Chapter 176: Holding Accountable

Chapter 176: Holding Accountable

Yang Xiaoyun was right. In the past, Su Mo would have been filled with righteous indignation if he had encountered such a situation.

He would have killed these people...

But that would have been the end of it.

He never concerned himself with how the Fallen Phoenix Alliance operated.

The internal power struggles within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance were nothing more than idle gossip to Su Mo.

As long as things didn’t involve him directly, like Zuo Qiuyang, who had tried to kill Su Mo and disrupt the alliance between Wu Daoyou and Yang Yizhi, Su Mo didn’t want to get involved in other matters.

But things are different now.

The experiences of Su Tianyang and the ups and downs of Yang Yizhi’s life are closely related to him.

The true nature of the hidden adversaries remains unclear, like looking at flowers through the mist, indistinct.

How could a mere escort agency stand against such a colossal entity?

At this critical juncture, Su Mo needed to prepare more for the future.

The vast Fallen Phoenix Alliance, spanning four cities, three rivers, and two bays, might be useful in the future.

And who controlled the Fallen Phoenix Alliance was no longer a trivial matter to him.

He gently exhaled and gave a slight smile to Yang Xiaoyun:

"Times have changed."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded thoughtfully.

That night, they did not leave but stayed to rest in the village.

Of the so-called Five Ghosts of Guan Chuan, four of the bodies had turned to charcoal.

They searched the bodies but found nothing of significant interest. There was some silver, but not much, which Su Mo took.

The claws of the short, thin man were a good find and were kept as trophies.

Worth mentioning was the robe of the woman.

It was unclear what it was made of, but the material was quite tough. Although it looked oddly shaped, the material was intriguing, so Su Mo kept it, hoping to find some skilled craftsmen to modify it later.

Lastly, there was the child.

He slept soundly for half the night but started to fever around midnight.

He kept calling for his parents in a tone of terror.

Yang Xiaoyun heated water to wipe him down. Su Mo initially helped, but after undressing the child, Yang Xiaoyun sent Su Mo away.

It was a girl...

Although just a child of seven or eight, it wasn’t appropriate for a grown man like Su Mo to be present.

Helpless, Su Mo joined Fu Hanyuan and Liu Mo, and the three sat at the door counting stars.

After a long night, the child’s fever finally broke.

He fell into a deep sleep again.

It was not until dawn that he woke up groggily.

When his eyes met Yang Xiaoyun’s, he was startled and instinctively shrank to the corner of the bed, his eyes filled with fear.

Yang Xiaoyun tried to make herself look as gentle as possible:

"It's okay, child. We are not bad people."

Perhaps because Yang Xiaoyun was beautiful and Su Mo handsome, the sight of an attractive pair often put people at ease.

The child’s expression gradually relaxed.

He then looked at Liu Mo and Fu Hanyuan.

Both Liu Mo and Fu Hanyuan had honest faces, resembling neighborly uncles, and didn’t seem like bad people either.

As for Zhen Xiaoxiao... the large man appeared harmless as long as he wasn’t hitting anyone.

Finally, the child relaxed.

After scanning everyone, he suddenly seemed to remember something and tried to get up.

But Su Mo pushed him back down.

The child instinctively grabbed Su Mo’s wrist, intending to bite, but stopped halfway, looking cautiously at Su Mo.

Su Mo sighed:

"Your injuries are not fully healed. I need to channel energy for you again today. Don’t get too excited, or you’ll agitate your heart and worsen your injuries."

"Thank you... thank you, uncle... but, I want to find... I want to find my parents."

The child spoke in a low voice, seemingly afraid of angering Su Mo.

Hearing this, Su Mo sighed and let go of the hand that was holding her. "Xiaoyun, take her out for a look."

"Yes."

Yang Xiaoyun agreed and led the child out the door.

After a while, crying was heard.

When Yang Xiaoyun returned carrying her, it was no surprise that the child had fainted again.

Yang Xiaoyun handed her over to Su Mo, who gently exhaled.

"Let's go."

It was clear that the child could not stay here any longer, so they decided to take her along on their journey.

Outside, the young man from the Guan Chuan Five Ghosts had been screaming all night and was just about to fall into a drowsy sleep when he heard the sound of galloping hooves. In a moment of confusion, he felt a strong tug on his wrist and was dragged away, his entire body aching in an instant.

As Su Mo and the others began to ride furiously, he was dragged along, and in no time, he was covered in blood.

Su Mo and the others paid no attention to the man's life or death, dragging him all the way as they rode hard, and within half a day, they had reached Zhongfu City.

At the city gate, the guards were from the Fallen Phoenix Alliance.

Seeing the riders approach and not intending to stop, they quickly drew their weapons and shouted warnings.

Unexpectedly, a strong gust tore through the air.

With a "dong" sound, a plaque came flying from afar and struck the city wall.

It embedded itself into the giant stone of the wall, with cracks spreading from the center.

The guard, upon seeing this, was stunned. "Fengming Order!?"

Without delay, he knelt on one knee, holding his fists in both hands.

"May I ask which esteemed person has arrived?"

As he spoke, the galloping horses reached him, and looking up, he saw a handsome man riding at the forefront, a box on his back, and a child in his arms.

As the horse reared and then landed, the man finally spoke.

"Take the Fengming Order and lead the way. I need to go to the City Lord's mansion."

"Yes!"

The guard did not dare to delay and reached out to retrieve the Fengming Order.

However, although Su Mo had left some leeway in his throw, the plaque embedded halfway into the wall was not so easy to remove.

The guard struggled for a long time, but the Fengming Order did not move at all.

He considered using a knife but dared not, as the Fengming Order was no ordinary object.

In a moment, he was sweating profusely from anxiety.

Seeing this, Su Mo frowned slightly. "Get out of the way."

The guard quickly stepped aside, bowing.

Su Mo reached out, grabbed a stone from the ground, and with a flick, the stone landed next to the Fengming Order with a "bang," causing the plaque to fall.

The guard nearby quickly caught it and immediately waved his arm.

"The Fengming Order is here. Listen to my command, leave two people to manage the entry order, and the rest lead the way ahead!"

"Yes!"

At the command, footsteps hurriedly rose, and the small leader took the lead, quickly glancing at the Fengming Order in his hand. Seeing the large 'Wei' character on the back, his heart tightened.

This was from the Grand Master of the Alliance's side!

Although there was intense infighting within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, the Grand Master Wei Ruhan was not dead yet.

This Fengming Order had far more authority than those held by other alliance leaders.

He couldn't help but wonder what this grand display was for.

With a worried heart but unstopped feet, he led the way, clearing the street ahead and dispersing the people.

Behind him, Su Mo rode his horse, and within moments, they stopped in front of the City Lord's mansion in Zhongfu City.

With all the commotion, the City Lord's mansion had already been informed.

There were four guards at the front, their eyes cold and alert, hands on their sabers, and faces vigilant.

The small leader bowed to Su Mo. "Sir, this is the City Lord's mansion."

Su Mo nodded slightly. "Go knock on the door."

The small leader hesitated briefly but decided to follow the order, stepping forward and raising the Fengming Order.

"The Fengming Order is here. Step aside."

The guards at the gate were stunned, not expecting that the person approaching was actually holding a Phoenix Cry Order.

After a brief hesitation, just as they were about to step aside, a side door suddenly opened.

A middle-aged scholar stepped out.

"A Phoenix Cry Order? Quite the imposing aura. But I wonder, which family's Phoenix Cry Order is it, that dares to come and act wild in our Central Mansion City's manor?"

"Mr. Liu."

The people around bowed respectfully as the man appeared.

Mr. Liu stood with his hands behind his back and approached, saying to the small leader, "Give it here."

After a brief consideration, the small leader handed the Phoenix Cry Order to Mr. Liu.

As Mr. Liu took it and examined it, his eyebrows rose slightly:

"The Phoenix Cry Order of the Grand Master of the Alliance?"

He looked up at Su Mo and the others, his brows furrowing. "Are you all from my Fallen Phoenix Alliance?"

"No."

Su Mo smiled.

"No...? If not, where did you get this Phoenix Cry Order! How dare you come and deceive in our Central Mansion City manor, this is outrageous, seize them!!!"

He waved his hand, and the main gate opened, with the manor guards rushing out with weapons drawn.

"Who dares to touch my boss?"

A roar came from behind Su Mo, followed by a large figure leaping up and landing with a thunderous impact, shaking the ground violently.

For a moment, the manor guards felt unsteady on their feet, almost unable to move.

But this was just the beginning.

Zhen Xiaoxiao suddenly thrust her crutch sideways and took a step forward, casually pushing it in.

The manor guards lost their advantage and, upon realizing it, instinctively tried to resist, but who could match Zhen Xiaoxiao?

In no time, along with Mr. Liu, all those who came out were pushed back by Zhen Xiaoxiao's force.

Her immense strength was truly terrifying.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Liu was not skilled in martial arts, caught between the crutch and a group of strong men, nearly crushed to death.

Pushed inside the door, his face flushed with anger, fear, and shock, he pointed, spitting blood before he could even speak.

Suddenly, Su Mo's voice rang out clearly:

"Zhou Qingchuan, come out!!"

Just five words, but each one resounded like a clap of thunder, causing ear pain.

Even with martial arts protection, they felt dizzy, and Mr. Liu, about to speak, swallowed his words again, feeling dizzy with a buzzing head.

He opened his mouth and spat another mouthful of blood.

"I wonder which expert dares to act recklessly in my Fallen Phoenix Alliance's territory?"

The voice came from above.

Looking up, they saw a middle-aged man standing on the manor's roof, hands behind his back, looking down with an imposing manner.

The reason he stood on the roof wasn't just to look down.

Mainly because there were too many people at the door, and he didn't want to crowd together with his subordinates in a disorderly fashion.

He simply jumped up and looked down to see who was causing trouble at the door.

Su Mo looked at him. "You are Zhou Qingchuan?"

"I am. And who are you?"

"Su Mo of the Ziyang Escort Agency."

"What?"

Zhou Qingchuan was stunned, his face changing.

A name carries weight, and Su Mo became famous in the southwestern martial world after the battle in Profound Theory Valley.

His martial skills were unparalleled, making him the top young expert.

Moreover, regardless of his skills, the actions he took during the Profound Theory Valley battle earned him favors from many in the southwestern martial world.

Not to mention, the Liu Sui Feng of Jade Willow Villa...

What kind of person is he?

Even the Fallen Phoenix Alliance had to respect him, and Su Mo had saved his life.

Zhou Qingchuan originally thought he was just a foolish man who had gotten his hands on a Fengming Token and come here to seek some advantage.

However, he hadn’t expected such a troublesome individual to appear.

For a moment, he felt as if his head had grown as big as a bucket.

Su Mo, however, paid no mind to his thoughts and simply laughed heartily:

"City Lord Zhou, there is someone here for you to inspect."

"Someone?"

Zhou Qingchuan was startled, wondering if Liu Suifeng had also come.

What is this about?

In that moment of hesitation, he saw that not far behind Su Mo, a burly man suddenly yanked the reins of his horse and, with a flick of his hand, caught a person in his grasp.

This individual was covered in blood from head to toe, looking as if they were just one step away from death.

The burly man held the person and, with a swing, threw them towards Zhou Qingchuan.

The howling wind indicated the immense force behind the throw.

Startled, Zhou Qingchuan quickly moved his hands apart and caught the person’s shoulders. Following that, with a twist of his hands, he spun the person in the air, dissipating the incoming force.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that the person was barely breathing, their clothes reduced to strips of cloth, their flesh exposed and a blurry mess.

It was impossible to make out the person's features.

Perplexed, he asked, "Chief Escort Su, what does this mean? Who is this person?"

"About a hundred miles east of Zhongfu City, there is a village. May I ask if this village is within your city's territory?"

Su Mo responded in a roundabout way.

"Naturally!"

Zhou Qingchuan had no hesitation on this point. If he dared to shake his head, Wei Ruhan would claim that it was his territory.

"This village was slaughtered overnight, and only this child survived, though they are severely injured and nearly dead," Su Mo continued.

Zhou Qingchuan’s gaze followed Su Mo’s, resting on the child in Su Mo’s arms.

He had noticed the child earlier but didn’t understand the significance.

Now, with the explanation, he felt a cold sweat trickle down his forehead.

He quickly said, "Chief Escort Su, let me explain..."

Su Mo, however, had no intention of listening: "The murderers are the Wusheng Hall's Five Ghosts of Xichuan! The person in your hands is one of these five ghosts.

"I ask you, did you know that the Five Ghosts of Xichuan entered your city's territory?"

At this moment, the onlookers at the city lord’s residence also understood why this group had suddenly arrived and was being so aggressive.

It turned out that someone had come to hold them accountable for such a heinous crime within the city’s borders.

All eyes turned to Zhou Qingchuan.

His expression flickered uncertainly. He wanted to avoid answering, to say that Su Mo wasn’t from the Fallen Phoenix Alliance and couldn’t meddle in his affairs.

However, Su Mo had come with a Fengming Token.

The authority of the Fengming Token could vary, and as long as Wei Ruhan was alive, the Wei Token was vastly different from other Fengming Tokens.

Even so, normally, a Fengming Token wouldn’t give someone authority over other alliance leaders.

But there were three factors at play here: first, this was the Wei Token; second, the person was Su Mo; third, the incident was too severe.

At this point, he couldn’t afford not to answer.

Gritting his teeth, he said, "This seat... is unaware!"

"Preposterous!"

Su Mo suddenly flared up in anger: "The Fallen Phoenix Alliance spans the lands of four cities, three rivers, and two bays. All the people under its jurisdiction are governed by the alliance.

"As the lord of a city, you were completely unaware of the entry of the Five Ghosts of Xichuan.

"To the extent that innocent people were brutally killed!

"Zhou Qingchuan, do you acknowledge your guilt?"

"Preposterous! Even if this seat has made a mistake, is it your place, a chief escort, to interfere?"

Zhou Qingchuan felt a chill in his heart, realizing that Su Mo was looking for an excuse to make an issue.

Holding the Wei Token meant Su Mo had a close relationship with Wei Ruhan.

And Wei Ruhan had already placed Wei Ziyi within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance. Now, Su Mo was using this as an opportunity to pave the way for Wei Ziyi, eliminating rivals!

"Haha!"

Su Mo laughed loudly: "Not to mention that today, I, Su, hold the Fengming Token and have every right to meddle in the Fallen Phoenix Alliance's affairs.

"But even if I didn’t hold this Fengming Token today, anyone under heaven has the right to intervene. As one of the alliance leaders, you have been negligent in your duties, neither contributing to the alliance nor working for the welfare of the people. To sit idly by while such a horrendous massacre occurs under your jurisdiction, and remain oblivious...

"It’s truly a joke!"

"A leader like this is better off not existing!"

As soon as the words fell, he suddenly rose to his feet and, in a swift movement, dashed straight toward Zhou Qingchuan.

Zhou Qingchuan had already been prepared and knew that, with the conversation having reached this point, there was no choice but to fight. He immediately thrust out both palms, aiming to gain the upper hand with a preemptive strike.

However, Su Mo didn’t even glance at the two palms coming toward him. He let them land on his body, only to feel as if they had struck metal. Su Mo remained unmoved, while Zhou Qingchuan felt his arms shake violently from the impact.

A mouthful of reverse blood rushed to his heart, and just as he saw another palm coming toward his face, blocking out the sky and covering the sun, his mind went blank, and he knew nothing more.

The onlookers saw the Chief Escort Su of Ziyang Escort Agency leap into the air, take Zhou Qingchuan’s two palms head-on, and finally strike one palm onto Zhou Qingchuan’s head, killing the city’s lord on the spot, blood flowing from his seven orifices.

Immediately after, Su Mo tapped his toe on the eaves and arrived at the entrance of the city lord’s mansion, casually taking back the Fengming Token from Mr. Liu’s hand.

Mr. Liu’s face turned ashen. “You… you…”

Su Mo couldn’t be bothered to spare him a glance, merely waving at Zhen Xiaoxiao. “Let’s go.”

Zhen Xiaoxiao gave a hey and, with a single exertion of strength, caused a crowd of people to fall over.

As the two turned to leave, they heard a voice calling out from afar:

“Who dares to cause trouble in the city lord’s mansion of Zhongfu City!?"