White Camel Mountain? That name rings a bell.
Jill Young thought for a moment, then it hit her: Oh, that place—the one famous for bone-strengthening powder! In a daze, she could almost hear that old commercial jingle echoing from the depths of her memory:
[Drifting through the martial world, who hasn't taken a stab or two?]
Take a hit, slap on a pack, and you’ll be itching for round two!
Strained your back? Pop a pack, and you’ll look two hundred and still get carded!
White Camel Mountain Bone Powder—the powder of youth, the powder of friendship!
—Official supplement of the Huashan Sword Summit, available at all major pharmacies. Accept no substitutes—look for the Black Toad anti-counterfeit logo! Ribbit! (Note: This joke is a deep cut from the Chinese sitcom "My Own Swordsman." If you get it, congrats—you’re a true wuxia nerd.)
White Camel Mountain, that name really is familiar. It was originally the turf of Ouyang Feng, the Western Venom, one of the Five Greats of Huashan. (And the screenwriter who used this joke actually got arrested for 'Western Venom'—talk about fate...)
Not many people don't know this guy, but for the few who might be clueless, here's a quick intro: Ouyang Feng, the classic example of "fun is not as good as having a sister-in-law," and one of the super-rich tycoons of the Western Regions. Legend says he owned a mysterious mega-mansion somewhere in the desert, and at his peak, he had countless followers, tons of assets, and his influence covered all of the West.
He was famously curious—a real techie who wouldn't rest until he cracked every technical problem. A hands-on nerd, he knew that practice is the only way to test the truth and was willing to try every martial art. Like Shennong tasting every herb—except he tried one and went crazy.
Honestly, he’s kind of like Iron Man, but with more venom and less tech support...
As for the other term the bandit chief mentioned, 'Vajra Sect,' that's a bit more obscure. To help everyone recall, Jill Young decided to give a detailed, exhaustive, absolutely comprehensive introduction: She couldn't remember a thing either...
Honestly, there are way too many martial arts groups with 'Vajra' in their name. Out of all these Vajras, who knows which one this Vajra Sect actually is!
Still, just because she couldn't remember doesn't mean it's hard to figure out. Basically, the Vajra Sect is the one lurking in the back, stirring up trouble. To get their hair back, they've got to take down the Vajra Sect!
"White Camel Mountain? Must be a little peak in the Tianshan range," Wu Zhengfeng chimed in, ready to tidy up the turf. "Not just any random stray can set foot in Tianshan territory."
After a quick headcount, the young brothers and sisters weren’t too banged up—still full of pep and ready for round two. So Jill Young hopped on her horse, ready to blitz the bandits.
"Simone, you’re on prisoner duty," Jill Young ordered.
"Me?" Simone was totally floored. "Just me, by myself?"
"Yep, just you." Jill Young gave Simone a subtle, knowing smile—a look kids wouldn’t get—and said something only grown-ups would understand: "What, you want someone else to stay and babysit?"
Simone instinctively glanced around, then realized this wasn’t so hard. Sure, soloing four hundred fresh bandit recruits would be nuts, but guarding a bunch of thoroughly beaten, tied-up losers was a breeze. Plus, Jill Young’s smile—kids might not get it, but Simone sure did. She tentatively asked, "So... I can do whatever I want with them?"