At that moment, Old Master Nalan Jie, Xiao Zhan, and several Xiao Clan elders arrived, just in time to see Nalan Yanran crying a rain of tears and calling for her mommy.
The Xiao Clan elders and Xiao Zhan immediately paled and stole a glance at Old Master Nalan Jie.
"Tian'er! What's going on?! How could you bully Yanran?!" Xiao Zhan shouted at Xiao Tian, his face stern.
Xiao Tian snapped back to his senses. Seeing that his father and Old Master Nalan had arrived, he immediately cut off the Genjutsu!
Nalan Yanran emerged from the world of Genjutsu and took in her surroundings. When she saw Xiao Tian, her eyes, which had shed their silver hue and returned to their lustrous black-gem appearance, filled with intense fear, and she involuntarily backed away several steps.
Nalan Jie frowned. As a Dou Wang expert, he naturally noticed something amiss. He turned to Xiao Zhan and asked with a smile, "Xiao Zhan, does Tian'er know an Illusion Eye Technique?"
Xiao Zhan hurriedly shook his head. "Old Master, our Xiao Clan doesn't possess a rare Dou Technique like an Illusion Eye Technique. There's no way Tian'er could know one."
"Is that so?" Nalan Jie studied Xiao Tian, who was scratching his head, then laughed heartily. "Xiao Zhan, announce what we agreed on earlier, then."
Xiao Zhan nodded, casting a subtle, fleeting glance toward Xiao Xun'er.
"Tian'er, Old Master Nalan and I have discussed it. Once you and Yanran turn eighteen, you'll get married."
Xiao Tian, Xiao Xun'er, and Xiao Yan exclaimed, "What?!"
Xiao Zhan gave Xiao Yan an apologetic glance, then fixed Xiao Tian with a stern gaze. "This matter is settled."
"Grandpa! How could you do this?! I don't want to marry that demon!" Nalan Yanran said, her voice thick with tears, as she trotted toward Nalan Jie.
Old Master Nalan Jie gave Little Yanran a kindly, gentle head pat. His eyes softened as he smiled. "Xiao Tian has good innate potential and great talent. Besides, you were sparring just now, weren't you? He defeated you, didn't he?"
Nalan Yanran shook her head like a rattle drum in denial and said indignantly, "He launched a sneak attack! He's despicable!"
"Little Yanran, have you forgotten what Grandpa told you before? On a real battlefield of life and death, underhandedness is a means too. This marriage is settled."
"I'm not marrying him!" Nalan Yanran's face was full of anger. Grandpa had changed. He didn't dote on her anymore.
"I'm not marrying into their family either! Pah! I mean, I'm not taking a wife!" Xiao Tian roared.
"I don't agree to this marriage." Xiao Xun'er stood up, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xiao Zhan, a wisp of dragon-shaped golden flame flickering in her pupils.
"Father, just call off this marriage. Don't ruin someone's life," Xiao Yan said coldly.
Xiao Zhan's head throbbed. He hadn't expected Tian'er to have actually conquered Xiao Xun'er's heart, but Xun'er's status and background were far too lofty. Their Xiao Clan couldn't reach that high.
"Tian'er, you have to understand your father's maneuvering."
At that moment, Old Master Nalan Jie, who was in the Dou Wang realm, caught the wisp of dragon-shaped golden flame flashing through Xiao Xun'er's pupils, and his heart shook violently.
"Xiao Zhan, since Yanran and Xiao Tian are reacting so strongly, let's betroth Yanran to your second son, Xiao Yan, instead."
"Grandpa! I don't want to! I don't want to marry into the Xiao Clan!" With a stubborn look, Nalan Yanran clutched the old master's lapels in her little hands and shook them.
"Father, I don't want to marry her," Xiao Yan said icily.
The veins on Xiao Zhan's forehead bulged. If Nalan Jie hadn't been there, he would have wanted to give both his sons a savage beating!
He had it so hard!
Nalan Jie gave Nalan Yanran a head pat and smiled. "Little Yanran, do you know what it means to repay kindness? Back then, if your Uncle Xiao Zhan's father, my comrade-in-arms Xiao Lin, hadn't risked his life to save me, you wouldn't have your grandpa here alive today. How about this? Once you and Xiao Yan are both adults, you'll have a duel. If you lose, you'll marry him."