Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

"Xiao Yuanshan... Xiao Yuanshan..."

Qiao Feng murmured these three words, his brows furrowed. He had never heard of this name before, but a strange flutter stirred in his heart.

She stared blankly at the man in front of her, at his face that bore a striking resemblance to her own.

"You...you say you're Xiao Yuanshan, then...who am I?"

Qiao Feng's voice trembled uncontrollably, his eyes filled with confusion and pain.

For more than 20 years, he believed himself to be a Han Chinese of the Song Dynasty, an orphan adopted by Wang Jiantong, and was taught from childhood to fight against foreign invaders and protect his homeland.

Now, a strange Khitan man tells him that he is not Han Chinese, but the son of a Khitan.

Looking at his painful struggle, Xiao Yuanshan felt a pang of pity in his eyes, but more so a resolute determination.

He suddenly raised his hand and ripped open the brocade robe on his chest, revealing the hideous tattoo on his chest.

The dark blue wolf's head bared its teeth and claws, its eyes inlaid with vermilion-like patterns, its neck wrapped with three silver lines, and its edges adorned with tiny Khitan ancient patterns.

"You are naturally Xiao Feng!"

"He is my son, Xiao Yuanshan's son, a man with the blood of Khitan warriors flowing through his veins, and the future overlord of the grasslands!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the dilapidated inn and freezing everyone present in place.

The three of them, including Jingzhe, leaned against the corner of the wall, their eyes also filled with astonishment.

They never imagined that the Beggar Clan leader, a figure renowned throughout the Song Dynasty's martial arts world, would actually be a Khitan.

Not far away, several figures hurried over. They were Beggar Clan disciples who were a little slower on their feet. The ones leading them were Beggar Clan elders Ma Dayuan and Bai Shijing.

The two had received news that Qiao Feng was trapped alone in the Liao army's encirclement, so they specially brought dozens of elite disciples to provide support. However, as soon as they arrived at the door, they heard Xiao Yuanshan's words, and their steps froze instantly, their faces full of disbelief.

Yelü Hong leaned against the broken wall, so shocked that he forgot to breathe, and even forgot to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Qiao Feng stared wide-eyed at the wolf head tattoo on Xiao Yuanshan's chest, his blood seemingly freezing.

He looked at the face that was so similar to his own, and a voice kept echoing in his heart, telling him that it was all real.

While Wang Jiantong was still alive, Qiao Feng kept his true identity a secret, never revealing it to anyone, not even Ma Dayuan, who was on good terms with him.

Ma Dayuan once coveted the position of Beggar Clan leader, but Qiao Feng was highly skilled in martial arts and fair in his dealings. After taking the position of leader, he not only managed the Beggar Clan very well, but also secretly made contact with the Song Dynasty court and even obtained the court's approval.

As long as the Liao army in the Yan-Yun region can be defeated, the Beggar Clan leader and core elders will receive the support of the imperial court, be granted the Dragon God Guard token, and enjoy the same honors as imperial military officers.

Such temptation is irresistible.

Therefore, Qiao Feng led his troops to Yanyun early on to establish a military presence and make military achievements.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving in Fanyang, they stumbled upon the scene of the Liao army besieging Jingzhe and his two companions.

Although he had a grudge against Jingzhe and others, Qiao Feng saw things clearly and realized that the Liao army was the common enemy. So he stepped in to help without hesitation, which led to the fierce battle before.

Seeing Qiao Feng's bewildered expression, Ma Dayuan quickly stepped forward, bowed to Qiao Feng, and said, "Chief, don't be fooled! This Liao traitor has most likely used disguise techniques to deliberately impersonate you in order to bewitch people!"

As soon as he spoke, the Beggars' Sect disciples behind him echoed him, their voices rising and falling in unison.

"That's right! The art of disguise in the martial arts world is incredibly sophisticated. It's not difficult to impersonate someone and even resemble them somewhat!"

"It must be that treacherous Liao dog trying to use such despicable means to throw the gang leader into disarray!"

"Master, you are a hero of our Great Song Dynasty, a valiant man personally received by Lord Zhao, how could you possibly be a Khitan!"

The crowd started arguing and bickering, each trying to defend Qiao Feng.

But Qiao Feng himself was in turmoil and felt ice-cold all over.

He was not an ignorant and reckless man. He may have seemed fierce and impulsive on ordinary days, but when he was sober, he was extremely meticulous.

He had considered the art of disguise that Ma Dayuan and the others had mentioned; appearance could be disguised, and voice could be imitated.
But what about the tattoo on his chest?
These days, he is active all over the Yan-Yun region, sabotaging the Liao army's supply lines and gathering intelligence on the enemy.

I have also heard the story of the Khitan warriors' "thorned wolf heads".

It is the symbol of a true Khitan warrior, and is personally tattooed on by the clan elders at birth. The pattern is unique, and every detail has its own exclusive meaning, making it impossible to imitate easily.

He himself also has an identical wolf head tattoo on his chest.

The tattoo had been there since he could remember. When he was young, he thought it was ugly and never showed it off easily. In the Beggars' Sect, only a few elders had seen it.

He had always thought that the elder who adopted him had gotten the tattoo casually to commemorate something, but now he realized that it was not a coincidence at all.

The tattoo's lines, style, and even the cinnabar spots around the wolf's eyes were exactly the same as the tattoo on Xiao Yuanshan's chest, without the slightest difference, making it impossible to fake.

Xiao Yuanshan ignored the Beggars' Sect disciples' noise and simply watched Qiao Feng quietly until the noise gradually subsided. Only then did he speak: "Hehe, disguise is not difficult, but Feng'er, you must want to know what the meaning of this tattoo on your father's chest is, right?"

He paused, then shouted to those behind him, "All secret guards, show your chests!"

Upon hearing Xiao Yuanshan's command, those behind him did not hesitate for a moment, unbuttoning their robes to reveal the tattooed wolf heads on their chests.

Each tattoo was exactly the same as the ones on Xiao Yuanshan and Qiao Feng's chests, with only slight differences in the patterns and embellishments.

"This is the symbol of a Khitan warrior!"

"The true warriors of our Great Liao Dynasty are born with a wolf's head tattooed on their bodies; within the tattoo lies the totem of our Khitan people, which cannot be imitated."

He turned to look at Qiao Feng, his gaze intense, and said, word by word, "I suppose you also have a tattoo that looks exactly the same on your chest?"

Upon hearing this, the inn fell into a deathly silence, and not only Qiao Feng was trembling.

The Beggars' Sect disciples around him also changed their expressions drastically, their attempts to explain gradually replaced by disbelief.

Qiao Feng has a wolf head tattoo on his chest. Although it's not exactly an open secret, many disciples in the Beggars' Sect have seen him practicing martial arts shirtless. The style of that tattoo is exactly the same as the tattoos on the chests of these Khitan secret guards.

"This...this is impossible..."

"Chief Qiao, you...you're not really a Khitan, are you?"

A young Beggar Clan disciple muttered to himself, his voice not loud, but it carried throughout the entire area.

"Bullshit! Impossible!"

"But that tattoo..."

"Coincidence! It must be a coincidence!" The elder tried to remain calm and argued loudly, "There are plenty of people in the martial arts world who like to get wolf head tattoos. There's nothing wrong with getting a wolf head tattooed on your body. How can you conclude that the gang leader is a Khitan based on a tattoo?!"

The Beggars' Sect disciples were in an uproar again. Some defended Qiao Feng, some questioned and speculated, and others remained silent with complicated expressions.

Qiao Feng himself remained silent, standing there blankly, slowly taking two steps back, his body staggering.

His mental state has completely collapsed.

Having lived as a Song citizen for over twenty years, I was taught from a young age to resist foreign invaders and protect the people of the Song Dynasty.

Now, he himself is the alien race he has been fighting against all along.

"My son, why are you alarmed?"

Looking at his broken state, Xiao Yuanshan felt a pang of pity in his eyes. He stepped forward and said, "As the head of the Southern Courtyard of the Ordo Secret Guard and the King of the Southern Courtyard, I hold the power of hundreds of thousands of Liao soldiers. In the future, you will inherit my position, command thousands of troops, and become the overlord of the grasslands. Isn't that much better than being the leader of the Beggars' Sect?"

He paused, then his tone became sharp: "Besides, do you really think that the weak Song Dynasty can deal with the iron cavalry of my Great Liao Dynasty?"

"The Song people, relying on the terrain of the Yan-Yun region and taking advantage of the momentary unpreparedness of our Great Liao, seized seven cities in succession. Now our Great Liao army has arrived. The weak Song army and people are no match for us and will be crushed by our Great Liao cavalry sooner or later!"

"And Feng'er, do you know how your mother died?"

Xiao Yuanshan's voice lowered, his eyes filled with hatred and pain, "She died at the hands of these martial arts people of the Song Dynasty! Back then, I brought you and your mother into the Song Dynasty to find our relatives, but we were ambushed by martial arts people of the Song Dynasty. Among those who ambushed us was Wang Jiantong, the former leader of the Beggars' Sect!"

"And Abbot Xuanci of Shaolin Temple, it was he who led the ambush, killed our entire family, and slaughtered my Khitan people!"

"So what if I secretly learned some Shaolin kung fu? That old bald monk Xuanci may appear virtuous on the surface, but he's treacherous and cunning behind the scenes. He's no good either!"

Xiao Yuanshan's voice grew increasingly agitated, and his aura became more and more violent.

"Feng'er, the hatred for killing your mother is irreconcilable! Don't you want to avenge your mother? Why do you continue to kill your own Khitan compatriots for the sake of these Song people? What you are doing is simply unwise!"

The more Xiao Yuanshan spoke, the more unstable Qiao Feng's aura became, with his true energy surging wildly as if it would lose control at any moment.

He roared in anguish, "Stop talking! Stop talking!"

He raised his head, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yuanshan, his voice trembling: "If I really am your son, where have you been all these years?! I've been all alone since I was a child, adopted and suffering endless hardships. Since you're still alive, why have you never looked for me?!"

The three of them leaned against the corner of the wall, exchanged a glance, and remained calm without the slightest panic.

Qingming lowered his voice, his tone tinged with emotion: "It really is a grand spectacle, but with such a scene, I'm afraid it won't end well. I never imagined that the leader of the Beggars' Sect, the number one gang in the world, would actually be a Khitan."

Jingzhe smiled faintly, her tone resolute: "Since Master has come, what can't be resolved? The father and son's reunion may seem deeply touching, but it's probably a dead end."

As the three were talking, they looked up again at the rooftop a hundred meters away, but the dark figure had disappeared.

When Qiao Feng asked that question, he was indirectly admitting that he was a Khitan.

The Beggars' Sect members all took a few steps back. Their former strong allies now seemed to be turning against them?
How can this be good?

Xiao Yuanshan said, "Over the years, I have been collecting martial arts techniques from the Song Dynasty and secretly learning them, all for the purpose of strengthening the Liao and weakening the Song. I have achieved great success, and there are few people in the entire Song Dynasty martial arts world who can rival me!"

"is it?"

A calm voice suddenly came from behind the three of them.

The sound wasn't loud, but it possessed a strange penetrating power, instantly drowning out all the noise in the inn.

Xiao Yuanshan's expression changed drastically. He turned his head sharply, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Who? Heh, how dare you play tricks on me? Are you some kind of fool who doesn't know his own mortality?"

Chen Zhan walked out slowly and calmly, his body even covered with a few drops of night dew, yet he did not look disheveled at all.

He walked to the center of the inn, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yuanshan indifferently, his tone tinged with sarcasm: "Xuanci is also stupid. He did the ambush, but didn't dare to eliminate the threat completely, and didn't even search the area below the cliff. Are all the monks in the world as stupid as him?"

Chen Zhan had already arrived and had been hiding in the shadows, observing the situation and waiting for all forces to converge so that he could wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

"Master!" Upon seeing this, Jingzhe and the other two quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Chen Zhan, and spoke in a respectful tone.

Chen Zhan nodded slightly and waved to the three of them: "Well, you can step aside and rest for a while. You'll return to the main camp tomorrow. Leave things here to me."

"Yes, Master!"

The three responded in unison, said no more, and slowly retreated to the side.

Xiao Yuanshan, Qiao Feng, and all the Beggars' Sect members present all focused their attention on Chen Zhan: "Who are you?"

Ma Dayuan, Bai Shijing, and the others from the Beggars' Sect already had some guesses in their minds.

In recent years, a mysterious organization called the Twenty-Four Towers has risen in the martial arts world. The tower is full of ruthless assassins.

He accomplished many great things in the Yan-Yun region, including assassinating Liao army generals and burning down Liao army supply lines. However, the host never showed his face, and no one knew his true identity.

Now, seeing how respectfully Jingzhe and the other two treat Chen Zhan, calling him "Master" at every turn, they are quite impressed.

Ma Dayuan was already certain. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Zhan, and asked, "Sir, are you perhaps the Dao Master of the Twenty-Four Dao Towers?"

Chen Zhan nodded slightly, slowly walked between Xiao Yuanshan and Qiao Feng, and looked at Qiao Feng: "He is right, you are indeed a Khitan."

One sentence sent a shiver down Qiao Feng's spine and silenced the Beggars' Sect disciples.

Chen Zhan did not stop, and continued, "However, the Khitans were not wrong. The wrong ones were those Khitans who seized Song territory and slaughtered Song people. You have never done anything to harm the people of Song over the years. On the contrary, you have been fighting hard against the Liao army and protecting the territory of Song."

"You can leave. I don't care about your Khitan identity. From now on, whether you are Xiao Feng or Qiao Feng, Khitan or Song, it's all up to you."

Chen Zhan spoke to Qiao Feng without paying any attention to Xiao Yuanshan behind him.

Qiao Feng had calmed down a bit by this time.

He looked at Chen Zhan, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked, "Then...is he really my father? Abbot Xuanci, Master Wang Jiantong, and the others really ambushed and killed our family more than twenty years ago, and killed my mother?"

Chen Zhan nodded slightly, his tone firm: "That's right, what he said is all true."

Xiao Yuanshan stood aside and saw that Chen Zhan actually admitted to what happened back then in public. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he sneered, "You, what kind of Dao Lord, do have some guts to admit this in public."

"Since you dare to admit it, then there's nothing more to say."

"Feng'er, come with me to kill these Song people, kill Ma Dayuan, Bai Shijing and other Beggar Clan disciples, then go to Shaolin to find the old bald monk Xuanci, and go to the Beggar Clan to find Wang Jiantong, to avenge your mother!"

A surge of anger welled up in Qiao Feng's heart; the hatred for killing his mother was irreconcilable.

At the same time, his conscience kept reminding him that Ma Dayuan and the others were fellow disciples of the Beggars' Sect, his brothers; how could he possibly kill them? (End of Chapter)