[Volume 2] Chapter 15: Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West of the River

The Dou Qi Continent. The Jia Ma Empire. Wu Tan City. The Xiao Clan.

At this point, Xiao Yan was not yet an adult, but he was already considered a good-for-nothing.

Branded as such by his clan, he endured constant bullying and contempt.

Nalan Yanran and members of the Nalan Clan had come to visit with one purpose: to annul her engagement to Xiao Yan. Conflict was inevitable.

Nalan Yanran was exceptionally gifted, and the Misty Cloud Sect was grooming her to become its next Sect Master. Neither she nor her family considered Xiao Yan worthy of her, and they were now subjecting the good-for-nothing to relentless humiliation.

“Clan Leader Xiao, I know this is asking a great deal of you, but for the Sect Master’s sake, please annul the engagement,” Ge Ye said evenly after a helpless sigh.

Xiao Yan’s father, Xiao Zhan, was the Clan Leader. The moment he heard this, he shot to his feet in fury. Unfortunately, he did not have the protagonist’s plot armor. All he managed to do was crush a teacup before sitting back down like a good boy.

“Heh! They came straight to your door and forced you to annul the engagement. Let’s see what authority you have left to run the clan after this!”

The Xiao Clan’s three elders joined the outsiders in mocking Xiao Zhan—and, by extension, Xiao Yan.

Xiao Xun’er watched from the sidelines.

Ge Ye, who had accompanied Nalan Yanran, produced a dose of Qi-Gathering Powder and began flexing in front of everyone. This was no ordinary medicine: it was both exceedingly useful and expensive.

As Ge Ye continued flexing with the Qi-Gathering Powder, the Xiao Clan’s three elders and Xiao Mei stared at it hungrily.

Xiao Yan spoke up of his own accord, practically offering his face up for a slap.

“Elder Ge Ye, you should put the Qi-Gathering Powder away. I’m afraid we won’t agree to this today.”

“Xiao Yan, who gave you the right to speak here? Shut your mouth!” one elder barked, his expression darkening.

“Xiao Yan, step back. I know this is hard for you, but we elders will decide the matter,” another of the elders, an older man, said flatly.

Xiao Yan retorted, earning even more ridicule. At this crucial moment, Xiao Xun’er—the girl he had once taken liberties with—stepped forward to defend him!

“Elders, Brother Xiao Yan is right. This concerns him directly, so perhaps you should stay out of it.” Xiao Xun’er’s clear, lilting voice rang calmly through the hall.

Xiao Yan kept running his mouth, firing back at Nalan Yanran for trying to annul the engagement.

Nalan Yanran immediately wielded her status like a weapon. With a disdainful look, she said, “What will it take for you to agree to the annulment? You think the compensation is too small? Fine. I can ask my teacher for three more doses of Qi-Gathering Powder. And if you wish, I can even arrange for you to enter the Misty Cloud Sect and study advanced Dou Qi cultivation methods. Will that be enough?”

One tempting offer after another spilled from the girl’s lips, and the three elders’ breathing grew ragged.

The boys in the hall gulped.

Study at the Misty Cloud Sect? Heavens, countless people dreamed of such an opportunity!

Nalan Yanran tipped up her snow-white chin and waited for Xiao Yan’s answer with all the pride of a princess. As far as she was concerned, an offer like this would drive any young man wild.

Xiao Yan was furious!

He had endured ridicule for three years, but even he had a line that could not be crossed. Nalan Yanran’s condescending show of charity had trampled directly on the last shred of dignity hidden in his heart.

“I... really want to kill you!”

The words slipped through his clenched teeth, steeped in murderous intent. Xiao Yan balled his fists, his dark eyes blazing with rage.

“Yan, mind your manners!” Xiao Zhan shouted from the seat of honor, startled by his son’s outburst. The Xiao Clan could not afford to offend the Misty Cloud Sect.

Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly. He lowered his head, then slowly lifted it again a moment later. The savage expression on his face had already faded into calm.

Xiao Yan knew he was no match for them. For now, he could only retreat into his shell. But he would remember this humiliation. He vowed silently that one day, he would settle the score.

Nalan Yanran continued to taunt him. “Xiao Yan, you should know that this is simply how the world works. Nothing is ever completely fair. I do not mean to belittle you, but you know perfectly well how vast the gap between us is. The two of us have virtually no future together.”

A cold smile curled at Xiao Yan’s lips. “Miss Nalan, you should know how humiliating it is on the Dou Qi Continent for a man to have his fiancée break off their engagement.

“Heh. I’m thick-skinned; I can take it. But my father is the Clan Leader! If he agrees to your demand today, how can he command the Xiao Clan in the future? How can he ever show his face in Wu Tan City again?”

Ever the kindhearted young lady, Nalan Yanran softened. She proposed a three-year agreement: three years from now, Xiao Yan would come to the Misty Cloud Sect and fight her one-on-one. The loser would have to call the winner Dad.

Wait, no.

If Xiao Yan lost, the engagement would be annulled. If he won, he would take Nalan Yanran’s “first blood.”

Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan with contempt and sneered. “Do you dare take me on?”

“Bring it on! You think I’m afraid of you?!”

Nalan Yanran raised her snow-white chin, her cold gaze settling on Xiao Yan.

“Come to the Misty Cloud Sect. I’ll be waiting. Just show up and watch me kick your ass!”

Her taunt only stoked Xiao Yan’s anger.

After all, Xiao Yan was a good-for-nothing, while Nalan Yanran was a genius. Three years from now, he would presumably still be a good-for-nothing, while she would still be a genius.

In other words, she would crush him again in three years and then annul the engagement in public anyway.

She intended to humiliate him twice!

Enough was enough!

Faced with Nalan Yanran’s relentless aggression, the silent Xiao Yan finally erupted like a volcano.

“Nalan Yanran, you don’t have to act so high and mighty! You only want to annul the engagement because you think a good-for-nothing like me is unworthy of a heaven-favored prodigy like you.

“To put it bluntly, aside from your beauty, there isn’t a single thing about you that impresses this young master!

“Yes, I am a good-for-nothing now. But if I could create a miracle three years ago, what makes you think I cannot rise again someday?!”

Nalan Yanran’s lips moved wordlessly. Her face drained white with fury as she tried to formulate a retort.

The fire in Xiao Yan’s eyes blazed brighter. Brimming with youthful pride, he declared in a cold, steely voice, “Miss Nalan, let me offer you a few words of advice. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never look down on a young—”

Smack!

A sharp slap rang out. In an instant, a vivid red handprint bloomed across Xiao Yan’s swollen cheek.

“You damned lolicon! You dare flex in front of me?!” a thunderous voice roared.

Everyone present went pale with shock. They turned to look and saw that another figure had suddenly appeared in the hall.

He had bright, star-like eyes, sword-shaped brows, and dashing good looks. An aura of majestic bastardry swept across the hall, cowing everyone present.

Who else could it be but Chen-Awelon?

The Strongest Flex-and-Face-Slap System chimed in Chen-Awelon’s mind:

[Face-slapped Dou Emperor Xiao Yan. Flex successful. Reward: 500 Flex Points!]