BTTH: The Legend Of Xiu Emperor

"Wow, wow, wow..."

Seeing her brother Xiu'er being beaten and coughing up blood, little Gu Xun'er could no longer bear it and burst into tears.

She pouted her small lips, pointed at Hun Xiu, who was vomiting blood, and sobbed with a wronged expression:

"Father... my brother is vomiting blood... wuwuwu!"

"Xun'er, be good. Your brother and your Uncle Hun are just playing around." Hearing his daughter's aggrieved cry, Gu Yuan quickly picked up Gu Xun'er, gently rubbing her little head as he spoke with concern.

This was his sweet little girl, and seeing her cry like this, looking so wronged, broke his heart as a father.

"No..."

Gu Xun'er pouted, clearly unconvinced, and continued sobbing, "No, that's not true. Uncle Hun is a bad guy. He beat my brother until he vomited blood. Wuwuwu!"

"Xun'er..."

Hun Xiu, lying on the ground and unable to stand due to the oppressive aura of Hun Tian Di, felt slightly moved upon hearing Gu Xun'er's words.

He thought to himself, "As expected of my dear little sister. All my effort in protecting her wasn't in vain.

(TL/N: You mean all your effort as her horse wasn't in vain?)

"Xun'er, be good. Don't cry. Your brother will be fine." Gu Yuan's expression changed slightly upon hearing his daughter's words.

Was Hun Tian Di a bad guy? In the eyes of the continent, perhaps he was. After all, the Soul Clan had a sinister reputation. But no one dared say such things openly, especially not in front of Hun Tian Di, the leader of the Soul Clan.

Gu Yuan quickly soothed his daughter, stroking her head while infusing a trace of dou qi to calm her. Before long, Gu Xun'er's sobbing subsided, and her eyes grew heavy with sleep. She soon drifted off in Gu Yuan's arms.

Apologetically, Gu Yuan said, "Brother Hun, please forgive her. Children often speak without restraint."

"I understand," Hun Tian Di replied with a faint smile. Though he appeared generous, a faint irritation lingered in his heart.

"Brother Gu, your daughter has fallen asleep. Perhaps you should take her to rest," Hun Tian Di suggested, still smiling.

"Of course, that's best," Gu Yuan nodded.

---

Soon after, under the guidance of a Soul Clan member, Gu Yuan carried the sleeping Gu Xun'er out of the hall.

Once Gu Yuan left, the oppressive might holding down Hun Xiu dissipated. Hun Tian Di stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

He didn't sit—not because he didn't want to—but because his chair had been reduced to powder by his earlier attack.

Hun Tian Di looked down at Hun Xiu, who was struggling to get up, his expression inscrutable.

The truth was, he hadn't intended to treat Hun Xiu this harshly, but circumstances forced his hand.

This boy didn't even recognize his own fiancée—his child bride—and had the audacity to treat her as just a little sister in front of her father and his own father.

How could he not teach him a lesson?

In a deep voice, Hun Tian Di asked, "Hun Xiu, do you understand why I did this?"

Without the overwhelming pressure weighing him down, Hun Xiu felt his body lighten. Struggling, he stood up. Though his little face was pale and his once-snowy clothes were now covered in dust, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stubbornly replied:

"I understand. Father just wants to give Xiu'er a way out."

Even though he understood the lesson was meant to save face, he still felt a pang of resentment.

The "lesson" was much harsher than he had expected.

Hun Tian Di nodded, satisfied that Hun Xiu had managed to stand. But when he heard his response, his expression darkened.

"This isn't about giving you a way out," Hun Tian Di corrected sternly.

Hun Xiu froze, stunned.

Not about giving me a way out?

What was happening was different from what he'd imagined.

Hun Tian Di continued, his tone cold:

"Hun Xiu, do you even know who that little girl is?"

Having already answered this question once, Hun Xiu hesitated.

His current situation was a result of his previous answer. He thought it was merely a formality, a way for his father to save face, but clearly, that wasn't the case.

After a moment of thought, Hun Xiu cautiously replied, "Isn't Xun'er the daughter of my father-in-law? My fiancée's little sister?"

"Hmm?"

Hun Tian Di's pupils contracted slightly, and an invisible wave of power emanated from him, radiating a terrifying aura.

Facing such might, Hun Xiu's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.

Did I answer incorrectly again? Hun Xiu wondered in frustration.

"Hun Xiu," Hun Tian Di growled. "Sister? What sister? That girl Xun'er is your fiancée."

These words made Hun Xiu's pupils widen in disbelief.

Still kneeling, he looked up and stammered, "Father... you mean that Xun'er is... my fiancée?"

Murmuring to himself, realization dawned upon him. His pale face lit up with a smile.

"So Gu Xun'er is Gu Xun'er... I see now. Hahaha!"

(TL/N: Are you really a genius?)

Hun Xiu laughed loudly, his relief palpable.

It turns out there was huge misunderstanding. Nothing had truly begun yet. This is good news for me.