Chapter 375: Dividing the Troops into Two Paths

Chapter 375: Splitting Forces

Now that they had the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture, the group promptly left the Bohai Trading Company's ship.

But before leaving, Su Mo shot a glance at Wang Chaosheng and asked:

"President Wang, level with me—is this Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture real or fake?"

"Huh?"

Wang Chaosheng hadn’t expected Su Mo to ask this and blinked in surprise. He scratched his head and said:

"Of course it’s real.

"At this point, I really didn’t have time to whip up a fake for you."

Su Mo gave a slight nod—that made sense.

But when he skimmed through the scripture earlier, many of the alchemical formulas seemed weird and confusing.

Still, he barely knew anything about medicine, so he couldn’t just call it a fake.

He suspected because Wang Chaosheng, though old and doddering on the surface, was actually sharp as a tack.

It was possible he’d tossed together a fake to trick Yin Xiaoyu, counting on Su Mo to rescue Wang Xiaowan.

That way, he’d keep the real formulas, get his daughter back, and send Yin Xiaoyu packing—a win on all fronts.

But then again, Yin Xiaoyu’s move came out of nowhere. Wang Chaosheng couldn’t have predicted it, so preparing in advance seemed unlikely.

If he had, he’d have to be psychic.

Shaking off the thought, Su Mo turned to Ou Yangqing:

"Hey, can I ask you a favor?"

"Yeah?"

Ou Yangqing blinked in surprise but didn’t hesitate.

Even though Su Mo hadn’t lifted a finger yet, Fu Hanyuan and Yang Xiaoyun’s skills alone were mind-blowing.

Now he got why President Wang and the Young Master trusted an outsider at a time like this.

This guy was a real powerhouse—no joke.

Straightening up, Ou Yangqing replied:

"Chief Escort Su, what do you need?"

"Right."

Su Mo nodded and waved him over.

"Come closer—whisper distance."

"What?"

Ou Yangqing was taken aback. A private word—who's he hiding this from?

Moreover, at this critical moment, if he simply obeyed without question, what would that say about his loyalty to the President and Young Master?

Instinctively, he glanced at the two of them and saw both father and son making exaggerated nodding gestures.

He fought back a mix of amusement and frustration, but had no choice but to lean in.

Su Mo then whispered into his ear, laying out the plan in detail:

"Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Ou Yangqing nodded, his face registering shock. "Then I'll go now?"

"Go ahead."

Su Mo smiled. "If this succeeds, remember to send someone to inform me."

"Understood."

Without another word, Ou Yangqing turned and left with his two companions.

[paragraph break]

Watching his retreating figure, Su Mo paused thoughtfully before turning to Yang Xiaoyun:

"Wife."

"I know."

Yang Xiaoyun gave a knowing smile, then moving silently, followed after—without being noticed by Ou Yangqing and his group.

Wang Chaosheng and Wang Chengying shared a confused look before instinctively turning to Su Mo.

Su Mo said with a chuckle:

"Let's go."

Wang Chaosheng and Wang Chengying exchanged another glance but held their tongues. They followed behind Su Mo as our party hurried toward Autumn Peace Mountain.

Yin Xiaoyu had set the meeting time for the hour of the rat.

Now, with little time left before the appointed hour, they pushed their pace as much as possible, finally arriving at Autumn Peace Mountain just before midnight.

The night was pitch black, and the mountain was dead silent.

Wang Chengying stepped up to take point.

Meanwhile, Ding Luo helped steady Wang Chaosheng.

Su Mo had reservations about Wang Chaosheng coming along.

After all, the elderly man was getting on in years—the old saying held true that the aged shouldn't rely on physical strength. Earlier on the boat, what looked like a simple back strain was actually the result of Zong Ming's sneaky attack.

The old man was sharp and instantly sensed something amiss, yet was at a loss.

Fortunately, Su Mo’s keen eyesight was extraordinary—no matter how slyly Zong Ming carried out his schemes, he couldn’t escape Su Mo’s notice, so Su Mo spoke up.

Wang Chaosheng immediately realized Su Mo had figured it out.

That was why, upon reaching the study, Wang Chaosheng said, "Chief Escort Su, I’ll need your help."

While the back sprain was a ruse, the covert attack was real.

And the injury was genuine.

At his age, even a minor injury made this no time to be running around in the dead of night.

So Su Mo insisted he stay home.

But the old man wouldn’t hear of it.

First, he wanted to see his daughter—only by confirming her safety could he rest easy.

Second, he also wanted to see if Yin Xiaoyu was really the woman he intended to take as a concubine.

Having navigated both business and the martial world all his life, the old man had a sharp eye and rarely misjudged anyone.

Yet this time, he’d been played for a fool, which stuck in his craw.

Given this, Su Mo could only relent and bring him along.

A short way up the trail of Qiuping Mountain, they spotted a temple in a clearing on the mountainside.

This was Qiuping Mountain’s shrine to the mountain god.

Shrines to mountain gods were scarce in the South Sea—dragon king temples were far more common.

Fisherfolk and sailors looked to the Dragon King for protection.

So, unsurprisingly, this shrine had long been abandoned.

The place was deserted, its roof barely holding together.

One good storm could bring it down.

But tonight, light spilled from the abandoned temple.

Wang Chengying looked up, his face falling:

"Yin Xiaoyu’s in there."

Su Mo nodded, scanned the area, and gave a quiet laugh.

Then he turned to Ding Luo:

"Elder Ding, mind calling out for Boss Yin?"

"Me?"

Ding Luo blinked.

Wei Ziyi smirked from the sidelines.

"He wants to act all high and mighty, not flaunting his skills in front of others, so he doesn’t scare them away and ruin the fun."

"..."

Su Mo shot her a glare. "Do I really seem like that?"

"Weren’t you always so careful," Wei Ziyi looked surprised, "afraid your prey might escape?"

"Back in the Eastern Wastes, you skulked around in the shadows to catch Lord Ye, dead scared he’d bolt at the first whisper."

"Spooked just hearing your name, Old Su the Demon."

"Tell me I’m wrong."

"..."

Su Mo’s mouth twisted. "What kind of man is Lord Ye? A legend in the martial world—why would he fear me?"

"Wouldn’t he?" Wei Ziyi stared at Su Mo with disbelief.

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then shook his head lightly. "Let’s drop it. Elder Ding, do the honors."

"Alright."

Ding Luo quickly nodded. As long as Su Mo had his own plans, he would follow whatever was said.

He took a deep breath and called out:

"We heard the notorious Yin Xiaoyu of the Four Seas is waiting for us here. Now that we’ve arrived, Boss Yin, care to show your face?"

The hollow mountains threw back his voice, bouncing back "show yourself" again and again.

Su Mo nodded slightly. Despite his age, Ding Luo’s inner strength was nothing to scoff at.

Just as he thought this, a woman’s icy chuckle came from the dilapidated temple:

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

Unlike Ding Luo’s booming voice, Yin Xiaoyu’s was crisp and clear, like she was speaking right beside you—not a hint of warmth in it.

You could taste the murder in her voice.

Like she’d cut you down without blinking.

Ding Luo’s eyes flicked to Su Mo, who gave a slight nod.

So he replied:

"It’s right here. How’s our girl?"

"Stupid question."

Yin Xiaoyu’s voice now carried a sharp edge of impatience:

"Leave the things behind and get lost and wait.

"After I verify their authenticity, I’ll naturally send Young Miss Wang back."

As soon as these words were spoken, both Wang Chaosheng and Wang Chengying went pale with rage.

Not even a ghost would buy that.

Especially coming from Yin Xiaoyu?

Immediately, Wang Chengying snapped back, sneering coldly:

*"Four Seas Demoness*—what a grand reputation.

"Kidnapping and extortion—what low tactics. Now that we’ve brought what you demanded, you won’t even let me see my sister.

"This skill of getting something for nothing outshines even Boss Yin’s martial arts, doesn’t it?"

"Oh?"

Yin Xiaoyu’s voice turned icy in an instant:

"How dare you! Slap his mouth!"

As soon as the words fell—*whoosh*—from the nearby thicket, a figure instantly leaped out, flashing through the air before landing right in front of Wang Chengying.

A palm swung wide, ready to strike.

*Smack!*

Followed by a howl of pain—but it was Zong Ming!

The assailant’s *qinggong* was impressive, and their footwork even more mysterious. Wang Chengying had no time to dodge and was bracing for the blow.

But Fu Hanyuan shoved Zong Ming forward instead.

The slap connected hard.

Zong Ming saw stars. Furious, he roared:

"Fu, you—

"You son of a—you hit me!?"

The slapper was reveling in it, but upon hearing this, he sneered:

"Disrespect the Chief? You’ve got it—"

Just as he was about to say "coming," he realized something was off.

The voice sounded familiar.

He squinted—then froze:

"Chief Zong!?

"You… why the stutter?"

"..."

Zong Ming was livid—since when was stuttering the damn problem?

And besides, he wasn’t stuttering at all—he was just frozen stiff!

Before he could speak, Lan (surname) lunged to grab Zong Ming.

No clue how Zong Ming got captured, but he wasn’t about to leave him there.

But as soon as he made his move, another palm strike shot toward him.

Zong Ming’s expression changed, and he hurriedly shouted:

“F-f-fast…!”

Lan nodded repeatedly. “Hang on, I’ve got you!”

No sooner had he spoken than his palm met the other head-on. The next moment, Zong Ming yelled at the top of his lungs:

“MOVE!!”

“???”

No time—

Lan felt a wave of biting cold energy rushing toward him.

He’d misread the situation, shifting from grabbing to striking mid-motion, even speaking in between—his strength and qi were already spent.

In the instant their palms met, the cold seeped into his veins like poison.

In the blink of an eye, Lan was trembling violently, blasted back by Fu Hanyuan’s strike.

After landing, his face twisted in horror:

“F-f-freezing… goddamn cold…

“H-how… how could there be… a Dragon King Hall expert here?”

At these words, a startled voice echoed from the mountain temple:

“Hm? Someone from the Dragon King Hall?”

Fu Hanyuan frowned—since when was he with the Dragon King Hall?

But he didn’t voice his confusion, for Su Mo’s whisper hit Fu Hanyuan’s ears.

He silently hit Zong Ming’s pressure points, shutting him up, then said calmly:

“Correct. I serve the Dragon King Hall.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yin Xiaoyu emerged from the mountain temple.

Still clad in her red wedding robes, her face deceptively young, as if only eighteen or nineteen.

Yet her expression was icy, her eyes razor-edged, with a crimson glint in her gaze.

At the sight of her, Wang Chaosheng’s voice cracked with grief:

“Xiao Cui… you’re alive?!”

"How could you do something like this?"

"Just tell me... if you wanted the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture, you only had to ask."

"Why resort to kidnapping our daughter?"

"..."

Yin Xiaoyu’s cold expression faltered, her lips twitching at his words.

She shot Wang Chaosheng a furious glare:

"One more word, and your daughter dies."

"..."

Wang Chaosheng clamped his mouth shut but whispered to Wang Chengying:

"If she won’t let me talk, it’s probably just her pride. You try—call her Seventeenth Yiniang. We’re family, aren’t we? Sort this out privately instead of freezing our butts off out here. What’s the damn point?"

Wang Chengying itched to boot this shameless old fool off the cliff.

Now’s hardly the time for this crap.

Yin Xiaoyu, with her sharp hearing, caught every word and was seething.

Yet she forced herself to stay composed.

She drew a sharp breath before speaking:

"I sent Zong Ming to the Bohai Trading Company’s ship because this old bastard swore the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture was on board."

"Stashed where Wang Chengying would least suspect."

"I ruled out the dockside warehouse."

"Seems I was right."

"Now that you’ve got Zong Ming, the Scripture’s definitely on that ship."

"Didn’t expect the Dragon King Hall to show up."

"You’re here for the Scripture too?"

Su Mo cocked his head, lips barely parting.

Fu Hanyuan gave a low chuckle:

"Indeed."

"We don’t work like you, Boss Yin."

"We ask nicely—no kidnapping required."

"President Wang’s already giving us the Scripture."

"Boss Yin... the Wangs are done here."

"Just let the girl go."

"If you have any grievances, take them to our Dragon King Hall."

"......"

Yin Xiaoyu's brow furrowed at these words.

The Bo Hai Association was just one among countless merchant guilds.

But the Dragon King Hall was one of the Big Three powers in the entire South Sea.

They weren't even in the same league.

Pick a fight with the Dragon King Hall?

By then, it would be hard to say who'd be answering to whom.

Still, Yin Xiaoyu had held her own in the South Sea for years. It wasn't that she'd never underestimated the Big Three.

But to claim any random member of these powers could go toe-to-toe with her was clearly impossible.

After weighing her options, she sighed softly:

"Honored representative from the Dragon King Hall...

"I've never had dealings with your Hall before.

"If this were anything else, given your formidable reputation, I'd know better than to challenge you.

"But this Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture is of great use to me.

"I implore you to do me this kindness and hand it over.

"After this matter, I'll be in your debt."

Fu Hanyuan fell silent for a moment, then raised his brows slightly:

"What if I said... Boss Yin's debt doesn't carry much weight?"

"...Then let our skills do the talking today."

Yin Xiaoyu gave a mirthless chuckle, unwilling to back down.

Fu Hanyuan considered for a beat before smiling:

"I don't think that's necessary...

"The jianghu isn't just about fighting and killing.

"The Dragon King Hall doesn't deal in favors.

"But we can still talk business."

"Business?"

Yin Xiaoyu blinked in surprise. "You want to purchase the Scripture off my hands?"

"You misunderstand."

Fu Hanyuan shook his head:

"The Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture doesn't belong to Chief Yin, but to the Bo Hai Association, or even to our Dragon King Hall.

"So Chief Yin must buy it from our Dragon King Hall.

"Favors aren't currency, but there are always other things that can be.

"Though what price can be offered depends entirely on Chief Yin herself."

Yin Xiaoyu furrowed her brows, deep in thought.

Meanwhile, while Fu Hanyuan and Yin Xiaoyu were going back and forth,

down in Pingyang City at the mountain's foot, outside an inn,

Little Situ was eating steamed buns she'd bought from somewhere, her cheeks bulging.

Between bites, she frowned:

"Fish buns… when hot, they're an absolute delight.

"But once they cool, they get a bit fishy and not as good."

Grumbling to herself, she stuffed the last bun into her mouth before looking around.

"Why hasn't he arrived yet?"

"He's here."

Dongqing spoke softly. Little Situ looked up, expecting to see Su Mo,

but her vision remained dark—no sign of him.

Just as she was puzzled, figures materialized in the night,

completely surrounding the inn.

Little Situ was disappointed—she'd hoped it would be Su Mo.

Before she could think more about it, one of her buns disappeared. Turning, she saw a young woman holding a shining silver spear, smiling at her.

"Xiaoyun!"

Little Situ's eyes lit up. "What are you doing here?"

"The Chief sent me to check on things."

Yang Xiaoyun chuckled. "After all, money talks. With so much at stake, who wouldn't be tempted?"

As she spoke, she took a bite of the bun, chewed twice, and her eyebrows shot up.

"What filling is this?"