God Of Forges Chapter 4: Eruption

It was the one good piece of news he got in three, maybe even four years. The funny thing about it all was that if he remained on the same trajectory he was at eleven years old, he’d easily be a Dou Master - perhaps verging on a Dou Grandmaster, even. No matter how much she disliked his appearance, she would have likely accepted it. 

Xiao Jian wondered if his fall off was, in fact, more of a blessing than a curse. If she accepted the marriage, he would be more hard-pressed to reject her because that would mean angering the much stronger Nalan Clan and Misty Cloud Sect that backed her.

He entered the hall and noticed that there wasn’t even a seat for him.

“Ohh, I truly am sorry. I can’t believe that I forgot about young master. Hehe, I’ll go get someone to prepare a chair!” The second elder smiled at the staring XIao Zhan. The elder had patted his forehead, ‘self-criticising’ himself, yet there was a clear look of disdain in his eyes. “A big one, of course! Our young master is no small boy…”

Xiao Jian looked around and smiled, deciding to stand at the table.

“That is not necessary, second elder. I will stand at the table.”

“That would be quite improper, young master.”

“I’m an improper person, then.” Xiao Jian gave him a nonchalant glare. “Can’t be much worse than a red-skinned demon, surely.”

Nalan Yanran looked at the young man, finding his growth baffling. His rash-like skin had fully spread across his body and evolved into a more pleasing colour, forming an almost exotic crimson-coloured layer of skin. He was over twice as tall, standing at a towering seven feet, and all of the fat from before was practically all muscle. His physique was the best that she’d ever seen… he was a volcanic mountain of a young man with the confidence to match. For a brief moment, she began to question if her coming here was all that good of an idea.

Alas, she remembered that he was nothing more than a cripple. 

When he locked his eye on her, she jumped slightly.

“It's been a while, fiancee.” He gave her a slight smile. “Did you come here to cancel our engagement?”

Xiao Zhan turned to his son, frowning at his nonchalant and blunt attitude. “Jian’er, this is not the time to speak this way. Besides, that cannot be the reason they have come all this way. The engagement was made before you were born, and it is one General Nalan intended to complete-”

“Ahem.” Ge Ye cleared his throat. “I’m afraid that Xiao Jian is not too far off, as-”

“KA!”

The jade cup in Xiao Zhan’s hands turned into nothing but dust in an instant.

The entire main hall grew silent. The three clan elders were shocked by what Ge Ye had just said, only for their shock to dissipate into ridicule for the clan leader. Almost everyone looked at Xiao Jian with distaste and mockery. Not only was he a cripple and freak, but his own fiancee came to break their engagement.

Xiao Jian looked completely unphased, keeping his smile - his diamond-cutting chin looking as sharp as ever.

This was a good day for him.

Though, he was not fond of the disrespect it earned his father.

“Leader Xiao, I know that this request is a little over the top, but because the faction leader requested it, please cancel the marriage…” Ge Ye spoke more softly this time, almost in a whisper. “As the faction leader is expecting Yanran to be the next faction leader, she cannot have a relation with another male before she becomes the official clan leader. It is one of the Misty Cloud Sect’s rules-”

Xiao Zhan’s hands curled into fists as he rose to his feet. A faint green Dou Qi slowly creeped over his body and finally, it formed an illusory lion’s head in front of Xiao Zhan’s face.

Xiao Clan’s secret Qi Method: Furious Lon’s Rage! Level: Middle Black!

Looking at Xiao Zhan’s reaction, Ge Ye’s face became serious. He stepped in front of Nalan and released small but sharp illusory swords of green Dou Qi.

Faction of Misty Clloud’s Qi Method: Green Wood Sword! Level: Low Black!

With the release of such intense Dou Qi, the youths within the main hall began to pale. Xiao Jian looked with a slight frown as this entire affair seemed to blow over. When Xiao Zhan’s breathing became more intense, the elders yelled out at the top of their lungs.

“Xiao Zhan, STOP! Don’t forget, you’re the clan leader of the Xiao Clan!”

Xiao Zhan stiffened, and the Dou Qi on his body disappeared slowly.

He fell back in his chair and emotionlessly watched the lowered head of Yanran. Finally, he spoke in a raspy tone: “Nalan, you have some guts. With such a daughter, I’m really envious of Nalan Su.”

Nalan Yanran twitched.

“Uncle Xiao…”

“No! Call me Clan Leader Xiao from now on. I don’t deserve to be called uncle; you’re the future faction leader of the Faction of Misty Clouds. In the future, you’ll probably be one of the most important people in the Dou Qi mainland. My Xiao Jian only has modest talent, and some gifts in smithing - he doesn’t deserve you…”

“...” Xiao Jian found himself being angrier than he thought he would be. Not at his father’s remark - because he knew he didn’t mean it and was only trying to brush Nalan Yanran off. Because of him, his father had to take a fall. He clenched his fist, only briefly. “Nalan Yanran, you do remember what I said eight years ago, didn’t you?”

“... Yes.” Nalan Yanran took a deep breath.

Xiao Zhan, Ge Ye, and the entire hall had bewildered expressions.

“Nothing has changed since then.” Xiao Jian managed to smile. “Or, for a brief time, did you doubt yourself? When you heard that I was a four-star Dou Practitioner at eleven?”

“...”

He could see the truth in her eyes. He was the Jia Ma Empire’s most brilliant rising star, a household name! How could she have denied him then? Her own Misty Cloud Sect was desperately trying to recruit him, for that matter…

“It doesn’t matter now.” Xiao Jian smiled slightly. “I’m a cripple, and you’re the future faction leader of some big-shot sect. I won’t insult you, or hold any grudges… because I’m thankful, from the bottom of my heart. Truly. Because of you, I am free to marry someone I truly love, should I ever find that person.”

“...” Nalan Yanran raised a slight eyebrow. This Xiao Jian was as strange as ever, yet she found his speech strangely touching. She regretted being so upfront about the matter… perhaps there was a better way of doing it without Xiao Zhan losing respect.

“Don’t be angry, father.” He turned to Xiao Zhan. “Her cancelling the engagement is more of a mutual affair… something that we agreed upon all those years ago. Since the marriage is between us, shouldn’t it happening depend on us as well? If we both agree to break free, then no one in the world should have the power to force us to be together. Not even our grandfathers, who made this pact.”

“This is my wish as much as it is hers.”

“...” Xiao Zhan sighed, hearing his sincere words. “Jian’er… if that is what you wish, I will not fight for it.”

“Then it’s all settled.” Xiao Jian smiled, looking at Nalan Yanran as he whipped out a contract out of his pocket. “I had this ready to go… I just need your signature.”

She blinked, bewildered. ‘He had been keeping a contract on him all this time?’

Nevertheless, she signed it… hesitating slightly.

After she was done, Xiao Jian grinned and withdrew a gun-like tool from his belt. He fired the trigger at Nalan Yanran as a confetti of red hearts sprayed all over her. She opened her mouth slightly in surprise.

“Congratulations to the both of us!” He laughed while the main hall looked as confused as she was. “We can move on with our lives. Good luck on all of your future endeavours, Nalan Yanran.”

“You as well.” Nalan Yanran looked away.

“Man, this guy’s copium is through the roof.” One of the Xiao Clan’s youths remarked. “Such a beautiful girl and taleneted broke her engagement with him, yet he manages to laugh at it.”

“Xiao Jian always had a screw loose…”

“I doubt he’s all that happy; he’s just smiling the pain away.”

“There is one more thing…” Nalan Yanran turned to the side, where Ge Ye presented a jade box.

“This is a Qi Gathering Powder refined by the great Pill King Gu He-”

“We don’t want it!” Xiao Jian shouted first, his deep, draconic voice striking like thunder. Up to this point, he had spoken with a gentle and kind tone… but this… was like comparing a still lake to the eruption of a volcano! He smiled after everyone grew silent. “I appreciate the gesture, but this Qi Gathering Powder… it’s rather pointless.”

“Did Xiao Jian slip and hit his head against a boulder this morning?” One of the Xiao Clan youths whispered.

“... Jian’er is right. We will not take your gift.” Xiao Zhan waved it off. “After all, there are no more relations between the Nalan Family and Xiao Clan.”

“... One more thing.” Xiao Jian drew Dragonheart, its enchanting black blade stealing the lustre of the hall. “While I do not care for those who insult me… red-skinned demon, cripple, useless trash, one-eyed Xiao… I can tolerate every last one without fail! You could say it behind my back, to my face, from dusk till dawn… I don’t give a single flying fuck about that! But…”

He stabbed his sword right through the table, startling a few of the Xiao Clan members.

“I cannot tolerate any insults to my father!” 

He tightened his grip, fire sprouting from the blade. His breath grew heavy and slow… a flicker of fire leaving his mouth… a flicker that grew into a breath of fire!

“Physical manifestation of fire…!?”

“Did Xiao Jian just breathe fire!?”

“Every last ridicule, mocking quip…” He drew his sword from the table, leaving a burn mark. “I’ll pay it back in full if it’s the last thing that I do! Because I have agreed to break free from the engagement, my father has lost face, yes… but I will redeem every last bit of it and MORE! If I cannot accomplish that…”

“I. AM. NOT. XIAO. JIAN!!!”

He said it with his chest, each word striking like lightning.

After saying his piece, he sheathed his sword and left the main hall without another word.

“This Xiao Jian…” Ge Ye muttered. “If he recovers his talent, he will be an even more frightening monster than before…”

Xiao Zhan had a look of pride on his face. Now that… was his son!

“How could my son possibly be ordinary?” He questioned, just as loud as Xiao Jian had spoken earlier. “He will return to prominence and become the brightest star in the Jia Ma Empire once more! I know it… and when that day comes, the Nalan Family will rue this day!

Nalan Yanran clutched at her robe, a slight frown decorating her face. Since this matter had been her fault, wouldn’t he naturally blame her as well? He did say that he would not hold any grudges…

She sighed, deciding not to think too much about it. He had become a cripple who weakened with each passing day. It was unlikely that he would ever regain his heaven-defying talent.

Meanwhile…

Xiao Jian walked off to the clan’s mountain, deciding to give qi absorption another go.

‘I talked a lot of shit for a glorified cripple…’ He chucked to himself, looking at the sky.

“You’re a crazy kid, alright…”

Suddenly, a wizened, strange voice rang in his ear. Xiao Jian raised an eyebrow, looking around.