Chapter 6: Nalan Yanran: I've Been Unbetrothed??
"Dou Qi: Five Segments! Level: Intermediate!"
When they saw the information displayed on the stone tablet, everyone present was shocked.
They rubbed their eyes, thinking they had seen wrong.
"Five Segments of Dou Qi?? Wasn't he always at three segments?"
"When did he break through?!"
Everyone thought Xiao Yan would be stuck at three segments of Dou Qi today, just like before, unable to shake off the title of good-for-nothing, and then be ridiculed by them.
As a result, Xiao Yan actually broke through his long-standing predicament?!
Almost no one expected such an outcome.
Only Xiao Li and Xiao Yan exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.
"Little Yanzi, well done. In a while, your second brother believes you can definitely regain your former glory."
Xiao Li patted Xiao Yan's shoulder.
"En, thank you, Second Brother!"
The subsequent tests had nothing remarkable.
The most shocking thing about today's test was Xiao Yan's successful breakthrough, shattering his title of good-for-nothing from all these years.
Although five segments of Dou Qi couldn't be called genius.
But he could no longer be considered a waste.
Moreover, Xiao Yan possessed extremely strong talent before, and now that he had recovered, who knows if he could create miracles again... That night, Xiao Zhan hosted a grand banquet to celebrate Xiao Yan.
"Yan'er, when did you recover your cultivation talent? You didn't even tell your father."
Xiao Zhan smiled, his face beaming, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out quite a bit.
These past two years, he had worried a lot about Xiao Yan's situation.
Now that the clouds had finally parted, he was genuinely happy.
"Just a while ago, I recovered with Second Brother's help."
Xiao Yan didn't reveal too much.
Because Xiao Li told him not to tell a third person about the existence of the Medicine Elder.
"Oh? So this is also thanks to Second Brother, indeed brothers are brothers!"
Xiao Zhan laughed heartily.
His happy demeanor made the three elders at the side look on with disdain, but they couldn't say anything.
"By the way, Father, I remember our grandfather once arranged a marriage between Little Yanzi and Nalan Yanran of the Nalan Family, didn't he?"
Xiao Li suddenly said.
"Yes, why bring that up suddenly?"
"I think that with the current strength of our Xiao Family, it's better not to try to climb higher than the Nalan Family. It would be better to dissolve the engagement as soon as possible."
Xiao Li said.
If he remembered correctly, Nalan Yanran would come to unbetroth Xiao Yan in a few days.
Instead of passively accepting, it was better to take the initiative.
All trouble should be nipped in the bud.
"Dissolve the engagement? Wouldn't that be a bit inappropriate?"
Xiao Zhan hesitated slightly.
Even the First Elder at the side said, "Xiao Li, do you know what you're saying? The Nalan Family is one of the three great families in the Imperial Capital. Their power is immense. To be able to connect with them is an honor for our Xiao Family. How can we let Xiao Yan unbetroth them?"
"What you say doesn't count. It depends on what Little Yanzi himself thinks. Especially these past two years, Little Yanzi's cultivation has regressed, yet the Nalan Family hasn't even sent anyone to show concern once. This kind of engagement is better off without."
Xiao Li said calmly.
His words struck a chord with Xiao Yan, who immediately said, "Second Brother is right. I never cared about this engagement anyway. Instead of marrying someone I've never met, it's better to just dissolve it."
Seeing both brothers say this, Xiao Zhan pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright, then I'll listen to you."
"Patriarch!"
The First Elder still wanted to object, but Xiao Zhan immediately refused.
"This matter has nothing to do with the Xiao Family; it's just between us father and sons. First Elder doesn't need to worry too much."
"A good matter between father and sons!" The First Elder angrily stood up and left... The matter of dissolving the engagement had been decided. The next step was to consider how to dissolve it appropriately.
Xiao Zhan's idea was to personally go to the Nalan Family to dissolve the engagement.
But Xiao Li refused.
Going to their door to dissolve the engagement wouldn't work.
What if Nalan Yanran was provoked and it was her turn to say, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, don't bully a poor young woman'?
And in a worse scenario, once they entered the Nalan Family's door, they might not be able to leave.
Therefore, the safest way was to write a letter explaining the dissolution of the engagement and have someone deliver it.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan both felt that Xiao Li's words made sense, so they decided to do it that way... Having resolved the foreshadowing of the three-year agreement in advance, Xiao Li felt much more relaxed.
The sun was bright, and spring was radiant.
"Let me think, now that Xiao Yu is pregnant, I should refine a few calming and fetal-preserving pills for her."
Xiao Yu was now pregnant with his child.
As the saying goes, ten months of pregnancy, this process must be careful and cautious, to avoid disturbing the fetal qi.
Fetal-preserving pills definitely needed to be refined.
The Xiao Family had no Alchemists, so they had no such pills, nor any medicinal ingredients.
To get medicinal ingredients, they could only buy them.
Soon, Xiao Li thought of a place to buy medicinal ingredients—the Miter Auction House.
And the charming beauty within the Miter Auction House—Consort Ya!
"Consort Ya, I'm coming!"
...Yunlan Sect.
"Teacher, please agree to let me dissolve the engagement~" A young woman dressed in moon-colored robes was clinging to the robes of a noble and graceful woman, pouting.
"Yanran, this marriage was agreed upon by Old Master Nalan. You should go back and ask the Old Master; I cannot make the decision."
Looking at her disciple, Yun Yun sighed.
"As long as you agree, Teacher, then my grandfather and the others will definitely agree."
Nalan Yanran looked at Yun Yun pitifully.
"Teacher, can you really bear to let me marry someone I've never met, someone who only has three segments of Dou Qi?"
Yun Yun knew that Nalan Yanran must have been sure she would soften, which was why she came to beg her.
"Teacher, please~"
"Alright, alright."
Yun Yun still couldn't refuse her.
"I'll have Ge Ye accompany you, and also bring a Qi Gathering Powder as compensation for dissolving the engagement. But remember to be gentle in your attitude then, absolutely not forceful, understand?"
"Mhm, mhm, I will, thank you, Teacher!"
Nalan Yanran was overjoyed, unable to contain her happiness, and kissed Yun Yun on the cheek.
Just as she was about to leave, a disciple suddenly walked in with a letter.
"Senior Sister Yanran, here's a letter for you."
"A letter? What kind of letter?"
"It seems to be from the Xiao Family in Wutan City."
"The Xiao Family?"
Nalan Yanran became even more confused.
She hadn't even gone to the Xiao Family yet, so why did the Xiao Family suddenly send her a letter?
This was the first time.
"Alright, you can go down."
Taking the letter, Nalan Yanran had the disciple leave, then she opened the envelope and read its contents.
"Yanran, what does the letter say?" Yun Yun asked curiously.
Nalan Yanran took a long time to recover, then turned to look at Yun Yun, her cheeks showing an unreadable expression as she murmured,
"Teacher, it seems I've been unbetrothed."
...