Chapter 382: Western Region of Central Plains, Blue Bingbing of West Barren City
"The strike of an Eight-Star Dou Saint... truly terrifying."
The desolate yellow sand blew across Mo Yu's forehead. Looking at the spot where the Ghost Staff Elder had been swallowed by the black lightning ring and completely erased, Mo Yu's face turned pale, and he finally couldn't hold on any longer, collapsing to the ground.
The blood-covered body lay motionless for a long time. Then, a slight tremor passed through it, and its tightly shut eyes slowly opened a crack.
Hearing the wind howling in his ears, a bitter smile formed at the corner of his mouth. The damned Soul Clan had almost succeeded in killing him.
This seemingly lifeless figure was none other than Mo Yu, who had narrowly escaped death from the Ghost Staff Elder.
When he realized the Soul Clan had sent the Ghost Staff Elder to assassinate him, Mo Yu had pinned all his hopes on the Black Thunder Talisman given to him by Lei Ying.
Though the talisman stored three strikes from Lei Ying, an Eight-Star Dou Saint, the Ghost Staff Elder was still a semi-Saint with considerable power. To ensure a fatal strike, Mo Yu had risked his life to lure the elder into close range before using it.
While the talisman didn't disappoint, successfully killing the powerful semi-Saint, Mo Yu had also suffered greatly during the fight. The ghostly energy from the Ghost Staff had ravaged his body.
Now, Mo Yu's injuries were severe, and he didn't even have the strength to stand. If it weren't for the protection of the Vermilion Bird Flame Thunder flowing through his meridians, the ghostly energy alone might have left him gravely wounded.
Nearly a full day had passed since he killed the Ghost Staff Elder. During that time, he lay there like a corpse while the Devouring Elemental Thunder slowly absorbed the world's energy, carefully nourishing his ravaged body.
With great difficulty, he moved his fingers toward his storage ring, pulling out a pill and, with trembling hands, placed it in his mouth. As he did this simple task, waves of sharp pain surged through him, making beads of cold sweat form on his forehead.
Without the Black Thunder Talisman that Lei Ying had given him, he likely would have perished here today. After all, his opponent was a semi-Saint. Even though Mo Yu could fight opponents above his level, facing such a powerful figure was like an ant trying to move a mountain.
"If I can recover some of my Dou Qi, I'll be able to heal myself. The Devouring Elemental Thunder will absorb the world's energy, and with time, my injuries should gradually heal. Let's hope I don't encounter any wandering magical beasts while I'm this weak. It would be tragic if I survived all this, only to end up as some creature's meal."
Mo Yu murmured softly to himself. Feeling the warmth of the medicine spreading through his body, a wave of exhaustion overtook him again, and his eyes slowly closed once more.
As he drifted off, he vaguely heard some commotion and shouting in the distance.
…
Mo Yu woke up to a violent jolt, as if his bones were being shaken apart. Struggling to open his eyes, he realized he was lying beneath a large canopy. He moved his fingers over the surface he was lying on and quickly understood where he was.
It seemed he was on a horse-drawn cart. It looked like he had been found by some passerby and rescued from the grass where he had collapsed.
Looking over himself, Mo Yu noticed that the bloodstains on his body had been cleaned off. Even his torn black robes had been replaced with a rough linen outfit.
Staring at the coarse clothing for a moment, a sudden thought crossed Mo Yu's mind, and he frantically felt for his right hand. Only when he found his storage ring and the Black Thunder Talisman still in place did he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
As Mo Yu relaxed, the cart's curtain was suddenly lifted, and the bright sunlight spilled in. A sturdy middle-aged man appeared in the doorway, smiling in a good-natured way. "Little brother, you're awake?"
Mo Yu's gaze swept over the man. Although his Dou Qi was depleted due to his injuries, his soul power remained strong. With a glance, he saw through the man's strength—he was at the peak of the Dou Ling (Spirit) level, just a step away from Dou Wang (King).
"Hehe, we found you in a patch of grass in the desert. Judging by your injuries, we thought you wouldn't make it, but here you are, awake and alive," the man said with a smile. "I'm Lan Lie, a steward of the Lan family from West Barren City. We happened to be passing through the desert on a mission when we found you."
"Thank you, Brother Lan Lie, for saving me. My name is Mo Yu." Mo Yu was stunned for a moment before expressing his gratitude.
"It's nothing. When you're traveling, it's only right to help where you can." Lan Lie grinned and looked at Mo Yu's injuries. "However, there's not much more I can do for you. As for your injuries, I'm afraid you'll need to wait until we reach West Barren City, where we can find a pharmacist to help heal you."
Mo Yu smiled. His injuries, though serious, were nothing new to him. He was used to dealing with such wounds. With the help of the Devouring Elemental Thunder, his body would gradually heal over time.
"Brother Lan Lie, can I ask—are we in the Central Plains?" Mo Yu hesitated before asking, as he didn't want to have gone through all the trouble of crossing the spatial wormhole only to end up in some random part of the continent.
"Yes, this is the western region of the Central Plains," Lan Lie nodded, then looked at Mo Yu with some surprise. "Aren't you from the Central Plains, Brother Mo Yu?"
Mo Yu smiled bitterly and didn't hide the truth, briefly explaining his encounter with the spatial wormhole. However, he omitted any mention of the Ghost Staff Elder and the Soul Clan. Although the Soul Clan feared the Thunder Clan, Mo Yu wasn't willing to take unnecessary risks by revealing himself.
Thinking of the Ghost Staff Elder's fate, Mo Yu couldn't help but feel a bit regretful. Not for the elder's death, but for missing out on his storage ring and body.
The lifetime collection of a semi-Saint, along with his body, would have been incredibly valuable. Unfortunately, while the Black Thunder Talisman was powerful, its destructive force had completely wiped out the Ghost Staff Elder, leaving nothing behind.
Still, Mo Yu only felt a slight regret. Surviving the battle with the elder was already a huge stroke of luck.
"So, it was a spatial storm… no wonder you ended up like this," Lan Lie exclaimed, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Western region of the Central Plains… I wonder if the Tool Alliance is located here?" Shaking off his thoughts about the Ghost Staff Elder, Mo Yu pondered out loud.
"The Tool Alliance? That's an organization of blacksmiths," Lan Lie responded, eyeing Mo Yu curiously. "But West Barren City is quite far from the Tool Alliance headquarters. Even if you use the spatial wormhole, you'd have to make several transfers to get there."
Mo Yu nodded thoughtfully. He had no idea where the Little Doctor Fairy was, but he wasn't too worried. She was a Dou Zong (Sect) expert, after all, so she should be safe.
"Hehe, Brother Mo Yu, you've just woken up. Rest a while longer in the cart. We still have quite a distance to West Barren City. If you need anything, just let me know," Lan Lie said, seeing Mo Yu fall silent. He smiled and lifted the curtain, stepping out of the cart.
With Lan Lie gone, the cart became quiet once again. Leaning against the side, Mo Yu's mind raced with thoughts. Now that he was separated from the Little Doctor Fairy, his first priority was to heal. Without recovering his strength, he wouldn't feel secure in this land teeming with powerful experts.
"There's still some time before the Tool Alliance's crafting competition. Once I'm healed, it might be worth checking it out. The rewards are certainly tempting. If I can use the spatial energy from the wormhole to push my Flash Void Thunder to its peak, I'll have perfect control over spatial power like a Dou Zun (Venerate).
"If I can get the Flash Void Thunder and the Devouring Elemental Thunder to their peak, I could unlock the second stage of the Heavenly Gang Lightning technique, giving me another powerful move.
"But for now, I need to focus on breaking through to Dou Zong. Only then will I be able to establish myself here in the Central Plains. And the damaged Black Lightning Spear… I'll need to find some materials to repair and upgrade it to a seventh-tier weapon."
Mo Yu's thoughts flowed rapidly, but after a moment, he let out a long breath. Rubbing his forehead, he could feel the emptiness in his body. Shaking his head, he settled into a meditation pose, forming a hand seal to begin his recovery.
No matter what, regaining his strength was the most important thing right now, especially in this unfamiliar and dangerous place.
The next day, with his injuries slightly healed, Mo Yu opened the cart's curtain. His eyes were greeted by a line of vehicles covered with cloth.
On either side of the convoy rode several figures, most of them bare-chested and dressed in rough leather garments, exuding a fierce and intimidating aura.
Their weapons, glinting coldly in the sunlight, added to the impression of strength.
It was clear this was a well-armed merchant caravan.
As Mo Yu pulled the curtain aside, several of the men riding beside the carts turned to look at him. One of them approached—Lan Lie.
Seeing Mo Yu looking much better, Lan Lie chuckled in surprise. "Wow, Brother Mo Yu, for someone so badly injured, you're up and about in just two days!"
Mo Yu smiled, casually giving an excuse. "I guess I'm just tough."
Lan Lie laughed. "That's good to hear. By the way, it's getting late, and we're setting up camp. Stay close and rest. Don't wander off too far, or I can't guarantee your safety."
Mo Yu nodded with a smile, appreciating the advice.
This caravan was surprisingly efficient. In less than half an hour, they had set up numerous white tents on a small hill. Around the camp, fences were erected, and powders were spread to keep poisonous insects away.
Due to his weakened state, Mo Yu didn't help with the work. Instead, he found a spot to sit and quietly observed his surroundings.
This caravan, as Lan Lie had mentioned, seemed to be part of the Lan family from West Barren City, likely their family guard.
The caravan's protectors were mostly Dou Ling-level fighters. The strongest among them…
Mo Yu's thoughts trailed off as his eyes were naturally drawn to a particular cart.
Compared to the others, this cart was clearly more luxurious, with a faint fragrance coming from it—obviously, it belonged to a woman.
But what truly caught Mo Yu's attention was the presence inside. A Dou Wang (King) at the five-star level, the strongest person in the caravan.
"Creak."
As Mo Yu watched, the cart's door slowly opened. A slender, graceful leg appeared first, catching Mo Yu's attention.
His gaze slowly moved upward, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He hadn't expected the owner of this powerful aura to be so young and beautiful.
The woman had willow-like brows, skin as fair as snow, and a tall, shapely figure. She wore a blue robe, and her voluptuous curves were accentuated by the fabric.
However, her face carried a slight coldness that created a sense of distance.
For some reason, Mo Yu felt a faint sense of familiarity when he looked at her face.
As the woman stepped out of the cart, the attention of everyone in the camp immediately focused on her. Among the gazes, there were some that held admiration, but most were filled with respect.
The woman scanned the camp with her clear eyes. Everyone who met her gaze quickly busied themselves with work, pretending not to notice her.
Then, her gaze settled on Mo Yu. She frowned slightly and walked over.
Moments later, a cold voice reached Mo Yu's ears. "You're the one Steward Lan rescued, right?"
"Yes." Mo Yu stood up and nodded.
Seeing him confirm, the woman's expression softened. When she took a closer look at the young man before her, noticing his refined aura despite his rough clothing, a flash of surprise crossed her beautiful eyes.
"My name is Lan Bingbing. I'm the one in charge of this caravan. Although I don't know how you ended up in such a situation, if you need anything, you can come to me."
After speaking, Lan Bingbing nodded slightly to Mo Yu and walked into a nearby tent.
Mo Yu thanked her and watched her walk away, his silver eyes showing a hint of puzzlement.
Why did she seem so familiar?
(End of Chapter)
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