Chapter 266 White Robe Swordsman

It was that night.

Jinyang City had not lost its daytime hustle and bustle despite the late hour. The main streets were still filled with a constant flow of carriages and horses, and ordinary folks left their homes one after another to enjoy a different kind of peaceful prosperity.

Groups of three or five friends gathered, chatting about family affairs and talking about jianghu rumors. Especially that day, there was even more fodder for conversation.

"Wang Dingsheng, the Diamond Thunder Fist master. Years ago, his reputation was already remarkable.

"It is said that in his youth, he learned the divine art of Diamond Prajna in a monastery, and after perfecting his fist technique, his punches could summon both wind and thunder.

"Since then, he roamed the jianghu, not without encountering opponents, but few could match him.

"I never thought he would change his name and assume the identity of Wang Ergou, appearing in the city of Jinyang to challenge Su Mo, the top expert of the Eastern Wasteland."

"It's truly unexpected. Reasonably speaking, someone like him wouldn't need to bother to gain fame.

"He's not some unknown novice in the jianghu. Why would he invite such bad luck?"

In a certain tavern, a group of close friends were drinking and casually chatting, bringing up this very matter.

"Who could know?"

Someone in the corner gently shook their head. "But it's true that Su Mo is indeed remarkable. Wang Dingsheng's martial prowess was extraordinary. Yet, even one of Su Mo's random subordinates had such skill.

"He gave Wang Dingsheng a resounding slap in the face...

"But even that would have been fine. After all, it was Wang Ergou who lost face, not Wang Dingsheng.

"But his identity was exposed by the deputy chief escort of the Ziyang Escort Bureau. At this point... his lifelong reputation has gone down the drain."

"Especially that line, 'You don't even have the qualification to die by my hand!'

"Well said, Ziyang Escort Bureau's Chief Escort, the number one expert of the Eastern Wasteland, Su Mo!!"

Upon mentioning this, someone raised their cup. "For this story, we should drink a big cup!"

"Cheers!"

Everyone raised their cups and drank heartily, feeling a bit tipsy.

However, one person in the group, however, furrowed their brows:

"But I've heard that among those present today, there were experts who noticed that the person who struck on behalf of Chief Escort Su, with only their own abilities, couldn't possibly gain an advantage over Wang Dingsheng.

"They say... someone was secretly guiding him, intending to humiliate Wang Dingsheng."

"Oh? In that case, there's no need to say more. The person guiding from the shadows must undoubtedly be Chief Escort Su.

"Wang Dingsheng was spouting nonsense; slapping him was being lenient.

"Moreover, the person who struck may have been lacking a bit in martial skill, but his lightness kung fu was exceptional. If he had wanted to evade, Wang Dingsheng wouldn't have been able to even touch his sleeve.

"I wonder who that person was?"

This question caused all the friends present to look at each other in silence.

No one could answer.

Suddenly, they heard someone at the neighboring table laugh and say,

"I know this person."

Everyone was startled and immediately looked over, only to see a random patron sitting at the next table.

Seeing this, the guest bowed slightly and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, I happened to overhear your discussion about this person. I didn’t want to interrupt, but when his identity was mentioned, it hit a sore spot for me. That’s why I joined the conversation rudely. Please don’t take offense."

"No offense, no offense. Please enlighten us, friend."

The man laughed heartily and said, "This person has a title, known as 'Fleeting Snow.' I wonder if any of you have heard of him?"

Everyone at this table was curious. Upon hearing the name 'Fleeting Snow,' the name sounded familiar, but they couldn’t quite recall it immediately.

Suddenly, someone exclaimed, slapped the table, and stood up:

"It’s that thief, Xu!"

After this was mentioned, everyone present reacted:

"*Fleeting Shadow, Snow Unmoved!* So he is Xu Lu!"

"No wonder he has such remarkable lightness skill. Truly impressive!"

Hearing the name Xu Lu, everyone finally understood. This master of lightness skill indeed had a history.

But they couldn’t help frowning:

"The name 'Fleeting Snow' sounds somewhat elegant, but Xu Lu is, after all, a thief.

"How is it that he ended up by Chief Escort Su’s side?

"Chief Escort Su runs an escort agency. Ever since he officially took over the agency, he has consistently made significant moves, gaining fame in the jianghu.

"For a thief to suddenly be near him… what could be the reason?"

"That’s indeed hard to say."

Another person said with a laugh, "Although Xu Lu is a thief, he only steals without harming others. Annoying as he may be, his crime isn’t a capital offense.

"Perhaps he was once bested by Chief Escort Su. Seeing his potential, Su spared him and kept him by his side, hoping to guide him back to the right path."

"Well said!"

Several people immediately nodded in approval:

"Ever since Chief Escort Su entered the jianghu, he has demonstrated great bravery and righteousness. He eliminated the villains of the Youquan Cult in Profound Theory Valley and, during a trip to East City, killed Sect Leader Youquan and the Night Monarch of Eternal Night Valley.

"He can truly be called peerless in benevolence and righteousness!

"Since he has kept Xu Lu by his side, he must have another purpose in mind, which is truly admirable."

Hearing this, the man at the next table also laughed:

"You all make valid points, but speaking of which, do any of you know about another matter?"

"What is it?"

Everyone was startled and immediately pricked up their ears to listen carefully.

They heard the person say with a smile:

"Why has Chief Escort Su suddenly come to our Jinyang City?"

"That's what I thought it would be."

Immediately, someone laughed:

"Chief Escort Su has already made it clear during his conversation with City Lord Zeng today. He came here just passing through.

"He is carrying a valuable item. Someone must have hired an escort at Ziyang Escort Agency, which is why he's personally seeing it through.

"And that's why we can't help but admire him.

"His martial prowess is unmatched in the world, making him the greatest man alive.

"Yet he's stayed true to his roots and still runs the escort agency, setting an example for all of us.

"No matter how successful we become, we should never forget where we came from."

The others nodded in agreement.

The person at the next table seemed momentarily at a loss for words but then smiled casually: "But do any of you know what Chief Escort Su is escorting?

"As the number one expert in the Eastern Wildlands, whatever he's personally escorting must be something extraordinary."

At this, everyone was a bit confused.

But their curiosity got the better of them.

"Do you know, friend?"

They looked at each other and asked at the same time.

The person smiled and poured herself a cup of wine:

"This is a long story. Since you all know about 'Startling Swan in the Snow,' you must be quite the experts.

"You've probably heard of 'Eternal Brotherhood'."

"Ji Shuhua of the Eternal Brotherhood!"

Everyone grew solemn out of respect:

"If there's anyone in the world today we admire, besides the legendary Chief Escort Su, it's definitely Ji Shuhua."

"Exactly. He's loyal, keeps his promises, and has friends everywhere."

"Too bad we'll never get the chance to meet him."

"Even if you all want to meet him, it's probably impossible."

"Ah?"

"Why are you saying that?"

The man looked up and gave them a quick glance. "Because he is dead."

Those words left not only the people at this table dumbfounded, but everyone on the second floor of the tavern who heard them pale with shock.

Everyone looked at the man. Some stood up, their faces ashen, trembling so much they could barely hold their wine bowls:

"What? Brother Ji... Brother Ji... is dead?"

"That's right."

The man gave a slight nod. "He's dead, and he died at Ziyang Escort Agency!"

"Gasp!"

"What exactly happened?"

While Ji Shuhua's reputation wasn't as high as Su Mo's is now, he meant a lot to those present.

His martial skills weren't great, but his loyalty was strong.

He had friends all over the jianghu, and even here in this tavern today, there were people who knew him.

Hearing the tragic news, they were filled with grief.

Right away, someone jumped up and rushed over to the man:

"Tell us exactly what happened. How did he die at Ziyang Escort Agency?"

"He... how did he pass away?

"Could it be... is it possible..."

At this point, the person's face turned pale, overwhelmed with despair.

His greatest fear was that Ji Shuhua had met his end at Su Mo's hands.

If that were true, even if he wished to seek revenge, he would be powerless to confront the enemy.

"Don't jump to conclusions," said the person who was privy to the details.

"This matter has absolutely nothing to do with Chief Escort Su."

"In fact, Ji Shuhua, Master Ji, went to the Ziyang Escort Agency seeking assistance."

"What... how did this come to pass?"

"Sigh... you have no idea," the person sighed.

After a brief pause, he went on,

"As you all know, Master Ji had friends far and wide, whether they were martial artists or ordinary people, he knew someone everywhere.

"Not long ago, he chanced upon a friend.

"This individual was also an extraordinary figure in the jianghu, indifferent to fame and fortune, but passionate about exploring remote mountains and lands, savoring the beauty of rivers and mountains, and collecting rare treasures."

Before he could finish, someone interjected, "Are you referring to the 'Wanderer of the Four Seas, Leisurely Cloud of Half the Sky,' Cold Sky Cloud?"

"That's the person."

The man nodded immediately. "This wanderer of hidden places probably isn't known to many.

"This person has an incredibly sharp eye for discovering hidden and secluded places. No rare treasure can escape this person's keen eye.

"This person has known Master Ji for a long time, and after this unexpected meeting, they entrusted an item to him.

"It was a rare and extraordinary treasure in the martial world... something many in the martial world could only dream of acquiring."

After saying this, he looked around and saw that everyone was watching him, and finally revealed the item's name:

"Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron!"

……

……

Even in the bustling night of a prosperous city like Jinyang City, there are places the light doesn't reach.

In a narrow alley, under the cover of the dark night, one person leaned against the wall, barely sitting in meditation.

Suddenly, the person meditating opened their eyes and saw two figures approaching out of the darkness.

These two individuals were short in height, each wearing wide white robes.

Their steps were steady yet completely silent.

"Did the great manager send you?"

The person meditating was none other than Wang Dingsheng.

The two attackers exchanged glances and nodded at the same time.

Wang Dingsheng seemed to let out a sigh of relief. "This guy Su Mo..."

Just as he started to speak, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

In an instant, two short swords silently plunged into his throat.

Immediately after, the slightly shorter swordsmen spun around, their long swords flashing in the night before disappearing under their sleeves.

Wang Dingsheng's head was severed.

As it fell, one of them caught it.

Grabbing a lock of hair, the figure turned and left.

The silent night settled in, leaving behind a headless corpse, a shocking sight.

Shortly after they left, a figure silently appeared in front of Wang Dingsheng's body.

Looking at the headless corpse and then in the direction the two white-robed swordsmen had gone, the figure couldn't help but wince:

"Who the heck are these people..."

The figure was none other than Xu Lu.

Just as he was heading to the inn, in high spirits from his conversation, he had received Su Mo's order to secretly tail Wang Dingsheng.

Wang Dingsheng was sent flying by a kick from Zhen Xiaoxiao. However, since the man was severely injured, he wasn’t hard to find.

Xu Lu found him quickly and started keeping him under surveillance.

This surveillance has continued until now.

He thought there wouldn’t be any trouble, but when it came, it was incredibly troublesome.

"If this corpse is left here and someone identifies it, will they think Chief Escort Su was responsible?"

"But I still need to tail these two and see what they’re up to. Carrying a corpse around is just..."

His thoughts raced, but he had to make a quick decision, or the two would be long gone, and he’d never catch up.

If he pissed off Chief Escort Su again and didn’t get the antidote, wouldn’t he suffer and die in agony?

Without further hesitation, he grabbed Wang Dingsheng's body, its neck wound still gushing blood, and leapt into the night, pursuing the two.

As for the body...

The bleeding will eventually stop, and he could dump the body in a deserted area later.

If he remembered after he was done, he’d come back and dig a grave.

If he forgot... well, the wild dogs roaming the forest would handle it.

Cruel as it was, this was just the way of the jianghu, wasn’t it?

Xu Lu was somewhat surprised as he gave chase.

These two short swordsmen had remarkable lightness skills.

Even though Xu Lu was carrying a corpse, he had no problem keeping up with them.

Both their lightness skills and sword techniques were exceptional, which was a reminder to Xu Lu.

Though his lightness skills were unmatched, he had no skills in offense or combat.

When he bragged to Hu Sandao, it was just that—empty boasts.

But he knew full well how he’d managed to slap Wang Dingsheng.

If he could track these two back to where they came from, he’d definitely report it to Chief Escort Su.

But if he couldn’t find them and they spotted him...

He’d slick his feet and run.

He wouldn’t be stupid enough to charge in like some hero.

That wouldn’t be heroic; it’d be suicide.

Xu Lu always knew his limits and never recklessly did anything beyond his abilities.

That’s just begging to die.

Even today, when he took the initiative to tease Wang Dingsheng, it was only because he couldn't stand his harsh words.

He merely relied on his agility to play a trick.

When Wang Dingsheng wanted to engage in a fierce battle, he didn't even think about it before deciding to retreat.

If not for Su Mo's secret message, there would have been no scene of the white crane flying through the snow, fiercely striking the Vajra Wind Thunder during the day.

Many thoughts swirled in his mind, but these three people had already left Jinyang City, one after another.

However, after passing through a dense forest, the two white-robed swordsmen suddenly changed direction for some unknown reason.

Xu Lu could only continue to follow... and then he realized they were back at Jinyang City.

"..."

Xu Lu almost burst out in anger, thinking they were just toying with him?

For a moment, he felt uncertain, wondering if he had been discovered?

Was that why they made such a large detour?

But soon he realized he was overthinking it.

The reason these two made the detour was just as a precaution.

If someone was following them, an ordinary person's agility might not be enough to catch up, and those who could catch up might hesitate to enter the forest, fearing some hidden danger.

Even if they did enter, they were likely to be detected.

After these layers of screening, they finally dared to confirm that no one was following them.

Only then did they return to Jinyang City.

In the darkness beyond the reach of Jinyang City's lanterns, two white-robed swordsmen landed with agile leaps. Xu Lu had been following more cautiously, but he had forgotten that he was still carrying a headless corpse in his arms.

The scene appeared somewhat absurd and eerie.

Finally, the two white-robed swordsmen stopped before a courtyard.

This courtyard was not small; its layout was elegant, clearly not belonging to an ordinary household.

The two white-robed swordsmen leaped over the wall directly and entered the courtyard.

At first, Xu Lu thought that their contact was hidden within this courtyard.

But soon he realized something was amiss.

Although these two men were extremely familiar with the terrain inside the courtyard, showing no signs of unfamiliarity as they moved about,

they were cautious and furtive, clearly not wanting anyone to notice their presence.

In a short while, the two men reached the door of a bedroom.

With a light touch on the window, followed by a gentle push, they opened it.

They flew inside, landing silently without making a sound.

They approached the bedside, each holding a human head in one hand.

A middle-aged couple was already asleep in the bed. The white-robed swordsmen exchanged glances, then picked up the severed head, using its hair to stroke the face of the man.

The itch would cause irritation even in a dream.

The middle-aged man waved his hand across his face a couple of times before suddenly getting angry:

"Who is it!?"

At that moment, he abruptly opened his eyes.

He didn’t see the two white-robed swordsmen, but instead saw a bloody severed head!!