Chapter 238: Recruiting a Strong Warrior
"Life Devouring Pill?"
As Mo Yu stared at the mysterious map with this name, which felt both unfamiliar and familiar, he paused, slowly putting away the Vermilion Bird Thunder in his hand. A look of surprise crossed his face as he seemed to recall something.
"Oh? So it's the Life Devouring Pill. I didn't expect such a thing to still exist on the Dou Qi continent," Snake Uncle muttered, his cold eyes fixed on the three words, revealing his astonishment.
"If I remember correctly, the Life Devouring Pill is a kind of remarkable pill that shocked the entire continent many years ago. It could be considered to be at the pinnacle of the seventh grade, and its creator was a highly renowned alchemist. What makes this pill so terrifying is its ability to mass-produce Dou Wang (Battle King) powerhouses!
Imagine, while others painstakingly train to reach this level, a single pill could make up the difference. Even though the power it grants doesn't last long and requires the user to consume life force to maintain it, how many among the countless beings on the Dou Qi continent can break through to Dou Wang?
Thus, despite the pill's severe backlash, many powerhouses and even some major factions pursued it with crazed fervor. However, this madness didn't last long because the alchemist who created the Life Devouring Pill suddenly vanished one night, taking the pill recipe with him.
After his disappearance, people continued to search for him and the pill for a while, but as time passed, that frenzy that once shook the continent gradually faded. The Life Devouring Pill eventually disappeared into the river of time…"
Hearing Snake Uncle's amazement, Mo Yu raised an eyebrow, surprised that a map he had bought on a whim at the auction actually concealed such a significant secret.
Mo Yu wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the Life Devouring Pill. In the original story, Xiao Yan's brother, Xiao Li, consumed this pill in a fit of rage after believing Xiao Yan had perished. The pill allowed him to leap from a Da Dou Shi (Battle Master) to a Dou Wang, enabling him to form a small revenge squad to avenge Xiao Yan.
Mo Yu had previously been very interested in this pill, which could quickly elevate a Da Dou Shi to a Dou Wang. Unfortunately, the original story only mentioned that Xiao Li found the pill by accident while fleeing into a deep mountain, without giving specific details about its location.
The Black-Corner Region was vast, with countless unknown mountain ranges. Without precise information, searching for the Life Devouring Pill would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Eventually, Mo Yu had given up on the idea. But now, when he had almost forgotten about it, a map he randomly purchased turned out to contain detailed information on the pill's location.
Mo Yu's slender fingers traced the intricate patterns on the cold parchment, following the winding lines until they stopped at a marked red location indicating the Life Devouring Pill.
"Hmm? It's actually not far from the Jia Nan Academy…" Mo Yu murmured to himself, noticing the location noted for the pill.
"Are you interested in the Life Devouring Pill?" Snake Uncle's raspy voice asked, sensing Mo Yu's growing excitement.
"Yes, a pill like the Life Devouring Pill is incredibly valuable. Since I've come across it, I can't just pass up the opportunity," Mo Yu replied with a light smile.
In Mo Yu's view, the Life Devouring Pill, though a rare and intriguing pill, barely qualified as a seventh-grade pill. After all, seventh-grade pills like the Transformation Pill or the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Pill had miraculous effects. The Life Devouring Pill, on the other hand, only allowed a Da Dou Shi to quickly ascend to a Dou Wang, at the cost of life force.
While Dou Wang powerhouses were indeed powerful, they were still far from being considered top-tier. Therefore, the Life Devouring Pill seemed somewhat lacking. Additionally, building an army of Dou Wang powerhouses with this pill would require an enormous amount, which even the superpowers in the Central Plains could not sustain.
Despite these drawbacks, the Life Devouring Pill was extremely useful to Mo Yu at this moment.
"That's true. With your talent, you don't need the Life Devouring Pill. In less than two years, you could break through to Dou Wang on your own. However, you're now the leader of a faction. If you can obtain a few of these pills, Yuanfu could gain several more Dou Wang powerhouses. Even though their strength would only last for three years, by that time, with your capabilities, Yuanfu would have likely secured its position as a top-tier force in the Black-Corner Region," Snake Uncle remarked, admiring Mo Yu's steady gaze, which seemed to conceal the power of a thunderstorm.
Over the past few weeks, Snake Uncle had witnessed firsthand how Mo Yu had built a faction from scratch, slowly expanding it. Although Yuanfu was initially formed on the foundation of the Tiger Gang, it was Mo Yu who constructed its framework, set its rules, and led it to dominate Stone Rock City.
Snake Uncle couldn't help but be impressed by Mo Yu's performance. Not everyone has the ability to lead a faction. In the past, Snake Uncle himself had been unable to assume leadership within the Snake-People Tribe, partly due to clan rules but also because he had no interest in managing a faction.
Being the leader of a faction was not just about power; it was also a responsibility. Mo Yu had skillfully balanced power and responsibility, a feat that even Snake Uncle had to admire.
Mo Yu simply smiled in response to Snake Uncle's praise.
Indeed, Mo Yu intended to use the Life Devouring Pill to strengthen Yuanfu by creating more Dou Wang powerhouses. After all, Yuanfu currently relied heavily on Zi Huo (Purple Fire) as its only top-tier combat force. Adding a few more Dou Wangs would elevate Yuanfu to the level of a first-tier faction.
However, Mo Yu did not plan to use the Life Devouring Pill as a one-time solution. Knowing the original story, he was aware that the pill's three-year life limit could be bypassed. If a person could break through to Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) within three years, the pill's side effects would vanish, essentially giving them a free pass through the challenging path of cultivation.
Though this method was viable, it was extremely difficult for most people. In just three years, advancing from Dou Wang to Dou Huang was a nearly impossible feat for the average person. Thus, consuming the Life Devouring Pill was almost like stepping into a grave.
But Mo Yu possessed a strange cultivation technique in his memory, one that could consume life force to rapidly increase strength. When combined with the Life Devouring Pill, it was a match made in heaven…
After carefully storing the map in his storage ring, Mo Yu decided to retrieve the Life Devouring Pill during his journey to Jia Nan Academy.
With the secret of the mysterious map now revealed, Mo Yu was in an excellent mood. As he stretched to relieve some tension, a knock suddenly echoed through his room.
"Master, Meng Yang has an important report."
"Meng Yang? What does he want?" Mo Yu asked, slightly surprised as he stepped out of his room. He addressed the servant at the door with a calm tone, "I see. You may leave."
The servant bowed respectfully and quickly retreated.
As Mo Yu entered the hall, he immediately noticed Meng Yang looking anxious. However, his attention was quickly drawn to a scarred man standing beside Meng Yang, causing Mo Yu's silver eyes to narrow slightly.
The scarred man appeared to be in his thirties, with half of his face covered in scars, giving him an intense and sharp look.
When Mo Yu saw him, he was momentarily taken aback. Then, the events from a few days ago at the Di Yan auction replayed in his mind.
This man was none other than Qiushui, the deadly swordsman who had bid on the Ice and Fire Twin Swords at the auction.
As Mo Yu approached, Meng Yang quickly stepped forward, wiping the sweat from his brow as he respectfully addressed Mo Yu, "Master, this is the powerful swordsman Qiushui from the Black-Corner Region. He has come here today…"
After listening to Meng Yang's explanation, Mo Yu quickly understood the situation. Qiushui had happened upon Stone Rock City by chance and, upon noticing the similarities between the Flaming Longsword sold by Yuanfu and the Ice and Fire Twin Swords, deduced that they were crafted by the same master. Thus, he had come to Yuanfu to meet the blacksmith behind the swords.
After Meng Yang finished speaking, Mo Yu dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
It wasn't surprising that Meng Yang, being only a second-tier blacksmith, had been quickly seen through by Qiushui. However, what puzzled Mo Yu was why Qiushui wanted to meet him.
"You are Yuanfu's master and the one who crafted the Ice and Fire Twin Swords?" Qiushui asked, eyeing Mo Yu's youthful face with a hint of skepticism.
Qiushui hadn't paid much attention to Yuanfu, this newly risen faction, because new factions emerged and disappeared daily in the Black-Corner Region. However, upon realizing that Yuanfu's master was such a young man and allegedly a master blacksmith, Qiushui was taken aback.
Even if Mo Yu had started blacksmithing from birth, it seemed unlikely that he could craft a weapon as exquisite as the Ice and Fire Twin Swords. Qiushui couldn't help but feel a bit doubtful.
Mo Yu, noticing the doubt in Qiushui's eyes, paid it no mind. He calmly seated himself and took a slow sip of tea before speaking, "Qiushui, we have met before, haven't we?"
Qiushui paused, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall, "You were that mysterious cloaked figure at the Di Yan auction?"
The mysterious figure had left an impression on Qiushui due to their unique aura. As Qiushui now looked at Mo Yu, he suddenly realized that the peculiar aura of the cloaked figure and Mo Yu overlapped in his mind.
"Heh, I didn't expect you to remember me, Qiushui. My real name is Mo Yu, and I've only recently arrived in the Black-Corner Region. Now, what brings you here today?" Mo Yu asked, putting down his tea and addressing Qiushui with mild curiosity.
Hearing Mo Yu's question, Qiushui's expression turned serious. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a deep voice, "If you truly are the one who crafted the Ice and Fire Twin Swords, I do have a favor to ask of you."
"Oh?" Mo Yu raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "What kind of favor do you need?"
Instead of answering immediately, Qiushui reached into his storage ring and pulled out a sword that radiated strong ice and fire attributes. The sword had multiple cracks running along its blade.
Seeing this familiar weapon, Mo Yu stood up, but his expression shifted to surprise as he noticed the extent of the damage.
"This is the Ice and Fire Twin Swords? What happened to it?"
The sword, which had once been a flawless fourth-tier weapon, was now severely damaged, making it hard to imagine what kind of intense battle it had been through.
"A few days ago, I encountered an old foe, a one-star Dou Wang. Although I managed to drive him off, the Ice and Fire Twin Swords suffered severe damage in the process," Qiushui explained, his normally cold eyes showing a rare hint of sadness as he gently stroked the damaged sword.
"A battle with a Dou Wang?"
Mo Yu was taken aback, his silver eyes scrutinizing Qiushui. He noticed that Qiushui had advanced to a nine-star Dou Ling, just a step away from becoming a Dou Wang. Despite being only a Dou Ling, Qiushui had managed to fight a Dou Wang to a standstill, a testament to his terrifying strength. It was no wonder he was known as the Deadly Sword, a master of swordsmanship in the Black-Corner Region.
Mo Yu's mind began to stir with the idea of recruiting Qiushui.
"Since you are the one who crafted the Ice and Fire Twin Swords, could you repair it? I would be deeply grateful," Qiushui asked, his usual cold demeanor giving way to a hint of urgency as he looked at Mo Yu.
After examining the Ice and Fire Twin Swords for a moment, Mo Yu smiled and replied, "Although the sword is badly damaged, it can still be repaired. However…"
"Oh? You can truly repair it?" Qiushui's cold and stoic expression faltered slightly, and he looked at Mo Yu with a mixture of hope and anxiety. "But what? If you can repair it, I'm willing to pay a million gold coins."
The offer of a million gold coins startled Mo Yu. That amount could easily buy a brand-new sword.
It seemed that swordsmen indeed had a unique bond with their weapons.
Mo Yu shook his head with a light chuckle. "I'm not interested in money."
Qiushui frowned slightly. "Then what do you want?"
"If you care so much about the Ice and Fire Twin Swords, why not join Yuanfu?" Mo Yu interlaced his fingers, a playful smile on his face as his voice echoed through the hall, leaving Qiushui momentarily stunned.
(End of Chapter)