Chapter 438: The Tsundere's Punishment
Lu Qiong's beautiful eyes fluttered, filled with curiosity. Ever since her grandfather was hospitalized, her brother Lu Ran's brows had been furrowed. Even when he forced a smile, it was bitter, filled with a deep sorrow. But now, he was actually smiling so happily?
Lu Ran didn't hide anything from his sister, his face alight with a renewed vigor she hadn't seen in months. "Qiong Qiong," he said, his voice brimming with excitement, "Brother Shen told me to work hard. He said he's going to cultivate me, to give me a future."
A genuine, beautiful smile bloomed on Lu Qiong's face, her eyes curving into delicate crescents. The sterile, antiseptic smell of the hospital ward, which had been a constant source of dread, suddenly seemed to fade away. "Go, Brother," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I believe in you."
Watching the hope return to her brother's eyes and thinking of her grandfather, who now had a chance at recovery, Lu Qiong's mind involuntarily conjured the image of Shen Anyu. His handsome face, the calm, confident set of his jaw, the depth in his eyes that seemed to hold the universe—it was all etched into her memory. A powerful wave of gratitude, mingled with an obvious admiration, washed over her.
'Brother Shen… Thank you,' she thought, her heart swelling. 'Thank you for single-handedly changing our family's destiny.'
As if summoned by her fervent emotions, a crisp, mechanical tone echoed in Shen Anyu's mind.
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Lu Qiong's favorability +5!]
[Plundered +15,000 Destiny Points!]
…
Seated in the back of the silent, gliding Rolls-Royce, a faint, satisfied smile touched Shen Anyu's lips. 'Long Hao, what a perfect assist you turned out to be.' He was in an exceptionally good mood.
The ornate, wrought-iron gates of Jiangjing Manor, each bearing a stylized dragon emblem, swung open without a sound. The Rolls-Royce Phantom proceeded down a private lane paved with smooth, dark stones, flanked by ancient willow trees and meticulously manicured gardens.
As the undisputed number one villa in all of Modu, Jiangjing Manor was less a home and more a private kingdom. It sprawled across more than ten thousand square meters, a breathtaking fusion of classical Yanxia architecture and modern luxury. Graceful pavilions with curved eaves stood beside serene koi ponds, their surfaces shimmering like liquid jade. It was a princely estate built for a modern-day emperor.
The property boasted nine separate villas, yet the value of the manor itself was dwarfed by its contents. The furniture, the decorations, the priceless calligraphy scrolls and ancient paintings, the museum-quality antiques—each piece was worth a fortune.
Shen Anyu, of course, resided in the magnificent Villa Number One. He shared its sprawling halls with his dedicated little maid, Ruan Lingshan, and his two adorable apprentices, Yang Luoluo and Zhong Lingyin. Recently, his Second Senior Sister, Liu Ruyan, and his aunt, An Zhiyue, had also taken up temporary residence there during their visit.
As for Ye Linyuan, the so-called Child of Destiny of the seven Goddess Senior Sisters, he was relegated to the much smaller, though still luxurious, Villa Number Two. Shen Anyu would never allow a pest like that to live under the same roof as his women. The boy was permitted to come over for meals, and that was the extent of his hospitality.
Furthermore, within Villa Number Two, Shen Anyu had "thoughtfully" arranged a roster of elite tutors for him. They covered every conceivable subject—advanced calculus, classical literature, multiple foreign languages, quantum physics, chemistry, art history, and even physical education. They taught him day and night, a relentless academic assault designed to ensure his "comprehensive development in moral, intellectual, and physical aspects."
After all, who told Ye Linyuan he was lucky enough to revert to childhood? A child's primary duty, naturally, was to study.
Inside Villa Number Two, Ye Linyuan stared at the mountain of homework piled high on his mahogany desk. The complex equations swam before his eyes, mocking him. He gritted his teeth, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
'Damn you, Shen Anyu!' he cursed internally, his small fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. 'When I finally break this curse and regain my strength, I swear I'll bury you in a mountain of homework, you absolute scoundrel!'
In his heart, Shen Anyu had become his number one enemy, a position second only to the accursed Martial God Hall that had inflicted this humiliation upon him. His hatred wasn't just born from the academic torture; it was fueled by a burning, possessive jealousy. Shen Anyu was Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan's boyfriend, and he was disgustingly close with both Fifth Sister Zhong Lingyin and Seventh Senior Sister Yang Luoluo.
The seven Goddess Senior Sisters were supposed to be his. They belonged to him, Ye Linyuan!
When rivals meet, their eyes burn red with envy.
But then, the memory of Shen Anyu's battle against the three Heavenly Human experts from the Martial God Hall surfaced in his mind, and a chill of despair doused his anger. The sheer, overwhelming power Shen Anyu had displayed was terrifying. Ye Linyuan's brows furrowed in frustration. How could that man be so impossibly strong?
Forget his current powerless state; even if he recovered his peak strength, he knew it would be a desperate struggle to even stand against Shen Anyu, let alone win.
"Third Senior Sister… where are you?" Ye Linyuan whispered, his gaze turning to the bright moon hanging in the night sky. He let out a pained, lonely howl.
Third Senior Sister, the Divine Doctor Murong Jieyu, was his only hope. Perhaps her legendary medical skills could unravel the bizarre curse that had reverted him to a child and sealed away his cultivation. But his Third Senior Sister was a wanderer, her movements as unpredictable as the wind. Ye Linyuan had pleaded with Yang Luoluo, Zhong Lingyin, and even the cold Liu Ruyan, but none of them knew her whereabouts. Even Shen Anyu, with his vast resources, claimed he couldn't find her.
Was he doomed to be trapped in this child's body for the rest of his life? How could he possibly pursue his seven Goddess Senior Sisters like this? Especially his First Senior Sister, the ethereal Fairy Pei? The thought was pure agony.
…
From the comfort of Villa Number One, Shen Anyu glanced at a holographic screen displaying a live feed from a nanometer-sized monitoring robot. He had a perfect view of Ye Linyuan's room and happened to hear the boy's pathetic howl. A cold, amused smile flashed in his eyes.
He already had a firm grasp on Murong Jieyu's whereabouts. He simply hadn't found the time to go and collect her yet. And he certainly wasn't about to share that information with the little rat in Villa Number Two.
However, a perfect opportunity to go hunting for this Divine Doctor was fast approaching.
Mulling over these plans, Shen Anyu stepped into the grand living room of Villa Number One.
The moment he entered, he was greeted by a scene of relaxed domesticity. An Zhiyue, Liu Ruyan, Yang Luoluo, and Ruan Lingshan were all gathered on a massive, plush sofa, watching a popular drama on the wall-mounted cinema screen. Zhong Lingyin was absent, currently busy filming at Magic City Film and Television City for her upcoming concert.
Hearing his footsteps on the polished marble, the women turned their heads.
The change in the room's atmosphere was immediate. An Zhiyue's sharp phoenix eyes softened, Yang Luoluo's face lit up with pure joy, and Ruan Lingshan's adoring gaze was clear for all to see.
Only Liu Ruyan pouted her small, glossy lips, her expression a mask of disdain. She shot him a look that seemed to size him up and dismiss him as trash.
Shen Anyu's eyebrows rose slightly. 'This woman is just begging for a beating.'
Ignoring her for the moment, he turned his charming smile towards his aunt. "Aunt, congratulations on the successful capture of the Asura Demon King, Chu Yun. The name of the Yanxia Female War God has once again spread far and wide. It seems your reputation grows more renowned by the day."
An Zhiyue's phoenix eyes shot him a glare, though it lacked any real heat. "Stop with the flattery," she said, her tone brisk but unable to hide a hint of pride. "If you hadn't intervened, the Asura Demon King probably would have escaped."
She was referring to the banquet at the Modu Ji Family's estate. During his battle with her, the cornered Chu Yun had experienced a sudden, miraculous breakthrough, advancing directly to the late-stage Grandmaster realm. While he was still no match for An Zhiyue, his newfound power might have been enough to create an opening for escape.
But who told Chu Yun to have no eyes? In his desperation, he had charged straight at Shen Anyu, only to be effortlessly subdued, his meridians shattered and his martial arts crippled in an instant.
Thinking back on it, An Zhiyue couldn't help but sigh with a martial artist's respect for the phenomenon. "Breaking through in the middle of a battle… I'd only ever heard of such things in legends. I never expected to witness it myself."
Any martial artist knew how perilous a breakthrough was. The slightest mistake could lead to Qi Deviation. Minor consequences involved a severe backlash and internal injuries; severe ones resulted in immediate death. Typically, a martial artist would seek out a silent, secure room, adjust their mental and physical state to its absolute peak, and perhaps even burn incense and bathe to purify their spirit before attempting such a feat.
Yet, the Asura Demon King Chu Yun had achieved it while heavily injured and locked in a life-or-death struggle. It was simply outrageous.
Shen Anyu watched his aunt sighing with admiration and chuckled to himself. 'Who told Chu Yun he used to be a Child of Destiny?' As a former son of the heavens, of course he possessed such incredible, plot-armor-like abilities.
However, even that Child of Destiny was now a crippled waste. His Destiny Aura was shattered, his cultivation utterly destroyed. There was no chance for him to ever rise again.
"What's the verdict for Chu Yun?" Shen Anyu asked, his tone casual.
An Zhiyue, treating him as an equal, didn't hide anything. "The Blood Skull Mercenary Group may not be the most heinous dark organization, but they have a long list of bloody crimes and have harmed many innocents. As their leader, the Asura Demon King Chu Yun will absolutely face the death penalty."
She paused, then added, "But it still has to go through the official procedures. It will be at least a few months before he's executed by firing squad."
Shen Anyu nodded gently, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. He had intentionally left a sliver of life in Chu Yun during their encounter, precisely because he had sensed something unusual. He was curious to see what would happen next. He had already left a nanometer monitoring robot with the crippled protagonist and secured a drop of his blood, allowing him to use the God-Level Blood Curse Technique to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
Perhaps there would be an unexpected harvest.
What strange transformation would a former Child of Destiny undergo after having his luck shattered and his power stripped away? Shen Anyu found himself looking forward to the results of his little experiment.
Seeing that Shen Anyu and An Zhiyue had concluded their serious discussion, Yang Luoluo chimed in with a cheerful giggle. "It's such a pity I didn't go to the Ji Family's birthday banquet with Master Brother! I missed such a great show. Otherwise, I could have seen Master Brother and Sister An display their divine might!"
The little maid, Ruan Lingshan, nodded in agreement, her voice soft with regret. "Master's bearing at that time must have been incredibly impressive."
Liu Ruyan pouted her lips again, her expression silently screaming, 'What's so great about that scoundrel Shen Anyu?'
Shen Anyu's eyes narrowed, his gaze locking onto her. He decided then and there that he would properly deal with Liu Ruyan, that wretched, provocative woman, tonight.
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