Wandering Swordsman |

Yang Zhi's attitude surprised Shen Mo as well. He naturally knew that the Twelve Venerables held a high position in the Heavenly Demon God Sect, but he did not expect that the martial artists in the Northern Desert would also know the name of Venerable Juechenzi.

Juechenzi waved his hand gently: "Yang Zhi, there's no need to be so formal. We've come here to arrange for him to return to the Central Plains as your disciple, as we previously agreed." After speaking, Juechenzi looked at Shen Mo.

Yang Zhi nodded in understanding and didn't ask any further questions. His gaze shifted to Shen Mo, his eyes filled with curiosity and scrutiny. "Is this the young man who wants to learn my martial arts?"

Juechenzi nodded: "That's right. He... is my subordinate. He has an important mission to take to the Central Plains, so he needs to go there as your disciple."

Yang Zhi nodded inwardly after hearing this. Although he didn't know much about Shen Mo's background, Juechenzi's mention of an "important mission" filled him with anticipation for this young man.

He immediately nodded in agreement: "In that case, let's start tomorrow. I will teach you some basic techniques of 'Sunset True Qi,' as well as a few of my commonly used sword techniques."

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the courtyard, Shen Mo arrived early, attentively listening to Yang Zhi's instructions. His focused expression and meticulous attitude made him seem like an ordinary disciple, completely contradicting his identity as the Demon God of that day.

Yang Zhi first taught him the basic mental techniques of "Sunset True Qi," and then demonstrated several basic sword movements. To Yang Zhi's astonishment, Shen Mo's learning speed was simply beyond imagination. Shen Mo stood aside, carefully observing Yang Zhi's movements, not missing a single detail. Then, he began to perfectly replicate every move and every detail.

Seeing this, Yang Zhi, who refused to believe in evil, personally demonstrated a complex sword technique—this sword technique incorporated the essence of "Sunset True Qi," and was highly versatile and powerful.

However, to everyone's surprise, Shen Mo was able to reproduce it accurately after only watching it once. Moreover, Shen Mo's movements were even more fluid and natural, as if he had been practicing for many years.

"This...how is this possible?" Yang Zhi couldn't help but exclaim, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Then, a hint of appreciation appeared in Yang Zhi's eyes: "Your comprehension is so high, would you be interested in becoming my true disciple?"

Shen Mo smiled and politely declined, saying, "I appreciate your kindness, senior, but I already have a master."

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhi paused slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes. His brow furrowed slightly, as if he were pondering something important. However, after a moment, that disappointment was replaced by relief. He took a deep breath, a faint smile appearing on his lips, as if he had figured something out.

Yang Zhi nodded, his tone becoming relaxed and magnanimous: "So be it. What if we can't become master and disciple? It would be a real pity to miss out on such a talented person. I will continue to guide you until you have fully mastered my martial arts."

Perhaps for established martial arts masters, encountering a highly talented junior would inspire a desire to pass on their skills and ensure the junior's continued success. While Yang Zhi felt some regret, he was also gratified to have met a genius like Shen Mo.

Shen Mo had also thought of this, so he respectfully said, "Thank you for your guidance, senior."

Juechenzi watched all this from the sidelines, a smile playing on his lips. If Yang Zhi knew that the young man before him was actually the Heavenly Demon God, he might faint from fright. However, he didn't reveal the secret, but simply watched silently as Shen Mo learned martial arts from Yang Zhi.

Three days later, Shen Mo had finished learning all of Yang Zhi's lifelong martial arts. During this time, he not only mastered the essence of "Sunset True Qi," but also learned several complex sword techniques.

On the morning of the fourth day, sunlight streamed into the courtyard. Shen Mo and Yang Zhi stood there, the atmosphere somewhat somber. Shen Mo bowed deeply to Yang Zhi respectfully: "Senior Yang, thank you for your meticulous guidance these past few days."

Yang Zhi smiled and nodded, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes: "Shen Mo, your talent and diligence make me very gratified. Although we cannot become formal master and apprentice, these few days have been incredibly precious to me. I hope you can continue to maintain this humility and perseverance, and make continuous progress in the future."

Shen Mo raised his head, his gaze firm: "Senior Yang, I will remember your teachings and will never let you down."

......

After bidding farewell to Yang Zhi, Shen Mo and Juechenzi embarked on their journey away from the northern desert. The two rode side-by-side, slowly heading south along the vast, boundless grassland path. Along the way, the grassland scenery was picturesque: the expansive grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see, the grass undulating like a green ocean in the gentle breeze; the distant mountains shone golden in the setting sun; and occasionally, herds of horses galloped freely across the grasslands, their manes fluttering in the wind like vibrant flames.

After several days of arduous travel, they finally arrived outside Yanmen Pass. This ancient pass stood amidst towering mountains, its tall and majestic walls exuding solemnity. The mottled marks on the walls bore witness to countless years of vicissitudes, seemingly telling the stories that had unfolded here. In the distance, the rolling mountains outlined the contours of the Central Plains, as if welcoming their return.

Upon reaching Yanmen Pass, Juechenzi stopped his horse: "Heavenly Demon God, once we enter Yanmen Pass, we will be in the Central Plains. I will return to the Heavenly Demon God Sect now. If you have any instructions, please contact me by carrier pigeon."

Shen Mo also reined in the reins and looked back at Juechenzi: "Alright, you go first. I'll return to the Heavenly Demon God Sect after I've finished my business."

Juechenzi nodded, but then, as if remembering something, he took out an envelope from his robes and handed it to Shen Mo with both hands. His expression was serious and earnest, with a hint of caution in his eyes: "Heavenly Demon God, this is the list of Heavenly Demon God Sect spies that Flame Demon Lord previously planted in the Central Plains. If you need any help in the Central Plains, you can contact the people on the list."

"Oh, right, and this too." He took out an ancient-looking token from his pocket and handed it to Shen Mo. "This is a token that Lord Yanmo asked me to give to you. If you need these undercover agents to provide assistance, just show this token."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo immediately became interested. He took the letter and the token, carefully examining the patterns and markings on the token. The token was made of bronze, with the character "炎" (Yan) engraved on the front and a mysterious pattern on the back, as if hiding some profound meaning.

Shen Mo understood that by handing over the list and entrusting Juechenzi with the token, Yan Mojun was undoubtedly indicating that he had given up his ambition to dominate the world, putting Shen Mo at ease. Although this trust came suddenly, it also brought him a sense of relief.