Swallowing the Stars: The cheat system only comes when I'm almost a god?

A stern shout, trembling in its voice, interrupted Elder Yunhai's attempt to continue his persuasion.

Nalan Yanran suddenly stood up, her chest heaving violently. Her once clear and cold eyes were now burning with anger as she stared straight at Xiao Yan, then swept over Xiao Zhan and several elders.

Elder Yunhai frowned: "Yanran, do not be rude!"

He instinctively wanted to stop her; how could this girl be so impatient!

"Elder Yunhai," the First Elder spoke up at the opportune moment, with a half-smile, "Since we've brought up the children's marriage, we should at least hear their own thoughts. My niece Yanran, please feel free to speak your mind."

The Second Elder and the Third Elder echoed this, effectively silencing Elder Yunhai.

Nalan Yanran took a deep breath, trying to calm her turbulent emotions, and then looked around at everyone present: "I never liked this marriage arrangement in the first place, and I look down on Xiao Yan, that womanizer, so you don't need to put on airs here, weighing me up like a commodity!"

She suddenly turned to Xiao Yan, her eyes filled with determination: "Xiao Yan, if you're still a man, then don't cower in the back like a quail. Let's decide the fate of this absurd marriage in the most direct way."

"Three years!"

She held up three fingers, her voice resolute, "Give me three years. After three years, I will personally come to the Xiao family to challenge you. If I lose, I will become your slave, at your mercy."

"But if you lose..." she said, emphasizing each word, "our engagement will be null and void. From now on, we will marry different people and have nothing to do with each other!"

These words shocked everyone in the room!

"Yanran! What nonsense are you spouting!" Elder Yunhai's expression changed drastically, and he shouted sternly.

He regretted not stopping him earlier; Xiao Yan was already a nine-star Dou Zhe at the age of fifteen.

With such talent, as long as he doesn't perish along the way, his future achievements will be limitless. Yunlan Sect genuinely wants to recruit him, not to make enemies.

But after Nalan Yanran's outburst, all her previous preparations were wasted, and she had completely offended Xiao Yan and the Xiao family.

However, it was too late.

Xiao Yan slowly stood up. He was half a head taller than Nalan Yanran. Looking down at her, he showed no anger at being offended. Instead, a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

He gently shook his head, as if watching a child misbehaving, and then, on a sudden impulse, he stopped trying to suppress it.

"boom!"

A surge of Dou Qi far surpassing that of a nine-star Dou Zhe suddenly erupted, causing several Yunlan Sect girls nearby to gasp in surprise, their gazes towards Xiao Yan filled with shock and fascination.

One-Star Dou Master!

"A fifteen-year-old... Dou Shi?" a Yunlan Sect girl murmured, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Elder Yunhai's face turned pale instantly, filled with remorse.

A fifteen-year-old Battle Master—what does that even mean? It's something that has never happened before in the history of the Gama Empire.

If such a prodigy could be brought into the Yunlan Sect, how could the sect not prosper?

But now... Nalan Yanran has ruined everything!

He could almost see the Grand Elder's fury upon learning of this.

Xiao Yan released his aura and then withdrew it immediately, but the shock of that moment was deeply etched into everyone's hearts.

He looked at Nalan Yanran, whose face was equally pale, his voice calm, yet each word was like a knife:

"A challenge to me?"

"Nalan Yanran, what gives you the right?"

He took a step forward, and the invisible pressure made Nalan Yanran involuntarily take half a step back.

"I, Xiao Yan, began practicing Qi at the age of four, and condensed my Dou Qi vortex at the age of twelve, becoming a Dou Zhe." Xiao Yan's tone was as calm as if he were recounting someone else's story, but the weight of his words was immense. "Without a teacher's guidance, without the accumulation of elixirs, I relied entirely on myself. At fifteen, I broke through to Dou Shi."

His gaze swept over the three gold stars on Nalan Yanran's chest, and the sarcasm at the corner of his mouth became even more pronounced: "And you?"

"At twelve years old, you were only at the third level of Dou Qi. You were lucky enough to be taken in by the Yunyun Sect Master, received guidance from a famous teacher, and had a large supply of resources from the Nalan family and Yunlan Sect. Now at fifteen, you are only a three-star Dou Zhe."

Xiao Yan shook his head, as if even mockery was superfluous. "With such trash talent, you dare to tell me you look down on me?"

"Three years?" Xiao Yan chuckled, his laughter filled with boundless arrogance. "Fine."

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the roof of the hall, looking towards the distant sky.

Immediately afterwards, a sentence uttered that stunned everyone in the hall, and even the chatters watching the live stream:

"I'll give you time to catch up, until you... can't see it anymore."

[Chat Group Live Stream]

The tense atmosphere that had been built up by Nalan Yanran's outburst was instantly shattered by those words.

"Wait! These lines?!" Meng Qi jumped around like he was on drugs: "Ye Fan, Senior Brother Ye, come out quickly! Someone plagiarized your lines!"

"I'll give you time to catch up, until you can't see me anymore," isn't that your famous line from when you were beating up those holy sons and divine bodies in the Eastern Wilderness? Shouldn't you apply for copyright protection for that?

Ye Fan chuckled: "I never expected to hear something like this here, but this fellow villager certainly has a very high opinion of himself."

Uncle Nine couldn't help but speak up, but he wasn't optimistic about either side: "Amitabha... Nalan Yanran is indeed aggressive, but Xiao Yan is also too sharp, which may not be a long-term blessing."

Gu Xun'er's lips curled up slightly: "This is really going to be hilarious. Cousin Xiao Yan's words are indeed quite infuriating."

Yan Lingji: "Hehe, that little girl must be furious now, right? Isn't Xiao Yan afraid that Elder Yunhai or even the Yunlan Sect will directly attack the Xiao family? How dare he go to such extremes?"

"The Xiao family also has a Dou Ling," Xun'er explained. "Although he is only a two-star Dou Ling and is seriously injured and doesn't have many years left to live, with the family's current strength, they should be able to withstand Yun Hai."

"As for not being afraid of the Yunlan Sect..." Xun'er's expression turned strange at this point, "either it's because the elders of the Xiao family with a broad perspective all died on the migration route back then, causing the remaining people to be rather naive; or it's because they think that since I'm staying with the Xiao family, the forces behind me will interfere..."

"what?"

Yan Lingji was dumbfounded: "How can they allow their own genius to offend powerful forces when their foundation isn't deep enough?"

"Cough cough..."

Xun'er coughed lightly and continued to explain, "My father promised Xiao Xuan that he would take care of the Xiao family. Although he wasn't very responsible, he would still help when the family faced the crisis of extermination. It must have been some records passed down in the clan that gave them confidence."

"Knowing that they have a mysterious force protecting them, it's no wonder that the Xiao family, both now and in the memory instance, doesn't take offending the Yunlan Sect seriously."

Lin Yuan also sighed, "Let's keep watching. I think there will definitely be more memorable scenes to come."

……

A hall in real life.

Nalan Yanran froze on the spot the moment Xiao Yan uttered those words, "I can't see the way out."

She was a favored daughter of heaven since childhood, pampered by her grandfather and regarded by her teachers as the future of Yunlan Sect. She had never been so blatantly contemptuous.

Xiao Yan not only looked down on her strength, but also trampled on all the efforts she had made since childhood to catch up with him.

"You...you..." Nalan Yanran's delicate body trembled violently as she pointed at Xiao Yan, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Overwhelmed by immense humiliation and injustice, her eyes instantly reddened and filled with tears.

Xiao Yan stopped looking at her and instead cupped his hands to Elder Yunhai, whose face was ashen: "I suppose today's events were not your sect's intention."

My engagement with Miss Nalan was arranged by our elders, and the Xiao family will not break the agreement on its own initiative.

But if Miss Nalan insists on doing so, Xiao Yan will naturally wait here for instruction three years later.

As for joining the Yunlan Sect, I regret that I cannot comply.

Please go back.

This is practically an order to leave.

"Xiao Yan! You look down on me, what gives you the right to look down on me!" Nalan Yanran finally broke down, and the tears she had been holding back burst forth.

She screamed at Xiao Yan, "You'll regret this later, you'll pay the price!"

She wiped away her tears abruptly, and with all her might, roared out the words that should have been spoken by the other party in the story:

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; never underestimate a young girl's potential!"

After saying that, she stopped looking at anyone, pushed past her junior sister who was trying to stop her, and ran out of the Xiao family hall crying.

"Yanran!" Elder Yunhai cried out urgently, but looking at the girl's disappearing figure and then at the cold-faced members of the Xiao family, he knew that today's events were completely irreversible.

He sighed deeply, gave Xiao Zhan a forced bow, and said in a hoarse voice, "Clan Chief Xiao, today... alas, farewell."

After saying that, she hurriedly left with a group of female disciples from the Yunlan Sect who kept glancing at Xiao Yan.

The hall returned to silence.

Xiao Zhan looked at his son, opened his mouth, and finally let out a complex sigh.

The three elders looked at each other, unsure of what to say, as the situation had completely exceeded their expectations.

Meanwhile, after the live stream ended, the chat group was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

[Meng Qi: Hahaha! Don't underestimate a young woman's poverty; classic lines may be late, but they arrive nonetheless. However, coming from the very person who originally called off the engagement, it just feels so strange.]

Han Li: It is human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm.

The Xiao family's decision to safeguard its foundation and avoid rashly attaching itself to a major sect was a wise move. The Yunlan Sect, while seemingly offering substantial benefits, actually intended to absorb and acquire the family, and its move to change the family name crossed a line.

That young friend Xiao Yan is arrogant and overly ambitious. He has thoroughly offended the Yunlan Sect this time. Although he is not in immediate danger, he will definitely face endless troubles in the future. Moreover, it is not a wise move to make such a powerful enemy too early on the path of cultivation.

[Maoshan Lin Jiu: Alas, what should have been a joyous wedding has turned into such a tense situation. What a waste.]

That young lady from Nalan was of a strong and resolute nature. After suffering such a great humiliation, she was filled with resentment and feared that she might develop an obsession.

As for Xiao Yan... while his words were satisfying, they were also too hurtful.

Cultivating oneself begins with cultivating the mind. If one's mind is unsettled and one's anger is excessive, it may hinder one's long-term path.

May they both find peace and well-being, and may this not lead to further trouble.

[Shi Hao: It's similar to when Butian Pavilion was besieged. When you're weak, everyone wants to step on you or swallow you whole; when you're strong, they want to tie you to their war chariot.]

[Shi Hao: It's similar to when Butian Pavilion was besieged. When you're weak, everyone wants to step on you or swallow you whole; when you're strong, they want to tie you to their war chariot.]

The Yunlan Sect and the Xiao family were both plotting against Xiao Yan. As for that girl… her initial intention to change her fate was good, but gambling victory and her lifelong freedom on it was too impulsive.

[Gu Xun'er: I didn't expect it to turn out like this, but it seems even more interesting now, doesn't it?]

[Lin Yuan: It was indeed a good show, but I wonder where this three-year agreement will ultimately lead.]

……

In a quiet inn in Wutan City, the Yunlan Sect group booked a private courtyard.

Night had fallen, but no one in the courtyard was at rest; each was lost in their own thoughts.

In Elder Yunhai's room.

The flickering candlelight illuminated Elder Yunhai's face, which was filled with regret and sorrow.

He sat alone at the table, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface, making a dull sound.

"Sigh..." He sighed deeply, "How am I going to explain this to the Grand Elder when I return to the sect..."

Sect Master Yun Yun is away traveling, and the affairs of the sect will be temporarily managed by the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder gave clear instructions during this visit: to bring Xiao Yan back to the Yunlan Sect with generous terms; even if that failed, to stabilize relations first, as marriage was the best way to do so.

But he never expected things to develop to this point.

The Xiao family's attitude was unexpectedly resolute, and Nalan Yanran's outburst pushed everything into an irreversible abyss.

"A fifteen-year-old Battle Master... a fifteen-year-old Battle Master!" Elder Yunhai was heartbroken.

Such a promising talent, if carefully nurtured after being introduced to the Yunlan Sect, will surely become a pillar of the sect in a few decades, and may even lead the Yunlan Sect to restore its former glory.

But now, not only have they failed to bring anyone, they've also incurred the wrath of the other party.

He could almost see the Grand Elder's gloomy and disappointed face, as well as the mockery from other factions within the sect.

Angry? At Xiao Yan's arrogance? A little. But mostly self-reproach for his poor handling of the situation.

As for taking revenge on the Xiao family? That thought never crossed his mind. The fact that he was sent to discuss the marriage meant that he was not a ruthless person.

At this moment, he was filled with sorrow and had no idea where he was going to go.