The Legend of the Condor Heroes: From Being Expelled from Peach Blossom Island

Chapter 450 Giving Advice to Hong Qigong
A day later, in a small town dozens of miles away from the ambush site, Wu Chengyu booked an inn. He stayed at the inn with Hong Qigong and a dozen or so beggars dressed in tattered clothes.

The inn in the small town couldn't accommodate 300 Beiwei soldiers. Apart from Song Mu and a dozen men who stayed at the inn to be ready for any orders, the rest of them scattered throughout the town looking for places to stay. This little thing was no problem for them.

At this moment, Wu Chengyu pushed open the door and saw Hong Qigong squatting at the door. He was also seriously injured, but he didn't have time to heal his wounds. However, this did not stop him from eating. The old beggar squatted there, stuffing chicken legs into his mouth. He only swallowed the food when he saw Wu Chengyu come out.

"You know how A-Ku is doing. I, Old Beggar, am trained in external martial arts, but I'm really an amateur when it comes to treating internal injuries."

“It’s all right now. Ah Ku’s internal organs are injured, and several of his bones are broken. He has even more external injuries. I wonder how many beatings he’s taken along the way. Your position as the Beggars’ Sect’s Inspector is indeed not easy to hold.”

Wu Chengyu openly insulted Hong Qigong, and the old beggar's face turned red and white in turns, but he couldn't defend himself. He had begged and pleaded with Wu Chengyu to hand over the child to him, and the child was almost killed by a traitor in his own gang. Even if Wu Chengyu cursed him directly, he would have to listen.

"I previously obtained a set of healing techniques from the Nine Yin Manual, and I have already healed A-Ku for more than ten cycles. After that, I will heal him once a day. In less than ten days, these internal injuries will be basically healed. The rest will require slow recuperation."

I also realigned her bone injury. I have a special medicine for treating bone injuries, which you have seen before, so there is no need to worry.

However, she was seriously injured and had traveled a long distance, which dragged on for too long and damaged her vitality and foundation. This is the real problem.

Fortunately, A-Ku practices the Bear Appearance Technique, which is the most suitable method for rebuilding one's foundation. This kind of skill, like a bear, requires nourishment and hibernation, and now it is winter, which is in line with the Bear Appearance Technique's treatment cycle.

"If A-Ku eats well, sleeps well, and resumes practicing 'Boonie Bears' over the next two months, he will be able to fully recover and there will be no future problems."

Hong Qigong breathed a sigh of relief. This time, it was actually he who dragged Aku down. It was his responsibility to inspect the branch headquarters in various places.

In order to have more time to enjoy delicious food, the old beggar created the title of inspector and assigned the task of inspecting various places to A-Ku.

Those members of the Clean Clothes Faction had always understood Hong Qigong's character and knew best how to deceive him. It was only because of the sudden change of personnel that Ah Ku, who was meticulous and far less careless than Hong Qigong, discovered the Clean Clothes Faction's weakness.

For Hong Qigong, A-Ku was a perfect disciple who had fallen from the heavens. His temperament, aptitude, and compatibility with the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms were all exceptional. He couldn't find a second person to inherit his mantle.

If A-Ku were to die young because of this, regardless of whether Wu Chengyu would go mad, the old beggar himself would not be able to get over it.

"Where did you get your hands on the Nine Yin Manual? But since it's a technique from the Nine Yin Manual specifically for treating internal injuries, I'm relieved."

But why do you have such powerful cultivation now, you're already on par with us old guys?

"When I took A-Ku away a few years ago, you weren't nearly as slender as you are now. Could it all be because of the Nine Yin Manual? Is this manual really that powerful?"

Hong Qigong was very skeptical. Having reached his level, he naturally knew that to reach the level of a top master, having divine skills and secret manuals was not enough. Inheritance, talent, opportunity, hard work, and even insights gained from life and death were all indispensable.

Even if the Nine Yin Manual is incredibly profound, it cannot create a top-tier master in just a few years.

In fact, in The Legend of the Condor Heroes, the Five Greats all learned the Nine Yin Manual to some extent in their later years. The Southern Emperor used the One-Finger Divine Skill to restore his power with the Nine Yin Manual, and Hong Qigong was ambushed by Ouyang Feng and lost all his martial arts skills. He also recovered completely with the help of the Nine Yin Manual.

Huang Yaoshi actually knew many of the martial arts techniques in the Nine Yin Manual long ago, and Ouyang Feng even practiced the Nine Yin Manual in reverse. Although he was crazy, he was slightly better than others in the Mount Hua Sword Tournament.

However, although their martial arts skills improved slightly due to the Nine Yin Manual, they never broke through to the Innate Realm, and the increase was not significant.

Once you've mastered a certain level of martial arts, no amount of advanced techniques will be of any use; what matters is your own accumulation and understanding.

Therefore, Hong Qigong was extremely surprised by Wu Chengyu's current martial arts skills. He simply couldn't figure out how Wu Chengyu had reached his current level of cultivation.

His good disciple, A-Ku, has top-notch talent and foundation. He has also learned the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. He is now only above the first-class masters. When he encounters top masters, he can only parry. But such a growth rate is something that Hong Qigong has never seen before in his life. Wu Chengyu, on the other hand, is completely beyond the level.

He no longer connects Wu Chengyu with that boy who was suspected to be a descendant of the Murong family, mainly because Wu Chengyu's fighting style was too distinctive back then.

He could create seven or eight clones at a time, relying entirely on his lightness skill to win, or using techniques like "Star Shift" and various other miscellaneous close-combat skills.

Today, Wu Chengyu only used four moves of the Heaven-Turning Seal from beginning to end. These were exactly the same moves. He killed Qiu Qianren with three punches and fought to a draw with the Toad Skill when it was fully charged. In terms of martial arts style alone, it was completely different from before.

Hong Qigong now only felt that Wu Chengyu won by using internal force and physical strength, and that his fighting style was just as fierce as his own. He did not connect this to the person who had given him aphrodisiacs, saved the descendants of Yue Fei's army, and was suspected of killing Shi Miyuan.

Wu Chengyu was too lazy to explain the origin of his martial arts to him. He was a little hungry and wanted to snatch some roast chicken from Hong Qigong, but when he saw the gaps in Hong Qigong's fingernails, he immediately gave up the idea and just gestured to Song Mu who was standing next to him.

Song Mu immediately brought over a roast chicken, along with sesame cakes and liquor. Wu Chengyu ate the roast chicken leg in a few bites and drank a few cups of liquor before he could even pay attention to Hong Qigong.

Instead of trying to figure out my situation, why don't you consider your Beggars' Sect?

When Aku was in trouble, he was able to suppress all the news, transfer most of the Dirty Clothes Faction led by Lu Youjiao away, and still have so many Clean Clothes Faction experts besieging him.

It seems that your entire Clean Clothes Faction of the Beggars' Sect has betrayed you, Old Beggar, your days are numbered.

Hearing Wu Chengyu's words, Hong Qigong also looked bitter. The conflict between the Dirty Clothes Faction and the Clean Clothes Faction of the Beggars' Clan had been going on for a long time, but it had always been an internal conflict. He had always been able to suppress it with his prestige. Who would have thought that the entire Clean Clothes Faction would rebel?

In recent years, under the instigation of the Jin people, the Clean Clothes Faction has engaged in many dirty deals and even committed numerous acts of treason. If these things were to spread, the reputation of the Beggars' Sect would surely be severely damaged.

Furthermore, the Clean Clothes Faction is wealthy, and its prestige has surpassed that of the Dirty Clothes Faction in recent years. Now that the Clean Clothes Faction has completely betrayed them, it is equivalent to losing more than half of the Beggars' Sect's strength.

Since Hong Qigong became the leader of the Beggars' Clan, the clan had developed well thanks to his reputation as the Northern Beggar among the Five Greats of the world. Now, however, it has not only reverted to its original state but is even far inferior to what it once was.

Each and every one of these incidents signifies enormous trouble, requiring countless hours of Hong Qigong's effort to salvage.

"Alas, the old beggar has suffered a great setback. While you were treating A-Ku's injuries, I went to check on those traitors from the Clean Clothes Sect that you captured. I've figured out the inside story. I never expected the Jin Kingdom, which has always looked down on martial arts forces, to pull such a stunt. I also never expected that the Clean Clothes Sect members would be so easily won over by them."

"A group of nominal beggars, with both martial arts skills and money, how could they be content to be beggars? With more money comes more desires. They follow the Beggars' Clan and have to abide by its rules. How can that compare to the joy of being a powerful figure in the martial arts world?"

Human hearts are unpredictable and cannot withstand tests. Even without these events, the day when your Beggars' Sect splits up is not far off.

However, in my opinion, while this incident certainly caused heavy losses to the Beggars' Sect, it was also a good thing in some ways.

"What kind of good thing is this?"

“The Clean Clothes Faction was already too powerful to control, and you had no reason to replace them all. Now that they have all betrayed you, why not just eliminate them all and make your Beggars’ Sect more pure and united? Wouldn’t that be better?”

"Easy for you to say. How could such a large organization as the Beggars' Sect stand up without the businesses run by the Clean Clothes Faction? Do you think we can rely entirely on the Dirty Clothes Faction to beg for food?"

Wu Chengyu had no intention of rebuilding the Beggars' Sect, as this was already a troublesome and protracted matter, and he did not want to waste his energy on it. However, his knowledge from his previous life was something he could use to teach others.

"The biggest problem with your Beggars' Sect is its organizational structure. The Beggars' Sect is too powerful, with branches in every city. Neighboring cities are not close to each other, and communication between them depends on either running on foot or sending messages by carrier pigeon. Once something happens, the response is slow, and it is difficult to form a united force."

Moreover, the Beggars' Sect disciples come from diverse backgrounds and often harbor filth and evil. With so many people, it's considered good if they steal chickens and dogs, but in recent years, cases of mutilation and torture have been frequently seen.

But I can't help with these things, and I can't think of any good ideas. All I can do is strengthen law enforcement and supervision, but even with supervision, I'm afraid you can't supervise everything.

However, I do have some suggestions regarding the Beggars' Sect's businesses. They may not be useful, but they are just my personal opinions. Would you like to hear them?

“I knew you weren’t a good guy the moment I met you in Gushan County. Your thinking is different from ours. It’s a pity you’re not willing to join my Beggars’ Sect. Otherwise, I could have given you the leadership of the Beggars’ Sect. Stop being mysterious and just tell me.”

"The Beggars' Sect needs the support of businesses, but while those who run these businesses can make money, you can't allow them to have martial power."

A group like the Clean Clothes Faction can make money, has half the martial prowess of the Beggars' Sect, and can recruit more experts with the money they make, so their strength will only grow stronger.

At the same time, the money they earn doesn't belong to them; they have to support the Beggars' Sect and also support the unproductive Dirty Clothes Faction on the other side. It would be strange if they didn't rebel.

This time, in order to ambush you and Ah Ku, they've gathered thirty or forty second-rate or higher characters from all over the country, many of whom I suspect you don't even recognize yourself.

Such a clean-clothes faction would never be willing to obey your leadership.

In my opinion, you should hand over the Beggars' Sect's businesses to capable people. These people should not be martial artists, and they should be kept out of the Beggars' Sect. Their daily work should be limited to managing the Beggars' Sect's businesses, making money and handing it over, while leaving them a certain amount of profit.

The principle is that they are not allowed to possess any martial arts skills, nor are they allowed to participate in the affairs of the Beggars' Sect. They are simply treated as managers that the Beggars' Sect has found from outside.

Normally, all that's needed is to send out a team to protect or monitor these industries, and to have a few trustworthy people who know how to keep accounts check the books regularly.

The people protecting them and the people auditing their accounts should also be rotated randomly to prevent them from being bribed or bribed.

Those who help run the business have no military power and need protection at all times, so they naturally dare not disrespect the Beggars' Sect. In this way, the Beggars' Sect has a stable source of income and ensures the purity of its members, thus preventing further disputes between the Clean Clothes Faction and the Dirty Clothes Faction.

If the Clean Clothes Faction were still around, they would definitely oppose my system if I asked them to relinquish their control over the business and their vested interests.

"But if the Clean Clothes Faction is eliminated, wouldn't it be much more convenient for your Beggars' Sect to reorganize and reshuffle its industries in various regions, starting from scratch without the entanglement of the old forces?"

Hong Qigong, with the heart of a chivalrous martial arts hero, carefully considered Wu Chengyu's suggestion this time. At least for now, it was indeed a good solution for the Beggars' Sect.

"I knew you were something special. Why don't you join the Beggars' Sect? I'll make you the leader, and A-Ku will be her inspector. You can help me rebuild the Beggars' Sect."

"Come on, I don't want to take on the mess your Beggars' Sect is in now. I've sworn never to be a beggar again. Not only me, but I'll take A-Ku with me. You should think about how to clean up this mess."

"Since that's the case, there's no time to lose. I need to return to the Junshan headquarters now and take down all those Clean Clothes Faction members. Ah Ku will stay with you to heal his injuries. As for whether he's still in the Beggars' Sect, that's not up to you."

"You're probably short-handed if you're dealing with the Clean Clothes Faction now. What do you think of these young men under my command?"

“They are all promising talents, with exceptional martial arts skills and good potential, but they were all ruthless when they killed people just now. I don’t know where you found them.”

"For the next two months, I will stay here to help A-Ku recover from his injuries. I will have them go to Hunan with you to help you eliminate the traitor."

"What do you need me to do?"

"The Iron Palm Clan is located on Iron Palm Peak in Hunan. Qiu Qianren is dead. I want them to wipe out the Iron Palm Clan. You don't need to do anything; just help them keep order."

"Fine, the old beggar has no room for negotiation now, as long as they don't kill too many people."

Wu Chengyu turned to Song Mu and said, "You heard it all. The Iron Palm Clan has been rampant in Hunan for many years and has been won over by the Jin Kingdom. They probably have accumulated a lot of good stuff."

After you lead your men to take down the Iron Palm Clan, bring back all the gold, silver, and supplies. Especially important is the book inside the Iron Palm Clan's forbidden area behind the mountain; there's a skeleton holding an iron box there. This item is extremely important and must not be lost.

"Subordinates obey orders."

Hong Qigong asked with some doubt, "How do you know about the situation inside Iron Palm Peak?"

(End of this chapter)