Su Zimo and the other man arrived at Ping Yang Town one after another.
Su Zimo did not want to attract attention, therefore he told Song Qi to put away his flying sword and to walk with him to Su family's residence.
The door to the mansion was tightly shut. Su Zimo had good hearing. From the intermittent sobbing sounds coming from the mansion, he could tell that it was Su Xiaoning.
Su Zimo frowned, striding forward, exerting strength in his arms and pushed the door open.
The crossbar behind the door broke into pieces.
"Who's there?!"
A dozen black armored cavalrymen dashed to the front door right away. They were seeing red, looking ready to kill. They were stunned at the sight of Su Zimo.
"Second Young Master?"
Su Zimo nodded, bringing Song Qi toward the direction where the crying sounds came from.
Song Qi swept his gaze over the guards, slightly fearful of them.
He could sense the murderous aura of the guards. They had obviously been through a lot on the battlefields to have such a fearsome aura. They were no ordinary pugilistic experts.
Many people from the Su family were gathered outside Su Hong's room. Some of them were standing while some were sitting. Everyone looked solemn and crestfallen. Sorrow and misery hung in the air.
"Second Young Master is back," Uncle Zheng stood up and said.
Su Zimo squinted his eyes as he asked, "How is brother now?"
There was a look of worry on Uncle Zheng's face. He shook his head. "Wait for a while. Young Master is still unconscious."
Su Zimo swept his gaze over everyone in the Su family, saying in a low voice, "Do you still intend to keep it from me now that things had come to this stage?"
Everyone in the Su family looked at each other, giving out a long sigh.
"My father used to be Su Mu, Lord Wuding of the Country of Yan. Is that right?" Su Zimo said softly.
Everyone in the Su family looked alarmed. Uncle Zheng was shocked. "Second Young Master, you…"
"Luo Tianwu came to look for me."
Upon hearing his words, Uncle Zheng suddenly saw the light. He sighed before saying, "Luo Tianwu is no good man. He has rapacious designs. He dreams of being the king in troubled times. He sought Young Master, wanting to collaborate with him, but was refused. The Su family and King of Yan may be enemies, but Young Master does not want to implicate the people in the Country of Yan."
"Your father had been on the battlefield all his life. His troops, the black armored cavalry were famed for guarding the frontier, resisting the external enemies. The Country of Yan did not lose a single piece of land in the battles. The general made a vow that he would protect the people of the Country of Yan all his life, so that they would have a place to live, and be spared from the pains of wars. Young Master would continue his father's mission, therefore he refused to join hands with Luo Tianwu."
Speaking of this, Uncle Zheng had no wish to keep things from Su Zimo anymore. He continued to say, "Over the years, Young Master would always be on the road. He was in fact gathering the former black armored cavalry under the pretense of selling horses. He was training them while waiting for the opportunity to take revenge."
"How many people are there now?"
"Five thousand!"
"Where can so many people hide? How can they hide from the spies of the countries of Yan and Qi?" Su Zimo frowned.
Uncle Zheng replied. "They have been hiding at a ghostly village near the Country of Yan."
A few decades ago, the entire village was devoured and wiped out by packs of wolves, even fowls and dogs were not spared. There was not a soul to be seen. No one dared to live at the village. In the end, it turned out to be the best cover for them.
Su Zimo thought before asking, "Uncle Zheng used to hint that the enemies of the Su family are Qi Refinement Warriors. What do you mean by that?"
"A few decades ago, there were many Qi Refinement Warriors in the capital city of the Country of Yan. They guarded the King of Yan and therefore we had to keep postponing the plan of assassinating King of Yan. Young Master waited patiently for a chance when the spies in the palace sent news a month ago that King of Yan was going hunting at the southern suburb."
"The black armored cavalry would only be most powerful in wide terrain. The Qi Refinement Warriors would die if they make the slightest mistake when sparring with them."
Su Zimo nodded.
Qi Refinement Warrior's had weak bodies. They were no different from normal mortals. If armies went into battles, and there was a storm of arrows, a few Qi Refinement Warriors would not be able to change the outcome. They might even die.
Uncle Zheng shook his head and let out a long sigh. "Unfortunately, the assassination this time failed. There were not a few but dozens of Qi Refinement Warriors beside the King of Yan! There was even a cultivation clan as the King of Yan's support!"
Su Zimo was shocked to hear this.
In the cultivation world, the clan leader had to at least reach the Foundation Establishment Realm before he could establish a clan.
Uncle Zheng continued. "Young Master was worried that they would attract attention, therefore, he only brought over thousands of black armored cavalry with him and they went into the city in small groups. But they were besieged by dozens of Qi Refinement Warriors at the southern suburbs. They suffered heavy losses and Young Master was heavily wounded, while only a few dozen black armored cavalry survived out of the thousands of them."
Song Qi came forward and whispered. "Second Young Master Su, I have an essence nourishing pill. It is very common in the cultivation world. It can be used to stabilize the foundation and nourishing the essence. It should be useful to Young Master."
"Thanks." Su Zimo nodded.
Uncle Zheng said in disappointment, "It's easy to heal the body, but it's difficult to heal the heart. The failure this time was too big a blow to Young Master."
"Mmm?" Su Zimo frowned. "Brother has strong willpower and determination. Why would he be defeated after one failure?"
Uncle Zheng smiled forlornly and sighed. "Young Master knew that if there is a cultivation clan to support King of Yan, there will be no way for the Su family to take revenge. There is no grief so great as despair. I guess… there is no way to change things."
"Young Master is awake." Right then Liu Yu walked out of the room with a grave expression on his face.
There was a strong pungent smell of medicine upon reaching the door.
Su Zimo turned and looked toward the bed. His brother, Su Hong lay silently on the bed. His injuries were serious and his breathing was getting weaker.
"Brother!"
Su Xiaoning who stayed vigil beside the bed cried out loud, running into Su Zimo's embrace, bursting into tears. "Older Brother is seriously injured. Second Brother, can you think of a solution?"
Su Zimo patted Su Xiaoning gently on the back, comforting her with soft whispers. He helped her to the side before he went to check on Su Hong.
Su Hong's hair had turned white. He had just reached thirty years old but he seemed aged. His face was gaunt and yellow and his lips were cracked. He stared blankly at the roof, as if he had lost his soul.
His hair turned white overnight. Indeed, there was no grief so great as despair!
Su Zimo's heart ached at the sight of his older brother. There were tears in his eyes.
The Su family had been ensnared in a blood feud for years and his brother had to seek justice for the family by himself!
For the past 16 years, this man protected his younger brother and sister from harm, for fear that they would suffer any slightest grievances or be hurt. He remained tight-lipped, worried that they would be embroiled in it.
This man bore the hatred and feud by himself for 16 years. He could not imagine the kind of life that he led over the years.
Had he ever be able to have a good night's sleep in the past 16 years?
How painful and torturous it must be for this man to be living in hatred all the time for 16 years?
"Brother…"
Su Zimo's lips quivered as he called for his brother.
There was never a moment where this word sounded so depressing as when Su Zimo spoke of it.
Su Hong turned his head slowly, resting his blank gaze on Su Zimo's face for a long while before there was finally some sparkle in his eyes. He moved his stiff lips, forcing a smile on his lips, as he spoke softly, "Zimo… you are back."
Su Zimo knelt down on the floor, holding Su Hong's cold hands in his palms. He squeezed his lips tightly together, fighting back the tears in his eyes.
"Zimo, I won't be able to make it." Su Hong sighed softly.
Su Zimo lost control at his words. Tears trailed down his cheeks, wetting his sleeves.
This was the first time that Su Zimo cried in the past 18 years.
Su Hong tried to lift his arm to wipe the tears on Su Zimo's face. But his arm was too weak and it fell back onto the bed in mid-way.
"Don't shed tears, don't shed tears. The men in the Su family only shed blood but not tears."
Su Zimo lifted his sleeves to wipe his tears, nodding.
"Zimo, after I die, leave with Xiaoning and the Su family. Go to a place as far away as possible," Su Hong said.
Su Zimo lowered his head, keeping silent. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his skin, blood oozing out of it.
Su Zimo raised his head after a long while, looking calm. "Brother, have a good rest. Don't think too much."
There was something else that Su Zimo kept to himself.
He would take revenge for the Su family!