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

Master Tongzhen raised his staff high, and golden Sanskrit characters shone brightly: "Amitabha! Tathagata subdues Mara!"

The palm print of the "Buddha's Palm" descended from the sky, carrying immense power.

Yang Chengye's pupils contracted sharply, but he let out a maniacal laugh: "Want to kill me? Dream on!" His blood-fiend true energy surged threefold, and he swung his horse-slaying saber, unleashing "Blood Fiend Burning the Heavens." In an instant, the dark red true energy transformed into a hundred-foot-long blood dragon, its body wreathed in mournful wails. Wherever it passed, the earth cracked, the air twisted and deformed, and even the dark clouds in the sky were stained blood-red.

"Form the formation!" Shi Feiyang roared, unleashing the Mingyu Gong to its peak, his icy blue true energy surging forth like a tsunami. Master Yuanchi clasped his hands together, golden Buddhist light illuminating all directions. The two exchanged a glance, their minds in perfect harmony, and the two supreme internal energy techniques, "Mingyu True Qi" and "Vajra Subduing Demons," collided with a deafening roar.

The icy blue and golden energy exploded in the air, forming a huge vortex that tore the blood dragon to pieces.

A violent shockwave spread out, overturning dozens of Netherworld Iron Cavalrymen, and severed limbs and broken arms fell like raindrops.

Guo Xiangyu's bamboo knife trembled slightly, her eyes flashing with a cold light. She shouted, "Evil cannot prevail over good!" She combined the soft and gentle energy of the "Finger of Flowers" with the fierce and powerful energy of the "Three Talents of Qimen Sword," making the sword light sometimes soft and sometimes hard, unpredictable.

The newly created "Yin-Yang Butterfly Shadow Blade" was unleashed, with black and white butterfly shadows fluttering about. The yin energy corroded the chainmail of the iron cavalry soldiers, while the yang energy shattered their bones. Those struck first suffered festering skin, followed by broken bones, their screams echoing across the wasteland.

"Die!" Su Qinghan's Azure Nether Sword drew upon the supreme Yang power of the Emei Nine Yang Skill. The golden sword energy of the "Nine Yang Burning Heaven Sword" blazed like the sun in the sky, engulfing the remaining Netherworld Iron Cavalry. The demonic steeds touched by the sword energy instantly burst into flames, turning to ashes amidst painful neighs; the armor of the iron cavalry soldiers melted, sticking to their flesh, a gruesome sight.

Seeing that things were going badly, Yang Chengye's eyes flashed with madness and despair.

He brandished his saber, attempting to break through the encirclement, but Guo Xiangyu blocked his path. "Little girl, you dare block my way?"

He roared viciously.

Guo Xiangyu sneered, "You've reached the end of your road, why don't you just surrender?"

Before he finished speaking, he infused the bamboo sword with all his internal energy and unleashed the "All Rivers Return to the Sea" technique.

The blade flashed, carrying a powerful yet gentle energy, like a reversed Milky Way, with an imposing momentum.

Yang Chengye parried with his sword, but a crisp "crack" rang out as the saber shattered into pieces. The powerful blade energy, still strong, left a deep, bone-revealing wound on his chest. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with resentment: "Impossible... I'm not reconciled!" Before he could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang's Heavenly Frost Blade, carrying the fierce momentum of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique," slashed down.

"Evil cannot prevail over good, and the imperial army will ultimately triumph!" Shi Feiyang shouted, unleashing the "Slaying the Mortal World" move with his Heavenly Frost Blade. The icy blue true energy transformed into a ten-thousand-foot blade of light, slashing down with overwhelming force.

Yang Chengye tried to dodge, but it was too late. A flash of light, and his body was split in two, his blood gushing out like a fountain, staining the wasteland red.

With Yang Chengye's fall, the Netherworld Iron Cavalry was thrown into chaos. The heroes of Xiong Ying pressed their advantage, their battle cries shaking the heavens.

The internal energies of various factions intertwined, with ice-blue, milky-white, golden-yellow, and crimson-green true qi weaving together to create a magnificent yet cruel spectacle.

On the desolate plains, blood mingled with poisonous mist, and severed limbs lay scattered everywhere. This brutal battle, a culmination of eight schools of martial arts, finally came to an end amidst the howling of the aftershocks. Only the evening breeze swept by, stirring up the blood on the ground, telling the harrowing story of this epic battle between good and evil.

As the torrential rain subsided, a heavy stench of blood and decay filled the rebel camp. Yang Yinglong sat alone in a tiger-skin chair, his single eye fixed on the flickering candlelight, the hideous scar on his face twitching slightly with each breath.

The table was piled high with battle reports, the ink still wet on the word "defeat" making his temples throb. Intermittent wails came from outside the tent; wounded soldiers rolled in the mud, blood and rainwater swirling towards the tent like dark red venomous snakes.

"Report—!" The messenger staggered in, his knees slamming heavily against the bluestone bricks, splattering fine blood. "Young Master Yang... he died on the battlefield, and the entire Netherworld Iron Cavalry was wiped out!" Before he finished speaking, Yang Yinglong suddenly stood up, his knuckle whip slapping the table with a "crack," causing the candlestick to tip over, and the flame licking scorched marks onto the battle report.

His single eye was bloodshot, the scars on his face were swollen and purple, and he let out a beast-like growl from his throat: "Shi Feiyang... Guo Xiangyu... I will definitely grind you to dust! Chengye, my son!" As he spoke, this ruthless tyrant actually shed two lines of bloody tears in public.

The tent was deathly silent, like a graveyard. Lan Qin'er huddled in a corner, the venomous spider's eyes on her jade bracelet gleaming eerily in the shadows. She bit her lip, hesitated for a long time, and finally whispered, "Commander Yang, things have come to this, grief is useless. Now, the only way to turn things around is to devise another plan."

"A good strategy?" Yang Yinglong turned around abruptly, his single eye flashing with a murderous light. "Our army has suffered several defeats, and our experts have been almost entirely killed or wounded. What other good strategy do we have?"

His voice was low and hoarse, each word seemingly squeezed from the depths of his chest, carrying an uncontrollable anger and despair.

Lan Qin'er turned her jade bracelet and chuckled, breaking the silence in the tent: "Why should General Yang worry? The martial world is vast, and there are countless extraordinary people. I do know someone who, if we can persuade her to come out of seclusion, can surely turn the tide."

"Oh?" A glimmer of hope flashed in Yang Yinglong's eyes. "Tell me quickly, who has such ability?"

"This person is called Yin Jiuniang, known in the martial arts world as the Poisonous Lady," Lan Qin'er explained. "Her face is as beautiful as a young girl's, but she is actually a sixty-year-old woman. She has mastered the 'Golden Body of Ten Thousand Poisons,' and her body is filled with extremely potent poisons; even her breath can kill. Not to mention the Seven Masters of Wudang and the Eighteen Shaolin Monks, even that kid Shi Feiyang would not have a good time in front of her."

One of the generals in the tent scoffed, "Master Lan, don't exaggerate. How could such an extraordinary person be easily put to my use?"

Lan Qin'er glanced at the general and sneered, "A generous reward will surely attract brave men. As long as Commander Yang is willing to spend the money, why worry about not being able to persuade her?"

Yang Yinglong pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Alright! As long as we can kill Shi Feiyang and his gang, I'll give my life, let alone gold and silver!" He turned to his personal guards and shouted, "Go and fetch ten gold bricks!"

Before long, the guards entered carrying gold bricks.

Yang Yinglong pushed the gold brick in front of Lan Qin'er and said in a deep voice, "Sect Leader Lan, I entrust this matter to you. You must persuade Yin Jiuniang. If you succeed, I will reward you handsomely."

Lan Qin'er bowed gracefully: "General Yang, rest assured, I will certainly live up to your expectations. However, during this period, General Yang should also make preparations as soon as possible. Hailongtun is our army's last line of defense, and we need to deploy heavy troops and set up more traps and mechanisms to prevent the enemy from attacking."

Yang Yinglong nodded and said, "That suits me perfectly. Hailongtun is strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack. I will immediately order the conscription of laborers to work day and night to build it into an impregnable fortress. Shi Feiyang, I want to see how you will breach my Hailongtun!"

His voice was filled with hatred and resentment, and his one eye gleamed with a mad light.

Another general in the tent stepped forward and said, "General Yang, the Seven Masters of Wudang and the Eighteen Shaolin Monks are highly skilled in martial arts, and they also have the help of the Xiong Ying Society. Even if Yin Jiuniang is willing to come, I'm afraid she will have a hard time dealing with them."

Yang Yinglong snorted coldly: "What's there to be afraid of? I still have a trump card. Once Yin Jiuniang has them tied down, I will personally lead the elite troops to launch a surprise attack on the Ming army camp. Without the Xiong Ying Society's vanguard, Guo Dunyi's soldiers are nothing to fear."

He clenched his fists, his face contorted with grotesque scars. "If we win this battle, Bozhou will be safe; if we lose..."

His voice suddenly lowered, "We have no choice but to fight to the last man!"

The generals inside the tent shouted in unison, "We are willing to die for Commander Yang!"

The sound shook the tent ceiling, startling the owls outside. In the flickering candlelight, the shadows of the group were cast on the tent flap, resembling a group of menacing ghosts, foreshadowing an even greater bloodshed to come.

Yang Yinglong sat alone in his tent, gently stroking his son's belongings on the table. Tears welled in his eyes as he silently vowed, "Chengye, go in peace. Your father will make Shi Feiyang and the others pay for their crimes in blood!"

After the torrential rain came a blizzard. Yang Yinglong sent Lan Qin'er with a large sum of money to invite martial arts masters to help, which would take several months.

Shi Feiyang, leading the heroes of Xiong Ying and three thousand disciples of the Xiong Ying Society, guarded the pass and dared not advance rashly again.

With both sides in a state of truce, the Eighteen Monks of Wudang, the Seven Heroes of Wudang, and the Emei Heroine took advantage of this free time to teach the disciples of the Xiong Ying Society martial arts, instructing them in swordsmanship, knife skills, and archery. They also sparred with the heroes of Xiong Ying Society, which was quite enjoyable, and everyone benefited from it.

The blizzard swirled like goose feathers, turning the pass into a silvery-white world.

The crimson banner of the Sakura Festival fluttered in the strong wind, creating a striking contrast against the pure white snow.

Shi Feiyang, draped in a black cloak, stood atop the city wall, gazing at the distant mountains shrouded in wind and snow, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

Guo Xiangyu, dressed in a light pink silk dress and a snow-white fox fur coat, looked like a red plum blossom blooming in the snow. She walked lightly to his side and said softly, "Feiyang, the wind and snow are so heavy, be careful not to catch a cold."

Shi Feiyang turned his head and looked at her cheeks, which were slightly red from the cold wind, his eyes filled with tenderness. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair that had been ruffled by the wind behind her ear, and said softly, "Xiangyu, you should be more careful. Don't catch a cold in this awful weather."

Their eyes met, and it was as if the surrounding wind and snow had stopped at that moment, leaving only the deep affection in each other's eyes.

Inside the council chamber, candlelight flickered.

Shi Feiyang unfolded the map and carefully analyzed the situation.

Guo Xiangyu sat to the side, sometimes looking down to take notes, sometimes resting her chin on her hand in thought, her beautiful eyes revealing her intelligence.

“Feiyang, I think Yang Yinglong will definitely set up a large ambush in Hailongtun this time.” She pointed to the mark on the map and said with certainty, “We cannot advance rashly. We need to plan carefully.”

Shi Feiyang nodded, looking at her approvingly: "Xiangyu, it is truly my blessing to have you by my side. In this world, it would be difficult to find another woman as intelligent and beautiful as you who understands my heart."

Guo Xiangyu blushed and smiled faintly as she looked down: "You're just trying to make me happy. It's just a small thing I can do."

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang reached out and took her hand, saying affectionately, "Xiangyu, once this war is over, I will take you to live a secluded life in the mountains. We will find a quiet place, plant flowers and grass, practice martial arts, and live a life that belongs only to the two of us."

Guo Xiangyu raised her head, her eyes glistening with tears of emotion: "Feiyang, I've been waiting for this day for so long. No matter where you are in the world, I'm willing to be with you."

In her spare time, Guo Xiangyu would always grind ink for Shi Feiyang. Watching him wield his brush and write down strategic plans, her eyes were filled with admiration and love. Sometimes, she would playfully dab a dot of ink on his face with the brush, then run away laughing.

Shi Feiyang would put down his pen, chase after her, pull her into his arms, and gently kiss her forehead: "You little rascal, see how I deal with you."

One day, Shi Feiyang taught Guo Xiangyu the Hundred Victories Knife Technique. He stood behind her, correcting her posture hand in hand, his warm breath brushing against her ear: "Xiangyu, your knife strikes must be fast and ruthless, the power must come from your waist, and the energy must flow to the tip of the blade."

Guo Xiangyu was so nervous by his leaning that she made a series of mistakes, and almost dropped the knife in her hand.

Shi Feiyang took her hand and smiled, "Don't rush, take your time. I'm here, you'll be fine."

Guo Xiangyu sewed clothes for Shi Feiyang, every stitch filled with deep affection.

She embroidered a cherry blossom pattern on her clothes, the word "peace" on the collar, and secretly embroidered their names on the hem.

Whenever the night is quiet, she sits by the window, sewing carefully by the moonlight, a happy smile always on her lips.

"Feiyang, may this garment protect you." She murmured softly, her eyes filled with tenderness and expectation.

Despite the continued wind and snow, the two people on the pass felt no chill whatsoever.

Because they know that as long as they are together, no matter how strong the wind and snow, it cannot stop the warmth and love in their hearts.

This deep affection is especially precious and moving in this era of war.

The morning mist, like a light veil, drifted over the verdant mountains and forests, and the small courtyard where Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu lived was faintly visible in the thin mist.

Roses climbed all over the bamboo fence, their petals, glistening with morning dew, trembling gently, like a dream yet to end.

Guo Xiangyu, dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), was drying medicinal herbs in the courtyard. The jasmine hairpin in her hair swayed gently with her movements, emitting a faint fragrance.

Shi Feiyang held a bamboo broom, sweeping up fallen leaves. He would occasionally look up at the busy people, a gentle smile unconsciously curving his lips.

"Xiangyu, don't tire yourself out," he said softly, his voice full of affection.

Guo Xiangyu turned around, her eyes crinkling like crescent moons: "I'm not tired. Once these medicinal herbs are dried, they can be used to treat the villagers nearby. Look, this is angelica, this is white peony..."

She knelt down, gently stroking the herbs, her eyes filled with pity. "They may seem insignificant, but they can save lives."

Shi Feiyang put down the broom, sat down beside her, and reached out to tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear: "You are always so kind. On the battlefield, you were the same, risking your life to treat your wounded brothers."

Guo Xiangyu leaned on his shoulder and sighed softly, "Back then, I only thought about saving as many people as possible. Now, it's great to be able to do my part for the people in these mountains." She paused, then looked up at Shi Feiyang, "But you, besides fighting for the soldiers, are also working day and night for the livelihood of the local people."

Shi Feiyang smiled and pulled her into his arms: "The money and food we have accumulated are all the result of my brothers' bloody battles. We can't spend them recklessly. We must not only help the people, but also teach them how to grow food and cultivate barren mountains and wilderness. In this life, we must always obtain food through labor, and we cannot get something for nothing."

As he spoke, his warm breath brushed against her ear, causing Guo Xiangyu's cheeks to flush red.

"You're always teasing me," Guo Xiangyu said coquettishly, breaking free from his embrace and running to the winter plum tree in the yard.

In the biting cold wind, golden petals, wrapped in ice crystals, bloom, releasing a subtle fragrance.

A few petals drifted in the wind and landed gently on her shoulder. She reached out and caught a translucent petal, then held it to her nose and sniffed it. “Feiyang, look at this winter plum blossom. It looks just like the red plum blossom you gave me last year when we were on the grassland.”

Shi Feiyang stood up, walked to her side, and took her hand. His palm, warmed by the touch of a martial artist, dispelled the winter chill: "Compared to the red plum blossoms, I think you are more like the winter plum blossoms, blooming more fragrantly in the harshest winter, breathtakingly beautiful."

As he spoke, he pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket. "I saw this when I went to town a few days ago, and I thought I'd buy it for you."

Guo Xiangyu curiously opened the cloth bag, and inside was an exquisite jade hairpin, with a lifelike double lotus flower carved on the head.

"Do you like it?" Shi Feiyang asked softly.

Guo Xiangyu's eyes were slightly red, and she nodded, "I like it, I like it very much." She handed the jade hairpin to Shi Feiyang, "Could you help me put it on?"

Shi Feiyang carefully inserted the jade hairpin into her hair, and looking at her appearance, he was filled with joy: "So beautiful."

He lowered his head and placed a kiss on Guo Xiangyu's forehead.

Guo Xiangyu ran her fingertips over the glistening winter plum petals, her eyelashes casting delicate shadows beneath her eyelids, and said softly, "Back then on the grassland, holding the red plum blossoms you picked amidst the swirling snow, I felt warmer than if I had a burning ember in my heart. Now, watching over this tree full of winter plum blossoms, it's as if those days of licking blood from the edge of a knife have been transformed into honey."

She suddenly smiled and gently tucked the petal into Shi Feiyang's lapel. "It's just that you've become more and more eloquent when it comes to admiring flowers."

Shi Feiyang looked down at the newly replaced jade hairpin in her hair, which, against the golden hue of the winter plum blossoms, made her features even more exquisite. He raised his hand to brush away the snowflakes that had fallen from her temple, his voice filled with tenderness: "When I saw you wielding a bamboo sword to save a wounded soldier on the battlefield, covered in blood yet moving like a butterfly, I knew then that there was no flower in this world more fiery than you. Though the winter plum blossoms are proud, how can they compare to you even slightly?"

As she spoke, she took out a pair of gilded earrings from her cloth bag. The two plum blossoms on them were lifelike, and tiny pearls were inlaid in the stamens.

Guo Xiangyu gazed at the earrings, her eyes welling with tears. "Such exquisite items must have taken a lot of thought." She tiptoed and tucked the earrings behind her ear; the gold ornaments swayed gently, and the pearls trembled with the movement. "But how can I return this gift that I've received for no reason?"

Shi Feiyang suddenly grasped her icy hand, bringing it to his lips and breathing warm air into it. "If you truly wish to repay..." he said tenderly, his gaze intense. "From this day forward, every year on this day, accompany me under the tree to warm wine and admire the plum blossoms. When frost and snow turn our hair white, we can still share a cup of warm wine and count the flowers that have bloomed on these cold branches." Before he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept by, and the plum tree shed a shower of golden petals.

Guo Xiangyu smiled and snuggled into his arms, the scent of jasmine mixed with the crisp fragrance of winter plum blossoms lingering around them.

The cries of a little monkey drifted from afar, startling a few crows that flew across the sky, but they couldn't disturb the gentle time that belonged only to them in this small courtyard.

Just then, the sound of children's laughter drifted from afar.

Several children from the neighborhood ran outside the yard and called out over the fence, "Brother Shi, Sister Guo! We've come to hear a story!"

Guo Xiangyu smiled and replied, "Come in quickly, I'll tell you something even more interesting today."

The children cheered and ran into the yard, sitting around Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu.

Shi Feiyang began to recount their past stories of the martial arts world. When he got to the exciting parts, the children's eyes widened and they exclaimed in amazement.

Guo Xiangyu stood to the side, occasionally adding a few words, looking tenderly at the children's innocent smiling faces.

As the sun set, its afterglow spilled into the courtyard, casting long shadows of the two people.

Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu sat side by side under the eaves, watching the sunset.

"Xiangyu, it's so good to be able to stay with you like this," Shi Feiyang said softly.

Guo Xiangyu leaned on his shoulder and whispered in response, "Yes, it's so nice. I hope that the days to come will be just as peaceful and warm."

The two looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with anticipation for the future.

In this tranquil mountain forest, their love, like a babbling brook, flows gently and never dries up.

The red lanterns of the victory celebration banquet at this pass swayed in the night breeze, bathing the pass in a warm red glow.

Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu held hands and drank together, the aroma of wine mingling with the subtle fragrance of winter plum blossoms in the air.

Suddenly, a chilling aura swept through the air, and four dark shadows streaked across the northwest sky like ghosts. The silver moon ripped through the night, casting a cold, eerie glow. Elder Xuanming, his white hair flying, lightly stroked his bone flute with his bony fingers, and a strange, eerie light flickered in his cloudy eyes: "Guo Xiangyu, how can you allow the bloodline of the Wuyue family to be wasted here! Today is the day of your return!"

His voice was hoarse and cold, as if it came from the deepest abyss. As he finished speaking, he suddenly played the bone flute in his hand.

The piercing sound waves spread as if they were real, and the wine flag ten feet away shattered into pieces in an instant. The cups and goblets on the banquet table also exploded, and the wine was spilled on the festive red silk, resembling fresh blood.

The heroes of Xiong Ying, the Seven Heroes of Wudang, the Emei Heroine, and the Eighteen Monks with Staffs all fell to the ground, each wounded and bleeding.

Guo Xiangyu's face changed drastically, and the wine cup in her hand clattered to the ground. Gazing at the sinister figures in the sky, she murmured, "You...you've finally come. But I...I haven't even given Feiyang a son or two. Alas!"

Before she could finish speaking, the ground suddenly cracked open with spiderweb-like silver patterns, emanating a chill that trapped her in the center.

The silver patterns writhed as if alive, gradually rising to form a silver cage.

"Stop your insolence!" Shi Feiyang roared, drawing his Heavenly Frost Blade, his icy blue true energy instantly sweeping across the entire area.

He unleashed a move called "Slaying the Mortal World," his sword strikes continuous and unending, nine icy blue sword energies cascading down like the Milky Way from the heavens, freezing the air in their wake.

However, Elder Blood Fiend sneered, and the blood jade chain he flung out drew a strange arc in the air, the blood jade on the chain shimmering with an eerie red light.

The blood-jade chains collided with the sword energy, producing a deafening roar, and the powerful shockwave knocked the surrounding soldiers to the ground. The chains actually shredded the sword energy, and the sparks that flew up landed on Guo Xiangyu's skirt, instantly burning it.

Seeing this, Elder Xuanming played his bone flute even more urgently, and the "Soul-Capturing Demonic Sound" echoed in the air.

Shi Feiyang felt a wave of dizziness, and the scene before his eyes suddenly distorted and changed.

He was horrified to see Guo Xiangyu covered in blood, lying dead beneath his knife, a sorrowful smile still lingering on her lips: "Feiyang, don't be sad."

"Xiangyu!" Shi Feiyang was terrified and raised his knife to commit suicide.

At the critical moment, Guo Xiangyu bit her tongue and spat a mouthful of hot blood onto his face: "Husband, it's an illusion! Wake up!" The warm blood, with its stinging sensation, instantly cleared Shi Feiyang's mind.

He roared and slashed the Heavenly Frost Blade into the void with his backhand. Wherever the blade passed, the illusion shattered like a mirror.

However, the moment the illusion shattered, Elder Xuanming approached like a ghost, the poisoned barbs at the tip of the bone flute only three inches from Shi Feiyang's throat.

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply, and he dodged to the side. His shoulder was still grazed by the barbs, leaving an ice mark. Fortunately, he was protected by the true qi of the Mingyu Gong.

His Heavenly Frost Blade danced, transforming into an icy blue shield that protected his vital points. Guo Xiangyu, trapped in the silver cage, cried out anxiously, "Husband, their weakness is between their eyebrows! The Silver Moon Wheel is the key to activating the demonic sound!"

She used her "flower-picking finger" technique, her fingertips constantly striking the cage with their energy, but it only stirred up ripples.

Upon hearing this, a resolute glint flashed in Shi Feiyang's eyes. He took a deep breath, circulated the Mingyu Gong to its peak, and his icy blue true energy surged threefold.

Tian Shuangren unleashed the ultimate move of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," "Heaven and Earth United," sending a massive, icy-blue blade of light soaring into the sky with earth-shattering force as it slashed towards Elder Xuanming. Elder Xuanming's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly played his bone flute, attempting to use sound waves to defend himself.

At the same time, Guo Xiangyu bit her fingertip, using her blood as a catalyst to unleash the forbidden technique of the Wuyue family, "Blood Moon Descending." The silver cage glowed with a blood-red light, and her face instantly turned as pale as paper. The cage shattered with a deafening roar, and she shot out like an arrow, her "flower-plucking finger" technique aimed directly at Elder Xue Sha's brow.

Caught off guard, Elder Blood Fiend was struck between the eyebrows by the finger force and let out a miserable scream.

His blood jade chains went out of control and flew wildly in the air.

Seizing the opportunity, Shi Feiyang's icy blue blade slashed through the Silver Moon Wheel, and Elder Xuanming, having lost his support, immediately weakened his sonic attack.

Shi Feiyang pressed his advantage, his Heavenly Frost Blade weaving like a dragon, leaving several bloody marks on Elder Xuanming's body.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Elder Xuanming let out a long roar and, along with the other three elders, transformed into four black shadows and disappeared into the night.

The cold wind swept across the pass like icy blades, carrying snowflakes. The red lanterns at the victory banquet flickered in the night wind, staining the figures of Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu crimson like blood.

"Flying Eagle Detective" Xie Wen carried Shi Xiong on his back and flew down, taking out various miraculous medicines to rescue the Seven Masters of Wudang, the Eighteen Shaolin Monks, and the Xiong Ying Heroes.

The cold night was as dark as ink, and snowflakes, carried by the biting north wind, swept across the majestic pass.

At the celebration banquet, the faded red lanterns swayed in the wind, their flickering light casting mottled, blood-red shadows on Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu's figures.

Shi Feiyang stared at the bluish-purple marks left on her wrist by the silver pattern, his throat tightened suddenly, and his fingertips, which wanted to touch her, hung in mid-air, frozen into a block of ice—the scorch mark left by the blood jade chain on her skirt was like a hideous wound, tearing his heart out.

When Guo Xiangyu threw herself into his arms, her scalding tears fell onto his dark clothes, spreading out in dark red patches.

Her trembling fingertips gripped his sleeve, yet she dared not touch it. She simply gazed at his unharmed body, a suppressed sob escaping her throat: "It's all my fault... If I had known the Wu Yue family's pursuit would come sooner or later, I shouldn't have..." Her voice trailed off, tears rolling down her chin and staining her clothes with dark marks. "I shouldn't have brought all this sin to your side."

Shi Feiyang gently lifted her face with his warm hand, his thumb wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and a pale smile appeared on his lips: "Xiangyu, look at this snowstorm, it's just like when we first met. The light in your eyes back then was even brighter than this lantern."

The warmth emanating from his palms could not melt the frost in her eyes.

Guo Xiangyu suddenly trembled violently and collapsed into his arms like a withered leaf in the wind.

She buried her face in his chest, listening to the familiar heartbeat, tears soaking his clothes: "Feiyang, do you know why I always love to hear your heartbeat?" Her voice was choked with sobs, "In the Cold Jade Palace, from childhood to adulthood, I was only subjected to demonic sounds every day, chilling to the bone. Only your heartbeat is the warmest sound in this world, making me feel that I am still alive, that I can still have happiness..."

Shi Feiyang held the person in his arms tightly, and countless memories from the dead of night flooded back—the tenderness of her resting her head on his shoulder and drawing circles on his chest with her fingertips; the charming way she playfully dotted his face with ink when she ground ink for him.

But now, these memories are like sharp swords, tearing his heart apart.

He spoke with difficulty, "So... when you said you wanted to meet me sooner, it was because you were afraid..."

"Yes! I'm afraid!" Guo Xiangyu suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with despair and sorrow, like a shattered, cold moon reflected in a deep pool. "I'm afraid the fate of the Wuyue family will harm you! I'm afraid that the demonic sound will destroy your mind! I'm afraid the happiness we've finally found is nothing but a mirage, shattering at the slightest touch..."

Her nails dug deep into his back, as if she wanted to carve her soul into his flesh. "I embroider the word 'peace' every day, but I can't even protect myself, how can I protect you?"

A series of exclamations came from afar. Before they knew it, most of the lanterns at the celebration banquet had been extinguished, leaving only the cold moonlight to fall on the two of them, draping a thin veil over this destined sorrowful farewell.

The wind of the cold night, carrying snowflakes, swept across the majestic pass with a mournful, plaintive sound.

As the red lanterns swayed at the celebration banquet, they gradually went out, leaving only a few flickering in the wind, casting the figures of Shi Feiyang and Guo Xiangyu in a dim and uncertain light, much like their precarious fate.

Shi Feiyang held the person in his arms tightly, as if if he let go even slightly, she would turn into a wisp of smoke and disappear into the cold night.

"Xiangyu, if there is an afterlife..." Shi Feiyang's voice was hoarse, filled with endless longing and reluctance. Before he could finish speaking, Guo Xiangyu hurriedly reached out and covered his mouth.

"Don't say that!" Her tears fell in large drops onto the back of his hand, the scalding tears instantly freezing into ice crystals in the cold night. "I haven't loved enough in this life, who cares about the next! I don't want any next life, I only want this life, as long as I can stay by your side for one more moment, even just one moment, I'm willing!"

Her voice was trembling violently, choked with sobs, a deep-seated fear that this parting would be forever.

The moonlight, cold and clear like frost and snow, fell on her open sleeves.

The crescent-shaped birthmark on her wrist glowed with a faint light, like a desolate waning moon in the cold night.

"So what if I'm a runaway princess of the Wuyue family?" A resolute glint flashed in her eyes. "Even if they crush my bones with the Silver Moon Wheel and tear me to pieces, I will still..."

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly lowered her head and bit her wrist hard.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining her white sleeves red, and also staining Shi Feiyang's heart red.

She endured the pain, pressing her wound to his lips. Her pale face was tinged with an eerie bluish-purple, yet she still stubbornly smiled, a smile more heartbreaking than tears: "Feiyang, you said my blood is sweeter than medicine. This time... let me be your antidote... I want to give you everything I have, my love, my blood, my life..."

Shi Feiyang felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He hurriedly used the Mingyu Technique to cool her blood and stop her life from slipping away.

He held her hand tightly to his chest, his voice filled with panic and heartache: "Xiangyu, why are you doing this! Please stop! I don't want your blood, I just want you to be alright! Tell me, weren't the Wuyue family of the Western Regions Holy Sect missing? How come they're still here? And their martial arts skills even surpass those of Qiyin, the leader of the Western Regions Holy Sect?"

Guo Xiangyu choked back tears, blurring her vision and making Shi Feiyang's image before her indistinct: "My grandmother led the Wuyue family to the depths of the desert, not because she disappeared, but because she didn't want to get involved in the power struggles within the Holy Sect. We silently grew stronger in that desolate desert, but the daily torture of demonic sounds was like a thousand ants gnawing at my heart. I couldn't bear it any longer... So, I escaped, I escaped to your side, thinking I had found my home for life. I never expected that the four elders would track me here..."

She said sadly, "Feiyang, I regret it so much. I regret not telling you about my background sooner. I regret causing you so much trouble... But I am also so grateful. I am so grateful to have met you and fallen in love with you in the prime of my life... Every day I spend with you is the most precious time of my life."

Shi Feiyang held her, tears welling up in his eyes and dripping onto her face: "Xiangyu, don't say anymore, you'll be alright, I won't let you leave me! We'll still retire to the mountains together, watch the sunrise and sunset together, and grow old together..."

Shi Feiyang carried Guo Xiangyu back to his room and held her all night, afraid that if he let go, the four elders of the Wuyue family would snatch her away.

The following evening, the four elders of the Wuyue family came to challenge Shi Feiyang again.

To avoid harming the heroes of Xiong Ying, the Seven Heroes of Wudang, the Emei heroine, and the people of this pass who were recovering from their injuries, Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled lightness skill, "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," to carry Guo Xiangyu out of the pass and into the snow-covered mountains and forests.

The north wind, whipping up icicles like countless cold blades, swept across the snow-covered plains. Shi Feiyang, carrying Guo Xiangyu on his back, hurried through the snow, the icy light trailing behind them condensing into a crescent moon. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing sound pierced the air, like the wailing of ghosts from the depths of hell. Four dark figures, riding on silver moon discs, descended from the horizon, instantly freezing the snow in their wake into sharp ice crystals that reflected a chilling gleam in the moonlight.

Elder Xuanming's white hair stood on end like steel needles, and he let out a sinister laugh as he pressed the bone flute to his lips: "Shi Feiyang, hand over the Dance Moon Pearl, and I'll spare your whole corpse!"

The Blood Fiend Elder's scarlet pupils surged with killing intent. He swung out the Blood Jade Chains with a roar, and thousands of blood pythons bared their fangs and claws as they pounced. The sound of the chains tearing through the air was mixed with the mournful howls of wronged souls.

"Wishful thinking!" Shi Feiyang roared, shattering the ice shards, and activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness Ice Soul Cold Prison".

In an instant, an icy blue vortex of true energy rose around him, and as the energy circulated, it condensed into an ice crystal armor on his body.

The blood python stiffened upon contact, but amidst the Blood Fiend Elder's sinister laughter, it dissolved into blood and reformed.

Guo Xiangyu used her bamboo knife to create "a hundred flowers and a thousand blossoms," and herbs such as angelica and realgar turned into a misty haze—this "Hundred Herbs Demon-Slaying Array" was her ultimate skill, which she had spent ten years researching and was specifically designed to counter evil spirits.

The blood python, upon smelling the medicinal fragrance, was struck as if by lightning, writhing and howling in agony. Seizing the fleeting opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed nine icy blue blades of Heavenly Frost Blade, a deadly move from the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique"—"Longevity with Heaven and Earth."

The blade energy layered upon layer, and a chill spread rapidly along the blood jade chains.

Elder Blood Fiend was filled with shock and rage. He tried to retract the chains, but heard a crisp "crack" as half of his arm was frozen into glistening ice crystals. (End of Chapter)