Previously, some clan girls had been paying attention to the young man with decent looks and abilities...but the moment Xiao Jian entered, all eyes turned toward him.
The young man's charm easily eclipsed the difference in power.
Then there was a girl beside him...Nalan Yanran. Her beauty was extraordinary.
Among all the women of the Xiao family, only Xiao Xun'er could surpass her...but even she appeared slightly less striking before Xiao Jian.
Her robe bore three golden stars—clearly a Three-Star Dou Master.
A match she might have handled… if he weren't her uncultivated fiancé.
Noticing Xiao Jian's gaze, Nalan Yanran, who had previously avoided looking directly at her supposed "waste" fiancé, turned to meet his eyes. Shock immediately flashed across her face.
Huh? How can he be this handsome?
Seeing the shock in Nalan Yanran's eyes, Xiao Jian remained entirely unfazed.
Though this prideful daughter of the Yunlan Sect was undeniably beautiful and talented, she no longer held any real advantage before him...now that he had cultivated abilities of his own.
Still, she was a guest. With his elder brothers absent, the Third Young Master naturally understood the rules of hospitality.
He offered a gentle smile toward Nalan Yanran, who had just regained her composure.
Originally, she intended to maintain a cold and indifferent expression, but Xiao Jian's charming smile caused her heart to skip a beat.
A faint blush appeared on her previously composed face, catching the attention of the young onlookers around her, whose gazes immediately turned burning.
"Father, the three elders!"
Xiao Jian came to a halt, with Xiao Yan following close behind.
The two brothers bowed almost simultaneously to the four seated figures above, speaking in unison:
"Heh, Yuan'er and Yan'er have arrived. Please, have a seat."
Xiao Zhan nodded and waved with a smile, motioning them forward.
"Yes, Father!"
Again in unison, Xiao Jian and Xiao Yan replied, then Xiao Jian led his brother toward the right side of the hall.
Only one seat was available there...the one in front of Xiao Xun'er, reserved for the highest-ranking elders.
This was the seat set aside for Xiao Jian.
Over the past three years, managing the middle-tier market of the Xiao family had earned him respect from the elders, despite his lack of cultivation.
The market under his supervision was expected to rise to the high-tier level during the upcoming triennial assessment.
Moreover, a quarter of the Xiao family's total revenue now came from Xiao Jian's domain.
If it weren't for his lack of seniority and cultivation, he could have been seated even higher.
As for Xiao Yan, the perennial unlucky one, he had been a prodigy once but now a so-called "waste," drawing on the family's cultivation resources without progress.
His reputation in the clan was abysmal. Consequently, no seat had been set aside for him in the main hall.
"Xiao Yan, come sit here!"
Noticing Xiao Jian's subtle gesture, Xiao Xun'er smiled and prompted her brother.
Such silent coordination had developed over the past three years, ever since Xiao Yan's abilities began to decline, drawing criticism and exclusion.
In many ways, Xiao Jian acted as Xiao Xun'er's tactical partner, ensuring she could manage her "resources" efficiently.
Xiao Yan quickly understood his position. Normally, he would follow behind his elder brother, worrying whether Xiao Jian would leave a seat for him while silently signaling lower-ranking elders to step aside.
But now, being able to sit next to Xiao Xun'er was an unexpected blessing.
"Sit next to Xun'er. We have guests, so don't be too conspicuous."
Xiao Yan acknowledged with a quiet hum, waiting until Xiao Jian took his seat before moving beside Xiao Xun'er. He smiled lightly:
"You saved me again."
Hearing the whispered words behind him, Xiao Jian chuckled.
This silly brother of his hadn't realized that whenever Xun'er was around, he always had a reason to "rescue" him.
The topic of nourishing meridians that followed held little interest for Xiao Jian.
He had been the first to experience the technique and was essentially serving as Xiao Yan's test subject.
After all, it was rare in the Dou Qi continent for someone to be unable to cultivate, and since they were brothers, Xiao Jian had been involved in the process from the start.
When Xiao Yan's initial attempts failed, Xiao Jian stopped further useless practice.....time was better spent cultivating Dou Qi for Yao Lao.
If Yao Lao had been powerful from the beginning, the Yunlan Sect wouldn't have been a problem.
Unfortunately, the old man in the ring, though awake, still had no intention of taking action.
Meanwhile, Xiao Jian noticed the strange elder guest hesitating as if he had something difficult to say. Honestly,
if it were a young lady, it might have been more pleasant to watch.....but an old man fidgeting like this was genuinely irritating.
Nalan Yanran, however, was not in a rush. She kept glancing subtly at Xiao Jian, a flicker of inner conflict in her eyes.
Before arriving, she had heard that the two brothers.....one lacking cultivation entirely, the other having regressed.....were practically wastes despite their handsome appearances.
And she? A proud and talented daughter, now a Three-Star Dou Master, under the tutelage of Yunlan Sect's sect leader, with her own future at stake.
On the Dou Qi continent, strength dictated respect.
She could not possibly agree to marry an unproven "waste."
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