Chapter 1055 - 285: Lone Swan in the Snow, Sorrowful Sword Shadow; Nine Netherworld Fiends Stain Frosted Blade (Part 5)

After speaking, the old hero’s eyes turned red, filled with sorrow and gratitude.

Shi Feiyang quickly stepped forward to support Lu Wen Tripod, speaking loudly: "You don’t need to be overly courteous, elder! The Nine Flags Gang has committed many evil deeds and harmed loyal subjects. They are a scourge that our Heroic Sakura Association plans to eliminate. Elder, if you don’t mind, our doors are always open to you!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Wen Tripod’s spirit was invigorated and immediately he expressed: "I am willing to lead my disciples to follow the Grand Squad Leader! My apprentices are nearby. If they could join as well, it would add some strength to the Heroic Sakura Association!"

Shi Feiyang was overjoyed, immediately instructing Flying Eagle Detective Xie Wen to use the Feixu Qingyan Technique to escort Lu Wen Tripod to find his apprentices.

In less than two days, not only were Lu Wen Tripod’s few top disciples found, but even the always mysterious Blood Rakshasa and his disciples Liu Pingsheng, Wu Zhengliang, and Ling Lanzhi also appeared.

Blood Rakshasa looked at Shi Feiyang with admiration in his eyes: "Grand Squad Leader, it’s been half a year since we last met at the Kerchin Tribe. Although I have been in the shadows of Jianghu, I understand what justice is and am willing to lead my disciples in serving the Heroic Sakura Association!"

The stone chamber inside the mountain cave was brightly decorated, filled with joy. The members of the Heroic Sakura Association set up a celebration banquet, glasses clinking amidst the festivities, Shi Feiyang, Liao Pei, Lie Quan, Wu Zhong, and other heroes, detailed the association’s mission of ’protecting the nation and aiding the people’ to Lu Wen Tripod and Blood Rakshasa.

Shi Feiyang held a wine glass, his eyes sweeping over everyone, speaking loudly: "Our Heroic Sakura Association is based in the Northwest, joining hands with the Salt Gang to protect the Salt Road and Salt Field, not for personal gain, but so that the people can enjoy affordable salt and live stable lives! Half of the proceeds are given to the people, this is our promise to this land!" After speaking, Shi Feiyang stood, reciting his own composition, "Full River Red · Heroic Aspiration": "Lone desert smoke, who dares question, heroic courage? Celestial Frost Blade, dragon’s roar and tiger’s call, the spirit engulfs mountains. Chivalrous and upright carries righteousness, a fiery heart shines on stars and moon. Though the road ahead be stormy and rough, facing the Heaven’s Gate! The people’s suffering, knots in the heart; unjust matters, resolved in hand. Watch the banners direct, all demonic creatures extinguished. Blood stains rivers and mountains, no regrets, why speak of glory in history? Wait for the day, to restore the old realm, facing the Heaven’s Gate!"

The majestic lyrics echoed inside the cave, boiling the blood of everyone present, prompting them to rise and applaud enthusiastically.

Lu Wen Tripod clapped his hands laughing: "What a ’blood stains rivers and mountains, no regrets’! Such magnanimity of the Grand Squad Leader, I salute! From now on, we are willing to follow the Grand Squad Leader, writing a new Jianghu legend in this Northwest Land!"

Blood Rakshasa also nodded in praise: "With such a heroic figure leading, why fear injustice in the world?"

At that moment, outside the stone chamber, the wind and snow of Helan Mountain continued to howl, yet in the hearts of those inside the chamber, a blazing flame was ignited.

Snow fluttered down outside the stone chamber at the edge of Helan Cliff.

Inside the chamber, the incense in the copper furnace smoked and spiraled. Blood Rakshasa gently caressed her green jade smoke pipe, the embers inside flickering, casting shadows on the fine lines around her eyes. This Celestial Mountain Elder’s Jianghu experience was as deep as the sea, and as she looked at the composed Shi Feiyang at the desk, she suddenly felt that the young man harbored a more piercing edge than the snow on Celestial Mountain.

"Grand Squad Leader wishes to quell the chaos in Bozhou, let me first speak on the Jianghu of that region." She lightly tapped the smoke pipe on the edge of the copper furnace, "Currently, a ’two sects and one association’ has risen in Baozhou Martial Arts, and their influence surprisingly surpasses the Celestial Demon Sect and Five Poison Sect that have dominated for a century."

Shi Feiyang was playing with the tassel of the Celestial Frost Blade at his waist, and upon hearing this, he lifted his eyes with a smile, his gaze clear as a cold pool: "I would love to hear more."

Blood Rakshasa’s expression became serious: "The Red Robe Sect sacrifices with blood, the White Bone Sect manipulates corpses with tricks, and the Healing Association specializes in assassinations. These three forces have spies throughout the land, anyone in Jianghu who dares to speak a word..."

She paused, pointing the smoke pipe at the half-burned candle on the desk, "will be extinguished like this candle flame."

Shi Feiyang’s sword-like brows slightly arched, his fingertip gently tapping the table rhythmically: "Operating in such a manner, what’s the difference between them and bandits claiming kingship over the mountains?"

He suddenly sneered, his voice like ice cracking, "It reminds me of the fate that befell the Nine Flags Gang."

Blood Rakshasa was inwardly startled at the fleeting murderous intent in the young man’s eyes.

Lowering her head to reload the pipe, she continued speaking: "Compared to the Five Poison Sect of a century ago, this ’two sects and one association’ is merely a flash of firefly light. However, since the Grand Squad Leader has several times humiliated the Five Poison Sect, although Lan Xiaodie has shown an inclination toward goodness, the sect is in a state of disarray."

Upon hearing this, Shi Feiyang rose and paced with his hands behind his back, his dark-colored cloak sweeping the snowy ground: "Where is the headquarters of the White Bone Sect?"

"Well..." Blood Rakshasa shook her head with a bitter smile, "The sect’s secrets are difficult for outsiders to know. However, the sect members’ collars are embroidered with white bone skulls, the larger the skull, the higher the rank. As for Wind and Thunder Palm Li Ziqian and Floating Willow Li Qi, the two Altar Masters, they have visited Southern Tianshan, I’ve had a brief encounter with them, they are not notorious villains."

Shi Feiyang stopped walking and turned, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes: "May I trouble Elder Lu and Elder Xue to take a step first, and inform those Black and White Impermanence — Heroic Sakura Association will assist the Imperial Court in suppressing the rebellion. If they know the time, they should cooperate with us in the righteous cause."

Lu Wen Tripod stroked his beard with a laugh: "Grand Squad Leader thinks too simply, these Jianghu forces will not easily submit?"

Shi Feiyang’s lips curved into a sinister smile: "This is just a courtesy before resorting to force. On the path of the Heroic Sakura Association, more than fifty thousand villains have died by my blade." He reached out to press the Celestial Frost Blade, the dragon pattern on the scabbard seemed to come alive in the candlelight, "Adding another million heads, the Jianghu will finally be peaceful."

After speaking, he strode out, the force from his garments extinguishing the candle on the desk.

In the darkness, only Lu Wen Tripod and Blood Rakshasa were left looking at each other, with Shi Feiyang’s words that cut through the night echoing in their ears.

The snowy night was deep, Shi Feiyang summoned Shi Xiong and Xie Wen, instructing Shi Xiong to accompany Guo Xiangyu well, then left with Xie Wen.

The two displayed supreme lightness techniques flying away from the Helan Mountain Range.

Shi Feiyang’s Thousand Miles Without Retaining Steps shattered frost and snow, Xie Wen’s Feixu Qingyan Technique stirred up thin mist.

The cold night was ink black, addressing Shi Feiyang surrounded by the faint white jade-colored energy cyclone formed by the Bright Jade Technique, blocking the piercing winds outside.

His clothes fluttered, his feet lightly tapping, treading through clouds as if walking on flat ground, looking towards Jiangnan, with lights reflecting in his eyes.

Qi Meizhen’s smiling face emerged in his heart, is the Cao Bang’s banner still flapping above the canal?

Thinking like this, he let his True Qi burst from the edge of his palm, transforming his figure into a meteor, directly plunging towards Gusu City’s walls.

At 5:45 AM, the morning mist still lingered. Shi Feiyang and Xie Wen walked side by side through the green stone alleys, snow on the eaves fluttering down. Suddenly, they heard a clear call from behind: "Hey!" This voice, like a yellow warbler leaving the valley, forcefully pulled Shi Feiyang out of his daydream about Qi Meizhen holding a child.

As he turned, the dark cloak stirred up a snow mist. Three zhang away stood a plain-clothed girl, her moon-white skirt embroidered with silver-thread plum blossoms, a lamb-fat jade hairpin glowing soft light amid her hair, reminiscent of a white plum blooming in deep snow, exuding a clear, cold aloofness.

The girl’s eyes, clear like autumn water, opened wide, her cherry lips slightly parted, a cry of surprise stuck in her throat — she never expected to encounter such a figure amidst this foggy and snow-covered alley.

Shi Feiyang’s features were picturesque, his skin nourished by Bright Jade Technique was white and rosy, possessing a warm jade glow, yet his expression was cold as ice.

He glanced at the girl lightly, about to turn away, but his sleeve inadvertently swept away a piece of snow.

This unintentional action unexpectedly caused the girl’s heart to tremble, unsure if she was surprised by his extraordinary demeanor or annoyed by his indifference.

"Hold on!" The girl suddenly stepped forward, her dress’s hem sweeping through the snow, leaving winding traces.

Her already cold demeanor became more frosty, but her eyes held a hint of panic, "I have something to ask you!"

Shi Feiyang stood with his hands behind his back, True Qi flowed around him, shattering the incoming snowflakes into powder: "Miss, since you know to ask for directions, why display such arrogant behavior?" His voice was clear and resonant, each word like ice beads hitting the ground, "In the Jianghu, you should have already taken three blows from me."

The girl’s cheeks suddenly turned red, unsure if from shame or anger: "You... how do you know I can’t wield martial arts?" As she spoke, a crystalline jade sword suddenly slipped from her sleeve, its blade radiating a strange blue light, evidently it was the long-lost Cold Jade Sword of the Kunlun Sect.

The sword’s edge trembled slightly, lowering the surrounding temperature abruptly, the snow on Shi Feiyang’s shoulder instantly crystallized into ice.