Chapter 24

As he walked down the street, Bai Xiaosheng had a very peculiar expression, a mix of nostalgia, excitement, surprise, and astonishment.

Before entering the world of "Smiling, Proud Wanderer," Bai Xiaosheng had just wiped out a group of bandits. He overheard some passing martial artists saying, "The Beggar Sect will hold the Junshan Assembly on the seventh day of the fifth month, to select the next leader of the Beggar Sect."

By this timeline, it was only about eight years until the events of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils." Calculating the age difference between himself and Qiao Feng, they were about four or five years apart.

At that time, he had come to this small town to head to Luoyang and witness the grand event of the Beggar Sect! Unfortunately, on his first day at the inn, he discovered the spatial tunnel behind the waterfall and was transported into the world of "Smiling, Proud Wanderer."

There, he spent more than half a year. By then, the Junshan Assembly should have ended. However, as soon as he escaped the inn, Bai Xiaosheng overheard people discussing the Beggar Sect. Curious, he inquired and found out that it was only the third day of the fifth month.

Bai Xiaosheng was greatly surprised. He clearly remembered leaving home on his birthday, spending about ten days on the road, and arriving at this small town on the twenty-fifth day of the second month, which was also the day he entered "Smiling, Proud Wanderer." By this calculation, the half year he spent in "Smiling, Proud Wanderer" had only been two months and eight days in this world.

"A 1:3 ratio, I'm going to get rich!" Bai Xiaosheng's eyes gleamed. Originally, he was worried about whether he could catch up with Xiao Feng, Xuzhu, and others. Now, with this secret, and with one or even several worlds to rely on, if he still couldn't catch up with Xiao Feng and Xuzhu, he might as well die. Thinking this, Bai Xiaosheng laughed out loud, causing the people around him to look at him as if he were a madman.

After a long while, Bai Xiaosheng's mood finally calmed down. He rarely thought about Linghu Chong, with whom he had spent over half a month, and couldn't help but let out a sigh, his face showing a hint of regret.

In "Smiling, Proud Wanderer," the plot had reached the point where Feng Qingyang was passing on the Nine Swords of Dugu to Linghu Chong. Who wouldn't be envious of such a legendary sword technique? Unfortunately, he couldn't go back, and even if he did, he might not have another chance.

Thinking about this, Bai Xiaosheng was also worried. He had lived in the world of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" for eighteen years and had deep feelings for his parents in this life. When he first entered "Smiling, Proud Wanderer," it was an accident, and he was afraid of whether he could return. When the spatial tunnel reactivated, his feelings for his parents overcame everything, and he walked through it, returning once again. Upon realizing he was back, his first thought was of his parents, and he was overjoyed.

Now, thinking about the Nine Swords of Dugu, he felt regretful, but not too much. However, seeing such a world-class sword technique pass by, he still felt a bit frustrated.

As he walked, there seemed to be a commotion ahead on the street. Many people moved aside, and Bai Xiaosheng looked up to see a group of beggars approaching. From their clothing, they were clearly disciples of the Beggar Sect. However, the person leading them was peculiar. Though dressed in the Beggar Sect's attire, he had a scholarly air, and most surprisingly, his clothes had six patches.

A six-patch disciple in the Beggar Sect was one of the highest ranks. After that, seven-patch disciples held real power, responsible for a region, and were no longer ordinary beggars. At the eight-patch level, one could become a general elder or a branch leader.

This scholarly beggar looked to be in his mid-twenties, not yet thirty, yet held such a high position, which was quite rare in the Beggar Sect. In the original "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," only Qiao Feng could surpass him.

Who is this?

Bai Xiaosheng's curiosity was piqued, and he focused his hearing to listen to the people around him. When he learned the beggar's name, he was quite surprised. This person was none other than Quan Guanqing, a notorious villain in the Beggar Sect!

Quan Guanqing had been a beggar since childhood and was favored by an old beggar, joining the Beggar Sect. Unlike other beggars, he was very fond of literature and knowledge. Using his status as a beggar disciple, he read many books and learned a lot. This knowledge helped him greatly as he grew up, allowing him to rise quickly in the Beggar Sect and earn the nickname "Ten-Perfected Scholar."

In the Beggar Sect, reaching the rank of a six-patch disciple at his age was no easy feat. As Bai Xiaosheng thought, in the original "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," only Qiao Feng could surpass him. Without Qiao Feng, Quan Guanqing might have been a candidate for the position of sect leader.

In this life, due to some changes, Qiao Feng became Xiao Feng, and no one in the Beggar Sect could suppress Quan Guanqing's brilliance. Among the older generation of elders, he was the most accomplished, as evidenced by the six patches on his clothes.

Leading the group of beggars, Quan Guanqing was full of confidence, and many martial artists greeted him.

The Beggar Sect of this era was not as strong as it was in Qiao Feng's time. While the history of the Beggar Sect was unclear, under Qiao Feng's leadership, it became the top sect in the world, rivaling Shaolin in the north and south, just as the saying "North Qiao Feng, South Murong" suggested. Without Qiao Feng, the Beggar Sect in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" quickly declined. In later novels, the Beggar Sect became a mere laughingstock, far from its original righteousness.

Now, without Qiao Feng, the Beggar Sect, led by Wang Jian Tong, was just average. While it was still a top force due to its large numbers, it couldn't compare to Shaolin. The Beggar Sect lacked the kind of powerful figures that could command respect and fear, and while Wang Jian Tong was not bad, he wasn't enough to make everyone fear and respect him.

However, the state of the Beggar Sect was irrelevant to Bai Xiaosheng. He had never thought about becoming a beggar... wait, becoming a beggar... Bai Xiaosheng's raised foot fell back to the ground, his eyes flickering as he looked at Quan Guanqing with a strange light.

Could he join the Beggar Sect, become the leader, and lead it to its peak?

This thought suddenly arose in Bai Xiaosheng's mind and wouldn't be suppressed. In his heart, joining the Beggar Sect was not for power but for a challenge. He wanted to see if, through his efforts, he could reach Qiao Feng's level, or perhaps he was just envious of the Beggar Sect's ultimate techniques, the Beggar's Staff Technique and the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

These two techniques were extremely rare and powerful. The Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms were well-known, but even the Beggar's Staff Technique was enough to make anyone envious. Moreover, as a swordsman, the staff technique could be even more beneficial to him than the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

"Quan Guanqing is the rising star of the Beggar Sect. If I can befriend him and get his recommendation to join the Beggar Sect, then..." Thinking this, Bai Xiaosheng began to plan his strategy for joining the Beggar Sect.

If he could befriend Quan Guanqing, he would surely rise quickly. As long as he gained the recognition of the Beggar Sect's disciples, the position of leader would be within reach. As a modern reincarnated person, Bai Xiaosheng had many ways to gain the trust of the beggars. He believed that once he joined the Beggar Sect, he would stand out and become the leader, though it would be difficult, the probability was definitely over fifty percent.

This was worth a try!

With a chuckle, Bai Xiaosheng carefully observed Quan Guanqing and his companions. He wasn't stupid. He knew that with his current reputation, befriending Quan Guanqing would be difficult. So why not focus on the people around him? If he could befriend one or two, befriending Quan Guanqing would be a matter of time. Directly approaching Quan Guanqing would likely raise his suspicions, so it was better to start from the bottom, gradually drawing his attention and keeping the initiative in his own hands.

With a plan in mind, Bai Xiaosheng carefully memorized the faces of the people around Quan Guanqing and then walked out of the town. As he walked, he paid attention to the beggars in the town, giving alms to those who looked particularly pitiful, but not too much, just a token amount.

This was also part of his plan. Quan Guanqing would certainly pay attention to the Beggar Sect's affairs in this area, especially with the Junshan Assembly approaching. Though his actions were small, he believed they wouldn't escape the Beggar Sect's notice. Once he did enough good deeds and gave enough alms, someone would likely approach him, and the most likely candidates would be the people around Quan Guanqing.

Even if it wasn't those people, it didn't matter. His goal was to meet people from the Beggar Sect and join the sect. Whoever came, it would be the same. As long as he could eventually get closer to Quan Guanqing, that would be enough.