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

"No one is allowed to touch my people! Otherwise, they will be going against me!" Shi Feiyang embraced Kalis's thin body, and the chill emanating from him condensed the air in the carriage into ice crystals.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Chen Nan and Tang Qiaoqiao. "Do you know the consequences of angering the Emperor? Humph!"

Before the words were finished, he unleashed his "Dragon-Capturing Skill," and more than a dozen golden dragons coiled around Chen Nan and Zhou Qiaoqiao, then slammed them onto the grass. Chen Nan and Zhou Qiaoqiao's screams, mixed with Kalis's faint sighs, dissipated in the blood-red sunset.

The night wind on the grassland in late spring was like a knife, whipping up sand and gravel that lashed against the cowhide tent.

Shi Feiyang stood outside the tent with his hands behind his back. His bright yellow dragon robe gleamed coldly in the firelight, and the warmth of Chen Nan's wrist still lingered in his palm—the poisoned dagger had ultimately failed to pierce Kalis's throat.

A muffled groan came from inside the tent.

Ruiyun's figure flashed past, carrying two wounded men. The young prince's Longevity Sword was still dripping with the enemy's blood, which condensed into purplish-black ice crystals under the moonlight.

"Your Majesty, the remnants of the Heaven and Earth Society have formed an encirclement." Wei Nianhua's farewell hook was adorned with half a ghost mask, and the blood droplets on the hook tip fell onto the grass, instantly buried by the wind and sand. "The enemy has at least nine thousand people, and their palm techniques are insidious and vicious, seemingly from the lineage of the Ten Thousand Slices Technique."

Yue Shan slammed his Overlord Spear heavily on the ground, the tip carving a half-foot-deep furrow: "What's there to be afraid of! My Bordered Yellow Banner Iron Cavalry has trampled the Dzungars, why would I be afraid of these rabble?" His voice was like a booming bell, but it couldn't hide the worry in his eyes—when he fought the masked man just now, the opponent's palm force had made his tiger's mouth numb, clearly a mutation of the zombie skill.

Ruiyun suddenly looked up, her Longevity Sword flashing in her hand with thirteen sword flourishes: "Father, there's the sound of horses' hooves from the northwest!"

Before the words were even finished, the torches of the Heaven and Earth Society had already spread across the grassy hill. The leader, wielding a nine-ringed saber, cried out in anguish, "The treacherous Hongli killed my brothers! Today, blood will be repaid!"

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply, and his skin glowed with a crystalline luster as he activated the Mingyu Gong. He raised his hand and waved it lightly, and the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill drew upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The thirty-three riders at the forefront were blown away by an invisible force, crashing into the ranks behind them, horse and rider.

He unleashed his "Demon-Slaying Cloud" move! The blade energy of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique pressed out like a tidal wave, turning every blade of grass within three zhang into sharp blades, reaping the lives of the Heaven and Earth Society disciples. Wei Nianhua's Parting Hook, like a serpent emerging from its hole, hooked the throat of a burly man wielding a chain hammer. Using the momentum, he leaped onto his horse, the Parting Hook sweeping across the lives of thirteen men, when suddenly he glimpsed a cloud of dust rising in the distance—it was the Red Flower Society's banner!
Chen Jialuo took the lead, his longsword drawing an elegant arc, the opening stance of the Hundred Flowers Misaligned Sword Technique. "Master Wuchen, the left flank is yours!" Chen Jialuo's voice was clear and resonant. "Third Brother Zhao, use the Returning Dragon Jade to seal their retreat!"

Master Wuchen wielded his sword with one arm, moving three times faster than even a person with perfect sight. The Soul-Chasing, Life-Taking Sword transformed into a sky full of sword shadows, severing the wrists of Heaven and Earth Society disciples before their weapons could even be drawn.

Zhao Banshan's Returning Dragon Jade drew a strange arc in the air, and with the sound of hidden weapons piercing the air, three assassins wielding poisoned darts fell to the ground.

Ruiyun's Longevity Sword clashed with the Ghost Head Saber of the Heaven and Earth Society expert. The Heavenly Silkworm Silver Threads that emerged from her left palm suddenly tightened, actually shredding the opponent's weapon into scrap metal. "Under the Longevity Sword, how can there be any survivors?" Blood splattered on the young prince's face, but his eyes gleamed with excitement. "Slash!" A flash of sword light, and the Ghost Head Saber assassin's head rolled to the ground, his eyes still filled with disbelief and terror.

Inside the tent, Chen Nan crushed the antidote pill in his mouth, letting Shi Feiyang's Mingyu True Qi flow into his meridians.

She gazed at the man's jade-like profile, her fingertips secretly reaching for the poisoned needle in his hair—once it pierced the Dazhui acupoint on the back of his neck, even the Mingyu Kung Fu would be useless. But just then, Kalis's cough came from the next tent, and the weak sound made her heart skip a beat.

"Don't move." Shi Feiyang suddenly pressed down on her hand, the suction in his palm rendering her immobile. "I knew your intentions all along. Considering you are my newlywed wives, I will not punish you!" His voice was low, carrying a barely perceptible sigh. "But what I want is for you to willingly submit." Tang Qiaoqiao suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Is Your Majesty so confident?" Her nine-section steel whip suddenly lashed out, the tip aimed straight at Shi Feiyang's face.

However, the whip shadow suddenly changed direction halfway due to the pull of Shi Feiyang's "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, and actually got tangled in the pillar inside the tent.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chen Nan flipped himself up, drew his steel sword, and the sword spirit of the Three Blades of Avici Hell boiled within his body, with the phantom of Chen Jinnan appearing in the sword light.

"Chen Nan, you have indeed disappointed me." Shi Feiyang shook his head and sighed, raising his hand to unleash "Breaking the Universe".

The moment the blade energy collided with the palm wind, Chen Nan was thrown backward, his steel blade falling from his hand to the ground.

The grassland in late spring was twisted like a hell under the blood-red moonlight. When Ruiyun kicked open the cowhide tent flap, the ice crystals crushed by the soles of her boots made a soft groan.

Chen Nan leaned against the carved bronze stove, panting. Beads of blood seeping from his chest meandered down the ancient cover of the Three Swords Manual of the Avici Road, spreading dark red over the five characters "Secret Transmission of the Heaven and Earth Society".

"Hand over the sword manual!" The young prince's longevity sword was pressed against her throat, but the blade trembled uncontrollably.

Just now, he had killed 377 people outside the tent. The sensation of his sword tassel ripping the enemy's throat was still tingling in his fingertips.

Chen Nan suddenly threw his head back and laughed, blood splattering from between his teeth, blooming like red plum blossoms on his auspicious cloud python robe: "Want it? Come and take it yourself!"

Outside the tent, the sounds of fighting were deafening. Ruiyun gritted his teeth and reached out, but the moment he touched the sword manual, Chen Nan suddenly curled his fingers like hooks, aiming straight for Ruiyun's eyes.

The young man spun around to avoid the attack, and the Longevity Sword severed a strand of her hair. But at the tear in her clothes, he caught a glimpse of a hideous old scar on her chest—a sword wound left by his elder brother Xiang Ruixiang when they besieged the Heaven and Earth Society headquarters years ago.

At that moment, Yue Shan's furious roar came from outside the tent. The young prince took the "Avici Dao Sword Manual" from Chen Nan's pocket, then stuffed the manual into his own pocket, turned around and leaped out of the tent, the Longevity Sword leaving twelve afterimages in the air.

The closest Heaven and Earth Society disciple raised his knife to block, only to see the silver tassel of the sword pierce his throat like a venomous snake. He collapsed to the ground before he could even scream.

Wei Nianhua's farewell hook had been rolled into scrap metal, with half a piece of the enemy's ear bone still hanging from its tip. As he staggered backward, he suddenly saw Shi Feiyang standing with his hands behind his back on the high slope, his bright yellow dragon robe fluttering in the night wind, like a demon god looking down on all living beings.

The light of the Bright Jade Skill flowing in the Emperor's palm condensed the blood rain within a radius of ten feet into ice crystals. When the Heaven and Earth Society's hidden weapons reached within three feet of him, they were deflected by the gravitational pull of "Shifting Flowers and Replacing Jade" and instead killed their own men.

Shi Feiyang shouted, "You fiends of the Heaven and Earth Society, how dare you come to assassinate me? Humph!" The "Slaying the Mortal World" move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique transformed into nine golden blade beams, tearing up the grass inch by inch and revealing dark red soil in the places it passed.

In the distance, the melodious sound of camel bells drifted by, and Huo Qingtong led her Hui cavalry in like a black tide. Her wolf-skin cloak fluttered in the wind, and the gemstone pendant on her longsword reflected the moonlight, like the eyes of death.

Upon seeing Chen Jialuo's bloodied figure in battle, the Hui chieftain's eyelashes trembled slightly, but in the next instant, he swung his longsword at the nearest member of the Heaven and Earth Society. Kalis's coughs came from the vermilion carriage, each one weaker than the last.

As she struggled to lift the brocade curtain, she saw Chen Jialuo being attacked by three burly men wielding chain hammers. A blush suddenly rose on her pale face, and she cried out with all her might, "Jialuo, I missed you!"

Shi Feiyang's pupils suddenly contracted, and the palm strike he unleashed missed its mark by half an inch, shattering the cairn beside him into dust.

Chen Jialuo was struck dumb, and his Hundred Flowers Sword Techniques immediately went out of control. Just as the chain hammer was about to hit him, he was knocked away by a figure in blue.

Huo Qingtong knocked away weapons with her longsword and glared coldly at her brother: "Aren't you going to protect the emperor?"

"You have my body, but not my heart." Huo Qingtong dismounted and walked to Shi Feiyang. The moonlight outlined her heroic features, but an unnatural blush rose on her cheeks. "My sister, Kalis, is the same! She will always belong to Chen Jialuo!"

As Shi Feiyang gazed at the couple embracing in the distance, the light flowing through his Mingyu Gong suddenly dimmed.

He recalled the first time he met Kalis, when the girl rode her horse back at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, and the snow lotus in her hair was brighter than the moonlight.

"I choose to leave." The emperor's voice seemed to come from a great distance. "But I hope that the Hui people and the court will be of one heart forever. I will forever exempt the Hui people from taxes... I only ask that you restrain the Dzungars."

Chen Nan had climbed out of the carriage at some point. Her plain undergarment was stained with blood, and her hairpin was askew in her messy hair.

Watching Shi Feiyang's lonely figure, she suddenly laughed out loud, her laughter tinged with tears: "Hongli, you dog! Did you hear that? You have my body, but you can't have my heart!" The moment she plunged the dagger into her own throat, Tang Qiaoqiao let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Chen Nan's body slowly went limp, and the image of his father Chen Jinnan's dying smile appeared before his eyes.

She recalled that last night in the tent, when Shi Feiyang channeled his inner energy into her, the temperature from his palm was even more scorching than the chill of the Mingyu Gong.

Ruiyun's Longevity Sword suddenly slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. He looked at the slightly warm sword manual in his arms and recalled the look in Chen Nan's eyes when he looked at Shi Feiyang before he died—there was hatred in his eyes, but also something he couldn't understand.

In the distance, Huo Qingtong was wiping her eyes with her back to everyone, Chen Jialuo's hands were trembling as he held Kalis, and Shi Feiyang had already turned and walked towards the carriage, the golden dragon pattern on his bright yellow dragon robe gleaming with a cold light in the darkness before dawn.

The wind on the grassland, carrying the scent of blood, swept across the land, carrying with it the lingering sounds of camel bells, weeping, and the clash of weapons into the gradually whitening sky.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced the clouds, illuminating the corpses and tattered flags scattered on the ground, no one noticed that when Shi Feiyang picked up the short knife Chen Nan had left behind, his fingertips lingered on the character "father" engraved on the hilt for a long, long time.

The grasslands in late spring were filled with the stench of blood, and the setting sun stained the uncollected corpses with blood.

The sound of horses' hooves came from afar, and Chen Feng's black gold fan drew a half-circle of cold light in the twilight, the Big Dipper pattern on the fan surface gleaming with a ghostly glow.

Huo Cheng's Ten Thousand Slices Technique flowed with hidden power, and wherever his palm wind passed, the grass stems turned into dust. The cavalry escorting the money and grain was like a long steel dragon, crushing the mess on the ground.

Wei Nianhua's farewell hook tapped lightly against his waist as he and Ruiyun led their guards to greet them hastily. "Lord Chen, Commander Huo, you've had a long journey." Ruiyun glanced at the Hui totem on the carriage, a flicker of wariness crossing the young prince's eyes. "His Majesty is currently..."

"No need for further words." Chen Feng gently waved his folding fan, interrupting him. His gaze swept past the crowd and landed on Chen Jialuo and Kalis, who were embracing in the distance. "It seems that this play has come to an end."

Huo Qingtong's wolf-skin cloak fluttered in the wind, and the gemstone pendant on the sword hilt reflected the blood-red hue of the setting sun.

She walked to Shi Feiyang's side, raised her slender hand, and pointed her fingertips into the distance like cold stars: "Look! Does my sister look like a sick person?"

Her voice was as cold and clear as melting snow in the Tianshan Mountains, "She suffers from a heart ailment! Hongli, no matter how many imperial physicians you have, you cannot cure my sister's heart ailment!"

Shi Feiyang gazed at Kalis's flushed cheeks. The girl was holding Chen Jialuo's hand, leaping lightly across the grassland. Her skirt fluttered in the wind, and he vaguely recalled the bright figure he had seen at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains when they first met.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and the light flowing through his Mingyu Gong dimmed in his palm. Memories flooded back like a tide—those nights in the Forbidden City when he channeled his inner energy into Kalis, and her stubbornly turned away; those times when she coughed up blood, staining his bright yellow dragon robe with crimson spots.

“I choose to leave.” Shi Feiyang threw the short knife into the grass. The moment the blade sank into the soil, it was as if he had severed some kind of bond. “I hope the Hui people can help me and keep a close eye on the Dzungars.”

Before he could finish speaking, he turned to leave, but suddenly felt a tight grip on his wrist. Huo Qingtong's hand was rough from the grasslands, yet warmed by the unique gentleness of a young girl. "At the summit of Mount Tai, you disguised yourself as Chen Jialuo, deceived me, and won me over." Her cheeks flushed, like fiery clouds in the setting sun. "Years have passed, and I see you governing with benevolence, protecting the common people—a true hero, serving your country and its people. Well done!"

Shi Feiyang was stunned. He remembered that year on Mount Tai, he disguised himself as Chen Jialuo and married Huo Qingtong under the moon.

Afterwards, when the truth was revealed, Huo Qingtong's curved blade was pressed against his throat, her eyes filled with vigilance and hostility. Now, however, those eyes held a different emotion. "As long as you don't become emperor," Huo Qingtong's voice lowered, yet clearly reached his ears, "I am willing to stay with you forever in Tianshan." A cough from Chen Feng came from afar, as if reminding him of the proper etiquette between ruler and subject. Looking into Huo Qingtong's resolute eyes, Shi Feiyang suddenly recalled the day he ascended the throne, gazing upon the vast land in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the surge of pride and ambition that welled up within him.

At this moment, a promise from the woman before him gave him the urge to abandon everything. However, not being emperor was worse than death. For a man who becomes emperor, the most important things are his empire and the power he holds.

“Miss Huo, do you know,” Shi Feiyang slowly turned around, the light of the Mingyu Gong flowing around him again, but no longer sharp, “that in this world, what I cannot let go of is not just the empire.” His gaze swept over the lovers embracing in the distance, then landed on the respectful figures of Chen Feng and the others, “but there are some promises I can make to you. Once the Dzungars are completely subdued, that territory will be yours to lead!”

A flicker of disappointment crossed Huo Qingtong's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. She released her grip, the sound of her longsword being sheathed crisp and clear: "I can wait." With that, she mounted her horse, which neighed loudly and galloped off in the direction of Chen Jialuo and Kalis.

As Shi Feiyang watched her departing figure, he suddenly felt that even the wind in the world had become gentler.

He beckoned Wei Nianhua: "Issue an imperial decree that the Hui people be permanently exempted from taxes, and allocate an additional 100,000 taels of silver to help them resist the Dzungars."

He paused, then added, "I will also bestow upon Huo Qingtong the title of Great Khan of the Hui people, and I will personally send someone to deliver congratulatory gifts to him on his birthday every year."

Wei Nianhua paused for a moment, then accepted the order and left. Ruiyun watched his father's lonely yet resolute back, and quietly touched the "Three Blades of Avici" sword manual in his arms, a complex emotion rising in the young man's heart.

He suddenly realized that every drop of blood and every promise made on this grassland would become an indelible mark in history.

As dusk deepened, Chen Jialuo led Kalis towards Huo Qingtong, their shadows stretching long in the setting sun.

Chen Feng gently fanned himself, discussing the aftermath with Huo Cheng in hushed tones. Shi Feiyang stood quietly on the grassland, his bright yellow dragon robe blending seamlessly with the sunset, as if he had always been inextricably linked to this land and the martial world.

As the first star climbed into the night sky, Shi Feiyang mounted his horse.

"Back to the capital." His voice was deep yet powerful. The moment the sound of hooves rang out, he glanced back towards the direction of the Tianshan Mountains, where a woman waited for a promise that might never be fulfilled. And he, too, would continue to bear the weight of the world's suffering, heading towards the Forbidden City, a place rife with intrigue and strife.

A month later, the morning bell of the Forbidden City startled crows. Shi Feiyang stroked the memorials on the dragon desk. Upon hearing the news that Yongyan had executed Su Dai, he suddenly chuckled. The Mingyu Gong under the bright yellow dragon robe shimmered with a faint halo: "Decisive in handling affairs and ruthless in methods, he has some of my shadow from back then."

You Ning leaned against the gilded screen, her fingertips twirling a string of pearls, a look of pleasure flashing in her phoenix eyes.

When the news of Chen Nan's suicide arrived, she specially changed into a newly made crimson brocade dress, and the kingfisher feather phoenix in her hair trembled gently with her laughter: "In the end, only the clever can survive long in this harem."

Half a month later, in the white mountains and black waters of Liaodong, a group of well-dressed knights shattered the morning frost.

Shi Feiyang removed his dragon robe, revealing a black outfit over which he wore a wolf-skin cloak. The dragon pattern engraved on the jade pendant at his waist was faintly visible in the morning sun.

He rode on the snow dragon steed, his back straight as a pine tree. The morning light gilded his silhouette with a golden glow, causing the beautiful palace maid Shen Qingru, who was attending him, to stare in a daze. This was her first time accompanying the emperor on an inspection tour up close. Having grown accustomed to the effeminate beauty of the inner palace, she now truly understood what it meant for "the emperor to be like a dragon."

"This is the birthplace of my Great Qing Dynasty," he said, gazing at the distant village with its rising smoke, a faint glow of Mingyu Kung Fu emanating from his palm, "and we will not tolerate the chaos caused by these cowardly scoundrels of the martial world." Shen Qingru unconsciously tightened her grip on the soft sword, suddenly realizing that the Emperor's profile overlapped with that of "Chen Jialuo," whom she had encountered three years ago atop Mount Tai—at that time, she was being chased by bandits, and it was this handsome young man who had come to her rescue, the dragon embroidery peeking out from his sleeve still unforgettable to her.

Before the words were finished, sharp whistles suddenly rang out from both sides of the mountain road.

More than three hundred men in black appeared like ghosts. The leader had a bronze demon mask on his face and a nine-section steel whip wrapped with barbs in his hand: "You dog emperor! You wiped out my entire Dragon Guard Manor back then, and today is the place where you die!"

Wei Nianhua's farewell hook was the first to be drawn, the blood groove on the hook still bearing the dark red of the grassland battle: "Stubborn fool! Take this!"

A cold glint flashed like lightning, instantly sending three men in black flying. Chen Feng's black gold fan spun out a blue light, "You dare to show off your skills in front of your Grandpa Chen with the Big Dipper Formation?" The Big Dipper diagram on the fan stirred up a gust of wind, and seven swordsmen were actually injured by his black gold fan.

Shi Feiyang raised his hand and placed it on the hilt of his sword, only to see Shen Qingru suddenly spur her horse forward, the soft sword's silver bells ringing sharply.

Her white, fitted outfit fluttered in the wind like a white crane about to take flight, the tip of her sword aimed straight for the masked man's throat.

"Watch out!" Before he finished speaking, the masked man swept his steel whip across, and Shen Qingru was unable to dodge in time, and blood immediately bloomed on her shoulder.

"Qingru!" Fourteen-year-old Ruiyun exclaimed, but Shi Feiyang waved his hand to stop her.

The emperor's body shimmered with the crystalline light of the Bright Jade Technique, and in an instant, he was beside Shen Qingru.

He used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" technique! With his left hand gently guiding the steel whip, and his right hand holding her slender waist, he spun around to avoid the attack. As he did so, Shen Qingru smelled the faint scent of ambergris mixed with the smell of blood on his body, and her mind went blank for a moment.

"Your Majesty..." She looked up and met Shi Feiyang's eyes, which were as deep as an icy pool. There, she saw the carnage of the battlefield, but also a fleeting hint of concern.

Shi Feiyang released her hand, gently touching her wound with his fingertip. The chilling aura of Mingyu Gong immediately stopped the bleeding: "Step back."

His voice was deep, but a bit hoarse than usual.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the masked man swung his whip again, the force of the whip whipping Shi Feiyang's hair wildly. Shi Feiyang used his palm as a blade to unleash "Break the Universe!" Nine golden blade beams blazed like the sun in the sky, and the masked man staggered back three steps, the ice flowers on his chest spreading to his throat.

Ruiyun's three sword strikes descended simultaneously, the sword light colliding with the palm wind, the resulting shockwave blowing away all the grass within a ten-zhang radius.

Wei Nianhua's farewell hook grazed past Shen Qingru's ear, catching the throat of a black-clad attacker. Shen Qingru gazed at Shi Feiyang's bloodied figure, suddenly recalling his words atop Mount Tai: "The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people."

At the time, she thought it was just boastful talk from the martial arts world, but now, seeing Shi Feiyang protecting the people with his own flesh and blood, she finally understood what true imperial power meant. When the ultimate killing move, "Sever Reincarnation!" fell, the masked man turned into shattered ice crystals.

As Shi Feiyang turned around, Shen Qingru was using a silver hairpin to fasten her loose hair. The morning light pierced through her eyelashes, casting dappled shadows under her eyes.

Shi Feiyang's heart stirred slightly, but then he heard Ruiyun report, "Father, the extermination has been completed."

"Pass down the order," Shi Feiyang turned to look at the village, "that the people here be exempt from taxes for three years."

He paused, his voice softening slightly, "Summon Imperial Physician to treat Guard Shen's injuries." With that, he mounted his horse, the snow dragon neighing as it shattered the setting sun. But no one saw the handkerchief he was clutching tightly in his sleeve—the handkerchief embroidered with magnolia flowers that had slipped from Shen Qingru's waist when he had just embraced her.

As dusk fell, the group set off again. Shen Qingru watched Shi Feiyang's retreating figure ahead, her fingertips tracing the healed wound on her shoulder.

The warmth of his palm still lingered there, more scorching than the chill of Mingyu Gong. She suddenly understood that some feelings, like the spring snow in Liaodong, seem cold, but under the sunlight, they have long since melted into flowing spring water.

And she is willing to ride across the rivers and lakes, braving fire and water, for this ray of sunshine.

In early summer, Liaodong Bay was filled with humid sea air. The rising sun, like molten gold, plunged into the vast blue waves. But the moment Shi Feiyang stepped onto the deck, he seemed to be subdued by the aura of a dragon, shattering into thousands of golden scales that bowed in worship.

He stood with his hands behind his back, the five-clawed golden dragon embroidered beneath his dark, fitted clothing rising and falling with his breath, and the jade pendant with a coiled dragon at his waist emitted a radiant glow, even more intense than the fiery inferno in the sky. Shen Qingru stood by, sword in hand, feeling that the figure before him was completely different from the "Chen Jialuo" he remembered from the summit of Mount Tai—at this moment, his eyebrows were like those of a knife cutting through clouds, his eyes seemed to hold the power of a dragon hidden in a cold pool, and with every gesture, the might of an emperor transformed into a gale, pressing down the waves within three zhang.

"Your Majesty, the Giant Whale Gang's warships are blocking our path." Before the lookout could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang had already raised his palm and lightly waved it. Wherever his fingertips brushed, the waves three zhang away exploded with a deafening roar, turning into a sky full of ice crystals: "Ruiyun, escort the merchant ships to the shallows. You all follow me—"

As he turned, Mingyu Gong had already solidified into ice crystal armor around his body. "Let these sea rats see what the might of Heaven is." When Gao Biju, the leader of the Giant Whale Gang, slashed down with his nine-ringed saber, Shi Feiyang's Xuanshuang Blade at his waist was not even drawn. He stood with his hands behind his back, letting the wind from the blade lift his hair, but three inches from his body, he used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill to create a vortex, deflecting the thunderous slash towards the mast.

With a "crack," the mainmast of the black-sailed warship snapped in two. Gao Biju stared at the blade rolling at his feet, cold sweat crawling all over his forehead: the person before him could actually manipulate the power of heaven and earth with his bare hands.

"Do you know why the Giant Whale Gang has been causing trouble for twenty years, and I am only now coming to wipe them out?" Shi Feiyang approached slowly, each step causing spiderweb-like ice patterns to form on the deck. He flipped his palm, and before the "Breaking Heaven and Earth" sword energy was fully released, it had already shattered Gao Biju's chest armor inch by inch. "Because..." The cold light suddenly intensified, "I want you all to be the sacrificial ghosts, killing one to warn a hundred."

As Huo Cheng's gruesome attack stirred up a bloody storm on the side of the ship, tearing apart the third corpse with his fingertips, Shi Feiyang suddenly burst into laughter.

The ice crystals around the emperor had transformed into translucent dragon scales. He used his palm as a blade to unleash "Burning Heaven and Earth," and the blade's light condensed into nine golden dragons. With their claws outstretched, they shredded Gao Xiangju's bronze rod into molten iron.

"Those who defy me will be like your heads!" Shi Feiyang stood tall, letting the blood rain fall on the bright yellow dragon pattern, as if a golden dragon bathed in blood had descended upon the world. "Minister Wei, we must nip this in the bud." Wei Nianhua's parting hook was drawn in response, but Shi Feiyang raised his hand and pressed down on his shoulder.

Ice crystals formed on the emperor's fingertips as he gazed at the bandits swimming away in the distance. A cold smile played on his lips: "No need to pursue them." A sudden suction force emanated from his palm, freezing the seawater within a ten-mile radius into an ice bridge. "Send them back to deliver a message—"

The ice bridge shattered with a deafening roar, and the shards of ice shot into the sky like sharp arrows. "Wherever my horse's hooves go, those who resist will die, and those who obey will live."

Three days later, on the shore of Daming Lake, Shi Feiyang removed his disguise, his bright yellow dragon robe appearing and disappearing in the morning mist. He raised his hand and waved it lightly, and the sword energy of "Slaying the Mortal World" blasted the vermilion gate of the Giant Whale Gang's headquarters into dust. Dozens of strong men inside had not even had time to react before they were blasted against the wall by the shockwave and unable to move.

The giant whale gang elder Gao Fei's iron paddle came crashing down, but it shattered inch by inch as it hit the hem of his robe, like hitting a sacred mountain. "I gave you a chance to surrender." Shi Feiyang stepped over the debris, his dragon boots grinding against the blue bricks with a teeth-grinding cracking sound. "Unfortunately, you chose the wrong path."

As Shen Qingru gazed at Shi Feiyang's retreating figure, she suddenly felt a dryness in her throat. At this moment, Shi Feiyang was no longer a human emperor; he was clearly a celestial dragon descended to earth to slay demons and monsters—when his palm strike fell, nine dragon-shaped blade beams shattered the corpses of the three elders of the Gao family into ashes. Only the willow branches by the lake, stained with a few drops of blood, revealed just how brutal the battle had been.

"Father, the money and grain have been counted and stored." Ruiyun hurried over to report, the young man's eyes filled with reverence.

Shi Feiyang raised his hand and stroked the dragon-patterned jade pendant at his waist. His gaze swept across the shimmering lake surface, and he suddenly laughed loudly: "No matter how vast the world is, it can't be bigger than my vast land." As he turned around, his dragon robe billowed like waves. "Issue an imperial decree that all coastal counties shall be exempt from taxes for three years—let the people see that my land cannot tolerate the slightest filth."

The singing girls on the painted boats by the lake had long since fled, leaving only the silhouette of a dragon robe in the morning mist, casting a brilliant shadow between heaven and earth.

Shen Qingru gripped her soft sword tightly, her heart pounding like a drum—she finally understood why that fleeting glimpse atop Mount Tai had made her willing to follow him with her sword. The man before her was a true emperor capable of changing the course of rivers and altering the light of the sun and moon, and more importantly, he was a being more radiant than the sun, moon, and stars in her heart.

In the distance, the dust raised by Ruiyun and his Imperial Guards blotted out the sky, while Shi Feiyang had already mounted his horse, and with a flick of his whip, he headed straight for the misty willows of Jiangnan.

His silhouette blended into the clouds on the horizon, but in Shen Qingru's eyes, it transformed into an unyielding mountain—her faith, her king, her world!
The setting sun, like blood, bathed the eaves and brackets of Luoyang in a crimson hue, resembling a battlefield.

Shi Feiyang reined in the snow dragon steed. The five-clawed golden dragon embroidered in his dark outfit rose and fell with his breath, and the jade pendant with a coiled dragon at his waist emitted a dark red light.

He gazed at the mottled "Iron Knife Society" mark on the city gate, a cold smile curving his lips. Mingyu Gong condensed into ice crystals in his palm, and wherever it passed, spiderweb-like ice patterns appeared on the stone pavement.

"Your Majesty, the Iron Saber Society's headquarters is located behind the White Horse Temple." Wei Nianhua's farewell hook gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light in the twilight, the dragon pattern engraved on its body echoing the jade pendant at Shi Feiyang's waist.

Chen Feng gently waved his large black fan, the Big Dipper pattern on the fan surface swirling with mysterious blue light: "I've heard that the Iron Saber Society has recently mastered the 'Hundred Blades Returning to the Source Formation,' I'd like to see it for myself." Shen Qingru gripped her soft sword tightly, but suddenly the silver bell rang softly.

Shi Feiyang turned to look at her, the cold glint in his eyes softening slightly: "Stay close behind me later."

His voice was low, but carried unquestionable authority.

The girl felt a warmth in her heart and was about to respond when she suddenly heard the sound of metal clashing in the distance. Seventy-eight disciples of the Iron Blade Society appeared like ghosts, their blades flashing in unison – it was the Iron Blade Society's famous technique, the "Mountain of Blades and Sea of ​​Fire Formation".

"A mere trick!" Huo Cheng's figure moved like a ghost, a bluish-gray light emanating from his palms.

The Ten Thousand Slices Technique was unleashed, producing a teeth-grinding tearing sound in the air. A burly man swung his knife, but the blade shattered inch by inch the moment it touched his body. Then, his flesh was torn apart by an invisible force, instantly turning him into a bloody mess of pieces.

"This kind of evil skill dares to show off in front of the Emperor?" Huo Cheng sneered, slapping his palms repeatedly, tearing the bodies of three Iron Saber Society disciples to pieces.

Ruiyun's Avici Path Three Blades traced eerie arcs in the twilight, countless vengeful spirits and ghosts emerging from the blade's light. The young prince unleashed "Avici Path - Salvation!" His sword strikes were wide and sweeping, clashing with the Iron Blade Society's vice hall master's nine-ringed broadsword, the sparks illuminating his resolute face.

The deputy leader of the Iron Knife Society roared and his sword strike became even faster, but then Ruiyun suddenly changed his move, his sword light flashing like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, aiming straight for the opponent's throat.

Shi Feiyang stood with his hands behind his back, watching the battle. Ming Yugong had already condensed the air around him into an ice crystal armor.

When the Iron Saber Gang leader's "Thunderous Blade" came crashing down, he finally moved. He used "Shifting Flowers and Jade!" With a gentle flick of his palms, the thunderous blade was redirected towards his own Iron Saber Gang brothers, who screamed in agony as blood splattered everywhere.

Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang unleashed a double palm strike, "Breaking Heaven and Earth!" The Hundred Victory Saber Technique, imbued with the chilling aura of the Bright Jade Skill, cleaved through everything in its path, turning grass and trees into dust. The Iron Saber Society leader hastily channeled his energy to defend himself, but felt the chill rushing back through his meridians, instantly forming ice flowers on his chest.

Wei Nianhua's parting hook, like a serpent emerging from its hole, hooked the throat of a master wielding a chain knife. Using the momentum, he leaped into the enemy ranks, the hook sometimes aimed directly at the throat, sometimes sweeping across the lower body, clothes fluttering and blood splattering wherever it passed. Chen Feng's black gold fan spun with a blue light, "The Big Dipper, the myriad things return to nothingness!" The fan stirred up a celestial wind, and more than ten Iron Knife Society disciples were actually cut by their own blades.

"The Iron Blade Society will be beheaded today!" Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, his body covered in ice crystals that transformed into translucent dragon scales. He used his palm as a blade to unleash "Burning Heaven and Earth," and the blade's light condensed into nine golden dragons.

The leader of the Iron Blade Society brandished his ancestral Xuan Iron Blade, attempting to defend himself, but the dragon-shaped blade light bared its fangs and claws, and the Xuan Iron Blade shattered inch by inch.

"Do you know why I have only come today?" Shi Feiyang approached slowly, each step causing ice flowers to burst on the ground. "Because I want the world to know the consequences of opposing the court!" Shen Qingru watched in horror, but her soft sword never stopped moving.

Her silver bells jingled amidst the flashing blades, her soft sword slashing like a white snake's tongue, striking seven enemies in quick succession. When an elder of the Iron Blade Society's blade approached Shi Feiyang's back, she leaped forward without hesitation to block it, blood instantly blooming on her left shoulder.

"Qingru!" Shi Feiyang's voice trembled for the first time. As he turned, he activated the Mingyu Gong at full power, his entire being resembling a sheet of white ice shrouded in icy mist. "Sever Reincarnation!" The ultimate killing move descended, instantly freezing the Iron Blade Society elder into an ice sculpture before shattering it with a deafening roar. Shi Feiyang embraced Shen Qingru's waist, the warmth of the Mingyu Gong flowing into her body. "If you dare to die, I will make this entire city of Luoyang pay the price."

When the fierce battle ended, Luoyang was shrouded in night.

Shi Feiyang stood atop the ruins of the Iron Saber Society's headquarters, the bright yellow dragon pattern on his forehead faintly visible in the moonlight. He raised his hand and waved it lightly. "Pass down the order: all remnants of the Iron Saber Society are to be pardoned. Those who repent and reform will be forgiven for their past transgressions." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the corpses strewn across the ground. "As for this sinful headquarters..."

Flames erupted from his palm. "Burn it."

Amidst the raging flames, Shi Feiyang leaped onto his horse, whipped it, and galloped south. Shen Qingru watched his retreating figure, a strange emotion welling up within her. She knew this man was not only the ruler of the world, but also someone she would willingly risk her life to protect. (End of Chapter)