Chapter 817: Wrath
"Go explore the valley?"
The moment Shen Anyu uttered those words, the expressions on Tieshan and his men contorted. A sudden, stark terror bleached the color from their faces.
They all knew. They knew the valley veiled in white mist behind them held treasures, but they also knew it was an abyss, a purgatory on earth, a place of absolute peril.
The cautionary tale was etched into the very soul of their school. The first headmaster of the Tieshan Martial Arts School, a Grandmaster of his era, had ventured into that mist. He had emerged not long after, but he was no longer the man who went in. His mind was shattered, his face a mask of horrifying glee as he waved his hands wildly, screaming that there were Immortals in the valley. Then, under the clear light of day and the horrified watch of his disciples, he had simply disintegrated, turning into a cloud of fine ash that scattered on the wind.
So, despite the tantalizing promise of what lay within, neither Tieshan nor any of his followers dared to rashly set foot inside. Their entire plan had been to corner Murong Jieyu and seize the spiritual herbs she had managed to gather from the valley's edge.
Originally, Tieshan had intended to use those herbs to fuel his own breakthrough into the Heaven-Human realm. Once he had ascended, with his strength magnified, he would then, and only then, begin to cautiously probe the secrets of the mist-shrouded valley.
But now, Shen Anyu was ordering them to go in now. Wasn't that just sending them to their deaths? Wasn't he treating them as nothing more than cannon fodder?
Through his Six Senses Control, Shen Anyu felt their panicked thoughts ripple through the air. He cast a thoughtful gaze toward the valley, his eyes narrowing as he studied the dense, swirling white mist.
'There's a formation covering it,'he discerned.'An immortal Dao formation, and a powerful one at that...'
Drawing upon the vast repository of knowledge he had replicated from Chen Yuhua's Heavenly Venerate inheritance, Shen Anyu could immediately tell how dangerous the formation was. For anyone who didn't understand its principles, even a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment realm would likely perish within its depths.
However, Shen Anyu felt a calm certainty settle over him. He had already mentally simulated a method to dismantle it. After a moment's consideration, he was confident he could crack the ancient puzzle.
It had to be said, while he possessed Chen Yuhua's memories, the full inheritance of a Mahayana Heavenly Venerate was as boundless as a cosmic ocean. It would take a great deal of time to fully absorb, digest, and master it all. If Chen Yuhua herself had stumbled upon this valley, she could have unraveled its mysteries with a mere wave of her hand.
The Qinling Mountains were immense. Though Chen Yuhua and Lin Qingqing were somewhere within their vast expanse, the chances of them finding this specific, hidden valley were slim.
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, Shen Anyu's gaze fell back upon Tieshan and his men. A cold, pragmatic thought surfaced.
'As for these men from the Tieshan school... since they dared to lay a hand on Murong Jieyu, there is no longer any reason for them to live.'
Murong Jieyu was a Destined Heroine. She was his destined woman.
Tieshan felt a chill crawl up his spine as he sensed the shift in Shen Anyu's aura. The casual air was gone, replaced by something sharp and predatory. He didn't know how, precisely, he had offended this young master, but he could tell that this scion of the terrifyingly powerful Shen Clan of Yanxia would not let them off easily.
A spark of defiance ignited in Tieshan's heart. 'Hmph, I am a peak Grandmaster. Does he really think a mere dissolute young master can order me around as he pleases?'
His expression gradually turned to ice. The polite, almost fawning enthusiasm vanished, replaced by a rigid stoniness. "First Young Master Shen," he said, his voice stiff, "that is asking too much. That valley is one of the most dangerous places in the world. We dare not enter."
"Not going?" Shen Anyu raised a hand, cutting him off. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face as he looked at Tieshan. "Must I force you?"
Even a clay figure has a temper, let alone the notoriously fierce head of the Tieshan Martial Arts School. Tieshan's face was a thundercloud as he stared back at Shen Anyu, and then he suddenly spoke, his voice laced with insinuation.
"First Young Master Shen, did you only bring these two beautiful, enchanting women with you?"
Shen Anyu, with one arm around Liu Ruyan and the other around Zhong Lingyin, simply smiled back at Tieshan. "I found the others disruptive to our private time together. I had them wait behind."
'Heh, just as I thought.'A flicker of grim triumph lit Tieshan's eyes. He looked at Shen Anyu as if he were already a dead man.'A useless fop, a paper tiger. He didn't even bring bodyguards?'
The secret within this valley was tied to his breakthrough to the Heaven-Human realm, and perhaps even to the legends of the Land Immortals. It was a prize he absolutely could not afford to lose. If Shen Anyu had been reasonable, if he could have been fooled or placated, Tieshan would never have dared to take such a monumental risk and move against a young master of the Yanxia Shen Clan. But now, Shen Anyu was trying to force them into the valley to die.
Tieshan knew that a First Young Master from a top-tier family like this would be unbearably arrogant. Having been rejected, he would surely hold a grudge and retaliate later. Although the Tieshan Martial Arts School held considerable power, it was nothing compared to the behemoth that was the Shen Clan.
Therefore, to solve both problems at once, he would simply silence them here. He would kill them and toss their bodies into the white-misted valley. No one would ever know.
"Hehe," Tieshan let out a cold, grating laugh. "First Young Master Shen, I originally wanted to befriend you. But since you insist on being so discourteous, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Song Ji, a branch head of the school standing nearby, let his shifty eyes slide over the captivating faces of Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin. A lecherous grin spread across his face, his gaze lingering far too long.
"Hehe, what a great chance. I've always wanted to try the world-famous Heavenly Queen Zhong Lingyin, and that vixen beside her..."
Before he could finish his vile sentence, Song Ji's expression went completely blank.
A thin, crimson line appeared on his neck. At first, it was barely visible, but then tiny, dense beads of blood began to seep out, tracing the cut.
Song Ji's right hand flew to his throat. He brought it back before his eyes, staring in terrified bewilderment at a palm now slick with his own blood. A flicker of horrifying understanding crossed his face. He raised a trembling hand, pointing at Shen Anyu.
"Heh... heh..."
He wanted to scream, to warn the others, but no words would come. With a dull thud, he collapsed to the ground. Blood pooled beneath him, and the light in his eyes faded into nothing.
A Martial Arts Grandmaster, a respected head of a martial arts school, was killed instantly.
Tieshan and the others were frozen, staring at the scene in utter disbelief.
"How did Old Song die?"
"Who did that?"
"Could it be the Immortals in the valley? I thought they were harmless?!"
"..."
The faces of the men from the Tieshan Martial Arts School turned ashen. They looked in horror toward the white-misted valley, their minds immediately jumping to the most terrifying conclusion. Could it have been some ghost or immortal from within that had struck them down?
Otherwise, how could Grandmaster Song Ji, a formidable fighter in his own right, have his throat slit so bizarrely, so silently?
"No," Tieshan's voice was a harsh whisper. His gaze was locked on Shen Anyu. He alone had seen it—the vacant look in Song Ji's eyes just before death, and the almost imperceptible flick of Shen Anyu's finger. "It wasn't the valley. It was him!"
"I never expected it. I truly never expected it, First Young Master Shen... that you would possess such strength!"
A wave of pure, unadulterated fear seized Tieshan's heart. Even he, a peak Grandmaster, hadn't been able to perceive how Shen Anyu had made his move. If he couldn't even see it, how could he possibly block it?
In that single, chilling instant, Tieshan's heart plunged into an abyss of ice.
[Ding! Destiny Value +520 from Destined Heroine Zhong Lingyin's surge of affection!]
[Ding! Destiny Value +520 from Destined Heroine Liu Ruyan's good mood!]
'Brother Shen is so good to me, hehe.' Zhong Lingyin tightened her grip on Shen Anyu's arm, her eyes curving into happy crescents. She had been thoroughly disgusted by Song Ji's leering gaze, and his vulgar words had made her skin crawl. She felt a thrill seeing Shen Anyu avenge her so swiftly. After the chaos of the concert in Sakura Country, she had seen her share of death and was no longer so easily shaken.
As for Liu Ruyan, it went without saying. She had killed plenty of people with her own hands and had served as a senior consultant for the Special Department.
'Hmph, that dog of a man is still so protective,'she thought, a hint of triumphant satisfaction in her foxy eyes as she, too, hooked her arm through his.'If he hadn't acted, I would have dealt with that pig Song Ji myself.'
She knew what this meant. The man considered her his exclusive property. No other man was even allowed to look at her with covetous eyes.
Liu Ruyan was very, very satisfied with this.
Shen Anyu couldn't be bothered to spare another glance for Tieshan and his terrified men. His gaze fell upon Zhong Lingyin's beautiful and exquisite face, and he spoke, his voice impossibly gentle.
"Lingyin, you go and kill these people."
"Me?" Zhong Lingyin pointed a slender, delicate finger at her own nose. Her pink lips parted slightly, her expression one of utter astonishment.
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