After everyone had finished the Beggar's Chicken and shared several jars of Scholar's Red wine, Zhang Yongjun and Wang Ju of the Ming Cult, together with many Beggar Sect disciples, were thoroughly intoxicated and retired for the night. Just as Wu Tong and his companion were about to rest, Elder Song Ren quietly approached them and whispered,
"The Chief wants to see the two of you in the woods behind the ruined temple. He has something important to discuss."
Although Li Jian and his companion were filled with curiosity, they asked no questions and silently followed Elder Song into the forest behind the temple. The bleak evening wind rustled through the trees, accompanied only by the chirping of insects. In the middle of the woods lay a clearing, apparently the Beggar Sect's regular training ground. The earth was almost bare of grass, a testament to the disciples' years of diligent martial practice.
When Beggar Sect Chief Fei Jin saw them arrive, he called out,
"Lu Rou, step forward."
Lu Rou obeyed and stood in the center of the clearing.
Fei Jin then ordered,
"Chen Yan and Jiang Feng, test his skills."
Without hesitation, Chen Yan and Jiang Feng leaped into the air like arrows released from a bow, charging directly at Lu Rou. Possessing remarkable agility, Lu Rou twisted aside and narrowly avoided their attack. Chen Yan immediately followed with a thunderous left punch aimed at Lu Rou's face, its force as fierce as a bolt of lightning.
Lu Rou slipped to one side and reached out to seize Chen Yan's wrist. At that very moment, Jiang Feng unleashed a flurry of palm strikes toward Lu Rou's back. Forced to abandon his grip, Lu Rou blocked with his left arm before spinning sharply and counterattacking Jiang Feng with a palm strike. Jiang Feng raised his left hand to guard his face while quickly closing the distance. Both of his hands shot forward like flashes of lightning. This sudden advance was one of Jiang Feng's signature techniques.
The three exchanged offense and defense with dazzling speed. Watching from the side, Fei Jin nodded repeatedly in approval.
Among the younger generation of the Beggar Sect, Lu Rou was famous for his obsession with martial arts. He constantly sought out experts throughout the jianghu to exchange techniques and hone his skills, making him one of the most outstanding disciples of his generation.
Suddenly Lu Rou let out a loud shout.
Bang!
The three fighters instantly sprang apart.
Both surprised and delighted, Fei Jin exclaimed,
"Lu Rou, your years of diligent training have greatly strengthened your arms. Congratulations! The fist and kicking techniques you displayed have fully met my expectations."
After a brief pause, he continued,
"However, when traveling the martial world, you will inevitably encounter enemies armed with swords and sabers. We must be prepared for such situations. Although the Beggar Sect traditionally does not use bladed weapons, the Dog-Beating Staff can serve as both a weapon and a means of self-defense. Prepare yourself a staff."
"Yes, Chief."
With that, Lu Rou leaped gracefully into a nearby tree. Breaking off a branch of suitable thickness, he swiftly trimmed away the smaller twigs with his palms, which were as sharp as blades, fashioning a perfectly balanced wooden staff in moments.
Throughout the martial world, the Beggar Sect's Dog-Beating Staff Technique was universally admired. Its intricate variations and ingenious movements ranked among the finest martial arts ever created.
The Dog-Beating Staff Technique consisted of thirty-six forms, twelve principal movements, and eight essential principles: Trip, Chop, Coil, Thrust, Lift, Lead, Seal, and Turn. It had been created by the founding patriarch of the Beggar Sect and was regarded as the sect's supreme martial art.
The first eighteen forms were taught to all qualified disciples, while the remaining eighteen were reserved exclusively for the Eight Great Elders.
Seeing Lu Rou return carrying his newly made staff, Fei Jin ordered,
"Qian He and Song Ren, test his mastery of the Dog-Beating Staff."
The two elders answered in unison, raised their staffs, shouted loudly, and charged from opposite directions with astonishing speed. Their staffs descended like a torrential rain.
Holding his staff horizontally before him, Lu Rou let out a clear whistle. As their attacks arrived, he twisted his staff to one side, coiling around their weapons before borrowing their force and redirecting it outward with a smooth, diagonal sweep.
With a staff in his hands, Lu Rou moved as though the weapon had become an extension of his own body. Its movements flowed effortlessly, rising and falling with perfect rhythm. No matter how fiercely Qian He and Song Ren attacked, their staffs never once found their mark.
Watching from the sidelines, Li Jian could not judge the depth of Lu Rou's internal energy, but the brilliance of his techniques alone convinced him that Lu Rou would never lose this contest.
The two elders suddenly coordinated their assault.
Executing the move "Staff Lifts the Mangy Dog," they attacked with ruthless force. Their twin staffs pressed forward relentlessly, embodying the "Trip" Principle of the Dog-Beating Staff Technique. Like the endless flow of the Yangtze River, one sweeping strike followed another without allowing their opponent the slightest opportunity to recover.
Forced backward, Lu Rou raised his staff to block before immediately countering with "Driving the Dog Toward Heaven," flicking both staffs upward.
Qian He and Song Ren followed the momentum by springing into the air, unleashing "Staff Strikes the Dog's Head," raining blow after blow from above in an unbroken sequence aimed at Lu Rou's head.
Changing techniques instantly, Lu Rou employed the Seal and Turn principles. He smoothly blocked every strike before rotating with the flow of their attacks.
Then, as the two elders exchanged positions, their staffs suddenly transformed into thrusting spears, stabbing repeatedly toward Lu Rou from every angle.
Lu Rou spun his staff around his body and over his shoulders. The weapon whistled through the air with overwhelming force as he blocked left and right before counterattacking with "Staff Beats Two Dogs." His staff danced above and below in powerful arcs, completely enveloping both opponents' heads and chests.
The fierce offensive forced Qian He and Song Ren steadily backward.
At last, the two elders thrust both staffs directly toward Lu Rou's centerline.
At that critical instant, Lu Rou thrust his own staff forward. In the blink of an eye, he twisted with explosive force.
Crack!
The tremendous power of his technique instantly knocked both elders' staffs from their hands.
His speed of adaptation in actual combat displayed a level of martial mastery that seemed to approach perfection.
Lu Rou lowered his staff and saluted respectfully.
"My apologies, Elders."
Witnessing such extraordinary staffsmanship, Li Jian could not help shouting in admiration.
"The Beggar Sect truly deserves its reputation as the greatest sect under Heaven! Your sect is filled with hidden masters."
Tan Wei likewise praised,
"I never imagined the Beggar Sect possessed such an exceptional expert!"
Hearing their compliments, Fei Jin merely smiled modestly.
"These are only humble skills—not worth mentioning."
As they spoke, the four elders and Lu Rou returned before Chief Fei Jin.
Lu Rou cupped his fist in salute and said,
"Branch Leader Lu Rou has fortunately fulfilled the Chief's command without disgrace."
A look of mixed emotion crossed Fei Jin's face.
"Lu Rou, do you know why I assigned you to become the branch leader of this remote outpost?"
Lu Rou answered,
"The Chief wished me to temper myself in a distant county, to devote myself to martial training, and one day become one of the pillars of the Beggar Sect."
Fei Jin nodded.
"Exactly. In a remote county like this, even begging for food is difficult. Only by experiencing such hardship can one truly understand the suffering endured by our Beggar Sect disciples. Away from the temptations of the outside world, one can devote oneself wholeheartedly to the pursuit of martial arts."