Chapter 140: Shadow Messenger

Chapter 140: Shadow Messenger

In this world of martial arts, the most detestable and despised individuals are the lechers.

Bandits gather in groups, pirates form gangs, and even petty thieves have their own organizations.

Only lechers act alone.

Whenever they appear, they are like rats in the street, everyone shouting to beat them.

Who would have thought that after raising a daughter for over a decade, planning to find her a good match, she would be ruined by a lecher?

The daughter, ashamed to face anyone, hangs herself.

The family mourns.

If there are many children in the family, it is already tragic; if there is only one daughter, the entire family is destroyed.

Although lechers do not kill or steal money, their harm is particularly heinous.

Therefore, whenever a lecher is spotted, they are killed first and questioned later!

In the past, the Jiaolong Association had never been known to abduct people and then use such despicable methods. But now, upon seeing this, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun did not say much and immediately struck the fatal blow.

With a turn of the Dragon Abyss Spear, a life was ended right there.

The remaining few were still dazed when Su Mo grabbed two of their necks, and with two crisp snaps, their heads tilted, and their bodies fell dead.

The last person finally came to his senses, turning back to shout, but was instantly grabbed by Su Mo's hand.

His fingers contracted, and the man's face cracked with a series of snaps, bones shattering, and he was dead with a casual push.

Xiaoyun stepped forward, "Is Miss Chu alright?"

"Alright... Thank you both."

Chu Qiuyu also let out a sigh of relief, looking at the bodies on the ground, still feeling lingering fear.

Xiaoyun lifted her hand and tapped Chu Qiuyu twice, immediately releasing her acupoints.

Chu Qiuyu shook her arms, and the ropes around her wrists snapped.

She stood up, bowed deeply, "Thank you both again for saving me. I truly... have no way to repay you."

Su Mo waved his hand, "We are all fellow practitioners of martial arts. When traveling, it's hard to avoid mishaps. Miss Chu, there's no need for such formalities. May I ask why you are here?"

"This is a long story."

As Chu Qiuyu spoke, she picked up a long sword from beside the bodies:

"The Jiaolong Association inexplicably blocked the waterway. Over the past few days, my sisters and I have been investigating in Three Rivers Bay, looking for a way to cross the water.

"The head of Yunyang Trading Company has a significant connection with our Cold Moon Palace, so we asked him to pass a message to the Jiaolong Association, hoping they might show some leniency.

"Although the Cold Moon Palace has some standing in East City, there are rules on the waterways, and we cannot break them.

"After negotiations, the Jiaolong Association agreed.

"My sisters and I decided to travel on Yunyang Trading Company's merchant ship to cross the water.

"But unexpectedly, although the Jiaolong Association seemed to agree, when we arrived, they completely disregarded the Cold Moon Palace's reputation.

"They attacked fiercely, opening a massacre.

"Although my sisters and I have considerable martial skills, we had no advantage in a water battle and were captured with fishing nets, nearly drowning..."

She summarized her ordeal briefly, ending with a bitter laugh, "It's quite embarrassing, I apologize for the trouble."

"Not at all."

Xiaoyun shook her head, "A land battle and a water battle are entirely different. Miss Chu, not knowing the intricacies, it's understandable that you were outmaneuvered.

"But what has given the Jiaolong Association such confidence that they dare to defy the Cold Moon Palace?

"From what that man said, they are even daring to attack the Cold Moon Palace under someone's leadership?"

"It's just delusional nonsense."

Chu Qiuyu sneered, "The Jiaolong Association is bold, perhaps there is something behind it, but to dare to attack the Cold Moon Palace..."

Her words trailed off as she frowned, seemingly thinking of something.

She looked at Su Mo and Xiaoyun, "Having been saved by both of you, I should properly repay you. However, my sisters are still in captivity. Please allow me to go and save them before I can explain further."

"Of course."

Su Mo and Xiaoyun nodded, "Saving them is the priority."

Xiaoyun was about to say more, but Su Mo pulled her aside, and they parted ways in the room.

Chu Qiuyu flew off to save her sisters.

Xiaoyun then asked, "Why don't we help her?"

"She is a distinguished disciple of the Cold Moon Palace with extraordinary martial skills. If not for the water, the Jiaolong Association might not have been able to capture her. She can rescue her sisters without our help."

Su Mo continued, "Moreover, the Jiaolong Association's sudden change in behavior suggests something strange is afoot. I plan to check on the main hall to see what the leaders are up to."

"Alright."

The two immediately left the room, closing the door behind them.

With that, they leaped up and rushed straight toward the grand hall of the Jiaolong Association.

However, before they could reach it, the sounds of battle cries erupted.

They landed on the roof, and from a distance, they saw a group of black-clad figures suddenly emerge, surrounding the people of the Red Leaf Gang, Green Snake Alliance, and Xuanlong Water Village.

By the time the two arrived, all three groups of pirates were already lying on the ground.

Only the large, fat man wielding a single-footed bronze mace was still charging through the crowd, despite the black-clad figures' superior martial skills far surpassing those of the Jiaolong Association. For a moment, they couldn't subdue him.

At that moment, a black figure darted out from the grand hall like a black line.

In an instant, he was in front of the fat man, reaching out to grab him, his fingers enveloped in a sinister black aura.

The fat man spun his single-footed bronze mace and thrust it upward.

In a blink, their hands met.

Buzz!!

The single-footed bronze mace began to vibrate uncontrollably, with black aura coiling around it like two venomous snakes, heading straight for the fat man.

Unprepared for this move, the fat man hesitated, and by the time he tried to let go of the mace, it was too late.

The black aura reached his chest in a flash, striking him with such force that he flew backward.

However, whether due to his bulk or some secret technique, the fat man suffered no apparent damage and quickly scrambled to his feet.

Abandoning the single-footed bronze mace, he turned and ran.

The black-clad figures were taken aback, instinctively looking at their own hands and then at the fat man, finding the situation extremely peculiar.

At this moment, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun got a clear view of the man's appearance.

He was clad entirely in black, wearing a hood and a black mask embroidered with gold threads.

His eyes, deep and piercing like stars in the night, were especially cold and sharp even in the darkness.

In a swift movement, he had already caught up to the fat man.

Despite the fat man's immense strength, his lightness skills were clearly inferior. In the blink of an eye, the black-clad figure had caught up to him.

With one hand, he grabbed the fat man, who suddenly turned around and threw a powerful punch.

Upon impact, the black-clad figure was sent flying backward, unable to stop himself despite several attempts to regain his footing, retreating more than ten feet before finally stopping.

His eyes filled with shock and suspicion.

The fat man's punch was formidable, his small eyes blazing with ferocity, but he suddenly froze and then collapsed.

The black-clad figure regained his balance and said, "Take him away."

Several black-clad figures immediately approached, deftly pressing acupoints on the fat man's body. To ensure he wouldn't escape, they bound him in a horse-tying position and then found a wooden stick to carry him off.

At this moment, another person emerged from the grand hall, short and thin, hunched over, and in a few quick steps, he was in front of the black-clad figure.

"Shadow Envoy."

He bowed respectfully, revealing himself to be the third leader of the Jiaolong Association.

The black-clad figure, still examining his hand, spoke without looking at him:

"The curtain has been raised; this is just the first step."

"Yes."

"Prepare yourself."

The black-clad figure shook his hand and then pulled a glove from his waist, putting it on:

"In the coming days, the bandits along the river will gradually come knocking. The Jiaolong Association will open its gates, ensuring they never leave.

"However..."

He glanced at the third leader: "The boat blockade can last at most fifteen days. If anyone remains unshaken after these fifteen days, I will personally pay them a visit."

"Everything depends on you, Shadow Envoy."

"Hmph."

The black-clad figure let out a light hum and stretched lazily: "I'm tired."

"Send off the flag order!"

The third leader bowed deeply, as if he wanted to kneel to see him off.

However, after taking a few steps, the black-clad figure turned back to look at him.

The third leader, about to raise his head, quickly lowered it again.

"Remember one thing..."

The black-clad figure whispered: "What is given to you, you must take. What is not given to you, do not reach for... Discipline your subordinates well. If any trouble arises prematurely, you won't be the only choice."

"Understood, sir."

The third leader instinctively swallowed, feeling cold sweat drench his forehead.

After a long while, hearing no sound, he looked up to find the black-clad figure had vanished without a trace.

He immediately stood up, letting out a long breath.

Turning back into the main hall, where were the leaders of the three bandit groups now?

The hall was empty, with only a few untouched cups of tea still on the table.

A few Jiaolong Association pirates were tidying up the hall; seeing the third leader return, they hurriedly bowed.

"Everyone, you may leave."

The third leader waved his hand, and everyone present stopped cleaning and withdrew.

Alone in the main hall, the third leader looked up at the seat of honor.

It was the chair of the Jiaolong Association's chief leader.

Though it was a simple chair, not as splendid or golden as an imperial throne,

it exuded boundless charm.

Step by step, the third leader approached the chair, turned around, and carefully sat down.

At first, he seemed somewhat nervous, but soon a smile crept onto his lips.

The smile gradually spread, turning into a hearty laugh, then a wild one!

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

He lightly patted the armrests of the chair, and after a moment, his laughter subsided, his gaze turning sharp:

"Chief of the waterways, the first among the Three Rivers, who else but me!?"

"Great spirit, but I wonder where the confidence comes from?"

"Perhaps it was given by that person earlier?"

The sudden sound of a man and a woman talking made the third leader jump as if his buttocks were on fire.

"Who’s there?"

He looked around, searching for any sign of them.

But the hall was empty, with no one in sight.

Just as he thought it might be an illusion, he felt a tight grip on his shoulder, followed by several pressure points on his back being struck, leaving him stiff and unable to move.

Only then did he hear someone behind him say, "His martial arts are just third-rate."

"Such a person is merely a tool in someone else's hands. No wonder that person said he wasn’t the only choice. If he were the only choice, wouldn’t it make others seem overly incompetent?"

Hearing this, the third leader felt the woman's voice was somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

In the crisis, he quickly recalled it and hurriedly said, "Is it the young head of the Iron Blood Escort Agency? Don't joke around like this."

"You have good ears."

"That’s about all the intelligence you have left."

As they spoke, the figures moved in front of him. The third leader looked up and indeed saw Yang Xiaoyun.

But the man standing beside her was unfamiliar.

However, he didn’t have time to dwell on this and quickly forced a smile:

"What... what do you mean by that?

"Yang Young Head, if you had told me, I would have prepared a grand feast and ordered the best boats to welcome your arrival. Why did you come here yourself?

"And, is there some misunderstanding?

"Why did you strike my pressure points?"

"Pretending to be ignorant when you know very well."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded and said to Su Mo, "I remember you were quite skilled at this. When the Qijue Hall came, you used it to perfection."

"That’s nothing compared to the third leader’s ability to speak the right words to the right people."

Su Mo looked at the third leader and smiled, "How long do you plan to keep us guessing, Third Leader?"

"I... I... Brothers, what are you talking about?

"I don’t understand at all."

"Really?"

Su Mo shook his head, "We came today to pay our respects, but we ended up in a conflict with the Jiaolong Association. I intended to apologize to Chief Zhuge in person. Since he’s avoiding us, I dare not stay here long. And since you’ve seen us, to keep this information secret, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to die."

"Hold on!"

Seeing Su Mo about to strike, the third leader quickly said, "Brother... We have no grudges or enmities. Why go to such lengths?

"If my subordinates have offended you, you can punish them as you see fit. The Jiaolong Association will not argue."

"If it really doesn't work, I, your third leader, am willing to kowtow and apologize. But please, don't even think about killing us and adding more sin to your soul.

"The senior monks at Thien Fo Temple said it well; those who kill will descend into the Avici Hell after death."

Su Mo could barely hold back his laughter, but Yang Xiaoyun had already started laughing. She said to Su Mo,

"This third leader sure knows how to talk. It's better to kill someone like him quickly and cleanly."

"You're absolutely right."

Su Mo nodded immediately. However, the third leader quickly interjected, "Please, wait, sirs..."

"I don't have time for more nonsense with you."

As Yang Xiaoyun moved, the Dragon Abyss Spear was already at the second leader's neck:

"What happened within the Jiaolong Association? Where is the chief, Zhuge Changtian?

"If you answer, that's the end of it. If you don't... after we kill you, we'll leave, and then we'll see if the person behind you has the ability to resurrect the dead and heal bones. Maybe they can bring you back from the dead!"

The third leader fell silent.

Su Mo could joke and play word games with him, and he could still maneuver.

But Yang Xiaoyun was someone who did what she said. If she said she'd kill you, she really would.

After a moment of hesitation, gritting his teeth, the third leader finally said,

"Sirs, to be honest, the chief has already been killed!"

"Oh?"

Su Mo's eyebrows rose slightly. "Killed by whom?"

"I... I don't know either."

The third leader's eyes darted around nervously.

Yang Xiaoyun shook her head. "Lies and nonsense, not a word of truth. Xiao Mo, we can't get anywhere without using some means."

"Very well."

Su Mo smiled and said to the third leader, "Third leader, bear with us for a moment."

"Huh?"

Before he could react, an intense pain shot through his bones!

He opened his mouth to scream, but before any sound could escape, Su Mo tore a piece of cloth, rolled it into a ball, and shoved it into his mouth as he tried to cry out.

The sharp scream was swallowed, leaving only a muffled groan.

His veins bulged all over, his eyes rolled back, and his breathing became erratic as he neared death.

Su Mo, being kind-hearted, seeing that the third leader was about to suffocate, reached out and pressed against his back, giving him a breath of air.

The third leader was beyond despair. Under such intense pain, what ambitions or self-confidence could remain?

It was all worthless nonsense.

All he wanted was a quick death.

But Su Mo wouldn't let him die; instead, he made him suffer.

The third leader couldn't understand how the pain in his arm could be so intense.

It was as if countless small knives had been placed into his bloodstream, cutting repeatedly as the blood flowed, slicing back and forth on his arm.

Yet, he couldn't find where the wounds were.

He had heard of scratching an itch through a boot, but this was causing pain through a boot, and it made no sense.

As time passed, the pain only grew stronger.

The third leader gradually lost track of time, only aware of the unbearable pain, as if it had been thousands of years, endless.

But just as the pain reached its peak, it suddenly vanished completely.

Yet his arm continued to throb.

The cloth in his throat was removed by Su Mo, who threw it on the ground in disgust. Looking at the third leader, Su Mo asked, "The chief is dead?"

"No."

"Then who is the black-clothed man?"

"An envoy from Evernight Valley."

"What are you planning to do?"

"To sweep the river routes and become the greatest thieves on the water."

Su Mo suddenly realized. "So you're planning to become the king of river pirates!"