Duan Qigu's participation in the Yunhai Thirteen Stories is purely accidental.
That year, he had just turned over a new leaf from a horse thief and decided to settle down in Qiemo for a peaceful life. Duan Qigu's intended new life was to take up a trading business.
Of course, his business is not completely proper. Since Duan Qigu's wealth is originally obtained through immoral means, he was able to gather a group of subordinates that were loyal to him, he had both the budget and manpower he needed. Therefore, his switch from a horse thief to one of the business giants in Qiemo was a quick and smooth process.
By the time Cui Buqu and his company arrived in Qiemo, he discovered that Duan Qigu and Xing Mao both occupied practically half of all the business trades in Qiemo. Even when it came to all the inns within the city, it is spilt into two halves for each of them. If people were not willing to live in branches that belonged to Duan Qigu, then they would have to live in the ones that belonged to Xing Mao. A third option, unfortunately, did not exist.
However, when Duan Qigu just settled down in Qiemo, he is not the way he is now, behaving like his word was law.
Here, other than Xing Mao, there were also other bodies of power. Although Duan Qigu had considerable strength, his background in Qiemo is still thin, so he isn't quite his adversary's match. Those bodies of power all allied together, contacted Xing Mao, and wanted to exile Duan Qigu from Qiemo.
It was during this time, someone made their way to his doorstep and called themselves Yu Heng, the Eleventh Pavilion Lord of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories.
Before that moment, Duan Qigu has never heard of the name of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories, so Yu Heng speaks straightforwardly and tells him that he would take care of the other bodies of powers in Qiemo, so that he may establish his rule in the city. His requirement is that Duan Qigu should join the Yunhai Thirteen Stories and become the Twelveth Pavilion Lord.
The Duan Qigu of that time is completed overpowered by his enemies, so in the midst of panic, he agrees to join the Yunhai Thirteen Stories while being doubtful about what Yu Heng had told him.
Yet what he didn't expect is that the other actually kept his word. Not only did he assassinated all of his enemies and solve all Duan Qigu's miseries, he even helps Duan Qigu to pull strings and brought the silk and clay business to him from Jiangnan so that he may intimate business with the Nanbei businessmen and expands his connections with people. Within a few years, he quickly rises up in society and becomes as powerful as Xing Mao.
At the same time, the more Duan Qigu communicated with the Yunhai Thirteen Stories, the more he feels that this organization has more than it meets the eye. From the South to the North, among farmers and merchants, there is practically nowhere that did not contain at least one of their people. Duan Qigu knows that there exists no free lunch in this world, so if he receives something, he also expects himself to give something back. However, other than making him Master Twelve of the Twelveth Pavillion and propelling him up to a throne of power, they have never asked anything from him. Fong Xiaolian who is Master Thirteen of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories has even showed up in Qiemo once and met Duan Qigu in person.
The most beloved devilish concubine in history, after removing all her makeup, is ultimately just another pleasant-looking face. Duan Qigu has always indulged himself in lust, but he dares not think such thoughts about Fong Xiaolian. Even though she ranks behind him as number thirteen, her martial arts were not bad at all and they possess about the same level of skills.
Speaking of which, even top martial artists like himself and Fong Xiaolian, they were only ranked practically the last among the Thirteen Pavilion Lords, so what can be said for those who are situated before them? How powerful and strong were they in reality?
Duan Qigu dares not think deeper about this. Knowing too much, ultimately, would bring nothing good to him, so he chooses to be ignorant.
Until there comes a day, Yu Heng suddenly shows himself and requests for him to plot Gao Yi's downfall, then annihilate Xing Mao and become the one true ruling power of Qiemo. He also said that the Yunhai Thirteen Stories would support him in full, and in the process, whether it was men or money he needed, Duan Qigu only needed to request it for them and he shall have it.
However Duan Qigu does not find himself convinced, in fact he is afraid, feeling like 'what has to come would eventually come' kind of feeling.
He enjoys his current lifestyle, as there is no need to hold his head back in his days as a horse thief. Every day he feels comfortable and enjoys his riches and luxuries to its full. Those who has seen him in action before would also only know how to come forward to please him.
Duan Qigu aged. He has learned to fear death and fear change. If the task is only to kill Xing Mao, then he might have agreed, but the Sui Empire lies behind Gao Yi, and Duan Qigu is not crazy enough to go against the entire Sui Empire.
Perhaps the Sui Empire may be busy battling the Kingdom of Göktürk at the moment and has no time to pay attention to a small city like Qiemo, but once they could find the time, Duan Qigu refuses to believe that one small little Qiemo is enough to go against the whole of the Sui Empire.
Duan Qigu could see a vast and terrible scheme from Yu Heng's proposal, and for the first time in his life he is unable to determine how deep and huge the Yunhai Thirteen Stories were.
He has grown afraid and rejected Yu Heng, instead he tells him that he needed more time to think and consider it. In reality, it is simply a way to stall time, so he can procrastinate this matter further.
Yu Heng came a few times yet he could not move Duan Qigu with his words; Yu Heng has, instead, backfired and causes Duan Qigu to birth a desire to run away from the Yunhai Thirteen Stories.
His wealth satisfies him, as did the power he wields, and he simply wants to enjoy the rest of his life living peacefully and safely. A life where he did not need to put his life at risk.
Yu Heng becomes aware of these thoughts of his, so he stops visiting him.
Duan Qigu lets out a breath of relief, but at the same time, he feels absolutely insecure.
He feels that because the Yunhai Thirteen Stories had invested so much in him, it is impossible that they would let him off just like that.
Duan Qigu trains more than just a few soldiers in secret, and he feels more than a handful of bodyguards by his side. He even builds a secret tunnel in his manor, just in case. Yet, as days passes one by one, whether it is Yu Heng or the Yunhai Thirteen Stories, no one came for him.
Once the rumour of the ghost came to light, Duan Qigu know that it isn't a ghost at all. It is his adversary simply wishing to use the rumour of a ghost to kill him. Perhaps it had been Xing Mao's plan, perhaps it might have been the Yunhai Thirteen Stories, and perhaps, Yu Heng has allied with Xing Mao, and both of them scheming against him.
This is the reason Duan Qigu is so desperate to make the first move, to take advantage of the element of surprise.
But he is unaware of the existence of Yan Xuexing and Cui Buqu's company.
Even as he plots and schemes, he is still ultimately unable to escape fate.
Duan Qigu pours out everything, and once he sees that Cui Buqu's expression sank into a pensive look, while on the other side, those three are still fighting, the moment when nobody pays him any attention, he immediately scrambles up to his feet and staggers towards a dark direction.
A sharp sound pierces the air, he lets out a cry as an arrow hit his shoulder and he falls to the ground.
At the same time, a few more arrows were heading towards Feng Xiao, Yan Xuexing, and Bing Xuan.
Cui Buqu hides behind a pillar to avoid the arrows and raises his head to look.
A few shadows appears on top of the roof, their bows bent, aiming towards all the people in the manor.
A rain of arrows descends from the air, and after that, Xing Mao entering, bringing a few people behind him into the venue.
Walking side by side with him is a white-robed monk.
This should be the Master Eleven of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories, Yu Heng.
At a glance, the other heavily resembles Yu Xiu, but once he opens his mouth, Cui Buqu knows that he isn't.
The white-robed monk casts Duan Qigu a smile, yet he relocates his gaze afterwards, treating him like he an abandoned dog by the street.
"Is this a retelling of the mantis preying the cicada, while the sparrow waited at the back?"
These words mean that Duan Qigu is the cicada, Yan Xuexing and Bing Xuan are the mantis, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao thought they are the cicada, but in the end, Yu Heng and Xing Mao are the true ultimate victor.
This is definitely not the voice of Yu Xiu.
When Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu were pursuing him, see him with their own two eyes that he had spoken and conversed with third in charge, but they did not hear the other speak with their own two eyes.
They were both monks, and their names sound similar, so what is the relationship of Yu Xiu and Yu Heng?
Cui Buqu furrows his eyebrows and sinks deep into thought.
He has no knowledge of martial arts, so other than Bing Xuan, no one else in the vicinity takes him seriously. He is also more than happy to hide behind a pillar and observe the situation.
Other than Yu Heng, a few highly skilled martial artist are also by Xing Mao's side, wearing different attires. They did not look like his subordinates, so they were more likely to be guests he had employed from the Jianghu province.
Other this these few people on top of the roof and those outside the Duan manor, there is no one who isn't surrounded by the guards of the Xing manor.
On the other hand, on the side of Duan Qigu, he does not know where Housekeeper Lin led those soldiers, and his own bodyguards were practically all murdered by Yan Xuexing. Those are left were all killed by Xing Mao's entry.
The time of his rule is over.
"Don't you be too happy just yet!" Blood splatters on Duan Qigu's face, his hair is in a mess as he glares at Xing Mao death in the eye. Where is there an ounce of glory left in him?
He has battled with this rival of his for a very long time, and for a very long time, both parties were unable to do anything to the other, yet they never thought that tonight would be the night one of them would finally be the victor.
Xing Mao laughs, being in an extremely good mood, "Ha! Old brethren, do you mean those trained soldiers of yours? They are all waiting for you on the Yellow Bridge!"
Duan Qigu, "Impossible!"
Xing Mao, "Speaking of which, those soldiers you've trained aren't bad. Not bad at all. Had it not been for Housekeeper Lin who forewarned me about them, I might have lost. But who let you allow such a loyal subordinate of your own to betray yourself?"
Duan Qigu lets out a loud wail and spits out a mouthful of blood. His face becomes even redder than before.
"Impossible! Impossible! Lin Feng would never betray me!"
Xing Mao snortes and was too impatient to speak more with him, so he waves his hand, "Take all the Duan family members!"
"Hold!"
Yan Xuexing gives him a cold look, "All the lives of the Duan family members are mine, they are mine to take!"
Xing Mao raises an eyebrow, "My lord is also here to kill Duan Qigu? Then that is good. Let me cleave his head off his shoulders and then give you his body. As for the other old and young ones from his family, when I have my way with them, you are also welcomed to watch."
Yan Xuexing declines abruptly, "No. He and I share a grudge as wide and deep as the blood sea, their lives are mine to take!"
Xing Mao says impatiently, "Then may the one with the best abilities win!"
As he says, he turns to Yu Heng.
The monk nods his head and smiles, "Duan Qigu must die tonight."
Xing Mao takes a step back and puts his hands together, turning to face those Jianghu people he gathered, "I will entrust this to you people."
The one who holds a fan in hand is the first to move.
"Let me see the true powers of a disciple of the Linchuan Palace Academy!"
Without Xing Mao, Yan Xuexing and Feng Xiao are neither enemies nor friends, but now that Xing Mao is here, the situation takes a sharp turn.
Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu want to keep Duan Qigu alive for the time being, so they could question him about the secrets of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories; although Yan Xuexing wanted Duan Qigu death, he did not want him to die under Xing Mao's hands. So when the scholar fought against Yan Xuexing, Feng Xiao only stands aside and watches.
The scholar's looks weren't impressive, but his martial arts aren't bad at all. Dancing with a metal fan, he immediately seals all Yan Xuexing's options of routes, however, his inner strength is no match for Yan Xuexing, and within a few moves, he is quickly falling behind. When that moment came, two more fighters leap out from Xing Mao's side, one holding a sword, and the other holding a knife.
The first's sword is dull and rough and did not look anything special, yet the latter's knife is glimmering and shinning like it is glowing in the dark, practically blinding everyone's sight.
Feng Xiao's martial arts were peak standards, but he seldom roam the Jianghu province, therefore, he knows nothing about these people.
Thankfully, there is someone who knew of all the worldly matters, like a living and walking encyclopedia, right next to him.
"The one using a sword is called Wang Hong, his Jianghu's name is Wuming Jian, meaning that the sword is nameless but it is wielded by a person with a name. The sword master is a descendant from the Miao family from Xinan, using maggots, it was enough to trick people when they least expected it." It was as if Cui Buqu knows his thoughts, for speaks all of a sudden.
As his voice dissipates in the air, Yan Xuexing jerks his head to the side, naturally avoiding the light wind that brushes past his ear.
Bing Xuan's fingers flick, and a black maggot falls to the ground, a silver needle piercing through its body.
Yan Xuexing couldn't help but turns to cast Cui Buqu a glance. Without his warning, he knows that he would have very likely taken the bait.
"The knife user is a man called Hu Yun. All who knew him praised both his talents and conduct. He is a business giant from Shan Guan, never in his life he has to worry about food or clothes. Gold is already a weak metal by nature, but he hired a famed metalsmith to forge a sword made of alloy that even normal swords could not break it. His skills were ranked second-tiered." Cui Buqu continues to recite everyone's identities out.
Once Hu Yun hears it, he starts to panic, "You motherfucking bastard, who is only second-tiered?!"
As his words dissipates, Yan Xuexing delivers a kick to his stomach, and that Hu Yun person immediately flew away, the golden knife in his hand falling to the ground.
The scholar laughs, "Hu Yun, it seems like you ran out of luck!"
Cui Buqu continues, "A scholar named Yue Xiafeng who uses a metal fan as a weapon, skilled in close combat but when it comes to ranged attacks….."
Bing Xuan smiles, and shoots a silver needle from her hand.
Yue Xiafeng is forced to abandon Yan Xuexing to defend himself from the silver needle. Once Yan Xuexing sees an opening, he shoots out a palm to hit his back, and the latter spits out a mouthful of blood, receiving quite a heavy injury.
Bing Xuan bows at Cui Buqu, "Many thanks to Daoist Master Cui's warnings."
Cui Buqu, "It is my lady who is sharp and intelligent."
For some reason, Feng Xiao feels a little unhappy when he hears this conversation.
He turns his body and lunges himself at Xing Mao.
Xing Mao is taken by surprise, and both martial artists from his side leap into action.
One attacks with five fingers curled into a claw, and the other with his index and middle finger in a twisted flower style, but in reality, in his hand is a very fine string that is even sharper than normal knives and swords. Added with his inner strength, it makes a fine weapon to cut someone else's throat.
"Zhuoyun Shou, named Pei Yuan, a disciple of Shaolin. During the Martial Art Congress, he is known for his rigidity. Yueshui Guanyin, named Bai Bi, like a white-jade Guanyin, a man with a woman's look, is why he obtained such an alias, the golden and silver thread he wielded is even more magical when holy weapons. Those who died under his hand was because they did not take him seriously—"
Cui Buqu's words accurately recites everyone's weaknesses, and following his words, Feng Xiao rises into the air, channelling his strength, he immediately snaps Bai Bi's threads in half.
But Cui Buqu does not have the opportunity to finish speaking.
Because somebody is choking his neck.
Yu Heng holds Cui Buqu's neck tightly in his hands and turns towards Feng Xiao who, similarly, holds Xing Mao in his hands, "Do you want to kill, or save?"
It is unknown how the other had come here so quickly, for Pei Yuan and Bai Bi already has their meridians sealed and they were put aside.
Xing Mao's expression turns colourless. He could not believe that when he thought victory is already in his hands, Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu still manage to ruin it just like that.
If not for them being here, Yan Xuexing and Bing Xuan would have long suffered defeat.
Although he loathes to do it, he shouts towards Yu Heng in a loud voice, "Master Yu, you cannot abandon me like that!"
Yellow Bridge: Mentioned before, in the Afterlife for the Han, all the departed souls will travel across a place called the 'Yellow Bridge'.
Wuming Jian: It means 'The Nameless Sword'
Twisted flower style: 拈花状 (refer to image below)
Image
Zhuoyun Shou: It means 'Hand that Could Catch The Clouds'.
Yueshui Guanyin: It means 'Water Moon Guanyin'. This and Zhuoyun Shou, are titles/aliases of those two martial artists.
A man with a woman's look: The God of Mercy Guanyin is an Indian Prince, but he is generally portrayed as a young woman holding a flower with flowing white robes. This is used to describe Bai Bi as well.