Chapter 53. Where the Wind Blows (3)

"Cluck! Ah, that was good."

"More, more, would you like some more?"

"Huh? Ah, no, that's fine. Overeating isn't good for the body."

Iron Staff Beggar (鐵棍丐) had to hold back his tears as he looked at the pile of chicken bones on the floor.

Although he claims to be a beggar, the financial power of the Beggar Sect, a major martial arts sect and the godfather of the information industry, is beyond imagination. Naturally, a branch leader would have a considerable amount of money to handle privately.

However, Iron Staff Beggar had often spent his own money for the people but had never indulged in luxury. This was true for all the beggars of the Beggar Sect.

For the first time, Iron Staff Beggar spent a large sum of money to buy three chickens, and they were hens, not roosters.

And those treasures all ended up in Hou Kai's stomach.

"Huh? But why does the branch leader look so sour? Are you upset?"

"Huh? Ah, no! How could I be?"

"Really? I thought you might be feeling bad about the chickens."

There's no way he could feel bad about the chickens. He was just annoyed that Hou Kai had eaten them all, leaving not even a single chicken neck.

"By the way..."

"Huh?"

Iron Staff Beggar tilted his head.

"Your face is all greasy? Did you catch a good patron?"

Gadeung sang grinned.

Bits of boiled chicken were stuck between his neatly aligned teeth.

"I caught a very interesting patron. Well, sometimes they seem dangerous."

"You don't mean Lian Jia, do you?"

"Are you crazy? That guy is not just dangerous but terrifying. I've never met anyone as overwhelming as him, except for my master. His eyes are like they have jewels embedded in them, sparkling."

"Then...?"

"Not Lian Jia, but his son."

"Whoa!"

Iron Staff Beggar involuntarily drew a breath.

"You don't mean Kuangfeng Lion?"

"What lion?"

"Kuangfeng Lion...?"

"Who is Kuangfeng Lion?"

"The eldest son of the Lian family."

Gadeung sang tilted his head.

"You're right, but does he have a nickname?"

"Yes. He's quite famous, isn't he? A couple of months ago, the news spread all the way to Jiangsu Province."

"Hmm?"

It makes sense.

The martial arts displayed by Lian Haozheng at the gathering of the young masters were shocking. He was not only the best among the young masters but also ruthlessly attacked the Brainy Hero, Chuzheng.

The martial world is sensitive to rumors, especially when they are spread by the young masters of the Seven Great Families.

Naturally, a nickname that stuck to him like a fat layer would have spread.

"Even so, Kuangfeng Lion is a bit much."

A lion that calls forth fierce winds, or a lion that stirs up mad winds.

Depending on the interpretation, it doesn't sound very good. It's too extreme for the eldest son of the prestigious Lian family.

'Well,'

It's a fitting nickname, considering everything except his background and environment. Whether he's a lion or not, he's definitely half-crazy.

"Capturing Kuangfeng Lion as a patron, truly, you are Hou Kai."

"Is he very famous?"

"Considering he's known for his pride, spread by the young masters, everyone probably knows by now."

Gadeung sang snorted.

"Anyway, his pride is the problem. Look at the Nine Great Sects. The disciples trained there are all humble."

"They claim to carry on the lineage of the Immortal Families, but not all of them are humble."

"Better than the Seven Great Families. Sigh, you should have seen the gathering. The kids are all full of pride and young."

"They are young, after all."

"Still, they are the descendants of prestigious families."

"Like frogs in a well."

"You speak well?"

"I'm Iron Staff Beggar, Iron Staff Beggar."

Gadeung sang stretched.

"Ugh! Anyway, it was a good meal. I should be going now."

Iron Staff Beggar's face showed a hint of regret, but his eyes were as bright as the sun.

"Leaving already?"

"Stay longer?"

"..."

"You're making me feel bad. Ah, never mind! I'm busy too!"

"Hehehe."

Iron Staff Beggar, who was smiling, tilted his head.

"Where are you going?"

"Where? Wherever. I'm going to meet a mad lion. I'll be wandering aimlessly for a while."

"It's Kuangfeng, not Kuang Lion."

"What do I know? And..."

Gadeung sang's eyes turned cold.

"Help Lian Jia for a while. The Tongtian Pill won't be able to do its job, so it will be tough."

* * *

Whoosh!

The sound of the axe cutting through the air was not just heavy but overwhelming.

"Huff."

One wrong breath and you might gasp. The power of a single strike is so intense and extreme that even with such a high level of physical strength, it's difficult to execute the martial arts.

But it's fine.

Bijiajin is a rare and powerful technique. The stability of the Bijiajin technique is not limited to just the inner energy but affects the entire body.

Stronger, faster, more extreme.

It's a technique that stabilizes the body to prevent it from breaking down even when pushing beyond limits. With the boundless power of the Xuanwu Qi, he will quickly get used to it.

Just as he was considering whether to pick up the axe, he received a gift. He felt grateful to his father once again.

Whoosh! Swoosh!

Swinging the giant weapon for a long time made it feel like his joints were being pulled out.

'One last time.'

Lian Haozheng's face, drenched in sweat, showed determination.

'White Tiger.'

Thud!

The momentum changed.

The aggressive and explosive momentum suddenly turned into a majestic and spirited one.

The axe, held with both hands, created a fierce wind.

Crack! Bang!

The massive axe blade struck the ground. The broad blade dug halfway into the earth.

It was an incredible force, but Lian Haozheng's face was filled with regret.

"Still, it's not possible."

Without generating the White Tiger Qi, it's difficult to draw out the true essence of the White Tiger technique.

While the form can be imitated, it's hard to bring out its full power. Each form of the Four Divine Techniques is complex and deep, and without the corresponding directional qi, the power cannot be fully realized.

'Maybe I should be content with the Beast Spear for now.'

The Beast Spear technique is a simplified version of the White Tiger form. As a result, it can be used with any inner energy, but its level is far below the White Tiger technique.

Of course, it is still a top-notch technique and is not lacking in practicality.

Lian Haozheng, who had pulled the axe out of the ground, took a deep breath.

'Don't be impatient. I need to hurry, but not too hastily.'

He recalled his master's words.

'People say that one must abandon greed to achieve something. It's just a play on words. Greed breeds enthusiasm, and enthusiasm fuels passion. Those who abandon greed can only achieve regression. However, one must be cautious of urgency. Speed and urgency are different. Understanding this difference is key to growth.'

He had never forgotten his master's words.

He was a divine being, a martial god who possessed countless lost techniques of the martial world, not just the Four Divine Techniques.

There was no doubt that the Four Divine Techniques were the most outstanding among them. His master had also evaluated them as the most ideal from a martial perspective.

However, despite mastering the Four Divine Techniques, his master did not favor them.

'The Four Divine Techniques were created during a chaotic era, a time of endless war and hell. They were born to destroy the enemy. While they are nearly perfect as martial techniques, they do not pursue a state beyond human. That's why I cherish and detest the Four Divine Techniques.'

His master was a descendant of the Immortal Families, aiming to transcend the human body and ascend to immortality. It's no wonder he didn't view the Four Divine Techniques favorably.

'Well, my master is a bit of an oddball. He pursued the principle of non-action while being overly human.'

Thinking about it, he wondered.

'Where is my master now?'

He was a wanderer, following the wind and clouds. If he went back to where they had met in the past, his master probably wouldn't be there.

Lian Haozheng's eyes deepened.

'Will I ever meet him again in this life?'

He didn't know how he had returned to the past, but since he had, perhaps he could meet his master too.

'I want to see him at least once.'

His master, who had taught him Hongtian Qi and the Four Divine Techniques for years, had suddenly left one day without a word or a letter.

He was the kind of person who would do that. While he could understand, he couldn't help feeling disappointed.

Lian Haozheng shook his head.

"If the time comes, I will see him."

At that moment, a playful voice rang out.

"Who's there? Did you hide a pretty lady?"

Lian Haozheng chuckled.

"Would a pretty lady even look at me?"

"Shut up. Don't say that anywhere. It's a joke, you know?"

"I'm a madman carrying an axe as big as a person. Would a normal woman send me flirtatious glances?"

"Hehe, you have a point."

Gadeung sang whistled.

"Looking at it now, it's even more intimidating. How much does it weigh?"

"About eighty catties."

"It's like swinging a person. You'll probably have joint problems when you're old."

"None of your business."

"Anyway, what martial technique are you learning? It doesn't look like the Lian family's technique."

"There is."

"Wow! What does a young man have so many secrets for?"

"What can you do when an entire family tries to deceive others?"

Gadeung sang's eyes deepened.

He realized Gadeung sang was talking about the Murong family.

"Shouldn't you be leaving soon?"

"Yes."

"Feeling bored? Let's go together until our destination?"

"Aren't you busy?"

"Can I tag along? I've benefited a lot from you lately. A bow of gratitude wouldn't be enough."

Lian Haozheng smiled.

"I don't like bowing, but thank you."

"Ah, fine! If I ever need to do something dog-like, you'll help, right?"

"Of course."

Gadeung sang chuckled.

As the sunset, the forest behind Gongyang Tower was already dark.

"Let's go."

"Sure."

At that moment,

Whizz!

Gadeung sang's eyes flashed.

"Danger!"

Swoosh!

The broad axe blade clashed with a sharp sword.

Squeak!

The mysterious attacker retreated at a terrifying speed and then approached again, swinging the sword.

It was a fast and fierce sword technique. While the inner energy was not abundant, the elasticity of the inner energy in the sword was impressive.

Lian Haozheng swung the axe powerfully.

Clang!

The eighty-catty heavy weapon moved like a swift sword, blocking the sword strikes.

After deflecting the continuous sword strikes, Lian Haozheng suddenly unleashed a storm-like strike.

Bang!

A loud noise echoed, and the branches on the ground scattered in all directions.

Whoosh.

The attacker, holding the sword, flew away and quickly regained his stance.

Gadeung sang's eyes widened.

"Huh? What? Young Master Li?!"

The swordsman, Lian Zhiping, straightened his body.

His eyes were clear and calm.

"Indeed, you are amazing, Brother."

Lian Haozheng stroked his axe.

"You were impressive too. I haven't seen your skills in a while, and I didn't expect you to have grown so much in such a short time."

"There's someone I need to catch up with urgently. If you're too amazing, it makes it hard for your younger brother."

Swoosh.

Lian Zhiping sheathed his sword and politely clasped his hands.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I'm going."

Lian Zhip