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**
"Who goes there!"
A cold, detached voice rang out from atop the city wall. A figure in a black robe slowly lifted his head, letting the sunlight shine on a young face filled with a deadened aura.
It was none other than Xiao Li, the second young Manor Lord of the Xiao Clan from Wu Tan City.
"What's this, Cousin Xiao Li? You don't recognize me anymore?"
Leaping down from his griffon, Mo Yu looked at the figure before him and smiled.
"Cousin Mo Yu—no, Manor Lord, you're back?"
Xiao Li's usually expressionless face flashed with surprise when he saw the familiar silver eyes.
"It's the Manor Lord! The Manor Lord has returned!"
As the name "Mo Yu" echoed through the air, all the guards on the city wall directed their gazes toward him. When their eyes fell upon that familiar young face, their expressions froze in astonishment and joy.
Some of the newer members of Yuan Manor, who hadn't seen Mo Yu before, also showed happiness upon recognizing their Manor Lord.
Then, as if synchronized, the guards knelt on one knee in unison, paying their respects.
"Hail, Manor Lord!"
Standing tall in the center like an emperor, the silver-eyed young man accepted his followers' loyalty, drawing the attention of many passersby.
"Mo Yu? Could he be the mysterious Manor Lord of Yuan Manor, rarely seen or heard?"
While the onlookers showed little reaction to Mo Yu's appearance, the moment the guards mentioned his name—so well-known across Shi Yan City—shock filled their faces as they murmured in disbelief.
Over the past six months, Yuan Manor had quietly grown under Mo Yu's instructions, never revealing its full strength.
But those who survived the Black-Corner Region weren't fools. They noticed Shi Yan City growing stronger under Yuan Manor's rule, with Yuan Manor's power proving more impressive than expected. To the passersby, it seemed that Yuan Manor was comparable to a first-rate faction!
Seeing such a young man as Yuan Manor's Manor Lord left many people with their jaws hanging open in surprise.
After Mo Yu dismounted, Lin Yan, Zi Yan, and other students from Jia Nan Academy also descended from the griffon.
They were stunned to see the guards kneeling in respect to Mo Yu.
Only a founding Manor Lord could command such respect.
Noticing Xiao Li and the formidable-looking shadows standing behind him, Lin Yan and the others were startled.
Like Su Qian and the rest, the Jia Nan Academy students were aware of Mo Yu's monstrous talent, but they assumed that Yuan Manor—being so unheard of in the Black-Corner Region—was relatively weak.
However, they realized today that the guards were alert and the shadowy figures hidden behind Xiao Li radiated a subdued yet lethal aura. All were elite warriors.
Even the man Mo Yu called "cousin" exerted an intimidating pressure rivaling that of the academy's elders.
This realization humbled the Jia Nan Academy geniuses, forcing them to take Yuan Manor seriously.
Xiao Li also noticed the young talents behind Mo Yu, especially when he caught sight of Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing, a trace of solemnity crossed his face.
They seemed younger than him, yet their auras rivaled his.
Xiao Li had reached this level only by taking the Life Devouring Pill, sacrificing a great deal of lifespan.
It was clear that Jia Nan Academy lived up to its reputation as a haven for geniuses.
"Manor Lord, where is my third brother?" Xiao Li glanced around but didn't see the one person he hoped for, his face clouding with concern.
"Um, Cousin Xiao Li, you can just call me Mo Yu. As for Cousin Xiao Yan, it's a long story. Let's head back to Yuan Manor to talk."
Pausing briefly, Mo Yu gestured to the students behind him. "These are my classmates from Jia Nan Academy. They're here on an important matter, so let's continue in the meeting hall."
Sensing Mo Yu's expression, Xiao Li's brows furrowed slightly, feeling a faint sense of unease.
But Mo Yu wasn't just his cousin; he was Yuan Manor's Manor Lord. So, suppressing his concern, Xiao Li nodded respectfully and issued instructions to his subordinates.
"I'll escort the Manor Lord to the meeting hall. Hold down the fort here."
"Yes, Vice Hall Master!" responded the shadowy figures behind him with respectful obedience.
"Vice Hall Master?" Hearing this, Lin Yan and the others revealed expressions of surprise.
They hadn't expected that Xiao Li—who exerted a presence on par with an academy elder—was merely Yuan Manor's Vice Hall Master. If even he was only a second-in-command, how terrifying must Yuan Manor's other hall Masters be?
Moreover, it was astonishing that this powerful faction, Yuan Manor, was unheard of in the Black-Corner Region.
And that Mo Yu, who founded it, was so young—a true wonder.
Mo Yu, too, noticed the aura of menace radiating from the shadowy figures behind Xiao Li. Though restrained, their bloodlust was unmistakable, proving them to be elite fighters.
Mo Yu's brows lifted slightly. Xiao Li, once the second-in-command of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, truly excelled in organization and training. In just a few months, he had assembled such an outstanding force.
Inspired, Mo Yu considered expanding Yuan Manor's structure as the Black-Corner Region entered a turbulent phase.
In Yuan Manor's meeting hall, the atmosphere was electric.
The hall was filled with dozens of people, including both those Mo Yu had recruited from Jia Nan Academy and Yuan Manor's core members and leaders.
"Boss, you're finally back." A young man built like a tower walked forward, his crimson eyes brimming with excitement as he looked at Mo Yu.
As he spoke, his voice rumbled like thunder, echoing throughout the hall.
"What terrifying strength! This guy feels even more intimidating than Zi Yan, the 'Brute Force Queen' herself. Yuan Manor really is like the tip of an iceberg, hiding such frightening power."
Seeing the towering figure, Lin Yan and the others exchanged glances, shock etched in their eyes. The pressure radiating from Zi Huo surpassed even Xiao Li's, almost reaching that of some Dou Huang-level elders in the inner academy!
Standing nearby, Zi Yan stared in rare surprise at the black-armored giant.
For the first time, she felt a sense of soul-deep pressure from Zi Huo.
Though there were high-tier magical beasts at Jia Nan Academy's back mountains, even those stronger than her didn't exert this kind of pressure.
With newfound excitement, Zi Yan tugged on her braid, smiling as she thought, If Mo Yu has such a powerful subordinate, maybe he can help me find my family!
"Zi Huo, it's been a while, and you've bulked up." Feeling the increasingly terrifying aura from Zi Huo, Mo Yu chuckled softly.
After fusing with the bones of the Abyssal Lion Clan, Zi Huo had shattered his limits. With his current talent and training speed, he had reached the peak of the fifth-grade and was just a step away from the sixth!
"Hehe, all thanks to you, Boss." Zi Huo scratched his head, his deep voice echoing through the hall.
Without Mo Yu, he would have been just an ordinary Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Seeing Zi Huo's obedience, Lin Yan's group was used to their boss's influence, but Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing's jaws dropped.
This guy, more terrifying than even Zi Yan, followed Mo Yu so humbly?
Without missing a beat, Mo Yu turned his gaze to the Yuan Manor leaders standing beside Zi Huo.
"Manor Lord!"
When Mo Yu looked over, Tiger Hall's Hall Master Ling Feng, Vice Hall Master Xiao Li, Yuan Manor's Elder Qiu Shui, and Armory Hall's Master Meng Yang all bowed respectfully.
Mo Yu's silver eyes narrowed slightly, using his Extreme Thunder Silver Eyes to gauge each person's exact strength, and he was pleasantly surprised by what he saw.
Ling Feng, a Five-Star Dou Wang! Xiao Li, a Four-Star Dou Wang! Qiu Shui, a Two-Star Dou Wang! Meng Yang, a top-tier Rank 3 weapon refiner!
With the addition of Zi Huo—a peak fifth-grade beast who could rival a Dou Huang—Yuan Manor had, in just over half a year, grown into one of the premier forces in the Black-Corner Region!
Mo Yu felt a hint of surprise at this progress, though he was not entirely unexpecting.
After all, Ling Feng and Xiao Li had reached the Dou Wang level thanks to the Life Devouring Pill they took, so it wasn't unusual. Qiu Shui, already renowned as a master swordsman in the Black-Corner Region, also found breaking through to Dou Wang natural once he was equipped with the treasured sword personally refined by Mo Yu.
As for Meng Yang, he had already attained third-grade soul power before Mo Yu departed. With the numerous weapon blueprints Mo Yu had provided, his steady rise to a top-tier third-grade was only logical.
"Manor Lord, the Tiger Hall, Lion Hall, Armory Hall, and the Worship Hall have all assembled," Ling Feng reported, his gaze filled with fiery reverence as he looked at Mo Yu.
Now wielding the power of a Five-Star Dou Wang, Ling Feng knew he owed it all to the Life Devouring Pill Mo Yu had bestowed upon him. To others, this might seem like a death sentence, but for Ling Feng, it was a priceless treasure.
Having grown up in the Black-Corner Region, Ling Feng deeply understood the importance of strength. Without it, one might not even live to see another sunrise, much less worry about longevity.
When Mo Yu appointed him as the leader of Tiger Hall, Ling Feng's strength as a Da Dou Shi had barely qualified him for the role. With Yuan Manor expanding rapidly, holding onto his position had been incredibly challenging.
Even with Mo Yu's support, the newly recruited subordinates had yet to truly respect him, which had been a significant obstacle.
So, when Xiao Li handed him the Life Devouring Pill a few months ago, Ling Feng swallowed it without hesitation.
He refused to live a meaningless life and was determined not to let down Mo Yu's trust!
"Alright, gathering everyone here today is not only because I've returned but also to announce an important decision. But before that, I'll be restructuring Yuan Manor's organization," Mo Yu said, tapping his finger on the table as he spoke.
"From today onward, Yuan Manor will create a new hall, called Wolf Hall, and Xiao Li, who previously served as Tiger Hall's Vice Hall Master, will assume the role of its Hall Master."
As Mo Yu's words fell, those gathered in Yuan Manor looked at each other in surprise. They hadn't expected him to initiate such significant changes immediately upon his return.
Despite the shock, no one opposed it. As the founder of Yuan Manor, Mo Yu's word was final.
Ling Feng was a bit taken aback that Mo Yu had moved Xiao Li so quickly, but he wasn't upset. Xiao Li was Mo Yu's kin, and his strength was nearly equal to Ling Feng's, so he was certainly qualified to lead a hall.
In fact, Ling Feng and Xiao Li had developed a harmonious relationship over the recent months, so Ling Feng congratulated Xiao Li with a smile.
Xiao Li and his close kin also reacted with pleasant surprise to this news. Now that Xiao Li had been made the leader of Wolf Hall, he was officially part of the core leadership of Yuan Manor, a position they all took pride in.
"Thank you, Manor Lord!" Xiao Li bowed respectfully toward Mo Yu.
"No need to be so formal, Cousin Xiao Li," Mo Yu replied with a wave of his hand.
With Mo Yu's decree, Yuan Manor now comprised the Lion Hall, Tiger Hall, Wolf Hall, Armory Hall, and Worship Hall—reaching a structure of five halls within one mansion.
Of course, Armory Hall had only a handful of weapon refiners, and Worship Hall currently had only Qiu Shui. There was still room for growth.
Nonetheless, Yuan Manor's might was already enough to leave the Inner Academy students, such as Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing, deeply awestruck. Could this powerful organization truly have been established by Mo Yu alone? He was indeed a force to be reckoned with!
"By the way, these are my fellow classmates from Jia Nan Academy. They're here to join Yuan Manor officially, and from today onward, they'll be integrated into each hall for unified action," Mo Yu said, gesturing toward Lin Yan and the others behind him.
Hearing this, Ling Feng, Xiao Li, and the others exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't expected Mo Yu to bring so many students from Jia Nan Academy and integrate them directly into Yuan Manor.
These were elites of the continent—normally, recruiting even one of them would be a great feat for Yuan Manor, yet now several dozen had joined in one go. The hall leaders' enthusiasm grew at this.
In particular, Xiao Li, who had just established Black Wolf Hall, had already gathered a modest following. However, to truly run a hall, more members were needed.
Therefore, he set his sights on the Jia Nan Academy students. Each one of them possessed Dou Ling strength, and if recruited, they would become core members immediately!
Yet Mo Yu did not allow Xiao Li or the others to choose freely. Instead, he turned to Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and the others and said, "Aside from Armory Hall, you're free to select any of the other four halls. Once you've chosen, though, there's no changing it. During your time in the hall, you must strictly follow the orders of the hall's master. Any disobedience will lead to immediate expulsion from Yuan Manor and a one-way trip back to the academy!"
Hearing Mo Yu's firm statement, the faces of Lin Xiuya and the other students grew serious. Yuan Manor's formidable power had clearly left an invisible pressure on these proud inner academy students...
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