At this moment in the main hall of the Xiao family, two groups were locked in a tense standoff. Xiao Zhan's face was gloomy as he stared at the people from the Yunlan Sect. These people were being far too unreasonable. He had treated them as honored guests and received them with full courtesy, but the first thing they did was make an outrageous request to annul the marriage engagement.
"Clan Leader Xiao, I understand this might be difficult, but this is the longstanding custom of our Yunlan Sect," the elder named Ge Ye continued, "Moreover, the young master of your clan, who left for training, hasn't been heard from in years. It's quite possible he met some misfortune. Are we supposed to have our Young Sect Mistress wait a lifetime in vain?"
At these words, Xiao Zhan's face turned ashen. Pale blue Dou Qi surged over his body, forming the image of a massive, translucent energy lion! Sensing the powerful aura bursting from him, Ge Ye's expression changed dramatically. The intel he'd received stated that Xiao Zhan was merely a five-star Da Dou Shi, yet the pressure emanating from him now far exceeded that level!
The other three elders originally intended to speak up, but upon sensing Xiao Zhan's aura, they all fell silent. This overwhelming pressure was only possible for a Dou Ling-level expert. If a fight broke out, none of them could stop him.
In truth, if it was merely the annulment of an engagement, Xiao Zhan wouldn't have been so furious. After all, the engagement was just an offhand agreement between two elders. Since the younger generation had no emotional connection, breaking it off would have been understandable. But it should've been done properly, with a formal discussion between the elders of both families, witnessed by a respected mediator.
Instead, they had claimed this visit was just a courtesy call. Xiao Zhan had received them with great hospitality, yet they blindsided him with an annulment demand, as if slapping him in the face. And to make things worse, Nalan Yanran's tone made it sound more like a rejection than a mutual agreement.
If word got out, it would be a heavy blow to both the Xiao family and his son's reputation. Xiao Zhan could tolerate personal humiliation—but he would not allow anyone to tarnish his son's name. And the audacity of claiming his son was likely dead? That was the final straw. He was just about to explode when—
Pa!
A hand lightly patted his shoulder, instantly calming the rampaging Dou Qi. Xiao Zhan turned in surprise to find a black-haired young man standing beside him. Though they hadn't seen each other for years, the gentle, familiar smile on the youth's face made Xiao Zhan recognize him instantly.
"Yan'er…"
"Father, I've returned a bit late," Xiao Yan said with a smile. "This matter concerns me. Leave the rest to me."
His appearance immediately drew the attention of everyone in the hall. His casual address of "Father" revealed his identity, and many juniors instantly recalled this prodigy of the Xiao family who had left years ago for training.
Xiao Mei looked at the elegant youth, her bright eyes gleaming with surprise, while Xiao Ning instinctively backed away, clearly still haunted by the memory of his sister's punishment years ago.
In the corner of the hall, the usually composed Xun'er gently closed her book. A faint ripple passed through her heart as she gazed at the young man with a touch of fascination in her eyes. "It's him… he's back."
"And you are?" Nalan Yanran, stunned by how easily Xiao Yan had calmed Xiao Zhan, blinked in surprise. Though he had just called Xiao Zhan "Father," she knew he had three sons, so she wasn't certain who this person was.
"I'm the so-called Xiao family brat who's been missing for years and supposedly died in some remote corner—Xiao Yan," he said with a light smile. His tone was calm, but the sarcasm within was unmistakable.
Ge Ye gave an awkward chuckle. He had just been badmouthing Xiao Yan, and now the man himself had shown up—alive and well. Before he could compose himself, Nalan Yanran stepped forward and said, "You've returned just in time. With your consent, this annulment will be legitimate."
"Legitimate? Miss Nalan, are you joking?" Xiao Yan chuckled softly. "This engagement was agreed upon by our grandfathers. If it's to be annulled properly, then we must at least have the elders speak to one another. Otherwise, you're trampling on the friendship between the two families. And I, Xiao Yan, won't be the kind of person who disregards that legacy."
In his previous life, Xiao Yan had encountered Nalan Yanran a few times, but she had left little impression—unworthy of attention. He vaguely remembered her sect being wiped out by him. If she hadn't appeared in the illusion when he subdued the Nether Poison Flame, he might've forgotten her entirely.
"You!" Nalan Yanran was both frustrated and speechless. She gritted her teeth and said, "You're just being difficult over compensation. Fine. I'll give you ten Qi Gathering Powder pills, and you can also enter Yunlan Sect to train in advanced techniques. How about that?"
"If Miss Nalan thinks ten Qi Gathering Pills are enough to erase the bond between our elders, I won't argue," Xiao Yan said indifferently. "But as a kind reminder—next time you choose gifts, try using your brain. Otherwise, you'll just be laughed at."
Everyone knew Xiao Zhan had already broken through to Da Dou Shi, and his sons, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, were all at least Dou Shi level. Even Xiao Yan himself was beyond Dou Zhe. In other words, Qi Gathering Powder was useless to them and would only benefit others—like Xiao Ning or Xiao Mei. This offer was foolish at best.
"What do you mean by that?" Nalan Yanran frowned.
"Nothing much. You came to annul the engagement, right? Then I'll grant your wish," Xiao Yan said calmly, turning to order, "Someone bring me a brush and ink."
Ge Ye silently sighed in admiration. Though Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran were of similar age, his composure and bearing made her seem childish and unreasonable. And soon, Nalan Yanran's incredulous voice echoed through the hall:
"A divorce letter?! You dare annul me?!"
(End of Chapter)
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