First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1394 - Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

Verdant View Immortal Mountain, the hbase of the Mo Family.

When Su Yi and Li Zhong arrived, Mo Qingchou and a group of Mo Family experts were already waiting for them outside the mountain gates.

The girl in a man’s clothing had bright eyes, charming features, and a slender figure. Hers was a distinctive beauty.

“Fellow Daoist Su, we finally meet face-to-face.” Mo Qingchou took the initiative to greet Su Yi with a natural smile.

Su Yi subtly inclined his head. “I’ve kept you waiting.”

Before long Mo Qingchou invited Su Yi to a beast in the Mo Family’s main hall. She then proceeded to introduce her to sof the Mo Family higher-ups.

Su Yi disliked empty pleasantries, but he didn’t reveal his aversion, and the atmosphere was fairly harmonious.

Li Zhong was there too, seated directly beside Su Yi. He keenly detected that despite Su Yi’s cool, perfunctory attitude, none of the Mo Family higher-ups seemed at all irritated. They went on laughing and chatting with perfect manners.

They even treated Su Yi with the utmost respect, not putting on even the slightest of airs.

Li Zhong couldn’t help but find this surprising. The Mo Family was from the Immortal Realm, and they were an Immortal Lord clan!

Under ordinary circumstances, who among the gathered experts wasn’t as lofty and majestic as the heavens?

A single sneeze, and they could shake numerous ancient orthodoxies!

Yet now, when they spoke with Su Yi, they seemed like entirely different people. They were welcoming, respectful, and as mellow as a spring breeze.

Li Zhong found all of this quite strange.

There’s surely reasons for this I’m not aware of. Otherwise, Fellow Daoist Su’s status wouldn’t have been enough to earn such treatment from the Mo Family higher-ups, thought Li Zhong.

Su Yi, however, thought nothing of this. If anything, he found it awfully dull.

The only part he liked was the alcohol. According to Mo Qingchou, this was an immortal brew called “Spring in a Jade Kettle.” It had an extraordinarily distinctive flavor.

But Su Yi also noticed that the Mo Family higher-ups' attitude toward him seemed somehow different.

He took all of this in, but he didn’t comment.

Suddenly, a burst of hearty laughter rang out from beyond the hall. “I heard that Fellow Daoist Su Yi, the man who mastered reincarnation, was dining in our main hall. Thus, I cuninvited in hopes of toasting our fellow Daoist.”

A man in bright yellow robes and a willowy beard appeared accompanying this voice and strode directly into the main hall.

Every prominent figure in the hall rose to greet him.

“Great Uncle, what are you doing here?” Mo Qingchou exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Li Zhong quickly transmitted to Su Yi, “That’s Mo Yuanshan, an old-timer of the Cloud Soaring Realm. His seniority is extraordinarily lofty, and his cultivation base is extremely powerful, just one step away from the Immortal Dao. He’s spent all these years in seclusion.”

Su Yi subtly inclined his head.

“A distinguished guest has arrived. How could I remain in seclusion?” said Mo Yuanshan. He scanned the room, then locked onto Su Yi. “This must be our Fellow Daoist Su! A promising youth, just as they say!”

He picked up a jug of wine, filled Su Yi’s cup, then poured himself one too. “Consider this a toast to Fellow Daoist Su!”

He then drained his cup as Mo Qingchou took her turn to introduce Mo Yuanshan.

Su Yi didn’t refuse the toast. He raised his cup and drained it.

Mo Yuanshan then proceeded to toast him twice more with the utmost hospitality.

It was only then that he smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist Su, you’re the distinguished guest of the Mo Family. Has our hospitality been lacking in any way?”

Su Yi shook his head.

Mo Yuanshan smiled. “Excellent! Now then, don’t faultfor speaking directly, but I’ve truly just been itching to ask: when will you help us break our curses?”

When they heard this, everyone present froze, stunned, and the formerly lively atmosphere was suddenly much heavier. None of them would have guessed that Mo Yuanshan would ask that out of the blue!

Su Yi raised and drained his cup before saying, “I haven’t missed your hospitality, or Miss Mo’s kindness over the past few months. How about this? Once I’ve finished my duel with Hong Feiguan, I’ll be sure to help you all break your curses.”

He’d chere as their guest, and received such a grand and ceremonious welcome. He actually didn’t mind doing Mo Qingchou and the others a favor.

It was just that Mo Yuanshan’s tone rather displeased Su Yi.

“After the duel?” Mo Yuanshan frowned, then laughed, “Fellow Daoist Su, are you perhaps unsatisfied with saspect of the Mo Family’s hospitality?”

“Why do you ask?” said Su Yi. The crowd also felt that there was something a bit off about the atmosphere.

Mo Qingchou immediately walked over. “Great Uncle...”

But before she could finish, Mo Yuanshan waved for silence. “Step back for now. I’m just chatting with our fellow Daoist. No need to be nervous.”

He then smiled at Su Yi once more. “Please don’t faultfor my directness, but our Mo Family has agreed to serve as guarantors, thereby making your duel with Hong Feiguan possible. Even if we haven’t achieved any great merit, surely we deserve credit for our hard work?”

This time, Su Yi finally ran out of patience. He couldn’t be bothered to pay any of this any further heed. “Listen carefully. It was Hong Feiguan who asked the Mo Family to serve as guarantors, not me.”

Mo Yuanshan’s brow knit, and his smile faded. The atmosphere was stifled and tense.

Mo Qingchou took a deep breath. “Great Uncle, it’s as Fellow Daoist Su says. Hong Feiguan requested our aid, not Fellow Daoist Su. Furthermore...”

Mo Yuanshan’s expression darkened, and he said with obvious displeasure, “Qingchou, Fellow Daoist Su and I are in the middle of a conversation!”

Mo Qingchou fell silent, her beautiful face shifting and uncertain. The gathered higher-ups looked at each other, as silent as cicadas in winter.

Mo Yuanshan’s seniority lay right out in the open. Not just anybody could defy him.

Su Yi laughed. “What are you trying to say? You might as well just be direct.”

This was indeed the Mo Family’s territory, but he wasn’t at all worried about conflict breaking out.

“Very well. Fellow Daoist Su, I see you’re the straightforward sort, so I’ll get right to the point,” said Mo Yuanshan. “Four days from now, what happens if you lose your duel with Hong Feiguan? How can you help the Mo Family then?”

Before Su Yi could get a word in, Mo Yuanshan continued, “Besides, the situation is complex, and dark currents are flowing beneath the surface. The Mo Family cannot say with certainty that we’ll be able to protect you even if you win. How can you help us then?”

Every word was forceful and domineering.

A deathly silence enveloped the entire room; you could have heard a pin drop. The flickering lamplight illuminated the crowd’s shifting, uncertain expressions.

Li Zhong’s heart clenched

But Su Yi didn’t even seem to notice. He just raised a jug of wine and poured himself a cup. “Are you done?”

Mo Yuanshan sighed. “Perhaps I spoke too directly. Please, don’t take them to heart. Ultimately, all I want is to take this opportunity to request your aid in removing our curses as soon as possible. I have absolutely no ill intentions.”

He then swept his gaze across the room. “I trust that everyone here feels the sway.”

No one spoke. They couldn’t afford to argue, but they couldn’t afford to agree, either. All of them looked awkward, and they felt thoroughly uncomfortable.

Su Yi drained his cup, then looked at Mo Qingchou. “Do you feel the same?”

Mo Qingchou trembled, and the look on her beautiful face shifted. She took a deep breath and was just about to say something when Mo Yuanshan laughed dryly. “She’s a junior. How can she represent the entire family? Fellow Daoist Su, all you need to do is answer my questions.”

Mo Qingchou’s face reddened with obvious fury.

When Su Yi saw this, he stared directly at Mo Yuanshan. “In that case, listen up. I’ve never owed the Mo Family anything, nor did I ask for your protection!”

Mo Yuanshan’s eyebrows knit together, and his expression turned a bit unsightly.

Su Yi didn’t care in the least. He just continued, entirely unperturbed. “Remember this: helping you is an act of kindness, and I have every right to refuse. Try and use your ‘benevolence’ to put pressure onagain, and don’t blme for my poor manners!”

With that, Su Yi rose and turned to leave. He was in no mood to linger.

“Stop right there!” Mo Yuanshan’s expression darkened. He was obviously infuriated.

The atmosphere was suddenly incomparably stifled. Everyone rose in panic.

Mo Qingchou seemed to have steeled herself to go all out. She walked right over and said solemnly, “Fellow Daoist Su, might you take a step back and allowto say a few words?”

She then turned to look at Mo Yuanshan, her gaze frosting over. “Great Uncle, tonight, you’ve crossed the line!”

“You say I’ve... crossed the line?” Mo Yuanshan’s eyes bulged in apparent disbelief.

The crowd looked at Mo Qingchou. They couldn’t help but find this surprising. Mo Qingchou’s forceful attitude caught all of them off guard.

“You haven’t just ‘crossed the line.’ You’ve ruined Fellow Daoist Su’s mood, and all the effort the Mo Family has put into this!” Mo Qingchou said icily, her voice tinged with fury. “Tonight, you must apologize to our fellow Daoist!”

Mo Yuanshan was so angry that he laughed and pointed at himself. “Lass, you want to make me, your great uncle, apologize!?”

Everyone could tell that he was utterly enraged.

Su Yi couldn’t help but take another look at Mo Qingchou.

Mo Qingchou didn’t back down in the slightest. Instead, she said slowly and clearly, “Furthermore, you must be completely serious and sincere. Otherwise, Fellow Daoist Su isn’t the only one who’ll never forgive you. The rest of the Mo Family won’t forgive you either!”

Mo Yuanshan’s hair and beard bristled with anger, and he couldn’t help but throw back his head and laugh. “Lass, you’re a junior disrespecting your betters. You don’t know your place. How dare you represent the entire family in demanding I apologize! You’re simply insane! Who gave you the courage to talk tolike that?”

Suddenly, a voice full of calm, dignified majesty echoed throughout the grand hall. “I did.”

It was just two short words, but they went off like thunderclaps, booming throughout the hearts of every Mo clansmen present. All of them trembled from head to toe.

Mo Yuanshan reacted as if he’d been struck by lightning. He said in a quavering voice, “Great Uncle?”

Meanwhile, Mo Qingchou looked as if a massive weight had lifted from her shoulders. When she heard that voice, it was as if she’d found her pillar of support!

“Kneel before our fellow Daoist.”

That voice rang out once more, his tone cold, indifferent, and full of enormous force.

The entire room fell deathly silent. The crowd’s scalps went numb, and their hearts quivered in their chest. It seemed they would have never imagined that the speaker would demand that Mo Yuanshan knelt!

“Great Uncle, I...” Mo Yuanshan’s face flushed red. He was obviously frantic, and he opened his mouth to speak.

“If you don’t want to die, kneel for me!” that voice bellowed.

One sentence, and any lingering hope Mo Yuanshan had that this was just smistake vanished. He was completely dumbstruck.

Then, beneath the gazes of everyone in the hall, Mo Yuanshan quivered from head to toe, his face ashen. His knees slowly bent, as if unable to bear the pressure any further, and he knelt before Su Yi.

Deathly silence followed. Everyone present was astonished.

Su Yi calmly took all of this in. He didn’t utter a single sound.

But sometimes, silence spoke louder than words.