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

The wind rustled through the bamboo forest, the bamboo leaves whispering, which seemed to blend with the distant chime bells from Jingren Palace, adding a touch of solemnity.

Ruoyao bit her lip, and tears finally broke free.

She gazed into Shi Feiyang's crystal-clear eyes, as if trying to etch this brief reunion into her very bones.

“That day in the Hall of Mental Cultivation…” Her voice choked, her fingertips unconsciously clutching the peony pattern on her skirt, a design prescribed by the Empress. “I heard the secret report from the Imperial Guard and knew it was aimed at you. How could I let those vile words hurt you in the slightest?”

As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently stroked Shi Feiyang's face, as if touching a fragile Ru kiln celadon.

Shi Feiyang grabbed her hand in return, and it was ice-cold to the touch.

He suddenly remembered that it was just as cold when Ayina disappeared in the Cold Jade Valley of Tianshan.

"Silly girl, that poisonous ink..." His voice trembled, a bitter taste rising in his throat. Ruoyao shook her head and chuckled softly, tears rolling down her cheeks: "What does it matter if I swallow all the world's deadliest poisons to protect you?"

The bamboo grove behind her suddenly rustled, startling two roosting partridges, just as the old proverb "I cannot go, brother" suggests.

The wind rustled through the bamboo grove, the bamboo leaves whispering as if lamenting the plight of this unfortunate couple. Ruoyao slowly took a half-step back, her hands protecting her lower abdomen, her eyes filled with conflict and fear: "But Your Highness... I am already carrying the Emperor's child." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet it exploded in Shi Feiyang's ears like thunder, "If I give birth to him, in the future... will he compete with you for the throne?"

From afar came the drawn-out cries of the eunuchs, "Let's depart—", startling the dewdrops in the bamboo grove into falling.

Shi Feiyang swayed, and the Vermilion Bird spirit in the deerskin bag let out an uneasy cry.

Looking at Ruoyao's tearful face, he felt an unprecedented pain surge in his heart. He had planned this empire for many years, but now, seeing the trembling eyelashes of the person before him, he felt that all the glory in the imperial palace had turned to dust.

Outside the bamboo grove, Bai Zhen gripped his iron claws, the tips carving fine lines into the white marble fence. The "Azure Dragon Teaching its Son" motif carved on the fence now seemed utterly ironic. The Forbidden City in late autumn was suffocated by heavy, leaden clouds. The frost clinging to the glazed tiles gleamed with a cold, iron-blue light, resembling scattered ice fragments in the dim sunlight. The bronze bells on the eaves trembled mournfully in the draft, their sounds long and piercing.

Shi Feiyang stood under the eaves of the Qianqing Palace, the corner of his robe lifted by the cold wind, revealing a slightly warm deerskin bag at his waist.

His fingertips unconsciously caressed the embroidered hibiscus petal in his sleeve—it was the one that had been knocked off by a bamboo branch when Ruoyao turned away in tears, and it was now soaked with his cold sweat, resembling a piece of congealed blood.

The lingering warmth of the agarwood fragrance on Ruoyao's wrist still lingered at her nose when a sudden clang of metal erupted from the direction of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, mixed with the piercing shriek of the blood-dripping droplets tearing through the air at the sticky rod, startling his glassy eyes into flashing with cold light.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his inner unease, and used the "Kunlun Heart-Questioning Technique" to conceal his aura with his inner strength.

As his inner energy surged through his meridians like an undercurrent, his figure became increasingly light. With a light touch of his toes on the eaves, his figure instantly transformed into a bluish-gray ghost, rushing towards the source of the sound.

Piercing through the layers of palace walls, what came into view was a scene of extremely tragic slaughter: the young Tang Xiaolan's silver hair flew wildly, and the long sword in his hand wielded the "Snow Dance Silver Serpent" of the Tianshan Sword Technique. Every swing of the sword carried an overwhelming momentum.

Wherever the sword energy reached, the bluestone ground instantly cracked like a spider web, and the flying shards drew dangerous arcs in the air.

The young Bai Taiguan moved erratically, unleashing the Bagua You Shen Palm technique. His figure transformed into twelve afterimages, and wherever the palm wind passed, fallen leaves were shredded into dust. The experts at the sticky pole were hit by the palm wind, their bodies unsteady, and they retreated repeatedly.

The mighty Ma Teng's Vajra Fist was powerful and fierce, accompanied by the roar of a tiger. Each strike made the weapons of the experts at the sticky pole hum incessantly, and sparks flew like fireflies, illuminating the tense faces of everyone.

In the midst of the chaos, a moon-white figure flashed past the palace lanterns like a startled swan in the snow.

The woman, veiled in black, wielded a soft sword with impenetrable speed, employing the Wudang "Soft Sword Technique." Her seemingly gentle swordplay instantly deflected three flying darts, her swiftness astonishing.

Shi Feiyang's breath caught in her throat—as she dodged to the side, the gentle sway of the mutton-fat jade pendant at her waist was exactly the same rhythm as when Ruoyao turned around in the bamboo forest last night! "Ruoyao?!" Shi Feiyang almost cried out in surprise, and hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand.

Almost simultaneously, Wei Nianhua's parting hook, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, gleamed with a ghostly blue light and aimed straight for the woman's throat.

At the critical moment, she spun around and performed a "flipping eagle," her black hair cascading down like an ink waterfall. The conspicuous cinnabar mole on her neck was faintly visible in the firelight, stinging Shi Feiyang's eyes.

Shi Feiyang's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He pulled out an ordinary iron sword, a set of clothes, and a mask from the deerskin bag. He messed up his hair, changed his clothes, and then activated the "Kunlun Heart-Questioning Technique." He poured his inner energy into the sword, which then emitted a faint blue light.

He gripped his sword and unleashed a move called "Green Peak Cuts the Face!" The sword's trajectory was unorthodox, its tip like a serpent emerging from its hole, aiming straight for Wei Nianhua's vital point in the back of his heart.

"A cowardly coward! How dare you interfere in the affairs of the Sticky Pole Office!" Wei Nianhua sensed a strong wind behind him, sneered, and his detachment hook returned with lightning speed. The two weapons collided instantly, sparks shooting three zhang high.

The immense impact made Shi Feiyang's hands go numb, but his sword technique suddenly changed to the unpredictable "Returning Wind and Seizing the Moon," with the tip of his sword drawing seven afterimages in the air, forcing Wei Nianhua to retreat repeatedly.

Seeing the situation reach a stalemate, the seven experts from the Sticky Pole exchanged glances and formed the "Big Dipper Formation." Seven blood-dripping darts hummed as they soared into the air, spinning rapidly and weaving an impenetrable iron net. Wherever they passed, the pillars were instantly shredded into wood chips, creating a terrifying spectacle.

Seeing this, Ruoyao's beautiful eyes flashed with determination. Suddenly, she bit her tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the soft sword. An eerie blood-red light rose from the sword as she unleashed the "Wudang Blood Sacrifice Sword Technique!" The sword light surged into a blood-red tornado, spraying blood wherever it went.

Two skilled fighters from the Sticky Pole Division were unable to dodge in time, their throats bursting, and warm jets of blood sprayed onto her pale cheeks, instantly staining her black cloth dark red, which only made her eyes appear even more resolute.

Shi Feiyang was extremely anxious. He used the "Bow Body Gazing at the Moon" technique, his sword sweeping across like a crescent moon, knocking the two blood droplets into the night sky.

However, the "Big Dipper Formation" was incredibly powerful. As the formation operated, seven chains suddenly shot out from the ground, coiling around Tang Xiaolan and the others' ankles like serpents. Ruoyao gritted her teeth and swung her sword to cut the chains, but because she was distracted, she was struck in the back by a palm strike from a master of the Sticky Pole Division.

She let out a muffled groan and crashed through the window frame like a kite with a broken string. Her soft sword drew sparks across the glazed tiles, falling like a meteor.

Wei Nianhua grinned maliciously: "Where do you think you're going!" The parting hook flew out of his hand, drawing a deadly blue arc in the air, chasing after Ruoyao.

Shi Feiyang's eyes were bloodshot. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and used the Kunlun School's "Treading Snow Without a Trace" lightness skill. He unleashed the "Godslayer and Buddha Destroyer" technique with his iron sword. Nine sword shadows soared into the sky like angry dragons. As the sword energy crisscrossed, the weapons of the pursuers shattered inch by inch.

Under Shi Feiyang's cover, Ruoyao and the others finally broke through the encirclement. Once their figures disappeared beyond the palace walls, Shi Feiyang feinted with his sword, disappearing into the shadows, his glassy eyes reflecting the rain of blood. Beneath the palace walls, the frost flowers had been stained crimson with blood.

Ruoyao's disappearing figure outside the palace walls was like the last withered leaf falling in late autumn, piercing Shi Feiyang's heart.

He stood there, listening to the fading footsteps of his pursuers. The iron sword in his hand still trembled slightly, and the bloodstains on its blade had begun to congeal. The ruined palace was reflected in his glassy eyes. He took a deep breath, put the iron sword into his deerskin bag, and quietly left using his lightness skill.

Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Shi Feiyang dismissed everyone and sat alone in his study.

The candlelight on the table flickered, casting a long, distorted shadow on the wall. He took out the blood-stained hibiscus petal and gently placed it in his palm. The bloodstains on the petal had dried, their color a dark, rusty hue.

Recalling Ruoyao's tearful appearance in the bamboo forest, Shi Feiyang felt a sharp pain in his heart.

Just as he was lost in thought, Bai Zhen rushed over: "Your Highness, the Sticky Rod Bureau is conducting a city-wide manhunt for assassins, and quite a few martial arts figures have already fallen into their hands." Shi Feiyang's eyes sharpened: "Have you heard any unusual information?"

Bai Zhen shook his head: "There are no clues yet, but I will do my best to find them."

Although they were communicating in sign language, they both understood each other perfectly.

The atmosphere inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation was heavy. Emperor Yongzheng sat upright on the dragon throne, his face ashen.

The commander of the Sticky Rod Office, kneeling below, was sweating profusely. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was my dereliction of duty to allow the assassin to escape. However, I discovered traces of Wudang swordsmanship at the scene, and also..."

He presented a blood-stained black cloth, saying, "This person once used the Wudang Blood Sacrifice Sword Technique, so he must be closely related to the Wudang Sect."

Yongzheng picked up the black handkerchief, his fingers tightening slightly: "Wudang? They've become increasingly restless these past few years. Issue an imperial edict to thoroughly investigate this matter. Anyone with ties to Wudang must be investigated rigorously!" "Yes, sir!" Wei Nianhua obeyed and left.

The night at Yuanmingyuan was heavy with the drizzle, and the bronze cranes of the Western-style buildings gleamed coldly in the rain.

When Yongzheng was about to summon Ruoyao to his bedchamber, he heard from a palace maid that Ruoyao was pregnant. His hand holding the jade cup suddenly stopped, and the ripples of the Biluochun tea in the cup reflected his suddenly gloomy face.

"What did you say?" The emperor's voice sounded as if it had been pulled from an ice cellar. The palace maid kneeling below trembled violently, and answered again tremblingly, "Your Majesty, Consort Ruoyao is two months pregnant..."

A thunderclap boomed outside the hall, and Yongzheng abruptly stood up, sweeping his bright yellow dragon robe off the memorials on the table.

The palace lanterns in the long corridor swayed in the wind, casting his distorted shadow on the vermilion palace wall, like a lurking dragon.

Yongzheng decided to visit Ruoyao. As he turned through the winding corridor, the smell of blood mixed with Ruoyao's usual jasmine scent wafted towards him. The emperor frowned slightly—this scent was exactly the same as the poisoned palm strike from the assassin in the Hall of Mental Cultivation three days ago.

Pushing open the carved wooden door of the imperial bedchamber, Ruoyao leaned against the bamboo couch, her pale face gleaming like pearls in the candlelight. She gently stroked her swollen belly, her eyes brimming with tears: "Why has Your Majesty come?"

Yongzheng subtly observed the new silver hairpin adorning her temples, its cat's-eye stones gleaming eerily in the shadows, much like the sinister red glow of the assassin's soft sword that night. "I've heard you're unwell," the emperor said, his fingertips brushing against the agarwood bracelet beside the bed before he suddenly crushed two beads. "The Wudang Blood Sacrifice Sword Technique, practicing too much of it can harm your health."

Ruoyao's pupils contracted sharply, then returned to their gentle state in an instant: "What is Your Majesty saying? I don't understand..." Before she could finish speaking, Yongzheng had already grasped her wrist, and his powerful Shaolin internal energy burrowed into her meridians like a venomous snake. "I haven't completely forgotten the Yi Jin Jing that I learned on Mount Song twenty years ago," the emperor sneered. "The aura of the Shaoyang Divine Skill is just as unforgettable as the Shura Yin Sha Skill."

The rain poured down harder, pattering loudly against the glazed tiles. Suddenly, Ruoyao coughed up a mouthful of black blood, which stained her pale white dress like blooming red plum blossoms: "Since Your Majesty has already guessed, why bother testing me?"

She abruptly ripped open her clothes, revealing a brand of the character "吕" (Lü) branded on her chest. "Lü Si Niang, granddaughter of Lü Liuliang, greets Your Majesty!" Yongzheng snorted coldly, released Ruoyao's hand, and turned away.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Wei Nianhua's farewell hook gleamed with a faint blue light under the candlelight. Chen Feng chuckled as he waved his large black-gold fan: "Master, are you saying that vixen is actually a remnant of the Lü family?"

Yongzheng stroked the blood-stained dropper on the table, his gaze sharp as an eagle: "Three days ago, she rescued the remnants of the Tianshan Sect using a modified version of the Tianshan Sword Technique. Investigate who in the Wudang Sect has any connection with the One-Armed Nun."

A few days later, a bloodcurdling scream echoed from the dungeon of the Sticky Rod Office. Chen Feng used the handle of his fan to lift the female prisoner's chin, the three characters "Blood Droplet" on the fan facing her terrified eyes: "I heard that when you were on Wudang Mountain, you often corresponded with Consort Ruoyao?" Before the female prisoner could speak, Wei Nianhua's parting hook had already pierced her throat, the tip of the hook lifting half a tattered letter: "...The seventh level of the Mysterious Maiden Sword Technique, sword energy manifests..."

When the news reached the palace, Emperor Yongzheng was reading Lü Liuliang's "Record of Repelling the Barbarians." Suddenly, the maple leaf bookmark tucked between the pages was shredded by sword energy. Gazing at the fluttering red leaves outside the window, the emperor murmured, "So the One-Armed Nun modified a part of the Tianshan Sword Technique into the Xuan Nu Sword Technique..."

He slammed the book shut, causing ink to splatter everywhere on the vermilion inkstone on the table. "Issue an imperial decree: guard against assassins! Set up ambushes! I want to see just how much trouble these self-proclaimed chivalrous江湖人 (jianghu people) can stir up!"

"Yes, sir!" Wei Nianhua obeyed and left.

At the third quarter of the hour of Xu (7:45 PM), dark clouds obscured the moon, and the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City gleamed with a cold, bluish-gray light in the night.

The bronze bells on the eaves of the Hall of Mental Cultivation moved automatically without wind, emitting a faint and eerie sound.

Lu Siniang, her face covered with a black cloth, hid behind a Taihu rock in the Imperial Garden, her palms already soaked with cold sweat.

She gazed at the heavily guarded imperial palace in the distance, the vows of her comrades echoing in her ears: "Tonight, we will take the head of Emperor Yongzheng!"

A clapper sounded, and the silent night sky was suddenly torn apart by shouts of battle. Tang Xiaolan drew her longsword and unleashed the "Avalanche Across a Thousand Miles" move of the Tianshan Sword Technique. Wherever the sword energy went, snow flew up, and three guards from the Sticky Pole Bureau felled instantly.

Bai Taiguan moved like a ghost, his Bagua You Shen Palm leaving twelve afterimages. Wherever his palm wind reached, the guards' weapons flew out of their hands.

Shen Zaikuan used the Judge's Pen to strike acupoints, specifically targeting the major acupoints on the enemy's body.

At the third quarter of the hour of Xu (7:45 PM), the Forbidden City was bathed in ink-black light, and the frost flowers that had condensed on the glazed tiles shimmered with a cold, eerie blue light. Wei Nianhua hung upside down from the roof ridge, his black tight-fitting clothes fluttering in the wind, and the parting hook at his waist emitted eerie phosphorescent light, drawing a crescent moon in the night.

He let out a low, cold laugh, his voice like that of a night owl: "The swords of the Tianshan Sect will fall tonight by the hooks of my Sticky Pole!" Tang Xiaolan's silver hair flew in the night wind, and the longsword in his hand hummed like a dragon's roar. The Tianshan sword technique emphasizes "overcoming the hard with the soft, and the sword intent is profound." At this moment, his feet were neither shoulder-width apart, and the tip of his sword trembled slightly as he had already gathered all his inner strength: "Ten years have passed, and Commander Wei's Parting Hook has become even more insidious."

Before he finished speaking, Wei Nianhua suddenly sprang up, his hook body surging three feet with blue light, and he actually used the first move of the secret "Three Forms of Soul Separation" - "Heartbreak Spell"!
This hook, seemingly aimed straight for the throat, actually conceals seven hidden variations.

Tang Xiaolan lightly touched the white marble railing with her toes and retreated swiftly like a white crane skimming the water.

Wei Nianhua's wrist twisted strangely, and the parting hook drew a spiral trajectory in the air. Wherever it passed, the blue bricks shattered inch by inch, and the flying stone chips were instantly ignited by the phosphorescent fire on the hook!
"What a fine 'Snow-Treading Without a Trace' from the Tianshan Sect!" Wei Nianhua grinned maliciously, the hooked iron chain suddenly taut like a steel whip. "Try my 'Soul-Hooking Life-Taking'!"

The iron chain, carrying a foul stench, swept towards Tang Xiaolan's lower body. Tang Xiaolan drew her longsword, unleashing "Snow Embracing Blue Pass," her sword energy condensing into an ice shield that barely blocked the attack. However, the hook tip grazed the ice shield, corroding the three-foot-thick layer of ice and leaving charred cracks.

The two darted and weaved in the courtyard, Wei Nianhua's parting hook sometimes flicking like a venomous snake, and sometimes coiling like a serpent.

He suddenly unleashed the "Heartless Severance," his hook transforming into nine illusory figures that enveloped Tang Xiaolan's major acupoints from different directions.

Tang Xiaolan shouted, and her longsword transformed into a bolt of lightning as she unleashed the "Glacier Cascade" technique from the Tianshan Swordplay. The sword energy surged like a tide and collided violently with the hook shadow!

Amidst the flying sparks, Wei Nianhua used the force to fly backward, landing atop the artificial mountain. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes flashing with even greater ferocity: "The Tianshan Sword Technique is nothing more than this!" In an instant, the hook's blue light surged, splitting into three identical hooks that emitted a piercing shriek in the air!
Tang Xiaolan's pupils contracted sharply, knowing full well the power of the "Three Corpse Soul Hook Array" of the Separation Hook Technique. He took a deep breath, pointed his sword tip to the sky, and chanted a sword incantation. He unleashed the move "Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin," and countless sword energies gathered, condensing into a giant sword wheel above his head.

As the three hooks hurtled towards him, Tang Xiaolan unleashed "Ten Thousand Swords Paying Homage," the sword wheel crashing down with a deafening roar! The violent shockwave tore off half the roof, tiles raining down. Wei Nianhua was sent flying several feet by the sword energy, crashing into the palace wall and coughing up blood. But a mad glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly snapped the iron chain at the end of the hooks, holding half a hook in each hand, unleashing the forbidden move "Mutual Destruction!"
Two streaks of blue light, like shooting stars chasing the moon, seemed intent on destroying Tang Xiaolan along with him!
Tang Xiaolan's expression was solemn as she wielded her longsword in a dance called "Snow Dance in the Nine Heavens," creating a protective shield of countless sword shadows. The hook shadows and sword shadows intertwined, sparks flew, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of burning metal.

In the heat of battle, Wei Nianhua suddenly abandoned his left-hand hook, and his right hook shot straight for Tang Xiaolan's face like lightning, while simultaneously spitting out a mouthful of poisonous mist! Caught off guard, Tang Xiaolan hurriedly used "Shifting Positions" to dodge. But the poisonous mist touched the hem of her clothes, instantly corroding a large hole in her brocade robe.

Both men sustained injuries, but the battle raged on fiercely!
The moment the waning moon was swallowed by dark clouds, Chen Feng leaped from the palace wall, brandishing his large, black-gold fan. The three vermilion characters "Blood Droplets" on the fan's surface swirled dark red in the night wind, like a blood-soaked talisman. Twelve bone-piercing nails shot out with a sharp whistle, their tips coated with peacock gall venom that gleamed eerily green in the night. Wherever they passed, the bluestone slabs hissed and emitted white smoke. "The Eight Trigrams Sect's Bone-Shrinking Technique is nothing but child's play in my eyes!" Chen Feng lightly flicked his fan, and the eighteen fan ribs transformed into eighteen cold beams of light.

Bai Taiguan lightly touched the ground with his toes, his body gliding past the palace lanterns like an ink-black fish, the force of his Bagua Swimming Palm striking out sent the hidden weapon flying backward.

His palms moved swiftly, and the yin-yang fish pattern on his palms appeared and disappeared in the night, which was the "yin-yang transformation" secret of Baguazhang.

"A mere trick!" Chen Feng sneered, suddenly spinning around and flicking out three silver threads. Bai Taiguan's pupils shrank—the silver threads of the Heavenly Gang Sect were specifically designed to sever an opponent's meridians and bones! He twisted his waist in mid-air, using "Hawk somersault" to avoid the fatal strangulation, but his palm wind collided with the fan Chen Feng offered.

The black gold fan hummed like a bell, and a hidden mechanism between the fan ribs popped out seven bone-piercing nails, forming the Big Dipper constellation to block the retreat.

Bai Taiguan roared, his Bagua Palm transforming into the "Qian Three Strikes," golden light surging from his palm. The palm wind collided with the hidden weapons, sparks flying everywhere, and several bone-piercing nails were shattered into dust.

Seeing this, Chen Feng spun his folding fan like a wheel and unleashed the "Tiangang Acupoint Strike Technique".

His fan moved swiftly, targeting Bai Taiguan's vital acupoints, each strike hitting a critical point in the body.

"What a brilliant strategist from the Sticky Rod Office!" Bai Taiguan used the pillars for leverage, his figure transforming into eight afterimages.

When the Eight Trigrams Swimming Palm unleashed the "Six Cuts of Kun," the palm shadows danced and created a sound like thunder and lightning.

Chen Feng's fan ribs grazed his shoulder, but only managed to shave off a few pieces of clothing. Instead, Bai Taiguan struck his wrist with a backhand palm strike.

"Hmph!" Chen Feng endured the excruciating pain, suddenly tucked his folding fan into his belt, and formed a hand seal with both hands.

In an instant, the blue bricks on the ground began to emanate a chilling aura, which was actually the "Mysterious Ice Locking Yuan Technique" secretly passed down by the "Tiangang Sect".

Bai Taiguan suddenly felt as if his feet had fallen into an ice cave. He tried to break the ice by circulating his internal energy, but then he saw Chen Feng lean forward and point his two fingers like swords at his Tanzhong acupoint.

At the critical moment, Bai Taiguan unleashed the Bagua Palm technique "Kan Zhong Man," and Chen Feng felt a tremendous force pulling him, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Bai Taiguan unleashed his "Leaving the Void" technique, the palm strike carrying a scorching wave of energy that sent Chen Feng flying several feet backward. However, Chen Feng performed a somersault in mid-air and pulled out three triangular bone-piercing nails from his boot, shooting them in a triangular formation.

Bai Taiguan unleashed a palm strike, "Zhen Yang Yu," the force of which shattered the hidden weapon like a knife.

The third watch drum shattered the cold night. On the white marble steps in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the snow had been stained an eerie dark red with blood. Sukhbaatar's towering figure stood in the center, his goose-feathered sword exuding a chilling aura in the moonlight, the Sanskrit mantras engraved on the back of the blade gleaming with a faint blue light.

"Ma Teng! You bastard from the Sticky Pole Bureau dare to rebel?" His roar made the copper bells on the eaves hum, and the shockwave from his blade made the palace lanterns ten feet away sway violently.

Ma Teng's palms were imbued with Vajra internal energy, the veins on his fists bulging like coiled dragons. This former top expert of the Sticky Pole Bureau now had flames of revenge burning in his eyes: "Sukhbaatar! We grew up drinking from the Yellow River, yet I never knew you would willingly become Yongzheng's henchman!"

Two powerful forces collided violently, sparks flying everywhere. The wild goose feather saber broke into a three-inch notch under the Vajra Fist, and Ma Teng's tiger's mouth was shattered, with blood dripping from the gap in his fist.

Mu Tie'a's iron sword fell like a cold star, its blade veering off course to aim directly for Shen Zaikuan's throat. "The dog's head of the remnants of the Lü family will be taken by my Mu family's swordsmanship tonight!" He flipped his wrist, unleashing the "Chasing Stars and Catching the Moon" technique of the Cold Star Swordplay, seven sword shadows like snakes sealing off Shen Zaikuan's vital points.

Shen Zaikuan retreated three steps quickly, and the judge's pen pointed out "Midnight Soul Nail". The pen tip collided with the sword tip, and the sparks that burst out burned black holes in the blue bricks.

Yue Zhongqi's tiger-headed spear suddenly emerged like a silver dragon from the abyss, its tassel stained with blood: "Bai Taiguan! You thief from the Bagua Sect dare to trespass into the Forbidden Palace?" The spear tip aimed straight for the opponent's "Shanzhong acupoint." Bai Taiguan turned to the side and used "Cloud Hands Turning the Universe," his palms striking out with twelve afterimages.

The palm strike and the spear force collided, causing the snow within a ten-foot radius to rise into the air and condense into fine ice crystals.

With Yue Zhongqi's help, Chen Feng was saved from the brink of death.

Seeing that Ma Teng was becoming more and more courageous in battle, Sukhbaatar suddenly threw away his sword and clenched his fist.

He ripped open his shirt, revealing a hideous tattoo on his chest—the mark of the "Asura Demon-Suppressing Technique," a secret technique passed down within the Sticky Pole Bureau. "Today I'll show you the Sticky Pole Bureau's true killing move!" He unleashed "Asura Annihilation" with both palms, and wherever his palm force passed, the ground cracked with spiderweb-like patterns.

Not to be outdone, Ma Teng channeled all his inner strength, his body radiating golden light. The two powerful internal energies collided, causing the surrounding palace pillars to collapse with a deafening roar. Mu Tie'a seized the moment when Shen Zaikuan was distracted, and his iron sword suddenly transformed into nine cold beams. "Seven Deadly Slashes of Cold Stars!" Sword shadows rained down like stars, and Shen Zaikuan wielded his brush, unleashing "Big Dipper Demon Sealing," the judge's brush drawing the Big Dipper pattern in the air. The iron sword and the judge's brush clashed, the sound of metal scraping against metal deafening. Sparks landed on Shen Zaikuan's shoulder, instantly burning a bowl-sized hole in his robe.

Yue Zhongqi's tiger-head spear suddenly unleashed seven spear flowers, which was the Yue family spear technique's killing move, "Seven Probes of the Snake Coil".

Bai Taiguan shouted loudly, and his Bagua Palm transformed into "Nine Palaces Linked Rings," forming a wall of energy as his palm shadows danced.

The moment the spear tip pierced the air barrier, Bai Taiguan retaliated with a "Reversed Beaded Curtain" strike, his palm striking Yue Zhongqi's wrist holding the spear.

But Yue Zhongqi was incredibly brave and, despite the excruciating pain, he swept his tiger-headed spear horizontally, the shaft whistling through the air as it swept towards Bai Taiguan's lower body like a giant python.

Suhebalu's Asura Palm and Ma Teng's Vajra Fist have exchanged more than thirty blows.

Blood trickled from the corner of Ma Teng's mouth, but he suddenly laughed loudly, "Sukhbaatar, you think this can kill me?" His inner strength surged, and he unleashed his trump card, the "Vajra Pestle," punching out a punch that caused the air to explode.

Sukhbalu's pupils contracted sharply, and in a haste, he unleashed "Asura's Wrath." The two world-destroying forces collided, and the resulting shockwave sent all the guards within a twenty-foot radius flying. Mu Tie'a's iron sword finally found an opening, its tip pressed against Shen Zaikuan's throat.

"Remnants of the Lü family, prepare to die!" He grinned maliciously and increased his strength, but Shen Zaikuan suddenly smiled strangely.

"Too late!" Shen Zaikuan pointed with his judge's pen, and Mu Tie'a felt a numbness run through all the major acupoints in his body. It turned out that during the fierce battle, Shen Zaikuan had secretly sealed his meridians with a "bone-piercing nail." Yue Zhongqi and Bai Taiguan were still locked in a bitter struggle.

In the clash between the Tiger Head Spear and the Bagua Palm, Yue Zhongqi suddenly abandoned the spear and clawed at Bai Taiguan's face with both hands. Bai Taiguan hastily executed a "Hawk somersault," but Yue Zhongqi grabbed his ankle.

"Get down!" Yue Zhongqi roared and slammed Bai Taiguan to the ground, instantly creating a deep, human-shaped crater in the blue bricks.

With a sharp cry, Lü Siniang drew her soft sword and unleashed the "Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens" move from the Xuan Nu Sword Technique. Thousands of sword shadows emerged like serpents from their holes. Yue Zhongqi rolled on the ground, grabbed his tiger-headed spear, and began a fierce battle with it.

Bai Taiguan narrowly escaped death. Chen Feng once again opened his folding fan and pounced on Bai Taiguan, and the two engaged in fierce combat again.

As he looked towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where wisps of smoke rose from the bronze crane-shaped incense burner, Emperor Yongzheng's hand, which was holding a vermilion brush, suddenly paused.

The ink on the Emperor's daily records was still wet when the distant clang of metal and shouts of battle pierced the night, startling the bronze bells on the eaves into a jumbled tremor. The Emperor's pupils contracted sharply, and the tip of his vermilion brush smeared a hideous blotch of ink on the Xuan paper, resembling a blooming blood lotus.

"Rebellion!" He abruptly overturned the table, the sound of shattering porcelain mingling with the fluttering of his bright yellow dragon robe.

Yongzheng strode to the window, gazing at the distant flames soaring into the sky, his temple veins throbbing.

The internal energy he had secretly learned from the Shaolin Temple twenty years ago, the Yi Jin Jing, unconsciously circulated, his palms leaving deep finger marks on the sandalwood window frame. Those grudges and feuds of the martial world, dormant deep in his memory, surged up with the smell of blood, transforming into a boundless killing intent in his eyes.

"Summon the head of the Sticky Rod Office!" The emperor's roar terrified the guards in the palace. They grabbed the blood-dripping guillotine from the table—the cold iron net that had claimed the lives of countless heroes in the deep palace, now gleamed with an eerie light in his hand.

Yongzheng stared at the still-damp bloodstains on the blood-dripping guillotine, suddenly recalling Ruoyao's (Lu Siniang's) pale face three days ago, and the slight curve of her lower abdomen. A chilling smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "What a remnant of the Lu family, daring to assassinate me while pregnant with my child!"

When the chief steward of the Sticky Rod Office, Hebiyan, arrived with his men, they saw the emperor standing under the eaves, his dragon robe billowing like a sail in the night wind.

As Yongzheng turned around, the cold glint in his eyes sent a chill down the spine of the head eunuch of the Imperial Guard: "I want to see her alive or dead. Anyone who has any connection with the Lü family or Wudang will be executed along with their entire family." He stroked the sharp edge of the blood-dripping dart, but his voice was terrifyingly calm, "Ruoyao... no, Lü Siniang, I want to hear her beg for mercy with my own ears."

The sounds of fighting in the distance grew increasingly fierce. Yongzheng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the blood-soaked sky, recalling the years when he secretly learned martial arts in the Sutra Pavilion of Shaolin Temple on Mount Song. At that time, he thought that mastering unparalleled martial arts would allow him to control the world, but he never expected that the grudges and feuds of the martial world would be like a malignant tumor, gnawing at his imperial power at the most unexpected time.

"Tell Yue Zhongqi to capture Bai Taiguan and Tang Xiaolan alive." Yongzheng suddenly spoke, his tone ruthless and unquestionable. "As for Lü Siniang..." He gripped the blood-dripping guillotine tightly, "I will watch the bastard in her womb die." With that, he strode towards the battlefield, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across the broken porcelain on the ground, making a teeth-grinding sound, like the footsteps of death.

“Yes, sir!” Hebiyan obeyed and left.

At 7:45 PM, the Forbidden City was bathed in blood-red moonlight. The frost on the white marble steps was mixed with blood, resembling a ferocious totem.

Yue Zhongqi, clad in black iron chainmail, slammed his tiger-head spear heavily into the ground, sparks flying from the spear tip and the blue bricks cracking.

"Remnants of the Lü family, today is the day you are beheaded!" He roared, causing the copper bells on the eaves to tremble. His tiger eyes widened, and the veins on his forehead bulged like earthworms. Suddenly, the tip of his spear transformed into seven cold lights, which was the "Seven Probing Snake Coil," the ultimate killing move in the Yue family spear technique. The spear tassel surged like a waterfall of blood, and the strong wind it generated made the palace lanterns three zhang away shake violently.

Lu Siniang lightly touched the eaves with her toes, her moon-white skirt fluttering like a flag, sweeping across the glazed tiles and stirring up fine ice shards. She raised her head slightly, her black hair dancing wildly in the wind, and the soft sword in her wrist hummed like a dragon's roar, gleaming with a pearly light under the infusion of the Shaoyang Divine Skill.

Ancient runes of the Mystic Maiden were faintly visible on the sword, reflecting the cold glint in her eyes.

"General Yue, you've become an accomplice to the wicked. Do you still remember the words 'Serve the country with utmost loyalty'?" Lü Siniang's lips parted slightly, her voice as cold as the snow on the Tianshan Mountains. Her jade hand suddenly flipped, and the soft sword drew a graceful arc. The "Phoenix Nodding" technique of the Xuan Nu Swordplay was as fast as lightning. The tip of the sword went straight for her throat. As her skirt fluttered, the hidden golden silk soft armor was faintly visible in the moonlight.

The moment the tiger-headed spear clashed with the soft sword, sparks flew like fireflies.

Yue Zhongqi's burly body shuddered violently, blood instantly seeping from his tiger's mouth, and the steel spear shaft vibrated loudly from the impact.

He roared, his iron boots slamming heavily on the ground, cracking the bluestone pavement. He changed his move and unleashed "Sweeping Through a Thousand Armies." The spear shaft swept across with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, the wind howling and the resulting shockwave turning the snow in its path into icy blades.

Lu Siniang raised her eyebrows, spun around and leaped into the air. Her moon-white skirt bloomed like a lotus in the air, and her soft sword drew out "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers". Thousands of sword shadows fell like petals, and each sword mark was precisely placed on the trembling part of the spear shaft. The silver light and iron color reflected each other, as if the Milky Way had fallen into the battlefield.

"What a perfect combination of Wudang and Tianshan!" Yue Zhongqi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and suddenly abandoned his spear to use his palm.

He pulled off his cloak, revealing his scarred chest, and unleashed his family's "Cloud-Breaking Palm" with both palms like iron fans.

The palm strike was powerful and fierce, causing the air to crackle and snow to fly up and condense into ferocious beast shapes in the air.

With a light wave of her hand, Lü Siniang channeled her Shaoyang Divine Skill and unleashed the Wudang ultimate technique, the "Two Elements Yin-Yang Palm," through her palms.

Two palm shadows, one white and one black, collided with a deafening roar, condensing into a rotating yin-yang pattern in the air. The powerful shockwave shattered all the surrounding palace lanterns. As the lamp oil spilled, she lightly touched the lamp stand with her toes, her figure leaping as gracefully as a butterfly.

Upon seeing this, Yue Zhongqi grinned maliciously and suddenly ripped off the belt around his waist.

The whip was actually made of fine steel, with three barbs at the tip, drawing strange arcs in the air. "Taste the power of the Yue Family Soft Rainbow Whip!" he roared, spinning around and whipping the whip. The soft whip was like a snake emerging from its hole, tearing deep grooves into the blue bricks wherever it passed.

Lu Siniang's beautiful eyes widened as she used the "Swallow Skimming Water" technique to retreat swiftly, her skirt leaving a half-zhang long trail on the ground. She then thrust out the "Mysterious Maiden Picking Stars" technique with her soft sword in a backhand motion, the tip of the sword precisely hitting the soft whip seven inches away. The jade bracelets on her wrists collided, producing a clear sound that intertwined with the sound of the sword.

With a crisp "crack," the steel whip snapped in two. Yue Zhongqi's expression changed drastically, and before he could react, Lü Siniang had already lunged forward.

Using the pillars for leverage, she charged forward like a swallow returning to its nest, her soft sword suddenly transforming into three afterimages, each aimed at one of his three vital acupoints on his chest.

Her jade-like fingers trembled slightly on the sword hilt, each sword strike carrying a sharp, piercing sound.

In his haste, Yue Zhongqi used the "Iron Bridge" technique to fall backward, his chainmail scraping the ground and sparks flying. But then he saw Lü Siniang lightly tap his abdomen with her toes, using the momentum to leap into the air.

She spun in the air, her black hair flying, and her soft sword slashed down like a cascading silver river—the killing move of the Mysterious Maiden Sword Technique, "Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Dance."

Thousands of sword shadows transformed into a silver waterfall, and wherever they passed, the air emitted a piercing shriek.

Yue Zhongqi swung his broken whip to parry, and the broken whip collided with the sword energy, causing sparks to rain down like a storm.

"Ah—" he screamed as half of his sleeve was sliced ​​off by the sword energy, leaving three deep, bone-revealing wounds on his arm. Blood gushed out, staining the dragon carving on the ground red.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lü Siniang leaped into the air and rushed towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Her figure in the firelight resembled a phoenix rising from the ashes, the light flowing on her soft sword reflecting the golden aura of the Lesser Yang Divine Skill within her body.

The silver hairpin in her hair clanged in the wind, and the jade pendant at her waist swayed with her movements, each rise and fall carrying a sharp energy.

Meanwhile, in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, even more experts from the Sticky Rod Bureau had gathered, and the buzzing of the Blood Droplets echoed in the night sky, like the whisper of death.

"Yinzhen! You slaughtered loyal officials and harmed the innocent. Do you know that justice will prevail and retribution will be swift? Today I will act on behalf of Heaven!" Lü Siniang looked in the direction of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, her eyes flashing with determination.

She gently stroked her lower abdomen, where a new life was being nurtured, yet it also bore the deep-seated hatred of the entire Lü family.

She gripped the soft sword tightly in her hand, the runes of the Mystic Maiden on the blade shining ever brighter. She took a deep breath, her skirt suddenly billowing, and her figure shot out like an arrow released from a bow. The moonlight bathed her in a sacred halo, as if a Mystic Maiden from the Nine Heavens had truly descended to earth.

Under the waning moon, the Forbidden City resembled a lurking beast, with frost flowers condensing on the eaves gleaming eerily red in the blood-red flames.

"Watch out for the flying guillotine!" Tang Xiaolan's exclamation was shattered by the night wind. (End of Chapter)