Wandering Swordsman |

That night, the moonlight, like water, bathed every corner of Qilin Village. All around was silent, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects. Shen Mo was meditating and cultivating the Heavenly Void True Qi in his room when he suddenly heard a soft knock on the door. The sound was faint yet urgent, as if carrying an indescribable sense of urgency.

Shen Mo frowned slightly, wondering who could be visiting so late. He slowly rose, tiptoed to the door, and peeked through the crack. A woman in a light blue dress stood outside, her face partially obscured by the moonlight. Shen Mo opened the door and looked at the woman, puzzled, for he didn't recognize her at all. However, when his gaze fell upon her face, a sense of déjà vu arose within him, as if this face had appeared in his memory before.

"Who are you?" Shen Mo asked, his tone full of doubt.

The woman bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "I am Fu Jiang's betrothed. You can call me Xie Xin." Her voice was gentle yet firm, and her eyes revealed a hint of determination. "I watched your duel with Fu Jiang during the day from the shadows and know that you are not from Qilin Village. So I want to ask you for a favor."

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow, his questions growing deeper. "What is it?"

Xie Xin took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, "I want you to take me away from here."

Upon hearing Xie Xin's request, Shen Mo was startled. He quickly glanced outside to check for anyone else lurking. After confirming it was safe, he immediately invited Xie Xin inside and swiftly and carefully closed the door, his actions both cautious and swift.

After Xie Xin entered the room, by the dim candlelight, Shen Mo realized that this woman bore a striking resemblance to Situ Changkong. However, unlike Situ Changkong's handsome and dashing appearance, she was beautiful and captivating.

Shen Mo was taken aback by the discovery, a hint of doubt flashing through his mind, but he quickly convinced himself that it might just be a coincidence.

"So, what brings you here?" Shen Mo asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and wariness. "After the wedding, you'll be the young chieftain's wife, soon possessing such a prestigious status. Why do you want me to take you away from here?"

Xie Xin sighed softly, a complex expression in her eyes. "I know this request is abrupt, but Fu Jiang is not a good match. If it weren't for the pressure from Fu Sheng, he would have already found a way to make me his."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo felt a surge of righteousness.

However, these words alone were not enough to convince him to help Xie Xin. Just as Shen Mo hesitated, Xie Xin keenly noticed the subtle change in his expression. "Actually, there's an even more important reason," Xie Xin's voice became lower, "Fu Sheng is my father's killer."

These words struck like lightning across the night sky, causing Shen Mo to gasp in shock. He looked into Xie Xin's eyes, trying to find an answer. "You mean..." Shen Mo was interrupted by Xie Xin before he could finish speaking.

"That's right. Fu Sheng seized the position of leader of Qilin Village after killing my grandfather and my father. I was young then, and they all thought I didn't remember what happened back then, but in reality, I will never forget it. Now Fu Sheng is even trying to use my marriage with Fu Jiang to consolidate the legitimacy of his position in Qilin Village." Xie Xin's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "Therefore, I must never marry Fu Jiang and let them control my life."

Shen Mo remained silent for a moment, pondering the complex relationships behind all of this. Although he also wanted to agree immediately, he couldn't completely remove the Gu poison from his body and couldn't afford to turn against Fu Sheng for the time being. "My situation isn't much better than yours right now," Shen Mo sighed inwardly. "If I act rashly, I won't be able to help you; instead, I'll put myself in even greater danger."

Thinking of this, he shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness: "I really want to help you, but I'm in a predicament myself. So I can't offer any assistance." As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Mo noticed that Xie Xin's face turned pale instantly, and a hint of despair flashed in her eyes.

Xie Xin was stunned for a long time after hearing this, as if she could already see her tragic life unfolding before her eyes. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting together, seemingly trying to suppress the pain and fear in her heart. Just when Xie Xin felt utterly hopeless, Shen Mo continued, "However..."

These two simple words, like a ray of dawn in the darkness, brought Xie Xin hope. Her gaze quickly rose, fixed on Shen Mo, her eyes filled with expectation and longing. As if her last lifeline had appeared before her, her heart pounded, and she could hardly believe her ears.

"I will do everything I can to help you, but we must proceed with caution." Shen Mo's voice was deep and firm, trying to convey a sense of reliability to Xie Xin. "First, I want to know if you know martial arts?"

Xie Xin shook her head and said, "No."

"Then I'll teach you light-body skills first. After you learn them, I'll tell you the next step in our plan." Shen Mo looked at Xie Xin with gentle yet firm eyes. He knew that light-body skills were indispensable if they wanted to escape from here. So, he decided to start teaching her from the very basics; whether she could learn them was up to her.

"Lightness skill is different from martial arts. It requires internal energy cultivation. It can be easily performed by mastering specific footwork and techniques, allowing you to move quickly." As Shen Mo spoke, he stood up, walked to the center of the room, and demonstrated a set of simple lightness skill movements. His figure was like a nimble bird, his steps light and silent, each landing as if he were stepping on cotton rather than hard ground.

Xie Xin watched Shen Mo's movements intently, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and longing. Although she was forbidden from learning any martial arts in Qilin Village, she could feel the allure of that freedom and power. Shen Mo's movements seemed simple, but in reality, they contained profound internal strength and skill; every move and stance demonstrated his mastery of martial arts.

"First, you need to learn how to control your breathing." Shen Mo stopped, turned to Xie Xin, and patiently explained, "Breathing is the key to lightness skill. Only when you can control your breath freely can you truly unleash the power of lightness skill."

Xie Xin nodded, indicating her understanding. She took a deep breath, trying to mimic Shen Mo's breathing rhythm. However, for someone with no martial arts background, this was no easy feat. After several attempts, Xie Xin found herself unable to reach the desired state, and couldn't help but feel somewhat frustrated.