"Ahem... Her name is Nalan Yanran."
When Nalan Yanran was taken as a Disciple by Yun Yun, she was only ten years old. Now, she has been Cultivating in the Cloud Mist Sect for seven years.
As the saying goes, a girl changes with every year. Having not seen her for many years, Xiao Zhan naturally did not know that the young girl before him was his nominal daughter-in-law.
"Nalan Yanran? The granddaughter of Old Mister Nalan, Nalan Yanran?" Xiao Zhan was stunned at first, then his face was filled with great joy; he must have remembered that matter from back then.
Immediately, he hurriedly revealed a gentle smile to the young girl: "So it is Nalan niece. Uncle Xiao hasn't seen you in many years; please don't blame your uncle for being blind."
Xiao Xue, standing to the side, couldn't help but roll her eyes. This sudden scene also left everyone slightly stunned.
The Three Elders of the Xiao Family exchanged glances and couldn't help but frown, but they remained silent, watching the two interact quietly.
"Uncle Xiao, I have never come to pay my respects; it is I who should be apologizing. How could I dare to blame Uncle Xiao?" Nalan Yanran said with a sweet smile.
"Hehe, Nalan niece, I had heard before that you were taken in by Lady Yun Yun. At the time, I thought it was just a rumor. I didn't expect it to actually be true. You truly have great talent, niece..." Xiao Zhan said with a smile, praising her.
"Yanran just got lucky..." With a faint smile, Nalan Yanran's hand under the table gently tugged at Ge Ye, who was beside her.
"Hehe, Clan Chief Xiao, the matter I am requesting today concerns Yanran, and furthermore, this matter was personally raised by the Sect Master herself..."
Ge Ye chuckled, his expression becoming slightly solemn when he mentioned the words "Sect Master".
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan's expression changed slightly.
The Cloud Mist Sect Master, Yun Yun, was a major figure in the Jia Ma Empire; he, a mere Clan Chief of a small Family, could not afford to offend her in the slightest.
But with her strength and influence, what could she possibly need the Xiao Family's help with?
Ge Ye said it concerns Nalan niece, could it be...?
Xiao Zhan's mouth twitched uncontrollably a few times. He forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart, but before he could speak, a female voice suddenly rang out from the side:
"Old Mister Ge Ye, is today's matter really personally approved by the Sect Master?"
Everyone's gaze was drawn to Xiao Xue, who was standing beside Xiao Xun Er.
An Elder scolded, "Fourth Young Miss, this is a matter between the Clan Chief and our distinguished guests. Please sit down and behave."
Although Xiao Xue's Cultivation had not progressed for three consecutive years, unlike Xiao Yan, she had not fallen back to the Third Stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
And at fourteen years old, her Ninth Stage of Dou Qi Cultivation still made her a standout among the younger generation of the Xiao Family.
Therefore, her status within the Family was much higher than that of her down-and-out Cheap older brother, Xiao Yan.
However, facing distinguished guests from the Cloud Mist Sect, she, at the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi, indeed had no qualifications to speak.
However...
Xiao Xue flashed forward and took the precarious teacup from Xiao Zhan's hand. No one in the assembly hall made a move to stop her.
Because they all saw that the speed Xiao Xue just displayed was far beyond what someone with only the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi could achieve.
Everyone except Xiao Xun Er was shocked into a stupor by the speed Xiao Xue had displayed.
Teacup: I almost cracked...
"Xue'er, you..." Xiao Zhan was the first to react, speaking with pleasant surprise.
Xiao Xue crooked her mouth into a faint smile and nodded slightly.
And from the moment the "engagement annulment" plot began, the System's functions were completely unlocked.
Xiao Xue looked down at the teacup and took a light sip of the tea inside.
The tea used to entertain the distinguished guests from the Cloud Mist Sect was certainly not some common street-stall product. Although it couldn't be considered a rare treasure, it was definitely high-quality stuff.
With one sip of tea down, her whole body felt refreshed. She easily and comfortably chose — [Upgrade].
In an instant, the surrounding Fighting Qi became noticeably more active and began to surge madly into her body.
And Xiao Xue's aura changed abruptly; it was no longer at the "Ninth Stage of Dou Qi," but had "officially" stepped into the Dou Practitioner Realm!
Everyone who sensed this suddenly looked up, their eyes fixed intently on Xiao Xue.
They saw that with every sip of tea Xiao Xue took, her aura rose by one level, breaking through a minor Realm.
After drinking the tea in the cup in five sips, Xiao Xue had consecutively broken through Five-Stars!
---
Five-Star Dou Practitioner!
One sip of tea, one star Breakthrough.
This scene made people doubt their own lives.
Since when was a Breakthrough such an easy thing?
"Breaking five Realms with a cup of tea, breaking five Realms with a cup of tea..."
Nalan Yanran, standing to the side, kept repeating this phrase, as if possessed.
She was gifted and could be considered a once-in-a-century prodigy throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire.
But from the time she started Cultivating as a child until now, it had been one step at a time, breaking through one star at a time.
And —
"Does she not need to meditate, enter a trance, or condense a Dou Qi vortex?"
As the Young Sect Leader of the Cloud Mist Sect, Nalan Yanran, who prided herself on being a Genius, felt that the scene before her exceeded her knowledge reserves.
Why could she be so arbitrary?
Meanwhile, Xiao Xun Er became even more certain of her guess.
"Sister Xue'er was definitely deliberately stuck at the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi before, definitely!"
Xiao Xun Er felt that she had seen through Xiao Xue and began trying to understand her —
"She wasn't giving up on herself, nor was she lacking ambition; she had her own plans!"
Xiao Xun Er even believed that breaking five Realms with a cup of tea was just the beginning.
Beside her, Xiao Yan was also full of shock. His younger sister's talent... had returned!
That younger sister whose talent was no less than his own back then... had returned!
Xiao Yan recalled the fear of being dominated by his younger sister back then.
Back then, when he was meditating and drawing the first strand of Fighting Qi into his body to become a First Stage of Dou Zhi Qi, he, who prided himself on being a Genius, had smugly gone to show off to Xiao Xue.
As a result, Xiao Xue had glanced at him indifferently, stretched, and released the pressure of the Second Stage of Dou Zhi Qi, saying, "Isn't this something anyone can do?"
Xiao Yan, whose Soul was that of an adult, received such a huge blow in the Fighting Qi Continent for the first time.
He concentrated on Cultivating and finally broke through... to the Third Stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
Yeah, he was at the Third Stage now too.
Sigh, let's not talk about the past.
In the assembly hall, Xiao Xue put down the teacup, turned her head to look at the Three Elders, Nalan Yanran, and the others, and said indifferently, "Now, do I have the qualifications?"
This engagement definitely had to be annulled, but since a fat sheep had delivered itself to her door, it would be a waste not to slaughter it.
Given the generational friendship between the Xiao Family and the Nalan Family, plus the tangible and intangible benefits that would be brought to the Nalan Family after this matter was resolved peacefully.
Just giving a Qi Gathering Powder really wouldn't cut it.