Chapter 539 Rescuing the Emperor

Zhao Yan stared at the retreating figure before him, his heart churning with astonishment. Thankfully, he had personally intervened a few days earlier, persuading Shen Mo to stay and instruct the Imperial Guards in martial arts. At the time, he had only thought Shen Mo possessed an extraordinary air, a rare talent, but he never imagined he would have such extraordinary abilities!

"Fortunately...fortunately, I left him in the palace!" Zhao Yan thought to himself, a sense of relief at surviving a calamity welling up within him. Otherwise, this Qianqing Palace would probably have become his burial ground today. Thinking of this, his gratitude towards Shen Mo was beyond words.

Shen Mo did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the masked assassin in front of him.

The two were no more than three zhang apart, the atmosphere heavy as if it were tangible. However, at this critical moment of life and death, Shen Mo's Adam's apple moved almost imperceptibly.

A faint, yet perfectly clear, voice transmission reached the Blood Demon Lord's ears directly:

"Blood Demon Lord, when we make our move, you will use your full strength, and I will also pretend to use my full strength to exchange blows with you. After ten moves, you will pretend to be no match for me and find an opportunity to attack Zhao Yan, while I will protect Zhao Yan, and then you will use this opportunity to escape."

The assassin, played by the Blood Demon Lord, paused slightly.

A knowing glint flashed in the eyes beneath the mask.

He subtly glanced in Shen Mo's direction, his eyes moving almost imperceptibly. A knowing look pierced the air between them, a perfect exchange so swift it was almost too fast to catch.

The next instant, the Blood Demon Lord moved.

He transformed into a crimson lightning bolt that tore through the night! His entire being was enveloped in an intense, nauseatingly bloody aura as he lunged towards Zhao Yan. His speed and power were so immense that everyone present only saw a blur before their eyes, their hearts nearly leaping out of their chests. The aura of death instantly enveloped the entire palace.

"clang--!"

A deafening clang of metal clashing resounded through the sky. The short blade wreathed in black energy that had appeared out of nowhere in the Blood Demon Lord's hand clashed violently with the Azure Ox Sword that Shen Mo had hastily drawn.

Shen Mo's Green Ox Sword unleashed a curtain of azure light, its sword energy crisscrossing and precisely blocking every attack from the Blood Demon Lord.

The two figures flashed past each other, moving so fast that only two blurry afterimages remained, their sword light and blood-red glow intertwining to form a web of death.

The first move was a powerful strike from the Blood Demon Lord, like a thunderbolt; Shen Mo raised his sword to block, and the blue bricks beneath his feet cracked inch by inch.

The second move was a bizarre change of direction by the Blood Demon Lord, whose short blade, like a venomous snake, aimed straight for his throat; Shen Mo dodged to the side, lightly touching his wrist with the tip of his sword, forcing the opponent to defend.

The third move, the fourth move... the two fought faster and faster, their moves becoming increasingly ruthless, as if they were truly locked in a life-or-death feud.

The Blood Demon Lord pushed his demonic powers to their limit, his body enveloped in a bloody mist, and every move he made carried the power to shatter mountains and break peaks.

Shen Mo, on the other hand, was as still and steadfast as a mountain. The Green Ox Sword seemed to come alive in his hands, sometimes flowing like the Yangtze River, sometimes cascading down like the Milky Way.

He appeared to be on the defensive, but in reality, every step he took was meticulously planned, completely neutralizing the Blood Demon Lord's offensive.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the ninth move.

Blood Demon Lord's eyes flashed with ferocity. He suddenly swept his hand across, forcing Shen Mo back half a step. Then, his body spun like a top, disregarding his own safety, and poured all his power into his left palm, unleashing a blood-red palm print that seemed capable of destroying the heavens and the earth, and ruthlessly struck Zhao Yan! This move was a true feint, a desperate gamble to kill!

"Your Majesty, be careful!" Shen Mo exclaimed, his voice carrying just the right amount of anxiety.

He held back no longer. The Azure Ox Sword emitted a clear, resonant bellow that echoed through the air. Azure light surged from the sword, transforming into a streak of azure light that struck the Blood Demon Lord's wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

"puff!"

The Blood Demon Lord spat out a mouthful of blood, his entire arm twisting at a bizarre angle, clearly shattered. He groaned, using the force of the recoil to fly backward like a kite with a broken string, disappearing into the darkness of the palace walls in a few leaps, leaving only a chilling laugh echoing in the night sky.

Everyone was stunned.

From the moment the assassin appeared, to Shen Mo's intervention, and then to the assassin's serious injury and escape, the entire process was swift and swift.

But everyone saw it clearly—it was Shen Mo who, single-handedly, saved the emperor's life! His sword was faster than any mortal could achieve; his movements were as steady as an unchanging mountain. At that moment, he wasn't some wandering swordsman, but a true pillar protecting the nation!

The assassination attempt ended, and Zhao Yan, who had narrowly escaped death, was as pale as a sheet, with cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Looking at the tall, pine-like figure in black standing in front of him, he was filled with mixed emotions. He felt both relieved to have survived the ordeal and deeply impressed by the absolute strength he had been overwhelmed by.

He took a deep breath, disregarding his imperial dignity, and bowed deeply to Shen Mo's back, the bow touching the ground!

"Sword God! If it weren't for your righteous intervention today, I would have already lost my life! I... have no way to repay this life-saving grace!" Zhao Yan's voice trembled slightly, but every word was clear, filled with unprecedented sincerity and gratitude.

This scene left everyone present, from the Imperial Guards to the martial artists, utterly dumbfounded. Since the founding of the nation, had there ever been an emperor bowing in gratitude to a martial artist from the Jianghu? This was an unprecedented and unheard-of event! At this moment, Shen Mo's name was completely imprinted in the depths of everyone's soul, becoming an insurmountable legend.

Upon hearing Zhao Yan's unprecedented deep bow, Shen Mo immediately turned around, took a step forward, and gestured with his hands to stop the emperor from continuing to bow.

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!" His voice was clear and resonant, displaying an air of righteous indignation and unwavering loyalty. "Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation, the master of all people. Though I come from humble origins, I am still Your Majesty's subject. My actions today were merely fulfilling the duty of a subject; how dare I accept such a grand gesture from Your Majesty?"

His words were powerful and resounding, not only stating his position but also giving the emperor a way out. In doing so, he subtly distanced himself from his identity as a "江湖草莽" (a term referring to the common people and the world) and integrated himself into the grand narrative of "家国天下" (a term referring to the nation and its people).

Changing the subject abruptly, Shen Mo frowned, his gaze sweeping sharply in the direction the assassin had vanished. He asked in a deep voice, "But...Your Majesty, who exactly was that assassin? How dare they be so audacious as to openly attempt to assassinate the Emperor! Their intentions are despicable, their crimes deserve to be punished!"

Upon hearing this, the gratitude on Zhao Yan's face gradually faded, replaced by a deep gloom.

He slowly straightened up, his fingers unconsciously stroking the cuffs of his dragon robe, his eyes becoming sharp and cold.

He pondered for a moment, countless possible enemies flashing through his mind, but in the end he could only shake his head helplessly, his voice low: "I... also do not know his identity. This person is highly skilled in martial arts and ruthless in his attacks, definitely not an ordinary martial arts practitioner."

"Not only that," Shen Mo continued, his tone grave, as if revealing a shocking secret, "when I fought him, I could clearly sense that the internal energy he used was chilling and domineering, carrying a strong, bloody aura, definitely not from any sect in the Central Plains martial arts world. Your Majesty, this person... is probably not from the Central Plains!"