Chapter 238: Truth and Falsehood

Chapter 238: Truth and Falsehood

The young man spoke up to save face, and Liu Suifeng immediately obliged.

For a moment, many jaws dropped in genuine shock.

Their curiosity about this mysterious young man grew even more.

Naturally, some recognized him and revealed his identity.

In an instant, gasps of surprise filled the air.

Luo Changsheng, however, stammered in astonishment:

"Chief Escort Su? What are you... what are you all doing here?"

He looked at Su Mo, then at the man in black, utterly bewildered.

Su Mo, however, smiled:

"Senior Luo, please stay calm for now. This matter will be settled today."

Luo Changsheng was doubtful but held his tongue.

Su Mo then bowed to the other members of the seven major sects in greeting.

Zhuo Dongming stood up at this point:

"Come on, you were running around all night. Come over and rest for a bit. Want some melon seeds?"

"Sure, thanks, Senior Uncle."

Su Mo nodded with a smile, taking a handful of melon seeds from him. Munching on the seeds, he glanced at Night Lord and Sect Leader Youquan nearby.

He looked up slightly, only to find Night Lord ignoring him completely.

Only Sect Leader Youquan shot him a furious glare.

Hearing him called Chief Escort Su, he knew exactly who he was.

Sect Leader Youquan was well aware of Su Mo's deeds in Profound Theory Valley in the southwest.

The last thing he expected was to find Su Mo in Tianqu City.

Instantly, his killing intent flared up.

Su Mo alone had ruined a grand scheme he had spent twenty years planning.

What's more, Su Mo had killed three of his six commanders.

The Blood Sea Division's leader had been stuck in the southwest ever since.

With both Liu Suifeng and Su Mo here, Sect Leader Youquan felt a strange sense of relief.

He glanced at the motionless Night Lord beside him, feeling a wave of gratitude.

If Night Lord hadn't invited him to the Tianqu Sword Discussion, he might never have met these two enemies.

Truth be told, after Profound Theory Valley, he had been itching to take Su Mo down.

However, by that time, the turmoil in Profound Theory Valley had already taken place, and the eastern factions of East City had joined forces to attack Qingxiu Mountain and Yuhan Valley.

How could he possibly spare any attention elsewhere at such a time?

He had planned to regroup and retake those two places before dealing with Su Mo and Liu Suifeng.

But now, they were standing right in front of him.

This was truly a stroke of good fortune!

However, this was not the right moment to act.

The Seven Great Sects had allowed him and Night Lord to enter Tianqu City, but both sides were wary of each other.

If he acted rashly now, it would benefit no one.

But once the Tianqu Sword Debate was over, he would surely take those two lives.

If he didn't capture them, bring them back to the Youquan Cult, disembowel them, and share their blood with his followers, how could he ever quell his hatred?

As Sect Leader Youquan's thoughts fluctuated, Wan Zangxin, standing in the arena, spoke up:

"Eldest Senior Brother, do you want to fight me here?

"Very well, today I will cleanse our sect's ranks right here!"

"Eldest Senior Brother?"

Wan Zangxin stared intently at "Wan Zangxin" before gently shaking his head:

"Since when was I your eldest senior brother?"

Upon hearing this, "Wan Zangxin's" heart skipped a beat.

He silently cursed his bad luck and immediately drew his sword, leaping into action. With a twist of his blade, a surge of sword energy burst forth.

The sword energy was immense and awe-inspiring.

The onlookers couldn't help but turn pale at the sight.

Liu Suifeng raised an eyebrow and softly murmured, "Hmm."

As the saying goes, an expert's skill is shown in a single move.

With this one move from "Wan Zangxin," Liu Suifeng immediately realized that this person had been hiding his true strength earlier.

As for why he did so, it was clear.

Liu Suifeng shook his head slightly, feeling a bit disappointed.

But in the next moment, his eyes suddenly sparkled.

Facing this majestic sword strike, Wan Zangxin simply shifted his foot slightly and evaded it.

It seemed dangerously close, just an inch from being swept by the sword energy.

Yet he managed to dodge it perfectly.

Not a hair's breadth more, not a hair's breadth less.

From this, it can be seen that Wan Zangxin's swordsmanship was already well understood by his opponent.

Wan Zangxin, however, attacked relentlessly, executing the Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword technique move by move.

For a moment, the entire Cloud Cleansing Platform was awash with crisscrossing sword energy, layers of brilliant sword light interweaving endlessly, like a raging storm!

Under this overwhelming sword energy and amidst the majestic swordplay, Wan Zangxin merely stepped casually, effortlessly dodging each sword move.

He seemed like a small boat on a furious sea, always at risk of capsizing.

In reality, he was like a leaf in the autumn wind—no matter how it twisted and turned, it couldn’t harm him in the slightest.

At first, the onlookers were amazed by the Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword.

They felt that the Tianquan Elder's fame in East City was indeed justified.

But as the swordplay continued, they found themselves increasingly drawn to Wan Zangxin.

Yet as they watched, a question naturally came to mind.

"Why hasn’t he unsheathed his sword yet?"

The leaders of the eastern factions of East City, seeing this, were taken aback.

Wan Zangxin kept insisting he was purging the sect, but his swordplay clearly couldn’t match his opponent.

And the opponent had yet to use any lethal techniques, clearly holding back.

Now it seemed Wan Zangxin was the aggressor, intent on taking lives, almost overbearing.

As this thought crossed their minds, Wan Zangxin sighed softly:

"Wrong..."

With these two words, he gestured with his sword, and Wan Zangxin's Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword instantly dissipated.

The sword energy vanished, leaving only the sword’s blade grazing past Wan Zangxin's eye, missing by half an inch.

Wan Zangxin then said:

"As a mischievous child, when my master taught me this move, I always thought it lacked sharpness.

"To kill someone, how could one not aim for the vital points?

"So, I wrote down what I thought was the proper sword form on paper and sent it back...

"I never imagined that even now, you still practice it unchanged, as if it were genuine."

Despite his sword energy being shattered, Wan Zangxin didn’t stop; he regrouped and pressed on.

Yet, amidst the dense swordplay, Wan Zangxin spoke casually, completely unaffected by the sword light.

However, his words shifted the expressions of everyone present.

As he spoke, he casually raised his still-sheathed sword, pointing east and striking west, utterly dismantling Wan Zangxin’s Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword.

Initially, Wan Zangxin held firm, but after repeated setbacks, he could neither advance nor retreat.

He could only stand before Wan Zangxin, gripping his sword, listening to him speak.

"The Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword comprises a total of one hundred and twenty-seven forms.

"From childhood to adulthood, I meticulously copied and learned each form one by one, following the method he taught, and sent the sword forms into Evernight Valley.

"Out of the one hundred and twenty-seven forms, there are a total of seventeen errors.

"Despite being a martial arts master, he really taught you all these seventeen errors without noticing any of them?

"Absolutely ridiculous!"

At this point, Wan Zangxin couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

Then he saw "Wan Zangxin" gritting his teeth fiercely: "You... what nonsense are you talking?"

"Nonsense?"

Wan Zangxin shook his head gently: "Do you really think I wouldn't dare to speak up?"

"Speak what?"

Hearing this, Luo Changsheng immediately sensed a major issue and said:

"Just spit it out!

"Why did you learn the Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword move by move and then send it to Evernight Valley?

"What exactly is your relationship with Evernight Valley?

"Who the hell are you!?"

"Me? I am naturally Wan Zangxin."

Wan Zangxin spoke this sentence with internal energy, and it instantly echoed across the surroundings.

As his words faded, he suddenly unsheathed his sword!

Where the long sword fell, a gale erupted.

The Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword was performed move by move by him, while the "Wan Zangxin" before him could only barely parry based on his understanding of the sword, with no ability to counterattack.

Wan Zangxin completed the one hundred and twenty-seven forms of the Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword in just a moment.

As he performed the sword forms, wounds continuously appeared on the body of the opposing Wan Zangxin.

Shoulders, ankles, wrists, nape...

Blood dripped from one wound after another, yet none were fatal.

The expression of "Wan Zangxin" became more and more terrified. He knew exactly what Wan Zangxin intended to do but couldn't escape.

Under Wan Zangxin's swordplay, he could only dodge left and right, and soon his entire body was drenched in blood.

At this point, Wan Zangxin suddenly twirled his sword, concealed it behind his back, and lunged forward to seize "Wan Zangxin" by the chest.

"Wan Zangxin" had no ability to retaliate. The sword qi of the Tianquan Cleansing Heart Sword entered his body, causing him unbearable pain.

His meridians were on the brink of shattering under the one hundred and twenty-seven sword forms.

Now, with Wan Zangxin gripping his chest, he could only gaze up helplessly, his face a mask of desperation."

"No... please..."

As soon as these two words escaped his lips, a hand suddenly seized and yanked violently backward.

The sound of fabric tearing echoed instantly.

Wan Zangxin didn’t just tear away the upper garment—he ripped off the skin of his upper body!!

A blood-red figure emerged on the Cloud Cleansing Platform, exposed for all to see.

From the abdomen up, his body was a mass of blood-red muscle fibers.

Mottled and gruesome, a sight that chilled the soul!

Yet, despite the wounds Wan Zangxin had inflicted, not a single drop of blood flowed from the exposed muscles.

It was as if this had always been his true form.

Before, he had simply been cloaked in a suit of human skin!

"And he... was nothing more than a pitiful creation, a product of the macabre art of skinning and crafting human skin into clothing."

The Cloud Cleansing Platform fell into a stunned silence.

Below the platform, the spectators were rendered speechless.

The art of skinning and crafting human skin—could it truly be used like this?

This was beyond anything they had ever imagined.

The Evernight Valley has long been obsessed with the art of human skin.

This obsession is what led them down the demonic path.

To ordinary people, the art of skinning and crafting human skin might seem bizarre and horrifying.

For years, the people of Evernight Valley have used this method primarily for deception and theatrics.

No one had ever imagined it could be used to such devastating effect.

If Evernight Valley had mastered this skill, they could disguise themselves as anyone they pleased.

At this realization, a chill of horror ran through everyone present.

Meanwhile, Su Mo turned his gaze to the Night Lord, who had remained motionless throughout:

"Sect Leader... with things as they are, how can you still sit there unmoved?"

"What?"

Sect Leader Youquan was taken aback and turned to Su Mo: "What are you implying?"

"Isn’t it obvious?"

"The Tianqu Sword Debate was the Night Lord’s doing. Why else would the fake Wan Zangxin choose to fight Lord Liu in Tianqu City? Doesn’t that strike you as odd?"

Sect Leader Youquan took a deep breath, his gaze locked on Su Mo. After a tense pause, he ground out:

"Why?"

"..."

Su Mo was momentarily dazed. He suddenly realized why Sect Leader Youquan's twenty-year plan had ultimately failed.

He felt that this matter might not entirely be his own fault.

Has this guy ever really thought about his own issues?

Thinking this, he couldn't help but shake his head gently:

"Sect Leader, why not consider what would happen once the Tianqu Sword Debate begins?"

"..."

Although Sect Leader Youquan didn't immediately grasp the key point, he wasn't a fool.

Hearing this, he frowned and glanced at the crowd outside the Cloud Cleansing Platform.

All these people had been lured here by the Tianqu Sword Debate.

And then... he thought of the one person most likely to be attracted by it.

His expression changed drastically in an instant:

"The Ghost Forest!?"

The three banner commanders were stationed at the Ghost Forest, each with their own flaws.

One was obsessed with swords, another with killing.

The last one seemed perfect, but you never know.

And how could someone obsessed with swords turn a blind eye to the Tianqu Sword Debate?

If that person had sneaked out of the Ghost Forest to watch the spectacle in Tianqu City,

then the Ghost Forest's formation would be half broken.

This would give the eastern factions of East City the perfect chance.

What was even more critical in this matter was that he was not currently within the Youquan Cult.

If the Ghost Forest were attacked, his journey over Qingxiu Mountain and through Yuhan Valley to reach Tianqu City would be the biggest hurdle to his return and reinforcement!

At this thought, he felt uneasy.

Just then, Zhuo Dongming spoke up:

"Sect Leader, I suddenly remembered something."

"..."

Sect Leader Youquan immediately turned to face Zhuo Dongming.

He noticed Zhuo Dongming give a slight smile: "Earlier, Mo'er was wandering the city and ran into a swordsman. On a whim, they sparred a bit.

"To his surprise, this guy had a hidden move—the Youquan Blood Hand—which was deadly.

"Seeing this, Mo'er instantly recognized a fellow from the Youquan Cult and didn't dare to slack off. He quickly invited the person to our Purple Sun Sect's dungeon... well, guest room, for a quick breather."

"It seems that this incident happened several days ago from today.

"I almost forgot about this person—what a grave mistake, what a grave mistake!"

"You old fool!!!"

Upon hearing this, how could Sect Leader Youquan not know who this person was?

Without a second thought, he knew it was his subordinate!

But why hadn’t he received any report about this matter until now?

If he had known about this earlier, why would he have bothered coming to Tianqu City?

He was unaware that the three banner commanders had known each other for years, and their bond was different from that of the six commanders.

The sword maniac’s issue wasn’t something new, and the Ghostly Forest had been peaceful for a while. The other two commanders knew the sword maniac had slipped away, and the reckless banner commander had initially planned to report it.

But the seemingly ordinary commander stopped him.

Believing that finding and bringing back the sword maniac would suffice.

If reported, the sword maniac would surely face punishment.

Having known each other for years, the three banner commanders naturally didn’t want him to endure the Youquan Cult’s harsh punishments.

Thus, the sword maniac entered Tianqu and was captured by Su Mo.

The two commanders searched for the sword maniac but stumbled upon a clash between the real and fake Wan Zangxin on a rainy night.

In fact, upon learning of this, the seemingly ordinary banner commander sensed trouble and rushed back.

The Five Ghosts Heavenly Net insisted on pursuing, even though Wan Zangxin blocked them. The three still chased, determined to erase any traces of the matter.

But the two banner commanders had no idea that, by then, Sect Leader Youquan had already slipped through the Ghostly Forest.

To avoid complications, he didn’t even seek them out.

Their missed encounter wasn’t accidental—it was all part of the Night Lord’s plan!

At that moment, Sect Leader Youquan turned sharply to the Night Lord:

"You... I wondered why you were so generous as to invite me to Tianqu City to watch the show.

"I never expected you to be plotting something so sinister!

"We’re on the same side—what’s the point of this conspiracy and ambush?"

But the Night Lord remained silent, sitting there calmly, as if he had become one with the light and dust.

"Outrageous!!"

Sect Leader Youquan, known for his fiery temper, was instantly enraged by the Night Lord’s silence.

Blood surged around him, and with a single palm, he grabbed towards the Night Lord.

Su Mo had seen this palm technique more than once—it was the Youquan Blood Hand!

However, the Youquan Blood Hand performed by Sect Leader Youquan was not comparable to that of the Blood Sea Department’s leader or even one of the three banner commanders.

When this palm strike was unleashed, it seemed as if a surging river of blood surged behind Sect Leader Youquan.

In an instant, the air was filled with the most piercing and ghastly cries of ghosts and wolves.

These sounds had occasionally occurred when Sect Leader Youquan was angered before.

Now, as he exerted his full power, the sinister and haunting sound technique known as "Blood Sea Ghost Wail" erupted, instantly plunging one into a vast sea of blood.

Transforming into a lone soul adrift on this boundless sea of blood.

Who is Night Lord?

Having dominated the Eastern Wilderness for many years, his martial skills and intellect are unparalleled.

Although Sect Leader Youquan was consumed by fury, he would never underestimate Night Lord.

This palm strike was executed with all his might, yet Night Lord simply glanced at Sect Leader Youquan, not budging an inch.

The more this was the case, the more Sect Leader Youquan dared not underestimate him.

He intensified his internal energy circulation even further, holding back some to prepare for any unforeseen changes.

Mentally, he had already thought of dozens of possible countermeasures Night Lord might employ, but to his utter surprise...

Night Lord remained motionless...

Even when his Youquan Blood Hand landed on Night Lord.

Night Lord still did not move.

"You..."

Sect Leader Youquan stood frozen, instinctively activating the Youquan True Scripture, and the surging blood instantly engulfed the surroundings.

Night Lord, consumed by the blood, let out an extremely shrill scream.

Within moments, he had been reduced to a pool of blood by the Youquan Blood Hand.

Yet Sect Leader Youquan found no satisfaction.

Only fear.

The Tianqu Sword Discussion was masterminded by Night Lord.

Evidently, his goal was merely to lure one of the three commanders from the Phantom Forest, the Sword Obsessed, to come and watch, thereby causing the Phantom Forest's formation to be damaged, creating an opportunity.

A letter invited him to Tianqu City.

And set up a grand display, with disciples from the Evernight Valley appearing outside Tianqu City.

Making him firmly believe in this matter.

But now...

This Night Lord was clearly a fake!

How could the real Night Lord be reduced to a pool of blood by a single strike of his Youquan Blood Hand?

But whether real or fake, the current problem is...

The Ghostly Forest's formation has been disrupted, with one of the three key elements missing, opening a window of opportunity.

And now, I'm stuck in Tianqu City!

The eastern factions aren't pushovers; how could they just let me walk away?

As he thought this, he glanced up and saw Su Mo smiling gently at him:

"Leader, Tianqu City is a land of natural wonders and exceptional talent. Why not make this your eternal resting place?"