Chapter 106: People in the Martial World

Chapter 106: People in the Martial World

Hua Qianyu's hand paused slightly as she pruned the flower branches.

Lifting her gaze, she looked at Wei Ziyi.

Wei Ziyi's face showed no hint of jest; there was none of the usual playful spark hidden beneath her seriousness.

She was as steady as ice that had frozen for a thousand years.

"Is he truly that terrifying?"

Hua Qianyu was somewhat surprised to hear such an evaluation from Wei Ziyi.

"Yes."

Wei Ziyi frowned deeply. "This person, whether in martial arts or mentality, is... unfathomable."

Hua Qianyu smiled. "It's rare for you to speak so highly of someone."

"That's because I've never met anyone like him before."

Wei Ziyi lowered her head and looked at the chicken leg in her hand. "In the world of martial arts, there are many who boast of their skills and look down on others. But over hundreds of years, how many have truly been the best in the world?"

"Not a single one."

Hua Qianyu resumed pruning the flowers with a lighter touch:

"Martial arts are the foundation for survival in the martial world, but they are not everything. The higher your martial arts, the greater your reputation, and the more people know about you. Those who wish to deal with you won't rely solely on martial arts.

"They have too many options—studying your preferences, habits, and the type of people you befriend...

"Everything about you becomes their target, analyzed repeatedly, and plans are made.

"They can become your friends, your confidants, even your bedmates.

"When you fully trust them, they will suddenly stab you in the back, causing unbearable pain."

At this point, she paused and smiled:

"The best in the world... would become a thorn in the side of too many people.

"In this martial world, there are those who want to claim that title, but no one dares to."

"Therefore, over hundreds of years, the most formidable thing has never been a particular martial art, but rather, the human heart."

Wei Ziyi spoke softly, "His character is hard to fathom."

"Interesting."

Hua Qianyu smiled. "The Ziyang Escort Agency, a declining household, has produced a true dragon. It remains to be seen how high this dragon can soar."

"I don't know either."

Wei Ziyi pursed her lips lightly. "He refused to meet you this time, perhaps not just as he said. More likely, it's because our plan, while helping him find Zuo Qiuyang, also served our own interests. While this is understandable, it still feels like we're using him."

"So, what do you plan to do?"

"Apologize in person."

"And then?"

"Tell him a secret."

"He might not be interested."

"At least it shows my sincerity."

"He's so terrifying, yet you still want to use him?"

"I want to genuinely befriend him."

Wei Ziyi looked at Hua Qianyu seriously.

Hua Qianyu's hand holding the scissors paused mid-air, gazing at the flower branch as if pondering some difficult problem.

After a moment, she exhaled softly and looked at Wei Ziyi:

"Do what you think is right."

Wei Ziyi looked up in surprise. "You agree?"

"Being honest and sincere in friendship is good..."

Hua Qianyu spoke softly. "Why wouldn't I agree? You should have some friends of your own..."

Wei Ziyi suddenly laughed. "Then I'll go now."

With that, she turned and left, disappearing in moments.

The room was left empty except for Hua Qianyu.

She spoke softly, seemingly to the flower branches:

"Following your heart, sincerely befriending...

"Would you like this arrangement?"

Sunset City, Ziyang Escort Agency!

The sound of a dragon's roar echoed faintly, and amidst the commotion, a blue dragon emerged, its sword light slicing through the air!

In the blink of an eye, they had already exchanged several blows.

Each move was intricate and perilous.

A single misstep could lead to disaster.

Uncle Fu stood by, watching with peace of mind, not worried in the slightest, as he couldn't understand what was happening...

After a while, the two combatants finally ceased their movements and stood still.

Yang Xiaoyun let out a long breath:

"Xiao Mo, is this your first time practicing Heart-Questioning Sword of the Sky Rainbow?"

"Could it be anything else?"

Su Mo casually flicked his wrist, sending his long sword soaring into the air, landing perfectly into the scabbard beside him. With a clatter, the sword slid into its sheath, and the lid of the scabbard snapped shut, concealing its sharpness.

It had been three days since they returned to Sunset City.

They had spent two days traveling back from Heavenly Feather City.

With no pressing matters, there was no need to rush.

Upon returning to Sunset City, they went straight to the Ziyang Escort Agency.

Seeing them return, Uncle Fu's heart finally settled.

This was mainly because rumors had already spread back to Sunset City during their absence.

Even when Uncle Fu went out to buy groceries, he overheard people discussing how the Ziyang Escort Agency was embroiled in a massive conspiracy involving some demonic cult and something about a sword heart. The tales were wild and unbelievable.

Uncle Fu felt no pride that his young master was involved in such affairs; instead, he worried that Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun might encounter danger.

Even though the rumors praised their prowess, the old man remained uneasy until they returned.

He busied himself with boiling water for washing and cooking meals.

However, Yang Xiaoyun could not stay at the Ziyang Escort Agency indefinitely.

She had initially proposed staying there because Su Mo was being targeted for assassination, placing him in extreme danger. She naturally couldn't leave him alone then.

But now... after this trip, the person behind the scenes had become a dead man.

Continuing to stay at the Ziyang Escort Agency would be inappropriate.

Though they were betrothed, they were not yet married.

During those critical times, extraordinary measures were necessary, but now it was no longer appropriate.

Uncle Fu was reasonable and did not insist on her staying, although he regretted the room he had prepared for her.

Yang Xiaoyun only ate one meal at the Ziyang Escort Agency before Su Mo escorted her back to the Iron Blood Escort Agency.

The timing wasn't right, so they didn't enter for a visit.

Over the next few days, Yang Xiaoyun visited daily to spar with Su Mo.

Although her martial arts were far inferior to Su Mo's, she was a martial arts enthusiast.

In terms of talent, she surpassed Su Mo by far.

Her unique insights and perspectives often benefited Su Mo greatly.

While Su Mo marveled at Yang Xiaoyun's understanding of martial arts, she was equally amazed by his insight.

Liu Suifeng had generously gifted the Heart-Questioning Sword of the Sky Rainbow to Su Mo as gratitude for saving his life.

In just a short time, Su Mo had mastered the sword technique to a remarkable degree, as if he had practiced it for over a decade, which astonished Yang Xiaoyun.

"In the past, I truly underestimated you."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed. "With your talent, if you hadn't been foolish in your youth... the Ziyang Escort Agency would have flourished long ago."

Su Mo led her to a table and poured her a cup of tea.

"I've said it before, don't bring up the past."

"Do you realize how foolish you were?"

Yang Xiaoyun gave Su Mo a teasing look and said, "Alright, alright, I won't mention it again. Our great hero Su Mo should be making a name for himself now. You wouldn't believe it, but one of the three major events in Sunset City recently is your journey to deliver the Heart-Questioning Sword to Liu Suifeng.

"And you ended up defeating the Youquan Cult, revitalizing the martial spirit of the southwest."

"People in the town are talking about this matter with great interest, and some even say that your earlier frivolous behavior was actually a hidden gem, a case of remaining silent for ten years only to astonish everyone when you finally speak..."

"The talk of the town is becoming less and less reliable."

Su Mo found it both amusing and exasperating but was curious. "You said there were three major events happening in Sunset City recently? What are the other two?"

"Hmm..."

Yang Xiaoyun pondered for a moment before whispering, "Something happened at the Heavenly Gate Escort Agency."

"Oh?"

Su Mo was taken aback. Ziyang Escort Agency now had only him as its head, so he was indeed out of touch with the latest news.

The Heavenly Gate Escort Agency was one of the three major escort agencies in Sunset City, yet he had no idea something had happened to them.

"What happened?"

Su Mo asked.

"I heard it was because of a particular escort mission."

Yang Xiaoyun continued, "I don't know all the details; the people from the Heavenly Gate Escort Agency have been tight-lipped about it. However, the incident became too big to keep quiet, and news eventually spread."

She paused briefly. "The head of the Heavenly Gate Escort Agency, Ji Wanli... he's dead."

Su Mo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Ji Wanli, the Heavenly Flying Knife?"

"That's right."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded gently.

"How... how could this be?"

Su Mo was surprised. The name "Heavenly Flying Knife" was a well-known brand. Although it couldn't compare to the fame of Yang Yizhi's Iron Blood Dragon Spear in recent years, Ji Wanli was still a formidable opponent.

Although his name suggested he used flying knives, he actually wielded a single saber and practiced a set of "Three Thousand Flowing Blades," which was quite remarkable.

In his youth, he was even more extraordinary.

Once, he went alone to the Heavenly Blade Sect with just his saber.

He returned unharmed, and his reputation soared!

Of course, this wasn't just a simple visit to the Heavenly Blade Sect.

One must understand that the name Heavenly Gate Escort Agency, combined with the Three Thousand Flowing Blades technique, clashed somewhat with the Heavenly Blade Sect.

This was considered a taboo in the martial world.

Ji Wanli was not a disciple of the Heavenly Blade Sect, yet he named his escort agency Heavenly Gate and used a saber.

This naturally led to speculation about his connection to the Heavenly Blade Sect.

Thus, the Heavenly Blade Sect sent him an invitation.

The invitation claimed to invite Ji Wanli to visit, but it was a clear challenge.

Either Ji Wanli would change his name and the name of his escort agency,

or he would stay at the Heavenly Blade Sect.

But Ji Wanli managed to leave the Heavenly Blade Sect, and the name of his escort agency remained unchanged.

While no one knew exactly what happened during his visit, it was clear that he was not someone to be underestimated.

And yet, such a person... was dead!?

"It's true."

Yang Xiaoyun took a sip of tea.

"The information I received says that a complex escort mission was entrusted to the Heavenly Gate Escort Agency. Most people within the agency opposed taking on this mission due to its complexity.

"But the client provoked Ji Wanli, and he decided to take on the mission despite the opposition.

"There's a saying: regardless of what the mission entails, we are merely escorts. Deliver the goods without asking questions, and trouble won't find us.

"He delivered the goods and returned, then died."

"Are you sure it was because of that mission?"

"There are no other possibilities."

Yang Xiaoyun smiled. "So, in the future, think carefully before accepting any missions. Don't take on any missions with unclear origins or complicated entanglements... it's easy to get into a situation where you can't back out, thinking that burying your head in the sand will bring peace, but it's just self-deception."

Su Mo nodded slightly but sighed:

"Fear not being able to control one's fate in the martial world."

"Hmm?"

Yang Xiaoyun looked at Su Mo thoughtfully. "That's true. I heard that the client personally approached the Heavenly Gate Escort Agency and said that if Ji Wanli didn't dare to accept the mission, they should take down the agency's sign and chop it up for firewood rather than let it hang there to deceive people."

"Ji Wanli had been famous for decades. How could he let such words go unchallenged?"

"That's how I took on this escort job."

"The Tianmen Escort Agency has been in business for decades and still cares about its reputation. Ziyang Escort Agency is just starting to recover; if something like this were to happen... the little bit of reputation I've managed to build would be gone in an instant."

When they reached this point in their conversation, Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help but look at Su Mo.

"If... I mean, hypothetically, someone forced you to take on such an escort job, would you accept it?"

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "I would accept it."

"Really accept it?"

"Really accept it!"

Su Mo nodded. "You're right; burying one's head in the sand and thinking everything is fine is just wishful thinking. Although I never want to get involved in trouble, when trouble comes knocking, it doesn't give you a heads-up.

"How can one possibly have everything go as planned in the martial world? To stand amidst the whirlpool yet hope not to be drawn into it is simply absurd.

"So, if you can avoid it, you should. But if you can't, you must face it head-on.

"We martial artists, mingling in the martial world, do so with the hope that our skills will keep us standing firm amidst the whirlpool, don't we?"

Yang Xiaoyun looked at Su Mo, her eyes slightly dazed.

Although Su Mo didn't emphasize his words, there was a certain carefree elegance in them.

"Hmm? Did I say something wrong?"

Su Mo turned and glanced at Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun snapped back to reality and shook her head lightly. "What you said is very good, but wouldn't you feel resentful taking on such an escort job?"

"Of course."

Su Mo said with a smile, "If I could foresee the future, I would probably eliminate that person beforehand to avoid trouble. But if I can't, after delivering this escort job, I'll definitely seek an explanation from him."

"Wouldn't that be a bit unreasonable?"

"I was sitting peacefully at home, and he provoked me for no reason. If so, shouldn't he have the courage to face the consequences?

"In the martial world, whatever one does, one must pay the corresponding price.

"This isn't child's play, where we joke around and laugh together. It's not that simple."

Su Mo picked up his teacup and took a sip. "In the martial world, people die."

"Hahaha."

Yang Xiaoyun burst out laughing, then suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "During these few days we were out, Father has been at the escort agency."

"Oh?"

Su Mo nodded slightly and subconsciously glanced at Uncle Fu, who was pretending to yawn, acting as if he hadn't heard anything they were saying.

However, his pretense was quite crude; his breathing wasn't even, clearly fake.

"Also..."

Yang Xiaoyun said with a hint of amusement on her face, "I forgot to tell you these past few days about the small tail we left behind. Do you remember?"

"A tail? About what?"

"Qijue Hall."

Su Mo was taken aback, his expression somewhat shocked. "They really came?"

"They did."

Yang Xiaoyun shook her head with a sigh. "This person has been at the Iron Blood Escort Agency for quite some time now. But I only returned a few days ago, and every day I've been coming here, so my subordinates didn't bother telling me about it until last night."

She looked at Su Mo with a smile.

"Qijue Hall didn't come demanding the person?"

"Even if they had the guts, they wouldn't have the shamelessness."

"That's true."

Su Mo found it somewhat amusing. Zuo Qiuyang used Qijue Hall's Sword Leader as a pawn, ultimately because the Qingyang Sword was destroyed.

The Sword Leader, blinded by greed, listened to Zhan Ming and came here to lose his life.

Now, Zuo Qiuyang is dead, and Huaqianyu has taken control of Heavenly Feather City. Qijue Hall, inexplicably dragged into this mess, is constantly in a bind.

Iron Blood Dragon Spear Yang Yizhi is already hard to deal with.

Being used as a pawn by Zuo Qiuyang, if Huaqianyu's attitude towards them shifts slightly, Qijue Hall might be destroyed.

As for Su Mo...

After the news from Profound Theory Valley came back, no one knows what kind of face Feng Wuxiang would make.

Thinking about it, this is truly a case of trouble falling from the sky while sitting at home.

If this person could foresee the future, he would probably eat the Sword Leader alive.

Just as he was thinking about this, a servant boy ran over from a distance, peeking through the door.

Uncle Fu stopped pretending to sleep, his senses sharp like a martial artist, and saw the servant boy. He sighed, "We need to train this new recruit more. Come over and report directly without losing your manners in front of Miss Xiaoyun."

"Yes."

The servant approached but did not dare to lift his head, bowing as he said, "Chief Escort, there are visitors outside. They claim to be from Qijue Hall."