Chapter 499: The Alliance and the Sect Protection Formation
This was a vast and desolate plain, stretching as far as the eye could see. While there were patches of green grass, the majority of the land was covered in a dull, reddish-yellow color. Occasionally, eagles flew overhead, their sharp cries echoing in the air.
The feeling of desolation engulfed the entire plain. Suddenly, the space in this barren land rippled, and a black crack appeared in the void. Several figures, looking somewhat battered, emerged from the fissure and tumbled to the ground.
"Brother Mo Yu, are you okay?" Xiao Yan asked worriedly as they landed, noticing the pale complexion on Mo Yu's face.
Mo Yu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and took a few deep breaths, his forehead covered in cold sweat. Shaking his head, he replied, "It's nothing. I'll be fine after a bit of rest. Besides, the Nine Heavenly Sovereign must be in a far worse state than I am."
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but recall the terrifying black-gold lightning orb that had destroyed the entire valley and the Hall of Souls. They all drew in a sharp breath. Even an eight-star Dou Zun like the Nine Heavenly Sovereign had been severely injured by that attack. It was unimaginable just how much power this young man held.
As the group stood in stunned silence, the black ring on Xiao Yan's finger trembled, and Yao Chen's ghostly figure appeared. He gently grabbed Mo Yu's wrist, checking his pulse. After a moment, Yao Chen nodded and said, "Mo Yu's body is indeed incredibly resilient. Even after taking a hit from the Nine Heavenly Sovereign, he's only suffered minor injuries."
"Old man..." Feng Zun, who was also present, sighed with emotion upon seeing his old friend. However, this was no time for reminiscing. The priority now was to find a safe place.
"Thank you, Elder Yao, but I know my own body. The Nine Heavenly Sovereign may be strong, but he didn't have enough power to kill me. Everyone, don't worry," Mo Yu reassured them with a slight smile.
Yao Chen let go of Mo Yu's wrist, stroked his beard, and said, "We owe you a great debt, Mo Yu. Without your help, I would have been doomed to spend the rest of my days in the dark, hopeless depths of the Hall of Souls."
"Elder Yao, there's no need for thanks. I'm someone who repays kindness. You once helped me, and I've never forgotten that," Mo Yu replied, shaking his head.
Hearing this, Yao Chen seemed to recall something and asked softly, "By the way, how is the Serpent Sovereign? Has he found the Nine-Winged Golden Serpent's legacy?"
Mo Yu smiled and replied, "Thanks to your information, Elder Yao, Uncle Serpent has indeed found the Nine-Winged Golden Serpent's legacy in the southern continent. He's currently at a critical stage of evolution and should emerge soon."
Yao Chen smiled upon hearing this and nodded in satisfaction, "That's good to hear."
"Alright, we can catch up later. Old friend, are you coming back to the Starfall Pavilion with me, or will you be going to the Yuan Mansion in the Western Region?" Feng Zun asked.
"Oh, the Yuan Mansion. So Mo Yu moved his forces from the Black-Corner Region to the Western Region?" Yao Chen said, looking curiously at Mo Yu. Then, he turned to Xiao Yan and asked, "What do you think?"
Xiao Yan pondered for a moment before answering softly, "Let's go to the Southern Region. The Starfall Pavilion has a stone tower that gathers the star power from meteors. It will be beneficial for my cultivation. Now that we've successfully rescued my teacher, and I've reached the peak of Dou Zong, it's a good time to try breaking through to Dou Zun."
Yao Chen nodded in agreement. "Then the Starfall Pavilion it is."
With their plan settled, Xiao Yan turned to Mo Yu and said, "Brother Mo Yu, though we'll be parting ways soon, I will never forget the favor you've done for me."
"Heh, if you keep talking like that, I won't let you through the gates of Yuan Mansion next time," Mo Yu chuckled, playfully patting Xiao Yan on the shoulder.
Yao Chen then spoke up, "Mo Yu, you've built a powerful foundation in such a short time. But with the destruction of the Hall of Souls' branch, they'll undoubtedly turn their attention to you. Be cautious."
Mo Yu nodded solemnly. He knew better than anyone the terrifying strength of the Hall of Souls. While the Pill Tower was a power that rivaled them on the surface, the Hall of Souls had the backing of the Soul Clan, a monstrous entity.
"The Southern and Western regions are far apart. If one of us encounters danger, it would take too long for the other to help," Feng Zun said. "I suggest we build a space tunnel between the Starfall Pavilion and the Yuan Mansion. That way, if the Hall of Souls attacks, we can support each other quickly."
Mo Yu smiled and nodded. "That's a good idea. If our two forces join in an alliance, it won't be easy for the Hall of Souls to take us down. The Yuan Mansion has plenty of Dou Zun experts, so I expect we can establish the tunnel within a few months."
"Excellent! With the Yuan Mansion and the Starfall Pavilion forming a defensive alliance, even if the Hall of Souls attacks, they'll face a tough fight," Feng Zun laughed boldly.
"Very well, let's part ways here for now," Mo Yu said, cupping his hands respectfully to Yao Chen and the others.
"Take care, Brother Mo Yu, Elder Mo Yu, Lord Mo!" Xiao Yan, Yao Chen, and Feng Zun also cupped their hands in farewell before flying into the sky and disappearing into the horizon.
"Let's head home," Mo Yu said to Iron Sword Zun and the others, before they too took to the skies, heading toward Yuan Mansion.
Five Days Later, at Yuan Mansion
Upon seeing Mo Yu and his group return safely, both Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin breathed sighs of relief. Although they had faith in Mo Yu's strength, the Hall of Souls' branch was still a dangerous place, and unexpected incidents were always a concern.
Fortunately, nothing went wrong, and Mo Yu returned unscathed.
"From today onward, Yuan Mansion is on high alert!" Mo Yu ordered as soon as they arrived.
Though the people of Yuan Mansion were confused and a bit fearful, Mo Yu didn't offer any explanation. After all, their next opponent was the Hall of Souls, and caution was paramount.
After giving the order, Mo Yu summoned all of the Dou Zun experts from Yuan Mansion and its affiliated forces to begin constructing the space tunnel between Yuan Mansion and the Starfall Pavilion. Although the two locations were far apart, Yuan Mansion had many Dou Zun experts. With everyone working hard, the task could be completed within two months.
While overseeing the work, Mo Yu also made another important decision.
The headquarters of Yuan Mansion, Yuan City, was formerly known as Ten Thousand Weapons City. After Yuan Mansion had absorbed the Weapon Alliance, the city naturally became part of Yuan Mansion's domain. However, the city was a commercial hub, bustling with people, but it lacked natural defenses. If a powerful enemy were to attack, it would be difficult to defend.
After careful consideration, Mo Yu decided to build a protective formation for Yuan Mansion, like many other powerful forces.
Though many believed that protective formations were useless, crumbling before the strength of true experts, they still had value. After all, such formations had been used for ages and were still chosen by most major powers for a reason.
Moreover, these formations often served as a testament to a force's strength and could be its most powerful trump card.
Thinking back to formations like the Cloud Mist Covering Sun Formation of the Yun Lan Sect or the Starfall Formation of the Starfall Pavilion, Mo Yu knew the potential of these formations. So, he decided to act and ordered his subordinates to begin gathering the materials needed to construct the protective formation he had in mind.
Mo Yu planned to create the "Nine Heavens Thunder Killing Formation," a formation that absorbed the power of thunder from the heavens. This formation could form a lightning shield around Yuan City and launch devastating thunder attacks at invaders. It was both offensive and defensive, a powerful formation that Mo Yu had learned in his past life and was well-suited to Yuan Mansion.
With the space tunnel and the protective formation in progress, Mo Yu also ordered the city gates to be closed. Though some were puzzled by this decision, none opposed it, as Mo Yu's authority within Yuan Mansion was absolute.
Yuan City was large enough to sustain its population for an extended period, and with the enhanced energy provided by the medicinal pills of Thousand Medicine Hall, the cultivation environment within the city was actually better than the outside world.
As the days passed, two months quickly flew by.
During this time, everything remained calm. The expected retaliation from the Hall of Souls never came. Mo Yu had sent scouts to investigate, and they reported that Central Plains was as lively as ever, with no major movements from the Hall of Souls. Even news of the destruction of their branch had not spread, likely due to the Hall of Souls' efforts to suppress the information.
This left Mo Yu and the Xiao Yi Xian somewhat puzzled. It was unlike the Hall of Souls to remain so quiet for so long without taking action. Something must have been holding them back.
Nevertheless, this reprieve allowed Mo Yu and Feng Zun to breathe a little easier. Neither Yuan Mansion nor Starfall Pavilion were currently strong enough to face the Hall of Souls head-on. If they were to engage in battle now, both factions would suffer severe losses.
With this time to recuperate, Mo Yu and Feng Zun focused on ways to strengthen their respective forces. After three months of hard work, the space tunnel between Yuan Mansion and Starfall Pavilion was finally completed.
The moment the tunnel was finished, Feng Zun traveled through it from the distant Southern Region and arrived at Yuan Mansion. His arrival, however, was kept secret from all but the upper echelons of Yuan Mansion. After all, the fewer people knew about the tunnel, the better. Perhaps one day, it could be used to spring a surprise attack on the Hall of Souls.
Feng Zun's visit was to finalize some details of the alliance between the two factions, which Mo Yu gladly welcomed. Although Yuan Mansion was now more powerful than Starfall Pavilion, the latter had deep foundations, and with Yao Chen as its leader and Xiao Yan as its heir, its potential was undeniable.
Even as they worked on building the "Nine Heavens Thunder Killing Formation," Feng Zun provided Mo Yu with valuable advice. As someone with extensive experience, he had a keen eye for formations, and his input helped Mo Yu fine-tune the details of the powerful defensive array.
During their discussions, Mo Yu learned that Xiao Yan had entered seclusion to prepare for his breakthrough to Dou Zun. Mo Yu had no doubt that it wouldn't be long before Xiao Yan achieved this milestone.
But for now, Mo Yu's focus was on Yuan Mansion's new protective formation.
After three months of effort and an immense expenditure of resources, the formation was finally complete!
Taking a deep breath, Mo Yu looked up at the sea of thunderclouds in the sky. With a leap, he soared into the air, forming hand seals at lightning speed.
As he moved, the thunderclouds above him began to roil and churn. In the center of the clouds, a massive thunderball, hundreds of meters wide, took shape.
Moments later, countless silver lightning bolts shot out from the thunderball like a waterfall, intertwining and spreading outward. In just a few seconds, the lightning bolts formed an enormous dome of energy, encasing all of Yuan City within it.
"The Nine Heavens Thunder Killing Formation is complete!" Mo Yu declared.
The lightning shield crackled with terrifying energy. Some unsuspecting flying beasts tried to cross it, but as soon as they touched the shield, their bodies convulsed violently as if struck by a high-voltage current. In mere moments, they were reduced to charred remains.
Seeing this, Mo Yu nodded in satisfaction. After three months of hard work, the protective formation was finally in place. Though it had been costly, the results were worth it. The formation's power had increased by 30%, and now, even a group of Dou Zun experts would struggle to break through it.
The members of Yuan Mansion, sensing the change, all looked up in awe at the powerful lightning array. As their eyes fell upon Mo Yu, standing at the center of the formation, their admiration turned into fervent devotion.
Yuan Mansion now had its own protective formation—a symbol of true power, like an aircraft carrier in Mo Yu's previous life. Rarely used, but a formidable symbol of strength.
For the first time, the people of Yuan Mansion felt immense pride in their home.
Seeing their reaction, Mo Yu couldn't help but smile. He hadn't expected the formation to have such a unifying effect.
Just as Mo Yu was feeling pleased, Xiao Yi Xian approached him, her expression troubled.
"What's wrong?" Mo Yu asked, his brow furrowing with a sense of foreboding.
Xiao Yi Xian hesitated before biting her lip and saying, "According to the report from Scorpion, the vice-master of the Beast Hall, Zi Huo seems to have run into some serious trouble with the Absolute Lion Clan."
Hearing this, Mo Yu's face darkened.
"Oh? The Absolute Lion Clan? If they dare harm Zi Huo, then I'll make sure that after this, there will be no more Absolute Lion Clan on this continent."
The icy tone in Mo Yu's voice was filled with a murderous intent that sent shivers down Xiao Yi Xian 's spine.
(End of Chapter)
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10