Chapter 4: Yunlan Sect

Nalan Yanran? The granddaughter of Nalan Jie, the Lionheart Marshal of the Jamal Empire? That... that betrothed fiancée whom I was promised to since childhood?" Xiao Yan said with a stiff expression

What are they doing at our family?" Xiao Yan asked in a somewhat puzzled tone.

"Me? I haven't had any interaction with them at all?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was taken aback and shook his head in denial

In Xiao Yan's heart, Xun Er's identity is extremely mysterious. However, no matter how he inquires indirectly, this little girl always cleverly responds with silence, leaving Xiao Yan with no means to apply his strategies.

A delicate little hand quietly slipped through the sleeve, gently pressing against Xiao Yan's tightly clenched palm. Xun Er spoke softly, "Xiao Yan, if she truly acts this way, it is merely her own loss. Xun Er believes that in the future, she will regret her shortsightedness from today!"

Hehe, Grandfather was a lifelong friend of Nalan Jie, and at that time, you and Nalan Yanran were born simultaneously. Therefore, the two old gentlemen arranged this marriage. However, unfortunately, three years after your birth, Grandfather passed away due to severe injuries sustained in battle against his enemies. As time went by, the relationship between the Xiao family and the Nalan family gradually weakened... Xun'er paused slightly, looking at Xiao Yan's wide-open eyes, and couldn't help but chuckle softly. She continued, "Nalan Jie is not only stubborn in nature but also extremely concerned about promises. The marriage back then was agreed upon by him personally, so even though Brother Xiao Yan's reputation has been quite poor in recent years, he has never sent anyone to annul the engagement..."

"What?" With a furrowed brow, Xiao Yan inquired.

Nalan Yanran is not only beautiful and charming, but also holds a prominent position and possesses exceptional talent. Whenever anyone speaks of this matter, they will think that Xiao Yan is like a toad aspiring to eat swan meat, only to be trampled underfoot by the swan instead

The delicate fingertips paused slightly, and Xun'er remained silent for a moment before saying: "Perhaps it is related to Brother Xiao Yan..."

Regret?" He scoffed, and a self-deprecating smile spread across Xiao Yan's face: "Do I even have the right to feel that way now?"

Indeed, if Xiao Yan possessed the strength of a Dou Master at this moment, then even with Nalan Yanran backed by the Yunlan Sect, such actions would be impossible. A Dou Master at merely fifteen years of age—there have only been a handful of such individuals throughout the long history of the Douqi Continent, and those few have long since become the towering figures in the realm of Douqi cultivation

Nalan Jie holds absolute authority within the family; his words are rarely challenged. Although he is very fond of his granddaughter Nalan Yanran, it is somewhat difficult to persuade him to annul the engagement. Xun'er, with her beautiful eyes slightly curved, teased, "But five years ago, Nalan Yanran was personally accepted as a disciple by Yun Yun, the master of the Yunlan Sect. Over the past five years, Nalan Yanran has demonstrated exceptional talent in cultivation, which has led Yun Yun to dote on her immensely. When a person possesses the power to change their own fate, they will do everything possible to eliminate the things they dislike. Unfortunately, the engagement with Brother Xiao Yan is precisely the aspect that she is most dissatisfied with!"

Do you know?" Curious, Xiao Yan turned his head and asked in astonishment

In this case, not only Xiao Yan, but even his father will become a laughingstock in the future, losing all their dignity.

Sigh, forget it, I can't be bothered with you. If you don't want to talk, then so be it..." Shaking his head, Xiao Yan's expression suddenly darkened, because the elder across from him, under the constant signaling from Nalan Yanran, finally stood up...

In the hall, Xiao Zhan and the three elders were engaged in a rather eager conversation with the unfamiliar old man. However, this old man seemed to have something difficult to articulate, as he would often swallow back the words that were on the tip of his tongue. At such moments, the delicate young lady beside him could not help but cast a sideways glance at the old man.

Xun'er was taken aback, yet she remained silent with a smile.

Oh? A thought crossed his mind, and Xiao Yan turned his gaze towards the sleeves of the three individuals, and indeed, he discovered a silver sword shaped like a cloud.

If it is said that the Xiao family is a dominant force in Wu Tan City, then the Yun Lan Sect mentioned by Xiao Yan could perhaps be regarded as the hegemon of the entire Jia Ma Empire! The gap between them is as vast as a chasm, which explains why even his usually stern father speaks of them with great reverence.

Xiao Yan's family holds considerable influence in Wu Tan City; however, it is not the only prominent family. Within the city, there are two other families whose strength is comparable to that of the Xiao family. For decades, the three factions have engaged in both open and covert struggles, yet none have emerged victorious.

Nalan Yanran! Xun'er's small face revealed a hint of peculiarity as she cast a sidelong glance at the somewhat stiff Xiao Yan.

After listening for a while, Xiao Yan shook his head somewhat helplessly at the conversation about books

Hehe, are you trying to exert pressure on your father with the help of the Yunlan Sect? This Nalan Yanran truly has some skill... A cold sneer of anger echoed in Xiao Yan's heart

Looking at Xun'er’s evasive demeanor, Xiao Yan could only helplessly curl his lips. Although Xun'er also shares the Xiao surname, there is not a trace of blood relation between them. Moreover, Xiao Yan has never met Xun'er’s parents. Whenever he inquires about them from his father, his father, who usually wears a bright smile, immediately falls silent, clearly showing a strong aversion to discussing Xun'er’s parents, even to the point of... fear.

This old man is indeed quite endearing ... ... Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head

"Xun'er, you seem to know them quite well? Some of the things you mentioned earlier might even be unknown to my father, right? How did you come to know this?" With a slight wave of his hand, Xiao Yan suddenly changed the subject and asked.

Are you saying that she is here to break off the engagement

"Brother Xiao Yan, do you know their identities?" Just as Xiao Yan was feeling bored and about to doze off, Xun Er beside him turned the ancient pages of the book with her delicate fingers and smiled without looking away.

"Are they from the Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan said in surprise, speaking softly and with a hint of curiosity.

"Have you seen the silver swords at the cuffs of their robes?" Xu Er said with a slight smile

Do you know the name of that young girl? Xun'er cast a faint glance at the delicate girl across from her

Although he has not ventured out for training, Xiao Yan has read some materials regarding this sword sect in various books. The city where the Xiao family is located is named Wutan City, which is under the jurisdiction of the Jia Ma Empire. Although this city has risen to become one of the major cities in the empire due to its advantageous position backed by the Monster Mountain Range, it only ranks at the bottom among them.

Taking a gentle breath of the cool air, Xiao Yan's hand, hidden within his sleeve, had already clenched tightly: "If I were a Dou Master now, who would dare to trample on me like this?"

His expression changed suddenly, and a surge of anger welled up in Xiao Yan's heart. This anger was not due to Nalan Yanran's discrimination against him. To be honest, although the girl opposite him was beautiful, Xiao Yan was not a lecherous man driven by base desires. Even if he could not form a bond with her, it would only leave him with a slight, habitual regret common to men. However, if she were to publicly request the annulment of the engagement with his father, then his father's face as the clan leader would be utterly humiliated.