Chapter 434: Crimson

Chapter 434: Crimson Tide

The sea was torn by a raging tempest, with whirlpools, undercurrents, and waterspouts tearing through sky and sea.

The ship bearing the emblazoned characters "Ziyang Escort Agency" heaved skyward, lifted by the waves and propelled by the wind, launched clear of the waves and soaring into the sky!

This sight struck all who witnessed it, their breath stolen away.

They felt weightless.

Though it was Su Mo's ship that took flight, it seemed to lift the spirits of all who watched.

Once they grasped what was happening, they shouted as one:

"Raise the sails!

"Raise the sails!!!"

Snap! Snap! Snap!

The sails were instantly unfurled to their fullest, and one by one, the ships lined up, following closely behind Su Mo's large ship.

As their speed increased, they too sprang free of the waves.

Streaking through the air, driven by the gale and their own momentum, they sped across impossible lengths.

The waterspouts loomed beside them, their raw power unmistakable to all who dared glance their way.

Yet, miraculously, the ships sailed on, unscathed.

They flew onward, plowing straight through the stretch of sea riddled with whirlpools from midair.

As the large ship's momentum gradually waned, it slammed back into the sea with a thunderous impact, riding the undercurrent once more.

Again, it cut through the waves.

Seawater surged and sprayed on either side of the hull, and under the immense force, the ship groaned under the strain, timbers protesting.

Yet, the hearts of those aboard swelled with triumph.

"To ride the storm and conquer the seas!

"This is how it should be!!!"

Someone shouted, their voice ringing out over the waves, whipping the sea into frenzy.

Some howled at the sky, others broke into roaring chants, and still others pounded the decks in exultation—as if following Su Mo had allowed them to triumph over the wrath of the heavens!

Their shouts split the sky, their defiance as vast as the storm!

They raced onward like this for a full two hours.

Only then did their forward momentum begin to wane.

After a while, though the storm still lingered, it was no longer as fierce as it had been near Dragonwood Island.

The martial artists surveyed their surroundings, and soon, someone recognized their location:

"This is north of Gupiao Island—we’re really back!!"

"Hahahaha, we cheated death! We cheated death!"

"All thanks to Hero Su's assistance, otherwise this journey would have truly been a death sentence."

Cheating death was indeed cause for celebration, as numerous large ships drew near, gathering around Su Mo's vessel.

Meanwhile, Zhou Wenjing, Cheng Suying, Duan Renjie, as well as Xia Qiuliang, Gai Huatuo, and others, all boarded Su Mo's ship.

They came to express their gratitude on behalf of everyone for saving their lives.

Su Mo smiled in return, greeting each person warmly and courteously, his demeanor humble and polite.

This only deepened their respect and admiration.

After a brief exchange, it was decided they would throw a proper celebration on Gupiao Island to thank Su Mo for saving their lives before heading back.

However, Cheng Suying, Duan Renjie, and Zhou Wenjing remained aboard Su Mo's ship.

It was only then that Zhou Wenjing finally asked Su Mo:

"Chief Escort Su, may I ask, have you seen my master?"

"Senior Li?"

Su Mo paused, suddenly recalling: "We met once. At the time, I was fighting the Lord of Longmu Island when your master, Senior Li, and your martial uncle, Senior Zhang, arrived together.

"The Lord of Longmu Island used the distraction to escape, which is why I pursued him.

"What happened next is what you all witnessed...

"But as for what happened to Senior Li and Senior Zhang afterward, I don't know either.

"Miss Zhou hasn’t seen them either?"

Zhou Wenjing's face went white:

"Master and Uncle..."

Since Su Mo had seen them, it meant that when he was fighting the Lord of Longmu Island, Li Mosheng and Zhang Quan might still have been inside the cave.

Their absence now probably means the worst.

Su Mo let out a quiet sigh upon seeing this: "If I'd known, I should've brought them out with me."

Zhou Wenjing shook her head:

"The Lord of Longmu Island's skills are unmatched. Your battle with him must've been life-or-death.

"The situation at the time must have been extremely critical.

"How could you be expected to split your focus elsewhere?

"Moreover... if my master and uncle went to that place at that time,

"they must have had their own reasons I don't know about hidden within.

"Otherwise, when Chief Escort Su and the Lord of Longmu Island emerged, why would they have stayed behind?

"Now that where they are now is unclear, you really can't blame Chief Escort Su."

Zhou Wenjing was reasonable and never took her anger out on others. Though she spoke as such, when she turned to look in the direction of Longmu Island, she couldn't help but feel her nose tingle and her eyes grow moist.

She had been raised by Li Mosheng since childhood—the Shattered Star Sect was her home, and her master was her teacher, father, and mother all in one.

Yet she never expected the journey to Longmu Island to be so perilous.

Now, though she had survived the ordeal herself, her dearest kin...

At this thought, she sighed deeply, apologized to Su Mo, and returned to her cabin to rest.

Meanwhile, Cheng Suying and Duan Renjie, accompanied by the Canglan Divine Blade, came to see Su Mo again.

They expressed heartfelt thanks.

The Canglan Divine Blade had noticed Zhou Wenjing's unusual expression earlier and guessed that Li Mosheng might have perished.

After receiving confirmation from Su Mo, he couldn't help but sigh as well.

The two had been friends for many years, considering each other kindred spirits.

Now, with his old friend lost and having lost an arm himself, looking back, he was filled with sorrow.

He glanced at Cheng Suying and Duan Renjie beside him and suddenly cupped his hands toward Su Mo, saying:

"Chief Escort Su, this old one has something to say, though I’m unsure if it’s proper."

"Senior, please speak freely," Su Mo replied with a smile.

The Canglan Divine Blade sighed and said, "I've traveled the South Sea for many years, and the martial world has given me some face, calling me the Canglan Divine Blade. Yet I've never dared to be careless, privately cautioning myself not to underestimate others.

"Yet I never expected that, upon arriving at Longmu Island, I would still walk into a trap.

"Now, having been reduced to this state, I dare not blame fate or others.

"But though I am alone and without family, that matters little—only my two disciples are my only worry."

"Master..."

Cheng Suying and Duan Renjie were startled and instinctively spoke up.

But the Canglan Divine Blade gently waved his hand and continued to Su Mo:

"I know my own disciples well.

"Suying has always been strong-willed and level-headed. Though her martial arts are slightly weaker than Renjie's, when faced with mortal peril, she surpasses him.

"Renjie, on the other hand, is more skilled in martial arts than Suying, but he is impulsive and swollen with pride over his swordsmanship.

"He tends to scorn the world.

"It was precisely because I saw this flaw that I had them venture to the Eastern Wastes to temper themselves.

"The martial world of the South Sea is wide yet narrow.

"Where my name still commands respect, others may still give them some leeway.

"But if ever my name fails to cover for them, any conflict could lead to their utter annihilation to root out future threats."

"So I simply sent them to the Eastern Wastes for training.

"Little did I expect, by sheer luck, they would encounter someone like Chief Escort Su.

"This is truly an incredible stroke of luck for them.

"Now, their skills are still lacking, and I’m in no condition to help them.

"Thus, I wish to ask Chief Escort Su to give them a job with you, so they may have a refuge.

"Otherwise, once I’m gone, they might get themselves into trouble and meet an untimely end.

"Therefore, I beg Chief Escort Su to do them this kindness."

After speaking, he bowed deeply, his sincerity utmost.

Seeing this, Su Mo quickly caught Canglan Divine Blade’s arm: "Senior, you mustn’t."

Though resolved, how could Canglan Divine Blade resist Su Mo’s strength?

Once helped up, he could only await Su Mo’s decision.

Su Mo laughed softly:

"Senior, no need for such formalities.

"Su Mo runs an escort bureau, and I could always use good help.

"These two disciples of yours are real talents.

"Such individuals are hard to come by—no way I’d turn them down now that you’ve made this request!"

Yet as he spoke, he turned his gaze to Cheng Suying and Duan Renjie:

"However, but let’s get one thing straight.

"You two likely know enough about Su Mo.

"If you truly join my bureau, you will be escorts of the Ziyang Escort Bureau.

"Day after day, you’ll be out in all kinds of weather, constantly on the road.

"The bureau has its rules—break the rules, and you’ll face the consequences.

"I’m telling you this now. If you’re willing, my bureau’s doors are wide open, and you’re more than welcome.

"If not, we can forget about it and remain friends."

As Su Mo finished, Cheng Suying and Duan Renjie looked at Canglan Divine Blade, who gave them a slight nod.

The siblings then dropped to their knees:

"Cheng Suying (Duan Renjie) wishes to join the Ziyang Escort Bureau and serve under Chief Escort Su."

"No need for that."

Su Mo waved his hand lightly, and the two found themselves back on their feet:

"From now on, we are brothers breaking bread together."

"Escort bureaus are not like sects; although the rules are strict, there aren't so many rigid formalities.

"You can be more at ease...

"Both of you are exceptional martial artists. For now, well, you can serve as standard-bearers in my escort agency.

"We can discuss other matters later."

"We will follow Chief Escort Su's orders."

The siblings answered in unison once more.

Seeing this, the Canglan Divine Blade was greatly relieved:

"Thank you, Chief Escort Su."

"Senior, you honor me."

Su Mo smiled. "You and your esteemed disciples haven't seen each other for a long time. Longmu Island is a dangerous place, so it wasn’t the right time for a proper reunion. Now that we’ve left Longmu Island and are on our ship, why not head to the guest cabins to rest and reconnect?"

The Canglan Divine Blade nodded repeatedly. After thanking Su Mo, he followed his two disciples to the guest cabins to rest.

Yang Xiaoyun turned her attention away from them and sighed to Su Mo:

"Senior Canglan Divine Blade has shown such devotion for them. It’s truly touching."

Having lost an arm, his martial arts were largely lost.

From then on, the Canglan Divine Blade was a shadow of his former self and could no longer protect his two disciples.

So he took advantage of the situation to find them a reliable protector.

This level of forethought would never have occurred to him if not for his disciples' sake.

Wei Ziyi, however, pursed her lips:

"What a pity—two promising young warriors of the jianghu have fallen into Old Su’s grasp again."

"If you can’t say anything nice, then keep quiet."

Su Mo gave her a look.

The others couldn’t help but laugh.

After the laughter subsided, Yang Xiaoyun sighed. "Perhaps the moment you took in disciples last year, today was destined."

Su Mo nodded slightly and let out a soft breath:

"Enough, let’s not discuss other matters. We still have ways to go before reaching Gupiao Island.

"Everyone has been up all night, so let’s all go back and rest for now.

"Once we arrive at Gupiao Island, there’ll likely be another commotion."

Everyone nodded and went their separate ways.

But Su Mo still had one minor task to attend to.

After Yang Xiaoyun returned to her quarters, he went to fetch the body of the Lord of Longmu Island.

The man had died and come back to life multiple times, so Su Mo naturally wouldn’t leave his corpse abandoned on Longmu Island.

What if the old bastard came back to life when no one was paying attention? What then?

Might as well bring the corpse back—his only goal was to dispose of it completely.

He walked to the ship’s railing, methodically tore off the limbs of the Lord of Longmu Island, and tossed them one by one into the sea. The sea breeze scattered them, putting an end to it once and for all.

"Even if your Heaven-Repairing Divine Technique truly possesses the power to revive the dead,

with your limbs scattered, even if you open your eyes again, you’d still be a goner."

Su Mo watched the rolling waves on the sea’s surface. After moving the Celestial Stele to another room, he finally returned to the room he shared with Yang Xiaoyun.

As for Shi Cheng and Ye Youchen, whom they had pulled from the water earlier—

both were still out cold.

Along with the Sick Prince, they were locked up in another room.

Little Situ Taoist took a look at them too.

Ye Youchen’s condition was dire—his life force had drained away, with ninety-nine percent of his vitality already gone.

Only a flicker remained, like the last flicker of a candle.

As for Shi Cheng—

he was built like an ox, but he had gulped down a ton of seawater.

His head also seemed to have struck something while tumbling in the sea, leaving him unable to wake up.

Su Mo posted guards at the door, instructing them to report immediately if there was any movement.

Of course, for added security, Su Mo naturally hit Shi Cheng’s pressure points—

lest he bolt the moment he wakes up.

And Su Mo went all out—he sealed dozens of points, front and back.

Back on Longmu Island, Ye Youchen had broken free from the Qiankun Acupoint Technique—who knew if Shi Cheng could do the same?

Caution was only natural.

With matters roughly settled, things were pretty much handled.

Su Mo then returned to his room, where Yang Xiaoyun had already changed and was waiting for him by the bed.

Seeing him return, she said eagerly:

"Come, come, tell me what happened tonight.

How is Little Situ Taoist’s leg?"

It would take some explaining. Noticing there was still hot water in the wooden tub, Su Mo had Yang Xiaoyun help him bathe.

As an old married couple, there was no reason to be shy.

Moreover, for Yang Xiaoyun, taking care of her husband was simply only natural.

But this husband was truly incorrigible. He had barely said a few words about the night's events before his roving hands surfaced—absolutely shameless.

At first, his methods were gentle, so she hadn’t noticed. By the time she realized, it was already too far gone to stop.

Unable to hold back, she protested:

"I just bathed..."

"Won’t hurt to wash up again."

In the end, Yang Xiaoyun didn’t get to hear the story of what happened that night. Instead, she was left panting and exhausted from the ordeal.

When the storm finally subsided, she saw Su Mo out cold. In a huff, she grabbed his arm, ready to bite it.

But after staring at it for a long while, she sighed and curled up against Su Mo, closing her eyes peacefully.

……

……

The rest of the journey was uneventful. By the time Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun opened their eyes again, Gupiao Island came into view.

In fact, from the moment they escaped the undercurrents of Longmu Island to their arrival at Gupiao Island, less than half a day had passed.

The two hadn’t slept much before waking up.

When they stepped onto the deck, they saw Xiao Ning, who’d been lying low for days, along with a little girl, leaning against the ship’s railing and peering at Gupiao Island ahead.

Upon Su Mo’s arrival, the siblings jumped.

They quickly stepped away from the railing and bowed nervously to Su Mo.

Back on Gupiao Island, Xiao Ning hadn’t been so afraid of Su Mo.

But after this trip to Longmu Island, having witnessed Su Mo’s abilities firsthand, he was equal parts amazed and scared.

And it wasn’t just him—even the typically cocky martial arts masters, who occasionally crossed paths with them, acted downright reverent in Su Mo’s presence.

Who was he to cross someone like that?

Su Mo chuckled and flicked Xiao Ning’s forehead:

"You two must have had a hard time these past few days, stuck on the ship all the way to Longmu Island. Probably drove you nuts, huh?"

Xiao Ning hurriedly shook his head. "No, no! The crew took great care of us. We ate well, drank well, and even packed on a few pounds..."

This wasn’t an exaggeration.

When they first met, Xiao Ning’s little sister had been severely poisoned, her face gaunt and pale.

Now, she’d filled out, cheeks pink—clearly, she had been well-fed these past few days.

Su Mo nodded slightly and studied the siblings:

"Homesick?"

"......"

Xiao Ning blushed faintly as he nodded gently.

He had once told Su Mo that if they ever encountered important travelers, leaving Lone Gourd Island would be a welcome opportunity.

Yet now, after just days away from home, he already missed it.

Only then did he realize that some things were truly not as simple as imagined.

Though their home was poor and empty, it remained the place they loved most in the hearts of him and his sister.

Su Mo smiled and started to speak when he noticed Yang Xiaoyun frowning nearby.

"What's wrong?" Su Mo instinctively asked.

Yang Xiaoyun whispered,

"What time is it?"

After fleeing half the night from Dragonwood Island and then traveling for hours, the night was gone.

Now, it was just daybreak.

The reason it still appeared dark and gloomy was due to the thick clouds.

Hearing this, Su Mo turned his gaze back to Lone Gourd Island and suddenly narrowed his eyes:

"No way..."

Xiao Ning couldn't help but ask, "Su... Chief Escort Su, what's wrong?"

Not sure what to call Su Mo, he simply mimicked others' way of calling him.

Su Mo shook his head lightly but didn't answer.

Instead, he instructed Song Yuanlong to pick up speed.

Soon, several large ships arrived at Lone Gourd Island.

As they disembarked, an overpowering stench of blood filled the air.

Amid the drizzle, the ravines and ditches on the ground were stained with blood everywhere!