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

On the official road in late spring, willow catkins fluttered in the air, and a figure in a moon-white long robe trampled the jade-like petals on the ground.

Palace Mistress Yaoyue tied up her long, black hair, the jade fragments on her crown trembling slightly with each step. A folding fan in her hand half-concealed her cold and beautiful face, yet it could not hide the innate aloofness and arrogance between her brows. She had never stepped out of the desolate thirty-mile radius around Yihua Palace. At this moment, gazing at the merchants coming and going on the official road, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.

Suddenly, a peddler carrying a load of goods brushed past her, the sachet hanging from his pole brushing against her sleeve. Yaoyue subconsciously flicked her sleeve, and a burst of icy blue true energy suddenly erupted, instantly covering the peddler's bamboo basket with frost, freezing all the eggs inside into solid blocks of ice.

"A monster!" the vendor screamed and scrambled away. Yaoyue stared at her gleaming fingertips and murmured to herself, "How could such a light touch cause this?"

Just as he was wondering what was going on, a silvery laugh came from behind him. Turning around, he saw a girl in red riding a chestnut horse galloping towards him, the soft sword at her waist jingling with each bounce. The girl pulled on the reins, her peach-blossom smile drawing closer: "Young master, what superb skills! But to use them on this official road, are you perhaps trying to freeze everyone into ice sculptures?"

Yaoyue took a half step back, holding her folding fan in front of her, her voice as cold as ice: "You don't know manners; men and women shouldn't touch each other."

The gentle sunlight bathed a young girl in red, her face as beautiful as a newly blossoming peach blossom, her skin as white as snow, so delicate that one could almost feel its vibrant life force with the slightest touch. Her bright eyes, like deep springs, shimmered with wisdom and innocence. Her red lips were slightly pursed, forming a captivating smile.

She wore a vibrant red dress, its fabric soft and smooth, like the most dazzling clouds in the sky. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with several exquisite jade hairpins that shimmered with a warm luster. Her hair, like black silk, flowed smoothly over her shoulders, adding a touch of charm and tenderness to the red dress.

Faced with Yaoyue's angry rebuke, the girl in red laughed even harder.

She dismounted and circled around Yaoyue: "Young master, are you perhaps an old scholar from the deep mountains? There are no such rules in this martial world! I am Chu Hongxiao. May I ask your honorable name and where you are headed?"

"Jiangdu." Yaoyue, sparing with words, turned to leave, but Chu Hongxiao called out, "Perfect timing! I'm also going to Jiangdu to find an old friend! Young master, why don't we travel together? It'll be good to have someone to look after you on the road." Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed Yaoyue's reins. "Judging from your awkward appearance, is this your first time going down the mountain?"

Upon seeing that she was a woman, Yaoyue nodded in agreement. As dusk fell, the two lodged at an inn in a small town. The innkeeper, observing Yaoyue's thin clothing, said with a forced smile, "Sir, there's a risk of a downpour tonight; our inn only has shared rooms available..."

Chu Hongxiao quickly retorted, "It's alright! I love a lively atmosphere!"

Just as Yaoyue was about to refuse, Chu Hongxiao pulled her upstairs to the second floor.

On the communal bed, loud snores filled the air. Inviting Moon sat in the corner, watching the rising and falling chests, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper. Chu Hongxiao, however, enthusiastically pulled out a wine flask: "Young master, do you know how to drink? This is a fine wine from Xinghua Village!"

Seeing her hearty drinking as she tilted her head back, Yaoyue remembered the strict alcohol ban in Yihua Palace and, as if possessed, took the wine pot and took a small sip.

The spicy liquor went down her throat, and a blush rose on her pale cheeks, but a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes. Suddenly, a drunkard staggered over, and seeing Yaoyue's beautiful face, he reached out to touch her cheek: "Young man, you're even more handsome than you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yaoyue instinctively struck out with her palm. Icy blue true energy instantly enveloped the drunkard's entire body, and with a "crack," the drunkard was turned into an ice sculpture, then shattered into countless ice shards. The room erupted in commotion, and Chu Hongxiao hurriedly pulled her out the door.

In the darkness of night, Chu Hongxiao looked at Yaoyue, whose face remained unchanged, and exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master's martial arts are truly astonishing! But you must not reveal them lightly in the future. The martial world is dangerous, and countless people covet such a unique skill."

Yaoyue looked down at her hands and murmured, "In my territory, killing is just this easy..."

Looking at Yaoyue like this, Chu Hongxiao became even more curious: This must be a young master from a noble family who has never traveled far from home. Could he be the long-lost Li Er, as rumored in the martial arts world?
The next day, the two continued their journey. As they passed through a bamboo forest, they suddenly heard the melodious sound of a flute.

Chu Hongxiao alertly drew her soft sword, but Yaoyue was drawn by the sound of the flute and followed the sound.

Deep in the bamboo forest, an old man in gray robes leaned against a bamboo grove, playing his flute. A worn-out wine gourd lay at his feet. "Young man, do you know this piece, 'The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate'?" The old man asked without looking up, and the flute music suddenly turned tender and lingering.

Yaoyue stopped to listen, a strange ripple stirring in her heart. Recalling Shi Feiyang's teasing manner, her jade-like face flushed slightly. Seeing her flustered state, Chu Hongxiao quickly stepped in front of her, saying, "Father-in-law, we have urgent business!"

The old man laughed and put away his flute, then suddenly threw out his wine gourd: "Young friend, this wine is for you! It's just a pity that the word 'love' is the most hurtful!" Yaoyue caught the wine gourd, gazing thoughtfully in the direction the old man had disappeared.

Upon reaching a ferry crossing, a strong wind arose on the river, but the ferry remained delayed.

Chu Hongxiao argued with the boatman, while Yaoyue stood on the bank, gazing absently at the rolling river.

Suddenly, a huge wave surged up in the middle of the river, and a pleasure boat emerged from the waves. Dozens of men dressed in black stood on the deck, the leader holding a curved knife and his eyes flashing with ferocity: "Listen up, people on the boat! Leave your valuables, and we'll spare your lives!"

The passengers on the pleasure boat immediately screamed and fled.

Yaoyue frowned, leaped into the air, and with a light wave of her folding fan, an ice wall instantly rose from the river. The man in black crashed into the ice wall, letting out a scream. The ice wall did not crack, but the man in black was covered in broken bones, his face unrecognizable, and he died so badly that even his parents would not recognize his body.

Seeing this, Chu Hongxiao drew her soft sword and stood side by side with Yaoyue: "Young Master, let them see how powerful we are!"

In the heat of battle, Yaoyue suddenly caught a glimpse of the jade pendant at the waist of the leader of the men in black—it was exactly the same as the fragment at Shi Feiyang's waist! Her heart skipped a beat, and her attacks became even more ferocious.

"Bright Jade Nine Heavens!" With a clear shout, the icy blue true energy transformed into nine ice dragons, which devoured all the men in black.

After the battle, Chu Hongxiao looked at the ice shards scattered on the ground, then looked up at Yaoyue, whose face was pale, and handed her a handkerchief: "Young master, are you injured?"

Yaoyue gripped the jade pendant fragment tightly: "This person must have some connection with the one I'm looking for." Chu Hongxiao looked at her determined eyes and felt a strange emotion welling up in her heart: "No matter what dangers lie ahead, Hongxiao is willing to face them with you, young master."

Night fell again, and the two rested in the dilapidated temple. Chu Hongxiao started a fire, while Yaoyue took out the map she had taken from the man in black.

In the flickering firelight, she gazed at the mark of Jiangdu on the map and whispered, "Shi Feiyang, no matter where you are, I will find you..." Chu Hongxiao looked at her gentle profile, her heart tightened, and she silently clenched the handkerchief in her arms even tighter.

Outside the temple, wind and rain raged; inside, the firelight flickered. Two hearts, adrift in this world of wandering, drew closer, yet each harbored unspoken feelings. The crescent moon, like a hook, cast its pale light, which was torn to shreds by the swirling yellow sand.

The Palace Mistress of Yaoyue, dressed in a moon-white robe, sat upright on a chestnut horse. Her hair was bound with a jade crown that gleamed coldly in the wind and sand. Her pale, jade-like face was spotless, with only the faint glimmer of icy blue true energy in her wide sleeves indicating that this "white-robed scholar" was no ordinary person.

"Young master, Black Wind Ridge is just ahead." Chu Hongxiao gripped the soft sword at her waist, her peach-blossom eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Before the words were finished, a sinister sound of copper bells suddenly rang out from both sides of the mountain path. Thirty-six corpses wrapped in black cloth hung upside down on withered trees, their pale hands swaying in the wind, and black blood seeping from between their fingers accumulating into eerie patterns on the ground.

Yaoyue frowned slightly, her folding fan lightly touching the horse's back. Suddenly, the chestnut horse reared up, and the yellow sand beneath its hooves instantly froze into ice crystals.

"The Netherworld Cult's 'Corpse Soul Array'?" Her voice was as cold as a spring. Her right hand, which was using the Bright Jade Skill, shone with a pearly luster. Underneath her skin, one could vaguely see the flow of icy blue true energy. With a flick of her palms, she had already used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill!
In an instant, the upside-down corpses sprang up like marionettes, their rotting hands aimed straight for the two men's faces. With a seemingly casual wave of her sleeve, Yaoyue's robes fluttered, but the force of the blows carried by the corpses was drawn by an invisible suction force, causing them to collide and shatter into pieces.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chu Hongxiao swung her soft sword, the sword flowers blooming like red plum blossoms, knocking away three rushing corpses.

"What superb skills!" A sinister laugh rang out as the protector of the Netherworld Cult appeared.

The person was bound by jet-black chains, the skulls at the ends of which opened their gaping maws, spewing out putrid black mist. Yaoyue lightly touched the horse's back with her jade-like feet, her entire body soaring through the air like a white crane; wherever her skirt swept past, the black mist instantly condensed into ice crystals.

"Nine Heavens of Bright Jade!" she shouted, her true energy transforming into nine ice dragons that spiraled into the sky. The moment the guardian's chains touched the ice dragons, they were torn apart inch by inch by the vortex-like suction. The skull let out a shrill scream within the true energy and turned into ashes.

The Dharma Protector's eyes widened in horror: "Impossible! How could the Mingyu Skill..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was pierced through the chest by an ice dragon, and his blood congealed into scarlet ice crystals in the icy mist.

Just as Chu Hongxiao breathed a sigh of relief, a chorus of wolf howls suddenly echoed through the mountains and forests. Hundreds of bandits sprang from the bushes, the one-eyed giant at the head brandishing a massive axe: "Young master, you're more beautiful than any woman! Leave your money and your life, and we'll spare your lives!" Yaoyue's grip on her folding fan tightened slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. In the Yihua Palace, no one had ever dared to be so disrespectful to her.

Just as Chu Hongxiao was about to speak, Yaoyue darted out, her wide sleeves billowing as she redirected the force of the axe swinging from the burly man. Using her "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique, she used the force against him. The burly man's giant axe suddenly shifted, cleaving open his own brother's skull with a "thud." Blood splattered onto Yaoyue's clothes, but she seemed oblivious, continuing her "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique. The weapons of the bandits went out of control, and they began to fight amongst themselves.

The one-eyed giant retreated in terror, only to have his ankle pulled by the vortex-like suction force of Yaoyue's palm: "Do you think this is child's play?" Her icy voice carried a hint of anger. With a burst of true energy, the giant's body was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture, which then shattered into countless ice fragments. The battle lasted for a full hour, leaving the ground littered with severed limbs.

Looking at the unharmed Yaoyue, Chu Hongxiao felt a surge of inexplicable awe. As Yaoyue channeled her energy, she became increasingly transparent, like an ice sculpture shrouded in cold mist, yet breathtakingly beautiful.

"Young Master, you..." Chu Hongxiao had just begun to speak when she saw Yaoyue kneel down, her fingertips lightly touching the jade pendant fragments in the pool of blood. The coldness in her eyes melted instantly, replaced by an unprecedented tenderness: "Shi Feiyang..."

Chu Hongxiao felt a pang of pain in her heart, but forced a smile: "The person you care about so much must be extraordinary." Yaoyue looked up, her clear eyes filled with a hint of confusion: "Why do you always say such complicated things? In my territory, you can do whatever you want." The setting sun cast a golden glow on Yaoyue.

She stood up and dusted off her clothes, as if the bloody battle just now was nothing but child's play. Chu Hongxiao watched her back and finally understood that this cold and aloof young master, seemingly naive and unsophisticated, possessed a purer obsession than anyone else.

He himself had unknowingly fallen deeply into this world, willing to accompany her through the bloody and turbulent martial arts world for this obsession. Night fell, and the two continued their journey. Little did they know, the leader of the Netherworld Sect and the chief of the Green Forest were secretly plotting, and an even greater crisis, like a surging undercurrent, was closing in on these two extraordinary figures of the martial arts world…

Finally, the city walls of Jiangdu came into view in the distance.

Yaoyue gazed at the majestic city tower, gripping the jade flute at her waist, thinking to herself, "Shi Feiyang, I'm here." Chu Hongxiao watched her retreating figure, biting her lip, and whispered, "No matter what lies ahead, Hongxiao will be by your side..."

The copper nails on the city gate of Jiangdu gleamed coldly in the twilight. The jade crown that bound the hair of the Palace Mistress of Yaoyue Palace was covered with dust, but it did not diminish the cold arrogance between her brows. Chu Hongxiao followed closely behind, leading her horse. Seeing her gazing intently at the coiled dragon pattern on the city tower, she said softly, "Young Master, we have finally arrived."

Before the words were even finished, Yaoyue had already transformed into a white shadow and leaped onto the city wall. The icy blue aura emanating from her body as she activated the Mingyu Gong startled the soldiers guarding the city, causing their spears to clatter to the ground. The hustle and bustle of Zhuque Street rushed towards them, but amidst the waving wine flags, they could not find that familiar emerald green.

Yaoyue stood before the "Drunken Immortal Pavilion," her folding fan tapping the door knocker with a force three times greater than usual. When the innkeeper came out to greet her, he met her icy gaze: "Was there a grand banquet held here three days ago?"

The innkeeper, trembling as he gazed at the faintly visible icy blue aura emanating from her sleeve, replied, "Sir, it is Young Master Li accompanied by Princess Yang..."

"When did you leave?" The cold, abrupt answer sent a chill down the innkeeper's spine. "At three-quarters past Yin hour, riding the Vermilion Bird westward..." Chu Hongxiao stared at Yaoyue's suddenly frozen figure. She noticed the whiteness in her knuckles as she held the fan, and a subtle tremor emanating from the icy blue true energy flowing beneath her skin. Suddenly, the gong of a street vendor rang out, startling her so much that she instinctively waved her sleeve. Half the lanterns along the street instantly frosted over, their flames flickering eerily within the ice crystals.

"Young Master!" Chu Hongxiao hurriedly grabbed her, but felt a chill that seeped into her bones. "Let's go look elsewhere..." In the shadows of the street corner, Yuwen Chengdu was wearing black iron armor, and the gilded breastplate reflected Yaoyue's cold and beautiful face.

He stroked the sword at his waist, his Adam's apple bobbing: "What an androgynous beauty..." As Yaoyue and the other woman walked into the alley, he suddenly appeared, his gilded halberd cleaving through the night: "Young master, are you leaving already?"

Yaoyue frowned slightly, looking at the person who had inexplicably blocked her path. She had never encountered such entanglement in the Yihua Palace. She lightly tapped the ground with her folding fan: "Make way." Yuwen Chengdu, however, laughed and stepped forward. The smell of sweat seeping from the gaps in his armor, mixed with the stench of alcohol, wafted towards her: "I've heard that the Mingyu Kung Fu of the Yihua Palace is unparalleled in the world. Today is the perfect opportunity..."

Before the words were finished, Yaoyue's wide sleeves swept in like flowing clouds, it was the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" technique! The immense power of the gilded halberd was actually pulled by an invisible suction force, Yuwen Chengdu's pupils shrank suddenly, and the weapon uncontrollably slashed towards himself.

He hastily changed his move, sweeping his halberd horizontally, but Yaoyue's toes touched the ground, and her whole body transformed into a phantom in the cold mist. "Mingyu Nine Heavens!" With a clear shout, nine ice dragons coiled out from her palm, and wherever they passed, bricks and stones froze into frost.

Yuwen Chengdu roared and channeled his inner energy, his black armor glowing with a blood-red light: "Well done!" The halberd clashed with the ice dragon, unleashing a deafening roar. Amidst the flying ice shards and sparks, Yaoyue suddenly sensed something was wrong—Yuwen Chengdu's attack, seemingly fierce, actually concealed a soft force that could be guided and diverted by her true energy!

Seeing Yaoyue's face turn pale, Chu Hongxiao thrust her soft sword towards Yuwen Chengdu's back like a rainbow. Unexpectedly, this brute swung his halberd, the barb at the end hooking onto her sword tassel. "Little lady, you're joining the fun too?" Yuwen Chengdu grinned maliciously and swung his arm, sending Chu Hongxiao flying backward like a kite with a broken string.

Yaoyue's eyes were bloodshot, her true energy surging wildly, making her almost transparent, like an ice sculpture shrouded in cold mist.

"You're courting death!" She thrust out with both palms, unleashing an unprecedented vortex of chilling energy. Yuwen Chengdu's armor instantly frosted over, but at the crucial moment, veins bulged, and his gilded halberd forcefully broke through the ice prison, its tip aimed straight for her throat!

Ignoring the blood she was coughing up, Chu Hongxiao rushed forward to shield her. Blood splattered onto Yaoyue's pale face, and the warm touch jolted her back to reality—this was the first time she had directly witnessed her companion's "injury" and "bleeding."

"Chu Hongxiao!" Yaoyue caught the limp body, the chilling aura of Mingyu Gong unable to stop her raging wounds. Yuwen Chengdu was about to give chase when suddenly a towering glare of ice rose from Yaoyue's arms, instantly engulfing the entire alley in ice and snow. He barely managed to raise his halberd to defend himself, but heard a chilling whisper coming from beneath the ice: "People from Yihua Palace, you dare to touch them?" When the icy mist dissipated, only shattered bricks and tiles and two departing figures remained in the alley.

Chu Hongxiao leaned against Yaoyue's chest, gazing at her almost transparent profile due to excessive exertion of her inner energy, and suddenly chuckled: "Young master, do you know that when you're angry... it's more beautiful than the fireworks of Jiangdu?"

Yaoyue was startled, looking down to see Chu Hongxiao's blood-stained fingertips lightly touching her icy blue skin. She suddenly remembered that in the Yihua Palace, no one had ever dared to overstep their bounds like this. Outside Jiangdu City, the setting sun was like blood. Yaoyue settled Chu Hongxiao on horseback, gazing at the city that had once held so much hope, her jade flute unconsciously tapping the saddle. Chu Hongxiao weakly tugged at her sleeve: "Where are you going, young master?"

"Return to the Flower Palace." Her voice was as cold as if it had just been drawn from an ice cellar. "I will let the world know that anyone who dares to harm those around me..."

She paused, looked down and saw Chu Hongxiao's expectant eyes, and unusually softened her tone, "Including you too." The sound of hooves faded into the distance. Yuwen Chengdu stroked the ice marks on his halberd, licked his lips as he looked in the direction they had disappeared, and said, "Interesting... We'll meet again."

Meanwhile, in the Jiangdu Imperial Palace, Emperor Yang of Sui gazed at the northwest horizon and murmured, "With Minister Li gone, I don't know when I will be able to witness that astonishing martial arts again. I only hope that my good son can live a happy life in the Li family..."

The night in Jiangdu was thick and dark. Yaoyue carried the unconscious Chu Hongxiao to a dilapidated temple in the west of the city. Spider webs trembled slightly between the beams and pillars. She laid the person on a dusty straw mat, and a wisp of icy blue true energy condensed at her fingertips. Just as she was about to stop the bleeding, she suddenly heard a faint sound of clothes rustling in the air outside the temple.

"Since you've followed me for three blocks," she said without turning her head, her voice as cold as the ripples of an ancient well, "why not come in and meet me?" Before she finished speaking, seven assassins in black leaped down from the eaves, their poisoned short blades gleaming with an eerie green light.

The leader chuckled sinisterly, "The Mingyu Skill of the Yihua Palace is indeed as renowned as it sounds. However, tonight, young lady, I'm afraid you'll be..."

"Enough with the noise." Yaoyue flicked her jade finger, and an ice shard shot out, aiming straight for the man's throat. The other assassins swarmed forward, but the bloody wind brought by their short blades was drawn off course by an invisible suction force when it reached within three feet of her.

With the manipulation of her "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, her wide sleeves unfurled, causing the assassins' weapons to turn and turn on each other. Blood splattered on the mottled wall, but she seemed oblivious, focusing only on channeling her inner energy into Chu Hongxiao.

As the last assassin fell dead, applause suddenly erupted outside the temple. Yuwen Chengdu walked over, stepping over the corpses scattered on the ground, his gilded halberd slamming heavily on the ground, causing the broken bricks to tremble: "The way a beauty kills is more beautiful than dancing."

Yaoyue slowly rose to her feet, her skin becoming even more translucent after circulating her inner energy, like ice crystals soaked in moonlight: "If you continue to pester me, next time, it won't be as simple as just getting hurt."

Yuwen Chengdu not only didn't retreat, but instead took two steps closer. The heat seeping from the gaps in her armor clashed with the chill emanating from her body, creating wisps of white mist: "This general will see whether your ice is harder or my halberd is sharper!" With that, the shadow of her halberd pressed down like a dark cloud. Yaoyue touched the ground with her toes, her figure transforming into a phantom. The ice dragon of "Nine Heavens of Bright Jade" collided with the halberd, creating a thunderous roar.

In the heat of battle, Chu Hongxiao, still unconscious, suddenly let out a weak groan. Yaoyue's mind went blank for a moment, and Yuwen Chengdu seized the opportunity, his halberd sweeping across her shoulder. She groaned, staggered backward, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth.

Chu Hongxiao struggled to her feet, her soft sword pointing directly at Yuwen Chengdu: "You...you villain!" "Hongxiao, don't move." Yaoyue wiped away the bloodstains, her true energy surging wildly, instantly covering the entire dilapidated temple with frost.

Her gaze grew increasingly cold, as if she had returned to the aloof palace mistress of the Yihua Palace: "You can hurt me, but hurt her..." Before she could finish speaking, Yuwen Chengdu felt a powerful suction force, and the gilded halberd in his hand flew uncontrollably toward her.

Just then, a dark figure suddenly appeared on the battlefield like a ghost, a hidden weapon shot from his sleeve straight at Chu Hongxiao's face. Yaoyue's pupils shrank, and disregarding Yuwen Chengdu's attack, she flew to block in front of Chu Hongxiao.

The moment the hidden weapon pierced her body, she let out a muffled groan. Her icy blue true energy became chaotic and turbulent, condensing into sharp ice spikes all over her body.

"Young Master!" Chu Hongxiao hugged her swaying body, tears dripping onto her icy blue skin. "Why..." Yaoyue struggled to raise her hand, her fingertips wiping away the tears on her face, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "Before, I never thought anyone would shed tears for me... Now that someone cares, I naturally have to protect them."

Yuwen Chengdu, watching the two embracing, felt inexplicably irritated and raised his halberd to attack again. Suddenly, a towering glare of ice erupted from Yaoyue's arms, and the entire dilapidated temple collapsed with a deafening roar. When the dust settled, the two figures were nowhere to be seen; only a trail of blood remained on the ground, gleaming dark red in the moonlight.

On the official road outside Jiangdu City, Chu Hongxiao carried the unconscious Yaoyue, walking alone. The cold wind ruffled her disheveled hair, making the person in her arms grow even colder, yet she still clutched Chu Hongxiao's clothes tightly. "Young Master, you said you would take me back to Yihua Palace..."

She choked back tears, which fell onto Yaoyue's pale face. "You can't go back on your word..." Meanwhile, in Jiangdu City, Yuwen Chengdu looked at the broken gilded halberd in his hand and a sinister smile crept onto his lips. "Interesting. Our score... will be settled sooner or later."

In the shadows, a pair of eyes witnessed everything. The man gazed northwest, muttering to himself, "The people of the Yihua Palace are embroiled in the conflicts of the martial world. It seems the world is about to descend into even greater chaos..."

Chu Hongxiao carried Yaoyue on her back to the canal ferry, their clothes soaked with frost.

All the wooden boats at the ferry crossing had stopped operating, with only the floating ice floes on the water colliding with each other, producing a clear, melodious sound.

Suddenly, Yaoyue opened her eyes, her voice weak but resolute: "Put me down and get some broken ice." Although Chu Hongxiao didn't understand, she still did as she was told and knocked a block of ice off the ice. Yaoyue placed her jade palm on the wound, and poured her icy blue true energy into the broken ice, which instantly condensed into a crystal-clear ice needle.

Without even frowning, she inserted the ice needle into the acupoint to stop the bleeding. As her internal energy circulated, the wound visibly frosted over. "Don't be afraid, you won't die," she said, glancing at Chu Hongxiao's pale face, offering a rare explanation.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from the opposite bank, and Yuwen Chengdu's wild laughter pierced the night sky: "Beauty, you escaped so quickly!" He spurred his horse, breaking the thin ice, his gilded halberd gleaming coldly in the moonlight. Chu Hongxiao gripped her soft sword and stood in front of Yaoyue, but she gently pushed it aside: "You watch from the side."

Yaoyue slowly stepped into the heart of the river, and the water instantly froze. She activated her Mingyu Gong, and her whole being seemed to be surrounded by cold mist, her skin so transparent that one could almost see the icy blue true energy flowing through her veins.

"Yuwen Chengdu, you truly have no sense of mortality." Her voice seemed to drift from the far north, devoid of any warmth.

The gilded halberd, carrying immense force, slashed down, but was drawn in by a vortex-like suction force as it touched her sleeve. Inviting Moon used her "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique, her figure moving like a ghost behind Yuwen Chengdu. She struck out with her jade palm, and a chilling aura instantly crept up his iron armor.

Yuwen Chengdu roared, forcefully shattering the ice layer. His halberd swept across, but Yaoyue lightly touched the ground with her toes, transforming into thousands of ice butterflies and vanishing into the night sky. "Mingyu Illusion!" Chu Hongxiao exclaimed in surprise. Countless ice butterflies reformed in the air, with Yaoyue standing in the center, her hands forming a hand seal: "Nine Heavens Palace, Ice Locks Heaven and Earth!" Nine ice dragons descended from the sky, freezing the air wherever they passed.

Yuwen Chengdu's mount neighed in fright, its front hooves sinking into the suddenly frozen ice. Just then, a hail of poisoned arrows shot out from the woods on the shore. A cold glint flashed in Yaoyue's eyes, and she thrust out her palms, her icy blue true energy transforming into a giant net that froze all the poisoned arrows.

The rain of arrows was too dense; a poisoned arrow grazed her cheek, leaving a bloody mark. Yuwen Chengdu seized the opportunity to attack again, but Yaoyue suddenly removed her jade hairpin, revealing her long, flowing black hair like a waterfall.

"Since you're courting death, then so be it." Her voice was chilling. The fully activated Mingyu Gong made her radiate a dazzling light, making her appear like a goddess frozen in ice. Yuwen Chengdu's gilded halberd finally approached her throat, but the moment it touched her skin, it was met with a powerful backlash of cold air, and the halberd's blade began to crack.

Watching this breathtaking scene unfold, Chu Hongxiao suddenly noticed black blood trickling from Yaoyue's lips—the poisoned arrow had ultimately wounded her. "Young Master!" Ignoring the danger, she rushed forward, her soft sword aimed at Yuwen Chengdu's back. Yuwen Chengdu parried, but Yaoyue seized an opening, striking him in the chest with her palm. A chilling aura spread rapidly through his meridians, and Yuwen Chengdu staggered backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Let's go." Yaoyue grabbed Chu Hongxiao's wrist, and her icy blue true energy condensed into an ice bridge beneath their feet.

The two hurried across the ice bridge to the other side, Yuwen Chengdu's furious roar echoing behind them. Once they disappeared into the night, a man in gray emerged from the shadows on the shore, gazing at the remaining ice tracks on the ground, and muttered, "The Mingyu Skill of the Yihua Palace truly lives up to its reputation..."

Inside a dilapidated temple in a deserted village, Yaoyue leaned against the mottled wall as Chu Hongxiao bandaged her wounds with strips of cloth. "Say it if it hurts," Chu Hongxiao said, noticing Yaoyue's furrowed brow. Yaoyue shook her head. "From childhood to adulthood, I've never had to cry out in pain when injured. It's just that this poison..." She looked down at the purplish wound, "...is a bit troublesome."

Chu Hongxiao suddenly grasped her hand: "Don't be afraid, I will go and find medicine, and I will definitely cure you." Yaoyue looked at their clasped hands, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure: "It's up to you. Just don't force yourself if there is any danger." She paused, then added, "If you die, there will be no one to find ice for me."

As night deepened, the howls of wolves echoed outside the dilapidated temple. Yaoyue circulated her inner energy to suppress the poison, while Chu Hongxiao stood guard beside her, her gaze resolute. Meanwhile, in Jiangdu, a far greater conspiracy was quietly brewing in the darkness, and these two solitary figures were destined to continue their adventures in this chaotic world.

The twilight over the Taihang Mountains was tinged with the rusty color of gunpowder smoke. Shi Feiyang, biting into half a charred sesame seed cake, rhythmically tapped a dead tree by the roadside with a bamboo stick, startling a flock of crows.

He had just gone out and had brought home a beautiful wife; Shi Feiyang was truly in high spirits! Yang Jinghao gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, gazing at the faintly visible dark figure in the distance, her phoenix eyes filled with frost: "I'm afraid that scoundrel Shan Xiongxin is chasing after us again."

"Perfect timing!" Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a small bronze mirror and waved it in the setting sun. "I was just worried about having no one to play 'Eagle Catches Chickens' with!" Before he finished speaking, a deafening horn sounded from both sides of the mountain road, and the elite troops of the Three Hundred Wagang Village surged out like a tide. Shan Xiongxin stood on a high place with a Zaoyang spear in his hand, followed by more than ten mysterious masked men.

"Li Er! Hand over 'The Return of Ten Thousand Poisons,' and I'll spare your life!" Shan Xiongxin's roar shook the withered leaves, causing them to fall in a rustling sound. Shi Feiyang, however, remained calm and unhurried, pulling a rattle drum from his deerskin bag and shaking it loudly. "Brother Shan, are you preparing for a temple fair? You should have said so earlier, and I would have called all the acrobatic troupes from Jiangdu!"

Before he could finish speaking, three dark figures attacked like ghosts, their curved blades gleaming with an eerie blue light. Shi Feiyang let out a strange cry and used "Illusionary Demon Step" to weave through the flashing blades, grabbing Yang Jinghao's hand as he did so: "Wife, let's do a waltz!"

He spoke in a strange language that no one around him could understand, yet his bamboo staff unleashed a "Hound Snatching the Staff" technique, precisely deflecting the curved blade. The Heavenly Silkworm Silk, like a silver dragon emerging from the sea, instantly wrapped around the throats of the three men. Those caught in the net screamed and flew backward, black blood spurting from their seven orifices congealing into a grotesque, monstrous face in mid-air. "What superb skill!" The red-robed leader of the Western Regions Demonic Sect suddenly appeared, his serpentine whip flashing like lightning. "I've heard that the Heavenly Silkworm Skill is immune to all poisons; I wonder if it can withstand my 'Bone-Corroding Demonic Smoke'?"

Before he finished speaking, the toxic smoke surged forth like a tidal wave. Shi Feiyang, however, remained calm, pulling out an oil-paper package containing Yangzhou's specialty, stinky tofu: "Compared to your smoke, this treasure of mine is a true 'biological weapon'!"

He abruptly ripped open the oiled paper, and a stench instantly filled the valley. The members of the Demonic Sect covered their noses, and their attack faltered. Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Feiyang used the "Leading the Dogs into the Village" technique from the "Dog-Beating Stick Method," his bamboo stick creating countless green shadows that repelled the poisonous smoke.

"Here you go!" With a strange shout, the members of the Demonic Sect were choked by his own poisonous smoke, their eyes filled with tears and snot, and their formation was thrown into chaos.

Upon seeing this, Shan Xiongxin was enraged. He wielded the Zaoyang Spear with fierce power and even unleashed the deadly move "Spear Breaks Mountains and Rivers".

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang pulled a kite from his robes, the spool of which was wrapped with the silkworm thread he had spat out from his palm: "General, let's play 'high-flying acrobat'!" The silkworm thread coiled around the Zaoyang spear like a nimble snake, and with a sudden burst of strength, Shan Xiongxin and his horse were pulled into the air. "Help!" Shan Xiongxin's screams echoed through the valley.

Shi Feiyang laughed and waved, "Take care! Remember to come back and treat me to roast chicken!" Just then, a towering flame suddenly rose from the direction of the inn—it turned out that the people from the Disaster Relief Gang had taken advantage of the chaos to set up an ambush at the inn, and the innkeeper and waiters had already been bribed.

"Not good!" Yang Jinghao's face changed drastically. Shi Feiyang smiled slyly and took out a small medicine bottle from the deerskin bag: "I was prepared for this! This is 'Drunken Immortal Powder' made with 'The Return of Ten Thousand Poisons,' specifically to counteract sleeping potions!"

The two used their lightness skills to rush towards the inn like arrows released from a bow.

Inside the inn, the members of the Disaster Relief Gang were preparing to attack the guests when Shi Feiyang swaggered in, a string of firecrackers hanging from a bamboo stick: "Are you all here to celebrate with me? Perfect timing, let's set off some firecrackers to liven things up!"

The moment the firecrackers exploded, the "Drunken Immortal Powder" transformed into colorful smoke that filled the entire area, and the enemy immediately collapsed to the ground.

"This trick is called 'finding fun in a smokescreen'!" Shi Feiyang proudly brandished his bamboo stick, when suddenly he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure flashing through the corner—it was none other than the long-lost Yuwen Chengdu! He held a modified gilded halberd, the tip of which was fitted with poisoned barbs. "Li Er, let's see where you run this time!" Yuwen Chengdu's roar shook the dust off the roof beams.

Shi Feiyang remained calm and unhurried, pulling out a megaphone and shouting, "Fellow villagers, take a good look! Watch the 'human-beast battle' for free!" As he spoke, he suddenly shielded Yang Jinghao behind him, and the silkworm silk that came out of his left palm shot out like a torrential rain.

"Silver Threads Bind the Soul!" With a clear shout, Yuwen Chengdu's gilded halberd was tightly bound by the silkworm silk.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" technique, specifically the "Drowning Dog Beating" move. His bamboo stick slammed heavily into the ground, causing the entire inn to tremble violently, and blue bricks shot out like cannonballs. Yuwen Chengdu was overwhelmed and quickly sustained several bloody cuts on his body.

Just then, one of the mysterious masked men suddenly rushed out, his long sword pointing directly at Shi Feiyang's back.

Yang Jinghao cried out in surprise and swung her sword to block. The moment the blades clashed, the masked man's veil was lifted by the sword's energy, revealing a familiar face—it was Qiu Shuhui, Shi Feiyang's concubine who had run away from Yihua Palace!
"Girl! Who are you..." Yang Jinghao stared wide-eyed in astonishment.

Qiu Shuhui did not answer; her jade-like face was as cold as frost, and she wielded her long sword with impenetrable speed.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a wine gourd, tilted his head back and took a big gulp: "Ladies, please stop fighting! Why don't we sit down, have a drink, and chat about life?"

His witty remarks only made the battle more chaotic.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shan Xiongxin regrouped, and the Western Regions Demonic Sect members also recovered and launched another attack. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang pulled Yang Jinghao and Qiu Shuhui behind him, and the silkworm silk he spat out from his palm surged out wildly, weaving a huge silver net in the air.

"Take this!" Shi Feiyang shouted, and the silver net swept out like a giant python. The enemies screamed in agony, their internal energy surging like a burst dam, black blood spurting from their seven orifices drawing bizarre patterns in the air. Shi Feiyang, however, still had the leisure to taunt: "Your 'blood-spitting performances' were truly spectacular, I give them full marks!"

Helpless, Shan Xiongxin and the others fled the scene. Shi Feiyang shook his empty wine gourd, looked at the mess on the ground, and suddenly burst into laughter: "This journey back to Taiyuan was more lively than the temple fair in Yangzhou!"

Yang Jinghao rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes: "Next time you encounter a scene like this, let's see what you do!" Shi Feiyang suddenly put his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear: "With my wife by my side, even if the King of Hell comes, I can still gamble a couple of rounds of dice with him!" After saying that, he put his arm around Qiu Shuhui, jumped onto the back of the Vermilion Bird, and the three of them rode the Vermilion Bird and flew to Jinyang.

In the distance, Shan Xiongxin watched the three figures disappear into the distance, clenching his fists: "Li Er, we haven't settled our score yet!" (End of Chapter)