Wandering Swordsman |

Leonard rushed to the bedside, knelt on one knee, and grabbed Adrian's hand, his voice trembling, "Brother! Hang in there! I heard missionaries have arrived? Are they...are they reliable?"

He turned to look at Hua Tianyou and Shen Mo, his eyes filled with no gratitude, only sharp scrutiny. "Father! How could you trust two people of unknown origin? A missionary who could use 'Holy Power' to save my elder brother must be at least a deacon. And recently, none of the missionaries at the deacon level or above in the English Empire have been mute!"

He abruptly stood up, pointed at Shen Mo, and his voice suddenly rose: "This person is silent and acting suspiciously!"

He took a deep breath and said, slowly and deliberately, "They're imposters! Their goal is to use the guise of 'treatment' to make money off others!"

Baron Mason's expression changed drastically: "Reinard! Don't talk nonsense! They have just performed a miracle—"

"A miracle?" Leonard sneered, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Even charlatans can fake it! Father, have you forgotten that swindler who used phosphorus powder to impersonate holy light last year? If anything happens to my brother..." His voice suddenly choked, and his eyes reddened, "I'd rather my brother suffer more than let him die at the hands of a swindler!"

He turned to Hua Tianyou, his tone resolute: "I sent someone to the English Diocese of the Holy See last week! A true Holy See deacon will arrive within three days! Until then, please leave the inner room and do not approach my elder brother!"

Shen Mo lowered his eyes, his fingers slowly tightening inside his sleeve. What a clever tactic of stalling.

He instantly saw through Leonard's plan: the so-called "Holy Envoy" must have been bought and approved by him. All he had to do was keep Adrian alive, ensuring he would never recover, and the title would naturally fall into his hands.

The current "questioning" is nothing more than a delaying tactic to obstruct genuine treatment.

Hua Tianyou, however, continued to smile, seemingly unaware of the flashing blades.

He gently stroked Adrian's sweat-dampened forehead and said softly, "Young Master, don't be afraid. If your brother doesn't believe us, we can postpone the procedure. But please remember—" He subtly ran his fingertips across the inside of the young man's wrist, and a warm current quietly flowed in, "Your life cannot be delayed."

Adrian's pupils contracted sharply, a whimper escaped his throat, and he gripped Hua Tianyou's sleeve tightly once more.

The candlelight crackled and popped, illuminating four distinctly different faces in the room:

Baron Mason's anxiety and hope flickered like a candle in the wind.

Adrian's fear and longing surged beneath his bluish-gray skin, like a drowning man seeing a piece of driftwood;

Beneath Leonard's "concern" lies an undercurrent beneath the frozen lake surface—deep within those azure eyes, a barely perceptible hint of smugness lurks, as if he can already see his brother's death and the seal of nobility falling into his own hands.

Shen Mo, on the other hand, was like a stone statue sunk into a deep pool, silent as an abyss, yet he saw everything clearly.

Outside the window, the night wind whipped up a withered leaf, which slammed heavily against the stained glass window, like a sigh.

The voice was faint, yet it pierced Baron Mason's already taut heartstrings like a needle.

In the midst of this deathly silence and hesitation, Shen Mo quietly took a half-step to the side, a wisp of true energy condensing into a sound beam from his throat, directly into Hua Tianyou's ears: "Don't give him time to think. Put pressure on him. If he hesitates for even a moment longer, we'll turn around and leave. Make him understand that human life is at stake, and there's no room for hesitation."

Upon hearing Shen Mo's telepathic message, Hua Tianyou's eyes flickered slightly, and his expression of sorrow deepened.

He slowly turned to Baron Mason, his voice low and solemn, like the tolling of a cathedral bell: "Your Excellency, the young master's body is infected with poison that has invaded his heart. If the poison is not expelled tonight, he will not be able to hold on much longer. If you still have doubts..." He paused, his tone suddenly turning cold, "Then the two of us will set off north immediately and will not bother you any longer."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the hall seemed to freeze.

Baron Mason shuddered, as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat. He looked sharply at his son on the bed—Adrian was panting heavily, each breath a tearing, grating sound, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Where was the former Silvermane City heir's former heroic bearing? He looked more like a lonely soul lingering at the gates of hell!

"No! We can't leave!" Baron Mason almost roared, his knees buckling as he knelt before Hua Tianyou. "Holy Envoy! I beg you... I beg you to save him!"

"Father!" Leonard's expression changed drastically, and he rushed forward to help him up. "How could you believe such a thing—"

"Shut up!" A hoarse but resolute shout interrupted him. Everyone was taken aback.

Adrian, who had somehow managed to prop himself up on the bed, gripped the edge of the bed tightly with one hand, his knuckles white, while his other hand trembled as he pointed at Shen Mo, his eyes burning with a desperate flame: "Quickly, let them... heal him!"

His voice, though weak, pierced the fog like a sharp blade. Baron Mason, tears streaming down his face, nodded repeatedly, "You two messengers, hurry! Save them!"

Hua Tianyou nodded slightly, stepped back, and gave his seat to Shen Mo.

Shen Mo stepped forward slowly, his black robe fluttering even without wind.

He slowly raised both palms, palms facing upwards, and a wisp of silvery-white light rose from his dantian, like condensed moonlight, swirling around his body.

He did not actually mobilize the Heavenly Demon True Essence, but instead used the pure Relic True Qi to simulate the trajectory of the Holy See's "Holy Power"—passing through the Hand Lesser Yin Heart Meridian and the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, and finally converging at the Tanzhong acupoint.

As the light shifted, a faint lotus fragrance filled the air, mingling with the medicinal scent in the room to create a unique purifying atmosphere.

Leonard stood to the side, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

His face was full of "worry," and he kept muttering in a low voice, "Big brother... you have to hold on..." But his eyes were fixed on Shen Mo's every move, and a kind of almost morbid expectation flickered deep in his pupils—if this "miracle" failed, if his big brother died on the spot... then his father's title would be his!

He even quietly moved closer to the window, as if ready to shout "Evil magic is harmful" at any moment.

However, when Shen Mo gently pressed his palm against Adrian's chest, the young man shuddered and suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood!

The blood contained tiny black particles that turned into foul-smelling black smoke upon landing.

"The poison... the poison is coming out!" Baron Mason exclaimed in shock.

Adrian coughed violently, but his complexion visibly faded from ashen, and his breathing gradually became steady.

He opened his eyes and looked at Baron Mason, saying weakly but clearly, "I...don't hurt anymore..."

Leonard's face drained of all color instantly.

He staggered back a step, knocking over the medicine cabinet behind him, and the porcelain bottles shattered with a crash.

He forced a smile, but his voice was dry and trembling: "That's...that's great...Big brother is saved..." But his smile was stiff like a mask, and his eyes were filled with undisguised resentment.

Shen Mo withdrew his hand, and the halo gradually faded.

He looked down at his palm—where a faint wisp of black energy was quietly dissipating.

At that moment, Leonard had quietly retreated to the door and winked at the servant.

The latter understood and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor like a ghost.