In the hall, Xiao Zhan and the Three Senior Elders were conversing with a rather heated intensity. However, this elder seemed to have something he was reluctant to say—each time he tried to speak, he would only sigh and swallow his words in embarrassment. And every time such moments occurred, the delicate young lady beside him would inevitably glare at him. Listening patiently for a while, Xiao Lin grew somewhat bored and shook his head lazily. "Brother Xiao Lin, do you know who they are?" asked Xun'er, whose slender fingers flipped through an ancient page with quiet focus, her eyes never straying from the elder trio. "Do you mean that?" asked Xiao Lin, turning to look at her in surprise. "Have you noticed the clouds and silver swords embroidered on their sleeves?" smiled Xun'er. "Oh?" Xiao Lin glanced toward the three figures' sleeves and indeed spotted a pattern of cloud-shaped silver swords. "Aren't they from Yunlan Sect?" whispered Xiao Lin in astonishment. Although he hadn’t yet ventured beyond his hometown, Xiao Lin had read about this sect in several books. His family's city was named Wutan City, which belonged to the Gamma Empire. Though Wutan City enjoyed strategic advantage due to its location beside the beast mountains and thus ranked among the larger cities of the empire, it still held only a modest position. The Xiao Family held considerable influence within Wutan City, yet wasn’t alone—there were two other powerful families whose strength matched that of the Xioos. For decades, these three families had been engaged in fierce rivalry with one another, never managing to secure a decisive victory. If the Xiao Family was considered a dominant force in Wutan City, then the Yunlan Sect must be seen as the preeminent power across all of the Gamma Empire—the gap between them resembled an unbridgeable chasm. It wasn’t surprising that even his usually composed father showed such deference when speaking of them. "What do they want from our family?" Xiao Lin asked softly. Xun'er’s delicate finger paused momentarily before she replied, "Perhaps it has something to do with Brother Xiao Lin." "Me? I’ve never had any interaction with them," said Xiao Lin, frowning and shaking his head in denial. "Do you know the young lady's name?" Xun'er glanced calmly at the graceful girl across from them. "What?" asked Xiao Lin, raising an eyebrow. "Nalan Yanran!" smiled Xun'er, her expression slightly puzzled as she watched a stiffened Xiao Lin. "Nalan Yanran? The granddaughter of Nalan Jie, the Grand Marshal of Gamma Empire—Nalan Yanran, who… who is my fiancée?" said Xiao Lin, his face growing rigid. "Ah, back when Grandfather was alive, he and Nalan Jie were inseparable friends. At that time, both our families had newborns—the two elders decided on this match. Unfortunately, just three years after your birth, Grandfather fell seriously injured in battle with an enemy and passed away. Since then, the relationship between the Xiao and Nalan families has gradually weakened over time." Xun'er paused, gazing at Xiao Lin’s wide-eyed expression, and chuckled softly before continuing, "Nalan Jie is a man of strong character—highly committed to his promises. He personally agreed to this marriage himself. So even though Brother Xiao Lin's reputation hasn’t been particularly strong lately, Nalan Jie has never sent anyone to withdraw the engagement." "That man truly has an admirable stubbornness!" said Xiao Lin with a smile and a shake of his head. "Nalan Jie holds absolute authority within the family. His words are rarely disputed—though he deeply loves his granddaughter, it's difficult for him to dissolve this marriage." Xun'er smiled gently and playfully added, "Five years ago, Nalan Yanran was personally taken under the wing by Yunlan Sect’s master, Yun Yun. Over the past five years, she has demonstrated exceptional talent in cultivation and earned the master’s great affection. When someone gains the power to reshape her own destiny, she naturally strives to eliminate any matters that no longer please her. Unfortunately, Xiao Lin's marriage is precisely one such matter that has caused her significant dissatisfaction!" "So you're saying—she's here to formally dissolve our engagement?" Xiao Lin’s expression shifted immediately; a surge of anger rose within him—not because Nalan Yanran looked down on him. In truth, although the girl was beautiful and well-connected, he wasn’t someone who would be easily swayed by appearance. Even if they never became close, his disappointment would remain just that—something ordinary, typical of any man. But if she now publicly requested to terminate their engagement before all present, then it would not only humiliate him personally but also dishonor the dignity of their family’s patriarch. Nalan Yanran was not only beautiful and prominent, yet possessed extraordinary talent. When anyone spoke about this matter, they would surely judge Xiao Lin as someone who dared to dream too high—someone aspiring to be a swan, yet being stepped upon by one instead. In such circumstances, not only Xiao Lin himself but even his father might soon become the subject of ridicule, losing much of their prestige. Sighing gently and drawing in a crisp breath of air, Xiao Lin’s hand, which had been tucked beneath his sleeve, now clenched tightly: "If I were currently a combat master, who among all would dare to treat me so disrespectfully?" Indeed, if Xiao Lin possessed the strength of a combat master today, even with Yunlan Sect's backing behind Nalan Yanran, such an act would have been impossible. In the history of the continent’s cultivation era, only a few individuals had achieved this rank by age fifteen—those few were already considered towering figures in the field. A slender hand quietly slipped through his sleeve and gently pressed upon the tight palm Xiao Lin now held: "Brother Xiao Lin," said Xun'er softly, "should she act thus today, it is only her own loss. I believe that in time, she will regret this brief vision of opportunity!" "Regret?" laughed Xiao Lin with a touch of self-mockery. "Do I have the qualifications for such regret now?" "Xun'er, you seem to know them quite well—some of what you’ve mentioned may even be information unknown even to my father. How did you come by this knowledge?" Xiao Lin waved his hand gently and then asked with a shift in tone. Xun'er blinked slightly but only smiled quietly, saying nothing. Watching Xun'er’s evasive demeanor, Xiao Lin sighed and shook his head. Though she shared the same surname as he—Xiao—she had no familial relation to him at all. He had never met her parents either. Whenever he asked about them, his father would instantly become bright and smile, only to immediately stop speaking—clearly harboring deep reservations or even fear toward them. In Xiao Lin’s mind, Xun'er's identity remained deeply mysterious. No matter how many times he tried to inquire from the side, she always responded with a graceful silence, leaving him utterly at a loss despite his best efforts. "Ah well, I’ll just leave you be—no need to speak about it," said Xiao Lin, his face suddenly darkening. For under Nalan Yanran’s steady glances, the elder had finally stood up. "Haha! Is he now relying on Yunlan Sect to pressure my father? What a skillful strategy Nalan Yanran has!" Xiao Lin’s heart echoed with an angry chuckle.