Chapter 296: The Flying Dart Message

Chapter 296: The Flying Dart Message

When we left Sunset City, it was just the beginning of autumn.

Now, autumn is in full swing.

The courtyard is ablaze with red maple leaves, swept by the autumn wind, rising and falling.

Finally, they settle on the windowsill, resting for a moment.

Behind the tightly closed doors and windows, Su Mo casually picked up the teapot, inspected it carefully, poured a cup of tea, and slid it over to Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun took a sip of tea and heard Su Mo say:

"Now we are like a beacon, shining brightly. It's no exaggeration to say that the entire Wusheng Hall, both internally and externally, is watching us.

"This will make it hard for us to move forward and accomplish anything.

"But from another angle, it also draws the attention of the entire Wusheng Hall.

"We are in the open, they are in the shadows. If we can work together well, we might be able to see through this chaos and understand everything."

"Hmm."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded immediately: "You're right. The current situation has its pros and cons.

"But if that's the case, how can they avoid those prying eyes lurking in the shadows?"

"Well..."

Su Mo smiled: "Don't worry. We've come here so openly. If they are really here, there will definitely be some action tonight.

"We'll just have to wait and see."

Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help feeling a bit worried:

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid he can't restrain himself.

"In previous years, I thought he had changed, no longer as impulsive as before.

"But now, it seems he was just biding his time.

"Who knows if he might do something rash?"

"Don't worry."

Su Mo gently shook his head: "After waiting this long, why would he act rashly now?"

"That's true."

Yang Xiaoyun rubbed the teacup in her hand and thought of Li Xuechun:

"I feel like this Mr. Li knows something."

Hearing this, Su Mo couldn't help laughing.

"What's wrong?"

Yang Xiaoyun was stunned for a moment, then became a bit annoyed:

"Why are you laughing, Xiao Mo? Are you laughing because I'm tickling you?"

After saying this, she pretended to tickle him.

Su Mo quickly grabbed her hand: "Please, Lady Yang, have mercy! I won't laugh anymore, I won't laugh anymore..."

"Then tell me quickly, what are you laughing at?"

Yang Xiaoyun snorted, tried to pull her hand away but failed, realizing that this rascal had taken advantage of the situation again. She rolled her eyes but let him have his fun.

Su Mo stopped laughing and spoke softly:

"This Mr. Li is quite the character; there's probably something fishy going on in the back mountain.

"However, I think his motives might not be entirely honest."

"Hmm?"

Yang Xiaoyun frowned slightly: "Why?"

"Xiaoyun, let's think this through...

"First of all, what is Mr. Li's current situation?"

"About to hit a small milestone in life?"

"It's a milestone, but whether he's happy about it is another story."

Su Mo recalled the forced smile on Mr. Li's face when he congratulated him on becoming a 'groom' today.

He couldn't help but shake his head gently:

"His milestone is marrying Wan Yilan.

"Although Wan Yilan is Wan Yutang's pride and joy, her status is nothing to scoff at.

"But her complicated history with Wan Zangxin... even if Wusheng Hall can fool the world, how can they fool Li Xuechun?

"A man about to marry, yet the bride's heart belongs to someone else.

"Do you think Li Xuechun is really eager to go through with this marriage?"

Yang Xiaoyun nodded upon hearing this but then shook her head:

"I think there are two ways to look at this.

"The first is whether Li Xuechun likes Wan Yilan.

"If he does, no matter who Wan Yilan has in her heart, he wouldn't pass up the chance to be with her.

"For me, it's the same; even if your heart isn't mine, I've already chosen you!"

"..."

Su Mo was at a loss for words; how did the topic shift to him?

He couldn't resist tapping her nose: "If my heart isn't yours, whose could it be?"

Yang Xiaoyun couldn't hide the joy on her face but didn't want to make her feelings too obvious in front of Su Mo, so she tried to hold back.

However, the flushed cheeks and the slightly upturned corners of her mouth still revealed her thoughts.

She knew that even if she tried to hide it, she probably wouldn't escape the sharp gaze of the person in front of her, so she gave up trying to hide it, her eyes and brows filled with joy.

Seeing this, Su Mo couldn't resist the urge to pull her into his arms.

However, Yang Xiaoyun quickly said:

"Let's focus on the matter at hand."

"Right, Sister Xiaoyun, go on."

Su Mo scooted his stool closer to Yang Xiaoyun.

Their shoulders touched, bringing them even closer.

Yang Xiaoyun chuckled softly before continuing:

"The second possibility is that Li Xuechun doesn't have any romantic interest in Wan Yilan.

"If that's the case... he would certainly be dissatisfied with this marriage.

"Right, remember how we heard that after the Wan Zangxin incident, Wan Yutang issued the Wusheng Order, which shook the martial world?

"Many went after Wan Zangxin for the Wusheng Order, but Li Xuechun acted like it was no big deal.

"If he truly cared for Wan Yilan, he wouldn't let Wan Zangxin roam free... though, to be fair, Wan Zangxin isn't exactly free—more like unlucky.

"But if Wan Yilan's reputation was tarnished and he truly cared for her, he'd be the most anxious, not so calm.

"From this angle, it's clear he doesn't like Wan Yilan."

"That's right."

Su Mo nodded: "However, Li Zhongming is clearly satisfied.

"Li Xuechun is not only his son but also the chief disciple of Hall Master Wan Yutang.

"If they could solidify their bond through marriage..."

"That's why Li Zhongming was so focused on keeping things stable today."

Yang Xiaoyun immediately nodded: "You, the First of Donghuang, came to Wusheng Hall seeking answers, yet he had the nerve to delay the matter, clearly determined to avoid any disruptions to the grand wedding in three days.

"After all, if someone dies in Wusheng Hall now, how could the wedding go on in three days?"

"Exactly."

Su Mo smiled: "Still, the wedding will probably go ahead.

"This wedding was arranged so hastily—Wusheng Hall is clearly in a rush.

"Unless something major happens, they're unlikely to call off the wedding."

"Mm..."

Yang Xiaoyun followed this line of thought and quickly understood:

"Li Zhongming is aiming for stability, hoping these three days pass without a hitch."

"The wedding can proceed smoothly, making his son the son-in-law of Hall Master Wan Yutang.

"Although Li Xuechun does not like Wan Yilan, he cannot defy his father's orders and must comply for now.

"However... he clearly has not accepted his fate."

At this point, Yang Xiaoyun glanced at Su Mo:

"So, the matter at the back mountain may not be directly related to Ding Wugong, but it might still cause some complications in his wedding plans?"

"Exactly, which is why I suspect that the mystery of the back mountain isn't very profound.

"It doesn't serve Li Xuechun's own interests.

"What he wants is simply not to marry, not to destroy Wusheng Hall.

"If there were truly some world-shaking secret hidden there that could shake Wusheng Hall, firstly, he wouldn't know about it, and secondly, even if he did, he probably wouldn't reveal it."

After reaching this point in the analysis, Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help but sigh:

"All that anticipation for nothing."

Su Mo chuckled again and patted her hand, saying:

"To say it was all for nothing may be jumping the gun. After all, this is merely our speculation.

"The result is still up in the air.

"And based on this speculation, there are still many loose ends.

"For example, what exactly happened to the young lady of Wusheng Hall that made Wan Yutang so eager to marry her off?"

"True enough."

Yang Xiaoyun also nodded: "So, what do you suppose it is?"

"Hmm..."

Su Mo was momentarily stunned: "I'm not a fortune-teller. How would I know about something so unclear?"

"I always felt like you had everything figured out, as if you had some kind of supernatural insight. Apparently, there are things you don't know too."

"Well..."

Su Mo smiled: "The waters of the martial world are deep, and human hearts are unfathomable. That's just how it is."

"True."

Yang Xiaoyun wholeheartedly agreed.

After that, the two of them stopped discussing the matter further and drifted into casual conversation.

Sometimes they talked about martial arts, sometimes about the future, always with endless topics to explore.

Lost in conversation, they looked up to find the sun already setting in the west.

After dinner, Su Mo couldn't bring himself to let Yang Xiaoyun stay in his room.

Although every time they shared a room to rest, nothing improper had ever occurred."

Before their wedding, the two always restrained themselves.

But now, the situation had changed.

Yang Yizhi was most likely already hiding within Wusheng Hall. If he allowed Yang Xiaoyun to stay in his room to rest,

and if her father saw them...

Not married yet, what would people think?

It could lead to some serious trouble.

To avoid any issues, it was safer to have Yang Xiaoyun rest in the next room.

The night deepened rapidly, and Su Mo stayed awake, meditating and practicing his martial arts on the bed.

Just as he lost track of time, suddenly, footsteps approached from afar.

In an instant, they were right there, stepping into the courtyard, pausing briefly on tiptoe before moving again.

A sharp whistle of wind cut through the air, heading straight for Su Mo's bedside.

With a thud, a dart landed.

A letter was attached to the dart.

"A dart message?"

Su Mo smiled; it was a common trope in old TV dramas, though it had become rare lately.

Dart messages lost their novelty, leading to the rise of stone messages and even cow dung messages.

Su Mo casually removed the dart, which was unmarked and quite ordinary.

He unfolded the letter to find only two words written.

"Drum Tower"

Those two words alone made Su Mo's brow furrow.

This wasn't Yang Yizhi's handwriting; it was delicate, likely from a woman.

"Could it be... Yu Lingxin?"

Su Mo hesitated for a moment.

After a moment's thought, he flicked his wrist, and the letter burst into flames.

In the next instant, he stepped lightly, waved his hand, and the window flew open. A gust of wind rushed out from the room, and the window snapped shut on its own.

With a swift movement, he reappeared on a rooftop.

Earlier, Su Mo hadn't clarified, though all their actions within Wusheng Hall were under surveillance, both overt and covert.

But avoiding these watchful eyes wasn't hard for him.

Once he activated the Wind God's Leg technique, even someone standing right beside him might miss his movements.

Scanning the area, he dashed off with a gust of wind at his feet, heading straight for Wusheng Hall's Drum Tower. With a quick glance around, he took off like the wind, making a beeline for Wusheng Hall's Drum Tower.

The drum tower wasn't far away, and the person who sent the dart had already arrived.

As Su Mo stepped onto the drum tower's terrace, he saw a large drum standing in front of him.

Beside the drum, there was another person.

Clad in black and masked, a pair of large eyes peered at Su Mo through the gaps in the mask, now faintly revealing surprise.

She had leaped into the courtyard, casually tossing a hidden weapon, and then immediately headed towards the drum tower.

Su Mo had read the letter and followed.

But they arrived almost simultaneously?

Doesn't that mean this person traveled from his room to here in an instant?

What kind of lightness technique is this?

In his shock, he forgot to speak.

Only when Su Mo slightly furrowed his brows did she snap out of it and carefully looked at Su Mo:

"Are you Chief Escort Su of the Ziyang Escort Agency?"

Su Mo raised his eyebrows slightly; the voice wasn't Yu Lingxin's or Ling Hongxia's.

Besides, if it were them, they wouldn't have asked that.

Who is this person?

As he thought, he nodded slightly: "May I ask who you are?"

"Lady? How do you know I'm a woman?"

At this, she seemed to realize she'd forgotten to disguise her voice and quickly coughed.

"..."

Su Mo wasn't sure how to respond, so he shook his head slightly:

"Although I don't know who you are, being summoned in the dead of night surely means something important. Please, enlighten me."

"Hmm..."

After a pause, the lady suddenly smiled and removed the black mask from her face.

Under the night sky, her face was charming.

Her smile was lively, spirited, and tinged with shyness.

She lowered her head slightly and took two steps toward Su Mo:

"I've often heard of Chief Escort Su's reputation.

"I've long admired you...

"But I never expected Chief Escort Su to come to Wusheng Hall today.

"My heart was a tangle of emotions, and finally, I made up my mind to meet Chief Escort Su..."

As she spoke, she was now less than three steps away from Su Mo.

Her gaze lifted, a pair of large, sparkling eyes fixed unblinkingly on Su Mo:

"I come tonight for no other reason, and I dare not ask for more.

"I only hope for your compassion, to grant me a night of union, with no regrets afterward, and no strings attached."

"..."

Instinctively, three huge question marks popped up in Su Mo's mind.

What's going on here?

In the middle of the night, a girl suddenly comes onto him?

Looking for a one-night stand?

This was definitely not what Su Mo expected, and as he watched the girl getting closer, he initially thought about retreating, but the next moment, he suddenly had an epiphany, followed by a startling statement:

"You want to kill me?"

"..."

The girl immediately stopped in her tracks, she looked up in astonishment, her face full of shock and grievance:

"Chief Escort Su, why would you think that?

"I genuinely like you.

"Otherwise, how could a girl like me do something like this?"

Su Mo shook his head:

"In the martial world, it's not uncommon for someone to fall for another just by hearing about their reputation...

"Especially for a young girl like you, it's natural to admire heroes and warriors.

"But... you forgot where we are.

"This is the Wusheng Hall."

"...What about the Wusheng Hall?"

The girl was puzzled, her expression completely one of confusion, without a trace of panic, as if her true intentions had been uncovered.

As if she really wasn't here to kill Su Mo, and it was all a misunderstanding on Su Mo's part.

Su Mo smiled: "The Wusheng Hall is filled with martial arts experts, who in the southwest would dare to underestimate the Wusheng Hall?

"That's the first thing.

"Secondly, Su Mo is somewhat well-known.

"So, ever since arriving at the Wusheng Hall, there have always been people secretly watching.

"This can't be blamed on the Wusheng Hall, if a martial arts master came to my Ziyang Escort Agency, we would also have to take some precautions.

"One should not have the heart to harm others, but one must not be without the heart to protect oneself."

"But just now, when I came out of my room, I realized that there wasn't a single disciple of Wusheng Hall along the way from my room to the drum tower.

"The prying eyes that had been watching me were suddenly gone.

"You invited me to the drum tower for a chat, and as it happens, everyone along the path from my room to the drum tower had been relocated.

"This is clearly not a coincidence but rather someone had them all relocated."

He shook his head and sighed as he spoke:

"There are indeed individuals in Wusheng Hall with such authority.

"But women among them are rare...

"And those who possess such authority yet disregard Wusheng Hall are even rarer.

"So, I venture to guess that you are a person of high status and power within Wusheng Hall.

"But who among those who wield Wusheng Hall's power could possibly look down on it?

"Naturally, it's because this power has been in your hands since birth.

"The easier something is to obtain, the less it is valued.

"While no one in the world dares to look down on Wusheng Hall, isn't it only natural for Wan Yilan, the little princess of Wusheng Hall, to do so?

"Let me correct myself: you don’t actually look down on Wusheng Hall; you simply haven’t realized the prestige it holds in the martial world."

"..."

The girl opposite was at a loss for words for a moment.

The next moment, she smiled:

"Then... why did Chief Escort Su say I wanted to kill you?

"Even if I really am Wan Yilan, couldn't I seek your company out of admiration for a hero?

"Besides, I’m getting married in three days, but it’s not to someone I love.

"Isn't it reasonable to indulge in a final desire with another admired hero before the wedding?"

Su Mo paused, then sighed softly:

"As long as you are Wan Yilan, then I am definitely not the kind of hero you admire.

"Your desire to kill me stems precisely from your identity as Wan Yilan.

"You wish to avenge Wan Zangxin..."