"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU WON'T CANCEL THE ENGAGEMENT!"
Yun Lan's shout reverberated throughout the family meeting room in the manor. As her anger flared, coldness emanated from her, causing the temperature to drop rapidly. Standing outside the hall, Xiao could feel the chill, but it didn't affect him much. With a shrug of his shoulders, he knocked and entered the room, where he found his fuming mother.
Inside, his mother faced his grandfather and father, who stood on one side, while she stood on the other. The cold released by his mother seemed to have no effect on his grandfather, and his father had to exert some effort to defend against it. As for Xiao, well, being a fire affinity cultivator using a God-knows-what level cultivation technique has its own perks and uses.
"Um, not bad, child," Xiao's grandfather, Yun Hao, spoke. He applied a slight pressure on Yun Lan, causing her knees to buckle, demonstrating her power but also her inability to match Yun Hao, who had cultivated for hundreds of years. Gritting her teeth, she withstood Yun Hao's pressure.
"You are truly talented, little lass. Reaching such a level of power at such a young age is astonishing. But in the end, unless you have absolute power, talent means nothing," Yun Hao's words reverberated through the hall. He released his pressure, allowing Yun Lan to stand straight once more. Her eyes were cold as she confronted Yun Hao.
"So you're saying that you won't cancel the engagement?"
"Yes."
"So you want my son to marry a cripple?!" Yun Lan exclaimed in anger towards Yun Hao. They claimed to be protecting the family's honor, but in reality, they were only making her son's life miserable. Yun Lan's anger boiled inside her, ready to burst forth at any moment. That was when Xiao spoke up.
"Mother, it's enough."
Hearing Xiao's words, Yun Lan was surprised and quickly turned her head toward him. While the others had sensed Xiao's presence, Yun Lan had been too focused on the two in front of her. Complex emotions filled Yun Lan's eyes as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Little Xi, don't worry. Mother won't let you marry a cripple just because the family said so."
Yun Lan addressed Xiao seriously, her gaze fixed on him. Xiao smiled and walked toward his mother, giving her a smile. Then he turned to his grandfather, completely ignoring his father. Facing Yun Hao, Xiao bowed.
"Greeting, Family Head."
"Do you also want to cancel the engagement?"
Yun Hao went straight to the point without beating around the bush. Xiao raised his head, looking at his grandfather, and calmly replied.
"No. The engagement was arranged by the Yun family, and it is my responsibility to honor it. I will marry Li Lun and not let the Yun family down."
"Xiao!"
Yun Lan was surprised and angry, calling out his name instead of his nickname as she normally did. Xiao turned to his mother, nodding in acknowledgment. Seeing this, Yun Lan wanted to say more, but she held back.
"It's good that you're being responsible," Yun Hao nodded, and Xiao humbly replied, "Family Head, you think too highly of me."
Not once did he say "grandfather," nor did he acknowledge his father's existence. With those final words, he took his mother's hand and walked out of the room, leaving behind a calm Yun Hao and a fuming Yun Qing. Xiao silently led his mother to her room.
A few seconds later, they entered Yun Lan's room. As they did, Yun Lan immediately hugged her son, patting his back. Her eyes were extremely cold as she spoke.
"Don't worry, little Xi. Since they won't cancel it, we'll just have to ensure that the engagement doesn't take place."
"What does mother have in mind?" Xiao asked, coming out of his mother's embrace. Though confused, he had an inkling of what she was planning. Hearing Xiao's question, a cruel smile formed on Yun Lan's face as she replied.
"What else? For an engagement to happen, there needs to be a girl, right? We just have to remove that Li Lun girl from the equation."
Yun Lan showed no hint of guilt as she spoke about ending the life of a ten-year-old girl. In the past, she had let the engagement proceed because Li Lun had not yet awakened, and no one knew her potential. But now, as a cripple, how could Yun Lan allow her son to marry someone useless?
From the beginning, Yun Lan was never a kind woman. As long as she could benefit her family, she didn't mind becoming a devil. Xiao could only shake his head. In fact, this had happened in his past life as well, but each time, Li Lun would miraculously survive.
Since she was chosen for a legacy, it wouldn't be easy for her to die. However, it didn't mean she emerged unscathed. Xiao looked at his mother, who was already planning to contact an assassin organization, and spoke.
"Mother, you don't have to do anything like that..."
"What do you mean?" Yun Lan asked, not getting angry. She knew her son isn't an idiot and is quite smart when having to deal with things, he seems to be blessed with everything from the world, talents, and brains, and while it kills her not to show off the element that Xiao wields, she still holds great pride on it, and she knows Xiao wouldn't speak without a plan. Xiao looked at his mother as he spoke.
"Mother, you don't have to worry. I will handle it."
"Why? Are you scared of me hurting her? Perhaps, do you like her?"
Yun Lan asked with narrowed eyes. Xiao calmly replied with his fabricated lies.
"No, it's just that I don't want any unnecessary bloodshed, and I genuinely want to deal with this on my own."
After explaining his made-up plans and lies, Xiao listened to Yun Lan for a while until she finally sighed and agreed.
"Sigh... Fine, but remember, son, don't fall in love with her. I've already received news from my hidden sources that Li Lun is a lost cause. In the future, you and she will belong to two different worlds."
Xiao smiled inwardly at his mother's words because, as she had said, they would indeed belong to two different worlds. The only difference was that Li Lun would surpass him in the future, or maybe she won't. In this life, anything is at play.
"Yes, Mother," Xiao nodded solemnly while keeping his thoughts to himself.
"Good," Yun Lan finally agreed. Afterward, Xiao chatted and played with his mother for a while before setting off to the Li family.
'Sigh... I guess it's time to meet Li Lun...'