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

Chapter 337 337. Qiong Ju chases the truth with confused eyes, and draws silk with bare hands to explore the secrets

As Shi Feiyang gazed at the father and daughter embracing each other with such emotion, a gentle light welled up in his glassy eyes as he recalled the pain of being separated from his loved ones in his previous life.

He stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a deep voice, "Old Chieftain, it is not advisable to linger here. We may have to turn back at any time."

His gaze swept across the dungeon exit, and he quietly activated his Heavenly Silkworm Technique, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.

The old village chief nodded, took his daughter's hand, and stood up.

Although his body was hunched over, his eyes rekindled with fighting spirit: "That's right! Once we're out of this cage, we'll make those Qing traitors know that the Seventy-Two Water Fortresses of Taihu Lake are not to be trifled with!"

His words stirred the passion of the village chiefs, who clenched their fists and their voices echoed through the dungeon. Zhou Weirou wiped away her tears and picked up her soft whip again.

Her gaze toward Shi Feiyang held a newfound respect: "Young Master Xiang, Zhou Weirou will remember your kindness today."

Having said that, she turned and stood protectively beside her father, the bone-piercing nails hidden beneath her wide sleeves gleaming coldly. "If any scoundrels dare to come after me, I'll make sure they never return!" She truly admired Shi Feiyang.

The snow outside the dungeon had stopped sometime ago, and moonlight streamed in through the collapsed roof, illuminating the resolute faces of the people.

Zhou Weirou helped her father to sit down by the broken pillar in the corner. She gently brushed her fingertips over the festering wound on his shoulder, and bloodstains quickly spread across the embroidered handkerchief.

Looking at his daughter's reddened eyes, the old chieftain suddenly grabbed her wrist: "Don't look anymore. Seeing your father like this makes your heart ache." He tried to force a smile, but the scabs on his face from the whip made him look even more miserable than if he were crying.

"These injuries...were inflicted by people from the Sticky Rod Office?" Zhou Weirou's voice trembled as her soft whip made a grating sound as it scraped against the blue bricks.

The old chieftain remained silent for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing: "They forced me to hand over the defense map of the seventy-two water fortresses, and..." He suddenly coughed violently, black blood seeping from between his fingers, "and the secret communication codes of the anti-Qing patriots."

Shi Feiyang squatted down, the silver threads formed by his Heavenly Silkworm Technique hanging in front of the old chieftain's chest: "Senior, don't worry, this junior will protect your heart meridian first." As the silver light moved around, the pain on the old chieftain's face lessened slightly.

He looked into Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes and suddenly smiled bitterly: "No wonder Rou'er trusts you. This martial arts skill seems to have fallen from the sky."

Zhou Weirou held the warm wine to her father's lips and said reproachfully, "You're still joking! Over the years, I've searched all over Jiangnan and heard about the shipwreck on Taihu Lake and the destruction of the water fortress, almost..." She turned her face away and brushed her cheek with her wide sleeve.

The old chieftain tilted his head back and drank deeply, the wine mixed with blood dripping down his beard: "The eyes and ears of the Sticky Pole Bureau are all over the world. If Father implicates you..."

He suddenly grabbed his daughter's hand, the calluses on his palm digging painfully into it. "But your father hopes every day that you can marry into a good family safely and never get involved in this mess again..."

"I am no longer a delicate young lady to be manipulated!" Zhou Weirou suddenly stood up, her soft whip whipping up a gust of wind. "Over the years, I have disguised myself as a waitress in a teahouse by day and tracked you down by night, witnessing countless dangers of the world." She pulled open her collar, revealing a hideous scar below her collarbone. "This was last year in Jiaxing Prefecture, when I was injured by the Qing court's henchmen. But I have never been afraid!"

The old chieftain trembled as he touched the scar, his turbid tears falling onto his daughter's shoulder: "It's all my fault..." He turned to look at Shi Feiyang, his gaze suddenly sharpening: "Young hero, do you really want to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming?"

Shi Feiyang stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and a faint silver light shone around him: "Although I am but a commoner, I am aware of the hatred for the nation and the family. The destruction of the Xiong Ying Society, the suffering of the Beggars' Sect, the plundering of the Water Village..." His voice was like cold iron being tempered, "I will not rest until the Qing Dynasty traitors are driven out of the Central Plains!"

Zhou Weirou gazed at Shi Feiyang's tall and straight back, then looked at her father's bloodshot eyes. Suddenly, she drew her soft whip and cut off a lock of her hair: "Father, from this day forward, I will live and die with you!"

She tied her black hair around her father's wrist, saying, "This is my pledge of allegiance!"

In truth, she longed to fight alongside Shi Feiyang, roaming the martial world together. Her father, having lost all his martial arts skills, was certainly no longer capable of venturing into the martial world; his talk of a pledge of allegiance was merely a convenient excuse.

No one knows a daughter better than her father! The old chieftain gripped his daughter's hand tightly, then grabbed Shi Feiyang's hand, raising the three hands clasped together above his head: "Good! Today, I, Zhou Canghai, am back in the world. The seventy-two water fortresses of Taihu Lake will show the Qing court what it means for a single spark to start a prairie fire!"

Outside the dungeon, the darkness before dawn grew ever deeper.

Shi Feiyang gazed at the embracing father and daughter, then quietly tightened his grip on the deerskin pouch at his waist—where the Vermilion Bird and White Tiger slumbered, just like the martial world about to dawn, harboring the power to change the world. A moment later, Shi Feiyang turned and walked towards Elder Peng.

After hearing Elder Peng's introduction of Shi Feiyang, the old beggar raised his head. The crisscrossing whip marks on his face almost completely obscured his original appearance, except for his eyes, which remained bright as stars. "Young...young friend, how did you know I was here?"

His voice was hoarse, and every word he spoke seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

Shi Feiyang stepped forward, a faint silver light emanating from his palm, and with a gentle flick, he shattered the iron shackles. "I was entrusted by Elder Peng to disguise myself as a porter and blend into the lower classes to gather information. I also disguised myself from time to time to inquire about people in the martial arts world in taverns and teahouses. I happened to get a clue that a master of the Beggars' Clan was imprisoned here."

His gaze swept over the cobwebs in the corner. "More importantly, the arrangement of the floor tiles in the City God Temple subtly incorporates the Big Dipper constellation, unique to the Beggars' Sect. This must have been deliberately arranged this way by the elders when the guards were slightly away."

Inside the dungeon, candlelight flickered, and the smell of sulfur mixed with the stench of blood filled the air.

The old gang leader leaned against the mottled stone wall, each cough sounding as if he were coughing up his heart and lungs. Black blood dripped from the corner of his mouth onto his tattered patchwork robe, resembling blooming ink plum blossoms.

He stared at Shi Feiyang, his cloudy eyes filled with resentment and anticipation: "The Sticky Rod Office... those heartless bastards..."

He gasped for breath, his withered fingers gripping Shi Feiyang's wrist tightly. "Five years ago, they plotted against me, using the Western Regions' rare poison 'Heart-Eating Powder' to cripple my martial arts and imprison me here, never seeing the light of day... Young friend, thank goodness for you!"

Shi Feiyang felt the trembling in the old man's palm, a sign that life was about to end.

He bowed slightly to show respect: "Senior, please rest well and recharge your energy..."

"It's too late!" The old leader suddenly gripped Shi Feiyang's hand tightly, a final glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. "The Beggars' Clan cannot be leaderless! Young friend, are you willing to take up this Dog-Beating Stick and lead the Beggars' Clan brothers to restore their former glory?"

He turned his head with difficulty to look at Elder Peng, "Brother Peng, we have known each other for decades. Although you are loyal, the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms and the Dog-Beating Staff Technique have long been lost. The Beggars' Clan needs someone who can lead us to the light..."

Elder Peng's one eye flashed with a complex expression, and he hesitated to speak.

The old gang leader then turned his gaze back to Shi Feiyang: "Young friend, where did you get this astonishing Dog-Beating Staff Technique? Since the late Ming Dynasty, the Beggars' Clan has lost the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms and the Dog-Beating Staff Technique. Could it be..."

Shi Feiyang's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "Please ask Elder Peng to temporarily assume the position of Beggar Clan Leader. I am willing to assist Elder Peng in revitalizing the Beggar Clan. As for these two unique skills..." He paused, his tone becoming solemn, "they were passed down to me in a dream by the former Beggar Clan Leader Xiao. In the dream, Leader Xiao said that the martial world is in turmoil, and the Qing dogs are rampant. The Beggar Clan needs someone to inherit these unique skills and uphold justice."

These words caused an uproar in the dungeon. Elder Peng narrowed his one eye. As a seasoned veteran of the martial world, he naturally did not believe such a claim, but seeing the old gang leader's anxious eyes, he could not refute it.

The old gang leader, however, seemed to have grasped at a straw, his eyes rekindling with hope: "Good! Good! In history, there have indeed been many extraordinary people who received divine guidance in their dreams, receiving their secret skills. Cheng Yaojin received a dream from an immortal and his martial arts improved greatly; Qiongying received guidance from a deity in a dream and learned unparalleled martial arts; General Ouyang Wei also received a dream from a martial arts immortal who taught him strategies for quelling rebellions. Brother Xiang, I believe in you!"

He turned to Elder Peng and said, "Brother Peng, hand over the Beggars' Sect token to Brother Xiang."

Elder Peng sighed helplessly and took out a bamboo cane.

With a swift movement, he struck the bamboo staff, which snapped in two, from which emerged a crystal-clear, emerald-green nine-section bamboo stick—the very same Dog-Beating Stick passed down through generations of the Beggars' Sect.

Then, he took out an antique black iron ring with a lifelike dragon pattern engraved on it, which was a symbol of his status as the leader of the Beggars' Sect.

Shi Feiyang knelt down with a solemn expression, raising his hands to receive the dog-beating stick and the black iron ring.

He put the ring on his right thumb and immediately felt a warm sensation coursing through his body along his meridians.

"Greetings, Chief!" With Elder Peng leading the way, all the Beggars' Sect disciples knelt down.

According to the Beggars' Sect's rules, everyone spat at Shi Feiyang—this seemingly disrespectful act was actually a unique Beggars' Sect ceremony of recognizing a master, signifying that they would share joys and sorrows, honor and disgrace from then on.

Zhou Weirou stood to the side, gazing at Shi Feiyang's tall and upright figure, her eyes unconsciously filled with tenderness.

Looking at his daughter's expression, Zhou Canghai understood and chuckled softly, "My dear daughter, you have a good eye. This boy is brave and resourceful, and he even knows about Qimen Dunjia. He's no ordinary person! He's bound to achieve great things in the future."

Before Zhou Canghai could finish speaking, Zhou Weirou jumped back half a foot like a startled sparrow. Her hands, which were used to holding a soft whip, were now at a loss for what to do. In her panic, she twisted the gold embroidery on her wide sleeves, and even her earlobes flushed red like peach blossoms: "Father! What... what nonsense are you talking about!"

The old chieftain stroked his bushy beard and laughed heartily, the jingling of the chains punctuated by a hearty cough: "I've traveled all over the country for decades, how could I misjudge a person?" He gestured with his chin toward Shi Feiyang, "This lad remains calm in the face of danger, and his Dog-Beating Stick technique is even more skillful than an old beggar's. He's a good match for my Rou'er. But Rou'er, you haven't received much education, I'm afraid he might look down on you."

Zhou Weirou stomped her foot, her embroidered shoes crushing the pebbles on the ground, and turned her head away, refusing to look at her father.

But out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but glance at Shi Feiyang—he was solemnly accepting the dog-beating stick, the black iron ring gleaming coldly in the candlelight, his silver aura contrasting strangely with his tattered clothes.

The girl's heart skipped a beat. She recalled his heroic figure wielding his sword to cut down the Blood Droplets in the snow that night, and the warmth she felt from his back when he shielded her. Her ears burned even hotter.

With her back to everyone, she pretended to adjust the jade hairpin in her hair, but in the reflection of the bronze mirror, her gaze met that of Shi Feiyang as he turned around.

The instant their eyes met, she felt the stench of blood in the dungeon transform into the fragrance of peach blossoms, and even the old chieftain's next words, "choose a day for the wedding," became a vague echo. In truth, at this moment, Shi Feiyang was very lonely and longed for a wife and companionship.

However, Shi Feiyang thought to himself that he was nearly two hundred years old, and he was dating a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl? He felt very sorry for her! Therefore, he was conflicted, after all, he could be her great-grandfather.

After Elder Peng led everyone in performing the grand ceremony, Zhou Weirou realized that her soft whip had somehow become entangled in Shi Feiyang's clothes. She jerked it back as if she had been burned, but the whip flicked out a beautiful whip flower in the chaos.

Looking at her flustered appearance, Shi Feiyang smiled, his glassy eyes reflecting her blushing face: "Miss Zhou, you finally believe me, don't you? Shall we have a welcome feast for me?"

"Who...who gave you a welcome party!" Zhou Weirou blurted out, but then, afraid of losing face, she quickly added, "It's just that a new gang leader has taken office, so there should be some new atmosphere." She turned her face away, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shi Feiyang twirling the dog-beating stick in his hand in a beautiful circle. The movement was so elegant that it made her heart skip a beat.

His handsome appearance, superb martial arts skills, extraordinary courage and wisdom made Zhou Weirou's heart flutter.

Her father's words, "To match my Rou'er," kept echoing in her ears, and the smile Shi Feiyang gave her when he turned around was even sweeter than the most famous osmanthus cake in Suzhou.

Shi Feiyang surveyed the crowd in the dungeon, gripped the Dog-Beating Stick tightly, and shouted, "Brothers! Today, by taking this Dog-Beating Stick, I have taken on the heavy responsibility of the Beggars' Sect. The Sticky Pole Bureau has harmed our Beggars' Sect; they must pay for this in blood! From this day forward, we will let the Qing court know that the disciples of the Beggars' Sect would rather break than bend!"

"We'd rather break than bend!" A deafening shout echoed from within the dungeon, its sound breaking through the dungeon's confines and reverberating through the night sky of Suzhou.

At this moment, Shi Feiyang was no longer the mysterious, ragged young man, but the new leader of the Beggars' Sect, bearing the weight of its rise and fall.

A rumble of thunder echoed through the clouds. Dust settled and fell from the beams and pillars of the dilapidated mountain temple.

Elder Peng's hand holding the wine gourd suddenly trembled, and his single eye, reflecting the flickering candlelight, shone like a poisoned, cold star: "Not good! It's someone from the Sticky Rod Office!"

Before the crisp sound of the gourd falling to the ground had even faded, the green tiles outside the temple collapsed like a torrential rain, and a figure in black martial arts attire swept in through the eaves, the moonlight flowing across the blood-stained talismans at their waists, turning them into eerie blue death emblems.

The bronze-masked man at the head slowly raised his hand, and the chains of the nine-beaded blood-dripping weapon rattled like the chains of the King of Hell: "Remnants of the anti-Qing rebellion, today is your death anniversary!" Three hundred and sixty poisoned barbs shot through the air as the leather pouch opened, instantly tearing the air apart with a sharp wail.

Shi Feiyang's dog-beating stick hummed like a dragon's roar. He flipped himself up onto the roof with his toes, the bamboo stick drawing a wonderful arc of the martial arts masterpiece "Dog-Beating to the Sky," actually breaking three chain beads! The broken blood droplets flew past the old chieftain's scalp, instantly carving a furrow a foot deep into the blue bricks. The sparks that flew up illuminated the faces of the crowd, which were twisted like ghosts.

Zhou Weirou's silver whip was like a snake emerging from its hole, the tip of the whip wrapping around the throat of an assassin.

The man swung out a bone-piercing nail, but she spun around to avoid it. Suddenly, her soft whip changed its move to "White Snake Spits Venom," the whip section striking the man's temple heavily.

The moment the blood burst open, eerie red plum blossoms bloomed on the girl's moon-white skirt. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father, Zhou Canghai, being attacked by two experts from the Sticky Pole Bureau, and her almond-shaped eyes instantly turned bloodshot: "You treacherous dog, how dare you hurt my father!"

The nine-section whip transformed into countless silver snakes, and wherever its shadow touched, the air crackled under its strain.

Shi Feiyang's body was enveloped in an eerie silver glow as he activated the Heavenly Silkworm Technique to its fullest extent.

Silver threads cascaded from his palm like a tidal wave, piercing through an assassin's breastplate and striking his chest acupoint! The man screamed and flew backward, his internal organs shredded into a bloody mist by the internal force. Fragments of flesh mixed with black blood splattered onto the mottled mural, turning the compassionate Bodhisattva image into a demonic face.

Upon seeing this, the masked man roared, "Form the Blood Drop Formation!" Twenty Blood Droplets were activated simultaneously, their chains weaving into an impenetrable net of death. Wherever they passed, beams and pillars exploded, and splinters of wood mixed with blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Elder Peng brandished his goose-shaped sword, the blade clashing with the flying darts and sparks flying everywhere.

Suddenly, an arrow shot from a blind spot. Before Shi Feiyang arrived, his voice preceded his words: "Elder Peng, be careful!"

The silkworm silk, like a spider web, caught the arrow, but the explosives tied to the arrow's tail suddenly exploded! The dungeon ceiling collapsed, and rubble fell like meteors.

Shi Feiyang spun around and unleashed the "Qimen Sancai Sword Technique: Tianxuan Zhuandou," seven sword shadows carrying the light of the Big Dipper shattered the flying stones, and where the blades passed, the air rippled with distortion.

"Everyone, step back behind me!" Shi Feiyang put the dog-beating stick into his deerskin bag and drew his pig-slaughtering knife. This seemingly crude weapon gleamed with a strange golden light in his hand, and when the blade flashed, the principles of mutual generation and restraint of the Eight Trigrams of Qimen Dunjia were fully revealed.

As an assassin closed in on Zhou Canghai, Zhou Wei's soft whip flew out of her hand, wrapping around the assassin's ankle and yanking him sharply. The moment the man fell, Shi Feiyang's blade had already sliced ​​through his throat, and a jet of warm blood sprayed onto the girl's moon-white skirt, blooming into an eerie red plum blossom.

The masked man roared, and the nine blood droplets transformed into nine black rainbows, shooting out simultaneously. Shi Feiyang slapped his left palm and swung his right sword repeatedly, unleashing the move "Man Escapes into the Void," with seven sword shadows attacking in different directions at the same time, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

Amidst the clash of blades and the flying darts, his inner energy surged, and the halo created by his soft blade absorbed all the moonlight.

Those seemingly chaotic sword moves actually correspond to the life and death gates of the Bagua, and each swing changes the surrounding aura.

Seeing Shi Feiyang surrounded, Zhou Weirou gritted her teeth and suddenly channeled all her inner strength into her soft whip.

The whip tip transformed into a three-headed, six-armed phantom, wrapping around the necks of the three assassins.

With a sharp cry, she exerted force with her wrist, sending three heads flying into the air, blood raining down.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed "Earth-Splitting Kunyuan," his butcher knife descending with the force of a mountain, actually cleaving the masked man's blood-dripping weapon in two! The masked man staggered back, revealing a distorted face beneath his mask: "You... who exactly are you?"

A cold glint flashed in Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes as the Heavenly Silkworm Silk, like a bone-deep infection, wrapped around the major acupoints of his opponent's body: "Remember, I am Xiang Tiange, the new leader of the Beggars' Sect!" As his palm tightened, the masked man's skin rapidly withered, black blood seeping from his seven orifices, finally turning into a emaciated corpse, collapsing into a pool of blood. Thunder roared again, illuminating the horrific carnage within the dilapidated temple. Blood mixed with rainwater flowed from the threshold, meandering into eerie totems on the bluestone slabs.

Looking at Shi Feiyang's crystal-clear figure, Zhou Weirou suddenly felt that the person in front of her was more shocking than thunder and more powerful than a torrential rain.

Before the thunder had even subsided, a mournful horn suddenly ripped through the night sky.

The sound was sharp like a ghost's wail, with a metallic tremor that made the candlelight in the dungeon flicker violently.

A skilled Qing Dynasty palace guard threw the horn heavily, and thirty elite soldiers from the Sticky Pole Bureau broke in through the window. The spiked clubs they carried, made of fine iron from the Western Regions, gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light, and dried human skin fragments hung from the chains, rustling softly in the wind.

The dungeon reeked of blood, thick enough to be almost unbearable. Shi Feiyang stared at the mangled limbs and pools of blood scattered on the floor, his glassy eyes turning crimson. The deerskin pouch at his waist moved without wind, emitting a faint, dragon-like hum, as if echoing its owner's surging killing intent.

"Well done!" He suddenly laughed loudly, the butcher's knife turned into a cold light and disappeared into the deerskin bag, and his palms slowly pushed out, and a crimson-gold dragon shadow actually condensed in his palms - it was the "Regretful Dragon" from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms", the ultimate martial art of the Beggars' Sect!
Wherever the palm strike passed, the air emitted a sharp crack, and the blue brick ground cracked inch by inch.

The three assassins from the Sticky Rod Bureau were unable to dodge in time. They felt as if they had been struck in the chest by a massive hammer, and their sternums shattered inch by inch with a deafening roar.

Their corpses flew backward like kites with broken strings, crashing against the stone walls with a sickening cracking sound. Brain matter mixed with blood splattered on the blue bricks, creating grotesque patterns, like a painting of hell.

Elder Peng's one eye widened, and he almost dropped the goose-shaped knife in his hand.

He had roamed the martial world for decades and boasted of having seen countless masters, but he never imagined that the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms could be performed so authentically! The fierceness and compassion contained in his palm strikes were like the coexistence of an angry Vajra and a Buddha holding a flower, truly "a balance of strength and gentleness, yin and yang."

Before anyone could react, Shi Feiyang had already touched the ground with his toes, and his figure transformed into a golden stream of light, soaring into the sky.

He roared in mid-air and unleashed the powerful move "Flying Dragon in the Sky"!
His body was filled with surging true energy, and his clothes fluttered in the wind, as if a golden dragon was protecting him.

Seeing the situation was dire, the three masters of the Blood Droplet technique simultaneously unleashed their weapons, and the nine Blood Droplets wove a deadly net in the air.

However, Shi Feiyang's palms moved like lightning, striking the Tianling point with his left hand, splitting the Jianjing point with his right hand, and then striking the Tanzhong point with his left!

Amidst the flurry of palm strikes, a dragon's roar resounded. Before the three assassins could even scream, their skulls, shoulder blades, and chest cavities were shattered. Blood rained down along with the broken bones, staining the dungeon floor a dark red.

"Good!" Zhou Weirou exclaimed, taking advantage of the opportunity to wrap a soft whip around the throat of an assassin.

Even amidst the fierce battle, she couldn't help but glance at Shi Feiyang. Seeing his unpredictable and ever-changing moves, she secretly praised him: This new gang leader truly lives up to his reputation!
The moment Shi Feiyang landed, he unleashed another powerful palm strike, "Shocking the Hundred Miles Away!" The immense palm force swept out like a raging torrent, sending more than ten experts from the Sticky Pole Division staggering about, their spiked clubs flying out of their hands and crashing into the ground, creating deep craters.

Just as everyone was about to regain their footing, Shi Feiyang's palm suddenly burst forth with a dazzling silver light, and he activated the Heavenly Silkworm Technique at full power!
Countless silver threads cascaded down like a galaxy, piercing through the assassins' breastplates and penetrating their chest acupoints.

Those silver threads, though seemingly delicate, contained an incomparably domineering suction force, frantically drawing out the enemy's inner strength. An assassin watched in horror as his skin rapidly withered, black blood seeping from his seven orifices, until he finally turned into a emaciated corpse, collapsing in a pool of blood.

Upon seeing this, a masked man roared like a wild beast: "Attack together! Form the Three Talents Formation!"

Upon hearing this, the remaining assassins immediately took their positions, and with the swing of their spiked clubs, they formed an impenetrable iron net.

Shi Feiyang neither dodged nor evaded, but instead unleashed the "Dragon Battle in the Wild" technique with both palms! Wherever his palms struck, the ground shattered with a deafening roar, and fragments of stone shot out like bullets. The Three Talents Formation immediately revealed an opening, and Shi Feiyang seized the opportunity to close in, unleashing a backhand slash with his left palm, "Divine Dragon Swings its Tail," and a strike with his right palm, "Treading on Frost, Ice Arrives," instantly sending the three experts flying.

Seeing an opportunity, Zhou Weirou suddenly transformed her soft whip into a three-headed, six-armed phantom, wrapping it around the necks of the three assassins.

With a sharp cry, she exerted force with her wrist, sending three heads flying into the air, blood raining down.

Shi Feiyang then unleashed "Riding the Six Dragons," transforming his body into six afterimages, attacking six directions simultaneously.

Amidst the clash of palms, screams rose and fell, and the corpses of the experts from the Sticky Pole Division lay scattered in pools of blood.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the masked man turned to flee.

Shi Feiyang sneered, "Want to leave? You're here now, so don't even think about leaving!" The Heavenly Silkworm Silk wrapped around the major acupoints on the other's body like a bone-deep sore. "No one will leave alive today!" As his palm tightened, the masked man's skin quickly withered and shriveled, eventually turning into a withered, dried corpse, lying in a pool of blood on the ground.

Thunder roared again, illuminating the horrific carnage within the dungeon.

Blood mixed with rainwater flowed from the threshold, meandering into eerie totems on the bluestone slabs.

Zhou Weirou gazed at Shi Feiyang's crystal-clear figure, where he was surrounded by surging true energy, resembling a blood-soaked demon god.

At this moment, she finally understood that this seemingly mysterious and unpredictable leader of the Beggars' Sect was bound to stir up a huge wave in the martial arts world.

The stench of putrid blood filled the sealed room. Shi Feiyang's glassy skin glowed with an eerie silver light, and as the crystalline light in his palm surged, silkworm silk poured out like a cascading Milky Way.

"This is... the Heavenly Silkworm Technique?!" A startled cry came from beneath the mask of the newly appeared ghost-faced man, as silver threads had already pierced through the protective aura of several assassins, like serpents burrowing into their muscles.

The entangled assassin's expression changed drastically. A tearing pain shot through his meridians, and his internal energy surged wildly back like water bursting its banks, crashing into his internal organs.

"Ah—!" A burly man gripped his throat tightly with both hands, black blood gushing from his seven orifices. His fingernails dug deep into his flesh, tearing off an entire piece of his trachea.

Suddenly, another assassin's chest swelled up, and with a muffled thud, his entire sternum shattered, his bloody heart and lungs mixed with bone fragments splattering onto the stone wall, staining the mottled murals with eerie patterns. Elder Peng's hand, gripping the goose-shaped knife, trembled slightly. His single eye reflected the dismembered limbs scattered on the ground. Such a gruesome scene horrified even a seasoned veteran like him.

Shi Feiyang lightly touched the pool of blood with his toes, his figure transforming into a silver afterimage as he darted through the enemy ranks. He unleashed the "Dragon Appears in the Field" move with a thunderous roar! The power of the Dragon Subduing Palm struck out a golden dragon-shaped phantom. Three assassins were unable to dodge in time, their ribs shattered by the palm wind, and they died mid-flight.

Where Shi Feiyang's palm strike swept, fine silver threads, like a bone-deep sore, quietly wrapped around the ankles of the other assassins.

Before those people could react, their meridians were sealed by silver threads, and they fell stiffly to the ground, white foam spilling from the corners of their mouths, their limbs twitching uncontrollably.

The masked man suddenly ripped off his mask, revealing a face covered in centipede-like scars. He was none other than "Blood Rakshasa," a famous secret guard from the Sticky Rod Bureau.

He sneered and pressed the horn to his lips: "Beggar Gang brat, so ignorant, daring to resist the government troops! Today I will make you die in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave!" With a mournful cry, the stone door of the secret passage burst open, and fifty black-clad assassins filed in, their chain hammers and soft swords gleaming with a cold blue light. They were the elite of the "Corpse Sect" of the Western Regions.

"The more the merrier!" Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, his laughter shaking the candlelight violently.

His body was surging with true energy, his skin was almost transparent, and his meridians flowed like a crimson star river.

The Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms and the Heavenly Silkworm Skill blend seamlessly, and wherever the palm wind reaches, golden dragon shadows and silver threads intertwine to form a net of death.

An assassin swung his sword, but Shi Feiyang thrust out the "Wild Goose Approaching the Land" technique with both palms. The palm strike appeared fierce, but the silver threads he released were like spider silk binding a cicada, instantly entangling the opponent's wrist.

The assassin tried to break free by channeling his inner energy, but his internal force flowed back into his body through the silver thread. With several "crack" sounds, his arm bones shattered inch by inch, and when the soft sword left his hand, it was accompanied by half of his bloody and mangled wrist.

Seeing this, Blood Rakshasa lashed out with her nine-section skull whip, the bronze skull at the tip of the whip baring its fangs and spewing out a foul-smelling poisonous mist.

Shi Feiyang used "Dense Clouds Without Rain" to create a shield of energy with both palms, dispersing the poisonous mist, and at the same time, he moved forward.

Then, he unleashed another move, "Loss Leads to Trust"! The palm shadows fell heavily, and Blood Rakshasa raised his whip to block, but felt a numbness in his palm—he didn't know when, but the Heavenly Silkworm Silk had already wrapped around his meridians along the whip handle.

"Impossible!" Blood Rakshasa stared in horror at his skin rapidly drying out. "You clearly used the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, how could you have Heavenly Silkworm Silk..." Before he could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang had already unleashed "Dragon Battle in the Wilds," the palm force like a tidal wave, slamming him into the stone wall.

The wall collapsed with a roar, and the Blood Rakshasa's remains fell with the rubble, leaving only twitching limbs and a pool of black blood on the ground.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the remaining assassins tried to break out in formation.

Shi Feiyang gave them no chance, unleashing the "Riding the Six Dragons" technique, his figure transforming into six afterimages, attacking six directions simultaneously.

As the palms danced, silver threads filled the air. Some assassins had their skulls shattered, their brains splattering; others had their collarbones pierced by the silver threads, kneeling and wailing in agony; still others were struck by both palm force and silk threads simultaneously, their bodies being torn apart as if by an invisible giant hand, their limbs twisting and flying in different directions.

Zhou Weirou's hand holding the soft whip trembled slightly. The hellish scene before her eyes both shocked and horrified her.

Shi Feiyang was covered in blood, but he fought with increasing ferocity. His glassy eyes blazed with a burning killing intent, as if a demon god had descended to earth.

Blood trickled down the cracks in the blue bricks, pooling into a small pool at the threshold.

Although Zhou Canghai's martial arts were completely destroyed, he was still thrilled by the sight: "Good! Good! Today, the 72 Water Fortresses of Taihu Lake have witnessed a true master!" Zhou Weirou looked at Shi Feiyang's bloodied figure and felt a strange emotion rising in her heart.

She never imagined that someone could display such astonishing martial arts skills in such a fierce and brutal battle.

The dungeon was already littered with corpses, and blood flowed into streams, running along the cracks in the blue bricks to the corners.

Zhou Weirou's soft whip and Shi Feiyang's silver hair gradually formed an encirclement.

She shouted, "Take this!" and the soft whip wrapped around the wrist of a master.

Shi Feiyang spat out a silver silkworm thread from his palm, which pierced through the opponent's palm and pinned him to the stone pillar.

The man screamed and struggled desperately, only to see the silver threads, like living things, burrow into his body along the meridians of his arm. In no time, he bled from all seven orifices and died.

The masked leader finally showed fear, but still shouted fiercely but weakly, "Attack! Whoever takes Xiang Tiange's head will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold!" Under the lure of the reward, the men of the Sticky Pole Bureau turned red-eyed and pounced like mad dogs.

Shi Feiyang took a deep breath, and activated the Heavenly Silkworm Technique to its peak. The silver threads transformed into a rain of silver, and wherever they touched, flesh and blood flew everywhere.

His Qimen Sancai Dao (奇门三才刀) was even more unpredictable; wherever the blade flashed, severed limbs and broken arms flew everywhere.

Seeing Shi Feiyang fighting against many opponents, Elder Peng shouted, "Beggar Clan disciples, listen to my command! Form the Dog-Beating Formation!"

More than twenty beggars, each holding a dog-beating stick, formed the Big Dipper constellation, echoing Shi Feiyang and his group.

Although they only know a few moves of the Dog-Beating Stick Technique, it is the most exquisite stick technique in the world.

Zhou Weirou protected her father as they retreated into the battle formation. Watching Shi Feiyang's bloodied figure fighting bravely, she felt both surprised and delighted.

She had never witnessed such a brutal battle, nor had she ever felt the cruelty and passion of the martial world so vividly.

Before the corpse of a masked man could fall to the ground, a loud clanging of chains suddenly came from the depths of the dungeon.

Three dark figures slowly emerged from the pile of skulls, each holding a judge's pen as black as ink. The rubies inlaid on the pen shafts reflected a blood-red eerie light in the pool of blood—these were the "Three Blood Judges" from the sticky pen!
The leader licked the remaining venom from the tip of the pen and chuckled sinisterly, "Xiang Tiange, I've heard your palm technique is like a dragon's. Can you withstand my 'Nine Netherworld Life-Taking Pen'?" Before he finished speaking, three judge's pens transformed into black rays and hurtled through the air.

Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes narrowed sharply. He unleashed "Dense Clouds Without Rain," crossing his palms to block the attack. The energy shield formed in his palms collided with the Judge's Pen, exploding into dazzling sparks. Elder Peng brandished his sword, intending to step forward to help, but was intercepted by the other two fiends. The Judge's Pen drew a strange arc, and wisps of green smoke rose from the blue bricks wherever it passed.

Seeing this, Zhou Weirou's silver whip, like a nimble snake emerging from its hole, wrapped around the wrist of a Blood Judge.

The man grinned maliciously, and suddenly a barb popped out from the tip of his pen, hooking the whip tightly. "The young lady's whip technique is quite good, but alas..."

He flicked his wrist, and the soft whip was instantly covered with dark green poisonous patterns.

Zhou Weirou's expression changed drastically. She tried to withdraw her energy, but it was too late. The poisonous markings spread rapidly along the silver threads to her fingertips.

At the critical moment, Shi Feiyang rushed in like a golden lightning bolt. His "Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use" palm strike contained a spiraling force, sending Xue Pan flying backward. He quickly pressed several acupoints on Zhou Weirou with his left hand, while his right hand wrapped her arm with silken threads like a spider web, forcing out all the venom.

"Hold your breath and concentrate!" Shi Feiyang shouted, his glassy skin glowing with an eerie silver light. With the Heavenly Silkworm Technique running at full power, the venom condensed into ice beads in mid-air, which then exploded with a bang. "What a sentimental gang leader!" The leader, Blood Judge, suddenly roared, his judge's pen spinning rapidly, the tip spraying out a sky full of poisonous mist.

Shi Feiyang grabbed Zhou Weirou by the waist and leaped into the air, using the "Benefiting the Great River" technique to split the poisonous fog with his palm. He saw that the blue bricks on the ground were rapidly carbonized under the erosion of the poisonous fog, emitting pungent smoke.

Elder Peng was engaged in a fierce battle on the other side, his goose-shaped sword clashing with two judge's pens, sparks flying everywhere.

His single eye turned bloodshot, and he suddenly shouted, his blade flashing as he unleashed the "Wild Goose Landing on the Sandy Shore" technique. However, it was countered by his opponent's "Three Yin Soul-Severing Brush," and three deep, bone-revealing wounds were instantly slashed across his shoulder.

Upon seeing this, Shi Feiyang's inner energy surged, causing his clothes to flutter loudly.

He unleashed a move called "Double Dragons Taking Water" with both palms! Two golden dragon shadows attacked the two Blood Judges respectively.

Wherever the dragon's shadow passed, the air twisted and deformed, and the ground was plowed with two deep trenches by the force of its palm. The two Blood Judges hastily raised their pens to defend themselves, but a crisp "crack" was heard as the judge's pens shattered inch by inch. The powerful shockwave slammed them against the stone wall, shattering their internal organs.

The remaining leader of the Blood Judges, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, suddenly bit his tongue and spat blood onto the Judge's Pen.

The ruby ​​on the pen instantly turned blood red, like a beating heart. "Blood judge, true form, all souls annihilated!" he roared as he charged into the blood mist. The judge's pen transformed into a hundred phantoms, attacking from all directions.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly and unleashed the "Ram Butting the Fence" technique with both palms, transforming his palm force into an impenetrable wall.

The phantoms crashed into the air wall with shrill screams, but quickly reformed.

Shi Feiyang's eyes sharpened, and he simultaneously activated the Heavenly Silkworm Skill and the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, causing yin-yang fish patterns to appear around his body.

(End of this chapter)