"Young brother, what are you doing?"
Hun Han had just reached out when a black shadow flashed before him. A staff struck his hand, making him recoil in pain.
"Ouch!"
Hun Han's gaze sharpened as he reassessed the beggar before him. That seemingly casual strike had actually turned his hand red. Who was he? He possessed the Primordial Sacred Body. For the other man to make him feel pain, he was no ordinary beggar. His cultivation was definitely above that of a Da Dou Shi.
"Of course I'm going inside to rest. Didn't you agree to let me stay here for the night?" Hun Han asked, rubbing his hand in confusion.
"If you want to stay here for the night, there's no need to enter the main hall," the beggar replied calmly.
"Not enter the main hall? Are you asking me to sleep outside?" Hun Han asked blankly.
"Yes."
"But is this even a place for people to sleep?" Hun Han swept his gaze over the courtyard. It was filthy, and there were even human bones scattered about. It was not a place fit for human habitation.
"Yes."
The beggar nodded seriously and continued, "Don't worry, there are no venomous snakes or insects here. Of course, if you want to enter the main hall, that's fine too. But you must join my Exploding Heaven Gang!"
"What?"
"Other than disciples of the Exploding Heaven Gang, no one may enter this main hall."
The beggar spoke with utmost seriousness, faintly exuding an aura of royalty. Then, looking at Hun Han, he asked with a smile, "Well? Have you decided whether to join my Exploding Heaven Gang? The entry fee is only one hundred Gold Coins. I see that you have potential, so I'm giving you such a discount!"
Hun Han shook his head. Joining a gang like this would require him to have rocks for brains. A flash of inspiration crossed his eyes as he refused, "Forget it. I'll spend the night outside."
For Hun Han, his purpose in coming here was merely to complete the system's sign-in mission. Based on his understanding of the system, he only needed to enter the main hall to complete it. Once that was done, there would be no need for him to remain in this godforsaken gang.
The night was silent. Crows occasionally cawed from the trees, while pale green ghostly flames flickered throughout the thousand-acre courtyard.
When the moon reached the middle of the sky, the surrounding temperature suddenly plummeted despite the sweltering summer heat. A faint breeze blew past, raising goosebumps all over one's body. With the atmosphere like this, any normal person would surely be filled with fear.
That guy should be asleep by now, right?
Thinking this, Hun Han did not push open the main hall's doors for fear of alerting the other man. Instead, he walked to a window with a hole in it, gently pushed it open, and slipped into the ancient hall like a fish.
Before Hun Han could enter the main hall, a black shadow struck toward him. The terrifying impact sent him flying back the way he had come.
As if controlled by an invisible thread, the black shadow returned along its original path after striking him.
Only then did Hun Han see clearly that it was the same black staff. At that moment, it was held in the hand of the beggar, who had leaped out through the window.
"Young brother, what are you trying to do?" the beggar asked with a smile, taking a swig from his wine jug.
"Senior, my situation is unusual, but I mean no harm. I only wish to enter the ancient hall. Don't worry, I definitely won't take even a single brick or tile from this place!" Hun Han replied respectfully.
"No!"
"Why?"
"I already said it. Only disciples of this gang are qualified to enter this hall. No one else is allowed to enter," the beggar repeated.
Silence fell. Their eyes met, and faint sparks seemed to fly through the air.
Was he really going to have to give up on that mission?
He had already come all this way. How could he give up so easily? How could Hun Han possibly accept that?
"Senior, I can give you money!"
"No! I said that only disciples of this gang may enter this hall."
"Senior, if you insist on making things difficult, then this junior can only offend you," Hun Han said sternly.
"Fine, then come at me!" the beggar said with a smile.
Black Tier Intermediate Movement Technique · Netherworld Ghost Shadow
Afterimages filled the field as a gust of force drifted toward the open window. The beggar raised his brows slightly, his eyes following Hun Han's movements as he locked tightly onto his aura.
"Hmm, interesting!"
As soon as the beggar finished speaking, he threw the black staff again. It struck Hun Han precisely, forcing him to halt.
"Urgh!"
Hun Han's heart tightened. Looking at the ancient hall so close before him, he gritted his teeth and used his movement technique again. He darted left and right, and just as the other man's black staff came swinging at him, he threw a punch.
Overlord Fist
The force in his fist blocked the black staff. Then Hun Han's lips curled upward as his body soared into the air. Just as he was about to rush into the ancient hall, the surrounding energy violently stirred. Water vapor condensed around him into a massive block of black ice, sealing most of his body inside. Only his head was left exposed to breathe.
"Dou Emperor!"
Those two incomparably heavy words burst from Hun Han's mouth. This unremarkable beggar actually possessed the cultivation of a Dou Emperor. Being able to mobilize such a large amount of external energy of the same attribute was the mark of reaching the Dou Emperor realm.
"Young brother, do you still want to fight?" The beggar took another swig of wine, his gaze dismissive of Hun Han.
"No more."
A two-star Dou Zhe had no room to resist against a Dou Emperor.
With a wave of the beggar's hand, the black ice binding Hun Han immediately transformed into streams of water vapor and vanished.
Hun Han sat on the ground and stared at the beggar. After a long while, he asked, "Since you're a Dou Emperor, why are you pretending to be a beggar?"
"For fun!"
Hun Han was utterly speechless at the beggar's answer. Then he asked again, "Since you're a Dou Emperor, why is there only you in the entire Exploding Heaven Gang?"
"Better none than mediocre. My Exploding Heaven Gang doesn't need useless disciples; it only needs genius disciples. Let me tell you, some people don't even qualify to join our Exploding Heaven Gang! So, young brother, how about joining my Exploding Heaven Gang and becoming this old man's disciple?"
Hun Han hesitated for a moment, glanced at the main hall, and asked, "What obligations must I fulfill after joining the Exploding Heaven Gang?"
The beggar answered solemnly, "The disciples of my Exploding Heaven Gang are all free to come and go as they please. Other than providing aid when the sect is in danger and not slaughtering living beings or committing heinous evils, there are no other special rules!"
"Alright."
Hearing this, Hun Han said happily, "I'm willing to join the Exploding Heaven Gang. Gang Leader, can I enter the main hall now?"
The beggar shook his head. "Perform the disciple acceptance ceremony first."
Hun Han did as instructed and properly performed the disciple acceptance ceremony before the beggar. Then he asked excitedly, "Master, can I enter the main hall now?"
"Yes. Come with me!"
With a wave of the beggar's hand, the doors of the main hall opened. As Hun Han stepped into the dim ancient hall, he could vaguely make out the furnishings inside.
There was nothing special about the entire hall. Only at its center stood an altar built from white jade. The altar was no small thing, seven meters high and seven meters wide.
In addition, the items the beggar needed for daily life were placed in one corner of the hall. In the entire Exploding Heaven Gang, it seemed that only the altar before him was worth looking at.
"An altar?" Hun Han murmured in surprise.
"No, that's a teleportation array!" the beggar corrected him.
``` "Ding dong!"
"Would you like to sign in at the Sacred Hall of the Exploding Heaven Gang?"
"Sign in!"
Hun Han did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately signed in.
"Ding dong!"
"Congratulations, you have completed the Location Sign-in mission. By signing in at the Sacred Hall of the Exploding Heaven Gang, you have obtained: Talisman Secret Codex."
"Ding dong!"
"The system has issued a new Location Sign-in mission. Please sign in at Myriad Medicine Hall. Would you like to accept the sign-in mission?"
Before you continue