Chương 5: Call Me Brother-in-Law!

Xiao Xuan knew a real assassin wouldn't announce their arrival by kicking the door down. They would have slit his throat in dead silence. Therefore, he probably wasn't in mortal danger, or so he thought. Standing in the doorway was a petite silhouette. As Xiao Xuan's eyes adjusted to the dim light, the intruder's features came into focus. It was a young girl, no older than fifteen or sixteen. She wore a luxurious red martial arts robe. The resemblance to Su Luoyang was unmistakable.

But where the older sister was a statue of icy perfection, this girl's face was rounder, softer, and currently flushed with anger. This was Su Luoyao, his brand-new sister-in-law. Why are all the Su family members constantly so angry? Do they practice some top-tier 'Perpetual Rage' cultivation technique? Because if it makes them this strong, I might need to look into it.

"Wake up, you useless fool!" Su Luoyao suddenly declared, stepping into the room. In her right hand, she dragged a pitch-black leather whip. A faint crimson aura seeped from it. Crack! She snapped it against the stone floor with a sharp crack that left a lingering vibration in the air. Xiao Xuan felt a chill run straight up his spine. He recognised it from his predecessor's memories. That was the Demon's Agony Whip.

It was a mid-grade spiritual artifact gifted to her by her father, any strike from it would amplify the victim's pain by a hundred times. Su Luoyao's cultivation talent was only above average. Unlike her sister, who was a once-in-a-generation genius obsessed with martial arts, she was more interested in playing around. To ensure she wasn't bullied in the cutthroat cultivation world, Su Zhongtian had given her this weapon. Unfortunately, she mostly used it to throw tantrums.

"It is because of you that my father and sister got hurt!" She yelled, her voice echoing through the room.

"You brought your terrible trash-luck into our clan! I am going to avenge them today!" Xiao Xuan swallowed hard.

"Dearest Luoyao! Wait, hold on!" He raised his hands in surrender.

"I already received my punishment, remember? I took a direct hit from the heavens! I was roasted alive!"

"You only sustained burns because my father and sister shielded you and took the brunt of the backlash! I am not letting you off the hook tonight!" The little demon took a step forward, the thick leather of the whip creaking menacingly. Xiao Xuan's heart hammered against his ribs. Think, Xiao Xuan, think!

"Don't!..." Xiao Xuan gasped, pointing a trembling finger at her, "don't you know the ancient curse?!"

"What curse?" Luoyao paused, her brow furrowing.

"The Sister-in-Law's Hex!" Xiao Xuan lied with brazen confidence.

"It is a known law of the heavens! Any younger sister who strikes her brother-in-law will be cursed with terrible fortune! Your meridians will clog, your skin will break out in incurable spirit-acne, and you will never grow an inch taller!" Su Luoyao's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, her hand gripping the whip a little tighter. Crack!

"Liar! Do you think I'm a three-year-old?!" Su Luoyao shot back.

"Ask Su Luoyang about it tomorrow if you don't believe me!" Xiao Xuan said, leaning forward slightly.

"I'm telling you, if you don't want to be cursed with a terrible fate, you need to put that whip away right now." Luoyao bit her lower lip. She had snuck out here on her own. If her sister or father found out she had beaten the new son-in-law, curse or no curse, she was going to be grounded for a decade.

"Fine! I believe you… for now," Su Luoyao huffed, lifting her chin arrogantly.

"I won't hit you. Because I don't need to. Chubby will do it on my behalf!" Chubby? Xiao Xuan blinked. What kind of a name is—"Woof!" A blur leapt from the shadows of the hallway and landed right beside Luoyao with a thud that shook the floorboards. Xiao Xuan froze. It loosely resembled a Chongqing dog from Earth, but that was where the similarities ended. This beast was the size of a small tiger, its fur was coarse and dark as charcoal, and its eyes burned with crimson light. Viscous saliva dripped from its jaws.

It let out a low rumbling growl that rattled Xiao Xuan's teeth. Back on Earth, Xiao Xuan had been terrified of dogs. A terrible prank by his college roommates involving a stray pitbull in front of some girls had embarrassed him. Refusing to be a victim again and determined to never lose face like that, he had spent a whole summer working at a local animal shelter, forcing himself to learn professional canine behavioral training until he had completely conquered his fear. He stared at the demonic hellhound.

The hellhound glared back, baring razor-sharp fangs. It's just a dog, Xiao Xuan told himself. A demonic, magic-infused, nightmare dog… but still a dog. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Tear his robes to shreds, Chubby!" Su Luoyao commanded, pointing a finger at the bed. The beast snarled, its muscles tensing as it prepared to launch itself at Xiao Xuan's throat. Xiao Xuan didn't retreat. Instead, he threw the blanket off, stood up tall on the mattress to maximize his height advantage, and locked eyes directly with the glowing red irises of the beast. He snapped his fingers and pointed at the floor.

"SIT!" Xiao Xuan barked. The demonic hound froze mid-pounce. Instinct took over and the massive beast blinked its crimson eyes, dropped its hindquarters, and planted its butt firmly on the floor. Luoyao's jaw dropped.

"W-What? Chubby, what are you doing?! Attack him!"

"Stay," Xiao Xuan kept his hand raised, keeping eye contact with the beast. He slowly climbed off the bed and approached the beast, his posture relaxed but commanding.

"Hey! Get away from my pet, you trash!" Su Luoyao shrieked. Xiao Xuan ignored her. He stepped right up to the beast, reached out, and buried his fingers into the thick fur, firmly but gently scratching the warm, soft sweet spot right behind its ears. Chubby's red eyes fluttered shut, its tense body melting in his arms. When they opened again, the crimson glow was gone, replaced by a soft, docile blue. So it has a dedicated kill mode!

The hellhound let out a high-pitched whine of ecstasy, its back leg starting to thump rhythmically against the floor.

"Who's a good boy? Who's a terrifying instrument of destruction? You are! Yes, you are," Xiao Xuan cooed, rubbing the dog's belly as it rolled over, abandoning its dignity. Su Luoyao seemed like she was having a stroke. She glanced at her fearsome, bloodthirsty bodyguard, and then at the useless, uncultivated trash who was currently giving it belly rubs. Her anger shifted targets.

"You traitorous mutt!" She lashed the whip against the ground again. Crack! Both Xiao Xuan and Chubby flinched at the stinging sound, instinctively cowering back.

"Alright, Luoyao, calm down!" Xiao Xuan sighed, stepping in front of the dog. He narrowed his eyes, observing the young girl carefully.

"Think about it for a second. The lightning had targeted me! And why would I intentionally try to hurt my new family?"

"What does it matter?" Luoyao blinked, caught off guard.

"Because," Xiao Xuan said softly.

"Let me guess. Earlier tonight, a certain maid named Xinyue happened to whisper in your ear? Maybe she mentioned how much it was 'my fault' that your family suffered?" That petty, spiteful little servant! Luoyao's silence and the slight widening of her eyes were all the confirmation he needed.

"She… she was just stating facts!" Su Luoyao argued, crossing her arms defensively, though her voice lacked its previous venom.

"She was using you," Xiao Xuan corrected gently. He sat on the edge of the bed and lowered his gaze.

"Look at me, Luoyao," he said softly, staring at his hands.

"I'm an orphan… I grew up in the slums, eating scraps, freezing in the winters. When the Su Clan announced this marriage, do you know what I thought? I didn't care about the wealth. I thought… I was finally going to get a family. A mother, a father, a little sister…" He looked back up at her.

"But since I arrived, I've been scolded, ridiculed, struck by lightning, and now, my little sister is trying to whip me in my sleep…" Luoyao stared at him. The whip in her hand felt heavy. She always lived under the shadow of Su Luoyang. No matter how hard she trained, the elders only ever talked about her genius older sister. She knew what it felt like to always be looked down upon. Xiao Xuan had it worse. She at least had a family. The poor boy didn't have anyone.

He was always scolded and ridiculed just because he couldn't cultivate. Even when he was not at fault. And now she was doing the same thing.

"I… I didn't…" Luoyao stammered, the crimson aura of the whip fading away.

"It's fine," Xiao Xuan offered a sad smile.

"I'm used to being the disappointment. I guess I'll just accept my fate…"

"Stop talking like that!" Luoyao snapped. She hastily coiled her whip, hiding it behind her back.

"You're a man of the Su Clan now! You can't just be pathetic! Since… since you clearly have no one to rely on, and my sister is too busy cultivating to care about you…" She lifted her chin, trying to regain her haughty aura.

"I, Su Luoyao, shall take you under my protection! As long as you don't embarrass me, I won't let the servants bully you!" Xiao Xuan's heart leaped. Keeping his voice soft and hopeful, he asked, "Does that mean I can treat you like my little sister?"

"I—I suppose so," Su Luoyao stammered.

"Then… will you call me brother-in-law?" he teased gently. Her face instantly turned red.

"You shameless idiot!" she shrieked, spinning on her heel and fleeing toward the door.

"Come, Chubby!" Chubby let out a whine, gave Xiao Xuan's hand one last lick, and trotted after its master. As the broken door creaked in the wind, Xiao Xuan fell back onto the bed, letting out a long sigh. He had survived the night. Better yet, he had scored himself a powerful little sister to watch his back. Not bad for day one! He smiled, before exhaustion finally took over. … SPLASH!

"GAH! I'm drowning!" Xiao Xuan bolted upright, sputtering and coughing. The ice-cold water seized his lungs, his wet silk robes clinging heavily to his shivering skin. Standing beside his bed, holding an empty wooden bucket, was Xinyue.

"The sun has been up for an hour, Young Master Xiao," Xinyue sneered, emphasizing the title like it was a curse word.

"The Clan Leader and the Madam are waiting in the main dining hall. If you delay the morning greetings any further, you will bring dishonor to the Young Miss." Xiao Xuan wiped the water from his eyes, his temper instantly flaring. This little witch! First she sends a kid to beat me, and now this?! He wanted to curse her out, but he bit his tongue. He was powerless right now. Patience, Xiao Xuan.

"Thank you for the… refreshing alarm, Xinyue," Xiao Xuan forced out a smile, climbing out of the soaked bed. After hastily drying off and changing into a formal set of blue robes, Xiao Xuan hurried across the corridor. As soon as he neared the main dining hall, the rich aroma of the breakfast hit his nose. His stomach growled. But the atmosphere inside was stifling. Sitting at the head of a rosewood table was his father-in-law, Su Zhongtian, looking tired but imposing.

To his right sat Su Luoyang, perfectly upright, radiating a chilly aura that made the room feel ten degrees colder. She didn't even glance at him as he entered. To Su Zhongtian's left, Liang Shufen sat with regal poise. The glare she shot Xiao Xuan as he walked in could have melted steel. Just as Xiao Xuan was about to bow and make his apologies, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway. Su Luoyao burst into the room, her hair slightly messy and out of breath.

"I'm here! I'm sorry, I overslept!" Liang Shufen slammed her teacup onto the table. The sharp clack echoed like a gunshot.

"Unacceptable!" Liang Shufen hissed, glaring directly at Luoyao, though her words were clearly aimed elsewhere.

"To be late for the morning gathering is a sign of severe indiscipline! Some people in this household think they can sleep the day away without contributing anything to the clan!" Luoyao shrunk in her seat, her face turning pale. Xiao Xuan took a deep breath.

"Enough, Shufen," Su Zhongtian's voice rumbled, instantly silencing his wife. The Clan Leader rubbed his temples. He turned his gaze toward Xiao Xuan.

"Sit down, Xiao Xuan," Su Zhongtian commanded. As Xiao Xuan took his seat at the far end of the table, the older man continued.

"You are now officially a member of the Su Clan. You will uphold the dignity and respect of this name, or there will be consequences. Do you understand?" Looking at the indifferent wife, the furious mother-in-law, the imposing patriarch, and the frightened little sister who was his only ally, Xiao Xuan took another deep breath.

"Yes, Father," Xiao Xuan replied calmly.