Chapter Seventy-Two: The Hu Family Is Yours Now

“On me? Grandfather, do you mean…”

“It’s normal that you don’t understand. Many things are not isolated events; in other words, nothing happens in such a simple way.”

“No one dared to provoke the Hu family a dozen years ago because of our strength. Your father and I carried half of the Tianhuo Empire on our shoulders; without our family, the empire would have perished long ago. But after your father’s mishap, our power diminished sharply. Add your years of reckless behavior, and even I lost hope. Tell me, in such circumstances, how could the other families possibly stand with us? After my death, the Hu family will fall apart like monkeys scattering from a toppled tree—who would wade into such troubled waters?” Hu Yihu smiled as he spoke, and his words woke Hu Mo as if from a dream. Indeed, viewed like this, everything now was closely tied to him.

“But that was before. Now, everything is different.” Hu Yihu made a sudden turn, his eyes shining with excitement.

“If we want to reverse this decline, the most crucial factor lies with you. You have endured for years; in some ways, it was for the survival of our family. But that was then. Now, you must display your skills, show the spirit of a Hu man. Your patience can end here!” Hu Yihu’s words rang out, each syllable striking Hu Mo’s heart with force.

Suddenly, Hu Mo felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier, but excitement surged within him a hundredfold. Hu Yihu, the so-called ‘God of War,’ had in a few simple sentences ignited Hu Mo’s spirit and set his blood ablaze.

“Yes, Grandfather, I understand!” Hu Mo replied in a clear voice, his face shining with renewed vigor.

“Understanding is not enough; you must act. Today, you and I have spoken openly, and I know what’s on your mind—you’re sending the Star Regiment to test themselves in the Sacred Fire Forest, and I approve. But your defenses are weak, and you lack capable people. So, if you need to mobilize anyone, use this token.” Hu Yihu handed him a golden token inscribed with the character ‘Hu’ in ancient script. Its weight startled Hu Mo—it must weigh hundreds of pounds.

“Grandfather, what is this token? Is it for deploying troops?” Hu Mo asked, confused. He couldn’t fathom how such a small item could be so heavy.

“More or less. It's the Hu family’s master token. With it, you can command all our resources: the Fire God Army, the Hu Mansion guards, our businesses across the empire, and the most secret force of all—the Hall of Divine Machinery.” A gleam flashed in Hu Yihu’s eyes, his words thick with mystery.

“The Hall of Divine Machinery? I’ve never heard of it,” Hu Mo said, bewildered. The name was utterly unfamiliar.

“Haha, you used to squander your days. How could you pay attention to such matters? But now is not too late. Mo, you should know how vital intelligence and strategy are to success.” Hu Yihu’s voice was deep, a touch of severity beneath his amusement.

“Of course! Intelligence is like a person’s eyes—without swift, reliable information, one acts blindly and achieves nothing. Strategy is essential for great deeds; reckless action leads nowhere, wisdom and cunning are key.” Hu Mo answered, his tone steady and serious.

Hu Yihu nodded. “Exactly. The Hall of Divine Machinery is the Hu family’s center for intelligence and strategy; you could call it our brain and our eyes. Now, you see its importance.”

Hu Mo nearly leapt with excitement. He had always dreamed of building a vast intelligence network, but had found no way forward. Hearing Hu Yihu’s words, how could he not be thrilled?

Yet beneath his excitement, he was deeply moved. Hu Yihu’s support had reached such a height that he was entrusting the entire Hu family to him. Seeing the kindly smile on Hu Yihu’s face, Hu Mo’s heart warmed. He knelt before his grandfather and declared loudly, “Thank you for your trust, Grandfather! I will not let you down. The debts of the Hu family, I will reclaim one by one!”

Hu Mo’s voice brimmed with fierce resolve, and both he and Hu Yihu understood well what that meant.

Hu Yihu’s body trembled slightly. After a long pause, he sighed and said, “Do whatever you wish. The Hu family is yours now. If you ever face something you can’t figure out, we’ll discuss it together. But remember: never do evil, never bully others. Otherwise, you will disgrace our name! Mo, it’s time you went out and tested yourself against the world.”

He patted Hu Mo’s shoulder, and that simple, final sentence fully awakened Hu Mo’s fighting spirit.

“Yes, Grandfather!”

Hu Mo left the council hall, followed by the silent Lin Nan. As they neared their rooms, a torrent of fire rained down once more—clearly another handiwork of Master Cang.

Hu Mo was about to act, but Lin Nan stepped in front of him. A powerful water force erupted from Lin Nan, meeting the firestorm head-on.

Hu Mo realized trouble was brewing. Cang Ling’s fire rain was powered by the flames of chaos; ordinary water force could never withstand it. If Lin Nan was tainted by the flames of chaos, the consequences would be dire.

Sure enough, as the water force touched the flames of chaos, it began to burn rapidly. Water was burning! The flames of chaos could ignite water—what unfolded before them was a perfect demonstration.

Yet Lin Nan showed no sign of yielding. His hands formed seals at a frantic pace, pouring all his water force into the fire rain, holding it at bay for over ten seconds.

Just as he was about to falter and Hu Mo prepared to intervene, the fire rain vanished and Cang Ling appeared before them.

Her expression was grave, her eyes clear as water but sharp as swords.

“Such pure water force, though your cultivation is shallow. If you reach the Emperor of War realm, it will transform into chaotic water. Few humans possess such talent,” Cang Ling said, her eyes narrowing like a serpent’s as she scrutinized Lin Nan, who instinctively retreated a step.

Hu Mo quickly supported him, reproaching, “Why be so rough? You rain fire every day—don’t burn the house down.”

His hand on Lin Nan’s shoulder, Hu Mo sent a surge of dense water force into Lin Nan, stabilizing his breath and bringing color back to his cheeks.

“Oh? Is that how you speak to your master? You don’t even greet me—what manners!” Cang Ling folded her arms, her face full of exasperation.

Hu Mo felt bitter, sighed, and forced a smile. “Good morning, Master, good afternoon, Master, good evening, Master. Is that enough, Master?”

“Good boy. Not in vain have I cared for you. Now, explain to me—where did this little girl come from, and how does she possess the body of water origin?” Cang Ling’s smile grew brighter, but her tone darkened.

“Huh? Little girl? Master, you must be mistaken—how could he possibly be—”

“Just because you’re a fool doesn’t mean everyone else is. If you could see through a disguise so easily, there’d be no point in disguising!” Cang Ling snapped, her eyes scanning Lin Nan like a probe.

Hu Mo was stunned. He had once suspected, but after seeing Lin Nan’s male traits, he dismissed the idea. Now, with Cang Ling’s words, he struggled to accept it. To think someone could fool him, the empire’s notorious wastrel, right under his nose!

Lin Nan’s expression shifted, and he stepped back again. For some reason, when facing Cang Ling, his eyes were uneasy—an innate fear.

“Shadow Bind!” Cang Ling said calmly, and Lin Nan’s body froze. Hu Mo saw clearly that his shadow had shackled his feet; he could not move an inch.

“If you haven’t explained yourself, don’t retreat. The body of water origin—there have been barely any in the Xuan War continent in thousands of years. If you claim to be ordinary, then I must be truly blind,” Cang Ling advanced on Lin Nan. With each step, Lin Nan’s face paled further, and Hu Mo grew more confused, unable to grasp what Cang Ling meant.

“Hey, wait—what do you mean by that? What is ‘body of water origin’? I don’t understand at all.” Hu Mo instinctively shielded Lin Nan, sensing danger in Cang Ling’s mood.

“It’s none of your concern. Stand aside,” Cang Ling’s tone was much more serious, gone was her teasing air.

“Why? Give me a reason. What are you planning?” Hu Mo pressed, quietly summoning the power of chaotic water and fire.

Cang Ling looked at his determined face, her brows furrowing. Suddenly, she unleashed a mighty aura, forcing Hu Mo to step back until his shoulder touched Lin Nan.

“I said I want to kill her. Will you try to stop me?”