Wandering Swordsman |

Shen Mo followed the middle-aged swordsman eastward. Considering that Shen Mo had not yet learned martial arts, the swordsman deliberately slowed down. Although the journey over mountains and valleys was arduous, Shen Mo kept up closely without uttering a single complaint.

After several days of arduous travel, they finally arrived at the nearest major city—Muye City. The city walls were imposing, the gates wide, and brightly colored flags fluttered atop the towers. The guards at the city gates, clad in armor, stood with solemn expressions, yet this did not hinder the bustling traffic within and outside the city. Caravans came and went, carriages came and went, presenting a scene of prosperity.

The middle-aged swordsman led Shen Mo into Muye City, where the sights immediately caught Shen Mo's eye. Neat streets lined with vendors selling all sorts of goods, from fresh fruits and vegetables to exquisite handicrafts. The streets were bustling with pedestrians, their diverse sounds blending together to create the city's unique, vibrant atmosphere.

Shen Mo looked at all of this with curiosity; he had never seen such a prosperous scene before.

He noticed children chasing and playing, merchants calling out to attract customers, and old people sitting in front of their homes basking in the sun—everything seemed so harmonious and vibrant. A strange warmth welled up in Shen Mo's heart, as if this were the long-lost feeling of home.

The middle-aged swordsman glanced at Shen Mo, who was immersed in the bustling scene, and suddenly said, "Shen Mo, the sun is about to set. There's still a distance to the inn; let's try to get there before sunset."

Attracted by the city's prosperity, Shen Mo realized that it was getting late. He withdrew his gaze and nodded, "Master, I understand."

The two continued walking, passing through the bustling streets, until they arrived at a relatively quiet street. The buildings here were more elegant, clearly belonging to the city's commercial center. The middle-aged swordsman led Shen Mo into a small alley. The scene inside the alley was completely different from the outside; it was much quieter, with only the occasional person hurrying by.

Soon after, they arrived at an inn called "Qingzhuju" that occupied half of the alley. The inn's signboard looked simple and elegant in the setting sun, and two red lanterns hung in front of the door, emitting a warm glow. The middle-aged swordsman stepped forward and led Shen Mo into the inn.

Upon seeing a customer enter, the waiter quickly came forward with a beaming smile and said, "Welcome to Qingzhu Residence, sir. Would you like to have a meal or stay overnight?"

After the waiter finished speaking, he carefully examined the middle-aged swordsman. After a moment of surprise, he suddenly realized and said, "Oh my, it's Master Luo! My apologies for not recognizing you. It's been so long since you've graced our humble shop with your presence; I almost didn't recognize you."

The middle-aged swordsman smiled slightly when the waiter recognized him and said, "Hey, waiter. Has the great swordsman Qu Yifan come here?"

Upon hearing the middle-aged swordsman's question, the waiter's expression inadvertently revealed a hint of panic, but he quickly concealed it. He immediately shook his head and replied, "Master Luo, Master Qu did not come here."

The middle-aged swordsman keenly noticed the waiter's subtle changes, and a hint of suspicion rose in his heart. He observed the waiter discreetly, considering the possible scenarios. He thought, "The waiter's behavior is a bit off. Could it be that Qu Yifan really didn't come? Or is there something else going on?"

The middle-aged swordsman frowned slightly, feigning confusion, and said, "That's strange. According to his letter to me, he should have arrived here two days before me..."

Seeing this, the waiter hurriedly interrupted, "Master Luo, why don't you stay at the inn for a while? Perhaps Master Qu has run into some trouble on the road."

The middle-aged swordsman nodded after hearing this and said, "Alright, then I'll trouble you to prepare a two-bedroom suite."

Upon hearing this, the waiter seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, then noticed a young man following behind the middle-aged swordsman. Shen Mo was still wearing the same dirty, tattered clothes he had worn when he was begging. After sizing Shen Mo up and down with a hint of disdain, the waiter asked, "Master Luo, is this young man behind you with you?"

Seeing the waiter's disdainful gaze fall on Shen Mo, the middle-aged swordsman immediately replied, "Yes! This is my newly accepted disciple."

Upon hearing that he was Master Luo's newly accepted disciple, the waiter immediately became respectful and hurriedly said with a smile, "I see, my apologies for not being so polite. I'll go prepare a guest room right away and also get some clothes for this young brother to change into."

After finishing his sentence, the waiter turned and quickly went upstairs. Shen Mo watched the waiter's retreating figure, feeling somewhat uneasy, as this was his first time entering such a large inn. He stood closely behind the middle-aged swordsman, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Seeing that Shen Mo was a little nervous, the middle-aged swordsman gently patted his shoulder and said softly, "Shen Mo, don't be nervous."

Shen Mo nodded, feeling slightly relieved. He looked around and noticed that the inn was exquisitely decorated, with beautiful calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, and the tables and chairs made of fine mahogany, emitting a faint fragrance. Several tables of guests were chatting and drinking tea in the lobby, appearing quite relaxed.

What the middle-aged swordsman didn't know was that after the waiter went upstairs, he didn't prepare a guest room first. Instead, he returned to his storage room, quickly wrote a letter, and carefully stuffed it into his clothes.

The middle-aged swordsman and Shen Mo waited for a long time, but the waiter didn't come down. Shen Mo couldn't help but ask, "Master, why did that waiter take so long to come up?"

As soon as Shen Mo finished speaking, the waiter came down from upstairs with great enthusiasm, carrying a set of brand-new clothes. He said, "Master Luo, young brother. Sorry to keep you waiting. Please come upstairs with me. The rooms have been prepared."

The waiter led them upstairs, through a corridor, to a guest room with the character "天" (heaven) pasted on it. He opened the door, gestured for them to go in, and then handed Shen Mo the new clothes, saying, "Young man, these are your new clothes. Go take a shower first, and then change into them."

Shen Mo accepted the clothes, his heart filled with gratitude, and thanked the waiter. The middle-aged swordsman asked in confusion, "Waiter, why haven't I seen your manager?"

The waiter's face showed a hint of panic again, and he quickly explained, "The manager had to go back to his hometown on urgent business yesterday, so I've been the only one serving customers these past few days."

The middle-aged swordsman pondered to himself: the waiter's flustered reaction when mentioning Qu Yifan, coupled with his strange behavior now regarding the shopkeeper, suggests something is amiss. However, he didn't show anything, intending to observe further.

Thinking of this, the middle-aged swordsman remained nonchalant and replied, "Alright, then prepare some food for us first."

Xiao Er breathed a sigh of relief and immediately retreated. As he turned around, he couldn't help but wipe the sweat from his forehead, and his steps were somewhat hurried, as if he had survived a disaster.

Watching the waiter's departing figure, Shen Mo felt a growing unease. He looked at the middle-aged swordsman, seemingly seeking an answer. The middle-aged swordsman smiled slightly, increasingly sensing that things were not simple. But he still reassured him, "Shen Mo, rest for a bit. Don't worry about anything else, we'll take it slowly."

Shen Mo nodded, picked up the new clothes the waiter had brought, and went into the inner room. The middle-aged swordsman stood by the window, gazing at the scenery outside, while calculating his next move.