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

"Be careful!" Shi Feiyang warned, grabbing Jiang Caiping's waist and using his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to retreat swiftly.

Three poisoned arrows grazed her temples, embedding themselves in the tree trunks and sending up plumes of purple smoke.

Jiang Caiping drew her longsword, but her sword strike faltered slightly when she caught sight of Shi Feiyang instinctively reaching for the jade hairpin in his bosom.

This slight distraction resulted in a stray arrow grazing her shoulder and drawing blood.

"What are you doing! At a time like this, are you distracted and courting death?" Shi Feiyang's angry roar startled the birds roosting in the forest.

He activated his Mingyu Gong, the cold air from his fingertips brushing against the wound, instantly freezing the blood into ice crystals. Jiang Caiping, however, abruptly shook off his hand, a cold smile appearing on her pale face, and said mockingly, "Is Master Shi protecting me, or is he afraid of losing the Five Mountains Token?"

In the midst of the fierce battle, the members of the Disaster Relief Gang suddenly retreated. Under the cover of night, a figure in green stepped through the treetops, her fair skin gleaming familiarly in the moonlight, wielding a jade-green bamboo staff with ferocious skill. "Miss Jiang, I'm late!" The voice was identical to Shi Feiyang's, yet it caused Jiang Caiping's pupils to shrink sharply—the newcomer's attacks were ruthless, each move aimed directly at her vital points!
"You scoundrel!" Shi Feiyang roared in fury. When the Xuan Shuang Blade was drawn, it brought out a three-zhang-long cold light. The "Slaying the Mortal World" of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique was slashed out with overwhelming force. But the fake Shi Feiyang smiled strangely, his body slipped away like an eel, and threw out a handful of poisonous sand with his backhand.

Jiang Caiping swung her sword to parry, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Shi Feiyang couldn't stop his attack in time and actually took the blow. "You really wanted to kill me! No wonder you hid the Five Mountains Token!" she roared in anguish, staggering backward, her chest aching.

Shi Feiyang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his fair skin revealing icy blue patterns, and explained, "Caiping! That's a disguise technique..."

Before he could finish speaking, the bandits of the Disaster Relief Gang had already formed a "Dragon Trapping Formation," with thirteen curved blades forming a strangling net.

Shi Feiyang activated his Mingyu Gong, but his left hand remained outstretched towards Jiang Caiping—a gesture of readiness to use "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to protect her at any moment. Jiang Caiping, her heart aching, found her swordplay increasingly chaotic, and suspicion gnawing at her mind like a venomous snake.

When the fake stone flew closer again, she actually met it head-on, her longsword aimed straight for his throat. But then the green figure suddenly transformed into a cloud of black mist, revealing its true form—it was none other than "Thousand-Faced Fox," the master of disguise from the Disaster Relief Gang!
The Thousand-Faced Fox chuckled and lashed out with her poisoned whip. Purple mist spewed from the skull at the tip of the whip as she teased, "Miss Jiang, your beloved lover doesn't even consider you a threat!"

Shi Feiyang roared, "You despicable scoundrel! How dare you impersonate me and deceive Miss Jiang! Humph! I'll tear you to pieces!" He suddenly unleashed the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. Wherever his icy gaze swept, the Thousand-Faced Fox froze instantly, his skin covered in frost.

But the sword light of the Dragon-Trapping Formation had already arrived, so he had no choice but to withdraw his gaze, and the Xuan Shuang Blade danced into a green light. He alternated between the Hundred Victory Sword Technique and the Dog-Beating Stick Technique, and used exquisite moves such as "Beating the Dog's Head with a Stick" and "Chasing the Dog in a Poor Alley" one after another. However, when he was distracted by looking at Jiang Caiping, a bloody gash appeared on his shoulder from the curved blade.

"Young Master Shi, be careful!" Jiang Caiping's exclamation came a step too late. Looking at his bloodied figure, she suddenly remembered how he always offered her hot meals these days, the fox fur coat he draped over her while keeping watch late at night, and his chest that shielded her without hesitation whenever danger struck.

Guilt surged like a tide, and Jiang Caiping gripped her longsword tightly, unleashing the Hengshan School's "Cloud and Mist Sword Technique," which gradually echoed Shi Feiyang's blade light.

"Break!" Shi Feiyang roared, unleashing the "Breaking Heaven and Earth" move from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique.

Wherever the palm strike landed, the air twisted and deformed, and the Dragon-Trapping Formation collapsed with a roar.

Seeing the situation was dire, "Thousand-Faced Fox" transformed into smoke and tried to escape, but was pulled back by Shi Feiyang's vortex suction. He gripped the Xuan Shuang Blade and unleashed a "reverse stab to the dog's buttocks" strike, aiming straight for the vital point. With a scream from "Thousand-Faced Fox," blood splattered all over Shi Feiyang, and the bandits of the Disaster Relief Gang scattered like birds and beasts.

The forest fell silent again, save for the heavy breathing of the two. Shi Feiyang wiped the blood from his face, his glassy eyes filled with weariness and relief, and said affectionately, "Caiping, of all the women in this world, you are the only one who could fight alongside me."

He took out the broken jade hairpin from his pocket, gently placed it in her palm, and said frankly, "This is just a thought, but what I, Shi Feiyang, want to protect has always been the person in front of me." Jiang Caiping looked at his blood-stained clothes, and tears finally broke down.

She gripped Shi Feiyang's hand tightly, the longsword and the Xuan Shuang blade gleaming against each other—some misunderstandings must be washed away with blood; while some feelings can grow stronger in the flames of war.

The night on Mount Beiman was as dark as ink, and the mountain wind, carrying the sweet and pungent smell of blood, surged through the forest. Shi Feiyang stood side by side with Jiang Caiping, his fair skin glowing with a faint blue light, and the Xuan Shuang Blade in his hand gleaming coldly.

Jiang Caiping's white clothes were stained with blood, and the plum blossom pattern on her long sword seemed to drip blood under the moonlight.

In the distance, bronze masks were faintly visible among the shadows of the trees, and the mysterious forces in black had already formed an encirclement. The sound of gears turning on the mechanical beasts on the ground was particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

"Watch out!" Shi Feiyang grabbed Jiang Caiping's waist and used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to retreat swiftly. The spot where they had just stood suddenly exploded, and twelve poisoned steel spikes burst from the ground, the poisonous mist they brought instantly corroding the surrounding vegetation into withered bones.

Jiang Caiping was still shaken, but then she saw Shi Feiyang's lips curl into a wild and arrogant smile as he loudly proclaimed, "You've come at the perfect time! Today, I'll expose this treacherous trick!" Before he finished speaking, a strange sound of a jie drum echoed through the forest.

Seven bronze giants slowly appeared, their steps beating to the beat of drums. Each giant was three zhang tall, and their massive axes were covered in Turkic runes, their blades gleaming with an eerie, ghostly green. The leading giant spoke, his voice shaking the mountains and causing rocks to fall: "Insects of the Central Plains, hand over the Five Sacred Mountains Tokens, and I will spare your corpses!"

Jiang Caiping held her longsword horizontally, and the fragrance of plum blossoms mixed with sword energy spread out. She shouted, "Hengshan Sword Formation, activate!" She lightly touched the ground with her toes, and her figure was like a plum blossom skimming through the snow. Her longsword drew out sword flowers, which turned out to be the famous "Seven Plum Blossoms" sword formation of Hengshan Sect.

Seven sword flowers echoed each other, their sword energy intertwining into a net, aiming directly at the bronze giant's vital joints. Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Gong was activated to the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions: Ice Soul Cold Prison," his glassy skin becoming almost transparent, and the cold energy transforming into a tangible ice dragon that coiled around the Xuan Shuang Blade.

He roared, "Let's see who spares whom a whole corpse!" Suddenly, gripping his sword, he unleashed the ultimate move of the Hundred Victories Sword Technique, "Severing Reincarnation!" with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks. The sword energy clashed with the blade energy, and a piercing shriek echoed through the heavens and earth.

The bronze giant's armor shattered inch by inch under the ice blades and net of swords, revealing its intricate internal gear structure. However, the giant's chest suddenly opened, spewing out a barrage of poisonous needles, each gleaming with a ghostly blue like peacock gall.

Shi Feiyang was prepared. He used his "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade" skill, and with a light wave of his hands, the poisoned needles shot back like crows returning to their nests. Amid screams, dozens of men in black were pierced by their own hidden weapons.

Taking advantage of the situation, Jiang Caiping used her sword to sever the chain behind the giant's neck. With a "crack," the bronze head crashed to the ground, its internal poison sacs ruptured, and purple smoke billowed out, instantly corroding the ground into a trench several feet deep.

Amidst the fierce battle, the melodious sound of a flute drifted from the depths of the mountains and forests.

Shi Feiyang's pupils contracted sharply—this flute music, though seemingly melodious, actually contained a soul-capturing note!

He immediately activated the Mingyu Gong to protect his heart meridian, and at the same time swung out his bamboo stick, using the "Leading" technique from the "Dog-Beating Stick Method" to guide the sound waves towards the ground. With a loud "boom," the rocks were blasted into a deep crater, and amidst the flying dirt, dozens of dancers veiled in black veils emerged from the mist.

"It's the Turkic 'Soul-Stealing Whirlwind'!" Jiang Caiping exclaimed, her face turning ashen, her longsword trembling slightly.

The dancers' movements were eerie, their curved swords tracing bizarre arcs that distorted the air wherever they went.

Shi Feiyang remained calm and turned to wink at Jiang Caiping: "Miss, watch me break this sorcery!" With that, his fingertips glowed red, and his palms shot out like dragon claws, unleashing the ultimate move of "Divine Dragon Claw," "Dragon's Roar to the Nine Heavens."

"Boom!" The golden dragon shadow collided with the black dancing shadow, bursting forth with dazzling light.

Shi Feiyang tore apart some of the dancers' attacks with his claw shadows, and then suddenly unleashed the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. Wherever his icy gaze swept, the dancers froze instantly, their skin covered in frost, and suddenly they all fell apart, shattering into ice shards all over the ground.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Caiping unleashed a series of sword strikes, including "Plum Blossoms in Winter" and "Plum Blossom Shadows Slanting Across the Field," each aimed directly at the enemy's vital points.

As the last dancer turned into ice shards, the bronze giants suddenly let out a deafening roar, and flames spewed from their chests.

"I am a righteous man, I have never been afraid of ghosts and gods! Humph!" Shi Feiyang shouted, plunged the Xuan Shuang Blade into the ground, and quickly activated the Ming Yu Gong. The cold air transformed into an ice wall that rose from the ground, completely isolating the flames.

Jiang Caiping leaped onto the ice wall, her longsword flashing like a shooting star, aiming straight for the red rune between the giant's eyebrows. "Break!" the two roared in unison.

Shi Feiyang's "Burning Heaven and Earth" palm strike merged with Jiang Caiping's "Three Variations on Plum Blossom" sword energy, forming a dazzling blade of light. The bronze giants collapsed in the light, turning into scrap metal scattered on the ground.

Before the bronze giant's remains had even cooled, a sickeningly loud grinding sound suddenly came from the ground. Shi Feiyang quickly shielded Jiang Caiping behind him, only to see the ancient trees of the entire mountain forest twisting and deforming in the black mist, their trunks splitting open into hideous gaping maws, stretching out vines covered with barbs—it was the mysterious force's trump card, the "Dead Tree Strangulation Array."

Jiang Caiping wielded her longsword, creating a series of sword flowers, but the vines were severed upon contact with the sword, and foul-smelling black blood gushed from the cuts, instantly sprouting new branches.

"These demons are controlled by the formation!" Shi Feiyang warned, his glassy eyes flashing with cold light. Suddenly, the Xuan Shuang Blade flew out of his hand, transforming into a streak of azure light that shot straight towards the mountain peak where the formation's core was located. But just as the blade touched the core of the formation, the sky suddenly cracked open, and twelve bronze puppets descended from the clouds. Each puppet had a burning, ghostly blue fire bead embedded in its chest, which was the "Netherworld Fire Soul Puppet" passed down in the Turkic secret tradition.

"Watch out! These puppets are impervious to blades and spears!" Before Jiang Caiping could finish speaking, the puppets launched their attack. Their movements were stiff yet incredibly swift; wherever their bone blades slashed, the air emitted a piercing shriek. Shi Feiyang activated his Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," his glassy skin shimmering with icy patterns. He used "Transferring Flowers and Jade" to redirect the bone blades' attack towards the vines.

But the puppets seemed oblivious to pain, smashing through the ice shield with their bodies and spewing out poisoned steel spikes from their fingertips. At the critical moment, Jiang Caiping suddenly shouted, "Young Master Shi, take this!" Her Hengshan swordsmanship abruptly changed, transforming into the "Snowy Plum Blossom Burial," a technique lost for a century. She touched the ground with her toes, her figure as swift as a swan skimming the snow, the sword energy condensing into countless ice plum blossoms, each one precisely striking a puppet's joint.

Shi Feiyang was greatly shocked and shouted, "Good!" He recalled the Xuan Shuang Blade and unleashed the ultimate killing move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, "Slaying Reincarnation".

Blade flashes and sword shadows intertwined to form a dazzling galaxy, while icy plum blossoms clashed with blade energy, creating a deafening roar. The puppets' joints shattered inch by inch under the dual onslaught of ice and fire, but just as they were about to collapse, a sinister laugh echoed from the mountaintop. The leader of the mysterious force appeared, his bronze compass spinning rapidly, drawing together the ghostly blue fire beads of all the puppets into a single, gigantic fire dragon that lunged straight at the two heroes.

"Caiping, close your eyes!" Shi Feiyang said anxiously, suddenly pulling Jiang Caiping into his arms and activating his two ultimate techniques, "Evil Blood Calamity" and "Shocking Eye Calamity." His glassy skin was almost transparent, and the icy light shooting from his eyes intertwined with the blood-red light in his palms, forming a strange barrier.

The moment the fire dragon crashed into the barrier, a deafening explosion resounded throughout the heavens and earth. The heat and cold clashed, shattering the rocks within a ten-mile radius into dust. Jiang Caiping broke free from Shi Feiyang's embrace and seized the opportunity to unleash the final move of the "Seven Wonders of Plum Blossom," "Plum Blossom Shadow Returns to Dust." Her longsword transformed into countless afterimages, aiming straight for the leader's throat. The leader hastily swung his compass to defend, only to see Shi Feiyang approach like a ghost, his bamboo staff employing the "Dog Eyes Look at People" technique from the "Poke" method, precisely striking a vital point on his back.

The leader screamed in agony as the bronze compass fell to the ground, and the formation instantly collapsed.

Looking at Jiang Caiping's pale face, Shi Feiyang's glass eyes were full of heartache. He said with concern, "Silly girl, don't risk your life like this next time." Jiang Caiping smiled and raised her blood-stained longsword, the tip of which held the bronze mask of the leader of the mysterious force: "Fighting alongside Young Master Shi is worth it, no matter how dangerous it is."

A mountain breeze swept by, ruffling the disheveled clothes of the two.

Shi Feiyang kissed Jiang Caiping on the cheek, then took her hand and led her down the mountain.

The Luo River outside Luoyang City glowed with a faint blue light. Shi Feiyang and Jiang Caiping stood side by side at the bow of the boat, their fair skin and white clothes shining brightly in the moonlight.

Jiang Caiping reached out and gently stroked Shi Feiyang's handsome face. Suddenly, her fingertips trembled slightly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master Shi, listen—" A strange gear-turning sound came from beneath the water, and countless bronze tentacles burst out of the ground, instantly wrapping around the hull of the boat.

Shi Feiyang drew his Xuan Shuang Blade, its blade flashing like lightning, and cursed, "Such a petty trick, why make a fool of yourself!" His Hundred Victories Blade Technique's "Mountain Splitting" strike, carrying an icy chill, cleaved through the severed tentacles, gushing black viscous liquid that corroded the river's surface, creating large whirlpools. Even more astonishingly, distorted human faces emerged from the viscous liquid—the very same mysterious assassins from the mysterious force who had been previously slain!
"That's a blood sacrifice rebirth technique!" Jiang Caiping, who was quite knowledgeable, warned in a trembling voice, twirling her longsword in a plum blossom pattern, and added, "These people are using evil magic to resurrect corpses!"

Before the words were even finished, a deafening drumbeat suddenly resounded from the shore. Three hundred dancers, their faces veiled in scarlet crimson, appeared to the beat of the drums, their movements eerie and unpredictable. The arcs drawn by their scimitars condensed into crimson runes in the air. Shi Feiyang's pupils constricted sharply. He activated his Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," and ice dragon patterns appeared on his fair skin. He said with concern, "Be careful of their blades!"

He suddenly grabbed Jiang Caiping and used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill, instantly blasting a deep pit into the spot where they had just stood by.

The dancers let out inhuman screams as a blood-soaked web of scimitars swept across the sky. Jiang Caiping unleashed the Hengshan Sect's ultimate move, "Snowy Plum Blossom Burial," where ice plum blossoms formed from sword energy collided with the blood-red light, producing a teeth-grinding scraping sound.

During the fierce battle, a white bone altar rose in the middle of the Luo River.

The leader of the mysterious force appeared, clad in a black robe. The azure fire bead embedded in his chest was three times larger than before. He said coldly, "Shi Feiyang, Jiang Caiping! If you do not hand over the Five Mountains Token, today will be your death anniversary!" He slammed his scepter heavily on the ground, and black mist surged from around the altar, condensing into twelve skeletal giants, each wielding a giant axe burning with ghostly fire.

"Well done! I'm only energetic when I'm fighting!" Shi Feiyang roared, the Xuan Shuang Blade flying from his hand and transforming into a blue light as he unleashed the move "Slaying Reincarnation." The blade light clashed with the ghost fire, erupting in a blinding flash. But the skeletal giant grew stronger with each battle, black mist continuously gushing from its wounds, healing them instantly.

Seeing this, Jiang Caiping bit her fingertip and dripped blood onto her longsword, resolutely declaring, "With the blood of Hengshan, I will break your evil arts!" The sword flowers she wielded were stained with blood, revealing the Hengshan Sect's mystical move, "Blood Plum Technique."

Crimson sword blossoms and icy blue blade energy complemented each other brilliantly, the two heroes' cooperation becoming increasingly seamless. Shi Feiyang activated the "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill, his fingertips blazing with red light, and wherever they touched, the black mist within the skeletal giant was forcibly extracted.

Jiang Caiping then used her sword to draw blood, and the blood droplets on her plum-patterned sword transformed into a sky full of red plum blossoms, scorching the souls of her enemies. But the leader suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, plunged his scepter into the altar, and activated the ultimate formation—Netherworld Return to Ruins!
The Luo River surged violently, forming a huge whirlpool.

Countless bronze chains emerged from the vortex and wrapped around the skeletal giant, causing its power to surge several times over.

Forced back step by step by the chains, Shi Feiyang and Jiang Caiping each bore several bloody welts. At the critical moment, Shi Feiyang suddenly grabbed Jiang Caiping's hand and offered a plan, saying, "Caiping, try combining your two swords!" Their minds were in perfect harmony, and the Xuan Shuang Blade and the Mei Wen Sword shone brightly. Shi Feiyang rapidly activated his Ming Yu Gong, his skin as transparent as ice.

Jiang Caiping poured all her life's skills into the longsword.

"Break!" they roared in unison, and a dazzling beam of light shot straight into the sky, slashing towards the altar. Wherever the light passed, the bronze chains shattered inch by inch, and the skeletal giant collapsed with a crash. The leader let out a miserable scream of despair as he was swallowed by the light.

As the dawn's light shone upon the Luo River, Shi Feiyang gazed at Jiang Caiping, who was panting heavily in his arms. His glassy eyes were filled with tenderness as he said affectionately, "If you push yourself so hard again next time... I'll feel sorry for you."

Jiang Caiping's cheeks flushed, but she gripped her longsword tightly and said tenderly, "What does it matter if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire, as long as I stand shoulder to shoulder with you?!"

The setting sun dyed Luoyang city amber. Shi Feiyang embraced Jiang Caiping as they walked along the bluestone path, their fair skin glowing warmly in the afterglow.

The wine flags of Zuixinlou fluttered in the wind, but Shi Feiyang was gazing at the dilapidated Yang Mansion diagonally opposite—the vermilion gate was peeling off like bloodstains, and the verdigris on the door knocker looked like solidified tear stains in the twilight.

"Caiping, you go upstairs first." Shi Feiyang released his arm, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

Jiang Caiping followed his gaze and saw the white-clad swordsman standing alone before the gate. His tall, elegant figure was stretched long by the setting sun, exuding a sense of loneliness. She nodded slightly, the fragrance of plum blossoms flowing behind her with each step, but around the corner she heard his low, hoarse murmur: "Yu Huan...we are ultimately destined to be apart..."

The sound was as light as willow catkins, yet it carried a profound sense of melancholy. Shi Feiyang gazed at the broken plaque on the ruined wall of the Yang residence, tears welling in his glassy eyes, which froze into ice beads on the bluestone slab.

He recalled the peach blossom he had broken for Yang Yu here years ago; now only withered vines remained, clinging to the artificial hill, just like his heart frozen by time.

In the copper basin on the third floor attic, hot water was steaming with white mist.

Shi Feiyang arrived at the upper room of the attic he had booked, took off his blood-stained clothes, and the old marks on his glassy skin in the mirror had not completely faded - they were ice cracks left from the fierce battle with the mysterious Turkic forces, which now shimmered with a dark blue in the steam.

He traced his fingertips across his heart, where half a broken jade hairpin lay hidden, becoming, along with Yang Yu's figure, a scar that would never heal.

"Young Master Shi, the wine and dishes are ready." A moment later, Jiang Caiping's voice came from outside the door. She had changed into a moon-white dress, her black hair was loosely tied up, and a plum-shaped silver hairpin was inserted diagonally in her hair, which was the one Shi Feiyang had bought for her at the market yesterday.

On the table were four dishes and a soup, as well as two jars of Daughter's Red wine. The waiter had specially carved flowers from green plums and placed them on the surface of the wine.

Shi Feiyang snapped out of his reverie, sat down next to Jiang Caiping, and said softly, "Come on! Try this." He picked up a piece of braised fish slice, the bamboo chopsticks gleaming warmly in the twilight, and whispered, "The chefs at Zuixinlou are the best at making Jiangnan cuisine!"

Jiang Caiping lowered her head and fiddled with the rice in her bowl. Suddenly, she took out the Five Sacred Mountains Token from her sleeve. The ancient token shimmered with a faint light under the candlelight, and the reliefs of the Five Sacred Mountains seemed to come alive, surging endlessly on the token.

She hesitated for a moment, then said sadly, "I want to gather the Five Mountains Sword Sects." Her voice trembled slightly, and she choked up as she said, "The entire Hengshan Sect... cannot have died in vain."

The candlelight illuminated her tearful eyes, and Shi Feiyang saw the old wounds peeking out from her sleeves—bruises from being hit with a spiked club while trying to cover the token. They had faded to a light brown color, but they still pierced his heart like needles.

He put down his chopsticks, his glassy eyes gleaming in the candlelight, and encouraged her, "Caiping," he paused, then said in a low and solemn voice, "Back then, the great hero Yan Nantian single-handedly fought between good and evil, ultimately becoming a great hero. If you want to rebuild Hengshan, I will clear the way for you; if you want to pay for your blood debts, this old bone of mine will accompany you to the Turkic court."

Jiang Caiping suddenly looked up, tears falling onto the token, creating tiny ripples.

Shi Feiyang suddenly laughed, a laugh that contained both arrogance and a tenderness unique to him. He teased her, "But let's make this clear first," he picked up a piece of green vegetable and put it in her bowl, "You're not allowed to be so stubborn anymore. Your injury... will break my heart."

Tears of emotion streamed down Jiang Caiping's face as she nestled in Shi Feiyang's arms, her heart overflowing with happiness.

The moonlight outside the window was suddenly obscured by dark clouds, and the waiter's panicked shouts came from downstairs. Shi Feiyang pushed Jiang Caiping aside, stood up abruptly, and drew his Xuan Shuang Blade, the blade's gleam reflecting in his suddenly icy, glassy eyes.

Jiang Caiping gripped the Five Sacred Mountains Token tightly. The fragrance of plum blossoms filled the air as the long sword was drawn, but she heard him whisper, "Stay behind me." Before he finished speaking, the roof tiles shattered with a crash, and dozens of poisoned steel needles shot out like a swarm of locusts.

Shi Feiyang activated the Mingyu Gong, and an ice-blue barrier instantly formed. The steel needles froze into ice shards the moment they touched the barrier, and when they shot back, they actually pierced the throats of three men in black.

The leader wore a bronze wolf-head mask, and the wolf-tooth talisman hanging from his waist was exactly the same as that of the mysterious Turkic forces.

"You brat, you'll regret this!" the masked man roared, his scimitar slicing through the air in a strange arc, instantly filling the air with a nauseatingly sweet and pungent smell. Shi Feiyang shielded Jiang Caiping behind him, and Xuan Shuang Blade unleashed the "Slaying the Mortal World" move from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique. The blade energy crashed into the scimitar like a raging torrent, shattering the poisoned weapon into dust.

"Caiping, watch closely!" He roared, his glassy skin gleaming with ice dragon patterns, and arrogantly declared, "Today, I will show these scoundrels what a true hero is!" The Xuan Shuang Blade and Jiang Caiping's plum blossom sword clashed, and amidst the flashing blades, several men in black were cut in half at the waist.

When the last man in black was shattered by Shi Feiyang's "Breaking the Universe" sword energy, the beams and pillars of the pavilion were already stained with blood.

Jiang Caiping gazed at his blood-soaked profile. Moonlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the undried tear tracks in his glassy eyes. She suddenly reached out and gently wiped the blood from his cheek, whispering, "Young Master Shi, do you think... Master Yan would like plum blossoms?"

Shi Feiyang was taken aback, then burst into laughter, the sound shaking dust from the rafters. He said, "If he didn't like it, why would he willingly die under the palm of Palace Mistress Yaoyue?" The two looked at each other and laughed; the bloodstains and tear stains had a breathtaking beauty in the candlelight. Outside the window, the distant drumbeats of Luoyang City startled countless crows into flight.

Shi Feiyang sheathed his Xuanshuang Blade and refilled Jiang Caiping's wine cup. His fair skin became even more translucent in the night, and he said, expressing his feelings, "Come, let us toast this vast land, and also to you and me... that we may have different paths but arrive at the same destination."

The liquor, upon entering the throat, is spicy yet carries the sweet taste of plums.

Looking at her and his reflections in the cup, Jiang Caiping suddenly understood that some missed opportunities are fate, while some encounters are destiny.

On the official road, where the morning mist had not yet dissipated, Shi Feiyang and Jiang Caiping rode side by side, their arms around each other. The steeds trampled the frost-covered ground, and the emerald green bamboo staff at his waist tapped the Xuan Shuang Blade with each sway, producing a clear and melodious sound.

The silver plum blossom hairpin in Jiang Caiping's hair trembled slightly in the wind. Suddenly, she tightened her grip on the reins and exclaimed alertly, "Young Master Shi!"

Before the words were finished, the sound of metal clashing came from the bamboo forest ahead. Dozens of crows took flight, their wings beating through the thin mist to reveal a Bagua sword formation formed by twenty men in black.

The leader held a goose-feather saber, the blade gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light, the Big Dipper pattern on the back of the blade appearing and disappearing in the morning mist.

This is clearly the style of the Central Plains martial arts world!
"What a formidable ambush!" Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, his smooth skin glowing warmly in the morning sun. He then teased, "This trip to Mount Song has certainly made me a hot commodity!" He embraced Jiang Caiping and unleashed his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill. The moment their horses reared up, the two of them had already vanished into the bamboo forest like startled swans. In an instant, Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade was drawn, gleaming with a three-zhang-long cold light, colliding with the sword formation's flashing blades and creating dazzling sparks.

"Watch out! It's the Big Dipper Sword Formation!" Jiang Caiping exclaimed, her longsword drawing out seven plum blossom shadows. The Hengshan sword technique, when faced with this unique skill originating from the Quanzhen Sect, was not at all inferior.

Shi Feiyang activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Ice Soul Cold Prison," causing ice dragon patterns to appear on his glassy skin, and bamboo leaves instantly condensed into ice crystals wherever he passed. He lightly touched the bamboo branches with his toes and used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill to redirect the longsword aimed at Jiang Caiping towards his sword formation companions.

"A mere trick!" A man in black suddenly shouted from within the sword formation, his long sword drawing a Tai Chi pattern.

Shi Feiyang's pupils shrank suddenly—this was clearly the martial arts masterpiece "Two Elements Sword Technique"! He swung his bamboo stick backhand and used the "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" technique's "Poke" move, "Shu Dog Barks at the Sun," the tip of the stick striking the opponent's wrist bone like lightning.

The man screamed as his longsword flew from his hand, only to be suddenly shattered, sending countless poisoned steel needles raining down upon him.

Jiang Caiping's plum-patterned sword dance created a curtain of light, and the icy sword energy shook all the steel needles off.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill, his fingertips blazing with red light, which captured the three men in black from a distance. The three men immediately coughed up blood, their bodies visibly shriveling up until they were shrunken into the shape of withered monkeys, falling to the ground with a crisp cracking sound.

Seeing this, the sword formation members launched an even more ruthless attack, and the sounds of wind and thunder could be faintly heard amidst the flashing blades.

"Caiping, watch me break the formation!" Shi Feiyang roared and unleashed the Hundred Victories Blade Technique. "Slaying the Mortal World" swept out with overwhelming force. Amidst the crisscrossing blade energy, the black-clad men and their swords at the edge of the sword formation were shattered into dust.

His left arm remained around Jiang Caiping's waist, while his right hand flashed with the power of a blade. The vortex of Mingyu Gong absorbed all the incoming hidden weapons, then deflected them with "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade." At this moment, wisps of black mist suddenly rose from the center of the sword formation.

Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes suddenly turned cold. The black mist actually contained the sweet and pungent smell of the Western Regions' poison! He used the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill, and his icy gaze swept across the black mist, causing the mist to instantly condense into ice shards.

Just then, three bone-piercing nails suddenly shot through the air from behind, aiming straight for Jiang Caiping's back!

"Caiping, be careful!" Shi Feiyang shouted a warning, and without thinking, he took the blow head-on with his back. The Bone-Piercing Nail touched the ice shield formed by the Mingyu Skill, producing a piercing metallic clang. He endured the excruciating pain and unleashed "Breaking Heaven and Earth," his palm strike hitting the center of the formation with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

The lead swordsman with the wild goose feather blade swung his sword to parry, but the force of the blade's energy caused his tiger's mouth to burst, forcing him to retreat repeatedly. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Caiping unleashed the Hengshan Sect's "Blood Plum Technique," the blood dripping from the tip of her sword transforming into a sky full of red plum blossoms, scorching the souls of everyone in the sword formation.

Shi Feiyang then unleashed "Burning Heaven and Earth," the strongest killing move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique. The air distorted and deformed as the palm wind passed, and the black mist and sword formation crumbled in the light. The last man in black tried to escape, but was struck on the back of the head by Shi Feiyang's "Slanting Strike on the Back of the Dog," his brains splattering onto the green bamboo.

The bamboo forest returned to silence, with only morning dew mixed with blood dripping down the bamboo joints.

Jiang Caiping stared at the slightly protruding icicles on Shi Feiyang's back, her eyes instantly reddening, and she said sadly, "Shi Lang, you..."

Before he could finish speaking, he interrupted her with a laugh, teasingly saying, "It's just a minor injury. But you, you were quite frightened, weren't you?" He used his inner strength to shake out the bone-piercing nails on his ice armor, revealing that there wasn't a single wound on his glassy skin.

"Let's go, it's Songshan Sect's morning tea, don't be late." Shi Feiyang teased again, pulling Jiang Caiping back onto the horse. The steed neighed, trampling the corpses on the ground. In the distance, a few dark shadows, like cold stars, appeared and disappeared among the mountains.

Shi Feiyang gripped the reins tightly, a cold glint flashing in his glassy eyes—the waters of the Central Plains martial arts world were far deeper than he had imagined.

The girl in his arms gripped the longsword even tighter, the scent of plum blossoms mingling with the stench of blood.

As dusk settled, it painted Mount Song into a menacing ink painting.

Shi Feiyang, with Jiang Caiping in his arms, leaped off his horse. His dark deerskin bag trembled slightly, and the neighing steed vanished into it like a streak of light. Suddenly, a mountain breeze swirled up withered leaves, the rustling sound concealing a sharp, piercing noise—the vermilion mark on Jiang Caiping's wrist trembled slightly with her rapid heartbeat, and she exclaimed, "Shi Lang!"

Before he finished speaking, a thousand arrows coated with the poison of the Black Lotus tore through the twilight. Shi Feiyang immediately used the mysterious lightness skill "Hidden Body and Name," and the girl in his arms only felt a flash of green before her eyes, and she was already on the top of an ancient pine tree ten feet away.

Arrows rained down and pierced the ground, instantly sending up purple smoke, turning everything in their path into charred remains.

"What a vicious method!" Shi Feiyang angrily rebuked, his glassy eyes flashing with cold light, but the hand holding Jiang Caiping was as warm as jade.

He activated the Mingyu Skill, and the cold air condensed into an ice shield from his fingertips, deflecting all subsequent hidden weapons.

Jiang Caiping drew her longsword, the sword flowers blooming like plum blossoms in the snow, reflecting the brilliance of her Xuan Shuang blade.

A sudden night rain fell, and countless silver curtains hung from the eaves of the dilapidated temple. More than twenty men in black pounded the puddles, their weapons gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light. Jiang Caiping swiftly launched seven willow-leaf darts from her sleeve, crying out, "Their target is me! Shi Lang, I've implicated you!"

The dart flashed like a shooting star, but was shattered by a strange force upon contact with the man in black. Shi Feiyang's pupils constricted—the moves of the two men were none other than the "Divine Sword Technique" that had made Yan Nanshan, the great hero, famous throughout the martial arts world over a hundred years ago, and the "Buddha's Palm," the supreme martial art of Shaolin!
The palm strike and sword energy collided, causing the dilapidated temple's beams and pillars to collapse with a deafening roar. Shi Feiyang, holding Jiang Caiping, dodged and weaved, unleashing his Hundred Victories Saber Technique. The saber energy of "Slaying the Mortal World" surged like a raging torrent, yet it was forcefully shattered by the powerful palm strike of "Buddha's Palm." (End of Chapter)