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**
At midnight, the desolate desert was silent. Several bonfires blazed in the campsite on a hillside, their flames soaring skyward, illuminating the area brightly.
Around these bonfires, groups of rugged men gathered, hoisting wine jars and laughing heartily. Cheers erupted as they clinked their jars together and downed the alcohol in one gulp.
Mo Yu sat by one of the bonfires, a slight smile on his face as he observed the flushed faces of these men who drank with such fervor. This kind of atmosphere was something he seldom experienced.
After a while, Mo Yu turned his head slightly, glancing toward Lan Bingbing, who had just entered her tent. A thoughtful gleam flickered in his silver eyes.
He had finally figured out why this Lan Clan young lady seemed faintly familiar.
The name Lan Bingbing, coupled with her somewhat recognizable face, reminded Mo Yu of his senior sister, Lan Yingying, whom he had somehow ended up acknowledging.
If his guess was correct, Lan Bingbing likely hailed from the same clan as Lan Yingying. As for their exact relationship, Mo Yu was unsure.
"Hey, what's this? Smitten with the young lady?" Lan Lie teased in a hushed tone as he suddenly approached while Mo Yu was watching Lan Bingbing's back.
Hearing this, Mo Yu was momentarily stunned before chuckling softly and shaking his head, not bothering to explain.
"Miss Bingbing is one of the 'Twin Beauties of the Lan Clan.' Not only is she stunning, but she also broke through to Dou Wang at a young age. Only the eldest daughter, the other twin, surpasses her in talent," Lan Lie said with a grin.
"The eldest daughter…" Mo Yu's silver eyes narrowed slightly at this mention.
After Lan Bingbing entered her tent, the bonfire gathering gradually came to an end as everyone prepared for the next day's journey.
Over the next few days, during their travels, Mo Yu's strength gradually recovered to about seventy to eighty percent after some rest and recuperation.
The injuries within his body healed rapidly under the dual effects of his Dou Qi and True Origin Devouring Thunder, surpassing even his expectations for recovery speed.
Despite his improving strength, Mo Yu remained low-key. Knowing that the Hun Clan had targeted him for assassination, he decided to maintain a low profile for the time being.
Still, Mo Yu noticed something peculiar during their journey. Lan Bingbing's attitude toward him seemed to have softened somewhat.
Tasks within the convoy that typically fell to him were reassigned by Lan Bingbing to Lan Lie, ensuring that Mo Yu didn't have to engage in any manual labor. This special treatment made Mo Yu chuckle bitterly.
Could women's intuition really be this sharp? He was confident he hadn't revealed any trace of his identity, yet Lan Bingbing seemed to sense something. Occasionally, her gaze would linger on him with faint doubt and contemplation.
Moreover, she frequently sought him out for casual conversations during their downtime. However, these conversations often subtly probed into Mo Yu's background and origins.
Naturally, with Mo Yu's years of experience, he never let anything slip. His ambiguous and half-true responses always left Lan Bingbing empty-handed.
This futile effort frustrated Lan Bingbing, as she felt like she was striking at air.
Unbeknownst to Mo Yu, while he had perfectly concealed his aura, his striking appearance and unique temperament made him stand out like a bright moon among stars.
While Lan Lie and the others, due to their limited experiences, failed to notice this, Lan Bingbing, who had seen much of the world, became increasingly curious about Mo Yu's origins.
Their journey passed quickly amidst Lan Bingbing's persistent probing. On the fifth day, as they were setting up camp, a messenger bird bearing the Lan Clan crest flew in from the direction of Xi Huang City.
Lan Bingbing took the letter from the bird and unfolded it. As her gaze scanned the contents, her beautiful face gradually turned cold, and a flash of anger appeared in her eyes.
The previously lively camp fell silent as the crowd noticed her expression. Everyone stood up, their gazes fixed on Lan Bingbing at the center.
"Young miss, what's the matter?" Lan Lie asked solemnly.
"It's a letter from the family. It says the Tang Clan is planning to make a move against us. We must be vigilant," Lan Bingbing replied, her voice icy as she clenched the letter in her jade-like hand.
"The Tang Clan? Damn those bastards!" Furious curses erupted from the surrounding men upon hearing the name.
"What are they scheming now?" Lan Lie frowned.
Lan Bingbing's long lashes fluttered as she spoke in a calm yet chilling tone, "The Tang Clan patriarch wants me to marry Tang San. But ultimately, their goal is to annex the Lan Clan and become the sole overlord of Xi Huang City."
Her words darkened the expressions of many younger members of the convoy. The Tang Clan's demands had clearly provoked their ire.
"Damn it! Does the Tang Clan think our Lan Clan is a pushover? How dare they make such shameless demands!" Lan Lie roared.
Ignoring Lan Lie's outburst, Lan Bingbing's cold gaze shifted to the silver-eyed youth seated by the fire.
Mo Yu, however, appeared unfazed, poking at the fire absently as if oblivious to the conversation. Lan Bingbing frowned slightly before looking away and ordering coldly, "Tomorrow, we'll enter the region around Xi Huang City. Everyone, stay alert."
"Yes, miss!"
The group responded in unison.
As Lan Bingbing disappeared from view, the camp's tension eased somewhat. However, the looming threat of the Tang Clan cast a shadow over the group.
Breaking the silence, Mo Yu finally straightened up, stretching lazily before asking, "Brother Lan, is the Tang Clan that powerful?"
Lan Lie sighed bitterly. "To be honest, the Tang Clan is the strongest in Xi Huang City. Even our Lan Clan is slightly inferior.
The real issue is their ties to Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion. The Tang Clan's most talented disciple, Tang Ying, is a direct disciple of the pavilion. Without that connection, they wouldn't dare act so brazenly, even with our eldest young miss's background."
"Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion?" Mo Yu's eyes flickered with recognition.
He hadn't expected to hear about one of the Four Pavilions—Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion—so soon after arriving in Central Plains.
"Pavilion or not, if the Tang Clan dares to act, I'll make sure to take a few of them down with me before I fall," a young guard growled furiously.
Lan Lie didn't take such heated words to heart. Patting Mo Yu on the shoulder, he said, "Brother Mo Yu, it seems trouble is brewing for our Lan Clan. Once we reach Xi Huang City, I'll have the young miss prepare some funds for you. You should leave to avoid being dragged into this mess."
Mo Yu smiled faintly but didn't respond.
"Alright, everyone, rest up. Double the guards tonight, and stay sharp tomorrow. Once we're back in the family estate, we should be safe," Lan Lie said, standing up and waving his hand before leaving.
Watching Lan Lie's weary figure, Mo Yu dusted off his hands, greeted the group, and headed to his tent. As he entered, he muttered to himself,
"Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion… the weight of favors is truly heavy."
The sun shone brightly, with not a cloud in the vast blue sky.
A caravan galloped wildly down a broad road, kicking up a billowing trail of dust.
"Stay alert! We're about to enter the territory of Xi Huang City!"
A stern shout broke through the galloping noise, instantly putting everyone on edge. Their gazes fell on a road sign up ahead, and their hands instinctively reached for the weapons on their backs. Even their reins grew damp with sweat as they gripped them tightly.
The caravan charged forward like a herd of enraged bulls, thundering past the road sign in mere moments.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Suddenly, a chorus of piercing whistles echoed in the air as countless arrows erupted from the surrounding woods, raining down upon the caravan.
Caught off guard by the ambush, many were startled, but their earlier preparations paid off. Energies flared as streams of Dou Qi deflected the incoming arrows.
A mocking laugh emerged from the trees, followed by a large group of shadowy figures spilling out, sealing the road to Xi Huang City. Leading the pack were two elderly men, whose presence immediately drew the focus of Lan Lie and his guards.
The elders wore pale yellow robes with identical yellow badges adorning their chests.
"The Tang Clan," someone muttered under their breath, causing Lan Lie's pupils to constrict.
"Miss Lan Bingbing, please step out. The two of us have come specifically for you," one elder announced with a faint smile, his gaze fixed on the carriage shielding Lan Bingbing.
The carriage door creaked open, and a beautiful young woman stepped down gracefully. Her frosty expression betrayed no emotion as she locked eyes with the two elders, a cold smirk tugging at her lips.
"To think the Tang Clan would send both Elder Tang Mu and Elder Tang Huo just to capture little old me. I'm truly honored."
Though she spoke mockingly, her heart sank. Both elders were five-star Dou Huangs; together, they posed an insurmountable threat.
"No need for pleasantries. We're merely following orders. Come quietly," Tang Mu said flatly, his eyes sweeping over Lan Bingbing.
"Dream on!"
A cold glint flashed in Lan Bingbing's eyes as she gripped her hand tightly, summoning a sword that gleamed like a serpent's scales.
"Oh, the Snake-Scale Sword. The Lan Clan's craftsmanship is impressive, though it's a pity your clan is so stubborn," Tang Mu remarked with a shake of his head. Growing impatient, he took a step forward, his figure vanishing and reappearing before Lan Bingbing in a blink.
A surge of formidable green Dou Qi burst from his palm, enveloping Lan Bingbing and cutting off all her escape routes.
Lan Bingbing's face paled at the overwhelming energy, but she clenched her teeth and retaliated with her own palm strike.
Boom! The collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, forcing everyone nearby to retreat hastily. Lan Bingbing herself was sent flying back, barely stabilizing after ten stumbling steps.
"To withstand one of my strikes, you do have some skill. No wonder the young master is interested in you," Tang Mu remarked, standing firm while glancing at her with indifference. Without giving her time to recover, he lunged again, his palm strike even fiercer than before.
Facing the escalating pressure, despair flickered in Lan Bingbing's eyes. Against a Dou Huang, resistance was futile.
But just as Tang Mu's attack was about to land, an invisible force suddenly materialized, effortlessly deflecting his strike and forcing him back several steps.
The unexpected intervention stunned everyone. Lan Bingbing, frozen for a moment, turned sharply, her gaze locking onto Mo Yu's carriage.
"Sigh. To bully the young while parading your seniority—old man, it seems your cultivation has only thickened your skin."
Amid the shocked silence, a voice, laced with mockery, echoed from the carriage.
The sudden turn of events shifted the tense atmosphere. Tang Mu and Tang Huo scanned the surroundings cautiously before speaking. "Friend, this is a matter between the Tang and Lan Clans. Please, for the sake of the Tang Clan, refrain from interfering."
Meanwhile, Lan Lie's group searched their surroundings with growing curiosity and hope. Their clan's precarious situation left them doubtful that reinforcements could arrive.
Lan Bingbing, however, stared directly at the carriage. She had a sharp intuition for details and couldn't ignore the similarity between this voice and Mo Yu's. Adding to her suspicion was the enigmatic aura that seemed to shroud the silver-eyed youth.
The faint creak of the carriage door pulled everyone's attention.
A silver-eyed young man dressed in simple linen robes stepped down leisurely.
"Mo Yu!?"
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For exclusive access to 500+ advanced chapters and more, visit my Ko-fi page and support the journey:
ko-fi.com/laoyao95
Laoyao with L yeahh..thanks for the support.
or Support me at patreon for 500+ advanced chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk