Wandering Swordsman |

In Nanjing, autumn is in full swing.

The martial arts alliance was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful ribbons, creating an atmosphere that was both festive and solemn.

Tomorrow is the wedding day of "Sword God" Shen Mo. Heroes from all walks of life are arriving one after another, and even the painted boats on the Qinhuai River are decorated with congratulatory lanterns. The whole city seems to be dyed with a gentle vermilion color.

Amidst the hustle and bustle and anticipation, a figure dressed in plain clothes quietly entered through the west gate of Nanjing.

Xie Xin wore a light blue dress, without any makeup, her hair simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, yet it couldn't conceal the beauty and determination in her eyes. Her steps were light and slow, but her gaze was firm as an arrow.

The guards, seeing that she had no name or invitation, intended to stop her, but she only whispered, "Please inform Young Master Shen that Xie Xin requests an audience."

Upon hearing that name, the guard's expression changed slightly. He remembered that after Hua Tianyou and Yue Linglong met Shen Mo, Shen Mo had personally instructed them: "If a woman named Xie Xin comes to visit, notify us immediately, no matter when."

So, no one stopped her, and they politely led her to Shen Mo.

Xie Xin walked through the corridors and across the courtyard adorned with red silk, each step feeling like a stepping stone to the past. She recalled their first meeting at Qilin Village, how she had hidden in the shadows watching Shen Mo and Fu Jiang fight, then mustered the courage to beg him to take her away; and then together they had gone to the Heavenly Demon Sect and entered the perilous Demon Refining Mountain...

When she heard her younger brother Xie Changkong talk about framing Shen Mo and being jealous of Shen Mo, she felt a surge of guilt and her steps became heavier.

Finally, Xie Xin, along with the martial artists from the Martial Alliance, stopped in front of Shen Mo's residence.

The door was not closed, and the interior was bathed in soft candlelight, flowing like amber between the red silk and the table. Murong Qing was discussing the details of the wedding procession with Situ Meng in hushed tones, her voice gentle; while Shen Mo stood by the window, his black robes as dark as the night, his back as solitary and sharp as a sword.

"Master...Young Master Shen," Xie Xin called softly, her voice trembling slightly, almost biting her tongue.

She almost blurted out that supreme title—"My Lord"—but fortunately, like Hua Tianyou, she stopped herself in time and changed her address to "Young Master Shen," her tone respectful and restrained, not daring to overstep the bounds.

She knew that the person standing in front of her at this moment was not the master of the Heavenly Demon God Sect, but the "Sword God" Shen Mo, who was about to marry two beauties and take charge of the Martial Alliance.

Shen Mo turned around at the sound of her voice, his gaze falling on her. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, then turned into a gentle smile: "Miss Xie!" His tone was soft, yet warm with the joy of a long-awaited reunion. "Has everything been handled properly regarding Qilin Village?"

Xie Xin's eyes welled up with tears, and she bowed deeply, almost kneeling. But before she could bend her knees, Shen Mo stepped forward and firmly supported her arm, his strength light but as firm as iron.

"There's no need for that." His voice was calm, yet carried an unyielding firmness. "Between you and me, why should we perform such a grand ceremony?"

Xie Xin raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, her voice choked with sobs: "I...I've come to apologize to you." She took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling voice, "I heard from Xie Changkong—no, from my younger brother Situ Changkong—how he plotted to frame you, how he colluded with Ling Tiancheng to falsely accuse you of practicing demonic arts..."

She paused, her fingers clenching her sleeve until her knuckles turned white: "Although I was unaware of the situation, as his older sister, I cannot escape blame. Today, on his behalf, I apologize to you."

The hall fell silent for a moment. Murong Qing and Situ Meng both stopped talking and turned their gazes to Xie Xin, their eyes showing both surprise and emotion.

Shen Mo gently shook his head, his expression calm as still water. His gaze was gentle. "Hua Tianyou and Linglong have already recounted the events at Qilin Village to me in detail. You and your brother have been separated for many years, and it has only recently been reunited by blood. How could I hold a grudge against you because of his mistake?"

He paused, his voice low but clear: "Besides, Situ Changkong's actions were his own choice. Since you were unaware of it, what crime have you committed? I will not pursue the past any further."

Xie Xin stared at him blankly. She had thought that she would be met with cold stares and questioning upon her arrival. But to her surprise, Shen Mo was so forgiving—no, not forgiving, but truly regarding her as "Xie Xin of the Heavenly Demon God Sect," rather than "Situ Changkong's sister."

At this moment, the pillar of her long-wavering belief finally stood firm.

—She was rescued by Shen Mo because of her wandering background, and entered the Heavenly Demon God Sect, which she regarded as her home.

—She once hesitated whether she should leave the Heavenly Demon God Sect and return to Qilin Village because of the rekindled family ties.

But now, she finally understands: what the Heavenly Demon Sect gave her was not just protection, but also dignity and a sense of belonging. She is not just an orphan from Qilin Village, nor is she merely Situ Changkong's sister—she is Xie Xin, a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect, and a person sworn to serve her lord to the death.

This belief, like a spark falling into a lake, instantly ignited a prairie fire.

A moment later, Xie Xin took out a letter sealed with wax from her bosom and presented it with both hands, her movements solemn as if offering a sacrifice—as if she were holding not a piece of paper, but a soul soaked in regret.

"By the way, this is something Chang Kong asked me to pass on," she said softly, but each word was clear, "to give to... Situ Meng."

The envelope was pure white, without any patterns or decorations, except for a sealing wax stamp on the lip.

The sealing wax was dark red, with a broken sword mark prominently pressed in the center—a mark made by a Jingtian Pavilion disciple when they wished to leave the sect and sever their ties with their former kin, using the broken sword as a symbol of their oath.

Situ Meng, who had been sitting quietly to the side, trembled slightly upon hearing this, her fingertips unconsciously curling. She slowly rose, her gaze falling on the letter, as if those thin pages weighed a ton.

Shen Mo took the letter, his gaze slightly narrowed. He didn't say much, but simply turned around and handed the letter to Situ Meng with a gentle gesture, as if handing over a fragile old dream.

Situ Meng stared at the letter, hesitating for a moment.

In the end, she reached out and took it.

The envelope clearly reads: "To be opened by my junior sister."

The handwriting was slender and vigorous, just like the words he wrote on the sand table again and again when he practiced swordsmanship in Jingtian Pavilion back then—only now, the youthful spirit was gone from his pen, leaving only melancholy and dryness.

At that moment, Xie Xin finally got a good look at Situ Meng's face.

The candlelight cast a slanting glow, making her skin appear as smooth as jade, her eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, and her eyes like autumn waters concealing stars. A long, moon-white dress accentuated her elegant figure, and a single, plain silver hairpin adorned her hair, surpassing even the finest jewels. When she lowered her gaze, she was as gentle as a poem; when she raised it, her eyes shone with a radiant light, softening even the candlelight on the wall.

Xie Xin's heart skipped a beat, and she almost held her breath.

She had thought that Yue Linglong was already the most beautiful woman in the world: her green robes were as smooth as water, her eyes were as cold as frost, and her walk carried an air of sharpness and bewitching charm that made people dare not look directly at her.

But after seeing Situ Meng today, she truly understood what "a face that could topple cities" meant.

Yue Linglong's beauty is sharp, like a cold blade under the moon; while Situ Meng's beauty is gentle, like a snow-capped mountain at dawn, pure but not cold, beautiful but not gaudy. The two have their own charm, but if you really want to compare them—the slight inferiority is like an insurmountable chasm.

Xie Xin's heart was in turmoil: Could there really be such a beautiful woman in the world? Without makeup or fancy clothes, just one glance was enough to inspire awe and make people dare not profane her.

No wonder Chang Kong went mad with jealousy...

No wonder Shen Mo rejected Yue Linglong...

She suddenly understood why Situ Changkong was willing to betray the Martial Alliance and collude with evil cultivators to frame Shen Mo.

It wasn't because of hatred, but because of despair.

Faced with such a junior sister, he knew he could never reach her, so he would rather others not have her either.