Wandering Swordsman |

At this moment, a crack quietly appeared in the ice in Murong Qing's heart, and all hostility towards Situ Meng vanished.

She took a sip of tea, its fragrance lingering on her palate. Finally, she couldn't help but speak: "Miss Situ...why are you living here? You clearly deserve to live in a better place. And you don't even have a maid; this is not befitting your status."

Upon hearing this, Situ Meng smiled gently and looked at the plum tree: "Miss Murong, this is not Jingtian Pavilion after all. I came here with my father, so I am naturally a member of the Martial Alliance. I am already very content to have such a simple place to live."

......

"Miss Situ," Murong Qing said with a smile, "you must be quite knowledgeable in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, right? I've heard that you're not only known for your beauty in the martial arts world, but also as a remarkable woman who excels in both literature and martial arts."

Situ Meng smiled gently, a smile as warm and gentle as the first ray of spring sunshine. "Miss Murong, you flatter me. I merely enjoy tinkering with things in my spare time. As for you, Miss Murong, the rumors circulating in the martial arts world that you will be the future head of the Murong family are truly admirable."

Their conversation deepened, shifting from poetry and literature to anecdotes about the martial arts world, and then to their respective dreams and pursuits. Murong Qing discovered that Situ Meng was not only exceptionally talented but also possessed a strong sense of justice and responsibility. She began to realize that if Situ Meng truly loved Shen Mo, she might not be entirely unable to accept it.

Just as they were engrossed in their conversation, a steady footstep interrupted them. Situ Dengfeng pushed open the courtyard door and walked slowly into the courtyard. His gaze first fell on his daughter, then turned to Shen Mo. He smiled, but his eyes concealed a barely perceptible wariness.

"Young Master Shen," Situ Dengfeng bowed respectfully, "You disappeared halfway through your journey back then, and I've never had the chance to properly thank you for saving my daughter from the Black Wind Gang. Today, I finally have the opportunity to make up for it."

Shen Mo quickly returned the greeting: "Senior, you are too kind. What happened back then was nothing more than a small favor."

However, Situ Dengfeng did not stop there. A lingering doubt remained in his mind: Could Shen Mo be a spy for the Demonic Sect?

Because it was Situ Dengfeng who single-handedly destroyed the Demonic Sect back then, he naturally knew that the Demonic Sect would capture some people, train them into spies for the Demonic Sect, and then send them back to the Central Plains martial arts world to gather intelligence for the Demonic Sect.

To confirm this, Situ Dengfeng decided to test him. He slowly raised his palm and gently patted Shen Mo's shoulder, pretending to admire him. At the same time, a surge of internal energy silently flowed from his hand to Shen Mo's shoulder, attempting to detect any abnormalities within his body.

Shen Mo sensed this power and his heart stirred, but he showed no panic. Relying on the strong foundation of his Heavenly Martial Body and the profound inner strength of a Heavenly Demon God, he easily guided this probing power. Not only that, he also cleverly fed back a portion of his inner strength to Situ Dengfeng, allowing the other party to feel his purity and power.

Situ Dengfeng withdrew his hand, secretly relieved. Through his covert investigation, he knew that Shen Mo was definitely not a member of the Demonic Sect. Moreover, although this young man's strength was not as great as his own, it far surpassed that of his peers.

Seeing how outstanding Shen Mo was, he couldn't help but think of the changes in his daughter Situ Meng these past few days. Since learning that Shen Mo had appeared in the Central Plains, Situ Meng had become much happier. However, after learning that Shen Mo was engaged to Murong Qing, her mood plummeted. Until recently, when she heard the news that Shen Mo had come to the Martial Alliance, she spent a long time carefully dressing up.

Looking at the young, handsome, and exceptionally capable man before him, Situ Dengfeng's worries gradually dissipated.

He understood that it was not without reason that his daughter was drawn to such a person.

However, what Situ Dengfeng didn't know was that the Heavenly Demon Sect, to which Shen Mo belonged, was on a completely different level from the Demonic Sect. Furthermore, Shen Mo possessed the Heavenly Martial Body, and his current martial arts skills far surpassed Situ Dengfeng's, so naturally, Situ Dengfeng couldn't find anything amiss.

"Young Master Shen," he spoke slowly, his voice deep and steady, tinged with solemnity, "Back then, you saved Meng'er, a debt of gratitude no small matter. Many years have passed, yet you remain upright in character and possess extraordinary martial arts skills, which fills me with pride."

"If you are willing, I am willing to impart all my knowledge to you." Situ Dengfeng's tone was sincere and his eyes were firm. "Although I, Situ Dengfeng, dare not claim to be the best in the world in martial arts, I do have a solid foundation in the way of martial arts."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Upon hearing this, Murong Qing was startled, almost thinking he had misheard.

The leader of the martial arts alliance personally offered to teach martial arts?!

This is an opportunity that countless martial artists dream of! Ordinary martial artists spend ten years in arduous training, only to barely scratch the surface. And now, this towering figure of the Central Plains martial arts world has proactively extended an olive branch to Shen Mo, his words revealing no reservation whatsoever. This is an immense opportunity!

She couldn't help but look at Shen Mo, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Of course, she knew what this meant for Shen Mo—if he could receive personal instruction from Situ Dengfeng, it would be enough to give him a higher status in the martial arts world. Who would dare to look down on him when he traveled the martial arts world in the future?

But Situ Dengfeng was unaware that Shen Mo, who stood before him after so many years, was no longer the boy who needed to learn unparalleled martial arts to improve his strength.

Shen Mo remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips, his gaze gentle yet neither humble nor arrogant.

He cupped his hands slightly, his tone gentle yet measured: "Thank you for your kindness, senior. I am deeply grateful. However... I first became a disciple of Luo Wangchen and learned the 'Heavenly Gang Sword Technique,' then I was fortunate enough to receive guidance on the 'Taiji Xuantian Sword' from Master Zhang of Wudang, and finally, in the northern desert, I became a disciple of the Sunset Swordsman and learned the 'Sunset True Qi'..."

"Throughout this journey, I have come to realize that the path of martial arts lies in specialization, not in greed for a wide variety of techniques. If one rashly ventures into other schools' techniques, it may disrupt one's foundation and result in more harm than good."

He spoke with extreme humility, yet every word was powerful, neither lacking in manners nor failing to subtly decline this seemingly irresistible offer.

Situ Dengfeng was slightly taken aback, then laughed heartily, his eyes instantly sparkling. He patted Shen Mo on the shoulder: "What a fine 'specialization is key'! Young Master Shen is indeed no ordinary person. With such insight, it's no wonder you've achieved such skill in just a few years."

His voice echoed in the courtyard, startling several birds perched on the plum tree, which fluttered and flew into the clear sky. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting a warm yet dignified glow on his face.

Murong Qing listened quietly, a strange emotion stirring within her. Looking at the martial arts alliance leader before her, she suddenly realized—his acceptance of Shen Mo was not merely the tolerance of a father for the person his daughter loved, but rather, as a martial artist, the respect for another, more powerful being.