Wandering Swordsman |

The roar of the volcano gradually faded away, and they finally made it to the shore, away from the volcano.

Shen Mo stopped and gently placed the Heavenly Demon Totem on a huge ice rock.

"We need to get out of here quickly," Shen Mo said. "The volcano might continue to erupt."

Odin and Alice descended from the totem, their hearts still pounding, their faces showing the weariness of surviving a calamity.

The harrowing experience they just had at the crater still leaves them with lingering fear.

"Shen Mo, thank you very much." Odin's voice was a little hoarse. "If it weren't for you, we would probably have perished in the flames."

Shen Mo did not answer, but simply nodded.

He could sense Odin's gratitude, but this was not the time to speak. He looked around, his gaze falling on the ships docked not far away.

On the ship, a group of knights awaited. They stood tall like pine trees in the cold wind, clad in silver armor.

When they saw the figure of the Invincible Lord, they immediately disembarked and rushed toward him. Once they got close, the knights knelt on one knee and paid the highest respects.

"Greetings, Your Grace!" the lead knight shouted, his voice filled with boundless respect. "We have been waiting here awaiting your orders!"

Although the Invincible Duke's dantian was shattered, rendering him an ordinary man, his majesty remained. He straightened his back, his gaze piercing as he surveyed the kneeling knights. He could sense the awe in their hearts, a respect that came from the depths of their being.

"No need for formalities!" The Invincible Duke's voice was calm yet authoritative. "Board the ship immediately and evacuate at once!"

The knights responded and quickly escorted the three onto the ship moored at the shore.

However, just as the ship was about to set sail, the sky suddenly became unusually dark.

A huge black shadow burst out of the mushroom cloud of the volcanic eruption and, with a deafening roar, plummeted straight toward their ship.

"Danger!" Alice exclaimed, her voice filled with barely concealed fear.

Shen Mo looked up and saw a huge rock tumbling in the air, carrying destructive force, hurtling straight toward their ship.

The rock was almost the size of the ship; if it had hit, the ship would have been destroyed instantly.

"Watch out!" Shen Mo shouted, his figure flashing like lightning as he instantly leaped to the bow of the ship.

Just as the boulder was about to crash into the ship, Shen Mo drew his Green Ox Sword, flicked his wrist, and a sharp sword aura shot out.

The sword energy, like a silver lightning bolt, shot straight towards the boulder.

"boom!"

The sword energy collided with the boulder, producing a deafening roar.

The boulder shattered instantly in two under the impact of the sword energy, as if it had been split in two by a divine sword.

The debris rained down on both sides of the ship, falling into the sea and creating huge splashes.

The knights on the ship stared in disbelief at the scene.

They had never seen such powerful sword energy, nor such precise control. The sword energy not only cleaved the boulder in two, but also cleverly guided the fragments into the sea, preventing damage to the ship.

"Who is that person? What kind of strength does he possess?" a knight murmured to himself, his eyes filled with shock.

"Such strength has probably surpassed that of a seven-star..." another knight said in a low voice, his voice filled with disbelief and awe.

Shen Mo sheathed his sword and turned to look at the crowd. His eyes were calm as still water, as if the astonishing attack just now was nothing more than a casual gesture.

"Continue sailing." Odin was already used to Shen Mo's strength; otherwise, he would probably have been as surprised as the knights. He raised his voice and gave the order calmly, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.

The boat slowly sailed away from the shore and headed into the distance.

The sea breeze carries a salty taste and also takes away the lingering power of the volcanic eruption.

Shen Mo stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the distant horizon.

His heart remained completely calm, as if the danger he had just experienced was nothing more than a fleeting moment.

......

Inside the cabin, a gentle sea breeze carried a salty scent.

Shen Mo, Wudi Gong, and Alice sat in the cabin, the ship gently rocking with the waves.

Outside the window, the sea and sky meet, and the azure sea shimmers with silver light, like countless diamonds sparkling in the sunlight.

Shen Mo looked at Odin, knowing that he was about to recount a long-buried story.

"That year," Odin's voice was low and slow, like waves crashing against rocks, "I took Alice on a mission to the Holy See, the most triumphant time of my life."

Shen Mo did not interrupt, but listened quietly.

Alice nestled close to Odin, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Odin gazed into the distance, as if traversing the barriers of time and returning to that distant era.

"It was a spring day," Odin's voice softened, "Alice was only nine years old, yet she already possessed a youthful charm. She wore a pale blue dress, like a newly blossoming orchid. I took her hand and we boarded the carriage bound for the Holy See's kingdom."

Odin's fingertips gently traced the ship's side, as if he could still feel the vibrations of the carriage from years past. "Along the way, she would often curiously peek out, looking at the scenery along the way, and occasionally point to the distant mountains and ask me, 'Father, what's that?' I always patiently answered her, telling her that those were the legendary sacred mountains, and the divine beasts that guarded the land."

"Back then, I thought that as long as I could give her the best, I could protect her for life." Odin's voice held a hint of bitterness. "I never imagined that fate would be so cruel as to take away my treasure."

A brief silence fell over the cabin, broken only by the sound of waves lapping against the hull. Alice gently took Odin's hand, feeling the coolness of his palm as if confirming his real presence.

"That mission," Odin continued, his voice growing lower, "was the biggest mistake of my life."

Shen Mo's heart tightened, knowing that the story to come would unveil a long-buried past.

"That day, I had to temporarily leave the guesthouses arranged by the Holy See along the way for official business," Odin's voice trembled slightly, "I entrusted Alice to the guards accompanying me, asking them to take good care of her. It was a sunny afternoon; Alice was playing in the garden, while I was working on documents in my study."

He paused, as if trying to calm his turbulent emotions: "When I returned to the garden, Alice was nowhere to be found. The guards were in a panic, searching everywhere, but found only a scattering of her clothes and a few crushed petals."

"Robbers?" Shen Mo asked softly.

"Yes," Odin nodded, a flicker of pain in his eyes, "but strangely, I sent men to search everywhere, but we couldn't find any trace of the bandits. No hoofprints, no signs of a struggle, not even the slightest clue."

Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat; this was indeed strange. Robbers who kidnap hostages usually leave obvious traces.