Chapter 242: The Hidden Secrets of Wan Zangxin

Chapter 242: The Hidden Secrets of Wan Zangxin

The journey from Tianqu City to Yuhan Valley was not short.

Su Mo, using the Divine Steps of a Hundred Transformations, took nearly a full day to reach the outskirts of Liuyin City near Yuhan Valley.

He did not enter the city immediately but instead found a secluded spot nearby.

He laid Wan Zangxin's body on the ground.

He placed his hand on Wan Zangxin's chest and used the healing techniques from the Twelve Gates Golden Bell Shield to channel his inner energy.

In an instant, Wan Zangxin, who had been lifeless, suddenly twitched his little finger.

A surge of medicinal energy immediately erupted from his heart, spreading through his entire body.

As the inner energy flowed, Wan Zangxin took a deep breath and sat up suddenly.

It was like waking from a deep dream, disoriented and unaware of the time.

He looked around in confusion and saw Su Mo.

"Chief Escort Su,"

He lowered his head, touched his chest, and furrowed his brows as he quickly realized what had happened:

"I... I was meant to die. Chief Escort Su, you shouldn't have saved me."

Su Mo looked at him and gently shook his head:

"Brother Wan, do you really want to die because you feel guilty towards the Tianquan Elder and the Tianquan lineage?"

"Of course,"

Wan Zangxin let out a soft sigh: "So, Chief Escort Su, please let me end it."

"I disagree."

Su Mo gazed at him calmly:

"If you truly feel guilty towards the Tianquan lineage, dying is not the answer.

"You made a grave mistake by letting the Tianquan Heart-Cleansing Sword fall into the cult's hands, leading to the Tianquan Elder's death by the Night Lord.

"If you die now, the Tianquan lineage will be completely lost.

"From then on, only the flawed Tianquan Heart-Cleansing Sword, with its seventeen weaknesses, will remain in Evernight Valley.

"The once-proud sword technique of the Tianquan Sword God will become a demonic art.

"Wouldn't that be an even greater betrayal of the Tianquan lineage?

"If you truly feel guilty, how can you stand by and let this happen?

"How can you escape through death?

"Instead of finding a way to take the Night Lord's head and present it at the Tianquan Elder's tomb?"

"...Chief Escort Su, why not just assume that I believe I am no match for the Night Lord?"

Wan Zangxin's brow creased deeply.

"Isn't that just perfect?"

Su Mo raised his eyebrows slightly: "You were set on dying, avenging your master. Even if you perished, at least you fought.

"Now, before the eyes of the world, you take your own life to atone.

"It appears as a noble death, a man of honor and strength.

"But is that really what's happening?

"Brother Wan... what secrets are you keeping, ones not meant for others' ears?"

Hearing this, Wan Zangxin's face shifted through a spectrum of emotions.

At last, he bowed his head deeply, his eyes brimming with remorse.

Su Mo sighed:

"I can't fathom what you're hiding in your heart.

"Truth be told, if it weren't for the Night Lord, I wouldn't pry.

"But now, I still wish Brother Wan would open up to me."

After a pause, Wan Zangxin lifted his gaze to Su Mo:

"How did you save me, Chief Escort Su?"

"..."

Su Mo hesitated, then spoke:

"After we left Master Red Cloud, heading back to Tianqu City,

"I gave you two pills, remember?"

Wan Zangxin nodded:

"You said Little Situ Taoist gave them to you, to help with your energy flow.

"After taking them, my energy surged back fast.

"Were they fake?"

"One was real, the other not."

Su Mo said: "One pill was the Dongzang Pill, boosting your energy. The other? The Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill."

"The Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill?"

Wan Zangxin was slightly stunned.

"This pill can purge any poison, mend any wound inside.

"Even if someone's struck down by poison or injury, dead on the spot,

"Take it beforehand, and a healing essence lingers in your heart, keeping the spark of life alive."

"The effects of the medicine will gradually manifest within one or two hours.

"It heals internal injuries and neutralizes toxins.

"It can even bring the dead back to life.

"That's why it's called the Yin-Yang Resurrection Pill."

Wan Zangxin was dumbfounded and couldn't help but sigh:

"The Suspension Pot Pavilion's methods are truly extraordinary."

Su Mo nodded in agreement.

The Suspension Pot Pavilion truly has remarkable methods. Little Situ had explained the pill's various wonders to him in detail before she left.

Only then did he realize Duan Song's understanding of it was superficial.

The pill's effects are far more potent than imagined.

Yet, this only deepened Su Mo's confusion.

Little Situ was born with damage to all six of her Yin and Yang meridians. With the Suspension Pot Pavilion's unfathomable methods, couldn't they cure such a condition?

However, as excellent as this pill is, it has one drawback.

Su Mo said: "It must be taken beforehand. If someone has already died, taking it won't save them."

Wan Zangxin remained silent for a moment before asking:

"Why did Chief Escort Su give me this pill ahead of time?"

He sighed. "Last night, after your battle with The Heavenly Spring's Twelve Swords and my expulsion of the Five Demons Heavenly Demon Qi from you, you spoke of being weighed down by grave sins.

"Later, upon meeting Little Situ Taoist, you acknowledged her life-saving kindness but spoke only of repaying her in the next life, not this one.

"Afterward, you kept bringing up the heavy burden of your sins.

"That's when it dawned on me... it seemed you were harboring a death wish."

"Chief Escort Su, your insight is sharp, but isn't it a bit rash to conclude I had a death wish based just on these two points?"

"True."

Su Mo nodded. "I wasn't certain what was truly in your heart. And how could I broach such a topic directly?

"But with this suspicion, I couldn't just let it slide.

"So, I decided to give you a Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill ahead of time, just as a precaution.

"And as it turned out, you were indeed seeking death..."

This whole situation was partly a matter of chance.

Su Mo sensed that Wan Zangxin seemed to have a death wish, but he himself was skeptical of this conclusion.

Moreover, how could someone truly seeking death answer honestly if asked directly?"

So Su Mo did not tip off the enemy, but instead surreptitiously fed him a Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill.

The Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill is said to neutralize all poisons and heal all internal injuries.

Whether it actually works is another story.

But it clearly has remarkable effects on internal injuries.

The only catch is it must be taken beforehand; otherwise, its effects are greatly diminished.

Initially, Wan Zangxin thought about slitting his throat with a sword.

Su Mo wasn’t sure if the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill would work on a slit throat.

Not daring to take the risk, he used the Flicking Finger technique to deflect the sword.

Then, he personally stepped in to kill, seeming to strike with immense force, but only managed to seal Wan Zangxin's heart aperture.

This left him in a state of suspended animation.

Now, using the healing technique from the Twelve Gates Golden Bell Shield to activate the effects of the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill.

Sure enough, Wan Zangxin regained consciousness on the spot, and his minor injuries vanished completely.

As for whether it was all just Su Mo's imagination, it didn’t matter.

Little Situ Taoist had provided him with plenty of pills.

The old physicians in the Suspension Pot Pavilion, perhaps bored out of their minds, found joy only in alchemy.

Priceless pills of every kind were in abundance.

If Su Mo was wrong, it would only mean wasting one pill.

No big deal.

After hearing this, Wan Zangxin fell silent for a long while, finally heaving a deep sigh:

"I thought these matters would end with the farce of the Heavenly Path Sword Debate, after I took my own life.

"Yet Chief Escort Su went to such lengths to save me.

"Perhaps it was fate that brought me to know Chief Escort Su, leading to today's encounter.

"Now, I’ll tell you everything that’s been weighing on my mind."

At this point, he paused slightly before continuing:

"Actually, what I said at the Cloud Cleansing Platform was mostly true.

"However, I omitted some details.

"Since childhood, I have never seen my father.

"In my vague memories, my mother once mentioned his name...

"His name was Wan Renshan."

When he spoke these three words, Wan Zangxin's brow furrowed slightly.

"Mother often said that he was a great hero, generous and magnanimous, upright and open-hearted.

"One of the rarest men in the world.

"I still remember, when I was young, every time I asked about my father’s whereabouts, she would tell me.

"He returned to where he came from, with important matters to attend to.

"Once those matters were resolved, he would come back to us, and from then on, our family would never be separated again.

"But... until Mother passed away, I never saw him.

"Afterward, I wandered the streets until I was saved by Lord Night.

"All of this, Chief Escort Su already knows.

"The only difference is that Lord Night promised to find my father for me.

"This matter has been a deep-seated obsession in my heart.

"I never thought of reuniting with him to enjoy familial bliss; I just wanted to ask him...

"To ask him if, over these years, he ever thought of my mother?"

At this, Su Mo’s brows furrowed.

He recalled the last words spoken by the Twelfth Sword of Heavenly Spring on the Mu Yun Terrace.

"Ten Thousand Concealed Hearts are without life..."

Unlike Luo Changsheng, when Su Mo heard the words "Wusheng," his first thought was not the word "wusheng" meaning "silence," but rather Wusheng Hall.

As expected, he heard Wan Zangxin say:

"After that, Night Lord sent me to study under my master, to practice the Tianquan Heart-Cleansing Sword.

"I secretly learned the sword techniques.

"But I never stopped investigating this matter.

"When my sword skills matured and my martial arts had advanced significantly, I found myself torn between righteousness and evil.

"On one hand was my master, who taught me to act with integrity and uphold justice.

"On the other hand was Night Lord, who had shown me great kindness. Even though his ultimate goal was to use me for his own plans, he never treated me badly.

"I was deeply conflicted, losing sleep night after night.

"Around this time, Night Lord told me he had found my father's whereabouts.

"From clues gathered over the years, he was in the west of the Eastern Wilderness, at Wusheng Hall!"

Su Mo heaved a deep sigh.

Many things clicked into place for him at that moment.

Wan Zangxin's journey to Wusheng Hall wasn't random. As a disciple of Tianquan Elder, he had become a low-ranking, unknown disciple within Wusheng Hall.

It was precisely to search for his biological father.

When this thought crossed his mind, Su Mo's expression suddenly changed:

"Brother Wan, there's no need to say more."

The rumors in the martial arts world, Wan Zangxin's regret, and that resolute determination to seek death led Su Mo to a realization.

In fact, now that Wan Zangxin had spoken these words, Su Mo already had many answers in his heart.

All these events had been orchestrated by the Night Lord.

And to say more would likely touch upon the true secrets that Wan Zangxin absolutely did not want to mention to anyone.

Wan Zangxin, however, turned a deaf ear to this and softly said:

"Wusheng Hall is a major sect in the southwestern region, with its hall master, Wan Yutang, wielding absolute power over life and death within its domain.

"The Night Lord had planned ahead for me, enabling me to seamlessly enter the Tenth Hall of Wusheng Hall to investigate the whereabouts of my biological father.

"But aside from knowing his name was Wan Renshan, I knew nothing else about him.

"And this Wan Renshan... is merely an alias.

"I made several covert trips within Wusheng Hall, investigating in secret, but ultimately found no leads.

"However, it was during this time that I met the little princess of Wusheng Hall... Wan Yilan."

At this point, the expression Wan Zangxin had shown outside the inn reappeared in his eyes.

Disgust, a deep-seated disgust.

But this disgust was definitely not aimed at the little princess.

It was directed at himself.

"She was eighteen, young and beautiful.

"Somewhat mischievous and headstrong, yet graceful and kind to everyone.

"From the moment I first saw her, I was captivated.

"At that time, she was training in martial arts under the deputy hall master of the Tenth Hall, Ren Xiongfei.

"I also earned his favor and remained by his side.

"Whenever he was occupied, he would have me spar with Wan Yilan...

"When young men and women spend time alone together, intimacy naturally blossoms into affection.

"I fell deeply in love with her.

"For a time, my sole desire was to find my biological father and ask him one question; regardless of the answer, it would bring closure.

"After that, I could be with her forever, never to be apart.

"As time went on, our feelings deepened.

"But just then... I discovered something."

Wan Zangxin's fists were clenched tightly, veins bulging, and the disgust in his eyes was palpable as he spoke.

"...That night, Ren Xiongfei got drunk and told me about the past of Wusheng Hall.

"He mentioned the great hall master, Wan Yutang.

"Before he ascended to the position of great hall master, he once traveled the world, including the Eastern Wilderness.

"He was highly skilled in martial arts, helping the weak and oppressed, and truly lived a glorious life.

"But this remained unknown because...

"At that time, when he roamed the martial world and traveled the world, he used a pseudonym.

"He was called... Wan Renshan!!"

Even now, as Su Mo heard Wan Zangxin say this, he felt a tremendous shock.

From this, it’s easy to imagine how shocked Wan Zangxin must have been when he first learned of this!

Su Mo stood by him, but he didn't know what to say.

After Wan Zangxin spoke these words, he felt a great relief.

After a long exhale, he looked up at Su Mo, his expression caught between tears and laughter:

"Wan Yutang... is my father.

"Wan Yilan... turns out to be my sister.

"I... I actually fell in love with my own sister. Isn’t that absurd?"

Absurd!

Su Mo had to admit—it was absurd.

Even more absurd than a daytime drama.

But at this moment, what could he say?

This matter was a deep-seated secret in Wan Zangxin's heart, and after voicing it, it felt as if a weight had been lifted.

But the disgust within him only grew deeper.

"I was so devastated, I barely remember stumbling back to my room.

"For several days after, I couldn’t bring myself to see Wan Yilan.

"Every time I saw her, I wished I could vanish on the spot!

"But... amidst all this, I couldn't help but cling to a hope.

"She doesn’t know. No one knows.

"If no one knows... can this just be treated as if it never happened?

"I was cautious and anxious.

"I longed to see her, but I couldn’t bring myself to, trapped in endless torment."

"But just at this moment, the most unexpected thing occurred.

"My relationship with Wan Yilan was discovered.

"Perhaps because I hadn't been seen for several days, Wan Yilan kept pressing, and eventually, Ren Xiongfei sensed something amiss.

"How can paper contain fire?

"He reported this to the hall master.

"Wan Yutang was enraged and, before retreating into seclusion, ordered my capture.

"But if he truly caught me, how could I face him?

"How could I reveal those secrets buried deep within my heart?

"So, I had no choice but to flee, but before doing so, I wanted to see her one last time.

"I never intended to take her away; I just wanted to see her one more time, just one more glance.

"But for some reason, a massive fire erupted that night.

"I didn't dare linger and had to flee.

"Only after escaping Wusheng Hall did I discover.

"Did I truly fight alone against three hall masters and even slay one?

"Did I truly intend to elope with Wan Yilan?

"Did I truly steal the Great Transformation Rebirth Heart Sutra?

"These things... I never did, yet somehow, they were all blamed on me!

"I wished to explain, but who would listen?

"And how could I reveal these things to others?

"I was in a panic, fleeing like a stray dog.

"I fled all the way back to East City, hoping to see my mentor and find solace.

"But I never expected..."

At this point, he finally heaved a long sigh:

"After that, Chief Escort Su knows it all."

After these words, both fell silent.

After a long pause, Su Mo finally sighed deeply:

"Brother Wan... I shouldn't mention this, but there's something stuck in my throat, and I must say it..."

Wan Zangxin looked up at Su Mo and gently shook his head:

"Chief Escort Su, speak freely. At this point, I've been entirely honest with you; what else is there to hide?"

"...The evil gluttons have infiltrated the southwest with hidden agendas, and it appears to be linked to the Night Lord."

"Someone from Wusheng Hall exploited your situation to draw rogue martial artists into the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, harboring hidden intentions.

"And according to these people, the one who masterminded this is the Ren Xiongfei you mentioned.

"All the hardships you've faced today, all your experiences within Wusheng Hall, might all be part of the Night Lord's grand scheme."

To plan meticulously for twenty years, just for a single Heavenly Path Duel?

That would be a grave underestimation of the Night Lord's cunning!

As a prominent figure in the demonic sect, how could he casually adopt a child from the streets without reason?

There are countless people in this world with more tragic backgrounds than Wan Zangxin. If he were truly so kind-hearted, how could he have risen to rule Evernight Valley?

Every single one of these events is likely more than mere coincidence.

Finally, Su Mo looked at Wan Zangxin once more and asked, "Most importantly, was Ren Xiongfei truly drunk that night?

"Is Wan Yilan... truly your sister?"