Chapter 384: Offering Help, Encountering Lan Yingying Again
"Mo Yu!"
When Lan Lie and the others saw Mo Yu appear, they were momentarily stunned, their eyes quickly filling with shock and disbelief.
Mo Yu smiled gently and walked forward. He finally stopped beside Lan Bingbing, and looking into her bright, fiery eyes, he smiled softly and said, "Are you okay?"
"You're really not an ordinary person!" Lan Bingbing said, her beautiful eyes locked on Mo Yu, not even blinking.
"A woman's intuition is truly terrifying," Mo Yu said helplessly.
"To be able to recover so quickly after such serious injuries and still be lively again in just a few days—this is not something an ordinary person can achieve. And that unique aura of yours... it's impossible to hide," Lan Bingbing said with a soft smile.
Seeing the slyness in her eyes and the shock on the faces of Lan Lie and the others, Mo Yu shook his head slightly and waved his hand. "Let's take care of the trouble here first, and then we can talk."
Hearing this, the group nodded in agreement and shifted their gaze towards Tang Mu and his men.
Although they didn't know what kind of strength this young man possessed, they had no choice but to trust him now.
"Who are you? You look unfamiliar. It must be your first time in Xihuang City?" Tang Mu asked, his eyes fixed on Mo Yu, his voice deep and serious.
"Take your men and leave. I will protect these people," Mo Yu said, glancing at Tang Mu with a calm, unwavering tone.
"Are you really looking to offend my Tang family?" Tang Mu's face twitched slightly at Mo Yu's words, his voice gradually turning colder.
"And if I am?" Mo Yu replied with a faint smile, neither admitting nor denying.
"You arrogant boy! If not for your sneak attack, how could you have forced me back? And remember, there are two of us here!" Tang Mu's fury surged at Mo Yu's nonchalant demeanor, making him laugh out of sheer anger.
"Go ahead," Mo Yu said indifferently.
Tang Mu and his companion exchanged glances, their fists slowly clenching. They had never encountered such an arrogant young man before.
The sound of grinding teeth echoed, and moments later, the two Douhuang experts from the Tang family had a sinister look in their eyes. "Kill him!" they shouted.
Hearing Tang Mu's command, the shadowy figures behind him let out a collective roar. Gripping their weapons tightly, they charged at the convoy, their murderous intent thick in the air.
Seeing the enemy launch their attack, Lan Lie and the others' expressions shifted slightly. They too readied their weapons. But before they could move forward, Mo Yu, standing in front of them, calmly stopped and extended his hand, gently clenching his fist.
As he did so, a surge of red lightning and fire burst out, spreading rapidly. The dark figures charging with deadly intent suddenly froze in their tracks, their bodies turning bright red in an instant.
Moments later, blood gushed from their mouths, and they fell like harvested wheat.
"An expert!" Tang Mu and his companion's pupils shrank slightly at the sight. However, remembering their family master's orders to capture Lan Bingbing alive, they took a deep breath and shouted fiercely.
As soon as they gave the command, Tang Mu and Tang Huo moved simultaneously, transforming into two dark shadows. Their powerful Dou Qi exploded outward, leaving deep trenches in the ground as they charged forward.
The overwhelming force of two Douhuang experts felt like a torrential storm pressing down on Lan Bingbing and the others, making it hard to breathe. But in front of them, the young man in simple clothes remained unfazed.
"Boom!"
The two attacks collided violently, but what seemed like an overwhelming force was quickly weakened as if hit by a heavy downpour. The red lightning that Mo Yu summoned was like a serpent, effortlessly devouring their combined strike.
With a simple flick of his sleeve, Mo Yu sent a stream of red lightning shooting toward the two, striking their chests before they could dodge.
"Boom! Boom!" The dull sound of impact was followed by the sight of two figures flying backward.
"This guy is too strong—retreat!" Tang Mu and Tang Huo struggled to stabilize themselves, their faces pale. The youth in front of them, despite his young appearance, had a strength far beyond theirs. Staying any longer was pointless, so Tang Mu quickly ordered a retreat.
But as the two turned to flee, Mo Yu shook his head slightly. A ball of green lightning suddenly appeared in front of him, expanding rapidly.
"Zzzzt!"
The green lightning shot out like a flash, catching up with the fleeing duo in an instant. Tang Mu and Tang Huo froze, their bodies paralyzed as if poisoned. Their vision darkened, and moments later, they collapsed.
The entire scene happened in the blink of an eye. Lan Bingbing and the others could only see a blur before two lifeless bodies were thrown to the ground at their feet, followed by a calm voice.
"Deal with them as you see fit."
Looking down at the pale, unconscious forms of Tang Mu and Tang Huo, even the normally cold and composed Lan Bingbing couldn't help but take a deep breath.
In less than ten moves, Mo Yu had subdued two five-star Douhuang experts. Such power was rare, even among the elites of the Lan family.
...
After dealing with the assassins sent by the Tang family, the Lan family caravan continued their journey back to Xihuang City.
However, unlike before, Mo Yu's display of power had turned him into a celebrity within the caravan. Everywhere he went, the members of the caravan stared at him in awe.
Mo Yu could only shake his head wryly at this and spent most of his time recovering from his injuries inside the carriage.
During the journey, Lan Bingbing approached Mo Yu several times in private, asking if he could help the Lan family. Mo Yu neither agreed nor refused, knowing that the Tang family was backed by the powerful Wan Jian Pavilion, one of the Four Great Pavilions.
Although Mo Yu wasn't afraid of Wan Jian Pavilion, he was new to Central Plains and knew it was wise to proceed cautiously.
Two days later, they finally arrived at Xihuang City.
As the caravan slowly entered the bustling city, the noise of the crowds overwhelmed Mo Yu, who had spent the past few days in the desert.
The size of Xihuang City was no smaller than any city Mo Yu had seen before. The wide streets were filled with people, reflecting the city's vibrant atmosphere.
The Lan family estate was located in the southern part of the city, while the Tang family controlled the north. These two families ruled the city like dual lords, each controlling half of the territory.
After nearly half an hour of navigating the city's streets, the caravan finally stopped in front of a vast estate.
As they arrived at the entrance, they noticed several carriages parked outside, each bearing a yellow emblem.
Seeing this, Lan Bingbing's face darkened. "The Tang family? They dare cause trouble at our estate?"
"Let's go in!" she ordered coldly, instructing Lan Lie and the others to unload the caravan's goods. She then dismounted and quickly walked toward the estate.
Mo Yu narrowed his silver eyes slightly and followed her.
They made their way through the estate's winding paths until they reached a grand hall. Even from a distance, Mo Yu could see the crowd gathered outside the meeting hall.
As they approached, Lan Bingbing signaled for Mo Yu to stop at a corner where they could observe the hall. Her sharp eyes focused intently on the scene.
Mo Yu followed her gaze and scanned the hall until his eyes landed on a familiar figure in a blue dress. His eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Lan Yingying, so it is her."
Inside the hall, the atmosphere was tense. Several strong members of the Tang family stood with their arms crossed, sneering at the Lan family. At the head of the group were two young men. One, dressed in yellow, was around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. Though not particularly handsome, he had a certain charm and arrogance about him.
The other youth had a cold, stern expression and wore the robe of an artificer. On his chest were five furnace patterns, indicating that he was a fifth-tier artificer.
"Prince Tang, you're going too far by barging into our estate like this. Don't think that just because your family has the backing of Wan Jian Pavilion, you can act recklessly. The Lan family has stood strong in Xihuang City for many years, and we didn't get here by letting others trample on us!" a middle-aged man in fine robes said, his voice steady but commanding.
"Uncle Lan, no need to threaten me. I'm just here to ask whether you've made a decision about the offer my family made the other day," Prince Tang said with a carefree smile.
"My Lan family will never resort to selling our daughters just to survive!" the middle-aged man replied firmly.
"Heh, if that's the case, don't blame my Tang family for being ruthless!" Prince Tang's smile faded, replaced by a sinister expression.
"Even if the Lan family can't match the Tang family's strength, if you try to destroy us, I guarantee your family will pay a heavy price!" the middle-aged man said coldly, his eyes fixed on Prince Tang.
Prince Tang sneered again and turned to the cold-faced youth beside him. "Perhaps you don't know who this is."
Without waiting for a response, he continued, "This is Sun Wuji, a genius disciple recently taken in by the Swordsmith Master, and at such a young age, he's already a fifth-tier artificer!"
Sun Wuji lifted his eyelids slightly and scanned the room. His gaze lingered on Lan Yingying for a few seconds, a mocking smile forming at the corners of his mouth.
Prince Tang's words hit the room like a bombshell. The Lan family members' faces changed drastically, and even Lan Yingying, usually calm and composed, showed a slight reaction, her long eyelashes trembling.
The middle-aged man's expression darkened further, with a hint of bitterness. He hadn't expected this cold young man to be a disciple of the Swordsmith Master.
The Swordsmith Master was one of the few newly promoted eighth-tier artificers in Central Plains, renowned for his sword-making skills. He had become the chief artificer of Wan Jian Pavilion, and even its leader treated him with respect.
Moreover, the Swordsmith Master held a high position in the Artificer Alliance.
Prince Tang's invitation to the Swordsmith Master's disciple made it clear that the Tang family was targeting the Lan family's ally within the Artificer Alliance.
The middle-aged man knew that the Lan family's backer had a long-standing grudge against the Swordsmith Master.
Now, the Tang family's ambitions were fully revealed.
"Out of respect for the past relationship between our families, I'm willing to give the Lan family a way out. Three days from now, at Tianyuan Square, if your family can find someone of the same generation to defeat me and outdo Sun Wuji in the art of weapon crafting, the Tang family will leave you alone for the next ten years. But if you lose, Lan Bingbing will marry me, and the Lan family will submit to the Tang family. How about that?" Prince Tang said, laughing as he looked at the shocked faces of the Lan family members.
Silence filled the hall for a long time until it was finally broken by the middle-aged man's deep voice.
"Fine, the Lan family accepts."
Hearing this, Prince Tang laughed triumphantly. "Good! Then I'll take my leave. We'll meet in three days at Tianyuan Square!"
With a wave of his hand, Prince Tang left with his entourage, their laughter echoing through the estate.
"Patriarch, do you have a suitable candidate?" one of the Lan family elders asked after Prince Tang left, breaking the silence.
The Lan family members all turned expectantly to the middle-aged man.
"Alas, no," the man sighed. "There's no one who can match Prince Tang in combat and defeat Sun Wuji in weapon crafting. They've backed us into a corner, giving us no breathing room."
"Who says there's no one? I have a better candidate!"
Before anyone could respond, a clear and pleasant voice rang out from outside the hall. The Lan family members looked up and saw Lan Bingbing walk in, bringing a sense of hope with her.
Before anyone could express their joy, she continued with a smile, "Father, Sister, I know someone who can defeat Prince Tang."
As her words fell, a silver-eyed youth in simple clothes slowly entered the hall.
Upon seeing this young man, Lan Yingying's eyes lit up, and she stood up immediately.
Mo Yu smiled faintly and said, "Senior Sister Lan Yingying, it's been years since we last met. I trust you've been well?"
(End of Chapter)
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