Chapter 576: Shen Anyu is the Eldest Son of the Yanxia Shen Clan?
"Shen Anyu, let's go." Noticing Zhang Zhiyun's killing intent towards Shen Anyu, Ji Xiaolin's expression changed slightly, and she quickly pulled Shen Anyu's hand to leave.
"Friend, we'll meet again when we have time. Thank you for the sixty billion you gave me." Shen Anyu smiled and greeted Zhang Zhiyun, who was then forcibly pulled away by a worried Ji Xiaolin. "Ji Xiaolin, don't pull me, ouch, what are you doing?"
The manager, waiters, and even the few remaining customers in YUHE Pavilion scattered like startled birds. A suffocating pressure was emanating from the lone figure standing in the center of the grand hall, and they scrambled to escape, terrified of being caught in the crossfire of whatever storm was brewing.
Within moments, the vast, opulent manor of YUHE Pavilion was deathly silent. Only Zhang Zhiyun remained, a solitary statue of pure fury.
His handsome face, once a mask of calm confidence, was now contorted into a shade of thunderous black, as if a storm cloud had descended from the heavens to settle upon his features. The air around him grew heavy, charged with a terrifying aura that seemed to press down on the very floorboards, making the crystal chandeliers tremble. The temperature in the hall plummeted, a bone-deep chill seeping into the rich mahogany and velvet drapes. It was the absolute zero of a man's pride being shattered into a million pieces.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Zhang Zhiyun, has undergone moderate blackening after repeated blows from the host, plundering +300,000 destiny value!]
…
"Shen Anyu… you deserve to die!" The words were not shouted, but ground out from between clenched teeth, a low, guttural promise of violence that hung in the air like poison.
Zhang Zhiyun's fists tightened, the joints popping with a series of sharp, cracking sounds that echoed unnervingly in the empty hall. His knuckles turned white, veins bulging along his forearms like thick ropes. A crimson fire ignited in the depths of his eyes, a raw, murderous intent that swirled and burned, promising a painful end to the man who had so thoroughly humiliated him.
How could he not understand? At this very moment, the pieces clicked into place with horrifying clarity. The auction, the bidding war, Shen Anyu's casual provocations—it was all a meticulously crafted scheme. He hadn't been a rival; he had been a prop. A clown, dancing on strings pulled by Shen Anyu, performing for an audience of one. The sixty billion was not a loss in a fair contest; it was the price of his own public disgrace, a monumental tribute to his own foolishness.
A wave of violent energy surged through him, screaming for release. He wanted to hunt Shen Anyu down, to tear him limb from limb. If it weren't for the brutal lesson he'd learned at the hands of the Master of Myriad Dharma Sect, a painful memory that had branded the virtue of caution into his very soul, he would have already unleashed his power and reduced this entire manor to dust.
He stared with venomous intensity at the doorway where Shen Anyu and Ji Xiaolin had disappeared. His gaze was a physical thing, a pair of invisible daggers trying to pierce their retreating backs. For a long, agonizing time, he stood motionless, letting the poison of his hatred brew. Finally, his face a mask of grim determination, Zhang Zhiyun pulled out his phone. His fingers moved with stiff precision as he dialed a number given to him by his Master from the Tianshi Sect. The man on the other end was Zhou Yunhu, a notorious underground kingpin in Hangzhou and, more importantly, an outer disciple of the Tianshi Sect.
Zhou Yunhu was a man of immense influence, his network of connections and sheer power making him the uncrowned emperor of Hangzhou's underworld. But everyone knew his throne was built upon a foundation of fear and respect for his backer—the mighty Tianshi Sect.
The call connected almost instantly. "Zhou Yunhu, this is Zhang Zhiyun."
A voice, slick with deference and surprise, immediately answered. "Oh my, Young Sect Leader! You actually called personally. Do you have something to instruct? Whether it's going through fire or water, I, Zhou Yunhu, will not say no. Just give the word!"
"I want you to investigate someone," Zhang Zhiyun's voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. "The former boss of YUHE Pavilion manor, Shen Anyu!"
Bang!
The sharp, distinct sound of a phone hitting the floor echoed through the receiver, followed by a series of sharp, panicked gasps. Zhang Zhiyun's brow furrowed, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes.
"You know Shen Anyu?" he asked, his tone deepening with suspicion.
He was genuinely taken aback. Zhou Yunhu was no pushover. He was the lord of Hangzhou's shadows, a man who commanded legions of ruthless subordinates in his Yunhu Association. For him to react with such visceral shock, to drop his phone simply at the mention of a name… what kind of terrifying background did this Shen Anyu possess?
After a long, pregnant silence from the other end, Zhou Yunhu's voice finally returned, laced with a bitterness and a fear that was impossible to fake.
"Young Sect Leader… I, Zhou Yunhu, don't know who Shen Anyu is personally. But I know that behind YUHE Pavilion manor is the Yanxia Shen Clan. Presumably, that Shen Anyu… he must be from the Yanxia Shen Clan."
He paused, taking another shaky breath before continuing, his words tumbling out in a rush.
"Recently, a new force, the Dragon King Society, has become unbelievably strong. They've developed at a terrifying pace, almost completely dominating the six provinces and one city of Jiangnan. They're suppressing my Yunhu Association to the point where we can't even lift our heads, we're teetering on the brink of collapse. I was originally thinking of asking you, Young Sect Leader, for help with this very matter."
"The current spokesperson for the Dragon King Society is named Luo Yuhe. She's a great beauty, but also a terrifying Martial Dao Grandmaster. It is said… it is said that she is the woman of the Yanxia Shen Clan's Eldest Young Master, and the Dragon King Society's true backing is the Yanxia Shen Clan."
Zhou Yunhu's voice dropped to a near whisper, heavy with dread. "Perhaps… that extremely mysterious and low-profile Eldest Young Master of the Yanxia Shen Clan… is precisely that Shen Anyu."
Yanxia's Shen Clan!
The name struck Zhang Zhiyun like a physical blow. His frown deepened, his expression turning grave. He remembered conversations in the hallowed halls of the Tianshi Sect, hushed words from his own Master, listing the colossal entities that could stand on equal footing with them—the true super-powers of the nation. The Yanxia Shen Clan, a thousand-year-old aristocratic family with roots buried deep in the country's history, was always on that list.
'Shen Anyu is actually the Eldest Young Master of the Yanxia's Shen Clan?' The thought sent a jolt through him. This complicated things immensely. A direct confrontation was no longer just about personal pride; it could ignite a war between two behemoths.
This was… tricky.
But then, the image of Ji Xiaolin's hand in Shen Anyu's, of her panicked expression as she protected him, flashed through his mind. The budding caution was instantly consumed by a tidal wave of possessive fury.
"Hmph, no matter who he is, anyone who takes my fiancée, Ji Xiaolin, must die!" he snarled after ending the call. His face was a ferocious snarl, his eyes bloodshot with rage and jealousy.
The thought of Ji Xiaolin, the woman he had fallen for at first sight, being so intimate with another man was like a blade twisting in his gut. The way she had shielded Shen Anyu, her instinct to protect him from Zhang Zhiyun's own killing intent… it was an unbearable betrayal. A dull, throbbing ache pulsed in his chest, a pain far worse than any physical wound.
'Publicly killing Shen Anyu would surely cause a huge uproar,' he schemed, his mind racing. 'It would pit the Tianshi Sect against the Yanxia's Shen Clan head-on, which would be unwise. My master would never approve.'
A slow, cruel smile stretched his lips, transforming his handsome face into something sinister. 'Heh heh, but for a Master of arcane arts, why would I need to kill head-on?'
The air around him seemed to curdle with his malevolent thoughts. 'Shen Anyu, I, Zhang Zhiyun, have a hundred ways to make you die a miserable death without anyone ever knowing. I will curse your soul, rot your flesh from the inside out, and make you beg for an end that will never come!'
His mind became a workshop of dark arts, brewing curses and hexes as his gaze turned chillingly cold.
…
Meanwhile, Ji Xiaolin urgently pulled Shen Anyu's hand, her steps quick and anxious as she rushed toward the parking lot.
"Shen Anyu, leave quickly," she urged, her voice tight with worry.
"What's wrong? Why so urgent?" Shen Anyu asked, a picture of feigned ignorance.
Ji Xiaolin shot him an exasperated look, rolling her eyes. "Didn't you see Zhang Zhiyun's gaze just now? He practically wanted to kill you! I forgot to tell you, he is the Young Sect Leader of the Tianshi Sect, a Half-Step Celestial Master. If he wants to kill you, even with bodyguards, it would be difficult to resist. Masters of arcane arts have countless strange and terrifying methods; they don't need to act openly to curse someone to death from a distance."
"So, you're worried about me?" Shen Anyu's playful smile returned. He tightened his grip on her hand, smoothly pulling her closer until her front was almost pressed flush against his chest.
The sudden proximity stole her breath. They were so close she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, could see the flecks of light dancing in his dark eyes, could feel his warm breath ghosting across her forehead. Startled, her heart gave a violent lurch. She instinctively tried to retreat, taking tiny, flustered steps back, feeling utterly disarmed by the sudden intensity in his gaze. It was aggressive, possessive, and left no room for escape.
Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. A delicate blush, the color of a spring peach, bloomed across her bright, melon-seed-shaped face and crept down her neck. Her signature high ponytail swayed with her agitated movements.
Ji Xiaolin's eyes darted away, unable to meet his piercing stare. She took a small, steadying breath, but the memory of Zhang Zhiyun's gloomy, chilling expression flooded her thoughts, overriding her embarrassment. Her delicate brows furrowed with genuine concern. Pushing aside her shyness, she adopted a serious tone.
"Shen Anyu, be careful recently. And get more bodyguards. I'm not joking."
"You still haven't answered my question," Shen Anyu's voice was a low, teasing murmur. He held her small hand firmly, refusing to let go. "Are you worried about me?"
Ji Xiaolin struggled against his grip, but it was like trying to move an iron clamp. Frustrated, she stamped her foot. "I'm not worried about you!" she retorted, her voice rising in a grumpy huff. "I'm afraid Zhou Luyao would be sad if you died! You're not my boyfriend, so why would I care?"
The sentence was so saturated with jealousy it was practically dripping with acid.
If Ji Xiaolin still couldn't tell that Shen Anyu was interested in her, she would have to be completely brainless. But their situation was a tangled mess. She couldn't deny the good impression she had of him, a feeling that had been complicated and intensified during the Wan Fa Sect kidnapping incident, where a strange twist of fate had thrown them together in the most intimate of ways. Overwhelmed and afraid of the awkward aftermath, she had used a memory-confounding spell, a clever bit of magic to trick Shen Anyu into believing their encounter was nothing more than a vivid dream.
Truthfully, with her rebellious and daring personality, she didn't really care that she had a fiancé she despised, nor did she care that Shen Anyu had a girlfriend. Those were just details. What she craved was an explanation, a definition. What was she to him? A momentary prey he was hunting for sport? A plaything to be discarded? Or was she someone he genuinely liked?
She had originally considered undoing the spell, of confessing everything to Shen Anyu. But then she hesitated. If Shen Anyu didn't truly like her, what was the point? It would only lead to more humiliation.
It was better to just let it be a dream.
Shen Anyu looked at Ji Xiaolin, whose beautiful eyes were now shimmering with a mixture of resentment and obvious jealousy, and he smiled.
"If I asked you to be my girlfriend, would you agree?"
"I… I…" Ji Xiaolin was instantly flustered, her carefully constructed defenses crumbling. She had never expected him to be so direct, to throw the question she desperately wanted—and feared—to hear right at her feet.
"What are you two doing?"
Their entanglement delayed them for some time, and Zhang Zhiyun also walked out of YUHE Pavilion, just in time to see this scene, instantly turning green with anger.
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