Chapter 253: East Gate

Chapter 253: East Gate

"The Night Lord isn't dead!?"

Inside the room, Wei Ziyi and Duan Song’s eyes widened upon hearing Su Mo's words.

This was after they had captured the Chimei Forest.

When Su Mo led everyone to raid the Wraith Courtyard in the Chimei Forest, the disciples of Evernight Valley who had been stationed there had already vanished.

The Wraith Courtyard was devoid of survivors, and the disciples of the eastern factions of East City seized the opportunity to take control.

After the chaos, dawn was breaking in the east.

After leaving experts to guard the place, Su Mo and the others made their way back to Liuyin City.

As Duan Song and Wei Ziyi were heading to their rooms to rest, they were called into Su Mo's room.

Su Mo's first words left them both in shock.

"Keep your voices down," Su Mo glared at them. "Do you want the whole world to know?"

"...How is this possible?" Duan Song frowned deeply. "We all saw you literally tear the Night Lord apart. He died right before our eyes, how could he not be dead?"

Wei Ziyi, however, remained silent.

She had noticed Su Mo seemed troubled earlier, and now it seemed her intuition was correct.

But she was just as puzzled as Duan Song.

How could he not be dead?

If he survived... does the Night Lord have some kind of blood regeneration power?

Even Sect Leader Youquan, an expert in flesh manipulation, has never shown such an ability.

How could a mere trickster like the Night Lord pull off something like that?

Su Mo exhaled softly and said:

"You don’t get it. My battle with the Night Lord began beneath the Wraith Courtyard.

"His martial arts skills are top-notch, probably the toughest opponent I've faced since stepping into the martial world, and he has an endless bag of survival tricks.

"I had at least two chances to finish him with a single strike, but he slipped away both times.

"After leaving the Wraith Courtyard, I pursued him relentlessly to Liuyin City.

"And once in Liuyin City, his actions were out of the ordinary."

In this life-and-death situation, the Night Lord's first move was to have the shadow envoys break through...

Even at the cost of their lives!

Although it could be explained that he was trying to preserve the core strength of Evernight Valley.

But the real question is, is the Night Lord truly that kind of person?

Moreover, the shadow envoys only have a purpose when the Night Lord is present; otherwise, what could they possibly achieve with all their chaos?

So, this just doesn’t add up logically.

Not only that, his command itself was strange—ordering the shadow envoys to never look back, no matter what happened.

It seemed as if he had already anticipated what would occur behind him.

Additionally, when Su Mo’s final punch landed on him, there was a peculiar sensation.

The Night Lord’s "Pitch Black" technique could deflect the force. Though Su Mo didn’t grasp the intricacies, he could sense his internal energy dissolving under the Night Lord’s influence.

Before this, whenever Su Mo struck from above with the Seven Injuries Fist, that feeling was always there.

But when the final punch landed, that sensation was completely absent.

Therefore, after Su Mo killed the imposter, he looked at his fist and came to a conclusion.

The Night Lord... he’s still alive!

He planned to use the shadow envoys’ breakout as cover to escape the disaster, blending in with them!

That’s why, after killing the "Night Lord," Su Mo immediately ordered everyone to block the shadow envoys’ escape.

It wasn’t about wiping them out—it was because the real Night Lord was probably hiding among them.

Unfortunately, they were just a step too late.

A single misstep was all it took for this seasoned practitioner of the demonic arts to slip away.

When Su Mo shared this revelation, both Duan Song and Wei Ziyi gasped in shock.

Duan Song immediately said:

"In that case, I’ll dispatch a search party immediately. Even though he escaped, he’s bound to be badly wounded.

"If we track him down, we can put an end to this menace."

Su Mo shot Duan Song a glance and shook his head gently:

"Searching like this is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Besides, if he’s really that badly hurt, he’ll only be more careful.

"Even with a full-scale search, the outcome is still up in the air.

"Worst of all, if he figures out I know he’s alive... he’ll go even deeper into hiding.

"This guy’s cunning is on another level. If he gets this cautious, catching him in the future will be next to impossible."

"This..."

Duan Song furrowed his brow: "So what do you propose we do?"

Su Mo gave Duan Song a faint smile:

"Didn’t we snag a prisoner earlier?"

"Yeah, but he’s not saying a thing."

Duan Song shook his head: "Besides, if what he said is true, it would be extremely hard for us to use him to locate Evernight Valley."

"This is the situation we're dealing with."

Su Mo smiled and said: "But the Night Lord might not realize... Besides, we’re not completely empty-handed. Haven’t we already figured out that we need a ferryman to enter Evernight Valley?

"So, let’s put up a front while working behind the scenes.

"Unite the experts of the seven major sects, head to Evernight Valley, make a big spectacle, and search for the ferryman.

"Then...

"Spread the news that I’ve killed the Night Lord... far and wide."

"You want the Night Lord to think you’re convinced you’ve killed him?"

Wei Ziyi understood Su Mo's thoughts.

Duan Song looked at Su Mo, then at Wei Ziyi, pondered for a moment, and then gently exhaled:

"If I were the Night Lord, after ending up in such a situation, I wouldn’t let it be known that I’m still alive.

"I’d carefully return to Evernight Valley... or lay low and recover.

"If I heard that the seven major sects were teaming up to attack Evernight Valley and search for the ferryman, I’d probably be on edge.

"On the surface, we’re searching for the ferryman, but really, we’re after the Night Lord’s location.

"If we act fast, we could actually intercept him.

"But what if... we can’t catch him?"

"No!"

Su Mo firmly shook his head: "Trying to find him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. With the Night Lord’s cunning, even if he lost all his martial arts, he’d be nearly impossible to find if he went into hiding.

"Instead, it might tip him off.

"Let him believe we’re convinced he’s dead. Then, using the Night Lord’s ‘death’ as cover, we can launch a joint attack on Evernight Valley.

"But... since we can’t find the ferryman, obviously we can’t locate Evernight Valley.

"And this plan depends on whatever opportunities arise during this time.

"If there’s any back-and-forth between us, Evernight Valley will be forced to retreat step by step.

"If the Night Lord tries to scheme from within, he’ll likely reveal his weaknesses.

"And if he does nothing, we can seize the lands Evernight Valley has taken.

"In this game, our eastern factions of East City have the upper hand. The Night Lord’s only advantage is that he’s still alive.

"Hiding in the shadows, thinking he can still pull off something big—that’s a huge mistake!"

It was only then that Duan Song understood Su Mo’s plan.

For a moment, he looked at Su Mo with mixed feelings and sighed.

"Mo'er has a point. If the Night Lord shows up, there will definitely be signs, and we'll be ready.

"If the Night Lord doesn't show up, we'll turn the bluff into reality.

"Either way, we won't lose much.

"However, this matter should be kept under wraps."

"Exactly."

Su Mo nodded: "Only our Purple Sun Sect and Cold Moon Palace should be in the loop. Uncle Duan, you'll probably take the lead, so make sure you plan ahead. When issues arise, you'll know what to focus on.

"And Young Miss Wei, you should talk this over with your master."

Wei Ziyi nodded gently: "Got it."

Deep down, she couldn't help admiring Su Mo.

With such a powerful enemy slipping away, most people would've been furious and on edge.

Yet Su Mo managed to regroup so quickly.

He wasn't just focused on the here and now but on the bigger picture.

His broad-mindedness, strategic thinking, and intelligence were truly impressive.

But after admiring him, she couldn't help pouting:

"He's always got something up his sleeve..."

"..."

Su Mo was at a loss for words.

Duan Song looked at the two of them, his mind racing, but knowing it wasn't the right time, he glanced at Su Mo and said:

"Mo'er, if the seven sects team up to attack Evernight Valley, what should we do about the Youquan Cult?"

Su Mo stroked his chin and smiled: "If they follow my lead, it's straightforward... we just need to destroy the Ghostly Forest. Then pull back from Rain Cold Valley and Green Hill, and hit Evernight Valley all at once."

"Ah?"

Duan Song was stunned, his first reaction being that Su Mo was joking.

But upon further thought, he gasped:

"Use the tiger to eat the wolf!?"

"Exactly."

Su Mo nodded: "The Youquan Cult leader is dead, and the Night Lord of Evernight Valley is also dead..."

"Wait!"

Wei Ziyi quickly interjected.

Duan Song was also dumbfounded: "When did the Youquan Cult leader die?"

"...Yesterday during the day."

By now, the sky had already brightened, and it was indeed something that happened yesterday.

"How did he die?" Duan Song pressed urgently.

Su Mo thought for a moment and said, "The Night Lord tricked Sect Leader Youquan into entering Tianqu City, where he was surrounded and attacked by the experts of the seven major sects."

"And... what were the losses for the seven sects?"

Both Wei Ziyi and Duan Song's expressions changed.

Sect Leader Youquan was a martial arts master. If he had died, the experts of the seven sects would likely have suffered heavy losses.

"It’s nothing serious—just a few minor injuries."

"...That doesn’t seem right."

Duan Song paused, stunned. "Wait, you said the seven sects' experts surrounded him, but you didn’t say they killed him... So how did he die?"

"I finished him off with a single palm strike."

Su Mo had no choice but to reveal the truth.

Duan Song and Wei Ziyi exchanged glances, speechless for a moment.

Su Mo, however, ignored this and continued with the previous topic:

"One of these two is truly dead, the other only faked their death, but to outsiders, the outcome is the same.

"While the deputy leader of the Blissful Heavenly Palace has gone missing, the palace master is still safe and sound.

"With this shift in power, the three cults aren’t truly united... The Blissful Heavenly Palace wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing.

"Without the Wraith Forest as a barrier and the Youquan Cult now without a leader.

"After this, we’ve secured the Sword Maniac of the Three Banners, but the other two from the Wraith Courtyard are missing—whether they were killed by the Night Lord or escaped...

"Regardless, with Sect Leader Youquan gone, the Youquan Cult, now down to two banners and three orders, has become a weakling that’s easy to push around.

"The Blissful Heavenly Palace won’t just stand by and do nothing.

"In my view, the Blissful Heavenly Palace has only three options.

"First, they could hold their ground, wait for the eastern factions of East City to conquer Evernight Valley and the Youquan Cult, and then team up to deal with them.

"Second, they could aid Evernight Valley. If they do, we’ll confront them on Evernight Valley’s turf. If they lose, the Blissful Heavenly Palace’s downfall will be inevitable.

"Third, they could absorb the Youquan Cult, bolster their own strength, and then watch how the battle between the eastern factions of East City and Evernight Valley plays out.

"They’ll either take action or wait for both sides to wear each other down before mopping up the remnants.

"And if they go with the third option, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll exploit their mutual exhaustion to clean up the mess."

He paused briefly: "Uncle, you could discuss this with the seven major sects. After all, I’m not exactly influential, so... take my words for what they’re worth."

Duan Song looked utterly helpless.

"After today, who in the Eastern Wilderness would dare call you insignificant?"

"You don't want to outshine others, do you?"

"This trip has already garnered enough attention."

Su Mo sighed: "As the chief escort of a single escort agency, it feels somewhat strange to stand out so prominently in the conflict between the righteous and the demonic sects."

After that, the conversation was no longer as important.

After a night of hard work, Su Mo allowed everyone to go back and rest.

He himself had gone without sleep for two full days and nights.

Although he didn't feel sleepy or tired, the battle with the Night Lord had drained a significant amount of his mental energy.

That old devil was too crafty and difficult to handle.

Fortunately, he rolled over and fell asleep.

......

......

With all matters temporarily settled, as Su Mo fell asleep, the events of the past two days began to spread throughout the area.

In a tavern in Tianqu City, several martial artists were talking about this incident.

"The Purple Sun Sect has been absent from the martial world for years. Who would have thought that after Li Zhengyuan, another hero would rise!"

"Killing Sect Leader Youquan with a palm strike and defeating the Night Demon Lord with a punch, truly a hero!"

"Ah, the Night Lord, who dominated the martial world for a lifetime, never expected to be killed by the chief escort of an escort agency from the southwest. It's truly surprising."

"Last year, Chief Escort Su killed three commanders with a single sword in Profound Theory Valley, which already hinted at his extraordinary abilities. But we still underestimated him..."

"Isn't he about to claim the title of the top martial artist in the Eastern Wilderness?"

They were chatting animatedly among themselves, while at a nearby table sat an old man and a young man.

The young one looked extremely noble, his eyes calm, only occasionally glancing at the scenery of Tianqu City outside the window, with a hint of sadness.

The old one, however, was busy eating, his chopsticks and bowl clinking constantly.

After finishing one bowl, he started another, the dishes on the table vanishing like a whirlwind.

In a moment, four or five bowls of rice were gone, and he finally patted his belly:

"Haven't eaten in a long time, feels good."

The young man glanced at him and said indifferently: "That person is dead, aren't you going to take a look?"

"What's there to see?"

The old man picked the rice grains stuck to his beard and put them in his mouth, saying:

"Who in this world can't die? Dead is dead, no big deal."

"Wasn't he a chess piece you carefully placed in the Eastern Wilderness? Before leaving, you even gave him the Yin-Yang Immortality Order, showing how much you valued him."

"Just a casual piece, just one of many..."

The old man stretched his shoulders and smiled, saying, "Besides, I don't think this kid is going to die that easily.

"The martial arts of Evernight Valley are extraordinary. Having trained to this level, he's someone who's made a name for himself worldwide. He's not the type to just drop dead like that..."

He chuckled at this point: "However, if he really dies, then so be it. It just goes to show he wasn't all that special after all."

"...Dongmen Yong, you really are cold-blooded."

The young man glanced at the old man, his expression even showing a hint of disgust.

"That's nonsense, my blood runs just as warm as anyone else's. If you don't believe me, why don't you take a sip and see for yourself?"

He made a gesture of rolling up his sleeves, offering his blood for a taste.

The young man didn't even glance his way, asking indifferently instead, "Finished eating?"

"Finished."

"Let's get going then."

The young man stood up, tossed a silver coin onto the table, and walked out of the inn first.

Dongmen Yong sat there, took a chicken leg from the plate, bit into it, and muttered in a low voice:

"Tastes way better than human flesh...

"Kids these days are colder than ever, practically turning into ice cubes. Whatever happened to the warm-heartedness of our generation?"

He muttered to himself as he stepped out of the inn, where a carriage was already waiting.

A few people were standing by the carriage, headed by a stout middle-aged man, accompanied by a stern-looking man in black and a middle-aged scholar.

If Su Mo had been there, he would've immediately recognized the middle-aged man as Mr. Zhan, who had given him the Thousand-Mile Eye on the river.

But right then, Mr. Zhan stood with his head bowed, his demeanor dripping with respect, far from the demeanor of a great manager.

He cautiously ushered the two into the carriage.

The young man stepped in first, Dongmen Yong followed, glanced at Mr. Zhan, and patted his shoulder as he boarded:

"Good job, just the right balance of fat and lean—perfect for eating."

"??"

Mr. Zhan looked utterly confused, looked up to see Dongmen Yong flashing a grin full of steel teeth.

For a man his age, keeping his teeth in such good shape was no small feat.

But that smile sent an inexplicable chill down Mr. Zhan's spine.

A cold shiver shot from the base of his spine to his fingertips, and he couldn't stop himself from trembling.

"You dare lay a hand on my men?"

The young man's voice came from inside the carriage.

Dongmen Yong laughed heartily: "We're family—why would I ever harm your people? Little Six, you're always cracking jokes. So, where to next?"

With that, he hopped into the carriage.

The young man's voice rang out:

"Take you back to the sect to face judgment."

"Could you spare me two days? I wish to visit the Purple Sun Sect."

"Request denied."

"You're being too harsh..."

"Hmm?"

"Fine, fine. If it's denied, so be it. I'll just sneak back later."

"You're dreaming."

"It's hard to tell, really."

Mr. Zhan finally let out a sigh of relief, feeling as if he had just narrowly escaped the gates of hell.