Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 154: The Elf’s Bow

Chu Tianyu walked over with a cold expression, as if the influence of Mo Long’s aura still lingered. His presence alone made Fernando instinctively take two steps back. By the time he realized Chu Tianyu wasn’t his enemy, he felt awkward.

Chu Tianyu paid no attention to his expression and instead stared solemnly at the two unconscious people in his hands. He took Sister Xin without hesitation and began checking her with his energy sense. After going through the process, he found no issues. Yet, given the intensity of the disturbance and movement, she remained asleep. Chu Tianyu then turned to Fernando.

While Chu Tianyu was checking Sister Xin with his energy sense, Fernando had already calmed himself down and steadied his emotions. Noticing Chu Tianyu’s puzzled gaze, he smiled slightly and said, “Don’t worry. This is a hypnosis technique unique to vampires. I didn’t have time to use it earlier because the situation was unclear. Just wait a moment!”

Without waiting for Chu Tianyu’s response, he placed Duke Ret on the ground, and with Chu Tianyu’s help, Sister Xin sat up.

Fernando spread his hands out, recited some incantations, and under Chu Tianyu’s gaze, a faint cyan glow enveloped Sister Xin and Duke Ret. In a short while, both of them woke up. When Duke Ret opened his eyes, he was shocked by what he saw—his memory still remained in the room at Ishe Castle, where he had been asleep.

Sister Xin was confused at first. When she saw Chu Tianyu’s face and the surroundings, she realized something must have gone wrong. As she tried to get up, she felt extreme fatigue and fell back down.

“Elder, are they okay?” Chu Tianyu asked anxiously, seeing that Duke Ret also seemed disoriented.

“They’re fine. They probably just haven’t eaten and lack necessary nutrients,” said Fernando.

“Haven’t eaten? How many days has it been?” Chu Tianyu exclaimed in shock.

Fernando shook his head and reassured him, “Oh, that’s not a problem. Don’t worry. The vampires’ hypnosis technique can slow down their metabolism, so they’re probably just weak. Nothing serious. Wait, let me get them something to drink first…”

Hearing what Fernand said, Chu Tianyu felt relieved. He nodded and then turned to explain the situation to Sister Xin, leaving her greatly astonished. Even Duke Ret, who couldn’t understand Chinese, could roughly guess what was going on from Sister Xin’s expression.

Soon, Fernand brought over several bottles of wine and handed them to Sister Xin and Duke Ret, suggesting they take a few sips each to help improve blood circulation.

Chu Tianyu knew they couldn’t eat right away, as it would harm their health. Seeing that Fernand had thought of wine, he felt reassured. He then discussed with everyone, “The situation at the castle is still unclear. I think we should set off now. Elder, do you think there’s anything else we need to consider?”

“Nothing. One of you and one of me—we’ll leave right away!” Fernand said, pointing at Duke Ret and Sister Xin.

“Wait, I still need to go back to the room and check…” Fernand suddenly called out, as if he had remembered something.

When Fernand returned, Chu Tianyu looked at him with confusion and asked calmly, “Well? Didn’t you find that so-called ‘Cursed Necklace’?”

Fernand glanced at Chu Tianyu, remained silent, and just shook his head.

“Let’s go back first. I think since they’ve managed to connect with their archenemys’ church, many of the problems—including the ambush earlier—might become clear. It’s not as complicated as we thought!” Chu Tianyu picked up Sister Xin on his back and started walking.

…

At this moment, in the eyes of outsiders, Ouyang Ziyi was completely enveloped in the red light emanating from the book. Ouyang Ziyi herself was also excited—she never expected that under these circumstances, the “Yi She Declaration” would finally be unlocked, revealing its mysteries.

Although the “Yi She Declaration” appeared very thick, it actually contained not much content. Each page was made of a thick layer of special material, surrounded entirely by gold edges. Despite hundreds of years, it showed no signs of damage other than a slight darkening of color.

After glancing through it quickly, Ouyang Ziyi had grasped the general content of the book. The first half was mostly introductory, while the real core was in the last few pages—detailing the sealed object in Yi She Castle and the methods and procedures to lift the seal.

It turned out that the sacred objects sealed in the Isher Castle indeed, as Grandpa Doan said, were divided into two levels. The first level sealed the so-called Ring of Elf Release and the Ring of Sacred Power, while the tenth level sealed the “Shackles of War.” However, there was very little information about these “Shackles of War.” Apparently, even the author of the “Isher Declaration” didn’t know the details, only that they were related to the fate and future of entire Europe…

Ouyang Ziyi was concerned about whether there was a way to destroy them. Judging from the current situation, Sophia and her group surely wouldn’t last long. Rather than letting the sacred objects fall into the hands of thieves, it was better to destroy them in advance!

Unfortunately, Ouyang Ziyi didn’t find what she was looking for in the book, but it did draw her attention to a description of the Ring of Elf Release and the Ring of Sacred Power. According to the book, they were sacred objects left over from the War of the Gods, possessing immense power and filled with irresistible divine force.

Ouyang Ziyi’s heart stirred, and she quickly said to Grandpa Doan, “Grandpa Doan, let’s head to the sealing site right away!”

Doan watched as the castle guards outside were retreating step by step, slowly fighting their way back while reorganizing their formation. Clearly, they were making every effort to defend the place where the sacred objects were sealed. But it seemed inevitable that this place would fall sooner or later.

So Grandpa Doan also lost his confidence now. Hearing Ouyang Ziyi’s words, he unconsciously followed her advice. He pressed some button behind the bookshelf, and a set of descending stairs appeared in the center of the secret room…

After going down a long, winding staircase, Ouyang Ziyi and the others arrived at the entrance to the castle’s underground secret room. Before them was a spacious hall. Although the entire building now gave the impression of being entirely underground, the air inside was very fresh, and the lights around were bright, so there was no sense of oppression typical of underground spaces.

Grandpa Doan pointed to a door glowing with light ahead and said, “Miss, this is the place where the sacred objects are sealed. Starting from that door, we officially enter!”

“Wow, what a beautiful door! Can everyone enter?” Li Rou was fascinated by the illusory, misty glow on the door and asked in admiration.

“That’s called the Door of Baptism! Except for truly evil beings, ordinary people can enter!” Doan replied.

After the group passed through, they indeed felt a refreshing sensation, as if bathed in gentle rain without any dampness, which surprised Ouyang Ziyi and Li Rou, who were entering for the first time.

After entering the door, there was another hall, with an ancient altar in the center. Stone pillars stood around it, carved with various religious symbols, each one exuding an ancient and solemn aura. Upon arriving here, Ouyang Ziyi recognized the scene as described in the book. After some thought, she realized that if she unlocked the seal, she would face unpredictable consequences, and there wasn’t much time left! Judging from how well those bandits knew the castle, Ouyang Ziyi didn’t expect them to be able to find the entrance to the seal’s location at all. So, even if it meant an unknown or even more terrifying outcome, it was the only choice she had now! Moreover, Ouyang Ziyi had a strong premonition that if she unlocked the seal, the release of that “elf” and the Holy Power Ring would bring about a power beyond her imagination—a power capable of changing the world. As Ouyang Ziyi stepped onto the altar without hesitation, holding the “Yi She Declaration” and beginning to read out the oaths aloud according to the instructions in the book, Grandpa Duoan and Li Rou’s hearts soared with anxiety, their expressions changing with every move she made. After finishing the last oath, Ouyang Ziyi, as instructed in the book, raised the heavy “Yi She Declaration” high above her head. Suddenly, a beam of white light shot down from the top of the altar, landing precisely on the cover of the book. At that moment, Ouyang Ziyi’s attention was entirely focused on the oaths, and she hadn’t noticed what was above her head. A crystal embedded in the ceiling began to glow as she recited the oaths. It wasn’t until she raised the book above her head that the copper button on its cover seemed to be attracted to the crystal above, causing it to emit light… That white light beam quickly formed a circular shield through the book’s cover, expanding outward while gradually enveloping Ouyang Ziyi’s entire body. Its momentum continued unabated, expanding further to create a circular barrier that acted like a solid force, pushing Duoan and Li Rou back step by step until they were forced out of the Baptism Gate! In shock and worried about Ouyang Ziyi’s safety, Li Rou tried hard to squeeze back in, but the Baptism Gate, which had allowed them to pass freely moments earlier, now seemed sealed by an invisible wall, preventing them from entering even an inch further.

At this moment, Grandpa Duoan, who was by Li Rou’s side, patted her and gestured for her to stay calm, explaining that only Ouyang Ziyi, who possessed the bloodline of the Sun King, could remain inside. Ouyang Ziyi was also stunned by the spectacular sight before her. After the beam of white light passed, a layer of colorful glow enveloped the top of each stone pillar surrounding the altar, spreading rapidly from the base outward and quickly forming a colorful aura on the ground, as if a brightly colored carpet had been laid there. Ouyang Ziyi’s feet were gently lifted by this aura, making her feel as though she was standing on soft cotton. Even more astonishingly, the “Yi She Declaration” in her hands suddenly detached itself, rising slowly into the air before flipping over with its cover facing down. The copper button seemed to have absorbed enough crystal light and now released it all at once, shooting toward a protrusion on the altar that resembled an offering platform. A series of “squeaking” sounds arose, as if a safe had suddenly opened in space. Two beams of light—white and green—emerged simultaneously. The white light was pure, as if untainted, while the green light was unrestrained, as if free from constraints. The wonderful sensations brought by these two lights caused Ouyang Ziyi to feel a strong resonance in her heart, filling her with awe. When the intense light faded, she regained her senses from that extraordinary feeling and finally saw the two sacred objects inside the opened space. The one emitting white light was undoubtedly the Ring of Sacred Power—it was crystal clear and simple in design, as if carved entirely from a single diamond, shining brightly. The one emitting green light was the Elf Bow and a Jade Arrow, both only the size of a palm. They appeared ethereal, with misty movements, especially the pocket-sized jade arrow, which seemed to be about to fly off the string. Between the two objects was a blood-red circular groove. Ouyang Ziyi knew this was the mechanism for unlocking the second level of seal. According to the book, it required not only the blood of the Sun King but also the loyal blood of his advisors, along with the ashes from burning the “Yi She Declaration,” to finally unlock it. Clearly, the conditions to break this final seal were not yet met. As for the first two sacred objects, according to the book, there seemed to be no special requirements—just a drop of blood needed to be shed in the opened space.

Ouyang Ziyi examined it carefully again but found nothing more, so without hesitation, she bit her finger and dropped a drop of blood onto it. Instantly, the blood turned into a faint red hue barely visible to the naked eye, spreading rapidly throughout the space. The glow of the sacred ring and the elf bow seemed to be affected by it, flickering on and off so quickly that it almost seemed as though no change had taken place at all.

Ouyang Ziyi saw clearly that the seal had been broken. Following the method described in the book, she recited an ancient spell before slowly reaching her hand into that space. The moment she entered, she felt a tightness in her skin, followed by a powerful sucking force. Fortunately, it only pulled her arm forward; there was no tragedy like the greedy archbishop having all his sacred power drained.

Yet even this brief experience made Ouyang Ziyi break into a cold sweat. After the sucking force, bright white and green lights suddenly flared intensely, blinding her eyes and preventing her from seeing anything inside. She felt a chill in her middle finger and wrist, causing her to instinctively pull her hand back…

The dazzling light vanished instantly. When Ouyang Ziyi opened her eyes, she quickly checked her fingers and wrist for any changes and was delighted to find that the pure white sacred ring had automatically slipped onto her finger, while a green pattern appeared on her wrist. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a bow shaped like a cluster of green leaves, with a vine winding around it, resembling a circular bow with an arrowhead and feathers connected together.

By now, Ouyang Ziyi could fully sense the immense sacred power emanating from these two sacred objects, filling her heart with joy. She knew she had guessed right—these sacred items could be used even by those without any sacred power at all.

Thinking of using them, Ouyang Ziyi’s heart stirred, and the green ring on her wrist emitted a glow. In her hand appeared a green vine bow of normal size, with green light flowing up and down, emitting a forest-like aura.

Ouyang Ziyi instinctively placed her hand on the string, and as if naturally, an emerald arrow appeared on it—resembling both jade and a shiny green branch! She assumed a proper shooting stance, feeling the coolness coming from the arrow and its eager desire to be released. Finally, Ouyang Ziyi smiled…

She put away the long bow; there was no need to shoot—Ouyang Ziyi already knew its power, for the moment she focused entirely on it, she had connected with its intent!
The portal to another space remained open, leaving only a red groove. Ouyang Ziyi slowly recited a simple spell once more and slowly flipped the cover of the “Yi She Declaration” upward. As the portal closed, the light from the crystal above her head shone down again. But this time, the light shield formed on the copper button did not expand slowly as before; instead, it immediately enveloped Ouyang Ziyi. Then, suddenly, the light intensified and spread rapidly from her out to the entire altar. When the light vanished, the altar was completely empty, as if nothing had happened…
Ouyang Ziyi felt her body become lighter. After briefly losing consciousness, when she opened her eyes, she was shocked to find herself standing in that secret room in the castle!
There were many people standing and lying around, and in front of her, a group of people in black were facing her. But the most familiar face was Sophia, who was standing beside her, looking at her in astonishment!
Obviously, Ouyang Ziyi’s appearance stunned both sides, and they stopped attacking simultaneously. Aside from her initial shock, Ouyang Ziyi quickly understood her situation—the ritual must have just ended, and she had been teleported back. It was truly amazing!
But right now, she wasn’t in the mood to ponder anything. Instead, she remembered something Chu Tianyu had said to her: when dealing with real enemies, never be merciful. Use as much force as you have, never give them a chance to breathe. Even if you drive them into a coffin, drive more nails into it.