Peerless ( Meng Xi Shi )

Feng Xiao, indeed, would not write a reply. Although Pei Jingzhe failed his task, he was still a member of the Jiejian Bureau by the end of the day. He would not allow an outsider to punish him. So, Feng Xiao ordered a few people to watch over the surroundings of the Lu manor, refusing to allow any of the people inside to leave, while he brought Cui Buqu and headed towards the outskirts of the Huyang forest.

Cui Buqu was curious, "If you wanted to save Pei Jingzhe, why are you bringing me along for?"

Feng Xiao, "With a hostage in their hand, they are fearless. In such a situation, I might perish in battle or left with no ideas of what to do, but a crafty man like you could surely assist me in yielding a few strategies."

Cui Buqu stared at that calm, steady look of his. No matter how he looked at him, Feng Xiao did not seem as if he would 'left with no ideas of what to do'.

As expected, the other's next sentence was, "Just in case we encounter any dangers, with you here, I feel a little safer."

Cui Buqu replied coldly, "I bet you want to use me as a meat shield."

Feng Xiao, "Clever."

His footsteps were like the wind; his qinggong1 as smooth as the flowing waters and clouds. To avoid Cui Buqu slowing him down, Feng Xiao grabbed his waist and heaved him into the air as well.

Cui Buqu simply felt both of his feet floating above the air, it did not require him to use any strength, and suddenly he had already arrived at the destination.

The moon revealed itself from behind grey clouds and brought light to the mortal world. Under the moonlight, the Huyang forest looked like it was practically glowing, yielding a sort of calmness and peace that did not exist during the morning.

But this peace was merely an illusion. Perhaps Cui Buqu could not sense it, but Feng Xiao could already sense the stir in the air.

He stopped his footsteps.

"You have invited me, so then why are you hiding?"

The grassy fields weren't considered dense with just patches sprouting from the sand few and far between each other, but Cui Buqu hadn't even heard anything, when a man was already standing under a tree not far off.

It was that Goguryeon man, Gao Ning.

Although Gao Ning used the surname of the country, Gao, and was also one of the top fighters in the Central Plains, his attire looked worn and old, almost shabby.

He wore grey all over and looked like he had travelled a long way, but he could care less about it. He kept his eyes on Feng Xiao the moment he showed himself and did not even spare a glance at Cui Buqu.

This was, of course, not because Feng Xiao was handsome, it was because he had decided that Feng Xiao was his one true nemesis and wanted to defeat him.

Feng Xiao, "What about the man you caught?"

Gao Ning was straightforward about it, "Not here".

His Han was not fluent; his tone and words were stiff, even cringer than the icy night breeze that bellowed.

Feng Xiao chuckled, "I knew that Pei Jingzhe would not have been so stupid that he'd still be caught even after you've taken his token. Speak, who else are your accomplices? The high and mighty number one fighter of Goguryeo is using such underhanded methods. It seems that the Goguryeons are merely just chicken and dogs, cowards and ghosts!"

Gao Ning's face showed a hint of anger, his hands rested on his sword, but beside him, someone else spoke.

"He is using the provoking technique; there is no need to pay him attention."

Another person appeared behind a large boulder; he had been keeping his breath low on purpose before, unmoving, that even Feng Xiao could not sense where he was.

There was little room to guess who it could be when a high-level martial artist that could rival even Feng Xiao had coincidentally appeared in the City of Six Crafts.

"Is this not the number one fighter of Göktürk? Did you drop something? Want me to find it for you?" Feng Xiao mocked him with feigned surprise.

Fo Er, "Tonight, you weren't concentrated. I want to fight a new battle with you."

Cui Buqu, "This is the first time I am seeing someone who lost speak in such a refined way. You people are not from the Central Plains, so I wager you would not happen to know how to write the words dirty, underhanded, shameless, and calculative?

His voice was passive, but he had said everything in one go, obviously carrying a mocking tone.

From the way Gao Ning and Fo Er looked at them, they might at least understood a little of what he meant.

Feng Xiao happily said, "QuQu, I have never seen you being this adorable and loveable."

Cui Buqu, "Lord Feng, please refrain from being so self-centred. Resume addressing me as Master Daoist Cui; do not call me anything that makes my heart feel disgusted."

"Men of the Central Plain, tch!" Gao Ning laughed coldly, interrupting their conversation, "They are all bark and no bite!"

After he spoke, he drew his sword and flew towards Feng Xiao.

The glare of the sword was blinding, almost like the arrays of a rainbow, a few times the speed compared to how he held Pei Jingzhe hostage minutes before.

At the same time, Fo Er attacked from the other side. With one on Feng Xiao's left and one on his right, it seemed they intended to go for the kill right away.

However, Feng Xiao showed no fear. He did not move until both of them were within reach, only then did he push himself off the ground with his foot and rose into the air, avoiding both of their combined moves.

The zither rolled out from his hand, and he landed on the ground; the wind cooperated with the zither and sent an attack towards the other two. Under the combined attack of Gao Ning and Fo Er, he wasn't at a disadvantage.

Although Cui Buqu was not on good terms with Feng Xiao, from this moment onwards, they were on the same boat. If Feng Xiao was defeated, it wouldn't be beneficial for him.

Fo Er and Gao Ning together were indeed powerful, but Feng Xiao was certainly not a pushover either. Between the three of them, it was impossible to tell who would win. Even if Feng Xiao grabbed hold of all the opportunities given to him, he might not be able to defeat them.

After Cui Buqu observed for a moment, he relaxed and began walking to a nearby boulder to sit on it before continuing to slowly monitor the battle.

At that moment, he suddenly felt his hairs standing in a cold sweat as if someone was blowing mouthfuls of air at the back of his neck.

In reality, there was no one blowing air at the back of his neck; it was only the instinct of humans warning him of danger. Cui Buqu did not know anything about the martial arts, but perhaps since he was often sick and his body had accepted various kinds of medicinal affects, his five senses became more alert and sensitive; at that moment, he did not even hesitate and bent forwards to sprawl on the ground.

The moment he sprawled onto the ground, something wheezed past the top of his head, and in the next moment, Cui Buqu saw that not far in front of him, a few long needles were sticking out neatly from the ground.

Needless to say, poison stained those needles.

Cui Buqu felt that his movement was too sudden as his back ached and his knees hurt. He did not have enough strength to stand up again and run while the threat that would claim his life was already right behind him. He could only roll to the side to save himself in a sorry way, but at least he could keep his life.

As he rolled to the side, two people in black rushed at him with one at the back, and one in front. Swords shone in their hands, and while he could escape the attack from before, no doubt, he could not escape this one.

No good comes from standing close with that oleander!

While Cui Buqu had considered everything, he couldn't have guessed that his death would be the cause of not his enemies killing him or dying of his illness, but because he had got involved with Feng Xiao! He did not have time to open his mouth to shout curses, but he was already doing it in his heart. He cursed Feng Xiao's ancestors through a few dozen generations before himself until the time of the Xia, Shang, Zhou and Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors periods.

He closed his eyes, accepting fate.

He did not know whether it was because his curses to Feng Xiao's ancestors in his heart was taking effect, for those sword never landed on his back, and the anticipated pain never came. The sound of fighting sounded next to his ear; Cui Buqu opened his eyes and saw that Feng Xiao had managed to arrive on time, standing in the way of those assassins that wanted to kill him.

At that moment, two more people joined the enemy's ranks. It had become one against four.

Feng Xiao did not have the energy to retaliate against Cui Buqu. It was obvious that he had begun to feel wore down.

One he was out of danger, Cui Buqu spoke, "These two men are from the Yunhai Thirteen Pavilions, they even have poisoned needles!"

The Yunhai Thirteen Stories had emerged once tonight, but they had left when the woman in yellow, Bing Xuan, exposed them. No one knew that they would appear so soon here again and join arms with Fo Er and Gao Ning.

Feng Xiao, "Why did I not know that the Yunhai Thirteen Stories do not only assassinate people now, but have also resorted to robbery?"

Of course, those two people in black would not respond to him, infusing all their strength and attention at attacking Feng Xiao. They did not even look at Cui Buqu, as their target, since the beginning, had always been Feng Xiao.

In the dead of the night the wind rose and the sandstorms gradually got stronger. As the few shadows fought each other on the highlands, they did not realize that they had reached a cliff. Looking downwards, although it wasn't an abyss of a thousand zhangs deep, it was similarly dangerous. It would claim the life of a normal person if they fell down.

A mouthful of sand filled his mouth and nose, Cui Buqu nearly coughed it out, but he refrained himself from doing so. He knew that between battles of highly skilled martial artists, even one mistake was not permitted. If Feng Xiao lost because of a distraction, then the fate that awaits himself would not be a good one.

He moved slowly to a dark spot in the corner where nobody would notice him, using the large boulder to conceal his presence. Added with the sandy winds that arose, the few people surrounding Feng Xiao wouldn't have noticed that Cui Buqu went missing.

Ever since the two assassins from Yunhai Thirteen Stories participated in the battle, the situation had taken a turn for the worse. With four exceptionally skilled fighters battling with the best of their capabilities at the same time, even if Feng Xiao was number one beneath the sky, he could not escape unscathed. Also, considering that two of these people were not from the Central Plains, and the other two were assassins; they would indeed not follow the regulations of martial artists within the Central Plains. With numbers by their side, and after a few more exchanges of fists, Feng Xiao's stomach and shoulders finally took the hit, and his moves became slower. Fo Er grasped the opportunity, striking a palm to his chest, sending him rolling down the cliff as Gao Ning kicked his zither into the other direction.

Feng Xiao fell down the cliff, darkness consuming him. The Yunhai Thirteen Stories were assassins who would pursue until the end. They did not hesitate about jumping down the cliff in pursuit. At that moment, sandstorms flew all around, mixing with a little rain and snow; even high levelled fighters would not have been able to stand it. Gao Ning and Fo Er formerly did not know each other, but because of Feng Xiao, they had agreed to become temporary allies. Yet once the enemy was defeated, they quickly held their guard towards each other, and seeing how terrible the weather was, they were not as obsessed as the assassins, so both of them left, one heading the west, the other to the east, disappearing into the snowstorm.

Cui Buqu waited for a moment, coming out to investigate only after feeling that those two were far enough.

His vision was not bad; even so, it was difficult to see anything in darkness such as the one before him.

Even if Feng Xiao was fortunate enough to be alive after his fall, he could not say what would happen if those two assassins had found him.

Cui Buqu said in this heart: 'Tsk, tsk'. He felt it a pity that someone with good looks like Feng Xiao would be reduced into ashen bones, but at the same time, he was glad that Feng Xiao was gone. The Jiejian Bureau would be dull for a while, and that would be the chance for the Zuoyue Bureau to rise.

As he was thinking, a weak voice filled his ears.

"Pull me up."

Cui Buqu moved to the side of the cliff and squatted, reaching out to feel around the edge.

As he fumbled here and there, he indeed found a hand!

That hand swiftly grabbed onto him, practically dragging his entire person down with it. The latter instantly grabbed onto the edge to prevent himself from being yanked down.

"Pull me, up!"

Feng Xiao's voice was weak, it was apparent that he did not want others to hear it, but it also seemed that he was wounded quite severely.

"How lucky you are!" Cui Buqu helplessly shouted back.

Feng Xiao snorted, "The Heavens naturally offer their protection to someone of peerless elegance and grace like myself. How could those little nobodies be able to wound me?"

Cui Buqu, "But now you want me to save you."

Feng Xiao, "When we get back, I will reinstall your freedom and let you go wherever you please."

Cui Buqu spoke in his heart. If this old man wanted to leave, you would not even be able to lock me up.

"That is nothing to me. If you agree to do something, I will pull you up."

Feng Xiao said impatiently, "I will agree to anything, just pull me up first!"

He kept his voice low so the Yunhai Thirteen Stories would not be able to hear him.

Cui Buqu, "Call me 'Dad' three times and I will pull you up.

Feng Xiao, "…."

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[1] Qinggong: Qinggong is a technique in Chinese martial arts, in which martial artists can move swiftly and lightly at superhuman speed, and perform gravity-defying moves such as gliding on water surfaces, scaling high walls and mounting trees.