Chapter 570: Arrival at Manghuang Town
Deep within the Yuan Mansion, there was a tranquil chamber.
These chambers were specifically built for the honored elders of the Yuan Mansion. Only elders had the privilege of using them. However, after Mo Yu accepted his disciples, the three—Huang Tu, Xuanwo Zhu, and Xianglin—also gained access to train here as personal disciples of the mansion lord.
The energy within these chambers was among the densest in all of Yuan City, a special privilege for elders and the mansion lord's disciples. On most days, many of the elders would gather here to exchange pointers and insights on cultivation, and today was no exception. A number of elderly figures were gathered outside the chambers, chatting and exchanging cultivation experiences.
Even Huang Tu and the other two were gathered together today. Thanks to the martial arts inheritance they had received from Mo Yu, combined with the significant support from the mansion, their strength had improved rapidly, and they were not far from breaking through to the Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) level.
Boom!
The peaceful atmosphere was suddenly shattered by a loud explosion. All eyes turned in shock to see one of the nearby chambers erupt in a burst of power. Within the flashes of energy, purple-gold lightning could be seen flickering.
"What… what is this?"
The elders were all taken aback. Huang Tu and the other two were also startled out of their cultivation states, watching the scene in amazement.
Boom!
Another explosion rang out as the solid walls of the chamber crumbled, revealing a towering figure about six meters tall. The figure looked like a giant composed entirely of purple-gold lightning.
The giant, made of purple-gold lightning, stepped out of the chamber with a casual yet ground-shaking stride. Its massive body stretched, releasing a terrifying storm of electricity that swept across the mansion grounds like a tidal wave.
The fierce purple-gold electric currents spread through every corner of the Yuan Mansion. Those elders standing close by were forced to retreat several paces before they could stabilize themselves.
"What is that thing?"
Feeling the immense power radiating from the purple-gold lightning giant, most of the elders turned pale. They sensed an overwhelming threat from this giant, as though a single punch from it could reduce them to dust. This feeling caused many of the elders to involuntarily twitch, despite the fact that they were at least Dou Zun (Battle Sovereign) level cultivators, with some even at the eight- or nine-star Dou Zun level.
Yet even these powerful individuals felt an extreme sense of danger and dread in the presence of this lightning giant.
"Is that… Master?" Xuanwo Zhu was the first to recognize the figure, exclaiming in surprise. Being Mo Yu's only lightning-attribute disciple, he could sense the familiar aura coming from the giant.
"What? That's Master? How did Master turn into this?" Huang Tu scratched his head, watching the transformed Mo Yu with a simple grin.
"Doesn't matter what form Master takes, he's still as powerful as ever!" Xianglin giggled sweetly. After following Mo Yu for some time, she had come to accept her role as his disciple. In fact, as a teenager, she had developed a deep admiration and respect for him, with perhaps a hint of something more complicated lurking in her heart…
"Is that truly the Mansion Lord?" one of the elders murmured in disbelief. Even though they had long known that Mo Yu's strength was unfathomable—he had even recently defeated a half-saint (Dou Sheng)—they hadn't expected his physical presence to be so overwhelmingly oppressive.
"Heh, so this is the Great Sun Thunder Body. Quite an impressive technique."
As the elders marveled at the sight, several figures swiftly arrived from a distance, stopping in midair above the mansion. It was She Shu, Xiao Yu, Cai Lin, Xiao Yixian, and others who had come to see what was happening.
The elders immediately bowed to She Shu and Xiao Yu upon their arrival, acknowledging their seniority.
Nodding slightly in response, She Shu and Xiao Yu turned their gaze toward the giant.
"Hah!"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the giant let out a thunderous shout. In an instant, bolts of lightning exploded outward, and the giant's enormous body rapidly shrank. Within moments, the towering giant had reverted to Mo Yu's original, slender form.
"Greetings, Mansion Lord!" the elders respectfully gathered around Mo Yu, while Huang Tu and the other disciples also stepped forward to pay their respects.
"Hehe, it's impressive to see you master such an advanced heavenly skill in such a short time. Your talent is truly exceptional, Mo Yu," She Shu praised as he approached, his eyes filled with admiration.
Even for him, mastering a heavenly-class Dou Technique was no easy task, and Mo Yu, still at the Dou Zun stage, had already done so.
"That's a heavenly-class Dou Technique?" Huang Tu and the others widened their eyes in shock. Heavenly-class techniques were nothing short of legendary to them.
Xuanwo Zhu clenched his fists tightly, remembering the awe-inspiring sight of Mo Yu as the purple-gold lightning giant. His determination burned even hotter. Someday, he would ask his master to teach him such a powerful technique, so he could avenge the deep grudges he carried.
Facing the warm greetings from the elders, Mo Yu waved his hand calmly. After mastering the Great Sun Thunder God Technique, he left the chamber and, along with She Shu and the others, moved to a discussion hall.
"She Shu, any updates on the Bodhi Ancient Tree?" Mo Yu asked eagerly as they sat down.
"The information is confirmed. The Bodhi Ancient Tree has indeed appeared," She Shu said with a light smile.
"Oh?" Mo Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded slightly.
With the Bodhi Ancient Tree confirmed, it was likely that other major forces would also be on the move.
"This time, take Qingzhi and the others with you to the Manghuang Ancient Region. If you run into trouble even they can't handle, crush the space jade slip I gave you, and I'll come immediately," She Shu instructed.
"The allure of the Bodhi Ancient Tree is immense. Even some of the ancient clans may make a move. Acquiring the Bodhi Heart won't be easy, but given your identity, you might be able to use the Lei Clan's influence to your advantage."
Mo Yu nodded, but remained noncommittal. Though he was part of the Lei Clan and even possessed their rare divine-grade Dou Di bloodline, the Lei Clan was a vast entity. Even Lei Ying, the clan leader, couldn't control everything, and there were traitors from the Soul Clan within the Lei Clan itself. Relying on them in a pinch might not be wise.
In comparison, Yuan Mansion, while not yet on par with such colossal powers, was Mo Yu's own creation and under his full control.
"You can depart now. In the half-month you were in seclusion, many forces have already entered the Manghuang Ancient Region," She Shu said.
Mo Yu nodded and decided without delay, "Then I'll leave now."
Mo Yu acted swiftly. Once his decision was made, he wasted no time. He immediately set off for the northeast of Zhongzhou with his group, including Qingzhi, Cai Lin, Xiao Yixian, and Qing Lin.
Xiao Yu remained behind at the mansion with She Shu to maintain stability, as ensuring the safety of their headquarters was of utmost importance.
Among the group, Qingzhi was a low-level half-saint, while Cai Lin and Xiao Yixian, both at the eight-star Dou Zun level, could join forces to contend with peak Dou Zun powerhouses. As for Qing Lin, with her rare Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, she was a formidable force with her ability to control serpent-type magical beasts—an invaluable asset on this journey.
Together with Mo Yu, who could fight at a half-saint level, their team was small but incredibly strong. Unless they encountered a terrifyingly powerful opponent, they wouldn't face too many challenges.
The Manghuang Ancient Region lay beyond northeastern Zhongzhou, quite far from the Yuan Mansion. Despite using their utmost speed and passing through several spatial wormholes, it still took them four days to reach the northeastern border of Zhongzhou.
During this journey, Mo Yu and his group saw countless others heading in the same direction, clearly sharing the same destination: the Manghuang Ancient Region.
Manghuang Town, the closest human settlement to the ancient region, was their first stop. Normally, the town was sparsely populated due to the terrifying reputation of the ancient region, but with the appearance of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, it had become bustling.
Mo Yu's group made their way to Manghuang Town, where they planned to gather crucial information before venturing into the dangerous ancient region. Rushing in blindly would surely result in disaster.
While collecting information, Mo Yu unexpectedly crossed paths with his cousin, Xiao Yan, once again. It seemed their goals aligned in seeking the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
"Hehe, Cousin Xiao Yan, what a coincidence. We just arrived at Manghuang Town, and here you are," Mo Yu said with a light laugh after running into Xiao Yan and his group in an alleyway.
"We just got here a few days ago ourselves," Xiao Yan replied with a smile. "We figured you would be arriving soon, and sure enough, we bumped into you while taking a stroll."
"Where's Senior Yao Chen? Didn't he come with you?" Mo Yu asked, surprised. While Xiao Yan's group was composed of high-level Dou Zuns, Mo Yu had expected Yao Chen, the half-saint, to be leading them.
"Teacher is busy with matters in the pavilion. Starfall Pavilion doesn't have as many half-saints as Yuan Mansion does, so he had to stay behind. If we run into trouble we can't handle, we'll call for his help," Xiao Yan explained with a wry smile.
Though Starfall Pavilion was a reputable faction, its true rise had only occurred in the last few years following Yao Chen's revival. As their main pillar of strength, Yao Chen couldn't leave unless absolutely necessary.
Mo Yu nodded in understanding, then asked, "Since you arrived a few days ahead of us, have you gathered any useful information?"
Xiao Yan paused briefly before nodding and sighing. "To be honest, Cousin Mo Yu, based on what I've learned, it seems the first group of people who entered the Manghuang Ancient Region… have all died. Among them were several Dou Zun-level powerhouses."
Hearing this, Mo Yu's expression remained calm, but the women—Cai Lin, Xiao Yixian, and Qing Lin—couldn't help but look alarmed. Everyone? Dead? Was the Manghuang Ancient Region really that dangerous?
"What should we do?" Xiao Yixian asked, frowning slightly.
Xiao Yan glanced at the white-robed woman standing beside Mo Yu, noting her reputation. He had heard of her—Xiao Yixian, the one who possessed the dreaded Woeful Poison Body. Not only was she beautiful, but her control over her terrifying body was flawless. With such a powerful physique, she was destined to become one of the continent's top experts.
Xiao Yan couldn't help but admire his cousin Mo Yu for managing to win over such an extraordinary woman. But Xiao Yixian wasn't the only one by Mo Yu's side—there was also the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python Cai Lin, and Qing Lin with her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, among others. Mo Yu's ability to gather such remarkable women was truly impressive.
Although Xiao Yan was satisfied with having Xun'er by his side, given her background and strength, he didn't dare pursue any other romantic interests. Yet, seeing Mo Yu surrounded by such stunning women, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
Moreover, for some reason, when Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Yixian, he felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness, as though something was missing. This strange feeling wasn't limited to her—it extended to Cai Lin and Qing Lin as well, making him wonder if he was having improper thoughts.
"Friends' wives are off-limits. Am I really such a despicable person?" Xiao Yan silently scolded himself, shaking his head to dismiss the thought.
Seeing Xiao Yan's odd behavior, Mo Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. While his presence in this timeline had changed many of the original storylines, could Xiao Yan still have…
Oblivious to Mo Yu's musings, Xiao Yan regained his composure and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Tomorrow, several powerful figures will be heading into the ancient region together. We can follow behind them and observe the situation. Since the Manghuang Ancient Region is known as a forbidden zone for humans, it's bound to be dangerous. We should let others test the waters first."
Mo Yu set aside his doubts. In this timeline, Xiao Yan had had little interaction with Xiao Yixian and the others. With Mo Yu's involvement, there was no possibility of any romantic entanglements forming.
"Alright, then tomorrow, we'll join the main group from the town and enter the Manghuang Ancient Region together," Mo Yu agreed with a nod.
(End of Chapter)
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