King of Hundred Victories Saber

Shi Feiyang noticed the freshly changed medicine cloth on her ankle and took out a jade bottle from his belongings. ”This is a new edition of Muscle Regeneration Powder, more effective than yesterday’s.” He gently sprinkled the powder onto the wound, and icy blue True Qi flowed from his fingertips. Yun Wuyue felt a coldness seep into her bones, instantly relieving much of the pain. Yun Wuyue looked at his focused profile and suddenly smiled with deep meaning, ”Hero Shi came here late at night, not just to deliver medicine, right?” She picked up the ceramic bowl from the ground and poured Shi Feiyang a cup of cool tea, ”Speak, what new trouble has Yang Yinglong’s remnants caused?”

Shi Feiyang took the tea bowl, their reflections mirrored in the tea, ”Indeed, nothing escapes you. News from Miao Village reports that the Five Poison Sect is gathering in the Southwest, there seems to be unusual activity.” He frowned deeply, ”I heard you were once a strategist among the rebels, what is your insight on this?”

Yun Wuyue’s fingertips caressed the rim of the bowl, her gaze slowly becoming deep, ”Lan Qin’Er is dead, but her sister Lan Xiaodie has an unpredictable nature. The Five Poison Sect is skilled in using poison insects and miasma; if they collude with Yang Yinglong’s remnants...”

She suddenly grabbed Shi Feiyang’s sleeve, ”They are very likely to use the Southwest terrain to set up the ’Ten Thousand Gu Devouring Heaven Array’!”

Shi Feiyang’s pupils contracted, almost spilling the tea bowl. He remembered the battle at Miao Ling the other day, the horrific scene of poisonous insects tearing flesh still vivid in his mind, he asked urgently, ”How to break this array?”

Yun Wuyue rose and paced, moonlight streaming through the broken window onto her, like a layer of silver gauze. ”We must find the array’s eye and use the most Yang and firm Inner Strength to destroy it. But...” She stopped walking, ”For the array setup, it must be placed in the ’Earth Vein Eye’ where the Yin is most concentrated. Among the continuous Southwest mountains, where is the array eye?” The two fell into contemplation, only the mountain wind swept through the forest, swirling the fallen leaves.

Shi Feiyang looked at Yun Wuyue’s furrowed brows and suddenly remembered Xie Wen’s words, ”The sharpness is too excessive.” At this moment, her eyes sparkled with wisdom, more riveting than the day she acted coyly wanting to be the grassland leader.

”No matter what, we must try.” Shi Feiyang broke the silence, ”I will soon gather heroes from all directions to discuss the strategy to defeat the enemy. Miss Yun... are you willing to lend me a helping hand?”

Yun Wuyue chuckled softly, picking up the Cyan Blade, its tip lifting a fallen leaf. ”Hero Shi is recruiting me?” She stepped closer, her eyes full of mischievousness, ”Then I have a condition — after quelling the rebellion, you must personally teach me the Hundred Victories Saber Technique!”

Shi Feiyang was moved by the gleam in her eyes and laughed, ”Deal is made!”

Moonlight filtered through the mottled shadows of the trees, intertwining their silhouettes.

In the distance, the lights at Feima Pass flickered in the night.

The two slowly returned to the tent, the flammable ice in the copper stove crackled, the pale blue flames intermittently illuminated the tent’s walls.

Shi Feiyang added a piece of ice crystal to the stove, his gaze caught Yun Wuyue’s trembling hand holding the Tiger Bone Soup, her blood-stained cuff carefully rolled up, revealing the wrist wrapped in medicine cloth.

”When I first entered Jianghu, I was as determined as you.” Shi Feiyang suddenly spoke, his voice rich like aged wine, ”When fighting horse thieves solo in Liaodong, a scimitar cut into my scapula, yet I forced myself to chase for thirty miles. Later, I realized that the bravado only worries those who care about you.” Yun Wuyue’s hand paused, the soup spoon swirled small ripples in the bowl, ”Hero Shi is talking about... Senior Sister Bai Zhi?”

She looked up but saw Shi Feiyang staring at the flickering flames, his expression calm as an abyss, only a subtle hint of wistfulness passing beneath his eyes.

”Xiangyu once said, a true hero is not made of iron or Vajra.” Shi Feiyang’s fingertips subconsciously caressed the fragrance pouch at his waist, which was hand-sewn by Guo Xiangyu with fine stitches on the edge, ”It’s like this flammable ice, seemingly unbreakable, but inside hides a flame that can warm the heart.” He suddenly turned, his gaze intense, ”Miss Yun, do you know why I chose this place?”

Yun Wuyue followed his gaze out the window.

Moonlight streamed through the mottled shadows of trees, onto the ragged eaves of the small hut.

There still hung a faded string of wind chimes, weakly ringing in the wind. ”Because this place carries Hero Shi’s memories?” She whispered, ”But given the current crisis, shouldn’t we quickly discuss strategies to dispel the miasma?”

”Precisely because it’s urgent, it’s more important to keep the heart.” Shi Feiyang stood and pulled the brocade closer over her shoulders, the icy blue True Qi transmitted through his fingertips, dispelling the residual cold within her. ”Lan Xiaodie is elusive. Instead of blindly searching, stabilize the troops first.”

From his bosom, he took out a yellowed map and slowly spread it on the low table, ”Look, this is the distribution map of the Five Poison Sect’s secret bases in the Southwest, Xiangyu back then...”

The conversation abruptly stopped. The two fell silent simultaneously, only the soft crackling of burning flames echoed in the tent.

Yun Wuyue suddenly chuckled softly, ”I didn’t imagine Hero Shi had moments of hesitating to speak.”

She scooped a spoonful of soup, the heat veiled her gaze yet making it clearer. Pausing, she continued, ”But I believe, for someone who Hero Shi cares for, she must be a rare extraordinary lady in this world.”

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, his laughter shaking the bronze bell, ”Miss Yun’s mouth is sharper than a plum blossom dart.” His fingertip touched a spot on the map, ”This is where Lan Xiaodie was last seen at the Miao Village, but if we go recklessly, we might fall into an ambush. In your opinion, what should we do?”

Yun Wuyue put down the soup bowl, her jade fingers traced the map’s winding mountains, ”The Five Poison Sect is skilled in using insects and Gu, there must be miasma defenses around Miao Village. We could first have Miao Menlong use detox herbs to clear the path, then...” She suddenly coughed violently, blood stained the handkerchief.