Peach Blossom Blood Order

Synopsis of Taohua Xueling, a wuxia novel by Wolong Sheng:

A flock of geese cuts across the sky, with distant mountains looking gaunt. Maple leaves blaze red, and the reeds ripple white. The Romance of the Western Chamber puts it beautifully: “Blue are the clouds, yellow the earth; the west wind bites, and wild geese fly south from the north.” What a clear, crisp day in the heart of autumn. The famous Peach Blossom Grove is now a tangle of rustling bare branches. Only a few withered, yellow leaves remain, not yet blown away by the chilly wind. They quiver timidly on the branches, and now and then, between them, one can spot a withered peach the size of a pigeon’s egg. Its gray-brown fuzz catches the morning sunlight, glinting with the faintest remnant of life. It stands as a trace of the grove’s springtime flourishing, and brings to mind a sigh over how brief life is. …

Lan Xiu did not answer. She lightly clapped her hands twice. At the sound, Tao Lin, the “Old Man of Peach Blossoms,” leaped through the main gate. He bounded inside and said respectfully to Lan Xiu, “Your old servant is here to attend you, miss. What are your orders?” Lan Xiu gave a slight nod. “This gentleman would like to test your mettle.” Tao Lin replied loudly, “Leave him to me!” Then he turned to face Jia Daye, the “Living Ji Gong,” who stood with his hands on his hips.