Chapter 26

Due to the influence of alcohol, Bai Xiaosheng and the two beggars slept until dawn. In the morning, the two beggars thanked Bai Xiaosheng with great joy, and Bai Xiaosheng also talked with them with a smile, enhancing the "friendship" among the three.

During the conversation, Bai Xiaosheng learned that the two beggars were named Wang Mazi and Wang Gouzi, who were cousins. Wang Gouzi was the one who had followed Quan Guanqing that day.

Having met the two beggars, Bai Xiaosheng naturally did not let them go. He pulled the two and asked about matters in the江湖 (jianghu, the world of martial arts and chivalry), presenting himself as a complete novice, which greatly increased their arrogance.

The three spent three days eating, drinking, and playing together. Bai Xiaosheng never mentioned joining the Beggar Sect, but Wang Gouzi brought it up today: "Brother Bai, why don't you join our Beggar Sect?"

Bai Xiaosheng feigned surprise, his face showing joy, and he held the hands of the two beggars: "Brother Wang, can I really join the Beggar Sect?"

"Ha ha..." The two beggars laughed, and Wang Mazi explained: "Brother, our Beggar Sect is just a group of beggars with no strict rules. If you want to join, it's simple. This place is not far from the headquarters; I'll take you there to complete the procedures. After that, you'll be a disciple of the Beggar Sect. Don't worry; following us in the Beggar Sect, Brother Bai will never be at a disadvantage."

"Thank you, both of you, Brother Wang!" Bai Xiaosheng seemed very pleased and returned to Luoyang with the two Wangs. Under their guidance, Bai Xiaosheng easily completed the joining procedures, and a patch was added to his already dirty clothes.

A one-bag disciple, this was Bai Xiaosheng's position in the sect, the lowest rank. However, he knew the two Wangs, who were four-bag disciples, and unlike ordinary disciples who begged on the streets, he followed them to the border between Song and Liao.

Without Qiao Feng, the Beggar Sect was active on the Song-Liao border, and the two Wangs, being under Quan Guanqing, naturally operated there. This time, after recruiting Bai Xiaosheng into the Beggar Sect, they naturally had to take him to see their base.

On the way, the three would rest in cities and towns, and the two Wangs would lead Bai Xiaosheng to the local Beggar Sect bases to meet the people there. After a series of stops, they reached the Song-Liao border after more than two months.

Following the two beggars, Bai Xiaosheng gained a lot. This was not about his martial arts, but his knowledge. Under the guidance of the two Wangs, he saw various types of Beggar Sect disciples and many other martial artists. The different landscapes he saw along the way also broadened his horizons. Perhaps the only thing he regretted was that he did not use his martial arts much, only using lightness skills for travel.

Although it was just that, Bai Xiaosheng's knowledge increased, and the occasional martial arts techniques he saw also helped him improve himself.

After entering the Song-Liao border, the three walked more cautiously. Without the two explaining, Bai Xiaosheng knew that the area was not peaceful, and the Liao army almost raided every day. They had to be careful.

One day, the two came to the outside of Yanmen Pass. Just as they climbed over a hill, they saw a large group of Liao soldiers driving Song people and several large carts of goods out of the pass. The three exchanged glances and immediately found a hidden place to hide.

Bai Xiaosheng said, "Brother Wang, what should we do?"

The two Wangs did not speak but carefully observed the group. Bai Xiaosheng also looked closely. The Liao soldiers numbered about a hundred, but the people they were driving were many, about three to four hundred, including over a hundred able-bodied men.

It was said that the Song people were weak, and it seemed to be true. With so many able-bodied men and a three to four times larger number, these people obediently followed without resistance. Did they not know that once they reached the Liao court, their lives would no longer be their own?

Having been here for so long, Bai Xiaosheng still could not understand the mindset of these ordinary people. Their tolerance and submission made him angry at their lack of resistance.

"Brother Bai, your lightness skills are good. In a moment, you will rush out of the pass and attack the Liao soldiers from the front. I and Mazi will attack from the back. As long as the three of us disrupt the Liao soldiers' formation, we can stir up the blood of the people. When the Liao soldiers are in chaos, we can take advantage of the situation and win," Wang Gouzi explained. Bai Xiaosheng nodded; the plan was simple but effective. He had not thought of it, only considering a direct attack using his martial arts.

For a skilled martial artist, this would not be a problem, but the three were not strong. A direct attack would face the Liao army's charge, and the outcome would be uncertain. Wang Gouzi's simple plan increased their chances of success, making Bai Xiaosheng look at him with new respect.

He quickly got up and used his lightness skills to circle around. After about a quarter of an hour, Bai Xiaosheng had already left Yanmen Pass and blocked the road. Behind him, the two Wangs exchanged glances, each holding a stick, and slowly moved forward.

When the Liao army stepped out of Yanmen Pass, Bai Xiaosheng narrowed his eyes and tightly gripped his long sword.

"One, two, three..." He quietly counted the Liao soldiers passing by. After about ten Liao soldiers had passed, Bai Xiaosheng raised his hands, and a large number of pebbles were thrown out.

"Everyone be careful, someone is attacking!" A man shouted, and the Liao cavalry immediately became alert. The few Liao soldiers targeted by Bai Xiaosheng were hit by the pebbles and fell to the ground. Seeing Bai Xiaosheng charge out, the few Liao soldiers in front exchanged glances, grinned, and three of them quickly rode out, raising their curved swords to take his life.

Bai Xiaosheng coldly snorted, exerted force with his feet, and his body soared into the air. His long sword swung, creating a flurry of light, and in a blink, he passed through the three cavalrymen. Drip... Blood dripped from the tip of his sword, and the three cavalrymen fell to the ground, their necks gushing blood.

"Attack! Kill him!" A Liao soldier pointed at Bai Xiaosheng and shouted. The cavalry in front immediately charged, raising their curved swords to strike down.

Bai Xiaosheng's body darted, using his lightness skills and footwork to weave through the cavalry. His long sword moved like a shadow, incredibly fast, and in a blink, he killed three more. However, the Liao cavalry did not panic; they gradually gathered together, forming groups of two or three to attack Bai Xiaosheng.

Martial artists were stronger than soldiers, but in the army, it was not so simple. Bai Xiaosheng performed well, but only against a few opponents. As the Liao cavalry slowly surrounded him, with groups of twenty to thirty attacking, he found it difficult to defend. The soldiers' attacks were unique; one defended while the others attacked. If you were not fast enough, you would have to retreat, putting you at a disadvantage.

Bai Xiaosheng's sword skills were fast, but with so many cavalry surrounding him, the repeated attacks of long swords would eventually create an opening.

Fortunately, he had reinforcements. Knowing he could not rush, he slowly used his lightness skills and footwork to dodge among the cavalry, occasionally attacking and killing a Liao soldier. This steady approach allowed him to not only avoid the Liao soldiers but also kill several. In a short time, the number of Liao soldiers surrounding him was reduced by more than half. With fewer opponents, Bai Xiaosheng's sword skills became even more effective, instantly killing over ten Liao soldiers.

"Kill him, quickly kill him!" The Liao soldier in charge was shocked. At this moment, the two Wangs suddenly appeared, using a short stick to skillfully knock down over ten Liao soldiers.

Seeing the two Wangs appear, Bai Xiaosheng leaped, lightly touching the back of a horse, and soared into the air. He swung his long sword, creating a curtain of light. The Liao soldiers under his light curtain were instantly killed.

From the moment Bai Xiaosheng appeared to when he killed over thirty Liao soldiers, it took only about half an hour. The two Wangs also killed over ten Liao soldiers. Together, the three quickly killed more than half of the Liao soldiers. The Song people, seeing this, realized that the Liao soldiers were not their match. A few brave young men immediately leaped up and tackled the Liao soldiers off their horses, beating them with their fists and feet. Others quickly joined in, and in a blink, several Liao soldiers were killed. The Song people's attack caused the Liao soldiers' horses to neigh and become agitated, unable to calm down.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Bai Xiaosheng increased his speed, his long sword stabbing and slashing, taking the life of a Liao soldier with each move. In a blink, he reached the small captain, his long sword sweeping horizontally. The captain did not yield, quickly raising his curved sword to strike down, but his speed was pitifully slow in Bai Xiaosheng's eyes. Without changing his sword technique, Bai Xiaosheng suddenly accelerated, and his long sword pierced the captain's throat, taking his life.

In about a hundred Liao soldiers, the three quickly killed almost all of them, with only less than ten escaping. The three did not chase them but instead calmed the people and led them back into the pass.

These people were local villagers who often suffered from Liao army raids. They had previously managed to escape, but this time their luck was bad, and they were captured by the Liao army. Fortunately, the three appeared and saved them. Otherwise, their future would have been miserable. Therefore, everyone was very grateful to the three, and some of the more spirited and fiery young men hoped to join the Beggar Sect to fight the Liao army with them.

This kind of good thing, the two Wangs would not refuse. So, after calming the villagers, the three left with five more people joining them.

These five were different from Bai Xiaosheng; they were ordinary people. Although they lived in a war-torn area and knew some martial arts, they were not even third-rate. Joining the Beggar Sect, they could receive basic training, but for further advancement, it depended on their contributions and actions.

The Beggar Sect had millions of disciples, but only a few could stand out. Many, like Bai Xiaosheng, joined with existing skills and could quickly rise, but they were limited in reaching high positions with power and benefits. Of course, those favored by the sect leader, like Qiao Feng and Huang Rong, were exceptions.

After walking for half a day, the eight entered a forest. Soon, Bai Xiaosheng saw a valley, which seemed to have only one entrance and exit. From a distance, he could see people coming and going.

Wang Gouzi introduced, "This is where our branch is located."