Old Beggar

East Mausoleum Prefecture, a small courtyard.

The courtyard gate still bore the Government Authorities' seal.

A graceful woman wearing a veil, along with a Jianghu wanderer dressed in black with a bamboo hat and a long saber at his waist, arrived outside the courtyard.

"What did Shopkeeper Qiu mean by bringing me here?"

Ji Qing asked.

The woman was Shopkeeper Qiu of East Mausoleum Prefecture's Listening Wind Tower.

As soon as Ji Qing arrived in East Mausoleum Prefecture, he went straight to the Listening Wind Tower.

"The owner of this courtyard originally sold buns at the market and was known as 'Liu the Bun Seller.' There were seven people in his household, including three children."

"Half a month ago, Liu the Bun Seller's entire family was poisoned to death. Even the authorities could not determine who had administered the poison, so they could only close the case in haste."

"But a little beggar provided some clues. Bring the little beggar here."

Before long, people from the Listening Wind Tower brought a filthy little beggar before Ji Qing.

"Little beggar, tell us everything you saw that day."

"Alright... That day, I was begging. I had wanted to wait until Madam Liu's family had nearly sold all their buns, so there might be some leftover buns or steamed bread for me. Madam Liu's family was kindhearted and often gave food to beggars."

"But not long after, I saw Madam Liu driving away an old beggar. That old beggar used his filthy hands to grab a customer's steamed bread directly, so Madam Liu chased him away with a broom."

"By evening, I saw the old beggar skulking around near Madam Liu's home, but I did not dare say anything. Yet the next morning, Madam Liu's entire family was dead..."

The little beggar was still somewhat saddened as he spoke.

After all, Madam Liu had given him food many times while she was alive.

Ji Qing understood.

"So Shopkeeper Qiu suspected that old beggar was Poison Demon Ouyang Bo?"

Shopkeeper Qiu nodded. "That is right. Hero Ji may not know much about Poison Demon Ouyang Bo. His moods are erratic and his actions extreme. Sometimes he disguises himself as all manner of people—merchants, old men, scholars, beggars, and so on. Ouyang Bo thinks he is playing a game among mortals, but once someone or something makes him uncomfortable, he becomes incomparably ruthless, poisoning entire households at the drop of a hat!"

"And Liu the Bun Seller's family being poisoned to death greatly resembles Ouyang Bo's style."

Ji Qing narrowed his eyes slightly. "Where is the old beggar now?"

"Someone saw him leaving the city and heading east half a month ago."

"Thank you, Shopkeeper Qiu!"

Ji Qing immediately turned and left the city.

Watching Ji Qing's retreating back, someone from the Listening Wind Tower quietly asked, "Shopkeeper Qiu, if this Startling Swan Blade truly finds the Poison Demon, which of them will come out on top?"

It was not only the people of the Listening Wind Tower who were curious about this question now. Likely the entire Jianghu was curious.

"I do not know. But if Ji Qing truly encounters Ouyang Bo, the commotion certainly will not be small. Someone, follow him from afar as well. If there is the slightest rustle of wind or stir of grass, our East Mausoleum Prefecture Listening Wind Tower must be the first to receive the news!"

"Yes, Shopkeeper!"

Thus, a group from the Listening Wind Tower also left the city one after another.

The Zhou Family caravan was escorting more than thirty carts of goods from East Mausoleum Prefecture to West Mausoleum Prefecture.

The one in charge was the Zhou Family's young lady.

The old master of the Zhou Family was gravely ill in bed, while his son was a worthless dandy, an Adou who could not be propped up, completely ignorant of business matters.

With no other choice, the Zhou Family's young lady could only shoulder the family business and show her face in public to personally escort the goods.

Along the way, the Zhou Family caravan encountered a filthy old beggar.

He reeked of drink and seemed to have drunk himself senseless in the roadside grass.

Miss Zhou was kindhearted. She had someone rescue the old beggar and let him travel with the caravan, intending to let him leave once they reached West Mausoleum Prefecture.

Naturally, the old beggar was profoundly grateful.

Yet the old beggar had quite a foul temper. Along the way, he showed no restraint whatsoever in demanding food and drink.

Many people in the Zhou Family caravan were full of resentment toward the old beggar, but seeing that he was elderly, Miss Zhou did not hold it against him.

The caravan soon reached a stretch of dangerous terrain.

The Zhou Family martial artists immediately grew vigilant.

Miss Zhou also warned them, "You must be careful. A band of horse bandits has appeared recently. Their leader is nicknamed Old Kite. They say he kills as easily as breathing and observes none of the Jianghu rules!"

Everyone in the caravan nodded with grave expressions.

East Mausoleum was rife with mounted bandits, while heroes emerged from the greenwood!

East Mausoleum Prefecture and West Mausoleum Prefecture both had plenty of greenwood horse bandits.

But for the most part, they all observed the rules of the Jianghu.

As long as a caravan paid silver, it could generally pass safely.

Yet Old Kite had broken the rules.

But Old Kite was vicious and ruthless, and his martial arts were formidable. Those escort agencies and caravan martial artists could do nothing against him.

When traveling the Jianghu, things could truly be strange at times.

What one feared was exactly what came.

Miss Zhou had only just mentioned Old Kite when, the moment the Zhou Family caravan entered a dense forest, a group of horse bandits charged out from both sides.

Their leader was none other than the notorious Old Kite.

"Hahaha! Looks like we have run into fat sheep this time—more than thirty carts of goods! Which family's caravan are you?"

Old Kite shouted loudly.

"We are the Zhou Family caravan! If First Chief would make things convenient for us, the Zhou Family is willing to offer three thousand taels of silver as passage money!"

Miss Zhou called back.

When Old Kite saw Miss Zhou's slender figure, his eyes lit up. He narrowed them slightly, and a savage grin spread across his lips.

"Hehe, how could three thousand taels of silver be enough? I want the silver, the goods, and Miss Zhou—all of it! Boys, anyone who resists, kill without mercy!"

At Old Kite's command, the horse bandits immediately charged the Zhou Family caravan and clashed with its martial artists.

Miss Zhou's face went pale as paper.

This time, she had already arranged for as many guards as possible.

But she had still underestimated Old Kite.

Old Kite took the lead, hacking at anyone he saw.

There were even peak third-rate experts among the guards, yet they were cut down by Old Kite within three moves.

Clearly, Old Kite was a second-rate expert.

Miss Zhou could hardly believe her eyes.

A second-rate expert did not roam the Jianghu in grandeur, but instead came here to become a horse bandit chief?

"Stop!"

"First Chief, we will give you all the goods and all the silver, but could you let us leave..."

Miss Zhou cut off her own arm to save the body.

At this moment, it was no longer a matter of goods or silver, but whether they could preserve their lives.

Old Kite stared fixedly at Miss Zhou and sneered. "The others can go, but you must stay!"

Miss Zhou's heart sank.

She knew all too well what fate awaited her if she stayed.

But what choice did she have?

If the fighting continued, everyone would die!

Thus, Miss Zhou gritted her teeth. "First Chief, keep your word. I..."

Before Miss Zhou could finish speaking.

A scream suddenly rang out among the horse bandits.

"Ah... poison, there's poison!"

"Where did the poison come from?"

"The carts... the carts are poisoned."

"First Chief, save me..."

A group of horse bandits collapsed one after another.

Everyone in the Zhou Family was utterly stunned.

How could there be poison on the carts?

"Little girl, you have fed and served this old man well these past few days, and that has pleased me. I will help you send this band of horse bandits on their way!"

The speaker was none other than the old beggar whom the Zhou Family had rescued along the road!

"Thank you, Senior!"

Miss Zhou immediately realized that the old beggar was most likely one of the Jianghu's hidden masters.

She had also heard some tales.

Some Jianghu hidden masters enjoyed concealing their identities and playing games among mortals.

Who would have thought she would encounter one today?

He had even saved the entire Zhou Family!

Old Kite was frightened as well.

In such a short time, half the men he had brought had already been lost.

Moreover, the poison seemed to be spreading.

The key was that he could not even figure out how they had been poisoned, and that made Old Kite's scalp prickle.

"Go, hurry and go!"

As though fleeing for his life, Old Kite spurred his horse and raced away.

Seeing Old Kite trying to flee, Miss Zhou's expression changed slightly. She hurried several steps to the carriage where the old beggar was.

"Senior, please take action and eliminate Old Kite!"

Old Kite was a second-rate expert. If he escaped, the Zhou Family would never know peace again!

After all, the old beggar would not remain with the Zhou Family forever.

"Easy enough..."

The old beggar nodded inside the carriage.

Suddenly, he seemed to sense something. He abruptly raised his head and looked ahead.

"Senior, what is it?"

"Do not speak. A tough one has arrived..."

Hearing the old beggar's unusually grave tone, Miss Zhou could not help taking a few steps forward and looking into the distance.

It was in the direction Old Kite had fled in a desperate rush.

"Wait, it seems someone really is coming..."

Miss Zhou saw a fast horse charging toward the crowd.

It happened to meet Old Kite head-on.

Old Kite was now like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. He only wanted to flee for his life and get as far from the old beggar as possible.

Seeing someone actually charge toward him, a savage grin appeared on his face as he roared, "Who are you? Get lost at once! Those who block my path die!"

Old Kite drew his horse saber. If the person ahead still refused to stop, he would not mind cutting him down with one strike.

Yet the person opposite seemed not to have heard Old Kite's shout.

The fast horse did not even slow down.

Closer.

The two drew nearer and nearer.

Old Kite could already make out the other person's attire.

Black clothes, a bamboo hat, and a long saber at his waist.

He looked like a Jianghu wanderer.

But so what if he was a Jianghu wanderer?

Old Kite had killed until corpses covered the wilderness. A mere Jianghu wanderer—he would kill him and be done with it!

Clang.

Suddenly, the person opposite drew his saber.

A dazzling saber light flashed through the air.

Old Kite had never seen such a breathtakingly beautiful saber light.

Like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan, the saber light vanished, and Old Kite felt only a chill at his neck.

Thud.

A massive head flew high into the air, then landed and rolled across the ground.

Old Kite's headless corpse was even carried onward by his horse for some distance before tumbling to the ground.