The Legend of Su Kuang By Piao Deng - Chapter 09
Chapter 9 « Prologue: Breaking the Formation · Dragon’s Roar » (9)
9. Who Can Compete for Supremacy
Eight Lines of Chanting
Half a Lifetime of Calculations
Iron bones fiercely battle Kunlun
Thunder and lightning ring
Who dares to contend
Iron bones resolute and strong
Long Qing led Feng Xi to retreat from the Northern Camp, and the guards cheered loudly: « Is it really you? » Following that, someone handed over a knife, Feng Xi took the knife and looked around, and the bandits were wildly joyful, shouting: « Fifth Master! »
Feng Xi glanced around, and Long Qing solemnly asked with concern: « Long Qing, how did my brother get injured? »
Under the command of Long Qing, the troops stirred up a commotion. The Beiting army did not dare to act recklessly. Arrows rained down in a chaotic volley, wounding many soldiers and breaking limbs. Feng Xi quickly retreated from the crowd, then swiftly swept through the enemy ranks.
Long Qing stammered, « Since it was a night raid on the camp, there was damage and injury, so I… »
Nonsense! » Feng Xi, supporting the broken leg and bruised thigh, carefully examined the injuries. The arrow had pierced the bone, and he feared that this generation might end up limping. After a thorough assessment, his face grew increasingly grim, and finally, he shouted angrily, « Long Qing!
Long Qing endured silently, while Feng Xi cherished his brothers deeply. He risked his life to save his injured brothers, and after the battle, he gently comforted them, saying, « It’s nothing, luckily, we managed to hold the fortress… »
Feng Xi’s eyes blazed fiercely, still stern and severe: « Long Qing, I don’t like nonsense and chaos. If you want to cause trouble, then cause trouble properly. If you want to stir up trouble, then stir it up thoroughly. Don’t drag your brothers into this mess—I won’t tolerate it, I really won’t— »
Long Qing stared at her, resolutely refusing to back down from Feng Xi’s fierce gaze, and said firmly, « Fine, I’ll take the blame! » After speaking, he spun around, leapt into his red robe, and kicked fiercely at his own abdomen. The red robe seemed to be treated with extreme cruelty, as if it were a furious beast, hooves thrashing, then he disappeared into the vast night like a whirlwind.
Feng Xi suddenly felt regretful and helpless. What else could she do? She immediately ordered the crew to set sail, steering the red flag ship.
At that moment, a man with an injured leg and bruised face hurried over: « Fifth Master… just now Miss Long ordered us to get close to the rear tent, but the fire spread to the warehouse… Fifth Master, Miss Long is very capable, she definitely won’t be harmed. »
Feng Xi bitterly shook his head, not knowing what to do. He glanced at Long Qing and his brothers, who were standing nearby, half annoyed. He vaguely sensed that something was not quite right, but he couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
The hooves thundered fiercely, Feng Xi smiled joyfully: « Qing Yun! » The red-robed figure suddenly froze—dashing swiftly, saddle creaking, with bright eyes and white teeth shining in the sunlight.
The sound of the flute was clear, Feng Xi’s phoenix wings spread wide, the red robe fluttered behind, and the bird gently tilted its head: « Hoo! »
Daring to challenge, the red robe was left empty, the return was in vain.
Long Qing finished, half-kneeling on one knee, Feng Xi immediately relaxed and loosened his grip, Long Qing lowered his head and whispered, « Master, release the Fire Thunder! » The breath was extremely calm, the air seemed almost undisturbed, as if afraid that the shock would injure the right foot’s delicate tendons.
Feng Xi was startled, abandoning the sword, Long Qing’s right foot lightly stepped on the Fire Thunder, the extremely thin string slightly bent, the tension gradually released, the posture was maintained for a long time.
Feng Xi hurriedly chased after the red robe, bent down to examine carefully, layer by layer brushing away the floating dust — the simple technique surprisingly caused a cold sweat.
Stepping lightly on the dragon-clear ground, the feet landed softly, slightly pressing down, then suddenly paused mid-air, stepping firmly again, pressing down firmly, the red robe fluttered with the movement.
Feng Xi’s feet were extremely soft and light, the fire thunder unexpectedly like a dream. Half a step shifted the soil, clear and pure, the fire thunder’s wires stretched taut, about ten feet to the left and right. As Longqing’s foot loosened, an explosion instantly occurred. Feng Xi, with extensive knowledge, had never dismantled a thunder trap before. Half a step in, one of the fuses was pinched and cut off. Nearby, there was indeed a hidden ambush. Longqing withdrew his foot, and there was no sound at all.
« Danger— » Feng Xi tightly gripped the knife, swiftly slashing at Long Qing’s boots, and said, « Are you trying to escape? »
Long Qing’s legs were numb and sore, and he complained bitterly, “I’m really annoyed. Don’t pull the red robe’s legs, the red robe’s legs, or else you won’t be able to take a step—sigh, it’s really hard to move with the old man’s hooves! That old pig boasts about his spirit, but he’s really just a stubborn pig.” The red pig seemed to be secretly cursing him, snorting angrily.
Feng Xi endured the pain, not letting Long Qing’s right foot feel any discomfort, kneeling down and carefully holding the red robe’s hoof. Without hesitation, she stretched Long Qing’s foot and pressed firmly on the root of the string, supporting the string tightly.
« Retreat! » Feng Xi shouted urgently.
Long Qing suddenly cramped his leg, « Ah, my leg is cramping… » He was puzzled by the sudden cramp.
Feng Xi wiped the sweat from his forehead anxiously—although he was pressing the string, who knew Long Qing would suddenly twitch like that? The grip was precise, off by a hair’s breadth, a mistake of a thousandth, but it was enough to ruin the plan.
Frowning deeply, calculating carefully, Feng Xi suddenly lowered his nose to sniff, then quickly moved his face away, exclaiming, « Qing, did you just wash your feet? They smell so bad! »
Long Qing was stunned, then immediately furious, stomping his feet and shouting at Feng Xi, « Ah—— »
Wu Wu reacted quickly and sensitively; Long Qing immediately realized the danger and quickly pulled his foot away from the fuse, sharply retracting and retreating.
« Ah—— Ah—— Sister Feng, are you tired from walking so much? » Feng Xi asked calmly, still composed as ever, while helping Long Qing.
Long Qing’s face turned pale as he retreated, leaning on Feng Xi for support. She repeatedly urged him back, then turned and quickly moved a hundred yards away.
Phoenix Xi’s muscles tensed tightly, like a stalking leopard, suddenly leaping forward: “Qing’er, are you alright?”
Like a last will, Long Qing shouted loudly: “Xi’er, if you dare to run away, I’ll never forgive you in this lifetime!”
“Not a word more!” Phoenix Xi laughed loudly, snapping the string, her feet landing firmly, her figure retreating step by step, retreating quickly, almost reaching her maximum speed.
The fire thunder exploded, the surrounding air instantly loosened, arrows suddenly shot from the left and right, hitting the wall, the wall cracking, and countless crossbow bolts burst out from the holes in the wall.
After a moment of effort, Feng Xi slowly retreated seven zhang, crouched low, gasping for breath, and carefully positioned the wall crossbow so that the arrow holes were about half a zhang to one zhang and nine chi apart, ensuring they were perfectly aligned to match the cavalry’s formation, with the crossbow bolts tightly fitted and ready to fire. Feng Xi then rolled close to the wall, his head spinning and aching, clutching his shoulders with both hands, shouting, “Feng Xi—”
Feng Xi had just turned his back to Long Qing, who was calm and steady, but Long Qing’s face and clothes were soaked with sweat. His face was pale, and sweat dripped down like rain, as if he had just emerged from the mud. Feng Xi looked at Long Qing and said weakly, “Qing… don’t move…”
Long Qing was overjoyed and victorious, but he looked at Feng Xi with confusion and asked, “Why are you so pale? You’ve been through valleys, cliffs, and grasslands, and yet you’re acting crazy? How could you suddenly lose your strength like this?”
Feng Xi stood up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said firmly, “I’m not crazy, just tired. I’m just a little weak—Qing, just a little—”
The sun was setting, and from a distance of several feet, a taut string was suspended, stretching continuously for hundreds of feet. Feng Xi slowly moved his finger: « What is the situation ahead, can you see clearly? »
Long Qing was stunned: « I… I can’t see clearly. »
Feng Xi calmly explained: « There is a camp stationed in the northern court, with an ambush set up to the north. The terrain is slightly to the north, with sharp edges and dangerous points. The grass is sparse, the sand is flat, and it is a path for stealthy attacks on the camp. »
Long Qing’s face was shocked and admiring: “So clever, to actually calculate and plan a stealth camp?”
Feng Xi laughed heartily: “Qing’s face is really thick-skinned, I’m afraid you’re just preparing to be caught, and you’re trying to use this to your advantage, but it might backfire.”
Long Qing shook his head: “Not necessarily, not necessarily. The shepherd there wouldn’t recklessly kill innocent people; the layout must be carefully arranged.”
At this remark, Feng Xi’s smile suddenly turned cold and sharp: “You’re right… this layout is extremely intricate, clearly calculated to hit the enemy’s weak points… This kind of risk is not something a cold iron wall can withstand, and once the iron wall is broken, what then?” His voice grew sharper and sharper, his eyes flashing, and with a fierce shout, he ordered the troops to retreat behind the copper wall formation.
The wooden wall was nailed with copper leaves, and the ends of the beams were carved with intricate patterns, full of elegance. The curved edges were crafted with extreme skill, and from a distance, the slight tilt of the structure gave it a deceptive appearance. The sound of footsteps echoed, and the smooth wooden wall reflected the light, flickering left and right.
On the left stood a man carrying a sword on his back, Long Qing, who looked unexpectedly remorseful; on the right was a figure in black, with a sharp and handsome face, but a faint chill seemed to emanate from him, as if covered by a layer of ice. The atmosphere was tense, as if a decisive battle was about to unfold.
Feng Xi cupped his hands and said, « Don’t be reckless, the fire is fierce and the situation is urgent. The two squads are blocking the way, what’s the plan? » He finished speaking and looked at Tie Ao.
How dare I not, » Tie Ao on the right said firmly, « Since it’s Lord Feng Wu, we’ll set up an ambush. If they dare to come, we’ll drag them into the camp.
Feng Xi scooped up some muddy soil, rubbed it on his face comically, and his whole body felt a chill. He stared fiercely at How Dare, tore a piece of his clothes, and wiped his blade: « If you dare to bite halfway, I’ll bite back twice as hard. »
Long Qing smiled: « No matter who kills whom, the two squads are used to working together. » He then turned his head and said in a low voice, « You should wipe your face. »
“Partner,” the nightmare-like old memories suddenly surfaced, Mo Yi’s face turned pale, hesitating for a moment, then said with a strange tone: “Mo Yi, don’t be so stubborn and refuse to retreat, it’s just a waste of effort.”
Mo Yi: “Ah——”
Long Qing interrupted: “Ah, your father doesn’t like crooked and evil dealings.”
Mo Yi was anxious: “No——”
Long Qing hurriedly said, « We must definitely win; let’s break through their formation. »
Mo Kuang was usually silent and taciturn, rarely speaking a word. Long Qing’s words were scattered and incomplete, not urgent enough to be taken seriously: “Brother—”
Long Qing chuckled: “Brother, I am your father’s disciple, and I have sworn to uphold justice and righteousness, to root out evil thoroughly; I wield the sword of justice to avenge the wrongs done to my family, and I will not hesitate to draw my sword against you.”
Mo Kuang’s face turned pale and grim, and he drew his sword with a grim expression.
Long Qing pinched Feng Xi’s cheek playfully, his eyes squinting with a smile: “Oh, so you, Mo Kuang, have abandoned your sword and the martial world? Why don’t you draw your sword against a junior like me? Could it be that you’re afraid of ghosts?”
Mo Kuang’s face was cold as ice, his sword steady and strange, his aura rising and falling, the pressure seeming to dissipate. Suddenly, his sword flicked, as if his entire soul was contained within it.
Long Qing was still playful, stretching out to grip the sword hilt, chuckling: « You guessed it right, Mo Kuang. I’m not just here to spar with you, but to test the iron will of your spirit. Tsk tsk, the depth is profound. Few in this world can truly comprehend it. Are you sure you’re not the one who must be tested? The ancient Dragon Yang once said, ‘Only those who dare to face the storm—' »
« Nonsense! » Mo Kuang finally exploded with anger, his sword flashing fiercely, killing intent surging. His swordplay was extremely sharp, even more so than the previous sword strike, and he didn’t even spare a word. His expression was cold and ruthless, his face mocking and courteous at the same time, every sentence dripping with biting sarcasm. Although Long Qing’s teasing disturbed his focus, Mo Kuang remained in control, not afraid of being unsettled.
Feng Xi secretly stole a glance, Long Qing was bitterly practicing sword techniques, not daring to slack off, practicing diligently.
« Uncle Mo… » Long Qing suddenly looked up, his eyes clear and pure, « I really like swordsmanship, how can Uncle Mo be so lazy, how can you not practice swordsmanship? Aren’t you afraid that if you don’t practice, your skills will deteriorate? » His tone was fierce, the sword in his hand moving swiftly, as if piercing through the air.
Long Qing was renowned in the northern frontier, and he was not one to boast. In terms of single swordsmanship, even Feng Xi admired him and willingly acknowledged his superiority. Long Qing inherited the elegance of Qingming guests, with a spiritual aura, and a strong and firm yang energy lineage; the five great clans of the northern frontier Feng Xi competed fiercely, practicing martial arts every night without slackening, blending Feng Xi’s strange techniques, subtly embodying the sect’s orthodox style. The Fire Cave Duel was both a spectacle and a test, narrow and intense, fully satisfying the participants. Now, during the exchange, Mo’s face showed a slight surprise, then quickly turned to joy. Had the discarded sword ever been so skillfully wielded? The duel was intense, and the demand for skill was high.
The two fought more and more fiercely. Long Qing’s initial surprise attack was extremely fierce, with moves sharp and precise, piercing and slashing with deadly intent, faintly resembling thunder. Mo’s two swords were skillfully wielded, slightly sparse in defense, but when facing a strong opponent, his exquisite techniques were continuous and unrelenting, fast and slow like a forest, skillfully compensating for weaknesses.
Feng Xi clenched his iron axe tightly, barely able to endure the pain as he gripped the sword tightly. Suddenly, Feng Xi’s thoughts shifted sharply; realizing that the iron axe was actually an ambush, he was instantly shocked and hurriedly warned his brothers.
Tie Ao seemed to pierce through the chaos of thoughts, coldly saying, « A group of rebellious traitors will probably have been executed long ago, and I must consider carefully. »
Feng Xi’s brows furrowed sharply: « How dare you. »
« How dare you » was said with a fierce momentum, extinguishing all threats, and with a fierce and ruthless threat to the enemy, Tie Ao relentlessly pursued, searching everywhere, not sparing any place, his cold bones chilling. Feng Xi also issued a solemn threat, quietly declaring vengeance and courage—over a hundred sworn brothers had shed blood in Beiting, staining the tribute grass red.
Tie Ao’s fierce momentum was not abandoned despite the plan, his eyes cold and murderous, slowly rolling up his sleeves and drawing a long knife, coldly saying: « Today is just right, Lord Feng, sword against sword, knife against knife. »
Phoenix Xi wielded the iron Ao with a sturdy handle, the five-colored blade shimmering brightly, the blade edge sharp and fierce, like a drifting lost soul. With a flick of the wrist, the blade cut through demons and spirits, glowing faintly, « Please. »
The iron-clad warrior, Phoenix Xi, was a swordsman and hero, with flawless techniques and moves. His swordplay was like flowing blood and fire, embodying his spirit; only his skill could bring death. Phoenix Xi was like a venomous snake with his blade, roaming freely, searching for the enemy’s weak points—iron Ao’s left side! Iron Ao’s left side and right side were both spiritual weak points. However, only the right side’s spiritual weak point was affected at the elbow, causing the left arm to become stiff and sluggish. This was easy to remedy, but once the decision was made, the weakness would immediately be exposed. Phoenix Xi cautiously probed, fearing a feint to lure him out, but Iron Ao’s blade was like a piercing rain, pressing him step by step, forcing him back to the left side.
Feng Xi calculated swiftly, both feet stomping, suddenly leaping up, iron Ao followed closely, the two pairs of double blades clashed in midair without error, flying sparks like silver fire. Seizing the gap in the clash, Feng Xi’s left foot suddenly delivered a backward kick, striking iron Ao’s right waist. Iron Ao swung his blade to chop, but Feng Xi made a feint, his left foot barely touching the ground, then retracted it. His right foot flipped, hooking diagonally at iron Ao’s left shoulder. The power was extremely fierce, flipping half a turn in midair, soaring like a roc. Iron Ao quickly raised his left palm to strike, aiming to cut the soft tendons at Feng Xi’s ankle. Feng Xi’s foot trembled but surprisingly did not break, spinning in midair, wielding his blade to counterattack iron Ao’s groin, a place extremely vulnerable to poison. Iron Ao’s left arm quickly guarded, but Feng Xi’s attack was almost perfectly aimed at iron Ao’s side. His left arm swiftly defended against the blade’s momentum, while his right blade followed the momentum to slash back at iron Ao’s left shoulder. Iron Ao’s blade edge slightly deviated, only grazing Feng Xi’s thin layer of skin and flesh, cutting the left chest and shoulder, blood dripping down.
Feng Xi was almost stunned, but the sharp blade still pressed against iron Ao’s arm—iron Ao’s clothes fluttered in layers, revealing the skin beneath—precisely accurate, cutting through the skin and flesh, the layer of skin was thin and delicate, like a silver sheet, almost like a second skin, almost like armor. Yet, despite this, the armor was pierced, and the blade caused a slight wound, the thin “skin” cracked with extremely fine fissures, blood dripping and seeping quickly, staining the silver sheet and soaking into the clothes.
Feng Xi grimaced in pain, the old injury flared up again, the wound on his neck almost burst open, his strength nearly dissipating. If iron Ao could hold on a bit longer, Feng Xi feared he would lose consciousness.
Iron Ao sneered coldly: “Fifth Master, you’re finished!”
Feng Xi wielded the long sword, slicing through the air with each strike, every move deadly.
« Die! Die! » The shadowy figure circled, brandishing the sword. The blades clashed with a sharp ring, their edges meeting in a fierce duel. The heavy clang of metal echoed as they struck, sparks flying from the impact.
Suddenly, the guards seized Su Kuang, who knelt on one knee, « Master! Urgent orders, the enemy must be found immediately! »
Tie Ao gritted his teeth, and from the side, Mo Mo shouted, « Mo Mo, hurry, garlic and ginger. »
Mo Kuang looked around left and right, then laughed heartily while holding his sword: « It hurts! It hurts! »
Feng Xi’s face darkened, and she reached out to block Su Kuang: « Stop— »
Su Kuang angrily said, « What? Are your ears deaf or what? »
Boom, the drums beat in succession, the sound seemed to roar like thunder…
The crowd around suddenly shouted in alarm, as if filled with fear and trembling.
Long Qing tilted his ear and said softly, « Enough… Did you have enough fun playing yesterday? »
Su Kuang stomped his foot: « Yesterday’s game was a mess, the Northern team lost to the Southern team! Hmph! I’m afraid it’s going to be even worse. »
Before he finished speaking, from afar came the sound of hooves, and a cloud of dust rose. The fierce flag almost covered the sunlight’s brilliance. Su Kuang was shocked: « Damn it! Just got the news, the cavalry is already here— » He bent down to pick up a broken sword from the ground, and with a habitual playful smile, he immediately showed a resolute and determined expression.
Sniff, sniff, the blood of the fallen is still fresh. » Feng Xi barely suppressed a cough, she drew the knife from its sheath, aligning her index and middle fingers on the blade, and with a muddy finger pointed at the wound, she said hoarsely: « I am Feng Wu!
The thousand-strong circle of bandits finally rushed to aid Long Yan, and moreover, the northern troops were arriving at this very moment…
