Wandering Swordsman |

Upon hearing this, Situ Changkong's heart tightened, fearing that He Yun would see through his true feelings—his jealousy of Shen Mo and his concern for Situ Meng. To divert his attention, he quickly nodded, "Yes, this is precisely the issue that worries me."

He Yun patted his shoulder, his tone firm and confident, "Actually, there's no need to worry too much. If the Demonic Sect really makes a comeback, the Nine Sects and the Eight Great Families will definitely not sit idly by. We, the people of the martial world, have always been united and can jointly resist any threat."

......

The group had been away from Yimen County for seven days. During the journey, Shen Mo handed the three manuals to Luo Wangchen. Luo Wangchen was surprised to see the *Heavenly Void True Qi* in Shen Mo's possession. However, he didn't mention the nameless tomb that Qu Yifan had told him about, and instead simply accepted it. He was worried that if Shen Mo knew too much, it would endanger Shen Mo's safety.

As night fell, they were still on their way to the next town. Due to the long journey and the late hour, Situ Dengfeng, Zhang Zhenren, and the others decided to set up camp for the night.

The campfire crackled and flickered in the wind, illuminating the tired yet determined faces of everyone present.

Situ Changkong sat alone at the edge of the camp, his gaze wandering around, his heart churning with turmoil.

Ever since he noticed Situ Meng's growing affection for Shen Mo, his jealousy towards Shen Mo had grown wildly like weeds. Whenever he saw the peculiar smile on Situ Meng's face as she spoke with Shen Mo, his heart was filled with an indescribable emotion. At this moment, he gripped his longsword tightly, a cold glint in his eyes.

In the dead of night, all was quiet except for the occasional chirping of insects. Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps shattered the stillness of the night, and then several men in black appeared like ghosts from all directions, their long knives gleaming coldly.

Upon seeing this, Situ Changkong, who was on night watch, quickly drew his longsword, creating bursts of sword energy as he swung it, attempting to subdue the men in black.

However, amidst this perilous scene, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of a familiar figure—Shen Mo was being dragged towards the distant woods by a masked man. For a moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed Situ Changkong's mind, but it was quickly replaced by another emotion. He didn't immediately rush to her aid, but instead continued fighting the other enemies, as if it were all none of his concern.

"You think you can just leave now that you're here!" A voice pierced through the noisy battlefield. It was Zhang Zhenren, his movements agile, like a phantom in the night wind, instantly blocking the retreat of one of the men in black. With a flick of his wrist, a flash of sword light appeared, and the man in black was subdued on the ground without any chance to fight back.

At the same time, Situ Dengfeng, who had just woken up, also captured another man in black who was trying to escape with lightning speed.

Just as everyone gathered around, preparing to confirm the identities of the two arrested men in black, an ominous premonition quietly spread. After a brief exchange of glances, a resolute look flashed in the eyes of the two men in black. "Not good! Stop them!" From within the crowd, Ouyang Song keenly sensed this abnormality and immediately issued a warning.

But it was all too late. Almost as soon as the words were spoken, the two men in black suddenly changed their expressions, blood gushing from their seven orifices, and collapsed dead. A deathly silence fell over the scene, broken only by the crackling of the campfire, as if the only response to the tragedy.

"What happened?" He Yun's voice trembled, breaking the silence. He looked away from the corpse and towards the others around him, who were equally shocked. The firelight illuminated his face, outlining his young and confused features, his eyes filled with bewilderment and fear.

"They ingested deadly poison," Situ Dengfeng said slowly, his tone heavy. "It seems these people were used as expendable suicide soldiers." As he finished speaking, the atmosphere became even more oppressive. Moonlight filtered through the sparse treetops, casting shadows on the ground and adding to the desolation of the already gloomy camp.

Hearing Situ Dengfeng's explanation, many young people, including He Yun, Zhao Xue, and Situ Meng, felt extremely uncomfortable. They had grown up listening to chivalrous tales of the martial arts world, yearning for a world of swift justice and vengeance, never imagining that the real martial arts world would be so cruel and ruthless. The practice of treating human life as a disposable commodity sent a chill down their spines, as if the whole world had become unfamiliar and cold.

Zhao Xue bit her lip tightly, her hands clenching into fists unconsciously, her knuckles turning white from the force. "This...this is too cruel," she whispered, her voice filled with anger and unease. Situ Meng stood quietly to the side, her brows furrowed, her eyes flashing with complex emotions. She seemed to be pondering something important, yet unable to express it.

Situ Changkong stood at the edge of the crowd, silently observing everything, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew that Shen Mo was missing, but his jealousy made him choose silence. Every time he saw Situ Meng's affection for Shen Mo deepen, the dark side of his heart swelled. At this moment, facing the sympathy and anger of the crowd towards these men in black, he couldn't help but feel a trace of guilt, but this feeling was quickly overshadowed by a deeper shadow.

"The path of the martial world is not always bright and upright." Ouyang Song naturally noticed the extremely shocked state of He Yun and the others, so he slowly spoke, his voice deep and powerful, "Sometimes, we must face the dark side in order to truly understand what justice is."

All eyes turned to Ouyang Song, and they read a sense of calm that came with experience in his deep eyes. His words, though brief, were like a lightning bolt piercing the night sky, leaving the young people present thoughtful.

"Where's Shen Mo?" At this moment, Luo Wangchen's voice carried a clear hint of panic. He rushed to the center of the crowd, his eyes anxiously scanning his surroundings. "Why can't I see Shen Mo!" His voice was filled with barely concealed anxiety.

This question made the already tense atmosphere, caused by the sudden attack by the man in black, even more oppressive. Everyone's eyes turned to the surroundings as Luo Wangchen spoke, searching for that familiar figure.

The scene fell into a deathly silence, broken only by the occasional crackling of the campfire.

Situ Dengfeng's expression turned extremely grave. He stared intently at the two black-clad corpses on the ground, their seven orifices bleeding profusely, his brow furrowed as if deep in thought about something important. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if he had realized a possibility, and he urgently shouted, "Quick! Let's split up and search!"

The group immediately sprang into action, splitting into groups to carefully search for Shen Mo around the camp. Moonlight spilled onto the ground, adding a touch of chill to the chaotic camp. A night breeze swept by, bringing a slight coldness, but no one slowed their pace.

Situ Changkong stood rooted to the spot, breathing heavily, sweat trickling down his forehead. He knew Shen Mo had been kidnapped, but he chose to remain silent. All of this stemmed from a deep-seated, unspoken jealousy churning within him. Whenever he thought of Situ Meng's affection for Shen Mo, a complex mix of emotions would surge within him, making it difficult for him to choose.