Chapter 125: Heart Knots

Chapter 125: Heart Knots

Mount Heavenly Gate.

Amidst the layers of forest, a man in black robes paced back and forth, his eyes occasionally lifting to search, as if waiting for something.

After a moment, footsteps approached from around him.

He suddenly looked up and saw several people dressed in Heavenly Blade Sect attire appearing in his line of sight, subtly forming a surrounding posture.

The man in black showed no signs of panic; instead, he seemed relieved:

"How did it go? Where's Old Earth?"

He asked two questions in quick succession, but these 'Heavenly Blade Sect' disciples tore off their Heavenly Blade Sect disguises, revealing their black attire once more, each donning a face mask.

One of them came forward, kneeling on one knee: "Master, one of our brothers got trapped inside. Master Earth wanted to kill Nangong Yu and hasn't come out yet."

"Why kill him?"

The black-robed master seemed to be in a bad state: "For no reason, causing trouble for me! And how did that damn fool get trapped? Didn't I tell you all? The people of the Heavenly Blade Sect have their sharpness outward and their blade intent inward. Although they practice Supreme Indifference, their emotions are actually richer than anyone else's.

"They share the same lineage and cultivation source, so they can sense each other.

"By disguising yourselves as Heavenly Blade Sect disciples, you could only take advantage of the chaos; you must never confront any Heavenly Blade Sect disciple directly. Even being seen from behind or the side should be fine. How could someone still get trapped?"

This person grumbled, completely lacking the dignity of a master, speaking quickly and urgently:

"I don't ask you to be as smart as me, but at least don't be this stupid! If I say it, it's embarrassing for me, the great wise one!"

The black-robed men exchanged glances, and one of them said, "Master, that brother didn't believe it and was discovered by that Tyrant Whip. He decided to try and see if he could get through. As a result, he was immediately recognized."

"Hmph... serves him right for not believing what I said. If he dies, so be it.

"Where's the item?"

He asked again.

"The item is with Master Earth."

"Where is he?"

"He went to kill Nangong Yu."

"What an idiot!"

Hearing this, the master remembered that his subordinate had already reported it, and he immediately jumped up in anger:

"Who is Nangong Yu? His blade intent has been cultivated for five years, and he rarely shows his hand. If he acts now, the sharpness of that one strike is unimaginable. What Old Earth is doing is simply courting death. It's over, all our plans will come to nothing. If Heaven finds out, I won't be able to bear the responsibility.

"You people are simply despicable, always saying that my involvement would cause trouble. I just failed to kill Ji Feiyang twice; how could I cause trouble?

"Now look, Old Earth might end up buried on Mount Heavenly Gate."

"…You're the one who should be buried on Mount Heavenly Gate."

A voice suddenly sounded, and the master turned around sharply to see a black-robed man standing under a tree nearby.

Seeing this, the master was instantly overjoyed: "Nangong Yu is dead?"

"Not dead."

"Then why are you still alive?"

"…Shut up if you can't speak properly."

He snorted, "If it weren't for Su Mo intervening, Nangong Yu would already be a dead man under my control."

"Su Mo!? You met him!"

The master was astonished: "Then you should be dead too!"

"Hmph! Underestimating me, huh?"

Master Earth sneered, "It's just Su Mo. The reputation spread from Profound Theory Valley is quite significant, but I don't believe it. I faced him with a punch, and I'm still alive and well, aren't I?"

All the black-robed men were amazed by Master Earth, unable to resist praising him.

"Master Earth's martial arts are unparalleled!"

"Su Mo is nothing!"

"Exactly, exactly!"

Master Earth waved his hand, "Enough, everyone disperse and act according to the plan. This matter is far from over. It was hard enough to catch a trace, and getting a golden jade cone caused so much trouble. I didn't expect the Heavenly Blade Sect... hmpf!"

His words made the black-robed men bow in agreement and fly away.

This left the original master stomping his feet in anger: "You, you... whose people are you? Are you people of the Ren Clan or the Di Clan? Listening to him so obediently, you might as well join the Di Clan."

But his words fell on deaf ears as the black-robed men had already left.

Only Master Earth's voice echoed back: "You only dare to say that after they've run far away. Otherwise, my Di Clan would be overcrowded again."

"You, you, you... can you speak like a human?"

The master of the Ren Clan was so angry his eyes nearly popped out.

"Enough talk..."

The Earth Gate Master plopped to the ground with a thud, pulling out a box from his robe and tossing it to him: "Take care of this for now."

The Man Gate Master hurriedly caught it, opened it, and found an oddly shaped awl inside.

The handle of the awl was crafted from gold and jade, exquisitely ornate.

The body of the awl twisted like a snake, with jagged teeth along its length, looking quite menacing, and its tip was incredibly sharp, though the material was unknown.

After examining it carefully, the Man Gate Master put it away, then suddenly paused: "That’s odd, you’re so stubborn, why would you entrust me with this? You said you exchanged a blow with Su Mo and came out unscathed, really?"

"Really... as if!"

As he spoke, the Earth Gate Master spat out a mouthful of blood, soaking his mask.

The Man Gate Master only then noticed that the mask was not just damp but had already clung to his face, the blood from earlier almost dried.

Fortunately, the mask was black, and in the dim light of the forest, no one else had noticed.

The Man Gate Master immediately went to his side, feeling his pulse, and his eyes now held a trace of pity:

"You, your... your internal organs are almost all damaged. You’re barely hanging on by a thread of true qi, and you’re still trying to snatch my people!"

"... While you’re wasting time talking, help me catch my breath!"

The Earth Gate Master nearly died of frustration, how could he still be talking nonsense at such a critical moment?

The Man Gate Master placed his palm on the Earth Gate Master’s back while muttering: "I clearly told you, Su Mo is not someone to trifle with. This whole thing was an accident. Don’t provoke him when there’s nothing to gain. He might just leave after he’s done with his business, and it won’t have anything to do with us...

"I’ve been nagging like an old woman, but you wouldn’t listen. Tell me, did you never listen to your mother when you were young, and now you don’t listen to me either? What do you want?"

The Earth Gate Master let out another mouthful of blood.

The Man Gate Master was shocked: "That shouldn’t happen. I’m using my inner strength to protect your heart meridian, why would your injuries worsen?"

"The injuries... haven’t worsened, it’s purely because of your aggravation!"

The Earth Gate Master’s face was ashen: "But, Su Mo is indeed terrifying... I used all my strength in that punch, not daring to underestimate him in the slightest. Yet, I was still shattered upon contact. The force of the punch penetrated my body, directly attacking my internal organs. The ferocity of the punch was astonishing. Even after using such a powerful move, he still had energy to spare... You were right, we must not easily make an enemy of this man!"

"Alright, alright, shut up. Do I need to hear this from you? You talk too much every day."

The Man Gate Master said: "I’ll give you a breath of qi, but I can’t heal your injuries. Let’s get you back to the medical hall first. If they can save you, they will. If not, you should eat and drink well, and I’ll find you a good feng shui spot."

As he spoke, he transferred a breath of true qi into the other’s body, then stood up, grabbed the Earth Gate Master’s arms, and slung him over his shoulder like a sack, carrying him away.

Poor Earth Gate Master, suffering such inhumane treatment, dared not speak out.

He could only be carried away quietly, disappearing in moments.

...

...

Inside the Heavenly Blade Sect, chaos reigned for a while.

Someone disguised as a Heavenly Blade Sect disciple set fires throughout the sect.

Using the sect’s own martial arts.

The sect leader, Nangong Yu, was injured by an unknown black-clad figure. If not for Su Mo, who happened to be a guest at the Heavenly Blade Sect, saving him, the sect might have had to change its leader.

At this moment, everyone was gathered outside the courtyard of the sect leader’s residence.

After the incident, the Heavenly Blade Sect was in no mood to settle Su Mo and the others. At this moment, the sect’s elders and experts were busy in the room, urgently treating Nangong Yu.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun sat opposite each other, sipping tea leisurely.

Only Liu Mo was restless, pacing back and forth, his eyes filled with urgency and helplessness.

Su Mo turned to look at him and shook his head lightly:

"Leader Liu, why don’t you sit down? Many experts of the Heavenly Blade Sect are in the room, I’m sure Sect Leader Nangong will be fine. There’s no need to be so anxious."

"Ah..."

Liu Mo sighed, came forward, and poured himself a cup of tea, drinking it in one gulp, then took a deep breath before saying:

"Sect Leader Nangong has profound inner strength, he will be fine. But until they come out, we can’t interrogate Fu Hanyuan... This person is clearly deeply involved in today’s events, and this matter may also be closely related to Tong Yun’s disappearance."

Hearing this, Su Mo looked at Liu Mo and asked:

"Why does Leader Liu care so much about Tong Yun?"

"This..."

Liu Mo hesitated, then sighed deeply:

"This matter is actually related to a secret in my heart. If anyone else asked, I wouldn’t say.

"But since Chief Su followed me all the way to the Heavenly Blade Sect, I can’t keep it from you.

"Tong Yun... and I, we have a deep-seated grudge!"

As he spoke, he raised his eyes, and a hint of confusion appeared in them.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun listened, puzzled, and Yang Xiaoyun asked, confused: "A deep-seated grudge?"

"… sigh."

Liu Mo let out a long breath: "I might as well be straightforward with the two of you…"

The story begins with Liu Mo’s father.

His name was Liu Changyang, a man of extraordinary talent and astonishing strength. In his youth, he received guidance from a great master and learned an extremely advanced set of flail techniques.

Combined with his natural physique and strength, the power was truly astonishing.

Liu Changyang devoted himself to rigorous training for over ten years before deciding to make a name for himself in the martial world with his martial arts.

And the fastest way to achieve fame and glory was to challenge established masters in the martial world.

Thus, upon entering the martial world, he challenged seven or eight renowned masters one after another, gradually earning the reputation of 'Bashan Flail'.

If he had stopped there, with the name 'Bashan Flail' preceding him, he would have been a well-respected figure in the martial world.

Unfortunately, this did not satisfy his ambitions.

Instead, he set his sights on even more prominent figures, with Tong Yun being his primary target!

Tong Yun, the master of the Heavenly Blade Sect known as the Unstoppable Saber, was at the peak of his fame in the martial world at that time.

If Liu Changyang could defeat him, his status would naturally be incomparable.

For this battle, Liu Changyang spent over three months adjusting his mindset, refining both his emotions and his martial arts to their peak.

He also spread the news of the challenge throughout the martial world beforehand.

The newly emerged Bashan Flail Liu Changyang versus the Unstoppable Saber Tong Yun, the peak of the Heavenly Blade Sect!

This battle naturally drew thunderous attention, with many people traveling great distances just to witness the final showdown.

When the day of the meeting arrived, the two men engaged in combat on Heavenly Gate Mountain.

This battle was indeed spectacular, with the Bashan Flail displaying immense ferocity and the Unstoppable Saber showcasing exquisite techniques.

They fought from the entrance of the mountain gate all the way down to the foot of Heavenly Gate Mountain, covering over thirty miles and exchanging thousands of blows.

The gale force and blade energy were awe-inspiring!

In the end, however, Liu Changyang lost by half a move, having his twin flails knocked out of his hands by the Unstoppable Saber Tong Yun.

However, Tong Yun displayed the demeanor of a true master, defeating his opponent without causing harm.

After the fight, he simply turned and returned to the Heavenly Blade Sect.

Only Liu Changyang stood there, pointed at and ridiculed by the onlookers.

If it had been someone with a broader mind, they might not have taken it so hard.

After all, in this battle, both men had displayed their martial arts to the fullest extent, and most of the spectators admitted they were no match for either of them.

Even though Liu Changyang lost by half a move, it was still a glorious defeat.

But… when had Liu Changyang ever endured such a significant blow since entering the martial world?

He had thought that with his martial arts, even if he couldn’t secure the top position in the southwest, he would certainly become a leading expert.

But he never expected to suffer such a narrow defeat.

For a time, he was deeply affected, discarding his twin flails and turning away, thus retiring from the martial world to marry and have children.

After this battle, he often felt a deep sense of frustration whenever he thought about it.

Liu Mo's early years were relatively peaceful, but as he began to walk and speak, Liu Changyang started to impose strict demands.

He wanted to pass on his Bashan Flail techniques to Liu Mo.

His methods were harsh, and even his wife could not bear to see it, pleading with him multiple times to ease up, but to no avail. Eventually, she tried to flee with the young Liu Mo.

However, with Liu Changyang's martial prowess, especially her attempt to run away, she failed to escape with the child and was ultimately divorced.

From then on, only father and son remained, relying on each other for survival.

After that, Liu Changyang became even more severe, making young Liu Mo endure unimaginable hardships.

But he also honed the Bashan Flail to an extraordinary level from a young age.

Liu Changyang later took Liu Mo into the martial world, seeking rare treasures and renowned craftsmen, eventually forging two purple-gold concave flails, which became Liu Mo's weapons.

In the following years, Liu Changyang's health deteriorated day by day, ultimately due to the mental burden from that past battle, occasionally coughing up blood.

Within a few years, he passed away.

But before his death, he called Liu Mo to his side and said:

"The Unstoppable Saber Tong Yun of the Heavenly Blade Sect is my lifelong enemy. My death is entirely due to him. When you have achieved mastery, remember the enmity between us, which cannot be reconciled. You must go to the Heavenly Blade Sect, challenge the Unstoppable Saber, and slay him to avenge me and restore the glory of the Bashan Flail!"

With these words, he passed away.

Initially, Liu Mo regarded these instructions as absolute law. However, after his father's passing, as he traveled through the martial world, he gradually came to understand more about its rules.

The more he understood, the more questions arose in his heart.

Back then, when Liu Changyang challenged the Unstoppable Saber Tong Yun, it was an unexpected disaster for Tong Yun.

Sitting at home, he was suddenly challenged and could not refuse.

If he didn’t accept, people would call him a coward, and his reputation would plummet, making him the target of public scorn.

If he accepted and won, it would be one thing; but if he lost, his life in the martial world would have been for nothing, merely serving others.

In the end, Tong Yun won, yet he did not harm Liu Changyang in the slightest.

Though he was his own father, with unresolved issues, he ultimately took his own path to despair. How could this be blamed on anyone else?

But... the words his father spoke on his deathbed echoed in his mind constantly.

Every time he woke from a midnight dream, he could see his father lying there weakly, earnestly advising him, his hatred so intense it seemed tangible.

This left Liu Mo truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

To challenge and kill Tong Yun, setting aside whether he could actually do it, even if he could, he always felt it lacked a just cause.

After all, what had Tong Yun done wrong throughout this whole affair?

But if he didn’t, how could he face his father in the afterlife, knowing he had disobeyed his last wish?

This dilemma gnawed at his heart, truly making Liu Mo’s life difficult.

It entangled him for two or three decades.

Because of this, he became melancholic, sometimes wanting to take a bold step, regardless of right or wrong, and kill Tong Yun, even if it meant being killed by Tong Yun himself, rather than enduring such torment.

But every time he picked up his Purple Gold Concave Flail, he couldn’t bring himself to make the decision, and in the end, it all came to nothing.

Over these ten years, he joined the Wanxin Trading Company and occasionally came to Wufangji.

It was also a way to force himself to make a choice.

As he recounted the story, explaining everything clearly, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun were left speechless for a long while.

They felt that Liu Mo’s father had truly caused him immense suffering.