THEIR SWORDS WERE INCAPABLE of chopping down trees, even when infused with true qi. Unless they possessed one of those legendary blades able to cleave through metal and stone, the edges would dull after a few blows.
They had no axes; all they could use was their hands and feet.
Resigned, Pei Jingzhe approached a nearby tree. One palm strike cracked the trunk. A kick splintered it, and the tree tilted precariously. With the third and final strike, the tree toppled.
His hands stung horribly, yet Qin Miaoyu still found him too slow. "Hurry up!" she said. "The third chief is at his limit!"
Pei Jingzhe grimaced and was about to move on to the next tree when he caught sight of something black and wriggling. He looked down and gasped.
A long worm was wiggling its way out from the break in the hollowed-out trunk.
Qin Miaoyu's eyes were keen, her hands swift. She flicked her sword, and in an instant the worm was sliced to ribbons. Disgust contorted her face as she looked at her sword tip, smeared with blood and flesh. "The tree isn't the source of the fragrance. It's the worms!"
Pei Jingzhe felled another tree. Once again, the hollow center contained a black worm.
Every tree was the same.
Both Pei Jingzhe and Qin Miaoyu were stunned. After several more trees toppled, they began to notice something strange: The thick fog that shrouded the forest slowly started to lift. The woods, once dense and seemingly endless, had markedly thinned.
Newly energized, Pei Jingzhe redoubled his efforts, ignoring his numb and reddened palms as he snapped a few more trees. Qin Miaoyu followed his lead, targeting the worms.
As the fragrance gradually dissipated, the agonizing sensation of grogginess began to fade. Pei Jingzhe raised his hand to strike the next cypress in front of him when he heard Qin Miaoyu call from behind: "Watch out!"
A figure had emerged from behind a thick tree trunk. In the blink of an eye, they were upon Pei Jingzhe, striking out with a palm. Taken by surprise, Pei Jingzhe dodged too late—the blow caught him on the shoulder.
Unbearable pain exploded through him, as if a needle had pierced him to the bone. The prickling agony made him long to chop off his own arm.
"Seal all the acupoints around your shoulder!" Cui Buqu cried.
Pei Jingzhe didn't think; he obeyed instinctively. Qin Miaoyu lunged forward with her sword, engaging the black-clad figure in combat.
"There's…there's something alive in my shoulder!" cried Pei Jingzhe, his face ashen. "It's moving!"
"Lie down!" Cui Buqu commanded. He tore open Pei Jingzhe's clothing. A red dot marred his shoulder, no larger than a grain of rice. It was as small as a mosquito bite, impossible to notice without close inspection.
"What is it? What—what is it?" Pei Jingzhe stammered. Everything had happened too quickly. He hadn't seen what the figure in black was holding, but a simple poisoned weapon wouldn't have terrified him so. He could feel something alive and wriggling within his shoulder. If he hadn't sealed his meridians, the creature would have wormed its way further in.
Hefting a dagger, Cui Buqu made an incision over the red dot, then tore open the wound with his hands. Blood ran out. Pei Jingzhe was in agony, drenched in cold sweat; it took all his willpower to remain still.
Amid the raw and bloody flesh, Cui Buqu could see something small and black. It writhed, desperately trying to burrow back into Pei Jingzhe's flesh as if it feared the light.
The man in black locking blades with Qin Miaoyu looked over in alarm. He sprang toward Cui Buqu, but Qin Miaoyu blocked his path. The man grabbed her whip sword with bare hands and yanked with surprising strength. Qin Miaoyu was dragged forward, stumbling. A chill wind bore down on her from above, so suddenly she had no time to retreat.
This is it, she thought and squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to look. In a moment her skull would be shattered, spraying its contents over the woods.
But the expected blow never arrived. Pei Jingzhe had lurched upright and latched onto the man in black, holding him in place long enough for Qin Miaoyu to escape. Opening her eyes, she took a deep breath and silently vowed never to call Pei Jingzhe stupid again. She retracted her whip sword and leapt upright in readiness to confront the man in black.
The pain in Pei Jingzhe's shoulder was worsening. Cui Buqu hadn't had time to remove the worm before he'd been forced to jump up to save Qin Miaoyu. Now, as he released his true qi, the worm burrowed deeper. Soon half his shoulder had lost all sensation.
"Oh my!" a voice called out. "A-Qu, you really did come to my rescue!"
The owner of that voice often bullied and mocked him. But hearing it now, Pei Jingzhe's eyes stung with tears. "Sir! There's a worm in my shoulder!"
Even when severely wounded on the brink of death, Pei Jingzhe could grit his teeth and endure. But insects and worms happened to be his greatest fear, and now a nameless one was burrowing into his flesh. The thought of Zhou Lao-Qi and Lu Ming and the horrific sight of the worm in the corpse filled him with unspeakable horror.
"Good heavens. Is the worm laying eggs inside your body? Will thousands of worms emerge if they hatch?" Feng Xiao drawled. The man in black was caught off guard as Feng Xiao materialized behind him, silent as a ghost. A single strike of Feng Xiao's palm sent him face-first into the ground, unconscious or dead.
To think Feng Xiao was in the mood to make fun of Pei Jingzhe even now.
Pei Jingzhe's face drained of color. He felt as if his soul was about to scatter to the winds, and the hair on his head threatened to break free of his topknot with how hard it was straining to stand on end. He couldn't resist looking at Lu Ming's head, lying on its side not far away. It stared back at him. Its eyes were hollow and vacant, bleak and full of despair, as if calling for him to join Lu Ming in the underworld.
"Don't move!" Cui Buqu held Pei Jingzhe down like a fish flailing on the chopping board. The worm had burrowed deeper. It was now nestled in his shoulder, just over the right side of his chest. His skin shifted like it was alive as the creature wriggled beneath it.
"Chief Cui," cried Pei Jingzhe. "I don't want to go insane and attack you like the people from Yandang Mountain Estate. If it's hopeless, please kill me!" He gritted his teeth, trembling in fear. "Tell my lord I've hidden a stash of money in my room at the Jiejian Bureau. It's on the fourth rafter. Ask him to purchase some paper money and burn it for me in the future; I'm afraid I won't have enough in the underworld!"
By the time he'd finished speaking, his voice was quavering with tears.
Cui Buqu's face was expressionless. "Feng-er. Seal his meridians; we need to prevent the worm from moving. Qin Miaoyu, grab it when I say the word."
Qin Miaoyu nodded hastily.
Feng Xiao was much more heavy-handed than Qin Miaoyu, but he was also faster. He tapped Pei Jingzhe's body at several points, rendering him immobile. Pei Jingzhe was forced to watch helplessly as Cui Buqu opened several long slashes on the right side of his chest.
The worm seemed to detect the danger. The moment the flesh it occupied was exposed, it tried to burrow away again. But Cui Buqu had been thorough—no matter where it went, a bit of it remained visible.
"Grab it!" Cui Buqu cried.
Qin Miaoyu scattered a handful of spices. The worm recoiled at the scent, its body going rigid. Seizing her chance, Qin Miaoyu's hand flashed out and grabbed the creature. The worm's tail was hooked inside Pei Jingzhe's body; flesh and blood came away with it as she yanked it free.
Qin Miaoyu had coated her hand in spices, but she didn't dare hold the worm for too long. She flung it to the ground. The instant it landed, Feng Xiao flicked a stone from his fingers and struck it dead.
At the same moment, the man in black reared up and spat out a mouthful of dark blood. His formerly unassuming features began to wither and age, transforming from a man in his thirties to a man around seventy or eighty years old. A strand of gray hair peeked from beneath his black hood as he sank back to the ground, dead. Immediately, the remaining trees shrank and withered, the fog scattered, and the fragrance vanished without a trace.
Freed from their hallucinations and exhausted beyond measure, everyone doubled over and retched.
Yuan Sansi, reeling from the effects of the man in black's strange spell, had forgotten all about striking his weakened enemies. Now that the illusions had faded, Feng Xiao was reunited with Cui Buqu and their forces; he lost his chance to attack. He slipped quietly away.
By the time Ning Shewo looked around, Yuan Sansi was long gone. He silently cursed him while smiling and cupping his hands to Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu. "Thank you both for the timely rescue. If not for you two, I'm afraid I would be trapped in the array even now. Who knew there was another master of arrays as formidable as Fan-xiansheng!"
"The arrays were amateur work," said Cui Buqu. He pointed to the long black worm. "This, on the other hand, is impressive."
"May I inquire as to what this venomous worm might be?" Ning Shewo asked humbly.
Cui Buqu shot him a glance. "Why should I tell you?"
Ning Shewo was taken aback, but he continued to smile. "You're right. It's only that I admire the two of you very much. Please let me go this time. From now on, the Jinhuan Guild won't take a single step north of the Yangtze River. And if the two of you find yourselves in the south, we will do everything in our power to serve you!"
Cui Buqu's answer was cold. "I want you to relay a message to Xiao Lü."
In that case, he wouldn't kill Ning Shewo today. Relieved, Ning Shewo said, "Of course, Chief Cui!"
"Inform him of everything that transpired today. Ask him if he's interested in collaborating on this matter. If he agrees, tell him to meet me at the Zuoyue Bureau in the capital."
"Collaborate?" Ning Shewo's gaze instantly sharpened.
Cui Buqu smiled. "As they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It seems we have a common enemy. After we deal with them, I shall return to opposing the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai. I believe this is something both Pavilion Leader Xiao and Guild Leader Ning will understand, no?"
Ning Shewo smiled in return. "Of course, it's just as you say!"
Throughout their conversation, Ning Shewo had snuck repeated glances at Feng Xiao. It was obvious which of them he truly feared.
"Lao-Ning," said Feng Xiao. "What do you think, am I good-looking?"
Ning Shewo started, then smiled. "Of everyone I've encountered in my lifetime, Deputy Chief Feng's looks are the most outstanding!" This wasn't entirely flattery to try and save his own skin. Feng Xiao's face was indeed extraordinary.
Feng Xiao smiled wider, then sighed. "Ah, but it can be such a burden!"
Ning Shewo itched to slap him, but he maintained his smile and asked with a hint of childish curiosity: "What's a burden?"
"You see, someone as handsome and dashing as I must spend so much effort maintaining my appearance. For example, I require spring water from the mountains to bathe in—ideally fresh snowmelt. And my clothes must be sewn from soft, delicate silk to prevent any irritation to my skin. Understand?"
Ning Shewo said nothing, bewilderment written all over his face. He'd always considered himself astute—he'd taken to the intrigues of the Southern dynasty like a fish to water and had a knack for perceiving the malice too often concealed within polite words. Yet he found himself perplexed as to what Feng Xiao meant. In truth, Ning Shewo was a man of some importance. Had anyone else attempted to flaunt their cleverness before him, he'd have dealt with them swiftly. But right now, he not only couldn't afford to get angry, he had to stand here riddling out Feng Xiao's hidden message. "Deputy Chief Feng, I'm afraid I'm too dull; could you explain yourself clearly?"
"He's saying he's a money-guzzling beast," Cui Buqu said icily. "He always needs more of it, so if you're smart, you'll offer money in exchange for your life."
Understanding finally dawned. Ning Shewo dug in his pockets for all his gold, silver, and copper coins, and grabbed the jade pendant from his waist. "I was in a hurry when I set off and didn't bring many valuables. Please accept these offerings, small as they are, Deputy Chief Feng. Once I get back, I'll gather strings of coins by the thousands and deliver them to the Jiejian Bureau!"
Feng Xiao made a face. "This is only your share. What about your subordinates? And Yuan Sansi? Since he left, you'll have to pay for him too."
Ning Shewo nearly coughed up blood in rage. Why should I have to pay for Yuan Sansi? He ran away! But he was at their mercy; he had no choice but to comply. He urged his subordinates to take out whatever valuables they had on them.
Before long, a small heap of wealth was gathered on the ground. There was gold, silver, copper—even a dagger encrusted with precious gems, along with jade pendants of more middling quality.
On their own, each item wasn't worth much. But added together they were enough for Feng Xiao to eat and drink at the capital's best restaurant every day for a year.
Feng Xiao sighed. "The Nine Guilds of Water Transport do well for themselves, don't they?"
Ning Shewo laughed dryly. "Deputy Chief Feng is too kind. May I go now?"
"What about your clothes?" asked Feng Xiao. "And everyone else's weapons."
"Huh?" Ning Shewo thought he'd heard wrong. He forced a smile. "Deputy Chief Feng, please don't joke around."
Feng Xiao smiled back. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
The corner of Ning Shewo's mouth twitched. Grudgingly, he stripped off his clothes. The others did the same until they had surrendered everything except their underpants. It was the freezing winter months, and they'd just emerged from an intense battle. They shivered in the cold until Feng Xiao finally, mercifully, let them go.
"Take these items to the carriage," Feng Xiao instructed. "Once we arrive, everyone here today will receive a share: The injured will receive double, while the gravely wounded and deceased will receive triple."
"Thank you, Deputy Chief!" Qin Miaoyu was beaming.
"Do…do I count as gravely wounded?" Pei Jingzhe weakly raised his hand. Cui Buqu had slashed open his shoulder and chest in order to catch the worm, and he was bleeding profusely. The wounds weren't deep, but they made for an alarming sight.
Feng Xiao's lips curved into something like a smile. "The fourth rafter, hm?"
Pei Jingzhe looked blankly back at him.
As they spoke, Cui Buqu walked over to the crumpled figure in black. He dropped to one knee and, grabbing a sword, sliced open the heavy cloak and garments bundled around the body. A small bronze jar rolled out.
Cui Buqu extended a hand, but before he could touch it, Feng Xiao caught his wrist. He glanced at Cui Buqu, then snapped his fingers, shattering the jar.
There was nothing inside.
Perhaps the jar had held those worms—since all of them had been used, it was empty. Cui Buqu frowned.
"Venomous worms?" Feng Xiao said curiously. "Who in the jianghu specializes in poisons?"
"Not just poison. It's a gu—one nurtured using the creator's own life. The gu was the base of the array," Cui Buqu said solemnly.
***
Many miles away, Kuhezhen spat out a mouthful of black blood.
He unfastened his clothes and looked down at a bloody hole the size of a fingernail that had appeared in his chest. A servant stepped forward to help him and was waved away.
"A-Qi is dead." He sighed softly. "The Central Plains truly abounds with talented individuals. I underestimated them."
Across from him sat Tu'an Qinghe. "I'd like nothing more than a fair fight with Feng Xiao. I ask Your Highness to leave him to me," he said.
"But of course," said Kuhezhen. "Worry not; there's someone out there even more anxious than I am. I'm only playing some small tricks. To borrow a saying from the Central Plains: The water here has already been muddied. I'm just making it muddier." His brows lifted in amusement. When he smiled, his blue eyes seemed to soften, resembling rippling seawater. "I heard the empress is ill."
Tu'an Qinghe was puzzled. "Wasn't she fine when you entered the palace the day before yesterday?"
Kuhezhen nodded. "She fell ill yesterday. It's only appropriate that I should visit to express my concern." He fixed his clothing and stood, brushing dust off his robes. "There's no need for you to accompany me."
Tu'an Qinghe had no objections. He preferred to spend his time polishing his martial arts.
Beckoning his attendants, Kuhezhen swept out the door and left the residence the Sui emperor had provided. He looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, "Ah, a storm is coming!"
The servants beside him also looked up, bewildered. The sky was blue—it was a bright and sunny day.