Chapter 5: Returning Home

In recent years of disappearance, Elder Xuan Yu must be extremely anxious, so Mo Zhi Yao naturally needs to visit him first

The entire second floor of the Shanyuan Building echoed with Mo Heng's piercing screams, while Mo Hang, Mo Yang, and others stood frozen in shock, utterly unable to believe what they were witnessing

This young man is certainly not an ordinary person

With a gentle exhale, Mo Zhiyao slightly bent his body and performed a bow, yet remained silent

Mo Zhiyao squinted his eyes, concealing the shock beneath them, while maintaining an outward appearance of calmness, revealing not the slightest hint of the astonishment within.

"Child, please tell me quickly, where have you been all this time?" Elder Xuanyu interjected, his expression filled with concern.

Mo Zhiyao furrowed her brows slightly, raised her arm, and met the force that surged towards her side with a punch

Turning around, Fu Kuan happened to catch a glimpse of an inexplicable smile at the corner of the richly dressed youth's mouth, and he understood in his heart that the youth seemed to harbor the same thoughts as himself

Upon entering the room, Elder Xuan Yu first had some fruits and similar items brought in, and then dismissed all the servants, leaving only himself and Mo Zhi Yao in the room

The condensation of the magic pattern endowed Mo Zhiyao with an intuition beyond that of ordinary people. The youth across from him instilled in Mo Zhiyao a sense of indescribable oppression. This feeling was one that Mo Zhiyao had only experienced when he first engaged in battle with a demon beast.

Mo Zhiyao nodded and said, "It is I; I wish to see Elder Xuan Yu"

Breaking Mo Heng's arms, Mo Zhiyao felt a small sense of relief from the grievances of that year. Moreover, Mo Zhiyao harbored other thoughts; the humiliation inflicted upon himself and his father by Mo Heng was a price that was certainly not enough!

A sudden gust of wind fiercely struck Mo Zhiyao

The people around, including Mo Hang and others, were all silent as if frozen in fear, not daring to even breathe, let alone offer assistance.

A burst of laughter made Mo Zhiyao retract his gaze from the young man in the splendid attire. With a beaming smile, Fu Kuan stepped down the stairs and approached Mo Zhiyao, while the burly man beside him followed closely behind.

Although Fu Kuan's influence may not compare to that of the Four Great Families, he is nonetheless a significant merchant in his own right. After years of diligent management, his connections with the Four Great Families are intricate and complex, and his strength should not be underestimated, as he subtly shows signs of becoming the fifth major force.

Fu Kuan's politeness not only left Mo Zhiyao momentarily stunned, but it also revealed a hint of astonishment on the face of Xiao Ran, who stood behind him

"Please wait a moment, I will go and convey the message right away." The guard bowed and hurried inside. In just a short while, a figure rushed out from the door with great speed, displaying an expression of excitement; it was Elder Xuan Yu.

In a moment of near death, Mo Heng emitted a violent cough, blood spewing forth and splattering the ground in a shocking array of crimson stains

"Child, is it really you?" Elder Xuan Yu grasped Mo Zhi Yao's shoulder tightly, his eyes filled with ecstasy and disbelief.

Mo Zhiyao nodded in response, casting a deep glance at the young man in splendid attire who was also gazing at him, before turning to leave

Mo Heng felt for the first time how close he was to death, yet the desire to survive ultimately prevailed. Unfortunately, his deformed face, trampled upon, could no longer utter a single word

Upon hearing Fu Kuan's words, Mo Hang and the others finally reacted, quickly stepping forward to lift the wailing Mo Heng, leaving Shan Yuan Building in a state of utter disarray as they hurried back to their clan

"Young Master Jun, do not let these trivial matters dampen your spirits. Let us go upstairs and continue drinking," Fu Kuan said with a smile. The young man with the surname Jun nodded in response and turned to head upstairs.

Behind the two individuals, on a higher step, stood a young man dressed in elegant moon-white attire. He appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, with a handsome face and long black hair tied at the top of his head with a jade ribbon. What left a particularly deep impression was his pair of starry eyes, which were profound and deep. At this moment, he was gazing at Mo Zhi Yao, and their eye contact gave Mo Zhi Yao the illusion of being seen through to the depths of his heart

How can we "shake hands and make peace" when both arms are broken

This made Mo Zhiyao feel a sense of melancholy; it seemed that his absence from home for a year had not drawn the attention of his clan. Otherwise, those guards would not have reacted in such a manner, suggesting that they were completely unaware of Mo Zhiyao's previous disappearance

The bitterness at the corners of the mouth gradually turned into a chill. In Mo Zhiyao's eyes, a trace of coldness passed by. Clan, you will come to regret your previous actions.

The person beside Fu Kuan is robustly built, with broad shoulders and a strong physique, and has a resolute expression. Observing the slightly fluttering sleeves of his garment, it is evident that he has just made a move

Mo Zhiyao felt a chill in his heart; the force of the strike seemed fierce, yet it was executed with perfect precision, causing him no harm whatsoever. It appeared that the assailant merely intended to drive him back in order to save Mo Heng.

"You little waste, do you dare to hurt me! I will not let you go, and my father will not let you go either!" Mo Heng, who was trampled underfoot by Mo Zhiyao, could not hide the deep shock beneath the resentment in his eyes

Mo Heng's voice was not particularly loud before, but it was certainly not small either. The name Mo Zhiyao was naturally heard by Fu Kuan, while as for Xiao Ran, he was merely a newly recruited guard by Fu Kuan and did not understand the situation of the Mo family at all, thus he was unaware of Mo Zhiyao's "great name" from years ago

Elder Xuan Yu's residence, although also within the inner courtyard, is very close to the back mountain and the environment is extremely tranquil. Upon arriving at the door, before Mo Zhi Yao could speak, the guard standing at the entrance showed a look of surprise and asked in astonishment: "You, you are Young Master Zhi Yao?"

"It is like this, Elder Xuanyu." Mo Zhiyao organized his thoughts and recounted the events that transpired after Elder Xuanyu's departure that day, but he concealed the matters regarding the Eternal Demon Essence and the "Demon Decision." He only mentioned that with the help of that mysterious person, he was finally able to successfully condense the human pattern.

A gust of wind swept by, leaving a chill behind for everyone. Unbeknownst to them, at some point, the fabric of their backs had already been soaked through with cold sweat

Watching the departing figure of Mo Zhiyao, a glimmer of brilliance flickered through the narrowed eyes of Fu Kuan. He cast another glance at Mo Heng, who was lying on the ground and wailing in agony, and a playful smile curved at the corners of his mouth. "Mo Zhiyao, that waste who can't even condense a single Dao pattern? Hehe, it seems the Mo family is in for quite a show."

"Child, where have you been this year?" Elder Xuan Yu asked Mo Zhi Yao anxiously. "After I left that day, I went to see you again after about a month, but I could not find you anywhere. I thought something had happened to you, so I personally searched the entire back mountain.

Only Elder Xuan Yu would refer to Mo Zhi Yao as "Young Master".

The several guards stationed at the back door, upon seeing Mo Zhiyao dressed in animal skins, displayed a look of surprise in their eyes, yet did not question him further and directly allowed him to enter

"Child, where have you been this past year?" Elder Xuan Yu inquired while carefully observing Mo Zhi Yao

Elder Xuan Yu, it is I!" Mo Zhi Yao's eyes immediately turned red; after his father's death, Elder Xuan Yu could be said to be his only remaining family.

A dull sound of impact echoed, and Mo Zhiyao's figure swayed, lifting the foot that was on Mo Heng's face and taking a step back

Mo Zhiyao calmed his mind and looked at Fu Kuan, his expression still cold, but the red light in his eyes had faded, revealing nothing.

Mo Zhiyao understood in his heart that his former self was merely a worthless individual, so how could the clan possibly care? Whether he lived or died was of no consequence

Mo Heng had been silenced, his fierce expression replaced by terror. He had a gut feeling that Mo Zhiyao truly intended to kill him

"Oh dear, look at me being so forgetful. I was too excited to see you back and completely forgot about this matter," Elder Xuanyu exclaimed as he slapped his forehead. He then took Mo Zhiyao's arm, and the two of them entered through the main gate together

Elder Xuan Yu, please take a look. Mo Zhi Yao, with his left arm raised, rolled up his sleeve, and under the operation of spiritual power, three patterns shimmering with silver light suddenly appeared, dazzling in their brilliance

The matter of cultivating demonic powers is exceedingly terrifying. Moreover, the process of condensing demonic runes requires bloodshed, which even Mo Zhiyao finds somewhat difficult to accept. Therefore, regarding the practice of the demonic techniques, Mo Zhiyao does not intend to disclose it to anyone for the time being

"You few, why aren't you quickly helping your young master Mo Heng to receive treatment? Are you just going to stand there and watch?" Fu Kuan did not have such a good attitude towards the group of Mo family youths who were still standing by, unable to regain their senses.

Mo Zhiyao looked up and saw three people standing on the stairs leading to the third floor, two in front and one behind. The two in front were one short and stout person with a smiling face and crescent-shaped eyes, making it impossible to see his pupils, which gave a sense of familiarity. This person, whom Mo Zhiyao had met once in his childhood when he came here with his father, was none other than Fu Kuan, the owner of Shanyuan Building.

Mo Zhiyao is merely an obscure young man, yet Fu Kuan is surprisingly courteous, which leaves everyone, including Mo Zhiyao himself, momentarily taken aback. However, among these individuals, the elegantly dressed young man is not included.

This young man, in a moment of urgency, my subordinate Xiao Ran acted rashly. If there was any offense, I apologize on his behalf

The result yielded nothing. I was desperate at the time and initially intended to report to the clan leader, but then I recalled the expressions of those people. Sigh!" At this point, Elder Xuan Yu's face showed a look of indignation.

Little brother, I am not aware of the misunderstanding between you and Young Master Mo Heng, yet you have resorted to violence here? I hope that, for my sake, we can let this matter pass. The meal expenses you incurred earlier will be on my account, as a small gesture from me. Originally, Fu Kuan intended to suggest a handshake to reconcile, but upon glancing at Mo Heng lying on the ground, he changed his words at the last moment.

After leaving the Shanyuan Building, he headed towards the Mo family residence located to the east of Panzheng. However, instead of entering through the main gate, he skillfully made his way to the back entrance.

The recent strike has significantly diminished Mo Zhiyao's murderous intent, and his rationality has been restored. If Fu Kuan had arrived a few breaths later, it is likely that a great disaster would have occurred. Mo Heng's death would have been one matter, but the key issue is that Mo Zhiyao would no longer have the opportunity to enter the Mo family ancestral hall to pay respects to his father

Therefore, I did not make it public, but only arranged for my trusted confidants to search and inquire all around. Elder Xuan Yu looked at Mo Zhi Yao and continued, "After searching for nearly a year, to be honest, I had already lost hope, thinking that you..."

Oh? Then I shall see how you intend to spare me! Mo Zhiyao's expression remained unchanged, his gaze growing even colder, and the force beneath his feet gradually intensified

"Is this really that useless person, Mo Zhiyao?" Mo Hang struggled to turn his stiff neck, looking around at the crowd. What caught his eye was the pale and dazed faces of those around him. Mo Hang knew that his own complexion was no different from theirs.

Upon entering the Mo residence, Mo Zhiyao did not rush to the ancestral hall, as the memorial day for his father, Mo Cang, was not until tomorrow. Instead, he headed straight to the residence of Elder Xuan Yu.

For a waste, those prominent figures in the clan have not paid any attention at all. The only ones who should be aware of my disappearance are probably the Elder Xuan Yu, who has always cared for me, and a limited few like Mo Heng, who harbors ill intentions towards me.

Mo Zhiyao gathered the shimmering light at the corners of his eyes and said softly, "Elder Xuanyu, let us discuss this inside."