Chapter 336: Enough for Several Meals!

Chapter 336: A Feast for Days!

The white tiger streaked like lightning, its movements effortless.

Within its body lay the Sacred Artifact of White Tiger City, the Emperor’s Heart Sutra’s internal energy flowing forth without end. Yet, since it was contained within the tiger’s form, this energy couldn’t escape into the surrounding air.

Instead, it was absorbed into its body.

Thus, though the beast knew no *qinggong*, it could harness this internal energy—coupled with its natural mountain-king agility—to outpace even the swiftest martial artists renowned for their lightness techniques.

At present, the Sacred Artifact had only been within it for a few days, and the tiger was still getting used to it.

Once it grew more accustomed, the effects would become even more pronounced.

The white tiger raced ahead while Xu Lu followed behind.

Perhaps sensing Xu Lu’s speed, the tiger’s competitive streak flared up.

By instinct, it should have turned around and swallowed Xu Lu whole.

But it also remembered Su Mo’s earlier warning—Xu Lu was an ally, not to be harmed.

So instead, it engaged Xu Lu in a race.

At first, Xu Lu didn’t notice, but every time he drew near, the tiger would suddenly accelerate.

Soon, he was baffled.

He had no intention of racing against a beast, so he hung back, refusing to take the bait.

This pleased the tiger immensely. Occasionally, it would glance back at Xu Lu, its eyes glinting with playful mockery.

Xu Lu cursed inwardly, feeling as though the creature was on the verge of becoming a spirit.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun naturally noticed this as well, finding it both amusing and exasperating.

However, Yang Xiaoyun soon furrowed her brow.

"Xiao Mo, today’s matter still isn’t truly settled.

"The Grand Priestess and the Chief Attendant of the Imperial Court have clearly chosen to swallow their losses. They fear your martial prowess and dread us spreading the truth.

"That’s why they’re grudgingly accepting everything.

"But even if they submit outwardly, their hearts may not follow.

"Open moves are unlikely, but we must remain vigilant against any underhanded schemes. Don’t let your guard down."

"I understand."

Su Mo smiled faintly.

"After all, White Tiger City’s thousand-year legacy cannot be underestimated.

"The Grand Priestess’s ability to bend without breaking is admirable.

"But the more she yields, the more it suggests she still harbors schemes."

"Then, Xiao Mo… what do you think she’s plotting against us?"

Yang Xiaoyun turned to look at Su Mo, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Hahaha, Sis Xiaoyun is putting me to the test, huh?"

Su Mo chuckled softly, then paused briefly before speaking:

"Like you said earlier, Sis Xiaoyun—they fear my martial prowess and wouldn’t dare make any overt moves.

"The only thing they can do is resort to sneaky little tricks.

"Most importantly, on the surface, I can’t openly accuse them."

"Sounds like a tough spot," Yang Xiaoyun frowned slightly. "If it were me, I probably couldn’t think of a better approach."

"Sis Xiaoyun, have you ever heard this saying?"

"Hmm?"

"‘Want to destroy someone? First make them lose their mind.’"

Su Mo lowered his voice, "Don’t you think we made quite the impression tonight?"

"...Yeah, *I* stole the show. You didn’t even lift a finger."

Yang Xiaoyun gave him the side-eye.

"True, I did steal the show," Su Mo shook his head with a wry smile. "With my divine skills on full display, flashing insane power.

"Even the White Tiger remnants couldn’t handle this beast, yet I tamed it—and now it’s our ride.

"The Grand Priestess and the Chief Attendant pulled their stunts, paying the price—this White Tiger and their clan’s treasured heirloom.

"Not only did they not dare resist, but they also coughed up 100K taels of silver just to kiss up.

"And this... every single year…"

"With all this, I *should* be strutting around like I own the place.

"Hell, I’d start believing the ‘First of Donghuang’ hype myself.

"Wherever I go, people would grovel at my feet, willingly submitting."

"Would you really buy into that?" Yang Xiaoyun looked at Su Mo.

Su Mo smiled and shook his head, his expression turning serious:

"If I truly bought into that, my downfall would be near.

"Pride comes before a fall—like storms follow thunder.

"The jianghu’s a big place, and you never know who’s scheming. Even now, this ‘First of Donghuang’ title’s already crushing me.

"While it brings some advantages, it’s also painting a bullseye on me."

"If I take pride in it and grow complacent, who knows when a true master might emerge to drag me down from this lofty perch?"

"Or, if I believe my martial arts are unmatched and let my guard down, I might fall prey to someone's schemes."

"Even if I stay unbeatable temporarily, I will inevitably fall into a trap eventually."

"Even if I rely on my martial prowess to survive, I will still be disgraced and drag down everyone around me."

Yang Xiaoyun frowned deeply, about to speak, when Su Mo continued:

"Did you notice tonight, when I first came up with a pretext to ask her for money?"

"What was her expression?"

"Complete shock... Though hesitant, she agreed."

"But later?"

"Later... she was positively beaming, without a trace of displeasure, as if willing to give any amount."

"Exactly."

Su Mo nodded: "Not only that, I suspect next year what she gives to Ziyang Escort won’t just be 100,000 taels. On top of that, she’ll likely offer gold and silver, jade ornaments, pearls and agates, and other treasures."

"Why so?"

"Because the taste is sweet."

Su Mo smiled: "We operate a security convoy service—what’s our usual fee per convoy? The annual tribute from White Tiger City dwarfs our annual earnings. And this tribute can keep growing..."

"People are never content with what they gain; they always want more."

"If one White Tiger City can’t satisfy my appetite, wouldn’t I naturally absorb the Fallen Phoenix Alliance next?"

"Then move north against Heavenly Saber Gate, turn west to conquer Wusheng Hall, and head east to sweep through the eastern factions of East City, claiming all Donghuang as my domain?"

"This..."

Yang Xiaoyun’s expression darkened slightly:

"If so, not only would we lose what our convoy service stands for, but we’d also earn endless enemies."

"Moreover, though the intent is sinister, it’s truly above criticism."

"All of it would merely be an extension of what we did today."

Human nature defies examination, the human heart inscrutable.

For within every heart lies darkness—greed, lust, laziness, and every vice imaginable.

Even a gentleman, faced with temptation, may well succumb.

"Her methods would prove ineffective on others."

"But if I truly believe I’m the First of Donghuang, arrogance would surely take hold."

"And from that, thoughts of conquest would follow."

"By that time, the Purple Sun Escort Agency would exist in name only."

"As for me..."

"Even if the entire Donghuang were willing to have a number one escort roaming the martial world,"

"they would never tolerate a 'First of Donghuang' who sought to force them to pay yearly tribute and bow forever!"

"Once the situation escalates to that point, we’d never know peace again."

"Right now, it might seem unthinkable for things to reach such a stage."

"But one wrong step drags you deeper—before you realize it, it’s too late to turn back."

"It’s like a hopeless gambler."

"Every hopeless gambler starts off far from such madness."

"In the gambling den, they initially intend to just dip a toe in, tasting lightly before stopping."

"But after winning, tempted by the rush, they crave more. And when they lose, they can’t walk away."

"Sure the next hand will turn their luck."

"Back and forth, they spiral out of control."

"Even in rare moments of clarity, sobbing over their empty house,"

"the only solution they envision is still the piles of silver within the gambling den."

"Once they grow accustomed to this, they can no longer bring themselves to work an honest day’s job."

Yang Xiaoyun let out a long sigh:

"Xiao Mo, *never* fall into such madness. Keep your head straight."

"That’s just part of it... and it applies only to me."

Su Mo continued: "Secondly, it could affect the Purple Sun Escort Agency. We’re tight with Wusheng Hall now, so we’ll inevitably travel the western route in the future."

"And if we frequently pass through White Tiger City on our way to Wusheng Hall..."

"Tell me, what if every member of our escort agency receives red-carpet treatment in White Tiger City?"

"What then?"

"If they don’t receive the same treatment elsewhere, wouldn’t they carry a chip on their shoulder?"

"Every member of the Purple Sun Escort Agency carries our reputation when traveling outside."

"If they grow resentful, believing the martial world looks down on our agency, thinking they’ve smeared my name..."

"What should we do then?"

Yang Xiaoyun’s brow knotted upon hearing this:

"She did mention tonight that any member of the Purple Sun Escort Agency passing through White Tiger City would be treated as VIPs, with not a hint of disrespect."

"Your reasoning may take a while to sink in, but once it gets under their skin..."

"This will cause no small trouble in the future."

"White Tiger City, standing for a thousand years—since it has endured this long, you can well imagine this clan's ways."

Su Mo smiled and said, "They can spend centuries on a single task... solely because their will is one. The Grand Priestess reigns supreme, controlling the entire clan with the Emperor’s Heart Sutra."

"Each succeeding Grand Priestess inherits the ambitions of her predecessors, generation after generation..."

"Their patience far surpasses that of ordinary people."

"Even if their methods don't affect us now..."

"What about our descendants a hundred years from now?"

"If our descendants turn out unworthy, and the family declines..."

"Who will stop them from reclaiming this sacred artifact?"

Yang Xiaoyun sighed at this, as if already seeing a century into the future.

Her brow furrowed deeply:

"What should we do?"

"Couldn't this be a good thing?"

Su Mo suddenly laughed.

"Hmm?"

Yang Xiaoyun paused, startled, and as her frown deepened, she realized something:

"You wish to use White Tiger City as a mirror, to reflect on ourselves."

"And to reflect on future generations as well?"

Su Mo looked at Yang Xiaoyun with soft warmth in his eyes and said softly:

"I hope that the descendants of the Su family will possess hearts unaffected by others' praise or criticism."

"I also hope their vision will be as far-reaching as White Tiger City's vision."

"Take their strengths, leave their weaknesses."

"Not fighting for short-term wins, or worrying about temporary honor or shame."

"It may not last millennia, but at least we won't just be another 'shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.'"

Yang Xiaoyun turned to look at Su Mo, her eyes lighting up.

When their eyes met, she suddenly laughed:

"'Unmoved by others' praise or criticism.'"

"I'll have you write this down and hang it in the study."

"As a warning for future generations."

"This..." he began.

Su Mo stroked his chin and said, "Guess I'll have to work on my penmanship then."

Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help but chuckle—Su Mo's handwriting was pretty awful.

But after laughing, she sighed:

"These words shouldn't just warn future generations or us, but everyone in the Ziyang Escort Service.

"If everyone lived by this, even if White Tiger City really tried to scheme against us like this, it would ultimately be useless."

"Therefore, the rules in the escort service need to be tightened up."

Su Mo said, "In the past, before becoming the First of Donghuang, we could get away with being sloppy. But the stronger we become, the more we must avoid indulging our subordinates.

"Otherwise, disaster will surely follow.

"As for White Tiger City, as long as I'm alive for even a day, they wouldn’t dare make a move.

"If future generations truly produce no-good offspring, even if they aren’t slaughtered by White Tiger City,

"They’ll still perish at the hands of others. It’s only with this warning that they can stay sharp even when things seem safe."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded deeply in agreement but couldn’t suppress a smile:

"Still, I initially thought you were just looking for an easy way out. I didn’t expect you to have such foresight."

Su Mo, however, gave a dry chuckle:

"Xiaoyun, don’t overestimate me. The truth is, I was at a loss about dealing with White Tiger City.

"Given the Grand Priestess’s evil schemes, killing her was justified.

"But if I killed her, could we really return the sacred artifact as she suggested?

"If we kill her, we'd have to leave no witnesses in the Hall of the Tiger Lord today.

"Yet even so, what happened there would get out eventually.

"After all, the White Tiger appeared before people, and combined with my movements, the two would inevitably be linked.

"Then, they’d say we killed the Grand Priestess and the Chief Attendant to steal the White Tiger from the White Tiger remnants...

"If that happens, we'd never be able to talk our way out of it.

"Unless we reveal the Emperor’s Heart Sutra to divert attention.

"But you and I both know the truth about the Emperor’s Heart Sutra.

"If this technique got out into the world, it would cause endless trouble.

"Not to mention the bloodshed it'd start, even if one faction ultimately claimed it, possessing such a divine technique would make them want to take over everything.

"And if I kept it to myself, the Ziyang Escort Service would never know peace again.

"Thus, this approach is completely out of the question.

"If we want to avoid being branded thieves and murderers, there’s only one way...

"Just as the Grand Priestess said—to wipe out every last one of the White Tiger remnants," she said.

But once the White Tiger remnants are completely wiped out, it would be exactly as the Grand Priestess described.

The First of Donghuang, in a fit of unprovoked fury, annihilated a clan that had thrived for thousands of years.

Regardless of whether anyone would later seek the truth, Su Mo’s reputation would inevitably be branded as "bloodthirsty."

Even if Su Mo never gave a damn about titles, the Ziyang Escort Agency couldn’t brush it off.

He was in the escort trade. Even if the Grand Priestess schemed, even if the Chief Attendant of the Imperial Court truly intended to rob the escort—

Killing the Priestess? Fine. The Chief Attendant? Also fair game.

Wiping out the Chief Attendant’s lackeys? Still defensible.

A bit extreme? Maybe. But understandable.

But those ordinary White Tiger disciples—what then?

They likely had no clue what the Grand Priestess and the Chief Attendant had done.

Thus, regarding this matter and the handling of these two individuals, Su Mo had to draw a line.

Go all in or don’t bother—but thorough killing would implicate the innocent.

Yet if he raised the blade high only to lower it lightly, how could Su Mo possibly be satisfied?

Turning the other cheek wasn’t his style.

Rather than ending in a complete falling-out and ugly fallout,

it would be far more practical to get something out of it.

As for the loose ends left behind, they could be a lesson for the Su family’s future generations.

In the long run, the existence of White Tiger City could actually be good for Ziyang Escort.

After listening, Yang Xiaoyun suddenly asked:

"Now that the White Tiger has ended up with us, it’s inevitable that it will show up in the jianghu.

"What do you think White Tiger City’s stance on this will be?"

"Who knows..."

Su Mo chuckled. "But I imagine they’ll give their usual spiel, likely using the Tiger Lord as an excuse. As for why it recognized me as its master instead of remaining in White Tiger City—well, that’s up for debate."

As they made small talk along the way, they finally arrived at their destination.

Entering the city late at night, the White Tiger didn’t make much of a scene.

However, the inn’s waiter was almost scared out of his wits.

While listening to Su Mo explain that the tiger didn’t eat people, he stared at the blood on the tiger’s muzzle, his head bobbing uncertainly—whether nodding or shaking, it was hard to tell.

In the end, Su Mo had to personally accompany the waiter and lead the White Tiger to the stable.

Yet even with the tiger toning down its presence, the horses in the stable were so terrified they all pissed themselves.

The smell instantly became overpowering.

The waiter was even more terrified:

"Sir... your tiger is way too fearsome. Leaving it in the stable overnight would either scare the horses to death or leave them deathly ill by morning...

"What... what should we do?"

With no other options, Su Mo had to rent a separate courtyard for the tiger to rest in.

Watching the tiger sniff around the yard, Su Mo couldn't help but say to Yang Xiaoyun:

"See, I miscalculated... Originally, we could've just gotten one room each for our stay.

"But now, for this big white one, we have to book an entire courtyard.

"That's way more expensive for one night, and over a year, it adds up to another big sum...

"We should've charged more."

Meanwhile, Zhen Xiaoxiao, who had already gone to bed, was jolted awake.

Seeing such a huge tiger, her small eyes lit up with excitement.

She looked it over from every angle before turning to Su Mo and swallowing hard:

"Wow! Boss, Second Boss, you two treat me better than heaven itself and deeper than the ocean.

"You knew I've never tasted tiger meat, so you went through all this trouble to bring back a tiger this huge...

"But this tiger is too much for me to eat in one sitting... I could eat several meals' worth at least!"