The Birth of a Villainess

Leaving their courtyard, Qu Xing Xu stopped walking when he passed the people under Lin Xiaofei. He glanced at them and said, "Take care of my wife and call the physician once again. Tell him that if he comes a second late, I shall cut his arms off."

Bai Lu and Jing Chu stared at each other, before they simultaneously and vigorously nodded their heads in fear. The look he gave to them when he spoke of cutting the doctor's arms was so intense that they thought that the air around them got thinner.

The maids scurried faster than they could ever think of and looked for the physician's chamber. 

On the other hand, Shen Mo, the guard who was left behind by the maids swallowed hard when he saw Qu Xing Xu getting closer to where he stood.

"And you…" Qu Xing Xu began, "Next time, don't let my wife out of your eyes. Keep watch on her and protect her from anyone at all times." He took a pause and added, "If you dare try to shirk from your duties, I don't see any reason why I have to keep you alive."

Shen Mo's eyes shook.

"Do you understand?" Qu Xing Xu asked.

The guard nodded his head, sweat started to appear on top of his forehead. 

After getting what he wanted, Qu Xing Xu left the place and went back to the study. There were still no guards standing guard outside, and the place looked extremely eerie. The lights coming from the candelabra in the wall swayed along the wind, elongating the shadows and making them appear alive.

Passing through the empty corridor, Qu Xing Xu took off his robe and went to wash his hands when suddenly, one of the fires from the candle was extinguished by a passing gush of air.

Just a second ago, it was only Qu Xing Xu who occupied the whole study, but after that slight change of air, the shadows beneath Qu Xing Xu moved. Then, a figure flew out of it.

Kneeling on the ground, Gu Yan lowered his head immediately. 

"Master!"

"You have come."

"Apologies master. I wasn't able to come sooner and prevent you from revealing yourself." As someone created from the shadows beneath Qu Xing Xu, Gu Yan felt ashamed of himself and didn't get there as soon as possible and help his master.

By all means, Qu Xing Xu was more powerful than he is, and he could easily thwart any enemy who came close to him. However, that wasn't what Gu Yan was worrying about. 

His concerns were far more than just that. 

Now that his master broke the chains that were restricting his unique and dark aura trapped inside his body, there won't be any guessing around how many clans and people who wanted to meet and fight with his master to determine who was stronger.

Waving his hand to dismiss the concerns of his closest aide, Qu Xing Xu patiently said, "It doesn't matter."

"But--!"

Qu Xing Xu cut him off and continued, "This is my choice… I chose to marry and reveal myself to them in order to protect my woman. Instead of being afraid of discovery, I shall become something to be feared."

Gu Yan furrowed his brow. He really wanted to disagree with his master. His master was not someone who should be feared like a plague or a beast. He was just an ordinary man who was fated to have a different life to lead because of his birth.

For the past fourteen years, Qu Xing Xu suppressed his inner demons. Like a surging water that broke out from a dam, they kept on knocking him forward, to take and accept the darkness within him. However, Qu Xing Xu persevered and kept them all in chains. He refused to be controlled by the devil that was living inside him, and became what his mother didn't want him to become before she died.

But sometimes, one cannot just help it, but to reveal oneself to protect someone dear to them.

And just like earlier, when Qu XIng Xu saw Lin Xiaofei bleeding, something inside of him clicked, as if there was a switch that was turned on and made him use his powers - powers he inherited from his father.

From birth till his mother's death, he always thought that he was the son of the reckless and harebrained Duke. The duke was extremely different from the previous duke, Qu Xing Xu's grandfather, and would take part in dishonest and amoral activities such as bribing other officials, visiting the brothels endlessly, day and night, and sold information about the empire to the rivaling kingdoms.

All these atrocious crimes could exterminate nine generations of the Qu family, but the previous gallant Duke used all his might in the battlefield and died there with heroic devotion and victory that the previous emperor pardoned Qu Xing Xu's sins with only him having to face death by dismemberment.

Wiping the water from his hands, Qu Xing XU threw the towel to the side and turned to look at the head guard still kneeling on the ground.

He rolled his eyes, annoyed that Gu Yan was too uptight on himself. Of all his shadow guards that were created from the darkness within him, Gu Yan was the closest to him and the closest one whom you would think of being a real human when you first see him.

And Gu Yan was also the first one he created after he killed his mother due to the sudden power surge that flew out of him.

"Stop kneeling already." Qu Xing Xu couldn't help but growl, massaging the skin between his eyebrows when he saw that Gu Yan still did not rise. "Alright, tell the others they can leave the tower and go back to their posts after they take their punishments.."

After hearing that, Gu Yan stood up and dusted off the dirt from his clothes, as if nothing happened.

"Thank you, milord!" Gu Yan cupped his hand and was about to turn around to leave and tell his subordinates that they could leave the tower when Qu XIng Xu halted him.

"Wait," Qu Xing Xu uttered, making the old guard stop. "After you're done making a trip to the tower, you will be absolved of your duty to protect me and instead, you will now stay by Xiaofei's side." 

Gu Yan opened his mouth, intending to protest against his master's decision, but one hand held up from Qu Xing Xu was enough to stop him from uttering a word.

"Do not make me repeat myself. Go."

"But what about you, master?"

Raising a brow, Qu Xing Xu said, "I'll be fine… I just have to make a quick trip to the Bai manor."