Chapter 122: Nalan Jie Regrets Everything! Nalan Yanran: Finally Canceled the Engagement—So Happy!
"Nalan-uncle has spoken so generously, how could I, a member of the Xiao Clan, insist on being petty?"
Xiao Yuan smiled as he stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Uncle Nalan."
"Miss Nalan, it's been a long time."
He turned to Nalan Yanran in her moon-white robe and spoke with a calm smile.
"Mm, it has."
Nalan Yanran's eyes flickered with brief surprise upon seeing him. Over these three years, Xiao Yuan had grown even more handsome. With a little makeup, she suspected she might lose out to him in appearance.
More importantly, she couldn't sense the strength of either him or the elder at his side.
"You truly are a fine young man, Nephew Xiao. Please, come in."
Nalan Su chuckled before glancing toward Hai Bodong. "And this is?"
"This is my teacher, Hai Bodong—Elder Hai."
Xiao Yuan replied with a grin.
Nalan Su's gaze flicked subtly toward the ice sculpture still outside the gate, his expression unchanged as he smiled. "So it's Elder Hai. Please, come in."
As for the steward who had greeted them earlier, he naturally did not show his face again. Nalan Su clearly understood that now was not the time for that man to embarrass the family.
Once seated in a side hall, the four of them engaged in awkward conversation.
"Nephew Xiao, may I ask the reason for your visit?"
Nalan Su spoke first, breaking the tense silence.
His question, though polite, carried an obvious subtext: the Nalan family had clearly changed their attitude and no longer wanted to annul the engagement.
"Of course. I came to formally annul my engagement with Miss Nalan."
Xiao Yuan stood, respectfully clasped his hands, and pulled out a crimson scroll.
"This is the engagement agreement written by our grandfathers. My grandfather passed early, so my father has safeguarded it until now. He has now entrusted me with full authority to handle the matter."
"When Miss Nalan and I made our agreement, it was settled that I would come to annul the engagement within three years. Now, though there is still some time remaining, I have fulfilled my promise."
Nalan Su's expression darkened slightly. "But that agreement has always been in the care of the old master. To be frank, he has recently suffered a relapse and remains unconscious. Nephew Xiao, perhaps you could delay this matter for the time being?"
Nalan Yanran's brows furrowed, clearly unhappy with her father's reluctance. But she had matured, and refrained from acting out. Quietly, she pulled out the document Xiao Yuan had once written and offered it.
"How about using this?"
"That's merely a note between the two of you."
Nalan Su frowned and sighed. "If the old master were to find out the marriage was annulled so casually, I fear it would be hard to justify."
Nalan Yanran's eyes flared with frustration. She hadn't expected the biggest obstacle to come from her own family rather than the Xiao Clan.
"Heh, no need to rush, Miss Nalan."
Xiao Yuan turned to her, smiling. "I heard that the old master's been unwell. May I ask for details? Judging from the crowd of alchemists outside, you must've already asked Elder Gu He of the Yunlan Sect for help, correct?"
Nalan Yanran nodded, a bitter smile forming on her lips.
"Yes, we consulted Elder Gu He, but the poison—Luo Poison—is incredibly stubborn. Even he was unable to expel it. However, he did offer a method. It requires controlling a flame inside my grandfather's body to burn away the toxin. The key, though, is that the flame must be a Heavenly Flame…"
She sighed again. "As you know, Heavenly Flames are rare beyond belief. Even Alchemy King Gu He doesn't have one, let alone anyone else. That's why we've turned to top-tier Tier 3 and above alchemists. Some have unique talents. We can only hope one of them might succeed."
"Then allow me to try treating the old master. If I succeed, the engagement will be easier to dissolve, yes?"
Xiao Yuan smiled. He turned over his palm, and black-and-white flames rose from his hand.
"This is… a Heavenly Flame!!"
Both Nalan Yanran and Nalan Su were stunned.
"Fortunate, truly. I acquired it during my travels."
Xiao Yuan said casually.
He wasn't exaggerating—obtaining this Yin-Yang Dual Flame really was a matter of sheer luck.
"Amazing! Nephew Xiao, this is a godsend. But if I may ask: are you confident in using your flame to treat the old master? As you know, the flame must enter his body. It's incredibly dangerous."
Nalan Su now spoke with far more respect than before.
"Uncle Nalan, rest assured. While I may not be a Tier 4 alchemist, in terms of flame control, I can easily surpass most Tier 3s."
Xiao Yuan's soul force flared, shaping the flame in intricate patterns.
Over the past year, his flame control had already surpassed that of his younger brother Xiao Yan.
"Excellent. Please follow me, Nephew Xiao. If you can save the old master, I promise that the Nalan family will not let you leave empty-handed. As for the annulment, I will consult the old master and ensure a satisfactory outcome."
Beaming, Nalan Su practically dragged Xiao Yuan toward Nalan Jie's room.
Nalan Yanran, left behind for a moment, realized the situation and quickly bowed to Hai Bodong.
"My apologies, Elder. My father was too excited. Please rest here for a moment. If you need anything, just call on the staff."
She then chased after them.
Hai Bodong watched her with mild amusement.
Times sure have changed. A Dou Huang like me is treated like some common guest.
He wasn't offended, though. Sipping his tea, he found it surprisingly good.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yuan entered Nalan Jie's chambers.
The soft lamplight made the room feel gentle and warm, but the air was unnaturally cold and heavy.
It was a large space. In the center, an elder with a sunken face lay on a grand bed, his breathing shallow and faintly laced with death. Several maids moved quietly around him. Upon seeing Xiao Yuan, some were momentarily dazed by his beauty.
Nalan Su cleared his throat to snap them out of it. The maids quickly returned to their duties.
Xiao Yuan stepped closer and examined Nalan Jie. His complexion was pitch dark, and the space between his brows emitted a cold aura of death.
"To think it's gotten this bad… no wonder Gu He couldn't do anything."
Xiao Yuan muttered.
"Yes. Luo Poison is deadly even to Dou Huang. That the old master lasted this long is nothing short of a miracle."
Nalan Su sighed. "Can you help?"
Xiao Yuan shook his head with a wry smile.
"Uncle Nalan, even Gu He failed. I can't make any guarantees. I'm not an alchemist—I only have the flame. I can try Gu He's method, using the Heavenly Flame to purge the poison."
"And your chances?"
Nalan Yanran asked softly.
"Fifty-fifty. Without the flame, it'd be zero."
Xiao Yuan said simply.
"Then please, try."
Nalan Su bowed deeply. "With the old master's temperament, even if he were awake, he'd want to take the risk."
"Mm, Uncle Nalan and Miss Nalan, please step aside. I'm going to begin the detoxification process. Make sure no one disturbs me. If I'm interrupted, I may suffer some backlash, but I'd only need two days to recover. However, in the old master's condition, I doubt his body could withstand another shock."
Xiao Yuan stepped forward, gently supporting Nalan Jie before sitting cross-legged behind him. He formed a seal with his hands, and black-and-white flames began to swirl around his fingertips.
Seeing this, Nalan Su quickly pulled Nalan Yanran a few steps back and waved for the maids in the room to leave.
Xiao Yuan exhaled lightly, then extended a finger to press on the Dazhui acupuncture point on Nalan Jie's back.
In the next instant, the searing heat of the Heavenly Flame erupted, instantly reducing Nalan Jie's upper garments to ash.
But the flames halted cleanly at the waistline—a demonstration of exceptional flame control.
Just this single technique made Nalan Su's eyes light up.
Maybe... there really was hope!
As Nalan Jie's upper body was revealed, his emaciated frame lay bare—proof of the suffering inflicted by the Luo Poison.
Xiao Yuan, however, felt little emotion. He simply wanted to heal the old man, receive the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva, cancel the engagement, and get out.
Due to preconceived notions, he held little affection for the Nalan family. Even the grief on Nalan Yanran's face over her grandfather's suffering failed to move him.
As the Heavenly Flame entered Nalan Jie's body, the unconscious man trembled violently.
Nalan Su and Nalan Yanran exchanged glances but dared not make a sound. They could only watch Xiao Yuan with silent hope.
At this moment, Xiao Yuan's soul power guided the black-and-white flame through the meridians until it reached the bones infected with poison.
With spiritual perception, the condition inside Nalan Jie's body became clear to him. Seeing the dull-gray bones, Xiao Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Luckily, he had arrived in time. Though the poison was severe, it hadn't reached an incurable stage. If he worked hard today, he could cleanse it all.
With his five Dou Master-level qi reservoirs and powerful soul perception, he could complete the detoxification in one go.
Moreover, the Yin aspect of his flame clung like rot to bone—perfect for removing deeply embedded poisons. The Yang aspect would purge the organs and meridians. This two-pronged approach was tailor-made for handling Luo Poison.
There was just one issue... the process would be painful.
Xiao Yuan deliberately relaxed his control over the flame's heat. The terrifying temperature surged in an instant. What had been a soothing warmth suddenly became searing agony.
Nalan Jie's eyes flew open as he let out a blood-curdling scream.
The resulting surge of Dou Qi forced Nalan Su and Nalan Yanran back three steps.
They barely had time to recover before turning anxious eyes toward Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yuan remained as still as a mountain, calmly saying:
"Old Master Nalan, if you endure this, you'll be free from the poison. If not... then I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."
"You… you're the one saving me? Hmm? You look familiar…"
Nalan Jie, regaining clarity, looked back and squinted at Xiao Yuan.
"Father, this is Xiao Yuan."
Nalan Su said stiffly, glancing at Nalan Yanran, who shrank behind him.
"Ah?"
Nalan Jie's face stiffened. Then, with a sigh, he said:
"So it's the Xiao brat. Who would've thought… after more than thirty years, I'd be saved by the grandson of Xiao Lin. Fate sure is full of twists."
Then his gaze landed on Nalan Yanran, whose expression was evasive. Nalan Jie couldn't help roaring:
"You wretched girl! You still have the face to come back? If it weren't for you breaking off the engagement with the Xiao family three years ago, do you think I would've been so infuriated that my cultivation stalled and this damn poison did me in?"
But no matter the intent behind those words, they didn't change Xiao Yuan's decision to end the engagement.
"Please, don't blame Miss Nalan, Old Master. I came here today to annul the engagement. This has nothing to do with either our families' status or history. Simply put, I already have someone I care about. I feel nothing romantic toward Miss Nalan. Since the engagement doesn't suit either of us, it's best to end it."
His calm voice echoed from behind Nalan Jie.
"But… how could I face your late grandfather?"
Nalan Jie asked, ashamed.
"No matter. If you feel the need to make it up to me, I'll shamelessly ask for a certain medicinal ingredient in return for my help."
Xiao Yuan smiled.
"Oh? Speak."
Nalan Jie, now somewhat used to the searing pain, laughed boldly.
"Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva."
Nalan Jie paused but then grinned.
"Fine! A mere herb—what is that compared to my life?"
He signaled Nalan Su with a glance, and the latter immediately slipped away quietly.
"Ahem, Xiao Yuan, about that engagement…"
With Nalan Su gone, Nalan Jie hesitated before speaking.
"The engagement will still be canceled. I promised Miss Nalan. I won't go back on my word."
Xiao Yuan said plainly.
"Well, fine then. Young people have their own thoughts."
Nalan Jie sighed and pulled out a bright red scroll, tossing it to Nalan Yanran.
"Let's be done with it."
"As for the past, I apologize to you and your family on Yanran's behalf. We spoiled her too much. She didn't think things through. Fortunately, you were smart enough not to let it turn into a disaster. Otherwise, I'd rather die than accept your help now."
He turned and glared at Nalan Yanran again.
She could only stand in a corner, pouting silently, not daring to stir trouble.
"Heh, the past is the past. We were all young once."
Xiao Yuan laughed, seemingly generous.
But Nalan Jie's heart sank. He could hear the finality in Xiao Yuan's tone—the Xiao family was cutting ties completely.
All past bonds, debts, and affection… gone. From now on, only formal dealings would remain.
Nalan Yanran didn't notice the nuance. She even sighed in relief, thinking Xiao Yuan was truly magnanimous.
Watching her, Nalan Jie's face turned pale again.
He had a feeling:
Losing Xiao Yuan might be the Nalan family's greatest mistake.
(END CHAPTER)
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