Wandering Swordsman |

He regretted it, regretted why he hadn't been more assertive back then? Why hadn't he withstood his wife's pressure and kept Shen Mo here? Even if it was just out of kinship, even if it was just a moment's plea in the name of his grandfather? If he had been willing to bow his head then, if he had been willing to put aside the ridiculous "face" of Shen Family Village, how could Shen Family Village not prosper today with Shen Mo's name as the "Sword God"?

A sudden downpour began outside the window, the raindrops pounding on the green tiles with a crackling sound, like arrows piercing the heart.

Shen Tianxing closed his eyes, as if he could hear the resolute echo of Shen Mo's steps as he stepped out of the gates of Shen Family Village.

Just then, the door creaked open. Shen Tianxing's wife, draped in a dark brocade robe and leaning on a sandalwood cane, slowly entered. Her eyes were like those of a hawk, and she immediately noticed that Shen Tianxing's expression was off—not anger, not authority, but...regret.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was cold, yet carried a hint of barely perceptible wariness.

Shen Tianxing did not answer, but simply hung his head in dejection.

Shen Tianxing's wife frowned, stepped forward, and snatched the secret letter from his hand. Her gaze swept across the paper, first cold, then her pupils contracted sharply, and finally a look of unbelievable ecstasy appeared on her face.

"Hahaha!" She suddenly burst into laughter, her voice sharp and shrill like tearing silk. "Good! Good! Good! I never imagined that the child of that lowly servant would be so accomplished! 'Sword God'? Hahaha, the rise of my Shen Family Manor is just around the corner!"

Shen Tianxing suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "You...you still call him 'the son of a lowly servant'?"

"The title doesn't matter!" Madam Lin waved her sleeve dismissively, her eyes gleaming. "What matters is that he is Shen Lang's son, a member of the Shen family bloodline! Now that he is famous throughout the land, our Shen Family Manor should seize this opportunity to rise again! Tomorrow, we will issue a proclamation to announce to the world—'Sword God Shen Mo is a direct descendant of the Shen Family Manor!'"

"Absurd!" Shen Tianxing stood up abruptly, his voice trembling. "He said himself that he doesn't acknowledge Shen Family Village! When he left, he didn't even accept the silver notes I offered! How dare you... how dare you use his name to glorify Shen Family Village?"

"Painting a veneer?" Madam Lin sneered, a ruthless glint in her eyes. "This is a golden opportunity! Do you think the martial arts world cares whether he admits it or not? As long as we insist he's of the Shen family bloodline, who dares to question it? At that time, how could the Shen family manor not prosper!"

"You only see the benefits, but you can't see people's hearts!" Shen Tianxing laughed angrily, his finger trembling as he pointed to the door. "If he knew you were using him like this, he would probably sever even the last shred of blood ties!"

"So what if we sever ties?" Madam Lin retorted, her voice as firm as iron. "Now that he has become the 'Sword God,' he is no longer a pawn to be manipulated. But as long as the blood of the Shen family flows in his veins, Shen Family Manor has the right to use his name to restore its prestige! As the head of the family, shouldn't you be working for the benefit of the family?"

Shen Tianxing was struck dumb, and staggered back a step.

He suddenly realized that he and his wife were not fundamentally different—they both valued their families, but he still felt a trace of guilt, while she had long since crushed kinship into dust.

The rain outside the window intensified, and thunder rumbled, as if heaven and earth were also enraged by this twisted scheme.

......

As dusk settled over the martial arts alliance.

The air in the reception room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the tea smoke rose slightly from the jade table, but it could not conceal the undercurrents in the air.

The five people in the hall were: Alliance Leader Situ Dengfeng sat in the main seat, his brows furrowed with a majestic air; Murong Liang, the head of the Murong family, sat on the left, his brocade robes luxurious and his gaze deep.

Shen Mo stood at the lower end, dressed in plain clothes, his expression calm but slightly uneasy; Murong Qing and Situ Meng sat on either side, both with their eyes lowered and silent, their fingertips lightly stroking their teacups, as if to hide the turmoil in their hearts.

"Shen Mo," Situ Dengfeng spoke first, his voice booming yet gentle, "Now that the martial arts world of the Central Plains has returned to peace, your marriage can no longer be delayed."

He turned his gaze to Murong Liang, his smile carrying an undeniable solemnity, "Patriarch Murong, why don't we choose an auspicious day and hold the wedding together?"

Murong Liang stroked his beard and smiled, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes: "What the Alliance Leader says is absolutely right. Shen Mo is the son-in-law of my Murong family, and also the one Qing'er has entrusted her life to. Naturally, we should hold a respectable ceremony for him."

He paused, his tone growing more serious, "However—the location of this wedding must be carefully considered. I intend to hold it at the Murong family residence in Luoyang. That is the foundation of my Murong lineage, where the ancestral tablets hang high in the ancestral hall, which can be used to announce to heaven and earth that we are welcoming the groom into our family."

"Oh?" Situ Dengfeng raised an eyebrow, his smile undiminished, but his tone deepened. "Patriarch Murong, you are mistaken. Shen Mo is now the 'Sword God' of the Central Plains martial arts world. His marriage is not merely a private matter between two families, but a grand event for the entire martial arts world!"

He slowly rose, gazing out the window towards Changbai Mountain. "In my opinion," he said, "the wedding should be held at Jingtian Pavilion. I will invite heroes from all over the world to gather and celebrate this grand occasion, thus truly reflecting the honor of the 'Sword God'!"

"Alliance Leader, your words are far too much of a prioritization of personal interests over public duty!" Murong Liang abruptly stood up, his sleeves billowing in the wind. "Shen Mo is the son-in-law of my Murong family. If the wedding is not held at our ancestral home, how can we honor our ancestors? How can Qing'er establish herself within the clan? Does the Alliance Leader perhaps believe that my Murong family is unworthy of the 'Sword God'?"

"Patriarch Murong, you flatter me!" Situ Dengfeng also stood up, his gaze sharp as lightning. "How dare I slight the Murong family? It's just that Shen Mo's current status is special. He is not only your grandson-in-law, but also a pillar of the Central Plains martial arts world! If we hold the ceremony in Luoyang, wouldn't we be turning away all the heroes of the world?"

Their gazes clashed like swords in mid-air, instantly tensing the atmosphere. The sandalwood incense in the hall seemed to freeze, and even the wind outside the window held its breath.

Shen Mo stood to the side, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

He tried to speak several times, but was overwhelmed by the confrontational atmosphere between the two, and swallowed his words back.

He looked up at Murong Qing—her eyes were lowered, her hands were slightly clenched, as if she was trying to suppress her unease; then he looked at Situ Meng—although her expression was calm, the tips of her ears were slightly red, and her eyes were darting away, clearly she was also disturbed by this sudden scene of "dispute over wedding venue".

The two stunning beauties were like caged birds at this moment. Even if they had a thousand words to say, they dared not utter a sound in front of their elders.

Shen Mo smiled bitterly to himself: He had no intention of getting involved in this "battle for venue," but now even his own marriage had become a battlefield for the two seniors to compete for influence.

He neither wanted to hurt Murong Qing's feelings, nor could he bear to go against Situ Meng's wishes, and he also did not want the two elders to have a rift because of him.

Just as the stalemate reached its conclusion, a gentle breeze swept through the hall, and a clear, melodious voice drifted over: "Gentlemen, why must you argue?"

Guiguzi entered slowly, his white hair as white as snow, his eyes like deep pools reflecting stars.

Guiguzi took his seat with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Shen Mo, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "Shen Mo is now a hero of the Central Plains martial arts world. How can his marriage be tolerated by ordinary families?" He paused, his voice resonating like a bell, "Since heroes throughout the land admire his name, why not—hold a grand wedding right here at the Nanjing Martial Arts Alliance?"