Chapter 104: Who Is It?

Chapter 104: Who Is It?

"A life debt? Surname Su?"

Zuo Qiuyang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this: "So you are Su Mo from the Ziyang Escort Agency..."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but cough repeatedly, with fresh blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He struggled to crawl up and sat in the chair at the center of the hall, taking a deep breath. Looking up, he saw Yang Xiaoyun wielding her Dragon Abyss Spear, cutting through the crowd.

Though she was a woman, she showed no less courage than any man.

Her martial arts were such that few of her peers could match her prowess.

Wei Ziyi had practiced for years within the Cold Moon Palace, mastering the Crescent Moon Sword Technique. At this moment, the lives of his two black-clad subordinates hung by a thread.

As for Su Mo...

Even without truly fighting, he had already inflicted severe injuries on him.

How did this game turn into a dead end?

"Indeed, it is I."

Su Mo stepped forward: "In Sunset City, in the narrow alleyways, Lord Zuo sent four assassins to take my life.

"This matter, Lord Zuo admitted to just now!"

Zuo Qiuyang looked at Su Mo and suddenly burst into a manic laughter:

"That's right, it was me! But do you really think you can kill me here in this mansion?"

With these words, he suddenly slammed his palm onto the backrest of the chair. In the next moment, the wall behind him split apart, and the chair tilted backward as Zuo Qiuyang leaped up and rolled into the hidden passage behind the wall.

This unexpected turn of events caught Su Mo off guard, and he launched a punch into the air as he flew.

However, by the time his punch reached its target, the chair had returned to its original position, and the wall closed with a loud thud.

His punch struck the wall, producing a sound like a great bell, leaving an indentation of his fist.

Su Mo approached the chair and, mimicking Zuo Qiuyang's method, tapped the backrest.

But there was no response.

Clearly, there was another mechanism at work.

If given time, Su Mo might have found the mechanism, but he didn't have the luxury of time.

He grabbed the chair with both hands and applied force, realizing it was embedded in the ground.

Satisfied, he braced himself: "Up!!"

The sound of metal twisting echoed as the chair was forcibly torn from the ground.

The pure metal chair, when torn apart, revealed gears and mechanisms inside, scattering everywhere.

Wei Ziyi, having just dispatched the two black-clad men, looked up and saw this scene, her lips twitching.

Su Mo appeared lean and not at all muscular, yet his swordsmanship was elegant.

However, his every move was like a lethal weapon, truly terrifying.

With a clang, Su Mo tossed the chair aside and walked to the wall, delivering a powerful kick that shook the entire hall.

The guards surrounding Yang Xiaoyun, who were being pushed back by her relentless attacks, had been fearless until then. But the loud crash and the shaking hall made them hesitate, instinctively stepping back, fearing the hall might collapse and bury them.

Seeing this, Yang Xiaoyun stopped and rushed into the hall.

"Xiao Mo!"

She called out.

Su Mo glanced back at her: "Wait outside."

"Okay."

Yang Xiaoyun complied, carrying her spear back out.

Wei Ziyi couldn't help but look at Yang Xiaoyun: "Why do you listen to everything he says?"

"Huh?"

Yang Xiaoyun paused, reflecting on how their journey had unfolded. Indeed, she had become accustomed to following Su Mo's instructions.

Initially, she planned to be an observer, providing only physical support and letting Su Mo handle the strategic decisions. She wanted to see how he would deal with dangerous situations on his own, offering advice only when necessary.

That was her initial intention.

However, along the way, Su Mo consistently demonstrated remarkable prudence and foresight. His actions and words were exceptional.

Unconsciously, she began to follow his lead.

By now, it had become a conditioned response; whatever Su Mo said, she would agree to without needing her own opinion.

Thinking about this, she suddenly burst out laughing. She wasn't annoyed but rather happy as she said to Wei Ziyi:

"He is my future husband, so naturally, I listen to whatever he says."

"..."

Wei Ziyi found herself unable to refute this.

Watching Yang Xiaoyun walk out of the hall, Wei Ziyi was hesitating whether to follow when she heard a series of loud bangs!

Three consecutive sounds, each louder than the last, indicating that Su Mo was using increasing force with each kick.

A solid wall was forcibly kicked into a twisted mess, creating a large hole that revealed a passageway inside.

Su Mo immediately flew into the passageway. Wei Ziyi, frowning, was still hesitating about entering when Yang Xiaoyun, wielding her long spear, darted past her and into the tunnel.

Wei Ziyi's lips twitched. "What a devoted couple."

Looking at Zhan Ming in her hand, she finally decided to carry him into the passageway as well.

Outside the hall lay a ground covered in corpses. The remaining guards exchanged glances, unsure whether to pursue and execute the Alliance Leader's orders. This put them in a dilemma.

Yang Xiaoyun alone had already caused chaos among them. How terrifying must the person inside be, especially after seeing those powerful kicks? If any of those had landed on them, none would have survived.

Pursuing them would likely mean certain death.

Moreover, with Zuo Qiuyang having fled, what reason did they have to risk their lives?

As they were pondering this, footsteps approached rapidly.

Leading the way was a middle-aged man wearing black gloves, still stained with blood.

Iron Palm Tie Xiangying!

His gaze swept over the scene, and with a light wave of his hand, he commanded, "Capture them!"

The people behind him immediately sprang into action. The guards, already lacking the will to fight, threw down their weapons to avoid unnecessary casualties.

...

...

The passageway was initially deep, but after just a few steps, it led to an exit.

"This turns out to be just a decoy..."

Su Mo remained vigilant as he emerged, ready for any ambush. However, he found himself in an empty room.

For a moment, his lips twitched. "All this show, but you've taken the tactic of deception to the extreme."

While contemplating where to search for Zuo Qiuyang, he noticed traces of blood on the ground.

Following the trail out of the room, he soon arrived at another room within the inner courtyard.

The door to the room was wide open.

Facing the entrance was a desk, and seated before it was a person with closed eyes and a caved-in skull, clearly dead.

It was... Zuo Qiuyang!

Stepping into the room, Su Mo saw ink and paper on the desk. The paper was stained with blood, and words were written on it: "Victor or Vanquished!"

Followed by frantic, messy handwriting: "No one could kill me except myself!!!"

"..."

Su Mo carefully examined the corpse and the words on the paper, then couldn't help but sneer:

"This guy must be crazy."

"Who?"

Yang Xiaoyun's voice came from behind as she crossed the threshold and saw Zuo Qiuyang's body. She stood beside Su Mo, both looking at each other.

Finally, Wei Ziyi entered.

"Dead?"

Wei Ziyi looked at the corpse and the writing, shaking her head. "Preferring death over defeat, he was indeed a man of principle."

Zhan Ming, held by Wei Ziyi, looked at Zuo Qiuyang's body with a complex expression, sighing quietly.

"Since he couldn't kill us, his path naturally ended here.

"Rather than fall into others' hands and lose control of his fate, ending his own life might not be such a bad thing."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed, glancing at Su Mo. "Does this mean it's over for us?"

Su Mo stared at the corpse, lost in thought, nodding slightly but not speaking.

At that moment, footsteps approached.

It was Iron Palm Tie Xiangying.

His gaze swept over Su Mo and the others before settling on Zuo Qiuyang.

"Died cleanly."

His voice paused for a moment before he cupped his fists and said to the three of them, "The city lord invites you three."

Wei Ziyi nodded slightly and looked back at Su Mo.

"No need."

Su Mo shook his head and said to Wei Ziyi, "Miss Wei, our journey here is over. I am very satisfied with this great gift."

"This..."

Wei Ziyi was taken aback and cautiously asked, "Chief Su, are you upset that I didn't tell you about my relationship with Lord Flower?"

Su Mo looked at Wei Ziyi strangely and couldn't help but smile:

"Miss Wei, what are you talking about? I came here only to settle the assassination in that narrow alley. Miss Wei, your efforts have helped me find my enemy. I am grateful beyond words; there's no reason for blame."

"It's just that Xiaoyun and I have been through quite a lot on this journey. This not-so-heavy grudge has been settled, but we're quite exhausted.

"If we count it up, we've been on the road for nearly two months. It's natural to feel tired now.

"Going to see Lord Flower in this state would be disrespectful. We'll wait until we have some free time and then personally visit him to apologize."

Seeing his sincerity, Wei Ziyi nodded:

"That's good. Don't blame me; I had significant reasons for keeping this secret. When I have time, I will personally visit the Ziyang Escort Agency to apologize to Chief Su."

"You're too kind."

Su Mo cupped his fists with Yang Xiaoyun and said, "Then, may the green mountains remain unchanged and the clear waters flow forever!"

"Till we meet again!"

Wei Ziyi cupped her fists, and Zhan Ming fell to the ground with a thud, gritting his teeth in pain but not daring to make a sound.

Chasing Souls in Autumn Rain, who once was formidable, was now just a pitiful creature.

Su Mo immediately led Yang Xiaoyun and turned to leave, leaping away in a few bounds.

Tie Xiangying glanced at Wei Ziyi and whispered, "This person's martial arts are extraordinary. If he could be of use to us..."

"I advise you not to entertain such thoughts!"

Wei Ziyi's face darkened: "I will personally explain matters regarding him to Lord Flower."

"This... You seem to hold him in high regard?"

"Hold him in high regard?"

Wei Ziyi clicked her tongue: "I'm a bit afraid of him..."

Whenever she thought of how Su Mo killed the three leaders of the Youquan Cult, Wei Ziyi felt a chill run down her spine.

In today's world, who could withstand that sword?

Wei Ziyi admitted to herself that she couldn't, and neither could Flower Qianyu. Even her grandfather Wei Ruhan, in his prime, might not have survived that strike.

Such a person, if he disregarded rules and ignored the lives of people in the Four Cities, Three Rivers, and Two Bays, could single-handedly annihilate the entire Fallen Phoenix Alliance!

To think of using him or making him serve us is courting death!

Tie Xiangying never expected to hear such an answer from Wei Ziyi and was stunned.

Wanting to say more, Wei Ziyi waved her hand: "Enough, let's stop discussing this. Take me to see Lord Flower."

"Yes."

Tie Xiangying dared not argue further and led the way.

...

...

To the citizens of Heavenly Feather City, this night seemed ordinary.

Even the sounds of swords clashing were merely a spectacle.

For those living in such times, such excitement was insignificant.

However, for those under the Sixth Alliance Lord Zuo Qiuyang, it was a nightmare.

Flower Qianyu accused Zuo Qiuyang of harboring Zhan Ming and attempting to incite internal strife within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance. With swift and decisive action, he swept through all of Zuo Qiuyang's forces.

The speed and decisiveness of the attack left no room for mercy.

In the narrow alley, someone was hurrying along.

This person wore a black robe, covering their head and face.

Occasionally hiding in the shadows, they would observe carefully before continuing.

Tonight, the sounds of battle echoed everywhere. Occasionally, figures could be seen leaping across rooftops.

In any corner, there might be freshly killed bodies left unattended.

Following the dark alley, he finally reached a dim corner and breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked up at the distant commotion, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Flowers and words, Wei Ruhan... cough cough..."

Before he could finish speaking, he started coughing uncontrollably, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He quickly covered it with his hand, looking at the blood on his palm, his face darkened once more:

"Wei Ziyi...

"Su Mo!

"None of you... none of you will get away easily.

"One day, I will make all of you experience the humiliation and pain I am enduring today!!"

"Is that so?"

"That wh—"

After just two words, his throat felt as if it were being strangled. In the next moment, without thinking, he turned abruptly and pointed with two fingers!

But where his finger wind landed, there was nothing but air.

The voice suddenly came from behind him: "It's said that the Sixth Alliance Leader, Zuo Qiuyang, joined Tianxing Sect with pre-existing skills. However, although Little Tianxing Finger is pure and powerful, I didn't expect that before this, he practiced swordsmanship."

The man in black robes was indeed the supposedly dead Zuo Qiuyang.

His face darkened, and he shouted angrily, "Who are you?"

Before he finished speaking, he turned suddenly, his two fingers like swords, thrusting diagonally.

He saw a figure in black, like a ghost, skillfully evading his sword qi, moving steadily yet swiftly, already three meters away in an instant.

But when Zuo Qiuyang looked over, the person had vanished right under his nose.

"Who am I?"

The voice came again, tinged with a hint of helplessness: "I am a man who should be dead, living on only because a child has not yet grown up. I planned to leave behind a foundation for him to enjoy wealth and comfort. But I never expected that you people would target him!"

Zuo Qiuyang's ears twitched, finally pinpointing the person's location. He turned sharply and saw the person just a step away.

Bowing forward, his eyes glinted coldly.

Startled, Zuo Qiuyang recoiled, then gathered his strength and thrust out both palms.

The man in black did not move, allowing the palms to strike his chest.

But Zuo Qiuyang's expression changed drastically.

He used Great Tianxing Palm Force, which, upon contact, would disrupt one's meridians.

However, the palms struck nothing but air, feeling no solid resistance.

In that moment, a tremendous force surged back.

He was instantly thrown into the alley wall, crashing hard.

Rolling over, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Before he could look up, a pair of feet appeared before him. Looking up further, the man in black stood above him, looking down like a predator:

"I have been cautiously protecting him as he grows. Though he is not much, seeing him safe and happy brings me joy.

"How dare you kill him? Where did you get the nerve?

"Zuo Qiuyang... are you tired of living?"

"I... I didn't know, I didn't know someone was protecting him. No... no, who are you talking about? Who are you?"

Zuo Qiuyang was almost driven mad.

Where did this expert come from?

In the Four Cities, Three Rivers, and Two Bays, how could such a person exist?

Today, Su Mo's martial arts alone were already shocking.

Compared to Su Mo, this person's internal energy was unknown, but their peculiar abilities far surpassed Su Mo's...

Yet, this person spoke incoherently, leaving him baffled.

"I think the person he's talking about might be me."

At that moment, a voice came from atop the wall.

Zuo Qiuyang instinctively looked up, his pupils contracting, his eyes filled with despair.

For the speaker was none other than Su Mo!

He sat on the wall, legs dangling, his sword case resting on his knees, looking at the man in black with a peculiar gaze:

"But, I also have the same question as Alliance Leader Zuo. Senior, who are you?"