Chapter 413: Hidden Secrets

Chapter 413: Secrets

The two walked side by side for a while before separating, each entering their own cave for "scripture analysis."

However, upon reaching the cave entrance, the Dragonwood Island disciple guarding the door regarded Su Mo differently than he had the day before.

Though faint, there was a trace of resentment in his gaze.

Yesterday, Su Mo had doodled nonsense on the paper, which the disciple had meticulously transcribed with solemn care.

He copied until his mind grew foggy, then presented it to one of the island's elders like some invaluable relic.

He had hoped that such profound content might earn him some merit—perhaps even further favor from the higher-ups.

But when the elder finished reading, they too found it utterly incomprehensible.

After pondering for two hours, they erupted in fury, declaring it nothing but meaningless drivel.

Not only did the disciple receive no reward, but he was also disciplined for a solid hour before being thrown out.

Ironically, this ordeal saved him from sharing the others’ fate that night—he cheated death at Ye Youchen’s hands.

Now, he was torn between resentment and gratitude toward Su Mo.

Had Su Mo not scribbled nonsense, he wouldn’t have suffered such needless torment.

Yet, had Su Mo not pulled such a stunt, he would have died in the Scripture Cave yesterday.

His emotions were a tangled mess.

Su Mo, of course, was oblivious to all this.

He couldn’t care less how the Dragonwood Island disciples viewed him.

Once inside the cave, he sat down and surreptitiously pulled out the paper Ye Youchen had given him.

Unfolding it, he began comparing it with the scriptures.

Since this was an "interpretation," he had to take it seriously.

He needed to understand where Ye Youchen’s deciphered passage fit, why it was interpreted that way, and the reasoning behind it.

Otherwise, when his turn came to face the assembled physicians, how could he possibly hold his own against them?

Even so, he still felt out of his depth.

After all, he was utterly clueless about medicine.

Brushing up now was a Hail Mary—no telling if it’d help.

Fortunately, he already had a trick up his sleeve for this.

But now that he had the material in hand, he decided to give it a once-over himself first.

"Still no good."

Su Mo gave a helpless smile, seeing that he still couldn’t understand it no matter how hard he tried.

The healing techniques within the Twelve Gates Golden Bell Shield were vastly different from real medical practice.

So he simply slipped the decoded notes into his sleeve, sat cross-legged on the chair, and quietly waited for Ye Youchen’s next move.

In truth, with nothing else to do and Dragonwood Island disciples guarding outside, this was a great chance to train.

The disciples guarding the scripture cave would never interrupt an exegete unless called.

However... the legendary martial arts manual Su Mo had just obtained last night turned out to be the Extreme Cold Internal Strength.

Normally, practicing it wouldn’t be a big deal.

But now, with Ye Youchen having just caused a stir—though on the surface, things seemed calm, with even Xie Yun still alive—tensions were brewing as everyone searched for the experts using extreme cold energy.

Practicing it now would be asking for trouble.

Thus, he had no choice but to jot down more meaningless scribbles on paper.

If the scripture was cryptic and hard to grasp, what Su Mo wrote was utterly baffling.

Just as he was drowning in his own scribbles, he suddenly heard someone shout:

"I figured it out!

"Wasn’t that hard!"

Su Mo recognized the voice—it was Zhen Suren.

Su Mo immediately pricked up his ears. It had begun!

Yet the scripture cave remained strangely silent. Only after a while did whispers gradually spread.

Since no one followed up with a "Wrong interpretation!" after the initial declaration, it seemed Zhen Suren had actually cracked it.

People streamed out of their caves and saw Zhen Suren hurrying toward the exit, clutching two sheets of paper.

Su Mo glanced at the Dragonwood Island disciple by the entrance:

"What's going on?"

The disciple silently scoffed but replied respectfully:

"Sir, someone’s cracked the scripture.

"Would you like to take a look?"

"Did everyone leave?"

"They've all left."

"What about you?"

"If the master goes, I'll go too."

"Good."

Su Mo nodded and stepped out from the cave.

The disciple from Longmu Island quickly followed.

Moving with the crowd, they arrived before the long table in the cave.

Behind the table stood a stone wall.

'Zhen Suren' was pressing the deciphered text onto the stone wall.

His demeanor was both arrogant and restrained, leaving Su Mo in awe. Truly, Ye Youchen was remarkable—not only was he a cross-dressing expert, but he also nailed the subtleties of a woman's expressions and mannerisms flawlessly.

It was indeed an extraordinary skill.

The disciples of Longmu Island were also clearly excited.

One of them stood at the front, scanned the text, and after seeking 'Zhen Suren's' permission, announced:

"Honored guests, what this master has deciphered is the content of the first volume, seventh section, of the Medical Classic."

"It is called the 'Art of Observation.'

"One of the four core diagnostic methods: observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation.

"However, the four methods recorded in our medical classic go far beyond the common versions.

"Earlier, you all must have witnessed the wonders of the 'Art of Palpation.'

"Who’d have guessed someone cracked its secrets so soon?

"This master exegete has agreed to share this knowledge with all of you."

After finishing this speech, the speaker began to elaborate on the content in detail.

A group of exegetes listened, spellbound, while Su Mo was completely lost.

He didn’t get any of the theory.

But he could roughly grasp the effect—by using this method, you could spot illness just by looking.

On the surface, it didn’t seem any different from ordinary 'observation.'

Yet in reality, it was way more precise, with layers of deeper meaning.

However, the deeper stuff flew right over Su Mo’s head.

Not everyone else fully understood either—some had lightbulb moments, others clung to it like gold, while some wore blank expressions, and a few couldn’t resist asking questions.

At this point, 'Zhen Suren' started breaking it down, answering every question.

This debate was naturally an expected part of the proceedings.

You can't just declare something solved and call it done.

You've got to answer the questions—otherwise, if even you are unclear, who would believe your interpretation is genuine?

Su Mo, though unable to comprehend a single word, noticed that the Dragonwood Island disciples tailing him had already wandered off.

At a time like this, anyone studying medicine would never miss this opportunity.

Even after consuming the Good Thought Pill, their scripture fever would only burn hotter, not wane.

Though the Dragonwood Island disciples attended the exegetes, their true role was surveillance.

Yet, at this critical juncture, they got sloppy, and no longer kept a close watch.

After observing quietly for a while, Su Mo realized no one had truly noticed him. Grinning slightly, he blurred like the wind, vanishing deep into the cave.

Though 'Zhen Suren' was mouthing explanations for this section of the text, part of his gaze remained fixed on Su Mo.

Yet even so, he failed to notice the exact moment Su Mo disappeared.

For a brief instant, a chill ran down his spine.

……

……

Stepping into the depths of the Scripture Vault Cave, Su Mo arrived at the entrance of the Labyrinth Grotto.

The moment he set foot inside, the Ghost Vines came alive, clearly sensing his approach.

Su Mo casually brushed some Vine Repellent on his sleeves, and the restless Ghost Vines immediately settled.

But he didn’t proceed directly. Instead, he snapped off another length of the vine.

Last night, he had wanted to collect some Ghost Vines for Little Situ Taoist to study.

Unfortunately, the plant could throw off the Thousandmile Silkworms, so he'd had to bail.

Now that he was back, he wouldn’t miss this chance.

After tucking away his sample, he strode straight into the Labyrinth Grotto.

The vines at the entrance peeled back effortlessly, allowing him a clear path.

Re-entering the maze, he wasn't flying blind anymore—this place could no longer trap him.

With a sweeping glance, he threaded through the maze's turns, made a few more turns, and soon arrived outside last night’s medicine workshop.

After pausing to listen for a moment, he slipped inside in one smooth step.

Once again, he was back in the workshop.

Everything remained unchanged from the day before—the pills furnace, the medicine shelves, all in their proper places.

Su Mo’s eyes scanned every corner before he finally sighed:

"Aren't you going to give me a hint, Senior?"

"How can this old man give you hints when you won't even say what you want?"

Su Mo wasn't alone in the medicine room.

An old man came out from behind the bookshelf, holding a medical book in his hand. He was reading with a deep frown, occasionally glancing up at Su Mo.

"Where are those chicken legs you promised?"

Su Mo pulled out a bundle from his sleeve and tossed it over.

The Poison Lord acted like he'd struck gold, even forgetting about the book in his hand. He stuffed it into his robe and eagerly caught the bundle with both hands.

He tore open the bundle in a hurry, finding a pile of braised chicken legs inside.

The Poison Lord's mouth watered at the sight. He grabbed one and took a big bite.

"Good kid, you're true to your word."

"Aren't you worried I poisoned these, Senior?"

"...Do you forget who I am?"

"Or that I've got martial arts masters backing me up?"

"..."

The Poison Lord froze mid-bite, suddenly hesitant.

He'd sparred with Little Situ Taoist before and knew that despite her young age, she was crazy good at medicine.

Though her prowess in poison remained unknown, it was not to be underestimated.

At this thought, he shot Su Mo an angry glare.

"You little punk, no heart at all.

"If you poisoned them, just say so. If not, then not.

"Can't even let a man enjoy his chicken legs in peace without worrying..."

"By all means, Senior, shout a bit louder," Su Mo chuckled. "See if that doesn't bring Longmu Island's disciples running."

"...Ungrateful little wretch," the Poison Lord couldn't help but grumble. "Last night, both of you just up and disappeared. I was worried sick half the night. Today, taking advantage of the other puppets' absence, I sneaked into this medicine room to search for clues.

"And what do I get in return?... How times have changed... how they've changed."

"Find any clues about us in that book, Senior?" Su Mo smirked with amusement.

The Poison Lord laughed hollowly.

"Well, didn’t I trust you’d have heaven’s favor?"

Su Mo ignored this and changed the subject:

"Senior, are you still searching for the *Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture*?"

The Poison Lord fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly:

"This old man’s last hope."

All playfulness drained from the Poison Lord’s expression.

Seeing him like this, Su Mo’s curiosity got the better of him and he suddenly asked:

"Speaking of which, rumor has it, Senior wiped out a crowd of martial arts masters from the three big factions on a dark island over a decade ago.

"You once bragged about taking down one of the Four Seas’ bosses.

"Hell, you even poisoned the Dragon King Hall’s Hall Master—after that battle, he was bedridden for three years.

"I wonder if that’s true or not?"

"...It’s true."

The Poison Lord glanced at Su Mo: "Why bring this up now?"

"Just a bit curious."

Su Mo smiled: "But I wonder what exactly Senior did to provoke the three big factions into joining forces to hunt you down?"

"Brat, stay out of adult affairs."

The Poison Lord rolled his eyes, tore into the chicken leg, and then grinned:

"However, you’ve hit a sore spot—well, a proud one.

"This matter is, in fact, my crowning glory. But for over a decade, I’ve had no one to share it with.

"You’re not bad company, kid, and our circumstances are somewhat alike.

"Might as well spill it...

"Heh, back when I ruled the martial world, I was quite the heartthrob—"

"Cut the crap."

Su Mo quickly waved his hand: "We’re sitting ducks here. I only asked out of curiosity. But if Senior intends to boast, please keep it brief."

The Poison Lord was pushing sixty, easy. A decade ago, in his prime, he would’ve already been in his forties.

A washed-up old man—what kind of 'dashing' or 'handsome' could he possibly claim?

"Bullshit!"

The Poison Lord scowled at Su Mo:

"I think you’re just ugly and jealous of my movie-star looks."

"Forget it, I won't waste this talk on a commoner like you..."

"In short, back in the day, the women I charmed were as numerous as grains of sand in the Heng River.

"Among them... was the South Sea Alliance Leader's daughter."

As he spoke, his wrinkled face took on a gentle expression.

Su Mo, however, was speechless.

He had expected to hear some grand tale of the martial world, but it turned out to be just another woman-related drama.

"So, you stole the South Sea Alliance Leader's daughter, which led to the joint hunt by the South Sea Alliance, the Dragon King Hall, and Guixu Island?"

"Nonsense!"

The Poison Lord immediately glared at Su Mo. "We were truly in love. It was that stubborn old man, the South Sea Alliance Leader, who insisted on marrying her off to the Hall Master of the Dragon King Hall to cement ties between their factions. He completely disregarded her feelings, using her as a political pawn.

"How could I stand by and watch?

"Fortunately, my mastery of poison was peerless, and I happened to be a guest at the South Sea Alliance at the time.

"By day, I treated the Alliance's members, tending to their illnesses, and by night, I secretly met with her.

"Eventually, she... conceived.

"This was precisely our scheme.

"We thought that once she bore a child, even that stubborn old man couldn't ignore his own grandchild, and the marriage pact with the Dragon King Hall’s Hall Master would naturally collapse.

"But little did we know? After our desperate gamble, the old man showed no regard for family bonds.

"He imprisoned his own daughter and even led the South Sea Alliance's disciples to come after me.

"Did he expect me to just roll over and die?

"Still, out of respect for him being my father-in-law, I held back from killing him with poison.

"Instead, after rescuing my wife, we boarded a ship and fled.

"Of course, the old man wasn't about to let it slide. He promptly colluded with the Dragon King Hall to pursue me.

"In the end, they cornered me on Dark Island.

"Heh, luckily, I had already stashed my wife away safely by then. Otherwise, who knows how that battle on Dark Island would've ended."

Hearing this, Su Mo naturally raised a question:

"The South Sea Alliance and the Dragon King Hall forming a marriage alliance?

"You’re no youngster yourself, and the Dragon King Hall’s Hall Master can't be young either, right?

"Just how ancient was that South Sea Alliance Leader compared to the two of you?"

"..."

The Poison Lord was momentarily speechless before shooting Su Mo a fierce glare:

"I was in my vigorous prime back then. As for that Hall Master of the Dragon King Hall... Hmph, he was just a snot-nosed brat."

"To become Hall Master while still in his youth.

"Hadn't even properly mastered the Arcane Ice Seven Ultimates. Hmph, failing to poison him to death back then remains the greatest regret of my life."

Now Su Mo was the one left speechless.

According to the elderly man's account, the daughter of the South Sea Alliance leader and the Dragon King Hall's Hall Master were of similar age.

Their union would've been a match made in heaven.

But this shameless old man had to interfere—not only was he much older, but he also had no shame. Knowing full well the South Sea Alliance leader would never agree, he secretly got the man's daughter pregnant, hoping to force his hand. But the Alliance leader refused to yield.

Looking at it this way, it was no surprise the Alliance leader wanted him dead.

Ending up in that sorry state was truly a case of reaping what he sowed.

However, love often defies all reason.

If the South Sea Alliance leader's daughter hadn't truly been in love with him, how could she have committed such an unfilial act?

As the saying goes, even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes. To Su Mo, this whole matter sounded like a hopelessly tangled mess.

At least some clarity had been gained about the Dragon King Hall.

The Hall Master at the time was a young man just coming of age, having only held the position for a few years.

What then became of the previous Hall Master?

Su Mo's mind quickly formed a theory, but he still needed to fish for more information from the elderly man.

Just then, he noticed the old man smirking at him and froze. Had he been too transparent?

Logically, that shouldn’t be the case.

As he was puzzling over this, he heard the Poison Lord ask:

"Why haven’t you asked why, despite mentioning three factions besieging me, I’ve only spoken of the Dragon King Hall and the South Sea Alliance?"

"..."

Su Mo was momentarily silent.

"Listening to you, Senior, I’ve already put it together. The people from Abyssal Island didn’t go to that Black Island to kill you, did they?

"They were there to save you."

"...How did you know?"

The Poison Lord was stunned.

"Senior, you think that's hard to figure out?"

Su Mo raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "If I were the Island Master of Abyssal Island, not only would I save you, but I’d also wreak havoc on that Black Island to make the South Sea Alliance and the Dragon King Hall bleed forces!"