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

The moonlight, as silvery as silver, spilled onto the sand dunes of the Taklamakan Desert.

Shi Feiyang rode on the back of the Vermilion Bird, gazing thoughtfully at the peacock feather in his hand. His fair skin glowed faintly with a blue light in the night. After flying for a while, he rode the Vermilion Bird diagonally down to meet up with the Beggars' Sect disciples and stepped onto the sand dunes.

"Chief, there's something unusual ahead!" the accompanying Beggars' Sect disciple suddenly exclaimed.

Shi Feiyang looked up and saw a group of people dressed in black cloaks who had appeared on the sand dunes ahead. They held crescent-shaped scimitars in their hands, and the blades gleamed with an eerie green light under the moonlight.

"It's the Netherworld Cult! How come they're still alive?" Shi Feiyang exclaimed in surprise, his pupils shrinking sharply, and a layer of ice patterns instantly appeared on his fair skin.

The Netherworld Cult is the most mysterious organization in the Western Regions. Its members can control corpses, are skilled in using poison, and act in a mysterious and unpredictable manner.

For centuries, Shi Feiyang had fought them countless times, but he could never completely annihilate them. These villains were like wildfire that could not be extinguished, always springing up again with the spring breeze. An elder of the Beggars' Sect exclaimed in surprise, "How did they end up here?"

Before the words were even finished, the Netherworld Cult members launched their attack. Dozens of poisoned needles rained down like a storm, each one coated with black mist.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, his palms moving swiftly as he unleashed the "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade" divine skill, causing the poisonous needles to suddenly shoot back towards the Netherworld Cult members.

"Little beggar, what kind of tricks are you playing? Hmph! Mere child's play!" Upon seeing this, the leader of the Netherworld Sect let out a sharp shriek. Suddenly, the sand dune behind him split open, and countless white bones emerged from the ground, forming a bone wall that blocked the poison needles. He then threatened, "You brat, leave behind the secret of the treasure from the previous dynasty, and I'll spare your life!" With that, he pounced forward. Shi Feiyang activated the Bright Jade Skill to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," and also activated the Heavenly Silkworm Skill, spitting out Heavenly Silkworm Silver Threads from his palm, which shot towards the sect leader from time to time. However, the sect leader was also very powerful, occasionally exhaling black smoke to disperse the Heavenly Silkworm Silver Threads.

In the heat of battle, a clear bell rang out from the glacier not far away. He glanced over and saw a woman in a white palace dress standing atop the glacier. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyes as cold as ice, and she exuded a faint chill, like a celestial maiden descended to earth.

"That's... the Ice Maiden?" The leader of the Netherworld Sect exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the woman, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, and he unconsciously took a step back.

Shi Feiyang unleashed a powerful palm strike, "Gazing at the Vast Ocean," the wind from his palms sharp as blades, the blade energy crisscrossing, forcing the Netherworld Cult followers to retreat repeatedly. The Ice Maiden lightly waved her hand, and an ice spike descended from the sky, striking the Netherworld Cult leader squarely on the shoulder. "Ah!" the Netherworld Cult leader cried out in pain, clutching his shoulder and staggering backward, shouting in terror, "Retreat!" With that, he led the remaining followers and swiftly disappeared into the desert. Shi Feiyang breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at the Ice Maiden. She slowly descended the glacier, each step causing an ice crystal lotus to bloom beneath her feet.

"Thank you for your help, young lady," Shi Feiyang said, clasping his hands in greeting. "My name is Shi Feiyang, a member of the martial arts world of the Central Plains. May I ask your name, young lady?"

"My name is Ling Shuangyue," the Ice Goddess's voice was clear and cold, like ice beads falling onto a jade plate. "What brings you here from the Central Plains?"

Shi Feiyang laughed and said, "Naturally, I've come to admire the desert scenery!" He then asked with a smile, "Why are you here in this desert, young lady? Those Netherworld Cult members seemed quite wary of you."

Upon hearing this, Ling Shuangyue's eyes flashed with sadness, and she said sorrowfully, "The Netherworld Sect and I have a blood feud. Back then, in order to seize my tribe's Ice Crystal Jade Marrow, they slaughtered my entire Glacier Tribe, and I was the only one who managed to escape." "I see," Shi Feiyang sighed, and then asked, "So what are your plans now?"

“Master Shi,” Ling Shuangyue’s voice was clear and cold as ice, yet trembled slightly, and she said sadly, “The Netherworld Sect wiped out my entire clan; this is an irreconcilable hatred. I heard that the Central Plains are in chaos now, and the Netherworld Sect has moved its headquarters there. I must go.” She turned around, her eyes like cold stars, her white robes fluttering in the north wind, the hem of her skirt embroidered with delicate ice crystal patterns, the “Ice Crystal Butterfly” totem unique to the North.

Seeing the resolute look in her eyes, Shi Feiyang recalled the loneliness and resentment he felt when he was trapped in the Eye of the Abyss a hundred years ago. He couldn't help but laugh loudly, his laughter carrying a hint of arrogance. He then said, "Well done, Miss Ling! It is not gentlemanly to leave a grudge unavenged. However, the journey through the martial world is long and arduous, and the Netherworld Sect is a powerful evil sect. It would be dangerous for you to go alone."

A hint of tenderness flashed in his glassy eyes as he said with concern, "If you don't mind, I, Shi, am willing to escort you to the Central Plains, so that you may see for yourself what the Netherworld Sect is all about." Ling Shuangyue was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting this strange stranger she had just met to offer his protection.

She carefully examined Shi Feiyang—his skin was unusual, and his eyes held both the world-weariness of someone who had seen through the vicissitudes of life and the unruliness of a young man, truly like a legendary immortal descended to earth.

After a long while, she nodded slightly, and a hint of warmth seemed to appear on her icy face as she said gently, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Master Shi."

So the two traveled east together. Shi Feiyang used his lightness skill "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles", his figure was elusive, just like a sand fox migrating with the wind in the desert, and when his toes touched the ground, he left no trace.

Ling Shuangyue then used the "Ice Crystal Lotus Step," a secret technique from the North. With each step, a translucent ice lotus would condense on the sand, instantly turning into water vapor. This created a beautiful contrast with Shi Feiyang's phantom, resembling a flowing ink painting.

“Master Shi,” Ling Shuangyue looked at the undulating sand dunes in the distance and suddenly asked, “Is the Central Plains really like the legends say, with towering buildings that reach into the clouds and iron boxes that breathe fire?” Having grown up in the icy plains, she was full of curiosity about everything in the Central Plains, and her tone was somewhat innocent.

"Hahahaha!" Shi Feiyang laughed loudly upon hearing this, his laughter causing the sand lizards in the distance to scatter in all directions. He teased, "The young lady is referring to the Bell Tower and Drum Tower of Chang'an. As for that 'fire-breathing iron box,' I'm afraid she has mistakenly passed on the fire dragon cannon from the Western Regions."

Seeing the thirst for knowledge shining in Ling Shuangyue's eyes, he began to recount the customs and culture of the Central Plains, from the Qujiang River drinking festival in Chang'an to the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang. When he got excited, he even gesticulated wildly, and his fair skin flushed slightly with excitement.

Ling Shuangyue listened quietly, her frozen heart seemingly melting a corner of the madman's passion, a barely perceptible smile unconsciously appearing on her lips. She had never imagined that this seemingly indifferent martial world would contain such an interesting character, much less that she would have such a remarkable person accompanying her on her path of revenge. As they traveled to the Black Sand Marsh outside Yumen Pass, the sky suddenly darkened, and a fierce wind whipped up a sky full of yellow sand, obscuring the sun.

Shi Feiyang frowned, his glassy skin instantly turning as transparent as ice, a crystalline light flowing through his palm as he quietly laid out a silver silk net of the Heavenly Silkworm Technique, warning, "Miss, be careful, there's murderous intent!"

Before the words were even finished, dozens of dark figures burst forth from the sandstorm, each clad in a black, close-fitting outfit with a hideous ghost face embroidered on their chest—they were members of the Netherworld Cult! The leader wielded a serrated scimitar, its blade gleaming with a chilling blue light, clearly coated with deadly poison. "Ling Shuangyue, prepare to die! Don't think that just because you have a Central Plains barbarian protecting you, I'll be afraid of you!" the swordsman roared, leading the charge with a fierce slash, aiming straight for Ling Shuangyue's face.

At the same time, the other cult members threw out poison smoke bombs, and black smoke filled the air, emitting a pungent stench.

"A mere trick!" Shi Feiyang sneered. He unleashed his "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill, his palms lightly guiding the force of the serrated blade, diverting it entirely. With a twist of the blade, he struck several Netherworld Cult members. "Crack!" A series of bone-crushing sounds rang out, and more than ten Netherworld Cult members screamed and collapsed, their blood splattering as they died.

The swordsman was terrified and hastily sheathed his sword and retreated, only to see a flash of silver light in Shi Feiyang's palm. The silver threads of his Heavenly Silkworm Technique were already coiling around his wrist like serpents. Seeing this, Ling Shuangyue lightly raised her jade hand, and several ice spikes shot out from her sleeve, accurately striking down the poison smoke bombs in mid-air. She lightly touched the ground with her toes, unleashing the "Ice Crystal Lotus Step," her figure appearing and disappearing in the black mist. Her hands formed a seal, and a wall of icy energy suddenly rose, isolating the remaining poison smoke.

"What a magnificent ice-based internal energy technique!" the Netherworld Cult members exclaimed in surprise, and several of them thrust their swords at Ling Shuangyue. Ling Shuangyue remained calm and composed, her slender hands flashing out ice spikes like a sudden rain, forcing everyone to retreat. However, the Netherworld Cult members were fearless and used their bodies as shields to cover their companions' advance.

Seeing Ling Shuangyue in danger, Shi Feiyang let out a long howl and approached like a ghost. His palms flew, seemingly casually drifting and guiding, using the miraculous "Shifting Flowers and Jade" skill to redirect several thrusting swords in different directions. The sounds of weapons clashing were incessant, and sparks flew everywhere.

"Central Plains barbarians, come and taste my 'Netherworld Ghost Claw'!" a cultist roared, his five fingers forming a claw, emitting a pungent stench as he reached for Shi Feiyang's back. Shi Feiyang didn't even turn his head, instead striking out with a backhand palm, the ultimate move from the Hundred Victories Saber Technique, "Slaying the Mortal World," the palm wind like a blade, directly slashing at the opponent's wrist.

The cultist screamed in agony as his wrist bones shattered, spitting out a torrent of black blood. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ling Shuangyue pressed her hands to the ground, and an ice wall rose from the ground, trapping several cultists inside. With a series of flicks of her jade-like fingers, countless sharp spikes sprouted from the ice wall, aiming straight for their vital points.

The Netherworld Cultists were terrified and tried to defend themselves, but with a "crack," the ice wall suddenly shattered, and Ling Shuangyue's figure was already several feet away, holding a long ice crystal whip in her hand. The tip of the whip curled up and wrapped around the ankle of one of the cultists.

"Not good! She's going to use 'Ice Soul Lock'!" the leading swordsman shouted, swinging his blade at the ice whip. Seeing this, Shi Feiyang unleashed the silver threads of his Heavenly Silkworm Technique from his palm, which wrapped around the blade and pulled sharply.

The swordsman, unable to stop his momentum, slashed himself, drawing blood. In the midst of the fierce battle, the Netherworld Cult suddenly changed tactics. Several members formed a formation, chanting incantations, and black viscous liquid seeped from the ground, emitting a nauseating stench.

A cold glint flashed in Shi Feiyang's lustrous eyes. He knew this was the Netherworld Sect's evil technique, the "Ten Thousand Gu Devouring Heart Array," which he had witnessed countless times over the centuries. Immediately, Shi Feiyang called out to Ling Shuangyue, "Miss, step back and let me handle this!" He took a deep breath, channeling his Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions: Ice Soul Cold Prison." His lustrous skin became almost transparent, and a chilling aura emanated from his body.

He formed hand seals, unleashing the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill. Purple lightning instantly erupted from his palms, intertwining with icy true energy to form a bizarre blood-jade lightning fire. Shi Feiyang roared, "Evil cannot prevail over good!" and thrust out with both palms.

Instantly, the Emperor's Heavenly Thunder roared, and the Blood Jade Burned Demons! The Blood Jade Thunderfire surged towards the enemy formation like a tidal wave. Wherever it passed, the black viscous liquid evaporated instantly, and the Netherworld Cultists screamed as they were devoured by the thunderfire and turned into ashes.

The leading swordsman was terrified and turned to flee, but he was entangled by the silver threads of the Heavenly Silkworm Technique flowing from Shi Feiyang's palm, rendering him unable to move. "Speak, where exactly is the headquarters of the Netherworld Sect?" Shi Feiyang asked coldly, the blood jade patterns on his glassy skin slowly flowing.

The swordsman's face turned ashen. Suddenly, he bit the tip of his tongue and died from the poison.

Shi Feiyang sighed, knowing the Netherworld Sect was ruthless, and had long been prepared to die. Ling Shuangyue walked to his side, looking at the blood-red marks that hadn't completely faded from his smooth skin, and asked softly, "Hero Shi, are you alright?"

Her tone carried a hint of concern; this was the first time she had revealed an emotion other than hatred.

Shi Feiyang turned his head and saw the worry in her eyes. He couldn't help but laugh and patted her shoulder, saying cheerfully, "How could I be in trouble? It's you, young lady, that 'Ice Soul Lock' technique you used just now was even more exquisite."

A hint of tenderness flashed in his glassy eyes, and he reminded her, "This place is not safe to stay any longer. Let's continue on our way." Ling Shuangyue nodded, but did not move. Instead, she stared blankly at Shi Feiyang, lost in thought.

The setting sun shone like molten gold. Shi Feiyang stood atop the sand dune, his hands behind his back. His dark, tight-fitting clothes fluttered in the desert wind, and his fair skin shimmered with a warm glow in the sunset, as if it had been carved from warm jade from Kunlun.

He mustered his courage, took Ling Shuangyue's delicate hand, and walked across the desert.

Ling Shuangyue trembled slightly, her hands felt like they were being electrocuted, and she stumbled as Shi Feiyang pulled her along.

Suddenly, Shi Feiyangmei released Ling Shuangyue's hand, stopped, and looked at the caravan in the distance, which looked like ants. He walked forward for several dozen steps, lost in thought. Suddenly, he heard a clear sound of ice cracking behind him. Ling Shuangyue was coming with ice crystal lotus steps. Each step left a crystal-clear footprint on the sand. In an instant, she was right in front of him.

“Master Shi,” Ling Shuangyue’s voice was like shattered jade striking each other, yet it carried a slight, almost imperceptible tremor as she said, “Black Wind Gorge lies ahead, and there is a high probability that the Netherworld Sect has set up an ambush here.” She was dressed in a moon-white outfit, with a gleaming Ice Soul Sword hanging at her waist. Her beautiful face in the twilight resembled a snow lotus on a snowy mountain, but the icy hatred in her eyes never faded.

Shi Feiyang turned around, his glassy eyes reflecting her figure, and suddenly laughed loudly: "Why do you always address me as 'Hero Shi'? I have roamed the martial world and have never heard anyone call me by my name in such a cold tone."

He casually broke off a camel thorn, and the Mingyu Gong true energy flowing from his fingertips froze it into ice crystals. He said disdainfully, "The tricks of the Netherworld Sect are nothing but showing off one's skills before an expert. Even the Quanzhen Sect's 'Three Flowers Gathering at the Top Palm' couldn't do anything to me back then, let alone these unorthodox sects?" Ling Shuangyue was slightly taken aback, and a trace of embarrassment flashed across her usually indifferent face. She said with shame, "I was impolite."

She paused, gazing at the vultures circling in the sky, and said softly, "Just thinking about how my people died tragically under the 'Bone-Corroding Frost Flame' of the Netherworld Sect makes me... I can't calm down. It's so similar to the legendary 'Nine Yin White Bone Claw,' but even more vicious."

Shi Feiyang's laughter abruptly ceased, a trace of regret flashing in his glassy eyes. He recalled Zhuang Menglian's beautiful figure from a hundred years ago, and his throat tightened involuntarily. He comforted her, "Don't worry, young lady. If we encounter those Netherworld Cult scoundrels again today, I, Shi, will make them pay for their crimes in blood. Although the 'Spirit Snake Fist' of the Western Regions is unpredictable, it is ultimately no match for the righteous and chivalrous heart, let alone these petty villains." With that, he swayed and used the wondrous "Deeds Done, Departure" lightness skill to leap several feet away.

As his clothes fluttered, he left a faint trail of ice crystals on the sand. His agile movements were reminiscent of the "Lingbo Weibu" (a martial arts technique).

Inside Black Wind Gorge, the north wind was like a knife, making the rock walls on both sides howl.

Shi Feiyang and Ling Shuangyue were riding side by side when they suddenly heard several cold laughs coming from above the cliff. Dozens of men in black, wielding curved blades, descended from the precipice, their blades gleaming with a ghostly blue light—they were the "Black Wind Blade Masters" of the Netherworld Sect!
"You little slut, you dare to be arrogant just because you have a barbarian from the Central Plains by your side? Heh heh! It's safer to be my bandit's wife!" The leader of the swordsmen's voice was like a broken gong. After mocking Ling Shuangyue for a few words, he slashed at Ling Shuangyue's face with his sword.

Ling Shuangyue remained calm and composed. With a light tap of her toes, she used the Ice Crystal Lotus Step to kick up a cloud of sand and pebbles, managing to dodge the blade in the nick of time. At the same time, she drew her Ice Soul Sword, unleashing a chilling wave that aimed directly at the swordsman's wrist.

This sword strike was light and agile, much like the graceful "Jade Maiden Sword Technique," yet it also possessed a touch of the icy sharpness of the North.

"You little slut, this is interesting!" the swordsman sneered, his wrist flicking as his blade suddenly spewed out black poisonous mist. Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, "A mere trick, yet you dare to show off your meager skills before an expert! How can your poisonous mist get near me?" He unleashed both palms, activating his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill. The Mingyu Gong true energy formed a powerful vortex, drawing all the poisonous mist back and spraying it back towards the swordsman.

This technique of using an opponent's force against them is even more powerful than the martial arts classic "using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds," and it is also the essence of the Murong family's "shifting stars and changing constellations."

The swordsman screamed in agony as half his body instantly turned black and swelled, collapsing to the ground convulsing. Seeing this, the other swordsmen roared and pounced on him.

Shi Feiyang moved swiftly, using the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Body and Name" to appear and disappear among the blades. Whenever a blade was about to strike, he would use the divine skill of "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to lure it to his companions. In the blink of an eye, several people had already started killing each other.

His movements were sometimes as light as a swallow soaring through the clouds, and sometimes as lofty as a ladder to the clouds, which made Ling Shuangyue secretly startled.

Ling Shuangyue, treading on ice crystal lotuses, wielded her Ice Soul Sword in a dazzling display of light. Anyone touched by its tip was instantly torn apart, their wounds quickly forming scabs. Though she didn't kill, she froze the Netherworld Cult members into ice sculptures, their bodies lying in the gorge resembling a forest of crystalline monuments. This swordsmanship subtly incorporated the essence of the "Yue Maiden Sword," yet also blended in the chilling aura of the far north, truly surpassing its master.

"Stop!" A furious shout suddenly came from the mouth of the gorge. An old man in red robes, leaning on a skull staff, led dozens of cultists carrying torches into the gorge. He stared at the ice sculptures scattered on the ground, his eyes blazing with rage, and cursed, "That Shi Feiyang! That Ice Soul Fairy! How dare you ruin the important affairs of my Netherworld Sect!"

"So you're the Left Protector of the Netherworld Sect?" Shi Feiyang stopped and questioned, his glassy skin gleaming coldly in the torchlight. He said grimly, "Was it you, you old bastard, who slaughtered the Miao people back then?"

The old man in red chuckled wickedly, "It is indeed I! So what? You little wretch, today I will make you pay with your life for your clan! Taste my 'Ten Thousand Bones Soul Devouring Array' and see how it compares to the 'Nine Yin White Bone Claw'!" With that, he slammed his skull staff into the ground, and black viscous liquid seeped out, quickly solidifying into dozens of skeletons—the very "Ten Thousand Bones Soul Devouring Array" of the Netherworld Sect!
Upon seeing this, Ling Shuangyue's expression changed slightly. She wielded the Ice Soul Sword even more frantically, but her feet were entangled by the white bones, rendering her unable to move.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, and the "Shocking Calamity" was activated. Its icy gaze swept across the scene, and several skeletons instantly shattered into dust.

This gaze was as sharp as the "One Finger Divine Skill," yet it carried the invisible sword energy of the "Six Meridians Divine Sword," making it incredibly powerful. But the red-robed elder seized the opportunity to close in, his skull staff striking the stone directly at his chest.

"Well done!" Shi Feiyang roared, neither dodging nor avoiding. His chest, covered in glassy skin, suddenly became transparent as ice, and the vortex of Mingyu Gong's true energy firmly held onto the skull staff. The red-robed old man was shocked and tried to pull back, but felt his inner strength being sucked away like a tide.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang sneered, "Old fool, taste my 'Evil Blood Calamity'! See how it tastes?"

A flash of red light appeared in his palm, and the old man in red screamed repeatedly, blood flowing from his seven orifices. His body rapidly withered, shrinking into a dried-up corpse resembling a monkey in the blink of an eye. The remaining followers were terrified at the sight and knelt down, begging for mercy.

This "Evil Blood Calamity," though vicious, subtly echoed the principles of the "Star Absorbing Technique," only far more domineering. Ling Shuangyue broke free from the white bone restraints and walked to Shi Feiyang's side. Seeing the fleeting crimson in his glassy eyes, she softly asked, "Hero Shi, how are you? Are you injured?"

Shi Feiyang waved his hand, gazing at the rising moon beyond the gorge, and suddenly laughed, "Miss, the moonlight in this desert is even colder than that in the Central Plains. I recall the time when I was atop Mount Hua, discussing swordsmanship with some martial arts masters, the moonlight was similar, only lacking a bit of desolation." With that, he took Ling Shuangyue's hand and continued walking forward.

The two traveled to an ancient camel trail. In the distance, the melodious sound of a huqin (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) drifted by, and the lights of caravans flickered like fireflies in the desert sands.

Ling Shuangyue gazed at the setting sun on the horizon, then suddenly stopped, looking lost, and said, "Master Shi, tell me... after taking my revenge, where should I go? The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people, but I am all alone now, what should I do?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Feiyang remained silent for a long time. He recalled the century he had been trapped in the Eye of the Abyss, and the image of Zhuang Menglian. A trace of melancholy flashed in his glassy eyes, and he said with complex emotions, "The world of martial arts is vast, and grudges are hard to settle. But as long as one has a kind heart and acts chivalrously, where is not a place to belong?"

He turned around and gave Ling Shuangyue a warm smile, as gentle as melting snow, and said, "If you don't mind, my Beggars' Sect welcomes you anytime. How about we fight for justice and help the weak together?"

Ling Shuangyue looked into his glassy eyes, which reflected the golden glow of the setting sun and her own reflection.

She suddenly remembered how Shi Feiyang had used his inner strength to heal a child kidnapped by bandits the day before. Such gentleness and chivalry were something she had never seen before. Her frozen heart was suddenly stirred.

"Okay." She nodded gently, a genuine smile spreading across her lips, like a snow lotus in bloom.

Under the setting sun, a man and a woman walk side by side on the ancient camel trail.

Shi Feiyang's figure was elusive, each step seemingly as if he were riding the wind, just like the ultimate "walking on snow without leaving a trace"; Ling Shuangyue stepped on ice lotus, each ice crystal leaving a brief beauty on the sand, like the artistic conception of "a celestial maiden scattering flowers".

However, behind them lay the pursuit of the Netherworld Sect and a deep-seated blood feud; ahead lay the unknown Central Plains and the unpredictable world of martial arts.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar. Shi Feiyang's eyes sharpened, and he shielded Ling Shuangyue behind him, his fair skin instantly turning as transparent as ice. "Miss Ling," he whispered, "hold me tight."

Ling Shuangyue blushed, but still reached out and gently grasped his sleeve as instructed. Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, picked her up, and used his "Deeds Done, Gone" lightness skill to disappear like a streak of light into the vast sea of ​​sand, leaving only a string of clear camel bells that gradually faded away in the evening breeze.

One day, they passed through a small town and happened to be there during a temple fair. Ling Shuangyue was seeing such a lively scene for the first time, and her eyes were filled with surprise and delight. Seeing this, Shi Feiyang took her to stroll through the temple fair.

Looking into Ling Shuangyue's bright eyes, Shi Feiyang suddenly laughed loudly, "Shuangyue, look! That sugar painting stall has some of the skill of Zhang, the sugar figurine master from Jiangnan." He casually took out a few copper coins and, to the stall owner's astonishment, used his Mingyu Gong true energy to condense sugar threads, personally shaping a phoenix as cold as ice crystals for Ling Shuangyue. Ling Shuangyue took the sugar painting, her fingertips touching the cool sugar threads, and suddenly remembered the snow and ice of the day her clan was wiped out.

Upon seeing this, Shi Feiyang immediately pointed to the windmill stall not far away and teased, "Shuangyue, have you ever heard of the 'revolving lantern' of the Central Plains? Let me find you the most exquisite one." With a swift movement, he used the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Person and Name" to leap to the stall, picked out a glass windmill painted with Chang'e flying to the moon, and when he returned, his clothes were covered with a few grains of stardust unique to the borderlands.

“Brother Shi…” Ling Shuangyue held the windmill, its spinning light reflecting off her face. She said with emotion, “When I was young, I migrated with my people and never saw such a lively scene.” She suddenly stopped in front of a mask stall, her fingertips lightly stroking a mask of a demon with a blue face and fangs. A barely perceptible tremor flashed in her eyes.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang casually picked up a smiling Maitreya mask and put it on his face. His glassy eyes curved into crescent moons in the eye sockets, and he said with a grin, "Shuangyue, do you think I look good in this? Back then, when I was greedy for beggar's chicken, I also wore a mask like this to cheat people out of drinks."

He suddenly stopped smiling and said softly, "Once the matter of the Netherworld Sect is settled, I will take you to Jiangnan to see the real revolving lanterns. The lanterns on the Qinhuai River are a hundred times more lively than these." Ling Shuangyue nodded emotionally.

As the two traveled to the Black Gobi Desert outside Yumen Pass, the sandstorm suddenly turned into a foul stench.

Ling Shuangyue's Ice Soul Sword was suddenly drawn, and the ice crystals condensed at the tip of the sword turned blood-red, warning, "Brother Shi, there is an extremely heavy aura of death ahead!"

Before the words were finished, the ground suddenly cracked open, and tens of thousands of corpses dressed in the attire of the Netherworld Cult burst forth from the earth. The rotting flesh and white bones intertwined to form a wall of corpses three zhang high, and the stench of decay even stopped the sandstorm.

"Shi Feiyang, hand over the Ice River Goddess!" the Netherworld Sect leader roared. His black robes fluttered as he stood atop the wall of corpses, the notes played on his bone flute causing the joints of the corpses to crack.

The corpse he was standing on suddenly exploded, revealing the face of a Miao woman—it was Ling Shuangyue's clansman.

Seeing this, Ling Shuangyue plunged her Ice Soul Sword into the ground, and in an instant, an ice lotus condensed at the base of the wall of corpses. She angrily shouted, "How dare you, you scoundrel, insult my people!"

With her nimble hands, her "Ice Crystal Lotus Steps" froze the rotting flesh of corpses into amber-like solids. Then, with a "bang," the frozen corpses suddenly exploded, splattering black blood all over her white clothes.

"Shuangyue, step back! I'll deal with these beasts!" Shi Feiyang roared, a mottled bamboo stick suddenly appearing in his hand. He used the profound "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill, the stick's shadow transforming into countless bamboo shadows—the "Sealing" technique from the Dog-Beating Stick Technique—to protect Ling Shuangyue in the center. The corpse's finger bones gripped the stick, only to be shattered piece by piece. The putrid blood flowed down the stick, but was instantly frozen into blood beads by the chilling energy of the Bright Jade Skill.

"Such trivial skills, you dare to show off your axe skills in front of me, Shi Feiyang?" Shi Feiyang said sarcastically. His glassy skin suddenly became transparent as ice, and the silver threads of the Heavenly Silkworm Technique that surged from his palm actually shredded the thirteen corpses into a pulp.

He suddenly leaped up, unleashing the Beggars' Sect's ultimate technique, "No Dogs Under Heaven," his staff flashing like a cascading silver river, smashing a large hole in the wall of corpses. Seeing this, the leader of the Netherworld Sect plunged his bone flute into his palm, countless black insects crawling out of his wound and burrowing into the eye sockets of the corpses, threatening, "Shi Feiyang, if you don't hand over the Ice River Fairy, you'll taste the Netherworld Sect's 'Ten Thousand Corpses Devouring Hearts Formation'!"

Black flesh sprouted from the wounds on the corpses, forming a huge ghost face that opened its blood-red maw to bite Shi Feiyang.

"What a wicked technique!" Shi Feiyang cursed, his eyes flashing with cold light. He activated the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill, and wherever his icy gaze swept, the flesh of the corpse instantly shattered into ice shards. He took a deep breath, and blood-red patterns appeared on the glassy skin of his chest. He activated the martial art from the *Tai Xuan Jing*—the "Dragon Subduing Tiger Formation." In an instant, the phantoms of nine golden dragons and nine fierce tigers flew out from his body, their roars and howls shaking the Gobi Desert. The golden dragons spewed true fire, burning the corpse to charcoal; the tigers tore through the ice with their claws, freezing the flesh into dust.

Shi Feiyang stood in the center of the dragon and tiger phantom, his glassy skin reflecting the light, sometimes red and sometimes white. He suddenly unleashed the ultimate move of the Hundred Victory Blade Technique, "Burning Heaven and Earth," with both palms. Wherever the palm wind passed, the wall of corpses collapsed like an avalanche, and rotten flesh and white bones fell like rain.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the leader of the Netherworld Sect turned into black smoke and tried to escape, but was pierced through the chest by Ling Shuangyue's ice spike.

The ice cone, imbued with her life's work, froze the sect leader into an ice sculpture before shattering into countless pieces with a "crack."

Looking at the mess on the ground, Shi Feiyang suddenly cunningly spat out a mouthful of blood mist, and the blood-red patterns on his glassy skin instantly dimmed.

He wanted to say something to Ling Shuangyue, but then everything went black and he fainted in her arms.

When Shi Feiyang "woke up," he found himself lying in a cave, covered with Ling Shuangyue's white robes. Outside the cave, the wind and snow howled, but inside, a bonfire burned, and Ling Shuangyue was polishing her Ice Soul Sword in the firelight, with unmelted ice crystals still clinging to her hair.

"You're awake?" Ling Shuangyue turned around, her icy face flushed, and she said with concern, "I...I used the Ice Glacier Secret Technique to regulate your meridians while you were unconscious." She suddenly pulled out an oil paper package from her bosom, inside which was half a sugar painting of a phoenix, and said with affection and a smile, "I froze this sugar painting with my Frost True Qi, can you...can you still eat it?"

Looking at her cautious demeanor, Shi Feiyang felt a warmth in his heart and said affectionately, "Shuangyue, actually, I... I didn't just want to protect you and avenge you." He struggled to sit up, his crystal-clear eyes shining brightly in the firelight, and revealed his true feelings, saying, "Back in Kunlun Ruins, I thought I had no more attachments in this life, until I met you..."

Ling Shuangyue suddenly buried her head in his chest, the Ice Soul Sword fell to the ground with a clear sound, and said emotionally, "Brother Shi... no, Feiyang... there is a legend in my clan that the Ice Snow Lotus only blooms in front of a sincere person."

When she looked up, tears welled in her eyes. She pointed and whispered, "Look, the snow outside the cave has stopped."

Shi Feiyang looked towards the cave entrance and saw that after the snowstorm, a bright moon shone on the Gobi Desert, and in the distance, a snow lotus was indeed blooming in a crevice in the ice. He gently took Ling Shuangyue's hand, and the two smiled at each other, their hearts filled with sweetness.

The moon over the Gobi Desert was exceptionally bright, illuminating the figures of two people leaning against each other inside the cave.

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang picked up Ling Shuangyue, flew out of the cave, and jumped into the tent on the back of the Vermilion Bird. The two were overjoyed and intoxicated with happiness.

The Vermilion Bird let out a long cry, flapped its wings, and soared into the sky.

Ling Shuangyue had never imagined that her marriage would be so romantic, that she would be able to spend her honeymoon in the sky. (End of Chapter)