Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 11: Encountering Xiao Yan Again

"Brother Xiao Ning... lost!?"

As the crowd watched Xiao Ning, defeated and lying on the ground coughing up blood, a wave of shock quickly spread through the spectators after a brief moment of silence. The young members of the Xiao family were stunned, staring at Xiao Ning, who had been considered one of the strongest among them. Other than Xun'er, Xiao Ning was regarded as the most formidable among the younger generation of the Xiao family. Yet now, he had been defeated in a single move by Mo Yu. This unexpected turn of events left everyone at a loss for words.

"The strength Mo Yu just displayed... it was at the eighth stage of Dou Zhi Li, wasn't it?"

"And that technique Mo Yu used earlier, with the aura of thunder... I've never seen anything like it in the Xiao family before!"

The crowd gradually recovered from their shock, and murmurs of discussion began to fill the air. No one had expected that the usually low-key Mo Yu was actually a hidden genius!

"Mo Yu, cousin, you're really strong. I never expected that our Xiao family would have someone like you, besides cousin Xun'er," Xiao Ning admitted, still shaken by his defeat. Though he was arrogant and confident, he wasn't stupid. He quickly realized that Mo Yu's earlier attitude had been backed by real strength.

With this realization, the malice in Xiao Ning's eyes faded, replaced by deep wariness.

In the center of the training ground, Mo Yu remained calm and composed, showing no sign of pride or arrogance despite his overwhelming victory. He slowly walked off the training ground as if the match had been nothing more than a warm-up.

"The power of the Thunder Armor Body is impressive. Even though Xiao Ning's strength was mediocre, he still had the eighth stage of Dou Zhi Li and a mid-level yellow technique. Yet, I was able to defeat him easily using just two Thunder Marks. My hard training over the past few weeks has paid off," Mo Yu thought, feeling the immense power in his right arm. Xiao Ning had served as a free punching bag for him.

Having dealt with this inconvenience and read a fair amount of books, Mo Yu felt a bit tired and was about to leave when he noticed a familiar figure approaching from the left.

The figure was that of a young boy with a youthful face and a subtle expression, a mixture of seriousness and a faint smile. His demeanor was calm and carefree, as if nothing could disturb him.

"Oh, with that expression, it seems Xiao Yan has shaken off his previous despair and regained his spirit. Perhaps Yao Lao has made his appearance too," Mo Yu thought as he recognized the boy—Xiao Yan.

Over the past few months, Mo Yu had been entirely focused on improving his strength and hadn't had time to pay attention to the Xiao family or Xiao Yan's affairs. But now, by chance, they had crossed paths.

Xiao Yan also noticed Mo Yu. In the past few days, with Yao Lao's help, he had learned the reason for the disappearance of his Dou Zhi Qi and had begun his recovery. With the guidance of a top-tier alchemist like Yao Lao, Xiao Yan's strength and confidence were rapidly returning. However, he still remembered Mo Yu's encouragement during his lowest moments and felt deeply grateful.

Xiao Yan had come to the family's Dou Technique Hall to look for some suitable low-level techniques, but he hadn't expected to witness a match between Mo Yu and Xiao Ning. What surprised him even more was that Mo Yu had won! Apart from Xun'er, Xiao Ning was considered the Xiao family's top talent. Even Xiao Yan, who had recently started to recover his strength, didn't consider himself a match for Xiao Ning. Yet, Mo Yu had defeated him with a single move. Mo Yu was as mysterious and powerful as Xun'er.

"Brother Mo Yu, it's been a few months since we last met, and you've given me another surprise," Xiao Yan said calmly, despite his initial shock. The three years of hardship had tempered his spirit, allowing him to quickly regain his composure.

"You're not bad yourself, Xiao Yan. I imagine your strength has improved a lot recently," Mo Yu replied, his eyes sharp as he looked at the boy in front of him, as if trying to see through him. While others might not notice, Mo Yu's extraordinary soul perception detected that Xiao Yan had recently broken through to the fifth stage of Dou Zhi Li. A two-stage breakthrough in just two months confirmed Mo Yu's suspicion—Xiao Yan was about to soar to greatness.

Under Mo Yu's penetrating gaze, Xiao Yan felt as if he were standing naked. Fortunately, the intense scrutiny quickly passed, making him wonder if it had been an illusion.

"Hehe, you're too kind, Brother Mo Yu. I recently found out the cause of my problem, so my strength has recovered a bit," Xiao Yan said, revealing some information but keeping Yao Lao a secret. Yao Lao was his greatest secret, one that even his father didn't know about.

Mo Yu nodded inwardly, understanding the need for caution. Just as the Xuan Lei was his greatest secret, Yao Lao was equally vital to Xiao Yan. Having endured three years of hardship, Xiao Yan was no longer the naive child he once was and knew the importance of keeping certain things hidden.

After a brief conversation, the two ended their discussion and went about their own business. Before parting, Xiao Yan hesitated and then said, "By the way, Brother Mo Yu, the family is holding a gathering soon. I recommended you to my father, and he agreed to let you attend. If you have time, you should come and meet the family elders."

With his talent restored, Xiao Yan felt that the small family could no longer confine him. His two older brothers had already left to establish their own achievements, so he wanted to recommend Mo Yu to his father, hoping Mo Yu could become one of his father's trusted aides. However, seeing Mo Yu now, he realized that even the Xiao family or the entire Jia Ma Empire might not be able to contain his cousin.

As Xun'er had said, Mo Yu was not someone who would remain in a subordinate position for long. At this point, though talented, Xiao Yan's vision wasn't as sharp as Xun'er's.

Mo Yu was slightly taken aback by Xiao Yan's invitation but then nodded, saying, "Sure, I'll come if I have the time."

Attending a family gathering would be an acknowledgment of his talent by the Xiao family, signaling that he was worth their investment. Mo Yu was indifferent to it, though, as the Xiao family was just another stop on his journey.

Seeing Mo Yu agree, Xiao Yan sighed in relief. For some reason, he didn't want to see Mo Yu leave the Xiao family.

After setting a time for the family gathering, Mo Yu turned and left.

As Mo Yu's figure disappeared from view, Yao Lao's voice echoed in Xiao Yan's mind.

"What's going on? Isn't your Xiao family just a small clan in the empire? How come there are so many monsters? That little girl is one thing; her background isn't simple, but at least I can figure her out. But this cousin of yours, I can't even see through him. This is strange… Could it be some kind of Feng Shui issue with your family…?"

Hearing Yao Lao's muttering, Xiao Yan felt a bit dazed.

Brother Mo Yu, you really are a mystery...

(End of this chapter)