Chapter 210: Times Have Changed

Chapter 210: Times Have Changed

Outside the Hanxi Lou, the elders exchanged glances.

They looked at one another, then turned to Chu Qiuyu and Wei Ziyi.

One of them couldn't help but speak up:

"Ahem, Qiuyu, is the person inside really a disciple from the Suspension Pot Pavilion?"

Chu Qiuyu smiled helplessly and nodded once again.

Ever since they returned to the Hanxi Lou, the elders had asked this question several times.

Earlier, after everyone came back, the elders were ready to treat the Third Palace Mistress's injuries.

Chu Qiuyu quickly mentioned Little Situ's identity.

Upon hearing that he was a disciple from the Suspension Pot Pavilion, despite his youth, the elders did not dare to underestimate him.

They immediately asked Little Situ to help.

Little Situ agreed but then closed the door of the Hanxi Lou.

At this point, inside the Hanxi Lou, apart from the Third Palace Mistress, Little Situ, and the four girls, there was only Su Mo.

Even Wei Ziyi was sent out.

No wonder the elders kept asking questions in this situation.

After hearing Chu Qiuyu confirm this again, the elders exchanged glances, looking uneasy.

"It's already been two hours..."

"Yes, a full two hours, and not a peep from inside."

The elders looked increasingly anxious.

Wei Ziyi couldn't help but say, "Elders, there's no need to worry. Little Situ's medical skills are exceptional; I've seen them with my own eyes. And Chief Escort Su's internal energy is profound; I imagine that even the formidable sword energy of the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique wouldn't stump them."

"Hmm."

A few of them nodded, looking worried.

Yet they couldn't help but glance toward the inside of the Hanxi Lou.

Wei Ziyi thought they were worried about her master's condition.

Unexpectedly, one elder suddenly stomped his foot:

"Too bad."

"Yeah, a disciple of the Suspension Pot Pavilion is demonstrating their skills, and we can't even see!"

"If only we could pick up a trick or two..."

"Perhaps after this, we could seek this young expert's guidance?"

Wei Ziyi: "..."

Chu Qiuyu: “……”

The two of them looked at each other and shook their heads speechlessly.

Who are these people?

They were practically itching to poke a hole in the window of the Cold West Pavilion and peek inside.

Wei Ziyi hurriedly stopped them, and Chu Qiuyu also quickly advised against it.

The elders sighed and, suppressing their restless urge to see more, waited quietly outside.

Another hour passed.

As the rising sun climbed higher, just when they were wondering how much longer it would take, a powerful sword energy suddenly erupted from within the Cold West Pavilion.

The crowd at the door immediately parted to the sides.

Immediately after, the sound of a sword’s hum rang out, and with a loud crash, the door of the Cold West Pavilion was shattered by the sword energy.

The energy dissipated into thin air, leaving no trace behind.

The crowd looked inside through the doorway. There, Little Situ sat on a soft sedan chair, reaching out to remotely remove the silver needles from the Third Palace Master’s body.

Su Mo stood behind the Third Palace Master, his hand pressed against her back.

At this moment, the Third Palace Master raised her left arm, and a blood droplet faintly appeared on the Zhongchong point of her left middle finger.

Just then, the Third Palace Master let out a soft moan and slowly opened her eyes.

She glanced at the shattered door of the Cold West Pavilion, then turned to look at Su Mo.

“We’ll have to pay for that,” she said.

“……”

Su Mo’s lips twitched, and he suddenly understood why his father had always avoided her back then.

“Third Palace Master.”

“Master.”

The people waiting outside rushed in.

The Third Palace Master gently waved her hand, cutting off their excitement. “No need to shout. I’m not dead, so there’s no need to call my soul back.”

She gently stretched her shoulders. “In fact, I’m full of spirit and energy, not looking like someone who’s been injured.”

“Just appearances,” Little Situ said. “I’ll write you a prescription. If you follow it for seven consecutive days, your internal injuries will fully heal.”

“Hmm… And you are?” The Third Palace Master looked at Little Situ in puzzlement.

Little Situ smiled and explained his background.

The Third Palace Master was immediately surprised. “So you’re an envoy from the Suspension Pot Pavilion. My apologies for not recognizing you sooner.”

She wasn’t paying respect to Little Situ, but rather to the Suspension Pot Pavilion she represented.

Little Situ quickly demurred, apologized again, and then gently took the Three Palace Master's wrist to check her pulse once more. After nodding, she said:

"Please take care to rest and recover over the next few days. After seven days, you will be fully healed."

"Good, thank you."

The Three Palace Master Yun Jiuying nodded and glanced at everyone present before gently waving her hand.

"Alright, no need to crowd around. Go about your business. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon..."

However, there was a hint of desolation in her tone that no one could quite discern.

Seeing that she was truly much better, the others didn’t say more and left, except for Wei Ziyi.

After dismissing Little Situ, the Three Palace Master added, "Ziyi, please accompany the doctor from the Suspension Pot Pavilion. He needs to write a prescription for me, and I’ll need you to bring it back."

"Yes."

At first, Wei Ziyi didn’t suspect anything, but when Su Mo was about to leave as well, the Three Palace Master stopped him:

"You, wait a moment."

This caused Wei Ziyi to pause in confusion, glancing between Su Mo and her master before leaving with a suspicious look.

Inside the Cold West Building, only Su Mo and the Three Palace Master were left.

Su Mo gave a slight bow and asked, "Is there something specific you need from me, Elder?"

"Hmm..."

The Three Palace Master looked at Su Mo. "You seem rather impatient with me, don’t you?"

"I apologize if it seemed that way, Elder. I would never dare to be impatient with you."

"You don’t dare, but that’s not the same as not being impatient."

The Three Palace Master lightly shook her head. "Is it because I keep trying to set you up with someone that you’re being so distant with me?"

"Yes."

Su Mo sighed and admitted, "I already have someone in my heart, so I hope you’ll stop joking about this, Elder."

The Three Palace Master burst into laughter, but then abruptly spat, "Bah!"

Su Mo’s lips curled in amusement. This wasn’t exactly how he imagined a respected martial elder would act—more like a mischievous troublemaker, really.

"Your father was the same back then. If your father had been a bit more open-minded, the Su family wouldn’t be stuck with just one heir on a thousand acres of land, like a lone sapling in a vast field."

Su Mo was rendered speechless, finding that he never quite knew how to respond to her.

The next moment, he suddenly saw the Three Palace Master let out a long sigh.

"Today, I thought I was going to die. Death is terrifying, but for me, it turned out to be... nothing much."

"I originally thought that if I died here and now, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. But unexpectedly, you saved me.

"Since I'm still alive, it's probably your father’s spirit watching over us from beyond that doesn’t want me to die, wanting me to watch over you for a while longer.

"Your parents have both passed away, and there’s no one left to take care of you. You’ve had a tough life, too, without anyone to look after you.

"I can’t let you walk the same path as your father. What if you only marry one woman and she can’t give you a son?"

Su Mo was left speechless, his mind racing. _What kind of crazy talk is this?_

At the same time, a sense of caution arose within him. "Elder, what exactly are you getting at?"

"That’s none of your concern."

The Third Palace Master stretched a little, nodded slightly, and said, "I have to admit, this *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword* is no ordinary technique. During our exchange, its sword intent forced me to face my deepest fears, shattering my mental defenses. In a way, it’s helped me break through some mental barriers.

"I’ve come to understand a lot about myself."

Su Mo instinctively asked, "What have you figured out?" and felt that the answer might not be something good.

"You’ll find out in due time," the Third Palace Master said with a smile. "But for now, you can go. I need some rest."

Su Mo was left speechless for a moment and could only take his leave.

As Su Mo stepped out of the Hanxi Pavilion, he noticed that several elders had returned."

Upon seeing Su Mo, he immediately clasped his fists and said, "Chief Escort Su, Yuliu Jianxin has not left yet. He says there is an important matter to discuss with you."

"He is currently waiting inside the Crescent Moon Pavilion..."

"Oh?"

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Liu Suifeng and I are indeed old acquaintances. Since he has something to talk about, I wonder if it would be convenient at the Cold Moon Palace?"

"That would certainly be possible. Allow me to guide you, Chief Escort Su."

The elder finished speaking and extended his arm in invitation: "Please."

"Thank you."

...

...

Inside the Crescent Moon Pavilion, Liu Suifeng sat motionless.

Although he had won the match, this battle was far from easy for him.

The Third Palace Master's sword technique was extremely fierce, whether it was the Chaotic World Flying Stars he used earlier or the sword technique he employed later, both were exquisitely refined.

Relying on what he gained from the battle, he honed his sword skills, finally forming his second sword technique.

This allowed him to win.

However, if the match were truly decided by sword technique alone, it would have been a draw.

The Third Palace Master didn't lose due to his sword technique; he lost because of his mental state.

While waiting for Su Mo, Liu Suifeng quietly adjusted his internal energy. At the same time, he replayed the battle in his mind, reflecting on what he had gained and lost.

Just as he had gained some insight, he opened his eyes and saw Su Mo.

"Chief Escort Su."

Liu Suifeng stood up and gave a slight bow.

"Since we parted ways at Profound Theory Valley, how have you been, Lord Liu?"

Su Mo smiled.

"……I'm fine."

Liu Suifeng nodded. He was not a man of many words. After speaking, he glanced at the elder from Cold Moon Palace and, after a moment of hesitation, bowed and said,

"I hope I didn't offend you."

"Lord Liu, there's no need,"

The elder shook her head. "As the Third Palace Master said, we at Cold Moon Palace accept both victory and defeat with grace. You two fought honorably; what offense could there be in that?

"Lord Liu, please be seated."

She gestured for him to sit, then said to Su Mo, "All the disciples have been dismissed. You can speak openly here. I will take my leave now."

"Thank you."

After the elder left, Su Mo nodded and then sat down next to Liu Suifeng.

"Lord Liu, it's been a long time. You look even more distinguished than before.

"Your mastery of the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword has advanced further. It's truly admirable."

Liu Suifeng shook his head. "It's just a coincidence……

"After our encounter at Profound Theory Valley, I returned to Jade Willow Villa and reflected on what I had learned.

"I had a vague sense of understanding, but after spending a long time in seclusion, I still couldn't fully grasp the true essence. I managed to create a rough outline of a technique, but it wasn't quite right.

"It was then that I realized this technique still needed the refinement of actual combat.

"Later, Wan Zangxin invited me to a duel in Tianqu City, which aligned with my plans.

"Since I was already planning to visit East City, I thought I might as well seek out the Seven Great Sects.

"The Seven Great Sects in East City are full of experts, making it the ideal place to sharpen my skills.

"And so, here I am."

"I see."

Su Mo nodded. "When I saw you fighting with the Third Palace Master earlier, I already noticed some clues. You were indeed aiming to refine your sword through battle.

"Now that you've demonstrated two of your sword techniques, the outcome of the Tianqu City battle was probably decided from the start."

"……"

"Liu Suifeng furrowed his brow slightly and said, 'Speaking of this, this is exactly why I wanted to meet you in person.'"

"Oh?"

"Could you explain, Lord Liu?" Su Mo asked, glancing at Liu Suifeng.

Liu Suifeng hesitated for a moment, as if unsure of how to express himself.

After a while, he took something out of his sleeve and placed it on the table.

Su Mo looked at the object, then back at Liu Suifeng.

"This... this item was meant for you to keep safe in a precious collection, wasn't it?"

On the table lay none other than the gold-threaded map that had fallen out after Liu Suifeng, inside the Xuanji Cave, shattered the Jade Clear View Mountain Diagram with a strike from his sword.

Liu Suifeng paused for a moment, then continued,

"The battle at Profound Theory Valley was exceptionally fierce. They nearly turned me into a blood slave using a secret technique recorded in the Mystic Spring Sutra."

"After that, the battle with the leader of the Blood Sea Sect left me utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically."

"Upon returning to Jade Willow Villa, I reflected deeply and gained new insights into the variations of my sword techniques..."

"So, what does this have to do with the map?"

Su Mo looked at Liu Suifeng.

"I... I completely forgot about it."

After saying this, Liu Suifeng felt too embarrassed to meet Su Mo's gaze. He seemed somewhat guilty.

Su Mo nearly gasped in disbelief. In short, after returning from Profound Theory Valley to Jade Willow Villa, Liu Suifeng had become so engrossed in the variations of the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique that he had completely forgotten about the gold-threaded map.

How could this happen?

Su Mo couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Liu Suifeng knew he was in the wrong on this matter.

At the time in Profound Theory Valley, he had considered it extremely important.

However, during his recovery in Profound Theory Valley, he hadn't yet discovered the deeper variations within the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique.

In fact, all the way until he was on the road back to Jade Willow Villa, Su Mo's method had him pondering how to execute it.

But once he returned to Jade Willow Villa, the map slipped his mind entirely.

He had even forgotten about Jade Willow Villa itself.

All that mattered to him now were the endless possibilities of the sword technique; everything else faded into insignificance.

By then, handling the map had become second nature to him, like muscle memory.

He remembered that he needed to keep something on his person but had forgotten what it was and its purpose.

Su Mo studied Liu Suifeng for a moment before sighing. "So, what is it that you want to tell me?"

"……I am asking Chief Escort Su to help safeguard this item."

Liu Suifeng's voice was very low when he said this, and he felt somewhat ashamed, knowing he was in the wrong.

"On my way to Tianqu City, I have no other concerns, but I am worried that this item might be lost."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo raised his eyebrows. "Is Wan Zangxin really that tough?"

"He is no match for me."

Liu Suifeng's sudden remark caused Su Mo's eyebrows to rise slightly.

As thoughts turned in his mind, he had a sudden realization. "You are planning to go to the Youquan Cult, aren't you?"

"Chief Escort Su, you are truly my confidant."

Liu Suifeng was also surprised by Su Mo's insight and didn't expect his intentions to be so easily seen through.

"If Wan Zangxin isn't a match for you, then you must have something bigger planned.

"Tianqu City is already a battleground between the righteous and the cults……Since Wan Zangxin is not your opponent, is your real target the seven major sects?

"And among the three demonic cults, you have a blood feud with the Youquan Cult.

"If I couldn't figure this out, what kind of martial artist would I be?"

Su Mo lightly raised his eyebrows. "But Lord Liu, have you really thought this through?"

"Yes."

Liu Suifeng nodded. "This journey to Tianqu City was originally aimed at the Youquan Cult. Not long ago, I encountered Wan Zangxin, and he is not worth mentioning."

Though his tone was humble, his words carried an overwhelming sense of confidence.

Su Mo was momentarily speechless, his mind stirring with thoughts.

After everything he'd seen on his journey, Su Mo found himself lost in thought.

As he was pondering, Liu Suifeng's voice reached his ears again.

"I know this is a lot to ask of you, Chief Escort Su, especially since you avoided this item back in Xuanji Cave.

"But at this point, I have no other options.

"In my heart, I considered that if by the time I reach Tianqu City I still cannot deal with this item, I would find a body of water and cast it in.

"It would eventually end up in the Eastern Wilderness, and whoever finds it would consider it a matter of fate.

"However, this act would also carry the implication of passing on a problem to someone else.

"I never expected that fate would bring us together here in the Cold Moon Palace, hence this unreasonable request."

After finishing, he stood up and bowed deeply.

Su Mo hurriedly pulled him back up. "Lord Liu, you're putting too much weight on this……Back in Xuanji Cave, I really didn't want to get involved in this mess."

"But things are different now."

As he spoke, he put away the Gold-Threaded Map, tucked it into his waistband, and then said, "Lord Liu, I accept this matter."

Lord Liu was taken aback—he never thought Su Mo would actually agree.

Without hesitation, he thanked Su Mo again and again.

Su Mo waved a hand, cutting him off mid-thank you, and went on, "About the Youquan Cult, Lord Liu, you should think carefully before proceeding. There might still be a few twists along the way..."