CHAPTER 107: 107 BEGGAR GANG DEBUT SHOW

The Blood Shadow Sect, Waning Sun Gate, Mysterious Darkness Cult, and Blood Separation Sect were four notorious evil sects near Qian City and Kun City, known for their reckless actions and cruel, murderous cultivation techniques.

Apart from the extremely evil members of Demon Cults who went to extremes using living beings or souls for their practice, evil sects generally left ordinary people completely untouched.

However, even for righteous Cultivation Sects, their bases were mostly located deep in the mountains where Spiritual Energy was abundant and more conducive to cultivation.

If it weren’t for the appearance of the Divinely Chosen Ones, it was highly unlikely that Cultivation Sects would establish recruitment points in towns inhabited by ordinary people to select disciples.

In a broader sense, the struggle between the righteous and evil factions was more like a contest for orthodox legitimacy; the worlds they inhabited were largely separate from the world of ordinary people.

Therefore, the world of cultivators, representing the highest productive forces, was disconnected from the world of ordinary people.

This explained why civilization hadn’t developed.

Ultimately, it was because Immortal Law had not been applied for the benefit of the common people.

From Jiang Qingqin’s explanation, Lin Bai quickly understood the reason for the skewed development of this world’s civilization. Cultivators, accustomed to their lofty positions, likely viewed the mortals of the mundane world as little more than ants.

Should any sign emerge among these "ants" that could threaten their status, these immortals and demons would most likely intervene directly to nip the crisis in the bud.

The existence of immortals and demons had severely hampered the development of civilization.

Or rather, while cultivation civilization had been advancing, they had, through their own methods, cut off the pathways for ordinary people to rise.

"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Qingqin asked.

"I’m thinking about what kind of changes the influx of the Divinely Chosen Ones into the Cultivation World will bring!" Lin Bai said.

"Actually, everyone is pondering this issue," Jiang Qingqin said. "The Divinely Chosen Ones have all their meridians open and have no fear of life or death, so their cultivation faces almost no bottlenecks. If they are allowed to grow unchecked, their presence will inevitably squeeze the living space of the original disciples within the sects. Therefore, most sects are unwilling to accept these Divinely Chosen Ones, yet they have no choice but to do so. Because if you don’t accept them and other sects do, then once those Divinely Chosen Ones mature, it will be a disaster for your own sect..."

"So, they’re forced into it, huh!" Lin Bai remarked.

"Yes!" Jiang Qingqin looked back at the energetic Players and said, "Lin Bai, your Beggar Gang has recruited so many Divinely Chosen Ones. When we arrive at Qian City, if you don’t allocate some of them elsewhere, it might cause trouble!"

"It’s no big deal; let them fight over them," Lin Bai laughed. "The Righteous Door promotes harmony. If we can develop peacefully, I’d be thrilled for my disciples to have a bright future."

"..." Jiang Qingqin froze, then looked back at the Divinely Chosen One on the carriage who had suddenly shouted, "Fresh Good Milk!" An ominous premonition struck her.

Lin Bai is too indulgent with them; other sects probably wouldn’t allow such frivolous behavior. When other sects want to poach from the Beggar Gang, it might not be that easy. Unless their own sects also allow these Divinely Chosen Ones to advertise! A bizarre thought suddenly occurred to Jiang Qingqin. But I quickly dismissed it. It’s not that I’m unwilling; it’s just that my sect is too old-fashioned. They’d never allow us to act so frivolously using the sect’s name...

"Shopkeeper Lin, how many days will this journey take?" Lonely Old Man, perched on the first carriage, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted towards Lin Bai.

"Probably two days!" Lin Bai replied.

The journey from Jiamucheng to Qian City was just over a hundred *li*. The mountain road was rugged, making the journey difficult.

Furthermore, there were bandits and Beasts along the way. Without certain skills, traveling from the Novice Village to a higher-level city was not easy.

Normally, people in this world were largely self-sufficient and rarely needed to travel far from home.

The circulation of goods was mostly controlled by the large clans, which usually had their own guard squads.

Failing that, there were security escort guilds to deliver goods, as well as the Wild Wind Gang, which dominated the transportation industry.

The three martial arts schools of Jiamucheng, for instance, had built their entire profit model around this perilous mountain road.

This time, Evil Sects had been robbing the Divinely Chosen Ones along the way, which was why the Players now had escorts from the righteous sects.

In the future, when there were more Players, or if the Evil Sects also established bases in Qian City, they wouldn’t be so lucky. They would have to fight their own way through or pay martial arts school personnel for an escort—that was the normal game mode.

"Old Dumbelldore, the livestream was a success! The sponsors are very satisfied, but they’re hoping we can put on an even bigger show." After asking Lin Bai about the travel time, Lonely Old Man switched to the team voice channel to chat with all the Players.

Sitting with him in the same carriage were Dumbelldore and Lumberjack No.1.

Strictly speaking, Dumbelldore was a disciple of the Righteous Door and had no affiliation with the Beggar Gang.

But Dumbelldore had practiced the Nine-Days True Scripture and was the top Player in Jiamucheng. Given Lonely Old Man’s personality, he naturally wouldn’t let such a top Player remain outside the Beggar Gang. Seizing the opportunity presented by this sponsorship deal, he had also pulled Dumbelldore into his group.

"So, what’s the plan?" Dumbelldore asked.

"The reason Jiang Qingqin from the Hundred Flower Valley is escorting us is that the Blood Shadow Sect and the Waning Sun Gate are intercepting Players on the road," Lonely Old Man said. "The road to Qian City is likely the dividing line where Players choose between the righteous and evil factions. If captured by an Evil Sect, you join them; if you enter Qian City, you join a righteous one. Therefore, the sponsors want us to create a big scene when we encounter the Magic Gate’s interception."

"No problem," the Players chorused.

"What do the sponsors see in us? It’s not just Lin Bai; it’s our group as a whole," Lonely Old Man declared. "This means the Beggar Gang cannot join either the righteous faction or the evil faction. Once we’re split up, that special appeal will be gone. After all, if captured by an Evil Sect, our Resurrection Points will be redefined within their sect. There’s no telling when we could regroup! If the Beggar Gang is disbanded, subsequent sponsorship deals will surely be withdrawn. I believe no one in the team wants that consequence!"

"Boss Lonely, just give the word, and we’ll follow," Lumberjack No.1 said.

"The moment we’re captured by people from an Evil Sect, we should commit suicide immediately and resurrect back in Jiamucheng," Not Settling For Less declared.

"Suicide is a last resort," Crazy Man said. "We can’t all kill ourselves and go back; how would we ever make it down this road? Besides, committing suicide means losing a Level. Whether others join a righteous or Evil Sect, their Levels will surely skyrocket. We can’t afford to lose Levels now."

"Old Crazy is right; suicide is indeed a last resort. The real issue isn’t our Martial Power, but our attitude and how we present ourselves," Lonely Old Man stated. "The last time we tried to encircle Shopkeeper Lin already proved that the Level gap between us and high-level BOSSes is too large. We can’t beat Lin Bai, and naturally, we can’t beat the people from the Evil Sects either, even with Old Dumbelldore, it’s not enough.

In terms of Martial Power, we can only rely on Jiang Qingqin and Shopkeeper Lin. If Shopkeeper Lin or Jiang Qingqin can’t protect us, our only option is to make our stance clear and convince the Blood Shadow Sect or Sunsetting Valley that we’re not worth capturing."

"How do we do that?" Crispy Rice asked.

"Aggressively promote the advertisements, and it would be best to shout out the slogans of the Beggar Gang and the Righteous Door. That’s what the sponsors want to see," Lonely Old Man said. "These NPCs are intelligent; they surely won’t accept people who have already joined another sect and are acting like lunatics! This is also the best opportunity for us to show our loyalty to Shopkeeper Lin.

If anyone has any good ideas, feel free to share them. In short, the more chaotic and spectacular the scene, the better. After all, we’re not just playing a game anymore; we’re building a business..."

While making small talk with Jiang Qingqin, Lin Bai focused his full attention on the Players’ discussion behind them. The more he listened, the more surprised he became.

Damn it! I’ve really led this wave of Players astray.

"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Qingqin asked.

"Nothing, just thought of something amusing," Lin Bai replied with a grin.

"Hmph," Jiang Qingqin pouted, riding her horse closer to Lin Bai. "Brother Lin, you’ve been asking me so many questions; why not tell me something about your Righteous Door?"

Lin Bai chuckled. "There’s not much to say about the Righteous Door. It just has a rather long history, a few more cultivation manuals, and a few more old eccentrics in its ranks. You know the rest."

"..." Jiang Qingqin’s lips twitched. "Alright, don’t say anymore. Let’s talk about something else!"

"Sure!" Lin Bai multitasked, listening to the Players’ chatter behind him while casually responding to Jiang Qingqin.

"Then help me practice my Spoken Law Follows!" Jiang Qingqin suggested.

"Mm," Lin Bai nodded.

The Little White Fox steering the horse glanced at her and muttered, "Shameless woman!"

"I’ll speak, you listen!" Jiang Qingqin paid no heed to the Little Fox, looking at Lin Bai enthusiastically.

"Okay," Lin Bai replied.

"An encounter may take but a moment, yet falling in love can last a lifetime..." Jiang Qingqin coughed softly, looking tenderly at Lin Bai as she spoke.

"Wrong," Lin Bai interrupted her without hesitation.

"Where was I wrong?" Jiang Qingqin was taken aback.

"I interrupted you," Lin Bai said with a smile.

"..." Jiang Qingqin’s face flushed red. "You... you’re cheating!"

"Sister Jiang, you’re practicing Spoken Law Follows, and you asked me to help you train, didn’t you?" Lin Bai said. "So, my role is to be the one who tries to disrupt you, not someone who just agrees with you. If I were to accommodate your every word, then it would be too easy, like a rehearsed play. Why else would Spoken Law Follows be a technique that no one has ever successfully cultivated?"

"That makes sense." Jiang Qingqin contemplated for a moment before clapping her hands. "Let’s go again. This time, I definitely won’t be distracted by you. Lin Bai, you are like a flourishing parasol tree in summer..."

"Enemies approaching," Lin Bai suddenly said.

Jiang Qingqin, wearing an expression that showed she saw through Lin Bai’s little trick, smiled faintly and continued, "...shielding me from the scorching sun..."

However, Lin Bai’s gaze was already fixed ahead, and the kitchen knife he had reforged now lay in his palm.

Up ahead on the road, seven young men, their bodies wreathed in a bloody aura, blocked their path.

"Our master’s information was indeed correct. The ones escorting the Divinely Chosen Ones from Jiamucheng are indeed just some young girls from the Hundred Flower Valley. They don’t even possess Golden Core Cultivation. They look down on us too much."

The leader, a young man with features as if exquisitely carved, wore a black robe embroidered with patterns of splattered blood. He stood there, exuding an aura of sinister beauty.

"Senior Brother, these Divinely Chosen Ones look rather strange. They seem a bit different from Junior Brother Jin, whom Master brought back to the Sect. Are you sure we haven’t mistaken them for someone else?" the man behind the black-robed youth asked, frowning slightly and lowering his voice as he looked at the Players on the carriages.

"The Hundred Flower Valley wouldn’t escort a group of mere mortals to Qian City. It must be them..." The black-robed youth had already seen the advertisements on the carriages. A sliver of doubt crept into his mind; if he really did get the wrong people, he’d be a laughingstock when he returned.

"Blood Shadow Sect?" Jiang Qingqin finally snapped out of her daze, her expression turning serious as she drew her sword.

"Indeed, it is us. Little girl from the Hundred Flower Valley, be sensible and let us take these Divinely Chosen Ones. Otherwise, if blades must clash, I’m afraid you’re no match for us," the black-robed youth said, an air of absolute confidence about him.

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion erupted as the Players leaped from the carriages. Simultaneously, dozens of voices chanted in unison:

"Natural good milk, nutritious and fresh!"

"Drink Mu Ming Milk, enjoy a quality life!"

"Mu Ming Youchun Milk, ensuring balanced nutrition—fresh milk even babies can drink!"

"Mu Ming Milk, the taste of home!"

"Fragrant and rich, Mu Ming Milk helps Shopkeeper Lin defeat the Blood Shadow Sect!"

...

WHOOSH!

The deafening chorus of advertisements startled countless birds into flight from the surrounding woods.

At the scene, everyone present—except for Lin Bai—including Jiang Qingqin and the Blood Shadow Sect members, stood there utterly dumbfounded.

"What’s going on?" Jiang Qingqin asked Lin Bai, completely bewildered.

Lin Bai smiled faintly. "Mu Ming’s good milk makes Beggar Gang people strong!"

[Resentment from Jiang Qingqin +1+1+1]

[Resentment from Li Shan, Qian Jinzu, Lechuan, Hu Wanshui... +1+1+1]

"Senior Brother, could we have made a mistake?" Lechuan of the Blood Shadow Sect swallowed hard and asked. "Did we fall into their trap and rob a group of milk vendors?"

"Since when have you seen milk vendors cause such a commotion? Besides, milk vendors don’t talk like this!" Li Shan glared at him. "They’re just putting on an act!"

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. "Are those people opposite us really the Divinely Chosen Ones?"

Lonely Old Man began a countdown in the team voice channel: "One, two!"

The Players waved their arms, chanting in unison: "Born as people of the Beggar Gang, we die as souls of the Beggar Gang!"

"One, two!"

"We’d rather beg from a thousand homes than enter an Evil Sect’s doors!"

"One, two!"

"We swear to follow Shopkeeper Lin, fearlessly venturing into the world!"

...

"Senior Brother, these people are lunatics!" Hu Wanshui’s brow furrowed deeply, his expression strained. "Are we really supposed to bring this bunch back to the Sect?"

"..." Li Shan opened his mouth but was suddenly at a loss for words. He had been assigned to capture a group of Divinely Chosen Ones, but he truly hadn’t expected the Divinely Chosen Ones from Jiamucheng to be like this!

What on earth is the Beggar Gang? Are they even more formidable than the Blood Shadow Sect? ’Born as people of the Beggar Gang, we die as souls of the Beggar Gang!’ Are these people completely insane? If I bring this group of lunatics back to the Sect, Master will probably chew me out!

"Perhaps they don’t understand the might of the Blood Shadow Sect," Li Shan said after a moment’s hesitation. "Fellow disciples, use your most impressive techniques! Finish off that girl from the Hundred Flower Sect and Shopkeeper Lin. Then we’ll decide what to do."