After seeing Xun'er off, Xiao Xue sat cross-legged again, opened the Upgrade panel, and planned to climb a few levels first.
Result— [Upgrade Failed]
Xiao Xue: O-o?
By rights, after she broke through to Dou Practitioner she should be able to level up once more, yet when she hit the [Upgrade] button nothing happened at all.
Isn't that how every entrance works—tight at first, but roomy after you push through a few times?
So why is mine still sealed shut—what the hell!?
Xiao Xue thought for a moment. "Could it be the Upgrade function only unlocks after the main plot officially begins?"
Such a pain.
Looks like she'd have to wait until tomorrow's "Don't bully the poor youth" scene before she could level up.
Xiao Xue shut the System down, lay on the bed, and replayed the original story in her head.
Although she'd read the novel, to her it had been ages ago; the finer details had long since slipped her memory.
Still, she remembered the famous "Don't bully the poor youth" scene pretty clearly.
As for the marriage annulment, Xiao Xue felt both the Xiao Family and the Nalan Family were at fault.
Battle Through the Heavens may have been a legendary novel, but it was still a cliché power-fantasy. (Don't flame me—if you disagree, you win.)
The character Nalan Yanran was nothing more than an extra—worse off than most cannon-fodder.
After all, ordinary extras don't get dragged out again and again to be whipped.
Once the Three-Year Agreement ended, Nalan Yanran spent every moment regretting; from the instant Xiao Yan revealed himself as "Yan Xiao" during their duel, she began to regret.
Second ascent to Cloud Mist Sect—Regret ×2,
Third ascent to Cloud Mist Sect—Regret ×3,
And when Xiao Yan, furious, threatened to blood-wash the sect, Nalan Yanran even considered selling herself to him to keep Cloud Mist Sect safe.
Xiao Yan didn't even answer; he simply shot back, "On what grounds?"
Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool—Regret ×4.
Begging Xiao Yan in Flower Sect to help Yun Yun—Regret ×5.
From then on Nalan Yanran basically showed up only to regret, so readers mocked her as the "Regret Machine".
—What a miserable girl.
Many say Nalan Yanran wasn't wrong to annul the marriage, only the way she did it was excessive.
To Xiao Xue that argument doesn't hold water.
Her actions were over the line because she was written as an antagonist standing against the Protagonist.
Let's suppose she'd settled the matter privately instead of making a scene—would Xiao Yan have escaped ridicule?
When a man's of age he marries, when a woman's of age she weds; an annulment can't stay secret.
Even if Nalan Yanran hadn't broken it off, once they married and Xiao Yan's talent never returned, the mockery would've continued.
A snide "You're just a kept man living off your wife" still hurts, doesn't it?
In short, as long as Nalan Yanran's strength-worshipping character stayed the same, she'd never love a talentless Xiao Yan, and her reputation would stay trash.
Imagine if Xiao Xun Er's Family had betrothed her to someone—whoever that fiancé might be.
The inevitable outcome: Xiao Yan would barge in and steal the bride, his methods shaking the entire continent.
Think anyone would complain that the main couple hurt that fiancé's dignity?
—Don't try to apply logic to a power-fantasy novel.
It's illogical by design.
And the Xiao Family didn't handle things well either.
In the original, Xiao Yan flirted daily with Xiao Xun Er, and Xiao Zhan wanted Xun'er as his daughter-in-law.
When Nalan Yanran came to annul the engagement, Xiao Yan only remembered he even had a fiancée after Xun'er reminded him.
That alone shows the Xiao Family never took the marriage contract with the Nalan Family seriously.
Yet when Nalan Yanran arrived to break it off, Xiao Zhan flipped the table, claiming she'd humiliated his Face.
Neither side tried to talk; if they weren't on good terms, why arrange the match? If they were, how could they stay incommunicado?
Backstory:???
Xiao Yan: I've no idea either; the moment I heard she wanted out, I just exploded.
Seriously, how thick is your skin?
If Xiao Yan really stayed a cripple, could the Young Sect Leader still be expected to marry him? Would he have the cheek?
For three years Xiao Yan remained a "waste," and the Xiao Family never once reached out to the Nalan Family—is that how proper in-laws behave?
With a marriage contract in place they let their son get intimate with another girl, ignoring the actual fiancée.
Did they really expect the clan's proud pearl to be gift-wrapped for their son so he could live off her?
Nalan Yanran's method was harsh and embarrassed the Xiao Family, but hadn't the Xiao Family embarrassed the Nalan Family too?
Nalan Jie couldn't swallow his pride to dissolve the engagement; with the clan useless, she naturally relied on Cloud Mist Sect.
Otherwise Xiao Zhan could've brushed it off with a casual "Tell your Elders to come discuss it" and stalled the annulment effortlessly.
Cloud Mist Sect, of course, wouldn't care about the tiny Xiao Family; the spoiled Nalan Yanran acted rashly, and the two sides ended up mortal enemies.
Actually, the issue wasn't beyond repair—sit down, talk it out, and it could've been solved.
Did they have to force both families into a dead end?
And in the original there's an easily overlooked detail that hugely inflamed the conflict—
What Nalan Yanran gave Xiao Yan was a Qi Gathering Powder.
Of all the things you could've offered, you just had to pick this one.
First, everyone in the city knows the kid's only at the Third Stage of Dou Qi.
Second, you, Nalan Yanran, are here to break the engagement precisely because you know he's stuck at that third stage.
After all, if Xiao Yan's talent hadn't vanished, even if you wanted to withdraw, the Cloud Mist Sect wouldn't back you.
So what exactly are you trying to say, girl, by handing him a Qi Gathering Powder whose only effect is to help someone at the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi break through to Dou Practitioner?
For starters, it'll never reach Xiao Yan's hands.
A Third-Stage kid has neither the right nor the strength to swallow this thing.
All those second-generation Elders are waiting in line; odds are it'll end up with Xiao Ning next door, leaving Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan empty-handed.
Second, it's a public slap to Xiao Yan's Face—
"Here, I'm giving you this—can you even use it?"
Put bluntly, it's like handing a designer children's outfit to someone who just lost their son: the gift is just begging to be slapped.
If this woman isn't doing it on purpose, then everything above her neck is purely decorative.
So it's better to dissolve the betrothal peacefully.
As long as no enmity is forged during the withdrawal, Xiao Yan's character alone will guarantee Nalan Yanran a lifetime of wealth and safety.
What happens after that will depend on her own fate.
The next morning, Xiao Yan's voice came from outside the room: "Little sister, Father wants us in the main hall!"
"Mm." Having answered casually and changed her clothes, Xiao Xue stepped out, smiled at Xiao Yan and said, "Let's go, big brother."
With Soul Power at the Middle Stage of the Mortal realm and the System's assistance, Xiao Yan naturally couldn't detect that Xiao Xue had already broken through to Dou Practitioner.
Looking at her youthful Face, Xiao Yan gave a slight nod; as he turned, a flicker of regret flashed in his eyes.
Sigh, with the talent we once had, my sister and I should have become outstanding Dou Practitioners long ago… what a pity. The two passed through the rear courtyard and finally stopped outside the solemn guest hall; after respectfully knocking, they gently pushed the door and entered.
The hall was spacious and quite crowded.
Seated highest were Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders, their Faces impassive.
Below them on the left sat senior clansmen with real say and solid strength; beside those Elders were some of the clan's outstanding juniors.
On the other side sat three strangers—presumably the distinguished guests Father mentioned last night.
Xiao Yan's puzzled gaze swept over the trio; one of them was an old man in moon-white robes.
The Elder beamed with radiant vigor, his rather small eyes occasionally glinting with sharp light.
Xiao Yan's line of sight drifted downward and finally fixed on the old man's chest; his heart lurched.
On the robe's chest was clearly embroidered a pale silver crescent, around which seven golden stars sparkled.
"Seven-star Great Dou Master! This old man is actually a seven-star Great Dou Master? Truly, you can't judge by appearances!"
Xiao Yan was secretly astonished—the Elder's strength surpassed his father's by two entire stars.
Beside the Elder sat a young man and woman, both dressed in the same moon-white robes.
The man looked about twenty, his handsome features and tall, straight figure quite charismatic.
More importantly, five golden stars were embroidered on his chest, denoting his strength: five-star Dou Practitioner!
To become a five-star Dou Practitioner around the age of twenty showed his cultivation talent was anything but ordinary.
With his attractive looks and solid strength, this young man had driven some of the clan's naïve girls crazy.
Yet those girls seemed to hold no appeal for him; right now his full attention was fixed on the girl beside him.
The girl looked about Xiao Yan's age; to his surprise, three golden stars were embroidered on her chest.
"three-star Dou Practitioner—this girl… if she didn't rely on external aids, she's an absolute Genius!"
As for the three "distinguished guests," Xiao Xue only gave them a glance before looking away.
"Father, Three Elders!"
Xiao Yan and Xiao Xue stepped forward and respectfully saluted Xiao Zhan and the four above.
"Heh, Yan'er, Xue'er, you're here. Sit, sit." Xiao Zhan halted his chat with the guests, nodded to them, and waved for them to be seated.
"Sister Xue, Cousin Xiao Yan, over here!" Xiao Xun Er beckoned.
Once the two were seated, the white-robed Elder coughed lightly, stood, and bowed toward Xiao Zhan. "Clan Leader Xiao, we've come to your esteemed clan mainly to ask a favor!"
"Heh, Elder Ge Ye, please speak freely; if it's within our power, the Xiao Family won't decline."
Xiao Zhan dared not treat the Elder lightly; he quickly rose and replied courteously.
But since he didn't yet know what the other party wanted, he didn't dare promise too much.
"Heh, Clan Leader Xiao, do you recognize her?" Ge Ye smiled and pointed to the girl beside him.
"Uh… forgive Xiao Zhan's poor eyesight, this young lady…" Startled, Xiao Zhan looked the girl up and down, then shook his head in mild embarrassment.
"Ahem… her name is Nalan Yanran."