Episode 09 : White Rabbit Village - Chapter 1

The servants of Bai Tu Shanzhuang led Jinshui and his friends to the main hall, asking them to wait there. Two other servants came to serve tea and some snacks for them.

Shangguan Ruyin was carried on a stretcher by Xiaoshan and Xiaohu, her condition was not good. Since she left Wuzhang, she couldn't get out of bed, her face was pale and she was in pain all the time. Qin Liangjie didn't leave her side, and he really worried that something bad would happen to his wife or the baby.

They did not wait long, a moment later two young men stepped into the hall, the looks and figures of the two were similar to one another because they were brothers. The first one, the older one, was tall and stocky and had a calm face, while the second one walking behind him, the younger one, had only one left arm, his face looked bland without any radiance of life.

The first young man immediately approached Jinshui, the two of them standing opposite each other for a while, trying to recognize each other. Xu Qiao and Liuxin looked at the two barely blinking. The expression of the young man who had just arrived was hard to predict, the look in Jinshui's eyes didn't convey any certain reaction either.

Xu Qiao was even ready to grip her weapon and was alert when the young man who had just arrived reached his hand out, Jinshui did the same. But a second later the girls felt relieved. Jinshui and the young man held each other's hands, then hugged and laughed like two old friends who had a reunion.

The young man who had just arrived then turned to look at the two youths and one young girl to Jinshui's right. He still recognized the mysterious, stubborn young man and also the girl with that tiny face.

"Yu, Jixuan, Liuxin Meimei, you come too?" the young man asked. He was Li Qian, the descendant of Ducao and also the person that Jinshui and the others were looking for.

"Li Qian Gege how are you?" Liuxin bowed politely. She smiled briefly.

Li Qian still remembered this smile. Liuxin was a noble princess, but to the descendants of Yumen, including him, she was just a sweet little sister.

"Qin-xiong is here too," said Jinshui, pointing at Qin Liangjie behind him.

"Li Qian," Qin Liangjie recognized his old friend as well. "I heard your father is a good healer, can you ask him to help my wife Shangguan Ruyin?"

"What happened to dimei (brother's wife)?" Li Qian asked him.

"She should have given birth, but…" Qin Liangjie also didn't know how to explain.

"We have Ye Jiuniang here, our midwife," said Li Qian, "she used to help give birth. I will ask her to see your wife."

Qin Liangjie nodded and thanked him. Xiaoshan and Xiaohu followed Qin Liangjie and the servants out of the hall, taking Shangguan Ruyin with them. Li Qian turned to the one-armed youth who came with him.

"Jue, they are my old friends, the descendants of Yumen," he told his one-armed brother, "You can get to know them first, I'll be right back."

The one-armed brother nodded. Li Qian left them, following Qin Liangjie to another part of Bai Tu Shanzhuang. It was true that Li Qian and Qin Liangjie had been very close for a long time, probably because among the eight Yumen descendants, they were the two oldest. At the meeting at Xuan Wu Lake years ago, while the others were still children, Li Qian and Qin Liangjie had already become two teenage young men.

"Li Qian is my older brother," the one-armed brother stepped forward and spoke in his flat tone. "My name is Li Jue."

"Hua Jinshui," Jinshui introduced himself, "the descendant of Moying."

"I'm Huang Yu, descendant of Chailang."

"Lin Jixuan, the son of Lin Tongtian from Wuling, and Xiezhang is my master," Lin Jixuan deliberately mentioned his father's name, apparently wanting to immediately let the whole world know that Lin Tongtian's son, the person who had been hostile to Yumen, had actually become one of the descendants of Yumen's guardians.

"I'm Liuxin, the disciple of Shuiyao."

Li Jue nodded emotionlessly, not seeming too interested in making friends with them or even remembering their names. But then his attention turned to Xu Qiao, his demeanor slightly changed, and brightness filled his eyes.

"Xu Guniang," he greeted without waiting for Xu Qiao to introduce herself.

"I think I have seen you somewhere." Xu Qiao felt that the face in front of her was somehow familiar as if she had met him several years ago, but she couldn't immediately remember.

"Long time no see, you have forgotten about Luo Tieyun." Li Jue bowed his head, saying as flatly and emotionlessly as ever, only for once his tone was rather serious. "That day we parted ways in Jiangbei, I also didn't expect to have the chance to meet again."

"Luo Tieyun..." Xu Qiao remembered his name. "You are Luo Tieyun, Luo Dage?"

Li Jue was the real name of Luo Tieyun. Three years ago Xu Qiao started a dispute with Zhou Sangong and the men from Wansui Gu in order to save this Luo Tieyun and his lover Nan Xinglie, eventually leading to a huge trouble as she was poisoned. Luo Tieyun himself was seriously injured at that time, everyone thought he was dead, but now he suddenly appeared as Bai Tu Shanzhuang's second young master named Li Jue.

Li Jue left Bai Tu Shanzhuang on his own a few years ago, looking for the news about his brother's wife in the capital. However, Li Jue was still young and didn't have as much knowledge as his older brother. He did not reach the capital, instead, he arrived at Wansui Gu, then met and became acquainted with Nan Xinglie there. Nan Xinglie was Zhou Sangong's disciple then, their closeness continued for a long run they never expected.

While separated at that time Li Jue was seriously injured and had been unconscious for days, a village couple found him, treating his external wound even though they could not heal the internal wound. Li Jue's right arm had been severed, he nearly bled to death, but eventually survived. When his strength was recovered, he returned to Bai Tu Shanzhuang. His father was a medical expert, and his wounds were healed completely, but the severed arm certainly can't be reconnected.

Since then he never heard about Nan Xinglie. His father did not allow him to go alone, only Li Qian did try to help him find some news. Li Qian had gone to Wansui Gu and found no trace of Nan Xinglie, then headed for Huofeng Lou in Anhui. But the massacre had already occurred, the remains of Xu Family had shut themselves off from the world. Li Qian finally returned to Bai Tu Shanzhuang empty-handed. Now, Xu Qiao's arrival brought new hope to Li Jue.

"Nan Jiejie is in Haitang Jian Pai," Xu Qiao said. "Erniang told me that because at that time Erniang still had to find me and brought an injured Nan Jiejie was troublesome to her, she let Nan Jiejie stay in Haitang Jian Pai."

"Haitang Jian Pai," said Li Jue. "Some Haitang Jian Pai students are also in our Bai Tu Shanzhuang at this time."

He ignored Jinshui and the others, then left the room, going to meet Yunhe and her sisters to ask them about Nan Xinglie. Xu Qiao also wanted to know the news of the woman she saved three years ago, she came after him. Jinshui didn't get in her way, Liuxin then took her hand.

"I come with you," the princess said, "Haitang Jian Pai people don't know me, nor do I possess the energy from Yumen guardian, they won't know my identity."

The three of them left Jinshui and the others and headed for another part of Bai Tu Shanzhuang to meet the women of Haitang Jian Pai. The women were welcomed in a wooden hut on the other part of the village, a separate cottage with a flower garden in front of it. A number of rabbits were seen roaming the garden, and the twin girls that Yunhe and his younger siblings were taking with them seemed to be trying to catch some.

Unlike the average Haitang Jian Pai women who wore white clothes with wooden color coats, the twin girls wore red and green outfits which, although simple, are quite striking. Presumably, they were two girls who had been saved by Yunhe a while ago and had not yet been brought to Haitang Jian Pai headquarters nor been received as Haitang Jian Pai's official disciples.

"Let go of the rabbits." Liuxin immediately rebuked the two. One of the twin girls was carrying a bow, while the other was carrying an arrow, and the two were about to hurt the rabbit with their weapons.

"Who are you?" the girl in green who was carrying an arrow asked fiercely. "What's the matter with you?"

"We've been waiting here for a long time," the girl in red continued, "if the owner of this place doesn't come to see us, then we will kill these rabbits one by one."

"Why are you little children so cruel?" Liuxin asked. She was a princess who was usually polite and sweet, and she didn't know how to deal with two rude girls.

"Shuang-er, Xiu-er," Yunxue reprimanded from inside the hut, called the twins. The two of them left the rabbits and ran into Yunxue and Yunli.

Liuxin took the rabbit that had just escaped death and examined it. Knowing the rabbit was fine, she carried it in her arm for some comfort. She could only look displeased at the twins.

Li Jue walked over to Yunhe and briefly introduced himself.

"You are Li Taiyi's son," Yunhe said impatiently. "Can you cure someone?"

"I can deal with small injuries," Li Jue replied shortly. "Yunhe Nuxia, are you the disciple of Yuan Zhangmen from Haitang Jianpai in Wenhu District?"

"Yes," replied Yunhe. "Can Li Shaoxia help my second sister? She got poisoned."

"In your Haitang Jian Pai is there a woman named Nan Xinglie?" Li Jue didn't care about her request, he directly asked for the person he was looking for.

"Nan Xinglie?" asked Yunhe.

The reaction of the Haitang Jian Pai ladies hearing Nan Xinglie's name was unexpected. Yunhe asked in a raised tone, her two younger sisters Yunli and Yunxue immediately drew their swords and aimed at Li Jue.

"What is your relationship with the descendants of Yumen?" Yunxue asked, the tone of her voice containing deep displeasure and hatred.

"Zaixia Li Jue, not a descendant of Yumen," Li Jue answered honestly, didn't feel the need to mention that his brother was one of the Yumen descendants and he had just met another four. "Yunhe Nuxia please tell me where Nan Xinglie, Nan Guniang is. Li Jue would be very grateful."

"Nan Xinglie that rotten woman," Yunli said with bloodshot eyes. "Our master was kind enough to accept her as one of the disciples, but she… she…."

"She's what?" Li Jue asked, looking concerned and worried, his frigid demeanor had completely changed.

"Yunli Nuxia said you came here to ask for help, but the owner of this place doesn't seem to welcome you," a little girl's laughter prevented them from getting into a fight. "Having drawn out all weapons, I Zhou Yanzi really want to see how you can save your sister now."

The laughing voice came from the girl carried in the sack by the twins Shuang-er and Xiu-er. She had already been taken out of the sack and tied under the table. She was a girl not older than fourteen years. Her face was beautiful and small, but also showed the hardness of her heart. Her voice was clear and loud, full of ridicule. She called Zhou Xiangnu sister when she was still inside the sack, meaning that she was the second daughter of Zhou Sangong who had been known to live in the valley and was not as famous as her sister.

The girl was in terrible condition. Her clothes were dirty and shabby, one eye was swollen, her cheek was bruised, it seemed that she had been tortured and beaten a lot on the way here. However, she didn't show any pain in the slightest, instead laughing and happily making the atmosphere even more cloudy.

"Li Gongzi, please tell your father to save my sister first," Yunhe said in a more restrained tone. "I will tell you about Nan Guniang after."

Li Jue had not yet answered, from outside the hut there was a loud gust of wind. The white rabbits in the yard were scattering away.

"Why are you asking for help from the heretics?"

Xu Qiao recognized this voice as the voice of Weian Shuang Jian Yuan Wancui, the current leader of Haitang Jian Pai and also Bao Xinfei's master. The one who once held Jinshui for eight months in an underground cave and gave orders to poison. Xu Qiao didn't know if the old lady should be counted as her grandmaster or an enemy.

Everyone came out of the hut, finding Yuan Wancui standing on an artificial mountain in the front garden, both of her swords had been drawn. Yunhe and her sisters immediately knelt at her. The twins Shuang-er and Xiu-er dragged their little captive Zhou Yanzi.

"Shifu," Yunhe said in a trembling voice. "Ershijie was poisoned, we had no other way but to bring her here to save her life."

"Stand!" Yuan Wancui yelled at her. "Don't you know who owns this place?"

"The residence of Li Taiyi, a former healer from the imperial palace," Yunhe stood up and replied hesitantly, glancing at Zhou Yanzi. Her expression states that she only heard about Li Taiyi from that girl.

"A former healer from the imperial palace?" Yuan Wancui asked displeasedly. "Don't you know that Li Taiyi is related to Ducao, one of the eight guardians of the Yumen Sect?"

Yunhe once looked at Zhou Yanzi in annoyance, but was also confused when she saw Yunxi lying motionless and in pain from the poison she had suffered. She really wanted to ask her master to help her elder sister first, but the enmity with Yumen was also intense, plus a little girl from Wansui Gu who turned out to be misleading. Yunli and Yunxue didn't know what to do for a moment either.

"Who poisoned Yunxi?" Yuan Wancui asked again.

The ones who gave the answer were the twins Shuang-er and Xiu-er, simultaneously they pointed at Zhou Yanzi. Yuan Wancui saw that the captive was only a little girl, she remained standing where she was. As a sect leader, it was not appropriate for her to kill a little girl.

"What are you waiting for?" she said loudly, "why haven't you killed her?"

The Shuang-er and Xiu-er twins did not hesitate to injure animals, but it seemed that they had never killed anyone, so they immediately dragged Zhou Yanzi to Yunxue. The eighth disciple had kept her sword back, but she only needed to hit once to take the girl's life. In that instant, her inner strength had gathered in her hands.

Liuxin didn't know Zhou Yanzi, only saw her as a weak little girl, just like the rabbit she had helped earlier. At that instant she had already stepped forward, not even Xu Qiao and Li Jue had time to do something. The two knew Liuxin wouldn't be able to take a hit from a Haitang Jian Pai disciple, so the two of them jointly charged toward Yunxue, forcing her to swerve and face them.

"Xu Guniang, you told us that you are dashijie's disciple, why'd you turn and attack me?" Yunxue asked Xu Qiao.

"Shishu, please be generous," Xu Qiao said, "Zhou Guniang is still young, I see she is also just a juvenile, can still be taught well."

"Master's orders must not be disobeyed," Yunli replied, "Xu Guniang if you still get in the way, then you will become our Haitang Jian Pai's enemy."

Liuxin pulled Zhou Yanzi away from the arena, still having time to parry Shuang-er and Xiu-er's bows and arrows with her dagger. She quickly also cut the ropes that bound Zhou Yanzi's hands and feet, releasing her.

A fight had already taken place at that place, causing a commotion. Shuang-er and Xiu-er tried to get rid of Liuxin, while Yunli and her sister Yunxue continued to attack Xu Qiao and Li Jue. Yunhe was still guarding her injured sister Yunxi, while Yuan Wancui was still standing where she was, waiting with her swords at the ready.

Yuan Wancui heard Yunxue's saying that Xu Qiao was Bao Xinfei's disciple, and her attention fell on the girl instantly. Bao Xinfei once asked her permission to teach san liu bao lian shu to the youngest daughter of Huofeng Lou's late owner and she had given approval.

But this was not what caught Yuan Wancui's attention. On the way from Wuzhang to this place, she heard people talking that the descendants of Yumen sect had reappeared in the martial world, and even Hua Jinshui had confirmed his identity in front of the members of Jianyin Bang. Yuan Wancui also heard that the daughter of Huofeng Lou's late owner had come to Jianyin Bang headquarters with a young man named Hua Jinshui.

The news in the martial world was sometimes unbelievable, and sometimes not very clear, but Yuan Wancui had been very curious about Jinshui's whereabouts in the last three years, even the slightest news would provoke her to investigate.

She looked around for a while, trying to see if anyone else was around the arena, hoping that Jinshui would also appear. However, only a few female servants were seen around. She turned her attention back to Xu Qiao, ready to catch the girl.

The sound of that fighting reached those in the main hall, inviting them to come to the place where the sound came from. Huang Yu asked Jinshui to wait for some distance away to avoid Haitang Jian Pai's people, only Lin Jixuan and the eunuch Yuanxia then came to the arena, witnessing what was happening. Yuanxia of course immediately helped her master fight the twins, Lin Jixuan just stood on the edge of the arena.

"Yuan Zhangmen is here too," Lin Jixuan recognized Yuan Wancui as a friend of his father. "Lin Jixuan pay you some respect."

Yuan Wancui only glanced at him, didn't give any answer, and turned her attention back to the fight that was taking place in the garden. She was secretly watching every move of Yuanxia, Liuxin, Li Jue, and also Xu Qiao, trying to identify whether any of the four had some extended inner energy that was given by the Yumen guardian. But the four of them were clearly just ordinary youths with abilities that weren't special either, making her feel curious.

Zhou Yanzi saw people fighting because of her, while her hands were free, she didn't immediately run away, instead stood on the edge of the arena and laughed while clapping her hands encouragingly.

"Haitang Jian Pai old ladies are usually famous for doing whatever they like, this time I Zhou Yanzi wanted to see how you madams learned a lesson," she exclaimed. "Good brothers and sisters, Zhou Yanzi thank you for your help."

Yuan Wancui really felt annoyed by the little girl, but she was still concerned about her reputation. As a leader of a large group, she couldn't pry on a young one. Also, there were other more important matters for her to deal with.

Lin Jixuan approached Zhou Yanzi, caught her hand, and realized it was this little girl who had caused such a commotion.

"Xiaomeimei, what have you done?" he asked smilingly.

"Good brother, man and woman have boundaries," Zhou Yanzi replied with an equally annoying smile. "You hold my hand like this, do you want me to be your wife?"

"I Lin Jixuan is famous for never respecting girls as it should," replied Lin Jixuan. "Now, can you tell me what happens here?"

Zhou Yanzi had yet to give an answer, from the back of the garden came over the owner of the place, Li Qian, this time pushing a wheelchair with an old man sitting on it. The old man looked thin and pale, but on that thin and pale face, there was a very deep sense of compassion. His hair was all silvery, and his clothes were all pure white.

Li Qian left the old man at the edge of the arena, then he jumped into the middle and quickly and powerfully separated those who were fighting. A strange mass of air swirled around the arena, those who were fighting instantly thought they had been hit and were deeply injured, but neither of them felt any pain.

"Kewei, please don't fight in our Bai Tu Shanzhuang," Li Qian spoke in a loud voice. He used the energy that Ducao had given him, and this ability immediately aroused Yuan Wancui's suspicion.

"You are one of them," she whispered.

The leader of Haitang Jian Pai despised the Yumen descendants deeply, a hatred that had deepened ever since she witnessed her nine elders die at the hands of Jinshui three years ago. She didn't care about her position as the head of a sect and a senior now and immediately jumped from the artificial mountain, the two swords in her hand viciously aimed at Li Qian.

Li Qian's intention was to stop the fight but was attacked, which gave him no choice but to defend himself. He didn't wield any weapon, so he tried to avoid fatal confrontation. He knew that revealing himself as Yumen's descendant would only make things more difficult, so he purposely didn't use his original abilities, only using advantage of his experience fighting with people who were indeed quite good.

"Yuan Zhangmen is a leader of a sect, it's not appropriate to fight with someone younger," he still managed to say. "Wanbei has already received a bit of a lesson, please Yuan Zhangmen be generous."

He purposely let one of Yuan Wancui's swords graze his shoulder, causing the Haitang Jian Pai leader to immediately retreat because she didn't want to be said to be bullying the young. After all, she couldn't prove that Li Qian was one of the descendants of Yumen, if she continued the fight and it turned out to be wrong, it would affect her reputation greatly.

"Thank you, Yuan Zhangmen, for not killing me," Li Qian said modestly. "Wanbei Li Qian, the young owner of Bai Tu Shanzhuang. My father here is just a wuming laoren, and our family here have long secluded ourselves in this place for the sake of tranquility and peace in his old age."

He introduced an old man in a wheelchair. The old man had his legs crippled, he couldn't stand up and greet Yuan Wancui, so he just clasped hands while still sitting in his chair.

"Yuan Zhangmen's name has been famous for a long time," the old man said softly. "Today you pay a visit to our Bai Tu Shanzhuang, my apologies for not properly welcoming you."

"Are you Li Taiyi?" Yuan Wancui asked in her arrogant tone. "What's your relationship with Ducao Li Chongxing, one of Yumen Guardians?"

"We are brothers indeed," Li Taiyi replied calmly and evenly. "But we haven't seen each other for a long time. If I'm not mistaken, he was killed nearly eight years ago but I also don't know what happened, don't know who killed him either."

"You claimed you don't know, but what about him?" Yuan Wancui asked, pointing at Li Qian. "The news in the martial world, heretic Yumen has a number of descendants who want to avenge the destruction of their sect. This son of yours just now displayed strength that surpasses that of a young man of his age, do you dare to say he has nothing to do with Ducao?"

"My brother was once a military general, his experience in fighting with enemies is no less, his duties required him to have more strength than any men of his age," Li Jue replied, a little emotional because of how Yuan Wancui's disciple called the woman he loved. "Since when did this kind of ability become a problem?"

Yuan Wancui looked at Li Jue displeasedly, but she couldn't argue with a young man. Whether or not Li Qian was one of the Yumen descendants could be investigated slowly, ending him later wouldn't be too late either, she thought.

"That is my second son, Li Jue," Li Taiyi said softly again, pointing at the one-armed young man. "Jue-er, don't be rude to Yuan Zhangmen."

Yuan Wancui did not respond. She put away her two swords and turned her step to leave.

"Yunhe," she called her student. "We leave now."

"Shifu," Yunhe pointed faintly at her sister Yunxi who was still lying on the stretcher, already in an unconscious state.

"No one here would like to help, why are you still here?" Yuan Wancui snapped.

"Yuan Zhangmen please wait for a moment," Li Taiyi said before Yunli and Yunxue lifted the stretcher. "May I know what your disciple was injured for?"

"She was bitten by a caixue zhu," Yunhe answered his question, "that child from Wansui Gu was the one poisoning her." She pointed at Yanzi.

Li Taiyi looked at Yanzi, as well as the others who were there. Lin Jixuan just found out that the little girl he was holding was a poisonous girl, he pulled her hand and dragged her to the middle of the garden.

"Li Taiyi, my name is Lin Jixuan, the son of Lin Tongtian from Wuling City," Lin Jixuan introduced himself to Li Taiyi, deliberately mentioning his father's name in loud voice. "This girl just now caused a ruckus here, you have the right to punish her."

"Xiaoguniang, you know how to cure that spider venom, don't you?" Li Taiyi softly asked Yanzi.

"I surely do," Yanzi replied proudly.

Yunhe and her juniors immediately looked at Yanzi with exasperation. Apparently, after Yanzi was caught poisoning Yunxi, she told Yunhe and her sisters that if they wanted to save their second sister they had to go to Bai Tu Shanzhuang to see a Doctor Li, even stating that she would be kind enough to lead them to their destination.

In a state of anxiety and worry, Yunhe and her juniors didn't even think that Yanzi herself could cure the poison, they took pains to make their way to this place, then even humbled themselves to plead with strangers.

"Xiaoguniang, laofu don't like to see death," Li Taiyi said again, "since you can cure the poison and treat the injured lady, I'd ask you to cure the poison and treat her well."

"Actually if they had asked me in the first place, I would also have been happy to cure the poison and make sure she will live a long and happy life," Zhou Yanzi said as she looked triumphantly at Yunhe and the others. Yunxi's life was now in her hands, Yunhe and her juniors were forced to just endure her annoying behavior.

"Yuan Zhangmen, laofu has nothing to do with any sect in the martial world," Li Taiyi said to Yuan Wancui again. "Haitang Jian Pai ladies visited our Bai Tu Shanzhuang, I don't think it's degrading the reputation of your sect either. Please rest for a day or two while this lady treats your sister."

"We don't mind sleeping in the forest, there's no need to bother Li Taiyi," Yuan Wancui replied arrogantly. Just now she had accused Li Taiyi of being a follower of Yumen, so naturally, she didn't want any news in the martial worlds spreading about her staying in Bai Tu Shanzhuang. "Lin Gongzi, can you help us keep an eye on that Wansui Gu child."

Lin Jixuan had just introduced himself as the son of Lin Tongtian, the man who was famous for hating Yumen, naturally, Yuan Wancui considered him to be on the same side, not even the slightest thought to ask in advance why Lin Jixuan could appear in Bai Tu Shanzhuang as well.

"All right," Lin Jixuan didn't argue. Since earlier he had not let go of Yanzi's hand, then pulled the girl away following Yunhe and the others carried Yunxi away from Bai Tu Shanzhuang territory.

"Xu Guniang, you are Xinfei's student, you are also our Haitang Jian Pai's," Yuan Wancui suddenly pointed at Xu Qiao. "You should come with us."

Her words made Jinshui inside the nearby building react, but Huang Yu quickly reminded him, telling him that Xu Qiao would be fine. There was no need to worry because they still have Lin Jixuan who will take care of her.