### Chapter 221: Su Xiaoxiao’s Yearning
This year’s new disciples were different from before; they always moved in large groups, unlike previous disciples who each did their own thing.
Young people always have a bit of group pride, you know?
Especially when they see their seniors scattered like leaves but they band together in packs, it just feels so grand! They talk louder and with more confidence!
They’re bold, they’re confident!
The new disciples are so united, like a single rope pulled tight!
So, if someone gets bullied, it’s as if they’re hitting all of them at once!
“Represent, I know who that guy is! Meng Yao from the Meng family of Suzhou City! Heard he was quite the tyrant even back then!”
“It’s him? And he’s still this arrogant in the Xuantian Sect?! Unbelievable!”
“I know that guy too, he thinks he’s unstoppable, looks down on everyone like a snob. If not for his family, he’d be nothing! It’s only because his family backs him up that he acts like this!”
“Exactly! He abuses his connections to bully others in the outer gate!”
The crowd bashes Meng Yao left and right, cursing him like an animal.
An animal!
What a disgrace!
All he knows how to do is bully others!
Represent and Su Xiaoxiao are such good people, they never showed any arrogance, always helping others achieve their goals, yet they still got targeted for no reason.
Almost ruining their progress!
The more they thought about it, the angrier they got.
At that moment, a girl grabbed Su Xiaoxiao like a baby and fiercely turned to her classmates and shouted, “Represent, don’t be afraid! Thinking you’re a senior, yeah? My elder sister is way higher, now a Golden Core, waiting to compete in the inner gates. She just needs some practice before leaving the outer gate, I’ll have my sister teach him a lesson!”
“My uncle is the senior instructor of Xuanjian Peak, overseeing the swordsmen of Meng Yao’s generation. If he dares to bully others, I’ll have him punished by my uncle! He won’t pass the assessment!”
“What’s so great about Meng Yao?”
“Right! My grandmother is the Chamberlain of the Lingshi Peak, what can he really do? She isn’t scared of them family!”
“…”
Yun Zhonghe secretly sighed.
Woah, full of hidden tigers and dragons here!
They’re all from influential families, which made Yun Zhonghe feel embarrassed.
Especially since he noticed a few are from true top-tier clans, though not direct descendants, the side branches are enough to make a stir in the Yun clan.
Fortunately, he kept a low profile, otherwise…
It would be easy to make enemies!
Indeed, everyone who’s entered the Xuantian Sect, even if they couldn’t get into the inner circle due to lacking talent or resources, had something behind them.
They might not be highly talented or rich, but they weren’t short on connections.
Look at it, even the Chamberlains and top-tier family scions are here.
Each one wants to support Yun Zhonghe and Su Xiaoxiao.
Anyone watching would be astounded!
Was Yun Zhonghe casting some kind of spell on these people?
He felt a bit uneasy by their gushing talk.
He seemed like he was turning villainous material fast.
Gathering followers, secretly egging on discord, suppressing rivals…
He quickly shook his head.
No, no, no! If he truly went down this villain path, wasn’t he going back to his old ways?!
Absolutely not!
So Yun Zhonghe hurriedly said, “Thank you, everyone, thank you for your support! There’s no need for you to take our side, we hate being indebted, being from humble backgrounds, we’d rather not add troubles. Also, a drop of water in gratitude deserves a spring of water back—it’s too much to repay. Everyone, stop.”
“Represent, what are you talking about repayment for? We just hate seeing someone bullied!”
One of them angrily added, “Are we really that threatening to the seniors? There’s loads of seniors who haven’t entered the inner gate yet, what’s the big deal!”
“Exactly!”
In a moment, hundreds of them were condemning Meng Yao.
That j*rk picks on the weak, he’s not worth being called human. He bullied Su Xiaoxiao, and so, should be beaten to d*ath!
Some even suggested trapping him in a sack and giving him a beating!
Amidst the commotion, Yun Zhonghe managed after a while to calm them down.
Yun Zhonghe originally thought his actions against Meng Yao and his uncle were brutal enough, but it turned out his classmates were even bloodthirstier, wanting his and his uncle’s lives.
Quite exaggerated.
It’s probably because he’s young, but they are truly the real antagonists!
…
Outside the classroom…
The third-year disciples of the outer gate were divided into Heaven, Earth, and Man levels; the Earth level classroom was where Meng Yao studied.
The students in the Earth-level classroom were mostly solitary, rarely mingling.
Suddenly, there was a flurry of commotion as someone burst in yelling, “That Meng Yao, shamelessly bullying a junior sister who’s just beginning her Foundation Establishment journey!”
“He tried to extort a beginner Foundation Establishment disciple for half a Golden Core level! Pathetic!”
“Now, the whole sect knows, our Earth level classroom has produced a scoundrel who picked on the weak!”
“d*mn, we’re dragged into this mess, now everyone says our Earth level students are bullies!”
“…”
Inside the classroom, some students already knew about it, while others were just learning.
A cold voice emerged, filled with anger, “Meng Yao is garbage, what does he have to do with us? His problems are his own, if you see him again, just stay away. Otherwise, I’ll make him wish he’d never been born!”
Everyone from the Xuantian Sect has some sort of status and potential, and they’re all proud, unwilling to stoop to such despicable deeds.
Now hearing about Meng Yao, they immediately felt disgusted and looked at him with disdain.
How vulgar, a disgrace among geniuses!
Geniuses are all proud—so what if he’s proud?
Bullying the weak is beneath anyone here!
Nobody stood up for Meng Yao, everyone wished they could beat him up.
Meng Yao never expected this mob mentality, he thought back in Suzhou City, bullying Su Xiaoxiao wouldn’t have brought this reaction. There would still be many ready to join in the fun.
Meng Yao was petrified, temporarily avoiding classes, asking for self-study.
…
Though Meng Yao’s appearance was unforeseen by Yun Zhonghe, Su Xiaoxiao becoming the darling of the class was what Yun Zhonghe intended for.
He wanted to encourage her to gain popularity.
In fact, she already started gaining acceptance, just her recent bullying incident triggered the classmates’ protective instinct, skyrocketing her standing.
Like a princess, they cherished her.
Wherever she went, there were always those not confident in letting her move freely. Yun Zhonghe even felt himself redundant.
This outcome delighted Yun Zhonghe.
Sometimes, he felt a bit sentimental.
Su Xiaoxiao was growing stronger, almost ready to fend for herself.
To help her grow and overcome her past trauma, Yun Zhonghe gradually reduced interaction with her, aiming for more engagement with others.
Just as he turned around, Su Xiaoxiao swiftly sensed his withdrawal, her eyes showing a hint of disappointment.
She felt he was deliberately distancing himself.
But Su Xiaoxiao trusted him entirely, believing this was his strategy, not an indication of disdain.
“He wants to handle everything alone, not involving me anymore, right?”
She thought this was certain, that Yun Zhonghe pushed her aside, making her face upcoming troubles alone.
Distancing to protect her, this was his intention.
Understanding his purpose tugged at her heartstrings.
Yun Zhonghe had always sacrificed for her, yet she had never done anything in return for him.
Su Xiaoxiao didn’t want it to be this way; she wished to stand alongside Yun Zhonghe, not just be protected.
She needed to be strong!
A belief took root deep within her.
