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

Chapter 263 Identity, Demon Descends Upon the Island Nation!
Chen Zhan first went to Wang Xiangzhai's Xingyi Hall to hear his disciple's report, and Wang Xiangzhai immediately came out to greet him.

He invited Chen Zhan into the house for a private talk.

Wang Xiangzhai first apologized, explaining that he was unable to travel south due to the war in the Central Plains. Although he had already explained the reason in his letter, he still felt very guilty.

Chen Zhan helped him a lot in the capital, and even without the title of martial arts alliance leader, he should repay the kindness.

Chen Zhan waved his hand, indicating that he didn't care and didn't mind these things.

"Alliance Leader, please speak freely."

"Help me deliver a few letters, and while you're at it, find out some things."

Wang Xiangzhai was surprised; seeing Chen Zhan's solemn expression, he hadn't expected it to be so simple.

"Uh, it's nothing, Alliance Leader, please give your orders."

Wang Xiangzhai's study was minimalist in its furnishings. A pear wood desk stood under the window, with coarse hemp paper spread out on it. The ink in the inkstone gleamed dimly, and two wolf-hair brushes stood beside it.

Chen Zhan walked to the table, his fingertips tracing the rough pages of paper. Without saying a word, he picked up his brush and dipped it in ink.

The first letter was addressed to Xiong Hanshan, written in vigorous and crisp handwriting: "Brother Hanshan, we parted the other day without a proper conversation. I am currently traveling east on a business that will take some time. There have been many troubles in the martial arts world, both north and south, and the Japanese are at the height of their power. If you encounter any danger, you can contact Brother Wan Laisheng. Do not be bound by old rules; just act according to the circumstances. Remember to protect your disciples and do not engage in direct combat with the Japanese army. Preserve your lineage, for only then will you have a future."

After writing it, he folded it up, sealed it with sealing wax, and handed it to Wang Xiangzhai: "This letter is to be sent to Qingdao and given to Xiong Hanshan to open personally. Send it to your most reliable disciple and bypass the Japanese checkpoints along the railway line."

Wang Xiangzhai took the letter, his fingertips touching the warmth of the sealing wax, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"Heading east." This was too obscure, and Wang Xiangzhai didn't understand its meaning either.

Judging from Chen Zhan's expression, he was clearly unwilling to talk more, so he simply nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, there are two disciples in the sect who have been to Shandong and know the way well."

Chen Zhan took another sheet of paper and wrote to Wan Laisheng the same content as Xiong Hanshan.

After writing it, he sealed it up again and said, "Send this letter to Guangzhou so that your disciple can travel by water, which is safer than by land."

When Chen Zhan was writing the letter to Ye Ningzhen, his pen paused, and the ink smudged into a small black dot on the paper.

He looked out the window; the sky over Beiping was overcast, much like the recent situation. His Adam's apple bobbed before he resumed writing, the handwriting denser and more urgent than the previous two letters.

"Ningzhen, upon seeing this message, immediately lead your fellow disciples from the Cheng School and the members of the Chinese Alliance away from Foshan and head straight for Hong Kong. Remember, do not delay and do not linger in the museum. Hong Kong is British territory, and the Japanese troops cannot enter. Although we cannot prevent assassinations, we can always look after each other if we are all together."

“My journey has been perilous, and I have angered the Japanese, which may implicate you all. Foshan is no longer a safe place, and if we stay any longer, we may face retaliation from the Japanese army. You are calm and know how to handle things, so you need to take the lead in this matter. You must protect everyone. Once the Eastern Army is finished, I will find you.”

After finishing the letter, Chen Zhan put down his pen on the inkstone, let out a long sigh, and the rise and fall of his chest aggravated the injury in his lungs. He coughed softly, and his fingertips were stained with a little blood from coughing up, but he didn't care and just wiped it off with a handkerchief.

Wang Xiangzhai leaned closer and caught a glimpse of the words "Hong Kong" and "dangerous journey to the East" on the letter. His expression changed drastically: "Leader, you're going to Japan?"

Chen Zhan did not avoid Wang Xiangzhai, because he would also notify all the people he knew in the capital.

"Yes, my trip to Japan needs to be kept secret. You've probably heard about the situation in Fengtian. You and Li Chunran should act according to the circumstances. Hong Kong should be the safest place."

Chen Zhan didn't say much, but carefully folded the letter for Ye Ningzhen and handed it over, his tone becoming more serious: "This letter must be sent quickly. Have your disciple travel day and night to Foshan and personally deliver it to Ye Ningzhen. It must not pass through a second person's hands."

Wang Xiangzhai held the letter and nodded: "I will send someone I trust."

He added, "Alliance Leader, please take care on your journey."

Wang Xiangzhai did not try to dissuade him, because Chen Zhan had already written the letter and there was no way to stop him.

Japan is currently at the height of its militarism, and for Chen Zhan to go there alone would be tantamount to venturing into a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

"What does the alliance leader want to find out?"

"To get to Japan, I need to disguise myself and change my identity. Could you help me find out if there are any ships from Tianjin to the island nation recently?"

Wang Xiangzhai nodded. This matter is not difficult. There is no formal war yet, and the shipping and trade still exist. In fact, wealthy merchants will send their children to Japan to study.

Tianjin was one of the largest ports, and merchant ships would come here every so often.

Chen Zhan did not leave the house; he stayed inside the Wang family's Xingyi Hall and did not even reveal his true identity when he entered the capital, keeping everything extremely secret.

The next day, Wang Xiangzhai told him the news that a ship would be going to Japan next month, and there were still about ten days to prepare.

Chen Zhan nodded to indicate that he understood, and Wang Xiangzhai naturally agreed to lend him his study for a few days of seclusion.

Knowing the dangers of going to Japan, he took the opportunity to transcribe and organize his insights and understanding of the three major internal martial arts styles and leave them to Ye Ningzhen.

The study in Wang's Xingyi Hall is not large. The window paper is covered with new paper, and when the morning light shines in, you can see the fine dust floating in the air.

On the table lay a stack of yellowed Xuan paper, and the ink ground in the Duan inkstone still gleamed. Chen Zhan sat on the wooden chair, his left hand resting on the edge of the table, his right hand holding a wolf-hair brush, the tip of which hovered over the paper. He didn't rush to write; instead, he closed his eyes and concentrated, his fingertips trembling slightly with his breath, mentally rehearsing every move and exchange in martial arts.

The moves of the three major internal martial arts styles flowed through his mind.

The Bengquan of Xingyi requires the use of the waist and hips to shift the momentum. When the force originates from the soles of the feet, it should be continuous and smooth, like drawing silk, and should not be forced.

The silk-reeling energy of Tai Chi is not simply about deflecting force. The key is to conceal the drilling energy of Xingyi in the palm at the moment of contact with the opponent in order to achieve "deflecting while striking".

To coordinate the Bagua's mud-walking step with double swords, the stride must be reduced to half an inch so that the sword wind can envelop the whole body when turning the waist, thus preventing sneak attacks from all directions.

Only after he had a clear idea in mind did Chen Zhan put pen to paper.

The wolf-hair brush strokes across the Xuan paper, leaving powerful and vigorous ink marks. The first line reads "A Comprehensive Guide to Internal Martial Arts"!
The text is divided into three volumes: Xingyi, Bagua, and Taiji.

In the Xingyi Quan, he annotated in detail the power generation techniques of the five energies: "Beng Zuan Pi Pao Heng" (崩钻劈炮横), and even drew a simple body diagram, marking the angle of waist and hip rotation.

The Tai Chi volume focuses on the practical variations of "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail" and "Cloud Hands," especially mentioning how to use "Lu Jin" to entangle the blade when dealing with a Japanese samurai sword, and then use "An Jin" to knock the opponent's wrist away.

The Bagua scroll mainly records the coordination of walking and turning steps with sword techniques, and specifically notes that "when encountering a sneak attack, one should use the Bagua steps to move through the 'Nine Palaces'."

As for the rest of Baguazhang, Chen Zhan had already handed it all over to Ye Ningzhen, so there was no need to write it down anymore.

The stack of Xuan paper on the table was already thick; besides martial arts insights, there were a few pages of combat experience at the end.

"Japanese samurai are mostly strong and powerful, which can be neutralized and deflected by Tai Chi. Ninjas are good at sneak attacks, and you need to concentrate on sensing changes in airflow. Their breathing is three times lighter than that of ordinary people, which can be used to locate them."

Chen Zhan carefully folded the manuscript, tied it with a red string, and wrote the four characters "Ningzhen, please open" on the cover, with the ink being slightly darker than elsewhere.

I've already finished writing the content after seven days of seclusion; the rest of the time is for recuperation and healing.

In just half a month, thanks to his self-healing ability, he has almost fully recovered.

When he pushed open the study door, Wang Xiangzhai was waiting in the corridor. Seeing him come out, he hurriedly stepped forward: "The Alliance Leader has emerged from seclusion. In three days, the Osaka Merchant Shipping Association's ship will be sailing from Tianjin to Kobe and Yokohama. Tickets must be purchased with proper identification."

Chen Zhan nodded and handed over the bundled manuscript, his tone gentler than usual: "It's alright, I'll take care of the identity. This is my summary of the three major internal martial arts styles, as well as some methods for fighting enemies. You can take a look, and then I'll personally give it to Ye Ningzhen."

Wang Xiangzhai took the manuscript; it was heavy, and he knew it was one of Chen Zhan's most treasured possessions. He carefully tucked it into his pocket.

"Don't worry, Alliance Leader, I'll deliver it myself. There won't be any problems."

Chen Zhan gave a few more instructions, then turned and went to the backyard to change into a blue cloth student uniform. He then altered his face to resemble a handsome young man, adopting the alias "Chen Mo," an identity he had long ago decided upon.

This would provide a convenient excuse for going to Japan to "study" while also allowing them to avoid being searched by the Japanese.

On the way to Tianjin from Xingyi Museum, we avoided the main roads and took country lanes instead. We arrived in Tianjin in the afternoon. The gate of Nankai University was solemn and majestic, and the locust leaves inside the gate had turned yellow.

When Chen Zhan arrived at the principal's office, Zhang Boling was deep in thought, looking at a lesson plan. He was taken aback when he saw the young man enter with a sharp look in his eyes but a calm demeanor.

Chen Zhan didn't beat around the bush and directly revealed his identity, which startled Zhang Boling.

"How come Alliance Leader Chen is so young?"

"It's just a little trick to cover things up," Chen Zhan said.

"What is this, Alliance Leader Chen?" Zhang Boling asked, puzzled. The Japanese had once again blocked information about Fengtian. At this critical moment, the Japanese were making intensive troop deployments and arranging an offensive against the entire Northeast, striving to take over the three northeastern provinces as quickly as possible.

Therefore, Zhang Boling had no idea what he had done in Fengtian.

Moreover, he had previously agreed to be a visiting professor and give a lecture once a month, but the Central Plains War disrupted his plans, and he never came.

Of course, he didn't take the money either.

Now we absolutely cannot take it; if the Japanese find out, who knows how they will retaliate.

"Principal, the reason I came to see you in this state is that my identity and whereabouts cannot be exposed. As for the reason, it is difficult to explain. You will know in a while. As for my position as a visiting professor at Nankai University, let's just forget about it. Please remove me from the list as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Boling was still taken aback. It wasn't that he had never met people in the martial arts world before; Han Muxia was one of them. So it was normal for him to know that people like them had secrets.

But Chen Zhan's decisive words indicated a serious matter, so he didn't object.

"I understand what Mr. Meng Chen means. Is there anything else, sir?"

Chen Zhan was a little embarrassed to speak. It was easy for Zhang Boling to arrange an identity for him, but if he boarded the ship and entered the country under this identity, the Japanese would definitely investigate him later.

It could very well implicate Zhang Boling and Nankai University.

Seeing Chen Zhan hesitate, Zhang Boling added, "Mr. Chen, please tell me. If it's difficult, I will naturally refuse."

Chen Zhan nodded: "Principal, I need an identity to board the ship from Tianjin to Kobe in three days. But entering the island nation involves some things that might implicate you, so I'm hesitant."

Zhang Boling tapped his finger on the table, probably guessing what Chen Zhan meant by "doing something".

These guys who practice boxing and kill people, they couldn't possibly be going to Japan to study.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Boling said, "I can't give you a Nankai student identity, but you can easily get a fake identity here by spending a little money."

Zhang Boling wrote down a note with an address on it.

"Hanako Street, No. 33".

Chen Zhan had been to the chaotic Nanshi district many times, but he hadn't had much contact with the local shady characters.

Given that Tianjin is a port city, with merchant ships not only going to Japan but also to all parts of the country, there are many people who need fake identities, so this kind of business naturally exists.

"Thank you principal."

Chen Zhan clasped his hands in a salute, then turned and left.

We drove out from the south and headed straight for the no-man's-land of Nanshi.

Chen Zhan had seen the filth and disorder of the no-man's-land before, but Huazi Street was even more outrageous. Sewage flowed into the middle of the road through the cracks in the bluestone slabs, mixed with the aroma of fried dough sticks, the musty smell of opium dens, and the shouts of peddlers.

A beggar huddled at the base of the wall, and a faded sign hung from the eaves. "No. 33 Huazi Street" was hidden between two dilapidated pawnshops. There was no sign on the wooden door, only a crooked "Yin" character carved on the door frame. The curtain was a piece of coarse, black cloth, and when the wind blew, the dim yellow oil lamp inside was revealed.

When Chen Zhan lifted the curtain and went inside, the room was filled with the smell of ink.

A man with a goatee was lying on a wooden table, carving a rubber stamp with a carving knife in his hand. A stack of yellowed paper was piled up at the corner of the table, and ink was condensing in the copper ink box next to him.

Seeing someone enter, the man with the goatee looked up and glanced at Chen Zhan's gray cloth robe. The material was quite good, but the cuffs were dusty, making him look like a student from a well-off family who was in a hurry. His eyes immediately lit up: "What do you want? A diploma? A travel permit? Or your identity?"

"A student going to Kobe, the son of a wealthy merchant family from out of town, surnamed Chen, given name Mo, twenty years old, who must be able to get past ship inspection and enter Japan."

Chen Zhan lowered his voice and tapped his fingers on the table, "How long will it take?"

Yang Hu put down his carving knife, rubbed his hands together, and circled around Chen Zhan, the abacus beads clicking and clattering in his hands.

"To obtain a student visa, you need to make a diploma, a household registration card, and even have a fake chamber of commerce stamp. It's a lot of work. Besides, the checks on people going to Japan have been strict lately, so it's risky."

"One price, two hundred silver dollars, come and collect tomorrow."

Two hundred silver dollars?

Chen Zhan was stunned for a moment. He really didn't have that much money with him, and the price was clearly taking advantage of him.

Two hundred silver dollars could buy more than ten acres of good land.

A professor at Nankai University could only earn two hundred silver dollars every six months.

"You think it's too expensive? If you think it's too expensive, go find someone else. We don't force people to buy or sell," the man with the goatee laughed.

Chen Zhan didn't haggle; he simply took out three copper coins from his pocket and placed them on the table.

The man with the goatee glanced at it and smiled.
"Oh, we've run into a tough bastard. It's been a long time since we've encountered one in Seventh Master's territory."

"Back then, the Green Gang's branch was destroyed by that ruthless star. Our Jiuqu Chamber of Commerce has been established for two years, and we've already opened up this area of ​​Nanshi. Kid, you're from out of town, aren't you?"

"Go out and ask around. Seventh Master is kind and rarely hurts people, but who in this Nanshi area dares to cause trouble?"

Chen Zhan laughed when he heard this. It was normal for other gangs to rise up after the Green Gang was wiped out, but he didn't expect to run into them and they wanted to rip him off as an outsider.

Chen Zhan was very experienced in dealing with these kinds of small fry.

The copper coins on the table were dark red and flat. He reached out and covered them with his hand. The man with the goatee thought Chen Zhan had given up, and stroked his beard with satisfaction, thinking to himself, "Seventh Master's name is really useful."

But Chen Zhan did not take back the copper coins; instead, he grabbed one and released it on the spot.

When his hand left, the three copper coins on the table, under the gaze of the man with the goatee...
They transformed into three copper balls, each the size of a fingernail, perfectly round, seamless, and without any burrs.
With three crisp "clicks," the copper coin was crushed into three round balls. Chen Zhan casually tossed them onto the table, where the copper balls were deeply embedded in the wooden table like three tiny nails.

The goatee's smile froze on his face, and his eyes widened as he stared at the three bronze balls.

If the copper coins might be Chen Zhan's doing—hiding them and releasing three finished copper balls—the wooden table was made of hard pine, which would require an ordinary person to work hard to carve with a knife.
This young man actually pinched a copper coin between his fingers and even embedded it into the wood?

"You invited Seventh Master here so we can have a talk?" Chen Zhan said calmly.

The man with the goatee knew kung fu; he wasn't a novice. He knew that Chen Zhan's skills were not bad. Although he might not be a match for Master Qi, he didn't have the ability or the face to ask Master Qi to come and help him just to fleece an outsider.

The man with the goatee swallowed hard and waved his hands hastily, "Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! I was just joking with you, sir! Twenty yuan, no, fifteen yuan! It'll be fine tomorrow!"

Chen Zhan didn't say much, tossed fifteen silver dollars onto the table, and turned to leave.

After he left, the man with the goatee dared not linger any longer. He found the best Xuan paper overnight, made a seal imitating the Chamber of Commerce's stamp, and wrote it neatly. He also added the false information "Father Chen Wanshan, runs a silk shop" to the household registration card.

Three days later, Chen Zhan went to the Tianjin Wharf with a false identity.

The Osaka merchant ship was called the "Fuji Maru." Its iron hull gleamed coldly, and the words "Osaka Merchant Shipbuilding Co., Ltd." were painted in red on its smokestack. The ship had three decks: the bottom deck was the cargo hold, the middle deck was the passenger cabin, and the top deck was the deck.

When boarding, the Japanese crew checked identities with a roster, their eyes scanning each passenger warily. They noticed that Chen Zhan's diploma and household registration were complete, and that he was wearing a student uniform and round-framed glasses that he had bought on the spot, making him look very refined.

They only asked two questions, "What are you going to study in Japan?" and "What does your family do?" before waving them away.

Upon entering the mid-level cabin, a strong smell of the sea mixed with perfume hit me.

The cabin was divided into compartments. Chen Zhan's compartment was in a corner, with two bunk beds. The person in the opposite bunk was a student from Beiping who was going to study in Japan. He was holding a copy of "New Youth" magazine. When he saw Chen Zhan come in, he just nodded and greeted him.

Outside the window, the dock cranes were still loading and unloading cargo, Japanese ronin strolled around the deck with swords on their backs, and businessmen gathered in a corner talking business in hushed tones. The sea breeze carried a salty smell and a sense of oppression.

The moment the ship sounded its horn, Chen Zhan leaned against the window, watching the outline of Tianjin gradually shrink, and folded the fake identity in his hand into a small piece and stuffed it into his inner pocket.

The Japanese ronin on the deck were still laughing and joking. No one knew that this seemingly weak "Mr. Chen" was actually a devil and a killing god.

Inside the box, hidden in his arms, were not books, but two knives; in his heart lay the bloodshed and carnage he was about to unleash upon the Japanese islands.

A week later, Chen Zhan arrived in Kobe.

(End of this chapter)