With Qiao Feng's approval to join, the Beggar Clan in Apricot Grove were filled with excitement.
After all, after the Beggar Clan' Sect disbands, some of its members will join the Martial Command Office. With Qiao Feng, their former leader, around, they will integrate more quickly.
At Xu Xiao's instruction, Qiao Feng began to instruct the Beggar Clan' Sect leaders present to notify their disciples to go to the nearest Martial Command Office for assessment.
The Beggar Clan ' Sect, a gang with members spread throughout the entire Great Song, could not be completely disbanded and merged into another power in a short period of time.
Xu Xiao didn't mind; the Beggar Clan' Sect was just the first step in his plan to dismantle the martial arts world.
With the example of the Beggar Clan disbanding and merging into the Martial Command Office, other martial arts sects will have a much easier time in the future.
As for why Xu Xiao was so determined to reform the martial arts world, he had his own reasons.
Looking at all of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils can be considered one of the earlier works, followed by the Condor Trilogy.
Logically speaking, the story of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils takes place before other worlds; those are stories that did not happen.
Xu Xiao had an idea. His USB drive still contained the world coordinates of the Condor Trilogy. He wanted to test whether this world was the same as other coordinate worlds.
This concerns his future plans for time travel, so he can't afford to be careless.
Furthermore, having consolidated his power in the martial arts world, he could also try to combine the strengths of various schools to develop a new martial arts manual that was more suitable for him.
The Northern Darkness Divine Art is still somewhat insufficient for him at the moment.
Of course, this is just a plan. Even gathering up the forces of the martial arts world and improving martial arts skills are not things that can be done in a short time. Xu Xiao's stay in this world is about to be halfway over.
He can only tackle the tough challenges first, lay out the general route, and then come back to reap his rewards later.
While Xu Xiao was pondering these matters, Wu 1 received a message from his subordinate and quietly came over to report:
"My lord, those people from the Western Xia First-Class Hall have entered the encirclement as you predicted."
"Okay, I understand."
'The arrival of the Western Xia First-Class Hall means Murong Fu is here too, but now that Qiao Feng is willing to join, Murong Fu is no longer of any use.'
Xu Xiao had made two preparations beforehand. If Qiao Feng was unwilling to join, he would capture Murong Fu, who was hiding in the Western Xia First-Class Hall, and then coerce Murong Bo.
But with Qiao Feng around, Murong Bo becomes unusable, and Murong Fu loses his value.
'However, this is also a good opportunity to kill Murong Fu. I don't like those three women who idolize each other so much.'
Xu Xiao had no good feelings towards Murong Fu, mainly because the man's identity was too intimate with his bedmate.
He's both the young master of A Zhu A Bi, and Wang Yuyan's cousin. By any measure, he has no right to be alive.
This is also a kind of selfishness on Xu Xiao's part; he doesn't allow his woman to have any feelings for other men, not even a little bit.
Thinking of this, Xu Xiao beckoned Wu 1 to whisper something in his ear.
Wu 1 nodded, then took a step forward, mustered his Internal Energy, and spoke:
"Everyone, according to intelligence, a group of experts from the Western Xia First-Class Hall are heading this way. The Martial Command Office is preparing to wipe them out. You will all come along to learn and observe the Martial Command Office's fighting style."
"How dare the dogs of the Western Xia First-Class Hall come to my Central Plains!"
"Grab your weapons and charge! Let those bastards never return!"
The members of the Beggar Clan ' Sect were all indignant, and even Qiao Feng spoke up without hesitation:
"Now that we have joined the Martial Command Office, we should go together. Perhaps we can come in handy."
"Yes, kill the thieves! Let those Western Xia dogs never return!"
It must be said that the patriotism of the common people is the strongest since ancient times. There were many conflicts between the Western Xia and the Great Song, and everyone was united in their hatred of the enemy when they heard the news.
Without delay, the officers of the Martial Command Office lined up and set off, followed by a large group of the Beggar Clan disciples.
Only Xu Xiao, seated atop the dragon carriage, walked unhurriedly at the back of the procession.
With the formidable force he had prepared long ago to deal with the Beggar Clan ' Sect, he was certain that those guys from the Western Xia First-Class Hall would never return.
Meanwhile, the cavalry of the Western Xia First-Class Hall, led by Helian Tieshu, quickly arrived at a mountain hollow not far from the Beggar Clan' Sect headquarters.
He was preparing to lead his men to higher ground to wait, and also sent out scouts to find out the exact location of the Beggar Clan's gathering.
Suddenly, a whooshing sound came from afar.
'Whoosh~'
The members of the Western Xia First-Class Hall present were at least skilled soldiers, and they could immediately recognize the sound of an arrow slicing through the air.
"Enemy attack!"
Everyone rushed to hide, but it was too late.
The rain of arrows fell like a torrential downpour, engulfing most of them.
The Western Xia First-Class Hall's activities in the Northern Song territory were kept secret, so their numbers were small, only a hundred or so riders.
In addition to the people from the Martial Command Office, Xu Xiao had also arranged for 3,000 local garrison troops from Hebei.
Although the local garrison troops were not particularly skilled in martial arts, they were still adept at drawing bows and shooting arrows.
They were originally positioned outside the Apricot Grove, ready to support and annihilate the Beggar Clan' Sect members if they refused to cooperate. Now, however, they have become the sharpest blades to slaughter the Western Xia First-Class Hall.
The sound of three thousand men firing arrows in unison, just hearing the precise whirring of the arrows cutting through the air, was enough to instill despair.
Puff, puff
The sound of arrows piercing flesh was incessant; men fell, and horses fell too.
After just one volley of fire, fewer than two palms' worth of people remained standing; these First-Class Hall.
In the instant the arrows rained down, some parried with weapons, others hid under the belly of a horse, and still others used the people around them as shields.
"There's an ambush! There's an ambush! Retreat!"
Helian Tieshu was one of the survivors. He called out to his few remaining men and prepared to flee on horseback, among whom was Li Yanzong, disguised Murong Fu.
No one knew why their actions had been discovered, nor where the volley of arrows came from, but clearly they couldn't just stand there and wait to die.
But Xu Xiao had intended to eliminate them here; how could he let them escape?
A group of about a hundred soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Martial Command Office appeared, each carrying a crossbow and firing.
After firing their arrows, they drew their single swords and charged forward in groups of five, or three groups in a team, using the crossbow bolts as cover.
This left not only Helian Tieshu stunned, but also Murong Fu!
Where did such elite troops come from? Are they all going to die here today?