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

The night grew deeper.

Inside the black and white pawnshop, only a single candle flickered dimly in a corner.

Chen Zhan twirled the yellowed slips of paper between his fingers, examining them one by one, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He himself did not expect that the hook he casually set would catch such a big fish.

I originally went to the Four Gates Inn to "fish".

The Tianjin area is a melting pot of all sorts of people, with martial arts practitioners, gangs, foreigners, and Qing government forces all intertwined. As a newcomer, he didn't know where to start, so he simply decided to wait and see who would come knocking on his door.

He was initially disappointed when Qin Ming and his two companions came to his door to extort money from him.

The three men had rudimentary skills, and their internal strength was not even properly developed. Furthermore, the Little Liangshan Mountain behind them was of little value.

Fortunately, Qin Ming brought up "Liu the Shadowy," who was initially just considered an ordinary local bully, a decent appetizer.

It wasn't until he had gone through the pawnshop's ledgers and the notes on the wall that he truly understood that this fish was far bigger and more vicious than he had imagined.

The ledgers were filled with records of Liu's collusion with foreigners, including the trafficking of opium, smuggling of firearms, and human trafficking.

They even helped foreigners gather intelligence on martial arts and the Qing government, every single one of which was stained with the blood of their compatriots.

Chen Zhan put the last note back into the wooden box, then looked up at the bewildered Qin Ming: "Go ahead and inform all the forces. They should be interested in Yinmian Liu's territory."

The panic on Qin Ming's face gradually faded, replaced by a resolute determination to burn his bridges.

He instantly realized there was no way out; his current situation depended entirely on Chen Zhan.

Chen Zhan won, and he might be able to survive by leveraging this power.

Chen Zhan lost, and Yinmian Liu would never let him go. He was going to die anyway, so he might as well take a gamble.

"it is good!"

He dared not go through the front door, so he rushed to the back window, braced himself against the windowsill, and leaped out with swift movements.

Sure enough, there were several dark figures standing outside the window. They were sent by various forces in Tianjin to gather information. Seeing that he was just a small-time hoodlum with no backing, they didn't make things difficult for him. They just gave him a cold glance and let him disappear into the dark alley.

Chen Zhan watched his departing figure, said nothing more, and turned to pick up three account books from the cabinet.

Upon entering the hall, the room was in complete disarray, with broken tables and chairs and scattered bricks and stones. Only one solid wood chair remained intact, standing firmly in place.

He pulled up a chair, sat down, placed the account book on the table, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of cold tea.

The candlelight cast a dim yellow glow, illuminating his calm profile. The only sound in the room was the crackling of the burning candle, creating an eerily quiet atmosphere.

It didn't take long, less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

A flurry of footsteps approached from outside the pawnshop, the "thump-thump-thump" sound growing louder and louder, accompanied by a jumble of whispers, clearly indicating that a large number of people had arrived.

First, a group of ten people filed in, all dressed in black, wearing felt hats, with their braids casually hanging behind them, their expressions cold and their eyes fierce.

Each person carried a short-handled ring knife, the blade of which was only one and a half feet long, and the blade was wider and thicker than the Wing Chun Eight-Cut Knife.

The handle is wrapped with non-slip cloth strips and adorned with an iron ring, allowing for gripping in various ways—circular, upright, or inverted—making it a versatile weapon suitable for both offense and defense.

After the ten men entered the room, five men stood on each side, forming a circle. They slightly raised their ring-shaped swords, with the blades pointing directly at Chen Zhan, forming a tight sword formation that surrounded Chen Zhan in the center.

Chen Zhan didn't even lift his eyelids; these ten people were just the vanguard, not the main force.

The footsteps outside continued unabated, and then three more people walked in.

Two men led the way, one of whom was bald.

His shiny head was particularly conspicuous in the candlelight. He wore a red monk's robe, had a burly build, muscular arms, a scar on his face that ran from his forehead to his chin, and a fierce look in his eyes.

He is Huo Liao Jingang, one of the three great generals under Yinmian Liu.

The man on the right was dressed in a long black robe. He was tall and straight. What was most striking about him was his eyes. His eye sockets were deep-set and his pupils were large and black. In addition, he had a pair of broad hands with knuckles as thick as rocks and a bluish-purple tinge, which was obviously the result of years of practicing claw techniques.

It is indeed Tiger Claw Vajra.

The two imposing figures stood side by side, exuding a powerful aura. After entering the room, they slowly stepped aside, making way for each other.

Immediately afterwards, a refined-looking figure walked in through the gap.

Liu Sanye, the head manager of Yuchang Inn, is the mastermind behind the shady dealings in Tianjin's streets and alleys. His nickname is "Liu the Shadowy One".

Yinmian Liu was about forty or fifty years old. He was extremely refined-looking, with two thin, long mustaches and a long, thin face.

His most distinctive feature is his drooping eyebrows, with the inner corners drooping and the outer corners pointing upwards. Paired with a pair of narrow, triangular eyes, he appears exceptionally sinister and cunning, sending chills down people's spines even when he has a smile on his face.

There were still many people outside the pawnshop, and all that could be heard were the chaotic footsteps and the crackling of torches, but no one came in.

It was clearly an ambush left by Liu the Shadow, just in case.

Such a display was enough to make any renowned master in Tianjin tense up and take things more seriously.

But Chen Zhan remained seated, slowly sipping his herbal tea, the slurping sounds particularly clear in the quiet room.

It was as if the mountain of knives and sea of ​​swords before him had nothing to do with him.

Liu, with a dark expression, stepped forward, his gaze falling on Chen Zhan. His slanted eyebrows were slightly raised, revealing no emotion: "You broke into my Yuchang Inn in the dead of night, injured my men, and ruined my business. Is it simply because my men sold your information?"

Chen Zhan put down his teacup and looked at Yin Mian Liu. Under the dim light, the other man's slanted eyebrows did indeed give him a somewhat sinister look.

However, let's not forget that he's still human.

Even if it really were Fan Wujiu or Xie Bi'an, the Black and White Impermanence, we'd still have to ask them if their fists have eyes.

"Yes, that's right, you've offended me."

Chen Zhan spoke casually, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Yinmian Liu laughed, his laughter sinister and sending chills down one's spine: "This little thing, is it really necessary to make such a fuss? We always do business amicably, and you've gone too far by ruining my business and injuring my men without any explanation."

"Well, so what?" Chen Zhan raised his eyes, showing no remorse whatsoever.

The smile on Yinmian Liu's face vanished instantly, and his eyes turned cold and piercing: "So what? In Tianjin, if you ruin my business or hurt my people, no matter how powerful your background is, you won't get out of here. The martial world values ​​reason. If you're not in the right, no one can protect you."

"I have no connections."

Chen Zhan slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the black-clad swordsmen and the two Vajra on either side, before finally settling on Liu with the dark side.

"No background?" Yinmian Liu hesitated for a moment, clearly not expecting Chen Zhan to say that.

At first, he thought that Chen Zhan was sent by Cao Taisui or Tiezui Ma Liu to sabotage him; otherwise, no one would dare to storm his black and white pawnshop alone and cause trouble.

He never expected that Chen Zhan was actually just a dragon crossing the river, with no background whatsoever, and simply chose him to establish his authority.

Chen Zhan stopped, his gaze falling on Yin Mian Liu's feet, and asked in a calm tone, "You use a sword, right?"

Yinmian Liu was taken aback, then a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, before he laughed again: "You have good eyesight, sir. I was wearing a long robe and hiding a sword, yet you still managed to see it?"

"Those who wield a knife exert force with a heavy, solid stance; those who wield a staff exert force with a steady, grounded stance; those who wield a sword exert force with the most unpredictable movements, their footwork unpredictable."

"You walk with light steps and a graceful figure. You seem refined, but in fact, you have the foundation of sword steps in your feet. You must be a master swordsman."

"But you haven't killed anyone with your own hands in many years, your edge has worn down!"

After Chen Zhan finished speaking, Yin Mian Liu's expression became even more unpleasant.

He was now completely convinced that Chen Zhan was indeed a powerful force, using him to establish his authority.

Those who practice martial arts know that keen eyesight is equivalent to powerful punches.

Training begins with eye training; the eyes must be in sync with the hands. If the eyes are inaccurate, even the strongest fist is useless.

Chen Zhan's insight is something that ordinary experts cannot possess.

"A past grudge? I don't recall offending a master like you." Suppressing his apprehension, Yinmian Liu asked in a deep voice.

"We have no grudge; I only heard of your reputation during the day."

"Then you've chosen the wrong person to target, Old Liu."

Liu Yixiao, with his dark face, took a small step back. Huo Liao Jingang and Hu Zhao Jingang immediately stepped forward to block him behind them, their expressions wary and their bodies tense, ready to attack at any moment.

Ten black-clad swordsmen stepped forward simultaneously, their sword formation contracting, bringing the blades even closer to Chen Zhan. A strong wind swept across his face, and the chill was biting.

Chen Zhan didn't seize the initiative; he simply stood still, letting Liu, the man behind the scenes, deploy his troops. "You didn't make the wrong choice. Don't you deserve to die for what you've done?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yinmian Liu retreated again, taking a step back to be behind the ten black-clad swordsmen.

He laughed wildly into the room, his laughter maniacal, tinged with despair and madness.

"Hahahaha! Hehehe! I've thought about it all the way here, considering every possibility, but I never expected him to be someone who upholds justice!"

"Kill him! Kill him! Whoever kills him will be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver and promoted to manager!"

At Yinmian Liu's command, ten black-clad swordsmen attacked simultaneously.

He gripped the ring-handled sword straight in his hand, its blade gleaming with a cold, icy light, and slashed towards Chen Zhan.

The ten men worked together seamlessly, attacking in a fan shape with a clear division of labor. Some of them focused on attacking Chen Zhan's upper body, slashing his neck and splitting his shoulders.

Some people specialize in the middle section, cutting off the waist and abdomen, and severing the arms.

Two other men crouched down and focused their attacks on Chen Zhan's legs and feet, each move vicious and aimed directly at vital points.

It's clear that these ten people have been practicing swordsmanship and killing people together for years. They are ruthless and their teamwork is superb. When their sword formation is in motion, it is airtight and has no flaws whatsoever.

However, Fire-Burning Vajra and Tiger Claw Vajra did not make a move. They simply took a step back and stood silently in place, their eyes fixed on Chen Zhan, wanting to assess Chen Zhan's strength before deciding how to proceed.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered violently, the glint of knives flashed, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the air.

The ear-piercing whistling sounds rose and fell, completely shattering the tranquility of the entire pawnshop.

Chen Zhan remained standing in place, his expression calm, as if the knife wasn't aimed at him, and Yinmian Liu wasn't targeting him either.

His gaze swept over the ten swords coming at him, and he said calmly, "The form of the Wing Chun Eight-Cut Sword combines the power of the Choy Li Fo Noon Sword, making it both offensive and defensive. It is indeed a good sword formation."

This kind of swordsmanship is completely mediocre when used by a single person. Any one of these ten swordsmen is only at the beginner level of Ming Jin.

However, when ten people form a sword formation, the power will increase many times over.

A single attack against one person is a tremendous advantage, enough to trap or even kill a top-tier master of internal energy.

But they were attacking Chen Zhan, a Grandmaster of the Dan-Possession Realm.

Ten knives came slashing down at the same time. When each knife came within three feet of Chen Zhan, he could feel the bone-chilling cold on his skin, and his hair stood on end.

Chen Zhan's expression remained unchanged, but he slightly twisted his body and stepped out in the Bagua style.

They moved nimbly in place, their footwork light and graceful, like willow catkins in the wind or fish swimming in the water, agile and free.

Each knife grazed his front, back, waist, and neck, the force of the blades causing his clothes to flutter wildly.

Several strands of hair on his head were also cut off by the blade and fell to the ground.

It seems so close, each time just a hair's breadth away, yet a slight deviation can lead to disastrous consequences.

Ten knives, but not one of them struck the hem of his clothes.

A strange feeling rose in the hearts of the ten black-clad swordsmen.

They all felt that they were just a hair's breadth away from hitting Chen Zhan and making a great contribution, but no matter how hard they tried or how they adjusted their angles, they were always just a hair's breadth away.

That feeling of being so close yet so far was driving them to the brink of collapse.

"Bam—!"

With a loud crash, Chen Zhan stomped his foot, and the bluestone floor beneath his feet instantly cracked, the cracks spreading like a spider web, and fragments of stone flew everywhere.

He abruptly stopped in his Bagua Steps, no longer dodging, and turned, twisted his waist, stepped forward, and charged forward—a series of movements as fast as lightning.

Her hands moved swiftly among the ten knife-wielders like butterflies flitting among flowers, her movements precise and ruthless. Each time her palms fell, they precisely sliced ​​the wrists of the black-clad knife-wielders, striking their pressure points precisely.

"Clap clap clap clap—!"

A series of crisp sounds rang out as ten ring-shaped swords fell to the ground, their clanging sounds echoing incessantly.

Each of the knife-wielders instinctively reached for their knife, only to find a clear hand-knife mark imprinted on their wrist. Their wrists went numb and completely lost sensation; they didn't even have the strength to lift their hands and could only stand frozen in place.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

The next moment, Chen Zhan appeared in front of the two Vajra Kings.

It moved with lightning speed, so fast that its trajectory was impossible to discern.

"God back."

Chen Zhan even spoke up to remind him in advance.

Fire-Burning Vajra and Tiger Claw Vajra finally snapped out of their shock, their wariness instantly turning into horror.

Unexpectedly, the sword formation formed by ten swordsmen was shattered by him in an instant.

In their shock and anger, the two didn't have time to think and immediately unleashed their best skills to attack Chen Zhan.

Fire-Burning Vajra clenched his fists and unleashed the Arhat Fist, his powerful punches whistling through the air as they struck Chen Zhan's vital points.

Tiger Claw Vajra then transformed his palms into claws, unleashing authentic Tiger Claw Kung Fu. His fingers were bent and outstretched, his knuckles protruding, and his claws were fierce, aiming straight for Chen Zhan's throat.

Chen Zhan didn't even lift his eyelids. He made a fist with his left hand and unleashed the Great Sun Vajra Fist.

One of the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts, even without the support of true qi, its power is still not to be underestimated, relying solely on the condensed fist energy circulating throughout its body. Its fist is fierce and powerful, directly confronting the Arhat Fist of the Fiery Vajra.

His right hand transformed from a palm into a claw, unleashing the Dragon Claw Hand. His fingertips moved nimbly, and his claws were precise, like a dragon reaching out with its claws, directly targeting Tiger Claw Vajra's wrist, perfectly countering his Tiger Claw Kung Fu.

"Oh!"

"Click!"

Two crisp sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

Chen Zhan's fist collided with Huo Liao Jingang's fist.

A surge of powerful energy rushed into Huo Liao Jingang's body, instantly numbing his arm, shattering his fist, and breaking the bone in his right hand with a single punch. He screamed in agony as his body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the wall.

At the same time, Chen Zhan's Dragon Claw Hand precisely gripped Tiger Claw Vajra's wrist, and with a slight force from his fingertips, he snapped the wrist bone. Then, with a twist, a crisp sound of breaking meridians rang out.

Tiger Claw King Kong let out a shrill scream, and was casually tossed aside by Chen Zhan, crashing heavily onto the broken table and chairs, where it lost consciousness.

It collapses at the first touch.

It can fly at the slightest touch.

Inside the pawnshop, only the screams of the two men and the cracking sounds of bones breaking echoed in the empty room.

Yinmian Liu's ability to read people's expressions had long been honed to perfection. Taking advantage of the lull between the two great warriors, he quietly retreated to the ambush outside the house.

His speed was ultimately too slow compared to Chen Zhan's.

Swift as a raging fire.

With a sudden push of his feet, his body leaped across the ravine like a monkey, covering a distance of one and a half feet, and instantly appeared behind Yinmian Liu.

Just then, Yinmian Liu ran to the pawnshop door. Dozens of knife and axemen outside were lying in ambush on both sides. When they saw Yinmian Liu run out, they all stood up straight and waited for his orders.

Yinmian Liu was overjoyed and quickly turned around, shouting loudly at the axemen outside, "Give him to me!"

Before he could finish speaking, his throat suddenly tightened as a pair of iron clamps gripped it tightly.

His breathing stopped instantly, and he couldn't even make a sound.

He instinctively looked down and saw a long, strong hand tightly gripping his throat. The slight pressure from the fingertips made him feel the threat of death.

The owner of the hand was none other than Chen Zhan.

“Now that you’re here, you can’t leave, Third Master Liu.” Chen Zhan’s voice rang in Liu’s ear from the shadows.

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Zhan exerted a little force on his wrist and flicked it backward.

"boom--!"

Yinmian Liu's body was thrown back into the house like a cannonball. (End of this chapter)