Chapter 26: The Reason for the Fight (1)

"Ugh, it's so cold. How did it get so chilly all of a sudden? I'll freeze to death if I keep walking around in just this mat."

His body was trembling, but his expression was bright.

"Finally, we're here!"

Gadeok-sang looked at the massive mansion. More accurately, he was observing the movements inside.

'As expected, there are many.'

He could sense the presence of countless people. What was surprising was that most of them were masters worthy of being called first-rate.

Gadeok-sang rubbed his hands with an excited look.

'Are these the talents who will inherit the family? The bodyguards are also strong individuals.'

Compared to the confident aura of the young talents, the subtle yet sharp aura of the bodyguards was more impressive. After all, it's natural to send masters to protect the successor in the unpredictable world of martial arts.

"Well, then, let's go in and see the young masters and misses."

At that moment,

"Who are you?"

"Ah!"

Gadeok-sang quickly straightened his posture and turned around.

There stood a middle-aged swordsman. His expression was as stern as if carved from stone, but his aura was sharp like a blade.

Gadeok-sang cleared his throat.

'I made such a mistake again.'

A swordsman with such a powerful aura should have been noticed if he were approaching. Gadeok-sang was the type who would completely forget his surroundings once he focused.

"Your inner strength is remarkable. You don't seem to be a simple beggar... Are you from the Beggar Sect?"

"That's right, Sir Whirlwind Sword."

Shinmo's eyes widened.

"Do you know me?"

"Haha, when you're in a position to beg for food, you have to be quick-witted."

The martial arts of the Beggar Sect rival those of the Eight Great Sects. However, surprisingly, their strength lies not in martial arts but in information. The Beggar Sect's information network is the best in the martial world. Naturally, to become a member, one must be quick-witted and intelligent.

Shinmo looked at Gadeok-sang's waist.

'Eight knots?'

Eight knots.

Shinmo's face showed surprise.

"Rear Beggar?"

Gadeok-sang scratched his head awkwardly. White dandruff fell.

"I'm just a beggar who gets beaten by my master even at this age."

Although he expressed himself humorously, no one could ignore the successor of the Beggar Sect.

The Beggar Sect is considered an equal to the Eight Great Sects and Seven Great Families. It has the most members among all sects, hence it is also called the Hundred Thousand Beggar Sect.

The king of all beggars scattered throughout the Central Plains and the top figure in the martial world's information network.

Gadeok-sang is the successor to such a person.

Shinmo made a bow.

"I apologize for the rudeness. I didn't realize you were the successor of the Beggar Sect."

"Oh, no need to apologize! It's too much courtesy for a lowly beggar."

A person who can call himself lowly while being a major figure in the martial world.

His demeanor made him seem even more impressive. Although they just met, Shinmo was certain that Gadeok-sang was not an easy person to deal with.

"However, what brings you here so early in the morning...?"

"Ah! Hahaha! I just happened to be in the area for some business and heard that the Seven Great Families' young talents were gathering. I thought I might get some free food if I hung around."

Shinmo's eyes sparkled.

A person of the Rear Beggar's status wouldn't just learn about the gathering now. He must have come to gather information.

"I'm sorry, but I'm a warrior of the Yan family and don't have the authority to let you in."

"Ah, it's fine! I shouldn't be a bother to the guests at a feast!"

Shinmo nodded.

"Then I'll go in first."

"Yes, please go in... Wait?"

Gadeok-sang tilted his head.

"But what's that bundle for?"

"Oh, this is... "

Shinmo cleared his throat.

"A task for the head family's eldest son."

"A task? What kind of task is so heavy...?"

"Then I'll be on my way."

"Wait? Ah, yes! Please go in!"

Shinmo entered the mansion.

Gadeok-sang's eyes shone sharply.

"Eldest son Yan Huozheng."

The villain who burned alive the arsonist from the Chaocheng Tower. The eldest son of the Bishan Yan family, once rumored to be a subordinate of the Huo family.

Shinmo knew that he was the leader of the Changying Corps and had performed well at the Chaocheng Tower. However, he didn't ask about Yan Huozheng, even when they met by chance. He thought Yan Huozheng wouldn't tell him anyway.

'After all, the fun is in meeting and gently probing.'

Ah, I'm looking forward to it.

Gadeok-sang knocked on the closed door.

"Hey! Is there a feast going on? The smell is overwhelming even in the morning! If there's any left, I'd like to have some too!"

* * *

"Huff!"

Yan Huozheng, drenched in sweat, threw the iron staff carelessly.

He had been practicing with the iron staff non-stop from early morning until now, just before the hour of Chen.

'The Whirlwind Staff is good enough. I can move on to the spear.'

Although his body was not yet as mature as he hoped, he had firmly mastered the basics of staff techniques. While practicing staff techniques, he had also been studying spear techniques, but wielding an actual spear with a blade was a different matter.

His progress was much faster than expected. As his martial arts became more refined through practicing Xuanwu, his body adapted to new techniques much more quickly.

'Spear... I shouldn't skip this step.'

His true weapon was a massive axe weighing several hundred catties.

To wield the axe like an extension of his limbs, he needed to master spear techniques to the level of a master. With Xuanwu Qi deepening day by day, he would soon master spear techniques.

'Weapons are important, but awakening all the Four Divine Qi is also crucial. If possible, I'll start with Baihu (White Tiger).'

While Xuanwu, one of the Four Divine Martial Arts, was specialized in perfect defense, Baihu was specialized in relentless offense. There was no better martial art for combat and advancement than Baihu.

Thinking about the Four Divine Martial Arts, he also thought about the Four Directions Martial Master.

'A martial art with perfect defense and evasion, and the ability to summon a golden dragon?'

Yan Huozheng stroked his chin with a serious expression.

'There are many martial arts that can elevate defense and evasion to a high level. But the part about the golden dragon is the issue.'

If the Four Directions Martial Master was truly the complete master of the Four Divine Martial Arts?

'Then he must have also mastered Huanglong Qi (Golden Dragon Qi).'

Huanglong Qi was the ultimate technique of the Four Divine Martial Arts.

Although Yan Huozheng believed there was no absolute invincibility, he thought Huanglong Qi was as close to it as possible. It was a profound technique that even Yan Huozheng in the Black Demon Lord era could not master.

'If he has the skill to summon Huanglong Qi, I have the confidence to never lose to anyone. At least in this life...'

This time, he would not leave any regrets like before.

Yan Huozheng tried to forget about the Four Directions Martial Master. He had grilled Zhuge Ayun, thinking he might be the successor of the Four Divine Martial Arts, but now was not the time to investigate the past of someone he didn't even know.

After finishing his cold water bath, Yan Huozheng suddenly sensed someone in the room.

"Is it Ping?"

"Yes, brother."

Yan Zhiping greeted Yan Huozheng with a smile.

"Did you just finish bathing?"

"Yes."

"Did you eat breakfast? Let's go together."

"Sure."

The Yan brothers left the room and headed to the dining hall.

During the walk, they were silent. Yan Huozheng was naturally not talkative, but it was surprising for Yan Zhiping, considering his personality.

Yan Huozheng glanced at Yan Zhiping.

Yan Zhiping's expression was bright, but his eyes were sharply scanning the surroundings.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Excuse me?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing."

Yan Huozheng sighed, looking at Yan Zhiping.

"There's no need to be so cautious."

"Excuse me?"

"There's no need to be tense because of what happened yesterday."

"Oh..."

Yan Zhiping scratched his head.

"Just in case."

"I'm sorry. You must have worried a lot because of me."

"No, brother. What happened yesterday was because of the eldest son of the Tang family. You didn't do anything wrong."

Yan Zhiping's expression was quite serious. It seemed he genuinely believed what he was saying, not just saying it to be nice.

Yan Huozheng tilted his head.

"But fighting the third son of a famous family..."

"Haha, I don't want to think about that."

"Huh?"

Not think about it? What does he mean by that?

Yan Zhiping swallowed.

"While coming here, I realized something. I was just a frog in a well. The world is more interesting and dangerous than I thought."

That's true.

"But you were different. No matter how I think about it, you didn't fit the family's code of conduct, but you had a strong sense of self and clear beliefs."

Yan Huozheng's eyes became strange.

He confidently said he didn't fit the family's code of conduct, which meant he understood the family's teachings well.

"I'm not as smart as you, but I know one thing. You would never do anything to harm the family."

"..."

"I'll think about whether your way of handling things is right or wrong later. The important thing is that I trust you, and you are unwavering. That's what matters."

Yan Zhiping smiled.

The strength of a fifteen-year-old boy's smile was unexpected.

"Still, I didn't know your martial arts were so strong. I think I need to learn from you in the future."

Yan Huozheng's eyes deepened.

Not really. He felt he needed to learn from Yan Zhiping instead.

A brother who had lived according to the family's teachings all his life. But despite being surprised by his brother's radical words and actions, he never lost faith in him.

After coming this far, he had enough time to think. Now he decided to trust his brother.

'This kid has such a side too.'

Strong.

Perhaps his brother was born with a strong nature. It's just that he didn't need to show it until now.

"Why are you so cautious?"

"You said it yourself. In the martial world, even temples can have killers, and back alleys can have sages."

"Hmm."

"Maybe someone might try to harm you because of what happened yesterday."

Yan Huozheng chuckled.

"Even if someone tries to harm me, do you think you have the skills to stop them?"

"I'm not as good as you, but I'm not bad either."

Considering his age, he was not just good but excellent.

Yan Huozheng messed up Yan Zhiping's hair.

"Yah!"

"Don't be so tense. If anything happens, I'll handle it."

"My hair is all messed up!"

"That's the point, you know."

Yan Huozheng's tone subtly changed.

It was exactly like when he was back in the family. But after stepping out into the world, his way of dealing with his brother was more like a father.

It was because of the danger, as Yan Zhiping said. To protect his brother, he naturally took on the appearance of the forty-six-year-old Black Demon Lord.

But Yan Zhiping was not weak. Confirming this, Yan Huozheng could treat Yan Zhiping like he did in the family.

"By the way, what's for breakfast today?"

"I don't know either, but it smells like Dongpo Pork."

"Meat for breakfast? It must be a rich family."

As the Yan brothers chatted and reached the dining hall,

"Ugh! Wow, am I getting old? I'm already full from just this!"

A beggar burst out of the dining hall, patting his belly.

Surprisingly, the young talents who saw the beggar did not show any contempt in their eyes, only a hint of disapproval.

Yan Huozheng's eyes sparkled.

'A beggar? From the Beggar Sect? The knots... Eight knots?'

He looked at the beggar's face. The beggar also looked at Yan Huozheng.

For a moment, Yan Huozheng saw a vision from the past.

A hero who never stopped laughing, even while constantly stroking his dirty, half-white beard. Someone who knew the true identity of the Black Demon Lord but did not spread it in the martial world.

The leader of the Beggar Sect who greatly helped in mobilizing the Four Directions Sect's forces and one of the few good people who treated the Black Demon Lord, the king of the black path, the same as the leaders of the white path.

Yan Huozheng overlaid his past memories on the beggar's face.

If the dirty, black beard grew a bit longer and turned more white?

If the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth deepened, and his messy hair was tied up?

If the eight knots became nine, and a fancy short staff with a jade inlay was attached to his waist?

"Is it Gadeok-sang, the Dragon Head of the Beggar Sect?!"