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

She was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with an exquisitely beautiful face and crystal-clear skin. Her long, black hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, and a poisoned needle was cleverly tucked into her hair. The red silk at the end of the needle swayed gently in the wind, like a splash of bright red in a raging fire, which was remarkably similar to Li Mochou's appearance in the past.

However, her eyes were completely different from Li Mochou's. There was no trace of resentment or malice in them. Instead, they were clear as water, revealing a stubbornness that was hard to resist, which moved people.

She suddenly unleashed her "Crimson Serpent Palm," striking the offering table with a palm strike carrying corrosive venom. However, Shi Feiyang used his "Flower Shifting and Jade Grafting" technique to redirect the attack towards a temple pillar. The venom sizzled as it corroded the wood.

Seeing this, the woman flew into a rage and used her "dust-wielding skill" to sweep towards Shi Feiyang's face. The barbs on the silver threads were wrapped with the poison powder of Seven Steps Down. She shouted, "My master's revenge is due today!"

Suddenly, the whisk changed its move, its silver threads wrapping around his green bamboo staff, actually using a move somewhat reminiscent of the Ancient Tomb Sect's "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra".

Shi Feiyang's icy gaze froze her sleeves. He gently flicked away the poisoned needles from her hair with his green bamboo stick and asked in a low voice, "Are you Li Mochou's disciple? Don't you know she was a great demon from twenty years ago? What virtue or ability does she possess that makes you worthy of protecting her? Furthermore, she died by self-immolation in the Valley of Heartbreak. What does that have to do with me, Shi? What does it have to do with Hero Yang?"

His fingertips brushed against the protective sand on her wrist, where the skin was bluish-black from years of practicing poison. He then scolded, "At your age, why be trapped by hatred?" The woman's whisk suddenly fell, and the poison powder scattered on the ground, blooming into tiny purple flowers.

She stared at the wheat cakes on the offering table, her eyes suddenly reddening, and she cried out, "My master said before she died that only by killing you could she resolve her inner conflict. If it weren't for you protecting that demon Xiaolongnu back then, she would have been Zhen Zhibing's woman long ago!"

This reason that wasn't a valid reason made Shi Feiyang feel somewhat suspicious.

The hem of the woman's white robe swept across the bloodstains on the ground, where three corpses of Dark Gate cultists lay, each with her poisoned needles protruding from their throats. She blinked and explained, "They wanted to steal my 'Five Poisons Secret Manual,' so I killed them."

Shi Feiyang suddenly realized that the woman was implying that there was an extraordinary assassin hiding in the temple. Sure enough, the "Netherworld Claw" of the Dark Gate hung down from the beam, the claw wind carrying the stench of rotting corpses, and half a tongue was exposed under the mask of the leading guardian—an old wound corroded by Li Mochou's poisonous palm from years ago.

Shi Feiyang immediately unleashed his "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" divine skill, transforming ice into lightning, blasting a gap in the temple and obliterating the assassin who had just appeared. Simultaneously, the white-clad woman's "Crimson Serpent Palm" struck the cultist on her left; wherever the palm's force touched, skin instantly festered and turned to pus.

Shi Feiyang reached out and wrapped his arm around the white-clad woman's slender waist, then leaped away. Suddenly, icy energy flowed into her meridians, and the vortex suction of the Mingyu Gong slowly expelled the poison from her palm. He then said with concern, "You've messed up your Poison Palm technique."

The green bamboo staff blurred behind him, and the "Demon-Slaying Cloud" blade aura shattered all the cultists on his right. Blood and flesh splattered onto the statues on the offering table, mixing with the mottled gold paint. He then instructed, "Li Mochou's poisonous palm technique needs to be neutralized with the 'Jade Maiden Heart Sutra.' If you practice it so recklessly, you will die from the poison within three years." The white-clad woman's slender waist was embraced, and she blushed with embarrassment. Suddenly, her whisk wrapped around Shi Feiyang's wrist, and the barbs on the silver threads pierced the gaps in his black armor. Her eyes shone brightly in the firelight as she questioned, "Why did you save me?"

Shi Feiyang's icy energy flowed along her meridians, condensing the toxins into ice crystals that he forced out from her fingertips. These ice crystals fell to the ground, transforming into tiny butterfly shapes. He parted the woman in white and, seemingly unrelated to her question, asked, "What is your name, young lady? Please tell me!"

The woman in white, grateful to Shi Feiyang for removing the poison and healing her wounds, frankly said, "Li Caidie!" Then, she said shyly, "I'm actually not Li Mochou's disciple. How could she have a disciple as young as me? I'm Lu Wushuang's disciple. I was just testing your martial arts! I've long heard of Master Shi's extraordinary martial arts, and today's test proves it's truly well-deserved!"

Shi Feiyang praised, "Lady Lu and Lady Cheng are both martial arts heroes I greatly admire. They also came during the defense of Xiangyang; it was a rare opportunity for me to witness their heroic bearing!" Upon hearing this, Li Caidie smiled sweetly and became much more affectionate towards Shi Feiyang. The two then traveled together to Zhongnan Mountain, chatting and laughing along the way.

……

On the mountain path of Zhongnan Mountain, the "Tiger Descending the Mountain Fist" of the Dragon Tiger Sect blocked the way.

Deputy Sect Leader Zhou Xiaotian led 331 disciples, all dressed in tiger-skin vests, their curved swords gleaming bloodthirstyly in the sunlight. He roared, "Shi Feiyang, hand over the Nine Yin Manual, and I'll spare your life!"

Shi Feiyang sneered, "If you want the Nine Yin Manual, trade your life for it!" His frank admission that the Nine Yin Manual was in his possession truly impressed Li Caidie. Zhou Xiaotian, enraged, roared and unleashed his "Tiger Descending the Mountain Fist," charging straight at Shi Feiyang. His disciples also drew their swords and rushed towards Li Caidie. The mountain path was completely blocked by the Dragon Tiger Sect disciples. Zhou Xiaotian's "Tiger Descending the Mountain Fist" was incredibly powerful; his iron fist slammed into the bluestone at Shi Feiyang's feet, and the spiderweb-like cracks instantly spread three zhang away.

The tiger-skin vests of the 331 disciples gleamed in the sunlight, and the crisp sound of the curved swords being drawn from their sheaths echoed continuously. The cold light on the blades reflected in the mountain stream, turning the flowing water a cold color.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff suddenly spun rapidly in his palm, the copper ring at the tip jingling, actually drowning out the roar of the Dragon Tiger Gate. His black armor turned slightly to the side, perfectly protecting Li Caidie behind him, the ice patterns gleaming coldly in the sunlight. He said mockingly, "Vice Gate Master Zhou, back in Xiangyang, Chief Yelü used this staff technique to smash countless Mongolian dogs' heads. Today, I'll let you taste it."

Suddenly, his green bamboo stick pointed towards Zhou Xiaotian's knee, precisely the "stick picking up a mangy dog" technique from the "picking" method. Zhou Xiaotian's iron fist met the stick's shadow and smashed it. The sand and stones kicked up by the fist hit the cliff wall, and the echoes were like the roar of a fierce tiger.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo stick suddenly changed direction the moment it touched the iron fist, and he used a move called "Reverse Dog Body". The stick slid up his arm, and the copper ring at the end of the stick wrapped around his pulse point. With a gentle twist, he dissipated the force of the punch.

The Dragon Tiger Sect disciples' curved blades surged in like a tide, their light weaving a dense net on the mountain path, aimed directly at Li Caidie's vital points.

Shi Feiyang said with concern, "Be careful!" He used the "Entanglement" technique, spinning his green bamboo staff in a circle before him, the "Ten Tricks of Fighting Dogs" staff shadow enveloping Li Caidie in the center. Curved blades deflected when they struck the staff shadow, and the wrists of thirty disciples were caught in the shadow, forcibly pulled together, their brains splattering onto the tiger-skin vest, sticking to the fur. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Caidie used the "Three No's and Three Impermissible Hands," her "all-pervasive" finger strikes targeting the nearest disciple's major acupoints. Wherever her fingertips grazed, blood beads simultaneously shot out from the opponent's "Qihai" and "Shanzhong" acupoints.

Zhou Xiaotian unleashed the "Hungry Tiger Pouncing on Its Prey" move from the "Fierce Tiger Descending the Mountain Fist" and attacked Shi Feiyang once more, the force of his punch accompanied by a sharp sound as it tore through the air.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff suddenly swept horizontally along the ground, the "Tripping" technique's "Pushing the Dog Upside Down" wrapped around Zhou Xiaotian's ankle, and with a flick of the wrist, sent him sprawling on his back. The staff's shadow then descended, the "Beating the Dog's Head" strike carrying icy energy. Zhou Xiaotian's tiger-head helmet shattered instantly, his forehead bone exposed, yet he still roared and swung his fist: "Kill him! Whoever takes Shi Feiyang's head will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold!"

The Dragon Tiger Sect disciples unleashed their "Tiger Tail Swing" kicks, aiming for Li Caidie's back. Li Caidie snorted coldly, unleashing her "all-encompassing" power, her fingertips suddenly changing direction, striking unorthodox acupoints such as the "Yangguan" and "Huantiao" points on her opponent's body.

Amidst screams, the Dragon Tiger Sect disciple's knees suddenly bent backward, and he fell to the ground in a bizarre posture. Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff had already carved a bloody path through the crowd. The "luring" technique, specifically the "leading the dogs into the stronghold" move, lured more than thirty disciples to the edge of the cliff. Suddenly, with a flick of the staff, the "horizontal strike against two mastiffs" technique sent them crashing into each other and tumbling off the cliff. The screams echoed through the mountain stream for a long time before finally fading away.

Li Caidie unleashed her "Unlimited Power" technique, using her fingertips to strike the enemy's most vulnerable spots. She blinded two disciples with her fingertips, struck another disciple's throat with her palm, and crushed the crotch of a fourth disciple with her knuckles.

Her white robes fluttered in the rain of blood, yet she was always protected by Shi Feiyang's staff when danger struck. When a Dragon Tiger Sect disciple attacked from behind, the green bamboo staff would promptly block him with the "seal" technique of "flattening a dog's back." When a blade slashed from the side, the "hungry dog ​​blocking the way" staff would precisely deflect the blade, without even the stray hairs at her temples being touched by the wind.

Seeing this, Zhou Xiaotian roared in anger, and his "Tiger Climbing the Mountain" fist technique suddenly became tricky, with his fists specifically targeting Shi Feiyang's lower body.

Shi Feiyang gripped the green bamboo stick and unleashed the "Turning" technique. The stick's shadow danced around him, as if a vicious dog were biting back and striking a dog's rump. The copper ring at the end of the stick constantly struck his ribs, each crisp sound accompanied by the muffled sound of bones breaking.

Immediately afterwards, Shi Feiyang used the mysterious lightness skill of "Concealing One's Body and Name" to wrap his arm around Li Caidie and weave through the blades. When the black armor grazed the curved blades of the Dragon Tiger Sect disciples, the icy air would instantly freeze the blades, giving her an opening to throw a punch.

The corpses on the mountain path were piled up to knee height, and the stench of tiger skin vests mixed with the stench of blood was nauseating.

Li Caidie's "Three No's and Three Not's Hand" became increasingly fierce. Her "all-pervasive" finger strikes caused the enemy's acupoints to bleed, her "all-reaching" palm force caused the unorthodox acupoints to ooze pus, and her "all-powerful" techniques were specifically designed to break through the enemy's protective true energy.

Thirty disciples who tried to resist with their physical strength had their eyes gouged out by her, screaming as they tumbled off the cliff. She glanced at Shi Feiyang's back and saw that his green bamboo staff always managed to protect her weaknesses at the most crucial moments. Suddenly, she realized that this was not a battle at all, but that he was deliberately feeding her moves.

Zhou Xiaotian's "Tiger Returns to the Mountain" punch was already at its limit, and he spat out a mouthful of blood with each punch.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo stick suddenly stopped in front of his forehead, the "dog's eye looking at people" technique of the "poking" method held back but not released.

He angrily rebuked, "If the leader of the Dragon Tiger Gate knew that you were colluding with the Mongols, what would he do?" The icy air seeped into Zhou Xiaotian's brow along the tip of the stick. His pupils suddenly dilated, as if he had seen something terrifying. His throat made a gurgling sound, and finally his head lolled to the side and he breathed his last.

The final thirty-one Dragon Tiger Sect disciples launched a particularly ferocious counterattack, their curved blades forming a wall that forced the two to retreat repeatedly. Shi Feiyang unleashed the "Seal" technique, his interlocking, "mother dog protecting her cub" staff shadows weaving an iron wall in front of him, blocking all the blade light.

Li Caidie unleashed her "Three No's and Three Not's Hands," using her staff as cover to attack the enemy's weaknesses. She used finger strikes to acupoints, palm strikes to shatter bones, and fingertips to dig and claw; in the blink of an eye, thirty people lay dead in pools of blood. The last disciple of the Dragon Tiger Sect, wielding a curved blade, slashed at Li Caidie's face. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang, wielding a green bamboo staff, attacked from an unbelievable angle, cleaving the blade in two with a "Drowning Dog Beating" strike, the staff tip landing squarely on Li Caidie's throat.

As the disciple's body fell, Li Caidie realized that only a few drops of blood were on her white robes, while Shi Feiyang's black armor was soaked in blood, and the copper rings of his green bamboo staff were covered with bits of flesh and hair, yet they still firmly protected her.

The stench of blood on the mountain path was overwhelming, with 331 corpses completely blocking the way. Shi Feiyang flicked his green bamboo stick at the edge of the cliff, and the icy air swept all the corpses into the ravine. The copper ring at the end of the stick jingled, as if counting the number of enemies killed.

Li Caidie noticed that the knife marks on his armor were all on the right side of his body, clearly indicating that he was deliberately protecting her left side. She whispered, "Thank you."

Shi Feiyang's icy aura swept over the bloodstains on the green bamboo staff, freezing them into an ice shell which he then shook off. He quipped, "We're on the same path, no need for thanks." The staff suddenly pointed to the end of the mountain path, where the setting sun was painting the peaks of Zhongnan Mountain red. He then added, "Walk for another half an hour, and we'll reach Chongyang Palace." His black armor turned back to where he had come from, the ice patterns reflecting the blood churning in the mountain stream. He said mockingly, "The stench of this scum's blood is enough for a pack of wolves to gnaw on for three days."

Li Caidie's white robes fluttered gently in the evening breeze. Gazing at Shi Feiyang's retreating figure, she suddenly felt that this blood-soaked figure in black armor was more reassuring than the ice in the ancient tomb. Her fingertips traced the poison pouch at her waist. The "Ice Soul Silver Needles" there were almost gone, yet in the battle just now, she had never had the chance to use the most poisonous one—because Shi Feiyang's staff had always deflected all danger before she needed it.

As dusk deepened over Zhongnan Mountain, the two figures gradually disappeared into the distance along the mountain path. The sound of green bamboo sticks striking bluestone mingled with the rustling of Li Caidie's clothes in the wind. Bloodstains on the cliff face flowed down with the water, glowing with an eerie yet warm red light in the last rays of the setting sun.

……

On the bluestone door frame of the Tomb of the Living Dead, mottled carvings are seeping black blood.

Liu Chengfeng's "Nanshan Sword Technique" carries the clear and vigorous energy of pine waves, but the tip of the sword is like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, specifically targeting Shi Feiyang's elbows and knees—the armor at those joints is the thinnest, and the flesh under the ice patterns has already been cut by the sword energy.

The twelve carts behind him suddenly had their black cloths lifted, and the coffin lids crashed to the ground. The fingernails of the twelve "medicine men" gleamed bluish-black in the moonlight, and the red light deep in their eye sockets made the tomb passage look like a ghostly realm.

Shi Feiyang wrapped his arm around Li Caidie and used his mysterious "Hidden Body and Name" lightness skill to dodge the enemy's deadly sneak attack.

Liu Chengfeng's sword tassel was wrapped with a piece of human skin, the eyebrows and eyes of which vaguely resembled the head of a prestigious sect. He said sinisterly, "Shi Feiyang, taste my 'Twelve Fiends,' which I've been refining for three years. These treasures were made from the boys and girls of the seventy-two peaks of Zhongnan Mountain; they're much more interesting than your green bamboo stick." With that, he unleashed the "Welcoming Pine Trees" move of the "Nanshan Sword Technique," the tip of his sword arcing towards Shi Feiyang's throat, the wind from the sword carrying the stench of "Rotting Heart Powder."

Shi Feiyang released Li Caidie and warned, "Fairy, be careful!" He held the green bamboo stick, twirled it in his palm, and used the "Mother Dog Protects Her Chicks" technique from the "Sealing" spell to encircle Li Caidie behind him.

Li Caidie felt a warmth in her heart, her eyes welled with tears, yet she still assumed a fighting stance.

The instant Shi Feiyang's staff struck the sword tip, icy energy spread along the staff, instantly covering Liu Chengfeng's sword blade with a thin layer of ice. He used the momentum to spin around, using the "leading" technique to "lead the dog into the stronghold," pulling Liu Chengfeng deeper into the tomb passage. At the same time, he whispered to Li Caidie, "The medicine man is afraid of fire. Use your poison needle to ignite the sparks."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Li Caidie hummed in agreement and unleashed her "Three No's and Three Not's Hand" technique, striking the nearest "medicine victim." Immediately afterward, she used "Universal Penetration," aiming her fingers at the victim's "Baihui" and "Yongquan" acupoints, but her knuckles went numb from the impact of the victim's hard, iron-like flesh.

The "drug man's" claws suddenly swept towards her face, the black grime from under his nails splashing onto her white clothes, etching tiny holes. At this moment, Shi Feiyang's green bamboo stick emerged like a nimble snake, its "provocation" precisely wrapping around the "drug man's" wrist bone, twisting it into a pretzel shape with a quick twist, and then the tip of the stick struck its heart, instantly freezing it into an ice sculpture.

Liu Chengfeng flicked his soft sword, employing the "Withered Vine Entangling Tree" technique from the "Nanshan Swordplay," suddenly wrapping it around a green bamboo staff. The sword circled the staff three times, attempting to forcibly disarm him. Shi Feiyang countered with the "Entangling" technique, using the "Deadly Pulling Dog's Tail" move, the staff's momentum mirroring the sword's circle, the copper ring at the staff's tip entwining Liu Chengfeng's sword tassel. In the instant the two grappled, twelve "medicine men" surged forward like a tide, their sharp claws tearing sparks from the tomb passage, their foul-smelling saliva dripping onto the ground, corroding small, sizzling holes.

Seeing Li Caidie in danger, Shi Feiyang hurriedly said, "Miss Caidie, watch your step!" He quickly used the "tripping" technique, suddenly sweeping the green bamboo stick towards Li Caidie's side with the "dog-pushing" motion, tripping the "medicine man" who was lunging at her back.

The monster's claws grazed her hair, and the stench they brought made her want to vomit.

Li Caidie unleashed her "All-Round Attack" technique, using her fingertips to strike the "medicine man's" vital points. Her fingertip pierced the "Zhangmen" acupoint, where, though the flesh was tough, she forced out black blood with her internal force—the "medicine man's" Achilles' heel. Liu Chengfeng's sword suddenly shifted towards Li Caidie. The "Flying Catkins Touch Clothes" technique of the "Nanshan Swordplay" was light and airy, yet contained seven variations, the sword tip always appearing in her blind spots.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff followed him like a shadow. His "Hungry Dog Blocks the Road" blocking technique always managed to deflect the sword's shadow at the last second. The copper ring at the tip of the staff even grazed Li Caidie's temple, tangling her stray hairs around it. He cursed at Liu Chengfeng, "Your opponent is me!" He then unleashed a "Chop" technique, imbued with icy energy, aiming a blow at Liu Chengfeng's face. The force of the "Stick to the Dog's Head" technique forced Liu Chengfeng to withdraw his sword to defend himself.

The "drug man's" sharp claws tore open Li Caidie's sleeve, revealing a bloody mark on her fair wrist.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo stick suddenly transformed into a sky full of stick shadows. The "Ten Fighting Dogs" technique protected her in the center. With the tip of the stick pointing, flicking, chopping, and stabbing, and with the blessing of Mingyu Gong, four "medicine people" were frozen into ice sculptures in the blink of an eye.

Li Caidie's "all-powerful" finger strikes became increasingly ruthless under the cover of her staff. She gouged out the eyes of the "drug-using people" with her fingertips, smashed their throats with her palms, and even tore their abdomens with her fingernails—the monsters' internal organs had long been corroded into a paste by the poison, splattering on her white clothes like blooming ink plum blossoms.

Liu Chengfeng swung his sword, unleashing the "Wildfire Spreads Across the Plains" technique from the "Nanshan Swordplay." The sword shadows wove a sea of ​​fire in the tomb passage, each slash carrying a wave of heat that scorched flesh. Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff suddenly slid along the ground, the "staff sweeping across the ground" momentum pulling Li Caidie deeper into the tomb passage. At the same time, he swept the "double mastiffs" with the staff's "horizontal strike" technique towards the "medicine figures" on both sides. The collision of ice and fire created steam, and his black armor was slashed with three deep cuts by the sword energy. Blood beads trickled down the ice patterns, but the sparks never touched the hem of Li Caidie's clothes.

Just as the seventh "medicine man's" claws were about to grab Li Caidie's ankle, Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff suddenly attacked from an unbelievable angle, sending her flying with a "reverse hook" motion, crashing into the stalactites at the top of the tomb passage and shattering into countless ice shards. His black armor was now soaked in blood, and fragments of the "medicine man's" bones hung from the copper rings of his green bamboo staff, yet it still steadily protected her left front, just in time to block Liu Chengfeng's sword shadow attacking from the left.

When Li Caidie used her "Universal Penetration" technique to knock down the eighth "medicine man," she suddenly noticed that Shi Feiyang's left shoulder armor had been cleaved open by sword energy, and blood was dripping down his arm, landing on the green bamboo stick and condensing into bright red ice crystals with the icy energy. She herself, aside from a minor injury to her cuff, was completely unharmed—those sword strikes that should have landed on her had been blocked by his body.

At this moment, Liu Chengfeng's "Nanshan Sword Technique" was showing signs of weakness, with more and more flaws appearing in his swordplay. Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff suddenly accelerated, and the "Puppy Playing with a Ball" technique of the "Turning" method spun around him, encircling the last four "medicine men." As the icy air instantly froze them, the "Drowning Dog Beating" technique of the "Slashing" method struck Liu Chengfeng's chest with the force of wind and thunder.

Just as the sword was about to pierce Shi Feiyang's throat, Shi Feiyang suddenly unleashed the "Sword Twenty-Three" divine skill. The moment the sword energy domain unfolded, everything in the tomb passage froze—Liu Chengfeng's sword stopped an inch away from his throat, his pupils reflecting his chest pierced by the green bamboo stick.

Li Caidie's poisoned needle hovered in mid-air, its tip only a fraction of an inch from the "medicine man's" eye socket; even the saliva dripping from the "medicine man" froze in mid-air, like glistening poison beads. She watched as the ice patterns on Shi Feiyang's black armor swirled within her domain, those patterns gradually deflecting Liu Chengfeng's sword energy, ultimately causing it all to fall onto her own armor. The moment the green bamboo staff pierced through Liu Chengfeng's chest, icy energy spread along the wound, freezing his heart into a block of ice.

As the sword energy dissipated, Liu Chengfeng's corpse crashed to the ground, and the ice sculptures of the twelve "medicine men" shattered simultaneously. The black blood encased in the ice crystals splattered into the tomb passage, mixing with Shi Feiyang's blood until they were indistinguishable.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo stick rested on the ground, and drops of blood from his black armor dripped onto the bluestone slab, spreading out in dark red patterns.

Li Caidie's fingertips traced the wound on his shoulder armor, where the icy aura was slowly stopping the bleeding. Suddenly, she took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom, poured the antidote into her palm, and said gently, "This is made with jade bee nectar; it can cure 'Corrosion Heart Powder'." Her voice trembled slightly, and her fingertips accidentally touched his wound, causing him to frown slightly.

Shi Feiyang lightly tapped the ground with his green bamboo stick, helping her walk deeper into the tomb passage. He whispered, "Liu Chengfeng's master had his martial arts crippled by your master back then. He's here for revenge." Ice energy brushed past the wound on her sleeve, freezing the poisonous blood into ice crystals. He then advised, "If you encounter people from the Nanshan Sect in the future, remember to press their 'Quchi' acupoint first."

As the jade lamps in the depths of the tomb passage gradually lit up, they cast long shadows of the two of them. Li Caidie looked at the new wounds on Shi Feiyang's armor, inflicted on him for protecting her, and suddenly understood why her master always sighed over Yang Guo's portrait before his death—some acts of protection have nothing to do with good or evil, but only with the human heart.

She gripped the antidote pill tightly in her hand and hurried to catch up with him. The bloodstains on her white clothes, resembling ink plum blossoms, seemed somewhat warm under the lamplight.

……

Before the broken stone gate of the Tomb of the Living Dead, wisps of icy air gently brushed against the carvings on the stone gate. There were the two characters "Long'er" carved by Yang Guo, the strokes still carrying a faint fragrance of jade honey. Li Caidie swept her whisk across the cobwebs on the ground and suddenly discovered a cloth doll hidden in the corner, embroidered with the names "Nianxiang" and "Meng," the stitches delicate and childlike, clearly the work of a child.

Shi Feiyang used his green bamboo stick to lift the doll, and the icy air condensed the dust on it into ice crystals. He analyzed, "They are not in the tomb. The doll's strings have been recently replaced, which means someone comes to clean it regularly." His gaze swept across the main peak of Zhongnan Mountain, where smoke could be vaguely seen rising from the clouds. He speculated, "Perhaps they are in Chongyang Palace."

Li Caidie's white robes suddenly fluttered in the mountain wind. She stared at the ice patterns on Shi Feiyang's black armor, where her own reflection gradually overlapped with the portrait of her master in her memory. Her fingertips lightly touched the "Five Poisons Secret Manual" at her waist, and suddenly tossed it into a crevice in the rocks beside her: "From now on, I will no longer learn from Li Mochou, I am Li Caidie."

Shi Feiyang wrapped his arm around Li Caidie and used his unparalleled "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" lightness skill to propel her towards Chongyang Palace. Black armor and white robes intertwined in the clouds and mist, and the copper rings of the green bamboo staff and the silver threads of the whisk collided, producing a clear and melodious sound.

The bronze bell of Chongyang Palace echoed its last notes in the twilight, and the bronze bells at the corners of the palace jingled softly in the evening breeze.

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword was entangled with Yang Meng's Jade Bee Needle. The sword light was like a ribbon, and the needle shadow was like a star. In the crisp sound of the two swords clashing, there was a bit of the charm of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu's "double swords combined" back then.

"Father!" Shi Nianxiang exclaimed. His sword suddenly stopped, and the ice patterns on the Gentleman's Sword reflected the familiar outline on Shi Feiyang's black armor. The boy's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and the jade pendant wrapped around the sword tassel fell to the ground with a "clang"—it was the "Tang" character jade talisman that Shi Feiyang had left him years ago, its edges worn smooth by being rubbed.

His gaze swept over the fresh wound on his father's shoulder, where the black armor still bore traces of undried blood. Suddenly, he knelt on one knee, the sound of his sword striking the ground sending fallen leaves scattering from the steps. He choked back tears, saying, "Your unfilial son has failed..."

"Get up," Shi Feiyang said, tears welling in his eyes. He gently lifted Shi Nianxiang's arm with the green bamboo staff in his hand. The icy aura spread along the tassel of the sword, making the engravings on it clear—the character "Yang" on the spine of the sword was deeper than it had been ten years ago, clearly from being frequently rubbed by his fingertips. He helped Shi Nianxiang up with one hand, patted his son's shoulder lightly, and felt the icy patterns on his black armor warm. He said gently, "Being able to guard the ancient tomb and protect Meng'er is the greatest filial piety."

Yang Meng's jade bee needles had been hidden in her sleeve at some point, and the girl's white dress was almost transparent in the twilight. Her eyes were lowered, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath them, making her look exactly like the Little Dragon Girl in the portrait.

Only when Shi Feiyang's gaze fell upon the mutton-fat jade bracelet on her wrist, which suddenly gleamed with a warm light, did she curtsy and bow, her voice as clear as the spring water of Zhongnan Mountain: "Meng'er greets Father-in-law." Her fingertips unconsciously twisted the hem of her dress, and on her exposed fair wrist, there were still faint marks from the frostbite she had suffered while practicing the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra." Li Caidie's whisk suddenly swept across Yang Meng's hair, and the fragrance of jade honey on the silver strands made the girl slightly raise her eyes.

The moment their eyes met, Li Caidie's eyes suddenly reddened—these eyes were so much like Xiaolongnu's, with a coldness that concealed stubbornness, and a gentleness within her tenacity; even the curve of her eyelashes trembling when she blinked was exactly the same.

“If Aunt Long were alive, she would surely love this girl.” She turned her whisk to Shi Nianxiang and said coquettishly, “You little rascal, you’ve learned from your Uncle Yang to protect a young lady so well.”

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword suddenly blocked Yang Meng's path, its spine pointing towards Li Caidie's whisk. He asked in a low voice, "Who is this young lady?" His gaze shifted between the poison needle marks on her white clothes and his father's protective stance in black armor, and he suddenly realized that this must be someone who had gone through life and death with his father.

Yang Meng gently tugged at his sleeve, and the tip of the Jade Bee Needle wrote the character "Li" in his palm. The boy's sword momentum immediately slowed down by three points.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff drew an arc between the two, and the icy air pushed Shi Nianxiang's sword away half an inch. He said gently, "Let's go inside and talk. I brought some good things." The green lamp in the side hall cast the shadows of the four people onto the mural, where the four large characters "Tomb of the Living Dead" written by Wang Chongyang were still visible.

Just as Shi Nianxiang began his "Viewing the Vast Ocean" palm strike, Shi Feiyang deftly deflected it to the side with his green bamboo staff. The force of the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" struck the pillar, sending dust flying. Li Caidie was staring intently at Shi Feiyang's profile—when he taught his son martial arts, his slightly furrowed brows revealed a gentle demeanor, a stark contrast to the icy coldness he displayed during battle.

Shi Feiyang's palm strikes left icy marks in the air as he advised, "This move 'Viewing the Vast Ocean' requires 'Bright Jade Skill' as its foundation. Your icy energy is too volatile, unlike Meng's 'Jade Maiden Heart Sutra' which is more stable." Suddenly, the green bamboo stick pointed at Yang Meng's shoulder, instructing, "Girl, use 'Four Ounces Deflect a Thousand Pounds' to receive his three palm strikes."

The girl in white spun around, her palm winds flitting like butterflies among flowers. Each time she touched Shi Nianxiang's palm force, she deftly deflected it. The sound of her skirt sweeping across the ground was somewhat similar to Li Mochou's "Dust-Sweeping Skill" in Shi Feiyang's memory, but with an added touch of purity.

Shi Feiyang shouted, "Alright!" and led everyone back to the ancient tomb. He then suddenly took off the deerskin bag from his waist.

The moment the bag was untied, a fist-sized piece of combustible ice rolled out, gleaming with a faint blue light under the moonlight. What followed was rice, noodles, soy sauce, vinegar, and even a small bunch of fresh green vegetables wrapped in oil paper, clearly bought by deliberately going out of one's way to the market.

Shi Nianxiang exclaimed in surprise, "Father can cook?" The Gentleman's Sword almost slipped from his hand, and Yang Meng's Jade Bee Needle also fell to the ground.

The two looked at each other and saw surprise in each other's eyes.

Li Caidie covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

In the passageway of the Tomb of the Living Dead, Shi Feiyang set up a makeshift stove. The eerie blue flames of combustible ice licked at the iron pot, making the oil at the bottom sizzle. His knife-wielding technique was even more swift than the "Hundred Victories Knife Technique." The radish shreds were so fine they could be threaded through a needle, and the meat slices were so thin they were translucent. The ice patterns on his black armor shimmered with each stir-fry, even condensing the oil smoke into tiny ice crystals.

Shi Feiyang then instructed Shi Nianxiang on how to cook: "First, sauté the scallions and ginger until fragrant, then add the sliced ​​meat and stir-fry. When the edges are slightly browned, add soy sauce—this is what Fu'er taught me, saying that this is how to make the meat flavorful."

Li Caidie used her whisk to fan the flames, not caring that her white clothes had a few small holes from the sparks, her gaze always fixed on Shi Feiyang's hands holding the spatula—those hands could split through the armor of the Mongol cavalry, and also cook heartwarming and comforting home-style dishes.

When the first dish, "Stir-fried Pork Slices," was served, tiny ice beads still clung to the glistening pork slices, and the aroma made Shi Nianxiang swallow hard. Yang Meng's jade bee needle suddenly broke the mud seal on the wine jar, and the rice wine from Zhongnan Mountain mingled with the aroma of the dish, spreading out. The young girl's cheeks flushed slightly, and she exclaimed with admiration, "Father-in-law's cooking is even better than the restaurants down the mountain."

Just as Shi Feiyang's second dish, "Stir-fried Radish with Vinegar," was served, Shi Nianxiang reached out with her chopsticks, only to have Li Caidie gently tap her hand on the back of her hand with her whisk.

She scolded playfully, "Why the rush? The elders haven't even touched their food yet!" She picked up a slice of radish with her fingertips and held it to Yang Meng's lips, saying softly, "Try it. The sourness has a touch of coolness; it'll cut through the greasiness." The girl hesitated, opening her mouth, her eyes squinting from the sourness. This reminded Shi Feiyang of Guo Fu's expression when she first ate his cooking. By the time the four dishes and soup were on the table, the flame of the combustible ice had already died down. Shi Feiyang's black armor lay to the side, revealing a plain undergarment beneath. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his forearms, where old and new scars overlapped, yet gleamed gently under the lamplight.

He watched Shi Nianxiang wolf down his food, and then looked at Yang Meng's eyelashes trembling slightly as she chewed slowly. He then smiled at Li Caidie and said, "Back in Xiangyang, Master Guo always said that it was more comforting to sit down and eat with your family than to win ten battles."

Li Caidie's wine cup paused at her lips, her gaze falling on the ice pattern on Shi Feiyang's collar—where a small "芙" (Fu) character was embroidered, somewhat blurred by sweat stains. She suddenly raised her cup, gently clinking it against his bowl, and said tenderly, "There will be many more days like this in the future."

Amidst the mellow aroma of rice wine, she saw Shi Nianxiang secretly serving food to Yang Meng, and saw Yang Meng put the largest piece of meat into Shi Feiyang's bowl. Suddenly, she felt that the chill of the Tomb of the Living Dead had been dispelled by this lively atmosphere.

Shi Nianxiang finished his third bowl of rice, not bothering to wipe the sauce from the corners of his mouth, and exclaimed, "Father, the cooking time for your 'braised pork ribs' is even better than that of Chef Zhang from the Imperial Kitchen!" Yang Meng's cheeks were round and chubby, like a squirrel stuffed with pine nuts. She used the jade bee needle to pick at the ribs and gnaw on them, and the delicate jade bracelet made a crisp sound as it tapped against the rim of the bowl.

Li Caidie didn't have a big appetite, but she was also infected by the lively atmosphere and ate three bowls. When she put down her chopsticks, she realized that her stomach was already round and full. She couldn't help but glare at Shi Feiyang and scolded him coquettishly, "It's all your fault. You made it so delicious. I'm going to get fat."

Shi Feiyang's laughter echoed in the tomb passage. He tapped the embers at the bottom of the pot with his green bamboo stick and said jokingly, "Being a little chubby is good. Being chubby brings good fortune." His icy breath swept over everyone's bowls and chopsticks, freezing the grease into ice crystals and gently sweeping them away. He then said softly, "Tomorrow I will teach you how to make Xingqing's 'ice cream,' chilled with this combustible ice. It's even more refreshing than jade honey."

As night deepened, Shi Nianxiang and Yang Meng slept embraced beside the stone coffin of Yang Guo and his wife. The Gentleman's Sword and the Jade Bee Needle lay side-by-side on the coffin lid, the sword tassel and the red silk at the needle's end intertwined. Shi Feiyang's black armor and Li Caidie's white robes were spread out on the stone bed on the other side, the copper rings of the green bamboo staff occasionally clinking against the silver threads of the whisk, producing a soft tinkling sound. (End of Chapter)