Chapter 281: Coming in Waves

Chapter 281: Coming in Waves

Who is Su Mo?

The top martial artist in Donghuang!

Although the ownership of the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron has caused a stir in the martial world, many have set their sights on Su Mo.

However, during the battle in Jinyang City, Su Mo demonstrated his power through lethal force, and the methods he displayed have made many with malicious intentions start to back off.

Later, heading west, he caused chaos in White Tiger City.

He single-handedly flattened the Chief Attendant’s residence.

The Chief Attendant remains unconscious to this day.

While White Tiger City may not stand out to many, some still know just how impressive this ancient White Tiger City is.

When has such a monumental event ever happened before?

It was expected that the White Tiger remnants would clash with Su Mo.

Yet, White Tiger City surprisingly let it slide.

Such a person, if not for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron being a priceless treasure, even with ten times the courage, the Mountain Lord wouldn’t dare provoke him.

Despite this, he and his men endured many hardships to get here.

But he doesn’t dare face Su Mo head-on.

Many in the martial world don’t believe in superstition, because there are too many who seek fame without substance.

Some have big reputations but are just frauds who know basic tricks.

But the Mountain Lord is superstitious.

Because Su Mo’s reputation wasn’t self-made.

In Profound Theory Valley, he killed three with a single sword, and Sect Leader Youquan and the Night Lord both died at his hands.

Facing him directly would be suicide.

So, the plan in Tihu Village was hatched to steal the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron from Su Mo unnoticed.

Even if Su Mo found out, he wouldn’t know who did it.

Even with unmatched martial arts, Su Mo isn’t a fortune-teller, so how could he possibly find them?

But he didn’t expect Wusheng Hall to step in at the last moment.

The Mountain Lord, of course, knew of Deputy Hall Master Ren Xiongfei of the Tenth Hall.

Does he want Su Mo killed?

If he could kill Su Mo, why take such a roundabout approach?

This is clearly a ploy to get him killed!

In an instant, his anger was evident, feeling that the person before him was merely toying with him.

Absolutely shameless!

Not only did the Mountain Lord show anger, but there were also several others who had come with him.

One was a monk with a menacing look, and another was the elderly woman who had appeared earlier.

There were also the two old men they had seen at the village entrance when Su Mo and his group entered the village.

However, they were no longer dressed as ordinary villagers. One stood straight, dressed as a swordsman.

The other slouched lazily in his chair, with a crow perched on his shoulder, pecking at his hair.

Along with the Heart Demon, these six were the key players in this operation.

Now, they exchanged uncertain glances as they weighed their options.

Although they wanted the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, more importantly, they wanted to keep their lives.

If they were to die, what would the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron matter?

Even if they were offered all the wealth in the world, it would be meaningless.

Now that these uninvited guests had arrived, if this matter took a turn for the worse, they might as well call it quits.

They could return to the borderlands and conveniently warn Su Mo that Ren Xiongfei of Wusheng Hall wanted his life.

By then, Wusheng Hall would be too busy to bother with them, and they could escape smoothly.

As they were thinking this, they heard the man give a sinister chuckle:

"Your life?

"Pardon my frankness, but your life is worthless in front of the Deputy Hall Master.

"Of course, asking you to kill Su Mo is too much.

"So, the Deputy Hall Master has also sent me with something for the Mountain Lord."

"Hmm?"

The Mountain Lord frowned slightly: "What’s that?"

The man smiled without directly answering, instead looking at Xiu Lan:

"Since the Heart Demon is here, I guess things are as the Deputy Hall Master said.

"You all waited here for Su Mo, the Chief Escort, then had the Heart Demon use her charm to ensnare Su Mo...

"But I wonder, how far have you gotten?"

The Mountain Lord's expression darkened. While the plan wasn’t hard to figure out, the man’s confident tone made him uneasy.

Moreover, how had he recognized the Heart Demon?

His mind raced for a moment before he sneered:

"Su Mo isn’t just anyone. How could we dare to act against him?"

"That’s right. If he were truly bewitched by the charm, it would be a serious matter for all of you, and I wouldn’t dare to offend."

The man smiled faintly, "So, it must be Chief Escort Su’s subordinate that Granny Feiyan bewitched?"

"Hmph."

Xiu Lan snorted coldly, "You’re rambling. Spit it out and don’t waste my time."

Her mind was still on Hu Sandao, who was lying there, waiting for her.

"Very well."

The man smiled again, "Just one last question... If this plan fails and word gets out, what then?"

The Mountain Lord’s eyes grew sharp, but he stayed silent.

Yet, the man seemed to mention it casually, not expecting a response.

He laughed and pulled something from his robe, "Catch this."

With a flick of his wrist, a white object shot toward the Mountain Lord.

The Mountain Lord remained seated, his eyes locked on the man.

Suddenly, a small black object flew from the side, striking the white one.

When they collided, neither broke; the white object slowed and landed neatly in the Mountain Lord’s hand—a small porcelain bottle.

The man’s expression shifted slightly as he glanced at the old lady, nodding, "Granny Feiyan truly lives up to her name."

The move looked simple, but the precision of her force was masterful.

A bit more force, and the bottle would’ve shattered.

Too little, and it wouldn’t have countered the bottle’s momentum.

Effortless and masterful—truly impressive.

The old lady ignored the praise, casually pulling out some sugar-roasted chestnuts to peel.

One of those chestnuts was what she’d thrown earlier.

The Mountain Lord studied the bottle, then glanced at the man, "Poison?"

"I expected more from the Deputy Hall Master, but it seems you’re just resorting to poison and cheap tricks."

"There are endless ways to kill someone."

"Using martial arts to kill is a last resort, only for the most desperate."

"It might feel good in the moment, but it causes endless problems."

"Wouldn’t it be better if they died quietly?"

"But I think the Mountain Lord has it wrong."

"...What do you mean?"

The Mountain Lord looked up at the man, "What do you mean?"

"This poison... wasn't meant for Su Mo."

The man stood up, revealing a somewhat stout figure:

"As you all know, Su Mo is the Chief Escort of the Ziyang Escort Agency, and the previous generation's Chief Escort was his father, Su Tianyang.

"Su Tianyang and Yang Yizhi of the Iron Blood Escort Agency were sworn brothers, hence, their children were betrothed from a young age.

"Though Su Mo hasn't lived up to his father's legacy and hasn't made much of a name for himself,

"The young Chief Escort of the Yang family, however, is a woman who stands her ground against any man, and she has never given up on her fiancé.

"Perhaps it was having such a remarkable woman by his side that later made him famous in the martial world.

"Now, the two are deeply devoted to each other, and for this reason, even Wei Ruhan, the Grand Alliance Leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, who intended to marry his granddaughter to Su Mo, Su Mo turned him down."

The Mountain Lord took a deep breath:

"This poison... was meant for Yang Xiaoyun?"

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun had been quietly listening, curious to see what was going on between them.

But they never expected to hear such words.

Though Su Mo is usually calm, at this moment he couldn't help but nod repeatedly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, but the killing intent in his eyes was sharper than ever.

Yang Xiaoyun gently squeezed his hand.

Su Mo finally exhaled, temporarily pushing the killing intent to the back of his mind.

But the more he tried to suppress it, the more the killing intent boiled over, unable to be calmed no matter what.

He had always known that in the treacherous waters of the martial world, no one could remain unscathed.

Even with the title of First of Donghuang, does that mean he has nothing to fear?

Not at all.

Those who want to harm you, if they can't match your skills or outsmart you, will go after the people close to you.

Yang Xiaoyun's position had always been a source of worry for Su Mo.

Before heading to East City, he made sure Yang Xiaoyun didn't go on any escort missions.

He even assigned Zhen Xiaoxiao to protect her around the clock.

Although Yang Xiaoyun's martial skills are extraordinary, her somewhat reckless nature inevitably left Su Mo worried that there might be unforeseen dangers.

For this trip, he had already decided that from now on, he would always bring Yang Xiaoyun along on escort missions.

This wasn't just because of their deep bond, but more importantly, having her by his side meant he could keep her safe.

But Yang Xiaoyun has always been fiercely independent, and he had never shared this concern with her.

Moreover, if it came to a direct fight, Yang Xiaoyun wouldn't back down.

But he never imagined that today, someone would try to poison Yang Xiaoyun!

This truly hit Su Mo where it hurts.

Yang Xiaoyun seemed to read Su Mo's mind and gently squeezed his hand again.

Su Mo looked at her and saw a calm and fearless gaze, like a sky full of stars, her only concern was for him.

Su Mo nodded slightly to her, and only then did Yang Xiaoyun smile softly, pointing to the crack in the roof tiles.

Then they heard the man laugh and say:

"Exactly!

"Su Mo, since he started wandering the martial world, there have been attempts to poison him.

"Not to mention long ago, just recently at Guan Yue Ridge, the Poison Boy attempted to poison him.

"Yet, Su Mo showed no fear, instead casually crushing the Poison Boy to death.

"Poor Poison Boy, all his martial arts were in poison, and when it came to a real fight with Su Mo, he didn't even have a chance to react before he was dead on the spot.

"So... poisoning Su Mo might not work, otherwise, why would you go to such lengths?"

"I think you're taking a risk."

The Mountain Lord sneered: "You know full well how important Yang Xiaoyun is to Su Mo. If you really harm her life, not only will you face the overwhelming wrath of the Eastern Wasteland's Number One, but even we might not be able to escape unscathed.

"Let alone killing him...

"Or perhaps, are you planning to use this act to destroy his mind, ruin his reputation, and turn the entire martial world against him?"

"This method is not without its merits."

The man shook his head gently. "However, the Deputy Hall Master's methods go far beyond this."

"This poison... heh, it won't kill, but it won't make life comfortable either."

"Regarding the details, I must beg your pardon, but I cannot disclose them."

"All you need to know is that after this, Su Mo will be completely under our control."

"You can take the Star Sea Relic Sand Iron, and we will not obstruct you in any way. Whether you return to the Western Frontier's Wangxuan Mountain or choose to roam like a dragon in the sea, the decision is entirely yours."

"Today... I am here waiting for the Mountain Lord's word."

"Do you accept this task or not?"

The Mountain Lord was momentarily hesitant.

Dealing with a tiger for its skin naturally requires thorough consideration.

If they proceed, it will inevitably lead to a falling out with Su Mo. If what this person says is true, there might still be room for negotiation.

But if any of this is false, everyone on Wangxuan Mountain could end up dead.

However... if they refuse, they will have to return to Wangxuan Mountain in disgrace.

And they will also offend Wusheng Hall.

Their future situation will undoubtedly become a hundred times more difficult.

He lightly rubbed the armrest of the chair with his fingers and was about to look up at the people present to see how they would decide.

At that moment, Su Mo, who was on the rooftop, gazed into the distance.

In the dim light, he spotted a faint green flame drifting under the night sky.

Suddenly, it drew near.

It was only then that Su Mo clearly saw it was a sedan chair.

A strikingly bright red sedan chair!

The four bearers had ghostly pale faces yet were all grinning, as if in celebration.

The eerie green light came from four lanterns hanging on the sedan chair poles, swaying and appearing ghostly.

Despite its bright red color, the sedan chair exuded a ghostly and sinister aura.

When the sedan chair reached the outskirts of Tihu Village, it came to a quiet halt.

As the sedan curtain fluttered, a figure leaped out.

The figure moved urgently. After landing, it was about to dash off but seemed to recall something and halted.

The figure turned back and cupped its fists toward the bright red sedan chair.

Witnessing this, both Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun were momentarily stunned.

They clearly saw that the person emerging from the sedan chair was none other than... Xu Lu!

Earlier in Jinyang City, Xu Lu had parted ways with Su Mo and the others.

He had taken the Shadowkill Token to the Shadowkill Pavilion to place a commission.

Now, it was unclear if the commission had been placed, but how had he gotten involved with this mysterious and ominous bright red sedan chair?

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged a glance, noting that Xu Lu had already left the bright red sedan chair.

Xu Lu headed off in another direction, while the bright red sedan chair, glowing with eerie ghostly flames, moved toward Tihu Village.

For a moment, Su Mo was baffled by the situation's intricacies and could only keep watching.

The bright red sedan chair, with its flames, was highly conspicuous and quickly arrived in front of the courtyard, its intent clear.

As they approached, the courtyard guards had already spotted them.

But before they could speak, the four sedan chair bearers suddenly exerted force, their forms shifting dramatically, revealing profound and mysterious techniques.

By the time everyone recovered, the sedan chair had already entered the courtyard.

At that very moment, the Mountain Lord nodded and agreed, "Alright!"

After discussing with those present, he decided to cooperate with the Wusheng Hall members before him.

The martial world was always a place where one risked their life for a future.

If you’re too scared to act because the other guy’s a martial arts master, why even bother being part of this world?

You might as well go home and farm—at least you’ll live to a ripe old age.

If this works out, with all the benefits, you’ll be set for life.

But just as they agreed, before anyone could say another word, an uninvited guest showed up.

Everyone in the hall turned toward the door at the same time:

"Who?"

The moment the words left his mouth, a series of whooshes echoed, and all the lanterns—inside and out—suddenly changed.

The normal flames flickered and turned into eerie, ghostly green lights.

They lit up the house like a haunted realm.

A chuckle erupted from the sedan chair:

"A bunch of demons and monsters, plotting evil under the light of the living world.

"Who are you trying to fool with this righteous act?"

"Cut the spooky act—who the hell are you?"

A man shot up, glaring at the big red sedan chair.

"Chang Shixin... your name’s already in the book of life and death, and you’re still yelling like this?

"Don’t wake the ghost officers, or they’ll drag you off."

Chang Shixin!? The Wangxuan Mountain Lord froze—he knew that name.

He was the head of the Divine Leg Sect, part of Wusheng Hall.

His leg techniques were legendary—fierce, powerful, and innovative, earning him a big reputation.

Who’d have thought he’d be right here?

That made the earlier words more believable.

But this wasn’t exactly good news.

He’d hoped that if the Heart Demon situation went smoothly, it’d be an easy night.

Then grabbing the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron would’ve been a piece of cake.

But out of nowhere, Wusheng Hall got involved, and now this creepy red sedan chair showed up.

If this keeps up, Su Mo’s going to hear the ruckus and come running...

Wouldn’t that be the death of me?

Thinking fast, he signaled while no one was looking.

Right away, the burly man, Qi Dashan, turned and slipped out.

The Heart Demon tried to follow, but a sharp look from the Mountain Lord kept him in place.

Suddenly, Chang Shixin burst into laughter:

"The Book of Life and Death? So it’s those who play at being ghosts from Yin Mountain. I’ve always heard that the people of Yin Mountain possess extraordinary skills. Today, I’ll get to see what they’re really made of."

As soon as his words fell, he moved like a blur and was already in front of the sedan chair.

While still in mid-air, he kicked out, his leg movements intricate and truly remarkable.

Then, a giggling sound came from the mouths of the sedan chair bearers. Immediately, two pale-faced bearers leaped forward, and with a mere extension of their palms, they cut through the flurry of leg movements and grasped Chang Shixin’s ankles.

Chang Shixin, however, sneered. He spread his legs apart and suddenly executed a crushing drop from mid-air.

With two loud thuds, the two bearers fell to the ground, yet they continued to giggle. As they twisted, their movements created a flurry of shadows, and the two bearers suddenly split up, each moving in a different direction.

With the sound of fabric ripping and blood spraying, they ripped Chang Shixin apart!