Chapter 104: The Death-Passing Thousand-Household

While Yongjie was locked in a life-or-death struggle with the three factions, the others were not idle.

Three lone top-tier experts exchanged glances and, by tacit agreement, gathered together.

The Canal Gang was a special case; they had said little since entering the Miao King’s Tomb. Among the factions present, they were the weakest. Now, wanting to form an alliance with the Beggar Sect, they hesitated.

They didn't move in the same circles as the others. Strictly speaking, they were "Greenwood" folk, their martial arts crude and worlds apart from the established major sects with deep lineages.

Lao Qifeng sighed, turned, and walked over to Li Miao, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed, watching the show.

"Hero Li, what is your plan?"

Li Miao smiled. "Gang Leader Lao, what do you mean by that?"

Lao Qifeng lowered his voice. "I mean, are you with the Ming Cult, or are you with the Imperial Court?"

"Oh?" Li Miao glanced at Lao Qifeng, noncommittal.

Lao Qifeng knew that unless he spoke plainly, Li Miao would never be open and honest, so he continued on his own.

"Hero Li knows that my Beggar Sect disciples are everywhere, unlike sects like Emei, Qingcheng, or Kongtong that only cultivate in one region."

"They don't know about the events in Tai'an City, but I have received some news."

"Gu, Gu-soldiers, the Miao Frontier." Lao Qifeng looked into Li Miao’s eyes.

"With martial arts like yours, it is impossible for you to have no master, yet you are unknown in the Jianghu. You also have such an understanding of Gu insects and appeared here so inexplicably."

"If you are not from the Ming Cult, you must be an Imperial spy."

Li Miao raised his eyes to look at Lao Qifeng and chuckled lightly. "What of the Imperial Court? What of the Ming Cult?"

Lao Qifeng did not answer immediately.

He pondered for a moment, prepared himself to strike, and said earnestly:

"If you are with the Court, I will pretend I know nothing."

"If you are with the Ming Cult... I will have no choice but to fight you to the death."

Li Miao said, "Oh?"

"Does Gang Leader Lao have a grudge against the Ming Cult?"

"No grudge, no enmity."

"Then why fight me to the death?"

"Jianghu righteousness."

"Ha." Li Miao chuckled. "Gang Leader Lao has reached the position of Beggar Sect Leader, and you still believe in that?"

"The Beggar Sect’s business isn't exactly clean, is it?"

In this world, the only clean beggars are those who truly cannot survive and are just begging for a bite of food or a bowl of water.

When begging becomes a profession, when beggars are formed into an organization, and when begging is turned into a business, how clean can the Beggar Sect be? The filth within doesn't even bear thinking about.

"Yes, I do not deny it," Lao Qifeng said.

"In the past, I would have no hostility toward Ming Cult members. If they were powerful, bowing down would be fine. A Beggar Sect leader is also a beggar; there is no shame in bending one's back."

"If I met them elsewhere, I could turn a blind eye."

"But I will not allow a Ming Cult thief to achieve his schemes in the Miao Frontier."

"If the Tai'an incident were to repeat, I could not bear the weight of those lives."

Lao Qifeng stared fixedly at Li Miao.

"Slaughtering a city, harming the common people—everyone has the right to kill them."

This was the most basic, most simple logic of the Jianghu people of Great Ming.

"Jianghu matters belong to the Jianghu; the people's matters belong to the people."

So-called Jianghu righteousness often goes unpursued among Jianghu people due to various interests, emotions, and grudges. Great villains and thieves, like the Seven Ghosts of Meishan, are ignored unless they provoke someone they cannot afford to offend.

But when it involves the common people, especially the evil act of slaughtering a city like the Ming Cult, it triggers the bottom-line rule of the Jianghu: "Involve the innocent, and everyone has the right to kill you."

Li Miao laughed. "I said it before: among all these people, I get along best with Gang Leader Lao."

"Rest assured, I am an Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Seeing Li Miao reveal his identity, Yin Minjun hurriedly stepped forward and said to Lao Qifeng, "Gang Leader Lao, my Sect Leader was saved by this lord. Tens of thousands of people in Tai'an City are alive today because of him."

"Ah." Lao Qifeng responded, his expression changing instantly.

"Could it be... the 'Death-Passing Thousand-Household' in person?"

This time, it was Li Miao’s turn to change expression.

"Say that again? What kind of nonsense is that!?"

"Death... Death-Passing Thousand-Household?"

"Which 'death'? Which 'passing'?"

Only after Lao Qifeng channeled his Qi and used his finger to carve the two characters into the cave wall did Li Miao laugh powerlessly.

"What a lousy nickname. Why not just call me the 'Death-Servant Thousand-Household'..."

He could guess that this was his "Four Seasons Thousand-Household" nickname, which had somehow spread and been mangled by these uncultured Jianghu folk into such a rustic title.

Sure enough, knowing Li Miao’s identity, Lao Qifeng said cautiously:

"Jianghu rumors say that the Ming Cult's Left and Right Envoys, one Protector, two Flag Leaders, and hundreds of disciples all died in one night at the hands of an Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-Household..."

"I heard this Thousand-Household has always guarded the capital and never leaves. Since leaving the capital this time, everyone who sees him dies, so he has the name 'Death-Passing Thousand-Household' within the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

"I never expected it to be you, my lord. Seeing you today, truly—"

"Gang Leader Lao, stop for a moment. My head hurts a little."

Li Miao waved his hand, stopping Lao Qifeng’s flattery.

He seemed to lose all his strength and composure; the expression of someone who usually took nothing to heart now collapsed.

What kind of mess is this?

It’s so tacky.

If he had known, he would have dragged out the people in the Embroidered Uniform Guard who spread his nickname, beaten them all, forced them to come up with a better one, and then started his Jianghu travels.

To be honest, Li Miao had only started his Jianghu travels after training his martial arts to this level; he certainly had expectations for his Jianghu moniker.

He had even anticipated a few scenarios.

Clear Wind Sword? Average.

White Cloud Sword? Not bad.

Number One Under Heaven? Decent.

Great Universe Martial Canon? Pretty good.

Even a name like "Reckless Vajra" would have been fine!

At the thought that from now on, when Jianghu people saw him, they would say, "Is it the 'Death-Upon-Sight', the 'Death-Passing Thousand-Household' in person?", he felt the urge to drop the Miao Frontier business and go back to work in the Shuntian Prefecture.

"Sigh—" For the first time, Li Miao let out a long sigh of what could be called "helplessness."

"Forget it, let’s talk business."

Li Miao glanced toward Yongjie’s side; it had already turned into a chaotic brawl.

The Canal Gang, seeing Lao Qifeng ignoring them and talking to Li Miao, assumed the Beggar Sect was with Yongjie. After thinking it over, they actually started assisting Yongjie.

The three lone experts, however, were helping neither side, fighting chaotically in the middle. Li Miao looked closely and saw that although the three seemed to be attacking fiercely, they were only using fifty or sixty percent of their strength, clearly planning to conserve Qi and reap the benefits of the struggle.

Li Miao watched the fight while saying:

"I came here this time to cut off the inheritance of the Miao Frontier’s witchcraft and Gu arts."

"Gang Leader Lao spoke so righteously just now; I assume you won't stand idly by."

"Yes, this time the Miao people took the initiative to scheme against us, and with the Tai'an City incident, my Beggar Sect will naturally contribute. It’s just..." Lao Qifeng hesitated.

Li Miao waved his hand. "I know what you want to say."

"The Imperial Court has been suppressing the Miao Frontier for so many years and has never been able to completely eradicate witchcraft and Gu."

"But this matter is actually difficult for the Court to handle."

"Therefore, this matter must fall to the Jianghu people."