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

"I can finally understand this one."

Bai Yu'er picked up the booklet on the table with the words "Chasing Shadows" engraved on it and casually opened it.

The booklet is very thin.

It's only a dozen or so pages long.

The interior is filled with all sorts of pictures, which make up the majority of the content.

Lin Ji glanced at it, his martial spirit trembled slightly, and he immediately understood the intricacies of the matter.

"This is a light-footed skill that excels at short-distance maneuvering, with elusive steps that leave no trace on the snow."

Lin Ji stood up under the watchful eyes of Shen Jinluan and Bai Yu'er.

With a single step, his martial bones trembled slightly in his mind, and the foundation of his Tai Chi steps was combined with the Shadow Chasing movement technique.

He moved with lightning speed, reaching the entrance of the stronghold in just a few steps, so fast that he almost left a blur.

Bai Yu'er blinked. She was only at the Body Refinement level and couldn't see how Lin Ji moved at all.

"So fast!"

Shen Jinluan also exclaimed in surprise.

However, the two seemed to subconsciously agree to something.

Lin Ji hadn't even practiced this technique; he entered the realm of mastery after just one glance.

"Indeed quite good." Lin Ji sat down again and nodded slightly.

"The Tai Chi steps are both soft and skillful, complementing each other perfectly. They can be used for tracking and escaping once you leave Jiangcheng."

With this lightness skill by your side, even if you can't beat a master of the Transcendent Realm, you'll still have room to retreat.

Lin Ji pushed the booklet towards the two of them:

"Take these and practice. Don't let your martial arts foundation go to waste while I'm away from Jiangcheng."

"it is good."

"Don't worry, Old Lin, we'll take good care of ourselves."

Night was falling.

The outpost fell silent.

Bai Yu'er carried a bowl of hot white porridge into the bedroom. She blew on the spoon before offering it to Lin Ji.

Watching Lin Ji sip the congee into his mouth, her eyes involuntarily reddened.

"Old Lin... are you really going to go with Li Shuwen?"

The white porridge warmed his stomach, dispelling the autumn chill. Lin Ji nodded.

"Yes, Jiangcheng has settled down, but there are still many more Tie Mulings outside, and many more people like Jingmei and Zhang Jichuan. It's not appropriate for me to stay in Jiangcheng."

He looked up at Bai Yu'er's red-rimmed eyes, and reached out to gently rub the top of her head.

"You guard Jiangcheng well, I will be back soon."

"Then you must keep your word." Bai Yu'er's nose tingled with tears. She placed the bowl of porridge on the table and leaned against Lin Ji's chest.

"Your sisters and I are waiting for you. You mustn't act tough outside, you mustn't get hurt, and you mustn't... not come back."

"Yes, I keep my word." Lin Ji pulled Bai Yu'er into his arms.

Bai Yu'er's pretty face flushed red.

Her delicate hands carefully fiddled with the buttons on Lin Ji's collar, and she murmured:

"Old man Lin, I'll serve you tonight..."

The moonlight outside the window is setting in the west.

Bai Yu'er lay on the bed, fast asleep. The pure white moonlight shone on her exposed jade-like back, making the few beads of sweat that slid down her skin's curves appear as glistening as jade.

"Old man... come to me."

Shen Jinluan's charming voice came through the earphone.

Lin Ji's lips twitched slightly. He gently covered Bai Yu'er with the blanket and then honestly crawled out of the room.

Compared to Bai Yu'er.

Shen Jinluan is fiery.

Before leaving, her final tenderness allowed her to fully unleash the charm within her body.

"Old man... I want you to repay me double the effort you used on Yu'er..."

horizon.

A ray of light appeared.

Shen Jinluan lay limp on the bed, her already alluring figure appearing even more delicate after the night.

Her captivating, alluring eyes, bathed in the last rays of moonlight, shimmered with a gentle, spring-like light. She pulled Lin Ji close, her red lips almost touching his. Her lips parted slightly, releasing a fragrant breeze.

"I want you back, do you hear me?!"

"I will come back." Lin Ji nodded.

The glow of the sunset was even more brilliant.

The moonlight completely dissipated.

Lin Ji's sea of ​​consciousness suddenly felt slightly hot.

The ancient book of destiny unfolded itself, and a line of small characters appeared at the end of the Yin-Yang scroll:

"Yin and Yang change form."

"By subtly adjusting one's appearance and concealing one's aura using the Yin and Yang energies, one can hide one's cultivation level and change one's appearance to avoid being noticed while traveling the world."

Lin Ji's heart stirred.

Just in time.

This trip will inevitably involve a mix of people, and given my growing fame, I'm bound to attract unwanted attention. Having this skill will save me a lot of trouble.

Seeing that Shen Jinluan's eyes were glazed over and she was about to fall into a deep sleep, Lin Ji smiled slightly, his playful side stirring within him.

With a thought, his facial muscles twitched slightly, and in the blink of an eye, his appearance completely transformed into that of a different person.

Shen Jinluan reacted extremely quickly, shoving Lin Ji away. Her peach blossom eyes widened, and she clutched her heaving chest, exclaiming in surprise:

"Master Liu... what are you doing here...?"

But before she could finish speaking...

Lin Ji's expression changed again; Liu Qingzhu's cold face disappeared, and he reverted to Lin Ji's appearance.

Shen Jinluan rubbed her eyes, her eyelids twitching slightly.

Am I seeing things?

Lin Ji chuckled but did not reply.

"You old man are so boring... I want to sleep, don't bother me, go find Sister Yu'er." Shen Jinluan lightly lifted her leg and kicked Lin Ji. She consciously didn't ask any further questions, pulled the quilt over her face, and fell into a deep sleep.

Day two.

The sky was bright.

Lin Ji walked out of the stronghold alone.

He wanted to see the city he had lived in for over a hundred years one more time.

"Fried dough sticks, steamed buns, tofu pudding..."

"Sir, would you like breakfast? It's 20% off!"

The streets were no longer deserted after several days, and all the shops were open.

Vendors carrying their wares along the street called out their wares, and breakfast stall owners smiled broadly at every passerby. Finally, joy appeared on the faces of the people.

The soldiers patrolling the streets were replaced by soldiers from the Governor's Mansion, and the arrogant constables were nowhere to be seen anymore.

Lin Ji, who was walking slowly along the street, unconsciously turned into Dog Tail Alley.

The old locust tree at the alley entrance still stands there, its branches and leaves lush and green, the autumn sunlight filtering through the leaves and dappling the ground.

Several teenagers were chasing and playing around the tree trunk.

"Erwa, I've caught up with you...hehehe..."

"So what if you catch up with me? I am Sun Wukong, and I can perform seventy-two transformations."

"Didn't we agree that I would be Sun Wukong? How come you've become Sun Wukong again?"

"Alright then... I'll be the Monkey King then."

……

The children's clear laughter carried far and wide, reaching Lin Ji's ears through the alleyway.

Lin Ji walked a few steps into the alley.

The gate of the Liu family compound has been repainted black.

The two characters "Liu Residence" on the door were brand new and shiny. Several servants were going in and out, cleaning the yard and tidying up the furniture that had been ransacked by the Japanese.

The butler stood under the signboard and muttered softly:

"This alley is a bit run-down, but it still feels like home."

"Grandpa Lin."

Liu Yuanbao, who was squatting by the threshold playing with pebbles, had sharp eyes and recognized Lin Ji at a glance. He casually tossed a pebble aside and hopped over.

Liu Yuanbao tilted her little face up, her eyes sparkling:

"Grandpa Lin, are you back to play the shadow puppeteer? I have money now, enough to listen to shadow puppeteers for many days."

Lin Ji looked at his chubby-cheeked appearance, glanced at his own small courtyard in the alley, chuckled softly, and said:

"Yes, I've come to show you the magic lantern show."