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

Chapter 529. Frosty Hooves on the Ancient Road Startle the Wild Geese Formation: A Brocade of Chivalry and Tenderness
Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" technique from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique," its powerful and unparalleled aura cleaving through the enemy soldier's head. Hearing Guo Xiang's voice, he suddenly turned around. The wind stirred up by his black armor swirled around the golden needles. He used the "Flower Shifting Jade" divine skill to guide the needles towards the spiked club beside Guo Fu, and said anxiously, "Fu'er, run!" He activated the Mingyu Gong to the "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," condensing icy energy into an ice wall in his palm, temporarily blocking the pursuers. He then said in a deep voice, "Take Nianxiang and Niansong to Xingqing Prefecture in the Northwest!"

Guo Fu suddenly flicked her willow-leaf knife back, the tassel wrapping around Shi Feiyang's wrist, and said firmly, "If we're going to leave, we'll leave together!"

Her hair was disheveled, and her jewels were scattered in the pool of blood, yet she clung tightly to his black armor.

Shi Nianxiang nestled on her shoulder, her little hands clutching her mother's hair. Shi Niansong's swaddling clothes were soaked with blood, yet miraculously, she did not cry.

The Mongol soldiers' trebuchets blasted down the last section of the city wall. Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, turning ice into lightning and blasting a breach in the smoke and dust. He grabbed Guo Fu and rushed towards the breach. Just as his black armor grazed the broken beam, he heard Guo Xiang call out from behind, "Sister, take care! I'm going to find Brother Yang!"

As the last section of Xiangyang's city wall crumbled amidst the roar of the trebuchets, Guo Jing unleashed his "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," grappling with Kublai Khan's personal guards. His vermilion bow was already broken in two, the arrowhead deeply embedded in the flesh of his left arm, yet he still used the force of "Flying Dragon in the Sky" to send three Mongol centurions flying. The bricks and stones whipped up by his palm strikes crashed into the Mongol ranks, the resulting spray of blood and broken bones tracing arcs in the setting sun, like a poignant display of fireworks.

Guo Polu cried out in anguish, "Father! The north gate has fallen!"

His iron spear pierced the enemy soldier's throat, but the shaft was bent by the Mongol soldier's spiked club.

The young master of the Guo family was covered in knife marks on his armor, and blood flowed down his breastplate, staining the rubbing of the "Martial Arts Manual" on his chest. He caught sight of Huang Rong's dog-beating stick being entangled by several spears, and suddenly swung his spear horizontally, the tip of which carried a Mongol soldier that crashed into the enemy ranks, giving his mother a chance to catch her breath.

Huang Rong's green bamboo staff suddenly changed its move to "tripping rope," the staff's shadow wrapping around the Mongol soldiers' ankles, tripping them up under Guo Jing's palm strike.

The former leader of the Beggars' Sect had long since lost his original color in his clothes, and the pearl hairpins in his temples had been replaced with the copper rings of the Beggars' Sect, yet he still smiled calmly: "Po Lu, head to the east gate! Your father is over there!" He tapped the ground with his dog-beating stick, and his figure floated like a willow catkin toward the breach in the city wall. The copper rings at the end of the stick jingled in the sounds of battle, as if counting the souls of the Mongol army.

The city tower at the East Gate has collapsed into ruins, and the Beggar Clan leader Yelü Qi's "Quanzhen Swordplay" is clashing with the Silver Wheel Monk's "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill".

His longsword was chipped in several places by the Dharma King's silver wheel, yet he still used the "Seven Stars Gathering" sword technique to protect the Beggar Clan disciples behind him. He roared, "Have Elder Liao lead the brothers through the secret passage!"

Yelü Qi's sword suddenly shifted, blocking a fatal blow for a young disciple. His shoulder was immediately slashed open by the golden wheel, revealing a deep, bone-revealing wound. He then said in a deep voice, "Tell my brother-in-law, Hero Shi, that the Beggars' Sect will always protect the people of Xiangyang!"

The ninth level of the Silver Wheel Dharma King's "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" suddenly erupted, and the palm wind, carrying the bloody smell of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, struck Yelü Qi's chest.

Suddenly, this high-ranking disciple of the Quanzhen Sect abandoned his sword, tightly embracing the Dharma King's arms. He endured the Dharma King's palm strikes shattering his internal organs, shouting with all his might, "Chief Huang, catch!" With his last ounce of strength, he hurled the green bamboo staff into the air, its shadow slicing through a shower of blood before landing steadily in Huang Rong's hands. The Silver Wheel Dharma King's bronze wheel then cleaved down, and Yelü Qi's head rolled to the ground, his eyes still fixed on the direction of Xiangyang City.

Guo Jing unleashed the "Regretful Dragon" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, sending the Mongol Khan's guards flying. Suddenly, he noticed Guo Polu being attacked by three Mongol centurions. He rushed forward like lightning, his palm strikes breaking the bones of two centurions before they even landed. He roared, "Polu, step back!" His iron palm slammed onto the top of the last centurion's head, but he didn't notice the trebuchet shells coming from behind.

Huang Rong cried out, "Brother Jing!" She reached out and grabbed Guo Jing, pulling him forcefully to the side. The cannonball exploded where they had just been standing, and amidst the flying debris, Huang Rong's left leg was blown off.

Looking at Guo Jing's anxious eyes, she forced a smile through her pain: "The old beggar once said on Peach Blossom Island that he would stay with you until the very end." She braced herself with the Dog-Beating Stick, and drops of blood from the green bamboo dripped onto the back of Guo Jing's hand. She then asked with a smile, "Where is Po Lu?" Guo Po Lu's iron spear was now stuck in a pile of Mongol soldiers' corpses. Half of his body was buried under rubble, but his right hand was still tightly clutching the "Martial Arts Manual of Yue Fei".

Guo Jing flew over and unleashed the "Dragon Appearing in the Field" move from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, scattering the rubble. When he picked up his son, he discovered that his chest had been pierced by shrapnel. Guo Polu's lips moved: "Father... defend Xiangyang..." Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth, staining Guo Jing's clothes red.

The Mongol army's "armored linked cavalry" surged in like a tide, their hooves crushing the bluestone slabs of Xiangyang City and shattering Guo Jing's last hope.

He gently placed Guo Polu's body beside Huang Rong and roared at the surrounding Song soldiers, "Brothers, fight the Mongol soldiers!" He then turned to Huang Rong and smiled, saying affectionately, "Rong'er, I'm sorry! I should live to be loyal to my country and die for it!"

Huang Rong smiled sadly, as if it were already expected. Guo Jing nodded to her, then turned and charged towards the Mongol army that surged forward like a tide. He unleashed the "Dragon Fighting in the Wild" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," and the fierce force swept outwards, piling up the corpses of Mongol soldiers into small mountains wherever his palm wind touched.

Guo Jing's figure amidst the blood rain resembled an indomitable war god.

Huang Rong's dog-beating stick suddenly pointed towards the breach in the city wall, where several Beggars' Sect disciples were protecting civilians as they broke through the siege. Her voice, though weak, carried an undeniable authority: "Brothers, hurry! Tell Xiang'er to go find Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu." She took out half of a jade pendant from Peach Blossom Island from her bosom, placed it in Guo Jing's hand, and said affectionately, "When we reach the Yellow Springs, take this, and I will still recognize you as my Brother Jing."

Guo Jing's iron palm suddenly stopped. He looked down at Huang Rong's pale face, then at the flames burning all over the city. Suddenly, he laughed loudly, "Good! Good! Good! I, Guo Jing, was born a man of Xiangyang, and I will die a ghost of Xiangyang!"

He unleashed the "Sudden Strike" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" with both palms, the powerful force sweeping away all the Mongol soldiers in front of him. Holding Huang Rong's body, he walked step by step toward the breach in the city wall, letting the Mongol soldiers' swords and spears pierce his body.

Countless swords and spears pierced Guo Jing's body, then passed through him and into Huang Rong's. Huang Rong, with all her might, swung her green bamboo staff, and the couple collapsed to the ground. The Mongol soldiers trembled, releasing the swords and spears embedded in Guo Jing and Huang Rong's bodies. They retreated step by step, none daring to step forward to behead them, fearing that if the renowned couple didn't die, they would strike them down again.

Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" technique from the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with both palms, cleaving through the Mongol army's formation. Suddenly, he saw Guo Jing and his wife fall amidst a rain of blood. His black armor stirred up a gust of wind, and an ice wall formed from icy energy temporarily blocked the Mongol army's offensive.

He said in a trembling voice, "Father-in-law! Mother-in-law!" The green bamboo stick rolled to the ground at Shi Feiyang's feet, the copper ring at the end of the stick still trembling slightly.

Shi Feiyang picked up the green bamboo stick and suddenly understood Huang Rong's intention. He looked at the Beggars' Sect disciples fighting bloodily around him, and then at the bodies of Guo Jing and Huang Rong before him, and shouted, "Beggars' Sect disciples, heed my command! By the dying wish of our leader, I, Shi Feiyang, shall succeed him as the leader of the Beggars' Sect! From this day forward, I will stand with you all to protect the people of Xiangyang!" With that, he gripped the green bamboo stick and raised it high!

The few remaining Beggars' Sect disciples retreated to his side.

Shi Feiyang put the green bamboo stick into the mysterious deerskin bag that mortals could not see at his waist, bent down and picked up the bodies of Guo Jing and Huang Rong. He used the "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. His icy gaze swept over them, and the Mongol soldiers who rushed towards him were instantly covered in frost, their bodies falling apart and cracking into ice shards all over the ground.

Guo Fu was engaged in fierce combat with two Mongol centurions with her willow-leaf dagger when she heard Shi Feiyang's words and suddenly turned around. She saw Shi Feiyang holding the bodies of Guo Jing and Huang Rong in his arms, and tears instantly blurred her vision.

"Father! Mother!" Guo Fu's voice rang out in heart-wrenching pain. Her willow-leaf dagger slashed wildly at the Mongol soldiers. Wherever the blade flashed, enemy soldiers fell to the ground. Her pale yellow battle robe fluttered in the rain of blood, like a forsythia blooming in the flames.

Shi Feiyang knew he couldn't delay any longer, so he called out to Guo Fu, "Fu'er, take the children and go! Let's find Yang Guo!"

He laid down the bodies of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, swung his palms, and unleashed the "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill. The Mingyu Gong ice energy transformed into thousands of thunder pearls, which exploded in the Mongol army formation, carving a bloody path for Guo Fu.

"I'll be there soon!" Shi Feiyang's voice echoed through the thunderstorm. He picked up the bodies of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, turned around, and rushed toward the breach in the city wall.

Guo Fu gritted her teeth, hoisted Shi Nianxiang and Shi Niansong onto her back, and charged outwards following the bloody path Shi Feiyang had carved. Her willow-leaf blade flashed continuously, slaying Mongol soldiers along the way, tears and blood mingling and blurring her vision.

As she passed Guo Polu's body, Guo Fu couldn't help but stop and take a deep look at her younger brother. She was powerless to take his body away, so she could only turn around resolutely and disappear into the flames of Xiangyang City.

With Guo Jing and Huang Rong's bodies in his arms, Shi Feiyang could only use his "Shocking Calamity" divine skill. His icy gaze swept around the surroundings, shattering the evil masters of Jingxiang into ice shards. Weapons such as the "Yin Wind Whip" and "Blood Blade" were all shattered into fragments by his icy gaze.

Shi Feiyang's black armor was covered with knife marks, and the ice patterns were stained red with blood, but it still could not stop his advance.

Finally, Shi Feiyang fought his way out of Xiangyang City.

He glanced back at the city engulfed in war, his eyes filled with grief and anger. Shi Feiyang gently placed Guo Jing and Huang Rong's bodies on the ground, bowed deeply in the direction of Xiangyang, then turned and chased after Guo Fu in the direction she had left.

Shi Feiyang's black armor left two bloody trails on the mountain road of the Qinling Mountains. He carried Guo Jing and his wife, their two frozen bodies covered with a thin layer of snow. A green bamboo stick was tucked diagonally into his waistband, the copper ring at the end of the stick striking the black armor with a monotonous sound.

As he rounded the last mountain ridge, he suddenly knelt down and used his palm to carve a tomb more than ten feet deep into the frozen earth—this place, backed by Zhongnan Mountain and facing Xiangyang, was the burial ground that Guo Jing had mentioned before his death.

He used the ice energy of Mingyu Gong to forge an ice coffin, placed the two remains inside, and swept the ice energy of his palms over the coffin, sealing the coffin lid with the frozen earth. Then he knelt in front of the grave, sobbing uncontrollably, and said, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, when I find Fu'er, I will definitely bring her to kowtow to you."

The ice patterns on his armor suddenly glowed red, reflecting the dark shadow of the divine eagle in the distant sky. He gripped his green bamboo stick and chased after her for three miles, but only managed to pick up half of Guo Fu's embroidered shoe, the twin lotus flowers on the shoe already soaked in blood.

When the snow on Zhongnan Mountain reached knee-deep, Guo Fu was being pulled towards the Divine Condor by Yang Guo's sleeve. Suddenly, Shi Nianxiang in her arms grabbed Yang Guo's broken sleeve, babbling and pointing in the direction of Xiangyang. Shi Nianxiang's swaddling clothes brushed against the Divine Condor's feathers, picking up some golden-red downy feathers.

Yang Guo's voice was like the cold ice in an ancient tomb: "Don't turn around." He held a swaddled baby in his one arm, the infant inside her with her bright, dark eyes wide open. His mask had a crack, revealing his tightly pursed lips, which overlapped with his appearance on the city wall of Xiangyang back then.

As the giant wings of the eagle swept across the peaks of the Qinling Mountains, Guo Fu caught a glimpse of tear stains on his white robes amidst the snow mist it stirred up—these were not snow water, but real tears.

When the broken stone door of the ancient tomb fell, Guo Fu finally saw the baby girl in Yang Guo's arms. The little one's eyebrows and eyes were very much like Xiaolongnu's, but she had Yang Guo's stubborn chin. A magnolia flower was embroidered on the swaddling clothes, the stitches were crooked and crooked, obviously the work of a man.

Yang Guo led Guo Fu and her two children to Xiaolongnü's stone coffin. His cut sleeve brushed against the coffin, and Xiaolongnü's last smile was reflected on the coffin lid.

He said sadly, "When Long'er had a difficult childbirth, she asked me to name the child 'Meng' (Dream). She said she wanted the child to remember that her mother was with her in her dreams."

Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger suddenly fell to the ground, its scabbard striking the stone wall and kicking up a cloud of dust. She gazed at the peaceful Little Dragon Girl in the stone coffin, then at Yang Guo's eyes behind his mask, and suddenly hugged Shi Nianxiang and Shi Niansong even tighter, declaring firmly, "Guo'er, I'm not leaving." The hem of her pale yellow battle robe swept across the sword tassels scattered on the ground, and she added, "There are Mongol soldiers everywhere; let's protect the children together."

Yang Guo nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. The ten years after the Broken Gate Stone were the most tranquil ten years on Zhongnan Mountain. Yang Guo took Xiaolongnu's Jade Maiden Sword, melted it down and forged it into two short swords, one engraved with "Nian Xiang" and the other with "Yang Meng", and placed them next to the Nine Yin Manual on the stone table.

Guo Fu replaced her willow-leaf dagger with a jade bee needle from the ancient tomb, and taught the children to identify poisonous plants every day. Yang Guo used his cut sleeve to guide Shi Nianxiang in practicing "Heavy Sword Without Edge". The baby girl Yang Meng always pestered Shi Niansong to snatch the jade bee nectar. The laughter of the children echoed in the empty tomb, which actually made up for the deathly silence.

On the eighth day of the Awakening of Insects, Shi Nianxiang's "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" cleaved Yang Guo's cut sleeve for the first time. The nine-year-old boy, his forehead still stained with the venom of the jade bee needle, stubbornly said, "Father said that a saber should be colder than ice."

Yang Guo suddenly removed his mask, revealing a hideous scar on his left cheek. He placed his one arm on his shoulder and admonished him, "The blade should be cold, but the heart should be warm." He pointed to the stone coffin and said, "Just like your Aunt Long, no matter how cold her body is, she has warmed me for a lifetime."

Yang Meng's "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" had achieved some success in its tenth year. Dressed in the white robes left behind by Little Dragon Girl, she practiced her swordplay by the pool in the tomb, her reflection gradually merging with the woman in the stone coffin. Guo Fu's "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" suddenly gripped her wrist, leaving five bloody marks on the stone wall with her fingertips. She said tenderly, "To practice this skill, you must guard your mind. Your mother is..." Before she could finish speaking, her eyes reddened, and she turned to guide Shi Niansong's "Soul Transfer Technique" to the correct meridians.

On the tenth Double Ninth Festival, Yang Guo placed two short swords in the center of the stone table. Shi Nianxiang had grown into a tall and handsome young man, and the black iron short sword in his hand wielded with great force; Yang Meng, dressed in white, always managed to sneak attacks on Shi Nianxiang when he was not paying attention.

Yang Guo, with his cut sleeve pressed down on both of their shoulders at the same time. His gaze, behind the mask, swept over the stone coffin, and he said in a deep voice, "Today we are married. From now on, we will have children, and the firstborn will bear the surname Yang." He suddenly smiled, the first time Guo Fu had seen him smile in ten years, and said with a smile, "Long'er is surely watching from heaven."

The wedding candles were made of jade beeswax and burned as two flames in front of the stone coffin. Yang Guo watched as Shi Nianxiang put Xiaolongnu's jade hairpin on Yang Meng's head, and suddenly said to Guo Fu, "Sister Fu, close the coffin for me."

He lay down in Xiaolongnu's stone coffin, his one arm tightly embracing his wife's body, and said loudly, "Tell Nian Song that his father is waiting in the direction of Xingqing Prefecture." In the glow of the wedding candles, there was still a smile on his lips, as if he were just asleep.

Guo Fu's "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" shattered the mechanism on the stone wall. The moment the broken stone rose, she looked at the tightly clasped hands of Shi Nianxiang and his wife and instructed them, "Take good care of the graves of you, Hero Yang and Heroine Long."

Shi Niansong's small hand gripped her sleeve. This ten-year-old boy, who was already skilled in using the "Heart-Shattering Palm," had tears welling up in his eyes at this moment, and choked out, "Mother, is Father really in Xingqing Prefecture?"

The snow began to fall again on Zhongnan Mountain, and the figures of Guo Fu and her son appeared on the ancient road of Tongguan. Her pale yellow battle robe had long been replaced with coarse linen clothes, but it could not hide her pale skin that had not seen the sun for ten years—it was an almost transparent white, and when the sunlight shone on it, you could see the pale blue veins.

Shi Niansong followed behind, using the moves of "Beauty Fist" as her footwork, and the short sword at her waist would always pop out half an inch when she encountered a suspicious figure.

Not long after the mother and son left, they encountered remnants of the Black Wind Cult. As three cultists attacked with their "Yin Wind Whips" whipped with poisonous sand, Guo Fu's "Heart-Shattering Palm" was already imprinted on the leader's dantian. Her fingertips were not stained with a drop of blood, yet the opponent suddenly vomited out his heart and liver, which fell into the snow and emitted white smoke.

Shi Niansong's "Dual Sword Combination" (a short sword in his left hand and a dagger in his right) knocked the collarbones of the other two men away. The boy's voice carried the chill of the ancient tomb as he said coldly, "My mother said that the blood of the evil sects has stained the road."

While crossing the Wei River, the mother and son encountered a master of the "Great Seal" technique from the Tibetan Tantric sect. The lama had just rung his copper bell to perform the "Soul-Capturing Technique" when Guo Fu countered with her "Soul-Shifting Technique," and he could only watch helplessly as his own palm strike shattered his skull.

She gazed at the body sinking to the bottom of the river and said to Shi Niansong, "Your father's 'Emperor's Thunderous Strike' is a hundred times more powerful than this." The river wind lifted her hempen clothes, revealing the faded silver bell on her wrist—the signal she had made with Shi Feiyang years ago.

As the city gates of Xingqing Prefecture appeared on the horizon, more than thirty evil martial arts masters from the Jiangnan region suddenly surged out from behind the sand dunes. The Blood Blade Sect's "Blood Blade Technique," the Qingcheng Sect's "Heart-Shattering Palm," and the Five Poisons Sect's "Bone-Melting Powder" wove together a web of death.

The leader was none other than Elder Peng, the traitor from Xiangyang City back then. He roared, "Guo Fu, you little bitch, hand over the Nine Yin Manual!" This old thief's "Dog-Beating Stick Technique" had gone mad, and the shadow of the stick was mixed with the "Mountain-Breaking Axe" moves of the Mongol soldiers.

Guo Fu unleashed the "Nine Yin White Bone Claw," but as she soared into the air, it suddenly transformed into the "Jade Heart Sword Technique," the five streams of energy at her fingertips condensing into silver threads in the sunlight. She leaped up, stepping on Shi Niansong's shoulder, her claws tearing open Elder Peng's throat, while simultaneously shouting to her son, "Son, feint to the east while attacking in the west!"

Suddenly, Shi Niansong threw his short sword toward the sand dune, drawing everyone's attention. In that instant, the mother and son's "double swordsmanship" had already torn a gap in the enemy ranks, and a faint fragrance of magnolia blossoms wafted from the blood mist—it was the sachet that Yang Meng had secretly slipped to Shi Niansong.

Before the palace gates of the new Tang Dynasty, Shi Feiyang had changed from his black armor into a dragon robe. He was gazing at a sand table depicting the Helan Mountains, a green bamboo staff leaning against the table, its copper ring suddenly jingling softly. Looking up, he saw two pale figures standing below the steps. The arc of the woman's "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" as she finished her stance matched the willow-leaf blade of Guo Fu in his memory; the boy's "Hundred Victories Blade Technique" in its starting stance was clearly the style he had personally taught him.

"Fu'er?" Shi Feiyang exclaimed in surprise, tears streaming down his face. Icy air surged out uncontrollably, freezing the floor tiles in front of him into an ice mirror. The mirror reflected Guo Fu's white hair at her temples, and Shi Niansong's eyebrows and eyes, which were exactly the same as his own.

Guo Fu's voice was choked with sobs: "Feiyang, I've brought the child back."

Shi Niansong's short sword fell to the ground. He looked at his father on the dragon throne, then at his mother's pale face, and suddenly rushed over to hug Shi Feiyang's legs, choking back tears as he said, "Father! Mother said you would wait for us!"

The wind outside the palace gates swirled in sand and gravel, stirring the gold threads on Shi Feiyang's dragon robe. The landscape embroidered with those gold threads now reflected the image of his family reunited. Guo Fu's fingertips traced the old wounds on Shi Feiyang's black armor, the ice patterns glowing red as she touched them.

She recalled the ten years in the ancient tomb and Yang Guo's gentle smile at the end. With a smile, she told Shi Feiyang about her eldest son marrying Yang Guo's daughter, Yang Meng, and then said with a smile, "Guo'er said that the first child should be surnamed Yang, and the second child should be surnamed Shi."

Shi Feiyang's icy aura suddenly pulled her into his arms. In the chill of his black armor, she could hear his heartbeat was stronger than it had been ten years ago. He said affectionately, "I'll listen to you. I've even thought of names for our third and fourth children."

Inside the ancient tomb in Zhongnan Mountain, Shi Nianxiang was drawing eyebrows for Yang Meng. Their long swords lay side by side on the stone coffin, and the candlelight flickered on the characters "Yang" and "Shi".

Inside the Zichen Palace in Xingqing Prefecture, a sand table depicting the Helan Mountains gleamed with an icy light.

Shi Feiyang's dragon robe swept across the military books on the table. His black armor was still on, and frost from last night's terrain survey still clung to its surface. His fingertip pointed to the "Xiaoguan" location on the sand table, where a small Mongolian wolf flag was planted.

Qin Mu's axe carved three bloody lines on the blue bricks, the blade reflecting the morning light outside the tent. He offered his plan: "Three hundred thousand Mongol cavalry are coming in three routes. The left route, Aju, will attack Xiaoguan; the central route, Bayan, will rush straight to Xingqing; and the right route, Zhang Hongfan, will cut off our rear. This is a 'closing the door to beat the dog' strategy. This humble general is willing to lead five thousand Xuanjia soldiers to defend Xiaoguan!"

Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger pressed against the "Helan Mountain Pass" on the sand table, its flash slicing the Mongol army's defenses in two. A wooden hairpin carved by Shi Niansong himself adorned her hair; the "Tang" character on the tip gleamed from his fingertips. She offered a suggestion: "Use 'drawing the firewood from under the cauldron'." The cuff of her pale yellow battle robe brushed against Shi Feiyang's black armor, causing the ice patterns to glow red. She further suggested, "Have the Plum Blossom Gang sisters disguise themselves as Mongol herdsmen and throw 'water-dissolving powder' into their water sources."

Shi Feiyang's palm strike cleaved the sand table, creating a "secret crossing of Chencang" route. The icy air condensed the sand into ice crystals as he explained, "Sun Tzu said, 'Warfare is based on deception.'" His gaze swept over the generals below, and his green bamboo staff suddenly pointed at Qu Kan. He then said in a deep voice, "The Sun Moon Sect will lead the Beggar Clan disciples to harass Zhang Hongfan's supply lines. We'll use 'retreat as the best policy' to wear them down."

Qu Kan's Black Blood Divine Needle spun rapidly between his fingers, the hem of his Taoist robe damp with last night's dew. He said firmly, "Rest assured, Master, my 'Evil Moon Sect' brothers have already infiltrated the Mongolian grain convoy."

He suddenly smiled sinisterly, holding a corpse-dissolving pill on the tip of a needle, and said boldly, "I guarantee that Zhang Hongfan's provisions will be completely wiped out, not even a bone fragment will be left."

Mei Qile lightly tapped the "Lingzhou" mark on the sand table with his iron ruler, and the salt pond mark there suddenly lit up—that was the "salt mine" laid by the Plum Blossom Gang.

The Empress Dowager, who was six months pregnant, had a very large belly, but she still stood up straight and said boldly, "Your Majesty, I will lead Nianci and Nianwu to guard the Lingzhou Salt Lake and use a 'bitter flesh ruse' to make the Mongol soldiers steal those salt blocks mixed with saltpeter."

The red silk on the iron ruler swept across Shi Niansong's head, and the boy's "Nine Palaces Divine Leg" was unconsciously moving in the footwork.

Wanyan Ping used her phoenix hairpin to draw an arrow on the sand table, indicating "luring the enemy deep into the trap," and the pearl on the tip of the hairpin reflected Shi Nianxin's "Hundred Victories Sword Technique" manual. She asked Ying, "Your Majesty, I will lead the surrendered Tibetan soldiers to feign surrender and lure Ashu into the 'bewitching trap' of Helan Mountain."

Her leather armor still bore the marks of the swords used on the walls of Jinling, the scars gleaming silver in the sunlight. She quipped, "Let them know that our new Tang Dynasty's 'counter-espionage scheme' is no less effective than Aunt Huang's back then."

Yelü Yan also offered a plan: "This general will lead Nianli and Nian Shou to the granary and use the 'empty city strategy' to lure Zhang Hongfan to attack. Once they have entered the tunnel, we will use 'fire attack' to draw the sparks from the granary to them."

Shi Feiyang decisively said, "Alright! Let's go with your plan! Qin Mu, guard Xiaoguan and try to break their armored formation; Qu Kan, attack their supply lines. Guo Fu, come with me to guard Xingqing, and we'll let Boyan taste the power of 'Emperor's Thunderous Fury'!"

Three days later at Xiaoguan Pass, Aju's "Huihui cannons" were bombarding the city walls. Qin Mu's mountain-breaking axe suddenly cleaved the incoming stone projectiles, the shockwave from the axe blade causing three Mongol centurions to cough up blood. The soldiers carried out ice walls, blocking the Mongol rain of arrows. Qin Mu roared, "Brothers, let those Mongol bastards see just how tough our new Tang Dynasty is!"

Suddenly, the Mongol army was thrown into chaos. Mei Xile's "salt mines" exploded in their ranks, and the Mongol soldiers who were trying to seize the salt were instantly corroded by the mixture of saltpeter and salt. Their flesh festered and turned into pus, and their screams echoed through the valley.

The female disciples of the Plum Blossom Gang charged forward on ice shards, their iron rulers carrying large banners bearing the character "Plum" that fluttered in the rain of blood, resembling a burning sea of ​​fire.

On the banks of the moat of Xingqing Prefecture, Bayan's "Kheshig Army" was setting up a pontoon bridge. Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill to distract the maces of thirty Mongol warriors. His palm wind slid up the handles of the maces and snapped their wrists.

His black armor gleamed coldly in the morning sun, and the ice patterns reflected Guo Fu's beautiful figure—she was using the "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" to tear open the throats of enemy soldiers, and drops of blood from her fingertips dripped into the moat, staining half of the river red.

Guo Fu's side kick broke an enemy soldier's knee, and her blade flashed as she pointed at the red-robed lama behind the formation. She shouted from afar, "Feiyang, there's a Tibetan Tantric 'Great Seal' on the left flank!" The lamas were performing a "blood sacrifice ritual" by dissecting prisoners alive, their hearts and livers hanging on flagpoles. The stench attracted circling vultures that swooped down and mingled with the corpses of the Mongol soldiers, creating an indescribably eerie scene.

Shi Yang unleashed his "Shocking Calamity" divine skill, his icy gaze sweeping across the lamas' pupils. Wherever the light touched, the red-robed lamas' bodies shattered into ice shards, their blood condensing into ice crystals in mid-air, only to be blasted into dust by Shi Feiyang's "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder."

Immediately afterwards, Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Breaking Heaven and Earth" move of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" with both palms, slashing towards Boyan's golden helmet.

The fierce palm strike generated a shockwave that sent the Mongol Khan's personal guards sprawling.

He roared again, "Boyan, didn't you learn your lesson at the Battle of Xiangyang?"

Suddenly, Boyan's spiked club wrapped around his wrist, the barbs at the end scraping against the ice patterns on his armor, sparks flying everywhere.

He said mockingly, "Shi Feiyang, today I'll let you taste the bitterness of a fallen kingdom!"

The "Mongolian wrestlers" suddenly flanked from both sides, their iron chains wrapping around Shi Feiyang's ankles. However, Shi Feiyang used his "Transferring Flowers and Jade" skill to draw them together. In the instant the iron chains intertwined, more than ninety "Kheshig soldiers" were shredded into a bloody pulp.

On the shore of the salt lake in Lingzhou, Mei Qile's iron ruler was locked in combat with Zhang Hongfan's "mountain-breaking axe".

The Empress Dowager's lower abdomen was soaked with sweat, yet she still used the "Three Variations on Plum Blossom" technique to strike the enemy general's pulse point.

Shi Nianci's "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" and Shi Nianwu's "Hundred Victories Knife Technique" worked in perfect harmony. The brother and sister's combined swords tore a gap in the Mongol army's formation, and the ice surface of the salt lake was stained red with blood, reflecting their young faces.

Mei Qile reminded him, "Throw the salt bag over!" He then used the "Falling Petals Palm" to smash the enemy soldier's head, and the iron ruler suddenly pointed at Zhang Hongfan's mount.

The Mongolian steed had just bitten open the salt bag when it was driven mad by the corrosive saltpeter, throwing Zhang Hongfan off its back and plunging into the icy depths of the salt pond.

The female disciples of the Plum Blossom Gang threw out torches, and the salt lake was immediately engulfed in flames, swallowing the screams of the Mongol soldiers.

Inside the "bewitching maze" of Helan Mountain, Wanyan Ping's phoenix hairpin was lifting Ashu's helmet. This former Jin princess, with her "Golden Bell Acupoint Breaking Technique," had brought down the last Tibetan spy. The jewels in her hair mingled with the enemy soldier's brains, yet she still smiled calmly and instructed, "Read the message, fire the signal flare!" The young man moved at the command, a fierce palm wind carrying icy air soaring into the sky, and the exploding fireworks drew a huge "Tang" character in the sky above Helan Mountain.

Yelü Yan's "Mandarin Duck Blades" gleamed coldly in the granary tunnel. Shi Nianli's "Nine Palaces Divine Leg" broke the knees of Zhang Hongfan's remaining troops, while Shi Nian's "Heavenly Silkworm Skill" wrapped silver threads around the throats of enemy soldiers. The brother and sister's cooperation caused heavy casualties among the Mongol soldiers.

When the last spark ignited the grain bin, Yelü Yan's "cross-shaped cleave" split open the tunnel exit, trapping all the burning Mongol soldiers underground. The explosion of the grain bin shook the Helan Mountains.

In Xingqing Prefecture, Shi Feiyang's black armor was soaked in blood, yet the ice patterns on it glowed red, reflecting on Guo Fu's smiling face. When the news of victory arrived from Xiaoguan, Qin Mu's mountain-breaking axe was already dulled. Seven arrows were stuck in his black armor, yet he still bravely swept away the remaining enemies. On the walls of Xiaoguan, the banners of the new Tang Dynasty fluttered in the wind, contrasting beautifully with the snow-capped Helan Mountains.

On the shore of the salt lake in Lingzhou, Mei Qile held Shi Nianci and Shi Nianwu in his arms. The fire at the salt lake had been extinguished, leaving behind a patch of scorched earth, but it could not stop new shoots from sprouting from the ashes, much like their new Tang Dynasty reborn from the ashes.

In the labyrinthine maze of Helan Mountain, Wanyan Ping's phoenix hairpin clashed with Yelü Yan's mandarin duck swords, producing a crisp sound. Shi Nianxin, Shi Nianli, and Shi Nianzheng dragged the bodies of Mongol soldiers into the valley. Although the boys' faces were stained with blood, they were filled with the joy of victory.

Beneath the dome of the Zichen Palace, Shi Feiyang's icy aura was melting the ice on the sand table.

His fingertips traced the characters "Xingqing," where the dragon flag of the new Tang Dynasty had already been planted.

Guo Fu rested her head on his shoulder, the jewels in her hair clashing with the ice patterns on her black armor, making a melodious sound: "Feiyang, we won."

The snow on the Helan Mountains glittered in the sunlight, reflecting this reborn land like countless mirrors. Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger lightly touched Shi Feiyang's black armor, the glint of the blade reflecting their smiling eyes.

She recalled the ten years in the ancient tomb, and the deep affection between Yang Guo and his wife, and suddenly smiled, "If Guo'er were alive, he would be happy for us." Shi Feiyang reached out and hugged her even tighter. In the coldness of the black armor, their heartbeats gradually overlapped.

……

The city gates of Xingqing Prefecture slowly opened in the morning mist, and the icy aura of the Zichen Palace still clung to Shi Feiyang's black armor. He politely declined Qin Mu's request to escort him with his personal guards, carrying only a green bamboo stick and a deerskin pouch at his waist. The ice patterns on his black armor gleamed coldly in the morning sun, like a lurking ice dragon.

Guo Fu's scalpel flashed inside the city gate. Her voice, clear and refreshing like morning dew, instructed, "After arriving at Zhongnan Mountain, please convey a message to Nianxiang and Mengya: tell them that their mother is eagerly anticipating holding her grandson."

Shi Feiyang used his "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" technique, skimming across the ice of the moat. The wind stirred up by his black armor swept away the stray hairs from Guo Fu's temples.

As he turned around, he saw her placing Shi Niansong's small hand on the "Tang" character stele on the city tower. The child's palm could shake off the snow on the stele, much like his own youth. With a tap of the green bamboo stick on the frozen ground, her figure disappeared among the peaks of the Helan Mountains.

In the canyon of Liupan Mountain, the Iron Blood Sect's "Mountain-Breaking Axe" suddenly cleaved down from the cliffs on both sides. The sect leader, Zhao Tieshan, wielded an axe blade bound with chains, the iron balls at the ends barbed with barbs. It struck the frozen ground at Shi Feiyang's feet, sending shards of ice and droplets of blood flying. He roared, "Shi Feiyang, Kublai Khan has said that whoever takes your head will be made a king!" He then unleashed the "Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Splitting," unleashing a flurry of axe strikes, each gust carrying the power to shatter mountains and split rocks.

Shi Feiyang snorted coldly: "You? Take a piss and look at your ugly face!" He swung his palms and unleashed the "Mountain Splitting" move of the "Hundred Victories Blade Technique," and icy air condensed into an ice wall about ten feet wide outside the Xuanjia armor.

Zhao Tieshan's axe blade froze the moment it touched the ice wall. Suddenly, a green bamboo stick emerged from behind the ice wall, its copper ring at the end wrapping around his throat, suffocating him with a gentle pull. Amidst the screams of the Iron Blood Sect disciples, Shi Feiyang unleashed his "Nine Palaces Divine Leg," a "360-degree spinning kick" sweeping across the canyon. The sound of bones snapping with his toe echoed through the cliff face, like a death knell from hell.

As dusk fell, Shi Feiyang found a half-eaten wheat cake on the offering table in the mountain god's temple. The teeth marks on the edge of the cake were delicate, clearly left by a woman. The bloodstains under the offering table were mixed with a strange fragrance—the scent of jade bee nectar from the Ancient Tomb Sect mixed with poisonous herbs. His icy aura suddenly condensed into ice crystals in his palm, and he pointed his green bamboo stick diagonally at the temple door. Sure enough, he heard the soft rustling of clothes breaking in the wind from the eaves.

Shi Feiyang said disdainfully, "When did Li Mochou's 'Ice Soul Silver Needle' produce such a clumsy disciple?" Xuanjia turned to the temple gate, where ice patterns reflected the moonlight and revealed a woman as beautiful as a fairy, dressed in a flawless white dress.

(End of this chapter)