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

Chapter 511. Golden Bells Shake in the Snowy Region, Schemes Unfold; Cold Sleeves Brush Across the Moon over Tang and Fan.
Shi Feiyang returned from Tibet with He Yao, Guo Biyu, and Li Ruitong. A celebration banquet was held on Zhuque Street in Chang'an, and the golden crown of the young emperor Shi Nianyun and the silver lock of the prince Shi Nianwu shone brightly in the lamplight.

Li Ruitong, dressed in a plain white skirt, sat beside Tu Pengpeng. Her silver thread was intertwined with the red silk of the Seven Star Sword. As she poured wine for Shi Feiyang, the barbs on her fingertips had been worn smooth. "Your Majesty," the surrendered official from Western Xia said, holding the "Minor Formless Skill" manual on a bamboo slip, the ink still fresh on it, "the Tibetan Zanpu has sent an envoy with a map of 'Lhasa City,' wishing to forge an eternal alliance with the Great Tang."

His forehead was pressed against the floor tiles, and he dared not look at the lingering ice patterns on Shi Feiyang's black armor.

Shi Feiyang nodded and said, "Someone, convey my decree to establish the 'Anxi Protectorate' in Xingqing Prefecture." His gaze swept across the starry sky outside the palace, where the Milky Way lay like a reclining dragon. He then issued another decree: "Let Li Ruitong take charge of the former 'Yipintang' troops and teach them to grow rice in Chang'an and weave brocade in Luoyang."

Tu Pengpeng's red silk suddenly wrapped around Li Ruitong's silver thread, bringing the two cups of wine together. She teased, "If my 'Seven Star Sword Technique' were paired with my 'Cold Sleeves Brushing Acupoints', her phoenix robe and the girl's white skirt would blend together in the lamplight. She then said firmly, 'It will surely let those petty villains who still think of causing trouble taste what it means to experience both ice and fire.'"

Li Ruitong tied a love knot with her silver thread in Shi Feiyang's palm. Looking at the silver strands behind his ear, she chuckled and said, "Does Your Majesty know that my mother's Han Chinese attire contains half of the 'Song of Everlasting Regret'?" She picked up a pigeon-blood ruby ​​with her silver thread and said reverently, "This is the last national treasure of Western Xia. I wish to have it embedded in the Imperial Seal of the Tang Dynasty."

Shi Feiyang nodded with satisfaction, knowing in his heart that the sandstorms of the Western Regions would rise again, and the Japanese pirates of the East Sea had not yet submitted. But as long as he held these two warm hands, as long as he looked at the lights of thousands of homes, the swords and shadows of this world would eventually turn into tenderness. Just like the marigolds of Xingqing Prefecture, which could bloom in full glory under the moonlight of Chang'an.

He took He Yao, Guo Biyu, and Li Ruitong to enjoy their honeymoon in Chang'an instead of returning to Luoyang, because he did not want to affect the prestige of the young emperor Shi Nianyun.

……

When the peonies in Luoyang Palace were in full bloom, a young girl in a scarlet palace dress would always sit under the side corridor of the Zichen Hall. Shi Nian, the daughter of Shi Feiyang and Zhao Qingyi, a princess of the Tang Dynasty, had her phoenix hairpin tucked into her hair, and the tassels brushed against the jade pendant at her waist—a gift from Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty to his granddaughter.

The four characters "天下太平" (Peace Under Heaven) on the jade have been polished to a shine.

Shi Nian imagined the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments in Chang'an, where her father, Shi Feiyang, was enjoying a dance with his three newly acquired imperial concubines, He Yao, Guo Biyu, and Li Ruitong, while in her mother Zhao Qingyi's bedroom, only the cold palace lanterns swayed in the wind.

"Princess, it's time to return to your chambers." A maidservant held up a plain-colored cloak, her voice extremely low. Many years ago, when news of the Jin Dynasty's capture of the last city of the Song Dynasty reached Luoyang, Zhao Qingyi locked herself in her palace and smashed all the artifacts bearing the Song Dynasty's mark, including the bronze mirror that had been part of her dowry.

At that moment, Shi Nian's fingertips dug into her palm, and drops of blood dripped onto the jade pendant. She asked sadly, "Is Mother looking at that 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' painting again?" She remembered her mother always saying how prosperous Bianjing was in the painting, and how elegant her maternal grandfather Emperor Huizong's slender gold calligraphy was. But all of that had turned to ashes, while her father's Tang Dynasty cavalry never crossed the Yellow River to aid the Song Dynasty.

Therefore, Shi Nian hated her father to the core. She pondered how her mother, a princess of the former Song Dynasty, had married into the Tang Empire, yet her family received no support from her husband's family during a time of crisis—a truly tragic situation. All of this was undoubtedly related to Shi Feiyang's lust for beauty. She wanted to avenge her mother, to personally rule the Tang Dynasty, to become a second Wu Zetian, and to completely overthrow Shi Feiyang's "unrighteous and immoral" ways!
At that moment, as Shi Nian turned through the corridor, he bumped into the young emperor Shi Nianyun being held in Liu Dan's arms. This empress dowager, who had risen from the ranks of palace maids, was coaxing her son with candied fruit, her head adorned with pearls and jade, making her look like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.

Shi Nian's phoenix hairpin gleamed coldly in the sunlight. She deliberately tripped over her skirt, her crimson palace gown brushing against Shi Nianyun's pastry box, scattering osmanthus cakes all over the floor. "Sister Nian!" Shi Nianyun cried out in surprise, hiding in Liu Dan's arms. His dragon robe wasn't even properly on; the gold thread on the cuffs was askew. Liu Dan quickly helped Shi Nian up, her perfume wafting over her, and said kindly, "Princess, be careful, the ground is slippery."

Shi Nian brushed the crumbs of pastry off her skirt, her gaze sweeping over the silver bracelet on Liu Dan's wrist—a gift her father had casually bestowed years ago, without even a royal insignia. "Thank you for your concern, Empress Dowager," she said calmly. Suddenly, Fengchai picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and said sarcastically, "If His Majesty can't even handle this little fright, how will he rule the Tang Dynasty in the future?"

Liu Dan's face turned pale, but she could only manage an awkward smile.

As Shi Nian turned to leave, she heard Zhao Qingyi's voice behind her: "Your Majesty, the princess is young, please don't take it to heart." Her mother's voice carried her usual restraint, but Shi Nian knew that the fingernails hidden in her sleeves must have dug into her flesh.

That night, the candles in Zhao Qingyi's bedroom burned until dawn.

Shi Nian leaned on the windowsill and saw his mother weeping as she looked at a map of the Song Dynasty. Bianjing, the capital of the Song Dynasty, was circled tightly in red.

“Son,” Zhao Qingyi suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and sorrowful, “Your grandfather once said that a woman’s tears cannot buy an empire; what can buy an empire is cunning.” Shi Nian touched the jade pendant at her waist, where the bloodstains had congealed into a dark red, and said resolutely, “Mother, I want to learn from Wu Zetian.” Her phoenix hairpin traced the character “Wu” on the window paper, and she said fiercely, “I will make all those who look down on my mother and me kneel on the ground and beg for mercy.”

Zhao Qingyi's candlelight suddenly flickered. Looking at the fierceness in her daughter's eyes, which resembled her own when she was young, she gave her advice: "To achieve great things, you must first have claws and teeth." She took out a bronze talisman from her makeup box, which was engraved with the words "Jinyi" (Imperial Guards), and introduced it: "In this Luoyang city, the sharpest claws and teeth are the Jinyiwei."

The Lantern Festival has arrived, and the sea of ​​lanterns in Luoyang has illuminated half of the night sky.

The mansion of Qu Cheng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. His two grandsons, Qu Shangwen and Qu Shangwu, were accompanying their grandfather to admire the lanterns.

Qu Shangwen held a copy of "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, the ink stains on his blue robe still damp; Qu Shangwu brandished a specially made embroidered spring knife by the Imperial Guard, its blade flashing in the lamplight. "Brother Shangwen, what a refined taste you have." Shi Nian, dressed in a crimson palace gown, suddenly appeared in the lamplight, the pearls on her phoenix hairpin shimmering, and mocked, "This 'beauty trap' commentary, I wonder if Brother Shangwen has any insights?"

Her round fan gently touched Qu Shangwen's book page, and the Diao Chan worshipping the moon on the fan surface was lifelike.

Qu Shangwen's face instantly turned red. He hurriedly closed the book and said tremblingly, "Your Highness is joking."

He stole a glance at Shi Nian's profile; her skin, under the lamplight, was as white as jade, even more lustrous than the mutton-fat jade treasured in the mansion.

Shi Nian suddenly turned around, using his fan to catch the wind from Qu Shangwu's slashing blade, and said sarcastically, "Brother Shangwu's swordsmanship has become increasingly refined."

Her fingertips traced the back of the blade, polishing the cloud-patterned design until it gleamed, and she said sarcastically, "I wonder how much it still falls short of the 'Number One Blade of the Embroidered Uniform Guard' Commander Qu from back then?"

Qu Shangwu, simple-minded, sheathed his sword, cupped his hands, and said respectfully with a smug glint in his tiger-like eyes, "As long as I can serve the princess, I would offer my life, let alone my swordsmanship." His gaze swept over his elder brother, carrying undisguised provocation—who in Luoyang didn't know that the two brothers had long admired this princess of Song blood?

Shi Nian's fan suddenly fell to the ground. Just as Qu Shangwen bent down to pick it up, Qu Shangwu had already taken the lead.

Two hands collided on the fan handle, the chill of the embroidered spring knife mingling with the ink fragrance of the books, creating an eerie tension.

Shi Nian accepted the fan and said softly, "Thank you, gentlemen." She deliberately traced a line on the back of each of their hands with her fingertips. As she turned around, a pearl rolled off her phoenix hairpin and landed right next to Qu Shangwen's boot.

“Please come to Fengyi Palace for tea another day,” she said, her voice as soft as honey. “I have recently acquired some ‘Dragon and Phoenix Tea’ from the Great Song Dynasty, and I would like to invite you two to taste it.” After that night, the atmosphere at the Qu residence became subtle.

Qu Shangwen would always run to Fengyi Palace under the pretext of delivering books, and Shi Nian would talk to him about poetry and songs, and personally grind ink for him. The ink was mixed with "Fragrant Dew" from the Western Regions, which would stick to his sleeves for three days.

Qu Shangwu arrived with his newly hunted fox fur coat, and she asked him to teach her archery. The target was specially set up next to the orchids that Qu Shangwen had given her, so that the arrows would shatter the flowers and leaves. One day, Shi Nian stroked the tips of the fur on the fox fur coat and smiled at Qu Shangwen beside her, "The orchids that Brother Shangwen gave me are not as practical as the fox fur that Brother Shangwu hunted. It's just a pity that yesterday I saw Brother Shangwu feeding the koi in the Imperial Garden with poisonous herbs. He was so ruthless that it frightened me a little."

Qu Shangwen's face instantly darkened—he hated his younger brother's insidious methods the most.

That very evening, news spread from the Qu residence that Qu Shangwu's hunting dog had been poisoned and died in the courtyard, bleeding from all seven orifices. Meanwhile, Shi Nian was gently stroking the strings of his zither towards Qu Shangwu: "Brother Shangwu, do you know that the other day I saw Brother Shangwen copying the 'Wu Zetian Golden Wheel Painting' in his study?"

Her fingertips traced the strings, producing a piercing vibrato, and she provocatively said, "He said that when women hold power, it's ultimately a hen crowing at dawn." Qu Shangwu's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Three days later, at the Imperial Guard's martial arts training ground, he deliberately used a "bone-piercing nail" to pierce Qu Shangwen's left arm—the very spot where Shi Nian had personally bandaged Qu Shangwen years ago. Qu Cheng, watching his two grandsons turn against each other, was so distressed that he suffered a stroke and was bedridden.

On his deathbed, he held onto Shi Nian, who had come to visit him, and pointed his withered finger at the two characters "Loyalty and Courage" on the wall, trembling as he said, "Princess... please don't..." Before he could finish speaking, he breathed his last. Shi Nian looked at the old man's wide-open eyes, slowly took off her phoenix hairpin, and placed an orchid moistened with "Fragrant Dew" beside his pillow—a gift from Qu Shangwen, which now became a death warrant.

When news of Qu Cheng's death reached the Zichen Palace, Liu Dan was peeling lychees for Shi Nianyun. The young emperor was so frightened that he dropped the lychees on the ground. Zhao Qingyi seized the opportunity to step forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is in charge of supervising all officials. Now that Commander Qu has passed away, this position cannot be left vacant." Her phoenix hairpin gleamed in the morning light as she offered a suggestion: "In my opinion, it would be better to let Princess Nianyun take on the position."

Liu Dan's hand trembled, and she said in a trembling voice, "But...but she is a woman..."

Zhao Qingyi's gaze swept over the assembled officials, and she said with reason and evidence, "Empress Wu Zetian was able to become empress, so why can't a princess command the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Considering that she is His Majesty's own sister, of the Shi family bloodline, and hates the Jin Kingdom the most, she will surely purge the treacherous officials for His Majesty."

She leaned close to Liu Dan's ear and whispered, "Besides, it's always more reassuring to have the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the hands of our own people than to have it controlled by outsiders."

Shi Nian stepped forward at the opportune moment, knelt beside the dragon throne in her crimson palace attire, and said, "Your subject is willing to share Your Majesty's burdens." She tapped her phoenix hairpin on the ground and solemnly vowed, "If there is any mishap, I am willing to accept the most severe punishment."

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a shadow on her face, half bright and half dark, much like her thoughts at that moment. Shi Nianyun hesitated, glancing at Liu Dan. Seeing her mother nod, she stammered, "Granted...granted."

When the seal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was handed to Shi Nian, her fingertips trembled slightly. The large brass seal was engraved with the four characters "Inspecting the World," and its edges had been polished to a shine by Qu Cheng's palms.

Standing outside the palace, Zhao Qingyi watched the curve of her daughter's lips as she turned away, and suddenly remembered what Emperor Huizong had said many years ago: "My daughters, the blood of the Zhao family flows with scheming and power." The candlelight in Fengyi Palace shone particularly brightly that night.

Shi Nian spread the list of Imperial Guards on the table. Qu Shangwen and Qu Shangwu's names were crossed out in red ink, with the note "Internecine strife, can be discarded." Zhao Qingyi's fingertip traced the characters "Qu Cheng," which were now blackened with ink, and she pointed out, "This is 'using a borrowed knife to kill,' and also 'watching the fire from across the river.'" She handed her daughter a jade talisman and said darkly, "This is a secret code for communication among the old Song Dynasty officials. They are all currently lurking in Luoyang and can lend you a hand." Shi Nian stroked the Song Dynasty mark on the jade talisman and smiled, "Mother, the next step should be 'taking advantage of the chaos.'"

Her phoenix hairpin flicked up the illustrations of torture instruments from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and she arrogantly declared, "Those old ministers who advocated refusing to come to the aid of the Song Dynasty back then should finally taste the bitterness of being 'skinned and stuffed with straw.' However, the Emperor Emeritus is currently in Chang'an. We'll make our move when he leads his troops to conquer Tibet. For now, we'll expand covertly!" The moonlight outside the window was suddenly obscured by dark clouds. Shi Nian looked at herself in the bronze mirror, her phoenix hairpin askew, her crimson palace dress reflecting the ruthlessness in her eyes—she truly resembled Wu Zetian. She knew this was just the beginning. To fulfill her vow to "become the second Wu Zetian," the road ahead was long, and the blood on her hands was destined to be even redder.

Along the moat of Chang'an, golden osmanthus blossoms covered the ground.

Morning frost clung to Shi Feiyang's black armor, and when he circulated the Mingyu Gong, the dragon patterns on the armor gleamed with a cold, jade-like light.

Li Ruitong's plain white skirt was stained with dew, and the silver thread had been wrapped around his palm three times. The barbs at the end of the thread had been worn into a smooth arc—that was because she had carefully polished it last night with the internal energy of the "Minor Formless Skill".

Shi Feiyang's fingertips brushed over the ice bracelet on her wrist, a gift given when they conquered Xingqing Prefecture, which was now slightly warming with her heartbeat.

He said thoughtfully, “The descendants of Songtsen Gampo, the king of Tibet, have amassed 100,000 ‘Snowy Plateau Soldiers’ in the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Each of them has taken ‘Rhodiola Rosea.’ Ordinary warriors from the Central Plains cannot even draw a bow when they reach an altitude of over 3,000 meters. Are you afraid to come with me in stealth?”

Li Ruitong's silver thread suddenly tightened, the end wrapping around the third scale of his black armor. This was how the Western Xia warriors expressed their loyalty. Her nose brushed against his armor, the scent of barley wine mingling with the delicate fragrance of a young girl.

She countered, "Your Majesty has forgotten that the 'Cold Sleeves Brushing the Acupoints' of 'Yipintang' originated from the 'Great Handprint' of Tibet?" Her small white boots, worn beneath her white skirt, stepped on his war boots, the anti-slip treads on the soles of which she had personally carved. She confidently added, "Your Majesty can use silver threads to find your way and avoid the crevices in the snow-capped mountains."

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword leaned against a vermilion pillar, its red tassel wrapped around Shi Feiyang's fingertips, intertwining with Li Ruitong's silver thread in his palm. Her phoenix robe swept across the ground covered in osmanthus blossoms, petals clinging to the hem of Li Ruitong's skirt. She then reported, "Elder Zhang of the Beggars' Sect has led three hundred disciples ahead, saying they have marked a suitable cave for camping at the Tanggula Pass using the 'Lotus Flower Fall' code."

The red silk suddenly tightened, leaving a shallow mark on the back of his hand, and reminded him, "But the place is so oxygen-deprived that even Li Tieniu's 'Iron Shirt' couldn't withstand it. You have to protect Ruitong."

Shi Feiyang nodded, his gaze sweeping over the Tibetan map on the table. The location of Lhasa City was circled three times with cinnabar. He said in a deep voice, "We will depart in three days. Have Qu Liuxiang lead the people of the 'Five Poisons Sect' to detour via the southern route and use 'miasma' to trap their reinforcements."

Li Ruitong's silver thread pierced her fingertip, and blood dripped onto the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains on the map.

She gazed at the winding mountain range and whispered, "My mother once said that the snow mountain goddess there would punish those who break their promises."

Silver threads condensed into ice crystals on the blood droplets, reflecting the intertwined shadows of the two people.

She then declared resolutely, "If we win this battle, I am willing to shave my head and become a nun, praying for the people of the Tang Dynasty in the Potala Palace."

Shi Feiyang's "Healing Holy Technique" released a white mist onto her fingertips, instantly stopping the bleeding. He lowered his head and bit her earlobe, the icy blades of his black armor grazing her neck, leaving a faint red mark, while the silver ring on her left ear shimmered with tiny lights.

He said with deep affection, "When the world is at peace, I will accompany you to the golden roof of the Potala Palace to watch the sunrise illuminate the snowy land."

The next morning, Shi Feiyang, along with He Yao, Guo Biyu, Li Ruitong, Tu Pengpeng, General Qin An, and General Cheng Fei, led his troops on a new journey—to conquer Tibet and prepare to unify the world.

……

The wind at Tanggula Pass was like a knife, and Li Tieniu's bamboo cane pierced a deep pit on the ice, freezing the copper bell at the top of the cane into a lump of ice.

His coarse cloth shirt was covered in frost, and his lips were as dark as eggplant.

Seven Beggars' Sect disciples behind him lay dead in the snow, blood and foam gushing from their mouths and noses congealing into dark red flowers on the ice. Li Tieniu's voice was hoarse like a broken gong. He pulled a piece of sheepskin from his pocket, the lines drawn on it with ghee already blurred and indistinct.

He ran up breathlessly to report, "Three miles further up is the Tibetan 'Snow Leopard Camp,' those beasts can run naked in minus thirty degrees Celsius, their eyes are like wolves in the dark." He suddenly pointed to the ice crevice on his left, where a corner of clothing was visible under the snow, and said sadly, "Li Xian's apprentice... I'm afraid he didn't make it."

Shi Feiyang nodded, put his arm around Li Ruitong, and used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to land on the ice cliff with Li Ruitong. The frost on his black armor fell off in a flurry. His "Mingyu Skill" was running at high speed, and the cold air emanating from his body formed an invisible barrier, keeping the biting cold wind three feet away.

Li Ruitong's silver thread darted into the ice crevice like a nimble snake.

A moment later, a frozen Beggar Clan disciple was brought out. The barb at the end of the line passed through the boy's belt, but did not cause him any harm.

Li Ruitong gently touched her disciple's Baihui acupoint with her silver thread. Her white skirt fluttered like a white bird in the wind and snow. She reminded him, "Use the 'Turtle Breathing Method' of the 'Minor Formless Skill'. My Western Xia's 'Cold Jade Bed' technique can protect the heart meridian, but..." Her fingertips brushed across the boy's frostbitten cheeks. Suddenly, the silver thread wrapped around Shi Feiyang's wrist. She then said with regret, "Your Majesty's internal energy is insufficient."

Shi Feiyang nodded, and the inner energy of Mingyu Gong flowed into him along the silver thread. The boy in the ice crevice suddenly coughed up black blood, and the ice flowers on his eyelashes fell off in a flurry. He looked at Li Ruitong's pale face; her lips were already frozen purple, yet she still gritted her teeth and urged her inner energy forward. Her knees, beneath her white dress, knelt, leaving two shallow dents in the ice cliff. Tu Pengpeng's red silk sword tassel flew out from the depths of the ice cave, wrapping around the neck of a snow leopard that pounced on her.

The beast had human flesh hanging from its fangs, and its eyes gleamed eerily green in the moonlight. She cried out urgently, "Your Majesty, look! The Snow Leopard Camp is here!"

She gripped the Seven Star Sword and drew a "Big Dipper Across the Sky" pattern on the ice. The sword light cleaved through the wind and snow, cutting the first Tibetan warrior who charged forward in half at the waist. His internal organs mixed with ice and snow splashed all over her body.

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" move from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with both palms, the palm wind carrying ice shards as it swept out horizontally.

The warriors of the Snow Leopard Camp were like stalks of wheat swept by a gale; their limbs were frozen into ice sculptures in mid-air and shattered into dust upon landing.

Immediately afterwards, he unleashed the "Shocking Calamity," his icy gaze sweeping across the top of the ice cliff, where a Tibetan shaman was ringing a magic bell, sprinkling barley wine on the snow to draw a strange blood array—a "blood sacrifice" used to summon snow mountain spirits.

Li Ruitong's silver threads suddenly transformed into a vast net, entangling the sorcerer's magic bell. Her "Cold Sleeves Flicking Acupoints" technique used her inner energy to propel the silver threads, writing a large "降" (surrender) character in the snow. Along the path the silver threads traced, the ice suddenly shattered, revealing the skeletal remains of Tibetan soldiers buried beneath—these were the pro-Tang nobles discovered last year by Tang envoys and buried alive by the Zanpu (Tibetan king).

The waters of Namtso Lake appear like solidified silver under the moonlight.

Shi Feiyang's black armor was removed outside the tent by the lake, and the chill from Ming Yugong caused the tent's felt to be covered with ice flowers.

Li Ruitong changed her plain white skirt into a Tibetan shepherdess's sheepskin coat, silver threads weaving through his hair, intertwining the silver strands behind his ears with her own black hair. She then reminded him, "Your Majesty's 'Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace' lightness skill is at least 30% slower at altitudes above 4,000 meters. Tomorrow, when we cross the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains, I will lead the way."

Shi Feiyang grasped her hand, which was wrapped in silver threads, and the crystalline light of the Heavenly Silkworm Technique in his palm condensed into a snow lotus on her wrist.

Outside the tent, Tu Pengpeng and Lu Feng were talking in hushed tones. The followers of the Sun Moon Cult were setting up the "Five Poisons Formation" by the lake to prevent a sneak attack by the Tibetan "Gu Masters". He said softly, "Does Ruitong know that I have had someone complete the half of the 'Song of Everlasting Regret' left by your mother?"

Li Ruitong's silver thread suddenly snapped, and the broken thread fell like a shooting star in the moonlight.

She gazed at their reflections in the lake, then suddenly threw herself into his arms. The snowflakes on her sheepskin coat melted onto his skin, both cool and burning.

She said, moved, "Your Majesty... I am unworthy..." Her tears froze into ice beads on his chest, and she said sadly, "The 'First-Class Hall' of Western Xia once used the 'Bone-Melting Palm' to kill the envoy of the Great Tang, and my hands..."

Shi Feiyang's Mingyu Gong internal energy flowed down her spine, gently soothing her trembling internal energy.

He bit her lip, the chill of Mingyu Gong colliding with the warmth between her lips and teeth, condensing into a seven-colored rainbow in the tent. He teased, "My 'Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms' can split mountains, surely it can't split your heart."

His fingertips untied the sash of her sheepskin coat, revealing the bodice she wore underneath... embroidered with twin lotus blossoms, a gift from Tu Pengpeng herself. "From this day forward, you are no longer a princess of Western Xia, but Li Ruitong, my beloved concubine."

Suddenly, the sound of a barley wine jar shattering came from outside the tent. Li Tieniu's gruff voice cut through the wind and snow: "Your Majesty! Elder Qu's 'Five Poisons Sect' has discovered the Tibetan Zanpu's golden tent on the other side of the lake!" Amidst the sound of a bamboo staff slamming on the ground and the rustling of poisonous insects crawling, he angrily said, "That old bastard is drinking with the Jin envoy, saying he wants to borrow the 'Blood Wolf Camp' to freeze us into ice sculptures!"

Li Ruitong's silver thread suddenly came out of its sheath, the barb at the end gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Her sheepskin coat had been fastened again, but the red marks on the collar betrayed the tenderness that had just taken place.

She declared domineeringly, "I'll go and meet their 'Gu Master.' The Tibetan 'Golden Silkworm Gu' is most afraid of the Western Xia's 'Seven Star Begonia,' and my silver thread is soaked in pollen." Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, pulled Li Ruitong into his arms, and flew out of the tent. The waters of Namtso Lake splashed at their feet, and the ice beads stung their faces like knives.

He gazed at the lights of the golden tent in the distance and chuckled softly, "My beloved concubine, let them see what it means to 'invite a god but find it hard to send him away.'"

The golden roof of the Potala Palace looks like molten gold under the morning sun.

Shi Feiyang's black armor was stained with the brains of Tibetan soldiers. When he circulated the Mingyu Gong, the bloodstains on the armor congealed into dark red ice crystals.

Li Ruitong's silver thread was wrapped around the prayer flags of the Potala Palace, the end of which passed through the throats of thirty-nine Tibetan warriors. Her plain white skirt was soaked with blood, yet it fluttered in the wind like a battle flag. Li Tieniu leaned on his green bamboo staff against the mountain of corpses, the copper bell at the top of the staff stained with brain matter.

He rushed over to report: "The Zanpu has mastered the 'Great Seal' to the ninth level. Just now, he shattered Li Xian's shoulder blade. The old man's palm was dark red, so he must have practiced 'evil martial arts'."

His coarse cloth shirt was torn open, revealing the "Lotus Flower" tattoo underneath—the mark of a Beggar Clan elder, which was now seeping blood.

Enraged, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," the palm wind transforming into a golden dragon that crashed into the main gate of the Potala Palace.

The sandalwood gate shattered with a crash, and the figure of the king appeared in the smoke. His Tibetan robe was embroidered with nine golden-winged birds, each with turquoise eyes that shimmered with his breath.

He roared, "Shi Feiyang! The mountain god of the snowy region will not let you go!" He then unleashed the "Great Handprint," and the black and red energy in his palm was like a venomous snake emerging from its hole. Wherever it passed, the golden brick ground was scorched black.

Li Ruitong's silver threads suddenly transformed into a shower of stars, wrapping around the Zanpu's wrist. Her "Minor Formless Skill" imitated the internal energy of the "Great Handprint," and the silver threads circled his palm seven times, only to be sizzled by the black and red energy.

After she probed out, she said urgently, "Your Majesty! He is practicing the 'Blood Nerve'!" Suddenly, the white skirt blocked Shi Feiyang's way, and silver threads wove a shield on her back. The black and red energy collided with it, and the blood she spat out condensed into an arc in the air.

Shi Feiyang hurriedly unleashed the "Burning Heaven and Earth" technique of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique," the palm wind carrying raging flames that swept across the entire hall. The Zanpu's "Blood Nerve" energy surged upon encountering the fire, and the two men's inner energies collided in mid-air, causing the golden roof of the Potala Palace to suddenly explode, with gilded fragments falling like a meteor shower.

Shi Feiyang then unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill. The chilling energy of the Mingyu skill transformed into lightning and struck Pu. The tyrant's body was torn to pieces in the explosion, and black blood splattered on the mural, staining the scene depicting the Snow Mountain Goddess in a ferocious manner.

Tu Pengpeng's Seven Star Sword leaped from the pile of corpses, its light weaving through the remaining Tibetan soldiers. A red silk tassel wrapped around the neck of the last "Gu Master," the tip of her sword holding a golden silkworm Gu egg sac, which gleamed a ghostly blue in the sunlight. She cried out urgently, "Your Majesty! My sister Ruitong…"

Shi Feiyang flew over, and the white energy of the "Holy Healing Method" surged wildly into Li Ruitong's meridians.

Her lips were bloodless, and the silver threads in his palm were gradually loosening.

"Don't sleep..." His voice trembled more than ever before. The icicles of his black armor pressed against his chest, forcing blood from his heart into her mouth. He said sadly, "You said you would watch the sunrise over the Golden Summit with me..."

Li Ruitong's eyelashes suddenly trembled, and the silver thread wrapped around his fingers again.

She gazed at the ruins of the Potala Palace, the rising sun casting golden rays through the clouds, paving a golden path across the snow. She sighed, "Your Majesty... that half of the 'Song of Everlasting Regret'..." A silver thread etched the last word—"love"—in his palm.

The prayer wheels in Lhasa were still turning, and Shi Feiyang's black armor was stained with blood that had not yet dried.

He held Li Ruitong's plain white dress in his arms, silver thread wrapped nine times around his black armor, the barbs at the end of the thread deeply piercing his flesh, intertwining their blood.

Tu Pengpeng's red silk sword tassel brushed against the bloodstains on his face, and drops of blood from the Seven Star Sword dripped onto the hem of Li Ruitong's skirt. She whispered, "The Tibetan nobles have submitted their surrender. Lu Feng's Sun Moon Cult found a 'wolf-tooth club' sent by the Jin Dynasty's 'Blood Wolf Camp' in the Potala Palace's cellar, inscribed with the words 'Sharing the Great Tang'." Her phoenix robe covered Li Ruitong's face, and she said warmly, "Elder Zhang said the snow at Tanggula Pass is starting to melt, we can..."

Shi Feiyang, carrying Li Ruitong, leaped onto the ruined roof of the Potala Palace. The wind from the snowy region lifted his black armor, revealing the undergarment he wore underneath—the one Li Ruitong had personally changed him into the night before, its twin lotus blossoms soaked in blood.

He gazed at the distant, continuous snow-capped mountains, drew his sword, and carved two lines of text on the golden summit: "Han and Tibetan are one family, the snowy land belongs to Tang."

Li Ruitong's silver thread suddenly flew out of his arms, the end of which was wrapped with a Gesang flower, which she had picked by Namtso Lake the night before, now blooming into tiny flowers in the cold wind. Shi Feiyang looked at the flower, and his eyes suddenly welled up with tears—for the first time in his life, he felt an urge to cry.

Li Tieniu tapped his bamboo staff on the Golden Summit, and the copper bell at the top of the staff finally rang out clearly. He reported, "Your Majesty, the Beggars' Sect disciples have set up a 'Han-Tibetan Marriage Alliance Hall' at the foot of the mountain, and Tibetan girls are learning to weave Tang Dynasty brocade."

His coarse cloth shirt was stained with barley wine, and he said with concern, "Elder Qu Liuxiang said that once Miss Ruitong wakes up, she will be made the head of the workshop."

Shi Feiyang lowered his head and kissed Li Ruitong's cold lips. The chilling aura of Mingyu Gong made her body gradually become transparent, like an ice sculpture.

Li Ruitong's silver thread suddenly tightened, its end pointing towards the eastern horizon. There, the rising sun pierced through the clouds, shining on the streets of Lhasa. Han Chinese and Tibetans were clearing the battlefield together, and children's laughter echoed in the snowy wind, as crisp as the silver thread on Li Ruitong's wrist.

Shi Feiyang's black armor gleamed golden in the morning sun. He held the ice sculpture in his arms and suddenly chuckled. The laughter pierced the wind of the snowy region, startling a flock of vultures. Her father fought valiantly across the land, shedding blood and expanding territories, while her daughter tampered with his plans behind the scenes.

At this time, Luoyang, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, was in a state of chaos and turmoil.

After Shi Nian took over the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) headquarters, the air was thick with the stench of blood. She heavily relied on the cruel officials who had been suppressed by Qu Cheng, and invented new torture devices such as the "Drunken Immortal Chair" and the "Soul-Stealing Bed." Any official who dared to speak ill of her and her daughter was either demoted or exterminated along with their entire clan.

He Yao's elder brother, General He Hu, who had once guarded Tongguan Pass, was executed in the marketplace after being accused of "colluding with gold" for advising that "a princess is not suitable to command the Embroidered Uniform Guard." Imperial Consort Guo Biyu wanted to plead for General He Hu, but Shi Nian blocked her at the palace gate. Shi Nian coldly said, "Your Highness should mind your own business with the peony in the harem. The affairs of this dynasty are not for Your Highness to meddle in."

Her phoenix hairpin pointed to the copper ring on the palace gate, and she said coldly, "If you dare to interfere again, the next time it will be the heads of the Guo family hanging there."

Zhao Qingyi felt both gratified and worried as she watched her daughter's increasingly ruthless methods. She advised, "Son, always leave yourself some options, so you can meet again in the future."

Shi Nian merely sneered, "Mother, to be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to oneself." Her gaze turned toward the direction of the Zichen Palace, and she said coldly, "When I have completely taken control of Luoyang City, it will be time for Father and those three 'new favorites' to pay the price."

The young emperor Shi Nianyun and his mother, Empress Dowager Liu Dan, were powerless at this point. Although they lived in the palace, they were not as powerful as they had been banished to the cold palace. The Imperial Guards had blocked the news, and power was in Shi Nianyun's hands.

The mother and son can now only frolic in the harem.

Liu Dan occasionally heard about the bloodshed outside the palace, but she only dared to advise her son: "Your sister is sensible in her actions. We, mother and son, should just live peacefully." Little did she know that Shi Nian's "sensibility" meant that he wanted to completely take over the Tang Dynasty.

That day, Shi Nian, dressed in a scarlet palace gown, sat in the main hall of the Imperial Guard, looking at the kneeling civil and military officials below, and felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction welling up in her heart. She knew that she was getting closer and closer to her goal of becoming "the second Wu Zetian".

At this point, even Zhao Qingyi was helpless against Shi Nian.

(End of this chapter)