Chapter 234: Intervention and Allegiance
"Crimson Refined Copper?"
Upon hearing this name, Mo Yu suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around, his silver eyes gazing towards the area where the two factions were clashing.
There, nearly a hundred rugged gang members were standing, divided into two distinct groups based on their different attire. Among them, over thirty men dressed in fierce tiger outfits were surrounded by a gang twice their size, all wearing wolf-head uniforms.
The commotion had attracted the attention of many passersby, causing quite a stir.
"It's the Fierce Tiger Gang? Aren't they a faction from Di Yan City? How did they end up in Shiyan City, and why are they being besieged by the Wolf Fang Gang? Their leader is a six-star Dou Ling (Battle Spirit), and the Fierce Tiger Gang is considered a third-rate power in the Black-Corner Region..."
"Idiot, you're behind the times! Haven't you heard that the Barbarian Beast Sect recently wiped out several factions? The Fierce Tiger Gang was one of them, and their previous leader was killed by the Barbarian Beast Sect's young leader. The current leader of the Fierce Tiger Gang is just the son of the previous leader, and he's only a six-star Da Dou Shi (Battle Master)."
"So that's what happened. But why are the Fierce Tiger Gang and the Wolf Fang Gang fighting?" the man asked, still curious.
"I heard that the Fierce Tiger Gang angered the Barbarian Beast Sect, and after losing many of their top fighters, they didn't dare stay in Di Yan City. They came to Shiyan City to develop and hide from the Barbarian Beast Sect. But a few days ago, news leaked that the Fierce Tiger Gang possessed Crimson Refined Copper. That stuff is worth a fortune—if auctioned, it could fetch a million gold coins. As soon as the news got out, countless factions coveted it. The Wolf Fang Gang, being the top force in Shiyan City, couldn't resist getting involved. If the Fierce Tiger Gang were at their peak, they might have resisted these greedy eyes, but now, with only a six-star Da Dou Shi to hold them up, they've ended up like this..."
Standing not far from Mo Yu, two men were whispering to each other, and Mo Yu heard every word clearly.
"So the Fierce Tiger Gang actually has Crimson Refined Copper..." Mo Yu murmured, a look of joy spreading across his face.
He had been searching for the four main materials to craft the Soul Fusion Holy Grail, and apart from the Fire Crystal Stone, he had yet to find the other ingredients. Unexpectedly, in such a remote town, he stumbled upon the news of Crimson Refined Copper.
Thinking this, Mo Yu's gaze turned toward the ongoing battle, his interest piqued.
Sensing Mo Yu's thoughts, Zihuo, who stood beside him, scratched his head and said in his deep, clumsy voice, "Boss... let me... clear the way for you."
Zihuo's massive, towering body stood behind Mo Yu, with his golden hair standing tall like a golden tower. His fierce eyes scanned the people around them, and although his gaze seemed simple, there was an innate alertness and ferocity within. Even though he could now take human form, the instincts he was born with were clearly still intact.
Seeing Zihuo volunteer, Mo Yu smiled and nodded in approval.
Receiving Mo Yu's response, Zihuo nodded solemnly and then began walking towards the clashing factions.
After spending half a day adjusting to his new body, Zihuo had gained precise control over it, so his steps were exact, each stride the same distance. As he walked, his peripheral vision never left Mo Yu, ready to respond to any sudden changes. Even a Dou Wang (Battle King) wouldn't be able to harm Mo Yu under his watch.
As Zihuo walked, his massive, imposing figure naturally drew countless stares. Even the Wolf Fang Gang members engaged in the fight instinctively looked his way.
"Hey, kid, don't you see we're dealing with something here? Get lost!" one of the Wolf Fang Gang members shouted coldly when he saw Zihuo walking straight towards them.
When Zihuo showed no sign of stopping, the man frowned, ready to draw his blade and teach him a lesson. But then he suddenly noticed the once simple eyes of the man before him were now brimming with an overwhelming, domineering aura!
"Roar!"
As his words fell, a thunderous lion's roar burst from Zihuo's mouth, the massive sound wave almost enveloping the entire Shiyan City. The roar, filled with an overwhelming and terrifying ferocity, struck fear into the souls of all who heard it, causing their steps to falter.
"A lion's roar?"
Following behind Zihuo, Mo Yu's eyebrows raised slightly. He hadn't expected Zihuo to possess such a natural talent, likely connected to the Absolute Land Lion. The roar carried an implicit dominance, and even a high-level Xuan (Mysterious) class sonic Dou Technique would be no match.
As Zihuo grew stronger, this sonic attack would only become more powerful, potentially reaching the level of Di (Earth) or even Tian (Heaven) class Dou Techniques.
The overwhelming sound wave forced everyone around to cover their ears in shock, as it swept through the air.
Boom!
The invisible sound wave turned into tangible energy, blasting toward the Wolf Fang Gang. Their once tight encirclement was immediately shattered, sending dozens of Wolf Fang members flying like sandbags.
The arrogant Wolf Fang member who had shouted earlier was now bleeding from every orifice, killed by the sheer force of the sound wave.
Seeing this, the entire street fell silent. No one had expected the towering man who had appeared out of nowhere to take out dozens of Wolf Fang members with a single roar.
The Wolf Fang Gang was the top force in the area, with many strong fighters. Among the dozens of members just taken out, several were even high-level Da Dou Shi. Yet, with a single roar, this man had killed them all. Such power was beyond the reach of most Dou Ling, attainable only by a Dou Wang.
"Could this giant man be a Dou Wang?" Many onlookers began to wonder.
A Dou Wang was a force to be reckoned with, even in the Black-Corner Region.
In the midst of this sudden and devastating attack, the Wolf Fang Gang members finally regained their senses. A middle-aged man, draped in a black and gold robe, stepped forward, his thin face dark with anger.
The man looked over his devastated gang members, his expression turning even more grim. When he shifted his gaze to the towering figure, recalling the power of that roar, his eyes flashed with deep apprehension.
"Esteemed sir, I am Ye Cang, the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang. I don't know how my gang has offended you to provoke such wrath, but if we've been presumptuous, I hope you can forgive us," the middle-aged man said respectfully, hiding his anger deep within.
If anyone else had dared to kill so many of his men, he would have sought revenge. But facing this towering man, who gave off the aura of a fierce beast, Ye Cang couldn't help but feel deeply threatened.
The onlookers didn't find anything strange about this. In the Black-Corner Region, strength was all that mattered, and there was no such thing as pride.
However, despite Ye Cang's respectful apology, the towering man remained silent, unmoved. Ye Cang's face twitched with frustration.
Even if the man was a Dou Wang, he couldn't just disregard the Wolf Fang Gang. They had powerful backers too!
Just as Ye Cang was about to mention his backers, the towering man shifted slightly, revealing a handsome young man with silver eyes and an extraordinary aura who slowly walked out from behind him.
The moment the young man with silver eyes stepped forward, the towering man behind him took two steps back, positioning himself behind the youth in a posture of utmost respect, almost like a loyal bodyguard.
"Who is this person, to make a Dou Wang expert act so submissive?"
Seeing this, many people widened their eyes in disbelief, staring at the man who had commanded such respect from the towering figure. As shock spread, curiosity about the identity of this mysterious young man grew.
For someone to have a Dou Wang expert follow them so respectfully, could he be the heir to some great power? Only such a prominent figure could make a proud Dou Wang willingly bow before a mere youth.
With this in mind, the crowd began whispering among themselves.
Meanwhile, Mo Yu scanned the scene. With the purple fire clearing his path, his view became much broader. Opposite the Langya Gang (Wolf Fang Gang), a group of fighters wearing clothes embroidered with tigers stood huddled in a corner of the street. At the center of the group was a young man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, dressed in tattered clothes and covered in wounds.
Despite his downcast appearance, the man's strength seemed slightly greater than that of Xiao Zhan, the former leader of the Xiao family.
Looking at him, and recalling the conversations he had overheard from passersby, Mo Yu understood that this must be the new leader of the Tiger Gang.
As Mo Yu's gaze swept over the scene, the young man also locked eyes with him. His father had suddenly died in battle, and now the heavy responsibility of leading the gang had fallen on him. Faced with the pressure from the Wolf Fang Gang, the Tiger Gang was teetering on the brink of destruction.
Just when he thought all hope was lost, this unexpected change gave him a glimmer of hope.
"Young master, I am Ye Cang. If I have offended you in any way, I apologize. Why don't I deal with this matter first, and afterward, I can invite you to our humble gang where I will personally make amends?"
Ye Cang spoke with a sincere smile, eyeing the young man cautiously. Deep down, he was frantically searching his memory. Anyone who had a Dou Wang as their personal bodyguard had to be connected to one of the top powers of the Black-Corner Region. Though Ye Cang had never seen this youth before, he had heard of several powerful figures. Yet, despite thinking hard, he couldn't match the young man's face with any of the heirs of those top forces.
Could it be that this person wasn't from the Black-Corner Region? The thought made Ye Cang frown slightly, and he had a nagging feeling that something was wrong.
Mo Yu ignored Ye Cang's words and instead looked toward the Tiger Gang's group, focusing on the leader. "Are you the new leader of the Tiger Gang?" he asked.
The man was startled by the question but quickly bowed respectfully. "I am Ling Feng, the current leader of the Tiger Gang."
Looking at the young man before him, who was a few years younger than himself, Ling Feng couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence. It wasn't just because of the towering man beside the youth, but because this young man gave off an unfathomable aura, something Ling Feng hadn't even sensed in his own father.
This youth's strength was clearly formidable, Ling Feng thought to himself.
"Hand over the Crimson Refined Divine Copper, and I will save your Tiger Gang," Mo Yu said flatly, ignoring Ling Feng's thoughts. Whether it was the Tiger Gang or the Wolf Fang Gang, neither were considered significant forces in the Black-Corner Region. Even without the support of the purple fire, Mo Yu could easily dominate the situation with his own strength. There was no need for tricks—he could make demands openly.
Mo Yu wasn't robbing them, after all. He was offering to save the Tiger Gang in exchange for the Crimson Refined Divine Copper. This was his way of maintaining some principles.
However, upon hearing Mo Yu's words, Ye Cang's expression instantly changed. Now he understood why he had felt that ominous premonition earlier—it was because this man also had his eyes on the Crimson Refined Divine Copper!
Ling Feng was similarly stunned by Mo Yu's straightforward demand. However, a hint of joy flickered in his heart. Yet, the thought of giving up the precious Crimson Refined Divine Copper in exchange for help left him feeling conflicted.
"Young master, the Wolf Fang Gang is closely allied with the Third Elder of the Di Yan Sect. This Crimson Refined Divine Copper is meant to be a gift for the elder's 60th birthday. Could you…" Ye Cang began to plead, but before he could finish, the towering figure of Zihuo (Purple Fire), who had been standing silently behind Mo Yu, suddenly stepped forward.
"Scram!"
With a deep shout, Zihuo punched the air, sending a powerful force straight toward Ye Cang.
The sudden strike caused Ye Cang's face to pale in fear. As the pressure from Zihuo's punch hit him, he realized just how terrifying the towering man truly was.
"Boom!"
Ye Cang didn't even have time to react. His body was thrown backward like a piece of paper in the wind.
"Boss!"
The Wolf Fang Gang members rushed over to help. When one of them supported the now pale and bloodied Ye Cang, the fear in his eyes was evident. Without saying another word, he quickly led the gang members away.
If not for the four-tier inner armor gifted to him by the Third Elder of the Di Yan Sect, Zihuo's punch would have ended his life.
Watching the Wolf Fang Gang flee in panic, the onlookers couldn't help but gasp in awe. To easily injure a five-star Dou Ling expert like Ye Cang with a single punch—such power was truly terrifying.
Ling Feng's pupils contracted at the sight, and after a moment of thought, his expression shifted. He made up his mind and bowed deeply to Mo Yu.
"Thank you for saving my life, young master. I will hand over the Crimson Refined Divine Copper, but I have one request. I hope you will agree."
Hearing this, Mo Yu's eyebrows furrowed slightly. From his perspective, saving the Tiger Gang in exchange for the copper was already generous enough. If they didn't know their place and pushed him further, he wouldn't hesitate to take it by force. After all, this was the Black-Corner Region—concepts like honor and virtue didn't hold much weight here.
Sensing Mo Yu's displeasure, Ling Feng hurriedly explained, "Young master, please don't misunderstand. I have no intention of extorting you. Ever since my father's death, the Tiger Gang has been on the decline. If it weren't for your help today, we would have been wiped out. After much thought, I have decided to pledge the entire Tiger Gang to you. From now on, we will serve you as our master. Please, grant us this chance!"
(End of chapter)
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.