Wandering Swordsman |

If what the Moon Demon Lord said is true, then what they have been fighting against all these years is not a powerful, unified force, but rather a conspiracy by an ambitious demon lord and his allies. Thinking of this, Shen Mo felt a chill run down his spine.

"But... wouldn't what the Flame Demon Lord did violate the principles of the Heavenly Demon God Sect...?" Shen Mo tried to calm himself down. "Why hasn't anyone exposed this? Has no one ever suspected anything?"

Moon Demon Lord gave a bitter smile. "The situation at the time was extremely complicated, and after Di Yinzi died, all the evidence was destroyed. In addition, Flame Demon Lord was very skillful and cleverly shifted all the blame onto Di Yinzi. Even now, many people still believe that it was Di Yinzi's personal act, that Di Yinzi betrayed the Heavenly Demon God Sect."

Shen Mo took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. He began to reflect on his past understanding of the Demonic Sect, and whether the rumors circulating in the martial arts world were truly credible. At this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of confusion, but also a glimmer of hope—perhaps there is no absolute good or bad in this world. After all, the Demonic Sect that invaded the Central Plains martial arts world back then had been destroyed, and the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect at this time was not a Demonic Sect.

"Then," Shen Mo raised his head, looking firmly at the Moon Demon Lord, "what should we do now to stop the Flame Demon Lord?"

Seeing the fighting spirit gleaming in Shen Mo's eyes, the Moon Demon Lord breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that Shen Mo's determination was undoubtedly a huge boost to their plans. "For the time being, you and your female companion should stay here. I will make arrangements when the Heavenly Demon God's decree expires in two and a half months."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo immediately realized that Yue Mojun had misunderstood, and quickly waved his hand to explain, "Yue Mojun has misunderstood. She is not my female companion, just a friend." As soon as he finished speaking, the image of Murong Qing involuntarily surfaced in his mind, causing a slight stirring in Shen Mo's heart. However, Shen Mo still did not understand why this was happening.

Xie Xin stood to the side, a flicker of disappointment crossing her eyes as she heard Shen Mo's explanation. Her fingers unconsciously twisted together, and she wondered if she didn't even deserve to be his companion.

"Shen Mo," Xie Xin said softly, trying to hide her disappointment, "Since we're staying here for the time being, I'll take care of you." Her voice trembled slightly, but she tried to remain calm. (Xie Xin was trying to do this to thank Shen Mo for his help.)

Shen Mo looked at Xie Xin and noticed the subtle change in her eyes. He knew his words might have made her uncomfortable, but he also understood that Xie Xin was probably mixing her gratitude with other, deeper feelings. Therefore, Shen Mo politely declined, saying, "Xie Xin, thank you for your kindness, but I've gotten used to acting alone."

Xie Xin was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Shen Mo to say that. Her face paled slightly, and a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes. "But..." she hesitated, but finally nodded, "Alright, since you say so, I won't force you."

The Moon Demon Lord observed all of this from the side. Seeing Xie Xin's disappointed look, she clearly sensed that Xie Xin had feelings for Shen Mo. So she said, "Since you're here, you're a guest. Xie Xin can stay here. If you have any needs, you can let us know." She said gently.

Xie Xin felt slightly comforted upon hearing this, but then something occurred to her, and she mustered her courage to ask, "Senior, I have a request. I would like to ask if it is possible for me to join the Heavenly Demon God Sect?"

This suggestion surprised Moon Demon Lord. She carefully examined Xie Xin, then slowly nodded, "Of course, but we need to see your talent first, since joining the Heavenly Demon God Sect has its own standards and requirements."

The Moon Demon Lord stood up, walked to Xie Xin, and gently touched her forehead with her palm. After a moment, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, "I really didn't expect that although you don't have a special physique, the degree of your meridian opening is far greater than that of ordinary people, no different from a martial arts genius. You are a good candidate for martial arts training."

Hearing this, Xie Xin's heart suddenly raced, and her face revealed undisguised excitement and anticipation. She had always thought of herself as just an ordinary woman, nothing special, but now she actually had the opportunity to join the Heavenly Demon God Sect and continue to improve her strength. It felt like a wonderful dream.

Then, the Moon Demon Lord smiled and announced, "I can agree to let you join the Heavenly Demon God Sect. In the days to come, you will first learn the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon God Sect from Yue Linglong. If your strength can be improved to a certain level when the Demon Refining Mountain opens, you and Shen Mo will be sent to the Demon Refining Mountain together."

Upon hearing the news, Xie Xin's heart ignited with boundless joy. Countless images flashed through her mind: herself fighting shoulder to shoulder with Shen Mo on Demon Refining Mountain, competing against others… She knew this was an opportunity to change her destiny, a chance to transform herself from ordinary to extraordinary.

"Thank you for your kindness, senior!" Xie Xin's voice choked with emotion as she bowed deeply to express her gratitude. Tears of emotion welled up in her eyes. At this moment, she made a silent vow to improve her strength as quickly as possible to meet the requirements for going to the Demon Refining Mountain, not only to prove her worth but also to repay Shen Mo for his help.

The Moon Demon Lord waved her hand, indicating that she didn't need to be so polite. "As long as you are willing to work hard, with your talent, you will definitely achieve something in the future." Her eyes were full of encouragement, as if she could already see Xie Xin's future glory.

Xie Xin raised her head and looked at the Moon Demon Lord with a firm gaze. "Senior, please rest assured, I will do my best and will never let you down."

Yue Linglong watched all this with a happy smile on her face. She walked up to Xie Xin, her eyes sparkling with excitement and anticipation: "You're older than me, so it's not appropriate for us to address each other as master and disciple. But since I'll be guiding you from now on, please call me senior sister!"

Yue Linglong's voice was filled with joy and an undisguised pride. She had always longed for the opportunity to instruct others in martial arts, and now that opportunity had finally arrived. A sense of responsibility and accomplishment welled up within her, as if she had grown from a student who needed to be taught into a mentor who could impart knowledge and guide others forward.

Xie Xin nodded gratefully and immediately called out, "Senior Sister, I'm counting on you from now on." Her words were filled with sincere gratitude, and her eyes revealed boundless anticipation for the future. At that moment, she felt an unprecedented sense of belonging, as if she had found a path leading to the light.

Hearing the title "Senior Sister," Yue Linglong felt a surge of satisfaction. She felt her efforts had been recognized, and at the same time, she realized she had taken on new responsibilities. Her eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a bright smile. "Come on, Junior Sister, I'll arrange accommodations for you." As she spoke, she gently took Xie Xin's wrist, her movements soft and warm, as if afraid that too much force would frighten her.