Chapter 237: The Little Holy Grail and the Life Devouring Pill
Black-Corner Region, Shiyan City.
After eliminating the Wolf Fang Gang and ruthlessly wiping out some other opposing forces in the city, the Yuanfu took full control of Shiyan City. Over the next half month, the "Yuanfu," established by Mo Yu after taking over Shiyan City, gradually started to gain some recognition in the outskirts of the Black-Corner Region.
Many people became aware that although Yuanfu was newly established, it boasted a genuine Dou Wang (Battle King) among its ranks. As this news spread, it caused quite a stir among the surrounding cities. According to the rules of the Black-Corner Region, a faction with a Dou Wang could be considered a second-rate force, and if it had a Dou Huang (Battle Emperor), it would be a first-rate force.
As for those even stronger, they were considered to belong to the factions led by Dou Zong (Battle Sect) powerhouses, who held a transcendent status that no one dared to provoke, except perhaps the behemoth that was Jia Nan Academy.
However, not everyone was intimidated by Yuanfu; some dismissed it, believing that as a newly established force, its reputation was undeserved. Consequently, about ten days after Yuanfu took control of Shiyan City, a small faction of about a hundred people, led by a Four-Star Dou Ling (Battle Spirit), decided to make a move.
But when this faction brazenly entered Shiyan City with their forces, no further news of them emerged the following day. According to some spies, it was discovered that Yuanfu had wiped out nearly half of this faction's members, while the remaining ones had surrendered completely.
Inside a spacious hall, a few people were seated. Meanwhile, the other members of Yuanfu were busy decorating their new headquarters. Occasionally, some members passing through the hall would glance with awe and admiration at their leader, who sat quietly at a table, sipping tea with a serious expression.
Since the establishment of Yuanfu, the members had rarely seen their leader in action due to Zihuo's presence. While they believed that their leader was strong, they hadn't seen him fight and therefore lacked a true sense of his power.
However, when a faction recently defied Yuanfu's rule over Shiyan City and challenged their leader, they expected him to decline and send Zihuo to handle it as usual. To their surprise, Mo Yu accepted the challenge and defeated the Four-Star Dou Ling leader of the opposing faction with overwhelming power. It was only then that they truly recognized the extent of Mo Yu's strength.
Since that day, all members of Yuanfu looked at Mo Yu with a deep sense of reverence and respect.
"Lord Yuanfu," Ling Feng said respectfully as he stood beside Mo Yu, "with the elimination of the Wolf Fang Gang and other opposing forces, Yuanfu's dominance in Shiyan City is now unchallenged. Many have heard of our reputation and wish to join us. Following your instructions, we carefully screened them, and we've recruited six new Dou Shi (Battle Master) powerhouses and fifty-seven Dou Zhe (Battle Practitioner). Here's the list for your review."
As he handed the list to Mo Yu, Ling Feng couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration for his leader, who was younger than himself yet capable of defeating a Four-Star Dou Ling at such a young age. Ling Feng was glad he had made the right choice to follow Mo Yu.
Mo Yu took the list from Ling Feng and nodded expressionlessly. With Yuanfu's expansion, recruiting new members was a necessary task. Of course, Mo Yu didn't accept just anyone; those wishing to join Yuanfu had to have at least the strength of a Dou Shi, and while he didn't enforce strict moral criteria, they couldn't have committed any particularly heinous deeds.
As a result, after careful selection, only a few dozen people were recruited into Yuanfu, a number far smaller than the hundreds the Wolf Fang Gang used to recruit. But despite the smaller number, these recruits were deemed worthy of training and trust.
Although Yuanfu now dominated Shiyan City, it was still far from being a major power in the Black-Corner Region. Therefore, it was more important to consolidate its foundation rather than expand recklessly.
Mo Yu couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that none of the new recruits were stronger than a Four-Star Dou Shi, and there were no Dou Ling among them. Shaking his head, he turned to Meng Yang and asked, "Meng Hall Master, how are you progressing with the few two-star weapon designs I gave you? Can you produce weapons that meet the standards?"
Meng Yang, who had been standing next to Ling Feng, quickly replied, "Lord Yuanfu, the designs and methods you provided differ significantly from those used to create magic core weapons, so my progress has been slow. I ask for your forgiveness. However, through my relentless efforts, I've successfully mastered the production of the Flame Sword. Most of Yuanfu's elite members are now equipped with one, and we've even sold a few dozen Flame Swords, providing Yuanfu with a stable source of income."
Meng Yang's eyes were filled with gratitude and admiration as he looked at Mo Yu. In the Dou Qi Continent, weapon designs, like alchemy recipes, were closely guarded secrets. Despite being a Two-Star Weapon Refiner for years, Meng Yang had only mastered a few methods for crafting magic core weapons. But after being appointed as the head of the Armory Hall, Mo Yu had generously given him four two-star weapon designs, earning Meng Yang's deep respect.
"Only one?" Mo Yu frowned. To ensure Yuanfu's stable development, money was essential, which was why he had invested heavily in training Meng Yang. A Two-Star Weapon Refiner with the designs Mo Yu provided could generate enough wealth to fuel Yuanfu's growth.
Seeing Mo Yu's disappointment, Meng Yang felt a wave of guilt but quickly added, "Lord Yuanfu, though I am ashamed of my slow progress, thanks to your guidance, my soul power has recently broken through. I believe it won't be long before I advance to a Three-Star Weapon Refiner."
"Oh? A Three-Star Weapon Refiner..." Mo Yu's frown relaxed, and he smiled approvingly. If Meng Yang could advance, it would greatly benefit Yuanfu's development.
"Well done. When you advance to a Three-Star Weapon Refiner, I'll give you a few three-star weapon designs," Mo Yu said, satisfied.
Meng Yang's face lit up with joy, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Yuanfu!"
"There's no need to be so formal, Meng Hall Master. We're all working towards the growth of Yuanfu," Mo Yu replied, encouraging Meng Yang.
Afterward, Mo Yu turned his gaze back to Ling Feng and asked, "Any news on the Seven-Colored Ancient Vine or the soul-attributed Six-Star Magic Core?"
One of the reasons Mo Yu had established Yuanfu was to better gather materials. A faction could accomplish this much faster than an individual. Indeed, even though Mo Yu had not left Shiyan City, his subordinates had already brought in most of the supplementary materials needed to craft the Fusion Spirit Holy Grail, with only two main ingredients still missing.
Ling Feng stepped forward and replied with a bitter smile, "Lord Yuanfu, there's still no news on either the Seven-Colored Ancient Vine or the soul-attributed Six-Star Magic Core."
When Mo Yu had first asked him to gather these materials, Ling Feng had been utterly shocked. The Seven-Colored Ancient Vine was something he'd never even heard of, and a Six-Star Magic Core, especially one with a soul attribute, was priceless.
Even Meng Yang couldn't help but gaze intently at Mo Yu, astonished by the fact that his master could craft a Six-Star Magic Core weapon. Mo Yu's skill in weapon forging likely exceeded his imagination.
Mo Yu frowned slightly. Although he had anticipated this, the lack of any information left him somewhat disappointed.
"Alright, I understand. Continue searching for news about the Seven-Colored Ancient Vine and the soul-attributed Magic Core. If there's nothing else, you may go."
"Yes, Master!" Ling Feng and Meng Yang exchanged a glance, bowed respectfully, and then slowly exited the hall.
After they left, Mo Yu finished his tea and then returned to his room. Once inside, he sat down cross-legged and retrieved a small, purple Holy Grail from his storage ring.
The small Holy Grail, about a foot in height, was smooth like a polished gemstone, with a faint aura of soul power emanating from it. Mo Yu focused his mind, channeling his soul power into the small Holy Grail.
As his soul power entered the Holy Grail, an unusual energy within it quickly surged up. Mo Yu immediately felt a powerful force intertwining with his soul power, strengthening it as if it were being nourished by some mysterious substance. At the same time, his soul became more robust, as if it were being fed a powerful tonic.
As Mo Yu's soul strength gradually increased, a throbbing pain began to grow between his eyebrows, but he wasn't discouraged. The stronger the sensation, the more he could feel his soul growing in power.
The energy within the small Holy Grail continued to flow into his soul, merging with it and then returning to his brow, intensifying his soul's strength. This process felt incredibly soothing, as if his soul were being bathed in warm spiritual energy, making him nearly moan in comfort.
Although this enhancement wasn't enough to elevate his soul to a Five-Star level just yet, after about an hour of this practice, Mo Yu could clearly sense a significant increase in his soul power.
This training continued for two hours before gradually subsiding. When Mo Yu finally stopped, the throbbing in his head had lessened considerably, and he could feel that his soul had grown noticeably stronger.
"The results are quite impressive. At this rate, I might break through to a Five-Star soul level within a few months..." Mo Yu smiled slightly, pleased with the progress.
The small Holy Grail he had been using was something he had crafted in the past few days. As the master of Yuanfu, he had access to a steady supply of various materials, thanks to the efforts of his subordinates. With ample resources, Mo Yu had managed to complete the Holy Grail while also handling Yuanfu's affairs and nurturing his own powers.
The small Holy Grail was a Four-Star artifact, and for someone of Mo Yu's caliber, its creation was not particularly challenging. After spending several hours, he had successfully forged it. Today was the first time he used it to cultivate his soul power, and the results were even better than expected.
Rubbing his still slightly sore brow, Mo Yu felt content. Under normal circumstances, reaching the Five-Star soul level could take years, but with the Holy Grail's help, that time would be drastically shortened.
Stretching leisurely, Mo Yu put away the Holy Grail and, after some thought, retrieved an ancient scroll from his storage ring. The scroll was old and yellowed, exuding an aura of mystery.
After examining it closely, Mo Yu raised an eyebrow. This was the mysterious map he had bought at the auction in Di Yan. He had a feeling it was no ordinary item.
As he unraveled the scroll and studied it, Mo Yu couldn't help but shake his head. "No wonder no one else bought this..."
What appeared before him was a piece of parchment, its surface covered in random, meaningless lines. As he traced one of the lines with his finger, he followed it to the edge of the parchment without uncovering anything of significance.
"Did I waste my money on this?" Mo Yu frowned, his silver eyes flashing with doubt.
Just as Mo Yu was contemplating the map, Snake Uncle suddenly appeared beside him. Without a word, Snake Uncle took the map from Mo Yu's hands and carefully examined it. As he felt the texture of the parchment, his snake-like pupils narrowed slightly, and a small smile appeared on his face.
"Snake Uncle, have you discovered something?" Mo Yu asked, noticing Snake Uncle's expression.
"I haven't discovered much..." Snake Uncle replied, his cold eyes still fixed on the parchment. Handing it back to Mo Yu, he added thoughtfully, "But this parchment seems to be made from the skin of an Abyssal Crocodile, a Six-Star Magic Beast. Whoever crafted this map must have belonged to a powerful faction, meaning there might be something significant hidden within it."
"But how can we uncover the secrets of this map?" Mo Yu asked, furrowing his brow.
"Legend has it that the Abyssal Crocodile, which dwells in the depths of the abyss, is one of the most powerful beasts of its level, but it has a fatal weakness—it fears lightning," Snake Uncle explained, looking at Mo Yu. "Why don't you try striking this parchment with your Xuan Lightning? It might reveal something unexpected."
Mo Yu paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile as he realized what Snake Uncle was suggesting.
Summoning the Vermilion Bird Thunder, a crimson bolt of lightning appeared in Mo Yu's left hand. The terrifying energy radiating from the lightning made the surrounding space tremble.
Holding the parchment in his right hand, Mo Yu slowly brought it close to the Vermilion Bird Thunder. Under the expectant gazes of both Mo Yu and Snake Uncle, the parchment made from the Abyssal Crocodile's skin began to change upon contact with the lightning.
Mo Yu's silver eyes narrowed as he watched the transformation. Under the assault of the lightning, the previously meaningless lines on the parchment started shifting, eventually forming a clear map.
As Mo Yu stared at the map, just as he was about to examine it closely, three words suddenly appeared at the top of the parchment, causing him to freeze in shock.
Those three words were: "Life Devouring Pill!"
(End of Chapter)
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