Chapter 35: Battling the Acting Clan Head, Mo Cheng

Lan Bing stood up, intending to kick Mo Xuan out immediately. However, upon reaching the door, she called out, "You, come back! You promised to make me a replica, don't you dare go back on your word!"

"This..." Mo Xuan had only meant it as a comforting remark; he hadn't expected Lan Bing to take it seriously, and it was hardly an easy task.

"What? You’ve seen me at my absolute worst, so you’d better take responsibility," Lan Bing threatened.

Seeing that Lan Bing was no longer sad and had returned to her usual self, Mo Xuan felt a sense of satisfaction. Without making any vague promises or setting a timeline, he simply agreed.

***

At the entrance of the Mo family estate, Mo Xuan was about to head in when he found Meng Yao waiting for him.

"This..."

Mo Xuan had intended to go to the main Mo family residence alone, but Lin Meng Yao seemed to love a spectacle. She had been waiting at the gate. Last time, when he went to the Feng family to annul his engagement, he had tried to shake her off, but she had followed him anyway. Although she hadn't said much, things had felt awkward afterward. Now, here she was again.

"You..." Mo Xuan didn't know what to say.

"Don't be so stingy. I'm a very easy-going person. Just treat me like air, or a maid, if you prefer. In any case, I wouldn't miss such an interesting event for the world." Meng Yao didn't mind at all; she was truly carefree and struck a relaxed pose.

As the young sect leader of a major clan, her willingness to serve as someone else's maid was hardly believable—she was clearly just a playful girl who loved to get involved in the action. What Mo Xuan couldn't understand most was how she knew he was coming back today. The timing was perfect; he wondered how she even calculated it.

*Sigh.*

It had been nearly a year since Mo Xuan was driven out of the Mo family. The place looked the same, though the guards were fewer. The Mo family once had several Earth Soul Realm experts; now, it seemed only two remained. Three had been assassinated—two of whom were pharmacists—and the Seventh Elder had recently departed. Now, only the acting family head, Mo Cheng, and Elder Yong remained. Mo Xuan had been sending potions to the pharmacy managed by Elder Yong on a regular basis, so that should still be functioning fine.

***

As Mo Xuan stepped into the family estate, messengers—both overt and covert—immediately went to report his arrival. No one stopped him at first, but halfway through the first courtyard, a group of people blocked his path.

The leader was Mo Jun, the son of Mo Cheng. If not for Mo Xuan, he would have been the young master of the Mo family. Mo Cheng had never addressed this, which was why Mo Jun harbored such resentment. Mo Yu Jie was not with him this time; it was said that because of his decent talent, the family had sent him to a second-rate academy to study. They had planned to send Mo Jun as well, but he failed to meet the entrance requirements.

Mo Jun still held a grudge against Mo Xuan. However, he knew Mo Xuan’s strength far exceeded his own, so he didn't dare strike alone. Instead, he brought five other Spirit Gathering Realm disciples from the family. They might not be able to stop Mo Xuan from reclaiming his position, but they could certainly make his entry difficult and perhaps humiliate him. It was a perfect opportunity, especially since the formidable expert rumored to be by Mo Xuan’s side was nowhere to be seen. In a way, Mo Jun was quite clever.

However, Mo Xuan’s strength was far beyond what appeared on the surface.

"Everyone, attack! That high-level expert isn't with him today—teach him a lesson for me!" Mo Jun shouted, then quickly retreated to a safe distance.

"It seems you aren't very popular around here," Meng Yao said, waving her hand dismissively at the group. She truly held them in contempt.

"I apologize for the spectacle," Mo Xuan replied, feeling embarrassed that she had to witness this.

"It’s nothing. They’re all the same," Lin Meng Yao said. Mo Xuan detected a deeper meaning in her words.

"As your maid, let me handle this!" Lin Meng Yao was not being modest. Of course, the "maid" title was just an excuse she used to tag along; she knew she had to show a bit of humility since she was the one who insisted on coming. Most importantly, she knew Mo Xuan wouldn't actually treat her as a servant. That was exactly why she acted this way.

She condensed a sword using spiritual energy and unleashed a single sword art. *Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* After a few flashes of the blade, the five Spirit Gathering Realm disciples were knocked to the ground.

Seeing this, Mo Jun panicked and turned to run, but he was no match for Meng Yao. She grabbed him and dragged him back to Mo Xuan.

"Big Brother—no, Young Master, please spare me! For the sake of our shared bloodline..." Mo Jun was trembling with fear, not daring to act up again.

Mo Xuan hadn't intended to punish him; he felt it wasn't necessary. He decided to let the past be the past. He let him go, but Meng Yao showed no such mercy and gave him a sound beating.

News of the incident quickly reached Mo Cheng, who soon arrived on the scene. Seeing his father, Mo Jun scurried behind him, acting uncharacteristically obedient and not even daring to lodge a complaint. Mo Jun was sharp enough to know that since Mo Xuan had returned, his father, as the acting head, wouldn't dare make things difficult for him. Any further resistance would be futile.

Mo Cheng stepped forward with his usual demeanor, perhaps a bit more gentle and kind. "Thank you for showing mercy. May I ask who this young lady is?"

"Lin Meng Yao," she replied, standing behind Mo Xuan. "I'm his follower."

"Ah, Miss Lin. A pleasure," Mo Cheng said, not truly believing she was just a follower, and offered a polite compliment.

Mo Xuan bowed briefly. Mo Cheng had always treated him well; if not for Mo Cheng’s mediation, Mo Xuan would never have been able to keep his footing in the family, let alone remain the young master for so long after his birth. Regardless of the underlying motives, Mo Xuan could not forget this kindness, so he remained respectful.

"It is good to be back. From this day forward, you are still the young master of the Mo family," Mo Cheng said, genuinely pleased by Mo Xuan's newfound strength. He prepared to have someone make arrangements, but Mo Xuan declined the title.

"I do not want the position of young master," Mo Xuan said firmly.

Not only Mo Cheng, but even Mo Jun and Meng Yao were stunned. Initially, Mo Xuan had to fight for that position, but now he couldn't accept it. In the future, he would face a mysterious and powerful force. As things stood, that force did not seem interested in the Mo family as a whole. Before he had the strength to protect them, he could not drag his family into the conflict—just as his father had done, choosing to leave despite his immense power. He intended to use this opportunity to cut ties and end it all. Giving up the title now would save him trouble and offered many advantages.

"I don't want the title, but I am still a member of the Mo family. I returned today only to learn the truth about certain matters." Mo Xuan looked at Mo Cheng, his expression grave and solemn, as if he had become a completely different person.

"Oh?" Mo Cheng seemed to understand, but the matter was too significant. He hesitated, then let out a laugh. "It is still too early!"

Meng Yao, standing to the side, was bewildered, having no idea what they were talking about. She did not interrupt, remaining a silent observer.

"It is not too early. I returned for this very reason, and I am prepared to fight for it." A glimmer of light shone in Mo Xuan's eyes, revealing an extraordinary resolve.

"Although you have grown stronger, you do not have the power to defeat me. It would be best not to push your luck," Mo Cheng advised earnestly.

"How can I know without trying?"

Mo Xuan’s display of confidence deeply worried Mo Cheng, who tried to steer him toward diligent cultivation instead. "Sigh, very well. If you insist on trying, then so be it. But if you lose, you must settle down and focus on your cultivation. Stop overthinking these things."

The fact that Mo Xuan had challenged Mo Cheng left Mo Jun in a cold sweat. The surrounding Mo family disciples were equally skeptical; they knew Mo Xuan was no longer the "trash" he once was, but how could he possibly be a match for Mo Cheng? Mo Cheng was a Level 11 Earth Soul Realm cultivator—the strongest combatant currently in the Mo family.

Meng Yao, however, was not surprised. She had seen Mo Xuan kill a Lava Turtle of the Sky-Lodging Realm with a single bizarre technique, so she was eager to see what trump cards he held.

Mo Xuan did not hold back. He immediately unleashed the Three-Heart Illusion, enveloping the area in a black domain. Mo Cheng did not dare to be careless and summoned his Origin Spirit—a thunder-attribute cloud cluster. The thundercloud was a greyish-white, crackling with electricity, and the sound of thunder and lightning could be heard within. This was a unique Origin Spirit inherent to the direct descendants of the Mo family. Mo Xuan was an exception; although he was a direct descendant, his Origin Spirit had followed his mother’s lineage.

Mo Cheng reacted quickly, having prepared in advance, which allowed him to avoid Mo Xuan's mental attack.

"Thundercloud Spirit Crossing, First Form: Sky Breaker!"

Mo Cheng immediately unleashed a mid-tier Opening Realm technique. Surging lightning transformed into arcs of electrical tracks, striking directly at Mo Xuan’s position.

Mo Xuan hadn't intended to win with such a technique from the start. "As expected of the acting family head, your strength is truly formidable."

The surrounding disciples were baffled. Why start with such a powerful move? Was he trying to end the fight quickly?

At that moment, Elder Yong returned from outside and, seeing the scene, stepped closer to observe. "How is this possible!" As one of the only two remaining Earth Soul Realm experts in the Mo family, he was shocked. He finally truly admired Mo Xuan, realizing why Mo Cheng had been forced to launch such a powerful attack. He had never expected Mo Xuan to push Mo Cheng to this extent right from the start.