ALL NOVEL Chapter 2
Chapter 2: You Can Leave, but Your Eyes Stay:
Even though Shen Yuan was limping, each step uneven and deliberate, Qin Yang couldn’t help but gasp silently.
The pressure emanating from Shen Yuan was suffocating, as if he were facing a Shura from the depths of hell rather than a mere human.
Still, as the protagonist, how could he allow himself to appear weak?
Forcing himself to suppress the panic within, Qin Yang maintained a façade of composure and spoke firmly.
“Am I wrong?”
“No, you’re absolutely right,” Shen Yuan responded unexpectedly, catching Qin Yang off guard.
“I do intend to marry Shen Xiao’er to Young Master Pei. What’s so wrong with that?”
Shen Xiao’er, kneeling on the ground, hurriedly interjected, “But I have no feelings for Young Master Pei, I—”
“Silence!”
Shen Yuan’s voice was sharp and commanding, a tone Shen Xiao’er had never heard from him before.
In her memory, the patriarch had always spoken to her gently, never using such harsh words. His current demeanor was a stark contrast, leaving her stunned.
This was due to the original story’s setup. In the novel, Shen Yuan genuinely had feelings for Shen Xiao’er. Marrying her off to the Pei family for political gain was a painful decision for him. Yet, as a villain driven by ambition, sacrificing the woman he loved for power only highlighted his cold and ruthless nature.
However, the current Shen Yuan had no such affection for her. To him, she was merely a pawn.
Certainly, as one of the female leads and part of the protagonist’s eventual harem, Shen Xiao’er was undeniably beautiful. Fantasy novels often followed this cliché: the male lead could be ordinary in appearance, but the female lead was always stunning—described with phrases like “a face that shames the moon,” “skin like jade,” or “beauty that topples nations.”
But Shen Yuan wasn’t interested.
Knowing that this woman would ultimately betray the family for Qin Yang, he harbored no warmth toward her. His transmigration had made one thing clear: the Shen family was his foundation. He wouldn’t let it fall apart because of Shen Xiao’er.
“Shen Xiao’er, it’s easy for you to speak from your privileged position,” Shen Yuan said coldly. “Yes, I plan to marry you to Pei Duan. What of it?”
“For years, you’ve lived under the protection of the Shen family. Now, when the family needs you, you dare to make excuses? Without the Shen family’s shelter, what do you think you are?”
“You’re beautiful, yes. Do you know why no one has dared to harm you? Because you have the Shen family backing you. Without us, do you think you’d have grown up unscathed?”
“When your natural talent fell short, the Shen family provided rare elixirs to compensate. Do you realize how many priceless resources were poured into you? Even a single spiritual herb given to you is something ordinary families could never afford in their lifetimes.”
“And now, when the Shen family needs you, you start complaining? You claim it’s love, that it’s mutual affection? What is Qin Yang to you? After marrying into the Pei family, you’ll still live in luxury, surrounded by spiritual medicines. What can Qin Yang offer you?”
“Empty promises? Meaningless vows? Sweet words that cost him nothing?”
“The Shen family invested so much in you, not to raise someone who would betray us for some meaningless fling. You’ve taken everything the Shen family gave you, enjoyed it all without guilt, and now, just because of a wild infatuation, you forget your place?”
Shen Yuan’s words were sharp and relentless, stirring outrage among the Shen family members present.
Indeed, even if the Shen family’s plans involved her marriage, wasn’t it fair?
The family had raised her, provided for her, and now expected her to contribute. What was wrong with that?
Marrying into the Pei family wouldn’t demean her—it might even elevate her status, given Pei Jianghai’s influence as the commander of the Imperial Guard and Pei Duan’s feelings for her.
Moreover, Shen Yuan’s crass remarks reduced Shen Xiao’er’s feelings for Qin Yang to mere infatuation, further shaking her already fragile sense of self-worth.
“I… I…” Shen Xiao’er stammered, unable to find the words to refute him.
“Xiao’er only wanted—” Qin Yang began to speak but was quickly interrupted.
“The Shen family’s affairs are not for outsiders to comment on,” Shen Yuan said coldly. “If you say another word, I’ll cut out your tongue.”
His icy gaze shifted back to Shen Xiao’er, whose face was already drained of all color.
Shen Yuan’s expression softened slightly as he reached out, lifting her chin gently and brushing her pale cheek.
Shen Xiao’er, completely overwhelmed, remained frozen, unable to react as his hand moved across her face.
“Of course, as the patriarch, I do have some feelings for you. You’ve been part of the Shen family for so long. If you don’t want to marry Young Master Pei and wish to leave with this man, it’s not impossible…”
A glimmer of hope appeared in Shen Xiao’er’s eyes.
Deep down, she had always believed her cousin to be stern yet softhearted. Surely, he would relent, as he had so many times before.
But then Shen Yuan’s gentle expression vanished. He tossed a gleaming dagger onto the ground before her.
“All you need to do is gouge out your eyes and return them to the Shen family. Then, you can leave with this Qin fellow.”
The Shen family’s bloodline carried the Thousand Illusion Spirit Eyes—a rare and powerful ability that could discern spiritual strength, control souls, and even, in Shen Yuan’s case, glimpse destiny itself.
In the original novel, Shen Xiao’er’s spirit eyes were instrumental in aiding Qin Yang, especially during pivotal moments like the arc in the Void Spirit Ancient Domain. Her abilities had saved Qin Yang and humiliated his enemies.
But without those eyes, Shen Yuan was curious: how would the protagonist survive such challenges? Could Qin Yang even make it to the Void Spirit Ancient Domain without them?
At this moment, Shen Xiao’er’s face was deathly pale. The thought of gouging out her eyes left her trembling with despair.
“Shen Yuan, how could you be so cruel? Xiao’er is part of your family, yet you demand she sacrifice her eyes! You’re her cousin!” Qin Yang exclaimed in anger.
Seeing him speak out again, Shen Yuan’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“You Ruo.”
At his command, a girl in a purple dress stepped forward and knelt before him.
“Slap him. If word of today’s events spreads, people might actually think an outsider can meddle in the Shen family’s affairs.”