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

Since Wang Shouyin did not come, Wang Fanghua, as the eldest daughter, naturally had to step forward to greet the high-ranking members of the canal gang.

He stepped forward two paces, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Master Liu."

Liu Xiangzhu waved his hand, his smile gentle: "Miss Wang, there's no need for such formalities."

"Having heard of traces of the treasure fish, I, Liu, have come to try my luck. I hope this won't disturb the Wang family's plans?"

Wang Fanghua replied, "Master is joking. The river has no owner; everyone who sees it has a share. There is no question of disturbing it."

Liu Xiangzhu chuckled and said, "Miss Wang, you have been practicing for three years. If you want to break through to the fourth level, you will also rely on this treasure fish."

"Liu was worried that if the people from the canal gang caught you, it would upset you."

Wang Fanghua responded tactfully: "The treasure fish is lively and agile; whether or not we encounter it depends entirely on fate."

"If it is indeed captured by the Canal Gang or another group, then it is not meant for me, and there is nothing to regret."

Master Liu nodded. "Miss Wang is truly magnanimous! She has the bearing of a heroine!"

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Lu Changqing beside Wang Hao for a moment, then turned to the river. "I heard that yesterday a Zhang family boat struggled with the treasure fish here for a long time, but failed to catch it."

"There's a big entourage today, and Master Wang isn't here... Miss Wang, you really need to adjust your mindset."

Wang Fanghua smiled but remained silent.

Following behind Liu Xiangzhu, Master Huang, Huang Bingkun, tried to smooth things over, saying, "The precious fish has a spirit, so it is naturally hard to come by."

"It's fate that we've all gathered here today; it's even more precious than the treasure fish."

It was stiff, but kind words could at least ease the cold atmosphere a little.

Lu Changqing stood to the side, remaining silent.

But he took in the entire scene before him.

The Caobang was a major gang in the port city that could rival the Axe Gang.

It can be said that people from all walks of life and all social classes have connections.

Compared to the Wang family, they are at least somewhat stronger, if not completely outmatched.

However, the two sides have cooperated in many industries.

How come it looks like this now...?

Lu Changqing's mind drifted back to the foreigners' attitude towards the Wang family...

Let's not talk about the Wang family.

Even as an outsider, he had already noticed some clues.

At this moment, Zhang Mingyuan, with his slicked-back hair and flamboyant appearance, walked over as if by chance and said with a smile:

"If my Zhang family catches the treasure fish and Miss Wang really has something in mind, I can step in and say a few words to my father to sell it to the Wang family."

Wang Fanghua felt disgusted at the lecherous look in Zhang Mingyuan's eyes, but her smile remained as warm as spring. "Then I wish you a successful voyage, Brother Zhang."

Zhang Mingyuan's smile remained unchanged as he turned to Lu Changqing: "Changqing, it's been a long time. You are indeed quite different from when you were in school."

"He's no longer that tuberculosis patient, that opium addict."

"I heard you even killed a demon fish...tsk tsk, could it be that you were born to be a fisherman?"

"Fuck your mother's mouth!" Wang Hao cursed in front of everyone, "Zhang Mingyuan, shut your mouth! Who are you trying to disgust?"

The two members of the canal gang saw this scene, but they didn't say a word. Instead, they quietly left with a look of amusement on their faces.

Zhang Mingyuan, instead of being annoyed by the insults, wore a smug smile, "What's so disgusting?"

"I'm praising Changqing! As an old classmate..."

"Fuck you!" Wang Hao opened his mouth to continue cursing, but at this moment, Lu Changqing stepped forward and gently pressed on his good brother's shoulder.

Wang Hao watched as Lu Changqing walked up to him and immediately reassured him, "Changqing, don't listen to this piece of trash's nonsense!"

Lu Changqing smiled and said to him, "It's okay, don't be angry."

He knew Zhang Mingyuan's personality very well.

He also knew that this kind of person was deliberately trying to disgust him.

Your anger actually helped him achieve his goal.

Lu Changqing looked at Zhang Mingyuan and responded with a calm expression:

"It's just hard-earned money."

"Unlike Brother Mingyuan, whose family has a large foreign goods business, he is protected from the wind and rain... I heard that he practices martial arts so much that even his fists are soft and tender."

The smile on Zhang Mingyuan's face immediately faded a bit.

Lu Changqing seemed not to notice and continued in his calm tone:

"I overheard the brothers at the dock chatting the other day, and they said that Brother Yuan has also started practicing martial arts, which is a good thing."

"that is..."

He paused at just the right moment, a perfectly timed hint of doubt in his eyes:

"How come I heard that after training for almost half a year, he went to spar with a sparring partner from the martial arts school, and before he even finished three moves, he cried out in pain?"

"Is it that the master you hired at home is too arrogant and refuses to spar with you, or..." Lu Changqing asked gently, a smile on his face, "Brother Mingyuan, do you think it would be beneath your dignity to fight with us peasant martial artists?"

Zhang Mingyuan's smile completely vanished.

"Lu Changqing, what do you mean by that!"

"It doesn't mean anything," Lu Changqing met his gaze, his tone still calm, "I'm just a little curious."

"To practice martial arts, you have to hit a punching bag and fight real people; otherwise, how will you build strength?"

"Brother Mingyuan wears this outfit every day, going in and out of the docks and the Chamber of Commerce. Everyone knows that Young Master Zhang has started practicing martial arts..."

He tilted his head slightly, as if he were genuinely worried about the other person:

"Over time, if we only talk the talk but don't walk the walk, won't our subordinates start to think...?"

"A silver-plated spearhead, all show and no substance?"

Lu Changqing didn't finish his sentence; he sighed softly and shook his head.

No sooner had Lu Changqing finished speaking than Wang Hao burst into laughter, echoing, "Changqing, no need to be curious!"

"That's definitely what the people below think!"

"Which of the men at our docks hasn't braved wind and rain? They're not the kind of cowards who cry before they've even gotten a scratch!"

There were quite a few people on the dock, including many people of status, but even more were ordinary people of humble origins who made a living on the water.

Now, hearing Wang Hao's words that were meant to draw them closer, the way he looked at Zhang Mingyuan carried a different meaning.

The blatant scrutiny and the feeling that his underwear had been stripped bare made Zhang Mingyuan's face turn pale.

He did practice martial arts, and the instructor his family hired wasn't bad, but he simply couldn't endure the hardship...

Spoiled since childhood, and with a gun squad at home, how could he possibly settle down and learn martial arts?

He knew about it himself, and so did a few of his close associates, but no one ever dared to expose it to his face.

Being pointed out by Lu Changqing in such a concerned manner, in front of everyone, made him angry but he didn't know how to refute it.

He opened his mouth, then finally said to Wang Hao with a fierce look, "There will be a major martial arts competition in Hong Kong in three months!"

"Then I'll see how well you, the only young master of the Wang family, can hold your own in the ring!!"

After saying that, he looked at Lu Changqing again: "And you!"

Wang Hao, unfazed, retorted, "I'll deal with you myself then!"

"If you're not happy, let's have a go! Don't involve the elders in your family!"

"The game isn't over until someone admits defeat!"

As he spoke, Wang Hao rolled up his sleeves, looking fierce.

Zhang Mingyuan dared not utter any more threats, but simply snorted heavily and shouted, "Little sister, let's go!"

Once they were a distance away, he deliberately spoke loudly, "Rejecting that guy back then was definitely the right decision!"

"When my family members were alive, they couldn't achieve anything significant, nor could they get an education. Now they're fishing at sea, their lives are utterly ruined..."

Lu Changqing listened to the words, his expression unchanged, but his eyes had turned cold, and he firmly memorized Zhang Mingyuan's name...

This will definitely be reported...

Wang Hao then comforted Lu Changqing: "Changqing, you know what a bastard he is."

"Your mouth smells like you've eaten shit, don't take it to heart."

"Besides, you've already killed the demon fish, so you'll definitely dominate all the martial arts practitioners in the port city!"

Lu Changqing snapped out of his reverie and looked at Wang Hao's worried yet encouraging expression, feeling deeply moved.

There is no better friend than this.

Lu Changqing: "It's alright. His methods are nothing to me; they can't possibly affect me."

Seeing that Lu Changqing was indeed unaffected, Wang Hao didn't pursue the topic any further.

Then he asked, "How do you know he cried after being beaten during boxing practice?"

Lu Changqing laughed heartily: "Have you forgotten what my family used to do?"

"His petty misdeeds are the laughingstock of everyone in the martial arts world."

A smile appeared on Wang Hao's face, but he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed with Lu Changqing, "Why didn't you say so earlier!"

"If I had known earlier, I would have spent a fortune to put this in the newspaper!"

Lu Changqing: "Mine, next time that guy gets into trouble, I'll let you know immediately."

Wang Fanghua looked at Lu Changqing, who was chatting happily with her younger brother, and her eyes once again showed a hint of satisfaction.

No matter what, he is his own younger brother.

She must have felt uncomfortable being talked about to her face.

But as an "elder," she couldn't argue with her younger brother, so when she stepped in, she was actually at a disadvantage.

Lu Changqing's words just now certainly saved face.

At the same time, a hint of melancholy about the passage of time was also revealed in her eyes...

She saw Lu Changqing quite often when she was a child.

His sickly appearance back then was completely different from his tall, handsome figure now.

After a brief chat, Wang Hao and Wang Fanghua began preparations for launching the fleet.

Lu Changqing waited on the side.

The words Zhang Mingyuan had just said came to mind.

The martial arts competition three months from now will be a real test for you...

Time really flies; it's almost the end of the year again, and it's time for martial arts schools and students in the port city to showcase their skills through sparring.

This is a long-standing tradition in the martial arts world of Hong Kong.

At the end of each year, the disciples of each family would compete in a martial arts tournament to determine the distribution of benefits.

Similarly, members of various families can also participate.

The top ten will receive rewards of varying degrees.

Previously, Lu Changqing was just one of the spectators watching from below the ring...

Should we give it a try this year?

As he pondered, he heard Wang Hao's voice: "Changqing, you shouldn't stick to your old ways anymore. I'll have Li Erwa go and help you out instead."

"Come with me!"

After listening, Lu Changqing nodded and said, "Okay!"

...

...

The boat Wang Hao was on was much more luxurious than the fishing boat Lu Changqing was on.

The ship was long and painted black, with a brass plating covering the bow for impact protection.

A small coal-fired steam turbine was installed in the middle section, emitting not much white smoke. Although it could not compare to the oil-fired speedboats of the foreigners, it was indeed much more agile and noisier on the river than relying solely on sails and oars.

Besides Wang Hao, Uncle Xing, and a few bodyguards, there was a special area on the ship where ten men dressed in short-sleeved shirts and standing upright stood, each with a gun slung over their shoulder.

Lu Changqing glanced at them and saw that most of them were bolt-action rifles, with shiny bodies and well-maintained.

Another person was carrying a Thompson submachine gun capable of rapid fire.

Upon seeing this, Lu Changqing instinctively thought: What level of martial arts training is required to withstand this kind of barrage of fire?

...

Uncle Xing stood at the bow of the boat, squinting at the river, occasionally giving instructions in a low voice to adjust the direction.

Wang Hao rubbed his hands excitedly and whispered to Lu Changqing, "Changqing, do you think those red fish will really appear in this area?"

"My sister's breakthrough was all thanks to this thing."

"It depends on luck," Lu Changqing said.

The fleet cruised through the waters, the steam turbines whirring and whirring.

Time passed little by little.

As the sun began to set, it dyed the river surface a dark gold, nearly two hours had passed.

Apart from the occasional leaping of ordinary river fish, the striking golden-red scorpion was nowhere to be seen.

The excitement on Wang Hao's face gradually faded, replaced by impatience and frustration. "Could it be that they know there are more of us and are hiding?"

"Uncle Xing, is the engine too loud?"

Uncle Xing frowned and didn't say anything, but simply raised his hand to signal the engine to slow down.

Another half hour passed, and the atmosphere on the ship visibly relaxed.

Everyone, including Wang Hao and Uncle Xing, had lost hope for Bao Yu.

But after this somewhat dull event...

"Splash!!!"

About twenty or thirty meters to the left front, a huge white wave suddenly burst open!

A massive black shadow suddenly leaped out!

When everyone looked, it wasn't a treasure fish, but a giant otter!

Before anyone could react, the giant otter, with its thick forelimbs and sharp claws, slammed down on the ship!

"Be careful!"

Uncle Xing roared and suddenly pulled the somewhat stunned Wang Hao backward!

"Bang!!!"

A dull thud resounded, and the entire ship shook violently!

Wood chips flying everywhere!

The otter's sharp claws carved several deep dents into the copper-clad hull, but failed to break through the planks in one strike.

It used the momentum to flip backward and crashed back into the water with a "plop," splashing water high into the air.

The people on the boat were rocked back and forth. Wang Hao gripped the gunwale tightly in fear, but his eyes were filled with excitement: "Uncle Xing!"

"Is this a treasure fish?"

"Hold on!" Uncle Xing's aged voice carried an undeniable force, instantly quelling the brief panic on the ship.

His cloudy old eyes were fixed on the spot where the otter had fallen into the water, his face extremely solemn.

"Not ordinary otters... these are extraordinary creatures, almost sentient!" He spoke rapidly, barely concealing his excitement. "Musketeers! Aim!"

The ten armed men reacted quickly, immediately spreading out to both sides of the ship's side, with a clattering sound of bolts being pulled and chambered.

The man holding the Thomson crouched in front, his gun slightly lowered.

Wang Hao's heart pounded wildly, and Lu Changqing's eyes narrowed slightly.

Why did this otter attack the ship on its own initiative?

No matter how many fishing teams came to fish before, he never showed up on his own initiative.

Is it because I hit Baoyu last night?

Beneath the water's surface, that rapidly expanding shadow drew near once more!

"Fire!" Uncle Xing seized the opportunity and gave the order in a stern voice.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The crisp sound of the rifle and the muffled roar of the Thompson's rapid-fire exploded at the same time!

Bullets rained down on the water where otters were about to surface!

However, the otter seemed to have a premonition and did not leap out completely.

Suddenly, the water surface swelled up, and a thick curtain of water rose up out of thin air, blocking its way!

"Pfft pfft pfft..."

As a large number of bullets penetrated the water curtain, their speed decreased drastically, and their force was weakened layer by layer by the water flow.

However, the bullets were too dense, and more than a dozen still pierced through the water curtain, hitting the otter's exposed shoulders, back, and head!

"Awooo—!"

A heart-wrenching roar came from underwater, and dark red blood instantly stained a patch of river water.

The otter, in pain, became ferocious and once again manipulated the water flow to fight back!

"Boom!"

Two jets of water, each as thick as a bowl and as solid as a stick, suddenly shot out from both sides of the boat, fast and swift!

"Get out of the way!"

"Ugh!"

The two men with rifles closest to the water jet were unable to dodge in time and were hit hard in the chest by the jet of water. The sound of bones breaking could be clearly heard. The two men screamed and flew backward, crashing heavily onto the deck. Blood was coming out of their mouths and noses, and they were clearly incapacitated.

The others hurriedly dodged, and their formation became slightly disrupted.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the otter manipulated the water flow again, sending several more waves crashing over to disrupt the firing.

However, it already had more than a dozen bloody holes in its body, with blood gushing out, and its movements had become noticeably slower.

"Keep attacking! Don't stop! It won't last long!"

Uncle Xing roared and rushed forward, picking up the rifle dropped by an injured man. With practiced ease, he pulled the bolt, aimed, and, taking advantage of a gap in the water curtain, fired a shot that struck one of the otter's scarlet eyes!

"Aww!!!"

The otter let out a dying howl, and the remaining otter's eyes blazed with even more madness. It no longer hid completely, but leaped half its body out of the water, baring its fangs, and created an even bigger wave that crashed down on the boat!

"Bang bang bang..."

More bullets rained down on it, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

In the end, the wave crashed halfway before collapsing weakly, and the otter's massive body stiffened abruptly before slowly sinking into the blood-stained water, where it remained motionless.

For a moment, only the whirring of the engine and the heavy breathing of the crew could be heard on the river.

"Dead?" Wang Hao clung to the gunwale, looking at the pool of blood, feeling both lingering fear and excitement.

"It should be." Uncle Xing put down his rifle, but his expression didn't relax. Instead, he squatted down and touched the planks of the boat that had been hit by otters and water several times. His expression changed slightly. "The planks are cracked and leaking water."

Wang Hao's excited expression froze. "What should we do then?"

Uncle Xing then shouted instructions: "Lower the prepared small boats!"

Seeing that nothing serious had happened, Wang Hao breathed a sigh of relief and excitedly shook Lu Changqing's arm: "Changqing!"

"A sentient, mutant species! Even rarer than a treasure fish!!"

Lu Changqing snapped out of his daze and responded to the excitement with a smile.

He looked at the river surface stained red with blood, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

Just now, the otter died.

His vague, instinctive connection to "treasures in the water" within his swimming talent suddenly surged violently without warning!

In his mind, the gray-black lanternfish spirit in the Tai Chi diagram also began to swim intensely with longing!

He felt a "call" that was even more intense and scorching than the treasure fish, as if it had been accumulating for a long time and was the essence of the seabed!

This attraction was many times stronger than his desire for the treasure fish!

If it weren't for the crowds and distractions, he probably would have already jumped into the water to find out what was going on!

Watching the cabin gradually seep water...

I looked again at the Tai Chi diagram from yesterday, which was almost full after eating two treasure fish, and I was just a hair's breadth away from filling it up...

Lu Changqing pondered whether he should pretend to fall into the water to retrieve the item!