Prologue

At the forefront stands a man in his thirties, handsome and imposing, none other than Ouyang Liancheng, who has dominated both the righteous and the wicked in the martial world for nearly a decade, renowned for his unparalleled martial arts skills and highly respected by the martial community. Behind him are the Northern Duo, known for their 'Ice Flame Palm' and 'Heavenly Sun Five-Form Sword,' who have followed him for many years, along with the Thirteen Liancheng Bodyguards, each capable of standing alone in the martial world, as well as various family members and servants. Ouyang Liancheng not only possesses exceptional martial arts but also has skilled hands adept at crafting various exquisite and powerful weapons, hidden weapons, and firearms. The 'Separation Sword,' 'Silver Flower Death Needle,' and 'Heartbreaking Feather' he forged have further instilled fear in the martial world.

A month ago, Ouyang Liancheng crafted a type of bow and arrow known as the 'Meteor Rocket.' It is said that once the meteor arrow is shot, propelled by gunpowder, it travels at a speed akin to that of a meteor, exploding upon hitting its target. No one within a radius of thirty meters is spared, and all vegetation is reduced to ashes. It is also said that this event alarmed the imperial court. On the day the manufacturing test was successfully conducted, Ouyang Liancheng, realizing the immense power of the weapon, destroyed it that very day. However, some say that although Ouyang Liancheng destroyed the Meteor Rocket, he retained the blueprints for its manufacture.

Currently, the four sects of Emei, Diancang, Huashan, and Kunlun in the martial arts world are renowned for their swordsmanship, collectively known as the Four Great Sword Sects of the martial arts community. Every two years, these four sects gather their disciples to engage in mutual swordsmanship exchanges, thus maintaining a friendly relationship, with many outstanding disciples in their ranks.

Let us return to our protagonist! For the past seven or eight years, a verse has circulated in the martial world regarding the rising generation: "As the heavens and earth grow old, the willow catkins drift; at a distance of mere inches, one wanders the ends of the earth."

Ouyang Liancheng and his companions had already crossed the bridge, yet everyone's thoughts seemed to be focused on the fisherman. The fisherman's brows, hidden beneath his bamboo hat, appeared to have not moved a fraction. Finally, Ouyang Liancheng waved his hand, and the carriages and horses came to a halt. At that very moment, the fisherman's hand moved, and the fishing rod, devoid of fishing line, was raised. Instantly, a series of earth-shattering explosions erupted beneath the feet of Ouyang Liancheng and his group of dozens, causing chaos and resulting in heavy casualties. Ouyang Liancheng was both shocked and furious, his legs blown off on the spot. Simultaneously, more than thirty figures suddenly leaped up from both sides of the mountain path, all dressed in black with white long robes draped over them, their faces covered with black cloth. As these individuals appeared, a flurry of concealed weapons swiftly targeted the remaining fewer than ten people on Ouyang Liancheng's side. Following this, there was a full hour of intense clashing sounds of metal and the whistling of palm strikes. On the side of the black-clad individuals, ten fell, and the thirteen guards of Liancheng were all perished. After a moment, three more black-clad individuals fell into a pool of blood, the Northern Desert's twin heroes also fell. The intense clashing sounds of metal and the whistling of palm strikes continued for a full hour. On the side of the black-clad individuals, ten fell, and the thirteen guards of Liancheng were all perished. After a moment, three more black-clad individuals fell into a pool of blood, the Northern Desert's twin heroes also fell. Everything returned to silence, blood flowed, the crimson blood painted on the crystal-clear white ice and snow, resembling an exclamation mark, both beautiful and striking.

Let our story begin with the protagonist, Ren Piaoping

However, no matter what, this can be considered a small world of martial heroes, after all, the greatest of heroes act for the people and the nation! ... At this time, it was the year 1673 AD, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. The Sanfan faction harbored ulterior motives, while the descendants of the Great Xia Dynasty in the vast desert were stirring restlessly... Meanwhile, Korea was under the rule of King Seonjong Lee Yeon, and as a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, it was extremely dissatisfied. The royal family still longed for the Ming Dynasty, and there was even the son of the Crown Prince Lee Hwi, who was supposed to ascend to the Korean throne but was killed by conspiracy... At the same time, the country of Fusang (Japan) was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, a period marked by constant rebellion and uprisings among the Japanese ronin... Korea, as a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, was extremely dissatisfied, with the royal family still reminiscing about the Ming Dynasty, and there was even the son of the Crown Prince Lee Hwi, who was supposed to ascend to the Korean throne but was killed by conspiracy... Meanwhile, the country of Fusang (Japan) was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, a period marked by constant rebellion and uprisings among the Japanese ronin...

Just looking at the scene before him, Ouyang Liancheng seemed as if he was about to relocate his entire family. The group quickly arrived at the bottom of the valley, where there was a bridge. Beneath the bridge flowed a frozen river, and on the bridge sat a person, an old fisherman in a straw raincoat and bamboo hat, fishing alone in the cold river snow. However, here, the solitary boat had transformed into a solitary bridge. In such weather, on this ice-bound river, the person clad in a straw coat and wearing a bamboo hat held a fishing rod without a fishing line. What exactly was he trying to catch?

In the year 1656 AD, during the cold winter months, in the northern region of Sichuan, heavy snow fell incessantly, and the northwestern wind raged as if cursed, wreaking havoc in the icy and snowy mountains for a full seven days and nights. In this desolate land where not a single bird flew and no trace of human presence could be found, suddenly a dark spot appeared at the end of the distant mountain path. In a moment, the sound of galloping hooves grew increasingly urgent, gradually drawing closer. It was not just one figure, but dozens of figures, all clad in fine garments and riding spirited horses, along with several horse-drawn carriages loaded with boxes and various belongings, racing down the mountain path from above.

Thus, twenty-eight years ago, a secret operation involving the interests of the Qing Dynasty, Korea, and Japan began to gradually reveal itself today amidst a series of intricate and complex mysteries of the martial arts world... The three unparalleled masters, once unknown to the public... The martial arts prodigy, Han Xiaozu...

Since the departure of Ouyang Liancheng, the hidden weapon factions that remain are the Tang Sect from Shu and the Cuiyan Sect from Yunnan. At the same time, two new sects have emerged in the martial world: the Zhentian Gang and the Xiaohun Sect. The Zhentian Gang, founded by Zhao Shiqing, is a large sect with a membership second only to the Beggar's Sect, while the Xiaohun Sect is a fleeting sect with the smallest number of members.

The green mountains stir, dark tides surge, a stench of blood rises, blood rain drifts, swords are raised, and the children grow up

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, nine years have passed. Nine years ago, the situation in the martial arts world seemed to remain unchanged. However, a newly established sect called 'Golden Worship' outside the borders is gradually infiltrating its power into the Central Plains martial arts community. At the same time, amidst the undercurrents, a mysterious assassin organization known as 'Cactus,' which has existed for over a year, is becoming increasingly dominant in the martial world.

Now, only the broken legs of Ouyang Liancheng remain, his blood has frozen. Ouyang Liancheng is consumed by rage, yet at the end of his fury, he is remarkably calm, causing the nearly twenty people surrounding him to hesitate in their actions. Ouyang Liancheng smiles faintly, a smile filled with endless mockery. Suddenly, he strikes, and the twenty black-clad men respond with palms or fists to defend themselves, occasionally launching hidden weapons. However, they soon realize that Ouyang Liancheng's move is merely a feint, a desperate plea for death, as his strike carries no power whatsoever. Now, Ouyang Liancheng is covered in hidden weapons, his entire chest caved in, with a crimson cross on his forehead. Yet, Ouyang Liancheng laughs, laughs heartily, saying: "Heaven wishes to destroy me, what can be done! What can be done..." And at that moment, he breathes his last.

When the heavens created all things, they bestowed upon humanity the greatest attribute of all—forgetfulness. Eight years have passed, and soon the martial world has largely forgotten the horrific massacre that took place back then. The most significant event in the martial arts community this year is the quinquennial martial arts conference held at Shaolin Temple. In a so-called fair competition, the 'Nine Ghosts Nun' from Huangshan, with her astonishingly unparalleled 'Nine Ghosts Sword Technique' and the mysterious 'Xue Mai Heng Xing' skill that allows her to transfer her body's acupoints, fought her way through numerous challenges and emerged victorious, claiming the title of the world's number one. Master Zhiyuan of Shaolin Temple, with his profound internal strength and 'Wuxiang Dharma Palm,' had to settle for second place. Gradually, a ballad began to circulate in the martial world: 'The nun, the Taoist, the beggar, the fool, the madman, the old woman fishing alone by the lake and sea.' This refers to the nine greatest masters in the martial arts community. (Dao: Wudang Sect Leader Wang You; Gai: Elder Yun Zhongge of the Beggar's Sect; Chi: The heartless Taoist from Wudang; Dian: The mad monk from Wutai Mountain; Kuang: The mad blade Qin Feiyang; Laofu: The world's foremost eccentric woman Chang Si Niang; Du Diao Hu Hai Jiang: Gu Haifeng from the Tianshan Sect)

Few people in the martial world understand the inner workings of the "Cactus" assassin organization; they only know that money can get things done, regardless of who you want to kill. It is said that the Cactus organization has four branches and seven top-level assassins. Although many have never seen these seven assassins, most can still name them. Ranked from lowest to highest, they are: "A Smile That Captivates the City" Jiao Ruolan, "Moon on the Branches" Feng Ruyan, "Spring Breeze Does Not Cross" Li Siran, "Lonely Boat Fishing" Hua Wuye, "A Thousand Miles of Warblers Singing" Li Bingyu, "Rainy Night Cold Stars" Dai Ge, and ranked first, "Old Master" Qiu Buli.