Chapter 109: Conflict

Chapter 109: Conflict

The world of martial arts is always bustling with disputes and grudges that never cease.

However, for the common folk, as long as the Fallen Phoenix Alliance is around, no matter how intense the rumors and conflicts in the martial world may be, they have little impact on their daily lives.

If anything, it merely adds more topics for casual conversation after meals.

In teahouses, people drinking tea and chatting were plentiful.

One person spoke up:

"Word has it that Miss Wei has taken office."

"That's right."

The person beside him nodded immediately: "Zuo Qiuyang harbored sinister intentions. Miss Wei captured Zhan Ming and uncovered the truth, ultimately exposing Zuo Qiuyang. Now she has officially joined the Fallen Phoenix Alliance as the Eighth Alliance Leader... The position of Deputy City Lord of Heavenly Feather City cannot remain vacant. She is the most suitable candidate."

"For the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, this seems a bit unorthodox..."

"Who cares? Among those below the Alliance Leaders, only this newly joined Miss Wei has such prestige. She can command respect within the alliance and is beloved by the common folk outside. If not her, then who?"

"You're right... Speaking of which, there's still no clear word on what's happening with the Tianmen Escort Agency?"

"No, the Heavenly Gate Flying Knives died under mysterious circumstances, and the young head of the escort agency, Ji Feiyang, is inexperienced. Such a large escort agency might just fall apart, following the old path of the Ziyang Escort Agency."

"Pity the Tianmen Escort Agency. Guarding shipments in the martial world isn't easy. Logically, Ji Wanli is an experienced veteran; he wouldn't overlook something like this, would he?"

"The situation is probably more complicated than we think. Right now, all we know are bits and pieces. It's best to avoid discussing it too much. If someone from the Tianmen Escort Agency hears us, it won't be good."

"You're right... But speaking of the Ziyang Escort Agency, who would have thought Su Mo would become famous after the battle at Profound Theory Valley?"

At this mention, many in the teahouse chimed in.

"Su Mo, that wastrel, truly surprised everyone. Back in the day, I even went to Little Red Mansion with him. Who would have thought that at his young age, he was hiding such profound skills?"

"You don't understand. This is called 'ten years of silence, one moment of brilliance.' Now, all the influential figures in the martial world have formed a life-or-death bond with him. Although the Ziyang Escort Agency is still just him, it's already gaining a reputation comparable to the other three major escort agencies."

"It's too early to say that. Even if the Tianmen Escort Agency's head, Ji Wanli, had an incident, the Ziyang Escort Agency still can't compare. Revitalizing the escort agency won't be easy."

"Hiring new guards and masters isn't something that happens overnight. Even if someone comes to join now, Su Mo will likely need to consider carefully."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There are many intricacies involved. While Su Mo's fame has risen, many wouldn't want to see him succeed. They might send someone to infiltrate the Ziyang Escort Agency during this time. If Su Mo leads a shipment, every detail of his route and rest stops could be exposed. Would anyone trust such a shipment?"

"Even if everything goes smoothly, if these details get out, who knows when trouble might arise? The escorts wouldn't feel safe."

"If trouble does come, it'll be significant. Who would dare take such risks?"

"This is just one aspect. There are many more complexities. Don't assume that everyone in the martial world is brutish. Those without brains are long gone."

"Take the competition for the Grand Alliance Leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance. The amount of scheming and plotting involved is unimaginable."

These words left everyone speechless for a while.

After a moment, someone said: "Brother, you're right. But Su Mo isn't an ordinary person. He shouldn't be so easily constrained."

"Indeed. Otherwise, he should be expanding the escort agency, riding the wave of his newfound fame, rather than remaining silent and waiting for the storm to pass."

The previous speaker chuckled: "And speaking of Su Mo's methods, they are indeed extraordinary. Besides the news about Su Mo, Miss Wei, and the Tianmen Escort Agency, do you know of any other major events in Sunset City recently?"

"Are you talking about the Qijue Hall incident?"

Someone guessed: "I heard that five Weapon Masters of the Qijue Hall died outside Sunset City. The Grand Master, Feng Wuxiang, and the Whip Master are missing. But there were a hand and a leg found, though no one knows whose they are or if the news is true."

"It's true."

Someone confirmed it immediately.

Many gasped: "Who did this?"

"Although the Qijue Hall isn't as powerful as the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, they aren't to be underestimated. Who could kill five Weapon Masters?"

"Heh."

The previous speaker took a sip of tea: "You don't know the whole story, but I have a friend in the Fallen Phoenix Alliance. From him, I learned some secrets. Do you think the Grand Master of the Qijue Hall would come to Sunset City for no reason?"

Everyone looked at him, curious about the story.

He began by recounting the Sword Master's night raid, Zuo Qiuyang's scheme, and Feng Wuxiang's predicament.

"Feng Wuxiang's target wasn't the Ziyang Escort Agency but rather a route to Heavenly Feather City. He merely stopped by to deal with the Sword Master's aftermath.

"But unexpectedly, he clashed with Su Mo within the Ziyang Escort Agency.

"When they disagreed, the Blade Master attempted to kill Su Mo, but was struck dead by Su Mo's palm.

"Feng Wuxiang tried to save him but was struck, causing him to spit blood!"

Hearing this, everyone gasped.

The battle at Profound Theory Valley seemed distant, and the Youquan Cult's power was abstract.

But the Qijue Hall had been established for years within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance's territory. The fact that Su Mo killed the Blade Master and defeated Feng Wuxiang changed their perception of his martial prowess.

"But do you think that's the end of it?"

The man sneered and said, "To be fair, this Chief Su Mo truly has a broad chest. Even though the Blade Master wanted to kill him in public, he did not actually slaughter all of Qijue Hall within the Ziyang Escort Agency. As they say, 'If he had left all of you here in the Ziyang Escort Agency, word would spread, and the people of the martial world would say he lacks tolerance.'"

"Therefore, he only made a three-palm agreement with Feng Wuxiang."

"After the three palms, all grievances would be settled."

"Feng Wuxiang agreed, but when it came down to it, Chief Su Mo feared that Feng Wuxiang couldn't withstand the three palms, so he ultimately only delivered one palm, settling the matter!"

"Good!"

"That's the true act of a hero!"

"This Chief Su Mo was still muddled a few years ago, but once he gained enlightenment, he indeed became impressive."

"But how could he have such advanced martial arts?"

"The martial world is deep; who knows which passing expert might have taught him some techniques? The Purple Sun Sect also possesses divine skills; it's not strange for someone to suddenly rise to prominence. Such rumors aren't unheard of."

"While reasonable, it does pique one's curiosity."

For a moment, discussions erupted in the teahouse, and someone asked, "So, does this mean that Qijue Hall fell because their Grand Master, Feng Wuxiang, was injured?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the 'All-Knowing One.'

However, the man shook his head, "Not exactly... It's said that after the three-palm agreement was set within the Ziyang Escort Agency, Feng Wuxiang lacked confidence to accept it, so he chose to flee. Unexpectedly, the six Blade Masters accompanying him were afraid that Chief Su Mo would kill them if Feng Wuxiang didn't agree.

"So, they stopped Feng Wuxiang, forcing him to face Chief Su Mo's three palms."

"Because of this, Chief Su Mo's three palms turned into one."

"How to put it... In the martial world, one cannot go back on their words. Not delivering the palms would be impossible, but reducing them to one was an act of mercy outside the rules.

"However, this caused discord within Qijue Hall, leading to conflict between the Grand Master and the Blade Masters.

"They could no longer coexist."

"Among those five Blade Masters, one died under Chief Su Mo's palm, while the other four perished fighting against Grand Master Feng."

"This can be seen from the fact that the Hammer Master died by hammer and the Spear Master by spear—they died to the Seven Absolute Heart Technique!"

After saying this, the man took a sip of tea and refilled his cup.

In the teahouse, everyone was speechless.

This news was indeed eye-opening, and many admired Su Mo's kindness, while others lamented the decline of Qijue Hall.

After a while, someone sighed, "Qijue Hall's current state is indeed self-inflicted."

"However, Chief Su Mo's conduct is admirable."

Casual chatter resumed as they sipped tea, occasionally discussing the matter. However, as people left the teahouse, the news gradually spread throughout Sunset City and eventually across the martial world.

Regardless, the century-old Qijue Hall seemed destined to fade away without making any further waves.

A few months later, someone found Feng Wuxiang's corpse lying dead by the roadside.

Years later, there were rumors of a one-armed man performing on the streets, seemingly demonstrating a high-level whip technique, possibly the Whip Master of Qijue Hall from years ago.

However, these rumors were fleeting and hard to believe.

The martial world often works like this: no matter how shocking the news initially is, it soon fades away, leaving no trace. If it doesn't affect one personally, who would remember it?

...

Amidst the flurry of news, Su Mo, who should have been at the center of attention, remained unusually low-key.

Recently, besides sparring with Yang Xiaoyun every day, he occasionally visited the teahouse to listen to the latest gossip.

These places were always well-informed, greatly expanding Su Mo's knowledge.

Of course, he also heard various rumors about himself—some accurate, some exaggerated, and some mostly true. Overall, opinions varied widely.

As his reputation grew, the entrance of the Ziyang Escort Agency became bustling.

Some came to visit and offer gifts to get acquainted.

Others sought employment within the escort agency.

And some, due to the events at Profound Theory Valley, came to challenge Su Mo.

There were numerous reasons, each unique.

If Su Mo were just an ordinary martial artist, he could ignore these matters.

But as the Chief of the escort agency, he couldn't dismiss all these visitors.

Thus, he spent time each day meeting these people and expanding his network.

One side was eager to flatter, while the other was keen to form connections. Although tiring, these meetings proved fruitful.

However, the Ziyang Escort Agency was not yet ready to recruit more members or take on large contracts.

Otherwise, Su Mo wouldn't have the leisure to wander around Sunset City; he would already be on the road escorting goods.

Regarding recruitment, Su Mo had his own plans.

But this was not the right time.

On this day, Su Mo returned from the teahouse and just as he reached the entrance of Ziyang Escort Agency, he saw a young man hurriedly coming out of the escort agency.

Uncle Fu followed behind, seemingly planning to go out as well.

Su Mo recognized this person; he didn't know his surname, but his name was Xiaochuan.

He was a guard at Iron Blood Escort Agency.

Earlier, he had received orders from Yang Xiaoyun to stay near Ziyang Escort Agency to protect Uncle Fu.

Su Mo had previously suspected Uncle Fu's identity, but according to Xiaochuan, Uncle Fu had never left Sunset City during this period.

He had even rarely left Ziyang Escort Agency.

Therefore, it was impossible for Uncle Fu to have disguised himself as the black-clothed man and secretly followed Su Mo for such a long distance.

After all, finding a substitute at the last minute was simply unrealistic.

It wasn't like Zuo Qiuyang, who had been plotting for years.

But what was this person doing here now?

"Uncle Fu."

Su Mo called out from a distance.

Uncle Fu looked up and quickly said, "Young Master, you're finally back. This Brother Xiaochuan is looking for you. He says that something has happened with Miss Xiaoyun."

Su Mo was taken aback and turned his gaze to Xiaochuan.

Xiaochuan immediately clasped his hands and said, "Chief Su, there's a conflict between the Young Chief and the Chief. It seems to be related to you. They're at odds, and it looks like they're about to fight. I really couldn't think of anything else, so I came to ask for your help."

"What?"

Su Mo raised an eyebrow and immediately said to Uncle Fu, "Uncle Fu, go back first. I'll go to Iron Blood Escort Agency."

"Young Master, talk things out properly. Don't resort to violence."

Uncle Fu hurriedly advised, "If that Yang Yizhi really gets out of hand, I'll go deal with him later."

"I understand."

Su Mo was both amused and exasperated. He asked Uncle Fu to go back while he followed Xiaochuan towards Iron Blood Escort Agency.

As they walked, Su Mo inquired about the situation.

Xiaochuan only knew part of the story, saying that today, the father and daughter were having tea together and somehow mentioned Su Mo.

Then their tone gradually became more intense.

They even overturned the table, and in anger, Yang Xiaoyun picked up her Dragon Abyss spear and tried to leave Iron Blood Escort Agency. How could Yang Yizhi let her?

The two were currently at a standoff in the courtyard.

None of the subordinates dared to intervene; both father and daughter were stubborn and would not back down. If anyone tried to stop them, they would only get beaten up.

Even Xu Ruoshen, who was like the head steward of Iron Blood Escort Agency, could only watch helplessly.

The only one who might be able to persuade Yang Xiaoyun now was Su Mo.

That's why Xiaochuan had come urgently to seek his help.

"Chief Su, you may not know, but after the Young Chief went on that escort mission with you, the Chief was extremely displeased.

"I also heard that in recent days, the Young Chief has been frequently visiting Ziyang Escort Agency, which has made the Chief even angrier...though he keeps his emotions hidden, no one can tell.

"It wasn't until today that his anger boiled over. You know how hot-tempered they both are. If they really start fighting, no one knows what might happen."

Hearing this, Su Mo frowned tightly, unsure of what to say.

In the past, Yang Yizhi and Su Mo's father were sworn brothers, close friends.

That was why there was an engagement between him and Yang Xiaoyun.

However, once Su Mo's father passed away, no one mentioned the marriage anymore.

Yang Xiaoyun lost her mother at a young age, and Yang Yizhi never remarried. The father and daughter relied on each other and had a deep bond, but because of Su Mo, they had clashed twice.

In the past, it was due to the old Su Mo's frivolous behavior, which couldn't be blamed on the current Su Mo.

But this time...he couldn't escape responsibility.

His heart was filled with complex emotions, but he quickened his pace, leaving Xiaochuan behind.

In a moment, Iron Blood Escort Agency was already in sight, and surprisingly, no one was guarding the entrance today.

Su Mo leaped through the open gate, and although the gatekeeper saw him, he couldn't stop him.

Once inside, he jumped onto the roof and saw a commotion in the training ground. Layers of guards surrounded the center, where the father and daughter stood.

At this moment, Yang Xiaoyun's Dragon Abyss spear was gone, and she was sitting on the ground with blood at the corner of her mouth, clearly defeated.

"Today, I will break your legs and see how you can continue going to Ziyang Escort Agency!"

Yang Yizhi's angry voice rang out as he turned the spear and fiercely swept it towards Yang Xiaoyun's legs.

Yang Xiaoyun showed no sign of weakness, merely staring stubbornly at her father.

Eyeing the imminent strike that was about to shatter Yang Xiaoyun's leg, the spear suddenly paused. Despite Yang Yizhi's full force, he could not press it down an inch further. He abruptly looked up and saw Su Mo standing beside Yang Xiaoyun, seemingly out of nowhere.

With one hand gripping the spear, his eyes fixed on Yang Yizhi:

"What are you doing?"