Wandering Swordsman |

The swordsman slowly sheathed his sword, his movements so elegant that it was as if the fierce exchange had never happened.

He smiled slightly and said insincerely, "Sect Leader Situ, our chieftain has always admired the name of Jingtian Pavilion. He specially sent me to invite Sect Leader Situ to attend the young chieftain's wedding banquet on the eighth day of the third month."

Sunlight streamed down his face, making the three intersecting knife scars appear particularly menacing. A subtle, enigmatic smile played in his eyes, as if concealing a deeper purpose.

"Chieftain? Who is your chieftain?" Situ Dengfeng's voice was calm and restrained, but it also carried a hint of wariness.

Li Yonghuan chuckled lightly, seemingly embarrassed by his oversight: "Oh~ look at my memory, I forgot to introduce myself. Sect Leader Situ, I am Li Yonghuan, a retainer of Qilin Village." As he spoke, he casually straightened his sleeves, his demeanor composed and unhurried.

Upon hearing the words "Qilin Village," Situ Dengfeng and Jian Yihan immediately became alert, their gazes sharpening instantly, and an invisible tension filled the air. The night wind in the courtyard seemed to grow even fiercer, rustling the surrounding leaves.

After a moment, Situ Dengfeng slowly spoke, his voice tinged with doubt: "Why did you have to come in person for something like this, Li Gongfeng? You could have just sent a message by carrier pigeon."

Li Yonghuan shook his head, his smile still on his face, but a sly glint flashed in his eyes: "If we were to use carrier pigeons to inform a highly respected hero like Sect Leader Situ, wouldn't our fellow martial artists ridicule Qilin Village for its lack of manners?"

Situ Dengfeng frowned slightly, pondering to himself. He understood the unspoken meaning behind the invitation and knew that a larger conspiracy might be hidden behind it. But he knew that at this moment, he had to remain calm. "Since Elder Li has already informed you, then please go back and tell your chief that I will definitely be there on time next month." His reply was both polite and authoritative, displaying the demeanor befitting a sect leader.

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashed in Li Yonghuan's eyes. He then smiled maliciously and said, "Sect Leader Situ, farewell! Please be on time." After saying this, he turned to leave, but then stopped, glanced back, and added meaningfully, "Sect Leader Situ, please remember to bring your good disciple Situ Changkong with you. Otherwise, he may regret it for the rest of his life."

As Li Yonghuan's figure gradually disappeared into the distance, a brief tranquility returned to the courtyard. A gentle breeze swept by, carrying away some of the tension, but a lingering unease remained in the air. Situ Dengfeng took a deep breath, turned to the disciples around him, and softly instructed, "Everyone, disperse and return to your posts."

The disciples nodded, leaving the front courtyard with unresolved questions and worries. After the last disciple left the front courtyard, only Jian Yihan and Situ Dengfeng remained.

Suddenly, Situ Dengfeng swayed slightly, clutching his chest with one hand. Then, a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, splashing onto the white stone floor in a dark red pattern. The bloodstain was particularly glaring in the sunlight.

Jian Yihan was shocked and rushed forward to support the swaying Situ Dengfeng. "Senior Situ!" he called out anxiously, his voice filled with concern and worry.

Situ Dengfeng forced a smile, trying to make his expression look less painful. "Young Master Jian, I'm fine," he said breathlessly. "It's probably because the internal injuries caused by the Heart-Corroding Poison haven't healed yet, and they flared up again when I used all my internal energy." His voice was weak but firm, as if he was comforting Jian Yihan, but even more so, as if he was comforting himself.

Jian Yihan frowned, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. "This poison is so stubborn. I'll go back to Ghost Valley immediately to find an antidote," he said in a low voice, carefully helping Situ Dengfeng toward the study.

Situ Dengfeng shook his head, his face as pale as paper, but his eyes remained resolute. He said softly, "Young Swordsman, my internal injuries are not something that can be resolved in a short time. The most important thing now is to deal with the alliance between Qilin Village and Black Wind Gang, as this is related to whether we can successfully rescue Meng'er."

Upon hearing Situ Dengfeng's refusal, Jian Yihan's face showed deep worry, but he quickly regained his composure and said with a hint of reassurance, "Senior Situ, there's no need to worry. My third brother, Shu Wangxing, has already gone to the Black Wind Gang. He has fully inherited the title of 'Bookworm,' and with his intelligence, he will surely be able to rescue Miss Situ safely."

Situ Dengfeng paused slightly, then smiled with relief. "I see. With your help, Bookworm, it's certainly reassuring. However, the people of Qilin Village are quite skilled, and I'm still a little worried about Bookworm going deep into enemy territory alone..." His voice gradually lowered, as if he was pondering something.

Jian Yihan encouraged softly, "Senior Situ, the most important thing right now is for you to recover from your injuries. Only then will we have enough strength to rescue Miss Situ."

Upon hearing this, Situ Dengfeng remained silent and, with Jian Yihan's help, returned to his study.

......

Ten days later, Jianzhong and his group arrived in Yimen County, Yunnan. This ancient county town was nestled amidst mountains, its narrow, winding streets bearing the marks of time on its stone slabs. The group, led by Ouyang Song, immediately attracted wary glances from many onlookers. These weren't the gazes of ordinary people watching a spectacle; rather, they carried a deep-seated vigilance.

Ouyang Song and his companions were naturally aware of the wariness of those around them, but they followed Sect Leader Yang discreetly, their steps unhurried, as if nothing was amiss. Their gazes were firm, their expressions composed, seemingly unconcerned by the strange looks from the city's inhabitants. Street vendors and pedestrians glanced sideways, whispering amongst themselves about the origins of these strangers.

Shortly after entering the city, Ouyang Song led his group to wander around looking for an inn to stay in. However, several inns they passed were either booked by various sects or were full due to an overabundance of martial arts practitioners. Each inquiry only made the atmosphere in the group more tense, as reaching their destination only to find no place to stay inevitably caused some disappointment.

Just as Ouyang Song continued to lead the group around the city looking for an inn, they came to the door of another seemingly ordinary inn.

Suddenly, an old man with white hair, dressed in a Taoist robe, stood in the road in front of the inn with two young Taoist priests, blocking the way of Ouyang Song's group. The old man was thin and had a weathered face, but his eyes were unusually sharp, as if they could see through people's hearts.