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

Chapter 379. The Dragon and Phoenix Golden Rings Suppress Banditry, the Emperor's Iron Fist Rectifies Court Etiquette.

"Remnants of the Heaven and Earth Society, if you don't die, the world will never be at peace! I'm fighting for peace now!" Shi Taishan roared, unleashing the move "Dragon and Phoenix Bring Auspiciousness." The golden ring burst forth with dazzling light, and the black energy of the Netherworld Ghost Claw was actually shredded by the golden light.

The chieftain's tiger's mouth was shattered, and he staggered backward, only to see that Shi Taishan's golden ring had silently circled around behind him.

"Die! I want peace in the world now!" Shi Taishan roared again, and with a backhand slap, his twin rings pierced the chieftain's collarbone like lightning. The golden rings dragged the wailing chieftain across the snow, leaving a long trail of blood, and finally nailed him to the plaque above the chieftain's gate. At this moment, Shi Taishan stood with his hands behind his back, his true energy condensing into golden qi, and all the snow within a ten-zhang radius evaporated into white mist.

"The rules of the Money Gang," he said, wiping the blood from his golden rings, his voice as cold as ice, "Anyone who dares to commit a crime under the emperor's nose will die a gruesome death!" With that, he unleashed both rings, and wherever they passed, the henchmen of Black Wind Stronghold fell like mowing grass.

Even more terrifying is that the golden ring can split and recombine in mid-air, sometimes transforming into chains to entangle enemies, and sometimes solidifying into sharp blades to cut through flesh and blood.

Before long, Qingfeng Village had been transformed into a hellish landscape.

The two rings of Shi Taishan, having drunk countless amounts of blood, were now dripping blood as they slowly flew back to his palm.

Looking at the corpses scattered on the ground, the sixth-generation descendant suddenly plunged the double rings into the snow: "Grandpa, only today does Taishan understand that the sharpest thing in the world is not my dragon and phoenix rings, but the way of the emperor in your heart."

Looking at this brave junior, Shi Feiyang rarely smiled as the light emanating from his Mingyu Gong.

In the distance, Shi Huiyu's Mingquan Staff Technique continued, each swing of the barbed silver staff causing blood to bloom on the enemy's body. Meanwhile, Shi Taishan's Golden Ring had become the Grim Reaper's Scythe, feared throughout the Beijing underworld, drawing the most dazzling crimson arc in this storm of wiping out various gangs.

As dusk settles, the lanterns of the western market in the capital city light up one by one.

Shi Taishan leaned against the vermilion railing of the Money Gang branch, playing with the dragon and phoenix gold ring in his hand.

These family heirlooms gleamed with a warm light in the twilight, the dragon and phoenix patterns engraved on their bodies so lifelike that they seemed ready to take flight at any moment.

"Boss, the Canal Gang is causing trouble at the docks again," a member rushed in to report. Shi Taishan smirked and fastened the gold ring to his waist: "Let's go, let's go and meet these fools. The Emperor is currently wiping out all the bandits in the land, and now that these fearless bastards have come knocking on our door, I'll just collect their dog heads and make a great contribution!"

On the dock, the members of the Canal Gang were confronting the disciples of the Money Gang. Zhou Canglang, the leader of the Canal Gang, held a steel mace. When he saw Shi Taishan arrive, he sneered disdainfully: "Who do we have here? It turns out to be a junior who relies on his ancestors' protection."

Shi Taishan remained expressionless as he slowly took out the Dragon and Phoenix Rings. The moment the golden rings were revealed, they drew gasps of amazement from those around him. He gently twirled them with both hands, and the two rings drew two graceful arcs in the air, emitting a clear and melodious sound.

"Watch out, this is the Dragon and Phoenix Rings, a technique long lost by the Money Gang!" someone shouted from the crowd. Zhou Canglang's expression changed, but he still forced a smile and shouted, "Child's play!" With that, he swung his spiked club and smashed it down.

Shi Taishan neither dodged nor evaded. As the spiked club drew near, the twin rings suddenly flew from his hands. The golden rings traced eerie trajectories in the air, splitting into a mother and child ring—the child ring coiled around the spiked club like a nimble snake, while the mother ring aimed straight for Zhou Canglang's throat.

Zhou Canglang was terrified and hastily abandoned his staff to retreat. But the mother ring clung to him like a persistent leech, relentlessly pursuing him. In the nick of time, he swung out a palm strike, only to see the mother ring suddenly split into three smaller rings, each attacking one of his three major acupoints.

With a "ding," Zhou Canglang narrowly avoided a fatal blow, but the golden ring grazed his left shoulder, leaving a deep bloody mark.

Before he could even catch his breath, the second ring had broken free from the mace's grip, merging with the first ring and flying back into Shi Taishan's hand like lightning. "This... how is this possible?" Zhou Canglang's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

Shi Taishan gently stroked the golden ring and said calmly, "The Dragon and Phoenix Rings, once used, will surely draw blood. You're lucky today." "Brothers, attack together!" Zhou Canglang shouted angrily. The members of the Cao Gang brandished their weapons and surged forward like a tide.

Shi Taishan's expression hardened, and his inner energy surged. The two rings in his hands spun rapidly, forming a golden light curtain in the air.

"Go!" he shouted, and the twin rings transformed into streaks of light, shooting out. Wherever the golden rings passed, blood splattered. The weapons of the Cao Gang members were shredded by the golden rings, and some were even pierced through the throats by the rings.

Those who managed to dodge it had no time to breathe a sigh of relief before they discovered that the golden ring was splitting and reassembling in mid-air, attacking from an unexpected angle.

The fierce battle ended in a matter of moments. The Cao Gang suffered heavy casualties, and Zhou Canglang was even nailed to a stone pillar at the dock by Jin Huan.

As night deepened, Shi Taishan stood on the dock, gazing at the shimmering water.

The dragon and phoenix rings gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and the bloodstains on the rings stood out starkly in the moonlight.

He gently stroked the golden ring, recalling his grandfather's teachings from his childhood: "The Dragon and Phoenix Ring is an instrument of justice. The one who holds the ring should take it upon himself to protect the common people." The sound of the night watchman striking the gong came from afar. Shi Taishan put the Dragon and Phoenix Ring into his pocket and turned to leave.

In the twelfth lunar month, the Forbidden City was shrouded in a layer of frost-colored armor. Icicles hanging from the glazed tiles were like sharp blades, shattering the sunlight into specks of cold stars. Shi Feiyang leaned against the golden dragon pillar in the Qianqing Palace. The faint light from the Mingyu Gong (a type of jade pendant) reflected the impeachment memorials on his desk, and his fingertips caressed the dragon jade pendant at his waist.

Suddenly, a report came from below the steps: "Shi Heming, son of Shi Taishan, leader of the Money Gang, is here to pay his respects!" A young man in black martial attire stepped into the hall, his hair still covered with unmelted snowflakes.

A miniature version of Shi Taishan's pair of dragon and phoenix gold rings hung from his waist, swaying gently with his steps, resonating with the candlelight in the hall and producing tiny golden glimmers.

"I heard that when you accompanied your father to suppress bandits, you saved more than 630 people with your Golden Ring Technique?" Shi Feiyang's voice was tinged with the chilling quality of Mingyu Gong, but when he saw the ornament on the boy's waist, a hint of gentleness flashed in his eyes.

Shi Heming knelt on one knee, the golden ring striking the ground with a clear, melodious sound: "Your Majesty, that is a family heirloom skill that should be used." Shi Feiyang nodded, and then ordered someone to summon Lu Fangtian, the commander of the Sticky Rod Office, and, under the pretext of Shi Taishan's meritorious service in suppressing bandits, transferred Shi Taishan's son, Shi Heming, to the Sticky Rod Office as a guard.

Before he could finish speaking, a secret agent rushed in and whispered a few words in the emperor's ear.

Seeing this, Lu Fangtian led Shi Heming away from Qianqing Palace and back to the Sticky Rod Office to teach Shi Heming how to perform his duties.

Shi Feiyang's expression turned cold, and the icy mist rising from his palm instantly condensed into half a cup of cold tea: "Summon Chen Feng and Heshen to the palace immediately!"

Meanwhile, inside the Grand Council, Heshen held the memorial impeaching Anming, his fingertips almost poking holes in the Xuan paper.

He stared at the words "concealing his father's death," something that had happened when he was the Vice Minister of Revenue. Now, he was the Minister of Revenue. What was there to be afraid of? At that moment, he suddenly sneered, his black jade thumb ring gleaming in the candlelight: "Old man Yonggui, you've got a good plan."

He quickly copied two memorials, and before the ink was even dry, he ordered his trusted aides to send them by fast horse to the Grand Council and the Qianqing Palace. The next morning at court, Yonggui's impeachment resounded in the Golden Palace: "Heshen has protected Anming and shown utter disregard for the law. I implore Your Majesty to punish him severely!"

The old minister's official robes billowed with his trembling body, and his scepter almost pierced Heshen, who was kneeling below.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!" Heshen calmly unfolded the memorial, his words filled with deep remorse. "Anming has deceived the Emperor and committed an unforgivable crime! Although I recommended him first, I was truly misled and am willing to accept the blame for my oversight!"

When he looked up, two clear tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, contrasting sharply with the snow piled up on the steps.

Shi Feiyang played with the coiled dragon jade pendant, quietly activating the Mingyu Gong.

Upon seeing the impeachment memorial presented by the Grand Council, Shi Feiyang suddenly chuckled, his palm casting a misty light across the imperial desk: "Although Heshen made a mistake, he acknowledged it and was able to correct it. However, Heshen is demoted two ranks but retained in office for his negligence: Superintendent of Chongwen Gate Taxes and General Manager of the Military Camp. As for Anming—"

The tone suddenly turned cold, "He shall be executed by slow slicing, and his entire family's property confiscated!"

After the court session ended, a cold wind swirled snowflakes and pelted Heshen's face.

He watched Yonggui's departing figure, his boots crushing the icicles on the steps, and then turned and headed straight for Kunning Palace.

The beautiful and accomplished woman, You Ning, leaned against the incense burner in the warm pavilion, her scarlet armor fiddled with the gilded hand warmer. Her phoenix eyes swept over his disheveled appearance: "Lord He, have you lost your wings?" "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty." He Shen suddenly knelt down, his forehead almost touching the cold gold bricks.

You Ning chuckled, the pearls on her sleeves rustling softly: "The imperial court is like a martial arts world, which official hasn't gotten his hands dirty? Can't you find someone to report other corruption cases? Then I'll put in a good word for him before the Emperor, how can I not redeem myself?"

As she rose, the hem of her skirt, embroidered with twin lotus blossoms, brushed against Heshen's shoulder, leaving a wisp of ambergris. "Remember," she said, "the nights in the Forbidden City are the perfect time to brew stories." The snow fell harder and harder, turning the palace walls a pristine white.

While dealing with a major corruption case, Shi Feiyang turned his attention to the matter of eliminating bandits. He dispatched Lu Fangtian, the commander of the Sticky Rod Office, along with Shi Heming and other skilled guards to the Northwest. They secretly cooperated with Shi Taishan, the leader of the Money Gang, to take advantage of the opportunity of a fake robbery during a caravan escort to eliminate some bandit gangs in the martial arts world.

The wind and sand of the Northwest desert carried the sound of camel bells. Shi Taishan leaned against the carved window on the second floor of the inn, his dragon and phoenix gold rings nimbly turning between his fingers.

The clinking of the golden rings produced a clear, melodious sound, startling the crows perched under the eaves and attracting several pairs of eyes that concealed sharpness.

"Sir, are you from the capital?" The hoarse voice carried a heavy northern accent. Shi Taishan looked up and saw seven or eight men wearing felt hats gathered around a table downstairs. The ruby ​​on the curved knife at the leader's waist gleamed eerily in the setting sun.

Shi Taishan's lips curled into a cold smile, and the golden ring suddenly flew from his hand. Two golden lights streaked across the twilight like shooting stars, tracing eerie arcs in the air. Before the men could react, their wine bowls shattered, wine and broken porcelain flying everywhere.

"Shi Taishan of the Money Gang, I've long admired your name." The leader of the men suddenly stood up, drawing his curved sword. "I've heard that your Dragon and Phoenix Rings can take a man's head from a hundred paces away. Today I'd like to see for myself!"

Shi Taishan slowly rose, his black martial attire fluttering in the wind: "Why take a hundred paces to take your dog's head?" Before his words were finished, the twin rings had already transformed into streaks of light. The golden rings suddenly split and reformed in mid-air, the smaller ring wrapping around the curved blade, while the larger ring aimed straight for his throat.

The man's pupils contracted sharply, and he hurriedly swung his knife to block, but with a "crack," the curved knife, forged from refined steel, was twisted in two by the golden ring.

"This is impossible!" The man exclaimed in shock and anger, drawing his soft whip from his waist. The whip, like a serpent, struck towards Shi Taishan's face, but the golden ring suddenly spun rapidly, forming a golden light curtain in the air. The moment the whip touched the light curtain, it was shredded into pieces.

Shi Taishan's hands flew, and the golden ring under his control transformed into a sky full of golden light.

Each golden ray struck the enemy's vital points with pinpoint accuracy, and in the blink of an eye, seven or eight men lay dead in pools of blood. Even more astonishingly, the golden ring automatically returned to its original position after killing the enemy, tracing a perfect arc in the air before merging back into one and landing steadily in his palm.

"Anyone else who dares to object?" Shi Taishan surveyed the terrified crowd in the inn, the blood dripping from his golden ring blooming like red plum blossoms on the blue bricks. Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the window.

"Chief Shi!" A man in a tight-fitting outfit dismounted and rushed to the second floor. "Urgent report from the capital! The Yellow River Gang is colluding with bandits from beyond the Great Wall, plotting to rob government silver!" Shi Taishan's expression hardened, and he tucked the gold ring into his robes. "Prepare the horse!" As he turned, he caught a glimpse of the bronze mirror on the wall. In the mirror, his eyes were sharp as an eagle's, and the gold ring at his waist gleamed coldly, as if foreshadowing the impending bloodshed.

Three days later, at the Yellow River ferry. Shi Taishan gazed at the densely packed bandits on the opposite bank, the dragon and phoenix golden rings in his hand humming. The leader of the Canal Gang stood at the bow, holding a nine-ringed broadsword, sneering repeatedly: "Shi Taishan, today this is the burial ground of your Money Gang!"

Shi Taishan did not answer, and the double rings suddenly slipped from his grasp.

The golden ring split in the air into sixteen golden rays, forming the Big Dipper constellation.

Wherever it passed, the bandits' weapons were shredded, and some were even pierced through the throat by the golden rings. Those who managed to avoid it had no time to catch their breath before the golden rings reformed in mid-air and attacked from unexpected angles.

The battle was exceptionally fierce, the blood staining the Yellow River crimson. Shi Taishan's golden rings, having drunk countless lives, grew ever more formidable. When the last bandit fell, the leader of the Canal Gang was horrified to discover that his nine-ringed broadsword was entangled by the golden rings, rendering him immobile.

“You’ve lost.” Shi Taishan walked over slowly, the golden ring deftly twirling between his fingers. “The Cao Gang colluded with foreign enemies. According to the rules of the martial world, their martial arts should be abolished and they should be expelled from the Central Plains.” With that, the golden ring suddenly shot out, severing the Cao Gang leader’s martial arts foundation.

As the sun sets, Shi Taishan stands at the bow of the boat, gazing at the surging Yellow River, the dragon and phoenix golden rings gleaming warmly in the twilight.

Lu Fangtian and others from the sticky rod office gave Shi Heming a thumbs up.

In late spring, Kunming was shrouded in misty rain. The azaleas on Yuantong Mountain were in full bloom, but they could not conceal the somber atmosphere within the deep walls of the Governor-General's Yamen. Heshen leaned against the vermilion sedan chair carried by eight men, his fingertips caressing the warm, smooth Hetian jade thumb ring. The sound of horses' hooves outside the sedan chair and the tinkling of the copper bells on the eaves intertwined to create an eerie rhythm.

"Lord He, we have arrived at the Governor's Mansion." Kaninga, who was accompanying him, lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, revealing dark water stains on the official robes of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, which were soaked by the drizzle.

Heshen stepped out, lightly waving his folding fan. The four characters "明镜高悬" (meaning "a bright mirror hangs high") on the fan were blurred in the rain, which seemed like a great irony.

Li Shiyao leaned against the white marble railing and sneered. The gold thread on his peacock robe, a third-rank official's robe, gleamed coldly in the rain. "I wonder if the three imperial envoys have come to investigate a case or to enjoy the scenery?" Behind him stood his steward, Zhao Yiheng, whose eyes darted around as the jade pendant in his sleeve swayed inadvertently—it was the token from his secret meeting with the salt merchant three days ago.

"Lord Li is joking." Heshen's smile was gentle and refined, but his tone suddenly turned cold. "I've heard that the sandalwood screen in your residence is even more valuable than the one in the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Forbidden City?" Before he could finish speaking, Qian Feng had already unfolded the file: "Last year, the salt tax in Yunnan was 200,000 taels short. What is your explanation, Lord Li?"

That night, candlelight flickered in the governor's mansion dungeon. Zhao Yiheng, chained to a rack, watched as Heshen slowly turned a gilded incense burner.

"Does Steward Zhao know," Heshen said, picking up a sprig of ambergris and dropping it into the burner, "that this incense comes from Siam and is exactly the same as the one on your desk in your study?"

He suddenly flicked his sleeve, and the rising smoke from the incense burner rushed straight to the other person's face. "Tell me, where are those account books hidden?"

"I don't know!" Zhao Yiheng gritted his teeth. Kaninga was about to slam his fist on the table when Heshen raised his hand to stop him. He took out a jade thumb ring from his sleeve, which reflected a ghostly green light under the candlelight: "This is the item you pawned to Huitong Money Shop the other day. The pawn ticket is here." His voice suddenly became like a venomous snake's tongue, "If you don't want your wife, children, and elderly parents to suffer..." A scream echoed in the rainy night.

When Zhao Yiheng collapsed to the ground covered in blood, Heshen had already obtained a full twelve pages of confessions. He carefully wiped his blood-stained fingertips with a silk handkerchief, looked at the swaying lanterns outside the window, and chuckled: "Tomorrow, it's time for the officials in Yunnan to properly recognize their new master."

The following morning, the council chamber of the Governor's Mansion was packed with officials of all ranks. Li Shiyao sat upright in the main seat, outwardly calm, but his palms were already sweating.

Heshen slowly walked up the steps. When the bright yellow imperial edict was unfurled, the hall was completely silent. "Imperial edict to investigate the case!" His voice echoed between the beams and pillars. "Zhao Yiheng, repeat what you know in front of all the officials."

When the steward was dragged up, he was barely recognizable as a human, but the moment he saw his master, he suddenly struggled: "Master, save me!" Just as Li Shiyao was about to get up, Heshen threw out the confession: "Lord Li, this has the number of salt permits you personally annotated."

He turned to look at everyone, tapping his folding fan lightly: "Which of you here hasn't touched this?" The air froze instantly.

The provincial governor suddenly knelt down: "This humble official was coerced and bribed! Li Shiyao forced me to falsely report the extent of the disaster..."

This single act caused a huge uproar. The prefect and the general knelt down to confess, their voices rising and falling. Li Shiyao looked at his former subordinates, his face turning from red to pale, and finally he collapsed into his armchair.

"What a show!" Heshen chuckled, then shouted, "Guards, take Li Shiyao to prison!" As he turned around, the rain had stopped, and sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, casting interplay of light and shadow on his face.

On the way back to the capital, Qian Feng looked at the jade thumb ring that Heshen was playing with and finally couldn't help but say, "Lord Heshen's methods are like the low-down tricks used to extract confessions in the martial arts world."

"Lord Qian, do you know," Heshen tossed the thumb ring into the air and caught it steadily, "that the imperial court is like a martial arts world, where the victor is king."

He gazed at the distant, layered mountains, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Li Shiyao is just the tip of the iceberg. The real big fish..." He didn't finish his sentence, but instead gripped the newly bestowed gold-inlaid jade belt around his waist.

Half a month later, in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. Shi Feiyang was flipping through thick files, with Li Shiyao's confession pressed down on the dragon-patterned paperweight on his desk. When he saw Heshen's secret report, he suddenly chuckled, his Mingyu Gong condensing into a crystal-clear ice ball in his palm: "Well done, Heshen, he's even more ruthless than I expected."

"Your Majesty," Shen Qingru said softly, holding a teacup, "rumor has it that the people of Yunnan call this investigation 'The Golden Palace Judgment'."

As she watched the emperor's expression grow colder, she couldn't help but add, "However, some people say that Lord He's methods are too ruthless..."

"Ruthless?" Shi Feiyang suddenly crushed the ice ball, and a cold mist filled the entire imperial study. "This ruthlessness is exactly what I want. Issue an edict to promote Heshen to Imperial Minister and appoint him as the Manchu Commander of the Bordered Blue Banner."

He gazed at the swaying palace lanterns outside the window, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Let the world see that anyone who dares to lay a hand on me in my court will pay the price."

As night deepened, Heshen stood on the winding bridge of his mansion, gazing at the koi swimming in the pond. His newly bestowed official hat and peacock feather gleamed faintly in the moonlight. He gently stroked the jade belt at his waist and suddenly chuckled softly.

The sound of the night watchman striking the gong came from afar, startling a flock of roosting birds, but it could not disturb the ambition that was quietly growing in this deep mansion.

The gilded beast-head incense burner in the Hall of Mental Cultivation exhaled a fragrant mist of dragon's saliva. Shi Feiyang's fingertips repeatedly caressed the secret report. The news of the internal strife in the Dzungar Khanate made even the coiled dragon jade pendant feel cold.

When Lu Fangtian, the commander of the Sticky Rod Office, knelt on one knee, the black iron token struck the blue bricks with a dull thud: "The Salar tribe has passed the Jade Gate Pass, and the Sanceling tribe is still a hundred miles away from Hami."

“Minister Wei,” Shi Feiyang looked up at the Grand Secretary who stood holding a hook, the cold glint of the hook flickering like a dragon in the candlelight, “Fifty thousand iron cavalry, assemble at Jiayuguan within three days, and be under your command.”

As he rose, his bright yellow dragon robe swept across the imperial desk, heavily pressing down on the city of Yili on the map of the Western Regions. "I will personally lead the expedition."

Heshen lightly tapped the python-patterned boot with his crescent-shaped scimitar, the ruby ​​on the scabbard reflecting a bloodshot glint in his eyes: "Your Majesty, I am willing to pave the way for you!" Chen Feng knelt down, waving a large black gold fan, the Big Dipper pattern on the fan surface swirling with a mysterious blue light: "But the desert winds and sands may blind some people."

Heshen remained silent, quite calm, knowing that the emperor liked him.

Yue Shan gripped the Overlord Spear tightly, and the red tassel on the spear suddenly moved on its own without any wind.

The north wind outside Jiayuguan, carrying sand and gravel, tore the 50,000 banners into fluttering battle flags. Shen Qingru's soft sword, with its silver bell wrapped in a wolf skin, still trembled slightly on horseback, as if mourning the impending bloody battle.

Shi Feiyang wore a black cloak, and the dragon-patterned jade pendant at his waist emitted a dark red light. His Mingyu Gong technique condensed into ice crystals in his palm, and wherever he went, even the bronze ornaments on the saddle formed spider web-like ice patterns.

"Report—!" A scout, covered in blood, burst into the central army. "Dawachi's troops have set up an ambush at Tiger Tooth Gorge, and the mountain pass is blocked by rolling logs and rocks!"

Before the words were finished, a rumbling sound like muffled thunder echoed from the distant mountains, and countless dark figures plummeted from the cliffs like meteorites. Wei Nianhua's parting hook was instantly drawn, its dragon-patterned surface emitting a blue light: "Your Majesty, this humble general is willing to lead the elite warriors to clear the way!"

Shi Feiyang raised his hand to stop him, his gaze sweeping over the tumbling boulders below the cliff. He activated the Mingyu Gong to its peak, his skin glowing with a translucent jade color. "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade!" he unleashed a vortex of suction, forcefully pulling three boulders that were about to crash into the camp into the air and flinging them in another direction.

He gave a soft shout, and the boulder changed its trajectory, crashing back into the enemy ranks, its screams echoing through the valley.

Chen Feng, brandishing a large, black-gold fan, stepped forward from the crowd. The Big Dipper pattern on the fan surface shimmered with a mysterious blue light: "This brute force has fallen right into their trap. Watch as I, Chen, break their scheme!" With that, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped onto the cliff like a hawk. As the fan unfolded, it emitted a metallic hum.

He unleashed the "Heavenly Gang Acupoint Strike Technique!" His fan ribs, like serpents emerging from their holes, struck the gunpowder fuses on both sides of the mountain path. With a series of muffled thuds, the pre-buried gunpowder exploded prematurely in the hands of the rebels, sending fragments of stone mixed with blood and flesh raining down.

Yue Shan gripped the Overlord Spear tightly, the red tassel on the spear already soaked in blood: "Lord Chen, please retreat, the spear formation will protect you!"

Behind him, a thousand cavalrymen roared in unison, raising their spears like a forest, creating a haven of life amidst the rain of rubble. But Dawachi's assassins seized the opportunity to charge out from the dense forest on both sides, their scimitars coated with a bluish-green poison.

Heshen unleashed his "Divine Blade Slash!" His crescent-shaped blade slashed out, creating a blood-red crescent, the ruby ​​hilt gleaming like blood in the sunlight. He specifically targeted the enemy's elite, cleaving men and armor in two with each strike: "Trying to act arrogantly before the Emperor? You'll have to ask Heshen's blade first!"

However, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes as he deliberately led several poisoned soldiers toward Yue Shan's cavalry formation. Huo Cheng's figure moved through the enemy ranks like a ghost, a bluish-gray light emanating from his claws.

He unleashed the "Ten Thousand Slices Technique!" His palms clapping repeatedly, the air emitting a teeth-grinding tearing sound. A burly man wielding a spiked club swung it down, but the weapon shattered inch by inch the moment it touched his body. Then, his flesh was torn apart by an invisible force, instantly turning into a bloody mess of pieces.

"You coward, do you even deserve to use poison?" he sneered, his fingernails growing three inches long and piercing into the chest of another assassin like steel hooks.

Shen Qingru's Canglang Sword Technique transformed into countless silver streaks, and the soft sword and silver bells resonated with soul-capturing sound waves.

She lightly touched the horse's back with her toes, her sword flashing like crashing waves, shredding the weapons of the five attackers into scrap metal. Suddenly, she felt a chill on the back of her neck. She quickly dodged to the side, a bone knife grazing her ear and slicing into the ground, the skull on the blade grinning menacingly at her.

Ruiyun unleashed the "Three Blades of Avici Hell!" and roared, "Rebels, cease your madness!" His voice shook the surrounding area, tearing the battlefield apart. The fifteen-year-old boy's swordplay was expansive and powerful, with countless vengeful spirits and ghosts emerging from the blade's light.

Immediately afterward, he unleashed the "Severing Illusions" move, the blade slicing across the enemy centurion's neck, blood gushing forth and staining the young man's python robe crimson. He charged forward, stepping over the shattered bones scattered on the ground, the scabbard of the Avici Path Three Blades at his waist already soaked with blood.

Shi Feiyang watched the battle unfold, his eyes flashing with a cold light. He unleashed a move called "Breaking the Universe," and the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, imbued with the power of the Ice Soul Cold Prison, cleaved down. Nine golden blade beams collided with the dark curved blade array, and the resulting shockwave overturned the sand and gravel within a radius of ten feet.

Dawachi's personal guards fell one after another amidst the blade's aura, their armor shattered into dust. Only the commander's Xuan Tie sword managed to withstand the attack, but even the blade developed spiderweb-like cracks. However, the crisis was far from over.

Amursana's ambush troops suddenly emerged from the depths of the grassland, forming a "strangulation formation" with the Kazakh cavalry that trapped the Qing army in the center like iron chains.

To make matters worse, devastating news arrived from the rear—the supply convoy had been ambushed, and the escorting officer had been torn to pieces by the rebel commander, clearly the work of a traitor within their own ranks. "Lord Heshen, what a clever scheme!" Chen Feng pointed his large, black fan at Heshen, his eyes blazing with fury. "Deliberately leading the supply convoy into danger, are you perhaps trying to starve the entire army?"

Heshen sneered, his curved blade twirling in a crescent moon's light between his fingers: "Lord Chen is spouting nonsense. Why hasn't General Yue's cavalry been sent to their aid yet?" Yue Shan's Overlord Spear suddenly trembled, its tip pointing directly at Heshen: "Heshen, stop your provocations! This humble general will immediately lead his troops..."

Before he finished speaking, Shi Feiyang appeared at the front of the formation like a ghost. The emperor exuded a chilling aura, and with the Mingyu Gong fully activated, he was like a white ice shrouded in icy mist.

"Enough!" His voice was like a collapsing glacier. "Chen Feng, listen to my command! Immediately lead the vanguard battalion to break through the enemy's left flank; Yue Shan, the cavalry will provide support from the center; Rui Yun, you will lead the rear guard to hold the supply lines!"

He turned to look at Heshen, his gaze as cold as a blade, "As for you... if you dare to interfere again, I will use this blade's energy to rip out your exquisitely clever heart and see what happens!"

Just then, Huo Qingtong's Hui cavalry arrived like a whirlwind, their scimitars reflecting the blood-red sunset. "Emperor of the Great Qing, do you still remember the promise of the emerald feather and yellow robe?" Her voice was clear as a silver bell, yet carried an undeniable killing intent. Immediately afterward, Chen Jialuo and Kalis combined their swords, the Vermilion Bird totem of the Red Flower Society appearing in the sword light. "Today, the Red Flower Society fights only for the common people!"

With the support of Huo Qingtong and the Red Flower Society, Shi Feiyang was greatly encouraged. He let out a long roar, and the Hundred Victory Blade Technique transformed into countless blade shadows. He unleashed the ultimate killing move, "Severing Reincarnation!" with both palms, and nine golden dragons soared into the sky, completely tearing apart the enemy's "Strangulation Formation".

With the combined might of the emperor and the chivalrous heroes, Amursana's rebel army finally began to crumble. As the last enemy fell, the sun had already dipped below the horizon.

Shi Feiyang gazed at the corpses scattered on the ground, and Ming Yugong slowly composed himself. He bent down and picked up half of a token engraved with a wolf's head, gently stroking the patterns on it with his thumb: "Issue an order to thoroughly investigate the traitor."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the bloodstained weapons of the crowd. "This battle has only just begun." The night wind whipped up yellow sand, gradually burying the traces of this fierce battle.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the Tianshan ice plains amber. Shi Feiyang stood before the central command tent, the faint light of the Mingyu Gong illuminating the figures of people fighting in the distance, but he vaguely saw the figure of Kalis swaying in the blood.

The once emaciated and dying imperial concubine within the palace walls is now riding a steed across the battlefield, her fiery red veil billowing in the wind, revealing a face even more radiant than a snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains.

"Your Majesty, Miss Huo Qingtong requests an audience." Shen Qingru's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible bitterness. She looked at Shi Feiyang's hand, which was gripping the dragon jade pendant so tightly that his nails were almost digging into his palm—ever since Kalis appeared with the Red Flower Society, she had sensed the turmoil hidden in the Emperor's eyes.

When Huo Qingtong stepped into the tent, her wolf-skin cloak was still covered with unmelted snowflakes. The ruby ​​on her scimitar reflected on her flushed face, making her appear more mature and elegant than the angry young girl she was on the summit of Mount Tai years ago.

“Emperor of the Great Qing,” she removed her headscarf, revealing a cascade of black hair, “after this battle, the Hui people wish to form an eternal alliance with the court.”

Shi Feiyang gazed at the faded jade pendant at her waist—the very one he, as Chen Jialuo, had given her as a token of love atop Mount Tai. His Mingyu Gong technique circulated silently within him, yet cold sweat beaded on his palms: "Miss Huo's assistance this time...I will remember it forever."

He recalled Huo Qingtong's sharp gaze when his identity was exposed years ago, but now he saw a hint of tenderness in her eyes.

Suddenly, the clear sound of silver bells rang out from outside the tent. Kalis, dressed in a fiery red Hu-style dress, with a curved sword wrapped in gold thread at her waist, was breathtakingly beautiful.

She looked at Shi Feiyang, a meaningful smile playing on her lips: "Your Majesty, how have you been?"

The voice was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, stirring up the deepest, most hidden pain in Shi Feiyang's heart—that year, Chen Nan had also said with a cold laugh, "You have my body, but you can't have my heart."

Shen Qingru gripped the soft sword tightly, the silver bell emitting a sharp, trembling sound. She saw Shi Feiyang's pupils suddenly contract, his imperial majesty vanishing in an instant, leaving only a man scarred by the past.

“Ka…Miss Kalis,” Shi Feiyang stammered, “Back in the palace…”

"Back then?" Kalis interrupted him, her fingertips lightly tracing the curved blade. "Your Majesty has probably forgotten that Chen Jialuo showed me the misty rain of Jiangnan and drank mare's milk wine with me from the Hui region." She suddenly moved closer, the scent of ambergris mingling with the smell of the northern desert. "But in the Forbidden City, I was just a bird trapped in a gilded cage." Huo Qingtong's curved blade suddenly drew half an inch from its sheath, its cold gleam reflecting the anger in her eyes.

But she ultimately just snorted coldly, "Enough! What's the use of saying all this now?" She turned to look at Shi Feiyang, her gaze intense, "Our Hui people's assistance this time is solely to spare the people from the suffering of war. If His Majesty keeps his promise and forever exempts the Hui people from taxes..."

"I will keep my word!" Shi Feiyang suddenly looked up, his Mingyu Gong condensing into an ice ball in his palm. "Not only that, I will also establish markets in the Western Regions, so that the spices and jade artifacts of the Hui people can be sold to every corner of the Central Plains!"

He suddenly recalled the days when he embraced and loved Huo Qingtong atop Mount Tai. Back then, didn't he also want to give her such a peaceful and prosperous world?
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the tent. Wei Nianhua, covered in blood, burst in, blood still dripping from the hook: "Your Majesty! Amursana has fled to Black Wind Gorge, where he has set up the 'Thousand-Machine Crossbow Formation'!"

Shi Feiyang instantly regained his imperial majesty, and the ice ball in his palm exploded into dust: "Order the three armies to pursue immediately!"

He looked at Huo Qingtong and Kalis, "Ladies, would you be willing to join me in breaking through the enemy's lines?"

Huo Qingtong mounted his horse, his scimitar pointing to the sky: "I couldn't ask for more!" Kalis chuckled and turned her horse around: "Let's see if the Emperor's sword energy can cut through the enemy's traps."

When the army set off, Shen Qingru rode alongside Shi Feiyang.

She saw the emperor gazing at Huo Qingtong's retreating figure, his expression complex and unreadable, and couldn't help but whisper, "Your Majesty... what's past is past."

Shi Feiyang gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning white, and asked sadly, "Qingru, do you think... the human heart can truly freeze pain into ice, like my inner strength, so that it will never melt away?"

(End of this chapter)