Wandering Swordsman |

Duan Qianya was cunning and scheming. He not only colluded with the Black Wind Gang but also feigned compliance with overseas martial artists, even going so far as to create chaos in the martial arts world, all in order to monopolize the secret of the "Martial God's Tomb." Elder Yao was merely a pawn in this game, but because of his special identity—an undercover agent of the Heavenly Demon God Sect—he was easily controlled by Shen Mo.

Shen Mo sneered inwardly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips. He slowly took a step, his figure disappearing into the night as if he had never been there.

The mountain wind howled, and the moonlight, like water, spilled across the summit of Diancang Mountain.

Inside the Pill Hall, Elder Yao remained kneeling on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold stone slab, his body still drenched in cold sweat. His hands trembled slightly, and his eyes held both fear and shock.

"The Flame Demon Lord... is actually paying attention to this matter..." he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible.

He slowly raised his head, gazing in the direction Shen Mo had left, a complex look flashing in his eyes. He didn't know if the decision he made that night signified a turning point in his fate, or the beginning of an abyss.

But in any case, he had no way out.

......

The next morning, before dawn, Diancang Mountain was still shrouded in a hazy morning mist. A few clear birdsongs broke the silence of the night, but an unusual tension permeated the air.

Shen Mo hadn't gotten out of bed yet when he heard a series of urgent knocks on the door—

"Knock knock knock!"

The sounds were hurried and disordered, as if someone was pacing back and forth outside the door, with a hint of panic and anxiety.

"Young Master Shen! Young Master Shen!" A disciple from Diancang called anxiously from outside the door, his tone clearly unease. "Sect Leader Duan requests your immediate presence in the main hall; he has urgent business to discuss! Please proceed at once!"

Shen Mo, who had been sitting half-upright on the bed, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly upon hearing this, a thought flashing through his mind. 'They've finally come.'

He was almost certain that this sudden summons was related to overseas martial artists. Just yesterday, he learned from Elder Yao that Duan Qianya was intentionally concealing the true location of the "Martial God's Tomb," and today Duan Qianya urgently summoned him there. It was highly likely that the overseas evil cultivators had already taken action and created a disturbance that was enough to attract his attention.

Shen Mo had already made a judgment in his mind, but his face remained expressionless.

He slowly rose, put on his outer robe, his movements composed, as if he had been summoned casually and was completely unprepared. He walked to the door, gently opened it, revealing a slightly tired but still handsome face.

Standing outside the door was a disciple of Diancang Sect, around twenty years old, dressed in a blue martial arts uniform with a sword at his waist, looking anxious. Upon seeing the door open, he almost instinctively took a step back and bowed respectfully: "Young Master Shen, Sect Leader Duan requests your immediate presence in the main hall."

Shen Mo smiled slightly and asked, feigning curiosity, "What happened? Why were you summoned to the main hall so early?"

The disciple hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "I heard... that someone committed murder in Dali City last night and set fire to the south of the city. Sect Leader Duan has already summoned several elders to discuss countermeasures, and now he has specially invited you to come, presumably to have you discuss the matter together."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo's eyes flashed with a look of sudden realization, and a thoughtful smile appeared on his lips: "So that's how it is. No wonder Sect Leader Duan was in such a hurry."

As he spoke, he casually straightened his clothes, his movements so natural that he seemed to be nothing more than a martial arts alliance envoy who had been summoned on short notice, completely unsuspecting.

"Let's go," he said casually. "Since Sect Leader Duan has summoned me, how could I dare to delay?"

Seeing Shen Mo's cooperation, the disciple relaxed his tense expression slightly and quickly led the way.

The two walked one after the other through the corridors of the Diancang Sect. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the stone steps were still damp with night dew. In the distance, several white cranes flew over the forest, emitting clear calls, as if adding a touch of vitality to the morning.

But Shen Mo knew that beneath this apparent tranquility, undercurrents were already surging.

From the direction of the main hall, one could faintly hear the clamor of voices.

Even before approaching, one could hear Duan Qianya's deep and authoritative voice coming from inside the hall, as if he were giving a speech. Outside the hall, several elders and disciples of the Diancang Sect were already waiting, their expressions solemn.

Shen Mo walked slowly closer, his gaze sweeping over the crowd as he quickly assessed the situation.

He smiled, his expression natural, as if he were merely a martial arts alliance envoy summoned by the emperor, but in his heart he had already begun to make plans.

Shen Mo strode into the main hall, his steps steady and his expression composed.

Morning light streamed through the carved windows, casting dappled patterns on the blue bricks inside the hall, adding a touch of mystery to this solemn and majestic palace.

Duan Qianya sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a black robe. His brows exuded a sharp aura, and his eyes, as sharp as a hawk's, swept over the people in the hall. His gaze contained a hint of anger, as well as a trace of deep-seated scheming.

Upon seeing Shen Mo enter, Duan Qianya nodded slightly, his voice deep yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Young Master Shen, you've come at the perfect time."

Shen Mo bowed respectfully, his tone gentle yet measured: "Sect Leader Duan summoned me urgently; what has happened?"

Duan Qianya slowly rose, flicked his sleeve, and his anger erupted. His voice boomed like thunder in the hall: "Last night, a group of martial artists went on a killing spree in Dali City, burning down houses and slaughtering innocent people! This incident has shocked Dali, the people are terrified, and their anger is running high!"

He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over the crowd in the hall, his tone growing increasingly heavy: "Those martial artists dare to act so rampantly within the jurisdiction of my Diancang Sect! They're practically implying that my Diancang Sect has no one to rely on!"

Shen Mo's expression shifted slightly, his brows furrowing as if he too was shocked by this sudden tragedy. He feigned surprise and asked, "Such a thing happened? Has Sect Leader Duan investigated and determined who was responsible?"

Duan Qianya snorted coldly, his tone tinged with disdain: "The incident happened so suddenly that we haven't had time to find out who did it. But to dare to harm innocent civilians on Diancang Sect's territory is simply lawless!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo sneered inwardly, but maintained an indignant expression on his face, and said in a deep voice, "Sect Leader Duan is absolutely right. How can such a heinous act be tolerated? I wonder how the Diancang Sect plans to deal with this?"

Duan Qianya gave him a satisfied look and slowly said, "I have already dispatched disciples to Dali City to appease the people and ordered someone to report this matter in detail to the Martial Alliance. At the same time, the Diancang Sect will also send elite disciples to Dali City to investigate this case, and we must find out the mastermind behind it and give the people of Dali City justice."

He paused for a moment, then his tone suddenly changed, carrying a hint of "concern": "Young Master Shen is a member of the Elite Academy of the Martial Arts Alliance, a person of noble status. This investigation is extremely dangerous. For your safety, I suggest you stay in Diancang for the next few days and wait for our news. This matter can be handled by the disciples of Diancang. If there is any news, we will share it with you as soon as possible."