[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming":3,"chapter-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-92":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Unorthodox Sword of Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2337297,4570,"Chapter 92: The Little Beggar","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-92",92,"\u003Cp>Pan Yun watched silently; though she knew there was nothing between them—Miao Zhen was still young, and Wang Xiaojing merely a mischievous boy—yet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced at Wang Xiaojing’s flushed face, couldn’t help letting out a soft tsk, and turned to look at the scenery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen gave Wang Xiaojing a cold look, then turned away to join Pan Yun in gazing at the view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing was deeply uneasy; he opened his mouth, then suppressed his racing heart and whispered, “S-sister-in-law.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun and Miao Zhen immediately turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen nodded slightly at him, adopting the demeanor of a senior: “If you want to learn martial arts, you must learn seriously. Just going through the motions won’t do—you must learn how to apply force, build strength, and stabilize your stance. I just saw your stance is unsteady; if you fought someone, one sweep kick would knock you down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He nodded vigorously. “That’s right, I’ll train my stance too—I do horse stance every day and run with sandbags. I know this best—I can teach you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Miao said: “Since you’re teaching, teach now. Get off the cart and run from here to Yushan County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing felt inexplicably guilty and silently stepped off the cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He had no choice but to get off too, leading Wang Xiaojing in a run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, running humans moved far faster than the mule’s pace; the two vanished in a flash ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He made Wang Xiaojing hold horse stance while she squatted on the grass, drawing circles, waiting for the mule cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was deeply frustrated. “Why did Fourth Master suddenly make me get off and run?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He sighed. “Little Master and Miao Zhen don’t want to be friends with me anymore. They won’t even accompany me when I run.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had she spoken than she saw Pan Yun and Miao Zhen sprinting toward her with qigong; Miao He leapt up excitedly, waving wildly. “Little Master! Miao Zhen! I’m here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun and Miao Zhen shot forward and halted abruptly before her. “We saw you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He beamed. “Did you come specially to keep me company?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Of course. Aren’t we nice to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Miao He was about to nod, Miao Zhen said: “Fourth Master told us to get off and train qigong with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He turned to Pan Yun, pouting. “You lied to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Then remember this lesson—don’t believe everything people tell you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh,” Miao He muttered, turning to Wang Xiaojing. “What about Xiao Jing? We’re using qigong—he won’t catch up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Since you’re already teaching him external and internal arts, just teach him qigong too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He scratched her head. “But how do you teach qigong? I’m terrible at it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Just run. Isn’t qigong just running?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three began running, making Wang Xiaojing chase behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing thought he was running fast enough—yet they vanished in a flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing felt a pang of despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, Pan Yun zipped back, like a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He lagged slightly, but arrived quickly too; all three stood silently watching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing panted. “I—I tried my hardest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Your breathing’s wrong. Let me teach you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun taught him breathing and qi-regulation methods—essentially internal cultivation—but he couldn’t learn it at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun refused to admit her teaching was poor; she thought he lacked talent, and simply said: “Hold your breath. Don’t release it. Breathe through your nose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing understood this—he nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four ran again—but now Pan Yun and the others chased Wang Xiaojing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catching sight of them closing in from the corner of his eye, Wang Xiaojing frantically pumped his legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought he was fast—the trees blurred past him, the shadows grew hazy. What did that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant he was fast!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Pan Yun, Miao Zhen, and Miao He watched him in silence, realizing his speed was even slower than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three stopped. Miao He nearly wept. “What do I do? I can’t teach him. Will Fourth Master punish me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen: “A rotten log cannot be carved. Forget it. Cultivation requires talent. Martial arts require talent too. Learn to let go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “It’s only been twice. Let him try once more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing halted, panting unevenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Just from your breathing, I know you’re breathing through your mouth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing: “But it’s so exhausting—how can I stop breathing through my mouth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Try pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing copied her, pressing his tongue upward; his nasal breaths grew rapid, but his heart felt easier. Soon, his breathing steadied, and his fatigue lessened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiaojing’s eyes widened in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When you run, do this too. And match your breath to your steps…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun broke it down step by step, making him jog slowly first to adapt to the breathing method…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He stood bored nearby; when they spotted Fourth Master and the mule cart appearing in sight, they called out: “Little Master! Fourth Master’s coming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun told Wang Xiaojing to practice again; this time, the three slowed their pace, forgoing qigong, simply jogging slowly behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ran for nearly fifteen minutes before stopping. Miao Zhen glanced back—Xuan Miao and the cart had vanished again. “I suspect Fourth Master is deliberately keeping the cart slow, making us run all the way to Yushan County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun, now filled with affection for the world, didn’t mind at all. “This is Fourth Sister’s training for us. We should be grateful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He exchanged glances, then softly asked: “Little Master, what happened in Dazhou Village? Ever since you came back, you’ve changed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Do you think I’ve become divine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He: “Divine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun gazed upward at a forty-five-degree angle, face earnest. “The me of today is no longer the ignorant, arrogant me of before. I feel I’ve found the Dao. I will surely cultivate to become a god.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He smiled. Their little master had returned—thank heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four youths trudged and half-ran all the way to Yushan County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen stopped. “Wait here for Fourth Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun waved her hand. “I’m starving. Let’s eat first, then head straight to the herbal shop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, coming down the mountain, we must buy body-cultivation herbs—the herbal shop is essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four decided to find food near the herbal shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they neared the shop, Pan Yun spotted a beggar girl sitting beside a food stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was thinner than before, pleading with every passerby—but no one stopped to give her money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Master, let’s eat dumplings. I haven’t had dumplings in ages.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun snapped back, following Miao He’s gaze to a roadside noodle stall that also sold dumplings and wontons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded and led them forward. “Five bowls of dumplings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He hurried to add: “Little Master, their dumplings are huge—I can only eat one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “I have another friend I’d like to invite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He: “Who?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun waved toward the beggar girl across the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl, alert and observant, had tracked them with her peripheral vision since their arrival. Now seeing Pan Yun beckon, she scrambled up and dashed over, sweetly calling, “Miss!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun pulled out a bench, making room for half of it. “Sit. I’ll treat you to dumplings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl glanced quickly at the stall owner, then beamed at Pan Yun. “Thank you, kind lady! Miss, you’re so kind—just one bowl is enough. I’ll eat by the wall. I’m dirty; I don’t want to soil your clothes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Don’t you recognize me? You gave me a bun once. I was dirtier than you then. Sit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl finally recognized Pan Yun. Her eyes widened. “You—you found your family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded. “My family went to buy medicine then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl looked at her enviously. “That’s wonderful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun smiled at her and gestured for her to sit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl carefully placed her bowl beside her feet, fingers fidgeting nervously as she waited for the dumplings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun asked: “You look so young. How old are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’m older than you,” Pan Yun said. “How long have you been away from home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl tilted her head. “I don’t know. I only know I’ve lived through three winters, three New Years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl glanced at the others. “Are these your family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded. “Yes. We’re from a Daoist temple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl’s face fell. “So you’re from a temple too—you don’t have a family either?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technically, she didn’t. Though in truth, she did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar girl thought she understood, and comforted Pan Yun in return. “Don’t be sad. They weren’t worthy of having such a wonderful daughter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun asked: “Who told you that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The old woman,” the beggar girl said. “She says children abandoned by their parents are treasures they couldn’t have—boys or girls, all treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun whispered: “She’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vendor brought over five bowls of dumplings; though he glanced at the little beggar girl, he didn’t drive her away, and when placing the bowls, he set the one with two extra dumplings in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the vendor had cleared the bowls and added broth, Pan Yun had sharp eyes—she saw it at a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled but said nothing, then asked the little beggar, “Do you have enough to eat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little beggar nodded vigorously. “More than enough, more than enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating the dumplings, the little beggar held Pan Yun in high regard; learning they were here to buy herbs, her eyes flickered, and she immediately put down her chopsticks. “Come to my home—I’ll show you. My grandmother gathers herbs too; we have medicinal plants at home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun was about to nod when Xuanmiao arrived with the donkey cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She silently glanced at the group; Pan Yun immediately called out loudly, “Vendor! Another bowl of dumplings—big one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good night\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1693,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8ed8d583ab707cd5a38c0a7777820974f8ef4eaed0d6aa410f87458503e69e2c","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-93","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-91",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]