ALL GÖKTÜRKS grew up on horseback, and Apa Khagan was no exception. He too had been an experienced rider and archer in his youth. But as he grew old and indulged in wine and women, his skills had gradually deteriorated. He became an old khagan, his face weathered with age. Yet even at his peak, he hadn't been able to casually leap dozens of feet over Jinlian's head, let alone meet Feng Xiao in battle in midair. At the moment, the two appeared equally matched. The khagan was swift and lithe as the wind, unbending as a pine. He didn't look like an aging man at all.
Jinlian watched the scene in a trance for several shocked moments before regaining her senses. Few martial artists of this caliber existed—whoever that man was, it wasn't Apa Khagan!
Qiao Xian was a step ahead of her. "That bastard killed and impersonated the khagan! He wishes to throw the Khaganate into chaos!" she shouted.
High above the uproar, Feng Xiao and Yuxiu had already exchanged over a dozen blows. When they'd fought previously in Liugong City, Yuxiu had merely been testing the waters. This was a battle to the death. Yuxiu had set up this elaborate game of chess for the express purpose of sowing discord. He'd intended Fo'er's death at Feng Xiao's hands to incite enmity between the Western Khaganate and the Sui dynasty, which he could use to fan the flames of war between the two nations. But Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao had upset all his careful plotting. He wanted to grind their bones to dust.
Now that his identity was exposed, Yuxiu held nothing back. Every strike was brutal and brimming with bloodlust.
"So it's Yuxiu-chanshi!" Feng Xiao, too, had recognized him the moment they exchanged blows. Yuxiu was an enemy many times more challenging than Go Un, but Feng Xiao wasted no time provoking him, as if his dearest wish was to make him angry. "I have good news for you: Your accomplice Go Un is already dead!"
"I can't say I'm surprised," Yuxiu sneered. "He was a mediocre fighter, but at least he did one thing right!"
Go Un had been Goguryeo's foremost martial artist, but talented fighters abounded in the Central Plains. Though he couldn't rank among the best of the best, his skills had been top-notch. Feng Xiao might have killed him, but it couldn't have been a painless victory.
Still, Yuxiu remained careful. Go Un had underestimated his enemy, but Yuxiu had a much better understanding of Feng Xiao's strength. At this point, though there was no salvaging his plan, retreat remained possible. Only Feng Xiao stood in his way. Even if it cost Yuxiu extra time and effort, he had to kill Feng Xiao today if he hoped to make a clean escape.
Yuxiu was wielding a saber he'd taken from the yurt. It had been Prince Ade's favored weapon, a blade of extraordinary make that glimmered in the sunlight. It wasn't Yuxiu's weapon of choice, but as a martial expert, he was proficient in a variety of weaponry. He wielded the gleaming blade with ease, as if it was an extension of his body. The saber's glare and his true qi surged together into a colossal wave that crashed toward his opponent.
Engulfed in the saber's mighty glare, Feng Xiao's own sword glare appeared frail and small, almost overwhelmed by his opponent. For Jinlian, it was a nerve-wracking sight. Qiao Xian paid it no heed. She stumbled into the yurt, where she found Cui Buqu collapsed on the ground.
Cui Buqu's face was white as paper, his breath a bare flutter. Qiao Xian felt for the pulse in his neck and went pale.
"Lord Chief! Wake up!" She channeled true qi into Cui Buqu in panic, calling to him again and again.
Cui Buqu didn't move. After what seemed an age, he coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Lord Chief!" Qiao Xian was frantic.
"Stop passing me true qi," said Cui Buqu. His voice was feeble as the buzz of a mosquito. "Don't you smell the incense of helplessness…"
He had only used a small amount of incense of helplessness, and Feng Xiao and Yuxiu had torn open a hole in the top of the yurt; the scent had mostly dissipated. It was only when Cui Buqu pointed it out that Qiao Xian detected it. She promptly became even more terrified.
Circulation of true qi aggravated the effects of incense of helplessness. Yuxiu had succumbed to it so quickly because he had been afraid and circulated his qi in desperation. Cui Buqu's body was frail but unable to accept any healing energy. Not only would Qiao Xian's true qi fail to alleviate his pain, it would make his symptoms worse.
While Qiao Xian and the others had been occupied with the Buyeo Clan, Cui Buqu had faced off against an equally cunning opponent. Yuxiu had known Cui Buqu was crafty and unpredictable, yet he'd made a common mistake—Cui Buqu wasn't a martial artist, and thus Yuxiu had dropped his guard. It had been Cui Buqu's idea to exploit this by throwing incense of helplessness into the mix. With this, he seized his victory over Yuxiu.
Eradicating his enemy by crippling himself was something only Cui Buqu would do. Yuxiu had underestimated Cui Buqu's ruthlessness. Had he not been occupied dueling Feng Xiao, he'd have been tearing Cui Buqu limb from limb at this moment.
Yet Qiao Xian felt no triumph. Typically, whenever Cui Buqu got up to his tricks, he'd always end up injured. How could Qiao Xian feel anything but anguish at seeing him hurt once again? Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I'll carry you outside and let you sit first."
"No, you need to go to Jinlian," said Cui Buqu. "Tell her to find Prince Yixun and have him calm people down. Yuxiu has impersonated the khagan. He must have made many subtle attempts to sway his people and stir up discord…"
He coughed, unable to continue. But Qiao Xian had worked for him for a long time; she understood. Yuxiu had been exposed, but the thorn bushes he'd planted would remain, ready to pierce the unwary. With Prince Ade dead, the first prince was the khagan's only living heir, but the Khaganate didn't strictly adhere to the idea that the son must inherit from the father. The more conservative nobles might see this as a chance to seize power. As things stood, the first prince was still well-disposed toward the Sui dynasty; it would benefit the alliance if he became khagan.
"Then you…" She was clearly reluctant to leave, but she didn't dare touch Cui Buqu to move him, afraid she'd aggravate the pain of the poison.
"I won't die," said Cui Buqu. "Go!"
Qiao Xian gritted her teeth and got to her feet.
Cui Buqu listened to her retreating footsteps and the sounds of Feng Xiao and Yuxiu's duel above him. He slowly closed his eyes.
***
Yuxiu enjoyed games of skill and strategy, and particularly enjoyed playing against opponents of comparable ability. An opponent too far beneath him was like drinking a bowl of plain water, while a well-matched and talented rival was like partaking of a delectable, aged wine with a lingering aftertaste.
His hatred for Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu was nothing personal—especially not Cui Buqu. In fact, Yuxiu thought highly of him, and considered it a pity he'd been born too sickly to practice martial arts. He admired the meticulousness of his plots, and his ability to turn even the most desperate situation around. In another time and place, as different people, they might have had a friendly debate.
But today, here, blades danced and clashed. There could only be one victor.
Yuxiu and Feng Xiao had exchanged nearly a hundred moves. One had been poisoned by incense of helplessness; the other was injured and not at full strength. Each time Yuxiu attacked, he felt his true qi stutter and stagnate, hampering his every move, and his loathing toward Cui Buqu grew.
Just as Yuxiu didn't often wield sabers, Feng Xiao didn't often wield swords. His whip sword was a temporary replacement now that he had no zither to swing, but his exquisite swordsmanship and footwork were still unparalleled.
Yuxiu soon found himself in trouble.
Feng Xiao's sword glare undulated like the rolling mountains and rushing rivers, endless and without reprieve, hemming Yuxiu in with his inexhaustible internal energy. For now, Yuxiu was still holding his own, but he'd begun to realize he might not kill Feng Xiao today.
Not only that, Cui Buqu might survive.
Yuxiu was struck by an idea. He swept his shining saber up toward Feng Xiao's face. Feng Xiao danced back in retreat, only to see Yuxiu drop low. The saber shot from his hand, appearing as an arc of light as it flew toward Cui Buqu in the yurt. Without waiting for it to hit, Yuxiu charged at Feng Xiao. If Feng Xiao changed course to save Cui Buqu, he'd leave himself vulnerable. If he didn't, Cui Buqu was dead. Either way, it was Yuxiu's victory.
A sneer pulled at the corner of Yuxiu's mouth. His palm rushed toward Feng Xiao's chest, infused with internal energy.
In the next instant, the sneer froze on his face. Feng Xiao's sword glare was too fast. Its dazzling shine seared Yuxiu's vision; he instinctively blinked. A sharp pain radiated from his forehead and spread to his left eye. He gave a muffled groan and swept back unthinkingly as a crisp chime sounded in his ear.
But the whip sword didn't claim his life—it kept flying, streaking down to slice the saber into two. The tip of the saber was already at Cui Buqu's throat; as it fell away, a few drops of blood welled up where it'd broken skin. Had Feng Xiao been a fraction of a second later, Cui Buqu would have been no more.
This one strike had exhausted Feng Xiao's true qi. All he could do was watch as Yuxiu drifted away and landed on a flagpole at a safe distance to gather his strength. Moments later, he swept away and was gone within a few bounds.
By now, most of the observers had pulled themselves together. Jinlian led a handful of Göktürk guards in pursuit, but Yuxiu was no ordinary man. Feng Xiao knew they'd never catch him—and even if they did, they couldn't stop him.
Feng Xiao floated down from another flagpole and alighted beside Cui Buqu. He gave Cui Buqu's shoulder a poke. "Are you dying?"
Cui Buqu didn't move.
Feng Xiao sighed. "Was I too late?" He poked Cui Buqu's forehead. It was cool to the touch. "Oh, so your corpse has gone cold? What wonderful news. On my return to the capital, I'll petition the emperor to abolish the Zuoyue Bureau."
Cui Buqu's eyes fluttered open. If you'd lain on the ground for half a day, you'd be fucking cold too, he thought. But he truly lacked the strength to speak. Even during that life-threatening confrontation earlier, he hadn't been able to move an inch.
Qiao Xian rushed over with several Göktürk maids and a palanquin and tried to help Cui Buqu stand. Her movements were cautious and timid, afraid to hurt Cui Buqu more by moving him. A frown creased Cui Buqu's brow.
"So you can still frown," said Feng Xiao in surprise. "Your body hasn't gone cold yet after all. Ah well. As they say, escort the buddha the entire journey west. I shall humble myself this time!"
With that, he plucked Cui Buqu out of Qiao Xian's arms and slung him onto his back, then began walking toward the yurt they'd been staying in. "Daoist Master Cui," he said. "I have something I wish to discuss with you."
Cui Buqu closed his eyes and rested his chin on Feng Xiao's shoulder, feigning sleep.
"Next time you decide to risk your life with your shenanigans, I'd prefer you let me know in advance. Or if not, make sure to die somewhere out of my sight and save me the condolence money. Our Jiejian Bureau hasn't much to spare. I hope you understand."
Cui Buqu remained silent, as though he'd passed out entirely. But Feng Xiao had seen his eyelids twitch when he first picked him up, his eyes rolling beneath closed lids. "Don't pretend; I know you're awake. I'm telling you, the debt you owe me this time couldn't be repaid in thirty lifetimes, even if you paid it with your body."
Cui Buqu breathed a faint sigh and finally managed to crack his eyes open. "What about forty lifetimes?"
Feng Xiao snorted. "I fear you'll die in my bed. Enough nonsense. The moment you can walk, go fetch me the zither Yuyin."
"Yuyin is a precious treasure of the Cui clan of Boling. It's not something I can simply fetch whenever I want."
"Don't forget your promise to me. If you refuse to keep your part of the deal, I have a hundred ways of not keeping mine."
"I promised, so of course I'll get it. Once we leave here, we'll go to Anping."
Anping was the home of the Cui clan of Boling. He'd had Cui Buqu's word, yet Feng Xiao still felt like something was off. Cui Buqu had offered Yuyin to him back in Qiemo, but at the time, Feng Xiao hadn't expected to have to save him from such a troublesome man as Yuxiu. He'd paid a hefty price, and his only reward was this zither. Any way he cut it, it felt like he'd been scammed.
"If you know where Yuyin is, then what about other zithers? Haozhong or Jiaowei—"
Cui Buqu coughed a mouthful of blood up onto his shoulder. "I might not live much longer," he said serenely, then let his head fall and played dead.
Feng Xiao was speechless.