At fifteen, Jin Tian left the orphanage. An unwanted brat turned laborer, he decided if the world wouldn’t feed him, he’d beat it into submission instead—by becoming a martial artist, through these means he thought he’d be truly “independent”. As for why a martial artist, he was simply born with a blessed physique, he thought martial arts would be the most suitable path for him.

Now that he’d become of age he left the orphanage to join a martial sect as a disciple. His goal, The Nine Great Sects and Five Great  Families and his first stop was none other than the greatest sword clan known in the central plains, The Great Namgung Clan. And after 5 months of moderately uncomfortable travel, Jin reached the grand gates of a Namgung clan subsidiary sect.

Jin thought to himself ‘Fucckkkk, 5 soul breaking months of travel I have gone through, all the way from the fucking Grand Luo River to Henan province, with the pittance I received from that damned orphanage. After 15 years of toiling in that place, worked like a damn slave labourer, 600 coppers is all I received. Halfway through my travels I had to start working random jobs to gather money to continue my travels. But after all this Toil I have finally reached the gates of the Namgung clan’.

After 5 months of travel, he’d finally reached his goal, and to his surprise he’d reached just in time for disciple selections. There was a total of 5 trials to enter the family as an outer disciple, these tests were of strength, stamina, agility, skill, and finally an interview. With Jin’s gifted physique and 15 years of living as an underpaid labourer he was able to ease everything except the skill trial with ease.

At the start of the fourth trial a manager of the outer disciple halls explained what the skill trial would require, “Each participant must carry the jars of water placed in front of you till the finish line while following the marks made on the floor without spilling a drop of water”. Jin thought to himself ‘seems simple enough, I practically did this everyday when I was working in the orphanage’.

And so, the test started. The first to attempt this was a rugged youth from a nearby village, he assumed a mysterious position and picked up the Jar, Jin thought to himself ‘Has this man perhaps trained in some form of martial arts prior to this’. As the youth started hauling the pot of water over the path, all the participants and examiners in the field looked astonished. Suddenly an abrupt noise alerted the people in the field, the noise came from Jin. A few moments before noise came about Jin was contemplating ‘this stance, I’m sure I have seen this from somewhere before. Could it be…’ at this moment Jin gripped his stomach and soon fell to the ground, he’d assumed a fetal position, following this he started to make a near indecipherable sound.

He was laughing, cackling almost. Jin spoke while barely containing himself ‘This bastard, he’s crab walking’. After understanding what the noise was all about the participants took an un-amused face to Jin’s nonsense, the trial moved on after Jin received a prompt beating from the examiners. Jin had also passed without much difficulty, as he completed his trial he spoke “See that? Perfect. Didn’t spill a single drop. You should just hand me the sect leader’s seat now.”, after receiving yet another prompt beating Jin moved on to the next trial. All that remained was an interview with a senior outer disciple, all though grand words were used to describe it, it was simply just the sects’ way to communicate the results of the trials with a bit of sincerity.

The senior outer disciple studied Jin for a moment, stroking his chin. “Your physique is remarkable for your age—broad shoulders, tempered muscles, the kind of strength most disciples would kill for. You truly do have a gift…” he said in a smooth, almost eloquent tone. Jin’s chest puffed up before the senior continued, “…but that gift is wasted here. Your wrists are far too thick and stiff; you’ll never wield the Namgung sword with grace. Swordplay demands fluidity, not brute strength. What suits you far better is the spear—direct, forceful, unyielding, just like you.” Jin frowned, scratching his head before asking bluntly, “Then where the fuck am I supposed to find this spear sect?” The seniors refined smile twisted a bit, but he held back and replied “The Grand Luo River. The finest spear sects are rooted there.” Jin froze, eyes bulging, before crashing face-first onto the floor. “You mean… I spent five soul-shattering months dragging my ass from the Luo River to this fucking place, just to be told it would be best to go all the way back?!” The senior disciple’s refined smile twisted into a smirk as he cuffed Jin across the head. “Exactly. Consider it training for your legs, ox. However, as your senior I can’t let you go back empty handed especially after how hard you have travelled to be here, lets spar for a bit”.

Jin stood at the front of the gate with his tattered clothes and bruised body, here he thought ‘I think I may have grasped the great Beggar sects “Dog Beating Stick Method”’. Villagers minding their business around the sect gates looked at Jin’s tattered body and clothes, looking at this a concerned old woman finally walked up and asked, “Young man, just what on earth happened to you?” Jin lifted his head, face swollen like a pig, blood still dripping down his chin, and with a stern face he spoke in a stoic manner, “...Nothing happened.” ,a child accompanying the old woman then said, “mister your teeth are on the ground”, Jin’s stoic face falters a bit he replies “….Still nothing”.

Shortly after he’d started his travel back, he realised the funds he’d gathered would be insufficient to get back home, to remedy this Jin decided to earn some money. One night while eating at a tavern Jin met an “enterprising young man”, who told him about a booming “market opportunity” that could most certainly double his copper. The “enterprising young man” then tells him if he were to sign a simple contract and take on all the “opportunity” (Liability) the business plan offered he may even be “swimming in gold by the end of the month” (swimming in debt). Unable to control his excitement Jin signs the contract, he’d never asked the “enterprising young man” what the business plan even was.

 A few weeks had passed after Jin had invested in the “Booming Market opportunity, that would most certainly double his coppers”. Tonight, Jin was camping in the woods, staring into the fire with dead eyes and an empty stomach. His coin pouch? Gone. His spare clothes? Gone. Even the cheap blade he’d bought second-hand had “mysteriously” become collateral. All that remained was the ragged shirt on his back and a stick he’d snapped off a tree for company. Jin spat into the dirt and cursed, “Fuck me sideways… I’ve been scammed harder than a drunk martial artist buying the sword god’s secret sword manual. Bastard told me I’d be an investor—turns out I’m the investment!” He looked down at his tattered state, ribs poking through, smelling like a dog left in the rain. A bitter laugh escaped his throat as he muttered, “Guess this is it then… tonight I’ve truly advanced another step in the Beggar Sect’s cultivation. The ‘Dog-Beating Stick Method’ is fine, but the ‘Dog-Begging Lifestyle’—that’s where I’m a fucking grandmaster.”

After wallowing in his misfortunes for a few more minutes Jin fell asleep in the woods. Morning soon came; the sound of chirping birds and the smell of morning dew had woken Jin up. Jin thought to himself ‘It seems the sun doesn’t want to grace this grandmaster today’. However, Jin was mistaken, he soon opened his eyes and saw a tanned giant with grey hair, at least half a Zhang tall and 300 jin in weight (around 2 meters tall, and 150 kgs in weight). The burly Giant looked Jin in the eyes and announced, “From this day forth, you shall be my disciple”. After taking a few moments to recoup his senses Jin replied “What the fuck does this crazed hobo think he’s saying”. Jin realises words spoken may never be taken back, he says “It seems today I will grasp yet another portion of the beggar sects great “Dog Beating Stick Method”. And so at the end of his pilgrimage to find a school of martial arts to join Jin started his new journey.