Chapter 696: The Gongshu Family and a Looming Threat
Rumble.
The convoy moved through the dense forest, the sound of wheels rolling over the ground blending with the noise of the surroundings, spreading far and wide.
Mo Yu sat near the rear of the convoy. After two days of cultivation, his injuries had healed significantly, and about half of his Dou Qi had already been converted into spiritual energy, thus restoring part of his strength.
Based on his estimation, Mo Yu believed that even if he were to face a Four or Five-Star Supreme, he wouldn't have much trouble handling them.
However, being cautious by nature, Mo Yu didn't want to reveal his strength before fully recovering. He preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict.
Over the past two days, Mo Yu had quietly followed the convoy to their destination. Apart from Yuchang Wan'er, who would occasionally speak with him, most of the others ignored him.
Most of the glances cast his way were either full of sympathy or the dismissive indifference typical of the younger Yuchang family members, who saw him as beneath them.
As they traveled, Mo Yu had the chance to observe the customs and scenery of the Wanbing Continent. In this land, people valued martial strength, but one's status was also determined by their skill in weapon forging. Similar to how alchemists held prestigious positions on the Dou Qi Continent, weapon forgers were highly respected here.
Through his conversations with Yuchang Wan'er, Mo Yu learned that on the Wanbing Continent, those who could craft "Emperor Weapons" were considered top-tier experts, even among the best forgers.
"Brother Mo Yu, are you hungry? Here," Yuchang Wan'er suddenly appeared beside him, offering him a piece of dried meat with a soft voice.
Mo Yu smiled, took the meat, and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Wan'er, do you have any more of those pills you gave me a couple of days ago?"
His rapid recovery was mainly due to the help of the spiritual energy pills Yuchang Wan'er had given him. These pills not only contained a large amount of spiritual energy but also had a trace of life force, which had greatly helped in healing his injuries.
"Huh? You mean the spiritual energy pills, Brother Mo Yu? They're made using special pill furnaces that some top weapon forgers created. These furnaces can automatically refine pills. All people have to do is follow the recipe, add the right ingredients, and the furnace will produce batches of pills. Thanks to the widespread use of these pill furnaces, spiritual energy pills have become essential on the Wanbing Continent," Yuchang Wan'er explained patiently, knowing that Mo Yu was an outsider.
"I see," Mo Yu nodded, finding the concept intriguing but not too surprising. After all, ordinary currency wouldn't be of much use to powerful cultivators. Pills, on the other hand, were something everyone could benefit from.
What really caught Mo Yu's attention was the idea of automated pill furnaces. It seemed that the weapon-forging technology on this continent had indeed reached an advanced level, even incorporating automation.
"I only have about two hundred more spiritual energy pills left. If you need them, Brother Mo Yu, just take them," Yuchang Wan'er said, glancing shyly at the bracelet on her wrist.
Mo Yu looked down at the green bracelet on Yuchang Wan'er's wrist. He had learned from her that it was a space-storage device called a "Jiezi Bracelet," a common item in the Greater World, and a popular export from the Wanbing Continent to other lands.
As Mo Yu lifted his gaze to Yuchang Wan'er's reddened face, he felt a bit overwhelmed. To meet such a kind and pure-hearted person so soon after arriving in the Greater World left him with mixed emotions.
Two hundred spiritual energy pills might not be a fortune, but for an ordinary person, they were certainly valuable. Yet Yuchang Wan'er seemed embarrassed by the fact that she didn't have more to give.
"Thank you," Mo Yu said, smiling warmly.
He didn't hesitate to accept her offer since he truly needed the pills to recover his strength. In his heart, however, he made sure to remember this favor.
"Yuchang Wan'er, the spiritual energy pills that our family gives out every month aren't meant to be wasted like this!"
A sharp voice rang out from the front of the convoy.
Mo Yu looked up to see Yuchang Fu, dressed in red, glaring at him with a cold expression.
Yuchang Wan'er jumped at the scolding and quickly replied, her face turning red, "These are my pills, and I can use them however I want. Besides, Brother Mo Yu isn't a bad person."
"You dare talk back to me?" Yuchang Fu's face twisted in anger. She raised her hand to slap Yuchang Wan'er.
Slap!
Before her hand could land, it was caught mid-air by another hand. Mo Yu's face had turned slightly dark as he glared at Yuchang Fu. His voice was cold as he said, "You're both members of the Yuchang family, yet you act with no respect."
"You dare call me disrespectful, you cripple?" Yuchang Fu's face turned pale with fury, clearly unused to being reprimanded in such a manner.
Around them, several other Yuchang family members quickly gathered, surrounding Mo Yu with unfriendly looks.
"What's going on here?"
The commotion soon attracted Yuchang Ran, who appeared swiftly and demanded an explanation.
"Ran sister, this man has been tricking Yuchang Wan'er into giving him her spiritual energy pills. He's definitely up to no good!" Yuchang Fu quickly accused.
"That's not true! I gave them to Brother Mo Yu on my own," Yuchang Wan'er protested.
"You—!" Yuchang Fu fumed, her face reddening further.
"Enough!" Yuchang Ran's stern voice silenced both of them. She then turned to Mo Yu with a frown and asked, "Why do you need her spiritual energy pills?"
"For healing," Mo Yu replied calmly.
"Your injuries can't be healed, even with spiritual energy pills," Yuchang Ran said, her brow furrowing.
"I have my own methods," Mo Yu replied, not bothering to elaborate.
"And even if you recover, what's the point? Do you think you'll suddenly rise to power?" Yuchang Fu sneered. However, her voice faltered as she saw Mo Yu's cold gaze fix upon her, radiating a murderous aura.
It was as if the depths of hell had opened, and she felt a chill down her spine, immediately swallowing her words. Her face flushed with embarrassment and anger, and she was about to shout again when Yuchang Ran stopped her.
Yuchang Ran, too, had sensed the sudden surge of killing intent from Mo Yu, which had caused her heart to skip a beat. However, she quickly dismissed it as her imagination.
"Just remember, Wan'er is kind-hearted. Don't deceive her, or the Yuchang family won't let you off lightly," Yuchang Ran warned, giving Mo Yu a long look before waving the others away.
To her, the Yuchang family, one of the top three families on the Wanbing Continent, had little to fear from someone like Mo Yu, regardless of his background.
Yuchang Fu gave Mo Yu a venomous look before turning to leave in a huff.
Once the crowd had dispersed, Mo Yu smiled gently and patted Yuchang Wan'er's head, about to offer some comforting words when his expression suddenly turned serious.
He turned his gaze toward a nearby hill where a large group of people had appeared, all staring in their direction.
"It's the Gongshu family! What are they doing here?"
Murmurs of surprise and concern rippled through the Yuchang family members as they, too, noticed the group. The younger Yuchang members frowned, their expressions turning grim.
"Who are they?" Mo Yu asked, his gaze settling on the man standing at the front of the group—a tall, handsome man in a yellow robe, wearing a seemingly friendly smile that didn't reach his cold eyes.
"That's the Gongshu family, one of the three great families on the Wanbing Continent, rivals of the Yuchang family. The man leading them is Gongshu Zan, one of the most famous young talents of their family. He's said to be just as strong as Sister Ran," Yuchang Wan'er explained nervously.
"The Yuchang family and the Gongshu family have never gotten along. I didn't expect to run into them here," she added, her voice tense.
Mo Yu nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on Gongshu Zan. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that trouble was brewing.
"Well, well, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to run into Miss Yuchang Ran here," Gongshu Zan said with a smile, his eyes lingering on Yuchang Ran, who was leading the Yuchang group.
Yuchang Ran narrowed her eyes at him and replied coldly, "Whether it's a coincidence or not, you know very well. I suggest your Gongshu family avoid doing anything foolish."
Gongshu Zan chuckled lightly, his smile unbothered. "Miss Yuchang is as straightforward as ever."
He slipped his hands into his sleeves, his gaze lingering on Yuchang Ran. "I've heard that your Yuchang family has been going through some troubles recently. Your power is weakening. I wonder if you'll be able to maintain your position as one of the top three families for much longer."
He paused, then added with a meaningful glance, "And a word of caution, Miss Yuchang—there are many spirit beasts in this area. Be extra careful tonight."
With a final smirk, Gongshu Zan waved his hand and led his group away.
As the Gongshu family disappeared into the distance, the expressions of the Yuchang family members grew darker.
Mo Yu watched the Gongshu group leave, his frown deepening. It seemed following this group wasn't as safe as he had hoped.
Night fell, and the Yuchang family's convoy set up camp again. Now that they were in a more remote area, the defenses had been increased. Guards patrolled the perimeter, and traps were set up to guard against ambushes.
Mo Yu sat cross-legged next to the wagon, glancing at the lively campfire where the Yuchang family members gathered. He had no intention of joining them. To him, both the Yuchang family and the Wanbing Continent were merely temporary stops on his journey.
"I see your injuries are almost healed. The spiritual energy pills seem to have been quite effective. Once you've fully converted your Dou Qi into spiritual energy, your strength will likely surpass that of a Nine-Star Supreme. At that point, you can attempt to break through to Earth Supreme. If you succeed, the Wanbing Continent—and perhaps even the entire Western Heaven Realm—will be yours to roam freely," the Wind Emperor's voice echoed in Mo Yu's mind.
"Earth Supreme…" Mo Yu muttered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. After being stuck in this forest for several days, he was eager to test his strength.
However, he shook his head ruefully. The several hundred spiritual energy pills that Yuchang Wan'er had given him were already exhausted. Even if she had more, Mo Yu couldn't bring himself to ask for any more. It would be too much.
Without those pills, he'd have to rely on his body's natural recovery to slowly heal and continue converting his Dou Qi.
"Brother Mo Yu."
Yuchang Wan'er's voice interrupted his thoughts. She approached with a piece of roasted meat, her face flushed and looking slightly embarrassed, which made her look rather adorable.
Mo Yu smiled warmly at her. The soft expression he showed her was something he hadn't displayed to anyone else in the Yuchang family, revealing the genuine fondness he had for this kind-hearted and innocent girl.
"Wan'er, stay close to me tonight," Mo Yu said, biting into the roasted meat as he gazed into the darkness of the forest.
"Huh?" Yuchang Wan'er blinked in confusion, staring at him blankly.
"Just do as I say," Mo Yu smiled but didn't offer further explanation.
The Gongshu family was clearly up to no good, and the Yuchang family had been weakened over the years. It was obvious that someone had set their sights on them.
While Mo Yu didn't care about the rest of the Yuchang family, he did feel the need to protect Yuchang Wan'er.
"Okay," Yuchang Wan'er obediently nodded, too timid to question him further.
Mo Yu chuckled softly and patted her head.
Under the gentle light of the moon, the entire camp was shrouded in an eerie calm. Dozens of Yuchang family guards patrolled the area, their eyes scanning the dark forest for any signs of movement. The only sounds that occasionally broke the silence were the crackles from the campfires.
Mo Yu sat cross-legged beside a tree, his face calm and emotionless. Every now and then, he glanced over at the nearby wagon, where Yuchang Wan'er slept peacefully.
"Roar!"
After a long period of silence, a deep, rumbling roar echoed from deep within the forest.
Mo Yu's eyes snapped open. "So, they've come after all…" (End of Chapter)
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