After advancing a layer in the beggar sects “Dog Beating Stick Method” (ass whopping) Jin calms down and speaks to the tanned old giant “May I ask who the great old mons… master is” the old giant smiles thinking to himself ‘it seems I have beat the eloquence back into this little brat’ he then replies to Jin “This esteemed one is named Bao Kun, and refer to me as master from now on”. Jin looks dumbfound at Bao Kuns unreasonable demand, but after the training session he just received from Bao Kun, he remembers to keep his mouth in check, he responds “Yes master”.

As much as Jin wanted to rebel the beating, he just received hurt far more than any beating he’d received to date. Jin asks Bao Kun “what exactly will the master be teaching me”, Bao Kun responds to Jin “From this day forth you will be learning the lost secret manual of the Star Shattering Emperor, you will be learning the great “Star Shattering Halberd Art””. Jin realised at this very moment all the way from the old monster’s strength to his divine method ‘this man, he is most definitely, the biggest scammer I’ll ever meet. Next he’ll tell me he once sold the Sword God’s toothbrush for three taels. This is the biggest scammer alive… and I’m stuck with him.’.

Bao Kun then speaks, he says to Jin “Your first task as my disciple is to carry my luggage, and come with me to the nearest village”, Jin realising he’d become this old masters slave silently though to himself ‘Breaking this scam, is most definitely impossible, even if I try the only result will be an ass whopping. Let’s play along for now and when the chance comes, I will run away immediately. Feigning subservience Jin bows respectfully to Bao Kun and starts collecting his luggage.’ Jin then starts to pick up Bao Kun’s luggage, Bao Kun’s seems to have a single rucksack with some clothes and a long box, Jin picks up the rucksack. He then tries to pick up the box, but it won’t move, Jin is astonished, as a labourer Jin has had to carry rocks that weighted more than 200 jin often, yet he couldn’t even move the box Bao Kun was carrying along with his rucksack just a few moments ago. He thinks to himself ‘Has this old bastard, filled this box with bricks made of cold iron’.

Bao Kun Laughs at Jin and says, “Little brat you couldn’t dream of moving this box even in three lifetimes”, Jin asks Bao Kun what is in the Box to this Bao Kun say “this box holds my halberd. Do not fret you wouldn’t be able to carry this even if asked you to, hence, I shall hold onto this for now”. Bao Kun then walks to a nearby tree, he rips it out of the earth with a single arm and begins to mould it with his fingers, Jin is astonished, but he thinks ‘He sure is impressive; however, I’m sure any martial artist can do the same as well’, Bao Kun then hands the tree he moulded to the shape of a halberd to Jin, he says to Jin “after we reach the nearby village we shall start your training in the methods. After a bit some idle chat Jin and Bao Kun start heading to a nearby village.

After a few hours on foot the duo finally reaches a riverside village called Shuimeng in the Hubei province. At entry to the village people look at the duo and murmur, shortly after a little child approaches the duo and calls to Jin. Jin asks the child what he wanted in a kind manner, the child then says “Beggar mister, I have received my allowance for this week, but you look like you need it more than I do” the child then proceeds to hand over a few coins to Jin. Looking at this scene Bao Kun starts to laugh heartily, and Jin’s face turns to embarrassment, the child then looks at Bao Kun and says, “I’m sorry mister I gave all the money I have to the other beggar, but he seems kind, I am sure he will share it with you”. Bao Kun’s laughing face turns to one with a dumbstruck look, while Jin starts to roll on the floor dying of laughter, Bao Kun’s dumbfounded face turns to one of rage, directed towards Jin.

After receiving another training session in the great “Dog Beating Stick Method” Jin and Bao find a place to settle in the outskirts of the village, after buying a new set of clothes with coins the child had given Jin. Bao Kun then speaks “Now that we have settled down, we can start your training in earnest. Bring the halberd I handed you over to the river Bank”.

The river swelled lazily under the morning sun, mist curling off its surface like breath from a sleeping dragon. Bao Kun stood barefoot on the bank, his hulking frame casting a long shadow across the water. In his hands, he held a pole thicker than most men’s arms, the crude shape of a halberd carved into its end.

“Boy,” Bao Kun began, his voice rumbling like rocks grinding together, “the Star Shattering Halberd Method has no frills, no flourishes. It is three truths: lift, sweep, and crash.” He jabbed the pole into the earth with each word, dirt exploding at his feet. “Lift the heavens, sweep the world, crash down the stars. That’s it. Simple enough even for you.”

Jin, already sweating buckets though the training hadn’t started, muttered, “Sounds simple. Bet it’s about to hurt like hell.”

Bao Kun grinned and tossed him a stripped-down tree trunk. “Correct. Begin with the sweep. Hold the shaft at your hip, twist from the waist, and drag the whole damned river with you.”

Jin grabbed the trunk, his wrists screaming under the weight. He swung clumsily, sending the log splashing half into the river and nearly toppling in after it.

“Pathetic!” Bao Kun barked. “Your arms are swinging, but your will isn’t. When you sweep, your body, your legs, your breath, even your curses must move together. Try again!”

Jin growled through his teeth, reset his stance, and swung again. This time, the trunk tore a wave from the river, sending water crashing onto the bank. Jin stumbled, soaked head to toe, but still upright.

Bao Kun stroked his beard, satisfied. “Better. That wave—that’s the echo of your body aligning. You didn’t just move wood; you moved the river. That is the root of our path. Remember this, boy: lift, sweep, and crash are nothing alone. Only when you can connect them as one flowing chain will the halberd truly shine. Every strike must drag into the next—until the world itself can’t find a gap to breathe.”

For once, Jin didn’t mutter a curse. He looked at the giant standing before him, remembering the log that split a tree like kindling and moulded it with his bare fingers as though it was clay. Bao Kun looked and acted like a scammer, but his strength was no joke.

Jin thought to himself, ‘I don’t know if this bastard’s really from some star-shattering sect or just a lunatic, but if I follow him, maybe… maybe I’ll actually learn something worth bleeding for.’

Bao Kun bellowed, dragging Jin back to reality. “Again! Stir the river until it parts like the sea before you. Drown in sweat today, so tomorrow you can drown mountains in steel!”

And so, on the banks of Shuimeng Village’s River, Jin swung the makeshift halberd until his shoulders screamed, each clumsy sweep dragging waves higher and higher, while the villagers whispered from the bridge: “That fool looks like he’s stirring the river itself…”.