Chapter 105: Terrifying

Chapter 105: Terrifying

Between the narrow alleys, there was complete silence.

Not because no one was present, but because those who were there did not dare to speak.

Zuo Qiuyang lay on the ground, too frightened even to rise.

The black-clothed man stood quietly, as if Zuo Qiuyang did not exist in his eyes, silently watching Su Mo.

Su Mo smiled and also silently watched the black-clothed man.

Finally, the silence was broken.

"How did you end up here?"

The black-clothed man did not deny Su Mo's words; instead, he asked, "Shouldn't you have thought that he was already dead?"

"Someone like Lord Zuo, how could he die so easily?"

Su Mo slightly shook his head. "He made a big fuss in his own residence. At first, I thought he had another way out.

"But when we met again, he had become a corpse.

"At first, I really believed that all the fuss was just for a dignified death.

"But upon careful consideration, it didn’t seem right.

"After all, shattering one’s celestial spirit is far from dignified.

"Moreover, doing this is quite simple, so there was no need for all the previous fuss.

"He had time to talk nonsense with me, yet he didn’t leave any last words?

"Writing those characters was indeed peculiar."

When Su Mo said this, Zuo Qiuyang lowered his head.

He believed that his fake death and escape should have been flawless.

Yet, there was such an obvious flaw.

"Originally, he could have died easily, but he went through all this trouble, so I figured he must have had another plan.

"What could a dying person be planning...

"Of course, it would be to live."

Su Mo lightly shook his head. "Given this, I carefully examined the corpse and found that while there was indeed an injury on its chest, his fingers... were actually severed."

Zuo Qiuyang looked at his own fingers; though injured, they were far from severed. He sighed:

"The timing was too tight. Your pursuit caught me off guard, leaving no room for meticulous details."

"Is this also why you refused Huaqianyu’s invitation to see her?"

The black-clothed man calmly observed Su Mo. "But why didn’t you explain this to them?"

"Hmm..."

Su Mo thought for a moment and said, "Firstly, Wei Ziyi and Huaqianyu have their own plans regarding the Fallen Phoenix Alliance. Whether Lord Zuo lives or dies in their hands is uncertain. After all, everyone understands the value of a rare commodity. My situation is simpler: whoever kills me, I kill them. All along, I only hoped that Lord Zuo could find peace sooner rather than suffer."

"...Thank you then."

Zuo Qiuyang’s face twitched in anger, causing his internal injuries to flare, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Su Mo glanced at him and shook his head. "Secondly, since Lord Zuo managed to put on such a performance in front of us, he must have been confident in deceiving our eyes. Even if he couldn’t deceive us, he could at least hide well. Thus, the outcome becomes unpredictable.

"Huaqianyu’s subordinates might have time to search your residence thoroughly.

"But I think it’s more convenient to let you believe you’ve escaped and come out yourself."

Zuo Qiuyang’s expression was beyond terrible.

Today, within the Zuo residence, he saw Wei Ziyi’s deep scheming but never imagined Su Mo was equally astute.

He should have been a mere brute, yet he had a mind full of cunning.

"Anything else?"

The black-clothed man looked at Su Mo with a hint of encouragement in his eyes.

Su Mo gave him a strange look before speaking. "Lastly, based on your actions along the way. If the matter ended, you would certainly leave. When Qijue Hall’s sword envoy came to intercept the goods at night, you took away the one who wanted to eliminate witnesses and then quickly returned, following us to Jade Willow Villa...

"Amidst the turmoil in Jade Willow Villa, you remained hidden nearby.

"Not until I killed the deputy leader of the Blood Transformation Order disguised as Liu Qingkong did you leave.

"As for Profound Theory Valley, there’s no need to mention... until after we left Xuanji Cave, I no longer felt your presence."

"..."

The black-clothed man was momentarily speechless, and Zuo Qiuyang looked at him strangely.

Did this person have some odd quirk?

Why secretly observe others?

The black-clothed man chuckled bitterly. "So, you knew all along? Since when?"

"Paladin of the Sword, that night."

Su Mo said, "Since Senior has appeared, I must be extra cautious."

And for someone like him, having experienced it twice, how could he continue to be spied upon without noticing?

"So you mean to say, that night at Jade Willow Villa, when you deliberately returned and took Yang Xiaoyun away, your concern wasn't about someone from the Youquan Cult harming her, but rather about me?"

The black-clothed figure seemed thoughtful.

"I can only say that's partly true... Senior is unfathomable, and I truly didn't want her to bear this risk."

Su Mo’s words implied his acknowledgment.

The black-clothed figure let out a soft breath and suddenly laughed: "Good, good, good... Su Mo, you really impress me!"

"So, can you tell me now who you really are?"

Su Mo continued, "You've been protecting me all this way, and now you're enraged over Zuo Qiuyang. The words you spoke just now—were they true? Did you carefully protect me as I grew up? Are you someone I know?"

The black-clothed figure silently looked at Su Mo and then suddenly laughed:

"You are entirely different from your father. He was naturally bold and heroic, while you are cautious and well-versed in the intricacies of human nature.

"Good... such a person as you is reassuring."

As he spoke, his figure suddenly drifted backward.

Su Mo frowned. "Senior, please wait, I still have questions."

"No need to ask more."

The black-clothed figure quickly vanished, leaving only his voice echoing through the narrow alley: "If you want to know who I am, find out yourself. If you confront me face-to-face, I'll admit it. Otherwise, it's better not to know. As for this grudge... since you've come, settle it yourself."

Su Mo pondered for a moment. This black-clothed figure’s lightness skill was peculiar yet extraordinary.

Having infiltrated Profound Theory Valley for so long, if it weren’t for his own vigilance, he might not have noticed his presence.

Others in Profound Theory Valley seemed oblivious to him.

This person’s martial prowess and elusive movements made him the most formidable individual Su Mo had encountered since entering the martial world.

However, tonight’s conversation gave Su Mo a clue about his identity.

"Carefully protected me as I grew up...

"Uncle Fu?"

The only person Su Mo could think of was Uncle Fu; another possibility was Yang Yizhi.

Between these two, which one?

Su Mo thought for a moment but felt neither quite fit.

He looked up and asked, "Xiaoyun, do you think that black-clothed figure looks like your father?"

"What do you mean by 'your father'? Just call him Father!"

Yang Xiaoyun’s annoyed voice came from atop the wall.

Su Mo was taken aback and said awkwardly, "That wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"

"What's appropriate or not? When have I ever distinguished between 'you' and 'me' before you?"

Yang Xiaoyun leaped down, frowning. "That black-clothed figure doesn’t seem much like Father."

Hearing this, Su Mo suddenly realized something.

Yang Xiaoyun was right; since their first meeting, she rarely referred to Yang Yizhi as ‘my father’ when speaking to Su Mo, usually just saying ‘Father.’

This realization made Su Mo feel somewhat strange.

He shook his head and refocused: "Really doesn’t look like him?"

"Not really."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded firmly. "But we can't rule out the possibility. After all, Wei Ziyi could disguise herself as an ugly gentleman with bone-shrinking skills. Father could also add padding under his clothes and alter his appearance with similar techniques.

"If someone intends to hide, there are many ways in the martial world."

"That's true."

Su Mo nodded slightly and casually struck out, slamming Zuo Qiuyang against the wall as he tried to escape.

"You... a man can be killed but not humiliated!"

Zuo Qiuyang was furious, feeling that Su Mo deliberately ignored him while talking to Yang Xiaoyun, only to suddenly strike him, intending to humiliate him.

"Alliance Leader Zuo, you’re quite the character, always overestimating yourself. What makes you worthy of my humiliation?"

Su Mo approached him, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Forget it, let’s end it here."

With that, he delivered a palm strike to Zuo Qiuyang’s crown.

How pitiful, the esteemed Deputy City Lord of Heavenly Feather City and Sixth Alliance Leader of Fallen Phoenix Alliance, a renowned figure in the martial world, met his end without even uttering a final word.

"Xiao Mo, shall we return to Sunset City tonight?"

Seeing Su Mo kill Zuo Qiuyang, Yang Xiaoyun approached and said, "I didn't even have time to go home yesterday. Now that I'm back, I'll ask around in the escort agency if anyone has seen Father recently."

"There's no rush for that."

Su Mo put on his deer-skin gloves and began searching Zuo Qiuyang's body.

Yang Xiaoyun was momentarily stunned but quickly understood. She stood beside him with her Dragon Abyss spear and pointed, "Check the sleeves. Also, look at the soles of his shoes—there might be some mechanism there. His hairpin... hmm... he's not wearing one, but could it have hidden something?"

Su Mo was taken aback by her instructions and couldn't help glancing at Yang Xiaoyun:

"Xiaoyun Jie, you're an expert!"

"Not really, not really."

Yang Xiaoyun humbly replied, "There are so many expenses on the road. Sometimes the escort fees aren't much, but the travel costs are high. So, I learned from some old masters about searching techniques. Unfortunately, most of the people I've met along the way are friends from the Iron Blood Escort Agency, so I haven't had much chance to use these skills."

"But now I can teach you, and you can carry them forward."

"A gentleman's word?"

"Can't be broken!"

With this mutual understanding, they searched thoroughly. Yang Xiaoyun's insights were indeed precise, pointing out all the possible hiding spots. In the end, Su Mo found a total of fifty thousand taels in silver notes on Zuo Qiuyang!

After all, he was the deputy mayor of Heavenly Feather City; his wealth was unimaginable to ordinary people.

And this was just what he managed to take while fleeing. Otherwise, who knows how much more he might have had.

Su Mo looked at the silver notes in his hand, marveling, then said to Yang Xiaoyun, "Let me keep this for now. When we get to the inn, we'll split it evenly."

"You're giving me a share?"

Yang Xiaoyun was surprised. "Xiao Mo, Ziyang Escort Agency is still rebuilding..."

"We need to take things step by step. If you give me fifty thousand taels, wouldn't you worry about me squandering it?"

"That's true."

Yang Xiaoyun recalled Su Mo's previous actions and nodded. "Although I think you won't fall back into your old ways, it's better to keep it here. We can use it when we get married."

Hearing this, Su Mo was slightly dazed.

Throughout their journey, his feelings towards Yang Xiaoyun had changed.

Now hearing her mention marriage, he didn't know how to react. He subconsciously tightened his grip, and there was a crack as the jade hairpin he had taken from Zuo Qiuyang shattered in his hand.

His strength was astonishing.

A little pressure, and the jade turned to dust.

But between his fingers, another object appeared.

He held it and pulled it out from the remaining half of the hairpin.

It wasn't a silver note, but a piece of paper.

Unfolding it under the starlight, he saw tiny, disordered writing that made no sense whether read left to right or top to bottom.

"What's this?"

He instinctively looked at Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun also seemed puzzled and leaned closer to examine it. After a moment, she shook her head. "It might be a secret message. You'd need the decryption method to understand it."

"Do we need a codebook?"

Su Mo was surprised. The fact that Zuo Qiuyang kept it in his hairpin showed its importance.

After a brief contemplation, Su Mo put it away. "Let's go."

Whatever happened that night was now irrelevant to him and Yang Xiaoyun.

They found an inn and naturally booked a room, each resting without further ado.

The next morning came quickly.

Exiting their room, they ordered breakfast in the main hall and listened to others discussing the events of the night before.

"The lord of Flower City didn't act lightly, but when he did, he was ruthless. Zuo Qiuyang's men either died or were injured, and all his territories fell under the control of the lord of Flower City."

"It's Zuo Qiuyang's own fault for harboring evil intentions and trying to frame the lord of Flower City. His methods were despicable, and he deserved his fate."

"How did the lord of Flower City know that Zhan Ming was being protected by Zuo Qiuyang?"

"Who knows? The struggles among the leaders of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance are too far removed from us. We can only watch the spectacle. Trying to dig deeper... even if you have the ability, knowing too much isn't always good."

"That's true... By the way, I heard something."

"What?"

"There's a rumor that Zuo Qiuyang committed suicide in his residence. But this morning, someone found a corpse in an alley that looks exactly like Zuo Qiuyang."

"Really?"

"I don't know... I heard the body was taken away by the Fallen Phoenix Alliance."

Hearing this, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged a glance, understanding each other.

Their presence had not been revealed by Huaqianyu.

Apart from that, Wei Ziyi's relationship with Huaqianyu remains a secret.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun hastened their meal. After settling the bill, they left the bustling Heavenly Feather City, which was no different today than it was yesterday.

...

...

In the deepest room of the City Lord's Mansion in Heavenly Feather City, a woman sat at a desk, trimming a potted plant.

Each cut she made with her scissors was extremely cautious, as if she feared making a mistake on any branch.

It was hard to determine the exact age of this woman.

Her face remained fair and smooth, and her hands were slender and soft.

Her long hair was tied back with a thin red thread, naturally falling over her white robe.

She was Huaqianyu!

Occasionally looking up, she could see the girl sitting in front of her, eating an oily chicken leg with a messy face.

She shook her head gently, "If you keep acting like this, you'll never get married."

Such words would not be pleasant for any woman to hear.

"You haven't gotten married either, despite your behavior."

Wei Ziyi retorted sharply.

"Nonsense."

Huaqianyu glanced at Wei Ziyi, "What if these words get out?"

"Who would believe them anyway?"

Wei Ziyi took another bite of the chicken leg, "Zuo Qiuyang actually had a trick up his sleeve—a golden cicada shedding its skin. It was truly unexpected."

"He has been planning in Heavenly Feather City for years, and only now has he become the deputy city lord."

"This person is ruthless and vicious; one can tell from the assassins he keeps."

"Someone like him having a few body doubles isn't surprising at all."

"That's true. I wasn't surprised at all."

"That's because I knew that no matter what tricks he had, he couldn't survive last night."

"Why?"

"Because..."

Huaqianyu paused, then looked at Wei Ziyi thoughtfully and said with a smile, "Getting along well with that Chief Su?"

"...Why do you suddenly ask about this?"

Wei Ziyi was taken aback.

"What kind of person is he?"

Huaqianyu lowered her head again and asked softly.

Her voice lacked the authority of a city lord, gentle like the fragrance of flowers carried by warm breeze.

Yet, it had a compelling charm that made one want to respond to her.

Wei Ziyi pondered for a moment and said seriously, "He is a very terrifying person."

"Terrifying?"

Huaqianyu looked at Wei Ziyi in surprise, "Then one must not oppose him."

"Anyone who wants to oppose him should prepare themselves."

"Prepare for what?"

"Prepare their own coffin."