King of Hundred Victories Saber

The seven disciples of Wudang stepped forward with the Seven-Star Step, and Master Yuxu lightly waved his duster: ”The two female benefactors conquered the strong with the soft and broke the situation with wisdom. Truly a remarkable tale in the Martial Arts world.” Master Yuyang took out a jade bottle: ”This is the Wudang Nine Flower Jade Dew Pill, capable of dispelling all poisons. Please take it, both of you.” Master Tongzhen of Shaolin clasped his hands together in prayer, chanting the Buddhist name: ”Amitabha Buddha! How virtuous, how virtuous! The deeds of the two female Bodhisattvas should be a model in the Martial Arts world.”

Shi Feiyang parted the crowd, his dark attire fluttering noisily.

He looked at Shi Ying’s blood-stained clothes, a hint of distress flashing in his eyes: ”Madam, you’ve endured much.”

He then turned to Lan Xiaodie, cupping his fists in respect: ”Miss Lan, I am deeply grateful to you.” Saying that, he took out a token carved with heroic sakura, ”From today, you both will be Guardian Elders of the Heroic Sakura Association!” Cheers erupted again, setting the bronze bell on the city tower ringing.

Shi Ying and Lan Xiaodie exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.

They knew that this victory belonged not just to them but to all the brothers and sisters fighting alongside them. In this Jianghu filled with smoke and chivalry, their actions proved that women too could hold up the sky and write their own legends.

Three days later at 7:45 PM, the southwestern monsoon carried the sickly sweet scent of rotting flesh and gunpowder over the Bozhou Mountains.

Lan Xiaodie stood barefoot at the edge of a cliff at the source of the toxic miasma, her plain white ethnic skirt whipped into a battle flag by the wild wind, the faded crimson thread at her waist visible in the twilight. In her arms, a bamboo tube carved with the Five Poison Totems was currently pouring out light purple powder—it was ”Luring Incense,” refined from Celestial Snow Lotus, thousand-year-old ginseng, and the essence of a hundred poisonous insects from the Southern Border.

”Rise!” With a clear shout, the powder ascended like purple smoke.

The female soldiers of the Red Phoenix Camp led by Shi Ying had long been lying in ambush on the side, twenty torches soaked in tung oil broke through the twilight, plunging into the heart of the poisonous miasma like meteors. In an instant, the cyan-purple miasma emitted a sharp cry like a baby’s wail, twisting into grotesque faces under the burning fire, transformed into purple-black smoke rising straight to the sky.

Yang Yinglong’s rebellious army’s hoofbeats sounded like distant thunder.

Shi Xiong swung the Profound Iron Saber, leaping from behind a boulder, leading three hundred soldiers to form a human wall.

”Come on!” His thunderous shout shook the dew off the pine branches, ”Taste my Thirteen Life-taking Swords!” As the sword light passed, the heads of the rebellious soldiers rolled like watermelons, fresh blood mixed with the remnants of poison miasma, corroding the ground into charred black pits.

Lan Xiaodie gritted her silver teeth, the Green Phosphorus Sword drawing a move from the Five Poison Sword Technique called ”Poison Dragon Pierces the Heart,” targeting the throat of the rebel leader.

Shi Feiyang operated the Bright Jade Technique, his palms pushing out a move from the Hundred Victories Saber Technique called ”Unequaled,” nine golden saber energies interwove, shredding the rebel’s armor like paper.

In the midst of the intense battle, suddenly a cold arrow came breaking through the air, Shi Feiyang wrapped his long arm around Lan Xiaodie, protecting her in his embrace, his ice-blue True Qi instantly forming a shield. When the arrowhead collided with it, it shattered into powder.

When the last wisp of toxic mist dissipated into the sky, the people of Bozhou holding pine torches surged from all directions.

The firelight illuminated their dirty yet joyful faces, children hung lanterns painted with butterfly patterns high, their tender laughter and cheers echoing in the night sky.

Lan Xiaodie stood in the center of the crowd, looking at this hard-earned peace, tears involuntarily blurred her vision.

”Auntie Die!” A young voice sounded from behind.

Shi Ying’s young son Shi Nian squeezed in front of her holding sugar paintings, his chubby face smeared with sugar residue, ”Daddy says Auntie Die is the best, driving away all the toxic mist! Have some candy!”

Lan Xiaodie squatted down, lightly scraping the child’s nose, the sugar painting refracted rainbow colors in the firelight, resembling her once shattered and reformed Jianghu dream.

Shi Ying handed over warm rice wine, the firelight softened the fine lines at the corners of her eyes: ”Xiaodie, do you remember when we first met, you had only hatred in your eyes. Now those eyes are clearer than the snow water atop Kunlun Mountain.”

Her fingertips slid over the silver bells at Lan Xiaodie’s waist, ”At last, the sound of the bells no longer carries the air of slaughter.”

Lan Xiaodie looked at the moon shadow waving in the cup, her thoughts drifting back to the past: ”If not for my sisters’ assistance, Xiaodie might still be trapped in the shadow of the Five Poison Sect.” She gently brushed the silver bell, its tinkling sound was as clear as if washed, ”I used to think everything was black or white, but later I understood that true chivalry is daring to face one’s sins and dare to cut off inner demons.”

Shi Feiyang didn’t know when he walked to her side, his dark attire gleaming softly in the firelight.

He looked at the heroic sakura flag fluttering again in the distance, his eyes filled with smiles: ”Miss Lan, are you willing to join the Heroic Sakura Association? From now on, we will fight side by side, protecting Bozhou’s bright future for a longer time.”

Before finishing his words, a clear bugle call suddenly sounded from the city tower.

A new journey quietly began in the flickering lights.

Lan Xiaodie clenched the Green Phosphorus Sword at her waist, gazing at the starry sky, finally revealing a relieved smile.

She knew that the road in Jianghu was still long, but as long as she held chivalry in her heart, even if thorns were abundant ahead, she could still pave a bright path.

The heroic members of Heroic Sakura at Feima Pass, the seven disciples of Wudang, and the Shaolin Stick Monks succeeded in quelling the rebellion under Shi Feiyang’s leadership.

However, in Zhangyi City, the Ming army led by General Guo Dunyi continued to suffer defeats, losing many passes.

It turned out that Yang Yinglong was secretly plotting a vicious scheme with Beggar Gang Leader Zhong Renwang, Manor Master of Mingjian, Jianghu Eunuch Dugu yan, Beggar Gang Elder Ding Hong, and ”Poisonous Hand Nuwa” Li Wuduo, causing the continued defeat of the Ming army.

In early summer, the autumn rain in Guizhou was as dark as ink, soaking the leather tents of the rebel army camp in a glossy sheen.