Chapter 62

Deep in the great desert.

The cold wind whistled and rustled, white snow fluttered and fell.

The endless grassland had long been covered in ice and snow; cattle and sheep were penned, herdsmen returned to their tents, and on the barren wilds there was not a trace of life to be seen.

Not long after, four figures appeared on the distant snowy plain, slowly drawing nearer; though their faces could not be made out, they could be seen as three men and one woman struggling forward in the wind and snow.

"Seventh Sister! Your lightness skill is excellent—don't worry about us three, go on ahead!"

The middle-aged blind man walking with his head askew, holding an iron staff, moved the slowest; the wind was too loud, his sound-based positioning had failed, seeing himself as a burden, he decisively spoke up, shouting loudly at the woman ahead.

The wind and snow were so fierce his voice could barely be heard; the woman ahead raised her arm slightly to block, turned her head back, and only then could she just make out the words from behind.

"Big Brother! Don't mention that again!"

The woman stepped back a few steps, drew near to the blind man, and angrily chided him with a flushed face.

"Ah!"

Hearing that, the blind man said nothing more, heaved a deep sigh, and continued forward leaning on his iron staff.

"Big Brother! You say he is the hallowed chief of the Beggar Sect, one of the Five Top Martial Arts of the World—surely he would not abandon reason and attack us outright?"

The blind man's portly companion, left hand supporting the big brother, right hand gripping a Golden Dragon Whip, panted as he walked and loudly asked the blind man.

Before the blind man could reply, the scholar on his left raised a hand to block the front and shouted loudly:

"Third Brother's words are mistaken! Though Northern Beggar Hong Qigong is famed for unmatched righteousness, he has slain our elder; if he does not strike us, how can he convince the masses?"

"Hah! All who wander the jianghu claim to be impartial and benevolent—who can truly achieve that?"

Upon hearing this, the blind man could not help but let out a cold snort, then loudly responded:

Evidently, it is the big brother who sees the jianghu most clearly.

After hearing the big brother's words, everyone fell silent for a moment, then continued to plod forward against the wind and snow, step by step.

The four figures in the wind and snow are the remaining Jiangnan Four Oddities—Ke Zhen'e, Zhu Cong, Han Baoju, and Han Xiao Ying—more than half a month having passed since the clash inside the tent.

That day, Old Six All Gold Hair was sneakily stabbed to death by the Beggar Sect's Elder Jian; Old Four South Hope Benevolence was killed by Qiu Chuji. Finally the four brothers joined forces to fight the Beggar Sect's multitude; though they took Elder Jian's life, Elder Liang seized the chance to escape.

The previous evening, several people were waiting at the old place for Guo Jing to come study martial arts, when they suddenly saw Jing'er rush over panting, saying a group of beggars had arrived, along with a man calling himself the sect leader.

Upon hearing this, everyone understood: the Northern Beggar Hong Qigong of the Five Top Martial Arts had personally taken action; knowing they could not resist, they fled into the wind and snow that very night.

"Hah! I, the blind man, will not flee!"

"Seventh Sister, Old Two, Old Three—you go first! I, the blind man, will hold them off for a while!"

Ke Zhen'e, pondering something, grew angrier and angrier, his face turning bluish-black, then suddenly stopped and let out a cold snort.

It seems his old stubbornness has flared up again.

"Big Brother!"

"Big Brother?"

Old Two and Old Three, hearing this, both urged him on.

"The renowned Jiangnan Six Oddities! The people who killed my old beggar brother just want to run away like that?"

Just then, a tremendously resonant whistle suddenly came from afar, rising and falling like a dragon's roar and a lion's roar, echoing across the empty snowy plain and shaking the sky‑borne snowflakes into frantic scattering.

Old Two Zhu Cong and Old Three Han Baoju, hearing the whistle, all changed expression, secretly startled.

Such profound internal energy!

Han Xiao Ying gripped her sword, silently vigilant, and could not help but secretly compare the opponent's skill to that person's.

If Ke Zhen'e had not listened, it would have been fine; but having heard it, he was struck right where it hurt, and without regard for who had come, he slammed his iron staff down with a "Bang!", sending ice chips flying, then turned away and shouted loudly with a stern face:

"Blind man, I wish to learn and learn the Eighteen Dragon‑Subduing Palms of the Nine‑Fingered Divine Beggar!"

Indeed, this is how hard he is! Jiangnan Seven Oddities Ke Zhen'e—regardless of his martial prowess, he has never lost a formation on the field.

As soon as his words fell, that person had already darted to Ke Zhen'e's front.

Raising his eyes, he saw a man past middle age with a few strands of white hair, a long square face, a faint beard on his jaw, a pair of very large hands and feet, his clothes patched here and there but washed clean, holding in his hand a green bamboo staff as lustrous as jade, and on his back a vermilion‑lacquered wine gourd.

"How so? Great Hero Ke, you intend to give the old beggar no explanation and just leave?"

Hong Qigong did not strike directly, but stood before him, his face slightly blue, and in a deep voice shouted his question.

He felt that, having not erupted on the spot, he was already displaying a good temper. Having left the sect to wander the clouds for less than half a year, he returned to find half of the sect's elders dead; if he did not demand an explanation and avenge this, his position as sect leader would be untenable.

"Sect Leader Hong, what exactly do you seek an explanation for?"

Ke Zhen'e lifted his chin, about to retort, when Han Xiao Ying stepped forward first and spoke.

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong turned his head to look at Han Xiao Ying, drew in a deep breath of cold air, suppressed his anger, and let out a cold snort:

"Hah! Should our sect's Elder Peng and Elder Jian not give you an explanation? This old beggar, even with the best temper, cannot tolerate the sect's elders dying so pointlessly!"

"What does the death of your sect's Elder Peng have to do with us? Elder Jian came to our door and killed my sixth brother—do you really think, just because your Beggar Sect is powerful, we should not repay the grudge?"

Han Xiao Ying's pretty face tightened, she raised her brows and coldly retorted in a clear, ringing voice:

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong was slightly startled; he only knew that the two sect elders had been killed by the Jiangnan Six Oddities, but the exact circumstances—could they differ from what the sect disciples reported?

"Sect Leader! Why waste words on them? If the sect leader does not avenge the two elders, how can the sect brothers be convinced?"

At that moment, Elder Liang from behind had already led several Beggar Sect disciples up to them, and upon drawing near, he loudly accused:

"Sect Leader, avenge the elders!"

"Avenge the elders!"

The Beggar Sect disciples behind, hearing this, also rose in righteous indignation and echoed in unison.

"Since you have come up here, why waste more words? Blind man, let us learn and learn the Northern Beggar Hong Qigong's supreme techniques!"

Seeing his enemy, Ke Zhen'e's anger rose; regardless of Southern Emperor or Northern Beggar, he brandished his staff and swept straight at Elder Liang.

"Outrageous! The old beggar is here—you dare to commit murder openly before him?"

Hong Qigong leapt forward and blocked with a staff; with a "Bang!", Ke Zhen'e's arm went numb and he retreated several steps.

After steadying himself, he swung his staff down again; Zhu Cong and Han Baoju, seeing this, also rushed forward to assist.

Seeing this, Hong Qi Gong, mindful of his status, did not want to bully the weak with his strength, nor did he exert his full power. He unleashed a set of Carefree Wanderer Fist, moving like a swallow-hawk, leaping among the three with a very graceful and agile posture.

"All of you, attack!"

After Elder Liang called out, he and the gang disciples were about to surround and kill her, but Han Xiao Ying had already drawn her treasure sword and flew forward to attack.

The sword light struck with lightning speed; in his panic, Elder Liang raised his blade to block, but because Han Xiao Ying's movement was too fast, it was already too late.

"Ah!"

The sword light swept across, directly striking Elder Liang's chest; blood spurted out instantly, accompanied by a miserable scream.

"Elder!"

"Elder!"

Seeing this, Hong Qi Gong swept his palm over the three, then swiftly lunged at Han Xiao Ying, waving his hand to deliver a fierce palm strike, and shouted angrily:

"As an old beggar, I've gone easy on you, but I never expected you, this girl, to act so ruthlessly!"

Han Xiao Ying saw that Hong Qi Gong's palm wind was powerful and fierce, and not daring to meet it head-on, she employed Lightning Wave Tiny Steps to leap aside directly.

Just then, a thunderous sound boomed forth, and an arrogant voice shouted:

"How dare she act like that!"

"What business is it of yours to interfere!"

(End of Chapter)