Becoming a saint begins with apprenticing under the last martial arts champion.

"What era are we living in? We have airplanes and cannons! What kind of martial arts are you still practicing?"

The Republic of China (Daxin era).

Port City.

Lu Changqing, dressed in a faded Zhongshan suit, walked along the golden street bathed in the setting sun.

His hair was very short, a neat buzz cut.

His face was somewhat thin, but his strong features were still clearly visible.

Only his purple lips added to his haggard appearance.

The young man next to him, wearing a white shirt and a black vest, exuded a completely different aura.

He walked forward side by side with Lu Changqing, his young face showing shock and confusion:

"Practicing martial arts is one thing..."

"Should I still take a beggar as my apprentice?"

A constant stream of people came and went around them, creating a noisy atmosphere.

Every now and then, a few rickshaw pullers dressed in tattered clothes and short jackets would pull by passengers who were either dressed in cheongsams or suits and ties.

Occasionally, the arrogant and impatient honking of cars would interrupt his journey, forcing him, his companions, and the crowd around him to pull over and make way.

Seeing that Lu Changqing remained silent.

The young man raised his hand.

Immediately, an attendant handed him a brand-new revolver.

He swung it forcefully, sending the magazine out, then swung it back in with a "click" sound.

"Look! This is how you should practice!"

"How many years would you need to train in martial arts to be faster than that?"

"Bang! No matter how good you are at fighting, you'll have a hole in your body now!"

"Don't spout nonsense about being faster in a few steps. Even if you're fast, can you be faster than me snapping my fingers?"

Lu Changqing looked at Wang Hao, who also had short hair, a slightly flat nose, and thick lips.

"Xiao Hao, my mind is made up, so don't try to persuade me."

Wang Hao casually handed the revolver to the servant behind him, saying, "You're my best buddy!"

"I can't just watch you make a foolish mistake and throw away those silver dollars!"

"Besides, so what if that beggar was a former martial arts champion?"

"He's just a rotten opium addict now!"

Lu Changqing opened his mouth but did not refute.

Wang Hao's words were harsh, but his meaning was indeed correct.

But the fact that he awakened to his past life's wisdom five days ago... is truly inexplicable.

The skyscrapers and Coca-Cola burgers of peacetime, as he remembered them, seemed to have truly existed... a stark contrast to his current life...

Of course, this is not the reason why he insists on practicing martial arts.

Instead, after Su Hui awakened, a Tai Chi diagram appeared in his mind.

When one is immersed in consciousness, one can also reveal their own information.

Attack: 1

[Defense: 1]

Life: 1 (State, Illness)

[Mana: 0]

[Martial Arts:]

【talent:】

Having inherited his memories, he naturally understood what this thing was.

Goldfinger!

After several days of experimentation, he had figured out how to fill in the white area representing "Yang".

"Eating", "training", or rather, practicing martial arts!

He has been supplementing his diet these past few days and has already filled in some of the positive energy in his face.

Exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups will also add a trace of white to the Yang image very slowly.

Combining this with the information presented by the cheat system, Lu Changqing immediately realized:

Practicing martial arts is definitely one of the correct ways to use your cheat ability!

He was unsure what the effect would be once the energy on the white side was fully accumulated.

But one thing is certain...

This magic weapon is his hope for turning things around!

At least his naturally weak physique can definitely be improved with the help of a cheat system.

This is the most important reason why people want to learn martial arts.

besides...

Guns are something that people with status and money can easily obtain.

Regarding his current situation...

You can get a gun, but you can't get gun permits.

On the contrary, they are more likely to be discovered by the police and arrested and imprisoned.

Upon hearing Lu Changqing's words, Wang Hao couldn't help but rub his forehead. "Changqing, I think you've just suffered too much of a blow!"

"Even when Uncle Lu was alive, he couldn't teach you properly... How could a beggar teach you martial arts skills?"

"Besides, the martial arts school has been swallowed up by those ungrateful wretches, so you think you can still train there..."

"Where's the foundation? Where's the money? Where will the dollars come from?"

Lu Changqing fell silent upon hearing this.

His father suddenly disappeared two months ago, and when they met again, he was already a corpse.

Then, the martial arts school, which had been operating for a long time, encountered a misfortune. The senior disciple sold it, along with the land deeds and his skills, to foreigners to grow opium...

This left him homeless...

He was certain.

This is a setup!

It's a scheme targeting his father and the martial arts school!

However, they were outnumbered and outgunned.

He chose to endure it.

They plan to settle scores later.

What he didn't expect was that the mastermind behind it all seemed to intend to eliminate it completely...

Five days ago, he was hit on the head with a club in an alley.

Upon waking, this wisdom from past lives is awakened.

The attack has been vivid in my mind for the past five days.

He didn't want to experience that again...

Whether it's awakening innate wisdom or time travel.

Lu Changqing doesn't want to die again!

And there's also the matter about his father...

...

One was talkative, the other was quiet, and they kept walking eastward against the flow of people.

Suddenly, I saw a large crowd gathered in the open space in front of the street.

Inside were county government officials and soldiers dressed in patrol uniforms, carrying Hanyang rifles.

The leader was holding up the head of a man who died with his eyes wide open, a gaping hole between his eyebrows from which all the blood had drained.

"The so-called mountain demons and monsters are nothing more than the work of bandits!"

"They have now been executed!"

"..."

The crowd cheered upon hearing this, and some breathed a sigh of relief.

"The other day, I heard that someone had their heart and liver ripped out at the foot of Lion Rock. I really thought it was a mandrill!"

"Why would these guys gobble out people's hearts and livers for no reason?"

"I heard it's for drinking! These bastards who crossed over are the easiest to fool with the Umbrella Cult!"

"Good riddance!"

"..."

Wang Hao and Lu Changqing stood on the periphery of the crowd, glanced at it twice, and then paid no more attention.

"See Changqing?"

"Guns! In this day and age, guns and cannons are what matter!"

Regardless of whether the beggar had any real skills...

"No matter how skilled you are, if several gun barrels are pointed at you simultaneously, you can't fly to the sky, can you?"

Wang Hao was still advising Lu Changqing to stop.

But Lu Changqing's mind was made up.

His special ability made it impossible for him to avoid practicing martial arts.

Also, that former martial arts champion named Liu Bai is now indeed a drug addict and a mad beggar.

But ten years ago.

His father brought him from the south of the mainland to Hong Kong to make a living. When they opened a martial arts school, they met each other by chance.

That night, just after disembarking, while traveling along a mountain road, we unfortunately encountered bandits.

Logically speaking, they should be in serious trouble.

Just then, Liu Bai, who hadn't yet started smoking, appeared and easily rescued the father and son from a dozen gunshots.

The scene of an iron fan cutting bullets...

Looking back now, it still leaves him speechless.

besides...

In Hong Kong, no martial arts school was willing to take him in or teach him any skills.

His father came to the port city from the south.

In order to establish his martial arts school, he challenged more than ten local martial arts schools, narrowly winning at the cost of sustaining several hidden injuries and offending many people.

That's why it was decided to settle in the port city.

He suspects that his father was murdered and that his martial arts school was sold by his senior brother.

These two incidents are inextricably linked to the challenge he launched ten years ago...

"Cough cough cough..."

Suddenly, Lu Changqing coughed a few times without stopping.

Wang Hao quickly patted his back gently and couldn't help but sigh, "Sigh."

"With your physique, you'd be perfect for martial arts..."

"By then, you'll have failed before you've even mastered your skills..."

After a moment, Lu Changqing calmed down.

This is a problem he was born with.

He was thin and frail, and suffered from weakness and illness for many years. His father was unable to teach him martial arts, so he could only pursue a literary career.

But now, through the Tai Chi diagram, he sees hope for becoming stronger...

He must learn this martial art!

"Young Master, Miss wants you to go home quickly."

"They said that a distinguished Western guest is coming, and the whole family needs to be there."

Suddenly, a tall, bodyguard-like figure quickly approached Wang Hao and said something.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hao waved his hand to indicate that he understood.

Before leaving, he looked at Lu Changqing, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed.

"Changqing, you and I have been playing together since we were little."

"If you don't succeed in martial arts, come to my house, I'll definitely provide you with a meal!"

...

...

Lu Changqing remembered Wang Hao's kindness.

soon.

He walked into a store that wasn't particularly grand, but where thin people were constantly coming and going.

The plaque reads, "Dreamland".

One of the most famous opium dens in the western part of the port city.

He came here not to smoke, but for the apprenticeship ceremony:

Redeem the iron fan that was passed down in the family of the former martial arts champion.

Stepping over the low threshold, one enters a spacious and deep room.

Lu Changqing dampened a handkerchief, covered his mouth and nose, and waved his hand repeatedly to clear away the thick smoke in front of him.

The sweet, burnt aroma of cheap opium kept wafting into my nostrils, like rotten fruit mixed with honey.

It also contains the smells of sweat, foot odor, and musty smells from a place that is dark and never sees sunlight.

As you walk deeper into the house, you can see rows of opium couches stretching into the distance in the dim light, with most of them occupied by curled-up human figures.

Occasionally, a tiny flame would flicker.

The reflection showed faces so engrossed they were almost numb.

His cheekbones protrude, his eye sockets are deep, and he makes a satisfied, bellowing sound as he breathes.

The waiter, dressed in a short jacket of indistinguishable color, carried a brass tobacco tray and moved between the smoke and the couch.

As he handed the tobacco paste from the tray to the customer, the shop assistant turned around and saw Lu Changqing.

"Sir, are you here for a couple of puffs too?" The waiter asked with a broad smile, seemingly enjoying the smoky environment.

Lu Changqing took out a small wooden knife from the pocket of his faded Zhongshan suit. "I'm here to find Tiger."

Seeing this, the waiter's smile widened, and he bent over even more deeply, "Alright, alright."

"Sir, please come with me!"

Soon, the waiter led Lu Changqing to a door.

"Tiger Lord is inside, you can just go in."

Lu Changqing gave it a gentle push, and the wooden door creaked open.

The light inside was dazzling, making the thick smoke around him look like a fairyland.

A gleaming lamp hangs high.

The radio was playing a sticky, cloying tune, and the volume was turned up really high.

A woman in a high-slit cheongsam swayed to the music, her waist seemingly boneless.

Her expression was one of utter fawning over the man on the recliner in front of her.

Tiger Lord.

The person in charge of Dream Soul Village.

Tiger was standing with his chest exposed, and there were a few lipstick stains on his thick chest hair.

Another woman in a pink satin cheongsam nestled in his arms, her lips lightly brushing against his chest.

Over at the mahjong table, four shirtless, burly men were shuffling mahjong tiles, the sound of the shuffling tiles crisp and loud.

Everyone paused for a moment when Lu Changqing arrived, and they all looked at him.

After exchanging casual, indifferent glances, they went back to doing their own thing.

Tiger, lying on the armchair, took two puffs of his pipe, slowly exhaled, and his turbid eyes fell on Lu Changqing, then fixed on the small wooden knife in Lu's hand.

"Yo ho!"

"Here to redeem something?"

Tiger looked on with a curious expression, sat up straight, and looked amused.

"Since our opium den was built, there has only been income, no output."

"Did the sun rise in the west today?"

Lu Changqing ignored the joke.

He simply stepped forward and placed the small wooden knife in his hand on the table.

Then he took out the money he had sold, as well as the inheritance left to him by his deceased father: one hundred silver notes.

Tiger raised an eyebrow upon seeing this.

The woman, who had been swaying her hips, stopped dancing with keen insight. She walked to the table, bringing with her a pungent perfume scent, took the silver notes, and handed them to Tiger.

"Tiger Master! A ticket from the Heaven and Earth Bank, one hundred coins!"

Tiger picked it up and examined its authenticity against the chandelier.

He nodded in satisfaction. "What do you want to redeem?"

Lu Changqing clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "This humble one wishes to redeem Liu Bai's iron fan."

Tiger Lord raised an eyebrow, even more surprised, "That Liu Bai, the martial arts champion from the previous dynasty?"

Lu Changqing nodded: "It's him."

Tiger tapped the ash from his pipe. "Who are you to him?"

Without hesitation, Lu Changqing replied, "He has done me a favor."

"He needs this, I'll help him this once."

Tiger was taken aback for a moment after hearing this, then burst into laughter, his rough voice echoing throughout the room.

"Did you do me a favor?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Are there still people like this these days?"

"I've lived for forty-one years and I've never seen anything like it..."

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked at Lu Changqing with great interest, their eyes filled with mockery and amusement.

After a burst of laughter, Tiger fell silent.

"You know our rules, right?"

Lu Changqing nodded: "Nine out, thirteen back."

Tiger stood up, his broad and tall figure blocking out the light as he stood in front of Lu Changqing.

"Look at you, you penniless wretch. One hundred silver dollars is all you've ever had, isn't it?"

"Today we'll do you a favor and only charge you the cost price."

He tilted his head. "Second brother, go get thirty silver dollars."

"Then get that white iron fan out of the storeroom."

One of the men playing cards stood up, agreed in a deep voice, and walked towards the inner door of the room.

A moment later, he returned carrying a piece of iron with spikes.

Then he put the things on the table and tossed a silver bag over.

Tiger raised his chin and said to Lu Changqing, "How is it?"

"Is my 'hmm' alright?"

Lu Changqing had indeed run out of money and supplies in order to raise one hundred silver dollars.

At that moment, when questioned, he bowed his head and clasped his hands, saying, "Thank you so much."

Tiger laughed and said, "If I ever need you to repay a favor in the future, is that alright?"

Lu Changqing immediately replied, "I will do my utmost within my capabilities."

Tiger laughed loudly again, turned around, waved his hand, picked up his pipe, and sat back down in the recliner: "Take the money and things."

Lu Changqing thanked him again, stepped forward, put the money bag into his pocket, hugged the heavy iron block with both hands, covered his mouth and nose, and turned to leave.

The wooden door closed.

The second brother, who had just taken the items, couldn't help but speak up:

"Brother Tiger, this kid looks like a poor wretch; his clothes are all faded from washing."

"Has this thirty taels of silver gone to waste?"

Tiger enjoyed the kiss on his chest, exhaling a puff of white smoke, "Inhale—exhale!"

"Liu Bai is already hopelessly addicted. He'll take the iron fan back eventually, but he'll eventually return it."

"You might need this kind of 'good person' in the future."

The second son didn't understand and still felt that the money was wasted.

...

...

Lu Changqing walked out of the opium den.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on his faded Zhongshan suit.

His already weak face looked even more haggard.

At this moment, he finally dared to put down the handkerchief and gasp for breath.

"Cough cough cough..."

The dry wind entered his chest, making his throat itch and causing him to cough uncontrollably.

After a moment, he recovered and a hint of joy appeared on his face.

The day of change is today!