Bingxue

General Abu and his older sister Bai Bing had the best relationship. Whatever his sister liked, he would wholeheartedly approve. Su Xue deserved respect. He couldn't help but get angry at his niece.

Hearing this, Bingxue's head buzzed. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and asked, "Uncle Abu, is what you're saying true?"

Abu's shoulder ached so much he couldn't help but fall to his knees.

At this moment, King Ziqi roared in anger, "Su Xue, are you not going to let Bai Bing rest even in death?"

His two sons, Alu and Age, also drew their weapons.

Just then, Changqing was dragged over from a distance by his master, shouting, "Su Xue, you are a renowned scholar of Jiangnan. Don't you know the principle that the deceased should be respected and laid to rest in peace?"

Everyone present looked towards the sound. The Taoist priest had arrived.

Upon hearing this, Su Xue closed the lid of Bai Bing's coffin and jumped onto the ground with Bingxue. He bowed deeply to the Taoist priest and said, "True Person, you saved my daughter and me. We will never forget it! May I ask for your honored title?"

"This humble Taoist is Jia Desheng of Nine Carp Lake. In the Taoist sect, I am known as Fire Dragon True Person!" the Taoist replied with a smile.

Su Xue immediately knelt and bowed deeply.

Suddenly, Bingxue, who was standing nearby, collapsed to the ground, curling up and trembling.

As Su Xue was about to check on her, King Ziqi held her in his arms and shouted, "Bingxue, wake up! What's wrong with you?"

Alu and Age blocked Su Xue, preventing him from going over.

Fire Dragon True Person said, "Your Highness, Miss Bingxue was poisoned at the Marquis's mansion. Although Su Xue saved her with the Great Blood Exchange Art, the residual poison remains, and she is overcome with grief. She needs proper care."

Hearing this, King Ziqi pleaded, "True Person, please save this child! I will agree to anything you ask."

Fire Dragon True Person nodded, then pointed to the nearby grave pit and said, "The auspicious time is passing quickly. Let's handle the funeral first."

King Ziqi nodded silently.

Fire Dragon True Person turned and said, "Changqing, take Bingxue back to the wooden house to rest first."

An hour later, the funeral was over. King Ziqi, along with his three sons and Su Xue, and Fire Dragon True Person discussed matters inside the house.

When Bingxue woke up, she saw Changqing sleeping by the bedside. Looking at this older brother guarding her, she was inexplicably moved.

She quietly got out of bed and peeked through the crack in the door. In the main hall, her maternal grandfather, three maternal uncles, Su Xue, and Fire Dragon True Person were discussing something. She secretly climbed out the window and ran to her mother's grave in the dark.

The newly made mound of earth was particularly striking under the moonlight.

Bingxue wailed, crying. She didn't understand why. A sense of hatred rose in her heart, but whom could she seek revenge from? She thought of the people inside the house just now. Why weren't they sad?

Bingxue took out a handkerchief from her embrace, bit her finger, and used her blood to write their names on it. She then thought of her father, Gao Mingqing. Why didn't he come to save them? She wrote the names of the bad people from the Gao family's Marquis's mansion on it. She said to her mother that from now on, she would not be called Gao Bingxue.

She would take her mother's surname and be called Bai Bingxue.

Bingxue heard someone call her name from the darkness and hurriedly stuffed the handkerchief into her embrace.

When the adults found her, Bingxue had succumbed to the poison and fainted on the grave. She vaguely heard the adults talking, "Let the True Person take Bingxue to Nine Dragon Valley for treatment."

When Bai Bingxue woke up, she was sleeping in the cabin of a boat heading north to Nine Dragon Valley. On the boat were Fire Dragon True Person, Brother Changqing, and her biological father, Su Xue. Bai Bingxue cried and fussed, wanting to go back to Gu Mountain. Unfortunately, she was now a child without a mother. Her father was constantly on the boat, practicing his cultivation to heal, and couldn't pay attention to her. Occasionally, Brother Changqing would comfort her.

Thirty days later, they arrived at Nine Dragon Valley. Su Xue had already set sail north by sea from Quanzhou Port. Bai Bingxue did not acknowledge him as her father, and he left heartbroken.

Fire Dragon True Person walked in front, with Chen Changqing carrying Bai Bingxue on his back. The two looked at each other with curiosity.

Outside Nine Dragon Valley was first a bamboo forest. After passing through it, the view opened up dramatically. On either side, rolling mountain ranges enclosed a lush, verdant valley. Green water with a blue glow filled the entire valley. Waves stirred by the wind crashed against the rocks on the shore. If one listened carefully, the roar of a waterfall could be heard from the far distance.

"We've arrived at Nine Dragon Valley!" Fire Dragon True Person said happily.

Bai Bingxue got down from Chen Changqing's back and ran to the lake to wash her face. Gazing at the green valley, the beautiful scenery made her feel refreshed and her fatigue vanished. A few white waterbirds were flying up in the distance, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful here!"

Fire Dragon True Person let out a long cry by the lake. Soon, four middle-aged men rowed a bamboo raft from the other side of the lake. They were wearing long robes of blue, black, gray, and dark red, respectively.

"Disciple, greetings, Martial Uncle!" the four bowed from ten feet away.

"Wu Se, is Martial Brother at home?" Fire Dragon True Person asked, then raised his hand, and the four were lifted by a force.

These four were disciples of Bi Xuzi who refined pills. The one in blue was Wu Se, the one in black was Tian Nian, the one in gray was Ben Shen, and the one in dark red was Zei Feng.

Wu Se replied, "Master is in the alchemy room. He sent the four of us to pick up Martial Uncle."

Fire Dragon True Person struck out with his left and right hands, and two vortexes of energy respectively swept Chen Changqing and Bai Bingxue onto the bamboo raft, where they stood steadily.

A short while later, they reached the other side of the lake, where a row of wooden houses stood. This was Bi Xuzi's courtyard. Before even entering, Fire Dragon True Person laughed loudly, "Martial Brother, look who I've brought back?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the alchemy room on the far left of the wooden house opened, and Bi Xuzi walked out slowly. He glanced once and said impatiently, "Why have you brought back two children?"

Fire Dragon True Person laughed heartily, "I've completed Master's task. I'll take them back to Nine Carp Lake now." He was about to leave.

Seeing this, Bi Xuzi's eyebrows twitched. He came to his senses and quickly said, "Junior Brother, wait!"

Bi Xuzi instantly appeared before them, circling Chen Changqing and Bai Bingxue. Finally, his gaze fell on Bai Bingxue, and he asked with concern, "Is the child poisoned?"

Bai Bingxue looked at the old man strangely and nervously hid behind Chen Changqing.

Bi Xuzi took Fire Dragon True Person's arm and walked towards the living room. He said, "Junior Brother, you've worked hard searching outside for so many years. Let's go pay respects to our Master." Fire Dragon True Person didn't resist and followed him, pointing at the helpless Chen Changqing and Bai Bingxue.

Bi Xuzi said to Wu Se and the other three, "Take a Seven Insects Seven Herbs Divine Pill for the girl to detoxify her."

The four took their orders and led Chen Changqing and Bai Bingxue into the alchemy room.

As Bi Xuzi pulled Fire Dragon True Person into the living room, he knelt and kowtowed to the ancestral statue in the center. Fire Dragon True Person followed suit.

Bi Xuzi remained kneeling and began to cry. Fire Dragon True Person asked, "Martial Brother, what's wrong?"

Bi Xuzi replied miserably, "Junior Brother found Qing Shi and Bai Yu, but I couldn't find the Seven Saints of the Human World. I've failed Master!"

Fire Dragon True Person heard this and said, "Why bother, Senior Brother? These two children count as yours!"

Bi Xuzi's sorrow turned to joy. He stood up and responded, "Junior Brother is truly righteous. Which one do you plan to give me?"

Fire Dragon True Person asked back, "Which one does Senior Brother want?"

Bi Xuzi thought for a moment. His junior brother had never set conditions before, which was unlike his personality. He directly stated his terms: "I'll give you ten Seven Insects Seven Herbs Divine Pills in exchange for the female child learning medicine from me, how about it?"

Fire Dragon True Person shook his head, clearly dissatisfied, and said softly, "Senior Brother truly won't part with the Wood Spirit Art and Water Spirit Art from the Five Elements Resonance Art?"

Bi Xuzi snorted coldly, "You already have the Gold Spirit Art, Earth Spirit Art, and Fire Spirit Art. Why be greedy for the remaining two? Besides, you can't cultivate them all anyway."

"Senior Brother really won't give them?" Fire Dragon True Person pressed.

Bi Xuzi pondered, then replied, "I'll give you ten Seven Insects Seven Herbs Divine Pills. The female child will become my disciple, and I will pass the Wood Spirit Art to her. The male child will be your disciple, and I, as his martial uncle, will pass the Water Spirit Art to him. How about that?"

Fire Dragon True Person was overjoyed. "Deal!"