Chapter 398: Ma Tie's Challenge
Golden City, City Lord's Mansion.
After agreeing to cooperate with Ma Teng, Mo Yu and the Black Bat King stayed at the City Lord's Mansion.
In the guest room of the mansion, Mo Yu sat cross-legged on the bed with his eyes closed. Before him floated a mass of invisible lightning, radiating powerful spatial energy. This lightning was none other than the Void Shattering Thunder, which had undergone significant changes compared to before.
The lightning currents coiled around Mo Yu, crackling with such energy that they seemed capable of tearing through space itself. The force it emitted was filled with immense spatial power.
"As expected of a void-dwelling race, the spatial treasures the Golden Warhorse Clan has collected are truly extraordinary..."
Mo Yu's silver eyes opened slowly, and he smiled at the growing power of the Void Shattering Thunder in front of him. Ever since Ma Teng had gifted him a gray storage ring filled with various spatial treasures, Mo Yu had eagerly begun feeding them to the Void Shattering Thunder. After absorbing a massive amount of spatial power, the lightning had rapidly grown. In just two days, it had reached the late stage of maturity, only a single step away from its peak.
However, this last step was particularly difficult to cross.
Fortunately, Mo Yu had successfully negotiated with Ma Teng. If Ma Teng were to become the leader of the Golden Warhorse Clan, the rewards Mo Yu would receive would be immense. With the clan's support, achieving the peak of the Void Shattering Thunder would likely be far easier than expected.
Thinking about this, Mo Yu smiled again. A problem that had seemed impossible to solve was now being addressed. Once the Void Shattering Thunder reached its peak, no one—unless they were a Dou Zun master—would be able to stop him. Even if the experts from the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion came for him, Mo Yu would have a trump card ready.
As Mo Yu was enjoying this sense of satisfaction, a loud commotion suddenly broke out outside, causing him to frown slightly. He put away the thunder and got off the bed, opening the door to see a confrontation happening in the courtyard.
One group was led by the Black Bat King, who had been guarding Mo Yu's door. The other consisted of a small elite unit of a dozen Golden Warhorse soldiers from the City Lord's Mansion.
Frowning, Mo Yu wasn't sure why they had come.
"You must be Mo Yu, the human man the Lord has declared as Miss Yunlu's fiancé?"
The leader of the Golden Warhorse soldiers, a centaur with bulging muscles and a dark expression, stepped forward and glared at Mo Yu.
"Who are you?" Mo Yu asked, his brows furrowing as he seemed to understand the reason for their visit.
"Hmph, I'm Ma Tie, captain of the third unit of the City Guard. Miss Yunlu isn't someone you deserve. If you know what's good for you, you'll break off the engagement yourself. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!" Ma Tie sneered coldly at Mo Yu. He seemed to be one of Ma Yunlu's admirers.
"You arrogant fool! My master isn't someone you can talk to like that!" the Black Bat King laughed coldly. Leaping in front of Mo Yu, he taunted Ma Tie, saying, "If you want to challenge my master, you'll have to get through me first!"
"Black Bat King, this is the City Lord's Mansion, not a place for you to act recklessly. Men, prepare for battle!" Ma Tie's expression darkened as he waved for his men to form up. Even though he knew the Black Bat King was a powerful Tier 7 magical beast, he wasn't intimidated.
"Enough, Ma Tie! Stop this at once!"
Just as the confrontation was about to escalate, a light and commanding voice echoed from nearby. A young woman in golden robes and an old man with white hair and golden eyes descended from the sky, landing gracefully in the courtyard.
"It's Miss Yunlu and Elder Ma You!"
Upon seeing the pair, the soldiers immediately stopped, and the tension in the air dissipated. The elite guards quickly stepped forward to greet them respectfully.
"Elder Ma You…" Mo Yu was surprised. He had already met Ma Yunlu a few days earlier, but this was his first time seeing Ma You.
Sensing the powerful aura emanating from the old man, Mo Yu's expression shifted slightly. Despite his unassuming appearance, this elder's power was comparable to the Black Sword Elder from the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion. An Eight-Star Dou Zong! The Golden Warhorse Clan's strength was indeed formidable.
As Mo Yu was deep in thought, Ma Yunlu and the white-haired elder walked over to him.
"Mo Yu, this is my fifth great-uncle, Elder Ma You of the Golden Warhorse Clan. He's also one of my father's supporters within the clan," Ma Yunlu said, glancing at the silver-eyed youth in front of her with a slightly awkward expression.
Since their last meeting, Ma Teng had spread the news of Mo Yu's engagement to Ma Yunlu. The announcement had caused quite a stir within both the Golden Warhorse Clan and Golden City. Ma Yunlu, as Ma Teng's only daughter, was known as the most beautiful woman in the Golden Warhorse Clan, and many young elites had dreamed of winning her heart. Now that she was suddenly engaged to Mo Yu, many suitors were furious—Ma Tie being one of them.
Seeing her so-called fiancé, Ma Yunlu's cheeks flushed slightly.
Noticing this, Ma Tie's face darkened further, and he glared at Mo Yu with hatred.
Mo Yu, however, remained calm. He cupped his hands and greeted the elder. "Junior Mo Yu greets Elder Ma."
The elder, Ma You, examined Mo Yu with a curious glint in his eye, as though seeing something extraordinary in the depths of Mo Yu's silver gaze. After a brief pause, he stroked his beard and chuckled.
"Haha, it seems the City Lord has found himself a rather remarkable son-in-law. Boy, I am Ma You. If you ever need anything in Golden City, feel free to come to me."
After speaking, Ma You turned to the Black Bat King and added, "I didn't expect a mountain lord like you to submit to someone else. But don't worry. As long as you're in the City Lord's Mansion, no one will harm Mo Yu."
Despite Ma You's words, the Black Bat King stood motionless. While Ma You was indeed stronger, no one other than Mo Yu could command him.
Realizing the confrontation was over, Mo Yu waved his hand, signaling the Black Bat King to stand down. The Black Bat King immediately withdrew from his battle stance and stood obediently behind Mo Yu.
Seeing this, Ma You narrowed his golden eyes slightly. He had heard of the Black Bat King's reputation. Despite not having a powerful clan behind him like the Golden Warhorse Clan, the Black Bat King had earned the title of a small overlord in the Western Region purely through his strength. The fact that Mo Yu had subdued such a powerful figure showed that this young man was indeed extraordinary, just as the City Lord had claimed.
On the other side, seeing how easily Ma You had defused the situation, Ma Tie's face darkened, and he took a step forward. His voice was cold as he said, "Elder, I cannot accept this! How can a mere human like Mo Yu be worthy of Miss Yunlu? And now the City Lord wants him to fight Young Master Ma Chao in her place? I don't accept it! I challenge him to a duel to see if he's even capable!"
As Ma Tie finished speaking, his subordinates began shouting in support.
Seeing this, Ma You frowned slightly. Just as he was about to say something, Mo Yu stepped forward and calmly looked at Ma Tie.
"I'll give you three moves. If you can last three moves, I'll admit defeat."
Everyone in the courtyard, including Ma You and Ma Yunlu, was stunned.
Defeat Ma Tie in three moves?
Ma Tie was a genuine peak Tier 6 warrior. Although he hadn't fully transformed, he was as strong as a Nine-Star Dou Huang and considered a top talent among the younger generation of the Golden Warhorse Clan, second only to Ma Chao. Before Mo Yu's arrival, Ma Teng had planned to have Ma Tie fight in place of Ma Yunlu, which was why Ma Tie was so furious when Mo Yu became her fiancé.
Even though Mo Yu had earned quite the reputation in the Western Region, his words seemed overly arrogant.
"Haha, it seems young brother Mo Yu has great confidence in himself," Ma You said after a brief pause, laughing softly.
If Mo Yu wasn't just boasting, then his confidence in his own strength must be real. Ma You hoped it was the latter. After all, he supported Ma Teng's line within the clan and wanted Ma Teng to become the next clan leader. However, Ma Yunlu's strength was far below that of Ma Chao from the first branch of the family. If Mo Yu could replace her and win, their chances of victory would increase significantly.
"Mo Yu, are you sure? Ma Tie practices wind techniques, and the Golden Warhorse Clan is known for its speed. What you just said…" Ma Yunlu hesitated, blushing slightly as she glanced at Mo Yu.
Hearing Ma Yunlu's reminder, Mo Yu smiled and waved his hand. "Don't worry. Since Lord Ma Teng trusts me so much, it would be wrong for me to perform poorly."
"Hmph, arrogant human! How dare you underestimate me! Today, I'll make you regret it!" Ma Tie sneered coldly. He drew his broadsword, and with a heavy stomp of his four hooves, a surge of powerful energy erupted from his body like a tide.
Wind swirled around him, forming cyclones that whipped up dust across the courtyard.
"Be careful…" Ma Yunlu retreated quickly, concerned for Mo Yu's safety.
Mo Yu remained still, his expression unchanged. His clothes fluttered in the wind, but his silver eyes grew more interested by the second.
"So, it's a Dou Technique. The Golden Warhorse Clan is indeed unique…"
Mo Yu had heard that the Golden Warhorse Clan could learn cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, but witnessing a magical beast use such abilities in person still surprised him.
The dense wind swirled around Ma Tie's four legs. With a low shout, he stomped his hooves into the ground.
"Swish!"
The instant he stepped down, a fierce gust of wind rose, and Ma Tie's figure vanished into the windstorm.
Mo Yu's silver eyes narrowed. In the next moment, he shifted to the left, just in time to avoid Ma Tie's broadsword, which was enveloped in dense energy.
"Such keen reflexes! Gale Ghost Steps!"
Ma Tie's face grew serious as his strike missed its mark. With a shout, he released more azure energy, which swirled around him, creating a suction force that forced everyone to step back.
With the added power of the suction, Ma Tie's speed increased drastically. In a flash, he turned into a streak of green light and shot toward Mo Yu. Yet, once again, Mo Yu dodged with an unexpected and seemingly effortless motion.
"Gale Ghost Steps! Azure Wind Slash!"
Ma Tie's face turned dark green as intense wind currents gathered around his four legs, creating four swirling vortexes. The solid ground beneath him cracked open, revealing the soil below.
After unleashing two powerful attacks, Ma Tie let out a thunderous roar. He transformed into a whirlwind, circling around Mo Yu, trapping him in the center.
The four vortexes roared louder, spinning wildly as they closed in on Mo Yu from all sides.
"Let's see how you escape this!" Ma Tie sneered as he watched the storm envelop Mo Yu.
"Stop."
Before Ma Tie's laugh could even fade, a calm voice came from within the windstorm. Suddenly, the air wavered, and the swirling winds momentarily froze.
In that instant, a flash of lightning streaked out from the storm, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a human figure.
Before Ma Tie could react, the figure appeared right in front of him. With a casual punch, the force was like a mountain crashing down, sending Ma Tie flying through the air.
As if it were nothing, the figure reappeared before the crowd.
"It's over."
Mo Yu dusted off his hands as though he had just swatted a fly, his voice calm and indifferent.
"Spatial power? You're a Dou Zong?"
Ma Tie's astonishment lasted for a few moments. With help from his men, he struggled to his feet, his face filled with shock. The ability Mo Yu had used to freeze the windstorm and the power behind that punch could only belong to a Dou Zong-level expert.
Not only was Ma Tie shocked, but everyone in the courtyard was stunned as well. Even Ma You had a look of surprise on his face.
"I've only recently broken through. You're the first person I've fought since becoming a Dou Zong," Mo Yu said calmly.
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat upon hearing this. Mo Yu was only around twenty years old, yet he had already become a Dou Zong? Was he truly a genius of monstrous talent?
Even Ma Tie, who had harbored such resentment toward Mo Yu, now looked utterly defeated.
A Dou Zong, equivalent to a Tier 7 magical beast, was a rare and powerful presence even within the Golden Warhorse Clan. And to think that Mo Yu, such a young Dou Zong, had previously seemed unworthy of the City Lord's daughter. Now, Ma Tie realized that he had been the fool all along.
"Young brother Mo Yu, you're truly remarkable. At such a young age, you're already a Dou Zong. I dare say even the chief disciples of the Four Pavilions can't compare to you. I wonder who your teacher might be…"
Ma You cast a meaningful glance at Mo Yu as he spoke. However, seeing Mo Yu's unchanged expression, he wisely chose not to press the matter further.
Letting out a long breath, Ma You glanced at Ma Yunlu and smiled. "It seems the City Lord's judgment is quite accurate…"
His words carried a deeper meaning, and upon hearing them, Ma Yunlu's face turned bright red with embarrassment.
(End of Chapter)
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