Chapter 160: Xuan Long Is Restless

The sun is rising rapidly, spilling light across the calm forest, but Xuan Long couldn’t calm down.

He sat in front of a flowing river, his emerald eyes half narrowed, his tail slowly swaying behind him, a clear sign that he was angry.

That fox... that cunning Rong Ye.

He could still hear his words echoing in his mind that shameless, smug tone when he dared to say he would warm their female.

Just remembering it made Xuan Long’s scales prickle.

He had almost lost control right there. His blood had boiled, and his instincts had screamed to strike, to silence that arrogant mouth forever.

If Su Qinglan hadn’t been there, he might have done it.

But then he thought of her, the way she smiled at them, the way she looked at him with those soft eyes.

If he killed the fox, she would be sad. Maybe she would even hate him.

And that... he could never allow.

So he swallowed his fury, forced it down his throat like bitter fruit, and let the fox live.

But then... Rong Ye just had to go too far.

Not only did he mock him, but that sly fox had the nerve to laugh and say that he couldn’t lay snake eggs.

Snake eggs!

Xuan Long’s jaw tightened as his tail thumped against the ground, forming a crack.

He had lived for years...hunted, fought, and survived every danger, and now this little fox dared to make fun of him like that?

No. He wasn’t going to let that go so easily.

If he couldn’t kill him, he could at least teach him a proper lesson.

After all, he wasn’t a fool. He had survived this long not because he was gentle, but because he knew how to handle someone like him.

So when the others were asleep and no one was watching, he found the fox.

Rong Ye barely had time to blink before Xuan Long’s tail wrapped tightly around him, dragging him out of the cave to properly give him a treatment.

"You like teasing others, don’t you?" He thought, "Let’s see if you can still tease when you can’t move."

The fox yelped once, but then the sound was muffled.

Xuan Long was careful...every hit, every move was precise. He didn’t leave any marks on the fox’s skin. No bruises, no scratches. He was careful not to hurt him too badly.

He knew Su Qinglan wouldn’t like it if she found out they fought. Females didn’t like their beastly husbands fighting; she had said that before.

He didn’t want her to see him as savage or cruel.

So he made sure the punishment was clean, silent, and invisible.

But inside, he was completely cold.

That was the thing about Xuan Long... gentle to the one he loved, deadly to everyone else.

When he finally let the fox go, Rong Ye was trembling, his face pale and his tail puffed up like a frightened cat.

And that was when Xuan Long saw it that long, soft, fluffy tail that the fox always used to seduce their female.

Something inside him snapped.

With a dark smile curling on his lips, he reached out and tore off a patch of the fox’s tail fur.

The fox’s eyes widened in horror.

Xuan Long tilted his head slightly, amusement flashing across his cold face.

"Doesn’t that tail of yours like to wave around in front of my female?" he said quietly. "Let’s see how you’ll do that now."

He flicked the torn fur aside and watched the fox scramble away, muttering something under his breath.

For the first time in the entire morning, Xuan Long felt a little lighter.

Finally... some peace.

At least the fox would keep his distance for a while. And until that tail grew back, there would be many quiet days.

A faint, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

But as the calm settled in, something else crept into his mind, a colder, more dangerous thought.

The fox’s teasing words still lingered.

Maybe that sly creature wasn’t entirely wrong.

He was restless lately. Too restless.

Ever since his mating period had started, his body had been acting strange; his blood was hotter, and his instincts were stronger.

And every time Su Qinglan smiled or touched him, he had to fight to stay still.

He didn’t want to scare her.

He didn’t want to hurt her.

But what if one day, he couldn’t control it?

What if he lost his mind and forced her into something she didn’t want?

The thought made him go cold all over.

No. He couldn’t risk that.

He’d rather suffer alone than ever see fear in her eyes because of him.

So maybe the fox was right about one thing: it was better if he stayed away until his mating season passed.

He leaned back against the stone, staring at the faint calm river. His expression softened slightly, but his voice was still cold when he whispered to himself,

"I’ll stay alone for a while... until it’s safe. For her."

Then, slowly, the wicked smile returned to his lips.

"At least the fox won’t wag his tail around her for a few days."

After that Xuan Long closed his eyes but , he saw her.

Her face. Her voice. Her scent.

"Lan Lan..." he muttered, his voice low and rough, like a growl scraping out from his throat. "You’re testing my patience..."

He clenched his fists tightly until his claws cut into his palms.

He had tried to control it. He really had. But every breath he took seemed to carry her scent. Every thought he had led back to her.

His body tensed as he shut his eyes again, forcing himself to calm down...but it was useless.

The more he tried to stay still, the more he thought of her soft skin, her warm voice, and the way she looked at him with trust.

That trust was the only thing keeping him from losing control.

He needed to distract himself. Anything.

If he didn’t find something to focus on soon, he might really go insane.

And then, suddenly, he remembered.

That female.

The one who had dared to harm his female.

A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face, his emerald eyes flashing with a cold light.

Ah... right. She was supposed to be sent away from the tribe this morning, wasn’t she?

He had been the one to suggest it.

Because this was the only way to make sure she never came back.

"Female..." he whispered, his tone soft but filled with venom. "You touched what’s mine."

His eyes darkened, glowing faintly in the light.

"You breathed the same air as her. You made her cry. You thought you could walk away after that?"

The smile vanished, replaced by something colder, deadlier.

"I, Xuan Long, do not give permission for your life."

And then, in the next moment, the man was gone.

Where he had been sitting now coiled a massive emerald serpent, his scales glimmering like polished stone, his emerald eyes glowing with a deadly calm.

The snake raised its head, tongue flicking out once, tasting the air.

He knew where he would find her, and in no time, the huge snake disappeared from its previous spot.