Chapter 108: The Secret

Chapter 108: The Secret

At this point, it was already difficult to resolve the situation amicably.

Just as Su Mo had told Yang Xiaoyun earlier, their visit was merely an opportunistic move.

Their true intention was to go to Heavenly Feather City and meet Hua Qianyu, to extricate themselves from this matter.

Even the gift they claimed to give Su Mo was carefully selected for Hua Qianyu.

However, due to Su Mo's formidable actions, they brought it out in hopes of settling the dispute peacefully.

If they couldn't even pass through Ziyang Escort Agency, they wouldn't have any chance to meet Hua Qianyu either.

Initially, they didn't take Su Mo seriously, thinking that a mere young martial artist wouldn't warrant such serious attention.

This is why when Wang Xiong spoke up, Feng Wuxiang, despite his reluctance, allowed him to be reckless.

In truth, it was under his instructions; some words were better left unsaid by himself, but his subordinates could speak freely.

They thought a simple apology about "subordinates not knowing the rules" would suffice, but unexpectedly, Su Mo forced Wang Xiong to kill someone with just one word.

The Sword Leader robbing the escort, Qijue Hall was already at fault, and now Wang Xiong was attempting to kill Su Mo within Ziyang Escort Agency, making it impossible for Feng Wuxiang to escape responsibility.

Su Mo's invitation for three strikes was indeed the best way to resolve the issue.

At least in the eyes of the remaining five Weapon Leaders of Qijue Hall, this was the best possible outcome.

Because Su Mo's martial arts were truly too high.

He killed Wang Xiong with a single strike and made Feng Wuxiang vomit blood with another.

If he truly harbored murderous intent, it would be effortless for him to kill them all.

And if Su Mo openly intended to kill them all within Ziyang Escort Agency,

they could unite against him, but now, only Feng Wuxiang needed to step forward for their safety, so why not?

This also showed how rotten Qijue Hall was from top to bottom.

As long as they could save their lives, even the Great Hall Leader could die at any moment.

Seeing the five Weapon Leaders' reactions, Feng Wuxiang knew Su Mo's method of killing both body and spirit had worked.

He laughed bitterly, "Very well, very well, you... you are really something!"

The five Weapon Leaders exchanged glances, and one sighed, saying:

"Great Hall Leader, Su Mo only wants three strikes. Whether you or we do it, it doesn't make much difference. However, we are insignificant and don't have the standing to face Su Mo, so... this matter falls on you."

After speaking, he lowered his head, seemingly feeling guilty.

Feng Wuxiang looked at the others, "Is this what you all think?"

They exchanged glances again, then looked at Su Mo, one asking, "Is your offer of three strikes binding? After three strikes, all grievances will be settled?"

"Of course."

Su Mo nodded slightly.

"Then, we'll trouble the Great Hall Leader."

"That's right. The misunderstanding between us and Su Mo can be resolved. Great Hall Leader, rest assured, Su Mo just wants to vent his anger and won't use lethal force."

"Your martial arts are divine; these three strikes will be like a gentle breeze. For us, it would be fatal."

"Please handle this, Great Hall Leader. Our lives depend on you."

Each person spoke a sentence, clearly indicating that Feng Wuxiang had to endure the three strikes today.

Feng Wuxiang glanced at Su Mo, his gaze complex. "Su Mo, you are a young prodigy with unparalleled martial arts. I apologize for this shameful display in front of you."

"Well, since I failed to discipline my subordinates, the blame lies solely with me. These three strikes should indeed be taken by me. Please proceed, Su Mo."

"Good. Great Hall Leader, you truly live up to your reputation as a senior martial artist. With such integrity, I admire you greatly. Let's settle it with one strike instead of three. When we meet again in the future, we'll still be friends."

Su Mo laughed heartily, stepping forward. "Be careful, senior!"

As he spoke, his palm surged forward.

Having experienced the previous strike, Feng Wuxiang did not dare to be negligent.

He immediately raised both palms to meet the attack.

Bang!

A muffled sound echoed, and Feng Wuxiang's body shook violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He lifted his head, his eyes filled with joy, and smiled weakly. "Thank you, Su Mo, for showing mercy!"

"The grudge is settled. Great Hall Leader, please leave."

Su Mo turned around and returned to his seat.

The five Weapon Leaders rushed to Feng Wuxiang's side, checking his pulse and supporting him, showing concern.

Feng Wuxiang waved them away and said, "Since it's settled, I bid farewell. Please accept this gift, Su Mo."

"Great Hall Leader, this gift is unnecessary. Since the grudge is settled, there's no reason for me to accept it."

"This..."

"Further words are unnecessary."

Su Mo waved his hand and served tea to signal the guests to leave.

"In that case, Feng Wuxiang takes his leave."

With that, Feng Wuxiang turned and walked away.

The five Palm Bearers looked at each other, their faces filled with difficulty as they watched Feng Wuxiang's retreating back, their mouths twitching.

They had thought for sure that after those three palms from Su Mo, Feng Wuxiang would be dead without a doubt.

Thus, they had acted so recklessly, all in the name of survival.

But then, Su Mo changed the three palms to one, and although Feng Wuxiang was injured, he was far from death.

Now, the five of them were completely stuck.

They stared at Su Mo, who frowned and asked, "Is there something else you need, esteemed seniors?"

"No, no."

"We take our leave, we take our leave..."

As they turned to go, they heard Su Mo call out, "Hold on."

Including Feng Wuxiang, everyone from Qijue Hall turned back.

Su Mo pointed at Wang Xiong's corpse: "Take him away."

Everyone hurriedly carried the body out, finally leaving Ziyang Escort Agency under the guidance of a servant.

As soon as these few people stepped out of the hall, a servant entered:

"Chief Escort, someone else is here to see you."

"Who?"

Su Mo felt that apart from meeting people, he had done nothing else today.

The servant said, "The visitor claims to be Wei Ziyi."

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged a glance and smiled: "Please bring her in quickly."

Wei Ziyi arrived even faster than expected, entering the hall in moments.

"When I came in just now, I saw some people from Qijue Hall. Were they here to apologize?"

Wei Ziyi had changed her attire today, no longer dressed as a man, looking more lively than ever.

"Lady Wei, your visit is an honor... We didn't expect you."

Su Mo clasped his fists.

"Don't give me that. Those were people from Qijue Hall, right?"

Wei Ziyi wasn't fooled by Su Mo's act and directly asked.

Su Mo nodded: "Yes."

"But not to apologize."

Yang Xiaoyun added, "The once-respected Qijue Hall has become increasingly disappointing."

"Oh?"

Wei Ziyi was taken aback. "Did they come here to court death?"

"Not far off. If not now, then soon."

Su Mo waved his hand. "Enough about them. Lady Wei, what brings you here?"

"To apologize!"

"..."

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged another glance, finding it hard to keep a straight face.

"We've seen people come to apologize before, but Lady Wei seems quite confident. It's almost like she's here to collect a debt."

Su Mo glanced sideways at Wei Ziyi. "Lady Wei, why don't you just get to the point?"

"I am genuinely here to apologize."

Wei Ziyi said seriously, "As for why... Chief Escort Su must understand. The matter with Zuo Qiuyang was my doing. I intended it as a gift for Chief Escort Su, though there might have been an element of ulterior motives. I truly wish to be friends with Chief Escort Su and Deputy Chief Escort Yang.

"I don't want any misunderstandings to grow between us, so I came here today to clear things up. I hope Chief Escort Su can forgive me."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo fell silent for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, and said with a half-smile, "What if I don't want to?"

"Hmm..."

Wei Ziyi was taken aback and said helplessly, "Then I'll have to persist until my sincerity moves you."

"I told you she's not here to apologize; she's here to be a nuisance."

Su Mo looked at Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun gave him a sidelong glance. "Alright, you don't need to joke anymore."

She then turned to Wei Ziyi. "Miss Wei, there's no need for this. In the world of martial arts, every place is a whirlpool. As you said yourself, the matter with Zuo Qiuyang is something you wanted to do. It's also something Xiao Mo and I had to do. Our goals align, so how can it be called using each other? It should be called cooperation.

"So, Miss Wei, there's no need to dwell on this. Xiao Mo isn't someone with a narrow heart.

"This matter must not be mentioned again."

Wei Ziyi looked at Su Mo and saw that he nodded. She then laughed. "That's good, that's good. I was worried that because of the internal affairs of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, you might hold a grudge against me.

"Since Sister Xiaoyun has spoken, I feel much better now."

As she spoke, she found a seat by herself. A maid came over to serve her tea, and Wei Ziyi continued:

"In fact, this matter isn't entirely my fault; I was somewhat forced into it."

"Forced into it?"

Su Mo glanced at Wei Ziyi with a half-smile. "Is it because of your relationship with the Lord of Flower City?"

"To speak of it..."

Yang Xiaoyun was also surprised. "What exactly is going on between the Lord of Flower City and the leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance?"

"There's nothing much."

Wei Ziyi smiled. "I planned to tell you this secret today as an apology."

At this point, she glanced around at the maids.

Su Mo waved his hand, signaling Uncle Fu to take them away. Wei Ziyi then said, "Their relationship is simple: an unrecognized woman bore him a child. The old man didn't intend to acknowledge it, but unexpectedly, his son died. This once-unfavored mother and daughter became his only hope.

"Amidst such sorrow, all the unpleasantness vanished.

"Therefore, the old man sent the child to Cold Moon Palace, while the woman, who was already skilled in martial arts, erased her past and fabricated some background before going to Heavenly Feather City."

Wei Ziyi narrated these events in a detached tone.

The information was indeed shocking.

Su Mo remained silent, seemingly unsurprised, while Yang Xiaoyun was stunned.

"So, the Lord of Flower City... is your mother?"

"Yes, my biological mother."

Wei Ziyi grinned. "But I'm not very familiar with her, since I was sent to Cold Moon Palace at a young age and haven't seen her often. Every time I see her..."

At this point, the carefree expression on her face faded, and she whispered, "Every time I see her, she seems to have become more profound.

"I wonder if it's time or the martial world that's aging her..."

...

...

Outside Sunset City, a group was hurrying along.

Two people were supporting an elderly man with white hair and a youthful appearance, while another two were carrying a corpse.

The last person was watching from behind. At this moment, he suddenly shouted, "Stop."

"No one is chasing us."

He spoke, and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

This group was naturally the experts of Qijue Hall.

After leaving Ziyang Escort Agency, they had rushed without stopping, fearing that Su Mo might change his mind and come after them to kill them all.

Only when they reached here did they finally calm down.

They stopped by the roadside to rest briefly.

Feng Wuxiang, who had received two palm strikes from Su Mo, now looked even paler.

The hammer wielder helped him sit down, and Feng Wuxiang began meditating to heal his internal injuries.

"Grandmaster, have some water."

He offered a waterskin to Feng Wuxiang.

Feng Wuxiang opened his eyes and smiled. "Thank you for your hard work."

The hammer wielder quickly shook his head. "Not at all, not at all. Grandmaster, you've worked hard. You took that villain's palm strike for our sake..."

"It's my duty as the Grandmaster of Qijue Hall."

He spoke softly. "But Wang Xiong died tragically; we must give him a proper burial."

"Understood."

The hammer wielder nodded. "Please continue your meditation, Grandmaster. I won't disturb you."

As he spoke, he turned around, but his face showed no sign of ease, only seriousness.

Behind him, Feng Wuxiang's face revealed no trace of a smile, and a deep-seated murderous intent flashed across his eyes before disappearing.

Leaving Feng Wuxiang to meditate, the hammer wielder walked over to the other weapon wielders.

Several people were fetching water by the river, their backs to Feng Wuxiang, whispering among themselves.

"According to your opinions, what should we do?"

Immediately, someone made a slicing gesture with their hand, signifying 'kill.'

This action caused all five of them to fall silent.

However, the silence did not last long before the hammer wielder spoke in a low voice:

"Feng Wuxiang is known for his hidden daggers. When I gave him some water just now, he actually thanked me with a smile.

"Today, within the Ziyang Escort Agency, he twisted the truth, showing that he will do anything to save his own skin.

"Now, being so courteous to us... who knows if he's already plotting something sinister, thinking about how to kill us once he recovers."

These words struck everyone like a heavy hammer.

Their unease stemmed from guilt. When Su Mo proposed the three-palm agreement, they had prevented Feng Wuxiang from backing out.

Now that Feng Wuxiang was still alive, would he not seek revenge?

Perhaps, in Feng Wuxiang's mind, the ones he hated most right now were not even Su Mo, who had inflicted severe injuries on him, but rather these hammer wielders.

"In my opinion, we should go all out and kill Feng Wuxiang, seize his [Seven Absolute Heart Art], and take control of Qijue Hall ourselves."

"But he is the head elder..."

"You must understand that after the battle at Ziyang Escort Agency, this head elder has become a death knell. Either he will be our downfall, or we will be his."

"Furthermore, he is severely injured now. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that won't come again."

Each person added their thoughts, and they had made up their minds.

They looked at each other, nodded simultaneously, and stood up, their resolve to kill set.

However, when they turned back, their faces changed dramatically.

The spot where Feng Wuxiang had been meditating was now empty; there was no trace of their head elder.

"Chase him down!!!"

With a roar, the five hammer wielders leaped into action, searching for Feng Wuxiang.

Just as they had decided to kill him, if Feng Wuxiang escaped and recovered, he would surely not spare them.

If they did not find and kill Feng Wuxiang, it would be their deaths.

The five hammer wielders scattered, leaving only Wang Xiong's corpse behind.

After less than a moment, bubbles appeared on the surface of the water, and suddenly a figure burst out, gasping for air and coughing.

This person was none other than Feng Wuxiang.

While the others were discussing whether to kill him, he had secretly slipped into the water.

When they turned away to search for him, he emerged from the water, attempting to escape.

"A bunch of ungrateful wolves. Wait until I... recover, and see how I deal with you..."

Feng Wuxiang stumbled out of the water onto the shore, barely catching his breath when he was suddenly enveloped in shadow.

Looking up, he saw the hammer wielder who had helped him sit down and given him water earlier.

Though he wielded a hammer, he was not a brute. Knowing that Feng Wuxiang, severely injured, could not have gone far, he returned to investigate and found him.

Feng Wuxiang always reacted quickly: "I suddenly felt overheated and thought I'd cool off in the water. Oh? Where are the others?"

"They went to look for you."

The hammer wielder smiled and said, "If the head elder feels hot, just tell us, and we'll help you. No need to go into the water yourself. Come, let me assist you..."

Before finishing his sentence, he reached out, aiming for Feng Wuxiang's vital points.

"Thank you."

Feng Wuxiang extended his hand, blocking the grab, while his other hand shot out lightning-fast.

Seeing this, the hammer wielder knew the danger.

He touched Feng Wuxiang's hand, feeling an overwhelming internal force. At the moment of contact, the hammer wielder was sent flying backward.

Under normal circumstances, this palm strike would have killed the hammer wielder easily, but now, with Feng Wuxiang severely injured, he managed only to push the hammer wielder back, falling back into the water himself.

Lifting his head, he saw the hammer wielder, spitting blood, descending from the air, wielding a golden hammer poised to strike.