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

Chapter 284. Helan Xue's blade reflects a loyal heart, her jade shadow and cold edge bury the netherworld.

The Helan Mountains stretch for hundreds of miles, resembling a silver dragon lying across the snowy region. In the depths of winter, blizzards fall like cotton wool, turning the world into a vast expanse of white.

At the entrance to the stone chamber nestled in the cliff, beneath a layer of snow several feet thick, a blue stone stands like a doorway. Its shape is ancient and simple, resembling a broken-stringed zither, and the natural patterns on its surface resemble the seven strings of a zither. Under the reflection of the snow, it gleams with a faint, cold light.

The heroes of Xiong Ying rode in gracefully. Xie Wen shook the snow off his shoulders, his hawk-like eyes flashing with a sharp light in the snow curtain. He stroked the icy surface of the stone and said loudly, "Please look, everyone! The texture of this stone is like the broken notes of a seven-stringed zither. Legend has it that an immortal traveled west to this place with his zither. Seeing the beautiful and spiritual nature of Helan Mountain, he played the zither on this stone. When he finished playing, the sound of the strings startled the clouds and snow in the sky, and they have remained there ever since, creating this wonder of the snowfield."

Liao Pei, the master of "Tongbei Quan," nimbly cleared away the snow and exclaimed in surprise, "Indeed! The stone patterns are perfectly formed by nature, beyond human capabilities. It is truly a gift from the immortals!" Lie Quan, the master of "Qiankun Dao," stroked the stone surface and marveled, "In my years of wandering the martial world, I have seen many wonders, but I have never seen such a wondrous thing. Today, I have truly broadened my horizons."

As the group stepped into the stone chamber, they saw that the entire chamber was carved from bluestone. The stone bed and table appeared to be naturally formed, without any trace of chisel or axe, as if they were created by the very essence of nature. "Iron Palm" Wu Zhong slammed his palm on the stone table and exclaimed, "This stone chamber is warm in winter and cool in summer; it is truly a blessed place. It would be perfect for us to plan our great undertakings here in the future!" "Mandarin Duck Blades" Xiao Lingling smiled and said coquettishly, "My husband only knows how to fight and kill. In my opinion, such a heavenly scene is more suitable for discussing poetry and swordsmanship."

Shi Feiyang took out supplies from the deerskin bag, and each item he took out drew gasps of amazement from the crowd.

The deerskin bag, though seemingly small, appeared to have endless space. Rice, flour, cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, scallions, and other items were taken out and piled up into a small mountain.

The young pageboy Shi Xiong lit the combustible ice, and a dark blue flame rose up, illuminating the stone chamber with warmth.

Shi Feiyang looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, "Brothers and sisters, this blessed land is both a gift from heaven and a test. In today's world, wolves and jackals rule, and the people suffer. Our Xiong Ying Society stands firm in the martial world not by robbing and plundering, but by upholding justice and protecting the common people. Now that we have obtained this blessed land, we should use it as our foundation, strengthen our forces, and one day ensure that there will be no more injustice in this world!"

"Divine Archer" Miao Menlong drew his powerful bow and shouted, "The Grand Master is absolutely right! My bow and arrows have been itching for a long time, just waiting for the day to shoot down all the wicked!" "Plum Blossom Dart" Shan Zhi played with the plum blossom dart in his hand and sneered, "With this blessed land, and with the Grand Master's wise leadership, those demons and monsters are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs!"

The crowd responded enthusiastically, their voices echoing through the stone chamber and startling the snow outside the cave into falling in a flurry.

In this vast snowy region, the heroic ambitions of the Xiong Ying Association seem to break through the clouds and soar straight to the heavens.

After lunch, Shi Feiyang took Guo Xiangyu's hand and walked through the Helan Mountains.

The north wind, like a sentimental poet, condenses the fine snowflakes into crystalline verses, yet when it touches the figures of two people leaning on each other, it quietly transforms into a gentle caress.

Shi Feiyang's black cloak unfolded like a long ink painting scroll, and the Heavenly Frost Blade at his waist gleamed coldly, as if concealing the swordplay and shadows of the martial world; while Guo Xiangyu's scholar's robe fluttered in the wind, and the jade hairpin that tied her hair with tassels hung down, outlining the profile of her face more ethereal than the shadow of the osmanthus in the moon.

The moment her dark robe fluttered, it startled the birds roosting on the cliff edge. Amidst the fluttering of their wings, it was impossible to tell whether it was falling snow or a trembling heart.

Shi Feiyang suddenly stopped, his long, slender fingers slipping between Guo Xiangyu's fingers. The warmth of his palm seeped through their clasped hands, making her nose tingle. "Look, even Helan Xue can't compare to your beauty." His deep voice, warm with his breath, brushed against her reddened earlobe, startling Guo Xiangyu into looking down hastily. She saw their intertwined shadows stretched long by the setting sun, painting an indelible picture on the snow.

Guo Xiangyu gently shook his hand, her eyelashes glistening with tiny ice crystals as she looked up: "Young Master is teasing me again."

Her fingertips traced the dragon pattern subtly embroidered on his cloak. "Xiangyu feels that no matter how cold the wind and snow are in these mountains, as long as I can hold your hand like this, it surpasses countless worldly pleasures." As she spoke, she suddenly tiptoed and carefully brushed the snow off his shoulder, her movements as gentle as if touching the most fragile glass. In the distance, the icy stream meandered like the strings of a zither, the murmuring water beneath the ice faintly audible, like an ancient love song flowing between heaven and earth.

Shi Feiyang put his arm around her waist, gently pulling her into his embrace. He rested his chin on the top of her head, gazing at the vast snowfield, and whispered, "Xiangyu, listen to this stream; it's like it's singing our story."

His breath brushed against her hair. "Once the world is at peace, I will build a small house here and spend my days watching the snow fall on the icy stream and listening to the wind rustling through the pine forest."

Guo Xiangyu's eyes instantly welled up with tears. As she turned away, her tears fell into the snow, blooming into glistening flowers. "As long as I am with you, young master, even simple meals are enough for me." She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his warm chest. "If there is an afterlife, I still want to meet you first, young master. In every lifetime, I want to be the treasure in your palm."

As dusk deepened, the two figures leaned against each other atop the snowy cliff, their silhouettes intertwined, undeterred by the howling wind and snow.

The sunset reflected in the distant icy stream will forever etch this tender scene into the long river of time in the Helan Mountains.

The north wind howled through the snow cliffs, whipping up icicles. Suddenly, four dark figures appeared without leaving a trace in the snow, like ghosts.

The old man in the lead stroked his goatee, his eagle eyes flashing with a cold light, and the demon relief on the iron plaque at his waist glowed with an eerie light, clearly the secret mark of the Nine Banners Gang.

He sneered, his voice like an owl's: "Listen up, juniors! Every blade of grass and every tree within a hundred miles of the Helan Mountains is our Nine Banners Gang's property. Anyone who dares to trespass today will only face death!"

Before he finished speaking, three burly men with purplish-red faces surrounded him in a three-man formation. The skull patterns on the steel swords at their waists seemed to breathe cold air as if they were alive, gleaming with a chilling blue light under the snow.

Guo Xiangyu's dark eyebrows, like ink-stained crescent moons, were now furrowed into sharp sword points, as if she wanted to shatter the arrogance of the Nine Flags Gang.

Her almond-shaped eyes, which were usually gentle and melodious, now gleamed with a cold, sharp light. The slight upturn at the corners of her eyes carried a sharp edge, like a poisoned dart, locking onto the old man's every move. The shadows cast by her eyelashes under her eyes trembled with the movement of her gaze, like butterfly wings concealing murderous intent.

The cold smile on her lips grew increasingly sinister, her dimples brimming with contempt and anger, like ice crystals frozen in the dead of winter, exuding a chilling aura that kept everyone at arm's length. Her delicate nose twitched slightly, her breath carrying a murderous intent, and her fair cheeks flushed crimson with anger, yet this did not diminish her heroic spirit in the slightest; instead, it added to her beauty and sharpness.

As her wide sleeves brushed against the jade pendant on her chest, her fingertips tightened slightly, her knuckles turning a pale blue-white, as if all the rage in her heart was concentrated in that small space. The instant the bamboo sword was drawn, her jade-like hand gripped the hilt tightly, the veins on her wrist slightly visible, yet her hand remained as steady as a rock. Her forearm muscles were taut, displaying a strength completely different from her delicate appearance. Her posture was slightly leaning, like a cheetah poised to pounce; every inch of her muscle conveyed alertness and fighting spirit. Her hair, disheveled yet still dashing, danced wildly in the wind, like a crimson datura blooming in the snow—breathtakingly beautiful, yet utterly dangerous.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she angrily rebuked, "What a twisted logic of seizing mountains and rivers! Is your family's ancestral motto 'If you see a treasure land, seize it for yourself'? Do these heaven-sent Helan Snow and Qinxi Spring bear the inscription of your Nine Banners Gang? In broad daylight, how dare you rats distort the truth!"

Her voice was clear and melodious, echoing across the snow-covered plains.

Shi Feiyang stood with his hands behind his back, his black cloak billowing like a sail in the gale. As his true energy circulated around him, it condensed into a circle of frost flowers on the snow.

His deep gaze swept over the crowd, his voice booming like a bell, each word carrying immense weight: "All things in heaven and earth are not private property. You occupy mountains as kings, plunder merchants, and slaughter the innocent. Have you ever thought about the meaning of 'chivalry'? How can you defile the land of my Great Ming!"

Having said that, he gently placed his palm on the Heavenly Frost Blade, and the dragon pattern on the scabbard suddenly lit up, faintly emitting the sound of a dragon's roar.

With a loud shout, the ancient pine tree three zhang away suddenly burst open, its cross-section as smooth as a mirror, and the accumulated snow scattered in all directions.

This unparalleled skill shocked the Nine Banners Gang members, causing their expressions to change drastically and their weapons to tremble slightly.

The old man's pupils contracted sharply, and his steel knife, drawn half an inch from its sheath, abruptly stopped. A sinister smile crept across his face: "Boy, do you know who I am?"

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, his voice echoing across the land, his robes billowing with an aura of kingship. He recited: "A lone plume of smoke rises from the desert, who can question the hero's courage? Frosty blades, the roar of dragons and the howl of tigers, their spirit swallows mountains. Unyielding chivalry upholds righteousness, a loyal heart shines brightly like the stars and moon. Though the road ahead may be fraught with countless storms, I will face the imperial palace! The suffering of the common people is a knot in my heart; injustice will be settled in my hand. See where the banners point, all demons and monsters will vanquish. I will not regret shedding blood for the mountains and rivers, my name will be etched in history, what need is there for further explanation? In the years to come, I will restore order to the old world, and face the imperial palace!" With a heroic and unyielding spirit, he recited his newly written work, "Man Jiang Hong: The Hero's Ambition," its sound like a resounding bell, echoing for a long time in the Helan Mountains.

Guo Xiangyu waved her hand lightly, drawing her bamboo sword with a flash of cold light: "I don't care what Nine Banners Gang you are, you've disturbed my and your young master's enjoyment, even if you are the Heavenly King himself, you will pay the price!" Her posture was upright, like a plum blossom in the snow, full of fighting spirit.

At this moment, a burly man whispered in the old man's ear, "Reporting to the hall master, the time is approaching, that old ghost might be arriving soon, and this blind brat..." The old man raised his hand to stop him, narrowed his eyes, and a sinister light flashed in his hawk-like eyes: "Don't rush, I see this kid is composed and imposing, with an inner spirit, he might be an internal martial arts master. Judging from his extraordinary demeanor, he might be a helper that Gold Tooth hired, let's find out his background first."

Though spoken in a low voice, the words carried like sharp stones to his ears. He thought to himself, his expression growing increasingly cold and resolute: "As expected, there's a life-or-death pact involved. The Nine Banners Gang is no benevolent force. If my Mighty Cherry Blossom Society wishes to establish itself here, we must first eliminate these scourges!"

The members of the Nine Banners Gang whispered among themselves, unaware that every word they uttered did not escape Shi Feiyang's ears.

A thrilling battle is about to erupt.

The burly man scoffed, "With Gold Tooth's status, why would he need help? Even if he did, he wouldn't choose such a greenhorn." Another man added, "This deer farm is riddled with overt and covert checkpoints within ten miles. How did they get in?"

The old man nodded slightly: "That's precisely why we must be even more careful. Look at this young man before us, his imposing presence and the aura of a king in every gesture suggest he might be a top-tier expert. We must not underestimate him, lest we ruin everything!"

After a moment, the old man chuckled sinisterly, then put on a friendly expression: "Since you refuse to reveal your name, I, 'Soul Reaper' Li Qi, will not insist. However, I have important matters to settle at 'Nine Banners Deer Farm' today, and I hope you will temporarily excuse yourself."

Although he spoke politely, his eyes concealed murderous intent. Furthermore, he introduced himself, hoping to scare Shi Feiyang away with his fierce and intimidating reputation in the martial arts world.

Unexpectedly, Shi Feiyang, a veteran of countless battles and fearless of anything, let out a loud laugh, his voice like thunder: "Want me to back down? First, ask this Frost Blade in my hand if it will allow it! I, Shi, roam the martial world, dedicated to righting wrongs. Today, I will see right here what kind of tricks your Nine Banners Gang is up to!" With that, he took a step forward, his true energy surging, leaving deep footprints in the snow.

An aura of domineering power emanated from him, making it impossible to look directly at him.

The north wind swirled around the cliff edge, carrying snowflakes. "Soul Reaper" Li Qi's fingers, which were twirling his goatee, suddenly tightened, and his hawk-like eyes flashed with a cold light: "What a greenhorn! Daring to run wild in the Nine Banners Deer Farm, do you think my Green Flag Hall's seventy-two hidden agents are deaf and blind?"

The hideous ghost face engraved on the iron plaque at his waist gleamed eerily in the snow. "I have been wandering the world for forty years, and I hate nothing more than others ruining my plans—the helpers that old bastard Gold Tooth hired will all pay with their lives!"

Shi Feiyang stood with his hands behind his back, his black cloak fluttering in the wind. The Heavenly Frost Blade was not yet drawn, but the dragon pattern on the scabbard already emitted a cold light: "Since you call yourself the Soul Reaper, do you know the saying in the martial world, 'Heaven is watching what people do'? You forcibly occupied the deer farm and disregarded human life. Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven!"

Before the words were finished, the air suddenly froze, and the snow three zhang away was shaken into the air by the invisible force.

The north wind howled through the air, whipping up shards of ice. Suddenly, a burly man with a purplish-red face roared and charged forward. His steel knife was still sheathed at his waist, but his palm was already tinged with an eerie dark red, like cinnabar soaked in blood—it was the "Red Sand Palm" of the Nine Banners Gang, which was famous throughout the Northwest.

He grinned maliciously and charged forward with the "Heavenly Gang Steps," each step leaving charred palm prints on the snow. The sweet, metallic smell of iron permeated the air with the force of his palm strikes, turning all the snow within a three-foot radius into a dark red.

Guo Xiangyu frowned slightly, and with a light flick of her wrist, the bamboo knife was drawn from its sheath with a clear, resonant sound, and the faint light emanating from the blade made the cold glint in her eyes even brighter.

This seemingly ordinary bamboo strip is actually the "Azure Blade" forged by Medicine King Valley using thousand-year-old cold bamboo mixed with black iron, specifically designed to break through internal martial arts techniques.

She spun around and unleashed the "Hundred Victories Strange Gate Three Talents Knife Technique" personally taught by Shi Feiyang. Her movements were as graceful as a startled swan skimming the water, and her fluttering clothes carried a faint medicinal fragrance that clashed violently with the bloody smell in the air.

With a clear shout, she unleashed the move "Welcoming Guests from the Pine Tree," her bamboo sword drawing nine pale blue arcs that condensed into a Bagua light net in the air.

Wherever the blade's energy passed, the accumulated snow instantly froze into countless icicles, which, along with the fierce wind, transformed into a sky full of hidden weapons.

The moment the burly man's crimson palm touched the blade, he felt an excruciating pain in his palm, as if a thousand steel needles were piercing his flesh at the same time. Guo Xiangyu's bamboo knife appeared gentle, but in reality, it contained the subtle internal force of the Medicine King Valley's "dislocating tendons and bones," which suddenly erupted the moment it touched the skin.

A piercing scream tore through the air as the burly man's body was ripped apart as if by an invisible giant hand, the sounds of bones shattering mingling with the muffled thuds of blood and flesh splattering everywhere. In the dark red mist of blood, dozens of severed limbs scattered like withered leaves swept away by a raging storm.

The furthest severed arm was stuck in an ancient pine tree ten feet away, dark red blood beads meandering down the bark and spreading into hideous patterns on the snow.

The upper half of the burly man's body crashed heavily to the ground, his chest cavity shattered inch by inch by the shock of the blade's energy, his internal organs mixed with blood gushing out from his seven orifices, spreading out a shocking picture of carnage on the white snow.

This scene came too suddenly, leaving the Nine Banners Gang members dumbfounded, their hands gripping their weapons trembling slightly.

Guo Xiangyu sheathed her sword and stood there, bloodstains splattered on her clothes, which only made her appear more vibrant and striking, like a red plum blossom in the snow. She coldly swept her gaze over the crowd, the blood dripping from her bamboo sword rising in wisps of white mist on the snow: "Who else wants to taste the flavor of my bamboo sword?"

The iron plaque with a demonic relief engraved on it, worn by "Soul Reaper" Li Qi, clattered to the ground, its sound sending a chill down the spine in the deathly silence.

He stared intently at the chief incense master, who had been full of life just moments before, now reduced to mangled limbs scattered like tattered cotton in a pool of blood. A strange, dying beast-like howl emanated from his throat, and his turbid pupils reflected a sky full of blood mist, almost shaking his very soul.

The other two burly men staggered backward, their steel knives trembling uncontrollably. The image reflected on the blades terrified them—Guo Xiangyu's clothes were stained with blood, her jade hairpin askew, her once gentle face now covered in frost, her brows and eyes filled with murderous intent. Blood dripped slowly from the bamboo knife in her hand, each drop scalding a small, hissing hole in the snow, the rising white steam mingling with the stench of blood, like the miasma of the deepest hell.

"This...this is the 'Bone-Shattering and Tendon-Splitting Hand' technique, which has been lost for a hundred years!" Li Qi suddenly shrieked, his bloodshot eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

The ghost-head whip at his waist snapped open with a "whoosh," its three barbs gleaming with a ghostly blue poisonous light, but froze in mid-air under Guo Xiangyu's chilling gaze.

That gaze seemed tangible, enveloped in the chilling poison secretly passed down from Medicine King Valley, and concealing even more unpredictable fluctuations of internal energy, causing his hand holding the whip to go numb, as if his meridians were about to rupture at any moment.

Guo Xiangyu gently flicked the blood off the bamboo knife, her movements as elegant as scattering flower petals, yet the members of the Nine Flags Gang couldn't help but take a half-step back.

She parted her lips slightly, her voice clear and cold like melting snow from the Tianshan Mountains: "Now that you know the Bone-Shattering and Tendon-Splitting Technique, you should understand the consequences of being an enemy of Medicine King Valley." Before she finished speaking, a faint white mist suddenly rose around her, which was actually the "Mysterious Ice Force" of the Nine Yin Manual personally taught by Shi Feiyang.

The wind atop Helan Mountain, carrying tiny ice crystals, howled in, yet when it touched Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu, it softened into a gentle caress.

Shi Feiyang's dark cloak fluttered in the wind, like the most vigorous brushstroke in a splashed ink landscape painting, while his gaze toward Guo Xiangyu was more tender and affectionate than the spring waters of Jiangnan in March, as if he wanted to drown her in that deep affection.

The red plum blossoms newly tucked into Guo Xiangyu's hair, glistening against the backdrop of the snow, looked exquisitely beautiful, much like her flushed cheeks, overflowing with unconcealed shyness and joy.

Looking at the person before him, Shi Feiyang immediately composed a poem for Guo Xiangyu, his clear and affectionate voice overflowing from his throat: "Her skirt conceals the snow of the rivers and lakes, her jade bones and icy skin reflect the moonlight. Her sleeves conceal spring to heal the chaotic world, her blade's tip condenses dew to protect the ends of the earth."

Every word seemed to carry a burning heat, gently landing on Guo Xiangyu's heart, stirring up a turbulent tide within her.

The sound of poetry startled the birds roosting on the cliff. Amidst the fluttering of their wings, the winding Qinxi River flowed quietly like a silver dragon in the distance. But even the most beautiful scenery could not compare to the erratic heartbeat of Guo Xiangyu at this moment.

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a fan-shaped shadow beneath them. Her delicate hand unconsciously stroked the bamboo knife, as if soothing a frightened kitten. The bamboo knife gleamed with a warm luster, just like her feelings for Shi Feiyang—seemingly slender and fragile, yet resilient enough to cross mountains and rivers.

“Young master, you seem like a pedantic scholar today,” Guo Xiangyu’s voice was so soft and sweet it seemed to drip with water. When she raised her head, her eyes were full of smiles, as if they held a sky full of stars. “It’s just that the poem praises Xiangyu so much that it makes me feel a little embarrassed.”

As she spoke, she moved gracefully, her skirt sweeping across the snow on the ground, leaving a trail of shallow footprints—the marks of her following Shi Feiyang, step by step, steadfast and unwavering.

“Xiangyu is not as good as you say, young master,” she gently bit her lower lip, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her eyes full of sincerity and deep affection. “Xiangyu’s only wish in this life is to stay by your side, young master, and shield you from all the wind and snow. Your Heavenly Frost Blade is wielded for the sake of all living beings, and Xiangyu’s bamboo knife will only be drawn for you alone. No matter if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, or bottomless abysses, Xiangyu is willing to tread them all for you.”

As she finished speaking, she tiptoed and gently brushed the snow off Shi Feiyang's shoulder, her fingertips lingering briefly on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body. Guo Xiangyu's gaze was fixed on him, and she murmured softly, "As long as I can see you safe and happy, I would be willing to die. Everything in this world can be abandoned, but you are my lifelong obsession."

Not far away, the disciples of the Nine Banners Gang, weapons in hand, watched menacingly. But their presence seemed to vanish into the world of Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu. At this moment, only their deep, loving gazes met, their love spreading wildly in the wind and snow, more steadfast than any vow, more eternal than any promise.

The north wind, whipping up snowflakes, raged across the land, yet it quietly paused beside Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu.

Shi Feiyang reached out and grasped Guo Xiangyu's wrist, pressing her soft palm tightly against his heart. Even through the dark fabric, he could feel the throbbing of their blood ties. "Xiangyu, do you know that you are purer than the snow of Helan Mountain, and more beautiful than the red plum blossom?"

His voice was like honey, deep and scalding. When he gently lifted her chin with his finger, his fingertip brushed against her delicate skin, causing Guo Xiangyu to tremble involuntarily.

Guo Xiangyu felt hot all over from his burning gaze. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't bear to look away. She could only lower her eyelashes, which cast fan-shaped shadows under her eyes like butterfly wings: "Young master is trying to coax me again..." Before the last word had faded, Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled her into his arms.

His arms gripped her waist like iron hoops, pulling her into his embrace. His chin rested on the top of her head, and he inhaled deeply the medicinal scent mingled with her hair, wanting to infuse this tenderness into his very bones: "All I ask for in this life is to protect you for eternity. Once the affairs of the martial world are settled, I will find you a secluded paradise, where I will paint your eyebrows and adorn you with flowers every day, and listen to you recite poetry and play the zither."

Guo Xiangyu's fingertips dug into the fabric of his back, her delicate hands able to clearly feel his strong heartbeat. She buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled yet filled with an unyielding longing: "Xiangyu does not envy a paradise on earth, she only wishes to be your shadow forever."

As she spoke with emotion, she raised her watery eyes, the moonlight reflecting in them, making them even brighter than Helan Xue's. "If you wish to roam the world, I will accompany you to the ends of the earth; if you wish to uphold justice for the nation, I will hold a lamp and keep watch for you."

Shi Feiyang let out a sigh, his arms tightening involuntarily as if he wanted to meld her into his body.

He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his warm breath brushing against her flushed cheeks: "Silly girl, don't say such silly things again." His thumb stroked the stray hairs on the back of her neck, his voice growing deeper and gentler, "You are not my shadow, but the light that illuminates my life."

Guo Xiangyu suddenly tiptoed and gently brushed his eyebrows and eyes with her fingertips, wiping away the snowflakes that had fallen on his eyelashes.

Her gaze was focused and affectionate, as if she were depicting the most precious picture in the world.

“Young Master,” she murmured softly, her breath mingling with a sweet, intoxicating scent, “look at this snow in Helan, it’s just like the snow when we first met.” As she spoke, she buried her face in his chest again, listening to his strong heartbeat, “Xiangyu wants to stay with you like this forever, listening to the wind, watching the snow, until the end of time.”

The shouts of the Nine Flags Gang members could be faintly heard from not far away, but they were kept out of their world as they embraced.

Shi Feiyang's cloak enveloped Guo Xiangyu completely, as if building an indestructible fortress.

He lowered his head and kissed the crown of her head, whispering in her ear, "With me here, no matter how strong the wind and snow, it won't hurt you in the slightest."

Guo Xiangyu simply hugged him tighter, wanting to forever etch this moment of warmth into time.

With a fierce battle imminent, Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu are deeply in love, tender and affectionate, oblivious to everything else.

Seeing this, Li Qi, the "Soul Reaper," was truly enraged. How dare Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu treat them so disrespectfully? He twirled his goatee and stepped forward, the demonic relief on the iron plaque at his waist gleaming eerily. "What a display of affection! Daring to run wild in the Nine Banners Deer Farm, do you think my seventy-two hidden agents are blind?" His hawk-like eyes swept over Guo Xiangyu's bloodstained bamboo knife, and he suddenly roared, "Boy, are you really a helper hired by that old bastard Lu Wending, the Sword of Tianshan?" Guo Xiangyu lightly flicked her wide sleeves, the bamboo knife swirling coldly in her palm. "So what if I am? Your Nine Banners Gang has forcibly occupied the deer farm and bullied the people. Are you afraid of anyone interfering?" Her eyes flashed with hidden killing intent, displaying the "Moon Reflected in a Cold Pool" pose, a secret technique from Medicine King Valley.

Li Qi sneered and suddenly lashed out with his iron whip: "Report this to the underworld! Don't let my soul-snatching rope take the life of some nameless ghost!" The three barbs at the tip of the whip gleamed with a bluish-green poisonous light, and the force it generated even shook the snow on the ground, causing it to rise into the air.

"Don't be scared out of your wits if you reveal your names," Guo Xiangyu sneered. Suddenly, her bamboo sword transformed into thousands of cold stars—the "Hundred Victories Mysterious Three Talents Sword," personally taught to her by Shi Feiyang. The air crackled with a piercing sound as the sword flashed. A burly man beside Li Qi hastily raised his sword to parry, but a crisp "crack" rang out as the steel blade shattered into pieces. The blade's momentum remained undiminished, carving three deep, bone-revealing gashes into the man's chest.

Shi Feiyang's sword-like eyebrows shot up, and his true energy suddenly burst forth, his black cloak billowing like a sail: "Now that my Xiong Ying Society has established itself here, we will not tolerate such a scoundrel running rampant!"

The north wind howled at the cliff top, and the swirling ice fragments collided with the jade-colored true energy flowing around Shi Feiyang, producing a crisp sound like metal striking stone. His black cloak fluttered in the wind like an unfurled battle flag, and the cold glint in his eyes echoed the eerie light of the Heavenly Frost Blade.

Facing the menacing Li Qi, Shi Feiyang's lips curled into a cold smile, his aura suddenly surged, and the snow under his feet instantly froze into spiderweb-like ice patterns.

"You dare to show off your petty tricks in front of me!" Shi Feiyang's voice boomed like a bell, making everyone's eardrums ache. He did not rush to make a move, but stood with his hands behind his back, his true energy surging like a tide, forming an invisible pressure that made the Nine Banners Gang bandits unable to breathe.

Although Li Qi was terrified, he still forced himself to attack with his whip. The poisonous mist kicked up by the iron whip filled the air, obscuring the sky and the sun.

Just as the poisonous fog was about to engulf Shi Feiyang, he finally moved.

Without moving, his aura pressed down on Li Qi like a tidal wave, and the air crackled with a piercing sound.

In a flash, Shi Feiyang had already closed in like a ghost, his right palm slowly rising, a faint golden light emanating from his fingertips, like the Buddha holding up a flower, yet concealing supreme killing intent. This was none other than the "Flying Finger Mark" of the Shaolin martial art, the Divine Dragon Claw.

Legend has it that this move can take a person's head from three zhang away, and wherever the wind passes, it is like a divine dragon's claw, indestructible.

Li Qi's pupils contracted sharply. He tried to dodge, but found himself seemingly trapped by invisible shackles, unable to move.

Shi Feiyang's finger strikes came through the air as if they were real, distorting and deforming the air wherever they passed, and making a buzzing sound.

With a "whoosh," three wisps of wind struck Li Qi's brow, throat, and heart respectively, as if three sharp swords had pierced through his body.

Li Qi's eyes widened, and he made a "hoarse" sound in his throat, trying to shout, but could only spit out a mouthful of black blood. His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, exploding into a cloud of blood mist in the air.

When he landed, a bright red finger mark was clearly visible between his eyebrows, and blood was flowing from his seven orifices. The blood meandered down the snow slope, staining the white snowfield with a hideous red plum blossom pattern.

Another burly man beside him was also not spared; he was blasted to death by the aftershocks, his internal organs ruptured and blood flowing from his seven orifices. The scene was too gruesome to bear.

The north wind howled through the air, whipping up icicles. Suddenly, two dark figures tore through the night and descended from the sky like vengeful ghosts.

The first man wielded the Asura Battle Blade, the blood still clinging to its blade. A foul stench swept through the air as he passed, the skull patterns on the blade emitting a ghostly light, opening and closing as if it were a living creature, roaring and howling. Behind him, the silver-haired old man's longsword gleamed coldly, the bronze taotie-patterned tassel moving without wind. When his eagle eyes swept over the corpses of the Nine Banners Gang scattered on the ground, a crimson blood light suddenly burst forth, like an Asura from hell descending upon the snow.

"Clang!" A dragon's roar ripped through the sky as the old man drew his longsword three inches from its sheath. The chilling sword energy shredded the surrounding snow into ice blades, and the vegetation within a ten-foot radius was covered in frost. "Today, the Nine Banners Deer Farm will pay for its blood debt! Since you killed my disciples, Lu Wending, you will pay with your lives!" His voice was like cold iron, making everyone's eardrums ache.

He lightly touched the ancient pine tree on the cliff with his toes, his figure transforming into a ghost. He took an unorthodox approach and aimed directly at Shi Feiyang's throat. His moves even contained the "Lone Goose of Snow Ridge" movement technique, which had been lost for a long time by the Tianshan School. Every sword strike was filled with a resolute killing intent.

The north wind howled like arrows, whipping up shards of ice. The red plum blossom hairpin in Guo Xiangyu's hair trembled in the wind and snow, as if sensing the impending killing intent.

Her beautiful face changed drastically. She held the bamboo knife horizontally across her chest, but the silver bell on her wrist didn't ring as softly as usual—it was now covered in a thin layer of frost, emitting a faint hum as her inner energy circulated. The dark figure wielding the Asura Battle Blade grinned maliciously, the skull patterns on the blade emitting a ghostly light. Suddenly, he unleashed the "Eight Forms of Blood Slaughter," a secret technique from the Western Regions. The first form, "Blood Python Emerges from its Cave," saw seven blood-red blade shadows emerge like malevolent pythons from their caves, sweeping across Guo Xiangyu's vital points. Wherever the blade energy passed, the accumulated snow instantly turned into a purplish-black poison.

Shi Feiyang said loudly, "Wait! There may be a misunderstanding..."

Before he finished speaking, Lu Wending's sword technique was already unleashed, the cold light transforming into seven snow-white streaks, like a cascading silver river, completely blocking Shi Feiyang's retreat.

Shi Feiyang spun around and used the mysterious lightness skill of "hiding his body and name". His black cloak fluttered in the rain of swords. His feet did not touch the ground, but he brought up a sky full of snow mist. The trajectory of the Big Dipper was faintly visible in the snow mist, just like an immortal walking on the Dipper.

As the opponent unleashed a furious and relentless barrage of attacks from the wielder of the Asura Battle Blade, Guo Xiangyu narrowed her beautiful eyes and suddenly drew out three cold glints from her bamboo sword. This was the opening move of the "Qimen Sancai Blade," which incorporated Shi Feiyang's Hundred Victories Blade Technique: "Welcoming Guests from the Pine Tree."

This move aligns with the principles of Heaven, Earth, and Man; the blade moves in an arc, seemingly gentle yet containing subtle skill.

Over the past few months, she has incorporated the internal energy of the "Heart-Shattering Palm" from the "Nine Yin Manual" personally taught by Shi Feiyang into her swordsmanship. At this moment, as she wields her sword with force, the blade emits a faint white aura, and the trajectory it traces in the air faintly reveals the phantom of the Bagua.

Facing the oncoming blood-red python-like blade shadows, Guo Xiangyu spun sideways, her bamboo sword moving like a fish's tail, precisely striking the weak points of each blade shadow. The sound of metal clashing rang out like popping beans. The black shadow roared, its Asura Battle Blade dancing into a curtain of blades, the poisonous blood condensed on the blade turning into a blood mist that sprayed out—it was the extremely insidious "Netherworld Blood Fiend Technique" from the Western Regions.

Amidst the blood mist, Guo Xiangyu lightly touched the ground with her toes and unleashed the "Heavenly Gang Soaring Dragon Step" passed down by Shi Feiyang, her figure moving like a ghost.

Guo Xiangyu flicked her bamboo sword, unleashing the "Three Forms of Cloud Breaking" from the "Hundred Victories of the Three Talents Sword": the first form, "Cloud Breaking Startles the Sky," was a powerful and fierce strike, like a thunderbolt cleaving through the blood mist; the second form, "Parting the Clouds to See the Sun," was a cunning and unorthodox strike that cut into the opponent's defensive gaps; the third form, "Clouds Disperse and the Wind Clears," was a series of flashes of light that formed a ring of air blades, shredding the remaining blood mist.

Within a radius of ten zhang, the accumulated snow was dyed dark red. The two figures intertwined in the blood mist, and the sound of bamboo swords clashing with battle swords was like dense rain pattering on banana leaves, making the eardrums of the spectators in the distance ache. Guo Xiangyu suddenly shouted, and with a sharp twitch, she used the "borrowing force to strike" technique from the "Hundred Victories of the Three Talents Sword" to slide along the trajectory of the Asura Battle Sword's slash, actually deflecting it by half a foot.

(End of this chapter)