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

The night was as dark as ink, and three figures were running frantically through the deserted streets.

The fourth and fifth brothers took turns carrying their seriously injured third brother on their backs, their steps quick, their feet pounding on the bluestone pavement, making rapid "thump-thump" sounds and splashing up small stones.

Both were masters at the peak of Ming Jin (a martial arts technique), with leg strength far exceeding that of ordinary people. Even while carrying an adult, their speed did not decrease.

"Third Brother, it's alright, it's alright, we'll be there soon if we run a little longer."

As the fourth brother ran, he choked back tears as he tried to comfort the patient, his voice trembling with sobs: "Sixth Master has the best doctors; they'll do anything to save you. You won't die."

"Third Brother, don't die! Don't die!"

The fifth brother followed closely behind, his face streaked with tears and snot, the blood at the corner of his mouth still wet with sweat, a disheveled sight. He paid no heed to wiping it away, focusing only on running forward as fast as he could.

“We brothers have only been living the high life with Sixth Master for a few years, and there are still decades of good days ahead of us. You can’t just leave like this.”

The two of them talked back and forth, their voices filled with anxiety and fear, their sobs growing louder, but their pace did not slow down at all.

All I wanted to do was get back to Iron Mouth Ma Liu's lair as soon as possible and save Third Brother's life.

The brothers' life-or-death bond was forged in battle together.

"puff--!"

The man in black on his back suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto Lao Si's back. The warm blood seeped into his clothes, a shocking sight.

But after spitting out that mouthful of blood, he was able to catch his breath. He spoke weakly, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible: "Then... is that guy surnamed Chen... is he dead?"

The fourth brother felt a pang of sadness and quickly replied, "He's not dead. That guy surnamed Chen is too powerful. We can't beat him. We have to retreat first. Saving you is the priority!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man in black on his back did not respond. His head drooped limply, and it was unclear whether he was dead or unconscious. His breathing grew weaker and weaker.

The two dared not delay, gritted their teeth, and ran as fast as they could.

Their figures moved through the night like two dark shadows.

Before long, they turned through several streets and alleys, rushed to the gate of a grand courtyard, smashed open the half-closed gate, and roared as they charged inside:

"Sixth Master, Sixth Master! Save my third brother! Please save my third brother!"

In an instant, more than a dozen young men dressed in black short-sleeved shirts emerged from the courtyard. They were all tall and upright, with wary expressions and weapons in their hands, indicating that they were all skilled in martial arts.

Upon seeing that it was the fourth and fifth brothers who rushed in, along with the third brother who was seriously injured on his back, everyone relaxed their tense nerves and made way for them.

The three of them ran all the way into the main room and immediately saw Iron-Mouthed Ma Liu sitting in the main seat.

Ma Liuzhong was of medium build, with a fair complexion. He lacked the ruggedness of a typical gang leader, instead exuding shrewdness and cunning, with sharp, venomous eyes.

The little finger on his left hand was missing a section, which was particularly noticeable.

He was sitting in a chair drinking tea when he saw the three of them and immediately said:

"Take him down to get treatment for his injuries."

Ma Liu's voice was calm and unwavering, "Use the best medicine, at all costs, as long as there's still a breath left, save Lao San."

"Yes, Sixth Master!"

Two young men in black immediately stepped forward, carefully took the third brother from him, and quickly walked towards the back room, their movements gentle, as if afraid of aggravating his injuries.

Ma Liu withdrew his gaze, toying with two shiny iron walnuts in his hands, which made a soft "clicking" sound as he turned them. He looked at the remaining fourth and fifth brothers and asked, "How did things go? Is Yinmian Liu dead?"

The fourth brother nodded hurriedly, raising his hand to wipe away the snot, tears, and blood from his face. His breath was still not calm, and his voice was a little hoarse: "Sixth Master, Yinmian Liu has been killed, but we really can't beat that Chen guy. Third Brother was also seriously injured by him."

The fifth brother quickly chimed in, his face filled with lingering fear: "That's right, Sixth Master, that Chen guy is terrifying! The billowing black smoke had no effect on him at all, and he even dared to grab a knife with his bare hands. Third Brother only exchanged two blows with him before being knocked off the third floor by a single palm strike. We don't even know if he'll survive."

"The rumors about him in the martial arts world are absolutely true. His kung fu skills are probably just a return of those people from back then," the fourth brother added, his tone full of apprehension.

"Yes, Sixth Master,"

“We don’t need to be the first to act. Let’s just let it go. If those people from back then really come back, Tianjin will probably be in big trouble. We don’t need to fight to the death with those kinds of people.”

The two men talked back and forth, unaware of Ma Liu's reasons for wanting to kill Yinmian Liu, only assuming it was for territory and business.

Ma Liu frowned slightly, his tapping of the table with his fingers abruptly stopped, and he spoke suddenly, his voice carrying a hint of coldness:
"Wait a minute!"

"You mean he beat the third brother like this in just two moves?"

The fourth and fifth brothers exchanged a glance and nodded quickly: "That's right, Sixth Master. In just two moves, Third Brother was no match for him."

"Then how did you kill Yinmian Liu, and how did you escape from him?"

Ma Liu's voice suddenly turned cold, and a hint of vigilance and ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, the fourth and fifth brothers froze instantly. The fear and hesitation on their faces were replaced by bewilderment, and for a moment, they were speechless.

"Damn it! Useless!"

Ma Liu slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily, "You've been followed!"

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Liu shouted sternly at the door, "Close the door! Be on guard! Everyone come here and guard all the intersections. Don't let anyone in or out!"

"No need?"

A calm voice, as if drifting down from the sky, floated and sank, clearly reaching the ears of everyone in the room.

The next moment, everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and a figure had already appeared in the room, moving at an astonishing speed, as if he had never moved at all.

There was someone sitting in the large black wooden chair next to Ma Liu, and someone had appeared there at some point.

Chen Zhan remained calm and composed, not needing anyone to serve him. Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, he picked up the purple clay teapot on the table and poured himself a cup of tea.

The purple clay teapot has a delicate texture, and the celadon cup is crystal clear; they are obviously high-quality items.

Chen Zhan knew nothing about tea. He picked up the cup, took a sip, and found the taste refreshing but couldn't tell whether it was good or bad.

"Does Master Ma's constant staring at Chen mean he's not welcoming me?"

Chen Zhan put down his teacup, spoke calmly, and looked at Ma Liu, who was in the main seat.

"Hehe, welcome, welcome."

Ma Liu forced a smile, but it was stiff. He cracked the iron walnut in his hand. "Mr. Chen, it's an honor to have you here. Please forgive my lack of hospitality."

Chen Zhan smiled and turned his gaze to the fourth and fifth brothers beside him: "Sixth Master Ma's men are quite capable and their kung fu is also very good. I wonder where they were recruited?"

Ma Liu's gaze froze, clearly not expecting Chen Zhan to ask this question. He was somewhat puzzled, but he wasn't petty, and replied calmly, "I met him by chance a few years ago, and we hit it off, so I took him in. What, Mr. Chen, are you interested?"

While the two were talking, the commotion inside the house had already reached the backyard, and they had secretly begun to mobilize their forces.

Ma Liu has over five hundred thugs under his command who dare to fight and take risks. Among them are many masters of Ming Jin (manifest strength) and even a few masters of An Jin (hidden strength), making them a force to be reckoned with.

Chen Zhan picked up his teacup, took another sip, and slowly spoke, his tone tinged with inquiry, to the fourth and fifth brothers: "Interested? The Three Emperors Cannon Fist is Mr. Song Yanchao's unique skill, which was later passed down to the Divine Machine Battalion and the Huiyou Escort Agency. Which lineage do you two belong to?"

Upon hearing this, the fourth and fifth brothers' expressions changed drastically, their eyes widening in anger as they glared at Chen Zhan. Their eyes were filled with fury and sudden realization.

By this point, they finally understood that they had been outmaneuvered by Chen Zhan from beginning to end.

Chen Zhan deliberately held back, letting them escape with Third Brother, not because he couldn't defeat them, but so that he could follow them to find Master Ma's lair and wipe them all out in one fell swoop!
"Hmph, you surnamed Chen!"

"I haven't settled my score with you for my third brother's sake yet, so why do you care which lineage of kung fu we belong to?!"

Chen Zhan smiled faintly, his tone relaxed: "No rush for revenge. Isn't Master Ma secretly gathering his men? Do you think you few are enough to take us down?"

With just one sentence, he laid Ma Liu's clandestine actions bare, without any attempt at concealment.

Ma Liu's face remained expressionless, showing no change whatsoever. He was clearly very composed, remaining calm even after being exposed.

"Crack crack crack—!"

The iron walnut in Ma Liu's hand spun faster and faster, making increasingly rapid sounds, and a sense of oppression filled the air.

He paused for a moment, then slowly spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of probing: "Mr. Chen, we shouldn't have any grudges between us, right? I wanted to kill Yinmian Liu, but you injured my men. How about we call it even?"

These words were spoken without any sincerity.

Outside the door, footsteps grew closer and more frequent, clearly indicating that Ma Liu had little intention of reconciliation.

Chen Zhan put down his teacup: "Just give up like this? Master Ma, aren't you afraid I'll reveal your secret?"

"I remember Liu from the shadows saying that the commander of the garrison will soon be promoted to general, a third-rank official. Do you think you can handle that position, Sixth Master?"

"collapse!"

With a dull thud, the iron walnut in Ma Liu's hand cracked open, making a crisp sound.

His face could no longer remain calm, turning ashen and dark, a hint of ruthlessness and murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"Are you determined to fight me to the death?"

"Unfortunately, in the end it will only be a fight to the death." Ma Liu sighed heavily.

"Oh!"

Before he finished speaking, the iron ball in Ma Liu's hand turned into three.

The iron walnut split in two, one large and two small, and with a sharp gust of wind, shot straight towards Chen Zhan's eyes, as fast as lightning.

The two were separated only by a square table, with a distance of no more than ten feet between them.

At such close range, and with the iron ball flying at extremely high speed, anyone else would have no time to react and would be hit.

The iron ball appeared to be powerful and fast, but when it flew in front of Chen Zhan, he caught it with a wave of his hand.

The movements were unhurried, like soothing a cat with its fur standing on end; with a stroke and a flick, following the force of the iron ball, a gentle pull was made.

Without making a sound, the three iron balls landed steadily in Chen Zhan's hands.

"Clap clap-!"

Chen Zhan applied slight pressure with his fingers, and the iron ball in his hand instantly emitted a sound like popping beans, crisp and teeth-grinding.

In a short while, several pieces of the three iron balls slipped through his fingers like iron mud and landed on the table with a soft rustling sound.

You can crush iron into mud!

This is far superior to Ma Liu's method of breaking the iron walnut in half.

Just then, the door to the outside room was suddenly pushed open.

Two tall, burly men barged in through the door. They were both experts in internal strength, with imposing figures and sharp auras.

One man held a large knife, which was no ordinary knife. It had a short handle and a long blade, which was wide and thick. When it stood up, it was almost as tall as a person. It looked like a rectangular chopping board and was extremely heavy.

The other person, like the third brother who had been injured by Chen Zhan before, wielded the Sun and Moon Universe Blade, with a long blade in his left hand and a short blade in his right. The blades flashed, and his aura was imposing.

As soon as the two entered, they didn't waste any words, brandishing their weapons and charging towards Chen Zhan.

He swung his long sword, bringing a whistling wind with it, and slashed down fiercely, determined to split Chen Zhan in two on the spot.

Chen Zhan dodged the two attacks with a slight movement.

"Oh!"

Two long swords slammed heavily into the ground with tremendous force, creating two deep cracks in the hard bluestone floor. The tables and chairs next to them were overturned by the strong wind and shattered instantly, with wood chips flying everywhere.

"Battle Body Blade? The secret blade technique of the Bagua Sect?"

Chen Zhan's gaze fell on the giant broadsword, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. "Interesting. Master Ma's house is indeed full of hidden talents. It seems I made the right choice coming here today."

The burly man wielding the giant sword snorted coldly, gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, one hand on the handle and the other on the back of the blade, and once again swung the Zhan Shen sword, slashing it towards Chen Zhan.

This Zhan Shen Dao (Battle Body Blade) is a secret sword technique of the Bagua Sect, originally a weapon used by the army for night battles.

The blade is heavy, weighing several dozen kilograms, and can stand as tall as a person when upright. It is extremely difficult to swing, and one must hold the blade with both hands to unleash its maximum power.

The Zhan Shen Dao (Battle Blade) not only boasts incredible attack power, but also functions as a shield. Its wide blade can be used to block attacks from the front and defend against sneak attacks.

On the battlefield, the key is to kill with a single blow. If the first strike fails and the enemy retaliates, it is easy to lose one's life.

In night battles, the light is dim, and it is easy to miss with short swords and thin knives. However, this battle blade has a wide attack range and a very high margin for error. A single sweep of the blade can generate tremendous force, and those hit will either die or be seriously injured.

"It won't hurt to tell you."

Ma Liu stood to the side, a sinister smile on his face. "These dozen or so brothers around me are all survivors of the Shenji Battalion. They are all highly skilled warriors, with solid martial arts skills, and adept at coordinated attacks. Since you're going to die today anyway, I'll let you die knowing why!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Liu turned and went into the side room, leaving behind two burly men to continue besieging Chen Zhan.

Chen Zhan smiled faintly; even if Ma Liu didn't say it, he could guess.

This group possesses a wide variety of martial arts skills, including the Three Emperors Cannon Fist, the Sun and Moon Qiankun Blade, and the Eight Trigrams Battle Body Blade. They are also adept at teamwork and encirclement attacks, making them far from ordinary gangsters. Most of them have military experience and a solid foundation.

The footsteps outside the door gradually stopped.

Through the open gate, one could see that the courtyard was surrounded by men dressed in black, densely packed, each holding a weapon and looking wary, completely blocking the way.

They would swarm forward and hack Chen Zhan to pieces at Ma Liu's command.

Inside the house, the two burly men, having failed in their first attack, did not continue their pursuit. Instead, they flashed forward and blocked Chen Zhan's path.

He winked at the fourth and fifth brothers, signaling them to leave and not get in the way.

The fourth and fifth brothers knew that if they stayed, they would not only be of no help but might also be a burden to the two of them, so they left immediately.

A short while later, Ma Liu emerged from the side room. (End of Chapter)