Chapter 136: The Evil Glutton

Chapter 136: The Evil Glutton

"Too much! Too much!!!"

The man was momentarily enraged, his palm continuously flowing with something, and his mouth incessantly babbling:

"It's just a pastry we met on the road, yet you actually, actually bully me...

"Our sect merely wants to have a full meal; why is it so difficult?

"You... you people, this world, don't even allow such a simple thing as letting someone eat their fill?"

Seeing the man in a fit of rage, the few women who had arrived all had grave expressions.

They exchanged glances, and the leader among them coldly shouted:

"Hanging Corpse Hand! Are you a remnant of the Evil Glutton Sect!?"

The Evil Glutton Sect?

Hearing this new term, Su Mo was somewhat curious and glanced at Yang Xiaoyun, noticing her grave expression, he asked:

"Does Sister Xiaoyun know about the Evil Glutton Sect?"

Yang Xiaoyun's red lips parted, uttering eight words:

"Eating humans to cultivate, abhorred by both gods and men!"

Su Mo nodded, not feeling particularly surprised. The man's earlier ramblings were already quite unsettling.

Now, hearing him repeatedly complain about not being allowed to eat his fill, it was clear that if they were fed, others would likely starve.

No wonder they were wiped out; they truly deserved it.

Looking at the corpse on the ground, he sighed softly: "In the prime of her life, she fell victim to your evil hands, truly pitiful."

"Pitiful?"

The man laughed loudly: "Survival of the fittest, only the strong survive; this is a world where the strong prey on the weak... You righteous people, do you ever spit out the bones after eating humans?

"Very well, I came to this southwestern region planning to feast without restraint. Now that you're all gathered here, it's fitting that I should be able to eat my fill!"

With these words, he suddenly leaped up, no longer paying attention to the women but heading straight for Su Mo.

Capture the king first; Su Mo’s stone throw was indeed formidable, and he dared not entertain any lucky thoughts. He planned to take down Su Mo first before dealing with the others.

"Be careful!"

The leading woman immediately warned: "The Evil Glutton Sect possesses the poison of decaying corpses; under no circumstances should you let it touch you, or there will be no cure!"

"Oh? Thank you for the warning."

Su Mo raised an eyebrow, and with a crack, the sword case behind him sprang open.

Immediately, the sound of a sword ringing out followed, and under the surge of inner strength, the Dragon Roar naturally unsheathed itself. Su Mo lifted the longsword into his hand and casually thrust it forward.

A flash of cold light appeared, and though the move did not seem particularly intricate, everyone watching felt a chilling aura emanate from the blade.

Then, a pitch-black hand was seen flying away in the reflection of the blade.

Blood splattered, and the man froze, seemingly never having imagined such an outcome.

But as he watched the hand fall from the sky, he reached out to catch it, looked down, and said:

"Cannot waste it."

As he spoke, he stuffed the hand into his chest, glanced at Su Mo once more, and then turned to run.

He had intended to kill, but one strike revealed the vast gap between him and Su Mo.

Unable to kill or eat, he ran!

Everyone present, except for Yang Xiaoyun, was almost dumbfounded.

They had just engaged in several rounds of combat with him, completely overpowered, and even with their combined efforts, two swords were broken. If not for Su Mo's timely assistance, two of their fellow disciples would have died on the spot.

Yet, this unknown passerby had severed the arm of the Evil Glutton Sect remnant with a single strike.

Such swordsmanship was unheard of and unseen!

However, there was no time for shock. Seeing the man about to escape, they immediately shouted in anger:

"Stop him."

Regardless of avenging their fellow disciples, if this person escaped, how many innocent lives in the southwestern region would be harmed?

Therefore, no matter the cost, they could not let him get away today.

At the command, the sound of swords rang out, and two women, swords in hand, rushed forward.

The man, now with only one hand, showed no fear. His palm instantly turned black, plunging into the sword shadows and striking at the center. Just as the two women blocked him, he suddenly drew a deep breath and spat.

At this moment, it was too late to dodge.

The two women, startled, felt certain of their impending death, and were about to close their eyes when they suddenly felt a tight grip on the back of their necks, followed by a fleeting sensation.

When they regained their composure, they found themselves several feet away.

The decaying corpse poison of the Evil Glutton Sect was indeed powerful, but his breath could not reach this far.

Turning around, they indeed saw Su Mo standing right behind them.

Just as they were about to express their gratitude, Su Mo spoke up, “Stay calm.”

The four words hit their ears, causing their faces to flush with embarrassment.

It wasn't that Su Mo was teasing them; his words were genuinely polite. In simpler terms, it meant, "Don't come over and cause trouble!"

If anyone else had said this, they would have been defiant. But when Su Mo spoke, they couldn't help but comply.

Embarrassed and annoyed, their faces turned red.

Su Mo stepped forward with his sword, smiling, “Would it be too much to ask for a bit of light?”

“Hey...”

The man glanced at his severed arm, then looked up at Su Mo, “What a fierce sword technique. In the southwestern region, the only person known for his sword skills is Yuliu Jianxin Liu Suifeng. I've heard of the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword, but who might you be?”

“Friends, all friends.”

Su Mo smiled, “But to be precise, I have a deep connection with Lord Liu of the villa. Thanks to his kindness, I received one scroll of the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword. Since you've heard of him, today I will use the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword to learn from your skills.”

“Oh?”

The man seemed surprised, “At your age, you can't be that Yuliu Jianxin. However, calling him Lord Liu suggests you're not from Jade Willow Villa. So young, yet so skilled. Who exactly are you?”

“Fellow wanderers in this world, why must we know each other’s names?”

Su Mo sighed, “In any case, you will die here today. Why be so curious? See, I never asked for your name.”

“You have a point.”

The man nodded and immediately leaped forward, reaching Su Mo in an instant. His fingers moved swiftly, closing in on Su Mo.

Su Mo felt as if the entire world was enveloped by this claw.

The move was profound and mysterious, neither an inch more nor less!

A slight smile curved his lips, “Impressive!”

The dragon's cry resounded, and with a hum, he raised his hand, using the 'Wind Supporting Willow' technique from the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword. The sword light was grand yet serene, like a gentle breeze caressing the willow, captivating anyone who watched.

But if one truly became entranced, they would end up as a soul beneath the sword.

The man opposite Su Mo found himself mesmerized, his movements half a beat slower. Realizing this, he quickly retreated.

Looking at Su Mo again, his eyes were filled with even more uncertainty.

“Is this the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword?”

Su Mo didn't respond. He had practiced the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword diligently for a long time.

However, this was the first time he was using it in combat.

In fact, if not for encountering such a cannibalistic individual, Su Mo wouldn't have truly engaged in battle.

But since he had encountered this person today, he couldn't let him go.

Now was the perfect opportunity to test his sword.

In an instant, Su Mo began to execute the sixteen moves of the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword. At first, the man felt the 'Wind Supporting Willow' move to be serene and peaceful.

But as the sword light progressed, it became increasingly magnificent and intense.

Liu Suifeng had transformed the ancestral eighty-one moves of Jade Willow Villa into sixteen, each with its unique characteristics.

By the sixth move, confusion appeared in the man's eyes.

By the seventh move, his reactions were already half a beat slower, not slow, but hesitant.

With the eighth move, the astonishment in his eyes made it seem as though he no longer saw Su Mo's sword.

Only when the blade was right before him did he suddenly snap out of it, roaring,

“How dare you! How dare you belittle me! What have I done wrong? What has our sect done wrong?

“Survival of the fittest, survival of the fittest!

“The martial world is a sea of suffering; who can remain unscathed?

“We kill, and you don’t consider it killing?

“Why should we be the ones killed?

“Just because we eat a little more?”

He seemed deranged, his once orderly moves now chaotic and random.

Occasionally, he spewed poison from his mouth, trying to poison Su Mo.

But with Su Mo's internal energy flowing, he merely swept his sleeve, sending the poison flying away.

Seizing the moment, he executed the ninth move.

Even in a normal state, avoiding the Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword required full concentration. How much more so now?

His chaotic attacks left him full of vulnerabilities. When Su Mo's sword arrived, it was precisely at his throat. Only then did the man seem to wake from a dream.

“Heavenly Rainbow Heart-Asking Sword... So this is how you ask the heart.”

"It is... the questioning of the heart's door!"

The moment Su Mo uttered these six words, his long sword had already pierced through this person's throat.

The Dragon Chant lightly turned, and he horizontally slashed across the man’s throat. With a casual swing, the sword qi surged, and amidst the splashing blood, the head flew straight into the sky.

Even as the head hit the ground, the eyes still bore a deep trace of shock.

He had said so much, seemingly trying to convince himself, or perhaps to convince this world.

But the more he spoke, the more it revealed the confusion in his heart.

Su Mo looked at the Dragon Chant in his hand. With a slight tremor of the blade, the blood immediately splattered to the ground. He casually tossed the sword, which turned mid-air and precisely sheathed itself with a click, the sword scabbard closing, and for a moment, the wind was light and the clouds were calm.

"Excellent swordsmanship!"

Only then did the onlookers dare to speak.

Yang Xiaoyun casually took out a flint and tossed it to Su Mo. Su Mo nodded, then pulled out a pair of deer leather gloves from his chest and put them on. After searching the body for a moment, he gently shook his head: "There's nothing at all."

"What are you looking for?"

The woman leading the group approached Su Mo with her fellow disciples.

Su Mo said, "He mentioned earlier that his trip to the southwestern region seemed to have some purpose. If successful, both the Cold Moon Palace and the Purple Sun Sect would be in trouble. I thought, since he's dead, we might find some kind of token or letter on him... to gather more information and help those people prepare."

"It seems that not every fool carries secret messages with them."

"What?"

The woman leading the group was startled: "Is that true?"

Su Mo nodded, casually lit the flint, blew on it, and the flame immediately ignited. He dropped it onto the corpse, then looked at the severed head, found a stick, and pushed the head to the side of the fire, burning it together before he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

His actions were so smooth and practiced that the women were all quite shocked.

This level of skill could only come from doing such things countless times.

Their gazes shifted, and they now looked at Su Mo with a hint of fear.

Su Mo smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "I haven't had the pleasure of knowing who you all are..."

"Chu Qiuyu of the Cold Moon Palace, they are all my junior sisters..."

At this point, Chu Qiuyu's face showed a look of sorrow: "Our journey through the world was meant to be a training exercise. But we never expected to encounter this person near Jiyang Ferry.

"At the time, we didn't take it seriously, but that night, one of my junior sisters went missing.

"After inquiring, we learned that someone had carried a young woman onto a boat, and thus we followed the boat to this place, where we finally intercepted this person...

"But we never imagined that this person belonged to the Evil Feast Sect. My junior sister... she... she..."

At this point, Chu Qiuyu took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Su Mo: "If it weren't for your noble act and assistance, we might not only have failed to capture this person but also become his victims.

"May I ask, what is the name of our benefactor?"

"You're too kind."

Su Mo clasped his hands and said, "I am Su Mo of the Ziyang Escort Agency, and this is our Deputy Chief Escort, Yang Xiaoyun. We greet the ladies of the Cold Moon Palace."

"Ziyang Escort Agency..."

Upon hearing this, Chu Qiuyu and her companions exchanged glances, and Chu Qiuyu's expression turned difficult as she asked softly:

"May I ask, what is the relationship between the Ziyang Escort Agency and the Purple Sun Sect?"

"My ancestor came from the Purple Sun Sect."

Su Mo answered frankly.

Chu Qiuyu and the others exchanged glances again, momentarily at a loss for words.

After a while, Chu Qiuyu finally spoke: "Your rescue will never be forgotten... However, we still have matters to attend to tonight and cannot linger here. We must take our leave. May we meet again in the future."

"Oh?"

Su Mo could see the insincerity in Chu Qiuyu's words, but he had no reason to stop them.

He smiled and said, "Very well, take care."

The girls from the Cold Moon Palace exchanged glances, then carried the body of their sister and flew away.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun watched the two fires in front of them, speechless for a moment.

"Is there some kind of conflict between the Purple Sun Sect and the Cold Moon Palace?"

"I've never heard of it... Wei Ziyi and us have always been on good terms. Why did they seem so worried about being associated with us after hearing the name of the Ziyang Escort Agency, and leave so quickly?"

Yang Xiaoyun was also puzzled, unable to figure it out.

Su Mo stroked his chin: "Forget it, don't think about it. Maybe they were telling the truth... Besides, with their junior sister being harmed, they should indeed return to their sect as soon as possible to handle the aftermath."

Hearing this, Yang Xiaoyun frowned:

"The Evil Feast Sect... I once heard Father mention these people.

"They feed on human flesh and practice the [Tao Tien Cultivation Technique], an extremely evil martial art that increases power by consuming humans.

"It is said to be a mutated branch of martial arts that originated outside the Eastern Wasteland and was later introduced to the Eastern Wasteland."

"At first, the people of East City were unaware of their true intentions, and this group indeed acted with great caution.

"It wasn't until a disciple of a prestigious sect returned home to visit his family and found them all gone that suspicions arose.

"Upon investigation, he discovered the lair of the Wicked Feast Sect... Initially, he intended to avenge his family, but instead, he became their prey.

"However, this led to the exposure of the Wicked Feast Sect, which was subsequently besieged and eradicated by the combined forces of East City's various sects.

"Earlier, when that person mentioned being bullied and attacked by these major sects, I should have realized it was them...

"But at the time, I never imagined that remnants of this sect could still exist."

Su Mo nodded slightly: "Evil cults never truly die out; much of the turmoil in the martial world is due to them. The struggle between good and evil in East City is particularly intense, isn't the Youquan Cult also a result of this?"

Yang Xiaoyun 'hmm'ed, and for a moment, both fell silent.

After a while, Su Mo spoke again:

"However, what that person said still lingers in my mind. I wonder what they meant? The southwestern region has always been isolated, and the sects of East City rarely venture here.

"Since this person is a remnant of the Wicked Feast Sect and claims to have come to the southwest with another agenda, it does pique one's curiosity."

"What if..."

Yang Xiaoyun suddenly looked at Su Mo: "After we finish this trip, shall we pay a visit to the Purple Sun Sect?"

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then shook his head lightly:

"Since Father's death, our ties with the Purple Sun Sect have been severed. It would be awkward to show up unannounced without knowing what to say.

"The words of the Wicked Feast Sect member lack evidence. If it's just idle talk, visiting them without solid proof would hardly gain their trust."

"Idle talk?"

Yang Xiaoyun found this term novel but nodded: "That's true... Let's not dwell on it too much."

"Alright, I'll rest now. I'll take the night watch later."

"Okay."

With that, they each settled down to rest.

The night passed quietly, and the next morning, they set off again, crossing Huayang Mountain. From the high ground, they could see the confluence of the Three Rivers below.

The water flowed swiftly and powerfully, yet there was a natural calmness to it, a balance that seemed to hold deeper meaning.