Chapter 454: Humbly Requesting

Chapter 454: A Visit

Accompanying her father to visit the renowned martial artists.

But now, her father had left—and left her behind here...

Qi Nian had never thought her dad could be this flaky.

Would it be rude to just bail now?

But if she stayed, it’d only get more awkward.

"Who are you?"

While Yang Xiaoyun was comforting the quietly crying Shangguan Jingjing, Wei Ziyi turned her gaze and noticed Qi Nian.

"Ah..."

Caught off guard by Wei Ziyi speaking to her, Qi Nian's heart raced even more.

Without thinking, she blurted, "H-Hi, sis... I'm Qi Nian."

"Qi Nian?"

Wei Ziyi glanced at Su Mo, who was still standing at the front of the hall.

Su Mo smirked, looking downright mischievous:

"She’s Qi’s daughter."

"Qi?"

A vein throbbed on Wei Ziyi’s forehead.

Who the heck was Su Mo calling "Qi"?

In the Qi family, only a few could be called that.

If not Qi Dingtian, then it had to be one of Qi Dingtian's sons or grandsons.

But Qi Dingtian’s sons weren’t even married—how could there be a granddaughter?

Even if there were bastards, they certainly wouldn't have a daughter this old.

So... that guy earlier had to be the second son of the Qi family—her uncle, Qi Shengxuan?

Nice one, "Qi"!

Real funny, Su!

You’re messing with me on purpose, aren’t you?!

Wei Ziyi clenched her jaw, making Qi Nian beside her shrink back.

She... doesn’t seem too friendly?

But when Wei Ziyi turned back to face her, she was all smiles, warm and friendly.

Leaving Qi Nian totally confused.

"So you're Senior Qi's daughter, you're quite pretty.

"Where is Senior Qi?"

"My... my father is gone."

"Oh, no problem, no problem.

"You seem quite young, so you should call me 'sis.'

"Since your father is gone, would you like to come hang out in my room?"

"Really?"

Qi Nian’s heart skipped a beat.

After all, they had an agenda.

Using 'admiring Su Mo' as an excuse, they had hoped she could find a chance to get close to Wei Ziyi.

And now, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?

Both scheming in their own way, their thoughts aligned, and they walked into the room hand in hand.

Meanwhile, Yang Xiaoyun took Shangguan Jingjing back to her room.

Su Mo stood at the door, feeling that something felt off about today.

Glancing at the courtyard gate, he recalled the envy flashing across Qi Shengxuan’s face earlier.

Then he thought of this Qi Nian, who’d just popped up out of nowhere.

It got Su Mo thinking.

Finally, he shook his head lightly:

"Qi Dingtian rules the roost around here, yet despite having two sons, not one grandson to his name.

"What’ll happen to the family legacy in the future?"

Just as he was about to return to his room for some rest, Zhen Xiaoxiao showed up dragging Yu Shengnan along.

"Boss."

Zhen Xiaoxiao carried her bronze club on one shoulder and held Yu Shengnan’s hand with the other, declared solemnly:

"Shengnan’s starving."

Su Mo glanced at Yu Shengnan, whose face turned red as she frantically shook her head, and just sighed and rolled his eyes:

"Xiaoxiao, you’re getting better lately."

With that, he ignored Zhen Xiaoxiao, who only ever thought about food, and turned back to his room.

Zhen Xiaoxiao first lit up, then just stood there baffled:

"If I’ve made progress, why can’t I have seconds?"

She looked at Yu Shengnan, who just blinked and clamped her mouth shut—not a word.

Su Mo passed the time meditating in his room.

When Yang Xiaoyun returned, the couple shared a look, and Yang Xiaoyun sighed:

"She cried herself to exhaustion and fell asleep."

Su Mo had no reply.

Yang Xiaoyun, however, had already sat down:

"Truthfully, I think it would be better if this matter just ended here."

"Hmm?"

Su Mo blinked in surprise. "Hasn't it already ended?"

"Far from it!"

Yang Xiaoyun was exasperated. "Husband, you really don't get a woman's heart at all."

"...Nonsense."

Su Mo put on an angry face. "If I didn't understand a woman's heart at all, how could we be so close?"

"That's different."

Yang Xiaoyun quietly cursed under her breath, a few words that Su Mo definitely shouldn't hear, she added.

Then she said softly:

"Today, Miss Shangguan was absolutely heartbroken."

"Yes, she cried so much that Xi Menhuai's chances are probably shot."

"Wrong."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed. "See, the more she cries, the harder it is for her to let go. If Xi Menhuai had played up his injuries more after she hurt him earlier, she might have already forgiven him by now."

"This..."

Su Mo scratched his head, not entirely sold.

Yang Xiaoyun didn't push the point, just shook her head lightly:

"Now that Miss Shangguan has hurt Xi Menhuai, what happened will eat at her.

"Her anger's bound to fade, but guilt'll gradually take over.

"If Xi Menhuai continues to keep hounding her, they'll probably reconcile; it's only a matter of time."

Su Mo gave a small laugh:

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Good? How? I don't think Xi Menhuai is a good match... Miss Shangguan is in for trouble in the future."

Yang Xiaoyun said heatedly.

"After all, it's none of our concern. Why should we care?"

"...Yeah, I guess."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed.

Just as they were talking, Wei Ziyi knocked and entered.

Glancing in at Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun, she noticed their clothes were neat and their faces showed no sign of panic, then pouted slightly, seeming a little disappointed.

Su Mo glared at her:

"You brute, knocking and opening the door without waiting for an answer."

"Ahem..."

Wei Ziyi tilted her head up. "Why would you need time to react? Got something to hide?"

"..."

That doesn't even make sense here.

Su Mo was speechless for a moment before chuckling:

"Has my little niece left?"

"..."

Wei Ziyi immediately gritted her teeth. "You're doing it again! Do you really want me to actually bite you!?"

"Doubt it."

Su Mo shook his head.

Wei Ziyi promptly clung to Yang Xiaoyun's arm, pointing at Su Mo while looking at Yang Xiaoyun with puppy-dog eyes:

"Yang Xiaoyun, he's bullying me!"

Yang Xiaoyun extricated her arm from Wei Ziyi's grasp:

"Stop squabbling, you two. Ziyi, did you find anything?"

"The Qi family does suspect me."

Wei Ziyi said. "That Qi Nian was just sent to feel me out. Perhaps Qi Shengxuan felt it inappropriate for a man to interact with me directly.

"After all, if it turns out to be a misunderstanding, it would be awkward to explain.

"So he sent his daughter in first.

"But though the girl is clever, she couldn't outsmart me. Through some careful questioning, I got the full picture."

"Just as I thought."

Su Mo nodded. "Today, when Qi Shengxuan spoke of the Flower City's lord, his grief seemed real enough.

"Hey, brute... what do you plan to do?

"Laying low forever won't solve anything.

"Though I intended to wait a few more days, in the end, you're the only one who can call the shots."

Wei Ziyi looked confused upon hearing this.

Her brow furrowed deeply: "I don’t know what to do either..."

Yang Xiaoyun glanced at her:

"In that case, why don’t you take another couple days to think it over?"

"Ah, seeing the Qi family every day, my heart keeps wavering, and my thoughts are too jumbled to make sense of."

Wei Ziyi said, "Perhaps I should stay at an inn for a couple of days?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Su Mo frowned slightly: "Though this is Tianqi City, Qi family territory, in your current state, the slightest trouble could leave you vulnerable.

"Going alone is completely unacceptable."

Wei Ziyi nodded, her face darkened with worry.

Seeing this, Yang Xiaoyun thought for a moment before suddenly asking:

"Husband, shouldn’t we deal with the Fansheng Pill matter soon?"

"Hmm?"

Su Mo looked at Yang Xiaoyun: "What are you suggesting, dear?"

"Since Ziyi needs some peace and quiet, why not take this opportunity to have her accompany you in delivering the Fansheng Pill to Yusheng Island?"

Yang Xiaoyun added quietly:

"For one thing, Ziyi needs you..."

As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Ziyi’s face turned crimson:

"That's not true!"

"...Isn’t it?"

Yang Xiaoyun gave Wei Ziyi a puzzled look: "Without him, how would you manage your yin-yang energies?"

"Ah... you’re right, Xiaoyun-jie."

Wei Ziyi immediately turned red with embarrassment.

Yang Xiaoyun suppressed a smile, then continued seriously:

"Second, as the Poison Lord said.

"Yusheng Island isn’t far from Tianqi Island.

"If all goes smoothly, the whole trip would only take a day or two.

"Even if the South Sea Alliance is up to something, we should be safe during that short time.

"Lastly... then there's the Poison Lord's body.

"With each day growing hotter..."

"Even with Little Situ Taoist's incredible skills, this isn't sustainable.

"This matter cannot be delayed any longer."

Su Mo thought it over and agreed.

Moreover, delivering the Fansheng Pill probably wouldn’t be too risky.

The Poison Lord was clear: his wife lay unconscious, awaiting the pill to save her life.

He just had to deliver the pill, explain the Poison Lord’s situation face-to-face, and leave.

It shouldn’t take long, there and back.

He nodded right away:

"If so, we can’t afford to wait.

"We leave tonight."

"Good."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded, then glanced at Wei Ziyi:

"Any objections, Ziyi?"

"None."

And that settled it. Tonight, Su Mo would escort Wei Ziyi and the Poison Lord’s body to Yuesheng Island.

……

……

The day was uneventful. No one knew where Qi Shengxuan was, and Qi Dingtian was too swamped to pay attention to anything else.

Soon, night came.

After briefing Yang Xiaoyun, Su Mo grabbed Wei Ziyi’s hand and leapt into the air, first heading to the large ship of the Ziyang Escort Bureau.

They picked up the Poison Lord’s body there.

Then, they arrived at the eastern docks of Tianqi Island.

As the Poison Lord had instructed, Su Mo blew the whistle he had been given.

Then they waited in silence.

Restless with boredom, Wei Ziyi picked up a few stones from the shore and skimmed them across the waves. As she tossed them, she asked:

"This whistle’s silent—what’s it supposed to call?"

Su Mo just shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

"What’s Yuesheng Island even like?"

Wei Ziyi pressed.

Su Mo gave her a look: "What else could it be? Just an island."

"Can't you picture it at all?"

Wei Ziyi pouted: "I imagine the Island of the Rest of Life is incredibly beautiful. It’s like perpetual spring there, with flowers blooming everywhere.

"Spending the rest of your life there with the one you love must be the most wonderful thing imaginable.

"It’s just a shame the Poison Lord departed first...

"Do you think his wife, upon learning of this, might... might join him in death?

"Their bond was so profound—how could she bear the pain of losing her beloved?"

"This..."

Su Mo frowned slightly, at a loss for words.

He glanced at the Poison Lord’s coffin beside them and sighed softly:

"I just hope she doesn’t...

"The Poison Lord gave his life to save her.

"If she throws it away so lightly... ah..."

At this point, Su Mo was at a loss for words.

Wei Ziyi murmured:

"Even if it was a Fansheng Pill obtained through his ultimate sacrifice...

"If it were me, I probably couldn’t bear to go on living either.

"Old Su... why does life work this way?

"Among millions of people, there’s always that one who lingers in your heart, carves themselves into your soul, and refuses to leave.

"Without that person, the world turns gray.

"Even the finest foods would taste bland.

"All you’d want is to follow them... even if it’s to the depths of the underworld, through endless suffering—just to see their face again, you’d willingly endure it all."

Her voice was soft, but she didn’t realize she was gazing intently at Su Mo.

The ache in her heart nearly brought her to tears.

But then, a comforting thought came to her, and she relaxed slightly.

The one in her heart was unmatched in martial arts—no one in this world could possibly harm him.

Su Mo, with his keen senses, couldn’t help but understand the meaning behind Wei Ziyi’s words.

His heart was a whirlwind of emotions.

He knew this couldn't be, yet he found himself less certain than before.

Hearing her speak like this, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of tenderness in his heart.

He sighed inwardly, and said softly, "Purple Robe..."

"Hm?"

Wei Ziyi looked up in surprise.

Su Mo had never called her that before.

When their eyes met, Su Mo whispered, "Your heart..."

But before he could finish, his expression suddenly changed slightly, and he swallowed the unspoken words:

"It's here."

"What is it?"

"What else could it be?"

Su Mo couldn't help but laugh. "The boat, obviously."

"Oh..."

Wei Ziyi quickly stood up and asked Su Mo,

"What were you going to say earlier? What about my heart were you going to say?"

"...Nothing."

Su Mo shook his head vigorously.

"No... You definitely had something to tell me, didn't you?"

Wei Ziyi tilted her head, scrutinizing Su Mo.

"We see each other every day. Anything there was to say, we've already said it all."

Su Mo frowned slightly, finding this exchange particularly trying.

After hearing this, Wei Ziyi suddenly giggled at some private thought.

Her earlier sorrow completely disappeared in an instant.

Su Mo shot her a puzzled look. "You... crying one minute, laughing the next. Aren't you ashamed?"

"None of your business."

Wei Ziyi rolled her eyes at him and was about to press further when she looked up and saw a small boat drawing near.

At the helm stood a burly man, towering like an iron pagoda on the bow.

Upon seeing Su Mo and Wei Ziyi, he hesitated momentarily, then scanned the shore. After searching for a while without finding what he was looking for, his brow furrowed, and he asked,

"Who are you two?"

Su Mo remained silent, wordlessly producing the whistle:

"At the Poison Lord's request, we are heading to Yusheng Island to deliver something to his wife."

"Where is the Master?"

The burly man asked urgently.

Su Mo sighed.

The burly man froze, his eyes darting to the coffin:

"Don’t tell me…?"

Su Mo shook his head gently. "The Poison Lord had an accident. Before his death, he entrusted me to deliver something to his wife. At the same time, I brought his remains back so he could be laid to rest in his homeland."

"The Master..."

The burly man stared at the coffin, his face filled with sorrow. Suddenly, he thudded to his knees before Su Mo:

"Thank you for this kindness!"

"I don’t deserve such thanks."

Su Mo waved him off.

But the burly man ignored him. After kowtowing three times, he finally stood and said:

"Please, come aboard."

Su Mo nodded, lifted the coffin, and took Wei Ziyi’s hand. In one step, they were on deck.

Their landing didn’t even rock the boat.

Only when the coffin was placed did the boat shift slightly.

The burly man was astonished:

"Incredible Qinggong."

He said no more, turning the boat around and steering it away from the shore, heading into the South Sea.

It was a small sampan, with only the burly man at the helm.

The boat moved steadily across the water.

The cabin was too cramped to lie down. Su Mo and Wei Ziyi had no choice but to sit side by side.

According to the Poison Lord, it would take no more than half a day to reach Yisheng Island.

As the night deepened, Wei Ziyi soon began dozing off, her eyelids heavy.

Eventually, she leaned against Su Mo's shoulder and fell asleep.

But she fidgeted in her sleep. Even as she dozed peacefully, she kept trying to drape her legs over Su Mo.

After futilely pushing her away a few times, Su Mo could only let her be.

The burly helmsman stayed silent the whole way.

After traveling for over two hours, Su Mo estimated they were nearly there—when suddenly, the man urgently spoke up:

"Trouble—South Sea Alliance ships!"

"South Sea Alliance?"

Su Mo was taken aback and gently shook Wei Ziyi awake, who was practically sitting on him. The girl rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep:

"What's going on?"

Su Mo pulled her to the bow of the ship, looking past the sail cover toward the distance.

There, a large ship was sailing across the sea.

The Southern Sea Alliance’s symbol was on its sails.

The burly man whispered,

"This isn’t just any ship—likely owned by a big shot from the Southern Sea Alliance... Looks like it’s bound for Tianqi Island.

"Yet, traveling this late at night, we just happened to run into them.

"But shouldn’t be any trouble. Please, both of you, just sit tight."

Su Mo’s brow furrowed.

Right now, someone from the Southern Sea Alliance heading to Tianqi Island...

Had to be about the WoodBurning Armor.

He figured it’d take days longer, but unexpectedly, it had happened this fast?

As he pondered what to do, he suddenly heard splashing again.

Looking into the distance, he saw a figure cutting across the water under the cover of night.

Beneath their feet was nothing but a flimsy raft.

Yet, it plowed through the waves with astonishing speed, like a shot arrow.

Standing atop the raft was a middle-aged Taoist.

A long sword hung diagonally across his back, and a waterskin dangled at his waist.

Before he even drew near, a wave of killing intent shot toward the large ship.

At the same time, a voice rang out:

"Nameless Wild Taoist, here to request the presence of Deputy Alliance Leader Mo Han of the Southern Sea Alliance—step up and die!"