Wuxia: Become the 100-Victory Sword King at the Beginning

Chapter 281. The cold glint of a blood-stained blade illuminates the perilous valley; the melodious strains of a Xiang zither convey deep affection.
The night was distorted and deformed by the scorching heat of war, and Guo Xiangyu's bamboo knife drew a sharp blue light in the blood mist.

Her silver ornaments were already disheveled, and a few strands of her hair were stained with blood and stuck to her pale cheeks, yet she still moved as lightly as a butterfly, and her "Three Talents Blade of Qimen" moves were ruthless.

As three high-ranking members of the Holy Church approached with poisoned bone knives, she lightly touched the ground with her toes, and the bamboo knife, like a nimble snake, pierced towards the enemy's throat, heart, and dantian—three vital acupoints. "Get back!" she shouted, the blade grazing the carotid artery of one of the enemies, blood splattering onto her eyelashes.

However, even at this critical moment, her gaze remained fixed on the figure fighting a bloody battle in the distance—Shi Feiyang was locked in fierce combat with the Western Region Protector, the sparks from the clash between the Heavenly Frost Blade and the Nine-Section Whip reflecting his cold and resolute face.

"Young master, please be careful!" This cry was torn from the softest part of her heart, her trembling voice carrying fear, worry, and an overwhelming affection. Guo Xiangyu's eyes were already brimming with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, afraid that she would miss Shi Feiyang's safety in the blink of an eye.

Her voice drifted towards him amidst the bloodshed, like an invisible thread gently entwining Shi Feiyang's heart.

Hearing this tearful cry, Shi Feiyang, who was in the midst of a fierce battle, paused for a moment with the Heavenly Frost Blade in his hand.

He turned around and saw Guo Xiangyu being forced back by the enemy, her skirt stained with blood, yet she still brandished her bamboo knife, fiercely guarding him from behind. Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears, her gaze a mixture of fear and determination, as if saying: As long as you are safe, what does it matter if I am shattered to pieces?

At that moment, a rare tenderness appeared on Shi Feiyang's usually cold and stern face.

The chill emanating from him seemed to lessen, and the warmth flowing in his eyes was more intense than any flame in the world.

"Watch out!" He didn't have time to think. The Divine Dragon Claw shot out, a flash of green light, and knocked away the enemy who was about to ambush Guo Xiangyu.

Looking at the concern in his eyes, Guo Xiangyu felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

She knew that she was no longer alone on this battlefield of swords and shadows.

Even if there is an abyss ahead, as long as she can protect him and see him safe, she is willing to raise her bamboo knife a thousand times over, even if she ends up covered in wounds, she will do it willingly.

However, at this moment, there is no room for sentimentality.

Shi Feiyang roared, his aura suddenly surged, and his clothes fluttered, stirring up snowflakes everywhere, as if a god had descended to earth.

The Frost Blade drew a huge golden arc of light; that was the ultimate technique of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," "Heaven and Earth Live Together"!
Wherever the blade flashed, the air emitted a tearing shriek, and space itself was distorted and deformed by this powerful force.

The face of the protector of the Western Regions Holy Sect turned ashen instantly, his beard bristled with fear, and he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

He frantically swung his whip, trying to block the fatal blow, but the tip of the whip snapped inch by inch like a fragile spider silk in the golden light of the blade.

"No—" His desperate scream pierced the night sky, but it could not stop the Frost Blade from falling like a mountain.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, the guardian's body was split in two, and his internal organs were scattered in the air along with the scarlet blood rainbow.

The horrific scene transformed the surrounding area into a living hell.

Amidst this bloody scene, Guo Xiangyu gazed at Shi Feiyang's tall and straight back, with only one thought in her mind: as long as the young master is safe!

The night was soaked in blood, turning into an eerie purple. The members of the Western Regions Holy Sect stared at the protector's body, which was torn in two, but instead of fear, their eyes blazed with a frenzied, ghostly blue flame.

They roared like trapped beasts, their slogans carrying a foul wind that soared into the sky, as if they wanted to turn this world upside down.

A dense swarm of dark shadows surged forth like a tide.

The sounds of clashing weapons, scraping metal, and roaring beasts intertwined to create a chilling symphony of death, shaking the valley and even causing the cold stars in the sky to tremble slightly in alarm.

Shi Feiyang stood amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, like a demon descending to earth. The cold light emanating from the Heavenly Frost Blade and the azure light brought by the Divine Dragon Claws complemented each other. With each swing of the blade, life withered in its wake; with each claw strike, flesh and blood flew everywhere.

His dark cloak was already stained red with blood, yet he still stood tall and straight, rampaging through the enemy ranks with unstoppable force.

The corpses piled higher and higher on the ground, and warm blood meandered along the terrain, drawing hideous patterns on the snow. The stench of blood in the air was so strong that it was impossible to dispel, like an invisible hand tightly gripping everyone's throats.

The night was as thick as ink that could not be dissolved, and the intense stench of blood stained the moonlight with an eerie dark red.

Guo Xiangyu's ears were filled with screams and the clang of weapons, but in her world, there was only that figure standing tall like a pine tree amidst the flashing blades—Shi Feiyang. His black cloak billowed, and the cold glint of his Heavenly Frost Blade chilled his enemies, but in that breathtaking moment, a dark shadow approached silently like a venomous snake.

The Western Region expert crouched low, crawling slowly among the corpses scattered on the ground, his dark blue poisoned dagger gleaming eerily in the shadows.

His sinister gaze was fixed on Shi Feiyang's back, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth, as if he could already see the sharp blade piercing flesh. Guo Xiangyu saw this scene from afar, her heart almost bursting out of her chest, the color draining from her face instantly, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, filled with terror and despair.

"Young master, watch out behind you!" Her cry was choked with sobs, as mournful as a cuckoo weeping blood.

This shout, uttered with all her might, pierced the clamor of the battlefield like a sharp sword. The silver ornaments in her hair jingled as she charged forward recklessly, scattering tiny silver fragments in the moonlight, much like her chaotic yet burning heart at that moment.

Her skirt fluttered like a butterfly, the bamboo knife in her hand gleaming with a cold, sharp light. She transformed into a resolute streak of light, rushing straight at the malicious attacker. The attacker was forced to abandon his fatal blow and hastily turned away. Guo Xiangyu's eyes burned with a fierce flame, a power stronger than any martial art—she was willing to sacrifice herself to protect Shi Feiyang!
Sparks flew as the bamboo sword clashed with the dagger, but Guo Xiangyu did not back down. Every move she made was a desperate fight, with only one thought in her mind: I must not let my young master suffer even the slightest harm!

The moment Shi Feiyang heard the shout, he felt a sudden clench in his heart and a surge of coldness throughout his body.

The dragon claw instantly transformed into a gigantic phantom, its roar echoing across the sky, as azure true energy swept in like a raging torrent.

The powerful airflow carved deep trenches into the ground. Amidst the flying sand and stones, the attacker was torn to pieces by the dragon's claws before he could even scream, his flesh and blood falling like raindrops.

Shi Feiyang turned to look at Guo Xiangyu, whose hair was disheveled and stuck to her face, with a few strands stained with blood, yet she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, aching with both pain and fear: "Xiangyu, don't take any risks, I will protect you!"

His voice was deep and firm, yet it couldn't hide his concern and lingering fear.

Guo Xiangyu raised her head, meeting his gaze, her eyes as firm as a rock: "Young Master, I will fight alongside you, and follow you to the death!"

Her voice, though clear and melodious, contained a resolve stronger than steel. "Since meeting you, my life has no longer belonged to myself. Look," she held out her hand, her palms covered in blood from gripping the knife so tightly, "these scars are proof that I protected you. As long as I can protect you, even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire, I'll do it willingly! If one day I have to give my life to protect you, I will not hesitate, because in my heart, you are my everything..."

The north wind howled through the air, whipping up sand and gravel, turning the world into a crimson mist.

Shi Feiyang stood atop the mountain of corpses, his black cloak soaked with purplish-black bloodstains, and ice crystals mixed with bits of flesh fell from the Heavenly Frost Blade.

"If this drags on any longer, our brothers will surely be weakened!" Shi Feiyang thought to himself, then suddenly roared to the sky. The huge vortex formed by the Mingyu Gong true energy spun around and bounced away Xiong Ying and Guo Xiangyu, sending them far away.

In an instant, the white mist surrounding Shi Feiyang transformed into a hundred-foot-long icy dragon, its roar causing the accumulated snow to fall in a flurry. His left hand, wielding a divine dragon claw, glowed with azure light, while his right hand, wielding a heavenly frost blade, drew a golden arc. The two supreme techniques, "Heaven and Earth Coexist" and "Dragon's Roar Across the Nine Heavens," suddenly merged into one! The blade light and the dragon claw's illusory form merged into a gigantic Tai Chi diagram, its yin-yang eyes emanating an aura of destruction. Wherever it passed, the air twisted like boiling oil, emitting a piercing shriek.

More than twenty Holy Sect experts were caught off guard and instantly swept into the energy vortex.

Their screams abruptly ceased as their bodies were shredded like paper, and a mist of blood carrying severed limbs soared into the sky.

Some people's lower legs flew into the burning tents, their flesh sizzling in the flames; others had their heads blown off by the blast wave, their eyeballs still mechanically rotating in their sockets. Within a radius of ten zhang, the ground was plowed into three deep trenches by this enormous force, from which blackish-purple venom seeped, corroding the snow and causing it to bubble and gurgle.

The Holy Church's offensive suddenly slowed, and fear flickered in dozens of eyes. Just then, a sinister laugh pierced the clamor.

Qi Yin walked slowly over the mountain of corpses. The blood mist seeping from under her black robes writhed like living things. Wherever she passed, countless human faces appeared on the ground, emitting wails.

He formed the "Blood Demon Seal" with his ten fingers, and the blood dripping from his fingertips congealed into the shape of a skull in the air: "A Central Plains warrior dares to run wild under the Blood Demon Technique?"

Before he finished speaking, Qi Yin's body was enveloped in a surge of blood mist, transforming into a hundred-foot-tall phantom of an Asura.

The phantom opened its blood-red maw, and wherever the rain of blood it spewed out, the disciples of the Xiong Ying Society immediately suffered festering skin and screamed as they scratched at their own flesh and bones.

Liao Pei roared and unleashed his Tongbei Fist "Chain Deadly Hand" towards the blood mist, but the force of his punch vanished like a mud ox entering the sea, instead becoming entangled in the blood mist around his arm. In an instant, bluish-purple lines appeared beneath his skin, and his facial features became distorted.

Lie Quan Qian Kun Blade wielded in a Bagua formation, attempting to block the spread of the blood mist. However, the blood mist did not dissolve upon encountering the blade; instead, it climbed up the blade to his wrist. "Not good! It's the Blood Demon Soul Devouring Curse!" His expression changed drastically, and he desperately threw the fire starter from his waist.

The moment the raging fire ignited, a childlike shrill laugh echoed from within the blood mist, and the flames were dyed an eerie purple.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang unleashed another move from Tian Shuang Blade, "Frosty Sky Obscures the Sun," where the cold air collided with the blood mist, exploding into thousands of ice shards.

Qi Yin let out a strange laugh, formed hand seals, and unleashed the "Blood Demon Devouring the Heavens" move. Blood mist transformed into a giant snake's mouth, devouring Shi Feiyang.

At the critical moment, Guo Xiangyu charged forward wielding a poisoned bamboo knife, the "Three Talents of Qimen" knife specifically designed to pierce the snake's vital point. Unfortunately, the blood mist was ever-changing, and the bamboo knife was corroded with countless holes the moment it touched the snake.

"Xiangyu, step back!" Shi Feiyang was extremely anxious. He activated the Mingyu Gong to the eighth level—"Supreme Forgetfulness." His body was covered in icy armor, and the Heavenly Frost Blade and the Divine Dragon Claw merged once more. The two supreme techniques, "Heaven and Earth Coexist" and "Dragon's Roar to the Nine Heavens," suddenly transformed into the "Primordial Demon-Slaying Slash"!
A golden beam of light shot straight into the sky and collided violently with the phantom of the Blood Demon.

In an instant, the world lost its color. The shockwave from the explosion leveled everything within a hundred feet. Severed limbs and broken arms fell like raindrops, and blood mixed with ice and snow turned this place into a living hell.

Shi Feiyang's black cloak suddenly billowed out like a sail.

He knew that this "Blood Prison Descends" was a powerful demonic technique used by the Western Regions Holy Sect, and that if he was not careful, he would have all his blood drained.

Holding his breath and concentrating, the Heavenly Frost Blade emitted a cold, eerie blue light, condensing the air within three feet of him into ice crystals. This was the "Ice Soul Frost Prison" technique, perfected by cultivating the Mingyu Skill to its ultimate level.

"Break!" With a roar, Shi Feiyang stepped into the "Seven Steps of Dragon Walk," his figure transforming into nine afterimages. The Heavenly Frost Blade unleashed the essence of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," the "Heaven-Slaying Technique," its blade light cascading like a silver river, colliding violently with the blood-red chains.

In an instant, the sounds of metal breaking and bones shattering mingled as the chains were cleaved into tiny pieces of iron. The flying iron filings rained down in all directions, and the 173 Holy Sect disciples, unable to dodge in time, were instantly pinned to the ground like bloody pincushions.

Upon seeing this, a hint of panic flashed in Qi Yin's eyes, and she quickly formed the "Nine Blood Demon Seals" with her hands. Nine Asura phantoms, each three zhang tall, emerged from the blood mist, each phantom opening its blood-red maw and spewing out highly corrosive purplish-black poisonous mist.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, and his left hand extended the Divine Dragon Claw. The azure true energy wrapped around his fingertips condensed into five giant dragon phantoms. This was the "Five Dragons Suppressing Demon Technique" that Shi Feiyang created by combining the Hundred Victory Blade Technique and the Divine Dragon Claw Divine Skill.

The dragon claws collided with the poisonous mist, producing a deafening roar. The ground within a radius of ten feet instantly collapsed, forming a huge blood pit.

In the heat of battle, Shi Feiyang suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

It turned out that while he was entangled in the fight with Qi Yin, the two Holy Church elders used the "Blood Shadow Escape Technique" to circle around behind him, their bone blades glowing with a ghostly blue poisonous light.

At the critical moment, Guo Xiangyu pounced like a swallow, wielding her bamboo sword with exquisite moves of the "Three Talents of Qimen Sword," forcing the two back. Her sleeves were riddled with holes from the poisonous blood, and her face was as pale as paper, yet she still cried out, "Young master, be careful!"

Shi Feiyang felt a warmth in his heart, and his fighting spirit soared even higher. He took a deep breath and circulated his Mingyu Gong to the eighth and a half level, "Supreme Forgetfulness of Ice Soul Cold Prison". The huge vortex formed by his true energy spurred Guo Xiangyu into the air.

Xie Wen hurriedly used his "Flying Floss and Light Smoke Skill" to fly into the air and throw out his Heavenly Silkworm Net to cover Guo Xiangyu and prevent her from falling into a meat pie.

At this moment, the chilling aura surrounding Shi Feiyang transformed into a hundred-foot-long ice dragon. The Heavenly Frost Blade and the Divine Dragon Claw unleashed their power simultaneously, once again unleashing the ultimate technique, "Primordial Demon-Slaying Slash"! A golden beam of light shot straight into the sky, colliding violently with Qi Yin's blood demon phantom.

In an instant, the world lost its color, and the shockwave from the explosion leveled everything within a radius of a hundred feet.

Qi Yin let out a shrill scream, and most of the blood mist was dispersed, revealing his disheveled figure.

His black robe was tattered, and blood was flowing from his seven orifices, indicating that he had been seriously injured.

Seeing the situation was dire, he bit his tongue hard, spitting out a mouthful of blood that condensed into a crimson streak of light in front of him. "Shi Feiyang, I will not be a gentleman if I do not avenge this!" With a roar, he transformed into a streak of crimson light and soared into the sky, fleeing in the northwest.

The north wind, carrying sand and gravel like thousands of steel needles, pierced the ruins of the Ningxia Western Regions Holy Religion stronghold, making them rustle.

Shi Feiyang stood amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood. The blood on the Heavenly Frost Blade had not yet congealed when it was frozen into dark red ice crystals by the biting cold wind.

He gazed in the direction where Qi Yin had vanished in a streak of blood, his knuckles gripping the knife turning white from the force, his black cloak fluttering in the wind, and the chill emanating from him causing the falling snowflakes to condense into sharp hexagonal blades.

"Chase!" Before Shi Feiyang finished speaking, the remnants of the Holy Cult surged towards them like a tide from a hundred feet away.

These people were dressed in tattered clothes, covered in blood, but their eyes burned with a crazed, eerie blue flame.

The leading elder ripped open his blood-stained robes, revealing a hideous black demon god tattoo on his chest, and roared as he brandished his bone knife: "Avenge our leader!"

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply, knowing that if he pursued the enemy at this moment, he would be trapped in a desperate situation where he would be attacked from both sides.

"Disciples, heed my command!" Shi Feiyang swung his sword, cleaving the corpse of a Holy Sect disciple in two. Wherever the sword energy reached, limbs and severed bodies flew like falling leaves. "Today, we will make the demonic sect pay for their blood debts! Slaughter all those in the demonic sect! Kill!" At Shi Feiyang's command, all the disciples of the Xiong Ying Society drew their swords and charged towards the disciples of the Western Region Holy Sect.

In an instant, shouts of battle shattered the sky. Liao Pei's arms grew three feet longer, and his Tongbei Fist's "Chain Deadly Hands" were like a rain of pear blossoms, each punch shattering the blue bricks; Lie Quan wielded his Qiankun Blade with fierce wind, the Bagua runes on the blade shining brightly, enveloping all the besieging enemies.

Xiao Lingling's Mandarin Duck Blades transformed into thousands of butterfly shadows, specifically targeting the enemy's throat. Wherever they went, blood droplets splattered like blooming red plum blossoms.

The bloody battle continued until dawn. Corpses littered the area inside and outside the stronghold, and blood mixed with snow stained the ground a mottled purplish-black.

In a collapsed cellar, Shi Feiyang found the secret room where Qi Yin had hidden money and grain.

The mysterious deerskin bag seemed to have endless space, and Shi Feiyang put boxes of gold, white rice, and mountains of salt into it.

Every grain of salt here is stained with the blood of the Western Regions Holy Religion.

At the same time, a message sent by carrier pigeon by Xue Hongshan and his son pierced the sky.

More than 10,000 members of the Northwest Salt Gang swarmed in like a tide and seized back all the salt fields in Ningxia.

Keeping his promise, Shi Feiyang gave half of the profits to the Salt Gang and distributed the salt to the people of Ningxia. When the news spread, the title of "Number One Hero Under Heaven" resounded throughout the border region, and countless passionate young men came to join the Xiong Ying Society.

The total number of disciples of the Xiong Ying Society in the Ming Dynasty has exceeded 500,000.

To accommodate the injured Liao Pei and Lie Quan, Shi Feiyang decided to establish a branch in the Helan Mountains.

The north wind howled, whipping up blizzards like a barrage of arrows, tearing the landscape at the border of the desert and grassland into darkness. Yellow sand swirled wildly with snowflakes, turning the world into a chaotic, yellowish-brown expanse. The howling wind seemed to echo with the wails of countless vengeful ghosts, as if trying to rip out the souls of travelers.

Guo Xiangyu's slender figure swayed in the gale, her silk skirt fluttering, silver ornaments in her hair jingling, and disheveled black hair clung to her pale face like a spider web. She gritted her teeth, struggling to maintain her balance, yet still staggered uncontrollably, like a frail willow swaying precariously in the storm; Shi Xiong, still young, despite his stubborn expression, was blinded by the sand and dust, his small body nearly tumbling in the wind.

Shi Feiyang stood amidst the wind and sand, his black cloak fluttering in the wind, like a majestic and unmoving mountain.

His brows were furrowed, his eyes flashed with a cold light, and he scanned the treacherous surroundings, having already made up his mind.

Seeing that the two were in a critical situation, he did not hesitate any longer. He reached out with his right arm and carried Shi Xiong steadily on his back. Shi Xiong instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around his neck. With his left hand, he gently pulled Guo Xiangyu into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

In an instant, Mingyu Gong reached the eighth level – “Supreme Forgetfulness”, and white mist surged around him, as if a dragon had emerged from the sea and soared straight into the sky.

Shi Feiyang used the unparalleled lightness skill "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles" to transform into a white rainbow, shuttling through the wind and snow.

Each step seemed to shatter the void, yet no footprints were left amidst the flying snowflakes.

Seeing Shi Feiyang move, Xie Wen immediately used the "Flying Willow Catkins and Light Smoke Technique," his figure moving like willow catkins in the wind, like light smoke drifting, closely following behind. Sometimes he disappeared into the wind and snow, sometimes he appeared among the flying sand, his clothes fluttering, revealing the wonderful essence of lightness skill.

The four of them sped through the raging snowstorm, like four untamed ghosts, or like four immortals descending from the snow.

Guo Xiangyu, nestled in Shi Feiyang's arms, felt the warmth emanating from him and listened to his steady, powerful heartbeat. Her panicked heart gradually calmed down. Shi Feiyang's gaze, firm and resolute, pierced through the thick fog, looking towards the Helan Mountains. In his mind, he had already sketched out the secret location of the branch, the very foundation upon which the Xiong Ying Society would stand strong in the Northwest.

Shi Feiyang's dark cloak completely enveloped Guo Xiangyu, and the familiar, chilling aura mixed with a faint smell of blood wafted towards her, yet it inexplicably brought her a sense of peace. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around his lean waist, and the warmth from his palms seeped through the thin fabric, making her heart pound like a drum, and her cheeks instantly flushed red.

Shi Xiong obediently lay on Shi Feiyang's back, his little hands gripping his collar tightly. Xie Wen followed closely behind, using the "Flying Floss and Light Smoke Technique." The four of them transformed into four afterimages, weaving through the yellow haze.

Shi Feiyang treads on "A Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace," each step seeming to shatter the spine of the wind, and the snow-capped Helan Mountains rapidly magnify before his eyes.

Guo Xiangyu tilted her head slightly, and through the swirling snowflakes, she saw the taut lines of Shi Feiyang's jaw and the tiny ice beads that had formed on his eyelashes, reflecting a dazzling light in the moonlight. His focused profile, in the wind and snow, was like an eternal statue, captivating her gaze.

As the snow-covered peaks came into view, a soft white mist suddenly enveloped Shi Feiyang.

That was the protective true energy of the Mingyu Gong when it was in operation. The white mist enveloped the two of them like a light veil, and the chill instantly dissipated, replaced by a warmth like the spring sun. Guo Xiangyu's cheeks flushed as she felt the vibration from his chest and heard him say softly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

These simple words, however, sounded like the most beautiful love confession, melting Guo Xiangyu's heart with warmth.

The moment she landed, Shi Feiyang steadily supported her waist, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

Guo Xiangyu raised her large, watery eyes, snowflakes falling on her long eyelashes and melting into glistening droplets. She suddenly grabbed Shi Feiyang's right hand, her voice full of heartache: "Young Master, your hand is injured." Her fingertips gently traced the "wound" on the back of his hand.

Looking at Guo Xiangyu's serious expression, Shi Feiyang felt a gentle touch on the softest part of his heart.

He took her hand in his, warmth spreading through their pressed palms: "Silly girl, I'm fine. This isn't a wound, it's just blood from when the enemy's finger broke during our fight."

His thumb rubbed against the back of her cold hand. "But you, you're freezing, aren't you?" he said, then put her hand into his bosom to warm it with his body heat.

Guo Xiangyu leaned against him, feeling his strong heartbeat, and whispered, "As long as I'm by your side, young master, I feel warm, warmer than any charcoal fire in the world..."

Her face flushed instantly, like a peach blossom soaked in honey. Leaning against Shi Feiyang's shoulder, listening to his strong heartbeat, she murmured, "As long as I can be with you, young master, even the coldest snow and wind feel sweet..."

Before he could finish speaking, Shi Xiong suddenly peeked out from behind him, winking and saying, "Sister Guo is saying mushy things again!"

Xie Wen couldn't help but chuckle, but Shi Feiyang hugged the person in his arms even tighter, a tenderness he himself didn't even realize appeared on his lips: "When we find the base, I'll make you the hottest ginger tea."

His gaze swept across the snow-covered mountains in the distance, and he had already made up his mind. Guo Xiangyu, in his arms, was already intoxicated by this sudden tenderness, her heart and eyes filled with the towering figure before her.

The north wind whips up fine snow, weaving a silvery-white net across the Helan Mountains.

Shi Feiyang held Guo Xiangyu close, her cheek gently pressed against his warm chest. Listening to his strong heartbeat, the whole world quieted down. "Young master, look at that mountain wall over there..." Guo Xiangyu's voice was sweet as honey. Her slender fingers pointed into the distance, and the silver bells in her hair swayed gently with her movements, creating delicate, clear sounds in the silent valley.

However, this tender moment was shattered in an instant.

The north wind, carrying snow grains as hard as iron sand, turned the Helan Valley into a slaughterhouse.

Forty dark figures descended from the cliff, the sound of swords being drawn like the wailing of ghosts in the cold night, reflecting a cold, eerie blue light onto the white snow.

The elder in the lead resembled a withered ape, with an arm over a foot long protruding from beneath his green robe, his knuckles protruding like iron. He was none other than Lu Changshan, the "Iron-Armed Immortal Ape," the leader of the Vermilion Bird Hall of the Northwest Iron Gang. Behind him, Li Wuduo swayed her serpentine waist, her blood-red fingernails gleaming with a bluish-black hue like corpse poison under the moonlight. She was none other than the infamous "Poisonous Hand Nuwa."

"Shi Feiyang, it's true that fate brings us together from a thousand miles away, while those who are not destined will not meet even face to face!" Li Wuduo's laughter was as sharp as a night owl's. Before she finished speaking, her figure had already turned into a blur, and her killing move "Oriole Snatching Crotch" was aimed straight at Shi Feiyang's throat.

This technique is specifically designed to lock the trachea; those struck by it may suffer from shattered throat bones or even immediate death.

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply, and Guo Xiangyu in his arms felt his muscles tense instantly. "Xiangyu, forgive me!" he said in a low voice, using his Mingyu Gong to lift Guo Xiangyu into the air like a tossing embroidered ball. This seemingly reckless move actually concealed a hidden strategy—Guo Xiangyu's martial arts skills were insufficient, and leaving her on the ground would only be a burden; tossing her into the air would allow her to avoid the sharp edge of the melee.

The moment Guo Xiangyu was thrown into the air, she gazed at Shi Feiyang's disheveled yet handsome profile, his hair whipping wildly in the wind like ink, and felt he appeared even more imposing than usual. "Young Master..." she whispered, but before her voice faded, Xie Wen had already used his "Flying Willow and Light Smoke Technique" to arrive, his silken net billowing like a reversed Milky Way, catching her securely. Shi Xiong, clinging to Xie Wen's back, cried out urgently, "Sister Guo, don't be afraid!"

On the ground, Shi Feiyang charged towards Li Wuduo like an arrow released from a bow. His Mingyu Gong had reached its eighth level, and the white mist around him transformed into an illusory ice dragon. He unleashed the ultimate move of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," "Slaying the Mortal World." Amidst the crisscrossing blade energy, a three-zhang-long golden blade of light condensed in the air, spraying blood mist wherever it went. Two masked, burly men were unable to dodge and were instantly cleaved into four pieces, their entrails spilling onto the snow.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Yuanhua, dressed in black robes, slammed his palms, which were as black as charcoal, into the ground.

In an instant, a trench several feet deep cracked open in the ground, and purplish-black venom gushed out—it was the "Bone-Rotting Palm" of the Western Regions Holy Sect.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, swinging his palms as if they were blades, unleashing the "Heavenly Wind Sweeping Leaves" and "Water Dripping Through Stone" techniques in quick succession. His palms were like two frost blades, transforming into countless silver butterflies that shredded the poisonous mist completely.

However, when the toxic fog touched the rocks, billowing white smoke immediately rose up, and the rock surface was quickly corroded into honeycomb-like holes.

Li Laosi's obese body rolled over like a ball of flesh. He unleashed the ultimate move of the "Seven Star Palm" technique, "Three Stars Shooting the Dipper," instantly enveloping Shi Feiyang's major acupoints. This palm technique appeared clumsy, but it actually contained the transformations of the Big Dipper, and the air hummed wherever the palm wind touched.

Shi Feiyang's true energy condensed into a Tai Chi phantom, and no matter how powerful the opponent's palm strike was, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, completely sucked away by the vortex.

In mid-air, Guo Xiangyu tightly gripped the hem of Shi Feiyang's clothes that he had left behind, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She watched the dark figure tumbling through the blood-soaked storm, each flash of the blade feeling like a knife cutting into her heart. Suddenly, Lu Changshan roared, and forty burly men formed the "Nine Netherworld Formation," their swords clashing and unleashing eerie blue flames, instantly turning the snow in their wake into blood.

"That's Lu Changshan, the Iron-Armed Immortal Ape, the leader of the Vermilion Bird Hall of the Northwest Iron Gang!" Xie Wen shouted urgently, his Heavenly Silkworm Net tightening abruptly.

Guo Xiangyu stared intently and saw Lu Changshan lightly wave his arm, crushing a rock the size of a millstone into dust.

Her eyes flashed even colder, and she said with endless worry, "Young master, be careful..."

Guo Xiangyu murmured to herself, tears mingling with snowmelt as they streamed down her face, yet she remained oblivious. At this moment, the Helan Valley had been transformed into a living hell.

Her gaze, from beginning to end, could not be taken off the figure fighting a bloody battle.

Guo Xiangyu looked around and saw that the leading old man resembled a withered ape, his arm bones were three inches longer than normal, and his claw-shaped iron hooks gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light under the moonlight. Taking advantage of the situation, Li Wuduo entangled Shi Feiyang, her poisonous fingernails slicing across his shoulder, instantly drawing out black blood.

"Young Master!" Guo Xiangyu's heart-wrenching cry was drowned out by the shouts of battle.

In fact, when Li Wuduo's poisonous fingernails scratched across Shi Feiyang's shoulder blade, they were broken by the recoil of Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Gong protective ice armor, causing Li Wuduo's fingers to bleed, but Shi Feiyang was not injured at all.

Guo Xiangyu struggled to break through the protective net of the Heavenly Silkworm Silk, but Shi Xiong held her down tightly: "Sister, don't move! You'll be strangled to death by the Heavenly Silkworm Silk!" Tears blurred her vision, and she could only watch helplessly as Shi Feiyang used the Bright Jade Skill, the white mist around him condensed into ice blades, and the Hundred Victories Blade Technique transformed into countless silver ribbons in the sky.

Where Shi Feiyang's palm wind passed, sword energy crisscrossed, and more than a dozen masked strong men were torn in half, flying backward like crows with broken wings, crashing into the snow wall and blooming into bloody plum blossoms.

The forty assassins were all elites of the Northwest Iron Gang. Even though their companions suffered heavy casualties, they still formed the "Nine Netherworld Net Formation" with black iron chains.

Amidst the shrill whistling sound of chains tearing through the air, Guo Xiangyu suddenly noticed that Shi Feiyang's footwork was slightly disordered—it must be that Li Wuduo's deadly poison had taken effect!

In fact, this is Shi Feiyang's "Seven Steps of Dragon Walking" movement, which uses the Bagua and Nine Palaces orientations to perform the Divine Dragon Claw technique.

The enemy bandit Lu Changshan sensed the strangeness of Shi Feiyang's footwork and, seeing that things were not going well, let out a piercing scream that broke through the sky.

In an instant, snowballs weighing hundreds of pounds rolled down from both sides of the valley, and forty assassins used the snow mist as cover to disappear into the darkness.

However, would Shi Feiyang let Li Wuduo off easily? With the blessing of Mingyu Gong, Shi Feiyang's palms were like knives, and the light of the knives turned into the phantom of a golden dragon. With a move called "Golden Dragon Coiling Claws", the clusters of knife energy hit Li Wuduo's back heart with a bang.

That poisonous woman's internal strength was truly remarkable. She spat out a mouthful of black blood, staggered, and fell into the snow valley. Before leaving, she glared fiercely at Shi Feiyang: "Shi Feiyang, you bastard, you can't escape your fate. We'll see!"

As the snow gradually subsided, Xie Wen, holding Guo Xiangyu and carrying Shi Xiong on his back, drifted down.

Guo Xiangyu broke free from the silkworm net and threw herself into Shi Feiyang's arms.

She trembled as she unbuttoned her clothes, revealing a jade bottle she kept close to her body: "This is an antidote ointment made from snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains... Young master, please apply it quickly..."

Hot tears dripped onto Shi Feiyang's bloodstained "wound," "It's all Xiangyu's fault for being useless and unable to help the young master fight the enemy..."

Looking at her tear-streaked face, Shi Feiyang suddenly reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

A cold wind blew by, and his voice, still carrying the lingering smoke of battle, was gentle enough to melt even the coldest ice: "Silly girl, your survival is the greatest help you can give me. Actually, I wasn't injured at all; it was the blood from when that poisonous vixen Li Wuduo broke her finger."

Guo Xiangyu buried her face in his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat gradually steady. She felt that this moment of peace was more precious than any martial arts manual in the world. The north wind, carrying snowflakes, swirled around the cave entrance.

Suddenly, Xie Wen's eyes lit up—the cave entrance, which had been blocked by snow, collapsed with a bang due to the palm force from Shi Feiyang's previous fierce battle.

He pushed aside the remaining snow and stepped into the cave. The natural patterns on the stone walls shimmered softly under the light of the pearl. The furnishings in the stone chamber seemed to welcome him like an old friend: a stone bed, a stone table, a wooden chair, and even the arrangement of the twelve numbered stone cabinets on the wall, as if someone had just lived there.

When Xie Wen stumbled out of the cave, snowflakes were still clinging to his hair.

"Chief! Come quick!" Xie Wen's shout startled a few crows, which fluttered over the heads of the crowd. Shi Feiyang, with Guo Xiangyu in his arms, stepped into the cave. Her cheeks were still flushed from the cold wind, and her fingertips unconsciously tugged at the hem of his cloak.

(End of this chapter)