Chapter 403: Old Matters of the Past, Target: Sound Valley
With Ma Chao's defeat, the competition between the first and second branches of the family finally came to an end.
All the spectators were left in shock as they looked at the silver-eyed young man standing in the arena. Ma Chao's name was well-known, not just within the Golden Warhorse Clan but throughout the entire Western Region of the Central Plains, as one of the most famous young geniuses. Although Mo Yu had previously made a name for himself after causing an uproar at the Tang family, he had fled in the end. However, now, in front of everyone, Mo Yu had completely defeated Ma Chao, proving that his reputation as a monster of a genius was well-earned!
High above, the Grand Elder scanned the crowd below, his gaze stopping on both Mo Yu and the fallen Ma Chao.
At that moment, Mo Yu's expression remained calm, while Ma Chao, after struggling for a while, finally managed to stand. His eyes were filled with anger, frustration, and a trace of fear that was hidden deep within.
"The competition is over. Ma Chao, you've lost," the Grand Elder slowly descended from the sky and said calmly.
After announcing the result, the Grand Elder turned to Ma Chen and the group of elders behind him, declaring, "According to the results of the competition, Ma Teng of the second family has won two out of three rounds. He shall take over as the Clan Leader."
Hearing this, Ma Chen nodded, having no attachment to the Clan Leader position. He smiled and said, "Very well. From today on, Ma Teng will succeed me as the 78th Clan Leader of the Golden Warhorse Clan!"
As his words echoed through the arena, the crowd erupted into cheers. On the stands, the second family's supporters and neutral factions quickly congratulated Ma Teng.
As one of the top-ranked forces in the Western Region of the Central Plains, the change of Clan Leader in the Golden Warhorse Clan was a major event. From now on, Ma Teng would become a key figure influencing the power dynamics of the Central Plains!
Hearing Ma Chen's announcement, Ma Fu stood in stunned silence, then clenched his teeth in frustration. He hadn't expected to lose to a younger generation member, and while he was bitterly dissatisfied, he knew that he couldn't overturn the decision of his father and the elders, no matter how much it pained him.
With a resentful glance at Mo Yu, Ma Fu's eyes flickered with unwillingness.
After Ma Teng finished receiving congratulations from his supporters, he walked over to Mo Yu with a smile and said, "Thank you, Mo Yu. As agreed, I will deliver what I promised to you shortly."
Hearing Ma Teng's words, Mo Yu couldn't help but feel relieved. A trace of joy crossed his face as he respectfully clasped his fists toward Ma Teng and said, "Thank you, Clan Leader Ma!"
Ma Teng waved his hand and chuckled, "You earned it with your own skills. To be honest, it's thanks to you that I even have this position. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to win against Ma Chao."
This competition for the successor's seat had almost entirely decided the fate of the first and second families. In truth, if not for Mo Yu, Ma Teng wasn't sure he would have been able to defeat Ma Chao.
"Clan Leader Ma is too humble. No matter what, I'm deeply grateful for your help," Mo Yu smiled. He had a favorable impression of Ma Teng, who, despite being close to half-step Dou Venerate in strength, lacked the arrogance often associated with powerful individuals. Compared to the Myriad Sword Pavilion, Ma Teng was refreshingly approachable.
Ma Teng smiled back, not continuing the conversation. Just then, Ma Chen suddenly spoke from the high platform, "Mo Yu, come with me."
With those words, Ma Chen glanced around and said, "Everyone, disperse."
Hearing Ma Chen's order, the surrounding members of the Golden Warhorse Clan quickly obeyed, retracting their curious gazes from Mo Yu and leaving while quietly discussing the day's events. Mo Yu's performance had left them thoroughly amazed.
After the crowd dispersed, Ma Chen turned to Mo Yu and said with a smile, "Follow me."
With that, Ma Chen turned and walked deeper into the hall. Mo Yu hesitated for a moment before hurrying to follow.
The two walked in silence. After about five minutes, the gravel path beneath their feet became shorter. When Mo Yu looked up, he noticed that they had arrived at the end of the path, where a building stood hidden among lush trees.
"This is where I usually retreat for cultivation. Normally, no one is allowed to enter," Ma Chen said beside Mo Yu.
Mo Yu nodded slightly, his eyes discreetly scanning the surrounding trees. He could faintly sense hidden auras, likely powerful warriors from the Golden Warhorse Clan.
"Find a place to sit. I think you already know why I've called you here," Ma Chen said, pointing to a stone pavilion and taking a seat on one of the stone stools. He looked at Mo Yu with a calm expression.
Hearing this, Mo Yu paused for a moment, then sat down as Ma Chen had, and softly said, "If I'm not mistaken, this is about Uncle Snake, right?"
Ma Chen nodded, his gaze fixed on Mo Yu as he said gravely, "From what you mentioned earlier, it seems something has happened to Old Snake. Tell me everything. Don't worry, Old Snake and I were close friends who went through life and death together."
Seeing Mo Yu's hesitation, Ma Chen was briefly startled, then seemed to realize something. A thoughtful look appeared in his eyes. The next moment, Ma Chen lightly tapped his storage ring, and a finely crafted purple-gold jade pendant appeared in his hand.
Looking at the delicate jade pendant, a nostalgic glint flashed through Ma Chen's eyes as he handed it to Mo Yu.
"This purple-gold jade pendant was given to me by Old Snake. He told me that if I ever found myself in danger, I could break it, and he would appear through space. If it weren't for Old Snake's help, I might have died in one of the ruins of the Central Plains long ago. This pendant is proof of our friendship. Now, you shouldn't doubt the bond between us."
Receiving the jade pendant from Ma Chen, Mo Yu examined it carefully. After sensing the power of Uncle Snake's bloodline within it, he relaxed a bit and finally felt at ease.
The reason Mo Yu had been hesitant to reveal any information about Uncle Snake was that he didn't know if Ma Chen was truly a friend of Uncle Snake or someone posing as an enemy. It wasn't impossible, in Mo Yu's mind, for someone to use such tactics.
Fortunately, Ma Chen provided sufficient proof. The bloodline power embedded in the jade pendant could only have come from Uncle Snake himself, and it would be impossible for Ma Chen to possess it unless Uncle Snake had given it to him.
Having confirmed this, Mo Yu pondered briefly and then began to recount everything that had happened since he met Uncle Snake.
As Mo Yu spoke, Ma Chen retrieved a tea set from his storage ring. Before long, two cups of aromatic, energy-infused tea were placed on the stone table, with one handed to Mo Yu.
After recounting the events, Mo Yu felt a bit parched. Looking at the fine tea in his hand, he hesitated for a moment before slowly drinking it.
As the tea entered his body, a surge of energy coursed through his meridians.
"What is this?"
Feeling the strange changes within his body, Mo Yu was momentarily stunned. Realizing what was happening, he quickly downed the rest of the tea.
After finishing the cup, Mo Yu clearly felt a strong burst of energy within him, and his strength surged rapidly. In a short time, he had reached the peak of the one-star Dou Zong, just a step away from becoming a two-star Dou Zong.
Seeing Mo Yu's puzzled expression, Ma Chen smiled and asked, "Do you feel your strength increasing?"
Startled, Mo Yu quickly set down the tea cup and respectfully thanked Ma Chen. "Thank you for your generosity, Elder Ma."
Mo Yu wasn't oblivious to the source of his power boost—it was due to the tea. Although he didn't know what kind of tea it was, just one cup had elevated him from the early one-star Dou Zong stage to the peak, something that was far from ordinary.
He could even sense that with some dedicated cultivation, he could soon step into the two-star Dou Zong realm.
Understanding this, Mo Yu realized that Ma Chen's friendship with Uncle Snake must have been extraordinary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have shared something so valuable.
Ma Chen waved his hand with a light smile and said, "This is Ghost Spring Tea, which Old Snake and I once collected during our travels from a place called the Underworld Spring. The tea absorbed the unique energy of that spring, so it has the ability to enhance one's strength. Since I've met the descendant of an old friend, I couldn't be stingy, could I?"
After a brief pause, Ma Chen's expression turned solemn. "From what you've said, it seems that Old Snake has completely fallen into a deep sleep due to burning through his bloodline. If you can't find a way for him to evolve into a Nine-Winged Purple-Gold Snake, he'll be lost forever, correct?"
Hearing this, Mo Yu's face turned grim, and he said solemnly, "Yes, Elder Ma. It's my fault. If Uncle Snake hadn't fought to protect me from a powerful enemy, he wouldn't be in this condition."
Seeing Mo Yu's guilt, Ma Chen sighed, then stood up and patted Mo Yu on the shoulder in a comforting manner.
"I understand Old Snake's nature—he was always cold and distant, not easily forming connections with others. Back when I saved his life during a spatial storm, it was only then that we became friends. If he risked his life to save you, it means he truly recognized you. That's no small thing."
Calming himself, Mo Yu nodded. "Yes, I will never forget what Uncle Snake has done for me. Although I haven't yet found a way to help him evolve into the Nine-Winged Purple-Gold Snake, I will one day revive him!"
Seeing Mo Yu's resolute expression, Ma Chen couldn't help but feel inspired, sighing deeply. "Since I met Old Snake, I've never seen him with any members of his serpent clan. To think that today, by chance, I'd meet you... Although you're human, Old Snake clearly chose an excellent successor."
Sighing inwardly, Ma Chen found himself developing a fondness for Mo Yu. But then he remembered—Mo Yu was now his granddaughter's husband, so wasn't he family?
Sensing Ma Chen's thoughts, Mo Yu respectfully said, "Elder Ma, there's something you should know about my engagement to Miss Yunlu. There's more to it..."
Mo Yu then explained the deal he had made with Ma Teng.
After hearing the full story, Ma Chen frowned slightly. Ma Teng's actions were borderline cheating, and what's more, it meant that his new grandson-in-law might slip away.
Noticing Ma Chen's reaction, Mo Yu hesitated but didn't want to hide the truth from Uncle Snake's old friend.
After a long silence, Ma Chen's frown finally relaxed. He sighed and waved his hand. "Forget it. Since you're Old Snake's successor, I won't make a fuss over it. Ma Teng is capable, and if he was clever enough to come up with this plan, he deserves the Clan Leader seat."
Hearing this, Mo Yu breathed a sigh of relief. If Ma Chen had decided to remove Ma Teng from the Clan Leader position over this, Mo Yu's reward would have disappeared along with it. This would have made the entire trip a waste.
"Back to the matter of Old Snake," Ma Chen continued. "If you want to revive him, there might be someone who can help you."
"Who is that, Elder Ma?" Mo Yu quickly asked.
"The Valley Master of Sound Valley—Su Yao!"
"Su Yao?" Hearing this familiar name, Mo Yu was momentarily stunned, then remembered that Uncle Snake had once mentioned her. It seemed there was an untold story between Su Yao and Uncle Snake...
"From the look on your face, Old Snake must have mentioned her to you," Ma Chen observed.
After seeing Mo Yu nod, Ma Chen sighed. "I thought so. I've always suspected that Old Snake had strong feelings for Su Yao. Otherwise, why would he mention her but never talk about me?"
After a brief grumble, Ma Chen continued, "Old Snake, Su Yao, and I met by chance, and after fighting side by side, we became close friends. However, something happened between Old Snake and Su Yao that caused a huge rift. After that argument, Old Snake evolved into a Seven-Winged Purple-Gold Snake, and Su Yao, in her anger, returned to Sound Valley, disappearing without a trace.
"Since then, neither Old Snake nor I have seen Su Yao again. The next time I heard about her, she had already taken over as the Valley Master of Sound Valley. Su Yao helped Old Snake when he was evolving into the Seven-Winged Purple-Gold Snake, so I suspect she might know something about the Nine-Winged Purple-Gold Snake's evolution as well."
Listening to Ma Chen's story, Mo Yu's mind began to piece together the events of the past. According to what Uncle Snake had once hinted at, it seemed something happened between him and Su Yao during his evolution to the Seven-Winged Purple-Gold Snake. Perhaps they got too close, and things were mishandled, leading to a falling out and a separation of fate.
Remembering the misunderstanding between him and Medusa, Mo Yu shuddered. If it hadn't been for Uncle Snake's intervention, he and Cai Lin might have ended up in a similar situation.
Shaking off these thoughts, Mo Yu clasped his fists and said, "Thank you for the information, Elder Ma. I will definitely make a trip to Sound Valley when I get the chance!"
(End of this chapter)
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