Chapter 396: Island Master

Chapter 396: The Island Master

Following the people of Dragon-Timber Island through gates and courtyards, they made their way toward the main hall.

Their entourage kept growing.

As everyone gathered, conversations naturally sprang up among the crowd.

Zhou Wenjing followed behind Su Mo, carefully observing the appearances and demeanors of these individuals.

She then covertly whispered to Su Mo, informing him of who these people were—

Which ones demanded vigilance,

And which ones could likely be trusted.

Su Mo summarized it briefly.

Among them, the able-bodied young warriors, up-and-coming talents of the Southern Sea martial world, accounted for about half.

The other half was split into two groups.

One consisted of men and women, young and old, nearly all renowned in the martial world for their mastery of healing arts and toxicology.

The other was far more motley—

Some were venerable masters from various sects, while others were reclusive masters.

Su Mo glanced at his own group and figured they could probably be categorized among this latter type.

His mind raced through several possibilities, weighing these observations carefully.

As they walked and observed, they soon arrived at the main hall of Dragon-Timber Island.

The so-called main hall was actually the main hall of the Island Master’s residence.

A plaque hung above the entrance, inscribed with three large characters: Qilong Hall (Hall of Marvelous Dragons)!

At this moment, Qilong Hall was already lined with long tables, spread with an array of delicacies.

Maids and servants of the Island Master’s residence stood in rows on either side, standing ready to serve the guests.

Under their guidance, Su Mo and the others were shown to their places.

Once everyone was seated, the elderly swordsman from the previous night appeared, accompanied by a middle-aged man who entered from the chambers behind the hall.

This middle-aged man had a round, well-fed face and was dressed in finely embroidered robes.

Upon reaching the front, he cupped his hands with a smile and addressed the assembly:

"Valiant guests!"

His voice immediately cut through the chatter in the hall, and all eyes turned toward him.

Some watched warily, others with keen interest, and still others with full guardedness.

The middle-aged man smiled and said,

"I am Xie Yun, I pay my respects to all heroes present."

As soon as these words were spoken, someone immediately shouted:

"You are the Master of Dragonwood Island?"

Xie Yun quickly shook his head upon hearing this:

"Not at all, I am not the Island Master, just the steward of the City Lord’s estate.

"My lord is temporarily indisposed and has yet to arrive.

"I welcome you here to avoid rudeness.

"Please, enjoy the food and drink first. My master will arrive shortly."

"This isn’t a joke."

A young man spoke up:

"If your master has not yet arrived, how can we begin eating and drinking here?

"Just bring your lord out here."

"Exactly! Why’d you drag us all to this island?

"At this point, quit hiding things already."

These words were met with widespread agreement.

Those who came to Dragonwood Island were either here for the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture or for other matters.

But once here, they realized it was a scam.

Last night, they scoured the island and city—turned up empty.

Instead, they got 'invited' as 'guests' to the City Master's residence by the martial arts masters of Dragonwood City.

Some lost fights—outmatched or outnumbered—

but now, with everyone together, they felt braver. Winning a fight? Maybe not. But escaping? They’d manage.

Xie Yun smiled helplessly:

"Fine. Wait here a bit."

With that, he and the old swordsman with the lantern turned and left.

In the hall, the crowd traded looks—most were already on the same page.

If things went south, they’d rush them.

Meanwhile, Su Mo’s eyes swept the crowd a few times before shaking his head slightly:

"They’re really not here."

Yang Xiaoyun, hearing this, glanced around too before frowning deeply:

"You think they got caught?"

"Everyone here got nabbed after losing."

Su Mo said in a low voice, "Others got caught, yet here they are today, still treated as honored guests.

"But with that old man, there's neither sight of him alive nor trace of him dead?"

Yang Xiaoyun’s mind raced—then it clicked:

"You held back yesterday—was this why?"

"This Dragonwood Island’s a nest of secrets. Who knows where to begin searching?

"Following clues is too slow; blundering around just wastes time.

"The Poison Lord ruled the martial world a decade ago—he must have extraordinary skills.

"Since he volunteered, he’s perfect to test the waters."

Su Mo idly poured himself a drink, held it in his hand, and examined it briefly but did not drink.

He continued,

"If he comes back, we’ll swap intel on last night’s haul.

"If not... well, he left us a trail to follow.

"Either way beats running around like headless chickens."

"..."

Yang Xiaoyun was momentarily speechless. "Bet he never saw this coming."

"You’ve got it wrong, Madam," Su Mo countered.

"He’s the one who offered to scout—I didn’t push him.

"How’s that using him?"

"You’ve got an answer for everything."

Yang Xiaoyun rolled her eyes.

Then she glanced at his chest. "What’d he slip you last night?"

"Haven’t looked. If the old man rigged it, explaining face-to-face wouldn’t be a fun conversation."

Su Mo chuckled. "Besides, no sign of him doesn’t mean he’s in trouble."

He glanced at the gathered crowd and whispered,

"That Shattered Star Sect pair—uncle and nephew—they’re missing too, no?"

He was referring to Zhang Quan and Zhou Wenjing’s senior brother.

By now, they should’ve made it to the island.

But no sign of them.

Zhou Wenjing fidgeted, while not far from them, Duan Wenwu’s brow furrowed.

Duan Wenwu was clearly not pleased at the absence of Zhang Quan of the Pointing Star Finger.

There was indeed some enmity between these two men.

Yet precisely because of this enmity, Duan Wenwu knew Zhang Quan all too well.

Now that they had arrived here, if Zhang Quan were present, Duan Wenwu might actually feel more at ease.

Yang Xiaoyun looked away from him and gave a slight nod:

"Though the people of Dragonwood Island are formidable, capturing so many top fighters all at once is no easy feat.

"Do you think... the one *Sick Prince* spoke of truly exists?

"If this person does exist, are they currently in this hall?

"If not, might they be lying in wait in the shadows, waiting for the right moment?"

Su Mo chuckled:

"Who knows... Darling, don’t forget that we’re not really here to uncover what these people are scheming.

"The most important goal is to heal Little Situ’s legs."

"Hmm."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded immediately. "To settle your debt of gratitude."

"..."

Su Mo was at a loss for words.

Then he noticed Yang Xiaoyun’s eyes rolling playfully.

Su Mo couldn’t help but feel a chill. "What’s going through that head of yours?"

"Who’d dare scheme anything strange in front of Chief Escort Su?"

"I never said 'strange'—you did."

"Can’t you just play dumb?"

Su Mo was left speechless again. Yang Xiaoyun was growing ever more feminine by the day.

Even this playful, willful act came so naturally to her.

He brushed off his mischievous wife for the moment and turned his thoughts elsewhere.

As he had said earlier, they weren’t here to investigate why others had come to the island, nor to solve Dragonwood Island’s troubles.

Their most important goal was to help Little Situ recover from her Three Yin and Three Yang meridian damage.

In truth, before coming here, Su Mo had discussed this matter of the Three Yin and Three Yang meridians with Little Situ.

Only then did he realize that this was no simple injury.

Nor was it some innate blockage or stagnant blood.

This injury is actually caused by a congenital defect.

The condition is fundamentally flawed, making it nearly impossible to treat.

The fact that Little Situ Taoist was able to master martial arts at all was only achieved through the combined efforts of many masters from Xuanhu Pavilion.

For an average person, forget martial arts—

just surviving to adulthood would be a struggle.

Anyone else with this condition would surely die by sixteen.

Only an institution like Xuanhu Pavilion, with its unparalleled methods, could ensure Little Situ Taoist grew up unscathed and even mastered both medicine and martial arts.

Yet, it’s unclear if the island’s hidden secrets actually hold an answer to this problem.

However, based on what he has seen and heard so far, he’s growing hopeful.

For now, he must restrain himself—first, to discern the true nature of the island's mysteries,

and second, to gather as much information as possible while observing how events unfold.

He plans to strike precisely—either don’t act, or land a lethal hit in one go.

Otherwise, while he could certainly resort to force and make them talk,

the risk remains that they might choose mutual destruction—

destroying what matters and leaving everyone empty-handed. In that case, what would become of Little Situ Taoist’s legs?

What’s more, right now, Su Mo doesn’t even know what the crucial detail is, let alone anything else.

As the thought crossed his mind, a voice boomed:

“The Island Master has arrived!!!”

Immediately, whether Su Mo or the rest, everyone raised their heads to look toward the direction of the hall.

Yet, instead of catching a glimpse of the Island Master’s true appearance, they first saw attendants lowering a curtain, blocking the main seat from view entirely.

The crowd grumbled in protest, about to voice their complaints, when a hulking figure loomed behind the curtain.

The silhouette seemed to recline on a couch, and the shadow cast upon the curtain was grotesquely thick—like a literal mountain of meat.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun, observing this, couldn’t help but look at Zhen Xiaoxiao, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Zhen Xiaoxiao, however, was too distracted to pay attention to anything else.

Staring at the table full of delicious food that Su Mo wouldn’t let her eat, she was torn inside.

Not that she was questioning whether to obey Su Mo—that wasn’t the issue.

The Boss’s word was law.

After all, the Boss provided her with food and drink. If she didn’t listen to him, who else was she supposed to listen to?

Her inner conflict was simply between willpower and appetite, locked in constant battle.

She remained completely unaware of the gazes of the crowd.

Just when no one was paying attention to her, a sharp shout rang out:

"Hiding behind veils—how cowardly!

"Lord of Longmu Island, show your face!!"

As the man spoke, he tapped his foot, he launched himself through the air straight toward the curtain.

Clearly, he intended to tear it down and force the Lord of Longmu Island to reveal himself.

"Halt!"

Suddenly, figures darted forward, and before the man could reach the curtain, two young servants leaped up.

With palms raised, they struck at him.

The man glanced at them—mere half-grown children—and brushed them off with a scoff.

Though he unleashed his palms, he held back 30% of his strength, unwilling to harm the youngsters. Yet his speed only increased alarmingly.

Zhou Wenjing had specifically mentioned this man's reputation to Su Mo.

He was one of the top fighters among the younger generation in the South Sea.

The personal disciple of the "Nine-Armed Vajra" Gu Renzheng of Jade Kun Island—the "Little Divine Fist" Xia Qiuliang!

His fist and palm martial arts had fully inherited Gu Renzheng's true teachings.

What's more, he had a reputation for chivalry, which had made his name increasingly prominent over the past year.

Duan Renjie, watching Xia Qiuliang make his move, arched an eyebrow.

As a fellow member of the South Sea's younger generation, he had never admitted anyone was better except his senior sister.

Yet, witnessing Xia Qiuliang's attack now, he couldn't help but frown inwardly.

In the year or so since they last met, this man's palm techniques had become even more unpredictable.

At that moment, two sharp smacking sounds rang out.

Xia Qiuliang had assumed that a single palm strike would knock these two kids flying immediately.

To his surprise, the moment their palm forces clashed, the children's inner strength proved shockingly powerful.

Even if he hadn't held back 30% of his power, a full-force strike might not have forced them back in one blow.

His heart sank. Mid-air, he swiftly altered his moves, pouring all his strength into engaging the two in an intense clash.

The three clashed twice in mid-air. The children's techniques were unremarkable, but their bodies were like iron, and their inner strength was formidable.

In the end, both unleashed palm strikes. Xia Qiuliang, with no way to dodge, had no choice but to meet it head-on.

He thought grimly, "This is bad."

Today, in front of so many people, if I were to be defeated by two barely-grown kids, how could I ever hold my head up in the martial world again?

As he stood stunned, he suddenly felt a surge of energy flow into his back from behind.

The next moment, Xia Qiuliang felt like he had divine help!

His inner power exploded outward, and the two children were sent flying without so much as a grunt.

Xia Qiuliang himself, arms flailing wildly, charged toward the curtain at an astonishing speed—way beyond his usual speed.

For a moment, he was swinging between shock, joy, and rage.

Shocked, because he had no clue which martial arts master had stepped in unseen.

Joyed, because at least he hadn’t made a fool of himself before the many warriors of the South Sea.

Furious, because whoever helped him clearly had an agenda—helping him only to use him as a means to unmask the Lord of Longmu Island.

But now, no matter how shocked or angry he was, he was no longer in control of his own movements.

With a rush, he lunged toward the curtain.

Jaw clenched, he reached out to tear it down.

At that very moment, a crushing wave of force blasted out.

A howling wind swept out from behind the curtain.

Poor Xia Qiuliang, his fingers barely grazing the fabric, was sent tumbling like a dry leaf.

Not just him—almost everyone in the hall found themselves throwing their arms up to shield their faces, unable to see through the sudden tempest.

By the time the wind subsided, the curtain had settled back down.

Only the crash of Xia Qiuliang slamming into a table remained.

Fortunately, the Lord of Longmu Island clearly had no desire to hurt anyone.

Thus, with a single hand pushing off the ground, Xia Qiuliang sprung back up.

Wiping away splattered food from his clothes, he first scanned the room, searching for the martial arts master who had pulled this stunt on him.

Then, he shot a furious glare at the curtain and shouted,

"Lord of Longmu Island, hell of a technique!"

"Not at all..."

A frail, wheezing voice came from behind the curtain, pausing after just two words before continuing haltingly,

"I refuse to show my true face... because I am already a man on the verge of death.

"My visage is hideous and grotesque—it would only startle my esteemed guests."

"I beg your forgiveness, everyone."

"And please, do not inquire further..."

"In my current state, I cannot bear to face you."

After a pause, he continued:

"Additionally, I've called you here for two reasons, seeking your assistance."

"My time grows short, yet two great matters remain unresolved."

"The first is a medical scripture passed down from my ancestors."

"This text is abstruse and difficult to comprehend. If an ordinary person could grasp even a fraction of it, they would become a rare medical genius."

"My ancestors once said that if the secrets within this scripture could be unraveled, we could escape Longmu Island."

"Then we could return to the South Sea and end our isolation."

"Alas, since the passing of my forebears, our descendants have proven unworthy, with none able to decipher the mysteries within this medical text."

"Thus, I used the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture as lure to invite esteemed physician-martial artists to this island, to help my clan interpret the scripture."

"This, in truth, somewhat goes against our ancestors' dying wishes."

"However, I cannot bear to see my clan's Disciples forever confined to this insignificant speck of land."

"So I have taken this rebellious step, hoping to bring together the brightest minds, combining our wisdom to secure one last chance for my clan."

"In return, all of you will certainly learn much during the process of interpreting the scripture."

"Consider this our humble thanks from my clan."

At this point, the listeners frowned deeply.

Especially those who had come to the island for reasons other than medical expertise—they scowled.

What did this have to do with them?

The Lord of Longmu Island, hidden behind the curtain, struggled for breath after finishing this speech.

After a long while, he finally let out a long breath and said:

"As for the second matter..."

"My clan... my clan has been cut off from the South Sea for many years."

"If... if a master were to solve the mystery of the medical scripture..."

"And free my clan..."

"Returning to the South Sea and rejoining the world would naturally be a godsend."

"But we know nothing of today's South Sea or the martial arts world."

"The young Disciples on the island are beyond redemption."

"And I am an old man on death's doorstep."

"Therefore, under the pretext of a marriage tournament or treasure hunts, we deceived you all into coming to this island.

"Our hope was to select from among you an individual whose martial arts, intellect, and character are exceptional, to inherit my... my position as the Island Master of Dragon-Timber Island.

"Everything on the island shall belong to them.

"We only pray that this hero can lead our clan to secure a foothold in the South Sea."

Upon hearing this, the crowd burst into an uproar!