Chapter 208: Welcoming the Sword

Chapter 208: Welcoming the Sword

"Martial arts across the world are diverse, with a multitude of styles flourishing, each with its own strengths."

Chu Qiuyu chuckled softly, took a sip of the autumn breeze-brewed wine, and then said, "However, the principles of real and illusory change are like yin and yang.

"Some are deeply versed in these principles, some have only heard of them.

"Some know what it is but not why it is so, and those who know why it is so, how many are there?"

"It's exactly this principle."

Su Mo nodded. "At just sixteen, the third palace master had already achieved such attainment; it's truly admirable."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ziyi couldn't help but glance at Su Mo.

"Then tell me, was my 'Stars in Turmoil' just now real or illusory?"

"..."

Su Mo was struck dumb. "We were enjoying a pleasant drink and conversation; why are you suddenly putting me on the spot?"

"I..."

Wei Ziyi was about to blurt out 'I don't care,' but suddenly remembered that Chu Qiuyu was still present.

After a pause, she then said, "Chief Escort Su, don't think I don't know that you are one of the few great swordmasters in the world today.

"Thinking back to the battle at Profound Theory Valley, it still sends shivers down my spine.

"Even in my dreams, I would be startled awake by the memory of your sword.

"Your dedication to this path must surpass mine by a hundredfold.

"You and I are close friends... Wouldn't it be a waste of this rare opportunity if I didn't get some guidance from you?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Qiuyu couldn't help but nod. "I've heard of this too. At Profound Theory Valley, Chief Escort Su took down all three commanders of the Youquan Cult with a single strike.

"When this happened, it sent shockwaves through all the sects in East City.

"Individually, each of them was a formidable opponent.

"Together, they were nearly as powerful as the leader of the Blood Sea Sect.

"Chief Escort Su killed all three with one sword; it was truly satisfying."

There was a slight pause in her speech. "Moreover, it's rare to see Wei speak so much, let alone in such a pleading manner."

Su Mo was momentarily speechless, thinking that Wei Ziyi's way of speaking was indeed uncommon.

After a brief reflection, Su Mo smiled lightly. "I would say your strike just now was nine parts illusion, one part reality."

"Oh?"

Wei Ziyi lightly raised her eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"

"In my opinion, the most exquisite part of this Feixing Swordplay lies in the interplay between illusion and reality.

"However, the most difficult aspect is also this.

"Stars in Turmoil, a flurry of swords dancing through the air.

"At first glance, it seems like a storm of sword shadows and falling stars.

"Combined with the Moonwalking Technique, it becomes even harder to distinguish between illusion and reality.

"However, because of this, it is extremely difficult to grasp the key points.

"I said nine illusions to one reality, but in truth, I was being lenient... In my view, your move 'Stars in Turmoil' is nothing but a show, meant to deceive."

Su Mo's words were quite harsh; he didn't spare any face for her.

Wei Ziyi looked at Su Mo quietly for a moment, then suddenly smiled lightly, "Thank you, Chief Escort Su."

"Don't mention it."

Su Mo raised his wine glass, "I hope Leader Wei won't blame me for speaking too boldly."

Chu Qiuyu looked at the two of them, shook her head with a smile, "It's a pity we still haven't seen Chief Escort Su's peerless swordsmanship."

"In my opinion, it's better not to see it."

Wei Ziyi suddenly said, "Otherwise, Senior Sister Chu might end up like me, waking in the middle of the night feeling like you'd die under that sword."

"Is it really that formidable?"

Chu Qiuyu couldn't help but glance at Su Mo.

Su Mo gently shook his head, "It's better not to see it."

The fifteenth strike of the Thirteen Deadly Swords is the sword that brings death from the heavens.

The first fourteen strikes are already ferociously lethal, but this final strike exhausts all possibilities, with only one purpose: to kill.

"Forget it, forget it."

Chu Qiuyu shook her head, "I regret not being at Profound Theory Valley to witness it and see Chief Escort Su's magnificent display of power."

As everyone chatted, the conversation turned to Liu Suifeng.

Chu Qiuyu was quite concerned about this person and knew more about him than what Wei Ziyi had heard from the inn.

There were also many stories about Wan Zangxin.

It was said that ever since he arrived at East City, he had been righting wrongs and helping the helpless, and his reputation had grown significantly.

Although being the disciple of Tianquan Elder had already brought him fame,

his actions over this period had earned the genuine admiration of many, not just because he was Tianquan Elder's disciple.

Su Mo was quite curious about this and asked persistently.

Indeed, he learned of several major events from Chu Qiuyu's mouth.

Upon entering East City, this person accomplished three things.

The first thing was to be a guest at Huayang Gate and uncover the spy from Evernight Valley who had infiltrated Huayang Gate.

The Master of Huayang Gate had placed great trust in the spy, even considering passing on his position.

However, the spy, unaware of this, planned to secretly harm the Master.

Wan Cangxin was staying at Huayang Gate at that time. After discovering this, he secretly gathered evidence and exposed the spy in front of everyone.

The entire Huayang Gate was shocked.

The Master of Huayang Gate held Wan Cangxin in the highest regard, stating that if Wan Cangxin ever needed anything in the future, a single letter would suffice to mobilize all of Huayang Gate without any hesitation.

The second thing was when this person entered Yukuang Mountain and happened upon two sects engaged in a confrontation.

He immediately intervened to prevent casualties.

For three days and nights, he worked tirelessly to mediate between the two parties and resolve their misunderstandings.

In the end, the two sects reconciled, and Wan Cangxin earned a reputation for righteousness and benevolence.

After all, he had no personal stake in the matter.

He simply did not want the conflict to result in unnecessary deaths and injuries, acting out of a sense of justice for the greater good of the martial world.

The third thing was the eradication of evil.

Not long ago, another powerful demon had secretly infiltrated the eastern factions of East City, engaging in sinister activities.

He ended up running straight into Wan Zangxin's hands.

Over the span of a few days, they clashed across more than two hundred miles, until finally, Wan Zangxin killed the man with the Tianquan Wash-Heart Sword.

Few knew about this battle, but at the time, there happened to be a few passersby who witnessed the scene.

By tracing his movements, people pieced together what had happened.

With these three feats under his belt, Wan Zangxin's reputation was on the rise, almost like a rising star.

This only added to the anticipation surrounding the Battle of Tianqu City.

As Su Mo listened, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table and smiled, "I see."

"Hmm?"

Wei Ziyi glanced at Su Mo, "Chief Escort Su, what do you mean?"

"Not much."

Su Mo smiled, "I just think Wan Zangxin and I have a few things in common."

"Really?"

Chu Qiuyu perked up with curiosity, "I would like to hear Chief Escort Su's explanation."

"I don't go looking for trouble, but wherever I go, trouble seems to find me."

Su Mo shook his head and smiled. "For instance, the battle at Profound Theory Valley was just a mission of honor, delivering a Boxed Dragon Chant to Lord Liu of Jade Willow Villa.

"Unfortunately, Lord Liu was captured by the Youquan Cult...

"Following that, we ended up fighting in Profound Theory Valley, where we stumbled upon and foiled a two-decade-long plot by the Youquan Cult.

"In the end, the fame from the battle at Profound Theory Valley was all because of that mission."

"This..."

Chu Qiuyu was rendered speechless. "It seems that the Ziyang Security Bureau is indeed trustworthy. Traveling far and wide, personally slaying demons, just to deliver the cargo. No matter how important the cargo, it would always reach its destination safely."

"...Lady Chu, you're kidding."

Su Mo sighed. "I can only say that trouble always seems to follow me, and this Wan Zangxin is just like me.

"While he was with the Wusheng Hall, he stayed out of the spotlight. Apart from some entanglements with the Wusheng Hall's little princess, he was hardly known.

"But once he arrived in East City, just like me, he found himself thrust into one drama after another, landing right in the middle of everything."

Wei Ziyi's eyes flickered slightly. "I bet he loves every minute of it."

"Who can say..."

Su Mo was about to speak again when he suddenly heard a voice from the side.

"Haha, good wine, truly good wine!"

Turning his head, he saw Little Situ, his face flushed red, sitting on a sedan chair, swaying unsteadily before finally falling forward with a thud, falling asleep on the table.

Everyone was stunned, looking at the wine jars by his feet. Somehow, Little Situ had gotten his hands on them.

Two full jars of Autumn Breeze Brew had all been guzzled down by him.

Seeing his condition, it was clear he rarely drank.

At this point, how could he not be drunk?

Su Mo was speechless and glanced at the four ladies. "You didn't keep an eye on him?"

"As long as there's no danger to his life, let him sleep off his drunkenness."

The ladies exchanged glances, refraining from their usual sarcastic remarks.

One of them whispered, "He's never been this happy since he was young. It's good for him to experience more, drunk or asleep.

"Otherwise, once he returns to Suspension Pot Pavilion, he'll just become that well-behaved young master again."

Su Mo pondered these words.

These women have always been tough on Little Situ.

At this moment, however, a hint of affection could be seen.

But why did they never show it before?

"The night wind is strong. Cover him a little."

Su Mo casually removed his outer garment and threw it over Little Situ.

"Thank you, Chief Escort Su."

The four girls looked at each other and nodded slightly, gently covering Little Situ with the clothes.

Little Situ slept soundly, oblivious to everything around him.

They continued to eat, drink, and chat well into the night, finally dispersing around midnight.

……

……

From that day onward, Su Mo settled in at Cold Moon Palace.

During the day, either Wei Ziyi or Chu Qiuyu would take Su Mo and the other escorts to enjoy the scenery on Fog Pavilion Mountain.

In the evening, they would gather at the Star Viewing Platform to chat, laugh, and relax.

Sometimes they would discuss martial arts philosophy, and other times they would talk about rumors of the jianghu.

Su Mo also asked if there were any records in Cold Moon Palace regarding the Whale Devouring Skill.

Chu Qiuyu took him, along with Wei Ziyi, to search through the library for an entire day but found no relevant information.

However, it did expand Su Mo’s understanding of the jianghu.

With no other option, he would have to wait until he could ask at the Purple Sun Sect.

During these three days, the Third Palace Master did not visit Su Mo again.

Three days flew by in the blink of an eye.

The atmosphere in Cold Moon Palace began to shift from that night on.

Chu Qiuyu didn’t even come to invite him to drink at the Star Viewing Platform.

By the next morning, Su Mo was asked to leave early by Chu Qiuyu.

She led the escort team out of Cold Moon Palace and arrived at the Moon Viewing Platform.

There, all the Cold Moon Palace disciples had gathered.

As a guest residing there, Su Mo was given a good seat.

Little Situ was by his side.

The four girls were still inseparable.

Looking up, Su Mo saw that the open space in front of him had already been prepared.

The surrounding Cold Moon Palace disciples stood with their hands on their swords.

At the main seat, the Third Palace Master leaned casually, waiting in silence.

Wei Ziyi, her only disciple, stood quietly behind her.

On the other side were the various elders of Cold Moon Palace.

Before taking his seat, Su Mo bowed to the gathered Cold Moon Palace disciples.

After everyone returned the greeting, he finally sat down.

Just then, he saw the Third Palace Master glance at him, and suddenly a voice reached his ears:

"Have you been enjoying yourself these past three days?"

It was unmistakably the voice of the Third Palace Master.

But what did she mean by that?

Moreover, I don't know the "whispering technique." How am I supposed to respond to you like this?

Su Mo looked up at the Third Palace Master.

Seeing her give a slight smile, he heard another sound in his ears:

"Your father passed down the techniques of the Purple Sun Sect, but didn't teach you the method of 'secret voice transmission?'

"Let me show you. See if you can grasp the technique of condensing sound into a line."

Immediately, he heard a series of instructions from the Third Palace Master.

The technique of transmitting voice secretly and condensing sound into a line was common in the jianghu.

Although the methods varied slightly between different sects and schools, they were largely similar.

It couldn't even be considered a martial art, but rather a technique.

The difficulty lay in condensing the sound into a single line and accurately delivering it to the other person's ears.

If the sound wasn't condensed, others could overhear the conversation.

If the sound failed to reach the intended person and instead reached an opponent's ears, it would be a great embarrassment.

After listening, Su Mo understood immediately. After a brief moment of contemplation, he made a tentative attempt, and then opened his mouth:

"Senior hello."

The three words landed precisely in the Third Palace Master's ears. The smile on her face vanished instantly.

She glared at Su Mo and rubbed her ears vigorously:

"What are you doing? You used way too much inner energy. I knew you had met Liu Suifeng before. Were you trying to get the first hit in on my behalf?"

Su Mo hesitated, then reined in his inner energy and spoke again:

"Sorry, I didn't quite get it yet. Please don't blame me."

"Who said I was blaming you?"

The Third Palace Master shook her head. "This time, the sound is too soft."

After a few more tries, Su Mo finally got the hang of it.

The Third Palace Master gave him an impressed look.

Though the technique seemed simple, mastering it so quickly was no small feat. His control over his inner energy had to be incredibly precise to pull this off.

From this, it's clear that Su Mo's current reputation isn't built on empty praise.

He truly has the skills.

They exchanged a few casual words using the secret sound transmission technique.

However, the conversation quickly turned to a topic that made Su Mo uneasy.

For some reason, the Third Palace Master seemed to attach great importance to his personal affairs.

She asked how he had spent his time in the Cold Moon Palace over the past three days and if he had taken a liking to any of the disciples.

Su Mo responded carefully, leaving no room for her to nitpick.

After several attempts, the Third Palace Master grew bored with his flawless responses and finally sighed:

"My feelings for your father ended without result, but I know that your Su family has always been a single line of succession.

"I believe that even if he were alive, he would hope that you continue the family line.

"If you have someone in mind, just let me know, and I'll personally help arrange it."

"……"

Su Mo sighed inwardly. When it comes to lacking the dignity of an elder, the Third Palace Master takes the cake.

He remained silent, ignoring her no matter what she said.

This infuriated the Third Palace Master, causing her voice in the secret transmission to rise in volume:

"You little brat, not only did you wet me when you were a kid, but now you're ignoring me after learning my tricks?"

Su Mo was speechless for a long time and, for the first time, desperately hoped that Liu Suifeng would arrive soon to relieve his immediate problem.

Whether it was his wish coming true or just a coincidence, who could say?

At that moment, there was some commotion below the Moon-Viewing Platform.

Looking in that direction, they saw someone slowly ascending the platform.

This person, dressed in a green shirt with a long sword, had his hair gently blowing in the wind, yet he was perfectly composed.

It was none other than Yuliu Jianxin Liu Suifeng, who had entered East City with a single sword and defeated the three major sects!

As he reached the Moon-Viewing Platform, he quickly took in everyone present.

But when his eyes landed on Su Mo, he hesitated for a moment.

The momentum he had built almost dispersed.

After a brief pause, he did not step forward but bowed from where he stood as a gesture of apology to Su Mo.

This bow confused the others present for no apparent reason.

But Su Mo understood that Liu Suifeng, having gathered his sword momentum to challenge him here, would lose that momentum if they started reminiscing.

Hence, the bow was to apologize in advance.

Su Mo immediately stood up and returned the bow before sitting back down.

Liu Suifeng spoke no more, and in the blink of an eye, he was already standing in the center of the arena, his gaze fixed on the Third Palace Master.

"I am Liu Suifeng. I’ve come today, uninvited, hoping to challenge one of Cold Moon Palace’s masters."

"My technique is called *Yuliu Jianxin*."

The Third Palace Master, Yun Jiuying, nodded slightly and stood up. "I am Yun Jiuying, the Third Palace Master of Cold Moon Palace.

"I’ve heard of how you challenged East City and reached for the heavens with your sword. That shows true courage.

"Therefore, I’ll be your opponent today, and I look forward to seeing your *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword* in action. Do you agree?"

"Thank you."

With that, Liu Suifeng heard a sharp sound as his long sword, charged with his inner energy, shot out of its sheath.

He caught the hilt of the sword with ease and pointed it at the Third Palace Master. "Please!"

Without another word, the Third Palace Master stepped forward and gestured behind her. Wei Ziyi’s sword flew into the Third Palace Master’s hand.

"Watch your guard!"

The two of them exchanged no more words, as their sword edges danced, filling the sky with a myriad of lights like stars.

It was the *Stars in Turmoil* technique from the *Feixing Swordplay*!