Chapter 46: So... Are You Looking for Something?

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: So... Are You Looking for Something?

After a test flight with his shoes confirmed there were no issues with his design, Su Han landed back on the ground.

「Early on the third day」

After breakfast, Su Han left early and found the old beggar, who had already moved into the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch.

"Hong Qi, how does it feel to be a Gang Leader, having people cater to you?"

Seeing Hong Qi’s glowing complexion, Su Han knew he’d had a comfortable couple of days and asked teasingly.

The old beggar shook his head, abashed. "Young Master Heir, please don’t poke fun at me. You should be well aware that this title of Beggar Gang Leader... it’s impossible to make it public anytime soon."

"My current title is merely Squad Leader of the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch."

Su Han waved his hand dismissively. "No difference, no difference. Your Beggar Gang only has the Lingzhou Sub-Branch right now anyway."

"The authority of the Squad Leader and the Gang Leader is one and the same."

Hong Qi: "..."

’Ouch, that stings. Even if you’re telling the truth, did you have to lay it all out so bluntly? Have you no consideration for the feelings of me, the Beggar Gang Leader?’

"So? How has it been, being Squad Leader for two days? Any new revelations?"

Hong Qi considered this for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Crown Prince, there’s something... I’m not sure if I should say it."

Su Han glanced at him. "As long as it isn’t ’mmp,’ feel free to say whatever you want."

Hong Qi looked completely baffled, clearly not understanding what "mmp" meant. Fortunately, what he wanted to say wasn’t those three letters.

Sighing inwardly at the Crown Prince’s inscrutable words, Hong Qi organized his thoughts and voiced his worries.

"Crown Prince, after these past two days at the sub-branch, I’ve realized just how ridiculous my previous way of thinking was."

"Oh?"

Su Han gave him a surprised look. ’Could it be? Has this frog in a well finally learned how vast the sky truly is?’

’No wonder the old beggar who, just a few days ago, was proclaiming the Beggar Gang as the greatest in the world has suddenly become so humble.’

"Go on, tell me your thoughts."

The old beggar nodded. "I believe that for any faction, strength and foundation are the most important things."

"Even if my Beggar Gang held sway over all of Jiuzhou, with every beggar in the land as my... prospective disciple, without sufficient martial strength, without the foundation to support such a vast force..."

"...then even if I really did develop the Beggar Gang into the greatest gang in the world, it would just be toiling for another’s benefit."

"I could build the Beggar Gang, but I wouldn’t be able to protect it."

Hearing the old beggar’s profound self-analysis, Su Han was rather surprised. He wondered what on earth the old beggar had experienced these past two days to have suddenly gained such deep insight.

As if sensing Su Han’s confusion, the old beggar gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"Following the general outline you provided, I successfully foo—that is, I successfully fooled Liu Laoer and his family."

"But it seems that Liu Laoer is now convinced that I’m some legendary Hermit."

"For the past two days, Liu Laoer has been pestering me daily, asking for guidance on his cultivation."

"I’ve managed to brush him off by pretending to be annoyed, but this can’t go on forever. If I can’t reveal the slightest hint of cultivation, and if the Beggar Gang can’t display any martial might to deter prying eyes..."

"...this claim of the Beggar Gang being the ’greatest gang in the world’ will collapse on its own."

Su Han nodded. "This Crown Prince is gratified that you’ve come to this realization."

As he spoke, Su Han took out a book and handed it to the old beggar. "This is a Foundation Establishment Cultivation Method, divided into a complete version and a simplified one."

"You can practice the complete version yourself. The simplified one can be passed down as the Beggar Gang’s core technique in the future."

The old beggar accepted the Cultivation Method, his hands trembling with excitement.

’Although the royal family of Jing Country can’t compare to the great powers of Qing Province, let alone the Central State, they are still royalty. A Cultivation Method prepared by the Crown Prince specifically for the Beggar Gang is probably more profound than those passed down by the average major power in Jing Country.’

Carefully putting the Cultivation Method away, the old beggar bowed sincerely to Su Han.

"Crown Prince, Hong Qi will never forget this grace of giving me a new life."

Su Han nodded calmly, unafraid that he might forget.

’Once he practices my method, he’ll be my man. Betrayal will be impossible in this lifetime.’

After passing him the Cultivation Method, Su Han took out a Storage Ring and handed it to the old beggar.

"Inside this Storage Ring are a few Magical Artifacts I prepared for you."

"First, a three-star bamboo staff. Although it’s only a three-star Magical Artifact due to its material, its power is not the least bit inferior to a four-star Spiritual Artifact."

"Second, a Jade Talisman. Carry it with you. When activated, it will allow you to see through the cultivation of anyone whose realm is not more than two major realms higher than yours."

"However, this Jade Talisman isn’t high-grade; its stored energy only allows for three consecutive uses."

"After three uses, it will need to gather Spiritual Power again, so use it wisely."

"Finally, the standard issue for a Beggar Gang disciple—cloth bags."

"As a disciple of the Beggar Gang, your clothes can be tattered and your stomach empty, but you absolutely cannot be without your own cloth bags."

"The number of bags you carry also symbolizes a disciple’s status within the Beggar Gang."

"This Crown Prince has prepared nine cloth bags for you, the standard for a Nine-Bag Elder of the Beggar Gang."

"Your current identity is the Squad Leader of the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch, which only qualifies as a Six-Bag Steward. Wearing six bags will suffice."

"These bags can conceal your aura, making it difficult for even someone in the Celestial Human Realm to see through you. Furthermore, activating the Arrays and Inscriptions on them will allow you to fly through the air for a short time."

"With these things, as long as you’re careful, it won’t be difficult to pose as a Celestial Human Realm master."

Su Han explained each item in detail as he presented it. By the time he finished and placed the ring in the old beggar’s hand, Hong Qi was already wearing it, his expression going far beyond simple excitement.

A scholar dies for his confidant—this perfectly described the old beggar’s feelings at this moment.

"Alright, if you want to thank this Crown Prince, then focus on building up the Beggar Gang."

Seeing the gratitude on the old beggar’s face, Su Han gave a slight wave of his hand. "Go on back. Don’t arouse suspicion."

"As for those spies you mentioned, this Crown Prince will take care of them for you in the next few days."

The old beggar bowed deeply to Su Han, then returned to the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch, looking back with every few steps.

After watching the old beggar depart, Su Han turned and vanished into the deserted alley.

The quiet alley was still, as if no one had ever been there.

「And so, the sun set and the moon rose. Night fell.」

Faint footsteps echoed in the alley.

A young man in fine clothes slowly approached from the distance. He stopped in the alley outside the courtyard wall of the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch, gazing at the compound on the other side.

After a moment’s hesitation, the young man pushed off lightly with his feet, gracefully vaulting over the wall and landing inside the courtyard.

"The Beggar Gang? Greatest gang in the world? He’s clearly an ordinary person. I’d like to see just how long you can keep up this act."

Muttering to himself, the young man extended his Divine Thought, instantly blanketing the entire estate.

’Hm? He’s not here?’

The young man was confused. ’I clearly saw that old beggar, the self-proclaimed Squad Leader of the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch, enter this estate during the day, and I never saw him leave.’

’So... how can he not be here?’

Just as the young man was puzzling over this, a curious voice suddenly spoke from behind him.

"So... are you looking for something?"

The sudden voice made the young man jump.

He spun around reflexively, and his heart leaped into his throat.

An immortal bearing, white hair with a youthful complexion, the complete aura of a master—the ordinary, even patched, clothes did nothing to diminish the man’s presence.

In fact, they only served to highlight his carefree, unconventional air.

This... this was the kind of person you could tell was a transcendent master with just a single glance.

Moreover, even with his own early-stage Divine Sea Realm cultivation, he couldn’t see through the other man’s level.

Of course, that wasn’t the main point.

What truly unsettled Zhao Yang were the nine tattered cloth bags hanging from the body of this mysterious, immortal-like figure in patched clothes.