Wandering Swordsman |

Meanwhile, inside the Diancang Sect, Shen Mo, dressed in a blue robe, sat upright at his desk, his expression calm, yet his eyes as bright as the morning star. He gently set down his teacup, the bottom of which lightly touched the table with a crisp sound, like a plucked string, breaking the momentary silence.

"Sect Leader Duan, regarding the Dali City massacre, after yesterday's investigation, I still have no leads. I wonder if the Diancang Sect has been able to find out who was responsible?"

Duan Qianya slowly stood up, wearing a long black robe and with an ancient longsword hanging at his waist. His face was calm and his gaze was deep. He did not answer immediately, but instead walked to the window and looked at the mountains under the night sky in the distance, as if he was thinking or weighing his options.

"Young Master Shen," he finally spoke, his voice deep and resonant, "yesterday, after our thorough investigation, we have irrefutable evidence that the Dali City massacre the night before was the work of evil cultivators from overseas."

Shen Mo's gaze shifted slightly, his brows furrowing as if he were shaken by this "astonishing news." He abruptly stood up, his movements swift and decisive, his clothes fluttering, a sharp and anxious glint in his eyes.

"Foreign heretical cultivators?!" His tone turned serious, his voice filled with anger and urgency. "Sect Leader, there's no time to lose! I'll immediately set out to track them down. We absolutely cannot let them wreak havoc on the Central Plains again!"

Duan Qianya looked at Shen Mo's "righteous indignation" and a cold smile crept into his heart. So, he cooperated by putting on a "patriotic and concerned" expression, as if he was really thinking about the safety of the martial arts world.

"Young Master Shen is truly a man of great righteousness." Duan Qianya nodded slowly, his tone sincere, yet he couldn't hide the subtle calculation in the corner of his eye. "However, when my Diancang disciples investigated last night, they discovered that these overseas evil cultivators seem to be connected with the Black Wind Gang. Moreover... after committing the tragedy, they retreated in the direction of the Black Wind Gang."

He paused, seemingly hesitant, or perhaps carefully choosing his words: "If Young Master Shen really wants to investigate, he might as well take a trip to the Black Wind Gang."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo already understood. A slight smile appeared on his lips, but his face remained impassive, as if he had truly been guided by Duan Qianya's words.

"I see." He nodded slightly, a hint of realization flashing in his eyes. He then bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Sect Leader Duan. I will set off now and will definitely bring these evil overseas cultivators to justice."

Having said that, he turned and strode out, his clothes fluttering, his steps firm, as if he didn't want to waste a single moment.

Duan Qianya stood there, watching Shen Mo's departing figure, a slow, meaningful smile creeping onto his lips. He slowly sat down, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, and murmured to himself, "Shen Mo, oh Shen Mo... you're still too young. Once you've fought the overseas evil cultivators and the Black Wind Gang to a standstill, my Diancang will be able to monopolize the secrets of the Martial God's Tomb..."

Outside the window, the wind howled faster, and the clouds churned like ink, as if a storm was quietly brewing.

Shen Mo walked out of the Diancang Sect's gate and hurried down the winding mountain path, secretly pondering Duan Qianya's intentions. He knew that Duan Qianya was preparing to send him to restrain the Black Wind Gang and the overseas evil cultivators, so that the Diancang Sect could monopolize the secret of the Martial God's Tomb.

However, Shen Mo was not annoyed by this. Instead, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. Since that was the case, he would go with the flow and see what tricks they were trying to play.

As he was lost in thought, he suddenly caught a glimpse of something unusual out of the corner of his eye.

In the distance, among the trees, a figure resembling a woodcutter could be seen appearing and disappearing, seemingly following him at a leisurely pace. The woodcutter was dressed in coarse cloth, wore a straw hat, and carried a machete on his shoulder. He appeared utterly ordinary, but Shen Mo keenly sensed that this person's steps were light and his breathing was long and deep, indicating that he was no ordinary woodcutter.

Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he deliberately slowed down, pretending not to notice anything amiss.

A moment later, he suddenly sped up, his movements as swift as lightning, and in a few leaps he disappeared into a dense forest. The woodcutter, seeing this, followed closely behind without hesitation, as if he had already anticipated his actions.

In the mountains and forests, the trees reach for the sky, their branches and leaves intertwined, and sunlight filters through the gaps, casting dappled shadows, like a series of broken paintings.

Shen Mo moved through the forest with the lightness of a cat, each step landing perfectly on the fallen leaves without making a sound. He deliberately chose a secluded path, venturing deep into the mountains and forests, and only stopped when he was sure that no one else was around.

"Since you have followed me all this way, why not show yourself?" Shen Mo said loudly, his voice clear and resonant, echoing through the silent mountain forest.

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the woodcutter slowly emerged from behind the tree, a faint smile on his face.

He put down the wood-chopping knife, crossed his arms, and stared intently at Shen Mo.

"Young hero, your martial arts are indeed superb. Even with my careful tracking, you still managed to discover me," the woodcutter said, his voice deep and magnetic, clearly indicating he was no ordinary woodcutter.

A cold glint flashed in Shen Mo's eyes. In a flash, he closed in on the woodcutter, his right hand shooting out like lightning, aiming straight for the man's throat. This move was swift as thunder and unstoppable, clearly intended to intimidate his opponent.

The woodcutter remained calm, subtly shifting his feet and leaning back to narrowly avoid Shen Mo's fierce attack. Immediately afterward, he struck out with a backhand palm, the wind whistling and sending a flurry of fallen leaves flying. However, Shen Mo seemed to have anticipated this move, sweeping out with his left palm to meet the woodcutter's force. A muffled "bang" resounded, and the woodcutter was forced back several steps, his expression slightly altered.

Shen Mo pressed his advantage, his figure flashing like a ghost as he pounced again. His left hand formed a claw, gripping his opponent's wrist, while his right hand, in a fist, struck fiercely towards his opponent's chest. This move was incredibly powerful, sealing off all of the woodcutter's escape routes in the blink of an eye.

The woodcutter was startled, knowing that if he didn't go all out, he would surely be defeated by Shen Mo. He took a deep breath, circulated his inner energy, and leaped forward, trying to avoid Shen Mo's attack. However, how could Shen Mo give him the chance? He stomped his right foot on the ground, using the momentum to launch himself into the air, and delivered a flying kick that struck the woodcutter squarely in the ribs.

The woodcutter groaned, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground. Shen Mo landed steadily, his gaze fixed intently on the fallen woodcutter, and coldly asked, "Who exactly are you? Why are you following me?"

The woodcutter lay on the ground, panting for a few moments, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Haha, Brother Shen's martial arts are now so advanced that even the Valley Master is no less skilled!" With that, he reached out and removed the mask from his face, revealing a familiar face—it was the Bookworm!

Upon seeing him, Shen Mo was overjoyed and rushed forward to help him up. "Brother Shu! I never expected it to be you!" he said excitedly, his eyes glistening with tears of joy.