Chapter 292: The Fall of a Titan! The Shen Family's True Dragon Awakens!
At this moment, inside the collapsed ruins of the underground prison beneath the Jiangjing Manor.
The scene was nothing short of apocalyptic. It looked as if a tactical nuclear warhead had detonated in a confined space.
The walls, originally constructed from military-grade reinforced alloy designed to withstand bunker-busting missiles, were twisted and torn like wet paper towels. Massive steel beams were bent into grotesque shapes, groaning under the strain of the collapsed ceiling. The ground was scarred with shocking craters, some still glowing a dull, angry red from the residual heat of the [Thunder Attribute] attacks, emitting thin wisps of acrid smoke that smelled of ozone and pulverized concrete.
Whether it was the enchanting Liu Ruyan, the innocent Yang Luoluo, or Aunt Xiao and the other elite Shen Family guards who had rushed over from the surface... they all stood frozen in place.
They looked at Shen Anyu with wide, trembling eyes, filled with shock, disbelief, and a profound sense of awe that bordered on religious terror. It was as if they were hallucinating, unable to process the reality before them.
"What? You... you actually killed a [Heavenly Human]?"
On Liu Ruyan's charming, lazy face—usually marked by a cynical smile or a seductive smirk—her rosy little mouth was slightly open in a perfect 'O'. Her peach blossom eyes darted frantically between the pristine young man and the broken corpse at his feet.
Shen Anyu stood amidst the wreckage like a god of war who had just finished a morning stroll.
He was still as handsome as jade. His expensive white cashmere sweater was spotless, not a single speck of dust, grime, or a drop of blood stained his perfection. His hair was perfectly styled, and his breathing was even and calm. He looked like he had just stepped out of a high-end fashion magazine shoot or a leisurely tea ceremony, not a life-and-death battle that had shattered the very foundations of the manor.
In stark contrast, the corpse lying next to him told a different, horrifying story.
It was Tian Yunzi. The legendary Master. The bogeyman of the martial arts world.
His body lay twisted in an unnatural angle, his chest caved in by a force that defied imagination. His white robes were tattered and stained with dark blood.
However, even though he had lost his life aura, his corpse still exuded a terrifying, suffocating pressure. The [True Essence] of a [Heavenly Human] did not dissipate easily. The air around the body seemed heavier, denser, as if gravity itself was warped by his lingering resentment.
It was like standing next to the corpse of a legendary Dragon. Even dead, its remaining prestige made all beasts submit and tremble.
Liu Ruyan felt her knees shaking. As a [Grandmaster], her senses were sharp, which only made the fear worse. Her instincts were screaming at her that the thing on the ground was a monster, and the man standing over it was an even greater monster.
Shen Anyu smiled slightly, brushing an invisible speck of dust from his sleeve with elegant nonchalance.
He casually pointed to Tian Yunzi's corpse with the tip of his polished leather shoe, as if pointing at a bag of trash.
"This person is Tian Yunzi. The Supreme Palace Master of the [Netherworld Palace]."
"The Netherworld Palace has committed many evil deeds over the decades, causing numerous bloody cases both domestically and internationally. They were a cancer in the dark world. I recently uprooted their organization, destroyed their base, and this person came to assassinate me in retaliation."
Shen Anyu paused, his smile turning slightly colder.
"Unfortunately for him... he overestimated himself and underestimated the Shen Family. I killed him on the spot."
Palace Master of the Netherworld Palace!
Tian Yunzi!
Liu Ruyan's brain buzzed with white noise. A chill shot up her spine, freezing her marrow.
With her status in the hidden martial arts world, how could she not know about the Netherworld Palace?
It was one of the few super forces in the international Dark World. A name whispered in fear by assassins and warlords alike. It was rumored that its Master was a peerless expert at the [Heavenly Human Unity] level—a realm that Liu Ruyan, a mere [Grandmaster], could only dream of reaching in this lifetime.
A [Heavenly Human] was a strategic deterrent. They could fly short distances, mobilize the power of heaven and earth, and slaughter an army alone. Even some small and medium-sized countries dared not offend the Netherworld Palace, fearing the assassination of their heads of state.
But now... Shen Anyu had casually stated that he had uprooted them? Destroyed their legacy? And killed their god-like leader single-handedly?
Liu Ruyan really wanted to question it. She really wanted to shout, "Impossible!"
But the evidence was right there. The corpse's remaining aura chilled her bones. Just standing near it made her internal [True Qi] sluggish and fearful. Only a [Heavenly Human] could possess such power after death.
"He... he really did it," Liu Ruyan whispered, her voice trembling. "He killed a legend."
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Liu Ruyan's favorability +10. Reward: Plundered +30,000 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Destined Heroine Liu Ruyan is filled with fear, awe, and submission. Reward: Plundered +6,666 Destiny Value!]
...
At this moment, Liu Ruyan's charming eyes looked at Shen Anyu, and her gaze had fundamentally changed.
It was no longer the shame of a woman teased by a playboy, nor the annoyance of a senior sister dealing with a rich kid. It was filled with deep admiration, fear, and a strange, magnetic attraction that she couldn't control.
Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac in the martial arts world. And Shen Anyu sat at the very apex of power.
So young. Yet able to kill a martial arts giant at the [Heavenly Human] level without receiving a scratch? This man... was a monster. A beautiful, terrifying, perfect monster.
"Master Brother! You are so amazing! Luo Luo was so worried just now! I thought the house was collapsing!"
Yang Luoluo didn't overthink the political implications or the power scaling like Liu Ruyan. Her reaction was pure and direct.
She cheered, her bright, clear eyes shining like stars in the night sky. She looked at Shen Anyu with unadulterated worship.
"I knew Master Brother was the strongest! Even a [Heavenly Human] is no match for you! You are invincible!"
It seemed she had made the best decision of her life to join his sect. Her Master was a god walking among men.
To be able to kill a top expert at the [Heavenly Human Unity] level at such a young age, and to do so with such ease—this was a complete crushing victory. Such an existence was legendary. It would rewrite the history books of the Yanxia martial arts world.
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Yang Luoluo's favorability +6. Reward: Plundered +18,000 Destiny Value!]
Aunt Xiao and the other Shen Family guards were also trembling—not with fear, but with ecstatic loyalty and pride.
Their chests puffed out. Their eyes burned with fanaticism.
Their Young Master was a True Dragon! With such a leader, the Shen Family would reign supreme for another thousand years! Who would dare challenge them now?
Shen Anyu smiled, enjoying the harvest of adoration and Destiny Points. He felt the gazes upon him, weighing the shift in their loyalty and affection.
He was just about to say something humble to cement his image when a piercing ringing sound broke the heavy silence.
Ring-ring! Ring-ring!
It was the secure satellite phone in Aunt Xiao's hand.
Aunt Xiao's gaze swept over the caller ID. Her expression immediately became respectful, solemn, and slightly nervous. She bowed deeply and handed the phone to Shen Anyu with both hands, as if offering a sacred artifact.
"Young Master... it's the Old Family Master's call!"
The Old Family Master. Shen Dingguo.
Shen Anyu's paternal grandfather. An elder statesman of the Yanxia Country, a living legend who had steered the Shen Family through turbulent decades of war and peace. He lived in seclusion in Beihai, the center of political power, but his eyes watched everything.
Shen Anyu took the phone. His demeanor shifted instantly. The arrogant "Villain" vanished, replaced by the "Dutiful Grandson."
"Grandpa."
"Anyu!"
Shen Dingguo's strong, authoritative voice came from the other end, laced with rare anxiety and urgency. The background noise suggested he was in a command center.
"Were you assassinated? I received a red alert from the Modu military monitoring station! They detected seismic activity and high-energy fluctuations at the Jiangjing Manor!"
Such a big commotion—explosions, seismic tremors, the leakage of [Heavenly Human] aura—could not be concealed from the satellites and military sensors. This was the city center of Modu, the economic heart of the nation!
If it weren't for Shen Anyu's special status suppressing the news, there would probably have been a swarm of police, SWAT teams, and special forces surrounding the place by now.
Even Shen Dingguo, far away in the Imperial Capital, was startled. Shen Anyu was the only male heir of the third generation. He was the future of the Shen Family. If anything happened to him, the Shen Family would go mad and burn the world.
"Yes, Grandpa," Shen Anyu replied calmly, his voice steady. "The Palace Master of the Netherworld Palace, Tian Yunzi, came to assassinate me just now."
On the other end of the phone, there was a sharp intake of breath.
"Tian Yunzi?! That old monster? Is he crazy? He dares to touch my grandson?!"
Shen Dingguo's voice rose in fury. "Where are you? Are you safe? Are you injured? I'm sending the Azure Dragon Special Forces immediately! I will flatten the Netherworld Palace!"
"Grandpa, relax," Shen Anyu chuckled, his tone light. "Everything is fine now. You don't need to send anyone."
"I have already killed him on the spot."
Silence.
Dead silence on the secure line.
The static of the connection was the only sound.
After two or three minutes—which felt like an eternity—Shen Dingguo's voice rang out again. It was still full of vigor, but now it carried a deep, trembling tone of disbelief and shock that he couldn't hide.
"Anyu... who did you say you killed?"
"Tian Yunzi. The [Heavenly Human] expert. The Master of the Netherworld Palace."
"..."
"Are you... joking with your old man?"
Even though Shen Dingguo had seen countless storms, wars, and upheavals, even though he had commanded armies and negotiated with world leaders, he still couldn't process this information.
His own grandson? A twenty-year-old boy? Killed a [Heavenly Human]?
That was impossible. It defied martial logic. It was like saying a single soldier destroyed a nuclear aircraft carrier with a pistol.
"Anyu! Are you hurt? Is your mother there? Let me speak to Xiao!"
The anxious voices of Shen Anyu's mother, An Zhiyi, and his father, Shen Yunlong, crowded into the call, filled with panic and disbelief.
"I'm fine. Mom, Dad, don't worry. Not a scratch."
Seeing that his family was struggling to believe him (understandably), Shen Anyu found it a bit amusing.
"Grandpa, switch to video mode. I'll show you the trophy. Seeing is believing."
He switched the call to video.
He panned the camera around the ruined dungeon, showing the devastation, the melted steel, the shattered concrete.
And finally, he focused the camera on the twisted, pressure-emitting corpse of Tian Yunzi.
"Hiss..."
Through the screen, the Shen Family elders gasped in unison.
They recognized the face. Despite the blood and distortion, the aura was unmistakable. It was indeed the legendary Tian Yunzi. The nightmare of the older generation.
Dead. Like a dog.
Shen Dingguo stared at the screen for a long time, his eyes wide. Then, slowly, a flush of red spread across his face.
He threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!"
The laughter was thunderous, filled with pride and relief.
"My Shen Family has produced a Qilin child! A true dragon has risen!"
"With Anyu here, who dares to touch my Shen Family? Tian Yunzi? He was just a stepping stone for my grandson!"
"This news... this news will shake the capital! But we will keep it suppressed for now. Let them guess! Let them fear!"
The old man was ecstatic. He felt twenty years younger. He planned to "inadvertently" drop hints to a few old rivals in the capital later. This was the ultimate flex. His grandson had surpassed the older generation.
After a few more words with his parents, reassuring them that he would visit the capital soon for the Annual Meeting, Shen Anyu hung up the phone.
He felt good.
Getting rid of Ye Yan (the protagonist) and Tian Yunzi (the master) was a major burden lifted from his mind. The "Master Descends the Mountain" arc was officially closed. The threat was neutralized.
And his [Destiny Value] had skyrocketed.
[System Notification]
[Current Destiny Points: 8,950,000+]
"Just over one million short of ten million," Shen Anyu calculated internally. "The System Upgrade is close. Once I reach Level 4, the shop will unlock [Immortal Cultivation] items."
He put the phone away and turned his gaze back to the women.
He looked at the adoring Yang Luoluo, whose eyes were filled with stars.
He looked at the awestruck Liu Ruyan, whose complicated gaze betrayed her chaotic heart.
He looked at the loyal Aunt Xiao, who was ready to die for him.
Shen Anyu smiled, a predator satisfied with his hunt.
"The night is still young," he thought, a different kind of hunger rising in him. "The battle is over. Now, it's time for the celebration."
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