Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 96: The Secret of the Small Valley

Mu She is dead, and the Wolfhead Mercenary Group is destroyed!

Once one of the three major mercenary groups in Qingshi Town, the Wolfhead Mercenary Group would now be nothing more than a memory. Although the rise and fall of mercenary groups were common occurrences in Qingshi Town, it was unprecedented for a single young man to single-handedly annihilate a powerful mercenary group with a hundred elite members.

This news quickly spread to every corner of the small town, leaving everyone in shock and disbelief.

However, Mo Yu had no time to dwell on the town's reactions. After dealing with Mu She, he took out the mother token of the Flying Signal Twin Tokens from his storage ring. The mother token could lead him to the child token, which would guide him to Little Doctor Fairy's location.

The Flying Signal Twin Tokens not only allowed one to send alerts when in danger, but they also enabled the holders to sense each other's presence within a certain range.

Taking out the mother token, Mo Yu saw a winding line appear on the surface of the token, forming a crude map. Smiling, he realized that the end of the line marked the location of Little Doctor Fairy, which was still within the Wolfhead Mercenary Group's headquarters.

Following the map on the mother token, Mo Yu walked along a quiet path until he came across a dark, ominous-looking prison. The entrance was heavily guarded by more than a dozen fully armed guards.

"It seems these guys still don't know what happened in the front yard," Mo Yu thought as he observed the guards who were still dutifully standing guard.

To find Little Doctor Fairy quickly, Mo Yu summoned his Heavenly Thunder. With a swift motion, the crimson lightning snaked through the air like a swift, radiant serpent, instantly knocking out all the guards, rendering them unconscious.

Given that the Suzaku Heaven-Thunder had advanced to its initial stage, dealing with these Dou Zhe (Battle Practitioners) level guards required no significant effort on Mo Yu's part.

As he approached the prison, Mo Yu noticed that there were no other guards inside. The prison was filled with numerous cells, and the mother token had led him to the end of this path.

Just as Mo Yu was about to search the cells one by one, a maid suddenly approached. Without hesitation, Mo Yu swiftly captured her.

Seeing the fear in the maid's eyes, Mo Yu directly asked, "Where is Little Doctor Fairy?"

Following the maid's trembling finger, Mo Yu swiftly moved to the indicated cell. With a flick of his lightning-infused hand, the cell's lock shattered with a sharp crack, and the door swung open.

To Mo Yu's surprise, the expected stench did not assault his senses. Instead, a faint medicinal fragrance filled the air.

The scent confirmed that the maid had not lied. Scanning the cell, Mo Yu spotted a figure lying in the corner, dressed in a white robe. It was none other than Little Doctor Fairy.

Noticing someone approaching, Little Doctor Fairy slowly opened her eyes. Upon seeing Mo Yu, the coldness in her gaze melted away, replaced by a mix of surprise, concern, and joy on her pale face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her joy briefly overshadowed by concern.

She was fully aware of her situation and knew that a powerful Dou Shi was stationed at the Wolfhead Mercenary Group. Although she was deeply touched by Mo Yu's daring rescue, she couldn't help but worry for his safety.

As Mo Yu helped her to sit up, he noticed that she was extremely weak, her face pale as if she had endured much suffering in the past few days.

"It's okay. I'm a healer; I can treat these wounds quickly. Besides, they didn't do much to me because they wanted information," she said with a faint smile, trying to ease Mo Yu's concern. But then she remembered something, and her smile faded. "By the way, there's a Dou Shi in the Wolfhead Mercenary Group who is after you. You should leave quickly."

Seeing her expression, Mo Yu seemed to understand something. Gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, he said with a trace of guilt, "You didn't use the child token to alert me because of that Dou Shi, right?"

Before Little Doctor Fairy could respond, Mo Yu continued, "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. But you don't need to worry anymore—the Dou Shi is dead. I'm here to take you home."

Little Doctor Fairy was momentarily stunned, unable to believe what she had just heard. "You... killed the Dou Shi? How...?"

"Heh, you're allowed to have a battle pet, but I'm not? My pet is a Three-Star magical beast. With it fighting for me, a Dou Shi is no big deal," Mo Yu replied with a smile, without mentioning the details of his soul contract.

Hearing that Mo Yu had a battle pet, and a Three-Star magical beast at that, Little Doctor Fairy's eyes widened in amazement. She knew from experience how difficult it was to gain the trust of a magical beast. She had only managed to form a bond with her One-Star magical pet, the Blue Eagle, after saving its life, and even then, the bond was tenuous at best.

But Mo Yu, with his Three-Star magical beast, had done something truly extraordinary. She knew how intelligent and wary such creatures were, making this feat even more incredible.

As she marveled at Mo Yu's capabilities, a fit of coughing suddenly overtook her, and her pale face became even more ashen.

"Are you okay?" Mo Yu asked, patting her back gently.

"I'm fine. Now that you've taken care of the Wolfhead Mercenary Group, let's go. I know a place where I can recover," Little Doctor Fairy replied with a faint smile.

Mo Yu nodded, lifting her onto his back and carrying her out. As they stepped into the courtyard, Little Doctor Fairy was shocked by the sight of the lifeless bodies scattered everywhere, their cold forms filling the courtyard. She covered her mouth in disbelief, her face a mask of shock.

Only now did she realize that Mo Yu had wiped out the entire Wolfhead Mercenary Group for her.

"All the suffering you endured—I've avenged it," Mo Yu said nonchalantly as he noticed her surprise.

Little Doctor Fairy was momentarily speechless. The idea of slaughtering an entire mercenary group for one person seemed too extreme, but deep down, she felt a warm sense of gratitude.

Taking out a small flute, Little Doctor Fairy blew a strange note, then said to Mo Yu, "We're heading to a small valley. Little Lan knows the way."

Little Lan was the One-Star Blue Eagle, her battle pet. Mo Yu nodded in agreement.

Before long, a blue eagle swooped down from the sky, letting out a sharp cry as it approached. Mo Yu secured Little Doctor Fairy on his back, then leaped onto the eagle. The Blue Eagle circled the air once before soaring into the sky, quickly disappearing into the vast blue expanse.

As Qingshi Town slowly vanished from sight, Mo Yu felt a touch of nostalgia. This small town had been the starting point of his journey in the Dou Qi Continent. Perhaps, in the future, when he had achieved greatness, he would occasionally remember this small town nestled beneath the Magic Beast Mountain Range—where he had experienced his first life-threatening pursuit since his rebirth.

Under Little Doctor Fairy's guidance, they didn't fly straight across the Magic Beast Mountain Range but instead arrived at a place rich in energy.

Mo Yu was no stranger to this place. It was the same basin filled with medicinal herbs where he had once accompanied a group of herb gatherers. This time, however, under Little Doctor Fairy's lead, they flew directly into the basin's depths.

"What do you think? This place is amazing, right? This small valley is completely isolated from the outside world, and the sky is covered with thick fog, making it very well hidden. If it weren't for Little Lan accidentally finding it, I probably never would have discovered this secret place," Little Doctor Fairy said, her face slightly flushed as she smiled.

"Not bad," Mo Yu agreed as he scanned the valley, which was shrouded in a faint energy mist. He realized that the abundant energy here could benefit the growth of his Heavenly Thunder. If he stayed here long enough, he might even break through to the Three-Star Dou Shi level.

The valley was also filled with various rare herbs and materials that were hard to find in the outside world, making it an excellent place to stay for a while.

"Let's stay here for a while. The herbs I need to treat my injuries and for the Seven-Colored Poison Manual are all here," Little Doctor Fairy suggested, looking at Mo Yu hopefully.

"Sure," Mo Yu agreed. Although his ultimate goal was to reach the Mulan Empire, he knew that gaining more strength beforehand would be beneficial.

This secluded valley was a rare find, and Mo Yu was determined to use it to his advantage, aiming to break through to the Three-Star Dou Shi level. Even though the valley was isolated and could only be accessed by Little Doctor Fairy's Blue Eagle, Mo Yu wasn't concerned. With the Purple Flame and the Purple Cloud Wings, he could easily fly out if necessary.

Seeing that Mo Yu had agreed, Little Doctor Fairy nodded happily. She blew a whistle to let the Blue Eagle fly freely, then led Mo Yu to a small corner of the valley where a simple grass hut stood.

"This is something I built a while ago. It's a bit crude, but we can stay here for now," she said, blushing slightly.

"It's fine. I've stayed in caves in the Magic Beast Mountain Range before," Mo Yu replied with a smile. His thoughts briefly drifted back to a certain unexpected and intimate moment in a cave, causing his mind to wander.

"What's on your mind?" Little Doctor Fairy asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that with a beautiful companion by my side, living in a simple hut feels like paradise," Mo Yu replied as he carefully set Little Doctor Fairy down.

Her face flushed at his words, and her heart began to race. After a moment, she playfully glared at him and waved her small fist. "Don't get any ideas just because you're strong. If you try anything, I'll make you regret it."

"And what if I do try something?" Mo Yu teased, stroking his chin with a mischievous smile.

Little Doctor Fairy had endured suffering in the prison rather than betray Mo Yu's location, and he was touched by her loyalty. He now considered her a close friend.

"Hmph." She wrinkled her nose at him and waved her hand dismissively. "Just try it and see what happens. I'm going to gather herbs now; feel free to explore the area."

With that, she turned and headed toward a patch of herbs in the distance.

As Mo Yu watched her walk away, he couldn't help but shake his head. The future Heavenly Poison Empress was still so innocent and charming at this moment.

Unfortunately, as someone with the Woeful Poison Body, Little Doctor Fairy's fate was something that couldn't be easily changed. The most Mo Yu could do was help her control her condition.

Turning in the opposite direction, Mo Yu continued to explore the valley, observing the terrain as he went. The more he saw, the more puzzled he became.

The landscape here was unusual, with rare herbs growing in large clusters—something almost unheard of in the outside world. Additionally, the energy in this area was incredibly pure.

Every cause has its effect, and every effect has its cause.

A place filled with such pure energy couldn't have come into existence by chance. There had to be a secret behind it, though it wasn't easy to uncover.

As this thought crossed his mind, Mo Yu felt a growing sense of curiosity.

In his previous life, Mo Yu had often relied on this principle of cause and effect to explore the unknown, leading to many fortuitous encounters and great gains.

Unfortunately, with his current strength at just Two-Star Dou Shi, many of his methods were unusable.

Being in such a resource-rich place but not knowing how to uncover its secrets was indeed frustrating. However, recalling that in the original story, Little Doctor Fairy had brought Xiao Yan here and that even Yao Lao hadn't found anything suspicious, Mo Yu's frustration began to fade.

With a calmer mindset, Mo Yu focused on his training.

In the secluded valley, Mo Yu and Little Doctor Fairy quietly went about their respective routines—one focused on cultivating Dou Qi, while the other concentrated on studying poison techniques. They didn't disturb each other, leading to a peaceful and fulfilling life.

Having always relied on the feedback from his Heavenly Thunder for cultivation, Mo Yu initially found it difficult to adjust to absorbing the natural energy around him.

Breaking through to Three-Star Dou Shi proved more challenging than Mo Yu had anticipated. Despite the valley's abundant energy, he had only recently advanced to Two-Star Dou Shi, making it impossible to break through again in such a short time.

After nearly half a month of cultivation in the valley, Mo Yu's Dou Qi had become increasingly dense and refined, but the sensation of an impending breakthrough remained elusive.

Gradually, Mo Yu began to reduce the time he spent on Dou Qi cultivation each day, occasionally practicing his battle techniques instead.

In this leisurely lifestyle, Mo Yu even let Zihuo out for a walk now and then. While the Beast Ring's environment was nearly identical to the outside world, it still lacked the natural aura of the wild.

Every few days, Mo Yu would release Zihuo, allowing it to hunt magical beasts or devour medicinal herbs on its own.

However, as the sun began to set, Mo Yu frowned. By this time, Zihuo would usually return obediently, but there was no sign of it.

The soul imprint was still intact, so Zihuo couldn't have betrayed him. Just as Mo Yu was about to set out to search for it, a lion's roar echoed from the depths of the valley.

Hearing Zihuo's roar, Mo Yu couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled, as the meaning behind it was clear.

"Zihuo is telling me that there's a secret in the valley?"

(End of Chapter)