Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Great Abundance Beggar
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Hong Geolgae and Wang Bong's meal was the cheapest dumplings sold at the inn.
They weren't made with any fancy ingredients, but dumplings were cheap, came in large portions, and filled you up perfectly. How many foods in the world could be more ideal than that?
"See you tomorrow!"
Wang Bong waved to Hong Geolgae and left. Not long after, an unfamiliar voice called from behind.
"Hey, young man."
"Yes?"
Hong Geolgae turned around.
Under the moonlight stood a beggar who wasn't tall but was unusually plump. It was Hong Geolgae's first time seeing a fat beggar.
He looked fairly old, but his face was free of wrinkles, giving him a peculiar impression.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Paeng Cheon. People call me the Great Abundance Beggar."
Of course, Hong Geolgae had never heard the nickname before. He just thought it suited him well.
The Great Abundance Beggar spoke with a friendly smile.
"Your face has an unusual look to it. Want me to read your physiognomy?"
"I don't have any money on me, so I can't offer a tip."
"No worries. I didn't learn physiognomy just to make a living off it. And folks say I'm pretty good at it."
The Great Abundance Beggar spoke confidently.
Unlike an ordinary beggar, the Great Abundance Beggar hadn't started begging from a young age.
In his youth, he had been a promising Daoist of the Kunlun Sect. Unable to endure the stifling life, he left Kunlun Mountain and ended up as a beggar.
He had no regrets. The beggar's life made him happier than the Daoist's ever had.
But as the saying goes, a crane among chickens. The Great Abundance Beggar had too many talents to be just an ordinary beggar.
Not only did he possess high martial prowess, but his knowledge was deep enough to converse freely with most scholars.
He could even read a bit of heavenly principles from the sky, so reading physiognomy was child's play.
The Beggars' Sect had many members, but few with special talents.
As a result, without even seeking a high position, the Great Abundance Beggar became a Law Beggar with six knots. Hong Geolgae had no way of knowing this background.
Hong Geolgae shrugged and said,
"Well, give it a look then. It'd be nice if you could tell me what I'll have for breakfast tomorrow."
"I'm not sure if my skills extend that far into the future."
The Great Abundance Beggar made an appropriate deflection and examined Hong Geolgae's face closely.
'Not seeing things. This guy's peculiar.'
Large eyes, but weak double eyelids. Thin, short ears, and a small, distinct scar crossing the philtrum.
'Whether dying from illness or caught in some disaster, this is the face of someone who should've died before they could even walk.'
Yet Hong Geolgae had survived, and he even looked fairly sturdy.
The Great Abundance Beggar tilted his head and continued reading. A face that should have meant death and nothingness had somehow survived, giving meaning to the other features.
'Broad, clear forehead. A guy who'll achieve something. And these pupils... lacquer-dot eyes?'
Lacquer-dot eyes referred to pitch-black, small pupils.
Most people had black pupils and brownish irises, but those with lacquer-dot eyes had irises so dark they blended indistinguishably with the pupils.
The issue was that lacquer-dot eyes signified a rare physiognomy of wealth and luck.
With any other features, he might've thought, "Not bad for a beggar." But lacquer-dot eyes weren't for beggars. A beggar with money and fortune rolling in?
'Thick eyebrows, but a slightly crooked nose bridge. The corners of the mouth curl up. The look of one who seizes and holds onto their luck.'
Not a handsome face. But the physiognomy was exceptionally good, one in a million.
Perhaps all that luck gathered to overcome his short lifespan. The Great Abundance Beggar shrugged and said,
"Your features are wide open and clear. I can't say what you'll eat for breakfast tomorrow, but at least you won't starve."
"Haha. That's a relief."
"By the way, you look young, but you've got three knots. Are you a branch leader or something?"
"Yes. Hong Geolgae, leader of the Zhuul Village Branch."
The Great Abundance Beggar's brow twitched.
A Law Beggar had to know everything about the Beggars' Sect. Mastering the sect's rules and structure was basic.
In other words, the Great Abundance Beggar knew every branch location across the Central Plains.
But he'd never heard of Zhuul Village. Who puts a branch in a village small enough to be called that?
The Great Abundance Beggar thought,
'Probably some punk who learned a bit of martial arts and is impersonating a branch leader.'
Falsely claiming a position was a grave offense anywhere, and the free-spirited Beggars' Sect was no exception.
If a martial artist faked a rank, their dantian was crippled. If a civilian did it, their leg meridians were severed.
But the Great Abundance Beggar didn't want to cripple Hong Geolgae's dantian.
He wasn't strutting around boastfully as a Three-Knot Elder, nor was he greedy for wealth.
On the contrary, he'd shared his money with the hungriest and poorest. For that, he could let it slide once without punishment.
But it didn't mean he could keep faking it forever. If another Law Beggar or elder found him, they'd smash his dantian without question.
The Great Abundance Beggar smiled amiably.
"Hong Geolgae, right? Want to make a bet with me?"
"A bet?"
"If I win, I take one of your things. If you win... well, I'll teach you some martial arts."
It was a no-lose proposition for Hong Geolgae. He had nothing worth taking anyway.
But it offered no gain either. To Hong Geolgae, the Great Abundance Beggar didn't look that strong.
"I may not look it, but I've learned some martial arts. Not divine arts or anything, but better than street-level stuff."
"Is that so?"
In that instant, the Great Abundance Beggar's figure blurred. He vanished from three zhang away, and a presence appeared behind Hong Geolgae.
Hong Geolgae leaped back and swung his staff.
"Reverse Dog Haunch Strike!"
The Great Abundance Beggar sensed something off in Hong Geolgae's technique, but couldn't pinpoint it right away.
As the Great Abundance Beggar dodged the staff and circled behind again, Hong Geolgae swung in panic.
"Staff Strikes Twin Hounds! Fierce Dog Furnace!"
Only after observing a couple more moves did the Great Abundance Beggar grasp Hong Geolgae's flaw.
'The names and motions resemble Staff-Beating Method at a glance. But it's not the real thing. It's the sloppy imitation beggars do. Worse, he's mixed in unrelated arts. Crude skills layered haphazardly with incompatible ones.'
The Great Abundance Beggar finished his assessment and finally showed his true power.
One step, one thrust. With a single stride and gesture.
Hong Geolgae's vision darkened as fierce wind pressure slammed his face.
He realized what happened only the next moment. The Great Abundance Beggar's broad palm covered his face.
Even his elbow hadn't fully extended. Had it, that one strike would've killed him.
Death brushed past his nose. But instead of fear, Hong Geolgae felt temptation.
When he'd lost to the black-clad man recently. Watching Dang Mujin subdue the man he'd failed against—what had he felt? With this martial arts, maybe he could catch up to Dang Mujin.
As Hong Geolgae's eyes sparkled, the Great Abundance Beggar burst into hearty laughter and withdrew his hand.
"Is this level of martial arts enough stakes?"
"More than enough. What kind of bet?"
"Let's roll some dice. Highest total wins."
The Great Abundance Beggar pulled two dice from his bosom. Plain wooden ones, no room for tricks.
Hong Geolgae nodded. Dice were his specialty, after all.
"You first? Or me?"
"You go first, elder. Even cold water has a top and bottom."
"Alright then."
The Great Abundance Beggar rolled the dice with surprising focus for his build.
But the result was 1-3. Far from winning, barely a tie.
Hong Geolgae confidently picked up the dice.
"Over 5 total, and I win, right?"
"That's right."
Hong Geolgae rolled. 5-4. More than double the Great Abundance Beggar's total.
Hong Geolgae looked at him smugly. But the Great Abundance Beggar did something unexpected. He subtly nudged the dice, turning both to 1.
"What are you doing?"
"What else? I have 4. You have 2. You lose."
"That's ridiculous... You can't just touch the dice again!"
"If you're unhappy, change the numbers yourself."
Impressive martial artist, but a bit dim. So Hong Geolgae thought as he reached for the dice.
But in that moment, his mind went blank, heart pounding wildly. Overwhelming terror that he might die right there.
Unable to comprehend, Hong Geolgae scanned around with bloodshot eyes.
Only the Great Abundance Beggar was visible, sitting casually and watching.
Yet his instincts screamed. Retreat now. Reaching out means death.
Only then did Hong Geolgae understand.
'Killing intent.'
Overwhelming pressure from a supreme expert.
It felt less like mere aura and more like a declaration, a tangible wall.
The Great Abundance Beggar was speaking through killing intent. Reach further, and he'll snap your arm and break your neck.
But Hong Geolgae wasn't one to back down easily. He squeezed his eyes shut and thrust his arm toward the dice. He didn't even need to grab them—just flick to roll higher than 1-3.
Yet his hand never reached the dice.
Precisely, it stopped half a zhang short. Instinct for survival was that powerful.
Huff, huff. Hong Geolgae retreated, panting. The terror vanished instantly, the atmosphere relaxing as if it were a lie.
The Great Abundance Beggar grinned shamelessly.
"Whew. Looks like my luck's better. Right?"
Hong Geolgae was speechless, his face slack with defeat.
"Impressive, elder. What do you want? My straw sandals?"
"Nah, no need. Already got it."
In the Great Abundance Beggar's hand dangled a three-knotted cord. Hong Geolgae frantically checked his waist, but of course it was gone.
By demonstrating the vast power gap and snatching the cord, the Great Abundance Beggar issued a warning. Fake a rank recklessly, and someone like me will punish you.
Any ordinary beggar would've understood and backed off.
The problem was one thing. The Great Abundance Beggar didn't know what that cord meant to Hong Geolgae.
"Give it back!"
"You lost the bet. Learn to accept defeat."
The Great Abundance Beggar chuckled and walked away. Hong Geolgae couldn't grab him rashly.
As the Great Abundance Beggar was about to vanish into the night street, he sensed something flying at his head from behind. Tilting slightly, a fist-sized stone whizzed past his ear.
The Great Abundance Beggar had a mild temperament. But he wasn't so magnanimous as to laugh off a flying stone.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"That's the one thing... I can't give!"
"You're lucky it ended like this after impersonating a branch leader from a nonexistent branch. If another Law Beggar caught you, your dantian would be shattered by now."
"Law Beggar...!"
A Six-Knot Elder was a heavenly position.
But right now, the number of knots didn't matter.
"Law Beggar or whatever, I won't give it even if my head rolls. Take it and go."
"Fine? Shall we roll the dice once more?"
The Great Abundance Beggar tossed the dice to Hong Geolgae.
"This time, your stakes are your dantian and right arm. I'll bet this cord."
The Great Abundance Beggar assumed Hong Geolgae would back down.
But Hong Geolgae rolled without hesitation.
The dice result didn't matter. The Great Abundance Beggar would just change them to 1-1 anyway.
"Looks like I win again. Right?"
Hong Geolgae took a deep breath and advanced on the Great Abundance Beggar.
Killing intent crashed down again. No, thicker and heavier than before. This wasn't mere threat. The Great Abundance Beggar intended to claim these stakes for real.
Hong Geolgae bit his lower lip hard. A faint taste of blood spread in his mouth. His mind cleared slightly. His leg stepped forward half a pace more.
But the dice were still distant. Advancing leg versus retreating knee. Extending shoulder versus bending elbow. His body moved at odds with itself.
The Great Abundance Beggar watched Hong Geolgae struggle leisurely.
He'd given a chance, and Hong Geolgae had squandered it.
Sorry to shatter a young man's dantian, but unavoidable. Lose one arm, and the other remained—he could still beg for food.
In that moment, the red-faced, groaning Hong Geolgae let out a beastly roar.
"Aaargh—!"
Wondering what mad act this was, the Great Abundance Beggar watched as Hong Geolgae crammed a chunk of flesh from his left forearm into his mouth. Without hesitation, he clenched his jaw and tore it out.
Blood streamed down. A deep wound exposing raw muscle beneath the skin.
Faced with this maniacal act bordering on madness, the Great Abundance Beggar faltered.
In that gap, relying on the piercing pain in his mind, Hong Geolgae briefly forgot the killing intent.
He staggered two steps forward.
But no time to squat and reach for the dice.
Instead, Hong Geolgae kicked them hard with his foot.
The pathetic dice tumbled into a corner of the alley.
Without even checking the numbers, Hong Geolgae smiled in satisfaction and collapsed unconscious.
Tsk.
The Great Abundance Beggar clicked his tongue.
'...Not your average lunatic.'
He pondered. Should he turn a blind eye to this guy claiming branch leader?
No, bad choice. Sooner or later, another Law Beggar or elder would shatter his dantian.
The Great Abundance Beggar recalled Hong Geolgae tearing flesh from his own arm.
This kid had a tenacity he lacked. He'd never taken a disciple in his life, but this one might be worth teaching.
A Law Beggar's disciple could wear three knots without raising eyebrows.
'Physiognomy doesn't lie. He's got great fortune.'
The Great Abundance Beggar glanced at the limp Hong Geolgae, then fetched the dice from the corner. Ironically, they showed 1-2.
He changed them to 6-6 and smiled satisfactorily.
'My physiognomy skills are indeed top-notch.'
He sealed Hong Geolgae's forearm acupoint to stop the bleeding, then hoisted him over his shoulder.
For his first disciple, he ought to at least feed him breakfast tomorrow, he thought.