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

Just as the last beat of the clapper sounded at the fourth watch, flames suddenly shot into the sky from the granaries of Luoyang.

The flames, carrying the saltpeter buried by Wanyan Ping and the Plum Blossom Gang disciples, swirled into a fiery dragon in the cold wind of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, dyeing the night sky crimson and even reflecting an eerie crimson hue onto the icy surface of the Luo River. "Quickly, put out the fire!" Saham's deputy general, Ahma, roared, rushing out of the camp with his scimitar in hand. His boots crunched shrilly as they stepped on the frozen blood-red ice.

Just as the Mongol commander's "Yinfeng Blade" cleaved through two fleeing laborers, dozens of dark figures emerged from the kitchen—the cooks, their faces covered in soot, suddenly drew weapons hidden in the firewood; the Plum Blossom Gang disciples' iron rulers gleamed coldly; the Sun Moon Cult members' soft whips were barbed; and the leader, Wanyan Ping, flicked her willow-leaf blade, the gleam reflecting off her blood-stained face.

Wanyan Ping's scalpel was adorned with a jade pendant, the "heart-protecting jade" bestowed upon her by Emperor Aizong of Jin. It swayed with the movement of her blade. She coldly questioned, "Ahma, do you recognize me? On the day Zhongdu fell, you used this scalpel to kill my seven-year-old brother!" Suddenly, the willow-leaf scalpel transformed into a golden snake, its blade whipping up sparks as it hurtled towards Ahma.

Ahma used the "Yinfeng Blade" technique, his movements were strange and unpredictable. In a flash, Wanyan Ping's eyes blurred, and she gripped her blade to protect herself like a gust of wind. However, Ahma appeared like a ghost and slashed at her shoulder. Just as Wanyan Ping was about to be cut in two by Ahma, suddenly, Ahma's wrist was wrapped by a silver silkworm thread.

Shi Feiyang used his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill" and had somehow circled behind him. The ice patterns on his black armor flowed in the firelight. With three parts reproach and seven parts pity, he said to Wanyan Ping, "Be careful, this villain's knife is quenched with 'Bone-Melting Water'."

His Heavenly Silkworm Silver Threads suddenly tightened, and Ahma's curved blade slashed back into his own abdomen. In the instant black blood spurted out, Shi Feiyang had already grabbed Wanyan Ping and spun around to avoid it. The icy air froze the splattered blood droplets into ice crystals.

Wanyan Ping's willow-leaf knife broke free from Shi Feiyang's protection, and she roared, "I'll kill him with my own hands!" The blade flashed around Ahema's throat, but deliberately slowed down by half a step—she wanted the executioner to see clearly who had taken his life.

Ahma felt a sharp pain in his neck, blood splattered, and he fell backward, his astigmatic pupils reflecting Wanyan Ping's beauty and ruthlessness.

Wanyan Ping had avenged herself. Looking at Ahema who had fallen to the ground with a thud, she let out a long sigh of relief. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the bloodstains on Shi Feiyang's black armor. Her heart suddenly tightened, and she hurriedly tried to wipe them with the corner of her sleeve, but he grabbed her wrist.

Shi Feiyang said tenderly, "It's okay if it's dirty, as long as you're alright."

On the other side of the granary, Qu Kan's Black Blood Needle was piercing the forehead of Li Wuyi, the vice leader of the "Black Wind Cult".

The hem of the Taoist robe of this leader of the Sun Moon Cult was soaked with blood, yet he laughed maniacally.

He sneered and cursed, "Old ghost Li, it's time to settle your score for using living people to refine poison!" Suddenly, the Star Absorbing Technique was activated, absorbing all of Li Wuyi's "Blood Transforming Palm" internal energy. Looking at the old demon's shriveled, monkey-like corpse, Qu Kan spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and cursed again, "This little bit of internal energy isn't even enough to fill my teeth!"

"The east gate has fallen!" The Mongol soldier in the watchtower let out a heart-wrenching scream, his voice filled with terror.

Yelü Yan's twin swords carried the wolf-head banner of the "Khitan Army," which fluttered in the night wind. Hundreds of defected Khitan soldiers, wielding spiked clubs, smashed the heads of their former comrades to pieces. Her "step-and-stomp side kick" knocked down a Mongol centurion, his boot splattered with brains, yet she didn't forget to glance back towards the granary, fearing something might have happened to Shi Feiyang.

"Give us back our homeland!" The shouts of the surrendered Khitan soldiers shook the city bricks. Suddenly, Yelü Yan's golden thread wrapped around Shi Feiyang's black armor. She had secretly tied it on last night, the ends of the thread hidden in the cracks of the ice, now trembling slightly in the wind.

As she watched Shi Feiyang's palm strike cleave the chest of the third Mongol soldier, she suddenly shouted, "Brother Shi, there are Tibetan lamas in the Northwest!"

Shi Feiyang's "Golden Eyes" swept towards the northwest corner, his icy gaze piercing through the firelight, just in time to witness the "Buddhist Extermination" Dharma King's "Great Handprint" shattering the skulls of Song soldiers. The old lama's scarlet robe unfurled in the night wind, like a blood-sucking bat, and the "Great Handprint" true energy within his palm strike pulverized even the city bricks.

"You wicked creature!" the Dharma King cursed, and his skull rosary suddenly flew out, aiming straight for Shi Feiyang's back. The nine skulls on the rosary all had empty eyes, clearly evil objects made from the skulls of living people.

"Watch out!" Wanyan Ping cried out. Her willow-leaf knife suddenly slipped from her hand, the scabbard crashing into the skull prayer beads. She was jolted back three steps by the residual force, her shoulder hitting the frozen grain bin, causing her to wince in pain.

Shi Feiyang used the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" divine skill, and the icy air spread along the palm wind, freezing the nine skulls into glass. Then, he wrapped his left arm around Wanyan Ping's waist and used his right palm to cleave the incoming prayer beads.

Shi Feiyang's icy aura flowed along Wanyan Ping's meridians, completely protecting her aching shoulder. The ice patterns on her black armor suddenly glowed softly, reflecting in her reddened eyes, as she said emotionally, "I said I would protect you. These scum are not worthy to dirty your hands."

Wanyan Ping's fingertips gently traced across his black armor, where the ice patterns were even more exquisite than those crafted by the most skilled silversmith in Luoyang.

She recalled how, when she sewed his battle robe last night, the threads clinging to the ice patterns had condensed into ice crystals, yet they had somehow turned into water droplets on her fingertips, much like the warmth in her heart at this moment.

Yelü Yan flew over, coquettishly saying, "Brother Shi, look this way!" Her twin swords suddenly swirled into silver circles, blocking Cui Yu's "Blood-Transforming Divine Palm" from three feet away. The hem of this Khitan princess's skirt was already soaked with blood, yet her smile was brighter than the peach blossoms of the Luo River.

She giggled again, "This old ghost's palm strike contains corpse poison, so don't catch it with your hands!" Just as Cui Yu's bluish-gray palm was about to press against Yelü Yan's heart, his wrist was suddenly wrapped by the silver threads of the "Heavenly Silkworm Skill".

Shi Feiyang used the profound lightness skill of "Concealing One's Body and Name" and arrived in an instant. With a flying kick, the sole of his boot struck the old demon squarely in the face. Amidst the crisp sound of the nose bone shattering, his palm was already pressed on the opponent's "Qi Hai" acupoint, and he used "Evil Blood Calamity" again!

Cui Yu's screams abruptly ceased, blood gushing from his seven orifices, his body curled up into a shriveled, monkey-like shape. As Shi Feiyang turned, he saw Yelü Yan's gold thread wrapped around his braid, tying a warm jade hairpin to the end—the jade was smooth and warm, still carrying her body heat. Yelü Yan said tenderly, "This way you won't forget me." Her cheeks were redder than the firelight, and she kicked over Cui Yu's corpse, just in time to block the incoming arrow.

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang's black armor warmed up, and the true energy seeping from the ice patterns carried the fragrance of peach blossoms—dried flowers from Guo Fu's embroidered sachet, which he kept close to his body, now blending with the scent of Yelü Yan's warm jade hairpin. He smiled affectionately, turned around, and unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" technique of the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique," slashing out with a gust of wind that whipped up icy waves, freezing more than ten Mongol soldiers who rushed towards him into ice sculptures.

The city bricks shattered like jade under the force of the palm strike, yet not a single piece landed on Yelü Yan and Wanyan Ping.

Qu Kansha approached and exclaimed, "Brother Shi's 'drawing the firewood from under the cauldron' plan is truly ingenious!"

His Black Blood Needle pierced the throat of the last Black Wind Cult elder. The robe of this Sun Moon Cult leader was soaked with blood, but he did not forget to give a thumbs up and report: "The disciples of a certain family used a 'chain strategy' at the North Gate, and the Mongol reinforcements cannot get in!"

Mei Jinghong's iron sword was currently holding the head of the deputy leader of the "Tianyuan Sect." The male leader of the Plum Blossom Gang had blood on his beard, but he smiled gently and said, "The Liaodong disciples have set up a 'fishing in troubled waters' formation on the Luo River, so the Mongol warhorses can't get through." His gaze swept over Shi Feiyang's interaction with the two girls, and he suddenly winked at Qu Kan, teasingly saying, "Let's not get involved in the affairs of young people."

As dawn broke in the east, banners bearing the character "Tang" were raised at all thirteen gates of Luoyang.

Shi Feiyang's black armor was splattered with blood, but Yelü Yan cleverly covered it with peach blossoms embroidered with gold thread. Wanyan Ping carefully scraped away the blood and ice on the soles of his boots with a willow-leaf knife, her movements as gentle as if she were handling a rare treasure.

Suddenly, Wanyan Ping held up a piece of ice crystal frozen with blood. The morning sun refracted through it, casting seven colors of light. She excitedly said, "Look at this ice. Doesn't it look like the glazed pagoda in Zhongdu after the snow?" Her fingertips traced Shi Feiyang's name on the ice crystal. She said softly, "Back then, I always thought that whoever could recover the lost territory, I would..." Before she could finish speaking, Shi Feiyang sealed her lips with the icy energy from his palm.

He looked at her reddened eyes, pulled her into his arms, and said tenderly, "After we recover Jiangnan, I'll go with you to Zhongdu."

Suddenly, Yelü Yan's golden thread wrapped around their wrists, binding their hands tightly together. She said shyly, "Me too!" She staggered and fell into Shi Feiyang's arms.

Shi Feiyang, with two beautiful women in his arms, looked at the "Tang" banner fluttering in the morning sun and the firelight reflected in the two girls' eyes. Suddenly, he felt that the ice patterns on his Xuanjia armor had become scorching hot. All the earth-shattering battles and thrilling schemes had melted into tenderness in this moment of affection.

The ice on the Luo River gradually melted in the morning light, reflecting three figures nestled together.

In the distance came the sound of Yelü Qi's cavalry, and nearby came waves of cheers from the people. On Shi Feiyang's black armor, gold threads and ice patterns were intertwined into a love knot, shining brighter than any jewel in the morning sun of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

At this moment, Mei Jinghong and Qu Kan walked over. Shi Feiyang released Yelü Yan and Wanyan Ping and whispered, "In the battle of Luoyang, we have successfully drawn away the heavy Mongol troops surrounding Xiangyang. Next, the Mongol army will definitely gather and surround Luoyang. Therefore, we should abandon the city and go to capture Yangzhou. In the battle to capture Yangzhou, we will use the strategy of 'drawing the firewood from under the cauldron'."

The assembled heroes nodded in agreement, all admiring Shi Feiyang's wisdom and courage, and readily obeyed his every word.

Shi Feiyang looked towards the south of the Yangtze River, where the ice patterns on his black armor reflected the shimmering waters of the Luo River. He then analyzed, "The Mongol navy is on the north bank of the Yangtze River, but they are not good at naval warfare. They relied on cavalry to destroy the Jin and Song dynasties. Therefore, if we launch a surprise attack by water, we will surely succeed in one fell swoop."

Wanyan Ping excitedly shouted, "Having fought a hundred battles in the yellow sands, wearing golden armor, Shi Lang's brilliant plan brings peace to the world!" The heroes excitedly followed suit, raising their arms and shouting.

Then, the Plum Blossom Gang disciples and Sun Moon Cult followers also raised their arms and shouted: "Having fought a hundred battles in the yellow sands, wearing golden armor, Shi Lang's ingenious plan brings peace to the world!"

Shi Feiyang smiled slightly and led his troops on their way.

In March, the Jiangnan region was shrouded in mist and rain, and Shi Feiyang's fleet sailed through the fog of Slender West Lake. Shi Feiyang's wife, Mei Qile, the young leader of the Plum Blossom Gang, led 30,000 disciples from the Plum Blossom Gang's headquarters and Liaodong branch by boat from Liaodong Bay, taking the lead in the battle against the Mongol navy.

Although the Mongol army possessed a navy, they were not skilled in naval warfare and were no match for the Plum Blossom Gang disciples, who had trained extensively in Liaodong Bay. They were utterly routed by the Plum Blossom Gang. Wanyan Ping used her willow-leaf dagger to draw navigational marks on the bow of the ship; these marks were the secret language of the Jin navy, used to avoid underwater reefs. Yelü Yan stood on the mast, directing the fleet to change formations in Khitan, her skirt fluttering in the wind, much like an eagle soaring over the grasslands.

Shi Feiyang marked the route of the "feint attack" on the map with his ice pattern, and said in a deep voice: "The Mongol navy is at Guazhou Ferry. Miss Wanyan led the navy to launch a feigned attack on Zhenjiang, luring Tuotuo's main force to the rescue; Miss Yelü led her elite troops to sneak into Yangzhou City at night and used the 'Khitan military token' to open the city gate."

His fingertip pointed towards the Yangzhou Prefectural Government Office. "The granaries there are the lifeblood of the Mongol army. Burning them is like 'cutting off the fuel supply.' Furthermore, I have more good news for everyone: my wife, Mei Qile, the young leader of the Plum Blossom Gang, has led 30,000 naval troops from Liaodong Bay across the Yangtze River and is currently engaged in battle with the Mongol navy. We will surely win this battle, and we will definitely rebuild the Tang Empire. Yangzhou was once Yang Guang's secondary capital; we don't need to rebuild the palaces, just repaint the old ones. After we occupy Yangzhou, we will implement benevolent policies, improve people's livelihoods, and benefit the people, turning Yangzhou into a Peach Blossom Island." The heroes immediately raised their arms and shouted: "Having fought a hundred battles in golden armor, Shi Lang's brilliant plan will bring peace to the world!"

Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan both understood: Shi Feiyang had been planning to retake Yangzhou for many years! Heh heh, incredible, he actually had tens of thousands of naval troops hidden in Liaodong!
The night of the night raid on Yangzhou coincided with the plum rain season in Jiangnan.

Shi Feiyang used his unparalleled "Leave No Trace for a Thousand Miles" lightness skill to pass through the rain. The ice patterns on his black armor condensed the rainwater into ice beads, which fell to the ground without making a sound. He watched Yelü Yan's twin swords cleave open the lock of the prefectural government office, and watched Wanyan Ping's willow-leaf dagger ignite the fuse of the granary. Suddenly, he felt that the swordplay in the rain was even more moving than the fireworks in Xiangyang City.

When Tuotuo's reinforcements arrived in Zhenjiang, they discovered they had fallen for a "luring the tiger away from the mountain" trap. The flames in Yangzhou had already illuminated half the sky, and the Mongol soldiers' granaries collapsed in the raging fire, their stockpiled grain turning into charcoal and scattering in the rain and mist of Jiangnan.

Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, turning ice into lightning, which exploded at Guazhou Ferry. The ice and lightning froze Tuotuo's warship in the middle of the river, and the ice patterns on the Xuanjia armor reflected the rising sun, making it look like a war god.

Shi Feiyang's palm strike cleaved towards Tuotuo's spiked club, the icy aura spreading along the club, freezing the Mongol general's wrist into an ice sculpture. He then admonished, "This is called 'Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell'." He watched Yelü Yan raise the "Tang" banner atop Yangzhou city walls, and watched Wanyan Ping's willow-leaf blade trace a golden arc in the rain. Suddenly, he understood that the highest level of Sun Tzu's Art of War was not killing, but protecting.

As the people of Yangzhou erected granaries bearing the character "Tang" at the city gate, Shi Feiyang's black armor was already stained with new battle marks. As Yelü Yan bandaged his wounds, gold thread embroidered the character "Victory" across the ice-like patterns; Wanyan Ping used a willow-leaf knife to pick up newly brewed rice wine, the reflections of the three of them shimmering in the wine, weaving an everlasting scene in the rain and mist of Jiangnan.

On the north bank of the Yangtze River, the remnants of Tuotuo's army sobbed in the rain. Gazing at the "Tang" banner fluttering atop Yangzhou city walls, and at the ice patterns swirling on Shi Feiyang's black armor, they finally understood that some heroes in this world are invincible—they possess not only the ferocity of the "Hundred Victories Sword Technique" and the wisdom of "Sun Tzu's Art of War," but also the warmth of the people's hearts and the tenderness of companionship with their beloved.

Standing atop Yangzhou's city walls, Shi Feiyang gazed at the misty rain of Jiangnan. The icy patterns on his black armor reflected Yelü Yan's smiling face, Wanyan Ping's gleaming blade, and the distant longing of Guo Fu in Xiangyang. He knew the road to reclaiming the lost territories was long, but as long as he had these comrades-in-arms by his side, and as long as there was justice and the will of the people, no city was insurmountable, no war unwinnable.

His son with Mei Qile, Shi Niantang, became emperor without any doubt, and Mei Qile, after enduring hardship, became the Empress Dowager of the rebuilt Tang Dynasty. Mei Qile was overjoyed and naturally agreed to Shi Feiyang marrying Yelü Yan and Wanyan Ping as the retired emperor's consorts. Qu Kan was appointed Commander of the Imperial Guard. To prevent interference from the empress's relatives in politics, Shi Feiyang ordered Mei Jinghong to lead troops to attack Jinling and appointed Mei Jinghong as the commander of the Jianghu Imperial Guard.

In March in Yangzhou, the misty rain falls like silk threads. The painted boats on the Slender West Lake gently rock on the blue waves, the creaking of the oars shattering the spring scenery across the lake.

Shi Feiyang stood under the eaves of the fishing platform, his black armor long since replaced by a moon-white brocade robe, the ice patterns transformed into embroidered dragon designs, faintly visible in the drizzle. In his hand he held a jade flute, sent by Guo Fu from Xiangyang, the words "longing" engraved on its surface, which he was now unconsciously caressing.

"Feiyang, look at the reflection of the Five Pavilion Bridge!" Wanyan Ping's voice, tinged with laughter, pierced the rain like silver bells. Today, she wore a light red embroidered dress, the hem embroidered with golden plum blossoms—a pattern drawn for her by Shi Feiyang himself. In the food box she carried were crab roe soup dumplings she had just bought from Fuchun Teahouse; the steaming heat framed her face, making her so beautiful that even the misty rain paled in comparison.

As Shi Feiyang turned around, he bumped into Yelü Yan running down the stone steps of the Twenty-Four Bridges. Her lake-blue skirt was splattered with mud, but she held a bunch of freshly picked magnolias in her hands, the petals still glistening with raindrops. The Khitan princess wore a jade hairpin given to her by Shi Feiyang in her hair; the icy patterns on the hairpin's tip shimmered softly in the rain, and the golden hairpin jingled as she ran.

"Slow down!" Shi Feiyang said with concern, using his "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" technique to step across the bluestone slabs and catch Yelü Yan in his arms before she fell.

Raindrops pattered on his brocade robe, leaving faint watermarks. He looked down at the woman in his arms, his nose brushing against the top of her hair, where the fragrance of magnolia blossoms still lingered. He scolded her, "How many times have I told you? The stone steps in Yangzhou are slippery, yet you ran around like a little wildcat." Yelü Yan buried her face in his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, her voice muffled, "I was afraid the magnolia blossoms would be knocked off by the rain."

She held up the flower branch, the white of the magnolia reflecting her pretty face, and said sweetly, "You said you liked this flower the most, that it was like snow, like ice, like...like the patterns on your black armor."

Wanyan Ping walked forward carrying the food box, watching the two embracing each other, a gentle smile in her eyes.

She opened the food box, picked up a soup dumpling with a silver skewer, and held it to Shi Feiyang's lips, saying coquettishly, "Try it first. I specially asked the chef to add extra crab roe." Her fingertips accidentally touched his lips, and she withdrew them as if burned, her cheeks redder than the steam from the soup dumpling.

When Shi Feiyang opened his mouth to bite the soup dumpling, he deliberately held her fingertip in his mouth. Wanyan Ping's body trembled, and she almost dropped the food box. She scolded, "You're being indecent!" But she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes. She reached out and wiped the soup from the corner of his lips, her movements as gentle as if she were protecting a rare treasure.

The rain suddenly intensified, and Shi Feiyang unfolded his oilcloth umbrella, sheltering the two of them under it. Wanyan Ping leaned on his left shoulder, while Yelü Yan held his right elbow. The three of them walked slowly along the willow-lined embankment by the lake, their footsteps swallowed by the sound of the rain, leaving only their breaths and heartbeats.

Yelü Yan suddenly looked up, raindrops wetting her eyelashes like scattered diamonds. She gazed at him tenderly and said, "Do you remember the day we recaptured Luoyang? You used your 'Heavenly Silkworm Technique' to shield me from an arrow, the silver threads wrapped around my wrist. I knew then that I would follow you for life." Her fingertips traced a shallow scar on Shi Feiyang's palm, a mark left from that day when he shielded her from the arrow. She added affectionately, "I will remember this scar for the rest of my life."

Shi Feiyang held her hand tightly, pressed his palm against his heart, and said gently, "There's a scar here too, left when you shielded me from the 'Great Handprint' of the 'Buddha-Slaying' Dharma King." He gazed at the misty lake and said tenderly, "That day I thought that if I could walk out of Luoyang alive, I would make sure you had a peaceful life and never suffer the pain of swords again."

Wanyan Ping leaned closer, her hair tangling with his brocade robe, and whispered, "The palaces of Zhongdu have long been abandoned, but I always dream of flying kites in the Imperial Garden when I was a child." Her fingertips traced circles on the back of Shi Feiyang's hand, and she said with a mixture of infatuation and reproach, "Now that you are here, anywhere is home. What does it matter whether there are palaces or not?" When they reached Pingshan Hall, the rain gradually stopped.

Under the ancient cypress tree in front of the hall, Qu Kan was patrolling with his men from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. When he saw Shi Feiyang, he quickly bowed and saluted, but his gaze swept over the three figures. He winked at his subordinates behind him and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, step back and don't disturb the Emperor Emeritus and the two empresses while they are enjoying the scenery."

Mei Jinghong emerged from the hall, holding a newly painted scroll titled "Spring Scenery of Yangzhou." The Plum Blossom Gang leader, his beard still smudged with ink, smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is newly painted. Look at the eaves of the Five Pavilion Bridge; don't they resemble the dragon patterns on your brocade robe?" He unrolled the scroll, revealing three figures standing beside a fishing platform—Shi Feiyang and two young women—the brushstrokes brimming with tenderness.

Shi Feiyang took the scroll and looked at himself in the painting, holding an umbrella for Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "It would be better to include Master Qu in the painting as well. He was more engrossed in watching it than anyone else on the city wall of Luoyang that day."

Qu Kan laughed heartily, revealing two rows of white teeth: "This humble subject dares not accept such praise!" He leaned closer and whispered: "Chief Mei has been ordered to prepare warships and will soon lead his army to attack Jinling. He will surely be able to recapture it within three months. However, the Qinhuai River in Jinling will probably be overshadowed by the elegance of the two ladies."

Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan blushed at the same time, and were about to hit Qu Kan, but Shi Feiyang stopped them. He handed the scroll to Mei Jinghong and said in a low voice, "Hang it in the warm pavilion of the palace after it is framed." Then he said to Qu Kan, "Thank you for your hard work with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I'll have the Imperial Kitchen make your favorite roasted whole lamb later."

After the two left, Yelü Yan suddenly tiptoed and pecked Shi Feiyang on the lips, then turned and ran, her skirt fluttering like a startled fawn. Wanyan Ping stepped forward, gently kissed the corner of his lips, and whispered, "I am more reserved than her, but... but I love her no less."

Shi Feiyang grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. He joined Yelü Yan and the other two in a embrace in front of Pingshan Hall. In the distance, the Five Pavilion Bridge was lit up in the twilight, like a string of pearls; nearby, the magnolias swayed in the evening breeze, their fragrance wafting in the air. He looked down at the two shy faces in his arms and suddenly felt that even the most glorious undertaking of recovering lost territories could not compare to even a fraction of the tenderness of this moment.

"Shall we go to Geyuan Garden to see the bamboo tomorrow?" Shi Feiyang said, his lips brushing against Wanyan Ping's forehead. "You said you liked the tear stains on the bamboo of Xiaoxiang." He then turned to Yelü Yan and said affectionately, "Let's go to Heyuan Garden the day after tomorrow. The moon gate there is beautiful. It would be a good place to have your portrait painted."

Yelü Yan tapped his nose with her finger and teased, "You just know how to coax us!" But she grabbed his hand as if afraid he would run away, and said coquettishly, "But I like to hear it."

Wanyan Ping took out a sachet from her sleeve, which contained soil from Yangzhou and two strands of hair, one of hers and one of Yelü Yan's. She said affectionately, "Wear this with you, and take us with you wherever you go."

Shi Feiyang tied the sachet around his waist, close to his heart. As dusk deepened, he embraced the two girls and walked back. The Pingshan Hall behind them gradually blurred in the lamplight, while the road in front of them was illuminated by the moonlight.

The rain started again, fine as cow's hair, as gentle as a lover's kiss.

"Look at this rain." Shi Feiyang stopped and caught a raindrop in his hand, saying with emotion, "Doesn't it look like the snow in Luoyang when we first met?"

Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan exchanged a glance and laughed at the same time, "It doesn't seem like it."

Shi Feiyang smiled and asked in return, "What does it resemble?"

"Like our hearts." They said in unison, their voices filled with love, "Soft, warm, it's all you."

Shi Feiyang threw his head back and laughed, startling the waterbirds that circled in the twilight. He knew that the misty rain of Jiangnan and the people beside him were the most precious treasures of his life. Those years of war and valor, those cunning schemes, had all transformed into the tenderness of this moment, brewing a jar of wine called "happiness" in the spring of Yangzhou, intoxicatingly sweet and irresistibly rich.

As night deepened, the lights of the Five Pavilion Bridge were reflected in the lake, merging with the stars in the sky. In Shi Feiyang's bedchamber, Wanyan Ping was grinding ink for him, while Yelü Yan was spreading out Xuan paper. He was going to write a poem for them, to capture the beauty of Yangzhou in spring and to express their overflowing love.

The rain was still falling outside the window, and the candlelight inside flickered, casting the shadows of the three people on the wall, clinging tightly together, inseparable.

The battles of this world may not yet have ended, but as long as he has these two deeply affectionate companions by his side, Shi Feiyang feels that no matter how many storms lie ahead, he can overcome all obstacles, protect this peace, and safeguard this lifelong warmth. Because he knows that love is the sharpest weapon and the strongest armor in this world, enough to withstand all hardships.

……

In late spring, the Jiangnan region was shrouded in misty rain, a scene of melancholy. Shi Feiyang stood atop the Yangzhou city wall, gazing at the hazy mist along the Qinhuai River. The dragon pattern embroidered on his dark brocade robe appeared and disappeared in the twilight. On the table before him lay a map of Jiangnan, in which he had circled two places with his vermilion brush—the Jubao Gate of Nanjing and the Changmen Gate of Suzhou. The vermilion spread across the paper, resembling splattered blood.

Qu Kan stepped forward and reported: "Chief Mei's vanguard has passed Zhenjiang."

The Taoist robe of the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was covered with morning dew, indicating that he had just returned from the scout camp. He then said, "The Mongol commander of Jinling, Tuohuan, has dispatched three thousand cavalry to reinforce Suzhou. There are only five thousand defenders left in the city, most of whom are old, weak, or disabled."

Shi Feiyang's fingertip touched the Qinhuai River on the map. Icy air condensed on his fingertip, carving a winding waterway on the paper. He said calmly, "Sun Tzu said, 'Warfare is based on deception.' Tuohuan thought we were going to take Suzhou, but he didn't know that this was just a feint." He looked up at Wanyan Ping beside him. She was mending the wear on his sleeve with gold thread, which shimmered softly in the candlelight.

So he asked Wan Yanping, "In the map of the secret passages of the Jin Kingdom, is there a sluice gate mechanism between the inner and outer Qinhuai Rivers of Jinling City?"

Wanyan Ping came over, drew a circle on the map, and nodded, saying, "Exactly! That's the 'Hidden Soldier Cave' built during the reign of Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, leading directly to the barbican of Jubao Gate." Her fingertips brushed over the "Jin Wuzhu Spear" mark on the scabbard, and she explained, "Back when the Mongols breached Zhongdu, my grandfather escaped using this mechanism, and now..."

Shi Feiyang grasped her wrist, the icy energy flowing along her meridians, calming her racing heartbeat. He smiled and said, "Now is the perfect time to take Jinling." When he turned to Yelü Yan, the Khitan princess was cutting a Suzhou embroidery with silver scissors. The embroidery depicted the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou, but she deliberately made a few mistakes in the stitches—a decoy for the Mongol spies.

Upon seeing this, Qu Kan burst into laughter, saying, "Miss Yelü's 'bitter ruse' was performed exceptionally well. Tuohuan's spies have sent word that you are crying and making a scene over His Majesty's decision to abandon Suzhou and attack Jinling, and you even smashed your princess crown. Truly..."

Yelü Yan's cheeks flushed red. She stuffed Su Xiu into Shi Feiyang's arms and said coquettishly, "Isn't this all your bad idea!" But her fingertips secretly hooked his sleeve, where there was a peace charm she had embroidered herself, with the four characters "Yan Sui Feiyang" embroidered on it. The stitches were so dense that the gaps were almost invisible.

She giggled and said, "But that crown is indeed fake. I've kept the real one. When we conquer Jinling, I want you to put it on me yourself."

Shi Feiyang planted a kiss on Yelü Yan's forehead and whispered, "Once we recover Jiangnan, I will build you a palace more beautiful than the Khitan palace."

He turned to Qu Kan, his palm condensing into a token of ice, and said in a deep voice, "Pass down the order that the five thousand Tang soldiers disguised as refugees enter the cave from the Qinhuai River at midnight tonight and act on my signal."

Just as the third watch gong sounded, a deafening battle cry erupted from the Changmen Gate of Suzhou Prefecture. Mei Jinghong's Plum Blossom Gang disciples, waving banners bearing the character "Tang," slashed at the iron locks of the city gate with their iron swords, while members of the Sun Moon Cult wrapped their whips around the ankles of Mongol soldiers, dragging them off the city walls.

The male gang leader, his beard stained with blood, deliberately ordered his men to slow down their attack, even firing their trebuchets at empty air, creating a smoke and dust cloud that appeared to be ten times more lethal than it actually was.

"Report—Suzhou is in dire straits!" Tuohuan's personal guards scrambled into the commander's mansion at Jubao Gate, their armor still covered in mud, and trembled as they reported, "The main force of the Tang army has arrived at the city walls. Mei Jinghong's 'Falling Petals Palm' is killing our troops..."

Tuohuan grabbed a spiked club and slammed it on the table, splitting the map of Jiangnan in two. He cursed, "Useless!" This Mongol commander's "Yinfeng Blade" skill ranked among the top three in the Thirteen Wings, but at this moment he was so angry that he was trembling all over.

He roared, "Shi Feiyang is trying to 'besiege the city and attack the reinforcements'! Issue my order: the entire army is to rush to the aid of Suzhou, leaving a thousand men to guard the city wall!"

Little did he know that at that moment, Shi Feiyang was sitting in a covered boat with Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan, sailing down the Qinhuai River.

Wanyan Ping held a willow-leaf knife over an oil lamp, the light illuminating her men's attire, yet unable to conceal the charm in her brows; Yelü Yan's twin knives were hidden in a bundle, which was filled with "letters of surrender" for the Mongol soldiers guarding the city, the handwriting of which was personally written by Shi Feiyang, the strokes carrying a sharp, icy edge.

Wanyan Ping's sword tassel was wrapped with a jade pendant, the "Heart-Protecting Jade" bestowed upon her by Emperor Aizong of Jin. It was currently pressed against Shi Feiyang's palm as she whispered, "The sluice gate is just ahead. The mechanism is under the third brick at the gate, and it can only be opened with the Khitan's 'Wolf Head Token'." Shi Feiyang activated his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill," and a crystalline light flowed through his palm. Suddenly, the powerful true energy formed a silver silkworm thread that flew out and, with a flash of crystalline light, wrapped around the iron chain at the gate.

He lightly touched the deck with his toes, unleashing a 360-degree spinning kick in mid-air. The resulting icy wave froze the patrolling Mongol soldiers into ice sculptures. A subsequent "change-of-direction kick" precisely struck the third brick—which suddenly caved in, revealing a narrow opening just wide enough for one person to pass through. A damp, musty smell emanated from within—the entrance to the Jin Kingdom's secret passage. Immediately afterward, Shi Feiyang roared, "Follow me closely!" He unleashed the "Viewing the Vast Ocean" technique from the Hundred Victories Swordplay, cleaving out a terrifying wave of energy. With ferocious palm strikes, he cleared a path ahead, the icy air freezing the spiderweb-like tripwires into ice crystals.

Wanyan Ping followed closely behind, slicing away the bats that swooped in with her willow-leaf knife, while Yelü Yan tied their wrists together with a golden thread. The golden thread gleamed faintly in the darkness, like an unbreakable bond of love.

The stone steps at the end of the secret passage led to a dilapidated City God Temple, which was located inside the barbican of the Treasure Gate. Shi Feiyang's "Golden Eyes" swept across the shadows behind the statue, his icy gaze piercing through the darkness, and he witnessed three Mongol soldiers dividing up the looted treasure.

Just as the centurion was about to cry for help, Shi Feiyang kicked him in the throat with a front whip kick, the crisp sound of his throat bones breaking was particularly jarring in the empty temple.

Shi Feiyang watched as the night watchman outside the temple struck the clapper, then said in a deep voice, "It's midnight." Ming Yugong's icy energy condensed into three ice talismans in his palm, and he said jokingly, "The defeated troops of Chief Mei should be here soon."

Before the words were finished, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted outside Jubao Gate. Mei Jinghong, carrying a tattered banner with the character "Tang" on her iron ruler, led several hundred "remnant soldiers" charging towards the city gate. Their armor was stained with blood, and they looked utterly disheveled.

Just as the garrison commander left behind by Tuohuan was about to fire arrows, the "remnants" suddenly drew weapons hidden in their bosoms. The iron rulers of the Plum Blossom Gang disciples gleamed coldly, and the soft whips of the Sun Moon Cult members were wrapped with fire arrows, heading straight for the gunpowder barrels on the city wall.

"It's a feigned defeat!" The defending general's shout had barely left his mouth when Wanyan Ping pierced his throat with her willow-leaf dagger.

The "Dragon-Slaying Technique" of this princess of a fallen kingdom has become much more powerful.

Since marrying Shi Feiyang, she absorbed the Sunflower Saintess's superior bloodline from him, increasing her internal strength dozens of times. At this moment, her blade cleaved through the heavy armor of the Mongol soldiers, and drops of blood splattered on her men's clothing, like a tragic flower blooming.

Yelü Yan wielded her twin swords in silver circles, and the "Separating Phoenix" move of the "Mandarin Duck Sword Technique" forced back the attacking Mongol soldiers.

With a quick side kick, she struck the drum stand on the city wall, and the thunderous sound of the war drums echoed throughout Jinling City. It was a signal to Shi Feiyang that the surrendered Khitan soldiers in the inner city had received the "letter of persuasion to surrender" and were preparing to defect.

Shi Feiyang then unleashed the "Breaking the Universe" move of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique," and the icy waves generated by his palm strike froze the heavy gate of the barbican into ice crystals.

He watched as Mei Jinghong's iron ruler felled the Mongol army's banner, and as Wanyan Ping's willow-leaf blade drew golden arcs across the torches. Suddenly, he let out a long roar and unleashed the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," the fierce palm wind shattering the plaque of the Jubao Gate into fragments. (End of Chapter)