Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 189: Fa Ma and Yao Ye

Responding to Qie Mi Er's call, Xiao Yan explained to Mo Yu and Hai Bodong before heading toward the area designated for alchemists.

To Mo Yu's surprise, not only was the Vice President of the Alchemist Association there, but so were several of his acquaintances. Otto and Master Frank, whom he had met in Black Rock City, were present, along with their apprentice, Lin Fei. The two young women had matured noticeably over the past year, now exuding a ripeness, like fruit on the verge of blossoming.

"Oh? Even Fa Ma, the President of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association, has come. I heard he's close to reaching the rank of a sixth-tier alchemist. These old geezers, the older they get, the more monstrous they become," Hai Bodong muttered quietly, raising his head to glance at the old man in the purple robe, his ancient eyes narrowing slightly.

"Fa Ma?" Mo Yu's eyebrows arched as he looked at the frail, almost mummified figure of the old man, who was the current leader of the Jia Ma Empire's alchemists.

"Haha, Brother Mo, how about we go over and say hello? It's better than just standing here being bored," Hai Bodong suggested with a sly grin.

"Uh..." Mo Yu knew immediately that the eccentric old man was looking for a chance to show off. After lying low for so many years, many people thought the long-silent Ice Emperor had passed away. Now, with some of his strength restored thanks to Xiao Yan's help, Hai Bodong clearly wasn't interested in staying in the shadows any longer.

"Alright, let's go say hello then." Mo Yu nodded slightly. He wasn't one to seek attention, but standing around doing nothing wasn't appealing either.

As the two approached, Hai Bodong suddenly sneered, "Tch, you old fogeys, how have you been lately?"

The sudden taunt caused the expressions of those in the VIP seats to change drastically. Sitting beside Xiao Yan, Qie Mi Er's face darkened, and he demanded, "Who dares?"

Mo Yu was taken aback by Hai Bodong's abrupt and disrespectful tone. However, the sneer caused the elder Fa Ma to pause. After a moment, his gaze fell on the approaching Mo Yu and Hai Bodong, focusing especially on the latter. "This aura… as cold as ice... could it be... the Ice Emperor?" Fa Ma muttered, surprise evident on his face.

"Hehe, old man Fa, surprised you still remember me. Not bad..." Hai Bodong said with a grin as he casually sat down beside Fa Ma, causing the VIPs to look on in shock.

"You're still alive? I thought you were... taken care of by the Medusa Queen?" Fa Ma said, staring at Hai Bodong in disbelief.

"Barely got away with my life…" Hai Bodong clicked his tongue, a trace of fear lingering in his eyes. "That woman… she's terrifying…"

"You're one tough old guy… but it's good you're still around. At least this old man won't be so lonely, haha…" Fa Ma's withered face cracked into a smile, and he laughed heartily.

Hearing their conversation, Qie Mi Er, who had been ready to lash out at Hai Bodong for his earlier rudeness, quickly retreated. From what Fa Ma said, this stranger was clearly someone to be reckoned with.

"Hey, Mo Yu!" Just as Hai Bodong became the center of attention, a lively voice called out to Mo Yu.

Turning toward the voice, Mo Yu saw Lin Fei and Xue Mei standing behind Otto.

"It's you two. Long time no see," Mo Yu said with a smile, greeting the two beautiful young women.

"Hmph, if we hadn't called out to you, you'd probably have forgotten all about us," Lin Fei pouted, her lips forming a small, dissatisfied curve.

Mo Yu was momentarily taken aback before smiling awkwardly and shaking his head.

"Mo Yu, is it true what they're saying about you in the Mu Lan Empire? Did you really provoke the Mu Lan Valley?" Xue Mei, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke, her tone hesitant.

"Yeah," Mo Yu nodded lightly. Since Xue Mei was from the Mu Lan Empire, there was no reason to hide the truth.

"This…" Xue Mei's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the young man in front of her.

While Mo Yu's reputation in the Jia Ma Empire mainly revolved around his destruction of the Mo family, in the Mu Lan Empire, his name was even more infamous. Provoking the Mu Lan Valley and defeating the three Beast Kings was an unprecedented feat in the empire's history.

Lin Fei and Xue Mei exchanged a shocked glance before turning their incredulous gazes back to Mo Yu. Only now did they fully realize that this exceptionally handsome young man was indeed a prodigy.

"This guy... how does he manage to make everything he does so earth-shattering?" The two girls shared a look, each feeling the same mix of astonishment and curiosity about the young man before them.

At this moment, Otto and Frank approached, greeting Mo Yu before one of them asked, "The powerful figure who came with you just now, Hai Bodong—he's the Ice Emperor from the Ten Strongest?"

"You must be referring to Hai Lao. If I'm not mistaken, that's indeed one of his titles," Mo Yu replied with a light chuckle.

Otto and Frank exchanged a shocked glance, their eyes reflecting their mutual surprise. They hadn't expected such a legendary figure to still be alive, much less to have a seemingly close relationship with Mo Yu.

"Is this Ice Emperor your teacher, Mo Yu?" they asked, their gazes filled with curiosity.

Shaking his head, Mo Yu explained, "Hai Lao is a close friend of Yan Xiao. I got to know him through my cousin, Xiao Yan."

"Xiao Yan?" Otto murmured. "The young alchemist that Master Qie Mi Er has taken an interest in—he's your cousin?"

"Yeah," Mo Yu nodded, a strange feeling bubbling up inside him. In the original story, it was Otto and Frank who had recognized Xiao Yan's talent. But now, thanks to Mo Yu's "butterfly effect," Qie Mi Er had gotten involved instead.

As they continued chatting, a loud burst of laughter suddenly echoed from not far away. Turning to look, everyone's expressions shifted to surprise when they saw the source of the laughter—a white-haired elder dressed in simple linen robes. They couldn't help but wonder what kind of strange wind had blown in today, bringing out such a powerful old monster in broad daylight.

The newcomer was an old man dressed in plain robes, whose presence reminded Mo Yu of the lion-headed elder from the Mu Lan Empire. Following behind him was the young princess of the empire, dressed in a specially tailored light green alchemist robe, exuding an air of nobility.

Mo Yu's gaze briefly lingered on the princess before he noticed another figure standing beside her—a tall, elegantly dressed woman. The woman bore a striking resemblance to the princess, but with an air of cold elegance similar to Xue Mei. Beneath that coldness, however, lay an undeniable sense of regal authority.

Unlike the petite and cute princess, this woman exuded a mature, cold beauty, her every glance filled with a natural allure.

Seeing this group approaching, Mo Yu immediately recognized who they were. The elderly man was Jia Xing Tian, the patriarch of the Jia Ma Empire's royal family and a peak Dou Huang. Alongside him were the two princesses, Yao Yue and Yao Ye.

With a smile, the old man in the linen robe approached Hai Bodong and Fa Ma, laughing heartily. "I never thought the three of us would have the chance to gather together like this again. It truly is fate."

"Indeed, quite the coincidence..." Fa Ma chuckled, adding, "Old monster, I'm surprised to see you here today. I thought you didn't care much for these kinds of events."

"I've been holed up for decades. It's good to come out and take a look every once in a while..." Jia Xing Tian smiled before turning his gaze to Mo Yu and Xiao Yan. He asked, "Old Ice, are these two youngsters your disciples?"

Hearing this, everyone in the VIP seats immediately perked up their ears. Even Fa Ma discreetly cast a glance over. He was just as curious to know what relationship these two youths had with the former Ice Emperor.

Hai Bodong was taken aback by Jia Xing Tian's question. Then he laughed heartily, patting Mo Yu and Xiao Yan on their shoulders as he spoke words that left everyone, including Jia Xing Tian, stunned.

"My disciples? Haha, I wish! But unfortunately, I'm not qualified to be their teacher..."

"Not qualified?"

A look of astonishment appeared on Jia Xing Tian's kind and elderly face as he turned his curious gaze towards Mo Yu and Xiao Yan. With Hai Bodong's Dou Huang-level strength, was he really saying he wasn't qualified to teach these kids? Did they have that much potential?

In the VIP seats, Xue Mei and the others stared in shock at the laughing Hai Bodong.

"Hehe, Hai Lao is just joking. Don't mind him, Jia Lao. It's just that I already have a teacher, so it wouldn't be right to take on another," Xiao Yan said with a smile, shaking his head.

Mo Yu didn't offer much of an explanation; he simply nodded slightly. Compared to the loyal Hai Bodong, Mo Yu found Jia Xing Tian to be somewhat opportunistic. While he understood the man's cautious stance as the backbone of the royal family, not daring to provoke the Yun Lan Sect, Mo Yu didn't see a reason to forge a deeper relationship with him.

Looking at the two distinctly different young men before him, the old man in the linen robe squinted his cloudy eyes slightly, then gestured to the mature and coldly elegant woman behind him with a smile. "You two should already know Yue'er. This is her older sister, Yao Ye. She's responsible for overseeing the safety and order of this event, both inside and out, with five thousand soldiers under her command."

"Yao Ye, these are the two young men I mentioned to you: Mo Yu and Yan Xiao. Mo Yu here has even defeated that little madman from the Mu family—his strength is quite extraordinary. As for Yan Xiao, his alchemy skills make him a top contender for this tournament's championship," Jia Xing Tian introduced with a smile, gesturing to Mo Yu and Xiao Yan.

As Jia Xing Tian praised them, the little princess glanced at Mo Yu, then leaned in to whisper something to the coldly elegant woman beside her. Afterward, the cold princess's eyes flashed with an inexplicable look, though it was quickly hidden. But Mo Yu, ever observant, still noticed it.

"Hello, Mr. Mo Yu, Mr. Yan Xiao," Yao Ye greeted them with a calm and composed smile, extending her delicate hand to each of them.

"Hello, Princess Yao Ye..." After shaking hands with Xiao Yan, Mo Yu also extended his hand and gently shook the cold princess's hand.

"Mr. Mo Yu, you may not make public appearances often, but your accomplishments are truly impressive. If you ever find yourself without a place to go, the royal family's doors will always be open to you," Yao Ye said with a smile as she withdrew her hand.

"No wonder she's a princess of the empire... She's quite skilled at making alliances," Mo Yu thought to himself, though he smiled and nodded politely.

Seeing Mo Yu's nod, Yao Ye finally stepped back with a satisfied look, standing beside Jia Xing Tian once more. With her temperament, she wouldn't have lowered herself to make these connections unless her great-grandfather had spoken highly of this young man.

"Yue'er might be exaggerating a bit, but if he truly meets my expectations, then an alliance through marriage wouldn't be out of the question..." Yao Ye thought as her eyes swept over Mo Yu's ever-calm and handsome face. She was pleased with his composure.

As a princess of the empire, Yao Ye had enjoyed many privileges, but she also had to make certain sacrifices for the royal family, including in matters of marriage. Like many princesses before her, she might one day marry to strengthen ties with powerful families or talented individuals. Mo Yu's talent and looks made him one of the most exceptional men she had encountered, so she didn't find the idea entirely unappealing.

After a brief conversation with Mo Yu, Yao Ye also exchanged a few words of encouragement and interest with Xiao Yan before bowing slightly to Fa Ma, Hai Bodong, and the others. Her impeccable manners made it difficult for anyone to find fault, even softening the usually cold expression on Hai Bodong's face.

After greeting each other, everyone took their seats in the front row of the VIP section. Whether by chance or design, Yao Ye ended up seated right next to Mo Yu. The faint scent of her perfume wafted over from beside him, making it hard to keep one's thoughts in check.

Sensing the royal family's intentions, Mo Yu quietly shook his head, then focused his gaze on the massive square below. By now, more and more alchemists were entering the area, and the audience seats opposite them were becoming a sea of black heads, a massive crowd coming together.

Mo Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. Among so many alchemists, he wondered if anyone had an item capable of restoring bloodline power.

As Mo Yu pondered this, he noticed a commotion around the seats, prompting him to turn his head and see what was causing the stir.

The group entering the VIP section was quite formidable, consisting of the three major families of the empire. Such a lineup was not something any force in the Jia Ma Empire could take lightly.

The cause of the commotion, however, was the two women in the group: Nalan Yanran and Ya Fei. Though their temperaments were different, both were equally stunning, drawing every eye as they walked together. No wonder the young nobles behind them were so excited.

The group made their way along the aisle to the front row, exchanging smiles and greetings with familiar faces. As they did so, Mo Yu noticed an unfamiliar elder walking alongside Nalan Jie and Mittel Tengshan, with Mu Zhan closely following him.

From their conversation, Mo Yu learned that this elder was the only Dou Wang in the Mu family, Mu Chen.

Unconcerned, Mo Yu simply shook his head. A Dou Wang might be formidable, but with Medusa by his side, he wasn't worried—even without involving She Shu.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Mo Yu turned his attention to the beautiful woman who had just arrived and greeted her with a smile. "Ya Fei, you're here..."

Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.

Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/cortez10