Wuzhang City, Hubei Province, three years later.
Xu Qiao rode her horse slowly; the fresh wind calmed her frantic mind a little. She rarely left Huofeng Lou for the last three years. She almost forgot that there was another world out there.
She stopped the horse before entering the city, then walked it through the gate, and she was looking for a place to sit for a while.
Xu Qiao had changed from a young girl to a young woman. And she was no longer the little girl who left the house alone just because she wanted to avoid the presence of a stepmother. In the last three years, it could be said that she had made peace with Bao Xinfei, accepting the stepmother's status and changing to being both a teacher and legal guardian.
She didn't go to Wuzhang City secretly this time, but said a proper goodbye to Bao Xinfei and asked to visit the young leader of Jianyin Bang, Han Budian. Han Budian could be considered to be Xu Qiao's childhood friend, and Bao Xinfei really hoped that they can be a good friend.
Of course, Bao Xinfei was not that ignorant. Going to Wuzhang City was just an excuse. Xu Qiao planned to go to Luoyang, looking for Huang Weiqun's second son at Hailang Biaoju headquarters and asking him about Jinshui. Bao Xinfei didn't have to worry too much since Hailang Biaoju had been destroyed three years ago, and Huang Weiqun's two sons had also disappeared.
The main headquarters of Jianyin Bang was located in Wuzhang City. Xu Qiao saw groups of Jianyin Bang members patrolling around the main street. When she entered a wine shop there were also eight men wearing similar uniforms.
Ignoring the crowd, she sat alone by the window looking around. She had no intention of finding Han Budian, and she had no interest in dealing with Jianyin Bang.
Seeing a girl dressed as a lady enter the small shop, several men turned their heads and glanced at her, including Han Budian's eight subordinates. But they were just observing for a while. A moment later, the waiter served a jug of wine to Xu Qiao.
"Guniang, this is the number one wine in our shop, please have a taste. If one jar makes you drunk then you don't have to pay," the waiter raved excitedly. Presumably, he was happy to have a beautiful girl as a guest.
"People who don't drink usually get drunk easily. This rule of yours, doesn't it make you lose yourself?" Xu Qiao asked the waiter.
"The wine is named buzui jiu and you can find it only in our Buzui Liao (No Drunk Shop). Our employer specially made it from secret ingredients. Guniang, please try it."
The waiter went to get some wine for the other guests. Xu Qiao poured the wine into the cup. The scent indicated that this liquid was indeed wine, not just some plain water like Jinshui's buzui jiu when he was trapped in a cave in Haitang Jian Pai. Xu Qiao carefully took a sip from the cup. The taste of this wine was no different from the nuerhong wine, only the smell was slightly different. It was a real wine.
Xu Qiao rarely drank. If she drank one jar at least she would feel a great effect, but until she finished half the jar it turned out that this buzui jiu did not make her dizzy. She smiled to herself, a bitter smile. If Jinshui was here and enjoyed this wine with him, she wondered what he would say.
A beggar appeared in the window, not far from her side. Xu Qiao looked at him, realizing that the beggar had been watching her for quite some time.
The beggar immediately lowered his head. He came closer and held out a hand that was dirty and black with red spots like a skin disease. His shabby clothes covered his head so that even the sun could not penetrate. His head was lowered so deeply, perhaps not wanting others to see his face.
Xu Qiao didn't think much, and immediately handed the beggar a piece of silver coin. The beggar lifted his head slightly, just looking at the silver coin. Xu Qiao tried to see his face, but the beggar looked down again.
"Qigai Gege (beggar brother), do you need more?" Xu Qiao asked softly.
"Enough, it's more than enough, Guniang is really kind," the beggar received the silver coin, and his voice trembled.
Xu Qiao didn't pay attention to the beggar anymore. At that time suddenly appeared a young woman wearing a dark green dress with a nine-tailed whip in her hand at the door of the shop. The woman shouted loudly.
"Which one of you is Han Budian?"
Xu Qiao turned her head at the woman for a glance. The woman had a beautiful face, her appearance also showed that she was the daughter of an educated family, but that face was really fierce, in addition to her terrible weapon, as if she loved to torture people to death.
Xu Qiao knew Han Budian as the young leader of Jianyin Bang. If that woman was his future wife, Han Budian's was really unlucky, she thought.
The beggar by the window had disappeared. Xu Qiao took another sip of wine calmly. Several members of Jianyin Bang stood up to face the fierce woman, looking displeased. It looked like there will be an interesting show soon.
"Shaobangzhu is not here," one man replied bravely. "Why are you barking here looking for our senior?"
"I have to find Han Budian, not some dogs from Jianyin Bang who can only bark. Where is he?"
Those members of the Jianyin Bang were clearly offended. The fierce woman didn't care about their Jianyin Bang reputation, even referring to them as dogs. They all immediately stood up.
"You crazy girl doesn't deserve to meet our shaobangzhu."
The nine-tailed whip in the fierce woman's hand stretched out quickly, grabbing at the last person who talked to her. A fight broke out in the small room of the shop. The tables and chairs were destroyed, and wine jars were shattered. The other guests fled, the shop owner hiding behind his cashier table. Only Xu Qiao was still silently sipping wine without moving. She would like to enjoy the fights carefully.
The members of Jianyin Bang had already prepared their weapons. Three people carried swords, one carried a blade, two carried a bamboo stick, one carried a spear, and one carried an axe. Eight weapons charged at the woman at once, without the slightest hesitance. It seemed that these members of Jianyin Bang knew who the identity of the fierce woman was and didn't dare to underestimate her. While attacking they were also wary of secret weapons.
The nine-tailed whip spun fiercely. Each spin was very strong. None of the eight weapons could approach the target. Obviously, the eight little members were no match for the owner of the nine-tailed whip, they looked overwhelmed. Strikes of whips lashed around, hit their bodies, and immediately left grievous wounds.
"Jiuwei Bian Zhou Xiangnu," a senior member of Jianyin Bang called out the identity of the fierce woman as the elder daughter of Zuodu Zhou Sangong from Wansui Gu.
"I don't care if it's xiang (fragrant) of chou (stink), we have to capture her!"
The eight men all kept trying to get close to the opponent, but Zhou Xiangnu wasn't just learning how to whip yesterday afternoon. She managed to kick one man to hit the wall, followed by another one immediately before she threw another man to hit the big table where the owner of the shop was hiding. The shop owner was shocked, cold sweat immediately ran down his face. He inched to hide in a safer place.
A single whip lashed towards the table where Xu Qiao was sitting, almost hitting her wine jug if Xu Qiao didn't pick it up quickly. The fierce woman was getting madder, and the members of the Jianyin Bang were overwhelmed. They really couldn't get any closer to the opponent without getting hit by a whip or thrown. The woman was really strong.
Xu Qiao watched as she finished her wine. The Jianyin Bang members had already been scattered around the shop.
"Tell me where Han Budian is!" the fierce woman looked really impatient.
"We're actually more than happy to take you to him," that first man replied, wiping the blood from the lashes on his face. He laughed. "As long as you are willing to knee before us and call us father for three times."
The nine-tailed whip went straight into the man's neck, ready to strangle him to death. At this point, Xu Qiao couldn't let worse things happen. She wanted to enliven this entertainment a little. After all, the members of Jianyin Bang were counted as her own people. Her shawl stretched out, grabbed the whip, pulled it, and managed to escape one life from death.
Zhou Xiangnu didn't expect his attack to be thwarted so easily, even more, so she didn't expect to meet a young lady who excels in martial arts in this small shop. She was slightly attracted by the force of the shawl, instantly feeling her opponent had quite a bit of energy. The ends of the shawl and whip were tied together. If they both pull the weapons forcibly, it was not necessarily the shawl that will tear.
"Who are you?" Zhou Xiangnu asked. "I'm teaching Jiangyin Bang dogs a lesson, what's that got to do with you?"
"My father and the master of Han Budian you are looking for are good friends," Xu Qiao replied. "With such a close relationship, can I still just sit around watching their juniors being bullied by a crazy woman?"
"What?"
"Their leader is my uncle," Xu Qiao repeated using different lines. "I will surely stand for them."
"Then I will teach you a lesson too!" Zhou Xiangnu tried to pull her weapon. Xu Qiao didn't let her.
"Wait!" she said. "Why are you looking for Han Budian?"
"It's none of your business!"
"Well, I can't help you then."
"You know where he is?"
"Maybe. Tell me why you are looking for him."
"To catch the traitor," Zhou Xiangnu's face blushed.
"What traitor now?" asked Xu Qiao again, seeing the blush.
"None of your business!"
The same words, then quickly Zhou Xiangnu withdrew her nine-tailed whip. Xu Qiao had already read her movements, immediately twisting the hand that was holding the shawl. The shawl was not even slightly torn, while one tail of the opponent's whip that was ripped, fell not far from the owner of the shop who then protected his head while shaking.
The room inside that shop was too small for a fight between two women who both use long weapons. Xu Qiao dashed out and Zhou Xiangnu followed her. The two continued the fight on the side of the road, and briefly hovered over the roof of the building before landing back on the ground. People stayed as far away as possible, only those eight members of Jianyin Bang were watching intently.
Zhou Xiangnu's whip was getting crazier even though the tail had decreased by one. Xu Qiao recognized some of the moves she played. She was once shown by her father, also seen similar move when fighting with Zhou Sangong's followers three years ago.
"You are from Wansui Gu," she sighed. I have no idea how Han Budian dealing with a girl from the evil poison valley, she thought.
"Now you know!" along with these words, Zhou Xiangnu scooped up the needles from her pocket, scattering a dozen at a time towards Xu Qiao. Xu Qiao twirled her shawl as a shield to protect herself. She recognized the needles as honglongchen, the famous small silver poisonous needle used as a secret weapon by the people from Wansui Gu.
However, Zhou Xiangnu's attacks seemed to be endless, causing some trouble for Xu Qiao. When the needle attack had not yet subsided, the whip had slashed again. The she wei ou hua (snake tail hitting flower) movement was a deadly attack. Xu Qiao suddenly saw that the tip of the whip had already grabbed her waist. To dodge it was of course too late.
Xu Qiao remembered a technique from san liu bao lian that should still be able to withstand this attack. But she could never master it well since she learned the wuqing xue techniques from Jinshui. While Jianyin Bang members were there observing the fight and some of them might recognize a style from a demonic sect, it will be hard for Xu Qiao to explain.
But at that dangerous moment, the whip's attack suddenly took a turn, just like there was a force that moved it. Even Zhou Xiangnu was sure her attack would make her win, it turned out that the opponent was still fine. She raised her hand again and was ready to make another slash.
What happened next lasted just seconds. Xu Qiao only felt something touch her hand, then moved the shawl in her hand, once again entangling the whip in Zhou Xiangnu's hand, this time even managed to jolt it out of its owner's hand. At the same time, a few pebbles flew towards the fierce woman, smacking her acupuncture points and making her instantly motionless.
Xu Qiao didn't immediately realize what had happened. The first thing she saw was Zhou Xiangnu's whip floating down to the ground, then she also saw a black hand with red spots, the hand that was moving her arm earlier. She turned and saw someone was beside her. It was the sick beggar. She was shocked, the beggar gasped, and immediately let go of his hand, his head lowered again before Xu Qiao could recognize his face.
"It's you…."
"Guniang, pardon me…."
Xu Qiao was just shocked, but she didn't feel disgusted in the slightest. The beggar's hands were very dirty, clearly diseased, it was not impossible that he will be able to transmit the disease. But Xu Qiao didn't think about cleaning her hand immediately. She came closer to Zhou Xiangnu.
The fierce woman was helpless now. Townspeople dared to come out from their hiding place, but the members of the Jianyin Bang were still on high alert.
The beggar was about to leave, Xu Qiao pulled him without hesitation.
"Qigai Gege, what should I do to her?" she asked eagerly. "Our sister here needs to learn some respect. I don't want her to bully others anymore."
The beggar looked at Zhou Xiangnu for a while, he didn't like her fierce habits either. He saw Zhou Xiangnu's eyes glaring madly, then whispered something into Xu Qiao's ear.
"Just whip her!" Jianyin Bang members yelled at them.
Xu Qiao smiled slightly. She picked up the nine-tailed whip and fiddled with it briefly in her hand. Zhou Xiangnu was very scared, but her mute acupuncture point was also blocked. She couldn't make a sound, only her eyes were moving around. All her life she always liked to torture people and did not know what it felt like to be whipped. She could only close her eyes as her own weapon was pointed at her, inwardly hoping it wouldn't tear her smooth face skin.
The members of Jianyin Bang shouted encouragingly. The sound of the whip echoed several times, Xu Qiao made beautiful movements, fiddling with the whip in her hand as she jumped around Zhou Xiangnu. But she was not a vindictive person, nor did she intend to seriously hurt anyone, just wanted to scare off a bit. None of the whips actually hit the target, only the loud sound. Zhou Xiangnu slowly opened her eyes. She didn't get any scratches.
Xu Qiao stepped back to the beggar's side.
"Anyone has a knife?" she asked the townspeople. A member of Jianyin Bang immediately handed her a knife.
"Guniang, please."
"This whip is not a convenient weapon," Xu Qiao was babbling. "I don't like to hit dogs or horses. Using this to hit people, it feels like bad people will only be amused. So, I think, this whip is of no use anymore."
In front of Zhou Xiangnu, Xu Qiao chopped her whip into small pieces that could no longer be used. Zhou Xiangnu could only saw everything with glaring eyes. That whip was her favorite weapon, she had been using it her whole life. She really felt exasperated, annoyed, and angry, but also helpless in her current state.
"You better stay home and be a good girl from now on," Xu Qiao said to her after the last piece of the whip was thrown to the ground. "If I still see you bullying people again, then I won't just cut your whip. Another day, maybe the hair on your head will also be shaved off. Go."
She released the acupuncture points on Zhou Xiangnu's body. The fierce woman almost slapped her but apparently realized first that she had lost, not willing to die as an idiot and unable to take revenge. Her weapon was destroyed, she quickly turned around and sped away as fast as she could. The members of Jianyin Bang let out disappointed exclamations.
Xu Qiao turned around, looking for the beggar who had helped her. The beggar had gone away with his steps bent as if in pain. Xu Qiao didn't think long, and immediately chased after him.
--
Xu Qiao followed the sick beggar to the river bank. This beggar's steps even though they seem staggered but were not easy to follow, something disturbed his every movement. Xu Qiao kept chasing him although she was almost out of breath. She still couldn't catch up when they were already out of the city.
"Jinshui Gege!" she yelled out of sudden.
The steps of the beggar stopped by the river. This call was very influential, bringing pain to his heart. He did not dare to turn around.
Xu Qiao approached him and immediately hugged his back without a second thought. The beggar could not escape. Both of his feet were glued to the ground, he was stunned.
"Jinshui Gege, I know you are my Jinshui Gege," Xu Qiao cried. "Three years ago, you left me, just left. For the past three years, I've been searching for you but I couldn't find you. Today you finally came to see me."
"Guniang, you are mistaken," the beggar replied in a hoarse voice. "Xiaoren doesn't know you, please don't be like this. Xiaoren has a disease, if it spreads to you it's not good."
"I don't care!" Xu Qiao didn't let him go. "You saved my life once. My life is yours. If I have your disease, you will have no reason to leave me again."