Chapter 1218 - 316: The Demonic Lotus Dances Wild, Blood Rain Cries Over the Martial Arts World (Part 5)

Dugu Yan’s Qiushui Sword was completely broken, leaving only half of the hilt in his hand.

Despite their severe injuries, the pair continued to resist tenaciously.

The Martial Arts factions aimed to seize this opportunity for fame, launching wave after wave of attacks on Zhong Renwang and Dugu Yan. Shi Feiyang stepped back with a cold laugh, knowing that those in the Martial Arts world are obsessed with reputation and wouldn’t heed advice until blood is shed.

Zhong Renwang, who had previously been beaten by Shi Feiyang to the point of losing his nose and having his fearsome appearance worsened by Shi Feiyang severing both arms and hands, had new iron limbs and palms installed with nine kinds of hidden mechanisms, capable of spraying South Sea Flood Dragon poison from his palms.

Thousand Deer Plateau was in ruins, littered with shattered tables, weapons, and bloodstains. Sect Leaders and disciples from various factions instantly fell under the South Sea Flood Dragon poison emitted from Zhong Renwang’s iron limbs. Suddenly, Sect Leaders and disciples from countless factions shouted in unison: "Hero Shi, help us!"

"Hero Shi, please make a move!"

"Hero Shi, where are you? If you don’t act, we’ll all perish."

Shi Feiyang circulated the Bright Jade Technique to the "Infinite Asura’s Human Purgatory" realm, performing the "Hundred Victories Saber Technique" which fused the Tathagata Divine Palm and Divine Dragon Claw Divine Technique. With a move "Radiant Dawn," his hands acted as knives, surpassing treasure swords, striking towards Zhong Renwang.

Zhong Renwang immediately felt overwhelmed and again sprayed South Sea Flood Dragon poison with his iron limb mechanism.

However, the True Qi vortex formed by Shi Feiyang’s Bright Jade Technique rapidly spun, causing Zhong Renwang’s sprayed South Sea Flood Dragon poison to instead splash onto Dugu Yan.

Dugu Yan screamed miserably, his clothes torn apart, and his skin festering. The Jianghu Eunuch couldn’t help but angrily curse in a shrill voice, "Zhong Renwang, are you mad? You Japanese dog, Imperial Court’s eagle-dog, Divine Sword Manor’s watchdog, Oriental Invincible’s lackey, palace eunuch, how could you harm me like this?"

Zhong Renwang, infuriated by Dugu Yan exposing his shame, couldn’t help but breathe heavily, veins bulging.

Nevertheless, Shi Feiyang, empowered with Bright Jade Technique, proceeded to perform "Buddha’s Holy Lamp," instantly making his figure ethereal, his Spiritual Qi extraordinary, his palm technique dreamlike, hard to distinguish between real and illusory. He followed with another move "Reversal of Mountains and Rivers," hitting the cow from across the mountain, disorienting his enemies, darkening the skies, eclipsing the sun and moon.

Zhong Renwang, seeing stars, was struck on his back by Shi Feiyang’s palm, causing him to vomit blood and collapse on the ground.

Shi Feiyang’s golden saber energy slashed across Dugu Yan’s legs, causing him to scream in agony, kneeling on the ground.

Sect Leaders and disciples of various factions surged forward, binding Zhong Renwang and Dugu Yan.

Zhong Renwang and Dugu Yan were tightly bound by a mysterious iron chain under an ancient cypress, their eyes filled with despair and unwillingness.

Sect Leaders surrounded them, gazing at the bloody battlefield, their hearts a mix of complex emotions.

This thrilling battle made Jianghu people realize that justice may be delayed, but it never fails to arrive.

Zhong Renwang and Dugu Yan were tightly bound by mysterious iron chains under an ancient cypress, their eyes conveyed despair and resentment.

Xie Zhichuan hid in the shadows under Scripture Pavilion’s flying eaves, his charcoal-black face twisted like a demon.

He glared at Zhong Renwang’s miserable appearance, digging his nails deeply into his palms, "What a ’righteous and generous’ Beggar Gang Leader, using Divine Sword Manor’s gold and silver treasures to raise private soldiers, only to end up beheaded!" The treasure sword at his waist trembled slightly, seemingly aggrieved by the hundred thousand taels of silver.

Li Wuduo leaned against a weathered stone lion, her bright red nails tracing her lips.

She mockingly looked at the expanding water stain in Dugu Yan’s pants embroidered with gold thread, jeering, "Years ago, you castrated yourself to practice swordsmanship, claiming you’d become the world’s best, now you wet your pants in fear?" The snake tattoo beneath her sheer bustier twisted with laughter, "If you knew then what you know now, why show me false affection?"

On the mountaintop, Beggar Gang Elder Ding Hong leaned on the Dog-Beating Stick, his murky old eyes glistening with tears.

He sometimes laughed hysterically, sometimes cried bitterly, the copper bell at the stick’s head shook out a frenzied rhythm, "Thirty years! Thirty years of humiliation! Even you, Zhong Renwang, have this day!" The iron crutch slammed into the ground, startling the cold crows.

He turned away, excitedly assuming the Beggar Gang Leader position.

Just then, Northwest Salt Gang Leader Xue Hong Mountain pushed through the crowd, stepping forward. His Yanling Saber at his waist, having slain countless salt smugglers, unsheathed, bringing a salty breeze. "Zhong the vicious villain! You didn’t think you’d have this day! Humph!"

With a flash of the blade, Zhong Renwang’s head rolled to the ground, blood spouting from the neck stump, dyeing the temple front’s "Compassion and Mercy" plaque red.

Dugu Yan watched Xue Hong Mountain gradually approaching, his knees heavily struck the bluestone slab: "Hero Xue, have mercy! It’s all Zhong Renwang’s coercion!" His face streamed with tears, "I merely slept with Xie Luo Jia’s wife, got caught by him, hence..."

Before the words were finished, Sect Leader Hong Chaopeng of the Crocodile Sect suddenly flicked out a steel cutter.

A flash of cold light, and Dugu Yan’s head rolled to the corner where Xie Zhichuan was hiding, the blood from the neck spraying crimson on Hong Chaopeng’s face.

Xie Zhichuan bit his hand hard, his fingernails almost digging into the flesh; he never imagined he was Dugu Yan’s seventh son.

Li Wuduo glanced sidelong at his trembling silhouette, her painted fingertips tracing a contemptuous arc in the air.

Like frightened dogs, the two crawled along the wall, disappearing into the twilight in an instant.

Lan Xiaodie looked at the chaos in the pool of blood, the hem of her green skirt lightly lifted by the evening wind.

She turned to Shi Feiyang, with the fire clouds reflected in her eyes: "Husband, the Five Poison Sect once used poison as a weapon; now I understand that the medicine to save lives and poison to kill, are merely a thought apart."

Shi Feiyang’s dark attire bore traces of smoke, the ice-blue True Qi of Bright Jade Technique flickered in the twilight.

He gently wiped the bloodstains from Lan Xiaodie’s temple, the warmth of his palm melting the solidified blood beads: "Jianghu is like a chessboard, where some fall as demons, and others hold as Buddhas."

The sunset slowly descended, their silhouettes standing shoulder to shoulder, stretched long like sharp swords piercing through the darkness.

In the distance, the Shaolin bell rang melodiously, startling a mountain full of birds, yet unable to dispel the blood-colored residue left by this Martial Arts catastrophe.

The smoke had yet to clear at Thousand Deer Plateau, the setting sun turning the bloodstains on the ground amber.

The blood scabs on Shi Feiyang’s knuckles had not yet dried, suddenly he sensed a fragrance akin to orchids or musk lingering around him.

Shi Ying shed the men’s attire, a moonlight white soft satin skirt wrapped around her graceful figure, the pearl hairpin gently swaying in her hair, her delicate hand like spring willow twining around his arm: "Shi Lang, your hand is injured again..." Her fingertips softly stroked his palm’s sword calluses, tears welled in her eyes, and she took out an embroidered silk handkerchief with twin lotuses from her sleeve, gently pressing it on the wound.

"Let me see." A chilling female voice came from behind. Lan Xiaodie walked over the scattered corpses, the Green Phosphorus Sword still dripping dark red blood, but upon touching Shi Feiyang, it transformed into tender affection.

She untied the dark green scarf from her neck, expertly bandaging his wrist where the saber had cut, her fingertips inadvertently grazing his skin, her ear tips blushing with a faint red: "Next time you fight like this, not even the antidote from the Five Poison Sect will save you." Before finishing, she suddenly drew the Golden Silkworm Gu Flute from her waist, playing it towards the Jinyi Guards ready to pounce, the flute sound was mournful and beseeching, the Gu insects surging forward like dark clouds.

Suddenly the sound of bracelets jingling was heard, as Xue Qiuchun, supported by two maids, slowly approached.

She was several months pregnant, the silhouette beneath her goose-yellow skirt slightly plump, yet it couldn’t conceal the gentleness in her brows.

She gently caressed Shi Feiyang’s bloodstained lapel, her voice soft enough to drip water: "Feiyang, you promised to return safely..."

After speaking, she took out a small sandalwood box from her sleeve, opening it revealed half of a crystal-clear Jade Pendant, "This is the token you gave me when we pledged our love; I carry it close every day, fearing if anything happens..."

She choked, unable to continue, placing the Jade Pendant against his heart.

Shi Feiyang gazed at the three beauties before him, the murderous intent stirring in his chest transformed into gentle affection.

He countergrasped Shi Ying’s hand, lightly placed his hand on Lan Xiaodie’s shoulder, and finally wrapped his arm around Xue Qiuchun’s waist: "The blood at Thousand Deer Plateau has finally been washed clean. Let’s go home, back to Tingxue Building in Gusu City."

His voice was deep and firm, carrying the tenderness of one who had survived calamity.

Shi Ying tiptoed, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek: "The plum blossoms at Tingxue Building have bloomed and withered again, this time, I want to experience ten years of beauty with you."

Lan Xiaodie let out a soft hum, yet lightly leaned her head on his shoulder: "The exotic flowers and rare grasses of the Five Poison Sect should also be moved to Tingxue Building."

Xue Qiuchun nestled against his chest, softly speaking: "Once the child is born, we’ll teach him to read, practice martial arts, and live a peaceful life..."

As twilight grew darker, the four figures interwoven in the bloody sunset. Shi Feiyang swept dust off his shoulder and embraced the three beauties, leaving slowly.

Behind them, the cries of the Jinyi Guards faded into the distance, while the wind at Thousand Deer Plateau carried their tender whispered words far away.