Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 152: The Appearance of the Lizard King and the Outbreak of Conflict

As Mo Yu watched the dozens of people leaping down from their magical beasts, he couldn't help but marvel. The Mulan Empire truly outclassed the Jia Ma Empire in power. The sheer number of strong fighters was overwhelming. Just the presence of ten Dou Wang (Dou Kings) here was something the entire Jia Ma Empire would struggle to muster. Yet, the Mulan Valley and the Huang family had dispatched these ten Dou Kings without hesitation.

While Mo Yu was deep in thought, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed through the sky, emanating from a magical beast.

"Who dares trespass into the territory of the Lizard King clan?" The voice was heavy and imposing, as if it could shake the heavens.

The speaker was a massive lizard-snake, six or seven meters long, covered in gray scales, with fierce blood-red triangular eyes. Emerging from the depths of the surrounding forest, this beast was not only large but also radiated an intimidating aura, on par with that of a Dou Wang.

Seeing this magical beast, Mo Yu's expression tightened, but soon a faint smile crept onto his face.

"A fifth-rank magical beast, the Gray Lizard Blood Snake... No wonder it can speak. This is going to be interesting."

On the other side, as the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast noticed the group from Mulan Valley, its blood-red eyes flickered with shock. It had sensed the sudden loss of life from one of its patrol squads and had come to investigate, expecting to find a small intruder. But instead, it found a group of powerful humans within its territory.

Its gaze cautiously swept over the old man in the lion-embroidered robe, and the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast spoke in a deep voice, "Humans, this is the territory of the Lizard King clan. What is your purpose in bringing so many strong fighters here? Do you intend to start a war?"

"Hmph, Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast, your Lizard clan abducted my son, and now you feign ignorance?" The middle-aged man who bore a strong resemblance to the Little Beast King stepped forward, his voice cold and filled with killing intent.

At his words, the strong fighters behind him also turned hostile, their gazes fixed on the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast. Even though it was a fifth-rank magical beast, the intense stares from so many strong individuals made it feel a deep pressure. And the elder, though his eyes remained closed, exuded a powerful aura that surpassed even the Lizard King's.

"Nonsense! Who are you? When has my Lizard clan ever abducted your son? If you're here to cause trouble, know that while you may be many, my Lizard clan is not to be trifled with!" The Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast retorted angrily, its mind racing. As a high-ranking member of the Lizard clan, it had never heard of any such abduction. It assumed the humans were fabricating an excuse to invade, perhaps drawn by a remarkable artifact the Lizard King had recently obtained.

"Hmph! A few days ago, in broad daylight, your Lizard clan's Rock Lizard Beast kidnapped my son. This is no lie! And according to Mulan Valley's first-rate tracker, Master Mu, my son is indeed within your territory. What do you have to say to that?" the middle-aged man demanded furiously.

Hearing this, Mo Yu, who was hiding nearby, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and feel a wave of relief. Fortunately, he had hidden the Little Beast King within the Lizard clan's territory after capturing him, rather than keeping him close. Otherwise, this would have backfired.

The Thousand Mile Tracker was a fifth-grade weapon that Mo Yu had crafted several times in his past life. It could locate a person within a thousand miles using items they had touched, making it extremely useful for hunting or finding people. Mulan Valley's large-scale deployment likely confirmed their belief that the Lizard clan was behind the abduction.

"Mulan Valley?" The Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast's attention shifted away from the claim of an abduction and onto this formidable force. The mention of Mulan Valley, a powerful faction with strength comparable to a Dou Zong (Dou Ancestor), made it realize the gravity of the situation.

"Humans, my Lizard clan did not abduct your son. You should leave quickly before my king arrives, or this will end badly for you," the beast said, trying to sound threatening.

"Lord, I warned you that negotiating with these lizards was pointless. If they captured the prince, we need to strike hard to make them return him. These lizard scum only understand force!" said a burly man in the air, his voice booming as he addressed the middle-aged man.

The burly man wore a dark robe, embroidered with a golden lion, indicating his status as a first-class guard of the Huang family, a Dou Wang expert.

"Very well, Force Guard, apprehend this beast. If the Black Lizard Demon Snake King knows what's good for it, it will trade the prince for this lizard. If not, we'll kill it as a warning!" the middle-aged prince commanded coldly.

The guard named Force Guard laughed heartily and nodded, "Leave it to me, Lord."

Two other Dou Wang experts stepped forward and said, "Brother Force, the Little Beast King is not only the heir of the Huang family but also the successor of Mulan Valley. We'll help you capture this beast!"

"With the help of the Wind and Rain Twins from Mulan Valley, capturing this lizard will be easy!" Force Guard laughed.

"Hmph, you humans are shameless, ganging up on me!" the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast growled, feeling the weight of the situation. Facing one of them alone would be no problem, but against three Dou Wang experts, it was at a disadvantage. Moreover, the humans had a Dou Huang (Dou Emperor) with them.

"I need to get this information to the king," it thought, deciding not to waste any more time. With a sudden move, a strange symbol appeared in its blood-red eyes, and its tail struck the ground with a muffled thud. The ground beneath them exploded, forming a massive wall of earth that it hurled at the humans.

"Attack!" the burly man shouted as the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast made its move. He opened his mouth wide, and a tangible, pale green sound wave shot out, instantly freezing the earthen wall mid-air before it crumbled to the ground.

As the wall disintegrated, the two Dou Wang experts from Mulan Valley vanished, reappearing behind the wall, where fierce energy clashes erupted. The burly man, after neutralizing the wall, charged into the fray with a forceful roar, creating deep rifts in the ground as he unleashed his power.

Amid the chaos, the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast's eyes glowed, and two crimson energy snakes emerged, covered in scales and bristling with deadly fangs. These energy snakes seemed almost alive, exuding a menacing aura as they launched a fierce counterattack, barely holding off the three Dou Wang experts.

"This Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast is strong, but it can't hold out against all three for long. I wonder when the Black Lizard Demon Snake King will appear. That's when I'll have a chance to sneak into the palace and search for the Ten Thousand Beast Flame," Mo Yu muttered to himself as he watched the intense battle unfold.

"Lord, it seems the masters are struggling to subdue this beast. Should we assist them?" a second-class guard from the Huang family asked the middle-aged prince respectfully.

The prince glanced at his father, the family head. Fighting against Dou Wang experts required more than just Dou Ling strength; they needed Dou Wang-level power. The Huang family only had two Dou Wang experts here, himself and the Force Guard, and he couldn't lower himself to fight a mere magical beast. They would need the Mulan Valley's Dou Wang experts to step in, and he couldn't command them—that required the elder's orders.

Sensing the prince's gaze, the elder slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them as an invisible pressure twisted the air around him. The elder first looked toward the palace in the distance, then shook his head and said, "No need to send anyone. It's coming."

"It's coming?" The prince was momentarily puzzled before his expression turned serious. "The Black Lizard Demon Snake King..."

As he spoke, a cold, angry voice suddenly rang out from the sky.

"Humans, why have you invaded my territory and harmed my kin? If you don't give me an explanation today, my Lizard clan will never rest until this is settled!"

A massive black lizard-snake shot out from the palace, its form gradually becoming clear as it hovered in the air.

Mo Yu's eyes locked onto the giant beast in the sky. This creature was enormous, its body covered in black scales that glittered like dark jewels under the sunlight. The beast's head was a terrifying snake's head, with a half-meter-long forked tongue flicking in and out, exuding a cold, deadly aura.

Its tail, three to four meters long, swayed slightly, distorting the air around it. A black mist-like energy surrounded the beast, spreading out like a dark cloud, and its four sturdy limbs, covered in black scales, shook the void with every step.

The immense pressure from the beast made Mo Yu's heart tremble.

"So, this is the Black Lizard Demon Snake King?"

Mo Yu couldn't help but compare it to the Amethyst Winged Lion King he had encountered before. The Black Lizard Demon Snake King was even more formidable, likely on par with a seven- or eight-star Dou Huang, likely on par with a seven- or eight-star Dou Huang expert. Moreover, being in its own territory, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King would be even harder to deal with. Although the elder from the Mulan Three Olds was at the peak of Dou Huang, he might still struggle against this beast given the circumstances.

For Mo Yu, this situation was perfect. The more intense the battle between the two sides, the better it would be for him to slip in and grab the Ten Thousand Beast Flame.

As the Black Lizard Demon Snake King appeared, its cold, reptilian eyes locked onto the three Dou Wang experts who had been fighting the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast. The three Dou Wangs, feeling the oppressive gaze of the six-rank magical beast, shivered involuntarily, their skin crawling with a cold sweat. They glanced at one another and wisely decided to pull back, retreating to join the larger group.

Despite their strength, they knew better than to provoke a beast like this without clear orders, especially in its own territory.

With a deep, reverberating voice, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King said, "Gray Shade, this isn't your fault. These humans have dishonored themselves by ganging up on you. Rest assured, I will avenge you."

The giant snake then turned its cold, murderous gaze back to the three Dou Wang experts who had retreated. Even though they were Dou Wang, the threat of death lingered in the air as they faced the beast's full fury. The only thing keeping them from fleeing was the presence of the elder from Mulan Valley, whose aura matched the beast's, neutralizing its oppressive energy.

When the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's killing intent was at its peak, the elder in the blue robe suddenly stepped forward. A surge of ancient, wild energy exploded from him, pushing back the cold aura of the beast. The elder's sharp eyes locked onto the Black Lizard Demon Snake King, and he spoke with an undeniable authority.

"Lizard King, hand over my grandson!"

(End of Chapter)

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