Chapter 158: Stepping In to Discipline

"Y-You, don't come any closer! I know there are regulations between you people and the secular world—martial artists are not allowed to make a move against ordinary people in the secular world. The fact that you injured my bodyguard just now is already breaking the rules. Aren't you afraid of facing punishment?!"

Long Hao stepped backward while speaking to Xiao Yu.

Hearing this, Xiao Yu merely smiled faintly, yet his pace did not stop at all as he continued to walk toward Long Hao.

"Stop right there!"

Just as Xiao Yu was about to reach Long Hao, a sharp shout suddenly echoed from the crowd. Immediately afterward, a black figure darted out from the throng and, in the blink of an eye, arrived in front of Long Hao, shielding him behind his back. Following the appearance of this figure, several more figures leapt out from the crowd, landing respectively around Xiao Yu and surrounding him.

These individuals were actually the covert guards arranged by Long Hao's grandfather, Long Hao, to protect him in secret. Every single one of them was an ancient martial artist nurtured by the Long family. They had always been kept hidden in the shadows by Long Hao, so even Long Hao himself had no knowledge of this elite team.

Long Hao knew his grandson's character and disposition all too well, because every time Long Hao caused trouble, it was always Long Hao who stepped in to handle it. Toward this grandson of his, Long Hao felt a mix of fondness and helplessness. Whenever Long Hao went out, he would always dispatch a few covert guards to follow closely by his side to ensure his safety.

"The Long family's covert guards?"

Xiao Yu felt not the slightest bit of surprise at these suddenly appearing individuals. After all, as a scion of the Long family, it would be utterly unreasonable for him not to have a few experts protecting him in secret. Furthermore, Xiao Yu had sensed the presence of these people from the very beginning, which was why his expression remained completely devoid of shock.

"As a member of the martial world, Your Excellency has actually resorted to making a move against ordinary people. Don't you think you are going a bit too far?"

The middle-aged man standing before Long Hao looked at Xiao Yu with a solemn expression. He had witnessed Xiao Yu's previous strike with his own eyes, and thus he knew that the young man before him might possess an even greater strength than his own. However, seeing that their young master was in constant danger of being threatened, they had no choice but to step forward and intercept Xiao Yu.

"That is where you are wrong. If your family head knew that the person teaching your young master a lesson today was me, he would probably be overjoyed rather than upset," Xiao Yu said indifferently.

"I don't care who Your Excellency might be, but protecting the young master is the duty of us covert guards. If Your Excellency still refuses to stop, then do not blame us for being discourteous!"

As the middle-aged man finished speaking, the covert guards surrounding Xiao Yu instantly assumed offensive stances. The surrounding onlookers had never witnessed such a spectacle before and, fearing that they might be implicated, retreated far into the distance.

At this moment, the bar lobby was indescribably quiet. The deafening music and shout-casting from earlier had ceased at some point. Aside from the timid patrons who had already fled, those who loved watching the excitement and feared no chaos remained right where they were.

Looking at the covert guards surrounding him, Xiao Yu suddenly wore a faint smile before calmly saying, "Very well, let me see today just how far the Long family's covert guards have progressed."

With Xiao Yu's words trailing off, the middle-aged man knew this matter could not be resolved peacefully. He waved his hand immediately, signaling the surrounding men, who let out a furious roar and charged straight toward Xiao Yu.

Several figures leapt into the air simultaneously, each kicking out with their right leg. Whether in movement or posture, their attacks were completely identical.

Seeing the coordinated attack, Xiao Yu stood completely motionless. It wasn't until their right legs were about to strike him that Xiao Yu's figure inexplicably vanished from the spot.

Upon seeing this, the middle-aged man was greatly startled and hurriedly shouted to the covert guards, "Fall back quickly! Defend!"

Yet right as the middle-aged man's words fell, Xiao Yu's vanished form reappeared directly behind one of the covert guards, striking out with a single palm.

Although warned by the middle-aged man, that covert guard had no time to dodge whatsoever. He took the full force of Xiao Yu's heavy palm strike, his body crashing violently onto the floor.

The remaining men wore expressions of utter shock at the sight. They quickly landed back on the ground and once more charged toward Xiao Yu.

Their figures intertwined and flashed continuously. Even Xiao Yu could not help but nod inwardly at this display of coordinated combat technique.

"It seems your covert guards have learned to use this set of combination combat methods quite flexibly. It really comes as a bit of a surprise to me," Xiao Yu said with a smile, standing atop a glass table. With a flash of his movement, he arrived directly in front of the covert guards. His right hand, which had been clasped behind his back, lashed out like lightning to grab the center of their formation, and with a sudden tremor of his torso, a powerful aura instantly blasted all the covert guards backward through the air.

In barely a few dozen seconds, the covert guards had all been thoroughly defeated by Xiao Yu's hands. This left the middle-aged man nearby utterly appalled. Among these covert guards, the weakest possessed the strength of the mid-stage Martial Dao realm. In terms of single combat, any one of them was fully capable of matching ten specially trained soldiers.

Was the strength of the covert guards lacking? No, it was not. Their instantaneous defeat was simply because they had encountered Xiao Yu—the very instructor who had once taught them ancient martial arts for a period of time.

"Y-You, exactly who are you?" the middle-aged man asked in astonishment, staring at Xiao Yu.

"Who I am is not something a person of your status is qualified to know. I heard that your young master relies on his status as a descendant of the Long family to stir up trouble everywhere. Since that old codger Long Hao dotes on him and can't keep him in line, today I, Xiao Yu, will discipline him in his stead. When you return, just tell Long Hao that my name is Xiao Yu!"

Before Xiao Yu's voice had even faded, the middle-aged man felt his vision blur, followed immediately by the sound of a crisp, loud slap. The middle-aged man was immensely shocked and quickly spun around. To his horror, the vanished Xiao Yu had somehow already appeared directly in front of Long Hao.

At this moment, Long Hao was dumbfounded, holding his stinging cheek. Combined with Xiao Yu's still-raised hand, even the most foolish middle-aged man could tell that their young master had just been slapped right in front of him.

"Y-You actually dare to hit me! I am from the Long family..."

Before Long Hao could finish, Xiao Yu's raised hand descended once more, landing a heavy blow across Long Hao's other cheek.

"Y-You... You... Wah..."

At this moment, Long Hao felt an overwhelming sense of grievance. Ever since he was born, he had been treasured by his family like a precious jewel—scolded by none and struck by none. Yet today, he had been slapped across the face twice in a row. The grievance in his heart surged like a breached floodgate, completely out of control.

"Hmph, hitting you is for your own good, so you can learn that one must not be arrogant in this world! The Long family can protect you for a lifetime, but if you provoke someone you shouldn't, even your grandfather won't be able to help you!"

At this moment, Xiao Yu was lecturing Long Hao like an elder, but how could Long Hao possibly take in a single word Xiao Yu was saying? After all, he was merely a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth.

For a time, the only sound left in the quiet lobby was Long Hao's loud, sobbing wails.

Xiao Yu shook his head helplessly and walked back to where Gu Jian and the others were standing.

"Let's go. I've ruined your mood again tonight," Xiao Yu said. Without waiting for a reply from Gu Jian and the others, he turned directly on his heel and strode out of the bar.

Seeing this, Gu Jian and his companions felt somewhat helpless and quickly hurried to follow Xiao Yu. Just as Xiao Yu reached the doorway, the middle-aged man's voice rang out urgently.

"May I know your esteemed senior's name?!"

"The War King, Xiao Yu!"