King of Hundred Victories Saber

Seeing that everyone still had doubts, Shi Feiyang raised his head and puffed out his chest, saying loudly, ”Everyone, please listen to my self-composed ’Crimson River: Heroic Ambition’: In the vast desert, who dares to question the courage of a hero? Celestial Frost Blade, dragon roars and tiger calls, swallowing mountains and rivers. A chivalrous spirit bears moral duty, a passionate heart reveals stars and moon. Although the road ahead is fraught with storms, face the heavens! The people suffer, the heart tightens; injustice resolved by the hand. Watch the banner point, demons scatter. Blood tills mountains and rivers without regret, fame writes history, no need for words. In years to come, reclaim the world, face the heavens!!”

He cleared his throat and recited loudly, his voice resonating like a tolling bell, each word strong and forceful.

Listening to these passionate and stirring verses, the hot blood in everyone’s hearts gradually ignited, and the hesitation in their eyes slowly turned into determination.

The group of heroes proceeded to chant ’Crimson River: Heroic Ambition’: ”In the vast desert, who dares to question the courage of a hero? Celestial Frost Blade, dragon roars and tiger calls, swallowing mountains and rivers. A chivalrous spirit bears moral duty, a passionate heart reveals stars and moon. Although the road ahead is fraught with storms, face the heavens! The people suffer, the heart tightens; injustice resolved by the hand. Watch the banner point, demons scatter. Blood tills mountains and rivers without regret, fame writes history, no need for words. In years to come, reclaim the world, face the heavens!”

The cold wind blew shattered ice between the ruins of Feima Pass, before the medical tent where members of the Heroic Sakura Association gathered, the scent of blood mixed with the aroma of herbs congealed in the cold air.

Liao Pei leaned against a broken wooden plank, blood droplets from his bandages fell on the piled snow, staining the surroundings dark red; Lie Quan grasped his injured hand, his knuckles turning white from anger; Xiao Lingling half-reclined in her husband’s embrace, the wound on her shoulder still oozing blood, soaking half of her garment.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps on snow came from afar, the robes of the seven disciples of Wudang still covered with frost and snow, Master Yuxu holding a duster with icicles, while the fifteen Shaolin stick monks planted their staves firmly on the snowy ground, carving deep marks.

A commotion arose among the crowd, ”Long Arm Fist” Liao Pei snorted coldly and turned his head away; ”Plum Blossom Dart” Shan Zhi spat a mouthful of blood and cursed under his breath, ”Where were you earlier!”

Master Yuxu looked at the chaos all around, his snowy eyebrows trembling, and took the lead to step forward, his voice like a clangorous bell yet unable to conceal his guilt, ”Grand Squad Leader Shi, Wudang offers its apologies! Due to our sect’s longstanding ties with the Imperial Court, we dared not act rashly just now...”

Before he finished talking, Blood Rakshasa had already drawn his Long Sword, aiming the tip directly at Master Yuxu, ”Easy for you to say! When my senior was gravely injured by the Jinyi Guard to protect our fellows, where were your ties?”

Master Yuchen gazed at the sufferers groaning in the medical tent, his Adam’s apple rolling, his voice trembling, ”Fellow heroes, the Jinyi Guard’s actions are truly intolerable to the heavens! But the people of Bozhou are in deep water and fire, the rebellion is not yet quelled, if at this moment...” ”Shut your mouth!” Liao Pei coughed abruptly, shaking his right rib wound to gush blood like a spring, ”You pat your backs and leave, but our brothers have to pay with their lives!”

Shi Feiyang stepped slowly out from the crowd, ice-blue True Qi faintly visible around him, the ring on his left middle finger flashing mysterious runes.

He bowed deeply, his gaze sweeping across the seven disciples of Wudang and the Shaolin stick monk, ”Daoist Master Yuxu, Master Tongzhen, I understand well the inability of Jianghu Sects.” He turned to look at the ravaged battlefield, his voice suddenly rising, ”But now, the rebellion rampant, the people displaced, if even we fall apart, who else in this world can uphold justice?”

Master Tongzhen pressed both hands together, Buddha Beads spinning between his fingers, sighing, ”Amitabha Buddha, although I have withdrawn with the monks, peace has been elusive. Grand Squad Leader Shi cares for the people, I am willing to lead the Shaolin Martial Monk to exert a modest effort for quelling the rebellion.”

Under his robe, whip marks appeared, evidently attacked by the Jinyi Guard upon retreat. Master Yuxu, seeing this, heavily flicked his duster, his robe sleeve billowing, ”The seven disciples of Wudang vow today! Once the rebellion is quelled, we shall join the Heroic Sakura Association in purging the Jinyi Guard!”

He turned to the members of the Heroic Sakura Association, his gaze sincere, ”Just now, our retreat was indeed our fault. But the Wudang swordsmanship ’Two Elements Swordsmanship’ and ’Mian Palm’ excel at rescue, willing to help adjust the injured meridians.”

”Iron Palm” Wu Zhong supported his wife Xiao Lingling, sneering, ”Sounds good, but who knows if it’s a delaying tactic?”

Shi Feiyang raised his hand to stop him, taking out a yellowed manual from his bosom, ”This ’Xi Sui Jing’ is a treasure of Shaolin, Master Tongzhen is willing to lend it to us for healing.”

He also took out a jade token engraved with the pattern of Wudang Mountain, ”Daoist Master Yuxu offered the formula of Wudang’s ’Nine Flower Jade Dew Pill’.”

Everyone was astonished. Blood Rakshasa sheathed his sword, biting his lip and turning his head away; Liao Pei slightly loosened his grip on the broken plank. Shi Xiong suddenly emerged from the crowd, looking up with his little face, ”Big brothers, stop arguing! Brother Xie said that one more person means one more strength!”

He raised the bamboo tube in his hand, ”These are the Wound Healing Medicines brought by the Daoist Masters of Wudang!” Shi Feiyang looked into the boy’s clear eyes and laughed heartily, ”Indeed! The Heroic Sakura Association never differentiates sects, only asks about chivalry!”

He clasped his fists and scanned the crowd, ”If you trust me, then focus on quelling the rebellion first. Once the people return to peace, we will settle this with the Imperial Court!”

The seven disciples of Wudang and the Shaolin stick monks clasped their fists in return, as Master Yuyang stepped forward, ”Grand Squad Leader Shi is benevolent, Wudang is willing to comply!”

In the crowd, the originally tense shoulders of the Heroic Sakura Association disciples gradually relaxed, ”Divine Archer” Miao Menlong quietly picked up broken bowstrings and began to rewrap them; Ling Lanzhi sheathed her Long Sword and turned towards the medical tent.

Shi Feiyang patted Shi Xiong’s shoulder, ”Go, guide the Daoists to their accommodation.”

He looked toward the still somewhat stiff crowd, calling loudly, ”Brothers and sisters, I’ll go see the wounded now. Tomorrow, we’ll regroup!” With that, he strode toward the medical tent, snowflakes stirred by his garments drawing a silvery-white arc in the air, like the dawn before the break of day, piercing through the darkness of the cold night.