Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 146: I’m Tired from Flying

“A spiritual bow? A sacred ring?” Ouyang Ziyi’s eyes lit up at the mention.
“Exactly. According to the old lady, that spiritual bow was created by the elves, while that sacred ring is a gathering of divine power…” Grandpa Du’an explained further.
“What about the rest? What’s next?” Seeing Grandpa Du’an pause suddenly, Ouyang Ziyi eagerly pressed him to continue.
“Um, well, that’s all there is! That’s what the old lady said!” Grandpa Du’an replied shyly.
Ouyang Ziyi was truly defeated by this old man. Just those few words sounded like the beginning of a grand tale, making her think she’d hear two more fascinating legends—only to be left disappointed.
Seeing Ouyang Ziyi still looking unsatisfied, fearing she’d keep pestering him, Grandpa Du’an quickly emphasized, “Miss Ziyi, this is all I know!”
“So if I inherit these, can I unlock all these seals and restrictions?” Ouyang Ziyi pressed on.
“I don’t know that either. Once you complete the inheritance ceremony and read the ‘Yi She Declaration’ on a full moon night, all answers will be revealed. But to carry out the ceremony, according to the rules of Yi She Castle, you need a notary who can pass the ‘Yi She Test’…” Grandpa Du’an answered.
“The Yi She Test?” Ouyang Ziyi asked in confusion.
“Well, it’s simply someone who can enter the room containing the sealed sacred objects. The requirements are having a bit of divine power and being a true noble. Usually, we choose our own collateral noble relatives. This time, your notary will be Duke Ret!” Grandpa Du’an explained.
“Oh, so I can’t carry out the inheritance ceremony yet?” Ouyang Ziyi asked.
“Yes, unless it’s confirmed that Duke Ret will never appear or dies. Only then can we look for another notary…” Grandpa Du’an said.
After translating this for Chu Tianyu and the others, Ouyang Ziyi looked at them worriedly, clearly at a loss. She hadn’t expected such complications with such a simple task—it seemed they wouldn’t be able to return anytime soon!
“Ziyi, talk to Grandpa Du’an. Ask him to take us to the room where Sister Xin and Duke Ret disappeared first. We can discuss the rest properly tonight after we’re done with other things,” Chu Tianyu said calmly.
“Hmm…”

They arrived at the room where Sister Xin and Duke Ret had stayed. Chu Tianyu conducted a thorough inspection and careful search. Combined with the information about the defenses of Esher Castle provided by Grandpa Duoan, he ruled out the possibility that it was someone from inside the castle who committed the crime. Of course, it was even less likely that Sister Xin and Duke Ret had acted on their own out of boredom, as their actions would not have gone unnoticed by the castle’s skilled guards.

From all the signs, it seemed the enemy had entered through a window to abduct them. But who could possess such high skills as to avoid the castle’s many holy-powered experts, fully armed mercenaries, and omnipresent high-tech surveillance systems, and still carry away two living people silently? Especially since Duke Ret also had holy powers—it was truly puzzling!

In the end, after ruling out other possibilities, Chu Tianyu came to two conclusions. First, the problem lay with Duke Ret—he could have kidnapped Sister Xin and then slipped out from within, as it would be much easier for him. Moreover, he was familiar with the castle’s layout and defenses, so with careful planning, it wouldn’t be hard for him to evade detection. Thus, he was the most likely suspect of committing theft within his own domain!

The second possibility was that it was an outsider, but this person’s skills could only be described as extraordinary—since they could infiltrate so easily, there was only one way: they could fly!

Upon hearing Chu Tianyu’s analysis, Grandpa Duoan frowned thoughtfully and said, “This flying person might not need extremely strong abilities. There’s a legend in Europe about bats in the darkness—predators with fangs…”

“Grandpa Duoan, are you talking about vampires who can transform into bats in the night?” Ouyang Ziyi asked in response.

Grandpa Duoan didn’t speak but nodded slightly in confirmation. Hearing this, Ouyang Ziyi gasped, clearly worried about Sister Xin’s fate.

“Tianyu, are vampires really real?” Li Rou asked, clutching Chu Tianyu’s hand, still shaken.

“I don’t know either. But Esher Castle should be a place where holy power converges. Dark creatures like vampires should find it hard to get close! Don’t worry, Li Rou. These are just guesses and legends, just like ghosts we often talk about—yet who has ever seen one with their own eyes?” Chu Tianyu wrapped Li Rou in his arms and comforted her softly.

Chu Tianyu’s actions greatly surprised Grandpa Duoan, who was standing nearby. He turned to look at Ouyang Ziyi, whose face showed worry, but she didn’t show any reaction at all. This filled him with doubts, and he kept observing Chu Tianyu. Finally, as if he had some realization, he nodded in admiration again, inwardly exclaiming, “Sigh, it’s great to be young. Back in my day, I too had two lovers…”

…

Although the castle was luxurious and grand, it also seemed empty and gloomy. So when Grandpa Duoan arranged their bedrooms, at Ouyang Ziyi’s insistence and Li Rou’s eager request, they chose the largest room. Apparently, Grandpa Duoan already had preconceived notions and didn’t insist further—after all, it was understandable that young people could do as they pleased!

After saying goodbye to Grandpa Duoan, Chu Tianyu and the others finally had a chance to catch their breath. Since arriving at this castle, rumors followed one after another, and events piled up, leaving them feeling overwhelmed.

“Tianyu, what do you think we should do next?” Ouyang Ziyi asked, slightly worried.

Chu Tianyu glanced at Li Rou, who also looked confused, and after thinking for a while, he said, “The top priority now is to find Sister Xin. No matter what it takes, we must do our best. In my opinion, inheriting this estate isn’t going to be easy. Those sacred objects involved seem to represent huge interests, making the whole situation very complicated. To be honest, Ziyi, once you entered this castle, it’s like stepping into a massive vortex. It will likely be very difficult to turn back and get out easily!”

After hearing Chu Tianyu’s analysis, Ouyang Ziyi and Li Rou fell silent.

After a pause, Chu Tianyu continued, “Ziyi, Li Rou, I think I’d better send you back to your country tomorrow. I’ll stay here to handle everything with Grandpa Duoan. With the current situation, I’m really worried if you two stay here.”

As soon as Chu Tianyu finished speaking, Ouyang Ziyi and Li Rou, as if they had agreed beforehand, almost simultaneously said, “No, absolutely not! I want to stay! With you here, we’re not afraid of anything!”

Faced with their stubbornness, he still had to explain the reasoning. Whether they would listen was another matter. So Chu Tianyu continued helplessly, “Actually, I’m not omnipotent. In terms of personal strength, I’m confident. But do you know why I still deliberately keep a low profile? Besides wanting a quieter life, the most crucial reason is that I have many obligations. Yes, I can be bold and do anything when facing any situation or person, but what about my family and friends? Can I always protect them? If others can’t beat you or trouble you, can’t they target your loved ones and friends? Just like now, I’m at a loss about Sister Xin’s disappearance. This isn’t home; without the influence back there, it’s like I’ve lost my eyes and ears. No matter how strong my fists are, I have no idea where or whom to strike! So, instead of distracting me here, it’s better for you two to go back home. Let me handle this matter myself—I might be able to act more freely!”
After hearing Chu Tianyu’s reasoning, Ouyang Ziyi nodded deeply and said, “That’s right. Everything you said makes sense. Maybe staying here with Li Rou has added trouble and burden to you. But if Guizhou Province tells us to go back and wait patiently for you to resolve everything, we simply can’t do that! Instead of suffering from longing back home, it’s better to go through hardships here with you. I’m sure Li Rou thinks the same way!”
“Mm!” Li Rou nodded firmly, showing her full support.
Chu Tianyu sighed bitterly. Clearly, this outcome was within his expectations. He also knew that sometimes people are driven by emotions, and no reasoning or logic can change them—just like moths flying into flames, knowing they’ll die but still rushing forward…
“Tianyu, don’t worry. We’ll protect ourselves. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Grandpa Duoan to prepare some weapons for us! Just like what happened on the road today—no matter how strong they are, they can’t withstand modern weapons!” Seeing Chu Tianyu’s speechless expression, Ouyang Ziyi quickly added another line in an attempt to persuade him.
“Right, Ziyi. Teach me how to shoot tomorrow! If we have the ability to protect ourselves, we won’t be a burden to Tianyu!” Li Rou added her two cents.
Hearing their “ambitious plans,” Chu Tianyu inwardly groaned, thinking, “Good heavens, what’s going on here? I haven’t even had a chance to talk about today’s incident on the road, and they already think a few shots will drive those people away!”

But by this point, Chu Tianyu also realized that explaining anything further was pointless. Not to mention they wouldn’t believe him, even if they did, they would surely find other excuses to stay. Fine, let them go. Suffering a bit, getting tired, worrying a bit—just accept it. That’s what men do!
The next day, after touring the entire Yishé Castle, Li Rou and Ouyang Ziyi indeed started practicing with firearms in an open area in the backyard. At first, Chu Tianyu joined them for a while, but with his sharp eyesight and balance, he could hit the target with every shot—perfectly aiming wherever he wanted, without any miss.
After trying several types of guns, Chu Tianyu wandered around the castle alone, feeling the strange energy waves emitted by the sacred seal in the center of the castle, while secretly investigating the castle’s defense system and the situation of those skilled in sacred power, hoping to find some unexpected clues.
Grandpa Duoan, after consulting Ouyang Ziyi, decided to report Sister Xin and Duke Leite’s mysterious disappearance to the government. It’s never a bad idea to use the police force! This was also Chu Tianyu’s suggestion—otherwise, with such a vast crowd, it would be impossible for just a few of them to find any clues.
At the same time, through the local Qianfeng branch, they offered a high reward among the underground forces across Europe. With both the legitimate and illegal sectors involved, the chances would increase—this was the only practical action they could take for now.
After a busy day, after dinner, Ouyang Ziyi was taken by Grandpa Duoan to see where the sacred object was sealed. This time, he refused outright her request to let Chu Tianyu and Li Rou go with them, saying that only after she inherited the legacy would she have the right to invite others there.
Chu Tianyu and Li Rou immediately claimed they were going to the rooftop of the small chapel to enjoy the night view, so Ouyang Ziyi didn’t insist any further.
……
“Tianyu, I can’t believe my life now. I’m living in this magnificent and beautiful castle that only appears in dreams, listening to those ancient legends… To be honest, everything that’s happened since I met you feels like it’s in a dream—confusing and illusory…” Li Rou leaned in Chu Tianyu’s arms, feeling the night breeze, gazing at the entire castle and the stars in the sky as she spoke softly.

After hearing this, Chu Tianyu simply held Li Rou tightly and gazed at the scenery below. The night sounds of the entire castle were truly beautiful. The mesmerizing music from the fountain and the dreamy lighting gave the castle an unprecedentedly alluring charm and romantic atmosphere. He said softly, “Li Rou, actually, it’s me who’s afraid of hurting you. I…” But before Chu Tianyu could finish speaking, Li Rou turned around and covered his mouth, saying, “Since I’ve already made my choice, I won’t regret it!” Just then, as Chu Tianyu was about to show some tenderness, he suddenly froze and looked up at the sky. When Li Rou realized what was happening and followed his gaze, she saw a dark figure appear in the moonlight as if out of thin air. With a scream, it grew larger, and gradually took the shape of a person… Chu Tianyu pulled Li Rou aside to create some space. The figure seemed to be out of control in the air, tumbling before finally crashing in an extremely awkward position onto the platform they had cleared. Ignoring Chu Tianyu and Li Rou’s shocked expressions, the figure let out an “Ouch~” and then groggily raised its head. Seeing people on the terrace, it didn’t even wipe the dust from its mouth, still with tears on its face from the fall, and blood dripping from its nose from the impact. It quickly got up and tried to assume an elegant posture, flashing what it thought was its most charming smile at Li Rou. “Hello, beautiful and noble lady. I hope my sudden appearance hasn’t startled you. I’m truly sorry for the disturbance. I just got tired from flying and came down to rest for a while…”