Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 153: The Battle Begins, A Stealthy Infiltration

"Lizard King, hand over my grandson!"

The voice of the elder in the blue robe, known as Lion Elder, roared like thunder as he coldly stared at the Black Lizard Demon Snake King floating in mid-air. The mention of his powerful grandson made the atmosphere even more intense.

Seeing the elder step forward and sensing the deep, formidable aura emanating from him, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King couldn't help but show a trace of seriousness on its face. As a top-tier six-rank magical beast, there were few beings that could make it feel threatened, aside from Dou Zong (Dou Ancestor) level experts and above. Yet, this old man in front of it was certainly one of those rare threats.

In the Mulan Empire, only a handful of people could possess such power. Seeing the large group of human experts with fierce auras behind the elder, it was clear that they were here with no good intentions.

However, when the elder revealed the reason for their visit, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's cold, sinister face showed a hint of doubt. It then spoke in a deep voice, "With such power, you must be one of the famous Mulan Three Elders. If that's the case, why must you bully my clansmen with numbers? Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world? As for your grandson, my Lizard Clan has never seen him. If any of my clansmen did capture him, I would give you an explanation. But if not, we'll have to settle the score for the injuries you've caused to my tribe."

After speaking, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King glanced down at the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast. Although it was the ruler of the Lizard Clan, it couldn't possibly know everything that happened. If one of its subordinates had indeed captured the elder's grandson, it would certainly cause a significant misunderstanding.

The Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast immediately understood the meaning behind the king's gaze and quickly transmitted a message telepathically, explaining the situation and sharing its suspicions. Upon hearing that the humans might be targeting the unique fire (Heavenly Flame) it recently acquired, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's triangular eyes glinted with a cold light.

"Hmph, I am Wu Xin, one of the Mulan Three Elders. Lizard King, my grandson is within your Lizard Clan's territory. If you don't admit it, let me search your palace!" the elder in the blue robe coldly demanded.

Hearing this, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's expression turned icy. Its palace held the precious object it had recently obtained. Allowing these humans to search would not only be a loss of face but also akin to inviting a wolf into the house! It was clear now—this demand to find the elder's grandson was just a pretext. Their real target was the Heavenly Flame!

"You may be a respected elder from Mulan Valley, but even so, you cannot freely enter our Lizard Clan's sacred grounds. If your grandson is indeed missing, I suggest you search elsewhere!" the Black Lizard Demon Snake King refused with a hissing tone.

If they were truly looking for the grandson, the king might have considered cooperating, but now it was certain that their goal was something else. Mo Yu's scheme to sow discord between the two sides had struck the perfect nerve.

Hearing the refusal, the elder's face turned cold, and his eyes flashed with bloodlust. "Your Lizard Clan may be powerful, but let me warn you: don't act too proud before me! Either return my grandson unharmed, or let me search your palace. Otherwise, your Lizard Clan will no longer exist!"

With this blatant threat, the ten Dou Wang experts and thirty Dou Ling experts behind the elder unleashed their auras, their combined might shooting up into the sky, causing even the heavens to tremble. With such a powerful force, it seemed wiping out the Lizard Clan wouldn't be too difficult.

Seeing this, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's expression darkened. Mulan Valley truly lived up to its reputation as the most powerful force in the empire, able to muster such experts from far away. This was just one of the Mulan Three Elders. If all three were present, the king might not even have the courage to resist. But thinking of the Ten Thousand Beast Flame's immense value, the king's snake tongue flicked in and out as it made its decision.

"Gray Shade, gather the clan! Prepare for battle!" the Black Lizard Demon Snake King ordered with a commanding tone. The Heavenly Flame was too important to risk losing. If it could successfully absorb it, it might evolve and gain the bloodline of an ancient serpent, becoming a force even Mulan Valley would have to fear.

The Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast, hearing the command, nodded gravely. Its blood-red triangular eyes glowed with a symbol, which shot into the sky, forming a massive red flower that exploded, sending signals across the Lizard Clan's territory.

As the signal spread, the Lizard Clan members immediately mobilized. Countless Lizard Beasts began rushing toward the palace, and many powerful auras surged forth from within the palace itself.

Sensing the overwhelming number of powerful beings, Mo Yu noted that there were six or seven five-rank magical beasts, over twenty four-rank magical beasts, and countless others at the third and second rank.

"The Lizard Clan's strength is indeed formidable," Mo Yu thought to himself with a slight smile, hidden in the shadows. His plan to provoke a conflict between Mulan Valley and the Lizard Clan was working perfectly. Had he attempted to infiltrate the palace alone, he would have stood no chance against these beasts. But now, with the bulk of the Lizard Clan's forces occupied, Mo Yu saw his opportunity.

He glanced at the distant palace and then at the impending battle in the sky, murmuring, "Come on, start fighting already. This is my chance…"

Meanwhile, the Lion Elder stood in mid-air, his powerful Dou Qi radiating across the heavens, shaking the very sky. With such an overwhelming display of strength, the human experts grew even more confident.

"Lizard King, no one in the Mulan Empire dares to touch a member of my Huang family. Since you seek death, I'll grant it. And that snake gall of yours—Mu Master has been eyeing it for crafting a weapon," the elder said with a cruel glint in his eyes.

At this, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's triangular eyes gleamed with malice. "If the three Mulan Elders were here, I might show some restraint, but with just you, old man? You overestimate yourself!"

"Hmph, to deal with a mere six-rank beast, I am more than enough," the Lion Elder sneered as his fists clenched, ready for battle.

Realizing the elder was not to be underestimated, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King decided to strike first. Its long black tail whipped through the air with a sharp, whistling sound. The king's massive claws lit up with black energy, accompanied by crackling thunder, as it launched itself at the elder like a dark blur.

Seeing the beast's speed, the Lion Elder was momentarily surprised but quickly moved to intercept. His eyes flashed red as he unleashed a powerful punch, which distorted the space around it, creating a shockwave that hummed through the air.

Faced with the elder's formidable attack, the Black Lizard Demon Snake King's tail lashed out, wrapped in thick black energy. Without any hesitation, it met the elder's punch head-on.

The resulting clash produced a deafening sound, like metal striking metal, reverberating through the forest below. Those with weaker cultivation felt a sharp pain in their ears. In the sky above, where the two had collided, powerful shockwaves rippled outward as both figures were thrown back.

Despite the Lion Elder being at the peak of Dou Huang, he found no easy advantage against the six-rank magical beast.

On the ground, the Gray Lizard Blood Snake Beast roared at the gathering Lizard Clan members, "Kill these humans!"

The Lizard Clan members roared back in fury, their serpentine tails snapping as they launched themselves at the human experts.

Seeing the massive Lizard Clan army growing ever larger, the middle-aged man in the yellow robe—likely the father of the kidnapped prince—grew more serious. He turned to the human experts behind him, his voice firm, "If we save my son today, you will all be richly rewarded!"

With this promise, the human experts shouted in unison, "We will not fail you, Lord!"

With that, the human experts charged toward the Lizard Clan army. Although they were fewer in number, their superior strength—especially with ten Dou Wang experts among them—allowed them to hold their own.

As the battle raged above the forest, no one noticed a shadow slipping quietly through the trees and into the grand palace. Dispatching a few stray Lizard Beasts along the way, the figure sprinted into the massive structure.

The palace was enormous, like a city for giants. Mo Yu's back tingled with tension as he silently activated his Purple Cloud Wings, flying low and fast. "Snake Uncle, where's the Heavenly Flame?" he asked urgently.

"Heh, don't worry. I spent years trapped in the Ten Thousand Beast Flame's cultivation site. I'm very familiar with its aura and can sense its location," Snake Uncle's cold voice replied confidently.

"Which way?" Mo Yu asked, his voice tense.

"North," came the quick response.

Nodding, Mo Yu pressed on, flitting over rooftops and sprinting through the shadows. With most of the Lizard Clan's forces drawn outside, there were few obstacles in his path. He flew swiftly toward the northern part of the palace.

After about ten minutes of careful navigation, a massive royal hall came into view.

"It's in there," Snake Uncle warned, his voice grave. "The Heavenly Flame's aura is getting stronger, and I can sense that the black-scaled snake's aura is also nearby. This must be its dwelling."

"Alright," Mo Yu acknowledged, slowing down and slipping into the shadows as he approached the hall, observing the tight security.

"I suggest you don't waste time," Snake Uncle warned. "Once the battle outside ends or if the misunderstanding is resolved, you'll lose your chance."

"Understood," Mo Yu muttered. He knew time was of the essence. He quickly and stealthily climbed over the outer wall of the royal hall, relying on Snake Uncle to conceal his aura. He dashed down a corridor, following Snake Uncle's guidance.

With Snake Uncle's powerful soul sensing ability, Mo Yu managed to avoid several patrols, narrowly slipping past them. After about ten minutes of tense, heart-pounding stealth, he found himself in front of a long, wide corridor.

At the end of the corridor was a massive room that resembled an altar, the likely location of the Ten Thousand Beast Flame.

"Be careful," Snake Uncle cautioned. "There's an energy barrier over this corridor. Anything that passes through will trigger an alarm, and that black-scaled snake might rush over. If that happens, your plan to take the Heavenly Flame could fail."

"Oh?" Mo Yu frowned, exhaling deeply. "What should I do then, Snake Uncle?"

"Let me take control of your body," Snake Uncle suggested after a moment of thought. "These energy barriers are well-made, but I can get through them unnoticed."

After a brief pause, Mo Yu nodded. Although he still had some reservations about Snake Uncle, he had little choice.

"Alright, let's do it. Time is of the essence…"

(End of Chapter)

Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.

You can also buy the book if you are only interested in reading the novel.