The old boat owner was stunned.He had initially assumed that Xuan Mo would accept the invitation. After all, the swordsman had just saved the entire harbor. It was only right for them to hold a grand celebration to express their gratitude."Ah, what a pity! At least stay until tonight. We haven't even had the chance to properly repay your kindness."Xuan Mo merely smiled and shook his head once again.He certainly understood their good intentions. However, he also knew that after this battle, his name would become even more widely known. If he stayed too long, it was entirely possible that many martial warriors and influential figures would come to meet him.Some might wish to establish friendly relations with him, while others might simply come to test his abilities. Either way, all of this would consume a considerable amount of time.He and Long Tian still had to reach the capital. Their journey had already been delayed considerably, so he did not want to waste any more time.Seein

Long Tian furrowed his brows deeply. Normally, they were never forbidden from entering any city or village. All they had to do was present their official identification, and the city gates would open wide for them.Xuan Mo let out a quiet sigh before speaking to the guard.“If possible, we would certainly look for another nearby city. However, you can see the situation outside for yourself. The night sky has grown incredibly dark, and heavy raindrops are already pouring down upon the earth.”Xuan Mo stared intently at the gate guard. He could read the look in the man's eyes. There was no hostility or hatred in them whatsoever. Instead, they seemed to reveal a hidden sense of concern and worry.“Travelers, don't you know that...” The old guard's sentence was suddenly cut short.Someone approached from behind and interrupted him in a harsh voice.“Have you stopped caring about the safety of your wife and children? If these people insist on entering, then let them bear the consequences t

Long Tian observed the changes in his master's expression.He could tell that Xuan Mo was furious after hearing the woman's story. As a martial artist with a strong sense of justice, his master clearly could not tolerate such tyrannical behavior.Xuan Mo took a deep breath before asking.“Then what about the government? Have the local officials done nothing to stop these bandits? Isn't this city under the protection of the Han Empire?”The woman smiled bitterly.“How could we not hope for help from the government? We have submitted reports countless times. Several families of the victims have even sent people to request assistance. However, nothing has changed so far. The officials only tell us that they are still investigating the matter.”Xuan Mo furrowed his brows.He understood that not every sect possessed a large number of expert martial artists. Smaller sects, in particular, usually had only a handful of First-Class Warriors, while most of their disciples and elders were still

Xuan Mo looked at his disciple for a moment. Inwardly, he wondered whether Long Tian simply possessed such a strong adventurous spirit that he paid little attention to the killing aura surrounding him.Moreover, despite his young age, the boy had already learned to conceal his killing aura quite well.For more than a year, Xuan Mo had devoted considerable time to teaching Long Tian. One thing he frequently did was help his disciple gradually eliminate the killing aura accumulated from various battles.However, after observing him more closely, Xuan Mo realized that Long Tian seemed to prefer learning how to conceal that aura rather than getting rid of it.This meant that his disciple might actually intend to retain it.Xuan Mo did not entirely disagree with that choice. Killing aura could actually serve as a weapon for a martial artist. If properly controlled, it could be used to suppress an opponent's mental strength. At an extremely high level, killing aura could even cause weaker m

Long Tian had finished collecting the small knives that had been scattered across the muddy ground. As he straightened up, his sharp eyes noticed that only three bandits were approaching him. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the criminal group had gathered in a massive wave, surrounding and attacking his master, who stood not far away.The three approaching bandits wore mocking smiles as they raised their rusty machetes. One of them shouted an order."Surround this area! Don't let the brat escape! Capture him alive or chop him into pieces!"The three men moved closer, forming a tight circle around Long Tian. In their minds, the boy had remained motionless because his small body had been paralyzed by overwhelming fear.However, what happened next was beyond their comprehension.Long Tian merely flicked his sleeves with a calm and casual motion. Three small knives shot through the air at an invisible speed, striking vital points and piercing the throats of all three bandits simultane