Chapter 407: The System Tries to Flee!
All living things, such as flowers, plants, trees, birds, and beasts, and even a stone, a roll of toilet paper, or a pair of black stockings, all possess some amount of destiny value.
The Tianji Observation Technique, perfectly integrated from the tianji ancient jade, is a divine skill. It observes celestial phenomena and earthly geography, discerns good and bad fortune, sees through an opponent's vital energy, and comprehends the changes of heaven, earth, and man. It is extremely profound!
Although it has no combat power, its auxiliary abilities are very powerful. Shen Anyu gained it and became even more formidable.
Shen Anyu looked at Long Hao with deep eyes, a slight frown on his brow. The world in his vision had subtly transformed. The mundane colors of the airport terminal bled away, replaced by an ethereal tapestry of light. Every object, every person, was veiled in a faint, shimmering aura. A discarded plastic bottle glowed with a barely perceptible white light, the destiny of an inanimate object. The security guard by the gate had a dim, flickering yellow aura, signifying mediocre fortune.
But when his gaze settled on Long Hao, the difference was staggering.
Generally speaking, humans, as the most intelligent of all beings, have more destiny value than others. But the destiny value of ordinary people compared to that of the Child of Destiny is like a pond compared to a vast ocean—a huge difference.
Among these, green destiny value primarily signifies lifespan.
It was this very color that pulsed above Long Hao's head—a vibrant, almost blindingly bright emerald green. It was thick, substantial, and coiled like a serpent, radiating an energy that spoke of resilience and vitality.
Previously, when Shen Anyu had a killing intent, Chu Yun, the leader of the Blood Skull Mercenary Group, the Asura Demon King, and the former Child of Destiny, had the fine, hair-like green destiny value above his head instantly become precarious, like a candle flame in the wind. That thread had been so thin, so fragile, that the mere thought of extinguishing it was enough to make it waver on the brink of oblivion.
This indicates that Shen Anyu could, with a single thought, kill Chu Yun and end his life.
But now, even with Shen Anyu's killing intent simmering beneath his calm facade, the green destiny value above Long Hao's head, though somewhat faded, remained firm. It didn't waver. It didn't flicker. It pulsed with a stubborn, defiant light, indicating that Long Hao could not be killed yet.
It wasn't some abstract Child of Destiny halo; Shen Anyu, who holds the title of Destined Villain, is unafraid of halos. His very existence was anathema to them. This was something else, a tangible, physical protection.
His strength was simply not enough to kill him.
Intrigued, Shen Anyu's gaze swept towards Long Hao's father, Dragon Qing, the head of the Long Family of Sichuan, an old Martial Arts Grandmaster. The old man stood ramrod straight, his face a mask of grim fury, but the destiny value above his head told a different story.
In an instant, the green destiny value above Dragon Qing's head was like a small boat in a tsunami, on the verge of capsizing. It thrashed violently, thinning to a near-transparent thread under the passive pressure of Shen Anyu's murderous aura.
'It's not because of Dragon Qing; a mere Martial Arts Grandmaster can be instantly killed with a flick of a finger,' Shen Anyu concluded, his mind working with chilling clarity. 'The problem lies with Long Hao himself.'
His gaze sharpened, locking onto Long Hao, who occasionally turned back with a face full of anger and unwillingness. Shen Anyu's enhanced senses, honed by his cultivation, noticed something—a subtle, esoteric radiance that emanated from his neck, enveloping his entire body in a nearly invisible shield of energy.
Upon closer inspection, it was a Mo Yu Qilin jade pendant. It was carved from a piece of jade so black it seemed to swallow the light around it, ancient in form, exquisitely carved, lifelike, resembling a Mo Yu Qilin. The craftsmanship was masterful; every scale, every wisp of the mythical beast's mane, was rendered in perfect detail. It hung from a simple cord, but it felt less like an accessory and more like a living guardian, humming with a power that defied mortal understanding.
'It's because of this thing...' Shen Anyu pondered, his interest piqued.
With his current strength, he could instantly kill all three Heavenly Human masters of the Martial God Hall. He could level a city block with a wave of his hand. His power was absolute in the mortal world.
Yet, with such strength, he still couldn't kill Long Hao. What kind of treasure is this Mo Yu Qilin jade pendant? Where did it come from? Did Long Hao get it from the Investment Return System, or by chance, or does the Long Family own it? The questions swirled in his mind, forming a new vector of attack. Shen Anyu made a mental note, deciding to send people to investigate later.
A slow, predatory smile touched his lips. If his own power wasn't enough, he had other options.
Immediately, Shen Anyu smiled, a new thought forming. 'What if I use the super-divine skill Sharing and borrow my wife Susan's power?'
Having had one experience, Shen Anyu silently invoked the skill. In the Imperial Capital, hundreds of miles away, Susan would feel a faint resonance, a connection she had willingly accepted. A silent request, a silent consent. Power, raw and immense, answered his call. It surged through the invisible channels of fate that bound them, flooding his meridians in an instant.
He felt his cultivation base skyrocket, breaking through the bottleneck of the Heavenly Human realm and soaring directly to the level of a Land Immortal. The air around him grew heavy, crackling with an unseen energy. A pressure that could make mountains tremble descended upon the airport terminal. Dragon Qing, the Grandmaster, suddenly went pale, his breath catching in his throat. His martial artist's instincts were screaming, primal terror gripping his soul as he felt an aura of absolute death wash over him.
The next moment, a light golden glow flickered in Shen Anyu's eyes as he looked at Long Hao in front of him. The world warped under his gaze. The protective barrier from the jade pendant, previously invisible, now manifested as a shimmering, translucent shell around Long Hao, but under the scrutiny of a Land Immortal, it began to vibrate violently, hairline cracks appearing across its surface.
An unexpected turn of events suddenly occurred. A cold, mechanical notification flared in his mind, bypassing all his mental defenses.
[Ding! Detected that the Investment Return System is about to detach from the Child of Destiny, Long Hao, and transfer away. Do you wish to spend six million destiny value to devour the Investment Return System? Countdown: Ten, nine, eight...]
Shen Anyu was stunned!
It was rare for Young Master Shen to be caught off guard, but this was one such moment. The system's alarm was a jarring intrusion into his calculated assault.
He had encountered System detachment before, with Qi Fan, the Child of Destiny of the Licking Dog Gold Cashback System. Qi Fan's Destiny Halo was shattered, his will broken, and he had lost his Child of Destiny status completely, which is why the Licking Dog Gold Cashback System detached and was devoured by Shen Anyu.
Yet now, Shen Anyu had just harbored killing intent and the strength to kill Long Hao, and the Investment Return System on Long Hao's body was so cunning as to directly detach and transfer? It was like a rat sensing the ship was about to sink and scurrying to find a new vessel. This System had a survival instinct.
The Investment Return System was quite valuable. If he could devour it, Young Master Shen, with his calculations, could devise many ways to utilize it. It was a golden goose, a tool of immense potential.
But, six million destiny value...
Shen Anyu's mouth twitched. The corner of his eye tightened in frustration. He had just drawn a large number of prizes yesterday, and also received the second super-divine reward, Sharing. His reserves were completely depleted. Now he had not a single drop left—well, maybe a few drops at most, barely enough to buy a lottery ticket, let alone a god-tier System.
How could he possibly come up with six million destiny value on such short notice?
[Seven, six, five...]
The countdown was relentless, each tick a hammer blow against his composure. Shen Anyu's eyes narrowed, his thoughts racing at inhuman speeds, evaluating dozens of scenarios in a single second.
Should he just watch the Investment Return System detach, transfer away, and attach to someone else, giving birth to a new Child of Destiny? A new, unknown variable that would inevitably become an enemy of Shen Anyu, the Destined Villain?
'No... It would be better to leave it on Long Hao, at least to monitor it under his nose. He knew this boy's weaknesses, his triggers, his attachments. A new host would be a complete mystery.'
In a flash, Shen Anyu had made his decision. The cold, calculating villain always chose the path of greatest control.
Shen Anyu withdrew the super-divine skill Sharing. The golden light in his eyes vanished. The suffocating pressure that had descended upon the terminal evaporated as if it had never been there. He dispelled his killing intent, sealing it deep within him. He looked at Long Hao with a kind and benevolent expression, as benevolent as could be.
Long Hao happened to turn his head. At this moment, his face was a twisted mask of anger, jealousy, and unwillingness, but he saw Young Master Shen's kind, benevolent, and compassionate expression. He was startled, then coldly snorted, "What are you doing with that expression?"
Su Hongmian immediately glared at Long Hao, her voice sharp and protective. "Don't be fierce to Brother Shen!"
[Ding! Child of Destiny Long Hao feels heartbroken, plundering +9999 destiny value!]
...
Long Hao was on the verge of tears. Su Hongmian was clearly his fiancée, betrothed since childhood, yet now she was so protective of another man.
Whether in his past life or this one, Long Hao could hardly imagine that Su Hongmian, this proud young lady, this domineering campus goddess, would have such a protective moment for her husband.
If the object of Su Hongmian's protection were him, how wonderful would that be?
Long Hao was extremely envious, his heart sour as if he'd eaten lemons.
'After dispelling the killing intent, the Investment Return System didn't transfer. It's quite a cunning System. From Long Hao's reaction, he didn't notice that it almost left either,' Shen Anyu mused internally, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Shen Anyu smiled as he watched Long Hao's sour expression and suddenly said, "Long Hao, I am Shen Anyu, Mianmian's boyfriend. I am aware of your engagement to Mianmian."
"But in this day and age, arranged marriages and betrothals are not practiced. Mianmian has the right to free love."
"Of course, as compensation, I can give you unimaginable wealth. How about it?"
Long Hao found the name Shen Anyu somewhat familiar but didn't have much impression of him; he wasn't a prominent figure he remembered from his previous life. After Su Hongmian publicly broke off their engagement in his past life, he was greatly devastated and spent his days holed up in his room playing games. Only a very, very few famous figures were known to him.
Then, listening to Shen Anyu's subsequent words, Long Hao sneered and said proudly, "I, Long Hao, don't need your stinking money."
"Shen Anyu, Su Hongmian, you two remember this: thirty years the river flows east, thirty years the river flows west. Don't bully a young man in poverty!"
"One day, I will be someone you can't even dream of reaching!"
At this point, Long Hao looked at Su Hongmian with complex eyes and said forcefully, "Su Hongmian, one day, you will surely regret breaking off the engagement, and you will be filled with remorse!"
Shen Anyu chuckled in amusement.
And Su Hongmian snorted, then actively kissed Shen Anyu's cheek. Smack! She raised her fair, delicate chin, and looked at Long Hao with proud, beautiful eyes, saying, "Regret? Compared to Brother Shen, you are far too inferior in every aspect. How could I regret it?"
"I will never regret being with Brother Shen."
"Even if you become incredibly powerful in the future, I will only love Brother Shen!"
[Ding! Child of Destiny Long Hao feels heartbroken, plundering +9999 destiny value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Long Hao's emotional storyline has been severely impacted, plundering +66666 destiny value!]
...
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]