Hearing Xiao Yan refuse the Misty Cloud Sect's compensation, the Xiao Family elders were livid.
The three elders immediately flew into a rage.
"Xiao Yan, what right do you have to speak here? Shut up!" An elder's expression darkened as he angrily rebuked him.
"Xiao Yan, step back. I know you feel wronged, but we will make the decision here," another, older elder said.
Despite the elders' interference, Xiao Yan had no intention of backing down.
He sneered. "Three elders, if the ones whose engagements were being broken today were your sons or grandsons, would you still say the same thing?"
Xiao Yan knew that all three of them coveted the Qi Gathering Powder.
Because he understood how useful the Qi Gathering Powder was to the Xiao Family.
"Y-you..." The three elders froze.
The hot-tempered three elders' gazes darkened, Dou Qi slowly coating their bodies as though they were about to teach him a lesson.
"Three elders, Brother Xiao Yan is right. He is the person involved in this matter, so please do not interfere," the Purple-robed Girl's clear voice rang through the hall.
When the Purple-robed Girl spoke, the three elders' arrogant airs instantly vanished. After exchanging glances, they could only remain silent.
"What exactly is this girl's identity? Even the Xiao Family elders fear her." Chen Xuan glanced at the Purple-robed Girl, his eyes filled with curiosity.
For a girl whose childishness had not yet faded to make the Xiao Family elders wary, she must have some formidable means.
Next, Xiao Yan began his exchange with Nalan Yanran.
After listening to their conversation, Chen Xuan finally understood something.
It turned out Nalan Yanran had not received her family's consent before coming to the Xiao Family to break off the engagement.
She had relied on the Misty Cloud Sect to pressure the Xiao Family.
With the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation in the Jia Ma Empire, a small Xiao Family naturally did not amount to much in its eyes.
Nalan Yanran was furious, and in the end, she made a promise.
If Xiao Yan agreed to break off the engagement, the Misty Cloud Sect could accept him as a disciple and allow him to cultivate there.
At the same time, the Misty Cloud Sect would offer three additional Qi Gathering Powders as compensation.
Yet even before the tempting conditions Nalan Yanran offered, Xiao Yan remained unmoved.
Staring at Nalan Yanran with killing intent blazing in his eyes, Xiao Yan snarled, "I really want to kill you."
Seeing that Xiao Yan was furious enough to make a move, Xiao Zhan hurriedly shouted, "Yan'er, do not be disrespectful!"
The Xiao Family was no match for the Misty Cloud Sect. If they offended such a colossal power, it would plunge the Xiao Family into eternal ruin.
In the end, Xiao Yan's savage and terrifying expression gradually returned to calm.
Nalan Yanran stared at Xiao Yan with an unyielding attitude, declaring that this visit had been approved by the Sect Master.
The gap between her and Xiao Yan was simply too great. There was no possibility for them to be together.
Facing Nalan Yanran's judgment-like words, Xiao Yan sneered. "Miss Nalan, you should know how humiliating it is for a man on the Dou Qi Continent when a woman breaks off an engagement."
"Heh, my skin is thick, so it does not matter much to me. But my father is the head of a clan. If he truly agreed to your demand today, how could he manage the Xiao Family in the future? How could he continue to stand in Wutan City?"
Nalan Yanran remained unmoved by Xiao Yan's nearly berserk appearance.
She had come to break off the engagement this time, and she had to succeed.
She wanted to control her own fate and did not want her life arranged from the moment she was born.
After some thought, Nalan Yanran proposed an agreement.
She could wait three years. If Xiao Yan could defeat her after three years, she would acknowledge this engagement.
If she won, the engagement agreement would be void.
But Xiao Yan said that he was now nothing but trash, trash that had been unable to improve for three years.
Asking him to go to the Misty Cloud Sect and duel Nalan Yanran three years later was simply forcing the impossible.
So Xiao Yan urged Nalan Yanran to be kind. "Miss Nalan, for Old Master Nalan's sake, I, Xiao Yan, offer you a few words of advice. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Do not bully the poor youth."
"Good! What a 'do not bully the poor youth'! My Xiao Zhan's son truly is extraordinary!" From the seat of honor, Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up. His fists slammed heavily onto the table, splashing tea everywhere.
Having been lectured, Nalan Yanran's expression turned ugly.
As a favored daughter of heaven, how could she swallow being lectured by a piece of trash?
"What right do you have to lecture me? Even if your talent was once unmatched, you are now nothing but trash!"
"Fine. I, Nalan Yanran, will wait for the day you surpass me again. I will not mention breaking off the engagement again today. Three years from now, I will wait for you at the Misty Cloud Sect. If you have the ability, show me just how far you can rise."
"If you can defeat me then, I, Nalan Yanran, will be your servant for the rest of my life. You may do as you please with me."
"Of course, if after three years you are still this same piece of trash, then obediently hand over that agreement to break off the engagement."
Chen Xuan heard everything clearly from the side.
When he heard Nalan Yanran's final words, he immediately objected.
"I object!" Chen Xuan said loudly.
The moment Chen Xuan, who had remained silent all along, spoke up, he instantly drew everyone's attention.
Ge Ye was somewhat dumbfounded, not expecting Chen Xuan to interfere.
Under Nalan Yanran's stunned gaze, Chen Xuan walked over and wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
Their intimate contact looked extremely ambiguous.
Nalan Yanran's cheeks flushed, caught somewhat off guard.
She had not expected Chen Xuan to dare hold her in front of everyone.
Seeing this scene, Xiao Yan's expression turned dark and terrifying.
He felt as if a green prairie had appeared above his head.
"I am your man. How can I let you make an agreement to duel someone?" Chen Xuan spoke domineeringly. "If he wants to have you, he must kill me first. Remember, he has to kill me. Otherwise, he can forget about having you. I can also give him three years. I will wait for him at the Misty Cloud Sect."
Hearing Chen Xuan's words, Nalan Yanran felt warmth in her heart.
This bastard had finally said something touching.
"There is no need for three years. I truly have no interest whatsoever in this woman."
After saying that, Xiao Yan ignored Nalan Yanran's pretty face, now icy cold, and abruptly turned around. He strode to the table and began writing furiously.
The ink fell, and the brush stopped!
He used a short sword to cut a bloody gash across his left palm.
His blood-soaked hand left a glaring crimson handprint on the white paper.
"Do not think I, Xiao Yan, care so much about some genius wife like you. This contract is not an agreement to break off the engagement. It is proof that this young master is casting you out of the Xiao Family!" Xiao Yan glared at Nalan Yanran. "From this day onward, you, Nalan Yanran, will have nothing whatsoever to do with my Xiao Family!"
After speaking, he stubbornly knelt before Xiao Zhan without saying a word.
Having been repudiated, Nalan Yanran was utterly stunned, and even more furious inside.
What right did this piece of trash have to repudiate her?
What qualifications did this piece of trash have to repudiate her?
"Repudiate my ass! Do you really think she is your wife? Why do you not piss and look at yourself? In what way are you worthy of my Yanran?" Chen Xuan sneered. "You are not married. Yanran is not your wife, so do not think so highly of yourself."
Faced with Chen Xuan's mockery, Xiao Yan chose to ignore him.
He walked toward Xiao Zhan.
"Father, three years from now, Yan'er will go to the Misty Cloud Sect and personally wash away today's humiliation for you." Xiao Yan heavily kowtowed, then rose and headed toward the hall's exit.
As he passed Nalan Yanran and Chen Xuan, Xiao Yan's calm, youthful voice came out coldly. "Three years from now, I will come for you."
After saying that, he walked out without looking back.
"You have achieved your purpose, so please leave." Xiao Zhan's face was indifferent, his fists clenched so tightly that his fingers had turned white.
It was clear that the fury in his heart had reached its limit.
Holding Nalan Yanran's fair jade-like hand, Chen Xuan said to Ge Ye, "Elder Ge, take the Qi Gathering Powder. Let us go."
Ge Ye gave a bitter smile. He had not expected things to develop to this point.
He had intended to leave the Qi Gathering Powder behind as compensation, but Xiao Zhan did not care for it, so he could only take it away.
"Miss of the Nalan Family, I hope you and your lover will not regret what you did today. Also, do not think that having the Misty Cloud Sect backing you means you can act without restraint. The Dou Qi Continent is vast—there are quite a few people stronger than Yun Yun."
Just as Chen Xuan and Nalan Yanran were about to leave, the Purple-robed Girl's clear voice suddenly rang out.
Her tone carried a trace of coldness.
Chen Xuan and the others turned around. What met their eyes was a pair of beautiful eyes like autumn waters, followed by a wisp of tiny golden flame emerging within them.
At the sight of the tiny golden flame in the Purple-robed Girl's eyes, Ge Ye shuddered violently, his face filled with terror.
He hurriedly led Chen Xuan and Nalan Yanran out of the Xiao Family hall.
Seeing Ge Ye act this way, everyone in the Xiao Family was dumbfounded.
Chen Xuan was even more speechless.
Before you continue