Chapter 1065 - 287: Heroic Might Sweeps Through the Netherway, Jade Shadow Seeks the Secret Classic Alone (Part 5)

She turned her head to look at Shi Feiyang, a resolute glint in her eyes, "It seems we must make a trip to Kunlun."

Shi Feiyang gazed at the Jade Void Map, a tide of complex emotions surging in his heart.

This journey to Kunlun is bound to be fraught with danger, but if the mystery of the Spirit Vein can be unraveled, it might bring about a revolution in the Jianghu. He clenched his fist, meeting Xue Li’s determined gaze, and nodded, "Alright, I’ll go with you."

The fine spring rain, tinged with the smell of blood, seeped into the seams of the bluestone slabs. As Shi Feiyang’s fingertips just touched the remnants of the Jade Void Map in the deerskin bag, the sound of dragging chains suddenly came from outside the secret chamber’s door.

The noise, mixed with the sharp screech of metal scraping the ground, resembled the wails of countless wronged souls deep in the Nine Netherworld. "Not good!" With a light tap of his toes, his dark cloak swept off the green porcelain on the table as he rolled the jade map into his sleeve, when the blue brick floor began oozing dark green liquid.

Xue Li Jade Sword was unsheathed, the blue light reflecting her pale face with a chill, "It’s the ’Bone-Eroding Soul-locking Chain’ of the White Bone Sect, they’ve long set up an inescapable net." Before her voice had faded, the stone door of the secret chamber exploded with a roar, the debris scattering like hail.

The first to break in was a figure in black robes, wielding a White Bone Staff, its head adorned with a skull whose eye sockets flickered with ghostly green fire. It was none other than the "Nether Protector" of the White Bone Sect. He let out a sinister laugh, his voice like a snake spitting venom, "Shi Feiyang, Little Junior Sister Xue Li, hand over the Jade Void Map, and I can let you rest in one piece." Shi Feiyang slowly drew out the Celestial Frost Blade, the moment the blade left its sheath, a three-foot cold gleam rose, confronting the ghostly green fire dancing on the head of the Nether Protector’s staff from afar. His clothes fluttered without wind, his Bright Jade Technique Inner Strength pushed to the limit, the ice crystals condensed on the blade refracted a piercing light, much like the icy resolve in his eyes, "The secret treasure of Kunlun is not something you monsters can desecrate. Today, you shall learn the rules of Central Plains Martial Arts!"

Before his words had fully ended, Shi Feiyang’s form moved like lightning, executing a move called "Golden Dragon Coiling Claws."

The Celestial Frost Blade transformed into a gigantic golden dragon, its claws descending, causing the air to emit a shrill crack, even tearing the space apart.

The Nether Protector cackled, his White Bone Staff whirling vigorously, a dense black fog instantly enveloping the entire secret chamber.

In an instant, the four walls were covered with corpse-like green and purple marks, and the ground seeped with foul-smelling blood, precisely the fearsome "Nether Ghost Fog Array" of the White Bone Sect. "Be careful!" Xue Li Jade Sword struck repeatedly, employing the Kunlun Sect’s supreme technique, "Snow Shadow Splitting Light Sword."

Seven sword shadows wove into a net, Sword Qi piercing the black-clad intruders like a torrential pear blossom rain.

Yet bizarrely, where the Sword Qi penetrated, fine white maggots emerged, writhing within the flesh and blood.

Xue Li’s expression shifted slightly as she loudly warned, "This fog contains ’Corpse Poison Heart-eating Worms’!" As she spoke, she took out a small jade bottle from her bosom, scattering the Kunlun’s secret antidote. The refreshing medicinal scent collided with the rotten stench, exploding into a brilliant mist in midair, but it could only temporarily suppress the worm poison.

Seizing the momentum, Shi Feiyang leapt into the air, in mid-air executing the "Red Dust Slash" from the Hundred Victories Saber Technique.

Cold light poured down like a galaxy, and three black-clad individuals were cut in half before they could react.

The severed stumps had not yet sprayed blood before being corroded by the ghostly mist into black pus, emitting a nauseating stench.

Seeing this, the Nether Protector’s eyes flashed with malice.

The White Bone Staff in his hand suddenly cracked into nine segments of chains, the tips hooked with ghostly blue poison, entwining toward Shi Feiyang’s throat like a Spiritual Snake: "Die for me!"

At the critical moment, Xue Li let out a delicate cry, her Jade Sword transforming into a blue light, meeting the chains with the "Ice Soul Cold Light Sword."

The clash of blade and chain ignited countless sparks, unexpected arrows of Bone-Piercing Nails shot from the darkness, one striking directly at her left shoulder.

"Xue Li!" Shi Feiyang’s eyes nearly split apart as he saw the web-like black lines rapidly spreading from her wound.

His True Qi surged wildly, the Celestial Frost Blade glowing with a golden light as he performed the "Poison-Breaking Three Forms" from the Hundred Victories Saber Technique. The first form, "Green Pouch Opening the Sky," unleashed Saber Qi like roaring waves, with the momentum of Mountain-Splitting Rock-Breaking, flinging the surrounding black-clad foes several yards away.

Their bodies collided with the stone walls, letting out ghastly screams, transforming into putrid pools of blood, their skeletal remains glowing eerily in the blood, an utterly horrifying scene.

Shi Feiyang’s Hundred Victories Saber Technique, each move embodied the utmost vigorous force.

Every swing of the saber whistled, carrying the overwhelming might of a tidal wave, the Saber Light flashed like a blazing sun, capable of cleaving through any worldly obstruction.

This saber technique contains only nine moves, yet each is simple, lethal, refined through countless life-and-death battles, reaching the pinnacle of mastery.

In the transition between attack and defense, it seamlessly shifts, much like "Golden Dragon Coiling Claws," the saber moves with the agility of a golden dragon, swift in attack, yet tightly defensive.

When Shi Feiyang infused the Bright Jade Technique’s Inner Strength into it, the saber’s power doubled, every strike carried a powerful wave, shattering the opponent’s attack, truly a superlative skill in the Martial Arts world.

The night in Gusu City was set ablaze by torches, akin to a boiling sea of blood.

As Shi Feiyang clasped Xue Li, breaking out of the window, she inhaled the scent of smoke and sweat from him, a scent more comforting than the millennium-old ice in the Kunlun Snow Cave. The "Never Resting Thousand Miles" Lightweight Technique kicked up shattered tiles all around, yet Shi Feiyang’s embrace remained as steady as a rock.

Xue Li rested against his chest, listening to the strong heartbeat, recalling her own icy demeanor at their first meeting, never imagining that she would entrust her life to this man now.

The black wave of Qi sliced by the bone saber of the Three Envoys of the Netherworld brushed past her ear, yet Shi Feiyang only held her tighter, as if embracing the most precious treasure in the world. Xue Li gazed at his stoic profile; in the firelight, his contours were as chiseled as a sculpture, yet his eyes held a warmth that only she could decipher.

By the time they hid in the ruined temple, Xue Li was already semi-conscious. She saw Shi Feiyang anxiously tearing off his collar, his hands, accustomed to wielding the Celestial Frost Blade, now gently handling her as if she were fragile Liuli.

Black blood seeped through the fabric, corroding deep pits into the blue bricks, yet he paid it no mind, only slowly channeling the warm True Qi of the Bright Jade Technique into her body. "Hold on!" Shi Feiyang’s sweat dripped onto her face, scorching her heart with pain, "The Kunlun Jade Void Map hasn’t appeared yet, you cannot..."

Xue Li barely opened her eyes, looking at the man fighting desperately for her, her heart filled with an aching gratitude.

"Young Master Shi... don’t worry about me, the Jade Void Map is more important..." her voice was as faint as a candle in the wind.

"Say no more!" Shi Feiyang interrupted her, a flash of anger crossing his eyes, quickly turning to tenderness, "I promised to protect you, and I won’t go back on my word. You know? Since you appeared in my life, this Jade Void Map, this Jianghu, can’t hold a candle to your safety and happiness."

Xue Li was stunned, tears uncontrollably streaming down her face.

In this blood-soaked Jianghu, she never imagined there would be someone who treasured her more than righteousness itself.

"Why... why are you so good to me..." she choked as she asked.

Shi Feiyang lowered his head, pressing his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling, "Because you are worth it. From the moment you fought to protect innocent people, knowing you were outmatched yet still raised your sword, I knew there would never be another woman who moved my heart like you do." Xue Li could no longer suppress her feelings, using all her strength to wrap her arms around his neck, "I don’t want you to risk for me... but I’m afraid, afraid of never seeing you again..."