Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 266: Watching from the Sidelines

There was no doubt about this voice—it was undoubtedly that mysterious Ao Xue!
Just as Chu Tianyu had expected, even if he hadn’t gone to look for the two sisters, they would have come to him on their own.
So, when Ao Xue’s sudden message reached Chu Tianyu’s ears, although he was initially surprised, he quickly calmed down and didn’t show any reaction. He simply nodded at Gu Yu and said, “Brother Gu, I now fully understand your intentions. How about we arrange a proper time to discuss this in detail next time?”
Seeing Chu Tianyu’s response, Gu Yu estimated that the performance on stage was almost over. Clearly, approaching Chu Tianyu this time carried some risk for him. As for Chu Tianyu’s suggestion to meet later, he wasn’t sure if such an opportunity would arise again.
After all, Gu Yu had to be careful about keeping things confidential. He had chosen this moment carefully—first to avoid being secretly watched, and second to prevent anyone from noticing his interaction with Chu Tianyu.
After hearing this, Gu Yu fell into deep thought, looking troubled.
Chu Tianyu, as if seeing through his thoughts, smiled at him and said, “Brother Gu, since you believe I have the strength to confront that force, then at least trust me. I should be able to arrange a meeting place without causing any problems…” Although Chu Tianyu’s words were a bit vague, his meaning was clear. Gu Yu was a decisive person. After hearing this, he hesitated neither, said nothing further, merely stared at Chu Tianyu, nodded slowly but firmly to indicate he would wait for news, then stepped aside and merged into the crowd still immersed in the enchanting voices of the Xue sisters.
With Gu Yu’s matters temporarily resolved, Chu Tianyu turned his head in another direction. With a smile, he whispered, “Hehe. Xue… oh, no, I should call you Miss Ao Xue. What a coincidence! I never expected we’d meet again in such a setting. How rare!”
“Besides ‘rare,’ I’ve gained two things here. First, I’ve finally seen your true face, and second, I know your full name…” As the voice spoke, Ao Xue’s figure appeared before Chu Tianyu’s eyes.

Upon seeing Aoxue again, though she still wore that expressionless mask, Chutianyu could still imagine the beautiful face beneath it. He even seemed to sense the expression on her face at that moment—a mix of restraint, joy, and shyness, a complex emotion that was thought-provoking…

Although Aoxue knew she was still wearing a mask, facing Chutianyu’s intense gaze, her heart inexplicably fluttered. The sharp words and questions she had prepared earlier vanished instantly. Thinking of the fact that this guy had seen her before…

With these thoughts, Aoxue’s heartbeat quickened, and she slightly lowered her head, as if trying to avoid his gaze, showing clear signs of shyness.

Chutianyu also clearly sensed this change in Aoxue. Though he still saw her plain, unremarkable face, the subtle emotions between them gave him a different feeling. Their breathing could be heard clearly, and an indescribable emotion seemed to envelop them as they stood there in silence. The noise and applause from the outside world seemed irrelevant to them, as if only he and she existed in the world.

After a while, the crowd listening to the performance disturbed their state. Chutianyu was the first to recover, but due to the awkwardness from earlier, he didn’t know what to say and couldn’t find the right opening.

Just then, a delicate cry rang out, “Sis, where are you? Sis…”

Ningshuang also couldn’t find Aoxue at first, so she used her sense of presence to locate her and began calling out while waving her hands.

Aoxue came back to her senses at her sister’s call, remembering that she had come to ask this guy several questions. Unexpectedly, after just exchanging a glance with him, her thoughts had wandered far away, and she lost track of what she wanted to do. A strange irritation arose in her heart, as if a dark shadow was pressing down on her, preventing her from enjoying what should have been a “normal” emotion for an ordinary person…

Thinking of this, Aoxue suppressed her feelings and coldly said to Chutianyu, “I’ll come back for you. I have a few questions—hope you can give me answers. Okay, Third Young Master Chu?”

Faced with Aoxue’s harsh words, especially her deliberately slow, clenched-teeth utterance of “Young Master Chu San” at the end, Chu Tianyu showed no displeasure. Instead, he calmly spread his hands, flashed a charming smile, and said, “No problem. I’m always welcome!”
After saying that, Aoxue glared at him fiercely before turning and disappearing into the crowd, heading in the direction of Ning Shuang.
Watching Aoxue leave, a smile appeared on Chu Tianyu’s lips as he thought to himself, “Heh, no need for you to come looking for me. I’ll have you tonight!”
With that thought, Chu Tianyu didn’t linger either and headed in the direction of Nian Ran, Zi Yi, and Fei Fei. Today’s gains were significant—not only did he get Gu Yu’s willingness to cooperate and valuable information, but he also unexpectedly ran into the mysterious Aoxue sisters again after leaving abruptly last time. It was truly lucky. It seemed Chu Tianyu would have to continue his paparazzo work for a while longer.
At that moment, Xue Fei Fei and Xue Ning Er were surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd, and even Tai Nian Ran and Ouyang Zi Yi were pushed aside. Given the situation, it seemed impossible to get close for a while.
Though the scene was chaotic, Chu Tianyu noticed one thing: neither Aoxue nor Ning Shuang was among the enthusiastic crowd, nor were they seen near Ouyang Zi Yi.
By normal reasoning, Ning Shuang must have called out to Aoxue to drag her sister to find Zi Yi or to follow the crowd and join Fei Fei and the others.
Seeing this, Chu Tianyu quickly sent out his senses to detect their location. Instantly, he found Aoxue and Ning Shuang—they weren’t in the hall but were hurrying outside.
Upon realizing this, Chu Tianyu didn’t rush. First, he sent a message to Nian Ran and Zi Yi, briefly explaining the situation. He especially regarded the Aoxue sisters as a crucial clue and decided to follow them secretly, skipping the rest of the banquet.
Nian Ran and Zi Yi had no objections to Chu Tianyu’s plan and agreed without further thought, nodding in his direction.
……
Winters in Beijing are cold and dry. At that time, Aoxue and Ning Shuang were sitting in a luxury car, driven by a middle-aged woman in gray clothes. Aoxue and Ning Shuang, sitting in the back, had already changed back from their banquet attire to ordinary clothes.

“Sis, why did you disappear suddenly just now? I couldn’t find you after getting the notice and was so worried. Oh, right. Sis, were you standing with that jerk just now? Do you know him?” Ning Shuang said in one breath.

After hearing this, Ao Xue pondered for a while before saying expressionlessly, “Do you know who he is?”

Ning Shuang was stunned and blurted out, “Who? Isn’t he just some good-for-nothing from the Chu Group? Who else could it be? I get angry just looking at his slick and fancy appearance. Every time I see him, I want to punch him.”

Chu Tianyu, who was following from afar but could hear everything clearly, almost stumbled. She even used the description of “slick and fancy” — who did she think she was annoying? He quickly reflected on himself and realized he hadn’t done anything to provoke her. It was this little girl who had been hostile from the first meeting, never giving him a kind word. This time, she even kicked him right away — really rude!

Ao Xue also felt uncomfortable after hearing Ning Shuang’s words. Looking at her sister, who still seemed indignant, she frowned but kept her voice calm. “Do you still remember that expert who saved you last time?”

“Of course I do. Someone who earns such praise from you — how could I not…” Ning Shuang hesitated at first, but as she saw her sister’s meaningful expression, she gradually understood. Connecting it with what her sister had said before, she finally grasped it. Her face changed as she stared at her sister, opened her mouth, and after a long pause, stammered, “Sis, you… you don’t mean they’re the same person, do you?”

Ao Xue nodded gently.

Seeing her sister’s answer, Ning Shuang looked incredulous. For her, it was hard to reconcile the guy she had thought of as a good-for-nothing with the mysterious expert her sister admired. So, she just stood there, at a loss for words.

After a while, it seemed Ning Shuang remembered something and said excitedly, “That’s impossible. Absolutely impossible. If he really is the mysterious expert you mentioned, why don’t I feel anything? On the contrary, he can’t even possess the energy of heaven and earth. He doesn’t even have any ordinary vital energy. How could he be an expert?”

Hearing her sister’s explanation, Aoxue’s expression changed instantly. “Ningshuang, never be too superstitious about your special sense. Didn’t I tell you? When the energy or qi of the other person far exceeds what you can perceive, your ability is useless and can even lead to wrong consequences. Forget that for now. Just think—those girls you admire, like Zi Yi and the others with her, aren’t all breathtakingly beautiful and graceful? They’re by no means comparable to ordinary women. With their qualifications, would they be tempted by power or money? And why would they willingly stay around that scoundrel, that playboy you mentioned? Don’t you find any of this strange?”
Aoxue’s words left Ningshuang speechless and unable to argue.
Silence fell again between them. Judging from Ningshuang’s expression, her sister’s words had clearly shaken her original beliefs, though she still couldn’t accept them emotionally.
Seeing her sister’s state, Aoxue remained silent for a while before gently patting her shoulder and comforting her, “Ningshuang, it’s not really your fault. You must have been influenced by Zi Yi’s natural aura, which triggered some subtle resonance and made you develop a strong fondness for her. That’s why you naturally resist the man she likes. Plus, that seemingly worthless scoundrel doesn’t seem to have any good qualities at all, so it’s understandable you feel upset, thinking it’s like putting a flower in a pile of manure.”
Chu Tianyu, who was following behind, stumbled again…
As her sister spoke, Ningshuang’s thoughts gradually returned to normal. She continued the conversation, “Sis, if what you say is true, then this Chu Third Young Master is indeed a highly skilled person hiding his talents. Then do the other women around him, like the famous star Xue Feifei, also possess the powers I’ve sensed?”
Aoxue had already thought about this question, so she replied without hesitation, “I think your guess is very likely true. By the way, Ningshuang, have you noticed that although they’re all around Chu Tianyu, that one named Tai Nianran seems to take a leading role, while Xue Feifei’s singing voice is so beautiful—it’s definitely beyond what an ordinary person could produce…”

Before Sister Jingshuang could finish speaking, she eagerly interjected with a puzzled expression, “Oh right, Sister, now that you mention it, it does seem to be the case. By the way, Sister, could it be that their cultivation levels have also reached a stage beyond my perception?”
Aoxue nodded and said, “It’s very likely. After all, from what we saw at the banquet just now, both Tai Nianran and Xue Feifei seemed quite ordinary. But I’m sure they’re definitely not ordinary people with no cultivation at all. At least in terms of their expressions and aura, they surpass Zi Yi!”
Hearing this, Jingshuang thought for a moment before suddenly realizing, “So when I met them at the bar, I could sense Sister Zi Yi’s aura. That actually means Sister Zi Yi is the weakest among them, not yet able to control her natural aura freely and keep it hidden?”
“More or less!” Aoxue nodded in agreement.
“Then, just how high is their cultivation level? Even the weakest one, Sister Zi Yi, possesses an immense power that’s completely beyond our reach. It’s terrifying—hard to even imagine!” Jingshuang exclaimed in awe.
“Yes, if you don’t see the sky, you won’t know how high it is; if you don’t touch the earth, you won’t know how thick it is!” Aoxue also sighed, as a face that haunted her thoughts naturally surfaced in her mind…
“Sister, do you know what their background is? And what about the Chu Corporation? From the information we have, it seems to be just an ordinary business group, at most with some influential connections.” Jingshuang asked.
After hearing this, Aoxue pondered for a while before saying, “Hmm, it’s not necessarily related to the Chu Corporation. Our master told us to investigate someone named Chu Tianfeng—his elder brother! From what we know, he and his brother seem to be fighting for control of the Chu Corporation…”
“How is that possible? With that guy’s strength, does he still need to fight for such things? Doesn’t he have everything he wants?” Jingshuang interrupted in shock.
“That’s unclear. That’s why I went to see him earlier to try to get some clues. Sigh, with the sudden appearance of such a group, things have become complicated. It’s hard to say when we’ll be able to complete our mission.” Aoxue said thoughtfully, as if recalling something.
“Yes, if that guy is the mysterious expert who saved you last time, then he must also know something about Lord Tai. And he’s definitely Lord Tai’s enemy, otherwise he wouldn’t be setting ambushes and tracking people in the middle of the night.” Jingshuang spoke bluntly.

As for her sister’s words, Ao Xue was the one involved in the situation—how could she not understand the relationship between them? But at that moment, her thoughts were already elsewhere… Just then, the speeding car suddenly braked hard and swerved to the side. Along with a screeching noise, it came to a stop by the roadside. Although it happened suddenly, Ao Xue and Ning Shuang, thanks to their strong skills, weren’t badly hurt. Other than that, the two sisters didn’t seem surprised at all. They didn’t ask the middle-aged woman driving the car what had happened. Instead, they exchanged a glance, nodded slightly as if reaching some unspoken understanding, then pushed open their car doors and got out. It was only then that the middle-aged woman realized what had happened. Seeing the two ladies get out, she quickly tried to open her car door to get out as well, but Ao Xue stopped her halfway out. “Miss, it’s dangerous. I didn’t brake the car—something seems to have blocked it…” The woman’s anxious words were cut short by Ao Xue waving her hand. “Sister Wu, sit back in the car. We know what’s going on!” Seeing the lady’s calm expression, Sister Wu relaxed, realizing the two ladies had their own plans. She obeyed silently, sitting back in the car without saying another word, though her eyes remained tense as if searching for something ahead. Soon, a group of people appeared ahead, and several more figures showed up around the car—clearly a well-organized, planned ambush. Chu Tianyu, who was following behind, also noticed this and shook his head with a wry smile, thinking to himself, “Could it be that I have to play the hero again?” Meanwhile, Ao Xue and Ning Shuang stood there as if nothing had happened, coldly watching the people approaching. “Is it Lord Tai?” Ao Xue asked the lead figure in a cold tone. The man was clearly stunned, hesitating for a moment before stepping forward again. Under the streetlight, his pale, square-faced appearance became visible—his eyes calm and clear, with a faint gray haze over them, giving him an otherworldly appearance that made one feel as if they were in a dream.

The man who arrived was none other than Lord Qin, who had been secretly watched by Chu Tianyu for several days. Standing with his hands behind his back in front of the Ao Xue sisters, he smiled and said, “Oh, it seems you two know me? Yet I can’t recall where I might have met you.”

As Lord Tai spoke, he used his hands behind his back to signal his subordinates to wait for orders and seize the opportunity to capture the two women at once, before things got out of control.

To be honest, Lord Tai wasn’t feeling happy at all from successfully surrounding the Ao Xue sisters. On the contrary, his mind was filled with confusion and unease.

According to the plan, the ambush along the road was meant to create a car accident, use the chaos to block the road, and then capture them with the help of his skilled men. But unexpectedly, when the Ao Xue sisters passed by, there wasn’t a single car on the usually busy road, which was puzzling. They had to change plans and use force to stop the cars.

It was because of this anomaly that Lord Qin acted so cautiously, even though he was in a favorable position.

“It doesn’t matter if you know me or not. What matters is that you went to great lengths to turn my informant against me and lure us out. Is it just to tell me you know me?” Ao Xue’s mocking words interrupted Lord Tai’s thoughts, forcing him to set aside his unease for a moment and look at her in surprise.

Lord Qin’s unease had now turned into a badpremonition, filling him with worry. This operation seemed to have more risks than advantages! Gritting his teeth, he decided not to delay any longer, so as not to give the Ao Xue sisters more time. He waved his hand forward, pointing directly at the sisters.

Although Lord Tai sensed that things were going wrong and feared he might have fallen for someone else’s trap, he still decided to attack immediately, given their numerical and strength advantage. He wanted to subdue them first so that he could take control of the situation.

Just as Lord Tai’s men launched their attack, sudden roars of wild beasts came from all directions—so loud it seemed as if thousands of beasts were charging, shaking the earth wherever they passed.

The Ao Xue sisters took advantage of the enemy’s distraction. They crossed their hands, moved their feet, and spun around, instantly creating a solid wall of ice around them, encircling them in a circle.

As their rotation speed increased, crystalline ice blades formed around the frosty barrier. Then, with a simultaneous cry from both of them, the ice blades shot out in all directions, carrying spiral force, toward their enemies…
An unexpected turn of events caught Qin Ye’s men off guard, forcing them to focus on self-defense instead of launching further attacks.
However, the men brought by Tai Ye were also experts from the Nether Realm, including the four brothers Chu Tianyu had previously tracked. After initial panic, they quickly regained their composure, adapted to the power of the ice blades, and prepared to launch a counterattack. But before they could move forward, glowing blood-red spheres, accompanied by the howls of strange beasts, struck them from afar.
Seeing this spectacle from a distance, Chu Tianyu smiled slightly, already understanding the ingenious tactics deployed by Ao Xue.