Wandering Swordsman |

All the elders looked horrified. Elder Jianxin, Li Qingyang, murmured, "No wonder the yin energy in the mountains has been growing heavier in recent years, and I often feel uneasy when I cultivate at night... So this is the root of the problem!"

Shen Mo bent down, his fingertips lightly touching the stem of the Ganoderma lucidum. It was icy cold to the touch, as if he were holding a piece of cold jade from the netherworld. In an instant, a faint but stubborn spiritual struggle came from the Ganoderma lucidum, as if resisting its restraints, or as if pleading for freedom.

His gaze darkened slightly, and the demonic energy slowly flowed from his fingertips.

"Buzz—"

The light of the Azure Netherworld Ganoderma suddenly dimmed, and its low hum gradually subsided, as if a restless spirit beast had been tamed. Only its emerald luster continued to flow, like a galaxy hidden within jade, breathtakingly beautiful.

Shen Mo gently lifted the Ganoderma lucidum, turned around, and handed it to Master Yuxu: "Master, this item concerns the safety of Qingcheng. Please make your decision."

Master Yuxu did not accept it.

He stared intently at Shen Mo, his gaze piercing, as if trying to see right through him. After a long while, he laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the treetops: "This item was found by Young Hero Shen himself. If it weren't for you, we would still be lost in the 'haunted' fog, wasting our energy! According to the rules of the martial world, the first to obtain a spiritual item gets it—this Azure Netherworld Herb rightfully belongs to you!"

His voice was loud and clear, each word ringing with conviction: "Moreover, Young Hero Shen rescued Miss Meng last night and helped our sect eliminate the source of the haunting today. Such a great favor cannot be repaid with a mere spiritual herb. If you are willing to accept it, it will be a great honor for Qingcheng!"

The elders exchanged glances, some with envy in their eyes—the Azure Nether Ganoderma was a rare medicine that appeared only once in a thousand years. Taking it could cleanse the marrow and bones, prolong life and increase skill, and there were even rumors that it could break through martial arts bottlenecks! Such a treasure, and the sect leader was actually giving it away?

Elder Liao Tongxuan of Leiyin couldn't help but whisper, "Sect Leader, this thing was born from our sect's earth veins, so logically..."

"Logically?" Master Yuxu suddenly turned around, waving his whisk to interrupt him. "Although my Qingcheng Sect values ​​rules, we respect heroes even more! Rules are inanimate, but the Dao heart is alive! If one forgets gratitude and forcibly seizes the credit for a mere spiritual herb—then how is my Qingcheng Sect any different from those vulgar martial artists who fight for fame and fortune?!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone suddenly turning stern, but then softened into a clear, unwavering expression when it fell upon Shen Mo: "What do we cultivators seek? Nothing more than a clear conscience. If I do not yield today, how can I face this Daoist robe when I sit in meditation tomorrow? How can I face the ancestors of Qingcheng?"

He stepped forward and gently placed the Azure Netherworld Herb back into Shen Mo's hand, his movements solemn as if bestowing a lineage upon someone.

Under the watchful gaze of Master Yuxu, Shen Mo's shoulders tensed slightly. He intended to decline, but when the words "a clear conscience" resounded in his ears like thunder, his heart felt as if it had been washed by a clear spring, becoming clear and resolute.

"Take it, Young Master Shen." His voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable authority. "This item is rightfully yours. If it can help you advance further in your martial arts, it will be a blessing for Qingcheng, and even more so for the martial arts world of the Central Plains."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, there was no ripple in his eyes, only calmness.

He bowed deeply, performing the most respectful greeting of a junior, his movements steady and neither servile nor arrogant. "Since I have received your trust, I dare not refuse. Thank you for your generous gift."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm and resounding.

Master Yuxu looked at him, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. He smiled slightly and finally laughed loudly: "Young Master Shen, you have the Way in your heart. The Martial Alliance is fortunate to have you. It is a great blessing for the Central Plains martial arts world."

Li Fanglin stood to the side, his black robes fluttering, observing coldly. But now he couldn't help but narrow his eyes and mutter, "This kid... he's actually quite interesting."

Situ Meng stood beside Shen Mo, watching his back as he accepted the lingzhi, her heart suddenly rippled like spring water. She looked at the lingzhi in his palm, which shimmered with a green light, and then at his cold profile, and felt that his features were as reassuring as mountains.

......

With the matter of Qingcheng settled, the three bid farewell to Master Yuxu and slowly descended the mountain.

Outside the mountain gate, the morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the winding blue stone path led into the forest, dewdrops clinging to the tips of the grass, glistening as if about to fall. Situ Meng wore that indigo coarse cloth dress, her hair simply tied up, without any jewels, which only made her appear more elegant and refined. She walked slowly and gently, as if afraid of disturbing the peaceful slumber of the mountains.

Shen Mo walked ahead, his black robes fluttering. The Azure Netherworld Herb in his hand was wrapped in a piece of plain cloth and tucked close to his body. The icy chill still seeped into his skin, but it was no longer bone-chilling. Instead, it felt like a faint pulse, subtly matching his heartbeat.

The three of them walked to the foot of the mountain and looked back at Qingcheng.

A sea of ​​clouds surged, and the Taoist temple appeared and disappeared, as if a celestial palace was floating above the mortal world.

Master Yuxu stood alone at the mountain gate, his white robes fluttering, gazing towards the foot of the mountain as if watching the three depart. Only after their figures blended into the forest mist did he sigh softly, "This young man... has the demeanor of a great hero."

......

Night, as dark as ink, pressed heavily on the summit of Diancang Mountain.

The once-grand gate of the Diancang Sect is now in ruins. The shattered fragments of the plaque lie half-buried in the mud, covered in blood-red moss that silently devours its former glory. In its place hangs the three jet-black characters "Yiqi Alliance" above the gate, their strokes sharp as if carved by a knife or axe, their blood-red light faintly flowing in the moonlight, as if the entire mountain is roaring.

Inside the council chamber, eerie green lanterns flickered, their light illuminating the menacing outlines of skull masks on the walls, like a dance of demons. A chilling wind blew through the hall, and the Japanese wind chimes hanging from the eaves jingled, their sounds like whispers of the dead.

Oda sat upright in the main seat, his eyes deep-set, his pupils gleaming with a pale gold, like a wild beast stalking the night. His ten fingers were interlaced, the knuckles thick, the nails as black as ink, and a faint black aura swirling around the tips of his fingers.

Situ Changkong and Wei Honglian stood in the hall, their robes dusty and their breathing slightly disordered.

"My Lord." Situ Changkong knelt on one knee, his voice low but unable to hide a hint of shock and anger. "My subordinate and Honglian went to Qingcheng and had already captured Situ Meng, but... we suddenly encountered a masked master on the way. His martial arts were extremely powerful. If it weren't for that person's appearance, we would definitely have been able to bring Situ Meng back."

Before he finished speaking, the foreign cultivators in the hall all changed color. Some sneered, others mocked: "Situ Changkong, you are a direct disciple of the Central Plains martial arts alliance leader, and now you possess the Taiyi True Skill, yet you couldn't even stop a masked man? Could it be that you deliberately let him pass?"

Situ Changkong suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with a cold light: "That person's movements were unpredictable, and his martial arts skills were extremely high. Even when Honglian and I attacked together, we couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes!"

"Oh?" Oda spoke slowly, his voice deep and rumbling like thunder rolling through a valley. "Then, could you briefly describe the other characteristics of that person?"

"His face was covered by a black cloth, leaving only his eyes visible...that look in his eyes..." Situ Changkong paused, his throat bobbing as if suppressing fear, "like a deep, cold pool, so cold it could freeze one's soul."

At this moment, Wei Honglian stepped forward, her crimson dress as red as blood, stunningly beautiful.

She raised her hand and gently touched her forehead, her fingertips trembling slightly: "Leader, the internal force used by that masked man was extremely strange, unlike the martial arts of the Nine Sects. I only managed to escape by using the sacred medicine, You Tan Yin, which I had treasured for ten years."