In the great hall, Xiao Zhan and the three elders were engaged in enthusiastic conversation with the unfamiliar old man. However, the elder seemed to be struggling with something difficult to voice, often swallowing his words at the last moment with a helpless expression. Each time this happened, the noble young woman beside him couldn't help but shoot him an impatient glare.

  Leaning in to listen for a while, Xiao Yan soon shook his head in boredom...

  "Brother Xiao Yan, do you know who they are?" Just as Xiao Yan was about to doze off from sheer tedium, Xun'er beside him gently turned a page of her ancient book and asked without lifting her eyes.

  "You know?" Xiao Yan turned to her in surprise.

  "See the silver sword and cloud embroidery on their sleeves?" Xun'er smiled faintly.

  "Oh?" His interest piqued, Xiao Yan's gaze shifted to their sleeves—indeed, there was a silver sword wreathed in clouds.

  "They're from the Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan whispered in astonishment.

  Though he had never ventured far, Xiao Yan had read about this faction in books. The Xiao family resided in Wutan City, which belonged to the Jia Ma Empire. While Wutan City ranked among the empire's major cities due to its proximity to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, it barely held onto the lowest position.

  The Xiao family carried significant weight in Wutan City, but they weren't the only power. Two other families rivaled them in strength, and the three had been locked in covert struggles for decades without a clear victor.

  If the Xiao family could be called a local hegemon, then the Yunlan Sect Xiao Yan spoke of was undoubtedly the overlord of the entire Jia Ma Empire! The gap between them was as vast as a chasm—no wonder even his usually stern father spoke with such reverence.

  "Why would they come to our family?" Xiao Yan muttered in confusion.

  Xun'er's delicate fingers paused briefly on the page. After a moment of silence, she replied, "Perhaps... it concerns you."

  "Me? I've never had any dealings with them!" Xiao Yan frowned, shaking his head.

  "Do you know that girl's name?" Xun'er cast a faint glance at the noble young woman across the hall.

  "What?" Xiao Yan's brows furrowed deeper.

  "Nalan Yanran," Xun'er said, her small face revealing a hint of peculiar amusement as she watched Xiao Yan stiffen.

  "Nalan Yanran? The granddaughter of the Lionheart Marshal Nalan Jie? That... that fiancée I was betrothed to before birth?" Xiao Yan's expression froze.

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  Xun'er chuckled softly. "Back then, your grandfather and Nalan Jie were life-and-death friends. Coincidentally, you and Nalan Yanran were born around the same time, so the two elders arranged this marriage. Unfortunately, three years after your birth, your grandfather died from injuries sustained in a battle with an enemy. Over time, the ties between the Xiao and Nalan families weakened..." She paused, watching Xiao Yan's widened eyes with amusement before continuing, "Nalan Jie is stubborn and values promises above all else. Since he personally agreed to the betrothal, he never sent anyone to annul it—even after your reputation declined in recent years."

  "The old man is admirably obstinate..." Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh wryly.

  "Nalan Jie holds absolute authority in his family. Few dare oppose him, and though he dotes on Nalan Yanran, getting him to cancel the engagement would be difficult." Xun'er's beautiful eyes curved mischievously. "But five years ago, Nalan Yanran was personally taken as a disciple by Yun Yun, the sect master of the Yunlan Sect. Over these years, she has demonstrated extraordinary talent, earning Yun Yun's deep favor. When someone gains the power to change their fate, they'll do everything to rid themselves of disliked burdens... And unfortunately, Brother Xiao Yan, your engagement is her greatest dissatisfaction."

  "You're saying she's here to break the engagement?"

  Xiao Yan's face darkened as fury surged in his chest—not because of Nalan Yanran's disdain for him. Truthfully, while the girl across the hall was beautiful, Xiao Yan wasn't a slave to his baser instincts. Even if they couldn't marry, he'd only feel the usual masculine regret.

  But if she publicly demanded the annulment in front of his father, the family head's dignity would be shattered.

  Nalan Yanran was not only stunning and noble but also immensely talented. Anyone discussing this would say Xiao Yan was a toad lusting after swan meat, only to be trampled by the swan instead...

  From then on, both Xiao Yan and his father would become laughingstocks, their authority crumbling.

  Drawing a slow, icy breath, Xiao Yan's hands hidden in his sleeves clenched into fists.

  "If I were a Dou Master now, who would dare humiliate me like this?"

  Indeed, if Xiao Yan possessed Dou Master strength, even with the Yunlan Sect backing her, Nalan Yanran wouldn't dare act so boldly. A fifteen-year-old Dou Master? In the entire history of the Dou Qi continent, only a handful had achieved such a feat—and each had become a towering figure in the cultivation world!

  A soft, delicate hand slipped into his sleeve, gently pressing against his clenched fist.

  "Brother Xiao Yan," Xun'er said tenderly, "if she truly does this, it will be her loss. I believe she'll regret this shortsightedness in the future."

  "Regret?" Xiao Yan scoffed, his face full of self-mockery. "In my current state, do I even have that right?"

  "Xun'er, you seem to know a lot about them. Some of what you said, even my father might not be aware of. How did you find out?" Suddenly changing the subject, Xiao Yan studied her.

  Xun'er blinked, then smiled without answering.

  Seeing her evasion, Xiao Yan could only sigh in resignation. Though Xun'er shared the Xiao surname, they weren't related by blood. Moreover, Xiao Yan had never met her parents. Whenever he asked his father about them, the man would immediately clam up, clearly wary—even fearful—of the topic.

  In Xiao Yan's mind, Xun'er's origins were shrouded in mystery. No matter how he probed, the clever girl always dodged with silence, leaving him helpless.

  "Forget it, I won't press you." Shaking his head, Xiao Yan's expression suddenly darkened. Across the hall, under Nalan Yanran's insistent glances, the old man finally rose to his feet...

  "Using the Yunlan Sect to pressure Father? Nalan Yanran... you play a ruthless game."

  A cold snarl echoed in Xiao Yan's heart.