In the hall, Xiao Zhan and the three elders were engaged in a lively conversation with an unfamiliar elder, yet this elder seemed to have something he was reluctant to disclose—each time he reached for a word, he would sigh and swallow it back. Whenever this happened, the delicate young lady beside him would inevitably give the elder a withering glance. After listening intently for a while, Xiao Yan grew somewhat bored and shook his head. "Xun'er, do you know who they are?" asked Xiao Yan, growing drowsy. "Do you?" Xiao Yan turned to her, surprised. "Have you noticed the cloud-patterned silver swords on their sleeves?" smiled Xun'er. "Oh?" Xiao Yan's eyes brightened as he turned to gaze at the sleeves of the three, and indeed, he spotted the cloud-shaped silver swords. "So they're from Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan murmured, in amazement. Though he hadn't personally traveled outside, Xiao Yan had read about this sword sect in various books. His family's city was named Wutan, which belonged to the Gamma Empire. Although Wutan's strategic location, nestled against the Great Wild Beast Mountains, had elevated it to one of the empire's major cities, it still ranked only near the bottom. Xiao Yan's family held considerable influence in Wutan, yet was far from the only prominent one—there were actually two other families of comparable strength. For decades, these three families had engaged in fierce competition, neither able to decisively outperform the others. If Xiao Yan's family was the dominant force in Wutan, then the Yunlan Sect he mentioned might well be the preeminent power across the entire Gamma Empire! The gap between them was truly vast, which explained why even his usually serious father spoke with deep respect. "What do they want from us?" Xiao Yan asked softly, expressing his curiosity. The slender fingertip paused slightly, and Xun remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Perhaps it's connected to Brother Xiao Yan." "Me? I haven't had any interaction with them at all!" Xiao Yan blinked, shaking his head in denial. "Do you know the girl's name?" Xun glanced calmly at the delicate young lady across the table. "What?" Xiao Yan frowned, pressing on. "Na Lan Yan Ran!" Xun's face showed a touch of unusual expression as she glanced at Xiao Yan, whose posture had grown stiff. "Na Lan Yan Ran? The granddaughter of Na Lan Jie, Marshal of the Garde Empire, Na Lan Yan Ran? The one... the one I'm engaged to, with my fingers?" Xiao Yan said, his face now rigid. "Hehe, my grandfather was once a close friend of Lan Jie. At that time, you and Lan Yanran were both born, so the two families arranged this marriage alliance. However, unfortunately, just three years after your birth, my grandfather fell seriously wounded in battle against his enemies and passed away. Since then, the relationship between the Xiao and Lan families has gradually grown more distant..." Xun'er paused slightly, gazing at the wide-eyed expression on Xiao Yan's face, and couldn't help but chuckle softly before continuing, "Lan Jie is not only tenacious and spirited, but also deeply values tradition and ceremony. He personally agreed to the marriage back then. Therefore, even though Xiao Yan has had a rather poor reputation in recent years, he has never sent anyone to withdraw the engagement." "This old man truly is both stubborn and endearing," Xiao Yan murmured, smiling and shaking his head as he listened. "Nalan Jie holds absolute authority within the family. What he says is generally never challenged, even though he deeply loves his granddaughter, Nalan Yanran. However, getting him to formally dissolve the marriage alliance is no easy task... "Xun'er's beautiful eyes slightly curved with a teasing tone. "Five years ago, Nalan Yanran was personally adopted as a disciple by Yunlan Sect's abbot, Yun Yun. Over the past five years, Nalan Yanran has demonstrated outstanding cultivation potential, earning Yun Yun's deep affection. When someone gains the power to shape their own destiny, they will do everything possible to resolve matters they dislike. Unfortunately, the marriage between Xiao Yan and her is precisely what she finds most unsatisfactory!" "So you're saying she has come specifically to dissolve the marriage alliance?" His face paled, and a surge of anger erupted within Xiao Yan's heart. This anger was not due to Lan Yanran's discrimination—truth be told, though the girl across from him was beautiful, Xiao Yan was no mere lust-driven romantic who let his lower body dictate his thoughts. Even if they never became matched in marriage, he would merely feel the ordinary male regret. But if Lan Yanran, in front of everyone, formally requested the dissolution of their engagement, then the dignity of his father, the clan head, would be utterly compromised! Lan Yanran was not only beautiful and graceful, but also held a prominent status and outstanding talent. Whenever anyone spoke of this matter, they would inevitably view Xiao Yan as a frog dreaming of eating swan meat—only to have the swan trample him beneath its feet. In such a situation, not only Xiao Yan himself, but even his father, would become the subject of ridicule, losing their prestige and authority. Inhaling a gentle breath of cool air, the hand concealed within his sleeve tightened firmly: "If I were a Battle Master now, who would dare treat me this way?" Indeed, if Xiao Yan possessed the strength of a Battle Master at this moment, even with Nalan Yanran backed by Yunlan Sect, such a course of action would have been impossible. A Battle Master at just fifteen—how rare! Throughout the history of the Battle Energy Continent, only a handful of such young warriors had ever existed, and among them, all had already become towering figures in the world of Battle Energy cultivation. A delicate little hand slipped through the sleeve, gently pressing against the palm that Xiao Yan was clutching. Xun whispered softly, "Xiao Yan, if she truly acts this way, it will only be her own loss. I believe she will regret her short-sightedness in the future." "Regret?" Xiao Yan chuckled, a touch of self-mockery on his face. "Doesn't the current me have the standing to feel that?" "Xun, you seem to know them quite well. Perhaps some of the things you mentioned even my father doesn't know. How did you learn all this?" Lightly waving his hand, Xiao Yan's tone suddenly shifted, and he asked. Xun was taken aback, yet remained smiling, silent. Observing Xun's evasive demeanor, Xiao Yan sighed with a touch of resignation. Though Xun shared the same surname as he, there was no familial connection between them. Moreover, Xiao Yan had never met Xun's parents. Whenever he asked about them, his father—usually full of smiles—would immediately fall silent, clearly harboring deep reservations, even fear. In Xiao Yan's mind, Xun's identity remained profoundly mysterious. No matter how he approached it from various angles, Xun consistently responded with quiet grace and silence, leaving Xiao Yan with no effective means to press further. "Oh well, I'm not going to bother with you. Just let it go...” Shaking his head, Xiao Yan's expression suddenly darkened, as the elder standing across from him finally rose—under repeated signals from Na Lan Yan Ran. "Hah, relying on Yun Lan Sect to pressure Father, are they? Na Lan Yan Ran truly has excellent tactics..." A sharp, angry chuckle echoed in Xiao Yan's heart.