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

"Having fought a hundred battles in golden armor, Shi Lang's ingenious plan brings peace to the world!" The Beggars' Sect members cheered as they watched the retreating Tian Ce Army, their shouts echoing throughout Junshan Mountain.

Shi Feiyang stood atop the mountain, gazing in the direction of Bianliang City, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Li Hao walked up to him, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Chief, this great victory is all thanks to you and all the brothers!" Shi Feiyang patted him on the shoulder and reminded him, "Kid, don't be too happy yet. Zhao Guangyi won't let this go easily. We need to be prepared."

Everyone nodded in agreement and began clearing the battlefield and treating the wounded.

Inside the Bianliang Imperial Palace, upon learning of the Tian Ce Army's crushing defeat, Zhao Guangyi smashed his teacup to pieces in a fit of rage, shouting, "Shi Feiyang, the Beggar Clan, I will make you pay the price!" Even the ambergris in the Bianliang Imperial Palace could not mask Zhao Guangyi's fury, and the shards of porcelain gleamed coldly on the gold bricks.

Wang Ji'en, his body hunched over, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice lower than the shadow of the palace lantern: "Your Majesty, although the Beggars' Sect is powerful, it has a fatal weakness—those Jianghu sects have always harbored their own agendas, as long as..."

He suddenly pulled a small black pottery jar from his sleeve. The mouth of the jar was covered with an oil-soaked black cloth, from which the faint chirping of insects could be heard.

"What is this?" Zhao Guangyi's pupils contracted sharply, and he asked in astonishment. Wang Ji'en licked his chapped lips, his smile more chilling than an owl's, and shamelessly said, "This servant retrieved the 'Mother-Child Heart-Binding Gu' from a secret passage in Miao territory. The mother Gu is hidden before His Majesty, while the child Gu is mixed into the Beggars' Sect's drinking water..."

Then, he lowered his voice and said, "As long as His Majesty makes a thought, those Jianghu scoundrels will be torn apart!"

Zhao Guangyi gripped the jar tightly, his knuckles turning white, and exclaimed excitedly, "And those scum from the Diancang Sect and the Iron Palm Gang!" Wang Ji'en quickly added, "This servant has already made arrangements. The assassins from the 'Heavenly Slaughter Tower' will impersonate Beggar Clan disciples and launch a night raid on the Diancang Sect's headquarters, then frame the Iron Palm Gang. While they fight like dogs, Your Majesty can reap the benefits!"

On the old locust tree outside the palace wall, Li Hao held his breath, three bone-piercing nails between his fingers.

The Beggars' Sect disciples behind him had already sent the message to Junshan by carrier pigeon. The moment the pigeon's whistle pierced the night sky, Wang Ji'en's hand holding the jar suddenly trembled—a bone-piercing nail grazed his ear and pierced into a pillar, the end of the nail still wrapped with a strip of blue cloth from the Beggars' Sect.

Half a month later, the kitchen of the Beggars' Sect headquarters on Junshan Mountain suddenly erupted in chaos. Two disciples responsible for fetching water collapsed beside the water vat, black blood flowing from their seven orifices, their bellies swollen like bulges, their fingers digging deep into the soil, leaving ten bloody holes.

Qu Feiyan tore open the collar of one of the men's clothes, and saw that his navel was covered with a dense mass of blood-red worms, each with the character "Song" branded on its back.

"It's a mother-child Gu!" Ye Wuque said angrily, his longsword clattering as it was drawn from its sheath, the sword energy slicing through the candlestick on the table. He then cursed, "Zhao Guangyi is so insidious!"

Lu Chengfeng slammed his iron palm onto the stone table, creating a crack, and said sullenly, "Someone must have tampered with the water source!"

While everyone was in a panic, Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to arrive, stepping on the morning dew. He lightly touched the water vat with his jade-colored fingertips, and the black water in the vat froze into ice. Countless blood-red insects struggled and twisted in the ice.

He calmly said, "What's the panic?" In an instant, a chilling aura emanated from his body, and his skin became so transparent that one could see the ice crystals flowing through his veins. He then turned to his beloved wife and said, "Dilrena, lend me the Sacred Flame Token." Crimson flames danced in his palm, the ice layer melted instantly, and the small insects turned into wisps of smoke upon contact with the fire.

Then, Shi Feiyang said, "Li Hao, take men to seal off all water sources and switch to rainwater. Does Wang Ji'en think this little trick can stump us? Send a message to Heashina and tell her to return the favor with 'The Curse of Ten Thousand Poisons'."

That night, screams suddenly erupted from the imperial kitchen of Bianliang Palace. Three cooks collapsed beside a soup pot, their skin cracked with spiderweb-like bloody patterns, each line crawling with silver Gu worms—the Miao "Heart-Eating Silver Silkworms," ​​which feed on strange Gu worms but cause their hosts to suffer excruciating pain from the worms for seven days.

Zhao Guangyi, upon reading the secret report, suddenly overturned the dragon table. The mother Gu jar crashed to the ground, and the golden silkworm Gu that had rolled out had become an empty shell. He was furious and ordered his men to summon Pan Renmei, demanding that Pan Renmei quickly contact martial arts figures to attack the righteous martial artists of the Tang Kingdom.

"Yes, sir!" Pan Renmei accepted the decree and left happily.

……

In the twilight, flames soared into the sky above the Sanqing Hall of the Diancang Sect. Pine beams crackled and sputtered, and the bronze bells on the eaves twisted and warped in the raging fire. Ye Wuque had just finished practicing the "Meteor Chasing the Moon" sword technique on the back mountain; the silver bells on his sword tassels were still trembling slightly. Turning around, he saw the ancestral hall engulfed in flames. With a light tap of his toes, he used the "Treading Snow Without a Trace" lightness skill to leap towards the hall, his black Daoist robe fluttering wildly in the heat.

Dozens of men in black were rampaging through the hall, their long swords slashing at the statues of the Three Pure Ones. The flame markings branded on the blades were clearly visible in the firelight—the unique mark of the Iron Palm Clan. The eldest disciple, Qin Feng, roared and charged forward with his sword, unleashing three flashes of cold light from the "Flying Waterfall Flowing Spring" technique of the Diancang Swordplay. However, the leader of the men in black slashed his throat with a backhand strike. Blood gushed out, splattering onto the statues' glassy eyes like two lines of bloody tears.

"Iron Palm Clan!" Ye Wuque's eyes were bloodshot, his longsword hummed as he drew it from its sheath, and he roared to the sky, "What grudge do I, Diancang, have against you!"

He moved with lightning speed, his sword tip aimed directly at the man in black's back, but the man suddenly turned around and threw out three bone-piercing nails.

The nail tip gleamed with a ghostly blue hue; it was none other than the Iron Palm Clan's secret "Midnight Soul-Severing Nail."

Ye Wuque parried with his sword, and the moment the nails bounced off, the man in black disappeared into the thick smoke, leaving only a mess on the ground.

……

The training ground at the Iron Palm Clan's headquarters had become a battlefield. More than twenty disciples were bound to wooden stakes with thick hemp ropes, their chests pierced by the "Azure Nether Sword" of the Diancang Sect, the two characters "Diancang" on the hilt gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Lu Chengfeng's iron palm clenched so tightly it cracked, and the wind from his palm swept across, even splitting the hard bluestone slab.

He stared at his third junior brother's wide-open eyes, those eyes still fixed on the plaque that read "Iron Palm Shakes the South," and let out a beast-like growl: "Ye Wuque! If I, Lu Chengfeng, do not flatten Mount Diancang, I swear I am not human!"

Beside the icy pool at Blackwood Cliff, Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token suddenly pointed eastward, its crimson flames pulsating violently in her palm.

Three days ago, twelve elders of the sect were beheaded during a secret meeting, and the Beggars' Sect's green bamboo staffs were scattered around their bodies.

At that moment, the pool water suddenly surged, and more than thirty Beggar Clan disciples, wielding Dog-Beating Sticks, charged forward. The leader was none other than Elder Seven Bags, who had once fought alongside her against the enemy. "Young Master Qu, hand over the 'Star Absorbing Technique' manual, and I may spare your life!" the elder threatened, unleashing the "Dog-Beating Stick Technique," sweeping across with a powerful gust of wind. The staff technique was none other than the Beggar Clan's ultimate skill, the "Entangling Word Technique."

Qu Feiyan sneered, and with the Holy Flame Token, she unleashed the "Heaven-Burning Technique," flames shooting out like long snakes. However, she saw that her opponent was prepared, pulling out a water-soaked burlap sack to cover himself. "What an ungrateful beggar!" she cursed angrily, striking out with both palms simultaneously, activating the "Star-Absorbing Technique." The weapons of the three disciples instantly flew from their hands, but their bodies suddenly exploded—their dantians were pierced by the Sun Moon Divine Cult's "Black Blood Needles."

In the chaos, Qu Feiyan caught a glimpse of a dragon pattern protruding from the sole of a "Beggar Clan disciple's" boot—it was the standard military boot of the Song Dynasty's Imperial Guard. Her heart skipped a beat, and she was about to shout to stop them when she saw Lu Chengfeng leading his Iron Palm Clan disciples to attack.

Lu Chengfeng came straight at him, shouting angrily, "Witch! It was you who colluded with the Beggars' Sect to ambush my junior brother!" His iron palm struck down with a whooshing sound, and the palm wind was mixed with the "Cold Plum Fragrance" of the Diancang Sect—Ye Wuque's unique hidden weapon.

The icy pool was instantly stained crimson with blood. Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token pierced the chest of an Iron Palm Clan disciple, but was shaken by Lu Chengfeng's "Iron Palm Mountain Splitting," causing his blood and qi to surge. The Beggar Clan disciple's Dog-Beating Stick clashed with the Sun Moon Sect's curved sword, and screams, the sound of bones cracking, and the clash of weapons intertwined.

When Ye Wuque arrived with the Diancang Sect disciples, this was the horrific scene he witnessed: the corpses of the Sun Moon Cult members floated on the cold pool, the severed hands of the Iron Palm Cult disciples lay scattered on the shore, and the bamboo staffs of the Beggar Cult disciples were riddled with corpses.

Suddenly, a shrill alarm rang out in the mechanical city of Tangjiabao. Tang Xiaotian, the head of the Tang Clan, had just finished checking the mechanism of the "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles" when he saw his eldest son, Tang Ying, lying in front of the poison room, black blood flowing from his seven orifices, his fingertips still clutching half a fragment of the Qingcheng Sect's "Pine Pattern Sword".

Inside the pharmacy, over a hundred kinds of deadly poisons had vanished without a trace, and four large characters were written in blood on the wall: "Qingcheng borrowed them!"
"Pass down the order: send out the entire force and raze Qingcheng Mountain to the ground!" Tang Xiaotian roared to the sky, tears streaming down his face. His iron claws crushed the celadon bottle on the table, and the petals of the "Seven Star Begonia" inside the bottle stuck to his claws and instantly turned into black water.

Soon after, the Tang Clan disciples arrived at Qingcheng Mountain and threw out their "Soul-Chasing Darts," which rained down on the Qingcheng Sect's mountain gate. Suddenly, huge boulders rolled down from both sides of the mountain path, with the Tang Clan's skull and crossbones markings carved on them.

Xu Canghai, the leader of the Qingcheng Sect, had just killed three Tang Clan disciples with his "Heart-Shattering Palm" when he saw his junior brother fall into a pool of blood, a Tang Clan "Dragon Beard Needle" stuck in his chest. His eyes were bloodshot, and he wielded his longsword like a storm, using the "Crane Soaring Purple Canopy" move of the Qingcheng Sword Technique to kill seven people in succession. However, as he turned around, he was shot in the shoulder blade by a poisoned needle—the end of the needle was tied with a strip of blue cloth from the Beggar Clan.

The battle raged all night. The Tang Clan's "Midnight Soul-Severing Powder" permeated the morning mist, causing the skin of those struck to fester and turn into pus; the Qingcheng Sect's "Green Bee Nails" struck their own men, and the dead had Iron Lotus Seeds from the Iron Palm Clan inserted into their throats.

As the first rays of sunlight shone into the city, Tang Xiaotian stepped over the scattered limbs and headed toward the poison room, only to find a corpse dressed in the uniform of a Song Dynasty military officer hidden in a secret compartment, with a fake secret letter in his arms mobilizing troops from various factions.

In front of the Hall of Righteous Gathering on Junshan Mountain, Li Hao's Fiery Blade suddenly slashed at the Eight-Bag Elder beside him.

Last night, he discovered that the elder was having a private conversation with a man in black, who handed him a gold ingot bearing the Song Dynasty's "Yuanfeng Tongbao" inscription.

At this moment, the elder's dog-beating stick, imbued with the internal force of the "Splitting Palm," struck, while the staff technique was mixed with the "Breaking Formation" of the Tian Ce Army.

"You really are a spy for the imperial court!" Li Hao shouted angrily, suddenly realizing the truth. He unleashed the "Autumn Water Without Trace Sword" and the "Splashing Wind Saber Technique," their combined sword and saber techniques transforming into a silver rainbow. The elder sneered, suddenly tearing open his robe to reveal the "Song" character tattoo on his chest. He grinned maliciously, "Shi Feiyang wants to overthrow the Great Song Dynasty? He's delusional!" He whistled, and hundreds of fake Beggar Clan disciples hidden in the dense forest swarmed out, their weapons surprisingly being the Song Dynasty's standard "Horse-Slaying Sabers."

Junshan Mountain instantly became a living hell. The "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" of the real Beggar Clan disciples was fierce and powerful, but it could not stop the human wave tactics of the fake disciples; the "Iron Sand Palm" of the Iron Palm Clan reinforcements smashed the enemy's head, but when they turned around, they found that they had mistakenly killed the messenger of the Diancang Sect; Qu Feiyan brought the Sun Moon Cult to provide support, but the internal energy absorbed by the "Star Absorbing Technique" detonated the "Power Dissolving Powder" in the opponent's body, and even she herself was shocked and vomited blood.

When Shi Feiyang arrived, he saw Li Hao being attacked by three fake disciples. The Po Feng Blade was stuck in one of their throats, and another's blade was already slashing at his head.

Shi Feiyang urgently used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill! With a gentle flick of his finger, the knife turned and shattered the fake disciple's skull.

He exuded a chilling aura as he rapidly activated the Mingyu Gong "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," freezing the entire mountain path. The people fighting instantly froze—their weapons were all engraved with the same dark pattern, the mark of Pan Renmei's personal guard.

"Stop!" Shi Feiyang roared, and the "Shocking Calamity" technique was activated instantly, his crystal eyes shooting out a chilling light. The frozen crowd suddenly screamed in agony. The fake disciples' skin peeled off in the icy cold, revealing the armor of the Imperial Guards; the real disciples stared at the dark patterns on their weapons, their faces ashen.

Immediately afterwards, Shi Feiyang unleashed "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder," transforming ice into lightning, which struck the enemy and exploded like thunder. The ice sculpture shattered, and the truth spread throughout Junshan with the flying ice shards—all the hatred originated from the unseen hand of the Song court.

As dusk fell, Junshan was littered with corpses, the bodies of disciples from various sects intertwined, indistinguishable from one another. Ye Wuque's longsword was stuck at Lu Chengfeng's feet, and both of their hands pressed down on the corpse of a fake disciple, tearing open his clothes to reveal identical dragon tattoos. Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token and Li Hao's Wind-Piercing Blade stood side by side, their flashing blades reflecting the corpses of Song Dynasty imperial guards scattered across the ground.

"It's Zhao Guangyi's treacherous scheme!" Lu Chengfeng roared in grief and anger, his iron palm slamming into the stone table, leaving a deep gash. Blood dripped onto the plaque that read "Iron Palm Shakes the South," spreading into a crimson plum blossom. Ye Wuque sheathed his longsword, drops of blood from its tip falling onto the bluestone slab. He said sincerely, "My Diancang Sect is willing to turn hostility into friendship with the Iron Palm Gang and jointly punish the traitors."

Qu Feiyan's sacred torch suddenly pointed westward, and she said in a trembling voice, "Pan Renmei's army is right down the mountain. He wants to wait until we are both exhausted so that he can wipe us out in one fell swoop!" Shi Feiyang's Burmese knife gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

He placed the tokens of various sects—the sword tassel of Diancang, the palm print of Tie Zhang, the Sacred Flame Token of the Sun Moon Sect, and the Green Bamboo Staff of the Beggars' Sect—on the altar. His body was enveloped in jade-colored true energy, and he declared loudly, "From this day forward, there will be no more sects in the martial world, only righteous warriors who resist the Song Dynasty!"

In the Song army camp at the foot of the mountain, Pan Renmei was raising a glass to celebrate his victory when a messenger sent by Wang Ji'en brought Zhao Guangyi's commendation order.

Suddenly, a deafening shout came from outside the tent. He lifted the curtain and saw countless torches winding their way in like a long dragon. The flags under the torches were colorful, but all tied with the same blue cloth strips.

At the forefront, Shi Feiyang's silver hair flew in the firelight, and the "Severing Reincarnation" sword energy unleashed by his Burmese knife had already cleaved the camp gate in two. Instantly, Pan Renmei's allied camp trembled like leaves in the night wind.

Immediately afterwards, Shi Feiyang gripped the Burmese knife and unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Sea" technique of the Hundred Victories Knife Style. The knife energy swept in like the raging tide of the Qiantang River, cleaving ninety-three Song soldiers, armor and all, into countless pieces. Their internal organs mixed with fragments of armor splattered onto the "Tian Ce Army" banner.

Lu Chengfeng's iron palm struck the central command tent with the sound of wind and thunder. His "Iron Palm Water-Floating" lightness skill allowed him to move without touching the ground. Wherever his palm swept, the tent shattered like paper, revealing the panicked messengers inside.

He struck the soldier squarely in the chest with his backhand, slamming him into the desk. Splinters of wood from the shattered sandalwood table mingled with drops of blood, splashing onto the wine cup that Pan Renmei had just raised.

"Lu Chengfeng!" Pan Renmei exclaimed in surprise. His personal guard drew his long sword to parry, but the sword move was "Welcoming Guests from the Pine Tree" from the "Huashan Sword Technique"—he had secretly recruited a traitor from the Huashan Sect.

Lu Chengfeng sneered, his iron palm transforming into a claw, and used the "throat-locking technique" to strike the opponent's throat. Black blood suddenly gushed from where his knuckles were deeply embedded. He couldn't help but mock, "You've been hit by the Tang Clan's 'Seven Star Begonia,' and you still dare to act so arrogantly?"

When he turned around, he found that Pan Renmei had disappeared.

Ye Wuque's "Diancang Sword Technique" had already reached outside the tent, the tip of his sword piercing the hair of a Song soldier, the silver bells on the sword tassel jingling wildly amidst his screams. He caught sight of the crossbow array in the southwest corner and called out, "Young Master Qu, may I borrow the Sacred Flame?"

Qu Feiyan understood immediately. The Sacred Flame Token traced a crimson arc, and the flames, like a long whip, wrapped around the crossbow mechanism, instantly igniting a raging inferno. The red-hot crossbow bolts shot into the night sky, becoming a signal guiding the righteous warriors.

Li Hao's Splashing Wind Blade and "Autumn Water Without Trace Sword" wove a silver net through the enemy ranks. One move from the "Nine Styles of Splashing Wind," "Raging Wind and Sudden Rain," made it difficult for Song soldiers to get close. He cleaved open the captain's breastplate with a single slash, only to see half a secret letter fall from the man's arms. The ink on the letter was still wet: "Night raid on the Beggars' Sect, frame Diancang."

Instantly, anger surged to his head. He drew his sword and saber, cleaving the captain in two, armor and all. His internal organs steamed in the moonlight.

Wang Ji'en ran wildly through the secret passages of Bianliang City, the mother jar of the "Mother-Child Heart Gu" in his arms burning hot. Behind him, Akana's Golden Silkworm Gu chased after him like a red ribbon, and wherever the Gu worm crawled, deep marks were gnawed into the bricks and stones.

"Witch! Once I inform His Majesty, I will grind you to dust!" Wang Ji'en threatened in a shrill voice, then took out "corpse-dissolving powder" and sprinkled it behind him. However, the Golden Silkworm Gu became even more ferocious when it encountered the powder, instantly tearing off the corner of his robe.

Suddenly, an icy blue light shone at the end of the secret passage. Shi Feiyang stood at the exit with his hands behind his back, and the cold air around him caused ice flowers to condense on the stone walls.

He said sarcastically, "Eunuch Wang, your Gu worms seem to be hungry."

With a flick of his finger, an Ice Soul Silver Needle pierced through the mother jar, splattering black blood onto Wang Ji'en's face. The eunuch immediately let out a pig-like scream—the offspring Gu, sensing the shattering of the mother Gu, began to frantically gnaw at his body.

Akana's silver bells rang in the shadows, and the Golden Silkworm Gu suddenly turned, devouring all the pursuing Song soldiers.

Wang Ji'en's body shrank visibly, countless writhing veins bulging beneath his skin, until he shrunk to the size of a child, only his eyes remaining wide open, reflecting Shi Feiyang's cold glint. "Tell Zhao Guangyi," Shi Feiyang kicked the mummified corpse aside with the tip of his boot, then added sarcastically, "this is just interest."

Ice silkworms crawled out of his sleeves, spitting out silver threads to entangle the secret passage mechanism. With a deafening roar, the secret chamber where the Song court kept its assassins was completely sealed off, and the screams coming from inside were gradually buried by earth and stones.

The snow atop Mount Hua was stained a mottled red with blood. Linghu Kun, the traitor to the Huashan Sect bribed by Pan Renmei, was now surrounded by seven swords—Ye Wuque's "Azure Nether Sword," Lu Chengfeng's "Iron Palm," Qu Feiyan's "Sacred Flame Token," Li Hao's "Wind-Splashing Blade," and the "Mysterious Iron Sword," "Cold Moon Blade," and "Heartless Whip" of three reclusive masters. Ye Wuque's sword tip pressed against his throat, the tassel sweeping across his cheek as he coldly asked, "Linghu Kun, you colluded with the imperial court; how can you face the founder of Huashan?"

Linghu Kun suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, his voice tinged with blood, and gasped, “What’s the value of chivalry? Zhao Guangyi promised me the position of leader of the martial arts alliance, but what can you give me in return?” He abruptly swung his sword and attempted suicide, but before he died, he coughed up half a wax pill—inside was a copy of the secret treaty between Pan Renmei and the Liao Kingdom.

Shi Feiyang unfolded the wax pill, and the handwriting remained clear even in the wind and snow: "Song ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to Liao, and Liao helped Song destroy the righteous men of Jianghu."

Lu Chengfeng crushed the rocks beside him with his iron palm and cursed, "What a wolf in sheep's clothing!" Qu Feiyan slammed her Sacred Flame Token onto the stone wall, and where the sparks fell, the four characters "United We Stand Against the Enemy" were engraved.

Seven masters swore a blood oath, the blood dripping onto the "Sword Debate Platform" atop Mount Hua, seeping into the cracks in the stone and revealing the vows carved by martial arts heroes a century ago. Shi Feiyang raised his wine bowl, his jade-colored true energy freezing the wine into ice, and roared to the sky: "On the third day of the third month, our army will besiege Bianliang to avenge this blood debt!"

The crowd responded in unison, the sound shaking the snow off the pine branches and startling countless owls, which circled and cried mournfully between heaven and earth.

……

Inside the imperial study of the Bianliang palace, the gilded incense burner with its animal-head design emitted wisps of ambergris, yet it could not conceal the chilling atmosphere that filled the room. Zhao Guangyi's withered fingers gripped the secret report tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force, and the veins bulging like earthworms on his pale skin.

"The various factions of the martial arts world have formed an alliance at Mount Hua, calling themselves the 'Alliance of Righteous Men,' and their forces are poised to strike Bianliang." The words on the secret report twisted into a ferocious ghost in his eyes. He slammed his teacup onto the bluestone ground, shards of porcelain flying everywhere, and tea trickling down the gold bricks like a blood-red stream.

"Where is Pan Renmei? Tell him to bring the Tian Ce Army back to protect the emperor!" Zhao Guangyi roared incessantly, and like a madman, he reached out and grabbed Huang Gangyi's neck, his nails digging deep into the other's flesh.

Huang Gangyi made a gurgling sound in his throat, struggling desperately like a dying duck, and said in a trembling voice, "Grand Tutor Pan...Grand Tutor Pan's army was...trapped by the Beggars' Gang's 'Dog-Beating Formation' at Chenqiao Post Station, and the supplies...the supplies were burned by the Iron Palm Gang..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Guangyi's vision went black, and he staggered, knocking over the table. The precious Ru kiln brush washer fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. His eyes rolled back, white foam spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he collapsed onto the dragon-patterned carpet, convulsing uncontrollably.

Huang Gangyi screamed in a shrill voice, "Guards! Summon the imperial physician! Summon the imperial physician!"

Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps echoed outside the hall, as eunuchs and palace maids rushed in and out like ants on a hot plate.

Half an incense stick later, Zhao Guangyi slowly woke up, his eyes bloodshot, like a wounded and trapped beast.

He forced himself to sit up, grabbed the wolf-hair brush from the table, and slammed the brush tip heavily on the Xuan paper: "He paid a large sum of money to contact martial arts masters to assassinate Emperor Li Danqing of the Tang Dynasty! I will repay him in kind!" He grinned and threw the edict at Huang Gangyi. The ink on the edict was still wet, like a bleeding wound.

……

The city of Luoyang was in full bloom with peonies, and the streets of Zhuque were teeming with people, filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and the laughter of conversation.

Li Danqing, dressed in a moon-white long gown and wearing a blue cloth turban, walked side by side with Yelü Shihan.

The two appear to be an ordinary couple, but in reality, they are secretly protected by experts such as Shi Shiyue and Shi Shiye in disguise.

The shouts of street vendors and the laughter of children brought a slight relaxation to Li Danqing's tense heart.

Suddenly, the sound of a zither drifted from the street corner; the melodious tune concealed a deadly intent.

Li Danqing's pupils constricted sharply, and he shoved Yelü Shihan aside. Three cold glints pierced the air—these were poisoned bone-piercing nails! He spun around to dodge, and with both palms struck out a move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Swords," "Dragon Fights in the Wild." The sword energy surged, shaking the bone-piercing nails to the ground, and black poisonous smoke immediately rose from the blue bricks.

"Assassins!" Shi Shiyue roared. Twelve masked men emerged from rooftops and street corners, their weapons gleaming coldly.

The leader wielded a nine-section steel whip with a skull adorning the tip; he was none other than Huang Hongjiang, the infamous "Death Judge" of the martial arts world.

He sneered, "Li Danqing, you dog emperor, prepare to die!"

He then lashed out with his steel whip, its shadow coiling like a serpent towards Li Danqing's throat. Li Danqing brandished his longsword, his swordplay a mix of feints and real attacks. Yelü Shihan drew his bow and nocked an arrow, the Heavenly Wolf Arrow shooting towards the assassin like a meteor.

Shi Shiyue's Dog-Beating Stick swept across the battlefield, Shi Shiye's Ice Soul Sword exuded a chilling aura, and Huang Hongjiang suddenly flung out a chain knife from his sleeve, its blade coated with the Western Regions' "blood-sealing throat" poison. Li Danqing dodged to the side, but unexpectedly, two more assassins attacked from behind with knives.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" Shi Shiyue rushed forward without regard for his own safety, using his dog-beating stick to deflect a fatal blow. But Huang Hongjiang seized the opportunity to swing his steel whip, the skull tip of which bit into Li Danqing's left shoulder. Li Danqing groaned, instantly feeling the poison surge through his body like a tidal wave, and his longsword nearly slipped from his grasp.

Seeing her husband injured, Yelü Shihan's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and she unleashed a barrage of Heavenly Wolf Arrows, instantly piercing the throats of three assassins.

As the fierce battle raged on, more than twenty assassins joined the fray. Li Danqing channeled his inner strength and unleashed a move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," "The Dragon Regrets Its Ascent." With a gust of wind from his palm, several assassins were sent flying backward.

But under the corrosive effects of the poison, his movements gradually slowed down. Huang Hongjiang seized the opportunity, his chain blade coiling around Li Danqing's longsword like a venomous snake, and with a forceful tug, pulled Li Danqing closer.

"No!" Yelü Shihan cried out as Li Danqing was pierced through the body by several weapons.

Blood stained his moon-white robe, blooming into eerie flowers amidst the peony bushes.

Shi Shiyue, Shi Shiye, and the others had tears in their eyes and frantically attacked the assassins, but Huang Hongjiang threw out a smoke bomb and escaped in the chaos.

Inside the imperial bedchamber of Luoyang, the scent of medicine mingled with the stench of blood. Li Danqing lay on the dragon bed, his face ashen, black blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Yelü Shihan held his hand, tears falling onto the back of his hand, choking out, "Your Majesty, you must hold on..."

Generals Shi Shiyue and Shi Shiye knelt before the bed, tears welling in their eyes.

Li Danqing turned his head with difficulty and looked at Shi Hongyun, who was only seven years old, by the bedside.

The young prince was already crying his eyes out, his innocent face filled with fear and reluctance.

“Hongyun…come here…” Li Danqing said weakly. Shi Hongyun sobbed as he climbed onto the dragon bed and threw himself into his father’s arms.

Li Danqing forced himself to stroke his son's head, urging him, "Remember... be a good emperor... protect the Tang Dynasty..." He turned to Yelü Shihan, saying sadly, "Empress... you've worked so hard..."

He paused, then looked at Shi Shiyue and the others, and said haltingly, "Generals... assist the young emperor..." Before he could finish speaking, his head tilted to the side, and he closed his eyes forever. Yelü Shihan was heartbroken and cried out loud.

General Shi Shiyue and others kowtowed repeatedly, vowing to protect their new master.

Three days later, Shi Hongyun ascended the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The seven-year-old child, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, appeared both majestic and helpless amidst the homage of the courtiers.

Empress Dowager Ling Shuangyue and Empress Dowager Yelü Shihan ruled from behind the curtain, with generals such as Shi Shiyue and Shi Shiye assisting them wholeheartedly. The seemingly stable court was actually rife with undercurrents.

……

The young Emperor Shi Hongyun, pampered since childhood, had no interest in politics and spent his days indulging in pleasure. In the Imperial Garden, he frolicked with the palace maids and eunuchs, completely ignoring the memorials to his mind. Shi Fengyi, the son of Empress Dowager Zheng Lingyi, watched his nephew's behavior, a barely perceptible glint of ambition flashing in his eyes.

Seeing an opportunity, treacherous officials in the court began to slander Zheng Lingyi.

Imperial Censor Zhang Yuanli knelt before Zheng Lingyi, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Your Majesty, please be wise. The young emperor is too young and playful to shoulder the heavy responsibility of governing the country. Prince Shi Fengyi is wise and brave, and has a good reputation. If he is made emperor, he will surely be able to revitalize the Tang Dynasty!"

Zheng Lingyi frowned and fell into deep thought.

Upon learning the news, Yelü Shihan flew into a rage and exclaimed, "Absurd! The late emperor's dying wish still stands; who dares to alter it!"

She sought out generals such as Shi Shiyue and Shi Shiye to discuss countermeasures.

Shi Shiyue slammed his fist on the table and stood up, declaring in a resounding voice, "If anyone dares to rebel, we will fight to the death to protect our master!"

However, Shi Fengyi secretly contacted court officials and won over martial arts forces, and a palace coup was quietly brewing.

Dark clouds gathered over Luoyang. Young Shi Hongyun, unaware of the approaching danger, was still chasing butterflies in the Imperial Garden. Little did he know that his fate, and indeed the fate of the entire Tang Dynasty, would be dramatically altered in this storm.

Inside Shi Fengyi's palace, candlelight flickered. He and Zhang Yuanli, among others, sat in a secret room, plotting their coup. "How is the Empress Dowager doing?" Shi Fengyi asked in a low voice, toying with the jade thumb ring on his hand, his eyes gleaming with greed.

Zhang Yuanli smiled obsequiously and said, "Empress Dowager Zheng is already somewhat swayed; all we need is to add a little more fuel to the fire..." Suddenly, a faint sound came from outside the window.

Shi Fengyi's eyes narrowed, he drew his sword and shouted, "Who is it?" A man in black broke through the window and thrust a short knife at Shi Fengyi's throat.

Shi Fengyi dodged to the side and swung his sword to counterattack. As the two fought fiercely, several more men in black appeared; they were spies sent by Shi Shiyue.

"Shi Fengyi, traitors shall die!" a scout roared, then used the "Entanglement" technique from the Beggars' Clan's Dog-Beating Stick, his green bamboo staff entangled Shi Fengyi's sword. Zhang Yuanli and the others panicked and fled in all directions.

Shi Fengyi sneered, "Perfect timing!" He clapped his hands three times, and the assassins who had been lying in ambush in the shadows swarmed out and surrounded the spies.

Inside the secret chamber, swords clashed and blood flew everywhere. Although the spies were highly skilled in martial arts, they were outnumbered and gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

Before dying, the lead spy swallowed a secret letter. Shi Fengyi wiped the blood from his face and said coldly, "Go, bring me the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the young emperor!"

Inside the Luoyang Imperial Palace, Yelü Shihan was teaching Shi Hongyun to read. Suddenly, a guard reported: "Empress Dowager, Shi Fengyi has led troops into the palace!"

Yelü Shihan's expression changed drastically. She immediately ordered her men to protect Shi Hongyun and hide him in the secret chamber. Holding the Heavenly Wolf Bow, she stood before the palace gate, her eyes resolute, and declared loudly, "If you want to harm my son, you'll have to get past me first!"

Shi Fengyi led the rebel army to the scene. Upon seeing Yelü Shihan, he sneered, "Sister-in-law, if you know what's good for you, hand over the young emperor!" Yelü Shihan drew her bow and arrow, angrily retorting, "Don't even think about it!" The Heavenly Wolf Arrow shot out, heading straight for Shi Fengyi.

Shi Fengyi parried with his sword, the arrow whizzing past his ear and severing a strand of hair. "Charge! Kill this Liao traitor's daughter!" Shi Fengyi roared. The rebel army surged forward like a tide, and Yelü Shihan's arrows never missed their mark, with rebel soldiers falling one after another.

But the enemy forces were too numerous, and she gradually became exhausted.

At the critical moment, Shi Shiyue, Shi Shiye and others led reinforcements to the scene and engaged in fierce fighting with the rebels.

Shi Shiyue's Dog-Beating Stick swept across the battlefield, while Shi Shiye's Ice Soul Sword exuded a chilling aura. Inside the palace, shouts of battle shook the heavens, and blood stained the palace walls crimson.

Seeing the situation was dire, Shi Fengyi tried to escape, but was stopped by Shi Shiyue. "Shi Fengyi, you have committed treason and rebellion, today is your death day!" Shi Shiyue shouted, and struck Shi Fengyi heavily with his dog-beating stick.

"Don't hurt my son!" Empress Dowager Zheng Lingyi suddenly appeared, holding the Ice Jade Sword, and used the "Star Moon Sword Technique" to block Shi Shiyue's Dog-Beating Stick. She then turned her head and scolded, "Shi Fengyi, are you stupid? Why aren't you running away? Go back to Yihua Palace!"

Shi Fengyi fled, but Zheng Lingyi parried with her sword. A burst of icy true energy shot towards the surrounding Imperial Guards, freezing them into ice sculptures. Taking advantage of the moment, Zheng Lingyi leaped away, catching up with her son Shi Fengyi, and rode back to Yihua Palace.

Seeing that their leader had fled, the rebels laid down their weapons and surrendered.

Yelü Shihan collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face.

She hugged Shi Hongyun tightly as he ran out of the secret room, murmuring, "It's alright, it's alright..."

Although young, Shi Hongyun knew he had just survived a life-or-death crisis. He wiped away his tears, a resolute light flashing in his eyes. While this palace coup had depleted the Tang Dynasty's imperial strength, it had brought about Shi Hongyun's rebirth. Later, under the guidance of Empress Dowager Ling Shuangyue, Shi Hongyun issued an edict declaring: "From this day forward, no descendant of the Shi family will be granted the title of king; military power will be determined by loyalty." (End of Chapter)