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

Chapter 516. The Sound of the Xiangyang Reed Pipe Enters My Dream; The Wild Goose's Letter Is Delayed; Jade Palm Moves Flowers, Secretly Passing the Third Watch of the Moon.
Zhu Ziliu said with curiosity, "It's somewhat similar to Duan Yanqing's 'ventriloquism' technique, but even better."

Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve suddenly loosened, and Da Wu and Xiao Wu couldn't stop their momentum, both falling into the mud pit. They climbed up covered in mud, looking like two drowned pigs.

Guo Fu laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, and her Qingfeng sword fell to the ground. She then mocked, "You two idiots! Go change your clothes!"

Shi Feiyang's gaze swept over Zhu Ziliu, and he saw that Zhu Ziliu was drawing something on the paper. Suddenly, his tattered sleeve bulged up and an ice pellet shot towards the Xuan paper—but it landed three inches away from the paper, and the splashing water droplets wetted the three characters "Yihua Palace".

“Mr. Zhu, you have a refined taste.” Shi Feiyang’s voice was colder than the wind on the drill ground. His eyes, hidden under his tattered straw hat, shone brightly. He said jokingly, “I am just a beggar, not worthy of your writing, sir.”

Zhu Ziliu paused in mid-air with his wolf-hair brush, then laughed and said, "Brother Shi, you are too modest. That 'Eighteen Falls with Clothes Touched' technique just now is something even a Shaolin monk might not be able to match." He put away the Xuan paper, but his fingertips had already memorized Shi Feiyang's footwork trajectory. He then tentatively asked, "May I ask where Brother Shi learned his skills?"

Shi Feiyang calmly said, "Self-taught." He bent down and picked up Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword. The pearl flower on the hilt shimmered in the morning light—it was Guo Fu's sword that had fallen yesterday and he had frozen it to the hilt using his Mingyu Gong.

He turned around and said, "Young lady, you should keep your sword safe."

When Guo Fu took the sword, her fingertips touched the cold hilt. She suddenly remembered the feeling of icy energy flowing into her palm when he bandaged her wounds last night. Her pretty face flushed red, and she scolded, "Mind your own business!" She turned and ran towards the marshal's mansion. The hem of her skirt brushed against Shi Feiyang's worn-out shoes, but the mud she kicked up was frozen in mid-air by the icy energy in his sleeve.

Just as Lu Youjiao was about to get up, the cawing of crows suddenly came from outside the temple—a signal that the Beggars' Gang was under attack. His Dog-Beating Stick was instantly drawn, and thirty Mongolian warriors burst in through the window, drops of blood from their scimitars falling onto the roster, spreading into an ugly red blotch.

"Old man of the Beggars' Sect," the leading warrior asked with a sneer, "Have you found the whereabouts of Dragon Armor Hero?" His scimitar slashed towards Lu Youjiao's throat, the wind from the blade carrying poisonous sand from the Western Regions.

Lu Youjiao used the "entanglement" technique to wrap the dog-beating stick around the blade, but felt a numbness in his arm—the blade was coated with "Ten Fragrant Tendon-Softening Powder".

As he staggered backward, Shi Feiyang's tattered robe suddenly fell from the beam, like a huge black cloth, enveloping the thirty warriors.

Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve drew a circle in the air as he unleashed the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill. The curved swords of the thirty warriors suddenly turned, slashing at each other's shoulders, blood splattering everywhere and covering the walls. He flicked three ice pellets from his fingertips, accurately striking the temples of the thirty men. As the corpses fell to the ground, their eyes were still wide open.

Lu Youjiao stared at Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve, where there wasn't even a trace of blood.

He asked in surprise, "Brother Shi... your skills are amazing..."

Shi Feiyang knew he couldn't hide it forever, but he still had to keep it a secret for now. He needed Huang Rong to find out his true identity; only what Huang Rong knew would be the truth. So, he said decisively, "I learned it by stealing."

He pulled his tattered straw hat down even lower, turned to leave, but was stopped by Lu Youjiao. "Brother Shi," Lu Youjiao pleaded, "the Mongol soldiers have captured three hundred Beggars' Sect disciples, forcing them to reveal your whereabouts. If you truly are the Dragon Armor Hero, then please..."

Shi Feiyang suddenly flung his tattered sleeve aside, and his figure was already outside the temple. His voice drifted from afar: "I am just a beggar." His voice then came from the morning mist, "Tell Master Guo that the Mongol soldiers at the Black Wind Pass gold mine will launch a surprise attack on the west gate tonight."

Lu Youjiao stared in the direction where he had disappeared, and suddenly noticed a fragment of black iron armor next to the warrior's corpse on the ground.

The ice patterns on it are exactly the same as those revealed in Shi Feiyang's sleeve.

……

In the study of the Marshal's Mansion, Zhu Ziliu was writing "The Art of War" on Xuan paper with a wolf-hair brush. Guo Fu was watching him write, her chin resting on her hand, while her Qingfeng sword twirled rapidly between her fingers. "Mr. Zhu," Guo Fu said with a hint of doubt, pointing the tip of her sword at the four characters "There are no constant tactics in warfare," "Old Shi also said this. Has he read many books?"

Zhu Ziliu's pen suddenly became sharp, drawing a knife mark on the paper. He said thoughtfully, "Perhaps." He pushed a piece of paper with an ice-carved rose drawn on it in front of Guo Fu, and then asked cryptically, "Miss, what school of kung fu do you think this ice-carving technique resembles?"

Guo Fu's fingertips traced the petals on the paper. Suddenly, she remembered the icy energy in Shi Feiyang's palm and said somewhat helplessly, "It doesn't resemble Central Plains kung fu, but rather..." She thought of Xiaolongnu's Jade Bee Needle and teased, "It resembles the cold energy of the Ancient Tomb Sect's Jade Bed."

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the study. Zhu Ziliu slammed his pen on the table with a "thud," and in the instant the ink splattered, Shi Feiyang appeared in the doorway in his tattered robe, carrying a medicine box in his hand—the wound medicine that Guo Fu had asked him to fetch.

Zhu Ziliu nodded and said, "Brother Shi, you've come at just the right time." He made a gesture with his wolf-hair brush in the air and then tentatively said, "I was just reading 'The Art of War' and there are a few sentences that I don't understand. I would like to ask you for some guidance."

His brush suddenly pointed towards Shi Feiyang's chest, and he said cryptically, "Taking 'putting oneself in a desperate situation to survive' as an example, what are your thoughts on this, Brother Shi?" His brushstrokes contained the power of the "One-Finger Divine Skill," and when it was three inches from Shi Feiyang's chest, his tattered sleeve suddenly bulged, and icy air condensed into a thin wall of ice. The tip of the wolf-hair brush struck the ice wall and was instantly frozen. Zhu Ziliu quickly retreated, the brush handle already covered in a layer of frost.

"Mr. Zhu's calligraphy is truly admirable." Shi Feiyang's voice was unreadable. With a flick of his tattered sleeve, the ice wall turned into water droplets that dripped onto the medicine box. He said meaningfully, "However, swords have no eyes, and so can calligraphy."

Guo Fu suddenly thrust her Qingfeng sword between the two men, the tassel brushing against Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve. She said with displeasure, "Mr. Zhu, he's just a beggar, how could he know anything about military strategy?" Sparks flew from the ground as she drew her sword tip, and she shouted at Shi Feiyang, "Give me the medicine quickly, the wounded are waiting!"

As Shi Feiyang handed the medicine box to Guo Fu and turned to leave, Zhu Ziliu suddenly asked, "Brother Shi, have you ever heard of the Yihua Palace?" Shi Feiyang paused slightly, a cold smile playing on his lips beneath his tattered straw hat. He shook his head and said, "Never heard of it." He then used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Footprint" lightness skill to drift away, leaving no footprints behind. Only the wind stirred by the medicine box rustled the camellias on the windowsill of the study.

Zhu Ziliu stared at the camellia that had suddenly frozen, its petals covered in ice patterns identical to those on Shi Feiyang's ice-sculpted rose. He murmured to himself, "It really was him." In the twilight, Guo Jing's iron bow shot down the third circling vulture. A Mongol soldier's communication tube was strapped to the bird's wing, containing a map of Xiangyang's defenses—clearly, military secrets had been leaked.

Huang Rong found Guo Jing and offered a suggestion: "Brother Jing, tonight you should test Shi Laoyao. If he is truly our friend, the 'Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms' might make him reveal the truth; if he is an enemy..."

She twirled the silver hairpin three times in her palm, then said fiercely, "Use 'The Dragon Regrets' to cripple his martial arts." Guo Jing sheathed the black iron arrow, his brows furrowed like mountains, and said honestly, "Rong'er, I'm afraid this is inappropriate. He saved Elder Lu and even shielded Fu'er from the poisonous sand..."

"A merciful general cannot command an army!" Huang Rong's voice suddenly turned stern. She pointed her dog-beating stick at the Mongol camp outside the city and said with emotion, "If you hadn't been soft-hearted towards Yang Guo back then, how could Fu'er have cut off his arm? This Shi Laoyao is even more mysterious than Yang Guo. We can't take this risk!"

Guo Fu hid behind the artificial hill in the Marshal's Mansion and overheard her parents' conversation clearly.

The ice-carved rose in her hand suddenly melted, and water droplets dripped onto the scabbard, making a crisp sound—she recalled the gentle warmth of Shi Feiyang's icy breath as he bandaged her wounds, a feeling that made her feel more at ease than seeing Yang Guo.

As the third watchman's clapper sounded, Shi Feiyang was sitting on a broken pillar in the drill ground, looking in the direction Guo Fu had delivered the medicine. Suddenly, the lanterns there went out, followed by the shouts of Mongol soldiers—it was a diversionary tactic.

Just as he began to unleash his profound "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill, Guo Jing's "Regretful Dragon" strike had already landed on his back. The palm wind was like the Yellow River bursting its banks, carrying the lingering force of the "Regret" technique. However, Shi Feiyang did not turn around. He drew a circle in the air with his tattered sleeve and unleashed the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill. Guo Jing's palm wind suddenly changed direction and flew towards Guo Fu behind the artificial hill.

Guo Jing cried out in surprise, "Fu'er, get out of the way!" He hurriedly withdrew his palm strike, only to see Shi Feiyang's figure already three zhang away. His black armor gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and the azaleas embedded in the ice patterns suddenly bloomed.

Shi Feiyang exclaimed, "Master Guo's palm technique is unparalleled in the world." His tattered straw hat fell to the ground, revealing a face that shone with a jade-like hue under the moonlight. When he circulated the Mingyu Gong, his skin became so transparent that one could see the icy flow in his veins.

He then quipped, "It was merely a sneak attack, unbecoming of a chivalrous hero." Guo Jing suddenly gripped his iron bow, the black iron arrow pointing directly at Shi Feiyang, and roared, "Who exactly are you? Why do you know the martial arts of the Yihua Palace?"

He recalled hearing Huang Yaoshi say on Peach Blossom Island that the "Mingyu Skill" of the Yihua Palace could freeze a person's blood vessels, just like Shi Feiyang's icy aura.

Shi Feiyang's "Shocking Calamity" was suddenly activated, his icy gaze sweeping over Guo Jing's black iron arrow. The arrowhead froze instantly, snapping in two with a "crack." His voice was even colder than the ice arrow, chillingly saying, "If you, Great Hero Guo, continue to press me, don't blame me for being impolite."

Guo Fu suddenly rushed out from behind the artificial hill, her Qingfeng sword blocking Shi Feiyang's path. She said to Guo Jing, "Father! He's a good man! Don't hurt him!" Her sword tassel wrapped around Shi Feiyang's wrist, the shards of the ice-carved rose in his palm hurting him. She said firmly, "If you want to kill him, kill me first!" Guo Jing slowly lowered his iron bow. Looking at his daughter's red eyes, he suddenly remembered how Huang Rong had shielded him from Qiu Qianren's palm.

Huang Rong's Dog-Beating Stick appeared at the door at some unknown time, with the head of a Mongol soldier on the tip.

She said helplessly, "Brother Jing, the Mongol soldiers have launched a surprise attack on the north gate!"

Shi Feiyang suddenly shook off Guo Fu's hand with his tattered sleeve, and used the miraculous "Deeds Done, Clothes Flicked Away" light-footed skill to rise into the air under the moonlight. His tattered robes unfurled in the twilight, and he flew towards the North Gate like a giant bat. Guo Jing watched his retreating figure and said, "Let him go."

He pointed his iron bow to the sky, and a black iron arrow pierced the air, shooting down the fourth vulture. He then said with certainty, "At least tonight, he is a friend, not an enemy."

Guo Fu touched the ice shards in her palm and suddenly noticed Shi Feiyang's tattered straw hat lying on the ground, with a withered azalea hidden inside the brim—a hat only soldiers guarding the city would wear. She clutched the hat tightly, her Qingfeng sword gleaming in the moonlight, and suddenly turned and ran towards the north gate, calling out as she ran, "Shi Laoyao, wait for me!"

Huang Rong watched her daughter's retreating figure, drew the character "留" (meaning "stay") on the ground with her dog-beating stick, and whispered, "Brother Jing, the dragon pattern of the Tang Dynasty is engraved on this boy's black armor." Her fingertips brushed over the ice patterns, and she said thoughtfully, "Perhaps... he really came to help us."

The sounds of battle from the North Gate grew closer. Shi Feiyang floated in through the air, unleashing the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" move of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique" with both palms. The resulting ice waves froze ten cavalrymen. Immediately afterward, he struck out the "Slaying the Mortal World" move of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique" with his palm, the sharp blade energy cleaving several centurions in two.

Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword followed behind him, its tassel intertwined with his tattered sleeve, like an invisible thread tightly connecting two completely different people in the blood and fire of Xiangyang City.

When Lu Youjiao, Zhu Ziliu, Da Wu, and Xiao Wu arrived, they only saw Shi Feiyang's ice wall blocking the Mongol soldiers' rain of arrows, and Guo Fu's pale yellow skirt fluttering behind the ice wall, like a rose blooming in the cold winter.

Zhu Ziliu wrote on the Xuan paper with his wolf-hair brush: "Dragon Armor Hero, suspected to be a former official of the Tang Dynasty, skilled in ice-based martial arts, protects Guo Fu, friend." After writing, he handed the paper to Lu Youjiao, and the two looked at each other and smiled—some mysteries may not need to be solved.

The bricks of the North Gate hummed as they were rammed by the Mongol cavalry, and Shi Feiyang's tattered robes fluttered in the blood mist, like a bat bathed in blood.

He unleashed the "Demon-Slaying Cloud" technique from the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique" with both palms, shattering the third battering ram. The icy sword marks left on the wood frostled over, freezing ninety Mongol soldiers into ice sculptures.

Guo Fu called out from afar, "Old Shi, come back to the manor with me and have something to eat!" She used her Qingfeng sword to knock down a Mongol soldier who had climbed up the city wall. Blood droplets from her pale yellow skirt dripped onto Shi Feiyang's tattered straw hat. She then said gently, "My mother has made ginseng and black chicken soup to replenish your strength."

Shi Feiyang gently brushed away the bloodstains on the hem of her skirt with his tattered sleeve, and his icy breath quietly smoothed the cut caused by the arrow. He politely declined, saying, "Miss, please go back first. I still need to patrol the city." His gaze swept over the flags swaying on the city wall. The flag embroidered with the character "Song" had been riddled with arrows, and he said loudly, "This flag should be replaced."

Guo Fu slammed her sword sheath heavily onto his shoulder, scolding, "Why are you so long-winded, you beggar!" Despite her words, she hesitated, watching Shi Feiyang wipe the bloodstains on the city bricks with his tattered sleeve, his movements carrying an indescribable solemnity.

Shi Feiyang suddenly grabbed her shoulder, his icy gaze shooting toward the warehouse in the northeast corner, and whispered, "Something's wrong there."

He had already discovered that there were 330 Mongol assassins hiding in the warehouse. The wolf head mark on the scabbard gleamed fiercely in the moonlight. He then instructed, "Tell Master Guo to use fire." Guo Fu suddenly drew her Qingfeng sword and said with a clang, "I'll go with you!" But Shi Feiyang wrapped his tattered sleeve around her waist and gently pushed her towards the city wall.

"The young lady is the central figure, how can she be moved lightly?" Shi Feiyang's voice was mixed with the screams of the Mongol soldiers, and he said in a deep voice, "This is a small matter, I can handle it."

He used his mysterious "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill to leap across the arrow slits in the city wall. The wind from his tattered robes carried a string of blood droplets, which landed on the hem of Guo Fu's pale yellow skirt, much like the peonies of Luoyang that she loved most.

When the tarpaulin on the warehouse was ripped open by the "Mountain Splitting" move of the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique," Shi Feiyang deliberately let thirty Mongol assassins rush out. Just as they were about to release signal fireworks, they were pierced through the throat by black iron arrows shot from the city wall—Guo Jing's timing in launching the divine arrow was impeccable.

"What a brilliant scheme to use someone else to do the dirty work!" Huang Rong tapped her dog-beating stick on the city wall in an approving rhythm, the tip of the stick bearing the severed head of a Mongol assassin. She then said thoughtfully, "This Shi Laoyao actually understands military strategy. Not simple! Truly not simple!"

She watched as Shi Feiyang flicked his palms and guided the short knives of more than a hundred assassins toward their comrades' throats.

Huang Rong then said to Guo Jing, "Brother Jing, this man is much more composed than Yang Guo." Guo Jing nocked another arrow with his iron bow, but his gaze fell on the black armor under Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve. He said with some concern, "It's just that his martial arts skills are too similar to those of the heretical sects of the Western Regions."

The arrow pierced the air and struck another assassin who was trying to ambush Shi Feiyang from behind.

Guo Jing calmly added, "If they are truly friends and not enemies, they should reveal their identities sooner rather than later."

At this moment, Shi Feiyang was using the silver threads of his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill" to seal the acupoints of the last assassin. Hearing the conversation on the city wall, a cold smile appeared on his lips.

He deliberately let the silver thread form the shape of the character "Tang" on the chest of the assassin, as if it were frozen by frost. Then he leaped onto the city wall, cupped his hands to thank Guo Jing, and said, "Thank you for your help, Hero Guo."

Guo Fu suddenly held her sword to his neck and shouted, "Why did you let them break out? Did you intend to coordinate an attack from the inside?"

Although the sword was sharp, it did not actually cut him; the tassel was wrapped around his tattered sleeve like an unbreakable knot.

Shi Feiyang's tattered straw hat fell to the ground, revealing a face that gleamed with a jade-like luster amidst the blood-red light. He said meaningfully, "Please take a closer look, Miss." He then used his toe to lift the frozen corpse of the assassin; the "Tang" character ice pattern on its chest shimmered in the moonlight. He explained, "These people are from the Mongol 'Dead Eagle Camp,' specializing in inside-outside cooperation. Letting them out is to lure out their accomplices." Huang Rong suddenly pointed her dog-beating stick at the ice pattern and demanded, "What does this mean?"

She held the silver hairpin tightly in her palm, ready to shoot out the poisoned silver needle if Shi Feiyang answered incorrectly.

Shi Feiyang's "Evil Blood Calamity" quietly began to operate, and the corpse suddenly vomited black blood, its body quickly shriveling to the size of a monkey.

He said thoughtfully, "I have heard that there is a general in the Tang Dynasty who is skilled in using ice formations. This is an imitation of his technique."

His gaze swept over Huang Rong's suspicious eyes, realizing that these words could only temporarily deceive her. He confidently added, "If Madam Guo doesn't believe me, she can consult the 'Treatise on Military Affairs' in the Book of Tang." At that moment, Da Wu and Xiao Wu, carrying the wounded, passed by. Seeing Guo Fu's sword at Shi Feiyang's neck, they immediately raised their knives and shouted in unison, "You spy! How dare you harm Miss Guo!"

Xiao Wu's knife was aimed straight at Shi Feiyang's back, but Shi Feiyang secretly used the "Shifting Flowers and Jade" divine skill to redirect Xiao Wu's knife towards Da Wu's steel knife. The two knives collided with a "clang," and both blades were chipped.

"You little tagalong!" Guo Fu suddenly withdrew her sword, kicked Xiao Wu's knee with her toe, and cursed angrily, "Who told you to meddle in other people's business!" She turned to Shi Feiyang and said, "Come back to the manor with me, my mother wants to ask you some questions." Although her tone was tough, the hand holding his tattered sleeve was as gentle as a feather.

Shi Feiyang shook his head and took out a piece of ice-carved lotus from his pocket. A small note was embedded in the lotus's heart: "The Mongol army will harass the West Gate tomorrow, but their real intention is to launch a surprise attack on the South Gate granary." He handed the ice lotus to Guo Fu and said softly, "Please give this to Madam Guo, Miss. I still need to inspect the East Gate."

Guo Fu, used to being willful, huffed and puffed, "You dare disobey me?" She was about to draw her sword again when she saw Shi Feiyang already use his "Deeds Done, Gone" light-footed skill to leap several feet away, his tattered robes becoming a mere black dot in the morning mist. She watched as the ice lotus in her palm gradually melted, while the writing on the note became increasingly clear. Suddenly, she roared at Da Wu and Xiao Wu, "What are you all standing there for? Quickly go and set up defenses at the south gate!"

Seeing her daughter running over angrily, Huang Rong read the note again. Suddenly, she drew a "feigning indifference" symbol on the ground with her dog-beating stick and sneered, "This old man Shi even tries to scheme against me."

She handed the note to Guo Jing and offered a suggestion: "Brother Jing, Lu Youjiao should be sent to ambush the South Gate tomorrow."

Guo Jing's fingers touched the ice beads on the roof of the warehouse, and he felt an unusual chill. "This trick is even more effective than our dog's."

At that moment, above the east gate of the city, Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve brushed against a patch of rubble, and he said cryptically, "Elder Lu, have you ever seen a hungry wolf? The more wounded it is, the more it wants to pounce and take one last bite." His gaze fell on the Tibetan caravan in the west of the city, where Mongolian wolf tails were hidden under the felt hats of the people. He added, "Especially when there are accomplices around."

Lu Youjiao followed his gaze and suddenly exclaimed, "Those Tibetans were buying medicinal herbs from Madam Guo yesterday, how could they..." Before he could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang covered his mouth—three Mongolian horses were coming through the morning dew, their saddles reflecting a fierce light.

Shi Feiyang released Lu Youjiao and used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill to direct Lu Youjiao's pipe toward the roof tile. Sparks from the pipe landed on the haystack, igniting a wisp of smoke—this was the pre-arranged signal to notify the Beggars' Sect disciples inside the warehouse to prepare for battle.

The Mongol soldiers' iron hooves had barely set foot on the stone slabs in front of the granary when they were suddenly blocked by an ice wall that rose up. Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Breaking Heaven and Earth" technique of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique" with both palms, cleaving five cracks in the ice wall. Behind each crack lay the curved blades of Beggar Clan disciples.

He deliberately created an opening, allowing a Mongol centurion's spear to pierce his left shoulder, the blood spraying onto the ice wall and instantly freezing into red ice flowers.

"Grab him!" Before the centurion's shout could even finish, he was struck by Shi Feiyang's "Shocking Calamity." His head suddenly froze and cracked, shattering into ice shards all over the ground. The blood mist that spewed from his cavity also condensed into blood droplets, splattering onto Shi Feiyang's tattered robes.

Suddenly, the Tibetan caravan drew their scimitars, but instead of rushing towards the granary, they slashed at the backs of the Mongol soldiers—it turned out they were spies sent by the Duan family of Dali. Last night, when Shi Feiyang used an ice-carved lotus to send a message, he deliberately included a camellia leaf from the Duan family.

When Huang Rong ran over and saw this, she couldn't help but exclaim, "What a brilliant scheme to kill someone with a borrowed knife!" Her dog-beating stick pointed at the treetops in the distance, the tip of which held a Tibetan traitor trying to escape. She then praised, "This old man Shi has even managed to scheme against Dali."

She watched as Shi Feiyang deftly guided the Mongol soldiers' spears towards the Tibetan traitor with a flick of his wrists, then said to Guo Jing, "Brother Jing, it's time to let him take over Lu Youjiao's position." Guo Jing's iron bow pierced the throat of the last Mongol soldier, but his gaze fell on Shi Feiyang, and he hesitated, saying, "It's just that his skills are a bit worrying." His voice carried across the distance: "If he were willing to submit to the court, he would be a pillar of the nation."

Upon hearing this, Shi Feiyang chuckled softly, "Does Master Guo know that the generals of the Tang Dynasty never serve foreign tribes?"

Guo Jing could hear him clearly thanks to his superb telepathic communication skills. Shi Feiyang then firmly stated, "I only wish to defend Xiangyang City; I have no interest in anything else." This time, he didn't need to use his telepathic communication skills.

Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword suddenly darted out from the woods, a medicine box prying off its tip, and she shouted, "Old Shi, stop right there!"

She ran up to Shi Feiyang, and without saying a word, untied his tattered robe. She saw that the wound on his left shoulder had been covered with a layer of scab, and her eyes suddenly reddened. She scolded him, "You idiot, couldn't you have dodged?"

Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve gently brushed against her hairline as he teased, "Miss's medicine kit can't just be brought along for nothing."

He pulled an ice-carved peony from his robes, the dewdrops on its petals shimmering in the morning light. He said, "This... can withstand the poisoned arrows of the Tibetans." Guo Fu's sword tassel suddenly wrapped around his wrist, and she cursed, "Who wants your broken stone!" But she gripped the ice-carved peony tightly, the blood seeping from between her fingers mixing with the ice shards, looking just like her favorite rouge.

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, then floated away and arrived at the west gate of the city.

He used his "Mingyu Gong" to repair the city bricks damaged by the Mongol soldiers. His palms pressed tightly against the damaged areas, and the moment the icy energy was injected, the bloodstains in the cracks froze into ice, sealing the cracks perfectly. Guo Fu ran over and sat on the nearby arrow tower, mending his tattered robes while scolding him for being a "fool," yet her stitches were exceptionally fine.

“Shi Laoyao,” Guo Fu’s embroidery needle suddenly pierced his tattered sleeve, and she whispered, “My mother said she wants you to become the Beggar Clan’s Transmission Elder.” Her face was flushed in the candlelight, and she said shyly, “If you don’t want to, I’ll go and explain to her.”

Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve lightly brushed against her needlework as he teased, "Does Miss think I look like a member of the Beggars' Sect?"

His gaze fell on the Mongol camp in the west of the city, where the number of tents had suddenly increased and the flags had been changed to the five-wheeled flag of the Golden Wheel Dharma King. He then warned, "There may be a big move tonight."

Guo Fu drew her sword with a "whoosh" and cursed, "If that foreign monk dares to come, I'll chop off his wheels!" Sparks flew as her sword tip scraped against the city bricks. Then, with a worried look, she said, "My father said his Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill is even more ferocious than before. Old Man Shi, you must be careful!"

Shi Feiyang replied irrelevantly, "Tonight, they will use fire. Miss, go and tell Madam Guo to have the Beggars' Sect disciples prepare more sand."

Guo Fu's embroidery needle suddenly fell, and she said aggrievedly, "Why didn't you go and tell them yourself? Don't you trust the Guo family?"

Shi Feiyang pulled his tattered straw hat down even lower and said indifferently, "I am just a beggar, how dare I presume to discuss military secrets?" After saying that, he immediately used the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Person and Name", and his tattered robes blended into the night, leaving only his voice drifting in the wind: "Miss, remember, the well at the West Gate must be covered properly."

……

As the third watchman's clapper sounded, the Golden Wheel Monk's five wheels indeed drew five golden streaks in the night, their rims wrapped in oil-soaked cotton cloth, burning fiercely as they rushed towards the city tower. Shi Feiyang's "Transferring Flowers and Jade" technique drew a circle in the air, guiding the five wheels towards the sand pit on the city tower—a pit he had his Beggars' Sect disciples dig during the day, filled with sand.

The Golden Wheel Dharma King's bronze wheel suddenly turned towards Shi Feiyang, the flames on the rim reflecting off his tattered robes. He said with a mixture of praise and annoyance, "What a clever strategy of waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out! So it was you, you beggar, who caused all this trouble!"

He activated his Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, his palm strike as powerful as a small mountain, and roared, "Give me your life!"

Shi Feiyang wielded the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with both palms, specifically the "Slaying the Mortal World" move, to meet the attack. The saber energy collided with the palm wind, stirring up a sky full of ice shards and sparks.

He deliberately created an opening, letting the wind from his palm sweep across the old wound on his left shoulder. Blood sprayed onto the Golden Wheel Monk's silver wheel, instantly freezing into an ice shell, making the wheel unable to turn. Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang roared, "Great Hero Guo, aren't you going to make a move?" thus reminding Guo Jing to be wary of the Monk's backup plan.

Sure enough, thirty people dressed in Beggars' Sect attire suddenly rushed out from behind the city wall, their short swords aimed straight at Guo Jing's back—they were imposters sent by the Mongols, carrying an icy aura similar to Shi Feiyang, attempting to frame him.

Guo Jing leaped into the air, unleashing the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, striking down from above and sending thirty imposters flying off the city wall, each one smashing to pieces. Huang Rong's Dog-Beating Stick also swept down two imposters, an ice pack dangling from its tip. She said mockingly, "Your Majesty, look, this is the real ice." She tossed the ice pack at the Golden Wheel Monk's feet, adding disdainfully, "No matter how well your men disguise themselves, they can't fool a discerning eye."

Enraged, the Golden Wheel Monk suddenly unleashed his five wheels simultaneously, not towards Guo Jing and his wife, but to slash at his own Mongol soldiers—his plot exposed, he intended to kill them to silence them. Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Shocking Eye Calamity" divine skill, his icy gaze sweeping over the five wheels. The flames on the rims instantly extinguished, and the wheels froze into ice blocks, crashing to the ground.

Guo Jing exclaimed in amazement, "What skill!" He unleashed the "Double Dragons Taking Water" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, the powerful palm wind forcing the Golden Wheel Monk back. Finally, his eyes revealed approval, and he said kindly, "Brother Shi, come back to my residence with me. I have something to ask you."

Shi Feiyang's tattered robes were now soaked in blood. He shook his head, pointed to the Mongol camp in the west of the city, and politely declined, saying, "Hero Guo, hurry and give chase, the Dharma King is about to escape." He used his miraculous lightness skill, "Deeds done, clothes brushed away," and flew over the arrow holes in the city wall. He then said in mid-air, "I still need to inspect the other city gates."

Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword suddenly shot out from behind the city wall, a medicine bottle on the tip, and she shouted, "Shi Laoyao, stop right there!"

Shi Feiyang floated down, and Guo Fu ran to him. Without saying a word, she applied the ointment to his wound. Her movements were clumsy but she was extremely serious. She proudly said, "My mother said that this is the life-saving ointment from Peach Blossom Island. It can cure knife and gun wounds."

Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve gently brushed against her hairline, and Bingqi quietly wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead. He said with emotion, "Thank you, Miss."

His gaze fell on her fingertips, which were covered in ointment, and he suddenly suggested, "If you're free tomorrow, would you like to come with me somewhere?"

Guo Fu's face flushed instantly, and she scolded, "Who wants to accompany a beggar like you!" However, she drew the character "好" (good) on the ground with her toe, then quickly covered it with the tip of her boot, and shouted, "Go get your injuries treated, or I'll have Father put you in solitary confinement!"

Shi Feiyang turned around with a low laugh, his tattered robes fluttering in the morning mist, as if he had returned to the way he looked when he first arrived in Xiangyang.

This time, however, Huang Rong's Dog-Beating Stick struck a cheerful rhythm on the city wall, Guo Jing's Iron Bow pointed towards the rising sun in the east, and Guo Fu's Green Edge Sword was entangled with his tattered sleeve, like an inextricable fate.

……

The rising sun at the East Gate bathed the city tower in a golden hue. Shi Feiyang's tattered robes hung to dry in the morning light, the bloodstains on them hardened by the wind, resembling the armor of a Tang Dynasty general. Guo Fu was wiping his Seven Star Sword with a soft cloth; the ice patterns on the scabbard were slightly warmed by her palms, making the dragon patterns of the Tang Dynasty seem to come alive.

“Shi Laoyao,” Guo Fu’s sword suddenly pointed to the official road to the east, “my mother wants you to go to the general’s mansion for a meeting, saying she wants to recommend you as the deputy leader of the Beggars’ Gang.”

Her voice carried a hint of nervousness, and the sword tassel wrapped around his wrist sounded like both a plea and a request to stay.

Shi Feiyang's tattered sleeve lightly brushed against the sword sheath as he asked, "Does Miss think I'm suitable?"

His gaze fell on the two characters "Loyalty and Righteousness" on the city wall, which were written by Guo Jing himself. The strength in the strokes reminded him of the military flag of the Tang Dynasty, and he said sadly, "A person like me is not worthy."

Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword suddenly fell to the ground. She exclaimed in surprise, "You're leaving again?" Her eyes reddened, like a little girl whose sweet treat had been snatched away. She said angrily, "You said you'd always follow me!"

Shi Feiyang took something out of his pocket. It was an ice sculpture of a phoenix made by Mingyu Gong, with the character "Tang" carved on its tail.

He said reluctantly, "If you want to find me, Miss, go to the Zichen Palace in Luoyang." He placed the ice phoenix in her palm and said affectionately, "I will wait for you there when Xiangyang is at peace."

At this moment, Huang Rong's Dog-Beating Stick suddenly struck a signal on the city wall, its tip pointing eastward toward the official road—where dust billowed and countless hooves were approaching Xiangyang, their banners the dragon flag of the Song Dynasty. Guo Jing gripped his iron bow tightly, the fletching of his black iron arrow trembling slightly, and exclaimed with delight, "It's the imperial army!"

Shi Feiyang's icy gaze swept across the dust, spotting a Mongol wolf-head banner hidden behind the dragon flag. The soldiers in the cavalry, though dressed in Song army uniforms, wore Mongol-style leather boots. He hurriedly shouted, "It's a disguise! Close the city gates!"

The vanguard of the imperial army had already arrived at the city walls. The leading general held up a golden plaque and shouted, "I am the Commander of the Palace Guard! Open the city gates!" The dragon pattern on the plaque shone brightly in the morning light, looking lifelike.

Huang Rong suddenly pointed her dog-beating stick at the gold medal and shouted, "This dragon pattern is fake!"

She drew the character "dragon" in the air with her silver hairpin and roared, "The fifth claw of a true dragon should be curved, but this one is straight!" Suddenly, she swung her dog-beating stick, the tip of which knocked off the general's helmet, revealing a Mongolian braid underneath.

Shi Feiyang exclaimed, "What a brilliant eye for seeing through the disguise!" He quickly used his "Flower Shifting and Jade Receiving" skill, drawing a circle in the air with both hands, diverting the dart thrown by the Mongol general toward his own throat. He then praised, "Madam Guo, what keen eyesight!"

Immediately afterwards, he unleashed the "Burning Heaven and Earth" technique from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique," the flames from which burned away the disguised Song army uniforms, revealing the Mongol iron armor beneath. Guo Jing hurriedly used the "Dragon Battle in the Wilderness" technique from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, the powerful palm wind like the Yellow River bursting its banks, smashing the disguised soldiers at the forefront to pieces.

His gaze fell on Shi Feiyang's tattered robe, and he said kindly, "Brother Shi, stay." He pointed his iron bow at the rising sun in the east, and said with emotion, "Xiangyang needs you."

(End of this chapter)