Chapter 577: Greatly Reduced Point Loss

(PS: Continuing to add updates tomorrow. My writing state these past two days has been simply too good.)

The old beggar was none other than the Nine-Fingered Divine Beggar, Hong Qigong, a major supporting character in both *The Legend of the Condor Heroes* and *The Return of the Condor Heroes*, and also the person Wu Pifu admired most in this story.

Hong Qigong was a man of chivalry and righteousness, possessed high martial arts skills, was not bound by trifles, and was not pedantic. He had a certain optimistic sense of knowing one's destiny. This meant he was not only a person but also a good person.

Wu Pifu was naturally willing to associate with such a person. As Hong Qigong boarded the boat, he treated him with courtesy.

Although Hong Qigong was wary of Wu Pifu's terrifying martial arts, his personality was direct and forthright. Seeing that although Wu Pifu was tall and sturdy, he had no aura of bloodthirst or tyranny, and Huang Rong was as youthful and beautiful as a fairy, and that he hadn't even killed the water bandits who offended them, he let go of his misgivings and truly boarded the boat.

After boarding the boat and exchanging greetings with Wu Pifu, he actually ran over impatiently to look at the white-gold big fish. After looking for a long while, he exclaimed, "This is a white fish. It's rare to see one grow this big. The bigger they are, the more tender the meat. It seems the old beggar has a treat today."

While speaking, he carefully sized up Wu Pifu and then looked at Huang Rong.

Wu Pifu was still wearing a set of Gaia work clothes, which had no special features. To people of this era, it was truly strange clothing. On the contrary, after Huang Rong returned, she took everything out from where she hid her clothes and jewelry and changed back into the clothes she brought from Taohuadao. It was the dress of a maid or young lady of this era, with her hair tied with a gold rope, white and gold intermingled, very cute.

Hong Qigong had traveled far and wide and had very rich experience. At a glance, he could see that Huang Rong was a Jiangnan woman, definitely not from the Central Capital of the Jin. Wu Pifu's figure was incomparably tall, two meters in height, but his features were also those of a Han Chinese. Only... he actually had short hair. Could it be that this young man with unparalleled martial arts was actually a monk who had returned to secular life?

Although Huang Rong was processing the white fish, five parts of her mind were on Wu Pifu, and three parts were paying attention to Hong Qigong. Seeing Hong Qigong secretly sizing her and Wu Pifu up, she immediately smiled and said, "If the Seven Beggar is curious, why not ask directly?"

Hong Qigong was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, "You little girl actually recognize the Seven Beggar? It seems this meal won't be easy to eat."

Huang Rong giggled, "It's delicious, very delicious. My father and the Seven Beggar are old acquaintances; he is definitely not the Seven Beggar's enemy."

Because the objects to be helped were different, Huang Rong naturally had different ways of handling things. Moreover, Wu Pifu's personality was simple and direct, and he disliked twists and turns, so Huang Rong did not speak in riddles. She just reached out and turned slightly in mid-air, as if drawing a sword, and said in her clear, silver-bell-like voice, "The shadow of peach blossoms falls, the divine sword flies; the blue sea tides rise, the jade flute plays. Seven Beggar, guess who my father is?"

Hong Qigong was stunned. He looked at Huang Rong carefully for a long time before laughing dumbfoundedly, "It really is the daughter of an old friend. Then I really must eat this meal. But I don't know who this..."

Huang Rong looked at Wu Pifu, her eyes carrying a hint of inquiry. Wu Pifu was naturally indifferent and nodded straightforwardly, "Just say it."

Just seeing this, Hong Qigong smiled in his heart, and his heart also relaxed.

This was clearly a young couple, and it was the kind where the girl chased the boy. Hong Qigong had rich experience; how could he not see Huang Rong's little thoughts?

But since they were a couple, this man was not an enemy. Although Huang Laoxie was known as the Eastern Heretic, it was only because his personality was extremely stubborn, but he was upright as a person. His daughter must not be a bad person, and the man who could be with his daughter was unlikely to be a bad person either.

This was what Hong Qigong was most worried about after discovering this god-like and demon-like martial arts. If this man committed evil, it would be a catastrophe for the martial arts world, and even the world. But since he was Huang Laoxie's son-in-law, the possibility of him committing evil was not very high.

Hong Qigong relaxed and opened a wine gourd, starting to drink a few mouthfuls of wine comfortably.

"This is my brother, Wu Pifu. He is a Heavenly Man, just returned from the Great Thousand World, and is now sending me home," Huang Rong said with a smile.

"*Pfft! *"

Hong Qigong was choked by the wine, spraying a mouthful onto the cabin. He coughed repeatedly, and with a sudden lift of his *Qi*, he stabilized his breath. He looked at Huang Rong and shook his head repeatedly, "You little girl doesn't say a single true word. You're just teasing the old beggar here."

Huang Rong continued to giggle. While processing the white fish, she said, "Whoever lies will swallow a thousand needles. Seven Beggar, I'm really not lying to you." While speaking, Huang Rong reached into her bosom and took out a metal ball the size of a thumb. Seeing her jade finger press on this ball, a fully armed general immediately appeared beside Hong Qigong.

Hong Qigong was shocked, his hair and beard bristling. But the situation was unclear, so he blocked the front with one hand, while the other hand reached for his jade bamboo staff. His whole body pulled back like a marionette, and in the blink of an eye, he was at the bow of the boat.

This martial arts skill could originally be called supreme; after all, he was one of the Five Greats of this world. But Huang Rong had long seen Wu Pifu's god-like and demon-like strength, so she just giggled and said to Hong Qigong, "Seven Beggar, don't panic. This is an object from the Great Thousand World, unique in this world. I went to the Great Thousand World with Brother Pifu, and this is a gift given to me by the people there."

Hong Qigong's face was serious. He stared at the fully armed general and indeed saw some clues. This person was somewhat illusory and unreal; one could vaguely see the objects behind him through his body. However, this thing made Hong Qigong mutter in his heart—no matter how he looked at it, it looked like a legendary ghost or spirit.

Huang Rong laughed happily and reached out to swipe across the general's figure. As long as her palm swiped across, his body would disappear for a section, but when her palm was taken away, his body would heal again. It was just that he stood there blankly, his whole person appearing dull.

Hong Qigong was dumbfounded. Huang Rong explained, "This thing is composed of light and shadow; it's a projection. This gift from the Great Thousand World is a 3D image game console. Besides this general, there are many other things."

While speaking, Huang Rong pressed the ball again, and indeed, all kinds of strange things appeared. Hong Qigong recognized some of them—nothing more than cattle, sheep, horses, chickens, ducks, geese, and the like. But there were also some furry things that he didn't recognize; they were definitely not things of this world.

A moment later, Huang Rong put away the metal ball. Seeing an unhappy look on Wu Pifu's face, she made a "bleh" sound at him, then buried her head and began to process the white fish again.

Only then did Hong Qigong enter the cabin from the bow. He was still as if in a dream for a while. He looked left and right for a long time, looking at Wu Pifu, then at Huang Rong, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Is there really a Heaven beyond Heaven? Is there really a Great Thousand World? Are there really Heavenly Men??"

Seeing Hong Qigong in such a state, Huang Rong knew that her plan had succeeded at least halfway. She said, "There really is. Seven Beggar, there really is a Heaven beyond Heaven, there really is a Great Thousand World. Brother Pifu is a Heavenly Man, and he is a great general and prime minister among the Heavenly Men. He is someone who can talk to the Heavenly Emperor on equal terms."

Hong Qigong immediately looked at Wu Pifu with awe and also had an understanding of Wu Pifu's god-like and demon-like martial arts. Although there was still some doubt in his heart, everything he had just seen definitely didn't look like a fake, nor was it any kind of martial arts trick, so he truly believed seven parts in the Heavenly Men and the Heaven beyond Heaven.

Wu Pifu frowned and said, "Seven Beggar, don't listen to this girl's nonsense. What prime minister, what great general, what emperor? What nonsense is she spouting? Human civilization no longer has these things. I am just a member of human civilization..."

Speaking of this, Wu Pifu really couldn't continue. Although there were no emperors, prime ministers, or great generals, there were Presidents and three Super-Brains, and his status was definitely not that of an ordinary member.

Huang Rong just smiled without a word, humming a small tune while cutting the processed white fish into thin slices.

Hong Qigong was a bit inquisitive, his heart feeling like it was being scratched by a cat. He was truly curious about that Heaven beyond Heaven. But firstly, he was not familiar with Wu Pifu, and at the same time, he had deep taboos about his martial arts. Huang Rong was clearly dangling his curiosity, also just singing and not saying a word, which made Hong Qigong feel quite restless.

Wu Pifu also saw Huang Rong's intention. He shook his head slightly and took a bottle of yellow wine from his personal space, throwing it to Hong Qigong.

Hong Qigong reached out and caught it. He saw a crystal-clear glass bottle, the size of a palm. Inside seemed to be wine, but this glass bottle didn't have a single impurity or small bubble. It was crystal clear, like divine jade. To say nothing else, just this wine bottle alone could be called priceless.

Hong Qigong's face became serious, and he immediately wanted to return the wine bottle, saying, "Old beggar, I... wealth... wealth..."

He saw more than a dozen identical wine bottles appear out of thin air in Wu Pifu's hand. This thing, which could simply be called a rare treasure, was wholesale in Wu Pifu's place. It was clearly worthless.

Huang Rong giggled, "Seven Beggar, keep it. This thing is just a disposable item... it's just used and thrown away, it has no value."

Hong Qigong silently looked at the dozen or so wine bottles in Wu Pifu's hand, then looked at the wine bottle in his own hand. Then, he learned Wu Pifu's manner, unscrewed the cap, looked up, and took a sip. Then he exclaimed loudly, "Good wine, truly good wine!"

After a gulp of yellow wine went down, Hong Qigong was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed heartily, "To be able to tell the old beggar such secrets, to let the old beggar know about such treasures, and even give the old beggar this priceless, peerless treasure... the little girl is asking for a lot. Tell me about it. If it's feasible, the old beggar will do it without a word. If it's not feasible, then let this Heavenly Man slap the old beggar to death."

These words were said righteously, carrying a sense of heroism and determination. It was clear that Hong Qigong had truly made a decision.

Huang Rong immediately stood up seriously, bowed to Hong Qigong, and said, "Please, Seven Beggar, teach Brother Pifu your supreme martial arts, the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms!"

Hong Qigong did not agree or refuse. He opened his mouth wide, pointed at himself, and then pointed at Wu Pifu, saying, "Who? Me? Teach martial arts? Him? A Heavenly Man?"

At the same time, the voice of the Main Brain came into Wu Pifu's ears.

"Judging... Judgment complete. Do you want to consume 100,000 points to learn the supreme external martial arts of this Dream World, the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms?"

Wu Pifu was also full of astonishment.

What?

100,000 points for the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms!?

Then what was the introductory mental cultivation method Huang Rong taught him before?

Could it be that Huang Rong made a mistake, and what she taught him wasn't some introductory mental cultivation method, but the *Tai Xuan Jing*, the only immortal cultivation technique in Jin Yong's series of novels!?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 578 =====