Chapter 222: The Power of a One-Star Dou Ling, Departure
At the border of the Jia Ma Empire, in the fortress of Zhen Gui Pass, a large group of people was rushing down the main road, raising a cloud of dust as they went. Laughter and shouts echoed along the way.
At the back of this procession, two men wearing long black cloaks, reminiscent of members of a secretive organization, were walking towards the fortress gate.
"This really is a formidable fortress guarding the border. Its scale is truly astonishing, far beyond what any city within the empire could compare to," Xiao Yan muttered as he looked up at the towering walls that loomed larger with every step they took closer.
Mo Yu's handsome face, partially revealed as the wind lifted his black cloak, turned to face the massive fortress. He smiled lightly and said, "The sea is wide for fish to leap, the sky is high for birds to fly. Once we cross this fortress, we'll be free from all restraints."
"Indeed, but I've heard that once we pass the fortress and travel a few hundred miles east, crossing through some small countries and tribes, we'll enter the infamous region known throughout the continent: the Black-Corner Region! It's said to be the most chaotic place on the continent, where countless fugitives and outcasts from all nations have established their own brutal rules. We'll need to be very cautious," Xiao Yan added, his tone growing serious as he recalled the information they had gathered over the past few days.
"Haha, chaos is a ladder. The more chaotic it is, the more opportunities there are. The Black-Corner Region might be the perfect place for us to make our mark. Besides, Jia Nan Academy is located right in the heart of that region. No matter what, our first priority is reaching the Black-Corner Region," Mo Yu said as they continued walking.
These two were none other than Mo Yu and Xiao Yan, who had taken a day to rest in Da Ling City. After three days of travel, they had finally arrived at Zhen Gui Pass.
As they spoke, the group they were part of moved closer to the city walls, kicking up more dust. When they were just a few hundred meters from the massive gate, Mo Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, glancing up at the air above the walls, where there seemed to be faint fluctuations of energy.
As they neared the wall, the gate guards began to carefully inspect each passerby. Perhaps due to the recent wanted notices from Yunlan Sect, security at the gate had been tightened significantly.
"Stop! You two, take off your hoods!" A stern voice suddenly ordered. The sound of clinking armor echoed from the dark gate as dozens of fully armed elite soldiers, armed with long spears, blocked the entrance. A young man with a cold expression stepped forward, his eyes sweeping over the group of travelers.
When they saw this young man, the expressions of several guards became more respectful. Although the man himself might not be particularly noteworthy, his father was none other than Meng Li, the deputy commander of this fortress, a man of considerable influence and power.
At the young man's command, many people turned their gaze towards the two mysterious figures.
It was broad daylight, yet these two were dressed in black cloaks that concealed their identities, making them seem all the more suspicious. With the recent rumors about the Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons spreading throughout the empire, many began to speculate about their identities.
The young man waved his hand, and a large number of soldiers began to move towards the pair in the center of the crowd.
"Hehe, it seems we've been discovered. Looks like we'll have to force our way through..." Mo Yu said calmly, not showing the slightest sign of panic as he removed his hood, revealing his exceptionally handsome face. He turned to Xiao Yan and added, "Shall we?"
Seeing Mo Yu reveal his identity so openly, Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile. He then took off his own hood, revealing his true face as well.
"It's him! Mo Yu!" The young man, Meng La, quickly pulled out a wanted poster and compared it to Mo Yu's face. After a moment, he shouted in alarm.
"Since Cousin Mo Yu is in the mood, I'll join you," Xiao Yan said with a laugh as he followed suit.
"It's Xiao Yan!" Meng La recognized Xiao Yan immediately, without needing to compare him to a poster. He knew instantly that this was the other of the Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons.
"Mo Yu and Xiao Yan, it's really them! The Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons! I heard they destroyed Yunlan Sect, the empire's number one sect for hundreds of years!" A voice suddenly shouted from the crowd, causing many onlookers to turn their gazes towards the two young men, their eyes filled not with greed, but with admiration.
As the murmurs spread, more and more people began to watch Mo Yu and Xiao Yan with a mixture of awe and respect. The recent news of the Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons storming Yunlan Sect had shaken the entire Jia Ma Empire. Yunlan Sect had issued wanted notices, promising rich rewards for any information leading to their capture. However, the Twin Dragons' fearsome reputation had scared off many would-be bounty hunters.
Now, seeing the legendary Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons in person, many of the bystanders couldn't help but feel their hearts race with excitement.
"You won't escape Zhen Gui Pass with its tens of thousands of soldiers, Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons!" Meng La sneered, his voice dripping with malice as he glared at the calm expressions on Mo Yu and Xiao Yan's faces.
"Oh? Then come and try," Mo Yu replied with a nonchalant smile.
Seeing Mo Yu's confident demeanor, Meng La hesitated, then gestured for his soldiers to attack. However, to his surprise, the city guards hesitated, their faces showing their fear of the Twin Dragons' reputation.
"Haha, what arrogant little brats!" The tense standoff was suddenly interrupted by a cold laugh. A middle-aged man in silver armor strode out from the city gate, his eyes cold as he glanced at Mo Yu. "I am Meng Li, the deputy commander of Zhen Gui Pass. By the laws of the empire, anyone who attempts to force their way into the city shall be detained. I advise you to surrender now to avoid unnecessary suffering."
"And you must be Meng Li, a dog of Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan remarked as he eyed the man.
"Seize them!" Meng Li's face darkened as he gave the order.
Unlike his son, Meng Li's command carried much more weight. Instantly, hundreds of fully armed elite soldiers poured out from the dark gate, surrounding Mo Yu and Xiao Yan. The soldiers' long spears gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
"Stop!" Just as the soldiers were about to charge, a powerful voice suddenly rang out. A moment later, a massive figure descended from the sky, landing heavily on the ground and shaking it.
The newcomer surveyed the scene before his gaze settled on Meng Li. "Meng Li, the Silver Armor Army doesn't serve Yunlan Sect. If you want to curry favor with them, do it yourself. Don't think you can use my men as your stepping stones."
"You...!" Meng Li's face turned ashen with rage at the sight of the burly man, but before he could say more, the man turned and barked, "Silver Armor Army, stand down!"
"Yes, Commander!" The soldiers immediately obeyed, withdrawing and leaving Mo Yu and Xiao Yan unchallenged.
Mo Yu smiled warmly at the burly man named Mu Tie. From the name, it was clear that this man belonged to the Mu family, one of the empire's three major families. Clearly, they had no intention of offending the Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons just to please Yunlan Sect.
"Thank you, Commander Mu," Mo Yu said with a slight smile on his face. He then turned his gaze toward Meng Li and continued with a cold smile, "Hey, Meng Li, if you want to claim my head and collect your reward from Yunlan Sect, why don't you come and do it yourself?"
"You brat, such arrogance! Today, I'll prove that I can still take you down, even if you're injured!" Meng Li's face flushed with anger, his expression alternating between pale and livid. He hadn't expected to be put in such a difficult position. Truthfully, he feared the Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons and their terrifying abilities, especially considering that Yunlan Sect had nearly been destroyed by Mo Yu and Xiao Yan. But if he backed down now, his reputation in Zhen Gui Pass would plummet. So, despite his anxiety, Meng Li had no choice but to confront them.
He recalled that the old leader of Yunlan Sect, Yun Shan, had personally assured him that the Xiao Clan's Twin Dragons were heavily injured and could no longer wield the terrifying power they had during the battle with Yunlan Sect. With this assurance, Meng Li, a Three-Star Dou Ling, was confident that he could easily handle two Da Dou Shis.
"Do you need my help, Brother Mo Yu?" Xiao Yan asked.
"No need. I'll take care of it. It won't take long," Mo Yu replied with a light smile, shaking his head.
"Hmph, what an arrogant brat," Meng Li scoffed, his anger growing. He had never been so openly dismissed before.
With a cold sneer, Meng Li unleashed a surge of dark yellow Dou Qi from within his body. Instantly, a whirlwind of yellow sand filled the air, and the fierce aura emanating from the sandstorm forced the onlookers, many of them seasoned mercenaries, to take a few steps back. They watched with awe as Meng Li's figure, clad in a yellow Dou Qi armor, emerged from the dissipating sandstorm. In his hand, he held a large blood-red blade, which gleamed ominously under the sunlight.
As Dou Qi infused the blade, it appeared even more vibrant, exuding a murderous intent. Meng Li glared at Mo Yu, and with a fierce shout that shattered the tense silence, he launched himself at Mo Yu like a cannonball. The blood-red blade swung down with the force to split the earth itself.
"This guy's mastery of the Blood Blade technique has reached an impressive level. Even an ordinary three- or four-star Dou Ling would have a hard time countering it," Mu Tie, the commander, muttered to himself as he observed Meng Li's attack. His gaze shifted to Mo Yu, who remained calm and composed. "I've heard that Mu Zhan couldn't even withstand a single blow from him, and that Yunlan Sect was destroyed by his hand. I wonder if the rumors are true."
Clang!
A sharp whistle of wind accompanied Meng Li's attack as the blood-red blade came crashing down. However, Mo Yu casually raised his massive black thunder ruler, effortlessly meeting the blade head-on. Sparks flew as the two weapons collided, and a visible ripple of energy spread out from the point of impact, sending waves of yellow sand into the air.
Meng Li pressed down with all his might, his blood-red blade bearing down on Mo Yu's thunder ruler. But no matter how much force Meng Li exerted, the ruler remained steady, as if frozen in place.
Meng Li's face flushed red with effort, his breathing grew labored, while Mo Yu remained as calm as ever, his breathing steady, not even the slightest sign of strain on his face. The contrast between the two was stark.
"A Dou Ling... Mo Yu has already broken through to Dou Ling!" Mu Tie's expression changed as he realized the truth. He was shocked that Mo Yu, who was rumored to be only a Da Dou Shi, had advanced to the Dou Ling level in just over a month. Such rapid progress was almost unbelievable.
A Dou Ling under the age of twenty—Mo Yu was practically destined to reach the Dou Huang level in the future.
The mercenaries and soldiers surrounding the gate were equally stunned. They watched in disbelief as Mo Yu effortlessly deflected Meng Li's powerful attack. When they sensed the powerful aura emanating from Mo Yu, they couldn't help but gape in shock.
A Dou Ling was already considered a formidable expert in the Jia Ma Empire. After all, even the strongest member of the Mu family, the empire's top family in the northwest, was only a Dou Ling. Yet here was such a young Dou Ling before their eyes, and suddenly, any thoughts of greed vanished from the minds of those watching.
"Get lost! With your pitiful strength, you're just embarrassing yourself," Mo Yu said coldly as he raised his head. His silver eyes glowed with the flicker of countless lightning bolts. A cold smile tugged at his lips as a brilliant flash of lightning erupted from his gaze, shooting straight into Meng Li's mind.
"Thunderous Lightning Flash!"
With his left hand moving with the speed of lightning, Mo Yu struck Meng Li squarely in the chest. His palm curled slightly as he released a surge of powerful Dou Qi.
"Ugh!"
Meng Li's mind was instantly clouded by dizziness, and the next moment, he felt as if his chest had been smashed by a massive weight. His pupils contracted as he spat out a mouthful of blood. His body was sent flying, crashing heavily against the city wall before slumping to the ground. He coughed up another mouthful of blood as his body curled up like a cocoon, and the Dou Qi armor covering his body shattered into pieces.
Wiping the blood from his mouth with difficulty, Meng Li looked up at Mo Yu in disbelief and pain. "A Dou Ling... This brat has actually become a Dou Ling?"
The reason Meng Li had dared to confront Mo Yu was that he had been told Mo Yu couldn't use the mysterious power he had wielded during the battle with Yunlan Sect. And indeed, Mo Yu hadn't used that power—but his own strength had already reached the Dou Ling level, placing him on equal footing with Meng Li.
Moreover, although Mo Yu was only a one-star Dou Ling, his combat power rivaled that of mid-level Dou Lings. This was truly an extraordinary talent.
If he had known this, Meng Li would never have gotten involved in this mess!
The scene at the city gate fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned, watching as Meng Li was defeated in just a single exchange. It took a while before someone finally let out a low groan of disbelief. A Dou Ling-level expert, defeated in a single round, by a young man who looked barely twenty years old—how terrifying was this youth?
Even Xiao Yan's eyes widened slightly. He had known that Mo Yu had advanced to the Dou Ling level, but he hadn't expected Meng Li, a three-star Dou Ling, to be no match for him. Mo Yu's ability to fight beyond his level was truly monstrous.
But soon, Xiao Yan let out a sigh of relief. With Mo Yu's strength, they wouldn't need to rely on Yao Lao's power after all.
Mo Yu stretched his body, feeling the relief of movement. Although he had just broken through to Dou Ling, his solid foundation meant that an ordinary three-star Dou Ling was no match for him.
Just as Mo Yu was about to finish off Meng Li, the voice of Snake Uncle suddenly rang in his mind, "Mo Yu, leave this place quickly. I sense the presence of Soul Hall!"
Mo Yu's expression changed slightly as he turned to look at Xiao Yan. Seeing the serious look on Xiao Yan's face, he knew that Yao Lao had also warned him.
Without wasting any time, Mo Yu nodded toward Mu Tie, who was still in shock. "Thank you, Commander Mu. I owe you one."
Without waiting for a response, Mo Yu turned to Xiao Yan and said, "Let's get out of here."
Xiao Yan nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Just as he was about to leave, he turned back to the injured Meng Li and said, "Pass a message to Yun Shan for me. In two to five years, Brother Mo Yu and I will return. Tell him to clean his neck; we'll take his life ourselves!"
Hearing Xiao Yan's calm voice echo across the fortress, Mo Yu couldn't help but smile faintly. This was exactly like Xiao Yan—uncompromising and resolute.
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