Chapter 1504

True masters cannot rely only on eyes and ears; although Hu Xiaotian was watching the match between Long Xi Yue and Shangguan Tianhuo, the subtle fluctuation of the surrounding airflow immediately put him on guard. One has to say that Shangguan Yunfeng's left-hand sword is eerie and vicious—thrusting out at such speed yet producing not the slightest sound.

Hu Xiaotian judged the origin of that sword, raised the iron rice bowl in his hand with the opening facing outward, and blocked Shangguan Yunfeng's sudden assault like a shield.

With a clang, Shangguan Yunfeng's sword struck the iron rice bowl; no one else would dare use the Beggar Sect's sacred object as a shield, for damaging it would cause great trouble. But to Hu Xiaotian, the iron rice bowl, though treasured by the Beggar Sect disciples, was just a broken bowl—even if pierced by the opponent's sword, it would be no loss. Shangguan Yunfeng's thrust into the bowl could not penetrate even a hair's breadth; under full-force stabbing, the iron rice bowl actually burst forth several rays of golden light.

Several Elders of the Beggar Sect on the Wind Wave Platform were already worried to death; Zhao Shenxiong shouted, "Do not damage the sect's treasure!" As he spoke, Shangguan Yunfeng thrust out seven swords in succession—when the enemy comes, block; when water comes, earth covers; when a sword comes, Hu Xiaotian has the iron rice bowl. He parried left and right, hearing only the constant clanging; all of Shangguan Yunfeng's killing moves were blocked back by Hu Xiaotian with the iron rice bowl. His sword, amid the successive collisions, even had its edge knocked off, showing how sturdy the iron rice bowl is.

Hu Xiaotian, not without pride, tossed the iron rice bowl in his hand and caught it, hehe laughing, "Such swordsmanship dares to come out and embarrass oneself—do you believe I'll cut off your left hand too?" He directly called out Shangguan Yunfeng's real name.

Shangguan Yunfeng was furious, but at this moment Hu Xiaotian suddenly abandoned him, letting go of the iron rice bowl in his hand and throwing it away.

However, an arrowhead flew out from the crowd, shooting straight at Long Xi Yue; the iron rice bowl in midair blocked the hidden arrow. The arrow struck the iron rice bowl, scattering countless golden sparks.

At the same moment, Long Xi Yue's green bamboo staff struck Shangguan Tianhuo's wrist, causing him intense pain; however, the Dog-Beating Staff did not fly from his hand, and he flushed with shame and anger. The Dog-Beating Staff in his hand transformed into thousands of staff shadows that enwrapped Long Xi Yue.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian throw the iron rice bowl to block the arrow aimed at Long Xi Yue, Shangguan Yunfeng had already activated the moment Hu Xiaotian tossed the bowl, seizing the iron rice bowl before it hit the ground—but just as the bowl landed in his hand, a burly figure lunged at him: it was Qiao Fangzheng, bound by iron chains, no one knowing when he had regained his freedom. Qiao Fangzheng delivered a heavy punch to Shangguan Yunfeng's back, sending him staggering and spitting out a mouthful of blood with a puff; yet his left hand still clung tightly to the iron rice bowl. Qiao Fangzheng shook the iron chain in his hand, locking Shangguan Yunfeng's throat, and roared, "Traitor! Your father and son have finally met your day!"

Seeing his son subdued by Qiao Fangzheng, Shangguan Tianhuo panicked; his Dog-Beating Staff technique, which he had just employed, had already surpassed the twenty routes, and the elders watching naturally understood. Shangguan Tianhuo accused Qiao Fangzheng of stealing the Dog-Beating Staff technique while on duty—apparently he is not clean either. Where did he learn these Dog-Beating Staff techniques? Most likely from his own son.

Mu Shusheng and the others had already blocked the possible escape routes of Shangguan Tianhuo and his son; it was clear that their stance had changed.

Qiao Fangzheng roared, "Shangguan Tianhuo, you stole the Dog-Beating Staff technique and plotted to kill the Beggar Sect Sect Leader. What do you have to say now?"

Shangguan Tianhuo panicked; his right hand was struck again by Long Xi Yue, causing intense pain, and the Dog-Beating Staff flew from his grasp. Long Xi Yue raised her green bamboo staff and gave it a light flick; the Dog-Beating Staff rotated like a windmill around the green bamboo staff as an axis, then flew back upside-down toward Shangguan Tianhuo. He reached out to grab the staff, but before his hand could close on it, he heard a muffled roar in his ear: "You wretch who betrays master and destroys ancestors, do you really think you've harmed me?" The sound struck his mind like a heavy hammer, leaving Shangguan Tianhuo's mind completely blank, even forgetting what he intended to do.

The windmill-spinning Dog-Beating Staff heavily struck his face with a bang, leaving Shangguan Tianhuo's face a mass of bruises and his nose bridge broken.

Long Xi Yue never expected her counterattack to be so powerful, nor that Shangguan Tianhuo would not even dodge; seeing him bloodied all over from her blow, she gasped in fright and even forgot to strike.

Hu Xiaotian immediately stepped forward to shield Long Xi Yue; the arrow just now left him uneasy, and he warily watched the surroundings. Shangguan Tianhuo was dazed and disoriented; his martial arts, originally unable to reach the top ranks within the Beggar Sect, were frightened by Xu Lingkong's voice, causing him to forget resistance almost instinctively, and then Long Xi Yue's staff left his face a mass of bruises. When he finally came to his senses and wanted to counterattack, he found himself surrounded by Zhao Shenxiong and the three other elders, their grim expressions clearly intending to apprehend him.

Zhao Shenxiong said, "Shangguan Tianhuo, you had better come back with us and explain clearly what actually happened."

Shangguan Tianhuo glanced toward his son, seeing Shangguan Yunfeng's throat locked by Qiao Fangzheng's iron chain, his face suffused purple; if it lasted another moment, he would likely die in Qiao Fangzheng's hands. He involuntarily sighed and said, "I'll go with you then!"

After Qiao Fangzheng felled Shangguan Yunfeng, he snatched the iron rice bowl from his hand, approached Long Xi Yue, presented it with both hands, and respectfully said, "Sect Leader, this is the Beggar Sect's sacred object; please keep it safe."

Long Xi Yue hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took the iron rice bowl.

At this moment, Mu Shusheng took the lead, saying, "We pay respects to the Sect Leader!" He led the elders on the platform in bowing to Long Xi Yue, which amounted to a public acknowledgment of her sect leadership.

By now Hu Xiaotian understood that everything was likely being manipulated behind the scenes by his grandfather; he couldn't help but glance around again, only to hear his grandfather's voice once more: "Although Shangguan Tianhuo and his son are not virtuous, the Beggar Sect has never had any disgrace since ancient times; you must not continue to target the Beggar Sect. The princess is kind-hearted and talented inside and out—she is an excellent choice for the Beggar Sect. You must do your utmost to assist her."

Hu Xiaotian looked all around with both eyes, still unable to find his grandfather's trace; it seemed Xu Lingkong had no intention of appearing before people. Now the crisis had been resolved, Shangguan Tianhuo and his son were restrained, his only worry was Shangguan Yun Chong—the arrow that had just aimed to assassinate Long Xi Yue must have been his.

Since the elders led by Mu Shusheng had acknowledged Long Xi Yue's sect leadership, who would object? In an instant, all Beggar Sect disciples bowed to the Sect Leader. Hu Xiaotian vaguely recalled from martial arts novels that becoming sect leader requires accepting the beggars' spittle ceremony; he secretly worried for Long Xi Yue, who loved cleanliness—if thousands of beggars simultaneously spat at her, she would likely feel nauseated.

Fortunately, these Beggar Sect disciples seemed not to observe that formality.

Mu Shusheng announced the meeting's end, ordered that Shangguan Tianhuo and his son be taken down for interrogation by the law-enforcement elders, and together with several other elders escorted Long Xi Yue and Hu Xiaotian into the makeshift camp tent that had been set up.

Xia Zhangming had always blended into the crowd; during the platform duel he was continually making preparations, but the turn of events was truly bizarre, far beyond his imagination—Long Xi Yue, a noble lady, was actually pushed to become the beggar chief; what other marvel could not happen in the world? Yet it seemed he would not need to act.

Long Xi Yue had never imagined becoming the Beggar Sect Sect Leader; her appearance today was out of necessity, unwilling to watch her master suffer. After entering the camp tent, Mu Shusheng led several Beggar Sect elders in bowing to Long Xi Yue again, saying, "We pay respects to the Sect Leader; please take the seat of honor."

Long Xi Yue then felt a bit embarrassed, speaking softly: "Just now, as a junior, I only stepped forward because the circumstances forced me; I had no intention of coveting the sect leader's position."

Mu Shusheng, however, sternly replied, "Sect Leader, you must not say that; we saw clearly what just happened." In fact, Mu Shusheng's change of stance was not merely due to witnessing the events before him, nor could Long Xi Yue convince him solely with the iron rice bowl and Dog-Beating Staff technique. At the very moment when Long Xi Yue and Shangguan Tianhuo were fighting most fiercely, Xu Lingkong sent him a secret mental message, which led the core Beggar Sect cadres headed by Mu Shusheng to alter their course and support Long Xi Yue.

At this moment, Zhu Ba was brought in, his face full of shame; he approached Mu Shusheng and knelt: "Your subordinate has reversed right and wrong, falsely accused the loyal; please, Elder, mete out punishment!"

Mu Shusheng sighed, "I know all about your situation; if it weren't for your family being held by that father and son, you wouldn't have yielded, but regardless, your actions violate sect rules." He turned to Long Xi Yue: "How to punish him—please, Sect Leader, decide!"

Long Xi Yue said, "I cannot do this sect leader job!" She looked pleadingly at Hu Xiaotian, thinking it would have been better to let Hu Xiaotian come out holding the iron rice bowl—he would be far more suited as sect leader than she.

Hu Xiaotian not only did not speak for her, but said, "Since everyone is sincere, you should still accept it; if the Beggar Sect continues without a leader, it will surely fall into internal strife. You possess both the green bamboo staff and the iron rice bowl, and have mastered the thirty-six routes of the Dog-Beating Staff technique—no one is more suitable than you."

Long Xi Yue said, "But… but…" Others do not know, and Hu Xiaotian still does not know, what her true identity is? Even these beggars do not know she is a woman.

Hu Xiaotian had not yet had the chance to tell her; in fact, letting her become Beggar Sect Sect Leader was also his grandfather's intention—Mu Shusheng and the others so wholeheartedly supporting Long Xi Yue must be because his grandfather had spoken.

Long Xi Yue said, "Actually, there is something I have not told you the truth about—I do not know your Sect Leader Qiu at all."

Hu Xiaotian wanted to stop her, but it was already too late.

Mu Shusheng laughed, "We already know this as well, and we know you are a senior disciple of Elder Xu!"

Long Xi Yue's beautiful eyes widened, her face full of astonishment as she said, "What?" (To be continued~^~)