Chapter 24

After leaving Guo Xiang, Jiang Chen couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. Could this be the legendary invincible mode? Even he had to teach the Nine Swords of Dugu to Guo Xiang, which he had obtained with great effort. Thinking about this, he made a secret decision to find a way to make up for his loss, otherwise, wouldn't he lose face as a穿越者 (time traveler)?

The next day, the grand hero banquet continued, and Guo Xiang even set up a small hero banquet in her room. Jiang Chen decided to attend every day, determined to make up for the loss of the sword manual. Of course, during this time, he also met many strange martial arts guests. Huang Rong had already instructed the kitchen to prepare dishes carefully, so her daughter could entertain the guests. Guo Fu spent these days calculating whether her husband could win the position of the leader of the Beggar Sect, paying no attention to her sister's strange guests. As for Guo Polu, he was busy practicing martial arts, and with Jiang Chen's guidance, he was making rapid progress.

After several days, the heroes' assembly had discussed how to contact various heroes, how to disrupt the rear army of the Yuan-Mongol, and how to assist in defending the city. The heroes were rubbing their hands in anticipation, waiting for the enemy to arrive. Guo Jing was pleased by the unity of the heroes, but he knew from his long experience in the Yuan-Mongol army that the strength of the Yuan-Mongol army was far beyond what thousands of martial artists could resist, so he was always worried.

On the 24th of March, the assembly concluded, and the afternoon was set for the election of the Beggar Sect's leader. After lunch, the heroes rushed to the western training ground. Jiang Chen couldn't wait any longer and followed the crowd. He saw a tall platform in the center of the training ground, with over a thousand chairs and benches arranged to the south of the platform.

At this time, over two thousand members of the Beggar Sect had gathered below the platform, all of whom were experienced and highly skilled. The lowest rank among them was the four-bag disciple, and these two thousand members were divided under the command of the four elders. Among the original four elders of the Beggar Sect—Lu, Jian, Liang, and Peng—Lu Youjiao had recently been killed after becoming the leader, Peng had betrayed the sect and was killed by Cien, Jian had died of old age, and now only Liang remained as the chief elder. The other three elders were all promoted from eight-bag disciples. The members sat around the platform in the east, south, west, and north, following the Beggar Sect's tradition of sitting on the ground to maintain their beggar identity.

The Beggar Sect members responsible for welcoming guests respectfully invited the heroes to their seats. Yelü Qi and Guo Fu, Wu Dunru and Yelü Yan, Wu Xiwen and Wanyan Ping, being younger and partly hosts, sat in the last row. After years of hard practice, they all felt their martial arts had improved and were secretly planning how to show off their skills in front of thousands of heroes.

Although Jiang Chen was young, he was a savior of Guo Fu and Guo Xiang, a guest, and possessed extraordinary martial arts skills. Despite her reservations, Huang Rong and Guo Jing invited him to the main guest seat, served him tea and snacks, and treated him well.

After a while, when most of the heroes had arrived, Huang Rong announced the start of the competition. The Beggar Sect, being the largest sect in the world, had grown in strength due to the many beggars and young heroes joining to defend Xiangyang. The competition was intense, and the skills displayed were dazzling. Although Jiang Chen's martial arts were already very high, these so-called Beggar Sect experts didn't necessarily impress him, but watching their battles broadened his horizons and increased his experience, so he enjoyed it very much.

Soon, Wu Dunru and Wu Xiwen were knocked off the platform. Then, Zhu Ziliu's nephew, the three disciples of Sishui Fisher, four eight-bag disciples, and six seven-bag disciples of the Beggar Sect were also defeated. Yelü Qi had already defeated three strong opponents and was now using the 72 Empty Brightness Fist taught by Zhou Botong to fight a middle-aged man named Lan Tianhe.

At this moment, the crowd became chaotic as Guo Xiang and Daguizi led Yang Guo's divine condor into the field. After a fierce battle, Yelü Qi finally defeated his opponent. The fierce and powerful palm strikes of Lan Tianhe were witnessed by everyone, but Yelü Qi defeated him without showing any effort. Anyone with some knowledge dared not challenge him anymore.

Yelü Qi, the son-in-law of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, had a deep connection with the Beggar Sect. The four elders and the eight-bag disciples all wished for him to become the leader. He was also a disciple of the venerable Zhou Botong, making all the Quanzhen disciples his juniors. Those who had connections with Guo Jing and the Quanzhen Sect no longer competed. Only a few reckless and overconfident individuals dared to challenge him, but they were all defeated in a few moves.

Seeing this, Elder Liang was about to declare Yelü Qi the leader when a scout reported that two Mongol armies attacking Dengzhou and Xinye had been ambushed and annihilated by unknown forces. As they were discussing this, they heard the sounds of lion roars, tiger growls, ape cries, and elephant runs from a distance, causing the heroes to be alarmed. Only Guo Xiang was delighted and called out, "The Shi brothers are here!"

Guo Jing, fearing the wild animals might harm people, quickly ordered Wu Xiwen to bring 2,000 archers. Just as the archers were setting up, the Shi brothers of the Ten Thousand Beast Manor arrived, leading tigers, elephants, lions, and leopards. The animals were fierce and menacing, but they were well-organized and orderly. The heroes, though experienced, were still uneasy at the sight of so many wild animals.

When the five Shi brothers each carried a leather bag and bowed before Guo Xiang, saying, "Wishing the young lady a long life and good fortune," Jiang Chen knew that Guo Xiang was deeply in love and would never escape this whirlpool of love.

Then, when the Shi brothers revealed that the Mongol armies attacking Dengzhou and Xinye were defeated by the Divine Condor Hero Yang Guo, the heroes cheered. Following this, the Ghost Drives of Xishan appeared, leading a spectacular display of fireworks. The fireworks formed the words "Wishing the Second Miss Guo good fortune and longevity" in ten different colors, hanging in the sky for a long time before dispersing.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound like distant thunder came from the north, followed by a faint red glow in the sky.

"Alright, burning the enemy's supplies, this is clearly a move I used before," Jiang Chen thought. "But I have to admit, although I once caused a massacre and earned the name 'Black-robed Asura,' I was alone. Yang Guo, after wandering the江湖 (martial world) for sixteen years, has many connections and is truly a master of showmanship, far beyond my reach."

To others, Yang Guo's actions were just to celebrate Guo Xiang's birthday, making her the center of attention. After the celebration, Elder Liang of the Beggar Sect took the opportunity to announce Yelü Qi as the new leader. At this moment, He Shiwo finally appeared.

He Shiwo was dressed in a large, tattered black robe, holding a thick iron staff, with messy hair and a yellow, swollen, and scarred face. He carried five cloth bags, indicating he was a five-bag disciple. The Beggar Sect was not known for its handsome members, but He Shiwo was particularly ugly.

As soon as He Shiwo appeared, he sneered, "First, the Beggar Staff has not been recovered. Second, the murderer of the previous leader has not been found. To want to become the leader without resolving these two major issues is too hasty, isn't it?" His words were logical and forceful, leaving Yelü Qi speechless.

Ultimately, it was a matter of martial prowess. Many were surprised by He Shiwo's high skills. After fighting for forty to fifty moves, Yelü Qi had not gained any advantage. It was nearly the ninth hour, and the moon was low, with only a few torches around the platform. The crowd could see the fight clearly.

In the midst of the intense battle, He Shiwo suddenly used the "Great Wind Sleeve" technique to extinguish all the torches around the platform. In the darkness, they clashed, and He Shiwo used his unique weapon to trick Yelü Qi, knocking him off the platform. He Shiwo was also injured by Yelü Qi's soft hedgehog armor. It seemed they were evenly matched, but Yelü Qi's fall indicated his defeat.

Guo Fu was不服气 (unconvinced) and called out, "He used a dirty trick, Qi, go back and fight him again."

Yelü Qi shook his head, "Even if he won by intelligence, he still won. Besides, even if we fought again, I might not win."

He Shiwo raised his ugly, yellow face and said, "Although I have defeated Yelü Qi, I do not dare to claim the position of leader. We must find the Beggar Staff and kill Huo Du before I can be considered the leader. Then, we will let everyone decide." The crowd thought his words were fair. Despite his ambiguous victory, his skills were undeniable, and some in the Beggar Sect cheered.

He Shiwo stood at the edge of the platform, bowed to the crowd, and said, "Any hero who wishes to challenge me, please step forward."

Since he had defeated Yelü Qi, no one dared to challenge him. Just as he was feeling triumphant, a black figure suddenly appeared on the platform. A calm voice echoed, "I am Jiang Chen, and I wish to test the skills of the future leader of the Beggar Sect."

"He indeed has a significant plan," Huang Rong thought, alarmed. "Jiang Chen's martial arts are among the best in the world. If he truly wants to become the leader of the Beggar Sect, who can stop him?" She looked at her husband, Guo Jing, but he was only focused on the platform.