Chapter 220 - 106: Ning Rong’s Rising Regret

Chapter 220: Chapter 106: Ning Rong’s Rising Regret

But just as Su Xingying opened her mouth to say something, a voice suddenly rang out from high above.

"Xingying, that’s enough. Stop this nonsense."

The sudden voice made everyone turn to look, and they saw a poised and handsome Cultivator flying down from Star Sword Peak.

He looked at Su Xingying with a hint of resignation and said, "Cousin, it was just a misunderstanding. Why make such a scene and blow things out of proportion?"

After speaking, he turned to Jiang Xuan. With a feigned air of nonchalance, he clasped his hands in a cursory bow, his tone carrying a condescending, preachy quality. "And you, sir. A real man ought to be more magnanimous. Why not be the bigger person and let this matter go?"

"Exactly, it was just a misunderstanding."

"Right, it’s nothing but a misunderstanding!" As soon as Ning Kang spoke, Xie Lianxing and the others immediately chimed in, as if clinging to a lifeline.

But Su Xingying grew frantic. "How can we just let it go..."

She knew better than anyone: if this group wasn’t severely punished today, Jiang Xuan’s impression of Star Sword Peak would be completely ruined, and it would then be impossible to get him to join.

But before she could finish, Jiang Xuan raised a hand to stop her.

Of course, Jiang Xuan didn’t stop her out of magnanimity, intending to let the matter slide.

Repay grievance with virtue? Then with what does one repay virtue? Jiang Xuan understood this principle well.

A glint of coldness flashed in Jiang Xuan’s eyes as he looked at the man urging him to be magnanimous.

He had always despised people who, without distinguishing right from wrong, urged others to be magnanimous.

If such a person were lecturing someone else, he would simply keep his distance, lest he be caught in the blast when lightning came to strike them down.

And when someone urged *him* to be magnanimous, Jiang Xuan would classify them as an enemy without a second thought.

Holding such beliefs, Jiang Xuan had stopped Su Xingying for one simple reason—he wouldn’t let a young woman fight his battles for him.

Especially not when the person on the other side was her own relative.

Jiang Xuan raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over every single person who had mocked him moments before. He missed none, searing each of their faces into his memory.

Then, he patted Su Xingying’s shoulder and said calmly, "I’ve always been one to hold a grudge; I’m incapable of the ’magnanimity’ your cousin speaks of. But I also won’t stoop to the petty villainy of sowing discord to put you in a difficult spot."

"This is my own affair, and I will resolve it myself."

Far from feeling relieved, Su Xingying began to panic when she heard his words. She knew all too well what this meant—any chance of him joining Star Sword Peak was now gone.

And the truth... was just as she expected.

"Also, I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to accept your gift today... Of course, we’ll always be friends."

With that, Jiang Xuan gave Su Xingying a slight bow before turning and walking away without the slightest hesitation.

His departure caused Hua Xuan, Xie Lianxing, and the others to let out a collective sigh of relief.

A flicker of smugness and contempt even flashed through Ning Kang’s eyes.

’He can’t even keep his composure. With a Heart Nature like that, he thinks he’s qualified to compete with me?’

He had actually assumed Jiang Xuan was scheming to pursue Su Xingying, which was why he had deliberately spoken up to drive him away.

Succeeding so easily naturally made him feel contemptuous of Jiang Xuan.

However, the smug look in his eyes had yet to last more than a few seconds before it froze on his face.

After watching Jiang Xuan’s departing figure in a dejected daze for a long time, Su Xingying finally turned her head slowly and fixed her gaze on him.

But this time, those beautiful eyes, which in the past were always filled with a gentle, smiling warmth, held not a shred of it—only an overwhelming chill and undisguised loathing.

"You said all that on purpose, didn’t you... Siding with that group like that. Your goal was to drive Jiang Xuan away?"

That look of utter loathing, that bone-chilling coldness, and those words that stabbed straight to his heart sent Ning Kang into a panic. He hastily tried to defend himself, "Cousin, you’ve misunderstood! I did it all for the good of Star Sword Peak..."

He wanted to explain further, but alas, Su Xingying had no intention of listening.

"I’m going to tell my mother exactly what happened and have her send you back to the Ning Family."

After saying this, she turned her gaze to Hua Xuan.

"Go to the Precepts Hall yourself. Of course, you can also choose not to."

After speaking, she stared at Xie Lianxing and the others but said nothing—Ning Kang hadn’t stepped forward for no reason.

Su Xingying could punish Hua Xuan and his group, but she couldn’t directly touch Xie Lianxing and the others.

They had not yet joined Star Sword Peak, after all.

In fact, their presence wasn’t even a matter of complete allegiance, but rather a collaboration between Star Sword Peak and several major families.

This was precisely why Ning Kang felt he was in the right, believing he was genuinely acting for the good of Star Sword Peak.

Unfortunately for him, Su Xingying’s burgeoning admiration for Jiang Xuan had stripped her of her usual rationality, and she had no desire to listen to these so-called reasons.

Then, ignoring everyone, she turned and walked toward her own small courtyard on the peak.

Halfway there, she encountered Ning Rong.

"WAAAH... Mother!" The moment she saw Ning Rong, Su Xingying could no longer hold it together. All her pent-up frustration and grievances erupted as she threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing, "Jiang Xuan is gone! He’ll never join Star Sword Peak now!"

Seeing her daughter’s tear-streaked face, Ning Rong quickly wrapped her in a tight hug, doing her best to soothe her with soft, gentle words.

Of course, her face was filled with concern, but in her heart, she wasn’t the least bit anxious.

She had arrived long ago and had even received a message from Yu Dai, so she knew her daughter had truly developed feelings for Jiang Xuan.