บท 115: Chapter 115: Nalan Yanran's Suspicion
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As Mo Yu entered Yan City, he was struck by the dazzling variety of shops lining the streets.
After walking down a street, Mo Yu sneered, "Two-thirds of the stores on this street have the character 'Mo' in their names. The Mo Clan truly deserves its reputation as the overlord of Yan City."
"Indeed, the Mo Clan has thrived over the years. They weren't even as powerful as our Ye Clan back in the day, but with the support of the Yun Lan Sect, they gradually rose to become the foremost family in the northeastern region," Ye Cong remarked as he glanced around.
"Fortunately, the Yun Lan Sect cut ties with them. Otherwise, at this pace, the Mo Clan could have truly unified all the forces in the East and become a dominant power," Ye Cong continued, his gaze shifting to the young man beside him.
The reasons behind the Yun Lan Sect's sudden severance of relations with the Mo Clan puzzled many. Even the Ye Clan had sent people to the Yun Lan Sect to inquire, only to learn that the decision was made personally by Yun Yun, the sect's leader.
No one knew why Yun Yun had suddenly grown to dislike the Mo Clan, ignoring the opposition of many elders in the sect to sever ties with them. Even the senior elders within the Yun Lan Sect were left in the dark, leading to a multitude of wild guesses and speculations.
However, Ye Cong had a faint suspicion that the young man beside him might know something more, as Mo Yu had learned of the news before the Yun Lan Sect's official announcement.
Yet, Mo Yu only pretended to be oblivious, admiring the scenery of Yan City, leaving Ye Cong with a helpless smile.
While the main force for attacking the Mo Clan came from the Ye Clan, the balance of power between the two sides was maintained by Mo Yu's strategic plans and high-level combat strength. Thus, Ye Cong couldn't force Mo Yu to reveal any secrets he preferred to keep hidden.
As for Mo Yu, he had no intention of divulging his relationship with Yun Yun until he had sufficient strength to back it up.
After all, he was still relatively unknown and weak, while Yun Yun was the leader of the most powerful sect in the Jia Ma Empire. The difference in status between them was too great, making their relationship seem like that of a toad lusting after a swan.
Lost in thought, Mo Yu halted his steps and glanced at a lavish inn named "Mo Suo Flower Courtyard" along the street. Turning to Ye Cong, he suggested, "Let's rest here for a while."
Memorizing the name of the inn, Ye Cong nodded, then leaned closer to Mo Yu and whispered, "Alright. But I'll first go meet with the old ancestor, then come find you later. We'll head to the Mo Clan to offer birthday greetings tomorrow."
Mo Yu nodded in agreement. A few days earlier, the Ye Clan had secretly dispatched several elite groups to Yan City. Although Ye Fan was overseeing them, Ye Cong going to coordinate further wouldn't hurt.
After settling their plan, Ye Cong quietly left with the majority of the Ye Clan's forces, leaving behind Ye Zhen, whom Mo Yu had met a few times.
Having witnessed Mo Yu's abilities firsthand, Ye Zhen treated him with deep respect, considering him as influential as the clan head. Mo Yu found this amusing. Ye Zhen's strength was probably comparable to Xiao Zhan's. In just over a year since his rebirth, Mo Yu had already reached a point where he could command Da Dou Shi as he pleased—his progress was decent.
Entering the opulent inn, Mo Yu scanned the area and found that the lobby was already filled with people.
After listening in on some of their conversations, he realized that most of these individuals were guests from other regions who had come to offer birthday wishes to the Mo Clan's elder.
With a cold smile, Mo Yu approached the counter and requested two rooms. The inn's attendant, a pretty young woman, glanced at him and replied sweetly, "Sir, may I ask if you have an invitation from the Mo Clan?"
"Invitation?" Mo Yu asked, turning to Ye Zhen. "Do you have one?"
Ye Zhen was momentarily stunned before shaking his head. "No."
Mo Yu wasn't surprised. The Mo Clan's invitations were likely only extended to friendly factions since their primary goal for the celebration was to form an alliance under their leadership.
As the major clans shared similar strength and mutual distrust, the Mo Clan probably wouldn't invite the other three clans to avoid any disruptions.
"I'm sorry, sir, but in recent days, all the inns in Yan City have been booked by the Mo Clan. These establishments only serve guests of the Mo Clan," the attendant responded with a polite smile.
"What an overbearing Mo Clan," Mo Yu said, fiddling with an ornament on the counter, a cold smile on his face.
The attendant froze, clearly taken aback. It was the first time she'd heard someone criticize the Mo Clan so openly in Yan City, leaving her standing awkwardly.
"Where did this country bumpkin come from, daring to insult my Mo Clan in Yan City?"
As the atmosphere grew tense, a woman's sneering voice suddenly cut through the air from Mo Yu's left.
Hearing this, Mo Yu's eyes turned cold. He glanced in the direction of the voice and saw a group of young people.
The group was clearly youthful, with a woman in a tight red outfit at its center. Her figure was exceptionally voluptuous, her skirt barely reaching her thighs and revealing long, slender legs.
Many men in the lobby cast admiring glances at those legs, their eyes flashing with desire.
Mo Yu's gaze lingered on the red-clad woman holding a whip, and he recognized her as the same woman who had recklessly ridden her horse through the city gate earlier—the one known as the Mo Clan's second miss.
Seeing her arrogance, Mo Yu's eyes filled with a mocking smile. In his mind, all members of the Mo Clan deserved death.
"Brat, you're asking for it!" The woman snapped when she caught sight of Mo Yu's disdainful expression. With a flick of her wrist, the whip lashed toward him like a dark shadow.
But just as it was about to strike him, crimson thunder suddenly appeared, incinerating the whip instantly. The electric charge then turned into a ferocious red serpent that shot toward the red-clad woman.
The temperature in the lobby skyrocketed as the crackling of electricity filled the air.
Those who recognized the power of the red thunder gasped in shock. "True Thunder?!"
The streak of crimson thunder hurtled directly toward the woman's face, promising to leave her disfigured even if she managed to survive.
But just before the lightning reached her, a figure darted in from outside, grabbing the woman and swiftly dodging the bolt of energy.
"Younger brother, it was Ling Lin who acted impulsively earlier. Please, for the sake of my Mo Clan, don't hold it against her." A middle-aged man stepped forward, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture towards Mo Yu.
He glanced at the scorch mark left on the solid stone floor where the thunder had struck. The sight made him and the surrounding onlookers realize the terrifying power that the young man possessed.
"Oh? The Mo Clan. Alright, I'll give you Mo Clan some face."
To everyone's surprise, Mo Yu didn't escalate the confrontation. Instead, he offered a surprising deference once the Mo Clan's name was mentioned, defusing the situation.
Seeing this, some of the onlookers sneered at Mo Yu, dismissing him as a pretentious braggart who lacked true courage.
If there were someone present with strong soul power, they would have noticed that although Mo Yu's words just now were calm, a hint of killing intent flashed deep within his eyes.
Mo Yu's decision to back down was not out of compassion, but rather because this was not the right time to act. Otherwise, it would alert the enemy, making future actions more difficult.
Seeing the situation, Ye Zhen quickly spoke up, "This is a distinguished guest of the Ye family of Black Rock City, here with our patriarch to attend the birthday celebration of your noble elder!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze focused back on the young man. The Ye family of Black Rock City was on par with the Mo family of Yan City as one of the four major families. If this young man was personally accompanied by the Ye family patriarch, could he have a powerful background?
"Hehe, so you're a guest of the Ye family of Black Rock City. My apologies. When I return, I will ensure that the head of the family properly reprimands Ling Lin." The middle-aged man quickly realized the youth's extraordinary status and immediately offered a polite smile.
Though he couldn't ascertain the young man's exact background, the power of the crimson thunder he wielded was formidable, and given his youth and connections with the Ye family, he would definitely order the clan to investigate this young man's background.
As for why the Ye family had come to Yan City to celebrate the Mo family's birthday, the middle-aged man did not question it. After all, rumors about the Ye family's elder encountering problems during closed-door training were widely known. Despite losing the protection of the Yun Lan Sect, the Mo family still remained the top of the four families, so it was only natural for the Ye family to seek their favor.
Mo Yu, on the other hand, paid no mind to Ye Zhen revealing part of his background, not at all concerned that the Mo family would immediately uncover his identity.
After all, his Vermilion Burning Sky Thunder had undergone a complete transformation since his time in Wu Tan City. Who could have imagined that the once mere Dou Zhe genius of the Xiao family would progress so rapidly in just half a year?
The middle-aged man then said courteously, "Honored guest of the Ye family, all the inns in Yan City have been reserved by the Mo family for the next few days. So even if you search the whole city, you won't find a place to stay.
To make amends, I will have the finest rooms prepared for you immediately. I hope you can accept the Mo family's apology."
Hearing this, Mo Yu nodded without objection. Just as the middle-aged man was about to lead them, a crisp, bell-like laughter drifted in from outside the door.
"Hehe, Ling Lin, why are you crying so pitifully? Could it be that someone dares to wrong you in Yan City?"
The ethereal laugh, like the toll of an ancient bell in a deep mountain, resonated throughout the hall, causing everyone to shudder. Eyes immediately turned towards the entrance.
Mo Yu, upon hearing this voice, paused as if recalling something, and waited along with everyone else in the hall for the owner of this beautiful voice to appear.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man and Ye Zhen exchanged a glance and also stopped in their tracks.
Shortly after the woman's gentle laughter echoed, a figure dressed in an elegant pale moon-white gown slowly appeared in everyone's view.
As their eyes fell upon the graceful figure entering through the door, all the men in the hall held their breath, their gazes fixated on the woman.
She wore a wide-sleeved, form-fitting moon-white robe, with a light silver belt cinched at her slender waist, perfectly accentuating her graceful figure.
This newly arrived woman, clad in a moon-white gown, far surpassed the red-dressed woman in both charm and beauty. Standing together, they were like a stark contrast, making others feel a sense of inferiority.
The red-dressed woman looked stunned at the elegant figure walking through the door with a smile, and after a brief pause, she quickly remembered the woman's identity. Her expression brightened, and she immediately ran towards her.
Halfway there, she recalled the current strained relationship between the Mo family and the Yun Lan Sect. Her steps faltered for a moment, but she eventually continued, smiling with a hint of grievance, "Sister Nalan, why are you here too?"
This woman was none other than Nalan Yanran, once betrothed to Xiao Yan with a three-year agreement.
After the Mo family's falling out with the Yun Lan Sect, the relationship between the red-dressed Ling Lin and Nalan Yanran naturally grew strained, leaving Ling Lin uncertain about Nalan Yanran's attitude towards her.
Nalan Yanran, with her keen mind, noticed the subtle changes in Ling Lin's expression but chose not to comment on it.
She herself was perplexed as to why her master had suddenly severed all ties with the Mo family. After all, the Mo family had been a significant source of resources for the Yun Lan Sect, a large portion of which ended up with the various elders.
As the Yun Lan Sect's leader, Yun Yun's decision inevitably alienated many high-ranking members of the sect. Nalan Yanran had repeatedly tried to probe her master's reasons for doing so, but to no avail.
However, though she couldn't uncover anything, she had keenly observed that her master often drifted into contemplation during cultivation and frequently muttered a name to herself. Though Nalan Yanran couldn't hear the full name, she caught a faint hint of a "Mo" sound.
To Nalan Yanran, her master had always been the epitome of calm and grace. Even the renowned Alchemist King Gu He from the Jia Ma Empire had never managed to capture her master's attention.
Yet, such a composed and refined person appeared to be preoccupied with someone. This inevitably aroused Nalan Yanran's intense curiosity.
She began to suspect that her master might have fallen for someone from the Mo family, only to be betrayed, prompting her to sever ties with the entire Mo family in a fit of rage.
While this theory was somewhat far-fetched, Nalan Yanran, who had not yet experienced the blow of the three-year agreement, still believed in it with youthful conviction.
Seizing the opportunity of the Mo family's birthday banquet, she sneaked out of the sect and came here.
Noticing Ling Lin's awkward smile, Nalan Yanran, with her sharp wit, immediately reassured her with a sweet smile, "I am here today on behalf of the Nalan family to celebrate the Mo elder's birthday. You don't need to overthink it, Ling Lin."
With these words, much of the tension in the room dissipated. After all, it would have been extremely contradictory if Nalan Yanran, the Yun Lan Sect leader's disciple, had come to the Mo family right after the sect announced the severance of ties. The Mo family would have been put in a difficult position, unsure whether to receive her or not.
At this moment, Nalan Yanran's other identity came into play. As the esteemed daughter of the Nalan family, one of the empire's three great families, her status was undeniably high, even without her position as Yun Lan Sect's disciple.
With her explanation, the people in the hall nodded in understanding. Although they were unaware of when the Mo family had reconnected with the Nalan family, it clearly wasn't their concern.
Ling Lin and the middle-aged man, upon hearing this, were both visibly relieved. If they could truly align themselves with the Nalan family, the Mo family would have a new pillar of support.
The Nalan family might not be as influential as the Yun Lan Sect, but it was still one of the empire's three great families, boasting Dou Wang powerhouses.
However, while everyone had their own thoughts, they were oblivious to the fact that Nalan Yanran had secretly come out, merely to find the lover who had abandoned her master...
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