"It's a real pity that we couldn't practice a little longer."
On the way back to the Martial Arts Pavilion, Xu Qi was still savoring the scene of practicing swordsmanship.
He is only now realizing what it feels like to receive personal guidance.
Of course, he didn't actually gain anything from this guidance.
After all, he had long since mastered the Returning Wind Sword.
He just gave Nalan Yanran some guidance a few days ago.
He simply didn't want to reveal his full strength to Yun Yun; it was a form of caution.
In this dog-eat-dog world where the strong rule, revealing all your cards is not a wise move.
No matter who the other person is or how good your relationship is, you can't reveal everything.
Back in the courtyard of the Martial Arts Pavilion, Xu Qi pushed open the door and went inside, intending to learn a few more martial arts techniques that night.
Then I saw a beautiful figure standing in the courtyard.
Nalan Yanran!
"Junior Sister Yanran? What are you doing here?"
Today, Nalan Yanran wore a light purple dress, which made her look less noble but more elegant and charming.
"Senior Brother Xu, you're back."
Seeing Xu Qi return, Nalan Yanran quickly ran to greet him, smiling sweetly.
"Yes, is there something you need?"
Nalan Yanran pouted slightly, a hint of displeasure in her eyes: "Can't I come to see Senior Brother Xu if there's nothing wrong?"
"Ahem, of course not. Junior Sister Yanran can come anytime she wants."
"That's more like it." The girl deftly placed her hands behind her back, her eyes sparkling, and blinked.
"Actually... I do have something I'd like to ask Senior Brother Xu for help with."
"Hey, hey, hey, you said you couldn't come to me if there was nothing wrong, but now you say there's something wrong?" Xu Qi asked warily.
A blush of embarrassment rose on Nalan Yanran's delicate cheeks as she whispered, "I just came to see Senior Brother Xu and wanted to ask him for a favor."
Xu Qi was too embarrassed to expose her excuse.
"Speak, what is it? Do you want me to help you with chain repair and combat again?"
"It's not about cultivating combat skills." Nalan Yanran's answer surprised Xu Qi. "I wanted Senior Brother Xu to accompany me to Wutan City."
"Wutan City…" Xu Qi didn't react immediately, but felt that the name sounded familiar.
After he repeated it to himself, he suddenly widened his eyes and stared at Nalan Yanran.
"You want me to go to Wutan City with you?!"
What are you going to Wutan City for?
This question seems a bit redundant.
What else could Nalan Yanran be doing in Wutan City? Of course, she's going to annul the engagement!
Nalan Yanran went to annul the engagement, which angered Xiao Yan, and they made a three-year agreement.
From then on, Xiao Yan worked hard and eventually rose to become the Flame Emperor.
It can be said that Xiao Yan's growth in the original novel was inseparable from the stimulation he received from Nalan Yanran.
But things are different now.
Because Xu Qi is here now!
"I need to go to the Xiao family in Wutan City... Senior Brother Xu should have heard that I am engaged to Xiao Yan of the Xiao family."
"But this marriage was arranged by my grandfather, not by my own will. I want to take my own destiny into my own hands and don't want to follow in other people's footsteps."
"So, I'm going to call off the engagement!"
When it came to this matter, Nalan Yanran's attitude was very firm.
She has thought about it carefully these past few days and feels that this marriage must be called off.
Moreover, she had already persuaded her father and gained Yun Yun's partial consent.
Next, all she needs to do is go to the Xiao family in Wutan City to annul the engagement, and everything will start anew.
Xu Qi pondered for a moment, then said seriously, "Yanran, you cannot go to the Xiao family to annul this engagement."
Nalan Yanran had thought Xu Qi would support her, but she never expected him to say such a thing.
"Senior Brother Xu, do you mean... I shouldn't break off the engagement?"
The light in her eyes dimmed considerably at once.
"It's not that I don't want you to break off the engagement… I can't make that decision for you. What I mean is, you shouldn't make such a big fuss by going straight to the Xiao family to break off the engagement."
"Think about it, now that Xiao Yan of the Xiao family has experienced a change in his talent, his cultivation has plummeted, and he has gone from a genius to a good-for-nothing. He must be devastated."
"If you go and break off the engagement now in a big way, do you think they'll feel good about it?" Xu Qi said.
"But… what does his lack of talent have to do with me?" Nalan Yanran said, feeling a little wronged.
Is it because the other party is in a bad situation that she cannot abandon Xiao Yan?
This is ridiculous!
"You can try to break off the engagement in a gentler way, without hurting everyone's feelings," Xu Qi said.
"Oh." Nalan Yanran's attention didn't seem to be on that. "Then, Senior Brother Xu, could you come with me?"
She looked at Xu Qi, her eager gaze lingering on him as if telling a story.
"Uh... I guess I'll go then."
Under Nalan Yanran's gaze, Xu Qi finally agreed.
Mainly, he also wanted to meet Xiao Yan—he had roughly figured out that the more important a character in the original work was, the more talent attributes they would unlock.
Yunyun is one such example.
As the protagonist of the original novel, Xiao Yan certainly has a lot of talent attributes!
"Very good!"
Upon receiving Xu Qi's agreement, Nalan Yanran was immediately overjoyed.
"Then I'll go back and prepare, and come find you again when I've set a time."
She then quickly left the courtyard, presumably to go back and prepare.
"The Xiao family of Wutan City...tsk, it's time to go and see them."
...
The news that Nalan Yanran wanted to annul the engagement quickly spread throughout the Yunlan Sect.
Almost everyone in the Yunlan Sect supported her actions, believing that Xiao Yan of the Xiao family was not worthy of Nalan Yanran.
Especially the male disciples—many of the Yunlan Sect's male disciples were attracted to Nalan Yanran.
However, they all dared not express their feelings because Nalan Yanran was already engaged.
If Nalan Yanran successfully annuls the engagement... then they will have a chance!
Yun Yun, as the sect leader, initially disagreed with Nalan Yanran's approach, but she couldn't resist Nalan Yanran's insistence and eventually agreed.
However, in order to save face for the Xiao family, Yun Yun took the initiative to suggest that Nalan Yanran take a Qi-gathering powder as an apology for breaking off the engagement.
Then, he had Ge Ye, an outer sect steward, accompany him to Wutan City to annul the engagement.
"Teacher, I'd like to ask Senior Brother Xu to come with me this time, is that alright?" Nalan Yanran clung to Yun Yun and said coquettishly.
"Xu Qi?"
Yun Yun frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "If he's willing to go, then let him go with you."
"That's great, thank you, teacher!"
Nalan Yanran's expression brightened, and she suddenly kissed Yun Yun on the cheek before quickly leaving the room.
"This girl... I hope she can successfully annul the engagement." Yun Yun said with a mix of helplessness and anticipation.
Out of personal desire, she also hoped that Nalan Yanran would successfully annul the engagement.
However, as the sect leader of Yunlan Sect, she could not express a clear opinion on this matter, otherwise it would be biased.
After all, this matter originally had little to do with the Yunlan Sect.