Chapter 661: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road, Courting Death!
In the original novel, "Expert Descends from the Mountain," the downfall of the Yanxia Shen Family was aided by the Yanxia Yu Family, in addition to the protagonist, Ye Yan.
What are the Hangzhou Ling Family, the Jinling Jin Family, the Modu Lu Family, and the Emperor Capital Han Family? They are merely regional magnates whose influence is limited to their respective areas, their power a bubble that bursts the moment they step outside their home turf. Their authority and prestige diminish drastically with every mile they travel beyond their borders.
Can the so-called Nanshan Invincibles truly remain invincible in the sprawling metropolises of Modu or the imperial grounds of the Emperor Capital? The question answers itself. They are kings of their own small hills, nothing more.
However, families like Yanxia's Shen Clan and Yanxia's Yu Clan—clans that bear the nation's name itself—are an entirely different breed. They are the true top-tier aristocratic families, the genuine powerful clans of the realm. Their foundations run impossibly deep, their histories stretching back hundreds, even thousands, of years. They are the mighty dragons that can effortlessly suppress any local snake, no matter how venomous. Their influence is not a regional pond but a nationwide ocean.
Even the wealthiest man in all of Yanxia would have to stand and offer a toast in their presence, his status a triviality before their ancient and pervasive power.
Yanxia's Yu Clan is a behemoth on par with Shen Anyu's own Shen Clan, possessing profound and intricate networks woven through the worlds of politics, business, and even the shadowy underbelly of the Dark World. Countless prominent figures, titans of industry and government, have emerged from their lineage. Their influence is particularly immense in the Jiangnan region, where their word is practically law.
For generations, the Yu Clan and the Shen Clan have existed in a state of tense, unspoken war. Their relationship has always been strained, a history riddled with disputes and constant, simmering conflicts that occasionally boil over into open clashes for resources, territory, and prestige.
Ye Yan, the fated Child of Destiny from "Expert Descends from the Mountain," was a force of nature, but even he would never have been able to topple a titan like the Yanxia Shen Clan without the Yu Clan's crucial assistance, their resources, and their strategic sabotage.
But that was a future that would never come to pass. Ye Yan had already been dismembered and erased from this world by Shen Anyu. The ninety-nine branches of the dreaded Netherworld Palace were shattered ruins, and the formidable Shadow Alliance had been rebuilt, reforged into a weapon wielded solely by Shen Anyu's will.
Yet, Yanxia's Yu Clan remains, still thriving, their power and influence blazing brightly, like a roaring fire fed by oil, their prestige blooming like a thousand vibrant flowers.
Previously, Shen Anyu had been preoccupied. His schedule was filled with the methodical hunting of one Child of Destiny after another, his time consumed by the conquest of their Destined Heroines. The Yu Clan was a problem for another day. He had simply had no time to bother with them. But now, fate had intervened. They had crossed his path. Enemies on a narrow road. It was time to settle this long-overdue score.
A dark, predatory gleam flickered in the depths of Shen Anyu's eyes as he glanced at the name displayed on Ling Qingcheng's phone: Yu Guanxiong, Second Young Master Yu. A cold, chilling smile played on his lips, a stark contrast to the casual warmth he usually projected.
'It's also time to deal with Yanxia's Yu Clan.'
His current power was no longer just his own. His personal strength, combined with the vast influence he now commanded, had long since surpassed the combined might of the Yanxia Shen Clan and Yanxia's An Clan. In his eyes, the colossal Yu Clan, a name that struck fear and awe into the hearts of millions, was now nothing. An obstacle, yes, but one that could be swept aside with minimal effort.
In the mundane world, there was almost nothing left that could make Shen Anyu truly wary.
He used the word 'almost' for a reason. Children of Destiny, no matter how weakened or scattered, always had a knack for pulling impossible surprises out of thin air.
This was why Shen Anyu was never reckless. His methods were always deliberate, his footing impossibly stable.
On the surface, there were no forces or families left in Yanxia that Shen Anyu took seriously.
The Dragon King Society, the Shadow Alliance, the Wan Fa Sect—these were not just names; they were armies under his absolute command, vast organizations gathering countless powerful individuals, all loyal to him.
Sword Immortal Nie Yun, having shattered his limits and ascended to the rank of a Land Immortal, had honored his promise. He now served Shen Anyu, a living legend stationed at the Dragon King Society's headquarters in Jinling, a sword that could cleave mountains at his Master's command.
And that wasn't even touching upon Shen Anyu's women, each a powerhouse in her own right. Wu Shenyun was a Land Immortal. Bai Bing was a Celestial. Liu Ruyan, Luo Yuhe, and Ye Liyou were all formidable Martial Arts Grandmasters. His other women were also growing stronger at a terrifying pace, their potential blossoming under his influence.
Susan, in particular, was an enigma. Even Shen Anyu sometimes felt he couldn't see through her. Her strength was increasing by the day, a silent, terrifying growth. It was likely she would soon shatter the mortal coil to become a Martial God, entering the Dao through the path of pure combat and transforming into a true Cultivator.
In the eyes of the world, and certainly in the eyes of Ling Qingcheng, Yanxia's Yu Clan was an untouchable behemoth, a force as immovable as Mount Tai, as vast as the North Sea. But to the man standing beside her, they were already a footnote in history.
'The weather is getting cold,' Shen Anyu mused with a silent, chilling chuckle. 'The Yu Clan should be annihilated.'
...
"Okay, I agree to attend tonight's banquet at the Hilton Hotel."
Ling Qingcheng hung up the phone. A flicker of worry creased the noble, beautiful features of her face, which usually shone with the confidence of a scorching sun. A soft, almost inaudible sigh escaped her lips.
Shen Anyu chuckled inwardly. He didn't need a spy network to know exactly what was troubling her.
The head of Yanxia's Yu Clan had two sons and one daughter. His eldest son, Yu Guanying, and his youngest daughter, Yu Guannan, were both dragons among men, exceptionally talented individuals.
To be more precise, they were monstrously outstanding.
Yu Guanying, the eldest, was the undisputed leader of the young masters in the South, a leading figure of the entire younger generation. He wasn't some foppish heir coasting on his family's name; he was a genuinely capable and ruthless operator in his own right.
The youngest daughter, Yu Guannan, was equally brilliant. At only twenty-two, she was already a Martial Arts Grandmaster, a peerless beauty blessed with immense talent. In the original novel, she was one of Ye Yan's confidantes. However, Ye Yan's heart was set on his beautiful sister-in-law, Lin Keqing, and he was surprisingly devoted. Thus, Yu Guannan was fated to love him from afar, their connection destined to remain unfulfilled.
But the second son, Yu Guanxiong—this Second Young Master Yu—was the rotten apple of the bunch. He was the textbook definition of an aristocratic scion, a dissolute playboy in every sense of the word. Aside from eating, drinking, and womanizing, he possessed no other skills. He spent his days throwing his family's weight around, acting with arrogant impunity, a veritable devil incarnate who left a trail of misery in his wake.
Yanxia's Yu Clan not only tolerated his behavior but actively indulged it. After all, with a flawless heir like Yu Guanying and a brilliant daughter like Yu Guannan, their future was secure.
If the second son were also an ambitious and capable man, it might lead to a bloody succession struggle, a modern-day 'Xuanwu Gate' incident for the position of family head. That would be a true disaster.
This arrangement was not uncommon. Aristocratic families and powerful clans would often focus all their resources on cultivating a single, perfect heir, while the other children were treated as pampered parasites or, more often, as pawns for marriage alliances.
Of course, there were exceptions. An unexpected death of the chosen heir could throw a family into chaos, forcing them to hastily train a replacement. It was quite possible they wouldn't be able to cultivate a second worthy successor. Such cautionary tales were common, even in powerful nations across the sea.
These thoughts flashed through Shen Anyu's mind in an instant. He could guess the source of Ling Qingcheng's worries without needing to send a single agent to investigate.
It had to be that profligate Second Young Master of Yanxia's Yu Clan, Yu Guanxiong. He was lusting after her, his greedy eyes set on this stunning and powerful CEO.
Ling Qingcheng's identity was, by any normal standard, extraordinary. She was one of Hangzhou's top ten wealthiest individuals, the iron-fisted ruler of the Ling Group, a corporation with a market value in the hundreds of billions. As the absolute majority shareholder, her personal net worth was in the tens of billions.
However, compared to a true top-tier aristocratic family like Yanxia's Yu Clan, that wealth was a flickering candle against a raging storm. There was a vast, insurmountable chasm between them.
Facing the predatory advances of Yu Guanxiong, this mountain-like pressure, was an emotionally exhausting and bitter struggle, even for someone as capable and strong-willed as Ling Qingcheng.
Ling Qingcheng sighed again, the sound heavy with frustration. She pulled open a drawer in her mahogany desk, retrieved a leather-bound diary, and began to write.
[August 22nd, Cloudy]
[These past few days have been filled with so many troubles.]
[Company matters are the least of my worries.]
[Zhang Yaqian found a boyfriend. That was supposed to be a good thing, but this Zhao Tao is not a good match. It turns out he's a complete scumbag who's juggling multiple relationships. I shouldn't have covered for her back then. I always thought Yaqian was smart and astute, but she still fell into the trap of love. She's completely blind to his true colors.]
[How can I make her realize her mistake and minimize the harm she'll suffer?]
[All I can do is try my best to help her, to expose that man's true face before it's too late.]
[After all, Yaqian is still a student, sheltered within her ivory tower. She's intelligent, yes, but naive. She doesn't understand the wickedness of the human heart, and so she was easily deceived by a bad man. Since she calls me her sister, Ling Qingcheng, I can't just stand by and ignore this.]
[And then there's the matter of that Second Young Master from Yanxia's Yu Clan.]
[I've already had my people investigate. That Yu Guanxiong is a notorious profligate. He bullies men and preys on women. During college, he was at the center of an incident where a female counselor fell from a building. His family just made the whole thing disappear.]
[A degenerate like that acts without any restraint, yet his family background is so prominent. The Yanxia Yu Clan is like an insurmountable mountain hanging over my head.]
[Tonight's banquet at the Hilton Hotel... I must be incredibly careful. I have to deal with this skillfully. I need to protect myself from being taken advantage of, but I also can't afford to provoke him. It feels like an impossible dilemma.]
[But no matter how difficult it is, I have to do it!]
[Ling Qingcheng, you can do it!]
Ling Qingcheng closed her diary, her small fists clenched at her side, waving them gently in a private gesture of self-encouragement. For a moment, the capable and serious female CEO looked almost lively, even adorable.
Looking at the sharp, decisive penmanship before him, so different from the delicate script of ordinary women, Shen Anyu smiled.
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