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

On this day, the air inside the Jinxiang Hall in Bianzhou was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Zhu Huang leaned against the dragon throne, his face ashen beneath the twelve-tasseled crown. Suddenly, he heard the commander of the imperial guards below shout a greeting, which startled him so much that the jade belt around his waist tightened abruptly.

The Imperial Guard commander reported, "Your Majesty, Li Cunxu of Hedong has raised an army of 50,000 and has already breached Pingyang Pass!" Shi Feiyang knelt down with the ranks, the cloth handle of his Xuan Shuang Blade pressed against the blue brick, a slight tremor from the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror emanating from his palm. He glanced at Zhu Huang, whose gold-threaded dragon on his sleeve was twisted in his grip, and deliberately rubbed the soles of his boots against the gold brick, making a harsh sound. When the Emperor's gaze fell upon him, a rough smile spread across his face as he said, "Your Majesty, this humble general requests to fight!"

Zhu Huangmian's tassels jingled as he squinted at the captain, saying slowly, "Guo Bin, what brilliant strategy do you have to defeat the enemy?" Shi Feiyang scratched his head, revealing his crooked teeth, and secretly channeled the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique into his fingertips, making his palms glow slightly red. He replied, "Your Majesty, this humble general has no brilliant plan. I just think that if that brat Li Cunxu were to witness Your Majesty's divine might, he would probably wet his pants in fear."

He patted the Xuan Shuang Blade at his waist, and the blade beneath the cloth hilt suddenly emitted a clear ringing sound. He then teased, "Besides, this humble general is still eyeing the Daughter's Red Wine from Zui Xian Lou. Without a decent head, the shopkeeper won't grant me credit." Low snickers echoed in the hall, but Zhu Huang clapped his hands and laughed loudly. The fragments of the Kunlun Mirror on his dragon robe trembled slightly with his laughter. He said, "What a wine-loving Guo Bin! I grant your request!" He tossed down the jade token, and the golden tassels drew arcs in the morning light. He then said, "If you can behead Li Cunxu, I will appoint you as a Tiger-like General!"

When Shi Feiyang received the order, he deliberately let it slip from his hand, and the jade token fell to the ground with a clatter. But as he bent down, he winked at Zhu Yougui—it was a secret signal set up at the Prince of Ying's residence last night. With the movement of the hidden pattern on his sleeve, he had already conveyed the message that "the army will rise at midnight tonight."

At midnight, the troops were mustered at the drill ground.

Five thousand iron cavalrymen surged like a black tide, and Shi Feiyang rode on his black horse, letting the moonlight flow in his glassy eyes.

Suddenly, a carrier pigeon fluttered down onto his shoulder. The moment he unfolded the Beggars' Sect's secret letter, the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique at his fingertips suddenly heated up, scorching the edges of the letter. It read: "The Heavenly Wolf Guard's blood sacrifice at Chenqiao Post Station, with a thousand boys as a guide, is intended to open the eye of the abyss!"

"Pass on my orders!" Shi Feiyang crumpled the carrier pigeon in his palm, the wolf head emblem on his iron gauntlet appearing faintly in the night. He shouted sternly, "Break camp at dawn, target Chenqiao Post Station! Anyone who disobeys will be punished according to military law!"

The iron cavalry charged forward, shattering the moonlight. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang heard the soft sound of hooves behind him. He reined in his horse and saw Zhu Huiran, dressed in plain white riding attire, hiding behind a locust tree and spying. The snow-white plum blossom silver pendant in her hair swayed gently in the wind—it was Zhu Huiran.

"Is Your Highness giving this humble general a farewell party?" Shi Feiyang deliberately lowered his voice, his Xuan Shuang Blade drawing a half-silver arc beside the saddle, and then said with a grin, "If His Majesty finds out, this humble general's head won't be enough to be chopped off."

Zhu Huiran spurred his horse forward, his eyes welling up with tears, and said in a trembling voice, "Guo Lang, I...I stole Father's birth date and time."

As she handed over the gilded box, her fingertips touched the calluses on his palm, and she said uneasily, "Last night I heard you shouting 'Give me back the Tang Dynasty' in your dream, and that voice... sounded just like the chime bells I heard when I was a child."

Shi Feiyang was shocked, but smiled and said, "Princess, have you misheard? This humble general only dreams of the fine wine of Zuixianlou."

He took the box, and the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror resonated with the wolf head totem on the box, reflecting a seven-colored light onto her white skirt. He then chuckled and said, "When I return in triumph, I will surely drink with the princess for three days and three nights." After saying this, he spurred his horse and galloped away, leading five thousand iron cavalry to Chenqiao Post Station.

Dawn at Chenqiao Post Station was shrouded in thick frost. As Shi Feiyang reined in his horse, the black mist above the post station surged like a living thing. The wrists of the boy and girl hanging from the eaves dripped purplish-black blood in the morning dew, each wrist entwined with vampires, reflecting an eerie light in his glassy eyes.

"Damn it! These bastards are no good!" Shi Feiyang cursed angrily. The Xuan Shuang Blade was drawn three inches from its sheath. The wax seal on the cloth handle peeled off due to the heat, revealing the runes of the Kunlun Mirror underneath. He then loudly mocked, "Brothers, watch closely! Today, I'm going to show off my family's sword technique!"

The black horse reared up, carrying him like an arrow shot towards the blood altar. The Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique was pushed to its limit; wherever the horse's hooves passed, the frost instantly vaporized, leaving charred hoofprints on the ground. The High Priest of the Heavenly Wolf Guard stood atop the three-zhang-high altar, his wolf-headed scepter slamming down. Suddenly, a hundred zombies emerged from beneath the altar—the very court officials who had drowned in the White Horse Post Station disaster, each with a Heavenly Wolf nail on their chest glowing with eerie blue flames.

Shi Feiyang let out a clear whistle: "What's the use of causing trouble? Humph!" He unleashed the move "Desert Lone Smoke"! The Xuan Shuang Blade sliced ​​through the morning mist, leaving a three-foot-long azure light. The skulls of the three zombies in the front row fell off in response, their rotting blood splattering onto his blue battle robe, only to be instantly evaporated by the high temperature of his "Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique," leaving behind dark brown cloud patterns.

Two black snakes flew out from the high priest's sleeve, their tongues glowing with phosphorescent light as they pierced his eyes. Shi Feiyang flicked his wrist and unleashed the move "Sunset Over the Long River"! The blade light transformed into a half-recessed sun, and the Xuan Shuang Blade drew a perfect arc, shredding the black snakes into mincemeat.

The intense heat of the "Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique" spread along the snake blood, causing the corpse poison on the ground to sizzle and rise in plumes of green smoke.

"Fire!" At the high priest's command, a thousand members of the Sky Wolf Guard suddenly surged out from around the altar, unleashing a torrential downpour of poisoned crossbow bolts.

Shi Feiyang spurred his horse, galloping around the altar. The Xuan Shuang Blade twirled between his fingers, creating a silvery dance. He then gripped the sword, moving in a straight line and a circle, still and still, sideways and upright, horizontal and vertical, slashing and sweeping. Wherever the blade's wind passed, the poisoned crossbow bolts melted, falling to the ground with a crisp sound like shattering glass. A cultist threw a poisoned flying wheel; Shi Feiyang deflected it with a backhand strike, the spinning wheel piercing the throats of three men, blood crystallizing in the flash of the blade.

Seeing that the poisoned crossbow had failed, the high priest roared and plunged his wolf-headed scepter into the blood pool. A crimson pillar of light shot into the sky, and countless phantoms of wronged souls coalesced into a giant hand, its fingernails still adorned with the threads of old official robes.

Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes suddenly flashed red, and the Xuan Shuang Blade pierced the ground. The "Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique" erupted like a volcano, burning a ring of fire around the altar. The flames licked at the wronged souls, emitting a shrill cry like that of an infant.

He then gripped his sword and slashed out with "Sunset Over the Long River!" The blade's light mingled with the flames, cleaving the giant blood-red hand in two. Blood dripped from the palm and instantly transformed into black snakes, only to be detonated into a bloody mist by his toes.

The high priest's wolf-head mask was askance, tilted to his forehead, as he asked in terror, "Who are you?"

Shi Feiyang reined in his horse and closed in. Xuan Shuangren suddenly changed his move. The "Desert Lone Smoke" attack, which was originally aimed at the heart, turned into a shard of Kunlun Mirror aimed at the opponent's neck at the moment of contact. He said coldly, "Remember, your grandfather's surname is Guo, and his given name is Bin!"

With two crisp "clangs," the fragments of the High Priest were flung away, resonating in mid-air with the fragments in Shi Feiyang's arms, bursting forth with a seven-colored glow. The blood sacrifice array collapsed in response, and the black mist dissipated like the receding tide, revealing the boy and girl chained beneath the altar, their ankles still oozing blood from the teeth marks.

"Your Majesty, save me!" the High Priest cried out towards the post station, only to see Shi Feiyang throw out a fragment from his robes, which echoed the fragment on Zhu Huang's dragon robe, turning the sky in the direction of Bianliang City crimson. The sounds of battle cries echoed in the distance; Li Cunxu's Hedong army banners appeared, and the lotus flags of the Beggars' Sect disciples fluttered in the wind beneath them.

Just as Shi Feiyang was about to rush toward the altar, he suddenly heard a clear shout from behind: "Guo Lang, be careful!" Zhu Huiran actually rushed over with the Su Xin Sword in hand, her skirt stained with blood, and forced back the Tianlang Guard cultists who were attacking Shi Feiyang one by one.

He took the opportunity to pull Zhu Huiran behind the broken wall and found that half of her hair was still hanging from the snow plum silver pendant around her neck—it was the hair she had cut off outside the bedroom last night.

"Ran'er," he called her by her maiden name for the first time in reality, his fingertips tracing her blood-stained sleeve, and asked sadly, "Do you know how much blood of loyal ministers was used to build your father's empire?"

Zhu Huiran looked at the firelight reflected in his eyes, and the illusion and reality suddenly overlapped: last night in the illusion, she saw him being stabbed by the guards while saving a child, and now the wound under his battle robe was oozing blood, exactly the same as the bloodstains in the illusion.

“I believe you,” she suddenly hugged him tenderly, the Su Xin Sword falling to the ground with a clear sound, then she said firmly, “Even if you are a traitor to the Tang Dynasty, I still believe you.” Shi Feiyang felt a pang in his heart, but then he heard the high priest’s maniacal laughter coming from the direction of the altar: “It’s no use! The blood sacrifice has begun, the Eye of the Abyss is about to appear in the world…” Before he finished speaking, the birth chart in his hand suddenly flew out of Shi Feiyang’s arms; it was the fortune-telling scroll that Zhu Huiran had stolen.

Shi Feiyang roared, "Activate the formation!" and slammed his birth date and time into the sacrificial formation.

The crimson pillar of light shattered instantly, and the cultists of the Heavenly Wolf Guard let out inhuman screams amidst the flames. He picked up Zhu Huiran and leaped onto the black horse, the Frost Blade drawing an arc of light, splitting the entire altar in two, the broken edge still burning with the flames of Kunlun.

"Zhu Wen, Zhu Wen," he looked back at the firelight of Bianliang, the rising sun reflected in his glassy eyes, and teased, "Look at this setting sun over the long river, is it the fate of your Great Liang?"

With a long neigh, the black horse carried him toward dawn, behind him were the rescued boys and girls, and ahead was Li Cunxu's army of restoration of the Tang Dynasty.

Zhu Huiran nestled against his chest, listening to his heart pounding like a drum. Suddenly, she remembered his words from the illusion: "A true wise ruler should not let his people live in fear." She looked up at his profile; the morning light gilded the fake scar, and she suddenly realized that this scar was more beautiful than any jade. The smoke of battle at Chenqiao Post Station gradually dissipated, but the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror in Shi Feiyang's arms were still warm.

He knew that Zhu Huiran's Pure Heart Sword was ultimately meant for him.

At this moment, the warmth in his arms gave him someone he wanted to protect again in this chaotic world.

Blood frost still clung to the glazed tiles of the Bianliang Palace walls. Zhu Huang leaned against the dragon couch, listening to Zhu Huiran's clear voice below. The jade ruyi in his hand snapped with a "crack," and he said unhappily, "Ran'er, are you speaking up for that scoundrel Guo Bin again?"

Zhu Huiran knelt on the golden bricks, her plain white skirt trailing like frost, the snow plum blossom hairpin in her hair gleaming faintly in the candlelight. She pleaded, "Father, last night I dreamt of a golden-armored deity who said that Guo Bin is a divine general sent by Heaven to protect the Great Liang." She raised her face, her eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the illusion, and said devoutly, "The deity also said that if we use the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror to offer sacrifices to Heaven, the Great Liang can enjoy ten thousand years of national fortune."

Zhu Wen stared at the unusual glint in his daughter's eyes, suddenly recalling that among the "spoils of war" Guo Bin presented when news of the defeat at Chenqiao Post Station arrived was half a fragment of the Kunlun Mirror. He stroked the wolf head totem on his dragon robe; the runes carved by Shi Feiyang with the light of the shattered mirror beneath the totem were still faintly hot from his body heat. He scolded, "Ran'er, do you know that Guo Bin secretly released Li Cunxu's secret envoy at Chenqiao Post Station?"

Zhu Huiran suddenly looked up, her voice trembling with emotion, "Impossible!" The plum blossom pendant on her hairpin struck the blue bricks. She then explained, "Guo Lang said that was a lost caravan! Father must have listened to the slander of treacherous people!" She crawled forward on her knees, grabbed the hem of Zhu Wen's dragon robe, and said coquettishly, "Guo Lang also said that when the world is at peace, he will accompany me to Kunlun to see the plum blossoms..."

Looking at the pure longing in his daughter's eyes, Zhu Wen suddenly remembered that he had said something similar to his wife thirty years ago in Songzhou.

He flung his sleeve away from his daughter, the imperial seal slamming onto the table with a dull thud. He said impatiently, "Enough! I've granted Guo Bin's command of the Imperial Guards! But if you continue to speak ill of him, you'll be sent to Ganye Temple for quiet contemplation!"

Zhu Huiran staggered back, the snow plum hairpin falling to the ground, the shattered mirror light flashing and disappearing in the cracks between the bricks.

Hiding behind a pillar, Shi Feiyang suppressed the warmth in his glassy eyes and gave a wink to He Quan, the Beggar Clan elder beside him—the lotus tattoo on He Quan's sleeve was faintly visible in the shadows, a signal to infiltrate the Imperial Guard.

At midnight, beneath the palace walls, Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to leave the city in search of his beloved wife, Ling Shuangyue. Ling Shuangyue, dressed in a moon-white outfit, stood beneath a plum tree. The frost on her Ice Soul Sword melted in the heat, dripping onto the secret letter Shi Feiyang handed her. She whispered, "Husband, Awang has led the Beggars' Sect disciples from the Western Regions to control the Chenqiao post station's grain route. Elder Li Xing's men from our sect have also laid three layers of hidden agents within the Imperial Guard."

“Zhu Wen’s suspicions are growing,” Shi Feiyang whispered to Ling Shuangyue, then brushed the snow off his shoulder. His Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique, which he instinctively activated, evaporated the snow into white mist. He said anxiously, “Ran’er argued for me in the Golden Hall today, and the two of us have developed a rift.” He recalled the snow plum blossom in Zhu Huiran’s hair when she knelt, and his voice softened unconsciously as he said anxiously, “That girl has been hit by the ‘Heavenly Palace Illusion.’ I’m afraid she won’t last long.”

Ling Shuangyue folded the secret letter into a paper crane, freezing the corners with her Ice Soul Sword Qi. She confidently said, "I set up an ice crystal array outside her bedchamber. If the illusion fails, she'll come looking for you first." She paused, looking at the lingering tenderness in Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes, and then explained, "Do you know that Awang found the third fragment of the Kunlun Mirror in the Western Regions? It's inscribed with 'Eye of the Abyss, key of blood.'"

Shi Feiyang took the paper crane, and with the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique at his fingertips, he burned two holes in the crane's eyes. He nodded and said, "Zhu Wen's birth date and time are in my hands. The key to the Blood Sacrifice Array lies in the mirror fragment of his dragon robe."

He suddenly heard the sound of jade pendants coming from afar, stuffed the paper crane into Ling Shuangyue's hand, and decisively said, "Ran'er is here, quickly proceed according to plan."

Ling Shuangyue hurriedly flew away.

Zhu Huiran approached carrying a palace lantern, her white cloak covered in snowflakes. She said tenderly, "Guo Lang, I stole Father Emperor's sacrificial procession painting." As she handed him the scroll, her fingers touched the calluses on his palm, and she questioned, "Just now I heard you talking to... to that girl. Who is she?"

Shi Feiyang took the scroll and deliberately let the warmth of the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique reach her fingertips, lying, "It's a messenger sent by the Beggars' Sect, saying that there are snow lotuses in the Western Regions that can cure your heart palpitations."

He watched the fading light of the illusion in her eyes, then suddenly removed the snow plum blossom hairpin from her temple and said warmly, "This hairpin is old. I'll find you a Kunlun jade hairpin another day." The "Heavenly Palace Illusion" not only bewitched Zhu Huiran, but also made Shi Feiyang fall deeper and deeper into the dilemma between using and genuine feelings.

June of the fourth year of Tianyou, the eve of Zhu Wen's sacrifice to Heaven.

Shi Feiyang stood with his hand on his sword in the Imperial Guard camp, watching He Quan lead the Beggars' Sect disciples to place the blood-stained Heavenly Wolf Guard token into the armory. Suddenly, a guard rushed in to report: "Reporting to the commander, the princess has been bitten by a poisonous snake in the Imperial Garden!"

His heart tightened, but he gave a wink to Li Xing, the Beggar Clan elder beside him.

Li Xing understood, and the lotus tattoo on his sleeve flashed. Suddenly, three thousand Beggar Clan disciples drew their swords, surrounding the Wolf Guard members from the armory. Shi Feiyang used his "Deeds Done, Departure" skill to fly towards the Imperial Garden, his Xuan Shuang Blade slicing through the bluestone slabs, sparks flying – this was the signal he and Ling Shuangyue had agreed upon. In the Peony Pavilion of the Imperial Garden, Zhu Huiran lay in a pool of blood, the teeth marks on her ankle tinged with blackish-purple. Ling Shuangyue sheathed her Ice Soul Sword, still dripping with snake blood, and comforted her, "It was the Wolf Guard's Seven-Step Snake. Luckily, I arrived in time."

Watching Shi Feiyang's trembling arms as he lifted Zhu Huiran, she deliberately spoke loudly, "But this snake venom is strange; perhaps only a fragment of the Kunlun Mirror can cure it." Zhu Huiran, still unconscious, clutched Shi Feiyang's clothes. The illusionary light completely dissipated, leaving only genuine fear in her eyes. She trembled and said, "Guo Lang... I dreamt that Father Emperor wanted to kill you..."

Shi Feiyang carried her and rushed towards the Imperial Hospital. As they passed the armory, deafening shouts of battle erupted from within.

He knew that Li Xing had already released the "evidence" of the Tianlang Guard's collusion with the Imperial Guard as planned. Sure enough, Zhu Huang's honor guard rushed over, and upon seeing the corpses of the Tianlang Guards in the armory, the shards of mirror on his dragon robe suddenly became hot.

"Guo Bin! How dare you collude with the Heavenly Wolf Guard!" Zhu Huang roared, then pointed at Zhu Huiran in his arms and cursed, "Ran'er's snakebite must be the work of you, you traitor!" Shi Feiyang handed Zhu Huiran to the imperial physician, knelt on one knee, his Xuan Shuang Blade striking the ground with a clear hum, and said piously, "Your Majesty, please be wise! The Heavenly Wolf Guard token in the armory was seized by this humble general last night!"

As he looked up, his glassy eyes gleamed in the torchlight, and he said sincerely, "As for the princess's injury... this humble general is willing to use the fragment of the Kunlun Mirror as a catalyst to expel the poison from the princess!" On the altar of sacrifice, Zhu Huang looked at the birth date and time in Shi Feiyang's hand, then at his unconscious daughter in his arms, and finally gritted his teeth to remove the mirror fragment from his dragon robe, saying resentfully, "If Ran'er suffers even the slightest mishap, I will tear you to pieces!"

Shi Feiyang took the fragment and resonated with the two pieces in his arms. A method to break the sacrificial array was revealed in the seven-colored glow. He pressed the fragment onto the wound on Zhu Huiran's ankle, and the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique flowed in like a warm current. The snake venom turned into black gas upon contact with the heat, condensing into the shape of a wolf's head on the fragment.

“Guo Lang…” When Zhu Huiran woke up, she saw the beads of sweat on his forehead and suddenly remembered every word he had said in the illusion. She said sadly, “So, you’ve been lying to me all along?” Shi Feiyang paused, and his Blazing Flame Technique almost went out of control.

Ling Shuangyue suddenly appeared from the air, her Ice Soul Sword deflecting the fragments in Shi Feiyang's hand. She exclaimed, "Your Majesty, please look!" The fragments burst into a bright light in the air, projecting a secret letter from the Heavenly Wolf Guard—the letter read, "Once the blood sacrifice is complete, Zhu Wen will be offered as a sacrifice to the Eye of the Abyss."

Zhu Huang was struck dumb, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground. Shi Feiyang immediately ordered his soldiers to fetch the imperial physician to examine Zhu Huang. Then, he led the Imperial Guards to seal off the palace and suppress any news, and gave Li Xing a meaningful look. From then on, Li Xing led his Beggars' Sect disciples, disguised as Imperial Guards, to closely "protect" Zhu Huang, occasionally giving him medication that made his illness worse.

……

In the west of Bianliang, moonlight shone through the ruins, shattering into silver foil in Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes. He stroked the peeling Tang Dynasty palace murals on the pillars, his fingertips suddenly stopping—in the corner of the "Rainbow Feather Garment" painting, there was a snow plum blossom doodle by Zhu Huiran in her childhood.

"Guo Bin!" A clear shout came from the moon gate. Zhu Huiran, dressed in a plain white outfit, twirled her Su Xin sword in her hand, cursing, "You treacherous dog, you really do harbor wicked intentions! Why did you order the Imperial Guards to seal off the palace? What exactly are you trying to do?"

As Shi Feiyang turned around, he deliberately knocked down icicles from the eaves. The shards of ice traced arcs in the moonlight as he chuckled and said, "Your Highness's swordsmanship is like she's adorning this humble general with flowers." He brandished the Xuan Shuang Blade in his hand, the wax seal on the cloth handle peeling off to reveal the runes of the Kunlun Mirror. He then added with a playful grin, "Last night in the Imperial Garden, it was this humble general who saved you and His Majesty! Now, this humble general is sealing off the palace and blocking news, precisely to prevent your princes from fighting for power. This humble general is acting in the best interests of the princess and His Majesty!"

Zhu Huiran's sword tip trembled, her jade-like face flushed slightly, and she rebuked, "Shut up! You used to use sorcery to bewitch me! I fell for your treacherous schemes before, but I won't anymore! Humph! I'll kill you, you traitorous scoundrel!"

With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed the "Su Xin Jie" technique with her Su Xin Sword, sending seven sword flowers to strike seven major acupoints on Shi Feiyang's body.

Instead of retreating, Shi Feiyang advanced, his Xuan Shuang Blade unleashing a move called "Lone Smoke in the Desert." However, the blade's light abruptly changed course as it touched the sword flower, gently tapping her wrist's "Yangxi" acupoint with the back of the sword. He then teased, "Does the princess still remember that this move should be paired with the 'Wind Swaying Lotus Leaf' movement technique?" Zhu Huiran staggered backward, her Su Xin Sword nearly slipping from her grasp, and stammered, "You...you...who exactly are you?"

Shi Feiyang sheathed his sword and stood there, his glassy eyes reflecting the snow plum blossom hairpin in her hair. He said frankly, "This humble general is Guo Bin, also known as Shi Feiyang."

He untied the leather pouch from his waist, poured out three fragments of the Kunlun Mirror, and said indignantly, "Your father colluded with the Heavenly Wolf Guard to use the blood of a thousand boys to sacrifice to the Eye of the Abyss. This is a secret letter that the Beggars' Clan found at Chenqiao Post Station."

Under the moonlight, the wolf head totem on the secret letter glowed with a blood-red light. Zhu Huiran stared at the words "After the deed is done, Zhu Wen will offer a sacrifice" in the letter, her hand gripping the sword trembling. She cried out in alarm, "Impossible... Father Emperor..."

"Does the princess remember," Shi Feiyang suddenly leaned closer, his breath brushing against her earlobe, and then said angrily, "last year on the Lantern Festival, your father piled up the wrists of surrendered soldiers into a small mountain for the court officials to admire?" He pointed to the lights of the Liang Prince's mansion in the distance and questioned, "Under those lights, how many wronged souls are weeping?"

Zhu Huiran suddenly stepped back, the Su Xin Sword slicing through his sleeve, revealing the faint glow of his smooth, glassy skin—a mark of the Ming Yu Gong technique. She exclaimed in surprise, "You... what other sorcery did you use?"

Shi Feiyang gave a bitter smile, activated the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique, and a crimson flame rose from his palm. He said triumphantly, "This is the Kunlun Blazing Flame Technique, capable of melting thousand-year-old ice." He brought the flame close to the secret letter, and the wolf head totem turned to ashes upon contact with the fire. He said guiltily, "As for the illusion... this humble general regrets it."

Looking at the genuine remorse in his eyes, Zhu Huiran suddenly recalled the scene in the illusion where he was stabbed by the guards while saving the children.

"You lied to me!" she cursed angrily, and swung her sword again, but just before it touched his throat, she turned and stabbed at a pillar. She then asked in a trembling voice, "Was that snow plum hairpin also fake?" Shi Feiyang caught the hairpin, his fingertips tracing a snow plum pattern in the shattered light of the mirror, and said honestly, "The hairpin is from the Kingdom of Khotan in the Western Regions. That winter, I saved a lost princess during an avalanche."

He paused, a thousand years of vicissitudes flashing in his glassy eyes, and said emotionally, "She also wore a hairpin like this in her hair."

Zhu Huiran paused, then said with a pang of sadness, "Is that the woman in white you often met with in the dense forest on the outskirts of the city? Is she your wife?"

"Exactly." Shi Feiyang nodded and inserted the hairpin into her hair, then said with emotion, "Her name is Ling Shuangyue, the Ice Maiden. However, in order to stop your father's cruelty, she willingly accepted you and hopes that you can be with me and become good sisters with her!"

Suddenly, the Beggars' Sect's lotus whistle rang out from outside the palace walls. Ling Shuangyue arrived in mid-air, frost flowers condensing on her Ice Soul Sword, and said urgently, "Zhu Wen's remnants are besieging the Imperial Guards, and Li Xing has mutinied as planned." She looked at Zhu Huiran and said sincerely, "Princess, would you like to come with me to see something?" Zhu Huiran hurriedly followed Ling Shuangyue and flew to the Imperial Guards' camp.

In the armory of the Imperial Guard camp, Zhu Huiran looked at the dense blood-written letters on the wall, her fingertips touching a child's bloody fingerprint.

“These are the names of the boys and girls rescued at Chenqiao Post Station.” Ling Shuangyue handed over a roll of names, saying sadly, “Their parents were mostly court officials who drowned in the Baima Post Station disaster.” Shi Feiyang pointed to the mutinous Imperial Guards outside the tent and explained, “Half of these brothers are Beggar Clan members, and the other half are veterans who still remember the Tang Dynasty.” He drew his Xuan Shuang Blade, the blade reflecting the blood-written letter, and asked with a smile, “Does the princess know why I didn’t use the Mingyu Skill?” Zhu Huiran looked at the faint red glow beneath his fair skin and said in a trembling voice, “Because…because you didn’t want anyone to know your true identity?”

“Because the Mingyu Gong is extremely cold,” Shi Feiyang said with a wry smile, “and this world needs a little warmth.” He suddenly leaped up, his right hand gripping the Xuanshuang Blade, and with a flick of his left palm, he used the “Shifting Flowers and Jade” divine skill to redirect all the poisoned crossbows shot by Zhu Wen’s personal guards into the sky. He then explained, “Just like the Kunlun Blazing Flame Gong, although it is fierce, it can melt ice.”

Zhu Huiran watched his graceful figure amidst the rain of arrows, and suddenly recalled his words from the illusion: "A true wise ruler should not let the people live in fear." She gripped the Suxin Sword tightly, raised its tip, and said resolutely, "Guo Bin, no, Shi Feiyang—if you believe me, my sword can protect the people of the Tang Dynasty." Shi Feiyang landed beside her, his glassy eyes reflecting her resolute face, and nodded, saying, "This humble general believes."

He placed a fragment of the Kunlun Mirror into her palm and whispered, "This fragment can activate the Eye of the Abyss. If one day..."

“Not a single day.” Zhu Huiran said resolutely, holding the broken pieces. The snow plum hairpin trembled slightly in the night wind. She then said domineeringly, “My sword, Zhu Huiran’s sword, will only protect those who deserve it.”

At dawn, Shi Feiyang stood on the palace wall, watching Zhu Huiran lead the imperial guards to open the city gates.

Her white skirt was stained with blood, yet she held the Su Xin Sword high, its tip piercing a fragment of Zhu Wen's dragon robe.

Elder He Quan of the Beggars' Sect rode up on horseback and called out loudly, "Sect Leader!" The lotus flag fluttered in the morning breeze, and he reported, "One hundred thousand Beggars' Sect disciples have entered Bianliang and are currently searching for the remnants of the Heavenly Wolf Guard." A trace of melancholy flashed in Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes.

Ling Shuangyue handed over a pot of wine and said softly, "I promise Zhu Huiran that I will never let you hurt her father with your own hands."

Shi Feiyang nodded and said, "Let's leave the execution of Zhu Wen to Zhu Huiran's brothers!"

After saying that, he turned to look at He Quan and said, "Elder He, quickly contact righteous men all over the world. As soon as Zhu Wen died suddenly, we should raise the banner of the Great Tang and recover our lost territories. However, the commander of each army must be a member of the Beggars' Sect."

"Yes, sir!" He Quan clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, and left as ordered.

Ling Shuangyue jumped into the tent on the back of the Vermilion Bird, changed her clothes, disguised herself as a maid, and accompanied Zhu Huiran to the palace to serve her father, Emperor Zhu Huang. Seeing that the imperial physicians were beginning to be helpless in treating Zhu Huang's illness, Shi Feiyang stopped sealing off the palace and the news.

In the second year of the Qianhua era, Zhu Huang fell seriously ill, and the struggle for the throne reached a fever pitch.

At Shi Feiyang's urging, Zhu Yougui decided to take a risk and launch a palace coup.

On the night of June 22nd, under a dark and windy sky, Zhu Yougui led several hundred members of the Crane Control Army and infiltrated Zhu Huang's palace.

Shi Feiyang, acting as an inside agent, had already opened the palace gates and led his personal guards to meet them inside.

Inside the palace, Zhu Huang lay on his bed, barely alive. He saw Zhu Yougui burst in and, terrified, asked, "You...you rebellious son, what are you doing?" Zhu Huiran, who was slumped over the table beside him, was startled awake. She saw Zhu Yougui grinning maliciously, "Father, you favor Zhu Youwen and treat me like dirt. Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven!" Zhu Huiran angrily retorted, "Zhu Yougui, are you insane? You dare to kill your father?" She drew her sword and lunged at Zhu Yougui, but was blocked by Zhu Yougui's personal guards.

Zhu Huang roared, "Zhu Yougui, you unfilial son! I should have killed you long ago!" He struggled to get up, but Zhu Yougui kicked him back onto the bed. Shi Feiyang watched the scene unfold without a ripple of emotion and silently withdrew from Zhu Huang's bedchamber.

Just then, Zhu Youwen's confidants arrived upon hearing the news and engaged in a fierce battle with Zhu Yougui's Crane Control Army inside the palace.

Ling Shuangyue drew her Ice Soul Sword, slaying several Crane Control Soldiers. She then took Zhu Huiran's hand and fought her way back. Soon after, Li Xing led his Beggars' Sect disciples to attack, covering Ling Shuangyue and Zhu Huiran's escape from the palace.

After Zhu Huiran left the palace, Shi Feiyang began his indiscriminate killing spree.

With a long roar, he unleashed the "Long River Sunset Sword Technique," and the Xuan Shuang Blade, like a wisp of smoke, pierced straight into the throat of a general.

The general hurriedly tried to block, but Shi Feiyang twisted his wrist, changing the direction of the blade and stabbing him in the chest.

Immediately afterwards, Shi Feiyang's figure blurred, and the Xuan Shuang Blade drew a perfect arc, cutting down several soldiers around him.

As he fought, he chuckled mockingly, "Zhu Youwen's men are nothing special!" The battle was exceptionally fierce, with rivers of blood flowing through the palace and corpses strewn everywhere. Shi Feiyang weaved through the crowd as if it were empty, his Xuan Shuang Blade flashing in his hand, each strike taking down a soldier.

After a bloody battle, Zhu Yougui finally killed his father, Zhu Huang, and took control of the situation.

He declared himself emperor and changed the era name to Fengli.

Standing in the pool of blood, Shi Feiyang watched Zhu Yougui ascend the throne and sneered inwardly, "Zhu Yougui, do you think you've won? You're nothing but a pawn in my hands."

As night deepened, the city of Bianliang fell silent, except for the heavy stench of blood that still lingered in the imperial palace.

Shi Feiyang stood on the palace wall, gazing at the distant starry sky, his glassy eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. (End of Chapter)