Chapter 443: Yan'er's Shameful Price
"The price is over there."
Shen Anyu smiled and pointed to the side.
Liu Ruyan's eyes followed his gesture, and in an instant, they widened in utter disbelief. A sharp intake of breath hitched in her throat.
There, hanging innocently on a mahogany coat rack, was an outfit that made her blood run hot with a mixture of shock and mortification. It was a maid outfit, but one unlike any she had ever seen. The traditional black and white was replaced with a deep, sinful crimson silk that seemed to drink the light, accented with delicate black lace. Alongside it hung a scarlet wig, a pair of cute, plush fox ears, and a ridiculously fluffy fox tail that promised to sway with every step.
"You… you… you want me to wear… this?" Liu Ruyan's voice was a strangled whisper, her words stumbling over each other. The heat that had started in her chest erupted across her entire face, staining her exquisitely delicate features a deep crimson. To wear this… this demonic fox maid outfit? The sheer, unadulterated shame of the idea sent a tremor through her. It was an outfit designed for humiliation, for servitude, for pure, decadent fantasy. 'Oh my goodness, no, absolutely not. I'd rather die!'
Shen Anyu's smile widened, a predatory curve of his lips that sent a chill down her spine. His eyes drank in her flustered state, clearly savoring every moment of her distress.
"As the price for giving you the Hundred-Year Zhu Fruit, for the next month, you will wear this demonic fox maid outfit and fulfill all the duties of a personal maid," he declared, his voice smooth as velvet but laced with unyielding command. "As for a maid's duties, they are very simple. Here is a manual, 'The Self-Cultivation of a Maid.' Just follow what it says. If you don't understand anything, you can ask Ruan Lingshan. She's quite the expert."
He paused, letting the words sink in before delivering the final, devastating blow. "The most crucial point, of course, is to satisfy the Master's various needs. It's not difficult at all."
His handsome face was a mask of meaningful amusement, his lips twitching uncontrollably as he fought back a laugh. Driven by his telekinesis, a small, leather-bound book lifted from a nearby table. It floated through the air as if suspended by invisible threads, slowly drifting towards Liu Ruyan before gently landing in her trembling hands.
Bewildered, her fingers fumbled with the cover. She opened it to the first page, her eyes scanning the elegant script.
It stated, in clear, unambiguous terms:
"An excellent maid must possess impeccable self-cultivation. Her primary directive is to anticipate and satisfy all of her Master's needs, without question or hesitation."
"Her duties include, but are not limited to: serving tea and pouring water, washing his feet, massaging his back, and… warming his bed…"
Thud!
The book snapped shut with a soft, final sound. Liu Ruyan's fair, charming face was now completely flushed, a shade of red that rivaled the scarlet wig. Her alluring, misty eyes, usually so full of confidence and seductive charm, were now swimming with a mixture of fury and humiliation.
"Shen Anyu, you want me to be your maid for a month?" she finally managed to say, her voice laced with incredulity. She looked at him as if he had just suggested she fly to the moon. 'Me? The eldest young lady of the Imperial Capital's Liu family? A newly minted Martial Dao Grandmaster?' Even the highest-ranking officials in the government would have to treat a powerhouse of her caliber with the utmost respect and courtesy. And he… he wanted her to be a common servant?
Shen Anyu regarded the beautiful, indignant woman before him with a lazy half-smile, his expression dripping with playful mockery.
"A Hundred-Year Zhu Fruit has extraordinary effects. It is potent enough to benefit a Martial Dao Grandmaster and even a Heavenly Human-level giant. If I were to offer this same deal to the public, how many people do you think would be willing to accept this… 'small' price?"
He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the line of applicants would stretch from the Demon Capital all the way to the Imperial Capital. Yan'er, what do you say?"
Liu Ruyan fell into a stunned silence. Her anger, hot as it was, couldn't refute his logic.
Having personally consumed the Hundred-Year Zhu Fruit, she knew better than anyone that Shen Anyu wasn't exaggerating. The fruit contained an immense, surging torrent of pure energy. It had not only allowed her to shatter the bottleneck and break through to the Grandmaster realm in a single, explosive leap, but there was still a vast reservoir of its medicinal power left dormant within her body, slowly nourishing her meridians and strengthening her foundation.
Moreover, its properties were incredibly gentle, subtly enhancing her constitution with every passing moment. Even a normal person without a shred of martial arts training could consume it to vastly improve their health and extend their lifespan by decades.
Its value was incalculable. If one were to appear at a top-tier auction, a starting bid of a billion yuan would be considered an insult. The final price would undoubtedly skyrocket into the tens of billions, with countless wealthy magnates and reclusive old monsters bidding frantically, ready to bankrupt their families for a chance at it.
And that was assuming one could even be found. It was a priceless treasure that no one in their right mind would ever willingly sell.
If the only price was to be a maid for a single month… She had to admit, let alone women, countless proud and powerful men would grit their teeth and agree in a heartbeat. The line truly would stretch from the Demon Capital to the Imperial Capital. With it, one could either become a martial arts powerhouse overnight or sell it and achieve complete financial freedom for generations.
Shen Anyu's request, when weighed against the treasure he had given her, was not excessive at all.
But… but this was different! This was a matter of pride!
A glimmer of an idea sparked in her mind. Her entire demeanor shifted in an instant. The indignation vanished, replaced by a pitiful, wronged expression.
"Husband…" she began, her voice soft and timid, her beautiful eyes welling with unshed tears. "Yan'er is your woman. Would you really be willing to humiliate me like this?"
At that moment, Liu Ruyan was no longer the alluring, slightly roguish vixen. She had shed all her defenses, appearing as delicate and fragile as a flower in the rain, a sight that would evoke pity and a fierce desire to protect in any man who saw her.
Shen Anyu simply smiled, a warm, reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He nodded.
"Of course I would."
"SHEN! AN! YU!"
The pitiful act shattered like glass. Her delicate face contorted into an indignant pout, her alluring eyes now sharp as daggers, blazing with a murderous intent that would have frozen the blood of a lesser man.
"Yan'er, surely you wouldn't want to be a liar who breaks her promises, would you? A person's word is their bond, isn't it?" Shen Anyu tilted his head, retorting with a disarming smile, completely unfazed by the suffocating aura of killing intent rolling off her in waves.
Liu Ruyan's momentum faltered. The threat had no effect on him.
Before she could formulate another protest, Shen Anyu continued in a leisurely, thoughtful tone.
"What a pity. I happen to have a Heavenly Human Breakthrough Pill in my possession. It's such a fine item… I suppose it should be given to someone who knows how to keep their promises."
As he spoke, a small, golden pill appeared between his thumb and forefinger. He began to toss it up and down in a lazy arc. A faint golden light pulsed from it, and the air filled with a fragrant, medicinal scent that seemed to invigorate the very soul.
It was, without a doubt, the legendary Heavenly Human Breakthrough Pill.
Liu Ruyan's long, charming fox-like eyes stared, first at the pill, then back at Shen Anyu's smug face. She glared at him for what felt like an eternity, her chest heaving with a storm of conflicting emotions. Finally, the fight drained out of her, and she spoke in a weak, defeated voice.
"Shen Anyu… you win. I'll be your maid for a month."
Naturally, Shen Anyu wanted to stay and watch Liu Ruyan change into the demonic fox maid outfit right then and there. However, a thoroughly mortified and enraged Liu Ruyan practically threw him out of the room. Seeing her fur bristling like an angry cat's, Shen Anyu simply chuckled and didn't insist.
The Great Young Master Shen never did anything without expecting a profit. Whatever he gave out, he would naturally take back, with interest. Cultivating a destined heroine wasn't just for his own pleasure; it was a strategic investment. Not only could he plunder immense amounts of Destiny Points, but he was also forging a powerful and loyal subordinate for the future. And a destined heroine with a high favorability score was the most trustworthy ally one could ask for.
From Liu Ruyan alone, he had already plundered hundreds of thousands of Destiny Points, a return that far exceeded the cost of a single Heavenly Human Breakthrough Pill and a Hundred-Year Zhu Fruit.
'I wonder what Liu Ruyan will look like in that demonic fox maid outfit?' Shen Anyu mused, a genuine flicker of anticipation stirring within him.
In the opulent dining room of Jiangjing Manor, the morning sun streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Yang Luoluo, Ruan Lingshan, and Ye Linyuan were already seated at the massive dining table, but none of them had touched the lavish breakfast spread before them. They were all waiting for Shen Anyu to arrive.
As Shen Anyu slowly walked in, the servants lining the walls bowed in perfect unison.
Yang Luoluo's eyes lit up, and she waved enthusiastically.
"Master Brother, good morning!"
Ruan Lingshan immediately stood up and gave a slight bow. With practiced grace, she moved to Shen Anyu's customary seat at the head of the table, pulling out the heavy chair for him and then standing by, ready to serve him as he sat down to eat.
Ye Linyuan's face tightened. Though he was seething with resentment internally, he knew he had to bow his head while living under another's roof. He forced himself to stand and offer a greeting.
"Big Brother, good morning."
[Ding! The Child of Destiny Ye Linyuan's spirit has been suppressed. Plundering +998 Destiny Points!]
"Good morning."
Shen Anyu smiled and casually patted Little Yezi's head in a condescendingly affectionate gesture. He nodded to Yang Luoluo and Ruan Lingshan, his gaze sweeping across the table. He wasn't surprised by An Zhiyue's absence.
His Aunt An was still in seclusion, solidifying her recent breakthrough. It would take at least several days. Stabilizing one's cultivation wasn't particularly difficult; it simply required a calm mind, focused spirit, and the continuous circulation of one's cosmic energy to become fully accustomed to the profound power of the Heavenly Human Unity level.
Breakfast was a meticulous creation by Jiangjing Manor's private chef, a perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine. There was a fragrant wild mushroom soup, sizzling pan-fried steak, delicate smoked fish slices, alongside an assortment of fresh fruits and decadent desserts.
"Lingshan, you don't need to serve today. Please, sit down and eat with us."
Hearing Shen Anyu's words, Ruan Lingshan looked a little puzzled, but her obedience was absolute. Without asking questions, she simply hummed a soft affirmation and took a seat beside Shen Anyu.
Shen Anyu didn't rush to eat. Instead, his gaze fell upon Ye Linyuan, and he asked in a kind, almost fatherly tone, "Little Yezi, how are your studies going?"
Ye Linyuan cursed him a thousand times in his heart. 'Damn you, Shen Anyu! Acting all high and mighty!' On the surface, however, he put on the perfect facade of a well-behaved child.
"Big Brother, it's going great. All my teachers praise me."
At this point, Ye Linyuan paused, his dark eyes looking up at Shen Anyu with a sliver of hope. "Big Brother, have you found my Third Senior Sister, Murong Jieyu? Little Yezi misses her very much."
Fearing Shen Anyu would brush him off, he quickly turned to his other side. "Little Junior Sister, you miss Third Senior Sister too, don't you?"
"Hmm? Oh! Yes, Luo Luo misses Third Senior Sister too! It's been such a long time since we last saw her," Yang Luoluo replied. She had been staring at Shen Anyu with a dazed, adoring expression, and Ye Linyuan's question took a moment to register. Once it did, she nodded repeatedly.
Shen Anyu shot a knowing glance at Ye Linyuan, amusement flickering in his heart. This kid was practically going insane trying to find the Goddess Doctor Murong Jieyu; he probably dreamed about her every night, hoping she could cure his affliction.
Unfortunately for him, what Ye Linyuan didn't know was that Murong Jieyu stood no chance of breaking the Divine-grade Curse Talisman. Hell, even Shen Anyu himself, with his God-Level Medical Skill, couldn't break it.
It was a curse, not a disease, and it was no ordinary curse. Even a specialized Daoist Master of Magic might be powerless against it.
"There are already some clues. We should find her soon," Shen Anyu replied with an easy smile. "After all, Goddess Doctor Murong Jieyu travels the world and often uses disguises, so tracking her down isn't easy. Just be patient a little longer."
Of course, Yang Luoluo had no objections.
Ye Linyuan felt a surge of unwillingness, but he was utterly helpless. He could only wait and pray that Shen Anyu was actually putting in some effort.
"Master Brother, where's Second Senior Sister?" Yang Luoluo asked, her curiosity piqued when she noticed Liu Ruyan hadn't arrived yet.
She knew Sister An was in seclusion, and Fifth Sister Zhong Lingyin had flown to Hangzhou last night for a film shoot. But Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan was still at Jiangjing Manor with nothing on her schedule. Why wasn't she here for breakfast?
Upon hearing this, Ye Linyuan's heart plummeted into an icy abyss. A terrible thought, one he had been desperately suppressing, clawed its way to the forefront of his mind. 'Could it be… could Second Senior Sister have been so thoroughly… exhausted… by that bastard Shen Anyu that she can't even get out of bed? No! No, that's impossible! It can't be!'
He refused to believe it. His mind screamed in denial.
'Second Senior Sister is pure and flawless! A goddess! Unless I see it with my own eyes, unless I see the… the foam… I won't believe it!'
Ye Linyuan's heart was gripped with an agonizing anxiety, his small hands clenched into tight fists under the table.
Shen Anyu's lips curled into a wicked smile, his eyes glinting with mischief as he spoke in a leisurely, drawn-out voice.
"She's already on her way."
He then raised his voice, calling towards the dining room entrance.
"Yan'er, are you shy? Why don't you come over quickly…"
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