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

Three years later.

Jiangcheng Gouwei Alley.

The warm spring breeze swept up the willow catkins along the street, which drifted across the bluestone pavement.

Under the old locust tree at the alley entrance, there was a small bookstall. Lin Ji was wearing a worn-out cloth shirt, and his face looked as old as when he used to pull the shadow puppets under the tree. He gently pulled the lever on the wooden box for pulling the shadow puppets and muttered some words.

A group of teenagers sat around me, their little faces tilted up, listening intently.

Today he's talking about the Mount Hua Sword Tournament!

"Speaking of the summit of Mount Hua, ten arenas are lined up in a row. Foreigners stand on high places; they look down on the martial arts of our China..."

"And then what?" the little girl with pigtails urged, clutching half a piece of sugar cake tightly in her hand, occasionally bringing it to her mouth to take a bite.

Lin Ji smiled and turned the joystick:

"And then... there came an old man with a white beard, carrying a silver spear, who defeated the most skilled Japanese fighter with a single thrust. He won the match."

"Wow... I want to be a hero when I grow up, and I want to practice shooting too!" the children exclaimed, their eyes wide with amazement.

Yes.

Lin Ji was telling his own story.

The alleyway where the shadow puppets were displayed also featured scenes of the martial arts competition at Mount Hua, which he had painted himself.

"And then?"

"And then..." Lin Ji looked up at the sun in the sky: "It's noon, time to go home for lunch. It's my father's birthday today, I'll tell you the story next time."

"Celebrating a birthday? Old man Lin... You're so old, why are you celebrating a birthday?" a little kid questioned.

"So what? Can't an old man celebrate his birthday? I, an old man, will celebrate it in a grand way." Lin Ji pretended to be intimidating and reached out to shoo away the group of children in front of him.

"Old man Lin, I heard that my brother listened to your storytelling a few years ago. He said you were already a hundred years old. How old are you now? One hundred and ten, or two hundred?" The little girl holding the sugar cake spoke innocently like a child.

"Haha, you're 103 years old!" Lin Ji laughed heartily.

"One hundred and three years old? That's not young. Why aren't you dead yet? My grandfather died in his fifties..."

"Yeah, yeah... My grandma said you're a cunning old monster."

……

Lin Ji was instantly speechless.

Why does that sound so familiar?

"Go away... Besides, from now on I'll charge you for stories, one dollar!"

Lin Ji said.

A delicate hand was offered to her.

A large coin landed in front of him.

Lin Ji looked up.

The newcomer had a cool and aloof expression and was dressed in a snow-white dress.

"What's wrong... Are you recalling scenes from back then?"

Lin Ji chuckled and took the silver dollar from Liu Qingzhu's hand.

but.

He's not the old man he used to be.

He quietly reached out and rubbed his hand on Liu Qingzhu's delicate hand.

Liu Qingzhu gave a slight, coquettish reproach and turned away, ignoring him.

Lin Ji turned to look at the children: "Go back now... I'll tell you the rest tomorrow."

The children then reluctantly ran off, some of the bolder ones even turning back to shout after they had run quite a distance:

"Grandpa Lin, you'll have to tell the sequel tomorrow."

"Okay, sure," Lin Ji replied, bowing his head to tidy up the stall.

The children ran off laughing and joking.

Lin Ji closed the wooden box used for showing the shadow puppets and hoisted it onto his shoulder.

Liu Qingzhu stacked the small stools on the ground, a smile playing on her lips: "At your age, you're still arguing with little girls."

"What do you mean 'old age'?" Lin Ji raised an eyebrow, lowered his voice, and breathed into Liu Qingzhu's ear.

"To be honest, I'm still in my prime."

Liu Qingzhu glanced at him sideways, but didn't respond. Instead, she reached out and brushed the willow catkins off his shoulder.

The two left the alley where the shadow puppet show was being performed and walked out of the alley.

The setting sun shone obliquely on the two of them, casting long shadows.

"Hehe hahe!"

on the road.

A series of synchronized martial arts practice sounds came from afar.

Lin Ji looked up.

It is the Martial Arts Hall.

The martial arts hall has changed its name.

The former luxury is gone.

The stone lions at the entrance still stand there, staring intently ahead.

Lin Ji looked up and saw dozens of teenagers struggling in a horse stance, their backs ramrod straight.

The instructor held a bamboo stick in his hand, walked back and forth with his hands behind his back, and occasionally corrected the students' posture.

"Xiao Nian really has a talent for being an instructor. In just half a year, he has produced three experts in bone training. Yan Qiu is probably going to lose her job. She has been back in the provincial capital with her mother for half a month now. It's really reassuring to leave the martial arts hall to Xiao Nian."

Lin Ji paused, glanced at the resolute figure, and nodded slightly.

Observe the atmosphere to discern the situation!

Above the martial arts hall, a faint milky-white aura lingered, vigorous yet stable.

"His luck is quite good," he said in a low voice.

Liu Qingzhu followed his gaze. Her mastery of celestial observation was now so refined that even without the ability to discern auras, she could still discern some clues.

"Now that the city is saying it's going to open a branch school, many martial arts masters from the mountains are coming here. Oh, and I also heard that Principal Xiao seems to want to respond to the call and do something like compulsory education."

Lin Ji burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at...?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

The two walked westward into the city, passing several streets before finally arriving at their doorstep.

This was the location of the Sea Dragon Gang's stronghold back then.

The outpost and warehouse had long been demolished.

They built a small courtyard.

Upon entering, Lin Ji raised his hand and lightly wiped his face.

The wrinkles and gray beard on his face vanished instantly, his eyebrows and eyes gradually relaxed, and he returned to his true appearance. He was around thirty years old, handsome and composed, and standing next to Liu Qingzhu, they were a perfect match.

The Book of Reversal of Fate has been turned to its last page. The legacy of the Ancestor Hehuan has not disappeared. The benefits of reversing youth, extending lifespan, and gaining additional advantages are still there.

Turning past the screen wall, the courtyard suddenly became lively.

Shen, the former leader of the Haijiao Gang, was sitting on the veranda, picking vegetables with a bamboo basket in his hand.

She was still wearing a red cheongsam with a high slit, revealing a pair of long, flawless, fair legs.

She still has the same figure as before, with a slender waist and alluring beauty.

but.

Something was missing from her side.

The jade pipe is missing.

She quit smoking a long time ago, saying she wanted to be there for her children as they grew up and to set a good example.

"You're back."

She slightly raised her forehead to look at the two of them, her eyes still full of allure.

"Yes, I'm back."

"father……"

In the courtyard, Bai Yu'er was chasing after a boy who was about half a year old. The little guy was clutching a windmill and running with a whooshing sound.

This is Lin Ji and Bai Yu'er's son, who is three years old.

Su Wanning sat on a rattan chair, holding a small garment in her hand, slowly embroidering it. A lifelike little tiger was embroidered on the garment. Her belly was slightly protruding, indicating that she was pregnant.

A pretty little girl sat on the stool next to her, holding a small cloth tiger in her hand and fiddling with it constantly; she was very well-behaved.

She bore a resemblance to Liu Qingzhu in her features and was indeed Liu Qingzhu's daughter.

"Slow down, don't fall." Lin Ji reached out and hugged his son who was holding the windmill, and then gently stroked his little nose.

"You watch the child, I'll go get something." Bai Yu'er saw her son rush into Lin Ji's arms, then turned and walked into the house.

After a while.

He came out of the kitchen carrying a cream cake, a piece of which had been eaten. A little girl was tugging at his dress, looking unhappy.

The little girl looks exactly like Shen Jinluan; she's very cute, but a bit arrogant.

"This little one, she ran off to steal some food without me noticing." Bai Yu'er picked up the little girl, scooped some cream from the cake and handed it to her, her eyes full of doting affection.

Bai Yu'er placed the cake on the stone table.

The aroma of milk filled the entire yard.

The group gathered around and sat down.

The children, in particular, had their eyes darting around.

"Make a wish quickly! The children are all waiting to eat," Bai Yu'er urged.

"I want to eat too...hehe." Su Wanning also joined in.

"Okay," Lin Ji replied.

Bai Yu'er reached out and lit the candle.

The warm yellow candlelight flickered.

It was reflected on everyone's face.

Lin Ji looked at the people in the hospital and closed his eyes slightly.

May our mountains and rivers be safe and sound, our families be healthy and well, and may every year be like this day.

"call."

Lin Ji blew out the candle in one breath.

The children clapped and cheered.

"Mother, I want this one."

"I want it here! I want it here!"

"Okay, okay," Bai Yu'er agreed and divided the cake among the little ones.

Su Wanning reached out and smeared a piece of cream on her son's face. The little guy screamed and tried to smear it back.

The courtyard erupted in laughter.

The last rays of the setting sun swept over the courtyard wall, filling the courtyard with a sweet, blissful aroma.

The End.