Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 117: The Gloves Come Off

Under Mo Li's guidance, Mo Yu and his group quickly arrived at the Mo family estate.

As they looked at the imposing fortress of the Mo family, even more formidable than the Ye family's, a trace of worry appeared on Ye Cong's face.

Without Mo Yu's help, attempting to eliminate the Mo family—the most powerful family in the northeastern region—would have been a fool's dream. Even with Mo Yu's assistance, today's battle would undoubtedly cost the Ye family many of their elite fighters, possibly even causing severe harm to the family's strength.

However, as someone who had held power for many years, Ye Cong was no stranger to making hard decisions. If sacrificing many of the Ye family's warriors meant replacing the Mo family as the top family in the northeastern region, then the deal was worth it.

Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the Mo family, the atmosphere was lively and festive, filled with the sounds of celebration.

The hall was filled with leaders and representatives from various powers in the eastern region of the empire. Although the Mo family had recently been the subject of mockery and ridicule due to their fallout with the Yun Lan Sect, their deep-rooted influence over the past decades still earned them respect from many forces.

At the head of the hall, a well-dressed elderly man with graying hair greeted the guests with a joyful expression. This man was none other than Mo Cheng, the Mo family's grand elder and the pillar of their strength.

"Nalan Yanran of the Nalan family has arrived!"

"Ye Cong, head of the Ye family, has arrived!"

As Mo Yu and the others, led by Mo Li, entered the hall, a loud announcement rang out, drawing everyone's attention.

Hearing these names, Mo Cheng was slightly taken aback before a somewhat amused expression spread across his face. He hadn't invited any of the other three great families to his early birthday celebration, knowing well that their relationships were strained at best. The unexpected arrival of the Ye family seemed to signal a desire to curry favor, indicating that even without the Yun Lan Sect as their backer, the Mo family still commanded respect in the northeastern region.

As Mo Cheng was thinking this, a noble young woman in a purple robe gracefully entered the hall.

"Haha, Niece Nalan, I never expected you to attend today. Your presence truly honors our Mo family," Mo Cheng greeted her warmly, although a shadow of suspicion briefly flickered in his eyes.

Despite Nalan Yanran claiming to represent the Nalan family, Mo Cheng was aware that there were no real ties between the two families. Her presence here was therefore somewhat suspicious.

"Elder Mo, you're too kind. I'm simply here on my father's orders," Nalan Yanran replied politely, glancing around the hall in search of someone who might be her master's mysterious lover. Failing to spot anyone of particular note, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes, though she quickly masked it with a polite smile.

"Haha, Niece Nalan, Elder Ge Ye, please come in!" Mo Cheng said with a laugh, guiding them to seats of honor before returning to greet Ye Cong.

"Grand Elder Mo, you truly are in fine spirits. It seems the northeastern region will soon be fully under your control," Ye Cong said with a hearty laugh as he entered the hall, greeting Mo Cheng.

Their smiles were polite but insincere, as was typical of such political gatherings. Even though they would soon be at each other's throats, they maintained the facade until the moment of truth.

Seeing this, Mo Yu couldn't help but admire their acting skills. Even on the brink of a deadly confrontation, they kept up their fake smiles until the very end.

"Haha, I never expected Patriarch Ye to attend. I'm truly honored," Mo Cheng replied with a smile. As they exchanged pleasantries, Mo Cheng's gaze fell on Mo Yu. Despite being an experienced and cunning old man, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of danger from this mysterious young man who seemed to have no clear background.

"I've heard that my niece Ling Lin may have accidentally offended one of your esteemed guests, Patriarch Ye. Could you introduce me to this young talent?" Mo Cheng asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he smiled.

Seeing that Mo Cheng was focusing on Mo Yu, Ye Cong felt a twinge of anxiety. Although their plan to eliminate the Mo family was in place, Mo Cheng was still a Dou Ling (Spirit Master), a powerful force to reckon with. If Mo Cheng detected something amiss and decided to act before they could implement their plan, things could go very badly.

However, Mo Yu remained calm, facing the ruthless old man known as Mo Cheng with a slight smile. "I wouldn't call myself an esteemed guest. My teacher has some ties with the Ye family's patriarch, and I've heard of your great reputation, Grand Elder Mo. I merely came to see for myself."

Mo Cheng studied the young man again, noting the calm, unfathomable depth in his eyes. While trying to guess the identity of the boy's teacher, Mo Cheng nodded slightly.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence," he said, leading Ye Cong and Mo Yu to their seats of honor.

As Mo Yu sat down, Ye Cong couldn't help but be impressed once more by the young man's composure. Despite being only a teenager, he carried himself with the poise of a seasoned leader.

Once all the guests were seated, Mo Cheng stood up, and the hall gradually quieted down as everyone turned their attention to him.

"Haha, thank you all for attending this old man's celebration. As mentioned in your invitations, I have an important matter to discuss with all of you today," Mo Cheng began with a smile.

Hearing this, everyone in the hall perked up, including Mo Yu, who guessed where this was heading.

Sure enough, Mo Cheng soon announced his plan to unite the various forces in the eastern region under the banner of a new alliance, with the Mo family at its core—the Mo Alliance.

The hall fell into a brief silence as the announcement sank in.

After a moment, several smaller, weaker factions began to voice their willingness to join the Mo Alliance, having long made up their minds to side with the Mo family. Even without the Yun Lan Sect's backing, the Mo family remained the dominant force in the region.

Seeing others take the lead, some of the mid-sized factions, fearful of being blacklisted by the Mo family, also began to express their intention to join.

Witnessing this, Ye Cong couldn't help but glance at Mo Yu with a hint of gratitude. If Mo Yu hadn't intervened to disrupt this gathering, the Mo family might very well have succeeded in establishing a powerful new alliance, making it much harder for the Ye family to maintain its position, let alone remain neutral.

Of course, what Ye Cong didn't know was that even without Mo Yu's intervention, the Mo family was doomed to fall, as fate had other plans for them.

Smiling at the sight of the factions pledging their allegiance, Mo Cheng nodded in satisfaction. "Although the Mo Alliance will be a loose coalition for now, we still need someone to lead it…"

"Who better to lead it than Grand Elder Mo Cheng?" someone shouted from the crowd, followed by a chorus of voices agreeing with the sentiment.

"Haha, thank you all for your support. In that case, I'll humbly accept this responsibility and oversee the Mo Alliance," Mo Cheng declared with a wave of his hand, not bothering to ask if anyone had objections.

Watching Mo Cheng's self-congratulatory performance, some people in the hall couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated. The old man was truly shameless.

Mo Yu, however, remained unimpressed. But when he heard a familiar voice in his mind, his lips curled into a smile.

"Excuse me, Grand Elder Mo, but I don't think there's any need to establish this Mo Alliance," Mo Yu said suddenly, his voice calm but carrying a hint of mockery.

The hall fell silent as all eyes turned toward the slender figure who had stood up. Many were puzzled by the interruption, while others glanced nervously at Mo Cheng, whose face had darkened considerably. For someone as proud as Mo Cheng, being challenged in this manner was like touching a raw nerve.

Even Nalan Yanran was momentarily taken aback. In the Jia Ma Empire, she had never seen someone from the younger generation be so brazen.

"Who are you? And what does this mean, Patriarch Ye?" Mo Cheng asked coldly, his gaze shifting from Mo Yu to Ye Cong.

With Mo Cheng's question, the crowd's attention shifted to Ye Cong, wondering if this young man's actions were somehow orchestrated by the Ye family. If that were the case, a confrontation between two of the four great families seemed inevitable.

Facing Mo Cheng's wrath, Ye Cong knew this moment was unavoidable. Steeling himself, he glanced at the calm Mo Yu beside him and found the courage to speak. Their plan had always been to strike during the Mo family's gathering, when all their strongest members were present. Mo Yu's magical beast would carry Ye Fan and other high-ranking Ye family members, along with ten elite squads, to attack the Mo family fortress from the outside.

Smuggling a fourth-tier magical beast into Yan City would have been difficult for anyone else, but for the Ye family, who had built their fortune on trade, it was simply a matter of spending some extra gold to grease the right palms.

Now that Mo Yu had stood up to challenge Mo Cheng, Ye Cong was confident that the attack had already begun, with the fourth-tier beast and their patriarch leading the charge.

With this thought in mind, Ye Cong's resolve hardened, and he responded with a confident smile.

"I agree with the young master. There's no need for a Mo Alliance, and the Ye family does not support it."

"And how does the Ye family plan to back up such a bold statement? Is it that boy beside you who's giving you the courage to say this?" Mo Cheng asked mockingly, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Enough with the empty threats. You guessed correctly—it is I who gave the Ye family the courage. Old Mo Cheng, do you remember me? My name is Mo Yu, son of Mo Jingyun!" Mo Yu's voice rang out, cold and filled with scorn.

"What? Mo Jingyun's son? But you're supposed to be dead!" Mo Cheng's face paled as he turned to glare at Mo Lan, the Mo family's patriarch.

Seeing Mo Lan's evasive expression, Mo Cheng immediately realized that Mo Lan had failed to inform him about the failed assassination attempt on Mo Yu.

Mo Lan could only look back with a pained expression. He had no idea why a Dou Shi (Battle Master) had failed to eliminate Mo Yu, and before he could dispatch another assassin, Mo Yu had already arrived at their doorstep.

"Well, well, well. So you're Mo Jingyun's son. In that case, I'll personally send you to the afterlife. As for Patriarch Ye, you'll be staying here as well!" Mo Cheng spat, his voice filled with venomous intent.

As he spoke, a powerful aura erupted from Mo Cheng's body, his robes billowing as a wave of energy burst forth, shattering the furniture around him.

Sensing the overwhelming pressure emanating from Mo Cheng, the other guests in the hall couldn't help but react in awe. It had been years since anyone had seen Mo Cheng in action, and his strength had clearly grown in that time.

"He must be at least a five-star Dou Ling by now! To think he's advanced so much in just two years—it's terrifying," the onlookers murmured among themselves.

Seeing their grand elder radiating murderous intent, the Mo family's warriors tightened their grips on their weapons, their eyes fixed on Mo Yu, ready to tear him to shreds at a moment's notice.

But Mo Yu remained unfazed, his cold smile unwavering as he responded, "The Mo family will be utterly destroyed today."

His words sent a shockwave through the crowd. The mention of Mo Jingyun's name had already piqued their curiosity, and now, hearing Mo Yu's bold proclamation, they were left wondering just what kind of power he had to challenge a five-star Dou Ling.

Mo Cheng's face twisted into a mask of fury. No longer wasting words, he prepared to strike. But before he could move, another powerful aura, equal to his own, suddenly emanated from outside the hall.

A voice, tinged with age yet brimming with strength, echoed through the hall, "Mo Cheng, is this how you treat my guests?"

(End of Chapter)

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