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

The setting sun, like blood, made the ruins of the Songshan Sword Sect appear even more desolate.

Zhu Zhixin, draped in a blood-stained Taoist robe, his white hair disheveled and scattered over his shoulders, gazed at the corpses of his disciples lying on the ground, his turbid eyes filled with tears of blood.

In the courtyard, the former pavilions and towers of the Sword Sect were all in ruins. The broken beams and pillars still bore the scorch marks of the Turkic wolf head totem, and the smell of blood in the wind was so strong that it was hard to shake off.

Shi Feiyang embraced Jiang Caiping as they stepped through the mountain gate, their fair skin gleaming with a cold light in the twilight.

Seeing this tragic scene, Jiang Caiping couldn't help but cover her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. Shi Feiyang gripped the Xuan Shuang Blade tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, and said in a deep voice, "Sect Leader Zhu, if this grudge is not avenged, I swear I will not be a man!"

Zhu Zhixin suddenly straightened his hunched body, trembling as he took out a brush and ink, and began to write rapidly on the tattered Xuan paper.

His hands trembled, but his handwriting was strong and vigorous. He quickly wrote a letter and handed it to Shi Feiyang, saying, "Young Master Shi, please deliver this letter to Shaolin. Master Wuran is highly respected. Only by asking Shaolin monks to disguise themselves and deliver the letter, and gathering the Five Mountains Sword Sects, can we contend with the Turkic martial arts world."

Shi Feiyang took the letter and solemnly said, "Sect Leader Zhu, rest assured, the feud between the Songshan Sword Sect and the entire martial arts world is a feud. I will depart immediately!" He turned to Jiang Caiping and said softly, "Madam, you..."

“I’ll go with you!” Jiang Caiping interrupted him decisively, her beautiful eyes filled with affection as she said firmly, “Shi Lang, we are already one, bound by life and death!” Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, the sound causing rubble to fall from the broken wall, and said generously, “Good! With a beautiful woman by my side, what fear is there of a long journey!”

He embraced Jiang Caiping and used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill, disappearing into the twilight like two streaks of light. After delivering the letter to Master Shaolin Wuran, Shi Feiyang decided to go to Chang'an to find Li Bai, hoping that through Li Bai he could report the Turks' wolfish ambitions to the court, so that preparations could be made early to avoid a mutiny.

Jiang Caiping was extremely excited when she heard that she was going to visit the poet Li Bai. The two of them immediately set off on horseback and rushed to Chang'an overnight.

Three days later, dust swirled along the ancient road to Tongguan. A caravan moved slowly along, the goods on the wagons covered with tarpaulins, yet their metallic sheen was faintly visible. Shi Feiyang and Jiang Caiping, disguised as ordinary travelers, mingled among the crowd.

Jiang Caiping keenly sensed something amiss and whispered, "Shi Lang, these people walk with a steady gait; they are definitely not ordinary merchants."

A cold glint flashed in Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes. He suddenly quickened his pace and pretended to bump into someone in the caravan.

The man reacted extremely quickly, instinctively slamming his elbow backward.

Shi Feiyang smirked and used the "Flower Transfer" technique to cleverly redirect the attack towards the carriage next to him.

With a deafening crash, the carriage exploded, revealing concealed Turkic scimitars and arrows inside. "As expected, they are Turkic warriors!" Shi Feiyang roared, drawing his Xuan Shuang Blade with lightning speed. Jiang Caiping's longsword was also in hand, its fragrance spreading like plum blossoms.

Realizing their operation had been discovered, the caravan members scrambled out of their carriages, drawing their scimitars and howling like wolves—they were none other than the elite Turkic Heavenly Wolf Guard. The leader of the Heavenly Wolf Guard, wearing a bronze wolf-head mask and brandishing his double hooks, charged forward, roaring, "You Central Plains traitors, how dare you ruin my grand plan! I swear I will not rest until I have beheaded you!"

Behind him, thirty Sky Wolf Guards formed a "Wolf Fang Formation," their curved blades clashing, producing a sickening metallic scraping sound, and the air was instantly filled with a nauseating, sweet-smelling stench.

Shi Feiyang activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," causing ice dragon patterns to appear on his glassy skin. The chill spread along the ground, instantly freezing the feet of the Heavenly Wolf Guards. He then unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, the blade wind pressing down like a tidal wave.

Amidst the crisscrossing blade energy, two Sky Wolf Guards, along with their swords, were blasted into dust.

Jiang Caiping unleashed the Hengshan School's ultimate technique, "Snowy Plum Blossom Burial," her sword flashing like plum blossoms blooming in the snow, each strike precisely aimed at the enemy's vital points. Her white robes billowed in the rain of blood, like a white lotus blooming in a battlefield of carnage.

Seeing the situation was dire, the leader of the Sky Wolf Guard suddenly threw out a smoke bomb. Amidst the thick fog, Shi Feiyang coldly snorted, "A mere trick!" The "Shocking Eye Calamity" divine skill was activated in response, and wherever his icy gaze swept, the fog instantly condensed into ice shards.

Before the Sky Wolf Guards hidden in the fog could react, they turned into ice shards scattered all over the ground.

In the midst of the fierce battle, Shi Feiyang seized the opportunity and unleashed the "Evil Blood Calamity." A burst of red light erupted from his fingertips, capturing three Sky Wolf Guards from afar.

The three men immediately coughed up blood, their bodies visibly shriveling up until they shrank into withered monkey shapes and fell to the ground.

The leader of the Sky Wolf Guard was terrified and turned to flee.

Shi Feiyang wouldn't let him escape. He used his amazing lightness skill, "Deeds Done, Leaves," to chase after him. His Xuan Shuang Blade flashed with a cold light, and he unleashed the ultimate move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, "Slaying the Mortal World!" The blade flashed, and the leader's head flew high into the air. Blood splattered on the yellow earth road, drawing a ferocious wolf head shape.

After clearing out the remaining enemies, Jiang Caiping found a secret letter on a corpse. She unfolded the letter, her expression changing drastically: "Shi Lang, look! It says 'The Suyab City Plan,' and mentions someone in the court is there to provide support!"

Shi Feiyang took the letter, his eyes flashing with a cold light. He cursed, "There really is a traitor! Let's go, Madam, we must head to Chang'an immediately. Brother Li Bai has a wide circle of friends and connections; perhaps he can help us find these traitors!"

He pulled Jiang Caiping onto his horse, the sound of hooves as rapid as drumbeats.

As the sun set, the two figures gradually disappeared into the distance, yet they shone like two dazzling stars, illuminating the stormy road of life.

As dusk settled on Zhuque Street in Chang'an, wine flags fluttered in the night breeze. Shi Feiyang, arm in arm with Jiang Caiping, walked through the crowd. Their fair skin glowed warmly under the lights, and the Xuan Shuang Blade was hidden within his long robe, yet it could not conceal the chilling aura emanating from them.

The aroma of wine wafted from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion on the street, mingled with the sounds of unrestrained poetry recitation. "Brother Li is indeed here!" Shi Feiyang pushed open the carved wooden door and saw Li Bai leaning against the second-floor railing, a wine pot hanging from his fingertips, his brocade robe stained with wine, and his black hair disheveled over his shoulders.

The ink on the Xuan paper on the table was not yet dry. The words "Clouds think of clothes, flowers think of beauty" were written with great force, but they were stained and broken by the spilled wine.

Li Bai looked up and saw the two men. His eyes, hazy with drunkenness, flashed with surprise and delight. He exclaimed excitedly, "Good sir, Brother Shi! You've come at the perfect time! Drink three hundred cups with me!" He tossed two jars of Daughter's Red wine over his hand. The cinnabar seal on the mouth of the jars exploded in mid-air, filling the air with the aroma of the wine.

Jiang Caiping took the wine jar but didn't drink it. She asked softly, "Brother Li, I've heard of Princess Yang Yuhuan, the wife of Prince Shou..."

This was a subtle way of inquiring about Yang Yuhuan's situation on behalf of Shi Feiyang.

"Hahahaha!" Li Bai suddenly burst into wild laughter, slamming his wine jug onto the table, splashing wine everywhere. He sneered, "The Princess Consort of Shou? Now she's the most favored concubine in the harem, Yang Guifei! His Majesty's single song 'Rainbow Feather Robe' sent that Yang family girl soaring to the top!" Jiang Caiping's face changed drastically, nearly dropping the wine jar in her hand. She cried out in alarm, "Isn't she one of Prince Shou's wives? Prince Shou is His Majesty's son! This... this is outrageous! Is there no justice left?"

Shi Feiyang, however, remained composed, lightly tapping the table with his fingertips to produce a clear, melodious sound. He teased, "Brother Li, in such a drunken state, could it be that you too have fallen for this beauty?" Li Bai glared at him with his drunken eyes, grabbed a brush, and wrote boldly on the wall, declaring arrogantly, "I admire Master Meng, whose elegance is renowned throughout the land! Though I am handsome, how can I compare to the pleasures of poetry and wine? However..."

He suddenly lowered his voice, his breath reeking of alcohol, and warned Shi Feiyang, "That scoundrel Yue Qingfeng from Mount Hua has betrayed us. He's set up the Seven Deadly Killing Formation at Yuquan Temple and is colluding with the Turks. Brother Shi, you'd better be careful!"

Shi Feiyang nodded, sat down, and drank with Li Bai, who had entered officialdom but was not entirely satisfied with his career.

Fearing that the imperial guards and soldiers would be alerted, Jiang Caiping quickly ran to the corridor and stood guard in front of the side room, keeping watch for Shi Feiyang and Li Bai.

How could Shi Feiyang not get drunk while drinking with Li Bai? While Shi Feiyang was completely drunk, Li Bai was still sober. He sang wildly and cried, laughing and crying at the same time, and kicked the drunken Shi Feiyang on the ground, signaling Jiang Caiping to carry Shi Feiyang away as soon as possible.

Jiang Caiping sighed, "How can one live a long life with such drinking habits?" Helplessly, she carried Shi Feiyang on her back and ran to another inn to book a room, fearing that Li Bai would come to drink with Shi Feiyang again the next day.

That night, after making sure Shi Feiyang was asleep, Jiang Caiping dressed in black and sneaked into the Turkic envoy's camp like a night owl.

Under the moonlight, shadows flickered inside the tent. Ashina Shen was having a private conversation with a masked man. She approached breathlessly, and suddenly heard the name "Yang Guozhong," her heart pounding like a drum. Just as she was about to listen more closely, she accidentally stepped on a dry twig and broke it.

"Who!" roared Ashina Shen, a fierce Turkic general, drawing his scimitar with a flash of cold light. Jiang Caiping swiftly swung her longsword, unleashing the Hengshan sword technique "Snowy Plum Blossom Burial," her sword blossoms blooming like plum blossoms in the snow. However, the camp was teeming with ambushes; dozens of Turkic warriors wielding spiked clubs surrounded her, the air thick with the pungent smell of blood. Jiang Caiping was suddenly overwhelmed, her life hanging by a thread.

At the critical moment, a green figure broke through the air.

Shi Feiyang's glassy skin glowed with an icy blue light. His Xuan Shuang Blade flashed with a three-zhang-long cold light as he said with concern, "Madam, I'm awake. Don't be afraid! I'm here!" He used the mysterious lightness skill "Hidden Body and Name" to move like a ghost through the enemy ranks. The "Slaying the Mortal World" of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique was unleashed with overwhelming force. Amidst the crisscrossing blade energy, two Turkic warriors were blasted into dust along with their clubs.

Jiang Caiping burst into tears of joy and excitement, rushing out towards the opening that Shi Feiyang had torn open for her.

Seeing this, Ashina Shen thrust out both hooks, their tips gleaming with a scarlet poisonous light, and roared, "You Central Plains traitors, how dare you act so recklessly! Prepare to die!" Behind him, twelve Turkic experts formed a "wolf-devouring formation," their curved blades clashing, producing a teeth-grinding metallic scraping sound.

Shi Feiyang sneered and activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness Ice Soul Cold Prison". His glassy skin became almost transparent, and the cold air spread along the ground, instantly freezing the feet of everyone in the Wolf Devouring Formation to the ground.

With his left hand holding a sword and his right hand holding a sword, he used the technique of "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to cleverly redirect the enemy's attack towards his comrade. Immediately afterward, he wielded the Xuan Shuang Blade in his right hand, unleashing the ultimate skill of the Hundred Victories Sword Technique, "Splitting Mountains," with the sword wind pressing down like splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

Taking advantage of the situation, Jiang Caiping unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, employing techniques such as "Plum Blossoms in Winter" and "Plum Shadows Slanting Across the Field," targeting the enemy's vitals. Her white robes billowed amidst the rain of blood, resembling a white lotus blooming in a battlefield of carnage.

Seeing the situation was dire, Ashina Shen turned to flee. Shi Feiyang wouldn't let him escape, coldly snorting, "Turkic traitors, you dare to try and overthrow my Great Tang! I'll chop you up, hmph!" The "Shocking Gaze" divine skill was activated in response, and wherever his icy gaze swept, the air instantly froze into ice shards.

Ashina Shen trembled violently, his skin covered in frost, but at the last moment he threw out a smoke bomb. Amidst the billowing smoke, Shi Feiyang unleashed "Evil Blood Calamity," his fingertips blazing with red light, capturing Ashina Shen from afar.

Ashina Shen immediately coughed up blood, and his body shriveled up at a visible speed, eventually shrinking into a withered monkey shape and falling to the ground.

Jiang Caiping searched Ashina Shen's bosom and found the secret letter. She unfolded it and her face turned pale as she exclaimed, "Shi Lang, it really is Yang Guozhong! He wants to cooperate with the Turks from within and without to help us seize the Tang Dynasty!"

Shi Feiyang gripped the Xuan Shuang Blade tightly, his glassy eyes flashing with a cold light as he angrily cursed, "That Yang Guozhong! Colluding with foreign enemies and wreaking havoc on the court! Caiping, let's go find Brother Li immediately. He has many friends and can surely lend us a hand. Let us quell the turmoil in Chang'an!"

He pulled Jiang Caiping onto the roof, where the moonlight bathed them in a silvery glow.

The night in Chang'an was thick and dark, and the eaves of Yuquan Temple resembled a lurking beast under the gloom. Shi Feiyang and Jiang Caiping sped across the glazed tiles, their Xuan Shuang Blade and Plum Blossom Sword trembling slightly at their waists, as if they had already sensed the danger ahead.

Outside the courtyard wall stood seven massive bronze pillars, their shafts covered in Turkic runes that glowed with an eerie green light in the night. This was none other than the Huashan Sect's renowned "Seven Deadly Killing Formation." Shi Feiyang cautioned, "This formation is laid out according to the Big Dipper's orientation, with each point of life concealing a deadly trap." He gripped Jiang Caiping's hand tightly, his smooth skin revealing patterns resembling ice dragons, and said with concern, "Caiping, follow my every step and do not stray even a step."

Before the words were finished, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out from within the formation. Yue Qingfeng, the eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect, appeared, stepping on the Big Dipper constellation. The wolf head totem embroidered on his Taoist robe echoed the runes on the bronze pillar.

Yue Qingfeng drew his longsword and said coldly, "Shi Feiyang, Jiang Caiping!" His distorted face was reflected on the sword, and he said threateningly, "You two adulterers, you've ruined my plans everywhere. Today, I'll make you perish in this Seven Deadly Killing Formation!" He pointed his sword at the sky, and the seven bronze pillars spun violently. The black mist surging from the formation instantly swallowed the moonlight, and countless wronged souls could be vaguely seen wailing in the mist.

Shi Feiyang sneered, "Yue Qingfeng, don't think I don't know you're a traitor to the Huashan Sect. Today, I will cleanse the Huashan Sect of its treachery!" With that, he used the profound "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill, his figure flashing like a ghost as he entered the formation's core. His Xuan Shuang Blade unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" move from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, its blade energy like a raging storm, yet it was neutralized by a strange force upon contact with the black mist. Jiang Caiping's plum blossom sword danced "Snowy Plum Blossom Burial," the sword blossoms colliding with the black mist, producing a corrosive sound that made one's teeth ache.

Yue Qingfeng laughed triumphantly, "Shi Feiyang, you two have never seen anything like this before, have you? Humph!"

Shi Feiyang grabbed Jiang Caiping and retreated hastily, warning her, "Be careful! There's poison in this fog!" He activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness Ice Soul Cold Prison," and the cold aura emanating from his glassy skin condensed the black fog into ice. Beneath the ice, countless black shadows wriggled—the Huashan disciples who had been turned into corpse puppets! Their eyes were hollow, their nails were black and hooked, and they roared as they pounced on the two of them.

"These traitors are truly despicable and shameless! To harm fellow disciples like this is an outrage against heaven!" Jiang Caiping cursed Yue Qingfeng with red eyes, thrusting her longsword repeatedly, and then shouted, "Hengshan Sword Formation, activate!" Seven sword flowers echoed each other, and the sword energy intertwined to form a net, but it was no match for the large number of corpse puppets.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang roared, "Caiping, watch me break his formation!" He used "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade" to deflect all the attacks from the corpse puppets, while rushing towards the central pillar. How could Yue Qingfeng let him succeed? He used the martial arts masterpiece "Divine Sword Technique" with his longsword, and seven sword shadows sealed Shi Feiyang's major acupoints.

Shi Feiyang suddenly realized and said, "Yue Qingfeng, you dog thief, so it was you who stole the Divine Sword Technique of Hero Yan Nantian. No wonder there are warriors in the Turks who know the Divine Sword Technique. It turns out that you passed on Hero Yan's martial arts secrets to the Turks."

Despite saying this, he neither dodged nor evaded. His glassy skin shimmered with a transparent luster as he forcefully took the attack. He then countered with a "Breaking Heaven and Earth" strike, the palm wind like splitting mountains and shattering rocks, causing Yue Qingfeng to retreat three steps.

At the critical moment, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from outside the formation.

Li Bai rode his Ferghana horse at breakneck speed, his wine jug transforming into a hidden weapon that struck two bronze pillars with pinpoint accuracy. "Brother Shi, I'm here to help you!" he roared, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, yet his sword fingers moved with lightning speed, his calligraphy flowing like dragons and snakes, unleashing a torrent of sword energy.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang unleashed the ultimate move of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, "Severing Reincarnation." The blade light from the Xuan Shuang Blade intertwined with Li Bai's sword energy and Jiang Caiping's sword flowers, creating a dazzling galaxy. With a deafening roar, the main pillar of the Seven Deadly Killings Formation collapsed, and the corpse puppets turned to ashes in the light. Yue Qingfeng let out a furious roar of resentment, but was held captive by Shi Feiyang's "Evil Blood Calamity" from a distance. He coughed up blood and instantly withered into a dead body.

As the battle lines broke, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Shi Feiyang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his crystal-clear eyes gazing towards the imperial palace. He said with a sigh, "Yang Guozhong's collusion with the Turks means that the crisis in Chang'an has only just begun. Brother Li, I must trouble you to report to His Majesty immediately to ensure the safety of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Bai tilted his head back and drank the wine in the pot to the last drop. He laughed drunkenly and said, "When life is good, one should enjoy it to the fullest. Don't let the golden goblet face the moon empty! Good! Count me in for the cause of protecting the country!" He picked up his brush and wrote "How can I bow and scrape before the powerful and wealthy?" on the broken walls. Before the ink was dry, it turned into sword energy and pointed straight towards the Southern Palace.

Jiang Caiping gripped the Five Sacred Mountains Token tightly, the bronze token shimmering in the morning light. She declared passionately, "Shi Lang, let's go and expose Yang Guozhong's conspiracy and restore peace to the world!" Her gaze was resolute, like a plum blossom braving the snow, shining brightly in this chaotic world.

Shi Feiyang put his arm around her waist, the warmth of her fair skin blending with his, and said cheerfully, "Alright! With the two of us and Brother Li's help, what do we have to fear from these demons and monsters!" The three figures disappeared into the morning light, leaving only the broken walls and ruins of Yuquan Courtyard.

Shi Feiyang knew that Yang Guozhong, as a powerful minister in the court, had many followers, and it would not be easy to bring him down. The most urgent task at present was to obtain more conclusive evidence of his collusion with the Turks and present this evidence to the emperor.

So, upon returning to Chang'an, Shi Feiyang sent Li Bai to the palace to contact Consort Yang and see if there was any evidence that she had colluded with the Turks.

Shi Feiyang decided to first infiltrate Yang Guozhong's residence in Chang'an.

The night was as dark as ink. The vermilion gate of Yang Guozhong's mansion creaked in the strong wind. Two dilapidated lamps in front of the gate flickered, casting the shadows of the stone lions on the blue bricks, making them look like lurking beasts.

Shi Feiyang, with Jiang Caiping by the waist, swept over the wall. The Xuan Shuang Blade trembled slightly at his waist, and the icy blue light emanating from his fair skin pierced the deathly silence along with the hooting of an owl. Jiang Caiping whispered a warning to Shi Feiyang: "Be careful, the guards of the Yang family are all scum of the martial world." As soon as she finished speaking, the Plum Blossom Sword was already three inches from its sheath, its cold light reflecting off her tightly furrowed brows.

Before the words were finished, twelve black figures suddenly leaped down from the eaves. The leader held a bronze staff engraved with Western Region scriptures, and was none other than the "Thousand Poison Staff King" of the Blood Hand Alliance.

Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, his laughter making the copper bells under the corridor hum. He roared, "Well done! I only come out once every hundred years, and fighting is the most exciting thing!" He activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Ice Soul Cold Prison" level, his glassy skin was almost transparent, and cold air spread along the bluestone slabs, condensing into spider web-like ice patterns wherever it passed.

He transformed his palms into blades, unleashing the "Mountain Splitting" technique of the Hundred Victories Blade Method. The palm wind pressed down like a tidal wave, shattering a Taihu stone three zhang away. The Thousand Poison Cudgel King let out a strange cry, his bronze cudgel dancing into an impenetrable shadow, the poison needles at the tip of the cudgel spraying out green mist.

Shi Feiyang lightly touched the icicles with his toes and used the wonderful lightness skill of "leaving without a trace after the deed is done" to move like a fleeting shadow.

He drew his sword, the Xuan Shuang blade slicing out a crescent moon-like blade of light—the "Slaying the Mortal World" move from the Hundred Victories Sword Technique. With a flurry of blade energy, two guards were severed from their heads, their blood splattering onto the carved window lattices, staining the gilded characters for "Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity, and Happiness" a dark red. Jiang Caiping's longsword drew out seven plum blossom shadows, the Hengshan Sword Technique's "Snowy Plum Blossom Burial" colliding with the putrid poisonous mist, warning, "Shi Lang, there's a hidden stake on the east side!"

Shi Feiyang said dismissively, "Who cares? As long as there's a fight!" He spun around and swung his sword. The sword energy of "Broken Sky" cleaved through the poisonous miasma, and dozens of assassins wielding crossbows surged out from the west corridor.

Amidst the whistling of crossbow bolts, Shi Feiyang used his left hand to perform "Shifting Flowers and Jade," redirecting the arrow aimed at Jiang Caiping towards his companion. His right hand, wielding the Xuan Shuang Blade, unleashed "Breaking Heaven and Earth," its palm shadow obscuring the sky and causing the repeating crossbow to shatter inch by inch.

Suddenly, countless torches lit up the depths of the Yang mansion, and Yang Guozhong's personal bodyguard commander, "Iron-Armed Bear," led thirty-six Heavenly Guards to attack. This man's arms were wrapped in fine steel arm guards, and his fists were inlaid with sharp wolf fangs; each punch he threw carried a sharp, piercing sound.

"Where did this brat come from, daring to cause trouble in the Yang residence!" He roared, unleashing his "Black Tiger Strikes the Heart" technique. Before the wind of his fist even arrived, Shi Feiyang's clothes were already shattered. A cold glint flashed in Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes. Instead of retreating, he advanced, taking the punch head-on. The vortex suction of the Mingyu Gong instantly activated, and Iron Arm Bear felt as if his arm had fallen into an ice cave, his whole body uncontrollably tilting forward. Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade grazed his throat, raising a fine layer of blood. He coldly cursed, "Is this all the skill you have? You dare to challenge this brat?"

As planned, Jiang Caiping took advantage of the fact that the experts of the Yang family were distracted by Shi Feiyang, and used the Hengshan School's "Cloud and Mist Body Technique" to disappear into the night like a ghost. She moved swiftly along the wall, and her long sword pierced through the paper window of the study. Inside, the candlelight flickered, and the desk was piled with secret letters.

Unfolding it, it turned out to be a handwritten letter from Yang Guozhong discussing the "Suyab City Plan" with the Turkic royal court, the vermilion seal at the end glowing eerily red in the candlelight. "Found you!" a sharp shout suddenly rang out.

The Thousand-Faced Yama of the Blood Hand Alliance appeared out of nowhere, her fingernails beneath the black veil gleaming with a bluish-black hue, and poisoned silver needles flying from her sleeves forming a net of death.

Jiang Caiping spun around and swung her sword, the "Plum Blossoms in Winter" sword move precisely aimed at the silver needle, but then she heard the sound of hidden weapons cutting through the air behind her—it was Yang Guozhong's study mechanism that had been activated, and hundreds of poisoned arrows shot out from the wall.

At the critical moment, a figure in green burst through the window.

Shi Feiyang's icy blue skin illuminated the entire study, and his Xuan Shuang Blade transformed into a shield of light, shattering all the poisoned arrows. He warned, "Madam, be careful of her human skin mask!" He then unleashed "Evil Blood Calamity," his fingertips blazing with red light, capturing the Thousand-Faced Yama from afar.

The demoness immediately coughed up blood, and the human skin mask on her face peeled off piece by piece, revealing a hideous and terrifying face underneath, gnawed by Gu worms.

Suddenly, the sound of a night watchman's drum rang out outside the Yang residence, signaling the arrival of the Imperial Guards mobilized by Yang Guozhong. Shi Feiyang, with Jiang Caiping in his arms, leaped onto the roof, his Xuan Shuang Blade flashing a three-zhang-long cold light, forcing back the pursuing Tian Gang Guards.

Shi Feiyang cleverly said, "Let's go! The Jiangnan stronghold is the key!" Her glass-like skin glowed warmly in the moonlight. She whispered, "Once we destroy the arsenal, let's see how long Yang Guozhong can be so arrogant!"

The two figures disappeared into the night, leaving only the blazing fire and corpses scattered throughout the Yang mansion.

As the night deepened and the water clock stopped, candlelight flickered inside the "Drunken Immortal Pavilion" of Li Bai's residence.

When Shi Feiyang and Jiang Caiping broke through the window, they saw the poet in white leaning against a folding chair, a wine pot hanging from his fingertips without spilling a drop of wine, and the ink on the Xuan paper on the table still wet. The seven characters "Clouds think of clothes, flowers think of faces" were powerfully written, but were stained and fragmented by the spilled wine.

"Good for you, Brother Shi!" Li Bai laughed and stood up, sweeping away half a cup of wine with his sleeve. His gaze swept over the blood-stained secret letter that Jiang Caiping had brought, and his drunken eyes suddenly sharpened like an eagle. He teased, "The fireworks at the Yang residence are more lively than the lanterns in Chang'an!" Jiang Caiping solemnly handed over the secret letter, her fair hands trembling slightly from the cold night. She said sadly, "Brother Li, please take a look. This is irrefutable evidence of Yang Guozhong's collusion with the Turks."

Unfold the yellowed parchment; the vermilion characters glowed eerily red in the candlelight, and next to the four characters "Suyab City Plan" was a ferocious wolf head totem.

Shi Feiyang's glassy skin reflected the candlelight, his brows furrowed with frost, and he said with deep concern, "What's even more important is the Jiangnan Arsenal. Yang Guozhong is privately forging weapons and raising assassins; he's clearly plotting a rebellion!"

Having said that, he slammed his palm on the sandalwood table, causing the wine cups to clang, and cursed angrily, "If this scoundrel is not eliminated, the Great Tang Dynasty is in danger!"

Li Bai stroked the dark patterns on the edge of the secret letter, then suddenly tilted his head back and drank deeply, wine dripping down his chin. He grumbled, "That Yang Guozhong! That Turkic wolf!" He smashed the wine pot against the wall, shards flying, revealing the still-wet "Rainbow Feather Robe" painting on the wall. He then added mockingly, "Do you two know what's happening in the palace lately? His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine feast daily in the Hall of Longevity, their drums urging the peonies to bloom three months early!"

Jiang Caiping's beautiful eyes widened, and she asked with grief and indignation, "I've heard that An Lushan recognized the Imperial Concubine as his godmother, is that true?"

"Hahahaha!" Upon hearing this, Li Bai burst into wild laughter, his laughter tinged with indescribable sorrow. He said sadly, "That barbarian, nearly fifty years old, actually disguised himself as an infant in swaddling clothes at Huaqing Pool, calling himself 'Lu'er' and begging the Imperial Concubine for a bath! His Majesty not only did not suspect anything, but also rewarded him with a golden swaddling cloth!"

He grabbed a wolf-hair brush and wrote rapidly on the wall. Next to the poem "Cloud-like hair, flower-like face, golden hairpins," he added a ferocious wolf-shaped graffiti.

Shi Feiyang gripped the Xuan Shuang Blade tightly, sparks flying from the scabbard against his palm. He said warily, "An Lushan commands a large army and is vying for power with Yang Guozhong. If these two join forces..." He paused, a cold glint flashing in his glassy eyes, as if thunder were churning within them.

Li Bai threw down his pen and laughed loudly, the sound so loud that swallows' nests on the beams rustled and fell to the ground: "Brother Shi, don't be impatient! Look at this!"

He tore open his shirt, revealing a tattoo on his chest—the character "义" (righteousness) surrounded by the Big Dipper. He declared resolutely, "In Chang'an, there are still eight hundred elite soldiers at my command. Tomorrow, I will write a letter to the military governor of Jiannan, instructing him to…"

Jiang Caiping suddenly spoke up, decisively stopping her, "No!" The plum-patterned sword trembled slightly in her sleeve, and she tentatively asked, "Brother Li, do you know that the Jiedushi of Jiannan has been secretly communicating with Yang Guozhong for some time?" She unfolded another secret letter, the handwriting of which was blurred, but the words "Jiangnan workshops need 100,000 pieces of refined iron" could still be seen.

Shi Feiyang abruptly stood up, the force of his movement extinguishing two candles. He said solemnly, "So, the journey to Jiangnan is extremely dangerous. But for the sake of all living beings..." He turned to look at Jiang Caiping, his glass-like skin glowing with a gentle light, and asked with concern, "Madam, how about you stay at Brother Li's residence?"

Jiang Caiping said resolutely, "I will go with you!" Her long sword was drawn three inches from its sheath, reflecting her resolute face, and she said firmly, "The three hundred heroic souls of Hengshan have not yet dispersed, how could I be afraid of death?"

Li Bai clapped his hands and laughed, pulling out a yellowed map from under his desk: "Good! Good! What a chivalrous and tender sentiment! Look at this—" On the map, a certain place in Jiangnan was heavily circled in vermilion, with the three characters "Tiangongfang" crookedly written next to it. He was outwardly drunk but inwardly sober, and cleverly said: "This was reported by my spies. The workshop is located on Guixu Island deep in Taihu Lake, surrounded by traps and mines."

Shi Feiyang stared at the map, then suddenly smiled and said jokingly, "Since it's a fortress in the water, we'll destroy it with water and fire! Brother Li, do you have any gunpowder?" His glassy eyes gleamed with cunning.

Li Bai clapped his hands in delight and joked, "It's all ready! And this too—" He took out a bamboo tube and poured out dozens of iron whistles engraved with the character "Drunk," "Blow this whistle and the Beggars' Sect members will come to your aid."

Jiang Caiping carefully put the secret letter away again, then suddenly whispered, "But in the palace..."

Li Bai said confidently, "Don't worry!" He tilted his head back and drank the last drop of wine. He then inscribed on the wall, "How can I bow and scrape before the powerful and wealthy?" Before the ink was dry, it transformed into sword energy. He added confidently, "I have already arranged for the disciples of the Pear Garden to enter the palace to perform. Someone will then pass the news to the Imperial Concubine."

He turned to look at the blood-red waning moon outside the window, "I hope that my sister Yu Huan still remembers our past affection..." Suddenly, a night owl cried out outside the window. Shi Feiyang put his arm around Jiang Caiping's waist, and the Xuan Shuang Blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight. He said decisively, "We should not delay. Let's set off immediately."

The icy blue light of his glass-like skin shone brightly, mirroring the wine cup in Li Bai's hand and illuminating the flames dancing in the eyes of the three.

After the two figures disappeared into the night, Li Bai looked at the messy poems on the wall and suddenly picked up his brush to continue writing: "I wish to exchange my drunken ink for peace."

The candlelight suddenly flared up, casting his shadow on the wall.

Li Bai, like a swordsman, guarded the last glimmer of light on this stormy night in Chang'an. (End of Chapter)