Cui Buqu had weathered through many dangerous situations before, a few times where chances of survival were slim, ending up crawling back from the very gates of Hell. He was neither a seer nor a god, so he couldn't anticipate all that came. However, he had never been in a position like this before, as if struck by thunder, blanked out like a wooden chicken.
In the darkness, the fog from the array has yet to disperse, the winds howled and the storks cried, ice-cold fog sore in the air. Perhaps there was a pair of eyes watching them, laid hidden and waiting for the right chance to pounce and kill.
Yet Feng Xiao paid it no heed, pushing his luck further, becoming all the more ridiculous when he couldn't respond in time. He caught his wrists, turned them around and pressed them behind his back; his upper body drew closer, sticking fast to his own.
At his back was an ice-cold boulder, yet at his front was a warm body whose heat could be felt even through a layer of raiment. Like a thin line separating the living and the dead, the heavens and the earth.
An entire moment passed by, Cui Buqu's body stiffened, unprecedented shock unrevealing itself on the face that had always been full of the subtlety of dullness, forgetting to even conceal his look, as if there were suddenly two holes drilling into Feng Xiao's face.
His mind was thrust into a haze, his thoughts shifting between, "This person is crazy" and "maybe this person surnamed Feng qi deviated when he was expelling the poison", finding no immediate answer.
Displeased by his distraction, Feng Xiao bit him harshly on the lips.
Old wounds added to the new ones. Cui Buqu recalled the pain he felt when he woke up prior, understanding immediately as he dragged his focus back, his eyes squinting.
It was you!
As if he knew that Cui Buqu would struggle, all his attempts were quickly taken care of. Last time, he didn't have the chance to explore it fully, simply leaving like a dragonfly that has only dipped the surface of the water. This time, he could finally experience it fully. After realizing that it was a good feeling, Feng Xiao behaved like a predator who has caught its prey, trapping it in his arms, setting everything aside until he has savoured the joy of his capture.
It was expected for the prey to struggle, but he still caught the other's hand and wrote a word on it "Bear with it".
As expected, Cui Buqu struggled a bit then he stopped.
Feng Xiao knew that Cui Buqu would recall the incident from last time.
When they were in Göktürk, in order to pull the First Prince to their side, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao had to feign a couple, flirting in front of the First Prince's servant.
Cui Buqu would think that this time was the same, that Feng Xiao wanted to use this method to lure out Yu Xiu, making the enemy let down their guard, drawing the snake out from its den.
Feng Xiao chuckled to himself.
Although he did intend to lure Yu Xiu out, it was more to reclaim the regrets he left behind before.
Since he had missed the chance last time, this time he could not just leave feeling unaccomplished.
It was not his style to let the opportunity to feel the other up slip by if he could take advantage of it.
Cui Buqu stopped struggling, remained as still as a wooden puppet as he allowed the other to kiss anywhere he wanted, his breath was like the aggressiveness of a boat rocking above ocean waters, corroding slowly.
He glared at him with both eyes, scolded all Feng Xiao's ancestors on the other side of the world.
On one hand, the reactions of his body responding to this was unexpectedly difficult to control, and on the other hand, he was unwilling to be submissive to someone else. But his intellect is warning him against it and that is the only reason why he wasn't struggling and simply held on to it.
Why isn't Yu Xiu out yet? Hasn't he had enough?
Why is this man surnamed Feng's tongue so long? This motherfucking tongue is as long as a Bai Wuchang's1, it's almost reaching into my throat. We are only doing this for the show, why is he giving it his full effort?!
Feng Xiao laughed until he almost fell over.
Although he didn't fall over for real, his body was shaking visibly, reaching to his limit.
He had never thought that Cui Buqu would be so cute.
Being told not to move, and he truly obeyed it by not moving a single muscle.
However, he couldn't laugh. Since he came here to take petty advantages on the other, once he laughed all his prior hard work would be for nothing. With how vengeful this person is, he would remember it for life.
Behind, there was certainly a pair of eyes watching all of this happening.
The owner of those eyes was born with a handsome face and if he only was willing, he could smile in a gentle and kindly manner, lifting all the cruel things of the world.
When he lost an eye, however, the murderous intent hidden inside his heart rose and shattered that prison, like a beast that was released back into the mountains, no longer under control. It released all the cruel, murderous, and heartless intentions within.
He loathed all the people who had a hand in putting him in his current situation and loathed more those who held power in their grasp, who enjoyed a life of luxury on the higher pedestals.
Coincidentally, these two in front of him fulfilled all those criteria.
Yu Xiu discreetly hid his presence, watching Feng Xiao as he tended to his wounds from the distance, waiting for the best time to come and strike.
Now it's still not the time, he told himself, hold on a little longer, for once the needle is out, it was his enemy's most fragile moment.
When the right time to attack came, it can only guarantee that Feng Xiao will be struck down with a single blow.
Once Feng Xiao died, even if Cui Buqu had tricks up his sleeves, he would still share the same fate.
Suddenly, Yu Xiu's eyes widened in disbelief!
He thought that something was wrong with his eyesight.
However, both of them were on top of each other, and there was no room to mistake Feng Xiao's actions.
He and Princess Qianjin had once, too, wandered under the moonlight and flowerbeds together and swore an oath. He had sworn to free the princess from her fate, so she may once again regain her freedom.
Yet now, before the enemy, these two had just—
They didn't even care for their lives and still had the mood to engage in a display of affection?
Yu Xiu wanted to laugh out loud.
So it seems, so it seems!
The Jiejian and Zuoyue Bureaus, two pillars of power of the current dynasty, had such a dirty relationship behind closed doors!
If Yang Jian and Dugu Qieluo knew that Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu behaved like enemies on the surface, yet having an affair in secret, would they still place unconditional trust on them?
If he was still Prince Jin's strategist at this moment, he would have walked away without a second thought and relay the secret to Prince Jin, so he would have this secret in his hand to control the both of them.
However, he was left with nothing; his identity was exposed by Cui Buqu, and Prince Jin could no longer keep him by his side. Even this secret gathering of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai was disrupted by them by half.
Yu Xiu's hand gripped the knife tightly.
All of a sudden, his figure moved, lunging forward with incredible speed, blending into the fog as one!
A short dagger shot out of his sleeve, like a flying rainbow with a glare like water.
Yu Xiu's heart was suddenly in a state of effulgence.
At that second, good luck brought him a brilliant thought, breaching through the boundaries of his martial arts from all these years.
Walking till the water's edge, I sit and watch as clouds rise and appear2; the knife followed him where he went, moving where his heart desired, a perfect synchronization.
This was a speed all the mortal people of this world would not be able to keep up with.
Had he…had he awakened this technique ten years ago, he could surely penetrate through the defences of thousands and ten thousands of armies and bring the princess away, bring her to a place nobody could find. Regardless of how the princess' wishes were, he would wait for her to ponder over it for the rest of his life.
Even if it happened during that battle between himself and Feng Xiao in Göktürk, at least he could rid himself of his enemy.
However, it was only awakened now.
Why does it have to be now!
A linger of hatred was born, sending his thoughts into disarray.
It was that moment where the knife pierced Feng Xiao's back. He could even feel real qi splitting open skin and flesh; blood spluttered from wounds onto his nose, his forehead.
That's not right!
Yu Xius's actions froze abruptly.
It wasn't blood that spluttered on his forehead just now, but it was that silver needle, the "Everflowing Waves"!
Was Feng Xiao not moving on purpose all this time, waiting for him to attack?
He instinctively wanted to touch his forehead to verify; however, in the blink of an eye, Feng Xiao's figure leaned forward, before his hands turned and, with a flick, a zither's string shot out with sharp wind!
Yu Xiu's knife could continue thrusting forward, its edge would definitely pierce the enemy's back, but his neck would be cut by the zither's string at the same time.
Was it to perish towards the goal, or abandon death and seek life?
Since that blade was hindered by distracting thoughts, the advantages were no longer in his grasp.
It was to accomplish with a single effort, decline, then exhaust.
Yu Xiu no longer had the desire to die accomplishing an assassination, so he was destined to fail at killing Feng Xiao.
He chose to take a step back to avoid the zither's string.
With his step taken, his knife also moved backwards.
Feng Xiao used the opportunity to turn around at the flip of his sleeves, like a gigantic crane beginning its flight, descending from the horizon!
Yu Xiu turned around to escape without another word.
However, it was too late. The zither's string was like an arrow launched from a bow, from the moment it was launched from Feng Xiao's hand, armed with true qi, it flew through the cutting wind.
In the rumbling of noises, a blood-red line appeared at the back of Yu Xiu's neck.
The blood-line spread slowly, turning into a red necklace, permanently engraved deep onto his neck.
Yu Xiu kept dashing forward, yet his head had already left his body, falling to the ground.
His expression was a combination of fury and shock, refusing to believe that his life would end in such a way.
The blood-stained zither string fell right next to his head, just like himself falling from the peak of his life.
The first time he appeared with Prince Jin, there was an ethereal halo above his head, a kindness beyond volumes, handsome and gentle, garnering the attention and admiration of a countless number of people in the capital.
Presently, this Zen Yu Xiu who was acknowledged for his bright future in the past had died in a dark cave, where one could not even tell whether it was day or night. How pitiful was this?
Feng Xiao gave a long breath of relief.
He felt no sympathy for his enemies; however, as martial people, he could feel that Yu Xiu's awakening took place shortly before. It was a crucial danger at that time, there was no need to ponder too much, and he could only act based on a wrong assumption. If there was just a moment of carelessness or delay, the one who's dead now would not be Yu Xiu.
Coughing sounded from behind him; Cui Buqu slowly rose from his feet.
"It seems like Commander Feng is fully healed now, I see?"
Hearing this address of himself, Feng Xiao secretly said, 'Not good', then he also coughed twice, holding his chest as he fell forward.
If all went according to plan, he would fall on Cui Buqu, or Cui Buqu would reach out to hold him.
But Cui Buqu took a step sideways.
Feng Xiao, "…"
He couldn't really fall flat on the ground, so he could only conveniently reach out for the stone wall at his side, regaining a bit of his own pride.
"Yu Xiu's knife pierced my back just now, so I feel a little dizzy. Help me see if there is any poison on the knife." Feng Xiao said weakly.
Cui Buqu nodded, "I'll take a look."
He walked behind Feng Xiao and abruptly slapped the other's back!
Feng Xiao actually almost vomited blood from being slapped like that. He coughed incessantly and this time it wasn't faked.
"Is this how you treat your saviour!" Feng Xiao felt a little furious.
"Perhaps Commander Feng is feeling a 'fire' of sexual excitement because of staying away from the charms of women for too long. I am helping you put out that 'fire'." Cui Buqu said earnestly and darkly, "This 'fire' of yours is a little too vigorous, should I give you another slap?"
Feng Xiao sniggered; all of a sudden, that 'fire' had dispersed. He sighed, "I fear my 'fire' is not easy to treat. Of all the mortal people in this world at a glance, who would meet my standards? Let alone women's charms, even a national treasure like Fong Xiaolian is just bones in my eyes, all forms are hollow to me3."
He paused for a moment on purpose, glancing up and down at Cui Buqu, speaking in a manner as if he was trying to imply something between the lines, "All but a certain sickly person who is just arguably passable."
If normal people heard this, they would have already fallen to his charms. Yet Cui Buqu remained expressionless, and instead coldly stated, "Back in Göktürk, in order to obtain the First Prince's trust I was left with no option. Today, you used me to lure Yu Xiu out, so take it as returning the favour. There's no next time."
The fatigue weighing on his brows was heavy, yet his gaze was sharp as ever as if it could see through all schemes of this earth, uniquely divisible from worldly matters.
As he finished, Cui Buqu turned around to search for a way out, no longer saying anything to the other man.
Feng Xiao followed behind him, saying in this heart: "Not only will it have a next time, but there will also be a next next time and a next next next time."
You want to exclude yourself from this matter and remain clean and dignified until the end, yet I will still drag you into this mess regardless and roll you in it, stick you fast onto the feathers of a phoenix, no longer free from me.
Translator's note:
[1] Bai Wuchang: Deities that guide the dead to the afterlife, often depicted to have long tongues. Read here.
[2] Walking till the water's edge, sit and watching as clouds rise and appear: Originally from Poet Wang Wei of Tang Dynasty.
[3] Forms are hollow to me: 色即是空is from Buddhist scripts. It usually means that monks can see through worldly temptations, and would not succumb to worldly temptations (if Feng Xiao's case, lust).