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

next moment.

Just as the green-skinned man darted two steps forward, a sudden gust of cool wind swept over him!

"Well--"

A muffled groan got stuck in his throat, and Qingpi's vision went black as he fell straight forward, completely losing consciousness.

Lin Ji withdrew his hand and slowly stepped forward.

He ripped off the cloth belt from Qingpi's waist and tied him up tightly. Then he tore off a piece of cloth and stuffed it into Qingpi's mouth. He then picked him up and threw him into the pile of junk at the end of the alley.

With a sneer, Lin Ji dusted off his hands and turned to walk towards the martial arts hall.

Back at the martial arts hall, Lin Ji went straight into the steward's office.

Wang Biao, the foreman with the goatee, smiled broadly when he saw Lin Ji enter.

"Old Lin, isn't it lunchtime? What brings you here? I was just thinking of going to the canteen to hear you tell the rest of the story of Pan Jinlian."

"Steward Wang, I'm truly sorry, but my youngest daughter has caught a cold, and I'd like to ask for the night's leave, but I don't know..."

Lin Ji looked worried, and it didn't seem like he was faking it. Before he could finish speaking, Steward Wang interrupted:

"No problem, no problem. Family is the most important thing. Go home now."

Lin Ji nodded, his tone much more relaxed, and said, "Then thank you, Steward Wang."

These days, Lin Ji has gained a very good reputation among the kitchen staff, guards, and general laborers.

Steward Wang is a loyal listener to him. Now, let alone taking a night off, as long as it does not affect the normal operation of the martial arts hall, even if he takes two days off in a row, no one will care.

As Lin Ji walked out of the manager's office and turned the corner of the corridor, he bumped into Gu Yanqiu, who was practicing martial arts and preparing to return to the rest room.

Gu Yanqiu was dressed in a simple, well-tailored outfit, with a leather waistband that accentuated her slender and upright waistline.

With steady, clean, and efficient steps, he walked to Lin Ji's side.

Gu Yanqiu raised her hand to wipe the thin layer of sweat from her forehead, smoothed the stray hairs clinging to her forehead, turned her head to look at Lin Ji, and suddenly stopped in her tracks:

"Uncle Lin, you seem to be in much better spirits these past two days!"

"He looks much more energetic than when he first came to the martial arts school."

The martial artist with hidden strength has a truly sharp eye.

Lin Ji's heart skipped a beat, but he waved his hand and grinned:

"Instructor Gu, you spend every day with children and enjoy the delicious food at the martial arts school, so naturally you're more energetic. Look at all the older students in our martial arts school, they all lack spirit."

Gu Yanqiu raised an eyebrow slightly, then lowered it again, not pursuing the matter further.

Lin Ji noticed her doubts and sensed something was wrong, so he quickly changed the subject:

"I have some matters to attend to at home, so I've asked Steward Wang for leave and won't bother Instructor Gu any longer."

"Then hurry back." Gu Yanqiu nodded and was about to turn and leave, her hair hanging down behind her head.

She subconsciously raised her hand, gently twirling her hair behind her head with her fingertips. The movement was natural, clearly a habit she had developed over many years.

Lin Ji's smile suddenly froze, and his eyes widened in shock.

Memories that had been buried for many years resurfaced in my mind.

"Grandpa, look, I can tie my hair by myself now."

The small courtyard in Gouwei Alley is much newer than it is now.

A little girl reached out her small hand and awkwardly tied up the hair hanging down behind her head.

One wrist movement was clumsy, the other skillful, but their twisting motions were exactly the same.

In an instant, the image of Gu Yanqiu in Lin Ji's eyes overlapped with the image of his daughter in his memory.

Lin Ji only snapped out of his daze when Gu Yanqiu's figure disappeared down the corridor, his brows furrowing deeply.

More than fifty years have passed...

Lin Ji sighed inwardly, feeling as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart.

His withered fingers were behind his back, counting the years since he sold his granddaughter.

"That kid must be over fifty years old now."

"How could Instructor Gu be so young..."

Lin Ji shook his head violently; this era was truly absurd and outrageous.

Lin Ji raised his hand to rub his throbbing temples and walked out of the martial arts hall, his steps much heavier than when he arrived.

"I guess I'm just getting old and senile."

"The slightest resemblance to something else throws me into a panic."

Lin Ji felt a void in his heart, and swallowed deeply.

Walking on the training ground, Lin Ji lowered his head and looked down, the daze from earlier still lingering in his mind.

Just as they rounded the weapon rack displaying various weapons, they saw Bai Xiaonian carrying a special food box, walking quickly towards the gatehouse.

"Xiao Nian." Seeing this, Lin Ji called out softly.

The boy paused, glanced at Lin Ji, and his eyes lit up immediately. He turned and ran to Lin Ji, his voice tinged with excitement:

"Grandpa Lin, I was just about to come to you. This is a freshly made blood-nourishing soup."

As he spoke, he handed the food box forward, releasing a faint aroma of medicine.

Lin Ji glanced down at the food box, then looked up at the boy.

Lin Ji's tense brows relaxed slightly, and a smile appeared on his lips: "You little rascal, it's been over ten days since you started giving them all to me. How are you going to improve your cultivation level?"

Bai Xiaonian gave an awkward smile, his bright eyes revealing genuine sincerity: "Grandpa Lin, I have more, please take them."

A slight feeling suddenly touched his heart.

The melancholy that had surged within Gu Yanqiu was completely washed away by the honesty in the boy's eyes.

Lin Ji reached out and took the food box. The warmth of the metal shell touched his fingertips and spread from his knuckles to his heart.

Looking around and seeing that no one was around, Lin Ji said, "Xiao Nian, when you practice the Chuishan Fist, is it that although your punches are powerful, they lack follow-through?"

Bai Xiaonian was taken aback upon hearing this, then quickly nodded: "That's right! How did you know? Even though you have enough strength and it hurts when you hit someone, it's still just not quite there."

Lin Ji squinted, pretending to recall:

"When you were practicing your boxing in the courtyard earlier, Zhao Qiaosheng mentioned to me that your first move was a bit off. This move requires sinking your waist and springing up, turning your hips and exhaling, with the breath following the fist. Try it back and see how it goes."

"If it works, when outsiders ask, just say that you figured it out yourself."

Bai Xiaonian's eyelids lit up with surprise; he was already eager to try.

As the two were talking, Steward Wang happened to pass by and, seeing the grandfather and grandson's affectionate interaction, couldn't help but jokingly mock himself:

"Old Lin, your grandson is really filial, bringing you water and food every day."

"That brat from my old Wang family won't even give me a second glance."

Lin Ji smiled, neither denying nor explaining further: "It's alright, the child is sensible."

It was afternoon.

The sun is westward.

Lin Ji changed into a neat set of short clothes, took out an old bamboo hat, and walked out of the martial arts hall.

As he stepped out the gate, he put his straw hat on his head to cover his face.

I stretched my back and walked briskly down the street with my chest out.

He showed no signs of aging at this moment. Since others couldn't see his face, they guessed he might be in his thirties or forties.

As night fell, scattered lights illuminated the streets and alleys of Jiangcheng.

Lin Ji made his way towards the vicinity of the Haijiao Gang's stronghold in the south of the city.

……

The Haijiao Gang's stronghold was a converted large warehouse, with a searchlight mounted on the roof, a feature typically reserved for foreigners. The light fell to the ground, illuminating the street.

Standing at the entrance and below the steps were a group of thugs dressed in short black shirts, their muscles bulging and their menacing serpents baring their fangs.

Shen Jinluan was dressed in a dark green cheongsam with a silk blouse over it. She held a pipe and stared intently into the distance, occasionally bringing the pipe to her red lips for a puff.

Zhou Hu stood beside her, his eyes frequently glancing towards the street corner.

soon.

Three or two Ford cars drove up one after another and stopped in front of the warehouse.

"The Fengxi gang is really getting more and more arrogant."

A child jumped out of the back seat and opened the passenger door: "Sir, we've arrived."

"Hmm." A soft hum came from inside the carriage.

A short man wearing a dark suit, with a slicked-back hairstyle and a mustache, walked down.

The man was toying with a walking stick in his hand, wearing a top hat on his head. He had an Eastern appearance, but was a quintessential Western leftist.

At the same time, another person got out of the car. He was short and wiry, with a pair of beady eyes that squinted as he scanned everyone present.

His black suit was bulging, as if he was hiding something.

The fake foreigner at the head of the group walked up to Shen Jinluan, removed his hat and bowed, but did not lower his head. His eyes were arrogant, and he did not take the Haijiao Gang seriously at all: "Gang Leader Zhou, Madam Shen. You have been waiting for a long time."

Behind the fake foreigner were a dozen or so people dressed in suits and top hats, each holding a short-handled wood-chopping axe.

"Chief Wei, please come in." Zhou Hu stepped aside and responded in a deep voice.

The group walked into the stronghold, which was brightly lit and contained a different world. Inside the banquet hall, there were many high-end octagonal tables.

Zhou Hu lagged half a step behind, pulled his trusted aide aside, and whispered the instructions:

"Serve the brothers the best wine, and treat them well. Remember, add a little something extra to each jar, don't get it wrong."

The confidant nodded and turned to leave.

Inside the building, the dishes and wine on the octagonal table were neatly arranged, all of which were high-end items rarely seen even in Jiangcheng.

After a few rounds of drinks, Wei Kun put down his glass and got straight to the point: "I, Wei, will not beat around the bush. Today, we, the Fengxi Gang, are here to deliver a message to the foreigners."

His tone was arrogant, with a hint of condescension:

"Jiangcheng will eventually fall into the hands of foreigners. With the ban on martial arts next year, it will be difficult for any martial arts schools or gangs to become self-reliant. Not to mention your Haijiao Gang, even Du Qingyi of the Qingyi Gang will have trouble protecting himself."

"Take my advice, Wei, and submit to the foreigners. We'll return all the territory we took from you, and I'll put in a good word for you with them. We'll even get you some guns. Wouldn't that be better than you struggling like this?"

Zhou Hu quickly stepped forward with a wine glass and a forced smile: "Chief Wei, you're right. Actually..."

Wei Kun didn't even turn his head, glancing sideways at him before speaking to Shen Jinluan, who was leaning against a chair with a pipe in her hand:

"Wei knew long ago that the actual person in charge of the Haijiao Gang was Boss Shen."

"Boss Shen, give me a straight answer. Are you going to agree or not today?"

The entire audience erupted in uproar, and all eyes of the Sea Dragon Gang members fell on Shen Jinluan.

Shen Jinluan exhaled a smoke ring, picked up the wine glass in front of her, and then poured the wine on the ground, splashing up sprays of wine.

"To be a foreigner's dog? Hmph! You underestimate me, Shen Jinluan." Shen Jinluan's voice was cold and clear, completely devoid of her usual charm.

"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences!"

Wei Kun's face darkened, and he slammed his hand on the table:

"Get this bitch down with you!"

The rat-eyed henchman behind Wei Kun moved with lightning speed, reaching up and pulling out a gun from his clothes, then firing a shot at Shen Jinluan.

"Snapped!"

Shen Jinluan twisted to dodge, barely avoiding the bullet, but it struck the neck of a member of the Sea Dragon Gang behind her.

Instantly! Blood splattered all over the ground.

"Zhou Hu! Make your move!"

Shen Jinluan slammed her hand on the corner of the table, her figure tumbling and flying. The high slit of her cheongsam revealed her snow-white legs. She kicked the foreign gun in the rat-eyed man's hand, and with a flick of her pipe, she smashed the foreign gun.

"Snapped!"

In an instant, fragments of the foreign gun scattered everywhere, shooting into the ground, tables and chairs, and the bodies of several Fengxi gang members.

……

Following the location he remembered, Lin Ji found his way to the Sea Dragon Gang's stronghold, hid in the shadows, and looked up.

His gaze fell.

Lin Ji's pupils suddenly contracted!