Chapter Seven: Within the Falling Flowers Pavilion

Chapter Seven: Within the Falling Flowers Pavilion

Outside the town of Wangxiang, there was once a Peach Blossom Forest.

During the season when peach blossoms bloomed, the sight of ten miles of flowers was unforgettable.

But this was not the season for peach blossoms.

Thus, only bare branches stretched for ten miles, adding a touch of loneliness to the scene.

Amidst this grove of peach trees stood a pavilion named the Falling Flowers Pavilion.

To watch the petals fall like rain and savor the seasons of life was indeed a unique pleasure.

Su Mo followed the young man toward the Falling Flowers Pavilion in the Peach Blossom Forest.

Before they reached it, they heard distant, stirring music, as if from the mountains and stones.

As they moved closer, they saw a middle-aged man sitting in the pavilion, engrossed in playing an ancient zither.

An ancient zither, an incense burner!

His long beard fluttered in the wind, exuding a carefree spirit.

The young man gestured for Su Mo to wait a moment before taking his leave.

Su Mo smiled but did not interrupt the middle-aged man's playing, listening quietly instead.

After a while, the music came to an end.

The man pressed down on the strings to stop the sound, then, amidst the faint smoke from the incense burner, he looked up at Su Mo and smiled warmly:

"Young Hero has arrived? I was lost in my music, indulging my emotions, and thus neglected you."

"Not at all, not at all."

Su Mo waved his hand: "I had the privilege of hearing such divine music, which is a benefit in itself."

"Oh?"

A hint of joy appeared in the man's eyes: "You are a connoisseur, Young Hero? Could you tell me what made the music so wonderful?"

"Hmm..."

Su Mo thought for a moment and said sincerely: "It sounded good."

"..."

The man was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a straightforward and shallow response.

After a brief surprise, he burst into laughter:

"Young Hero truly appreciates the essence of things, surpassing the mundane. Please, sit down."

He gestured for Su Mo to take a seat, and Su Mo bowed slightly before entering the pavilion and sitting opposite the man.

The man poured Su Mo a cup of tea: "This is not a particularly fine tea, but it is novel. A friend from the extreme north of Donghuang brought it recently. The north is cold and does not produce much tea, but there is a rare variety called Snow Crimson that thrives in freezing conditions. When brewed using the methods of Donghuang, it turned out surprisingly good. Please taste it."

Su Mo took the cup and smiled: "May I ask your esteemed name, senior?"

"Ha ha, my fault indeed."

The man chuckled: "My surname is Xu. In my youth, I learned a few martial arts techniques and wandered the martial world, earning the nickname Mountain Climber. However, the tumultuous world soon wore me out, so I retired to the mountains and have enjoyed a peaceful life since."

"Ah, Senior Xu the Mountain Climber, I've heard of you."

Su Mo quickly bowed.

Of course, he didn't believe a word of it.

He had never heard of the name Mountain Climber.

While this could be attributed to his own lack of knowledge, this man was certainly not someone who had retired to the mountains in peace.

Otherwise, why would he be so busy with a small lacquered box?

Xu smiled gently: "Too kind, too kind. My humble reputation is hardly worth remembering."

Despite his words, he seemed genuinely pleased by Su Mo's praise.

Su Mo admired his ability to maintain a facade; even the slightest gesture of his fingers was flawless.

It was as if everything he did was natural and without flaw.

Had Su Mo not seen him with others in the forest, he might have believed every word.

This showed how treacherous the martial world can be, often rooted in the deceptions of the human heart.

"Perhaps in my youth, I did not fully appreciate the vastness of the martial world. Over the years, I've often felt regret. Therefore, I hold those who wander the martial world in high regard. That is why I invited you here, Young Hero. Please do not be offended. I apologize for any inconvenience."

With these words, he stood up and bowed deeply, his sincerity evident.

Su Mo supported him lightly: "Senior, you are too polite."

Xu's eyes flickered slightly before he smiled: "I'm glad you don't mind. Please, have some tea."

Su Mo lifted the cup, about to drink, but paused: "There is one thing I don't understand, and I hope you can enlighten me, senior."

"Oh? Tell me."

"Although my whereabouts are not exactly secretive, I did not inform anyone that I was coming here. You, elder, not only know my surname is Su, but also describe my attire and appearance with precision, yet you do not know, from whose mouth did you learn of these details?"

Su Mo put down the teacup, looked up at the middle-aged man, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

The middle-aged man with the surname Xu, however, had no unexpected incidents. He chuckled lightly: "I knew the Young Hero would be curious about this, but..."

His tone was pensive as he lifted his teacup in a gesture of acknowledgment.

Su Mo just smiled without saying a word.

"Ah..."

The middle-aged man with the surname Xu sighed softly: "Very well, since the Young Hero insists on asking, I am not unwilling to share... It is simply because, a day ago, by the wild path, within the woods, I personally witnessed the Young Hero's divine might!"

"Hmm!"

Then the dagger is revealed!

Su Mo's face suddenly changed, but he heard the Xu-surnamed middle-aged man let out a soft chuckle:

The Young Hero possesses astonishing strength and is also sufficiently cautious and careful. Such considerations are not something an ordinary newcomer to the martial world can match. However, the time is now about right, does the Young Hero feel a bit weak in the body?

Su Mo's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his expression grew increasingly gloomy: "This is impossible, I haven't taken a single sip of this tea."

"Hahaha, it is indeed wise to be cautious with what one consumes, but in the world of martial arts, there are masters as numerous as clouds and powers beyond count—how could they be limited to mere contents of a cup?"

With a gesture towards the incense burner beside the ancient zither, he said with a smile, "This burner of incense, does it bring the Young Hero comfort and ease?"

Certainly, I can help with that. Please provide the text you would like translated into English, and I will do my best to provide a professional and contextually appropriate translation.

Su Mo smirked, "Poison in the fragrance? Yet you remain unharmed?"

"Nature had already taken the antidote in advance."

Mr. Xu, a middle-aged man, stood up, brimming with confidence: "Hu Piaopiao claims to have a myriad of tricks, but Chef Zhou was one step ahead. Although I don't know how you got past Chef Zhou, now that you've arrived in Wang Village, you still can't escape my grasp. Young man, your physical strength is truly astonishing; facing you head-on, even I must admit I'm not entirely confident."

"Only by employing this method can I make you surrender helplessly."

"Nowadays, you are like fish and meat in my hands; if you don't wish to perish, it would be best for you to heed my every word."

"Ah, I see. You are also here for the brocade box?"

Su Mo let out a bitter laugh: "I said it all along, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Someone inviting me to eat and sleep out of the blue, it turns out they had ulterior motives... Now, I'm in a situation where I'm powerless and waiting for my doom, but before I die, there's one thing I don't understand and I want to know before I meet my end. May I ask, what exactly is inside that brocade box?"