Chapter 221 - 106: Regret in Ning Rong’s Heart

Chapter 221: Chapter 106: Regret in Ning Rong’s Heart

Her daughter’s inconsolable sobs were all the confirmation she needed.

As someone from a top-tier Noble Family, she held a deeply ingrained belief in the importance of matching social status. From the very beginning, this made her look down on Jiang Xuan, who came from the Lower Classes.

And she believed she had done the right thing.

But just as she was thinking this, Su Xingying, sobbing in her arms, told her the result of that day’s duel.

This time, she had lost again. And it wasn’t like her previous defeats, where she held back to hone her skills.

"I gave it my all, but I was still no match for Jiang Xuan."

She then added that Jiang Xuan’s strength was far beyond just the top ten of the Daoist School.

He was a contender for the top seven, perhaps even the top five.

"..."

Her words struck Ning Rong like a thunderclap. The gentle expression on her face froze, and for the first time, a powerful wave of hesitation and a hint of regret washed over her.

Coming from the Lower Classes was certainly a demerit in her eyes, but if Jiang Xuan’s Talent was great enough, it could overcome everything else.

But, just as Su Xingying had lamented, it was now too late.

He had come to the Star Sword Peak Mountain Gate twice, yet hadn’t been allowed to take a single step inside. It was impossible for Jiang Xuan to have any good impression of Star Sword Peak now. He and Su Xingying might still be friends, but the chances of their relationship becoming anything more were virtually zero.

After holding and comforting Su Xingying for a long time, Ning Rong waited until her emotions calmed and she fell asleep. Then, Ning Kang came rushing over to find her.

"Aunt, I truly did it for the good of Star Sword Peak!"

The justification he offered actually made some sense.

If Su Xingying had been allowed to completely fall out with Xie Lianxing and the others over Jiang Xuan, it would indeed have been a net loss for Star Sword Peak.

After all, the Xie Family and the other disciples’ families held considerable power. Winning them over was far more advantageous than currying favor with the solitary Jiang Xuan.

Even if Jiang Xuan truly had the strength of a top-ten disciple, long-term cooperation with the great families was more important at the Sect level.

Besides, it wasn’t even certain that Jiang Xuan would join Star Sword Peak.

In this situation, letting Su Xingying stand up for Jiang Xuan could easily have resulted in losing on all fronts. Jiang Xuan himself had considered this, which was why he chose to leave on his own accord, not wanting Su Xingying to be blamed.

But while Ning Kang’s words might have held some truth, he had unfortunately approached the wrong person and completely misjudged the situation.

"You’re a fool." Ning Rong glanced at him, her expression cold. "I know you have feelings for Xingying, and I know you wanted to drive Jiang Xuan away. But why were you in such a hurry? And why did you have to do it yourself?"

"After all these years at Star Sword Peak, don’t you have a few capable people to do your bidding?" At this, Ning Rong paused. "Who told you this information?"

"Also, why did Xie Lianxing and his group run into Jiang Xuan at that exact moment? Don’t tell me it was just a coincidence."

"..."

This barrage of questions left Ning Kang stunned, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

Only then did he belatedly realize that he had been used as a pawn from the very beginning.

While he stood there in a daze, Ning Rong waved her hand impatiently, signaling for Yu Dai to throw out this fool who was more trouble than he was worth. At the same time, she issued a cold command: "Send a message back to the Ning Family. Tell the Patriarch to lower his clan rating to the very bottom."

"Also, for Hua Xuan’s punishment, carry it out according to the sect’s strictest rules. No leniency whatsoever."

Ning Rong may have been wary of Jiang Xuan, and she may have been prejudiced about his social standing.

But her concern and love for Su Xingying had never been false. Even driving Jiang Xuan away was, in her mind, for her daughter’s own good.

Now, to soothe her aggrieved daughter’s feelings, demoting a kinsman and severely punishing a disciple who had made a mistake was a trivial matter for her.

...

Back on Star Sword Peak, while Ning Rong was dealing with everyone in a swift and decisive manner, Jiang Xuan returned to his Scripture Pavilion.

The moment he stepped into the Scripture Pavilion, his mind sharpened by the influence of the hundred thousand volumes of the Daoist Collection, Jiang Xuan also belatedly realized that something about today’s events was strange.

’I had just arrived at the Star Sword Peak Mountain Gate when I happened to run into Xie Lianxing’s group, with whom I have a grudge. That’s too much of a coincidence... Also, that person who performed the Dharma Performance at the gate earlier was also suspicious.’

’It wasn’t on purpose, so I didn’t completely block Su Xingying’s figure. It was the light from that Starlight Technique that concealed her, preventing others from noticing her...’

’...’

A simple trip to Star Sword Peak had subjected him to countless schemes. Jiang Xuan was left rather speechless, and he came to a much clearer understanding of one thing: the Noble Families were truly rife with endless intrigue.

And so, Jiang Xuan—knowing he’d been plotted against—had no intention of investigating further.

Wasting Heart Spirit to get to the bottom of a conspiracy upon sensing one—that was how other people did things.

For Jiang Xuan, rather than waste time and Heart Power investigating these sordid, underhanded plots, it was better to focus wholeheartedly on improving his Cultivation.

’Who cares what schemes and plots they have? As long as I’m strong enough, I can shatter the Ten Thousand Laws with my own power and sweep away all obstacles.’

With this thought in mind, Jiang Xuan made his decision. For the foreseeable future, unless absolutely necessary, he would not take a single step out of Four Seasons Valley. He would devote all his Heart Spirit and energy to practicing his Cultivation Techniques and Taoist Skills.

...

While Jiang Xuan was composing himself to enter secluded cultivation, atop a high tower overlooking the Martial Arts Arena, Mo Yu was bowing and reporting the recent events to Gong Qingyue.

"My lady, the possibility of a collaboration between Jiang Xuan, Su Xingying, and Star Sword Peak has been completely dismantled... When will we make formal contact with Jiang Xuan?"

"There’s no hurry."

Leaning against the railing, Gong Qingyue gazed at the distant Mirage Mirror?Three Thousand Realms. A faint smile touched her lips, and her voice carried an unhurried calm. "Did you know? Two thousand years ago, to prevent the Shenxiao Sect from discovering the connection between the Illusory Sea Shell and the Mirage Mirror?Three Thousand Realms, my ancestor, during the era when the Shenxiao Sect was at its most vigilant, did not use the Illusory Sea Shell even once for a full eight hundred years."

As her voice fell, she turned around, her gaze distant. "Time can erase all traces, and it can eliminate all suspicion."

"The next time we see him, it will be in one month."

"Of course, before then, there are still some preparations to be made."