is a great addition! Azure-Clad Dugu Feng! The Cold Abyss Blade! [Please subscribe!]

Chapter 74 is a great addition! Azure-Clad Dugu Feng! The Cold Abyss Blade! [Please subscribe!]

Su Yang remained silent for a moment, then looked up at Dugu Feng, his eyes still holding a hint of scrutiny: "Miss Dugu is very generous, but this gift is too heavy, I'm afraid I'm unworthy to accept it."

"Brother Su is too kind."

Dugu Feng pushed the hilt of the sword forward a little further, her smile unchanged: "Trading an unusable sword for an ally who can join forces against the Yuwen Clan is a sure win for me. Besides, this sword is destined for you, which is better than letting it gather dust in my possession."

Su Yang stared into her eyes and saw that her expression was open and honest, without the slightest hint of scheming. Only then did he slowly raise his hand and grasp the hilt of the knife wrapped in black animal hide.

It felt slightly cool to the touch, and a pure chill flowed into the meridians through the palm. Instead of clashing with the Bright Moon True Qi, it flowed like a stream into a river, instantly causing a pleasant tremor.

The blade hummed even louder, the silver light of the ice dragon pattern surged, and the surrounding chill suddenly intensified, even causing a layer of fine white frost to form on the hair at Su Yang's temples.

"A fine knife!"

Su Yang let out a low shout, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the Cold Abyss Blade drew a cold arc in his hand. The wind from the blade swept past, even scraping a shallow white mark on the ground half a foot away from him.

He sheathed his sword and stood there, his gaze falling on Dugu Feng. His tone softened slightly: "I accept Miss Dugu's sincerity! As for cooperation... I do need an ally to deal with the Yuwen Clan."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Feng's smile deepened: "In that case, I hope that the two of us can work together to defeat our powerful enemy."

Chapter 76 Annihilation, Control of the Small Knife Society, Great Harvest, Unusual Movements in the Jianghuai Army [10,000 words, begging for more subscriptions!]

The plan to destroy the Little Knife Society was devised, and a strong attack was launched to breach the enemy's lair inside the mountain villa. Bamboo shadows swayed gently, and a light evening breeze caressed the scene.

Dugu Feng sat upright at the stone table, his eyes sharp, and said in a deep voice, "If we want to deal with the Yuwen Clan, we must first cut off their wings. The first priority is to eliminate Huang Shiyun's henchmen who are colluding with them."

As soon as she finished speaking, she took out a neatly folded sheepskin map from her bosom and handed it to Su Yang opposite her, adding, "You are currently clearing out the forces in the North City. This detailed map of Jingling City should be of great use to you."

Dugu Feng leaned closer to the map, pointing her finger at a red dot in the northern part of the city marked "Small Knife Society." Her tone was grave: "This Small Knife Society in the northern city is one of Huang Shiyun's most core henchmen. According to my spies, this gang is not independent; it is actually secretly controlled by Huang Shiyun. They smuggle salt and iron, seize farmland, and engage in human trafficking. They have committed countless evil deeds, and the people of the northern city are already full of resentment. If you wipe out the northern city, you should start by attacking them, which will cut off one of Huang Shiyun's arms."

She looked up at Su Yang, her eyes cold as ice: "Huang Shiyun and the Yuwen Clan are birds of a feather, working together to control more than half of the underground forces in Jingling. If we want to take down the Yuwen Clan, we must first bring down Huang Shiyun and destroy the Small Knife Society. That is the first crucial step."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Su Yang's eyes. He slowly stroked the hilt of the Cold Abyss Blade at his waist and said in a deep voice, "Alright, I will go and wipe out this Little Knife Society tomorrow."

This goal coincided with what he had in mind.

Dugu Feng nodded in agreement: "This is feasible. Tomorrow you will go to the Small Knife Society, and I will secretly provide support. If anything unexpected happens, I will immediately lend a hand. I will take my leave now."

"Um."

Su Yang put the map away, cupped his hands to Dugu Feng, who nodded to him and turned to disappear into the deep night.

"Zhao Daqi, pack up and head back to camp!"

Su Yang gave Zhao Daqi an instruction.

"yes!"

Su Yang had just returned to the camp by the canal when Wang Tiezhu rushed in to report: "Commander, this afternoon, the Small Swords Society's headquarters and all its branches closed their doors and refused to allow any investigation!"

Upon hearing this, Su Yang's eyes turned cold: "Since they don't know what's good for them, tomorrow morning, the entire army will launch a full-scale attack on the Small Swords Society!"

""

"yes!"

Wang Tiezhu's spirits lifted, and he accepted the order and left.

The next day, as the sun rose, the lights in the Small Swords Society's main hall were still on, and the air was thick with smoke, creating a somber atmosphere.

On Wednesday, Tiger sat in the main seat, his face grim.

Besides two trusted deputies, there were five or six hall masters and managers sitting on both sides, some with their eyes closed in deep thought, others with worried expressions, all silent.

After a while, the tall, thin confidant stepped forward and whispered, "Chief, we refused the Sharp Edge Battalion's investigation yesterday, and I'm afraid they won't let it go today."

-

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a gang leader with a face full of scars roared, "What are you afraid of! Why should soldiers barge into our territory? If they come, let's fight to the death!"

"Nonsense!" Zhou Sanhu slammed his fist on the table and shouted, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone. "The higher-ups have given orders not to openly confront us, but to hold our ground and delay!" He emphasized the word "higher-ups," and the eyes of the high-ranking officials in the hall all flickered slightly.

Zhou Sanhu abruptly changed the subject, whispering enticingly, "Jingling City won't last much longer. Follow the orders from above, and when the time is right, you'll be showered with immense wealth!"

An experienced steward stood up and said worriedly, "Chief, we have already offended the Sharp Edge Battalion. If they launch a full-scale attack, I'm afraid the brothers won't be able to hold out."

Zhou Sanhu chuckled sinisterly, "So what if we offend them? We'll just openly hold our ground and stall for time. We've already prepared a backup plan; the higher-ups have a foolproof strategy!"

He instructed the tall, thin man: "Take your trusted men and immediately and secretly deliver those old ginseng and precious tonics from the warehouse to the old place outside the city, to the people above. This matter concerns your life and fortune; it must be kept absolutely secret. If anything goes wrong, we're all finished!"

The tall, thin man knelt on one knee and replied resolutely, "Rest assured, Master! I guarantee with my life that I will handle this perfectly!"

"Go quickly!" Zhou Sanhu waved his hand urging, then said to the others, "Everyone, go back to your posts and guard the gates, reassure the brothers, and hold out until reinforcements or orders arrive from above. The situation will change then!"

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, and were about to leave.

"boom!"

Just then, the main hall door of the headquarters suddenly burst open, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

"You—are you Battalion Commander Su?"

Zhou Sanhu was taken aback and, along with many other members of the congregation, looked towards the gate. There stood a tall young man in full armor, carrying a black knife on his back, radiating a chilling aura.

"Anyone who obstructs my elite squad's investigation is a traitor! Die!"

Su Yang's gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto Zhou Sanhu, who was about to get up from the main seat. In a flash, the Cold Abyss Blade was drawn from its sheath.

A flash of cold light!

"what!"

Zhou Sanhu felt a chill in his throat, and all his subsequent schemes and harsh words froze completely. He clutched his bleeding neck and collapsed to the ground in disbelief.

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

The two henchmen, terrified, tried to flee, but Su Yang's blade flashed again, one horizontal and one vertical, two condensed pale white blade beams piercing through the air and precisely piercing their hearts. The two men collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Dugu Feng, watching from the shadows, saw Su Yang cleanly and efficiently deal with the core leaders and quietly disappeared.

From breaking down the door to beheading, it took only three breaths.

Su Yang sheathed his sword, his voice chillingly cold: "Those who resist will be punished the same as these three."

The gang members were ashen-faced; the clanging of weapons echoed as they fell to the ground, a dark mass of them kneeling in submission.

The only sound in the hall was heavy, suppressed breathing. All eyes were fixed in terror on the black sword that had been sheathed, and no one dared to look up and meet the gaze of the armored figure.

Su Yang's gaze swept across the entire room with an almost tangible intensity, and he already had a decision in mind.

Before deploying the investigation last night, he had already ordered people to find out the details of the core members of the Small Knife Society, including Chen Shun, the manager in charge of money and supplies.

This person is not a confidant of Zhou Sanhu. He has a sixty-year-old mother and a three-year-old son at home. He has been repeatedly suppressed and oppressed by Zhou Sanhu and is already resentful. He is an excellent candidate to support the new master.

Soon, his gaze settled on a middle-aged man with a kind face, dressed in the attire of a steward, among the kneeling crowd.

This person was Chen Shun. When Wang Tiezhu reported the discovery in the warehouse, his body trembled almost imperceptibly, and he subconsciously lowered his head even further. This subtle action further confirmed Su Yang's judgment.

"Chen Shun".

Su Yang's voice was flat and even.

"Little one—little one is here!"

Chen Shun shuddered and practically scrambled out of line, his forehead pressed firmly against the cold ground.

"Raise your head."

Chen Shun raised his head shakily, his face pale, his eyes filled with fear and confusion.

"Zhou Sanhu colluded with foreign enemies and plotted rebellion. According to the law, he should be executed, but his family should not be implicated. Other members of the Small Knife Society who were unaware of the plot and did not participate are permitted to repent."

Su Yang's voice clearly echoed throughout the deathly silent hall: "From this day forward, Chen Shun is hereby promoted to the new leader of the Small Knife Society, in charge of the society's daily affairs, to discipline the members, and to cooperate with my Sharp Edge Battalion in investigating the remaining members. There must be no mistakes."

These words shocked everyone in the room.

Chen Shun himself was struck dumb, standing there in disbelief at this stroke of good fortune that had fallen from the sky—or rather, rolled down from the edge of a knife.

Before the fear had subsided, a deeper chill, as if bound by invisible shackles, instantly replaced any glimmer of hope.

He understood that Su Yang was supporting him, a man with shallow roots and a full family, simply to treat him as a controllable puppet, with his wife, children, and elderly mother being the most reliable reins around his neck.

"As for the homes of Zhou Sanhu and his two trusted deputies..."

Su Yang's tone shifted abruptly, his voice growing colder: "Confiscate all family property, including all floating assets, land deeds, and hidden treasures. Register everything, escort them back to camp, and submit them to General Fang for inspection. These funds will be used to replenish the supplies of my elite vanguard battalion and to provide compensation for the wounded and injured brothers!"

"Yes! I will obey your command, Commander!"

Wang Tiezhu and his personal guards responded with a resounding roar, their voices shaking the rooftops.

Their eyes gleamed. Confiscating enemy property to replenish military funds was the most dignified and inspiring reward for the army!

After calming the gang members and deciding on the new leader, Su Yang instructed Wang Tiezhu: "Tiezhu, you take two men to 'accompany' Leader Chen to calm the gang members and control the situation. I'll go to the storeroom to check on things."

"Yes, sir!"

Wang Tiezhu straightened his chest and immediately stepped forward to assist Chen Shun.