Chapter 288: Demon-Breaking Pearl

Thump!

With a deep, muffled sound, Xia Chunyuan immediately dropped to his knees.

He lowered his head slightly, his expression exceedingly solemn.

"Mr. Jiang, thank you for saving my life!"

His voice rang out firmly, without any hint of reluctance, seeming filled with genuine gratitude.

As the Acting Family Head of the Xia Family, Xia Chunyuan usually stands aloof and is revered; he has never before humbled himself so low before anyone.

Yet at this moment, he willingly knelt before Jiang Feng, without a trace of resentment.

Seeing Xia Chunyuan kneel, Xia Junzhou and the other Xia family members dared not hesitate any longer and all hurried to kneel as well.

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for saving my life!"

The crowd shouted in unison.

But at that moment, one person in the crowd remained motionless: Xia Minjun.

She stood where she was, her face flushed scarlet, both fists clenched tightly, her eyes filled with humiliation.

Make her kneel before a youngster younger than herself? And call him a benefactor?

How could she swallow such an insult?

Earlier, Jiang Feng publicly struck her face, humiliating her before everyone; she hasn't settled that score yet!

If Jiang Feng hadn't saved her aunt, she would have rushed in to fight him to the death; how could she now willingly kneel for him?

Xia Junlan spotted Xia Minjun standing still, and her complexion darkened instantly.

"Xia Minjun, if you don't kneel, I will expel you from the Xia Family!"

Her words thundered like a sudden flash of lightning, striking Xia Minjun's ears.

Xia Minjun's whole body jolted violently, her lingering resentment instantly replaced by terror.

She never imagined her aunt would utter such ruthless words for Jiang Feng's sake!

Though she is willful and arrogant, she also knows that without the Xia Family she is nothing.

Xia Minjun's body began to tremble slightly, the previous arrogance gone.

She glanced at Xia Junlan's cold stare, then at the kneeling crowd around her, and finally clenched her teeth, kneeling down reluctantly.

"Th—thank you, Mr. Jiang, for saving my life..."

Her voice was as tiny as a mosquito's whine, her face written with humiliation.

Xia Junlan looked at her demeanor, furrowed her brows, yet said nothing further.

All she wanted was an attitude; since Xia Minjun had already knelt, her purpose was fulfilled.

Seeing every Xia family member kneeling on the ground, Xia Junlan finally moved her body slowly.

She had just returned from the Gate of Ghosts, her body still weak, her movements somewhat trembling.

Xia Chunyuan, seeing this, hurried to stand and help her.

But Xia Junlan gently pushed his hand away.

She inhaled deeply, mustering all her strength, and slowly stepped down from the bed.

Xia Junlan walked step by step to Jiang Feng's side and halted.

She raised her hand, trembling, and pulled a brocade box from her bosom.

She opened the brocade box gingerly; inside lay a bead the size of a fist.

"Mr. Jiang, I understand that some things cannot be changed, and the Xia Family's fate may already be predestined. Yet I dare not forget, nor can I forget, the great debt you owe the Xia Family. This treasured bead, called the Demon-Breaking Pearl, was a supreme treasure passed down to me by my master, the Divine Mechanism Celestial, containing pure, boundless righteous Qi; it should benefit your cultivation."

"If you do not mind, Mr. Jiang, please accept this bead as a token of my gratitude, also a repayment for your life‑saving kindness!"

Though her voice was weak, it carried an undeniable sincerity.

"What? Demon-Breaking Pearl?"

Hearing those three words, Xia Minjun sprang up from the ground like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Aunt! Are you mad? This Demon-Breaking Pearl is a supreme treasure given to you by the Divine Mechanism Celestial! It is the most precious thing of our Xia Family, even a symbol of our family head! How could you give such a precious item to an outsider?"

Her voice was sharp.

This bead, bestowed by the Divine Mechanism Celestial, represents the Xia Family's link to the Divine Mechanism Celestial and is the clan's treasured heirloom; how could it be given away lightly to an outsider?

Xia Junzhou could no longer hold his tongue at this moment.

"Little sister, even third brother must speak up. Jiang Feng saved you, which is certainly worthy of thanks; we can give him money, any repayment is fine. But this Demon-Breaking Pearl is too precious, it is the foundation of our Xia Family; we cannot give it to him!"

After speaking, he gave Xia Chunyuan a glance, signaling him to intervene quickly.

But Xia Chunyuan only stared at Jiang Feng, offering no objection.

Perhaps he still hasn't accepted that his aunt would actually try to give such a precious item away?

Xia Junzhou, seeing his son silent, grew extremely anxious.

"Chunyuan! Why are you silent? Quickly persuade your aunt! This Demon-Breaking Pearl cannot be given away! If we give it out, our Xia Family loses its heirloom, and later among the Provincial Capital Nine Great Families, what face will we have?"

"Indeed, elder brother, persuade little sister! The Demon-Breaking Pearl is the foundation of our Xia Family; it cannot be given away lightly!"

"This whole issue stemmed from the Residence‑Face Pill; Jiang Feng only came to resolve it, there's no need to give him such a precious treasure!"

For a moment, the bedroom erupted into clamor again.

Xia Junlan watched the noisy crowd, her complexion growing colder, and finally let out a sharp snort.

"Hmph!"

The snort rang out like a sudden thunderclap.

Then a powerful aura burst instantly from her body, enveloping the entire bedroom.

Though the aura wavered slightly due to her weakness, it still bore the authority of a Nine-Pin Grandmaster, crushing everyone's breath.

The once noisy bedroom fell silent in an instant.

Everyone was stunned by that aura, their faces showing a look of Shock, and they dared not say another word.

Xia Junlan's icy gaze swept over the crowd.

"Have you forgotten that the Demon-Breaking Pearl is my property, not a public asset of the Xia Family? Our master gave it to me back then, not to the Xia Family! Therefore, how this Beads is to be handled should be decided by me; it is not for you to point fingers and dictate!"

Her voice was not loud, yet every word cut to the heart, causing all members of the Xia Family to lower their heads and dare not look at her again.

Xia Junzhou opened his mouth, about to speak, but was stopped by Xia Junlan's icy gaze, and could only sigh helplessly.

It was not until then that Xia Chunyuan slowly spoke.

"That's right, the Demon-Breaking Pearl is Aunt's personal item, and Aunt has the right to decide its ownership. Aunt said she gave it to Mr. Jiang, so from now on it belongs to Mr. Jiang."

Jiang Feng looked at the Demon-Breaking Pearl; he knew it was not only a token of gratitude, but also a life‑saving talisman that Xia Junlan left for the Xia Family.

So he did not hesitate and gently took it.