The Göktürks are people who grew up on horseback. When Khan Apa was young, naturally, he was also a renounced archer within his clan. It was only due to growing age that he descended into wine and the beauty of women, that his skills regressed and gradually he turned into an old Khan with a face full of wrinkles. However, even when at the peak of his stamina and strength, he would not have been able to leap as high as one zhang in one smooth motion, and even fought with Feng Xiao in the middle of the air, neither losing nor winning at this moment, and when one looked at his movements that were flexible and smooth, how does he look like someone who was regressing from old age?
Jin Lian was like everyone, staring at the scene in a trance, before coming back to reality only after a while. The level of that person's martial arts, was one that was rarely seen, so it was impossible this is Khan Apa!
Qiao Xian's reflexes were quicker than hers, so she shouted loudly in that moment, "That saboteur is the one who murdered the Khan, then stole his identity, and used it to create a disturbance in Göktürk!"
After some hustles, Feng Xiao and Yu Xiu have already crossed over ten moves.
Both of them have fought one another before, but at that time, Yu Xiu was only there for the sake of testing waters, he had never intenteded to fight with them to the death. However, this time, it was different, Yu Xiu's plotting of this entire scheme was to sow disruption and chaos. As his scheme progressed, Fo Er was expended by the hands of Feng Xiao, and enemies were formed of Western Göktürk and the Sui Empire. All that's left was the last step, then he could provoke fire and wars between Western Göktürk and the Sui Empire. Yet, this was ruined by Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao. Yu Xiu even had the heart to crush their bones and destroy their ashes.
Since his identity was exposed now, Yu Xiu would not hold himself back any longer. Each move he made was brutal, brimming with the intention to kill his enemies on the spot.
"I see. It is Zen Yu Xiu!" As both of them fought, Feng Xiao immediately recognized the other's identity.
"Let me tell you a good news. Your accomplice, Gao Yun, is already dead!" Even though this enemy was multiple times more difficult to deal with than Gao Yun, but Feng Xiao did not forget to provoke his enemy. He was only afraid that Yu Xiu refused to be provoked.
"I anticipated this!" Yu Xiu laughed coldly, "That is because his skills are weak against others. However, at the very least, Gao Yun did something right!"
Gao Yun was the number one fighter of Goguryeo. However, talented people are everywhere in the Central Plains, and although Gao Yun was arguably not number one, his martial arts were still considered to be quite top notch. Although Feng Xiao has killed him, it was impossible that he did it completely unharmed.
Yu Xiu was not careless, compared to Gao Yun who underestimated his enemy, he knew Feng Xiao's abilities clearer. Now, since his plan has failed, he could just leave. Presently, the only one who could thwart him, was Feng Xiao. Yu Xiu would rather spend more strength and brainpower to kill Feng Xiao before leaving this place.
He held a knife in his hand. That was the same knife in the yurt that the Second Prince often brought along with him. The blade shone with a blackened light, so naturally it was not made from ordinary material. Yu Xiu never used knives, but it was required of top martial artists to be a jack of all trades. In his hand, the knive was like a finger that bend at his will. It followed the flowing of qi energy, emitting an aura like sea breeze, before whirling towards the direction of his enemies.
In the midst of the knive's brighteness, the glare of Feng Xiao's sword looked thinner and weaker, practically overcome by the knife's brightness.
In Jin Lian's eyes, this was even more nervous and shocking to look at.
Yet Qiao Xian could not care much for others, she panted as she ran into the yurt and saw Cui Buqu who has fallen onto the ground.
Cui Buqu's face was pale like paper, his breathe was faint and weak. When Qiao Xian pressed onto the other's meridians, her face changed.
"Wake up!" She was as agigated as fire, stimultaneously infusing energy into Cui Buqu as she yelled his name.
After a while, Cui Buqu moved a little, but all he did was coughing twice, before he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Commander!" Qiao Xian lost all her sense of direction.
"Don't give me any more energy." Cui Buqu said weakly, his voice was not even louder than the sound of a mosquito singing, "Did you not smell the Naihe Xiang….."
The Naihe Xiang drug is limited. At that moment, the ceiling of the yurt was completely destroyed by Feng Xiao and Yu Xiu, so the smell had dissipated more or less. After Qiao Xian was reminded by him, her expression fell even more.
With energy flowing in one's body, the Naihe Xiang would only escalate. This was why Yu Xiu fell into this trap so easily, because there was fear in his heart. To put in other words, Cui Buqu's body was weak now, but not only would Qiao Xian's energy fail to sooth his pain, it would prompt the Naihe Xiang drug to take effect even more quicker.
When they were delayed, Cui Buqu was facing an enemy that was nefarious and sly like Yu Xiu. Yu Xiu knew that the other was similiarly sly and crafty, but Cui Buqu did not know martial arts, and it difficult for Yu Xiu to not let down his guard. Cui Buqu had made use of exactly just that, added with a bit of Naihe Xiang, he turned the tides against Yu Xiu himself.
To kill a thousand enemies, and suffer a loss of eight hundred. A method like this, was only doable by Cui Buqu.
Yu Xiu had underestimated him in the end, and if not for the fact that he had to cross hands with Feng Xiao now, he would have already skinned Cui Buqu alive.
But Qian Xian can only feel heartache.
Cui Buqu has been tortured, it was difficult for him to avoid injuries. Qiao Xian never wanted to see him hurt.
"Then let me carry you out to take a seat." Qiao Xian spoke tremblingly.
Cui Buqu, "No. You need to find Jin Lian, tell her to contact the First Prince, tell him to stabilize the situation. During the period Yu Xiu masqueraded as the Khan, he would have definitely managed to pull some people to his side, to pick at their relationship through small actions..."
He begun coughing, unable to continue speaking.
But Qiao Xian had followed him for a long time, so very quickly she understood what he meant.
Although Yu Xiu was exposed, but he had buried some nails, that would definitely prick others when they were stepped on. Now that the Second Prince was gone, the First Prince is the rightful successor. However, those old generals would use the chance to ravish the power for themselves. Because Göktürk is not a place where the son inherited the father. To the Sui Empire, the First Prince would be considered to be quite a friendly ally. With him as the new Khan, it would be beneficial to the alliance.
"Then you..." She was in a predicament, yet she dared not touch Cui Buqu, afraid that he would suffer more from the poison.
"I won't die yet. Go!" Cui Buqu said.
Qiao Xian bit down on her teeth and rose to her feet before leaving.
Cui Buqu listened to her footsteps as she left, and the sound of fighting outside with Feng Xiao and Yu Xiu, as he slowly closed his eyes.
...
Yu Xiu enjoyed playing games.
Especially when his opponent and him had practically the same strength.
When there was great disparity between himself and his opponent, it was like a bowl of plain and tasteless water.
On the other hand, someone who had the same strength as him, was like wine made from the old days, delicious and memorable.
To speak about the nature of his heart, he did not hated Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu.
Among these two, Yu Xiu looked up to Cui Buqu, a pity that he was born sickly and weak, not having the chance to learn martial arts, but he also admired his gift for strategy and schemes, emerging from a situation of despair.
Perhaps, in another place, with another identity, both of them could have had a friendly spar.
But now, in the midst of the shadows of knives, there can only be one victor.
Both of them have already fought past one hundred moves.
One was poisoned with the Naihe Xiang drug, the other carried wounds on himself. Both of them were unable to utilize their strength to its full potential. When Yu Xiu attacked, he could only feel his energy freeze in him, his left and right limbs numb, and he could not help but hated Cui Buqu even more.
Like how he usually wouldn't use knives. Feng Xiao did not either. A soft sword, to him, was not comparable to a zither.
However, when his swordsmanship and footsteps became one, he retained to be ethereal and godly, a martial artist peerless beneathe the Heavens.
Even Yu Xiu felt that he was a little difficult to deal with.
The glare of his sword was like rising mountains overlapping one another, like sturdy hills and pouring water, not at all resembling the gentleness of falling petals. Feng Xiao's inner strength was endless, enough to spur him to seal up all Yu Xiu's many routes. Although Yu Xiu did not fall behind, but he knew that, this time, it might no longer be possible for him to kill Feng Xiao.
Not only that he would be unable to kill Feng Xiao, but Cui Buqu might even live.
As his heart squeezed, the knife in his hands rose and thurst itself in front of Feng Xiao.
Naturally, Feng Xiao avoided it, yet he saw Yu Xiu knelt over, and the knife spurred out of his hand, turning into a river of rainbow light, and its target was Cui Buqu who was inside the yurt.
As Yu Xiu made this attack, he lunged himself at Feng Xiao. If the latter wished to rescue Cui Buqu, naturally he would need to expose his weak points, and if he did not wish to rescue Cui Buqu, then Cui Buqu was doomed. No matter what, he would not be at a disadvantage.
As he thought of this, Yu Xiu's lips formed a cruel smile, thrusting a palm at Feng Xiao's chest.
Then his smile froze at the corner of his lips.
The glare of the sword was too quick, turning into a blindingly golden light, spreading to every inch of a person's vision. Yu Xiu felt his eyes seared with pain, so he closed them.
But as soon as he did, he could feel pain radiated from his forehead, spreading all the way to his left eye!
Yu Xiu suppressed a groan, and did not think twice before he withdrew himself and retreated his steps. From the corner of his ear rang a loud, brittle ding!
The soft sword did not use the chance to claim his life, but it instead blocked the long knife's path, cutting it into two. The knife's edge had practically scratched Cui Buqu's throat, cutting through his skin and leaving a small bleeding wound behind. If the soft sword had came a little bit later, then there would be no longer Cui Buqu in this world.
However, due to this, Feng Xiao had expended all his strength, and he could only watch as Yu Xiu's figure to leap onto the flag pole, gathering more strength, and leaped into the distance. After a while, he was lost in sight.
At that moment, everyone came to their senses. Yu Xiu's identity was special. Jin Lian brought a few Göktürk soldiers to pursue him, but Feng Xiao knew that those people would definitely not succeed. Even if they managed to catch him on the road, there was no way that they could stop him.
Feng Xiao leaped down from the flag pole and walked towards Cui Buqu.
"Dead?" He patted Cui Buqu's shoulder lightly.
Cui Buqu did not move at all.
Feng Xiao sighed, "Did I came too late?"
Then he knuckled Cui Buqu's forehead.
He felt his hand touching something cold.
Feng Xiao, "Even the corpse was turned cold? This is great. Once I return to the capital, I suppose I can just ask his Majesty to disband the Zuoyue Bureau."
Cui Buqu's eyes flickered open, and in his heart, he said: If you've been lying on the ground for so long, it would be strange if a motherfucker like you didn't turn cold.
However, he no longer has the strength to speak. Even towards Feng Xiao's threat of disbanding the Zuoyue Bureau, he could not move a muscle to retort it.
Qiao Xian rushed over, bringing a few Göktürk maidservants and a carriage, trying to help Cui Buqu onto it.
Because she was afraid of hurting Cui Buqu again, her movements were careful, yet this made Cui Buqu furrowed his eyebrows instead.
Feng Xiao spoke curiously, "You would still furrow your brows at this? Haven't you warmed up? Bah, so be it. They do say that one should help until the end, so I will deign myself just this once!"
As he finished speaking, immediately, he took Cui Buqu from Qiao Xian and carried him on his back, before walking towards the yurt that they lived in together before.
Feng Xiao, "Master Taoist Cui, I want to discuss something with you."
Cui Buqu closed his eyes, lying on his side on Feng Xiao's shoulder, as if he was in a deep sleep.
Feng Xiao, "Next time, before you decide to put your life at stake, you better tell me before that, otherwise you can pick a place where I cannot see, then we wouldn't have to organize a funeral for you. The Jiejian Bureau do not have much money left, so I beg your understanding."
Cui Buqu still remained silent, as if he had already fallen into a coma.
But when Feng Xiao carried him on his back, he recalled seeing the other's eyelids moving.
"Don't fake it. I know you are awake. Let me tell you something: the deed you owe me this time, even if you gave yourself to me thirty times, it would not be enough to repay it."
Cui Buqu sighed lightly, finally managed to pry his eyes open.
"...How about forty times then?"
Feng Xiao snorted a laugh, "I'm afraid you'll die on my bed. Enough nonsense, after you can walk again, let us go get the zither, Yu Yin!"
Cui Buqu, "The zither Yu Yin is one of the family treasures of the Boling Cui Sect. How can I get it just because I wanted to?"
Feng Xiao, "Don't forget what you promised me. If you refused to keep your part of the deal, I would have a hundred ways of my own of not keeping mine."
Cui Buqu, "If I promised, then I would keep it. Once we leave this place, let us go to Han Ping."
Han Ping is where Boling Cui Sect was situated.
Although he got his promise, but Feng Xiao still felt that something was wrong. Although Cui Buqu has mentioned the zither Yu Yin once, but that time he never thought that Yu Xiu was such a difficult case that costed him such a big price, and in the end, all he earned was a zither. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't help feeling that he was conned.
Feng Xiao said slowly, "Since you know the whereabouts of the zither Yu Yin, then the other zithers, Hao Zhong and Jiao Wei—"
Before he could finish speaking, Cui Buqu vomited a mouthful of blood on his shoulder.
"Perhaps I cannot live long after all." Cui Buqu said peacefully, then immediately faked death.
Feng Xiao: "..."
Translator's Notes: So this arc is mostly done. The next few chapters will just be FengCui nonsense as they returned to the capital before the beginning of Book 4. =) !