The Entry-plundering Demon Hunter

Chapter 168: Chapter 168: The Enigmatic Old Beggar

Lin Yi and the Old Beggar walked into a small courtyard.

The environment here was elegant, with a pond, a rockery, a pavilion, and flowers.

No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like a place open for business.

It was more like a private residence.

After passing the rockery, they saw an open space inside.

Five tables were set up there, which finally put Lin Yi a little at ease.

Otherwise, he would have dragged the Old Beggar away to find another noodle shop.

At the moment, there wasn’t a single customer in the courtyard.

It seemed quite desolate.

The Old Beggar, however, seemed very familiar with the place. He found a table and sat down.

Then he found a small bronze bell nearby, picked it up, and shook it a few times.

DING-A-LING—

The crisp sound of the bronze bell rang out.

A short while later, a person walked out from inside.

He wore a white apron and had a full head of silver hair, with a kind and benevolent face.

Judging by his appearance, he was quite old.

At least seventy or eighty years old.

When the old man came closer, his brow furrowed involuntarily.

”Old Beggar? You’re here again? It’s one thing to come mooch a meal for yourself, but now you’ve brought someone else along?”

Clearly, they knew each other.

Although the old man’s tone wasn’t very polite,

you could tell they had a good relationship, and that the Old Beggar often came here to eat and drink for free.

Lin Yi, sitting opposite them, felt a wave of embarrassment.

’How did I end up looking like a freeloader?’

The Old Beggar shot him a glance. ”Old He, don’t be so harsh. I’m not here to freeload today. This kid is treating me!”

”Him?” Old He was taken aback, his gaze sweeping over Lin Yi a few times.

His brow furrowed slightly. ”He’s just a kid. What kind of trick are you pulling now? Getting a kid to treat you to a meal?”

”Why do you care so much? He wants to treat me, and it’s not like you aren’t getting paid. Aren’t you tired of worrying so much?” The Old Beggar’s face fell, clearly displeased.

At this, Lin Yi quickly interjected with a smile, ”Yes, it’s my treat. Could you bring us two bowls of noodles, please!”

Hearing this, Old He gave Lin Yi another look.

”Kid, are you sure you’re doing this willingly? He’s not forcing you, is he?” He still seemed a little worried.

Lin Yi quickly shook his head with a smile. ”No, I’m doing this of my own free will!”

”Sigh, alright then. Wait here, I’ll go make your noodles!”

Old He nodded and headed toward the back.

Once the courtyard was quiet again, the Old Beggar smiled and sized Lin Yi up.

”Ever since I saw you, you’ve had a troubled look on your face. What’s wrong? Run into a problem you can’t solve? Why don’t you tell me about it? Maybe I can help you figure it out,” the Old Beggar said, scratching his head.

He had a nonchalant expression on his face.

Lin Yi smiled. ”It’s not really an unsolvable problem!”

”Isn’t it? Fine, we’ll pretend it isn’t, then!”

”Let me tell you, you’re lucky I brought you here to eat today.

Did you see that old man just now?”

Lin Yi nodded. ”I saw him!”

”He’s no simpleton. He’s a Five-Star Spirit Chef, and his culinary skills are brilliant. His specialty is the Beast Spirit Mask—’beast’ as in ’demon beast.’ Not only does it taste good, but eating it has numerous benefits for your body!”

”When the mask comes, you’ll know once you’ve eaten it!”

After the Old Beggar finished speaking,

Lin Yi didn’t feel particularly surprised.

’The moment I saw Old He, I already noticed it from his talent entries.’

6-star Martial Artist certification.

Five-Star Spirit Chef certification.

It was the first time Lin Yi had ever seen someone hold two certifications at once.

Not only was his cultivation level high, but even his awakened profession’s realm was so advanced.

It was truly unexpected for Lin Yi.

When he heard the Old Beggar praise Old He so highly,

it was clear that his culinary skills were definitely not simple.

Lin Yi just smiled and didn’t say anything.

He had eaten his fair share of Demon Beast Meat. In the Martial Arts Hall’s cafeteria,

he ate Demon Beast Meat every day. And when he went home, Tang Qinru would also bring him Demon Beast Meat.

Even after she returned to the New District, he still had Demon Beast Meat to eat every day.

Therefore, when it came to food cooked with Demon Beast Meat,

Lin Yi was no longer easily impressed.

The Old Beggar noticed that Lin Yi didn’t seem very interested in what he was saying.

He changed the subject and continued, ”A lot has been happening in the Old District recently!”

”Just the other day, that blood-red color on the horizon—you saw it, right?”

Lin Yi nodded lightly. ”I saw it!”

”Do you know what that means?”

”What does it mean?”

”Demonic qi soaring, killing intent spreading... it means those demon beasts are planning something big!”

”However, after what happened last night, the demonic qi has dissipated, and even the killing intent is gone.

If you ask me, there’s an eighty percent chance someone intervened!”

As the Old Beggar said this,

his eyes were quietly observing the changes in Lin Yi’s expression.

When he mentioned that someone had intervened, a flicker passed through Lin Yi’s eyes.

The Old Beggar gave a knowing smile, as if he had already figured out what was weighing on Lin Yi’s mind.

However, he didn’t call him out directly.

Instead, he continued, ”You’re a practitioner of martial arts; you walk the path of Martial Arts, right?”

Lin Yi nodded.

”Then do you know what Martial Arts is? What is ’Martial’? And what is the ’Dao’?”

The Old Beggar’s questions stumped Lin Yi.

Before this, all he had thought about was the registration fee.

After he successfully registered before the deadline,

all he looked forward to was improving his cultivation and preparing for the martial arts exam.

But now, the martial arts exam was over.

And what happened last night had left him feeling lost.

It was as if he had suddenly lost his purpose.

But Lin Yi had never truly contemplated what Martial Arts really meant.

No one had ever talked to him about it.

The Old Beggar’s question left Lin Yi slightly stunned.

”Kids these days... each generation is worse than the last.

You don’t even understand what Martial Arts is. What ’martial’ are you practicing? What ’dao’ are you cultivating?”

Faced with the Old Beggar’s scolding, Lin Yi’s face flushed slightly red.

He said humbly, ”Please, senior, enlighten me!”

”’Enlighten’ is too strong a word. I’m just a beggar. I’ll just spout some nonsense. If you think it makes sense, then listen. If you think I’m wrong, just treat it like I just farted. Once the smell is gone, it’s over!”

Lin Yi was speechless.

”Let me put it in simple terms for you. You’ll get it in a few sentences!”

”This so-called Martial Arts can be understood in two parts!”

”’Martial’ is about practicing martial techniques, training your muscles and bones, honing your skills, and cultivating your Qi and Blood... Nowadays, whether in the New District or the Old District, everyone practices. It’s become the prevailing trend!”

”If you want to stand out among the many practitioners, you need talent, hard work, luck, and money. Not a single one can be missing!”

”Practicing martial arts is a path to life, but it’s also a path to death...”

Lin Yi nodded.

He agreed with what the Old Beggar was saying.

’The sole goal of practicing martial arts is to constantly strengthen yourself.’

’To break through one fetter after another, to constantly surpass yourself and others.’

’To use the strong as a benchmark and self-discipline as a foundation.’

’Then, by combining talent, hard work, and luck, you carve out your own path of Martial Arts.’

But that was all easier said than done. Very few could actually achieve it.

Just for the martial arts exam alone, how many people had fallen on the way?

How many others were turned away at its gates?

Not even one in ten could actually cross that threshold.

A Martial Artist must contend. To contend is to advance; to not contend is to retreat.

”Now, let’s talk about the ’Dao’. It can be profound, but it can also be simple!”

”Let me give you an example. Everyone has their own Dao. This Dao can be Demon Hunting, it can be maintaining public order, it can be being a driver, or it can be being a coach!”

”Even a chef has his own Dao!”

”The so-called Dao is the path one must cultivate. Only by constantly walking your own Dao can you reap its ’Dao Fruit’!”

”Demon Hunters, they all have their own Dao. Slaying all the demons in the world, maintaining peace in their region—that is their ’Dao Cause’. To die in battle, to perish in the line of duty—that is their ’Dao Fruit’!”

”The heavenly principles cycle, the old is replaced by the new—this is the existence of the Dao...”

”You might not understand it now, but you will in the future!”

”Everyone has a Dao Cause. As for what kind of Dao Fruit you can obtain, that’s up to you!”

The Old Beggar had a profound and inscrutable look on his face.

He spoke eloquently to Lin Yi.

”Old Beggar, are you leading the youth astray again? Kid, don’t listen to his nonsense. What the hell does he know about ’Dao Cause’ and ’Dao Fruit’? Aren’t you hungry? Hurry up and eat. Once you’re done, get going. The guests I’m expecting will be here soon!”

Old He walked over, carrying two bowls of noodles.

After placing them in front of Lin Yi and the Old Beggar,

he didn’t forget to chide the Old Beggar a few more times.

The moment the Old Beggar saw the noodles before him, his previously profound and inscrutable expression vanished instantly.

It was replaced by a look of pure, greedy hunger.

He took a deep breath and said repeatedly, ”Ah, the aroma! This is the stuff. Why can I never get enough of this?”