BTTH : I am Thunder Emperor

The next day, the morning sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the young man who was sitting cross-legged on the bed in its warm glow. 

"Hoo…" 

After sitting in meditation for a long time, Mo Yu took a deep breath, and a red current of lightning flowed through his nose and mouth, nourishing his bones from within. 

His eyes suddenly snapped open, and a flash of lightning passed through them. Stretching lazily, Mo Yu murmured to himself, "The power of the Thunder Soul isn't enough anymore. It seems I've hit a bottleneck in my cultivation." 

It had been a day since the clan's test. After casually encouraging Xiao Yan and planting a "goodwill card," Mo Yu had returned to his closed-door cultivation. 

However, unlike the rapid progress he'd made in the past few days, his advancement had slowed significantly. 

"It seems it's time to figure out a way to boost my strength," Mo Yu muttered. 

Getting out of bed without hurry, he stretched his body and changed into a blue robe. Outside the door, an elderly and kindly voice called out, "Yu'er, still not up?" 

"Grandpa, I'm awake," Mo Yu responded. Over the past few days, he had begun to grow accustomed to his grandfather by circumstance. 

TN : by circumstance meaning his body circumstance.

In his previous two lives, Mo Yu had been an orphan and had little concept of family. In this life, although both his parents had passed, having a grandfather made up for some of that loss. 

"Yu'er, some esteemed guests are visiting the clan today. I'll be attending to them up front. I've already prepared your lunch for later, so help yourself when you're hungry. No need to wait for me," the old man said, his tone filled with the careful concern of a teacher. 

Mo Yu could only smile wryly at this. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but the old man clearly wasn't about to stop fussing over him. 

Still, this sort of familial care was something Mo Yu had never experienced before and found oddly comforting. 

At the mention of "esteemed guests," Mo Yu's mind stirred, recalling the infamous engagement annulment scene that was about to unfold. 

However, he had no desire to get involved. 

For one, his status wasn't high enough to participate in such internal matters of the Xiao Clan. After all, he didn't have the same background as Xun Er. Secondly, his focus right now was on power, not gossip. 

With that in mind, Mo Yu suddenly felt a bit embarrassed as he asked the old man beside him, "Grandpa, do you have any money?" 

The old man paused, startled. "Money? Yu'er, do you need money?" 

"Yes, grandpa. I need to buy a few things," Mo Yu said frankly, not hiding his intentions from the kind old man. 

The old man chuckled. "Yu'er, you're growing up, knowing how to use money now. Wait here, I'll get some for you." 

Without waiting for Mo Yu to say more, the old man hurried back into the house, rummaging through boxes and drawers. 

Not long after, he returned with a small wooden box, carefully opening it to reveal a gleam of gold that made Mo Yu squint slightly. 

"This is all my savings, a total of 700 gold coins. I'll give it all to you today," the old man said firmly, handing the box to Mo Yu with an unwavering attitude that left no room for refusal. 

Feeling the rough, wrinkled skin of the old man's hand, and realizing that this was his life's savings, Mo Yu hesitated, guilt welling up in his chest. "Grandpa…" 

Before Mo Yu could finish, the old man interrupted, "Enough. I was worried you'd think it wasn't enough. If it weren't for the incident with your father a few years ago…" 

As he spoke, the old man's eyes grew misty, clearly touched by painful memories. 

Seeing this, Mo Yu's brows furrowed tightly. 

His original body's mother had died in childbirth, and when it came to his father's death, no matter how much Mo Yu gently inquired, the old man's answers remained vague. 

This only confirmed Mo Yu's suspicion that there was some unspeakable reason behind his father's death—perhaps something that even the Xiao Clan couldn't afford to provoke. 

Mo Yu made a silent vow: once he had sufficient strength, he would uncover the truth of his father's death. 

Although he had no personal attachment to this unseen father, he couldn't allow his grandfather to continue bearing the pain of losing a son in vain. 

"Grandpa, this is more than enough. Don't worry. In a while, I'll pay you back 1,000 gold coins," Mo Yu declared confidently. 

He wasn't making empty promises. To him, 1,000 gold coins were hardly worth mentioning. He already had a clear plan for using these 700 gold coins. 

The old man smiled warmly. "Yu'er, your heart is in the right place. But there's no need to repay me; this money was always meant for you to use freely." 

After a few more words of advice, the old man left the room. 

Mo Yu felt a deep warmth in his heart. 

After the old man left, Mo Yu packed up the coins and headed out of the Xiao Clan's estate. Along the way, he encountered several clan members. Since the test the day before, Mo Yu's name had begun spreading among the younger generation, and many greeted him as they passed. 

Mo Yu only exchanged polite pleasantries. Apart from Xun Er and Xiao Yan, no one in the Xiao Clan was worth his time. 

However, in the midst of the chatter, Mo Yu picked up on familiar names—Yun Lan Sect and Nalan Yanran—sparking his curiosity about the upcoming annulment drama. 

He quickly brushed aside these thoughts, focusing instead on his immediate goal. Once outside the clan grounds, Mo Yu slowed his pace, leisurely wandering through the bustling streets. 

Wu Tan City, as one of the larger cities in the Jia Ma Empire, was lively and prosperous. Despite the scorching midday sun, the streets were still packed with people, and now and then, he even caught glimpses of exotic races. 

Mo Yu had a clear objective: Thunder Cloud Crystal, Fire Salpeter, and Fire Black Iron... 

These materials wouldn't directly enhance his strength, but they would allow him to craft a type of hidden weapon called Thunder Fire Bead 

As its name suggested, the Thunder Fire Bead combined both lightning and fire elements. Once infused with dou qi and thrown, even a Dou Shi would be gravely injured—or worse, killed—if caught off guard. 

With only 700 gold coins, Mo Yu's funds were limited. He needed to expand them before he could purchase cultivation resources. 

And the Thunder Fire Bead was his solution. 

On the Shen Xiao Continent, unlike the Dou Qi Continent where alchemists reigned supreme, there were many revered professions, including weapon refiners. 

In his previous life, Mo Yu had been an outstanding weapon refining grandmaster. Creating Thunder Fire Bead was child's play to him. 

Additionally, he was confident that selling Thunder Fire Bead wouldn't be a problem. After all, Wu Tan City was teeming with mercenaries. Mo Yu was certain they'd be more than willing to spend a hefty sum for a powerful trump card like the Thunder Fire Bead. 

With a plan in mind, Mo Yu eagerly began his shopping spree. Fortunately, these materials were quite common on the Dou Qi Continent, and within an hour, he had gathered everything he needed. 

After making his purchases, the original 700 gold coins had dwindled to just 200. However, Mo Yu wasn't discouraged. Looking at the materials in his hands, the young man smiled confidently. 

"With everything ready, it's time to start making some money."