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

The four ladies couldn't help but chuckle. Chu Hongxiao used a silkworm thread to dab a red dot on his forehead: "Husband, you look more like a street performer than a commander-in-chief."

Shi Feiyang put his arm around her waist and chuckled lightly amidst the swirling yellow sand, "What's wrong with wandering the martial world? Let's be carefree kings in this world!" With that, the silkworm silk transformed into colorful ribbons, weaving the four characters "Peace Under Heaven" under the setting sun, drawing cheers from the onlookers.

That night, inside the central command tent, Shi Feiyang combed the long hair of each of his four wives, the silken threads shimmering softly in the candlelight. "Tomorrow we march on Chang'an. Ladies, are you willing to brave the dragon's den and tiger's lair with me?" Li Yanling raised an eyebrow and drew her Dragon's Roar sword. "With you here, even the dragon's den and tiger's lair are nothing but paper!"

Chu Hongxiao then placed the jade flute into his hand: "Why don't you play a 'Victory Song' for us first, to wish us a resounding victory tomorrow!"

Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, bringing his jade flute close to his lips, but deliberately blowing away Qiu Shuhui's hairpin. Amidst the laughter and curses of the crowd, the silkworm silk quietly connected the hearts of the four, like four inseparable threads, weaving a gentle haven that belonged only to them in this chaotic world.

The autumn wind whipped up sand and gravel, pounding against the Tongguan city walls. Qu Tutong's Xuanjia Army stood in formation like a forest, and the black banners of the twelve constellations fluttered in the wind.

Shi Feiyang, clad in black iron armor with a deerskin pouch peeking out from his waist, was tying a red ribbon to Chu Hongxiao's jade flute with silkworm silk: "My darling, when you play the tune later, remember to give the enemy a 'lingering sound for three days'."

Chu Hongxiao spat lightly and tapped his shoulder with her jade flute: "Always talking nonsense! Sister Yanling's Dragon Roar Sword is much sharper than my tune."

Li Yanling stroked the hilt of the sword, and a cold glint suddenly flashed from the tip: "I didn't get my fill of killing in Huoyi last time, this time I'll make the Sui army pay for their blood debt!" Qiu Shuhui put the hidden arrow into the quiver woven from silkworm silk, while Huo Chenxi quietly activated the Mingyu Gong, and a faint blue light emanated from her body.

"Report—!" A scout galloped in, "The Lord of the Western Regions' Corpse Forest has appeared in the Sui army formation, along with Yuwen Chengdu's spiked club!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Feiyang's eyes lit up, and he pulled out a magnifying glass from the deerskin bag: "Good heavens, he's brought out all the antiques! Ladies, watch closely, I'll first give them a 'Grand Sale of Transplanted Jade'!"

Before he finished speaking, the bronze coffin exploded, and the Lord of the Corpse Forest, wrapped in amber, rose into the air.

From the black mist he unleashed with his palms, countless skulls let out mournful screams, turning everything in their path to charcoal.

Shi Feiyang remained calm and unhurried. He took out a rattle drum and shook it vigorously. Silkworm threads shot out like nimble snakes, weaving a Bagua diagram in the air: "Come, come, let me show you what 'fighting poison with poison' really means!"

The lord of the Corpse Forest's palm strike collided with the Bagua Formation, but was instead drawn towards the Twelve Constellations by the Heavenly Silkworm Silk. "Tiger Elephant" roared and swung his spiked club, the corpse patterns on the club glowing with bloody light. Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a magnet, and the Heavenly Silkworm Silk magnified it dozens of times: "Old antique, it's time to retire!"

The spiked club flew uncontrollably toward the magnet, and "Tiger Elephant" staggered forward, crashing into Li Yanling's Dragon Roar Sword Net.

"Heavenly Silkworm Binds the Dragon!" Li Yanling shouted, and the Heavenly Silkworm Silk descended like an electric net. The "Tiger Elephant" struggled fiercely, only to find that the icy true energy attached to the silk threads was seeping into its meridians. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chu Hongxiao played her jade flute lightly, and the melody of "Ambush from Ten Sides" transformed into a sonic arrow, shooting towards the "Snake Elephant's" vital spot.

Before the venomous fangs of the "snake-elephant" could even get close, they were struck down by Qiu Shuhui's silkworm silk sleeve arrows, which then embedded themselves back into her shoulder.

Huo Chenxi danced in the air, stepping on celestial silkworm silk, leaving icy blue footprints in the void with each step. She used the Bright Jade Skill, and the cold air in her palms transformed into ice lotuses, freezing the Sui soldiers into ice sculptures wherever she passed.

"Dragon Elephant" drew a soft sword wrapped with fragments of a dragon robe, its sword energy condensing into nine golden dragons. Shi Feiyang, however, pulled out a kaleidoscope, the silkworm silk refracting seven-colored light within: "Look! Rainbow Fart Attack!"

The nine golden dragons collided with the seven-colored light, turning into a shower of golden dust. Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Transferring Flowers and Jade, Returning to Emptiness," his palms unleashing a massive vortex of true energy that swept the entire "Nine Netherworld Gate Formation" into the air.

The twelve constellation messengers screamed as they were sucked into a mass of flesh, while the corpse of the Lord of the Corpse Forest exploded into a rain of blood, with fragments of his internal organs falling like raindrops.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Qu Tutong spurred his horse to flee.

Shi Feiyang chased after him, riding on the Vermilion Bird's wings, his bamboo stick suddenly growing longer: "Old Qu, why are you running? I haven't even shown you any magic tricks yet!"

The silkworm silk he spat out from his palm transformed into ropes that bound the horse's legs. Qu Tutong tumbled off the horse, only to see Shi Feiyang pull out a huge kite and tie him firmly to it: "Come on, experience being an 'aerial acrobat'!"

On the city wall of Tongguan, Sui soldiers watched this absurd scene, their weapons falling to the ground. Shi Feiyang, perched on the back of the Vermilion Bird, embraced his four wives and laughed heartily: "How about that? More entertaining than a street performance, isn't it!"

Chu Hongxiao drew a funny face on his face with silkworm silk, while Li Yanling hit him on the head with the Dragon Roar sword sheath: "All you do is act silly! Why don't you hurry up and go into the city to appease the people?" That night, the people of Tongguan carried lanterns and flooded the streets, only to see a banner woven from silkworm silk that read "Welcome" hanging on the city gate.

Shi Feiyang stood on the city wall, performing magic tricks with the silkworm threads in his hands for the children: "Want some sugar figurines? I'll weave you one that can fly!"

The four ladies stood behind him, some smiling gently, others pouting coquettishly, their figures in the moonlight weaving together into a breathtakingly beautiful picture amidst the chaos of the world.

The scorching sun in Dunhuang steamed Crescent Lake into a pot of boiling water. Yaoyue, dressed in a white skirt covered in sand, was using a jade-like ice spoon to scoop up the water.

Lianxing squatted to the side, deftly stringing sand grains into a necklace with the silkworm silk she produced from her palm: "Sister, look! The Western Region-style jewelry I made." Before she finished speaking, strange ripples suddenly appeared on the sand dune, and twelve bronze banners engraved with celestial runes burst from the ground, surrounding the two sisters in the center.

"Yaoyue, Lianxing, you've finally escaped the Yihua Palace. Heh heh, daring to collude with Li Er and rebel against the court, you deserve to die! Hmph! Today is your death anniversary!" Ugly Ox Iron-Armed Asura appeared, his left arm adorned with the broken armor of Yuchi Gong, crackling with eerie blue arcs of electricity. "Taste the thunderous fury of my 'Mountain-Splitting Axe Technique'!"

The moment the giant axe cleaved down, a thunderclap exploded in the sky, and blue-purple lightning spread like a spiderweb. Inviting Moon sneered, lightly waving her jade palm: "A mere trick."

As Mingyu Gong circulated, his body shimmered with a glassy luster, and the cold air in his palm collided with the electric arc, exploding into icy blue sparks.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lianxing used the Heavenly Silkworm Technique that Shi Feiyang had taught her, and spat out Heavenly Silkworm Silk from her palm to wrap around the opening at Shura's waist: "Brother Da Niu, there's dried meat hidden in the gaps of your armor!" It turned out that the patchwork garment was actually pieced together from dozens of battle robes, and there were dried meat scraps stuck to the corners of the garment.

The Snake-type Poison Fairy opened the glass beehive with a charming smile, and thousands of Yin-Yang butterflies fluttered out, their pink wings refracting a seven-colored poisonous light in the sunlight.

Lianxing's palm emitted a net woven from silkworm silk that shimmered with silver light: "Sister! These butterflies are so beautiful, I want to catch a few to take home and raise!" Yaoyue's jade palm floated up and summoned "Transferring Flowers and Jade," leading the swarm of poisonous butterflies toward the Pig Gluttonous Arhat.

The Arhat was opening his blood-red mouth to perform the "Swallowing Rivers and Seas" technique, but unexpectedly inhaled a mouthful of burning ice crystals, which scalded him so much that he rolled on the ground.

"The Big Dipper Seven Killings Formation, activate!" As the rat-elephant messenger at the formation's core struck the celestial compass, the yellow sand of Crescent Lake suddenly transformed into nine sand dunes.

With a light touch of her toes, Yaoyue displayed her "walking on snow without leaving a trace" lightness skill, dancing gracefully on the back of the salon.

Lianxing crouched down, her silkworm threads darting into the sand like serpents: "Sister! The core of this array is made from a fragment of Yang Guang's Imperial Seal!"

Sure enough, as the silkworm thread pulled out the fragment of the jade seal buried under the sand, the astronomical compass emitted a piercing buzz. The Jade Palm of Inviting the Moon once again summoned the "Transferring Flowers and Receiving Jade" technique! The nine sandbars suddenly changed direction, sweeping the twelve constellation figures towards the thousand-year-old Buddhist cave.

The flying goddess in the mural seemed to come alive, and the ribbons woven from the silkworm silk that Lianxing spat out from her palm bound the assassins like dumplings.

The Gluttonous Arhat of the Pig struggled to lift the golden alms bowl: "Taste the power of a hungry ghost's stomach juice!" The moment the black liquid splashed out, the silkworm silk that Lianxing spat out from her palm transformed into a funnel and caught all the stomach juice: "Perfect, I didn't bring any seasoning!"

Yaoyue turned and winked at Lianxing, teasingly saying, "I'll cook hot and sour noodles for my little sister tonight." Seeing the situation was dire, Ugly Ox Iron-Armed Asura summoned heavenly lightning with his axe blade, attempting to cleave the sandstorm. Lianxing, however, spitting out silkworm silk from her palm, woven it into a giant kite, exclaiming, "Sister, look! A giant flying centipede!"

The kite swept over Shura's head, startling him so much that he dropped his giant axe and fled in terror. The members of the Twelve Constellations collided with each other in the sandstorm, with cries of "My teeth!" and "Don't step on my tail!" echoing from time to time.

As the last assassin was frozen into an ice sculpture, Yaoyue pressed her jade palm against the mural in the Buddhist cave, and her cold jade true energy spread along the patterns of the mural. In an instant, the thousand-year-old mural revealed a scene of Yang Guang's decadent lifestyle, while the figures of the Twelve Constellations were transformed into comical clowns by the silkworm silk.

Lianxing laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, and the silkworm silk she spat out from her palm carved the words "I was here" into the ice sculpture.

“Sister, their star compasses still work.” Lianxing played with her spoils of war, then her eyes lit up. “Why don’t we make them into a barbecue grill?” Yaoyue rolled her eyes at her, but couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling that her younger sister was becoming more and more like Shi Feiyang.

A lone plume of smoke rises from the vast desert, the setting sun bleeds like blood. The sandstorms of Dunhuang, carrying gravel, relentlessly batter a pair of women dressed in white.

Their graceful figures, like white lotuses in the snow, stood out conspicuously in this desolate place.

These two were none other than Yaoyue and Lianxing from Yihua Palace. Yaoyue wore a plain white dress, her cold face was like an ice sculpture, her eyes revealed a chilling aura that kept people at a distance, and she exuded an aura of majesty that made people dare not look directly at her.

Lianxing was gentle and graceful, with a faint smile always in her eyes, like the warm sun in spring, giving people a sense of warmth. The two sisters searched everywhere for Shi Feiyang's whereabouts. However, having rarely left home, they often lost their way while walking.

"Sister, this desert is so vast, can we really find him?" Lianxing looked at the endless yellow sand, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes.

Yaoyue's eyes were resolute, her jade hands clenched tightly: "No matter where he is, I will find him."

Her voice was clear and resolute, as if nothing in this world could stop her. But as they walked, they got lost again, and unknowingly, they arrived at the summit of Kunlun, where the perpetual snow reflected the cold moonlight.

Yaoyue stood on the edge of the cliff, her white robes billowing in the mountain wind, like a banished immortal about to ascend to heaven.

She held half a crystal-clear jade pendant in her palm, which she had received when she parted ways with Shi Feiyang, and it was now emitting a faint blue light.

"Is Sister thinking about him again?" Lianxing approached, carrying a jar of peach blossom wine, the jade bell in her hair jingling softly with each step.

She handed the wine jar to Yaoyue, and the aroma of the wine wafting from the jar, mixed with the snow mist, lingered around the two of them.

Yaoyue took a sip of wine, a chill spreading down her throat: "Sister, can we really find him?"

On the way back, Lianxing looked at the vast land and asked.

Yaoyue gripped the jade pendant at her waist, her gaze resolute: "Even if I have to traverse the ends of the earth, I will find him. How can the people of Yihua Palace be allowed to be coveted by others?" As night deepened, two figures in white robes disappeared into the moonlight. The undercurrents of the martial world continued to surge, but nothing could stop these two beautiful women from pursuing their heart's desire.

After capturing Hedong, Liu Wenjing reported intelligence to Shi Feiyang: the people of Wagang were not at peace under Li Mi's command.

Shi Feiyang temporarily handed over military power to Chai Shao, and then took four beautiful ladies—Qiu Shuhui, Li Yanling, Huo Chenxi, and Chu Hongxiao—out of the military camp. They were all dressed as martial arts practitioners and secretly went to Wagang to contact Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin to defect.

Half a month later, five fine horses galloped along the official road, breaking through the morning mist. Shi Feiyang, dressed in a moon-white outfit with a half-eaten osmanthus cake wrapped in silkworm silk at his waist, suddenly turned around and laughed, "Ladies, look ahead, doesn't that mountain look like the phoenix on Yang Jinghao's hairpin?"

Before he could finish speaking, Chu Hongxiao flicked her jade whip, the tip wrapping around the back of his collar: "Still in the mood for jokes? Li Mi's spies discovered our tracks three days ago!" Li Yanling drew her Dragon Roar sword three inches from its sheath, the cold light making the beauty mark at the corner of her eye even more striking: "What's there to be afraid of? Even if Wagang Village is filled with 'Anti-Li' banners, this sword can still carve a bloody path through!" Qiu Shuhui's fingertips entwined with silkworm silk, weaving roadside insects into butterflies, and she said coquettishly: "You always know how to show off, who was it that was chased by the twelve constellations' scorpions last time?"

Amidst the laughter and merriment, a foul stench suddenly arose from both sides of the mountain path. Seventy-two puppets wrapped in human skin burst forth from the ground—the lost "Hundred Ghosts Soul-Locking Formation" of the Disaster Relief Gang. The bronze masks in the puppets' hands emitted a piercing shriek in unison, causing blood to seep from Huo Chenxi's ears.

"Cover your ears!" Shi Feiyang shouted, unleashing the full power of his Mingyu Gong, his body shimmering with a glassy luster, like an ice sculpture shrouded in cold mist. He lightly tapped his bamboo stick, channeling his Tiancan Gong, the crystalline light flowing through his palm transforming into thousands of silver needles that pierced the puppet's acupoints, instantly freezing it into an ice block.

"What superb skills!" With a sinister laugh, an old man wearing a bronze demon mask walked through the air, his judge's pen inscribed with Sanskrit. He was none other than the new leader of the Disaster Relief Gang, "The Impermanent Old Man." With a light tap of his pen, the ground suddenly cracked open, and countless skeletal hands burst forth from the earth.

Shi Feiyang pulled out a rattle drum and magnified it a hundredfold with his power: "Old man, have you heard the story of 'the rattle drum drives away ghosts'?" As the drum sounded, the skeletal hands covered their ears and began to fight each other.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chu Hongxiao gently played her jade flute, and the melody of "Ambush from Ten Sides" transformed into a sonic arrow, shooting towards the center of the formation.

Qiu Shuhui activated her Heavenly Silkworm Skill, causing her palms to shimmer with light. Silvery-white filaments wove into a giant net, trapping all the fleeing gang members.

Li Yanling's Dragon Roar Sword Dance unleashed a flurry of sword blossoms, each strike precisely hitting the enemy's vital points.

Huo Chenxi danced in the air, stepping on the silken threads she had activated with her inner energy. Wherever she passed, enemies were frozen into ice sculptures.

Shi Feiyang flicked his palms, unleashing the "Shifting Flowers and Jade, Myriad Calamities Return to Emptiness!" The vortex of his true energy sucked the entire ghost formation into the air. The Impermanent Old Man screamed as he was sucked into a ball of flesh, roaring in his dying moments, "Li Er, you will not die a good death!"

Shi Feiyang picked at his ear pick and laughed at the remains, "Still being stubborn even when you're about to die? Want me to sing you a 'Rebirth Mantra'?"

After dealing with the disaster relief gang, the five continued their journey. As they approached a valley, they suddenly saw purple smoke rising from it.

Shi Feiyang's pupils shrank sharply: "Not good, it's the 'Ten Thousand Poisons Bewitching Mist' of the Bone-Eating Sect!" Before he finished speaking, countless Gu worms surged in like a black cloud. Leading them was none other than Zi Die, the Holy Maiden of the Bone-Eating Sect. Holding a snake-shaped soft whip, she said with a charming smile: "Young Master Li, my sect leader invites you!"

Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a kaleidoscope, activated his Heavenly Silkworm Technique, and the crystal light refracted into seven colors in the tube: "Sister, can these Gu worms read kaleidoscopes?" Wherever the light reached, the Gu worms lost their way and began to devour each other.

Zi Die's expression changed drastically, and she swung her whip straight at Shi Feiyang's face.

Shi Feiyang neither dodged nor evaded. With a light wave of his iron palm, he used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique, and the soft whip turned to entangle Zi Die herself.

"Sisters, unleash the Dog-Beating Stick Technique!" Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang gave another command, and the four ladies simultaneously drew their emerald green bamboo sticks. The crystalline light generated by their Heavenly Silkworm Skill intertwined with the bamboo sticks, unleashing exquisite moves such as "Stick to Pick Up the Mangy Dog" and "Squeeze the Dog's Back." The weapons of the Bone-Eating Cult members fell from their hands, coiled into iron balls by the crystalline threads. Huo Chenxi even used her Heavenly Silkworm Skill to weave a giant net, wiping out the remaining cult members in one fell swoop.

Zi Die slumped to the ground, gazing at Shi Feiyang's handsome face, her cheeks flushed: "Young Master Li, if you are willing to marry me, I will make the Bone-Eating Sect turn against us..."

Shi Feiyang raised an eyebrow and smiled, channeling his inner energy to activate the Heavenly Silkworm Technique. A beam of light touched the tip of her nose: "Sister, don't be impatient. Once I've taken Wagang, I'll invite you to my wedding feast!" When the five of them finally arrived at Wagang Village, the setting sun was dyeing the village gate blood red.

Shi Feiyang gazed at the large banner bearing the character "Li" atop the city wall, gripping his bamboo staff tightly: "Ladies, the show is just beginning!" His body shimmered with the power of Mingyu Gong, its luster reflecting the evening glow, making him appear like a war god about to descend upon the world.

Meanwhile, inside Wagang Village, Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin were tightly holding a secret letter.

Amidst billowing smoke and dust, a general rode out on horseback.

The newcomer, clad in black armor and wielding a pair of bronze maces, was none other than Qin Qiong, the renowned Qin Shubao of Wagang Village.

He reined in his horse, his gaze sharp as lightning, and after scanning the crowd, he said in a deep voice, "Young Master Li, what brings you here? May I ask what brings you here?"

Shi Feiyang dismounted, and the silkworm silk transformed into a ribbon. He gently rolled up a wildflower by the roadside and tucked it into Chu Hong's hair. Then he smiled and said, "General Qin, I have come today to discuss a 'big deal' with you and General Cheng. I have heard that the people of Wagang Village are in a state of panic and are short of food. I happen to have a way to solve this urgent problem."

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Yaojin, wielding his Xuanhua axe, strode out of the stronghold and said in a gruff voice, "Hmph! Li Er, now that your army is strong and you have seized large swathes of cities from the Sui Dynasty, would you really be kind enough to help us? Or are you planning to take advantage of this opportunity to annex Wagang?"

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, took out an exquisite abacus, and the silkworm threads darted about like nimble snakes, manipulating the beads in the air: "General Cheng, you're being too polite! Our cooperation is a win-win situation. You see, Li Mi is stubborn and refuses to listen to advice; Wagang Village will fall apart sooner or later under his rule. And what I lack are fierce generals like General Qin and General Cheng. As long as you two are willing to defect, we'll have as much grain and weapons as you need!" Seeing this, Qiu Shuhui also stepped forward, the silkworm threads she produced from her slender hands transforming into butterflies that danced gracefully at her fingertips: "Generals, my husband has always been loyal and righteous. Following him, we can not only achieve great things, but also ensure that the brothers of Wagang live a good life."

Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin exchanged a glance, a hint of hesitation flashing in their eyes. Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from the camp, and a scout galloped in: "Report! Wang Shichong's army is heading towards Wagang Village, and the vanguard is already ten miles away!"

Shi Feiyang's eyes lit up, and he lightly tapped the ground with his bamboo stick: "Well done! This is our pledge of loyalty! General Qin, General Cheng, do you dare to join forces with me and give Wang Shichong a taste of his power?"

Qin Qiong pondered for a moment, then slammed his double maces into the ground: "Good! If Young Master Li can help us defeat Wang Shichong, I, Qin Qiong, am willing to lead all the brothers of Wagang to follow me!" Cheng Yaojin also brandished his Xuanhua axe and laughed loudly: "Haha! I, Old Cheng, just like straightforward people! Let's kill Wang Shichong without leaving a single piece of armor!"

Shi Feiyang immediately began to deploy: "General Qin, you lead two thousand elite troops to ambush in the valley on the left and cut off Wang Shichong's retreat when he enters; General Cheng, you lead one thousand men to launch a surprise attack from the right and disrupt the enemy's formation; I and the four ladies will face the enemy head-on and draw away Wang Shichong's main force."

As he spoke, the silkworm silk that he spat out from his palm suddenly transformed into a map, outlining the terrain and troop deployment in the air. "Wang Shichong has a great general named Shan Xiongxin, known as 'the one who can defeat ten thousand men.' He is incredibly brave, but has an impatient personality. We will set a trap to lure him deep into enemy territory and then annihilate him in one fell swoop!"

Half an hour later, Wang Shichong's army arrived.

Amidst the rising dust, Shan Xiongxin charged forward, his Zhaoyang spear gleaming coldly: "Li Er! Today is your death day! Today you will pay for the lives of my father and brothers! Blood debts must be repaid in blood. Enough with the nonsense, bring it on!"

Shi Feiyang remained calm and composed, holding a bamboo stick and adopting the "vicious dog blocking the road" stance, laughing, "General Shan, are you in such a hurry to die? Why not play with me first!" Shan Xiongxin roared and swept his Zaoyang spear across the room.

Shi Feiyang used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique, and with a gentle flick, the spear's wind shifted towards Wang Shichong's personal guards.

The four Madam Shi attacked simultaneously, their slender palms unleashing silkworm silk that danced like silver snakes as they executed moves such as "Heavenly Silkworm Binding Dragon" and "Beating the Dog's Head with a Stick." Qiu Shuhui's silkworm silk pierced the enemy general's skin, sealing acupoints; Li Yanling's Dragon Roar Sword combined with the Dog-Beating Stick Technique created a dazzling display of sword and stick shadows, making it impossible for the enemy to defend against; Huo Chenxi used a combination of Heavenly Silkworm Skill and Bright Jade Skill, spreading chilling energy that froze any approaching enemy soldiers into ice sculptures; Chu Hongxiao played her jade flute, transforming sound waves into sharp blades that struck at the enemy's vitals.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Wang Shichong immediately ordered a retreat.

However, they were ambushed by Qin Qiong as soon as they retreated to the valley.

Arrows rained down, and battle cries shook the heavens.

As expected, Shan Xiongxin fell into the trap and led his troops in an attempt to break through the encirclement, but they were blocked by Shi Feiyang and others.

"General Shan, why don't you surrender?" Shi Feiyang's body was enveloped in Mingyu Gong, his skin as transparent as jade, and the vortex of true energy slightly pulled Shan Xiongxin's weapon. "If you surrender, I will guarantee you high rank and generous salary; if you insist on resisting, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Dan Xiongxin blushed and fought back fiercely, only to find that Shi Feiyang was neutralizing his moves at every turn.

He was greatly alarmed, realizing that the person before him possessed unfathomable martial arts skills.

Just then, Cheng Yaojin charged out from behind, his Xuanhua axe slashing down at Shan Xiongxin: "Shan Xiongxin, stop struggling in vain!"

After a fierce battle, Wang Shichong realized that the situation was hopeless and had no choice but to lead his remaining troops in a hasty retreat.

Inside Wagang Village, at the victory banquet, Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin suddenly led their personal guards to defect. Chai Shao's army, which had been in contact with Shi Feiyang via carrier pigeon, seized the opportunity to cooperate with Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin from within and capture Wagang Village in one fell swoop.

The aroma of wine mingled with the smoky scent of roasted meat, rising straight to the sky. Shi Feiyang leaned against the tiger-skin seat, his silkworm cocoon deftly stringing grapes into smiling faces, when he suddenly shouted, "Second Brother Qin! Third Brother Cheng! How about we have a drinking contest of this 'Drunken Immortal Brew'?"

The pearl on his black armor swayed slightly with his movements, making his handsome face even more dazzling, attracting frequent glances from the women in the village.

Qin Qiong clasped his hands and laughed, slamming his double maces on the ground, making the wine bowl tremble: "If Young Master Li can drink three jars in a row, I'll learn to do three somersaults like that monkey!" Cheng Yaojin, however, slammed his Xuanhua axe heavily on the table, sending his fleshy bones flying three feet high: "No way! No way! If Second Brother Qin does somersaults, he'll blow the roof off, and then we'll all be starving!"

Amidst the laughter, Shi Feiyang suddenly grabbed a wine jar, and the Mingyu Kung Fu flowed around him, its glass-like luster shimmering.

He tilted his head back and gulped down the strong liquor, his Adam's apple bobbing like pearls falling onto a jade plate. He finished with a fruity burp: "My two brothers, watch closely—"

Before he could finish speaking, the silkworm silk transformed into colorful ribbons and wrapped around Qin Qiong's wrist. "We agreed on the somersault, and I'll help you out!"

Qin Qiong felt a gentle force supporting his back, and involuntarily he somersaulted three times in the air, landing with his double maces firmly planted on the ground.

Amidst the uproar, Shi Feiyang, shaking his wine jar, raised an eyebrow and asked, "General Cheng, when will your 'three-pronged axe juggling act' begin?" Just as everyone was laughing and joking, a soft clattering sound of tiles suddenly came from the northwest corner.

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply, and the Heavenly Silkworm Silk shot out into the darkness like a serpent.

Yang Jinghao landed in a disheveled state, dressed in night clothes, but she tightly guarded the jade pendant in her arms to her chest—it was a pair of lotus flowers carved by Shi Feiyang himself.

"So it's the princess who's come to attend the ceremony." Shi Feiyang's lips curled into a dangerous smile. As crystalline light flowed in his palm, silkworm silk had already woven a cage around her. "But this attire... could it be that you're trying to imitate the Nightwalker?"

Yang Jinghao's jade-like face was frosty, and the soft sword at her waist was drawn three inches from its sheath: "Li Er! You seized my city and took my fierce generals. Do you really think the Great Sui has no one to rely on?" With a slight flick of her wrist, her sword move contained the subtlety of the "Sui Palace Secret Nine Luminaries Sword Technique", and the tip of the sword was aimed directly at Shi Feiyang's throat.

"Well done!" Shi Feiyang used his bamboo stick to pick up half a roast chicken, and used the "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" to deflect the sword's momentum to the side. "Back when I taught you how to steal wine in the Imperial Garden, I had no idea that Your Highness's swordsmanship had improved so much!"

He suddenly lunged forward, the chilling aura unleashed by the Mingyu Gong instantly freezing the sword. "However, it's still a bit lacking compared to my 'Transferring Flowers and Jade'!"

At the critical moment, Cheng Yaojin suddenly roared, "Stop! The food's getting cold!" He swept his Xuanhua axe, knocking both of them back at the same time.

Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Feiyang flicked out his Heavenly Silkworm Silk, which transformed into a rope to gently bind Yang Jinghao: "Your Highness, please be patient. Once we take Chang'an, I will carry you to see the new palace in a grand sedan chair carried by eight men!" With that, he left behind his civil and military officials and ordered his personal guards to escort Yang Jinghao to the inner chamber for a heart-to-heart talk. The flickering candlelight illuminated the radiant aura of Mingyu Gong emanating from Shi Feiyang, making it appear and disappear intermittently.

He leaned back in the tiger-skin chair, lightly tapping the ground with a bamboo stick. Silkworm threads, like nimble snakes, slithered around Yang Jinghao's feet, weaving an invisible net. "Little Phoenix," he raised an eyebrow and chuckled, but his eyes held a scrutinizing sharpness, "I treated you with utmost sincerity, so why did you secretly collude with Wang Shichong?"

Yang Jinghao straightened her back, moonlight streaming through the window lattice onto her pale face, causing the pearl on her phoenix crown to tremble slightly. She gripped the jade pendant at her waist, but the warm touch could not calm the turmoil in her heart.

"Sincere heart?" She sneered, her voice trembling slightly. "Li Er, you conquer cities and territories, and your iron cavalry tramples the people of my Great Sui. Is this your sincerity?" Shi Feiyang stood up and approached, his glass-like skin radiating a chilling aura, but he paused slightly when he saw the stubbornness in her eyes.

"If I don't lead my army westward, am I supposed to just watch that tyrannical Emperor Yang Guang continue to prey on the people?" His voice was deep, and the silkworm threads unconsciously wrapped around her wrist. "We could have joined hands..."

"Shut up!" Yang Jinghao suddenly drew her soft sword, the blade clashing against the silkworm silk, producing a piercing sound. "I am a princess of the Great Sui Dynasty, bearing the mission of my country! You seized my city, killed my soldiers, and you still dare to think that I would collude with you?"

She flipped her wrist and unleashed the "Nine Luminaries Sword Technique," a secret technique passed down in the Sui Palace, with the tip of the sword pointing directly at Shi Feiyang's throat.

Shi Feiyang neither dodged nor evaded, but casually swung his bamboo stick, using the "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" to deftly deflect the sword's attack.

"Back when you were caught stealing imperial wine, who took the blame for you?" He suddenly lunged forward, the chilling aura of Mingyu Gong freezing the sword. "Who wove a sky full of stars for you with celestial silkworm silk on your birthday?"

Yang Jinghao froze, memories flooding back like a tide.

Back then, Shi Feiyang wasn't yet a renowned general conquering all sides; he was just a boy who could perform magic tricks to amuse her. But now, she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks: "All of that is in the past! From the moment you led your army, we were destined to be enemies!"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly bit her tongue and spat blood onto the soft sword. The sword immediately glowed with an eerie red light, revealing itself to be the forbidden Sui Palace technique, "Blood Sacrifice to Xuanyuan." Shi Feiyang's pupils constricted sharply, and his Heavenly Silkworm Silk rapidly retracted, only to see Yang Jinghao transform into a blood-red shadow, rushing straight out of the hall.

"Trying to leave?" Shi Feiyang's body shone brightly as he used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, the vortex of true energy drawing the candlelight towards his palm.

Yang Jinghao paused in mid-air, then suddenly tore off the jade pendant from her waist, holding one half in her hand and throwing the other half at Shi Feiyang: "Li Er, unless I die, I will make you pay for the lives of the people of the Great Sui!"

A shard of jade pendant grazed Shi Feiyang's cheek, leaving a shallow bloodstain.

He watched Yang Jinghao's figure disappear into the night, and the silkworm thread slowly rolled up the half of the jade pendant on the ground.

Under the moonlight, his eyes held a complex and unreadable expression, a mixture of anger at being betrayed and unspeakable heartache.

“Little Phoenix,” he murmured, “this game is far from over…” Shi Feiyang stared in the direction she had left, when the jade pendant he was playing with suddenly shattered. He then clapped his hands and burst into laughter, walking out of the inner room and into the council hall, proclaiming loudly, “Gentlemen! It’s time for a bigger game!”

The silkworm threads he spat out from his palm poured out like the Milky Way, weaving the entire Guanzhong region's topography onto the sand table. "That old codger Wang Shichong must be as frightened as a bird startled by a bow after this defeat." He took out a shadow puppet box and manipulated the paper figures to dance on the wall. "We'll spread the word that we're going to ally with Li Mi to attack Luoyang."

He reached out and grabbed Huo Chenxi's bamboo stick, slamming it hard on the "Chang'an" position, sending wood chips flying across the sand table. "Once he sends troops to reinforce, we'll launch a surprise attack!"

Qin Qiong clashed his double maces, sparks flying: "I am willing to lead three thousand Xuanjia soldiers as the vanguard!"

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head: "But the walls of Chang'an are three zhang high, and there's also that..."

"Crossbow formation!" Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a kaleidoscope, magnifying it a hundredfold with silkworm silk. "Let's use this! We'll gather the sunlight into fireballs and burn them to ashes!" Five days later, outside Chang'an City. Wang Shichong indeed fell for the trap and divided his troops to reinforce Luoyang in the east.

Shi Feiyang, clad in black iron fish scale armor, rode a Vermilion Bird, circling in the air.

The silkworm silk he spat out suddenly transformed into thousands of threads, condensing the smoke from the city's chimneys into arrows: "Behold my newly created 'Borrowing Wind to Set Fire'!"

The rockets fired by the Sui army defending the city were all deflected by Shi Feiyang using the "transferring flowers and jade" technique.

On the city wall, he shouted to the dumbfounded defenders, "Quickly call your commander out! I have a 'letter of persuasion to surrender' here!"

Having said that, the scroll wrapped in silkworm silk flew into the city, revealing a doggerel written on old Sui Dynasty paper: "The walls of Chang'an are high and strong, but they are not as good as my little Ajiao. Open the gates early to welcome the royal army, and I'll guarantee you barbecue every day!"

Just as the defenders were laughing, Qin Qiong had already led the Xuanjia Army up the city wall using rope ladders woven from silkworm silk. Cheng Yaojin brandished his Xuanhua axe, shouting, "I want to eat Chang'an roujiamo (Chinese hamburger)," and cleaved open the city gate.

Shi Feiyang swooped down, riding the Vermilion Bird, his body almost transparent from the power of the Bright Jade Technique, resembling an ice-sculpted war god. He lightly tapped his bamboo staff, and the Heavenly Silkworm Silk swirled the Sui army's weapons in a waltz in the air: "Everyone, put down your weapons obediently, I have some wine from the Western Regions!"

As the setting sun painted the "Li" banner atop Chang'an city walls crimson, Shi Feiyang leaned against the ruins of Xuanwu Gate, weaving flower garlands for his four ladies with silkworm silk. Chu Hongxiao played her jade flute softly, Li Yanling performed a sword dance to add to the merriment, while Qiu Shuhui and Huo Chenxi busied themselves dividing up the spoils of war.

In the distance, a messenger delivered a secret report: Wang Shichong, upon learning of the fall of Chang'an, was so enraged that he smashed three floor tiles in Luoyang.

"Looks like I'll have to send Old Wang a chess set." Shi Feiyang took a bite of the Imperial Concubine Pastry he had just snatched, when suddenly a silkworm thread entangled itself around a fragment of the jade pendant that Yang Jinghao often wore. "In the next scene, it's time to invite our Princess to the stage..."

A sly smile played on his lips, and the light in his eyes shone brighter than the lights of Chang'an. (End of Chapter)