Chapter 61
Episode 61
The Beggar Sect (2)
The Beggar Sect.
Also known as the Gong Family Sect, the Beggar Sect was the most unconventional among the orthodox factions of the martial world.
This was because every single member, without exception, was a beggar—just like the old man standing before him.
No martial artist in the Jianghu dared to dismiss the Beggar Sect as merely a ragtag group of destitute beggars.
'Making an enemy of the Beggar Sect is no different from signing your own death warrant.'
With its headquarters in Kaifeng and branches numbering well over a hundred scattered across the land, the Beggar Sect boasted the largest number of disciples among all martial factions—a staggering fifty thousand.
As one of the Nine Great Sects and Twelve Major Factions, the Beggar Sect had once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the orthodox Mount Song's Shaolin Temple in terms of prestige.
Of course, during times of peace like now, the number of beggars dwindled, naturally weakening their influence.
But even so, their strength remained undeniably among the top ranks of the Martial Alliance's combined forces.
Se-woon had ventured out alone tonight to make contact with this very sect.
And finally—
Crunch.
"We're here."
"......!"
Following the old beggar's lead, Se-woon arrived at the outermost district of Kaifeng—the headquarters of the Beggar Sect.
Before him sprawled an enormous beggar's village.
Beneath the bridge they crossed, a foul-smelling ditch flowed, and ramshackle huts that looked ready to collapse at any moment stood scattered in every direction.
"Sigh, all I managed to beg today was this measly haul... The people of Kaifeng have grown stingy these days."
"Gulp gulp. Ahh, now this hits the spot!"
"Snort... Zzzzz..."
Beggars from the sect lounged everywhere throughout the village.
Most of them slept soundly, snoring loudly without a care for the eye-watering stench they emitted—or else devoured their meager meals as if they were lavish feasts.
Not a single one among them was practicing martial arts.
For the famed headquarters of the Beggar Sect, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary slum.
But—
'......The Beggar Sect. Truly, its reputation is well-earned.'
To Se-woon's eyes, this place appeared entirely different.
Whoosh—
At first glance, the huts seemed haphazardly placed, but upon closer inspection, they followed a precise pattern—like perfectly arranged stones on a Go board.
'To weave such an enormous formation using mere huts...'
Indeed. The seemingly random huts were actually components of an active formation—a variation of the Beggar Sect's famed Dog-Beating Formation, transformed into a maze-like barrier.
Whoosh—
The formation spread throughout the headquarters continuously attempted to weaken Se-woon's energy.
But he immediately circulated his Golden Armor Qi through his meridians, shielding himself without suffering any harm.
Moreover, the beggars who appeared relaxed on the surface were anything but.
'Every single one of them is poised to strike at a moment's notice. These are elites.'
Though they feigned disinterest, their watchful eyes never left Se-woon, tracking his every move with concealed vigilance.
The formation's suppression and the martial artists' scrutiny—
An ordinary warrior would have collapsed within moments under such pressure.
Yet Se-woon endured it effortlessly—until—
"Come inside."
The old beggar stepped briskly into one of the huts.
After a brief pause outside, Se-woon followed him in.
The moment the pungent, musty stench assaulted his nostrils—
Swish!
Clatter!
Six staffs instantly pressed against Se-woon's throat.
Other beggars hidden inside the hut had subdued him in the blink of an eye.
But Se-woon showed no sign of surprise—he had already sensed their presence before entering.
With a displeased glare, he turned to the old beggar.
"I didn't realize the Beggar Sect treated its guests so rudely."
"Hmph. An uninvited guest isn't a guest—he's an intruder."
The old beggar plopped down onto a worn-out mat spread across the floor as he spoke.
No—this was no ordinary beggar.
This was Pung San, a Six-Knot Beggar—the leader of Kaifeng's headquarters and the sect's Law Enforcer.
Despite his snow-white hair and aged appearance, his eyes burned with an intensity that clashed with his frail exterior as he glared at Se-woon.
"I'd heard the Tang Family was stirring up trouble in the Jianghu lately. But I never expected you'd come knocking on our door."
"......."
"Once your escort mission for the Premier Financial Institution was done, you should've just gone home and slept. What's with this nonsense?"
"......."
Shockingly, Pung San already knew Se-woon's identity and recent activities.
Such intelligence was on par with the Hao Sect—one of the two foremost information networks in the unorthodox factions.
Then, Pung San spoke in a low voice.
"Who told you the secret phrase?"
"......."
This was the reason Pung San had been pressing Se-woon so aggressively.
"Yi er pi wei hu, ren yi shen wei hu."
The phrase Se-woon had uttered earlier was a tightly guarded secret of the Beggar Sect—one that guaranteed an immediate audience with the regional leader under any circumstances.
Fewer than five people in the entire Jianghu knew this phrase.
And yet, impossibly, Se-woon had spoken it.
The only saving grace was that Pung San could at least guess how it had leaked.
"Answer me honestly. Did the Alliance Leader tell you?"
"......."
Pung San's bleary eyes bore into him, but Se-woon remained silent.
If he seemed too frightened to speak, that wasn't the case—his gaze was calm and composed.
'This kid... he's no ordinary opponent.'
Pung San suppressed a shudder as he met Se-woon's unsettlingly deep eyes.
But he was far too experienced to let his thoughts show.
Instead, he intensified his oppressive aura and continued.
"Keeping your mouth shut like this... means you've got something to hide, doesn't it?"
"Hide? Bullshit."
"?!"
Suddenly, Se-woon broke his silence with a curse.
Pung San blinked in stunned silence—
"We don't have time for pointless provocations. Cut the act, or this 'senior treatment' ends here."
"??"
Se-woon's audacity ignited Pung San's fury.
In all his years as a martial artist—having hunted countless heretics and earned the title Fighting Beggar—he had never been so insulted.
"You've grown arrogant from your recent notoriety, brat! Not even your father would dare speak to me like this!"
"You were the one being rude first. Don't blame me for it."
"You little—!!"
Unable to hold back, Pung San lunged—
Whoosh!
"......!"
But a surge of overwhelming energy from Se-woon froze him in place.
Not just Pung San—the surrounding beggars also stiffened in shock.
The atmosphere shifted as Se-woon spoke softly.
"Law Enforcer Pung San. I recited the secret phrase properly."
"......."
"I didn't come here as a junior of the Jianghu—but as the representative of a family."
"......!"
"So stop wasting time and bring out the real person in charge."
"!!"
Se-woon's words were baffling.
After all, every martial artist in Kaifeng knew Pung San was the headquarters' leader.
"......If I'm not the person in charge, then who is?"
"You're still playing games, even though I know the leadership changed half a month ago."
"!!"
Se-woon's reply was immediate.
Pung San struggled to hide his shock, but it was already written across his face.
Watching his pitiful expression, Se-woon muttered under his breath.
"How long do you plan to keep silent while your senior suffers alone?"
Swish.
Se-woon turned his gaze to the side—locking eyes with one of the beggars pointing a staff at him.
"The new headquarters leader. No—"
His eyes settled on a narrow-eyed beggar who appeared to be in his thirties as he continued.
"The Successor Beggar—Jang So-pyeong?"
"!!"
Silence.
A heavy stillness filled the hut.
And for good reason.
The title Successor Beggar carried immense weight—it was reserved only for the confirmed heir to the sect's leadership.
Jang So-pyeong was an Eight-Knot Beggar—two ranks higher than Pung San's Six-Knot status.
Meeting Se-woon's gaze calmly, Jang So-pyeong exhaled.
"Hah... They say the Age of the Sword Dragon has passed, and the Age of the Green Dragon has come. Seems they weren't wrong."
With that, he acknowledged Se-woon's claim as truth.
Whoosh—
Simultaneously, Jang So-pyeong unleashed his suppressed energy—a tempest that clashed violently with Se-woon's own.
The two auras warred within the cramped hut, each vying for dominance.
His opponent had already stepped into the Pinnacle of Martial Arts—nearing its peak.
Se-woon's eyes gleamed with interest as he studied Jang So-pyeong.
'Just like before the regression—he was exceptional from the start.'
Se-woon knew Jang So-pyeong's identity because they had crossed paths in his past life.
"Brothers of the Beggar Sect! Annihilate the vile Blood Cult!"
"Fear not! I shall stand at the forefront!"
In his memories, Jang So-pyeong bore far more scars than he did now—
One of the three leaders of the Anti-Blood Alliance, alongside the Sword Queen Do Ha-young.
The Heavenly Fighting Divine Beggar—Jang So-pyeong.
"Lower your staffs."
"But Successor, it's too dangerous!"
"I said stand down. If he wanted to, you'd all be unconscious already."
"......!"
"Isn't that right, Young Master?"
Jang So-pyeong's narrow eyes curved into crescents.
Se-woon nodded slightly, and the beggars reluctantly withdrew, swallowing their protests.
"Law Enforcer Feng, you should also leave—and track down whoever leaked our secrets."
"Understood. I'll investigate immediately."
Without another word, Pung San led his disciples out of the hut.
His earlier rage had clearly been an act.
In moments, only the two of them remained.
"Heh heh. Interesting. Very interesting."
Despite having his identity exposed, Jang So-pyeong grinned as if amused.
He shuffled over and sat on the mat Pung San had vacated before asking:
"So, did Se-rin tell you about me?"
"......!"
Shockingly, Tang Se-rin's name left his lips.
Like Se-woon's sister, Jang So-pyeong had been one of the Nine Dragon Spears of the previous generation.
Se-woon's brow twitched slightly at the familiar way he referred to her.
Thud.
Se-woon sat opposite Pung San's seat before answering.
"Not at all."
"Hmm. Then how did you recognize me?"
"Wouldn't not recognizing you be stranger?"
"Oh?"
As Jang So-pyeong perked up, Se-woon obliged with an explanation.
"Law Enforcer Feng and the others kept glancing your way—as if guarding you even while threatening me."
"......"
"A young martial artist the Law Enforcer prioritizes over his own life—who else but the Successor Beggar would fit that description?"
"......Fair point."
Jang So-pyeong chuckled wryly before continuing.
"How you knew about the leadership change, my appointment, and the secret phrase—I've got endless questions. Care to answer any?"
"Asking questions you already know the answer to is the biggest waste of time."
"Keh, figured you'd say that."
Jang So-pyeong shook his head with a sigh.
"Hah. Fine. Since we were rude earlier, let's skip the formalities and get to the point."
His expression shifted—all traces of playfulness vanishing.
"Why did you contact us using the secret phrase?"
"Isn't it obvious? For information."
"Tch. Listen here. Do you think the Beggar Sect is some information broker like the Hao Sect?"
"Aren't you?"
"!!"
Jang So-pyeong's face hardened.
For the first time, his narrowed eyes widened—filled with unmistakable anger.
But Se-woon pressed on undeterred.
"The Hao Sect and the Beggar Sect are both, at their core, information networks. Give what you want, get what you need—isn't that how it works?"
"......Equivalent exchange. Well, you're not wrong."
Jang So-pyeong's icy gaze bore into him.
"But do you really think a mere Tang Family can offer what we want?"
"The Tang Family? Probably not."
"??"
Se-woon's quick concession caught Jang So-pyeong off guard—
Smirk.
"But I can."
Se-woon's lips curled as he answered.