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

Su Xiaoman's golden dart suddenly pointed towards the stairwell, where twelve Tibetan blood-sword monks were coming up carrying bronze bowls, the blood in the bowls gleaming a dark purple in the lamplight.

"Little nun," her red robes fluttered in the lamplight, her voice both playful and sorrowful, "you mustn't die, or who will sabotage Princess Zhao for me?"

On a painted boat at Qujiang Pool, Zhao Qingyi's imperial carriage was stopped by the daughter of the Tibetan king. The daughter's gilded comb was pressed against Zhao Qingyi's throat, the "Hehuan San" (a type of aphrodisiac) wrapped between the comb teeth emitting a sweet fragrance. "Princess of Song," she said, her nails painted with nail polish, her smile more radiant than the fireworks outside the building, yet she threatened, "If you can persuade Shi Feiyang to submit to Tibet, the prosperity of Chang'an can remain for a few more days."

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword suddenly slid out from her sleeve, the red silk tassel of the sword wrapping around the other person's wrist. The killing intent in her phoenix eyes was sharper than a knife. She cursed, "Tibetan barbarian woman!" The hem of her palace dress swept across the railing of the painted boat, revealing the fuse of the explosives hidden inside. She then said mockingly, "Do you think this little trick can compare to the treacherous minister of Western Xia?"

The pleasure boat suddenly rocked violently, and Su Xiaoman's golden darts rained down, the oil sacks attached to their tips exploding in mid-air. Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade burst through the window, its blade energy slicing through the oncoming blood-stained blade, its skillful "shifting of flowers and jade" causing the Tibetan warriors' weapons to clash against each other. "Little girl," he exclaimed, his black hair gleaming in the firelight, "your 'fire attack' is more effective than Zhao Qingyi's imperial guards."

Su Xiaoman's red dress suddenly wrapped around Shi Feiyang's dragon robe, and the barb of her golden dart held a secret letter torn from the body of the Tibetan king's daughter. "Pretty boy," she teased, her dimples filled with cigarette ash, "Duan Zhengchun's men are outside the city, saying they want to 'share Hexi' with you. Will you agree?"

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms" technique, specifically the "Regretful Dragon" move, sending the remaining Tibetan warriors flying with the force of his palm strike.

He looked at the unconscious Ling Shuanghua in his arms, then at the furious Zhao Qingyi, and suddenly noticed that there was still a strand of his hair wrapped around Su Xiaoman's golden dart—it must have been deliberately torn off when she was wrapping the dragon robe earlier.

As dawn approached in Chang'an, most of the lanterns at Qujiang Pool had already gone out.

Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe was draped over the railing of the painted boat, its gold powder stained black with blood. Zhao Qingyi was using her phoenix hairpin to pry open the wound on his arm, where the marks of the Gu worm bites still remained. Her tears dripped onto the wound, burning his heart.

Her voice trembled with tears, yet still carried an undeniable pride as she said, "Feiyang, your Tang Kingdom is too small. You, the emperor, are not even as powerful as a governor of our Song Kingdom. Come back to Bianliang with me, and I will have my father appoint you as the Grand Marshal of the Army. Together, we will protect this land."

Ling Shuanghua's plain white robe gleamed in the morning light. She had just used her last bit of inner strength to expel the remaining poison from Shi Feiyang; her face was as white as paper, yet she said with difficulty, "Young Master Shi, I have already carved the 'Map of the Tibetan Secret Passage' on the deck. 'The grottoes in the Hexi Corridor hold the secret agreement between Western Xia and Dali. If you… if you wish to unify the world, this might be useful.'"

Suddenly, Su Xiaoman's red dress slid down from the mast, a golden dart carrying a wine gourd landing with a thud in front of Shi Feiyang. Her dimples shone with morning light as she earnestly said, "Pretty boy, my Golden Wing Alliance has 100,000 brothers in the Northern Desert. If you want to fight the Liao Kingdom, I'll help you!"

Shi Feiyang gazed at the walls of Chang'an, where the banners of the "New Tang Dynasty" fluttered in the morning breeze. He suddenly recalled Zhao Qingyi's tearful eyes on the Rainbow Bridge in Bianliang; Ling Shuanghua's white monk's robes in the morning mist of Xiangguo Temple; and Su Xiaoman's red-clad figure amidst the sandstorms of Hexi. With a barely perceptible tenderness, he said, "Do you know what the most tiring thing about being an emperor is?" Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword, Ling Shuanghua's Emei dagger, and Su Xiaoman's golden dart all pointed in different directions—Zhao Qingyi gazed at the palace, Ling Shuanghua at Hexi, and Su Xiaoman at the northern desert.

Shi Feiyang suddenly smiled, his long hair gleaming in the morning light, the silver earring in his left ear dazzling. The soft sound of the Xuan Shuang Blade returning to its sheath seemed to mark the end of the Lantern Festival. He said thoughtfully, "In the end, we must protect this world together." The morning light pierced through the city walls of Chang'an, casting long shadows of the four of them, like an unfinished painting. Shi Feiyang decided to launch a northern expedition to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. The court assembly was to be held in Chang'an, and Qu Cheng was instructed to inform all civil and military officials to come to Chang'an.

……

A few days later, the court assembly in Chang'an was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and solemnity. Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe left shallow marks on the golden bricks of the Zichen Hall, and the ice silkworm jade at his waist collided with the Imperial Seal of the State, making a sound like striking a chime.

His long hair was tied up meticulously with a bright yellow ribbon, but the silver earring on his left ear was deliberately exposed. This appearance caught the eye of the newly appointed Jinshi, and a Hanlin scholar blushed and handed him a poem, which read, "I wish to become a willow by the palace wall, so that I may always brush against the face of the beautiful woman."

The Minister of Revenue's memorial trembled in his hands as he said nervously, "Your Majesty, Liang Tiandu, the Prime Minister of Western Xia, has sent an envoy to propose marriage, saying that he is willing to offer the Hexi Corridor as a dowry and take you as his son-in-law!" His gaze swept over Shi Feiyang's face, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a trembling voice, "The envoy also said that if Your Majesty personally goes to Xingqing Prefecture to preside over the wedding, Western Xia is willing to become a vassal state and pay tribute."

Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade trembled slightly in his sleeve, and the silver threads of his Heavenly Silkworm Technique quietly wrapped around his jade belt. He suddenly chuckled, his long hair falling down to cover half his face, and said slyly, "Liang Tiandu has quite the plan. He wants to see for himself whether my face is worthy of being his 'brother-in-law'."

Suddenly, the sound of shattering porcelain echoed from below the steps. Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword shattered the Western Xia state document on the table, and the red silk tassel of the sword tang clung to Shi Feiyang's dragon robe. Her phoenix eyes blazed red as she angrily declared, "Feiyang, this is clearly an insult! I'll lead the Imperial Guards to raze Xingqing Prefecture to the ground right now!"

Shi Feiyang lightly used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill to deflect the sword's momentum, and the cold air in his palm froze the scattered paper scraps into ice. He said jokingly, "Qingyi, do you know what kind of evil skill Liang Tiandu's daughter practices? His marriage proposal is a pretense; he really wants to take the opportunity to absorb my inner strength."

Zhao Qingyi's face flushed instantly. She slammed the Ding Song sword back into its sheath and said worriedly, "I still can't let you go! Last time at Taibai Tower, those Tibetan bald monks looked at you like hungry wolves eyeing a piece of fat meat. Do you think I didn't see it?"

The sound of a golden dart piercing the air came from outside the hall. Su Xiaoman, dressed in red, shot into the hall like an arrow. A portrait was hanging from the barb of the golden dart. The portrait depicted Shi Feiyang, dressed in white, just like the one that was stolen and painted by the painter at the night market in Bianliang last year.

Her dimples held a playful glint as she teased, "Pretty boy, Liang Tiandu's daughter says she'll give you the Western Xia's defense map if you just want to see him once. Are you going?" Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, "Of course I'll go! Why wouldn't I? If there's a beautiful woman to see, I'll definitely go."

He then instructed Qu Cheng to host a banquet for all civil and military officials on his behalf, and Li Ji to host a banquet for Zhao Qingyi, Su Xiaoman, and Ling Shuanghua. He also instructed Li Tieniu to lead the Beggars' Sect's Imperial Guards in disguise to the north to gather intelligence on the Liao Kingdom, and Li Wang and Lu Feng to convey his decree to secretly mobilize troops from various regions in preparation for the Northern Expedition.

Then, accompanied by several attendants, he, Zhao Qingyi, Ling Shuanghua, and Su Xiaoman traveled to Xingqing Prefecture. Shi Feiyang's trip to Xingqing Prefecture before launching the war served to lull the surrounding states into a false sense of security, especially the Liao Kingdom.

However, Shi Feiyang did not tell anyone about this strategic significance in order to avoid leaking the secret.

……

A hundred sheepskin lanterns hung on the city gate of Xingqing Prefecture, each painted with a "dragon and phoenix" motif. Shi Feiyang's moon-white brocade robe gleamed in the lamplight, and the silver earring on his left ear made the Western Xia warriors dizzy. Some even forgot to check their travel documents and stared blankly at his face.

Su Xiaoman reminded him, "Pretty boy, look at the beauty on that city tower." Her golden dart spun rapidly in her hand, the tip of which held a string of candied hawthorns. She teased, "Liang Tiandu's daughter is up there. It's said that she didn't sleep for three days and drew a hundred portraits of you in order to see you."

Shi Feiyang's "golden eyes" swept across the shadows of the city tower. Twelve women in black were surrounding a beautiful woman in green. Their nails were painted with nail polish, and the hairpins in their hair shimmered with a ghostly blue—they were the "Rotting Bone Hairpins" from the Western Xia First-Class Hall.

He also joked, "Little girl, do you think Liang Tian would die of anger on the spot if I ruined this face?"

Su Xiaoman's golden dart suddenly shot out, grazing Shi Feiyang's ear and embedding itself in the hem of the green-clad beauty's skirt. She then feigned anxiety and said, "No, I want to see if she goes crazy on the spot when she sees you."

The green-clad beauty's gilded comb suddenly pointed at Shi Feiyang, the "Hehuan San" (a type of herbal medicine) wrapped between the comb teeth emitting a sweet fragrance.

“Young Master Shi is indeed worthy of his reputation,” she said, her voice softer than a sheepskin lamp, stammering as she promised, “As long as you stay in Xingqing Prefecture, this Hexi Corridor is yours, and I… I am yours too.”

Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, condensing the water vapor around him into ice lightning that exploded in the center of the city gate. The ice lightning struck the "Hehuan Powder," instantly freezing the poison powder, which crackled and shattered into ice shards scattered across the ground, mixed with the black-clad woman's severed limbs, creating a bloody path. His moon-white brocade robe fluttered in the icy mist as he coldly stated, "Miss Liang, I have no interest in 'tigresses'."

The group immediately turned around and rode straight towards the Hexi Corridor.

In the grottoes of the Hexi Corridor, the flying apsaras on the murals glow with an eerie red hue in the torchlight.

Shi Feiyang's moon-white brocade robe was stained with dust, and the Xuan Shuang Blade was stuck in the Buddha's palm, the blade reflecting the coldness in his eyes—Ling Shuanghua's plain white monk's robe was surrounded in a corner by three Tibetan blood-sword monks, her Emei daggers were broken in two, and black blood seeped from the wound on her left shoulder. The red-robed monk pointed his blood-stained blade at Ling Shuanghua's throat and cursed, "You surnamed Shi, as long as you are willing to disfigure yourself, this old monk will release this little nun." His skull prayer beads spun rapidly, and he added mockingly, "After all, your face is a scourge to the world."

Shi Feiyang's silver hair gleamed in the torchlight, and the silver earring in his left ear dazzled onlookers. Suddenly, his Heavenly Silkworm Technique caused his silver threads to surge, wrapping around the Blood Saber Monk's wrist as he angrily cursed, "Bald monk, do you know how much land in Hexi is worth to this face of mine?"

Ling Shuanghua's Nine Yang Skill suddenly erupted, her white robe billowing like a white lotus in the firelight, and she actually crashed head-on into the Blood Blade. She said urgently, "Young Master Shi, run! Their 'Blood River Formation' requires the blood of unmarried women to activate, I... I can hold them off!"

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" with both palms. The wind from his palms collided with the blood-stained blade, causing the stone cave to tremble. He looked at the black blood on Ling Shuanghua's shoulder and suddenly remembered the gentle touch of her fingertips on his long hair at Xiangguo Temple—there was someone in this world who was willing to give up her life to protect him.

Su Xiaoman's golden dart shot in like a meteor, its tip piercing a jar of kerosene. She teased, "This little nun is quite the romantic. Too bad, these bald monks aren't most afraid of the Nine Yang Skill, they're afraid of this!"

The moment the oil exploded in the cave, Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade cleaved open the throat of the last Blood Blade Monk.

He picked up the unconscious Ling Shuanghua, his moon-white brocade robe sweeping across the flying apsaras on the mural. Suddenly, black blood flowed from the eyes of those fairies, forming the characters "Xixia" on the ground—it turned out that Liang Tiandu had already set up the "Corpse Dissolution Array" here, just waiting for him to walk into the trap.

In order to save Ling Shuanghua, Shi Feiyang decided to return to Chang'an first.

The Mid-Autumn Moon over Chang'an resembled a piece of jade immersed in water. Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe draped over the city tower, the jade silkworm at his waist intertwined with Su Xiaoman's golden dart, Zhao Qingyi's sword tassel, and Ling Shuanghua's Emei dagger, gleaming strangely in the moonlight. Zhao Qingyi's fingertips traced the silver ring behind his ear as she whispered, "Feiyang, our New Party of the Great Song says you 'bewitched the country with your beauty' and wants to impeach you." Her phoenix eyes held worry, yet she still proudly declared, "I have already burned the impeachment memorial. Anyone who dares to speak ill of you again will face the wrath of the Song Dynasty."

Ling Shuanghua's plain white monk's robe shimmered in the moonlight. She had just used the Ice Heart Technique to expel the remaining poison from Shi Feiyang, and her face was as white as a sheet of paper.

Her Emei dagger was engraved with "Policy of Peace and Marriage" on the city bricks. She said truthfully, "The princess of Western Xia is actually a stand-in for Liang Tiandu. The real princess was sent to Liao as a hostage three years ago. You... you can use this to blackmail Liang Tiandu."

Suddenly, Su Xiaoman's red dress wrapped around Shi Feiyang's dragon robe, and a map of the Liao Kingdom was hanging from the barb of a golden dart. Her dimples were filled with moonlight as she teased, "Pretty boy, my brothers from the Golden Wing Alliance have discovered that Yelü Hongji's sister has a crush on you. As long as you write a 'love letter,' I guarantee the Liao Kingdom won't dare to invade our borders for three years." All the beauties, soldiers, and civil and military officials were amused and burst into laughter.

Looking at the myriad lights of Chang'an, Shi Feiyang suddenly realized: his face might be able to open doors, but what could truly guard them was the bone hidden beneath the skin. His voice echoed in the night wind, carrying an undeniable power, and he resolutely declared: "Issue my decree: tomorrow, we will march on Xingqing Prefecture. I want Liang Tiandu to see that my face can serve not only as a betrothal gift but also as a tombstone."

Moonlight filtered through Shi Feiyang's long hair, casting dappled shadows on his dragon robe, like scattered gold dust.

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword, Ling Shuanghua's Emei dagger, and Su Xiaoman's golden dart were raised simultaneously, drawing three bright streaks in the moonlight. The "New Tang Dynasty" banner below the city tower fluttered in the wind, like an unfinished song.

The following morning, the new Tang Dynasty's "100,000" soldiers marched out in a grand and imposing manner, shocking all the other nations. But in reality, Shi Feiyang personally led his elite cavalry north and west, aiming directly at the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun.

……

Outside Yanmen Pass, in the Liao camp, campfires stretched into a golden-red sea in the twilight.

Shi Feiyang's moon-white brocade robe was stained with grass clippings, and his Xuan Shuang Blade was slung diagonally behind his back. The ice silk on the scabbard was wrapped with a Liao soldier's braid—it was left behind when he disguised himself as a lost scholar and sneaked into the camp. The soldier saw his handsome appearance and insisted on becoming "brothers" with him.

Su Xiaoman's golden dart peeked through the gap in the tent, the tip of which was stuck on a piece of sheepskin. She teased, "Pretty boy, Yelü Hongji's sister is in the main camp. Her 'Soul-Capturing Technique' requires her beauty to activate, so you'd better be careful."

Shi Feiyang's fingertips traced the wolf-tooth flag outside the tent, the chill of Ming Yugong causing the flag's surface to freeze into a thin layer of ice. He suddenly chuckled, his silver hair falling down to cover half his face, and teased, "Little girl, do you think if I deliberately revealed a flaw, she would give me all of Liao's defense maps?"

The main tents were made of sheepskin embroidered with nine-clawed dragons. Yelü Hongji's sister, Yelü Yan, was applying makeup in front of a bronze mirror. Her silver hairpin, inlaid with a pigeon-blood ruby, made her features appear even more alluring. Her fingertips traced the reflection of Shi Feiyang in the mirror—a portrait drawn by a secret agent. She smiled and asked her maid, "I've heard that the new emperor of the Southern Dynasty is more handsome than any woman. Seeing him today, he truly is a rare beauty."

Shi Feiyang used the mysterious "Concealing One's Body and Name" movement technique to move along the tent wall, his moon-white brocade robe blending into the shadows.

A moment later, he deliberately knocked over a wine jar outside the tent. Amidst the angry shouts of the Liao soldiers, he turned around and "accidentally" revealed half of his fair neck, causing Yelü Yan's breathing to become erratic.

Yelü Yan suddenly pointed her silver hairpin at his throat, but the poisoned needle at the tip stopped an inch from his skin. She said mockingly, "Young master, you've been frightened. It would be a pity to injure such a handsome man."

Shi Feiyang's Heavenly Silkworm Technique subtly wrapped silver threads around her wrist, and the silver earring on her left ear dazzled the eye. He smiled and said, "Your Highness flatters me. Compared to Your Highness's beauty, I am but a firefly compared to the bright moon. Oh, by the way, I heard that Your Highness has a map of the northern desert defenses. May I borrow it to take a look?"

Yelü Yan's face flushed instantly, and her silver hairpin clattered to the ground. Her fingertips traced his silver ring, and she winked seductively, saying, "As long as you stay, young master, I can give you not only the defense map, but also the military power of this Liao camp." Suddenly, the sound of arrows rained down outside the tent, and Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword burst through the tent, its red tassel draped over Shi Feiyang's brocade robe.

Her phoenix eyes were bloodshot, and drops of blood from the sword blade dripped onto the tent carpet as she angrily shouted, "Shi Feiyang, how dare you seduce a Liao woman! I led the Imperial Guards to fight for three days and three nights, and you were here having your love affair!"

As soon as he finished speaking, shouts of battle erupted from both sides. Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe fluttered in the blizzard, and the ice silkworm jade at his waist clashed with Yelü Yan's pigeon blood ruby, producing a clear and melodious sound.

He used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill to float away and land in front of the two armies. His long hair was frozen into ice silk by the snow, but the silver ring on his left ear still dazzled people. When the Liao soldiers looked at his face, some of them put down their bows and arrows.

The Liao vanguard's spiked clubs, sinking three feet into the snow. The brains on his black iron armor froze into dark red ice shells. His ferocious face twisted in the north wind as he sneered, "You pretty boys from the Southern Dynasty, do you dare to fight me one-on-one? If you win, I'll let you pass through Yanmen Pass; if you lose, you'll stay and become my male concubines!"

Suddenly, his spiked club lifted up a Song soldier's corpse, its intestines freezing into yellow icicles in the cold wind. He then said mockingly, "Look at this flesh and blood, it does match your appearance."

Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade trembled slightly in his sleeve, his long hair was lifted by the north wind, revealing the icicle on the silver ring on his left ear, and he said coldly, "The Liao dogs have a worrying memory. Last year in Wild Wolf Valley, Yelü Hongji said the same thing, and now his wolf head banner is still hanging on the city wall of Luoyang."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already darted out like a ghost, using the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill in mid-air. He skillfully connected with the spiked club, and with a slight twist, the immense force was redirected and smashed into the vanguard's own chest.

The black iron armor dented with a clang, and the vanguard's spray of blood bloomed like red plum blossoms in the snow, with bone fragments mixed with internal organs squeezing out from the cracks in the armor. He stared at Shi Feiyang's handsome face, his contempt turning to fear, a hoarse sound rising in his throat as he murmured, "So...so, you...you weren't just a pretty face..."

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword suddenly pointed at the Liao army formation, its red tassel swirling like flames around Shi Feiyang's dragon robe. Her black armor gleamed coldly in the morning sun. Seizing the opportunity, she roared excitedly, "Song warriors, follow me and kill!"

The Imperial Guards' spears formed an iron wall, crashing into the Liao soldiers' mace formation. The dull thuds of spear tips piercing flesh mingled with the cracking of bones, instantly piling up mountains of corpses in the snow. Zhao Qingyi exclaimed excitedly, "Feiyang, I knew you could do it!" Her Ding Song sword cleaved the heads of three Liao soldiers, their brains splattering on her face.

She suddenly noticed a piece of armor stuck to Shi Feiyang's silver hair. Just as she reached out to brush it away, a Liao Kingdom arrow grazed past her ear and landed on the back of Shi Feiyang's dragon robe—but it was blocked by the Ice Silkworm Jade.

Ling Shuanghua's plain white robe fluttered in the snow mist, and an Emei dagger pierced the throat of a Liao Kingdom envoy. The secret letter in the man's arms fell to the ground, and the three characters "Wan Gu Zhen" written in Xixia script were soaked in blood.

Her fingertips were bluish-black, clearly indicating she had been poisoned by a Gu poison, yet she still gritted her teeth and said, "Young Master Shi, the antidote is in my sleeve... This technique requires the essence of a living person to activate, you... you must be very careful." After saying this, she fainted on the ground. The female disciples of the Emei Sect rushed over, picked up Ling Shuanghua, and took her back to the camp for treatment.

Su Xiaoman's red dress swept across the Liao army formation like a raging fire, and a silver hairpin inlaid with jewels hung from the barb of her golden dart, the pigeon blood ruby ​​on it glistening with snowflakes.

Suddenly, she leaped onto a stray warhorse, her golden dart piercing the eyes of a Liao soldier. Even amidst the fierce fighting, she chuckled, "Pretty boy, isn't Yelü Yan's silver hairpin beautiful? That woman says if you'd take her as a concubine, the Liao Kingdom would pay tribute every year. What do you say?"

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, and the snowflakes around him instantly condensed into ice thunder, which exploded in the Liao army formation.

His Xuan Shuang Blade cleaved through the oncoming poisonous Gu, and his Ice Silkworm Silk wrapped around a dozen wriggling Gu worms as he roared, "Tell Yelü Yan that if you want to negotiate peace, first hang Liang Tiandu's head on the city gate of Xingqing Prefecture."

The instant the ice lightning struck the Gu worm, crackling ice shards mixed with the remains of Liao soldiers paved a bloody path. The Beggars' Sect disciples' bamboo staffs emerged from the snow like a dense forest, their copper bells, each wrapped with explosives, shattering the Liao army's shield formation with a deafening roar.

Elder Li Tieniu roared, "The leader has decreed that whoever slays Yelü Yan will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold!" He swung his "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" in a circle, the tip of the stick picking up the Liao soldier's tongue and flinging it into the air. The Sun Moon Cult members, dressed in black, used the black energy of their "Star-Absorbing Technique" to swirl around the Liao soldier's throat, instantly shriveling him up like a mummy.

Qu Liuxiang screamed, "Master Qu has ordered that we protect the Emperor!" Her "Sunflower Manual" technique was unpredictable; her embroidery needle pierced the Liao soldier's brow, and the red tassel at the end of the needle wove a bloody net in the snow.

The Tang cavalry's "Breaking Formation Spear" was like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, and the "Piercing Formation" personally trained by Shi Feiyang was now displaying its full power.

The arrow-shaped formation of 1,350 cavalrymen actually tore a gap in the Liao army's formation, carrying corpses on their lances and continuing to charge, the blood under their hooves freezing into dark red ice shells.

Yelü Yan's silver armor gleamed amidst the chaos of battle. Her "Soul-Capturing Technique" was utterly useless against the Beggar Clan disciples—those beggars, accustomed to dealing with poisons year-round, were immune to all toxins. When the explosive charge on the green bamboo staff detonated before her horse, the Liao princess finally broke down, turning her horse around and fleeing, shouting as she went, "Retreat! Retreat back to Datong Prefecture!"

The Liao army's rout spread like an avalanche, but Zhao Qingyi's imperial guards fought to the last man. When the last guard's spear was cut in half by Liao soldiers, he suddenly grabbed a Liao general and rolled into the icy cave, shouting before dying together, "Princess, take care!"

Shi Feiyang stood atop the mountain of corpses, his black dragon robe soaked in blood. The sound of the Ice Silkworm Jade colliding with the Imperial Seal of the State could not drown out the wailing in the wind.

Zhao Qingyi leaned on her Ding Song sword in the snow, the breastplate on her black armor shattered. Gazing at the corpses of the Imperial Guards scattered on the ground, she suddenly vomited blood and said sadly, "The more than a thousand brothers I brought... are all gone..."

Shi Feiyang, however, went to visit Ling Shuanghua.

Inside the tent, Ling Shuanghua's plain white robe was stained purplish-black, and she was still unconscious. Shi Feiyang hurriedly took out "Great Rejuvenation Pill," "Lesser Rejuvenation Pill," "Heart Protection Pill," "Soul Gathering Pill," and "Heavenly Snow Lotus Water" from the mysterious deerskin bag at his waist and handed them to Abbess Jingxuan, instructing her to give them to Ling Shuanghua immediately.

At this moment, Su Xiaoman came running over in a "crazy" manner. There was a deep knife wound on her red dress that showed the bone, but she still smiled and threw a human head over, teasingly saying, "Pretty boy, Liang Tiandu's deputy is here!" Her golden dart suddenly pointed south, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Look at the footprints in the snow, the people sent by the Song Emperor have arrived."

Shi Feiyang reached out and gently patted Su Xiaoman's shoulder, then walked out of the tent and looked at the city gate of Yanmen Pass, where the snow had been stained brownish-red with blood.

The price for capturing this pass was the lives of three thousand Tang soldiers and over a thousand Song soldiers. He suddenly thought of the dragon throne in Luoyang Palace and realized that every inch of this land was built with bones.

In the distance, from the direction of Datong Prefecture, billowing smoke and dust rose—the Liao Kingdom had allied with the Western Xia, Dali, and Tubo, and a coalition of 200,000 troops was heading towards Yanmen.

Meanwhile, in the far south, the cold smile of Emperor Zhao Xu of the Song Dynasty was seen through the eyes of his spies, falling upon this blood-red snowfield.

……

At this moment, Qu Liuxiang came to report, "Your Majesty, Miss Ling has woken up." Shi Feiyang hurriedly returned to his tent to visit Ling Shuanghua. Although she had woken up, she was still weak. Shi Feiyang looked at her affectionately for a while, then quietly left to return to his temporary palace in the pass to attend to official business.

He told his relative Qu Liuxiang, who was Qu Feiyan's grandniece, with a meaningful tone, "Reclaiming the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun will certainly not be a matter of a day or two. Nor will it be something that can be taken back with mere words. It must be won back with the blood and lives of our soldiers. Therefore, this is the most intense war in our Great Tang Dynasty in a hundred years. If we fight well, the other countries will be afraid and will be hesitant to fight. If we fail, there will be no way out, and Luoyang will fall into the hands of the Song Dynasty. Liuxiang, order my disciples not to be hasty, and also have your brother Qu Cheng keep a close eye on the affairs of the court for me. Although our Great Tang Dynasty is small, it has all kinds of people. Especially the more than ten thousand scholars of Cangsheng Academy, they are not only talented, but also geniuses, and there are also many who just want to eat and drink. Have your brother strengthen the monitoring and clean up some of the trash from time to time."

Qu Liuxiang respectfully accepted the order and left.

Shi Feiyang went to visit Ling Shuanghua again, and a few days later, Ling Shuanghua recovered.

Su Xiaoman, dressed in red, streaked across the battlements like a raging fire. A golden dart, its barb hook dangling a severed head, dripped blood from its tip, splashing onto the snow like red plum blossoms—the head of the Liao envoy. She ran to the temporary palace, shouting, "Pretty boy! Yelü Xiuge says he's offering the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun as dowry to marry the new emperor. His daughter, Yelü Zhuhua, is as beautiful as a fairy. Why don't you accept this wonderful offer?"

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword clattered as it was drawn, its red tassel instantly wrapping around Su Xiaoman's golden dart. She angrily rebuked, "You vixen, you're stirring up trouble again! Is Fei Yang some kind of vulgar man who would exchange marriage for land? Do you think our Song soldiers shed their blood on the battlefield to facilitate such a deal?" Su Xiaoman's golden dart suddenly changed direction, its tip grazing Zhao Qingyi's pretty face before precisely embedding itself in the hem of Shi Feiyang's dragon robe. Blood welled in her dimples, and her smile was more arrogant than a lone wolf on the snowy plains. She said with a playful grin, "Why is the princess in such a hurry? Are you perhaps afraid the Liao princess will usurp your throne?"

Ling Shuanghua's plain white robe fluttered in the wind, like a snow lotus atop a snow-capped mountain. She arrived quietly, but then called out sharply, "Enough!" She held a secret letter on her Emei dagger, written in Tibetan script: "On the fifteenth of next month, burn Yanmen!"

Just then, the bugle call from below the pass pierced the cold mist outside Yanmen Pass with a mournful sound like hungry wolves fighting for food. Soldiers of the Liao Kingdom's "Heavenly Wolf Camp" emerged from the frozen snow, and amidst the flying frost, the frozen blood on their spiked clubs gleamed with a purplish-black light in the morning sun.

Yelü Xiuge raised the wolf-head banner high, the wolf fang totem on the banner fluttering in the morning wind. The scales on his black iron armor were covered with ice shards, and his roar shook the snow on the gate tower, causing it to fall in a flurry: "Shi Feiyang! What kind of hero hides inside the pass? If you have the guts, come out and fight, and let me see if you, this pretty boy, can only hide behind a woman's skirt!"

Shi Feiyang ran out, leaping onto the ramparts of the gate tower. His dark dragon robe was billowed by the north wind, revealing the clear sound of the ice silkworm jade at his waist striking the Imperial Seal of the State. His long hair was tied with a bright yellow ribbon, and the silver earring on his left ear shimmered coldly in the morning light. His gaze swept over the densely packed Liao soldiers outside the pass, and he suddenly let out a cold laugh.

The laughter contained the chilling power of the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. The three hundred Liao soldiers in the front row froze instantly, their eyes wide open like copper bells, their skin instantly covered in ice crystals. Then, with a "crackling" sound, the three hundred men shattered into ice shards scattered all over the ground, rolling into the ravine with snowflakes.

Su Xiaoman's red dress swept across the battlements like flames, her golden dart twirling rapidly between her fingers, the tip of which held a wolf pelt freshly stripped from a Liao soldier. She chuckled and said, "Pretty boy, your eyesight is sharper than the princess's Ding Song sword. Yelü Xiuge has brought the 'Iron Falcons' of Western Xia and the 'Blood Knife Monks' of Tibet. Looks like he's planning to surround us."

Zhao Qingyi drew her Ding Song sword with a clang, the red silk tassel of the sword wrapping around Shi Feiyang's dragon robe and jade belt. The frost on her black armor was shaken off by the sword's energy. She said angrily, "Feiyang, let me lead the way! It's time to settle the blood debt these Liao dogs owe to the Great Song!"

Ling Shuanghua's plain white robe fluttered in the cold wind, a drop of blood clinging to the tip of an Emei thorn, freshly plucked from the throat of the Tibetan envoy. Her voice was colder than the icicles of the gate tower, her fingertips flushed with the flush of the Nine Yang Skill, as she reminded him, "Young Master Shi, the Western Xia Iron Hawk's 'Armor-Piercing Cone' is coated with Bone-Corroding Poison, and the Tibetan monk's blood-stained blade is wrapped with the 'Heart-Eating Curse,' which must be neutralized with the Ice Heart Technique."

Shi Feiyang remained silent, unleashing his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill. His dark figure instantly landed on the snowy plains beyond the pass. The hem of his dragon robe swept across the snow, revealing ankles that shimmered with a jade-like glow due to the flow of Mingyu Gong.

Yelü Xiuge's deputy charged forward wielding a spiked club, the wind from the club carrying the chill of the "Frost Palm" technique, freezing the ground into a layer of white frost.

Shi Feiyang said disdainfully, "You ignorant bastard, I'll wipe you out."

He landed on both feet and unleashed the "Dragon Appears in the Field" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The moment his powerful palm strikes the spiked club, the lieutenant's own spiked club slams heavily into his own chest, causing him to fall backward, blood splattering everywhere, and he dies a gruesome death on his horse.

Shi Feiyang suddenly activated his Heavenly Silkworm Skill, a crystalline light flowing through his palm. The powerful internal energy formed the Ice Silkworm Silk, which coiled around the deputy general's throat like a serpent. The moment the silver threads tightened, the deputy general's tongue was forcibly pulled out, twitching in the snow like a dying red snake.

Shi Feiyang watched as the armored soldiers of the Tianlang Camp rushed forward. He used "Shocking Calamity" to startle them and activated it again. Wherever his gaze fell, seven hundred Liao soldiers instantly turned into ice shards. Amidst the flying fragments, his black dragon robe was not stained with a single drop of blood.

Su Xiaoman's red dress shot into the besieging Liao soldiers like an arrow. The barb of her golden dart caught Iron Falcon's helmet. Suddenly, she grabbed a Western Xia warrior's scimitar, used the momentum to flip and leap onto the saddle. The golden dart pierced the throat of a Tibetan monk, and she said with a grin, "Pretty boy, your sister is here to help you! The blood of these bald monks is redder than rouge!"

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword formed a silver arc, its red tassel fluttering like a crimson ribbon among the Liao soldiers. In an instant, she slashed three Iron Falcons, but was forced back half a step by Liang Wan, son of Liang Tiandu, the prime minister of the Western Xia Kingdom, with his "Bone-Melting Palm." The poisoned blood on her black armor was emitting blue smoke, and half of her sleeve had been corroded into fragments. She couldn't help but cry out in alarm, "Feiyang, the Western Xia dog's palm strike is insidious!"

Ling Shuanghua's plain white monk's robe fluttered among the Blood Saber Monks. Her Emei dagger severed the Achilles tendons of three monks. The heat of the Nine Yang Skill clashed with the coldness of the Blood Saber, condensing into a layer of white mist around her. She flashed to Shi Feiyang's side, her Emei dagger pressed against the throat of a Dali warrior who was about to launch a sneak attack, and warned, "Young Master Shi, their 'One Yang Finger' can strike acupoints from a distance."

Yelü Xiuge's spiked club came crashing down with a whooshing sound, its spikes flashing with a ghostly blue poisonous light.

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The powerful palm wind met the attack, and the two men's palms collided in mid-air, causing the surrounding Liao soldiers to bleed from their seven orifices. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang used the "Heavenly Silkworm Skill," the crystalline light flowing from his palms transforming into silver threads that pierced Yelü Xiuge's wrists. The instant the silver threads sealed the acupoints, Yelü Xiuge's internal energy was forced back into his internal organs, causing him to cough up blood.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly and unleashed "Evil Blood Calamity!" The blood of the surrounding Liao soldiers suddenly reversed, transforming into blood arrows that shot towards their own hearts. Those men vomited blood violently, their corpses rapidly desiccating, curling into monkey-like shapes, and tumbling on the snow in the wind. Yelü Xiuge watched his soldiers fall one by one, his eyes filled with terror that outweighed his anger, and he roared, "Sorcery! This is sorcery!"

Shi Feiyang coldly questioned, "Compared to your 'Heart-Eating Curse,' who is more like a demon?" He suddenly unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, and the snowflakes around him turned into ice thunder, exploding in the Liao army formation.

The ice lightning struck the Iron Falcon's armor, crackling and splintering, sending ice shards and bone fragments flying, creating a bloody path. Before the Iron Falcon's armor-piercing spikes could even get close, the ice lightning blasted off his arm, and the rotting poison from the severed limbs spread across the snow, turning the snow an eerie purplish-black.

Just as the Tibetan Blood Saber Monk was about to activate his "Blood River Formation," Shi Feiyang had already swooped in, unleashing a powerful "Regretful Dragon" strike. The fierce palm wind, infused with ice and lightning, shattered the Blood Saber Monk's bronze alms bowl. (End of Chapter)