The Good-for-Nothing Clan Leader

By then, no matter how thick-skinned Xiao Zhan was, he would be too embarrassed to remain the Xiao Clan's leader.

Looking at Xiao Zhan's face, dark as storm clouds, Ge Ye sighed helplessly. "I know this is asking too much of you, but please, Clan Leader Xiao, show our sect leader some consideration and dissolve this engagement!"

Crack, crack, crack...

Xiao Zhan clenched his fists. Faint cyan Dou Qi seeped out of his body, gradually enveloping him, and vaguely formed an illusory lion's head around his own.

This was the Xiao Clan's finest technique, the Furious Lion Vajra, which only the clan leader was entitled to practice-a Xuan-tier mid-level technique!

At the sight, Ge Ye's expression grew solemn. He placed himself in front of Nalan Sheng and Nalan Yanran, lest Xiao Zhan do something foolish in his fury, heedless of the consequences.

Under normal circumstances, Xiao Zhan certainly would not dare harm Nalan Sheng or the others. If anything happened to them, the entire Xiao Clan would have to follow them to the grave.

But rage could cloud a man's judgment. If Xiao Zhan truly attacked Nalan Sheng and the others, even if they were only injured, Ge Ye would have a hard time explaining himself when he returned to the Misty Cloud Sect as an outer sect elder.

Thus, beneath his sleeve, Ge Ye had already curled his hand slightly. Cyan Dou Qi gathered in his palm, condensing into tiny strands of cyan sword Qi.

As the two men slowly gathered their Dou Qi, an invisible pressure spread through the hall. The younger members of the Xiao Clan who had yet to reach Dou Zhe turned pale, their chests tightening.

"Heh, heh..."

Just as the Xiao Clan's Three Great Elders were about to speak up and stop Xiao Zhan, an abrupt snicker rang out, drawing everyone's gaze.

Dressed in black robes, Nalan Sheng leisurely set down his teacup. A mocking sneer crossed his face. "Now I finally understand why the Xiao Clan has fallen this far. It turns out you have a good-for-nothing clan leader who can do nothing but rage impotently."

"Nalan Sheng, I won't let you insult my father!"

Before Xiao Zhan could flare up, Xiao Yan, who was sitting beside Xiao Xun'er, stood with fury written all over his face.

Xiao Yan could hardly be blamed for being so angry. Xiao Zhan truly could not have treated his son better, and Xiao Yan would never allow anyone to humiliate his father in front of him.

[Ding! The host has publicly insulted the father of the destined male protagonist. Reward: 3 Villain Points!]

Hearing the system notification ring in his ears, Nalan Sheng's smile broadened. He turned to Xiao Yan and asked, "Xiao Yan, do you think that if Clan Leader Xiao actually injured Yanran and me, the Nalan Family and the Misty Cloud Sect would let the Xiao Clan off lightly?

"Clan Leader Xiao has held his position for so many years, yet he can't even keep his temper. He nearly brought disaster down on the entire Xiao Clan for the sake of his own selfish desires. Doesn't that make him a good-for-nothing?"

"Nalan Sheng, that's easy for you to say!"

Clenching his fists, Xiao Yan snorted. "If someone came to your door today and broke off your engagement in public, I don't believe the head of the Nalan Family could remain unmoved."

"Hahahaha..."

At Xiao Yan's challenge, Nalan Sheng threw back his head and laughed, as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world. Finally, he shook his head with a look of dawning realization. "Truly, dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and a rat's son knows how to burrow. How could a good-for-nothing clan leader possibly father a clever young master?

"Xiao Yan, if I were you, I would never have given the other party a chance to come to my door and break off the engagement."

"Nalan Sheng, what do you mean?"

Hearing Nalan Sheng's words, Xiao Yan involuntarily frowned.

"Everyone, what do you think matters most in an engagement between two little children? Strength? Wealth? Or affection?"

Rather than answer Xiao Yan directly, Nalan Sheng turned to the Xiao Clan members in the hall. "None of those things really matter. What matters most is that the two families are well matched in standing.

"When Old Master Xiao was still alive, although your Xiao Clan couldn't compare with our Nalan Family, you at least had a Dou Wang expert holding the fort. You could just barely be considered a suitable match for us.

"Unfortunately, when Yanran and I were three, Old Master Xiao died unexpectedly. Your Xiao Clan didn't even have a Dou Ling expert, so the entire clan had no choice but to move from the imperial capital to a remote city like Wutan City.

"In truth, from that moment onward, Xiao Yan was already unworthy of my younger sister."

"..."

Xiao Yan's expression shifted slightly before he sneered. "Nalan Sheng, you make it all sound so high-minded. Then why didn't your Nalan Family come to break off the engagement back then? Wasn't it because you valued my cultivation talent?"

"Exactly!"

Nalan Sheng made no attempt to deny it. Instead, he nodded affirmatively. "Our Nalan Family refrained from dissolving your engagement to Yanran precisely because we valued your cultivation talent.

"After all, judging by the talent you displayed back then, you were very likely to become a Dou Huang expert someday. Our Nalan Family had no reason to give up a future Dou Emperor son-in-law."

"..."

The corner of Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. With a face full of mockery, he cupped his hands. "I never imagined you could say something like that without so much as blinking. I have never seen anyone so shameless. Impressive, truly impressive!"

"Heh, heh..."

Nalan Sheng chuckled and shook his head. "Xiao Yan, it isn't that I'm shameless. You're simply too naive.

"What I just described is nothing more than the normal practice of marriage alliances between great families.

"Great families sacrifice their children's lifelong happiness for marriage alliances because those alliances benefit their families' future development.

"But your Xiao Clan has fallen on hard times, and you, the prospective marriage partner, have become a good-for-nothing. Our Nalan Family truly has no reason to keep sacrificing Yanran's lifelong happiness for a marriage alliance with your Xiao Clan."

"Then why didn't you come to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement three years ago?"

Seeing how bluntly realistic Nalan Sheng was, Xiao Yan inexplicably felt some of his anger fade. He could not help asking in confusion.

"Simple! For one thing, our Nalan Family wasn't certain whether that strange illness of yours could be cured."

Nalan Sheng held up two fingers. "For another, our Nalan Family hoped your Xiao Clan would take the initiative to propose dissolving the engagement.

"Normally, when two great families are preparing a marriage alliance and one suddenly declines, that family should take the initiative to give up the alliance. This is also an unwritten rule among the great families.

"For example, three years ago, you suddenly contracted a strange illness that caused your cultivation to regress, and Clan Leader Xiao exhausted every possible means without curing it.

"He should then have brought you to our Nalan Family to dissolve the engagement of his own accord.

"Of course, our Nalan Family certainly wouldn't have treated you unfairly. We could have asked Pill King Gu He to examine you and see whether your strange illness could be cured.

"If your illness could be cured, the two sides could maintain their marriage alliance, and everyone would be happy."