Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 160: The Slaughter Blade Appears

Just the next night, in a luxurious villa somewhere in Paris, belonging to a notorious crime boss known as Paris’ top underworld figure, a massacre also took place. Apart from his elite bodyguards, strangely enough, there were quite a number of cultivators there as well. The killers left none of them alive. As for the crime boss, aside from him and a few of his key members who were killed, the rest of his underlings were left alive to witness the entire massacre. It was called a massacre because no one had any chance to resist. Those cultivators, who seemed to possess special abilities in their eyes, were nothing but lambs waiting to be slaughtered, leaving no sound other than cries of death.

According to those survivors who remained calm and did not go mad or faint on the spot, they only saw a shadow and heard a voice saying, “Slaughter Blade”…

In the following days, panic spread everywhere. Several more massacres were reported from Rome, and in each case, witnesses also mentioned the word “Slaughter Blade”!

Now,The whole of Europe fell into a state of turmoil.，Rumors and news were flying all over the sky.。

Firstly, of course, there was the massacre at Ischer Castle. The sacred relics that had been guarded there for centuries, along with the war shackles of profound significance, were both unsealed. The whereabouts of the sacred relics remain unknown, and this incident became the catalyst for the subsequent turmoil…

Secondly, it was said that this was done by the Eagle of Britain, Glayr. The battle at Ischer Castle dealt a heavy blow to the Church, forcing it to retreat in defeat. This was undoubtedly a blatant challenge by the Britons to the entire Church, as well as a major reshuffle of Europe’s underground forces!

Thirdly, the massacres and killings reported from various places seemed to confirm these two rumors. There was even a more terrifying rumor: the legends surrounding the war shackles at Ischer Castle claimed that once the shackles were opened, Europe’s future and destiny would change! Thus, now, this phrase seems to be circulating among all classes in Europe: “Once the shackles open, the Slaughter Blade appears…”

Additionally, there was a very ridiculous and gossipy rumor—that this massive invasion by the Eagle of Britain was part of a despicable plot orchestrated in collusion with Archbishop Thorne, the current ruler of Europe, to eliminate rivals. Obviously, this rumor was considered pure nonsense by everyone…

Chu Tianyu was now wearing a black, lightweight trench coat and sunglasses, walking on the street. It felt strange, but it didn’t make sense until he sat down at the agreed-upon casual café by the street. Then he realized it was a famous leisurely walking street in Paris, filled with many street artists who used the outdoor seating in cafes and snack shops to attract customers.

With a face typical of an Easterner like Chu Tianyu’s, dressed in black clothes, black pants, and dark eyes, striding around so coolly, it was inevitable he would catch the attention of many artists. So they all took out their brushes and began sketching him! Some, who were quick and skilled at sketching, handed him a portrait not long after he sat down.

Chu Tianyu smiled. The portrait was quite similar to him, and he knew the local custom—such sketches were usually given for free. If one wasn’t satisfied, they could keep the painting without paying anything. Still, Chu Tianyu was generous with his payment. Perhaps it was out of sympathy—for he remembered Li Rou’s hard experience drawing portraits in subway stations to help her family. So, he gave as much as he could to these street artists, not just for material rewards, but perhaps more as an acknowledgment of their work…

“You’re quite narcissistic, aren’t you?” Sophia’s cold sarcasm rang out as Chu Tianyu admired several portraits of himself.

He looked up and saw that Sophia was dressed in a stylish, ladylike outfit—white shirt, beige skirt, and long legs that were quite attractive. Paired with a high-quality trench coat, she exuded a unique charm.

But Chu Tianyu didn’t feel that way at all. To be honest, he was afraid of this young lady. Ever since Ouyang Ziyi left, her attitude toward him had been indifferent. Sometimes, a single wrong word would make her scowl, leaving Chu Tianyu feeling extremely awkward.

What made things worse for Chu Tianyu was that he knew she was just taking her anger out on him, yet he had no right to get angry. After all, it was Ouyang Ziyi who was in the wrong! He had no choice but to bear the consequences silently.

And there was another point: for Chu Tianyu, Sophia was a girl. Even out of respect for his partner, Duke Orsini, he couldn’t expect him to argue with her over trivial matters, right? So, in the end, Chu Tianyu had no choice but to endure it passively! Fortunately, aside from her cold attitude and blunt words, Sophia didn’t cause him too much embarrassment—after all, she was also a “professional” priest! “Oh, they painted it, so I had no choice but to buy it. And look, it’s actually quite nice!” Chu Tianyu explained with a smile, handing over the painting as if he hadn’t heard Sophia’s sarcasm at all. He had just shown it casually, and given Sophia’s attitude—she hadn’t even looked him in the face—how would she possibly look at his portrait? But unexpectedly, Sophia took the portrait and began to examine it carefully, which really surprised Chu Tianyu… “Mm, it’s well painted. It looks quite like you… By the way, was your trip to Italy smooth? I really don’t understand why Father sent you there. It’s just to make contact with someone—anyone could do it!” Sophia said softly as she handed the portrait back to Chu Tianyu. “Everything went smoothly! Maybe my identity makes me a bit ‘objective’!” Chu Tianyu replied. “Oh, maybe so. With you handling it, no one will doubt it! By the way, Father asked me to ask you—do we still need to find the next target in Paris?” Chu Tianyu pondered for a moment before saying, “I think not. What we need to do now is rest at home properly. As for me, I’m planning to go on a trip with a friend!” “Is it that vampire friend of yours?” Sophia suddenly asked. Chu Tianyu was taken aback. He clearly hadn’t expected her to ask such a personal question. He replied, “Yes. It’s a good chance to use these few free days to travel around Europe with him!” “After all this mess, you’re just going to let it go so easily?” Sophia finally couldn’t hold back her curiosity. Chu Tianyu smiled inwardly, knowing that Orsini couldn’t hide anything from his daughter and must have revealed some things selectively to her. After all, there were certain tasks that required trusted people to handle—like keeping in touch with him and delivering information. Besides Sophia herself, who else could Orsini trust? Chu Tianyu was now Orsini Duke’s biggest bet and asset!

But from Sofia’s questions, it seemed Orsini still had reservations about his daughter—after all, it was a matter of great importance, affecting the fate of their entire family. So faced with Sofia’s questions, Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but laugh and ask in return, “Then what do you suggest we do?” This time it was Sofia who was stunned. She had asked that question out of curiosity; her real intention wasn’t that. But since Chu Tianyu had asked, she continued the topic and replied, “Well, we should at least keep an eye on things and adjust our actions as the situation changes, right?” “Haha, the story that follows is a classic case of ‘dogs fighting each other,’ as we Chinese would say. In other words, we just need to reap the benefits without doing anything, hehe…” “W-what do you mean?” Sofia asked, confused. “Just look at the current situation. It won’t be long before Archbishop Thorne can’t hold back and takes action! As for those family forces who are still in the dark, they’ll only wake up when faced with the bloody reality, and then they can cooperate sincerely with your father…” Chu Tianyu replied. “I see. So you and father already have plans! Oh, by the way, have you been in touch with Ouyang recently?” Sofia casually changed the subject. “Mm, yes…” “Is she okay?” “Mm, seems to be reviewing for exams?” “What university is she in? What major?” “…” “D-does she like salads?” “…” After several rounds of questions, Chu Tianyu finally understood why Sofia’s attitude toward him had suddenly improved—she wanted something from him, asking about Zi Yi’s private life and hobbies. Eventually, unable to take it anymore, Chu Tianyu kindly but tactfully reminded her, “Sofia, you’ve never seen Zi Yi in women’s clothes. If she dressed ‘normally,’ she would definitely possess great ‘feminine’ charm and beauty!” Sofia wasn’t affected at all. On the contrary, in response to Chu Tianyu’s hint, she said bluntly, “No need for you to remind me. Don’t worry, no one will take your little lover. I really don’t understand—why do you have such a great fiancée like Ouyang yet still look for another lover? Are you Chinese more romantic than French people? And someone as excellent as Ouyang could actually tolerate such a thing? My God, it’s unimaginable!” Only then did Chu Tianyu realize that Sofia’s extremely hostile attitude toward him wasn’t because of his relationship with Ouyang Zi Yi—it was even out of concern for her! No wonder!

But when it came to this issue, Chu Tianyu was truly at a loss for words. He was in the wrong from the start, and no matter what excuse he made, the fact that he was courting others remained undeniable—there was no changing that! Seeing that Chu Tianyu was indeed speechless under her questioning, Sophia’s expression turned even more disdainful. As if recalling something, she sized up Chu Tianyu again, muttering to herself, “Ordinary—neither tall and mighty nor tender and romantic. Other than knowing how to practice Tai Chi and hanging around with vampires, I really don’t understand how Ouyang Zi could fall for such a lackluster man. It’s strange…” Chu Tianyu felt extremely awkward and helpless! Fortunately, he still had sunglasses on. Facing Sophia’s blatant disdainful gaze and derogatory words, he quickly put them back on, giving himself a false sense of privacy. Just as Chu Tianyu was sitting uneasily and feeling miserable, suddenly an idea struck him—he felt as if something was happening, and his heart swelled with joy. He thought to himself, “Perfect timing! You’re truly the most adorable people!” He quickly interrupted Sophia’s scornful remarks, pretending urgency and saying mysteriously, “Sophia, something’s wrong! It seems our whereabouts have been exposed. I feel like many experts are approaching us secretly! They’re almost here!” “What?” Sophia gasped, but covered her mouth with her hand. Clearly, no further explanation was needed—two middle-aged men in suits, with cold expressions, had already appeared before them. “Miss Sophia, our boss wants to see you right away!” said one of the men with hawk-like eyes. Aside from her initial surprise, Sophia quickly regained her composure. With her strength and the Holy Power Ring, only someone at the level of a bishop or a high-ranking family member could pose a threat to her now. She shifted her disdain toward these uninvited guests and said, “Oh, who’s your boss? He can’t just send you guys, right? I really doubt his intelligence!” Suddenly, Chu Tianyu realized that perhaps he wasn’t the most hurt person in front of Sophia… “Miss Sophia, I know of your strength, as well as your family and your sacred profession. But I still want to say—consider not just yourself, but also your ordinary little lover who lacks any holy power.” As he spoke, two more men rushed up from behind Chu Tianyu, silently locking his arms behind his back and lifting him up!

That single move shocked Sophia greatly. She had seen Chu Tianye’s skills—his ability to subdue Bogule in one move. Although her father later said it was a trickery technique from China that allowed him to gain the upper hand, her father’s words didn’t diminish her belief that Chu Tianye’s true strength was quite remarkable; otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent him as an envoy to contact that mysterious force.

Yet now, he had been subdued so quickly by those two warriors. Moreover, from the four people who had appeared before her, she could sense an extremely powerful aura of sacred energy, and their gazes were fixed on her—clearly, they were all masters among masters.

“Miss Sophia, with our strength, we really don’t need such threats. But I prefer to use the simplest and most effective methods to complete tasks. At this time, you’re still taking the risk of acting alone to secretly meet your lover. It seems he holds a place in your heart that’s unmatched, right? Hehe, well? How about coming with me?” said the man with the eagle eyes triumphantly.

At that moment, two more figures appeared behind Sophia, blocking her escape routes.