Chapter 501: The Situation, The Lion King
"So this is the territory of the Absolute Lion Clan?" Mo Yu muttered under his breath, gazing at the ancient, primal mountain range before him.
Though the aura of this "primal energy" couldn't be seen or touched, Mo Yu, as the possessor of the Primal Ancestral Thunder, was extremely sensitive to it.
"No wonder they used to be one of the great magical beast clans. With this primal energy nourishing them, the Absolute Lion Clan must have some of the strongest bodies in the entire magical beast world," Mo Yu remarked in awe.
"Indeed. Even my clan would not dare compete with the Absolute Lion Clan when it comes to physical strength," said Zi Yan, blinking her large eyes. "Back in the ancient days, the Absolute Lion Clan had two great advantages: their natural ability to lock down space, and their terrifying bodies that were forged by primal energy. When they got angry, even beings stronger than them couldn't help but tremble in fear. Sadly, as time passed, the primal energy in these mountains weakened, leading to the clan's decline."
"So the primal energy here has weakened?" Mo Yu was surprised.
"Of course. In ancient times, weaker magical beasts below the fifth tier couldn't even enter these mountains—the primal energy was so intense it would make them explode," Zi Yan explained in detail.
Hearing this, Mo Yu was astonished. He hadn't expected such a mystical place to exist in the Dou Qi continent. No wonder the Absolute Lion Clan valued Zi Huo so highly. With her Primal Ancestral Thunder, training here would yield twice the result with half the effort. Even Mo Yu might not be able to match her progress in this environment.
Naturally, though, no amount of talent outweighs the need for survival. With the threat from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, many members of the Absolute Lion Clan had chosen to hand over Zi Huo in an attempt to appease their wrath.
"Moscorpion, have your people arrived?" Mo Yu turned to the crimson figure behind him.
The Primal Mountains were the Absolute Lion Clan's territory, and outsiders couldn't simply wander in. Fortunately, Moscorpion's Scorpion Dragon Clan, as a subordinate of the Absolute Lion Clan, also resided within the Primal Mountains. With him guiding the way, things would be much smoother.
Just as Moscorpion was about to respond, a black figure approached from the distance. When Moscorpion recognized the person, he quickly said, "Lord Governor, that's my second uncle, the third elder of the Scorpion Dragon Clan, Dark Scorpion."
Mo Yu looked in the direction Moscorpion indicated and saw a middle-aged man in black robes approaching with a sharp gaze. What caught Mo Yu's attention even more was the man's aura, as he too had reached the Dou Zun level.
"Moscorpion, is this the person you said could help the candidate for Young Chief of the Absolute Lion Clan escape from danger?" The thin man glanced at Mo Yu, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Young Chief candidate?" Mo Yu wasn't offended by the man's dismissive attitude, but he did take note of his title for Zi Huo. Apparently, in less than a year, Zi Huo had already been chosen as a candidate for the Young Chief of the Absolute Lion Clan.
"Yes, Second Uncle, this is Mo Yu, the Lord Governor of the Yuan Mansion, and Zi Huo was once a member of Yuan Mansion," Moscorpion introduced.
"What? The candidate for Young Chief of the Absolute Lion Clan is under this man's command?" The middle-aged man's face changed.
"Hey! You black scorpion! If you look down on Brother Mo Yu again, I'll punch you!" Zi Yan's adorable face puffed up with anger as she raised her small fist, ready to strike.
"Where did this little girl come from..." the man began, his brow furrowing in annoyance. But as he prepared to dismiss her, he suddenly sensed a tremendous pressure emanating from her.
His expression shifted, and his eyes slowly returned to the small girl in front of him.
"A... Taixu Ancient Dragon?!"
The middle-aged man's face drained of color as he stammered, realizing the immense dragon bloodline power radiating from Zi Yan.
Although the Scorpion Dragon Clan was a subordinate of the Absolute Lion Clan, they also possessed a trace of dragon bloodline. This made them particularly attuned to the presence of dragons, and if not for the Taixu Ancient Dragons' disdain for weaker clans, the Scorpion Dragons might have long ago pledged their allegiance to them.
Now, feeling the incredible pressure from this small girl, the man could hardly believe his eyes. He would never have imagined that such a seemingly ordinary child was actually a Taixu Ancient Dragon!
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the elder knew all too well what it meant to face a Taixu Ancient Dragon. Realizing her power, he quickly changed his tone and bowed respectfully to Mo Yu. "Lord Mo Yu, please forgive me for my disrespect."
Then, he gave Zi Yan a deep bow as well, a sight that was somewhat comical given his high rank.
Even though the man was an elder, and even though Taixu Ancient Dragons were the most powerful beast clan, not all of them were strong. Some were quite ordinary, on par with a Scorpion Dragon. The man's reverence for Zi Yan, however, came from his recognition that her bloodline was likely from the royal line of Taixu Ancient Dragons. Such a bloodline commanded respect, even from the once-mighty Absolute Lion Clan.
"Forget it. You didn't know, so no harm done," Mo Yu waved off the apology. Though he was irritated by the earlier disdain, the current situation was urgent, and since the elder seemed to be an ally, he decided to let it slide.
"Hmph, make sure to watch your mouth next time! Even if Brother Mo Yu forgives you, I won't!" Zi Yan huffed, still waving her small but powerful fist.
Off to the side, Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help but chuckle.
"Yes, yes... I'll be more careful, Taixu Ancient Dragon Lady," Dark Scorpion replied hastily, clearly relieved.
Mo Yu then shifted the conversation back to the pressing matters at hand. "What's the current situation with Zi Huo, and what's happening inside the Absolute Lion Clan?"
Dark Scorpion hesitated for a moment before replying, "Zi Huo is currently safe. Although the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan has ordered us to hand him over, they've only issued verbal threats so far and haven't launched a full-scale invasion. Right now, he's under the protection of some of the elders of the Absolute Lion Clan. However, he's not in the main territory, so it may take some time before you can meet him."
"Where is he now?" Mo Yu asked with a slight frown.
"He's in the Primal Realm," Dark Scorpion replied.
"The Primal Realm? Where's that?" Mo Yu inquired.
Zi Yan giggled. "I know! The Primal Realm is a space created by generations of Absolute Lion Clan leaders. All of the clan's former chiefs and elders who reached the 'Saint' level enter the Primal Realm to sit in meditation. Over time, their presence filled the realm with powerful primal energy. But it's not just any energy—it's filled with chaotic and violent thoughts left behind by those who meditated there. The primal energy is incredibly hard to absorb, and if someone isn't careful, they could go insane. It's a dangerous place, but the rewards are huge. The Absolute Lion Clan chooses three candidates for Young Chief, and the one who survives the Primal Realm trial becomes the next chief. Isn't that right, Black Scorpion?"
Dark Scorpion wiped more cold sweat from his brow, impressed by Zi Yan's knowledge. "Yes, Lady Zi Yan is correct. The Primal Realm is indeed our training ground and the trial to select the next Young Chief."
Hearing how dangerous the Primal Realm was, Mo Yu couldn't help but worry for Zi Huo. Even with the power of the Primal Ancestral Thunder, the violent primal energy could overwhelm him, and if he couldn't withstand it, he might be lost forever.
Shaking his head, Mo Yu sighed. At this point, all he could do was hope that Zi Huo would emerge safely.
"If Zi Huo passes the trial and becomes Young Chief, will the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan still come after him? Will the Absolute Lion Clan protect him then?" Mo Yu asked.
Dark Scorpion hesitated before answering. "The current leader of the Absolute Lion Clan passed away several years ago. To avoid unrest, the elders have kept it a secret until a new Young Chief can be chosen. Right now, power is split between the Elders' Council, led by the Great Elder, and the Chief's personal guard, led by the Lion King. The Elders want to avoid conflict with the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan and believe it's not worth fighting over Zi Huo. But the Lion King, who leads the personal guard, sees Zi Huo's potential as crucial for the clan's future and refuses to let him go. The two factions have been in a deadlock, so they made Zi Huo a candidate for Young Chief and sent him into the Primal Realm. If he doesn't survive, the issue will resolve itself. But if he succeeds... things could go in any direction. One thing's certain—the Lion King will do everything to protect him, and our Scorpion Dragon Clan, which has followed the Lion King for centuries, will fight to protect Zi Huo as well," Dark Scorpion said firmly, his eyes showing his determination.
Mo Yu was moved by the Lion King's resolve. It seemed that the Absolute Lion Clan still had powerful and inspiring leaders.
"I'd like to meet the Lion King. Is that possible?" Mo Yu asked.
Dark Scorpion hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Given your connection to Zi Huo, I believe it can be arranged."
After some discussion, Mo Yu decided to meet with the Lion King, the leader of the Absolute Lion Clan's personal guard and Zi Huo's strongest supporter. Dark Scorpion would serve as their guide.
The deeper they ventured into the Primal Mountains, the more rugged the terrain became. Towering mountains surrounded them, their peaks stretching into the sky. Fierce winds whipped through the air, making it difficult for even sixth-tier magical beasts to fly.
After traveling for half an hour, they finally reached the heart of the Primal Mountains, where an ancient fortress of stone towers stood. Powerful auras filled the air, including many from Dou Zun-level experts.
As they approached the fortress, Dark Scorpion communicated with the guards, who allowed them entry.
Inside the fortress, they were led through several grand hallways until they arrived at a massive purple gate.
Dark Scorpion knocked respectfully, and a deep, powerful voice echoed from within. "Enter!"
The door opened slowly, revealing a tall, intimidating man dressed in golden armor adorned with saber-toothed markings. His back was to them, but even from this angle, Mo Yu could sense his immense power.
Mo Yu's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the figure.
"A Half-Saint," he thought. (End of Chapter)
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