Chapter 33 didn't say...
Chapter Thirty-Three didn't say anything.
"What are you laughing at?" Yang Xiao, who had been laughing just moments before, now had a dark expression. His gaze as he looked at the falling man was sharp, completely devoid of his previous frivolous and wicked demeanor.
"I'm laughing at something good. What, you won't let me laugh? No way! I'm a beggar, I just love to laugh, and nobody can stop me." The person who fell from the tree stood up, put his hands on his hips, and replied with a self-righteous look.
Ling Hao scrutinized the man. The young man wore clothes covered in patches, looking tattered but not dirty. He appeared to be around thirty years old, and although he looked like a beggar, he exuded an aura of righteousness.
However, the other person really might be a beggar; he had just claimed to be a beggar himself. But… Ling Hao's gaze fell on the man's right hand, and sure enough, he saw that the index finger was missing. "The Nine-Fingered Beggar Hong Qigong?"
"Little girl, do you know me, the beggar?" Hong Qigong was about to start arguing with Yang Xiao, but his identity had been recognized, so he asked curiously.
"I suppose so." Ling Hao withdrew her gaze without explaining why.
But Hong Qigong already understood. He waved his right hand, somewhat embarrassed, "Back then, when I was a beggar, I was greedy and messed things up. That's why I cut off my finger to remind myself not to be greedy and mess things up again. Well, it turned out to be good, it exposed my identity."
Oh dear, if he ever wants to cause trouble in the future, he'll have to hide his right hand well. Hong Qigong thought to himself.
Young Hong Qigong was still somewhat mischievous, a trait he retained even in his old age. But the young Hong Qigong truly made Ling Hao take notice. It was amazing! Whether reading books or watching TV dramas, she had only ever seen the older version of Hong Qigong; she never imagined she would witness the young version firsthand.
This feeling is truly magical. But then again, the Five Greats of the Martial Arts World are all younger versions: Huang Yaoshi (Eastern Heretic), Ouyang Feng (Western Venom), Duan Zhixing (Southern Emperor), Hong Qigong (Northern Beggar) in front of me, and Wang Chongyang (Central Divine) residing in Zhongnan Mountain. Wow, she'll have a chance to see all five of them someday!
Thinking of this, Ling Hao's eyes lit up. Wait, has the Mount Hua Sword Tournament started yet? Is Wang Chongyang dead? Can I ask that? If I asked Hong Qigong now, I'd get scolded, wouldn't I? Ling Hao's gaze immediately returned to normal. Forget it, I'd better not ask. I'll gather the information later.
Hong Qigong couldn't help but feel a little strange. Had this little girl just changed her expression? It was so fast that he wasn't even sure.
"Heh." Yang Xiao sneered, "So he's just a beggar leader."
"Heh, you're still half a demon cult leader, aren't you?" Hong Qigong replied. He was deliberately trying to hurt Yang Xiao's feelings.
The Ming Cult's leader, Yang Dingtian, disappeared without a trace, and the Right Envoy, Fan Yao, was also nowhere to be found. Thus, the Ming Cult was temporarily led by the Left Envoy, Yang Xiao. Despite this, many within the Ming Cult resented Yang Xiao, leading to internal strife and becoming a laughingstock for the martial arts world. His statement about Yang Xiao being "half a demonic cult leader" was a sarcastic jab at him.
Hong Qigong wasn't the kind of person who would let someone insult him without fighting back; he would insult back. However, Hong Qigong didn't think he had done anything wrong. He was just insulting people; if it were Huang Yaoshi or the Old Poison Master, they would have already taken action.
"You're quite the talker." Yang Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly and struck Hong Qigong with a palm. "Let's see who's the real deal with their skills."
"You've come at the perfect time." Hong Qigong greeted him with a smile. "I've been feeling rather bored, so I'll have a fight with you to stretch my muscles."
Yang Xiao possessed profound and enduring internal energy, yet his martial arts techniques had a touch of femininity; while Hong Qigong also possessed profound internal energy, his movements were as agile as the wind, and his techniques had a powerful and expansive masculine style. Coincidentally, his martial arts were the natural counter to Yang Xiao's.
Not only Hong Qigong knew this, but Yang Xiao also knew it. He knew that if he continued fighting, he would inevitably be at a disadvantage, so he used the Green Bamboo Hand to pretend to destroy Hong Qigong's eyes, and took the opportunity to fly away when Hong Qigong retreated.
"Miss, we will meet again. I hope there will be no one else interfering between us then." Yang Xiao left with these words.
Ling Hao rolled her eyes. "Heh." Next time? The next time they met, she would greet him with her sword.
"Haha, little girl, you're so young, but you've got quite a temper," Hong Qigong said with a laugh when he saw Ling Hao's attitude.
"How much older are you than me? Why are you calling me a little girl?" Ling Hao retorted, unconvinced.
Hong Qigong said, "I'm over thirty years old, and you look only sixteen or seventeen. Can't I call you little girl? If I put in the effort, I could even have a child like you."
Ling Hao was somewhat speechless at this. She had almost forgotten that these ancient people had children relatively early, which made it difficult for her to accept. "You're wrong, I'm also in my thirties."
She was nineteen when she transmigrated, a sophomore in college. Later, she transmigrated into a child and spent another twelve or thirteen years in this world. Now, her body is about eighteen years old. Although her brain shrank after she became a child, it has slowly returned to its original level over the years, so her mental age is actually around nineteen.
However, Linghao felt that she couldn't lose face even if she lost. If Hong Qigong called her a little girl, why couldn't she say she was in her thirties? Anyway, it would be about the same age.
Hong Qigong laughed and said, "Impossible. Feng Qingyang took on a disciple more than ten years ago. You are no more than twenty years old, let alone thirty. I know your master. You can't fool me."
Ling Hao was speechless. This person really did know her master. If he didn't, he wouldn't know she had been his disciple for over ten years. However, she didn't want to admit it; after all, she couldn't lose face. So, Ling Hao sat on her horse, slightly raised her chin, and said, "My master never mentioned you, so you definitely don't know each other. I won't be fooled by you."
Hong Qigong couldn't believe it. "You clearly recognized me just now, how can you say you've never heard of me?"
Ling Hao looked completely innocent. "When I go down the mountain to travel the world, I also need to gather information. Do you really think you're nobody in the martial arts world?"
"Fine, Feng Qingyang hasn't mentioned me at all in the past ten years? He even called me a good friend, what a liar!" Hong Qigong roared in fury.
Ling Hao: "..."
Um, did she go too far with her joke? Also, why does the younger version of Hong Qigong seem like such a hothead? He looks like he's about to die of anger.
“Actually, my master never mentioned anyone,” Linghao added. “He never told me about any of his old friends.”
"Oh, that's alright then." Hong Qigong immediately calmed down.
Ling Hao: "..."
Sometimes people are really speechless, really.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Does no one think of the Taiwanese version of Yang Xiao as a young man? Actually, I haven't seen it either, just some clips. The picture quality is a bit poor, but it has a very ambiguous, righteous yet wicked feel. However, the actor himself is a letdown [facepalm]. As for the young Hong Qigong, I think he should be a sunny, cheerful, and energetic sports student? Just my personal opinion.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
