For exclusive access to 500+ advanced chapters and more, visit my Ko-fi page and support the journey:
ko-fi.com/laoyao95
Laoyao with L yeahh..thanks for the support.
or Support me at patreon for 500+ advanced chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk
**
Helping the City Lord Ma Become the Golden Warhorse Clan's Patriach?
As Ma Teng's voice fell, Mo Yu was momentarily stunned before a look of surprise emerged on his face.
The Golden Warhorse Clan was a formidable power comparable to the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion, a significant faction even among the magical beast world.
The Patriach of the Golden Warhorse Clan was akin to the Pavilion Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion—a prominent figure even in the vast Central Plains.
Now, Ma Teng wanted to become the patriach of the Golden Warhorse Clan and needed his help? Could it be that the old patriach was on the verge of passing, and Ma Teng intended to seize power in a rebellion?
As this thought crossed his mind, Mo Yu frowned slightly and hesitated. "City Lord Ma, this matter concerns your clan's internal affairs. I don't think it's appropriate for me to intervene, is it?"
Hearing this, Ma Teng froze momentarily before realizing the misunderstanding. He chuckled softly.
"Haha, Mo Yu, my young friend, you've misunderstood. The position of patriach in the Golden Warhorse Clan has always been determined by nomination from the clan elders and high-ranking members, followed by a fair competition. There's no bloodshed or forceful seizure involved.
"You've already made a significant name for yourself in the Western Region at such a young age, even causing the mighty Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion to struggle against you. You're far more capable than my daughter. Therefore, I need your assistance in the competition for the patriach position."
"To invite a young human to help—Father, are you losing your mind?"
The golden-clad young woman standing beside him sneered, her bright eyes filled with a hint of challenge as she glanced at Mo Yu. Her snowy chin tilted slightly upward, and a competitive glint flashed in her gaze.
Over the years, she had rarely met peers who could rival her. Ma Teng's praise for Mo Yu clearly made the already competitive woman feel envious.
Mo Yu, however, merely smiled and overlooked her provocation. He could tell the woman harbored no malice; her dissatisfaction stemmed from her father's earlier comments.
"Please, Mo Yu, find a seat," Ma Teng said with a smile.
Mo Yu nodded with a polite smile and, led by a maid, casually picked a seat in the hall.
After sitting down, Mo Yu looked at Ma Teng, recalling the latter's earlier words. Curious, he asked, "City Lord Ma, may I know what you mean? How can this junior be of assistance?"
"Haha, since I need your help, I'll be frank." At the head of the hall, Ma Teng cleared his throat and waved his hand. The attendants promptly left the hall respectfully.
Once the irrelevant personnel had exited, Ma Teng turned his golden eyes to Mo Yu and gazed at him intently for a moment. Then, he chuckled.
"Young friend Mo Yu, have you ever considered becoming my son-in-law?"
"What?"
Mo Yu was taken aback by the sudden proposal and instinctively looked at the golden-clad young woman standing beside Ma Teng.
As the daughter of Ma Teng and the little princess of the Golden Warhorse Clan, Ma Yunlu was not only of noble birth but also possessed breathtaking beauty.
If Ma Teng were to announce this offer, countless talented young men across Central Plains would undoubtedly trample each other for a chance to become the son-in-law of the Golden City's lord.
However, Mo Yu was no ordinary man. Not only did he have lofty ambitions, but he also carried numerous entanglements of love on his back. Although Ma Yunlu was indeed stunning, Mo Yu had no desire to court further emotional debts.
At the same time, he couldn't help but feel puzzled by Ma Teng's abrupt desire to take him as a son-in-law.
On the other hand, Ma Yunlu's delicate face flushed slightly at her father's words. She glanced at the silver-eyed young man opposite her and found his calm demeanor slightly startling. Yet, she pouted and protested to Ma Teng, "Father, do you really want to marry me off so badly?"
"Haha, Mo Yu is young and already has a remarkable reputation in the Western Region, even troubling the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion. I would be more than delighted if he became your husband.
"Moreover, as you know, the patriach competition is about to begin. As my only child, you will inevitably face your cousin Ma Chao.
"Although your strength is commendable, defeating Ma Chao will be extremely difficult. Having a capable husband to assist you might be a better option..." Ma Teng sighed, patting Ma Yunlu's jade-like hand.
Hearing this, Ma Yunlu bit her red lips lightly, her delicate face tinged with unwillingness.
Although she was competitive by nature, she couldn't deny the truth in her father's words.
Ma Chao, her uncle's son, was not only the first in the younger generation of the Golden Warhorse Clan but had also independently transformed into human form without relying on pills—a feat that spoke volumes of his strength.
This ability alone made him a formidable opponent, rivaling the chief disciples of the Four Pavilions.
Listening to their conversation, Mo Yu shook his head and replied calmly, "I'm sorry, City Lord Ma, but I am already engaged. I'm afraid I cannot assist in this matter."
Ma Teng was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected someone to refuse his stunning daughter.
Ma Yunlu, too, glanced at Mo Yu. Despite her disapproval of her father's hasty matchmaking, being rejected outright left her feeling somewhat conflicted.
Under their gaze, Mo Yu's expression remained firm.
Carrying multiple romantic entanglements already, including engagements with the Xiao and Lei Clans, as well as close ties with Yun Yun, Cai Lin, and Xiao Yixian, he had no desire to involve himself in further emotional turmoil.
As alluring as Ma Yunlu might be, he wasn't about to fall for her charms.
Seeing Mo Yu's resolute demeanor, Ma Teng's fingers lightly tapped the table. He hadn't anticipated that even his daughter could face rejection.
Finally, Ma Teng sighed. "Mo Yu, my young friend, the reason I invited you here is that the Golden Warhorse Clan's next patriach election is imminent.
"According to the clan's high-level nominations, the candidates are my elder brother and me. This means the next patriach will be chosen between us."
Hearing this, Mo Yu nodded thoughtfully. Based on what he knew, the current patriach of the Golden Warhorse Clan had two sons who respectively governed the Di Kun Mountain Range and Golden City.
Di Kun Mountain Range was under the leadership of the elder son, Ma Zhen, while Golden City was under Ma Teng's control.
If the current patriach intended to retire, it was natural for the next leader to be chosen between these two.
But, just as royal succession among human empires often came with fierce competition, so too did this election require a contest between Ma Zhen and Ma Teng.
Ma Teng spoke with a sigh, "Although my daughter has received much of my favor, she would certainly be no match for Ma Chao in battle. However, according to our clan rules, a son-in-law is considered part of the family. Thus, I wanted to invite you, young friend Mo Yu, to become my son-in-law and take Yunlu's place in the battle."
Mo Yu spread his hands helplessly and replied, "But I am human and already engaged. I'm afraid I cannot help City Lord Ma."
Although Mo Yu wasn't concerned about defeating Ma Chao, even if the latter was a formidable seventh-rank transformed magical beast and an exceptional talent of the younger generation, he had no interest in becoming Ma Teng's son-in-law.
Seeing Mo Yu firmly stick to his position, Ma Teng felt both disappointed and impressed. In Central Plains, many young elites dreamed of becoming his son-in-law, yet Mo Yu remained unmoved, holding firm to his principles—a quality Ma Teng found admirable.
However, thinking of Mo Yu's strength and the upcoming patriach election, Ma Teng furrowed his brows before relaxing and proposing, "As for your human identity, you need not worry. Our Golden Warhorse Clan has always maintained good relations with humans and does not mind intermarriages.
How about this? During the patriach election, you can temporarily assume the title of Yunlu's husband. After defeating Ma Chao in the competition, you are free to leave the Golden City. Once I secure the patriach position, I will publicly annul your engagement with my daughter. This way, everyone benefits. What do you think?"
Mo Yu was momentarily stunned. This arrangement seemed acceptable, like acting as a temporary stand-in. However, he did not agree immediately—he needed Ma Teng to offer more before deciding.
Noticing Mo Yu's hesitation, Ma Teng chuckled and said, "As long as young friend Mo Yu agrees, the rewards will definitely satisfy you. Of course, if there is anything specific you need, feel free to ask."
This was precisely the opening Mo Yu had been waiting for.
The next moment, Mo Yu clasped his fists with a smile. "To be honest, City Lord Ma, I do have some items I desperately need during my visit to the Golden City."
Hearing this, Ma Teng stroked his beard and laughed, "Young friend Mo Yu, feel free to ask. If it is within my power, I will certainly fulfill your request."
Mo Yu didn't hold back. "I need treasures imbued with spatial energy—the more, the better!"
"Oh? Spatial treasures…" Ma Teng was momentarily stunned before smiling. "So that's why young friend Mo Yu came to the Golden City. Hehe, our Golden Warhorse Clan may lack many things, but spatial treasures are something we have in abundance. It seems you've come to the right place."
With a wave of his hand, Ma Teng removed a gray storage ring from his left hand's ring finger and gently placed it on the table before Mo Yu.
"This storage ring contains spatial treasures that were originally meant for the auction at the upcoming trading conference. But since young friend Mo Yu needs them, I will personally gift them to you."
Hearing this, Mo Yu quickly took the ring and infused it with his soul power. Upon seeing the dazzling array of treasures within, each radiating rich spatial energy, he was momentarily awestruck. However, his brows soon furrowed.
"Although there are many spatial treasures here, it's still insufficient for the Void Flashing Thunder to reach its peak…"
Mo Yu's soul power quickly scanned the entire storage ring. The Golden Warhorse Clan, known as a void-based race, had amassed treasures that could likely purchase the entirety of the Jia Ma Empire. Yet, for the immense spatial energy requirements of the Void Flashing Thunder, this collection still fell short.
Seeing Mo Yu's expression, Ma Teng frowned and asked, "What's the matter? Is there something wrong with these items?"
Mo Yu shook his head and gave a wry smile. "The items themselves are fine, but there just aren't enough of them to meet my needs."
"Not enough?" Ma Teng's brows furrowed further, and his face showed a trace of doubt.
The storage ring contained the main auction items for the Golden City's trading conference. Its collection was vast enough to satisfy the needs of dozens of medium-sized factions. If not for needing Mo Yu's help, Ma Teng wouldn't have been so generous.
For such a large quantity to be insufficient surprised Ma Teng. This young man seemed far from ordinary.
"This storage ring already contains most of the resources I can currently mobilize. If you need more, you'll have to wait until I become patriach. How about this? If you assist me in securing the patriach position, I will provide three additional storage rings containing a similar amount of spatial treasures. How does that sound?"
Mo Yu frowned slightly but eventually nodded. "If that's the case, I suppose it will suffice."
Four rings' worth of spatial treasures should provide enough energy for the Void Flashing Thunder.
"Since we've reached an agreement, young friend Mo Yu, please return to your guest quarters with the Black Bat King and rest until the patriach election in five days."
Seeing no further issues, Ma Teng waved his hand, summoning a steward to escort Mo Yu and his companion out of the hall.
After Mo Yu left, the hall fell silent. Ma Teng's smile faded slightly, and he sighed deeply.
"Father, are you really letting Mo Yu replace me in the battle?" The golden-robed woman turned around, her bright eyes fixed on Ma Teng, biting her lip.
Ma Teng chuckled. "That young man may seem aloof, but he has both ability and confidence. My Golden Eyes rarely make mistakes."
"Pretentious! He's probably just a flashy silver spear that's no use in a real fight," the golden-robed woman muttered, clearly upset by Mo Yu's repeated rejections of the marriage proposal.
Ma Teng smiled and patted her head affectionately. Then, he turned toward a side door in the hall. "Enough grumbling. Whether he's a dragon or a worm, you'll see soon enough. It's a pity he refused to become my son-in-law…"
The golden-robed woman's face flushed deeper at his parting words. Watching Ma Teng leave, she stomped her foot in frustration, her mind racing with thoughts.
------------------------------------------------------
For exclusive access to 500+ advanced chapters and more, visit my Ko-fi page and support the journey:
ko-fi.com/laoyao95
Laoyao with L yeahh..thanks for the support.
or Support me at patreon for 500+ advanced chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk