Wandering Swordsman |

"Master Situ?" Xie Xin's eyes flashed with respect as she said softly, "Since he was the one who rescued you back then, our Xie family... should still thank him for his kindness."

Upon hearing this, Xie Changkong's throat tightened, but he did not respond.

How could he tell her that he had already betrayed the Martial Alliance and was regarded as a traitor by the world?

How can you say that it was because he framed Shen Mo that he left the Martial Alliance and joined forces with evil cultivators overseas?

He didn't want his newly reunited sister to bear those painful memories.

So he quickly changed the subject, his voice low and gentle but urgent: "Sister, what about you? How have you survived all these years?"

"I was raised in the village by Fu Sheng under the guise of being his 'adopted daughter'," she said softly, but each word was sharp as a needle. "He called me his adopted daughter, but in reality, I was a pawn he carefully prepared for Fu Jiang's marriage alliance. He taught me to read and write and to be polite, but he never allowed me to learn martial arts."

She paused, a thin mist rising in her eyes, then a glimmer of light gradually appeared: "I thought I would be at the mercy of others for the rest of my life, that the blood feud of the Xie family would never be avenged... until... I met Shen Mo."

"It was Shen Mo who led me away from Qilin Village." She paused slightly, a hint of undisguised gratitude appearing in her eyes. "If it weren't for him, I don't even dare to imagine what my life would have been like..."

She looked up and saw Xie Changkong's expression slightly stunned, with a turbulent undercurrent between his brows. She then added softly, "You may not know, but the Shen Mo I'm talking about is the now-famous 'Sword God' of the Central Plains."

Xie Changkong was suddenly jolted, as if struck by lightning.

—It was Shen Mo who saved my sister?

The man he hated to the bone and regarded as his nemesis had saved a girl he didn't know years ago.

Shen Mo, whom he considered hypocritical, arrogant, and the one who stole all his glory, actually broke the cage for his sister and gave her freedom.

In an instant, the hatred that had been building up in his chest for years suddenly cracked open like a thousand-year-old layer of ice, letting in a long-lost glimmer of light.

The light wasn't intense, but it was enough to illuminate the shadow of his obsession. His hatred hadn't subsided, but it was no longer pure.

What shook him even more was that a thought quietly emerged: since Shen Mo was willing to risk his life for an unknown orphan girl, his chivalry and sense of responsibility... were worthy of Sister Meng.

This thought, like a gentle mountain stream, flowed silently, yet it quietly diluted the resentment that had accumulated in his heart for many years. That hatred, once as hard as iron, now cracked open, letting in a sliver of warm light.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions surging in his chest, and asked in a low voice, his tone softened with restraint, as if afraid of disturbing this hard-won reunion: "Sister... then, after he rescued you, where did you go? Why are you here now?"

Xie Xin lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently twisting the hem of her dress, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force. She couldn't reveal that she had joined the Heavenly Demon Sect—the word "Demon Sect" was enough to make righteous people see her as a demon, and it would also implicate Yue Linglong and Hua Tianyou, who were traveling with her. So she pondered for a moment, and whispered:

"I went with him to the borderlands. Deep in the desert, by chance, I became the disciple of a reclusive master." Her tone was calm, but she couldn't hide the sharpness that flashed in her eyes—the sharpness honed by five years of life and death at the Demon Refining Mountain, which she cleverly concealed beneath her gentle demeanor.

"Later, he returned to the Central Plains, while I stayed at the border, making a living by teaching children to read and write and to practice martial arts." She paused, then looked up at Xie Changkong, her eyes filled with an indescribable complexity—gratitude, hesitation, and a lingering concern that even she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Recently, I heard he's getting married... I think, no matter what, I should come and see if he's alright. After all... he saved me."

Her voice lowered, almost a whisper, as if afraid the night wind would hear: "Passing through the Liangshan Mountains, I thought of my old home and couldn't help... sneaking in to take a look. I never expected... to meet you."

Xie Changkong gazed at her, his eyes like a deep pool reflecting the moon. He saw the resilience in her eyes, and also the hardships hidden beneath her calm.

It turned out that his sister was not as destitute and helpless as he had imagined; she was rescued, met a famous teacher, and survived safely—and the person who saved her was Shen Mo, whom he least wanted to face and most wanted to kill.

Fate may play tricks on us, but it also harbors a hidden compassion.

He suddenly realized that his jealous hatred towards Shen Mo might not be entirely correct.

He slowly reached out and gently placed his hand on his sister's. His palm was warm, as if he were trying to iron back the lost years of their childhood into her blood. His voice was deep yet firm, like a rock settling down: "Fu Sheng has been killed, the ancestral hall has been rebuilt, and Qilin Village—has returned to the Xie family. You're home, sister."

Xie Xin's eyes welled up with tears, which silently streamed down her face, dripping onto their clasped hands, hot as blood.

She gripped her brother's hand tightly in return, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force, as if afraid that this reunion was just a fleeting dream, and that it would vanish as soon as she let go.

Inside the ancestral hall, the incense still burned, and the candle wax piled up like snow.

Outside the window, the night quietly faded, the sky turned a pale white, and the morning light, like a thin veil, gently covered the green tiles and walls of Qilin Village.

No one slept all night, yet no one felt tired—for this reunion was worth more than a thousand days of peaceful sleep.

Above the roof beam, Yue Linglong and Hua Tianyou remained hidden in the shadows, never revealing themselves.

They knew that at this moment, the ancestral hall belonged only to the Xie siblings.

Xie Xin also knew perfectly well that it was not appropriate for Hua Tianyou and Yue Linglong to show themselves at this time.

So she gently released her hand and whispered, "Chang Kong, go and settle things in the village first. I... will come find you later."

Xie Changkong nodded, still reluctant in his eyes, but solemnly said, "Okay, sister, I'll go arrange accommodations for you first, so you can rest then."

Xie Xin watched his figure disappear into the dimly lit corridor at the end. His steps were steady, yet carried a slight, almost imperceptible tremor—as if even he couldn't believe that this regained family bond might vanish again in the next moment.

Once the footsteps had completely faded into the distance, she gently raised her head and looked up at the high beam of the ancestral hall. Her voice was as low as a whisper, yet as clear as a bell: "Linglong, Heavenly Demon Lord... come down."

Before the words were finished, two figures fell to the ground like autumn leaves, without a sound.

The murderous intent in Yue Linglong's eyes had diminished, replaced by a gentler look. Hua Tianyou, dressed in black, with a composed expression, clasped his hands and said in a low voice, "Congratulations, Miss Xie, on the reunion with your family. It is truly a joyous occasion."

Xie Xin shook her head with a wry smile: "In my heart, the Heavenly Demon God Sect is still my home. You are not my relatives, but you are more than relatives to me."

She paused, looked at the two of them, took a deep breath, her eyes filled with sincerity and apology, her voice soft yet firm as iron: "Also... I'd like to stay a few more days. I have so much to say to my brother after being apart for so long, so many things to ask him."

"Heavenly Demon Lord, Linglong, you should go to the Martial Alliance to find our Lord first. I will definitely arrive at the Martial Alliance before the wedding date."

Yue Linglong stepped forward, took her hand, her fingertips slightly cool, but her tone warm: "Now that you have found your brother, Qilin Village is your home. Family reunion is a natural thing, so staying a few more days is only right."

Hua Tianyou nodded: "Although you are staying in Qilin Village for the time being, you are still a member of the sect. If you encounter any difficulties, send a message immediately."

Xie Xin's eyes reddened slightly, and she bowed deeply: "Thank you."

The three of them remained silent, their tacit understanding unchanged.

A moment later, Yue Linglong and Hua Tianyou quietly got up and, like two night breezes, silently swept out of the ancestral hall, their figures disappearing into the morning mist.

They didn't disturb a single blade of grass or leave a trace—as if they had never set foot in Qilin Village.

The guards in the village continued their patrols, and smoke began to rise from the kitchens. Unbeknownst to anyone, a master from the Heavenly Demon Sect had infiltrated the village and then quietly departed at dawn.