Chapter 634: Liu Ruyan Comes Knocking, and the Heavenly Queen Panics!
'Where did this wild Child of Destiny come from? He's eyeing my Aunt An Zhiyue?' Shen Anyu's eyes narrowed, his gaze deep, and his expression seemed to be smiling.
Another Child of Destiny, another fool begging for death. He was feeling a bit bored lately, so he supposed he could play along. A new toy had just presented itself.
His grand machinations were all proceeding smoothly, like a well-oiled guillotine waiting for its victims. The Sword God, Ye Linyuan—that insufferable protagonist defined by his seven older sisters—was nearly a finished product, his Destiny ripe for the harvest. Shen Anyu had already laid the foundation for his complete collapse. Once the Goddess Doctor, Murong Jieyu, returned from her herb-gathering expedition in the mountains, he would claim her. After that, he would turn his attention to the ethereal Fairy Pei. The successive loss of these two crucial women would be more than enough to shatter Ye Linyuan's Dao Heart into a million pieces. The plan was flawless, a masterpiece of psychological warfare.
Then there was the fake and real young master, Xu Ping'an, the Child of Destiny blessed with a Damage Reflection Aura. The poor fool was still slaving away diligently for Shen Anyu's Dark Shadow Society, completely oblivious to the fact that he was working for his greatest enemy. There was no need to dispose of him just yet; he was a useful pawn. Besides, his associated Destined Heroines, the beautiful twin sisters Xu Ruoshui and Xu Ruoxue, had already been conquered and added to Shen Anyu's collection.
The black technology prodigy, Wei Yunteng, was another long-term investment. He was a Child of Destiny engrossed in creating the world's most advanced lithography machine, a project of immense value. His growth was slow but steady, and since he had no Destined Heroine attached to him, Shen Anyu was in no rush. He would let this particular fruit ripen on the vine until it was bursting with Destiny Points.
As for the Celestial Master Descending From the Mountain, Zhang Zhiyun… that one was a more personal project. The former protagonist had been utterly broken, his righteousness twisted into pure, unadulterated hatred. He was now fully blackened, hiding like a wounded beast in some lightless, submerged cave, dedicating every waking moment to mastering the malevolent Yin Corpse Devil Swordplay. Shen Anyu could almost picture it: the damp cavern, the echoing whispers of demonic arts, the burning obsession for revenge. When Zhang Zhiyun finally perfected the swordplay, he would inevitably unearth the Yin Corpse Devil Sword Embryo. To unleash its full power, he would have to make a blood sacrifice of his closest loved ones, birthing a monstrous sea of slaughter to wash over the world and drown Shen Anyu in its tide. And on that day, Zhang Zhiyun would finally confront his nemesis, only to discover the despairing truth: Shen Anyu was an insurmountable mountain, an opponent he could never hope to defeat. The look on his face would be exquisite.
Beyond these active targets, Shen Anyu's mind held a catalogue of future powerhouses, courtesy of the memories plundered from the Rebirth Investment Child of Destiny, Long Hao. There was the enigmatic Corpse Salvager, the formidable Jiangbei Master Chen, the wilderness survival expert Zhao Hao, and the entire shadowy organization known as the Main God Reincarnation Game. For now, the only one with a concrete lead was Zhao Hao, who was reportedly lost deep within the primeval forests of Shennongjia. They were all just names on a list, future harvests waiting to be reaped.
And of course, there was Ling Qingcheng, Zhang Yaqian's best friend. She was a suspected Destined Heroine, a loose thread that might eventually lead to another hidden Child of Destiny.
Originally, Shen Anyu had planned to take a break, to simply relax and enjoy the company of his growing harem. But the sudden appearance of this new, untamed Child of Destiny—this "Xiao Fan"—had piqued his predatory instincts. He had no intention of letting such a blatant provocation slide. More than that, the man had dared to harass his Aunt An Zhiyue. That was a line no one was permitted to cross.
A flicker of cold light danced in Shen Anyu's eyes as he focused his senses, tapping into the nanometer monitoring robot he had discreetly placed on his aunt.
'Oh? Aunt Zhiyue is just outside the Xihe Shopping Mall right now? What a fortunate coincidence. But… there are no other men near her.'
Shen Anyu's brow furrowed slightly in thought. This required a closer look. He made a mental note to dispatch someone to investigate the situation more thoroughly later.
Beep beep beep.
Just then, the sharp chime of a text message cut through the ambient noise of the mall. He glanced at his screen. It was from Liu Ruyan.
"Husband, An Zhiyue and I are at Xihe Shopping Mall, closing in on the major wanted criminal Yao Qi. This man is a Half-Step Celestial Master, completely ruthless and bloodthirsty. If we can't take him down in a single, decisive blow, his rampage will cause massive casualties. Some 'Super Soldier King' named Xiao Fan showed up to 'help,' but the guy is completely unreliable. Husband, you're in Hangzhou too, right? Can you come and help your poor, defenseless wife? Mwah."
A slow, predatory smile spread across Shen Anyu's face. "No problem," he typed back, his fingers moving with casual grace.
He then used the nanometer robot on Liu Ruyan to pinpoint her location. She was inside the very same mall, not far from where he and Zhong Lingyin were standing. He sent her a quick message with his coordinates, telling her to come over.
"Husband, what's wrong?" Zhong Lingyin, noticing he had stopped walking, looked up at him, her beautiful eyes filled with a hint of confusion. The vibrant energy of the mall seemed to fade into the background as she focused solely on him.
"Nothing important," Shen Anyu replied, his smile warm and reassuring. "Did you have fun today?"
Zhong Lingyin, however, was exceptionally intelligent and perceptive. She immediately sensed the subtle shift in his demeanor. "Husband, has something happened? Are you leaving?" she asked, her voice laced with a touch of disappointment.
Then, her expression turned serious, and she looked directly into his eyes. Her voice, usually playful and commanding, was now soft and filled with genuine emotion. "Husband, thank you. This is the happiest birthday I've had in all my twenty-five years. Thank you for being with me."
Before he could respond, Zhong Lingyin rose onto her tiptoes, her slender, elegant arms wrapping around his neck. She pulled him down and kissed him passionately, a silent and profound expression of her gratitude and joy. The shoppers bustling around them became a blurry backdrop, some casting glances of open envy, others with a bitter twist to their lips.
When they finally parted, a genuine look of pleasure graced Shen Anyu's handsome face. His mood, already good, had lifted even higher. Sometimes, the simplest moments between a man and a woman—a shared walk, a quiet conversation, a stolen kiss in a crowded mall—were more satisfying than any grand conquest.
"I'm not leaving," he said, his voice a low murmur meant only for her. "Not even the apocalypse itself could interrupt me celebrating your birthday with you. But something is about to happen. Just stay close to me."
"Mhm! I'll stay right by Husband's side," Zhong Lingyin promised, her eyes curving into joyful crescents. A wave of relief washed over her; she had been so sure he was about to leave. As long as she was with him, she feared nothing. She had absolute faith that her man would protect her from anything.
"Being by my husband's side, I'm not afraid of anything," she declared confidently, linking her arm through his once more.
It was at that exact moment that a lazy, sultry voice drifted into her ears, a voice so familiar it sent an electric jolt through her entire body. Her delicate frame went rigid, and the color drained from her face.
"Heh heh, Shen Anyu. Haven't seen you for a few days, and you've already found yourself a new lover. Why don't you introduce us?"
Liu Ruyan sauntered towards them, her every step a masterpiece of graceful, predatory elegance that drew the astonished gazes of everyone nearby. Her long, charmingly foxy eyes were tilted upwards, fixed on Shen Anyu and the stunning woman with fiery red lips and vibrant orange-red hair beside him. A playful, dangerous half-smile danced on her lips.
Zhong Lingyin's body trembled violently, and a film of cold sweat almost broke out across her fair forehead.
Her worst nightmare had just come true!
Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan was here, and she had caught her being intimate with Shen Anyu!
Zhong Lingyin's mind flooded with vivid, terrifying images of her Second Senior Sister's wrath, of being berated and called a 'stray cat' who stole from her own family. The strength fled from her legs, and she felt an overwhelming urge to drop to her knees and beg for forgiveness right there on the polished mall floor.
"Don't panic," Shen Anyu's calm voice cut through her terror. He gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze, a hint of amusement flashing in his dark eyes.
'What is she so panicked about?' Shen Anyu thought. 'We're all fellow disciples. Fourth Junior Sister Ye Liyou is already clashing with Liu Ruyan head-on, and even the youngest, Yang Luoluo, is surprisingly courageous.'
As for Shen Anyu himself, he felt not a single shred of panic. This was just another Tuesday.
His simple words and steady presence were an anchor in her storm of fear. Zhong Lingyin managed to calm herself, her frantic heart slowing its pace. 'That's right,' she told herself, 'I'm in disguise. My makeup skills are top-tier; I'm practically a different person. There's no way she'll recognize me. Even Second Senior Sister, standing right in front of me, won't know.'
She took a sliver of comfort from Liu Ruyan's expression. If her Second Senior Sister had truly recognized her own Fifth Junior Sister shopping so intimately with her man, her reaction would have been far more explosive than this cool, teasing observation.
But the guilt was still a crushing weight in her chest. Zhong Lingyin remained flustered, her head bowed, not daring to meet Liu Ruyan's inquisitive gaze. She felt like a mistress caught red-handed by the rightful wife—a wife who just happened to be her own formidable Second Senior Sister.
Shen Anyu found the entire situation deeply amusing. Still holding Zhong Lingyin's small hand tightly, he turned to Liu Ruyan with a charming smile. "You can call her Anna. Anna, this is Liu Ruyan. Call her Elder Sister."
Anna was the foreign name Zhong Lingyin often used.
"S-Senior... Sister Ruyan," Zhong Lingyin stammered, forcing the words out under Shen Anyu's expectant gaze. She kept her head down, terrified that even a moment of eye contact would betray her identity.
In front of any other woman—be it a top-tier powerhouse like Wu Shenyun, a cold beauty like Bai Bing, or an innocent princess-like elf like Zhang Yaqian—the Heavenly Queen Zhong Lingyin would never be flustered. But with Liu Ruyan, she was crippled by a profound sense of guilt, the unshakable feeling that she had stolen something precious from her own sister.
"Anna, hmm?" Liu Ruyan purred, crossing her arms over her chest in a gesture of proud authority. Her gaze slanted down at the timid woman. "She looks so hot and fashionable, yet she's as timid as a mouse." A playful curve touched her lips, the expression of a fox toying with its prey.
However, because Zhong Lingyin had obediently called her 'Sister Ruyan,' the ice in Liu Ruyan's expression thawed slightly. If this new woman knew her place, kept her head down, and didn't try to contend for favor, then she could be magnanimous. Liu Ruyan was pragmatic; she knew her scoundrel of a husband was anything but faithful. He had far too many women, and she couldn't possibly waste her energy being jealous of every single one.
"Yanyan," Shen Anyu said, extending his other, unoccupied hand towards Liu Ruyan with a slight smile.
Liu Ruyan let out a soft, melodramatic huff, shooting him a glare that was more flirtatious than angry. She then placed her tender, jade-like hand into his much larger one.
And so, Shen Anyu continued his stroll through the mall, a breathtaking beauty on each arm, holding the hands of both Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Xiao Fan, is consumed by envy and jealousy. Plundering 9,999 Destiny Points!]
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