Wandering Swordsman |

Looking at the town's architecture and layout, Shen Mo felt a slight stirring in his heart, like ripples spreading when a stone is thrown into an ancient well.

In the cities of the Central Plains, the concept of "harmony between man and nature" is emphasized. Government offices are hidden deep in the streets and alleys, without displaying their power; ancestral halls stand among the people, sharing their lives with them; even the imperial palaces emphasize "moderation and harmony," and dare not place themselves above heaven and earth.

Here... the powerful and wealthy sit high in the clouds, while the common people grovel in the dust.

That white jade castle with its golden roof, like a sharp sword piercing the sky, seems to proclaim: Under divine authority, all living beings are slaves.

Is this the order of the far west?

It's not coexistence, it's division;

It's not governance, it's domination.

Hua Tianyou stared intently at the banner fluttering in the wind atop the castle—a black banner with a silver-maned horse, its mane like flames, the emblem of the lord of Silvermane City, a key border town of the Kingdom of England.

Shen Mo tilted his head slightly: "Heavenly Demon Lord, now, tell me in detail—who exactly is the person you want to kill?"

Hua Tianyou took a deep breath, his eyes bloodshot, and his voice was low and sharp: "It is the Duke of the Tsarist Empire - the Invincible Duke."

"Invincible Lord?" Shen Mo's eyes narrowed.

The name alone exudes an air of domineering arrogance, brooking no dissent. It was not self-proclaimed, but bestowed upon him by the world after they were awe-inspiring—because he had never been defeated in his life, whether in war or in force, he was called "Invincible"; because he held the reins of government and held the highest position among ministers, he was honored as "Duke".

Hua Tianyou clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his voice trembling yet each word dripping with blood: "He is the true ruler of the Tsarist Empire. Nominally a duke, he has been regent for twenty years. No imperial decree has ever left his hand, and no military order has ever exceeded his command. Back then... he and my father, Hua Shenyong, were sworn brothers. My father trusted him like a brother and regarded him as the only person he could entrust his back to."

His throat bobbed violently, and tears welled in his eyes, but he bit his lower lip tightly, refusing to let a single drop fall. The wind swept across the grassland, stirring up dust, and also stirring up the hatred and sorrow that had been buried deep in his eyes for many years.

"But he... was insatiably greedy!" Hua Tianyou's voice suddenly rose, then quickly fell back down, as if afraid of disturbing the spirits of the dead. "When he learned that my father was the Heavenly Demon God, and that there was a trace of Heavenly Demon energy within him! In order to break through the limits of martial arts, he pretended to host a banquet, inviting my father to attend, but in reality, he laid a trap!"

"My father sensed something was amiss and fought his way out. Although he wasn't captured or killed on the spot, he was poisoned with a strange toxin, his internal energy was reversed, and his internal organs were damaged. Even more vicious... he kidnapped my mother! He used her life as bait to force my father to show himself!"

Hua Tianyou closed his eyes, tears finally streaming down his face, leaving two burn marks on his cheeks: "My father knew there was no hope of saving him; the poison had seeped into his marrow, and his life was hanging by a thread. He passed on all his life's power and that wisp of demonic energy to me through the 'Pelican Initiation' technique! He only entrusted me with the task of returning to the Heavenly Demon God Sect, passing the trials of Demon Refining Mountain, becoming the new Heavenly Demon God, and then avenging this grudge..."

The wind stopped, and the surroundings were as silent as a tomb.

Shen Mo listened quietly, his heart churning like a surging tide.

The wind swept across the grassland, swirling up withered grass and dust, and also fluttering his dark robes like a battle flag. Looking at Hua Tianyou's face, etched with hatred and grief, he finally understood—why Hua Tianyou was willing to dedicate his life to serving him, just to allow him to set foot in the far west; why Hua Tianyou was willing to risk his life traversing thousands of miles of yellow sand, frozen snowfields, and the Soul-Severing Valley, just to return to the Heavenly Demon Sect and participate in the Demon Refining Mountain.

This is not a simple revenge; it is a son who uses the rest of his life as a bargaining chip to avenge his parents!

Shen Mo slowly raised his hand and placed it on Hua Tianyou's shoulder.

"Heavenly Demon Lord." His voice was deep, yet as firm as a rock, each word carrying immense weight, "From this day forward, the fate of the Invincible Lord—will be taken by me."

Before he could finish speaking, Hua Tianyou suddenly knelt down on both knees!

"Thump!"

A muffled thud shook up dust.

His forehead slammed heavily against the ground: "My lord!" His voice choked with emotion, yet each word was as clear as if carved from stone, "Hua Tianyou hereby swears—my sword will sing for my lord; my blood will flow for my lord; my name will live on for my lord!"

Shen Mo lowered his eyes and looked at the figure kneeling in the dust—once the son of the Heavenly Demon God, he was now willing to be a mere death warrior; he knew that this kneeling was not submission, but entrustment.

He slowly helped Hua Tianyou to his feet, his voice low yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Rise! Since you serve me as your master, you should stand shoulder to shoulder with me—watch how I personally shed the title of 'Invincible'!"

Hua Tianyou stood up immediately, his back straight as a pine tree, showing no trace of the humility he had displayed when kneeling.

He looked up at Shen Mo, his eyes devoid of grief, hatred, or hesitation, only filled with a loyalty as clear as a cold pool—not the obedience of a servant to his master, but the unwavering loyalty of a warrior to his commander.

He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "My lord, the six kingdoms in the far west have vastly different customs and strict laws. The people here are mostly blond with blue eyes, fair skin, high noses, and deep-set eyes; while we Easterners have black hair and black eyes, warmer skin tones, and a more wiry and reserved physique. If we were to rashly reveal our true appearance in the far west, we would surely attract attention by walking through the streets."

"Due to the tense situation in the six kingdoms, if we were to appear in our true forms and traverse the England Empire, we would be captured before we even get close to the Invincible Duke."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo's lips curled slightly, a faint smile flashing in his eyes: "As for appearance... I have my own methods, you don't need to worry."

He stood with his hands behind his back, calm and unfathomable. "You just need to figure out—what identity we will have in this far west."

Before he finished speaking, Shen Mo raised his right hand slightly, his fingertips gently brushing across his brow bone, cheekbone, and jawline.

In an instant, the bones cracked like ice cracking in spring, and the skin texture subtly shifted.

With Shen Mo's current unparalleled skill in disguise, his bones and muscles were reshaped. In just three breaths, his originally sharp and chiseled oriental features completely melted away, his high nose bridge resembled an eagle's beak, his brow bones were deep, his eye sockets were slightly sunken, his pupils turned light gray to silver, his lips were thin and cold, and his skin was as white as the frost and snow of the North.

The most shocking thing is that the face is exactly the same as Hua Tianyou's!

Hua Tianyou's pupils constricted sharply, and he almost lost his voice.

The person before me was clearly my lord, yet he was a perfect reflection of myself in the mirror! Even the tiny scar on my left eyebrow, left from my childhood sword practice, was exactly the same.

"My lord..." His voice trembled slightly, filled with both surprise and respect.

After the initial shock, a sharp light flashed in Hua Tianyou's eyes, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.

He lowered his voice, speaking faster but clearly: "Since my lord can change his appearance to such an extent... then I suggest—we disguise ourselves as missionaries of the Papacy!"

"Although the Papacy, one of the six kingdoms, has the smallest territory, its influence extends throughout the six kingdoms, allowing missionaries to travel freely."

Shen Mo nodded, a flash of black light disappearing from his eyes.

He turned around and gently pressed his palm against Hua Tianyou's face.

The gentle demonic energy seeped into his skin like a fine rain, and Hua Tianyou felt his face slightly warm, as if his bones were being gently reshaped by an invisible hand.

A moment later, he raised his hand to touch his face—his cheekbones were higher, his jaw more square, his eyes turned a deep blue like the sea, and his hair turned a light brown with slight curls. Gone was the gentle and reserved demeanor of a Central Plains martial artist; instead, he exuded the coldness and aloofness of a nobleman from the far west.

The two exchanged a glance, and in each other's eyes was a completely unfamiliar face—blonde hair, high nose, deep-set eyes, pale skin, and a slender figure, with no trace of their former Eastern heritage in their every move. If they were to return to the Heavenly Demon Sect now, no one would recognize them.