
"If that's your attitude, then forgive me, but I refuse. I will absolutely not agree to this today."
At those words, the hall fell so silent that a falling pin could have been heard.
The three elders had assumed Xiao Yan would agree immediately. They had never expected him to refuse, and now all of them grew anxious.
One even slammed his hand onto the table.
"Xiao Yan, is this any place for a junior like you to speak? You know perfectly well how precious Qi Gathering Powder is. Stop dreaming in broad daylight."
"With your current strength, you aren't worthy of Nalan Yanran at all. You'd be better off exchanging this engagement for the pill as soon as possible, so our sect can produce another Dou Zhe."
Xiao Yan merely cast him a contemptuous glance, his expression proud, showing no regard for the old man whatsoever.
"This is my marriage. How I decide to handle it is none of your business, is it?"
At Xiao Yan's words, the elder was instantly struck speechless.
He truly had no right to meddle in this marriage. After all, the engagement had been arranged by their older generation.
Seeing Xiao Yan's unyielding attitude, Nalan Yanran could not help rising and snapping at him.
"Xiao Yan, offering Qi Gathering Powder was already a courtesy to your clan. Don't spit in our faces when we've shown you respect. Whether you agree or not, this engagement ends today."
Xiao Yan raised his eyes to Nalan Yanran, his gaze filled with icy coldness.
Nalan Yanran's heart jolted. How could a piece of trash look so confident?
"What gives you the right to look at me like that?"
A streak of cold light condensed in Nalan Yanran's hand and shot straight at Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan, watch out!"
Xiao Mo's heart lurched.
Damn, he's the protagonist! If he gets killed today, this is going to get awkward.
Not only would he fail the mission, but the system might even erase him.
Xiao Mo conjured a swirl of frost in his hand, preparing to take on Nalan Yanran.
But Xiao Yan gave him a slight shake of his head, and a ball of fire flared to life in his palm.
The instant Nalan Yanran's icy gleam shot toward his chest, the fireball flew out and collided with it.
With a bang, a ring of flame burst through the air, forcing everyone nearby half a step back.
Everyone stared at Xiao Yan in disbelief. Even Xiao Zhan, who had been about to intervene to save his son, froze in shock.
"Xiao Yan, what's going on with you?"
Xiao Zhan and the others had tested him only yesterday. Xiao Yan had clearly been at the third stage; he should not have been capable of such a move.
Yet this fireball had just slapped everyone in the face. It seemed his strength was not merely at the third stage.
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