And he warned him that if they would not talk, he had all the time in the world to find out.
The old man got up with difficulty. He had sacrificed everything for this plan. He would finish this bastard before he died himself.
Han saw that look and understood immediately. It was the face of a man making his last desperate move. Old and beaten, and still thinking all of this was a joke.
Han glanced away. No sect member was anywhere nearby. He decided to finish it in one strike.
The old man did not understand, but he got himself ready. He thought Han would try to close the distance, and that he would take his head off at that exact moment.
But in Han's mind there was a perfect martial art that would prove the difference between the two of them.
The stance came. Power pressed down into the ground. A heavy aura rose from his feet, spread through the whole body, and gathered in the fist. Then a massive strike fell on the old man, without a single step forward.
In stunned confusion the old man kept taking those crushing blows, while Han watched without a trace of doubt.
The elder went into the wall again, and it exploded, and the impact blew a haze up around them.
Han asked whether that was enough. Then he said: this is the supreme art of Shaolin. The Thirty-Metre Mystic Fist. It was said that after mastery, thousands of punches can be unleashed with it.
Looking down at the old man lying on the ground, he wondered what to do now. There could be no interrogation here.
Then, by good luck, a man arrived and introduced himself as speaking for the leader of the Beggar Sect. He requested that the prisoner be handed over to them.
Han agreed and walked with them over to the unconscious man. Two beggars inspected the body and told their leader that it was exactly as it had been described to them.
The elder of the Beggar Sect said that this man should be left with them.
Han was confused, and wondered what this clever thief was talking about.
Just then somebody came running and shouted, uncle. The young master had arrived. The first thing he asked was what had happened to Han's clothes, soaked through and covered in mud. The boy who had become loyal in ten days was immediately angry. He had arrived, he said. Who did this?
Han gave him a pat. Silence. Stunned, the young teacher asked why he had been beaten. Han raised his hand again, irritated that the boy was trying to slip out of the question.
The elder of the beggar clan studied the man lying on the ground carefully. This was no weak man. His aura was at the level of manifested energy. Perhaps even projected energy. And yet that young man had defeated all of them single-handedly.
The elder apologised for having been rude.
Han noted that the Beggar Sect was already hunting this man. The elder explained that this group had been wiping out people tied to the Beggar Sect. Then he asked what our hero's connection with them was.
The young man understood that he was being tested for information. He said that the man was a thief who had mistaken him for someone else and attacked him by accident.
Remembering all that harsh training, Han had no intention of falling into this old man's tricks. Yet the bearded elder suspected that something was being hidden.
Then Han also thought that his appearance could be useful here. If it was needed, they could trace it as far as the Namgung clan. But right now he could not do much, because his own power was still small. These enemies hide and move in secret. When they found out that the pursuit team had been wiped out, nobody could say what they would do. The Yu clan might be destroyed completely.
That meant their attention had to be pointed elsewhere, and these beggars were perfect for the work. Digging out secrets is their trade. Once they moved, he would have time. He only had to point them in the right direction.
Han pretended that he had remembered the name of the group. The bearded man became excited and curious. But Han refused him. He had almost died in this fight. Right now there was no question of trusting the beggar leader.
Then he gave his disciple a look. He asked for help without saying anything. The young man, facing that terrifying expression, only kept thinking about what he had done wrong.
Then he used his brain. All that study of statecraft and mathematics came in handy. He came into the middle of them, stopped the beggar and said that he was putting his uncle in trouble.
Han was irritated, because the boy had just ruined the whole plan.
Even so, the beggar apologised and said that the honour of the sect was in question, and that he needed their support over the prisoner. The disciple said something else to him.
Han agreed first. There was no better option. But the matter must not go out, and if anything was learned, it would have to be shared. The bearded man promised it.
Han gave a sly smile and said his goodbyes with the boy, while the beggars stood and watched him go.
The long-haired man felt that the play was finished. He had not even charged an information fee for it. But his leader scolded him and reminded him what was at stake. These people were planning to overturn the entire Murim world. If this man was questioned and that plot was uncovered, it would be enough to make an elder of the main sect.
The order was given for the prisoner to be taken back to the sector.
After a few hours it was night. Han began to think that he had to find clues to the servant's second mystical creature. But the story had changed. Now it was necessary to be more careful, because those who had failed to get the ginseng would move faster towards the second creature. So it had to be done carefully and quickly, or everything would turn to chaos.
A loud voice echoed through the sect.
The old man asked whether Han was really thinking of going to the Orthodox Murim Alliance. Han confirmed it again. Yes. He needed more experience.
The old man agreed immediately, and asked him to make friends with Hye. He wanted to send Sang along as well.
The young master's eyes widened. But the old man said it was difficult. Sang was the young patriarch.
Han understood at once. The young patriarch has duties. He could not simply go. He said he would make his preparations.
Han moved towards the door. He remembered that apart from Hye there were five more phoenixes, and every one of them was said to be unbelievably beautiful.
Now the excitement increased. The old man understood where this was going. Was it true? He was in shock.
Han went on. Perhaps he would find someone and get married. Spring was about to come.
The old man immediately shouted that a clan meeting would be called right away, while Han left happily. In his mind he was pleased that the plan had worked.