Nine Star Hegemon Body Art c1-2048
Page 367
“Alright, hurry up and go order some dishes and bring them back here. I’m sure you should know their best dishes after eating there for so long,” said Mo Nian.
“Yes, yes, we’ve tried everything on their menu. Don’t worry boss, we’ll go right now!”
Those people ran back to the restaurant across the street. Long Chen was unable to understand what they were doing. Did all city people like to play around like this?
“Come, let’s go upstairs. I think you’re this restaurant’s first customers.” Mo Nian laughed.
They all followed him to the top floor. The top floor only had a single table large enough for all of them to sit at.
From here, it was possible to look out over all the busy streets. The field of view was extremely wide, and it was a very relaxing place to be. Eating here was definitely extremely extravagant.
They had only just sat down when Long Chen saw some people rushing over from the opposing restaurant, all carrying large trays. Atop the trays were all kinds of delicacies.
In just a moment, these Bone Forging waiters filled the table with dishes. It went without saying that these people really had good taste. These dishes were all amazing delicacies that could make a person salivate.
Mo Nian took out dozens of jugs of fine wine from his spatial ring, and the waiters hastily filled up everyone’s cups.
“Mu Xue, let me raise a cup to your mercenary unit. I’ll definitely remember this favor,” said Mo Nian solemnly.
Although he was Mo Gate’s junior master, he knew being a mercenary was challenging. Each day, they danced on the tip of a blade, and any one of them could die at any time.
They were also hot-blooded people who liked danger, who were loyal and straightforward. Mo Nian sometimes longed for their lives.
Seeing Mo Nian stand up to offer them wine, the Muxue Mercenary Unit also stood up. They were filled with respect toward Qing Prefecture’s number one of the junior generation.
“Cheers!”
They didn’t say anything. There was nothing to say. All their emotions were conveyed within this wine. Just how many people were able to have Mo Nian propose a toast to them? Let alone the mercenary world, even in all of Qing Prefecture, there were few people who had ever received such treatment.
“In truth, you should be thanking Long Chen. It’s actually quite embarrassing for us. If it hadn’t been for Long Chen, we probably wouldn’t have obtained the Hidden Ground Spider’s core, and most of us would probably be dead now.” Mu Xue couldn’t help sighing regretfully.
“You clearly knew it was dangerous, but you still went to go hunt down the Hidden Ground Spider. That makes me feel even more grateful. Come, let me raise another cup!” Mo Nian drained his cup in one gulp.
The others followed suit. Mo Nian laughed. “As a person, I don’t have any skill in oration. I’m not like some people who are capable of amazingly graceful but empty speech, so I won’t blindly spout nonsense. Let’s drink again!”
Long Chen narrowed his eyes. This little fellow was once more up to his tricks. Just when had he blindly spouted nonsense?
After three cups, Mo Nian sat back down, and only then did the Muxue Mercenary Unit’s members sit down, beginning to eat.
“Long Chen, how’s your relationship with leader Mu Xue?” Mo Nian suddenly laughed wickedly.
Mu Xue turned red. Long Chen glared at Mo Nian. “Brat, if you spout that nonsense again, I’ll smash you with your wine cup.”
“Is there really nothing between you two? How curious, it seems that doesn’t conform with your style?” said Mo Nian curiously.
Mu Xue was beginning to feel resentful, but as the Muxue Mercenary Unit’s leader, she had to calm herself back down. “Junior master Mo has misunderstood. Long Chen is a genius like you. We only ran into each other by chance. In the future, it’s fated for us to be parted.
“No matter what, Long Chen was once a member of our Muxue Mercenary Unit, someone who ate and lived with us, someone who fought with us on the battlefield. He will always be in our hearts.”
Towards the end, Mu Xue’s voice began to tremble slightly, causing each warrior of the Muxue Mercenary Unit to feel a bit depressed. The two women’s eyes turned red.
Although they had only interacted with Long Chen for a few days, he had given them a deep impression. They were unwilling to let him leave.
Unfortunately the dragon didn’t play with shrimp, and the phoenix didn’t live with sparrows. They weren’t on the same level, and it was impossible for them to be with each other forever. Thinking of their destined separation, they felt a burst of grief.
Long Chen was also silent. He wanted to say something comforting, but he was unable to say anything.
Mo Nian felt awkward and hastily said, “We should just be happy that we had this time together. Who can possibly predict what will happen on the path of cultivation?
“So you should live every day as if it were your last. Come, let’s drink again. No one can leave until we’re all drunk!”
Everyone cheered and raised their cups, gulping down their wine. Ten cups later, they were already starting to feel woozy, and they couldn’t continue drinking so fast.
The Mo Nian they were seeing today was completely different from the icily arrogant Mo Nian they normally saw. No matter who raised him a cup, he would accept, not putting on any airs.
“Hey, has there been a mistake?! What are you doing targeting me? Go target Long Chen!” Mo Nian suddenly realized something was off.
“What do you mean, target? What an ugly way to put it. You’re the boss of this place, and we’re eating your food, drinking your wine, so of course we have to express our gratitude,” said Long Chen righteously.
“Tch, I won’t talk to you. All you know how to do is talk nonsense. I really can’t beat you in that regard. All of you just wait!
“Just now, that brat Long Chen said he wanted to drink me to death! That’s definitely a provocation. So now, I challenge you to a battle!” Mo Nian pointed at Long Chen.
“Yes!” Everyone cheered.
“Alright, let’s start off with three hundred jugs each!” Mo Nian waved his hand, and a small mountain of wine jugs appeared before them.
That made them jump. Three hundred? For an ordinary person, drinking just three jugs would make them collapse. Mo Nian’s wine was peak grade, and they were already dizzy from drinking just over ten cups. It was extremely potent.
This was no ordinary wine, but a kind of medicinal wine. It was extremely helpful in stabilizing a person’s cultivation base and was very precious. Most people were unable to even buy it.
If they didn’t use spiritual qi, then an ordinary Meridian Opening cultivator would collapse from just three jugs.
“That’s a bit inappropriate. The situation isn’t like before. Didn’t your uncle say we should return home once we finished playing around?” said Long Chen.
Three hundred jugs of this wine was something Long Chen had never tried before. If he didn’t use spiritual qi to resist, then he probably wouldn’t be able to bear it.
Right now, Mo Gate was in an unstable position, and powerful enemies surrounded them. It really was unsuitable to be so unrestrained. Long Chen was on guard, and so he mentioned Mo Nian’s uncle.
“Tch, don’t mention my uncle. Don’t worry, those people are just a bunch of hopping clowns. They aren’t able to challenge my Mo Gate. Come, us brothers will drink until we’re happy!”
Mo Nian unsealed the first jug, throwing it to Long Chen. He also took a jug for himself. It seemed he was planning on competing with Long Chen in jugs.
Long Chen was helpless. Seeing Mo Nian’s excited expression, he didn’t feel right declining. Mo Nian was already starting to work on his jug, so he also raised his jug and began to gulp it down. The Muxue Mercenary Unit cheered from the side.
“Long Chen, get the hell out here! Today, I’ll turn your bones to ashes as revenge for my son!” A furious shout reverberated in their ears.
[1] English is written in horizontal scroll, as in left to right. Chinese can be written horizontally, or vertically, as in up to down.
[2] This is an expression that I translated as A Cloudless Sky. This is an expression meaning perfect weather for customers. Saying Customers Come Like Clouds is also a kind of expression, because when you say something is ‘like clouds’ this way, you’re saying there’s a lot of them. So you may see the expressions, experts were like clouds, or beauties were like clouds. So individually, these lines are actually quite good. It’s only when they’re together that...
Chapter 555 The Weather’s Not Bad
This angry roar shook all their eardrums. Long Chen and Mo Nian put down their wine jugs. Looking out the window, they saw dozens of experts on the road outside, blocking the entrance to the restaurant.
The crowded street was silent as people fled into the distance, afraid of being implicated.
The bystanders all saw that these experts’ expressions were extremely gloomy. The person roaring was the Giant Eagle Stronghold’s master, a peak Xiantian expert, Luo Yingxiong.
“What’s going on? Was Luo Zhongsheng killed?”
“No way! Who would kill the future inheritor of the Giant Eagle Stronghold?”
“Long Chen? Why does that name sound familiar? What’s going on?”
Countless people were hiding in the distance, stealthily watching the aggressive Luo Yingxiong. They were filled with shock.
Many people had seen Mo Gate’s junior master enter this restaurant with a group of other people. Now that Luo Yingxiong was blocking the restaurant, it seemed today’s matter would be extremely big.
Right now, rumors were drifting about Qingzhou City that Mo Gate had offended some major figure and was declining. The three great powers of Qing Prefecture were being supported by someone and were beginning to devour Mo Gate’s territory.
Right now, Mo Gate and those three powers were filled with hostility towards each other. Now that Luo Yingxiong had come here with killing intent, it seemed great waves were about to arise within Qing Prefecture.
“Who is that person? It seems he’s calling me?” Long Chen was already slightly drunk now.
“He’s the Giant Eagle Stronghold’s master, Luo Zhongsheng’s father, Luo Yingxiong,” explained Mu Xue worriedly. It was obvious Luo Yingxiong had come to get revenge for his son.
“Luo Yingxiong? This name really is shameless[1]. No wonder he gave birth to such a shameless son. So it was hereditary.” Long Chen curled his lip, feeling this name to be extremely untrue.
“Luo Yingxiong, don’t make such a racket in front of my restaurant. You’ll affect my business!” shouted Mo Nian.
The Muxue Mercenary Unit’s members’ expressions became odd. Did this restaurant have any business to affect?
However, they did have to admire their courage. That was a peak Xiantian expert, the level of Qing Prefecture’s top sect leaders. Yet, they managed to treat him like a disobedient dog.
“Mo Nian, this matter has nothing to do with you! It’d be best for you to not interfere, as your Mo Gate is no longer the old Mo Gate! Be careful of the day your Mo Gate collapses,” Luo Yingxiong shouted back at Mo Nian. “Today, I came to find Long Chen to get revenge for my son. This matter has nothing to do with your Mo Gate, so if you dare interfere, don’t blame me for not being polite.”
Mo Nian was furious. How was this matter unrelated to Mo Gate? They were the ones that had targeted Mo Gate, not wanting him to be able to obtain the Hidden Ground Spider’s core.
He was about to say something when Long Chen stopped him. “How come I feel like you like to fight with words all the time? If everything could be solved by talking reasonably, what would be the point of cultivating?”
Mo Nian agreed with him. Even if he said that this was all because the Giant Eagle Stronghold was targeting Mo Gate, there was no proof. What could he do?
“Sigh, this child. Mo Nian’s guts are still too small. He needs more tempering.”
In a private room within the restaurant across the street, a tall elder was sitting in his chair, sighing with disappointment.
This elder’s hair and beard were white as snow, and he had many deep wrinkles. He appeared so old that it was a bit frightening.
He was sitting with his back as straight as a mountain, and his gaze was incredibly sharp. He seemed like a blade that had been sheathed for countless years, his aura extremely intimidating.
“Father, perhaps I was too softhearted. I didn’t give Mo Nian enough instruction,” sighed a middle-aged man beside him.
That person was precisely Mo Nian’s father, Mo Yunshan. As for the elderly man, he was Qing Prefecture’s top expert, the previous master of Mo Gate, Mo Yi.
Mo Yi shook his head. “It’s not that you didn’t instruct your child enough, but perhaps our method was flawed.
“Mo Nian has experienced many dangers, more dangers than anyone else. We didn’t give him much assistance either. He reached his level by relying on his own strength.
“Now that there are people intentionally targeting Mo Gate, we intentionally haven’t made any moves, all to see what he would do in the face of these unforeseen events.
“Although this child Mo Nian is smart, he isn’t daring enough. All he knows how to do is strike back when struck. He doesn’t know how to take the initiative to attack.
“How could I possibly leave Mo Gate to him like this? With his indecisive temperament, he’ll cause Mo Gate to decline. If that happens, I’ll have no way to face the ancestors when I die.”
Mo Yunshan was silent to that. It was truly difficult to change a person’s temperament like Mo Nian.
“Our Mo family’s teachings preach that Mo Gate can be destroyed, but it can’t be allowed to decline. Even when the final person is facing death, he cannot bend his spine.
“Each time I curse him, saying a child who doesn’t know how to stir up any trouble can’t have any big accomplishments in the future, he doesn’t dare do anything. Even after such obvious instructions, the only big thing he’s ever done is piss in my wine pot,” sighed Mo Yi, shaking his head.
Mo Yunshan looked at the distant Long Chen and Mo Nian. He also couldn’t help but sigh. Mo Nian’s style of handling things truly was slightly different from the Mo family’s style. He was lacking a kind of domineeringness.
If a leader didn’t have any daring, always acting careful and overcautious, then no matter how strong a sect was, it would still begin to decline.
Being wrong wasn’t something to be afraid of. Only once you were wrong would you know what was right. Only then would you know what growth was. Paying a price for making a mistake was fine.
The more frightening thing to be afraid of was not even having the courage to make a mistake. Then you would truly be done for. That was also what Mo Nian’s grandfather was most worried about.
“This Long Chen is pretty good. He possesses a kind of wild nature, one that desires to struggle free of all restrictions. Anything that tries to block him has to be eliminated without hesitation.
“This kind of character is very good and filled with a desire to advance courageously no matter what. If he has the intelligence to match his strength, he’ll grow up to a level that even we have to look up to.” Looking at Long Chen, a flash of praise appeared in Mo Yi’s eyes.
“Then what should we do now? It’s very obvious Luo Yingxiong is trying to show off his strength to Mo Gate. If we still don’t counterattack, we really will lose all our face.
“Now, more and more powers are starting to maintain a distance from us. In fact, some of them even dare challenge us now.
“The Pill Tower has cut us off from medicinal pills, and they’ve also begun encroaching upon our businesses. We have to strike back,” said Mo Yunshan.
“Ah, Yunshan, do you know why I still refuse to hand over the gate master position to you?” Mo Yi looked at Mo Yunshan profoundly.
“I don’t. Perhaps I’m not strong e
nough?” said Mo Yunshan.
“You’re wrong. In your generation, your strength is the greatest in the family. In terms of qualifications, you are only second to me. That’s enough to convince everyone.
“There are two reasons I can’t hand Mo Gate to you. You are strong, and you’ve already touched the Sea Expansion barrier in just forty-seven years. You might reach half-step Sea Expansion at any moment. That’s enough to count you as a peak genius.
“The main reason is because you still are not domineering enough. Domineeringness isn’t something you display on the outside, but something you keep in your heart. It refers to how you handle things.
“The other reason is that you aren’t smart enough. Do you know why I let Mo Gate just endure all this silently?” asked Mo Yi.
“To give pressure to Mo Nian so he can rise?” asked Mo Yunshan.
“That’s why I said you aren’t smart enough. People who are unable to see an opportunity within danger are unsuitable to be a leader.
“Our current situation is an opportunity for Mo Gate. After countless years, most people have already forgotten that the Mo family was once an ancient family.
“After being away from the Ancient Family Alliance for so long, people assume we’ve already completely declined and have placed their intentions on our Mo Gate.
“Hmph, this time I’m intentionally acting weak so that those idiots start to get confident. When the opportunity comes, we’ll completely eradicate all of those people targeting us, using the most direct method to tell those idiots that it hasn’t reached the point where they can target us.
“Even in the ancient era, when there were tens of thousands of noble families, our Mo Gate was still always in the top hundred. We weren’t an existence others could place their intentions on.
“The reason the Pill Tower is giving a blow to us isn’t because of the conflict in the Jiuli secret realm. That is just their pretense. The Pill Tower has definitely received some kind of benefit from someone for them to act this way,” said Mo Yi.