Mo Mo and his group had only been inside the mansion for a short time when a young couple came out to greet them. They were both around twenty years old. The man was quite handsome, not extremely so, but still quite good-looking, and bore a resemblance to Grand Tutor Xu.
The woman was youthful and beautiful, yet exuded a mature charm; she was exceptionally beautiful, and her appearance bore a striking resemblance to Xu Yourong.
The two addressed Xu Taizai as "Father" at the same time, and then looked at Xu Yourong. Xu Yourong's father had stronger self-control and restrained himself. Although his eyes were also full of joy, he did not do anything else and stood quietly to the side.
Xu Yourong's mother completely ignored Mo Mo standing to the side, ran over and hugged Xu Yourong tightly, calling her "baby" repeatedly.
However, they did not see that Xu Taizai's face grew increasingly gloomy, until it seemed as if he was about to burst into tears.
"You two, get out of here! Come and pay your respects to your benefactor!"
Xu Taizai's roar startled Xu Weixin and his wife. They didn't understand why their father was suddenly so angry. As for Mo Mo, who was standing next to them, they had already subconsciously ignored him.
However, seeing Xu Taizai get angry, the two reluctantly walked over, bowed to Mo Mo, and thanked him.
The two men's behavior left Grand Tutor Xu quite helpless, but he understood their character. So he waved them away helplessly and then had Xiao Xu Yourong take Mo Mo around the mansion, while he personally arranged accommodations for Mo Mo.
Xu Weixin and his wife did not go too far, and kept an eye on Mo Mo and the others from a short distance.
"I really don't understand why Father values that boy so much. He looks so immature. He must have saved Father and Rong'er by chance. After learning about Father and Rong'er's identities, he took advantage of the kindness and wanted to take me as his apprentice. He's really a toad trying to eat swan meat." At this moment, Xu's mother, who was beautiful, charming and elegant in front of others, seemed so mean.
“Indeed, what skills could a mere teenager or twenty-year-old boy possibly have? I can’t let him ruin Rong’er’s future. Those prestigious sects are the best choice for Rong’er. Let’s get rid of him while Father is away.” Xu Weixin agreed with his mother’s (Xu Yourong’s mother) words.
Although Mo Mo was being led around the mansion by Xu Yourong to familiarize himself with the surroundings, he didn't pay much attention to Xu Weixin and his wife. However, he overheard every word of their conversation.
Hearing their conversation, Mo Mo could only sigh, "Birds of a feather flock together; this couple is truly a perfect match."
When Mo Mo and Xu Yourong walked into the back garden, Xu Weixin and his wife couldn't help but stop Mo Mo.
"Father, Mother, has Master's accommodation been arranged?" Xu Yourong asked Xu Weixin and his wife, who were blocking their way, with a face full of joy.
"The rooms haven't been arranged yet. We're here because we have something we want to talk to him about," Xu Weixin said, pointing at Mo Mo.
"What do you want to talk to the master about?" Xu Yourong's little face was full of questions.
“He’s not your master, Rong’er. You are the reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix. This greenhorn is not worthy of being your master at all,” Xu’s mother shouted, her words filled with disdain for Mo Mo.
"Mother, apologize to Master immediately! I won't allow you to talk about Master like that!" Upon hearing Xu's mother's words, Xiao Rong'er immediately bristled, like an angry little female leopard.
"Rong'er, how old is he? How much skill can he possibly have? What can he teach you? Tomorrow I will go to the palace and have the Empress send you to Saintess Peak to cultivate. Isn't that a hundred times better than taking him as your master?" Xu Weixin advised Xu Yourong calmly.
"I won't allow you to talk about my master. My master is the best. I don't want to go to any Saintess Peak! Master, let's go. Let's ignore them." With that, she pulled Mo Mo away.
Throughout the entire process, Mo Mo maintained a smile on his face, simply watching them without uttering a word. Only when Xu Yourong pulled him away did he say calmly, "Considering you are Xiaorong'er's parents, I'll pretend nothing happened today. But if there's a next time, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Perhaps Mo Mo's warning really worked. In the following days, Xu Weixin and his wife quieted down and stopped making trouble. The news that Xu's Phoenix would become an apprentice spread quickly throughout the capital, and the Xu family began to prepare for the apprenticeship banquet in a flurry of activity.
After preparing the apprenticeship banquet at the Xu family for two days, Mo Mo suddenly remembered something: he hadn't prepared an apprenticeship gift for Xu Yourong yet. This was his first disciple, and it would be embarrassing to leave empty-handed without bestowing some treasures upon her.
Mo Mo rummaged through his collection of items over the years, finally picking out three things. Just as he was wondering which one to give to Xu Yourong, Xu Yourong skipped and hopped in.
"Master, what are you doing?" Xu Yourong skipped over and sat on Mo Mo's lap.
Mo Mo reached out and hugged Xiao Xu You Rong, stroking her head affectionately as he said with a smile, "Isn't the apprenticeship banquet going to be held in a couple of days? I'm having trouble deciding what gift to give you."
"These three?" Xu Yourong looked at the three items on the table with some curiosity: a small golden bell the size of a fist, a fiery red armor the size of a palm, and a drop of golden blood.
"Yes, these are the three things. Now that you're here, I'll introduce them to you, and you can decide which one you want," Mo Mo said with a smile to the young Xu Yourong.
Xu Yourong blinked her adorable big eyes and asked cutely, "Master, can I have all three?"
Mo Mo affectionately tapped Xu Yourong's nose and chuckled, "You're not that old, but you're quite shrewd. However, you can only choose one of these three things. But if you behave well, we can discuss the other two."
"Alright, let me introduce these three things first."
Mo Mo took the small golden bell on the table and introduced it to Xu Yourong: "This bell is called the Eastern Emperor Bell. It contains the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, which can burn anything. Its power is immense and unparalleled. A full-force strike can burn the entire continent. However, I have erased the bell's spirituality, but it is still more than capable of burning mountains and boiling water."
After placing the Eastern Emperor Bell back on the table, Mo Mo picked up the palm-sized piece of armor and introduced it to Xu Yourong, saying, "This is a set of armor I used before. It's good for both offense and defense, and it also has some special abilities, but you'll have to experience them for yourself."
Placing the steel armor back on the table, Mo Mo beckoned the drop of golden blood to his hand and solemnly introduced it to Xu Yourong: "This drop is the essence of a divine dragon, which is what I most wanted to give you. Taking it will not only improve your physique but also further purify the phoenix blood in your body."
Xu Yourong's eyes darted back and forth between the three items, finally settling on the drop of golden blood. She smiled sweetly and said, "I'll listen to Master, that's it."
Mo Mo smiled slightly and affectionately patted Xu Yourong's head.
Three days later, the Eastern Imperial General's Mansion was brightly decorated and bustling with activity, because today, the Xu family's phoenix was to formally become an apprentice.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 176 Only by disguising oneself as a pig can one eat the tiger.
The Eastern Imperial General's Mansion was unusually lively today because they were going to hold a ceremony to celebrate the apprenticeship of the little phoenix Xu Yourong, who was becoming an apprentice today. It was early morning, and many prominent families from the capital had already arrived at the mansion, and more and more families were still arriving.
"Have you heard? It's said that Miss's master is very young, only in his teens or twenties, but I wonder if he's handsome or not."
"Is the little girl having romantic feelings? Should I introduce you to Xiao Lin from the backyard? Although Xiao Lin is a servant in the manor just like us, she's really quite good-looking."
"Ugh, you're the one who's in love! She's only fourteen, she's too young to get married. Besides, we're maids of the Eastern Imperial General's Mansion. Unless we get old and lose our looks and are dismissed by the mansion, don't even think about leaving here easily, let alone getting married."
"Are you two tired of living? How dare you chat here? Today is a major event in the manor, and all the guests are from prominent families. If you mess things up or offend that important person, no one can save you. It's fine if you want to die, but don't drag me down with you."
Reprimanded by a woman who was clearly a matron, the two fourteen or fifteen-year-old maids immediately lowered their heads, meek and submissive, not daring to utter a sound. They then realized that today was different from usual, and they couldn't afford to be careless; a slight misstep could lead to utter ruin. So they quickly thanked the matron and dared not drift off into idle chatter again. Such scenes were common in the Eastern Imperial General's Mansion.
Mo Mo doesn't pay much attention to etiquette and appearance, which is a common problem among all otaku. To put it bluntly, it's just laziness. They're too lazy to pay attention to these things and instead spend their energy on other things. Although Mo Mo has already undergone a complete transformation, this "laziness" is deeply ingrained and imprinted on his soul. Even if you're paying attention, it will still pop up unexpectedly, catching you off guard.
However, today was the apprenticeship banquet for his first disciple, and he didn't want to appear too casual, so he specially changed into a white robe. The robe was made of cloud brocade spun from the clouds above the nine heavens. Although it had no defensive function other than being dustproof, waterproof, warm in winter and cool in summer, and self-cleaning, it was comfortable enough. Ever since Mo Mo discovered this kind of clothing made of cloud brocade in the world of Lotus Lantern, he had fallen in love with it. Now, almost all of his clothes were made of cloud brocade, and most of them were sewn by Xue Nu and Yan Fei.
The outfit he was wearing at the moment was sewn by Xue Nu, and it was one of the few formal clothes in Mo Mo's wardrobe. Mo Mo found it troublesome to wear, so he basically never wore it after it was made. He only wore it for the sake of his eldest disciple, Xu Yourong.
This robe is entirely white, with nothing but pale blue snowflakes that seem to be falling, yet it is impossible to ignore. Coupled with the handsome yet serious design of the robe, it is far superior to the attire of those young masters from noble families.
In truth, Mo Mo didn't want to make such a fuss. After all, he didn't know many people in this world, so it was completely unnecessary and very troublesome. More importantly, people coming and going would cast curious glances at Mo Mo. It wasn't that he was stage-frightened or uncomfortable with such a scene, but simply that he disliked the feeling of being watched. After all, what dragon would like to be scrutinized by ants? Even if this dragon had the best temper.
Although he was somewhat displeased, he didn't resist too much. As for those gazes, he could just ignore them. However, he had been sitting there for half an hour, and apart from Xu Taizai showing his face once at the beginning, the other members of the Xu family were still nowhere to be seen. The faintly mocking glances that swept over him from the crowd made Mo Mo decide that they were somewhat intriguing. However, Mo Mo remained calm and composed, sitting steadily in the main seat.
Just then, an unusually loud shout came from the entrance, "Saintess Peak, the Saintess has arrived!"
As the singing and drinking subsided, Mo Mo saw a woman around thirty years old, with fair, jade-like hands holding a magnificent white longsword. She was tall and curvaceous, with stunningly beautiful features. Although she had a cold and aloof demeanor, her face was full of warm smiles. Strangely, however, when you tried to get close to her, you would subconsciously keep your distance.
"Are you Wang Chen, the one who wanted to take Xiao Rong'er as his disciple?" The voice was just like her person. Although the Holy Maiden of Saintess Peak had a very pleasant voice, it was also cold and aloof, and her words were filled with a faint sense of detachment.
"I am Wang Chen, you can also call me Mo Mo, or Mo. If you like, I won't mind calling me Mo. But I want to correct one thing: it's not that I want to take Xiao Rong'er as my disciple, but that Xiao Rong'er is already my disciple. Moreover, she took the initiative to become my disciple. Today's apprenticeship banquet is just a formality." Mo Mo glanced at her indifferently and said indifferently.
Mo Mo detected a hint of disdain in the saintess's words, indicating her determination to possess Xu Yourong. Considering today's situation, if Mo Mo still didn't understand what was going on, he might as well give up. Moreover, Mo Mo was certain that all of this was orchestrated by Xu Weixin and his wife, and that the saintess had probably already met Xu Yourong. Furthermore, he sensed a trace of the aura of a true phoenix emanating from the saintess. If he wasn't mistaken, this aura belonged to the Holy Empress in the palace.
"It seems you're not stupid after all. You should have already guessed it. But no matter how much you insist that You Rong is already your disciple, it's useless. The Xu family will not acknowledge your identity, nor will the Holy Empress. Young man, if you think you can use this method to curry favor with the Xu family to achieve your ulterior motives, then you've made a mistake. After all, favors will eventually run out, and with you, a mere brat who hasn't even undergone marrow cleansing, what qualifications do you have to teach You Rong, who is the reincarnation of the True Phoenix?" The Holy Maiden still wore a warm smile on her face, but the words she spoke were completely unlike what one would expect from someone of her status.
Mo Mo could tell that although the Holy Maiden was aggressive, she didn't have any bad intentions. Perhaps in her eyes, she was doing it for the good of Xu Yourong and Mo Mo. After all, as the current Holy Maiden of the prestigious Holy Maiden Peak, she was arguably the most qualified person to be Xu Yourong's master and the most qualified person to teach her. Although Mo Mo thought her ideas were ridiculous and completely self-centered, only Mo Mo thought so.
Just then, a hearty laugh rang out, and a man in his thirties appeared before Mo Mo, pulling a little boy about the same age as Xu Yourong. He then said to the Holy Maiden, "Junior Sister is right. This is a world where strength speaks. Without strength, no matter how right you are, you have no right to speak."
"This must be Xiao Qiushan. His true dragon bloodline is indeed extraordinary. He has already successfully cleansed his marrow at such a young age. Unlike some people who are already quite old and still haven't cleansed their marrow, and yet they still have the nerve to want to take others as their disciples." The Holy Maiden's tone remained as indifferent as ever.
“That’s right, the elder and the holy maiden are right. Our Xu family does not welcome those disreputable people, especially those who try to climb the social ladder.” Xu Weixin, who was outside the hall, took over their words and walked in with a smile. Behind him were Madam Xu, who was also smiling, and Grand Tutor Xu, who had a bitter look on his face. Madam Xu was also pulling Xu Yourong, who had an angry look on her face.
Upon entering the hall, Xu Taizai said to Mo Mo with a bitter expression, "My benefactor, I am sorry for you. I have made you suffer."
Xu Yourong, who was being held by Madam Xu (Xu Yourong's mother), struggled fiercely when she saw Mo Mo. Unfortunately, she was too young to break free from Madam Xu's tight grip. However, she did not give up and struggled fiercely, staring at Madam Xu with unusual stubbornness, completely determined to wear her down.
Due to the violent struggle, Xu Yourong's snow-white hand, which was being held by Madam Xu, turned bright red in an instant. Mo Mo, who had been silent all along, suddenly flashed a cold light in his eyes and said indifferently, "Let go of her hand."
Upon hearing this, Madam Xu was startled. Mo Mo's words, "Let go of my hand," seemed to explode in Madam Xu's mind like a thunderbolt from the heavens, scaring her so much that she almost fell to the ground. Xu Yourong also took the opportunity to run to Mo Mo's side, holding Mo Mo's hand with teary eyes, unwilling to let go.
Mo Mo picked up the tearful Xu Yourong and placed her on his lap, gently comforting her, "It's alright, don't worry. If anything happens in the future, your master will back you up. If any Tom, Dick, or Harry bothers you, don't hesitate to hit them first."
At this moment, comforted by Mo Mo, young Xu Yourong could no longer hold back her grievances and burst into tears, throwing herself into Mo Mo's arms.
Just then, a shout came from outside the door again: "The Empress has arrived!"
Upon hearing this shout, a glint flashed in Mo Mo's eyes. He thought to himself, "The people are finally all here. Let's resolve this once and for all to avoid future trouble."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 177 A Storm is Brewing
The shout from the entrance caused a stir in the hall. Those who could enter the hall were all prominent families who held a transcendent status in the capital. However, their transcendence was only relative to ordinary people. Facing the person about to enter, they could not even remain calm, let alone transcend. She was not only the Holy Empress of the Great Zhou, but also the person who could control their lives.
However, weren't all these people seasoned old foxes who had lived for many years? Weren't they all shrewd and calculating? Therefore, unlike the younger generation outside the hall who were making a ruckus, they only stirred slightly before quieting down. Then, in a flurry, they all walked out of the hall in an orderly fashion to greet the emperor.
The once bustling hall was now empty in an instant, with only Mo Mo quietly comforting Xu Yourong, who hadn't even noticed what was happening.
Two or three minutes later, surrounded by a crowd, a woman in her thirties, dressed in a golden phoenix robe, noble, beautiful, dignified and elegant, walked gracefully toward Mo Mo. Without a doubt, she was Empress Tianhai. Empress Tianhai was surprised to see Mo Mo holding Xu Yourong and sitting in the main seat.
She was the Holy Empress, ruling over the entire Great Zhou Dynasty. Her words could decide life and death, and could grant someone a meteoric rise to power and unparalleled glory. At first, she thought, as Xu Weixin had said, that Mo Mo was guilty and dared not go out to greet the emperor. However, upon arriving here, she realized from Mo Mo's calm gaze that he didn't take the matter to heart at all, rather than being guilty. This sparked a slight interest in Mo Mo from Holy Empress Tianhai.
Mo Mo's actions at this moment stirred up the hearts of those behind Empress Tianhai. Xu Weixin was first stunned when he saw that the old man was calm and had no intention of coming to pay homage to the Empress, and then he was overjoyed. He looked at Mo Mo as if he were looking at a dead man. As for Xu Yourong in Mo Mo's arms, he believed that the Empress would not hold a grudge against a little girl.
"Young man, you are quite interesting, but you are still young and impetuous and do not know proper etiquette. I will send you to the frontier to gain experience. As for You Rong, you will be taught by the Holy Maiden." With one sentence, the Holy Empress assigned Xu You Rong to a new position and sent Mo Mo to the frontier.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will do my best to teach Yourong. I believe that in the near future, Yourong will definitely be one of the top experts in the world." The Holy Maiden finally showed a genuine smile. And it must be said, the Holy Maiden's smile was quite beautiful.
"Well, I originally wanted to personally teach You Rong, but I have to deal with state affairs and I really don't have the time. So I can only entrust the task of teaching You Rong to you." After saying that, he walked straight to the main seat without even glancing at Mo Mo. Moreover, he did not seek Xu You Rong's or Mo Mo's opinion at all from beginning to end, which showed his domineering nature.
As for her curiosity and interest in Mo Mo, it was contingent on Mo Mo returning alive from the border. At that time, she would definitely bring him into the palace and thoroughly investigate the secrets within him.
Although Xu Yourong was exceptionally talented, she was still just a child. Facing Empress Tianhai, she dared not utter a word of rebuttal and could only silently clutch Mo Mo's clothes with her small hands. After all, in her eyes, the Empress was the most powerful person in the world, and they could not resist her.
"Have you said enough?" Just when they thought Mo Mo would kneel down and beg for mercy in fear, Mo Mo's indifferent voice calmly reached their ears, making everyone present shudder.
"So what if you've said enough? So what if you haven't said enough?" Empress Tianhai looked at Mo Mo, who was still sitting calmly next to her, with great interest.
"If you've said enough, it's my turn. If not, then continue, since you may not be able to speak for a long time afterward." Mo Mo's voice remained as indifferent as ever.
"Interesting! I find myself even more curious about you. You really are an interesting young man." A burning desire to explore rose in Empress Tianhai's eyes—that thing called curiosity that can kill the cat.
"How dare you be so disrespectful to the Holy Empress! You are showing contempt for the Holy Majesty and disregarding the Great Zhou Dynasty! Your Majesty, I implore you to order the execution of your entire clan!" Xu Weixin finally couldn't hold back any longer and jumped out.
Mo Mo never understood why Xu Weixin wanted to kill him. After all, he didn't think he had any deep-seated hatred for Xu Weixin. But Mo Mo forgot that cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. In Xu Weixin's eyes, Mo Mo's decision to take Xu Yourong as his apprentice was cutting off his future. After all, Xu Yourong was the hope for his family's rise. He wouldn't allow anyone to mess with him, even if that person had saved his father and Xu Yourong, whom he regarded as his hope.
"Is this the last thing you wanted to say? If it weren't for the fact that you are Rong's father, you would be dead by now. But you can escape the death penalty, though you can't escape punishment." After saying this, Mo Mo pointed a finger at Xu Weixin from a distance without any emotion. Then everyone was horrified to see that Xu Weixin's cultivation level began to plummet, and in the blink of an eye, he became an ordinary person.
Withdrawing his hand from Xu Weixin, Mo Mo said calmly, "Since you look down on me, an ordinary person, then I'll let you be an ordinary person for ten years. As for violating my warning last time, you can be mute for five years and reflect on your actions."
Mo Mo's movements were fluid and swift. Before anyone could react, Xu Weixin's cultivation had already been sealed. Madam Xu wanted to retort to Mo Mo, since she had only seen Mo Mo point a finger at Xu Weixin and hadn't seen him attack her. She thought Mo Mo was just bluffing. However, when she opened her mouth, she realized something was wrong. Although she could speak normally, she couldn't make a sound. It was like watching a movie with the sound muted; her mouth moved, but no sound came out.
In a panic, Madam Xu grabbed Xu Weixin, her face filled with fear. She was still trying to open and close her arms. Xu Weixin, who was still in a daze and had not yet recovered from the fact that his cultivation had been sealed, subconsciously asked Madam Xu a question. However, after he opened his mouth, he found that he could not make any sound either. The only thing that comforted them was that they could still hear the voices of other people.
At this moment, everyone in the hall realized that Mo Mo wasn't just bluffing; he had genuinely sealed their mouths, rendering them unable to utter a sound. Looking at the terrified Xu Weixin and his wife, the others in the hall felt relieved. Luckily, they hadn't provoked Mo Mo, and judging from his actions, his cultivation was at least on par with the Five Saints of this continent.
After dealing with Xu Weixin and his wife, Mo Mo continued, "Actually, I completely agree with what you two said. This is a world where strength speaks. Only those with strong fists have a voice. Although I really dislike speaking with fists, some people are just like that wind wolf I let go. Only fists can convince them."