Chapter 61 : The Beggars (2)

Chapter 61: The Beggars (2)

Beggars' Sect.

Also known as the Clan of the Poor, the Beggars' Sect was the most unconventional among the sects of the Orthodox Path.

That was because, without a single exception, every member—just like the old beggar before him—was a beggar.

Yet, no martial artist in the Jianghu dared to dismiss the Beggars' Sect as a mere group of ragged vagrants.

‘Crossing the Beggars' Sect is no different from signing your own death warrant.’

With its main base set in Kaifeng, and over a hundred branch bases spread across the land without exception,

its total number of disciples reached a staggering fifty thousand, boasting the highest headcount among all single factions.

The “One Sect” of the Nine Sects and One Gang referred to none other than the Beggars' Sect.

At its peak, it stood shoulder to shoulder with the Shaolin Temple, the towering pillar of the Orthodox Path.

Although, during times of peace like now, the number of beggars naturally dwindled, and with it, their influence weakened.

Still, there was no doubt that even now, it remained a formidable force ranking among the top across the entire Murim Alliance.

Sewoon had come out alone for a nighttime stroll in order to meet with the Beggars' Sect.

And finally—

Step, step.

“We’re here.”

Guided by the old beggar, Sewoon arrived at the most secluded area of Kaifeng—at the main base of the Beggars' Sect.

Before his eyes stretched an enormous beggar village.

As he stepped under the bridge, a stream reeking of stench flowed by, and dilapidated shacks that looked ready to collapse at any moment were scattered everywhere.

“Tch, all day begging and this is all I got… Kaifeng’s gotten cold-hearted, I tell ya.”

“Gulp, gulp. Ahhh, now that’s the taste!”

“Heh heh… Zzz…”

Beggars from the Beggars' Sect lay strewn about the slum.

Most of them snored away, reeking with a stench so pungent it stung the eyes, or,

devoured the food they had begged for as if it were a grand feast.

Not one among them appeared to be training in martial arts.

It looked like a typical beggar slum, nothing more, nothing less.

But—

‘…The Beggars' Sect. Truly worthy of its name.’

To Sewoon’s eyes, this place looked entirely different.

Shhhk!

At first glance, the shacks appeared to be randomly built, but upon closer inspection, they followed a clear pattern.

Like Go stones laid perfectly on a board.

‘To think they used shacks to set up such a vast formation…’

Indeed. What seemed like randomly placed shelters were actually components activating a formation.

They had transformed their famed Beggar-Beating Formation into a Qimen Formation and spread it out.

Shhhk!

The formation spread across the main base continuously attempted to weaken Sewoon’s Qi.

But Sewoon instantly deployed his Golden Bridle Movement Technique through his entire meridians, blocking any damage.

And the beggars, who seemed relaxed on the surface, were not as they appeared either.

‘Every last one of them is fully prepared to strike at any moment. These are elite warriors.’

Though they looked uninterested, each beggar was covertly casting vigilant glances at Sewoon.

Between the formation’s effects and the Beggars' Sect’s subtle watch,

any ordinary martial artist would have collapsed in seconds.

Sewoon was withstanding it all perfectly when—

“Come inside.”

The old beggar stepped into one of the shacks.

Pausing for a moment in consideration, Sewoon eventually followed him in.

As the foul, musty stench pierced his nostrils—

Snap!

Clack!

Six staffs immediately aimed for Sewoon’s neck.

Beggars hiding inside had swiftly moved to subdue him.

Yet, despite the ambush, Sewoon didn’t appear startled at all.

That was because he had already sensed their Qi long before entering the shack.

With eyes full of displeasure, Sewoon glared at the old beggar.

“I didn’t expect the Beggars' Sect to treat a guest so rudely.”

“Hmph. You’re not a guest. You weren’t invited.”

The old beggar plopped down on a straw mat inside the shack and replied.

The old beggar.

No—he was Fighter Beggar Poongsan, one of the Beggars' Sect’s Six Knots, current Main Base Leader of Kaifeng, and also the Disciplinary Beggar responsible for internal affairs.

His snow-white hair clashed with his fierce, burning gaze as he stared at Sewoon.

“I’d heard the Tang Clan was stirring up trouble in the Jianghu lately, but I didn’t think it would reach us.”

“If you’re done playing escort at Cheoneun Bank, you should’ve gone home and slept. What’s with all this nonsense?”

Amazingly, Poongsan already knew who Sewoon was and everything he had done so far.

It was an intelligence capacity befitting one of the two greatest information networks in the Jianghu, alongside the Hao Sect.

Then, in a low voice, Poongsan asked,

“Where did you hear the secret code?”

That was the reason Poongsan was pressing Sewoon so hard now.

Righteousness over Authority, Virtue over Power.

The phrase Sewoon had used under the bridge was a secret code managed under utmost secrecy by the Beggars' Sect.

A code that, under any circumstances, guaranteed immediate audience with the local head of the Beggars' Sect.

That such a code—known to fewer than five people in the entire Jianghu—had come from Sewoon was beyond shocking.

The only relief was that they could vaguely guess the source.

“Be honest. Did the Alliance Leader tell you?”

Poongsan squinted, glaring as he asked again, but Sewoon still didn’t respond.

One might think he was too scared by Poongsan’s pressure to speak, but that wasn’t it.

The eyes Sewoon used to meet his gaze were calm and unfazed.

‘This brat… He’s no ordinary kid.’

Looking into Sewoon’s eyes, which held a chilling, unfathomable depth, Poongsan thought to himself.

Still, Poongsan was not inexperienced enough to let his inner thoughts show.

He instead released even more threatening energy as he continued,

“So, staying quiet means you’ve got something to hide?”

“Hide my ass.”

Then suddenly, breaking his silence, Sewoon hurled an insult at Poongsan.

The unexpected response left Poongsan speechless.

“We don’t have time for pointless provocations, so let’s cut this short. Otherwise, don’t expect any senior respect from me.”

Poongsan’s eyes blazed with fury at Sewoon’s insolent attitude.

Since stepping into the Jianghu and earning his moniker Fighter Beggar, he had never suffered such indignity—not even from the wickedest of villains.

“You arrogant brat! Just because you’ve earned a bit of name lately, you think you can speak this way?! Even your father wouldn’t have dared to treat me so rudely!”

“You’re the one who’s being rude, and now you’re blaming me? That’s rich.”

“This bastard—!!”

Unable to restrain himself any longer, Poongsan lunged at Sewoon—

Shhhk!

But the overwhelming burst of Qi from Sewoon made him freeze in his tracks, involuntarily.

Even the beggars surrounding Sewoon showed signs of confusion.

As the mood shifted entirely, Sewoon calmly began to speak.

“Disciplinary Beggar Poongsan. I spoke the proper secret code.”

“I’m not here as some junior from the Jianghu. I came here as a representative of a clan.”

“So stop wasting time. Bring out the real head of this place.”

Sewoon’s words left Poongsan completely baffled.

That was to be expected—everyone in the Beggars' Sect knew that Poongsan was the Main Base Leader of Kaifeng.

“…If I’m not the one in charge of the main base, then who is?”

“You’re still playing games, even though I know the Main Base Leader changed over a month ago.”

Sewoon spoke without a shred of hesitation.

Poongsan tried hard to hide his surprise, but it was already plain on his face.

Watching that pitiful reaction, Sewoon muttered to himself,

“Elder No is out there struggling on his own. How long are you planning to stay silent?”

Slide.

Sewoon turned his head.

Among the beggars pointing staffs at him, he locked eyes with one specific individual.

“The new Main Base Leader. No…”

Looking at a narrow-eyed beggar who seemed well past thirty, Sewoon continued.

“Successor Beggar, Jang Sopyeong?”

Ssshh.

A long silence spread throughout the room.

It was understandable.

The title “Successor Beggar” carried immense weight.

It was a title given only to the confirmed heir of the Beggars' Sect’s next Sect Leader.

Jang Sopyeong stood two ranks above Poongsan, who was one of the Six Knots—he was one of the Eight Knots.

While calmly meeting Sewoon’s gaze, Jang Sopyeong spoke.

“Hoo… They say the era of the Sword Dragon is fading, and the age of the Green Dragon is dawning. Seems they weren’t wrong.”

With that, he acknowledged that Sewoon’s words were true.

Ssshh!

At the same time, the dormant energy that Jang Sopyeong had been suppressing erupted like a storm.

The inner energies of both men clashed and surged inside the shack, pushing and pulling against each other.

His cultivation had just crossed into the realm of Supreme Peak Mastery, nearing full maturity.

Sewoon’s eyes shimmered with intrigue as he looked at him.

‘Just like before regression—this one’s been extraordinary from the start.’

Sewoon recognized Jang Sopyeong because they had met before regression.

—Brothers of the Beggars' Sect! Annihilate the vile forces of the Blood Cult!

—Do not fear! I shall be the first to lead the charge!

In his memory, Jang Sopyeong’s body had been covered in more scars than now, a far fiercer image.

He had been one of the three leaders of the Anti-Blood Alliance, alongside the Sword Queen Do Hayeong, before regression.

It was the Jang Sopyeong of that era—Heavenly Battle Divine Beggar.

“Lower your staffs, all of you.”

“It’s dangerous, Successor!”

“I said stand down because there’s no need. If this man had intended to harm us, you lot would already be fast asleep.”

“Am I wrong, Young Clan Head?”

Jang Sopyeong’s narrow eyes curved slightly into a smile.

When Sewoon nodded, the beggars withdrew with uneasy silence.

“Law Beggar, you should leave as well and start investigating the ones leaking information inside the base.”

“Yes, I’ll confirm it immediately.”

At Jang Sopyeong’s command, Poongsan obediently led his disciples out of the shack.

It seemed the fury he had unleashed at Sewoon was all just an act after all.

Soon, only the two of them remained.

“Heh heh. Interesting. Very interesting.”

Despite having his identity exposed, Jang Sopyeong kept chuckling as if he was thoroughly amused.

He walked over and sat where Poongsan had been sitting, then asked,

“By the way, did Serin tell you about me?”

Surprisingly, the name Tang Serin came out of Jang Sopyeong’s mouth.

It was because he, too, had once been a member of the previous generation’s Nine Dragons Four Phoenixes, like Sewoon’s older sister.

Sewoon’s expression briefly darkened, displeased by the familiarity in how he referred to his sister.

Thud.

Sewoon sat across from him and opened his mouth.

“Not at all.”

“Hmm. Then how did you know about me?”

“I’d say it would’ve been stranger not to recognize you.”

“Oh?”

When Jang Sopyeong perked up with curiosity, Sewoon kindly explained.

“Same goes for the Law Beggar and the others—while they were targeting me, they kept subtly shifting to protect you.”

“A young martial artist whom the Law Beggar tried to protect before even his own life. Who else in the Main Base but the Successor Beggar could that be?”

“…That makes sense.”

With a bitter smile, Jang Sopyeong continued speaking to Sewoon.

“There’s so much I want to ask. How you knew the Main Base Leader had changed, that I was appointed as Successor Beggar, and how you knew the secret code. Do you have any intention of answering?”

“Asking questions you already know the answers to seems like a waste of time.”

“Keh, I figured you’d say that.”

Shaking his head at Sewoon’s reply, Jang Sopyeong let out a deep sigh.

“Hoo… Fine, fair enough. Since we were rude earlier, let’s forget all that and get straight to the point.”

His gaze shifted completely.

The playfulness that had filled his expression was gone—replaced by utter seriousness.

“Why did you use the secret code to contact us?”

“Why else? To get information.”

“Heh. Do you take the Beggars' Sect for some place like the Hao Sect?”

“So it’s different, then?”

Jang Sopyeong’s face turned cold.

For the first time, both of his eyes were fully open, and they glinted with a deep fury.

Yet Sewoon didn’t stop—he pressed on with unwavering resolve.

“Whether it’s the Hao Sect or the Beggars' Sect, at their core, they’re both information networks. If you offer something of value, you get the information you want, don’t you?”

“…Equivalent exchange, is it. Not wrong, I suppose.”

Jang Sopyeong’s eyes, sharp as the northern wind, locked onto Sewoon.

“And what makes you think some Tang Clan brat can offer anything the Beggars' Sect would want?”

“Well, the Tang Clan can’t.”

Caught off guard by how quickly Sewoon admitted it, Jang Sopyeong looked confused for a moment.

Smirk.

“But I can.”

Sewoon raised one corner of his mouth in a confident grin as he replied.