Chapter 322: Returning to the Lei Clan?
"Returning to the Lei Clan?"
Mo Yu's expression subtly changed, and an indescribable look flickered through his silver eyes.
Although his original body came from the Mo Clan, a subsidiary family of the Lei Clan, Mo Yu knew that his so-called divine bloodline did not come from the Lei Clan's Dou Di bloodline. It was actually the Heavenly Gang Thunder Body that he had cultivated himself.
As for why the Lei Clan believed his Heavenly Gang Thunder Body was a divine bloodline, Mo Yu wasn't sure. He even wondered if perhaps the Lei Clan's ancient Dou Di ancestor had also possessed a Heavenly Gang Thunder Body.
No matter the case, following Mang Ting back to the Lei Clan made Mo Yu uneasy. Going to the Lei Clan had its advantages and disadvantages, but as someone who was once the strongest on the continent, Mo Yu despised the idea of his fate being out of his own control.
The benefits were obvious. The Lei Clan, being one of the top ancient clans, held immense power—far beyond that of the Yuan Mansion. If Mo Yu were recognized as a divine bloodline holder, his status would skyrocket. With the prestige of a divine bloodline, he could likely ascend the ranks of the Lei Clan, possibly even becoming a candidate for clan leader.
With the Lei Clan as his backing, Mo Yu would gain great power and influence. He could also leverage this position to nurture the mysterious thunders within his body, bringing them all to their peak in a short time. With twelve peak-level Mysterious Thunders, Mo Yu was confident he could break through the limitations of the Dou Qi Continent and become a Dou Di.
However, while the benefits were significant, the risks were even greater. First of all, Mo Yu wasn't certain if his Heavenly Gang Thunder Body would truly be recognized as the Lei Clan's divine bloodline. Even if it was, he couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't eventually be exposed as something else.
After all, Mo Yu's Heavenly Gang Thunder Body was only in its initial awakening stage. To fully awaken it, he would need to absorb more peak-level Mysterious Thunders. This process might be detected by the Lei Clan's experts, who could figure out the truth.
If the Lei Clan's higher-ups discovered the connection between the Heavenly Gang Thunder Body and the Mysterious Thunders within him, Mo Yu couldn't be sure that they wouldn't grow greedy. For these powerful clans, the preservation of family interests was always the top priority. If they learned that the Mysterious Thunders could be used to create more divine bloodline bearers, even if the failure rate was high, they might try to take the risk.
At that point, not only would the Mysterious Thunders within Mo Yu be seized by the Lei Clan, but even his life could be in danger.
Mo Yu was not willing to gamble his fate against the vast power of the ancient eight clans.
Thus, deep down, Mo Yu was extremely reluctant to go to the Lei Clan. He liked a particular saying: "Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a cow."
The Yuan Mansion might not be as powerful as the Lei Clan, but as the head of the Yuan Mansion, Mo Yu held supreme authority. His will was the law, and his orders were absolute.
In contrast, though the Lei Clan was powerful and one of the top forces on the Dou Qi Continent, as a newcomer, Mo Yu would have little autonomy and his life would always be in the hands of others. This was something Mo Yu couldn't tolerate.
Moreover, Mo Yu had grand ambitions of his own. He wanted to lead the Yuan Mansion and turn it into the number one power on the continent through his own strength.
Mang Ting was unaware of Mo Yu's inner thoughts. At this moment, his thunderous eyes were filled with anticipation, eagerly waiting for Mo Yu's agreement. He believed Mo Yu wouldn't refuse. After all, countless strong individuals would dream of joining one of the ancient eight clans.
Although Mo Yu could dominate in the Black-Corner Region, it was still just a remote, insignificant place in the grand scheme of things.
However, contrary to Mang Ting's expectations, after a long internal debate, Mo Yu shook his head and said, "Sorry, Commander Mang, but I cannot agree to return to the Lei Clan for now."
"What!?"
Mang Ting was stunned by Mo Yu's response, disbelief flashing in his thunderous eyes. He quickly replied, "Young Master Mo Yu, as the bearer of a divine bloodline, this is a matter of utmost importance for the Lei Clan. You can't simply make such decisions.
Besides, the divine bloodline can only be properly nurtured within the Lei Clan. If you can reach the level of a Dou Wang at such a young age here in this remote northwest, imagine what you could achieve within the Lei Clan. In less than ten years, you would surely surpass me.
And with the support of the clan lord and the elders, you might even have a chance to compete for the position of clan leader. I urge you to reconsider!"
Mang Ting, though puzzled by Mo Yu's refusal, earnestly tried to persuade him.
"Surpass you in ten years?" Mo Yu smiled faintly. Even without the Lei Clan, he was confident he could break through to Dou Zun within ten years.
"Hehe, Commander Mang, I think you misunderstand. It's not that I won't go to the Lei Clan, but rather, there are matters here that I must personally attend to, and I cannot leave right now.
Moreover, I prefer a life of freedom, without the constraints of a large clan. I hope you can understand that. But I promise you this: once I reach Central Plains, I will visit the Lei Clan. What do you think of that?" Mo Yu smiled and personally poured a cup of tea for Mang Ting, offering it to him.
Mo Yu wasn't entirely against going to the Lei Clan, but now wasn't the right time. At the very least, he needed enough strength to protect himself. With his current Dou Wang level, going to the Lei Clan would be like walking into a cage. Any strong Lei Clan member could end his life with ease.
Mo Yu also knew that the Soul Clan had spies in the Lei Clan and the other ancient clans. The original novel clearly recorded how the Soul Clan had planted informants within the Lei, Yan, and Gu clans, which allowed them to steal the Tuoshe Ancient Jade fragments from each clan, despite the strict protection around them.
These informants held high positions within the clans, and some were likely powerful half-saints or even Dou Saints. Given the Soul Clan's hostility toward other clans' divine bloodline bearers, Mo Yu knew that even if he was recognized as having a divine bloodline, his current strength would be insufficient to protect him from a secret assassination by a Soul Clan spy.
Even if Mo Yu warned the Lei Clan about the spies, he couldn't explain how he, a member of a small family from the northwest, knew such classified information.
This was one of the reasons Mo Yu firmly refused to go to the Lei Clan. While going there could bring great benefits, it also came with enormous risks. He would be trapped, and the danger would be unpredictable, leaving him powerless to control his own fate.
But with his Heavenly Gang Thunder Body and the twelve Mysterious Thunders, Mo Yu believed that if given time to grow, he could reach the pinnacle of the continent without the Lei Clan's help.
Mang Ting, baffled by Mo Yu's refusal, took the cup of tea from Mo Yu's hand, staring at him with confusion. Despite all his experiences and countless battles, Mang Ting couldn't understand Mo Yu's thoughts.
No matter how closely Mang Ting observed him, Mo Yu's expression remained unchanged. In Mo Yu's silver eyes, Mang Ting saw nothing but endless seas of thunder and layers of mystery.
Sighing, Mang Ting shook his head in frustration. What could possibly be so important that Mo Yu would prefer to stay in this remote Black-Corner Region rather than return to the Lei Clan?
Seeing Mo Yu's unwavering stance, Mang Ting sighed again and said, "Young Master Mo Yu, I'm sorry, but this is not something I can decide. The clan lord and the elders have ordered that you must be brought back to the clan.
Even I, a commander of the Black Demon Army, cannot disobey. Not even the four great generals under the army's marshal could refuse without facing punishment from the Thunder Prison."
Mang Ting's face grew serious as he mentioned the terrifying punishment of the Thunder Prison, which even he, a Dou Zun, feared.
Mo Yu's expression shifted slightly. He hadn't expected the Lei Clan to issue such a strict order, leaving Mang Ting with no authority to make decisions. This meant that, whether willingly or by force, he would have to go to the Lei Clan.
Frowning, Mo Yu returned to his seat, deep in thought. "Commander Mang, is there no other way?" he asked.
Mang Ting's thunderous eyes filled with even more confusion. He couldn't understand why Mo Yu was so determined to avoid going to the Lei Clan. After a moment of thought, Mang Ting rubbed his chin and said, "There may be a way. If Young Master Mo Yu doesn't want to return to the Lei Clan right now, there is still an option."
"Oh? What is it?" Mo Yu's silver eyes lit up as he quickly asked.
Seeing Mo Yu's eager expression, Mang Ting chuckled bitterly and said, "Taking you back to the clan is a direct order from the clan lord. If you can convince the clan lord himself, it might be negotiable."
"Meet the Lei Clan's clan lord?" Mo Yu was taken aback. The Lei Clan's clan lord wasn't just the leader of a powerful family; he was one of the most influential figures on the continent, possessing the immense power of an eight-star Dou Saint.
This was a person on par with the Gu Clan's clan lord, the Soul Clan's clan lord, and even Xiao Xuan, the legendary clan lord of the Xiao Clan from a thousand years ago.
Facing such a figure was something Mo Yu hadn't expected.
"Yes, that's right. As a commander of the Black Demon Army, I was given the Black Demon Stone, a tool that can communicate directly with the clan lord. It can also summon a soul projection of the clan lord.
If you can convince the soul projection of the clan lord, you won't have to return to the clan for now," Mang Ting explained as he produced a stone emitting black lightning from his hand.
Mo Yu frowned slightly. Compared to the Lei Clan's clan lord, he was nothing. Even the thought of facing a mere projection of such a powerful figure made him uneasy.
But after considering his options, Mo Yu eventually nodded.
No matter what, even if the clan lord was an eight-star Dou Saint, Mo Yu had to try.
Mang Ting was momentarily stunned by Mo Yu's agreement. He had suggested this idea to make Mo Yu give up, thinking that the overwhelming presence of the Lei Clan's clan lord would be too much. But to his surprise, Mo Yu actually accepted. Could this young man really be confident enough to convince the clan lord?
Puzzled, Mang Ting shook his head, deciding to proceed. He activated the Black Demon Stone, and soon, the lightning from the stone grew brighter, illuminating the entire hall.
"The clan lord's soul projection is about to arrive!" Mang Ting said with a grave expression.
In no time, a terrifying pressure descended upon the room. The intensity of the pressure was far beyond Mang Ting's own, and Mo Yu felt his breath catch.
"An eight-star Dou Saint... even just a soul projection carries such immense power." Mo Yu whispered to himself, his face serious.
As Mo Yu thought to himself, a towering soul projection slowly materialized within the hall.
The figure was tall and imposing, with dark skin. His presence was overwhelming, as if a dragon lurked beneath his skin, exuding a terrifying power. Even as just a soul projection, his mere presence made people instinctively shiver.
As soon as the soul projection appeared, Mo Yu could feel the entire space around him becoming more oppressive, and an eerie, suffocating pressure filled the hall.
The moment the soul projection appeared, Mang Ting's face grew serious. Without hesitation, the Dou Zun commander dropped to one knee and respectfully greeted the projection, "Commander Mang Ting of the Black Demon Army greets the clan lord!"
The towering and imposing soul projection paid no attention to Mang Ting's greeting. His thunderous eyes, which seemed to be embedded with bolts of lightning, scanned the room, making the air crackle with electricity.
As his gaze passed over Mang Ting, the projection quickly fixed its attention on Mo Yu. A look of surprise flashed in those thunderous eyes, followed by a voice like booming thunder that echoed through the hall.
"So, you are the one with the divine bloodline that hasn't appeared in a thousand years—Mo Yu?"
(End of Chapter)
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