Chapter 184: Remnants

Chapter 184: Remnants

The note had already been in Su Mo's hands for a long time.

After first encountering Yu Lingxin, Su Mo was targeted for assassination in Sunset City.

This incident was carried out by Zuo Qiuyang, the deputy city lord of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance in Feather City. That night, after Su Mo killed Zuo Qiuyang, he looted his body.

In the process, he accidentally shattered Zuo Qiuyang's hairpin.

The note was found within.

At that time, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun studied it, only to find that no matter how they read the words, they were nonsensical.

But why would someone like Zuo Qiuyang treasure something so meaningless?

Yang Xiaoyun thought it might be a secret letter, one that required special means to decipher the true content from the disordered text.

Because of the cryptic nature of the item, Su Mo decided to keep it.

However, they hadn't encountered any related clues since then.

Now, seeing the Secret Box, Su Mo was reminded of this note.

Upon comparison, Su Mo began to see some patterns.

The text on the Secret Box was in lines of ten characters, with ten lines on each of the six sides.

There were a total of six hundred characters.

This note was also arranged in lines of ten characters. He used the candlelight to count and found there were sixty lines.

There were a total of six hundred characters.

Su Mo looked up at Duan Song with a strange look, and Duan Song looked back at him equally confused:

"Where did you get this?"

"Would you believe me if I said I found it?"

"…I do."

Duan Song nodded, "I believe whatever you and your father say, I believe you both."

Su Mo was momentarily speechless, shaking his head slightly. "How coincidental!"

"Hard to say."

Duan Song waved his hand. "There are many true and false guides to the Secret Box circulating in the world. It’s still unknown whether yours is genuine."

"Oh."

Su Mo nodded and casually tossed the Secret Box to Duan Song.

"You're giving it to me?"

Duan Song hurriedly caught it, a bit bewildered.

"My father’s letter mentioned that you were coming to retrieve it."

"Who else would I give it to?"

Su Mo retorted.

Duan Song thought for a moment and realized it was indeed the case, but still cast a doubtful glance at Su Mo.

"Are you really giving this to me?"

"If you don’t want it, you can give it back to me."

"Who said I don’t want it?"

Duan Song quickly tucked the Mystic Box into his chest, then looked at the slip of paper still in Su Mo's hand.

Su Mo waved the slip of paper in front of Duan Song’s face, then carefully folded it and tucked it into his sleeve.

"..."

Duan Song’s lips twitched. "I came here for this. Now that I’ve got it, I’m leaving..."

"Alright."

Su Mo said with a smile, "Let me see you off, Senior."

"No need... No need!"

Duan Song waved his hands hurriedly, retreating towards the exit. He tugged on a rope, tapped his foot, and leaped out.

When Su Mo stepped out, Duan Song was staring at Yang Xiaoyun, the two staring at each other.

When Yang Xiaoyun saw Su Mo come out, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Duan Song’s eyes swept across their faces, and he nodded slightly.

"The younger generation is truly impressive..."

"I am flattered, Senior."

Su Mo said, "Let me see you off."

"No need..."

Duan Song shook his head, and just as he reached the door, his steps paused slightly. He turned to look at Su Mo.

"When will you return to Ziyang Sect?"

"I have already written a letter and sent it to Ziyang Sect. I will be heading to East City for a visit soon."

"Good."

Duan Song smiled. "I’ll wait for you at Ziyang Sect... I wonder what expression the Sect Leader will have when he sees you now."

At that moment, a hint of different light flickered in his eyes, showing a bit of the grace and dignity he had when he first met Su Mo. Though, it was hard to tell if he was just pretending to be a high-ranking figure again.

With a soft sigh, he pushed open the door, tapped his foot, and in an instant, was on the roof. With a swift motion, he removed a mask from his face and melted into the night, disappearing from sight.

Su Mo stood at the door, watching quietly for a moment, before shifting his gaze to the opening on the ground.

"What happened?"

Yang Xiaoyun spoke softly.

Su Mo briefly described what happened in the secret chamber.

Yang Xiaoyun was momentarily surprised. "The Enigmatic Box? According to what you said, whatever is hidden inside must be of great significance."

"Exactly."

Su Mo nodded. "I suspect it might contain another enigmatic device, or something connected to such a device."

"However, what Duan Song knows remains limited. Instead of dwelling on this, we should ask the Purple Sun Sect's leader directly when we visit."

As he continued speaking, his expression became somewhat odd.

The letter began with the words 'For my master’s perusal.'

In other words, the leader of the Purple Sun Sect is Su Tianyang's teacher.

That would make the Purple Sun Sect's leader his grandmaster.

Even Yang Yizhi never mentioned this to him.

"Xiao Mo,"

Yang Xiaoyun suddenly spoke up. Su Mo turned his head to look at her. "What is it?"

"I don’t quite understand."

Yang Xiaoyun furrowed her brows slightly. "The note inside Zuo Qiuyang's hairpin is unexpectedly linked to an Enigmatic Box. And this Enigmatic Box was carefully concealed in a secret chamber by Uncle Su."

"Judging from the words in that letter, this Secret Box must have a close connection to the Purple Sun Sect.

"And the Purple Sun Sect also has intertwined connections to the Su family...

"All of this makes me feel that it doesn't feel like a coincidence at all."

Su Mo had a puzzled expression after hearing this. "Treating it as a treasure?"

"Hmm?"

Yang Xiaoyun looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"Do you really think digging a hole in the room is treating it as a treasure?"

Su Mo raised his eyebrows slightly. "Come with me."

Looking puzzled, Yang Xiaoyun followed Su Mo and jumped back into the hole.

The candlelight still flickered, softly illuminating the entire secret room.

Yang Xiaoyun looked about. "This room isn't very big."

"He built it alone, so it couldn’t be much larger."

After he finished speaking, Su Mo walked to the stone table and said to Yang Xiaoyun, "Xiaoyun, come over and check this out?"

"Is there something off about this table?"

Yang Xiaoyun pressed down on the table, tried to lift it, and then looked at Su Mo, slightly confused.

"It's anchored to the ground."

Su Mo said.

"Hm?"

Yang Xiaoyun tried again and discovered that the table was indeed connected to the floor, with its lower half buried underground.

Her brows furrowed slightly for a moment. "The stone table is already heavy, and the floor is even, without any bumps, so it shouldn't need to be embedded underground... There's something odd about this table, isn't there?"

"That's right."

Su Mo nodded. "Why not give it a try?"

"Why not give it a try?"

Yang Xiaoyun smiled and, together with Su Mo, started to carefully examine the table.

It was dark underneath the table, so Yang Xiaoyun even removed the candle holder. Finally, they discovered a movable carving at a particular spot under the stone table.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged a glance and gently pushed it.

They heard a click...

But nothing happened.

"This..."

Yang Xiaoyun was perplexed. "My father always said that Uncle Su is a man of great courage. But now, it seems there's a discrepancy with what he said, doesn't it?"

"Duan Song was extremely wary of my father, saying he was always unpredictable, difficult to figure out...

"I thought he was exaggerating, but now it seems he might have been right."

Su Mo twitched his mouth, looking at the scene before him, which now had a bit of a locked-room escape feel to it.

Crouching on the ground, he pressed his hand on the table surface, about to push himself up when, with a slight slip of his palm, he suddenly heard a mechanism click.

"Hmm?"

Su Mo was surprised and didn't rush to stand up. He gently pushed, and sure enough, the entire table surface could rotate.

As he turned the table surface, what had initially appeared as mere engraved patterns suddenly split open, revealing a square hole.

Below the hole, a platform gradually rose, revealing another box.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun's eyes fixed on this box, and after a moment, Su Mo reached out and took it, opening it casually.

Inside were clearly three items.

The first two items, a letter and a book, didn't seem particularly remarkable to Su Mo.

But the last item made Su Mo frown.

It was a broken sword, its hilt winding out like a snake, the ferocious snake head baring its fangs, as if ready to devour someone.

"Snake Head Sword!"

Yang Xiaoyun's face paled. "Xiao Mo... So Uncle Su really did follow up on those people's trail!"

Su Mo gave a slight nod.

On that day, within the Blue Wind Valley, Yang Yizhi mentioned this.

Before Su Mo's grandfather passed away, he had given an emblem to Su Tianyang, who took the item to the Purple Sun Sect.

And that emblem was a Snake Head Sword.

Unexpectedly, half of it was discovered by Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun in the secret room crafted by Su Tianyang.

Su Mo carefully picked up the broken sword, examining it closely in his hands.

The blade's edge was jagged, but the remaining portion was still sharp and menacing. The snake-headed pommel, with its bared fangs, gave off a chilling presence, as if poised to strike.

Su Mo's brows furrowed slightly. "The fact that he was able to investigate the Snake Head Sword back then doesn't surprise me. Before my grandfather passed away, he asked Su Tianyang to deliver the emblem to the Purple Sun Sect. It's possible the sect conducted an investigation and found it based on that clue.

"But why did he leave this broken sword here?"

Yang Xiaoyun shook her head and picked up the letter. "There are no words on the envelope..."

"Perhaps they didn't know who would find this place."

Su Mo shook his head slightly and casually opened the envelope. He pulled out the letter and unfolded it with a quick flick of his wrist.

By the light of the candle, he quickly skimmed through it and immediately furrowed his brows, then read it carefully:

"Years pass by in the jianghu, and life's storms sweep through the world.

"My name is Su Tianyang, and at the age of five, my late father sent me to the Purple Sun Sect, where I trained in martial arts.

"Now facing a great calamity, to ensure my knowledge is not lost, I leave these words behind for those destined to find them.

"Whoever discovers this letter, if not a member of my Su family, is permitted to learn my martial arts and be considered my disciple.

"However, everything I have learned was taught by my own sect, so those who inherit my legacy must assist the sect with all their strength should it ever face danger.

"I have a son, named Su Mo, who lacks drive and talent. When the inheritor of my legacy finds this letter, if my son is still alive, I would appreciate it if you could look after him a little, to honor the bond between master and disciple."

Casually turning to the next page, he continued reading aloud:

"If this letter is found by my son, Su Mo, then much has changed since then.

"My son, after receiving this inheritance, may seek out your Uncle Yang to inquire about my life.

"If you have already learned everything, you can decide for yourself.

"Throughout my life, I was guided by a sense of righteousness.

"I can say without letting down heaven and earth that I have acted justly.

"However, I have four regrets in my life.

"First, I have disappointed many people.

"Second, I could not spend a lifetime with my first wife.

"Third, I will not see my son settle down and build a career.

"Fourth, the traitorous Li clan still flees to the west."

"If the one who reads this letter is my child, then it means our family remains peaceful, and my heart finds some comfort.

I hope my son will practice filial piety at home and think less of the trials and tribulations of the jianghu.

The storms of the jianghu are full of unpredictable changes; if you, my son, choose to walk that path, you must always remain cautious.

Remember, an open attack is easy to defend against, but a hidden one is hard to guard against.

The Purple Sun Sect has shown great favor and deep kindness to our family; remember, under no circumstances must you disappoint them.

If you encounter a formidable enemy, you may seek help from the Purple Sun Sect.

If you encounter an inscrutable situation, seek out the Purple Sun Sect.

Su Tianyang's final words!"

The letter ended abruptly here.

Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help but look at Su Mo.

Su Mo, however, muttered to himself, "If you encounter an inscrutable situation, seek out the Purple Sun Sect..."

"Xiao Mo, are you alright?"

Yang Xiaoyun asked softly.

"Oh, I'm fine."

Su Mo smiled, "I knew it; he wouldn’t have left without considering me. Sure enough, he left something for me."

"Uncle Su always had you in mind in everything."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed, "It’s a pity he never realized how deeply your mother cared for him. Seeing him leave ultimately caused her to worry herself sick and pass away in depression..."

Su Mo nodded and read the letter again, his brows involuntarily furrowing once more.

"He likely refers to one of the traitors from Li Siyun’s clan. Is this person still at large in the west?"

"In the west."

Yang Xiaoyun thought for a moment, "The west is too vast; it could be West Province or perhaps the northern regions, heading towards Beichuan. With just these four characters, it’s difficult to determine."

"That's true."

Su Mo shook his head, "But at least we now have a direction. The jianghu is vast and complex; it’s uncertain whether we’ll come across this."

"His life’s regrets—there’s nothing I can do about the first two, but I can try to address the last two."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded lightly and then picked up the book, handing it to Su Mo:

"This book contains what Uncle Su learned throughout his life."

Su Mo took it and casually flipped through it, but his expression changed as he glanced at it.

"Divine Light Splitting Hand."

"Ah?"

Yang Xiaoyun was surprised and leaned in closer.

Sure enough, the manual depicted the Divine Light Splitting Hand.

The two of them looked at each other, both drawing in a sharp breath.

"Uncle Su... is trying to frame someone?"

Yang Xiaoyun chose her words carefully.

Su Mo thought carefully for a moment, then sighed, "It's hard to say; times change, and we cannot generalize.

"Come to think of it, not many people could find this letter and manual, even if they had taken over the Su family’s estate by chance.

"If this person's methods and background are legitimate and Uncle Yang were still alive, they might seek him out to clarify things.

"After all, the letter states that whoever inherits this can be considered his disciple.

"If the person’s background is sound, there’s nothing to hide.

"But if the person's methods are despicable, they would dare not show their face, and secretly practicing the martial art would only bring trouble upon themselves.

"It’s unknown how many years would pass before it was discovered again.

"By then, the Divine Light Splitting Hand, which now cannot be revealed, would likely be a lost martial art with a broken lineage."

"That’s true."

Yang Xiaoyun leaned in next to Su Mo, watching as he turned the pages of the book.

The manual of Su Tianyang contained detailed explanations and his insights from practicing martial arts, offering them significant insight.

Even with Su Mo's current level, he could still gain new insights.

This kind of understanding is not related to martial prowess. Everyone’s insights differ, and it’s hard to say that a more skilled person would necessarily have better insights than a less skilled one.

As the saying goes, "Among any three people walking, there is my teacher." Thinking one is already at the peak, looking down upon the world, underestimates the world.

Su Mo saw a solemn warning left by Su Tianyang:

"This martial art is of great consequence and must not be used lightly."

"...Uncle Su is still Uncle Su, after all."

Yang Xiaoyun let out a sigh of relief. "I was being too suspicious."

Su Mo's expression was odd as he continued to flip through. The manual contained detailed records of the Great Open Yang Scattering Palm, the Three Yang Burning Heart Palm, and the Purple Sun Divine Palm from the Purple Sun Sect.

There were even some techniques Su Mo hadn’t practiced himself.

For example, the Three Yang Burning Heart Palm used pure yang internal energy to attack the heart pulse, making it an extremely vicious palm technique.

The Purple Sun Divine Palm, on the other hand, followed a righteous and majestic path, with wide-ranging, powerful strikes.

As the two of them reached the end of the manual, they found the Yixuan Divine Art.

This martial art had been taught to Yang Xiaoyun by Yang Yizhi, and she, in turn, had taught it to Su Mo.

At that moment, looking at what Su Tianyang had left behind, he discovered that after the original 500 characters, there were over a hundred more.

"What is this...?"

Yang Xiaoyun was shocked: "Yixuan Divine Technique, sixth level!?"

"This martial technique is indeed not fully mastered..."

Su Mo's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he pondered:

"Since he and Uncle Yang both learned this ultimate technique together back then, could it be that Shouxuan taught them different amounts?

"Theoretically, this shouldn't be possible.

"If not, where did he find the sixth level of the Yixuan Divine Technique?"