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

Just as the monks were about to chant incantations, Shi Feiyang's "Evil Blood Calamity" triggered the flow of blood within their bodies, causing them to collapse and convulse in the snow. Their bodies, shrunken and emaciated from blood loss, resembled withered monkeys. The Dali warrior's "One-Finger Divine Skill" had just begun to condense golden light when it was entangled by the silver threads of Shi Feiyang's "Heavenly Silkworm Skill." The force of the finger was redirected back to his own brow, causing him to bleed from all seven orifices and die.

Su Xiaoman's red robes fluttered amidst the Liao soldiers' ranks. A golden dart pierced the throat of the last Iron Falcon soldier. Suddenly, she grabbed Shi Feiyang's dragon robe, pointed the golden dart at Yelü Xiuge's command flag, and said respectfully, "Pretty boy, that old dog is trying to escape!"

Yelü Xiuge indeed turned his horse around and led his remaining troops to flee towards Datong Prefecture. The wolf-head banner was askew in the wind, like a stray dog.

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword was piercing Liang Tiandu's second-in-command. The poisoned blood on his black armor had been forced out by Ling Shuanghua's Nine Yang Skill. Looking at the corpses of Liao soldiers scattered on the ground, she suddenly noticed a camellia dart stuck to Shi Feiyang's dragon robe—a token of a Dali warrior. She tightened the red silk tassel around her sword and said angrily, "Feiyang, the Dali Duan family dares to aid and abet evil! One day, we will march on Dali and demand an explanation!"

Ling Shuanghua retracted her Emei daggers, the bloodstains on her white robe frozen solid. Gazing at the shimmering light on Shi Feiyang's ankle, she crouched down, curiously reaching out to touch it. Just as her fingertips were about to touch Shi Feiyang's ankle, Su Xiaoman's golden dart stopped her.

Blood droplets welled in Su Xiaoman's dimples. A golden dart plucked a silver thread from Shi Feiyang's hair as she teased, "Little nun, don't be so quick. Not just anyone can touch this pretty boy's body." Shi Feiyang sheathed his Xuan Shuang Blade, his ice silkworm silk still wrapped around the head of Yelü Xiuge, the deputy general. He gazed towards Yanmen Pass, where the snow had been dyed crimson.

On the roof ornaments of the gate tower, icicles tinkled in the wind, as if weeping for the departed souls. In the distance, towards Datong Prefecture, dust billowed—Yelü Xiuge would surely go to fetch reinforcements, and the allied forces of Liao, Xia, Dali, and Tubo would soon be at Yanmen Pass. Shi Feiyang stood on this blood-red snowfield, his black dragon robe fluttering in the north wind, the chill of his Xuan Shuang blade already yearning for the next bloodshed.

……

The snow at Yanmen Pass melted overnight, revealing a dark reddish-brown frozen soil, formed from the blood of Tang and Liao soldiers mixed with ice shards.

Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe was draped over the table in the gate tower. The clear sound of the Ice Silkworm Jade striking the Imperial Seal was particularly distinct in the candlelight. The shimmering light of the Mingyu Gong flowed from his fingertips as he outlined the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun on a map—the city walls of Youzhou were marked with vermilion, like an unhealed wound.

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword, adorned with a map of Zhang Liao's army's defenses, had a red silk tassel wrapped around her wrist. She said nervously, "Feiyang, Yelü Xiuge has already assembled a coalition of 200,000 troops in Datong Prefecture. The Iron Falcons of Western Xia are guarding the western flank, the Blood Blade Monks of Tibet are in the central army, the 'One-Finger Divine Skill' warriors of the Dali Duan clan are hiding on the left flank, and the Liao Kingdom's Heavenly Wolf Camp is bringing up the rear. This formation is intended to trap us at Yanmen Pass."

Shi Feiyang's fingertip pointed to the location of Youzhou City. The shimmering light pierced through the map, forming ice patterns on the table. He calmly said, "They are not afraid of Yanmen Pass, but of the elite Tang soldiers in Luoyang. Yelü Hongji thought that the allied forces pressing in would guarantee victory, but little did he know that these 200,000 troops were precisely a great gift to me." Ling Shuanghua's plain white robe fluttered in the candlelight. An Emei dagger held a secret letter from Tibet, which had been found on the corpse of the Blood Blade Monk. It was written in Sanskrit, "On the night of the full moon, sacrifice the lives of Tang people to the flag."

Her fingertips were bluish-black, clearly indicating that she had forcibly activated the Nine Yang Skill again. She reminded him, "Young Master Shi, the 'Blood River Great Technique' practiced by the Tibetan National Preceptor requires the essence of living people to activate, and its power is strongest during the full moon."

Su Xiaoman's red dress swept across the table, a Dali warrior's head hanging from the barb of a golden dart, the camellia dart in her hair still gleaming coldly. She teased, "This little nun is quite observant. Duan Zhengchun's illegitimate son is a vanguard in the Allied Forces. When that kid saw the portrait of the pretty boy, he actually said he wanted to 'compete in beauty.' Isn't that ridiculous?"

Zhao Qingyi suddenly slammed her Ding Song sword on the table, causing the candlelight to flicker. Her phoenix eyes glared at Su Xiaoman as she rebuked, "You vixen, how dare you joke around! Fei Yang's schemes concern the fate of the Tang Dynasty; how dare you interrupt with your banter?"

Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill to deflect the sword's momentum. The shimmering light in his palm froze the flickering candlelight into ice. His gaze swept across the Sanggan River on the map, and he said calmly, "Qingyi, please calm down. Although the allied forces are numerous, they each have their own agendas. Western Xia wants to use the Liao Kingdom to weaken the Tang Dynasty, Tibet wants the iron mines of Youyun, the Dali Duan family only wants to take the opportunity to reclaim the former territory of the Six Zhao, and the Liao Kingdom... Yelü Hongji wants my head."

Ling Shuanghua drew a silver arc on the map with her Emei dagger, pointing directly at the allied army's supply camp, and said softly, "The granary of Datong Prefecture is on the south bank of the Sanggan River. The general guarding it is Liang Tiandu of Western Xia. This man is greedy and lustful. We can use a trick to lure him out of the camp. My Emei Sect has spies in Datong Prefecture. They can disguise themselves as merchants delivering grain and infiltrate the camp."

Su Xiaoman's golden dart suddenly landed on the Tibetan central army on the map. Her dimples were filled with candlelight as she smiled like a cat that had stolen cream. She said with a grin, "What the Blood Saber Monk fears most is not the Nine Yang Skill, but my Golden Wing Alliance's 'Bone-Melting Powder.' As long as that pretty boy is willing to kiss me, I'll have my brothers sprinkle the powder into their drinking water."

Zhao Qingyi drew her Ding Song sword with a clang, and the red silk tassel instantly wrapped around Su Xiaoman's golden dart. Her black armor gleamed coldly in the candlelight as she angrily rebuked, "Shameless! Fei Yang is the Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty. How can I make such a deal with a Jianghu outcast like you?"

Shi Feiyang waved his hand, his fingertip pointing to three points on the map, and said in a deep voice, "That's enough. Three days later, on the night of the full moon, it will be the time for Youyun to return to Tang. Qingyi will lead the Imperial Guards to attack the western wing and entangle Tieyaozi; Shuanghua will use the Ice Heart Technique to break the Tubo Blood River Formation; Xiaoman will lead the Golden Wing Alliance to burn the allied forces' granary."

As he sheathed his Frostblade, the ice patterns on the table suddenly exploded, transforming into three ice talismans, which landed in the hands of the three men. He decisively declared, "These are the Tiger Tally for Mobilizing Troops; seeing the talisman is like seeing the Emperor himself."

The dragon patterns on the ice talisman flowed in the candlelight, making his profile even more handsome, giving him the air of "a gentleman as beautiful as jade, unparalleled in the world." However, the cold glint in his eyes concealed the resolute determination of "the greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people."

The three women were so moved that tears streamed down their faces.

……

The moonlight over the Sanggan River was like a piece of warm jade soaked in blood, with half-shattered stars floating in the shimmering waves. The allied forces' camps stretched for ten miles, torches weaving a giant golden-red net in the night. The hooves of the Western Xia iron hawks shattered the thin ice, the chanting of Tibetan monks mingled with the sobs of bone flutes, and the clanging of Dali warriors' cymbals shook the valley—this land had long been turned into a boiling pot of murderous intent.

Shi Feiyang's dark dragon robe was hidden among the reeds. When he circulated his Mingyu Gong, his skin glowed with an icy, jade-like luster. Moonlight pierced through his sleeves, casting faint shadows on the frozen earth. He gazed at the camp on the opposite bank, the silver earring on his left ear trembling slightly in the wind. Suddenly, he felt that the moonlight was like the chill of Ling Shuanghua's fingertips, the warmth of Zhao Qingyi's sword tassel, and also carried the fierceness of Su Xiaoman's golden dart tip.

Su Xiaoman, her red dress billowing in the night wind, emerged from behind a tree. A golden dart, its hook dangling a string of copper coins, still bore the dregs of Western Xia soldiers' skin. She chuckled, "Pretty boy, look! That old dog Liang Tiandu led three hundred personal guards out of the camp, his eyes wide like copper bells. He must have mistaken those Beggar Clan brothers dressed as dancers for real beauties." She suddenly leaned closer, her red dress brushing against his dragon robe, and then, with a playful grin, asked, "How will you reward me after this is all done?"

Shi Feiyang had no time to pay attention to her. He used his unparalleled lightness skill, "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," to skim across the water. Where his toes touched the surface, the ripples instantly froze into ice flowers.

His Xuan Shuang Blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and a strand of iron hawk's hair was wrapped in the ice silk of the scabbard. As he hovered in the air, he said, "The Beggar Clan elders' 'Dog-Beating Staff Technique' has been deployed in the forest. Listen for the thunder at midnight as the signal." Before he finished speaking, he was already three zhang away. The reeds swept by the hem of his dragon robe all bent towards him—the vortex suction force formed by the Mingyu Gong true qi was so strong that even grass and trees could not resist it.

Within the Imperial Guard formation on the western wing, Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword formed a silver arc, its red tassel suddenly wrapping around Shi Feiyang's wrist. Her phoenix eyes gleamed with tears in the moonlight, the frost on her black armor glistening with frost. She said sorrowfully, "Feiyang, the Iron Falcon's 'Armor-Piercing Cone' is coated with bone-corroding poison. If I... if I fall, remember, Qingyi has never regretted it..."

Shi Feiyang's palm covered the back of her hand, the warmth of Mingyu Gong flowing through her meridians, melting the coldness in her knuckles. His silver hair fell over her shoulder, carrying the crispness of snow, and he said affectionately, "I won't allow you to talk nonsense. I want to drink the wine on the Youzhou city tower with you." The red silk wrapped even tighter, like a red snake that refused to let go, making their heartbeats beat in unison beneath their armor.

In the reeds on the north bank, Ling Shuanghua's plain white monk's robe was lifted by the wind, and a lotus lantern was held on an Emei thorn. The antidote to the Ice Heart Mantra was hidden in the wick, emitting a faint lotus fragrance. She looked at Shi Feiyang's turning back and suddenly said softly, "Young Master Shi, the Tibetan National Preceptor's 'Blood River Technique' requires one's own blood essence to activate. Your Bright Jade Skill can freeze his meridians, but... you need someone to protect your heart meridian with the Nine Yang Skill."

When Shi Feiyang turned around, he saw the moonlight on her eyelashes, like a layer of frost. His voice was softer than the river, and he said with genuine affection, "Shuanghua, after we break the formation, I will accompany you back to Mount Emei to see the snow."

Ling Shuanghua's face flushed instantly, and the Emei dagger nearly fell to the ground. The light from the lotus lantern shone on her face, warmer than the torches in the camp.

As soon as the third watch clapper sounded, Shi Feiyang's "Emperor's Thunderous Fury" was suddenly activated.

The ice on the Sanggan River exploded with a "boom," and ice thunder, trailing silver tails, shot towards the allied camp. The tents of the Western Xia Iron Falcons were shattered into pieces, and the cavalrymen inside were frozen into ice sculptures before they could even draw their swords. The white vapor from the horses' mouths condensed in mid-air, like a string of pearls.

Zhao Qingyi drew her Ding Song sword first, the red silk tassel of the sword wrapped around the iron hawk's horse's leg. Using the momentum, she flipped and leaped onto the saddle, raised her sword, and roared, "Soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, kill!" She spurred her horse forward, gripped her sword and slit the throats of three cavalrymen. Blood splattered on her face, creating a vivid picture against her scars.

A hawk's "armor-piercing spike" pierced her back, but she neither dodged nor avoided it. Instead, she struck the other man's chest with her palm—she was willing to protect him. Sure enough, her wrist tightened, and he had already pulled her away from danger with his "flower-shifting jade-replacing" technique.

Shi Feiyang's palm strike sent the iron hawk flying, his dragon robe brushing against her black armor. He then scolded, "Nonsense! What I want is a living Zhao Qingyi, not a martyr who died for her country!" Her Ding Song sword suddenly pointed at his chest, but the tip of the sword stopped gently. She said coquettishly, "Then you will protect me. For a lifetime!"

Ling Shuanghua's Emei daggers flew among the Tibetan monks, and her "Four Symbols Palm" round force repelled the attacks from the left and right, but her defense was broken by the National Preceptor's blood-red blade.

The enemy's national teacher's blood-red blade swept down with a stench, the Sanskrit characters on the blade writhing as if they came alive. Suddenly, the blood of the surrounding monks flowed backward, turning into blood arrows that shot towards her heart. He then angrily cursed, "Little nun, how dare you break this old monk's formation!"

Shi Feiyang cried out, "Shuanghua, be careful!" He attacked from high above, unleashing a palm strike called "Flying Dragon in the Sky." The fierce palm force shattered the blood arrow. As his feet landed, he used "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to cleverly redirect the blood blade, but the Grand Preceptor changed his move, the blade suddenly sinking and slashing towards his waist.

Shi Feiyang lightly touched the ground with his toes and used the mysterious lightness skill "Hidden Body and Name" to spin about ten feet away. The Xuan Shuang Blade brought ice silkworm silk and wrapped around the opponent's wrist.

He roared, "You damned bald thief, I'll annihilate you!" and suddenly unleashed "Evil Blood Calamity!"

The Imperial Advisor suddenly screamed in agony, blood flowing backwards through his body along the silken threads, his skin visibly withering away. But the Imperial Advisor was, after all, a top master of the Western Regions martial arts world; he forcefully used the "Blood River Technique" to accelerate his growth, sending the blood-red blade flying from his hand, aimed directly at Ling Shuanghua!

Ling Shuanghua's Emei dagger met the blood-red blade, but was sent flying backward by the impact. Just as she was about to crash into the sharp stones of the altar, she cried out in anguish, "Young Master Shi!" She feared they would be separated forever. Shi Feiyang used his profound "Hidden Identity and Name" lightness skill to reach out and pull her into his arms. Their hair intertwined, her face pressed against his dragon robe, and she could hear the pounding of his heart, louder than a drumbeat.

Su Xiaoman's red dress swept across the allied army's granary like flames. A golden dart shattered an oil drum, and flames licked the tent, making her dimples shine. She said jealously, "Pretty boy, watch this!" Suddenly, she caught sight of Ling Shuanghua in Shi Feiyang's arms. The golden dart suddenly changed direction and shot towards his shoulder—but stopped an inch away from his skin. The red silk at the end of the dart was wrapped around a strand of his long hair. She said angrily, "You're biased, only protecting the little nun!"

Just as Shi Feiyang was about to speak, Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword was already at Su Xiaoman's neck. She angrily shouted, "You vixen, you dare to hurt him! I'll take you down with me!" The red silk and the golden darts were tangled together, and the shadows of the three people swayed in the firelight, forgetting the fighting around them.

Taking advantage of this moment, the Imperial Advisor unleashed another blood-red slash.

Shi Feiyang spun around, released Ling Shuanghua, and unleashed a palm strike called "Regretful Dragon," the fierce force of which collided with the blood-red blade, causing the snow in the valley to fall in a flurry. His Xuan Shuang Blade suddenly unsheathed, its blade energy cleaving through the opponent's protective true energy, while icy silkworm threads wrapped around the major acupoint on the opponent's chest.

The Imperial Advisor opened his mouth to curse, "You..." but his body instantly froze, from his fingertips to his throat, turning him into an ice sculpture.

Shi Feiyang then unleashed another palm strike, "Treading on Frost, Ice Arrives," the fierce palm force penetrating the body, shattering the ice sculpture with a crash, and a blood bat flew out from inside—that was the poison weapon of the Dali Duan family's "Dissolving Power Technique"!
"Watch out!" The three beauties cried out simultaneously. Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song Sword, Ling Shuanghua's Emei Dagger, and Su Xiaoman's Golden Dart—three streaks of light enveloped him. The blood bat was cleaved into pieces, its poisonous blood splattering onto their sleeves with a sizzling sound. Shi Feiyang looked at the sweat on the beauties' temples and suddenly chuckled. Moonlight pierced through the clash of swords, falling on his handsome face, making his features shimmer with a breathtaking beauty. He said with emotion, "With you all here, how can Youyun not return?"

His Frostblade pointed at the allied camp, and he roared, "Soldiers of the Great Tang, follow me—break through the formation!" Where ice thunder exploded, the Imperial Guards shouted; where the blood river froze, the monks wailed; where flames soared into the sky, the golden darts whistled.

"Pretty boy, the granary is on fire!" Suddenly, Su Xiaoman cried out in alarm. Her red dress leaped out from the flames, the barb of her golden dart dangling Liang Tiandu's jade pendant. She gasped, "That old dog from Xixia tried to escape, but I killed him!"

Sparks flew from her dimples as she laughed, her smile more fiery than flames, and she said with a playful grin, "You promised to reward me..." Before she could finish speaking, the "One-Finger Divine Skill" of the Dali Duan family suddenly shot out from the shadows, its power carrying golden light, aiming straight for Shi Feiyang's back.

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song sword blocked in time, the red silk tassel on the sword was shattered by the force of her finger, she groaned and blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Shi Feiyang angrily cursed, "Duan Zhengchun's illegitimate son, how dare you be so presumptuous?" He swung his palm and unleashed the "Regretful Dragon" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The fierce palm force collided with the finger force, causing the snow in the valley to fall in a flurry.

His "Heavenly Silkworm Skill" suddenly caused the silver threads to swell, wrapping around the wrist of the Dali warrior. As the silver threads tightened, the opponent's meridians broke inch by inch.

At that moment, Zhao Qingyi suddenly rode up and said urgently, "Feiyang, the left flank is in danger!" Her Dingsong sword cleaved the heads of three Liao soldiers, their brains splattering onto their black armor, creating a bizarre picture against their scars.

The Tang imperial guards she led were scattered by the iron hawks of the Western Xia. The cavalry's armor-piercing spikes were designed to strike the horses' eyes. The frightened mounts carried the soldiers into the frozen lake, instantly freezing into crystal-clear ice sculptures, with frost flowers clearly visible on their hair.

Shi Feiyang leaped into the air, unleashing the "Dragon Fighting in the Wild" technique from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The fierce and unparalleled palm wind, carrying snow, hurled the Xixia Iron Falcon and his horse into the air. His long hair cascaded through the blood mist, and the silver earring on his left ear dazzled the Xixia warriors. Some even forgot to swing their swords and were cut in half at the waist by the Xuan Shuang Blade—internal organs mixed with undigested flesh spilled out, forming a sticky trail of blood on the snow.

Amidst the thousands of troops, Su Xiaoman, though covered in blood, remained an optimist, laughing and saying, "Pretty boy, watch this!" Her red dress crashed into the Liao army like a meteor, and her golden dart hooked onto the Liao shaman's deer antler hat.

She suddenly detonated the oil pouch at her waist, flames licking the Liao soldiers' leather armor. The men rolled and howled in the snow, the stench of burning flesh and blood mingling, making the Tang soldiers gag. Ling Shuanghua's Emei daggers drew silver arcs in the snow, each strike precisely severing the tendons of the Blood Shadow Guards.

Her plain white robe was soaked with blood, yet she still maintained the smoothness of the "Four Elephant Palm" technique. Wherever her palm wind passed, the Liao soldiers' joints dislocated, screaming as they were pierced through the abdomen by Tang soldiers' spears, their intestines and bellies dragging on the snow like a brocade spread out.

Zhao Qingyi didn't know whether to criticize or praise, but her pretty face was full of jealousy as she said meaningfully, "Miss Ling certainly knows how to steal credit. These Blood Shadow Guards should have been dealt with by the Imperial Guards." Suddenly, her Ding Song Sword was placed in front of Ling Shuanghua, the red silk tassel of the sword wrapped around a Liao soldier who had launched a sneak attack.

Ling Shuanghua gently deflected the sword blade with her Emei dagger, her fingertip touching the Liao soldier's heart.

The soldier immediately bled from all seven orifices—this was the Emei Sect's "Bone-Piercing Nail" technique.

Her voice was colder than the icicles on the gate tower, and she sneered, "Why should the princess fight? If she can defend Yanmen Pass, what difference does it make whose sword she falls under?"

Su Xiaoman's golden dart suddenly shot out from behind the Liao army formation, its tip stained with the mutton-fat jade pendant buried by Liang Yi, the prime minister of the Western Xia Kingdom. Her red dress appeared and disappeared in the blood mist as she said mockingly, "You can keep fighting for credit, I'm going to wipe out the Liao dogs' lair."

Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade cleaved through the oncoming spiked club, while Yelü Xiuge's "Frost Palm" struck towards his back with a whooshing sound.

He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; the hem of his black dragon robe swept up the accumulated snow, and with a skillful "transfer of flowers and jade" technique, he redirected the wind of his palm to strike Yelü Xiuge's own chest.

The old thief's spit-out blood froze into ice beads in the snow. As Shi Feiyang bent down, the Xuan Shuang Blade pierced his throat: "A message to Yelü Hongji: next year on this day, I will be waiting for him on the city wall of Youzhou." With that, he sheathed his sword.

Yelü Xiuge fled in a panic.

……

Inside the temporary palace within Yanmen Pass, the cedar resin in the charcoal brazier crackled and popped, mingling with the acrid stench of Liao soldiers' corpses, creating a nauseatingly sweet atmosphere. Shi Feiyang's dragon robe draped over a pearwood chair, the bloodstains frozen into dark red lumps. The icy silk of the Xuan Shuang Blade was entangled in the hair of a Tibetan "Blood Shadow Guard"—the guard's scalp was still stuck to the silk thread.

Zhao Qingyi rushed in and reported, "Feiyang, the envoy of the Dali Duan family requests an audience." Using the Ding Song sword, she pried open the floor tiles of the post station, revealing the "Bone-Rotting Gu" wriggling under the oil lamp in the secret room below, like moving grains of rice.

Then, she stammered, "They said they were willing to help our army attack the Liao Kingdom from both sides, on the condition that... Miss Ling must go to Dali to become the national advisor."

Ling Shuanghua's Emei dagger trembled slightly at her fingertips, and her shoulders quivered slightly beneath her plain white robe.

Her voice was colder than the chill of the secret room as she said indignantly, "Young Master Shi, the Duan family wants to use my Nine Yang Skill to break the Tibetan curse. If I don't go, they will side with the Liao Kingdom, and then we will be attacked from both sides, and Yanmen will be in danger."

At the crucial moment, Su Xiaoman, however, was on her side and shouted, "Where are you going!" Her golden dart fell from the roof beam, the tip of which carried a secret letter from the Duan family's envoy. The words on it, "If you can obtain Shi Feiyang, you can command the martial arts world of the Central Plains," were written with such force that they seemed to penetrate the paper.

She analyzed, "They want to imprison you and force that pretty boy to walk right into their trap!" She suddenly kicked the charcoal brazier, sparks flying onto Zhao Qingyi's black armor, and then turned to question Zhao Qingyi, "Princess, you knew it was a trap, yet you insisted on reporting it truthfully. What are you up to?"

Zhao Qingyi suddenly drew her Ding Song sword, the red silk tassel of which wrapped around Su Xiaoman's golden dart. She angrily said, "I'm just telling the truth! It's better than some people using underhanded means to secretly put the 'Heart-to-Heart Gu' on Feiyang!"

Shi Feiyang suddenly slammed his Xuan Shuang Blade on the table, instantly freezing the water in the teacup. He demanded sharply, "Where is the Gu?" His gaze swept over Su Xiaoman's waist, where a black porcelain bottle was indeed hidden, its body engraved with Miao snake patterns.

Su Xiaoman's face turned deathly pale instantly, and the golden dart clattered to the ground. She threw herself into Shi Feiyang's arms, tears mingling with blood, soaking his dragon robe, and said sadly, "I just wanted... I wanted you to have me in your heart... Those Miao shamans said that once the curse is cast, you will never forget me..."

Suddenly, Ling Shuanghua's Emei thorn pierced her own palm, and blood dripped onto the black porcelain bottle. The hissing of the Gu worms immediately ceased. She said affectionately, "This is the blood of the 'Nine Yang Skill,' which can cure the Heart-to-Heart Gu." Her face was as white as rice paper, and she persuaded Shi Feiyang, "Miss Su is also deeply devoted. Young master, please don't blame her."

Zhao Qingyi sheathed her Ding Song sword, and as she turned, her black armor slammed against the doorframe with a dull thud. Shi Feiyang watched her retreating figure and suddenly noticed a pair of lotus flowers embroidered on the inside of her armor—the stitches were crooked and uneven, clearly the work of a beginner.

After the three beauties left, Shi Feiyang lay down on the dragon bed and fell into a deep sleep. He was exhausted, not only from fighting the enemy but also from mediating the conflict between the three beauties. Fortunately, he had not only the elite cavalry of the Tang Dynasty but also the assistance of the Beggars' Sect and the Sun Moon Cult.

He doesn't need to handle trivial matters; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to keep up even if he stayed up all day.

……

A few days later, the "Blood River Formation" outside Datong Prefecture was paved with the blood of three thousand living people by the Tibetan national teacher. On the white bone tower at the center of the formation, Tang soldiers who had been stripped naked were bound, their hearts hanging from iron hooks, trembling slightly in the cold wind, like strings of fruit hanging on branches.

Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade traced an icy arc before the battle lines, a strand of hair from a prisoner entwined in icy silk—it belonged to his personal guard, who had poured him celebratory wine just yesterday. His long hair gleamed in the blood mist, a silver earring on his left ear shimmering with a cold light, as he asked grimly, "Grand Preceptor, do you know how many bones were piled up to form the words 'blood debts must be repaid in blood'?"

The Tibetan National Preceptor's blood-red blade gleamed purplish-black in the moonlight. The Sanskrit characters on the blade, soaked in blood, seemed to writhe like living creatures. He said contemptuously, "Shi Feiyang, your Nine Yang Skill may be able to counter my Blood River Formation, but it cannot break the 'Heart-Eating Curse.'" He suddenly pointed outside the formation. The Tang Imperial Guards, led by Zhao Qingyi, had somehow fallen under the curse and were killing each other. The Ding Song Sword cleaved open the chests of their comrades, their intestines hanging from the tips of their spears like slippery yellow snakes.

At that moment, Zhao Qingyi called out from afar, "Feiyang, I can't control myself..." Her Ding Song sword pierced her own throat, but was blocked by Ling Shuanghua's Emei dagger. Ling Shuanghua's Nine Yang Skill suddenly erupted, her white robe billowing like a white lotus in the blood mist. She embraced Zhao Qingyi, channeling her inner strength into her body, while her own skin began to crack inch by inch, her blood staining the snow red, like blooming red plum blossoms.

Su Xiaoman flew over, moved, and said, "Little nun, you're risking your life!" Her red robe shot into the center of the formation like an arrow, and the golden dart blasted open the foundation of the white bone tower, releasing the "bone-rotting gu" hidden inside. She suddenly tore open her clothes, drawing the gu worms towards herself, while the golden dart pierced the Tibetan national teacher's back, and she said sadly, "Pretty boy, remember what I look like!" She was actually willing to perish together with the enemy.

Shi Feiyang's "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" suddenly activated, his body's moisture condensing into ice lightning that exploded at the center of the formation. The ice lightning struck the river of blood, instantly freezing the blood, which crackled and transformed into countless ice needles that pierced the sorcerer's eyes. He held the fallen Su Xiaoman, her skin already beginning to fester, yet she still smiled brightly, excitedly saying, "Pretty boy, I'll die for you... before them..."

Ling Shuanghua exhausted the last bit of her inner strength with her Nine Yang Technique and collapsed into Zhao Qingyi's arms, the Emei Dagger slipping from her hand.

Her voice was as soft as a sigh as she said, "Princess, please...please treat the young master kindly..."

Zhao Qingyi's Ding Song Sword suddenly pointed at her heart, but was blocked by Shi Feiyang's Xuan Shuang Blade.

Her phoenix eyes glowed a poignant red in the moonlight as she said sadly, "They died for you. What's the point of me living?"

Shi Feiyang swung his blade again, the Frost Blade severing the tongue of the last sorcerer. The Blood River Formation crumbled inch by inch amidst the ice and lightning. He said in a deep voice, "The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun have not yet been reclaimed. Su Xiaoman, Ling Shuanghua, Zhao Qingyi, none of you are allowed to die." (End of Chapter)