Chương 103: Exposed

"Reyn, I, Mo Yu, have pursued the Dao for over ninety years, yet today I find myself looking up at a brat like you. Both you and your master seem intent on riding over my head!" Mo Yu's eyes flickered with a venomous resentment, his face contorting into a mask of bitter spite.

"If I cannot discipline the two of you, I can certainly vent my frustrations on those close to you! Lei Tianqi, consider this your unlucky day!" With a sharp flick of his sleeve, a massive, translucent palm manifested in the air, surging forward to strike Lei Tianqi. This was one of the Xuanxiao Sect's fundamental techniques—the Lesser Capturing Hand. However, when unleashed by a cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage, its potency was anything but minor.

For someone like Lei Tianqi, who possessed a mere second-level Qi Condensation cultivation, a direct hit from this palm would leave him bedridden for months. Lei Tianqi's eyes widened in terror. He squeezed them shut, bracing for the impact, only to be met with a deafening explosion. A plume of dust erupted into the sky, obscuring the vision of everyone present. When the boy finally dared to open his eyes, he saw a tall, commanding figure stepping calmly through the settling haze.

The figure's abyssal black eyes rested briefly on him before shifting to Mo Yu.

"Elder Mo Yu, isn't your hand a bit too heavy for a junior?" Reyn asked, his voice chillingly calm. Reyn had appeared out of thin air, shattering the Lesser Capturing Hand with a single blow. He stood now in a tense standoff with Mo Yu, his expression dark and ominous. The spectators held their breath, a cold sweat breaking out among the crowd. One was a veteran powerhouse of the sect, a late Foundation Establishment expert with a high probability of reaching the Golden Core realm.

The other was a rising star—a Grade 3 High-tier Alchemist whose combat prowess rivaled mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. If these two truly clashed, it would send shockwaves throughout the entire Xuanxiao Sect. Mo Yu narrowed his eyes, a lethal glint dancing within them. He stood several yards from Reyn, his thin lips pressed into a hard line. After a long, suffocating silence, he suddenly forced a smile.

"So, it is Elder Reyn. This brat was using your name to threaten several of my disciples. I was merely teaching him a lesson for your sake, lest the other disciples think you condone such behavior from your relatives and ruin your reputation."

"Oh? If that is the case, then I suppose I should thank you." Reyn's eyes flashed with a dangerous light. He gave a casual, dismissive arch of his hands and pointed a thumb at the trembling Lei Tianqi.

"I despise this person. We have a history of enmity. However... while I may strike him, no one else is permitted to lay a finger on him." Mo Yu's smile twitched.

"Then Elder Reyn should discipline him well to ensure such conduct does not repeat. If he falls into my hands again, I shall not be so lenient."

"There is no need for Elder Mo Yu to trouble himself," Reyn replied, a surge of killing intent flickering in his gaze. For some reason, he felt an instinctive, visceral loathing for Mo Yu and had no desire to continue the conversation. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Hmph!" Mo Yu's face darkened. He let out a cold snort, turned on his heel, and led his disciples away. Reyn remained expressionless, but the moment Mo Yu brushed past him, his countenance shifted violently. His face became utterly grim. Simultaneously, Mo Yu's footsteps halted abruptly. The elder slowly raised his head, his eyes now bloodshot and overflowing with murderous intent. He locked his gaze onto Reyn, his voice trembling with rage.

"The one who slaughtered my grandson... it was you!" Reyn's expression remained stony, though a cold, mocking smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

"To kill Elder Mo Yu's grandson? I wonder what you mean by such a statement?"

"My grandson, Mo Tiancheng, was murdered in the sect's back mountains six months ago. The entire sect knows of this!" Veins bulged on Mo Yu's forehead as his eyes turned a terrifying shade of crimson.

"Explain yourself, Elder Reyn! Why is the mark I placed within my grandson's body now residing within yours?" The Crimson Blood Mark was a sinister restriction placed by high-level cultivators into the bloodlines of their direct descendants. Upon the descendant's death, the mark would instantly burrow into the killer's body, acting as an unerring beacon for vengeance.

"How is this possible? The incident that caused such a stir was actually Master-Uncle Reyn's doing!"

"I don't believe it! This can't have anything to do with Master-Uncle Reyn."

"Elder Mo Yu has already sensed the mark. How could there be a mistake? He must be involved."

"So what if he killed him? Mo Tiancheng was always arrogant and tyrannical. Who knows how many people he robbed or murdered? I heard he once killed an outer disciple just to steal a three-hundred-year-old Fleeceflower Root. It was only because of Mo Yu's protection that no one dared to speak up."

"We've heard the rumors too. Master-Uncle Reyn is a man of integrity. If he struck, he surely had a reason. Perhaps he caught Mo Tiancheng in the middle of some heinous act and delivered justice."

"All of you, shut your mouths!" Mo Yu roared, his savage gaze sweeping across the crowd, instantly plunging the area into a fearful silence.

"Reyn, the iron law of the Xuanxiao Sect dictates that those who murder their fellow disciples shall have their cultivation stripped and their souls extracted to be refined for eternity! Even if you are the Great Elder of the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, the law applies to all. Today, I shall personally deal with a cold-blooded traitor like you!" Inside, Mo Yu's mind raced with ruthless calculation.

This brat is not only a Grade 3 High-tier Alchemist, but his cultivation has reached the level of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment expert in just one year. I cannot allow the Sect Master or Dan Chenzi to find out about this, or my grandson's death will go unavenged! Mo Yu's eyes gleamed with malice. The rift between us is already formed. If I do not kill him now, his talent will make him unstoppable in the future. If he seeks revenge later, I will be the one to die! Besides, he is the one in the wrong today.

Even if I kill him, the Sect Master and Dan Chenzi cannot touch me because of the sect laws! In the span of a single breath, Mo Yu reached a decision. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a spiritual artifact that crashed down toward Reyn's head.

"Go!" Mo Yu knew Reyn possessed a formidable divine ability—the same one that had nearly killed Ming Diao Zhanchen on the tournament stage. He struck with lethal precision, unleashing his life-bound artifact, the Xuantian Jade Ruler, intending to crush Reyn before he could even retaliate.

"Senior Brother Mo Yu, stay your hand!"

"Senior Brother, stop! We can explain this! Do not resort to killing!"

"Disaster! Senior Brother Mo Yu is at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and that Xuantian Jade Ruler is a top-grade spirit tool! Elder Reyn is in grave danger!"

"Elder Reyn, dodge! Do not take it head-on!" The sudden, violent escalation threw the entire Ascension Terrace into chaos. While the younger disciples were paralyzed with shock, the various elders and protectors turned pale. If anything happened to Reyn today, none of them would be able to escape the consequences.