It is said that after parting ways with the bandits of Jiulong Mountain near the foothills, Wu Tong escorted the rescued young women to the county town. There, by chance, he encountered two disciples of the Beggar Sect. Clad in tattered garments and carrying staffs, they were unmistakably beggars. Upon inquiry, Wu Tong learned that Chief Fei and the Four Great Elders were also in the vicinity. Thus, he and Liu Yun followed the disciples to the local Beggar Sect branch.
Calling it a "branch" was merely a courtesy — in truth, it was nothing more than a dilapidated temple. Just as they arrived, footsteps sounded outside. Elder Jiang Feng glanced out and, to his astonishment, saw Wu Tong being led in by the disciples. Overjoyed, he cried out excitedly:
"Chief! Hall Master Wu Tong has arrived!"
Inside the ruined temple, the drunken beggar Fei Jin lay sprawled on the ground. Hearing this, he replied weakly,
"Jiang Feng, have you starved yourself senseless? How could Wu Tong possibly come here?"
Jiang Feng shouted with excitement,
"Chief, I swear I'm not lying!"
Still languid, Fei Jin muttered,
"If my young brother Wu Tong truly came to this broken temple, then today we wouldn't need to go out begging. We'd be drinking wine from big bowls and feasting on chunks of meat — not like now, with no wine and no meat!"
At that moment, Wu Tong's clear voice rang out:
"Senior Fei, this junior truly has come. I beg your pardon, I beg your pardon."
Upon hearing Wu Tong's voice, Fei Jin leapt up, overjoyed.
"Brother Wu Tong — it really is you!"
He rushed outside. Liu Yun cupped her hands respectfully and said,
"This junior Liu Yun pays her respects to Old Chief Fei."
Wu Tong added,
"How about I host a banquet for the Beggar Sect brothers as an apology?"
Just then, a Beggar Sect disciple hurried in and knelt before Fei Jin.
"Branch Leader Su from Zhengzhou has urgent news to report!"
Fei Jin waved his hand.
"What urgent matter? Speak."
Panting heavily, Su You said,
"Just now, members of the Money Sect threatened to forbid our sect from begging inside Zhengzhou City. Elder Song Ren and Elder Chen Yan, enraged, are already fighting them."
Hearing this, Fei Jin burst into anger.
"A mere Money Sect dares provoke the 'Number One Sect Under Heaven'? We're going there at once!"
Liu Yun could not help covering her mouth and laughing softly. Smiling, she said,
"Senior Fei, a person of your stature should not trouble himself over such trivial matters. Why not let the two of us handle it? You should take your time and find a proper restaurant so that Hall Master Wu Tong can treat the Beggar Sect brothers."
Fei Jin thought that it would indeed be better for the young pair to intervene than for him to appear personally. He nodded.
"Very well. Tong'er, Yun'er — I'll trouble you to make the trip."
Wu Tong replied,
"It's but a small effort. Senior Fei, stroll leisurely through the city. Find a tavern you like. Tonight we shall drink deeply and feast heartily together."
With that, Wu Tong and Liu Yun followed Su You toward the site of the disturbance.
After walking several miles through Zhengzhou's bustling streets — lined with gambling dens, brothels, and pawnshops — they heard loud shouting and the sounds of fighting ahead. With several heavy thuds, a few burly men were already being knocked sprawling by Elder Song Ren.
From the crowd stepped a man with bulging eyes and a face twisted in fury. He roared,
"So what if you're elders of the Beggar Sect? Today I'm driving all you beggars out!"
Elder Song Ren retorted,
"Even monks are allowed to seek alms. Why can't Beggar Sect disciples beg for food? Which law of the Great Tang forbids it?"
The man, seven feet tall, strode forward with a cold laugh.
"If you insist on courting death, don't blame anyone else!"
Just as Song Ren was about to respond with a bitter smile, a graceful figure suddenly drifted into the arena. In a soft, melodious voice she said,
"Good townsfolk, please judge fairly. Beggar Sect brothers neither steal nor rob. Why must the Money Sect treat them this way?"
Hearing such a sweet voice, the onlookers turned to look. They saw a young woman with bright, flowing eyes, slender brows, and enchanting beauty. Her words were reasonable and her tone charming; the crowd could not help but erupt in applause.
The burly man paused, startled.
"Miss, it is admirable to speak up for justice — but you should think carefully. Don't bring trouble upon yourself."
This woman was none other than Liu Yun. She laughed lightly, then raised her tone with a hint of playful disdain.
"Oh my! I'm merely asking the townsfolk to judge fairly. The Beggar Sect brothers beg without harming anyone. Who have they offended? Yet you threaten them. Who do you think you are?"
The man clenched his fists until his knuckles turned pale.
"Miss, are you refusing a toast only to accept punishment?"
Liu Yun laughed again, her voice rising sharply with teasing contempt.
"Oh my! You want to fight? I've been waiting. Come then — I only fear you dull-witted brute lack the skill!"
The man was a hall master of the Money Sect named Fu Xiong. Being called a "brute," he immediately flew into a rage. His eyes burned with venom.
"You brought this upon yourself!"
Before his words had even finished, he had already leapt forward, stepping like an arrow and launching a punch.
Liu Yun stepped into the Nine Palaces Footwork of the Taiyi Method:
"Begin at Kan, then Dui, then Kun, then Zhen — return and rest at the Central Palace. From the center move to Xun, then Qian, then Gen, then Li — thus one full circuit."
This sequence was called the Forward Traverse; the Reverse Traverse would return from Li back to Kan.
As she evaded, Liu Yun chanted clearly:
"From the Luo Script blossoms Yin and Yang —Within the Nine Palaces my stance moves on."
Fu Xiong spun and struck again. Liu Yun continued:
"The Eight Trigram steps shift in wondrous change —Like a swan threading woods in weightless grace."
Her footwork was light and exquisitely subtle. In her pale green robes she appeared even more refined and elegant. Her movements were airy and ethereal — like an immortal maiden dancing upon the breeze. The spectators, utterly captivated by her fairy-like grace, once again burst into loud applause.