Wandering Swordsman |

Shen Mo's heart tightened, but he quickly calmed down. He said to Xie Xin in a low but resolute voice, "I'll stop him. You go!" His eyes were firm, without the slightest hesitation. At that moment, Shen Mo's eyes and tone gave Xie Xin an unprecedented sense of security and trust. An indescribable feeling welled up in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Xie Xin hesitated for a moment, watching Shen Mo's retreating figure, her eyes flashing with struggle and reluctance. Xie Xin knew that if she left now, Shen Mo would face a powerful enemy alone.

"Hurry up!" Shen Mo urged again, his voice filled with determination. After Shen Mo urged her once more, Xie Xin finally made up her mind. She gave Shen Mo a deep look, turned around, and used her lightness skill to disappear into the night as swiftly as a nimble bird.

However, she hadn't run far when a scream came from behind, like a sharp arrow piercing Xie Xin's heart.

She turned around abruptly and saw that Shen Mo had been knocked to the ground by Li Yonghuan, with one foot heavily pressing on his chest, and blood slowly flowing from the corner of Shen Mo's mouth.

Li Yonghuan stared coldly at Xie Xin, his long sword pointing in her direction. "If you don't want him to die, you'd better come back obediently." His voice was deep and threatening, each word like a sharp blade piercing Xie Xin's heart.

She stopped, her body trembling slightly, the inner turmoil almost suffocating her. Shen Mo had been willing to risk everything for her, even sacrifice himself, and now she faced such a cruel choice: continue on her journey in pursuit of freedom, or return to save the person who had helped her escape?

Just then, Li Yonghuan increased the pressure on his foot, and Shen Mo groaned in pain. Xie Xin could no longer endure it; she gritted her teeth and finally decided to stop.

Seeing Xie Xin hesitate and turn back, Shen Mo felt a surge of anxiety and wanted to shout for her not to come back. But at that moment, Li Yonghuan's foot slammed heavily on his chest, the force feeling as if it would crush his lungs. Every breath was accompanied by excruciating pain, rendering him unable to utter a sound. He could only watch helplessly as Xie Xin's steps gradually came to a halt, her eyes filled with pain and reluctance, seemingly preparing to turn back.

Shen Mo was filled with endless self-reproach. He realized that he had once again fallen into a predicament where he was powerless to change the situation. "If only I were stronger." At this moment, this thought kept echoing in his mind, like a sharp sword piercing his heart. He remembered the helplessness he had felt when facing powerful enemies, and the dangers he had encountered because of his own lack of strength.

Thinking this, Shen Mo's eyes hardened, and an unprecedented determination took root in his heart. "I can't let my weakness cause this situation again," he vowed silently. Even though his body was enduring immense pain, his heart burned with fierce fighting spirit. At this moment, although his body was suppressed by Li Yonghuan, his soul seemed to have been reborn.

However, reality didn't give him more time to think. Li Yonghuan stared coldly at Xie Xin, his longsword slightly raised, a clear warning in his hand. Shen Mo could feel Li Yonghuan's power gathering, ready to launch a fatal attack at any moment.

Shen Mo tried to struggle, but found that his body had reached its limit, and even the slightest movement had become extremely difficult. At this moment, Shen Mo used all his strength to finally squeeze out a weak sound from deep in his throat: "Go...go quickly!"

Although the sound was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, it was exceptionally clear in the silent air. It carried Shen Mo's last hope and symbolized his unwavering determination—no matter what happened, having decided to help Xie Xin escape, he could not let Xie Xin give up her escape because of him.

However, this whispered call was more powerful than any words, deeply touching Xie Xin's heartstrings.

Li Yonghuan saw that Xie Xin's hesitant expression hadn't faded. He continued threateningly, "I'll count to three. If you still haven't come back, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Three." His voice was low and threatening, each word like a cold dagger.

Shen Mo lay on the ground, blood slowly trickling from the corner of his mouth. His vision began to blur, but the determination in his eyes and his worry for Xie Xin remained undiminished. Hearing Li Yonghuan's countdown, his heart tightened. He wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a sharp pain in his chest.

"Two." Li Yonghuan's voice was even lower, like the call of death. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, leaving only the sound of racing heartbeats. Xie Xin's body trembled slightly, her eyes flickering with struggle and reluctance, tears welling up in her eyes.

"One." As the last number fell, Li Yonghuan raised his long sword high, ready to slash at Shen Mo's throat. At this critical moment, Xie Xin suddenly shouted, "Wait! Let him go!" Her voice was filled with despair and determination, as if she had used all her strength.

After speaking, Xie Xin seemed to have made an incredibly difficult decision. Her eyes became vacant as she slowly walked towards Li Yonghuan, each step feeling like it was pounding on her own heart. "No..." Shen Mo tried to stop her, but could only utter a weak sound, unable to move.

Seeing Xie Xin finally turn around, Li Yonghuan nodded in satisfaction, a smug smile on his face. "That's right! You're the bride today, and I don't want to hurt you. Come back and come with me obediently, and I'll let him go right away." His tone seemed gentle, but the hidden threat was obvious.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying a few fallen leaves, and the surroundings were utterly still. Xie Xin's heart felt as if it had been struck a heavy blow. She knew that once she returned to Qilin Village, endless darkness awaited her. However, for Shen Mo's safety, she was willing to sacrifice herself.

Meanwhile, the scene shifts to the gates of Qilin Village, where the village chief, Fu Sheng, and his son, Fu Jiang, are leading the village's leaders to welcome guests. Sunlight filters through the clouds, adding a touch of warmth to the scene, yet an indescribable tension permeates the air.

Guests arrived one after another, and suddenly, Fu Sheng's gaze was drawn to a man dressed as a middle-aged Confucian scholar.

The man was dressed in a blue robe and wore a square headscarf; his demeanor exuded an extraordinary air.

The moment their eyes met, Fu Sheng paused slightly, clearly recognizing the man, before a look of solemn respect flashed in his eyes. This indicated that the man's identity was mysterious and unpredictable, clearly having a deep connection with Fu Sheng, and seemingly holding a position even above him.

Realizing that Fu Sheng had recognized him, the scholar gently shook his head, signaling Fu Sheng not to reveal his true identity. Fu Sheng immediately adjusted his expression and, as if welcoming any other guest, politely and cautiously ushered him into the village.