My Ares Son-in-Law

"Terrible?" Xiao Chen laughed, his smile devoid of any warmth, filled only with disdain. "Is he stronger than Ao Tianchen? As far as I know, his ranking on the Celestial Ranking is considerably lower than Ao Tianchen's. Even Ao Tianchen died at my hands, so what is Jiang Xueren?"

Su Yu gave him a deep look, then said nothing more. With a flick of her wrist, she vanished like smoke, leaving only a faint voice echoing in the air: "The Mysterious Teahouse, ten o'clock tonight. Whether you go or not is up to you."

……

Not long after Su Yu left, a soft "click" came from the villa's door lock, and then the door was gently pushed open.

A girl in a beige trench coat walked in carrying two bulging takeout bags. As soon as she entered, she saw Xiao Chen in the living room. Her eyes instantly curved into crescents, and her voice was full of excitement: "Xiao Chen! I'm back! I brought you some delicious food!"

The person who arrived was none other than Yun Yuyan.

She casually placed the takeout bag on the cabinet in the entryway, kicked off her high heels, and ran barefoot to Xiao Chen. Holding up the bag like a treasure, her eyes sparkling, she exclaimed, "Look! It's your favorite crayfish and barbecue! I queued for a full half hour to get it, and it's still piping hot!"

The chill in Xiao Chen's eyes melted away, and his tone softened: "Didn't you say you had work to do today?"

"All done ahead of schedule!" Yun Yuyan carried the tray to the table quickly, her crisp voice like scattered diamonds. As she deftly set out the bowls and chopsticks, she chattered on and on, "Work is nothing compared to a good meal! I need to fill my stomach first so I can be full of energy for my career..."

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly stopped and, like an alert little kitten, moved closer to Xiao Chen, twitching her nose and sniffing carefully.

"It smells like a woman's perfume." Yun Yuyan narrowed her almond-shaped eyes instantly, her tone slightly mischievous. "It's a light, cool fragrance, with the crispness of cedar in the top notes, mixed with the warmth of white tea... Confess! Have you been seeing other girls behind my back?"

Xiao Chen was amused by her appearance and reached out to ruffle her hair: "Is your nose like a dog's? It's so sensitive!"

“That’s called a woman’s intuition boost!” Yun Yuyan wrinkled her nose smugly, then quickly dropped her teasing expression and softened her tone, “Okay, okay, I won’t tease you anymore. But Xiao Chen, you seem to be really busy lately, you’re never home.”

As she spoke, she lifted the lid of the takeout box, and the rich, mellow, spicy aroma exploded instantly, filling the entire living room and making one's tongue tingle.

Xiao Chen sat down at the table and naturally put on disposable gloves. With nimble fingers, he precisely placed the first cleanly peeled crayfish, without a single shell left, into Yun Yuyan's bowl.

Yun Yuyan rested her chin on her hand, her bright eyes fixed on him, and suddenly spoke softly, "Xiao Chen, could you teach me... what you know?"

Xiao Chen's shrimp-peeling motion suddenly stopped, and the pressure on his fingertips tightened slightly.

"Like in the movies, someone who can scale walls and take on ten people at once!" Yun Yuyan leaned forward, her eyes full of anticipation. "I know you're not an ordinary person. That night, I saw you jump off the balcony with my own eyes... that was the 28th floor!"

Xiao Chen was silent for a moment, then put the second shrimp he had just peeled into her bowl, his voice low: "That's dangerous."

“I’m not afraid.” Yun Yuyan’s eyes instantly became clear and firm, her tone serious and unwavering. “I’ve heard you have many enemies. If I can learn to protect myself, you won’t have to worry about me anymore, right?” Seeing the girl’s stubborn yet sincere expression, Xiao Chen’s eyes softened even more, and he finally nodded slowly: “Okay. But I need time to find a suitable cultivation technique for you. Your constitution is very special; ordinary cultivation techniques will not only be useless, but will also damage your fundamental health.”

"Great!" Yun Yuyan cheered instantly, pounced over without warning, and quickly kissed Xiao Chen on the cheek. Then, blushing, she scurried back to her seat, lowered her head and picked at the shrimp in her bowl, pretending to concentrate on eating, but her ears were so red they were almost bleeding.

Xiao Chen raised his hand and touched the spot where he had been kissed, shaking his head and chuckling, his eyes filled with a helpless yet doting smile.

……

At the same time, in the western suburbs of the provincial capital, beneath what appeared to be a desolate and dilapidated factory, lay a completely different world.

This is the heart of the Blood Demon Society's western division.

Jiang Xueren leaned back in a heavy mahogany armchair, casually toying with three gleaming, poisoned silver needles between his fingers. The needle tips gleamed with an eerie, ghostly blue—the very "Blue Scorpion Tears," a deadly poison concocted by the Blood Demon Society and capable of killing on contact with blood.

He looked to be in his early forties, with a refined and scholarly appearance like a university professor deeply immersed in academic pursuits. However, his eyes were unfathomable, and the occasional glint of sharpness in them was comparable to the piercing gaze of a hawk hunting its prey, sending chills down one's spine.

"Did he really say that?" Jiang Xueren's voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, revealing no trace of joy or anger.

Su Yu stood straight below, facing the Blood Demon Society branch leader without the slightest fear, and replied calmly, "Yes. Xiao Chen said that the branch leader should go to see him in person."

As soon as the words were spoken, the eight black-robed men standing on both sides of the hall simultaneously froze, their killing intent almost materializing.

Daring to receive a personal visit from the Blood Demon Society's branch leader? Xiao Chen is the first in the entire Western Region to do so!
Jiang Xueren suddenly laughed, his laughter low and hoarse.

The next second, he flicked his fingertip, and a dark blue silver needle shot out, embedding itself in a wooden pillar three meters away with a "plop." The needle's tail continued to vibrate, the echo particularly clear in the deathly silent hall.

"It's good for young people to have pride." He spoke slowly, his tone still gentle, yet carrying a suffocating sense of oppression. "But pride taken to extremes is a path to death. Su Yu, tell me the truth, putting aside his identity with the Blood Demon Society, in your personal opinion, how strong is this young man?"

Su Yu remained silent for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing, before he said in a low voice, "Unfathomable. When he killed Ao Tianchen, he didn't use ordinary martial arts, but rather... some kind of ancient and strange power. I sensed the aura of 'spirit' on him."

"Spirit?" Jiang Xueren's smile vanished instantly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and the pressure around him suddenly dropped. "Are you sure?"

"I can't be 100% sure, but it's pretty close." Su Yu raised his head, his eyes serious. "Sect Master, this person... might really have the confidence to not fear my Blood Demon Society."

Jiang Xueren slowly stood up, walked to the wooden pillar, and with a flick of his fingertips, pulled out the still-vibrating, ghostly blue silver needle. The poisonous gleam of the needle tip shimmered in the dim light, making his refined face appear even more sinister. (End of Chapter)