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

After repelling the enemy bandits, the two continued their journey on horseback.

When passing through the Valley of Broken Souls, they were ambushed by a group of experts from the Valley of Broken Souls. After a few exchanges, Shi Feiyang slashed his sword and cut the mangled corpses into the spring water, which floated on the surface of the spring, staining the stream red with blood.

At this moment, Fu Cangqiong of the Nanshan Sect unleashed the "Falling Petals Sword Technique," drifting in like flower petals, but the tip of the sword concealed a poisoned barb. Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token danced flawlessly, when she suddenly caught a glimpse of Shi Feiyang's left arm being swept by a claw's wind as he fought the Eagle Claw Gang. Startled, she screamed, "Husband! Left shoulder! Watch out!"

Shi Feiyang was about to shatter the shoulder blade of the Eagle Claw Gang leader with a single palm strike when he heard this and spun around to avoid the hidden sword of the Nanshan Sect. But then he saw Qu Feiyan rushing in front of him, the crimson flames of the Sacred Flame Token gently brushing over his "wound"—that was the healing secret technique of the Sun Moon Divine Sect, the flames could force out the toxins.

Shi Feiyang was actually unharmed; no weapon or hidden weapon could hurt him because he had the protective ice shield of the Mingyu Skill. But seeing how much Qu Feiyan cared about him, he was moved and said, "Silly girl, what's a little injury like this?"

He held her hand, letting her bandage his arm. His gaze fell on her furrowed brow, and he suddenly felt that this pain was nothing compared to the heartache he felt when he saw her worried. "How can you call this a 'minor injury', my husband?" Qu Feiyan's voice was trembling with tears. As she tore off a piece of her skirt to wrap his arm, the stitches were crooked, and she pricked her fingertips several times. "If you get hurt, I...I..." Before she could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang grabbed her chin. His jade-like fingertips gently caressed her lips, teasingly saying, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll kiss you."

Qu Feiyan's face flushed red instantly. She hurriedly lowered her head to continue bandaging, but all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat.

Amidst the babbling brook, the sounds of battle seemed to fade into the distance, leaving only his warm breath and the shiver she felt when her fingertips touched his skin.

Suddenly, the chant of "Amitabha" came from the valley entrance. The lamas of Snow Mountain Temple walked over, carrying purple-gold alms bowls that shone with Buddhist light. They said coldly, "Benefactor Shi, put down your butcher's knife." The leader, Master Zhiguang, sank his alms bowl and actually sucked Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token away.

"Don't even think about hurting my wife!" Shi Feiyang roared, instantly using the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill. The suction force of the purple-gold bowl was redirected towards Zhiguang himself, and the bowl slammed heavily on his head, his brains mixed with Buddha's blood splattering onto the scriptures.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Qu Feiyan retrieved the Sacred Flame Token and threw herself into Shi Feiyang's arms: "Husband, they are not monks at all. There are secret letters from the Eagle Claw Gang hidden in the scriptures!"

Shi Feiyang, holding her, spun around to avoid the Chang Le Gang's "meteor hammer," and with a palm strike, severed the opponent's wrist. He calmly said, "I've long disliked the scars on their earlobes—those are marks of their martial arts being crippled by the Sun Moon Sect."

As he looked down, he saw her hair tangled with his silver hair, and suddenly chuckled, "My lady, does this mean we've 'joined hands in the mortal world'?"

Qu Feiyan buried her face in his chest and chuckled softly, "As long as I can be with my husband, I'd be willing to turn to ashes." As soon as she finished speaking, she threw out three "Ice Soul Needles" to block the Taiji Sect disciple who was attacking him from behind.

She knew his "Shocking Calamity" was a waste of his inner strength against these minor characters, so she secretly lured the enemies towards her side, even though the force of their palm strikes made her blood surge. The two of them repelled the bandits and then rode off again, galloping like the wind.

The setting sun at Jue Ming Po was like blood. The masters of Yan Zi Wu formed the "Eight Trigrams Formation" to intercept Shi Fei Yang and his beloved wife Qu Fei Yan.

The manor lord Murong's "Shifting Stars" technique actually deflected Shi Feiyang's palm strike. Murong lightly tapped the ground with his folding fan and said sarcastically, "Brother Shi, your 'Shifting Flowers and Jade' technique is wonderful, but it is not as good as my Murong family's ultimate skill, 'Shifting Stars.'" As soon as he finished speaking, the disciples in the formation simultaneously struck out with their palms, and the palm winds gathered into a vortex.

Shi Feiyang used "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to redirect the concentrated palm strikes, completely protecting him and Qu Feiyan. Both sides' palm strikes were redirected, preventing either from harming the other. The next test would be whose skill could endure longer.

Qu Feiyan suddenly remembered what her father had said: "The weak point of the Yanziwu formation is in the northwest Xun position." She immediately shouted to Shi Feiyang: "Husband, attack the northwest corner!" At the same time, the Sacred Flame Token transformed into a streak of red flame, rushing straight towards the face of the disciple in the Xun position.

Shi Feiyang wasn't in a hurry to win. Although he coordinated with Qu Feiyan's movements, he leisurely unleashed his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill. Having lived for over a thousand years, he knew the wonders of his Mingyu skill, especially the vortex of true energy that could project chilling energy towards the enemy's acupoints while swirling around them. Just as Shi Feiyang had predicted, the enemy couldn't withstand the onslaught. Murong fared relatively well, but his warriors couldn't endure it. Gradually, their bodies frosted over, their blood cooled, and their movements became increasingly slow.

Shi Feiyang saw an opportunity and suddenly unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Slash of Reincarnation." The moment his palm strike landed on the center of the formation, Murong's folding fan suddenly broke, and the palm winds of the disciples in the formation all rebounded, striking their companions.

"Impossible!" Murong cried out in shock, staring at his shattered right arm. Suddenly, he saw Qu Feiyan straightening Shi Feiyang's disheveled clothes, the Sacred Flame Token gently brushing the dust from his shoulder. Her expression was more chilling than any of her techniques. "Madam, it's time to end this." Shi Feiyang's voice was icy cold. He activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," his skin becoming as transparent as an ice sculpture.

He suddenly unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, turning ice into lightning to attack his enemy. The rocks on the Deadly Slope crumbled one after another. Murong lost an arm and could not use "Star Shift". Moreover, his power was greatly depleted. His acupoints seemed to be frozen, his blood was condensed, and his movements were clumsy. His body exploded into pieces in the lightning, and blood rain mixed with gravel fell on Qu Feiyan's skirt.

Qu Feiyan quickly rushed into Shi Feiyang's arms to check if he was injured. Her fingertips brushed against his fair, jade-like cheeks as she asked in alarm, "Husband, are you alright? The lightning and fire just now were terrifying." She took out a small jade bottle from her bosom and poured out two pills. "These are made from snow lotus and sacred fire grass. They can replenish vital energy."

Shi Feiyang grasped the hand she was giving him the medicine, then suddenly lowered his head and planted a light kiss on her lips, saying dismissively, "With my wife here, how could anything happen to me?" He gazed at the corpses scattered on the ground, her image reflected in his glassy eyes, and said disdainfully, "These people covet your Star-Absorbing Skill, but they don't know that in my heart, you are more precious than any martial art." Qu Feiyan's tears suddenly slid down, dripping onto the back of his hand, and she said emotionally, "Husband..." She wanted to say something, but Shi Feiyang pressed his fingertips to her lips.

Shi Feiyang reminded her, "Blackwood Cliff is just ahead." He took her hand and walked towards the top of the cliff, stepping over the bloodstains on the ground. The setting sun merged their shadows together. "After I've met your father, I'll marry you in a grand and glorious ceremony, using the eight-bearer sedan chair from the Yihua Palace."

Qu Feiyan stopped in her tracks, gazing at his silver hair fluttering in the wind. Suddenly, she tiptoed and planted a tear-stained kiss on his cheek, saying affectionately, "My husband, I don't want a grand sedan chair. I just want to walk this road with you forever."

The outline of Blackwood Cliff became clearer in the twilight, and the mountain breeze carried the familiar sound of the Sacred Flame Token being struck. Shi Feiyang gripped Qu Feiyan's hand tightly, and the Xuan Shuang Blade and the Sacred Flame Token gently touched, producing a clear and melodious sound.

The clouds and mist of Blackwood Cliff surged beneath their feet as Shi Feiyang, holding Qu Feiyan's hand, stepped over the stone steps engraved with the emblem of the sacred fire.

Her palms were damp with sweat, and the Sacred Flame Token trembled slightly at her waist, just like her anxious heart. She said excitedly, "Husband, Father loves to practice his sword under the pine tree on the cliff top. He should be waiting for us now."

Turning past the winding corridor, a corner of a moon-white sleeve suddenly appeared in the shadow of an ancient pine tree. Qu Feiyan stopped abruptly, the Sacred Flame Token clattered to the ground, and she cried out, "Father!" She broke free from Shi Feiyang's hand and rushed towards Qu Yanzhong, who was sitting against a tree.

The old man's eyes were slightly closed, his face peaceful as if asleep, but he showed no breath. Shi Feiyang's glassy eyes suddenly turned cold, and with the Mingyu Gong activated, he lightly touched Qu Yanzhong's Tanzhong acupoint with his fingertip. There was no backlash of internal energy, no poison coursing through his veins, and even the blood vessels under his skin showed no abnormalities.

He said strangely, "Madam, my father-in-law's body has no external injuries, no signs of poisoning, and not even bruises from internal energy backlash." He suddenly noticed that the Holy Flame Token mark on the old man's palm was tinged with an unusual bluish-gray.

"This is... the life mark of the Sacred Flame Token?" Qu Feiyan asked in a trembling voice, tears welling up in her eyes. She grasped her father's hand but found his palm icy cold. She exclaimed in surprise, "Father, you've practiced the Sacred Flame Token cultivation method for thirty years. How could your life mark have faded?"

Suddenly remembering something, she pulled open the old man's collar and saw that the Holy Flame Emblem birthmark on his chest had faded to almost invisible. She exclaimed, "This is the mark of the Holy Flame Token recognizing its master, unless... unless the position of the leader is forcibly changed!"

A mountain breeze swept through the pine forest, carrying the distant sound of bells. Elders of the Sun Moon Sect escorted a man in a blue robe as he approached. The crimson flame emblem of the Sacred Flame Token at his waist flickered in the mist. They said sorrowfully, "Miss Qu, please accept our condolences. Our leader... has suddenly passed away." This man was Dongfang Liang, who had been elected as the new leader at the Sacred Flame Ceremony last month. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes, but Shi Feiyang noticed it all.

Inside the mourning hall at Blackwood Cliff, white banners fluttered in the wind. Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade lightly grazed Qu Yanzhong's wrist, without even drawing a drop of blood, before he turned and questioned, "Master Dongfang, your sect's former leader has passed away. Why are there no wounds, poison marks, or signs of blocked internal energy?"

He suddenly approached, his glassy eyes flashing with cold light, and said sharply, "What's even stranger is that the life mark and the Holy Fire birthmark disappeared at the same time. In the Sun Moon Divine Sect's scriptures, this is the death condition of 'Holy Fire Burning the Heart'."

Dongfang Liang's Adam's apple bobbed, and he clutched the Sacred Flame Token tightly in his sleeve. He said somewhat flusteredly, "Brother Shi is joking. The Sacred Flame Burning the Heart is the supreme mental technique of our sect. How could the sect leader..." "Shut up!" Qu Feiyan suddenly interrupted. "If Father were to practice to the point of demonic possession, his meridians would be scorched. Do you think I, the young sect leader, am blind?" She turned to look at Shi Feiyang, her eyes flashing with trust, and said cleverly, "Husband, use 'Shocking Eye Tribulation' to check his memories."

Shi Feiyang's fingertip stopped three inches from Dongfang Liang's brow, the icy true energy of Mingyu Gong probing in like a fine needle. Dongfang Liang suddenly screamed and staggered back, black blood seeping from his seven orifices, and said in a panic, "You...you dare to spy on the secret scriptures of our sect!" His Sacred Flame Token drew the "Burning Heaven Technique", but the crimson flames were drawn towards the white banner of the mourning hall by Shi Feiyang's "Transferring Flowers and Jade", and a curse mark in Xixia script appeared in the flames.

"The 'Soul-Capturing Technique' of the Western Xia?" Shi Feiyang's voice was as sharp as an ice pick. "So you had colluded with Li Yuanhao all along, using the Sacred Fire Heart-Burning Technique to forcibly seize the throne."

He suddenly noticed three horizontal lines behind Dongfang Liang's ear—the tattoos of the Western Xia "Black Water Tribe"—and said angrily, "When you slaughtered Han Chinese caravans in the Helan Mountains three years ago, did you ever think of today?"

Dongfang Liang's expression changed drastically. The crimson flames of the Sacred Flame Token suddenly turned bluish-black. He sneered, "Shi Feiyang, do you think you can shake Xixia by your own strength?" With a wave of his hand, eighteen black-clad disciples burst in through the window. Their curved blades were engraved with Xixia wolf head patterns. They said viciously, "Today, we will make you and your husband pay the price for Qu Yanzhong!"

The secret door of the mourning hall suddenly opened. Shi Feiyang, with Qu Feiyan in his arms, spun around to avoid the poisoned crossbows. His Xuan Shuang Blade drew sparks on the stone wall of the secret passage. He instructed, "Madam, guard the left side. These are the assassins of the Western Xia 'Black Mountain Guard'."

His "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Mountain Splitting" unleashed a blade strike that cleaved three assassins in two, their entrails and fragments of Western Xia scimitars splattering onto Qu Feiyan's skirt. Qu Feiyan wielded her Sacred Flame Token like a crimson dragon emerging from the sea, her "Three Sacred Flame Techniques: Wildfire" incinerating the poisonous smoke. She then warned, "Husband, their scimitars have been fed with 'Blood Silkworm Gu'!"

Protected by the ice shield of his Natural Jade Skill, Shi Feiyang swung his sword wildly while his gaze fell on the mural behind the hidden door—a lineage chart of the successive leaders of the Sun Moon Sect. Qu Yanzhong's portrait had been altered using Western Xia script. He whispered, "Madam, look at the cinnabar seal on the mural; it's newly applied." Suddenly, he unleashed his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill," a crystalline light flowing through his palm. The silvery-white silk-like threads formed by his true energy pierced Dongfang Liang's brow as he roared, "Tell me, where is my father-in-law's Sacred Flame Token?"

Dongfang Liang's body suddenly swelled up, like an inflated sack, and he said coldly, "You think... the Soul-Seizing Technique has no backlash?" Countless blood lines bulged under his skin, which were the forbidden techniques of the Western Xia "Blood River Secret Manual." He added viciously, "Even if I die, I will take you all with me!"

Before she could finish speaking, her body exploded in front of Shi Feiyang, blood and Gu worms raining down on the stone walls of the secret passage with a sickening sizzling sound. Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token quickly erected a wall of fire, burning the Gu worms to ashes, and warned, "Husband, be careful!"

She suddenly noticed a crack appearing in the Mingyu Gong light shield on Shi Feiyang's chest. She immediately used her body to block the Black Mountain Guard commander who was attacking from behind. The Sacred Flame Token forcefully blocked the opponent's wolf-headed blade, and a bloody gash appeared on her shoulder and neck.

Shi Feiyang cried out in a trembling voice, "Qu'er, be careful!" He hurriedly unleashed the "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill, and the attackers immediately coughed up blood. Their bodies withered instantly, collapsing to the ground like shriveled sacks. Shi Feiyang caught Qu Feiyan's waist and noticed that her Sacred Flame Token mark was rapidly fading. He couldn't help but ask in a trembling voice, "Madam, your life-bound mark..."

Qu Feiyan forced a smile, her fingertips tracing his cheek as she comforted him, "Don't worry, I've only temporarily lost the power to recognize the Holy Flame Token as my master."

She suddenly pointed to the hidden compartment in the mural and said excitedly, "Father's Sacred Flame Token is there, I can feel its call..."

The Sacred Flame Token in the hidden compartment glowed faintly red. Just as Shi Feiyang was about to touch it, he suddenly heard the sound of a mechanism above his head.

Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token deflected three crossbow bolts in time, then warned, "Husband, this is the Western Xia's 'Chain-Bone-Piercing Crossbow,' the mechanism is located in the twelve constellations of the dome!" She suddenly remembered her father's dying words: "The secret star map of the Sun Moon Cult corresponds to the twelve stages of the Sacred Flame Token's fire..."

Shi Feiyang's crystal eyes suddenly lit up. The icy light of Mingyu Gong and the crimson flames of the Sacred Flame Token collided in the air, actually reflecting a star map on the dome, prompting: "Madam, use the 'Sacred Flame Chasing Star Step' to step on the Tianji position!"

He used the mysterious lightness skill of "hiding his body and name", and the Xuan Shuang Blade tapped the twelve constellations in succession, causing the crossbow gears to crack under the strain.

The sound of chains dragging on the ground came from deep within the secret passage, as the "Iron Corpse General" of Western Xia led twelve puppets to attack.

These iron corpses were covered in black armor, with their joints wrapped in spells of Western Xia witchcraft. Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade only left white marks when it struck them. He said urgently, "Madam, use Crimson Flame to burn the spell marks on their hearts!"

Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token transformed into twelve crimson flames, darting into the hearts of the iron corpses like serpents. She cried out in alarm, "Husband, their hearts have been replaced by voodoo incantations!" Her voice choked with emotion, yet she still precisely burned each incantation mark, warning, "Father once said that the Iron Corpse Technique of Xixia can only be broken by destroying the incantations..."

Shi Feiyang's "Hundred Victories Blade Technique - Severing Reincarnation" suddenly changed its move, and his palm blade transformed into an ice blade, carving ice shards in the hearts of the iron corpses. The moment the crimson flames collided with the ice shards, the incantation emitted a piercing shriek, and the twelve iron corpses fell to the ground at the same time, the incantations in their hearts being burned to ashes.

Qu Feiyan suddenly noticed the token on Tie Shi's waist, which was engraved with the wolf head pattern of "Western Xia Privy Council" and reminded him, "Husband, Li Yuanhao has indeed interfered in the Central Plains martial arts world. He wants to use the Holy Flame Token mental cultivation method of the Sun Moon Divine Sect to cultivate the 'Blood River Burning Heaven Technique'!"

She suddenly grasped Shi Feiyang's hand, placed the Sacred Flame Token into his palm, and said with concern, "Take it to find Father's old friend. I feel the power of the Sacred Flame Token is draining away!"

Shi Feiyang enveloped her hand in his palm, the icy chill of Mingyu Gong and the fiery heat of the Sacred Flame Token mingling in his palm. He said warmly, "Don't talk nonsense, let's go find it together." He suddenly lowered his head and pressed a chilly kiss to her forehead, saying affectionately, "Do you remember what we said in Bianliang City? No matter where we are, we will go together."

The mist over Blackwood Cliff gradually dissipated, and Shi Feiyang, carrying Qu Feiyan, embarked on his journey to find the truth. Her head rested on his shoulder, listening to his steady heartbeat, and she suddenly felt that even if the road ahead was fraught with danger, as long as he was there, she feared nothing. Three days later, atop Helan Mountain, the Black Water Banner of Western Xia fluttered in the wind. Li Yuanhao appeared atop the stone tower, holding the fragment of the Sacred Flame Token he had seized from the eastern dawn, and said mockingly, "Shi Feiyang, you've finally come."

His eyes were bloodshot, a sign of demonic possession during the cultivation of the "Blood River Burning Heaven Technique." Shi Feiyang settled Qu Feiyan in a sheltered spot, the Xuan Shuang Blade gleaming coldly in his palm. He said sternly, "Li Yuanhao, do you think you can control the Sun Moon Divine Sect with just a fragment of the Sacred Flame Token?" He suddenly used "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to redirect the palm strike from the opponent's palm towards the stone building's pillar, and roared, "The true Sacred Flame Token recognizes its master never through bloodshed."

Li Yuanhao's maniacal laughter shook the snow off the mountaintop as he quipped, "Recognize a master? Qu Yanzhong's natal Sacred Flame Token has been destroyed. Now, the Sun Moon Divine Cult is the only one that reigns supreme!" His palm suddenly swelled up like a bull's head, which was the forbidden technique of Western Xia, "Blood River Great Handprint."

Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token suddenly became hot in her arms. Ignoring her injuries, she rushed forward and said urgently, "Husband, his weakness is the Sacred Flame Remnant between his eyebrows!" The crimson flames of the Sacred Flame Token intertwined with Shi Feiyang's icy light, drawing a red and blue band of light between heaven and earth.

Shi Feiyang's "Hundred Victories Blade Technique - Breaking Heaven and Earth" collided with Li Yuanhao's "Blood River Great Handprint," and the shockwave shattered the twelve totem poles of the stone building. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang saw Qu Feiyan's Sacred Flame Token mark light up again, knowing that she had forcibly activated her innate power, and hurriedly advised, "Madam, retreat to the Big Dipper position!" Qu Feiyan gritted her teeth and did as she was told, and the Sacred Flame Token drew the "Nine Heaven-Burning Techniques" in the Big Dipper position, and the crimson flames actually formed an ice-fire tai chi with Shi Feiyang's ice shards.

The moment Li Yuanhao's palm touched the center of the Tai Chi symbol, he let out a shrill scream as the remnant of the Sacred Flame between his brows was burned to ashes: "Impossible... How could the Sacred Flame Token recognize you..." Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade was pressed against the other's throat, his glassy eyes flashing with cold light as he instructed, "Because true recognition of a master is the harmony between hearts." Li Yuanhao suddenly flicked out a few beads of blood, and Shi Feiyang dodged to the side, but Li Yuanhao used the opportunity to escape.

Shi Feiyang wanted to give chase, but suddenly heard Qu Feiyan's footsteps. Knowing that she could no longer hold on, he said with concern, "Madam, leave the rest to me." Qu Feiyan leaned against the stone pillar, looking at Shi Feiyang, and suddenly felt that his silver hair was more dazzling than the crimson flames of the Sacred Flame Token in the sunlight.

She nodded, and Shi Feiyang carried Qu Feiyan on his back, using his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to fly back to Blackwood Cliff.

The cheers of the Sun Moon Sect disciples instantly resounded throughout the heavens and earth: "Having fought a hundred battles in the yellow sands, clad in golden armor, Shi Lang's ingenious plan brings peace to the land!"

Qu Feiyan suddenly chuckled. Even though there were countless challenges ahead, as long as she could look at her husband Shi Feiyang like this, she felt that life was worthwhile.

The mist over Blackwood Cliff dissipated in the morning light. Shi Feiyang carried Qu Feiyan across the bluestone slabs. The icy light of the Xuan Shuang Blade and the crimson flames of her Sacred Flame Token reflected each other, casting intertwined shadows on the stone wall.

The thirty-six elders knelt outside the Sacred Flame Hall, their robes fluttering in the mountain wind. The leading elder of the Punishment Hall touched his forehead to the ground, his voice trembling as he said, "Miss Qu, the evidence of Dongfang Liang's collusion with Xixia is right here. We were blind..."

Qu Feiyan lay on Shi Feiyang's back, her fingertips gently stroking the ice silk ribbon around his neck, feeling the Mingyu True Qi surging beneath his skin. She whispered, "Husband, put me down." Her voice was weary, but it suddenly became clear when she met the elders' gazes, and she said loudly, "Father once said that the Sacred Flame Token illuminates people's hearts, not positions of power."

Shi Feiyang gently put her down, his crystal-clear eyes sweeping over the wolf-head tokens of the Xia Kingdom scattered on the ground, and questioned, "Do the elders know that the curse marks on these tokens were refined by Dongfang Liang using the blood of your thirty-six brothers?"

He suddenly raised his hand, activated the Heavenly Silkworm Technique, and a crystalline light flowed through his palm. The Heavenly Silkworm Silver Threads formed by his true energy wrapped around the three elder corpses. He then explained, "Why did the Holy Fire Birthmarks on their chests disappear? Because Dongfang Liang used the Western Xia's 'Blood River Secret Manual' to extract their life essence."

The elder of the Punishment Hall looked up and saw the faint red marks on the chests of the three corpses, almost invisible. He suddenly kowtowed heavily, saying with complete submission, "Sect Leader Qu, you are wise! We are willing to appoint Miss Qu as the new Holy Flame Commander and follow you for life!"

The other elders echoed, their foreheads slapping against the bluestone slabs until they bled. Qu Feiyan gazed at her father's portrait, the Sacred Flame Token burning in her palm, and solemnly declared, "I may succeed as sect leader, but with three conditions: First, abolish the 'Blackwood Cliff Blood Sacrifice'; second, the Sacred Flame Token must no longer be used to practice the 'Heart-Burning Technique'; third..."

She suddenly touched her lower abdomen, where there was no obvious bulge yet, and said more solemnly, "All disciples of my Sun Moon Divine Sect are forbidden from colluding with the Blackwater Tribe of Western Xia." Shi Feiyang stood behind her, watching her slender shoulders suddenly take on the majesty of a sect leader, feeling both proud and heartbroken.

Three days later, at dawn, Shi Feiyang was sharpening his sword at the Star Gazing Platform, the Xuan Shuang Blade gleaming coldly in his palm.

Qu Feiyan came over carrying a pouch of ice silk that she had embroidered all night. The pouch was embroidered with twin lotus flowers in red thread, and every stitch was pierced by her fingertips. She said warmly, "Husband, this is woven with the red flame of the Sacred Fire Token and the bright jade ice silk. It can protect you from the cold poison in the Western Xia Ice Plains."

Shi Feiyang took the brocade pouch and touched the warm jade inside—it was the one she had taken off her wrist. He said with concern, "Silly girl, you're pregnant, you should rest more." He suddenly lowered his head and placed a light kiss on her forehead, then promised, "Once I find out about Li Yuanhao's 'Blood River Burning Heaven Formation,' I'll come back to see the snow on Blackwood Cliff with you."

Tears welled in Qu Feiyan's eyes, but she stubbornly smiled and said, "I'm not worried. You're someone who can move freely in the Liao Kingdom's Iron Forest Formation." She suddenly grabbed his hand and pressed it to her lower abdomen, saying shyly, "Listen, the little guy seems to know his father is leaving; he's kicking me." Shi Feiyang withdrew his hand as if electrocuted, his glassy eyes rippling, and he teased, "If it really is a boy, I'll teach him the Sacred Flame Token and the Bright Jade Skill, with flame in his left hand and ice in his right." He suddenly saw the Beggar Clan's Green Bamboo Token swaying at the foot of the mountain, knowing that Li Hao was urging him, so he added, "Remember, practice your internal energy at three-quarters past dawn every day, and don't let the Sacred Flame Token's crimson flames burn the fetus."

Qu Feiyan watched his retreating figure as he turned away. Suddenly, the crimson flames of the Sacred Flame Token intertwined with his icy light, drawing a rainbow bridge in the morning mist. She knew how dangerous this parting would be, but she also knew that he bore the safety of the entire martial world and the future of the Tang Dynasty on his shoulders.

The shifting sands of the Helan Mountains churned beneath his feet. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang's black steed, Ta Xue Wu Zhui, neighed, its forehooves sinking into the soft sand. He rolled to the ground, his glassy eyes scanning the faintly visible blue bricks among the dunes. In a crack in the wall was half a brick with a wolf's head pattern, exactly the same as the mark on Li Yuanhao's troop deployment token.

Suddenly, the ice silkworm in his sleeve stirred, spitting out translucent silk threads pointing southeast. Shi Feiyang followed the silk threads, and suddenly the sound of mechanisms turning came from beneath the sand. Twelve bronze beast heads burst from the ground, their eyes gleaming with eerie blue flames—it was the ultimate martial art of the Western Xia, "Burning Sky Mechanical Beasts."

"What a magnificent tomb-guarding beast!" Shi Feiyang exclaimed. The Xuan Shuang Blade spun in his palm, and the ice light collided with the firelight from the beast's head, reflecting a star map on the sand. He murmured, "The Greedy Wolf Star is in the left eye." He used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill to direct the flames spewed from the beast's head toward his companion. The bronze beast's head collapsed with a crash in the clash of fire and ice, revealing the stone door below.

The stone door was inscribed with a Western Xia proverb: "To break the Blood River, first sacrifice the Ice Silkworm." Shi Feiyang placed the Ice Silkworm in his palm, and its body suddenly emitted a blue light, fitting perfectly into the groove in the center of the door. The moment the stone door opened, sandstorm rushed in, revealing a jade platform in the center of the secret chamber. On the platform lay a dried-out body, clutching a secret scroll of sheepskin.

The Xixia script on the secret scroll appeared in the light of the ice silkworm, recording the fatal flaw of Li Yuanhao's cultivation of the "Blood River Burning Heaven Technique" - it requires the sacrifice of living souls every month, and the core of the sacrificial array, the "Blood River Heart Lamp", was made from the fragment of Qu Yanzhong's natal sacred fire token.

Shi Feiyang's fingertips traced the sheepskin when he suddenly heard a shrill whistle overhead. Seventeen red threads pierced through the sand—the Soul-Chasing Nails of the Western Xia's "Bloody Hand Butcher." "Well done!" he roared, spinning to avoid them. He activated his Heavenly Silkworm Technique, a crystalline light flowing through his palm. The ice silkworm threads formed by his true energy coiled up the fragments of the bronze beast head, and then he used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill to send the Soul-Chasing Nails flying back.

A muffled groan came from behind the sand dune, and an elderly man dressed in Western Xia official robes staggered out, wearing a wolf-head token identical to that of Dongfang Liang.

"You are the last high priest of the Blackwater Tribe." Shi Feiyang coldly questioned, his glassy eyes reflecting the other's terrified face, and then said grimly, "Back then, you used the blood of thirty-six disciples of the Sun Moon Cult to refine the Iron Corpse. Now it's your turn to taste the 'Evil Blood Calamity'."

He lightly touched the other man's brow with his fingertip, and the old man immediately vomited blood, his body withered instantly, turning into a dried corpse, and half of an ice silkworm jade pendant fell out of his arms.

The patterns in the center of the jade pendant match the dense scroll pattern.

Shi Feiyang suddenly remembered that Qu Feiyan had said that her father had seen similar patterns in the Western Xia Palace.

He fused the jade pendant with the ice silkworm, and suddenly ice flames lit up in the four corners of the secret room, reflecting the murals on the walls—Li Yuanhao was embedding a fragment of the Sacred Flame Token into the Heart Lamp, and the Heart Lamp's cover was the wolf head mark on his chest.

On the seventh day after leaving the Lost City, Shi Feiyang was attacked by the Western Xia "Fire Silkworm Gu" in the Haloxylon ammodendron forest.

The pupils of the thirty-seven assassins glowed with crimson flames; they were living corpses hastily cultivated using Li Yuanhao's Blood River Secret Manual. Their weapons were wrapped in burning cocoons, and within the flames lay tiny fire silkworms that would burrow into the meridians upon contact with blood.

"If Madam were here, she would surely use the Sacred Flame Token to burn these evil creatures." Shi Feiyang chuckled. With the Bright Jade Skill activated, his skin became as transparent as an ice shield, instantly killing any fire silkworms that touched it. He unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique: Gazing at the Vast Ocean," his palm wind whipping up quicksand, trapping the living corpses in the sandstorm. Taking advantage of the moment, the Frost Blade pierced the curse seals on their hearts. Suddenly, the sound of a zither came from behind the sand dunes. The seven strings of the zither surprisingly corresponded to the location of the Blood River Formation.

Shi Feiyang followed the sound and saw a beautiful woman in white sitting under a poplar tree, with a half-burnt zither on her lap. She was none other than Börte, the Uyghur princess whose tribe had been wiped out by the Western Xia a few years ago.

"As expected, Master Shi has arrived." Her fingertips traced the scorched zither, and she said sadly, "This 'Heart-Burning Zither' was originally Li Yuanhao's greatest threat, but alas..."

When Shi Feiyang saw the red mark of the Sacred Flame Token on her wrist, he suddenly understood and analyzed, "You cultivated the 'Sacred Flame Heart-Burning Technique' of the Sun Moon Divine Sect, but your heart meridian was polluted by Li Yuanhao's blood."

Börte smiled sadly and said, "He used my Uyghur blood to refine the Heart Lamp. Now only your Ice Silkworm can purify the fragments of the Sacred Flame Token..." Before she finished speaking, the seven-stringed zither suddenly snapped, and seventeen streams of blood gushed out from her seven orifices—Li Yuanhao's "Blood River Sensation" had arrived.

"Bang!" Börte fell to the ground, her fate unknown.

The campfire in the saxaul forest crackled as Shi Feiyang laid Börte flat on the camel hair felt and pressed his fingertips against her chest at the Tanzhong acupoint.

The "Primordial True Qi" flowed into her body like a gentle stream, the icy blue energy coursing through her meridians. Wherever it passed, the charred blood vessels eroded by the Fire Silkworm Gu gradually regained their reddish hue. Börte's eyelashes trembled slightly, a faint groan escaped her throat, and the black blood at the corner of her lips gradually faded.

"Bear with it." Shi Feiyang's voice was deep and magnetic. With his other hand, he opened the medicine pouch at his waist, and the amber-colored "Shao Huan Dan" rolled in his palm, mingling with the bitter scent of the "Bi Ling Dan". He flicked his finger, and the pill landed precisely between her half-open lips. Then he took the sheepskin pouch and fed her drops of melted Tian Shan snow lotus water.

The snow lotus water, carrying an extremely cold aura, intertwined with the primordial energy within her body. Börte suddenly coughed violently, and among the blood and foam she coughed up were three fire silkworm corpses, each the size of a grain of rice, charred black as charcoal.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Feiyang intensified her output of true energy. The icy blue energy suddenly surged, and a thin layer of frost condensed on her chest. Within the frost, faint golden veins could be seen pulsating—a sign of her heart's recovery.

After an unknown amount of time, Börte's eyelids finally opened slightly. The red glow of the campfire entered her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Shi Feiyang's transparent, jade-like fingertips, gleaming with an icy blue light, pressed against her heart; further up, were his crystal-clear eyes beneath his silver hair, reflecting the dancing flames. Although he looked only eighteen years old, his eyes were as deep as an ancient well, concealing endless vicissitudes.

"Water..." Her voice was hoarse like a broken gong. Shi Feiyang immediately brought the snow lotus water to her lips. The sweet liquid slid down her throat, carrying a refreshing herbal fragrance. Only then did she see that the cuffs of his moon-white robe were soaked with her blood, but he still maintained his posture of practicing his internal energy. The Xuan Shuang Blade wrapped in ice silk on the cuffs was trembling slightly with his breath.

“You…” Börte’s gaze fell on his face, and she suddenly froze. The desert wind tousled his silver hair, with a few strands clinging to his smooth forehead, making his jawline appear even sharper; yet the tenderness in his eyes was warmer than the mutton-fat jade treasured by the Uyghur royal family, as he stared intently at her pulse points, checking for signs of the flow of true qi.

Shi Feiyang said softly, "The Fire Silkworm Gu has been forced out more than half." He withdrew his hand, and the icy blue true energy in his palm gradually dissipated. He then explained, "However, your heart meridian is damaged, and you must use the 'Soul Gathering Pill' to stabilize your foundation." He took out a pill the size of a pigeon egg. The pill shimmered with a mother-of-pearl-like luster. It was a miraculous medicine made from century-old wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain and the saliva of the Ice Silkworm.

Suddenly, Börte gripped his wrist tightly. The moment her fingertips touched his skin, she was startled and withdrew her hand—his skin was as cold as jade, yet it faintly exuded warmth. This was a strange phenomenon caused by the fusion of Mingyu Gong and Hongmeng Zhenqi.

"You...you are so young, yet you possess such profound internal strength..." Her voice was filled with disbelief and admiration as she said, "Even the first warrior of my Uyghur tribe, who cultivates the 'Burning Heart Technique,' is far less proficient than you."

Shi Feiyang gently placed the Soul Gathering Pill in her palm and said with a smile, "It was just good luck that I had a chance encounter." He turned to add firewood, and the firelight cast a flickering shadow on his profile. His silver hair was illuminated by the firelight and turned golden-red, even more dazzling than the desert sunset.

As Börte watched his retreating figure, she suddenly remembered what the elders of her tribe had once said: "The men of the Central Plains are gentle and refined, but they lack the fierceness of the men of the grasslands; but if someone possesses both, he will surely be an extraordinary genius."

"Benefactor, are you really Shi Feiyang? I seem to have heard your name since I was a child. How come you still look eighteen years old?" Börte's voice was a little lower as her fingertips unconsciously stroked the patterns on the Soul Gathering Pill.

As the campfire crackled, she heard her heart pounding even faster than when she was forcing the Gu poison into her body, and her cheeks gradually grew hot in the firelight.

"Shi Feiyang. I am indeed Shi Feiyang! My ex-wife is Empress Dowager Ling Shuangyue of the Great Tang Dynasty, my second wife is Zheng Lingyi, the new Palace Master of Yihua Palace, Dilirena, who just gave birth to my infant son, married me three years ago, and my current wife is Qu Feiyan, the leader of the Sun Moon Sect!" To prove that he was indeed Shi Feiyang, Shi Feiyang listed several of his wives. These wives were not only beautiful, but also renowned for their chivalry, and he believed that Börte had heard of them or even seen them. He was very frank. When he turned around, his glassy eyes reflected her embarrassment. Suddenly, he took out a dried flatbread from his bag and said with concern, "Eat something first. You are still very weak."

The flatbread still bore teeth marks, clearly indicating that he had eaten half of it himself, and emitted a faint aroma of wheat. Börte's hand trembled slightly as she took the flatbread, and the moment she took a bite, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Since the Uyghurs were wiped out, she hid in the desert for seven years, witnessing the brutality of the Western Xia soldiers and the cunning of the martial arts world. No one had ever handed her half-eaten food, let alone used such a precious elixir to save a complete stranger, a princess of a fallen kingdom.

“Young Master Shi…” she suddenly looked up, her voice choked with emotion, her gaze meeting his smiling eyes. She hurriedly lowered her head, stammering, “Your…your hair, why is it silver? Like the snow on the peaks of Helan Mountain.” (End of Chapter)