Chapter 295: Probing the Situation

Chapter 295: Probing the Situation

Su Mo's attitude was very amiable, and his words showed no intention of antagonizing Wusheng Hall.

In his words, he expressed disbelief that Ding Wugong was affiliated with Wusheng Hall.

However, his actions belied his words.

If he truly believed in Wusheng Hall, why bring someone here for confrontation?

This was clearly a move to confront and demand answers.

No one there was naive, and the atmosphere grew tense once more.

Su Mo looked around and smiled, "What's the matter with everyone?"

After a quick exchange of glances, all eyes turned to Li Zhongming.

The Twelve Halls each had distinct roles, and it was difficult to say which was superior. However, the First Hall ranked first, and in the absence of Wan Yutang, all matters, big and small, were typically handled by Li Zhongming.

At this moment, with Eastern Wasteland's Number One coming to Wusheng Hall to demand answers, it naturally fell to Li Zhongming to step in.

Li Zhongming glanced at Ding Wugong twice before smiling and said to Chief Escort Su, "May I ask the name of this person?"

"Oh," Chief Escort Su replied with a casual smile, "That was my oversight. This person's surname is Ding, and he calls himself Ding Wugong. I heard he has a nickname, 'Black-hearted Rat.'"

"Speaking of which, this person is indeed extraordinary—can talk his way out of anything, always knows when to act and when to back off.

"Whenever he's at a disadvantage, he’s quick to drop to his knees and beg for his life.

"He’s so smooth-talking, it’s hard to tell what’s real.

"Honestly, if it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have dragged him here to face you all.

"I’m not quick enough with words to outtalk him, so I can only ask the esteemed heroes of Wusheng Hall to let the truth come out and force him to admit it."

"I see," Li Zhongming nodded immediately. "Ding Wugong... so this is Ding Wugong.

"I’ve heard of him, too.

"The word on the street is that he’s a lackey of our Wusheng Hall, doing dirty work for us.

"Over the past few years, this has been pissing off people in the hall, and we've wanted to find him. However, as Chief Escort Su said, this person is extremely cunning and has the ability to flee at the first sign of trouble.

"Wusheng Hall has tried several times to track him down and send people to capture him, but he always saw us coming and slipped away.

"Who knew Chief Escort Su’s visit would hand us such a big win?

"This person has tarnished the reputation of our Wusheng Hall and deserves to be put down!"

"Exactly," Wu Yong, the Hall Master of the Fourth Hall, suddenly leaped up. "Chief Escort Su, please watch as I finish him off."

As he spoke, he lunged at Ding Wugong, his palm slicing horizontally through the air with a whooshing sound.

His sudden move took everyone by surprise.

Several Hall Masters shouted out:

"Don't act rashly!"

A few others remained seated, their eyes filled with grave concern.

Su Mo paid no heed to Wu Yong's attack but observed everything unfolding.

Just as Wu Yong's palm was about to strike Ding Wugong, the one-legged bronze figure abruptly pivoted.

The palm that was originally aimed at Ding Wugong instead collided with the other side of the one-legged bronze figure with a loud clang.

Crash!!!

A deafening thud echoed, and the one-legged bronze figure shuddered faintly. Wu Yong's expression twisted in shock.

He immediately leaped up, ready to strike again, but the one-legged bronze figure contracted and vanished in an instant.

He quickly looked up and saw the one-legged bronze figure reappear, wreathed in a swirling gale, powerful and heavy.

At that moment, Wu Yong actually had a chance to end Ding Wugong's life with a single palm, because when the one-legged bronze figure appeared, there were two heads—one above and one below.

The lower one was that of the one-legged bronze figure, and the upper one was Ding Wugong's.

With a single palm strike, he could have killed Ding Wugong instantly.

However, if he had killed Ding Wugong, the one-legged bronze figure would have plowed into his chest and abdomen.

The one-legged bronze figure was heavy and powerful, and the burly man wielding it had astonishing strength. There was no telling if he'd survive if he took that hit.

At that moment, he hesitated.

He could only reluctantly strike the one-legged bronze figure with his palm.

Clang!!!

The deafening clang once again reverberated throughout the entire hall.

Wu Yong had originally thought that by blocking the one-legged bronze figure, he could still end Ding Wugong's life.

But as soon as his palm touched the one-legged bronze figure, his expression twisted in shock.

The force carried by the one-legged bronze figure felt inexhaustible. Using all his strength to block it was already his limit—how could he possibly summon the strength to kill someone?

Wu Yong's face, already ugly with its long, narrow eyes and donkey-like features, now flushed and paled as his internal energy surged to its peak.

Yet, he still couldn't budge the one-legged bronze figure. The two were deadlocked in a standoff.

At this moment, Wu Yong was truly horrified.

After a lifetime of cultivating internal energy, he couldn't even match some burly lackey by the side of Eastern Wasteland's Number One?

"Stop!!"

A sharp shout rang out, naturally from Li Zhongming:

"Hall Master Wu, what are you doing? Now that you've killed him, wouldn’t that just prove we’re trying to silence him?"

Wu Yong remained silent—not because he didn't want to speak, but because he dared not.

In a clash of internal energy, one wrong move could mean instant death.

At this moment, how could he risk speaking carelessly?

If he were to lose his focus and get struck by the one-legged bronze statue, wouldn’t that leave him in a life-or-death situation?

Su Mo, on the other hand, smiled:

"Hall Master Li, take it easy. I think Hall Master Wu is just acting out of righteous anger.

"Hmm... Hall Master Wu, speak up. If it's a misunderstanding, let's just stop here."

Hearing this, Wu Yong couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

This Su Mo is so shameless!

With your martial arts prowess, can’t you see the state I’m in?

Now you expect me to explain this misunderstanding?

If I could speak, why wouldn’t I?

For a moment, he was on edge. He failed to kill, and now he’s stuck in a dilemma.

He wanted to withdraw, but he was worried the other side might take advantage and attack. But if he didn’t withdraw, wouldn’t that just prove he meant to silence the witness?

As he was struggling, Su Mo's tone suddenly turned grim:

"Hall Master Wu, do you refuse to back down?"

Hearing this, Wu Yong's heart turned cold.

Could it be that Su Mo intends to take action himself?

Then... wouldn't I be doomed for sure?

How did things suddenly escalate to this point?

No, I must not let Su Mo take action.

As this thought crossed his mind, he was already in disarray, and without realizing it, he had reduced his strength by twenty to thirty percent.

But suddenly, he felt the one-legged bronze man in his grasp twist abruptly.

Originally, the one-legged bronze man and Wu Yong's palm were locked in a battle of internal energy. Now, with the bronze man twisting, the technique was derived from the 'Twist' technique of the Canglong Bahuang Dianyun Spear.

Zhen Xiaoxiao possessed astonishing physical strength and profound internal energy.

Although she couldn’t use eighty to ninety percent of her strength, even the portion she could use was nothing to scoff at.

With just these two attributes, wielding the one-legged bronze man already made her a force to be reckoned with.

Now, although it seemed like she was on par with Wu Yong, in reality, Zhen Xiaoxiao wasn’t even going all out.

After following Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun, Yang Xiaoyun, who appreciated her pure-hearted and kind nature, would occasionally instruct her on the intricacies of weapon usage.

The Canglong Eight Desolations Point Cloud Spear is a family heirloom of the Yang clan, and Yang Xiaoyun naturally would not teach it to Zhen Xiaoxiao. It would be more appropriate to pass it on to her own descendants after she and Su Mo have children.

However, the experience and some small techniques could give Zhen Xiaoxiao a transformative experience in weapon handling.

This "Turning Technique" is a perfect example.

With a quick flick and twist of her wrist, the two heads of the one-legged bronze figure began to spin rapidly like a windmill.

Wu Yong's grip was already slipping, and with this twist, it completely slipped from his control, turning his palm to the side and leaving his defenses wide open.

A dull thud echoed as the one-legged bronze figure struck him squarely in the chest and stomach.

The Fourth Hall Master was sent flying backward through the air.

In mid-air, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The two nearby Hall Masters immediately sprang forward to catch him.

Upon landing, Wu Yong pointed at Zhen Xiaoxiao, trying to speak, but as soon as he opened his mouth, another torrent of blood gushed out.

"Xiaoxiao, that's enough."

Only then did Su Mo speak up softly: "In the presence of the esteemed seniors of Wusheng Hall, how can we afford to be so rude?"

After saying this, he clasped his hands towards Li Zhongming and smiled, saying:

"Hall Master Li, we beg your forgiveness. My subordinate is naive and simple, unaware of worldly affairs, and certainly harbors no ill intent.

"But I wonder why Senior Wu is in such a hurry to kill someone?

"Hmm, if it's about silencing someone, I find that hard to believe.

"Such a grand Wusheng Hall, surely it wouldn't lack such tolerance?

"Hall Master Li, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Li Zhongming immediately nodded, glancing meaningfully at Wu Yong before taking a deep breath and saying:

"Hall Master Wu must have acted out of righteous indignation. To be honest, knowing that this person is Ding Wugong, even I would be tempted to strike him down.

"After all, much of Wusheng Hall's reputation has been ruined by this man."

"I see."

Su Mo nodded, glancing at Ding Wugong, who was still spinning and seeing stars:

"Now that we are within the halls of Wusheng, do you have anything to say?"

"I..."

Ding Wugong opened his mouth, but for the moment, he couldn't find the words.

In fact, his mind was already somewhat sluggish.

The pain from the Parting Brew was tormenting him incessantly.

Relentless corrosion and regeneration, flesh vanishing and reappearing, pain and itch in endless alternation.

It had long since reduced him to a shadow of his former self.

Now, he couldn’t even grasp the intent behind Su Mo’s question, let alone how to respond.

How to answer Su Mo, and how to handle Wusheng Hall?

Or perhaps, how could he even hope to end his suffering?

Su Mo didn’t give him time to gather his thoughts, merely waving his hand dismissively:

"Enough, Hall Master Li. Isn’t Hall Master Ren present?"

"For now, discussing anything else is pointless. Once Hall Master Ren arrives to confront Ding Wugong,"

"the truth will come to light. Hall Master Li, what’s your take on this?"

"That’s perfectly reasonable."

Li Zhongming didn’t hesitate: "However, Hall Master Ren isn’t currently at Wusheng Hall. Chief Escort Su, you’re welcome to stay here as our guest for a few days."

"As it happens, my son’s wedding is just around the corner."

"I’ll send for Hall Master Ren immediately, and we’ll ensure Chief Escort Su receives a satisfactory resolution!"

Su Mo regarded Li Zhongming with a thoughtful expression.

For a moment, Li Zhongming felt a pang of anxiety.

He couldn’t help but admire how Su Mo, despite his youth, had earned such renown and success, truly deserving of his reputation.

Today’s events were a testament to that.

In both speech and action, he showed none of the rashness or brashness often seen in young men.

He was deliberate in his actions, humble and polite, every gesture reflecting the poise of a true master.

Yet, he retained his commanding presence, leaving no room for anyone to underestimate him.

Now, this brief pause made Li Zhongming uneasy, a testament to Su Mo’s influence.

As his mind raced, he heard Su Mo give a soft chuckle:

"Very well, let’s table this for now. We’ll wait for Hall Master Ren’s return before making any decisions."

"Excellent, excellent."

Li Zhongming immediately nodded but then remembered something:

"Chief Escort Su mentioned there’s another important matter to discuss today?"

"May I inquire what it is?"

"Hmm..." Su Mo smiled. "This matter can wait. Let’s discuss it after your son’s wedding."

"Very well."

Li Zhongming did not press further and smiled:

"By then, the Hall Master should have come out of seclusion. Whatever the matter, as long as it is within the capabilities of our Wusheng Hall, we will not decline."

"Haha."

Su Mo clasped his fists and laughed: "Then I thank Hall Master Li."

"Chief Escort Su, you are too kind."

The conversation then turned to less important matters.

After exchanging a few words with those present, Su Mo ended the conversation on the pretext that 'Wusheng Hall is currently dealing with important matters, and I dare not delay the time of the Hall Masters.'

Upon hearing this, Li Zhongming immediately nodded and had Li Xuechun escort Su Mo and his party to the guest rooms for rest.

After bidding farewell to the hall masters present, they left the main hall under the guidance of Li Xuechun.

The journey was peaceful, but Li Xuechun, who was leading the way, occasionally looked back at Su Mo and his companions, as if wanting to say something but hesitating.

However, even when he led Su Mo and his group to a small separate courtyard, he did not speak up.

He only told Su Mo and his companions that within Wusheng Hall, except for the forbidden area in the back mountain, they were free to explore anywhere else.

Meals would be delivered on time, and if they needed more food or drink, they could simply request it.

If they needed anything from him, they could send a servant to summon him at any time, and he would come immediately.

After saying this, he again showed a hesitant expression.

Seeing this, Su Mo couldn't help but smile:

"Does Young Master Li have something you wish to say to me?"

"Um... no, no."

Li Xuechun seemed to think of something and quickly shook his head: "Chief Escort Su and everyone, you must be tired from the long journey. Please rest first."

At this point, he glanced at Ding Wugong on Zhen Xiaoxiao's single-legged bronze figure, his brow slightly furrowed.

He was no longer in a playful mood.

After a moment of contemplation, he clasped his fists and bid farewell.

Su Mo stood at the courtyard gate, watched his retreating figure for a moment, then turned back and closed the courtyard gate.

Looking back at Xu Lu and the others, Su Mo assigned them rooms.

Xu Lu naturally stayed with Hu Sandao.

Zhen Xiaoxiao had a room to herself. As for where Yang Xiaoyun would sleep, Su Mo did not say, but after telling everyone to rest, he took Yang Xiaoyun into a large room in the center.

As soon as they sat down after entering, Yang Xiaoyun couldn't wait to speak:

"Xiao Mo, something is not right in Wusheng Hall."

Su Mo looked at her and smiled slightly:

"Xiaoyun, have you noticed something?"

"Right."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded firmly this time:

"There's something seriously off about Wu Yong!

"The other Hall Masters are a different story, though.

"They can't all be treated the same.

"Li Zhongming's behavior today shows he's playing it safe.

"So, whether Hall Master Ren is really absent from Wusheng Hall is now up in the air.

"After all, we didn't exactly keep Ding Wugong under wraps.

"If they got wind of it early and sent Ren Xiongfei packing ahead of time, that's possible too."

"True."

Su Mo nodded: "What else?"

"Hmm... this Young Master Li... seems to know something?"

Yang Xiaoyun suddenly slammed the table, startling Su Mo.

"Xiao Mo!"

She grabbed Su Mo's hand and said, "His last name is Li!"

Then, lowering her voice, she added, "Li, like Li Siyun!"

"..."

Su Mo chuckled and nodded, "But... he only took the name Li because he used to call himself 'Shouli'..."

"Huh?"

Yang Xiaoyun paused, trying to remember, but drew a blank: "Really?"

"Yep."

Su Mo smiled, "The name Li doesn't mean much, but you're right—these Hall Masters aren't all the same.

"Now I get why... they're holding back.

"The situation in Wusheng Hall is messy, like there are two sides to it.

"If we don't tread carefully, we might end up hurting the wrong people.

"So, we need to look into this carefully.

"Using Ding Wugong as bait today, those with dirty hands—like Wu Yong and others still in the shadows—won't want him alive for long.

"They'll definitely make a move..."

"So, we wait?"

"No, this time we make the first move. Wu Yong's already tipped his hand—no point waiting around."

"But if we act now, it will definitely draw the attention of those within Wusheng Hall."

"If they muddy the waters again, I’m afraid..."

Su Mo, however, smiled when he heard this: "Who said we are going to act?"

"What?"

Yang Xiaoyun was taken aback.

Then Su Mo said:

"Currently, there are only three days left until the little princess’s wedding... martial artists have been coming and going nonstop.

"Xiaoyun, take a guess how many new faces are in Wusheng Hall right now?"

Yang Xiaoyun’s expression shifted slightly: "What do you mean?"

"Previously, there was no suitable opportunity, but now it’s hard to tell—they might have already infiltrated."

As Su Mo spoke, Yang Xiaoyun grew visibly excited.

Of course, he was referring to Yang Yizhi and others.

It’s been over half a year since the battle at Blue Wind Valley.

The father and daughter haven’t seen each other yet.

If they’re also in Wusheng Hall now, a reunion must be close.

At Su Mo’s words, Yang Xiaoyun’s eyes lit up:

"Are you saying you want them to make a move?"