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

Yelü Mingquan placed his hand in Shi Feiyang's palm, and the pearl on the silver hairpin collided with the gemstone on his jade belt, making a crisp sound.

Looking at his handsome face, she suddenly remembered how he reached out his hand to her amidst the chaos of war when they first met. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she said excitedly, "Ready?" Tu Pengpeng, as the officiant, held a marriage certificate written in seven languages.

As their fingertips touched the marriage certificate at the same time, the Vermilion Bird suddenly let out a long cry that resounded through the sky and flapped its wings to soar into the higher clouds.

Suddenly, the red candle inside the tent burst into flames, illuminating the twin lotus rings on their clasped hands—a ring made by Shi Feiyang using the Mingyu Technique to fuse two pieces of jade together, one from Zhongnan Mountain in the Tang Dynasty and the other from Shangjing in the Liao Dynasty.

Shi Feiyang kissed her marriage certificate and said tenderly, "From now on, your country is my country, and your people are my people."

Yelü Mingquan tiptoed and returned his kiss, the tassels of her wedding dress brushing against his dragon robe as she said affectionately, "From this day forward, my sword will be wielded for you, and my life will be lived for you." Outside the tent, the sea of ​​clouds churned, and the rising sun leaped out from the clouds, casting its golden rays upon the wings of the Vermilion Bird.

In the distance, Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty; Zhongdu, the capital of the Jin Dynasty; Xingqing, the capital of the Western Xia Dynasty; Yangjumei, the capital of Dali; and Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, all gradually awoke in the morning light. And atop these clouds, a wedding transcending national and personal grievances was quietly binding these scattered lands together into a warm knot. Tu Pengpeng's red silk and Yelü Mingquan's silver thread intertwined on Shi Feiyang's wrist. The three of them gazed at the distant morning light and suddenly smiled simultaneously.

The fighting continued, and the world was far from at peace, but at this moment, within the phoenix-feathered tent atop the Vermilion Bird, they had each other, and thus possessed the courage and strength to confront everything. Shi Feiyang embraced Yelü Mingquan, their gazes fixed on the eastern horizon.

There, the dragon flag of the Tang Dynasty was rising in the morning sun.

……

The peonies in Luoyang were in full bloom, and half of the carved window on the third floor of Zuixianlou was blocked by pink and white petals. When the wind blew, they fell softly onto Tu Pengpeng's red dress, like a blanket of snow.

She leaned against the brocade couch, the red silk tassel of the Seven Star Sword loosely wrapped around Shi Feiyang's fingertips, circling again and again, leaving faint red marks on his fair knuckles, like an unresolved knot.

"My husband's fingertips are so hot..." Tu Pengpeng's voice was as soft as cotton candy, with a long, drawn-out tone, carrying the unique sweetness of a woman from Jiangnan.

She suddenly covered her mouth, her stomach churning violently. She rushed to the window, vomiting morning dew mixed with acid into the flower bushes, wetting the newly opened peonies.

Shi Feiyang silently approached her from behind. His palm rested on her lower abdomen, the chilling aura of Mingyu Gong condensing into fine white threads that seeped into her skin. When he touched the faint pulse, the dragon pattern beneath his blue robe suddenly lit up, reflecting a tenderness in his eyes that could drown a person. He lowered his head and kissed her sweat-dampened temple, the silver earring in his left ear brushing against her cheek, and said excitedly, "Silly girl, you're carrying our child, for three months now."

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword clattered to the ground, and the red silk tassel seemed to come alive, suddenly wrapping around his wrist and tightening it so much that his bones ached.

"Really?" she asked excitedly, turning around with eyes as bright as if they were filled with starlight. Her fingertips trembled as she touched the back of his hand, and she asked excitedly, "Is it true? Husband, am I dreaming?" Last night, when Li Tieniu's wife brought her osmanthus cake, she had suspected that the almonds were bitter, but now, thinking about it, that bitterness had turned into sweetness.

Shi Feiyang grabbed her flailing hand, pressed it to his chest, and said affectionately, "Listen, he's greeting me."

His heartbeat was steady and strong, traveling through his palm to her fingertips. He teased, "No wonder you've been eating sour plums lately. The other day you even stole some dried plums from Su Xiaoman and she chased you all over half the city."

Tu Pengpeng's cheeks were as red as ripe cherries. Suddenly, she stood on tiptoe and bit his earlobe. She wrapped a red ribbon around his arm three times and said coquettishly, "Don't say it!" Her voice was choked with sobs, and her tears fell like broken pearls onto his clothes. She choked out, "My husband is going to be a father. Shouldn't he be punished? Punished... punished by having to comb my hair every day from now on."

A loud thud came from the top of the stairs as Li Tieniu's bamboo cane struck the threshold, the lotus pattern on the tip trembling. He called out in a gruff voice, "Your Majesty!" His voice laced with laughter, "Granny Zhang's bird's nest soup is ready, I'll be right there..."

Before he could finish speaking, Tu Pengpeng threw a handkerchief at him, hitting him in the face.

Tu Pengpeng's voice was sickeningly sweet, but the red silk ribbon loosened slightly, as if afraid of hurting him, and she said in a trembling voice, "Tell her to add two more spoonfuls of rock sugar! The sweetest, sweetest kind, sweet to the core!"

……

Yelü Mingquan, dressed in white like a cloud, drifted into Zuixianlou, carrying a newly embroidered little bib in her hands. The Liao wolf pattern on it was embroidered round and plump, like an adorable little dog, and a few strands of her hair were even hidden in the stitches.

"Sister is pregnant, why didn't you say so sooner?" She sat down next to Tu Pengpeng, the pearl on the silver hairpin dangling in front of Shi Feiyang's eyes, and teased, "I embroidered this overnight, look at this wolf cub, doesn't it look like Feiyang?"

Just as Shi Feiyang was about to speak, Ling Shuanghua's plain white dress swept across the threshold. The medical book in her hand was still curled at the corners, indicating that she had come directly from the medicine shop. Her fingertips rested on Tu Pengpeng's wrist, and a smile appeared on her clean face as she said confidently, "His pulse is steady and strong; he's a robust young man."

She took out a small brocade pouch from her sleeve, which contained herbs to help with pregnancy, and said with concern, "This is Tibetan snow lotus. I refined it for forty-nine days using the 'holy method of healing.' Drink the decoction every day, and it will ensure that you will not experience pain during childbirth."

Su Xiaoman's golden dart slammed into the beam with a "thud," and she landed behind Shi Feiyang. The spiked club in her hand had been replaced by a rattle drum at some point. She said playfully, "My son Nianwu said that this thing is the best for coaxing children."

Her hand rested on Shi Feiyang's shoulder, but the pressure was as light as a feather. "Feiyang, you have to sleep with me for a few nights. I need to have a second child, otherwise I..."

"Or you'll stab me with a golden dart?" Shi Feiyang smiled and turned around, holding her hand and saying affectionately, "I'll build a house for the child in the best location in Luoyang, even bigger than Nianwu's."

Zhao Qingyi arrived late in her phoenix robe, her account book still open, recording the monthly allowances for each palace. "Feiyang," she said earnestly, walking to his side and gently touching his silver hairpin with her phoenix hairpin, "I've allocated half of the national treasury to the orphanage and hired the best wet nurses in Dali. Look..."

Shi Feiyang took her hand and held it in his palm, praising, "Qingyi is so thoughtful." His gaze swept over the room full of sweet chatter, his heart filled with sweetness, and he teased, "When the baby is a month old, we'll hold a banquet with a hundred tables in Luoyang, so the whole world will know."

Yelü Mingquan suddenly laughed, the white robes waving in front of him, and said with a smile, "Then what should I, as the younger sister, give you?"

Her silver thread suddenly flew out and wrapped around his belt. She said sincerely, "Why don't you give my 'Blood-Sweating Horse' to the child? When he grows up, I'll have my husband teach him the 'Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms'." Ling Shuanghua's fingertips brushed against his sleeve and she said playfully, "I'll give the child all the medicinal fields in Medicine King Valley. He'll have all the medicinal herbs he needs in the future."

Su Xiaoman interjected, "I'll have the followers of the Sun Moon Cult make him a golden cradle, studded with jewels!" Zhao Qingyi gave them a reproachful look, then turned to Shi Feiyang and said, "They're all being silly. I've hired the best tutor for the child to teach him to read and write, so he can become a well-rounded child, skilled in both literature and martial arts." Tu Pengpeng's red silk suddenly encircled them all, seven hands clasped in Shi Feiyang's palms, like a blooming flower.

Shi Feiyang gathered their hands in his arms, the chill of Mingyu Gong condensing into a thin layer of ice, reflecting their smiling faces, and praised them, "You are all excellent, and always will be. But I wonder if our descendants will live up to expectations? Will it be like a hundred years ago, or a few decades ago, with many princes killing each other? The empire we fought so hard for will ultimately be ruined by them."

Su Xiaoman chuckled and said, "We don't care about what happens a hundred years from now, nor can we control it. But I wonder if you, this thousand-year-old demon, will still be alive then?" Everyone burst into laughter.

……

Just past 9 AM on the sundial in Luoyang Palace, the young Emperor Shi Nianyun's golden crown was already askew. He held Shi Feiyang's fingers as he wrote on the sand table, the three characters "民为贵" (the people are the most important) were scribbled crookedly, and saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the last stroke of the character "民".

“Father,” the little boy suddenly pointed at the ants in the sand tray, his golden boots crushing the words he had just written, but he teased, “They’re fighting, don’t they look like the wolf soldiers of the Jin Kingdom?” Empress Liu’s phoenix robe brushed past the palace pillars, and upon hearing this, the string of the Buddhist prayer beads on her fingertips suddenly broke, and the agate beads rolled all over the ground.

She was the happiest woman. Once a poor palace maid, she unexpectedly married Shi Feiyang, who was eager to take concubines, and gave birth to a fine son, instantly becoming Empress. Now, she's Empress Dowager. What incredible luck!
At this moment, Zhao Qingyi's Yaoguang Palace sent over newly made tiger-head shoes, with gold thread wrapped around Shi Feiyang's dragon robe and jade belt on the embroidered shoes.

“Your Majesty,” her voice was softer than the bronze cranes on the corner of the palace, “a report from Shandong says that the tiger Wu Song killed on Jingyang Ridge was a ‘mountain-guarding tiger’ kept by the magistrate of Yanggu County, which was used to extort merchants crossing the ridge.”

Her phoenix hairpin trembled slightly at her temple as she said indignantly, "After Wu Song killed the tiger, the magistrate actually wanted to punish him for 'killing official property without authorization'."

Su Xiaoman burst in carrying her one-year-old son, the silver lock jingling on the baby's chest.

"Husband! Look, Nianwu picked up a spiked club during her first birthday celebration!" She slammed her golden dart on the table, causing the ants in the sand tray to scatter in all directions. Then she reported, "Li Tieniu said that the Liangshan bandits in Shandong are recruiting soldiers. Why don't we..."

Shi Feiyang interjected, "Why not use someone else to do the dirty work?" He reached out and gently pinched Shi Nianyun's armpit. Shi Nianyun giggled and grabbed Shi Nianwu's spiked club with her small hand, actually performing a decent "Dragon Tail Swing".

Shi Feiyang then said with deep foresight, "Let Wu Song cause as much trouble as possible." He swept the sand table and rewrote the four characters "鹬蚌相争" (鹬蚌相争, a Chinese idiom meaning "when two parties fight each other"), and then said with great foresight, "After the Song court and Liangshan are both exhausted, we will march east again."

Ling Shuanghua's plain white skirt slid silently across the floor tiles. She placed the newly copied "The Art of War" on the table, a dried peony petal tucked between the pages. She whispered, "Your Majesty," her fingertip pointing to the words "resurrection," "the remnants of the Liao Kingdom are gathering in Shandong. Their leader, Yelü Hongye, is Yelü Mingquan's cousin, and it is said that he has a past connection with Lin Chong of Liangshan."

Shi Feiyang nodded and turned his head to say, "Nianyun, remember, governing a country is like practicing the 'Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.' 'The dragon that has risen too high will regret it' doesn't mean you don't use your strength, but that you leave room for maneuver." The young emperor nodded as if he understood, and the light from the pearl on his golden crown shone directly on the pages of the book that Ling Shuanghua had opened.

The news that Shi Feiyang was going to Shandong spread like wildfire throughout Luoyang overnight. Ling Shuanghua got up before dawn to pack his luggage, folding each piece of clothing neatly, with a small lotus flower embroidered on the cuff—her mark.

She said with concern, “Shandong is humid,” her fingertips tracing over Shi Feiyang’s black armor, and then gently added, “I’ve sewn some moisture-proof herbs into the armor. Remember to use your internal energy to dry it before you go to bed every day.”

Su Xiaoman's golden dart was stuck in the corner of her bag, with the word "Peace" engraved on the scabbard.

She said with deep emotion, "This was blessed by the Tibetan Grand Lama." She then reached out and tightened Shi Feiyang's belt, but with just the right amount of force. She added, "If you encounter any trouble, just crush it. I and the followers of the Sun Moon Cult will be there immediately."

Zhao Qingyi's ledger was filled with detailed records of Shandong's local customs and traditions, which post station had the best tea, which town's inn was the safest, and even which mountain bandits were the easiest to deal with.

She thoughtfully said, "I've had the Embroidered Uniform Guards make arrangements in advance." She stuffed the account book into his arms, gently stroked Shi Feiyang's chin with her hairpin, and repeatedly instructed, "On the third and sixteenth of each month, I will send someone to deliver a letter home to you. Don't forget to reply."

Yelü Mingquan's white robes were damp with morning dew. In her hands, she held a newly made cloak embroidered with the Big Dipper using Liao Dynasty needlework. She carefully said, "The nights in Shandong are cold." She then draped the cloak over Shi Feiyang's shoulders, tying a beautiful knot with silver thread behind his neck. With reluctance, she said, "The Big Dipper can guide your way. When you see it, it's like seeing me beside you."

Tu Pengpeng's red silk was wrapped around his riding whip, one end held in her hand and the other tied to his wrist. Her tears fell on the red silk, spreading a small wet patch, and she said softly, "Husband, please come back soon. My baby and I are waiting for you."

Shi Feiyang embraced them one by one, the warmth of his palms caressing their cheeks, and said affectionately, "Don't worry, I'll be back soon." His gaze swept over the myriad lights of Luoyang City, "When I return, I'll take you to see the heroes of Liangshan and to stroll through the market in Yanggu County."

Yelü Mingquan suddenly stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his lips, saying urgently, "I've prepared the best medicine for your injuries; it's in a hidden compartment of your bag. Remember, you mustn't get hurt, or else..."

"Or you could tie me up with silver thread and never let me leave the house again?" Shi Feiyang replied with a smile, pinching her cheek.

Ling Shuanghua pressed her fingertips against his brow and said gently, "I put some calming powder in your purse. If you can't sleep, just smell it, and it will feel like I'm right beside you."

Su Xiaoman suddenly hugged his waist, buried her face in his chest, and said sadly, "Husband, I can't bear to see you go." Her voice was muffled and nasal, and she said teasingly, "Why don't I go with you? I can protect you."

Zhao Qingyi gently pulled her away and scolded, "Xiaoman, stop fooling around. Your husband has important business to attend to." She turned to Shi Feiyang, her phoenix eyes full of tenderness, and instructed, "Go and come back soon. We're all waiting for you."

Tu Pengpeng's red silk suddenly tightened, pulling him in front of her. She stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, "Husband, I embroidered a peace charm for you. It's in the pocket of your inner garment. Don't let anyone else see it."

Shi Feiyang was immersed in happiness, his eyes filled with tears.

He hardened his heart, leaped onto his horse, and looked back. In front of the carved window on the fifth floor, five figures stood gracefully, like five blooming flowers.

He waved his hand, spurred his horse and rode away, the Big Dipper on his cloak gleaming in the sunlight, like the gaze they followed.

……

In the days after Shi Feiyang left, the peonies in Luoyang gradually faded, but Tu Pengpeng's belly grew bigger day by day. Yelü Mingquan accompanied her on walks every day, teaching her the Liao Kingdom's pregnancy-preserving dance. Dressed in white and red, they fluttered in the garden like two beautiful butterflies.

Yelü Mingquan supported her waist, and a silver thread circled around her wrist, conveying the message: "My husband said the pomegranate flowers in Shandong are in bloom. When he returns, let's go pick pomegranates together."

In Ling Shuanghua's medicine hut, there was a small cradle, which she made herself and covered with patterns of herbs. "This is for the child," she said to Tu Pengpeng while brewing medicine. "My husband likes peace and quiet, so I put the cradle by the window so he can see the moon at night."

Su Xiaoman's Sun Moon Cult sent over a batch of new toys, including a rocking horse that could run and a mud dog that could bark, filling half the room.

She said playfully, "These are all things I had my followers collect from all over the country," picking up a rattle drum and shaking it in front of Tu Pengpeng's belly, then teasingly added, "Listen, the baby's kicking you; he misses his father too." Several more pages appeared in Zhao Qingyi's ledger, listing the clothes, toys, and books prepared for the child, even specifying which wet nurse and tutor to hire. She smiled at Tu Pengpeng and said, "My husband says he prefers boys to resemble him and girls to resemble me. Seeing how much this baby is moving, it must be a boy; he'll definitely be as brave as my husband in the future."

On the third and sixteenth of each month, they would gather at Zuixianlou to wait for Shi Feiyang's letters home.

The letter was short, but filled with longing. It told stories of interesting things in Shandong, about the heroes of Liangshan, and how much he missed them. Every time he finished reading the letter, Tu Pengpeng would stick it to his belly so that the child could hear his father's voice.

Yelü Mingquan read the letter, her silver hairpin gleaming in the sunlight, and said, "My husband said that Wu Song is really brave, even more so than the legends say."

Ling Shuanghua's fingertips traced the letter as she said sympathetically, "He said that Pan Jinlian of Yanggu County is indeed very beautiful, but not as bad as the legends say; she's just a pitiful woman." Su Xiaoman snatched the letter and said jokingly, "He also said that Ximen Qing is a despicable villain who tricked me and has now become the laughingstock of Yanggu County."

Zhao Qingyi smiled as she folded the letter and placed it in an exquisite box, saying earnestly, "When my husband returns, we'll show these letters to the child so he knows how powerful his father is." Tu Pengpeng, her red silk wrapped around the letter, her eyes red-rimmed, said sadly, "I miss my husband so much. When will he come back?"

Yelü Mingquan held her hand, silver thread and red silk intertwined, and advised, "It'll be soon, the pomegranate flowers are almost withered, he should be back soon."

……

Although Shi Feiyang frequently sent letters, he only reported good news and not bad. His journey to Shandong was not peaceful! But he would not tell his wives about these dangers, not wanting them to worry about him.

The morning mist at the Yellow River ferry crossing carried the smell of fish. Shi Feiyang had changed from his blue robe to a fisherman's coarse brown clothes, and his straw hat was pulled down low, obscuring the iconic silver ring on his left ear. At his feet, the fishing net was entangled with three inconspicuous bamboo tokens—the Beggars' Sect's "Lotus Tokens." The last bamboo token had a tiny "Gold" character engraved on its bamboo surface. Li Tieniu had given it to him last night, saying that the Jin Kingdom's "Blood Wolf Camp" had already set up the "Wolf Fang Formation" downstream.

The old man punting the boat had water dripping from his raincoat, and the pole in his hand dug a deep hole in the mud. He explained, "Sir, are you going to cross the river? Things haven't been peaceful these past few days. Last night, a merchant ship capsized in the middle of the river, and the bodies that were pulled out were all headless."

His eyes darted around in the shadow of his straw hat, and a patch of dark blue wolf-print tattoo was visible on his knuckles.

Shi Feiyang twirled the bamboo tally between his fingertips, and the chilling energy of Mingyu Gong had already quietly circulated. The moment his fingertips touched the ship's plank, he indeed felt the vibration of the iron objects in the interlayer—the sound of the iron rings of the mace colliding.

So Shi Feiyang jokingly said, "I heard the river god likes to eat pig's head?" He then bent down and untied the fishing net. Suddenly, three copper coins flew out of the net, grazed the old man's throat, and stuck to the mast. The coins were deeply embedded in the wood, and their ends were still buzzing and vibrating.

The old man's raincoat suddenly burst open, revealing black leather armor underneath, and a spiked club at his waist came crashing down with a whoosh. He cursed, "Tang dog! I've been waiting for you!" The barb at the end of the club was wrapped with fragments of the Liao wolf flag, exactly the same as the one Shi Feiyang had seen in Bianliang.

Shi Feiyang used his mysterious "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill, spinning around the bow of the boat and leaving a trail of afterimages. His coarse brown clothes swept across the water, and the water droplets he stirred up condensed into ice beads in mid-air. Without drawing the wooden sword from his waist, his left palm had already struck out with the "Dragon Appears in the Field" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The palm wind swept across the water, knocking the three Jin soldiers who had emerged from under the boat into the Yellow River.

The river water boiled instantly, not from the palm strike, but from the blood of the Jin soldiers spreading in the water, staining half of the ferry crossing red.

Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang used his "Shifting Flowers and Receiving Jade" divine skill. The old man's spiked club was strangely redirected, striking Shi Feiyang's own head instead. The instant brains splattered onto the deck, Shi Feiyang's right palm was already pressed against the chest of another Jin soldier. The silver threads spun from his Heavenly Silkworm Skill traveled along the opponent's meridians. Before the Jin soldier could even scream, his internal organs were already crushed by his own internal force, and the blood foam gushing from his seven orifices condensed into dark red ice on his bamboo hat.

Suddenly, the sound of conch shells echoed through the fog, and seven awning boats burst forth from the reeds, each with a black wolf flag flying from its mast. Shi Feiyang snorted coldly, unleashing his "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. His gaze swept over the helmsman of the lead boat, whose bronze mask suddenly cracked, revealing a face branded with a hot iron—it was Wanyan Lie, Wanyan Zongbi's adopted son, the man whose three ribs had been broken by him last year on the cloud peak.

Wanyan Lie's ghost-headed saber cleaved through the mist, the wind from the blade carrying black blood poison. He said coldly, "Shi Feiyang! Where is the shroud your woman wove for you? I brought thirty 'Blood Wolf Guards,' each of them fed 'Power-Dissolving Powder' in their blood. Just a sip will cripple your internal energy!"

Shi Feiyang's wooden sword was finally drawn, its blade shimmering in the mist—ice he had tempered within the scabbard using the Bright Jade Technique. He unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," using the sword as a blade to trace the trajectory of "Viewing the Vast Ocean." The moment the sword energy collided with the Ghost Head Blade, a giant wave suddenly surged across the river, lifting two small boats into the air. Immediately afterward, he unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunderous Fury," transforming ice into lightning that flowed along the sword's blade. Suddenly, the ice sword exploded into countless ice crystals, each carrying lightning that pierced the seven orifices of the Jin soldiers.

Amidst screams, Shi Feiyang, his brown robes soaked in blood, still stood at the swaying bow of the boat. He stared at Wanyan Lie's convulsing body on the deck, a fragment of the ghost-headed saber embedded in his own heart, black blood gushing out and pooling into a small pool on the deck. Suddenly, a carrier pigeon flew out from the distant reeds, its wingtip bearing the lotus emblem of the Beggars' Sect—Li Tieniu's men had arrived.

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai were still wet from last night's rain. Shi Feiyang's coarse brown clothes had been replaced by a woodcutter's hemp shirt. Hidden in the bundle of firewood on his shoulder was a peace charm embroidered by Tu Pengpeng herself, and the twin lotus flowers on the charm were damp with sweat.

Suddenly, the welcoming pine trees beside the mountain path rustled. In the gaps between the falling pine needles, he saw seven figures in yellow robes—masters of the "Dharma King's Hall" of the Tibetan Tantric sect. The leader's rosary was strung with nine skulls, and each skull's eye socket was inlaid with a ruby.

“Please wait, benefactor Shi.” The leading Dharma King clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, his prayer beads spinning rapidly in his palm. “The Zanpu has ordered that your head be used to pay tribute to the warriors who died in the battle of Lhasa last year.” His “Great Mudra” was already secretly gathering power, and a blackish-red energy emanated from his palm, exactly like the “Blood Nerve” he had encountered in Tibet years ago.

Shi Feiyang's wood-chopping knife was stuck diagonally in a crack in the stone steps, and the anti-slip pattern on the handle was wrapped with silver thread by Yelü Mingquan.

He jokingly asked, "Is your 'Rhodiola rosea' enough?" He bent down to tie his straw sandals, the hem of his hemp shirt brushing against the Dharma King's robe, and then teased, "There are some things in the Central Plains that you've never seen before."

Before the words were finished, the bundle of firewood suddenly burst open, and the amulets inside transformed into countless paper butterflies, each piece of paper bearing the flame symbol of the Sun Moon Cult.

Suddenly, the Dharma King on the left swung his palm and struck Shi Feiyang in the back, the force of the "Great Handprint" creating a deep pit in the stone steps.

Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill, moving even faster than him. With a light tap of his elbow, he redirected the palm strike to his companion on the right.

The two men's "great handprints" collided in mid-air, their robes instantly shattering, their internal organs mixed with bone fragments splattering onto the rock face, staining the two large characters "虫二" (Chong Er) on the cliff face red. Suddenly, the leading Dharma King began chanting a mantra, and nine skull prayer beads simultaneously lit up red. Twenty red-robed lamas emerged from behind the rocks on both sides of the mountain path, each holding a bowl of human skulls, the blood in the bowls bubbling—it was a Tantric "blood sacrifice formation."

His prayer beads were wrapped around Shi Feiyang's woodcutter's knife, and he said in a sinister tone, "Does Benefactor Shi know that the blood in this bowl includes the blood of your Great Tang subjects, as well as that of the Western Xia and Liao Kingdoms? Today, we will use your blood to mix them together."

Enraged, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" technique from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The fierce palm wind transformed into a golden dragon that crashed into the rock wall, and loose boulders rained down on the group of lamas. Immediately afterward, he used the "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill, his fingertips slicing across the throat of the nearest lama. The instant blood spurted, the blood of the other nineteen lamas flowed backward along the ground, forming a small pool of blood at his feet.

The leading Dharma King angrily rebuked, "Sorcery! This is sorcery!" His prayer beads broke inch by inch, and the ruby ​​in the skull suddenly shattered. He then rebuked, "This is a technique that goes against the laws of nature!" He unleashed the "Great Seal" with his last bit of strength.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly: "You're making a fuss over nothing, you're so ignorant! Humph!" He struck out with both palms the "Treading on Frost, Ice Arrives" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. With the blessing of the Mingyu Skill, the Dharma King's palm wind froze in mid-air, and his entire arm solidified into an ice sculpture amidst crackling sounds.

Shi Feiyang then used his palms as a knife, unleashing the "Slaying the Mortal World" technique from the Hundred Victories Knife Method, splitting the ice sculpture and the Dharma King's body in two.

The rain and mist on the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai had not yet dissipated. Shi Feiyang had just shattered the ice sculpture of the Tubo Dharma King, and the blood on his woodcutter's knife had not yet dripped when he heard the sound of metal clashing from the bend below.

The sounds were fragmented and rapid, clearly the clash of a woman's weapon against heavy iron, mixed with the cries of a woman and the sneers of the Jin soldiers.

He hastily used his profound "Hidden Identity and Name" lightness skill, his hempen robe leaving a trail of afterimages on the slippery stone steps. As he turned past "Ascension Hall," the scene before him made his pupils shrink—ninety-three Jin soldiers were dragging two women into a recess behind the rock wall. One of the girls, with her hair in twin buns, had half of her sleeve torn, revealing an arm covered in bruises. And blocking their way was a girl dressed in a moon-white short jacket.

The girl looked no more than sixteen years old, her figure as slender as a bamboo shoot after the rain. She wore a pale white short jacket over a light green cloak, the hem of which was soaked with blood, yet the exquisite fabric was still undeniable—the collar was embroidered with a tiny Tai Chi symbol, the mark of the Tai Chi Sword School.

Her dark hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, and a few strands of wet hair clung to her pale cheeks, making her almond-shaped eyes look exceptionally bright. She was staring at the five Jin soldiers in front of her, and although the Tai Chi sword in her hand was trembling, she gripped it very tightly.

"This young lady is quite pretty," the leading Jin soldier captain licked his lips, brandishing his spiked club in front of her, and continued spouting nonsense, "Have some fun with us, and we'll release these two village girls, how about it?"

The Jin soldiers behind him burst into laughter, and two of them drew their short swords and circled around to either side of the girl.

This beautiful girl was He Yao. She had come down the mountain with her master to buy medicinal herbs. When she passed by Mount Tai, she saw Jin soldiers abducting women. Although she knew that she had only just begun to learn the "Thirteen Forms of Tai Chi", she still gritted her teeth and rushed out.

At that moment, seeing the Jin soldiers closing in, she took a deep breath and drew a smooth arc with the tip of her sword.

This is precisely the "Cloud Hands" stance of Tai Chi sword, attempting to draw away the short swords on both sides.

But the Jin soldiers' swordsmanship was fierce and unparalleled, and they didn't even try to parry her moves, their short swords aimed straight for her waist. Although He Yao's lightness skill was agile, she couldn't withstand the attack of thirteen people. Her cloak was swept by the wind of the swords and tore open with a "hiss," revealing the corner of her moon-white short coat underneath, embroidered with a small orchid.

With a "thud," a knife struck her shoulder, and blood instantly stained her light green cloak.

He Yao groaned, but gritted her teeth and advanced instead of retreating. Suddenly, she changed her move with the tip of her sword, using the "Wild Horse Parts Its Mane" technique to force back the captain in front of her. At the same time, she turned around to protect the two women, completely ignoring the fact that the short swords of several other Jin soldiers were already stabbing towards her back.

At that moment, Shi Feiyang's woodcutter's knife pierced through the air, its blade flashing coldly in the rain and mist, and precisely struck the Jin soldier's wrist.

The moment the dagger flew from his hand, he had already landed beside He Yao. The hem of his hemp shirt swept across the bloodstains on her shoulder, carrying the chilling aura of Mingyu Gong, which instantly froze the gushing blood droplets.

"Senior!" He Yao exclaimed in surprise and delight, her grip on the Tai Chi sword becoming firmer. Her almond-shaped eyes gazed at the woodcutter who had suddenly appeared. Although she couldn't see his face clearly, she could tell from his aura that he was a master.

Seeing his comrade injured, the Jin soldier captain roared and swung his club, cursing, "Where did this wild dog come from! Daring to meddle in my business!" The spiked club whistled through the air, simultaneously covering Shi Feiyang and He Yao within its attack range.

Shi Feiyang did not turn around, but whispered to He Yao, "Three to the left, two to the right, take the center." This is the key to the "Deception and Reality" chapter of Sun Tzu's Art of War. He saw the Jin soldiers' weakness in an instant—the three Jin soldiers on the left had unsteady steps, the two on the right had disordered breathing, and only the captain in the middle had solid skills.

He Yao was incredibly intelligent and instantly grasped the concept. Her Tai Chi sword suddenly transformed into a white rainbow, circled around to the left behind the Jin soldier, and lightly touched the man's knee with the tip of the sword.

As the Jin soldier screamed and fell to his knees, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Dragon Appears in the Field" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The fierce palm wind swept across the ground, sending the two men on the right flying backward, spitting blood.

"Good!" He Yao's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but praise. Taking advantage of the fact that the captain in the middle was entangled with Shi Feiyang, she used her Tai Chi sword to perform a move called "White Crane Spreads Wings," with the tip of the sword pointing directly at the captain's throat. This move was originally a defensive move, but she forcibly changed it into a surprise attack. Although it was immature, it revealed a kind of tenacity.

Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade Divine Skill" to suddenly change the direction of the wolf-tooth club the captain was throwing, causing it to strike his own chest heavily. As the blood he spat out splattered onto He Yao's light green cloak, Shi Feiyang's woodcutter's knife was already pressed against his neck. Silver threads, like silkworm silk, traveled along the blade, and the captain's body instantly stiffened, black blood gradually seeping from his seven orifices.

Seeing the situation was dire, the remaining Jin soldiers turned and fled. Shi Feiyang swiftly unleashed his "Evil Blood Calamity" divine skill, sweeping his palm across the ground. The men suddenly screamed and collapsed, vomiting blood until their blood ran dry, their bodies curling up into shriveled monkey shapes.

"Thank you so much for saving my life, senior!" He Yao helped the injured woman over, bowed deeply to Shi Feiyang, and the hem of her light green cloak swept across the stone steps, the water droplets mixed with blood still clinging to them. She then respectfully introduced herself, saying, "I am He Yao from the Taiji Sword Sect. May I ask your esteemed name, senior?"

Shi Feiyang's bamboo hat shifted, as if he were sizing up the beautiful young martial arts girl. When his gaze fell on the wound on her shoulder, he took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket—this was a wound medicine made by Ling Shuanghua.

He stuffed the medicine into her hand and said with concern, "Take them down the mountain quickly, the Jin reinforcements are coming soon." He deliberately lowered his voice, and said with the hoarseness unique to a woodcutter, "You're still a little short of mastering the 'Three Rings Encircling the Moon' technique of the Tai Chi Sword Sect."

He Yao tightened her grip on the porcelain bottle. She had secretly practiced the "Three Rings Encircling the Moon" technique at the inn last night and had never used it in public before. She never expected that this "senior" could see through her secrets. She watched Shi Feiyang's departing figure, his hempen robe gradually disappearing into the mist. Suddenly, she remembered her master's words: "The martial world is vast, full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. When you encounter a master, you should humbly seek his guidance."

"Senior, please wait!" she called out, then unfastened the jade pendant from her waist. The pendant was a piece of warm jade, engraved with a Tai Chi symbol, and was her sect's token. She said piously, "This jade may not be valuable, but it proves my identity. If you ever visit the vicinity of Wudang Mountain, please visit the Tai Chi Sword Sect. Yao'er will certainly serve you tea in gratitude!"

Shi Feiyang paused for a moment, but did not turn around. He simply waved his hand and disappeared into the depths of the clouds at the "South Heavenly Gate".

He Yao looked at the wound medicine in her hand, then at the jade pendant, and suddenly clenched it tightly in her palm. She said to the two women, "Come down the mountain with me quickly. We need to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible."

Her Tai Chi sword cleared the way ahead, and through the tear in her light green cloak, the orchid embroidery on her moon-white short jacket was faintly visible in the rain and mist.

As she passed by the corpses of the Jin soldiers curled up in the shape of monkeys, she couldn't help but take another look. She saw that blood was still seeping from their seven orifices, and their faces were frozen in extreme fear, which made her feel even more awe and curiosity towards the mysterious woodcutter.

At this moment, Shi Feiyang was already standing on the summit of Mount Tai.

The clouds swirled beneath his feet, and the bloodstains on his hempen shirt were gradually dried by the mountain wind. He gazed in the direction He Yao had gone, a smile playing on his lips—this young girl's temperament was somewhat like that of the former Tu Pengpeng; though gentle, she was resilient. Given time, she would surely become a renowned female knight-errant in the martial world.

He retied the amulet from the bundle of firewood, then turned and walked towards Qufu. (End of Chapter)