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

Shi Feiyang murmured to himself, "Brother Xiang's flute playing is the most elegant."

"When facing an enemy, there's no need to lift a finger; a single tune can be enough to kill them." His fingertips traced patterns on the old tree by the cliff, and the ice patterns formed by Mingyu Gong's true energy flowed in his palm, eventually condensing into the shape of a wine jar. But the moment it took shape, it shattered, turning into mist and dissipating in the wind.

He wandered around the dense forest several times but couldn't find the old site of the Xiong Ying Society's headquarters. He kept thinking he would see Jin Liufu squatting on the threshold, polishing his golden knife, the two characters "Loyalty and Righteousness" on the blade gleaming from the rubbing. But there were only a few fallen leaves swirling in front of the steps, and the wind whistled through the empty window frames.

He followed the path he remembered to the back mountain, where there should have been three tombstones side by side. Wu Zhong's tombstone was inscribed with "Fist Shakes Mountains and Rivers", Xiang Kun's tombstone was inscribed with "Sword Sweeps the Universe", and Jin Liufu's tombstone was inscribed with "Pen Determines the Jianghu".

But all he saw was a flat meadow, the dewdrops on the blades of grass glistening in the morning light, like countless eyes watching him, yet there was no stone tablet to commemorate those years of unwavering loyalty.

"So... they weren't even born yet at this time." Shi Feiyang suddenly chuckled, the laughter echoing through the valley, yet tinged with an indescribable bitterness. He recalled the tavern in Yangzhou City years ago, when Wu Zhong snatched his wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp, the wine flowing down his beard and into his armor.

Jin Liufu wrote "righteousness reaching the heavens" on the table with a brush, the ink spreading out like a blooming plum blossom.

As the laughter subsided, his fingertips trembled slightly. Ice vapor condensed in his palm, forming a mirror that reflected not the misty scene before him, but the fierce battles of the heroes of Xiong Ying in the martial world—Wu Zhong's iron palm smashing open the helmet of a Jinyiwei guard, Jin Liufu's golden knife piercing the pressure points of a Beggar Clan elder…

The ice mirror suddenly shattered, and the fragments fell onto the grass, reflecting Shi Feiyang's reddened eyes.

He recalled his first encounter with Yili at the Shi Mansion in Suzhou; her arrogance and ethereal beauty had deeply captivated him. He remembered the talented Gong Simeng singing and playing "Nian Nu Jiao" for him on a painted boat in Jinling, the pipa music conveying boundless affection. He also recalled Lin Wanqing waiting for his return in a rainy alley in Suzhou, holding an oil-paper umbrella, the mudstains on her skirt adding to her shy charm.

Shi Feiyang activated the Mingyu Gong, and the icy air traced the shape of Yili in the air. Her smiling face appeared and disappeared in the mist, but could not be grasped or touched.

Gong Simeng's pipa music seemed to echo in his ears, still the same "Nian Nu Jiao," but now carrying the heroic spirit of war. He remembered the moment she smashed the pipa against the masked assassins of Shenjian Manor; amidst the crisp sound of breaking strings, her figure stood in front of him.

Lin Wanqing's oil-paper umbrella suddenly appeared in the mist, the lotus flowers on the umbrella surface wet with rain, like the dust she wiped away for him in the rainy alley years ago.

At this moment, his ice patterns glowed red, a sign of the fusion of the Sacred Heart Technique and the Bright Jade Skill, but they could no longer warm the emptiness around him.

As he turned to descend the mountain, his steps faltered slightly. The waters of Taihu Lake remained emerald green, but they could not reflect the figures of Wu Zhong, Jin Liufu, Lu Dechu, and Xiang Kun playing in the water; the wind on Piaomiao Peak remained refreshing, but it could not bring the laughter of his beloved wives.

He suddenly realized that the heroic spirit that stirred up the world and the tender feelings that lingered in the past were all sealed away in the past, like memories frozen in ice, which could only slowly melt in the palm of his hand in the dead of night.

Back in Suzhou Prefecture, the setting sun shone brightly on the plaque of the government office. He remembered Wu Zhong's roar in the main hall here years ago, as he threw the head of a Jinyiwei commander onto the desk, shouting, "This Suzhou city was won with the blood of our brothers!" The roar shook the dust from the beams. But now the hall was empty, only his black armor casting a long shadow in the setting sun, like a lonely guardian.

He walked to the open space in the backyard, where there should have been a grand stone mansion, Wu Zhong's boxing room, Xiang Kun's sword hut, Jin Liufu's study, and Yi Li and the others' embroidery pavilion, all of which should have risen from this land.

But all he saw was a barren wasteland, with weeds swaying in the wind as if mocking his delusions.

Shi Feiyang's icy aura condensed into a love knot in his palm, containing the names of Wu Zhong and the others, and the smiling faces of his beloved wives. He murmured, "In the next reincarnation... I will definitely meet you all again. At that time, we will drink the wine of Taihu Lake together again, and protect this beautiful land together."

He gently placed the love knot on the ground, and the icy air allowed it to gradually freeze in the soil. As dusk deepened, the lights of Suzhou City lit up one by one.

Shi Feiyang stood on the steps of the government office, gazing at the city lights. The ice patterns on his black armor reflected the myriad lights, but not the figures he longed for. The evening breeze brushed his hair, carrying the moisture from Taihu Lake, like the gentle caress of his beloved wives. He knew that this longing would accompany him on the rest of his journey, until the day of reincarnation, when he would reunite with those long-lost figures at the end of time.

At this moment, Yelü Qi came in to report: "Miss Guo Fu has given birth to a son for His Majesty!" Shi Feiyang was extremely excited and immediately summoned his relatives and generals, including Mei Jinghong, Qu Kan, Yelü Yan, Wanyan Ping, Qin Mu, Cheng Duoyuan, Yuchi Fu, and Luo Zhan. He instructed them to guard Yangzhou, Jinling, and Suzhou, and told Yelü Yan and Wanyan Ping to return to Yangzhou to serve as regents with the Empress Dowager and protect the capital of the new Tang Empire.

Then, he used his "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" technique to fly to Xiangyang. The Mongol army suffered repeated defeats in naval battles, so they heavily besieged Xiangyang, intending to take this heartland of the Central Plains and then march on Lin'an to destroy the Song Dynasty.

From the distant city of Xiangyang came the deafening sounds of battle. As the "Song" banner on the city wall was torn apart by the wind of the Mongol cavalry, Shi Feiyang, clad in black armor, flew through the air, the rising sun shining brightly. In the instant he descended, he unleashed the "Sword Twenty-Three" divine skill, and the domain of sword energy suddenly expanded—the water in the moat abruptly stopped, the hooves of the Mongol soldiers hung in mid-air, and even the energy of Guo Jing's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms condensed in his palm.

"This is..." Guo Jing's iron bow had just been nocked the black iron arrow when the arrowhead stopped three inches from the bowstring. He saw the phantom of the Six Paths of Reincarnation floating in Shi Feiyang's pupils, and the air around him condensed into ice-blue sword energy. Wherever that sword energy touched, the steel swords of the Mongol soldiers were shattering inch by inch.

Before Shi Feiyang had fully unleashed the "Six Annihilation Sword Twenty-Three," the aftershocks at the edge of the sword energy field had already turned the Mongol soldiers on the west city tower into ice sculptures.

He raised his palm and pointed at the "wolf-head banner" of the Mongol central army. Suddenly, an ice lotus bloomed between his palms. The moment the ice petals scattered, ice flowers burst from the backs of three hundred Mongol archers at the same time. Their corpses were pinned to the city wall by the sword energy, forming a barrier of flesh and blood.

Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword was being attacked by three Mongol centurions, and the sword tassel was entangled in their sword chains and she could not break free.

As Shi Feiyang's domain expanded, she suddenly realized that she could clearly see the flaws in the enemy's moves—the centurion's "Sweeping Through a Thousand Armies" sword strike was still powerful, and the "Yangxi acupoint" on his wrist was exposed to the moonlight.

Following this strange intuition, she thrust out her sword. The moment the tip pierced her enemy's wrist, she suddenly remembered what Shi Feiyang had once said: "Your sword should be like an arrow piercing the clouds."

Shi Feiyang said with concern, "Madam, be careful!" His sword aura suddenly contracted, engulfing the Mongol soldiers who were rushing towards Guo Fu into an icy blue vortex.

The way those people struggled through time and space reminded him of the frozen pages inside the Divine Dragon Pagoda, only now the crimson of blood was more intense than the peach blossom wine within the pagoda. He unleashed his "Nine Palaces Divine Speed ​​Kick," a "360-degree spinning kick" that sent the rain of arrows flying from the city wall. He turned and kicked a centurion squarely in the chest, sending his ribs piercing through his back.

Huang Rong's Dog-Beating Stick drew a "Dog-Beating Formation" in the southeast corner. As the tip of the stick poked at the throat of a Mongol soldier, she suddenly caught a glimpse of the dragon patterns on Shi Feiyang's black armor—those dragon patterns, nourished by sword energy, seemed to come alive, faintly resonating with the Tang Dynasty stele fragments hidden in the brickwork of Xiangyang's city wall. Her silver hairpin suddenly pointed to the right flank of the Mongol army formation, and she shouted, "Brother Shi, that's their supply route!"

Shi Feiyang used his amazing "Deeds Done and Departure" light-foot skill to leap over the heads of the Mongol soldiers. The moment his toes lightly touched the enemy soldiers' helmets, he unleashed the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique" with both palms, "Breaking Heaven and Earth". The fierce blade energy stirred up ice waves that swept over the Mongol granary, freezing the oil-soaked grain into ice blocks.

He deliberately left an opening, allowing the fleeing Mongol soldiers to spread the terror of "Sword Twenty-Three" throughout the entire army—this was a "winning hearts and minds" tactic he learned from the *Tai Xuan Jing*. Guo Fu's Qingfeng sword suddenly caught up, its tassel wrapping around Shi Feiyang's wrist. She exclaimed in surprise, "Husband, what kind of skill is this? It's even more powerful than my father's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms!"

Her nose was stained with the blood of the Mongol soldiers, but her cheeks were flushed with excitement as she asked, "Could you teach me that move?"

Shi Feiyang's sword aura domain was released at this moment, and the water in the moat crashed down, splashing onto the hem of Guo Fu's pale yellow skirt.

Looking at the afterimage of the icy blue sword energy reflected in her eyes, he suddenly recalled the portrait of Chang'e in the Divine Dragon Pagoda—it turned out that the charm of the Sunflower Saintess was not only in her eyes and brows, but also in her composure and heroic spirit in the face of danger.

He whispered, "Madam, hurry back to the manor. I'll fight a little longer, drive back the Mongol soldiers, and then I'll come find you!" With that, he flew away, landing outside the city to fight alongside Guo Jing. Guo Jing's vermilion bow was still nocked with wolf-tooth arrows, the arrowheads pointing directly at Möngke's golden tent. Seeing Shi Feiyang, he exclaimed with delight, "My dear son-in-law, that old Möngke has mobilized the Tibetan 'Secret Sect Suicide Squad,' and they're filling the moat with a 'human wall.'"

His fingertips flicked the bowstring, and the humming of the arrow shaft carried the rhythm of his childhood spent shooting gazelles on the Mongolian grasslands.

Immediately afterward, he said, panting heavily, "Guo'er and Miss Long are at the North Gate, they can't hold on much longer." Shi Feiyang calmly smiled and said, "Father-in-law, rest assured, your son-in-law will definitely help Hero Yang and Miss Long repel the Mongol army." He used "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles," transforming into an ice shadow. When his black armor grazed Guo Jing's shoulder, the two men's palm winds collided in the air, stirring up a sky full of ice crystals.

He noticed that Guo Daxia's temples were streaked with white, even more so than when they last met in Xiangyang. So he added, "Father-in-law, rest assured, the reinforcements from Suzhou have crossed the Han River. Qu Kan, along with the Imperial Guards disguised as Mongol soldiers, should be reaching Möngke's rear camp by now." They passed through the battle-scarred streets, where every household's doors had been dismantled to serve as shields, and the tables in teahouses were piled up as makeshift shelters, studded with Mongol arrows.

Shi Feiyang's "golden eyes" swept across the shadows at the street corner, his icy gaze piercing through the robes of three Tibetan Tantric monks who were about to use the "blood sacrifice ritual" to dissect an infant alive as a sacrifice to the prayer flag. Enraged, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Slaying the Mortal World" technique from the Hundred Victories Blade Method. The fierce blade energy tore through them, and their heads suddenly shattered into ice shards. Blood splattered onto the prayer flags beside them, obscuring the "Om Mani Padme Hum" mantra.

"Shi Lang!" Guo Fu's pale yellow battle robe suddenly peeked out from the arrow tower of the south gate. This time, she was holding a swaddled baby in her arms. The tiger head embroidery on the swaddled baby was stained with blood, but it could not hide the baby's pink cheeks.

The female warrior, who had recently given birth, still had bandages wrapped around her left arm, a wound inflicted by a Mongol soldier's spiked club the day before while protecting her infant.

She cried out urgently, "Husband, come quickly and see our child!"

Shi Feiyang suddenly stopped, the ice patterns on his black armor glowing red with excitement. He looked at the baby in Guo Fu's arms; the little one's fists were clenched around his mother's hair, and his eyes were wide open, looking exactly like him when he was a child.

The melancholy he felt in the Suzhou government office and the longing he felt on Misty Peak now transformed into a warm current flowing through his limbs and bones. The icy energy of Mingyu Gong condensed into a longevity lock in his palm, and the two characters "Peace" on the lock still carried the lingering warmth of his fingers.

Guo Fu gasped, "He...he looks like you." She carefully handed the baby over, her movements as gentle as if she were holding a fragile piece of glass.

A tiny foot peeked out from the swaddling clothes, its toenails neatly trimmed—she had carefully trimmed them with her gold hairpin the night before while the baby slept. The moment Shi Feiyang's fingers touched the baby's cheek, the little one suddenly grabbed his index finger with surprising force. A cool breeze flowed along his fingertips, condensing the sweat on the baby's palm into a fine frost, which melted quietly upon touching the warm skin.

Shi Feiyang lowered his head and pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead, leaving a small plum blossom mark on the swaddling clothes. He said thoughtfully, "Let's call him 'Nianxiang'. It means remembering the bloody battle in Xiangyang, and also remembering... remembering that our family will never be separated again."

Guo Fu's cheeks suddenly flushed red. Just as she was about to speak, the sounds of fighting at the North Gate suddenly intensified.

The Mongol soldiers' "human wall" had filled the moat, and the Tibetan national teacher's "Great Seal of Esoteric Buddhism" had created a gap of about ten feet wide in the city wall.

Shi Feiyang quickly stuffed Shi Nianxiang into Guo Fu's arms, and unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" move of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with his palm. The fierce icy air spread along the gap, freezing the hundred daredevils at the forefront into ice sculptures. The shockwave from his palm struck the city bricks, making the tiles of the arrow tower rattle.

At this moment, Huang Rong rushed over and anxiously shouted, "My dear son-in-law, protect Fu'er!" Her dog-beating stick suddenly emerged from the crowd, its shadow wrapping around the ankles of the Mongol soldiers, tripping them up in front of the ice sculpture.

The Beggar Clan leader's clothes were so worn that their original color was no longer discernible, yet he still smiled calmly and said, "Old Beggar, go help Guo'er!" He tapped the ground with his dog-beating stick, and his figure drifted towards the North Gate like a willow catkin. The copper ring at the end of the stick jingled amidst the sounds of battle, as if counting the souls of the Mongol army's dead.

This great battle kept the city of Xiangyang shrouded in smoke for seven days.

Even after arriving in Xiangyang, Shi Feiyang didn't have time to properly reunite with Guo Fu and her son; they could only meet occasionally. The Mongol army besieged Xiangyang for many years but couldn't breach the city, all because of the heroic deeds of Guo Jing, Huang Rong, Lu Youjiao, and other heroes who fought valiantly and refused to retreat.

The Mongol Khan Möngke's "Huihui cannon" blasted half of the city gate tower at the west gate. The limbs of Tang soldiers were still embedded in the rubble, and black blood flowed down the cracks in the city bricks, freezing into purplish-black icicles on the ice of the moat.

At this moment, Shi Feiyang's black armor stepped over these ice shards, the ice patterns reflecting the battle at the East Gate—Guo Jing leaped up, unleashing the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" of the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" in mid-air, striking down from above, sending thirteen Mongol centurions flying. The bricks and stones carried by his palm wind crashed into the Mongol army formation, the blood and broken bones spurting out arcs in the morning sun, like a tragic fireworks display.

On the city tower of the North Gate, Yang Guo's Xuan Tie Heavy Sword was wrestling with Mongke's "Mountain-Breaking Axe".

The spine of the greatsword pressed against the axe blade, sparks flying onto his empty left sleeve, burning a hole in the tattered fabric.

Little Dragon Girl's "Jade Maiden Heart Sword" swirled around the Mongol army formation like a white ribbon, its tip piercing the prayer flags of Tibetan monks, drawing silver arcs in the morning sun, each arc taking away a life.

Yang Guo said with concern, "Aunt, be careful!" Suddenly, the heavy sword changed its move; the force of the "Heavy Sword Without Edge" swept past Xiaolongnü's side with a powerful gust of wind, slicing three attacking Mongol soldiers in half at the waist. Blood splattered on his mask, flowing down the carved lines to reveal his tightly pursed lips—a habit he had developed after losing an arm, clenching his lips tightly during fierce battles, as if swallowing all the pain. Xiaolongnü's "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" was activated to its fullest extent; her white robes fluttered in the blood mist, like a snow lotus blooming in hell.

Her sword tip pointed towards Möngke's back, but was deflected by the Khan's "indestructible body." The silver bell on her wrist suddenly rang rapidly, a signal she had agreed upon with Yang Guo: "There are ambushes on the left flank."

Yang Guo immediately swept his heavy sword horizontally, the sword wind cleaving through the Mongol soldiers' formation, revealing the "Huihui cannons" behind them. He urgently implemented a "feint attack" strategy, suddenly abandoning Möngke, using his heavy sword to lift a burning chariot and hurling it towards the cannon carriage. The wheels exploded in mid-air, sparks igniting the gunpowder, and with a deafening roar, the Mongol artillerymen were thrown into the air, their severed limbs raining down on the frozen surface of the moat.

The Mongol army had no choice but to retreat.

The wooden planks of the arrow tower creaked underfoot. Guo Fu's arms, which were holding Shi Nianxiang, were a little sore, but she couldn't bear to let go even a little.

The wind generated by Shi Feiyang's "Leave No Trace for a Thousand Miles" technique ruffled the stray hairs at her temples. The strands of hair drifted onto Shi Nianxiang's cheek, causing the baby to giggle and wave her little hands to grab them, but instead she grabbed the ice-patterned tassel hanging from Shi Feiyang's black armor.

“Look at him, he even recognizes his own father.” Guo Fu’s voice was as gentle as the spring water in Xiangyang in March. The hem of her pale yellow battle robe swept over the tips of Shi Feiyang’s boots, and the brick fragments she was wearing fell to the ground.

She gazed at the lingering black blood on Shi Feiyang's armor, her fingertips gently tracing the icy patterns as if trying to erase the stench of blood. She couldn't help but sigh, "After fighting for seven days and seven nights, the chill in my body has intensified. I'll have the kitchen prepare a pot of angelica and mutton soup later."

Shi Feiyang looked down at the baby in his arms. The little one was nibbling on his ice-patterned tassel with his toothless gums, and drool on it made the ice crystals gleam with a warm light. He freed one hand to hug Guo Fu's waist, and the icy aura in his palm deliberately concealed its sharpness, leaving only a faint coolness.

He sighed and said, "Fu'er is so thoughtful; I had forgotten all that." As he descended the stone steps of the city wall, the sounds of battle gradually faded into the distance, leaving only the whistling of the wind through the alleyways and the occasional babbling of Shi Nianxiang.

Guo Fu gently rested her head on Shi Feiyang's shoulder, the jewels in her hair brushing against his black armor, making a soft rustling sound, as if telling of her longing over the past seven days and nights. "That day you flew from Suzhou, your armor still damp with the moisture from Taihu Lake, and I knew you would protect us, mother and child." Her voice was low, almost a whisper, tinged with lingering fear and relief.

Shi Feiyang paused, turning his head to look at her. Guo Fu's cheeks were flushed from the city wind, and tiny ice crystals clung to her eyelashes—tears that had fallen during her earlier excitement.

He recalled her capricious swordplay when they first met, and the jade hairpin she tossed by the shore of Peach Blossom Island. A surge of warmth welled up in his heart, overwhelming the chill of Ming Yu Gong. He smiled and said, "Silly girl, if I hadn't come, who would have protected my Fu-mei and Nian'er?"

The gate of the Guo family mansion was ajar, and the red lanterns hanging above the gate were still swaying. Guo Fu had specially asked the servants to hang them before she went into labor, saying that she wanted Shi Feiyang to be able to see the direction of home from afar when he returned.

The moment Guo Fu stepped into the courtyard, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and tiptoed to plant a quick kiss on Shi Feiyang's cheek. The warmth of her lips made his icy expression turn slightly red. Shi Feiyang deliberately put on a stern face and said, "You're so frivolous." But Shi Nianxiang in his arms seemed to understand something and suddenly giggled, patting his chest with her small hands.

He looked down at his son's exquisitely beautiful face, then at Guo Fu's blushing ears, and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, teasingly saying, "If you keep fooling around, Nian'er will laugh at his mother." Guo Fu didn't care, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck, the sleeves of her pale yellow battle robe sliding down, and playfully saying, "I just want to fool around." Her nose brushed against his chin, her voice carrying a hint of coquetry, softly saying, "You've been so busy fighting these past seven days that you haven't even looked at me much. Now that you've won, you should make it up to me."

Stepping into the inner room, a wave of warmth washed over them. A brocade quilt, hand-embroidered by Guo Fu, lay on the bed, its corners embroidered with tiny characters for "stone" and "Guo," pressed tightly together. She took Shi Nianxiang from Shi Feiyang's arms, carefully placing her in the cradle. Then, she poured a cup of warm floral tea, held it to Shi Feiyang's lips, and said tenderly, "This is made from dried peach petals. Try it; does it taste like it did on Peach Blossom Island back then?"

Shi Feiyang took a sip from her hand, the sweet floral fragrance spreading on his tongue. He grasped the hand she was offering him the cup, his fingertips tracing the thin calluses on her palm—marks left from sword practice, yet more captivating to him than any jewel.

He said earnestly, "It's even better than the ones from Peach Blossom Island, because it has the flavor of Fu'er."

Guo Fu's face flushed even more. She withdrew her hand to adjust the straps of his black armor, but deliberately slowed her movements, one stroke at a time, as if counting each other's heartbeats. She said coquettishly, "You're so glib. You weren't like this back then. You used to hide from me like a frightened little rabbit."

Shi Feiyang said with emotion, "Back then, I lost my home and country, and I was in the most helpless moment of my life." He held her hand and pressed it to his chest, and said affectionately, "Now, with Fu'er supporting me, and with territories like Yangzhou, Jinling, Zhenjiang, and Suzhou, I have regained my confidence."

Suddenly, Shi Nianxiang in the cradle started to whimper. Guo Fu quickly went over and gently patted the baby's back.

Moonlight streamed through the window, falling on her profile and softening her features. Bathed in the glow of her pale yellow battle robe, she looked like a moving painting. Guo Fu turned back with a smile, her eyes overflowing with tenderness, and said happily, "Look at him, his eyebrows and eyes are like yours, but his nose is like mine. When he grows up, he'll definitely be the kind of guy that makes girls' hearts flutter."

Shi Feiyang walked over, gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, rested his chin on the top of her head, and whispered, "It would be best if he wasn't like me. I don't want him to be like me, causing his beloved to worry and fear."

Guo Fu turned around, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his lips.

This time, it was no longer a fleeting encounter, but rather a journey filled with seven days and nights of longing, and a steadfast commitment to be together through life and death.

Under the moonlight, the baby in the cradle slept peacefully, a sweet smile on his lips.

Shi Feiyang held Guo Fu in his arms, and Guo Fu leaned against Shi Feiyang; their heartbeats merged into one in the quiet night.

Happy times are always too short.

The next morning, the sounds of fighting grew louder as they approached.

Shi Feiyang woke up with a start, gently moved Guo Fu away from his arms, washed up and changed his clothes, and flew out.

At this moment, the crossbeams of the North Gate tower were creaking under the strain. The Golden Wheel Monk's five wheels spun and smashed the last pillar. The serrated edges of the bronze wheels were stained with the blood and flesh of Tang soldiers, and glowed with an eerie red light in the morning sun.

The Tibetan national teacher's robe was soaked with sweat, revealing the bulging veins on his right arm—a sign that he had reached the tenth level of the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill." Before the palm strike even arrived, the city bricks trembled, and black blood seeping from the cracks gathered into small streams on the ground.

"Yang Guo, you brat, prepare to die!" the Golden Wheel Monk roared, his left hand suddenly hurling a silver wheel. The rim of the wheel grazed Xiaolongnu's white robes, severing a strand of her black hair. The silver strand floated in the air, caught in the sword wind of Yang Guo's Xuan Tie Heavy Sword. The force of his one-armed sword swing made the air seem to whistle. Amidst the deafening crash of the heavy sword colliding with the golden wheel, Guo Xiang's scream from the arrow tower could be heard.

Fourteen-year-old Guo Xiang was clinging to the edge of the battlement, clutching the "golden needle" given to her by Yang Guo tightly in her hand. The silver hairpin-like needle was now gleaming with sweat. She saw the Golden Wheel Monk's bronze wheel hurtling towards Yang Guo's back when suddenly an embroidery needle was thrown from the arrow tower. Though the needle's tip couldn't injure the monk, it forced him to pause slightly. "Brother Yang, be careful!" Guo Xiang's voice was choked with tears. Her green skirt was lifted by the city wind, revealing a patched undergarment underneath—a garment that Huang Rong had altered from her own clothes, which Guo Xiang now trampled underfoot, utterly disregarding its dignity.

Taking advantage of this slight pause, Yang Guo suddenly changed his move with his heavy sword. The momentum of "heavy sword without edge" transformed into "sword breaking style". The spine of the sword slid up the serrations of the golden wheel and actually snapped the bearing of the bronze wheel.

He caught a glimpse of Guo Xiang's red nose from the cold and shouted to Xiaolongnu, "Auntie, protect Xiangmei!" The Xuan Tie sword suddenly flew out of his hand and pierced straight into the face of the Golden Wheel Monk. He then used the recoil to lunge at the silver wheel, using the last sleeve of his left hand to wrap around the wheel's axle and forcefully pull it to change direction. The silver wheel grazed past Guo Xiang's hair and embedded itself in the crossbeam of the arrow tower, its arrow-like serrations embedded half a foot deep into the wood.

At this moment, Xiaolongnu's "Jade Maiden Heart Sword" emerged like a white snake from its hole, its tip pointing towards Jinlun Fawang's "Shanzhong acupoint".

The bloodstains on her white clothes fluttered in the wind; they were from the wound she had sustained while protecting Yang Guo from the bronze wheel. Drops of blood dripped from the sword tassel onto the ground, rolling together with the embroidery needle Guo Xiang had thrown, resembling two red beans clinging to each other.

"Guo'er, use 'Double Swords Combined'!" Xiaolongnu's silver bell rang out clearly amidst the sounds of battle. It was their secret signal when they practiced swordsmanship in the Ancient Tomb. Suddenly, the silver chain on her wrist straightened and wrapped around the hilt of Yang Guo's flying Xuan Tie sword.

Yang Guo's left hand gripped the sword hilt, touching Xiaolongnu's right hand in mid-air. The moment their inner forces converged along the sword's spine, Jinlun Fawang suddenly felt an overwhelming force—the combined power of the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" and the "Nine Yin Manual," mixed with Yang Guo's single-armed resolve and Xiaolongnu's gentleness, which even caused the palm wind of the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" to pause.

He looked at the intertwined figures before him, the man's mask stained with blood, the woman's white clothes stained with red, yet amidst the sword shadows, there was an unspoken understanding that no one else could penetrate. He suddenly recalled that during his fifty years of cultivation in the snowy mountains of Tibet, he had never experienced such a moment of perfect harmony.

Suddenly, the Golden Wheel Monk's Tibetan robe billowed, and a golden halo emanated from his body, causing the city bricks beneath his feet to shatter inch by inch. Guo Xiang, watching from the arrow tower, saw it clearly; the Monk within the halo resembled a demon god draped in human skin.

She suddenly remembered her mother's words, "sacrifice yourself to feed the tiger," and turned to jump down, but was caught by Xiaolongnu's silver chain around her waist. Xiaolongnu said urgently, "Sister, you mustn't!" The tip of her sword was still pointing at the Dharma King, but her voice was as gentle as if she were coaxing a child: "Guo'er said he would protect you."

Suddenly, Yang Guo's Xuan Tie sword emitted a dragon's roar. His and Xiao Longnv's figures transformed into white rainbows amidst golden light. The seventh move of "Double Sword Combination," "Star River Turns," spun them around. The moment the sword wind cleaved through the golden halo, Yang Guo suddenly laughed at Jinlun Fawang, "You've lost." The heavy sword cleaved into the Fawang's right shoulder and exited through his left, spraying a three-foot-high column of blood that stained their figures crimson.

The Golden Wheel Monk's bronze wheel clattered to the ground. He looked down at the bloody hole in his chest, the true energy of his Dragon Elephant Skill leaking wildly from the wound. A crimson "snow lotus" rolled out of his Tibetan robe pocket—a birthday gift he had prepared for Möngke—but was now crushed into a pulp by Yang Guo's sword wind.

The Dharma King's gaze swept over Guo Xiang, and suddenly a strange smile appeared on his face. The only remaining iron wheel in his right hand suddenly exploded into pieces, which turned out to be the "poisonous sand" hidden inside!
Shi Feiyang cried out in alarm, "Hero Yang, Heroine Long, be careful!" Suddenly, he used the "Dragon Capture Skill," and several golden dragons roared and spiraled down, pulling the Golden Wheel Monk to Shi Feiyang's front.

Shi Feiyang unleashed "Evil Blood Calamity!" The Dharma King's blood suddenly flowed back, surging into his heart through the wound. The corpse convulsed and rapidly shriveled, finally shrinking into a black charcoal the size of a monkey. At this moment, Xiaolongnu's silver chain was wrapped around Yang Guo's waist, pulling him back to the arrow tower.

Just as her "Jade Bee Needle" was about to pierce his wound, Guo Xiang beat her to it. The girl pulled out a bottle of "Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pills" from somewhere, and ignoring Yang Guo's refusals, she forced the pills into his mouth. When her fingertips touched the stubble on his chin, her cheeks suddenly flushed red, and she turned and ran down the city wall. Her green skirt brushed against Shi Feiyang's black armor, and the ice crystals she kicked up fell into her hair, like a handful of broken diamonds.

Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Nine Palaces Divine Leg," a "360-degree spinning kick" that had just frozen the Mongol soldier lunging at Xiaolongnu into an ice block. Seeing this, he suddenly smiled at Guo Xiang, "Little sister, are you shy?" Ice condensed into an ice flower in his palm, and he praised, "Your needle-throwing accuracy just now is far superior to your sister's back then." As he spoke, his hands and feet moved swiftly, using the "Flower-Shifting Jade" technique to deflect Mongke's "Mountain-Breaking Axe." The wind from his palm grazed his sweaty throat, and ice condensed into fine frost on his neck. He then angrily cursed, "Old thief, look! The Dharma King you relied on is now a charred corpse!"

Suddenly, a crack appeared in Möngke's golden helmet. He looked at the charred corpse of the Golden Wheel Monk, then caught a glimpse of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu's clasped hands, and burst into wild laughter: "Han heroes are nothing but sentimental fools!" In the instant his spiked club swept across, Shi Feiyang had already unleashed his "Heavenly Silkworm Skill." Powerful true energy formed silver silkworm threads that had already wrapped around Möngke's wrist. With a shimmering light, the silver threads pierced his skin, forcing his "Indestructible Body" internal energy back into his dantian. Yang Guo flew in, wielding his heavy sword, and swiftly thrust it towards Möngke's throat, but Möngke dodged to the side.

However, his golden helmet was shaken by the wind from the heavy sword, and suddenly a crack appeared in it.

Shi Feiyang flew sideways and placed both palms on Mengge's crown, icy energy surging in through the Baihui acupoint.

Just as the Great Khan's primordial spirit was about to escape, it was frozen into ice beads by the icy light of Shi Feiyang's "Shocking Calamity". The corpse twitched on the city wall for a moment, then suddenly shriveled into a black charcoal the size of a monkey, and the golden belt around its waist snapped.

The rolling token was cleaved in two by Yang Guo's heavy sword, and the four characters "Great Khan of the Mongols" on it instantly turned to dust.

Yang Guo flew past and bandaged Xiaolongnu's wound. His movements of untying his belt with one arm were somewhat clumsy, but when he touched the wound on Xiaolongnu's shoulder, he suddenly softened, his fingertips more gentle than the best doctor in Xiangyang.

Guo Xiang's fingertips traced the golden needle, and she suddenly remembered Yang Guo's words when he gave it to her: "Any wish can be fulfilled." Her eyes welled up, and tears fell onto the cold city bricks, creating small dents. Little Dragon Girl gently asked, "Why are you crying, sister?" She had appeared unnoticed; the bloodstains on her white robes had been bandaged by Yang Guo, and the bells on her silver chain jingled softly. She took a bottle of "Jade Bee Honey" from her sleeve and handed it to Guo Xiang, saying gently, "Guo'er said you're a good girl. Oh, this can warm you up."

Guo Xiang's face suddenly flushed red like the sunset. When she took the jade bee nectar, her fingertips accidentally touched Xiaolongnu's hand, which was colder than ice. She secretly looked up and saw Yang Guo looking at them. Although she couldn't see his gaze behind the mask, it was warm. Suddenly, she felt that the Golden Wheel Monk's poison sand and the fighting of the Mongol soldiers had become blurred backgrounds, and only this moment of tenderness remained in the world.

Yang Guo suddenly pointed his Xuan Tie sword at the city walls, and Möngke's "Huihui cannons" began to roar again, this time with cannonballs coated in sulfur, clearly intended for a fire attack. He shouted to Shi Feiyang, "Brother Shi, quickly use 'Emperor's Heavenly Thunder'!"

He and Xiaolongnu leaped off the arrow tower, their combined swordsmanship cleaving through the Mongol army's formation. Their heavy swords lifted a burning chariot and hurled it towards the cannons. In the firelight of the exploding wheels, Guo Xiang saw Yang Guo's mask lifted by the air currents, revealing a resolute jawline beneath—more handsome than any hero she had ever seen.

Shi Feiyang exclaimed, "What a brilliant 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao' strategy!" He then unleashed "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder," and the icy energy of his Mingyu Gong suddenly transformed into countless thunderbolts, colliding with the incoming cannonballs in mid-air. Amidst the explosions, he caught a glimpse of Guo Xiang still gazing at Yang Guo's retreating figure. He then used "Leaving No Trace for a Thousand Miles" to leap to her side. The ice patterns on his black armor reflected the girl's infatuated gaze, and he whispered, "After we win this battle, how about I have your Brother Yang teach you swordsmanship?"

Guo Xiang shook her head vigorously, but the golden needle in her hand spun even faster. She said with genuine emotion, "I only want Brother Yang to be safe." She looked at the figures of the two swordsmen fighting below the city and said softly, "Just like Miss Long accompanied him." Her green skirt was lifted by the city wind, revealing the undergarment her mother had altered. This time, she did not pull it down, as if she felt that only she was worthy of this pure sentiment.

Shi Feiyang exclaimed, "Good job, girl!" Guo Xiang was helping Xiaolongnu pick up the scattered silver chains. Her fingertips touched a blood-stained fragment of white clothing, which she carefully tucked into her sleeve, as if hiding a huge secret. (End of Chapter)