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

"Hongmen".

Wei Hong uttered two words, and the secret room instantly fell silent.

The Hongmen has been passed down for hundreds of years.

He had a lifelong reputation for opposing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming dynasty, and resisting foreign aggression. He had secret networks in various places, and Jiangcheng was just a branch.

These years have been turbulent, and they have kept a low profile, remaining extremely hidden from ordinary people.

"Hongmen..."

Li Boyuan murmured, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes: "But we have no idea where the Hongmen are."

"I know the communication code," Wei Hong said in a deep voice.

"Back then, my father had a past relationship with a leader of the Hongmen and left a way out for us. However, we could not use it unless absolutely necessary. Now that foreigners want to sever the roots of Chinese martial arts, if we do not use it now, we will have no chance."

"Alright! Then please have Brother Wei make the contact!" Zhou Tieshan slammed his hand on the table.

"As long as the Hongmen is willing to help, I, Zhou Tieshan, would sell my life to them!"

The group nodded in agreement, their faces finally showing some signs of life.

They were all martial artists, and they knew the principle that "a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."

The legacy they possess is precisely what the Japanese covet.

If you don't find a powerful backer, you'll end up with your family ruined and your life destroyed sooner or later.

……

At the same time, at the north gate of the city.

As soon as the city gate opened, a tall, slender figure slowly walked in.

The man looked to be in his late twenties, wearing a beige suit and shiny leather shoes. He was carrying a brown leather medicine box with brass ornaments on the corners, which looked quite valuable.

He has deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and light brown pupils, giving him an exotic look, but his facial features are more Chinese, making him a typical mixed-race person.

He had a gentle and refined demeanor, with a faint smile on his lips, like a Western-trained doctor who had returned from studying abroad.

The soldiers guarding the city stepped forward to question the man, who calmly produced two identification documents.

One was a medical practice certificate issued by the British Consulate, and the other was a physician's license issued by the Military Governor's Office of Guanghua Province.

The soldier looked through the documents, not daring to offend the foreigner, and quickly let them pass with a forced smile.

As the man entered the city, his gaze swept over the foreign soldiers patrolling the streets, the anti-arms notices posted along the way, and the fearful civilians. A hint of amusement flashed in his light brown eyes.

"Jiangcheng... is indeed more interesting than the provincial capital."

He muttered something to himself, picked up his medicine box, and slowly walked to the most bustling street in the north of the city.

They were browsing through vacant shops along the street, seemingly serious about opening a clinic there.

At almost the same time, at the west gate of the city, a burly figure strode into the city.

This man was over seven feet tall, with a broad back and thick waist. He wore a light gray coarse cloth outfit, with his trousers tucked into leggings, and a pair of worn-out cloth shoes with multiple layers of soles.

What's most eye-catching is the little pigtail at the back of his head.

Her hair was shiny and smooth, and she combed it meticulously.

The residents of the western part of the city cautiously pointed and whispered among themselves.

"Does anyone still dare to wear a braid these days?"

"How did he get into the city?"

……

He carried a heavy iron spear on his shoulder; the shaft was jet black and shiny, and the spearhead gleamed coldly. It must have weighed at least 180 pounds.

But when he carried it on his shoulder, it felt as light as nothing.

The soldiers guarding the city originally intended to step forward and ask questions as usual.

But he glanced up and swept his eyes over the area.

His eyes gleamed with the fierce light of a tiger descending a mountain, menacing and menacing.

The soldier swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

They watched helplessly as he swaggered into the city, not daring to even breathe loudly.

After entering the city, the burly man found the most dilapidated inn.

"Clatter"

He tossed a piece of silver on the counter.

"I want the most secluded room."

The old shopkeeper looked at the silver on the table, suppressed his strange feelings, and hurriedly got up to greet him.

"This way, sir."

"Two pounds of braised beef, a jar of strong liquor, hurry up!"

After entering the house, he leaned his big gun against the corner of the wall and shouted at the shopkeeper.

The sound was so loud that it made the roof tiles tremble slightly.

The shopkeeper dared not neglect them and quickly brought in the wine and meat.

The burly man closed the door and began to eat meat and drink wine heartily. As he ate and drank, his gaze would occasionally drift towards the east of the city, and deep in his eyes, a fighting spirit surged.

……

The moment these two auras entered the city, Lin Ji, who was wiping his spear in the Sea Dragon Gang's stronghold, suddenly stopped what he was doing, and the jade pendant in his mind suddenly turned.

"Seeing the big picture from small details" operates on its own.

He looked up towards the north and west of the city, his brows furrowing slightly and his eyes darkening.

"What's wrong?" Shen Jinluan walked over with a cup of tea, following his gaze to look outside, but saw nothing.

"Two very strong auras have entered the city."

Lin Ji narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully experiencing the sensations brought by observing the subtle details. After a moment, he spoke:

"One possesses a restrained and gentle strength, while the other is sharp and domineering."

He paused, then his eyes widened suddenly: "These two aren't at the Inner Strength level; they're at least... half-step into the Transcendent Realm."

Shen Jinluan's expression changed slightly, and she pressed for an answer: "Are they reinforcements sent by the Westerners?"

"It's hard to say."

Lin Ji shook his head, his fingertips gently tracing the landscape patterns on the gun barrel:

"Unlike the martial arts style of the Japanese, that fierce aura is more like the style of Northern martial arts. However... no matter who it is, the waters of Jiangcheng are getting more and more murky."

He put down the cloth used to clean the gun and stood up:

"Never mind them, let's take care of our business first. That dog from the Gelaohui, we'll stew him tonight."

Shen Jinluan smiled sweetly, her eyes sparkling, and her red lips parted slightly:

"That's exactly what we've been waiting for. We've assembled our forces, and Qingzhu has personally brought fifty elite soldiers with him."

Light footsteps sounded outside the council chamber.

Liu Qingzhu walked in.

She changed into a light blue outfit, her long hair was tied up, her face was serene, and she looked heroic and spirited.

Lin Ji looked up and quietly activated his Qi Observation and Qi Analyzing Technique.

Liu Qingzhu's aura became increasingly refined, and his Heavenly Evolution Notes improved considerably.

"Uncle Lin, Sister Shen."

Liu Qingzhu nodded slightly, her gaze falling on the spear in Lin Ji's hand, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes.

Lin Jizheng raised his hand to grip the gun handle, and the gun trembled slightly.

The tip of the gun emitted a deep hum, like the roar of a dragon.

"It will come in handy tonight."

Bai Yu'er came downstairs at this moment, carrying several neatly folded outer garments, including a men's long robe and two dark-colored close-fitting outfits. She walked up to the group and whispered:

"I had the tailor in the gang make a few clothes, with a layer of soft armor sewn inside to protect you from knives and guns. You can wear them tonight."

She turned to look at Shen Jinluan and Liu Qingzhu: "Both of you sisters have some too."

Lin Ji took the clothes; they felt solid and the stitches were fine.

He ruffled Bai Yu'er's hair and smiled:

"Yu'er, you're so kind. Be a good girl and stay in the guild tonight. Don't wander off. Wait for us to come back."

Bai Yu'er nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with worry.

She knew her martial arts skills were weak, and that going there would only cause trouble. Staying obediently at the stronghold was the greatest help she could offer.

Night fell, and the moon was dark and the wind was high.

The headquarters of the Gelaohui (a secret society) in the east of the city was still brightly lit, just like always.

Relying on the support of the Japanese, they have been running rampant in the east of the city for the past few days, seizing a lot of shops and territory, bullying men and women, and the people in the east of the city have been living in misery for the past two days.

Inside the main hall.

Zheng Changsheng was drinking with several of his confidants.

Several men were holding a disheveled girl in their arms.

"Boss, you made the right move! By siding with the Japanese and having Prince Jingmei backing us up, our Gelaohui will be unrivaled in Jiangcheng!"

A trusted confidant, flattering him, raised his wine glass:

"May the gang leader soon destroy the Green Robe Gang and unify Jiangcheng!"

Zheng Changsheng laughed heartily, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp:

"Don't worry, once the new order is issued, the Green Robe Gang will be the first to be affected. Then all their territory and businesses will be ours!"

He had barely finished speaking.

A loud "boom" was heard outside the headquarters.

The main gate of the headquarters was kicked open and crashed heavily into the courtyard, raising a cloud of dust.

"Who?!" Zheng Changsheng stood up abruptly, sobering up considerably, and shouted angrily.