Chapter 349: Dissolving the Engagement
Having just reaped a generous wave of rewards from the system, Wang Haoran turned casually, catching the ugliness twisting Yan Yuntianâs expression. He couldnât help but smile to himself, inwardly pleased by the reaction.
Then, as if nothing happened, he redirected his gaze to Ning Aoxue, standing there before him.
What caught him off guard wasnât just her presence;
it was the look in her eyes when she saw him, that flicker of joy, the softness behind it.
And then that line she said earlier⊠that ambiguous, suggestive phrasing that could easily spark wild thoughts in anyone who heard it.
Still smiling, Wang Haoran decided to add a little fuel to the fire. With a warm tone and a deliberately teasing edge, he said, âLast night, I may have used a bit too much strength. Does your neck still hurt?â
Ning Aoxue blinked, clearly surprised by his easygoing attitude. But the next moment, her face lit up with a pleased glimmer. She could tell that he wasnât angry with her anymore. If he were, he wouldnât have asked such a thoughtful question, wouldnât have shown such concern.
Her voice turned gentle, respectful, almost reverent. âI was the one who acted rashly first. That you, Young Master, are so magnanimous and chose not to hold it against me⊠this humble girl is deeply grateful.â
As she spoke, she lifted her delicate hand to lightly touch her slender, snow-pale neck. âIt doesnât hurt anymore. Thank you for worrying about me.â
She offered him a shy, grateful smile. Pure. Soft. And utterly feminine.
ăDing! Hostâs manipulation has caused damage to the protagonist Yan Yuntianâs mentality. Youâve gained 1,000 villain points. YÄn YĂșntiÄnâs protagonist halo -50. Host villain halo +50!ă
Every word between the two fell like a blade into Yan Yuntianâs ears, each one darkening his expression. He could no longer hold back. His eyes burned with rage as he stepped forward, internal energy surging from his body with such force that his clothes flared outward.
His voice cracked through the air like a whip.
âWho the hell are you?! What did you do to my fiancĂ©e?!â
Before Wang Haoran could even lift an eyebrow, Feng Xuansu had already stepped in front of him, her body shielding his. Her voice was firm, tinged with a protective edge.
âHeâs my friend. I wonât allow you to lay a finger on him. And besides, the truth hasnât even come out yet, what the hell are you barking about?â
Yan Yuntianâs face twisted. âAuntie, do we really need to clarify anything? After hearing what they just said, how can I not act?! Thatâs my fiancĂ©e!â
âYouâre being unreasonable.â Feng Xuansuâs brow furrowed deeper.
Her voice turned colder. âI donât care how you treat others, but Iâll say it clearly donât touch my friend. Even if, and I mean if, he really did have something with your fiancĂ©e⊠I still wouldnât let you touch him. You want to act rashly? Then donât blame me for being impolite.â
Wang Haoran, still standing behind her, was genuinely stunned.
He finally understood, Feng Xuansuâs tolerance for him goes far deeper than he assumed. Was it because she came from an aristocratic martial family, where men having multiple women wasnât seen as shameful? Perhaps her upbringing made her see these things differently.
ăDing! Hostâs manipulation caused another mental blow to the protagonist YÄn YĂșntiÄn. Gained 600 villain points. Yan Yuntianâs halo -30. Host halo +30!ă
Yan Yuntianâs fists clenched, and his voice cracked with bitter jealousy. âYouâre awfully protective of this âfriendâ of yours, AuntâŠâ
âMy business is none of your concern. You should worry about your own problems.â Feng Xuansu didnât want to press further, especially when her own relationship with Wang Haoran still wasnât public. She wasnât ready for others to know.
Yan Yuntian sucked in a breath, trying hard to collect himself. When he finally looked toward Ning Aoxue, his gaze had turned icy. His voice dropped low and cold.
âYouâre my fiancĂ©e. And yet you behave so intimately with another man. Donât you think you owe me an explanation?â
âI donât think thereâs any need.â Her voice was calm, almost indifferent, but it carried an unmistakable finality.
The thought of dissolving the engagementâsomething that had been weighing on her for years surged up stronger than ever. âI came today to dissolve our marriage contract.â
Yan Yuntianâs eyes flicked toward Yu Ning, annoyance brimming. Did she not tell him earlier that Ning Aoxue arrived with a kind demeanor? Even brought a gift? What the hell was this âfriendly visitâ supposed to be?
Yu NĂng read his thoughts instantly and quickly defended herself. âEverything I told you was the truth. She did bring a gift, and her attitude seemed friendly enough. I also said I wasnât sure what her real purpose was. You canât blame me for that.â
Yan Yuntian was momentarily speechless. Fair enough. This mess wasnât her faultâit was Ning Aoxueâs behavior that flipped upside down without warning.
âIf you want to dissolve the engagement, bring someone from the Ning family. I wonât agree to anything without speaking to your elders,â he said, forcing composure into his tone.
He wasnât going to let himself look like a fool.
He only just got out of an engagement with Feng Anna. If word spread that another fiancĂ©e dumped him within days, heâll become the laughingstock of the martial world.
More than that, others might start to suspect⊠There was something wrong with him. Something hidden. Something unmentionable.
âIâm already the head of the Ning family. I donât need anyoneâs approval.â Ning ĂoxuÄâs tone was firm.
YÄn YĂșntiÄnâs brows furrowed. âEven if thatâs true, itâs not up to you alone. My opinion still matters. And I disagree. I wonât end the engagement.â
âYou wonât?â Her eyes narrowed as her internal energy surged without restraint.
The entire air in the lounge seemed to shift. Pressure began building in waves as wind gathered unnaturally, swirling around them.
Her voice sharpened. âA man weaker than me doesnât deserve to be my husband. If you want to keep this engagement, prove youâre worthy.â
Yan Yuntianâs anger flickered out. His face froze as he felt the overwhelming power radiating from her. He hadnât sensed it before as she kept it well hidden, but now, it was undeniable.
She was stronger than him. A full tier above.
He knew it in his bones that if they fought, he would lose.
Miserably.
His pride wrestled with reality. Silence hung for a moment before he finally muttered, his voice dry and reluctant, âFine. If thatâs what you want. The engagement is over.â
But even as he said it, bitterness surged up. He sneered coldly and spat out, âNot like I cared. Youâre average-looking anyway. I wouldnât have chosen you. Iâve got plenty of other fiancĂ©es. One more or less doesnât matter.â
Ning Aoxue, whoâd been on the verge of a smile, instantly turned cold.
âWell then, since we both look down on each other, the marriage is void.â She spoke plainly, then her tone sharpened again. âStill, Iâve always heard the Young Master of Fengxii Sect is some martial prodigy. Iâd like to see for myself. Care to show me?â
Without waiting for a response, she struck.
A palm sliced through the air like a falling star. Yan Yuntian barely had time to raise his own hand to meet hers, and when their palms collided, a deep, muffled thud rang out.
He staggered backward violently, feet dragging across the ground until he crashed into the thick wall behind the guest hall. The floor beneath him cracked like spiderwebs, and the wall behind him dented deeply inward.
Yan Yuntianâs face turned pale as paper. His right hand, hidden behind his back, trembled violently, veins bulging and twitching with pain.
Ning Aoxue stood tall, her expression calm but proud. Her lips curved slightly as she said, âSo this is the so-called genius of Fengxi Sect? How disappointing.â
Yan Yuntianâs jaw clenched so hard he nearly shattered his own teeth.
ăDing! Hostâs manipulation successfully altered the storyline. The protagonist Yan Yuntian was publicly humiliated by the female lead Ning Aoxue. Youâve gained 1,000 villain points. Yan Yuntianâs halo -50. Host halo +50!ă