Turbid World: Martial Arts Master of the Republic of China Era, I Cultivate Immortality!

"They're quiet types? Heh..."

A slightly mocking laugh came from the girl in training clothes beside her, which made Cheng Qingqing's face darken.

Zhao Zheng noticed that not only Cheng Qingqing looked unwell, but Li Feng and the other two trainees also looked unwell.

"Zheng-ge'er, ignore her, she's deliberately trying to cause us trouble..." Li Feng whispered, his face not looking too good.

Zhao Zheng nodded and didn't ask why the other party was deliberately causing trouble, because he knew that these people would definitely tell him.

Sure enough, after only a few words, one of the two martial arts students, a girl named Han Lu, explained the reason.

The girl who deliberately caused trouble was named Feng Xin. She was the eldest daughter of the Feng family in the north of the city. She was kind and generous and always took helping others as her goal.

Moreover, it is said that Feng Xin would occasionally open a porridge shop in the west of the city to help the poor, showing that she was kind-hearted at heart.

"???"

Wait a minute, isn't this a good thing?

Isn't he a model good person?

A series of question marks slowly appeared in Zhao Zheng's mind, not quite understanding why Li Feng and the others would be targeted by a good person.

However, he still didn't ask. After Han Lu finished speaking, another male student named Wu Xuan continued to explain.

The problem is that Feng Xin is too kind, to the point that she likes to stand up for the poor. Coincidentally, Cheng Qingqing and her four friends had a verbal argument and some conflict with Wei He and the other "poor people".

Then, Feng Xin misunderstood and started targeting Cheng Qingqing and her three friends, making sarcastic remarks from time to time.

Oh, I understand.

You two not only argued, you actually fought!

Besides, you haven't fought it yet!

Zhao Zheng understood. Li Feng secretly glanced at Feng Xin, who was practicing her sword in the distance, and said with a helpless expression.

"And then she set her sights on us..."

"She's sick in the head..."

"Exactly, it's all in the past. Wei He and the others don't care anymore, but she remembers it clearly. Has she lost her mind..."

Han Lu, who spoke last, muttered a curse in her mother's dialect, staring at Feng Xin with indignation.

"So, the four of you couldn't beat her alone?"

"..." x4

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Han Lu and Wu Xuan stared expressionlessly at Zhao Zheng, who was speaking in a rude and aggressive manner. Li Feng coughed and tried to smooth things over.

"Zheng-ge, where did you buy these clothes? They look surprisingly good on you..."

"Yeah, it looks a bit like those school uniforms, but not quite..."

Cheng Qingqing also tried to smooth things over, saying that she was just helpless as to why Zhao Zheng, after returning from studying abroad, still had such a sharp tongue.

To be fair, after so long without being poisoned, she actually quite liked the feeling of being poisoned today.

"This was made by Mr. Wen from the South, based on the clothing of Southeast Asian scholars. It hasn't spread here yet. If you want to buy it, go directly to Wang's Tailor Shop in the east of the city..."

Zhao Zheng gave an introduction, and Li Feng's eyes lit up as he asked, "Mr. Wen, could you be that person from the Southern government...?"

"right!"

Zhao Zheng nodded, listening quietly to the four people talking without interfering. After a while, Cheng Qingqing looked at Zhao Zheng's Zhongshan suit and then at Li Feng's mandarin jacket.

"This outfit looks much better than the traditional Chinese jacket!"

"It definitely looks much better!"

"Especially this button!"

Everyone agreed, and Zhao Zheng pointed to the centipede button on Li Feng's mandarin jacket, saying, "This centipede button on the mandarin jacket has a bad omen!"

"Is it a bad omen?"

The four were puzzled, and Feng Xin, who was practicing swordsmanship alone to the side, also pricked up her ears. Then she heard Zhao Zheng say, "Have you ever seen a wound? A big wound that needs stitches..."

The stitched wound and the centipede-shaped knot weren't exactly the same, but they were very similar. Upon seeing this image, Cheng Qingqing and Han Lu immediately showed disgust and let out a "Huh".

At the same time, the two moved a few steps away from Li Feng, and also away from Wu Xuan, who was also wearing a mandarin jacket, causing Li Feng and the other two to freeze in surprise.

Seeing the two women gather around, Zhao Zheng took the opportunity to explain the difference between the "厂" (factory) brooch of the Great Chen Dynasty and the "大襟" (large brooch) of the Great Zhao Dynasty.

Soon, Cheng Qingqing and the other three left the courtyard to find their respective servants and maids to go to Wang's Tailor Shop to fetch people.

"Hmph, it's just clothes..."

Seeing this, Feng Xin snorted coldly, said she was thirsty, picked up her sword and left the courtyard. Zhao Zheng smiled as he watched, and Su Ming, who had just entered the courtyard, scratched his head and looked around at the courtyard that belonged only to Zhao Zheng.

"Where are they? Where are my students?"

"Would you believe me if I said they went to make clothes?"

"???"

"..."

Zhao Zheng was speechless and could only explain the centipede button and the factory-style lapels. A short while later, Su Ming also left the courtyard.

Yes, he also sent someone to Wang's Tailor Shop!

Looking at the empty courtyard, Zhao Zheng knew he would have to wait a while before practicing martial arts, so he simply left the inner courtyard and headed towards the inner courtyard.

Before long, they arrived at the inner courtyard. Zhao Zheng looked curiously at the more than forty people practicing their boxing skills in the courtyard, using heated iron sand and wooden stakes.

These people varied in age and gender, ranging from men to women, with some in their thirties and others looking younger than him.

Strangely, he didn't see Wei He and the other seven among these people, which made Zhao Zheng think there should be another courtyard.

"These people have only recently become disciples and haven't even reached the minor mastery level of the Surging Waves Fist!"

Li Feng, who happened to be passing by, stepped forward to Zhao Zheng's side and explained. Seemingly afraid that Zhao Zheng might not understand and would beat him up like when they were children, he quickly added.

"Master Su's martial arts school is divided into inner and outer disciples. The outer disciples are those you see here, Zheng-ge, who have just become disciples, or those who haven't mastered the Surging Wave Fist or Listening Tide Sword Technique within three months..."

"Can one enter the inner academy only after mastering one of these two martial arts techniques to a minor level?" Zhao Zheng asked.

"That's basically the case..."

Li Feng explained why there were inner and outer disciples: the reason was simple, it was a selection mechanism to separate those with talent from those without.

"Master Su once said that for ordinary people to cultivate qi and blood through martial arts, they must first master the martial arts to the highest level. If they cannot even master a martial art to the minor level within three months... that is why there is an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard within the martial arts school..."

"What do you mean by 'basically all of this'?"

Zhao Zheng asked curiously, and Li Feng's eyes showed envy: "There was a girl named Zhang Rongrong in my class. She was born with strong blood and qi. She had only just reached the entry level of the Surging Wave Fist when she cultivated her blood and qi and reached the ninth-grade martial artist level. Then, Master Su made an exception and accepted her into the inner courtyard. And then... she mastered the Surging Wave Fist in three days and was directly recommended by Master Su to the Xinmin Martial Arts School!"

"Oh, I see. It seems that not everyone needs to cultivate martial arts to a high level before they can cultivate qi and blood!"

Zhao Zheng looked enlightened. As for him, hadn't he also reached the ninth-grade martial artist level by mastering the Thirteen Bodyguards' Horizontal Training?

This is different. The Thirteen Protectors Horizontal Training he practiced was derived from the Taoist Golden Body Skill, one of the Twenty-Four Orthodox Methods of Maoshan. This skill will definitely cultivate Qi and blood as soon as you enter the school.

Yes, some people are just born different from us!

Li Feng's tone was full of envy, and Zhao Zheng nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "Indeed, just like him and Li Feng."

Then, he looked at some older men and women in the courtyard, who appeared to be in their thirties, and said to Li Feng.

"What if I can't master a martial art to a minor level within three months? Won't I be kicked out?"

"No, Master Su will check if the person is suitable for practicing boxing or swordsmanship. If they are suitable, then it's up to them whether they stay or leave. It's just a matter of paying money to stay at the martial arts school..."

Li Feng spoke up, praising Master Su in the process. After all, other martial arts schools wouldn't check whether your martial arts talent was poor or not, and they would usually just let you pay to stay and continue learning martial arts at the school.

At this point, he pointed to a handsome man with delicate features who was engrossed in practicing in the corner of the courtyard and addressed Zhao Zhengdao.

"Brother Zheng, this guy's talent... isn't that great. He's been studying at the martial arts school for a year, and he still hasn't mastered the Surging Wave Fist and Listening Tide Sword Technique!"

Li Feng actually had something else to say, which was that, apart from this person, most of the people in this academy were so-called people without talent.

"...They're quite persistent!"

After a moment of silence, Zhao Zheng offered his evaluation. Li Feng smiled and said, "You do have perseverance, but... practicing martial arts isn't just about perseverance; you also need talent. It took me two months and eight days to master the Listening Tide Sword technique, and now it's been four months... and I still haven't reached the threshold of mastery..."

Believe in yourself!

Zhao Zheng offered a word of comfort, and Li Feng nodded and smiled, "Of course I believe in myself. By the way, Brother Zheng, how long have you been practicing martial arts?"

"I just started learning martial arts yesterday!"

"Last year... um? Yesterday?"

Li Feng's expression froze for a moment, and he said uncertainly, but when he saw Zhao Zheng nod, he inexplicably felt that he no longer needed to be afraid of Zhao Zheng.

After all, he has now reached the minor mastery level of the Listening Tide Sword Technique, and is only one level away from cultivating qi and blood to become a martial artist.

He was no longer the boy Zhao Zheng used to chase and beat. Thinking this, Li Feng chuckled and patted Zhao Zheng on the shoulder.

"Ah Zheng, don't worry, I'll be right back..."

"Stop chatting, let's practice our swordsmanship!"

Cheng Qingqing's voice rang out from not far away.

After a while,

The inner courtyard.

"By the way, let me introduce you. This is my junior brother, Zhao Zheng. Don't be fooled by the fact that he only started practicing martial arts yesterday; he cultivated his qi and blood in just two hours and reached the ninth-grade martial artist level!"

As soon as Su Ming's voice rang out, the smile on Li Feng's face and the fantasy in his heart vanished instantly, leaving him completely stunned.