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

Chapter 468. Using the Transplanting of Flowers and Jade to Break the Enemy's Formation; The Blade of Reincarnation to Stabilize Mountains and Rivers.
Seeing that Shi Feiyang had unified the north, Li Cunxu moved the capital to Luoyang.

He believed that his father's revenge had been avenged and the Central Plains had been pacified, so he ceased his ambitions and began to enjoy life. He had loved watching and acting in plays since childhood.

Nowadays, he often puts on makeup, wears theatrical costumes, and performs on stage, ignoring state affairs; and he has adopted the stage name "Li Tianxia".

In the Pear Garden of Luoyang Palace, on the sandalwood stage, Li Cunxu, his face painted with powder and smeared with colorful opera costume, was singing "The Palace of Eternal Life" at the top of his lungs. His black dragon robe was casually draped over his costume, and his jade belt had slipped down to his crotch; his imperial majesty had long since vanished.

Shi Feiyang stood below the stage with his arms crossed, his glassy eyes full of mockery, the cloth handle of the Xuan Shuang Blade cracking slightly as he gripped it.

"Li Tianxia! Li Tianxia!" Li Cunxu shouted twice, but was suddenly slapped across the face by the actor Guo Congqian.

The palace servants and guards around them were so frightened that their faces turned ashen and they dared not utter a sound.

Li Cunxu covered his face and glared angrily, saying, "You lackey, how dare you!"

Guo Congqian knelt down abruptly and said with a flattering tone, "Only Your Majesty can be called 'Li Tianxia' (Li the World). You have called him twice. Who else is there? This is an insult to all the people of the world!"

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxu's anger vanished instantly, and he clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Good! Good! A reward! A generous reward!"

He casually grabbed a gold ingot from the table and tossed it to Guo Congqian.

Upon seeing this, Shi Feiyang sneered, "Your Majesty's 'substitution of the crown prince' act was quite brilliant! But I wonder, whose world truly belongs to this empire?" His voice was not loud, but it resounded like thunder in the hall.

Li Cunxu's expression changed slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "What do you mean by this, Minister Shi? I was just having some fun, don't make a big deal out of it."

Shi Feiyang stepped forward, his Xuan Shuang Blade unsheathed three inches, its cold light flashing. He reminded him, "Does Your Majesty still remember when you performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, promising to revive the Tang Dynasty and bring peace to the world? Now you are indulging in theatrical entertainment, favoring actors and eunuchs, disheartening meritorious officials, and causing suffering to the people!" His voice was filled with pain and anger, and flames seemed to burn in his glassy eyes.

Li Cunxu, enraged, said, "Enough! Shi Feiyang, don't act so presumptuously in front of me just because you have rendered meritorious service! Get out!"

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, sheathed the Xuan Shuang Blade, and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Back at the Guo residence, he recounted his experiences at the palace to his two wives, Zhu Huiran and Ling Shuangyue. Zhu Huiran advised him, "Husband, don't be so talkative. You are a meritorious official of the Tang Dynasty; don't ruin your future."

Ling Shuangyue, however, understood Shi Feiyang's "cunning plan" quite well, and said with a smile, "In any case, my husband still needs to persuade Li Cunxu from time to time, that's what a loyal minister should do." Shi Feiyang laughed heartily and gave Ling Shuangyue a thumbs up.

For the next few months, Shi Feiyang stayed at home, teaching his son Li Danqing both literary and martial arts skills, especially the "Kunlun Blazing Flame Skill," the "Nine Heavens Sword Manual," and the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Person and Name," so that he could protect himself and save himself if necessary.

Chaos reigned in Luoyang. Entertainers, dressed in splendid costumes and riding tall horses, rampaged through the city. Guo Congqian, in particular, was appointed Commander of the Imperial Guard, wielding immense power. He led his performers in swaggering displays of power, insulting and mocking court officials.

Chancellor Guo Chongtao submitted a memorial to the emperor, but Li Cunxu, believing the slander of eunuchs, unjustly executed him on charges of treason. Upon hearing the news, Shi Feiyang was enraged. He stormed into the palace that very night, only to find Li Cunxu drinking and making merry with actors, completely drunk.

Shi Feiyang's voice was filled with grief and despair as he sternly questioned, "Your Majesty! General Guo Chongtao was loyal and brave throughout his life, and made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty. How could you listen to slander and kill him?"

Li Cunxu, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness, cursed, "Shi Feiyang, mind your own business! Guo Chongtao is plotting a rebellion; he deserves to die!"

Shi Feiyang trembled with rage and cursed, "What a 'deserving death'! With His Majesty so incompetent, the Tang Dynasty will be destroyed in your hands sooner or later!" After saying that, he used his unparalleled lightness skill, "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," and disappeared into the night in an instant.

Subsequently, the highly decorated general Li Siyuan was also suspected and nearly killed.

With the support of his soldiers, Li Siyuan led his army into Bianjing, intending to declare himself emperor. Li Cunxu panicked and hastily distributed gold and silk from his imperial treasury to reward the soldiers in Luoyang, ordering them to march to the Bian River. However, when the army reached Zhongmu County, news arrived that Li Siyuan had already entered Bianjing.

Li Cunxu's army was thrown into chaos, with soldiers deserting en masse. Left with no other option, he had to return to Luoyang. The atmosphere in Luoyang in April was oppressive and suffocating. Standing on the palace wall, Li Cunxu gazed at Li Siyuan's massive army outside the city, his heart filled with fear and regret.

"Your Majesty, Shi Jingtang has led his troops to approach Sishui Pass!" At this moment, a eunuch rushed in to report.

Li Cunxu gritted his teeth and said angrily, "Issue an imperial decree that I will personally lead the army to defend this position!"

However, while the army awaited their departure outside the city and Li Cunxu was having breakfast, Guo Congqian seized the opportunity to launch a mutiny. The rebellious soldiers surged into the palace like a tidal wave, their shouts of battle deafening. "Kill! Kill Li Cunxu!" Guo Congqian brandished his longsword, his eyes filled with madness.

Li Cunxu hurriedly summoned his guards to resist, only to find that most of them had already fled.

Shi Feiyang arrived just in time with the Beggars' Sect's elite troops. His Xuan Shuang Blade gleamed coldly, and his skin was as transparent as ice. He said menacingly, "Guo Congqian, you traitor, today is your death day!" With that, he unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" technique of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique! The blade wind crashed against the rebel army like a raging storm, and wherever the blade energy passed, the rebels were frozen by the cold air.

Guo Congqian was terrified when he saw this, but he still resisted stubbornly.

Shi Feiyang sheathed his sword, his movements swift and unpredictable. He used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique to cleverly redirect the rebels' attacks, causing them to turn on each other. Guo Congqian thrust his sword forward, but Shi Feiyang sneered, flicked his right index finger, and used the "Evil Blood Calamity" technique. Guo Congqian immediately coughed up blood, his body curled up into a ball, and he died, becoming a dried-up corpse.

At that moment, a cold arrow shot from the shadows and struck Li Cunxu squarely in the chest.

Li Cunxu stared wide-eyed at the arrow in his chest in disbelief, and slowly fell to the ground.

Thus, an emperor fell from grace.

After Li Siyuan captured Luoyang, he ascended the throne as emperor.

However, he was overly suspicious and arbitrarily killed ministers, including Chancellor Ren Huan and Privy Councilor An Chonghui, causing widespread panic throughout the court. His second son, Prince Qin, Li Congrong, attempted to seize the throne and led troops to attack the palace gates, but was killed by the imperial guards.

Li Siyuan died soon after, filled with shock and rage.

Luoyang City descended into chaos once more. Shi Feiyang, who had been observing coldly, broke his silence.

He led his Beggars' Sect disciples and loyal soldiers to enthrone his son, Li Danqing, as emperor.

"This world should rightfully belong to the virtuous!" Shi Feiyang stood atop the city wall of Luoyang, his Xuan Shuang Blade pointing straight to the sky, and declared loudly, "Li Cunxu and Li Siyuan were neither wise rulers. Prince Li Danqing, with the world in his heart, will surely bring peace and prosperity to the people!"

His voice resounded like a great bell throughout Luoyang, and countless civilians and soldiers responded in unison. Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

Although Li Danqing was only eight years old, as Li Cunxu's adopted son and a prince for many years, it was reasonable and legal for him to ascend the throne at this time. The vast majority of soldiers and officials of the Tang Dynasty were convinced by him.

However, some people disagree.

Shi Jingtang, a general under Li Siyuan, was dissatisfied with Li Danqing's ascension to the throne. He claimed that Li Danqing was a mere child, the adopted son of Li Cunxu, and the biological son of Shi Feiyang. He asserted that this was Shi Feiyang's act of usurping the throne.

However, Shi Jingtang, who was then the military governor of Hedong and held considerable military power, also used this as an excuse to try to establish himself as emperor.

Therefore, Shi Jingtang raised an army in rebellion.

The north wind whipped the black flag atop Taiyuan city walls, and Shi Jingtang's spiked club slammed heavily against the battlements, sending ice shards flying onto the "Jin" character flag.

Looking at the endless Tang army camps outside the city, the Hedong military governor suddenly pulled out a sheepskin map from his bosom. He traced the territory of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun with his fingertips and said in a hoarse voice to his important civil official Shi Sansheng, "Go and tell Yelü Deguang that I am willing to become a vassal and pay tribute, ceding Yanyun, in order to have the Khitan cavalry trample Luoyang!"

Shi Sansheng mounted his horse and led his men away.

Inside the warm pavilion of Luoyang Palace, a gilded beast-shaped incense burner emitted ambergris, yet it could not dispel the stagnant atmosphere in the hall. Empress Dowager Ling Shuangyue pushed the register of land allocation for the land tax reform over the sandalwood table, her slender white fingertips emphatically tapping the section on "Resettlement of Refugees from Youzhou," and said, "Your Majesty, the people of Youzhou have already been allocated 30% of the arable land."

Li Danqing's small hand trembled as she held the vermilion brush, the ink spreading across the four characters "Great Tang Forever Prosperous." Empress Dowager Zhu Huiran's Suxin Sword rang open the window paper, the morning light brushing past the pearl in her hair and illuminating the farmers carrying their tools in the fields outside the city.

She spoke softly to her adopted son, the emperor, saying, "Each of the common people has twenty mu of newly reclaimed land in the west of the city, and wheat seeds were sown yesterday." She suddenly chuckled, her sword tip lifting a falling plum petal, and added, "The Beggars' Sect's 'Snow Plum Warehouse' is doing well; seventy percent of the disaster relief grain has already been delivered to the victims."

Before the words were finished, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

A courier rolled into the hall, leaving a trail of dark red blood-written words on the blue bricks: "The Khitan cavalry broke through Yanmen Pass. Elder Li Xing led the Lotus Formation to intercept them. Most of the brothers died for their country, and Elder Li Xing was seriously wounded!"

Ling Shuangyue drew her Ice Soul Sword with lightning speed, and the wolf fang token wrapped around the sword tassel fell to the ground with a thud: "Pass on my order! He Quan will lead the 'Cold Crow Guard' to launch a night raid on the Khitan's grain route, and Awang will use the 'Snow Plum Dart' to spread accusations of Shi Jingtang's treason!" The cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye throbbed with anger, just like the blood droplets that splattered on Mount Tai during the Fengshan ceremony.

Zhu Huiran, however, pressed down on her sword hilt, her pale finger pointing to the winding Fen River on the map, and offered a suggestion: "Sister, do you still remember the wicked scheme Zhu Youzhen used to trap me in Chenzhou?" Her fingertip traced the river defense map, her sword-like eyebrows raised with a hint of mockery, and she teased: "Why not let the Fen River go and meet the Khitans' leather tents? It would be a greeting gift to this 'good minister' Shi Jingtang."

The sound of swords clashing suddenly rang out, and sparks from the Ice Soul Sword and Pure Heart Sword landed on the register, burning two intertwined flower marks. Ling Shuangyue suddenly chuckled, "Sister's move of 'using their own methods against them' is even more ruthless than Zhu Youzhen's back then."

The two beauties smiled at each other, then left the palace to visit the seriously injured Li Xing.

……

Inside the Tang army camp outside Bianliang, Shi Feiyang was inserting the Xuan Shuang Blade into the sand table. The blade pointed at the characters for "Bianliang," half of which was sliced ​​off by its cold light. He turned his head and said, "Pass on my orders: Zhang Meng will lead 30,000 infantry to attack the city head-on, while Wang Yong will lead 5,000 cavalry to flank and cut off their retreat." He suddenly turned again, his glassy eyes sweeping over the generals, and teased, "Who wants to go and meet Shi Jingtang's 'father'?"

Lieutenant General Chen Hu stepped forward, slamming his iron spear heavily on the ground, and said in a resounding voice, "This humble general is willing to go!" Shi Feiyang shook his head and chuckled, his fingertips tracing the snow plum blossom pattern on the handle of the Xuan Shuang Blade, and said seriously, "I would like to meet the Khitan Iron Cavalry."

He paused, then said domineeringly, "Pass down the order: at three-quarters past midnight, the elite cavalry will follow me in a surprise attack on the Khitan rear army!" That night, the night was as dark as ink, and 30,000 Tang troops pressed towards the walls of Bianliang like a black tide.

Standing atop the arrow tower, Shi Jingtang gazed at the starry river of torches below the city walls. The spiked club in his hand trembled slightly, yet he still roared, "Guo Bin! Do you think a mere 30,000 troops can breach my Bianliang City?"

His desperate roar was drowned out by the war drums on the city wall, but he still cursed, "When the Khitan cavalry arrives, they will tear you to pieces!"

On the desolate plains outside Yanmen Pass, the moonlight was stained with blood.

Shi Feiyang led two thousand elite cavalrymen like ghosts through the Khitan camp, their Xuanshuang blades gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light in the night.

He unleashed his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill," a crystalline light swirling in his palm as silver silkworm threads shot out, shredding the seventy-three patrolling Khitan warriors into a bloody mist before they could even utter a sound.

Suddenly, a bugle call ripped through the night sky, and the Khitan general Yelü Xiezhen led five thousand iron cavalry in. "Shi Feiyang! How dare you launch a sneak attack on our army!"

Yelü Xiezhen appeared and cursed angrily, his spiked club whistling through the air as he roared, "Watch me take your head today!"

Shi Feiyang laughed loudly, and his Mingyu Gong reached the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Ice Soul Cold Prison" realm. His skin became as transparent as an ice sculpture. He roared, "You Khitan dog traitor, you dare to invade my Great Tang! Well done! Saves me the trouble of searching for you everywhere."

He suddenly unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" technique from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique, the sand and stones whipped up by his palm wind obscuring the sky. Yelü Xiezhen's wolf-tooth mace had just touched the palm wind when it was unexpectedly drawn towards his own cavalry by Shi Feiyang's "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill, and screams of agony immediately echoed across the wasteland.

Shi Feiyang's eyes flashed with a cold light, and with a flick of his right index finger, he unleashed the "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill! The Khitan soldiers who were hit by the spiked club suddenly coughed up blood, one after another, and soon their bodies curled up into shriveled shapes.

Yelü Xiezhen was shocked and was about to retreat when he saw Shi Feiyang close in and use the "Slaying the Mortal World" move from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique! The Xuan Shuang Blade transformed into a blood-red rainbow and instantly severed his head.

……

While the fighting raged on the walls of Bianliang, the waters of the Fen River roared and surged.

Zhu Huiran stood on high ground, her Su Xin Sword pointing at the Khitan army camp, and shouted, "Open the floodgates!"

The raging river, like a stampede of ten thousand horses, instantly submerged the Khitan camp. Khitan soldiers, locked in fierce battle, were swept away by the flood, their screams mingling with the roar of the muddy waves, echoing throughout the heavens and earth. Ling Shuangyue's Ice Soul Sword drew a chilling arc in the air as she shouted, "Cold Crow Guards, follow me!" With the two empress dowagers personally overseeing the battle, the Tang army's morale soared. Each soldier fought bravely and fearlessly, cutting down the Khitan troops as easily as chopping vegetables.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang's cavalry charged out from the flank. He spurred his horse forward and unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, turning ice into lightning to strike the enemy. The lightning exploded amidst the enemy ranks, and the Khitan army was thrown into chaos.

Shi Feiyang leaped off his horse and unleashed the "Severing Reincarnation" technique of the Hundred Victories Blade Technique in mid-air! Wherever the palm wind passed, tents, weapons, and men and horses were all shattered into dust.

Shi Jingtang gazed at the devastation outside the city, his dragon robe soaked with cold sweat. He suddenly recalled Shi Feiyang's words in Taiyuan City, and the chill in his glassy eyes was now three times colder than the icy waters of the Fen River.

As the afterglow of the setting sun painted the city walls of Bianliang red, Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled lightness skill, "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," to fly up to the city wall. He then unleashed the divine skill "Shocking Calamity," and as the cold light swept across, the Jin soldiers who rushed towards him were covered in frost, and their bodies crumbled and shattered into ice shards scattered all over the ground.

Shi Feiyang used his Xuan Shuang Blade to knock down the "Jin" banner, slashed the iron chains, lowered the drawbridge, and roared, "Shi Jingtang, do you still remember the people of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun?" His voice was as cold as iron, and he questioned sharply, "When they were suffering under the Khitan cavalry, did you, the 'puppet emperor,' ever have a good night's sleep?" After roaring, he jumped off the city wall, opened the city gate, and the Tang army poured into the city like a tide.

Shi Jingtang huddled on the dragon throne, the roar of Shi Feiyang echoing in his ears. A moment later, he struggled to his feet, returned to his bedchamber, and tried on the ochre-yellow robe bestowed upon him by the Khitan in front of a bronze mirror. Perhaps this was the last time he would wear this yellow robe.

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang's figure appeared in the bronze mirror, the chill of the Xuan Shuang Blade causing frost to condense on its surface. "Your Majesty, I've brought you a congratulatory gift," Shi Feiyang sneered, tossing a severed head onto the table—the head of the Khitan general Yelü Xiezhen. He added mockingly, "Your 'father's' provisions have been burned by the Beggar Clan disciples for three days and three nights." Shi Jingtang grabbed a gilded wine pot from the table and threw it, but Shi Feiyang used a "Flower Transfer" technique to redirect it towards the dragon throne. The spilled wine landed on the bright yellow curtains, and the flames formed the words "Your Majesty."

Shi Jingtang roared, "Guo Bin! I have the Khitan cavalry to my aid, how dare you touch a hair on my head?" He retreated behind the screen, activated a mechanism to reveal a hidden compartment, inside which were twenty remnants of the Heavenly Wolf Guard. He grinned maliciously, "These people have practiced the 'Bone-Eating Claw,' perfect for you to have with your wine!" Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, and the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill was suddenly activated.

The front-line Sky Wolf Guards shattered into ice shards instantly, their severed limbs splattering onto Shi Jingtang's dragon robe. Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Demon-Slaying Cloud" technique from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique! The palm wind swirled up ice shards like a vortex, engulfing the remaining guards, their screams frozen in the wind and snow.

Just as Shi Jingtang raised his spiked club above his head, Shi Feiyang's palm released a silver silkworm thread that wrapped around his wrist. The silvery-white threads pierced his skin, following his meridians straight to his heart. Shi Feiyang said coldly, "Do you think I don't know that you've been secretly raising the Heavenly Wolf Guard?"

He pressed his fingertips against Shi Jingtang's "Shanzhong acupoint," and the chilling aura of Mingyu Gong caused ice shards to spill from the other's mouth. He then said jokingly, "Zhu Youzhen's blood sacrifice array failed, but you learned this evil art—what a pity, you forgot that my family is best at gouging out poisonous sores."

When Shi Jingtang died on the dragon bed, the Khitan totem on the canopy ceiling was still reflected in his pupils. His internal organs were minced into a bloody pulp by the Heavenly Silkworm Technique.

The Beggars' Sect disciples sang a newly composed ballad in the streets and alleys: "The dream of the Emperor is shattered in Bianliang, the clouds and snow reflect the glint of the sword."

When the news reached Luoyang, Li Danqing was learning to write the character "民" (min, meaning people) from Ling Shuangyue.

When Zhu Huiran delivered the news of victory to the imperial study, the young emperor suddenly put down his pen and asked curiously, "When will Father Prime Minister return?"

Amidst the fragrance of plum blossoms wafting from outside the window, the faint hum of the Xuan Shuang Blade could be heard—Shi Feiyang's figure had appeared on the palace wall, his black cloak stained with the bloodstains of Bianliang, yet unable to conceal the shimmering light of the snow plum blossom jade pendant at his waist.

Three days later, at the morning court session, Shi Feiyang laid out a map of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun on the dragon desk.

Li Danqing's small hand traced the ice marks on the map, and she suddenly looked up and asked, "Father, can we take back Yanyun?" Shi Feiyang smiled and said, "As long as the civil and military officials of the court trust the million brothers of the Beggar Clan, I can make snow plum blossoms bloom all over Youzhou City."

Li Danqing declared domineeringly, "I trust my father, and all the civil and military officials will naturally trust my father too! Otherwise, I will become a tyrant!" As soon as he finished speaking, some of the civil and military officials' legs went weak and they knelt on the ground, while some even wet their pants.

Suddenly, the red plum blossoms outside the hall fell in a flurry. Ling Shuangyue and Zhu Huiran stood side by side on the steps, looking at the light shimmering in Shi Feiyang's glass eyes—a light that contained the wind and snow of the martial world, the sword light of the imperial court, and the morning light on the ridges of millions of people's fields.

The shouts of Beggars' Sect disciples echoed from afar. The newly made Tang banners were unfurling in the wind, their snow plum blossom patterns gleaming warmly in the sunlight, painting this weathered land with the colors of early spring.

Yelü Lihu, the younger brother of the Khitan emperor, swept across the Sanggan River with his black flag. Thirty thousand iron cavalrymen trampled the snow on the walls of Youzhou and trampled the tattered "Jin" character flag under their hooves.

The corpses of Tang soldiers on the city tower were piled up like a small mountain, and Khitan warriors were drinking wine with the skulls of infants, their wolf-like howls shaking down icicles from the eaves.

Yelü Lihu roared, "Pass on my order!" His mace pointed towards Luoyang, the wolf tail on his gilded helmet brushing against the captive's cheek as he cruelly said, "Skin the people of Youzhou and make them into drumheads—I want Shi Feiyang to hear how beautiful the wails of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun are!"

At this moment, outside Youzhou City, Shi Feiyang was reining in his horse. The cloth handle of the Xuan Shuang Blade was covered with ice crystals, and the blade reflected the towering flames within the city.

He suddenly dismounted, bowed deeply towards Luoyang, his glassy eyes gleaming with a blood-red light in the north wind, and declared domineeringly, "Your Majesty Danqing, Your Majesty the Empresses, today I will let the Khitans know that the Han people have strong bones!"

Two thousand elite cavalrymen behind him dismounted simultaneously, the clanging of their armor startling crows across the snowy plains. He Quan, the Beggar Clan elder, slammed his dog-beating staff heavily on the ground and reported, "Great Hero Shi, the Beggar Clan disciples in Youzhou have already lit fires inside the city and await your command!"

"Hahahaha!" Shi Feiyang suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly. His laughter crashed against the ice cliff and shattered into thousands of pieces. He mocked, "Doesn't Yelü Lihu like drums made of human skin? Well then, I'll use his wolf head as a wine vessel!"

Mingyu Gong suddenly activated, his skin became as transparent as cold jade, and the blade shadow of "Hundred Victory Blade Technique" could be vaguely seen flowing in the snow mist swirling around him.

Just after the third watch gong sounded, several dark figures suddenly darted out of the drainage ditch at the west gate of Youzhou. Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled lightness skill, "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," and his Xuan Shuang Blade slashed through the throats of twenty Khitan sentries. The blood splattered on the ice surface and instantly solidified into dark red ice crystals.

Immediately afterwards, he unleashed his Heavenly Silkworm Technique, a crystalline light coursing through his palm as he spat out silver threads that ensnared the archer on the watchtower. The silvery-white threads pierced the archer's meridians, and before the Khitan warrior could even scream, his internal organs were shredded into a bloody pulp, and he plummeted diagonally from the top of the tower.

He Quan's "Cold Crow Guards" scattered like ghosts, rolling oil barrels towards the Khitan main camp. Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, turning ice into lightning and attacking the Khitan camp. "Boom!" The entire enemy camp was instantly engulfed in flames.

Amidst the deafening explosions, Shi Feiyang moved through the sea of ​​fire like a butterfly flitting among flowers. His "Flower Transfer" technique redirected the Khitans' rockets, causing them to burn back towards their own tents.

Then, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" move from the Hundred Victories Saber Technique with his palm! The fiery waves stirred up by the palm wind engulfed more than ten Khitan cavalrymen into flames. Shi Feiyang's skin became even more translucent in the firelight, like white ice shrouded in cold mist. His fingertips gripped the pressure points of a centurion, and the chilling aura of the Mingyu Gong instantly turned the man into an ice sculpture—with embers still embedded in his eye sockets.

Suddenly, a cold arrow shot from the shadows. Shi Feiyang snorted coldly and unleashed his "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. The Khitan shaman who fired the arrow had his pupils shrink, and his entire body exploded into ice shards scattered on the ground. The flying fragments even managed to form half a wolf's head shape on the snow.

At dawn the following day, Yelü Lihu personally led the main force in a counterattack. The "Wolf Charge Formation" of Khitan cavalry surged in like a black tide, and beneath the ice shattered by their iron hooves, the blood of the Sanggan River gushed forth. Shi Feiyang's Xuanshuang Blade clashed heavily with Yelü Lihu's wolf-tooth mace, the shockwaves causing both sides' warhorses to kneel simultaneously.

Yelü Lihu spat and roared, "Shi Feiyang! Do you think you can take back Youzhou with this little force? Hmph! My iron cavalry can flatten Luoyang, let alone your mere bandit!"

Shi Feiyang suddenly chuckled, his fingertips twirling the spiked club. Using his "Shifting Flowers and Jade" technique, he redirected the force of the blow, smashing it into the soldier beside him. The soldier and his horse were crushed into a bloody pulp. Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Feiyang moved closer, saying mockingly, "Back in Bianliang, Shi Jingtang was far more spineless than you—at least he dared to call you 'Father Emperor,' while you didn't even have the courage to face the Tang Dynasty!"

"You're courting death!" Yelü Lihu trembled with rage. His spiked club, crackling with earth fire, slashed down, but Shi Feiyang met it with a palm strike of the "Slaying the Mortal World" technique from the Hundred Victories Saber Style. Ice and fire exploded in mid-air. He suddenly spun around to avoid the club's tip, the cold light of the Xuan Shuang Blade grazing Yelü Lihu's abdomen. Yelü Lihu's intestines, mixed with black blood, gushed out, yet he still roared and swung his club in retaliation.

Suddenly, shouts rang out from the city wall as Awang and his "Snow Plum Dart" disciples charged out from the rear of the Khitan army.

Their darts were tied with burning strips of cloth, leaving thousands of trails of fire in the snow.

Seeing this, Shi Feiyang's spirits lifted, and his powerful palm strike, "Splitting Mountains," sent Yelü Lihu's spiked club flying. He activated his "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill, and suddenly a chorus of vomiting sounds rang out from the Khitan army—those warriors who had drunk human blood were now curled up in monkey-like shapes, bleeding from all seven orifices.

When Yelü Lihu led his remaining troops into the barbican of Youzhou, he discovered that the city gate had already been blocked by the Beggars' Sect disciples with huge stones.

Suddenly, countless rope ladders were lowered from the city wall, and Shi Feiyang's elite cavalry descended like divine soldiers, their countless blades gleaming and weaving a net of death within the barbican.

Shi Feiyang leaped down, his palms swung, unleashing a "Breaking Heaven and Earth" strike! The incomparably powerful palm wind cleaved through the last shield formation, and the vortex of true energy from the Mingyu Gong forcefully pulled the thirty Khitan centurions before him. He pressed his fingertips on the acupoints of the thirty men, and a terrifying chill traveled along their meridians straight to their hearts, instantly freezing the thirty corpses into ice sculptures, which collapsed to the ground with a thud, still in their sword-wielding postures.

Yelü Lihu's gilded helmet rolled to the ground, revealing his disheveled hair stuck together with blood.

He watched as his personal guards were torn to shreds by Shi Feiyang's "Demon-Slaying Cloud" palm strike, a technique from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique. Sorrowfully, he pulled out the wolf-head talisman bestowed upon him by Yelü Deguang from his robes and roared hoarsely, "Father! Your son cannot take Shi Feiyang's head for you!"

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade was pressed against his throat, and he said coldly, "You think calling me 'Father Emperor' will do you any good?" He suddenly increased the force, the blade slicing through the other's flesh, and said mockingly, "Shi Jingtang called me 'Father Emperor' for so many years, and he still died by my sword, didn't he?" Yelü Lihu suddenly laughed wildly, "Shi Feiyang! Even if you take back Youzhou, so what? The Khitan cavalry will come again! The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun will forever be the land of my Great Liao!"

"Is that so?" Shi Feiyang asked coldly, unleashing the "Severing Reincarnation" technique of the Hundred Victories Blade with both palms. Yelü Lihu's head flew into the air, his eyes wide open as he watched the Xuan Shuang Blade, carrying his wolf head talisman, plunge into the city wall of Youzhou.

"I swear on this city wall today," Shi Feiyang's voice resounded across the land of Yan and Yun, and he declared domineeringly, "As long as I, Shi Feiyang, have a breath left, I will surely bring the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun back to the Tang Dynasty!"

Three days later, on the city wall of Youzhou, Shi Feiyang planted the newly made Tang flag on the arrow tower.

The snow plum blossom pattern on the flag stretched out in the cold wind, just enough to cover the skull altar made of Yelü Lihu's head. He Quan pointed to the bustling crowd below the city and said with a sob, "Great Hero Shi, the people of Youzhou say they want to build a shrine for you—they say you are the second parents of Yanyun."

Shi Feiyang shook his head, the Xuan Shuang Blade trembling slightly in his palm. He said jokingly, "There's no need for a shrine." He gazed towards Luoyang, the rising sun reflected in his glassy eyes, and solemnly said, "Tell the people to cultivate the land well. When the snow plum blossoms bloom next year, I will make sure that the entire Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun are covered with the banners of the Great Tang." At this moment, on the banks of the Sanggan River, Awang was leading the Beggars' Sect disciples to bury the corpses.

Suddenly, beside the corpse of a Khitan soldier, they noticed half a silk handkerchief embroidered with snow plum blossoms—a fragment of a proclamation distributed by the Beggars' Sect's "Snow Plum Dart" team in Bianliang last year. "Hero Shi!" Awang called out from afar, raising the handkerchief and running towards the city wall, saying sadly, "Look what this is!"

Shi Feiyang took the handkerchief, his fingertips tracing the broken character "Tang". Sunlight filtered through his translucent, icy skin, casting dappled patterns of light on the handkerchief.

The sound of camel bells carrying merchants drifted from afar. The market in Youzhou City had quietly opened. An old man selling flatbread was giving change in Tang coins. Children chased and played in the snow, their silvery laughter startling the swallows under the eaves.

He suddenly remembered Ling Shuangyue's Ice Soul Sword, Zhu Huiran's Pure Heart Sword, and the three characters "People are the most important" written by Li Danqing in the Imperial Study.

……

Inside the tent of the Khitan capital, Linhuang Prefecture, Yelü Deguang crushed the skull wine cup of Yelü Lihu into pieces.

Veins bulged on his hands beneath the sable fur coat, and the pearl on the golden wolf crown reflected the snow outside the tent. "Shi Feiyang!" His roar shook the icicles from the tent ceiling, then he roared again, "I, the Khan, will skin you alive and tear you apart, so that the grass of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun will devour your flesh!" His lips were dry from cursing, and his voice was hoarse as he said, "Men, relay my order: muster 100,000 iron cavalry and raze Yanmen Pass to the ground within three days!"

Suddenly, the curtains were lifted by the wind and snow, and a white figure darted in like a startled swan.

Princess Yelü Shihan of the Khitan swept her silver fox fur coat across the brazier, her icy cheeks reflecting the flickering firelight. The pearls at her temples trembled slightly with each step she took. She said shyly, "Father, please calm your anger. Your subject has a plan to capture Shi Feiyang." She presented a brocade box embroidered with twin lotus blossoms, inside which lay half a fragment of the Kunlun Mirror. Her pretty face flushed as she said, "Why not use a marriage alliance as bait to lure him to Yanmen Pass!"

Yelü Deguang stared into his daughter's clear, autumn-water-like eyes and suddenly sneered, "Does Shihan know that Shi Feiyang is the enemy who killed your uncle?"

The princess gently stroked the jagged edge of the mirror shards, her fingertips glistening with frost, and whispered, "Your Majesty knows. But I also know that if Shi Feiyang dies, the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun will never return to the Tang Dynasty." She suddenly turned around, her silver fox fur coat billowing in the wind like a white sail, and mustered her courage to say, "If Father trusts me, then let me go and meet this Prime Minister of the Great Tang." Yelü Deguang nodded helplessly.

……

Luoyang Imperial Palace.

The sable-fur memorial from the Khitan envoy landed on the dragon's desk. Li Danqing's hand, holding the vermilion brush, trembled slightly, while Ling Shuangyue's Ice Soul Sword hummed softly from within her sleeve.

Zhu Huiran used her Suxin Sword to lift the memorial, her pale fingertips touching the words "marriage alliance," and asked in a trembling voice, "Does Prime Minister Shi think that Yelü Shihan is truly surrendering, or does he have other motives?"

Shi Feiyang stood below the steps, the cloth handle of his Xuan Shuang Blade glistening with morning dew. He suddenly chuckled, his glassy eyes sweeping over the assembled officials, and said with a touch of wit, "The Khitan princess is as beautiful as a celestial being; I'd like to see her with my own eyes."

He unfolded a map, traced the Yanmen Pass with his fingertip, and said solemnly, "However, the location for this marriage alliance must be Wanghutai inside Yanmen Pass—the terrain there is treacherous, which is perfect for preparing a generous gift for the Khitans."

Ling Shuangyue suddenly pressed down on his sword hilt, the chill of the Ice Soul Sword seeping through his clothes, and asked in a trembling voice, "Are you going yourself?"

Shi Feiyang laughed and said, "If I don't go, how can I face Yelü Deguang's 100,000 iron cavalry?"

Shi Feiyang's fingertips brushed against the pearl at her temple as he whispered his plan: "He Quan will lead the 'Cold Crow Guard' to ambush on both sides of the cliffs, and Awang will lead the 'Snow Plum Dart' disciples to disguise themselves as a wedding procession. I have a brilliant plan to ensure that the Khitans never return."

Two weeks later, at Wanghutai.

The weight of snow bent the pine branches. Yelü Shihan's white camel cart was parked in the center of the platform, the hem of his silver fox fur coat sweeping across the icy steps.

The moment she lifted the carriage curtain, sunlight shone through her icy skin, casting dappled patterns of light on the snow. The halo of light reflected from the pearls at her temples captivated the Tang soldiers around her.

"Prime Minister Shi truly lives up to his reputation." The princess's laughter was like the chimes of a wind chime on the eaves. She suddenly threw out half a fragment of the Kunlun Mirror and said with great courage, "This is a relic of the late emperor. Today, I will present it to the Emperor of the Great Tang as a betrothal gift."

The moment Shi Feiyang caught the shard, he suddenly noticed a hidden mechanism in the serrated edge of the mirror. Without a sound, he slipped the shard into his sleeve, secretly activating his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill, and said mockingly, "I dare not accept the princess's generous gift. How about we drink this nuptial wine first, and then discuss marriage?"

Just as the wine cups were about to clink, huge boulders suddenly rolled down from the cliffs on both sides of Wanghutai. Yelü Deguang's wolf howl shook the valley: "Shi Feiyang! You've fallen for my trap!" One hundred thousand iron cavalry surged out of the pass like a black tide.

Shi Feiyang shielded Yelü Shihan behind him, the cold light of the unsheathed Xuan Shuang Blade reflecting on her astonished face.

He joked, "It seems the princess's marriage alliance was a sham."

"Hahahaha!" He suddenly burst into laughter again, his Mingyu Gong circulating rapidly, his skin as transparent as an ice sculpture, and within the swirling snow mist around him, the blade shadows of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique" surged like dragons. Immediately afterward, he unleashed a double palm strike, "Viewing the Vast Ocean!"

The snow waves stirred up by his palm swept the front row of Khitan cavalry off the cliff. Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Gong true energy formed a vortex, and the flying arrows were attracted to him like a magnet attracting iron. When he threw them out again, they pierced the throats of countless Khitan warriors.

Yelü Shihan's silver whip suddenly entangled a Khitan centurion who had launched a sneak attack. The pearl-studded whip tip pierced the man's pressure points, and she warned in a trembling voice, "Prime Minister Shi, run! This is a deadly trap set by my father!" Her white fox fur coat was stained red with blood, but she still stood in front of Shi Feiyang, and said with righteous indignation, "Although I am a Khitan princess, I know that Youyun is originally Han land!"

Shi Feiyang's "Slaying the Mortal World" palm strike suddenly changed direction, not striking the enemy, but hitting the rock wall behind him.

The hidden gunpowder was detonated, and the snow on the cliff collapsed, burying the Khitan cavalry under the snow.

"Does the princess know that I have also prepared a generous gift?" he asked in return, then suddenly spun around, the arc of his Xuan Shuang Blade sweeping past Yelü Deguang's wolf-tail helmet, and let out a long howl: "I'll send you, you barbarian chieftain, to your death!"

Yelü Deguang's spiked club, carrying earth fire, met the attack head-on, and the shockwaves from the collision caused the Wanghu Terrace to crack.

He suddenly realized that his strength was being subtly diverted by the other party, and the spiked club was uncontrollably smashing towards his own personal guards.

(End of this chapter)