Chapter 583: Defeating Gu You, Returning to the Mansion
The brutal death of the Third Tianzun (Heavenly Venerate) immediately drew everyone's attention.
As a genuine Half-Saint expert, although the Third Tianzun ultimately died at Cai Lin's hands, everyone knew that Mo Yu was the true mastermind behind his defeat.
Killing a Half-Saint with the strength of a Dou Zun (Battle Venerate) was extremely rare, not only in the current era but throughout the nearly ten thousand years of Dou Qi Continent history. It was almost unheard of.
So, when the news of the Third Tianzun, Black Light Sage, falling at Mo Yu's hands spread, it was sure to cause a massive uproar.
"Cai Lin, well done!" Mo Yu praised Cai Lin with a thumbs-up and a light laugh as she efficiently returned after killing the Third Tianzun.
Cai Lin rolled her eyes at Mo Yu, sensing the teasing in his words. She knew that her part in the battle was far from the main one. She had acted on impulse after hearing about the venomous Demon Soul Spot and couldn't suppress her killing intent.
On the other side, Gu You (Bone Ghost) slowly raised his head, speaking coldly, "Well, no wonder you've managed to make those guys fail repeatedly. Mo Yu, you do have some skill. But, by killing our Hall of Souls' Third Tianzun, you've sealed your fate. From now on, we won't rest until you're dead!"
"Hmph, we've already been mortal enemies for a long time. Even if you didn't seek revenge, I wouldn't let your Hall of Souls go. One day, I'll make sure there's nothing left of you—no one, not even a dog or chicken," Mo Yu replied with a cold sneer.
"You're asking for death!"
Hearing this, Gu You's expression twisted in rage. Just as he shouted in fury, a flash of icy light suddenly appeared in front of him like a biting cold wind, catching him completely off guard.
A fist made of ice, carrying terrifying force, smashed toward Gu You's head.
"Hmph!"
The sudden attack startled Gu You for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. His withered hand shot out and clashed heavily with the massive ice fist.
Clang!
The sharp sound of metal striking metal echoed in the sky as the two forces collided.
The next instant, Gu You was forced to retreat ten steps, his dry fist now bearing a deep imprint from the punch. Clearly, Qingzhi's (Azure Phoenix) attack had caused significant damage.
"Damn Mo Yu, damn Yuanfu!"
Gu You steadied himself, his gaze icy as he stared at the icy figure not far ahead. If not for being distracted by the Third Tianzun's death, he wouldn't have been caught off guard by Qingzhi's sneak attack.
"Since you've chosen death yourselves, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Gu You's face twisted with malice. He hadn't expected this battle to turn out this way—not only had they failed to kill Mo Yu, but they had also lost a Half-Saint expert. Returning to the Hall would surely bring consequences for him.
With this thought, Gu You pushed back against Qingzhi's assault. Behind him, a black mist gathered into a large hand, which suddenly appeared before Mo Yu, reaching out to grab him.
Whoosh!
But just as the black hand reached for Mo Yu, the space around him rippled. A familiar figure in a purple-gold robe stepped out from a spatial tear, and a calm voice echoed through the air.
"Gu You, for someone of your age, don't you feel ashamed attacking a junior?"
Gu You froze when he saw the figure and then growled in a low voice, "It's you, She Wuwan (Snake Elder)."
"Uncle Snake? What brings you here?" Mo Yu, surprised by the sudden appearance, had not yet even called for reinforcements.
"Heh, I was worried, so I came to check on you," Uncle Snake said with a faint smile, hovering protectively in front of Mo Yu. He glanced over Mo Yu, and satisfaction flashed in his eyes. "In just a few short months, your strength has grown again. Truly impressive. And killing the Third Tianzun was incredibly bold. This feat will surely make your name famous across the continent."
Mo Yu responded with a modest smile, not dwelling on the praise.
Seeing this, Uncle Snake chuckled and turned his gaze toward Gu You, snorting coldly. "Attacking juniors isn't much of an accomplishment. How about you and I have a real fight?"
Gu You's face twitched. Both he and Uncle Snake were Half-Saint experts. With Qingzhi standing nearby, he didn't have the strength to take on two Half-Saints alone.
"She Wuwan, don't get cocky. The experts of my Soul Clan are far stronger than your Yuanfu. If I call in a few more of our elder ghosts, let's see how you'll fare then!"
Knowing that he couldn't win, Gu You still refused to back down, sneering coldly.
"Yuanfu may not be enough, but don't forget about me, from the Starfall Pavilion!"
Before Gu You could finish his threat, Xiao Yan sped over and landed beside Mo Yu. With a swift motion, he crushed a spatial scroll, causing ripples in space. A moment later, an elderly figure stepped through the tear, his appearance met with unpleasant expressions from Gu You and the others.
"Heh, seems lively here," the elderly man said with a faint smile.
"Master Yao," Mo Yu greeted with a smile upon seeing the figure.
"Mo Yu, we meet again," Yao Lao (Master Yao) chuckled as he scanned Mo Yu, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. After a moment, he turned to Uncle Snake with a smile.
"Old friend, it's been a while. To see the Nine-Winged Purple-Gold Serpent appear on the continent again is truly something to celebrate."
Uncle Snake smiled in return, cupping his hands in greeting. "Breaking through with the Nine-Winged Purple-Gold Serpent was mostly luck, thanks to the information you provided long ago. But your return as the continent's greatest alchemist is the real blessing."
"You flatter me," Yao Lao said with a light smile, stroking his white beard.
After exchanging pleasantries, Xiao Yan quickly summarized the events that had taken place.
"The Soul Clan is getting more arrogant," Yao Lao said with a frown, turning to Gu You. "The Starfall Pavilion and Yuanfu are united. How many men will your Hall of Souls send against us?"
Hearing Yao Lao's question, and with Uncle Snake and Qingzhi nearby, Gu You's expression became uneasy. As powerful as the Hall of Souls was, even they would struggle against three Half-Saints.
If they called for more support from the Soul Clan, Mo Yu had the backing of the Thunder Clan (Lei Clan), one of the most powerful of the ancient clans. Even the Soul Clan was wary of them.
Hun Yu (Soul Jade) approached Gu You and whispered, "Shall we summon more experts from the clan?"
Gu You frowned deeply, then exhaled. "Retreat. To kill three Half-Saints, we'd need to summon many of our strongest elders, maybe even a true Dou Saint. That would break the rules between the Eight Great Clans. Plus, Mo Yu has the Thunder Clan behind him. If we call for too much help, they will too, and that will expose our strength, which isn't ideal."
Hearing this, Hun Yu felt reluctant, but he understood. Against three Half-Saints, and Mo Yu's strength, there was no hope of winning.
"Yuanfu and Starfall Pavilion, enjoy your victory while it lasts. One day, neither of you will exist anymore," Gu You sneered at Yao Lao and Uncle Snake.
Both of them smiled faintly. Having faced countless threats in their long lives, they weren't intimidated by Gu You's words.
Recognizing that Gu You was planning to retreat, they chose not to pursue, knowing that he could summon reinforcements if things escalated.
"Enjoy your remaining time, Yuanfu and Starfall Pavilion. Soon, you'll both be nothing but rubble!" Gu You sneered before leading his men away.
Watching them disappear, Mo Yu snorted, "They ran fast. Otherwise, I'd have made sure they stayed!"
Uncle Snake chuckled, "You've already killed a Half-Saint. That's impressive enough. The Hall of Souls will remember this defeat for a while."
Yao Lao nodded approvingly. "Killing a Half-Saint isn't easy, even for us. To have done it at your age is remarkable. Soon, the continent will have a new, unstoppable Saint."
With those words, the group prepared to part ways, knowing that a greater storm was brewing on the horizon.
The Hall of Souls was powerful, but even for them, taking on three Half-Saint experts at once was a tough challenge.
If they requested reinforcements from the Soul Clan, Mo Yu also had the backing of the Thunder Clan (Lei Clan). As one of the strongest ancient clans, second only to the Ancient Clan and the Soul Clan, the Thunder Clan's strength was something the Soul Clan was wary of.
The Soul Clan members, including Hun Yu, quickly moved behind Gu You, their faces uneasy as they looked at the opposing side's lineup. Their advantage had vanished in an instant.
"Gu You Elder, should we call for more clan reinforcements?" Hun Yu asked quietly.
Hearing this, Gu You furrowed his brow and sighed. "Withdraw. To take down three Half-Saints would require calling on many old monsters, perhaps even a true Dou Saint. That would break the agreement between the Eight Great Clans. Besides, Mo Yu is tied to the Thunder Clan. If we summon a large force, they'll do the same, which would expose some of our strength, and that wouldn't be good for us."
Seeing Gu You's decision to retreat, Hun Yu felt frustrated, but he understood the situation. Facing three Half-Saints, plus Mo Yu, who was as strong as a Half-Saint, they stood no chance.
"Yuanfu, Starfall Pavilion, don't get too cocky. One day, there will be no trace left of either of you on this continent," Gu You said coldly, glaring at Yao Lao and Uncle Snake.
Both Yao Lao and Uncle Snake just smiled faintly. As seasoned veterans who had faced countless dangers, they weren't intimidated by mere threats.
Even though the Hall of Souls was powerful and backed by the Soul Clan, intimidating them with just words was a fool's dream.
Of course, they understood that Gu You was retreating, but they didn't press the advantage. After all, they couldn't truly force Gu You and his group to stay. He likely had a space scroll to summon more reinforcements from the Soul Clan, which could put them in a difficult situation.
"Just wait, Yuanfu and Starfall Pavilion. You'll be reduced to ruins by our Hall of Souls! Enjoy your remaining time," Gu You sneered, giving Mo Yu one last venomous glance before swiftly turning and flying away. The other Soul Clan members, including Hun Yu, followed reluctantly.
Watching them retreat, Mo Yu scoffed, "Lucky they ran fast, or I would've kept them here!"
Uncle Snake chuckled. "You did well to kill a Half-Saint. The Hall of Souls suffered a big loss today; they'll remember this for a while."
Yao Lao also looked at Mo Yu with admiration. "Killing a Half-Saint is no easy feat, even for someone like me. To have achieved this at your age is truly remarkable. It won't be long before the continent witnesses the rise of an unstoppable Saint."
In Yao Lao's view, if Mo Yu could kill a Half-Saint as a Dou Zun, then his chances of advancing to Saint-level were almost certain. Once he reached Half-Saint, he would be powerful enough to surpass even Yao Lao himself.
"Yao Lao is right," Uncle Snake added. "Mo Yu, keep working hard. Once you break through to Saint-level, you'll be among the true elites of the continent."
Hearing this, Mo Yu paused for a moment, then nodded.
Advancing to Saint-level was inevitable for him. After wrapping up matters here in the Wild Ancient Domain, he planned to go into seclusion and focus on his Half-Saint breakthrough.
As Mo Yu pondered this, the high-level Dou Zuns he had recently recruited in the Wild Ancient Domain came forward to greet Uncle Snake. After witnessing Yuanfu's two Half-Saints in action, their resolve to join was solidified.
Uncle Snake smiled and nodded at the group. With Yuanfu growing rapidly, these new recruits had arrived at the perfect time to strengthen the faction.
With Gu You and his group gone, the matter in the Wild Ancient Domain had come to an end. After a heartfelt farewell between Xun'er and Xiao Yan, she also exchanged a few words with Mo Yu before departing with her clan's protectors, heading back to the Ancient Clan.
"The matter of the Ancient Bodhi Tree is settled, and we should return to our respective factions to be on guard. Even though Gu You's words were partly intimidation, we must not underestimate the Hall of Souls' vengeful nature. Their retaliation is inevitable," Yao Lao said after Xun'er and her group left.
"Indeed," Uncle Snake agreed. "Our alliance between Yuanfu and the Starfall Pavilion must hold strong. If they want to take down Yuanfu and Starfall Pavilion, they'll need to send at least five Half-Saints. Even for the Soul Clan, that's not an easy force to mobilize. We must work as one."
"Absolutely," Yao Lao affirmed. "Yuanfu and the Starfall Pavilion are inseparable allies. If Yuanfu comes under attack, the Starfall Pavilion will not stand by."
"Thank you, Master Yao. And rest assured, if the Starfall Pavilion is attacked by the Hall of Souls, Yuanfu will do everything to support you," Mo Yu said with a smile.
Uncle Snake suddenly spoke up with concern, "But what if the Soul Clan sends a Dou Saint? Even if Yuanfu and the Starfall Pavilion join forces, we may not be able to stop a true Dou Saint."
Hearing this, Yao Lao frowned slightly but then said, "True, a Dou Saint is extremely powerful. However, according to the ancient agreements, Dou Saints aren't supposed to appear on the continent without reason. So, no matter how bold the Soul Clan becomes, they won't recklessly break this agreement."
"Let's hope so," Uncle Snake sighed softly.
Yao Lao smiled reassuringly. "No matter what, we'll deal with whatever comes. And Mo Yu has a strong backing. Even if a true Dou Saint comes, we won't be without options."
"Well said. But it's getting late. Since Yuanfu and the Starfall Pavilion are in different regions, let's head back for now. Until next time!" Yao Lao clasped his hands in farewell to Uncle Snake, then waved his sleeve. A wave of spatial energy enveloped Xiao Yan and the others, and they swiftly disappeared from the sky.
Watching their figures vanish, Mo Yu let out a soft sigh. Turning his gaze to the outskirts of the Wild Ancient Domain, he spoke quietly, "Let's head back too."
(End of Chapter)
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