Chapter 105: The Calm (Part II)

From the moment that man spoke those words, Su Bo had already deduced the identity of these assailants. He found a letter on the man’s body; with a knowing smile, he glanced at the name on the envelope and tucked it into his robes.

He discarded the decapitated corpse of the burly man without a second thought, not even bothering to wipe away the blood splattered upon him, and headed straight toward the front of the caravan where Shang Wenyi was located.

He sprinted forward, his expression grave, as Qu Qiuzhuo’s anxious voice resonated in his mind.

"You know full well these people are targeting Shang Wenyi, yet you insist on throwing your life away? Besides, they are clearly under threat from Qin Feng and won't harm her for the time being. You aren't anything to her—how can you possibly protect her forever?"

Her words did nothing to shake Su Bo’s resolve; if anything, he picked up his pace.

He circulated his Breath-Concealing Technique internally, his footsteps light as the Profound Ice Instant Step, leaving no trace upon the snow-covered ground. The attackers had to finish off everyone in the caravan before gathering at Shang Wenyi’s location, which meant he still had a sliver of time.

The most pressing concern was how to deal with Qin Feng, whom he would encounter shortly. Although the man was petty, he was a formidable martial artist, and in the martial world, strength was the only currency that mattered. Su Bo had only just reached the Heart-Guard Realm; compared to Qin Feng, who was at the Transcendent Realm, the gap was vast.

If not for the garment he wore, which could withstand the spiritual sense attacks of a Transcendent expert, he would have been killed by a single glance from Qin Feng.

"How am I supposed to kill this Qin Feng..." As Su Bo pondered, Qu Qiuzhuo’s voice returned.

"Su, you stubborn fool! You think you’re so capable, don’t you? Fine, I’ll stop talking! But can you please stop trying to get yourself killed? I’m sorry, okay? No more bickering! Hey! Are you even listening to me!"

Su Bo replied helplessly, "Shang Wenyi will be of great use to me in the future. I must save her today."

"You’re talking complete nonsense," Qu Qiuzhuo snapped. "Even if Shang Wenyi survives and returns to the Shang family, her status will plummet after this failure. You’d be better off just cutting a deal with the other young masters."

"But if I can control Qin Feng and force him to kill these men while leaving one alive to talk, couldn't I prove that this ambush was a deliberate plot?"

"I’ve realized you are truly, hopelessly naive."

Although Qu Qiuzhuo spoke these words, the derision in her tone made Su Bo deeply uncomfortable. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean you’re an idiot!" Qu Qiuzhuo’s next words made Su Bo slow his pace.

"Don't you understand? This is clearly a move by the head of the Shang family to suppress Shang Wenyi. That woman is capable and kind-hearted, but such people are never meant to be family heads. Even if you hand the evidence to her, are you certain she would use it to lodge a complaint against Shang Xingzhou? Moreover, if I were Shang Xingzhou, I would never let her become my successor. That would only lead to the Shang family being seized by others or falling into endless internal strife. Someone with such a weak personality is destined never to be a supreme leader."

Su Bo took a deep breath and came to a halt. "I want to gamble on myself."

Qu Qiuzhuo shook her head and whispered, "I know you want to gamble that Shang Xingzhou will send someone to save her, but so what? So many have already died; the damage is irreversible." She added, "Knowing Shang Xingzhou’s current attitude toward her, you should realize that helping her ascend to the position of family head is no easy task. The effort far outweighs the reward. Why get dragged into this mess?"

"And how much certainty did you and my father have when you plotted this?" Su Bo’s sudden, unexpected question choked Qu Qiuzhuo. Seeing she had gone silent, he continued, "If we only acted based on rational judgment, miracles would never happen."

"Do as you please, then. I’m done interfering."

With that sullen remark, Qu Qiuzhuo ceased her objections.

Su Bo resumed the Profound Ice Instant Step, rushing toward Shang Wenyi’s location. The next moment, he tore the jade pendant from his chest, tossed it aside, and whispered to Qu Qiuzhuo, "If I fail, remember to choose a better successor next time."

"You!" Su Bo heard only that single word before her voice vanished entirely.

***

Ten miles away, on a hillside, a dozen swift horses descended like peregrine falcons. Dust billowed where their hooves struck the earth; the riders leaned low over their mounts, eyes fixed ahead. The leader, his face veiled in black, possessed eyes as sharp as a hawk’s. He muttered to himself, "The master’s foresight is truly divine. The young masters have indeed moved against the Sixth Miss."

He had witnessed the entire process from the distant ridge, yet he had not rushed to intervene. He knew that Qin Feng, who guarded Shang Wenyi, was a difficult opponent. He had to let these men drain Qin Feng’s stamina before he and his own men struck, ensuring a clean kill.

"Clear everyone out. Aside from the Sixth Miss, everyone else must die," Yan Qing commanded via telepathy.

Receiving their leader’s order, the Eighteen Guards replied, "Understood!"

Shang Xingzhou had specifically instructed him to protect only Shang Wenyi, and Yan Qing, having served him for so many years, understood the intent perfectly. This was a calculated move to wipe out the followers of all the rival young masters, thereby absolving them of any blame for this incident. Even if the Sixth Miss were saved, she would still face punishment from the family, and the caravan’s cargo would suffer minimal loss—a three-fold victory. He only needed to handle the aftermath.

***

Shang Wenyi lay on the ground, eyes closed, her body covered in blood, though she bore no visible wounds.

Not far from her, a young man in black stood with a three-foot blade, his hair fluttering in the wind. Two thin cuts on his face mirrored his savage expression.

"Brother Qin, what are you doing!"

"Officer, wake up!"

After protecting Shang Wenyi from the ferocious beasts, Qin Feng had knocked her unconscious with a hand strike before turning his blade upon the guards who had once called him brother. These men were forced to fight both the bloodthirsty monsters and Qin Feng’s betrayal.

Suddenly, one man spotted the blood-drenched Shang Wenyi and screamed, "Qin Feng! You dog, you’ve killed the Miss!"

"What! Impossible!" The men could not believe that the Qin Feng they respected had killed her with his own hands.

Qin Feng didn't bother to explain. What did it matter to these dead men whether she was alive or not?

He charged with his sword, a flash of lightning. A gentle flick of his wrist claimed two lives. Another strike, and several more corpses fell before him. Seeing Qin Feng had gone blood-mad, the ranks fell into chaos; within moments, dozens had fallen under the pincer attack of the beasts and Qin Feng’s blade.

As only a dozen or so remained, Qin Feng suddenly stopped and turned around.

Su Bo had just lifted Shang Wenyi, checking her pulse to ensure she was unharmed. A bundle strapped to his back dripped with small drops of blood. Su Bo was surprised that Qin Feng had discovered him so quickly; cursing under his breath, he pulled a dagger from his waist and held it to Shang Wenyi’s throat.

He threatened, "You went through all this trouble; surely you don't want this woman to die so easily."

Qin Feng smiled dismissively. He noticed the tremor in Su Bo’s arm and the way his eyes darted about—a performance full of holes.

He stepped forward, unhurried. "Feel free to try. It makes no difference to me. I can just find somewhere else to go. But you—can you even make it out alive?"

"Don't come any closer! I’m warning you, one more step and I... I really will kill her!" Su Bo’s panicked expression only made Qin Feng view him with more contempt. His steps grew even more leisurely.

"Kneel and kowtow a few times, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll spare your dog life."

Qin Feng stood with his arms crossed, a look of disdain on his face. To him, watching Su Bo beg for mercy was far more amusing than simply killing him.

"I..." Su Bo hesitated, as if his life were more important than his dignity.

Seeing his hesitation, Qin Feng’s voice grew impatient. "Don't wait until I change my mind. It’ll be too late then."

Su Bo’s brows furrowed as he slowly lowered Shang Wenyi. He knew he lacked the strength to face Qin Feng head-on. He lowered his head, glanced to the left, and then slightly bent his knees as if to kneel.

"Heh." Su Bo’s sudden, soft laugh made Qin Feng frown, a sense of unease striking his heart.

"What are you laughing at?" Just as Qin Feng asked, he felt a cold breeze behind him. He subconsciously prepared to dodge to the left, his right hand ready to cleave whatever was behind him in two.

But he had been too distracted by Su Bo, and the creature was simply too fast.

He felt two fangs pierce the skin of his neck. Qin Feng realized his mistake, throwing his neck with all his might and reaching back to rip the creature off.

At that exact moment, a hidden arrow whistled through the air, aimed directly at his vitals.

He flicked his sword to deflect the arrow, but his left hand could not move an inch further. A rigid numbness spread throughout his body. Qin Feng couldn't even look down; he only felt a layer of frost forming on the tip of his nose.

His pupils dilated, and all sensation vanished.

"Beautifully done," Su Bo thought. He shared a telepathic bond with the Frost Viper; while they couldn't converse, simple commands were effortless.

Su Bo retrieved the viper and looked at the corpse of Qin Feng. "Looks like you’re the one kneeling to me after all."

He did not insult the corpse; that would only show his own immaturity. He placed a pill in Shang Wenyi’s mouth and channeled his internal energy into her.

The rumbling of hooves approached. Su Bo’s mouth curled upward. "The ones who should have come, have finally arrived."

The guards were already dead; those left were beyond saving. Su Bo felt no ripples in his heart as he listened to their dying screams.

"Shang Wenyi, you must not disappoint me. After this lesson, let me see a different version of you."

Qu Qiuzhuo had been wrong about one thing: he wasn't betting on whether Shang Xingzhou would save her, but on whether she would fight for herself, instead of continuing to act like a harmless little rabbit.

The hoofbeats stopped. Yan Qing and the Eighteen Guards dismounted and looked at Su Bo, who was healing Shang Wenyi.

Yan Qing said nothing at first, looking instead at Qin Feng, who had "frozen" to death, before casting his spiritual sense over Su Bo.

"Who are you?!" His men, lacking his patience, stepped forward and demanded sharply.

Yan Qing retracted his gaze. His spiritual sense had been blocked by an invisible force, leaving the man entirely unreadable.

Every person who knew the truth had been eliminated; only this mysterious man in dark clothing remained, and it was unclear how much he knew.

At this thought, Yan Qing’s expression darkened.