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

In the late spring breeze of central Yunnan, carrying the fragrance of chinaberry blossoms, Qingwu stumbled into the embroidered chamber, where Mutong was adorning herself with magnolia blossoms in front of the mirror.

The sandalwood comb clattered to the ground. She stared at the bloodstains on the visitor's forehead and the sweat-soaked secret letter in his hand. Her fingertips unconsciously caressed the pearl and jade ornaments at her temples—made by Shi Feiyang from wild orchids he had picked from Cangshan Mountain three days ago and sent by "Flying Eagle Detective" Xie Wen.

"Princess!" Qingwu gasped for breath, leaning against the carved door frame. "Chief Shi is at the summit of Cangshan Mountain, fighting alone against Yinfeng Village, Vajra Altar, and the Netherworld Sect! Those people... those people are carrying Thunderfire Bombs issued by the imperial court!"

The ink on the secret letter was smudged with cold sweat, but the vermilion annotation "Suppress the remnants of the Xiong Ying Society" was still clearly visible.

The bamboo fan landed with a "thud" on the Xiangfei couch. Mu Tong suddenly sat up, and the dragon-patterned jade pendant at her waist made a clear and melodious sound.

Her fingertips, pale and bluish, snatched the secret letter. The words on the silk paper were like sharp arrows piercing her heart: "The Bone-Corroding Heart-Severing Powder of Yinfeng Village, the Wolf Fang Nail Array of Vajra Altar, the Soul-Seizing Demonic Sound of the Netherworld Sect..." In a daze, Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes surfaced in her memory. That night, he shielded her from the assassin's sword, and the blood splattered on her moon-white skirt was even more dazzling than the cinnabar on this secret letter.

“That rascal…” she murmured, her delicate hand tracing the cracks in the window frame. She recalled three days ago when Shi Feiyang leaned against the carved railing and chuckled, “A-Tong, once things are settled in Yunnan, I’ll take you to Jiangnan to see real magnolias.”

Mu Tong felt her heart being gripped tightly. She turned around and was about to rush downstairs when she bumped into a patch of dark python patterns in front of the door.

Duke Mu Tianbo of Qian stood with his hands behind his back. The gold thread and python pattern on his robe gleamed coldly in the twilight, like a lurking beast.

He gazed at his daughter's disheveled hair, his long, white beard trembling slightly with each sigh: "Still thinking about that江湖草莽 (jianghu caomang, a term referring to a rogue or outlaw)? Even if he possesses unparalleled bravery, he is ultimately a wanted criminal by the imperial court." His aged voice carried an undeniable authority. "A secret report says that if the Xiong Ying Society and the Yunnan gangs both suffer heavy losses, the imperial court can reap the benefits..."

“Father!” Mu Tong suddenly looked up, her eyes misty with tears yet filled with stubbornness. “Have you ever seen Shi Feiyang carry the old, weak, sick, and disabled over three mountains to seek medical treatment during the plague? Have you ever seen him use the Xiong Ying Society’s savings to build a dam and protect three villages downstream?” She clutched the secret letter soaked with cold sweat. “Which of those court officials can compare to him even a fraction?”

Suddenly, the sound of metal clashing came from the direction of the training ground, and the shouts of the guards practicing broke the silence.

Looking at his daughter's reddened eyes, Mu Tianbo recalled his wife's dying words twenty years ago, and a pang of reluctance rose in his heart, yet he still said in a deep voice, "A-Tong, you are not only a princess of the Mu family, but also a princess of the state bestowed upon you by His Majesty! Some things, some paths..."

"I don't care about his status as a princess!" Mu Tong broke free from her father's hand, magnolia blossoms falling from her hair. "He offended the entire martial arts world of Yunnan for my sake, how can I just watch him die in Cangshan!" She turned and rushed towards the stable, the moonlight casting a long shadow of her, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

Mu Tianbo reached out to stop him: "How dare you! As a princess, how can you..."

"I am willing to be punished!" Tears welled up in Mu Tong's eyes. "But I cannot watch that scoundrel die!" With that, she turned and rushed into the night, her skirt sweeping over a celadon vase on the table, which shattered into pieces.

At the foot of Cangshan Mountain, torrential rain poured down.

Mu Tong galloped away on her horse, her vision blurred by rain and tears. The dragon-patterned jade pendant at her waist was digging painfully into her, but it was nothing compared to the burning pain in her heart.

From afar came the mournful wail of the Netherworld Sect's soul-capturing demonic chant. She gripped her whip tightly, with only one thought in her mind: Shi Feiyang, if you dare to die, I will raze this martial world to the ground and be buried with you!
The fierce winds atop Cangshan Mountain were like knives, tearing the clouds into shreds. Shi Feiyang's icy blue true energy resonated with the swirling snow, and his glassy skin shimmered with a jade-like luster in the twilight, making him resemble an ice sculpture war god from ancient times.

Opposite him stood the leader of the Netherworld Cult, "Blood Hand Yama," atop a broken cliff. His ten steel finger gloves gleamed with a purple light, and his black robe fluttered in the wind, like the wings of a giant bat unfurling in the dark night.

"Shi Feiyang, you will hand over the treasure map of the Xiong Ying Society, Xu Fu's elixir, the Sacred Heart Manual, and the Kunlun Heart-Questioning Manual today, whether you like it or not!" Blood Hand Yama cackled, black blood seeping from the barbs on his fingertips, corroding the snow and emitting wisps of green smoke. "I've heard you possess the Bright Jade Skill. I'd like to see whether your icy chill is more powerful, or the poisonous skills of my Netherworld Sect are more domineering!"

Before he finished speaking, Blood Hand Yama thrust out both palms, his ten fingers like hooks, and ten black rays of light, accompanied by a bloody wind, pierced through the air.

The air was instantly filled with the stench of rotting flesh, and wherever it passed, the snow melted into black water.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, and activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness Ice Soul Cold Prison". His body temperature dropped sharply, and a layer of frost appeared on his glassy skin. Even his breath condensed into icy mist.

Shi Feiyang's palms were like knives, and he unleashed the "Hundred Victories Knife Technique: Severing the Horizon"! Nine golden blade energies, imbued with icy coldness, swept out in a fan shape.

Wherever the blade energy passed, the air emitted a piercing crack, carving nine translucent ice shards in the void. The moment the black light collided with the blade energy, a deafening roar erupted, and the purple poisonous mist and icy aura clashed and annihilated each other, forming a massive mushroom cloud.

Amidst the flying debris, several members of the Netherworld Cult were thrown back by the aftershocks, screaming as they plummeted into the abyss, their blood scattering in eerie arcs in the air.

"Good lad, you've got some skills after all!" Blood Hand Yama's pupils constricted sharply, and he abruptly ripped open his shirt, revealing a dense network of Gu worm tattoos on his chest. The Gu worms wriggled between his skin and flesh, forming a hideous ghost face.

Bloodhand Yama snorted coldly again: "Since force won't work, then try my 'Ten Thousand Gu Devouring Heart Formation'!"

In an instant, countless centipedes, spiders, and scorpions crawled out of his body, surging in like a black cloud.

The air was filled with a nauseating stench, and wherever the Gu worms passed, the rocks crumbled inch by inch.

Shi Feiyang clapped his hands repeatedly, golden sword energy crisscrossing and combining with the vortex suction force formed by the Mingyu Skill, like a running meat grinder.

The Gu worms were sucked into his palm, where they were crushed into dust by the icy cold and the sword energy. The green liquid splattered on the snow, making a hissing, corrosive sound. However, just as Shi Feiyang was dealing with the Gu worms with all his might, Shi Wuwang, the "Immovable King" of the Vajra Altar, seized the opportunity to attack.

The burly monk wielded his vajra, unleashing the "Thousandfold Seal of the Tathagata" energy that crashed down like Mount Tai, causing the air to hum and even snapping distant trees in half by the invisible force.

"Well done!" Shi Feiyang advanced instead of retreating, circulating his Mingyu Gong to the "Limitless Asura's Human Purgatory". His whole body was like white ice shrouded in cold mist, his glassy skin almost transparent, and his internal energy was like a surging river.

He unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Shattering Heaven and Earth" with both palms, and a golden blade of light pierced the heavens and earth, crashing down with a deafening roar. Within the blade of light, nine ice dragons could be vaguely seen roaring. The moment the Vajra Pestle collided with the blade of light, it burst forth with blinding light.

Shi Wuwang felt an immense force surge through him, his tiger's mouth split open, and his demon-subduing pestle shattered inch by inch amidst the blade's light. His kasaya was torn apart by the blade's energy, revealing a gruesome wound. Blood splattered as he staggered back several steps, leaving a long trail of blood on the snow.

"Hmph, the Vajra Altar is nothing special!" Shi Feiyang said coldly, his gaze sweeping over the pale-faced Shi Wuwang.

However, before he could catch his breath, the Netherworld Cult's "Soul-Seizing Demonic Sound" suddenly rang out. Dozens of cult members played eerie bone flutes, the sound waves materializing and forming distorted ripples in the air. Wherever they passed, rocks crumbled and snow flew up.

Shi Feiyang felt a splitting headache, as if countless steel needles were churning in his mind. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to circulate the Mingyu Gong to the "Limitless Asura Paradise of Joy," and his icy blue true energy formed a protective shield around his body, isolating him from the demonic sound.

"Trying to win by resorting to unorthodox methods?" he roared, his figure flashing like lightning as he lunged straight at Blood Hand Yama.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Blood Hand Yama formed a hand seal and summoned the Netherworld Sect's treasure, the "Netherworld Blood Banner".

The blood banner unfurled, a foul wind blew, and countless phantoms of wronged souls and vengeful ghosts drifted out from it, emitting mournful screams.

Shi Feiyang was not afraid at all. He circulated his Mingyu Gong to the "Eighteen Levels of Hell of Wuji Shura", and his skin became almost transparent like crystal.

He unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Burning Heaven and Earth" with both palms, and a huge golden blade of light, carrying an icy chill, slashed down like an icy sun.

The blood banner emitted a piercing shriek amidst the blade's edge, eventually turning into ashes.

Bloodhand Yama's eyes were bloodshot as he tried to escape, but he was firmly held in place by Shi Feiyang's vortex suction.

"Didn't you want my Xu Fu Immortal Pill? Didn't you want the Sacred Heart Technique? Hmph! Trade your life for it!" Shi Feiyang roared, striking Blood Hand Yama in the chest with his palm. The icy aura instantly froze his meridians, and Blood Hand Yama's body was rapidly covered in ice. Finally, with a "bang," he disintegrated into countless ice crystals that scattered across the mountains. Having dealt with Blood Hand Yama, Shi Feiyang turned to face Shi Wuwang.

At this moment, "Acala" had lost his previous imposing manner. He was covered in blood, holding half of a vajra, and his eyes were filled with fear.

"Are you... are you a human or a ghost?" Shi Wuwang asked, trembling.

Shi Feiyang walked over slowly, his glassy eyes filled with a chilling light: "Today I'll show you that the people of the Xiong Ying Society are not so easy to mess with!"

He slowly raised both palms, and golden sword energy condensed in his palms. He then unleashed the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique: Breaking Heaven and Earth." With a loud bang, the golden sword light streaked across the sky, and Shi Wuwang's figure gradually disappeared within the sword light.

At the summit of Cangshan Mountain, only Shi Feiyang remained standing, his icy blue true energy slowly dissipating.

In the distance, Mu Tong was riding her horse over. Looking at the familiar figure on the mountaintop, tears blurred her vision.

The moonlight on Cangshan Mountain at night is like frost, turning the peaks into a silvery white.

Before Shi Wuwang's mangled body could fall to the ground, a whooshing sound suddenly arose! Li Wanwu, holding the Overlord Spear, which was thirteen feet seven inches and three-tenths inches long and weighed seventy-three catties and seven ounces and three qian, with the tip of the spear gleaming like lightning, plummeted down from the clouds.

The steel-cast gun barrel sliced ​​through the air with a sharp, dragon-like roar; before the gun even arrived, the force of the wind had already plowed a three-foot-deep trench into the ground.

Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes narrowed sharply, and the icy blue true energy of the Mingyu Gong instantly flowed throughout his body.

At the critical moment, he used his "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill, shifting several feet to the side like a ghost.

The Overlord Spear pierced the rock with a "boom," sparks flying everywhere, and the entire mountain trembled.

Li Wanwu roared, his wrist flicked, and the spear shaft swept out horizontally, the air crackling as it passed: "Remnants of the Xiong Ying Society, hand over Xu Fu's Immortal Pill and the Sacred Heart Manual, or you'll die!"

"Well done!" Shi Feiyang advanced instead of retreating, his palms like knives, and unleashed the "Hundred Victories Knife Technique: Severing the Horizon" with a thunderous roar.

Nine golden blade energies, imbued with icy coldness, swept across in a fan shape, colliding with the Overlord Spear and unleashing a blinding light.

The icy blue true energy and the domineering spear force clashed, causing the snow within a radius of ten feet to be shaken into the sky, where it condensed into a rain of ice crystals.

Li Wanwu grinned maliciously, his Overlord Spear swirling with dazzling spear flowers: "Your broken palm technique can't withstand my number one spear in the world?" The spear tip suddenly transformed into seven afterimages, aiming straight for Shi Feiyang's throat, heart, and dantian—seven major acupoints.

Shi Feiyang neither dodged nor evaded. He activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," causing frost to appear on his glassy skin and his internal energy to surge like a mighty river. He pushed out the "Ice Soul Vortex" from his palm, and an invisible suction force suddenly formed, pulling the seven spear shadows off course and causing them to pierce into the boulder beside him.

"Hmph!" Li Wanwu flicked his spear, and the dragon pattern engraved on the shaft suddenly glowed with bloody light. "Taste the Overlord Spear's 'Dragon's Roar to the Nine Heavens'!" The spear grew three zhang in length, transforming into a golden dragon that bared its fangs and claws as it pounced.

Shi Feiyang's palms flew, unleashing the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Demon-Slaying Clouds," golden blade energy crisscrossing and colliding violently with the giant dragon.

The blast wave snapped the surrounding trees in half, and debris rained down everywhere.

Just as the fierce battle was raging, a figure in red appeared like a startled swan. Mu Tong's tear-streaked face shimmered softly in the moonlight, her beautiful features filled with worry: "You scoundrel, still won't admit defeat? Stop being so stubborn!"

Her soft sword trembled slightly, as if she were about to rush into the battle at any moment.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Shi Feiyang felt a warmth in his heart and burst into laughter.

The clear laughter shook the night dew off the pine branches: "Little Night, with you here, how could I possibly lose?"

His body surged with icy blue true energy, his skin became almost transparent, and the true energy flowing through his meridians was clearly visible. He circulated the Mingyu Gong to the "Limitless Asura's Human Purgatory," and his entire being resembled white ice shrouded in icy mist.

Seeing this, a hint of fear flashed in Li Wanwu's eyes, but he still gritted his teeth and wielded the Overlord Spear with impenetrable force: "Shi Feiyang, you are just struggling in your death throes!" The spear shaft swept horizontally, bringing with it a fierce wind that cracked the ground wherever it passed.

Shi Feiyang suddenly closed his eyes, and his true energy solidified into a ten-zhang-diameter Ice Soul Domain.

He unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Burning Heaven and Earth!" A golden blade of light, carrying endless chill, pierced through the heavens and earth and slashed down.

The moment the Overlord Spear clashed with the blade's edge, a deafening roar erupted.

Li Wanwu felt a bone-chilling coldness travel up the gun barrel, and his hands were instantly frozen.

He watched in horror as the icy blue aura spread along the gun barrel, and his own body began to be covered by ice.

"No—" His scream was cut short as his entire body was frozen into a crystal-clear ice sculpture, and the Overlord Spear in his hand shattered inch by inch amidst the cracking sound of ice.

Shi Feiyang withdrew his hand and stood up, the bloodlust in his glassy eyes gradually fading. Mu Tong, her red dress fluttering, rushed to him, her fingertips trembling as she touched his blood-stained clothes: "You fool, do you have to hurt yourself so badly before you're satisfied?" Her voice was choked with sobs, yet full of heartache.

Shi Feiyang held her hand, the warmth of his palm penetrating through the ice: "With you here, even the deepest wounds can heal."

Their eyes met in mid-air, and a thousand words flowed in that single glance.

The wind from Cangshan swept past the two figures embracing, turning the remains of the ice sculpture Li Wanwu into dust, while the once mighty Overlord Spear remained forever on this land that had witnessed the battle of life and death.

Seeing the situation was dire, the thugs fled like stray dogs. At that moment, it seemed only the two of them remained atop the Cangshan Mountain.

Mu Tong's beautiful eyes were fixed on Shi Feiyang, seemingly filled with a thousand tender feelings and ten thousand longings: "I knew you would act like a scoundrel here." Her fingertips trembled slightly as she carefully brushed away the dust that clung to his shoulder, her eyes full of heartache. "From Qiantang to central Yunnan, were you injured along the way?"

Shi Feiyang felt a warmth in his heart. He took her slightly cool hand in his and pressed it against his chest. His voice was deep and gentle: "With your silvery voice by my side, even mountains of knives and seas of fire cannot harm me in the slightest." As he spoke, he took out an oil paper package from the deerskin bag at his waist, gently opened it, revealing half a piece of osmanthus cake. "I bought this on a special occasion when I passed through Hangzhou last time I fought the Dutch warships. I thought you loved this sweet taste the most."

Mu Tong's eyes instantly welled up with tears, the glistening drops swirling in them.

She bit her lower lip lightly, giving him a reproachful look, but her eyes were full of undisguised sweetness: "The dignified leader of the Xiong Ying Society is hiding pastries like a street vendor." Despite her words, she carefully broke off a small piece and put it in her mouth, the smile on her lips sweeter and more intoxicating than the icing on the osmanthus cake.

The night wind blew by, carrying the unique chill of Cangshan Mountain.

Mu Tong's thin body trembled slightly.

Upon seeing this, Shi Feiyang immediately took off his outer robe and wrapped it tightly around her, his action both domineering and gentle: "How can you be so incapable of taking care of yourself?"

Then, Shi Feiyang took out some tents from the mysterious deerskin bag at his waist and handed them to Mu Tong's guards to set up.

At this moment, Mu Tong noticed that there seemed to be something special at his waist, but ordinary people couldn't see the mysterious deerskin bag. She stared at it curiously, and the guards beside her also looked puzzled, asking in unison, "Chief Shi, what's wrong with your waist?"

The moonlight, like a light veil, poured over the peaks of Cangshan Mountain, dyeing Mu Tong's red dress a gentle lotus-root color. The magnolia pendant at her temple swayed gently in the mountain breeze, and under the bright moonlight, her eyes shone brighter than the stars.

Shi Feiyang leaned against the cliff, his crystal-clear eyes filled with the radiance of the full moon, yet they only reflected the beautiful figure before him. Even the bloodstains from the fierce battle couldn't conceal the unrestrained smile on his lips. "Chief Shi, what is the secret behind that thing at your waist that can conceal everything?" a guard couldn't help but approach.

Shi Feiyang waved his hand casually, his voice nonchalant: "It's just a petty trick in the martial arts world, nothing to be surprised about!"

But his gaze was drawn to Mu Tong as if by invisible threads, fixed intently on her. Even when she was just looking down to straighten her sleeves that had been torn by the sword energy, he couldn't bear to look away for even a moment.

Mu Tong's cheeks burned from his intense gaze. Like a startled fawn, she looked up and gave him a reproachful look: "Why are you always staring at people? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Although her words were reproachful, her fingertips unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt, and her ear tips were so red that they seemed to be bleeding.

Shi Feiyang suddenly lunged forward, the wind he created causing half a magnolia blossom to fall from her hair.

He reached out and caught her, his slender fingers gently tracing her flushed earlobe: "Let others laugh if they want, in my eyes there is only Xiaoyezi, even the bright moon over Cangshan Mountain cannot compare to your beauty." The mountain breeze swept between the two of them, making their words seem to float by.

Mu Tong's heart skipped a beat as she recalled how, even when he was in danger himself, he still managed to give her a comforting smile during their bloody battle.

Looking at the tenderness in his eyes, the defenses built up because of their different statuses crumbled instantly.

She reached out and touched his blood-stained clothes, her fingertips brushing against his rapidly pounding heart: "You fool, you always have to be so reckless..."

Her voice choked with emotion, but her eyes were filled with tenderness.

Shi Feiyang took her hand in return and gently tucked the magnolia blossom back into her hair: "For you, what does it matter if I shatter the eighteen levels of hell?"

His voice was deep and firm, and her image was reflected in his crystal-clear eyes, as if the whole world had been shut out.

Mu Tong could no longer hold back and threw herself into his arms, smelling the scent of blood mixed with the pine breeze on his body. At this moment, all her concerns and worries were thrown to the back of her mind.

As night deepened, everyone tactfully withdrew.

Inside the tent, the flickering candlelight cast two shadows on the curtain.

Mu Tong leaned on Shi Feiyang's shoulder, listening to him recount the past of the Xiong Ying Society and those thrilling stories of the martial arts world.

Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the calluses on his palm as she whispered, "From now on, no matter what dangers we face, let me face them with you."

Shi Feiyang lowered his head and kissed away the frost on the top of her hair, saying softly, "Okay, from now on we'll be together through life and death, never to be separated again."

Outside the tent, the night in Cangshan was quiet and gentle, and the moonlight draped the lovers in a silver veil.

The low howls of wolves drifted from afar, but could not disturb the tender moments inside the tent.

Under the cool moonlight, transcending the divide between the martial world and the imperial court, two hearts clung tightly together, making a vow to be together for life.

As dawn breaks, Xima Pool resembles crumpled gold leaf sprinkled onto a jade plate, with shimmering waves reflecting the golden morning light.

Mu Tong, dressed in fiery red, swept her wide sleeves across the dew-kissed grass, startling several blue-feathered kingfishers whose fluttering wings shattered the mountain's tranquility. She leaned against Shi Feiyang, her reflection shimmering in the clear pool, like a long, ink-wash scroll tinged with rouge, swaying gently with the ripples. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang stopped. The magnolia hairpin in Mu Tong's hair trembled in the wind, a few strands of her dark hair playfully falling across her forehead.

His hand movement was extremely slow, as if he were touching a rare treasure. His fingertips barely brushed against her burning earlobe, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Be careful not to catch a cold." His voice, shrouded in the morning mist of the mountains, was deep and gentle, clearer and more tender than the water of Xima Pool, carrying a warmth that could melt one's heart. Mu Tong's heart pounded like a drum. When she looked up at Shi Feiyang, his glassy eyes reflected the morning light, almost making her lose her senses.

She bit her lip, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly: "How...how did you know I'd be cold?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how silly her question was, and her cheeks immediately burned bright red, even the tips of her ears were tinged with rouge.

Upon seeing this, Shi Feiyang couldn't help but chuckle, his clear laughter like the clash of metal and stone.

He took her cold hand in his and gently stroked her fingertips. "Look, your hands are so cold." He then tucked her hand into his coat and warmed it with his body heat. "Next time you go out, be sure to bring an extra cloak."

Mu Tong felt a warm current spread from their clasped palms to her heart. She looked down at their intertwined hands and whispered, "If there were no cloak... would you keep warming my hands like this?" As soon as she finished speaking, she felt shy and wanted to pull her hand away, but Shi Feiyang held it even tighter.

"Of course." Shi Feiyang's voice was serious and firm. He raised his hand and gently lifted her chin, making her look at him. "Even if I travel to the ends of the earth, I will protect you and keep you warm."

Liuli's eyes were filled with deep affection, as if he wanted to drown her in his tender gaze.

Mu Tong could no longer hide the affection in her eyes. She threw herself into his arms and said in a muffled voice, "You scoundrel...you always say these kinds of things to coax me."

But the hands around his waist tightened even more, as if afraid that if she let go, he would disappear. "But I just... I just love hearing you say these things."

Shi Feiyang held the person in his arms, his chin gently rubbing against the top of her head. On the shore of Xima Pool, shrouded in the morning light, he felt that life was peaceful and serene. Even if the sky were to fall and the earth were to collapse, it would be irrelevant to them at this moment.

However, the gears of fate were quietly turning at this moment, and a breathtaking crisis was silently approaching them.

Before the words were finished, the sound of clothes rustling through the air suddenly rang out. Thirty-six figures in red robes appeared like ghosts from among the pines, the dew on their scimitars gleaming with a ghostly blue in the morning light—they were the "Crimson Flame Asura Guards" of the Netherworld Sect.

The scarred man at the head licked the blade, letting out a sinister laugh like that of an owl: "What a perfect couple, but it's a pity that today they'll be splattered with blood at Ma Tan!"

Before Mu Tong's guards could even draw their swords, several cold glints pierced their throats.

Blood splattered on the pool, startling the koi carp into scattering in all directions.

Mu Tong instinctively moved closer to Shi Feiyang, her fingertips gripping his collar tightly. Shi Feiyang took her cold hand in return, his glassy eyes turning bloodshot: "Close your eyes." As he spoke, the deerskin bag suddenly glowed faintly, sucking her in completely.

"You scum of the Netherworld Sect, do you really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?" Shi Feiyang's aura suddenly turned chilling, his glassy skin glowed with an eerie red light, and the true energy flowing through his meridians was clearly visible.

Ming Yu Gong, "Limitless Asura's Human Purgatory," was activated at full power. His clothes moved without wind, and the rocks beneath his feet were cracked in a spiderweb pattern by the force of his internal energy.

The Crimson Flame Asura Guards formed the Three Talents Formation, their curved blades unleashing a continuous stream of fiery red sword energy. Shi Feiyang slowly extended his palms, and in an instant, icy blue true energy and crimson flames violently merged in his palms, condensing into a giant yin-yang fish pattern in the air.

As the black and white colors of the yin-yang fish shifted, the surrounding temperature rose and fell sharply, and the pool water sometimes boiled and sometimes froze.

Shi Feiyang roared, and the Yin-Yang fish exploded. He unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Breaking Heaven and Earth," and golden blade energy, carrying the power of both ice and fire, swept across the land, instantly carbonizing the vegetation and covering it with frost.

The three assassins were unable to dodge in time and were pierced through by the blade's energy. Flames and frost erupted from their wounds at the same time, and their shrill screams came to an abrupt halt.

Seeing this, the scarred man swung out a poisoned iron chain from his sleeve: "Attack him all at once and kill this dog Shi Feiyang!"

Dozens of curved blades formed a fire net, trapping Shi Feiyang in the center.

Shi Feiyang neither dodged nor avoided, but suddenly a powerful vortex suction force erupted from his body, pulling the assassin at the forefront, along with his knife, into the true energy domain.

The man's skin froze at a visible speed, and crimson ice crystals spread along his veins until he was transformed into a hideous blood ice statue, which then shattered into ice shards with a "crack".

The remaining assassins' expressions changed drastically, but they were forced to retreat by Shi Feiyang's imposing aura.

He flipped his palms, unleashing the nine moves and thirty-six styles of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique," each move carrying the force of an overwhelming mountain.

"Sever the Edge of Heaven!" The golden blade energy severed the iron chains.

"Demon-Slaying Cloud!" The crisscrossing blades of light sliced ​​several people in half at the waist.

Blood splattered on the ice, blooming into eerie red plum blossoms.

Seeing the situation was turning against him, the scarred man pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it. In an instant, white smoke filled the surroundings.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, and activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness Ice Soul Cold Prison", making his glassy skin almost transparent.

"You little brat from the underworld, you think you can steal my Xu Fu elixir with such a petty trick? Humph!" Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Gong's "Supreme Forgetfulness Ice Soul Cold Prison" true energy, as cold as millennia-old ice, swept over the sky, and the air within a radius of ten feet instantly froze.

Screams echoed through the smoke. When the smoke cleared, more than twenty blood-ice statues stood there, each assassin's face frozen in terror. The last assassin knelt and begged for mercy, but Shi Feiyang showed no mercy, unleashing the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Slash of the Mortal World." A golden blade of light pierced the heavens and earth, cleaving the assassin in two.

He put away the Mingyu Skill, and the deerskin bag shimmered with light as Mu Tong reappeared in his arms.

She stared at the shattered ice sculptures scattered on the ground, her face deathly pale: "Are you...are you alright?"

Shi Feiyang gently wiped the cold sweat from her cheeks, a gentle smile playing on his lips: "I told you, I'm here for you."

At this moment, the sun fully emerged from the clouds, and golden rays shone on the two of them. The blood in Xima Pool was gradually diluted, and only the ice sculptures reflected an eerie brilliance in the sunlight, telling the story of the thrilling battle that had just taken place.

Mu Tong looked at Shi Feiyang, her heart filled with heartache and worry. She gently separated Shi Feiyang and still carefully checked him for injuries: "Is there anything that's bothering you? It's all my fault. If I were stronger, you wouldn't have to face these dangers alone."

Her voice was filled with self-blame and heartache, and her eyes were full of concern.

Seeing her anxious expression, Shi Feiyang felt a warmth in his heart and gently pulled her into his arms: "Silly girl, protecting you is the thing I want to do most in this life. As long as you are safe, what does it matter if I get hurt?"

The two continued walking hand in hand, their sweetness unknowingly leading them to the foot of the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the three pagodas, bathing the two of them in its glow. Mu Tong leaned on Shi Feiyang's shoulder and whispered, "I wish time could stand still at this moment, and only you and I remained in the world."

Before Shi Feiyang could respond, thirty-six dark figures leaped down from the top of the tower like owls.

The leader, clad in a golden robe and wielding a vajra, was none other than the deputy head of the Vajra Altar, "Wheel-Moving King" Shi Wuwei.

His voice was deep, yet laced with undisguised greed: "Benefactor Shi, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but there is always a shore to return to. Hand over Xu Fu's elixir and the sacred manual, and this old monk will guarantee you a complete corpse." Shi Feiyang shielded Mu Tong behind him, his aura surging once more. At this moment, his glass-like skin appeared even more translucent in the setting sun, like a fine jade carving, yet it also subtly exuded a chilling aura.

He gave a cold laugh, his voice filled with contempt: "If you want the secret manual, you'll have to get past me first!"

As he finished speaking, his icy blue true energy surged once more, condensing into spiderweb-like ice patterns on the ground.

Shi Feiyang slowly raised his palms, his hands like two frost-covered blades, the blades reflecting the sunset with a blood-red light: "The Buddha said to be compassionate, you villains in robes, do you even deserve to talk about turning back to the right path?"

Before he finished speaking, Mingyu Gong was activated, and his whole body was like a moving iceberg.

He unleashed the ultimate killing move of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," "Breaking the Universe," with both palms, and a golden blade of light that pierced through the heavens and earth crashed down.

Shi Wuwei's expression changed drastically. He quickly activated his "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill," and his Vajra Pestle danced in a golden light.

However, Shi Feiyang's sword energy was incredibly fierce, and the golden light shattered inch by inch within it. The Vajra Pestle was sent flying, and Shi Wuwei's kasaya was also torn apart by the sword energy, revealing a hideous wound. "Crack!" Suddenly, half of his body broke off and fell to the ground, blood splattering everywhere, leaving no trace of his body.

The other thirty-six Vajra warriors tried to come to the rescue, but they were trapped by the vortex suction force around Shi Feiyang and were all sucked into his palm.

"Today, I will make you demonic cultists sacrifice your blood to Cang'er!" Shi Feiyang roared, his golden sword energy surging like a reversed Milky Way, shredding everyone into a bloody mist. The blood flowed down the base of the tower, resembling a winding river of blood under the setting sun.

Shi Feiyang sheathed his sword and stood gazing at the Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake in the twilight.

The sunset dyed his glassy skin a blood-red hue, yet it could not conceal the unwavering determination in his eyes.

The three pagodas of Chongsheng Temple stand silently in the twilight, the copper bells on the eaves tinkling softly in the breeze.

Shi Feiyang's glassy skin still retained the warmth of the bloody battle, but Mu Tong had already thrown herself into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest. The osmanthus scent in her hair mixed with the smell of blood had become a lingering fragrance.

"Does it hurt?" Mu Tong looked up, her fingertips hovering above a shallow bloodstain on his shoulder blade, her eyes glistening with tears. "It's all my fault. If I had mastered the family's 'Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens' earlier, you wouldn't have had to face these villains alone."

Her voice was choked with sobs, and tears still clung to her eyelashes, shimmering in the setting sun.

Shi Feiyang looked down at the girl in his arms, his heart softened, and he took her hand and pressed it to his chest: "Listen, it's beating so happily here, all because you came. This little injury is nothing compared to the pain I felt when you ignored me."

He blinked, his crystal-clear eyes reflecting her flushed cheeks, as if holding a sky full of stars.

Mu Tong's cheeks flushed even redder, and she lightly punched his chest: "You're just being cheeky! You even said you wanted to merge the Great Plains, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue in the wind?" Despite saying that, she snuggled closer into his arms, feeling the warmth from his palm.

Shi Feiyang suddenly tightened his arms and gently rubbed his chin against the top of her head: "I'm not just talking nonsense. Once I conquer that land, I will build a city in the very center of the grassland, with walls made of warm jade from Kunlun and a moat filled with snowmelt from Tianshan."

He paused, his voice becoming even gentler, "Build the tallest tower in the city, and from the top you will be able to see my figure returning from battle."

Mu Tong's heart skipped a beat. She looked up at him and saw that his gaze was intense and earnest: "Tell me, if we planted your favorite osmanthus flowers all over the city gate, when they bloom, would you recognize me at a glance amidst the fragrance?"

"Who...who wants to wait for you?" Mu Tong turned her face away, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. "I'm only waiting a little longer because you're so pitiful." She secretly glanced at him and saw his ambiguous smile. Suddenly, she tiptoed and lightly pecked his lips. "But if you dare to go back on your word, I will..." (End of this chapter)