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

In late spring, when Bozhou should be a time of blooming wildflowers, Yang Yinglong's army camp was shrouded in darkness.

Outside the cowhide tent, copper bells hanging from the gnarled branches of a withered tree creaked and grotesquely, their sound grating on one's teeth.

When the news of Yin Jiuniang's ashes arrived, the entire camp fell into a deathly silence, with only the sporadic sound of horses' hooves in the distance pounding on everyone's tense nerves.

Inside the central command tent, the torchlight illuminated Yang Yinglong's single eye, making it appear bloodshot. The rebel leader stared intently at the sheepskin map on the table, his knuckles white from gripping it so tightly that deep wrinkles appeared along the edges.

Footsteps sounded outside the tent. Lan Qin'er, the vice leader of the Five Poisons Sect, moved gracefully, the venomous python totem embroidered on her crimson gauze dress appearing and disappearing in the firelight. "General Yang, why worry?" Lan Qin'er's lips parted slightly, her voice sweet as honey, yet tinged with a hint of coldness. "Although Yin Jiuniang is dead, does this Bozhou region lack a way to defeat the enemy?"

She lightly tapped the Pegasus Pass on the map with her fingertip, leaving a vibrant splash of color on the sheepskin with her bright red nail polish.

Yang Yinglong's single eye darted around, a ruthless glint in it: "What brilliant idea does Sect Leader Lan have? Now that Shi Feiyang is stationed at Feima Pass and the imperial army is pressing in step by step, my Fire Ox Formation and Poison Corpse Technique have all failed!" He grabbed the wine flask on the table, tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of strong liquor, the liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth and soaking the wolf head embroidery on his chest.

Lan Qin'er covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her laughter as clear as silver bells, yet sending chills down the spines of everyone in the tent: "General, do you know why there is so much miasma in spring?" She waved her jade-like hand, and a wisp of pale purple mist immediately drifted into the tent. "My Five Poisons Sect has a secret recipe called 'Bone-Corroding Miasma,' which dissolves when it encounters the spring sun and attaches itself to people. We only need to spread this miasma along the Ming army's inevitable route..."

She leaned closer to Yang Yinglong and whispered a few words in his ear. As Yang Yinglong listened, a sinister smile gradually appeared in his single eye: "Good! Good! In this way, those corrupt officials of the court, and Shi Feiyang's Xiong Ying Society, will all perish in this Bozhou land!"

He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, causing the military tally on the table to jump.

Outside the tent, the beautiful strategist Yun Wuyue quietly hid in the shadows, her heart filled with alarm. Her delicate hands clenched tightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.

As Bai Zhi's junior sister, she was all too aware of Shi Feiyang's importance to the Bozhou war. If Lan Qin'er's treacherous scheme succeeded, the Ming army would surely be defeated, and the Xiong Ying Society would be doomed.

At this moment, the spring breeze swept through the camp, bringing a touch of warmth, but it could not dispel the sinister atmosphere that permeated the tents.

Yun Wuyue gazed at the clouds on the horizon, dyed blood-red by the setting sun, and silently resolved: no matter what, she must spread this message. Shi Feiyang is a good man, possessing a strong sense of patriotism; no wonder my senior sister is with him. After the previous battles, I've tested Shi Feiyang and understand his character. He's a man capable of great things, worth helping!
In the days that followed, the battlefield became extremely strange.

No more of Yang Yinglong's rebel army came to raid Feima Pass, and the area in front of the pass was silent.

However, on the distant battlefield, the smoke of battle grew increasingly thick. Multiple Ming armies suddenly found themselves in a strange predicament; soldiers were weak and vomiting black blood, their fighting strength drastically reduced. The once orderly ranks crumbled, and screams of agony echoed throughout the land.

Shi Feiyang stood atop the Feima Pass, gazing at the chaos in the distance with a solemn expression.

He knew all too well that beneath this calm, a far greater conspiracy was brewing.

Meanwhile, Yun Wuyue was riding a fast horse, galloping through the mountains and forests.

She had only one thought in her mind: she had to get the message to Shi Feiyang before Lan Qin'er's evil scheme took full effect.

As night fell, in Yang Yinglong's camp, Lan Qin'er gazed at the crescent moon in the sky, a smug smile playing on her lips.

She knew her wicked scheme was beginning to take effect. And beneath this seemingly peaceful night, an even greater crisis, like a surging tide, was sweeping towards Feima Pass, towards Shi Feiyang, and towards the entire Bozhou region.

In late spring, the mountain paths of the Miao Mountains are shrouded in a crimson mist. A chestnut horse, with no moon in the clouds, tramples the azaleas scattered on the ground, and the sound of its hooves startles the birds roosting in the forest.

Her plain white clothes were already frayed by the sand and gravel swirling in the mountain wind, and the secret letter in her bosom, wrapped in three layers of oiled paper, was still damp with cold sweat.

Suddenly, the sound of a copper bell rang out on the mountain path, and three gorgeous figures, like poisonous flowers blooming, gracefully fell from the gnarled branches of the ancient pine. Wherever their scarlet skirts swept, even the bluestone was stained with dark purple mold.

"Where is Military Advisor Yun going?" Lan Qin'er's jade pendant on her silver phoenix crown swayed slightly as she spoke. The scarlet silk thread wrapped around her fingertips was slowly digging into her palm, and the blood beads that seeped out condensed into strange runes along the silk thread.

The vice leader of the Five Poisons Sect wore a Miao embroidered centipede skirt, each centipede embroidered with sequins made from the fingernails of living people, gleaming coldly in the twilight. Behind her, the elder of the Five Poisons Sect, Bagulu, revealed half of his face covered with bite marks from Gu worms beneath his indigo tie-dyed headscarf, dozens of bamboo vipers flicking their tongues from a leather pouch at his waist; the elder of the Five Poisons Sect, Ayina, had her face covered with a black veil, and nine copper bells on her wrists were engraved with hideous ghost faces, trembling slightly with her breath.

Yun Wuyue lightly pressed her jade-like hand on the hilt of her sword, drawing the Qingfeng sword three inches from its sheath. The cold light made her eyelashes tremble slightly: "Sect Leader Lan, you'd better step aside."

Before she finished speaking, Ayina suddenly swung her arms, and the copper bells made a piercing, sharp sound.

Seven poisoned silver needles, accompanied by a foul stench, swept in, their tips gleaming with a peacock-blue poisonous light.

Yun Wuyue spun around and stepped onto the saddle, her three-foot-long sword flashing out in a "Meteor Chasing the Moon" motion, the tassel of her sword pointing like a serpent at the silver needle.

With a clang, three silver needles were knocked away and fell into the ravine, while the other four grazed her shoulder, burning black holes in her plain white clothes. Taking advantage of the moment, Baguru roared, and the leather pouch at his waist exploded.

Three black snakes raised their triangular heads, their forked tongues dripping dark green venom, aiming straight for Yun Wuyue's throat.

"A mere trick!" Yun Wuyue lightly touched the horse's back with her toes, her figure fluttering like willow catkins. Her Qingfeng sword took an unorthodox approach, aiming for the snake's eye with a move called "Plum Blossom in Winter." The moment the sword tip touched the snake's skin, she felt a slippery, oily sensation. It turned out that the snake's scales were coated with a poisonous lipid that protected it from weapons.

The black snake thrashed wildly in pain, and the force of its tail snapped a bush as thick as a bowl in half beside the mountain path.

Seeing this, Lan Qin'er giggled, and her ten fingers, adorned with red nail polish, suddenly formed a strange hand seal. In an instant, a mountain wind carrying a putrid stench swept over her, and thousands of Gu worms surged out from her sleeves, the dense swarm of insects gathering in mid-air to form a hideous ghost face.

Yun Wuyue channeled her inner energy to force out her protective true qi, and wielded her Qingfeng sword with impenetrable force, unleashing a move called "Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds".

Wherever the sword energy reached, the Gu worms burst open, their green juices splashing onto the rocks and making a sizzling, corrosive sound.

But she was ultimately outnumbered, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in her right ankle—before she knew it, a scorpion the size of a palm had clamped down on her acupoint, its stinger deeply embedded in her flesh.

"Hand over the secret letter obediently, and I'll spare your life." Lan Qin'er suddenly lashed out a scarlet whip from her sleeve, and two eerie green phosphorescent flames flickered in the empty eye sockets of the skull at the tip of the whip.

Yun Wuyue gritted her teeth and swung her sword to block, but the long whip coiled around the blade as if it were alive. She suddenly felt a numbness from between her thumb and forefinger, and looked down in horror to see that the sword was covered with tiny Gu worms that were biting her palm along the blade.

Blood dripped down the sword's edge, spreading an eerie purplish-black color on the bluestone.

Ayina's copper bell rang again, the sound waves materializing and impacting Yun Wuyue's heart meridian. She staggered backward, her back slamming against the cold mountain rocks, and the Qingfeng Sword almost slipped from her grasp.

Lan Qin'er pressed closer, her long whip like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, aiming straight for her throat.

At the critical moment, Yun Wuyue suddenly abandoned her sword and unleashed her sect's ultimate technique, "Firefly's Radiance," with both palms. Five beams of white light barely blocked the whip, but the shock made her throat taste bloody, and black blood slowly seeped from her seven orifices.

At this moment, Yun Wuyue's plain white clothes were stained with blood and poison, and her hair clung messily to her sweat-dampened cheeks. Leaning against the rock, she gasped for breath, watching the three approaching figures, a sense of despair rising in her heart.

As dusk fell like blood, staining the Miao Mountains, Yun Wuyue leaned against the rugged cliffs, the Qingfeng sword in his palm riddled with nicks from the Gu worms.

Lan Qin'er's scarlet whip was only three inches away from her throat when a sharp sound pierced the air. Miao Menlong, a hero of the Xiong Ying Society and a "divine archer," shot an arrow like a meteor, accurately severing the skull tip of the whip.

The seven hidden weapons of "Plum Blossom Darts" Shan Zhi flew out in the shape of the Big Dipper, their cold light blocking the retreat of the three members of the Five Poisons Sect. Each dart tip was coated with a deadly poison that could kill on sight.

Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled lightness skill, "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," to fly through the air, stepping on the fallen leaves. His dark-colored martial arts attire fluttered in the gale, and the icy blue true energy activated by his Mingyu Gong condensed the surrounding mist into frost flowers.

"Lan Qin'er, you have aided and abetted the wicked, helping the rebels kill my soldiers and plunging the people into years of misery. You have committed countless evils and deserve to die! Today, I, Shi, will rid the people of this scourge!" His voice boomed, and the force of his palms swirled the pebbles beneath his feet into a vortex.

Seeing this, Baguru's withered fingers quickly formed hand seals on his indigo headscarf. The leather pouch at his waist suddenly burst open, and nine giant, mottled pythons emerged, their scales rubbing together like sandpaper scraping bone.

Miao Menlong knelt on the ground, and the bowstring of the Miao family's three-tiered crossbow was drawn to its full length.

"Hit!" Three crossbow bolts were fired in succession at the giant python's vital spot, but the snake's scales deflected the sparks.

Shi Xiong brandished his White Rainbow Sword and charged into the fray, unleashing the "Thirteen Deadly Swords." The sword tip moved like a serpent, aiming specifically at the python's soft belly. But the python's tail swept across like a steel whip, striking his shoulder with a "crack." His chainmail shattered instantly, leaving a deep, bloody gash that revealed the bone.

Xie Wen used the "Flying Floss and Light Smoke Technique," his figure transforming into a faint afterimage as he circled behind Baguru. His iron blade grazed past the old man's ear, startling Baguru into staggering and dodging, his hand seals instantly becoming chaotic.

Seeing that things were going badly, Lan Qin'er took out a jade bottle from her bosom and poured it out. The purplish-black poisonous mist gathered in her palm and formed the shape of a fierce ghost: "Shi Feiyang, taste my Five Poisons Sect's 'Netherworld Ghost Mist'!"

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Slaying the Mortal World" technique from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with both palms. Under the enhancement of the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison" from the Mingyu Skill, nine golden saber energies spun like a wheel. The saber energies collided with the poisonous mist, emitting a shrill whistle like shattering glass. The purple poisonous mist was pulverized into dust, and the scattered poisonous rain fell on the rocks, instantly corroding them with honeycomb-like holes.

Lan Qin'er's expression changed drastically, and she retreated hastily. But she saw Shi Feiyang's toes touch the ground, and the palm force of "Broken Sky Cliff" from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" rushed towards her with icy cold air.

At the critical moment, Ayina's copper bell burst forth with a piercing sound. The sound waves materialized, causing everyone's eardrums to ache.

Dan Zhi's plum blossom darts buzzed in the air. He threw out seven hidden weapons, which formed an octagonal formation in the air, deflecting all the sound waves with a clang. Shi Feiyang used his palm as a blade, performing the opening move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, "Welcoming Guests from the Pine Tree." His palm wind was like waves, dissipating the remaining sound waves into nothingness.

Seeing the situation was dire, Baguru commanded the last giant python to coil around Shi Xiong. The python's body was as thick as a water bucket, and it constricted Shi Xiong until his veins bulged. "Brother Shi!" Miao Menlong's crossbow bolt flew past Shi Xiong's ear and accurately pierced the giant python's right eye.

The giant python released its grip in pain, and Shi Feiyang seized the opening, unleashing the ultimate move of the Hundred Victories Saber Technique, "Heaven and Earth Live Together," with both palms. Golden palm shadows merged with icy blue true energy, like a blazing sun falling to earth. With a roar, the giant python was reduced to pieces of flesh and blood, and the splashing blood rained down, staining the mountain path dark red.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Lan Qin'er suddenly grabbed Ayina and shielded her in front of her.

Shi Feiyang's eyes narrowed, and the ultimate killing move of the Hundred Victories Saber Technique, "Sun and Moon Shining Together," unleashed a palm strike with overwhelming force. Wherever the palm wind passed, the air emitted a sharp explosion, and amidst Lan Qin'er's screams, she and Ayina were shredded into a bloody mist.

Ayina struggled in her death throes, but was pierced through the throat by Shan Zhi's plum blossom dart. Her black veil fell, revealing a face covered in sores. The fierce battle ended, and Yun Wuyue collapsed to the ground, her ankle swollen and purple, black blood oozing from the wound.

Shi Feiyang strode forward, tore off a piece of his clothing to wrap around the wound, placed his palm on it, and emitted icy blue true energy. He said softly, "Miss Yun, don't be afraid. This poison is no match for me."

After forcing Yun Wuyue to expel the poisonous blood, Shi Feiyang took out a white jade bottle from his pocket, poured out a few pills, and then took out a snow lotus from Tianshan Mountain and crushed it: "This is the Heavenly Star Pill and Snow Lotus Paste. It can cure all poisons by being used both internally and externally."

After feeding Yun Wuyue the elixir, Shi Feiyang stood up and looked at the Miao Mountains in the twilight, the mountain wind carrying the smell of blood.

In the distance, the corpses of the Five Poisons Sect members lay scattered, poisonous insects crawling on their bodies. He clenched his fists, his eyes growing colder: "Now that the Five Poisons Sect has made its move, Yang Yinglong's conspiracy is likely not limited to this. Issue the order: the entire army is on high alert, without the slightest slackening!"

These words were both an order and a deliberate choice to be heard by Yun Wuyue, to see how she would react.
"I will obey the Grand Master's orders!" Xie Wen responded and left, using the "Flying Floss and Light Smoke Technique" to quickly merge into the air.

As dusk deepened, the stench of blood from the Miao Mountains, carried by the mountain winds and mingled with the scent of decaying leaves, wafted through the air. Shi Feiyang crouched down again, the icy blue true energy condensed from the Mingyu Gong flowing in his palms, dispelling the remaining poison from Yun Wuyue's ankle.

A trace of color returned to Yun Wuyue's pale face as she gazed at the chaotic battlefield. Suddenly, she grabbed Shi Feiyang's sleeve: "Hero Shi, Yang Yinglong's conspiracy... is the Five Poisons Sect's 'Bone-Corroding Miasma'!"

She still had a conscience and truthfully revealed the conspiracy between the Five Poisons Sect and Yang Yinglong's rebel army.

Shi Feiyang paused slightly, and the icy blue true energy in his palm suddenly surged: "What is the bone-corroding miasma?" Behind him, Miao Menlong gripped the three-tiered crossbow tightly, Shan Zhi silently wiped the plum blossom darts, and Shi Xiong tore off a piece of his clothes to wrap the wound on his shoulder. All four listened intently.

Yun Wuyue struggled to sit up, her plain white clothes stained with dark purple bloodstains: "This miasma is a secret of the Five Poisons Sect. It transforms when it encounters the spring sun and attaches itself to people. Lan Qin'er spread it on the Ming army's route. The poisonous mist seems invisible, but it is deadly upon contact with blood and will rot bones once it enters the body."

Her voice trembled, her eyes filled with worry, "The Ming army is now suffering defeat after defeat, precisely because they have fallen victim to this poisonous miasma."

Upon hearing this, Miao Menlong's crossbow clicked: "No wonder when I shot my crossbow bolts at the rebel army's front lines, my Ming soldiers all looked ashen-faced and didn't even have the strength to run away! So that's how it is." Shan Zhi sneered, the tip of his dart picking up a piece of poisoned flesh: "What a vicious method, to make my Ming army collapse without losing a single soldier."

Shi Feiyang stood up, his black martial arts outfit fluttering in the wind. His brows furrowed into a deep frown as he asked Yun Wuyue in a low voice, "Is there a way to break this?" Then, he raised his head and looked at the rising night mist in the distance, his eyes as cold and sharp as an eagle's.

Yun Wuyue looked at him, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes: "Only Lan Xiaodie, the leader of the Five Poisons Sect, can cure this. But..."

She paused, then softened her voice, "I heard that after the Five Poisons Sect was absorbed by the Heavenly Star Sect, Lan Xiaodie became depressed and went into seclusion in the far west. Finding her is no easy task."

Shi Xiong suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse like a broken gong: "No matter how far, we must find her at all costs! We can't just watch the Ming army die from the poisonous miasma!"

He clenched his fist and slammed it against the tree trunk beside him, shaking off the dead leaves that covered the branches.

Shi Feiyang pondered for a moment, then glanced at everyone: "Brother Miao, Brother Shan, I'd like to trouble you two to escort Miss Yun to the cabin in the dense forest near Feima Pass to recuperate." He looked southeast, pausing slightly, "That place used to be... my and Xiangyu's residence. Although it has been abandoned for a long time, it is secluded and protected from miasma."

Miao Menlong bowed and replied, "Rest assured, Chief! My three-tiered crossbow will surely protect Miss Yun!" Shan Zhi put the plum blossom darts into his leather pouch, a smile playing on his lips: "Perfect timing to test my 'Plum Blossom Formation,' let's see if those villains can break in." Yun Wuyue struggled to get up, but due to the lingering effects of the poison, she fell back down: "Hero Shi, my injury is nothing serious, regarding the matter of finding Lan Xiaodie..."

“Miss Yun, don’t worry, just focus on recovering.” Shi Feiyang interrupted her, taking out a small jade bottle from his robes and pouring out a fragrant pill. “Take this ‘Clearing Miasma Pill’ first; preserving your life is paramount. I will arrange the search for Lan Xiaodie.” He handed the pill to Yun Wuyue, his gaze resolute. “I will never easily abandon the lives of the people of Bozhou and the Ming soldiers.” At this moment, Xie Wen used his “Flying Willow Light Smoke Skill,” his figure drifting over like a wisp of mist: “Chief, sentries have been deployed all around. Report any unusual activity within a ten-mile radius immediately!” He glanced at the pill in Yun Wuyue’s hand, paused slightly, and then understood what had happened. Shi Feiyang nodded: “Brother Xie, return to Feima Pass immediately and gather all the heroes to discuss countermeasures. Remember, this matter is confidential and must not be leaked.”

Xie Wen accepted the order, and in a flash, he disappeared into the night.

The late spring wind, carrying the smoke of gunpowder, swept across the desolate Bozhou plain. Shi Feiyang stood on the scorched earth, his black uniform stained with blood that had not yet dried.

As he turned to look into the depths of the dense forest, a crescent moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its cool moonlight, like frost and snow, slowly flowing over the dilapidated little house. A few withered wisteria vines hung from the crooked eaves, and the broken window frames whistled softly in the wind, like sighs drifting from the depths of time.

Memories surged like a tide over his heart, drawing him into the vortex of the past. Once, this little house was his and Guo Xiangyu's haven of tenderness.

In spring, she walked barefoot across the damp grass, her skirt covered with dandelion fluff, her smile brighter than the azaleas blooming across the mountains; in summer nights, the two lay side by side on a bamboo mat, counting the stars in the Milky Way, the jasmine scent in her hair mingling with the glow of fireflies, lingering around his nose; in autumn mornings, she danced with a bamboo knife in hand, fallen leaves fluttering with the sword's movements, the morning light gilding her with a golden veil; in winter nights, they nestled beside the crackling fire, she tucked her cold feet into his lap, playfully asking for warmth.

As Shi Feiyang gazed at the rickety wooden door, he could almost see Guo Xiangyu leaning against it.

The deep engraving on the threshold is a mark of love she left with a dagger; in the spider web in the corner, there is still a sachet she sewed herself, the faded embroidery thread still faintly showing the pattern of twin lotus flowers; the wooden table that was once full of tea sets is now only half a table leg.

A bitter, aching pain grew wildly in his heart like vines. Shi Feiyang felt a tightness in his throat and his eyes welled up with tears. He looked up at the cold, bright moon, trying to force the surging tears back into his eyes, but the memories became clearer and clearer.

Guo Xiangyu's parting words seemed to echo in my ears again, carrying the wind and sand of the desert, and also a deep longing: "My husband, I love you more than I love my own life."

However, the wind has not yet stopped, but she is gone. She returned to the Wuyue family deep in the desert, leaving Shi Feiyang alone in this desolate world, guarding the memories that fill his room.

"Let's go." He reached out to help Yun Wuyue up. "Go and recover first. Once you're healed, we'll go find Lan Xiaodie together."

The group continued their journey under the cover of night. The chirping of insects in the Miao Mountains rose and fell, but it could not mask the tense atmosphere that permeated the air.

Shi Feiyang walked towards the hut, each step feeling like it was treading on his own heart.

The mountain breeze of late spring, carrying the sound of pine trees, swept through the house as Shi Feiyang helped Yun Wuyue into the small house deep in the dense forest.

He reached out and touched the mottled wooden door, the rough texture on his fingertips like touching a bygone era.

The silence inside was suffocating, with only moonlight filtering through the broken window and casting fragmented shadows on the floor, representing their shattered vows and their doomed love.

The rotten wooden threshold groaned underfoot, mold stains crawled across the earthen walls like ink blots, and the house was filled with the pungent smell of old, decaying wood mixed with damp moss.

"This smell..." Yun Wuyue's pale face looked even worse. Just as she was about to turn around, she aggravated her ankle injury, and the pain made her stagger and grab onto a mottled wooden pillar.

"Ouch!" Cold sweat trickled down his temples, leaving dark stains on his plain white clothes.

As Shi Feiyang gazed at the dusty carved bed in the corner, memories of drinking with Guo Xiangyu here in the past flooded back.

He suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and smiled warmly, "Miss Yun, don't worry, someone will bring you new things soon." With that, he turned and stepped into the twilight, his dark outfit gleaming in the setting sun.

Miao Menlong, Shan Zhi, and Shi Xiong were guarding outside when they suddenly saw Shi Feiyang reach into the deerskin bag at his waist—that seemingly ordinary deerskin bag turned out to be a bottomless pit, from which he took out several brand-new cowhide tents and thick woolen blankets.

Even more astonishingly, crystal-clear combustible ice, earthenware oil jars, coarse cloth and rice flour, and even pickled horse meat, donkey meat, wolf meat and tiger meat with ice crystals were continuously taken out and piled up into small mountains on the open ground.

"Chief, your waist..." Shan Zhi's eyes widened, forgetting to play with the plum blossom dart in his hand, "Could it be that you have the legendary 'Qiankun Bag' on your waist?"

He was surprised because he couldn't see the mysterious deerskin bag.

Shi Feiyang put down the last bag of brown rice and patted the dust off his hands: "Just some江湖 (jianghu) tricks." He turned and ordered, "Pitch the tents in a sunny spot where the miasma won't get in." At this moment, Yun Wuyue, holding onto the door frame, gritted her teeth and moved to the doorway.

The moonlight cast a hazy glow over her, and she paused slightly when she saw the neatly arranged tents on the open ground.

The main tent at the front was three zhang square, with the totem of the Xiong Ying Society embroidered in silver thread on the cowhide surface. Small storage tents were also set up on both sides, and wisps of smoke rose from the temporary stove in the corner.

“I want to stay in that tent.” She pointed to the beautifully decorated main tent, her voice weak but firm.

Shi Feiyang smiled helplessly, reaching out to support her trembling arm. The moment he stepped into the tent, Yun Wuyue's eyelashes fluttered slightly. Inside, a soft bearskin carpet covered the tent, and combustible ice burned in the four corner copper stoves. The pale blue flames danced, their warmth dispelling the mountain chill. A celadon tea set sat on a low sandalwood table, and a brocade quilt embroidered with twin lotus blossoms was folded neatly. Even a few freshly picked wild rhododendrons were stuck in the corner.

“Your Xiong Ying Society has quite a few treasures!” Yun Wuyue sat down, leaning against the embroidered pillow, her fingertips lightly tracing the fine stitches on the brocade quilt. “This tent… is really wide and big, and it smells really good.”

She suddenly chuckled, "I thought all heroes of the martial world were rough men, but I didn't expect them to be so meticulous."

Shi Feiyang added a piece of combustible ice to the bronze furnace, and the flames suddenly became brighter: "When traveling the world, one must always be prepared for a rainy day." His gaze swept over Yun Wuyue's pale face, "Moreover, taking care of an injured friend is simply one's duty."

Footsteps came from outside the tent. Miao Menlong lifted the curtain and poked his head in: "Chief, I've made tiger bone soup. Miss Yun should nourish herself."

As he entered carrying the ceramic bowl, a copper bell jingled at his waist. "Miss Yun, this soup contains herbs to detoxify you, so please drink it without worry."

The combustible ice inside the bronze furnace glowed with a faint blue flame, casting a warm glow on the cowhide tent.

Yun Wuyue gazed at the rising steam from the ceramic bowl, the wisps of white mist blurring her reddened eyes.

When her fingertips touched the bowl, the textured cherry blossom pattern made her heart tremble—the lifelike double cherry blossom, with its petal veins, was exactly the same as the totem that the male cherry blossoms would embroider on their flags.

“Master Shi…” she suddenly paused, her eyelashes casting dappled shadows beneath her eyes. “No, I should call you brother-in-law.” Before she finished speaking, Shi Feiyang’s hand, which was adding ice to the furnace, trembled slightly, and ice crystals fell into the fire, scattering a few sparks.

Yun Wuyue held the ceramic bowl to her chest, a mischievous glint in her eyes: "I heard that my senior sister Baizhi is now the leader of the Naiman tribe, commanding thousands of warriors. She's very powerful!"

Looking at the longing sparkling in her eyes, Shi Feiyang recalled the heroic figure of his beloved wife Bai Zhi riding across the grassland and couldn't help but laugh, "You little girl, you're quite well-informed."

He brushed the frost off his fingertips, his dark-colored outfit gleaming softly in the firelight. "But the war in Bozhou is not over yet, and right now..."

"I want to see the grasslands!" Yun Wuyue suddenly gripped his sleeve, completely forgetting the pain in her ankle. "I want to see the wind blowing through the grass, revealing cattle and sheep, and I want to see my senior sister drawing her bow and shooting eagles! Brother-in-law, after we've pacified Yang Yinglong, will you take me there?"

When she looked up, the corners of her mouth, still stained with soup, had traces of unwiped flesh, making her appear even more innocent and carefree than usual.

The two gradually transformed from enemies to friends, and then to family.

As Shi Feiyang gazed into Yun Wuyue's shining eyes, he was momentarily transported to the image of Bai Zhi when she first entered the martial world.

She was like that back then too; despite possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, she always loved to pester people for interesting stories about the martial arts world.

"Okay." Shi Feiyang raised his hand to brush away the stray hairs from her forehead. "After this war is over, I will personally escort you to see your senior sister."

"Really?!" Yun Wuyue stood up abruptly in excitement, but staggered forward due to the aggravation of her injuries. Shi Feiyang caught her with his long arm, and the icy blue true energy from his palm flowed through her meridians, which slightly relieved the pain.

She leaned against Shi Feiyang's chest and stuck out her tongue: "Brother-in-law, you can't go back on your word. In the martial arts world, a promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold!"

"When have I ever broken my promise?" Shi Feiyang shook his head helplessly and gently pressed her back onto the bearskin cushion. "It's just that with your impetuous nature, you'll probably get a good scolding from your senior sister when you get to the grasslands."

He glanced at Yun Wuyue's cheeks, which were puffed up like steamed buns, and couldn't help but laugh, "Speaking of which, your senior sister was even more reckless than you when she tamed that Snow-Treading Black Steed."

Yun Wuyue immediately became interested. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her wound, she moved closer and pressed, "Tell me quickly! How did Senior Sister subdue the wild horse?" Her eyes shone with admiration, and the tiger bone soup in the ceramic bowl swayed gently with her movements, reflecting the intertwined figures of the two of them.

Shi Feiyang pondered for a moment, as if he had returned to that glorious era: "Back then, she had just arrived at the Naiman tribe and saw that everyone was afraid of that black horse, but she insisted on showing off. As a result, she was thrown over three times by the horse, but she gritted her teeth and grabbed the mane, running from sunrise to sunset..."

His voice softened, "Later, the horse recognized its master and only obeyed her commands."

"I want to be a grassland hero too!" Yun Wuyue suddenly clenched her fist. "Brother-in-law, I want to be the chief of the grasslands too!" She blinked her big, watery eyes. "Could you... give me a small tribe? Just like my senior sister, leading my people to roam the world!"

Shi Feiyang was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, the sound so loud that the tassels on the tent shook.

Seeing this, Yun Wuyue became a little annoyed and reached out to punch his shoulder: "What's so funny! Although I am a woman, I am not necessarily inferior to a man!"

"Alright, alright!" Shi Feiyang smiled and pressed her hand down. "Once you're healed, we'll go find a lush pasture. You'll be the leader, and I'll be your protector, okay?"

The smile in his eyes was sincere and warm, and reflected in the flickering firelight, it made Yun Wuyue blush.

Outside the tent, the night wind blew through the pine forest, bringing with it the sound of rustling pines.

Holding the gradually cooling ceramic bowl, Yun Wuyue listened to Shi Feiyang recount the interesting stories of the grasslands, momentarily forgetting the danger she was in. At this moment, she was no longer the female strategist carrying secret messages and fighting bloody battles, but simply a young girl yearning for distant places.

As Shi Feiyang gazed at her sleeping peacefully, he silently vowed to protect this innocence and hope, no matter how many dangers lay ahead. Night deepened, and the howls of wolves echoed through the mountains, but were kept out by the tent.

Shi Feiyang stood guard outside the tent, gazing at the lonely moon in the sky.

He knew that beneath this calm surface, a greater crisis was approaching.

But at this moment, listening to Yun Wuyue's gradually steady breathing inside the tent, he gripped the deerskin bag at his waist tightly—to protect this peace, he was determined to thwart Yang Yinglong and the Five Poisons Sect's conspiracy.

The night wind of late spring swept across the battlements of Feima Pass, and the copper bells rang out with a lonely, clear sound between the crenellations.

Shi Feiyang stood atop the arrow tower, gazing towards the dense forest beyond the pass, the icy blue true energy condensed by Mingyu Gong faintly visible at his fingertips.

Suddenly, a dark figure darted in like a night owl, landing to reveal Xie Wen. His gray cloth outfit was soaked with dew, and he clutched a rolled-up sheepskin letter tightly to his chest. "Chief, an urgent report has arrived from the Miao village." Xie Wen knelt on one knee, presenting the letter, his gaze sweeping over the family heirloom jade pendant at Shi Feiyang's waist—it still bore the milk stains of his young son, Shi Nian.

Shi Feiyang unfolded the secret letter, the candlelight casting interplay of light and shadow on his resolute face. After reading it, he brought the letter closer to the candlelight, watching as the flames greedily devoured the words, before saying in a deep voice, "Thank you for your hard work. I'll leave this place to you."

Xie Wen watched Shi Feiyang turn and leave, then suddenly spoke up: "Chief, please wait. I have no wife or children to worry about, so I am more suited to keep watch tonight than others."

His voice was deep, carrying the carefree spirit unique to those who lived the martial world, yet it couldn't hide a faint trace of loneliness in his words.

Shi Feiyang paused slightly, the moonlight outlining the broad contours of his shoulders: "Brother Xie, Miss Yun is recuperating in the woods. You and her..."

"Absolutely not!" Xie Wen hurriedly waved his hand, a faint blush rising on his usually cold face. "That Miss Yun is incredibly intelligent and sharp. My heart belongs to a gentle and virtuous woman like Madam Lin."

Recalling Lin Wanqing's gentle smile as she brewed tea, a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, startling the birds roosting on the city wall: "Good! Once the war has eased up a bit, I'll definitely have Wanqing find you a good marriage." With that, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and used his "leaving without a trace" lightness skill, disappearing into the night like a black shadow.

Xie Wen gazed in the direction Shi Feiyang had gone, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

He gripped the iron sword at his waist, turned and walked toward the crenellations of the city wall. The moonlight stretched his shadow long, intertwining it with the arrow shadows on the wall.

The next day at 7:45 PM, Shi Feiyang finished dealing with the military affairs of the pass and, under the moonlight that shimmered like shards of silver, arrived at the cabin in the woods.

Yun Wuyue leaned against a mottled wooden pillar, her Qingfeng sword flashing brightly in her hand, but her movements were slightly sluggish due to her unhealed injuries.

“Miss Yun’s ‘Plum Blossoms in Winter’ lacks a bit of sharpness.” Shi Feiyang’s voice came from the shadows of the trees, startling Yun Wuyue into turning around abruptly and pointing her sword at the source of the sound.

Upon seeing who it was, Yun Wuyue sheathed her sword and said reproachfully, "Master Shi's skill at scaring people has improved even more than his martial arts." (End of Chapter)