svetikya Chapter 154 Fortune changes every three years! I am Lin Dong!
Chapter 154 Fortune changes every three years! I am Lin Dong!
Chapter 154 Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river! I am Lin Dong!
The main hall of the Xiao family.
Nalan Yanran felt a surge of anger as she watched as the Xiao family still refused to dissolve the engagement, even after she had used the Qi Gathering Powder.
She stared at the boy in front of her with some disgust, and cut to the chase, asking:
"What exactly do you want in order to break off the engagement?"
"If you think the compensation is too little? Fine, I can have the teacher give you three more Qi Gathering Pills. In addition, if you're willing, I can also let you enter the Yunlan Sect to study advanced battle qi techniques."
"Is this enough?"
Hearing the tempting conditions offered by Nalan Yanran, the three elders of the Xiao family blushed slightly. They glanced at the box containing the Qi Gathering Powder on the table beside them, then looked at Xiao Yan with anticipation in their eyes.
Three Qi Gathering Powders—this could bring the family three Fighters!
They couldn't wait for Xiao Yan to agree to the other party's request immediately!
If the engagement is called off, then so be it. As for saving face, it's gone, it's gone.
If we can't get the resources, then we'll really have nothing left!
Anyway, it's not like the person who broke off the engagement is their child.
After stating these conditions, Nalan Yanran tilted her snow-white chin slightly, waiting for Xiao Yan's answer with the pride of a princess.
In her mind, these conditions were enough to drive any teenager crazy!
Xiao Yan of the Xiao family in Wutan City is nothing but a piece of trash with only a third-stage Dou Qi.
Giving him these things is already an enormous act of charity.
Before Xiao Yan could speak, the girl in the purple dress sitting in the corner in the distance raised her head slightly and revealed a murderous intent in her eyes as she looked at Nalan Yanran.
"I... I really want to kill you!" Xiao Yan's words, trembling with rage, revealed a chilling murderous intent.
Upon hearing this, the young man next to Nalan Yanran drew his long sword with a clang and pointed it directly at Xiao Yan.
"Yan'er, you mustn't be rude!"
At the head of the table, Xiao Zhan was also startled by Xiao Yan's actions and quickly stopped him.
The Xiao family cannot afford to offend the Yunlan Sect!
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, and the ferocious and terrifying expression on his face turned into a calm one.
The woman before him, Nalan Yanran, was the darling of the Yunlan Sect. If he were to do anything to her now, it would likely bring his father endless trouble. Therefore, he had no choice but to endure it!
Seeing that Xiao Yan had calmed down, the young man snorted and sheathed his sword.
"Xiao Yan, although I don't know why my actions have angered you so much, you... should still break off the engagement!"
Having recovered from her initial shock, Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan and coldly said, "Please remember, my visit to the Xiao family this time was personally approved by my teacher, the Sect Master of the Yunlan Sect!"
"You can take this as coercion, but you should also understand that reality is like this, nothing is absolutely fair."
"Although I don't want to express anything, you're aware of the gap between us, the gap between us..."
"There's basically no hope..."
Upon hearing Nalan Yanran's words, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a cold smile: "Miss Nalan, you should know how embarrassing it is for the other party if the woman breaks off the engagement in the Dou Qi Continent."
"Heh, I may be shameless, but my father! He's the head of the clan. If he agrees to your request today, how will he manage the Xiao family in the future?"
"How can we maintain our foothold in Utan City?"
Upon hearing this, the girl looked up at Xiao Zhan, who suddenly seemed to have aged considerably, and felt a little apologetic.
She looked at Xiao Yan and said softly, "What happened today was indeed a bit reckless on my part. Today, I can temporarily withdraw my request to dissolve the engagement, but I need you to agree to one thing!"
"What agreement?" Xiao Yan asked, frowning.
"I can postpone today's request for three years. Three years later, you can come to the Yunlan Sect to challenge me. If you lose, I will publicly annul the engagement."
Nalan Yanran spoke indifferently: "By then, you will have already undergone your family's coming-of-age ceremony, so even if you lose, it won't embarrass Uncle Xiao too much. Do you dare to accept?"
"Heh, if I lose, it won't damage my father's reputation, but I might have to bear the shame of defeat for the rest of my life."
"This woman... she's really ruthless!" Xiao Yan had already anticipated this outcome.
He looked at Nalan Yanran and said coldly, "Nalan Yanran, you don't need to act so forcefully. You want to break off the engagement because you think I, Xiao Yan, am a good-for-nothing and unworthy of a proud woman like you."
"To be blunt, aside from your good looks, I don't find anything else about you attractive at all!"
"The Yunlan Sect is indeed very strong, but I am still young, and I have plenty of time. I became a Dou Zhe at the age of twelve, while you, Nalan Yanran, what level of Dou Qi were you at the age of twelve?"
"Yes, I am indeed a piece of trash now, but since I was able to create a miracle three years ago, why do you think I can't turn things around again in the years to come?"
Nalan Yanran's lips trembled slightly, but she understood that what Xiao Yan said was indeed the truth.
No matter how useless he is now, he truly became a Dou Zhe at the age of twelve. Back then, she was only at the eighth level of Dou Qi…
"Miss Nalan, for the sake of Old Master Nalan, Xiao Yan has a few words of advice for you."
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; never underestimate a young person's potential!"
Xiao Yan's cold, resolute words caused Nalan Yanran's delicate body to tremble slightly.
"Well said! That's exactly what my Brother Huo Huo is all about!"
Just then, the hall door was suddenly pushed open, and a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old with a cool face and an extraordinary temperament strode in.
He strode into the Xiao family hall as if no one else was there, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yan in the center, filled with admiration.
Don't underestimate a young person's potential! So cool!
Everyone in the hall turned to look at the young man, a hint of doubt appearing in their eyes.
Seeing that the newcomer possessed no fighting spirit and noticing the confusion in the eyes of the Xiao family members, the young man beside Nalan Yanran immediately drew his longsword, pointed it at the boy, and questioned him:
"Where did this brat come from? Who gives you the right to speak here!"
"Our Yunlan Sect's affairs are none of your business!"
"I am Lin Dong!" The young man glanced at the younger man with a wicked look. "Yunlan Sect? Pshaw, you think you can represent the Yunlan Sect?"
"Shen Cui, slap yourself!"
The moment he finished speaking, a silver-haired woman stepped through the air and appeared directly in front of the young man.
"Snapped!"
Before anyone could react, the young man was slapped to the ground, his teeth spitting out blood.
At that moment, the entire venue fell into a deathly silence.
On the Dou Qi Continent, cultivation begins with Dou Qi, followed by Dou Zhe, Dou Shi, Da Dou Shi, Dou Ling, Dou Wang, Dou Huang, Dou Zong, Dou Zun...
Each level has very distinct characteristics.
A Dou Zhe gathers Qi to form a Qi vortex, a Dou Shi wears a Qi veil, a Da Dou Shi has a Qi armor, a Dou Ling can condense Qi into matter, a Dou Wang can transform Qi into wings, and a Dou Huang can transform high-level Qi into wings, allowing them to stay in the void for a short time.
Only by reaching the Dou Zong level can one's Dou Qi be continuously generated, allowing one to walk on air without using Dou Qi to form wings!
This woman didn't use her Battle Qi Wings just now; she came directly through the air. She was clearly a Dou Zong expert, which was terrifying!
The young man lying on the ground stared wide-eyed, but dared not utter another word. Although he was a disciple of the Yunlan Sect, the strongest member of the Yunlan Sect was currently only a Dou Huang.
Ge Ye, a seven-star Grand Dou Master from the Yunlan Sect, felt the same way. After sensing the opponent's pressure, he felt that he would die if he made any move.
"Young Master Lin, may I ask what brings you to my Xiao family?"
When Xiao Zhan saw Lin Dong suddenly appear and suppress the three members of Yunlan Sect, he hesitated for a moment before standing up and asking respectfully.
He simply couldn't understand how a Dou Zong could appear in this small Wutan City.
Moreover, this Dou Zong seemed to be the boy's bodyguard, obeying his every word.
"Uncle, please don't be so polite with me."
Lin Dong walked over to the seat that originally belonged to Ge Ye and sat down, smiling as he said, "We're all family."
He waved to Xiao Yan, "Brother Huo, you continue. With your brothers here today, let's see who dares to bully you!"
Xiao Yan looked at the young man before him, his mind racing, and asked with some confusion, "You are...?"
"Five years ago, my parents were devoured by monsters, and I was left to wander the streets. It was Brother Huo Huo who gave me a few gold coins, which allowed me to survive."
"That's why I am who I am today."
Lin Dong smiled, looked at everyone present, and then said softly, "Today is your day, so please continue. We can talk privately later."
After Lin Dong finished speaking, he didn't care how much of a commotion his words caused. He picked up the still steaming tea and leisurely began to drink it.
[Ding! Martial Ancestor Lin Dong's portrayal level has reached 1%. Reward: one cultivation empowerment and the Desolate Scripture (first time practicing, automatically condense the Desolate Force Seed)]
[Ding! Martial Ancestor Lin Dong's portrayal level has reached 5%. Reward: Spiritual Martial Art, Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger.]
Hearing the two notification sounds in his mind, Lin Dong's smile became even more enthusiastic.
Xiao Yan thought about it carefully and realized that he had indeed done such things before, and quite a few at that.
Seeing Lin Dong's face now, the image in his mind became clearer and clearer.
The other person's words had already stirred up a storm in his heart, but at this moment, he didn't know how to speak.
The momentum that had just been building was abruptly interrupted by Lin Dong's appearance.
The young man covered his face, glanced at Shen Cui standing behind Lin Dong, and hid behind Ge Ye without saying a word, not daring to utter another sound.
Nalan Yanran hadn't even reacted to Xiao Yan's words when Shen Cui's intervention left her somewhat at a loss.
Xiao Zhan's heart was also in turmoil. After learning about the relationship between his son and the other party, his first thought was to ask the other party for help so that the Dou Zong expert could see what was going on with his son's mysteriously disappeared Dou Qi.
However, now that the other party had made their statement, he was afraid of displeasing them, so he had no choice but to suppress his complicated feelings and sit back down in his seat.
"This young man, since he can command the attention of a Dou Zong master, must be no ordinary person who talks big!"
"I never imagined that Yan'er's good deed would be rewarded in this way."
Xiao Zhan's gaze fell on Xiao Yan, his expression full of satisfaction.
Lin Dong looked up at the silent crowd in the hall. "Did you all forget your lines?"
"Miss Nalan, let me remind you, my brother Huo Huo just said, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate a young man's potential!'"
Nalan Yanran had been pampered and spoiled for many years, and had never been taught such a lesson by her peers.
Although the atmosphere was somewhat strange, she was so angry that her head was spinning, and she didn't care about anything related to the Dou Zong (斗宗) title. She directly and sharply said to Xiao Yan:
"What gives you the right to lecture me?"
"Even if your talent was unmatched before, you're nothing but trash now! I, Nalan Yanran, will be waiting for the day you surpass me again!"
She glared at Xiao Yan, her anger palpable, and said, "I can let bygones be bygones today regarding the annulment of the engagement, but three years from now, I'll be waiting for you at the Yunlan Sect. If you've got the guts, let me see just how far you can turn things around!"
"If you can defeat me then, I, Nalan Yanran, will be your slave for life, completely at your mercy!"
"Of course, if you're still this useless three years from now, you'd better hand over that marriage contract obediently!"
Overwhelmed with anger, Nalan Yanran disregarded the relationship between Xiao Yan and Lin Dong and spoke out in a fit of rage.
Xiao Yan's thoughts were drawn back to him by Nalan Yanran's words, and his anger surged up instantly.
He looked at the girl's ashen face and laughed mockingly, "Even in less than three years, I won't have the slightest interest in you!"
After saying that, he ignored Nalan Yanran's cold face, turned around abruptly, walked quickly to the table, and began to write furiously.
The ink falls, the brush stops!
Xiao Yan suddenly drew the short sword from the table with his right hand, and the sharp blade slashed a bloody gash across his left palm.
Bloodstained hands left glaring bloodstains on the white paper!
Xiao Yan gently picked up the contract, let out a cold laugh, and slammed it heavily onto the table as he passed Nalan Yanran.
"Don't think I, Xiao Yan, care so much about your so-called genius wife. This contract isn't a contract to dissolve the engagement; it's a certificate of divorce, for which I, this young master, expel you from the Xiao family!"
"From this day forward, you, Nalan Yanran, have absolutely no connection with my Xiao family!"
"You...you dare to divorce me?"
Looking at the Blood Hand Enterprises on the table, Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.
With her beauty, talent, and background, how could she be divorced by a good-for-nothing from a small family?
This sudden change felt so unreal to her.
Staring coldly at Nalan Yanran's astonished expression, Xiao Yan suddenly turned around, knelt down before Xiao Zhan, kowtowed heavily, biting his lip, and then said:
"Father, three years from now, Yan'er will return to the Yunlan Sect and personally avenge you for today's humiliation!"
Lin Dong watched this scene with a sigh in his heart.
After Xiao Yan got up, he slowly leaned closer and whispered:
"Brother Huo, how about I have Shen Cui kill them? That way we can destroy the evidence and save you all this trouble."
"If you're not happy about this, shall we go to the Yunlan Sect right now and massacre them?"
Nalan Yanran and the other two were immediately stunned, and their faces turned bitter.
Although Lin Dong's voice was soft, he didn't try to hide it. Everyone present possessed battle qi and had sharp hearing and eyesight, so they could still hear it!
Nalan Yanran saw her beloved senior brother's swollen face beside her, and then looked at the stunningly beautiful Shen Cui beside her. She opened her mouth, feeling extremely distressed.
But having been pampered since childhood, she still couldn't bring herself to speak. Even though Ge Ye and Senior Brother Liu were frantically giving her meaningful glances, she just pouted and turned her head away.
Asking her to apologize to that good-for-nothing Xiao Yan? Impossible!
Xiao Yan was silenced by Lin Dong's sudden words. After thinking for a while, he shook his head slightly and said, "Brother Lin, this is a matter between me and the Yunlan Sect."
"I'm already very grateful that you're here to support me."
"But I will personally avenge the disgrace they have brought to the Xiao family!"
Upon hearing this, Ge Ye and the other two breathed a sigh of relief.
Ge Ye and Senior Brother Liu exchanged a glance, both filled with regret. If they had known the Xiao family had such a powerful backer, they wouldn't have come!
Nalan Yanran also breathed a sigh of relief. Although she appeared very tough, she naturally didn't want to die since she had survived.
Lin Dong knew that Xiao Yan was a very upright person, so he didn't try to persuade him further on this matter.
With a wave of his hand, eighteen wooden boxes suddenly appeared on the table in front of him.
"These Qi-gathering powders are my greeting gift."
The moment Lin Dong's voice rang out, everyone present gasped in shock.
The three elders of the Xiao family looked at the eighteen exquisitely carved wooden boxes with eyes full of greed.
"Cough cough cough, Xiao Yan, why don't you hurry up and thank your brother Lin?"
The Second Elder coughed lightly and hurriedly reminded him.
The resentment they felt towards Xiao Yan had completely disappeared.
Even if Xiao Yan didn't have Dou Qi now, let alone the fact that he only had three levels of Dou Qi, with a brother like Lin Dong who was of noble status and could command Dou Zong experts at will, he would always be the third young master of the Xiao family!
Nalan Yanran and the other two suddenly felt their faces burning.
Compared to Lin Dong's grand gesture, their solitary Qi Gathering Powder made them seem more like people from a small town.
"Brother Lin, quickly put it away." Xiao Yan frowned and said, "How could I, Xiao Yan, be the kind of person who would take advantage of a debt of gratitude!"
"Brother Huo, this is a gift for our uncle. Don't worry about it."
Lin Dong waved his hand, "I know you are an upright person, but how could I, Lin Dong, be an ungrateful person?"
"I've found a way to cure this ailment of your inexplicable disappearance of fighting spirit!"
"What!?" Xiao Yan was shocked and looked at Lin Dong, his eyes filled with excitement.
"Brother Lin Dong, are you telling the truth?"
If he wanted to wash away his shame, he would have to face the problem of his battle aura disappearing.
But now Lin Dong says that there is already a solution to this problem.
How could he not be happy about this?
For a moment, Xiao Yan's eyes were filled with gratitude as he looked at Lin Dong.
At this moment, Xiao Zhan, who was above, could no longer sit still. He hurriedly ran down and bowed respectfully to Lin Dong, saying, "Young Hero Lin, is what you say true?"
As he spoke, Xiao Zhan's lips trembled slightly, his excitement barely contained.
He had been so worried about his son's strange illness for the past three years that his hair had almost turned white.
Hearing these words so suddenly, how could I not be delighted?
Sitting in the distance, Xiao Xun'er's gaze shifted between Shen Cui and Lin Dong, her eyes gleaming with a faint golden light.
She observed for a long time but found nothing unusual.
At this moment, Nalan Yanran could no longer sit still.
She just made a promise for three years, and now, in the blink of an eye, the other side is about to rise to power?
"Hmph, so what if you've recovered? With Master's help, you can't possibly catch up to me!" Nalan Yanran thought to herself.
"Uncle, of course it's true!" Lin Dong looked at Xiao Zhan, about to speak, but saw the other party suddenly raise his hand, interrupting him.
After stopping Lin Dong, Xiao Zhan looked indifferently at Nalan Yanran and the other two, coldly saying, "The three of you, now that you have achieved your goal, please leave!"
Nalan Yanran and the other two knew that this was because the other party did not want them to hear these secrets.
However, the three of them already intended to leave. After all, there was a Dou Zong who might attack them inside this hall!
Nalan Yanran bowed slightly to Xiao Zhan, gave Lin Dong and Xiao Yan a deep look, and then stood up and walked out of the hall.
Behind her, Ge Ye and the young man whose face had been slapped into a pig's head by Shen Cui also hurriedly followed.
"Take the Qi Gathering Powder with you too!" Xiao Zhan waved his hand, and the box containing the Qi Gathering Powder that Nalan Yanran and the others had brought earlier was flung away by him.
Ge Ye reached back and firmly grasped the box, then smiled wryly as he put it into his storage ring.
"Miss Nalan, I hope you won't regret your actions today."
"Also, don't think that just because you have the Yunlan Sect backing you up, you can act recklessly. The Dou Qi Continent is vast, and there are many people stronger than Yun Yun..."
Just as Nalan Yanran and the other two were about to leave, Xiao Xun'er's voice rang out softly.
The three of them suddenly stopped in their tracks, their gazes shifting slightly as they turned to the girl in the purple dress in the corner, gently turning the books around.
As if sensing the gazes of the three, the girl raised her delicate face from the ancient pages of the book, and a tiny golden flame suddenly appeared in her beautiful eyes, which were as clear as autumn water.
Gazing at the tiny golden flame in the girl's eyes, Ge Ye's body trembled violently. A look of terror instantly covered his aged face. His withered hands frantically grabbed the puzzled Nalan Yanran and the young man, and they fled from the Xiao family hall as if their lives depended on it, running away into the distance.
After leaving the Xiao family's residence for a long, long time, Nalan Yanran asked with some confusion, "Uncle Ge, what's wrong?"
Why leave in such a hurry?
Ge Ye sighed softly, his face as bitter as a gourd.
"Yanran, I just sensed the aura of a strange fire on that girl!"
"A friend who has a Dou Zong as his bodyguard, a genius girl with a different kind of fire..."
"This Xiao family is terrifyingly powerful!!"
"If we don't hurry, we might really not be able to leave today!"
Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Liu trembled and quickened his pace.
Nalan Yanran was taken aback, a thousand thoughts surfacing in her mind.
"Did I really do something wrong?"
(End of this chapter)