Wandering Swordsman |

The Black Wind Gang Leader frowned slightly, shook his head, and said with a hint of helplessness and sarcasm in his voice, "Do you think Situ Meng would tell me? She was willing to risk her own life to save them, let alone reveal information about those two."

Li Fanglin nodded, indicating his understanding.

Then, the Black Wind Gang Leader continued, "Based on the descriptions of Azure Dragon and White Tiger, the older young man should be Situ Changkong, the senior disciple of Jingtian Pavilion. As for the other person, I also tentatively mentioned him to Situ Meng, but judging from her reaction, she probably doesn't know who he is either."

Upon hearing this, the Black Wind Gang Leader frowned again, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes. "Go and investigate, and focus on finding out information about that person!" As he spoke, the image of Shen Mo holding the Tai'a Sword reappeared in the Black Wind Gang Leader's mind, and that image fueled his anger once more.

"Yes!" Li Fanglin accepted the order, immediately stood up, and turned to leave.

......

The scene returns to Yimen County, inside the inn booked by Zhang Zhenren. As night falls, a few oil lamps warmly illuminate a guest room, casting soft shadows on the walls.

Shen Mo sat at a wooden table, opposite Zhao Xue and He Yun.

Shen Mo's expression was serious, his gaze gentle yet firm, as if he wanted to convey every word accurately to the other person. "Miss Zhao," Shen Mo said softly, his voice tinged with a hint of reluctance, "I learned some news about your uncle Zhao Qingyun in Liaocheng."

Zhao Xue looked up, her eyes filled with anticipation. She nodded slightly, signaling Shen Mo to continue. Her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, as if preparing herself mentally for the information to come.

Shen Mo took a deep breath and slowly began, "Your uncle... Zhao Qingyun, he was originally the Xuanwu Saint Lord of the Black Wind Gang." He paused here, observing Zhao Xue's reaction. Zhao Xue's expression instantly became complex, a mixture of surprise, doubt, and even disbelief.

"Moreover," Shen Mo's voice grew even heavier, "he's gone. As far as I know, he was purged from within the Black Wind Gang for rebelling against them..."

Zhao Xue's face suddenly turned pale, tears welled up in her eyes, and finally, she couldn't hold them back and they spilled over. She lowered her head, covered her face with her hands, her shoulders trembled slightly, and suppressed sobs escaped from between her fingers. This wasn't because of the shock of Zhao Qingyun being a member of the Black Wind Gang, but because she realized that her only remaining family member in this world had left her.

"Since Grandma passed away, my uncle has been my only living relative..." Zhao Xue's voice choked with sobs, barely able to form a sentence, "Why... why did even he..."

He Yun sat beside Zhao Xue, quietly watching this scene, his heart skipping a beat. Seeing Zhao Xue's heartbroken expression, He Yun felt a pang of indescribable sorrow. His eyes were filled with sympathy and concern; he wanted to step forward and comfort her, yet he was afraid of disturbing Zhao Xue's emotional state.

A heavy atmosphere filled the room, and Shen Mo was also moved by Zhao Xue's grief. A sense of powerlessness welled up in Shen Mo's heart, which reminded him of the feeling of losing a loved one for the first time when he was a child. He knew that no words could truly alleviate Zhao Xue's pain at this moment, and he could only silently stay by her side and offer her silent support.

Time seemed to stand still, with only Zhao Xue's sobs echoing in the room. Gradually, her crying weakened, replaced by deep sighs. He Yun finally couldn't help but pull Zhao Xue into his arms, offering silent comfort.

Not long after Zhao Xue emerged from her grief, her eyes became resolute, as if she had made an important decision in that instant.

Her gaze was fixed on Shen Mo, as if trying to find clues to revenge in every word he spoke. "Young Master Shen, do you know who in the Black Wind Gang was responsible?" Her voice was low, but the determination within it was undeniable.

Upon hearing this question, He Yun looked at Shen Mo with a determined gaze, as if he too was eager to know who had killed Zhao Qingyun.

"It's Master Ma outside Liaocheng—Ma Xiaofeng!" Shen Mo's voice was steady and powerful. When he mentioned the name "Master Ma," He Yun's memory was instantly pulled back to the perilous moment when he sneaked into the old house outside Liaocheng that night. The scene of being discovered by Master Ma and then being chased was still vivid in his mind, leaving him with lingering fear to this day.

"It's him! Could he also be a member of the Black Wind Gang?" He Yun asked, his brows furrowed as he tried to piece together all the clues.

Shen Mo nodded, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes: "That's right, Master Ma is a member of the Black Wind Gang. He's in charge of handling some shady matters, including purging Zhao Qingyun."

Zhao Xue took a deep breath, her eyes becoming even more resolute. "Brother Yun, I must avenge my uncle!" Her voice was filled with unwavering determination, as if she were ready to face any hardship or obstacle.

He Yun looked at Zhao Xue, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. He knew Zhao Xue's feelings at this moment, and understood her determination for revenge. "Ah Xue, I'll talk to my master and ask them to help us go to Liaocheng to avenge you."

However, before He Yun could finish speaking, Shen Mo waved his hand and said slowly, "No need to go to Liaocheng, Master Ma is currently with the Black Wind Gang."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattering the tranquility of the room. He Yun and Zhao Xue were both startled. A hint of doubt and surprise flashed in He Yun's eyes. "Brother Shen, how did you know?"

Shen Mo sighed softly, a deep look in his eyes. "Brother He, do you still remember that waiter from Liaocheng? I learned about Master Ma's movements and Miss Zhao's uncle's affairs from him."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xue couldn't help but gasp. "Wouldn't that make it even harder for us to deal with him? Taking action on Black Wind Gang's territory is extremely risky for us."

He Yun said firmly, "Ah Xue, no matter how dangerous it is, I will not back down. We must avenge our uncle!"

Zhao Xue was deeply moved by He Yun's words.

Seeing this, Shen Mo didn't want to disturb them any further, so he said, "Miss Zhao, Brother He, it's getting late, I'll go back to my room to rest now, farewell." After saying that, Shen Mo turned and walked towards the door.

......

Not long after Shen Mo left the room, he ran into Luo Wangchen and Qu Yifan at the corner of the corridor. When they saw Shen Mo, a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, as if they hadn't expected to meet him here. Shen Mo was somewhat puzzled, but then thought that perhaps they were looking for him.

Sure enough, Qu Yifan smiled slightly and broke the silence first: "Shen Mo, we were just looking for you, we didn't expect to run into you here."

Shen Mo nodded and politely replied, "Master, Senior Qu, may I ask what brings you here?"