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

Inside the dilapidated temple, the flickering candlelight cast Shi Feiyang's shadow onto the mottled walls.

He knelt beside Zi Die, carefully wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. His inner energy flowed beneath her fair skin, transforming his Mingyu Gong into wisps of warmth, slowly channeling them into her body to dispel the remaining poison.

Zi Die's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly awoke under the combined effects of the medicine and her internal energy. The first thing she saw was Shi Feiyang's focused face.

The candlelight softened his features, but his movements were unusually clumsy—he was using a bamboo stick to pick up half a cold osmanthus cake, trying to feed it to her.

"Look at you, you look like a flustered servant." Zi Die's voice was hoarse, but she still managed to tease Shi Feiyang.

She tried to sit up, but cried out softly as the movement aggravated her wound.

Shi Feiyang hurriedly caught her, the bamboo stick clattering to the ground, but he didn't notice. He steadily supported her back with both hands and said softly, "Don't move! Those Tang Clan hidden weapons were coated with three kinds of poison. If you hadn't temporarily suppressed them with the Gu worms, you would be..."

His Adam's apple bobbed, a hint of lingering fear flashed in his eyes, and he said with concern, "Don't take such risks again."

Zi Die raised an eyebrow, then suddenly reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, teasingly saying, "When did Young Master Shi become so fussy? Back in the Netherworld Gu Cave, who was it that risked the Gu King's backlash to save me?"

As she spoke, strands of her hair brushed against Shi Feiyang's cheek, carrying the unique cool fragrance of the Five Poisons Sect, yet subtly mixed with the sweetness of osmanthus.

Shi Feiyang's Adam's apple bobbed. Suddenly, he pulled a paper package from his deerskin bag, shook it triumphantly, and said warmly, "I knew you'd be hungry when you woke up!" Unfolding the paper, he revealed several small osmanthus pastries. He said tenderly, "I grabbed these from the kitchen of 'Yuelaiju' while distracting the pursuers." Zi Die gazed at the pastries, a soft spot in her heart gently touched. She took one and put it in her mouth; the sweet aroma spread on her tongue, but her eyes welled up slightly. She said suspiciously, "You know perfectly well that disciples of the Five Poisons Sect are immune to all poisons, yet you still…"

"So what if you're immune to all poisons?" Shi Feiyang suddenly leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers. The inner strength beneath her glassy skin glowed faintly with excitement as he said affectionately, "In my eyes, you're just a girl who likes to throw tantrums. That day you shielded me from the Spider King's sting, and I thought..." He suddenly stopped, his ears turning red.

"What are you thinking about?" Zi Die asked back, her breathing becoming rapid, her heartbeat exceptionally clear in the silent, dilapidated temple.

Shi Feiyang suddenly grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. The unique warmth of the Mingyu Kung Fu emanated from his palm as he said tenderly, "I wanted to refine the best antidote in the world for you, to protect you as you roam the martial world, to..."

He suddenly pulled out a small box containing a lifelike silver butterfly with tiny blue diamonds inlaid on its wings. Feigning shyness, he said, "I want this 'heart-to-heart butterfly' to say those... things I can't say."

Purple Butterfly looked at Silver Butterfly, and tears finally welled up in her eyes.

She reached out and placed her hand on Shi Feiyang's hand. The touch of her smooth skin against her cool fingertips created a perfect harmony between the two contrasting temperatures. She scolded playfully, "You scoundrel... is this your way of proposing marriage?"

"If you're willing, young lady, tomorrow I'll carry a ten-mile-long procession of red bridal procession on a bamboo pole, making a grand entrance all the way from Yangzhou to the former site of the Five Poisons Sect!" Shi Feiyang suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, planted a kiss on her forehead, and vowed, "At that time, I will make sure everyone in the martial world knows that I, Shi Feiyang, have married the most powerful girl in the world!"

Outside the dilapidated temple, the rain had stopped sometime earlier.

Moonlight streamed through the broken windowpane, illuminating the two embracing figures. The silver butterfly shimmered in the candlelight, like two hearts drawing closer, finally finding their home in this blood-soaked world.

As dawn broke, raindrops from the previous night still clung to the bluestone slabs of the Jiangnan town. Shi Feiyang squatted at the alley entrance, poking at the ants on the ground with a bamboo stick, when he suddenly turned his head slyly and asked, "Purple Butterfly, do you think these ants are also looking for mates?"

Zi Die leaned against the mottled brick wall, a rare hint of helplessness showing on her usually cold and beautiful face. She scolded playfully, "Shi Feiyang, the pursuers could arrive at any moment, and you still have the mood to observe ants?" The glass beehive at her waist swayed gently, emitting a soft buzzing sound, as if responding to its owner's anxiety.

Shi Feiyang suddenly jumped up, pulled an oil paper package from his deerskin bag, inside which lay half a bitten osmanthus cake. He calmly said, "Don't worry! I've already used the 'luring the tiger away from the mountain' strategy to set up a Gu worm maze in the west of the city. Here, have something to eat first." As he spoke, he was about to stuff the cake into Zi Die's mouth.

Zi Die turned her head to dodge, but Shi Feiyang blocked her way with a bamboo stick. Shi Feiyang said domineeringly, "Why are you dodging? I snatched this from the Jade-Faced Prince's cook!" Seeing that she still wouldn't take it, Shi Feiyang suddenly put on a wronged expression.

He joked, "Wife... if you don't do me the honor, I might just imitate Meng Jiangnu and cry at the Great Wall!"

"Who's your wife!" Zi Die scolded playfully, her ears turning red, but she still accepted the pastry. She took a small bite, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shi Feiyang staring at her, his inner strength gently fluctuating with his heartbeat beneath his glass-like skin.

Shi Feiyang suddenly leaned closer, his nose almost touching her forehead, and said affectionately, "Zi Die, do you think our fight looks like Qin Qiong and Shan Yingying's?" As he spoke, the fragrance of osmanthus and herbs wafted over her.

Zi Die suddenly flicked out her snake-shaped whip, but only gently wrapped it around his wrist, scolding him coquettishly, "Stop trying to fool me with these stories. Last time you said you wanted to learn 'borrowing arrows with straw boats,' but you ended up feeding all my Gu worms to the fish!"

Though his words were stern, a smile was hidden in his eyes. Shi Feiyang gripped the soft whip in his other hand and pulled her into his arms with a forceful tug, explaining, "That was just something I did in a moment of panic! But then again..." He suddenly lowered his voice and whispered in her ear, "Compared to Qin Qiong and Shan Yingying, I think we're more like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl."

"You're such a joker!" Zi Die scolded playfully, struggling to push him away, but he held her even tighter. Shi Feiyang activated his Mingyu Gong, his glass-like skin glowing with a soft blue light, enveloping her in warmth.

“Purple Butterfly,” Shi Feiyang suddenly became serious, his face earnest, and said, “Once we find Yaoyue, we’ll go somewhere no one knows us. You can continue raising your Gu worms, and I’ll continue being my scoundrel, how about that?”

As he spoke, a wildflower, glistening with dew, appeared in his hand, which he clumsily tucked into her hair.

Looking into the sincerity in his eyes, Zi Die's cold and beautiful face finally softened completely. She reached out and gently touched his glass-like skin, scolding him playfully, "You rascal... what if one day my Gu poison takes effect and I become unrecognizable to even my own family..."

"Then I'll use the 'Dog-Beating Stick Method' to wake you up!" Shi Feiyang interrupted her with a grin, then teased, "If that doesn't work, I'll feed you osmanthus cake until you're so fat you can't run!"

Zi Die chuckled and playfully slapped him, scolding, "You're never serious!" The two looked at each other and laughed. The morning light gilded their figures, and even the dangerous atmosphere in the air transformed into sweet tenderness.

That evening, on their journey to find Yaoyue, Shi Feiyang and Zidie spent the night at an inn. Zidie was adjusting her newly bred "Bewitching Butterflies" by the window when Shi Feiyang swaggered in, wearing a makeshift cloak made from a bed sheet. A bunch of freshly picked grapes hung from a green bamboo stick. He teased, "Miss Zidie! Watch me perform the 'Western Region Whirlwind Dance' for you!" Before he finished speaking, he began to dance to the tune of "Rainbow Feather Garment Dance," wearing a melon-shaped hat he'd swiped from the innkeeper at a jaunty angle. Zidie nearly dropped the glass beehive in her hands, exclaiming dramatically, "Shi Feiyang! If you keep fooling around, believe me, I'll release some Gu worms to bite you!"

"Wait!" Shi Feiyang suddenly stopped, mysteriously pulling a roughly embroidered sachet from his deerskin bag. Two plump butterflies were crookedly embroidered on it. He said, "This is a token of our love that I worked on all night! Smell it—"

As she spoke, she held it up to Zi Die's nose, "This contains osmanthus, realgar, and... half a piece of osmanthus cake that wasn't finished!" Zi Die looked at the crooked stitches on the sachet and said, both amused and annoyed, "This stitching, was it embroidered with a bamboo stick?"

"Young lady, you have a good eye!" Shi Feiyang immediately perked up and exaggeratedly said, "I, Shi Feiyang, kill countless people with my Hundred Victories Blade Technique, so naturally I'll use the 'Mountain-Splitting' momentum to embroider a sachet! However..."

He suddenly leaned closer, his fair skin glowing softly in the candlelight, and said affectionately, "I pricked my hand seven times by the third stitch. Thinking about it now, my heart still aches."

Zi Die turned her face away, her ears turning red, and said insincerely, "Who asked you to bother..." Before she could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang had already tied the sachet around her waist, and casually squeezed her hand, saying mysteriously, "This sachet of mine is very powerful! Not only can it ward off Gu worms, but it can also... ward off other lecherous men from seducing you!"

"You're such a smooth talker!" Zi Die scolded playfully, making a move to hit him, but he grabbed her wrist. Shi Feiyang suddenly stopped joking and said seriously, "Zi Die, last time you blocked a hidden weapon for me, I was thinking... I must find all the osmanthus cakes in the world for you, and I'll use the Mingyu Kung Fu to bake the sweetest sugar painting for you!"

Seeing Zi Die's stunned expression, he immediately put on a playful smile and teased, "But before that, I need to ask you for a favor, young lady—" He then pulled out a crumpled book on embroidery, "Teach me to embroider the butterflies on this sachet nicely, otherwise it will be embarrassing for our children to ask about it later!"

Zi Die finally couldn't hold back her laughter and snatched the book from his hand, tossing it aside lightly. She said coquettishly, "You rascal! Who wants to be with you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang had already pulled her into his arms, his chin rubbing against the top of her head, and promised, "Knowing that you're shy, I'll agree to this marriage! Once we find Yaoyue, we'll go to the most magnificent restaurant in Yangzhou and hold a wedding banquet that no one in the martial arts world will ever forget!" The moonlight outside the window was like water, reflecting the two people embracing each other.

Zi Die listened to his strong heartbeat, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up. Meanwhile, Shi Feiyang continued rambling, "When the time comes, I'll use bamboo poles to carry the bridal sedan chair, so that Miss Zi Die can marry into the family in style! Oh, and I also need to give the guests specially made anti-poison sachets..."

As he continued his endless rambling, the night grew even gentler.

The following day, Shi Feiyang and Zi Die set off hand in hand, continuing their search for the invitation. Along the Grand Canal, dark clouds loomed over the city, and the rotten wooden archway of the Five Poisons Sect's forbidden area creaked in the wind. Shi Feiyang, brandishing his emerald green bamboo stick, used the tip to pick up half a human skeleton from the ground, teasingly saying, "Miss Zi Die, do you think the owner of this skeleton was also tricked by those old fogies of the Five Poisons Sect before he died?"

Before the words were even finished, a rumbling sound suddenly came from underground, and thirty-six large white bone pillars sprouted out as if they were sprouting, with disgusting blood-red vines wrapped around them.

Purple Butterfly's expression changed instantly, and her glass beehive began to buzz shrilly.

She exclaimed, "This is the 'Nine Netherworld King Formation'! The Five Poisons Sect's 'Ten Thousand Gu Devouring Heart' and that long-lost evil technique 'Asura Tribulation' have both been incorporated into it. We're doomed..."

Before she could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang had already taken out a suona and started playing the "Fengyang Flower Drum" at the bone pillars: "It is impolite not to retaliate when you receive something, watch how I deal with these bastards!"

As a result, three elders of the Five Poisons Sect appeared at the center of the formation. Their bodies were covered with golden-ringed venomous snakes, and their eyes were green like ghosts. They pointed at Zi Die and shouted in unison, "Traitors, today is your death day!"

At his command, countless Gu worms pressed down like a dark cloud.

Inside, there were even "bone-corroding centipedes" that could corrode internal energy and "nine-ninth-night centipedes" that could kill instantly upon drawing blood.

Shi Feiyang gathered his strength, and ice-blue patterns appeared on his glass-like skin. He then took out a giant kite from his deerskin bag and calmly said, "Purple Butterfly, do you remember the story of Qin Qiong using the wind to defeat the enemy?"

He tied the kite string to a bamboo stick and plunged into the swarm of Gu worms. The Gu worms were immediately attracted to the kite, and when they got close, Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill to guide them to the bone pillar, where the bones were gnawed on with a sizzling sound.

Taking advantage of the situation, Zi Die unleashed the "Thousand Spider Poison Array," where hundreds of giant poisonous spiders wove a purple web of venom. But just as it was completed, eighteen black-robed Asura statues suddenly emerged from the array, and with a single swing of their demonic blades, the poisonous spiders were reduced to a bloody mist.

Upon seeing this scene, Shi Feiyang quickly pulled out a rattle drum and waved it at the Shura statue, jokingly saying, "Come on, let's play 'hide-and-seek'!" He used the "puppy playing with a ball" move, the bamboo stick like a snake, specifically targeting the Shura statue's joints and pressure points.

During the fight, Shi Feiyang caught a glimpse of a blood-red altar at the center of the formation, where three elders were offering human sacrifices. Blood flowed along the grooves into the Netherworld King Cauldron, and a chilling roar could be heard coming from inside the cauldron.

He suddenly remembered Li Mi's method of breaking the formation and turned to shout to Zi Die, "Girl, let's use a 'bottom-up' strategy!" But Zi Die suddenly looked resolute, waved her hand to form a seal, and said in horror, "It's too late! We can only use the forbidden technique of 'sacrificing oneself to feed the Gu,' I have to be the one to lure it to destroy the formation's core..." Shi Feiyang was frantic, frantically pressing her acupoints with a bamboo stick, only to have her grab his pulse point with her hand, and said sadly, "I'm sorry, Feiyang..."

"What are you saying, silly girl?" Shi Feiyang retorted dismissively, forcefully channeling his internal energy to open his acupoints, making his skin almost transparent.

He suddenly pulled out a bronze token, which turned out to be the key to opening the array eye. He said, "I've been saying I'd destroy the array eye for a long time. I stole this thing three days ago!" He threw the token to Zi Die and then used the "Burning Heaven and Earth" move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique. His palm wind carried flames and burned the rushing Gu beasts to ashes.

Zi Die's eyes reddened, and the token in her hand transformed into a golden light, flying towards the Netherworld King Cauldron. Instantly, the heavens and earth roared, and a dazzling light erupted from the array's core. The three elders let out shrill screams as they were bitten to the bone by the backlash of the Gu worms.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Severing Reincarnation" technique, sweeping his blade energy and shattering the black-robed Asura statues into pieces. Shi Feiyang swaggered over to Zi Die's side, picked up a strand of her hair with a bamboo stick, and said with a grin, "Girl, next time you want to be a hero, remember to check if I have any 'secret plans' in my hand."

He suddenly pulled a paper package from his pocket, inside which were several flattened osmanthus cakes, and said jokingly, "Here, have some to replenish your energy. I stole these from the elders' 'secret treasure trove'!"

Zi Die burst into laughter through her tears, raised her hand and playfully slapped him, scolding, "I knew you were never serious..." Before she could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang had already pulled her into his arms. He used his Mingyu Gong to transfer warmth to her, and said teasingly, "Remember, if you ever commit suicide for love, you have to drag me down with you. Otherwise, who's going to bake you osmanthus cakes?"

Suddenly, countless vengeful spirits surged out of the cauldron, coalescing in the air into a three-headed, six-armed Netherworld Ghost King. Each hand held a bone knife bound with chains, and the black blood dripping from the blades corroded the ground, sending up plumes of poisonous smoke.

The bones of the three Five Poisons Sect elders suddenly sprang up, transforming into skeletal puppets, with eerie green flames burning in their empty eye sockets.

"Perfect timing!" Shi Feiyang roared, brandishing his bamboo stick. Suddenly, he pulled a bib covered in talismans from his deerskin bag and said mockingly, "Do you know what this is? This is my 'ghost-repelling underpants' made with the secret talisman paper of the Yihua Palace!"

As she spoke, she shook her bodice in the wind, and the cinnabar on the talisman transformed into streams of fire, shooting towards the skeleton puppet. Zi Die was both amused and annoyed. With a light wave of her hand, thousands of yin-yang butterflies formed a purple light shield, blocking the bone blade that the Ghost King was slashing down.

The skeletal puppet let out a piercing shriek and lunged forward, brandishing its claws. Shi Feiyang unleashed a move from his "Dog-Beating Stick Technique," "A Pack of Dogs Fighting for Food," his bamboo stick transforming into countless afterimages, precisely striking the puppet's joints. But strangely, the shattered puppet limbs, after hitting the ground, miraculously reformed.

"This thing is even more troublesome than Cheng Yaojin's three-stroke axe!" Shi Feiyang said with a self-deprecating laugh. He activated the Mingyu Gong, and his glassy skin glowed with a dark blue light. Suddenly, a giant insect-catching net made of silkworm silk appeared in his palm. He said, "Zi Die, let's catch them all in one fell swoop!" Zi Die understood and activated the "Gu King's Decree," a lost technique of the Five Poisons Sect.

In an instant, all the Gu worms in the formation stopped attacking and instead rushed towards the skeleton puppet. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang used the "Breaking the Universe" move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, slashing out with his palm as a blade. The overwhelming palm wind collided with the swarm of Gu worms, unleashing a deafening roar.

The Netherworld Ghost King roared, its three heads moving simultaneously, the chains on its bone blade coiling towards the two like serpents. Shi Feiyang used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill, his palms flicking and guiding, the true energy of the Bright Jade Skill forming a huge vortex, deflecting all the chain attacks.

But the Ghost King's power was too great; the rebounding chains actually shredded the surrounding giant white bone pillars into dust.

Zi Die was struck by a streak of black blood while protecting Shi Feiyang, and her face instantly turned deathly pale.

"Purple Butterfly!" Shi Feiyang cried out in anguish, his eyes wide with fury, when he suddenly remembered Luo Cheng's "returning spear" strategy to break the enemy's formation.

He feigned defeat, leading the Ghost King to the remnants of the formation. Suddenly, he turned around and unleashed the peak of the Mingyu Skill, "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison." His glassy skin became almost transparent, and his body radiated a chilling aura.

The ultimate move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, "Severing Reincarnation," roared out with a bone-chilling cold, tearing apart the space in its wake.

The Netherworld King roared in resentment before vanishing into nothingness amidst the flashing blades. However, the remnant souls of the three elders seized the opportunity to enter Zi Die's body, attempting to control her mind. Zi Die clutched her head in pain, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

In a moment of quick thinking, Shi Feiyang pulled out the "Soul-Suppressing Bell" he had stolen from the elder's secret chamber. Shaking it produced a crisp sound as he shouted, "Purple Butterfly! Do you remember the osmanthus cake we ate together? It was much sweeter than these old bald monks' schemes!"

The familiar voice was like a beam of light, piercing through the darkness in Purple Butterfly's heart.

She endured the excruciating pain and activated the remaining power of the forbidden technique "Sacrifice to Feed the Gu," forcing the elder's remnant soul out of her body. Shi Feiyang immediately used a move from the "Dog-Beating Stick Technique," "Old Dog Begging for Mercy," his bamboo stick striking the remnant soul like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, shattering it into nothingness.

Shi Feiyang slumped to the ground, shook the empty deerskin bag, and said self-deprecatingly, "This time I've emptied my pockets... Zi Die, after we get out, you have to help me find a place to hide my treasures, preferably one bigger than Emperor Yang of Sui's granary!"

Zi Die smiled weakly, reached out and grasped his hand, and said coquettishly, "You rascal... next time you go on an adventure, you're not allowed to leave my side again." Shi Feiyang pulled her into his arms, his inner strength slowly flowing into her body from beneath her glassy skin, and said jokingly, "It's a deal! From now on, you'll be in charge of being beautiful, and I'll be in charge of being cool. Together, we'll turn this martial world upside down!"

The afterglow of the setting sun pierced through the blood mist, gilding the two embracing figures with a golden edge.

After surviving numerous close calls, Shi Feiyang and Zi Die finally destroyed the "Nine Netherworld King Formation" and defeated the Five Poisons Sect elders and a mysterious force.

After the bloody battle, Shi Feiyang returned to the Shadow Tower with Zi Die and confessed his feelings to Ye Wumian and Bai Jieru. Ye Wumian initially opposed it because of Zi Die's identity as a member of the Five Poisons Sect, but after being persuaded by Bai Jieru and with Shi Feiyang's persistent pleading, he finally agreed.

The wedding candles in the Shadow Pavilion dyed the red silk amber, and Shi Feiyang, with a half-length red silk wrapped around his emerald green bamboo staff, looked like a clever monkey who had just escaped from Flower Fruit Mountain. When he burst into the room, half a cup of Daughter's Red wine spilled from the wine jug, winding into a crooked "囍" character on the blue bricks. He raised an eyebrow and said, "My wife! My drunken state is even more impressive than Qin Qiong rescuing his lord single-handedly!"

Zi Die sat with her eyes lowered on the wedding bed covered with petals of Yin-Yang Butterfly. The hundred Gu totems embroidered with silver thread on her wedding dress shimmered in the candlelight.

She lightly touched the poison-soaking water in the copper basin with her delicate hand, and was about to speak about the Five Poisons Sect's rules for the wedding ceremony when Shi Feiyang snatched the basin and poured it all down his throat.

Wine dripped down his chin onto the wedding dress, spreading dark marks among the silver thread patterns. He said dismissively, "What rules? Back in the Netherworld Gu Cave, I even tasted your Three Yin Heart-Eating Gu. What am I afraid of with this saliva?"

Zi Die's ears turned red, but then she saw him suddenly grasp her hand and press it against his glass-like chest.

Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Gong internal energy flowed through her palm, winding around her meridians like a silkworm spinning silk. He said affectionately, "Look, ever since I used Mingyu Gong to expel the poison from you, my heart meridian has become your Gu worm's lair." He suddenly pulled out a tattered sachet from his deerskin bag and teased, "If you don't believe me, smell it. There are still crumbs of osmanthus cake that the Gu worm gnawed on back then hidden inside!"

Memories awaken like venomous insects. In the Netherworld Gu Cave, to force out the deadly poison from her body, Shi Feiyang deliberately lured the venomous insects into his own meridians. The dark blue-green poisonous patterns beneath her fair skin intertwined with the blue light of the Mingyu Gong for three days and three nights.

At this moment, the warmth emanating from Shi Feiyang's palm overlapped with the warmth that had protected Zi Die's heart years ago, causing her eyes to well up with tears. She choked out, "Feiyang, you knew about the Gu worms in my body..."

"I know, I know!" Shi Feiyang magically produced a jade box. As the transparent butterfly inside fluttered its wings, it cast the shadows of Qin Qiong and Shan Yingying fighting side by side on the wall. "This 'Heart-to-Heart Butterfly' is more precious than Qin Qiong's yellow horse! The thousand-year-old cold jade of the Yihua Palace nurtured it for three months, just to make it recognize us as its masters—from now on, it will be our 'messenger of love'!"

A butterfly alighted on Zi Die's hair, its wings reflecting the intertwined images of the two. At this moment, Shi Feiyang's cunning remained, but now held a reassuring warmth. "If one day my Gu poison flares up..." Zi Die's voice was interrupted by a sob.

Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a crumpled "Gu Insect Recipe Book," covered with crooked annotations, and said mysteriously, "It's all prepared! Use Mingyu Gong to bake osmanthus cake as an antidote, play the 'Hundred Gu Dispelling Song' with bamboo sticks, and if that doesn't work, I'll carry you to Yihua Palace and have Yaoyue apply a cold compress to you with an ice bed!"

He lifted her face, the scent of wine still lingering on his fingertips from when he had snatched the drink, and said tenderly, "Remember, you are the wife I, Shi Feiyang, married with great ceremony. Even if the King of Hell sends the Black and White Impermanence to collect your soul, I can drive them away with my Dog-Beating Stick Technique!"

Before the words were even finished, thousands of yin-yang butterflies fluttered up outside the window, moonlight and candlelight swirling between their wings, painting their shadows into an inseparable legend of the martial world. On mornings after their marriage, a strange aroma always wafted from the kitchen of the Shadow Pavilion.

Shi Feiyang stood on tiptoe in front of the stove, using a green bamboo stick as a spatula, frantically stirring the worm-shaped pastries.

Zi Die leaned against the door frame, watching him use the ice blade formed from Mingyu Gong as a kitchen knife and carve the osmanthus cake into the shape of the Five Poisons Sect totem. She couldn't help but smile and say, "You're not cooking, you're just practicing a new move."

"Madam, you are unaware of this!" Shi Feiyang suddenly turned around, his face covered in flour, looking like a mischievous child who had stolen some icing sugar. He then said mysteriously, "This is my original 'Hundred Poison Pastry Recipe,' its power comparable to Qin Qiong's 'Horse Trampling the Yellow River Formation'!"

As he spoke, he held up a pastry shaped like a scorpion and said, "Try this 'Scorpion Tail Pastry.' I guarantee its taste will be more unforgettable than the hidden weapons of the Tang Clan!"

Zi Die smiled gently and tapped her fingertip. Several Yin-Yang butterflies flew over and carried away the crumbs of pastry in his hand.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang suddenly grabbed her waist, used his Mingyu Gong to lift them both up, and danced the Yangzhou Flower Lantern Dance in the air, saying, "My wife, do you still remember the scene of us fighting side by side in the Nine Netherworld King Formation? Now, it's time to dance a 'Bridal Chamber Triumph Dance'!"

In the afternoon courtyard, Shi Feiyang lay on a rocking chair, using a bamboo stick to pick up a bunch of grapes, swaying lazily, and teasingly said, "Madam, could you perform a Gu worm trick for me to relieve my boredom?"

Zi Die rolled her eyes at him, and with a gentle wave of her hand, dozens of fireflies formed a battlefield scene from the time when Shi Feiyang impersonated "Li Er," with swords and spears clashing in the light and shadow.

Shi Feiyang suddenly reached out and pulled her to the rocking chair, saying affectionately, "Compared to this, I prefer to see my wife take the lead!"

Late at night, as Zi Die nurtured new Gu worms by candlelight, Shi Feiyang would magically produce small objects. Sometimes they were luminous beads smuggled from the old residence of the Jade-Faced Prince, and sometimes they were ice sculptures of butterflies frozen using Mingyu Gong.

"Look!" He waved the ice sculpture in front of her, teasingly saying, "This is even prettier than the Gu worms you raise. Let's call it 'Purple Butterfly's Heart'!" On the night of the full moon, the two sat side by side on the roof. Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a rattle drum and started banging it, teasingly saying, "Wife, let's play 'Jianghu Quiz'! If you can't answer, you have to kiss me."

Zi Die raised an eyebrow and asked, "What if you lose?" Shi Feiyang laughed, shaking his bamboo stick, "Then I'll use the Mingyu Kung Fu to bake you osmanthus cakes all night long!" The exchange startled the roosting owls, but failed to scatter the intertwined shadows of the two.

The plum rain, carrying a fishy smell, washed over the bluestone slabs. Shi Feiyang squatted in the kitchen of the Shadow Tower, poking at the bubbling Gu worm soup in the pot with a bright green bamboo stick.

As soon as Zi Die stepped across the threshold, she saw him pull out a rusty abacus from his deerskin bag and say mischievously, "Look, Madam! I've calculated how many 'centipedes' we should stew today to nourish our bodies, using the method Qin Qiong used to calculate rations!"

Before he could finish speaking, a soft clattering sound came from the roof beams.

Shi Feiyang flicked away half a broken tile with his bamboo stick with lightning speed. Amidst the flying wood chips, three dark figures burst through the window. The leader, dressed in black, wore a mask with a blue face and fangs, a distinctive feature of the Five Poisons Sect. He flicked out eighteen poisoned silver needles from his sleeve—the long-lost "Ten Thousand Spider Binding Immortal Formation."

"Perfect timing!" Shi Feiyang roared, suddenly grabbing a pot lid as a shield, while pulling out a candied hawthorn with his other hand. He then teased, "I've heard that the Jade-Faced Prince's lackeys love to steal techniques. Today, I'll show you the real deal: 'Transplanting Flowers and Jade'!"

With a slight flick of his wrist, the bamboo skewer of the candied hawthorn accurately hooked the silver needle and shot it in the opposite direction towards the major acupoints on the man in black's body.

With a gentle wave of her hand, Zi Die's glass beehive at her waist hummed loudly. Thousands of Yin-Yang butterflies formed a purple light curtain, and then a burly man wielding a spiked club leaped out from the enemy ranks, the club's head wrapped in tattered cloth—it was none other than Xiong Kuohai's improved weapon, the "Hundred Poisons Breaking Yuan Pestle".

As the pestle fell, it brought with it a stench of decay, which turned out to be the "Bone-Corroding Miasma" of the Five Poisons Sect.

"This look is even uglier than Cheng Yaojin's three-stroke axe!" Shi Feiyang mocked again, then activated his Mingyu Gong, causing his glassy skin to show faint blue patterns. Suddenly, he grabbed a handful of chili powder from the stove and threw it into the air.

In the midst of the chaos, he didn't forget to joke, "Fellow heroes, this is 'exorcism powder' from a time-honored brand in Yangzhou, buy one get one free!"

The spiked club immediately lost its aim, smashing a large hole in the wall that emitted green smoke. Suddenly, the sound of chains being dragged came from underground, and the withered face of the Five Poisons Sect elder emerged from the blood mist. Spider-manes wrapped around him, each eye gleaming with a vengeful light, he said viciously, "Shi Feiyang, today I'll let you taste the improved version of the 'Nine Netherworld King Formation'—'Hundred Ghosts Devouring Heart Prison'!"

Before the words were even finished, black blood seeped from the beams and pillars of the Shadow Tower, transforming into countless menacing ghostly hands. Zi Die's expression changed drastically, but Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled out a rattle drum and shook it wildly, saying mockingly, "Fellow ghost brothers! Have you heard the story of Qin Qiong selling his horse?"

He used the "puppy playing with a ball" technique, waving the bamboo stick into a green light that covered his body, and said jokingly, "This rattle drum was smuggled from the King of Hell, it's specially for dealing with you night wanderers!" Strangely, the ghost hand started spinning in place when it heard the drum.

The real killing blow came from the rooftop. Twelve Tang Clan masters formed the "Rain of Pear Blossoms Eight Trigrams Formation," weaving a net of death with a thousand poisoned hidden weapons.

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply. He suddenly ripped off Zi Die's red veil and flung it into the air, reminding her, "Madam, could you lend me your veil?"

He activated his Mingyu Gong technique to create a vortex of suction, drawing all the hidden weapons into the veil. He then took out a firecracker and lit it—with a "bang," the red veil exploded into countless pieces of shredded cloth, and the hidden weapons fell to the ground.

The elder of the Five Poisons Sect let out an inhuman roar, and the human-faced spiders suddenly merged into a giant spider three zhang tall.

Its eight compound eyes sprayed purple poisonous mist, turning bricks and stones into pus wherever it passed.

Shi Feiyang suddenly pulled a kite from his pocket and reminded her, "Zi Die! Do you remember the method we used to break the formation in the canal?"

He tied the kite string to a bamboo stick and used his "Leave No Trace for a Thousand Miles" light-foot technique to rush towards the giant spider. Purple Butterfly understood and activated the "Gu King's Decree," a lost technique of the Five Poisons Sect. Instantly, the human faces on the giant spider began to devour each other, emitting agonizing screams.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Burning Heaven and Earth" technique of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, his palm strike carrying raging flames. The giant spider turned to ashes in the explosion, but from the ashes emerged countless Heart-Eating Gu, rushing towards the two like a black cloud.

"Look at my most treasured possession!" Shi Feiyang said with a self-deprecating laugh, suddenly revealing a super-large toilet plunger. He said proudly, "This is the legendary 'Ten Thousand Gu Dispelling Device,' made from the cold jade of the Yihua Palace!" He circulated his Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions: Ice Soul Cold Prison" realm, his skin becoming as translucent as glass. With a wave of the toilet plunger, the Gu worms turned into ice sculptures.

Seeing his comical appearance, Zi Die was both angry and amused. With a wave of her slender hand, she gave him a boost. The elder of the Five Poisons Sect could no longer tolerate it and personally stepped in, his fingernails transforming into ten poisonous needles as he unleashed the "Thousand Spider Poisonous Hand".

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang produced a kaleidoscope, which refracted the sunlight into a seven-colored blade of light. He mocked, "Old Poisoner, take this 'Upgraded Version of Shifting Flowers and Jade'!"

The poison needles were deflected by the light blade, but instead pierced his own body.

Shi Feiyang brandished his bamboo stick as he approached the fallen enemy bandits, then sneered, "Guys, want to join our Shadow Tower? We provide food and lodging, and you can even learn my unique 'Rogue Tactics'!" He pulled out an account book from his deerskin bag and said mockingly, "Come on, let's settle the accounts—for this attack, you'll compensate me with three jars of Daughter's Red wine, five catties of osmanthus cake, and three months' worth of fertilizer for my wife's Gu worms, and we'll call it even!"

Purple Butterfly couldn't help but laugh at his funny antics.

"Hahahaha!" The Five Poisons Sect elder lay in a pool of blood, but suddenly let out a piercing laugh, and the Gu worms around him surged into the ground like a tidal wave. The ground cracked open with a deafening roar, and countless bronze chains burst forth from the earth, weaving in the air to form an upgraded version of the "Nine Netherworld King Formation"—the "Ten Thousand Gu Entangling Net." (End of Chapter)