Wandering Swordsman |

Seeing Shen Mo leave, Aunt Wang felt a pang of resentment at his rejection, but for now, she had no choice but to let it go. She muttered to herself, "It seems little Shen has grown up and actually has his own ideas now. I hope he won't regret it."

Shen Mo ignored the surrounding whispers and strode confidently away from the town. The setting sun cast a golden glow on his back. However, no sooner had Shen Mo left than a martial artist who had been drinking tea in the teahouse slowly approached Granny Wang and her companions.

......

Shen Mo slowly walked into the village along the path he remembered. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the path ahead, adding a desolate touch to this once familiar land. However, the scene before him shocked him: the entire village was unrecognizable, now completely covered by weeds, almost unrecognizable.

Back when I was a beggar in town, I would occasionally go back to the village to tidy up. Now, six years after I left, the entire village has become a desolate wasteland, with only a few crumbling walls swaying in the wind, as if telling stories of the past.

Shen Mo's steps slowed involuntarily, his eyes filled with sorrow. Memories flooded back like a tide: the days he played with his friends, his parents' warm smiles, and the countless times he ran through the fields... It all seemed so vivid, yet the reality before him cruelly reminded him that time had changed everything.

When he returned to his home along the path of his memory, he found his dilapidated wooden house long since rotted and collapsed, completely covered by vegetation. The thatched roof was gone, leaving only a few crooked wooden beams trembling in the wind and rain. The surrounding walls had also collapsed, with bricks and stones scattered all over the ground, and dense weeds grew all around, as if nature was slowly devouring this land that once belonged to him.

A pang of sorrow gripped Shen Mo's heart. He knelt down and gently stroked the broken planks, feeling their cold, rough texture. An overwhelming grief welled up within him. His once warm and welcoming home was now so desolate, filling him with immense desolation.

Then, Shen Mo got up and walked towards his parents' graves. Along the way, he saw many villagers' graves buried under weeds, their shapes completely obscured, as if everything here was gradually being forgotten. With each step, the heaviness in his heart increased, as if even breathing became difficult.

Finally, he arrived at his parents' graves. The mounds were covered with weeds, appearing as just ordinary little hills, not at all like graves. Shen Mo gently parted the weeds, revealing a simple wooden tombstone underneath. Although time had eroded and blackened it, the name he had personally carved on it was still clearly visible.

"Father, Mother..." Shen Mo's voice choked with emotion, tears welling in his eyes, "I'm back."

He knelt before the grave and recounted his experiences over the years to his parents.

A gentle breeze brought a refreshing coolness, like the tender caress of her parents. Shen Mo closed her eyes, and countless childhood images flooded her mind: her mother's gentle smile, her father's strong back, those ordinary yet precious moments…

About an hour later, Shen Mo slowly got up and carefully tidied up his parents' graves one last time.

He pulled out the last weed and gently smoothed the soil with his hands, as if he were tidying his parents' clothes. Then, he took out the wooden memorial tablet he always carried with him and infused it with a trace of demonic energy. This power would not only protect the grave from being covered by weeds but also repel snakes, insects, and rodents, keeping the grave safe from harm.

Shen Mo held the memorial tablet in his hands, closed his eyes, and silently prayed, "Father, Mother, I have grown up now. May you rest in peace." He gently buried the memorial tablet in front of his parents' graves, carefully covering it with soil and stones to ensure it was secure. After doing all this, he felt a little calmer.

As the sun gradually set, its afterglow bathed the desolate land, adding a touch of melancholy. Shen Mo took a deep breath and turned to leave the village. He knew that more challenges awaited him in the future, but at this moment, this land had given him enough strength and courage.

When he reached the village entrance, he found a martial artist standing there. The man was burly, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, carrying a long sword on his back. He stood there quietly, as if waiting for something. His gaze was firm and sharp, and he stared intently at Shen Mo as soon as Shen Mo appeared.

Feeling the gaze, Shen Mo's heart stirred slightly, but he didn't stop walking forward. As he approached the martial artist, the man suddenly spoke: "Are you Shen Mo?"

Shen Mo stopped, looking directly into the other person's eyes, his tone calm and indifferent: "Yes, I am Shen Mo. Is there something you need?"

The martial artist smiled slightly, his voice deep and magnetic: "I'm here to confirm a few things. Who are your parents?"

Shen Mo frowned slightly, a sense of wariness rising within him. He didn't understand why this stranger was suddenly asking about his parents, but he didn't intend to reveal too much information easily. "Who my parents are, what does it have to do with you?" he retorted, a hint of impatience in his tone.

The martial artist was not angered by Shen Mo's attitude; instead, he appeared even more composed: "I am here on the orders of the family head. Perhaps you can help me answer some of the family head's questions."

"Entrusted by the patriarch?" Shen Mo wondered to himself, wondering who had sent this mysterious person. He decided to probe the other party's intentions first, "Then tell me, who is your patriarch?"

The martial artist paused slightly, seemingly considering how to answer: "Shen Tianxing of the Shen Family Manor in Hangzhou!"

After he finished answering, the martial artist urged, "This matter concerns your parents. Tell me quickly who your parents are and what their names are."

Hearing this, Shen Mo's eyes sharpened further. Shen Family Manor? He'd never heard of that name in the martial arts world. He took a step forward, almost touching the martial artist's face: "Related to my parents? What do you know? Speak!"

Faced with Shen Mo's questioning, the martial artist did not get angry. Instead, he appeared unusually calm, his eyes revealing a deep and firm look: "Don't be in such a hurry. Why don't you come with me to Hangzhou and let the family head tell you in person?"

Countless thoughts flashed through Shen Mo's mind. This stranger clearly knew some important information about his parents, and his attitude suggested it wasn't a lie. Although doubts lingered, he decided to temporarily lower his guard in order to uncover the truth. "Okay, I'll go to Hangzhou with you."