Chapter 7

It was somewhat different from what Nalan Yanran had expected. After she spoke, the young man in front of her began to tremble violently, slowly lifting his head. The once innocent and delicate face now appeared terrifying and fearsome.

Although he had endured ridicule for three years, in Xiao Yan's heart, there were still his own boundaries. Nalan Yanran's high-handed and condescending actions had trampled on the last bit of dignity he had hidden in his heart.

"Ahh..." The young girl was startled by the young man's fearsome appearance and quickly took a step back. The handsome young man beside her suddenly drew his long sword, his eyes coldly pointing at Xiao Yan.

"I... really want to kill you!" Through his trembling teeth, he revealed a sentence filled with killing intent. Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his pitch-black eyes burning with rage.

"Yan'er, don't be unreasonable!" Xiao Zhan, seated at the head of the table, was also startled by Xiao Yan's actions and quickly shouted. The Xiao family could not afford to offend the Yunlam Sect at this time.

Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly, slightly lowering his head. After a moment, he gently raised it again, but the previous fearsome and terrifying aura had turned into calmness.

Over the three years, although he had endured discrimination and ridicule, it had also forged Xiao Yan's extraordinary patience.

Nalan Yanran was the darling of the Yunlam Sect. If he did anything to her now, it would bring countless troubles to his father. Therefore, he had to endure!

Looking at the young man who had suddenly reined in his inner emotions, Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran felt a sudden chill.

"This kid, if he remains a failure in the future, it would be fine, but if he truly gains power, he will definitely be a dangerous person..." Ge Ye thought solemnly.

"Xiao Yan, although I don't know why my actions have made you so angry, you... should still dissolve the engagement!" Nalan Yanran took a deep breath, calming down from her previous shock, and said with a slightly stern face.

"Please remember, my visit to the Xiao family today was personally approved by my teacher, the head of the Yunlam Sect!" Pouting, Nalan Yanran tilted her head slightly and said somewhat helplessly, "You can consider this as coercion, but you should also be aware that reality is not always fair. Although I don't want to express it, you should know the gap between us... We..."

"Have almost no hope..."

Hearing the girl's judgment-like words, a cold smile appeared on the corner of Xiao Yan's mouth. "Miss Nalan... you should know that in the continent of Dou Qi, a woman breaking off an engagement can be very embarrassing for the other party. I have a thick skin, so it doesn't matter much to me, but my father! He is the head of the clan. If he agrees to your request today, how will he manage the Xiao family in the future? How will he stand in U坦 City?"

Seeing the young man's face filled with rage, Nalan Yanran frowned, glancing at Xiao Zhan, who seemed to have aged suddenly, and felt a bit apologetic. She bit her cherry lips, pondered for a moment, and then said softly, "What happened today was indeed a bit rash of me. Today, I can temporarily withdraw the request to dissolve the engagement, but I need you to agree to a promise!"

"What kind of promise?" Xiao Yan asked with a frown.

"I can delay today's request for three years. Three years from now, you can come to the Yunlam Sect and challenge me. If you lose, I will publicly dissolve the engagement. By then, you will have undergone the clan's coming-of-age ceremony, so even if you lose, it won't be too embarrassing for Uncle Xiao. Do you dare to accept?" Nalan Yanran said calmly.

"Ha ha, if I lose, it won't damage my father's reputation as much, but I might bear the name of a shameful failure for the rest of my life. This woman... is really ruthless!" Xiao Yan's face was full of sarcasm as he thought bitterly.

"Miss Nalan, you know Yan'er's situation. What can he use to challenge you? Is it meaningful to humiliate him like this?" Xiao Zhan slapped the table and stood up angrily.

"Uncle Xiao, breaking off an engagement always requires someone to take responsibility. If not to save your face, I would have forced the dissolution and announced it to the public!" After being blocked several times, Nalan Yanran also became impatient. She turned to the silent Xiao Yan and coldly shouted, "Since you don't want Uncle Xiao to lose face, then accept the promise! Choose between now and three years from now!"

"Nalan Yanran, you don't need to act so aggressively. You want to break off the engagement because you think I, Xiao Yan, am a failure who doesn't match your high standards. To be blunt, apart from your beauty, I don't look up to you in any way! The Yunlam Sect is indeed strong, but I am still young and have plenty of time. I became a Douzhe at twelve, and you, Nalan Yanran, what level of Dou Qi did you have at twelve? Yes, I am a failure now, but since I could create a miracle three years ago, why do you think I can't turn things around in the future?" Faced with the girl's aggressive stance, the silent Xiao Yan finally erupted like a volcano, his cold and stern face and words stunning everyone in the hall. Who would have thought that the usually quiet and reserved young man could be so sharp?

Nalan Yanran's lips moved, and although she was furious at Xiao Yan's evaluation, she couldn't refute it. What he said was true. No matter how much of a failure he was now, the fact that he became a Douzhe at twelve was undeniable, while Nalan Yanran had only reached the eighth level of Dou Qi at that age...

"Miss Nalan, considering your grandfather, I will give you some advice. Thirty years on this side of the river, thirty years on the other. Don't underestimate a young man!" Xiao Yan's stern words made Nalan Yanran's body tremble.

"Good, good advice! My son, Xiao Yan, is extraordinary!" Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up, and he slammed his hands on the table, splashing tea.

Staring at the young man with a cold smile, Nalan Yanran, who had been pampered all her life, had never been taught a lesson by someone her age. She was so angry that her head was spinning, and her voice, still somewhat childish, was sharp, "Why are you lecturing me? Even if your talent was unmatched in the past, you are just a failure now! Fine, I, Nalan Yanran, will wait for the day you surpass me. I won't mention the engagement today, but I will wait for you at the Yunlam Sect in three years. If you have the ability, show me how far you can go! If you can defeat me, I, Nalan Yanran, will be your slave for life, and you can decide everything!"

"Of course, if you are still a failure in three years, you will have to hand over the contract to dissolve the engagement!"

Looking at the girl with a pale face, Xiao Yan laughed sarcastically, "I don't need to wait three years. I have no interest in you at all!" After saying this, he ignored the icy-faced Nalan Yanran, turned around, and quickly walked to the table, writing furiously.

The ink dried, and the pen stopped.

Xiao Yan suddenly drew a short sword from the table with his right hand and sharply cut a bloody wound on his left palm.

The blood-stained palm left a glaring bloodprint on the white paper.

Gently picking up the contract, Xiao Yan let out a cold laugh and, as he passed Nalan Yanran, slammed it heavily on the table.

"Don't think I, Xiao Yan, care much about you, this so-called genius wife. This contract is not to dissolve the engagement but to expel you from the Xiao family! From now on, you, Nalan Yanran, have no connection with the Xiao family!"

"You... you dare to expel me?" Looking at the blood handprint on the table, Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. With her beauty, talent, and background, she could never have imagined being directly expelled by a failure from a small clan. This sudden turn of events seemed too unreal to her.

Coldly looking at Nalan Yanran's stunned expression, Xiao Yan suddenly turned around, knelt before Xiao Zhan, and bowed deeply, biting his lips but remaining silent...

Although nominally he had expelled Nalan Yanran from the clan, once this news spread, others would not see it that way. Those who didn't know the situation would think that Nalan Yanran, with her strong background, had forced the Xiao family to break off the engagement. After all, with her talent, beauty, and background, she was more than a match for a failure from the Xiao family. No one would believe that Xiao Yan had the courage to expel a future leader of the Yunlam Sect... As a result, Xiao Zhan, as Xiao Yan's father, would face endless ridicule...

Looking at the kneeling Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan, who understood his deep remorse, smiled calmly and said, "I believe my son will not be a failure for life. Rumors will be dispelled by reality in the future."

"Father, in three years, I will go to the Yunlam Sect and personally wash away today's humiliation for you!" Xiao Yan's eyes were slightly moist as he bowed deeply and then stood up, walking out of the hall without hesitation.

As he passed Nalan Yanran, Xiao Yan paused, and his young, clear voice said coldly, "In three years, I will find you!"

The young man's silhouette, stretched long by the sunlight, looked lonely and desolate.

Nalan Yanran's mouth was slightly open, staring blankly at the gradually disappearing figure. The contract in her hand suddenly felt as heavy as a thousand pounds...

"Since your purpose has been achieved, please leave." Looking at the departing young man, Xiao Zhan's face was indifferent, but the fist hidden in his sleeve was white-knuckled.

"Uncle Xiao, I apologize for today's actions. If you have time, please visit the Nalan family!" Bowing to the indifferent Xiao Zhan, Nalan Yanran didn't want to stay longer and walked out of the hall, followed by Ge Ye and the handsome young man.

"Take the Qi Gathering Powder with you!" Xiao Zhan waved his hand, and the jade box on the table was thrown out coldly.

Ge Ye's hand reached back and caught the box steadily, smiled bitterly, and put it into his ring.

"Miss Nalan, I hope you won't regret today's actions. Also, don't think that having the Yunlam Sect as your backing means you can act without restraint. The continent of Dou Qi is vast, and there are many people stronger than Yun Yun..." As Nalan Yanran and the others were about to leave, a light and cold voice suddenly sounded from the corner, where a girl in a purple dress was flipping through a book.

The three of them paused, their eyes changing as they looked at the girl in the corner.

Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the doors and windows, enveloping the girl. From a distance, she looked like a purple lotus blooming in the secular world, clean and beautiful, untouched by the dust...

Seemingly sensing their gaze, the girl lifted her delicate face from the ancient pages. Her beautiful eyes, like autumn water, suddenly emitted a small golden flame...

Seeing the small golden flame in the girl's eyes, Ge Ye's body trembled violently, and a look of terror quickly covered his aged face. His withered hand hastily grabbed the puzzled Nalan Yanran and the young man, and they fled out of the hall...

Seeing Ge Ye's actions, everyone in the hall, except for a few, was stunned...

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