A letter of repudiation

Vast Dou Qi erupted from Xiao Yan's body, shaking the air around him as the powerful, weighty aura of a Nine-Star Dou Zhe swept through the hall.

Nalan Yanran's pupils contracted sharply. As though struck by lightning, she stared blankly at the Dou Qi surging ceaselessly around Xiao Yan, her mind utterly empty.

According to the information she had received from the Misty Cloud Sect before coming to break off the engagement, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had been steadily disappearing for years. He was a cripple mocked by everyone in Wutan City, his talent utterly ruined, with little hope of ever making anything of himself. How had everything changed the moment she arrived?

She had thought that, as the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect, she could casually sever this engagement that burdened her. Yet the sight before her completely overturned everything she knew.

How could this be? The boy who, according to those reports, had only Three Segments of Dou Qi and endured everyone's ridicule had actually leaped to Nine-Star Dou Zhe! He had even joined a sect that far surpassed the Misty Cloud Sect.

A Nine-Star Dou Zhe was only one step away from becoming a Dou Shi, and his cultivation stood a full six segments above hers. Their strength and standing had been completely reversed in an instant.

The innate pride, pity, and disdain she had felt just moments ago shattered completely. An indescribable panic and embarrassment swept through her, and her fingers unconsciously clenched her skirt. She suddenly realized that coming to break off the engagement with the air of someone offering charity had been nothing short of an absurd joke.

Ge Ye cowered to one side, his heart filled with fear of Jiang Xian hovering in the air. He dared not interrupt and could only silently watch Nalan Yanran's dazed expression.

Xiao Yan coldly regarded the pale, shaken Nalan Yanran, his voice ringing clearly throughout the hall. "Nalan Yanran, you thought I wasn't worthy of you and saw this engagement as a shackle. Today, you came here in person, bringing compensation like charity to force me to dissolve it. But now, take another good look. The cultivation you're so proud of and the Misty Cloud Sect backing you are nothing worth mentioning before me."

He stepped forward, his gaze sharp and utterly unhesitating. "Since you think so little of me, Xiao Yan, there's no need for you to take the initiative in breaking off this engagement. Today, I, Xiao Yan, am repudiating you, Nalan Yanran!"

His words left the entire hall silent.

Nalan Yanran shuddered violently and looked up at Xiao Yan in disbelief, her lips trembling slightly, her thoughts a tangled mess.

She had imagined countless scenes in which the engagement was dissolved: Xiao Yan swallowing his anger and agreeing, or humbly pleading with her. Never had she expected him to repudiate her in public and tear apart every shred of her dignity.

Shame, regret, shock, and embarrassment tangled together, leaving her chest tight. For a moment, she could not even get out a complete sentence. "You... what did you say?"

"I said, I'm repudiating you." Xiao Yan's tone did not soften in the slightest, every word ringing firm. "You think so highly of yourself as the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master, yet your horizons are narrow and your heart is full of arrogance. We were never people who walked the same path. Since you're so determined to sever this engagement, I'll be the one to end it. From this day forward, you, Nalan Yanran, and I, Xiao Yan, will have nothing whatsoever to do with each other. I'm casting you aside, not the other way around."

With that, Xiao Yan took blank paper, a brush, and ink from his Storage Ring. His wrist flicked lightly, and the brush flowed across the page, swift as the wind.

A few lines of sharp, forceful handwriting formed a letter of repudiation in moments! When he finished, he flicked his fingers and flung the letter through the air before the ink had dried!

The white sheet drifted down slowly and settled flat on the table before Nalan Yanran. Every word on the letter was like a resounding slap, brutally shattering all her pride and haughtiness.

Nalan Yanran stared at the letter on the table, her eyes reddening slightly, her former composure and pride utterly gone. In mere moments, she had fallen from the lofty position of the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect master to the one whose engagement had been broken off in public. The enormous reversal left her wishing she could hide herself away.

Beside her, Ge Ye inwardly lamented, but under the pressure emanating from Jiang Xian in the air, he dared not utter a single word of objection. He could only steel himself, step forward, and say quietly, "Young friend Xiao Yan, could this matter perhaps..."

"Say no more." Xiao Yan cut him off directly, his attitude firm. "My mind is made up. There's no need to persuade me."

"Take all these compensation gifts away with you. My Xiao Clan has no use for the Misty Cloud Sect's charity."

Xiao Yan turned his fingers, and a jade vial appeared in his palm. Inside, a lustrous, milky-white drop of Divine Spring hovered quietly, spiritual energy spilling out as rich vitality washed over them. He raised his hand and tossed the vial to Nalan Yanran, his tone indifferent. "Take this drop of Divine Spring with you as well. Consider it my compensation to you, and a settlement of the past ties between our families. Its healing effects far surpass those of a seventh-tier pill. Once your grandfather, Nalan Jie, takes this Divine Spring, the Brand Poison afflicting him can be easily neutralized."

Nalan Yanran hastily caught the jade vial. The abundant vitality circulating within it left her with even more mixed feelings. This was far superior to the Qi Gathering Powder she had offered Xiao Yan as compensation.

She had intended to return it to Xiao Yan immediately.

She had come to break off the engagement today and brought humiliation upon herself, leaving her utterly embarrassed. How could she have the face to accept his gift?

But just as the thought arose, her grandfather Nalan Jie's aged, feeble face flashed through her mind.

Her grandfather had suffered from Brand Poison for years. The poison had penetrated deep into his muscles and bones, saturating his marrow, making it difficult to eradicate. He had long suppressed it with his own formidable Dou Qi, but as he aged and his body weakened, the poison's backlash had grown increasingly violent. He had long since had little time remaining.

Yet this drop of Divine Spring in her palm was a genuine supreme treasure capable of neutralizing the poison!

At that thought, Nalan Yanran's hand abruptly froze.

Her fingertips trembled slightly. In the end, she did not hand the jade vial back. Instead, she clutched it tightly in her palm, holding on with all her strength.

Feeling the abundant vitality circulating within the vial, Nalan Yanran's emotions grew even more conflicted. Though they were both ending the engagement, Xiao Yan had instead brought out such a precious supreme treasure as compensation, making her earlier actions seem all the more ridiculous by comparison.

In the air above, Jiang Xian's gaze swept indifferently over her hand gripping the jade vial. His expression remained unchanged as he spoke slowly. "Today's matter ends here. But your Misty Cloud Sect must remember this: if you dare trouble the Xiao Clan in the future, there will be no need for the Misty Cloud Sect to exist."

Ge Ye's legs went weak. He hurriedly bowed and cupped his hands, answering fearfully, "We wouldn't dare! We will remember your instructions, senior! We would never dare cause trouble again!"

Nalan Yanran remained silent throughout, clutching the letter of repudiation in one hand and the jade vial containing the Divine Spring in the other. Finally, she drew a deep breath, suppressed all her tangled emotions, and turned to follow Ge Ye, leaving the Xiao Clan hall with heavy steps in utter humiliation.

After the three visitors, including Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye, departed in disgrace, the clan members' gazes toward Xiao Yan no longer held their former contempt and mockery. Only deep respect and admiration remained.

Xiao Zhan's face was filled with gratification as he looked at his transformed, spirited son before him, countless emotions stirring in his heart. The frustration and humiliation that had built up over the years were swept away, leaving only overwhelming pride.

Xiao Yan turned around with a smile of exhilaration and walked up to Xiao Zhan, speaking with a hint of embarrassment. "Father, it was thanks to Brother Jiang Xian and all my friends backing me today that I could wipe away my past humiliation. They've come a long way, so I'd like to take them and Xun'er to the largest restaurant in Wutan City for a feast, treat them properly, and do my part as their host."