Chapter 217: Pure Yang Villa

Chapter 217: Pure Yang Villa

"Demons and spirits……September 9th?"

Su Mo's eyebrows raised slightly.

He had casually flipped to this page earlier while looking at the notebook with Wei Ziyi.

But the moment he saw the snake-headed sword, he quickly closed the notebook and steered the conversation away from it.

Although he had to mention the personal issues between them again, it was still better than letting Wei Ziyi know about the snake-headed sword.

Even though he wanted to leverage the power of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, it was far too early to let Wei Ziyi in on this.

But now, staring at this sentence, Su Mo felt a sense of confusion.

"Demons and spirits……what do they refer to?

"What happened on September 9th?

"This note was written before Su Tianyang's incident. Whatever was supposed to happen on September 9th should have already concluded.

"Is the half-broken snake-headed sword under the cellar in this room from this?"

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table twice.

In the end, he shook his head. "This is really like an old riddler. With just 'demons and spirits' and 'September 9th'……what could anyone deduce? A location and a date?"

"Location……location?"

Su Mo suddenly froze. "Demons and spirits……Chimeilin?"

This place was considered the territory of the Youquan Cult.

The Youquan Cult had attempted to expand its influence in the southwest, but their plans backfired, allowing Su Mo to cut off their arm that reached into the southwest.

The righteous sects seized this opportunity to drive the Youquan Cult and the Three Banners Order out of Chimeilin, taking the Qingxiu Mountain and Yuhan Valley territories.

This information was provided by the leader of the Green Snake Alliance, who was actually a member of the Three Extremes Sect, at the Dragon Association's water stronghold.

It is currently confirmed that this information is true. Since arriving in East City, Su Mo had overheard discussions about these events from time to time.

But……the 'demons and spirits' written in the text, could it really be Chimeilin?

What kind of place was Chimeilin?

He gently exhaled, deciding to stop thinking about it for now.

He would ask Duan Song about it the next day.

As he stood up to leave, he hesitated and tore out the last page of the notebook, hiding it carefully in his sleeve.

After thoroughly reviewing the notebook to ensure there were no other clues, he returned it to its hiding place under the bookshelf.

The rest of the night passed quietly.

The next morning, Duan Song arrived in the courtyard early.

"Xiao Mo, are you awake?"

As soon as he entered, he called out.

Su Mo and Wei Ziyi stepped out of their rooms and, upon seeing him, shared a quick glance. Wei Ziyi pouted slightly, while Su Mo smiled and said,

"Uncle Duan, we're already up. We were just about to go and pay our respects to the great master."

"Good, you two come with me."

Duan Song glanced at Wei Ziyi, his demeanor open and upright, though a hint of guilt lingered in his eyes.

Normally, Wei Ziyi wouldn't have noticed, but given her preconceived notions, she felt Duan Song was hiding something.

She snorted inwardly, recalling Su Mo's warning from the previous night about being cautious of Duan Song, and immediately grew more alert.

Su Mo had intended to call the others from the escort agency as well, since they were already here. It only made sense to meet the leader of the Purple Sun Sect.

However, Duan Song waved a hand and said,

"Your great master's situation is quite unique right now. It's just the two of you who need to come with me."

Su Mo was slightly taken aback and exchanged a glance with Wei Ziyi.

Wei Ziyi hesitated. "Is it appropriate for me to go?"

"It is," Duan Song replied. "You are a top disciple of Cold Moon Palace, which has deep ties with the Purple Sun Sect. Since you're here, there's no reason for you not to meet him."

Hearing this, Wei Ziyi nodded, not really having a choice.

The three left the courtyard and followed Duan Song to the back mountain.

As they walked, Duan Song continued,

"Several months ago, Evernight Valley tried to control the river routes as part of a larger scheme.

"As soon as the news broke, the seven major sects immediately sent disciples to handle the situation on the river.

"But it wasn't as simple as it seemed. At that time, the sect leader was still in seclusion, but upon hearing the news, he knew there would be chaos in Tianqu City.

"He raced through the night, heading straight for Tianqu City...

"I don't know if you've heard about what happened then. After twenty years, outside Tianqu City, the leaders of the seven major sects once again faced off against the Night Monarch."

Su Mo nodded. "I’ve heard about that battle."

At the time, Duan Song had still been pretending to be dead at Haoran Academy.

After parting ways with Yang Yizhi and the others, Su Mo led Yang Xiaoyun and Zhen Xiaoxiao back to Three Rivers Bay. He heard about the battle while they were on the boat.

"Yes, I only found out about this after returning to the Purple Sun Sect," Duan Song said softly. "I never expected that after twenty years, the Night Monarch’s skills would have grown even stronger. In this battle, although the seven sect leaders managed to drive him back, our leader sustained considerable injuries."

"He is currently at the Pure Yang Retreat, using the Pure Yang Heavenly Pool to suppress the injuries within his body.

"You saw that seasoned practitioner of the demonic arts yesterday... This person infiltrated the sect to spy on the sect leader's condition.

"However, there were outsiders present at the time, so I couldn't explain it too clearly to you then.

"Unfortunately, the sect has been a bit too relaxed in recent years, and we nearly allowed this person to reach the Pure Yang Retreat.

"If the news of the sect leader's condition had been leaked, the consequences could have been severe.

"Fortunately, this person had bad luck and ended up in your hands."

"I see."

Su Mo nodded, but couldn't help asking, "How is my great master's condition now?"

"That's hard to say at the moment."

Duan Song frowned slightly. "The demonic art that Ye Jun practices, the Five Demons Heavenly Demon Qi, contains countless insidious techniques. Your great master was likely injured by the Five Demons Heavenly Demon Qi; there are many foreign energies in his body, making it extremely difficult to handle.

"Without his pure Yang internal energy protecting him, his meridians could have been shredded by the Five Demons Heavenly Demon Qi.

"Now, with the help of the pure Yang energy in the Pure Yang Heavenly Pool, we are trying to neutralize the Five Demons Heavenly Demon Qi completely, but judging from the current situation, the results have been minimal."

"This..."

Su Mo's brow furrowed slightly as he thought of the scarred man in his team who had been struck by numerous foreign energies.

He couldn't help but feel that the sect leader's injuries were eerily similar to those of the scarred man.

Seeing Su Mo's troubled expression, Duan Song thought he was worried about the sect leader. He patted Su Mo's shoulder and said with a smile,

"You don't need to worry too much. The sect leader has long said that disciples of the martial world grow old in the martial world. When the time comes, don't act like a sentimental child.

"Our Purple Sun Sect stands tall in the world, and we face both life and death with pride!

"But seeing you might cheer him up enough to make the Five Demons Heavenly Demon Qi less of a problem."

"...I hope so."

Su Mo nodded lightly. Later, Su Mo casually asked about the Chimeric Forest.

Duan Song briefly explained to Su Mo.

The Chimeric Forest is a natural barrier of the Youquan Cult.

The environment inside the forest is complex and ever-changing, filled with numerous traps and dangers.

The Youquan Cult's Three Banners Order also sets up formations within, making it nearly impossible to survive if you enter recklessly.

"Since we took over Qingxiu Mountain and Yuhang Valley, the Seven Great Sects have stationed masters in Yuhang Valley, but after several confrontations with the Three Banners Order, we still haven't been able to truly break into the Ghost Court.

"For now, we're stuck in a stalemate just outside the Chimeric Forest."

Su Mo's brow lifted slightly. "The Ghost Court?"

Chimeric Forest, Ghost Court?

If it were only Chimeilin, Su Mo might still chalk it up to coincidence, but with the addition of the Ghost Pavilion, it was no longer something that could be dismissed as mere coincidence.

"That's right."

Duan Song nodded. "The Ghost Pavilion is the core of Chimeilin. The Three Banners and their minions from the cult are all hiding there. At the slightest hint of trouble, they spring into action. In an instant, they swarm together and unleash the forest's deadly formations."

"I see... Uncle Duan, do you know who the Three Banners are?"

Su Mo asked again.

"You've really asked the right person."

Duan Song smiled. "The Seven Great Sects have fought the Three Great Demon Sects no less than a thousand times. I've also led disciples to confront them in Tianqu City. Back then, Qingxiu Mountain was still under the Youquan Cult's control. When their forces laid siege to us, I had several clashes with these Three Banners.

"Each of the Three Banners has a unique and unsettling personality...

"The first is obsessed with fist fighting. Though his techniques stem from the Youquan Scripture, his condensed fist intent is incredibly powerful.

"However, this person is a bloodthirsty savage who feasts on raw flesh and drinks blood.

"The evil gluttons of that sect consume humans as part of their martial arts, drawing inner energy and healing injuries from it. But this person does it purely for pleasure.

"We've clashed multiple times, but each encounter ended in a deadlock. I've never managed to strike him down, leaving it as my greatest regret."

Wei Ziyi secretly glanced at Duan Song, thinking to herself, 'Isn't your greatest regret actually failing to win over my master?'

Of course, she only dared to think this in her heart. Saying it out loud would have been far too awkward.

"Another one is obsessed with swordsmanship and often considers himself a swordsman.

"He fancies himself a poet, reciting verses and admiring the moon, as if he's a refined gentleman in a corrupted world.

"Unfortunately... he doesn't even understand the distinction between poetic tones. His forced interpretations are often more dangerous than his swordsmanship.

"Whenever I fight him, I wish I could cover his mouth.

"As for his swordsmanship... if he uses it against you, just strike him down with overwhelming force and kill him immediately, ridding the world of a nuisance.

"The unfortunate thing is, he's completely figured out my strengths and weaknesses, so he would never dare to use his sword against me."

At this point, Duan Song shook his head with regret. "As for the last one, he's the most serious. He faithfully uses the martial arts from the Youquan Scripture, without any fancy fist techniques or swords. His martial arts are...", he paused thoughtfully, then said seriously, "His skills are deceptively simple but highly effective. To be honest, it's no joke—I've fought him three times and nearly lost my life each time."

"Is he really that formidable?"

Wei Ziyi was somewhat surprised.

Su Mo gave Wei Ziyi an even more surprised look. "You didn't know?"

"Although I know a bit about the Youquan Cult, it's all information that the Seven Great Sects are aware of.

"But I never had the chance to confront the Three Great Demon Sects in Tianqu City.

"Once, I thought I had a chance to test my skills against one of the commanders, but he ended up getting killed by your sword."

"..."

Su Mo was taken aback for a moment.

Within Profound Theory Valley, the three flag bearers were facing off against them.

Both Yang Xiaoyun and Wei Ziyi were eager to take on one of them.

But Su Mo had beaten them to it, dispatching all three with a single sword thrust, showcasing the Thirteen Deadly Swords in the process.

"However, the true strength of the three flag bearers does not lie in the martial arts they individually practice," said Duan Song, waiting for a brief pause in their conversation before continuing, "but in the formation they lead their demon minions to execute. This formation has a unique advantage in the Ghost Charm Forest and is also very difficult to deal with in alleys on flat ground.

"If these three unite their forces, there is no one in the world who could hope to breach the Ghost Charm Forest.

"But if one of them is missing… the formation's power would diminish significantly.

"Xiao Mo, if you ever face them, don't let them have the opportunity to form their array."

"Yes, thank you for the reminder, Uncle Duan."

Su Mo bowed respectfully.

Duan Song nodded slightly and suddenly pointed, "The Pure Yang Annex is here."

The so-called Pure Yang Annex was actually just a cave.

The cave's entrance was fitted with a heavy door, and two disciples of the Purple Sun Sect were guarding it.

Of course, that was just what was visible on the surface. As soon as he arrived, Su Mo felt at least a dozen pairs of eyes watching him.

Slightly gathering his breath, he could hear the sounds of the heartbeats and pulses of many hidden figures around.

Seeing Duan Song approaching, the two at the entrance hurriedly rose to salute.

Duan Song waved them off, then approached the entrance of the Pure Yang Manor, cupping his fists and announcing:

"Disciple Duan Song, accompanied by Su Mo, the 32nd-generation successor of Purple Sun Sect, and Wei Ziyi from Cold Moon Palace, to pay our respects to the sect leader."

Su Mo and Wei Ziyi stood behind Duan Song, with Su Mo saying:

"Unworthy disciple Su Mo, paying my respects to the great master."

Wei Ziyi, on the other hand, said: "Cold Moon Palace disciple Wei Ziyi, paying my respects to the Purple Sun Sect leader."

In a brief moment of contemplation, the gate of the Pure Yang Manor suddenly rumbled and paused for a moment.

Immediately following, a voice with the air of a sage echoed from within:

"Cold Moon Palace's Wei Ziyi? Are you the disciple of the third palace master, Yun Jiuying?"

"Yes, senior."

Wei Ziyi was taken aback by the sudden attention.

"Hmm, observing your breath, form, and footwork, you have already mastered 70% of Yun Jiuying’s teachings, with the remaining 30% concealed and unexposed.

"Every generation produces its own remarkable talents, each leading in their time. It is good that Cold Moon Palace has someone to carry on its legacy."

At this point, the door creaked open, and something shot out, flying directly toward Wei Ziyi.

Wei Ziyi subconsciously reached out to catch the object and was stunned to see it in her palm.

"Star-catching Sword?"

Instinctively, she looked up at the door.

At that moment, the voice of the Purple Sun Sect leader came out again:

"The Star-catching Sword belonged to an old friend of Cold Moon Palace and has been in my possession for over thirty years.

"Today, I pass it on to you, hoping you will cherish it."

"Thank you, Elder."

Wei Ziyi bowed with her fist.

"Hmm..."

The voice paused for a moment, and then the door of the Pure Yang Annex opened:

"Mo, come in. I... want to see you."

Su Mo pondered for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

Taking a deep breath, Su Mo stepped into the Pure Yang Annex.

The door slammed shut behind him. Inside, there was only a steaming hot spring.

White mist swirled around as an elderly man sat, his hair and beard white, his lips pale, and his appearance frail.

He waited anxiously, his eyes brimming with hope.

Only when he saw Su Mo approach did he breathe a long sigh of relief.

He studied him closely.

His gaze wasn’t that of a sect leader inspecting a disciple.

It was more like an old man welcoming a grandchild after a long separation.

As he looked at Su Mo, Su Mo also looked at him.

Though elderly, his body remained strong.

His eyes, once sharp, now radiated warmth and kindness.

This was Li Zhengyuan, the venerable sect leader of the Purple Sun Sect!

The same immortal-like elder Su Mo had seen in the portrait last night.

Su Mo hesitated, preparing to perform a grand bow.

Li Zhengyuan waved his hand, and the Pure Yang inner energy dispersed, stopping Su Mo’s movement.

He sighed softly. "When your father left the Purple Sun Sect, he was a young man full of ambition, eager to explore the jianghu and find his own path.

"Hmm... He was probably even younger than you are now."

Su Mo fell silent upon hearing this, not knowing what to say.

"In my entire life, I have only had one disciple, and that is your father.

"The distance between us now feels like a parent burying their child.

"Fortunately, the Su family's lineage still lives on through you.

"Back then, I planned to take you under my wing and raise you within the Purple Sun Sect.

"However, Yang Yizhi said that you were incompetent, and even if you entered the Purple Sun Sect, what could you achieve?

"Dragging you into this chaos would only put your life at unnecessary risk.

"I didn’t agree with him.

"Though the Su family has always had only one heir per generation, each one has been a remarkable individual.

"As a son of the Su family, how could you be incompetent?

"Even a dragon hidden in the depths will one day rise to the heavens.

"So, I made a wager with him.

"I bet that you would one day rise from the depths and soar to the heavens.

"At that time, if you wished to return to the Purple Sun Sect, Yang Yizhi would not be allowed to stop you.

"Surprisingly, things were fine at first, but in recent years, he’s been lying to me in his letters.

"He claimed you were wasting your days in pleasure and had given up on your martial arts.

"It wasn’t until Duan Song from Haoran Academy told me about you that I realized how much Yang Yizhi had been lying to me."

At that moment, the old man’s anger seemed to stir the water in the pool, sending waves crashing and rolling.

Su Mo hurriedly said, "Great master, please calm down. Uncle Yang... he has his reasons."

"Sigh... How could I, an old man, not know?"

Hearing Su Mo's words, Li Zhengyuan's anger immediately subsided, and he nodded, saying, "He and your father were sworn brothers, and he has been more concerned about matters here than I have.

"Everything he sought and plotted was worthy of their brotherhood."