King of Hundred Victories Saber

Lan Xiaodie looked at the tall figure, momentarily seeing the illusion of the ”hero with the world in his heart” spoken of by the Immortal Gods.

At the moment when their eyes met, she suddenly remembered Sun Wukong’s last words in the illusion: ”Hatred is like a spider’s web, the more you entangle with it, the messier it becomes; justice is like a bright mirror, reflecting one’s true heart.” Cold sweat soaked through her sleeves in her palms, she heard her own hoarse voice trembling: ”Hero Shi, this cup of tea is my apology as I...”

The mountain wind howled past, making the prayer flags outside the Holy Gu Cave rustle loudly.

A conversation crossing the bounds of hatred was silently rewriting the tumultuous scroll of Jianghu.

Shi Feiyang and Xie Wen’s figures disappeared like meteors at the end of the mountain path, Shi Ying stood in front of the Main Altar Vermilion Gate, holding Shi Nian who babbled in learning to speak, her little hand restlessly tugging at the silver ornaments in her hair.

The autumn wind carried the mandala’s fallen petals across the stone steps, she looked in the direction her husband had left, feeling a moment of melancholy.

”Madam, three days ago a secret report from Miaojiang arrived, the Hall Master of ’Red Practice Hall’ under Lan Xiaodie had exchanged letters with the rebels of Yang Yinglong’s forces.” The maid servant approached with a lacquered box, the yellowed letter inside carried the unique scent of southern border wormwood.

Shi Ying took it to examine, the candlelight made her brows furrowed tightly, the words at the end ”after success, we shall share Bozhou” caused her pupils to contract suddenly.

Shi Ying was previously aiding Yang Yinglong’s forces, but after several battles with Shi Feiyang, her shifting between good and evil turned to justice under the influence of Shi Feiyang’s innate uprightness, marrying Shi Feiyang, becoming completely just.

As twilight converged, a ten-zhang bonfire was lit in the Martial Arts Arena of Celestial Demon Sect. Shi Ying handed Shi Nian to the wet nurse, skillfully removed the phoenix hairpin, letting her three thousand strands of black hair cascade like a waterfall. She picked up a rusty iron sword by the arena’s edge, its blade stirred the fire’s embers, she ordered aloud: ”Disciples of the wood element, deploy ’Withered Tree Spring Array’, disciples of the gold element, form ’Eight Trigrams Lock Dragon Array’, prepare for battle by third night watch!”

The sound of drumbeats broke the night in Miaojiang, Shi Ying sat alone in the secret room of Celestial Demon Sect’s Main Altar.

The spread-out secret archives of Five Poison Sect on the desk were dyed blood red by the candlelight, her hand holding the cinnabar pen hesitated for a moment, heavily circling ”Red Practice Hall” and ”Ten Thousand Spiders Hall”. The ”Celestial Demon Nine Transformations” sword manual hanging on the wall slightly trembled in the wind, its tassels brushed against the stone wall, making a subtle rustling sound.

”Though Lan Xiaodie desires goodness, her subordinates may not put down the butcher’s knife.” Shi Ying whispered into the void, her fingertips lightly caressing the dragon patterns on the sword manual, ”Feiyang, you quell the chaos ahead, but don’t forget the hidden dangers behind.”

At 11:45 PM, three purple-flame signal arrows suddenly exploded across the southwestern sky, dyeing the night a magical purple color.

Shi Ying suddenly stood up, the Scholar’s Sword unsheathed with a dragon’s roar, its dragon patterns glinting with cold light. She propelled herself to the wall top with her toes, seeing swirling dust in the distance, Yang Yinglong’s remnants and Five Poison Sect’s rebel forces flowed in like a tide.

Leading was Liu Yu, the traitor under Yang Yinglong’s ”Blood Saber Sect”, his serrated blood saber glowed ghostly blue with poison; alongside him was the ”Crimson Fairy” Li Mei Niang, Hall Master of Five Poison Sect’s ”Red Practice Hall”, with a twelve-section poisoned soft whip wrapped around her waist; the ”Thousand Spider Hand” Song Que of ”Ten Thousand Spiders Hall” followed with steel claw gloves on his hands, fingertips dripping with stinky poison.

”Activate the ’Nine Netherworld Fire Array’!” Shi Ying commanded, the surroundings of the Main Altar immediately ignited with ghostly blue flames.

In the flickering flames, her face appeared ever more stern, she hugged Shi Nian tightly, the Scholar’s Sword danced the ”Seven Forms of Celestial Demon”, the sword shadows like silver ribbons in the sky, where they passed, the incoming poisoned arrows fell to the ground, turning into pools of black water.

Liu Yu laughed wildly wielding his blood saber, his ”Thirteen Forms of Blood Saber”: spat angrily, ”Shi Ying, today marks the end for your Celestial Demon Sect!” Li Mei Niang’s soft whip darted like a spiritual snake towards Shi Ying’s throat.

Song Que’s steel claws also attacked from the side, the winds from his claws clawed five deep furrows into the ground.

Shi Ying lightly touched her toes, leaping into mid-air with Shi Nian clutched near her, her sword took a sharp angle, her move ”Phoenix Dances for Nine Days” forced them back.

As the fierce battle continued, an eagle cry suddenly echoed from afar. ”Flying Eagle Detective” Xie Wen appeared ghost-like, Hai Dongqing’s sharp claws flashing cold light on his shoulder. ”Divine Archer” Miao Menlong drew his bow and nocked an arrow, the arrow’s tip gathered thunder light; ”Plum Blossom Darts” Shan Zhi shook his dart pouch, sending thirty-six plum blossom darts like cold stars; Little Scholar Shi Xiong clutched the White Rainbow Treasure Sword tightly, close behind. A hundred disciples of Heroic Sakura Association formed a formation, their battle cries shaking the skies.

Miao Menlong pulled his bowstring taut, the ”Star-Chasing Moon-Running Arrow” summoned lightning, crashing into the enemy ranks.

Liu Yu wielded his saber to block, but was shaken to the point his tiger’s mouth went numb from the powerful impact.

Shan Zhi’s plum blossom darts targeted the enemies’ vital spots, Li Mei Niang’s soft whip just wrapped around a dart when Shi Xiong’s White Rainbow Treasure Sword lunged like a snake, aiming straight for her lower body.

Xie Wen’s eagle claw technique was unmatched in its fierceness, directly breaking the enemy’s joints, wherever it went, screams followed. Seeing reinforcements had arrived, Shi Ying felt reassured, the cold light from the Scholar’s Sword intensified, executing the killing move ”Heaven Summons Souls” from ”Nine Transformations of Celestial Demon”.

Amid the crisscrossing sword shadows, blood splattered, disciples of Red Practice Hall and Ten Thousand Spiders Hall fell one after another.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Liu Yu tried to break out, but his shoulder was pierced by a Miao Menlong arrow.

He roared while wildly swinging his blood saber but was caught by Xie Wen’s eagle claw at his throat, Hai Dongqing’s claws simultaneously blinding both his eyes.

Li Mei Niang’s soft whip wrapped around Shan Zhi’s wrist, just as she was about to exert force, Shi Xiong’s White Rainbow Treasure Sword pierced her back.

Seeing his companions heavily wounded or killed, Song Que attempted to flee, Shi Ying appeared ghost-like before him, the Scholar’s Sword flashed cold, the ”Scattered Flowers by the Heavenly Maiden” sword move sliced him into pieces. As dawn approached, the smoke began to clear.

Shi Ying removed her bloodstained veil, softly comforting the crying Shi Nian in her arms: ”Nian’Er, fear not, mother is here guarding home, waiting for father to return.”