Wandering Swordsman |

Upon hearing the words "Hiding the Moon," Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat; the name seemed vaguely familiar. After a moment's recollection, he finally remembered—it was Zhou Xinlian, the chief disciple of the Emei Sect, one of the four beauties he had recently heard of, known as "Hiding the Moon." Thinking of this, Shen Mo couldn't help but glance at Zhou Xinlian again.

However, this look was noticed by a male disciple of the Kunlun Sect. His eyes lit up, and he immediately sought to find fault with Shen Mo, wanting to show off in front of Zhou Xinlian. "Hey, friend over there," the male disciple shouted, "What are you doing staring at our Junior Sister Zhou like that? Do you have some ulterior motive?"

Shen Mo frowned slightly and said calmly, "I just glanced at it casually, I meant no harm."

The male disciple, however, persisted in his provocation, saying, "Hmph, just a casual glance? Our Junior Sister Zhou is so beautiful, I think you're deliberately staring at her! Tell me, are you going to do something indecent next?"

Seeing this, Zhou Xinlian gently waved her hand, signaling the male disciple to stop pestering her. "Friend, there's no need to mind their rudeness," she said gently yet firmly, then turned to the male disciples of the Qingcheng and Kunlun sects behind her. "Since you senior brothers are all here to attend the temple fair, why not get along peacefully with the other participants?"

Zhou Xinlian's actions earned Shen Mo a lot of goodwill, so Shen Mo nodded gratefully, "Thank you for your understanding, Miss. I really meant no harm."

Zhou Xinlian smiled slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in her eyes. "Young master, judging from your attire, you must be a chivalrous figure from the martial world. May I ask your honorable name?"

Shen Mo replied politely, "My name is Shen Mo, and I have come to pay my respects to Master Zhang."

Zhou Xinlian nodded. "So you're here to see Master Zhang. That's perfect, since we're going up the mountain anyway. Why don't we travel together?"

Shen Mo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately agreed. He knew that although these sect disciples seemed somewhat ostentatious, they were all there for the same purpose. Rather than traveling alone, it would be better to travel together; perhaps they could learn more about Master Zhang.

However, Shen Mo's actions aroused extreme jealousy among the male disciples of the Qingcheng and Kunlun sects who were traveling with him. They had originally thought they would have a chance to impress Zhou Xinlian, but unexpectedly, Shen Mo easily won her favor.

The male disciples of the Qingcheng Sect were filled with jealousy. "Who is this kid? He actually dared to talk to Junior Sister Zhou and was even invited to come up the mountain together? We were here first, why does he get the advantage? He really doesn't know what's good for him!"

The Kunlun Sect male disciple's gaze towards Shen Mo immediately shifted to that of someone looking at an enemy. 'This guy named Shen Mo is truly arrogant and ignorant. It's one thing for Junior Sister Zhou to approach him and help him out of a predicament, but he even agreed to her request. The key is that he doesn't know how to be humble at all; he's incredibly ungrateful! It seems we need to find a chance to teach him a lesson—in the martial world, you can't just show off like that.'"

Despite their extreme displeasure with Shen Mo, the two didn't outwardly show much dissatisfaction, only occasionally letting a hint of hostility flash in their eyes. They decided to endure for the time being and wait for the right opportunity to teach Shen Mo a lesson.

The group continued along the mountain path, with Shen Mo and Zhou Xinlian walking side by side, while disciples from other sects followed behind. The male disciples from the Qingcheng and Kunlun sects occasionally exchanged glances, as if discussing some strategy.

Zhou Xinlian sensed the subtle atmosphere, but she didn't say anything. She simply smiled at Shen Mo and asked softly, "Where does Young Master Shen come from? Why do you wish to visit Master Zhang?"

Shen Mo briefly explained his purpose: "I came from Hangzhou. I came to Wudang to fulfill my promise to Master Zhang."

Upon hearing Shen Mo's words, the male disciples of the Kunlun and Qingcheng sects suddenly burst into laughter.

One of the Kunlun Sect male disciples sneered, "You're bragging without even thinking! What kind of status does Master Zhang have? And you, at such a young age, actually have an agreement with Master Zhang? It's laughable!" Another Qingcheng Sect male disciple chimed in, "Indeed, Master Zhang is a grandmaster in the martial arts world. How could an unknown nobody like you possibly have an agreement with him?"

The two junior sisters behind Zhou Xinlian smiled slightly upon hearing this, seemingly agreeing with the male disciples of the Kunlun and Qingcheng sects. However, Zhou Xinlian showed no mockery; her expression remained gentle, and her eyes even held a hint of trust and appreciation.

Shen Mo simply laughed off everyone's disbelief and ridicule. "Whether you believe me or not, you'll know the truth when you meet Master Zhang." His tone was calm and confident, as if he was full of confidence for the upcoming meeting.

To Shen Mo's surprise, Zhou Xinlian not only believed him but also spoke up for him. "Fellow senior brothers, perhaps this Young Master Shen really does have an agreement with Master Zhang? It's best if we don't jump to conclusions." Her voice was gentle yet firm, drawing the attention of everyone present. Her eyes held no doubt, only trust and support for Shen Mo.

Hearing Zhou Xinlian say this, Shen Mo unconsciously looked at her with higher regard and felt a little more favorably towards her. He knew how rare it was to gain someone's trust in this world full of suspicion and prejudice, so Zhou Xinlian's trust made him feel a rare warmth.

As expected, seeing Zhou Xinlian speak up for Shen Mo, the male disciples' faces showed even more jealousy. However, in order to leave a good impression on Zhou Xinlian, they barely suppressed their dissatisfaction and did not say anything more.

The male disciple from the Kunlun Sect gritted his teeth slightly, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes, but he still forced a smile, trying to hide his inner jealousy. "Since Junior Sister Zhou has said so, then let's believe her for now."

As for the two Emei Sect junior sisters that Zhou Xinlian brought, a hint of shame appeared on their faces. They lowered their heads, not daring to look Shen Mo in the eye, as if they regretted their earlier contempt.

The group continued along the mountain path and finally arrived at the gate of Wudang Mountain. At this time, many disciples from various sects who had come to participate in the temple fair had already gathered in front of the gate, creating a lively and bustling scene. Shen Mo took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner turmoil, and prepared to meet Master Zhang.

After everyone entered the mountain gate, Shen Mo walked straight towards the Wudang Sect's main gate. Seeing Shen Mo's confident stride, the male disciples from the Kunlun and Qingcheng Sects who had previously mocked him still cast contemptuous glances at him.

However, Shen Mo didn't care about any of this. He only had one goal in mind: to see Master Zhang as soon as possible, apologize for the late promise from back then, and then fulfill the promise.