Battle Through the Heavens: Emperor Yan, please restrain yourself; your elder brother is truly hones

At that moment, everyone present recognized Zhang Yuan.

"Cousin!" Xiao Yan exclaimed with delight, forgetting all his anger.

Xun'er, who had been immersed in her own world, had raised her head at some point, a smile on her lips, her eyes full of joy.

The young members of the Xiao family were even more excited.

"It's my cousin Zhang Yuan!"

"Cousin Zhang Yuan is back."

"What kind of disciple of the Yunlan Sect is he? In Zhang Yuan's cousin's eyes, he's nothing but a chicken and a dog."

“Zhang Yuan’s talent is extremely rare in the entire Gama Empire.”

"Cousin Zhang Yuan has become more and more handsome. I wonder how he has been doing these years."

"I wonder what level of Dou Zhe my cousin Zhang Yuan is now, and whether he has already broken through to Dou Shi."

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The young people were overjoyed, like enthusiastic fans meeting their idols in person.

At this moment, Nalan Yanran carefully examined Zhang Yuan and exclaimed with delight, "Brother Zhang!"

Kuzue: ?

Xiao Zhan and the others: ?

Zhang Yuan: "."

Chapter 3 Yan Di: How about we arrange a marriage between our children and have my cousin come?

"Yun Yan, I didn't expect to run into you here."

Zhang Yuan stared at Nalan Yanran's face, and a guess that left him speechless came to mind.

"Yes, it's been a long time." Nalan Yanran tucked her hair behind her ear, her beautiful eyes fixed on Zhang Yuan, and asked, "Brother Zhang, what brings you here?"

“This is my home, it’s only natural for me to come back.” Zhang Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

His words made Xiao Zhan and the others feel very comfortable.

As expected of a disciple they nurtured with so many resources, he also carries the blood of the Xiao family, the only drawback being that he doesn't bear the surname Xiao.

Zhang Yuan's father's surname was Zhang, and his name was Zhang Zhengming. He was the older brother of Xiao Yan's mother, Zhang Rushi.

Zhang Yuan's mother's surname was Xiao, and her name was Xiao Shu. She was the younger sister of Xiao Yan's father, Xiao Zhan.

In short, Zhang Zhengming and Xiao Zhan each married the other's younger sister.

Zhang Yuan could call Xiao Zhan either his uncle or his maternal uncle.

Zhang Yuan's maternal grandparents were Xiao Yan's paternal grandparents, and vice versa.

"Family?"

Thinking of how Zhang Yuan had addressed Xiao Zhan, Nalan Yanran's face suddenly turned pale.

Seeing her like this, Zhang Yuan said bluntly, "If I'm not mistaken, your surname isn't Yun, and your name isn't Yun Yan, but Nalan Yanran, right?"

Nalan Yanran subconsciously took a step back, bit her lip, and nodded.

Zhang Yuan was utterly speechless after his suspicions were confirmed.

He never expected that the person in charge of the Yunlan Sect disciples who had helped him during the mission to clear out the beast tide branch in the Monster Mountain Range half a year ago, and who later took orders from him, was none other than Nalan Yanran.

As expected of Yun Yun's disciple, he used his pseudonym so naturally.

If it happened again, he would definitely still lend a hand.

After all, she's a beautiful woman, and saving her was just something she did on a whim.

However, since this Yun Yan, who clearly had feelings for him, was actually Nalan Yanran, he had to slightly change his original plan.

"I overheard outside that you came to the Xiao family to annul the engagement?" Zhang Yuan asked coldly.

"Yes!" Nalan Yanran nodded, not daring to look at Zhang Yuan.

I don't know if it's because I feel I did something wrong, or for some other reason.

"They even brought out Qi Gathering Powder, what a generous compensation." Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the pills on the table, and with a gentle wave of his hand, a box appeared on the table beside Xiao Zhan.

Inside the box lay three pills, exactly the same as the ones Ge Ye had taken out.

Then, he said sarcastically, "My Xiao family will compensate you with three Qi Gathering Pills. Today, my cousin Xiao Yan will divorce you and grant you your freedom as you wish. How about it?"

"Make him divorce me!!" Nalan Yanran raised her head, looking at Zhang Yuan in disbelief, her face as pale as a ghost.

In the corner, Xiao Yan watched this scene, feeling a surge of immense satisfaction.

Although it had been two years since they last met, Zhang Yuan was still the cousin who "loved" him and was just as important to him as Xiao Zhan.

Zhang Yuan is one year older than Xiao Yan. Both of them started practicing Qi at the age of four, possessed nine levels of Dou Qi at the age of ten, successfully condensed a Dou Qi vortex at the age of eleven, and became the youngest Dou Zhe in the Xiao family in a hundred years at the age of twelve. They are known as the twin prodigies of the Xiao family.

But fate played a cruel joke on him. After breaking through to the Dou Zhe level, his power regressed for three consecutive years, remaining at the third level of Dou Qi, making him a useless nobody. Meanwhile, Zhang Yuan became increasingly dazzling, breaking through to the four-star Dou Zhe level at the age of thirteen and becoming a six-star Dou Zhe at the age of fourteen.

Because of Zhang Yuan's excellent example, Xiao Yan, as a transmigrator, was complacent but never arrogant. In fact, he worked harder than the average person in his cultivation. Therefore, even after he became a useless person, he was not disliked by the younger generation of his family.

After Xiao Yan had been in a slump for a year, Zhang Yuan, like his older brother Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, went out to gain experience and try to find a cure for him.

Half a year ago, a second-grade alchemist came to the Xiao family, saying that he was entrusted by Zhang Yuan to treat his illness, but unfortunately he was unable to find the source of the illness.

My cousin is still the same good cousin; he will definitely repay me with his life!

"Ridiculous." Zhang Yuan faced Nalan Yanran's gaze calmly and said coldly, "You should know how much shame your act of coming to annul the engagement will bring to my cousin, my uncle, and the Xiao family, yet you still insist on doing it your way. Are you saying that the Xiao family is not allowed to divorce you?"

"What can I do?" Naran Yanran's eyes welled up with tears, and she said with a hint of grievance, "I mentioned this to my grandfather, but he was unwilling to agree because of his pride. So should I just marry a complete stranger I've never met?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuan frowned and said, "Isn't it because my cousin's talent has disappeared that you feel he is not good enough for you, the personal disciple of the Yunlan Sect Master, that you came to break off the engagement?"

Xiao Yan stared intently at Nalan Yanran, his hands clenched so tightly that the veins bulged.

That's what he thought too.

"Is that how you see me?" Nalan Yanran said with a hint of tears in her voice, "If I, Nalan Yanran, were the kind of person you describe, someone who flatters the powerful and belittles the weak, would my master have accepted me as a disciple? Do you think the Yunlan Sect would accept someone so snobbish?"

"I just don't want to marry a stranger. Why should my ancestors' momentary pleasure determine my entire life?!"

This question was so powerful that it left Xiao Zhan and many of the younger members of the Xiao family speechless.

Ignoring the current disparity in status and strength between Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan, from Nalan Yanran's personal perspective, an arranged marriage does indeed have many drawbacks.

However, when considering the collective interests of the family and the issue of political marriage, such sacrifices are common.

It can only be said that if you take benefits from the family, you should make some sacrifices.

However, it was not appropriate for Xiao Zhan and the others to say such things.

"Why?"

Zhang Yuan stepped forward and said seriously, "Just because you were born into the Nalan family."

"While others are struggling to get a bite to eat, you live a life of luxury, with food served to you at your beck and call."

"While others are risking their lives for a low-level Yellow Rank cultivation technique, you have a high-level Profound Rank cultivation technique prepared by your family."

"You think you have good talent, but if you weren't from the Nalan family, but came from a small family or even a commoner, do you think you could show your talent and have the opportunity to be taken as a disciple by Yun Yun?"

"Tell me, on what grounds?"

Nalan Yanran stumbled back a few steps and leaned against the wall, her face completely drained of color.

She was only fifteen years old, and she had never considered the issues Zhang Yuan had raised before.

So, did she do something wrong?

"Yuan'er," Xiao Zhan said with a sense of relief.

The child he raised was indeed not an ingrate.

"Han Feng really should have come and heard these words." A soul inside the ring on Xiao Yan's hand sighed inwardly.

"You mean I should just accept my fate?" Nalan Yanran gave a bitter smile.

“I didn’t say that,” Zhang Yuan shook his head.

Nalan Yanran: ?

The Xiao family members: ?

“You’re right, you shouldn’t let others decide your life.” Zhang Yuan said seriously, “Based on my understanding of Yan Di, he wouldn’t want to marry a stranger, even if she is outstanding and beautiful.”

"Right, Brother Yan?"

Zhang Yuan turned his head to look at the corner.

“That’s right!” Xiao Yan strode over to Zhang Yuan’s side and said seriously, “I’ve talked to my father about our marriage before. If it’s possible, we can break off the engagement privately.”

"Putting aside the fact that if I, Xiao Yan, continue to be a useless person and waste the time of a proud woman like you, I don't want to marry a woman who knows nothing about me."

"But my father said that our Xiao family is not as good as the Nalan family. If we bring up this matter, it will surely damage the Nalan family's reputation. So we should pretend we don't know."

“If your elders in the Nalan family come to annul the engagement, we will agree. If your elders in the Nalan family don’t say anything, then we will wait until you and I come of age and tacitly agree not to mention this matter, as if nothing ever happened.”

"Now, as a junior, you are using the power of the Yunlan Sect to break off the engagement. This is not only a slap in the face of my Xiao family, but also a slap in the face of your Nalan family."

"I, I..." Nalan Yanran couldn't speak.

She finally realized her problem.

Wanting to annul the engagement is fine, but the method used was wrong.

She was self-righteous and took advantage of Yun Yun's favor to act cleverly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it." Nalan Yanran wanted to apologize, but she didn't know how to say it.

Seeing this, Ge Ye wanted to speak up and smooth things over, since Nalan Yanran was a direct disciple of the Yunlan Sect Master.

However, Zhang Yuan suddenly glanced at him, giving him the feeling of being targeted by a third-tier magical beast, and a chill ran down his spine.

“Saying sorry is useless. The mistake has been made, and you have to pay the price.” Zhang Yuan withdrew his gaze and said to Nalan Yanran, “You can repay what your family gave you in other ways, not by obeying someone’s orders to marry.”

“But you haven’t repaid the family even a fraction of their kindness, yet you’ve caused both the Xiao family and the Nalan family to lose face. How are you going to explain this to the Nalan family? The Xiao family doesn’t care. As for the Xiao family…”

Zhang Yuan looked at Xiao Yan, implying that it was Xiao Yan's decision.