Wandering Swordsman |

The man in black walked to an open space and threw Shen Mo to the ground with a thud. Shen Mo felt a sharp pain in his back, but his will remained firm. The man in black then removed the gag from Shen Mo's mouth, revealing his pale but resolute face.

"Who are you!" He stared intently at the man in black before him, trying to glean some clue from the other's eyes.

However, the man in black seemed to completely ignore Shen Mo, offering no response whatsoever. He simply stood there silently, like a statue, his eyes cold and unfathomable. Although Shen Mo was displeased, he knew he had to remain calm and find a chance to escape.

"Let me go!" Shen Mo shouted again, his voice filled with anger and unease. He tried to struggle to get up, but because his hands and feet were tightly bound, he could only move his body with difficulty.

The man in black remained unmoved, as if Shen Mo's existence meant nothing to him.

After a moment, he slowly turned around, walked to a large rock not far away, sat down, took out a piece of dry rations from his pocket, and began to chew slowly. He chewed each piece of food carefully as it entered his mouth, as if enjoying this rare moment of peace.

Not long after, a gentle breeze blew by, bringing with it the chirping of insects from the distant valley. Shen Mo closed his eyes, trying to calm himself and sense the atmosphere around him. Suddenly, he heard light footsteps approaching from afar, and then a figure appeared in his sight.

"It's you!" Shen Mo was startled when he saw the figure. It was Fu Sheng, the leader of Qilin Village, who had suddenly appeared when the Black Wind Gang clashed with Jingtian Pavilion.

"Young brother, it's been a few days. Do you still remember me?" Fu Sheng walked up to Shen Mo, looking down at him. His voice was deep and magnetic, as if it came from the abyss.

Seeing that Shen Mo did not respond, Fu Sheng's face showed a hint of disappointment, but he quickly replaced it with a feigned expression. He lightly snapped his fingers, signaling to the man in black beside him. "Since this young brother has so many misunderstandings about me, let's untie him first." His voice carried an unquestionable authority, as if everything was under his control.

The man in black who had brought Shen Mo here was like a soulless shell; upon hearing Fu Sheng's command, he mechanically stepped forward.

His movements were stiff yet swift, each step seemingly calculated, without any unnecessary movements. He approached Shen Mo and skillfully untied the ropes tightly binding Shen Mo's body.

The moment the rope was untied, Shen Mo felt a sense of relief, but also realized that he had to seize this opportunity.

The instant the rope was completely untied, Shen Mo suddenly threw a punch, striking Fu Sheng directly in the face.

This punch contained all his anger and power; the sound of the punch cutting through the air could almost be heard.

However, Fu Sheng simply turned slightly to the side, easily avoiding this fatal blow.

Immediately afterward, Fu Sheng struck out with a backhand palm at lightning speed, hitting Shen Mo squarely in the chest. Shen Mo felt a powerful surge of internal energy rushing towards him like a tidal wave, and he was thrown backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

Fu Sheng did not stop attacking. He flashed and appeared above Shen Mo like a ghost.

His right foot rose high and then slammed down, aimed directly at Shen Mo's abdomen. Shen Mo managed to cross his arms to protect his abdomen, but he still felt a tremendous impact that almost made him breathless.

With his third move, Fu Sheng suddenly retracted his leg and instead delivered a powerful punch straight to Shen Mo's heart. Shen Mo's body flew up again like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into a large tree, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Looking at Shen Mo lying on the ground, Fu Sheng was not angry because of Shen Mo's sneak attack. Instead, he slowly said with an appreciative expression, "Young brother, do you know why I arranged for you to be kidnapped?" His tone was profound, as if the answer to this question was more important than any battle.

Shen Mo struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes filled with anger and confusion. "Wasn't it to avenge the Black Wind Gang?" he asked through gritted teeth, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

Fu Sheng paused for a moment, then smiled. His smile held a hint of amusement, as if everything was under his control. "My relationship with the Black Wind Gang isn't good enough for me to do this for them," he said casually, his tone revealing confidence and composure.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo was even more puzzled. He had no connection with Fu Sheng whatsoever. If he had to find a connection, it was that he had infiltrated the Black Wind Gang's secret chamber and taken the manual and sword. Judging from Fu Sheng's sudden appearance to help the Black Wind Gang that day, Shen Mo had originally thought that Fu Sheng was a member of the Black Wind Gang. But now Fu Sheng said that he wasn't being captured because of the Black Wind Gang, which left Shen Mo unable to think of any other possible reason.

Shen Mo was lost in thought, his eyes darting back and forth between Fu Sheng and Shen Mo, trying to find an answer. Just then, seeing Shen Mo remain silent and deep in thought, Fu Sheng waved his hand, signaling the man in black to return the Tai'a sword to Shen Mo. The man in black silently walked up to Shen Mo, presented the Tai'a sword to him with both hands, his movements mechanical and swift, as cold and ruthless as if completing a predetermined task.

Shen Mo received the Tai'a sword, feeling slightly more at ease, but still dared not let his guard down. He knew that his strength was far inferior to Fu Sheng's, so he did not immediately attack Fu Sheng. Instead, he assumed a defensive stance, ready to fight to the death at any moment. His eyes were fixed on Fu Sheng, and his hand holding the sword trembled slightly, revealing his inner tension and vigilance.

Fu Sheng, seeing Shen Mo's cautious demeanor, didn't take it seriously. Instead, he revealed a hint of appreciation in his smile. "Demonstrate the Tai Chi Xuan Tian Sword that Master Zhang of Wudang taught you, and I will tell you the reason." Fu Sheng's voice was deep and magnetic, each word sounding as if it had been carefully considered.

Shen Mo hesitated for a moment. Since he couldn't defeat Fu Sheng, he would do as Fu Sheng said first. He slowly suppressed his doubts and began to practice the Tai Chi Profound Heaven Sword. His movements were as swift as lightning, his swordplay fluid and natural, each move perfectly executed, as if he had completely mastered the essence of the sword technique. The surrounding air seemed to flow with his swordplay, forming an invisible force field.

Fu Sheng stood quietly to the side, watching with a hint of surprise and approval in his eyes. After Shen Mo finished his demonstration, he couldn't help but clap his hands and exclaim, "Just as the scouts reported! Not only is he exceptionally talented, but he also has extremely high comprehension. The key is that he is very young, which is truly rare."

Shen Mo stopped what he was doing, looking at Fu Sheng with a firm gaze. "Can you tell me the reason now?"