Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 190: The Royal Blood Fruit and Yan Li

"Ya Fei, you're here," Mo Yu said with a light smile as he noticed the beautiful woman approaching him.

After greeting the elders, Ya Fei quietly slipped over to sit beside Mo Yu, her face lighting up with a bright smile. "This is the alchemist tournament that only happens once every eight years—I couldn't miss it."

"Oh? Miss Ya Fei seems to know Mr. Mo Yu quite well," said Yao Ye, sitting on the other side of Mo Yu. Her eyes flashed with a hint of something not quite natural.

As a princess of the empire, Yao Ye was accustomed to receiving admiration and reverence from everyone. However, Mo Yu's cold indifference towards her was a stark contrast to the warm welcome he showed Ya Fei, which slightly bruised the proud princess's ego.

"Mo Yu and I have known each other since the days in Wu Tan City, so it's normal that Princess Yao Ye wouldn't know about it," Ya Fei replied, noticing the surprise in Yao Ye's eyes. She intentionally spoke with a hint of intimacy in her voice.

With two stunning beauties sitting on either side of Mo Yu, the atmosphere around the VIP section began to heat up. Some of the younger men who harbored fantasies about the two women were consumed with envy and jealousy as they stared at Mo Yu. However, remembering the rumors about Mo Yu's recent thrashing of Mu Zhan, they only dared to resent him in secret, not openly provoke this dangerous figure.

After catching up with old friends, Hai Bodong was about to return and continue chatting with Mo Yu. However, when he saw the two beauties now sitting beside the young man, he paused, shaking his head with a helpless smile before finding another seat in the VIP section.

As time passed, the long-awaited start of the tournament finally arrived amid the anticipation of the crowd. When a crisp bell rang out across the square, the loud chatter that had filled the air fell silent.

Listening to the bell's lingering echoes, Fa Ma slowly stood up, then walked to the front of the VIP section.

"In the name of the president of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Association, I declare the start of the Seventh Alchemist Tournament!"

As Fa Ma made the announcement, the thousand alchemists participating in the tournament rushed to the center of the square, each finding a stone platform to begin their trials.

Seeing such a grand spectacle, even someone like Mo Yu, who was used to large events, couldn't help but feel a slight sense of awe. Alchemists were indeed the most prestigious profession on the Dou Qi Continent, unmatched by any other field like blacksmithing or poison crafting. The sheer scale of this event was a testament to the Alchemist Association's vast resources and influence.

While Mo Yu was lost in thought, Hai Bodong, who had no seat left, waved his hand and sent out a surge of energy, causing an unsuspecting Xiao Yan to be thrown into the air.

Seeing this, Mo Yu paused and then sighed, shaking his head. In such a grand event, many people aimed to make a name for themselves, but Xiao Yan seemed determined to keep a low profile. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to be possible now.

Under Hai Bodong's powerful energy, Xiao Yan had no choice but to reveal some of his strength as he tried to make a low-key entrance. The black-clad young man extended his hand toward the ground, and in an instant, an overwhelming force erupted, striking the stone floor and causing a crack to spread across it. Using the rebound from the impact, Xiao Yan's descent slowed, and his body began to spin like a spiral as he moved gracefully toward the center of the square.

"Haha, as expected of my cousin Xiao Yan. When he finally decides to act, he never fails to make an impression," Mo Yu thought with a smile as he watched the perfect entrance.

Xiao Yan's performance sparked applause from the audience, with cheers ringing out as more contestants took their places. With the participants ready, Fa Ma officially announced the start of the competition. Instantly, thousands of flames rose in unison across the massive square.

As the competition began, many people focused intently on the center of the square, eager to witness the rare sight of so many alchemists working simultaneously. However, for Mo Yu, it quickly grew dull. Although he had never participated in an alchemist tournament, he had won many blacksmithing competitions in his previous life. This scene was all too familiar to him.

Besides, unless something unexpected happened, Xiao Yan would most likely take the championship this time. Even if there were a few hiccups along the way, his protagonist's aura would ultimately prevail.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Mo Yu suddenly raised an eyebrow, remembering that Xiao Yan's biggest challenge in this tournament would not come from any alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, but from a certain influential figure from another empire.

Feeling bored, Mo Yu's silver eyes lit up slightly as he began scanning the crowd for this hidden opponent. Under his control, his eyes functioned like a scanning device, quickly surveying the soul power of nearly a thousand alchemists on the field.

In Mo Yu's perception, these alchemists' soul flames appeared like open fortresses, fully exposed to his gaze. Among the thousand or so soul flames, the brightest was undoubtedly Xiao Yan's, not only because of his impressive soul power but also due to the Qinglian Earth Heart Flame, which stood out like a beacon in the night.

Shifting his gaze away from Xiao Yan, Mo Yu noted that while the soul power of others like Liu Ling and Yao Yue was also impressive, nothing particularly stood out. However, just as Mo Yu was beginning to think that his interference had prevented the hidden troublemaker from participating, a faint but unusual soul power caught his attention.

"It seems someone has been deliberately suppressing their soul power. No wonder it took me so long to find them," Mo Yu thought, his silver eyes narrowing. Despite the weak appearance of this soul power, a closer inspection revealed it to be on par with that of a fourth or even fifth-tier alchemist.

Focusing on the source, Mo Yu began to study the individual. In a secluded corner of the square, a figure shrouded in a gray cloak was methodically working on refining a pill. Sensing Mo Yu's gaze, the cloaked figure raised their head slightly, revealing a pale, youthful face. From beneath the wide-brimmed hat, a pair of eyes gleamed with a faint blue light, exuding a cold, wary aura as they looked in Mo Yu's direction.

"Mo Yu, what's wrong?" Ya Fei asked curiously, noticing Mo Yu's focused gaze on the square. Seeing nothing unusual herself, she turned back to him.

"Nothing much, just an interesting person," Mo Yu replied with a faint smile, his interest piqued but without any intention of intervening in the potential conflict brewing between the two alchemist associations.

"Oh..." Ya Fei murmured in response. After a moment, as if remembering something, she leaned in closer, her soft voice whispering in Mo Yu's ear. "There's news about the treasure you've been searching for to restore your bloodline power."

"What?" Mo Yu froze, a look of joy spreading across his face as he stared intently at Ya Fei, the meaning in his eyes clear.

Seeing his happiness, Ya Fei smiled, clearly pleased that she could help him. She leaned in again, her voice low and sweet as she continued, "My family's business extends internationally. After learning that you needed a treasure to restore your bloodline power, I mobilized the family's resources to search for such an item in other empires. After many days, some information finally came in. According to reports from an auction in the Cloudy Mist Empire, the Alchemist Association there is planning to send a key figure to this tournament to undermine the reputation of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association. Normally, such matters wouldn't concern my family, but this individual is said to possess a treasure that can restore bloodline power: the Royal Blood Fruit."

"The Royal Blood Fruit, a treasure that can restore the most fundamental bloodline power... Mo Yu, if you can obtain it for me, I could even rival a Dou Zong," came She Shu's urgent voice in Mo Yu's mind.

Startled, Mo Yu agreed inwardly with She Shu before turning to Ya Fei with gratitude. He then looked back at the cloaked alchemist in the square.

From Ya Fei's description, Mo Yu was almost certain that this person was Yan Li, the vice president of the Cloudy Mist Empire's Alchemist Association.

A cold glint flashed in Mo Yu's silver eyes as he muttered, "I didn't want to get involved in the scheming between the two alchemist associations, but since you have something I need, don't blame me for being ruthless..."

In the square, the cloaked alchemist shivered involuntarily, a sudden chill creeping into his heart. He glanced around cautiously, but seeing no immediate danger, he frowned and resumed his pill refinement. This time, he was determined to make the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association lose face right on their home turf!

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