Chapter 362: It’s Too Late to Regret
"Absolutely not!"
The Ninth Floor Master refused him point-blank.
This trip to Emperor Heaven Valley was the Drunken Immortal Tower’s only chance to rise to prominence, so there could be absolutely no mishaps.
The Ninth Floor Master turned and shouted, "Smoke and Dust, Luo Yu, you two come and help me restrain him."
Hearing this, the two women rushed forward to hold Su Mo back.
Seeing that they were so adamantly against him making a move, Su Mo decided not to strike Tianbei and Hua Gu dead on the spot, allowing them to live a little longer.
’I’ll deal with them once we’re inside Emperor Heaven Valley.’
Tianbei and Hua Gu witnessed the entire exchange.
Tianbei frowned. "Hua Gu, I get the feeling that kid is defying us. Judging by his attitude just now, he actually wanted to attack the two of us old-timers."
"Him? Is he even worthy?"
Hua Gu scoffed.
In his eyes, Su Mo was just an arrogant young man who didn’t know his own limits; he couldn’t possibly stir up any real trouble.
If the Ninth Floor Master hadn’t been there, he would have crushed Su Mo already.
Hua Gu said coldly, "Ninth Floor Master, I can refrain from making an enemy of the Drunken Immortal Tower. But the boy by your side—I am going to kill him. Not even you, the Ninth Floor Master, can protect him."
The Ninth Floor Master gave Hua Gu a peculiar look.
’Me, unable to protect Su Mo?’
Heh.
’Does Su Mo even need my protection?’
’Once we’re in Emperor Heaven Valley, if Hua Gu doesn’t find a way to make it up to Su Mo, his days will be numbered.’
Just then, several more figures streaked in from the distance, accompanied by a booming laugh. "Hahaha, what a lively gathering!"
Su Mo turned to look. Leading the group was a middle-aged man with silver hair.
The laughter had come from him.
"Who is..." Su Mo began in a low voice.
Huang Yanchen quickly tugged on his sleeve. "Keep your voice down. That’s your arch-nemesis, He Tianteng, the Sect Leader of the Haoyue Sect."
"Oh?"
Su Mo narrowed his eyes at He Tianteng. ’So this is the guy who united the Nine Great Forces to issue the Ultimate Pursuit Order?’
He Tianteng tried to stir things up. "Tianbei, weren’t you just shouting about killing someone? You were even radiating such thick killing intent. Why has the fighting stopped?"
"Killing intent?"
Tianbei looked confused.
He Tianteng said, "It was because I sensed your killing intent that I hurried over here to watch the fun."
Tianbei shook his head. "I did want to kill someone just now, but I never released any killing intent. He wasn’t worthy of it."
As he spoke, he shot Su Mo a disdainful glance.
He Tianteng turned his head. "Old Hua Gu, was that killing intent from you then?"
"No!"
Hua Gu shook his head.
Like Tianbei, he didn’t take Su Mo seriously. He saw Su Mo as a mere ant that he could crush underfoot at any moment; there was no need to release killing intent to intimidate him.
He Tianteng’s brow furrowed.
Thanks to a certain Secret Technique he cultivated, he had been able to sense the killing intent from just now.
Though the killing intent had been subtle, it was exceptionally potent.
Yet, both of them denied releasing it.
’Could it be... that it came from Hua Gu and Tianbei’s opponent?’
He Tianteng looked at Su Mo, who was standing behind the Ninth Floor Master. "Boy, that thick killing intent just now... don’t tell me it was you who released it?"
Huh?
At his words, looks of astonishment appeared on the faces of everyone present.
Su Mo released thick killing intent?
Impossible!
Tianbei sneered, "Sect Leader He, have you lost your mind? That boy is a mere ant. How could he possibly release such thick killing intent?"
He Tianteng glanced at Su Mo.
Su Mo was only in the Early Stage Martial Artist Realm; it was indeed impossible for him to release such potent killing intent.
’But if not Su Mo, then who else could it have been?’
Just then, Li Dao Ming approached He Tianteng and whispered in his ear, "Sect Leader, that boy’s face... it’s so familiar. I think he might be someone."
"Who?"
He Tianteng asked quietly.
Li Dao Ming said through gritted teeth, "Su Mo. The one who killed Li Kun."
"Are you sure?"
He Tianteng asked, aghast.
Li Dao Ming shook his head. "Everyone who ever crossed Su Mo is dead, so no one knows what he really looks like. I’ve only heard the legends about him, but this boy... he bears some resemblance to the Su Mo of the stories."
"Boy, what’s your name?"
He Tianteng stared intently at Su Mo.
Su Mo thought He Tianteng had recognized him and was just about to confess when Huang Yanchen cut in, "He’s my friend, Xiao Mo."
"Xiao Mo?"
He Tianteng frowned.
Huang Yanchen explained, "Xiao Mo is a Loose Cultivator who has decided to join our Drunken Immortal Tower as a Core Disciple."
"Sect Leader He, surely you’re not so bloodthirsty that you’d kill a member of our Drunken Immortal Tower, are you?" the Ninth Floor Master demanded coldly.
He Tianteng didn’t reply, his gaze remaining fixed on Su Mo.
Su Mo remained expressionless.
At this, He Tianteng finally chuckled. "Ninth Floor Master, you’ve misunderstood. The Haoyue Sect wants to kill the Great Demon Su Mo. We have no intention of harming a disciple of the Drunken Immortal Tower. You can rest assured."
"Good!"
The Ninth Floor Master and Huang Yanchen both wiped away a cold sweat.
They had managed to fool him.
However, He Tianteng turned to Li Dao Ming and said, "Grand Elder, keep a close watch on that boy. I’m one hundred percent certain he’s Su Mo."
"What?"
Li Dao Ming looked horrified.
Although he’d had his suspicions, he had no concrete evidence.
"I have three reasons!"
He Tianteng explained, "First, his name is Xiao Mo, which is very similar to Su Mo. Furthermore, Su Mo is the live-in son-in-law of the Xiao Family, so it’s plausible he would use the name Xiao Mo."
"Second, when I stared him down just now, he didn’t even flinch. Other than the Great Demon Su Mo, no ordinary person would have that kind of nerve."
"Third, just as you said, he looks exactly like the Su Mo from the rumors—as if he were cast from the very same mold."
"Since you’ve recognized him, Sect Leader, why not kill him right now? We could avenge Elder Li Kun and eliminate a future threat," Li Dao Ming asked, confused.
He Tianteng shook his head. "With the Drunken Immortal Tower protecting him, we most likely wouldn’t succeed in killing him. It would also delay the opening of Emperor Heaven Valley. Now is not the time to strike."
"That damn Drunken Immortal Tower!"
Li Dao Ming cursed angrily.
A sinister glint flashed in He Tianteng’s eyes. "Later, I will contact the Celestial North Sect, Cangxuan Sect, and the Purple Cloud Palace. We will annihilate the Drunken Immortal Tower."
The Drunken Immortal Tower was too abominable, betraying its own kind.
A faction like that had no right to be counted among the Nine Great Forces, jointly controlling Emperor Heaven Valley.
Since no one wanted to delay the opening of Emperor Heaven Valley, a delicate balance was struck for the time being.
He Tianteng and Li Dao Ming conversed in low voices, thinking no one could overhear them.
Little did they know, Su Mo had used his powerful Soul Power to catch every single word of their conversation.
Su Mo said, "Ninth Floor Master, you’d better prepare for the annihilation of your sect."
"What did you say?"
The Ninth Floor Master was stunned.
Su Mo explained, "Once the events in Emperor Heaven Valley are over, the Haoyue Sect will join forces with the Cangxuan Sect, the Celestial North Sect, and the Purple Cloud Palace to destroy the Drunken Immortal Tower. Other factions might even join them."
Stumbling back, the Ninth Floor Master took several unsteady steps, his face turning deathly pale.
Su Mo asked, "Do you regret this?"
The Ninth Floor Master shook his head. "It’s too late for regrets. The moment the Drunken Immortal Tower decided to cooperate with you, we had already set foot on a path of no return."