BTTH: The Legend Of Xiu Emperor

Thinking about his fiancée—his child bride—following another guy and calling him "Brother Xiao Yan," Hun Xiu felt inexplicably upset.

From what he could deduce, Gu Xun'er should be around his age! The thought of his fiancée being sent to the Xiao family at the tender age of four, only to grow attached to another, filled him with an uncomfortable sense of sourness.

How infuriating!

If she weren't his fiancée, he wouldn't care. But now, with a marriage contract binding them, he couldn't help but feel as if his head had turned green—a metaphor for betrayal.

He tried to convince himself to overlook the past, choosing instead to hope that Gu Xun'er would behave properly in the future.

Otherwise?

When he became strong enough, he would destroy the entire Gu clan.

[Gu Xun'er, confused and innocent: "What did I do? I'm just a little girl... All I want is to ride on Brother Hun Xiu's shoulders... What's so bad about that?"]

---

Of course, Hun Xiu didn't yet know that the little girl he had played with some time ago was actually his fiancée, his child bride.

If he had known, he wouldn't have been plagued by so many random thoughts or concocted so many wild scenarios.

If he had known, he would have exclaimed:

"Seriously? I thought we were just friends, but you wanted to ride me and end up being my wife? What kind of mix-up is this?"

He'd likely extend his mischievous claws, pinch Gu Xun'er's chubby cheeks, and laugh as she cried. No comforting required.

---

"Father, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Hun Xiu said respectfully, releasing the fist clenched under his sleeve.

"Go ahead," Hun Tian Di said, his expression unreadable.

Hun Xiu turned and left the study room. Watching his retreating figure, Hun Tian Di murmured,

"This boy doesn't seem entirely happy with the marriage arrangement."

Then, as though justifying his decision, he added,

"But it's for his own good—and for the benefit of the Soul Clan. He'll have no choice but to accept it. Still, the fact that he has his own thoughts… he truly is my son."

---

Back in his private quarters, Hun Xiu returned to his room and sat cross-legged on his bed. He sighed, muttering to himself,

"No matter how talented one might be, without absolute power, they're just another chess piece on the board."

The room was silent. His words hung unanswered in the air. Hun Xiu shook off the thoughts and began forming seals with his hands, focusing his energy to practice.

Hidden in the shadows, Hun San, his loyal protector, observed silently.

"Young Master Hun Xiu seems… different," he murmured. "But I can't quite seem to know how."

---

Two years passed, and Hun Xiu had grown significantly. He was now nine years old, taller than most boys his age, and more mature. Despite his youthful face, his demeanor exuded a seriousness far beyond his years.

Through relentless training, Hun Xiu had advanced from Dou Ling to Dou Huang, a feat that set him apart even among the Soul Clan's younger generation. His strength earned him recognition from the elders, solidifying his position as the primary candidate for the clan's young patriarch.

---

Standing in the back mountain, clad in white with scarlet wings extending from his back, Hun Xiu held a three-foot wooden sword. With his eyes closed, he stood still, seemingly at one with the world.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. A powerful aura surged around him as he murmured:

"Ten Thousand Swords Return to Their Origin."

In a sweeping motion, he slashed the sword, and countless phantoms of long swords filled the sky.

The heaven and earth seemed to tremble as the sound of swords echoed. Under his control, the swords formed beautiful arcs before descending onto the forest below.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Trees collapsed, and thick clouds of dust rose into the air. Hun Xiu wasn't finished. Raising his palm, he pressed it toward the ground below.

"The Man-Killing Palm," he whispered.

A massive five-fingered palm print, imbued with terrifying energy, condensed in the air before crashing down.

Boom!

The ground trembled violently. When the dust settled, the back mountain was left barren. The once lush, green forest had been reduced to a desolate wasteland.

Hun Xiu, standing atop the ruins, nodded in satisfaction. For two years, the sight of the mountain's greenery had felt mocking, a reminder of his fiancée's supposed betrayal. But now, the green was gone, replaced by the barren land—a canvas of his triumph.

Looking at the sky, he thought to himself,

"The sky looks blue… no, it's green. Even the heavens mock me."

A surge of power rose within him, as though he wished to cleave the heavens with a single strike. But reality set in—he was still too weak.

As his energy subsided, Hun San appeared beside him and bowed.

"Young Master, the Clan Leader requests your presence in the main hall."

"My father?" Hun Xiu asked, turning toward the black-robed protector. "Uncle San, do you know what it's about?"

Hun San shook his head.

"I'm not certain, but a guest has arrived, and they've asked for you specifically."

"Understood."

Scarlet wings spread wide behind him as Hun Xiu shot into the sky like a streak of light, heading toward the main hall.