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

Chapter 503. Sword Tassel Melts in the Snow, Dali Dream; Palm Lines Stained with Blood, Tang Dynasty Attire
Shi Feiyang used his mysterious "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill, clinging to the palace beams like a ghost. Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword gleamed coldly in the moonlight, its tassel wrapped in red silk around his wrist. Their breaths mingled in the silence.

Li Qianshun's voice was hoarse as he slammed his scepter heavily on the ground. He said in a deep voice, "Guards, convey my decree: establish the Third Prince, Li Deren, as the Crown Prince. Thoroughly investigate the Crown Prince and the remaining followers of the Second Prince, and execute them without exception!"

Shi Feiyang used his "Flower Transference" skill to redirect the guard's sword towards Li Qianshun's scepter. With a crisp clang, the scepter shattered in two, revealing a secret letter hidden inside—ironclad evidence of Li Qianshun's collusion with the Liao Kingdom, agreeing to divide the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. The Third Prince, Li Deren, suddenly knelt, his dagger aimed at Li Qianshun's lower back, and said menacingly, "Your Majesty, this throne should be mine!"

Chaos erupted within the hall. Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Regretful Dragon" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, the wind from his palms transforming into a golden dragon that sent the charging guards flying. Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword, with the speed of a meteor chasing the moon, protected Shi Feiyang's back, its sword light weaving a seven-star net that deflected all the hidden arrows. Tu Pengpeng's red robes danced like flames amidst the battle, the sword energy of the Seven Star Sword flowing in her palm. Suddenly, she turned, using her body to block a poisoned needle aimed at Shi Feiyang. The needle pierced her silver fur coat, but was stopped by the jade pendant inside—the very one she had given to Shi Feiyang, which he had secretly placed back in her bosom.

Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, the chilling energy of Mingyu Gong transforming into lightning that struck the Third Prince. Li Deren's dagger had just pierced Li Qianshun's chest when he was struck by lightning, his body shattering into pieces amidst the explosion, blood and flesh splattering across the golden pillars of the Glazed Palace.

Shi Feiyang called out softly, "Pengpeng!" His "Healing Holy Technique" sent white energy into her wound. Looking at the intact jade pendant, his heart felt like it was being clenched. Tu Pengpeng gave a pale smile and comforted him, "I'm fine."

The Seven Star Sword propped her up so she wouldn't fall. Tears mixed with blood streamed down her face as she said affectionately, "My husband, look, this jade pendant really can protect me. It's like you've always been by my side."

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Burning Heaven and Earth" technique from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with both palms, the palm wind carrying raging flames that swept across the entire Glazed Palace. Amidst the screams of the Western Xia royal family, he picked up Tu Pengpeng and used the wondrous "Deeds Done, Departure" lightness skill, his figure gradually disappearing into the distance amidst the flames.

……

When news of the internal strife in Western Xia reached the Liao Dynasty, Emperor Tianzuo was on a hunting expedition.

The allied forces of the Song and Jin dynasties had already besieged the city. The Liao army's "Iron Pagoda" was being attacked from both sides by the Song and Jin armies and was retreating step by step. The people of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun rose up in response to Shi Feiyang, using hoes and carrying poles to fight against their former oppressors.

At this moment, Shi Feiyang stood atop the city wall of Youzhou, gazing at the distant torrent of swords and spears. Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword rested beside him, its red tassel intertwined with his dragon robe and jade belt, like two forces twisted into a rope.

"My lord, the Liao Kingdom is doomed." Her voice was filled with sorrow. "I just wonder if the Song and Jin dynasties will join forces to attack our Great Tang? Will they carve up our Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun?"

Shi Feiyang calmly said, "The world, after a long period of division, will inevitably unite." His gaze turned towards Luoyang, where the palaces were faintly visible through the clouds. He then analyzed, "Once the Song and Jin dynasties destroy the Liao, they will quarrel over dividing the Liao's territory. It won't be their turn to join forces to attack my Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun." Tu Pengpeng suddenly stood on tiptoe and pressed her cheek against the back of his hand. The skin there was cool from the internal energy he was using, but it made her feel incredibly safe. She said thoughtfully, "My husband is right. However, even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire, I will be with you."

Shi Feiyang's gaze swept over the fighting below the city walls; the Liao Kingdom's last resistance was crumbling. He suddenly chuckled, the silver ring on his left ear shimmering with light, and said affectionately, "Silly girl, for the next few decades, our Great Tang Kingdom will be free from mountains of knives and seas of fire."

He pulled Tu Pengpeng into his arms and said excitedly, "Only the peonies of Chang'an, the grasslands of the northern desert, and..."

Tu Pengpeng interrupted him, saying quickly, "And us too." Her voice was full of sweetness, and she reminded him, "Husband, you said you would take me to see the grasslands." She drew circles on his chest with her fingers and reminded him again, "Husband, you also said you would teach me the 'Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.' Although I may not be able to learn it, I want to be as powerful as you."

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily and said, "Good!" He then used the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," using his palm as a blade, and unleashed the "Severing the Horizon" strike, shattering the Liao Kingdom's flag that was flying in from afar into pieces.

Then, he said affectionately, "When the world is at peace, I will teach you all the martial arts and make you the number one female knight-errant in the world."

On the day the Liao Dynasty fell, the people of Youzhou City decorated their homes with lanterns and colorful decorations.

Shi Feiyang's dragon robe gleamed in the celebratory fireworks, while Tu Pengpeng, dressed in red, stood beside him. The red silk tassel of the Seven Star Sword brushed against the back of his hand in the evening breeze, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.

In the distance, at Yanmen Pass, the snow is melting, revealing tender green grass shoots underneath, much like how they looked when they first met.

"Husband, look at those grass sprouts." Tu Pengpeng's voice was filled with surprise and sweetness. "Just like our destiny, no matter how much wind and snow we go through, we will always be able to break through the soil." Her Seven Star Sword drew a lotus flower on the ground, and she said with longing, "How about we come here to see the grass sprouts every spring from now on?"

Shi Feiyang pulled her into his arms and used his wondrous "Deeds Done, Departure" lightness skill to carry her to the highest point of the city tower, where the vast landscape unfolded beneath their feet in the night. "Alright." His voice was even more resolute than the chilling aura of Mingyu Gong, and he said cheerfully, "Every spring, I will accompany you to see the sprouting grass."

The cry of the Vermilion Bird echoed from the heavens, its wings gleaming crimson in the moonlight. Behind them, the banners of the Tang Dynasty fluttered in the wind, and new hope sprouted across the land of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun.

……

At the eaves of the Zichen Hall in Luoyang Palace, new swallows were pecking at last year's mud. Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe brushed against the white jade steps. When he circulated his Mingyu Gong, the dark gold dragon patterns on his robe shimmered with a jade-like luster, reflecting the new green of the weeping willows in front of the steps.

He gazed at the children playing outside the palace—it was his and Empress Liu's eldest son, Shi Nianyun. The two-year-old child could already toddle and run, and the pearl on his golden crown shimmered in the sunlight.

Qu Cheng, the commander of the Imperial Guard, his black brocade robe damp with morning dew, his Imperial Guard badge swaying lightly at his waist, walked up to Shi Feiyang and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, Consort Qingyi's phoenix palanquin is waiting in the side hall. Consort Su just sent someone to say that the little prince learned how to choose his first birthday present today and insists that you come and see it."

Shi Feiyang nodded, walked past the carved railing, and brushed his fingertips against the wisteria blossoms under the eaves. Petals clung to his dragon robe, where they were frozen into ice crystals by the chilling aura of Ming Yu Gong. He said in a deep voice, "Tell them I'll be there later."

His gaze swept over the palace walls, where the guards had changed their faces, but they were still the "shadow guards" trained by Qu Cheng. He then questioned, "How many spies has Li Tieniu's Beggars' Gang planted outside the city?"

Qu Cheng lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty, all the teahouses and inns within three hundred li have the 'Lotus Flower' mark. Yesterday, the Jin envoy secretly met with the Song envoy at the post station and said that he wanted to 'share the land south of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun'."

The light emanating from Shi Feiyang's silver earring illuminated the eaves of Zuixianlou. He instructed, "Have Li Tieniu prepare the carriages and horses; we will depart in three days." Qu Cheng obeyed and left.

……

In Zhao Qingyi's Yaoguang Palace, the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood and medicine. Her phoenix hairpin was askew in her hair, and although her jewels and ornaments were still magnificent, they couldn't hide the desolation in her eyes. Because she had given birth to a daughter and hadn't been able to secure the Empress's position, she was utterly listless. At this moment, seeing Shi Feiyang enter, she quickly pulled the baby girl in her arms tighter. The little hand under the brocade quilt was clutching her sleeve, babbling softly.

"His Majesty has arrived." Zhao Qingyi's voice was as light as a feather. Her fingertips traced her daughter's eyebrows and eyes as she said weakly, "Niannu can call 'Mother' today, can you hear it?" She pushed the baby girl towards Shi Feiyang, but the pearl on her phoenix hairpin trembled. Shi Feiyang nodded, picked up his daughter, and the little one immediately giggled. Her tiny hands grabbed his dragon robe and jade belt, and she even tore off a bright white jade bead.

"Good child." His voice was extremely gentle, and the chill of Mingyu Gong condensed into a small ice toy in his palm, which amused the baby girl to keep grabbing at it.

Watching him play with his daughter, Zhao Qingyi suddenly whispered, "Your Majesty, are you going to the Song Kingdom?" Her phoenix hairpin trembled slightly at her temple as she said worriedly, "I've heard that the Jin Kingdom's 'wolf-tooth clubs' have killed many Song people outside Bianliang City. You..."

Shi Feiyang calmly said, "Don't worry." He placed the jade bead into the baby girl's hand and then said steadily, "I know what I'm doing."

His gaze swept over the phoenix hairpin at her temple—the "twin lotus" hairpin that he had personally bestowed upon her years ago. Now, the luster of the pearls had faded considerably. He reached out and lifted Zhao Qingyi's chin, saying affectionately, "Take good care of Niannu, and wait for my return."

After that, he turned around and left.

……

Outside Luoyang, at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, wine flags fluttered in the spring breeze. Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword leaned against the carved window frame, its tassel adorned with a jade pendant—a token of love given to her by Shi Feiyang. She gazed down at the Beggars' Sect disciples practicing below, her fingertips tracing the seven-star pattern on the scabbard. Suddenly, she heard familiar footsteps, and a blush instantly spread across her cheeks.

Shi Feiyang used the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Name and Body" to land on the third floor. The black dragon robe and her red clothes complemented each other, like the fusion of darkness and bright fire.

He held her hand, which was wrapped in red silk, and the crystalline light of the Heavenly Silkworm Technique in his palm condensed into an ice lotus on her wrist. He said affectionately, "Pengpeng, is everything ready?"

Suddenly, the tassel of Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword wrapped around his fingertips, and the red silk tied a knot on the back of his hand. She said with great charm, "Husband, how do I look dressed?" She turned around, wearing a coarse cloth short jacket over a gray robe, looking exactly like a young man from the martial arts world. She then said seriously, "Elder Li said that this way I won't attract attention when I enter the city."

Li Tieniu's bamboo cane paused at the top of the stairs, the copper bell at its tip ringing softly.

His coarse cloth sleeves were stained with wine as he respectfully said, “Your Majesty, Elder Qu and Protector Lu of the Sun Moon Sect are waiting outside the city. In addition, I have just received news that Princess Yelü of the Liao Kingdom has infiltrated the Song Kingdom with her remaining troops, and is specifically targeting officials.”

Shi Feiyang's gaze suddenly turned cold, and the willow branches outside the window trembled. He asked in return, "The Liao princess? Yelü Mingquan? I spared her life, but I didn't expect her to be so ungrateful."

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword suddenly came out of its sheath, the sword light drawing an arc before his eyes. She advised, "Husband, don't be angry." She picked up a piece of pastry with the tip of her sword and fed it to his mouth. A red silk ribbon gently swept across his chin. She then teased, "Our trip to Bianliang is a good opportunity to 'clean house' for the Song people."

Shi Feiyang nodded and led the heroes on their journey.

Three days after leaving Luoyang, the number of corpses along the official road gradually increased. Some were Song officials with their throats slit, others were Jin soldiers cleaved in two. The stench of blood mixed with the smell of spring mud was nauseating.

Shi Feiyang arrived at the corpse of a Song soldier. The chilling aura of Ming Yugong instantly froze the body, preserving the last clue.

Li Tieniu used his bamboo cane to lift a blood-stained corner of his clothing, embroidered with the Liao flag, and analyzed, "Judging from this wound, it's from a Liao 'wolf-tooth knife.' These people are probably remnants of Yelü Mingquan's forces; they're ruthless."

Tu Pengpeng suddenly pointed her Seven Star Sword at the teahouse ahead, the red silk tassel on the sword tassel taut and straight. She said urgently, "Husband, look!" Inside the teahouse, several Jin warriors were tearing at the clothes of a Song woman. The burly man in the lead was even using a spiked club to hold up the head of a Song official and banging it on the table.

Enraged, Shi Feiyang leaped into the air, unleashing the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms." His powerful palm strike, transforming into a golden dragon, shattered the teahouse's wooden window. The Jin warrior's spiked club was easily deflected by Shi Feiyang's "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade" technique, the club's tip striking his own man on the head, splattering red and white blood across the table.

"Shi Feiyang?" The leading Jin general recognized his dragon robe and suddenly grinned maliciously, "Perfect! Offer your head to my lord, and you'll surely be rewarded with a title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!" His spiked club came crashing down with the force of an "armor-piercing cone," the barbs on the club flashing with a ghostly blue poisonous light.

Shi Feiyang sneered, "You? Humph! What are you?" He then unleashed the "Treading on Frost, Ice Arrives" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The chilling aura of the Mingyu Gong spread along the palm wind, and the golden general's spiked club was frozen into an icicle the moment it touched his palm.

He roared, "Insolence!" and swept his palm across the teahouse. Jin Jiang's body suddenly bent backward, and the crisp sound of his spine breaking echoed through the teahouse.

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword transformed into a "meteor chasing the moon," its light piercing the throats of the remaining Jin soldiers. The red silk tassel of her sword wrapped around the wrist of the last Jin soldier, and her sword tip pressed against his heart, but Shi Feiyang used "Shifting Flowers and Jade" to gently deflect it. He whispered, "Leave him alive."

The Jin soldier had just begged for mercy when he suddenly screamed and fell to the ground—a Liao wolf-tooth arrow was embedded in his back. Outside the teahouse, Yelü Mingquan's white robes flashed in the woods; blood was still dripping from her scimitar, clearly indicating that she had just killed a Song soldier.

"Shi Feiyang, how have you been?" Yelü Mingquan's voice was filled with deep-seated hatred, his curved blade pointed at Shi Feiyang's chest. "How many of my Liao people have been killed by your Tang-Song-Jin allied forces? Today, you will pay with your life!"

Shi Feiyang was furious. He unleashed the "Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms" technique, striking out "Dragon Appearing in the Field." The palm wind swirled between the two of them, and he roared, "You indiscriminately slaughter innocent people. How are you any different from the Liao soldiers of yesteryear?" His gaze swept over the remnants of the Liao army behind her. Their armor was still stained with the blood of the common people, and he said angrily, "The grievances have their perpetrators, and the debts have their debtors. Come at me!"

Yelü Mingquan's scimitar suddenly turned towards Tu Pengpeng, the blade flashing like a venomous snake emerging from its hole. She shouted, "I'll kill your little imperial concubine first, then take your dog's life!" Her movements were extremely fast, even carrying a hint of "Phantom Tracks".

Tu Pengpeng unleashed her Seven Star Sword, "Big Dipper Across the Sky," its sword light weaving a net of seven stars, only to be torn open by Yelü Mingquan's curved blade. Just as the blade was about to strike, Shi Feiyang instantly used his "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill, redirecting Yelü Mingquan's blade light towards a nearby tree, instantly splitting the trunk in two.

"Yelü Mingquan!" Shi Feiyang roared, his gaze fixed on her. A thin layer of ice instantly froze on her white robes. He then said in a deep voice, "Dare to harm her again, and I will tear you to pieces!" With that, he unleashed the "Dragon Battle in the Wilds" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, a fierce palm strike that whipped up a cloud of dust, knocking down the remaining Liao troops. Yelü Mingquan looked at her wailing subordinates on the ground and suddenly laughed bitterly, "Fine, fine, so this is the Tang Dynasty's Retired Emperor! My Liao Dynasty is gone, and you won't have an easy time either!" Her curved blade suddenly turned towards her heart, but Shi Feiyang used his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill," his true energy forming silver silkworm threads that bound her wrist.

Shi Feiyang sneered, "Want to die? Not so easy." His fingertips pressed on her pressure points, the chilling energy of Mingyu Gong spreading along her meridians, her body gradually stiffening. He said authoritatively, "Guards, take her to the Beggars' Sect branch and keep a close watch on her." Tu Pengpeng handed him a water jug, her Seven Star Sword carrying it. A red silk ribbon gently brushed against the back of his hand as she reminded him, "Husband, she is, after all, a princess of Liao..."

Shi Feiyang took the water bottle but didn't drink. Instead, he gazed towards Bianliang in the distance and said meaningfully, "The conflict between Song and Jin has only just begun." He stepped over the mess on the ground and said in a deep voice, "Let's go and see just how stable Zhao Ji's empire really is."

……

The Vermilion Bird Gate of Bianliang City bore the head of Emperor Tianzuo of the Liao Dynasty. The dragon banners of the Song Dynasty and the wolf banners of the Jin Dynasty tangled in the spring breeze, like two venomous snakes vying for their prey. Shi Feiyang's black dragon robe was embroidered with dark gold dragon patterns; when he circulated his Mingyu Gong (a martial arts technique), the dragon patterns seemed to come alive, shimmering with a jade-like light in the sunlight. Looking at the people lining the Imperial Street, he suddenly recalled Tu Pengpeng's words from the previous night—"Beneath this prosperity, how many swords and shadows are hidden?"

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword leaned against a vermilion pillar, its tassel of red silk wrapped around Shi Feiyang's fingertips. She tiptoed to brush away the fallen cherry blossoms from his shoulder, and the cuffs of her silver fur coat were stained with the gold thread from his dragon robe.

The two arrived at the Song Dynasty palace, and Tu Pengpeng teased, "Husband, look at Zhao Ji's eyes, don't they look like a hungry wolf staring at a piece of fat meat?"

Her nose brushed against his chin, a mixture of coquettishness and wariness in her voice. "Just now, when Jin Shi was whispering in his ear, he secretly pointed in our direction three times." Shi Feiyang's "Transferring Flowers and Jade" internal energy quietly circulated, gently diverting the prying gazes from behind.

He grasped Tu Pengpeng's hand, which was wrapped in red silk. The Heavenly Silkworm Technique in his palm shimmered slightly, condensing into an ice lotus on her wrist. He whispered, "Zhao Ji wants to use the Jin Kingdom to get rid of me, and Wanyan Aguda wants me to be their tool."

His silver earring dazzled, and he chuckled softly, "But they've forgotten that this knife of mine is specifically for cutting down the greedy."

Jin envoy Wanyan Zongwang slammed his spiked club heavily on the steps, cracking the frozen earth in a spiderweb-like pattern. He arrogantly declared, "Your Majesty of Tang, my lord has said that the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun should belong to Jin!" A scar beneath his helmet revealed a knife wound, and he added threateningly, "Otherwise, don't blame my Jin Wuzhu's iron cavalry for trampling Chang'an!" Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword suddenly flashed from its sheath, its light like a shooting star, sparking as it struck Wanyan Zongwang's club. She roared, "Insolence!"

Her sword tip was only an inch away from Jin Shi's throat.

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" technique from the Hundred Victories Blade Technique. A gentle, chilling palm wind swirled in front of the steps, pushing the weapons of both men aside. He calmly said, "General Zongwang," his gaze sweeping over the Golden Envoy, whose forehead beneath his iron helmet instantly froze into a thin layer of ice. He then added meaningfully, "The people of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun will make their own choice."

Fearing a fight between the envoys from Tang and Jin in his palace, Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) hastily issued an edict ordering a banquet for the envoys, and further decreed that they should eat separately because the food ingredients were different.

After the banquet, Emperor Huizong invited Shi Feiyang and his entourage to tour Jinming Pond.

The painted boats floated on the blue waves like lotus flowers.

Emperor Huizong's slender gold calligraphy was written on pink paper, the five characters "Heroes of the World Gathering" exuding a morbidly ornate elegance. When Shi Feiyang landed on the bow of the boat using the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Person and Name," Tu Pengpeng was using a silver hairpin to open a lotus seedpod. The sweetness of the lotus seeds mixed with the fragrance of orchids in her hair actually overpowered the ambergris fragrance that filled the boat.

Emperor Huizong pointed his jade flute at Tu Pengpeng, the coral bead at the end of the flute shimmering with a bewitching light. He teased, "Your Majesty, this must be the heroine Tu from the Seven Star Sword Sect, right? She is indeed a beauty that could topple kingdoms. No wonder Your Majesty is never far from her."

Tu Pengpeng fed the peeled lotus seeds into Shi Feiyang's mouth, deliberately brushing her fingertips against his lips, and said teasingly, "Your Majesty the Emperor is too kind. Compared to the peonies of Bianliang, I prefer the thorny roses of Chang'an—they are beautiful, but also prickly."

Wanyan Zongwang's spiked club suddenly slammed onto the deck, causing the dishes on the table to bounce around.

He roared in a fit of rage, "If His Majesty the Tang Emperor refuses to cede territory, don't blame us for being impolite!" The golden-clad warrior behind him suddenly drew his sword, its blade flashing coldly on the water's surface. Shi Feiyang threatened, "There are three hundred catties of gunpowder hidden beneath this pleasure boat!" He then lightly flicked his palm, unleashing the "Dragon Appears in the Field" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, the palm wind transforming into an invisible wall of energy to protect Tu Pengpeng.

Immediately afterwards, he used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill to redirect the Jin warrior's sword light back at them. Amidst screams, he was bending down to wipe the wine stains off Tu Pengpeng's skirt, and asked with concern, "Are you afraid?"

Tu Pengpeng twirled the Seven Star Sword in his palm, the red silk tassel of the sword wrapping around his fingers and tying a knot. She calmly said, "With my husband here, I'm not afraid of any gunpowder." She suddenly leaned closer, her breath sweet as orchids in his ear, and said affectionately, "Even if I explode into fireworks, dying with you would be enough." Suddenly, the painted boat rocked violently, and the hissing sound of gunpowder fuses came from underwater.

The warriors of both the Song and Jin dynasties were so frightened that they quickly protected Zhao Ji and Wanyan Zongwang as they fled. The giant waves created by the gunpowder exploding underwater were forcefully cleaved apart by Shi Feiyang using the "Mountain Splitting" technique of the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique," forming a water wall that protected the pleasure boat.

He embraced Tu Pengpeng and used his wondrous "Deed Done, Leave Without a Trace" lightness skill, his toes lightly touching the falling petals as he darted towards the shore like a startled swan. Behind him, the painted boat shattered into splinters amidst the explosion. On the shore, Emperor Huizong's screams and Wanyan Zongwang's roars mingled with the sound of the water, much like an anthill being trampled.

After finishing official business, it's time to deal with things in the underworld.

The following morning, accompanied by Qu Liuxiang, Lu Feng, Li Tieniu, Li Ji, Li Xian, and others, Shi Feiyang once again ventured into the heart of the city, taking Tu Pengpeng with him, and entered Bianliang City from the outskirts. After entering the city, the group split up.

At the Vermilion Bird Gate in Bianliang, lanterns swayed like blood-red balls in the night. Shi Feiyang had changed from his black dragon robe into a scholar's blue gown, while Tu Pengpeng's red clothes were covered by a gray cloth cloak, with the Seven Star Sword hidden under the cloak, the red silk on the hilt wrapped around his fingertips.

Li Tieniu tapped his bamboo cane on the ground and whispered to Shi Feiyang, "The Jin Kingdom post station is just ahead. Li Xian said that Wanyan Zongwang is staying there. That guy killed three Song officials yesterday with his 'wolf-tooth club'."

Shi Feiyang nodded, then used his profound "Hidden Identity and Name" lightness skill to leap onto the high wall of the post station with Tu Pengpeng. In the courtyard inside the wall, a dozen Jin soldiers were teasing a Song woman, and one of the Jin generals had a Song official's hat hanging on his spiked club.

Tu Pengpeng's fingers clenched so tightly they turned white, the hilt of the Seven Star Sword trembling slightly beneath her cloak. She said angrily, "Husband, although we are from the Tang Dynasty, we were originally one with the Song people. These Jin dogs are bullying our Central Plains sisters like this, I..."

Shi Feiyang separated Tu Pengpeng and unleashed the "Regretful Dragon" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The powerful palm strike slammed into the wine jar on the ground, sending fragments flying like hidden weapons toward the knees of the Jin soldiers, who screamed in agony.

"Who goes there?" Wanyan Zongwang roared from the main house. His spiked club smashed through the window and flew out, carrying a powerful gust of wind that seemed to shift Mount Tai, heading straight for Shi Feiyang. Shi Feiyang neither dodged nor evaded, but instead unleashed the "Leaping from the Abyss" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. His body suddenly shifted to the side, the spiked club grazing past his blue robe and striking the stone lion in the courtyard, splattering Jin soldiers' faces with shards of stone.

He quipped, "General Wanyan, you're in high spirits." Then he unleashed a palm strike, "Flying Dragon in the Sky," the wind from his palm transforming into a golden dragon that swept Wanyan Zongwang's body into the air. He then cursed, "On the land of the Great Song, how dare these golden dogs be so insolent?"

Wanyan Zongwang's spiked club swung in mid-air like an iron ball, but Shi Feiyang used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill to gently guide it, causing the club to strike his own chest. The blood he spat out condensed into an arc in the air, like a blood-red rainbow.

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword suddenly unsheathed, its light flashing as it pierced the throats of the Jin soldiers. The red silk tassel wrapped around the wrist of the last Jin soldier, and her sword tip pressed against his heart, but Shi Feiyang blocked it with a horizontal palm strike, saying in a deep voice, "Enough."

Just as the Jin soldier was about to get up, a hidden arrow suddenly pierced his throat.

In the corner of the inn, the figure of a Liao warrior flashed by, the Liao flag engraved on the shaft of his arrow. Tu Pengpeng exclaimed, "One of Yelü Mingquan's men?" Her sword tip pointed in the direction the shadow had disappeared, and she asked suspiciously, "Wasn't she being watched by the Beggars' Sect?"

Shi Feiyang's gaze swept around, and the murderous intent from the shadows surged forth like a tide.

His blue robe fluttered in the night wind as he replied, seemingly ignoring the question, "It seems the real show in Bianliang has only just begun."

He grasped Tu Pengpeng's hand, which was wrapped in red silk, and the crystalline light of the Heavenly Silkworm Technique in his palm condensed into an ice lotus on her wrist. He said in a low voice, "Let's go and meet Zhao Ji and his 'good ally'." The two figures gradually disappeared into the night, leaving only the corpses of Jin soldiers scattered on the ground and the firelight of the post station.

……

In the grand theater of Bianliang, a zaju play titled "The Fall of Liao and the Rise of Jin" was being performed. Actors with painted faces wielded wooden swords, "slaying" the Liao emperor. The cheers of the Song people below the stage shook the dust that had accumulated on the beams and caused it to fall in a flurry. Shi Feiyang, dressed in a blue robe, blended into the crowd. As he circulated his Mingyu Gong, the teacup his fingertips touched froze into a thin layer of ice, silently freezing the resentful gaze of the Jin envoy sitting next to him into the glass cup.

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword was hidden at her waist, and the red silk tassel of the sword was wrapped around Shi Feiyang's knuckles. She bit a sugar figurine and whispered, "Husband, look, that Song official in the green robe keeps going to the Jin envoy's table, and there is still wolf-hair ink on his cuffs—he must have just written a secret letter."

Her nose brushed against Shi Feiyang's earlobe, sugar crumbs fell on his blue robe, and she whispered, "The Song Dynasty values ​​literature over military affairs, and there are many traitors. Just now, when that man raised his cup, his fingers tapped three long and two short on the rim of the cup, which looked just like the Liao Dynasty's 'eagle language' code."

Shi Feiyang nodded. His "Transferring Flowers and Jade" internal energy flowed along the red silk, gently guiding the assassin's blade behind him towards the pillar beside him. The wooden pillar cracked open, and the assassin's screams were swallowed by the gongs and drums of the variety show.

He took Tu Pengpeng's hand and retreated backstage. As his blue robe swept across the dressing mirror, the image of the Jin envoy drawing an arrow was reflected in the mirror—the arrowhead was coated with a dark blue venom, the very mark of the Jin Kingdom's "Blood Wolf Camp".

Shi Feiyang, with Tu Pengpeng in his arms, used his "Hidden Identity and Name" lightness skill to leap onto the crossbeam and whispered, "Li Tieniu's Beggar Clan is in the east wing. Qu Liuxiang's Sun Moon Sect disciples are dressed as actors; just listen to the singing style and the ending notes of the painted-face actors!"

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword suddenly drew its sheath, its blade arcing across the beam and cleaving the incoming poisoned arrow in two. The venom splattered onto the paint, hissing white smoke rising from it. A blood-stained Liao flag was held aloft at the tip of her sword as she whispered, "Yelü Mingquan's people have infiltrated as well. This fabric is a tribute from the Liao royal family; she must be nearby."

Shi Feiyang nodded, put his arm around her, and flew away from the large house.

……

The lanterns of the Jin Kingdom's post station swayed like blood-red balls in the night wind, and Wanyan Zongwang's spiked club was smashing the third peace treaty sent by the Song court.

Shi Feiyang used his profound "Hidden Identity and Name" lightness skill to glide along the wall. The chilling aura of Mingyu Gong froze even the grass in the cracks between the bricks. He heard a grinding conversation coming from inside the tent: "...Have the 'Blood Wolf Camp' burn down the Song court's armory tonight, and say it was the Liao people who did it..."

Tu Pengpeng's red silk sword tassel suddenly tightened, pointing towards the ventilation opening at the top of the tent—where a hemp rope soaked in ghee hung down, and the Liao soldiers' scimitars gleamed coldly in the moonlight. Just as she was about to draw her sword, Shi Feiyang gently pressed her hand down. The crystalline light of the Heavenly Silkworm Skill in his palm merged with the Bright Jade Skill, condensing into an ice cocoon on her wrist. He whispered, "Wait for them to make their move."

Suddenly, Wanyan Zongwang inside the tent roared, "Assassin!" His spiked club, carrying a force that could "shatter mountains and split rocks," slammed towards the top of the tent, but Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill to gently deflect it. The club's head then struck his own command desk, causing the hidden map of the Song-Jin border to fly everywhere.

Yelü Mingquan, dressed in white, descended into the tent like a ghost, her curved blade aimed straight for the Jin envoy's throat, and she roared, "Wanyan scoundrel! Give me back my Liao land!" Her "Cold Moon Blade Technique" stirred up a flurry of ice shards, but suddenly froze when it touched Shi Feiyang's green robe—the vortex of Mingyu Gong's true energy swirled around the blade, and the ice shards condensed into frost flowers at her temples.

Shi Feiyang angrily rebuked, "You want revenge, but you've helped the real jackals."

His gaze swept over the glint of her blade, and Yelü Mingquan's pupils instantly frosted over.

Shi Feiyang further advised, "Look at those blueprints. The Jin Kingdom wants the entire Central Plains. No matter how many Song people you kill, you can't bring back the Liao Kingdom's decline."

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword drew a line resembling the Big Dipper, its light slicing the charging Jin camp guards into pieces.

Blood rained down on her red dress, and was absorbed by the red silk tassels of her sword, forming strings of beads.

Yelü Mingquan's scimitar clattered to the ground. She looked at the Liao and Jin soldiers fighting outside the tent and suddenly vomited blood. She said sadly, "I...I have become the Jin people's blade..." Shi Feiyang's "Healing Holy Method" white breath brushed over her chest. The cold internal energy was actually warm, reminding her of the temperature her father used to warm her hands when she was a child.

Shi Feiyang told Tu Pengpeng to carry the wounded and unconscious Yelü Mingquan away first, while he stayed behind to cover the rear. He used his palm as a sword and unleashed the "Slaying the Mortal World" technique from the Hundred Victories Swordplay. As the sword energy crisscrossed, the Jin soldiers flew around in all directions, turning into shattered corpses.

He returned to the attic on the third floor of the "Rujia Inn" and quickly took out various pills and "Tianshan Snow Lotus Water" from the mysterious deerskin bag on his waist that ordinary people could not see. He cleaned and bandaged Yelü Mingquan's wounds and fed her various pills.

Only then did he lead Tu Pengpeng to rest.

……

On this day, the Zichen Palace of the Song court looked like a moldy steamed bun in the morning mist, and Zhao Ji's slender gold calligraphy was writing the edict "ceding three cities of Taiyuan to the Jin".

Shi Feiyang, his blue robe damp with dew, stood beneath the steps, listening to the eunuch's shrill announcements. Suddenly, he unleashed the "Sudden Arrival" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms." Hidden within the shockwave of his palm strike were dozens of poisoned silver needles—the very killing move that the Jin Kingdom's "Blood Wolf Camp" had buried beneath the brocade.

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword weaved among the palace pillars, its red silk tassel entwining Emperor Huizong's jade belt, pulling him out from behind the collapsed dragon throne. Her sword tip held a bloodstained wolf pelt, and she analyzed, "This is the leather from the sole of the Jin Envoy's boots. The smell of the kerosene from the burning armory last night is exactly the same as the one in your imperial study."

Emperor Huizong felt very uncomfortable, but dared not utter a sound.

There was nothing he could do; he was a coward by nature.

Li Tieniu's green bamboo staff suddenly smashed into the bronze crane in the corner. From the smoke spewing from the crane's beak, a Jin man dressed in Song Dynasty official robes was revealed. Just as this man was about to detonate the gunpowder in his arms, he was sucked into a human skin by Lu Feng, an elder of the Sun Moon Sect, using his "Star Absorbing Technique".

Li Tieniu's cane bell rang urgently as he rushed over to report: "Yelü Mingquan led Liao soldiers to rob the Jin Kingdom's grain supplies outside the city. She said she wants to atone for her crimes by guarding the north gate of Bianliang for Your Majesty the Tang Emperor."

Shi Feiyang nodded and used the "Transferring Jade" technique to gently guide the jade seal that Zhao Ji had thrown at him toward the imperial edict on the table. The jade seal struck the character "割" (cut), and ink splattered like blood. He then admonished, "Zhao Ji, if you continue to negotiate with the tiger, the dragon throne of the Great Song Dynasty will sooner or later be replaced by the wolf-head flag of the Jurchens."

Emperor Huizong was dejected, his face as red as a pig's liver.

Shi Feiyang turned and left, and Tu Pengpeng ran up after him. Suddenly, she tiptoed and kissed Shi Feiyang on the cheek. The red silk tassel of her sword wrapped around his earring three times, and she said excitedly, "Husband, look! Yelü Mingquan's Liao soldiers are helping the Song people defend the city." Her Seven Star Sword pointed outside the city, where the Liao flag and the Song soldiers' dragon flag were fluttering side by side in the morning breeze, like two flowers blooming in the ruins.

The setting sun in Bianliang dyed the city walls blood red. Yelü Mingquan's white robes fluttered in the rain of arrows. Her scimitar cleaved through the third wave of Jin soldiers' charge, but a stray arrow pierced her shoulder blade.

Shi Feiyang used his profound "Hidden Identity and Name" lightness skill to land beside her. The chilling aura of the Mingyu Skill sealed her blood vessels, but he heard her cough up blood and laugh, "Your Majesty the Tang Emperor... if there is an afterlife... my Liao Kingdom... will surely form an alliance with the Great Tang..."

Shi Feiyang said with emotion, "Put everything aside and heal your injuries first. Speaking of which, we are relatives. My son, Li Danqing, once married Yelü Shihan as his empress." After saying that, he carried her on his back, supporting her round buttocks with one hand, and with one palm as a knife, he swung his palm and unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Sea" move from the Hundred Victories Knife Technique.

The palm strike surged like a raging sea, and the heads of the Jin soldiers fell one after another in the shockwave. Blood splattered on his cheek, but Yelü Mingquan raised her hand to wipe it away. Her fingertips were icy cold, and the moment they touched his skin, she suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Yelü Mingquan's pale, pretty face pressed against Shi Feiyang's cheek, the pearl on the silver hairpin digging into his ear cartilage.

This was an intimacy the last princess of the Liao Dynasty had never shown before. She could smell the ambergris in his hair mixed with the smell of gunpowder, and feel the rise and fall of his back muscles as he exerted force. Her voice was as soft as a sigh, and her breath brushed against his earlobe as she whispered, "You said... that the former Tang emperor Li Danqing married Shihan's great-aunt? Then we... are truly relatives."

Shi Feiyang swept his palm horizontally, and the palm wind of "Dragon Appearing in the Field" from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" swept up the broken spears on the ground, shooting towards the Jin soldiers like a rainstorm.

(End of this chapter)