Chapter 31: A Night of Terror

When Yuan Shaolin appeared, those silver eyes and the aura of cold indifference that kept everyone at a distance made Long Yin inhale sharply. He wanted to say: Fate! Three years ago, he’d been in a miserable state—Long Yin hadn’t forgotten. With a snap, he slammed the door shut.

Yuan Shaolin didn’t miss the flash of surprise in Long Yin’s eyes, nor the sudden surge of other emotions—emotions Yuan Shaolin couldn’t decipher. Being shut out by a child worsened his mood; he was used to rejecting others, not the other way around. Tight-lipped, he wanted to simply turn and leave, but this was his uncle’s request, after all. So, with a frosty expression, Yuan Shaolin pressed the doorbell again.

Arms folded, Long Yin tapped his head, perplexed and oddly amused. He rarely saw himself so childlike.

The doorbell rang again. Long Yin counted the beats, testing the other’s patience—ten minutes, not bad. He opened the door just as Yuan Shaolin was about to turn away. “Come in.”

Yuan Shaolin’s face was icy as he turned to glare at Long Yin. Long Yin arched a brow, his eyes full of provocation. “Go ahead, you’re nothing special.”

Yuan Shaolin stared at him, the chill in his gaze palpable. Long Yin simply removed his mask, revealing the mockery and contempt written across his face. “Leaving?”

Yuan Shaolin stepped forward, grabbed Long Yin by the collar, lifting him off the ground. Their eyes met—one cold and furious, the other defiant and disdainful. Sparks flew between them. Xiao Chui, seeing Long Yin caught, bared his claws but was stopped by Long Yin’s gesture.

Long Yin gripped Yuan Shaolin’s hands, his face flushing, but he refused to back down, glaring fiercely.

Looking at the delicate face before him, Yuan Shaolin suddenly thought of the child from three years ago. In the moment Long Yin lost his voice, he kicked Yuan Shaolin in the chest, flipping backward to land steadily. Rubbing his neck, Long Yin asked, “Yuan Shaolin?”

He knew the answer.

Yuan Shaolin merely glared. Xiao Chui shut the door. Yuan Shaolin finally glanced at Xiao Chui, who bared his teeth. Yuan Shaolin placed his sword at Xiao Chui’s throat. Xiao Chui’s fur bristled as he swiped at him, but with a grunt, Yuan Shaolin struck Xiao Chui’s shoulder with the sword hilt, knocking him down. “A juvenile Chui Mountain Bear is hardly a worthy opponent!”

Provoked, Xiao Chui remembered the humiliation of being suspended and went wild, but despite his efforts, he was pinned to the ground by the sword. Only when he was gasping for breath did Long Yin step under Yuan Shaolin’s sword, forcing him to stop. “Bullying Xiao Chui—what kind of skill is that? If you have guts, go slaughter the Crown Prince now. I’ll call you lord and serve you!”

He let the fight happen because Yuan Shaolin wasn’t actually harming Xiao Chui, but the man seemed not to know when to stop.

At the mention of the Crown Prince, Yuan Shaolin’s eyes narrowed, recalling that dazzling figure—Ji Yin... Yuan Shaolin fell silent, gazing at Long Yin.

Yuan Shaolin’s reaction made Long Yin suspicious. “Do you like him?”

Yuan Shaolin’s face flushed—not from embarrassment, but anger. “Get out!”

Long Yin patted his chest, relieved, “So he likes you!” The moment the words left his mouth, Yuan Shaolin’s handsome face twisted.

“Impossible?” Long Yin paused, accidentally hitting the truth? Suddenly, he clung to Xiao Chui’s leg, laughing uncontrollably. “Ha ha~ Xiao Chui, quick, pat my back, I can’t breathe from laughing!”

Though Xiao Chui didn’t understand the joke, he played along, laughing loudly, patting Long Yin’s back and wiping his eyes—clearly tears of laughter.

Yuan Shaolin frowned, watching the laughing pair—man and pet—with a cold expression, utterly baffled. They looked as absurd as a mechanical transformer that changes shape just to swat a mosquito, shouting commands: Super pervert!

“Yin, he’s looking at you like you’re a freak!” Xiao Chui stopped laughing. He hadn’t really known why he was laughing, and under Yuan Shaolin’s prolonged glare, his laughter died. Long Yin, eyes shining with tears, looked at Yuan Shaolin.

“We have no relationship!” Yuan Shaolin spat out stiffly.

“Too obvious!” Long Yin folded his arms, chin raised, as if to say: Who are you kidding?

Yuan Shaolin irritably swept his bangs back, revealing his smooth forehead. “I said, we have nothing between us!” In a flash of swordlight, the door split in two. Yuan Shaolin walked to the threshold, head tilted. “From today, I’ll be living next door.”

He strode to the neighboring door, slammed it with a bang.

Long Yin’s playful expression instantly became serene, his gaze thoughtful.

Xiao Chui, seeing this, fetched a new door, snapped it shut with two clicks, then walked to Long Yin’s room.

“Yin, what are you thinking?”

“Seems it really is just coincidence.” Long Yin shrugged, finally releasing his worries.

“What were you laughing about earlier?”

“Nothing! Just needed a cover, and I thought laughter would provoke him more, so I laughed!” Long Yin settled on the soft bed, chin in hand. “When I mentioned the Crown Prince, his aura changed, so I just tested him!”

“So what he said was true?” Xiao Chui scratched his head.

“No!” A cunning light flickered in Long Yin’s brows. “Not that kind of relationship, but there’s definitely something. Maybe we should talk to Dean Duolin!”

“Now?”

Long Yin shook his head. “Not yet. Wait a bit! Go find Sasaki—what did he say?”

Xiao Chui shook his head. “Just surprise! But he said I’d better not go next time.”

Long Yin paused, then nodded.

He grabbed his mask and put it on. Xiao Chui lifted Long Yin onto his shoulder. Long Yin settled in, then touched the mask, curious. “Have I changed that much in three years?”

Xiao Chui frowned, his brow like two hills pressed together. “Seems so.”

Long Yin sighed. For someone like Yuan Shaolin not to recognize him after their meeting three years ago—the change must be enormous. He didn’t want to think about it.

Just as they stepped out, the door next door opened. Yuan Shaolin stood, sword across his chest, arms folded, silently watching Long Yin and Xiao Chui. Long Yin glanced back, then acknowledged him.

“A walk.”

All the way, Yuan Shaolin followed at a distance. Long Yin, bored, sprawled across Xiao Chui’s head. Where could he find someone he truly trusted?

Walking along the camphor avenue, the aged stone pavement exuded a sense of history, stretching ahead. Moonlight was clear, the breeze gentle. Unlike the blazing sun of day, many people came out at this hour, but with the academy’s students gone, only he and Xiao Chui remained. Long Yin flipped over, gazing upward. He wondered why the stars over Dezhou were always so few. Glancing at the person behind him, Long Yin felt he was suited for the night—too bad he couldn’t be trusted.

“Xiao Chui, do you remember Jian Ming?” Long Yin’s mind conjured the image of the stubborn, dark, and resilient youth.

“I do! Are you planning to save him?” Xiao Chui paused, then continued walking. That pause caught Long Yin’s attention. He narrowed his eyes, shifting from lazy to alert. “Xiao Chui, is there something you want to tell me?”

Xiao Chui stopped again, mouth opening and closing for a long time, then frustrated, he grabbed his head, set Long Yin before him, sat down, and lowered his head to match Long Yin’s gaze. “I... no... well, that... no!” Xiao Chui stammered, failing to finish a sentence, then looked at Long Yin, dejected.

Long Yin touched his mask, voice calm. “It’s about Jian Ming?”

Xiao Chui nodded vigorously.

Long Yin paused. “You met him during those two days I was locked away?”

Xiao Chui nodded again.

Long Yin climbed onto Xiao Chui’s shoulder, hugged his head. “Now that things are clearer, go ahead—I’m listening.”

Xiao Chui hesitated, then stood up, speaking as he walked. “That day, I went to find Sasaki. A bunch of people followed, so I played hide and seek with them. They couldn’t beat me, so they vented their anger on innocent people. I couldn’t help stepping in. I swear I didn’t blow my cover.”

Long Yin nodded. “What happened?”

Xiao Chui suddenly raised a fist, furious. “Those scum—especially that Bai Yi. He beat and cursed Jian Ming, then threw him into the Red Hall you mentioned. That place—I get it now. I saw Jian Ming humiliated, stripped naked, thrown onto a platform, surrounded by cheering, jeering scum. Their expressions disgusted me. Jian Ming looked so ashamed he seemed ready to smash his head and die. The hatred in his eyes was chilling—I thought he’d erupt and kill someone. But Bai Yi uttered a name, and Jian Ming could only close his eyes in pain and dance on that stage. I felt sick, even wanted to leave, but his tears as he danced made me feel pity. I don’t understand—how powerful can a name be?”

Hearing this, Long Yin understood. That name belonged to someone Jian Ming would defend with his life and dignity. As long as the other held his secret, he would forever endure humiliation.

“And then?”

“Then, I saw several men—bigger than you—” Xiao Chui gestured, and Long Yin supplied, “Burly men!”

“Yes, burly men! Several of them got on stage, then... then...” Xiao Chui shyly scratched his head. “They, they posed... mating positions...” Long Yin patted his head in understanding. For a three-year-old Chui to describe this was absurd, like a baby discussing sexuality.

“And then?”

“Oh, Jian Ming looked dead, his eyes bleeding. I was furious! Father and mother said mating is nature’s most beautiful union! What they did infuriated me! Those scum took it as entertainment—no beauty, only disgust. Their laughter stabbed my mind like needles, and I couldn’t help jumping up and beating them!”

“What about Jian Ming?” Long Yin asked anxiously.

“He? He’s fine. After I beat those scum, I smashed the Red Hall! Spit! That place should be destroyed!”

Long Yin breathed a sigh of relief, then his heart tightened. “You didn’t act overly close to Jian Ming, did you?”

“No, I smashed the place and left!” Xiao Chui’s headshake eased Long Yin’s worry. “Good, you didn’t act too familiar. Everything seems normal. They’ll probably think you were venting over being followed. But we should rescue him soon. Otherwise his humiliation will only worsen.”

“You’re not angry? They’ll come looking for trouble again!”

“Why would I be angry? You did right. Those scum disgrace the Holy Spirit—next time, beat them again. With that iceberg and his uncle Duolin backing us, they won’t dare provoke us easily. Even the Crown Prince has to think twice. He definitely won’t make a move.”

“I bet those guys will spend months in hospital, won’t have time to cause trouble. I attacked them outside, and they can’t catch me—so they’ll have to swallow their bitterness.” Xiao Chui’s smugness made Long Yin chuckle.

“That’s enough for tonight. Let’s go home,” Long Yin said with a smile.

Xiao Chui nodded, just as a fire dragon shot toward them. Long Yin’s face changed, Xiao Chui retreated swiftly. They were nearly out of range, but Long Yin sensed several deadly spikes hidden in the fire dragon. He shouted urgently, “Xiao Chui, forget me—raise your shield, quick!”

Xiao Chui raised his shield. The fire dragon struck, spikes impacting the shield, cracking it. Cold sweat broke out on Long Yin. With a crash, the shield shattered, and a spike shot toward his brow. Clearly, he was the target. With death so near, Long Yin felt strangely calm. His vast mental power surged forth, forming a line to resist the spike, but it was futile. The power drained rapidly, balance lost, the spike broke through. Long Yin closed his eyes with a bitter smile.

“Roar~ Yin!” Xiao Chui, immobilized, bellowed.

“Zzz!” Yuan Shaolin arrived, blocking the spike with his sword hilt. The spinning spike screeched, threatening to drill through the blade. Yuan Shaolin’s expression changed—this was a mechanical dark weapon, relentless until it tasted blood! Hovering in the air, he gripped his sword, holding it against the spike. Recognizing the threat, he pushed off Xiao Chui’s shoulder, kicking them out of danger while twisting his wrist, redirecting the spike toward himself. It pierced his arm, blood flowing. Sensing blood, the spike hesitated, then turned. Yuan Shaolin slapped his waist, summoning a six-star magic card: “Frozen Miles!”

A white light flashed, snow blanketing the land for miles, cold seeping through the air.

The spike was instantly frozen. All around, only ice and snow. Yet its vitality was astonishing—it started to crack the ice, pushing forward. Yuan Shaolin slapped his waist again, summoning another six-star magic card: “Hellfire!”

Ice and fire collided, ending in a tremendous explosion. A wave of air rolled toward them. Yuan Shaolin was thrown, caught by Xiao Chui’s paws.

Yuan Shaolin was spent, but the spike still wobbled forward before finally exploding.

Seeing it finally destroyed, Yuan Shaolin breathed a sigh of relief and fainted.

This harrowing night left Long Yin with tightly pressed lips. Who could it have been? His eyes gleamed with icy resolve.