Wandering Swordsman |

"Protect yourselves!" Shen Mo shouted as he engaged in fierce combat with his enemies. Although he was still concealing most of his strength, his swordsmanship was sharp and precise, each move containing immense power, repelling the assassins who tried to approach.

However, to his surprise, Murong Qing did not need protection as he had imagined. She drew her long sword, her movements as nimble as a swallow, weaving freely among the enemies. Her swordsmanship was light yet sharp, each swing accurately hitting its target, demonstrating astonishing skill.

"So what you said was true, your martial arts are already this amazing." Shen Mo thought to himself, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

However, the battle was not without its challenges. Just as she was about to finish off an assassin, she suddenly heard a scream behind her—it turned out that another member of the Murong family had been slashed by the enemy, bleeding profusely.

"Watch out!" Murong Qing shouted urgently, her figure flashing as she blocked the disciple's path. She swung her longsword, deflecting the fatal blow, but nearly injuring herself in the process. Fortunately, the main assassins' attention was entirely focused on Shen Mo; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Are you alright?" Murong Qing asked with concern, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

"Thank you so much, Miss Seven, for saving my life!" The young man was moved to tears, his eyes filled with admiration.

Meanwhile, Shen Mo was also fighting fiercely. Although he tried to keep some alive to interrogate the mastermind, the assassins were all fearless, preferring suicide to revealing any information. Finally, after dealing with most of the enemies, only one assassin remained alive. Shen Mo quickly stepped forward, intending to subdue him.

"Don't move! Tell me, who is the mastermind behind this?" Shen Mo said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the assassin with piercing intensity.

However, the assassin suddenly bit his tongue and committed suicide, blood gushing out, before collapsing to the ground, convulsing a few times, and dying. This scene shocked and unsettled everyone present.

"Not good!" Murong Qing's expression changed drastically as she realized the gravity of the situation. "These are clearly highly trained assassins. This indicates a much larger conspiracy behind this. We must hurry and reach Nanjing as soon as possible!"

She quickly directed everyone to prepare for departure. At that moment, her eyes were filled with determination and resolve. She knew that time was of the essence, and any delay could bring even greater danger.

Shen Mo, observing Murong Qing from the side, suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity. The willful and capricious nature of Murong Qing from five years ago was completely gone. Now she appeared so mature and composed, as if she had shed all her naiveté and become a true female knight-errant. Every movement, every word she uttered exuded a convincing power.

Before leaving the teahouse, Shen Mo approached each assassin's corpse and searched them carefully, hoping to find some clues to understand their identities.

He turned each cold, stiff body over and over, his fingers brushing lightly over their clothes and belongings, trying to find even the slightest clue.

However, after a meticulous search, he found nothing. The assassins carried no insignia or tokens, as if they were merely fleeting shadows in life, leaving no trace even in death.

After leaving the teahouse, the Murong family dared not delay any longer. They traveled day and night without rest, only taking short naps when they were most exhausted before continuing their journey. Over the past three days, everyone looked haggard, their eyes revealing a long-suppressed tension and vigilance. Even the most talkative members of the family were silent, with only the sound of horses' hooves crunching through the fallen leaves echoing along the forest path.

On the evening of the third day, as the group passed through a desolate area at the foot of the mountains, a commotion suddenly arose ahead. A group of about twenty "refugees," mostly elderly people, women, and children, were slowly walking along the official road. Only two strong men were supporting a few of the elderly. Their clothes were tattered, their faces covered in dust and sweat, but a barely perceptible glint of shrewdness shone in their eyes.

Shen Mo's gaze fell on the group of people, his brows furrowing slightly. He subtly scanned the group, his mind already on high alert—these "refugees" deliberately appeared to stagger and weak, but their steps were unusually synchronized, like those of trained soldiers; and the children's eyes were far too calm, even carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Upon noticing these anomalies, Shen Mo used the perception granted by the Heavenly Demon Qi to immediately discover that each of these "refugees" had practiced martial arts, and judging from the internal energy he sensed, their martial arts skills were not low. However, Shen Mo did not alert them, but silently observed the "refugees'" every move while considering his next course of action.

It turned out that these people were the second wave of assassins sent by the Blood Shadow Tower, disguised as refugees, intending to launch a surprise attack while the Murong family was feeling pity and lowering their guard. Unfortunately, they underestimated Shen Mo's true martial arts level, and they were unaware that Shen Mo had already discovered their true identities.

"Kind old men and women, please give us some food. We haven't eaten for many days." An old woman with a wrinkled face walked forward shakily, her voice hoarse, her eyes filled with tears, and the child in her arms tightly clutched the corner of her tattered clothes, looking pitiful.

Another burly man with a full beard pleaded in a low voice, "Please, kind sirs, have mercy! My elderly relatives and children are barely holding on."

Several other refugees gathered around, their faces plastered with ingratiating smiles, but their eyes concealed a glint of greed and ruthlessness. They approached step by step, seemingly helpless, but in reality, they were like wolves and tigers, waiting only for a command to pounce and tear their prey apart.

Seeing this, Murong Qing couldn't bear it and immediately ordered his attendants, "Give them some of our dry rations."

"Wait!" Just then, Shen Mo suddenly spoke up. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. He slowly stepped forward, his gaze as cold as a knife, staring directly at the group of "refugees."

"If you want something to eat, follow me." He said calmly, his tone soothing, yet it drew everyone's attention.

Murong Qing was taken aback, a look of confusion flashing in her eyes. She didn't understand why Shen Mo wanted to meet with these people alone, but she didn't question it. Instead, she nodded in agreement: "You should all go with this young hero. He will give you food."

Hearing this, the "refugees" were overjoyed. They had been worried about how to approach their target, but Shen Mo had actually delivered himself to their doorstep! So, more than twenty people swarmed towards Shen Mo, still pretending to be weak and exhausted, but the excitement in their eyes was impossible to hide.