During the Republic of China era, I achieved unparalleled success by returning to the past.

The wheels rolled through the puddles, splashing muddy water everywhere. Shen Daguan ran hard ahead, the tattered canopy flapping wildly in the wind.

Sitting in the carriage, Song Beiyou tapped his fingers on his money pouch, listening to the rustling sound of the silver coins, and slowly said, "A-Guan, I'll give you sixty silver dollars. Ten are to repay what you lost, and the other fifty are for you."

Shen Daguan quickly shook his head: "Ayou, this money was earned with your life, and you'll still have to help Second Master with his boxing later..."

"If you consider me a brother, then stop arguing. I gave Ah Kuan seventy dollars; the twenty dollars are to pay him back."

Shen Daguan ran for a while with his head down, then hummed in agreement, his voice tinged with excitement: "Ayou, tell me, with these sixty silver dollars, should I buy a nearly new used car right now, or save it up and buy a brand new one later?"

Song Beiyou said speechlessly, "Whether it's secondhand or new, it's all temporary. Trust me, at most next year, I'll get you a brand new black-plated sedan."

Upon hearing this, Shen Daguan's face lit up. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I think a rickshaw is enough. We can't be interested in that Gao Yuan thing."

Song Beiyou didn't say anything more. With a thought, he opened the Book of Impermanence.

Qianyuan's Eight Awakenings: First Awakening

• Initial Awakening Level: 16%

I did a mental calculation and figured that if I practiced boxing regularly, I could probably reach the initial stage of mastery in a month or two.

With a thought, the Book of Impermanence turned to the third page. The blood mist slowly dissipated, revealing a corner, and the second person destined for tribulation began to emerge. Looking at the corner of the image: a wine-red carpet, dappled with light, and shimmering with rainbows. It seemed to be in some luxurious ballroom.

……

Hey ha, hey ho! In a small courtyard by the river in Fan Gua Lane, a tall figure was engaged in a heated exchange with the wooden dummy in front of him.

Under the eaves, the hunchbacked old man looked at his grandson and muttered to himself: How come he was so bright for a while, but after going out for a while, he came back to be a complete idiot?

"Qiangbao—"

Ding Qiang, locked in a fierce battle with the wooden dummy, completely ignored her. The old woman pursed her lips, utterly perplexed, thinking: "Never mind, as long as you're alive and kicking, that's fine. Grandma had a terrible nightmare; she dreamt you were dead! Pah! Pah! Pah!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of knocking came from outside the courtyard.

The old man shuffled to the door and asked, "Who is it?"

"Grandma, I'm from Yaoshui Village, I'm here to see Brother Qiang."

Outside the courtyard gate, Song Beiyou was carrying a roast chicken wrapped in oil paper.

Shen Daguan, standing to the side, rolled his eyes and said, "Ayou, when did you meet him? I heard that this Brother Qiang went to Hongkou a few days ago and brought back the head of the leader of the Yihe Society's rival. He's a formidable figure."

Song Beiyou said, "I haven't known him for long, but we're quite close."

The courtyard gate opened, and the old man's cloudy eyes darted around: "Young men, who are you?"

Song Beiyou smiled and said, "I came to see Grandma and Brother Qiang." He handed over the roast chicken in his hand, "Grandma, this is for you. I bought it specially from Ma Yongzhai."

Seeing Song Beiyou's smile, the old man inexplicably felt a sense of kinship with him and didn't refuse, grinning with his gap-toothed mouth: "Come in quickly, A-Qiang is still practicing his boxing, that rascal!"

Bang! Ding Qiang's punch made the wooden dummy sway; he couldn't practice his punches anymore. He turned around, his eyes unfriendly: "Who are you two? What are you doing here?"

"Qiangbao, how can you be so rude to a guest!"

"Grandma, don't worry about it, just go inside."

The old man said reluctantly, "My Qiangbao has a bad temper, please don't take it to heart."

When Ding Qiang saw his grandmother enter the house, he glared at her and asked, "These past few days, people have been inviting me out for drinks. Is it the same for you?"

Shen Daguan swallowed hard. Ding Qiang was burly and taller than him, his menacing appearance exuding a powerful aura. He looked at Song Beiyou and asked, "Didn't you just say you had a deep friendship?"

Song Beiyou said in a low voice, "Go and guard the door."

After Shen Daguan left the courtyard, Song Beiyou carefully looked Ding Qiang over and said, "Brother Qiang, why are you so angry? I have something to discuss with you."

Ding Qiang frowned: "What is it?"

"Brother Qiang, do you remember the big thing we did in Hongkou a few days ago?"

Ding Qiang exhaled a puff of hot air from his nose: "You all say I did it. But I feel like I've been in a dream, and the person in the dream wasn't me at all."

Song Beiyou thought to himself: You really are a straightforward person, saying whatever comes to mind. It seems there are some things I can't tell you directly, otherwise you'd definitely tell everyone.

"Brother Qiang, have you ever heard of 'spirit possession'?"

"What does that mean?"

"What I mean is, Brother Qiang did something big, but it feels like a dream, like he didn't do it himself. Could it be that some deity possessed Brother Qiang?"

Ding Qiang tilted his head and thought for a moment: "What you're saying... actually makes sense. How did you know?"

Song Beiyou casually replied, "Because of this god, he also possessed my body."

"Really?" Ding Qiang's eyes widened.

"Of course it's true. He even told me about you." Song Beiyou took a few steps closer and whispered in his ear, "For example, when you were fourteen..."

Ding Qiang was speechless, his face turning ashen. He stomped his foot hard on the ground, leaving a large footprint, and roared, "What kind of deity is this, daring to reveal my secrets!" With that, he threw a drilling punch at Song Beiyou's chest.

Song Beiyou didn't back down at all, using the same move to blast forward!

Bang! Ten years versus twenty years, the effect is immediate.

Ding Qiang was so shocked that he took two or three steps back. Although he was physically strong, he couldn't withstand Song Beiyou's "master" skills and the 20% physical enhancement.

"How do you know my family's White Ape Eight Arms?" Ding Qiang roared, sinking his waist and hips to channel his power, and with a single move, he flipped his arm and threw a hammer.

The two men clashed fists, force against force, speed against speed, neither giving an inch. Fists flew in and out of sight, their bodies intertwined and indistinguishable, the muffled sounds like shattered drums.

Bang! Ding Qiang stumbled backward, crashing into the wooden dummy. His mind was a complete mess. He couldn't understand how his opponent's moves were exactly the same as his. What puzzled him even more was that his opponent's skill level was far superior to his.

Song Beiyou said with a smile, "Brother Qiang, does that immortal know your ancestor? He knows you are unfilial, so he specially taught me your family's White Ape Eight-Armed Fist, so that I can teach you a lesson."

Ding Qiang looked at his numb fist, then at the composed Song Beiyou: "Are you telling the truth?"

"You may not believe me, but why should I know your secrets? Or know your family's martial arts?"

"So what do you want?"

"Listen to me from now on, and be filial to your grandmother."

Grandma, who had been hiding in the house, popped her head out: "Young man, please tell the Ding family ancestors not to blame Qiangbao. He's very good to me, he's just a little short-tempered."

Ding Qiang's Adam's apple bobbed. The secret was real, the boxing technique was real, but he couldn't win in a fight... His mind raced, but he couldn't think of any other reason. So he simply stuck out his neck and said, "Fine! I'll listen to you! But you have to make your ancestors keep their mouths shut!"

Song Beiyou was overjoyed; it was done.

He nodded: "As long as you don't tell anyone about being possessed by a deity, of course no one will know about your affair. From now on, just call me Brother You."

"Brother You!" Ding Qiang scratched his head, thinking to himself, Brother You? Ah You... he seemed to have heard that name mentioned in a dream. Suddenly, he no longer doubted Song Beiyou's words, and even felt a bit of awe.

Shen Daguan, who had been secretly observing from outside the courtyard, slowly picked up his jaw from its daze. Ever since Ayou "got it" a year ago, he had already revered him as a god, but this time, Ayou's return was even more incredible. He showed off his knife skills at the restaurant, defeating Dong Ge and his two companions, and now... even Qiang Ge, a man capable of taking the head of a general in the midst of a massive army, couldn't beat Ayou, and now he's become Ayou's underling!

"Baldy, who are you? How dare you linger outside Brother Qiang's yard!" A furious shout came from behind, startling Shen Daguan. He turned around and saw three men in black surrounding him.