Chapter 395: The First Night

Chapter 395: The First Night

"This elder comes and goes as he pleases, so effortlessly and gracefully—it’s almost enviable."

Yang Xiaoyun glanced back at Su Mo:

"Should we check it out too?"

"No need to hurry just yet."

Su Mo smiled and said to the group:

"It’s been a long trip, and tonight’s a good chance to get some real rest."

They were all taken aback for a second but nodded in agreement despite their surprise.

After the rooms were assigned, Wei Ziyi, Little Situ Taoist, and the four disciples from the East, West, South, and North all gathered in Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun's room.

By then, Zhen Xiaoxiao was already snoring loud enough to shake the walls, turning the quiet night noisy.

Su Mo looked at Wei Ziyi, then at Little Situ Taoist, looking exasperated:

"You’re not seriously planning to sleep here, are you?"

Wei Ziyi and Little Situ Taoist turned red at that.

Yang Xiaoyun, meanwhile, watched the two girls with a thoughtful look, though no one could guess what was on her mind.

Wei Ziyi slammed the table:

"Cut the crap—out with it!"

"About what?"

"About what you’ve discovered!"

Wei Ziyi said, "Right before Lang Xingkong got into trouble, you obviously caught something, but then you clammed up.

"That old lantern-toting swordsman showed up out of the blue—how much of his story can we actually buy?

"You really didn’t pick up anything weird about him?

"If it’s really as that elderly man said, and they had instructed their disciples to come and welcome us,

"how could they slack off on something this big?

"After all, the old man also mentioned that everyone who lands on this island is an honored guest, here to save their master from the edge of death.

"But even then, their disciples are still screwing around, like they don’t have a care in the world.

"Either things aren’t as bad as the old man made them out to be,

"or there’s something fishy going on.

"If it’s the first one, then they’re basically playing games with their master’s life, aren't they?"

"They didn’t even propose any punishment afterward.

"How could that be reasonable?

"Moreover... this elderly man’s words toward the family master lacked proper respect.

"Arranging a martial contest to choose a spouse and having the family master personally marry—no matter how you hear it, it sounds downright strange."

Su Mo nodded in quick agreement upon hearing this:

"Wei Damingzhu is absolutely right. But I'm curious, why is this situation so peculiar?"

"..."

Wei Ziyi’s mouth twisted wryly. "If I knew, would I be asking you?"

"You wildcat, you’re getting lazier all the time."

Su Mo sighed helplessly. "When we first met, you were so mysterious and impressive. Now, you won't even lift a finger to think."

"Anyway, no matter how I rack my brains, it won’t be as thorough as your considerations. Since I can get the answer from you, why bother racking my brains?

"Otherwise, if I overlook something, I’ll just be mocked by you again."

Wei Ziyi spoke with complete self-assurance.

Su Mo was momentarily speechless, realizing this was a habit she had developed after spending so much time with him.

Wei Ziyi had only now grown to depend on him.

Otherwise, if this girl were to wander the jianghu alone, she would still be the sharp and adaptable Young Miss Wei of old.

Su Mo didn't press the point further. Since they were united as one, having a single person make decisions was undoubtedly ideal.

Otherwise, conflicting opinions would only pull in different directions.

He drummed his fingers lightly on the table:

"After following this lantern-bearing old man all this way, did any of you notice—

"something odd about his smell?"

"Perfumed powder."

Yang Xiaoyun glanced at Su Mo. "His body reeked of heavy perfume."

Su Mo couldn’t help but shoot Yang Xiaoyun an approving look.

It wasn’t that her nose was particularly sharp—

but before their marriage, Yang Xiaoyun’s knowledge of cosmetics had been limited to only knowing them by name.

Now, she could blurt out the term "scent of cosmetics" without hesitation—wasn’t that a huge improvement?

Sharing the same mind, Yang Xiaoyun instantly understood what Su Mo was thinking and gave him a sharp pinch under the table.

Of course, Su Mo’s body was as hard as tempered steel, so he remained unfazed.

He simply gently captured her small hand in his palm and held on tight.

Wei Ziyi frowned deeply:

"You're not suggesting that this old man is actually an alluring beauty in disguise, are you?"

Su Mo shook his head slightly:

"If an alluring beauty deliberately disguised herself as an old man, why would she leave such a heavy *rouge* fragrance on herself?

"If that were truly the case, she’d surely have an ulterior motive.

"Moreover, since he’s playing the guide, which would be more convincing—a grotesque, fearsome old man or an alluring beauty?

"Which one would make people let their guard down more easily?"

Wei Ziyi nodded immediately:

"Makes sense!

"But if that’s not the case, what’s with the rouge stink on him?"

"Perhaps it’s to cover up another smell he doesn’t want people to notice?"

Little Situ Taoist piped up.

Everyone turned to look at her.

The girl hesitated a moment before continuing:

"I also noticed the scent of rouge.

"I was just curious—what’s an old man doing wearing rouge?

"Plus, he hides half his face from view, which made me wonder if there’s something off about that side.

"Later, I realized there was another smell buried under the rouge fragrance.

"It carried a hint of herbs, but it was faint and hard to place."

Little Situ Taoist had trained in medicine since she was a girl and was extremely sensitive to the scent of herbs.

If even she found it difficult to identify, Su Mo and the others naturally stood no chance of figuring it out.

Hearing her words, Su Mo nodded lightly:

"Remember the stench that lingered where Lang Xingkong vanished?"

How could they forget?

Wei Ziyi glanced at Su Mo: "Are you saying this old lantern-bearer deliberately slathered on rouge to mask the herbal and putrid, bloody stench on him?

"If so, then Lang Xingkong’s disappearance has to tie back to him!"

Su Mo smiled but didn’t delve further into the matter. Instead, he said:

"Tonight, after leading us to this courtyard, the old lantern-bearer threw out a warning as he left—

"Don’t go poking around recklessly in the City Lord’s manor."

"And don't venture alone into the darkness."

"He said there are... unsavory things lurking in the dark..."

As he spoke these words, the women frowned involuntarily.

Wei Ziyi said:

"You always claim there are no ghosts or spirits in the Martial World, only people pretending to be supernatural."

"But now your words seem to be walking that back a bit?"

"Are you actually suggesting there are actual ghosts in the darkness?"

"Not necessarily ghosts."

Su Mo gently shook his head. "But as for what it truly is... I couldn't say yet."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look at Su Mo.

Yang Xiaoyun asked, "Husband, what exactly did you pick up on at that time?"

"It wasn't human, nor did it seem like any predator."

"Its breathing was labored, yet its movements were nimble."

"There was a distinct sound of something large displacing air, indicating substantial bulk."

"But based on the sounds alone, I couldn't determine what it was."

"All I know is that Lang Xingkong encountered this thing suddenly and was *taken down instantly*."

After Su Mo finished speaking, everyone traded looks of disbelief.

Wei Ziyi summarized:

"So you're saying there's some kind of massive creature prowling in the darkness."

"And Lang Xingkong was... swallowed by this monster?"

"That's the shape of it."

Su Mo gave a wry smile. "But it's such a freak occurrence. I didn't want to mention it earlier because it doesn't add up. I planned to wait until I had hard proof before bringing it up."

"To avoid jumping to conclusions."

"Unfortunately, all of you are becoming increasingly champing at the bit."

In the past, Su Mo could sit on some details, temporarily not telling them.

He would wait until he had a firm grasp of the situation before speaking.

But now, with their three-trial interrogation-like posture, it was clear they wouldn't let it lie until they got to the bottom of it.

Given this, Su Mo simply put all his cards on the table.

Yet after speaking, Su Mo studied their reactions:

"There's no need to dwell too much on this matter; after all, hearsay is less credible than firsthand observation.

"But if what I heard was indeed accurate, and such a thing truly exists,

"then these so-called 'cats and dogs' might not be ordinary animals at all.

"It's more likely some kind of strange creature, raised within Dragonwood Isle,

"that suddenly broke loose just before our arrival.

"The people who were supposed to greet us were forced to handle this unexpected incident,

"which explains the 'negligence of duty' accusation."

"That does make sense. Lang Xingkong must have encountered this creature, which is why he was defeated without even drawing his sword."

Wei Ziyi frowned deeply: "But if that's truly the case, what exactly could this thing be?"

Su Mo chuckled dryly:

"Who really knows what it is?

"But since we're here, whatever hides in the shadows will surely reveal itself in time.

"There's no need to rush this matter.

"Moreover, if my guess is correct, there will be plenty of folks venturing out to investigate tonight.

"With the Poison Lord taking point, we might as well wait and see if he makes any discoveries by tomorrow.

"As for us, we'll just lay low for now."

At this point, he glanced at Little Situ and said softly:

"However, from now on, we must be careful about what we eat or drink.

"If the master of this island could use the *Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture* as bait, and this place was mentioned by the masters of the Suspended Gourd Pavilion as the likely site of Little Situ's opportunity,

"then they must all be adept at both healing and poisoning.

"The old swordsman's complete poison resistance may very well originate from here.

"Therefore, we'll need to rely on Little Situ's expertise in this regard."

"Got it," Little Situ immediately assured, thumping her chest.

"Alright."

Su Mo waved his hand: "Let's rest well tonight. There may be fresh complications tomorrow.

"Once the action starts, we might not get a wink of sleep.

"Take this chance to catch some real rest.

"Tomorrow morning, we'll show up for the feast and see just what the master of Dragonwood Island needs from us—

"pulling out all the stops to gather us here."

At this point, Wei Ziyi and Little Situ Taoist let the matter drop.

They stood to leave and returned to their respective rooms to rest.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun, caught in danger, clearly had no time to indulge in intimate moments.

Lying together on the bed, Yang Xiaoyun gently curled into Su Mo's arms and whispered,

"Is there something else you haven't told me?"

"Why do you ask that suddenly?"

Su Mo seemed surprised.

"Just a feeling."

Yang Xiaoyun smiled.

"...Feelings are the most unreliable things."

Su Mo gently pinched Yang Xiaoyun's cheek.

"But you're not wrong.

"There are indeed some things I've left unsaid...

"Only, these matters are getting murkier."

"Even more speculative than the 'supernatural beast'?"

"Even more so, no question."

Su Mo gave a wry smile. "I'll need to look into it more before I can say anything concrete."

"Mhm."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded. "In that case, I won't press you. I'll wait until you can clear things up..."

"Then, my dear, you need only watch quietly."

As he spoke, he glanced down to see Yang Xiaoyun already drifting off.

He said no more, letting her sleep against his chest.

But Su Mo himself did not sleep.

His ears listened for the sounds outside.

Within the courtyard, only Zhen Xiaoxiao's deafening snores could be heard.

But beyond the courtyard walls, it was anything but quiet.

Just as he had predicted, tonight—being the first night everyone had arrived on the island—was when everyone was most curious and wary toward both the island and the city lord's residence.

Many would undoubtedly be out snooping around.

Likewise, tonight's security in the city lord's residence would also be at its tightest.

As a result, conflicts between those who came ashore and the guards of the City Lord's Manor broke out constantly.

At times, people could be seen dashing across rooftops, while angry shouts were occasionally heard.

Now and then, the elderly swordsman's voice could be heard, attempting to calm tensions, laced with resignation.

Yang Xiaoyun, leaning against Su Mo, slept soundly, occasionally opening her eyes to glance at the roof before drifting back to sleep.

By the late hours of the night, another uproar erupted—another "distinguished guest" had been escorted to the courtyard to rest.

It wasn't until approaching mao hour that the chaos finally settled completely.

At this moment, Su Mo suddenly bolted upright.

Not because he had noticed anything, but because the system's notification had sounded.

His painfully slow 2G system, after an entire night of processing, had finally completed its task.

He immediately opened the system to check.

"Mission: Escort Little Situ Taoist to the mysterious island? (Completed)"

"Reward: *Zhouliu Water Force* (Great Perfection)"

"*Zhouliu Water Force*?"

Su Mo was stunned. "Of all techniques...?"

Before he could fully process it, various techniques, principles, and theories coursed through his consciousness.

Su Mo promptly sat cross-legged and wordlessly initiated the technique.

At the same time, the Seventh Great Perfection realm of the *Yixuan Divine Art* also spontaneously activated, merging seamlessly into the *Zhouliu Water Force* he was cultivating.

As his qi flowed through his meridians and returned to his dantian, Su Mo reopened his eyes and exhaled deeply.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he carefully rose from the bed. With a thought, threads of liquid energy emerged from his body, weaving and undulating around his skin.

Wherever his will directed, the water flowed endlessly from head to toe, forming an ever-undulating aqueous mantle.

He raised his hand and examined it, allowing himself a small smile.

"Formless Water Armor..."

At his mental command, the armor dispersed.

The *Zhouliu Water Force* was, in fact, one of the eight supreme techniques of the *Zhouliu Liuxu Art*.

Though just one of the eight, it contained several esoteric arts within itself.

The *Formless Water Armor* was merely one of them.

In addition, there are the Water Soul Formation, the Heavenly Water Deca-direction Sword, Water Escape Art, Water Control Technique, Bloodbane Sword, Profound Darkness Ghost Mist, and other esoteric techniques.

Among these, the Bloodbane Sword is a suicidal technique meant to perish together with the enemy, so it can be left unconsidered for now.

The Water Soul Formation and the Profound Darkness Ghost Mist, however, are both extremely insidious and merciless methods.

The Water Soul Formation can forge water wraiths.

Within these water wraiths lies aquatic venom.

Ordinary people tainted with aquatic venom will transform into fresh water wraiths.

It can be said to be extremely troublesome.

The Profound Darkness Ghost Mist also harnesses aqueous energy to form a mist, which contains aquatic venom.

Anyone tainted by it will likewise be transformed into a water wraith.

The ruthlessness of these methods far surpasses ordinary techniques.

They are also a far cry from the martial arts style Su Mo usually practices.

However, the Heavenly Water Deca-direction Sword, Water Escape Art, and even the Water Control Technique, when used on water, are indeed extraordinary.

This particular martial art primarily wields the essence of "water" among the eight natural forces: heaven, earth, mountain, marsh, wind, thunder, water, and fire.

Yet, most of Su Mo's internal energy cultivation is rooted in solar martial arts.

This has led to multiple dissonances between this newly acquired skill and his existing knowledge.

However, with the integration of the Yixuan Divine Art's internal energy, the various internal forces now coexist autonomously yet synergistically, as if originating from the same source.

Even Su Mo couldn't help marveling at this.

Yet he also wondered: if he hadn't possessed the Yixuan Divine Art and rashly obtained this lunar internal energy, clashing with his pure yang cultivation, how would things have turned out?

Would some system emerge to forcibly reconcile the conflict, achieving perfect harmony?

Or would he have to rely on his own martial insights to gradually digest and balance the opposing forces?

After some contemplation, he dismissed the thought.

Why dwell on what hasn't happened?

The Yixuan Divine Art possesses marvelous metamorphic properties. The deeper his cultivation and understanding of it grew, the more he felt this statement held true.

After testing briefly this new martial art, Su Mo returned to bed.

By the time he rose again, it was already the next morning.

Sunlight illuminated the small town, infusing new vitality into the courtyard.

Just as he and Yang Xiaoyun were sitting up, footsteps echoed outside the courtyard.

It was a servant from Dragonwood City, arriving to summon the honored guests who had landed on the island to a banquet in the main hall.

The guests who had subsequently lodged in this courtyard had all been invited from various parts of the island, including the City Lord's Manor.

At their sudden meeting, they noticed many people were sporting bruised and swollen faces.

Just as Su Mo stepped out, he saw the door of a nearby room open, and out walked Duan Wenwu, whom he had a brief run-in with the night before.

His face bore no visible injuries, but his breathing was slightly labored, with a faint phlegmy rattle.

Clearly his calm demeanor was just an act.

Zhou Wenjing came out just then. Their eyes met, and she cupped her hands in salute:

"Senior Duan."

"..."

Duan Wenwu frowned, his gaze sweeping the adjacent rooms.

From one side emerged Wei Ziyi, and from the other, Shi Cheng.

He arched an eyebrow:

"Where’s Zhang Quan?"

"Our martial uncle isn’t in this courtyard. You’ll see him at the banquet later."

"Hmph."

Duan Wenwu sneered:

"Little girl, you're quite the bluffer. Fine, I’ll wait to see this *Pointing Star Finger* at the banquet."

With these terse words exchanged, Su Mo’s group regrouped and followed the Longmu Island guides to the main hall.