chapter 363: Xiao Yixian Joins and the Return to the Black-Corner Region
With Medusa's command, no other snake people dared to block Mo Yu's path. After all, Mo Yu was now the prince of the snake people, second only to Cai Lin in status.
As he left the snake people's territory without any further obstacles, hearing the lively noises from the outside world again, Mo Yu shook his head, reflecting on the earlier negotiations. Helping the snake people build their Snake Empire had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, yet it had stirred up such a large reaction.
It seemed that life had indeed been tough for the snake people over the past few centuries. The neighboring empires had continually oppressed them.
"With this matter resolved, it's time to return to the Black-Corner Region."
The destruction of the Yun Lan Sect, the fulfillment of the five-year agreement, and even helping Cai Lin establish the Snake Empire—whether planned or not—were all settled successfully. Now, it was time to head back to the main base of Yuan Mansion, where another pressing matter awaited.
"By the time I return, the Snake Empire should be established," Mo Yu thought to himself as he glanced back at the area before finally walking away.
With Yan Luotian and the full backing of the Golden Yan Sect, along with Cai Lin's Dou Zong-level strength and the overall power of the snake people, building their own empire wouldn't be an issue. Even if there was external interference, the Mulan Empire was in disarray due to the fall of the Mulan Three Elders, and the Jia Ma and Chu Yun Empires wouldn't hinder them due to Mo Yu's connections. As for the other distant empires, they wouldn't have the strength to intervene.
Back at the Xiao family mansion in the capital, Mo Yu met with Xiao Li, Elder Yin Gu, and the others, instructing them to rest for three days before officially heading back to the Black-Corner Region.
Xiao Li chuckled at the order, seemingly nostalgic for the chaotic battles in the Black-Corner Region. Over the past few months, Xiao Li had used the resources of both Yuan Mansion and the Flame Alliance to successfully refine the Qingming Longevity Pill, extending his life by another ten years. Now a six-star Dou Wang, with the additional time, his chances of breaking through to Dou Huang were around 80-90%.
After issuing the orders, Mo Yu turned his attention to the golden figure of Yan Luotian.
To replace the Golden Yan Empire with the Snake Empire, the cooperation of the Golden Yan Sect was essential. Now that Yan Luotian, the sect master, was his servant, Mo Yu expected full compliance. After discussing his plans with Yan Luotian, the latter nodded respectfully and left to fly back to the Golden Yan Empire.
Seeing this, Xiao Li showed a look of surprise. He had initially been concerned about Yan Luotian, a Dou Zong powerhouse, but watching him humbly accept Mo Yu's orders to help establish the Snake Empire left Xiao Li deeply impressed with Mo Yu's ability.
With the empire-building task handed off to Yan Luotian, Mo Yu stepped back from direct involvement, confident that success was now almost guaranteed with the cooperation of the Golden Yan Sect.
"Mo Yu, Third Brother, are you both leaving now?" Xiao Yan walked in, followed by a refined middle-aged man and a young girl in white. The girl was none other than Zi Yan, and the middle-aged man was the Alchemy King, Gu He.
"Yes, everything in the Jia Ma Empire has been settled." Mo Yu smiled and nodded at Xiao Yan before casting a thoughtful glance at Gu He.
"It's a shame that founding the Flame Alliance took up so much of my energy, and with the feeling of a breakthrough coming soon, Mo Yu, you should head back first. I'll stay in the Jia Ma Empire for a while longer," Xiao Yan said.
As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, Zi Yan tugged at Mo Yu's sleeve, saying, "Mo Yu, I think I'm about to break through too, so I won't be able to return with you just yet."
Mo Yu smiled, patting Zi Yan's head. "If that's the case, you both should stay in the Jia Ma Empire for now. However, you're both on the verge of breaking through to Dou Huang, which is a significant milestone in cultivation. It could take a while, and by the time you're done, I might already be in Zhongzhou. If so, we'll meet again there."
"Zhongzhou, huh?" Xiao Yan muttered, caught off guard by Mo Yu's words.
Thanks to Mo Yu, Yao Lao had yet to be captured by the Hall of Souls. Still, Xiao Yan felt a growing curiosity about Zhongzhou, where the strong gathered—especially since the Hall of Souls, which had taken his father, was located there.
"Yes, Zhongzhou is the true stage of the continent. If you want to grow stronger, it's the perfect place to train. Once you both break through to Dou Huang, come to Zhongzhou," Mo Yu said, patting Xiao Yan's shoulder.
Xiao Yan's eyes hardened with determination as he nodded. "I'll definitely go, Mo Yu."
"I'll go too! And when I do, Mo Yu, you have to help me find my family," Zi Yan added cheerfully.
"Alright, I'll be waiting for both of you in Zhongzhou," Mo Yu laughed before turning to the middle-aged man beside them. "Master Gu He, what brings you here?"
Gu He calmly replied, "Nothing more than fulfilling an old promise."
Xiao Yan and the others looked curious. The Alchemy King of the Jia Ma Empire—what kind of agreement did he have with Mo Yu?
Mo Yu raised an eyebrow, smiling lightly. "Master Gu He, are you really willing to join Yuan Mansion? Just remember, once you're in, it won't be easy to leave."
"Rest assured, I'm not one to waver. If I join Yuan Mansion, I will serve it wholeheartedly," Gu He said earnestly, bowing slightly to Mo Yu.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Li exchanged surprised glances. The Alchemy King, a sixth-tier alchemist, joining Yuan Mansion? Alchemists of his caliber were highly sought after, even in Zhongzhou. In the Northwest Continent, they were almost impossible to find.
Yuan Mansion already had one sixth-tier alchemist, Qi Shan. Adding Gu He would greatly strengthen their position. Given time, Yuan Mansion would grow into a fearsome force.
Seeing Gu He's commitment, Mo Yu smiled and said, "Very well. In Yuan Mansion, we have the Thousand Medicine Hall, which is dedicated to alchemists. However, its leader, Qi Shan, is also a sixth-tier alchemist. I hope you don't mind starting as the deputy."
Gu He was momentarily taken aback. He didn't care about titles or ranks, but the fact that Yuan Mansion already had another sixth-tier alchemist surprised him, making him realize just how powerful the mansion truly was.
Intrigued by the prospect of heading to the Black-Corner Region, Gu He accepted the position.
Mo Yu arranged a room for Gu He in the Xiao family's mansion, planning for him to return to the Black-Corner Region with the group in three days.
The decision to make Gu He the deputy head of the Thousand Medicine Hall was well thought out. In the original story, Gu He had led the Pill Hall of the Flame Alliance, but his easy-going nature led to internal issues, with two elders forming factions and creating hidden dangers for the alliance. Upon his return, Xiao Yan dealt with the problem by executing the two elders and demoting Gu He to vice-leader.
This showed that although Gu He was skilled in alchemy, he lacked management ability, making the role of deputy the best fit for him.
After making all the necessary arrangements, Mo Yu dismissed the others to prepare for the journey.
Three days passed quickly, and soon, the Yuan Mansion forces were ready to return to the Black-Corner Region.
Just like before, the large group boarded the flying beasts, which had rested for two months, and began their journey back.
The grand spectacle drew the attention of many curious citizens in the imperial capital, who were in awe of the massive flying beasts that blotted out the sky.
Such a display had not been seen in decades, except for the time when the Yun Lan Sect had destroyed the Mittel family.
Standing on the lead flying beast, Mo Yu was about to give the command to depart when he sensed something. His silver eyes glanced toward the sky, where a familiar white figure was swiftly approaching.
Recognizing the figure, Mo Yu was surprised. "Xiao Yixian, what brings you here?"
Hovering in mid-air, Xiao Yixian looked at Mo Yu and softly said, "No matter what, I still need your help to resolve the Woeful Poison Body. So, I've decided to stay by your side."
Mo Yu blinked in surprise but then smiled. "If that's the case, I'm happy to have you with us. Let's keep fighting side by side."
"Fighting side by side..." Xiao Yixian murmured, her mind drifting back to the memories of their time in the small town near the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Her normally cold and distant expression softened into a rare, gentle smile.
After joining the group returning to the Black-Corner Region, Xiao Yixian no longer flew separately. Instead, she stood beside Mo Yu on the lead flying beast.
Seeing the famed Poison Master standing next to Mo Yu, the experts of the Flame Alliance and members of Yuan Mansion couldn't help but sigh in amazement.
Whether it was Yun Yun, the master of the Yun Lan Sect, Queen Medusa of the snake people, or the now-renowned Poison Master, all these remarkable women seemed to have fallen for Mo Yu.
Although the Dou Qi Continent didn't strictly follow monogamy, Mo Yu's ability to attract so many incredible women, even with a fiancée, left others envious.
With everyone gathered, Mo Yu gave the order, and the griffon let out a mighty roar before taking to the sky, carrying the group swiftly toward their distant destination.
Though the Black-Corner Region was tens of thousands of miles from the Jia Ma Empire, riding the flying beasts made the journey more relaxed than before, allowing the group to enjoy the scenery along the way.
When they reached energy-rich mountain ranges, they would occasionally land to rest, and during these breaks, some inevitable clashes with powerful magical beasts occurred. Through these battles, Mo Yu gained valuable combat experience.
Because he had advanced quickly over the past few months, Mo Yu could feel that his Dou Qi wasn't as stable as before. The frequent skirmishes with magical beasts helped solidify his strength, and his aura grew increasingly fierce and dangerous. His agility in battle also improved significantly.
After three months on the road, Mo Yu sensed that his power had truly stabilized at the five-star Dou Huang level.
This progress left Mo Yu satisfied. The challenges of long travel and camping in the wilderness had done him a world of good.
Despite the benefits, Mo Yu eventually stopped seeking out dangerous mountain ranges after the group encountered several seven-tier magical beasts. If not for Xiao Yixian's intervention, they might have faced serious trouble.
After some injuries to the group, Mo Yu ceased his risky ventures, avoiding places with strong magical beast auras to prevent wasting valuable resources on unnecessary fights.
Time passed, and the monotonous journey of traveling and training made the trip feel longer, but it also extended their overall travel time.
By Mo Yu's estimation, three to four months had passed since they left the Jia Ma Empire, roughly the same amount of time as their previous journey.
Finally, after nearly four months of travel, the endless mountain ranges disappeared from view, revealing a vast, pitch-black plain stretching to the horizon.
Seeing the familiar sight of the giant black plain, the group's pace slowed. Many among them smiled with joy at the sight.
As warriors of the Black-Corner Region, only here could they feel truly at ease.
Even Gu He was curiously observing his surroundings. The Black-Corner Region was completely unfamiliar to him.
Mo Yu felt a sense of relief and joy as he looked at the plain and softly said, "Black-Corner Region, Jia Nan Academy—I, Mo Yu, have returned."
Seeing Mo Yu's happiness, Xiao Yixian smiled as well. Her gaze drifted over the vast black plain, and she quietly murmured, "So, this is the Black-Corner Region."
(End of Chapter)
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