Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 245: Proud Snow and Frosty Haze

“The same principle applies to my return to the Chu family. By going back, I won’t actually confront my elder brother. If he truly has malicious intentions, I believe Grandpa Guang alone would be enough to deal with him—there’s no need for me to interfere too much. I just want to act as a bait!” Chu Tianyu continued explaining his thoughts.
“A bait? If you’re not planning to get involved with your elder brother, then what’s the point of using a bait?” Ouyang Ziyi asked in confusion.
“Actually, whether it’s my elder brother or Zhan Yupeng we met just now, they’re both like the outermost layer of this vortex. Through them, we can uncover many clues and delve deeper into the core of the matter to identify our true enemies!” Qin Nianran replied on Chu Tianyu’s behalf.
“Nianran is right. Returning to the Chu family, I’m temporarily just using it as a cover. As long as those who are interested know that I, the third young master of the Chu family, will come to fight for the family inheritance, it will become a major obstacle for them. When the time comes, someone will surely approach us, and we can just sit back and wait!” Chu Tianyu added.
“Tianyu, are you really sure your elder brother Tianfeng would collude with those forces? Maybe he’s just using ordinary methods to seize control of the Chu family. Perhaps he doesn’t know anything else or might even be being exploited. Could we be leading our investigation in the wrong direction due to a mistaken judgment?” Ouyang Ziyi warned.
“I’ve thought deeply about this too. To be honest, not confronting my elder brother doesn’t mean I’ll give up competing for control of the Chu family. As I’ve said, my Western Plan needs the Chu family—after all, many of the powers of the Xuanji Sect cannot be made public. There must be aentity to gather and utilize these powers. That’s the best way! And returning to the Chu family this time serves two purposes. If my elder brother isn’t involved in anything else, I’ll compete fairly with him, just like he did with my cousin Chu Tianao—no one can complain about who wins or loses. But if things really take a bad turn, and my elder brother does collude with outsiders or is the mastermind behind these schemes, then this is exactly the opportunity for us to follow the clues. Moreover, I believe that given my elder brother’s cautious style, he certainly won’t confront me personally!” Chu Tianyu replied.

With Chu Tianyu’s explanation, the women finally understood. What they had been worried about was actually the possibility of fratricide. They knew Chu Tianyu well—if that really happened, it might not affect the course or outcome of events, but he might not be able to bear the inner pain and the reality of brothers turning against each other!

Chu Tianyu himself was fully aware of this, so after speaking, he let out a long sigh and said casually, “Alright. Let’s discuss our next steps. Maybe things aren’t as we imagine, and we’re just worrying needlessly here. Hehe…”

“Tianyu, no matter what, we’ll go with you!” Xue Feifei declared right away.

Nian Ran and Zi Yi also showed no hesitation in agreeing.

Looking at these three beautiful women before him, Chu Tianyu suddenly felt an indescribable emotion surge within him. As the saying goes, gaining something means losing something else, and this was no exception for him. Though he possessed extraordinary skills that could astonish the world, the ordinary life he had always longed for—a low-key existence—was growing increasingly distant from him.

Since starting college, he had only had a peaceful first semester, but after that, troubles kept piling up, whether from others or himself—constant issues, as if fate had orchestrated it all.

Yet Chu Tianyu saw this clearly: extraordinary abilities inevitably bring endless troubles and greater responsibilities. But at the same time, without such abilities, charm, and the courage to take on those responsibilities, how could these three stunning women in front of him be attracted to him and willingly follow and adore him?

Every cause has an effect, every action has a reaction—opposites complement each other, and everything is balanced! This was why Chu Tianyu was filled with such emotions now, especially considering the intelligence and wisdom of the three women, which made him feel that once he had them, what more could a husband possibly desire?

Qin Nian Ran and the other two seemed to sense Chu Tianyu’s emotional change as well. They quieted down for a moment, setting aside concerns like responsibilities and goals. Facing Chu Tianyu’s gentle gaze, their eyes conveyed emotions that could only be understood between them. A warm atmosphere flowed between them instantly, and even the potted plant beside them seemed to feel this love, its branches and leaves trembling happily…

Just then, a cool breeze blew, causing the branches in the potted plant to sway even more. Chu Tianyu and the others were awakened by the breeze and looked in its direction.

It turned out that the door of this small bar had been pushed open; obviously, a customer had arrived. At that moment, a tall girl wrapped in a gray overcoat walked in. Her collar was pulled up high, making it impossible to see her whole face at first, but from her graceful figure and walking posture, it was clear she was not old. As she entered, a faint, pleasant fragrance spread instantly, refreshing the senses and inspiring endless thoughts…

“What brand is this perfume? It smells so good!” Ouyang Ziyi said in admiration as she watched.

“It’s not perfume; it’s a natural body scent!” Xue Feifei also stared at the newly arrived girl and said firmly.

“A natural body scent?” Ouyang Ziyi repeated doubtfully.

“Feifei is probably right. I usually remember any perfume scent I’ve smelled, and this definitely doesn’t seem like perfume,” Qin Nianran agreed, nodding.

“Could it be a new brand?” Ouyang Ziyi asked persistently.

“It’s unlikely to be perfume. I judged it from the natural aura she carried. In our Tianyin Sect, some people naturally emit a certain fragrance, similar to this,” Xue Feifei replied.

“Really? Could there really be a ‘Fragrant Concubine’ as in the legends? Hehe, could she even attract butterflies?” Ouyang Ziyi asked with interest.

“Is it innate?” Qin Nianran was clearly intrigued by the topic as well.

“Oh, that’s how it is…” Xue Feifei began to explain at length.

Chu Tianyu sighed. Aside from being initially attracted by the girl’s fragrance, he was quickly distracted by the discussions among the three women in front of him. He never expected that such a simple issue of scent could lead to so many conversations. To be honest, what scent others had was none of their business. Was this just women’s nature? It was truly frustrating!

Just as Chu Tianyu felt helpless, he noticed the girl, who hadn’t yet sat down, suddenly stiffen. It seemed she had noticed them or heard their gossip, as she suddenly turned and headed straight toward them…

Everyone in the bar, as if sensing that fragrance, couldn’t help but focus their attention on the girl. Those who could see her face immediately exclaimed in admiration!

What’s going on today? There are so many beautiful women here. Among the group of one man and three women who came in first, aside from one of them who covered part of her face with a scarf and thus hid her full appearance, the other two girls had breathtakingly beautiful faces, elegant demeanor, and graceful figures. Every smile and expression of theirs was simply stunning—truly enviable!

Everyone couldn’t help but marvel at the lucky guy sitting at their table. Some were envious, some jealous, and some despised him. Even some started cursing in an Ah Q-like manner, “Damn it, these days all the good girls are taken by guys. What’s so great about that pretty boy? He doesn’t seem like a good person at all. Bringing three girls to a bar—clearly he has evil intentions! Sigh, why can’t someone as talented as me have beautiful sisters to appreciate? It’s really unfair!” After saying that, they naturally cast a disdainful glance in Chu Tianyu’s direction before turning their attention back to Qin Nianran and the others, lost in deep thought…

But unexpectedly, another single beautiful girl appeared. Before even sitting down, she walked over to the group of one man and three women. “Oh my God, could it be someone that pretty boy knows? Does he plan to date all four of them today? That’s so unfair! Damn him…” everyone thought.

As the mysterious girl turned toward Chu Tianyu’s table, Chu Tianyu and Qin Nianran finally got a clear view of her face. What caught everyone’s eye first was her almost flawlessly perfect face, with intelligent glimmers in her deep eyes. Her slender figure, accentuated by a pleated gray skirt, revealed long, round legs that formed a perfect curve. The word “beautiful” was far too inadequate to describe her. Especially the ethereal aura she exuded, like the gentle rain in a secluded mountain, combined with her faint fragrance, instantly immersed everyone in a natural and refreshing atmosphere, making them unable to extricate themselves…

While everyone was still stunned by her ice-like beauty, she had already walked up to Chu Tianyu’s table. She stared straight at Ouyang Ziyi without saying a word, as if searching for something or sensing something.

Her behavior left Chu Tianyu and the others completely puzzled. Ouyang Ziyi, in particular, instinctively touched her face. Could it be that she had gotten it dirty during the fight? Unlikely—she had her face covered then!

Looking at the woman’s strange gaze, Chu Tianyu also sensed a peculiar flow of energy from her. This energy was quite unusual—it seemed not to be the result of cultivation but rather innate, giving off an impression of being inseparable from her very being. He never expected to meet such a strange woman in this small bar. Why did she approach them out of nowhere and stare at Ouyang Ziyi with such a peculiar look? It was truly baffling! Chu Tianyu followed her gaze and looked at Ouyang Ziyi as well. When he saw Ziyi staring back at her with equal surprise, he immediately understood the mystery. He realized that the strange energy around this woman, whether innate or acquired later, must also belong to the same cosmic lineage. Since Ouyang Ziyi had recently gained power and still hadn’t fully mastered her energy control, it often spilled out, creating an inexplicable aura. It was surely this aura that made the woman with the same cosmic energy react and be drawn to her, leading to such behavior. Apart from Chu Tianyu, Qin Nianran and Xue Feifei, due to their existing foundation in cultivation—and one possessing the Illusion Flame True Vein and the other the Feathered Dragon—they both had the most powerful spiritual energies in the world. They had already reached a state of perfect composure, making it impossible for others to detect anything about them, let alone sense their presence. So, at this moment, the woman must be wondering how someone like Ouyang Ziyi, who possessed such immense cosmic energy, could be sitting with three ordinary people, and why she seemed to regard the handsome young man across from her as her leader! Thinking of this, Chu Tianyu felt he couldn’t keep staring, so he asked, “May I ask if you need something, miss?” As soon as he spoke, a cold glint appeared in the woman’s eyes. She turned to glare at him fiercely, her face showing disgust. Her message was clear in just two words: “Troublemaker!” Chu Tianyu felt as if he had brought trouble upon himself. He hadn’t meant to cause such hostility just by asking a simple question. Who had he offended? In fact, Chu Tianyu’s guess was quite accurate. The woman had sensed Ouyang Ziyi’s control over the vast cosmic spiritual energy within her and had come to investigate. She was also very curious why three beautiful girls like them would be hanging around with a seemingly useless handsome guy.

But as she got closer and sensed the unique elven energy within Ouyang Ziyi, it instantly resonated with her own energy, making her feel as if bathed in a gentle breeze and immersed in a wonderful state. This was why, upon arriving, she stared at Ouyang Ziyi with dreamy eyes, saying nothing and making no other unnecessary movements, filled only with a sense of blissful detachment. Yet, to her surprise, just as she had entered such a wonderful state, she was disturbed by that annoying good-looking guy beside her. Not only did she already dislike him, but even if she had liked him, the situation wouldn’t have made her pleasant—she would have glared at him! However, after Chu Tianyu asked her a question and glared, Qin Nianran, Xue Feifei, and especially Ouyang Ziyi all snapped back to reality and curiously observed the interaction between Chu Tianyu and the girl. Instantly, Chu Tianyu saw pairs of beautiful eyes staring at him, their initial curiosity turning into meaningful looks, as if asking if this playboy had somehow attracted romantic attention—perhaps some crazy girl like “Fei Jin Bu Da” Jin Yujie! Chu Tianyu felt so wronged; what did this have to do with anything? He quickly made an “I’m innocent” face to prove his innocence, but all he got in return were three disdainful looks… Seeing this, Chu Tianyu could only close his eyes, look up at the sky, and sigh, thinking, “Alas, my heart’s pain is beyond description!” “Hello, I’m Ning Shuang. May I sit?” The woman ignored Chu Tianyu’s antics—first making faces, then pretending to be deep in thought, which she saw as clownish—and turned to smile at Ouyang Ziyi, extending her hand.