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

The biting wind of Lianglang Mountain cut like a knife, tearing open the wounds of the Yang family's remaining soldiers.

Yang Ye led his sons in a retreating battle, with the Liao army surging behind them like a tidal wave. "Father! Let your children cover our retreat!" Yang Qilang, Yang Yansi, roared with bloodshot eyes, his iron spear wielding a relentless, impenetrable attack, the tip of the spear ripping off the Liao soldiers' helmets to reveal their terrified faces.

Looking at the Liao army flags covering the mountains and fields, Yang Ye's white hair was disheveled in the wind like withered grass. He said sadly, "Yansi, break out of the encirclement and go to Bianliang to fetch reinforcements!" After saying that, he took out a jade pendant engraved with the Yang family totem from his bosom and handed it to Yang Yansi. Yang Yansi kowtowed heavily, his iron spear smashing a deep pit in the ground. Then he spurred his horse and charged into the enemy formation. The Liao soldiers who passed by all gave way.

Liao army commander Xiao Tianyou, wielding an eighteen-foot spear, pursued Yang Ye, the tip aimed at his back. Yang Yanzhao, the sixth son of the Yang family, parried with his spear, but the impact left his hands numb. "Yang family brats, today is your burial ground! Want reinforcements? Impossible! Pan Renmei is a man of our Great Liao Kingdom!" Xiao Tianyou roared, his spear suddenly splitting into three spearheads—the long-lost "Three-Headed Soul-Chasing Spear" of the Western Regions.

Yang Ye shouted and unleashed his signature move, "Thirteen Spears of Return," his spear shadows coiling around the serpent spear like a swimming dragon.

However, the Liao army unleashed another barrage of arrows. Yang Ye, protecting his son, was struck by seven arrows in the back, yet he clung tightly to his spear, refusing to fall. Yang Yanzhao, his eyes reddening, cradled his father's body and cried out sorrowfully, "Father! We will definitely fight our way out!"

……

In the viewing pavilion of the Luoyang Imperial Palace, the eaves soared towards the moon. Shi Feiyang leaned against the vermilion railing, a luminous cup in his hand swirling with the amber hue of Western Region wine. His silver hair cascaded down his shoulders, and his crystal-clear eyes reflected the swirling fiery clouds of the northern sky.

Yelü Shihan stood with his sword in his arms. The silver string of the Heavenly Wolf Bow gleamed coldly in the twilight, and ice beads that had condensed on the bowstring were falling one by one. He said, "Father-in-law, the beacon fires of the Yang family generals have reached Lianglang Mountain."

Yelü Shihan's voice, carried by the cold wind, delivered another secret report, saying, "Last night, scouts reported that the Liao army's Iron Forest Formation has trapped Yang Ye and his son in Chenjia Valley." Shi Feiyang's fingertips caressed the rim of his cup, and tiny ice crystals suddenly appeared on the wine. He said sarcastically, "Zhao Guangyi wants to use the Liao people to eliminate the Yang family, but he also fears that Pan Renmei will become too powerful. This tactic of using one tiger to devour another is quite ingenious."

He suddenly turned his head, a cold glint flashing in his glassy eyes, and said in a deep voice, "But he forgot that the sharpest knife in this world is always held in the hands of the spectator." Before he finished speaking, three green shadows swept across the glazed tiles like ghosts.

The leading Beggars' Sect disciple knelt on one knee, presenting a blood-stained secret letter: "Reporting to the Sect Leader, an urgent report has arrived from Bianliang—Pan Renmei has set up a 'Ten Thousand Arrows Piercing the Heart' formation outside Chen Family Valley. Yang Qilang was shot and killed while trying to break through the encirclement to seek reinforcements..."

The moment Shi Feiyang unfolded the secret letter, the wine in his cup instantly froze. The vermilion characters at the end of the letter, "Yang Qilang was struck by ten thousand arrows, his death extremely gruesome," were particularly striking in the twilight. He suddenly chuckled, but his laughter carried a chilling undertone, and then cursed, "That Pan Renmei, truly ruthless and vicious. Very well, let's turn the tables on him. Let Shi Yue and his brothers lead the Cold Moon Guards and cavalry to attack, while the Beggar Clan disciples intercept them from the flanks, seizing the Liao soldiers' money, provisions, weapons, horses, and supplies! How much money and provisions does a battle require? Send someone to inform Li Hao to come with me to Bianliang to slay the villains of the Heavenly Slaughter Tower and avenge my son Danqing!" "Yes, sir!" The Beggar Clan disciple obeyed and left.

……

The cold wind of Lianglang Mountain carried fine snow. On the cliff face at the entrance of Chenjia Valley, Yang Ye's silver spear was deeply embedded in the frozen earth, the red tassel on the tassel soaked with blood. Yang Yanzhao's hand, gripping the broken sword, trembled; the tip of the sword still held half a piece of Liao army armor. "Sixth Brother, run!" Yang Yanshun, the Eighth Brother, cried out, his shoulder wound still bleeding, "The Liao army's Iron Forest Army is about to encircle us!"

Yang Yanzhao suddenly looked up at the Liao army's torches that filled the sky, and suddenly remembered his father's dying words: "If Pan Renmei doesn't come, it proves that your brother has already died tragically at his hands." He yanked off the jade pendant from his waist, stuffed it into his eighth brother's hand, and said in a deep voice: "Take Father's body and go! I'll cover the rear!"

Before the words were finished, horns sounded from the Liao army ranks. Yelü Xiezhen's three-pointed double-edged sword cleaved through the night sky, and five thousand Iron Forest soldiers surged forward like a black tide behind him. Yang Yanzhao's spear drew a crescent moon in the wind and snow, the ultimate move of the Yang family spear, "Heaven and Earth Raging Tide".

Amidst the flashing swords and clashing blades, he suddenly saw countless Song army flags coming against the wind in the darkness of the southwest corner.

Shi Shiyue's Ice Soul Sword gleamed with a deep blue light under the moonlight. He looked at the Hanyue Guard soldiers disguised as Song soldiers in front of him and whispered, "Remember, when the Liao army and the Yang family generals are locked in a fierce battle, we will only cut the horses' legs."

He turned to Shi Shiyun and advised, "Third brother, your Ice Silkworm Rope is specifically designed to lock the enemy general's throat. First, kill Yelü Xiezhen's deputy general."

Under the cover of night, two hundred Cold Moon Guards infiltrated the battlefield like ghosts. Shi Shiye's Ice Soul Sword suddenly drew its sheath, carving three ice walls in the rear of the Liao army, sealing off the Iron Forest Army's retreat. Immediately afterward, he unleashed the "Eighteen Slashes of Cold Moon!"

Wherever the sword light passed, the Liao soldiers' weapons froze, their fingers stuck to the hilts, and any exertion caused blood and flesh to fly everywhere.

Yang Yanzhao's broken sword was already chipped when he suddenly saw a Liao general raise his blade and slash at him. The cold glint of the blade was similar to the wound his father had suffered before his death. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared, "Liao dogs, give me back my father's life!"

Just as they were about to fight desperately, the Liao general suddenly clutched his throat and fell to the ground, a green bamboo arrow stuck in his throat—the Beggars' Sect's "Rain of Flowers" technique.

He Quan swept down three Liao soldiers with his dog-beating stick, then suddenly noticed Yang Yanzhao's blood-stained clothes and cried out, "General Yang, come with me!" He threw out a rope to entangle an ancient pine tree on the cliff and said in a deep voice, "Master Shi foresaw Pan Renmei's betrayal. We have men in the southwest corner who can escort you out of the encirclement!"

Before Yang Yanzhao could even express his gratitude, he picked up an iron spear and, wielding it, escorted Yang Balang, who was carrying Yang Ye's body, as they fought their way out of the encirclement with He Quan and the Beggars' Sect disciples, heading south.

The Liao army's supply train was resting in the black pine forest when they suddenly heard the neighing of horses. Elder Li Xing, leading three hundred Beggar Clan disciples, leaped down from the trees, their staffs aimed at the horses' legs. With a gust of wind from their staffs, ten warhorses fell to the ground simultaneously, and the supply wagons immediately went out of control.

Shi Shiyue's Ice Soul Sword was already pressed against the throat of the Liao army's grain officer when he suddenly heard the sound of hooves in the distance. He turned his head and saw Yang Balang carrying his father's corpse, fighting his way through the enemy lines under the protection of Yang Yanzhao.

"Quickly!" he said urgently, slashing the ropes of the grain cart with his sword. He then decisively added, "Pile the grain into a fire pit, and we'll give the Liao army a big gift!" As soon as Yelü Xiezhen's horse stepped into the black pine forest, countless torches rose into the air.

The oil on the supply wagons ignited, instantly forming a wall of fire. Just as he was about to retreat, he saw countless icicles fly out from the wall of fire—it was Shi Shifeng's "Ice Soul Frost Prison" divine skill. Ice and fire intertwined between heaven and earth, and the screams of the Liao soldiers startled the roosting birds.

Yang Yanzhao looked at the reinforcements dressed in Song army uniforms and was about to speak when Shi Shiyue suddenly took off his helmet and said in a low voice, "General Yang, I, Shi, have come to meet you on the orders of the leader." He looked at Yang Ye's body, knelt on one knee, and said respectfully, "Old General Yang was loyal and courageous, I admire you!" Then he got up and escorted Yang Yanzhao, Yang Balang, and his father's body out of the encirclement.

The Tang soldiers gained a great deal from this battle.

……

Before dawn, Bianliang City was still shrouded in darkness, and the carved window lattices of the "Zhiwei" Inn revealed flickering candlelight.

Shi Feiyang leaned against a pillar, his long silver hair casually tied with ice silk, his glassy eyes swirling in the shadows like crystal goblets bathed in moonlight. He held half an ice silkworm between his fingers; the silkworm's body glowed with a ghostly blue light and slowly writhed along his translucent, jade-like wrist.

Qu Feiyan stood in the corner, the crimson flame on the Sacred Flame Token making her cheeks slightly flushed. She gazed at Shi Feiyang's profile, her eyes filled with a subtle infatuation, her heart rippling as if a pebble had been thrown into a still lake.

He was merely leaning casually, yet he was like a flowing painting, every strand of silver hair and every inch of skin drawing her gaze.

"Look at this map, everyone," Shi Feiyang suddenly chuckled, flicking his wrist as a roll of human skin map unfolded onto the pine wood table with a "snap." Next to twelve vermilion marks on the map were drawn winding dragon shapes, the secret marks of the Song Dynasty's imperial guards.

Li Hao stood beside him, the hilt of his Po Feng Dao still stained with blood from his nighttime raid on Tian Sha Lou. He was now using the tip of his sword to lift the sleeve of a black-clad prisoner. Chen Qingshu, a disciple of the Diancang Sect, suddenly exclaimed, "Look at his wrist!" Everyone looked and saw a faint blue tattoo on the pale wrist—the "Wu Chang Gou Hun" mark of Tian Sha Lou.

Even more shocking was the rounded callus on the web of his right hand, clearly caused by years of holding a pen. "Left hand wields the knife, right hand holds the pen," Shi Feiyang suddenly spoke, his voice like a jade flute steeped in frost.

Qu Feiyan's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason. Shi Feiyang's voice always carried a kind of magic, making her involuntarily hold her breath. She quietly moved closer to him, and she could almost smell the crisp, icy scent emanating from him, the unique aroma of Mingyu Kung Fu.

Shi Feiyang suddenly turned around and analyzed, "Zhao Guangyi knows how to use people, making those pedantic scholars from the Hanlin Academy act as assassins. No wonder their moves always have a touch of pedantry." His crystal-clear eyes swept over Ye Wuque, and he said meaningfully, "Sect Leader Ye, your sect's 'Diancang Seven Luminaries Sword' is best at night battles. Would you be willing to scout ahead?"

Ye Wuque's Azure Nether Sword gleamed coldly in the candlelight as he said solemnly, "Sect Leader Shi, you've gone to great lengths. We've been wanting to test the insidious methods of the Heavenly Slaughter Tower."

Lu Chengfeng slammed his iron palm heavily on the table, causing the wine cup to jump three inches. He cursed angrily, "I've long wanted to tear down this den of thieves and let that bastard Zhao Guangyi know that the Iron Palm Gang's fists aren't made of dough!"

Qu Feiyan suddenly spoke, her voice slightly coquettish, yet she tried to appear calm as she said, "Sect Leader Shi, our sect's 'Thunderbolt Fireball' is best suited for attacking strongholds. Let me lead the charge!" As she spoke, her gaze involuntarily turned to Shi Feiyang, filled with anticipation, as if waiting for his approval.

Shi Feiyang looked at her, a barely perceptible warmth flashing in his glassy eyes, and praised, "Young Master Qu's 'Thunderbolt Fire Bomb' is incredibly powerful. With you in front, we can act more calmly."

Receiving his affirmation, Qu Feiyan felt as sweet as if she had been soaked in honey. Her cheeks flushed slightly, she lowered her head, but couldn't help but smile as she whispered, "Okay, I will definitely not let Master Shi down."

After the group finished discussing the matter, each leader led their respective sects to take action.

The headquarters of the Heavenly Killing Pavilion was hidden deep in the brothel alley. Two ghostly lanterns hung above the vermilion lintel, casting an eerie red glow on the three characters "Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion".

Shi Feiyang stood at the alley entrance, watching the flash of a knife through the second-floor window. Suddenly, he reached out and pressed down on Li Hao's shoulder, whispering, "Keep calm, don't rush, seizing the opportunity is the most important thing!" Qu Feiyan stood beside him, her gaze drawn to his hand holding Li Hao's shoulder as if drawn by a magnet.

That hand was long and powerful, its skin as translucent as jade, as if it contained boundless strength. She imagined the heroic figure of those hands wielding the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique," and her heart began to race uncontrollably again.

After a while, Shi Feiyang whispered, "Are you ready?"

Qu Feiyan snapped out of her daze, nodded vigorously, and said with a slight tremor in her voice, "Ready!"

She took a deep breath and gripped the "Thunderbolt Fire Bomb" even tighter, her fingertips turning slightly white with tension. She couldn't lose her composure in front of Shi Feiyang; she wanted him to see that she, Qu Feiyan, not only possessed beauty but also courage and martial arts skills that rivaled any man's.

Before she could finish speaking, Qu Feiyan's "Thunderbolt Fire Bomb" had already blown open the cellar.

With a deafening roar, the entire building trembled violently, and sparks mixed with wood chips flew everywhere.

Her figure appeared and disappeared amidst the sea of ​​fire, her moon-white gauze robe stained with crimson flames, like a white rose blooming in the flames. She unleashed the "Star Absorbing Technique!" With a pull and a push from her hands, the weapons of the two assassins suddenly turned and plunged into their throats.

Immediately afterward, she let out a delicate shout, and the suction force in her palm surged, pulling three archers towards her from a distance. Their bodies instantly withered, like reeds drained of their life force. But her gaze remained fixed on that familiar figure.

Shi Feiyang's figure darted through the firelight, displaying his "Leave No Trace for a Thousand Miles" lightness skill to its peak, like a white lightning bolt. With a light wave of his jade hand, he activated the "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade" divine skill, cleverly deflecting the blade slashing at him by an assassin. The blade then struck a nearby pillar, embedding itself more than three inches deep.

Qu Feiyan watched his fluid movements, her eyes filled with admiration. He was like a deity in control, every action precise and elegant, possessing a breathtaking beauty. She suddenly felt that being able to fight alongside Shi Feiyang was the happiest thing in the world.

Ye Wuque's "Diancang Sword Technique" had transformed into a sky full of sword shadows, and he stabbed seven people in succession with "Chasing Stars and Catching the Moon". The silver bell on the sword tassel shattered into dust in the firelight.

Lu Chengfeng's iron palm cleaved open the side door, and where the palm wind passed, the crossbow bolts hidden behind the door flew back and pierced the crossbowmen's throats.

Shi Feiyang stood still, his glassy eyes gleaming with a cold light.

He suddenly unleashed his "Leave No Trace for a Thousand Miles" lightness skill, his figure flashing to the third-floor private room. The Death-Destroying Judge, gripping the Imperial Sword, its tip still dripping blood, saw him appear, his scarred face contorting in agony: "Shi Feiyang! You dare…"

"Dare? What wouldn't I dare!" Shi Feiyang chuckled, his Mingyu Gong at its peak, his skin so transparent that you could see the ice crystals flowing in his veins. He then said coldly, "When you sent assassins to ambush my son Danqing on the outskirts of Luoyang and used the 'Ice Soul Arrow' to kill him, did you ever think of this day?"

With a flick of his jade-like hand, he unleashed the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, causing the Death Judge's sword to uncontrollably slash towards his own left arm. Amidst the splatter of blood, Shi Feiyang's Burmese knife was already pressed against his throat.

Qu Feiyan stared at the dazzling white figure, her heart pounding in her chest. She was worried he would get hurt, and even knowing his unparalleled martial arts skills didn't lessen her concern. She gripped the Sacred Flame Token tightly, ready to rush forward at any moment, even if it was just to shield him from a trivial attack.

The judge, horrified, discovered that the other's hand was magnetically drawn to his weapon. A chill crept up his body from the sword's edge, and he stammered, "You...you practice the forbidden techniques of the Flower Shifting Palace?" "Forbidden techniques? What forbidden techniques does the Flower Shifting Palace have? We practice the sword of justice, do righteous deeds, and kill the most wicked bandits in the world!" Shi Feiyang scoffed. "Compared to you using scholars as assassins and wielding the imperial sword to kill righteous heroes of the martial world, what is this?"

He lightly touched the other's Tanzhong acupoint with his fingertip, and the "Shocking Calamity" was activated. The judge of death only felt a flash of icy blue light before his eyes, and then saw his body begin to crack, turning into ice shards all over the ground.

Shi Feiyang turned around and his eyes met Qu Feiyan's.

He saw the worry in her eyes, and a hint of warmth flashed in his glassy eyes. He nodded slightly, as if to tell her: I'm fine.

Qu Feiyan's heart instantly calmed down, and a bright smile appeared on her face, as if ice and snow were melting and spring flowers were blooming.

Inside the lobby on the first floor, Li Hao was in the midst of a fierce battle, wielding his "Splashing Wind Blade" and "Autumn Water Sword Technique," when the weapons of three assassins were shattered into pieces.

Qu Feiyan leaped to the second floor, and the Sacred Flame Token drew the "Heaven-Burning Technique," reducing the secret scrolls of the Heavenly Slaughter Tower to ashes. She turned to look at Shi Feiyang, who was standing in the center of the fire, his silver hair turning golden-red in the flames, like a god bathed in fire.

Her gaze was so tender it could melt hearts, and she said softly, "Master Shi, you look so majestic, it's hard to look away." As she spoke, her cheeks flushed, and her voice grew softer and softer until the last few words were almost inaudible.

Upon hearing this, Shi Feiyang smiled faintly, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze on a frozen lake, instantly melting away the coldness around him. He humbly replied, "Master Qu, you flatter me."

These few simple words made Qu Feiyan's heart pound like a deer. She knew he rarely smiled, and to receive such a response from him was already a great blessing. She looked at him, her eyes almost overflowing with adoration, and mustered her courage to whisper, "I mean it."

Lu Chengfeng, his iron palm shattering the last Imperial Guard flag, laughed loudly upon hearing this, "Don't worry, Master Shi, my iron palm can still chop down another hundred or two thieves!" Shi Feiyang unleashed "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder," transforming ice into lightning, striking the enemy and blasting the Imperial Guards following behind backward, their corpses quickly covered with a layer of crystalline frost. The eaves of the Heavenly Slaughter Tower finally couldn't withstand the pressure, crashing to the ground with its blazing plaque.

Standing at the alley entrance, Shi Feiyang watched as his shadow on the bluestone slab was stretched long by the firelight. Suddenly, he pulled out half a piece of ice jade from his sleeve—the very Tang Dynasty jade seal that Li Danqing had entrusted to him before his death.

Qu Feiyan quietly walked to his side and stayed by his side without saying a word, simply wanting to support him silently in this way.

She gazed at the jade in his hand, knowing the sorrow in his heart and the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. How she wished she could reach out and gently smooth the worry between his brows, assuring him that she would always be with him.

“Zhao Guangyi,” Shi Feiyang muttered to himself in the firelight, “Do you think you can secure your empire by using the Heavenly Slaughter Tower to eliminate righteous heroes of the martial world?” He suddenly chuckled, his voice drifting towards the sky with the flames, and said firmly, “The true martial world is not a pawn in your hands.” The first rays of dawn pierced through the thick smoke and shone on Shi Feiyang’s jade-like skin.

He turned to face the crowd, his gaze lingering briefly on Qu Feiyan's face before he said, "Let's go. Next stop, we should deal with those swordsmen surrounding that chess player sitting on the dragon throne. We can kill him after we've solidified Zhao Guangyi's reputation as a traitor!" Qu Feiyan followed closely behind, walking alongside him. Sunlight bathed them in a golden glow.

The fire in the fireworks alley is still burning, turning the plaque of "Wan Hua Lou" to ashes.

But in Qu Feiyan's heart, a flower called love was quietly blooming, splendid and passionate. In the morning mist, the "Listening Wind Pavilion" in Bianliang City was filled with the aroma of tea. Shi Feiyang, wearing a bronze mask, sat on the second floor by the window, the Biluochun tea in front of him steaming with wisps of white smoke.

Qu Feiyan transformed into a flower girl, with two white hibiscus flowers tucked into her black hair. The Sacred Flame Token at her waist was wrapped in brocade. As she moved through the crowd, she would always inadvertently glance at Shi Feiyang on the second floor.

"Sir, would you like to buy a flower?" She walked up to an elderly man in grey robes and suddenly noticed the gold-threaded peony embroidered on his cuff—the mark of Zhao Guangyi's personal bodyguards. As the old man looked up, she saw that his right little finger was bent like a hook, a feature of the infamous "Bloody Hand Butcher" Jiang Duanchao. The sound of shattering porcelain came from the second floor. Shi Feiyang's teacup slipped from his grasp, the shards forming the icicle pattern of the Yihua Palace on the floor.

Jiang Duanchao's pupils shrank suddenly. Just as he was about to turn around, Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token had already torn through the brocade. The crimson flames reflected on her face like a rosy cloud. She said coldly, "Old thief Jiang, it's been a long time."

"You're just a little brat from the Sun Moon Cult!" Jiang Duanchao suddenly retorted, his iron claws flashing out, the tips coated with a deep blue venom. He said viciously, "His Majesty foresaw your arrival!" Before he finished speaking, Shi Feiyang's figure was already standing by the window like a ghost, his glassy eyes gleaming coldly behind his mask. He said mockingly, "Jiang Duanchao, when you massacred the city of Jinling back then, did you ever imagine this day would come?"

Shi Feiyang lightly waved her jade hand, using the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill! Jiang Duanchao's iron claws turned towards his own chest. Qu Feiyan seized the opportunity to throw out the "Thunderbolt Fire Bomb," and as the opponent retreated, the Sacred Flame Token drew the "Heart-Burning Technique," sealing off his escape route.

Jiang Duanchao suddenly laughed loudly, biting open the poison sac in his mouth, spitting out three feet of black blood. He sneered, "Shi Feiyang, His Majesty still has the 'Four Black Water Fiends' by his side. You can't kill them all." Shi Feiyang took off his mask and looked at the fallen corpse. Suddenly, he heard Qu Feiyan say softly, "The peony pattern on his cuff is exactly the same as the one I saw in the Imperial Kitchen yesterday." He turned his head and saw Qu Feiyan holding half a petal between her fingertips. The white hibiscus in her hair was stained with blood, but it made her look even more beautiful. She then offered a suggestion, "Tomorrow at noon, set up a arena on Zhuque Street and use this peony pattern as bait."

The arena on Suzaku Street was wrapped in blood-red ribbons, and the banner reading "Acting on Behalf of Heaven" fluttered high in the center. Shi Feiyang had changed into a moon-white robe, and his silver hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin. Standing on the stage, he was like a jade tree standing in the wind.

Qu Feiyan, disguised as his page, concealed twelve "Ice Soul Thunderfire Bullets" at his waist. "Which friend dares to try my 'Three Forms of Bright Jade'?" Shi Feiyang's voice was clear as a spring, and a transparent icy light emanated from his palm. From the crowd below, four men in black leaped up simultaneously, the gold-threaded peonies on their sleeves dazzling in the sunlight—these were the "Four Black Water Fiends." "Shi thief, prepare to die!" The eldest, Black-faced Fiend, swung his nine-ringed saber with a thunderous roar, but Shi Feiyang effortlessly sidestepped, the force of his blade cleaving a stone lion beside the platform in two.

Shi Feiyang wielded his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, causing the Nine-Ringed Blade to uncontrollably turn towards the second brother, the White-Faced Fiend. With a muffled thud as the blade pierced flesh, Qu Feiyan's long whip had already entangled the chains of the third brother, the Green-Faced Fiend. Immediately afterward, she unleashed the "Star-Absorbing Technique!" The Green-Faced Fiend's internal energy was drained away like water from a burst dam, and his body rapidly withered. The fourth brother, the Red-Faced Fiend, seized the opportunity to shoot a hidden arrow from his sleeve, but Shi Feiyang flicked an ice needle from his fingertip, freezing the hidden arrow in mid-air and sending it piercing his throat in the opposite direction.

Seeing the situation was not good, Black-faced Fiend was about to retreat when Shi Feiyang's "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" blocked his way. He said coldly, "Do you think Zhao Guangyi's 'Black Water Serpent Formation' can trap me?" He pressed his jade hand on the other party's Tanzhong acupoint. The moment "Shocking Calamity" was activated, Black-faced Fiend's pupils reflected the image of himself shattering into ice shards.

Applause suddenly erupted around the arena. Qu Feiyan plucked a white hibiscus and tucked it into Shi Feiyang's hair, laughing, "Brother Shi's 'Inviting the Guest into the Trap' move is far more exciting than any of the tales in martial arts novels." Her fingertips brushed against his wrist, the touch as cool as ice jade, but her ears turned bright red at the mention of "Brother Shi."

……

Deep within the palace's secret passage, Shi Feiyang's ice silkworm threads hooked onto the stone beam overhead. Qu Feiyan, clinging to his back, could clearly hear his heart pounding like a drum. Around the corner ahead, the conversation of the remaining members of the "Black Water Four Fiends" drifted over: "His Majesty has hidden the 'Ice Silkworm Gu' in a secret compartment of the Hall of Mental Cultivation; I've heard it can control martial arts masters."

"Watch out!" Qu Feiyan suddenly spotted the crossbow bolts around the corner and quickly whispered a warning to Shi Feiyang. Her Sacred Flame Token unleashed crimson flames, turning the crossbow bolts red-hot. Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill," a crystalline light coursing through his palm. True Qi formed silvery-white silken threads that entangled the three assassins, instantly sealing their acupoints. When he landed, he accidentally bumped into a stone wall. Qu Feiyan quickly caught him, only to notice a crack in the ice crystal on his left shoulder—he had been grazed by the crossbow bolt while protecting her.

"Does it hurt?" Qu Feiyan took out some wound medicine and applied it to him with trembling fingertips. Shi Feiyang looked at her lowered eyelashes and suddenly remembered how she looked in the sea of ​​fire when they first met. He asked with concern, "It doesn't hurt. But you, did you hurt yourself by overusing the 'Star Absorbing Technique' just now?" Qu Feiyan abruptly pulled her hand back, the medicine bottle clattering to the ground. She stammered, "I...I'm fine."

Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Kung Fu was constantly emanating from his skin, which glowed with a faint blue light, like a glacier under the moonlight. The two were very close, and Shi Feiyang's breath brushed against her forehead, reminding her of that dawn in the brothel, the firelight reflected in his eyes.

Suddenly, a bell rang out from the end of the secret passage. Shi Feiyang grasped her hand, his true energy of ice and fire mingling in his palm, and said affectionately, "Zhao Guangyi's 'Ice Silkworm Gu' is just ahead. After I destroy it, I will take you to see the peonies of Luoyang."

Qu Feiyan looked up and saw her reflection in his glassy eyes. Suddenly, she felt a surge of courage and said tenderly, "Okay, I'll go with you."

Inside a hidden compartment in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, twelve ice silkworms wriggled in a jade box, each engraved with the name of a martial arts master. Just as Shi Feiyang was about to strike with his Burmese sword, the sound of a golden gong suddenly rang out from outside the hall—Zhao Guangyi had arrived with the Imperial Guards.

"Shi Feiyang, you've finally come." Zhao Guangyi's cold laugh rang out. His dragon robe was embroidered with a golden dragon, but his eyes held fear. He feigned composure and said, "You think you can succeed by killing my guards?"

He suddenly clapped his hands, extinguishing all the candles in the hall, and countless ice needles shot out from all directions. "Yan'er, close your eyes!" Shi Feiyang said with concern, holding Qu Feiyan protectively in his arms. He activated his Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions: Ice Soul Cold Prison" level, making his skin transparent like an ice shield. The ice needles struck the Mingyu Gong ice armor shield on his back, making a crisp "clinking" sound, but they didn't even scratch the skin.

Taking advantage of the moment, Qu Feiyan unleashed a "Thunderbolt Fireball." In the firelight, she saw ice crystals seeping from the numerous needle marks on his back, instead of blood. In an instant, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill! He transformed ice into lightning, striking the enemy and sending the Imperial Guards flying backward.

Zhao Guangyi seized the opportunity to jump into the secret room.

Shi Feiyang's Burmese knife cleaved through the broken jade box, and the ice silkworms dissipated into specks of fluorescent light. He turned to look at Qu Feiyan and saw her using the Sacred Fire Token to warm the ice needles on his back, while tears streamed down her face onto his robes.

Shi Feiyang said affectionately, "Silly girl, why are you crying?"

"I'm afraid you'll be in pain..." Qu Feiyan choked up, then suddenly noticed that he was still holding a withered white hibiscus in his fingers—the very one she had given him on the stage. Shi Feiyang suddenly chuckled, his glassy eyes reflecting her tears, and teased, "With you here, it won't hurt."

Shouts of battle erupted outside the palace; brothers from the Beggars' Clan and the Iron Palm Clan were storming in. Qu Feiyan suddenly remembered something, pulled a jade pendant shaped like a Sacred Flame Token from her bosom, and stammered, "This was left to me by my mother. She said..."

Her voice lowered, becoming barely audible as she said, "My mother said it should be given to the person I like."

Shi Feiyang took the jade pendant; its warmth created a strange balance with his icy inner energy. He held her hand, placed the jade pendant against her palm, and said affectionately, "When the world is at peace, I will take you to the Yihua Palace to see the ice lotus in full bloom."

Qu Feiyan looked up and saw a glimmer of light in his eyes, a tenderness she had never seen before. The candlelight in the Hall of Mental Cultivation was relit, casting their intertwined shadows. Outside the window, the first rays of dawn pierced through the palace walls, bathing their robes in gold.

……

On the glazed tiles of the Luoyang Imperial Palace, the snow had not yet melted. Empress Dowager Ling Shuangyue held Shi Hongyun's small hand, watching the flock of geese flying south on the horizon, when suddenly she heard the Jingyun Bell emit a thunderous roar like tearing silk—it was the Beggars' Sect's warning signal.

Yelü Shihan's Heavenly Wolf Bow was taut to its fullest extent, the arrow tip pointing directly at the surging black clouds outside the palace walls. He exclaimed, "It's the Song Kingdom's 'Blood Hand Alliance'! Zhao Guangyi is indeed desperate!" Shi Feiyang was testing his sword in the suburbs when the Xuan Shuang Blade in his hand suddenly vibrated.

Qu Feiyan's sacred torch clattered to the ground as she said in a trembling voice, "The bells in the direction of Luoyang toll three long and two short, indicating that the young emperor is in trouble!"

Shi Feiyang's glazed eyes suddenly turned cold, and his Burmese sword was drawn in response. He said in a deep voice, "Chief Lu, Sect Leader Ye, follow me to intercept the reinforcements from the Western Mountain Camp. Elder He, you lead the Beggar Clan disciples back to the Imperial Palace through the tunnel. Remember to use the 'Dog-Beating Formation' to seal off the Xuanwu Gate!"

Lu Chengfeng shattered a boulder beside him with his iron palm and said in a resounding voice, "Don't worry, Master Shi, my iron palm has been looking for a place to run wild!" He turned to look at Ye Wuque and said thoughtfully, "Sect Leader Ye, your sect's 'Thirteen Riders of Diancang' are skilled in mountain raids. How about we flank them from both sides?" Ye Wuque's Qingming Sword flashed coldly on the snow and he said cheerfully, "Just what I wanted."

Shi Feiyang suddenly grabbed Qu Feiyan's hand, his fingertips brushing against her wrist, the touch like ice and jade striking each other. He said with concern, "Be careful, this will be a tough battle!" Qu Feiyan's ears burned, but she gripped the Sacred Flame Token even tighter, gently reminding him, "Brother Shi should be extra careful, Zhao Guangyi has sent out the 'Five Blackwater Masters' this time."

Shi Feiyang nodded, and the heroes immediately split up to carry out their respective tasks.

The campfire at the Xishan camp flickered and shone in the wind and snow, as Yelü Xiezhen's Iron Forest Army feasted on horse meat. Suddenly, a wolf howled from the mountain pass, and Shi Feiyang's figure swooped through the treetops like an eagle. His Burmese knife gleamed with a ghostly blue light in the moonlight as he teased, "General Yelü, how have you been?"

"Shi Feiyang!" Yelü Xiezhen cried out in alarm. His three-pointed double-edged sword unleashed a powerful gust of wind, but his opponent deftly turned his head, the blade cleaving the pine tree behind him in two. Shi Feiyang had already used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, causing the Liao Kingdom's Iron Forest Army's spears to turn and pierce countless bloody holes in their own ranks.

Qu Feiyan's "Thunderbolt Fire Bomb" exploded at the right time, the crimson flames turning the snow red. She said heroically, "Iron Forest Army's hooves, it's time to taste the power of my Sacred Flame Token!" Ye Wuque's "Thirteen Riders of Diancang" had already attacked from the left flank, and his "Chasing Stars and Catching the Moon" sword technique, which was specifically designed to stab horses' legs, was extremely fierce.

Lu Chengfeng's iron palm struck the central command tent with the sound of wind and thunder. Wherever the palm wind passed, the snow on the armor instantly vaporized. He said domineeringly, "How much benefit did Zhao Guangyi give you? My iron palm, Lu Chengfeng's, does not recognize the Liao people!"

Yelü Xiezhen suddenly realized that his sword was uncontrollably slashing towards his deputy. Shi Feiyang's crystal eyes flashed in the night as he unleashed the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill! The Liao army's Iron Forest soldiers only saw a flash of icy blue light before they found their weapons piercing their comrades' chests.

Blood flowers bloomed on the snow, like red plum blossoms in full bloom.

……

Inside the Xuanwu Gate in Luoyang, He Quan's dog-beating stick swept down three assassins.

Li Hao, engrossed in his killing spree with his Blade of the Wind, shattered the black flag of the "Blood Hand Alliance" into pieces wherever his blade flashed. He roared, "Well done! I was just about to try out my newly learned 'Shadowless Blade of the Wind'!" He unleashed a palm strike with his blade, the energy of which blasted a human-shaped gap in the stone wall.

Empress Dowager Ling Shuangyue, protecting the young Emperor Shi Hongyun, retreated to the Taiji Hall. Her Longquan sword, already dulled, was drawn. She said urgently, "Shihan, take the child and go first. I'll cover the rear!" Yelü Shihan's Heavenly Wolf Arrow pierced the throat of the last assassin. Suddenly, she heard a disturbance coming from the tunnel—Zhao Guangyi's "Shadow Assassin" had infiltrated through the secret passage in the Imperial Garden. (End of Chapter)