BTTH: I Am the Ancestor of the Xiao Clan Chapter 74: Nalan Yanran

In Wu Tan City, at the Xiao family residence...

Since Xiao Yan lost his Dou Qi, no matter how hard he tried, he remained stuck at the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi, unable to make any progress.

With no one able to determine the cause of his Dou Qi's disappearance, rumors of the once genius Xiao Yan turning into a "waste" spread like wildfire throughout Wu Tan City.

As ti passed, the news even reached the Jia Ma Empire's capital. Although the Xiao family was no longer as prominent as it once was, it was still a well known na in the empire.

Even Xiao Tiance, who rarely left his ho, heard the rumors during one of his occasional outings.

Naturally, the Nalan family, who had a marriage engagent with Xiao Yan, also caught wind of this. They imdiately sent people to Wu Tan City to investigate.

At the Yun Lan Sect, atop a mountain peak...

A twelve or thirteen year old girl sat on a stool, fuming with frustration. She was Nalan Yanran, the only personal disciple of Yun Yun, the current sect leader of Yun Lan Sect. With her exceptional talent and strength, she was the designated successor to lead the sect in the future.

In the past, despite so opposition, the engagent between her and Xiao Yan was tolerable since Xiao Yan was a rare cultivation prodigy in the Jia Ma Empire. Even the elders of Yun Lan Sect wouldn't criticize the arrangent too harshly, as they knew that their leader would eventually marry.

However, with news of Xiao Yan becoming a "waste," so people began ridiculing him in front of Nalan Yanran.

How could soone as proud and ambitious as her tolerate such humiliation?

Initially, she tried to suppress her emotions, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she beca.

Determined, Nalan Yanran returned ho and demanded her grandfather, Nalan Jie, and father, Nalan Su, cancel the engagent.

As expected, Nalan Jie refused. He was unwilling to tarnish his reputation by breaking a promise and becoming a dishonorable man who went back on his word.

As he grew older, Nalan Jie feared he wouldn't have the face to et his old friend, Xiao Lin, in the afterlife if he allowed this.

After being scolded, Nalan Yanran angrily returned to the Yun Lan Sect, feeling both aggrieved and frustrated.

"Who am I?" she thought to herself. "I am Nalan Yanran, the personal disciple of Yun Lan Sect's leader and future sect master. How could my future husband be a waste who can't even cultivate?"

Despite her grandfather's objections, she resolved to take matters into her own hands.

"Grandfather may disagree, but I, Nalan Yanran, will not sit back and let fate dictate my life! Still, I can't bring this matter to my teacher just yet she might be disappointed in ."

Nalan Yanran understood she lacked the influence to demand her teacher, Yun Yun, intervene in the matter. Moreover, she didn't have any powerful subordinates who could accompany her to the Xiao family and protect her from their potential wrath.

The Xiao family may have fallen from grace, but Xiao Zhan, the family head, was still a formidable Dou Shi.

After taking a deep breath, Nalan Yanran made up her mind:

"I can't just wait passively. I must cultivate hard and prove my worth. If I can beco the most outstanding disciple of this generation in Yun Lan Sect, I'll gain both moral high ground and my teacher's support to annul the engagent!"

With this determination, she began over two years of intense training.

By the ti she turned fifteen, Nalan Yanran had reached the three star Dou Zhe level, making her the strongest and most talented disciple of her generation in Yun Lan Sect.

That day, she decided to bring the matter to Yun Yun.

Although she braced herself for criticism, Yun Yun, known for her calm deanor and care for her disciples, surprisingly agreed.

She felt that a waste like Xiao Yan didn't deserve her brilliant disciple. Yun Yun arranged for Elder Ge Ye and Liu Ling, a disciple of the alchemist Gu He, to accompany Nalan Yanran. They also brought two Qi Gathering Powder pills to ensure the matter was handled properly.

On the sa day, in Wu Tan City, it was the Xiao family's annual strength assessnt for its younger generation.

The event was grand, fitting for one of the three great families of Wu Tan City.

In the plaza, a massive testing monunt stood, and the atmosphere was a mix of joy and disappointnt. Those who had improved over the year celebrated, while those who hadn't made progress wore grim expressions.

Amidst the crowd, a fifteen year old boy stood silently, watching others achieve higher results. Although his face appeared calm, his heart was filled with sha.

"Three years... It's been three years, and my Dou Qi hasn't improved at all. I'm sure I'll disappoint Father again," Xiao Yan thought bitterly.

He recalled the countless humiliations he endured over the years, knowing how much effort his father, Xiao Zhan, had invested in him. Yet, he had beco his father's only disgrace.

"Next up, Xiao Yan!"

The loud call snapped him out of his thoughts. As his na echoed across the plaza, murmurs filled the air.

"Isn't that Xiao Yan, our family's disgrace? He'll probably still test at the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi."

"Haha, who would've thought we'd one day look down on the forr prodigy of our family?"

"Exactly. If his father weren't the family head, he'd have been kicked out long ago to manage the family's businesses."

Ignoring the mocking whispers, Xiao Yan clenched his fists and slowly stepped forward.

In the crowd, Xiao Xun'er watched his lonely figure with a pang of sadness. Over the past three years, her once confident Xiao Yan had grown distant, even avoiding her concern.

With a heavy punch, Xiao Yan struck the testing monunt.

A booming sound echoed, and five glaring characters appeared:

"Xiao Yan, Dou Zhi Qi, Third Stage!"

The host announced the result loudly, and the crowd burst into laughter and taunts. Even the presence of Xiao Zhan, the family head, couldn't stop their mockery.

Xiao Yan stared at the monunt, wishing the result was fake.

"Damn it, it's the sa again. Am I truly destined to remain weak?" he thought, clenching his fists as he walked back to his spot. The mocking voices stung, but he had grown numb to them.

Watching others who once flattered him now surpass him only deepened his despair.

Later that day, under the scorching sun, three visitors arrived at the Xiao family residence.

They were Nalan Yanran, Elder Ge Ye, and Liu Ling.

Nalan Yanran looked up at the Xiao family's gates, exhaled deeply, and murmured,

"After today, I'll finally be free."

(End of Chapter)

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