Chapter 422: Never Before

Chapter 422: Never Answered

Outside the cave, in a fairly hidden spot,

the woman, along with the two members of the ThirtyTwo Laws who had been lying in ambush within the cave, as well as the green-robed Seventh Order, were either lying or standing.

Li Mosheng peered toward the cave—from this position, he could clearly observe the cave and its surroundings.

Meanwhile, the Poison Lord crouched nearby, chewing on a braised chicken leg with relish.

Between bites, Su Mo asked with a chuckle,

"Earlier, I posed a question, but your so-called 'Seventh Order' didn’t answer me.

"Now, I’ll ask the same question to all of you.

"Your so-called ThirtyTwo Laws—does that mean there are thirty-two like you?"

The woman shared a look with her two companions before sneering coldly,

"If the Seventh Order didn’t answer, what makes you think we will?

"At this point, let me give you some advice…

"Though you managed to capture us, your martial arts are no joke.

"However, the Island Master’s skills are unmatched in this world.

"No matter how formidable you are, you’ll inevitably end up in his hands sooner or later.

"When the tide turns, we’ll be the ones asking questions."

"Oh?"

Su Mo couldn’t help but laugh. "What’s that supposed to mean, miss?"

"I’m simply advising you.

"Be nice to us now, and when you end up in our hands, we’ll go easy on you."

Her gaze was icy, but her voice dripped with confidence.

Su Mo smiled.

"So the lady’s looking out for me? I appreciate it.

"However, I must say, this island’s full of hardcases—quite unexpected.

"Oh well…"

As his words trailed off, he suddenly reached out and poked the Seventh Order.

In the next moment, the Seventh Order sucked in a sharp breath, his entire body jerking violently twice.

When he looked up at Su Mo’s smiling face again, his eyes were wide with terror.

"You… you… what did you do to me?"

Not only was his expression one of sheer horror, but his voice also shook with fear.

Among those present, whether it was the three recently captured Laws, Li Mosheng, or the Poison Lord, all instinctively looked toward the Seventh Law upon hearing this.

In the lives of these three members, this was the first time they had ever heard such raw terror in the Seventh Law's voice.

It was as if the person standing before them was not a man—

but a soul-devouring demon!

Even when facing the Island Master, the Seventh Law had never displayed such terror.

What... had happened?

Li Mosheng and the Poison Lord, however, remembered Su Mo's earlier words: "Don't blame me for being ruthless..."

At the time, they hadn’t noticed any change, but now it seemed the change had occurred—it just took time to show.

Has it fully taken effect now?

But... what exactly was this "ruthless" method?

How could it reduce such a burly man to this state in an instant?

Su Mo smiled and said:

"You’ve now experienced how it feels, haven’t you?"

"To be honest, I could also heal your wounds."

"I can let you live a hundred years... and live out your days in the agony you just felt."

"And..."

He lightly tapped his temple:

"You'll stay fully conscious... From then until now, about fifteen minutes have passed."

"Now, let me ask you—do the Thirty-Two Laws consist of thirty-two members like you?"

"Yes!!"

The Seventh Law replied instantly.

"Seventh Law!!"

The other three Laws stared in shock. "You—what are you doing—?"

"I never want to suffer that pain again!"

The Seventh Law’s teeth were chattering as he looked up at Su Mo:

"Ask me anything, I’ll tell you..."

"I beg for nothing else—just end me quickly when you’re done."

"Never... never use that method on me again."

"You monster!"

The woman glared at Su Mo. "What have you done to the Seventh Law?!"

"You want to know?"

Su Mo smiled.

"..."

The woman's face turned pale. In the next instant, Su Mo flicked his fingers rapidly, striking the Jade Hall pressure points of the three individuals.

Their bodies instantly stiffened, unable to move, their eyes turning bloodshot.

This was no pain that an ordinary person could endure.

It was like writhing in a sea of molten lava, or suffering the agony of a thousand arrows piercing the heart, akin to being slowly flayed or seared with hot irons.

The torment left them unable to scream, unable to utter a sound.

Yet, their minds remained painfully clear.

Thus, they experienced every second of the searing pain even more intensely.

Su Mo paid no attention to the three individuals.

The *Painful Mantra* was indeed a remarkable technique, but it required a brief moment for its full effect to manifest.

Otherwise, without experiencing the depths of its suffering, why would they obey?

At this moment, Su Mo looked at the *Seventh Order*:

"Tell me more about things like the *Abomination* and the *Law Marshal*.

"I’m quite interested in these creations of your island."

Su Mo said, smiling.

"The *Abomination*...

"The *Abomination* is a botched creation."

The *Seventh Order* took a deep breath and spoke:

"Crudely stitched together from normal limbs.

"Mindless, possessing only a murderous drive.

"They need *Soul Loss Powder* to obey orders, and even then, it sometimes fails.

"But their advantage lies in their sheer numbers. Once they attack en masse, no common fighter can withstand them.

"Among them, the strongest can overpower even legendary warriors.

"Next are the *Law Marshals*...

"The *Law Marshals* are also graded into tiers.

"This stems from the early experimental methods.

"It began with limb grafting."

"One person could have three hands, four hands, five legs, six legs...

"The head remains their own, keeping their mind intact.

"The bones heal on their own, while the energy channels get patched up through the Heaven-Mending Art.

"Once attached, they become yours to keep.

"But here’s the catch... first, the Heaven-Mending Art is a bitch to learn.

"Second, this method still risks losing one's sanity.

"Once sanity is lost, they become an Abomination.

"Only by staying sharp can one become a Law Marshal.

"Moreover, subsequent trials showed... that more limbs don’t always mean greater power.

"So, they began exploring different approaches.

"Grafting human limbs came first, followed by attempts with various animals.

"Tigers, leopards, snakes, insects... none were spared.

"But in the end, they realized it was still backward logic.

"The human body’s original structure is the most suitable for humans.

"Any spliced additions just become dead weight.

"These attachments not only fail to compensate for deficiencies but also drag you down.

"Thus... the smarter Law Marshals swapped out their own limbs completely.

"Trading up for better parts.

"Only then could they tap into higher-tier martial arts."

At this point, he couldn’t help but glance at Su Mo before continuing solemnly:

"The Thirty-Two Laws are the cream of the crop among all Law Marshals.

"But the island’s Law Marshals are more than thirty-two strong.

"The first seven Laws all bring something different to the table.

"I excel in the Great Brahma Golden Body, my body’s modeled after the Zen Master Kongming mentioned by Li Mosheng.

"Above me, there are still five Laws.

"These five outclass me in combat, but only by a hair’s breadth.

"The real nightmare is the First Law!"

"The First Law?"

"You’ve met him."

The Seventh Law looked at Su Mo: "That Old Ghost with the lantern."

Su Mo suddenly understood: "So it's that guy... Since even you admit you're no match for him, his martial arts must be truly exceptional. But I wonder, what kind of martial arts does he actually use?"

"The First Law's fighting style... I don't know what they truly are either."

"All I know is that in terms of inner strength, I'm no match for him."

"In terms of skill and technique, I also fall short."

"The only aspect where I can somewhat compete with him is raw physical power."

As the Seventh Order spoke these words, a flicker of resentment seemed to flicker in his eyes, but he ultimately let out a long sigh:

"By all rights, it shouldn't be this way!"

"He was just one of many servants by the Grand Physician's side."

"After the Grand Physician... disappeared, those attendants scattered like rats. Some even seized the chaos to escape Dragonwood Island during that night's heavy rain."

"Yet he alone not only stayed but became the Island Master's right-hand man."

"From then on, he took over everything related to the Abominations and even rose to become the leader of the Thirty-Two Laws."

"Though we were unwilling, after a contest, we were forced to bow down to his authority."

"I suspect the Grand Physician must have done something to him while still alive."

"That's how he gained power beyond any normal Law Marshal!"

"Only then did he win the Island Master's favor!"

Hearing this, Su Mo couldn't help but glance at the Seventh Order and said with a knowing smile:

"Did the Grand Physician really disappear?"

"..."

The Seventh Order stiffened and looked at Su Mo: "What are you implying?"

"Just now, when you mentioned his disappearance, you hesitated."

"Then later, you came right out and said he was dead."

"Let me ask you... did he really disappear?"

"He..."

The Seventh Order let out a heavy sigh:

"He's dead."

"How did he die?"

"He got greedy for the Island Master's secrets and tried to use forbidden techniques."

"In the end, they turned on him and he became an Abomination."

"The Island Master had him locked away in the Bottomless Frost Pool."

"That was seven years ago."

"And so-called Abominations are nothing more than reanimated corpses.

"Only by relying on the extraordinary power of the *Biyanhua* can they sustain their unnatural existence.

"But what difference does it make from being dead?"

"*Biyanhua*..."

Su Mo raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Legend has it that is a divine flower born of the Celestial Stele, said to span the shores of life and death.

"The reason Abominations can retain mobility is due to the power of this flower."

"Such a wondrous thing exists in this world?"

Su Mo said with a laugh, "Then if one were to consume it directly, wouldn’t they become immortal on the spot?"

"...Where in this world is there a path to immortality?"

The Seventh Order gave a dismissive shake of his head. "If that were truly the case, why would the Island Master resort to such taboo techniques? Why scheme repeatedly? Why draw so many warriors to this place?

"Wouldn’t it be far simpler to just swallow the *Biyanhua*?

"In truth... while the *Biyanhua* possesses extraordinary power, what kind of miracle could a single flower alone create?

"Yet this flower can be called the ultimate restorative under heaven—and also the most corrupting.

"The Island Master once said that if one were to consume this flower directly, barring divine intervention, they would surely die instantly."

By this point, Su Mo had already drawn some conclusions in his mind.

After a thoughtful pause, he smiled faintly:

"What exactly is the Celestial Stele?"

"..."

The Seventh Order’s face froze momentarily before he sighed.

"I don’t know."

"Hmm?"

"I truly don’t know!"

The Seventh Order quickly added, "he said, "The term 'Celestial Stele'—we of the Thirty-Two Laws have heard it mentioned often, but none of us have ever seen it.

"All we know is that the Celestial Stele possesses extraordinary power, with the ability to nurture.

"Even the most ordinary wild grass growing near it transforms into miraculous medicinal plants of astonishing value.

"And the medical classics inscribed upon it are peerless.

"The Island Master said that any healer who comes to this island, if they can comprehend even partially those medical classics, their medical arts would leap to unparalleled levels."

"This isn't just empty talk."

"But... whether it's actually a stele or something else."

"I honestly don't know."

"Even on the entire Dragonwood Island, only one person knows about this..."

"And that's the Island Master."

Su Mo listened and gave a slight nod:

"It seems you're no longer useful to me."

"Come now, help me out here—what haven't I asked about yet?"

Li Mosheng and the Poison Lord both thought Su Mo was being ridiculous.

How could a prisoner possibly be expected to ponder such a question?

Yet, the Seventh Order actually thought about it.

Finally, he said solemnly:

"If you wish to obtain the Celestial Stele, there's probably just one chance."

"Oh?"

Su Mo smiled. "Go on."

"Wait until the selection concludes, and they pick the right person.

"When the Island Master hands down his powers, the Celestial Stele will definitely be there.

"Otherwise, you'll never see it any other time.

"That is all I can say...

"Additionally, the Heaven-Mending Art we have learned is incomplete. I shall now recite the core techniques for you."

Li Mosheng and the Poison Lord stared in shock.

They felt as if their jaws hit the floor.

What method had Su Mo used on this Seventh Order?

How could a tough guy who never breaks be reduced to such a state?

Yet, they both listened closely, eager to hear the Seventh Order recite the core techniques of the Heaven-Mending Art.

To their surprise, the Seventh Order opened his mouth—but nothing came out.

He was using some secret method to talk directly to Su Mo.

For a moment, they were left disappointed.

When he was done, the Seventh Order had one last thing to say:

"The Heaven-Mending Art has nine levels total."

What they had learned was merely the middle three layers.

On the entire Dragon-Timber Island, only two individuals had mastered all nine layers of the HeavenMending Art.

One was the long-dead Grand Physician.

The other was the Island Master.

As for the exceptional powers that the complete nine layers of the HeavenMending Art might possess, that was something only the Island Master could answer.

That was about all there was to say.

Su Mo pondered for a long while before finally lifting the Painful Mantra's effects on the other three Orders.

For a moment, their expressions matched the Seventh Order's—staring at Su Mo like he was some kind of earthly demon, their eyes wide with fear.

Su Mo gave a faint smile and repeated the same questions he had asked the Seventh Order.

However, during this process, he also sealed the Seventh Order's pressure points.

The three men tripped over themselves answering, fearing that any delay would subject them once more to the unbearable agony they had just endured.

Perhaps because they held lower ranks, these three knew even less than the Seventh Order.

Yet, everything they did know matched exactly with the Seventh Order's words.

Still, Su Mo wasn't fully convinced.

Not because he lacked faith in his Painful Mantra,

but because… on this island, where something like the Soul-Draining Powder existed,

how could he be sure that the Thirty-Two Laws had not ingested it?

Could what they believed to be true in their hearts truly be the facts?

These were questions Su Mo would have to answer himself later. For now, this was all he could obtain.

Afterward, Su Mo looked over at Li Mosheng and the Poison Lord:

“You two, do you have any further questions?”

The two nodded immediately. The Poison Lord asked about how to leave the island.

All four men gave identical answers—

They had to wait for a stormy night when the waves churned violently, riding out the storm's fury to escape.

Otherwise, there was no other way off.

Upon hearing this, the Poison Lord looked troubled.

Li Mosheng’s question, however, caught Su Mo off guard.

Li Mosheng asked solemnly:

"Twenty years ago, did a couple ever come to this island?

"The man was named Meng Feifan, and the woman was Qu Hanyan."

The question caused the four present to exchange glances before shaking their heads simultaneously.

Su Mo cast a thoughtful look at Li Mosheng.

Seeing the old man's disappointed expression, he chose not to press further.

Later, Li Mosheng continued inquiring about the Lord of Longmu Island.

He learned that although the Island Master’s life-threatening illness had been faked, his actual condition remained quite severe.

However, since the selection for the next Island Master hadn't concluded yet, he could probably last a few more days.

Li Mosheng then asked about the whereabouts of Zhang Quan and the others.

He was told they had all been captured and taken to the Medicine Person Box.

Now that he had obtained all the information he needed, Li Mosheng turned to Su Mo:

"Young Hero Su, do you have anything else you'd like to ask?"

Su Mo smiled. "Right now, what is Senior Li’s plan?"

"I plan... to go to the Medicine Person Box and rescue them," Li Mosheng declared firmly.

The Poison Lord quickly shook his head. "No, that won’t work. That place is full of snakes—no way this old man is going there."

"In my opinion, Senior Li doesn’t need to rush to the Medicine Person Box just yet," Su Mo said with a smile.

"I still have some arrangements in place there. Senior Zhang and the others might be safe for now... For now, Senior Li and Senior should focus on securing their own safety first. I know a safe place—listen carefully."

The two exchanged a glance before leaning closer.

Su Mo whispered his plan to them.

After finishing, he said softly, "No time to waste. We must act now."

"Understood," Li Mosheng nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Young Hero Su."

The Poison Lord, however, glared at Su Mo.

"So now I'm stuck following your crazy plan? You still haven’t told me who I really am."

"Once matters on Longmu Island are settled, Su Mo will explain everything to you, Senior."

The Poison Lord hesitated but didn’t push further, then left with Li Mosheng.

After those two left, Su Mo looked back at the Seventh Order.

He smiled and said:

"Actually, I have one more question."

"Ask away."

"Did the Grand Physician ever take on a disciple?"

The Seventh Order paused, surprised, wondering why he'd ask that.

But he answered honestly anyway:

"Never."