The Old Beggar Leaves, and a Young Beggar Arrives

Inside the soup kitchen, large stoves and roaring fires filled the air.

Although the stove used was somewhat simple, the pot and lid were brought from the Zhao family's residence.

The large iron pot boils water and cooks porridge quickly and fragrantly, without worrying about burning, sticking to the bottom, or undercooking.

The thick wooden lid fits perfectly; once it's on, even if the inside is boiling vigorously, only wisps of steam escape.

The people cooking the porridge are all skilled; they time it perfectly. As soon as the lid is lifted, thick steam rises up like a large lingzhi mushroom.

The aroma of porridge wafted everywhere, and the porridge stall was even handing out bowls.

The old beggar in the alley, seeing this, was certain that the porridge was not poisoned, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

His profound perception of the energy flow made his eyes, in that instant, seem to disregard the numerous walls and houses in front of him.

All the ordinary people moving about and busying themselves within the Zhao residence were seen as tiny candle flames, insignificant and not worth mentioning.

Only Yang Chengwu, inside the main hall, resembled a torch.

Looking further away from Yang Chengwu...

That person, instead of being sensed by the energy and manifesting as a ball of flame, was a complete, vivid, and full-bodied living person standing there.

His hair, facial features, and even the clothes he wore all possessed a texture unlike anything else, clearly reflected in the old beggar's eyes.

"When did such a kind-hearted master appear in the martial arts world? But Non-Self 'm looking for."

The old beggar in the alley has vanished, leaving only a faint soliloquy.

Inside the main hall of the Zhao residence.

Chu Tianshu was having Yang Chengwu draw all the martial arts masters he knew, and he stood beside him to examine them.

Suddenly, Chu Tianshu looked up and looked outside.

Yu Danxia, who was also standing by the table helping to tidy up the portrait, asked in surprise, "My benefactor, what's wrong?"

"There was someone spying on the entire mansion from outside just now, but by the time I checked on him, he was already gone."

Chu Tianshu narrowed his eyes slightly, "He walks very fast. This person's skill is quite remarkable, but something about him is a bit off..."

That man possessed a grand and upright character, yet also carried a hint of impetuousness and ruthlessness.

Fierceness and ruthlessness are not inherently contradictory.

Chu Tianshu's martial arts also include many ruthless and fierce moves.

However, this person's uprightness seemed exceptionally profound and enduring, possessing a calm and unhurried quality that seemed to exist continuously without being used frequently.

In this situation, his other aura seemed too hasty and ruthless, making the two seem somewhat mismatched.

Chu Tianshu guessed that he must have cultivated two martial arts to an extremely profound level, but he was not able to integrate them well.

"The fact that even with this person's skill level, he couldn't perfectly connect the two energies indicates that at least one of these two techniques has an exceptionally solid foundation and profound understanding."

This matter piqued Chu Tianshu's interest.

He told the two people beside him about the beggar's appearance that he had just caught a glimpse of.

"When it comes to master beggars, the most famous are the members of the Beggars' Sect' Sect."

Yu Danxia said, "However, the Beggars' Sect' Sect is now fragmented, the position of sect leader has been vacant for a long time, and I've heard there are at least seventeen branch sects, each independent and acting like heretics..."

Yang Chengwu shook his head.

"After your Qingcheng fell, you were indeed ignorant and ill-informed. None of the real secrets have been passed down. The Beggars' Sect still has a leader to this day, and his authority is by no means inferior to those of the most famous figures in the history of the Beggars' Sect' Sect."

"Although the seventeen branches are not on equal footing with each other, they would never dare to disobey the leader's orders."

Back then, after Kublai Khan, the Yuan emperor, conquered the Jiangnan and destroyed the Southern Song, he was concerned that the martial arts practitioners, relying on their superior skills, were not content with their lot.

Therefore, he devoted a lot of energy to dealing with the martial arts world through either suppression or appeasement, with his two primary targets being Shaolin and the Beggars' Sect.

Since the Tang, Song, and Jin dynasties, Shaolin has been repeatedly awarded titles and honors, and its influence is vast. Throughout history, it has often taken in masters to become monks, accumulating countless unique skills. It also interacts with high-ranking officials and gentry to discuss Zen and Buddhism, and frequents the homes of the elite.

The Beggars' Sect' Sect is rooted in the common people and claims that all beggars under heaven are one family. Although not all beggars are members of the Beggars' Sect' Sect, the sheer number of its disciples makes it arguably the largest sect.

Kublai Khan Khan's immense power, it only took him a little over a year to purge the high-ranking members of the Shaolin Beggars' Sect' Sect from their own ranks through infighting.

The new leader of the Beggars' Sect' Sect at that time was named Yang Muren. He was awarded a title by Kublai Khan, which was equivalent to that of a duke and was passed down for three generations.

After Kublai Khan's death, the Yuan Dynasty saw a rapid turnover of emperors.

The position of leader of the Beggars' Sect' Sect has been held by this Yang Muren for sixty years.

Because Kublai Khan Khan's order was to have the Yang Muren carefully divide the Beggars' Sect ' Sect's power, and this was indeed carried out very well for the first few decades.

Later, the Beggars' Sect' Yang Muren wanted to intervene in specific affairs, it was difficult to get them to put aside their old grudges and unite as one. So he simply used his martial arts skills to maintain his authority over the leaders of the various branches and to accept their offerings.

Therefore, for the past thirty years, ordinary people in the martial arts world have all believed that the leader of the Beggars' Sect' Sect is no longer alive.

Chu Tianshu nodded slightly.

He had long realized that Yu Danxia's insights might not be reliable, which is why he asked Yang Chengwu to draw portraits of all the martial arts masters.

"Keep drawing!"

Time slips away bit by bit.

The Zhao family generously distributed porridge and clothing. Even at midnight, there were still embers in the stove, so they boiled water and distributed it to the refugees.

Chu Tianshu arranged shifts for all the workers.

The people who just took over the Jia-brand soup kitchen were a middle-aged cook and a few grooms.

As night deepens and the dew grows heavy, the weather turns cold.

Just as the cook was about to fetch a basin of hot water to wash her hands, a beggar appeared outside the stove.

The beggar had a head full of messy hair, covered in straw, and a thick black beard. His facial features were not clearly visible, and he was covered with many layers of tattered, thin clothes.

"What would you like, sir?"

The cook was a worldly woman; seeing that the beggar's hair and beard were black, glossy, and shiny, she knew he was no ordinary person, so she spoke to him even more politely.

"No, no, sir, I don't have any money."

The beggar, though his voice was slightly hoarse, was clearly a young man. He chuckled and said, "Sister, I heard there's free porridge here."

"I'm starving, could you give me two bowls?"

The cook said with difficulty, "The porridge won't be ready until tomorrow; we only have some warm water and uncooked rice here."

"Raw rice is fine too! Give me two handfuls of rice, I'll cook it myself when I get home."

The beggar quickly bowed, "I know some auspicious songs; I'll sing you one."

The cook just wanted to rest and had no time to listen to him singing in the middle of the night, so she quickly declined and grabbed a handful of rice for him.

The young beggar wrapped the rice in a rag, thanked him profusely, and left.

He wandered through streets and alleys, turning east and west, passing quiet alley entrances, crossing barking streets, and stood in front of a dilapidated doorway, looking around.

This was originally the residence of a wealthy family, but a Tartar officer took a liking to it and forcibly bought it. However, many years passed, and the family never came to live there.

It's unclear whether he had too many houses to live in, or if something had happened to the Tartar himself.

There was a lot of bird droppings in front of the door, cobwebs Shangdu the door, and weeds growing rampant in the yard. A large lotus pot had been turned into a stinking, grassy water tank.

The young beggar jumped over the wall and entered the living room.

The living room was also covered in cobwebs and dust, and many of the wooden tables and chairs had been chopped up for firewood.

A fire was lit by the window, and an earthenware pot was placed on it, boiling water.

Over there stood a thin man, dressed in tattered clothes, who had wrapped his head in a blue cloth, covering most of his face, and staring gloomily at the fire.

"Brother Sun Liang, I'm back!"

The young beggar rushed over and poured the rice from the tattered cloth into the hot water in the earthenware pot, all the while talking nonstop.

"I didn't expect the Zhao family to actually provide porridge and rice. Oh dear, I've seen that Master Zhao from afar before, and he doesn't look like a good person at all."

"You can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't measure the sea with a bucket. Tomorrow I'll carve a longevity tablet for him and bow to it a couple of times..."

The thin man didn't want to speak at first, but seeing the dust on the tattered cloth shake off as the beggar poured out the rice, he couldn't help but speak up in the end.

"Di Ba Brother, if you keep shaking like this, we'll end up with black porridge instead of white rice."

"It's alright, Brother Sun, don't worry, I don't mind."

The young beggar sighed, "Back in the hardest times, we'd throw rotten grass roots into the water, deliberately not washing off the mud. That mud would get into our stomachs and keep us going for half a day."

Sun Liang's lips twitched twice.

You really don't care, but I... never mind, you still have to get the rice back.

Sun Liang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but he inhaled a mouthful of dust and coughed violently.

This cough caused the blue cloth covering his face to be pulled off, revealing a horrifying face.

On the right side of his face, a large red birthmark-like patch covered a large area of skin from his forehead to his eye and then to his lips.

On the left side of my face, there were also three or four red spots the size of copper coins, and in the center of the red spots, there seemed to be a small sore.

The beggar glanced at him.

Sun Liang's expression changed drastically. He grabbed the tattered cloth and tried to cover his face again.

"Your face..."

The beggar looked thoughtful.

Sun Liang's face darkened again.

"Perfect for playing Liu Bang."

The beggar slapped his thigh. "You wouldn't let me look closely before, but now it seems he'd be perfect for playing Liu Bang."

Sun Liang: "Huh? Me? Liu Bang?"

The beggar said, "Of course, my great-great-grandfather was blessed with seventy-two red moles on his face and seventy-two black moles on the soles of his feet."

"What do you think? A human face is only so big. Seventy-two red moles, wouldn't it just look like a bunch of blotchy patches?"

"Your appearance is perfect; this is what you call a dragon's countenance!"

The beggar got more and more excited as he talked, gesturing wildly.

"Tomorrow, let's go out and put on a show. You'll play Liu Bang, and I'll play Xiang Yu..."

Sun Liang said in a low voice, "How could the Emperor Gaozu possibly look like that?"

The beggar laughed and asked, "Then tell me, what did Liu Bang look like?"

Sun Liang was speechless for a moment.

"Because he was the great-great-grandfather, no matter what he looked like, he was considered to have the appearance of a hero."

The beggar shook his head and said, "Look at the Vajra warriors and the Four Heavenly Kings in that temple. None of them look like respectable people. They're famous and capable, so they appear fierce."

"Are we, living, breathing people, really going to outlive those four clay and wooden sculptures?"

Sun Liang had already discerned the underlying meaning in his words; he was simply trying to comfort him.

But after he made such a fuss, I can't even feel gloomy anymore.

"Well!"

Sun Liang straightened his chest, sat cross-legged, and rested his hands on his knees, saying politely, "That's right, a man should have ambition. For a real man, face is a small matter."

A voice suddenly drifted in from outside.

"You have a disorder in your Triple Burner meridian, with excessive Yang and fire. Soon you will experience burning sensation in your internal organs and die from depletion of bodily fluids. This is no small matter."

The two people inside were both startled.

The beggar stood with his feet apart, his left hand on his dantian and his right hand slightly extended forward. It was a very simple palm stance, yet it already exuded an air of strict discipline.

Sun Liang took a deep breath, swallowing a large ball of flame from the fire into his mouth.

He seemed to be a gasbag filled with raging fire, floating up with his toes three inches off the ground, swaying precariously without touching the ground.

No one could tell whether he was going forward or backward.

The beggar said, "In the dead of night, may I ask which hero is playing a joke on us two little beggars?"

They looked around, but the cracks in the broken doors and windows couldn't block their view at all.

But there was absolutely no one in sight.

Even with my hearing at its sharpest, I couldn't sense anyone around me.

The sound rang out again, seemingly exploding directly in the air right inside the room.

"I missed an old beggar during the day, but I found you interesting tonight, so I came to check you out. What's your name?"

Upon hearing this question, the young beggar's eyes suddenly lit up, his spine cracked, and he seemed to grow two inches taller, his beard, hair, and robes moving even without wind.

"I will not change my name or surname; my name is Diba Deng, the compound surname is Di Ba, and the single given name is 'Class'."

"Back then, my parents were fleeing famine. I was about to be born on the way, so they begged me to wait. I waited for seven days and seven nights until we finally reached a place where we could settle down, and then I was born safely."

"My name is a blessed name; I have been a blessed man since birth."

"When a dragon rises, it must first lie low before leaping; when a war dragon is in the wild, misfortune turns to good fortune!"

When others simply asked him his name, he launched into a long, seemingly nonsensical speech.

But the more he spoke, the more imposing he became.

Originally, his aura was three points weaker than Sun Liang's, but by the time he finished speaking, his momentum had far surpassed Sun Liang's.

When he finished speaking, his breath was so deep and powerful that it even surpassed Qin An's by a little.

The entire hall was filled with his aura, which made it sway slightly like a lone lamp in the wind.

The entire mansion was filled with his presence.

However, he still couldn't find where that person was.

"Heh, your internal energy is quite strong, but you seem to lack confidence. Did you need to say those words just now to activate your power?"

Chu Tianshu's voice rang out again.

The door creaked open, and he walked in, looking completely ordinary.

Just before he entered the door, neither the Diba Deng nor Sun Liang realized that anyone was outside.

In their eyes, it was as if they had seen a ghost, as if this person had appeared out of nowhere.

The cold wind of midnight blew into the house from outside the door.

Sun Liang's face twitched violently.

The Diba Deng also fell silent, his aura dissipating and decreasing like water released from a dam, before suddenly smiling.

"Hey-hey!"

He turned around, found a round stool, wiped the dust clean with his sleeve, breathed on it, wiped it twice more, and said respectfully, "Sir, please sit down."

Chu Tianshu didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly, laughing, "No need to be on guard anymore."

"Being on guard is useless. You can kill us or torture us as you please, we'll take it all."

Diba Deng tugged at Sun Liang, pulling him to kneel down in front of Chu Tianshu with a thud, looking resigned to his fate, but his mouth still wouldn't stop.

"Besides, I've been thinking about what you just said, sir. It had a bit of the old doctor's meaning to it. This isn't someone coming to take our lives; this is a benefactor!"

"Like in the plays, men like us, whose lives have been full of hardships but who possess a few unique skills, have now met a benefactor. From now on, we can repay his kindness by serving him faithfully for the rest of our lives."

"As long as you stay on the right path and uphold loyalty and righteousness, you might just be able to make a bright future!"

Chu Tianshu shook his head and chuckled, then gestured with one hand as if to support something.

Unable to withstand the pressure, both of them stood up.

I have already made plans regarding his illness.

Chu Tianshu sized up Sun Liang and noticed that he was very wary and seemed to be hiding a treasure. He was too nervous, so he turned to talk to the Diba Deng first.

"But your skill level, most of it, wasn't cultivated by yourself, was it? What's its origin?"

The Diba Deng is decisive, honest, and speaks their mind without hesitation.

(End of this chapter)