Chapter 540: Thunder Tiger General, Xuan-Level Clan Mark
In the sky, space distorted, and under the gaze of many, an old figure appeared. As soon as he showed up, he raised his arm, releasing a powerful beam of Dou Qi filled with intense thunder, which shot directly toward Geng Xu below.
"You—"
Seeing that this figure attacked without hesitation, Geng Xu's face twisted in anger. However, he did not curse but instead retreated quickly with a sour expression.
"It's you?" Mo Yu feigned surprise as he looked at the elder descending from the sky.
"You? Show some respect! Call me Dean!" The old man, Mang Tianchi, snorted, puffing out his beard in mock anger.
"Dean?" Mo Yu's silver eyes flashed, and he pretended to be confused before suddenly acting shocked as he stared at the old man in front of him. "You… you're the dean of the Inner Academy at Jia Nan Academy?"
"Of course! Who else would dare call themselves Mang Tianchi?" The old man huffed, his beard twitching. Then, he cheerfully patted Mo Yu on the shoulder, inspecting him closely. "Not bad, not bad! Who would have thought that the young man chosen by the clan leader is actually a student of my Jia Nan Academy."
Seeing this mischievous old man, Mo Yu couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth. It would be hard for anyone to associate this playful elder with the mysterious dean of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy.
"Last time we met, I didn't recognize you. After thinking about it for a long time, I realized that you were the Mo Yu that Su Qian kept sending me letters about!" Mang Tianchi clapped Mo Yu on the shoulder again, full of brotherly enthusiasm. "Don't worry. Since you're a student of Jia Nan Academy and also the Black Thunder Captain, if anything happens, this old man has got your back."
Mo Yu smiled wryly but nodded in appreciation.
"Thank you, sir, for helping my master," Qing Lin, having recovered from her surprise, said with a smile.
Jia Nan Academy was renowned across the continent, and hearing that this old man was its dean left both Qing Lin and Xiao Yixian momentarily astonished.
"It's nothing," Mang Tianchi waved his hand casually, then eyed Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin with a playful grin. He looked at Mo Yu and said teasingly, "I have to say, young man, not only did you capture the most prized flower of our Lei Clan, but you also have two other beauties by your side. No wonder the young wolves of the clan are so jealous of you!"
Hearing this, Mo Yu shook his head with a slight smile, while Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin blushed.
"Mang Tianchi, this is not your Mang family territory!" Geng Xu, who had been forced back earlier by the thunder, stepped forward again, his face dark with anger.
Mang Tianchi glanced at Geng Xu, then snorted dismissively. "You think you can shout at me? I could walk all over your Geng family, and not even your family head could stop me."
"You... you..." Geng Xu's face turned even uglier, filled with frustration and rage. He knew Mang Tianchi was the type to act on such threats, and the worst part was that the Geng family wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
"Get lost! Come back when your Geng family has what it takes to join the four great vassal families. Though, at this rate, that may never happen in your lifetime." Mang Tianchi waved him off dismissively.
Seeing Mang Tianchi's scornful attitude, Geng Xu was furious, but there was nothing he could do. Gritting his teeth, he reluctantly withdrew.
"Hmph, trying to act tough with me," Mang Tianchi sneered as he watched Geng Xu leave. Turning back to Mo Yu, he patted his shoulder again. "That old man was probably being used as a pawn. The Geng family has been growing too fast recently, and they've forgotten their place. It's ridiculous. But don't worry; since the clan leader personally chose you as his son-in-law, no one in the clan will dare openly oppose you. Besides, I've got your back."
"Thank you, Dean," Mo Yu said sincerely, clasping his hands in gratitude. He could sense the genuine concern in Mang Tianchi's words.
"Haha, no need to thank me. After all, you're one of my students. I've heard your cousin, Xiao Yan, was one of our academy's top graduates. I'd love to meet him someday," Mang Tianchi said with a smile.
"Xiao Yan is the last disciple of Yao Chen, the renowned alchemist of Starfall Pavilion in Zhongzhou. If you wish to meet him, you'll definitely have the chance, Dean," Mo Yu said with a light laugh.
"Oh, so Xiao Yan was valued by Yao Chen, the top alchemist in Zhongzhou? He must be quite impressive. No wonder Su Qian recommended both of you so highly," Mang Tianchi said, clearly satisfied.
As Mo Yu and Mang Tianchi quietly chatted, Mo Yu's gaze swept over the special area they were in. Most of the people present were highly esteemed members of the Lei Clan. Among them, he spotted a familiar face, who also noticed him and approached quickly.
"Uncle, Black Thunder Captain, you've arrived," the newcomer said. He was a tall, steady man—Mang Ting, the Red Thunder Captain, whom Mo Yu had met once in the Black-Corner Region.
"Mang Ting, it's good to see you," Mo Yu said, his face lighting up with a smile.
Though they had only met once, Mo Yu held Mang Ting in high regard.
"Mang Ting, I heard you just returned from a mission. No wonder you look so travel-worn," Mang Tianchi said, patting the dust off Mang Ting's shoulder.
"Yes, I rushed back in time for the Captain Tournament. I was fortunate not to miss it. I also heard that the Black Thunder Captain here won over the soldiers with lightning speed—it was quite unexpected," Mang Ting said, respectfully greeting his elder before turning to Mo Yu with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Five years ago, in the Black-Corner Region, Mo Yu had been in a dire situation, hunted by the powerful Hun Mogu Elder. Now, in just a few short years, he had grown strong enough to defeat Geng Xiong with a single blow. Truly, he lived up to the clan leader's designation as having a 'divine-grade bloodline.'
"Haha, you flatter me," Mo Yu replied with a modest smile.
He also took the chance to assess Mang Ting's strength. From what he sensed, Mang Ting had likely reached the level of a five-star Dou Zun—quite impressive.
"Being recognized by the clan leader is a testament to your talent. But be cautious, Black Thunder Captain. I've heard whispers that the Thunder Tiger General may target you during the tournament," Mang Ting said in a low voice.
"Thunder Tiger General…" Mo Yu was about to ask more when a commotion suddenly erupted behind him. Turning around, he saw a group of people approaching.
Most of them were younger members of the Lei Clan. Among them, Mo Yu spotted Mu Mang, along with several other Black Demon Army captains, including the Silver Thunder Captain, who was watching him with a smug and mocking expression.
Their mocking gaze made Mo Yu frown, but just as he was about to look away, his eyes were drawn to a figure in the corner of the area.
There sat a man radiating a fierce and violent aura. On his forehead was a faintly visible black-gold "king" symbol, and his presence was like that of a savage tiger. His entire being exuded a murderous intent so palpable that even one glance would send shivers down anyone's spine.
Mo Yu's eyes narrowed as he studied the man, sensing that the violent killing intent was directed at him.
"That's Lei Yin, the Thunder Tiger General," Mang Ting said in a grave tone.
"Oh, so that's the famous Thunder Tiger General, one of the four generals of the Black Demon Army?" Mo Yu murmured, narrowing his eyes.
Judging by the murderous aura, it was clear that Lei Yin had been watching Mo Yu from the moment he entered the area, observing his every move. Even now, Mo Yu could tell that Lei Yin was aware of his gaze.
"Yes, Lei Yin not only holds a high position in the Black Demon Army but also comes from a prestigious family. His grandfather is one of the Lei Clan's elders. With his talent and background, he was once a top contender to marry Lei Fei'er. But you came in and disrupted that, so it's no surprise he's hostile toward you. The Geng family also seems to be aligned with Lei Yin's faction, which explains why Geng Xu was targeting you earlier," Mang Tianchi added.
"All because of Lei Fei'er again, huh..." Mo Yu shook his head, realizing that he had inadvertently stirred up quite the hornet's nest.
"Be careful of him, Black Thunder Captain," Mang Ting warned in a serious tone.
The four generals of the Black Demon Army were all top-tier talents in the Lei Clan. Though Mang Ting acknowledged Mo Yu's exceptional talent, he believed Mo Yu might struggle against someone like Lei Yin, who had been a rising star for much longer.
Mo Yu simply nodded. Although Lei Yin was powerful and could likely defeat someone like the Nine Heavens Sovereign of the Hall of Souls, Mo Yu didn't consider him much of a threat.
Dong!
As the last of the participants arrived, the deep toll of an ancient bell echoed across the vast land, signaling the start of the event. The sound spread throughout the mountain range.
"The time has come. Let the ceremony begin," a voice, majestic and calm, resounded from the void, carrying an overwhelming pressure. Many people in the plaza felt a chill down their spines as they sensed the terrifying power behind the voice.
"A Dou Saint... a true Dou Saint!" Mo Yu's eyes narrowed. This was the first time he had felt the pressure of a Dou Saint in person.
As the majestic voice faded, three authoritative Lei Clan elders rose from their seats and stepped into the center of the plaza. The area had already been set up with numerous ceremonial items, as the bloodline test was a sacred and highly formal process for the ancient clans. For them, the Dou Di bloodline was a matter of utmost importance.
"Not only is Lei Ying here, but the real powerhouses of the Lei Clan still haven't shown themselves…" Mo Yu thought as he scanned the area. Aside from a few high-ranking Lei Clan elders, there was no sign of the clan leader or other top figures. It seemed that even in a situation like this, they preferred not to make public appearances.
"Still, I can sense some hidden presences watching the ceremony. These powerhouses are keeping an eye on everything without revealing themselves," Mo Yu mused, using his keen spiritual perception to detect subtle fluctuations in the air. Some of these hidden presences even seemed to be scanning him, clearly curious about whether he truly possessed the 'divine-grade bloodline' they had heard rumors about.
"The ceremony begins—Mu Mang!" the lead elder in the plaza called out the first name after glancing at Mo Yu for a few seconds.
Upon hearing the elder's voice, Mu Mang stood up with a proud expression, making his way to the center of the field and respectfully bowing to the three elders.
While the Lei Clan had many young members, only a select few were given the honor of participating in the bloodline test during the coming-of-age ceremony. Naturally, these individuals were considered the elite of the younger generation, so it was no surprise that Mu Mang wore a faintly smug expression.
In the center of the field, one of the Lei Clan elders raised his hand, summoning a large, star-shaped disk nearly a meter wide. Mu Mang stepped forward, placing his hand on the star disk and closing his eyes.
As soon as Mu Mang's eyes shut, the star disk suddenly burst into a radiant glow. Six lightning patterns slowly emerged from the disk.
Upon seeing the six lightning patterns, the elder nodded approvingly and called out loudly, "Mu Mang, Vice-Captain of the Brown Thunder Banner of the Black Demon Army. Strength: One-Star Dou Zun. Bloodline Grade: Six. By decree of the Elder Council, you are granted a mid-level Xuan-rank clan mark!"
"A mid-level Xuan-rank clan mark! Truly deserving of a Vice-Captain like Mu Mang."
Upon hearing the elder's declaration, many of the Lei Clan members murmured enviously among themselves.
Mu Mang's eyes flashed with joy as he dropped to one knee. One of the elders approached him, holding a brush that crackled with lightning, and drew complex patterns in the air. Soon, a mysterious lightning-shaped symbol appeared on Mu Mang's forehead, radiating a special energy.
"A Xuan-level clan mark? What's that?" Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin asked curiously, unfamiliar with these details.
"A Xuan-level clan mark is a mark bestowed based on the evaluation of one's bloodline. These marks are part of the Lei Clan's ancient heritage. In critical moments, they can temporarily amplify the power of the Lei Clan's bloodline, helping them escape danger. The marks are ranked into five levels: Divine, Heaven, Earth, Xuan, and Huang, based on the strength of the lightning within them. Mu Mang's mark is the fourth-ranked Xuan-level mark," Mang Ting explained.
(End of Chapter)
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