Chapter 203: Flying South Alone

Chapter 203: Flying South Alone

Xu Lu's purpose was straightforward.

Yang Xiaoyun paused, surprised:

"Bringing a message?"

"Exactly."

Xu Lu nodded: "May I ask if Chief Escort Su is at the escort agency?"

"You've come at an inconvenient time, Sir Xu. The boss has gone out on business and is not at the escort agency right now."

Yang Xiaoyun did not hide the truth.

Xu Lu was slightly stunned and hurriedly asked:

"Then Deputy Chief Escort Yang, do you know where Chief Escort Su is now?"

"Well..."

Yang Xiaoyun smiled lightly: "May I ask for whom you're delivering this message?"

"..."

Xu Lu glanced at Zhen Xiaoxiao.

"It's alright."

Yang Xiaoyun said: "Xiaoxiao is honest and naive. The boss has never kept anything from her. You can just tell the truth."

However, Xu Lu was still hesitant and, after a brief pause, looked around. He then dropped down from the rooftop.

In a low voice, he said: "I hope I'm not being too presumptuous, but may I speak to you in private?"

"Oh?"

Yang Xiaoyun slightly raised her eyebrows.

When Xu Lu said he was here to deliver a message, Yang Xiaoyun’s suspicions were already aroused.

Su Mo had never hidden anything from her. Since their return from Wufangji, where they first met Xu Lu.

After that, during the banquet at the escort agency, Su Mo had personally met Xu Lu, and Yang Xiaoyun was fully aware of everything that transpired.

Therefore, Yang Xiaoyun was very clear that Xu Lu was an ace up Su Mo’s sleeve.

The purpose was undoubtedly to use Xu Lu to investigate the whereabouts of the Three Extremes Sect behind the scenes.

However, at present, the Earth Sect leader of the Three Extremes Sect was probably no longer alive. He had exchanged blows with Su Mo and was left in a terrible state.

It was likely that he had already been buried by the medical experts of the Three Extremes Sect.

As for the Heaven and Human Sects, that was another matter.

Regardless of whether Xu Lu's investigation had yielded any results, the fact that he suddenly came to deliver a message to Su Mo made Yang Xiaoyun feel that something was amiss.

So, as they discussed Su Mo’s whereabouts.

Yang Xiaoyun didn't say outright.

This was partly because Chief Escort Su's journey with the convoy was meant to be confidential.

Leaking Su Mo's location could put him in serious danger.

On the other hand, Xu Lu's sudden visit seemed odd. Without knowing why, how could she let Xu Lu go to Su Mo?

Although Su Mo was highly skilled in martial arts and Yang Xiaoyun shouldn't have worried about his safety,

when it came to matters involving Su Mo, she didn't want any situation that might be unfavorable to him.

At this moment, Xu Lu suddenly requested to speak in private...

After a moment of contemplation, Yang Xiaoyun gently nodded and said, "Let's move to the study for a private talk. Zhen Xiaoxiao, join us."

"Oh."

Zhen Xiaoxiao stepped into the room first, followed by Yang Xiaoyun who gestured, "Please."

"Please."

Xu Lu nodded and stepped into the study first.

As he looked up, he saw Zhen Xiaoxiao's small eyes staring intently at him.

One wrong move, and he'd be on the floor, getting pounded.

For a moment, he felt uneasy.

However, upon seeing Yang Xiaoyun enter, he felt a wave of relief:

"This is confidential, Deputy Chief Escort Yang. Please don't think I'm being rude. Actually, this letter..."

He hesitated again, glanced at Zhen Xiaoxiao, and then said in a low voice:

"It was entrusted to me by Mr. Wang Xianglin."

Yang Xiaoyun's eyes narrowed sharply. "When was it entrusted?"

"While investigating the Three Extremes Sect not long ago, I had the fortune to meet Mr. Wang and a man who wields a seven-foot sword."

"… Besides the two of them, was there anyone else?"

"No."

"…"

Yang Xiaoyun nodded slightly. "Where is the letter?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Lu smiled. "Mr. Wang was right. As soon as I mentioned his name, Deputy Chief Escort Yang's attitude changed.

"However, he also mentioned that this letter must be personally handed to Chief Escort Su.

"If you don't trust me, you only need to see the envelope, and you'll understand."

After finishing his words, he reached into his bosom and took out a letter.

The envelope simply read: "Personal."

However, Yang Xiaoyun's expression became quite strange upon seeing those two words.

It was as if she was relieved, but also somewhat annoyed. Finally, she sighed:

"The head of the family has gone to East City. Based on the timing, he should have reached East City by now.

"In a few days, he should be heading to Cold Moon Palace.

"However, by the time you arrive, he will likely have already left Cold Moon Palace and be on his way to the Purple Sun Sect.

"If you need to deliver the letter, you can go directly to the Purple Sun Sect and look for him."

"Alright."

Xu Lu nodded. "Thank you for the information, I will take my leave now."

"Wait."

As Xu Lu was about to leave, Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help but call out.

Xu Lu was startled and turned to look at Yang Xiaoyun. "Is there anything else you need me to do, Deputy Chief Escort Yang?"

Yang Xiaoyun thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, thank you, Master Xu."

"No problem."

Xu Lu cupped his fists. "Farewell."

"After you, please."

With that, Xu Lu leaped out, his toes lightly touching the courtyard before landing on the roof.

Just as he was about to fly off, for some unknown reason, his foot suddenly trembled.

He almost fell, but thanks to his exceptional lightness kung fu, he twisted his body and managed to soar upwards.

As he looked at the roof of the Purple Sun Escort Agency, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this place.

The night Su Mo asked him to drink, he had made a fool of himself when he left. Today, he almost did so again.

Shaking off the thought, he took a deep breath and vanished into the night, moving as swiftly as a streak of light.

Inside the study, Yang Xiaoyun let out a gentle breath.

The phrase "for your eyes only" wasn't particularly unusual.

Yet, when the handwriting caught her eye, Yang Xiaoyun recognized it as Yang Yizhi's.

It wasn't his usual handwriting, but a different style he sometimes used when practicing calligraphy.

Others might not recognize it, but Yang Xiaoyun could tell at a glance.

Yang Xiaoyun was relieved because Yang Yizhi was safe.

She was frustrated that after all this time, this was the first letter he had sent—and it wasn't even addressed to her, his own daughter.

But to his son-in-law...

She was no ordinary woman, and after a brief moment of reflection, she spoke up:

"Xiaoxiao, help me grind the ink."

"Okay."

Zhen Xiaoxiao yawned while grinding the ink for Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun dipped her brush in the ink, and before the brush even touched the paper, her face flushed with embarrassment.

After a moment of reflection, she finally put brush to paper:

"Thinking of you for so long, unable to sleep at night..."

After writing the eight characters, she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

She thought about tearing the letter up, but something inside her urged her to keep going, and she wrote on with growing confidence.

The more she wrote, the more into it she got, the words carrying a hint of boldness, yet the brushstrokes were tender and heartfelt. Every word was a whispered secret, too intimate for anyone else's eyes.

At the end, she finished with: "A startled swan will soon arrive, flying south alone; my heart remains unchanged, quietly waiting for your return."

With the final stroke, she exhaled a long breath.

Writing this letter felt more exhausting than a life-and-death battle with someone.

Occasionally glancing up at Zhen Xiaoxiao, she saw that the girl, at some point, had been standing there with her mouth open, breathing steadily, and had long since fallen asleep.

She smiled faintly, blew dry the ink on the paper, found an envelope, and sealed it.

She placed it there and looked at it quietly.

As she gazed at the letter, it felt like her thoughts were drifting away, crossing mountains and rivers, to reach the one she missed so much.

In a daze, she realized that what had drifted away was, after all, her longing for him.

Finally, she sighed softly, glanced at the letter once more, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I wonder what expression he'll have when he reads this letter... Will he understand the message I'm trying to send?"

She shook her head, glanced at Zhen Xiaoxiao, and gently tapped the table.

Zhen Xiaoxiao jerked awake at the sound, looking around confused:

"Second-in-command, is it time for dinner?"

"Go call Zhang Biaotou," Yang Xiaoyun said.

"Oh, okay."

As Zhen Xiaoxiao turned to leave, Yang Xiaoyun picked up a list and started looking through it.

There were so many things to manage in the Ziyang Escort Agency, but during the time Su Mo had been away, she had pretty much sorted everything out.

The document in hand is the next batch of orders to be processed.

As the escort agency has stabilized, many orders have started flowing into the system, with quite a few non-urgent ones having already had deposits paid and contracts signed.

This chaotic situation has finally begun to fall into place.

……

……

Yang Xiaoyun has been working tirelessly for the Ziyang Escort Agency, losing sleep night after night.

Meanwhile, Su Mo also spent the entire night awake, tending to a complete stranger.

He hadn’t rested for the entire night, continuously unblocking the person's blocked energy points (acupoints).

After Su Mo unblocked the Twelve Regular Meridians, the person's internal energy, which had been dormant, began to flow freely.

It circulated through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians in a continuous loop.

In the process, Su Mo's own internal energy was expelled from his body.

At first, Su Mo wondered if the person had lost the will to live.

But after Little Situ examined him, she looked surprised and said,

“The internal energy within this person is now clearing his meridians, which is clearly a self-rescue method.

“Moreover, the martial arts technique this person uses is extremely exquisite. The internal energy that was originally stored in the heart meridian has now begun to correspond with the Dan Tian.

“With this, we don’t need to do anything else.”

Hearing this, Su Mo felt relieved.

Although this was just a stranger, after treating him all night, it would be a shame if they were to fall short at the last moment.

Now that Little Situ had spoken, it meant that what needed to be done on his side was completed.

Little Situ took a pill from a bottle at her waist, hesitated for a moment, then broke it in half and administered half to the person.

Su Mo raised his eyebrows slightly, pretending to be confused:

“What is this?”

“Oh,”

Little Situ glanced at Su Mo and said with a smile, “This is the Immortal Revival Pill from the Suspension Pot Pavilion. I wonder if Chief Escort Su has heard of it?”

“So this is the Immortal Revival Pill!”

Su Mo took a sharp breath, “It is said that this pill has the ability to bring the dead back to life and regenerate flesh, making it incredibly valuable and priceless.”

“Bring the dead back to life, regenerate flesh?”

Little Situ shook her head, “There is no such divine item under the heavens.

“However, it is indeed considered priceless outside…

“But within the Suspension Pot Pavilion, it’s not that remarkable.”

"Third Uncle Gong and all his descendants and disciples are obsessed with refining this elixir. Each batch of elixirs takes three years to refine.

"Over the course of three years, only thirty-three Immortal Revival Pills can be refined."

"That’s not many pills at all."

Su Mo was taken aback.

"Indeed."

Little Situ nodded. "But Third Uncle Gong starts a new batch every three years, without fail.

"Three years, then another three, and so on.

"Now, in Third Uncle Gong's backyard alchemy chamber, there’s a massive cauldron.

"The cauldron is filled with nothing but Immortal Revival Pills.

"The Suspension Pot Pavilion is tucked away in a secluded location, and even if family or friends suffer minor injuries, they don’t use the elixir. So, they ended up stockpiling them."

"……"

Su Mo was speechless for a while, then couldn't help but ask, "How old is Third Uncle Gong, by the way?"

"Third Uncle Gong is nearing one hundred and twenty years of age.

"He is the third longest-lived person in our Suspension Pot Pavilion."

He’s almost 120 years old… and he’s only the third-oldest?!

This Suspension Pot Pavilion might as well be called Longevity Village.

However, the rescue work had indeed come to a temporary end. Little Situ said that since the person's injuries were too severe, although the Immortal Revival Pill was a miraculous healing medicine, there was concern that the person might not be able to withstand the potency of the elixir.

Half a pill was just the right amount.

By this time, the night had come to an end, and outside, the first light of dawn appeared. After a hearty meal, the old and young in the stronghold didn't sleep a moment longer.

They all got up, packed the things prepared overnight, and lined up in the yard, waiting.

Su Mo found it both amusing and exasperating, and called Li the lead escort over to set up the cooking pots first.

No matter how anxious they were, they had to eat breakfast before leaving.

After breakfast, they brought the injured person along, and Su Mo led everyone back on their journey.

They traveled for a full day, and by nightfall, they reached a nearby town.

After inquiring with the innkeeper, they learned that there was indeed an empty house in the town. Su Mo sent Wei Ziyi and Li the lead escort to handle the matter with Hu Sandao.

The three returned shortly after, having completed the task.

The owner of the house was a wealthy family in the town who had just moved into a new residence.

The old house was sitting there, and they didn’t know what to do with it for the time being.

Wei Ziyi and Li the lead escort clearly appeared as experts in the martial world, so when they made the request, it was granted without much difficulty."

But Hu Sandao's demeanor clearly marked him as a fierce man from the mountains.

The owner was startled, almost thinking they were bandits coming to rob them of their wealth.

Later, they understood that the group intended to rent their house and immediately agreed, almost refusing to take any money.

In the end, it was Wei Ziyi who spoke up, ensuring that a fair price was paid. Nevertheless, the owner was extremely grateful, as if they had received a great favor.

Su Mo was speechless for a while, and after carefully inquiring, he learned that there had been no disrespect during the process. Wei Ziyi had subtly revealed her identity as a disciple of Cold Moon Palace, ensuring everything went smoothly.

Only then did Su Mo nod in approval.

A fair price was paid, ensuring no one was taken advantage of.

By revealing her identity as a disciple of Cold Moon Palace, Wei Ziyi ensured that the women, children, and elders would not be harbored ill-will against by the owner, nor be bullied in the future.

Although this might be an example of assuming the worst of someone, one cannot be too careful, as human hearts are difficult to fathom.

At this point, the matter was temporarily settled, and they continued their journey the next day.

Among Boss Hu's group, only Hu Sandao had caught up with the team.

The rest of the people stayed in the town, well taken care of.

From there, it was a journey with little to mention.

The only thing worth noting was that Hu Sandao's old habits died hard, and his bandit ways were still very much present.

Although he constantly reminded himself that he was now an escort for the security agency, he still occasionally looked for traces of 'fat sheep' when encountering obstacles, only to realize after a while—

Oh, I am the fat sheep!

At other times, when a crowd of bandits rushed out from the opposite side, he would stand before the group, brandishing his knife and standing tall on his horse, taking the lead with a shout:

"This road is mine, these trees are mine. If you want to pass, leave the toll!

"If you even think about saying no, I'll kill you without a second thought, leaving you unburied!!!"

His crude words were delivered with such force that the bandits opposite were stunned for a while. Their leader pondered for a moment before nodding:

"You're right."

Some of them instinctively wanted to run when they heard this.

After realizing what had happened, they became furious—who is the bandit here, you or me?

Is there any justice left in this world? Do we still follow the law?

This led to some amusing situations.

The journey of more than ten days passed by in the blink of an eye.

However, the person who was supposed to have woken up by now still had not fully regained consciousness.

By the time this day arrived, it was already late.

Su Mo and the others found an old inn to stay at for the night.

As they were eating in the courtyard, Wei Ziyi returned from her wanderings.

She plopped down beside Su Mo and spoke in a low voice:

"I've got some news about Yuliu Jianxin."

"Tell me more."

"Since arriving in East City, Yuliu Jianxin has shown no interest in the smaller factions, focusing solely on the Seven Great Sects.

"In this time, he has already visited the Tianxin Sect, Zhenwu Hall, and Xiaoyao Pavilion.

"He fought three times and won three times, each time striking with a single blow.

"With one strike, the fight was over."

Wei Ziyi, being a swordswoman herself, couldn't help but show a look of admiration when she said this.

Su Mo raised an eyebrow:

"Who did he face?"

"I knew you’d ask that," Wei Ziyi smiled. "Though Yuliu Jianxin is a formidable swordsman, he’s from the southwest, so the Seven Great Sects wouldn’t send their leaders to face him.

"The one who fought from the Tianxin Sect was their current top disciple."

"The one who fought on behalf of the True Martial Hall was Elder Three.

"It was the deputy leader of the Leisurely Pavilion who fought for the Pavilion.

"But the outcome was the same.

"Now, everyone outside is saying that Yuliu Jianxin's swordsmanship is growing sharper.

"Some even speculate that he's refined the 'Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword' technique.

"However, as to how many new moves he's added, no one knows until he reveals it.

"There's one more thing..."

"What's the other thing?"

Su Mo knew this girl was keeping him in suspense, but he allowed it for now.

Seeing Su Mo's curiosity, Wei Ziyi was instantly satisfied, and she continued:

"There has been underground betting for this upcoming Tianqu City Sword Meet.

"Of course, everyone's focused on who will win.

"But those who bet on Wan Zangxin are getting nervous about Liu Suifeng's winning streak.

"The closer Yuliu Jianxin gets to Tianqu City, the tougher his path will get."