Chapter 441: Traces

Chapter 441: Traces

A lecher from the Ximen Family?

Su Mo blinked—could this guy’s full name actually be Ximen Qing?

Wait, wasn’t Young Miss Shangguan supposed to marry Zhou Chang?

How’d she end up mixed up with this Ximen guy?

Just then, Xi Menxiong bellowed:

"Old fool, what kind of crap are you spewing?

"It’s clearly your shameless girl who couldn’t keep her eyes off my young lord, a heroic and dashing youth, and tried to seduce him!"

"You’re full of shit!"

"You’re the one spouting bullshit!"

Xi Menxiong and Shangguan Zhiyuan exchanged insults, neither yielding an inch.

When words weren’t enough, they threw hands.

Both were no spring chickens, their martial arts profound and formidable.

Their fight was something to see.

By now, the rest of the ship’s crew had also gathered on the deck.

Yang Xiaoyun stood beside Su Mo, watching the two middle-aged men fight, completely lost:

"What’s going on?"

She thought they were here to start trouble, but now they were fighting each other?

Su Mo just shook his head, amused.

After Su Mo filled her in, Yang Xiaoyun was just as shocked:

"So… Young Miss Shangguan actually eloped with the Ximen Family’s young lord?"

"Nonsense!"

The two combatants, still exchanging fierce blows, simultaneously snapped back.

"That Ximen pervert is a shameless, weak-kidneyed bastard who won’t live past thirty. Even if my Young Miss were blind, how could she possibly fancy him?"

"Shut your damn mouth!

"It’s your Shangguan hussy who’s naturally seductive and fickle, throwing herself at my young lord. My young lord is full of vigor, at that age where beauty catches his eye—how could he resist?

"Frankly, if your Young Miss has such desires, why hide them? She should speak openly. I’ll report to the family head—with her looks, she might qualify as my young lord’s side piece.

"Hell, our two families might even bury the hatchet!"

"Xi Men, you son of a bitch!

"My Young Miss is pure as driven snow—how dare you slander her? I’ll put you in the ground right here today!"

"We've fought over thirty battles, big and small, and when have you ever gained the slightest advantage? Now you're here spouting nonsense—aren’t you worried the wind’ll slice your tongue?"

The two men got more and more heated in their exchange, their moves becoming ever more ruthless.

Shangguan Zhiyuan from the Shangguan Family curled three fingers into a hook, his techniques vicious, every move aimed to kill.

Xi Menxiong of the Ximen Family, however, lacked visible ferocity in his moves, yet his internal strength was extraordinary.

With every motion, he deflected force with uncanny skill.

What surprised Su Mo was that, for some reason, the martial arts Xi Menxiong used seemed weirdly familiar.

Yet, at the moment, he couldn’t place where he’d seen them.

Moreover, internal strength techniques rarely show outward signs—unless they are inherently unique or the practitioner’s skill is exceptionally high. Otherwise, to really understand them, one must engage in direct combat.

Cheng Suying and Duan Renjie had moved closer to Su Mo by then.

Glancing at them, Su Mo asked:

"The martial arts these two are using are quite refined—do you know their names?"

Cheng Suying promptly replied:

"Boss, you might not know this, but the Shangguan Family’s ancestor was named Shangguan Tianying. In his early years, he combined the best of different styles to create the *Heavenly Eagle Manual*, which records numerous unmatched techniques.

"What this man is currently using is likely the *Sky Eagle Claw Technique* from the *Heavenly Eagle Manual*.

"As for the Ximen Family, their ancestors obtained a mysterious inheritance from the South Sea.

"It’s said this inheritance had long since disappeared in the South Sea, and only two martial arts remained…

"One is called the *Great Transformation Enlightened Mind Sutra*, and the other is the *Jade Crown Heart Tempering Sutra*."

"Hmm?"

Hearing the names of these arts, Su Mo’s heart suddenly stirred, and he whirled toward Cheng Suying:

"*Great Transformation Enlightened Mind Sutra*?"

Cheng Suying nodded. "Indeed, though it’s said this martial art has long lost, and the Ximen Family never inherited it.

"Rumors claim it made its way to the Eastern Wastes…

"But whether that’s true or not is tough to verify.

"The Ximen Family once sent people to the Eastern Wastes to investigate, but each time they came back with nothing.

"Eventually, they dropped it.

"As for the *Jade Crown Heart Tempering Sutra*, that is the Ximen Family’s handed-down ultimate technique.

"However, by now, much of it’s been lost over time.

"Yet even with this incomplete legacy, they’ve made a name for themselves in the South Sea."

As she spoke, she noticed Su Mo seemed really intrigued.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Also, there's another rumor..."

"Do tell."

Su Mo was genuinely curious about this.

The Great Transformation Enlightened Mind Sutra and the Jade Crown Heart Tempering Sutra.

No wonder Xi Menxiong's techniques felt familiar to Su Mo.

This sense of familiarity came straight from the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra of Wusheng Hall.

He now suspected that the so-called Great Transformation Enlightened Mind Sutra was actually the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra.

This martial art and the Jade Crown Heart Tempering Sutra came from the same school.

That was why they felt familiar to him.

And the endpoint of both traditions... could it be the 'South Sea Heart Tempering Temple' mentioned in Wan Yutang's letter to him?

Regarding this place, though he'd asked around repeatedly since arriving in the South Sea, Su Mo had found nothing.

The matter was related to the Mysterious Mechanism Token, so Su Mo couldn't purchase information from the Tianji Pavilion, or it would spread everywhere.

Unexpectedly, just when he'd hit a dead end, a glimmer of hope appeared.

Unintentionally, he had accidentally found another lead.

Cheng Suying got straight to the point:

"It seems the Ximen Family still possesses a chart that records the location of their legacy.

"However, the Ximen Family kept this under tight wraps.

"No one knows if they've gone to investigate..."

As she spoke, the two middle-aged men fighting on the ship were going all out.

Both pulled out their killer moves, determined to fight to the death.

Su Mo had an idea, and in an instant, he stepped forward, crossing the distance instantly to appear right in front of the two men.

The two were throwing their finishing blows, intent on killing each other.

But unexpectedly, a figure suddenly appeared before them.

They both shouted angrily:

"Get out of the way!"

"Looking to die?"

Though they yelled, they were already committed.

At this point, trying to pull their punches would either kill them or leave them severely injured. Helpless, both killer moves were headed straight for Su Mo.

The first to clash with Su Mo was Shangguan Zhiyuan's Heaven-Seizing Eagle Claw Technique. The moment they connected, the remaining moves came in rapid succession.

Fierce, ruthless, and sharp, the force of the wind was cutting.

Su Mo initiated his palm technique, employing the Great Open Yang Scattering Palm. After transitioning through two forms, he lifted his hand and struck, sending Shangguan Zhiyuan crashing down from mid-air.

His face registered utter shock.

Immediately after, Xi Menxiong’s palm strike reached Su Mo.

As their palms clashed, a strange surge of internal energy coursed through the meridians.

Yet Xi Menxiong’s expression drastically changed.

He felt as though his internal energy had disappeared like a clay ox drowning in the sea—completely disappearing without a trace.

Before he could react, a tremor ran through his palm, and his body was flung backward.

With a thud, he landed beside Shangguan Zhiyuan.

The two exchanged glances, their hearts clenched simultaneously.

They had already given their all, yet they never expected to be overpowered in mere exchanges by the man before them.

Clearly, their opponent had held back.

Otherwise, this encounter would have left them either dead or severely wounded.

Instantly, they no longer dared any rash moves.

As Su Mo landed lightly, the two could only clasp their fists and bow.

"Thank you, Boss Su, for showing mercy."

"You flatter me, Seniors."

Su Mo gave a light chuckle. "Seeing the two of you become increasingly heated in your duel, I intervened to avert needless bloodshed. I hope you won’t take offense."

The two were momentarily stunned but couldn’t help feeling grateful.

Earlier, their tempers had truly risen, and by that point, pulling punches was nearly impossible.

Had their final strikes connected, one of them would likely have died—or at the very least, both would have suffered serious injuries.

Had Su Mo not stepped in, they truly might not have walked away unharmed today.

After exchanging a glance, they sighed in unison and solemnly thanked Su Mo once more.

Now, outclassed in skill and owing him a life-saving favor, they naturally no longer dared to mention searching the ship.

Shangguan Zhiyuan cupped his fists and said,

"Today, I am indebted to Boss Su’s kindness. Shangguan Zhiyuan will remember it in my heart and never forget.

"However, urgent matters still demand my attention, so I cannot linger. I ask for Boss Su’s understanding—I must take my leave now."

"I, too, have urgent matters and cannot stay.

"Young Hero Su, I, Xi Menxiong, will surely repay this favor in the future. Farewell!"

After speaking, the two made to leave.

"Are you two looking for your mistress and young master?"

Su Mo’s voice rang out from behind them.

Shangguan Zhiyuan and Xi Menxiong instinctively halted their steps and nodded in unison: "That’s right."

Su Mo smiled: "Now that’s odd. Naturally, there's nothing wrong with you two elders searching for your own people, but what brings you to my ship all of a sudden?"

"This..."

The two men shared a look, seemingly recalling something unpleasant, and both let out an angry huff at the same time, turning their heads away before looking back at Su Mo.

Shangguan Zhiyuan spoke first:

"If anyone else were to ask, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

"But since it’s Boss Su inquiring, I dare not hide the truth...

"Ah... To speak of this is to speak of a family scandal."

"We are the ones with the family disgrace!"

Xi Menxiong flared up: "You should be thanking your stars!"

"That’s bullshit!"

"You’re full of crap!"

In their anger, the two were about to start bickering again.

Su Mo quickly intervened: "Seniors, please stop. Arguing like this here gets us nowhere."

Hearing this, the two took a deep breath. Xi Menxiong cupped his hands in apology:

"Young Hero Su, please forgive me. It’s just that whenever I think of this matter, my blood boils.

"Consider my family’s eldest young master—what a fine young man he is!

"Yet he’s somehow taken a fancy to that old maid."

"How dare you! Our young lady is in the bloom of youth, while that wheezing invalid of yours..."

Shangguan Zhiyuan was about to bit back a retort but ultimately restrained himself.

After all, once they started, they’d never stop.

Since Su Mo was curious, it was better to lay it all out and then hurry off to find their people.

So he proceeded to spell out what happened.

The story itself was simple...

If you ignore all the sniping and sarcasm in their words,

what remained was a straightforward tale of two young people falling head over heels, a secret mutual affection.

Yet, because their families were sworn enemies, they could never go public with their feelings.

But how long could they keep sneaking around with no future in sight?

In the end, the two of them hatched a scheme together.

It was to have Shangguan Jingjing lure various figures to Twin Peaks Island under the pretense of a marriage tournament.

This move was intended to create a complex environment.

Secondly, it was a bait-and-switch scheme.

Today, Zhou Chang had actually conspired with Shangguan Jingjing long ago. He was skilled in martial arts, but to claim he could outmatch all competitors was unrealistic.

However, as long as a few young martial arts masters were paid off beforehand,

and then "defeated" by him on the competition stage, Shangguan Jingjing would deliberately lose to him in the end.

This was no simple task, as martial arts masters aren’t so easily bought.

Yet, perhaps it truly proves that persistence pays off—

in the end, they actually succeeded.

This was why, in the eyes of many, Zhou Chang’s martial arts techniques seemed strange—how opponents who should have been unbeatable somehow lost inexplicably.

Many even thought he must have some secret advantage, concealing his true strength.

By the time of the wedding ceremony, Shangguan Jingjing had long since fled. The one who actually went through the ceremony with Zhou Chang was her personal maid.

This was Shangguan Jingjing’s leverage to secure Zhou Chang’s cooperation.

He had long been infatuated with her maid, and this arrangement conveniently allowed them to be together.

While the Shangguan Family was in the midst of celebrations, with the couple entering the bridal chamber, the young master of the Ximen Family and the young lady of the Shangguan Family were already far out at sea, sailing away.

Originally, they assumed the truth wouldn’t be discovered until at least the next day.

But in the end, unexpected events occurred.

There were three points where things went wrong.

The first was Zhou Chang.

He knew full well what his actions meant for the Shangguan Family.

So he absolutely couldn’t wait until the next morning when the truth was exposed before making his escape.

There was no way he could break free...

The Shangguan Family was more likely to take their anger out on him.

A one night together was fine, but what he truly desired was a lifetime together.

How could he marry today only to be beaten to death by the Shangguan Family tomorrow?

Thus, that very night, after seeing off the guests, he planned to flee with his new bride.

This ultimately alerted the Shangguan Family, immediately revealing the plot.

The whole Shangguan clan apprehended them.

The second point, however, came from the first son of the Ximen Family.

Perhaps because this was his first time being away from home, he had been on edge in recent days.

At times lost in thought, at times grinning foolishly, at times swaggering with bravado, and then suddenly flushed with embarrassment.

His emotions were written all over his face, leaving the Ximen Family completely baffled.

They simply couldn’t make sense of it.

As a result, before evening even arrived, they discovered their young master had disappeared off the radar.

When rumors spread from the Shangguan Family that their young miss had also disappeared, the Ximen Family put two and two together.

Immediately, the head of the Ximen Family went straight to the Shangguan Family to call them out.

Yet upon arrival, the situation turned into the Shangguan Family accusing them of harboring a perverted creep.

The whole mess was truly indescribable.

The third and final point, however, originated from the docks.

Two young people, making their first getaway, though disguised, were pretty obvious.

At the time, it was still plain sight, just past noon, when they were spotted by people at the docks.

Yet no one connected the dots at the time, nor did they pay it much mind.

After all, regular people—who would dwell on such matters?

It wasn’t until the Shangguan and Ximen Families spread the news and offered fat cash rewards for tips

that they came forward quick.

With this clue, the two families pieced together when the young pair had left.

Finally, by checking all departing vessels that had left Twin Heroes Island during that period,

they zeroed in on Su Mo’s Ziyang Escort Agency’s large ship, along with a few other large ships.

They figured that within the span of an hour, only these five vessels had left port—there was no way they could escape the search efforts of the Ximen and Shangguan Families.

Right away, they dispatched martial arts masters to pursue in all directions.

On the boundless sea, with nothing but vast emptiness, they could only follow the general course, burning through their internal strength as they raced through half the night before finally spotting Su Mo’s large ship.

And thus, everything that followed unfolded.

The account, laced with enough curses to make a sailor blush, droned on for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn before finally concluding.

After filtering out the clean version from the rambling tale, Su Mo smiled and said:

“So that’s how it is. Elders, there’s no need to worry. Now… as for turning over my ship, Su Mo truly cannot agree.

“However, since matters have reached this point, looking the other way is also not an option.

“How about this—allow me a moment to have my crew search and see if we can locate these two aboard?”

Upon hearing this, the two men quickly saluted gratefully:

“We owe you one, Boss Su, for your understanding!”

At this moment, they were deeply grateful toward Su Mo.

Given that he was more skilled in martial arts than them, it was only natural for him to turn down their ship search request.

He had saved their lives—if they still clung to their demands and ended up beaten to death, they wouldn’t dare cry foul.

Now, Su Mo had taken the initiative to conduct a self-inspection, giving them both respect and honor. How could they not be grateful?

They waited quietly as Su Mo summoned Song Yuanlong and whispered a few instructions in his ear. The crew immediately got to work.

Meanwhile, Su Mo made small talk with the two men, subtly trying to learn more about their families. However, when the topic turned to the origins of the Ximen Family’s legacy, Ximen Xiong clammed up, clearly unwilling to divulge anything.

Su Mo acted like he didn't care. After about half an hour, Song Yuanlong returned and reported:

"Head Escort, nothing unusual was found on the ship."

Su Mo nodded and said to the two men:

"As you’ve heard, I’ve just wasted your time."

"Don't mention it, Chief Su."

"We really appreciate this."

Then, the two men expressed their thanks and prepared to leave. Before departing, they left behind a token, saying that if Su Mo ever had time to visit Twin Heroes Island again, he could present it and get VIP treatment.

Su Mo accepted it with a smile and walked them out.

Only after they had gone far did he turn to Song Yuanlong:

"Lead the way."

"Head Escort, follow me."