Chapter 283 Let’s Go Take a Life

Chapter 283 Let’s Go Take a Life

"Chief Escort Su... is that you?"

Xu Lu could hardly believe his eyes.

In this critical moment of life and death, how did Su Mo suddenly appear?

Although he knew Su Mo was currently in Tihu Village, he didn’t know exactly where in the village he was.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come alone to save them.

With Qi Dashan’s arrival and the chaos that followed, he was certain he was going to die today.

Yet, out of nowhere, Su Mo, whose whereabouts were unknown, had arrived!?

"You’re quite the hero, Xu."

Su Mo looked at Xu Lu with a mix of emotions.

He and Yang Xiaoyun had been watching from inside for a while, and they had clearly seen the struggle between Qi Dashan and Xu Lu.

For a moment, he was truly impressed by Xu Lu.

Though he still had some lingering doubts, he couldn’t afford to focus on them now. He couldn’t just let Xu Lu die here, could he?

Qi Dashan’s face turned a deep purple.

Su Mo grabbed his wrist, stopping his punch mid-air. After nodding to Xu Lu, Su Mo faced Qi Dashan:

"Brother Dashan, you’ve been holding back. Impressive."

"Let me go!"

Qi Dashan’s face was ashen, his internal energy at its limit, veins bulging, yet he couldn’t break free.

Su Mo gave a slight nod: "Alright."

He meant it.

He released Qi Dashan’s hand, but immediately threw a punch straight at his heart.

Qi Dashan’s pupils contracted, feeling the air around him sucked into the punch, leaving him unable to dodge.

In this critical moment, he couldn’t afford to hesitate.

He took a deep breath and mustered all his strength.

The martial art he practiced was called "Xuanmu Gong," a protective skill that worked from the outside in.

Initially, it involved tempering the body and refining the flesh, then generating Xuanmu true energy through the heart formula.

Xuan meant black, and when the true energy reached its peak, the entire body would be covered in a layer of black as hard as Xuan iron.

It was like a thousand-year-old Xuanmu, extremely hard.

Qi Dashan had trained hard in this martial art since childhood and had now reached the fifth level. His entire body, except for a few weak points, was impervious to blades.

He served under the Wangxuan Mountain Lord because his weak points were controlled, forcing him to obey.

At this moment, although he clearly knew that Su Mo was the top fighter of the Eastern Wasteland, with unparalleled martial arts, and the power of this punch was something he had never seen before, he still couldn’t help but wonder if his Mystic Wood Technique could hold up against the top fighter of the Eastern Wasteland!

Thud!

A dull clang, like metal striking metal.

Qi Dashan felt a wave of scorching heat surge towards him, but that was all. The Mystic Wood Technique didn’t even show the slightest sign of resistance.

His heart soared with joy, thinking that the top fighter of the Eastern Wasteland was nothing special.

But looking down, his face paled in horror.

He saw Su Mo’s arm buried up to the elbow in his chest.

It went clean through, leaving a perfect fist-shaped bulge in the back of his shirt.

Boom!

The shockwave from the punch rippled out, shaking the entire cave.

Frowning, Su Mo casually kicked Qi Dashan aside and flicked the blood from his hand:

"Are you eager to die?"

"……"

Qi Dashan looked at the hole in his chest, then at Su Mo in front of him.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, unsure if it was due to his severe injuries or being infuriated by Su Mo.

His Mystic Wood Technique was effortlessly shattered, and now he said such words. Did it mean that Su Mo didn’t even notice he was using his protective technique?

Did the Mystic Wood Technique mean nothing to him?

With that thought, he crumpled to the ground.

His heart was shattered—how could he live?

The light in his eyes dimmed, and life left him.

Frowning, Su Mo glanced at Xu Lu:

"Is this all... making such a big deal about life and death?"

"……I’m not you."

Xu Lu was nearly driven mad by Su Mo: "You’re a martial arts master, but I can’t fight."

"Fair enough."

Su Mo nodded: "How about this—why not become my disciple?"

Xu Lu froze, then dropped to his knees like a falling tree: "Master, I..."

"Enough! I was only joking."

Su Mo swiftly pulled him to his feet.

Not just one Xu Lu—even a hundred Xu Lus together couldn’t hold a candle to Su Mo’s incredible strength. He was effortlessly yanked up by Su Mo.

However, he was still defiant in his words:

"A ruler’s word is no joke!"

"..."

Su Mo’s mouth twitched: "The Great Xuan Dynasty’s long gone, or else that one sentence would’ve wiped out your entire clan."

Seeing that Xu Lu was about to speak again, Su Mo quickly waved his hand:

"First things first—let’s save them."

Xu Lu also nodded immediately, then turned to the somewhat dazed woman and said:

"Don’t worry, everything’s under control now. This is Chief Escort Su, the world’s top martial arts master. With him here, these scoundrels are done for."

After hearing this, her legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed. But at that moment, as if remembering something, she mustered all her strength to stand, walked to her son, and hugged the child tightly, breaking down sobbing.

Yang Xiaoyun also arrived at this point, and seeing this scene, she couldn’t help but sigh.

No one could fathom the sheer willpower she’d just displayed.

That dagger she threw wasn’t just a weapon—it was her and her son’s lives on the line.

The three of them sprang into action, cutting the ropes binding these people.

After a brief pause, Su Mo then asked Xu Lu:

"Why are you here? What’s the story with that big red sedan?"

This was what Su Mo had been puzzled about earlier.

The martial world’s a den of treachery, and Su Mo was naturally cautious. He’d never seen Xu Lu act so heroically before, and suddenly seeing him with some shady character with dubious motives naturally put him on edge.

This was also why he hadn’t acted directly earlier; he wanted to see what Xu Lu was playing at.

But he never imagined Xu Lu would risk it all for what’s right.

And the words Xu Lu had spoken also struck a chord with Su Mo.

The darkness in men’s hearts, the perils of the martial world, but it’s what makes the truly noble stand out even more.

So, this time, he cut straight to the point.

Xu Lu was stunned: "Master..."

"Enough already!"

Su Mo rolled his eyes so hard it hurt; how could this person still be clinging to him?

"...Alright, alright, Chief Escort Su saw it?"

Xu Lu wasn’t stupid; Su Mo could ask this question because he had already noticed something, so he immediately said:

"Long story short. This time, I took the Shadowkill Order, and through some past connections, I finally found a way into the Shadowkill Pavilion.

"After submitting the commission, I thought of rushing over to meet up with Chief Escort Su and the others."

"But unexpectedly, on the way, I was kidnapped by the woman in the sedan chair..."

"Kidnapped?"

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged a glance; the choice of word was quite nuanced.

Especially since Xu Lu possessed the ethereal skill from the "Immortal Traces Record," and he was always alert and vigilant. Being kidnapped was indeed quite unexpected.

Xu Lu, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and said:

"At that time, I was resting in a dilapidated house in the wilderness, and this woman actually pretended to be a ghost to frighten me.

"Even though I'm skilled at moving in the dark, there's always a saying lingering in my heart...

"If you walk the night road often enough, you'll eventually meet a ghost."

"..."

Su Mo was at a loss for words.

Xu Lu was so frightened by the elaborate ghostly tricks of the red sedan chair that his legs turned to jelly. How could he use his lightness skill?

In the end, he was captured without a fight.

Even now, he couldn't help but feel indignant:

"That red sedan chair ghost lantern, if it doesn't come at midnight, it'll come at dawn.

"She insisted she was the Ghost Bride, coming to marry at midnight...

"I later discovered she was actually from the Shadowkill Pavilion.

"She knew about my connection to you, which is why she sought me out."

Su Mo thought for a moment:

"Then how did you know about the situation in Tihu Village?"

"The Ghost Bride told me."

Xu Lu said: "She said that finding me was just a way to show goodwill toward you, not to get any information out of me.

"The Shadowkill Pavilion has a vast network across the world, with many members.

"Many of the martial arts masters in the Shadowkill Pavilion actually lead double lives.

"By day, they're gallant heroes of the martial world; by night, they don their night clothes and become Shadowkill Pavilion assassins.

"As a result, the Shadowkill Pavilion is incredibly well-informed.

"They not only know your current location but also who's after you.

"She said that, based on your itinerary, you should be in Tihu Village by the time they catch up.

"In the village, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord plans to steal the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron by any means necessary.

"He's also taken villagers hostage to threaten you if the plan is exposed.

"We had already worked out a plan on the way here."

"She went to mediate with those martial arts masters, and I came here to rescue the villagers, to prevent you from being controlled by others.

"However, I didn’t expect that there were also martial arts masters guarding the villagers… I nearly lost my life."

As he said this, he felt a lingering fear.

In critical moments, one must act boldly, and there’s no time for hesitation when life is at stake.

Now looking back, he realized he had truly walked the line between life and death.

A lingering fear inevitably surged within him.

Su Mo was deep in thought:

"Did she mention what methods the Wangxuan Mountain Lord planned to use to steal the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron?"

"She didn’t mention that."

Xu Lu shook his head.

Su Mo was silent for a moment, his thoughts racing.

Based on Xu Lu’s words, Shadowkill Pavilion seemed truly formidable.

However, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord seemed almost laughable.

He believed his actions were covert, but Wusheng Hall was also watching him, and Shadowkill Pavilion was also tracking his every move.

When the critical moment arrived, everything fell apart.

Thus, the situation in the village’s main house was clear now.

The Wangxuan Mountain faction, Ren Xiongfei’s men from Wusheng Hall’s Tenth Hall, and Shadowkill Pavilion…

The Wangxuan Mountain faction wanted the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, while Ren Xiongfei’s men wanted him dead.

As for Shadowkill Pavilion…

Su Mo glanced at Xu Lu:

"She didn’t come here just to help me, did she?"

"...She said she has some things to discuss with you in person."

Xu Lu looked helpless: "Although I tried every trick along the way, this woman’s martial arts are incredibly advanced, and her methods are even stranger. Escaping her is nearly impossible… and… and…"

He paused here, as if finding it hard to continue.

After a moment, he finally whispered:

"Chief Escort Su, pardon my bluntness, but I think she might not be human."

"Why do you say that?"

Su Mo found his expression amusing.

As for Xu Lu’s claim that he wanted to escape, Su Mo actually believed it.

Outside the village, Xu Lu had already shown signs of wanting to flee as soon as he could, and when combined with the current situation, it all seemed to align."

Besides, leaving aside the martial arts of the big red sedan chair, the four sedan chair bearers under her command are anything but ordinary.

Chang Shixin of the Divine Leg Sect was killed on the spot, without any chance to fight back.

They could easily subdue Xu Lu by just sealing his acupoints, preventing him from using his lightness technique.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, he heard Xu Lu say:

"I was sitting in the sedan chair with her the whole time.

"She was dressed in a red wedding gown, wearing a phoenix crown and veil, so her face was hidden.

"But... she didn't breathe at all the entire time.

"When I clashed with her..."

At this point, he caught the gaze of Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun.

Hesitantly, he continued:

"Fine, fine, it wasn't a fight, but when she grabbed my neck, her hand was ice-cold, completely devoid of warmth, unlike a living person's hand!"

"Oh?"

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun shared a look.

"Really."

Noticing their skepticism, Xu Lu added:

"Once, just once... I saw her sitting there, head drooping, the red veil hanging down. Curious, I leaned over and peeked up from below... just to see her face..."

By now, Xu Lu had turned pale: "And then... she had no face!"

"No face?"

Yang Xiaoyun was also surprised, though not by Xu Lu's ghostly encounter, but she shot a glance at Su Mo:

"What kind of divine skill is this?"

"...The Faceless Divine Skill?"

Su Mo blurted out, but then waved his hand: "It could also be a disguise, deliberately fooling Xu Lu. The people from Yin Mountain enjoy playing tricks, it seems Hero Xu provided quite a bit of amusement along the way."

"..."

Xu Lu was momentarily speechless.

Su Mo felt he had asked enough and said to Xu Lu:

"Hero Xu, I need you to do something for me."

"Master, no need to be so formal. As your disciple, it's my duty to serve. Just give the order."

"..."

Su Mo realized that besides having a strong sense of chivalry, Xu Lu's skin was unexpectedly thick.

But upon further thought, it seemed quite normal.

This person had once been a street hustler, and later took up the underhanded dealings of petty theft.

When I caught him by the Hui River, he knelt down and pleaded for mercy so effortlessly, clearly a veteran in this line of work. Who could do it without a shred of shame?

I immediately shook my head: "We’ll discuss this later. For now, you stay here and keep an eye on these villagers. I'll have Old Hu come find you shortly. Once you two meet up, take them and find another spot to lay low for a while."

"You mean to..."

Xu Lu was taken aback.

"Tihu Village has become a cesspool of corruption. We need to clean house before we can settle in."

Su Mo’s lips curled into a faint smile, but it sent shivers down Xu Lu’s spine.

He felt that Su Mo’s murderous aura was almost palpable.

With that, the instructions were more or less done.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun turned on their heels and left the cave.

Xu Lu glanced back at the anxious villagers and, after a moment, spoke up:

"Everyone, don't worry. This will all be wrapped up soon."

The villagers, having witnessed the events just now, realized that Su Mo and his crew were genuinely good folks.

Now they were heading off to handle the scoundrels in the village.

Some sobbed quietly, others breathed a sigh of relief, and of course, some fretted about what lay ahead.

But overall, the overwhelming feeling was one of relief at having cheated death and survived the ordeal.

Xu Lu did his best to engage them in conversation, calming their nerves, and then asked:

"Do you know if there are any other hideouts nearby where we can lay low?"

...

...

After leaving the cave, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun made their way back to Tihu Village.

But instead of heading to the big house, they first headed back to their place.

Zhen Xiaoxiao was dozing on the heated bed, occasionally startling awake, occasionally nodding off, fighting to keep her eyes open.

When she saw Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun, her eyes widened:

"Boss, Second Boss, I wasn’t asleep!"

"..."

Su Mo was momentarily speechless: "Come with me."

"Okay."

Zhen Xiaoxiao immediately nodded, rolled off the heated bed, let out a big yawn, and then grabbed her bronze staff before following them out.

The three of them went together to Hu Sandao's room.

Hu Sandao lay back down on the kang, his clothes still disheveled, quietly waiting, looking docile.

Hearing the footsteps, he thought it was Xinmo Xiulan returning.

But to his surprise, it was Su Mo and his companions.

His face instantly flushed red, and he quickly got up:

"Chief Escort, Deputy Chief Escort..."

Su Mo looked at his messy clothes and raised an eyebrow.

Hu Sandao hurriedly explained:

"This... this is to avoid giving anything away, right?"

Su Mo nodded immediately: "Exactly, Old Hu, your thinking is thorough. It's definitely not about waiting here for a romantic night with Xiu Lan."

"..."

Hu Sandao's beard roots nearly turned red with embarrassment.

Su Mo then ordered him to go to the cave cellar to meet Xu Lu.

Hearing that Xu Lu was back, Hu Sandao was a bit surprised. He nodded, straightened his clothes, grabbed his golden-ringed broadsword, and left.

He seemed eager to vanish from Su Mo's sight.

"Is this what it feels like to be socially dead?"

Su Mo looked in the direction where Hu Sandao had disappeared.

Yang Xiaoyun looked puzzled: "???"

"Forget it."

Su Mo took Yang Xiaoyun's hand: "Let's go, we have some killing to do."

Tonight, in Tihu Village, Su Mo wouldn't let a single one of them leave alive!