Night Raid! Beating Up Xiao Yan! (Please Keep Reading)

Deep night, quiet and peaceful, the Xiao Family estate had fallen silent.

Gu Long was not deeply asleep. The newly learned Soul Condensing Art had made his perception of the outside world far sharper.

But a trace of unfamiliar soul fluctuation, like a stone cast into a still lake, jolted him awake in an instant.

The fluctuation came from beyond the small courtyard. Someone was sneaking toward where they lived, and the target was unmistakably Xun Er's room!

Gu Long's eyes sharpened. Without the slightest hesitation, he silently darted out of his room and reached Xun Er's door in just a few bounds.

By the hazy moonlight, he clearly saw a thin figure holding its breath and trying to use a slender bamboo tube to poke through the paper window of Xun Er's room.

It was none other than Xiao Yan, whom he had seen during the day!

An uncontrollable fury surged straight to Gu Long's head.

The "plot" in his memories overlapped with the despicable act unfolding before his eyes, driving his impression of Xiao Yan to rock bottom.

It was only the first day, and that bastard already dared sneak outside a girl's room in the middle of the night with ill intentions?!

"Xiao Yan! What are you trying to do?!"

Gu Long lowered his voice, but the chill and rage in his tone were almost tangible.

Xiao Yan stiffened all over at the sudden voice, and the bamboo tube in his hand nearly fell.

He whirled around and saw Gu Long standing behind him at some unknown point. Those eyes, especially clear in the night, burned with fury that made his heart tremble.

Guilty as a thief, Xiao Yan instantly panicked. He stammered, "I... I couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk... I was just passing by..."

"Passing by? With that thing?" Gu Long stepped forward, pointing at the slender bamboo tube. His voice grew even colder. "It seems Clan Leader Xiao Zhan has been far too indulgent with you!"

Seeing that he had been exposed, annoyance flashed across Xiao Yan's face, though fear outweighed it.

After Gu Long rejected him during the day, he had been unable to stop thinking about that girl who was as beautiful as an elf. As if possessed, he had come to take a look that night.

Now that he had been caught red-handed, he knew exactly what would happen if word got out.

"None of your business! Move!"

Xiao Yan snarled fiercely despite his fear, actually trying to shove Gu Long aside and flee.

That completely ignited Gu Long's rage.

"Courting death!"

Gu Long stopped wasting words. His right hand shot out like lightning, fingers hooked like claws as they precisely seized Xiao Yan's wrist.

Though he had suppressed his apparent cultivation to Eight-Star Dou Practitioner, his combat awareness and exquisite control over his physical strength far surpassed that level.

Xiao Yan reacted quickly enough. Mobilizing the strength of a One-Star Dou Practitioner, he threw a punch at Gu Long's face, carrying a faint whistle through the air.

He believed that punch would be enough to force Gu Long back.

However, Gu Long's hand seemed to have predicted his move long ago. With a twist of his wrist, it slipped past the punch like a swimming fish and instead settled on Xiao Yan's arm.

A burst of deft force traveled through him. Xiao Yan felt his entire arm go numb and weak in an instant, while the Dou Qi he had gathered was scattered.

"How is that possible?!"

Xiao Yan was horrified. The other's strength and technique utterly crushed his!

Before he could react again, Gu Long's knee had already slammed heavily into his lower abdomen.

"Ugh!"

Xiao Yan grunted, and the intense pain instantly curled him into a shrimp-like shape. His stomach churned violently.

Gu Long showed no mercy. His fists fell like raindrops.

Yet they precisely avoided every spot likely to leave obvious external injuries, striking only areas with thick muscle and intense pain.

His ribs, back, thighs...

Every punch contained penetrating force, making Xiao Yan bare his teeth and break out in cold sweat, yet he could not even scream.

At some point, Gu Long's other hand had covered his mouth, muffling every cry of pain.

This was entirely a one-sided beating.

Xiao Yan's meager strength as a One-Star Dou Practitioner was as fragile as an infant before Gu Long, who possessed the combat awareness of a Dou Emperor and precise control.

A moment later, Gu Long stopped and shoved the limp Xiao Yan away as if throwing out trash.

Xiao Yan curled up on the ground, his entire body aching. His lower abdomen and internal organs in particular burned with pain, yet there were no serious wounds visible on the surface.

His gaze toward Gu Long was filled with fear and resentment, but he knew he was no match for this boy his own age, and this matter absolutely could not be made public.

"Get lost!" Gu Long spat coldly.

Xiao Yan struggled to his feet and fled the courtyard in a miserable scramble without looking back.

Gu Long did not pursue him. Standing outside Xun Er's door, the rage in his chest gradually subsided, replaced by icy resolve.

After this incident, an irreconcilable grudge had formed between him and Xiao Yan.

That was fine. It saved him the trouble of putting on a false face.

He lowered his head and checked his hands, making sure no bloodstains remained. Then he sat cross-legged directly outside Xun Er's door, his back to it like the most loyal guard.

Tonight, he had no intention of returning to his own room.

In the darkness, a figure almost completely fused with the shadows had witnessed everything that had just happened.

It was Ling Ying, who had been secretly protecting them.

Ling Ying's face remained expressionless, but his eyes were full of satisfaction.

He had seen it clearly. The Xiao Family's brat had harbored improper intentions first, and Young Master Gu Long had acted afterward to punish him.

However, Young Master Gu Long had shown remarkable restraint. He had made that brat suffer enough to learn his lesson without leaving obvious external injuries, avoiding any subsequent trouble.

Such decisiveness and precise judgment of limits were nothing like what one would expect from a ten-year-old child.

More importantly, Young Master Gu Long's act of sitting outside Miss's door to guard her revealed his sense of responsibility and the importance he placed on Miss.

Ling Ying silently retreated into deeper shadows and took out a specially made Transmission Jade Slip.

He recorded everything that had happened tonight exactly as it occurred, including Xiao Yan's intentions, Gu Long's response, and his subsequent protection, then activated it.

The Jade Slip turned into an almost imperceptible ray of light, instantly piercing through space toward the Ancient World.

Ancient World, the Clan Leader's study.

Gu Yuan and Gu Lie received Ling Ying's message almost simultaneously.

After reading the contents of the Jade Slip, Gu Lie slammed his palm onto the table, killing intent blazing in his tiger-like eyes.

"That little bastard from the Xiao Family! How dare he! Long Er beat him well! If it weren't for Xiao Xuan... Hmph!"

His beard trembled with rage, and he wished he could immediately rush to Wutan City.

Gu Yuan was comparatively calm, but his eyes had turned colder as well.

His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop as he pondered. "There seems to be something wrong with Xiao Zhan's son's character. At such a young age, he already dared commit such acts..."

"Clan Leader, should we..." Gu Lie made a gesture.

Gu Yuan shook his head. "No need. Long Er handled it very well. He made our stance clear without making the matter worse. It seems letting him go with her was the right choice."

His gaze fell once more on the description of Gu Long sitting in meditation to guard her, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Long Er truly hasn't disappointed me. He is meticulous, decisive in killing, and loyal and righteous. With him by Xun Er's side, we can indeed rest much easier."

Gu Lie calmed down as well and nodded, a gratified expression appearing on his face. "That boy is even better than his father was back then."

The two exchanged glances, each seeing recognition and expectation for Gu Long in the other's eyes.

After this incident, Gu Long's standing in their hearts had undoubtedly grown even heavier.

Wutan City, the Xiao Family's small courtyard.

Gu Long knew nothing of what had happened in the Ancient World.

He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed as the Soul Condensing Art slowly circulated. His Soul Power spread through the surroundings, alert to the slightest disturbance.

Inside the room, Gu Xun Er slept soundly, completely unaware of everything that had happened outside. A sweet smile still rested on her lips; perhaps she was dreaming of the delicious roasted meat Brother Gu Long had made for her.

Moonlight fell over Gu Long's calm and resolute profile, outlining the ten-year-old boy as steady and dependable as a mountain.

That night, someone fled in panic, someone slept peacefully, and someone silently built a barrier of protection amid the stillness.