Bao Butong

Everyone took their seats, while the rescued woman stood off to one side. She'd eaten this way these past few days as well, never sharing a table with them.

"Who are these gentlemen?" Seeing that Fan Bailing and the others hadn't spoken, Leader Jiang didn't pry. He merely instructed his subordinates to bring more food, then looked at Chen Feng and the others as he asked.

"Allow me to introduce them, Leader Jiang. This is Zhu Danchen, one of the four great guards of Prince of Zhennan of the Dali Kingdom." Elder Fan introduced Zhu Danchen first.

"So you are the Brush and Ink Scholar among the Fisherman, Woodcutter, Farmer, Scholar. My apologies for the discourtesy."

"This is You Tanzhi, the young master of Juxian Village."

"So you are Young Master You. Truly, heroes emerge in their youth."

"This is little brother Xiaoyao. Though he isn't a martial artist, he is an expert at Go. To be honest, even this old man is no match for him."

"Is that so? I never expected little brother Xiaoyao to be so remarkable at such a young age. My apologies for the discourtesy." This time, Leader Jiang was genuinely startled.

The title Chess Demon hadn't been earned for nothing, yet Fan Bailing admitted himself inferior. Clearly, the other man's attainment in Go was extraordinary.

It also explained why someone who knew no martial arts was traveling with them.

"And this lady..." Leader Jiang looked at the woman again.

"Alas, she is a pitiful soul as well." Fan Bailing explained the woman's background. Leader Jiang was both shocked and enraged upon hearing it—shocked that such a horrific atrocity had occurred, and that the Beggar Clan, with the most extensive intelligence network under heaven, had received no news of it.

He was enraged that such a deranged and heartless person could exist in this world.

"Elder Fan, did you come here to ask our Beggar Clan to find that Butcher Knife?" Leader Jiang asked after hearing the woman's story.

"Not at all. That villain called Butcher Knife has already died at Tanzhi's hands. We've come this time to ask Leader Jiang to help us find someone else." Hearing that Leader Jiang had misunderstood, Fan Bailing hurriedly explained.

"Find someone?"

"I should explain it myself." Zhu Danchen took over. After all, the Heir Apparent of Prince of Zhennan being abducted was hardly a glorious matter. But if they didn't find Duan Yu in time and he fell into Jiumozhi's hands, that would be disastrous.

He briefly recounted Duan Yu's abduction, then told Leader Jiang that they had learned at Songhe Tower in Wuxi that Duan Yu had once been drinking with a member of the Beggar Clan. Thus, they asked Leader Jiang to help look for him.

"I see. Finding people is easy enough for our Beggar Clan. But do you have a portrait of your Heir Apparent, or any distinguishing physical features?" Learning that they only needed to find someone, Leader Jiang let out a sigh of relief. The Beggar Clan had recently faced a major incident, so if this were too difficult a matter, they might not have enough hands to spare.

Just as Zhu Danchen pointed at Xiaoyao and prepared to speak, a Beggar Clan Disciple rushed in.

"Bad news, Leader! Four people have forced their way in. The brothers can't stop them!"

"Who dares cause trouble at a Beggar Clan branch? Everyone, please continue eating. I'll be right back, and then I'll instruct our brothers to help you find your man." After speaking, Leader Jiang followed the disciple who had brought the report outside.

"Should we go out and take a look as well? For just four people to storm a Beggar Clan branch, they must be quite capable. Since we're asking them for help, why not go lend them some support?" Seeing Leader Jiang leave, Chen Feng knew the plot had begun. Bao Butong had arrived with A Zhu, A Bi, and Wang Yuyan.

According to the original events, Leader Jiang would send someone to seek Qiao Feng's help. Clearly, he was no match for Bao Butong. Since they were asking for assistance, they naturally ought to contribute, though Chen Feng knew Duan Yu would soon arrive on his own.

The others clearly felt the same. After Chen Feng spoke, they all headed outside together.

At that moment, a Beggar Clan Disciple was fighting a man in the apricot grove outside. The man was Mr. Bao San—Bao Butong—one of the Murong Family's Four Great Retainers.

But the Beggar Clan Disciple was clearly no match for Bao Butong. After only a few exchanges, Bao Butong seized the staff from his hand and shoved him aside with one palm.

Yet Bao Butong clearly had no desire to make matters worse. He used soft force, merely pushing the Beggar Clan Disciple away without seriously injuring him.

"Jiang of the Beggar Clan's Righteous Branch is here to experience your fine skills!"

Seeing his capable subordinate defeated, Leader Jiang stepped forward despite knowing he might not be the other man's match.

Otherwise, if word spread that four people had barged into the Beggar Clan's Righteous Branch and no one at the branch dared to fight them, it would be utterly humiliating—especially when three of the intruders were women.

Bao Butong didn't enjoy fighting as much as Feng Bo'e did, but neither did he fear trouble. Seeing the leader of the Righteous Branch come forward, he laughed heartily and stepped up to meet him.

Leader Jiang had naturally possessed considerable strength to become leader of the Righteous Branch, but Bao Butong, one of the Gusu Murong Clan's Four Great Retainers, was even stronger.

At first, the two fought evenly, locked in an intense and indecisive battle. Yet Leader Jiang held a weapon, while Bao Butong hadn't even drawn the short sword in his hand. The difference between them was obvious.

Bao Butong deflected Leader Jiang's attacks one after another. After several dozen exchanges, he spotted an opening in Leader Jiang's defense, rushed in, knocked away Leader Jiang's weapon, and then drove a fist toward his chest.

Though Leader Jiang was weaker than Bao Butong, he wasn't someone who could be easily defeated. Bao Butong's punch was fierce and powerful; if it landed, Leader Jiang would surely be badly injured.

"Watch out! Hidden weapon!" Seeing Leader Jiang about to be hurt by the other man's fist, Fan Bailing naturally couldn't stand by and watch.

But he was an upright man, and Leader Jiang had been defeated fairly. Thus, he first called out a warning before firing the Chess Pieces in his hand. Moreover, the Chess Pieces avoided Bao Butong's vital points, shooting instead toward his shoulders and thighs.

Hearing Fan Bailing's cry and the whistle through the air, how could Bao Butong not realize hidden weapons were flying at him? He could only abandon his attack on Leader Jiang, turn aside to evade, and use his short sword to knock away the incoming Chess Pieces.

"What? You can't win, so now you want to play dirty? Fine! However many of you want to come at me together, I, Third Master Bao, will take you all on! Go ahead—"

Bao Butong leaped aside after blocking the attack, only to raise his head and see Chen Feng emerging from the branch. The words he had been about to say immediately caught in his throat. Pointing at Chen Feng, he cursed furiously:

"You brat surnamed Duan! I thought you'd sensibly left on your own, but it turns out you're a spy! After overhearing us and learning we'd come to the Beggar Clan's Wuxi branch, you even brought reinforcements here ahead of us? What exactly are you plotting?"

"If I'd known this, I should've tied you up last night."

"Hmph. Try tying him up, then." The moment Zhu Danchen heard Bao Butong's words, he knew that Duan Yu had been with Bao Butong the previous night. But Bao Butong had clearly driven him away, which was why he had appeared at Songhe Tower in Wuxi.

When the lord was insulted, the servant would die. As one of the Dali royal family's four great guards, Zhu Danchen had already failed in allowing Jiumozhi to abduct Duan Yu. Now someone was pointing at Chen Feng's nose and cursing him. Though Chen Feng wasn't Duan Yu himself, Bao Butong was clearly speaking of Duan Yu. Zhu Danchen could no longer endure it.

"Zhu Danchen of Dali seeks instruction from Third Master Bao!"

After saying this, Zhu Danchen leaped into the clearing. With a turn of his Judge's Brush, he jabbed it toward Bao Butong's vital points.

Bao Butong still hadn't drawn his short sword. Since the Judge's Brush was also a short weapon, both men fought speed against speed, exchanging dozens of moves in an instant.

Just then, a group of Beggar Clan Disciples arrived at the branch, escorting two men. The man walking in front was exceptionally tall and broad, around thirty years old, dressed in a worn gray cloth robe that was slightly torn.

He had thick brows, large eyes, a high nose, and a broad mouth. His square face bore traces of hardship and weathering, and there was immense authority in every glance he cast.

Behind him followed a young master in white whose face was exactly identical to Chen Feng's.

They were Qiao Feng and Duan Yu, who had only just sworn brotherhood.