Lee Xian, Cultivator of Guyon

Jade Stone Discovery

The bamboo leaves were whispering under the caress of the gentle morning breeze. Silent. In the middle of the lush bamboo garden, a young man was sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed, and his breathing was in order. Xian, the village youth who was known for his cheerful and full of jokes, was now immersed in the depths of his meditation. In his hand, a small jade shining with a gentle green light emitted a mystical aura.

"It turns out that the energy in this jade is incredible," Xian murmured as he felt a surge of energy seeping into his body. This jade was no ordinary stone, it was the legacy of the legendary cultivator in his village.

As the sun began to rise, Xian felt his strength increase by several times. He opened his eyes and looked at the jade in admiration. "I have to be careful with this" he thought.

Suddenly there was a crowd. Xian turned his head and saw a traveling merchant in a carriage full of his wares entering the village. From far away, Xian could hear his carefree laughter.

"Come, come! Check out my fascinating collection of hand puppets! Guaranteed to make you laugh!" shouted the merchant.

Xian, who was always curious, immediately approached the merchant. "Hello, elders! What are you selling today?" tanyanya pointed at the basket containing various hand puppets.

The merchant laughed, "Haha! You must be Xian! I heard stories about young men who were always looking for entertainment. This hand puppet is perfect for you!"

Xian's interested. He took out one hand puppet that resembled a dragon and tried it. "Hey, how do you play it?" ask with curiosity.

The merchant smiled and quickly demonstrated. "Look, you put your fingers in the doll and move it like this." He played another hand puppet that resembled a tiger, making a preying gesture.

Xian's eyes twinkled. "It's exciting!" he said while laughing. "Well, I'll buy some. Maybe I can do a hand puppet show in the village tonight."

The merchant laughed with satisfaction. "Thank you, young man. May this doll bring joy to you and your friends."

After the transaction, Xian walked home while playing his new hand puppet. However, he did not realize that several pairs of eyes had been paying attention to him since earlier. The spies included the students of the White Eagle Combatant School who were on a secret mission.

"Hey, did you see him? It was jade in the young man's hand. We must report to Master Ling," whispered one of them.

Meanwhile, Xian, who was unaware of what was going on, walked home with light steps, while enjoying the cool breeze blowing, and the sense of peace given by the jade in his hands. However, this happiness may not last long.

The night deck hugged the village with stars twinkling in the sky, illuminating the ancient stone streets and snow-covered roofs of houses. In the darkness, several black-robed figures moved silently, flapping each one like eagles lurking around their prey. They were the students from the White Eagle Combatant School who were on a secret mission.

In an open field, Xian and some friends were preparing to start a hand puppet show. The torches shimmered around them, creating a warm and familiar atmosphere.

"Xian, are you sure you can play these hand puppets well?" li Wei, his best friend, asked, mocking.

Xian smiled broadly, "You'll be surprised, friend! Just watch!" he replied while preparing the dragon puppet in his hand.

Before the show began, a girl named Mei Ling approached Xian. "Hey, I heard that there are White Eagle disciples coming to the village. You have to be careful" he whispered with an anxious expression.

Xian raised his eyebrows, "Why did they come? They're looking for me?" seriously, his face showed a hint of worry.

Mei Ling nodded, "The news about your jade has spread. They might want to look for him."

Xian sighed, "Alright, I'll be careful. Thank you, Mei Ling," he said with a smile on Mei Ling. He then refocused on the show that was about to begin.

"All right, let's get started!" exclaim Xian with spirit. With swift and agile movements, Xian played a dragon and tiger puppet that clashed with each other's strength. He used his distinctive voice to make the puppets speak, and invited Li Wei to join in.

"You think you can beat me, old dragon?" asked the tiger doll with Li Wei's voice.

The show went on with great fanfare. However, behind the crowd, two White Eagle disciples were talking silently.

"So, he owns the jade?" asked the first disciple, pointing at Xian who was playing a puppet.

The second disciple nodded, "Yes, we have to find out where he kept the stone."

However, before they could move, Li Wei, who was sharp in his eyes, approached them quickly. "Who are y'all? What are you guys doing here?" ask him firmly.

The two White Eagle disciples were startled, they stood up and were ready for action. However, with a swift movement, Xian stood between them and Li Wei, holding a dragon and tiger puppet in his hand.

"Hey, hey! No need to fight. Look, this dragon and tiger are ready for action!" xian said as he played the dolls, trying to ease the tension.

The two White Eagle disciples looked puzzled, but then laughed at Xian's cuteness. "You're a freak, young man," said one.

Xian smiled, "That's what makes me special." They slowly left the field, but Xian knew that this was not their last meeting.

The sun rose timidly in the eastern horizon, radiating its gentle light through the crevices of the village's pine-tree foliage. The fresh scent of the ground and the morning leaves enveloped the air, but the normally peaceful atmosphere, today, was interrupted by the presence of several black-robed figures who entered the village with serious faces.

Right in the middle of the village, Xian was preparing the stage for his next hand puppet show. He was inspecting some of the dolls when he heard a loud rush of steps approaching. Upon turning his head, he saw four White Eagle Profound School disciples standing tall in front of him, led by a young man with a powerful aura.

"You're Xian?" ask the young man in a firm voice.

Xian, standing confidently yet still being friendly, replied, "Yes, I'm Xian. Can I help you?"

The young man pointed at the sparkling jade around Xian's neck. "We're from the White Eagle Cross School. We heard you have a rare jade. Leave it to me!"

Xian raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised but remained calm. "This jade stone is a gift, why should I hand it over?"

The young man stepped forward, his posture showing a threat. "Because if we don't, we'll take it by force."

Xian took a deep breath. As a man of peace and love of entertainment, he did not want a fight. He quickly picked up a hand puppet and said, "Before that, do you want to see a hand puppet show?"

The White Eagle disciples looked at each other in confusion. Their leader's youth looked annoyed. "It's not a time to mess around!"

But Xian, quickly starting to play the doll, portrays the story of a hero who tries to save his village from a monster attack with humor and heroic action. His movements were fast, his voice was various tones, telling the story excitedly.

A few curious villagers began to swarm in, attracted by Xian's performance. They laugh, clap, and dissolve in stories. Even some of the White Eagle disciples, including the leader youth, started to be amused and forgot about their mission.

After the performance, Xian saluted and said, "Thank you for watching. May you be entertained. If anyone wants to talk to me, let's talk peacefully."

The young leader of the White Eagle looked at Xian with a mixed expression between admiration and annoyance. "You're really weird" he said. "But today I'm going to let you. But our fight is not over."

Xian smiled, "Hopefully that time comes, we can talk as friends, not enemies."

The young man nodded, then led his students away from the village. Xian stared at them away, hoping for peace to remain in the village.