Chapter 147: A Ghost Behind!

Chapter 147: A Ghost Behind!

The corner of Su Mo's mouth twitched; this old man was actually turning the tables.

If it weren't for Wufangji, where the Love Scroll and that so-called 'gift' were handed over to him.

If he hadn't taken on such a dangerous escort mission, why would he have attracted so much covetous attention?

Now, it seemed as if he was the one being wronged.

Su Mo shook his head and turned back to the other leaders.

The Green Snake Alliance leader, with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, lay motionless on the ground. When he saw Su Mo approach, a look of despair flashed in his eyes.

Su Mo glanced at him and reached out to remove the cloth from his mouth.

"Why has it come to this, Leader of the Green Snake Alliance? If you cooperate and hand over what I want, we can still sit down and talk things through."

Su Mo continued, "Moreover, the situation is already settled. It's just about the antidote. Even if you don't give it up, the item is right here, and there's no way to escape it. We can try each one, one by one. Why resist so stubbornly?"

The Green Snake Alliance leader opened his mouth to speak, but without his teeth, his voice sounded strange.

After uttering a couple of syllables, he grunted and decided not to say more.

Su Mo sighed, "Master Hongyun taught me this technique to punish the wicked, but I never thought it would become a tool for severe interrogation in my hands. I truly feel I've let Master Hongyun down."

Master Hongyun clasped his hands together and softly replied,

"Your words, Su Mo, are too literal. The righteousness or evil of martial arts lies in the heart of the practitioner. Severe interrogation may sound unpleasant, but if it's to save lives, why not use it?"

"Thank you, Master, for your guidance."

Su Mo bowed slightly to Master Hongyun, then took hold of the Green Snake Alliance leader's other arm and casually swept his Shenmen point.

In the next instant, the Green Snake Alliance leader's pupils contracted sharply.

A piercing scream erupted from his mouth, and he began convulsing on the ground.

This scene made Zhuge Changtian and the others draw in a sharp breath.

It must be known that the Green Snake Alliance leader was a tough man. Su Mo had twisted his arm into a pretzel, and he hadn't even flinched.

Yet this simple sweep had reduced him to such a state, which was truly unexpected.

No one knew what was so powerful about a mere sweep of the Shenmen point.

They also recalled how outside Jiaolong Water Village, a large monk had been rendered immobile after Master Hongyun swept his Shenmen point. Beads of sweat as big as peas rolled down his face, and he kept making incoherent sounds.

For a moment, everyone felt a chill when they looked at Master Hongyun.

This old monk, with his kind and benevolent appearance, was not an unreasonable brute.

From the water village to this hall, his words had almost made them forget that he was the fearsome Red Cloud Demon Monk who could make many fierce men bow in submission.

Su Mo squatted down and watched the Green Snake Alliance leader quietly. After a moment, he said,

"I tried before, and under such intense pain, it's hard to speak.

"If there's anything you want to tell me, Leader of the Green Snake Alliance, perhaps you could nod your head..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw the Green Snake Alliance leader nodding frantically.

"Too quick," Su Mo muttered, somewhat speechless. He at least relieved his pain. "Do you have something to say, Leader?"

"K... kill... kill me."

The Green Snake Alliance leader mumbled, "Please... kill me!"

Su Mo shook his head, "That's impossible. I'm not a bloodthirsty person."

The Green Snake Alliance leader's eyes widened, feeling that this man was indeed inhuman.

Such torture, and killing him would be a mercy.

But then he heard Su Mo sigh, "I have three fingers. The sweep of the Shenmen point is the least painful. The next two are progressively worse. If you insist on not talking, I'll use the second finger. If that doesn't work, I'll use the third... If it still doesn't work... Well, I've seen the result of using two fingers on one person, and I wonder how many fingers you can endure?"

With that, he prepared to act.

The Green Snake Alliance leader quickly said,

"Stop! I, I'll talk... the brown, the brown pouch, contains the antidote for the woman's heart."

Su Mo nodded and took out the wax pill from the brown cloth pouch.

All those present who were poisoned looked at Su Mo, but he shook his head.

He dragged the still-alive monk to the front.

Then everyone watched as Su Mo started rolling up his sleeve.

There was a secret compartment in his sleeve, and at the bottom was an oilcloth pocket.

Xiaoyun picked up a teacup and brought it to Su Mo, who carefully poured the contents of the oilcloth pocket into it.

It was the tea that should have gone down his throat.

At that moment, Su Mo sensed something amiss with the tea offered by the leader of the Green Snake Alliance and secretly informed Yang Xiaoyun.

With a single glance, they understood each other perfectly.

So when everyone was drinking tea, they both used their sleeves to cover their mouths, pretending to drink while actually pouring the tea into the oilcloth pouches hidden in their sleeves.

This was all part of Xiaoyun's design.

In the world of martial arts, there were often times when one had to drink tea or wine they did not want to drink.

When passing through a mountain or a village, if the chief wanted to share a cup of tea or wine with you, would you drink it?

Drinking might gain you a friend, who would welcome you on your next visit and help you in times of need.

Not drinking, however, could mean losing a potential ally, and if you didn't come personally, your subordinates might face difficulties.

Breaking ties would benefit no one.

In such situations, killing was out of the question, but drinking posed its own risks, as the other party might have ulterior motives.

The best solution was to appear to drink while actually doing something else.

This way, if the other party truly harbored ill intentions, you wouldn't be poisoned, and you wouldn't have to worry about how to deal with them later.

If they genuinely wanted to form an alliance, they would be pleased, and future encounters would remain friendly.

Su Mo greatly admired Xiaoyun's idea.

He never expected to use it for the first time at Jiaolong Water Village.

At this moment, they poured the tea from the oilcloth pouches into the mouth of the large monk.

The monk struggled fiercely, but under Su Mo's grip, even a dragon would have to open its mouth obediently.

In an instant, half a cup of tea was forced down his throat.

Despair filled his eyes.

Smiling, Su Mo said, "Why so desperate, great monk? If the leader of the Green Snake Alliance is correct, your poison will be neutralized in no time."

The leader of the Green Snake Alliance turned pale but remained silent.

Su Mo paid no mind. After the monk's poison took effect, he broke open the wax pill and forced it into the monk's mouth.

The monk tried to resist, but Su Mo wouldn't allow it.

Holding the monk's jaw, he pushed the pill into his mouth, closed it, and used his inner strength to guide the pill down the monk's throat.

Then he waited to see what would happen.

Unexpectedly, within a short while, the monk began rolling on the ground, his face turning black.

Suddenly, he leaped up, ignoring his injuries, and started circling the room, screaming in agony.

He clawed at himself until he was covered in blood, his nails digging deep into his flesh, tearing and curling until they broke, leaving deep wounds visible to the bone.

Finally, unable to bear the pain any longer, he aimed for a pillar in the hall and slammed into it with all his might.

His skull burst open, and he fell dead.

Su Mo nodded and glanced at the leader of the Green Snake Alliance.

"This isn't right. Do you have more?"

His tone was calm, showing no sign of anger at being deceived.

Even the leader of the Green Snake Alliance felt a chill at this calmness, knowing that a quick death was unlikely. Despite being openly deceived, Su Mo showed no signs of rage.

Such a person was truly terrifying!

Zhuge Changtian, however, was enlightened and quickly said,

"Head Security Chief Su, this move is excellent. If it doesn't work, we can try the traitors in the water village."

Su Mo gave him a disapproving look, "Why are you so cruel, Chief?"

"..."

Zhuge Changtian was speechless, "You have the nerve to call me cruel?"

Ignoring him, Su Mo approached the leader of the Green Snake Alliance and casually pressed a point on his Fengshi acupoint.

Then he watched quietly...

This time, he waited for a full quarter of an hour before speaking.

The leader of the Green Snake Alliance was indeed extraordinary.

When he spoke again, it was still a lie.

However, the poison he used had different effects, equally tragic.

After two attempts, the remaining monks knew what fate awaited them and began cursing the leader of the Green Snake Alliance even before Su Mo spoke.

The leader of the Green Snake Alliance's eyes turned white with fury, nearly dying of anger.

Worse still, Su Mo intensified his methods, pressing points on both his Shenmen and Fengshi acupoints.

Then he waited silently for the duration of a stick of incense.

After such a long time, the leader of the Green Snake Alliance felt as if he had crossed the threshold of death countless times.

His will finally could no longer hold up, pointing at a green cloth bag but unable to utter a single word.

Su Mo performed the ritual, proving that the antidote was genuine.

The monk drank tea and took the medicine, acting as if nothing had happened. After waiting for another hour, he gave the antidote to Zhuge Changtian and the others one by one.

These people were all deeply skilled in internal energy. Once the antidote entered their bodies, they used their internal energy to catalyze it, and it took only a short while for them to recover.

"Thank you, Chief Su."

"We owe you another life, Chief Su."

"Chief Su, are you married? There are some fine young women in the Red Leaf Gang."

Zhuge Changtian and the others expressed their gratitude, while the words of the Red Leaf Gang leader left Su Mo in a state of amusement and exasperation.

This piqued Yang Xiaoyun's intense curiosity, and she pulled the Red Leaf Gang leader aside to whisper, no one knew what they were discussing.

As for Chu Qiuyu and the other disciples of Cold Moon Palace, they seemed to be nearing numbness.

Ever since meeting Su Mo, they had been continuously unlucky, and then continuously saved by him. In these few short days, the number of times they owed him their lives was almost enough to fill a hand.

They could only clasp their fists and say, "Great kindness needs no thanks. If there is ever anything Chief Su needs, just send a message. Whether it be across mountains and rivers or through fire and brimstone, we sisters will not hesitate."

"Too kind, too kind."

Su Mo waved his hand. "In the world of chivalry, this is simply what one should do. Miss Chu, there's no need for such formality."

At this point, he glanced at Zhuge Changtian. "Boss, I wonder if there is an empty room in this water village where I can stay?"

"Of course there is."

Zhuge Changtian looked at the Green Snake Alliance leader on the ground and the old man who had appeared out of nowhere, knowing that Su Mo had some confidential matters to attend to. He immediately arranged for someone to take care of it.

Su Mo unceremoniously dragged Yang Xiaoyun, who was chatting with the Red Leaf Gang leader, over, and casually picked up the leader of the Green Snake Alliance, dragging him out as if he were a ragged sack.

Passing by Li Siyun, Su Mo smiled and said, "Old Master Li, please go ahead?"

"Hmph..."

Li Siyun grumbled as he stood up. "Your methods may be ruthless, but they are fitting for such a person."

"Is that praise?"

"It's just barely acceptable."

Li Siyun said, "If your father were here in his prime, he would have handled things differently."

"How so?"

Su Mo was somewhat curious.

Li Siyun pondered for a moment, then shook his head lightly. "He would have tested the poison on himself, never resorting to such methods on others."

"..."

Su Mo raised an eyebrow, now understanding how his adoptive father had met his end.

If he could do something like testing poison on himself, there were many ways to die.

Su Mo acknowledged that he would act according to the principles of chivalry when it came to helping others, without hesitation.

However, when it came to matters of life and death, he would prioritize his own survival. The virtue of self-sacrifice was great, but he could only admire it; he could not bring himself to do it.

Thus, everyone stopped talking and followed the people of Jiaolong Water Village to a secluded room.

Once the person left, Su Mo threw the Green Snake Alliance leader to the ground and looked at Li Siyun.

"Now it's your turn, Old Master Li. Tell me, what's the story behind the Love Spectrum?"

"Do you truly know nothing?"

Li Siyun said something incomprehensible.

Su Mo was taken aback. "I... what could I possibly know?"

Li Siyun furrowed his brow, as if puzzled by something. After a moment, he suddenly asked:

"Stepping forward, striking the central pillar, pulling the tail current, returning to the Ren and Du meridians... Do you know the next line?"

Yang Xiaoyun looked at Su Mo in surprise.

Su Mo, however, looked bewildered. "From the way Old Master Li speaks, this seems to be a breathing technique. But I don't know its origin."

"Do you really not know?"

Li Siyun frowned.

"…Should I know?"

Su Mo's confusion was genuine.

"Your father really didn't teach you this martial art..."

Li Siyun muttered to himself. "But... if that's the case, how did you acquire such martial skills?"

As he spoke, he reached out to take Su Mo's pulse.

Su Mo turned his hand and unleashed the Great Yang Scattering Palm, effortlessly deflecting Li Siyun's hand.

At the touch of their palms, Li Siyun felt a fierce force surge from Su Mo's hand.

It was vast and mighty, steady and upright, revealing a solid foundation.

Yet his expression changed several times in an instant, before he finally sighed deeply:

"Really not... Where did you learn such martial arts?"

Su Mo exchanged a glance with Yang Xiaoyun before speaking:

"Sir, do you wish to see the foundation of Su's martial arts? To be honest, my father only taught me the Radiant Sun Heart Sutra. After that, all I have learned comes from an extraordinary person, but I cannot reveal the specifics."

"As for the martial arts you mentioned, I have truly never heard of them."

"...I see."

Li Siyun's expression grew even more somber as he glanced at Su Mo: "If I don't tell you the reason behind this, will you... use those means against me?"

The question was too direct, leaving Su Mo momentarily hesitant.

But then he heard Li Siyun laugh: "Your hesitation is enough... after all, you are his son.

"This is my oversight, and I cannot make the same mistake again.

"Head of the Escort Bureau Su, no matter what methods you use against me, I will not reveal the truth."

After saying this, he simply sat down and fell silent.

Then they heard the leader of the Green Snake Alliance sneer: "If you won't say, I will..."

"Hmm?"

Li Siyun suddenly looked up, sneering: "Fine, speak. I'm listening."

The leader of the Green Snake Alliance was taken aback, glancing at Li Siyun with a furrowed brow, sensing some misunderstanding.

Nevertheless, he continued:

"The Twin Phoenix Scroll is related to a secret treasure location..."

As he spoke, he sneakily observed Li Siyun, who only sneered continuously.

Su Mo raised an eyebrow, looking at Li Siyun and softly said, "Could it be related to the Great Black Tortoise Arsenal again?"

Li Siyun's expression remained unchanged.

The leader of the Green Snake Alliance frowned: "How could it be related to the Great Black Tortoise Arsenal? Wait... the Great Black Tortoise Arsenal?"

He suddenly turned to Su Mo, his brows knitted in confusion, seemingly deep in thought.

His eyes flickered, and he muttered to himself:

"It concerns a crucial matter...

"The Great Black Tortoise Arsenal?

"The Golden Jade Awl... The Twin Phoenix Scroll...

"No... No!"

His eyes were filled with shock, and suddenly, the pressure points Su Mo had struck on him seemed to lose their effect.

He abruptly stood up and turned to leave.

But after just one step, several pressure points on his body burst open, causing blood to flow uncontrollably.

He did not stop, but after two steps, he had no strength left.

With eyes wide open in fury, he looked toward the door and gritted his teeth:

"Master... there's a traitor behind us!!!"

After uttering these six words, he fell to the ground, dead.

Li Siyun's eyes shimmered slightly, and he finally sighed softly:

"He had already taken poison before plotting. That's why, despite the excruciating pain when you used your technique, he still endured it.

"If he hadn't reached his limit, he would never have told you where the antidote was.

"Heh... no door in heaven, no path on earth, no sentiment in the world, what a fine Three Absolute Sect!

"Absolute in heaven, absolute on earth, absolute in humanity!"