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

The sails of the "Breaking Waves" billowed like a full moon in the twilight, and Qin Mu's iron spear suddenly pointed towards the southeast horizon. There, in the mist, the outlines of thirteen warships were vaguely visible, the flags on their masts obscured by the sea fog, with only a large "Zhu" character clearly visible.

Guo Fu whispered, "It's a Ming Cult ship." She twirled her willow-leaf knife in her palm, the "butterfly" petals wrapped around the tassel having been blown off by the sea breeze. She then introduced, "Back in Xiangyang, Zhu Laosi's navy loved to use this kind of triangular sail."

Her gaze swept over the waterlines of the warships, and she analyzed, "The ships have a deep draft; they must be carrying a lot of firearms."

Shi Feiyang's black armor reflected the afterglow of the setting sun. He lightly tapped the deck with his green bamboo staff, and a compass formed from icy air pointed in the direction of the warship. He decisively said, "Have the guards change the 'Yu' character flag to the 'Han' character flag."

He looked at the jade pendant on Shi Nianxiang's waist, which was the birthday gift Yang Guo had given to Guo Xiang years ago, and said in a deep voice, "The Ming Cult and the Yuan people have a blood feud. If it is really Zhu Laosi's man, it will save us some trouble."

As the warships drew near, a whistling arrow suddenly shot from the lead ship, a sheepskin pouch attached to its shaft. Shi Niansong's green bamboo staff moved like a serpent, precisely striking the arrow shaft with the "Pick" technique, "Pick the Mangy Dog with the Staff." The pouch split open, and a token engraved with flame patterns rolled out. Qin Mu exclaimed, "It's the Sacred Flame Token!" He slammed his iron spear heavily on the deck, then explained, "This humble general has seen it in Dadu; the tokens of the Five Wanderers of the Ming Cult are exactly like this."

"How have you been, Master Shi?" Zhu Laosi's voice came across the waves. He was wearing chainmail and stood at the bow of the ship, bowing to the crowd. "I heard that the general is going to Peach Blossom Island. I have prepared some fresh water and dry food, hoping to lend a helping hand."

The sailor behind him suddenly lifted the hatch, revealing gunpowder barrels inside. The sealing wax on the barrels was clearly the mark of the Yuan army. He then said enthusiastically, "These are firearms that I, Zhu, have intercepted from the Yuan people. Perhaps they will be useful to the general."

Shi Nianxiang's gentleman's sword suddenly drew half an inch from its sheath, the spine of the blade pointing at Zhu Laosi's throat, and he coldly questioned, "Since you are an enemy of the Yuan people, why do the sailors on your ship all have Yuan soldiers' queues?"

Yang Meng pointed her Lady Sword at the same time at the flag on the mast and questioned, "The fabric of that 'Zhu' flag is Yun brocade specially supplied by the Yuan Dynasty's Ministry of Works. How could an ordinary Ming Cult follower have it?"

Zhu Laosi's expression changed slightly. Suddenly, the sailor behind him drew his curved sword, its blade gleaming bluish-black in the twilight. He cursed angrily, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup!" His iron whip suddenly lashed out, entangled with Shi Nianxiang's sword tassel, and he said viciously, "I have been waiting here for a long time on the secret orders of the Yuan court!"

The thirteen warships turned simultaneously, their cannons aimed at the hull of the "Breaking Waves," and the sulfurous smell of gunpowder drifted in with the wind, making it hard to open one's eyes.

Shi Feiyang instructed, "Nianxiang, port!" Grasping the green bamboo staff, he transformed it into a longsword under the blessing of Mingyu Gong, and unleashed the "Sword Qi Extreme" realm of the Nine Heavens Sword Manual. The azure light condensed at the tip of the staff cleaved the oncoming rocket.

Shi Niansong gripped the green bamboo stick, twirled it with the "Entanglement" technique, and unleashed a move called "Ten Tricks of Fighting Dogs." The stick's shadow enveloped three sailors who had jumped onto the ship, and with a flick of the wrist, he sent them tumbling into the sea. Their screams were swallowed by the sound of cannon fire.

Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger flashed like lightning, slicing through Zhu Laosi's iron whip. She said mockingly, "My father taught me the 'Yue Maiden Swordplay' in Xiangyang years ago; I'm just looking for a test subject!" Her blade whistled through the air, forcing Zhu Laosi to retreat repeatedly. His shoulder was grazed by the wind from her blade, instantly drawing blood. Qin Mu's iron spear simultaneously pierced the hearts of two sailors, the red silk on its tassel stained with blood. He then reported, "Your Majesty, the guards have prepared oil; we can set the enemy ships ablaze at any time!"

Shi Feiyang nodded.

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword and Yang Meng's Lady's Sword combined once again, the combined force of the two swords spreading out in a circle, shaking the Japanese pirates on the deck so badly they staggered. The young man's swordplay suddenly slowed down, incorporating the military strategy of "waiting for the enemy to tire himself out" into his sword moves, each strike precisely targeting the enemy's weaknesses, while Yang Meng's sword followed closely, filling in all his defensive gaps.

The two worked together so well that Zhu Laosi's personal guards had no way to make a move.

Shi Niansong's green bamboo staff traced an arc along the ship's side. His "Tripping" technique, specifically the "Horizontal Strike Double Hounds" move, deflected the curved swords of two sailors. The staff tip then struck their knees, followed by the "Seal" move of the "Vicious Dog Blocking the Way" technique, forcing them to their knees. Qin Mu's personal guards then beheaded them with a single blow. Looking at the corpses floating in the sea, he turned to Guo Fu and said, "Mother, these people's swordsmanship is very similar to that of the Five Poisons Cult members of Black Wind Pass."

Guo Fu's willow-leaf knife cleaved through Zhu Laosi's iron whip, the blade leaving three bloody marks on his face. She turned to Shi Niansong and said, "They are Jianghu scum recruited by the Yuan people. Back then, many of Li Mochou's disciples and grand-disciples defected to the Yuan court."

She used a knife as a sword, and her fighting style was unpredictable and elusive. Suddenly, the speed of her knife movements increased, and the "Breaking the Cocoon and Becoming a Butterfly" move of the "Yue Maiden Sword Technique" was aimed straight at Zhu Laosi's heart. She then said to Shi Niansong, "These people have the blood of Han people on their hands. Today, they will definitely pay for their blood debts!"

Such blatant disregard for Zhu Laosi infuriated him, causing his blood pressure to spike and his head to spin. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff plunged into the sea, unleashing the "Sword Domain Annihilation" realm of the "Nine Heavens Sword Manual," causing seawater to surge back in. The hulls of the enemy's thirteen warships suddenly cracked open, and seawater gushed in.

Zhu Laosi lashed the ship's planks with his iron whip, but could not stop the seawater from rushing in. He watched helplessly as his warship sank, and could not help but let out a desperate roar: "Shi Feiyang, I, Zhu, will haunt you even as a ghost!"

Shi Nianxiang angrily cursed, "You don't need to be a ghost anymore." He gripped the Gentleman's Sword and pierced Zhu Laosi's throat. Blood droplets from the sword tassel dripped onto Zhu Laosi's chainmail. He then angrily rebuked, "A traitor like you doesn't even deserve to be a ghost."

Yang Meng's Lady Sword simultaneously severed his iron whip, and the internal force of the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" shattered his dantian, causing him to die in excruciating pain. His body was swept away by the waves and quickly disappeared into the twilight.

The "Breaking Waves" had three large holes blasted into its hull by cannonballs, and Qin Mu's personal guards were urgently repairing it with wooden planks. Shi Niansong's green bamboo stick carved drainage channels on the deck, and with the clanging of the copper rings at the end of the stick, seawater mixed with blood flowed into the sea, attracting a group of sharks to fight over it.

Shi Feiyang gazed at the distant outline of Peach Blossom Island, where the lighthouse's glow could be faintly seen flickering in the sea mist. He said loudly, "We'll be there in three more hours." Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger gleamed coldly in the moonlight. She pointed with the scabbard at the Yuan army corpses floating in the sea and said worriedly, "These people are just outposts. The real Mongol navy is probably in the harbor near Peach Blossom Island."

Her fingertips traced the tassel of Shi Nianxiang's sword as she instructed, "Tomorrow, have General Qin disguise himself as a fisherman and infiltrate the harbor to investigate. We, on the other hand, will use the pretext of visiting relatives to go ashore and visit the descendants of my maternal grandfather, Huang Yaoshi."

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword suddenly emitted a clear and melodious sound, and the character "Yang" on the spine of the sword lit up in the moonlight: "Father, my father-in-law taught me how to break the formation of Peach Blossom Island back then."

Yang Meng's Lady Sword clashed with his Gentleman Sword, and he took the initiative to invite Ying to say, "The Ancient Tomb Sect's lightness skill is just right for infiltrating the harbor to investigate."

The two exchanged a smile, and in that instant when their sword tassels intertwined, it was as if they saw a reflection of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu from back then. Shi Feiyang laughed excitedly!

At midnight, the "Breaking Waves" entered the outer waters of Peach Blossom Island. Shi Feiyang's black armor gleamed blue in the lighthouse's glow. He gazed at the pavilions and towers faintly visible on the island, the place where Huang Yaoshi had once refined elixirs, but whose current state he wondered. He lightly tapped the ship's side with his green bamboo staff, freezing the anchor to the seabed with icy air, and declared loudly, "After dawn, proceed according to the original plan."

Qin Mu's guards had changed into fishermen's raincoats, with short knives and tinderboxes concealed at their waists. Shi Niansong wrapped a fishing line around his green bamboo stick and, using the "luring" technique, cast it ashore. The copper ring at the end of the stick gently tapped against the rocks, producing a sound similar to the waves, thus masking any potential danger.

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword and Yang Meng's Lady's Sword were hidden in a fishing basket, their scabbards wrapped in seaweed, blending into the surrounding environment.

As the first rays of sunlight touched Peach Blossom Island, wisps of smoke rose from the deck of the "Breaking Waves." Shi Feiyang's black armor gleamed warmly in the morning light. He watched as Shi Nianxiang and his wife, disguised as fishermen, boarded the small boat on the shore, and as Qin Mu's guards carried fishing nets toward the harbor. He then decisively said to Guo Fu, "Let's make our move once we've investigated thoroughly."

Guo Fu's scalpel gleamed in the sunlight. She gazed at the blooming "Colorful Butterfly" flowers on Peach Blossom Island, their icy blue petals swaying in the sea breeze, much like Li Caidie's white dress. She sighed, "Yes, for Caidie, and for all the Han people under heaven."

Her voice was resolute yet gentle, as if one could see Li Caidie busy in the herb garden, and her patience as she taught Yang Meng the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" and the "Five Poisons Sutra".

The small boat gradually sailed away from the "Breaking Waves," and Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword drew a protective shield at the bow, blocking the oncoming sea wind. Yang Meng's Lady's Sword was hidden in her sleeve, and her fingertips gently stroked the patterns on the hilt, where a small "dragon" character was engraved, which was carved by Little Dragon Girl herself.

The two smiled at each other, their eyes filled with anticipation for the future.

Shi Feiyang stood on the railing of the "Breaking Waves," gently twirling a green bamboo stick in his hand, his gaze fixed on the direction of Peach Blossom Island. He knew that the upcoming reconnaissance mission would not be easy; the true strength of the Mongol navy, and whether there were other dangers on Peach Blossom Island, were all unknowns.

The sea breeze ruffled the sails of the "Wavebreaker," carrying a salty, damp scent and a tense atmosphere. Everyone was silently preparing, waiting for news from Shi Nianxiang and Qin Mu, and awaiting the next instructions.

……

The morning mist over Peach Blossom Island, carrying the scent of the sea, spreads over the mudflats.

Shi Nianxiang lightly tapped the reef with his gentleman's sword, and the seaweed tassel wrapped around it fell away. As he helped Yang Meng step onto the beach, the fine sand beneath their feet suddenly stirred, and dozens of poisoned needles shot out from the sand, but were all blocked by the flourishes of Yang Meng's lady's sword.

Yang Meng exclaimed, "It's Huang Yaoshi's 'Azure Sea Tide Formation'!" She ran her fingertips along the engravings on the reef, where the spiral patterns still retained the energy of the Finger Flicking Divine Skill. She then explained, "The formation is even more exquisite than what is recorded in the Nine Yin Manual. It's likely that later generations added new variations."

Qin Mu, disguised as a fisherman, carried a fishing net and walked hunched over towards the center of the island. His straw sandals trod on the wet sand, and he avoided the hidden traps with every step—those seemingly ordinary seashells were actually the "mother and child scorpion" nest of the Five Poisons Sect, which would be triggered at any moment.

As he turned past a peach grove, two boys dressed in blue suddenly jumped out from behind a tree, their copper hammers aimed at the back of his head. Qin Mu's iron spear was hidden in a fishing net. He spun around and deflected the hammers with a flick of his wrist, saying in a hoarse voice, "Little brat, this old man has only come to ask for a bowl of water."

Shi Feiyang's black armor concealed his figure deep within the peach grove. He used a green bamboo stick to push aside the peach branches blocking his path. As petals fell all over his shoulders, he suddenly stopped—in the waterside pavilion ahead sat an old man with white hair. The "Song of the Rising Tide of the Azure Sea" played on his jade flute carried a captivating inner power. The koi in the pond even flipped out of the water with the sound of the flute, their scales gleaming with an eerie red light in the sunlight.

He said jokingly, "The descendants of Huang Yaoshi are indeed quite skilled." He condensed ice energy at his fingertips, freezing the sound waves that were drifting towards him into ice crystals, and then teased, "It's just that the malevolent energy in this flute music seems to be from some kind of evil skill."

Guo Fu concealed her willow-leaf dagger in her sleeve and led Shi Niansong into the waterside pavilion. The old man's flute playing suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the jade pendant at her waist—it was the "Peach Blossom Token" that Huang Rong had given to Guo Fu years ago, engraved with a half-peach blossom pattern.

The old man asked suspiciously, "A descendant of Lady Huang?" He twirled the jade flute in his palm, and the koi in the pond suddenly sank to the bottom, black ripples spreading across the surface. He then questioned, "No outsiders have been seen on the island for many years. May I ask what brings you all here today?"

Shi Niansong's green bamboo stick suddenly stopped on the ground, and the "Sealing" technique, "Hungry Dog Blocks the Road," blocked the oncoming boy in green.

The boy's copper hammer, which carried poisonous smoke, was frozen into an ice block by the icy air at the tip of the club.

Shi Niansong calmly said, "Grandpa, we've come to visit the Peach Blossom Island Master." His gaze swept over the screen behind the old man, where more than ninety men in black, wielding curved knives, were hidden in the shadows. The snake-shaped markings on their clothing were exactly the same as those of the Five Poisons Cult members of Black Wind Pass.

The old man asked in return, "Island Master?" Suddenly, he burst into wild laughter, pointing his jade flute at the black water in the pool. He then sneered, "Ever since the Yuan people occupied Jiangnan, Peach Blossom Island has had no island master." Suddenly, three poisonous needles shot out from the tip of his flute, aiming straight for Guo Fu's heart. He then said in a sinister tone, "As for Lady Guo's 'Yue Maiden Sword Technique,' I would like to learn from it."

The men in black behind the screen attacked simultaneously, their scimitars gleaming in the dark water of the pool, their murderous aura instantly filling the entire pavilion.

Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger was drawn like lightning. The moment the blade cleaved through the poisoned needle, she unleashed the "Breaking the Cocoon and Becoming a Butterfly" move of the "Yue Maiden Sword Technique," already closing in on the old man's face.

Her blade, imbued with the bloodlust of Xiangyang's city walls, clashed with the old man's jade flute, causing his hand to split open. She then rebuked him, "A descendant of Huang Yaoshi, associating with the Five Poisons Sect? Is that even possible?" The moment the blade pressed against the flute, she saw the snake tattoo on the old man's neck and angrily retorted, "You're not from Peach Blossom Island at all!"

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword and Yang Meng's Lady's Sword were drawn simultaneously, their combined power weaving a silver net within the waterside pavilion. The moment the black-clad man's curved blade touched the sword net, it was shredded to pieces, his severed arm mixed with poisonous blood splattering onto the peach tree, instantly withering the petals black.

Yang Meng said thoughtfully, "Their swordsmanship is of the same origin as that of the Japanese pirates." Holding the Lady's Sword, she pierced the throat of a man in black. The token protruding from the tip of the sword was engraved with the words "Great Yuan Southern Expedition Vanguard Camp." She then shouted, "They are the death squad of the Mongol Navy."

Shi Niansong's green bamboo staff weaved through the enemy ranks. His "Entanglement" technique, specifically the "Deadly Pull of the Dog's Tail" move, wrapped around the ankles of thirteen men in black, then with a twist, slammed them into the pool. As the black water churned, the thirteen men quickly turned to bones. The sound of the poisonous sand at the bottom of the pool corroding their bones sent chills down everyone's spine.

He cursed again, "You old codger, let's see how long you can keep up this act!" Pointing to the old man's jade flute, he revealed that tiny poison needles were hidden in the holes in the flute's tubes, and said, "These are the Five Poisons Sect's 'Bone-Piercing Nails'!"

Seeing his identity exposed, the old man suddenly threw his jade flute towards the direction where Shi Feiyang was hiding, then turned and jumped into the pool. The moment the pool water exploded, dozens of venomous snakes sprang from the bottom and lunged at the faces of the group.

Shi Feiyang, wielding a green bamboo stick, suddenly flew out of the peach grove and unleashed the "Chop" technique, specifically the "Dog-Beating" move, cleaving all the poisonous snakes in two. Icy air spread along the stick, freezing the entire pool into an ice cellar. The old man's figure struggled beneath the ice, but soon fell silent.

Qin Mu, leading his personal guards, also arrived at this moment, escorting two boys in blue robes. The boys' mouths were gagged with cloth, and their eyes were filled with fear.

He reported, "Your Majesty, the main force of the Mongol navy is hidden in the harbor behind the island." He pulled open the boy's collar, revealing the Yuan army uniform underneath, and pointed out, "These are all Yuan spies. The real inhabitants of the island have probably been wiped out by them long ago." Shi Feiyang nodded, gently waved his palm, and a blade of energy swept past, causing the heads of the two boys to fly upwards and fall seven zhang away.

Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword cleaved through the screen, revealing a secret room filled with gunpowder barrels. The sealing wax on the barrels was the mark of the Yuan Dynasty's Ministry of Works.

Yang Meng used her elegant sword to unfurl a nautical chart, on which the Mongol navy's deployment was marked in vermilion—three hundred warships were arranged in a triangular pattern, and catapults were hidden on the cliffs on both sides of the harbor, clearly in preparation for a surprise attack by Shi Feiyang and his new Tang Dynasty navy.

Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger sparked as it sliced ​​through the stone wall of the secret chamber. The blade cleaved open a hidden compartment, revealing Huang Yaoshi's notes. She exclaimed with admiration, "My grandfather was truly prescient!" Pointing to the entries in the notes, she explained, "He dug a secret passage beneath the island, leading directly to the reefs of the harbor, allowing him to circle around to the rear of the Mongol navy." The last page of the notes contained a simple diagram of a battle formation—the "Qimen Dunjia" formation used to break through the harbor's defenses.

Shi Feiyang's black armor absorbed the cold air beside the ice cellar, and he used a green bamboo stick to draw the route of a secret passage on the ground. He instructed Qin Mu: "General Qin, you lead your personal guards to sneak in through the secret passage and destroy their catapults."

His gaze swept over Shi Nianxiang and his wife, and he said in a deep voice, "You two use 'Double Swords Combined' to distract the port patrol team. Nian Song's Dog-Beating Stick Technique can just destroy their anchors." When he looked at Guo Fu, the ice pattern suddenly warmed, and he said domineeringly, "Fu'er, you and I will launch a frontal assault to draw their main force away." Shi Nian Song looked at the setting sun outside the window, the peach grove stained blood-red in the twilight, and said to Shi Feiyang, "Father, tonight's moon looks just like that night at Black Wind Pass."

Shi Feiyang lightly patted his head with his palm, and the icy air condensed into a small snow lotus. He said firmly, "But tonight, we will not lose anyone else."

As night fell, the sounds of fighting suddenly erupted in the harbor of Peach Blossom Island.

Qin Mu's personal guards burst out of the secret passage, their iron spears piercing the catapult mechanisms, the explosions of gunpowder barrels shaking the cliffs. Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword and Yang Meng's Lady's Sword weaved between the warships, their combined power igniting the Yuan army's supply depots, the flames illuminating half the night sky. Shi Niansong's green bamboo staff snapped the anchor chains, causing dozens of warships to lose their anchors, collide with each other in the waves, and sink to the bottom of the sea.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff transformed into a longsword, unleashing the "Sword Universe Ashes" realm of the Nine Heavens Sword Manual. He stirred the tides, causing seawater to flood the harbor, scattering the Yuan army's warships to pieces. Guo Fu's willow-leaf blade cleaved open the commander's cabin, the blade severing the throat of the Mongol naval admiral. His token fell to the ground, the words "Kublai Khan" stained with blood. The last warship exploded. Shi Feiyang gazed at the burning harbor; the ice patterns on his armor reflected the firelight, as if countless stars were flowing within them.

As dawn broke, the smoke of battle on Peach Blossom Island gradually dissipated. Shi Nianxiang found Huang Yaoshi's jade flute in the ruins of the waterside pavilion, the seven characters engraved on it, "Peach Blossom Shadows Fall, Flying Divine Sword," gleaming with a bluish light in the morning glow.

Yang Meng carefully folded the collected map of the Mongol navy's deployment and tucked it into her personal sachet, confidently stating, "With this, our Tang army will know the true strength of the Yuan." Shi Niansong's green bamboo pole carried a large Yuan army flag, planted at the highest point of Peach Blossom Island. The sea breeze rustled through the flag's holes. Guo Fu's willow-leaf knife shaved off a piece of reef, and Shi Feiyang used icy energy to carve eight characters on it: "The Han dynasty's land cannot be coveted." Each stroke of the character was imbued with the blood of the Yuan army, blending seamlessly with the peach blossoms on the island, a strikingly red sight.

……

The morning mist on Peach Blossom Island always carries a hint of sweetness. Guo Fu's willow-leaf dagger leans against the stone pillar of the "Sword Testing Pavilion." The peach petals wrapped around the dagger are half withered, yet they still exude a faint fragrance.

Every morning, she would go to Huang Yaoshi's herb garden to tend to the "Colorful Butterfly" flowers. When her fingertips brushed against the ice-blue petals, she would always think of the beacon fires on the walls of Xiangyang and the appearance of her mother, Huang Rong, back then. Shi Feiyang once tried to persuade her to go north with him, but she just stroked Shi Niansong's head and smiled, saying, "The sea fog here is much gentler than the sandstorms in Xingqing Prefecture."

On the eve of leaving the island, Shi Nianxiang's Gentleman's Sword suddenly rang out, the character "Yang" on its spine reflecting the moonlight, as if it had come to life. He said reluctantly, "Father, the 'Colorful Butterfly' flowers in the Tomb of the Living Dead need to be repotted. Father-in-law's annotations to the 'Jade Maiden Heart Sutra' should also be copied back." Yang Meng's Lady's Sword gently tapped the side of the boat, its tassel intertwined with the red silk of the Gentleman's Sword, echoing, "The snow of Zhongnan Mountain should be enjoyed when we return."

Seeing the handsome young couple grow up, develop extraordinary martial arts skills, and become a devoted couple, Shi Feiyang felt relieved.

He nodded, then took out two gold bricks from the mysterious deerskin bag that ordinary people couldn't see and gave them to Yang Meng, and took out ten gold leaves and gave them to Shi Nianxiang. He then watched his son and daughter-in-law leave with deep affection.

Six months later, the East China Sea was filled with turbid waves like ten thousand galloping horses.

The leaden-gray clouds hung low, as if they might crash into the sea at any moment. Shi Feiyang's black armor was covered with a layer of white frost on the deck of the "Breaking Waves," and his green bamboo staff pointed diagonally at the Mongol naval flagship "Zhenhai" ten zhang away—the keel of that giant ship seemed to be made from the spine of an entire whale, the wolf-head flag on the sails fluttered in the sea breeze, and more than thirty corpses of Song soldiers hung from the iron chains of the mast, their intestines swaying with the waves, leaving a winding trail of blood in the azure sea.

He beckoned Qin Mu over and said in a low voice, "General Qin," the icy energy formed by Ming Yu Gong condensed into an ice mirror on the ship's side, clearly reflecting the Mongol navy's "品" (pin) shaped formation. He analyzed, "The twelve ships on the left wing are sentry ships, with shallow drafts, they must be carrying rockets; the two ships on the right wing, 'Heng Hai' and 'Ding Bo,' have firewood piled on their decks, they must be fire-attack ships." He pointed his finger to the center of the ice mirror and said in a deep voice, "Only this 'Zhen Hai' has an empty deck, but its hull is three feet deep—it must be hiding a series of giant cannons."

Qin Mu's iron spear struck the deck with a muffled thud, and drops of strong liquor soaked in the red silk of the tassel dripped down, leaving dark stains on the wooden planks. He offered a plan: "This humble general will lead three hundred men to feign an attack on the left flank, luring them to divide their forces." Suddenly, the guards behind him tore open their outer garments, revealing the Big Dipper embroidered on their close-fitting soft armor.

He then declared domineeringly, "The rest of the brothers, follow the general and charge straight for the central army!"

Shi Feiyang shook his head: "Wait a minute." He drew an arc on the ice mirror with his green bamboo stick and analyzed: "Sun Tzu said: 'Lure the enemy with profit, seize him when he is in disarray.'" He suddenly raised his voice so that all the soldiers on the ship could hear him, and then gave a plan: "Move all the silk and tea we brought to the deck, and then pile the empty wooden boxes into a small mountain, pretending that they are tributes to be transported to Dadu."

Qin Mu was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized and said, "Does Your Majesty intend to feign weakness?" Before Shi Feiyang could answer, the war drums of the Zhenhai ship roared like thunder. Three iron-plated stone projectiles flew in with a sharp whistle, the first one hitting the mainmast of the Polang ship squarely. The thick mast snapped in two, crushing the skulls of two guards as it crashed down, their brains splattering onto the silk, a glaring red.

The second stone bullet grazed the ship's side, splashing water that soaked half the deck. The salty seawater mixed with blood droplets condensed on Shi Feiyang's armor, and the ice patterns froze the blood droplets into blood-red ice crystals.

Shi Feiyang shouted, "You Yuan dogs, how dare you harm my Tang soldiers? I'll annihilate you pigs and dogs!" The seawater churned as he gripped his green bamboo staff and unleashed the seventh level of the Nine Heavens Sword Manual, "Sword Domain Annihilation!" The sword energy pierced the sun like a blue rainbow, shattering the third stone bullet into dust.

The flying pebbles, propelled by his "Frosty Sword Intent," transformed into ice shards that shot towards the Mongol patrol boats, instantly sending thirty-nine lookouts screaming as they plunged into the sea. From the command tower of the "Zhenhai" came the roar of the Mongol general: "Fire rockets!" The twelve patrol boats on the left flank simultaneously launched rockets, their arrowheads coated in grease, drawing orange-red streaks of fire across the sea.

Qin Mu followed the plan and roared, "Turn the rudder and charge towards the right wing of the 'Heng Hai'!" The "Po Lang" suddenly turned, and the ship almost tilted into the water. The silk and tea piled on the deck immediately slid into the sea.

The Mongol soldiers burst into laughter upon seeing this, assuming that the enemy ships had lost their footing.

When the two ships were less than ten feet apart, Shi Feiyang shouted, "General Qin, proceed according to plan!"

Suddenly, Qin Mu's iron spear lifted an oil drum and hurled it forcefully onto the deck of the "Heng Hai". More than ninety guards tied sulfur-soaked cotton wadding to arrows, lit them, and shot them at the oil drum. With a loud "boom", the oil drum exploded in the pile of firewood on the "Heng Hai", and flames instantly shot up three zhang high. The Mongol soldiers on the ship screamed and jumped into the sea, but were caught by the hooked spears thrown by the "Po Lang" and dragged to the side of the ship to drown.

The Mongol soldiers cried out in alarm, "We've fallen into a trap!"

The commander on the Zhenhai roared and ordered a change of formation, and the "品" (pin) shape immediately scattered. Shi Feiyang seized this fleeting opportunity, his green bamboo staff transforming into a streak of blue light, and used the "Thousand Miles Without Leaving a Trace" technique to ride the crest of the wave towards the Zhenhai. His "Sword Gang Tribulation" realm was pushed to its limit, and the seawater beneath his feet froze into an ice bridge, allowing him to step onto the enemy ship's deck in an instant.

"Stop him!" More than ten Mongol centurions roared and rushed forward at the same time, forming an impenetrable wall of scimitars.

Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff weaved through the shadows of the blades. His "Sword Heart Connection" realm allowed him to predict the trajectory of each strike: first, he used "Snake Emerging from Cave" to dodge the curved blade coming straight at him, then used the tip of his staff to strike the leader's "Qi Sea" acupoint; next, he used the momentum to spin around, and the "Returning Wind Sweeping Leaves" sword move brought up ice shards, freezing the wrists of three centurions on his left; finally, with a backhand strike, the fierce force of "Splitting Stone and Piercing Clouds" smashed a gap in the wall of blades on his right, and the tip of his staff pierced through the throat of a centurion, the blood spurting out condensing into a bead of blood in mid-air.

At this moment, Qin Mu had already led his guards aboard the "Dingbo." His iron spears, like dragons emerging from the sea, were piercing the corpse of a Mongol centurion, churning up a shower of blood in the cabin. The centurion's golden helmet rolled to the ground, his brains mixed with bone fragments, which were then crushed into a bloody pulp by the guards' broadswords.

Qin Mu roared, "Charge to the gunpowder compartment!" He smashed the compartment door open with his gun barrel, only to find twenty-nine Mongol soldiers waiting inside, holding spiked clubs. The leader had a scar on his face and was the centurion who had participated in the massacre of Xiangyang.

"You Han dog, give up your life!" Scarface roared, his spiked club slamming towards Qin Mu's face with a powerful gust of wind, the barbs on the club hissing through the air.

Instead of retreating, Qin Mu advanced, gripping the gun and pressing down on the other man's wrist. Suddenly, he crouched down, pressing the gun barrel against the spiked club and thrusting it towards his own chest. The scarred man screamed as his own spiked club pierced his heart, and scalding blood sprayed all over Qin Mu's face.

The battle on the deck had reached a fever pitch. Suddenly, Shi Feiyang's green bamboo staff pierced the deck of the "Zhenhai" ship, and the energy of "Sword Domain Annihilation" spread along the ship's planks, instantly freezing the mechanisms of the chain cannons hidden in the hold.

He was about to order the cannons destroyed when the Zhenhai suddenly listed—Qin Mu had already breached the hull of the Dingbo, and the burning ship was hurtling towards the Zhenhai. Qin Mu said anxiously, "Your Majesty, retreat quickly!"

He threw his iron spear, piercing the throat of the last Mongol soldier, but his own left leg was pinned down by the collapsing mast.

Shi Feiyang turned around to save them, but saw a Mongolian national teacher playing a bone flute on the command tower of the "Zhenhai". The Mongolian soldiers who had fallen into the water swam towards the "Polang" like mad dogs, spewing out foam containing deadly poison.

Shi Feiyang roared, "Shoot rockets at the sea!" He pointed the green bamboo stick at the enemy ship's gunpowder compartment and shouted, "They've taken 'Mad Wolf Powder,' they go berserk at the sight of fire!" The rockets of the Tang Empire's guards swept across the sea like locusts, and the sea surface was instantly engulfed in flames. The poisoned Mongol soldiers howled in the sea of ​​fire, and the stench of burnt skin mingled with the sea breeze, making people nauseous.

Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Feiyang leaped onto the "Dingbo" and used his green bamboo stick to cleave the mast that was pinning Qin Mu down. At this moment, the "Zhenhai" cannons finally fired, but due to the frozen mechanism, the cannonballs blew in the opposite direction, piercing the bottom of the ship, and seawater rushed in like a waterfall.

The Mongol navy's formation was completely scattered. Some ships collided, while others were engulfed in flames. Screams and explosions shook the sea and sky.

As dusk fell, the wreckage of more than thirty Mongol warships floated on the sea. Shi Feiyang stood on the broken mast of the "Breaking Waves," leaning on a green bamboo stick. The ice patterns on the black armor were covered with cracks, and each crack was embedded with congealed blood.

Qin Mu, supported by his guards, walked over. His left leg was unnaturally twisted, but he still straightened his spine and said domineeringly, "Your Majesty, we sank thirty-seven enemy ships and killed over ten thousand, but..."

Looking at the corpses on the deck, he said sadly, "Our brothers are down to only three hundred and twelve."

Shi Feiyang looked towards the direction where the sun was setting, where the sea was dyed a crimson gold, much like the blood on the walls of Xiangyang. He comforted him, saying, "In war, how can there be no deaths? General Qin, return to Xingqing Prefecture and convey my decree: each family of the wounded and killed soldiers shall receive one hundred taels of silver, and all the children of the wounded and killed soldiers shall be admitted to Cangsheng Academy free of charge."

"Yes, sir!" Qin Mu and the remaining soldiers responded in unison.

The ice patterns on Shi Feiyang's black armor gleamed faintly in the twilight. He sighed and said, "Sun Tzu said, 'Warfare is based on deception.' But in the end, defending the country depends on these brothers who are willing to risk their lives."

In the last rays of the setting sun, the "Breaking Waves" hoisted its tattered sails and slowly sailed north. The bloodstains on the deck were still wet, yet someone had already carved the four characters "Return My Rivers and Mountains" into the wooden planks with a knife, each stroke embedded with fragments of bone.

Shi Feiyang walked to Qin Mu's side, used the Mingyu Gong ice energy to seal the bleeding wound, and then gave him a plan: "General Qin, you lead your brothers to disguise yourselves as Beggar Clan disciples, travel north along the Grand Canal, and return to Xingqing Prefecture." His gaze swept over the tired faces, and he instructed: "Remember, do not reveal your identities on the way, and do not kill innocent people indiscriminately."

Having said that, he took off his blood-stained armor, put on a moon-white brocade robe, and replaced his green bamboo staff with a jade flute. His originally sharp eyebrows and eyes suddenly softened, and he transformed into the appearance of a handsome young man. He then said jokingly, "This outfit of mine is enough to lure away the Yuan people's pursuers."

Qin Mu and his generals burst into laughter and then proceeded according to the plan.

Three days later, on the streets of Lin'an, Shi Feiyang twirled his jade flute in his hand, the gold thread on his brocade robe shimmering in the sunlight, attracting the attention of passersby.

He deliberately paused in front of the Yuan army's post station, bought a string of candied hawthorns, and ate them slowly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Qin Mu's group already mingling with the Beggars' Sect and exiting through the north gate. Just then, thirteen Mongol spies suddenly blocked his path, their curved swords half-hidden in their sleeves. The leader said coldly, "Sir, please come with us." (End of Chapter)