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

Chen Zhan's voice wasn't loud, but it had a penetrating quality, and Lu Jun and Qin Ming on the roof felt a chill run down their spines for no apparent reason.

It was instantly clear that those words were meant for the two of them.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, they leaped down from the rooftop.

The ball of my foot landed as lightly as a cat's foot, without making much of a sound.

"Squeak-"

Lu Jun reached out and pushed open the broken wooden door of the Black and White Pawnshop, and the two walked in side by side.

The room was a mess, filled with the pungent and unpleasant smells of gunpowder, blood, and sawdust.

The ground was littered with broken tables and chairs, bricks and bloodstains, and the walls were cracked, with signs of a fight everywhere.

In the entire pawnshop, only Chen Zhan sat calmly on the intact solid wood chair, while the others were either lying down or sitting up, all groaning incessantly, and none of them could stand up.

Lu Jun and Qin Ming looked around, their gazes finally settling on Chen Zhan's feet.

A figure dressed in brocade robes stood with his back to them. It was Yinmian Liu, who was lying on the ground, trembling all over, begging Chen Zhan for mercy repeatedly, his posture as humble as a stray dog.

Chen Zhan was toying with another short flintlock pistol in his hand.

The long, copper shaft with a wooden grip was polished smooth and shiny, and the gunpowder and lead pellets were already properly packed in.

It was just taken from Yinmian Liu; he didn't even have a chance to fire.

"Is this something that the foreigners' musketeers have recently been equipped with?"

Chen Zhan ignored the two people who entered, his fingertips stroking the gun barrel, and asked Yin Mian Liu calmly at his feet.

Yinmian Liu dared not raise his head, his voice hoarse and filled with deep fear, and hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes! This was bought from Bishop Fabri. It's the latest equipment of the musket team, and it's more powerful than ordinary flintlock muskets."

Chen Zhan casually placed the musket on the table with a soft "thump," his tone carrying a hint of disdain: "Hmm, it really is... only so-so in power."

He paused, then asked, "How many men are in the foreigners' musketeer team?"

Yinmian Liu hesitated for a moment, then quickly said, "This... I don't know the exact number either, at least forty or fifty people, maybe more. I've only seen them a few times, and I haven't been able to get close enough to take a closer look."

"Fine, get out of here."

With a light push of his foot, Chen Zhan sent Yin Mian Liu tumbling to the corner of the wall like a kicked sack.

He groaned in pain, but dared not even cry out loudly; he could only cower there, trembling.

After dealing with Yinmian Liu, Chen Zhan turned his gaze to Lu Jun and Qin Ming, his eyes sharp as if he could see through people's hearts.

Lu Jun's expression was slightly excited, and his chest heaved slightly.

He witnessed Chen Zhan's rampage and saw the arrogant and domineering Liu, who held absolute power in Tianjin, become so humble in his presence.

A tremendous storm raged in his heart.

How many years has it been since a person like this appeared in Tianjin?
His martial arts skills were superb; he could catch a musket with his bare hands, take on ten opponents as easily as taking something out of a bag, and regard local bullies like Yinmian Liu as nothing more than weeds.

If it had been before, and he had only heard Qin Ming recount the story, he would have been somewhat hesitant, knowing that this was a dangerous situation and that getting on the bus might mean certain death.

But at this moment, he was completely willing, without the slightest hesitation.

He is not afraid of death.

What he feared most was dying without any value or purpose.

If I could follow such a person and do something earth-shattering.

Even if I die, what does it matter?

Lu Jun stepped forward, leaned slightly forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and said in a respectful but firm tone: "Greetings, Mr. Chen. I am Lu Jun, the leader of Little Liangshan."

Chen Zhan nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Lu Jun's footwork, and said calmly, "You practice Xingyi? Your spirit is like a monkey, and your steps are like an ape. You have indeed inherited some of the true teachings, following in the footsteps of Master Che Er?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jun felt a chill run down his spine, his hair stood on end, and his face was filled with shock.

He had never met Chen Zhan before; this was the first time they had ever met.

But Chen Zhan was able to accurately determine that he practiced Xingyi Quan just by looking at his walking posture, and even pinpointed that he was a disciple of Grandmaster Che Er!
This level of insight is absolutely terrifying, almost like being a prophet.

Lu Jun composed himself and quickly replied, "This...you know all this? I am a disciple of Zhao Fengyuan, and my grandmaster is none other than Mr. Che Yonghong, the second master of the Che family."

Che Yonghong, courtesy name Yizhai, was the second son in his family and was known to the world as Master Che the Second.

He was the second disciple of Li Luoneng, the founder of Xingyi Quan. Although his fame was not as great as that of his senior brothers Liu Lanqi and Guo Yunshen, he was still a well-known figure in the Xingyi school.

This is because he spends most of his time in the Shanxi area, keeping a low profile and avoiding any ostentation.

Che Yonghong was quiet and reserved, humble and kind, generous and righteous. He regarded wealth and status as fleeting clouds and devoted his life to helping the poor and orphans. He was very famous in Shanxi and deeply respected by the people.

During the Xianfeng era, Li Luoneng worked as a bodyguard at the home of Meng Boru, a gentleman in the southern part of Taigu City. Che Yonghong heard that Li Luoneng was proficient in Xingyi Quan and had extraordinary skills, so he was introduced by a friend to become Li Luoneng's disciple and devoted himself to learning the art.

After receiving guidance from a renowned master, Che Yonghong deeply grasped the essence of Xingyi Quan. For twenty years, he practiced diligently day and night without ever slacking off, and eventually achieved mastery, establishing his own school of Xingyi Quan.

The reason Chen Zhan could tell at a glance that Lu Jun was a disciple of Che Er was because after receiving guidance from Li Luoneng, Che Yonghong did not stick to the old ways, but innovated and improved the Xingyi Twelve Forms Boxing.

He simplified the complexities, discarding the redundant moves from the twelve forms, and only took one form, practicing it repeatedly on both sides. Each move was clear and simple, with yin and yang alternating, and hardness and softness complementing each other. He fundamentally carried forward and developed that one form.

That form is the Xingyi Monkey Form.

When Lu Jun walked just now, his body was light and agile, his steps were nimble, and his eyes were sharp. Every move he made revealed the essence of the monkey form, which is the typical characteristic of the Che Er lineage.

Chen Zhan smiled. He had never heard of the name Zhao Fengyuan before.

Mr. Che Er had many disciples, but most of them were based in Shanxi and had little contact with Liu Lanqi and Guo Yunshen's lineage. Few of them ventured into Tianjin.

"Your Xingyi practice is quite good. You've grasped the essence of the monkey form. Every monkey form practitioner is shrewd."

Chen Zhan spoke calmly, then changed the subject, "From now on, Liu San's business will be managed by you, how about that?"

"what?"

Lu Jun and Qin Ming were both stunned, their faces full of astonishment.

Chen Zhan's words were too casual; with just a few words, he handed over the business that Yinmian Liu had been running for over a decade to him.
This is the most profitable shady business in Tianjin, with casinos, pawnshops, and opium dens all available. Can you just give it away like that?
For a moment, the two of them were somewhat taken aback.

Before Chen Zhan could speak, Liu, who was standing in the corner, blurted out, "Here! Everything is yours! I'll have someone bring the land deeds and account books over in a bit. I only beg Mr. Chen to spare my life. From this day forward, I will never set foot in Tianjin again!"

He had lost all his former arrogance and was filled with the desire to survive. He would be willing to hand over his business, or even go bankrupt.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the pawnshop door was kicked open, and a black-clad knife-wielder rushed in, carrying a stack of papers in his arms and a heavy wooden box on his back, looking flustered.

"Thump—!" The knife-wielder placed the paper book and wooden box on the ground, making a heavy thud. When the box landed, there was a crisp clinking sound of gold and silver.

Chen Zhan nodded slightly, signaling Lu Jun to open the box.

Lu Jun stepped forward, reached out and lifted the lid of the box. It was full of gold, silver jewelry and banknotes, sparkling and dazzling. A rough estimate put it at least several thousand taels.

"The land deeds are all at the bottom of the box, and the box has a hidden compartment."

Yinmian Liu hurriedly reminded him, not daring to conceal anything.

He had been hoping for a lucky break, thinking that once he had a chance to escape, he would run to the foreign concession and, with the help of the foreigners, take revenge on Chen Zhan.

After witnessing Chen Zhan's ability to catch a musket with his bare hands, any lingering hope vanished instantly, leaving only fear.

All he wants now is to live, and to leave Tianjin as soon as possible and return to the south.

Over the years, the money he secretly transported to the south was more than enough for him to live a wealthy life in his later years, so there was no need for him to gamble his life here anymore.

Lu Jun carefully opened the box, removing the gold, silver, and banknotes. Sure enough, he found a hidden compartment at the bottom of the box. Upon opening it, he found more than a dozen land deeds neatly arranged inside. These were all property deeds for casinos, pawnshops, and opium dens under the name of Yinmian Liu, complete with all the necessary documents.

"All opium dens have been shut down, and no one is allowed to touch them again."

Chen Zhan's voice suddenly rang out, "If I find out you're involved in this again, your fate will be even worse than these others."

Lu Jun and Qin Ming felt a chill run down their spines and subconsciously looked at the two giants in the corner.

The two were already lifeless, their blood drained away, and they were dead beyond any doubt, their appearance utterly miserable.

Next was Yinmian Liu, whose leg was broken and three ribs were broken.

"Yes! Mr. Chen, rest assured, we will definitely comply!"

"Opium addicts are no human beings; running opium dens is a scourge on the country and its people. They deserve to die!"

"But I only have a dozen or so brothers under my command. Yinmian Liu has too many shops, all over Tianjin. I'm afraid we can't take care of them all."

"Then recruit some more people. You can decide what to do."

Chen Zhan stood up and straightened his clothes. "I gave you the chance, but you couldn't do it. You won't have another chance like this in the future."

After saying that, he added, "If you have anything important to discuss, you can come to the Four Gates Inn to find me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he bent down, picked up Yinmian Liu from the ground, and walked towards the pawnshop door.

The mess inside the house, the gold and silver, the land deeds, and the wailing underlings were all handed over to Lu Jun and Qin Ming to deal with.

The two knew in their hearts that this was Chen Zhan's first test for them.

If they can't even do this small thing well, it's not enough to prove their ability. They shouldn't talk about working for Chen Zhan anymore, let alone taking revenge.

Chen Zhan, carrying Yinmian Liu, walked out of the Black and White Pawnshop.

At this moment, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the faint morning sun shone on the earth, dispelling some of the chill of the night.

The pawnshop was still surrounded by people.

Yinmian Liu's dozens of axemen had been watching the door for over an hour. Now, seeing their leader being dragged around like a dead dog by Chen Zhan, they all turned pale and were on the verge of a mental breakdown, but none of them dared to take a step forward, not even daring to breathe.

In addition, many people from various factions in Tianjin also came, including members of the Weibei Canal Gang and the Qingyi Hall.

There were also some small gang leaders, all hiding in the open and in the shadows, their eyes fixed on Chen Zhan, whispering among themselves, but no one dared to make a move, let alone ask any questions.

Chen Zhan stopped and glanced at the crowd. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears: "Stop looking, everyone. Yinmian Liu is gone. From now on, I'll manage all his businesses. Anyone who wants trouble can come to the Four Gates Inn to find me."

Hidden in the shadows, several experts from the Four-Door Car Gang turned pale instantly upon hearing this.

Chen Zhan caused such a commotion at the pawnshop, killing Yinmian Liu's men and capturing Yinmian Liu, and now he still wants to return to the Four Gates Inn.

Once Chen Zhan returns, the Four Gates Inn will inevitably become a hotbed of trouble in Tianjin, attracting the attention of various forces, and the Four Gates Carriage Gang will also be implicated.

Even though they were dissatisfied, they dared not refuse.

The dozens of axemen, already uneasy, were even more disheartened upon seeing their leader's miserable state.

They followed Yinmian Liu just to make a living, but now that Yinmian Liu has fallen from power, they have lost their backer and dare not stay here any longer.

"Stop crowding around, go do what you're supposed to do."

After saying that, he ignored the crowd and, carrying Yinmian Liu, walked straight out.

As he approached the crowd, onlookers instinctively stepped back, automatically making way for him.

As soon as Chen Zhan left, the crowd looked at each other for a moment, then scattered and went their separate ways.

Chen Zhan carried the shady Liu along the way.

The wounds on Yinmian Liu's body were still bleeding, dripping onto the ground and leaving a long trail of blood.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance of a small clinic at the street corner and pushed open the wooden door.

Inside the clinic, the old Chinese medicine doctor had just woken up and was sitting at the table wiping his medicine box. When he saw Chen Zhan covered in blood and Yinmian Liu being carried by him, the old doctor didn't show much surprise.

This place is close to the dark market, where fights often break out, and he has seen many such scenes.

"Just keep your life."

Chen Zhan threw Yinmian Liu to the ground, and Yinmian Liu groaned in pain.

Chen Zhan found a stool, sat down, crossed his arms, closed his eyes to rest, and waited for the old Chinese medicine doctor to treat his wounds.

The old Chinese medicine doctor stepped forward, carefully examined Yinmian Liu's injuries, and shook his head: "One leg is broken, and three ribs are broken. They are all superficial injuries and bone fractures, not fatal. As long as the bleeding is stopped and he rests well, he can save his life. However, this leg will probably be useless in the future."

Yinmian Liu felt relieved. As long as he could live, he didn't care even if he lost a leg.

The old Chinese medicine doctor said no more, took out herbs, bandages and the thickest plum blossom needle, and began to apply medicine, stop the bleeding and suture Liu's genitals.

The thick plum blossom needle pierced his flesh, causing Yin Bian Liu to break out in a cold sweat and convulse in pain.

Human beings have an insatiable will to survive.

He hasn't reached the end of his rope yet, and Chen Zhan still has a use for him.

As long as he still has value, he has a chance to survive and wait for the day he can turn his life around.

Chen Zhan sat to the side, eyes closed in meditation, his inner energy contained, appearing calm but actually constantly alert to any movement around him. (End of Chapter)