"Indeed, Uncle Xiao and the others are too sensitive. What could have been resolved peacefully has turned into this."
Xiao Xun'er shook her head, feeling slightly disappointed with Xiao Zhan's reaction.
At this moment, with the three elders shouting in anger, Xiao Zhan also calmed down.
He looked at Nalan Yanran with a grim expression and rasped, "Nalan niece, you have quite the courage. Nalan Su is truly enviable to have a daughter like you!"
"Uncle Xiao—"
Nalan Yanran wanted to speak to Xiao Zhan more.
But Xiao Zhan directly interrupted her.
"Hehe, just call me Xiao Clan Head. I can't bear the title of 'uncle.' Your engagement with my son Yan'er, who is mediocre, indeed doesn't suit you!"
Xiao Zhan's tone was cold and full of mockery.
However, Ge Ye, who was standing by, misunderstood.
He hurriedly took out a prepared gift and said with a forced smile, "Thank you for your understanding, Clan Head Xiao. The Clan Leader knows that today's matter is abrupt and somewhat impolite, so he specifically asked me to bring something as an apology!"
Saying this, Ge Ye handed over a green ancient jade box.
As the box opened, a pleasant fragrance immediately spread through the hall, making everyone's spirits lift.
The three elders leaned in curiously, and then exclaimed in surprise, "Qi Gathering Powder!"
In the Dou Qi Continent, to become a true fighter, one must condense a Dou Qi vortex within their body.
However, the success rate of condensing a Dou Qi vortex is not high.
After all, not everyone is a genius like Gu Changqing, Xiao Xun'er, or Xiao Yan.
Failing to condense the vortex can lead to a decline in strength.
Therefore, the alchemists of the Dou Qi Continent invented a type of Gathering Qi Powder that guarantees 100% success in condensing a Dou Qi vortex.
Just one of these pills can ensure the birth of a one-star Dou Qi genius.
This pill is a genuine fourth-grade medicine.
In other words, for a small family like the Xiao family, it is a treasure.
Next, Ge Ye explained the Gathering Qi Powder and also mentioned Master Gu He from the Empire of Jia Ma.
Just when everyone thought the matter of dissolving the engagement was perfectly resolved, someone decided to stir things up.
"Mr. Ge Ye, please take back the pill. We might not agree to today's matter!"
The hall fell silent. Xiao Yan, who had been forgotten in the corner, stood up at this moment.
"Xiao Yan, this is not your place to speak. Be quiet!" an elder reprimanded.
"Xiao Yan, step down. I know you are upset, but we will handle this ourselves!" another elder said.
"Three elders, if today's situation involved your sons or grandsons, would you still say the same?"
Xiao Yan did not comply and responded with a tone of mockery.
"You—"
"Rhetorical quibbles!"
"Xiao Yan, Mr. Ge Ye is here to request the dissolution of the engagement, not a divorce!"
"And even if the one breaking off the engagement was our son or grandson, if they were like you—immoral and of poor talent—we would still take the initiative to ask for the engagement to be dissolved, without needing anyone to come to us first!"
The three elders were not pushovers either.
This time, without Xiao Xun'er stepping in to interrupt or speak up for Xiao Yan, the three elders were unrelenting in their rebuttal.
Xiao Yan's reputation had long been a joke in the entire Wutan City.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so disliked after losing his talent.
"You! You all!"
Xiao Yan was taken aback by the three elders' refusal to spare him any face, openly discussing his poor character and low talent in front of everyone.
In an instant, he was so enraged that his face turned red, his eyes widened, and he looked as if he might explode.
"Alright, enough!"
Xiao Zhan roared, his Grand Master-level aura forcibly suppressing the three elders who were about to mock Xiao Yan further.
Xiao Zhan looked helplessly at Xiao Yan and said, "Yan'er, today's matter is our own fault. I—"
"Father!"
Xiao Yan took a few deep breaths and calmed down again.
He stared into Xiao Zhan's eyes and said with a firm tone, "Let me handle this matter today. After all, I am the one involved in this issue. It's not up to others to dictate the terms of my marriage!"
The last sentence was directed sharply at the three elders, implying that the matter of his marriage was not up to them to decide.
"You—"
Xiao Zhan looked at his son, whom he once took great pride in. Xiao Yan held his gaze firmly.
"Very well, since the engagement with Nalan Yanran concerns you, I will leave this matter to you. Regardless of how you handle it, I will unconditionally support you!"
Xiao Zhan might not be a good clan head, but he was definitely a good father.
"Since the old patriarchs haven't spoken, and they were the ones who initially agreed to the engagement, and now they haven't spoken to dissolve it, no one dares to do so. Otherwise, it would be an affront to the elders who have passed away! I believe no one in our clan would commit such an act of disobedience."
Xiao Yan's lengthy speech was a moral argument, directly attempting to guilt-trip the three elders, making them reluctant to bear the blame of betraying the ancestors.
However, Gu Changqing was amused by Xiao Yan's lengthy rhetoric.
One moment he claimed that the matter concerned him and he had the right to handle it, and the next he said no one dared to dissolve it without the patriarchs' say-so. This kind of backward moral blackmail was indeed effective, leaving the three elders speechless.
It seemed that Xiao Yan was not from a modern era but rather a relic of feudalism.
If no one dared to dissolve the engagement, then if both old patriarchs were dead with no evidence, would they have to marry regardless? It was truly a ridiculous joke.
Gu Changqing's laughter was particularly jarring in the silent hall.
Many people turned to look at him.
Xiao Yan also turned his gaze towards him, and his expression darkened.
This Gu Changqing, not being from the Xiao family was one thing, but he was always opposing him.
If it weren't for him, how would his intrusion into Xiao Xun'er's room be discovered? If it weren't for him, how would he have been caught watching Xiao Yu bathe? If it weren't for him—
Xiao Yan actually hated Gu Changqing to the core.
But he knew that Gu Changqing had a deep background and strong talent, so he couldn't afford to provoke him now.
"Gu Changqing, what are you laughing at?"
Even though Xiao Yan couldn't afford to provoke Gu Changqing, he still dared to question him in front of so many people.