Nalan Yanran also recovered her senses. She looked at Xuan Jin, a strange tremor in her heart.
She took a deep breath, suppressed the panic in her heart, and stepped forward, bowing gracefully to Xuan Jin.
"Nalan Yanran of the Yunlan Sect greets Your Excellency."
Her voice was clear, with the unique texture of a young girl. "My Senior Brother was rude and offended Your Excellency. Yanran apologizes to you on his behalf."
Nalan Yanran then turned to look at her Senior Brother, who was slumped on the ground, her cold gaze filled with anger.
"Why aren't you apologizing to this Your Excellency!"
Xuan Jin did not speak, only waved his hand, signaling that they could leave.
He was not a murderer; why would he kill everyone he saw?
Then, Xuan Jin took another step, brushed past them, and continued walking towards the mountain peak on his own.
It wasn't until Xuan Jin's back disappeared around the bend of the mountain path that the invisible pressure completely vanished.
Ge Ye finally straightened up, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
He glanced at the Disciple still trembling on the ground, then looked in the direction Xuan Jin had left, filled with lingering fear.
"Elder Ge Ye, that person just now..."
Nalan Yanran spoke, her voice still trembling slightly.
"Let's enter the city first!" Ge Ye said in a low voice.
Ge Ye quickly walked to the Disciple's side, checked his breathing, and found that he had only suffered a huge mental shock and was not in mortal danger. He then let out a sigh of relief.
How could such a terrifying person be hidden in a small place like Wutan City?
Nalan Yanran bit her lip and said nothing more.
In her mind, that scene kept replaying.
The Black-robed Youth's calm profile and his unfathomable demeanor were deeply etched in her heart.
Who exactly was he?
...After entering Wutan City, Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran's moods were still unsettled.
The encounter on the mountain path was like a huge rock pressing on their hearts.
Nalan Yanran looked at the bustling crowd on the street, but the figure of the Black-robed Youth involuntarily appeared in her mind.
She irritably drew the curtains.
What was wrong with her?
It was merely a chance encounter, why did she care so much?
"Elder Ge Ye, let's first inquire about the Xiao Family's situation." Nalan Yanran spoke, pulling her thoughts back to the main matter.
"Alright."
Ge Ye nodded and found an inn.
After giving some gold coins to the waiter, information about the Xiao Family flowed in continuously.
"The Xiao Family? Your Excellency, are you referring to the Xiao Family that has recently made a big splash?"
The waiter said excitedly,
"Oh? What kind of splash?" Ge Ye asked calmly.
"You don't know yet? That good-for-nothing Young Master of the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan, suddenly regained his ability to Cultivate a month ago!"
"It is said that a mysterious Alchemist Master came to the city and personally cured him!"
The waiter grew more excited as he spoke,
"That Great Master Xuan is incredible; it's said he's a Sixth-Grade Alchemist! Even Steward Ya Fei of the Mittel Auction House treats him with utmost respect!"
A Sixth-Grade Alchemist?
With a "boom," these words exploded like thunder in Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran's minds.
A Sixth-Grade Alchemist!
That was a person on the same level as Pill King Gu He, a Guest Elder of their Yunlan Sect!
How could such a figure appear in a small place like Wutan City?
Nalan Yanran's heart pounded. She almost instinctively connected this "Great Master Xuan" with the Black-robed Youth they had met on the mountain path.
Was it him?
No!
Impossible, he was so young, how could he be a Sixth-Grade Alchemist?
"Continue speaking."
Ge Ye suppressed the shock in his heart and handed over another gold coin.
The waiter accepted it with a beaming smile and recounted all the rumors he knew about Xiao Yan and Great Master Xuan, adding his own embellishments.
After listening, Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran exchanged glances, both seeing the solemnity on each other's faces.
Xiao Yan's talent had recovered.
But for Nalan Yanran, this was not important.
She wanted to annul the engagement, never because the other party was a good-for-nothing.
It was because she did not want her destiny to be bound by a marriage contract.
More importantly, a Sixth-Grade Alchemist was hidden in Wutan City!
If this person could be brought into the Yunlan Sect... Nalan Yanran's thoughts became active.
"Young Sect Master, we..." Ge Ye looked at Nalan Yanran, awaiting her decision.
"Go to the Xiao Family first."
Nalan Yanran's voice returned to its cold tone, "The matter of the annulment must be resolved."
...The next day, at the Xiao Family's gate.
When Ge Ye revealed his identity as an Elder of the Yunlan Sect, the entire Xiao Family was startled.
Xiao Zhan personally welcomed the three into the main hall, but his heart was full of doubt.
What were people from the Yunlan Sect doing at their Xiao Family?
"Elder Ge Ye, may I ask the purpose of your esteemed visit?" Xiao Zhan asked politely.
Ge Ye did not speak, only looked at Nalan Yanran.
Nalan Yanran stood up, her gaze sweeping over the Xiao Family Elders present, finally resting on Xiao Zhan.
"Uncle Xiao, your niece has come this time for one matter."
She paused, then said in a cold voice: "I hope to dissolve the engagement with the Xiao Family."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell into instant silence.
Xiao Zhan's smile instantly froze on his face; he could barely believe his ears.
"Dissolve the engagement? Niece Yanran, what do you mean by this!"
"The marriage between you and my son, Xiao Yan, was personally set by your grandfather and my father back then!"
Xiao Zhan's voice was already tinged with anger.
"That was merely a jest between Elders, not to be taken seriously." Nalan Yanran said indifferently.
"Presumptuous!" Xiao Zhan slammed the table and stood up, "Is the face of my Xiao Family something you can discard at will!"
The Xiao Family Elders in the hall were also filled with righteous indignation, glaring at Nalan Yanran.
This was simply too much bullying!
Just as the atmosphere in the hall became tense, a calm voice came from the doorway.
"Let her withdraw."
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, only to see Xiao Yan, dressed in black, slowly walking in from outside the door.
In one month, although his cultivation had only recovered to the Fourth Stage of Dou Qi, his entire demeanor had undergone a tremendous change.
In those black eyes, there was no longer any decadence, only composure and determination.
"Yan'er!" Xiao Zhan was both anxious and angry.
Xiao Yan ignored his father. He walked step by step to the center of the hall, stopping in front of Nalan Yanran.
He looked at the pretty yet cold face before him, feeling no anger, only a sense of relief.
"Nalan Yanran, you want to annul the engagement, you can."
"But I, Xiao Yan, also have my dignity."
He took out the marriage contract from his embrace and wrote the character "divorce" on it.
"Today, it is not you, Nalan Yanran, annulling my engagement, but I, Xiao Yan, divorcing you!"
He heavily slapped the marriage contract, with the character "divorce" written on it, onto the table.
"You!"
Nalan Yanran's face instantly turned ugly. She had not expected that this former good-for-nothing would dare to treat her like this.
Xiao Yan did not look at her but raised his head, scanning everyone. His voice was not loud, but every word was powerful.
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a young man for being poor!"
"I, Xiao Yan, remember today's humiliation!"
"Three years from now, I will personally ascend the Yunlan Sect and challenge you, Nalan Yanran!"
"At that time, the grievances between you and me will be settled!"