Chapter 50: Dou Qi Form Horse
At dawn, the red sun rose above the horizon.
Xiao Yuan stepped out of the Xiao family residence dressed in a crisp white battle outfit. A low-tier storage ring adorned his hand.
"Xiao Yu Jie."
He smiled as he walked up to the girl waiting at the gate, dressed in a red dress and light makeup.
"Take care of yourself out there."
Xiao Yu's eyes were slightly red as she reached up to straighten his collar, her voice trembling a bit.
"Don't worry, I will."
Xiao Yuan stepped forward and pulled her into a gentle embrace.
Xiao Yu's body trembled briefly, then returned the hug, resting her face against his shoulder.
"It's just a few months of training. I'll be back. Don't be so sad."
Xiao Yuan patted her back softly, speaking in a tender tone.
"It's all that Nalan Yanran's fault. You could've stayed and cultivated in the clan, entered Jia Nan Academy step by step…"
Xiao Yu murmured with a lowered voice.
"Hehe, it's not really about her. A year from now, she won't be a match for me. But the clan needs strength to grow, and the stronger I am, the stronger the family becomes. One thing Nalan Yanran said was true—in the Dou Qi Continent, only the strong have the right to speak, only the strong earn respect."
Xiao Yuan smiled calmly and continued:
"That's just how the world works. But luckily, I have the potential to become strong. That already makes me more fortunate than most. So, I have to work hard."
Hearing the maturity in his voice, Xiao Yu fell silent. Her heart ached.
He had just celebrated his coming-of-age, and already he was carrying the weight of the family's future.
"If you get tired, come back to me."
Xiao Yu whispered softly in his ear.
"Mm."
Xiao Yuan nodded with a smile.
After his reply, she finally let go of him.
Xiao Yuan also released the hug, waved with a smile, then turned and walked away.
The morning light stretched his shadow long. But no matter how long a shadow grows, it eventually shortens and disappears with time.
As she watched him leave, Xiao Yu wiped her eyes and turned back to the family estate.
She had to train harder too.
Imperial Capital, Nalan Manor.
Nalan Su ducked and dodged desperately as his father, Nalan Jie, swung a staff at him, rage flaring on his old face.
Nalan Jie's face was unnaturally pale and gray, but that didn't stop him from chasing his son around.
Nalan Su was helpless. How was he supposed to know that while he had been stationed in the empire's west for a year, his daughter had dared to cancel the marriage that his father had personally arranged?
Though it hadn't turned into a scandal in Wutan City, everyone in the capital knew exactly why Nalan Yanran had gone to the Xiao family.
And Nalan Jie cared deeply about appearances. Her actions made it seem like the Nalan family broke off the engagement because they looked down on the Xiao family's declining strength, tarnishing their reputation.
Even worse, Nalan Jie had received intel recently: Xiao Yuan could now cultivate, and in under a year and a half, had reached Four-Star Fighter. Such terrifying talent had to be taken seriously—even by the Nalan family.
Now the capital was filled with rumors. Nalan Yanran's cancellation had become prime gossip.
These rumors made Nalan Jie so furious he was seeing red. If not for his worsening health, he would've gone to Yunlan Mountain himself.
"Father, please stop! Mind your health! I'll head to Yunlan Mountain immediately and ask Yanran what happened."
Realizing his father was struggling physically, Nalan Su finally stopped dodging and took the beating. He quickly promised to go investigate.
"Ask?! If what she said about the trip to the Xiao family is even half-true, then we're done! Yanran thinks she handled it cleanly, but in truth, that Xiao family brat played her like a fiddle! That's why she walked away thinking she won, when in fact, she got played!"
Nalan Jie roared with rage.
"Father… isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
Nalan Su frowned. He couldn't believe a teenager could be so calculating.
"You're questioning me now? Use your brain. If you were the one who got dumped, would you be able to stay calm, smile, and soften the fallout? No one in Wutan even knows Xiao Yuan was rejected!
But here in the capital, everyone says the Nalan family is a bunch of arrogant snobs. Even if Yanran reconciles with him later, the stain is already set. We look like backstabbing opportunists—got it?!"
Nalan Jie thundered, spitting with fury.
"But back then, that boy really couldn't cultivate. Are you saying you were comfortable letting Yanran be tied to someone like that?"
Nalan Su protested, still dissatisfied.
"Bullshit! Comfortable or not, that's not how it's done! I had a life-long bond with Xiao Lin. When he died and the whole Xiao clan moved to Wutan, they didn't come begging for help—that shows they had pride.
The engagement could've been canceled properly—with compensation, negotiation. Instead, Yanran slapped them in the face. Even if things didn't get ugly in words, the damage is done. It's beyond repair now!"
Nalan Jie snapped again and stormed off, dropping the staff behind him as his strength gave out.
"Sigh…"
Nalan Su watched his father's retreating figure and sighed deeply.
The old man and the young girl—both equally stubborn. And here he was, caught in the middle.
"Someone, ready my horse!"
Nalan Su made up his mind. He needed to go speak to Nalan Yanran.
That boy… a Four-Star Fighter son-in-law?
Elsewhere, Xiao Yuan was on the road.
Not because he couldn't use Dou Qi to travel faster—he just didn't want to waste energy along the way. Preserving his condition was more important.
So he chose to travel by horse. It wasn't as fast as running, but it conserved Dou Qi.
Also… he had broken through to Five-Star Fighter.
(END CHAPTER)
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