Wandering Swordsman |

Upon seeing this, Jian Yihan frowned, his face darkening. He suddenly took a step forward and shouted, "Enough!!! The 'Formless Sutra' is not..."

However, before he could finish speaking, Situ Dengfeng raised his hand to interrupt him, saying in an unusually firm and unquestionable tone, "That's right, as everyone has heard, the 'Formless Sutra' is indeed in my hands." Although his voice was not loud, every word clearly reached everyone's ears, as if pouring a bucket of cold water on the noisy scene, causing everyone to fall silent instantly.

Situ Dengfeng's gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on the middle-aged man who had asked the question. He slowly spoke, "Gentlemen, what happened today is indeed regrettable. However, since everyone is so interested in the *Wuxiang Jing*, I am willing to tell you frankly. Actually, I did not intentionally hide the *Wuxiang Jing*, but it fell into my hands by accident. In order to prevent this precious martial art from being lost, I have temporarily kept it safe."

At this point, Situ Dengfeng's eyes hardened, and he continued, "However, my daughter, Situ Meng, has been kidnapped, and her fate is unknown. If anyone can rescue her, I will unconditionally bestow the 'Formless Scripture' upon them. This is not only out of gratitude for saving her life, but also to ensure that this martial art can be passed down and benefit the martial arts world."

Situ Dengfeng's words were like a bombshell, stirring up waves of emotion among those present. Some were moved, while others fell into deep thought. After a moment of silence, a murmur arose from the crowd, clearly indicating that everyone was considering the proposal.

"Hero Situ, what courage you have!" someone exclaimed. "We will do our best to help and bring your daughter back safely as soon as possible."

"That's right, Miss Situ's safety is the most important thing. We are willing to do our best to help Hero Situ overcome this difficulty," the others echoed.

As more and more people expressed their support, the initially tense atmosphere gradually transformed into a united determination.

At this moment, someone in the crowd shouted, "There's no time to lose! Let's go down the mountain and rescue them now!" These words seemed to ignite the passion in everyone present. The young heroes who had come to participate in the competition all showed resolute expressions and readily agreed.

So, taking advantage of the early hour, before noon, these young martial artists eagerly began preparing to leave Jingtian Pavilion. Everyone appeared exceptionally focused and resolute. A tense yet hopeful atmosphere filled the air, as if everyone was gathering strength to rescue Situ Meng.

As the martial artists who had completed their detoxification gradually departed, the crowd in the square thinned out. Representatives from various sects and families came to Situ Dengfeng to bid him farewell, promising to inform him immediately once Jingtian Pavilion had investigated the situation of the forces behind Li Fanglin.

Before long, the central square became much more spacious. Apart from a few scholars from the academy and a handful of martial artists who remained, most people had left the central square and were marching in a large group towards the gate of Jingtian Pavilion.

At this moment, the man in white slowly walked up to Situ Dengfeng, took out a small, exquisite porcelain bottle from his robes, and gently handed it to him. His eyes revealed sincerity and concern, and his tone was calm and earnest: "Senior Situ, this is the latest Panacea developed by the Ghost Valley Master. It can help your damaged meridians recover quickly; please accept it."

Situ Dengfeng accepted the small, exquisite porcelain bottle, a hint of surprise and gratitude flashing in his eyes. He gazed at the man in white and slowly said, "Thank you, young hero. I will remember this kindness from Guigu." With that, he carefully placed the porcelain bottle into his robes, then bowed deeply to the man in white to show his deepest respect.

Seeing that Situ Dengfeng had accepted the Myriad Spirit Pill, Jian Yihan stepped forward and asked, "Senior Situ, why did you say earlier that the 'Formless Scripture' was in your possession?"

Upon hearing Jian Yihan's question, Situ Dengfeng raised an eyebrow slightly, as if he had suddenly remembered something. A look of sudden realization appeared on his face, his eyes revealing a mixture of admiration and curiosity.

"Young Swordsman, how do you know that the 'Formless Sutra' is not in my possession?" Situ Dengfeng's words were soft, yet carried an undeniable weight, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Jian Yihan remained expressionless, but a barely perceptible determination flickered in his eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful: "To be honest, my master is none other than Guigu Jian Chaozong."

These words struck like lightning across the night sky, causing those around to hold their breath involuntarily. Jian Chaozong, known in the martial arts world as the "Sword Maniac," was one of the legendary Three Eccentrics of Guigu, and one of the most unparalleled masters still existing in the world.

Upon hearing this, Situ Dengfeng was immediately struck by a realization. As one of the three eccentrics of Guigu, the "Sword Maniac" Jian Chaozong must have access to all the intelligence gathered in Guigu, and naturally, Jian Chaozong was also well-versed in many secrets of the martial arts world.

Just then, Situ Dengfeng's gaze inadvertently swept over the white-robed man beside him, and a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. The white-robed man, Qin Wuyin, possessed an indescribable aura, both approachable and mysterious. Situ Dengfeng suddenly remembered that Qin Wuyin's sonic technique had not only saved everyone but also demonstrated astonishing martial arts skills. All of this reminded him of another legendary figure from Ghost Valley—the "Passionate" Qin Tianyuan.

Thinking of this, Situ Dengfeng couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter filled with magnanimity and relief. He turned to look at Qin Wuyin, his eyes gleaming with admiration: "I understand. So you must be the disciple of [The Passionate] Qin Tianyuan?"

Qin Wuyin smiled and nodded, replying humbly, "Senior Situ has excellent judgment. My master also mentioned that he met you when he was traveling. Junior Qin Wuyin greets Senior."

A warm light flashed in Situ Dengfeng's eyes, and then he gestured for everyone present to follow him to the inner hall for a gathering.

With each step he took, an invisible aura of authority spread out, as if the entire space was making way for this martial arts senior. Zhao Xue and He Yun followed closely behind, their eyes filled with both admiration and anticipation. When the group entered the inner hall, the atmosphere there immediately became solemn and dignified.

Upon entering the inner hall, the martial artists' eyes were filled with curiosity and admiration for Jian Yihan and Qin Wuyin. They all stepped forward to strike up conversations, hoping to leave a deep impression on these two young heroes. However, Jian Yihan seemed unconcerned about these deliberate attempts to curry favor, and he walked straight towards He Yun.