[Wushuang] Chapter 121
Even someone like Feng Xiao would risk his life to save you

Liang Feng was an ordinary guard of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai.

He was originally a disciple from one of the sects in Leling. His leader was killed by Yuan Sansi one random day and everyone within his sect who fought against him was killed as well. The people who remained, including himself, surrendered to Yuan Sansi and joined the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai as their side disciples.

The Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai was wealthy and loud, so they weren’t mistreated. However, to avoid them conspiring among themselves, Liang Feng and his people were separated. Liang Feng was assigned under Yuan Sansi in the Fourth Pavilion. From Leling to Tiannan Mountain, he had always been guarding within this cavern.

They were not allowed to descend the mountain or even the cave. Although their salary, food, and shelter were rich, they spent most of their time hidden in the cave, not even able to see the sun and the sky, so what use is there even if they had money? Additionally, they have been poisoned and without the antidote, they couldn’t go far. The antidote was only given to them monthly when they receive their salary, otherwise, they could only prolong the poison from acting up. There was once two people who didn’t believe it and tried to escape in the night. They had even asked Liang Feng to come with them, but Liang Feng was timid, so he didn’t agree to it. In the end, these two were caught in less than just a few days after they fled. Their bodies were blue-black and incredibly unsightly. Liang Feng was scared stiff and believed it completely that they had indeed been poisoned.

Although the cave was huge, other than the people on duty, the rest of them were dull, difficult to put into words. As the days passed, Liang Feng muddled along aimlessly, forgetting even the time and date of the day. He only did what his manager asked him to do to pass the time, numbly standing guard.

Today was like any usual mundane day to him. Big shots came regularly and there was no shortage of people from the Jianghu, grandmasters of martial arts. However, these were none of Liang Feng’s business, let alone the Zuoyue and Jiejian Bureaus. He would not even know what those places are, knowing only to obey orders and stand guard outside the kitchen.

It still wasn’t the time to cook at this hour, so there was no one around. Liang Feng yawned, mustered his energy as he leaned against the stone wall before he saw, not far away, someone approaching.

At first, he thought it was a maidservant from the kitchen. However, very quickly he discovered that it wasn’t. The other was tall, his back arched a little and was walking very slowly. From the looks of it, their body didn’t look in its prime state, and when they came near one could even smell the scent of medical herbs up close.

“Stand right there.” Liang Feng spoke, yet it wasn’t any warning or the sort. His knife remained strapped by his waist, “Who are you?”

“This young Lord, I am the maidservant of Mistress Fong. She is unwell, so I’ve been asked to fetch some boiling water.” The other’s voice was a little low and hoarse, long hair covered half her face, shielding both her ears. In the dim light, Liang Feng couldn’t see her face clearly, but he could only feel the other’s compliant nature.

“Before the appropriate time comes, the kitchen cannot be lit,” Liang Feng spoke methodically.

“But these are orders from Mistress Fong. If I don’t fetch her warm water, she will punish me.” The maidservant begged, pulling a silver ornament from her head to give Liang Feng, “Please, I beg you!”

Liang Feng knew Mistress Fong. He was lucky enough to have seen her once. That woman truly was a beauty he had never come across in his life, impossible to describe with words. As for her temperament, he knew nothing about it. However, located here, there was no use for money. He didn’t take the silver hairpiece and resumed to forbid entry.

“These are orders from above; you can ask them yourself!” If not for the other being a woman and the fact that he hadn’t spoken to someone for such a long time now, he would have already lost his patience.

“My Lord, are you someone from Leling?” The maidservant suddenly asked.

“How did you know?” Liang Feng knew that there was some accent in his speech.

“I am also someone from Leling, I followed Mistress Fong here.” The maidservant immediately used the dialect from Liang Feng’s hometown.

Liang Feng didn’t know how much time had passed since he last heard the dialect of his hometown. Suddenly hearing it from the mouth of a stranger, he was stunned to the point he felt like crying.

After exchanging a few sentences, the relationship between both of them drew near unexpectedly. He got to know that this maidservant has angered Mistress Fong and after being whipped a few times she was sent here to get her water, thus feeling sympathy for her.

“How about this: You can go in and fetch water while I’ll stand guard for you here. Since there won’t be anyone coming here anyway. However, don’t stay for too long!” Liang Feng released a breath.

The maidservant thanked him, using the walls to help herself in. After the time of one burning incense went by, she laboriously carried a bucket of water out. It shook, and not after two steps she could withstand it no longer and fell next to Liang Feng, practically spilling the water that she tried so hard to boil.

Liang Feng reached out to help her and heard her crying, “Could I please beg my Lord to do good until the end and help me carry this bucket of water to Mistress Fong’s room? I would most certainly speak for you in front of her, convincing her to bring you along the next time she leaves.”

The last sentence had moved Liang Feng’s heart.

He knew that Mistress Feng and a few other big shots came here for meetings once in a while and would leave after a few days. If Mistress Feng asked for him from the housekeeper, and he was only just a little guard, the housekeeper would most certainly agree to it. When that time comes, he could leave this dark, sunless place.

The maidservant said again, “My Lord please help me carry this bucket of water over. However, you must remember to go along with the flow and leave an impression in front of Mistress Fong, so that she will remember you. Only in this way I can compliment you in front of her.”

If one were to say that Liang Feng was only soft-hearted and sympathetic in the beginning, right now he genuinely wanted to help her. He received the bucket of water from the maidservant’s hands and told her, “Rest here for a while. Wait for me to return.”

Naturally, he wouldn’t have known that the maidservant behind him would raise her head, the corner of her lips curling as she watched him from behind.

He also couldn’t have known that not only did the maidservant know how to speak the Leling dialect, but a sentence or two from every other dialect that he could think of. He also couldn’t have known that this moment of good-heartedness would become the key to his freedom in the end.

Cui Buqu’s fragility wasn’t a pretence.

However, with the treatment both Fan Yun and Feng Xiao had given him, all that inner strength channelled into him had worked its magic. Otherwise, let alone helping himself across the ally using the wall, he would even find it difficult to get down from his bed.

Watching Liang Feng travelling far, Cui Buqu took a deep breath. He rose to his feet slowly and walked into the kitchen, spraying kerosene before tossing the torch into the pile of logs.

It exploded. Sparkles of fire shot up into the air!

Cui Buqu flew out of the kitchen, leaving a trail of flammable oil along the way. Very quickly the fire spread and turned fierce as he had expected. It didn’t only burn inside the kitchen, but also outside, the fire infesting the area, stretching until it took shape. In a situation where there was no source of water around them, it was impossible to put out the fire easily.

The nearby guards realized that a fire had broken out, yet found it difficult to control when it happened so suddenly. Everyone then decided to run outside to safety. Cui Buqu was not obvious among the chaos of people. The light of the luminous pearls was faint, to begin with, and now with the fire, no one noticed that he looked suspicious, neither did anyone notice how strange he looked. Everyone ran around and everywhere, exactly the way he had expected it.

Cui Buqu recalled Feng Xiao telling him that the Pavilion Lord would arrive here today to hold a meeting with them. With this chaos unfolding, if the Pavilion Lord knew about it, he would hurry over to handle the matter. He could leave quietly while this chaos took place to look for members of the Jiejian Bureau, before returning here to catch them all in one swipe.

He was in a little bit of hurry, paint rousing in his chest once more, so painful that he couldn’t help bending over. His hair was loose like a blanket around him.

It was cold inside the cave. However, Cui Buqu had done so many things at once, added with his illness acting up again, sweat rolled down his temples. Very quickly, even his neck and back were drenched in sweat, soaking his hair, strands sticking to his neck, making him look ragged.

His eyesight blurred; the searing pain surging through his body was making him desperate to pass out, yet the existing consciousness in him forbade him to do that. Cui Buqu couldn’t help not reaching out to punch the stone wall, using the pain in his hand in exchange for soberness.

Feng Xiao…

Cui Buqu leaned against the wall half-conscious. He could no longer sprint and could only wait as this wave of pain passed, yet this name came to his mind without delay.

As the pain reached its peak, his train of thought was broken, his mind a white sheet of emptiness. For some time, he couldn’t think of anything. Firstly, there was a wilful and arrogantly handsome face floating up from his sea of memories, then he slowly recalled his name.

That’s right. Feng Xiao was also present. However, that person had always been slippery, able to adapt to circumstances when favour was turned against them. There was no need to worry about him.

It was himself, instead, who needed to leave this place as soon as possible to avoid falling into the enemy’s hands. Otherwise, this chaos would have been for nought.

As he thought until this point, Cui Buqu forced his body up and realized that he’d been drenched in sweat. Even his palm was dripping wet. When he touched the stone walls, it was left with slippery stickiness.

Too much sweat would make one feel strengthless; Cui Buqu felt his head spinning, both his legs felt like they were stepping on lumps of clouds. He closed his eyes, waiting for these feelings to go away, thus he didn’t even realize that someone had come up from behind him.

That is because the other’s speed was incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, he came up to Cui Buqu from a few metres away, reaching out with a hand to grab his shoulder lightly. Cui Buqu turned around instinctively.

“It really was you.” Yuan Sansi’s voice was cold, “It seems like you are also responsible for the fire.”

There was no need for Cui Buqu to undress himself to look, he knew that right now, there would be a lot of fingerprints on his shoulder. Even his tendons might have been injured.

However, compared to the searing pain in his chest that was like a burning fire, this bit of pain given by Yuan Sansi was nothing in comparison. Instead, it pulled Cui Buqu back from the haze of his thoughts.

“Yuan Sansi, regarding Maiden Yu that you’ve grown up with, the deeds you owed the Yu family, even the post of Prefecture Magistrate in Boling, these were all meaningless to you.” Cui Buqu coughed a few times, and spoke in a low tone, “Your true interests have always just been on the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai. Am I right?”

Yuan Sansi, “Yes. I thought people like you would understand me. The lasting affections between men and women would only make you weak, not desiring improvement; as for the Prefecture Magistrate of Boling, that had just been an undercover identity for me. Relax, I won’t kill you for now, in memory of your mother’s past relationship with me. I will bring you to see the Pavilion Lord, and allow him to decide what to do with you.”

Although his words were spoken in this manner, he strode forward as he held on tightly to Cui Buqu’s robe, his strength incredibly merciless as if he was handling an item.

Cui Buqu was dragged by him ‘till he fell forward, once again splitting open his wounds. It was difficult to stomach the pain, even someone like him who would never beg or yell in pain couldn’t hold back his groaning.

Yuan Sansi laughed coldly, reaching out with a hand to grab his jaw and tip it up, examining him for a while.

“The Pavilion Lord has his integrity. He has never indulged himself in women and had never treated any of his enemies differently. He only looked up to you. Even someone like Feng Xiao would risk his life trying to save you. Looking at you closely now, you really do look a little bit like your mother…”

At that moment, Cui Buqu’s mind blanked out. He heard perfectly well the other’s words but didn’t process the sentence, “Even someone like Feng Xiao would risk his life trying to save you” for quite a few moments after it reached his ears.

Confusion clouded his face as if he was trying his best to understand these words.

However, Yuan Sansi suddenly let go of him. Cui Buqu lost his balance and fell on the ground.

“What are you doing!” Yuan Sansi’s furious bark sounded by his ears. He even fought the other as both parties engaged in combat of flying shadows in the dim light, their strengths filling the air, travelling in waves to where Cui Buqu was.

Cui Buqu took out the ceramic bottle from his bosom. It should be the same one that Fan Yun had left him and was taken away by Feng Xiao afterwards, not knowing since when it returned to him. He poured a few pellets out, not even glancing at it closely before swallowing them.

Now he could be certain that it was Fan Yun who drove the guards outside his door away on purpose and then drove the people who stood guard at the kitchen away as well, giving him the chance to create a fire.

“Fan Yun, do you want to betray the Pavilion Lord?!”

Yuan Sansi originally thought that Fan Yun was just harbouring old sentiments for his former student and wanted to save him, yet he couldn’t have anticipated that the other would aim for a fatal spot with every move, wanting to claim his life! He couldn’t help feeling furious.

Cui Buqu heard Fan Yun barking at him, “Feng Xiao and Yu Xiu both went searching for you. They may have mistakenly stepped into the Twin Spinning Compass Array!”

Trap mechanisms were everywhere in the array. In a place where martial arts were supposedly free to develop, they were diminished instead. If Yu Xiu was more familiar with the array compared to Feng Xiao, then the latter would be in more danger.

It was unknown whether the medicine had taken effect or not, for Cui Buqu didn’t feel his chest hurt anymore. After listening to Fan Yun’s words, he panted as he rose to his feet, even falling as he did so, but nevertheless, he went back into the direction of the cave.

[Wushuang] Chapter 122
It’s you.

Cui Buqu had seen Feng Xiao’s most distressful moments; in order to rescue Pei Jingzhe, he had no choice but to travel to the outskirts of the city. It was when Cui Buqu himself had been drugged by the Naihexiang drug and could only be carried away by him, then going to an agreed meeting that was most certainly a trap. As expected, both of them failed miserably and were left with no option but to hide in a cave as they waited for backup. However, from the way he saw it, during that time Feng Xiao might not have been fully uncertain of victory, judging from the way he allowed himself to be beaten around. If Fo Er had returned and the two of them engaged in a fight, it would be difficult to tell the winner from the loser.

This person cherished himself deeply, to the point that he would admire himself in the mirror and never treat himself badly. Although he often provoked him on purpose as his entertainment, while occasionally showing a display of intimate affection, Cui Buqu had always regarded the relationship between the two of them as an alliance between nemesis. Each time, they worked towards a shared goal. So, regardless of how many times Feng Xiao teased or played tricks on him, or dug a pit to let him fall into it, he would shamelessly return the favour. When the time came for them to work together out of necessity, neither would say a word against it, making a prompt decision instead at the nick of time.

When Feng Xiao betrayed him, Cui Buqu could calmly acknowledge that his speculation was wrong; even when Feng Xiao stopped Yu Xiu in order to stab him himself, Cui Buqu did not feel furious or even angered, because he knew that it was the only way. Even towards Feng Xiao’s confession about his reluctance doing so afterwards, Cui Buqu could also, with a calm and peaceful heart, agree with him.

Up until now, Cui Buqu wanted to let go of everything and escape after he set the place on fire, knowing well that Feng Xiao would never be in any danger, for the other man would never thrust himself into any dangerous situations.

However, this time, once more, he was wrong.

Feng Xiao not only hasn’t left, he even went back looking for him.

Why did he want to search for him?

Feng Xiao had no reason to do this at all.

Βut, the one Cui Buqu was wrong about the most had been himself.

He could have turned a deaf ear to Fan Yun’s words, prioritizing his own safety and escaping, then this whole thing would be over and done with.

To escape, he would have to pass through the Twin Spinning Compass Array. That array was made by Fan Yun and Cui Buqu knew its quintessence. He was confident in walking past it without running into Feng Xiao and Yu Xiu.

He only needed to free himself from this situation, then seek out members of the Jiejian Bureau to guard the cave. Although they might not be able to capture grandmasters like Yu Xiu and Yuan Sansi, they could capture the housekeepers and other guards. They might even capture Lin Wei and Ning Shewo. When that time comes, they will be closer to taking down the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai.

If he went looking for Feng Xiao right now and with the possibility of being discovered by Yu Xiu, it would be very dangerous.

On this journey, he walked and paused recurrently, many notions flashing in his sea of thoughts like lanterns. These were simply the voices of the consciously intelligent part of his mind, asking him not to pay that man surnamed Feng any attention and leave on his own first. With his sickly body walking around in the array looking for someone—let alone trying to kill a thousand enemies by sacrificing eight hundred of his own, before Yu Xiu moved his fingers, in the scenario he finds him instead of Feng Xiao, he would have fallen down in defeat first.

What has gotten into that man surnamed Feng this time? Why would he turn back to look for him?

Cui Buqu sighed. He could feel himself radiating steam like a burning furnace, reaching out with a hand to touch his forehead. Even in his palm, he could feel an unusual body temperature. He scolded this fellow Feng Xiao in his heart a few times, now that he no longer had the strength to outright scold him.

Both his legs were heavy as if they were tied to a boulder of a thousand jin1. The cold winds of dense forest swept by, and for a moment it blew away the boiling hot steam Cui Buqu exuded. It even caused him to sneeze.

He knew very well he has reached the border of the array. Another step and he will have stepped into it. If he only wanted to escape on his own, he should take a detour into another direction and pass through the array.

Cui Buqu’s footsteps only paused for a moment, before taking a step forward.

……

Feng Xiao realized that he had underestimated Fan Yun.

He thought that after he listened to Cui Buqu’s vague explanation of the array, he could trap Yu Xiu inside it. However, the situation now was far from his expectations. Not only was Yu Xiu trapped within it, but even Feng Xiao himself was also trapped within it.

There shouldn’t have been a light in the array, but occasionally a firelight would shoot up into the air, or there would be faint lights like fireflies floating about. If one were to move forward, very quickly they would fall into a trap. Feng Xiao has already seen it a few times, and once he was almost confused himself, another time he was almost discovered by Yu Xiu. Both of them were in the array looking for traces of the other as they looked for the way out, yet having to be wary of being found. Walking and stopping around they would return from where they had begun. Even Feng Xiao found his strength depleted.

Yu Xiu’s poison was swirling inside his body, forcibly suppressed by his inner strength, yet it was wriggling eagerly. Regardless of how skilled Feng Xiao was, he could not keep this up forever. He had to regulate the cold air of the array, at the same time having to be wary of Yu Xiu, and take note of that silver needle inside his body. If this continued, then there would only be one result left.

Naturally, Feng Xiao knew that Yu Xiu’s apparent condition was not any better than his. When they fought before, the other was injured. If he could not leave this array, then Yu Xiu would also completely exhausted in it.

However, Feng Xiao had no intention to perish together with Yu Xiu.

There was a forked road at the front, separated by three boulders.

This scene appeared not too long ago. Feng Xiao was fairly certain that he passed by here before. Now, it was very obvious that he’d found his way back.

He felt a little helpless.

Last time, he picked the path on the left, so this time Feng Xiao went right.

The further he walked, the denser the coldness of the forests felt. Among the fog, there was a faint light.

Just because there was a light doesn’t mean that there was the exit. It was more likely a trap. Feng Xiao felt no joy, his footsteps instead slowing down.

Passing through the thick, heavily chilled fog, he saw a group of people hurrying towards him.

The one leading them was the Third Commander of the Jiejian Bureau, Ming Yue. The other also saw Feng Xiao. His simple and honest face looked overjoyed for a moment.

“Er-lang!”

Ming Yue brought men as he came over in large steps. “I finally found you. Those oral messages you left weren’t mentioned in detail. If not for meeting Cui Buqu, I wouldn’t have found my way here!”

Feng Xiao blinked and spoke slowly, “Cui Buqu has gone out?”

Ming Yue, “That’s right. He said you were still in here, so he sent me here for backup! Such a pleasant thing to have found you. Come, follow me out first before we discuss again!”

As he finished speaking, Ming Yue reached out to pull him.

Feng Xiao unconsciously took a step back.

Ming Yuan caught thin air. He didn’t understand so he turned around to look at him.

Feng Xiao, “Do you know the exit?”

There was a glint in Ming Yue’s eyes, “I know. Cui Buqu showed me before!”

Feng Xiao twitched his lips, not saying another word before he gave Ming Yue a push.

“What are you doing?!” Ming Yue was shocked. However, he could not avoid that palm that contained deep inner strength, so he could only allow it to hit him.

There was a bang! His palm caused the fog around to disperse, conveniently turning Ming Yue and the others into dust as it went.

Feng Xiao gave a cold snort.

He had always been the one to give orders in the Jiejian Bureau. Considering Ming Yue’s personality and character, he would never attempt to exceed his authority and make a final decision before his conclusion.

Additionally, in a complicated array like this, Feng Xiao could not believe that Ming Yue would know how to walk out of this array with just a simple explanation from Cui Buqu.

So, it can only mean that this was an illusion.

These illusions seemed to reappear from time to time. They could even blur the boundary of time, causing Feng Xiao to forget for how long he’s been trapped in here.

He had never been in such a difficult situation before, where he could not see his enemies nor touch them. It was also his choice to step into this array, to begin with.

He would rather see Yu Xiu and Yuan Sansi appearing simultaneously right now. Even if it was one against two, it was better than floating around in limbo and not knowing what lies beyond.

Behind, someone seemed to be approaching.

They were still a little far, perhaps separated by a boulder.

However, Feng Xiao immediately sensed it.

Such heavy footsteps would never belong to Yu Xiu.

Was it another illusion?

He stood there unmoving, quietly waiting for the other party to walk closer. He raised his palm slowly into a stance that meant he could kill at any moment.

A figure appeared behind the boulder, walking out from amid the fog.

In his hand was a glowing green light, it should be a luminous pearl.

However, it was very contradictory to this appearance.

Feng Xiao squinted his eyes, watching the other helping himself with a boulder as he walked forward with great difficulty, stopping again not far from him as if waiting for Feng Xiao to walk over himself.

There was a cold laugh and Feng Xiao granted his wish. His footsteps moved and he is already before the other in the blink of an eye, his palm ready to strike.

This hit was just to test waters, for in reality, not much energy was infused into it. However, if it was an illusion, this palm would shatter the illusion created by the cold fog.

However, this time, his palm landed on a warm body. The other shook faintly, his body falling backwards and hitting against the boulder before he spits a mouthful of blood.

When warm blood spilt on the back of his hand, Feng Xiao finally gave a look of confusion.

“It’s you?”

To explore his theory, he took another step further and took this body that has neither dispersed nor turned to dust into his arms, pinching that face as he inspected closely.

“It’s you.”

This time, there was a tone of joyful surprise in his voice.

[1] Jin: Chinese unit of measurement that equals to 500grams.

[Wushuang] Chapter 123
Master Daoist Cui, stop feeling me up.

The moment that warm body fell into his arms, Feng Xiao truly felt ‘this really is Cui Buqu’.

Then, he thought about the palm he had thrown out to hit the other.

This person could fall ill even on usual days. Before this, he had already suffered a stab to the chest. Although it hadn’t harmed any fatal spots, his body would still be greatly weakened from massive blood loss. If this went on, he would ascend before even dying from old age.

Even if Feng Xiao wasn’t willing to, he couldn’t avoid admitting that for a few times Cui Buqu was injured, he was somehow involved.

“Are you alright?” Once these words were spoken, Feng Xiao felt stupid.

However, he couldn’t stop himself from asking another stupid question. “Why did you come?”

Even if he knew the answer was a stolen joy, he still couldn’t help having to hear the truth from the other’s mouth.

Feng Xiao felt a kind of stupidity that he had never felt before prior to this, as if his spirit was divided into two; one half was “staring from the side with a cold glare” at his stupidity, and the other half was babbling everything out unrestrained.

After having his wrist taken and infused with inner strength, Cui Buqu moved a little and spoke in a hoarse voice, “Don’t say stupid things.”

His person was already here. If one were to ask him whether he was alright or not, what would it be if not stupid words?

Had it been in the past, Second Commander Feng who never wanted to lose an argument would start mocking him. Cui Buqu had even braced himself for the question: ‘Why are you so ignorant of your own worth, going into the array to rescue others?’. But who could have guessed that Feng Xiao said nothing, only answering him with a low ‘En’.

That wasn’t all; the hand clinging to his wrist even tightened its grip a little, transferring inner strength to him as if it was free of charge to do so, continuously flowing into his body. Cui Buqu felt a little surprised and asked, within his heart, if Feng Xiao had been spinning around in the array for too long to the point his brain had been muddled. Even if his inner strength was impressive, he couldn’t afford such depletion of his energy.

However, as inner strength flowed in his body, his ice-cold body slowly warmed up. The pain on his shoulder that he had endured just now from that hit had also faded away. Cui Buqu even felt a little too comfortable. However, he still fought against it and caught Feng Xiao’s wrist.

“Enough. Let’s walk out of the array first.”

Feng Xiao did not pay him any attention until he decided that he had channelled enough energy, only then did he let go.

“So, your teacher designed an array such as this; it seems to be more complicated than the one you spoke of before.”

“Rubbish. The array was invented by him to begin with, so it should have evolved over the years.” Cui Buqu coughed twice, felt his throat more comfortable than it was before. It seemed that that palm Feng Xiao hit him with just now had forced all the bad blood out of his chest. “Where is Yu Xiu?”

“In the array. However, I’m guessing that he’s tumbled almost as dizzy as I. If you can still hold on, I wish to take care of him first before going out.” Feng Xiao said.

With Cui Buqu’s situation, another second more in this freezing array would harm his body more. Perhaps others would have thought of leaving first, but when Cui Buqu heard Feng Xiao’s words, he nodded his head and said nothing.

He wasn’t used to it, neither did he like being hugged into someone’s arms like this, a position that made him look weak. Once Feng Xiao’s hand stabled, he pushed him away.

However, his wrist was still caught.

“You came in here looking for me, didn’t you?” Feng Xiao’s tone was a bit strange; it didn’t sound like a joke or a mockery.

Cui Buqu raised an eyebrow, for a moment he couldn’t guess the meaning behind the other’s words.

“No.” He said coldly and shook the other’s hand away, hearing Feng-er’s laugh as if he was laughing at him for talking insincerely.

Cui Buqu was baffled, staring at him as if he was looking at a dumb fool, before turning around and walking forward.

Two arrays, one big and one small fitting in together; this was why it was called “Twin Spinning Array”. At this moment, they were walking towards the heart of the array and the chill, dense wind that blew between the boulders was also extraordinarily strong. The coldness it brought penetrated the skin and bones, but what the eyes saw were only flickering shadows in the distance like in a dream. Sounds of shining spears and metal armours1 were ringing endlessly through their ears, blending into the victim’s senses inside the array. Even someone like Feng Xiao, with his level of martial arts, was subjected to a blurry vision and an increased heart rate, let alone others.

However, he followed behind Cui Buqu. Other than avoiding the intersection of chilled winds, they no longer stepped into traps. However, Cui Buqu wasn’t completely familiar with the array. He walked and stopped as if thinking deeply with every step he took.

After passing through this forest of boulders, a light appeared in front of him as if the exit was looking in their direction. The drizzle outside the cave was like a curtain, one could even see the dark clouds gathering outside. However, this scenery looked like freedom for those inside the cave.

Cui Buqu knew in his heart that this exit could have been a trap. However, he reconsidered and decided to take a step out anyways.

At the same time, a murderous wind picked up from both his sides. His collar was pulled from the back and he fell backwards, centimetres away from the metal arrows that shot out, ringing as they brushed against each other.

Feng Xiao used one hand to pull Cui Buqu behind, and the other to launch a zither string.

The zither string that contained qi expanded in mid-air, blocking those metal arrows.

This was already enough. Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu turned around to avoid it. The metal arrows flew for a short distance before finally falling onto the ground.

Feng Xiao was out of breath, “Fan Yun that old hag wasn’t harbouring a good heart since the beginning!”

“He wants to use us to tear the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai apart. If we died in the process, then he would have killed two birds with one stone.” Cui Buqu’s expression was bland, not feeling surprised at all. “Even if this isn’t the exit, it shouldn’t be far from here. We should go stand guard at the exit. If Yu Xiu wants to go out, he would have to pass through there.”

As he finished speaking, he reached out to shove Feng Xiao away. When the latter was shoved away by him, he conveniently borrowed that momentum to lean against the rocky walls and sat down slowly.

Cui Buqu turned around in confusion.

Feng Xiao sighed, “I can no longer move. Let’s rest. Why are we trying so hard? Maybe Yu Xiu himself is sitting around somewhere taking a snack.”

Cui Buqu’s first thought was that this person was behaving weirdly again. However, he still knelt and touched the other’s forehead.

The other held his hand.

Feng Xiao replied languidly, “Master Daoist Cui, stop feeling me up.”

Cui Buqu twitched his lips, wanting to take his hand back. He used a little strength but did not succeed.

“Now it seems like you are the one feeling me up.”

“If I didn’t hold your hand, who knows how much longer you’re going to touch. Do you know how many people have set their eyes on me? How could I not know what you are thinking? If you truly feel something for me, speak, I might consider accepting it.”

What rubbish hooliganism is this person talking about?

Cui Buqu had gotten used to Feng-er’s hooliganism a long time ago, but the latter would never play around during a situation like this.

A thought hit him, “Are you hurt?”

Feng Xiao retained his languish demeanour, “Nonsense. My martial arts are unsurpassed, how would I ever get hurt? Don’t think that in this dark place, you can do whatever you want to me. I would never give in to you.”

He spoke and at the same time, pulled Cui Buqu closer to him, putting a hand at the back of his head so he couldn’t stand up.

A wind picked up at his side, and Cui Buqu could narrowly avoid it because of Feng Xiao’s gesture.

Once Yu Xiu’s attack landed, he was forced to show himself from the dark, facing Feng Xiao head-on.

Cui Buqu was pushed aside, watching as those two shadows blended into a battle.

He suddenly realized that Yu Xiu had caught up to them earlier and had been studying them in the dark for a long time, just looking for a chance to attack. Just now, when he heard Cui Buqu saying that the exit wasn’t far away, his murderous intent had risen. Cui Buqu felt nothing, but Feng Xiao could feel it so he was waiting for Yu Xiu to attack.

As real qi between both of them roared, conflicting with the cold air within the array, creating sounds like horns, they gathered all the cold air around them. Yu Xiu and Feng Xiao were protected by their respective martial arts, but Cui Buqu felt the cold winds whipping in his direction, filling his nostrils and making him want to vomit. It was so uncomfortable that he started coughing.

As if the coughing had reminded Yu Xiu, the latter laughed, “Commander Feng, haven’t you realized that there is a needle in your body?”

He was wandering in the fog, his movements so quick that he looked like a mere shadow, blending into the grey fog, yet from time to time he would launch an attack at Feng Xiao following the currents of the wind. It could be seen that Yu Xiu being trapped in here wasn’t completely for nothing. At least he had managed to unravel some of the mechanisms in the Twin Spinning Array.

Yu Xiu’s words confirmed Cui Buqu’s speculation. His heart sank, trying his best to tell Feng Xiao’s shadow from the fog.

His assaults were curt and precise, completely unaffected by Yu Xiu. However, the more he behaved like this, the more Cui Buqu knew things weren’t looking favourable.

Because with Feng Xiao’s character, he would have wanted to mock Yu Xiu after he said those words and would not let go until he drove the other into fury. But now, he did not even utter a single word.

Yu Xiu didn’t notice the difference. However, Cui Buqu noticed immediately that something was wrong about Feng Xiao’s body, that he couldn’t even pay much thought about talking right now.

How could he help? Cui Buqu thought, studying his surroundings as his eyebrows raised.

Yu Xiu was on the defensive, patiently frolicking around with Feng Xiao, but he wasn’t in a hurry to attack.

However, Feng Xiao was the complete opposite. His attacks were fiercer than the winds toiling inside, every movement he made aimed to kill, his shadow so quick that it was impossible to tell the difference. Yu Xiu watched the other charge in his direction and immediately avoided it, yet Feng Xiao vanished in mid-air, appearing next to Yu Xiu in the next second, aimed a palm right at his chest and shattered the defensive barrier around him created from qi.

A mouthful of blood spilt from Yu Xiu’s mouth, his expression falling; however, very quickly he realized that Feng Xiao didn’t use that opportunity to attack again, he had instead stopped for a while.

This spilt of a moment made him realize something. Yu Xiu laughed, he did not escape despite his injuries, moving forward instead. He took a dagger out from his sleeve, holding its hilt, gathering all his strength into the blade as he hammered it down Feng Xiao’s head!

When grandmasters fought, the battle did not last for long. When one of them found the other’s weakness, the time to decide between life and death would come.

From the moment Yu Xiu suffered an attack until this moment, he hadn’t retreated but instead advanced. He believed in his own judgement, even grateful for the Pavilion Lord in his head. Without that hidden weapon he had given him, he might not have been able to put Feng Xiao at a disadvantage at this moment.

As real qi filled the dagger, for a moment even the chilled winds dared not surround the dagger. It was sliced in half by Yu Xiu before it sliced its way towards Feng Xiao!

Although Feng Xiao’s reflexes were quick, the moment that knife was raised, he took a step back slower than his prior speed. This knife, even if failed to chop down his head, should at least slash his chest, enough to make one half-dead.

As the sharp knife hailed down, in the midst of the fog, Feng Xiao’s figure vanished all of a sudden in midair. Yu Xiu’s knife hit the ground, its clang resounding in the air. Boulders shattered and fell, yet Feng Xiao is already out of sight!

Furious, Yu Xiu quickly turned sideways to look.

As expected, Cui Buqu has also disappeared!

Cui Buqu was dragging Feng Xiao along the way as they made it through collapsing boulders, moving so quickly that he didn’t look like someone who was often ill at all. Instead, Feng Xiao’s footsteps were hesitant, stopping once in a while, half his body dependent on Cui Buqu and practically making him fall.

“…I need to force that needle out of me right now, half my body has gone numb.” Feng Xiao gritted his teeth as he said.

He never expected the needle to be so powerful, thinking that he could suppress it for a while, but as he fought with Yu Xiu, that needle followed the currents of qi inside his body as he channelled them, scurrying through his veins, almost making him fall for it.

Cui Buqu didn’t say much, he dragged Feng Xiao and leaned against a stone wall, before setting him down.

“Just now, I’ve used some stones to mimic the Twin Spinning Array and made a smaller one, so this array has turned into a ‘Triple Spinning Array”. However, these little tricks won’t last long. Yu Xiu will very quickly make his way here. You need to act quicker!” Cui Buqu said hurriedly.

“You need to help me,” Feng Xiao used a hand to press onto his shoulder, moving down inch by inch, and as for his other hand, it slowly balled into a fist. “Press on my guanyuan meridian, use moderate strength.”

The guanyuan meridian is three inches before the bellybutton. Cui Buqu was familiar with the medical arts, he had heard of such a thing before. However, he didn’t feel so used to it once it became practical. He reached out to touch Feng Xiao’s stomach, bringing his fingers three strokes below the belly button. Feng Xiao could no longer stand him rubbing him lightly like that, so he immediately caught his hand and moved it down.

“It’s here. Use one hand to touch, don’t let go. Use the other hand to press your way up the vein, don’t stop unless I say so!”

Cui Buqu didn’t think too much, quietly obeying his orders.

With Cui Buqu there to stop the needle from moving around, Feng Xiao finally had enough to spare to draw the needle out.

However, that needle knew that it was not in a favourable position. It wriggled inside his body, following the flow of his blood everywhere. Feng Xiao’s face turned paler. His lips pursed as he closed both his eyes. The usual smile was no longer on his face, right now he looked stern and serious.

On certain aspects, Cui Buqu and he were birds of the same feather. They had determinations of steel and would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. It was only because Feng Xiao’s seriousness was often hidden under a layer of playfulness and patheticness, that it was not often noticed.

Originally, Cui Buqu paid attention to the change in his gaze and acted accordingly. Now, however, he felt that this look on Feng Xiao suited him more than his usual playful self.

At this moment, Feng Xiao’s body shuddered, fresh blood trickling down the corner of his lips. His body slumped forward and Cui Buqu caught him.

“How are you feeling?” Cui Buqu held his shoulders, allowing the other’s forehead to land itself at the crook of his neck.

“I fear…not very good.” Feng Xiao said weakly.

“Hold on for a moment more. The exit is just upfront.”

Cui Buqu didn’t waste more time, he wanted to take Feng Xiao’s arms onto his shoulders to pull him up, but he was stopped.

“Even if we could leave, I’m not certain if the members of the Jiejian Bureau would find us before the people from the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai could. If we ran into the Thirteen Pavilions now, I fear both of us would not be able to leave.”

“What use is there for you in saying these things? Keep your breath and speak again once we are out!”

Cui Buqu barked in a hoarse voice, yet heard the other sigh lightly in the dark, before feeling damp and warm lips covering his own.

[1] Sounds of shining spears and metal armours: Symbols of war in ancient China.

[Wushuang] Chapter 124
Feng Xiao laughed until he almost fell sideways.

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.

Editor’s note: And thus, the alpha within Feng-er’s omega has awakened. Congratulations.

Translator’s note:

Feng Xiao: This is….

[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).

[Wushuang] Chapter 125
From either one of you, your life.

Without Yu Xiu at their tails, Cui Buqu found the way out very quickly. Alas, one second they were stepping back out into the open sky, yet the next, their footsteps halted.

One person was standing at the exit of the cave with his arms crossed as if he had been waiting for a long time, for his expression changed once he saw them running out.

“It seems like Yu Xiu has been dealt with.”

Cui Buqu’s footsteps paused.

Fan Yun smiled when he saw it, “If it hadn’t been me who moved those people away and left you the kerosene and dagger, you may have still been trapped inside. If it hadn’t been me who helped you by stopping Yuan Sansi, now that you’ve dealt with Yu Xiu, you would have another enemy to face.”

Cui Buqu nodded, “Thank you, teacher.”

His expression and attitude seemed to indicate that Fan Yun owed to help them, for there was no humble gratitude about it.

Even if Fan Yun was a man of high virtues, he couldn’t help raising an eyebrow, “Buqu, after many years of not seeing each other, you’ve become more unkind. I’ve helped you so much, yet you still lift your guard against me. It feels so cold to have your suspicions on me.”

Cui Buqu looked both disinterested and unmoved by it, “Teacher, you worded it too seriously. The best ending you could have expected was that all the members of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai were killed by Feng Xiao, while Feng Xiao himself and I both perished in the array. A pity that the Heavens will not grant you your wish; you’ve waited here for practically half a day, I can’t believe that you actually waited until both of us came out alive.”

If Fan Yun had the intention to rescue them, he could have entered the array himself. Yet, he was waiting outside, proving that although he hadn’t taken any measures to kill them, he had not been hoping that Cui Buqu and the others would be alive either.

Fan Yun was stunned, then he laughed.

He knows Cui Buqu has seen through his thoughts, but he hadn’t expected the other to be so completely thorough.

Feng Xiao took two steps forward, shielding Cui Buqu from the front, either on purpose or by accident.

“Senior plotted a scheme to lure us here and the intention was for the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai and us to fight at close quarters. Presently, may we know how much of your goals have been achieved?”

Fan Yun watched his actions and laughed as he spoke, “You’re injured, and I am not. If I were to attack Cui Buqu now, you cannot stop me.”

Feng Xiao only said five words, “I could at least try.”

Perhaps he could not kill Fan Yun, however, the other would not have any advantage either.

Fan Yun did give this a thought.

If he could get rid of both Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao at once, half his goals were already accomplished.

However, he had been injured as well while battling with Yuan Sansi a while ago. If he wanted to kill Cui Buqu, he would first need to kill Feng Xiao. Considering Feng Xiao’s capabilities, even if he was already injured, he would not tolerate being perceived as a wounded tiger. In the end, it was more likely that both sides would endure great losses.

Before the secret gathering in Tiannan, Fan Yun had, too, once thought that Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao were only getting along on the surface, but not in their hearts. Although they similarly served the Sui Empire as officials and trusted followers of the Emperor, they could still add to the misfortunes of the other, pushing each other down in pits when the chance arose and felt no pity for it. This was originally a very usual way of thinking, however, he never expected both of them to willingly set aside their differences during punishing situations, gathering their strengths as they worked together, and could even walk out safely from the Twin Spinning Compass Array.

Since he couldn’t get rid of these two people at once, then there was no need to act on impulse.

Fan Yun couldn’t help sighing darkly with regret.

Making sense of this thought, he lets go of it, broad-chested and unprejudiced.

“I truly am insincere about joining the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai, but without me, mayhap you people would have never known that this place is one of their lairs. This time, not only could you escape completely unscathed, but you have even accomplished a great deed. You should thank me. It was a pity that the Pavilion Lord did not come as promised; this person’s malice has achieved to such an unfathomable degree that one would find it hard to look beneath his skin, his schemes laid so deeply hidden that it has rendered him unpredictable. He may have already suspected me a long time ago and the secret gathering this time is probably a test of my loyalty.”

Cui Buqu, “Since the teacher does not belong to the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai, surely he could tell us now, who on earth is the Pavilion Lord? Where does he come from, and what is his background?”

Fan Yun hesitated, “You people have seen him before. He visited the outskirts of the city once; during that time when Duan Qigu was eliminated by you people.”

Cui Buqu shot Feng Xiao a glance on instinct, just as the other also shot him a glance.

Bing Xuan, Yan Xuexing, and the names of the others reeled themselves up in Feng Xiao’s sea of thoughts, and finally, it fell upon two words.

Xiao Lu.

Almost simultaneously Cui Buqu also said, “Xiao Lu?”

Fan Yun nodded, “That’s right.”

This person’s demeanour and elegance heralded him as an outstanding man among people; his literary abilities were renowned in this present age and was equipped with a good set of skills in the martial arts. However, due to being an invalid because of his right hand, he could only wield the sword with his left and could not assume the post of an official. A man of talents yet cannot use them where they are needed, this truly made everyone feel pity.

Cui Buqu’s impression of him was quite good; perhaps because both of them were similar in their birth, born with a defect, or perhaps it came from his admiration of talented people. However, he was not surprised at this identity of his being the mastermind behind the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai.

Feng Xiao squinted his eyes, “That is to say, he was deliberately hiding his abilities the last time he fought with me?”

Fan Yun said, “I was not present that day, however, this person’s talents are incredibly high, and his martial arts are not beneath you. If he lost to you simply after a few moves, then I could only say that it was deliberate.”

Cui Buqu raised a brow, “That time he was there to rescue a relative of his who was kidnapped by Duan Qigu. I saw with my own eyes that women called him ‘Seventh Brother’.”

As the Pavilion Lord of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai, if he could not even rescue his relatives and had to offer them to his subordinates to play with, then that truly was too comical.

Fan Yun smiled, “This is a case of being blinded by your own intelligence. As far as I know, those women were all tortured until their consciousness was no longer intact. How could they recognize a relative in a heartbeat? Regardless of what Xiao Lu says, as long as he came with concern and intentions to rescue them, he would be acknowledged as someone else. If I anticipated correctly, Xiao Lu never allowed that woman to speak much while she was conscious.”

Cui Buqu nodded his head, “That was my negligence.”

Fan Yun said, “In the past, I travelled across Jiangnan and met Xiao Lu when he was heavily injured, hiding beneath waters among bamboos. There were strong enemies ahead of him and pursuing soldiers at his back. As a matter of life and death, I reached out to save him. To repay me for saving his life, we often kept in contact. His intelligence is not beneath you, being able to unravel everything with a single hint. It was then my love for talents grew.”

Feng Xiao pretended to be shocked, “How strange this love of yours is! Not only were you a good teacher, you even liked to pick up a rock and pound your very own legs!1”

Cui Buqu’s lips twitched slightly.

Fan Yun laughed bitterly, “There is no need for you to injure my pride with words. I truly have mishandled this matter. That time, I only thought he was a god-given talent, ambitious but failed, so I answered every question he asked, hiding nothing from him. All until two years ago, he invited me to join the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai, saying that the position of Master Three was made for me. Only then did I discover that he has quietly gathered so many top-tier masters, and has already plotted such a vast scheme.”

Cui Buqu spoke hesitatingly, “Xiao Lu is someone from the Southern Dynasty, and the Xiao Clan was a family from the former royal families. He should have countless networks and relatives. Presently, the Emperor of the Southern Dynasty, Chen Shubao, is an overwhelmingly disappointing person. Heroes who are at least capable would think of permeating into the Southern Dynasty and wrestle for the throne, and they might even succeed. However, I have never heard about the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai doing anything to the Southern Regions.”

Fan Yun, “That is right Because the few times he schemed against Chen Shubao were secretly ruined by me.”

A sudden realization hit Cui Buqu.

This explained everything.

Since Fan Yun was a subject of the Southern Dynasty, naturally, it was his goal to destroy Xiao Lu’s schemes, yet at the same time could not allow Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao to be the victor. If Xiao Lu and Cui Buqu fought to the death that and resulting in both sides suffering great losses, it would be Fan Yun’s greatest benefit.

Cui Buqu said blandly, “I can’t believe that someone like you, teacher, who has been intelligent your entire life, boasting about how you saw through all the great powers of this world, yet you still conduct foolish things—giving everything you had to aid a decrepit and muddle-headed Emperor that is already beyond saving.”

Fan Yun’s smile finally showed a hint of bitterness.

“You thought wrong. Chen Shubao’s incompetence that has reached such an extent, comparable even to the Emperor of the Shu Han Dynasty2 during the Three Kingdom’s period, is not something I do not know. Only, an old friend bestowed me this task, and I cannot refrain from giving it my full effort. To attempt despite one knowing to succeed is impossible; since I took the decision on this matter, I have considered what is to come, that I will most likely come across an overwhelming defeat before I die.”

Cui Buqu, “Who is that old friend of teacher’s that could make him bend backwards for them?”

“This person is in the past; there is no use in mentioning.” Fan Yun closed his eyes, concealing all the fragileness he had unconsciously shown. When he opened his eyes again, he was once again that Master Zhuge3 who sat waiting to reel for benefits, the one who played on both sides of the chessboard by roaming between Cui Buqu and the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai.

“Leave aside meaningless banters. I have already told you such a piece of important information from the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai. As compensation, shouldn’t you people also show some sincerity?”

Cui Buqu, “What do you want?”

Fan Yun smiled and said, “From either one of you, your life.”

He turned hostile and attacked at will; his words hadn’t yet finished and nothing changed on his smile, yet his figure had already lunged itself like a rolling wind, reaching out a hand at Cui Buqu!

[1] Pound your very own legs: Feng Xiao most probably meant that Fan Yun likes having his students (people he had taught in person) against him.

[2] Emperor of Shu Han Dynasty: This is Liu Shan, the son and successor of Liu Bei from the Three Kingdoms.

[3] Master Zhuge: A well-known master strategist, strategist of Liu Bei, from the period of the Three Kingdoms.

Translator’s Notes:
FX, chapter 2: Use naihexiang drug on him
FX, chapter 125: Over my dead body if you touch him.c