Chapter Thirty-Four: Beggars Across the Land

Breathing in the fresh scent after the rain, He Guanzhong began to slowly recount the current state of the Beggars’ Sect.

“Though the Beggars’ Sect is still counted among the top three sects of the world, its glory has long since faded. In days past, the Beggars’ Sect was the mightiest in all the land, unrivaled and resplendent, unmatched by any other.”

“The requirements for joining the Beggars’ Sect have always been minimal; as long as one is a beggar in this world, they are counted among our ranks. It is for this reason that the sect could flourish so rapidly over a thousand years, rising to become the greatest of them all.”

“Yet in all things, blessings and curses walk hand in hand. The world has ever looked down upon beggars, regarding them as lowly, their lives harsh. On the Yaohua Continent, martial strength is prized above all, especially since Dugu Bancheng ascended the throne. With even a hint of martial skill, disciples of the Beggars’ Sect are loath to continue a life of begging.”

“Thus, many have joined minor sects as hired hands, and those of greater skill seek out better prospects. As the sect leader, I am gratified to see my people living in greater comfort and dignity, yet I cannot bear to witness the decline of the Beggars’ Sect, entrusted to me by my revered master.”

“The sect is no longer what it was a century ago. Though our numbers remain considerable, most are ordinary folk without martial skills; true experts are a rarity.”

“With such shaky foundations, our status cannot be maintained. The sect is fracturing; the deputy leader and the eight elders are all old, with more will than strength.”

“As for their disciples, none care for the affairs of the sect. They are absorbed wholly in their own cultivation, obsessed with breaking through to the Realm of Transcendence, seeking immortality. The future of the Beggars’ Sect is all but predictable…”

Luo Changning could sense He Guanzhong’s helplessness at the sect’s decline, and the guilt he felt toward his late master.

He could not help but wonder, if he were in the same position, what choice would he make? Would he choose comfort and wealth for the sect’s people, or the strength and prestige of the Beggars’ Sect itself?

Either way, it was a hard choice.

Luo Changning could well understand He Guanzhong’s feelings. Just as, in seeking vengeance, he was bound to bring disaster upon himself and his family.

Yet there are things in life that simply must be done. With hatred so deep it reaches the sea, how can it be forgotten?

But there was one truth even Luo Changning could not deny: Dugu Bancheng was indeed a good emperor. At the very least, the number of beggars in the Qianwu Kingdom had steadily declined.

Luo Changning recalled a line from a film he had once seen in his previous life, where the beggar Su Can said to the emperor: “The number of disciples in the Beggars’ Sect is not for me to decide, but for you. If Your Majesty truly governs wisely and well, bringing peace and prosperity to the land, who would ever wish to be a beggar?”

Yet now, the effects of Dugu Bancheng’s coup had not yet fully subsided. The Annan Circuit was plagued with bandits and pirates, running rampant beyond the emperor’s reach.

Moreover, that dog emperor was obsessed with unifying the Yaohua Continent, and naturally paid little attention to a poor land like Annan, focusing instead on building up the economy and military elsewhere, and training martial experts for the army.

Still, though Annan was not prosperous, there were few beggars, for it was easier to seize wealth by force than to beg for it. Not only could one gain riches, but also become a king of the mountains or lord of an island, roaming the seas at will!

At this thought, a spark flashed in Luo Changning’s mind. Why seek far when opportunity is near? In all the history he knew, both past and present, every age of chaos produced its own heroes. If he wished to build his own power, he must stay out of the emperor’s sight. Since that treacherous Dugu scorned Annan so, why not quietly strengthen himself here, and let him one day see how a mere ant can bite a man to death…

“By tradition, the Beggars’ Sect’s martial arts should not be taught to outsiders. But for you, I can make an exception. Before that, I want to ask you a question. What is your view on Beggar’s Chicken and Beggar’s Rice?”

Luo Changning considered, then replied solemnly, “The jianghu is ever-changing, full of heroes and villains. A man of high station today may tomorrow be cast into the streets, hungry and cold. Beggars are everywhere, and any of us could become one. Our food comes as a blessing from the heavens, so—all under heaven are beggars. Thus, Beggar’s Chicken and Beggar’s Rice are foods that anyone can eat.”

“Hahaha! ‘All under heaven are beggars’—you have not disappointed me!” He Guanzhong slapped his thigh and laughed heartily, clearly delighted.

Luo Changning smiled as well. His words had not been meant to placate He Guanzhong, but were the truth of his heart.

In his previous life, he had often gone hungry, crippled and destitute—not a beggar in name, but in reality. Everything he ate or used was given by others.

If others ceased their charity, only death awaited.

Such a life was pitiful, yet what choice did he have? Who, given the chance, would truly wish to be a beggar, despised and trampled underfoot?

What a noble position is the leader of the Beggars’ Sect, with power to stir the clouds and wind, admired by thousands. Yet He Guanzhong remained as he ever was, calling the world home, with the sky as his blanket and the earth as his bed.

It was simply that he had not forgotten his original intent, understanding that all things are gifts from heaven.

Grain must not be wasted, nor the human heart. They must not be betrayed, nor let down.

As dusk fell, Luo Changning and He Guanzhong went to a tea stall at the foot of the mountain for supper.

Afterward, they returned together to the cave where He Guanzhong was temporarily residing.

At night, the cave was chilly, with only a thin layer of straw on the ground, and not even a door to shield the entrance from the wind. Yet neither of them felt cold, and they sat inside with tranquil ease.

“Tonight, I’ll first teach you the core method of the Beggars’ Sect—the Dog-Beating Staff Technique. This is usually passed on only to the next sect leader, but since I have no disciple, I’ll give it to you.”

He Guanzhong spoke casually, as if discussing whether buns or steamed bread were tastier.

Luo Changning’s expression changed. He cupped his fists and said, “This favor, I will never forget as long as I live.”

Unlike the Dilong Continent of his previous life, here the Beggars’ Sect’s supreme art was the Dog-Beating Staff Technique; the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms did not exist. Of course, the sect leaders and other senior members each had their own signature martial arts.

Every disciple could learn the Dog-Beating Staff, but without the core method, its power was diminished tenfold.

The greatest difference between martial arts on Yaohua and those of Dilong was the type of “energy” used with the core method—the differences in inner force, true qi, or soul power were vast.

The same method, used by different practitioners at different levels, yielded vastly different results.

He Guanzhong winked, grinning slyly. “Since I’m being so generous, don’t you think you should repay this old man?”

“Just say the word, I’ll never go back on it.”

“Good. All I ask is that, should the Beggars’ Sect ever face destruction, you will lend your aid.”

Countless warriors yearn for the martial world, not knowing it is a place where only the strong survive.

Often, losing means paying a bitter price.

Brothers, family, love, dignity—even your very life! The weak fall by the wayside, while the strong are always targets for others.

The Beggars’ Sect had held its place as the greatest in the world for tens of thousands of years, but for the past century had been in decline. Many rival sects watched hungrily, waiting for it to fall so they could take its place.

Moreover, the great clans and martial sects always looked down on the Beggars’ Sect, seeing them as rabble unfit to stand at the pinnacle of the jianghu.

“Very well. You needn’t say it, Brother He. I would help regardless. Though I am not a beggar, I already consider myself one of the Beggars’ Sect!”

In his heart, Luo Changning added: It’s not just about saving the sect—I intend to make it flourish again, to restore its glory as the greatest in the land!

“Excellent!” He Guanzhong slapped his thigh in satisfaction.

Luo Changning then closed his eyes and meditated all night, practicing the method He Guanzhong had imparted.

By dawn, he had already grasped half of it.

He Guanzhong was overjoyed, calling him a genius. The Dog-Beating Staff’s forms were simple enough for anyone to learn, but without the core method, their power was reduced tenfold.

This core method was always reserved for the sect leader; it was the very essence of the technique.

Its power demanded great comprehension. Those of lesser talent could not even get started. He himself, on first learning it, had only managed to grasp thirty percent.

Tugging at his beard, He Guanzhong was well pleased: it seemed he had chosen wisely—not only did he take a liking to Luo Changning, the young man also had fine aptitude.

At dawn, in a small bamboo grove on the hill, He Guanzhong flipped his wrist, producing a bamboo staff nearly two meters long.

“Now I will teach you the forms of the Dog-Beating Staff. There are eight principles: thrust, block, turn, trip, draw, jab, entwine, and chop…”

With that, He Guanzhong demonstrated each movement in the clearing before the grove.

“Watch carefully! The ‘thrust’ principle: thrusting at the mangy dog, striking at the body, disrupting the den, provoking the paws…”

“‘Block’ principle: flattening the back, blocking the path, interlocking teeth, the bitch protecting her cubs…”

“‘Turn’ principle: biting back, striking the haunch, the homeless dog, the yellow dog chasing its tail, the puppy playing ball…”

“‘Trip’ principle: snatching the staff from the mastiff, sending the dog skyward, striking both mastiffs, chickens flying and dogs leaping…”

“‘Draw’ principle: luring the dog into the camp, swirling the staff low, striking the back at an angle, shaking head and wagging tail, the pack fighting for food…”

“‘Jab’ principle: jabbing at the haunch, the desperate dog leaping the wall, the Shu dog barking at the sun, the dog eyeing people…”

“‘Entwine’ principle: ten tricks for fighting dogs, striking both at once, tugging the tail to death, dogs biting bones, the old dog begging for mercy…”

“‘Chop’ principle: striking the head, driving dogs from the alley, the mad dog biting throats, beating the drowning dog, no dogs left under heaven!”

The forms were crisp and precise, their changes subtle and ingenious, dazzling to behold.

Luo Changning could tell that He Guanzhong, in demonstrating the Dog-Beating Staff, was not using the core method, and had slowed down by more than tenfold, lest the forms be too fast for him to follow.

After one round, He Guanzhong was about to demonstrate again, but Luo Changning said, “No need, Brother He—the forms are all committed to memory.”

He Guanzhong’s eyes lit up in delight. “Not only are your bones extraordinary, but you have a photographic memory as well—remarkable!”

Luo Changning took the bamboo staff and performed the full set of movements in the clearing.

He made not a single mistake. Compared to He Guanzhong, his style had a touch more sharpness and killing intent, though the power was not on par with his teacher’s.

Same speed, same forms, both without the core method—yet softness could overcome strength!

Luo Changning reflected: The world thinks the Dog-Beating Staff must be fast, ruthless, and fierce, with every move sharp and forceful. Yet it turns out that a gentler approach holds even greater power.

When facing a vicious dog, the more you beat it, the fiercer it becomes, unwilling to let go. But a leash in its master’s hand can make it cower, win its loyalty, and bring it to heel.

Luo Changning could not help but ask the question that had long been on his mind.

“They say the symbol of the sect leader is the Dog-Beating Staff. Why don’t you carry it? Just now, you only broke off a fresh piece of bamboo.”

At that, He Guanzhong laughed heartily. “Originally, the Dog-Beating Staff was just for self-defense, so others wouldn’t bully us. Later, our founder, Master Bai, created the Dog-Beating Staff Technique with it, and it’s been passed down ever since. Its use as a weapon has long since faded; now, the staff is a symbol, binding us together.”

“As long as the staff remains, the sect endures! Such an important item is naturally kept in my personal storage, never shown lightly to others.”

“If some villain stole it, what then? Besides, the technique need not be used only with a staff—once mastered, even a sword, a sash, or a branch can become a deadly weapon.”

He glanced at the knife at Luo Changning’s waist. “Once you are proficient, you can use that blade as well.”

Luo Changning nodded. The logic was easy enough to grasp.