Chapter 500: Zi Huo's Crisis and the Desolate Wilderness
"Moscorpion, what exactly happened with Zi Huo?"
In the main hall of Yuan Mansion, Mo Yu gazed expressionlessly at the blood-red figure kneeling before him on one knee. This was none other than Moscorpion, the Heaven Scorpion Venomous Dragon Beast that Mo Yu had subdued in the Central Plains when he rescued Xiao Yi Xian . After Yuan Mansion had moved to the Central Region, Mo Yu had established the Beast Hall, assigning various beasts he had tamed, including Moscorpion, to it.
Moscorpion, with a strength just shy of the eighth tier, making him comparable to a human Dou Zun, was appointed as the deputy head of the Beast Hall. But today, Mo Yu had called him not to inquire about the affairs of the Beast Hall, but rather to learn about Zi Huo's predicament.
"Master, I come from the Scorpion Dragon Tribe in the Beast Domain, which is a subordinate clan of the Desolate Lion Tribe. When Lord Zi Huo returned to the Desolate Lion Tribe, I heard unsettling news from some of my tribe members," Moscorpion reported respectfully.
"News from the Scorpion Dragon Tribe?" Mo Yu paused for a moment, then asked in a serious tone, "What kind of news?"
"According to what my fellow tribe members said, when Lord Zi Huo first returned to the Desolate Lion Tribe, his exceptional talent immediately caught the attention of some of the elders. Some of them were so impressed that they began to nurture him, and there was even talk of recommending him as a candidate for the next tribe leader. However, for reasons unknown, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe discovered that Lord Zi Huo possessed the essence blood of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix. This revelation enraged the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe, and they sent powerful emissaries to the Desolate Lion Tribe to demand answers.
"Now that the Heavenly Demon Phoenix experts have arrived, the Desolate Lion Tribe has split into two factions. One believes that the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe is too powerful and that, since the Desolate Lion Tribe has fallen into decline, it's best to hand over Zi Huo to appease them. The other faction argues that Zi Huo is a once-in-a-millennium talent and that protecting him could one day restore the Lion Tribe's former glory. The conflict between the two factions is escalating, but under the pressure of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe, Lord Zi Huo's situation has become increasingly dire."
Upon hearing this, Mo Yu's eyes narrowed slightly as he muttered, "Heavenly Demon Phoenix essence blood..."
Mo Yu hadn't expected that while his Demon Phoenix Bone Wings had gone unnoticed by the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe, the issue would arise with Zi Huo instead. When he obtained the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's corpse in the Black-Corner Region, he refined the wings for himself but gave the essence blood to Zi Huo, which significantly boosted Zi Huo's strength. He never thought it would become a ticking time bomb, drawing the attention of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe.
Frowning, Mo Yu looked towards Moscorpion and asked, "Where is the Desolate Lion Tribe located?"
Zi Huo was a trusted ally, and there was no way Mo Yu would abandon him, even if it meant facing the powerful Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe head-on.
"The Desolate Lion Tribe has resided in the northwestern part of the Beast Domain since their decline," Moscorpion responded respectfully.
Nodding, Mo Yu turned to Xiao Yi Xian and said, "You should bring Ziyan with us. Let's head to the Beast Domain."
With the Nine Heavens Thunder Slaughter Array in place, the defenses of Yuan Mansion had been greatly strengthened, so Mo Yu felt comfortable leaving without worrying about the safety of the mansion. Qing Lin was at a critical stage of her breakthrough, so Mo Yu decided to bring along Xiao Yi Xian and Ziyan, two powerful allies.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian smiled softly and nodded without a word.
The sky was a vast expanse of blue, clear and serene like an endless blue mirror.
"Cr-cr-cr!" A sudden screech broke the silence as a black shadow streaked across the sky, accompanied by a gust of wind.
Upon closer inspection, the shadow revealed itself to be a massive black eagle. On its broad back sat several figures—none other than Mo Yu and his group, who had left Yuan Mansion.
Since they didn't have access to a space tunnel for this journey to the Beast Domain, Mo Yu had opted to conserve energy by using the seventh-tier Black Xuan Sky Eagle from the Beast Hall as transportation. Though it wasn't the strongest magical beast, its speed and endurance made it ideal for long-distance travel.
Accompanying Mo Yu on this trip were Xiao Yi Xian , Ziyan, and Moscorpion as their guide. This small group, backed by Mo Yu's formidable strength, was more than enough to handle the dangers they might encounter in the Beast Domain, though they weren't arrogant enough to believe they could act with impunity.
"Ugh, what's so fun about the Beast Domain? Why are we even going there?" Ziyan complained, grumbling along the way.
Mo Yu chuckled. He understood why Ziyan might feel this way. The Beast Domain was home to the most powerful magical beast clans on the Dou Qi Continent, and as a Taigu Void Dragon, Ziyan likely felt some sort of connection to it.
As she muttered, Xiao Yi Xian smiled softly.
"Hey, stop complaining," Mo Yu said with a smile, tossing Ziyan a small jade bottle filled with pills crafted by the Thousand Medicine Hall. Ziyan caught the bottle, examined it, and, with a grin, popped the pills into her mouth like they were candy, chewing them with satisfaction.
"The Beast Domain is not like the Central Region. This time we're heading to the Desolate Lion Tribe. Though the tribe has fallen from its former glory, it still carries a certain pride. Don't underestimate them."
Mo Yu nodded lightly in agreement. The Beast Domain's strength was comparable to the forces in the Central Region. Though the Desolate Lion Tribe had lost its status as a ruler of magical beasts, it still retained enough strength to command respect.
"Moscorpion, tell me about the power structure of the Beast Domain so we can be prepared. Who can we afford to provoke, and who should we avoid?" Mo Yu asked, turning to Moscorpion.
"Yes, Master," Moscorpion replied. "The Beast Domain is home to about 70% of the magical beast clans of the Dou Qi Continent. It's the domain of magical beasts, and it includes the three most powerful clans: the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe, the Nine Nether Earth Python Clan, and the Taigu Void Dragon Clan."
When mentioning the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe, Moscorpion's gaze shifted toward Mo Yu. "The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe has an extraordinary sensitivity to their essence blood. Even in the Beast Domain, if a Heavenly Demon Phoenix is within several hundred miles, their experts can sense it. That's likely how Lord Zi Huo was detected during his travels, leading the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe to track him down at the Desolate Lion Tribe and demand his surrender."
Mo Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe was indeed one of the top three magical beast clans, and their strength was formidable. Under normal circumstances, Mo Yu would prefer not to become enemies with them. However, since this matter concerned Zi Huo, he had no choice but to intervene, no matter the cost.
"Tch, Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe? Big deal! Mo Yu, don't worry. With me around, if they come, they won't be going back," Ziyan boasted confidently, patting her chest as she spoke.
Mo Yu glanced at Ziyan and couldn't help but shake his head. Though she was a Taigu Void Dragon, she was still young, and while strong, she wasn't yet powerful enough to strike fear into the hearts of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe. However, her presence was still a valuable asset, especially when dealing with the Desolate Lion Tribe.
Moscorpion continued, "The relationships between the tribes in the Beast Domain are highly complex. A powerful clan can have many subordinate clans serving under it. These subordinate clans are loyal to their main clan, and their ties run deep, far more complicated than the sect-subsect system in the human world."
"My Scorpion Dragon Tribe, for example, is a subordinate of the Desolate Lion Tribe. Even though the Lion Tribe has declined, my tribe still maintains a certain level of respect in the Beast Domain. We ourselves have nearly ten subordinate clans, and when combined, their strength is considerable."
Mo Yu nodded thoughtfully. This unique structure created a very different power dynamic in the Beast Domain compared to the human world. The intricacies of loyalty between magical beasts seemed simpler than the complex relationships found among humans.
"The Nine Nether Earth Python Clan has the most subordinates in the Beast Domain, and though this gives them great numbers, it has also weakened their bloodline over time," Moscorpion explained. "As for the Taigu Void Dragons, they're mysterious and don't seem to have any subordinate clans. Though that's likely because they don't care for such things. If they wanted, many powerful clans would willingly pledge allegiance to them."
Ziyan, hearing this, nonchalantly chewed on the last of her pills, her satisfaction evident as she patted her belly. "The Taigu Void Dragons do have subordinate clans, but a little seventh-tier beast like you wouldn't know about them," she said dismissively.
"The Scorpion Dragon Tribe is well-known in the Beast Domain! If the Taigu Void Dragons really had subordinate clans, I would have heard about it!" Moscorpion retorted, feeling a little indignant.
Ziyan raised an eyebrow at him, smirked, and fell silent.
"Enough," Mo Yu interjected, casting a stern glance at Moscorpion. "Our destination is the Desolate Lion Tribe's stronghold in the Desolate Mountain Range to the northwest of the Beast Domain. Let's focus on that."
Ziyan huffed and made a face at Mo Yu before retreating to her usual habit of snacking on pills.
Xiao Yi Xian chuckled softly at the sight. It seemed Mo Yu was the only one who could manage this mischievous young girl.
Four days passed peacefully, but eventually, a vast mountain range appeared on the horizon, marking the start of the Beast Domain, a wild and untamed region ruled by magical beasts.
The Beast Domain was not as large as the Central Region but still spanned a great distance. The endless mountains ahead, with their untamed wilderness, gave off a primal, savage aura. It was said that the Beast Domain housed over one hundred thousand mountains, though this was only a rough estimate. In truth, the number was likely much higher.
Within these ancient, sprawling mountain ranges, countless treasures lay hidden, waiting for those bold enough to claim them.
In the northwestern part of the Beast Domain lay the territory of the Desolate Lion Tribe, stretching across a vast and desolate expanse. Here, towering ancient trees rose like small mountains, their branches spreading out to cover hundreds of meters. The air was thick with the aura of untamed wilderness.
The roar of beasts echoed across the land, filling the air with the fierce and wild energy of this savage domain.
This region, known as Lion Territory, was filled with heavenly treasures, but few dared to venture here. The reason? It was the homeland of the once-powerful Desolate Lion Tribe.
Though the tribe had fallen from its former glory, it still held a place of respect in the Beast Domain. Very few would dare to stir up trouble on their land.
"Skreee!"
A sudden eagle's cry pierced the air as a massive black eagle soared above the wilderness.
On its back were Mo Yu, Xiao Yi Xian , and their companions, making their way toward the Desolate Lion Tribe.
After covering the vast distance between Yuan Mansion and the Beast Domain, thanks to the speed of the Black Xuan Sky Eagle, they finally arrived near the Desolate Mountain Range.
"The energy here is so rich," Mo Yu remarked, dismissing the Black Xuan Sky Eagle with a wave as he and the others leaped to the ground. His gaze traveled across the distant mountain range, his eyes gleaming with surprise.
The natural energy here was far denser than in the Central Region, making it an ideal place for cultivation. And from the mountain range ahead, Mo Yu could sense a powerful, primal force emanating from deep within.
"Master, up ahead is the Desolate Mountain Range, home to the Desolate Lion Tribe," Moscorpion said respectfully.
(End of Chapter)
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