Chapter 20 – The Reign of Terror
The atmosphere within the Mo Yang Clan ancestral residential hall felt so heavy it was as if the air had congealed. The three elders who came to this hall were pale and had sweat-covered foreheads.
“Say, what should we do?” In the Great Hall, sitting above the rest was a silver-garbed woman who exuded a baleful aura.
She was naturally the current Matriarch of the Mo Yang Clan – Mo Yang Qi.
Ever since the brilliant ancestor who founded the Mo Yang Clan died, the entire Mo Yang Clan began waning. It was only due to Mo Yang Qi, whose body underwent a breakthrough to ‘pseudo-Transcendence’ that allowed the Mo Yang Clan to rise again! Even though, before a true Transcendent, pseudo-Transcendents were nothing but a joke, towards mortals, pseudo-Transcendents were still terrifying.
They also had the ability to fly and remain unharmed by all non-Transcendent treasures, while having a lifespan of 800 years! Thus, preserving the prosperity of a clan was enough.
But even to them, there applies an unspoken rule… never offend a true Transcendent!
Before this, the Mo Yang Clan was always careful about handling things; they even had thoughts of finding ways to wed someone in those peak clans with Transcendents within to stabilise their status. But right now…
“I’ve always trusted the decisions made by you elders during your gatherings! All the trivial matters of the clan were given to you all to handle, and yet?” The silver-garbed woman’s voice was filled with fury, “Sir Dong Bo Xue Ying was just 22 when he could fight with Xiang Pang Yun, and in the end, he fell into the Black-Wind Abyss! Falling into Black-Wind Abyss means certain death? Nobody actually saw his body, so why must he be dead? That time, you guys should have treated sir Dong Bo Xue Ying’s parents kindly!”
The three elders did not dare murmur out a single word.
The three secretly muttered to themselves, ‘The mutual destruction of Dong Bo Xue Ying and Xiang Pang Yun was something known to Matriarch as well!’
“Right now, it seems we’ve brought a big scourge to ourselves! Our Mo Yang Clan had been around for a thousand years, yet a single mistake was enough for us to see extermination right in front of our eyes!” Mo Yang Qi was really angry.
She felt appalled and uneased.
The news from Thunder Tide Shore and East Fragrant Lake refiner workshop had reached them. The ability to fly, Transcendent Qi, a single gaze that caused everyone including Silver Moon knights to fall helplessly… all of these implied that Dong Bo Xue Ying was a true Transcendent!
Xue Ying’s threats were exactly passed to them word for word.
Mo Yang Qi felt flustered because within Xue Ying’s threat, there included a sentence — ‘Those who should be killed would be killed, including the Matriarch who set down the order!’ That implied that the initial plan included her in his hit list.
“Fortunately, Mo Yang Yu valued her relations with our clan, which deterred her son from acting upon his anger.” The moment Mo Yang Qi thought of this, her eyes turned even colder.
She had made her decision!
“For the sake of the clan’s continued existence, we must please sir Dong Bo Xue Ying immediately!” Mo Yang Qi said. Even now, whenever she mentioned Xue Ying, she would add a ‘sir’ to represent her respect for him.
“Right..”
“We must please sir Dong Bo.” All the elders hurriedly agreed with her.
“That time, during the Elder’s gathering, who was the one to suggest severely punishing Mo Yang Yu? Who was the one to agree to marry Mo Yang Yu out to someone else?” Mo Yang Qi asked.
Among the three elders present, two of them looked towards the cold-looking Elder.
The cold-looking Elder’s expression changed.
“Elder Shan, you’ve lived quite a long life already. It’s time for you to sacrifice yourself for our clan.” Mo Yang Qi’s expression was cold as she looked towards him.
The cold-looking old man gritted his teeth as his expression turned savage, “Suggesting to marry Mo Yang Yu out to someone else was just spoken casually. This… she had also violated the clan rules. Of course she must be punished severely, I…”
“Mn? You still dare to rebel and refuse to give in?” Killing intent emanated from Mo Yang Qi.
This large clan that had a history of a thousand years already had a population of more than ten thousand. Elder Mo Yang Shan’s sacrifice, compared to the annihilation of the entire clan, was a considerably small matter.
“Mo Yang Shan, you are already quite old. Having received the kindness of our clan for so long, you dare to be afraid of death at this moment?”
“Hmph, you were the one who suggested her severe punishment! How can we let you retreat this time?” The other two Elders angrily shouted. Within the gathering of elders, there were many of those like Great Mage Xu Guang Qing, who was born from another clan. The only elders who were part of the Ancestral Hall of the clan were just these three. Even so, how could sacrificing one of them be considered as a big deal?
“It’s my wrong.” The cold-looking old man finally lowered his head.
“Why did you suggest for Mo Yang Yu to be married out? Who had helped you from the sidelines? Record everything down, may it be those who actively taken part or those that were undercover. Whoever was involved in this must be recorded down, not a single one must be be left out!” Mo Yang Qi indifferently ordered. The clan had already grown large and much infighting had naturally existed. There were so many descendents yet why must Mo Yang Yu be the one who was targeted? There must have been reasons behind the discord within the clan.
“After recording those who apprehended Mo Yang Yu and Dong Bo Lie, those who were involved in being calculative against them and those who had mistreated this couple must all be included, regardless of whether they planned or carried out the deed.”
“These are all fundamental.”
“Regarding what else we should do to appease that Transcendent, invite the founding members of the clan for a discussion and give me an answer as soon as possible.”
Mo Yang Qi casually stood up and sent down the orders, “Handle it quickly. Those who must be caught must be caught. Not a single one must escape from this!”
……
Within a luxurious courtyard, a middle-aged man wearing quite an extravagant robe was comfortably sitting down. Beside him, was a group of beautiful women serving him – some were peeling fruits to feed him and some were giving him a massage.
He was precisely Mo Yang Chen Bai! He had just lived past 90. As a Silver Moon Knight, being able to live to 160 was normal. Some of them could even live until 200 years old. From his lifespan… he could not be considered old.
“Master.” A skinny teenager barged into the courtyard, shouting, “Master, master, something big has happened.
“Preposterous! How dare you barge in. If what you said is not of great importance, you will pay with your life.” On Mo Yang Chen Bai’s face, an intent to kill could be seen. This was his backyard and the place where his women lived. Those male servants and male protectors were all forbidden from entering.
“It’s news passed down from East Fragrant Refiner Workshop saying Dong Bo Xue Ying has already transcended and succeeded in saving his parents. Dong Bo Xue Ying left our Mo Yang Clan a final ultimatum.” This skinny teenager was Mo Yang Chen Bai’s dog servant. When his owner encountered trouble, this dog servant’s life would certainly be finished, “My Master, we should quickly think of what we need do.”
Mo Yang Chen Bai’s expression changed, “I thought Dong Bo Xue Ying died? How could he become a Transcendent? Could this news be a forgery?”
Hong long~~~
Suddenly, a sound of ‘hong ming’ could be heard from the skies. A black-coloured refiner flying ship immediately appeared with a large number of powerful knights and mages standing on top. They were all looking down coldly at Mo Yang Chen Bai.
Mo Yang Chen Bai was actually the most important person in the apprehension and the strongest one amongst them. In order to prevent any accidents from happening, the Ancestral side dispatched a refiner flying ship immediately to capture him.
“Mo Yang Chen Bai, give yourself up!” A sound came from above.
……
That afternoon, the entire Mo Yang Clan started its reign of terror, catching and slaughtering the culprits who almost brought about the extinction of their clan. Like the principal culprit – Mo Yang Chen Bai, many were interrogated that night and were sentenced to death! Although the founding members of the clan possessed combat power weaker than many, they were still skilled enough and had contributed much to the clan. The clan groomed them, and in return, they had served as advisors for the clan. Currently, they were all discussing how they could appease the fury of a Transcendent.
After all, even if they could survive this temporarily, any remaining hatred in Dong Bo Xue Ying’s heart may still guarantee the extermination of their clan.
Thus, they must think of a way to appease his fury!
******
In the evening, after the sun had set pass the horizon and the skies started darkening.
Manor Lord Si An of Dragon Mountain Manor stood at the city gate looking upwards, waiting for someone.
“Hua!” A stream of flame appeared in the distant skies before stopping for a moment.
“It’s the Lord. Beside him, those two are… Dong Bo Lie and his wife?” With a look, Si An recognised the three figures in mid-air.
Within the skies…
Xue Ying and his parents were looking downwards.
“Twenty years, we’re finally back.” Dong Bo Lie and Mo Yang Yu started feeling emotional.
“Ah, it’s our Lord.”
“Our Lord is in the skies, and beside him is… Ah, it’s the old Lord!”
Even though twenty years had passed, many soldiers and servants who were present at the establishment of the castle recognised Dong Bo Lie and Mo Yang Yu with a single look. At the moment, everyone within the castle felt fervent.
“Father, mother, let’s get down.” Xue Ying laughed, “I reckon Uncle Zong, Uncle Tong, and Qing Shi will be here soon.”
Dong Bo Lie and Mo Yang Yu started feeling more nervous and cowardly the closer they got to their home.
Hu.
The three of them descended outside the main city gates outside the castle. The drop-bridge had already been let down and the gates had opened. At the gates were Manor Lord Si An and You Tu along with a large crowd who waited for them.
“Dong Bo, Ah Yu!” Following that, an excited, trembling voice could be heard. Zong Ling, Tong San and Qing Shi appeared at the city gates. Among them, Zong Ling and Tong San were the most excited.
“Master.” Tong San looked at the white-haired Mo Yang Yu, before immediately letting out tears.
Zong Ling and Tong San both rushed out to hug the Dong Bo Lie couple.
“Ah.” Zong Ling immediately pulled the sheepish-looking Qing Shi over, “Dong Bo, Ah Yu, this is Qing Shi.”
“Pebble?” Mo Yang Yu looked at him.
At that time when they were separated, Dong Bo Xue Ying was already eight. The contours and profile of his face were already present. Yet at that year, Qing Shi was just two. He looked so different now that he had grown up. Mo Yang Yu did not even recognise him at first sight..
Qing Shi’s feelings were complex. He looked at how excited and happy Uncle Zong, Uncle Tong and his brother were, yet he himself did not have much impression of his parents’ return.
“Pebble.” Mo Yang Yu brought out her hands to hold onto his son. The more she looked, the more she felt the kinship.
“Pebble looks quite like Ah Yu.” Dong Bo Lie laughed.
Slowly, son and parents became familiar with each other.
Xue Ying felt delighted as he looked at such a scene. At this moment, Manor Lord Si An walked over, saying softly, “My Lord.”
“Manor Lord Si An.” Xue Ying looked at him with a smile, “I feel ashamed. There was a delay due to things I’ve to settle, thus allowing me return at this time.”
“My Lord has been quite fast in his travels. But there’s a matter that I have to tell you, my Lord,” Manor Lord Si An quipped, “Our Tranquil Sun Province’s Dragon Mountain Manor’s Head Lord Sir Zhu Yi Hong has been here since the afternoon. He is right over there.”
Tranquil Sun Province’s Dragon Mountain Manor Head Lord?
Xue Ying looked towards the direction. Behind Manor Lord An Yang and within the huge crowd of people, was a simple-looking, long-haired thin man smiling at him. At this moment, he walked towards him.
With a little probing…
“Pseudo-Transcendent?” Xue Ying made his conclusion.
“Greetings, Sir Dong Bo.” The thin man laughed, “This one is called Yi Hong, the person in charge of the entire Tranquil Sun province Dragon Mountain Manor’s trivial matters. This time, I came instead of the many Transcendents. In the future, do instruct us if you have anything you require.”