Chapter 212: Weren’t You Going to Give It to Me?

Chapter 212: Weren't You Going to Give It to Me?

Cold Moon Palace and Purple Sun Sect lived as neighbors, separated only by Mount Tonglu.

By the time Su Mo and his group arrived, they were no longer slowed down by the carriage. The porters used their lightness skills, and Su Mo and the others rode at a faster pace.

Within a day and night, they had crossed Mount Tonglu and reached the territory of the Purple Sun Sect.

Wei Ziyi was familiar with the path, and she led everyone for another three days.

They had planned to reach Mount Shouyang after half a day's journey.

Unexpectedly, a sudden downpour delayed their travels.

They had to find a place nearby to take shelter from the rain.

Fortunately, the weather was somewhat kind. Fu Hanyuan soon found a spot nearby and said there was a ruined temple on the mountain.

The group immediately headed to the location.

The ruined temple was ancient and dilapidated, with only the main hall still having a roof.

When they arrived at the door, they saw that there were already people taking shelter from the rain inside.

Seeing this, Su Mo had no choice but to cup his fists and say:

"Hello, friends! We're travelers caught in the rain and were hoping to take shelter here for a while. We hope you don't mind."

This was the common courtesy on the roads of the jianghu, essentially indicating that they had no malicious intent and were just coming in to take shelter from the rain.

Unexpectedly, a middle-aged man immediately stood up and said:

"Come in, come in quickly. This ruined temple isn't ours, so why ask? You're all soaked."

"Thank you."

Su Mo smiled, realizing the man wasn't from the jianghu.

He quickly had one of his men lead the horses to the side hall so as not to disturb anyone.

He then led Wei Ziyi and the others into the ruined temple.

As soon as he looked up, he saw that the man had already lit a fire. Next to him was a young girl, dressed plainly, holding a basket out of curiosity as she looked at them.

Su Mo smiled and said, "Sorry for the intrusion."

"Don't mention it."

The man, middle-aged, carried a certain air of boldness and said with a smile, "Everyone faces tough times when they're on the road.

"It's weird—this isn't the season for such heavy rain. I was planning to take my daughter up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs for some silver, but instead, we got caught in this downpour."

Su Mo nodded and casually chatted with the man.

He learned that the man was a local villager. As a child, he had learned some medical and pharmaceutical knowledge from his elders and could identify herbs.

Therefore, whenever he went up the mountain, he occasionally found some precious medicinal plants, which he sold to the Purple Sun Sect for a good amount of silver.

Today was supposed to be the same, but a spring shower turned into a downpour, forcing them to seek shelter here.

As soon as a fire was lit, Su Mo and his group arrived.

During casual conversation, the man also took a look at the people behind Su Mo and sensed that they were not ordinary individuals. The boldness he had shown earlier seemed to fade a little, and he became somewhat cautious in his words.

Fortunately, Su Mo was very amiable, which put him at ease.

While the Purple Sun Sect had been a boon to the region, for ordinary folks like them, martial artists still seemed high and mighty.

Those strong in martial arts could take a life as easily as snapping their fingers.

Though there were very few who dared to commit robberies within the Purple Sun Sect's territory, the sect never showed mercy to bandits.

But if they crossed someone with a short fuse, blood could be spilled in an instant, and even with the protection of the Purple Sun Sect, it would ultimately be about revenge.

By then, the person would already be dead. Even if the murderer was torn to pieces, what good would that do?

So, when encountering martial artists, even if you felt brave, you still had to be cautious, afraid of offending them.

Su Mo remained friendly throughout, appearing just like an ordinary young man, which naturally endeared him to the middle-aged man.

As they talked, the man became more relaxed.

In turn, Su Mo inquired carefully about the man's background and learned about the Purple Sun Sect from the side.

He found out that the Purple Sun Sect was well-regarded in the area. Though few disciples had been traveling the Jianghu in recent years, they still cared about the lives of ordinary folks.

One thing was certain: within the Purple Sun Sect's territory, there were no bandits lurking.

Those who dared to rob and plunder faced the Purple Sun Sect's wrath.

The two grew more comfortable with each other as they talked, and the little girl couldn't help but come over to Wei Ziyi's side, tugging at her sleeve and asking:

"Sister, are you martial artists?"

Wei Ziyi smiled, "Do we look like it?"

"Not really..."

The little girl shook her head. "Martial artists are very intimidating, but you all are very amiable."

"Is that so? Have you seen what martial artists look like?"

"I have."

The little girl nodded and said, "Every now and then, you can see them around here, and they all look fierce. But with the Purple Sun Sect protecting us, we don't have to be afraid.

"Sigh, I've been dreaming of joining the Purple Sun Sect."

"Oh?"

Wei Ziyi was surprised. "Why?"

The Purple Sun Sect did not refuse to accept female disciples, but they did so rarely. After all, the sect's martial arts leaned towards the yang style, and women either couldn't find the right path to start practicing or, after joining, found it difficult to progress.

Only by mastering the balance of yin and yang could one truly harmonize strength and grace.

Otherwise, it would definitely affect one's personality and disposition.

The most suitable place for a woman to apprentice would still be Cold Moon Palace.

The little girl pouted, glanced at her father, and then said to Wei Ziyi:

"Daddy says I'm sixteen now, and it’s time for me to find a husband."

"But I don’t want to get married yet! I want to be like those female heroes in the jianghu, fighting for justice!"

"……”

Wei Ziyi gave a soft, somewhat awkward laugh. "Every girl has to marry someday."

"Then, sister, have you married?"

The little girl curiously looked at Wei Ziyi and then nodded with certainty. "You’re already this age, so you must be married by now."

Wei Ziyi suddenly found the little girl less endearing.

Especially when she saw Su Mo's mouth twitch slightly, as if he was mocking her.

She wouldn't lose her temper at the little girl, but she couldn't help glaring at Su Mo.

Su Mo felt a chill run down his spine and glanced at Wei Ziyi, surprised, wondering when he had offended her again.

Just as he was pondering, the sound of hurried hoofbeats approached.

Everyone turned around and saw several riders approaching.

These people dismounted in the yard and were still talking:

"What the hell kind of weather is this? Why is there such a heavy rain in this season?"

"Shut up, let's go in and take shelter."

Before they finished speaking, they were already there.

They spotted Su Mo and his group and froze. "There are so many people here!"

Li the lead escort frowned slightly and glanced at Su Mo.

Hu Sandao sized up each of them, while the scar-faced stranger mirrored his gaze, scanning the newcomers.

Fu Hanyuan kept his head down but perked up his ears, ready to follow Su Mo’s orders.

Su Mo secretly made a gesture, signaling everyone to stay calm.

The escort’s companions immediately fell silent, except for Fu Hanyuan, who was still listening intently…

There were five people who had just come in, each of them carrying weapons, burly men.

The first one looked over Su Mo's group, focusing on Hu Sandao, sensing a strong opponent.

He then glanced at Wei Ziyi and the little girl.

One of them noticed the fire and smiled approvingly.

"Boss, we're in luck. Someone has already started a fire for us.

"You guys, step aside, don't block our boss from warming himself by the fire."

The middle-aged man was startled, his lips trembling, but he didn't dare to say anything. Just as he was about to stand up, Su Mo placed a hand on his shoulder and said with a smile:

"Please stay seated, sir. It's just some barking, not worth mentioning."

"This..."

The middle-aged man said in a low voice, "Better safe than sorry, young brother. These people don't seem easy to mess with, so don't let a momentary verbal victory lead to trouble."

Su Mo's and the middle-aged man's conversation was naturally overheard by the group.

The man who had spoken earlier flew into a rage, about to retort, but was pulled back by their 'big brother.'

He turned, startled, and saw the leader shake his head, saying nothing.

Though he felt resentful, he could only glare fiercely at Su Mo.

Su Mo had called him a barking dog, essentially calling him a dog.

Yet his own leader wouldn't let him act... This was really unfair.

The leader didn't say much, just smiled and came over to Su Mo, clasping his hands in a fist salute:

"Greetings, young brother... My gang isn't familiar with the ways of the jianghu. If we've stepped on your toes, please forgive us."

"It's fine."

Su Mo waved his hand. "We're just meeting in the jianghu. Sir, feel free to do as you wish."

"Thank you."

The man nodded and said, "However, we've all been drenched by this heavy rain. We'd like to borrow some fire from you to start one ourselves... What do you say?"

Su Mo looked at the man, who nodded repeatedly.

Su Mo smiled and took a burning piece of firewood from the pile, handing it to the man.

The man reached out with a smile, but in that instant, his fingers moved so fast they seemed to blur around Su Mo's hand.

Su Mo's brow lightly rose as he casually extended his hand forward, and the firewood landed smoothly in the man's hand.

Whether it was the blurring fingers or the incredible strength, it all vanished without a trace in an instant.

This exchange, completely devoid of any fire or force, caused the man's face to change drastically.

Su Mo's voice rang out, "Take the fire and get warm. That's all."

"Yes."

The man didn't dare to say more. That one move showed him Su Mo was no ordinary fighter.

His earlier grab had been quite formidable, but Su Mo had effortlessly neutralized it.

If he had insisted on provoking him, it could have been over in a heartbeat.

Not daring to speak further, he quickly took the firewood to the other side of the hall, grabbing some scraps of wood and using some dry grass as tinder to start another fire."

The more he secretly observed Su Mo and his group, the more astonished he became.

Initially, he thought Hu Sandao, with his towering build and golden ring-bladed saber, would be a formidable opponent.

But now it seemed that Hu Sandao was merely one of Su Mo's subordinates.

Another middle-aged man was as composed as a mountain. Occasionally, when his gaze lifted, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, revealing his extraordinary inner strength.

Both the scar-faced stranger and the silent man exuded an aura that was far from ordinary.

These people were in a league of their own, far beyond the ordinary.

Aside from them, the younger men and women were also far from mediocre.

The more he observed them, the more astonished he became. Who were these people, and where did they come from?

After some thought, he couldn't help but ask:

"Friends, may I ask where you're from?"

Su Mo glanced at him and smiled slightly. "We've met by chance; why ask so many questions?"

"Haha."

The man didn't dare to get angry and just laughed. "We're heading to Tianqu City to see the excitement. You all are probably there for the same reason, right?"

"Tianqu City..."

Su Mo looked at them and smiled. "You could say that."

The man nodded, assuming Su Mo had admitted it, and laughed. "May I ask who you've bet on?"

At this, everyone except Su Mo and Wei Ziyi looked confused.

Su Mo smiled. "And who have you all bet on?"

"Of course, we've placed our bets on Wan Zangxin," the man replied immediately. "Tianquan Elder hasn't taken on disciples in years, and as a result, the Tianquan Heart-Cleansing Sword technique has nearly vanished from the jianghu. Now that a successor has emerged, it's bound to cause a stir.

"That Yuliu Jianxin Liu Suifeng may have quite a reputation, but the Southwest is just a small place; how can it compare to the splendid East City?

"This so-called Yuliu Jianxin, hyped up by them, may not be as remarkable as they claim."

"Oh."

Su Mo nodded. "You make a valid point."

The two of them gradually started chatting more on this topic.

The man took the opportunity to apologize again, even pressing the head of the man who had earlier tried to snatch the firewood to apologize to Su Mo.

Su Mo waved it off, and the matter was dropped.

Wei Ziyi observed coldly from the side, saying nothing.

The middle-aged man didn't dare to speak casually and was even more hesitant in his thoughts.

Compared to the other five who arrived later, Su Mo clearly stood out as the most capable.

Yet, he has such a good temper...

Those who aren't very capable, on the other hand, tend to have the biggest tempers.

It’s enough to make anyone reflect.

The little girl looked at the five people who had entered later and, from her coat, took out braised beef, roast chicken, roast duck, and other meat dishes, salivating at the sight.

The guy who had tried to snatch the fire earlier was already dissatisfied after being forced to apologize by his leader.

Seeing the little girl's expression, his eyes gleamed, and he tore off a roast chicken leg. After furtively pulling something from his pocket and retrieving it, he smeared it on the chicken leg.

Grinning broadly, he said, "I see this little girl is probably starving, always watching us eat and drooling. Little girl, would you like this roast chicken leg?"

The little girl was startled and instinctively tightened her grip on her father's sleeve.

The man was just an ordinary villager and hurriedly declined, saying, "No, no, please help yourself."

"Eh?"

The man waved his hand and pretended to be magnanimous, saying, "If you don’t accept it, are you still upset with me? Brother... I know I was out of line earlier, and I realize my mistake now. I wanted to apologize with this chicken leg. If she doesn’t accept it, I’ll never forgive myself, and if that’s the case..."

He paused here, and his tone suddenly became desperate:

"Then I might as well just die!!"

After saying that, he headed straight for a pillar in the dilapidated temple to bash his head against.

The leader of the group froze, not sure what was going on.

The middle-aged man had never encountered anything like this before.

Panicking, he stammered, "No, no, we’ll eat, okay?"

The man stopped in his tracks, grinning, "You serious? So we’re calling it even? Come, I’m offering you this."

He reached out to hand the chicken leg to the little girl.

Just as the little girl hesitantly reached for it, Wei Ziyi stepped in.

"Sis..."

The little girl looked at Wei Ziyi with a pitiful expression.

Wei Ziyi’s gaze turned icy, and she glanced up at him, her voice cold. "Get lost."

The man’s hand holding the chicken leg shook.

Despite her beauty, her glare sent chills down his spine.

For a heartbeat, it felt like a thousand blades circled her, ready to strike at her command, and he could almost feel them piercing his skin.

He sucked in a breath and instinctively took a step back.

When he turned, he saw his boss giving him a cold, hard stare.

Swallow!

A gulp of saliva went down his throat, and he forced a smile:

"Just playing around, just two villagers..."

The leader felt like today was his unlucky day, having recruited such a subordinate.

He sighed and turned to Su Mo. "What do you want done with him? Just say the word."

"Have him eat the chicken leg himself."

Su Mo didn't look up.

The man holding the chicken leg paled. "You..."

He quickly glanced at his boss, who now wore a dark expression.

"Eat it!"

"I... I can't eat this!"

The man hurriedly said.

The middle-aged villager looked confused. "Why can't it be eaten?"

If it can't be eaten, why would you give it to my daughter?

As an ordinary villager, how could he know about the dangers of the jianghu?

Saying that made it seem like he was being forced to eat the chicken leg.

The air in the temple grew thick with tension and unease.

At some point, Su Mo had glanced toward the temple’s entrance.

The leader was still pressuring his underling to eat the chicken leg.

The subordinate’s face contorted in desperation as he tried to protest.

Just at that moment, a voice came from the entrance of the dilapidated temple:

"A good piece of food, you push, I yield...

"Why not let me enjoy it?"

The voice caused everyone present, except Su Mo, to look over.

They saw an old man who had somehow appeared unnoticed, now sitting at the temple’s entrance.

Wei Ziyi was taken aback, realizing she hadn’t noticed the old man’s silent arrival.

The guy with the chicken leg felt like he’d just been saved from a nightmare. He didn’t care where this man had come from and quickly ran a few steps to his side:

"Here, take it! Eat it!"

Terrified that the old man might refuse, he yanked open the old man’s mouth with one hand and shoved the chicken leg in with the other.

The old man didn’t bat an eye, happily crunching on the chicken leg, bones and all.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air. In his panic, the man had shoved the chicken leg too far into the old man’s mouth, and two of his fingers went with it. The old man chomped down, swallowing the fingers along with the chicken.

As the man with the severed fingers tried to back away, the old man grabbed his wrist:

"Hold it right there. You were the one who offered it to me, remember?"