Wandering Swordsman |

Before long, all the guards caught up and, seeing Shen Mo standing on the edge of the cliff, surrounded him. However, after surrounding Shen Mo and ensuring he couldn't escape, none of them advanced; instead, they surrounded him without attacking, as if waiting for something. A hint of doubt flashed through Shen Mo's mind, but it was quickly replaced by unwavering resolve. He gripped his bronze sword tightly, a cold glint in his eyes.

About half an incense stick's time later, Master Ma, accompanied by several attendants, slowly appeared in Shen Mo's sight. In the moonlight, Master Ma's figure appeared exceptionally tall; he was slender but appeared capable. His eyes were deep and penetrating, as if they could see through everything. He held two ball bearings in his hand, constantly turning them, displaying his inner calm and composure. A slight smile graced his face, but that smile exuded a chilling murderous aura.

Master Ma pushed his way through the encirclement and stood at the front of the crowd. His thin frame appeared exceptionally tall in the moonlight, and his deep eyes radiated a chilling murderous intent. Two ball bearings spun rapidly in his hands, as if he were calculating something. With that same chilling smile, Master Ma asked in a calm tone, "Young man, what did you hear? And who is Zhao Qingyun to you?"

Seeing that the man before him seemed to be their leader, and noticing that he asked the question as if he hadn't even noticed He Yun's appearance, Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat. He realized this was an opportunity to reassure the thieves and prevent them from pursuing the escaped He Yun and Zhao Xue. After a moment's thought, Shen Mo decided to deliberately provoke Master Ma to divert his attention.

Shen Mo deliberately raised his voice and shouted, "You old thief, I've been waiting for you for ages! Why are you only arriving now?! Tell me, what did I just hear?"

After a pause, Shen Mo said arrogantly, "Then I'll tell you, I heard everything!" His eyes revealed a resolute look, as if he had already prepared for the worst.

However, Shen Mo's deliberate provocation did not anger Master Ma. Master Ma's unsettling smile remained, as if everything was under his control. He lightly raised a hand, waved it forward, and said calmly, "Leave him a whole corpse."

Upon seeing Master Ma's gesture, the guards immediately drew their swords and attacked Shen Mo. Under the moonlight, the glint of blades flashed, and a chilling aura filled the air. Shen Mo gripped his bronze sword tightly. Though nervous, the determination and courage in his eyes seemed to tell everyone that he would not fall easily.

Shen Mo swiftly dodged the first wave of attacks, then swung his sword backhand at the nearest guard. The bronze sword drew an arc in the air, creating a whooshing sound. The guards were clearly well-trained, quickly adjusting their formation and attacking from all sides. Shen Mo parried left and right, each strike precise and powerful, but the guards outnumbered him, their attacks relentless and relentless.

Shen Mo secretly calculated in his mind. He knew it would be difficult to break through on his own, but he could at least hold off the guards and buy more time for He Yun and Zhao Xue. His swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, each swing carrying a resolute momentum. However, the guards' attacks also grew more intense, and Shen Mo gradually felt his strength waning, sweat streaming down his face.

Master Ma stood aside, observing coldly with a sneer on his lips. He gently twirled the ball bearing in his hand, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. Clearly, he had absolute confidence in the guards' abilities. The guards were well-trained, their attacks on Shen Mo relentless, wave after wave.

Seeing the guards charging, Shen Mo's heart tightened; he knew he couldn't delay any longer. He suddenly roared and swung his sword at one of the guards, a spray of blood rising from the blade. The guard screamed and fell to the ground. This move temporarily disrupted the guards' formation, but it also drew more attacks. Shen Mo's swordsmanship became even faster, each strike carrying a resolute momentum, but the guards seemed endless, surging in wave after wave.

Shen Mo's strength was gradually being exhausted, and sweat slid down his cheeks, soaking his clothes. But he still held his ground, with only one thought in his mind—every second he gained would make He Yun and Zhao Xue safer.

Although his Heavenly Gang Sword Technique combined with the Tiger-Breaking Technique was fierce, it ultimately couldn't overcome the numerical disadvantage. Finally, a guard seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack from the side, slashing at Shen Mo's back with his sword. Fortunately, the wound wasn't very deep, but it still quickly stained his clothes red. Shen Mo groaned in pain, but still gritted his teeth and persevered, swinging his sword to counterattack.

Seeing this, Master Ma's sneer deepened. His tone was calm but ruthless: "Young man, you certainly have guts, but unfortunately, you are destined to die here today."

Shen Mo gritted his teeth, his eyes revealing an unyielding determination: "Enough nonsense. It's already worth it if I can take a few of you down with me before I die. Besides, I've memorized all of your faces. Even as a ghost, I'll haunt you all."

Master Ma smiled slightly, a hint of admiration in his eyes: "He has backbone, I admire that. You may all step back, I will personally see him off." He waved for the guards to withdraw, then drew his sword and slowly walked towards Shen Mo.

Seeing Master Ma personally taking the field, Shen Mo became extremely nervous and immediately became highly vigilant. Shen Mo secretly calculated in his mind that this would be his final battle.

Finally, Master Ma made his move. Although Shen Mo tried his best to defend himself, Master Ma's martial arts skills were clearly unfathomable.

In just five moves, Master Ma knocked Shen Mo's bronze sword away and then pierced Shen Mo's heart with a single strike.

Shen Mo felt a sharp pain and instinctively took a few steps back. Losing his balance in the agony, he landed squarely on the edge of the cliff, falling backward and plummeting to his death. In the moonlight, his figure traced an arc through the air before disappearing into the dark abyss.

Master Ma stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down in the direction Shen Mo had fallen, a cold glint in his eyes. He then glanced at the blood-stained bronze sword on the ground, a sneer playing on his lips. He sheathed his sword, gently turning the ball bearing in his hand, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. He knew Shen Mo's heart had been pierced, and coupled with the fall from such a height, he was certain to die. Even if he didn't, the poison on his sword would surely shorten Shen Mo's lifespan. A confident smile then appeared on Master Ma's face.

Just then, a guard stepped forward and reported to Master Ma: "Master Ma, we chased a total of three people, but we only see one now. The other two have disappeared."

Upon hearing this, Master Ma frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Notify the brothers who are lurking in Liaocheng to investigate the people who left the city tonight. I need to see the list tomorrow morning." His tone was firm and unquestionable, and his eyes revealed an unassailable authority.

The guard replied, "Yes, Master Ma."

Then, Master Ma slowly turned around, walked ahead, and slowly left. His steps were steady and powerful, each step showing composure. The guards around him followed, forming a tight protective circle to ensure Master Ma's safety.