Chapter 529: The Celestial Master Descends the Mountain, Full of Wisdom and Mischief!
Zhou Luyao looked down at the bustling crowd and traffic, a scene she used to be a part of.
But now, she wasn't.
Not only her, but even ordinary poor families had soared, and would never lack money again.
Money was a good thing.
Zhou Luyao had always known she was a gold-digger, but money truly had charm; it could solve ninety-nine percent of difficulties. To catch a rich husband, she had scrimped and saved to attend various socialite training classes, and had maintained her purity, remaining chaste even in her twenties. The courses were a grueling ordeal of feigned elegance and hollow smiles, forcing her to learn the names of obscure French wines she couldn't afford and the pedigrees of horses she would never ride. It was a world of superficiality, a cutthroat competition where every woman was both a predator and prey, all vying for the attention of men who saw them as little more than beautiful ornaments.
Given her beauty, she had encountered many temptations, and even more men had offered to keep her, but Zhou Luyao had rejected them all. She'd weathered the slimy propositions of pot-bellied executives who promised apartments and luxury cars, their eyes crawling over her like insects. She'd politely declined the advances of handsome but vapid second-generation heirs who offered fleeting passion but no security. Her standards were high, her goal absolute. She wasn't just looking for wealth; she was looking for a king.
And now, she had finally found him: a top-tier rich, handsome, and powerful man who exceeded her expectations tenfold, even a hundredfold. He had an illustrious family background, enduring wealth, inexhaustible money, and was also handsome, young, gentle, and considerate, perfectly fulfilling all her fantasies about a man. Shen Anyu was not just a participant in the game; he was the master of it. He didn't just possess wealth; he commanded it, wielding it with an effortless grace that made all the others she'd met seem like clumsy children playing with their parents' money.
Recalling the incident at Yang's Hotpot Restaurant, when the scalding hotpot broth was splashed, Shen Anyu had unhesitatingly shielded her, which made Zhou Luyao's eyes ripple with emotion, and her heart stir. The memory was seared into her mind—the sudden chaos, the overturned pot, the terrifying sight of boiling red oil arcing through the air directly at her face. Panic had seized her, a scream catching in her throat. But before the searing liquid could touch her, a solid form had moved with impossible speed, a wall of warmth and strength eclipsing her world. She had felt the heat wash over his back, heard the faint sizzle, yet he hadn't even flinched. He had simply stood there, a human shield, his presence an absolute declaration of protection.
At that moment, she even felt that sacrificing everything for him would be worth it. That single, decisive action had shattered the cold, calculated walls she had built around her heart. It was one thing to be bought, to be a beautiful possession. It was another entirely to be protected, to be cherished.
Every girl fantasizes about a Prince Charming arriving on a colorful auspicious cloud, and now, Zhou Luyao felt she had met her Prince Charming. Her prince didn't ride a cloud; he commanded a reality far more tangible and intoxicating.
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Zhou Luyao's favorability +3, plundering +9000 destiny value!]
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Zhou Luyao's total favorability 90, extra plundering +50000 destiny value!]
...As for whether Shen Anyu had other women? Zhou Luyao had considered this question, but she didn't care. Given her family background and status, it was impossible for her to marry into an ancient family like the Yanxia Shen Family. Being a pampered canary for Shen Anyu was already very satisfying. She was a very smart woman who knew how to make choices. To demand monogamy from a man like him would be like demanding the sun shine only for her. It was a fool's errand, an act of self-destruction. Her victory was not in possessing him exclusively, but in earning a cherished place within his world.
In fact, inside Shen Anyu's Rolls-Royce Phantom, she had seen other women's hair and smelled other women's perfume, but she hadn't shown any jealousy. Although there was some resentment in her heart, she was very well-behaved. The scent of a high-end French perfume, not her own, had once lingered on the plush leather seats. A single strand of long, platinum-blonde hair had rested on the cashmere throw blanket. A knot of cold jealousy had tightened in her stomach, but she had smoothed her expression, pushed the feeling down, and greeted him with a perfect, adoring smile. She knew her role.
'Is he with other women now? Or is he busy? I wonder if he'll come back today. Should I cook a few dishes myself?'
Zhou Luyao's eyes flickered. Determined to be a pampered canary, she was skilled in cooking and quite good at it. She knew that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach, and she intended to conquer every avenue to his affection.
"Here comes the chicken soup!"
Just then, Shen Anyu walked over with a dining cart, smiling. The voice, smooth as silk and laced with amusement, cut through her thoughts.
When Zhou Luyao saw this, her heart bloomed with joy, her beautiful eyes lit up, and she quickly walked to Shen Anyu's side, stood on tiptoe, and offered her pink lips. The kiss was soft and brief, a grateful press that spoke volumes. The sight of him, effortlessly pushing the elegant silver cart, the aroma of the rich broth filling the air, erased any lingering trace of her earlier insecurity. He was here. That was all that mattered.
Shen Anyu was in a good mood and said:
"I personally prepared this soup for you. It's not greasy, it should suit your taste."
Zhou Luyao gently bit her lip, her eyes rippling. A wave of heat washed over her, a blush creeping up her neck to her cheeks. The atmosphere in the penthouse suite shifted, the air growing thick and charged. Suddenly, her small Face flushed slightly, and she pouted in a sweet, melodious voice:
"I don't want to drink this chicken soup, I want to drink something else."
Shen Anyu raised an eyebrow. He recognized the look in her eyes, the subtle invitation in her tone. He doted on his woman, so of course, he would agree to such a request. His smile widened, a predatory yet charming curve of his lips. He moved the cart aside with a soft click and closed the distance between them, his shadow falling over her.
One breakfast lasted from morning until afternoon.
Meanwhile, at Hangzhou Airport.
Zhang Zhiyun slowly walked, pulling his suitcase, and looked at the land of Hangzhou, filled with emotion. The air here was different from the crisp, pure atmosphere of the mountain monastery of the Tianshi Sect. It was thick with the energy of mortal life, a chaotic but vibrant tapestry of sound and scent. For two decades, his world had been one of stone courtyards, incense smoke, and the rigorous discipline of Daoist cultivation. Now, he was back in the mortal coil, and the contrast was jarring.
Twenty years ago, when his Master took him away from Hangzhou, he was just a clueless little kid. Now, he had transformed into the Young Celestial Master of the Tianshi Sect, with a cultivation of a Half-Step Celestial Master, capable of summoning wind and rain, commanding spirits, mastering the Five Thunders Righteous Law, the Golden Light Mantra, and other Daoist Magic, truly like a living Immortal. Power thrummed beneath his skin, a contained storm of lightning and spiritual energy. His senses were so sharp he could hear the frantic heartbeat of a pigeon on a distant roof and feel the subtle currents of Qi flowing through the earth beneath the concrete.
"Twenty years have passed. The matter of the Hangzhou Zhang Family's annihilation must finally be resolved..."
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Zhiyun's eyes. The thought sent a murderous chill through his Daoist serenity, a frigid current in his ocean of power. The air temperature around him dropped by a degree, an invisible pressure causing a nearby child to shiver and hide behind their mother's leg.
Twenty years ago, the Zhang Family was the top wealthy family in Hangzhou, but it was tragically wiped out. Only Zhang Zhiyun, who was playing outside, narrowly escaped and was rescued by his Master, the current Master of the Tianshi Sect, who took him in as a disciple and painstakingly cultivated him. The memories were a blur of fire, screams, and the metallic scent of blood—nightmares that had fueled his relentless training for two decades.
Over these twenty years, Zhang Zhiyun diligently cultivated Tianshi Sect Daoist Magic, becoming the most outstanding successor of the Tianshi Sect in a thousand years. He had hopes of achieving the Celestial Master realm before thirty, comparable to a Martial Dao Heavenly Human, and even further, breaking through to the Land Immortal realm! He had forsaken all worldly pleasures, pouring every ounce of his being into his cultivation, driven by the singular purpose of vengeance.
Whether Martial Artist or Artificer True Person, they all lead to the same destination: Land Immortal.
Low-level Artificer True Persons were easily defeated by Martial Artists of the same rank, but after becoming a high-level Artificer True Person, they far surpassed Martial Artists of the same rank, and had a greater hope of stepping into the Land Immortal realm.
Because Artificer True Persons cultivate Mental Energy, their Mental Energy is more vast and pure, which is the key to entering the Land Immortal realm.
Although he was only a Half-Step Celestial Master, Zhang Zhiyun was confident he could fight a Martial Dao Heavenly Human. His control over the elements and spirits gave him an advantage that pure physical power could not easily overcome.
"Twenty years ago, no matter who destroyed the Hangzhou Zhang Family, I, Zhang Zhiyun, will not let the mastermind go!"
"Also, I need to find my younger sister."
Remembering his younger sister, Zhang Yaqian, Zhang Zhiyun's expression softened. The icy killing intent receded, replaced by a deep, protective warmth. She was the last fragment of his old life, the only family he had left.
After his Master, the Master of the Tianshi Sect, sent people to investigate, his younger sister, Zhang Yaqian, had not died either. She had narrowly escaped and was adopted by a family, and now she was a beautiful, lively, and cheerful young woman.
This was the best news he had received. It was the one piece of light in his world of darkness and revenge.
"And, the engagement..."
Zhang Zhiyun's eyes held a hint of helplessness.
His Master, the Master of the Tianshi Sect, had kicked him down the mountain, insisting on giving him an engagement. He only knew that the fiancée was Ji Xiaolin, the daughter of his Senior Martial Uncle Zhang Tianen, and he heard she was a very quirky girl. For a man who had dedicated his life to ascetic cultivation and revenge, the idea of marriage was a foreign and unwelcome distraction. He viewed it as another worldly entanglement, a chain that would bind his Dao Heart.
He was somewhat reluctant.
"Zhang Zhiyun, I've finally been waiting for you."
At this moment, the middle-aged courier, Zhang Tianen, walked over with a beaming smile, looking at Zhang Zhiyun with immense satisfaction. His simple work uniform couldn't conceal the pride and joy radiating from him.
This was the future son-in-law he had found for his daughter, Ji Xiaolin, the most outstanding successor of the Tianshi Sect in a thousand years. Celestial Master was not the end, and he might even have hopes of becoming a Land Immortal.
If not for his close relationship as Senior Brother with the Master of the Tianshi Sect, this engagement would not have been so easy to arrange. Who knew how many Tianshi Sect Elders coveted Zhang Zhiyun?
He was truly a son-in-law destined for greatness.
"Come, Xiao Lin, meet your fiancé, Zhang Zhiyun. Zhang Zhiyun, this is my daughter, Ji Xiaolin."
Zhang Tianen pulled a reluctant girl from behind him and began the introductions.
Zhang Zhiyun was initially somewhat unwilling, his expression calm and detached, a practiced mask of Daoist indifference. But after a glance, his eyes immediately widened, and the mask shattered. His breath hitched. A lightning bolt seemed to arc straight through his meticulously cultivated Dao Heart, and only two words came to mind:
'So good!'
His twenty years of asceticism, of discipline, of serene detachment, evaporated in an instant. He was determined to marry this fiancée!
His old Master was truly good to him!
Ji Xiaolin, standing before him, was tall and slender with long legs and a thin waist. She had a perfectly blended oval Face, both heroic and bright, with exquisite features. Her high ponytail exuded vitality and vibrant charm. She radiated a fiery, untamable energy that was the complete antithesis of his own controlled calm.
She was dressed fashionably and beautifully, especially her long white boots and white short skirt, which accentuated her stunningly long legs and skin as fair as snow, making her extremely eye-catching.
However, at this moment, her exquisite and beautiful oval Face was filled with reluctance:
"What era is this? Still arranged marriages? I'm not willing to accept some inexplicable fiancé. If I had known you were bringing me to pick up some fiancé, I wouldn't have come."
As her voice fell, Ji Xiaolin glared angrily at Zhang Zhiyun and said:
"Your eyes are practically popping out! Put away your gaze, or I'll hit you!"
She brandished her small fists, then turned and walked away, showing no Face at all.
Not far away, Shen Anyu saw this, a smile flashed in his eyes, and he followed after her...
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