The beggar suddenly swung his dog-beating staff and attacked me. His movements seemed slow, but once he entered my attack range, he created a surprisingly swift change. I realized that his techniques were extremely precise and had no weaknesses, so I didn't confront him head-on and stepped back.
Clang!
The beggar's dog-beating staff clashed with my sword once. The impact sent the beggar flying backward.
"Ouch..."
Whoosh
The beggar flew about two zhang and then somersaulted in mid-air before landing. His face clearly showed surprise. I could hear his muttering.
"Wow... You're really impressive... Even though I maximized my Mengtian Divine Skill, I was still pushed back. Your internal strength is truly terrifying..."
"Who are you?"
I couldn't treat him lightly. Although the beggar was pushed back by my internal strength, he didn't suffer any damage and handled the situation appropriately. Moreover, most experts would have their weapons shattered and be in a mess after such an attack. The fact that he didn't even spit blood indicated that his internal strength was also of a very high caliber.
The beggar grinned.
"Hehe, I'm Wang Cao, the leader of the Beggar Sect. Are you perhaps the young leader of the White Lotus Sect?"
I replied curtly.
"You're causing unnecessary trouble. What are the odds that a passerby is the young leader of the White Lotus Sect? And what proof do you have that I believe in the White Lotus Sect?"
"Haha!! I'm Tianlong Gai, the leader of the Beggar Sect. The probability that the 10th disciple is several times stronger than me is similar to the odds of you being the young leader of the White Lotus Sect."
"......!!"
I was startled. His words were not something I could ignore.
Tianlong Gai, Jiuyi Huan!
He was the supreme leader of the million beggars in the world and one of the leaders of the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools, a major faction of the righteous alliance. I had heard his name countless times when I inquired about the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools. Moreover, he was known to be a direct disciple of one of the three great disciples of the righteous faction, and his martial arts were said to be very high.
Seeing me eye him warily, the beggar said:
"I followed you secretly because I sensed a storm-like aura. It turned out to be a massive aura that seemed to transcend the mortal world. However, you are just a young disciple. I thought you were undoubtedly a Law Guardian or the young leader of the White Lotus Sect who had undergone a youth-restoring transformation."
I chuckled.
"Alright, let's say you are Tianlong Gai, Jiuyi Huan. Do you think you can defeat a Law Guardian or the young leader of the White Lotus Sect with just yourself? I've heard they are monstrous."
"Of course, I wouldn't be so arrogant. That's why I brought quite a few friends."
"Friends?"
Whoosh
Experts appeared from all directions. They had been following me at a considerable distance and gathered at the beggar's signal. I realized they were top-notch martial arts experts with remarkable light body techniques and frowned. There were over fifty of them.
Tianlong Gai laughed heartily.
"The Heavenly Sword Team and Earthly Sword Team of the Zhengtian Alliance are all here. And reinforcements will be arriving soon."
Zhengtian Alliance!
I couldn't help but gasp upon hearing those words. It was an alliance formed by the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools to counter the Eight Sects of the demonic path. They regularly elected a leader and often banded together to suppress the demonic factions. The Heavenly Sword Team and Earthly Sword Team were known to be independent martial groups under the Zhengtian Alliance.
'All first-rate experts... quite an elite group.'
I frowned. The strength of the gathered experts was not far behind that of the Jin Yi Wei. In terms of actual combat, it was as if I was surrounded by five teams of the Jin Yi Wei. Moreover, if there were peak experts among them, it could be very threatening. I still hadn't clearly assessed Tianlong Gai's strength.
I said to Tianlong Gai:
"I have only learned the martial arts of my sect. I have no connection to the White Lotus Sect."
"Can anyone in this world believe a young man's words? I know the White Lotus Sect cultivates young male and female experts using the Holy Lotus. You might be a spy sent to investigate the Central Plains, so you must accompany us peacefully."
Tianlong Gai showed no sign of easing his suspicion. Given his words, it seemed he had been investigating me for several days and was thoroughly prepared to confront me. In a situation where I could be the young leader or a Law Guardian of the White Lotus Sect, he couldn't afford to be careless.
I pondered.
'What should I do?'
Normally, I would have flown into a rage and fought with Tianlong Gai and the Heavenly and Earthly Sword Teams. I would have thought I could handle it with my internal strength. However, I had learned from long experience that such an approach would not help resolve the situation. Even if I could defeat them here, I would end up in a pointless confrontation with the Zhengtian Alliance.
I thought about what Wang Liang would do in such a situation.
'What would I do if I were Wang Liang?'
I racked my brain. I believed that if I thought hard enough, a solution would come to mind. I had realized that giving up easily and resorting to force would inevitably lead to death. I recalled a saying by Wang Liang.
'If you don't speak, some things won't be conveyed.'
I had a good idea and spoke up, deciding to be honest.
"Have you ever heard of Qinglong (Azure Dragon)?"
Since Tianlong Gai was a high-ranking official in the righteous faction, I addressed him formally. He shrugged.
"Are you talking about the Four Deities? I don't understand what you mean."
I realized he was feigning ignorance. So I thrust my spear forward and said:
"It's a shame you haven't heard of the Death God who once overturned the Shaanxi martial world."
"......"
Murmurs
The experts of the Heavenly and Earthly Sword Teams surrounding me showed signs of surprise. Most of them were disciples or members of the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools, so they couldn't be unaware of the legendary prowess of Qinglong. Tianlong Gai, who was in charge of information, couldn't possibly be unaware of this. He stared at my spear and said:
"I've never heard of Qinglong Li Guang having a disciple as young as you. He has a disciple named Jin Suqing."
"I am not a direct disciple of Qinglong, but rather a distant junior. We belong to the same lineage. My martial arts and those of the Qinglong Martial Hall are very similar."
"Hmm..."
"There's no reason for me to oppose the Zhengtian Alliance."
Tianlong Gai seemed to be carefully assessing the truth of my words. After a long silence, he called out:
"Pei Yi! Jun Tai! Shang Qi!"
"Yes!!"
Three middle-aged swordsmen stepped forward. Their auras were outstanding, indicating they were at the initial stage of peak experts. Tianlong Gai placed them in front of me and said:
"These are from the Zhongnan Sect and Huashan Sect. They have seen Qinglong's martial arts firsthand. If you want to prove you are a disciple of Qinglong, demonstrate your skills here."
"Surely you know that demonstrating martial arts is impolite and almost taboo."
I feigned hesitation, and Tianlong Gai replied as if he had no choice:
"Of course, I know. However, if you don't prove it, we will have to subdue you by force."
"Then I have no choice."
I slowly raised my spear. In front of the many Zhengtian Alliance experts, I began to gracefully perform the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit.
Whoosh
At first, my movements were as calm as still water, but as the styles progressed, they became more agile and fluid, incorporating circular movements. Eventually, the Thunder Spirit Heavenly Strike technique was combined, making my spear shimmer like white light.
"Wow..."
The middle-aged swordsmen's eyes wavered.
I smiled and gradually added more variations to the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit. Having practiced the basics of Lan, Na, and Cha countless times at the Qinglong Martial Hall, I could wield my spear as if it were an extension of my body. Mastery of the basics naturally led to proficiency in advanced techniques, allowing me to perform the same style in 16 different ways.
I could feel the spear's edge gleaming. As the techniques transitioned, they generated a powerful vibration. The balance between my lower and upper body was perfect, and my movements unfolded smoothly.
Whoosh
My body became one with the spear, spinning like a windmill within a four-zhang radius. The spear's edge created illusions, confusing the onlookers, and then extended in a dazzling spiral. The combination of the Thunder Spirit Heavenly Strike and Lan techniques produced a rain-like light, and in a moment of suspended breath, I began to perform the eight major techniques of the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit in rapid succession.
Boom
When the demonstration was over, a massive hole about one zhang wide was visible in the rock behind me, created by my final thrust, Cha. The onlookers were stunned.
The three middle-aged swordsmen who had been watching most intently looked at Tianlong Gai.
"There's no doubt about it."
"All these techniques are the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit."
"It's impossible to perform such skills without being taught by a master of Qinglong."
They seemed to have reached a consensus. As members of the Zhengtian Alliance and experts from the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools, they had no reason to lie about martial arts.
"Hmm..."
Tianlong Gai narrowed his brows, seemingly surprised by the unexpected turn of events. He had brought the elite experts of the Zhengtian Alliance here with confidence, but I had proven my words.
Tianlong Gai formally bowed to me.
"I, Tianlong Gai Jiuyi Huan, formally apologize for my rudeness. You seem to be a descendant of a prestigious righteous sect."
"I accept."
"What is your name, young man? I would like to know now."
"My name is Bai Xiong."
"Xiong, however, we cannot let you go just like that. It would be very impolite, but we must ask you to accompany us to the Zhengtian Alliance."
I stared at Tianlong Gai. As a high-ranking official in the righteous faction, he valued righteousness above all, so I couldn't resort to force. If I were the young leader or a Law Guardian of the White Lotus Sect, he couldn't afford to be careless.
I thought.
'What should I do?'
Normally, I would have flown into a rage and fought with Tianlong Gai and the Heavenly and Earthly Sword Teams, thinking I could handle it with my internal strength. However, I had learned from long experience that such an approach would not help resolve the situation. Even if I could defeat them here, I would end up in a pointless confrontation with the Zhengtian Alliance.
I decided it was best to think about what Wang Liang would do in such a situation.
'What would I do if I were Wang Liang?'
I racked my brain. I believed that if I thought hard enough, a solution would come to mind. I had realized that giving up easily and resorting to force would inevitably lead to death. I recalled a saying by Wang Liang.
'If you don't speak, some things won't be conveyed.'
I had a good idea and spoke up, deciding to be honest.
"Have you ever heard of Qinglong (Azure Dragon)?"
Since Tianlong Gai was a high-ranking official in the righteous faction, I addressed him formally. He shrugged.
"Are you talking about the Four Deities? I don't understand what you mean."
I realized he was feigning ignorance. So I thrust my spear forward and said:
"It's a shame you haven't heard of the Death God who once overturned the Shaanxi martial world."
"......"
Murmurs
The experts of the Heavenly and Earthly Sword Teams surrounding me showed signs of surprise. Most of them were disciples or members of the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools, so they couldn't be unaware of the legendary prowess of Qinglong. Tianlong Gai, who was in charge of information, couldn't possibly be unaware of this. He stared at my spear and said:
"I've never heard of Qinglong Li Guang having a disciple as young as you. He has a disciple named Jin Suqing."
"I am not a direct disciple of Qinglong, but rather a distant junior. We belong to the same lineage. My martial arts and those of the Qinglong Martial Hall are very similar."
"Hmm..."
"There's no reason for me to oppose the Zhengtian Alliance."
Tianlong Gai seemed to be carefully assessing the truth of my words. After a long silence, he called out:
"Pei Yi! Jun Tai! Shang Qi!"
"Yes!!"
Three middle-aged swordsmen stepped forward. Their auras were outstanding, indicating they were at the initial stage of peak experts. Tianlong Gai placed them in front of me and said:
"These are from the Zhongnan Sect and Huashan Sect. They have seen Qinglong's martial arts firsthand. If you want to prove you are a disciple of Qinglong, demonstrate your skills here."
"Surely you know that demonstrating martial arts is impolite and almost taboo."
I feigned hesitation, and Tianlong Gai replied as if he had no choice:
"Of course, I know. However, if you don't prove it, we will have to subdue you by force."
"Then I have no choice."
I slowly raised my spear. In front of the many Zhengtian Alliance experts, I began to gracefully perform the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit.
Whoosh
At first, my movements were as calm as still water, but as the styles progressed, they became more agile and fluid, incorporating circular movements. Eventually, the Thunder Spirit Heavenly Strike technique was combined, making my spear shimmer like white light.
"Wow..."
The middle-aged swordsmen's eyes wavered.
I smiled and gradually added more variations to the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit. Having practiced the basics of Lan, Na, and Cha countless times at the Qinglong Martial Hall, I could wield my spear as if it were an extension of my body. Mastery of the basics naturally led to proficiency in advanced techniques, allowing me to perform the same style in 16 different ways.
I could feel the spear's edge gleaming. As the techniques transitioned, they generated a powerful vibration. The balance between my lower and upper body was perfect, and my movements unfolded smoothly.
Whoosh
My body became one with the spear, spinning like a windmill within a four-zhang radius. The spear's edge created illusions, confusing the onlookers, and then extended in a dazzling spiral. The combination of the Thunder Spirit Heavenly Strike and Lan techniques produced a rain-like light, and in a moment of suspended breath, I began to perform the eight major techniques of the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit in rapid succession.
Boom
When the demonstration was over, a massive hole about one zhang wide was visible in the rock behind me, created by my final thrust, Cha. The onlookers were stunned.
The three middle-aged swordsmen who had been watching most intently looked at Tianlong Gai.
"There's no doubt about it."
"All these techniques are the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit."
"It's impossible to perform such skills without being taught by a master of Qinglong."
They seemed to have reached a consensus. As members of the Zhengtian Alliance and experts from the Nine Sects and Eighteen Schools, they had no reason to lie about martial arts.
"Hmm..."
Tianlong Gai narrowed his brows, seemingly surprised by the unexpected turn of events. He had brought the elite experts of the Zhengtian Alliance here with confidence, but I had proven my words.
Tianlong Gai formally bowed to me.
"I, Tianlong Gai Jiuyi Huan, formally apologize for my rudeness. You seem to be a descendant of a prestigious righteous sect."
"I accept."
"What is your name, young man? I would like to know now."
"My name is Bai Xiong."
"Xiong, however, we cannot let you go just like that. It would be very impolite, but we must ask you to accompany us to the Zhengtian Alliance."
I stared at Tianlong Gai. As a high-ranking official in the righteous faction, he valued righteousness above all, so I couldn't resort to force. If I were the young leader or a Law Guardian of the White Lotus Sect, he couldn't afford to be careless.
I thought.
'What should I do?'
Normally, I would have flown into a rage and fought with Tianlong Gai and the Heavenly and Earthly Sword Teams, thinking I could handle it with my internal strength. However, I had learned from long experience that such an approach would not help resolve the situation. Even if I could defeat them here, I would end up in a pointless confrontation with the Zhengtian Alliance.
I decided it was best to think about what Wang Liang would do in such a situation.
'What would I do if I were Wang Liang?'
I racked my brain. I believed that if I thought hard enough, a solution would come to mind. I had realized that giving up easily and resorting to force would inevitably lead to death. I recalled a saying by Wang Liang.
'If you don't speak, some things won't be conveyed.'
I had a good idea and spoke up, deciding to be honest.
"Have you ever heard of Qinglong (Azure Dragon)?"
Since Tianlong Gai was a high-ranking official in the righteous faction, I addressed him formally. He shrugged.
"Are you talking about the Four Deities? I don't understand what you mean."
I realized he was feigning ignorance. So I thrust my spear forward and said: