A few months later, Hejian Prefecture, Joyful Forest.
This area is not within the prefecture city, but several miles outside the east gate, a place bustling with Jianghu activities, jointly managed by the local government office, powerful figures, and the martial arts world.
The area is filled with taverns and gambling houses, with countless open prostitutes and hidden thieves, providing all kinds of pleasures, hence the name Joyful Forest.
Visitors include merchants from all directions, local bigwigs, Jianghu heroes, martial warriors, the Three Religions and Nine Schools, a mix of fish and dragons, with various gangs and sects in constant conflict.
Although conflicts are constant, the place is still controlled by various parties, maintaining order in chaos, thriving in a unique way, gathering Jianghu people, frequenting powerful figures, amassing wealth, and earning substantial daily profits.
"Come, come, come!"
"Drink, drink, drink!"
Just before noon, inside a tavern at the entrance, the tables are already crowded with drinkers exchanging cups, dressed in various styles, from the Three Religions and Nine Schools, but mostly identifiable as Jianghu people, martial heroes, with many carrying swords and knives.
Suddenly...
"Clatter, clatter, clatter!"
The sound of horse hooves resounded quickly, followed by a fast horse flying in, stopping right in front of the tavern.
"Hm!?"
The drinkers turned their heads towards the sound, only to see a horse as red as burning coal, its coat shiny and smooth, its form robust, evidently a rare and precious steed.
But as magnificent as it was, it couldn't hold their gaze, which was instantly drawn to the rider on the saddle.
The rider appeared as if made of towering mountains and rugged cliffs, his body like granite, black clothes stretched taut, as if hiding coiled dragons and crouching tigers. His eyes sparkled like cold stars, his brows thick as if painted, his chest broad, exuding an aura that could defy thousands; dignified and ambitious, giving off an aura reaching into the skies, courageous and bold like a thundering lion descending from the heavens; bones strong and muscles firm, as if a fierce beast sitting atop the land.
Like a Demon Lord descending from the heavens, truly a Grand Annual Deity in human form!
Although the tavern was filled with Jianghu heroes, upon witnessing this imposing figure, they couldn't help but feel secretly astonished, and the previously bustling tavern fell into silence, with a tinge of unease.
The newcomer, however, ignored this, dismounted from his horse, and walked into the tavern: "Waiter, bring me wine and meat!"
"Bang!"
In the midst of his speech, an object flew out, landing with an explosive sound behind the tavern owner, embedding a yuanbao in the wooden wall.
The scantily clad tavern hostess's eyes widened slightly, without daring to say much, she glanced around, and a waiter immediately went forward to serve.
"Sir, here's your wine and meat, enjoy!"
A moment later, the wine and meat were served, and the man began to eat and drink without further words.
Seeing this, the other patrons began to relax, resuming their drinking, and the tavern regained its noise, though not as before.
In the Jianghu, what is most important?
Martial arts?
No, no, no.
Even if one can be the top among the heroes and stand unbeatable at the peak, it's not necessarily safe from treachery or chaotic battles, as long as one is still flesh and blood, invincibility is a myth.
Hence, wisdom and perception are foremost. Someone once said, in this Jianghu, good people don't die, bad people don't die, only foolish people die.
While not absolute, there's truth to it; those who die the most in Jianghu are always the foolish ones with no perception.
Most in the tavern were seasoned Jianghu denizens, naturally knowing whom to provoke and whom not to antagonize.
In this subtle atmosphere...
"Clatter, clatter!"
The sound of footsteps echoed from afar, and several drinkers sitting outside the tavern under the open sky looked towards the source, only to see a group emerging from the depths of Joyful Forest, consisting of a gang of beggars in tattered clothes.
"This..."
"Are they the Beggar Gang from the Hejian Sub-Sect?"
"Iron Palm Beggar Zhang Chao, and Hejian Branch Leader, Golden Body Beggar Long Jian!"
"What's happening that causes the Beggar Gang to mobilize like this?"
Watching the two leading the group of beggars, many drinkers looked on with expressions of surprise and doubt.
The Beggar Gang is the largest gang in the world, with a million disciples spread across the great rivers north and south of the Yellow River, having a main sect, six sub-sects, and various regional branches.
The Hejian Sub-Sect belongs to the branches, under the jurisdiction of Henan's "Dali Sub-Sect," with Branch Leader Golden Body Beggar Long Jian, a master of True Qi.
Seeing Long Jian and Zhang Chao hurrying along, followed by dozens of Beggar Gang disciples in a grand display, the tavern patrons all showed faces of surprise and doubt.
The Beggar Gang, being the world's largest gang, even having a True Qi master at the branch level, stands as a top force in Hejian Prefecture's Jianghu powers, coupled with the reputation of being the largest gang globally, few dare to oppose them.
But now...
Before the crowd's astonishment settled, they saw a man rise, heading directly out of the tavern, none other than the black-clothed man from before.
"This..."
The crowd's eyes focused, and before they could speak, the man had already stepped outside, advancing towards the Beggar Gang's people.
"Hm!?"
Golden Body Beggar Long Jian's eyes narrowed immediately, stopping in place, looking at the approaching figure with suspicion and uncertainty.
"Big Brother?"
Beside him, Iron Palm Beggar Zhang Chao also showed surprise and vigilance, while the group of Beggar Gang disciples behind braced themselves as if facing a formidable enemy.
Yet the newcomer paid no heed, pressing forward with his powerful footsteps.
Long Jian's expression turned grave: "Are you the one who attacked our Beggar Gang disciples?"
"Yes!"
The newcomer maintained an unchanged expression, his stride uninterrupted, yet he responded.
Long Jian's eyes grew cold: "What grudge do you have against my second brother, or what offense has my Beggar Gang committed against you for such deadly attacks?"
"Evil deeds abound, acting on behalf of Heaven!"
The newcomer halted, facing the crowd of beggars with a cold, disdainful gaze: "Come at me together!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
In an instant, silence fell over the crowd, only the sound of the wind whispering.
Long Jian's eyes narrowed, yet he did not speak, Zhang Chao was caught between shock and anger, equally not daring to act rashly.
"This..."
"What is going on?"
"This person dares to cause trouble for the Beggar Gang?"
Inside the hotel, the onlookers were similarly filled with surprise and doubt.
"The Beggar Gang is the most powerful gang in the land, who is this person that dares to challenge them?"
"Golden Body Beggar Long Jian has been famous for years, a first-rate True Qi master, yet facing this person he reacts as if facing a formidable enemy?"
"Judging by their words, did this person attack and kill Silver-legged Beggar Dong Xi, prompting Long Jian to lead the entire Hejian Sub-Sect against them?"
The onlookers analyzed the situation, piecing together the cause and effect.
Again looking towards the field, seeing the newcomer unyielding, with a menacing stance, Long Jian no longer hesitated, shouting: "Staff Array!"
"Yes!!!"
Upon the command, dozens of Beggar Gang disciples immediately surged forth, encircling the man completely, their bamboo staffs creating rhythmic sounds, both disrupting the opponent's hearing and boosting their own morale.
Despite being encircled, the man remained entirely unchanged, simply resuming his stride, pressing towards Long Jian and Zhang Chao.
Long Jian's gaze hardened, refusing to retreat, directly commanding: "Attack!"
"Snap snap snap!"
As the words fell, the bamboo staffs exploded into action, two disciples of the Beggar Gang flew forward, intending to test the opponent's strength.
Yet unexpectedly...
"Bang!!!"
The man's stride remained unbroken, his expression unchanged, as he swung his arm, delivering a heavy punch, blood splattered, two figures flipped back, crashing towards Long Jian.
"Huh!?"
Beside Long Jian, Zhang Chao's eyes narrowed, he immediately clapped his palms outwards, attempting to catch the two disciples.
Unexpectedly, the man followed closely behind, frightening him into hurriedly opening up the two disciples, channeling strength into his palms.
Iron Sand Palm!
He was named Iron Palm Beggar, his skills trained in iron palm, achieving mastery in this external style, although not converting from external to internal, producing True Qi, but his Inner Strength was solidified, his palm skill thick and powerful, capable of contending with True Qi masters for several moves, ranking only below Golden Body Beggar Long Jian and Silver-legged Beggar Dong Xi within the Hejian Sub-Sect.
Now, executing his palms at full force, even if the opponent's True Qi was accomplished, it would be difficult to defeat him in one move.
"Bang!"
Zhang Chao channeled his Iron Palm with full force, the newcomer did not hesitate, stepping heavily, drawing strength from the ground, energy circulating his entire body, unleashing it with a punch.
This step, this punch, within mere fractions of a second, gathered Inner Strength furiously, his body like a bow drawn, strength like an arrow, unleashed with a thunderous shot.
This was an arrow piercing the sky, a mountain-crumbling punch, incredibly explosive power like a flood breaching a dam, unstoppable force erupted, in an instant piercing through the air's resistance, forcefully impacting towards Zhang Chao's front.
"Bang!!!"
A loud crash, blood splattering, a human body flew out, crashing ten-some zhangs away.
"Third Brother!!!"
Long Jian cried out hoarsely, turning back to see Zhang Chao fallen in the dust, half of his body stained red with blood, not to mention the iron palm, even the arm was nowhere to be found, only a severed sleeve remains, soaked with blood, attached to shattered bones and flesh.
"Hiss!!!"
Witnessing this scene, the surrounding spectators were also drawing sharp breaths, their faces overwhelmed with shock.
What kind of Martial Arts is this?
A single punch broke Zhang Chao's Iron Sand Palm, even the arm was shattered, turning this renowned Iron Palm Beggar of Hejian Prefecture into a one-armed cripple?
Such terrifying punching power, typical True Qi masters cannot achieve this, can they?
The spectators were horrified, the Beggar Gang disciples in the field even more shaken, the previously rhythmic sound of the staffs instantly turning erratic.
The man paid no heed, coldly watching Long Jian: "Now it's your turn!"
With that, he stepped forward again, like a ferocious tiger unleashed, like a dragon emerging, heavy fists like cannonballs directly pounding towards the adversary.
Tiger Cannon Cracking Fist!
Cannon Fist, Cracking Fist, belonging to fire and wood elements among Xingyi Five Elements Fist, Cannon Fist is fire, fierce and relentless, unmatched in force, Cracking Fist is wood, powerful and immense, capable of shattering mountains and rocks, Tiger Cannon Cracking Fist is a combination of these with the Xingyi Tiger Form, capable of maximizing one's power for lethal effects, combining with the tiger's evil qi, once erupted, unstoppable force.
Both being inner strength martial artists, Zhang Chao's Iron Sand Palm, although mastered thoroughly, such mundane martial arts from the Small Thousand World are insignificant before the Martial Arts Fist Skill of the Human Empire, moreover considering the disparity in physical strength, cultivation body and Inner Strength between the two, just one strike led to his disastrous defeat.
Having this lesson in front, facing the opponent's repeated technique, Long Jian dared not be negligent, directly channeling True Qi, firming his stance, body ready, surrounding instantly stirred by airflow, clothes billowing, as if a Golden Bell Shield enveloped him, ready to meet the adversary's heavy punch.
This is his renowned mastery—Golden Bell Shield!