Chapter 563: The Growth of the Black Lotus Soul Lightning and the End
A terrifying and strange black lotus spread ominously around the Soul Hall's Third Prince, the Black Light Sage. His face changed dramatically.
"What's happening… My body?"
As his soul energy, now filled with other consumed souls, began spiraling out of control, Black Light had no choice but to focus on the chaos inside himself, looking alarmed. Mo Yu, eyes narrowed, observed Black Light with a slight smirk. The black lotus flame in Mo Yu's hand suddenly pulsed again.
As the Black Lotus Soul Thunder's energy spread, Black Light quickly realized Mo Yu's role. Though he didn't understand what Mo Yu had done, he felt an intense sense of danger from him. Before he could react, the soul energy inside him went haywire. He struggled to force it back under control, his body working desperately to contain the Black Lotus Soul Thunder now embedded within.
Mo Yu's smile widened. The Black Lotus Soul Thunder specialized in creating disruptions within the soul, capable of disturbing and even devouring the target's soul energy. If it got strong enough, it could even leave a soul imprint on the target, turning them into an unwilling servant.
Under normal circumstances, Mo Yu wouldn't be able to manipulate a half-saint's soul energy. But Black Light, weakened after swallowing numerous souls in the Soul Hall's sweep of the Northwestern Continent, was not fully in control of his own power. This provided Mo Yu with an ideal opportunity.
After his previous battle with Mo Yu's Great Desolate Thunder Orb, Black Light had already been significantly injured, making him vulnerable. Mo Yu had quickly seized the chance to slip his Black Lotus Soul Thunder into Black Light's returning soul energy.
Had Black Light been at his peak, he might have controlled the explosion of soul energy. But his earlier injuries had left him struggling, unable to contain the Black Lotus Soul Thunder that now raged within.
Of course, Mo Yu's technique was still not strong enough to completely destroy a half-saint. But in a battle of strong warriors, even a moment's loss of control could be decisive.
As Black Light's face turned red from the soul energy spiraling inside him, Mo Yu's eyes gleamed coldly. Lightning flickered around Mo Yu's foot, and with ghostly speed, he disappeared, only to reappear a split second later with his Divine Black Thunder Spear in hand.
Swish!
A faint sound of tearing air caught Black Light's attention, and he looked up in alarm just in time to see a dark line shooting toward him.
Bang!
The Primal Thunder energy surged, flooding the spear and adding immense force behind the attack. The sheer intensity of the thrust was more than enough to crush Black Light.
In a flash of survival instinct, Black Light managed to gather a layer of black crystal-like energy around his palm, countering the spear.
Clang!
The spear struck the black crystal shield with full force, and cracks spread across the crystal's surface like a spiderweb.
Boom!
Despite his defensive move, Black Light didn't have time to dodge when Mo Yu's kick hit him full-force in the chest, sending him flying hundreds of feet backward. He crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater.
In just two moves, a half-saint was left badly wounded and struggling. The gathered warriors, including the Four Princes, couldn't help but gasp.
Under the eyes of the crowd, the Third Prince's body went crashing into the distant forest. Lightning surged across the area, turning the woods into an ocean of thunder.
Overhead, Mo Yu appeared above the forest, his eyes cold. His two attacks had drained nearly all of Black Light's energy, leaving him with only a thread of life.
"Destroy evil at its root," Mo Yu muttered. Gathering his energy, he sent a dark purple bolt streaking down into the forest, directly targeting the crater where Black Light lay.
Boom!
The powerful thunderbolt scorched the forest, reducing trees to ashes and leaving a deep scar in the earth.
At the end of the thunderbolt, the severely weakened Third Prince lay, his breath faint. With a trembling hand, he summoned a jade scroll and, using all his remaining strength, crushed it.
Shhh!
As the scroll shattered, a black portal appeared beside him, swallowing him whole.
Whoosh!
Just as Black Light's body disappeared, Mo Yu reached the spot, frowning at the fading distortion in the space. "So, he got away," he murmured.
At that moment, Mo Yu gained a new respect for the resilience of half-saints. Even after multiple powerful attacks, Black Light had managed to hang on to life.
But Mo Yu was not concerned. The Third Prince's injuries were so severe that even if he survived, he would be permanently weakened. Mo Yu's strength would only continue to grow, so when they met again, Black Light would be easily crushed.
As Mo Yu exhaled, a black lotus-shaped flame emerged from where the Third Prince had vanished, returning to Mo Yu.
"Oh? It's nearly mature now," Mo Yu thought, pleased with the Black Lotus Soul Thunder's growth. Although he hadn't killed the Third Prince, he had reaped a valuable reward. The souls collected by the Soul Hall on the Northwestern Continent were mostly stored within the Third Prince, and a portion of that energy had been absorbed by Mo Yu's Black Lotus Soul Thunder, nearly pushing it to maturity.
"Not a bad harvest. And the Serpent Empire's crisis is also resolved," Mo Yu said. Spreading his wings, he flew into the sky, seeing that with the Third Prince gone, the Soul Hall warriors were fleeing.
"Lord Mo, spare us! We were forced to serve the Soul Hall!" The other leaders and sect members, once allies of the Soul Hall, quickly surrendered.
Mo Yu's gaze passed over them coldly. He saw their cowardice but understood their value to the Northwestern Continent. If he killed them all, the region would be further weakened.
"Fine. You can leave—if you repay your lives with those of the Lion Ming Sect," he declared.
Hearing this, the forces that had allied with the Soul Hall turned on the Lion Ming Sect warriors with renewed ferocity, while the Yan Alliance observed in silence.
"These cowards… But you were amazing, my Lord! Even a half-saint couldn't beat you!" Qing Lin remarked, looking at Mo Yu with admiration.
Mo Yu waved it off. "The Third Prince was only an entry-level half-saint, and my techniques just happened to counter his."
But even as Mo Yu humbly dismissed his achievement, Qing Lin's expression stayed bright, gazing at him with pride.
In the sky, the remaining Lion Ming Sect forces fell to the other warriors. Soon, they scattered and fled.
Glancing at the battlefield, Mo Yu saw that the Lion Ming Sect had been completely defeated, likely never to return.
Whooo
Mo Yu let out a breath, then descended toward the walls of Tian Snake City. As he landed, the city erupted in a chorus of cheers.
"Long live the Serpent Empire! Long live the Prince!"
Standing on the wall, Mo Yu smiled, realizing the whole Serpent Empire now seemed to know of his bond with Cai Lin. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh to himself; he had indeed attracted his fair share of talented women.
"So, once again you've played the lone hero," Cai Lin commented with a cool glance, though her lips hinted at a smile. She, too, cared deeply for the Serpent Empire.
Mo Yu laughed, saying, "Don't worry. With me as Prince, no one will harm the Serpent Empire."
Even though Mo Yu hadn't managed to fully eliminate the Third Prince, he wasn't in a rush. The injuries inflicted would undoubtedly leave lasting effects, even if the Prince eventually healed. With Mo Yu's talent, he knew that given a little time for cultivation, he'd be able to crush the Third Prince effortlessly in their next encounter.
With a slight exhale, Mo Yu felt his face pale subtly. Facing off against two Soul Hall Princes consecutively—one of them a genuine half-saint—had been draining even for someone with his strength and resources. If it hadn't been for the protection provided by the Ancient Insect Emperor Armor, he would've likely been overwhelmed long ago, unable to even attempt a comeback.
Just as Mo Yu was regaining his breath, a black, lotus-shaped flame suddenly emerged from where the Third Prince had fled and then returned to his body.
"Oh… it's nearly at maturity?"
Sensing the growth of the Black Lotus Soul Thunder within him, Mo Yu raised his eyebrows, smiling slightly. Although he hadn't been able to finish off the Third Prince, he'd still come away with gains. This entire time, the Soul Hall had been gathering souls across the Northwestern Continent, almost all of which were stored within the Third Prince. While the region was poor, there was no shortage of Dou Kings and Dou Emperors, and the accumulated soul energy was a veritable treasure trove. When the Black Lotus Soul Thunder had erupted within the Third Prince, it had absorbed a portion of this immense soul power. After such a feast, the Black Lotus Soul Thunder was now on the brink of maturity.
"A good haul," Mo Yu murmured, "and the crisis for the Serpent Empire is also resolved."
With a flap of his demon wings, Mo Yu shot out of the forest, emerging in the sky above. Seeing him reappear while the Third Prince's fate was uncertain, the Soul Hall warriors took it as a sign of defeat and fled in terror. Blood River, the Fourth Prince, had also broken a space jade talisman to escape just as he realized the situation was turning against them.
"Lord Mo, please spare us! We were forced into this!"
Those warriors and sect members who'd been coerced or enticed by the Soul Hall called out in panic. None of them had expected Mo Yu to single-handedly bring down two fearsome Princes, so they dared not resist any further.
Mo Yu cast a cold glance at these turncoats but did not completely wipe them out. Despite being opportunistic, many of them held some sway in the Northwestern Continent, and their deaths would do little to benefit the growth of the Serpent Empire or the region. Mo Yu was, after all, a son of the Northwestern Continent himself, and he had no desire to see its people and strength utterly decimated.
He also didn't intend to recruit these spineless individuals. Mo Yu knew that those who surrendered now would likely betray him if faced with another powerful enemy in the future. After a brief moment of thought, he said indifferently, "You can leave—one life for another. Hand over the Lion Ming Sect warriors, and I'll let you go."
At Mo Yu's command, the expressions of the Lion Ming Sect warriors immediately turned pale. The other warriors and forces, after hesitating for a moment, turned to attack the Lion Ming Sect members who had just been their allies. For a moment, chaos reigned again in the sky, but this time the Yan Alliance watched on like an entertained audience.
"These people are truly shameless," Qing Lin commented, smiling a little as she looked admiringly at Mo Yu. "Young Master, you're amazing. Even saint-level fighters aren't a match for you."
Although Mo Yu had always been a figure of absolute strength in her eyes, seeing him best a saint-level fighter filled Qing Lin with a newfound sense of awe.
"Ha, the Third Prince had only just reached the saint level," Mo Yu said with a dismissive wave. "Besides, my techniques countered his abilities, which is how I won."
This was true. The Black Lotus Soul Thunder had a natural advantage against Soul Hall fighters; against a more seasoned half-saint, Mo Yu knew he might not have won. Still, if word of his achievement spread through Central State, it would cause an uproar. After all, defeating a saint-level half-saint with the strength of a Five-Star Dou Emperor was nothing short of miraculous.
The sky above remained filled with chaos for more than ten minutes. The Lion Ming Sect suffered heavy losses, and the army they'd assembled on the ground dispersed in disarray without their leaders, fleeing in all directions.
Seeing this, Mo Yu knew the Lion Ming Sect was utterly finished, and there would be no place for them on the Northwestern Continent in the future.
Exhaling lightly, Mo Yu turned and descended to the walls of Tian Snake City. As he landed, the entire city erupted in deafening cheers.
"Long live the Serpent Empire! Long live the Prince!"
Standing atop the city wall, Mo Yu listened to the cheers reverberating through the city, a faint smile appearing on his face. It seemed that his relationship with Cai Lin was well known throughout the Serpent Empire.
Reflecting on it, Mo Yu realized just how many incredible women he had in his life, each one possessing beauty and talent rare across the continent.
"Once again, you've gone and played the lone hero." Cai Lin gave him a sidelong glance, her words laced with feigned indifference, though the soft smile on her lips betrayed her relief and happiness.
Cai Lin had poured so much of herself into the Serpent Empire, which the Serpent People had come to embrace as home. Naturally, she would never want to see it destroyed.
Mo Yu simply chuckled at Cai Lin's usual mix of sharp words and soft heart. "Ha! Don't worry. With this prince here, no one will touch the Serpent Empire!"
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