Acting out of fairness rather than abstract laws or personal gain.

Resisting corrupt authority and maintaining autonomy within their sect or clan. рџЏћпёЏ The World of Jianghu

The "xia" is a wandering hero or vigilante who operates outside the law to protect the weak. Their value system prioritizes:

Placing loyalty to a code or a sworn oath above family or social status.

Wuxia stories take place in the (literally "rivers and lakes"), a metaphorical subculture where martial artists live by their own rules.