Chapter 688: So What if He's the Crown Prince of the Yu Clan?
"Shen Anyu, even if my second brother, Yu Guanxiong, did something wrong, he is still a direct descendant of Yanxia's Yu Clan and my, Yu Guanying's, biological younger brother. I wouldn't say anything if you just beat him up, but making him kneel in public? Such humiliation... do you even put the Yu Clan in your eyes?"
Surrounded by the throng of shocked onlookers, Yu Guanying approached with powerful, deliberate strides. Each step seemed to crush the marble floor, his presence radiating an oppressive authority that silenced the murmurs around him. His eyes, sharp and piercing like crackling bolts of electricity, locked onto Shen Anyu with a chilling intensity. The air grew thick, heavy with unspoken threats and the weight of a top-tier clan's fury. He stopped a few feet away, his voice dropping to a frigid, menacing tone that cut through the silence.
"If you cannot give me an explanation for this matter," he declared, each word a chip of ice, "then don't blame the Yu Clan for refusing to let this rest!"
With a masterful twist of rhetoric, he completely glossed over the fact that Yu Guanxiong had attempted to drug a woman, a crime that would disgrace any family. Instead, he framed the entire incident around Shen Anyu's retribution—forcing a direct descendant of the Yu Clan to his knees. He skillfully painted Shen Anyu as the aggressor and the Yu Clan as the victim of a public, unforgivable humiliation, effectively seizing the moral high ground and turning the tables.
Every eye in the grand hall swiveled to Shen Anyu. A suffocating tension descended as the city's most powerful figures held their collective breath, their minds racing. What would he do? Would he bow to the pressure from Yanxia's Yu Clan, a titan of the southeast, and resolve the conflict peacefully? Or would he escalate, refusing to back down and plunging two of the nation's most formidable families into open war? The fate of Hangzhou's power structure seemed to hang on his next words.
Under the crushing weight of a hundred scrutinizing gazes, Shen Anyu's reaction was one of breathtaking audacity. He didn't even spare Yu Guanying a glance. Instead, he reached out with a fluid, possessive motion and pulled the stunning CEO, Ling Qingcheng, into the secure embrace of his arms. The act was so casual, so dominant, it was a silent declaration that Yu Guanying's threat meant less than nothing to him. A faint, masculine scent of sandalwood and confidence enveloped Ling Qingcheng, and she felt a jolt as his strong arm wrapped around her waist, her body flush against his. She froze for a split second, her mind going blank. Only then did Shen Anyu turn his head slightly, a lazy, charming smile playing on his lips as he addressed the furious Crown Prince.
"For Ling Qingcheng," he said, his voice calm and dangerously smooth, "let alone making Yu Guanxiong kneel... what if I killed him?"
What if I killed him?
The words, spoken so lightly, detonated in the dead-silent hall like a nuclear bomb. A wave of audible, stuttering gasps rippled through the crowd. People stared, their eyes wide with disbelief, their jaws slack. The air, already thick with tension, seemed to crystallize, freezing everyone in place. Kill a direct descendant of the Yu Clan? For a woman? Had he gone mad?
Looking at Shen Anyu, whose handsome face remained fixed in that infuriatingly nonchalant smile, everyone felt a profound sense of shock that bordered on vertigo. Whether they were the enraged members of the Yu Clan entourage, the bewildered Ling Qingcheng held tight in his arms, or the assembled dignitaries and business tycoons who thought they had seen it all—they were all utterly, completely floored by his declaration.
Yu Guanxiong was not just anyone. He was a Second Young Master of Yanxia's Yu Clan, the son of the current clan head. The power of the Yu Clan was an almost mythical force. Their network was a sprawling, deeply rooted behemoth, with high-ranking officials emerging from their ranks generation after generation. Some of them held positions of such immense authority they could sway the very direction of the nation. In the southeastern territories of Yanxia, their influence was absolute. They were a coiled, slumbering dragon, and for decades, no one had dared to even think of stroking its scales, let alone threatening to cut off its head.
Yet here was Shen Anyu, not merely stroking the dragon's scales but openly threatening to slaughter one of its kin. And he did it directly in front of Yu Guanying, the clan's designated heir, the man known everywhere as the Yu Clan's Crown Prince. It wasn't just a challenge; it was a slap in the face so vicious and public that it was impossible to ignore. Was he truly giving the Yu Clan zero face?
Even Yu Guanying, for all his composure and political maneuvering, was visibly startled. His mind reeled for a moment, unable to process the sheer audacity. 'Did I hear him correctly?' He stared at Shen Anyu, a flicker of genuine disbelief in his eyes. 'He wants to kill Guanxiong? For a woman? He's willing to start a blood war with my clan... over this?'
The assembled guests held their breath, their hearts pounding in their chests with a mixture of terror and morbid excitement. This was no longer a simple dispute over a personal grievance. This was a direct confrontation between two of Yanxia's most powerful aristocratic families. Were they about to witness the opening salvo of a war that could shake the country to its core? All for the beautiful, ice-cold CEO, Ling Qingcheng?
"A crown for a beauty... truly a crown for a beauty!" Zhang Yunhai sighed from the side, a complex expression of admiration and envy on his face. If only his own precious daughter, Zhang Yaqian, could find a man with even half of Shen Anyu's backbone and devotion. A man who would defy the heavens for her.
Nearby, He Yiyi watched Shen Anyu embrace Ling Qingcheng, a bitter, resentful pang twisting in her heart. The sight was a dagger to her soul. But then, a hopeful, desperate thought bloomed in the darkness of her mind: 'If I were the one in danger... would Mr. Shen treat me the same way? Would he risk everything for me?'
As if sensing her turbulent emotions, Shen Anyu's gaze flickered away from Yu Guanying for a fraction of a second, and he sent a small, reassuring smile in her direction. It was a fleeting gesture, but for He Yiyi, it was like the sun breaking through a storm. Her pretty face instantly lit up, the bitterness melting away, replaced by a radiant, charming joy that was almost blinding. 'He does care about me! Mr. Shen cares!' The thought was so sweet it made her giddy.
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine He Yiyi's favorability +3. Plundering 9,000 Destiny Points!]
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Ling Qingcheng's favorability +10. Plundering 30,000 Destiny Points!]
Ling Qingcheng's heart felt like it was going to beat its way out of her chest. She was profoundly, deeply moved. The feeling was overwhelming, a warm current flooding every inch of her being. She had navigated the ruthless world of business, seen the ugliest side of human nature, and never once had she imagined that a man would be willing to declare war on a titan like the Yu Clan for her sake. The sheer, uncompromising power of his protectiveness was an intoxicating poison.
If her best friend, Zhang Yaqian, wasn't standing as an unspoken barrier between them, Ling Qingcheng didn't dare to imagine how quickly she would fall, how hopelessly and completely she would lose herself to him.
She lifted her head, her gaze tracing the sharp, handsome line of his profile. His eyes were fixed on his opponent, but his arm around her was an unwavering anchor. In that moment, he seemed larger than life, a bastion of strength she could hide behind. The resentment and humiliation she had felt after he had forcefully kissed her in the mall had long since evaporated, replaced by a confusing, thrilling warmth.
Even Yu Guannan, standing with her brother, found herself looking at Shen Anyu with a strange light in her star-like eyes. He had just threatened to murder her second brother, and she should be filled with nothing but rage. Yet, she had to admit, seeing him stand there, shielding Ling Qingcheng from the world, he possessed the obvious bearing of a great man, a true sovereign. The sight stirred an unwilling flicker of admiration within her.
'But he is the enemy!' The thought was a splash of icy water. Yu Guannan's expression instantly turned cold, the brief admiration snuffed out. She was no silly, romantic girl to be swayed by a grand gesture. Her family's honor was at stake. The warmth in her gaze vanished, replaced by a hostile frost. A sharp, clear killing intent began to emanate from her.
"Shen Anyu," she bit out, her voice laced with steel, "you are going too far!"
Yu Guanying finally snapped out of his shock, his mind recovering its tactical sharpness. A hidden glint of triumph flashed in the depths of his eyes. Shen Anyu's arrogant threat had played right into his hands.
Originally, with his brother being the one who tried to drug Shen Anyu's woman, the Yu Clan was in the wrong. He could act unreasonably towards common folk, trample them underfoot without consequence, but against someone of Shen Anyu's standing, decorum was necessary. There were unwritten rules between the great clans.
But now? Shen Anyu hadn't just made Yu Guanxiong kneel; he had threatened to execute him. With such unbridled aggression, the moral high ground was now completely his. He could retaliate, and none of the other top clans could say a word against it. Shen Anyu had handed him the perfect excuse.
"Shen Anyu, your aggression is appalling. You truly think you can bully my Yu Clan?" Yu Guanying's voice boomed with righteous fury. "Don't forget, the Yu Clan controls the southeast! We look down upon the world from our perch! Our influence and foundation are in no way inferior to your Shen Clan! If you cannot offer a sincere apology today, the Yu Clan will definitely not let this rest!"
As he spoke, a venomous sliver of jealousy crept into his gaze, which he directed at Shen Anyu. His voice dripped with cold resentment.
"Even if you are a Heavenly Human, you cannot do as you please!"
Jealousy. It burned in his gut like acid. This man, Shen Anyu, whom he had once dismissed as nothing more than a useless, pretty-faced playboy, was actually a Heavenly Human realm master. He was younger, more handsome, and now, demonstrably stronger than him. The thought was galling.
If he couldn't crush Shen Anyu's momentum right here, right now, the consequences for the Yu Clan would be dire. In the zero-sum game of power, if one side rises, the other must fall. The Yu Clan would be completely overshadowed by the resurgent Shen Clan, and he, Yu Guanying, would be forced to live his entire life under Shen Anyu's shadow. The thought was intolerable.
'This is my chance,' he realized with chilling clarity. If he could use this incident to cripple or even kill Shen Anyu, it would be a monumental victory, one worth the risk of starting an all-out war with Yanxia's Shen Clan.
As the meticulously groomed heir of his clan, Yu Guanying made his decision in an instant.
This boy must not be allowed to live!
Outwardly, however, he maintained his dignified, righteous facade, his voice resonating with indignation as he severely rebuked Shen Anyu's aggression. He framed his words so perfectly that it seemed as though Shen Anyu had been the instigator from the very beginning.
His performance was convincing. Many of the surrounding dignitaries and tycoons began to nod in agreement, their expressions shifting. They found his words reasonable. Although Yu Guanxiong had been in the wrong, his plot hadn't succeeded. Shen Anyu, on the other hand, had already forced him to kneel in public and then threatened to kill him. From their perspective, that was indeed overly aggressive.
Shen Anyu regarded the sanctimonious Yu Guanying with a half-smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. He let the murmurs of the crowd build before he suddenly spoke again, his voice cutting through the noise.
"It's fine if you want me to spare Yu Guanxiong," he said, his tone deceptively light. "How about this? You, his elder brother, kneel down and apologize. Make amends for him."
Kneel and make amends? The demand sucked the air out of the room. Everyone stared in horror. Yu Guanying? The heir of a top aristocratic family, a celebrated leader of the younger generation, the man they called the Yu Clan's Crown Prince—was being told to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness?
"No way, no way," Shen Anyu said, his smile widening into a predatory grin as he watched the color drain from Yu Guanying's face. "You wouldn't be unwilling to apologize for your dear little brother, would you?"
As he spoke, Shen Anyu's mental energy surged, invisible and yet terrifyingly potent. Down on the floor, Yu Guanxiong's body convulsed. A sickening CRACK echoed through the hall as his right leg, already under immense pressure, was twisted and fractured by an unseen force. It bent at a grotesque ninety-degree angle, the bone shattering beneath the skin.
Yu Guanxiong let out a series of raw, blood-curdling screams. The pain was so intense he nearly fainted, his entire body drenched in a cold sweat. He looked up at his brother, his eyes wild with terror.
"Big Brother! Big Brother, save me! Hurry and save me...!" he shrieked, his voice cracking with agony.
Seeing his brother being tortured so brutally, a dark shadow flashed across Yu Guanying's eyes. Shen Anyu had turned his own trap back on him. He couldn't just stand by and watch his brother be crippled—that was impossible.
But to kneel down and apologize? That was even more impossible!
Doing so would mean that he, Yu Guanying, would forever be beneath Shen Anyu's heel. The pride of Yanxia's Yu Clan would be ground into the dust, forever suppressed by the Shen Clan.
With no other choice, Yu Guanying made a prompt decision. He turned his head, his gaze landing on the elderly figure of Old Qin standing quietly to the side. His voice was deep and heavy with command.
"Old Qin, I must ask you to help me save my second brother, Yu Guanxiong!"
Old Qin nodded slightly, his ancient eyes calm. He had already chosen to side with the Yu Clan. There was no room for hesitation now.
Old Qin stepped forward, stroking his long, white beard. He faced Shen Anyu, his demeanor placid but his presence carrying the weight of a mountain, and spoke.
"Young Master Shen, please grant this old man some face and let the Second Young Master of the Yu Clan go!"
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