Wandering Swordsman |

Murong Qing stood to the side, and when she heard the words "demonic arts," her heart tightened, and a look of surprise and doubt flashed in her eyes.

Her gaze slowly shifted from the raging black flames on the corpse of the mansion owner to Shen Mo, her eyes complex and profound. She knew all too well the dangers of the martial world; people often turned pale at the mere mention of so-called "demonic arts" and avoided them like the plague.

But at this moment, looking at Shen Mo's calm and composed face, an indescribable emotion welled up in her heart. She knew that Shen Mo was definitely not the kind of person who would pursue the ultimate in martial arts and fall into the demonic path; there must be a hidden reason behind it.

Shen Mo stood quietly in place, seemingly detached from the situation. His gaze remained unwavering as he silently watched the Blood Shadow Lord be completely engulfed by the black flames. Only when the surroundings returned to silence, leaving only the sound of a gentle breeze, did he slowly turn around and meet Murong Qing's questioning gaze.

"Shen Mo..." Murong Qing spoke softly, her voice tinged with unease, "Was what he said just now true? Did you really defeat these assassins using demonic arts?" Her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with worry and confusion.

Shen Mo took a deep breath, his gaze softening. It was as if he wanted to gather his thoughts in this moment of tranquility. His eyes became deep and distant, as if he had traveled through a time tunnel back to the challenging years of the Demon Refining Mountain. "Qing'er, do you believe me?" he asked softly.

Murong Qing gazed into Shen Mo's eyes, trying to find the answer within them. What she saw was sincerity and determination, without a trace of hypocrisy or concealment.

At that moment, her doubts gradually dissipated, replaced by deep understanding and trust. "I believe you!" she whispered. "No matter what, I'll stand by you."

Hearing Murong Qing's words, a hint of emotion flashed in Shen Mo's eyes. He knew how precious it was to have such pure trust in this world. So, he began to recount his experiences over the past five years since he disappeared on his way out of Yunnan.

"I had only been away from Yunnan with my master for a short time when we were attacked by a group of people..."

"...I was taken by Juechenzi to a place called Tianjian Ridge, which is the base of the Tianmo Shenzong."

"...And so, I led the people of the Moon Demon Pavilion into the Demon Refining Mountain."

......

After listening to Shen Mo's story, Murong Qing could no longer contain her emotions and hugged Shen Mo tightly.

Tears silently streamed down her cheeks, soaking Shen Mo's clothes. "So, the reason I couldn't find any news about you for the past five years was because you were abducted to the Heavenly Demon Sect and survived the near-death experience at the Demon Refining Mountain." Her voice choked with emotion, yet filled with deep affection.

Shen Mo gently patted her back and comforted her tenderly, "Qing'er, it's all in the past. I've become the Heavenly Demon God now and come back to find you."

Murong Qing remained silent, simply holding Shen Mo tightly. She closed her eyes, trying to calm the surging emotions within her. Every detail Shen Mo recounted stirred up a thousand waves within her. Every word he spoke was like a knife, cutting into the softest part of her heart, making her feel even more deeply the hardships he had endured. The once naive young man, fresh out of the martial world, had grown into a mature and composed man after experiencing so many trials, which made Murong Qing feel deeply sorry for Shen Mo's past.

But at the same time, she felt a warmth rise from the bottom of her heart, because Shen Mo had finally returned, returned to her side. She knew that no matter how difficult the road ahead, as long as the two of them walked hand in hand, nothing could stop them from moving forward.

After a long silence, Shen Mo broke it softly, "Qing'er, let's go. We need to catch up with the others who escaped."

Murong Qing nodded slightly, tears still lingering in her eyes, but her resolute gaze had returned to normal. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within her. They exchanged a glance, needing no words to understand each other's feelings.

......

After Shen Mo and Murong Qing left the village, they moved like the wind sweeping through the treetops, their clothes fluttering as they sped more than ten miles away.

Both of them possessed exceptional lightness skills; their toes barely touched the ground before their figures had already drifted far away.

However, after chasing for an hour, the Murong family members who should have been ahead seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving not even a trace of their presence.

As night fell, the autumn wind swirled a few withered leaves, brushing against the hems of their clothes. Murong Qing suddenly stopped, her delicate brows furrowing slightly as she scanned her surroundings, a hint of anxiety in her eyes: "They actually escaped so quickly?" She paused, her voice lowering slightly, "I hope they're alright."

Shen Mo stood beside her, hands behind his back, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, scanning the winding path ahead. He was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "It's a matter of life and death; they'll definitely try to escape for their lives." His tone was cold and stern, like a broken sword being drawn from its sheath. "Don't worry too much. Once we get to Nanjing quickly, we'll know for sure."

Having said that, he turned and rose again, his toes barely touching the ground as he sped off like a flowing cloud. Murong Qing followed closely behind, the two of them streaking across the night like shooting stars, heading swiftly towards Nanjing.

The mountains, rivers, and vegetation rushed past, the light of day shifted from bright to dark, and then from dark to the first light of dawn. They worked almost non-stop. Finally, by the evening of the second day, the outline of Nanjing was beginning to appear in the twilight.

Upon entering Nanjing, the city lights shone like a galaxy, and people thronged the streets. The cries of vendors and the clamor of restaurants blended into a bustling scene. The Martial Alliance was located in the east of the city, its high walls and vermilion gates exuding an imposing aura. In the distance, one could see many young martial artists carrying their belongings, walking in small groups toward the Martial Alliance's gates.

As Shen Mo and Murong Qing arrived at the imposing gates of the martial arts alliance, a disciple in a blue robe approached them. The disciple was about twenty years old, with a handsome face, but the moment he looked up at Murong Qing, he froze as if struck by lightning—

She was dressed in a plain white gown, her hair cascading like ink, her skin like jade, and her eyes like a cold pool under the moonlight, clear yet unfathomable. For a moment, even the air seemed to stand still, and breathing became cautious. The disciple's Adam's apple bobbed, her gaze shifting, for she had never seen such a beautiful woman before. She forgot her duty, staring unfocused, her lips parted slightly, unable to utter a single word.

"I am Murong Qing from the Murong family." Murong Qing spoke calmly, her tone gentle yet devoid of any emotion, as if she were already accustomed to such gazes. "This is my fiancé, Shen Mo. We are here to register at the Elite Academy."

"Ah? Oh... Ah! Yes, yes, yes!" The disciple suddenly came to his senses, his face flushed, and he nodded hurriedly. But when he caught sight of Shen Mo, his eyes suddenly darkened, and he forced a smile, but his heart was in turmoil.