Chapter 237: Wretched Woman!

At the Battle of Chuanhe Manor of the Murong family, the Murong family was destroyed by the Beggar's Sect, but the Beggar's Sect also lost one sect leader, two elders, and one branch master, suffering severe losses—so much so that at the Huishan Accord, the Beggar's Sect was entirely surrounded by the Western Xia's First-Rank Hall.

Now, Qiao Feng proposed that Gu Qing become the new leader, so Elder Chen, Elder Wu, and Transmission Elder Lu Zhang came to welcome him.

"Master Gu."

Lu Zhang gripped his green bamboo staff tightly and said, "Qiao Feng says your martial arts are peerless, and he asks you to temporarily assume the position of sect leader."

Though he spoke thus, Lu Zhang's hands remained clenched—he still harbored doubts about entrusting the sect's affairs to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing had never demonstrated his strength before them; relying solely on Qiao Feng's word, they were not fully convinced.

Wang Yuyan stepped forward with light, graceful steps, suddenly striking—two fingers aimed straight at Lu Zhang's eyes. Lu Zhang, startled, raised his hands to block, but Wang Yuyan flicked her wrist, snatching the green bamboo staff from his grasp. With a light fingertip tap, the staff spun several times before she casually slung it behind her back.

The first half of this move was from the Dog-Beating Staff Technique—when the staff was seized in battle, this move reclaimed it. Huang Rong later used this exact technique to wrest the staff from Yang Kang's hands. But the original move included a leg lift, which Wang Yuyan, wearing a skirt, deemed immodest; so she replaced the second half with a technique from the Flower Transfer Palace.

"You know the Dog-Beating Staff Technique?"

Elders Chen and Wu, seeing Wang Yuyan use the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, grew angry—this technique was reserved solely for the Beggar's Sect leader. Her use of it stirred their resentment.

"Let me test your Dog-Beating Staff Technique!"

Elder Wu stepped forward, gripping his demon-headed blade, bowed in courtesy, then swung it forward.

Wang Yuyan nodded lightly, twisted her wrist, and the staff's tip whipped through the air. Before Elder Wu's strike could complete, the green bamboo staff slipped between his wrist and blade, twisted his joint, and struck an acupoint—there was a loud "clatter," and the demon-headed blade fell to the ground.

Elder Wu's face had already been flushed; now, after being defeated in one move, it turned even redder.

Elders Chen and Lu Zhang exchanged a glance, then advanced together, attacking from above and below. Wang Yuyan remained calm, sidestepped effortlessly. She intended to establish Gu Qing's authority, so her strikes showed no mercy. Observing their opening moves, she already foresaw over a dozen follow-ups. The staff's tip spun—two thuds echoed as the staff tripped their ankles and struck their leg acupoints, sending both crashing to the ground.

All three elders, facing Wang Yuyan wielding the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, failed to land a second move.

"Qingge."

Wang Yuyan held the green bamboo staff with both hands and offered it to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing smiled and said, "Keep the staff. We won't be separated anyway."

Guo Jing and Huang Rong never parted from each other—this was how they lived.

Hearing this, Wang Yuyan's cheeks flushed crimson, her heart intoxicated. She retracted the staff and stood beside Gu Qing.

The Dog-Beating Staff Technique was not taught by Gu Qing—it was learned by Wang Yuyan in the Langhuan Jade Cave. As her internal energy deepened, she gradually unlocked the vast knowledge stored there. Elders Chen and Wu were merely on the level of Bao Budong and Feng Bo'e; facing Wang Yuyan, they were completely outmaneuvered, their martial prowess rendered useless.

"Leader!"

Elders Wu, Chen, and Lu Zhang all bowed in submission to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing reached out to help them rise, then turned to Wang Yuyan's waist, where the green bamboo staff was tucked, and bowed as well, addressing her as "Leader's Lady," praising her repeatedly.

Wang Yuyan smiled faintly and casually offered some martial insights to the three elders. Hearing her words, they were stunned and awed, their reverence for her deepening further.

The three elders also explained the Beggar's Sect's current situation: Elders Xi and Song were guarding Qiao Sanhuai and his wife at the foot of Shaolin Mountain. Meanwhile, the sect was spying on the Liao Kingdom, the Western Xia, and monitoring all movements within the Jianghu.

Gu Qing listened for a while, then asked, "Where is Duan Zhengchun?"

Duan Zhengchun was in Xinyang, always accompanied by bodyguards. Whenever the Beggar's Sect tried to capture Madam Ma, Duan Zhengchun would flee with her. But this time, he hadn't had time to escape.

Gu Qing entered the courtyard with Dao Bai Feng, Madam Wang, Qin Hongmian, Wang Yuyan, and Mu Wanqing. Inside the room, the warm spring air filled the space. Duan Zhengchun, clutching his lower back, groaned to Madam Ma, "I can't take it anymore."

Each of Duan Zhengchun's women had her own unique charm, but Kang Min's particular allure lay in her softness and tenderness. As they embraced on the bed, Kang Min suddenly burst into tears.

"Why are you crying again?"

Duan Zhengchun understood women's hearts best—he immediately comforted her at the slightest sign of distress.

"I know you're going to leave again."

Madam Ma sobbed, "You'll never take me to Dali."

"Dali isn't that great."

Duan Zhengchun held Kang Min close.

"It's not Dali that's bad—it's me."

!

Madam Ma pleaded pitifully, "You despise me for killing my husband. Ma Dayuan was an upright man, and I'm a wicked, treacherous woman… but just because I'm a wicked woman, will you abandon me?"

Duan Zhengchun immediately stroked Madam Ma's chest to soothe her, but then he sensed something wrong—his hands felt weak, as if he could no longer muster strength.

"I've come to terms with it."

Madam Ma sobbed, "Since you won't take me with you, let's die together. I've sealed this room shut—we'll die side by side. At least then, I'll have a final resting place…"

Gu Qing saw through it—Madam Ma was acting. Her only lifeline was Duan Zhengchun, so she employed every desperate, clinging tactic to bind him to her.

This "die together" ploy was one of them.

Madam Ma had no intention of dying.

"Kangkang."

Duan Zhengchun kissed Madam Ma's forehead and said, "I wish I could die with you. If we're going to die together, why not light charcoal in the room? They say those who die from it turn rosy and beautiful…"

Dao Bai Feng waved her hand, signaling Wang Yuyan and Mu Wanqing to take Gao Mei out. Bringing her daughter-in-law here to witness her father-in-law in such a state was a grave mistake.

Qin Hongmian had been outside, watching the lovers' tender moments until she was furious. But seeing Dao Bai Feng and Madam Wang remain still, merely holding back, she could no longer contain herself. When she saw Wang Yuyan and Mu Wanqing had left, she flung open the door and shouted, "Wretched woman!"

Duan Zhengchun, seeing his savior, was overjoyed. Madam Ma's face, by contrast, turned even paler.

After her outburst, Qin Hongmian turned and saw Dao Bai Feng and Madam Wang entering. Their arms brushed—both instantly activated the Mingyu Gong internal energy, and in that moment, each recognized the other's cultivation.

Both practiced Mingyu Gong. Both belonged to Gu Qing.

"Wretched woman!"

Dao Bai Feng and Madam Wang spat in unison.

Qin Hongmian was stunned—hadn't they been getting along well before? Why had they suddenly turned on each other?

(End of Chapter)