Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

Two Japanese soldiers carrying long guns and wearing yellow-green uniforms stormed into the courtyard.

Upon seeing the strong, muscular man in the courtyard, the two men were startled, gripping their spears tightly before regaining their composure.

Their eyes met briefly, landing on Gu Yanqiu's handsome face beside them. His stunning beauty caught their eye, and their gazes gleamed with lust.

The two men suddenly turned their heads and looked at each other, exchanging knowing smiles. With a "whoosh," they pointed their spears at Lin Ji, who looked like the most threatening person in the courtyard, and uttered vulgar words.

"Old woman, you look like you're almost sixty, aren't you? At your age, you can't stand being alone anymore and want to find a lover?"

"Hahaha! If you're really lonely, Morishita-kun in our team is the one who likes your type the most. That kid is young and energetic, I think he's much more useful than this old man."

"Iguchi, Morishita-kun, it seems like it's been a few days."

The two men, confident in their powerful weapons, spoke with extreme arrogance, then turned their guns on Gu Yanqiu.

"Look at this beautiful lady's figure, it would be a real shame if I didn't keep this old man company."

"Iguchi-kun, I'm still here for you."

"Hahaha!" The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Little did they know, Lin Ji's eyes, not far away, were already filled with murderous intent.

Lin Ji suddenly shifted his stance and disappeared from their sight. The two men's dark gun barrels instantly lost their target, and panic crept onto their faces. They hurriedly looked around.

next second.

Lin Ji appeared behind the two men, suddenly raised his hands, and grabbed their necks.

"Click!"

"Click!"

Two cracking sounds echoed throughout the courtyard.

Two ants, and Lin Ji took their lives with a mere flick of his wrist.

Lin Yueru was shocked and was about to cry out when Gu Yanqiu stepped forward and covered her mouth.

"Shh!"

Lin Ji carried the two corpses out of the courtyard like he was leading chicks, and threw them into a pile of junk far from the alley under the cover of the street, before turning back to the courtyard.

Inside the small courtyard.

"Mom, we can't stay here anymore. The Japanese are launching a massive invasion of Xincheng. I'm worried about you staying here alone. Come with me." Gu Yanqiu concealed the fact that she was being targeted by the Japanese.

Gu Yanqiu didn't lie to her on purpose; he just felt that Lin Yueru, being an ordinary woman, didn't have the same mental fortitude as a martial artist, so it was best for her to know less about these things.

Lin Yueru looked at the half-grown chickens running around in the yard and felt a little reluctant to leave the extremely clean little yard.

Although she was a woman, she had seen through the ways of the world. The Japanese would come to her door every few days, asking for this and that, checking this and that, and the governor's mansion would turn a deaf ear to it. She knew that the world was in chaos.

She steeled herself, met her daughter's gaze, and nodded emphatically: "Okay."

"Squeak!"

Lin Ji returned to the courtyard, and Lin Yueru was stunned again. She had another reason to leave the courtyard where she had lived all her life.

"The streets are full of Japanese people. It won't be long before they find those two bodies. We should go." Lin Ji walked into the courtyard, glanced at Lin Yueru again, and said in a low voice.

Lin Yueru nodded again, turned and walked into the house: "I'll go pack my things."

Watching her mother's anxious figure, Gu Yanqiu smiled wryly at Lin Ji and muttered softly, "Is this what bloodline suppression is?"

"What did you say?" Lin Ji turned his head to look at Gu Yanqiu.

Gu Yanqiu met Lin Ji's gaze and felt embarrassed. From now on, she would have to call this old man her great-grandfather.

"I wanted to bring my mother to live in the martial arts school every time I came back, so that I could be taken care of by her side. But I couldn't persuade her to stay each time. I couldn't go against her wishes."

"This time... Grandpa Lin, as soon as you said it, Mother ran off to pack her things like a little girl. What else could it be but bloodline suppression?" Gu Yanqiu didn't know how to address Lin Ji, so she inexplicably called him Grandpa Lin.

She recalled the scene when Liu Yuanbao addressed Lin Jilin as "Grandpa" at the martial arts hall, and her ears burned with embarrassment.

Isn't she of the same generation as Liu Yuanbao?

I'll have to settle this score with Liu Qingzhu when I get back.

"Let's go."

A moment later, Lin Yueru came out of the house carrying a cloth bag, locked the door, and hurriedly looked at the two of them.

"Mom, you really are a 'doer'," Gu Yanqiu couldn't help but tease.

However, Lin Yueru did not understand the meaning behind Gu Yanqiu's words.

The three traveled together, dressed in relatively simple clothes, and did not attract the attention of others. With Gu Yanqiu's money paving the way, they easily left the city.

……

Jiangcheng Martial Arts Hall.

A storm is brewing in Wuhan.

Even the martial arts hall was implicated.

Shortly after Zhang Shijie was expelled from school, many wealthy young men chose to leave the martial arts school and go home to hire private martial arts instructors.

Taking advantage of Gu Yanqiu's absence, Wang Meng led the way in causing trouble in the martial arts hall.

"Fellow instructors, please listen to me."

The martial arts training ground was crowded with instructors and some teenagers who had finished their training.

"How much does the Martial Arts Hall give you in a month? At most twenty silver dollars. With those twenty silver dollars, after deducting daily expenses and martial arts resources, how many can you save? When will we be able to enjoy wealth and luxury?" Wang Meng shouted, his voice echoing throughout the entire Martial Arts Hall.

"Instructor Wang, the principal isn't here, yet you dare to spread alarmist rumors here again?" Li Jingzhi's expression was unfriendly from the crowd.

"Instructor Li, to be honest, Instructor Wang is telling the truth. Prices in Jiangcheng are skyrocketing. It costs seventeen silver dollars a month, and my three boys eat it all up by the end of the month. Where would I get the money to buy medicine or supplements? I haven't had the energy to practice for a week."

"You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household, Instructor Li."

A commotion arose from the crowd, as quite a few people seemed eager to hear what Wang Meng had to say next.

"Now there is such an opportunity. The four major families of Jiangcheng, Zhang, Ye, Zhou and Guo, have specially sent me to ask if anyone is interested in teaching at their homes. Full-time teachers will receive 100 silver dollars per month, and part-time teachers will receive 20 silver dollars per month."

Wang Meng's face was plastered with smiles. The light robe he was wearing was clearly of a higher grade. Even the best clothing workshops in Jiangcheng would have difficulty buying such a fabric. It was obvious that he had completely aligned himself with the four major families.

Wang Meng's words were like a bomb thrown into water, creating waves among the instructors.

"One hundred silver dollars!"

"Damn! I'm just a hundred silver dollars short of buying that little courtyard house in the south of the city."

During the lesson, someone swore.

The financial offensive was the most lethal, and many teachers wavered for a time.

"Since everyone is so enthusiastic, and it's a day off today, after the martial arts school lets out, anyone who's interested can come to my residence to find me."

Wang Meng did not make any promises to the crowd on the spot, nor did he poach anyone from the Martial Hall. He was wary of Xiao Jinglan.

This female principal could easily crush him, whether it's her power or her connections.

As Wang Meng left the training ground, everyone dispersed. Wang Meng nervously slipped out of the martial arts hall and quietly slipped into the street corner. At the corner, a person wearing a gray long robe and a straw hat covering their face called out softly:

"Instructor Wang, is it all done?"

"Reporting to Young Master Zhang, it's all taken care of." Wang Meng bowed deeply, his face plastered with an extremely obsequious smile.

"Hmm, is today a day off?" the person under the straw hat asked again.

"Yes."

"Then I'll tell you something else. Come closer and listen."

……

The martial arts school dismissed students in the evening.

Bai Xiaonian slowly walked towards the vermilion gate of the martial arts hall.

He walked briskly, having not returned home for a full two weeks, eager to see his beloved sister.

Just before leaving through the gate, he glanced at the gatehouse.

It seems that Grandpa Lin has been away from the martial arts hall for quite some time.