Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 183: Defying Heaven with Pride

In the poorest places, children’s smiles remain bright, and no dirt can obscure those shining eyes. Yet who knows that these radiant smiles will eventually be replaced by wrinkles, and those bright eyes drowned in the sorrows of life? Poverty and ignorance only perpetuate the sorrow of their ancestors; civilization, modernity, and even basic schooling are utterly out of reach for them…

The investigations and visits they undertook were utterly shocking to Chu Tianyu and his group, overturning all their previous perceptions of poverty. Even Bai Lei, who usually loved joking, now frowned deeply, lost in thought. After completing their investigations in the area, and taking advantage of the lack of rain, Chu Tianyu and his team decided to embark on a new journey, with Chen Qing and his girlfriend not joining them. Before leaving, they secretly left some money, not daring to leave too much for fear of Chen Qing misunderstanding, and wrote on the envelope that it covered their meals and accommodation for those two days—just what was owed, with no other intent.

However, as soon as their convoy entered the national highway, it started raining. Though not heavy, it seemed endless, as if it would continue for three days and nights. Now, Chu Tianyu and Ouyang Ziyi were leading the way, while Bai Lei and Lan Yue followed behind. Seeing that everyone’s mood was low, Chu Tianyu decided to take a detour from Liuzhou to Guilin to admire the landscapes of the Li River and relax. They then planned to head through Xing’an, Shengping, and Huajiang, before reaching Ma’er Mountain, the source of the Li and Zi Rivers. Ma’er Mountain was originally a forest reserve, not far from the mysterious place where Ouyang Ziyi and Lan Yue had explored last time, and given the terrain, they were likely still on a continuous mountain range.

These days, heavy rains have hit the whole country, and Guangxi is no exception. The harsh weather caused great difficulties for Chu Tianyu and his group throughout their journey. Moreover, they mostly avoided highways, sticking to first-class roads, which posed significant challenges for driving. Several dangerous situations and breakdowns occurred at night—such as a scratched oil pan or battery issues. But each time, the experienced Ouyang Ziyi and Lan Yue resolved them, giving Qin Nianran, who watched from the side, a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be a skilled driver.

It was like a small scratch on the oil pan, and Ouyang Ziyi managed to fix it with just a piece of soap. She simply applied pressure to the crack, using the soap to seal it, then covered it with black tape, allowing the car to make it to the repair shop.

Upon entering the city, Chu Tianyu and the others replenished their supplies and food thoroughly, as most of what they had initially brought was used along the way. Especially during their investigation in Chen Qing’s hometown, they were willing to give away everything they had as gifts, feeling it was worth it even if it brought brief joy to those who received them!

……

Actually, given the current weather, it wasn’t suitable to head into the mountains. But first, Maole Mountain had already been developed, and the roads along the way were easy to navigate. Moreover, among the people in this group, there was no place Chu Tianyu wouldn’t go—let alone Ouyang Ziyi and Lan Yue, who were passionate adventurers willing to venture into any dangerous place. Bai Lei, of course, was no exception, and Qin Nianran remained silent the whole time. Angel, aside from following Chu Tianyu, was unknown in every other regard.

That’s why they acted without hesitation, heading straight for Maole Mountain. The Maole Mountain Nature Reserve spans Xing’an, Ziyuan, and Longsheng counties, covering an area of 17,008 hectares, with its main peak reaching 2,141.5 meters above sea level. It is known as “the pinnacle of the Five Ridges and the summit of South China.”

Faced with the magnificent and breathtaking natural scenery of Maole Mountain, even in the drizzling rain, Chu Tianyu and his group were in high spirits. The primitive landscape here especially left everyone enchanted.

“Ziyi, the place you mentioned last time must be over there, right?” Looking at the vast primeval forest, Chu Tianyu pointed to the undulating terrain shaped by nature’s craftsmanship, resembling rolling waves in an endless forest, and asked.

In fact, on a rainy day, even when climbing to a high vantage point, one could only see a rough outline, with clouds and mist obscuring the view, making it impossible to see clearly.

Ouyang Ziyi checked her compass and nodded in agreement.

“I’ve been here once with my master, but only up to this point. As for the place you mentioned, we thought it was part of the same mountain range here, so we didn’t go deeper to explore it,” Chu Tianyu recalled.

“Then what are we waiting for? With this awful weather, we can’t see any scenery at all. We’ve climbed all this way for nothing!” Bai Lei complained, wearing his raincoat.

“Useless! You can’t even treat this as exercise!” Lan Yue said sarcastically.
“Ugh, it’s so easy for you guys to talk about ‘true energy’ and ‘special abilities,’ but it’s tough for ordinary people like us!” Bai Lei muttered softly.
In fact, Bai Lei was the one who gained the most from this journey. He used to be a complete “writer,” spending his days at home working on his gaming career. But this time, everyone else was stronger than him—even Angel, who seemed the weakest, climbed the mountain as if floating, with no effort at all, like it was just a game. Meanwhile, he was panting like a cow just to get there.
Fortunately, Bai Lei had been practicing standing stances according to Chu Tianyu’s plan every day. Even during Chu Tianyu’s trip to Europe, he kept practicing consistently. Otherwise, given his previous physical condition, he would have collapsed halfway.
“Hehe, Bai Lei, if you want it to be easy, stand in those stances for an extra hour when you get back. In half a year, I guarantee you’ll be able to climb mountains effortlessly!” Chu Tianyu joked with a smile.
“Standing, standing? Even if it’s ten hours, I’ll accept it! You’re all so strong—doesn’t that motivate me? I have to catch up with Angel, right, Angel?” Bai Lei encouraged himself by thinking of Angel, who seemed the weakest.
Angel had gotten familiar with everyone lately. Hearing Bai Lei’s words, she didn’t quite understand what he meant, but noticing his eyes blinking at her, she shyly darted behind Chu Tianyu and poked her head out, smiling at Bai Lei.
As soon as Bai Lei finished speaking, he saw a flash before Angel disappeared from sight. By the time he looked again, she was already hiding behind Chu Tianyu.
Bai Lei opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately stayed silent. From his expression, everyone could tell he wanted to say, “M-Maybe this goal is a bit too high…”
Seeing Bai Lei’s frustrated face, Lan Yue couldn’t help but walk over and comfort him, “It’s okay. They’re all superhumans. Aren’t there still me and you?”

Bai Lei looked up at Lan Yue and said gloomily again, “Fighting, martial arts, judo, karate, archery, shooting—you’re an expert in all of them. Apart from standing in a horse stance, I don’t know anything else. Just thinking about it makes my eyes moist. And what’s most infuriating is that even Li Rouli, who’s usually behind me, went to Europe and actually learned how to use a gun…” “Tianyu, Lan Yue, what do you think? Should we rest here in the scenic area tonight before continuing…” Ouyang Ziyi asked.
“Mm, okay.”
“Angel, come here—there’s a really pretty little flower over there!” Qin Nianran said in English.
“Mm~”
As they talked, they began to walk down the mountain. As for that self-pitying kid, everyone just ignored his words!
…
The next day, after resting, Chu Tianyu and the others set off early along the mountain road toward the place Ouyang Ziyi had mentioned. Most of the road was dirt, and although it was fairly wide, its bumpy condition was extremely difficult to endure.
Around 10 a.m., it started pouring heavily, and the rain grew even worse. As a result, Chu Tianyu and the others didn’t stop at noon but simply ate something in the car.
By 2 p.m., they no longer dared to stop. The water and mud on the road meant that stopping recklessly could lead to the engine stalling or the car getting stuck.
Ouyang Ziyi, who was leading the way, had sweat pouring down her forehead. She was under great pressure—her top priority now was to ensure the car didn’t stall or get stuck in the mud. Otherwise, getting stranded on this remote mountain road would be a huge hassle. With such heavy rain, it was impossible to fix the car on the spot.
Yet, the very thing they wanted to avoid happened. Chu Tianyu saw in the rearview mirror that Lan Yue’s car had also stalled. To keep Ouyang Ziyi focused on driving, Chu Tianyu was responsible for checking what was behind them, so when something went wrong, he immediately informed Ouyang Ziyi.
Ouyang Ziyi didn’t panic. Instead, she slowed down and continued driving, constantly scanning both sides of the road as if searching for something.
Suddenly, as if she had found something, Ouyang Ziyi swerved sharply, causing the car to tilt to the middle of the road. The rear of the car landed on a higher spot, keeping the exhaust pipe above the water.

Then he sharply turned the steering wheel, started in low gear, and slowly took turns. Once the car’s angle was adjusted properly, he shifted gears and accelerated, steering the car toward Lan Yue and the others. When they were almost there, Ouyang Ziyi repeated the same maneuver, successfully turning the car around again, with the rear still on the higher ground. Lan Yue and the others seemed to have been prepared in advance; they quickly attached the tow rope to the rear of Ouyang Ziyi’s car despite the rain, with their end already tied up. After finishing, except for Lan Yue, who stayed in the back car to steer, everyone moved into the first car. Bai Lei initially refused outright, insisting on staying with Lan Yue to face difficulties together, but he couldn’t withstand Lan Yue’s shout that, under these circumstances, the lighter the rear load, the better. With tears in his eyes, he reluctantly got into the first car. Seeing the teasing expressions on everyone’s faces inside, he tried to cover up by saying, “Hehe, hehe, it’s really raining hard today; it’s even in my eyes…” Instead of calming them down, his words only made everyone laugh more. Seeing this, Bai Lei became anxious and said, “What’s the matter? I’m just a bit sentimental and crying. Can’t I have some emotions? Geniuses are still human!” … The towing didn’t work, and eventually both cars broke down. The rain grew heavier, and as the weather darkened, thunder and lightning started to crackle in the sky. Everyone had no choice but to sit in their cars, waiting for the weather to improve and the rain to stop. Judging from the current situation, they would have to spend the night in the wilderness. So they redistributed the people: Ouyang Ziyi, Qin Nianran, Lan Yue, and Angel remained in the first car, while Chu Tianyu went with Bai Lei in another car, mainly because it was more convenient to separate men and women for the night. Although the two cars were side by side, they could only communicate through walkie-talkies. Despite the strong wind and rain outside, the atmosphere inside the cars was lively. Everyone chatted and told jokes. Especially Bai Lei, who claimed to show off his skills from the arts club, sang a song through the walkie-talkie. Though off-key and sounding like a howl, everyone treated it as a funny rendition of a foreign song, finding it amusing. At that moment, a sense of sharing weal and woe together arose among them…

Fortunately, the items and food in the car were well prepared, and everyone had a hearty dinner by the emergency light. But halfway through, Ouyang Ziyi seemed to suddenly remember something; she simply said, “Wait in the car for now,” before opening the door and running in the rain toward Chu Tianyu’s car.

“What’s the matter?” Chu Tianyu had already spotted Ouyang Ziyi, so he got out of the car early to greet her and ask.

“Take your emergency light with you first. I just forgot something important. Parking in the wild, especially on a mountain road, during storms, can lead to landslides. We must check the surrounding terrain to see if there are any areas prone to sliding or sinking,” Ouyang Ziyi said urgently.

Chu Tianyu went back to the car to grab the emergency light while saying, “It shouldn’t be a problem. The area where we parked is quite open on both sides—it’s not a winding road with cliffs on one side and a valley on the other…” As he spoke, he channeled his inner energy to create a thin protective barrier around him and Ouyang Ziyi, which not only dried her wet clothes instantly but also gave her a warm feeling on this stormy night.

“No, we still need to check. Even though there are no immediate rockfalls, such an open area with no obstacles makes it easier to be affected by distant landslides. If such a danger exists, we need to prepare early by lining up the two cars side by side and securing them together…” Ouyang Ziyi said.

“How about this? We split up. I’ll check the surroundings. Whether there’s danger or not, you go and tell them to get out and secure the cars. Leave the emergency light with them; I don’t need it,” Chu Tianyu decided firmly.

Hearing Chu Tianyu’s plan, Ouyang Ziyi nodded without hesitation and said, “I’ll follow your lead. Be careful!”

“Mm~” Chu Tianyu turned and dashed off into the darkness, disappearing instantly.

“Sis, is something wrong?” Lan Yue also got out of the car wearing a raincoat and handed one to Ouyang Ziyi.

At Lan Yue’s voice, Ouyang Ziyi looked up and saw that everyone in the car had gotten out, looking at her with concerned eyes.

So Ouyang Ziyi repeated the concerns she had just expressed to Chu Tianyu, and only then did everyone realize the seriousness of the situation. They quickly began searching for tools under her guidance to secure the two cars together.

It was really thanks to Qin Nianran and Angel that things went smoothly. Without their strength, it would have been impossible for everyone to get the two heavily loaded cars side by side in such a short time.

With everyone working together, they finally managed to secure the two vehicles together. To ensure they stayed firmly in place, they used every rope and tool they could find. Once secured, Chu Tianyu emerged from the stormy rain.

“How is the situation?” Ouyang Ziyi asked anxiously on behalf of everyone.

Chu Tianyu didn’t answer right away. Instead, he gestured for everyone to get into the vehicles first, then signaled Ouyang Ziyi and Qin Nianran to stay behind.

“This time, it’s all thanks to Ouyang Ziyi. The side close to the mountain is indeed a high slope. I climbed up a bit, and its height continues upward. Time didn’t allow me to go further. Moreover, the vegetation there is sparse, and water is already seeping out from the slope in large amounts. The situation is urgent. Ziyi, Nianran, what do you think we should do next?” Chu Tianyu briefly explained the situation.

Qin Nianran was surprised that Chu Tianyu had kept her behind as well. But upon hearing his question, she felt inexplicably pleased. It seemed that in Chu Tianyu’s mind, in an emergency, she still held an important position and was considered worthy of discussion. His tone was natural, as if it were only right so.

“There’s nothing else we can do but pray to heaven. This landslide is only small in scale. Hopefully, the vehicles can hold back the mud. Otherwise, once it exceeds a certain limit, they’ll definitely be overturned,” Ouyang Ziyi said directly, without as many thoughts as Qin Nianran.

Qin Nianran pondered for a moment before echoing Ouyang Ziyi’s words. “If the mudslide gets worse, it won’t just be a matter of being overturned. After the impact, we’ll surely be buried under it. With the air inside the vehicles, so many of us won’t be able to survive even a few minutes…”

After stating the consequences, both Ziyi and Nianran looked at Chu Tianyu simultaneously, feeling that their last hope rested entirely on him.

At this moment, Chu Tianyu was also extremely troubled. He had never encountered such a situation before. When he traveled alone with his master, any danger was his own problem—if things went wrong, he could run away. But now, with such a large group to carry, he really didn’t know how to solve it.

“If there’s a mudslide, it should come from this direction. You guys get into that vehicle over there first. I’ll take care of this side,” Chu Tianyu said after thinking for a while.

“Are you planning to handle it all by yourself?” Ouyang Ziyi asked, as if guessing Chu Tianyu’s plan.

“If we’re really unlucky, all we can do is do our best and leave it to fate!” Chu Tianyu said, looking at the lightning and thunder in the sky as well as the relentless downpour.
Ouyang Ziyi tried several times to say something but couldn’t bring herself to speak, because under the current circumstances, following Chu Tianyu’s advice was the best course of action.
“Ziyi, let’s get in the car first. Staying here will only hinder him,” Qin Nianran said, pulling Ouyang Ziyi back to the car and persuading her.
Chu Tianyu also got into another car, staying in touch with Ziyi and Nianran through a walkie-talkie. But as soon as he got in, it seemed he suddenly remembered something and returned to the stormy weather, entering Shanglin. Before anyone could understand what was happening, Chu Tianyu returned with two tree trunks, each about forty centimeters in diameter, under his arms. He planted them more than five meters away from the SUV, leaving a height roughly equal to that of two cars.
Only then did everyone realize that Chu Tianyu intended to create a simple wooden fence to mitigate the impact of possible floods and direct collisions with the vehicles…
In fact, by this time, CCTV and local TV stations had already issued warnings about widespread mudslides and landslides across the region. Government agencies and military forces at all levels were on high alert, ready to respond to any major emergencies.
Even after Chu Tianyu set up three rows of wooden stakes, the relentless floods still broke out under the continuous downpour. The loud roaring sound terrified everyone inside the car. Angel, as if sensing the danger, tightly held onto Qin Nianran’s hand and leaned against her.
Qin Nianran didn’t have any comforting words to offer either; all she could do was hold her tightly and gently pat her back to ease her anxiety.
Suddenly, a powerful force enveloped both cars. Qin Nianran and Angel were the first to feel it and turned in shock toward Chu Tianyu. The others also turned their heads upon seeing their expressions and actions.
Chu Tianyu was already standing outside the car, his arms outstretched, channeling all his energy. It seemed he was determined to use his own strength to confront the forces of nature.
Seeing this, everyone’s hearts tightened. Just then, followed by a loud roar, a massive shaking of the ground jolted everyone in the car. Fortunately, they had fastened their seat belts earlier, thanks to Ouyang Ziyi’s reminder, so they weren’t thrown around by the shockwaves.

In an instant, the terrifying flood also arrived with a howling fury, just as Chu Tianyu had predicted. This force capable of destroying everything ignored all objects in its path, sweeping over them all while using its immense impact to destroy anything in its way. The wooden stakes Chu Tianyu had temporarily placed there were also instantly destroyed and covered, but the force of the flood was slightly deflected to the sides due to these stakes, reducing the impact on Chu Tianyu and the two vehicles behind him. This was exactly the effect he wanted. All of his Purple Void True Qi had been channeled into the protective shield he had created, and the Ink Dragon Energy attached to his body seemed to sense the urgency of the moment as well—it spontaneously emerged from Chu Tianyu’s chest and released a burst of energy, reinforcing the shield originally formed by his Purple Void True Qi. Continuous booms could be heard as the flood struck the shield, causing Chu Tianyu’s blood to surge violently. His muscles tensed, and his veins bulged as he used every ounce of his strength to barely withstand the first wave of nature’s force. Knowing that this force could only be diffused rather than stopped, Chu Tianyu retracted the shield while blocking the flood. He pressed his back tightly against the vehicle, temporarily merging with it, and used the flood’s force along with its momentum to retreat, much like surfing in the sea. However, the cost of this “surfing” was extremely high—he had to resist the huge thrust of the flood behind him and rely on his True Qi to create a solid barrier to fend off obstacles and objects that might cause harm to those in the vehicles, such as branches, tree stumps, and rocks. Chu Tianyu now felt suffocated, and his skin began to seep blood as tiny capillaries burst. But all he could do at this point was hold on desperately, as he could still feel the flood increasing its force—it had not yet reached its peak… With a “pfft,” Chu Tianyu finally couldn’t hold back and spat out a mouthful of blood. His Purple Void True Qi shield also retracted, and it seemed they were about to lose their momentum and be swallowed by the flood. Just then, Chu Tianyu gathered all his remaining strength, let out a fierce roar, and his True Qi erupted once again. Even the Ink Dragon patterns on his body seemed to glow momentarily, allowing the shield to return to its original state.

For Chu Tianyu, the only thing he wanted to do now was to wait until the flood reached its peak of intensity and began to subside, so he could relax a bit, breathe deeply, and spit out some blood. Chu Tianyu’s current condition was one of blocked energy in his chest and stagnant blood, which caused extreme discomfort, but it also made him too afraid to slack off.

In fact, Chu Tianyu and the others had been carried away by the floodwaters for countless kilometers. Now, Chu Tianyu was relying solely on his extraordinary willpower to hold on. After all, no matter how strong he was, he was still just one person. Compared to the wild forces of nature, even the strongest person’s strength pales in comparison. It was already astonishing that he had managed to hold on this long.

The intensity of the flood’s waves seemed to be fading at last. Although the driving force continued to increase, it no longer had the relentless momentum of before; there were now gaps between the waves.

But for Chu Tianyu, this good news came too late. He could feel his strength rapidly declining. The vital energy used to sustain his protective barrier—whether it was his own Zi Xu Vital Energy or Mo Long Energy—had reached a point of exhaustion.

Chu Tianyu had never experienced such a feeling before. Even during his battle with Thor, when he was at a disadvantage and constantly under attack, he had never felt his entire strength drain away, not even his Mo Long Energy, which had been completely exhausted. The dragon patterns on his body had turned dull, and upon closer inspection, tiny cracks could be seen.

Chu Tianyu’s only hope now was to activate the Zi Xu Dragon Core within him and use its immense power to get through this ordeal. Unfortunately, no matter what methods he tried, the core remained completely inactive, still in a state of self-sealing.

Chu Tianyu’s consciousness was still holding on, but the vital energy he could emit was now at its absolute limit. Just then, a pair of jade hands emitting electromagnetic waves suddenly appeared through the back window of his vehicle. With his fingers spread wide, they targeted Chu Tianyu’s protective barrier of vital energy and instantly filled every corner with electromagnetic waves.

Using the remaining energy of Chu Tianyu, another electromagnetic field was created, barely managing to block the advancing force of the flood.

At that moment, the peak of the flood waves finally passed, and the driving force diminished instantly, reducing its intensity significantly. Chu Tianyu turned to look at Qin Nianran, who was emitting the electromagnetic field. Before he could even catch his breath, he spat out several mouthfuls of blood and immediately lost consciousness.

It was Qin Nianran who emitted the electromagnetic field from inside the car. Actually, as soon as Chu Tianyu nearly lost control of the protective shield due to vomiting blood, Qin Nianran had already noticed. So at that moment, she used electromagnetic waves to break through the windows of the two cars side by side and entered Chu Tianyu’s side. At the moment he exerted all his strength, she successfully added energy to the electromagnetic field, creating a new energy shield that withstood the final onslaught of the flood.

The flood finally stopped, leaving behind mud everywhere. But Qin Nianran also collapsed from exhaustion right after Chu Tianyu, losing consciousness on the spot. Yet thanks to their combined efforts, the convoy was ultimately saved.

“Tianyu~~~” While the car was still sliding forward due to residual momentum, Ouyang Ziyi opened the door, climbed over the roof, shouting as she prepared to check on Chu Tianyu’s condition.

Throughout the entire process, everyone inside the car was extremely worried, staring intently at Chu Tianyu, praying silently with their hands clasped together—not for themselves, but for Chu Tianyu! In their hearts, they were all filled with regret, hating themselves for being powerless. Faced with such a powerful force as nature, aside from obediently following orders, they really couldn’t do anything to help.

The car finally stopped, but Ouyang Ziyi didn’t see Chu Tianyu anywhere on the other side. So she frantically searched through the mud in the same direction, calling his name hoarsely as she searched.

The others got out of the car and gathered around Qin Nianran, using their hands to dig through the mud in search of Chu Tianyu. Angel went over to Qin Nianran, who was also unconscious from exhaustion, created a knife with her hand, cut her own finger, and put it in Qin Nianran’s mouth.

Finally, the group found Chu Tianyu buried in the mud about thirty meters away from the car…