18: Chapter 18 This is fate! A reward is certain.

"Cough, cough, cough."

Yun Yun was startled by Gu Han's words.

Why was this kid's speech so aggressive?

She coughed lightly and asked Nalan Yanran, "Your Senior Sister Yanran has never thought that way."

"Then she should think that way," Gu Han spoke. "The mere Xiao Family, whose strongest is only a Great Dou Master, can't even become the sole power in the tiny Wutan City."

"I heard from Mo Qing about Senior Sister Yanran's fiancé's situation. He was once exceptionally gifted, but now his cultivation has regressed. At fifteen, he is only at the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi and has been unable to improve."

"If he can't break through to the seventh stage of Dou Zhi Qi by sixteen, he will be sent out by his family. From then on, his career, status, strength, and realm—everything will have no future."

"As for Senior Sister Yanran, she is not only the eldest daughter and granddaughter of the direct line of the empire's Dou Wang family head, but she was also taken as a disciple by the Sect Leader of the Cloud Mist Sect. How can a dragon and a snake live together?"

"The Xiao Family should have taken the initiative to write a letter to dissolve the engagement long ago. Surely they don't want to rely on the promises of the older generation to climb higher?"

"In the future, everyone will say that the Young Sect Master of Yunlan Sect, the future Sect Leader, has a trash fiancé, or even a husband."

Having said this, Gu Han closed his mouth, as if the person who had just spoken so much wasn't him.

Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran looked at each other, feeling that what he said was quite right.

Looking at it this way, the Xiao Family and Xiao Yan really deserve to die!?

"Then, what if it were Xiao Yan's perspective?"

Yun Yun didn't dare think too deeply and changed the subject.

"Senior Sister Yanran deserves to die!" Gu Han replied.

Yun Yun: !

Nalan Yanran: ?

"On the Fighting Qi Continent, breaking an engagement is considered a great humiliation. A woman breaking the engagement makes it so the man can never hold his head up again."

"If the Nalan Family comes to the door to break the engagement, the Xiao Family will be laughed at by the entire Jia Ma Empire, and Xiao Yan's father's position as Clan Leader will be unstable."

"Whether for himself, his father, or his family, Xiao Yan will hate Nalan Yanran to death."

The master and disciple duo: "..."

"The Cloud Mist Sect, which facilitated this matter, also deserves to die."

"The Nalan Family is also hateful."

Gu Han answered honestly, "If I were Xiao Yan, that would be my thought."

"But Xiao Yan isn't me. Perhaps he's been a loser for so long that he's cowardly and won't think that way."

The master and disciple duo: !

"Then let him hate. In short, I'm unwilling to have an arranged marriage," Nalan Yanran clenched her hands, her eyes full of determination. "I can't wait for the Xiao Family to have the self-awareness to take the initiative and write a letter."

"Senior Sister still needs to consider one point." Gu Han looked at Nalan Yanran and answered seriously, "There is also the Nalan Family's perspective in this matter."

"I don't think Old Master Nalan is someone who doesn't understand reason or how to make trade-offs, yet he insists on having you, who has already become the Young Sect Master of Yunlan Sect, marry down into the Xiao Family. There must be concerns and hidden details."

"Otherwise, he would not only be hated by you, his own granddaughter, but also offend the Cloud Mist Sect. That's not the behavior of a clan leader."

"I happen to know the reason for this," Yun Yun spoke up. "The Xiao Family's former Dou Wang, Xiao Lin, once saved Nalan Jie's life. It was after that that Nalan Jie took the initiative to propose the marriage alliance to bring the two families closer."

"This is Nalan Jie's way of repaying a debt of gratitude, and also a move for both clans to seek common interests."

"Then do I have to be sacrificed?" Nalan Yanran's aggrieved tears welled up in her eyes.

A flicker of surprise passed through Yun Yun's eyes. She had thought Nalan Yanran also knew, but looking at the current situation, she didn't.

"This is fate." Gu Han's emotionless voice rang out. "Others live in hardship, but you have fine clothes and food; that is fate."

"Others cannot cultivate, yet you had a Dou Ling teaching you since you were four; that is fate."

"Others fight until they bleed for Huang-level Techniques, but you started with a Xuan-level Technique; that is fate."

"The Cloud Mist Sect, which others spend their lives looking up to, you directly entered as the disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect's Sect Leader; that is fate."

"So, your grandfather arranging your marriage to Xiao Yan to repay a life-saving debt is also fate."

Nalan Yanran sat down on the chair with a thud, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.

Gu Han's words made her feel like an ungrateful wolf who only cared about enjoyment and acquisition, but never about repayment and contribution.

So, was she wrong to insist on breaking the engagement!?

Yun Yun also realized that the matter was more complicated than she had thought.

If only she were a Dou Zong and had the final say in the Jia Ma Empire.

If reasoning doesn't work, then one can use fists, taking the iron rule of 'strength is respected' to the extreme.

"Is it not possible for me to want a peaceful solution!?" Nalan Yanran was aggrieved and frustrated.

Gu Han didn't answer, but looked at Yun Yun.

Yun Yun somehow understood his thoughts and asked, "Do you have a way to resolve this?"

"If you can solve this matter, I, this Sect Leader, will definitely give you a reward."

Hearing the promise he wanted, Gu Han naturally didn't hold back and replied, "To solve this matter is actually very simple."

The master and disciple duo: ?

"First, the Cloud Mist Sect cannot be the one to go to the Xiao Family to break the engagement."

"Second, the one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it; it requires the elders of the Nalan and Xiao families to speak at the same time."

"I don't know what the Xiao Family is thinking, but as long as they have a brain, it's impossible for them to think a marriage contract could allow them to climb up to the Nalan Family or even the Cloud Mist Sect. Most likely, they want to wait for a good price, waiting for the Nalan Family to speak first so they can get some compensation."

"As for the Nalan Family, Old Master Nalan values promises and won't easily speak up, but that's because the right method hasn't been used."

At this point, Gu Han looked at Nalan Yanran: "Senior Sister Nalan, does your clan have any girls of suitable age with a status comparable to yours, and decent looks or talent?"

"There are a few," Nalan Yanran nodded.

"Are there any from the direct line? Preferably with outstanding looks and decent cultivation talent," Gu Han asked leadingly.

"Then there's only one," Nalan Yanran replied instinctively. "My own second uncle's daughter, a few months younger than me. Her talent was once above mine, but unfortunately, she was poisoned while visiting her mother's clan with my second uncle."

Speaking of this, Nalan Yanran frowned, realizing, "Are you suggesting I push the engagement onto someone else and let them bear it for me?"

"One man's meat is another man's poison. For the same thing, Senior Sister Nalan, you can't wait to avoid it, but others might crave it." Gu Han didn't answer directly, but said to Yun Yun, "This matter's solution is divided into three steps."

"First, the Sect Leader personally goes to see the Nalan Clan Leader, offering resources as compensation, to some extent repaying Senior Sister's gratitude for the family's upbringing over the years. After this, Senior Sister can better serve the Cloud Mist Sect. As for whether she still needs to look after her family, she can decide for herself."

"Second, propose someone to replace Senior Sister in the marriage alliance. Of course, if Senior Sister intentionally doesn't go, the principle of voluntary participation can be adopted."

"Once these two conditions are out, Old Master Nalan has no reason to refuse. Otherwise, he would truly be too pedantic, and the Sect Leader wouldn't need to give him face."

"Third, both the Nalan Family and the Cloud Mist Sect must give Xiao Yan some compensation. It's Xiao Yan, not the Xiao Family, as he is the party involved."

"Facing this situation, the Xiao Family will definitely not be angry. After all, Xiao Yan has become a loser, and they have self-awareness."

"It's very likely they will take the opportunity to propose dissolving the marriage, and then we just go with the flow."

"That is my suggestion."

After speaking, Gu Han bowed again.

Yun Yun's gaze toward him held a few more shades of difference.

She didn't think for long before making a decision. "Fine, let's try it according to what you said."

"If it succeeds, this Sect Leader will definitely reward you well."