Chapter 63: The Fire Shield

Chapter 63: The Fire Shield

In the pitch-black night sky, a crescent moon hung high, casting its cool, pale light over the earth. In a small, dim forest, a faint campfire flickered, its gentle flames bringing a touch of warmth to the otherwise silent darkness.

Next to the fire, a young man leaned against a tree. The flickering firelight illuminated his handsome face. It had been three days since Mo Yu left Wu Tan City after parting ways with Xiao Yan. The comfortable life he had enjoyed for over a year in the city made it somewhat difficult for him to adjust to the wilderness.

However, Mo Yu wasn't some naive young man fresh out of the city. After three days, he had gradually adapted to the rigors of this outdoor journey. His goal was the Ten Thousand Beasts Valley in the Mu Lan Empire. But before heading there, it would be best to strengthen his abilities a bit more.

After all, the Mu Lan Empire bordered the Jia Ma Empire and was known to have many powerful individuals. According to what Mo Yu knew, while the Mu Lan Empire didn't have any Dou Zong (Battle Ancestor) powerhouses, it did have three peak Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) experts, commonly known as the "Mu Lan Three Elders."

These three elders had not yet stepped into the Dou Zong realm, but they had mastered a combined Dou Technique known as the Three Beasts Wild Desolation Art. When they used this fusion technique, even a Dou Zong expert would need to be wary of them. In the original story, these three had caused Xiao Yan's newly founded Flame Alliance quite a bit of trouble.

However, Mo Yu, familiar with the original plot, also knew the technique had a weakness. If any one of the three elders was interrupted, the technique couldn't be completed. While it was unlikely that Mo Yu would run into these elders on this journey, he kept the possibility in mind, just in case.

The long night stretched on. For a cultivator like Mo Yu, sleep was no longer a necessity. Under the cool moonlight, he quietly sat down and began his meditation.

…

After a night of cultivation, although his Dou Qi progress was slow, Mo Yu didn't feel tired. Instead, his spirit was energized, and a spark of light flickered in his eyes. When the sun rose, he resumed his journey for the day.

The scorching heat of the sun cracked the earth, and as Mo Yu's feet pressed into the dry ground, a wave of heat surged up from the ground, making travelers curse the unbearable weather as they dripped with sweat.

Compared to the sweltering dirt roads, the dense forest was much cooler. Inside the shady forest, Mo Yu leaped gracefully over obstacles and crossed streams of unknown depth, moving through the rugged terrain as if it were a smooth, paved road.

"Using Swift Flash to travel is pretty efficient, but it's a shame that Extreme Lightning Technique is only a mid-tier Xuan class technique. If I can't further develop the Heavenly Gang Thunder Body, my Dou Qi will be insufficient to keep using this technique."

Traveling by using the Nine Flashing Dragon movement technique not only saved time but also served as a form of training. However, after just one hour, Mo Yu had already consumed 60-70% of his Dou Qi.

Shaking his head, Mo Yu glanced northeast, hoping that after devouring the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, his lightning attribute would reach its peak and allow him to further evolve the Heavenly Gang Thunder Body.

To conserve Dou Qi, Mo Yu refrained from using the Swift Flash technique for the rest of his journey. Fortunately, he reached a small town near the Magical Beast Mountain Range before nightfall.

The town, called Qingshan Town, was also known as "Magical Beast Town" due to its proximity to the mountain range. The majority of the town's population consisted of mercenaries who lived on the edge, often risking their lives in pursuit of wealth.

When Mo Yu heard the town's name, his brows twitched slightly. If he remembered correctly, this was the town where the Little Doctor Fairy (Xiao Yixian) was making a living.

Mo Yu was quite curious about this beautiful but ill-fated woman. Due to his interference, Xiao Yan had no connection with her anymore. This was certainly good for Xun'er, but without Xiao Yan's help, the Little Doctor Fairy might not be able to condense the poison pill necessary to control her Terrifying Poison Body on her own.

While Mo Yu felt somewhat guilty, he wasn't overly remorseful. After all, this was a harsh world, and his actions had only slightly altered the course of events. The sun still rose in the east and set in the west as usual.

If the opportunity arose, Mo Yu wouldn't mind lending the Little Doctor Fairy a hand. The terrifying poison generated by her Terrifying Poison Body was a deadly threat to most people, but for him, it might be a great asset. After all, the profound thunder within his body had an affinity for devouring such toxic substances.

After a brief thought, Mo Yu dismissed these ideas. Who knew if the original story had changed due to his presence? Perhaps the Little Doctor Fairy had already left Qingshan Town.

Walking down the cobbled streets, Mo Yu, with his fair skin and handsome appearance, drew many curious glances. Some of the gazes even harbored ill intentions, with a few people staring at him with lecherous looks.

Frowning, Mo Yu casually tossed a Thunderfire Bead in their direction. With a loud explosion, one of the mercenaries was instantly blasted into a life-threatening state.

Seeing Mo Yu take action so decisively, without even a word of warning, the injured mercenary's companions were naturally furious and prepared to avenge him. However, when Mo Yu quietly pulled out a few more Thunderfire Beads, their expressions quickly changed.

Having witnessed the destructive power of the bead, the remaining mercenaries broke out in cold sweat. Not wanting to lose their lives over their comrade, they quickly backed down.

Without showing any emotion, Mo Yu walked past them. These Thunderfire Beads were ones he had crafted during his travels, and their power had significantly increased. Even a five- or six-star Dou Practitioner wouldn't be able to withstand them, making them perfect for dealing with minor threats.

The streets were lined with many shops, and thanks to the town's strategic location, business was booming. Mo Yu casually scanned the well-lit stores, but his attention was caught by a particularly large herbal shop. He paused for a moment before deciding to step inside the store, which had a sign reading "Ten Thousand Medicines."

Inside the spacious store, moonstones hanging from the walls illuminated the room as if it were daytime. The shop was bustling with customers, and the staff were busy tending to them, leaving Mo Yu unattended for the moment.

After casually browsing the items in the shop, Mo Yu shook his head in disappointment. While there were some decent materials for crafting, none of them were particularly useful to him at the moment.

Just as Mo Yu was about to leave empty-handed, something caught his eye. Through the glass display counter, he spotted a small, purple-black stone tucked away in a corner. His gaze fixed on it for a moment before he stepped forward and leaned down to take a closer look.

"Hey… Could you bring that out for me?" Mo Yu asked a passing store clerk, pulling his eyes away from the stone with a calm yet slightly eager expression.

The young clerk glanced at Mo Yu, his well-dressed appearance catching the clerk's attention. His eyes lit up as he quickly obliged, shooting a fawning smile. "That's Black Crystal Stone, a mid-tier material. It's priced at 3,000 gold coins."

"As I thought, it's the Purple Crystal Stone—one of the main materials for crafting a Fire Shield!" Mo Yu murmured to himself, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

(End of chapter)