Ye Chen caressed her hair softly.
"Teacher said after the Inner Sect Competition ends, she'll go straight to your family with me to propose.
Yanran, tomorrow I'll help you pack your things and send you home first.
Since I'll be proposing, your father and grandfather should be informed ahead of time."
After all, though the Nalan family already suspected the closeness between them, they never imagined things had gone this far.
especially that Nalan Yanran was already carrying Ye Chen's child.
Nalan Yanran nodded gently. "Mm."
She knew she couldn't participate in the upcoming Inner Sect Competition anyway.
But then she bit her lip nervously.
"Senior Brother… about the annulment… should I tell my father?"
Every time she had tried to bring it up in the past, her father and grandfather had firmly opposed it.
This time, she had gone behind their backs and dissolved it by herself.
Returning home now, she would surely be scolded harshly.
Ye Chen chuckled and pinched her soft cheek.
"Silly girl, if you don't tell them about annulling the engagement, do you think they'll agree to my proposal?"
Only then did Nalan Yanran realize the truth. She pouted unhappily, clearly reluctant to face the scolding that awaited her.
Ye Chen pulled her into his arms, smiling warmly.
"You're the precious daughter of the Nalan clan. At most, they'll scold you a little. But they can't really do anything to you.
Don't worry. I'll prove to them that your choice was right. Your husband-to-be will be far stronger than Xiao Yan."
His words gave her a deep sense of reassurance.
"Mm! Senior Brother, you're ten thousand times stronger than Xiao Yan."
"Oh?" Ye Chen tilted her chin playfully. "And how exactly am I stronger?"
She giggled, her eyes sparkling.
"Stronger in every way! You're more talented, your cultivation is higher, and you're far more handsome than him. You're the best in my heart."
She spoke proudly, almost as if showing him off.
Compared to Xiao Yan, who was stuck at the third stage of Dou Qi, Ye Chen was incomparably dazzling.
His looks, talent, and position in the Yunlan Sect made him admired by countless female disciples.
Being with Ye Chen had always filled Nalan Yanran with pride.
Ye Chen smiled happily. Being praised by his own woman in such a way was truly satisfying.
"Then from now on, I'll make sure you never regret your choice."
He cupped her face
Morning mist lingered in the mountains, and the air carried a chill.
Frost covered the forest path on both sides, making the world look pale and cold.
"Yanran, have you packed everything? I'll walk you down the mountain."
At dawn, Ye Chen accompanied Nalan Yanran as they made their way step by step along the small path leading down from the Yunlan Sect.
The Yunlan Sect was still a long distance from the imperial capital.
Ye Chen naturally couldn't feel at ease letting her go alone, so he insisted on escorting her himself.
Yanran was wrapped in the outer robe Ye Chen had taken off and placed around her shoulders.
The warmth in the cloth made her heart even warmer. She turned her head slightly, eyes soft.
"Senior brother, do you think you can win first place in the sect competition this time?"
Ye Chen smiled faintly, confidence flashing in his eyes.
With the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner, among the younger generation of the Yunlan Sect, he was practically unmatched.
"What's this? You don't have faith in me?" he teased.
"Of course I believe in you. I just hope you'll be careful," Yanran said with a laugh.
They chatted lightly as they walked, and before long, the sect was far behind them.
After half an hour's journey, the towering walls of the imperial capital appeared in the distance.
Suddenly, Nalan Yanran slowed down as if remembering something important.
"Senior brother, there's something I forgot."
"What is it?" Ye Chen asked curiously.
"Could you tell our teacher for me… to invite Elder Gu He to my house?"
"The Pill King, Gu He? Why invite him?"
At that name, Ye Chen's face darkened slightly. He had little fondness for the man.
Gu He harbored improper intentions toward his teacher, something Ye Chen could never forgive.
To him, his teacher belonged to him alone....no one else was allowed to covet her. Besides, now that he had Yao Chen, the soul of an Eight-Rank Alchemist, as his servant, a mere Sixth-Rank Alchemist like Gu He was beneath notice.
If Gu He behaved himself in the future, perhaps Ye Chen would let him live.
If not, Ye Chen wouldn't hesitate to strip his soul and feed it to Yao Chen.
Seeing his expression, Yanran bit her lip before speaking seriously.
"Senior brother, have you heard of Branded Poison?"
"Branded Poison?" Ye Chen's heart tightened. He instantly understood.
So, Yanran wanted Gu He for her grandfather, Nalan Jie.
The Nalan family had been hiding the truth for years, but Ye Chen, having read the original story, knew it well.
Years ago, Nalan Jie fought a deadly battle with a Tier Five magical beast....the Iron-Branded Venom Python.
Though he slew the creature, he was struck by its infamous venom: Branded Poison.
The toxin was terrifying beyond compare. Even Tier Six magical beasts had been killed by it.
If not for the species being extremely rare, many strong experts on the continent would have fallen victim to its bite.
All these years, Nalan Jie had relied on his powerful Dou Qi to suppress the poison in his body.
But age spares no one.....his strength was declining, while the poison's backlash grew fiercer. Now, he was reaching the limit of what he could endure.
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