Li Si didn't even have time to scream before his body collapsed to the ground.
Dead.
"I know, I know. The Wolf Head Gang, right?"
Mo Yu's expression remained indifferent.
"I'll be paying them a visit soon enough."
He had long since grown tired of hearing such empty threats.
For a Child of Destiny, this sort of thing was practically standard procedure.
A cluster of dark-green flames suddenly appeared in his palm.
The Nether Ghost Fire.
The ghostly flames surged outward like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing Zhang San, Li Si, and the remaining members of the Wolf Head Gang.
Their bodies trembled violently.
Visible streams of vitality were drained from them as if consumed by an invisible force.
Within moments, their flesh withered, their eyes lost all light, and they collapsed one after another.
Not a single trace of life remained.
Silence fell upon the area.
The mine slaves stared at the horrifying scene before them, their hearts filled with shock.
An Core Formation Immortal!
This had to be the power of an Immortal!
Only an Immortal could wield such terrifying might!
Among the crowd, Chu Yuli lowered her head even further, not daring to meet Mo Yu's gaze.
Terrifying.
Although he had saved her life, he was still an overwhelmingly powerful cultivator.
Who could possibly understand the thoughts of such a person?
If he decided to kill her, she would have no means of resisting.
Mo Yu carefully sensed the condition of the Nether Ghost Fire.
After a moment, he sighed helplessly.
The increase in strength was negligible.
The cultivation levels of these people were simply too low.
Their vitality was barely enough to provide the Nether Ghost Fire with any meaningful nourishment.
"What kind of flame is that? When did you obtain it?"
Yan Xi's surprised voice sounded within his mind.
"Nether Ghost Fire."
Mo Yu answered casually.
"It was innate. It only awakened today."
Naturally, that was a complete lie.
"Nether Ghost Fire?!"
Yan Xi's voice instantly rose several degrees.
Clearly, even she was shocked.
She had heard of this legendary flame before.
Rumor had it that the Nether Ghost Emperor of the Immortal Realm had risen to prominence through the power of the Nether Ghost Fire.
Her delicate brows furrowed.
For once, her tone became unusually serious.
"Your origins are not simple."
"Of course they're not."
Mo Yu puffed out his chest proudly.
"I told you before. Maybe my father is some hidden Immortal Emperor."
Yan Xi rolled her eyes.
His shameless boasting had long since become familiar to her.
Ignoring his nonsense, she spoke sternly.
"The Nether Ghost Fire is extraordinarily powerful, but it is also extremely dangerous. The sinister and malevolent energy contained within it can influence the mind."
"You must remain vigilant."
"Never allow it to corrupt your heart or cause you to lose yourself."
"Alright, alright, Sister Yan Xi."
Mo Yu replied with a grin.
Yet a warm feeling quietly spread through his chest.
He had never known his parents.
To him, Yan Xi was more than a teacher or companion.
She was the closest thing he had to family.
No matter what secrets he possessed, she never questioned him.
No matter what dangers he encountered, she was always concerned for him.
Her trust was unconditional.
Mo Yu looked around.
His gaze swept across the trembling mine slaves.
Mortals.
The lowest beings in the cultivation world.
Yet also the most numerous.
Had he not been a Child of Destiny, his fate would likely have been no different from theirs.
Perhaps even worse.
"Everyone, you're free to go."
His calm voice echoed through the valley.
"Within today, the Wolf Head Gang will cease to exist."
With a casual wave of his hand, vast amounts of spiritual energy spread outward.
A gentle breeze swept across the crowd.
The exhausted slaves immediately felt warmth flowing through their bodies.
Their weakened physiques rapidly recovered, and much of their fatigue disappeared.
The mine slaves looked at Mo Yu.
Their eyes were filled with awe.
Gratitude.
Reverence.
Even worship.
After a brief silence, one of them suddenly stepped forward.
Then he dropped to his knees.
Bang!
His forehead struck the ground.
"Thank you, Immortal!"
His voice trembled with emotion.
"Thank you for saving our lives!"
As if a dam had broken, countless others followed.
One after another, they knelt.
"The Immortal is merciful!"
"We will never forget the Immortal's great kindness!"
"May the Immortal be blessed forever!"
The sounds of kowtowing echoed continuously.
For these people, Mo Yu wasn't merely a cultivator.
He was their savior.
The one who had pulled them out of hell itself.
Chu Yuli quietly knelt among the crowd.
Her head remained lowered.
She deliberately concealed her presence, afraid of attracting Mo Yu's attention.
When she noticed several slaves beginning to flee, she quietly blended into the crowd and prepared to leave as well.
Mo Yu naturally noticed her.
Fourteen years old.
Third Layer of the Qi Refining Realm.
Her aptitude was fairly decent.
Unfortunately, in his eyes, that was all it was.
Decent.
After all, he had condensed his first Golden Core at the age of fourteen.
As the former Holy Son of the Tianxuan Holy Land, how could his talent possibly be ordinary?
Had Yan Xi not drained his cultivation once before, he would likely have reached the Nascent Soul Realm by now.
Compared to him, Chu Yuli was nothing particularly remarkable.
Thus, he paid her little attention.
The cultivation system of this world consisted of nine great realms:
Qi Refining.
Foundation Establishment.
Golden Core.
Nascent Soul.
Soul Transformation.
Void Returning.
Body Integration.
Tribulation Transcendence.
Mahayana.
Each realm was further divided into nine levels, symbolizing the principle that nine returns to one and that the Great Dao is ultimately simple.
Mo Yu's original plan was straightforward.
First, return to his hometown.
Then, travel back to the Holy Land and ask his master about the mysterious marriage contract.
However, just as he was about to leave—
A familiar notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Daughter of Luck Detected: Chu Yuli]
[Suppress the Daughter of Luck to obtain rewards.]
Mo Yu's footsteps abruptly halted.
A strange expression appeared on his face.
"...Huh?"
His gaze slowly shifted toward the crowd of departing mine slaves.
Then it locked onto a certain girl attempting her best to remain unnoticed.
Chu Yuli.
The girl who had just narrowly escaped death.