Xu Mo unconsciously clenched his fist as the thought crossed his mind—what if something bad had happened to Mei Xueyin?

"Old man, do you also know Mei Xueyin?" Su Wenqing asked, her tone neutral. She didn't have much of a reaction, mostly because she wasn't close to any of them. Still, as a fellow sect member, she felt compelled to take the side of her sect disciples.

Xu Mo shook his head, though inside he swore that if this Tang Wu person was really as Li Fan had described, then he would ensure that Tang Wu's soul never found peace—no hope of reincarnating, no cycle of samsara, only eternal oblivion.

What do you say about a human soul? Xu Mo muttered under his breath, speaking to the hungry little beast lurking deep inside his heart. If it could feed on herbs and grow stronger, then perhaps… perhaps it could feed on souls too, right?

"That Li Fan… he seems suspicious," Su Wenqing said coolly. She remained composed, her tone crisp, as she continued to assess the situation with an unbiased eye. It hadn't taken her long to notice something off about Li Fan's behavior.

"You think so too, right?" she asked, glancing sideways at Xu Mo.

He nodded silently in agreement.

"Let's wait and watch," Xu Mo said in a low voice as they both continued to observe the confrontation from the shadows, hidden from view but close enough to hear every word.

"Now what do you have to say?" Wei Rong sneered, his voice dripping with disdain as he stepped forward, as if he had already trapped his prey. Xu Mo, watching from behind the bushes, couldn't help but bring his arm up to cover his face, feeling secondhand embarrassment. How could Wei Rong be this foolish? Every time they'd met before, Wei Rong had seemed clever, sharp, and quick to understand the nuances of any situation. But now… he was charging in like a fool.

"Is that all? Young Master Wei, don't think you can bully me just because you come from a prestigious background while I'm merely a commoner!" Tang Wu snapped, refusing to back down. "And why should I answer your baseless accusations? Do you even have any proof—besides your subordinate's claims—that I did something to this Miss Mei?"

Xu Mo narrowed his eyes. He caught the subtle shift in Tang Wu's demeanor—the nervous gulp Tang Wu tried to hide when Li Fan had appeared. He had seen it.

He's hiding something.

"Don't test my patience, Tang Wu!!" Wei Rong growled through gritted teeth, his jaw clenched in fury. "Just tell me where you left her. And I swear, I won't come looking for revenge."

The desperation in his voice struck Xu Mo. Wei Rong—usually so arrogant and prideful—was practically begging. He was willing to bow his head for the sake of love. That, Xu Mo realized, was what Wei Rong had meant when he once said that love made a man invincible.

Xu Mo turned slightly to glance at Su Wenqing, who was casually crushing and eating sunflower seeds like she was watching a drama unfold before her. There was a spark in her eyes, the kind that said, "What happens next?"

In Xu Mo's mind, the faces of many women he had met drifted by, yet none came to mind that he would ever lower his head for—none he would beg someone else for help over. Especially not if that person was the same one who had harmed those he loved.

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Maybe… it would've been different if my parents were still alive. Or if my childhood friend was still by my side. Those people had shared bonds with him so deep, he might've been willing to give up everything, even his life, for their happiness—if that's what they truly wished.

Xu Mo was lost in his thoughts, but the rising tension between Wei Rong and Tang Wu quickly brought him back. They looked ready to explode—fists clenched, qi surging, a fight could break out any second.

"Excuse me. Can I ask you for a favor?" Xu Mo said suddenly, snapping out of his daze.

Xu Mo turned to look at her, a little surprised by her carefree tone.

"You want me to help stop them?" she asked, already guessing his thoughts.

Xu Mo nodded. It was convenient having sharp teammates.

"No," he replied calmly. "Just walk over there. Don't start fighting. Just let Tang Wu and his group know that the balance of power has shifted. Make them feel the disadvantage."

"Got it," Su Wenqing said, dusting off her clothes. She carefully tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, clearing her vision.

"If you're going to fight, then count me in too," she declared loudly as she stepped forward with theatrical flair.

Wei Rong and Tang Wu both instantly became alert at the sound of the new voice.

Wei Rong's expression changed when he saw who it was. A smile bloomed on his face. "Sister Su!" he called out, cupping his hands respectfully. Su Wenqing was commonly known as the Third Sister in the sect, and her presence immediately boosted morale.

"Thank you for your support," Wei Rong added. His group members followed suit, bowing in unison.

Tang Wu, meanwhile, stood slack-jawed, gawking at Su Wenqing's entrance. Another beauty? he thought, stunned. Is the Hidden Dragon Sect filled with such women? For the first time, he seriously considered switching sects. The sisters in his own sect were far too plain in comparison.

"Hey! Stop staring, unless you want me to break your arms and legs," Su Wenqing snapped, her voice laced with menace.

The playful atmosphere instantly turned icy.

While Su Wenqing dealt with Tang Wu effortlessly, Xu Mo was silently activating his Threadspike Capsule. He could hardly believe that not even a full day had passed, and yet so much had already unfolded.

He was finally going to use the weapon's cursed feature—an ability he had not dared to invoke until now. The weapon came with three built-in moves.

Slash. The move he had previously used to kill disciples from hostile sects and wild beasts. It required no awakening of the curse and didn't seem to harm him directly. Perhaps because it involved taking blood from others.

Slash killed indiscriminately—ally or enemy, it made no distinction. It was possible that the blood it drew served as some kind of sedative for the curse, satisfying its hunger.

The other two moves—Binding and Anchoring—were different. They triggered severe curse backlash, punishing the wielder for daring to call upon them. Xu Mo had never used them before, but now he felt the time might be near.

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