Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 151: Zi Yi’s Fury

“A war shackle? What is that? What’s it for?” Ouyang Zi Yi asked in surprise. At this topic, Chu Tianyu and Li Rou both showed signs of interest.
However, Sophia’s answer was disappointing. She shook her head and said, “I’m very sorry, but I know nothing about it either! I guess no one in all of Europe knows its purpose—only that it controls the fate of the entire continent!”
After hearing this, Ouyang Zi Yi glanced at Chu Tianyu, exchanged a look with him, then said to Sophia, “So, Sophia, you came here just to protect the sacred object here? In other words, the secrets of Ischer Castle are no longer secrets, right?”
“That’s right. Our judgment council has received accurate information that a powerful force wants to interfere in European affairs, so they’ve chosen Ischer Castle as a starting point! The group that ambushed us on the road last time was trying to stop us from supporting Ischer Castle!” Sophia explained.
“Oh, so you two have decided to use Ischer Castle as a battlefield for your conflict?” Ouyang Zi Yi suddenly said something astonishing.
Sophia was stunned, clearly unprepared for such a remark. She didn’t know how to respond at first, only blinking before finally explaining, “I… I think you’ve misunderstood, Ouyang. Ischer Castle holds an unquestionably sacred status for all of Europe. Protecting its integrity and the sacred objects sealed there is the sacred duty of every member of our judgment council! Of course, the reason I came first is to avoid any misunderstandings. Moreover, the enemies attacking us this time are unprecedentedly powerful…”
At this point, Sophia stopped speaking, glanced at Chu Tianyu as if hesitating, then said to Ouyang Zi Yi, “Ouyang, there are some things I’d like to discuss with you alone—your bodyguards and such…”
Before she finished speaking, her meaning was clear. Her words left the three of them at a loss. Ouyang Zi Yi tried to explain, but Chu Tianyu whispered in her ear, “If she thinks so, it’s best. This situation is complicated. It’s easier for me to handle things in the shadows. Talk to her first if anything comes up!”
But what Sophia heard was, “Then, madam, I’ll take my leave!” With that, Chu Tianyu turned and headed toward the room where the nuns were resting.

Li Rou also wanted to go, but was kept back by Ouyang Ziyi. Sophia seemed to be aware of Ouyang Ziyi’s deep affection for Li, so she didn’t insist that Li stay away. Instead, she said directly, “Actually, the root of this issue lies in the unexpected death of the Norse War God. Well, look at me. You probably don’t know any of this. Let me put it this way: There were originally three factions in Europe. With one of them suddenly collapsing, one of the remaining two saw huge opportunities, so the process of reshuffling is about to begin again! And we represent the last faction that desires peace and tranquility. I wonder if you understand what I mean?”
As for the situation of the Norse War God, Ouyang Ziyi knew much more about it than she did. And the conflicts that arose now were nothing new—such scenarios could be found in any part of Chinese history. What Sophia called “reshuffling” and “defenders” were all just about each side pursuing its own interests under the guise of government slogans, playing a game of survival of the fittest.
Thinking of this, Ouyang Ziyi also understood the background of Sophia’s arrival. Although the focus of the conflict this time was on her Yishé Castle, whether the sacred object sealed there was the key to all of Europe or not, anyone who wanted to take control of the castle was her enemy!
But judging from the current situation, at least the Supreme Judgment Council represented by Sophia had made their stance clear—they were merely defenders. And from what Sophia had said earlier, they had no intention of interfering with the sealed sacred object, nor the ability to break the seal!
Still, Ouyang Ziyi knew that although Sophia seemed like an angel, for them who were in an unfamiliar place, her words were just one perspective. They still needed to be cautious.
So Ouyang Ziyi nodded and affirmed deliberately, “Hehe, now that you’ve explained it, I completely understand. And since it’s a beautiful lady like you who’s explaining it to me, how could I not believe her? By the way, our Yishé Castle will provide unconditional support whenever possible!”
Hearing Ouyang Ziyi’s words, Sophia immediately smiled joyfully and said excitedly, “Ouyang, it’s great that you understand. I thought someone with Eastern heritage like you wouldn’t be able to comprehend concepts like sacred power or war gods here…”

“Hehe, don’t forget—I have the blood of the Sun King in me, and right before me is a priest as kind and pure as an angel, isn’t that right? I’ve seen your magic with my own eyes!” Ouyang Ziyi said, flattery in her voice.

Hearing Ouyang Ziyi’s “compliments,” Sophia felt a warmth in her heart. She gazed at Ouyang Ziyi affectionately and said softly, “I’m not really a nun or a priest. My father is a duke from an ancient Italian family. I was chosen as the Golden Priest of the Judgment Council because of my innate sacred power, but I’m not bound by monastic rules or doctrines. I can fall in love and have a lover…”

By the end, Sophia’s voice had become as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, and her face turned red with embarrassment. Ouyang Ziyi thought she had gone back to her country, unsure now whether she was talking to a cheerful European woman or a shy Eastern woman…

Li Rou, who was observing the situation, quickly realized something was off. She leaned in close to Ouyang Ziyi’s ear and whispered, “Ziyi, hehe, she has a crush on you!”

Ouyang Ziyi had already sensed something strange. With Li Rou’s reminder, she immediately understood what was going on. Now it was her turn to feel embarrassed. This joke had gone too far. She had come here with a relaxed attitude, and to tease Chu Tianyu, she had been wearing men’s clothes. The counterfeit man kept monopolizing Li Rou, driving Chu Tianyu crazy with frustration—yet he couldn’t do anything about it.

Who would have thought it would backfire and create a beautiful priest who was secretly in love with her!

In the empty hall, the atmosphere became tense. Aside from Li Rou, who was watching the scene, Ouyang Ziyi and Sophia were both lost in deep thought.

After a long while, Ouyang Ziyi finally regained her composure and said, “Um, Miss Sophia, you still haven’t mentioned what plans you have.”

Sophia also came back to her senses. She tried to calm herself down before slowly saying, “Well, if you trust us, Ouyang, you can leave the defense of Yishé Castle in our hands…”

Seeing Ouyang Ziyi hesitate, Sophia quickly added, “Ouyang, don’t worry. In fact, it’s always been the members of our Judgment Council who guard Yishé Castle. Our arrival here is just to strengthen their forces!”

At that moment, Sophia detailed the background information of the personnel originally stationed at Isher Castle. Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ziyi realized that almost all the holy power users employed by the castle were actually members of the Judgment Council, including the three priest-monks who had fought against that old bat last night… It was now Ouyang Ziyi’s turn to be speechless—so the entire castle was indeed “taken over” by that Judgment Council! The current reinforcement force, to put it mildly, was just a polite gesture; to put it bluntly, no one even knew who the real masters of this castle were!
“Oh, I see! By the way, Miss Sophia, are the enemies attacking this time really that strong?” Ouyang Ziyi was now very careful with her words, no longer daring to use any fancy or noble adjectives.
When asked this, Sophia’s expression darkened immediately. She nodded slightly and said, “They’re very strong. Several families that came to reinforce us have been ambushed to varying degrees, suffering heavy losses. My father was severely injured by their despicable special energy attacks, which is why I had to come forward first to hold the line.”
“What kind of special energy attacks?” Ouyang Ziyi asked.
“It involves using special carriers of existence energy to store holy power or energy sources in advance. During an attack, one uses their own holy power to activate these carriers, combining the forces for astonishing effects! But such energy carriers are extremely difficult to find, and storing energy itself is a process that consumes a great deal of holy power. It’s usually only used when one wants to kill the opponent outright or render them combat-incapable!”
“How is your father now? Is he okay?” Ouyang Ziyi asked politely.
“Mm, his condition is stable, but his holy power hasn’t recovered yet. Bogulei is taking care of him…” Sophia replied softly.
Seeing that her expression had turned grim again, Ouyang Ziyi quickly interjected, “Well then, Miss Sophia, just tell Grandpa Duoan whatever arrangements you need to make. If more people arrive later, you can handle it as you see fit! Oh, by the way, I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first!”
With that, she grabbed Li Rou and hurried away to confront Chu Tianyu.
…
“Haha…” Chu Tianyu laughed until tears streamed down his face. So satisfying! Truly satisfying!

It turned out that when Ouyang Ziyi and Li Rou met Chu Tianyu, before Ouyang Ziyi could explain what she had just discussed with Sophia, Li Rou, with a teasing expression, revealed Sophia’s secret affection for Ouyang Ziyi. This left Chu Tianyu initially surprised before bursting into laughter, his mocking tone making Ouyang Ziyi even more frustrated and unable to express her distress!

“Ziyi, I think it’s best if you keep dressing like this. The safety of our castle depends entirely on your beautiful friend!” Chu Tianyu finally stopped laughing but still teased her.

“You… you eavesdropped?” Ouyang Ziyi suddenly realized and asked. Seeing Chu Tianyu’s mischievous smile and silence, she finally understood and said, “Great, so you must have known what Li Rou told me too? And yet you pretended to be surprised here… You…”

“Hehe, I knew it all along. Do you really think you can bite me?” Chu Tianyu shrugged his hands, smiling shamelessly.

Ouyang Ziyi pretended to shout loudly, “Fine, watch me bite you to death!” Then, without hesitation, she rushed into Chu Tianyu’s arms and pressed a fierce kiss on his lips. Chu Tianyu didn’t resist and instead wrapped his arms around her as they fell onto the bed. At the same time, he grabbed Li Rou, and with a cry, the three of them tumbled across the soft bed.

At that moment, a gum advertisement was playing on TV: “…Once you have it, kisses anytime, love freely…” Weren’t these words a perfect description of the three of them on the bed?

…

In the following days, with Sophia’s help, many experts in sacred power arrived at the castle one after another. However, aside from being slightly more lively during meal times, the castle was quieter than usual, as if calm before a major battle.

“Tianyu, it’s been several days with no signs of activity. And tomorrow is the full moon night—there’s still no news about Sister Xin. It’s really worrying! The atmosphere in the castle is so oppressive now; I can hardly bear it!” One night, Ouyang Ziyi vented to Chu Tianyu in her room.

“Ziyi, we’ve already done everything we can. Now we just need to stay calm and wait for developments! Oh, by the way, how’s things going between you and that Sophia?” Chu Tianyu deliberately changed the subject to comfort her.

“Go away. For now, I’ll just let things be. I’ve been trying to avoid her as much as possible!” Ouyang Ziyi said helplessly.

“Hehe, you avoid me, but I have so many thoughts. I heard from Grandpa Duoan that she often secretly inquires about your news and hobbies, leaving Grandpa Duoan completely confused. He thought you might have some ulterior motives and didn’t dare reveal that your true identity as a ‘piracy man’ is actually that of a lady just like her!” Chu Tianyu said deliberately, full of jealousy.
“Oh, look at you being so jealous—what a truly ‘flourishing’ generation of jealous men!” Ouyang Ziyi said, fanning her delicate nose.
“By the way, speaking seriously, did you get anything from sneaking out last night?” Ouyang Ziyi asked.
“There are indeed many Holy Power users around the castle, but they’re all operating alone, seemingly here to spy,” Chu Tianyu said, losing his smile.
“Why didn’t you just capture them and interrogate them?” Ouyang Ziyi asked.
“I still say the same thing—wait and see!” Chu Tianyu replied with a wise expression.
“Right, never mind. If anything really happens, don’t blame my sniper bullets for being aimless!” Ouyang Ziyi said boldly.
“And me too!” Li Rou had been practicing marksmanship hard these past few days and had made great progress.
Chu Tianyu sighed bitterly and said, “My two ladies…” Then he told them the truth of the situation, emphasizing that those Holy Power users could definitely not be attacked by the modern weapons they thought of.
Chu Tianyu’s words made the two of them deflate like deflated balloons, losing their earlier arrogance and confidence.
…
Early in the morning, before dawn, a strange signal sounded in Chu Tianyu’s ears. He immediately realized it was the old bat’s code. He quickly gave a few instructions to Ouyang Ziyi and Li Rou, then slipped out into the morning mist silently, going unnoticed by the already highly vigilant defense network.
He returned to the place where the two of them had fought before. Chu Tianyu saw Fernando already standing there, covered in dust, clearly having done his best these past few days!
“Damn it, God! Young man, I owe you some monkey wine—these past few days have really exhausted me!” Fernando complained as soon as he spoke.
Chu Tianyu was secretly pleased, knowing the old bat must have some news, but he remained calm and said, “Elder, when I fought you a few days ago, I suddenly remembered I seem to have a book describing our Chinese zombies. It mentions something about an immortal body, moonlight, radiant glow, cunning strategies, renewed skin, and blood veins…”

“What entrance? What is ‘Yin Xue’? Hurry, keep going!” Fernandi asked, clearly eager for more details.
But Chu Tianyu remained calm, glancing around absentmindedly, which quickly made Fernandi realize what was going on. Without waiting for Chu Tianyu to ask again, Fernandi said without wasting a word, “At first, there were some clues in this pursuit, but when I tracked them to a small town, suddenly there were many other vampire scents—scents from all over, as if there was a gathering. That’s where I wasted most of my time. But later I realized I was wrong. Those vampires weren’t having a gathering at all; it was actually a confrontation between two factions, preparing for war. Strangely enough, each vampire’s scent should be unique, yet I couldn’t find my target in either faction!”
“I guess that vampire must have had contact with one of their sides. What happened after that?” Chu Tianyu asked.
“With all their chaos, I lost that person’s scent as well. Then I searched the nearby areas. I figured he wouldn’t be too far from their main force, but after searching everywhere, I still found no clues. Then I thought carefully—guess what?” Fernandi asked.
Chu Tianyu thought to himself it’s a shame you don’t tell stories, but he said aloud, “What is it?”
Fernandi slapped his thigh and said, “It turns out I was searching in places where vampires usually hang out, while I skipped the churches that are sworn enemies of vampires—especially one royal church not far from the famous Chambord Castle…” He deliberately paused here.
Chu Tianyu immediately understood and continued, “There’s a saying in China: the most dangerous places are often the safest! Besides, if he has the Chain of Divine Punishment, he’s not afraid even of the sacred power of Ishe Castle, let alone a church!”
“Exactly. I originally planned to bring him back right away, but there was a super-powered expert in that church, plus the church’s natural restraining effect on vampires—I wasn’t sure. So, to avoid alerting them, I came back empty-handed. I guess it’s time for you to go in person this time! I’ll show you the way! But make sure to bring the monkey wine and that book you mentioned. You’ll have to explain it to me!” Fernandi reminded him lastly.
“No problem. I’ll talk to the people in the castle first!” So Chu Tianyu immediately called back, first to share the good news with them and second to let them know he was on his way, asking them to call if anything happened in the castle.

“Well, okay. Be careful too. There are so many experts here, so don’t worry!” Ou Yang Zi Yi’s gentle voice came through the phone.
“Zi Yi, tell him to be extra careful! It’s a place he’s not familiar with…” Li Rou’s worried voice could also be faintly heard in the background.
…
Ou Yang Zi Yi and Li Rou waited until noon but still didn’t receive a call from Chu Tian Yu. Unable to hold back any longer, Ou Yang Zi Yi dialed his number. Earlier, they hadn’t dared to call out of fear of interfering with his actions.
The phone went dead silent. Ou Yang Zi Yi checked and found there was no signal. Shocked, she quickly tried Li Rou’s phone—same result, no signal. Suddenly, she had a badpremonition.
Just then, a sound of a rocket being launched came from outside, followed by a loud explosion at one of the Judgment Guild members’ ambush points in front of the castle. The ground shook as if even the castle itself was trembling. One after another, loud explosions continued, and Ou Yang Zi Yi finally realized the castle was under attack!
Soon, the castle launched a counterattack. Various modern long-range weapons, operated by the mercenary group, were fired at the enemies in the distance.
Suddenly, the main gate was forced open. Sophia and Grandpa Duo An rushed in, pulling Ou Yang Zi Yi and Li Rou outside while briefly explaining the sudden attack.
They had been preparing for attacks by Holy Power users, but they never expected the enemy to launch a modern attack in broad daylight and even block all external communications of the castle—things they hadn’t anticipated at all.
Grandpa Duo An took Ou Yang Zi Yi to the secret room above the sealed sacred object. Located right in the center of the castle, it had a passage leading down to the sealing site. Mirrors surrounded it, allowing them to observe the outside through refraction. Thus, it was the strongest and safest place in the entire castle.
The battle outside continued until nightfall. Ou Yang Zi Yi’s face turned pale; her mind was blank and confused. Each bullet and shell hitting the castle’s outer walls felt like a wound being inflicted on her own body. Though she had rarely been here and didn’t feel a sense of belonging, this was the place where her mother had grown up, filled with so many memories of her mother’s joy and traces of her life…
The regular combat in the castle had ended. The entire castle was riddled with wounds, and its magnificent buildings seemed to tremble in the smoke, adding to a sense of desolation.
…

“Duke Tili, the entire modern defense system of the castle has been destroyed. May we now send our troops in?” asked a wounded man with thick white bandages wrapped around his shoulder respectfully to a tall figure.
That wounded man was none other than the old man who had been repelled by Ouyang Ziyi’s gunshot last time.
Duke Tili waved his hand and ordered, “Attack with full force! No mercy!”
“What about those sacred relics? And the descendants of the Sun King who can lift the seals?” the old man reminded him.
Duke Tili did not answer directly. Instead, he looked up at the full moon in the sky and said slowly, “What we want is destruction, not plunder!”
“Yes!”
Countless figures rushed into the castle from all directions at that shout of “Yes.” Instantly, energy fluctuations, close combat, and roars filled the entire castle.
However, Sophia and the several duke-level clan leaders who arrived later were completely unprepared for such a large number of enemies. The information they had received was much less than what they saw now, and in terms of individual combat strength, these enemies were also superior. Thus, the scent of blood spreading through the air mostly came from the corpses of the members of the Judgment Council who guarded the castle.
Faced with the almost one-sided slaughter outside, Ouyang Ziyi clenched her sniper rifle tightly, which she had brought with her before entering. A mix of intense hatred and helplessness tormented her heart, her gaze fixed ahead with a solemn expression on her face.
Next to her, Li Rou also had a pale face, her hands trembling as she repeatedly tried to call Chu Tianyu’s phone…
At that moment, a beam of moonlight suddenly shone into the secret room—pure and bright. It was clearly guided into the room through special architectural techniques from the roof, and it seemed to have been focused and filtered during the process, resulting in such an effect when it illuminated the space.
Attracted by this sight, Ouyang Ziyi turned to Grandpa Duoan, who was already in tears, and asked, “Grandpa Duoan, what’s going on?”
Duoan wiped away his tears, forcing himself to suppress his sadness, and said through sobs, “On every full moon night, this moonlight is deliberately guided in to make it easier to read the ‘Yi She Declaration!’ So there’s no need to go outside at night to read it…”
Listening to Grandpa Duoan’s sobbing voice, Ouyang Ziyi could deeply understand the old man’s affection and attachment to this castle. She tightly held his trembling hand, her comforting gaze speaking volumes.

Suddenly, Ouyang Ziyi had an idea and said, “Grandpa Duoan, if I want to read this ‘Yi She Declaration,’ what’s the procedure?”
Hearing this, Duoan immediately pulled his hand back and shook his head firmly. “No, no! It must be viewed only after a formal inheritance ceremony; otherwise, one will be cursed by the Moon Spirit!”
“Grandpa Duoan, do you mean it’s possible to read this declaration without a special ceremony? Just facing some vague curse?” Ouyang Ziyi pressed further.
Duoan nodded reluctantly.
“Then tell me how! Yi She Castle has been destroyed. I can’t let those sacred relics fall into the hands of those bandits again. Even if there’s a way to destroy them, I’ll make sure they don’t get a single piece!” Ouyang Ziyi said angrily.
“No, it’s impossible…” Before Grandpa Duoan could finish speaking, he was cut off by Ouyang Ziyi’s sharp voice. “Grandpa Duoan, what’s the point of waiting? Look outside—it’s a massacre on one side. Instead of letting them break in and take the sacred relics, let’s fight for them ourselves. Hurry up and tell me!”
“It originally requires the baptism of a noble through the Gate of Holy Power, along with his blood, plus your blood and that of the previous castle owner. These must be poured onto the copper button in the center of the book. Once opened, it can be read under moonlight!” Duoan said in a trembling voice.
“Grandpa Duoan, you must have my grandmother’s blood saved. The key question is: can the declaration be opened without that baptism and noble blood? And can any noble be used as a substitute?” Ouyang Ziyi asked anxiously.
“No. The chosen noble must go through a complicated identity verification process and a ceremony before he can pass through the Gate of Holy Power. Nothing temporary will work. But that baptism and noble blood are meant to remove the curse of the Moon Goddess on the declaration; it shouldn’t affect the opening procedure!” As the sounds of fighting grew louder, Duoan understood Ouyang Ziyi’s decision.
“What about my grandmother’s saved blood?” Ouyang Ziyi asked calmly, ignoring Li Rou’s attempts to stop her.
“It’s… it’s in the safe under the bookshelf…” Duoan hesitated.

Under the moonlight, two streams of blood were poured into the copper button on the book at the same time. Suddenly, a cloud of smoke appeared, emitting brilliant light that continuously absorbed the moonlight and diluted the blood in the button. The light gradually turned pale red and quickly enveloped the entire “Ishe Declaration.” A faint cracking sound was heard, followed by the energy waves that had covered the book before surging out as if to embrace something. Hesitantly, Ouyang Ziyi followed Grandpa Duoan’s instructions and placed her hands on it…

The declaration seemed to be drawn toward her as well, instantly sticking closely to her hands. Seeing her hands completely immersed in the red mist, which felt warm, Ouyang Ziyi, filled with excitement, effortlessly flipped open the “Ishe Declaration.” Under the moonlight, she finally saw its contents. However, what neither of them noticed was that after the beam of moonlight spread across the entire page, it gradually turned into a layer of cold air that slowly gathered toward Ouyang Ziyi’s palms, disappearing upon touching her skin…