Mangren Gong was a quiet and hidden place, a safe place of recovery for those who were injured.
Jinshui didn't care about all kinds of social rules and culture, for several days he continued to accompany Xu Qiao and sleep in the same room, making Han Budian very unhappy, but also unable to do anything about it.
Xiaoshan and Xiaohu joined them the next day, but Huang Yu didn't ask them to stay in Mangren Gong, ordered the two to work on other tasks. However, he didn't tell Jinshui or anyone what kind of tasks he asked for.
Liuxin and Yue Songdai often talked and joked together, no one could tell who started it first. Yanzi kept herself busy with taking care of Xiu-er, having forgotten that the little girl and her sister had beaten her back at Bai Tu Shanzhuang. She didn't really forget but that little girl was her reason for staying with Jinshui and the others. Perhaps, she was simply waiting for the chance to meet Lin Jixuan again, or maybe she had different intentions.
Liao Xian rarely appeared, so did his blind cousin, and Huang Yu didn't seem to care too much either, spending more time quickly recovering himself and thinking about all that had happened in the past few days. He wanted to wait until all the wounds were healed to find out clearly the identity of the two mysterious men who killed his parents. He saw it as a puzzle and he knew the pieces of the puzzle were inside the mind of everyone around him. He just needed to piece them all together.
Liuxin pulled Xu Qiao out of her room that afternoon, saying they would all get together and get to know each other and discuss various matters. Xu Qiao's condition was much better, the wound closed quickly thanks to Yanzi's help, and she no longer felt pain because Jinshui was always with her. Only, Jinshui couldn't get in the way either when Liuxin snatched her from him.
Behind the northern part of the building, there was a stone garden that seems to be rarely visited by anyone. The stone plants that had been well cared for by Yin Luohuang's wife were no longer cared for, and the flowers that were there had long been replaced by wild plants and weeds. In the pond there were no fish and turtles, only a few frogs and grasshoppers left.
The sound of metals clashing was heard, Xu Qiao and Liuxin approached, Jinshui followed some distance behind. In the neglected rock garden, there was a fight going on. But it wasn't a real fight, just a martial practice between Liao Xian and his girl. Anyone who studied martial arts would be interested in watching this kind of practice. Liuxin brought Xu Qiao closer.
"Biaoge, attack me with wusheng fa (soundless moves)," a girl's voice gave an order. It was the voice of the pale-faced girl who appeared with Liao Xian in the bat cave the other day.
"All right," Liao Xian replied. "Biaomei, be careful. I will use wusheng tu qiao (soundless crossing the bridge)." He took out his maobi (pen) weapon and started attacking.
"No need to mention the name of the move," the girl said coldly, "if you mention the name of the move, then it's no longer wusheng fa."
The weapon in the girl's hand in the form of a pair of limp swords easily broke her biaoge's attack. A limp sword was a flexible but sharp weapon, it was amazingly difficult, using just one was hard because one single mistake can hurt the wielder, but this young lady used two at once, weapons and wielder seemed to have merged, she clearly had trained it well.
But Liao Xian was no less shrewd either. He was one of the descendants of Yumen, he also mastered wuqing xue quite well, and he had also learned the teachings of the Yin Family since his childhood. His uncle Yin Luohuang used to prepare him as the successor, as well as the protector of his deformed daughter.
The so-called wusheng fa was a kind of martial art that can be played without the slightest sound, not even the swish of the wind from his movements can be heard and even his breath was held. This art was the result of Liao Xian's own training, at the request of his biaomei. Liao Xian had the inner energy given by his master Baigu, training this kind of ability wasn't too difficult for him.
"This Yin Guniang's eyes looked normal, but why did she ask to be attacked with silent movements?" Xu Qiao mumbled softly, "For normal person, isn't any different between the movement with sound or no sound?"
"Yin Guniang has been unable to see since birth," Liuxin said. "I heard that Yin Luohuang only had one daughter. Since she was young, she was not allowed to learn martial arts, she was only allowed to stay at home. Her biaoge was also her fiancé, he was brought into the Yin Family when he was a boy, and trained to be Yin Luohuang's successor."
"She's blind?" Xu Qiao saw that Miss Yin's eyes looked normal, just always staring blankly, apparently, she really couldn't see.
"Yes. Her father tried to protect her by building this Blind Palace. But Yin Guniang didn't want to depend on anyone else. Her father didn't allow her to learn martial arts, but she asked her biaoge to teach her. When Yin Luohuang suddenly disappeared a few years ago, she learned harder to avenge her father."
The maobi pen in Liao Xian's hand was directly aimed at his biaomei's defenseless back, their fight turned to a dangerous second. The attack was still the same as before, soundless. The girl couldn't dodge anymore because Liao Xian's graceful-looking movements were fast-paced. It was certain that the blind girl will be at least badly injured without even knowing why.
But the bad things didn't happen. The maobi owner had his movement paused and his weapon just touching the tip of the girl's clothes, then quietly pulled away. Being able to draw attacks so smoothly, clearly shows how shrewd that young man who seemed like a weak scholar.
"Biaoge, why don't you continue?" the girl asked, apparently Liao Xian's movements just now could be heard by her sensitive ears. Both of her eyes were blind, but her hearing was amazingly sharp. Liao Xian was just about to attack again to continue their training, he didn't reply.
"Liao-xiong, you can see in the dark and can also perform a fight without the slightest sound," a voice of praise made Liao Xian stop exerting his inner energy again. "I can say that I have also lost by a level to you."
Huang Yu had already arrived at the place, coming closer with silent muffled footsteps, apparently imitating the way Liao Xian made his every move inaudible, but of course, he couldn't cover up his voice as well as the descendant of Baigu.
"Yin Guniang, long time no see, I thought you would hide Liao-xiong from us forever," Huang Yu turned to the blind girl beside Liao Xian, "just now your servant told us that you two are going to meet us all here, I suppose you already change your mind."
"You all came to Mangren Gong, I Yin Xiuchen didn't like it at first, and I thought you would go peacefully in a few days anyway," the blind girl said flatly. "But I know the Yumen descendants will come soon or later to start everything. Biaoge has convinced me, and I know that I can't stop you."
Han Budian and Yue Songdai were also present at the garden and went straight to Liao Xian. Yanzi followed while holding Xiu-er's hand behind them. Yue Songdai smiled slightly at Liuxin, while Xiu-er looked up at Jinshui to make sure her stab that day wasn't lethal. Liao Xian observed everything carefully, and he smiled slightly.
"Liao-xiong, Yin Guniang, this one is the young leader Jianyin Bang, Han Budian, Han Shaobangzhu," Huang Yu introduced Han Budian to his friend. "Han Shaobangzhu, this young man is another descendant of Yumen, Shenzhang Gongzi (magic hand) Liao Xian, and his cousin and future wife Yumian Shunu (jade girl) Yin Xiuchen, the current owner of Mangren Gong." He introduced Liao Xian and his girl to Han Budian.
Liao Xian did not seem to react much when Huang Yu referred to Han Budian as the young bangzhu of Jianyin Bang, nor was Han Budian surprised to learn that Liao Xian was another Yumen descendant.
"This is my junior uncle, Yue Songdai Shishu," Han Budian introduced Yue Songdai to Liao Xian and his girl. "He is the sixth disciple of my grand master Liangtian Jian Shen Zhang Zheliang."
"Zhang Zheliang's disciple," Liao Xian replied without any particular expression. "His master, your grand master, was the one who killed our previous leader and also Jinshui's father." He pointed at Jinshui using five fingers of his right hand.
"I know," replied Han Budian, "but we do not intend to make enemies with the descendant of Yumen. I already know seven of you, only one person left, I'm sure Liao Gongzi won't mind."
"If I'm not mistaken, our Huling Shibo initially wanted to take a young man from Han Family to be his descendant, only then he didn't and was forced to let the young man become a disciple of a not-so-smart master," Liao Xian said. "I wonder if that young man from Han Family was you, Han Shaobangzhu."
"I don't think so," Han Budian replied a little awkwardly. He knew about the rumor that he was once almost become a Yumen descendant himself, but he didn't want to talk about it.
"This girl is Yanzi, Zhou Guniang, and she is from Wansui Gu," Huang Yu also introduced Yanzi. "The one with her is Xiu-er, just a child who almost became a follower of Haitang Jian Pai."
"My mother was from Jingyao Pai (Crystal Sect)," Xiu-er said.
"And this one is Xu Qiao, Xu Guniang, the daughter of Huofeng Lou's late owner," Liuxin introduced Xu Qiao, "she is also Hua Gege's wife."
"Jinshui, you married?" Liao Xian asked Jinshui.
Jinshui just nodded, then took over Xu Qiao from Liuxin. Liuxin handed her over, then moved to Yue Songdai's side and took cover behind his back.
"Qiao Jiejie, I think you can tell us all here now, who exactly are the two mysterious men who followed me from the capital to the waterfall out there," the little princess said quite loudly, "they originally claimed to be the owner of Wansui Gu and his servant, but Hua Gege also knew they weren't. You know them, can you mention their names to us all here?"
"Qiao-er," Jinshui held Xu Qiao's hand to signal her, if Xu Qiao didn't want to mention the name of the two mysterious men, he wouldn't force her. If Xu Qiao was willing to mention it, then he will also fully support her.
"Those two mysterious men killed my parents three years ago, I witnessed it myself." Huang Yu said, also aimed at Xu Qiao. "They may also be the killers of your father Xu Chenghai, Xu Louzhu, and your entire family. They had obviously injured Liuxin, and almost kill Jinshui twice, the last time one of them also wanted to strangle you to death. I believe, men like this, you will definitely be willing to share their identity with us the descendants of Yumen, so that we can all take revenge together."
"That skinny man, I don't know who he is, I've never seen him in my life," Xu Qiao said slowly, "but that tall man who wears a bronze mask, he… he looks a lot like…. No, not only look a lot like him, but he is indeed none other than Xie-shu."
"Xie-shu?" Jinshui asked, he knew who Xu Qiao called Xie-shu. That day Huang Zhe also referred to the tall man as Xie Qianbei. "This Xie-shu is another martial uncle of Han Shaobangzhu. Liangtian Jian Shen Zhang Zheliang's second disciple, Xie Tianhu."
Liuxin staggered back a step hearing Jinshui mention Xie Tianhu's name, Yue Songdai caught her and felt her body tremble.
"Ershixiong?" he asked Jinshui. "You said that man is my second senior, Xie Tianhu?"
Xu Qiao nodded her head once. "That day at Miaoxing Kezhan when Huang Erge showed me the drawing he made, I recognized the face behind the bronze mask very much like Xie-shu, only I couldn't believe it, because three years ago Xie-shu had been killed in our Huofeng Lou along with my entire family, and I had seen his body with his head separated from the body. It was really hard to believe that he was still alive."
Huang Yu took out the drawing he had made and showed it to Han Budian and Yue Songdai, hoping the two of them could confirm.
"Ershixiong had been staying in Huofeng Lou as long as I know and didn't want to see anyone, ever since Xu Louzhu gave him daxian ke as his dwelling," Yue Songdai said, "Last time I saw him I was younger than her." He pointed at Xiu-er. "At that time shifu was still alive, and not long after that he handed me to zhu ... to his master." He pointed to Han Budian.
"I'd never met ershibo in his life," Han Budian said, "my master said that he was paralyzed, but it was never clear why. But I know he was staying in Huofeng Lou because Xu Guniang's father was a close friend of his."
"Yes," replied Xu Qiao. "I don't remember when he came, but Xie-shu had lived in our Huofeng Lou for a long time. He couldn't walk so my father arranged for him to stay peacefully in our daxian ke. He didn't like meeting people, but he was nice to our Xu Family members. I.. I really don't know why he's suddenly still alive and wants to kill me."
"I'll kill him so you don't have to see him again," Jinshui said to her.
"Xie Tianhu is Liangtian Jian Shen's second disciple, then who is the other one? That skinny friend of his?" asked Huang Yu.
"He's probably my wushixiong (fifth senior)," Yue Songdai said. "That skinny man has a daughter named Xun Qianniu, wushixiong also happens to have the surname Xun, named Xun Tianyi, and as I recall, his face is more or less the same as the one in the picture."
Huang Yu folded the drawing in his hand. He finally found out the identities of the two mysterious men. The biggest question had been answered, part of his curiosity for the past three years had been answered. Only he didn't know the reason why the two of them killed his parents, as well as massacred the Xu Family. He really wished he could get all the answers today.
"What kind of enmity the second and fifth disciples of Liangtian Jian Shen had with the Huang Family?" Liao Xian asked. "Does it have something to do with their son was the descendant of Yumen?"
"But he killed her parents too," Huang Yu pointed at Xu Qiao. "It's not just about the descendants of Yumen. There's something more."