Chapter 1393: Facing the Enemy Head‑On (Part 1)

On the day the preliminary list was announced, Hu Xiaotian specially went to Honglu Temple to have a look; his name, as expected, was listed there. In front of the square where Honglu Temple posted the results, crowds gathered, some laughing happily for making the cut, while many more cursed the Tianxiang Kingdom for being blind.

As Hu Xiaotian pushed through the crowd and left, he saw a familiar figure walking toward him—it was Xie Tianqiong, whom he had once saved on the road.

Xie Tianqiong smiled at Hu Xiaotian and said, "Benefactor, greetings!"

Knowing Xie Tianqiong's true identity as an assassin, Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "Brother Xie, are you also here to see the results?"

Xie Tianqiong shook his head and said, "I'm just here to see the excitement; I happened to run into you, benefactor, so I came over to say hello." He glanced toward the place where the list was posted and asked, "Benefactor, did you make the cut?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded.

Xie Tianqiong smiled and said, "I'm being meddlesome, but with your status, becoming a prince consort of the Tianxiang Kingdom is without any doubt."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Then I'll borrow your auspicious words!"

In the distance, a troop passed by; Xie Tianqiong's expression clearly showed some nervousness as he lowered his head. After the troop had gone far, he smiled at Hu Xiaotian and said, "Benefactor, I'm leaving now; I'll be departing Piaoxiang City in two days. If fate allows, we'll meet again."

Hu Xiaotian blinked in surprise; upon looking again, he saw Xie Tianqiong already gone. He gave Xia Zhangming a look; Xia Zhangming immediately understood and released a Black Kiss Bird. Though the Black Kiss Bird is slightly smaller than a sparrow, its tracking ability is extremely strong, following Xie Tianqiong to see where he would go.

Xie Tianqiong was extremely vigilant; after walking a distance, he quietly looked behind, confirming no one was following before relaxing. He fetched a horse in a secluded spot, mounted, and headed west to the city, arriving at a remote Earth God Temple in the western suburbs. He dismounted, approached the door, and knocked. Soon the door opened from inside, revealing a ragged beggar.

Xie Tianqiong was extremely vigilant; after walking a distance, he quietly looked behind, and only when he was sure no one was following did he relax. He took a horse in a secluded spot, mounted, and headed all the way to the west of the city, arriving at a remote land temple there. Xie Tianqiong dismounted, approached the door, and knocked on the temple gate. Not long after, the gate opened from inside, and the one who opened it was a beggar in tattered clothes.

The beggar whispered, "Elder Tong is waiting for you in the main hall."

Xie Tianqiong entered the inner courtyard; this Earth God Temple, long neglected, was dilapidated. Inside the main hall, a middle-aged beggar in ragged clothes stood with his hands behind his back, facing the Buddha statue. Hearing footsteps, he turned slowly, his small eyes fixed on Xie Tianqiong, and said, "Tianqiong, you're back?" This man was none other than Tong Tie Jin, one of the newly appointed Six Transmission Elders of the Beggar Sect.

Xie Tianqiong arrived at the inner courtyard. This land temple, long neglected, was already dilapidated. In the main hall, a middle-aged beggar in tattered clothes stood with his hands behind his back, facing the Buddha statue. Hearing the footsteps, he slowly turned around, his small eyes gazing at Xie Tianqiong and said: "Tianqiong. You've returned?" This person was none other than Tong Tie Jin, one of the six newly appointed martial-arts-transmitting elders of the Beggar Sect.

Tong Tie Jin sighed and said, "I've told you before; although I taught you martial arts, we are not master and disciple. I assigned you a task—have you completed it?"

Xie Tianqiong replied, "Hu Xiaotian has not accepted my invitation."

Tong Tie Jin's smile vanished instantly; he coldly stared at Xie Tianqiong and said, "You can't even handle a small task?"

Xie Tianqiong bit his lip, gathered his courage, and said, "Don't blame me, Elder Tong—Hu Xiaotian once helped me; I cannot repay kindness with betrayal."

Tong Tie Jin let out a strange, grating laugh and said, "You owe him? I never expected you to be someone who distinguishes gratitude from grudge—Xie Tianqiong, Xie Tianqiong, I really haven't misjudged you."

Xie Tianqiong fell to his knees with a thud and said, "Elder, I'm sorry, Tong Tie Jin. Aside from this matter, if you order me to do anything—even climb a blade mountain or plunge into a sea of fire—I will hesitate not at all."

Tong Tie Jin sighed, stepped forward, and placed his right hand lightly on Xie Tianqiong's shoulder, saying softly, "This is indeed difficult for you; forget it—I'll find someone else."

Xie Tianqiong said, "Elder, where exactly did Hu Xiaotian offend you that you insist on putting him to death?"

Tong Tie Jin said, "Get up first, I'll tell you slowly." He reached out and grabbed Xie Tianqiong's arm; as Xie Tianqiong rose, Tong Tie Jin struck like wind, hitting several vital points in an instant. Xie Tianqiong's body went limp and he collapsed to the ground, astonished, and asked, "Elder, why are you doing this?"

Tong Tie Jin gave a sinister grin and said, "You still dare to ask me? What did you and Hu Xiaotian talk about today? Did you spill our entire plan to him?"

Xie Tianqiong said, "Elder Tong, I will never betray you..." Before he finished, Tong Tie Jin kicked him hard in the abdomen, causing Xie Tianqiong's body to curl up like a shrimp in pain. Tong Tie Jin gritted his teeth and said, "I saved your life, taught you martial arts, and was preparing to introduce you to the Beggar Sect—yet you turn out to be an ungrateful wolf cub, daring to betray me!"

Xie Tianqiong said: "Elder Tong, I will never betray you…" Before he finished speaking, Tong Tie Jin fiercely kicked him in the abdomen, pain causing Xie Tianqiong's body to curl up like a shrimp. Tong Tie Jin gritted his teeth and said: "I saved your life, taught you martial arts, and even prepared to introduce you to join the Beggar Sect, but I never expected you to be an ungrateful wolf cub, daring to betray me!"

Tong Tie Jin sneered, "You treat him as a friend, not knowing whether he regards you as a person. Since you refuse to help me lure him here, I have no choice but to act myself." He slowly drew a dagger about a foot long from his waist and said, "I will now cut off your ears and give them to him as a gift."

The two doors of the main hall were suddenly burst open—actually, the beggars on guard outside were thrown in, slamming the doors and crashing heavily to the floor.

Tong Tie Jin looked up and saw a youth in blue clothing standing still there, smiling at him and asking, "Are you the one looking for me?"

The newcomer was none other than Hu Xiaotian; Xie Tianqiong was also startled, not knowing why Hu Xiaotian would appear here, but then realized it must be that Hu Xiaotian had followed him on his return.

Tong Tie Jin's gloomy gaze fell on Hu Xiaotian's face; he stepped forward, his joints cracking, and suddenly the dagger in his hand shot toward Hu Xiaotian like a bolt of lightning.

At the instant Tong Tie Jin struck, Hu Xiaotian had already reacted; he raised his right hand, catching the dagger with just his index and middle fingers, stepped forward without pause, and threw a punch at Tong Tie Jin.

Tong Tie Jin also threw a punch to meet it; their fists collided. Tong Tie Jin's strength was clearly far inferior to Hu Xiaotian's, and this punch sent him flying backward, smashing a large hole in the wall as his body disappeared beyond it.

Although Tong Tie Jin is one of the Six Transmission Elders of the Beggar Sect, he was only recently elected after the previous generation of Transmission Elders were collectively killed. In the past, he was merely an Eight-bag Disciple in the sect, his martial arts insufficient for such a rank, but his true talent lies in escaping.

On the surface it seemed they exchanged a single punch head‑on, but in fact he had not exerted his full strength; from the start he had prepared to flee, and as soon as his fist contacted Hu Xiaotian's, he used the rebound to burst through the wall hole, attempting to escape through the opening.

Tong Tie Jin's clever scheme worked splendidly; he fled like a ground squirrel from the smoke‑filled wall hole, trying to leave the Earth God Temple before Hu Xiaotian could give chase, but before he could get his bearings, a rustling sounded overhead as a dark cloud of noise descended—actually hundreds of crows blocking his path.

Tong Tie Jin never expected an ambush of crows outside; in a panic he flailed his arms, trying to beat the birds away to escape, when Hu Xiaotian had already caught up and struck him in the back with a punch, making him spit blood and collapse to the ground.

At Xia Zhangming's command, the flock of crows scattered in all directions, leaving only a dozen or so feathers still drifting in the air.

Hu Xiaotian planted his foot on Tong Tie Jin's back, smirking, and said, "Old fool, what grudge do I have with you that you'd send someone to harm me?"

Tong Tie Jin, mouth full of blood, merely gave a cold grin through clenched teeth.

Hu Xiaotian drew a dagger from his boot, threatening, "If you won't talk, I'll first cut off your ear." The icy blade already pressed against Tong Tie Jin's left ear.

Tong Tie Jin felt pain in his left ear; blood already streamed down his cheek, clearly cut by Hu Xiaotian, and he growled, "If you dare touch a single hair of mine, Xu Lingkong will never let you live!"

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted—Xu Lingkong was his maternal grandfather; he only knew his grandfather had close ties to the Beggar Sect, but outsiders should not know Xu Lingkong's true identity. His grandfather had long posed as an old surnamed Xu beggar, and Tong Tie Jin's words clearly hinted that his grandfather had met with misfortune.

Hu Xiaotian tapped Tong Tie Jin's cheek with his blood‑stained dagger and asked, "What happened to my grandfather?"

Tong Tie Jin, thinking he had struck Hu Xiaotian's soft spot, felt a bit pleased, merely giving a cold smile.

Hu Xiaotian roared, "What happened to him?" He swung the dagger and sliced off Tong Tie Jin's left ear in one blow; Tong Tie Jin grunted in pain as blood instantly stained half his face, and he cried, "You dare wound me—don't you want his life?" Before he finished, Hu Xiaotian also cut off his right ear.

Hu Xiaotian coldly said, "We've never met before; it seems you don't understand me. I, Hu Xiaotian, never negotiate with others nor yield to threats. I ask you once more: what happened to my grandfather?"

Tong Tie Jin's face was covered in blood; at this moment he began to feel a chill and whispered, "He betrayed his master and destroyed the ancestors..."

Hu Xiaotian raised the dagger and stabbed it fiercely into Tong Tie Jin's left arm; Tong Tie Jin grunted in pain.

Hu Xiaotian asked, "Where is he?" While speaking, he twisted the dagger in Tong Tie Jin's wound.

Tong Tie Jin, sweat pouring from his forehead from the pain, finally realized the youth before him acted decisively and with a cruelty beyond his imagination. He said, "I don't know..."

Tong Tie Jin was sweating profusely from the pain; only then did he realize that the boy before him was decisive in his strikes, his cruelty far beyond his imagination. Tong Tie Jin said: "I don't know…"

Tong Tie Jin bit his lip, enduring waves of piercing pain, and said, "The Chief... it's the Chief..."

"Where is the Chief located?"

"The Chief... acts... like a dragon that shows its head but not its tail... I... don't know..."

Hu Xiaotian coldly said, "You don't know this, you don't know that—what good is keeping a waste like you?" He raised the dagger to finish Tong Tie Jin's life, when he heard Xie Tianqiong call from afar, "Benefactor, spare my life!"

Hu Xiaotian's dagger halted mid‑air; he nodded and said, "Very well, I'll spare your dog's life for now." Although Xie Tianqiong's plea saved Tong Tie Jin's life, Hu Xiaotian could not let him off lightly; he had Xia Zhangming sever the tendons in his hands and feet, leaving this newly appointed Transmission Elder of the Beggar Sect a cripple for life. (To be continued~^~)

Hu Xiaotian's dagger hovered in midair, he nodded: "Also good, I'll let you keep your life for now." Although thanks to Xie Tianqiong's cry for help, Tong Tie Jin's life was spared, Hu Xiaotian still couldn't just let him off lightly, let Xia Zhangming sever Tong Tie Jin's hand and foot tendons; this newly appointed Elder of Skill Transmission of the Beggar Sect could only become a cripple from now on. (To be continued~^~)