Chapter 228: Who the Hell Are You?

Chapter 228: Who the Hell Are You?

Inside the inn.

The lights were lit, and Wei Ziyi took out the letter.

"It says to read it at night, but it doesn’t specify when exactly.

Do I read it as soon as it gets dark, or wait until midnight? I can't possibly read it at dawn, right?"

She glanced outside, wondering how Su Mo was doing, feeling an inexplicable sense of worry.

After some hesitation, she picked up the letter and opened it.

She tipped it over casually, and out came a token.

"Purple Sun Sect Token?"

Wei Ziyi’s eyes widened in shock. When they entered Tianqu City, Su Mo had presented this very token!

That was why the guards had looked at them with reverence, recognizing the token.

The Purple Sun Sect Token symbolized the authority of the sect leader, granting the holder command over disciples and the ability to exercise the powers of the sect leader.

Its power far surpassed that of the Phoenix Cry Token.

With this token in hand, apart from Li Zhengyuan, the entire Purple Sun Sect would obey orders!

"He actually put something this important in this letter?"

In a flash of thought, she quickly pulled out the letter and scanned it by the firelight.

She gasped in disbelief:

"This... This! How could such a thing happen!?"

With a thought, she casually lit the letter on fire and turned to leave the room.

Her first stop was outside Hu Sandao's room.

After a brief pause, she reached out and pushed the door. The door wasn't bolted and opened easily.

Inside, only Hu Sandao was snoring loudly in bed.

There was no sign of that scarred stranger.

"Just as she suspected."

Wei Ziyi didn't want to think further. She walked up to Hu Sandao and pushed him a few times, but he showed no sign of waking up.

She pulled at his head and saw that Hu Sandao had a large bump on his head.

"Ouch, someone really did a number on him."

Wei Ziyi didn't bother with further attempts. She directly picked up the wooden bucket next to her.

There was still half a bucket of water inside, and she poured it over Hu Sandao's head.

Hu Sandao suddenly flipped upright: "Oh no... there's a flood..."

He looked around but saw no signs of any flood.

Only Wei Ziyi was there.

Hu Sandao looked confused: "What about that scar-faced monkey?"

"Can't explain right now."

Wei Ziyi had just said this when Fu Hanyuan burst through the door.

Seeing them, he was clearly surprised: "What's going on?"

"There's no time to explain. Your leader is fishing. Come with me right now. It's urgent; I'll explain on the way."

Hu Sandao and Fu Hanyuan exchanged a glance and, without much hesitation, followed Wei Ziyi.

But Hu Sandao still couldn't help asking:

"Young Miss Wei, where's the scar-faced monkey? He's not all there; what if he's been tricked?"

"…He?"

Wei Ziyi paused for a moment before saying: "He's probably doing something really important to him."

……

……

Dozens, maybe hundreds of long swords surrounded the black-clad figure, forming a celestial spring!

Like a grand spring cascading from the sky, each sword was extremely sharp.

As the black-clad figure extended a sword-finger and pointed, the sound of sword cries intensified!

They surged forward, heading straight for Wan Zangxin.

Wan Zangxin's face changed drastically.

This was the most spectacular move in the Heavenly Spring Heart-Washing Sword technique.

It was also a move that, apart from the Tianquan Elder, no one had ever been able to execute.

The reason was that achieving this was exceedingly difficult.

One had to experience the great terror between life and death and wash away the past to forget old events, only to rediscover one's true self.

If you fail at the first part, death is certain.

Fail at the second, and you remain lost for the rest of your life.

But to find oneself again, how easy is that?

To sweep away the dust in one's heart until it was as pure as a newborn child's, the past gone, with only new life remaining.

New life is not the same as being reborn!

To cleanse the mind to this extent means losing one's foundation, which isn't the highest level.

For the rest of his life, he would remain lost and confused, forever barred from reaching the ultimate realm.

Only by questioning one's heart, reflecting on the past, and rediscovering one's true self can one attain the pinnacle of the Heavenly Spring Cleansing Heart Sword!

This sword is the king of all swords!

At this moment, there were only two things that Wan Zangxin could be thankful for.

First, not many members of the Distant Mountain Sword Sect had shown up tonight.

Thus, the number of swords they could borrow wasn't overwhelming.

The second... he had called Su Mo!

Su Mo had already appeared before Wan Zangxin without anyone noticing.

The Dragon Roar Sword was already in his hand.

Their eyes locked, and the black-clad man's pupils dilated as the fully powered Heavenly Spring Cleansing Heart Sword wavered slightly.

The next moment, Su Mo drew his sword and rose, and the sound of ting-ting-ting filled the air.

If the black-clad man's sword techniques were like a celestial spring spreading across the sky,

Then Su Mo stood like an immovable mountain before that spring.

He didn’t even consider the hundreds of swords; they could be shattered with a flick of his wrist.

Of course, what couldn't be broken could not harm him in the slightest.

Suddenly, he thrust his long sword forward, moving against the tide.

The black-clad man took a deep breath and casually grabbed a long sword, then pointed.

Their blades clashed for just an instant.

The Dragon Roar Sword sliced through the wall of swords, and the Thirteen Deadly Swords struck, instantly impaling the black-clad man’s chest.

The black-clad man's pupils contracted sharply, and in that instant, he seemed to have discovered something unbelievable.

His eyes widened in disbelief!

"You!?"

He uttered a single word.

But then Su Mo roared in anger, "Die, villain!!!"

The sound was like thunder, shaking the hearts of all who heard it.

With the Purple Sun Divine Palm raised, a devastating blow was delivered.

In that moment, the black-clad man's expression changed a thousand times, but he roared in anger, gathering all his inner strength to clash head-on with Su Mo.

In the next instant, his body was sent flying.

The only thing left was blood splattering across the sky, as his figure melted into the darkness, becoming impossible to track.

"This is bad, he's trying to escape!!"

Luo Changsheng hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Chase him!"

Su Mo looked at his own palm and sighed in frustration. "This... I've fallen for this villain's trick!"

"Chief Escort Su, don't blame yourself."

Wan Zangxin also came to Su Mo's side. "Let's chase him and see what happens."

"Alright."

The two of them didn't say anything more and flew up to pursue the man's trail.

However, this person's lightness skill was from Evernight Valley, and his shadow illusions were especially extraordinary under the cover of night.

Losing the initial advantage, it was now impossible to catch up, leaving them all feeling frustrated.

Su Mo was even more beating himself up.

Luo Changsheng, on the other hand, said, "Chief Escort Su, don't beat yourself up. This man's martial prowess is far from ordinary. If not for your extraordinary skills, he might have escaped without a scratch."

"But now that he's seriously injured, he won’t dare to come back to Tianqu City."

"That's right."

Wan Zangxin also nodded repeatedly. "Who would have thought that he had mastered the Heavenly Spring Heart-Cleansing Sword to such a level? With the dark arts of Evernight Valley aiding him... Sigh, I can only hope that during the Tianqu Sword Discussion, I will gain further insights into the way of the sword."

"Otherwise, it will be difficult to clean up our sect."

As he said this, there was a hint of resignation in his voice.

Luo Changsheng, however, wasn't willing to give up and planned to continue investigating.

Su Mo had intended to leave directly and return to the inn, but Wan Zangxin called out to him.

"Chief Escort Su, do you have time to have a drink with me?"

...

...

The tavern was small, and at this hour, it was especially quiet.

The sleepy-eyed innkeeper led the two to a window seat on the second floor.

Wan Zangxin repeatedly apologized, "I'm very sorry for the disturbance."

"No problem," the innkeeper waved his hand. "With my humble self saying that our wine is so good that it attracted Wan the Great Swordsman to come in the dead of night, only to leave completely wasted—wouldn't that be a great story?"

Su Mo laughed heartily and clapped his hands at this.

"The innkeeper sure knows how to do business. I think you could add another line. You could say that with the Tianqu Sword Discussion coming up, even Wan the Great Swordsman couldn't sleep and had to come drink a bowl of your fine wine to finally rest easy!

"I imagine once this story gets out, with Wan the Great Swordsman vouching for you, your business will surely flourish."

The innkeeper listened and nodded repeatedly. "You are right, esteemed guests… You two please enjoy your drinks first. I'll go prepare some good side dishes to go with the wine."

"Thank you."

The two saw the innkeeper off with many expressions of gratitude, then smiled at each other and sat back down.

"This little tavern might be small, but their Tianqu aged wine is top-notch.

"Here's to you, Chief Escort Su, let me raise a bowl in your honor.

"Thank you for your help tonight."

"You're too kind."

Su Mo smiled, lifted his wine bowl, and clinked it against Wan Zangxin's.

The rich aroma lingers, going down smoothly.

Su Mo's eyes brightened slightly. "This is truly fine wine."

"Haha!"

Wan Zangxin finished his bowl of wine and let out a long sigh.

He picked up the wine jar and refilled both their bowls.

Then he said, "To be honest, ever since I first entered the jianghu, I've heard countless stories about Chief Escort Su. I have always admired you greatly. What I said outside Lin that day was sincere; I truly admire you and have always wanted to befriend you, Chief Escort Su.

"Chief Escort Su should know that I still have many ties with Wusheng Hall.

"After the Tianqu Sword Discussion, when I deal with some internal matters for my master, I will have to make a trip to Wusheng Hall.

"But before that, I will definitely pass through Sunset City. When I come visit and disturb you, I hope Chief Escort Su won't mind."

"Wan the Great Swordsman is too kind."

Su Mo said with a smile. "In fact, I've also heard many stories about Wan the Great Swordsman since I arrived in East City.

"I've always regretted missing the chance to meet you face-to-face…

"This time, I made the trip to Tianqu City just to see you in person.

"Now that I have, it's clear that your reputation isn't overstated; you're truly impressive.

"However, there is one thing I would like to ask you, Wan the Great Swordsman. I hope you'll be honest with me?"

Wan Zangxin looked up at Su Mo, shook his head, and smiled.

"Chief Escort Su, you're treating me like we're already friends.

"We clicked right away, like old friends. You can speak freely. I can't promise this for others,

"But for you, Chief Escort Su… I will know everything and tell you everything I know!"

"Good!"

Su Mo raised his wine bowl in a toast, and Wan Zangxin immediately lifted his own bowl with both hands, clinking them before draining it in one gulp.

He then looked at Su Mo, waiting for him to ask his question.

Su Mo, however, raised his head and gazed at Wan Zangxin, his words striking like thunder:

"Who are you really?"

The moment these five words left his mouth, it was as if a bolt of lightning had flashed.

It ripped through the dark sky, lighting up Su Mo's eyes.

In the sudden flash of lightning, his eyes gleamed like sharp swords, almost piercing Wan Zangxin’s soul.

The calm and harmonious atmosphere vanished with those words.

A faint tension filled the air, making it hard to breathe.

Wan Zangxin looked at Su Mo quietly, about to speak, when footsteps approached the second floor.

Looking up, they saw the innkeeper approach with a tray, smiling as he said:

"Two gentlemen, the kitchen doesn't have any suitable dishes at the moment, so we've prepared some cold dishes and peanuts. I hope you won't mind."

"Thanks a lot, innkeeper."

Su Mo smiled and helped the innkeeper set the two small dishes on the table. Then he said, "Innkeeper, you can go rest. We'll leave the money for the food and drinks after we're done. No need to worry."

"Yes, yes, yes."

The innkeeper nodded repeatedly. "It's an honor to have two great heroes drinking at my humble shop. How could I possibly ask for money? Please, make yourselves at home. This old man won’t bother you any longer."

After saying that, he turned and left, muttering to himself as he went:

"Feels kinda stuffy, doesn’t it? Think it might rain?"

As the innkeeper's footsteps gradually faded away, Wan Zangxin's smile returned to his face.

He refilled Su Mo's wine bowl, then looked up at Su Mo:

"Chief Escort Su, I’m not sure what you’re getting at.

"I am, of course, Wan Zangxin. Who else could I be?"

"Yes... who else could you be?"

Su Mo sighed. "You have Wan Zangxin's face, use Wan Zangxin's sword techniques, and even possess this man's past, about to step into this man's future.

"Anyone else would say you are Wan Zangxin.

"Unfortunately, I know one thing..."

"What is it?"

"Wan Zangxin is dead."

Su Mo looked up at the man opposite him. "Beyond the thick forest, he was impaled through the heart by a sword, pinned to a tree."

With each word, the smile on Wan Zangxin's face gradually faded.

The howling wind outside gradually grew louder as a bamboo basket on the street was blown over, and the signboard of the old tavern flapped noisily in the wind.

Wan Zangxin seemed drawn to the wind, quietly gazing out over the myriad lights of Tianqu City.

After a while, he retracted his gaze and looked at Su Mo, giving a helpless smile.

"It turns out that Chief Escort Su didn't take the wrong path. It's truly a pity."

"The pity is that I saw the corpse?"

"No."

Wan Zangxin shook his head. "The pity is that I really wanted to be friends with Chief Escort Su."

"I am truly honored."

Su Mo smiled slightly, picked up his chopsticks, and picked up a peanut, holding it close to his eyes to look at it. He then said,

"This matter is quite intriguing.

"You are not Wan Zangxin, and even the one who died wasn't Wan Zangxin.

"You appeared after that Wan Zangxin's death, perfectly taking over his unfinished business.

"That fire must have been set by you, right?

"After all, you couldn't let anyone see that there were two Wan Zangxins—one dead, one alive.

"This matter, you can't explain."

Wan Zangxin held the wine bowl to his lips, took a small sip, and then looked up at Su Mo.

"Chief Escort Su, are you drunk?"

"Perhaps."

Su Mo smiled, popped the peanut into his mouth, and chewed.

"Ever since I saw Wan Zangxin's corpse outside the dense forest, I've been thinking about one thing. The Wan Zangxin who appeared in people's sight was a fake, so where was the real Wan Zangxin?"

"And then it hit me."

"Oh?"

Wan Zangxin looked up at Su Mo. "Where would he be?"

"He had already appeared that very night."

Su Mo smiled. "Who would want Wan Zangxin dead? Or rather, who would want a fake Wan Zangxin dead?"

Wan Zangxin's eyes narrowed slightly.

"But who has the ability to kill him?" Su Mo continued with a nod.

"Whether real or fake, there are plenty who want him dead, aren't there?"

"Just those gamblers?

Or the mastermind behind the scenes?

Gamblers can't pull that off. Otherwise, you would have died many times over.

As for the mastermind... whether they win or lose, they always profit. Killing you would cause too many ripples, which isn’t in their best interest.

Besides them, the Wusheng Hall might be a contender.

Unfortunately, the Wusheng Hall members aren’t in Tianqu City.

And those who received the Wusheng Order, hoping to gain benefits from Wusheng Hall... their skills wouldn’t stand a chance against Wan Zangxin—it’s laughable.

Unless Wan Zangxin was seriously injured, this is absolutely impossible.

"That makes sense."

Wan Zangxin nodded. "So, who is the person that wants me dead the most?"

"Naturally, it's the real Wan Zangxin."

Su Mo smiled slightly. "That night at Penglai Inn, the attacker was the real Wan Zangxin. The two of them fought for miles before finally nailing the fake Wan Zangxin to a tree.

Although I saw the body, I was drawn away by other matters.

And that’s when you appeared, burning the body to erase the evidence. Afterward, you showed up in front of everyone, as though nothing had ever happened.

"Since Chief Escort Su saw the body, why didn’t you say anything that day?"

"Even if I had said something, without evidence or a body, who would believe me?"

"Without evidence, it’s indeed hard to convince others."

"But now, Chief Escort Su, you’re also speaking without evidence, right?"

Wan Zangxin sighed lightly, then smiled. "Isn’t it possible that the one who died was the fake Wan Zangxin, and I’m the real one?

That night, the person who killed the fake Wan Zangxin was me!"

"Impossible!"

Su Mo asserted. "If that were true, none of what followed would have happened.

The Huayang Sect leader was killed with a single sword thrust to the chest, which caused quite a stir.

The Huayang Sect disciple was even willing to die to spread this matter further.

And you... took the opportunity to pin everything on the already deceased 'eldest senior brother.'

Afterward, Gu Yunzong's Xuzhou, the Green Mountain Sect's Ximen Yuan, and Wudingzhi's Hu Dingming were successively attacked by this 'eldest senior brother.'

They claimed that the person who attacked them used the Heavenly Spring Heart-Cleansing Sword.

The incidents with Xuzhou and Ximen Yuan cleared you of suspicion.

Hu Dingming’s case solidified the identity of the 'eldest senior brother.'"

"All of this has been closely tied to this 'eldest senior brother.'

"Because only you and this eldest senior brother can use the Heavenly Spring Heart Cleansing Sword.

"But everyone is mistaken about this...

"In Tianqu City, you are not the only one who can wield the Heavenly Spring Heart Cleansing Sword.

"The Wan Zangxin who died in the forest that night could also wield the Heavenly Spring Heart Cleansing Sword.

"Behind this, is there a third or even a fourth fake Wan Zangxin?

"If all of you can use the Heavenly Spring Heart Cleansing Sword, couldn't you have teamed up to stage a big deception?

"You could pin all the blame on a long-dead senior brother, tarnishing the reputation of your martial arts lineage.

"When he said this, he gently shook his head:

"If someone were to impersonate me and kill indiscriminately, tarnishing the reputation of my long-deceased senior brother, I would not be able to bear it.

"I'd rather die than let you get away with this. You will pay the price.

"That is what you want, isn't it?

"You never aimed to kill those people, so their lives or deaths were irrelevant.

"The purpose of all this is simply to lure out the real Wan Zangxin.

"To kill him in front of everyone.

"Then you can relax, keep pretending to be Wan Zangxin, continue your Tianqu Sword Discussions, and stay famous in the martial world!

"If you truly are Wan Zangxin, and all this is aimed at you, they won’t let you clear your name—they’ll only drag you deeper into trouble.

"Wan Zangxin listened quietly until he couldn’t resist clapping and saying:

"Impressive, Chief Escort Su—your imagination is truly remarkable.

"Su Mo sighed, 'Are you still denying it after all this?'

"'What do you want me to admit, Chief Escort Su?'

"Wan Zangxin grinned, 'Even that person that night never claimed to be Wan Zangxin. If he were, why wouldn't he just admit it?

"'Why wouldn't he admit it?

"'Chief Escort Su, you’ve been going on and on in front of me...

"'But where is the evidence?

"'Chief Escort Su... slandering someone with empty words is not acceptable.'

"Su Mo gently smiled, 'You should know, sometimes I don’t need proof.'

"'You!' "

Wan Zangxin's face darkened.

Su Mo's martial prowess was something he had witnessed firsthand. That night, the Heavenly Spring Heart-Cleansing Sword didn't get a chance to show its true power before him.

If this guy decided to kill, there'd be no way I could stop him.

Taking a deep breath, he smiled lightly:

"Aren't you curious why I asked you to join me for a drink tonight?"

"Hmm?"

Su Mo's brows twitched slightly, and his expression changed abruptly.

"Chief Escort Su's skills are extraordinary. That person's Heavenly Spring Heart-Cleansing Sword has reached such a level that I have no confidence at all.

But I never thought Chief Escort Su would manage to cut through with just one strike.

Unfortunately, the mark of the last palm strike was too obvious. Did you suspect that person was the real Wan Zangxin and purposely sent him off?

Sadly, he was badly hurt, and who knows where he'll die.

After all, there are things I may not be able to handle perfectly. Sometimes, doing things secretly instead of openly is the better choice.

So, Chief Escort Su, you have two options.

The first is to kill me and then leave.

But killing me for no reason would damage your reputation..."

He shook his head lightly. "Of course, there's a second option.

Find a way to rescue the person you think is the real Wan Zangxin and bring him out to prove who he really is!

Then my lies would be exposed, wouldn't that be better?

However, there are two prerequisites to achieve this.

First, the Wan Zangxin you believe in must still be alive and waiting for you.

Second, you need to know where he is!

But, to be honest, while we've been drinking and chatting here for so long, that person's body is probably already cold."

Wan Zangxin shook his head slightly, a rather smug smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He looked at Su Mo, seemingly curious about Su Mo's decision.

Su Mo, however, had already stood up and gave Wan Zangxin one last look:

"Not bad tactics, it's true that I underestimated you.

Consider yourself lucky—your head stays on your shoulders for now.

I'll be back to claim it!"

With that, he tapped his toes and left the tavern.

As soon as Su Mo left, Wan Zangxin exhaled heavily and took out a silver ingot from his chest, placing it on the table.

Swiftly leaping out, he arrived at the Penglai Inn in moments.

He dipped his brush in ink and wrote a letter.

It contained the following words:

"Su Mo has already discovered the matter regarding Wan Zangxin.

However, he remains completely unaware of the plot we are planning, so there is no immediate cause for concern.

The Heavenly Spring's Twelve Swords may need to be abandoned, awaiting your decision, my lord!"

After finishing the letter, he rolled it up and placed it inside a bamboo tube. He then took a jet-black pigeon and tied the bamboo tube to its leg.

Only then did he open the window and, with a flick of his hand, released it into the night sky.

The black pigeon, seemingly some kind of special breed, blended into the darkness, its form barely visible. Its speed was far faster than imagined.

Just as the pigeon flew over the city lights of Tianqu City, a sudden gust of wind struck it.

The pigeon plummeted from the sky, caught by a hand.

The person took out the letter, glanced at it, let out a soft sigh, and smiled faintly:

"No need to worry just yet... looks like I did a decent job."

He placed the letter back into the bamboo tube, and with a flick of his hand, the pigeon didn’t move. He shook it again, but the pigeon still didn’t move.

"Not so fast..."

Su Mo twitched his mouth. "I barely used any force with my Flicking Finger technique. Don’t play dead and try to scam me."

After saying that, he tossed it into the air. If the pigeon didn’t move at that height, it would fall to its death.

Sure enough, the pigeon flapped its wings slightly and, after flying out, circled above Su Mo’s head, seemingly plotting something.

Su Mo’s face darkened, and he curled his finger to flick it.

The pigeon, seemingly aware of the danger, gave Su Mo a fierce glare before flapping its wings and soaring high into the sky, not daring to fly low again.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared from sight.

"Are all the pigeons from Evernight Valley this eerie?"

Su Mo twitched his mouth, glanced back at the direction of the Penglai Inn, and then smiled slightly.

Without further words, he leaped into the air and, without a moment’s hesitation, headed directly east.