Chapter 262: Everlasting Loyalty

Chapter 262: Everlasting Loyalty

Someone came through the night, rushing to the Ziyang Escort Agency for help.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun were in the underground chamber, and the sound wasn’t very distinct to them.

Su Mo could vaguely hear something, but Yang Xiaoyun truly didn’t notice anything at all.

She was still worrying about where to hide the Xuantian Treasure Seal.

Su Mo, however, had already taken her hand, closed the mechanism on the stone table, and stepped out of the chamber.

As soon as he put the flagstone back in place, he heard the sounds of a fight coming from the roof.

"Who is it?" Yang Xiaoyun only now realized that there were uninvited guests again.

Without saying much, Su Mo led her out of the door, and with a single bound, they were already on the roof.

Looking over, there were several black-clad figures engaged with Liu Mo and Fu Hanyuan on the roof.

To be precise, they were getting soundly thrashed by Fu Hanyuan and the others…

Neither the Overlord Cudgel nor the Frost True Qi were to be messed with, clearly.

Occasionally, a glimpse of a magnificent blade light could be seen flashing as Hu Sandao seized the opportunity to land a cold strike on them.

Zhen Xiaoxiao stood on the ground, looking up, waving her bronze figurine with one leg, shouting loudly, "Let one of those guys down here for me to fight!"

Given her size, she had basically ruled out any possibility of participating in rooftop fights.

If she got on the roof, the roof would probably collapse under her weight.

In situations like this, she would usually dismantle the house, but the problem was, these were the agency’s buildings. Tearing them down would mean she’d have to rebuild them herself later from scratch.

It would take a lot of time and effort, and mess with meal times, so for now, she could only fret helplessly below.

Meanwhile, Su Mo had noticed another person.

This person was lying on the eaves, breathing faintly, like a thin thread.

After taking a closer look, Su Mo finally recognized the person’s identity:

"Master Ji!?"

In a sudden move, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun had already flown to his side.

"Leave them alive!"

Yang Xiaoyun did not stay by Master Ji’s side, letting out a quick shout before flying out again.

Although the Dragon's Spear was not in her hand, her family’s handed-down grappling techniques were enough to deal with the enemies.

The black-clad figures had sweet dreams, but upon realizing they couldn’t win, they turned to flee.

"Haha, the Ziyang Escort Agency can't let you all come and go whenever you want, can it?"

A voice broke the silence of the night. A few guys in black looked up to see Fu Hanyuan, who had been fighting them just moments ago, had somehow gotten in front of them.

He clasped his hands, flipped them apart, and thrust forward.

The bone-chilling cold of the Heavenly Frost True Qi hit them full on.

In an instant, their qi flow became erratic and fell apart.

As soon as their qi gave out, they looked down and realized there was nothing beneath them. Before they could hit the ground, they saw a massive, fat guy with tiny, glittering eyes, holding a one-legged bronze statue, ready to swing it in a wide arc. He was set to strike as soon as they landed.

Such a scene was truly terrifying, causing the men to be struck with immense fear.

Three of them fell, and two immediately struck out at the fat man.

The palm wind pushed them apart, saving them from disaster.

However, the last guy was totally helpless, flailing as he fell from the air. He heard the sound of the bronze statue cutting through the wind as it swiftly approached.

Cutting through the thick air, there was a loud bang.

First, his arms were completely shattered by the bronze statue, and in the next moment, the cold touch of the statue hit his face.

The immense force sent his entire body spinning out of control.

As he continued to spin, he finally slammed into the wall with a loud crack.

He was embedded directly into the wall, with cracks spreading outwards from around him.

At this, Zhen Xiaoxiao couldn't help but gasp:

"Hold on!!!"

The person, dazed and confused, heard this and immediately grew angry, thinking, You want me to hold on... but you're still hitting me this hard?

Just then, he heard the sound of clanging and saw Zhen Xiaoxiao had already arrived in front of him, reaching out to feel the wall:

"Hold on, don't shatter!!!"

It turned out that she wasn't talking about him, which enraged him even more!

In his rage, the man spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out.

The two assassins who had been separated in mid-air landed and immediately split up, running in different directions.

But one of them looked up and saw a woman standing in front of him.

"Get out of the way!"

As he spoke, he tried to rush past her.

Yang Xiaoyun smirked and reached out, grabbing him. The man tried to block with his arm, but the moment it touched Yang Xiaoyun's finger, he felt his bones go numb, and his entire arm went limp like mud.

Yang Xiaoyun's fingers were like steel claws, pulling down along his arm to the wrist, and then twisting. The man let out a scream, feeling like his arm was broken.

He immediately swung his other hand to strike, his movements vicious.

However, he had underestimated his opponent.

Yang Xiaoyun held her fingers together, index and middle fingers extended like the tip of a spear, and made a casual thrust, instantly driving the force through the man's arm.

The man could only scream again, his arms hanging limply at his sides, completely drained of strength.

When he looked up again, several acupoints on his chest had already been consecutively struck seven or eight times by Yang Xiaoyun.

She didn’t spare him a glance, her gaze skipping past his body toward the other black-clad individual.

That person was already being whipped to the point of rolling on the ground by Liu Mo, who wielded a Ba Wang whip:

"I told you not to run into the escort agency to shout and cause trouble, I told you not to run..."

Seeing this, Yang Xiaoyun shook her head. "Liu, old buddy, don’t kill him."

"Don’t worry, Deputy Chief, I’ve got it under control," Liu Mo replied.

He then blocked the man's acupoints with a swift move.

Glancing at the one pinned to the wall by Zhen Xiaoxiao’s attack, who couldn’t get down, Liu Mo saw that Zhen Xiaoxiao was only focused on the wall, as if he was trying to patch the crack with spit, clearly not caring about the person next to him.

Liu Mo had no choice but to go over and check. The man’s bones were almost all broken.

Even if he didn’t die, he was pretty much done for.

Shaking his head, Liu Mo removed the man from the wall and, carrying the one he had just immobilized, looked up at the roof, waiting for Su Mo’s orders.

"Take them to the front hall," Su Mo said, already beginning to treat the injured person.

This person was none other than Ji Shuhua, the very same person who had offered a hundred taels of silver to Su Mo to deliver the "Dragon's Song" to Jade Willow Villa.

No one could've guessed that this whole mess would uncover a twenty-year plot by the Youquan Cult.

If the Youquan Cult found out that Ji Shuhua's hundred taels of silver ruined their plan, who knows how they'd react.

Right now, this man, who had once been strong, was barely hanging on and had clearly forced himself to come to Ziyang Escort Agency for help.

Su Mo didn't waste any time and started using the secret techniques from the Twelve Gates Golden Bell Shield to heal him.

But things weren't looking good—Ji Shuhua's pulse was weakening, and Su Mo's brows furrowed in concern.

Ji Shuhua's heart meridian was shattered, and his body was overwhelmed by multiple deadly poisons.

Even with the Golden Bell Shield's secret healing techniques and the pills Little Situ Taoist gave him, there was no way to save Ji Shuhua.

If Little Situ Taoist were here, maybe they could've bought him some more time, but right now, there was nothing anyone could do.

Su Mo paused, then took out a bottle of pills from his chest.

Just as he was about to put a pill in Ji Shuhua's mouth, hoping to help, Ji Shuhua reached out to stop him.

"Chief Escort Su... don't waste your time on me.

"My injuries... there's no fixing them..."

Su Mo's brows furrowed. "Master Ji, what's going on? What happened to you?"

"I... I was doing it for someone else..."

Ji Shuhua took a deep breath, wanting to explain the circumstances while he still had some life left in him:

"Some time ago… a little while ago, I met a friend somewhere.

"This person… roams the world, seeking adventure and collecting rare and exotic items.

"After not seeing each other for a long time, and after drinking together, he asked me to do him a favor…"

As he spoke, he struggled to unfasten a bundle from behind him.

This item… was yet another box!

Yet the thing inside was far much heavier than a sword.

"Chief Escort Su, take a look… this was found by him… in a secret place, a strange piece of iron.

"He wanted me to deliver it to Hidden Sword Cottage, to give it to the Hidden Sword Hermit."

"The Hidden Sword Hermit?" Could it be…?

"…Chief Escort Su, the sword you use… the Dragon Roar Sword, was crafted by the Hidden Sword Hermit."

Ji Shuhua took a deep breath again. "Chief Escort Su, I can't hold on much longer… Now, life and death are only a breath apart, but when entrusted with a task, one must see it through.

"Though Ji Shuhua's martial skills are lacking, he has never broken his word or betrayed his principles.

"Now, to die… so be it… but I cannot fail the trust of my friend."

"At this point, the only option is to ask Chief Escort Su to help... help me...

"The Hidden Sword Cottage where the Hermit of the Hidden Sword resides is located on Jifeng Mountain... Inside the mountain, there's a hollow area. You... you need to find an opening... find an opening..."

He tried to keep going, but at that moment, he couldn't say another word.

As his face twisted in pain, he abruptly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, Su Mo quickly sent another burst of internal energy, keeping him alive for the moment.

"Chief Escort Su, don't waste your internal energy on someone like me... Please listen to what I have to say...

"The Hidden Sword Cottage... In front of the residence, there is a forest called Green Wood Forest.

"Within the forest, there is a maze that keeps outsiders from entering. Once you enter...

"Once inside, you'll definitely get lost. But just remember to keep turning left, and when you see red, head right, and you'll reach the mountain gap.

"Beyond the mountain gap, you will find the Hidden Sword Cottage!"

As he finished these words, he seemed to gather the last of his strength, speaking them all in one breath.

He took out some items from his chest and handed them to Su Mo: "...I, Ji, have nothing of value... Only 200 taels of silver, and... and a jade pendant.

"That jade pendant... I obtained it by chance. I waited at the original spot for ten days, but no one came to claim it, so I took it for myself.

"Now, now... consider it as the escort fee, please, Chief Escort Su... help... help... deliver this item..."

Before he could finish, he took his last breath and was gone.

Su Mo channeled his inner energy once again, hoping to keep him alive, but it was no use.

"Xiao Mo..."

Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help glancing at Su Mo. "Master Ji is gone..."

Su Mo took a deep breath and gave up on the futile effort.

But his brow was furrowed. "A life of honor and loyalty that will last a thousand years—truly a life of honor. Having taken on a friend's final request, he stayed true till the end, even if it cost him his life.

"Even at the end, he was thinking of helping his friend deliver the item...

"Such men are truly rare in the jianghu."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed deeply. "Jifeng Mountain is in Wusheng Hall's territory..."

Su Mo nodded.

Ji Shuhua's arrival was actually perfect. For Su Mo's purposes, this was far better than the three other missions he had considered.

But thinking about Ji Shuhua, Su Mo couldn't help feeling deep sorrow.

He opened his palm to reveal Ji Shuhua's 200 taels silver note and jade pendant.

The silver note was neatly folded, clearly well-preserved.

The jade pendant was clear and bright, a phoenix about to take flight.

Su Mo sighed and tucked the items into his chest.

"You can count on me, Master Ji. I, Su Mo, accept this mission and won't let you down!"

He looked up to see Fu Hanyuan and Hu Sandao approaching.

"Let us handle this, Chief."

Fu Hanyuan and Hu Sandao quickly stepped forward.

Su Mo nodded. "First, make sure he is well-rested. Tomorrow, find a good burial site to lay Master Ji to rest."

"Yes."

The two replied and left with the body.

Watching them leave, Su Mo stood there for a long time. Yang Xiaoyun took his hand.

"The jianghu is full of storms, and those storms are treacherous, Xiao Mo... You..."

"Xiaoyun Jie, I'm fine."

Su Mo shook his head slightly. "It's just that people like Ji Shuhua really shouldn't be mixed up in this jianghu.

"He spent half his life busy for his friends.

"Yet, even until his death, he couldn't find a friend to save him from his plight."

"Perhaps... he just didn't want to involve his friends?"

Yang Xiaoyun sighed, "But you, as the world's number one expert, are obviously different from the rest..."

"..."

Su Mo didn't know what to say for a moment.

The dead are gone, and no one can know what thoughts went through Ji Shuhua's mind in his final moments.

So there's no point in dwelling on it. He pulled Yang Xiaoyun's hand, about to leave, but couldn't help but stop to glance at Zhen Xiaoxiao, who was cheering on the wall.

"Enough, no matter how much you cheer it on, it's not coming back to life."

Su Mo said, "This month, your food rations are cut in half!"

"Ah!"

Zhen Xiaoxiao's face turned pale. She looked up at Su Mo, trembling, wanting to argue but losing her nerve. "I understand."

Yang Xiaoyun shot Su Mo a glance and said to Zhen Xiaoxiao, "He's messing with you."

"Ah?"

Zhen Xiaoxiao was stunned and looked at Su Mo.

But Su Mo had already grabbed Yang Xiaoyun's hand and was heading straight for the front hall.

This left Zhen Xiaoxiao confused, not knowing if Su Mo was serious or just messing with her.

She eyed the cracked wall and carefully made her way out, worried that a heavy step might bring the whole thing down.

...

...

In the front hall of the Ziyang Escort Bureau, there were still two and a half black-clad men kneeling at this moment.

There were originally five intruders; two were dead, and two and a half were left.

The half was the one Zhen Xiaoxiao had knocked into the wall with a single strike from her weapon.

Right now, he was sprawled out on the ground, still unconscious.

Liu Mo was sitting in a chair, keeping an eye on the three of them. Hearing footsteps approaching, he quickly got up to greet them.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun walked in, glanced at the men, and sat down.

Liu Mo didn't see Fu Hanyuan or Hu Sandao, or the person who had come asking for help that night.

He immediately knew what had happened.

Frowning, he moved behind the two black-clad men, kicked them both to the ground, and barked, "Talk!"

The two black-clad men looked at each other, saying nothing.

Liu Mo immediately drew the Bawang Steel Whip, about to strike.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Su Mo coughed. "You haven't asked yet."

Liu Mo froze, then slapped his forehead and clasped his fist to Su Mo, saying,

"Forgive me, Chief Escort, I've been traveling to Wufangji lately and dealing with those blockheads from the Tian Dao Sect too often..."

At this, Su Mo thought of Feng Baichuan. It had indeed been a while since he had heard anything about him, so he casually asked,

"By the way, Feng Baichuan once said he would come to the Escort Agency. Has he been here since?"

"I'm aware of that," Liu Mo replied. "Every time I go to Wufangji, I run into Brother Feng. The first time was by chance. I told him that the Chief Escort had gone to East City.

"After that, it seemed like he was always waiting there. Each time, I told him you hadn't returned, and he left."

"..."

Su Mo suddenly missed the people from the Tian Dao Sect.

That sect, from top to bottom... really was quite interesting.

However, this clearly wasn't the time to talk about it further. He lowered his head to look at the two black-clad men on the ground.

"Ji Shuhua is already dead. Your methods are quite impressive, but what is your background?"

"…Hey."

The man in black sneered, "He brought it upon himself. If he had handed over the item earlier, would he have ended up like this?"

"True words."

Su Mo nodded, then flicked his finger, and there was a hum.

One of the man in black's ears was already gone:

"Though your words make sense, is your ear just for show? I asked about your identities, not whether Hero Ji deserved his fate.

"Since you no longer need your ear, it’s only a small favor for me to remove it for you."

The pain finally reached his heart, and fear flashed in the man in black's eyes, though he tried to appear fierce:

"A scholar can be killed but not disgraced. Are you, the great first master of Eastern Wasteland, reduced to such petty tricks?"

"So, you two want to see what I’m capable of."

Su Mo nodded, stood up, and approached them: "Very well, then let you both experience it thoroughly."

With that, he directly pressed the Yutang point on their chests.

In the next moment, both men fell over, unable to utter a single word.

Su Mo waved his hand, "Liu Mo, take them away and guard them strictly. I’ll come back to question them later."

"Yes."

Liu Mo responded, casually dragging the three men out.