Bodhisattva, please help me in my spiritual practice!

Located on the edge of the no-man's-land of Nanji in Tianjin, this area was a gathering place for the Red Gang.

The Red Gang, also known as the Pao Ge Society, originated in Sichuan and Chongqing, but its influence in Tianjin was not particularly strong.

Even their headquarters occupied a four-courtyard Guandi Temple, with the first three courtyards reserved for ordinary people to offer incense and the last courtyard for the Gelaohui (a secret society) members to discuss matters.

Ao Peng's visiting card was handed over. Inside the incense hall, Zhao Laoliu, the captain, looked like an old farmer, with one foot propped on a chair, supporting himself with his hand, smoking a pipe. The fiery red tobacco shimmered in the smoke.

"Hey boss, say something!"

The young man next to him was getting impatient and urged him on.

He had already inquired about Ao Peng's deeds. This Tianjin Green Gang thug was originally just a low-level thug, and didn't even have a name in the underworld.

But for some reason, he seemed to have divine assistance in the past ten days or so. He not only took over Guo Wu's territory, but also dealt with Guo Wu's mentor, Xu Hong, without letting any word of it leak out beforehand.

This is considered a major event in the underworld. In the past, people from the government would have gotten involved long ago.

But now that Feng Yuxiang has defected and the Fengtian clique is going to take over Tianjin, the Republic of China government is already in chaos and has no time to deal with the affairs of the government. This has given Ao Peng a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

"What's there to say!"

Another young man was dressed in shorts, revealing lean skin with a glossy bronze color.

His name was Hu Anmin, a henchman and leader of the Red Gang. He was skilled in Hung Kuen and had a particularly fiery temper. "Those bastards from the Green Gang, ever since Bai Yunsheng, have been hanging around with those bastards. On the surface, they organize martial arts tournaments, but secretly they send people to deliver bribes, making us throw matches at the tournaments like cowards!"

"I dare say that Ao Peng's arrival this time is because some bastard is pulling strings behind his back. It's definitely because that bastard saw we disagreed and wanted to take advantage of the fact that the government is inactive to send him to chop us up!"

"Although we members of the Gelaohui (a secret society) are all barefoot and we often envy others doing big business, we are all men at heart, and we will never become traitors to these dogs!"

After the Green Gang separated from the Red Gang, it absorbed more Buddhist theories, while the Gelaohui (袍哥会) always originated from the grassroots of the nation who opposed the Qing Dynasty and sought to restore the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the two were clearly distinct in this respect.

Upon hearing Hu Anmin's words, the surrounding members of the Gelaohui (a secret society) immediately chimed in, "That's right!"

"Even if I die, I'll still bite off a piece of flesh from that bastard!"

"Call the brothers to grab their weapons and smash their heads open!"

At this point, Zhao Laoliu knew he couldn't remain silent, so he slammed his pipe on the table and yelled, "I'm not dead yet, what right do you bunch of idiots have to make decisions?!"

Zhao Laoliu led his gang of secret agents to beg for food in the chaotic city of Tianjin. Although they were all poor and struggling, they were united in purpose.

Everyone acknowledges Zhao Laoliu as the leader.

Having appeased everyone, Zhao Laoliu understood that Ao Peng couldn't avoid this ordeal. He instructed, "No one under the age of sixteen is allowed to leave. Young Master, if you see these idiots and that bastard Ao Peng is carrying firearms and breaks the rules, lead them through the secret passage. We can't let the incense burn out!"

Yao Ge'er is the second oldest member of the gang. He lost an arm in a fight in his early years, so he only cares about literary matters and is more composed than others.

The younger brother responded silently.

Seeing that his brother had agreed, Zhao Laoliu, completely different from his previous farmer demeanor, took the lead, his momentum even stronger than before, shouting, "Anyone who's not afraid to die, follow me! We can't let down the reputation of our brotherhood!"

In front of the Guandi Temple, Ao Peng arrived menacingly with over a hundred thugs from the Huaxing Society, and Yi Yuan immediately ordered the area cleared.

This place is frequented by pilgrims and gangs. There's an unwritten rule: avoid harming ordinary people if possible, as reputation in the underworld still matters.

Ao Peng reached out his hand, "No need, let them all watch from the side, so they can see clearly."

Yi Yuan quickly lowered his head and said, "Yes."

He had Yi Yuan investigate the Red Gang, so he naturally knew what kind of people were in the Tianjin Brotherhood now.

But morality is morality, and morality can't put food on the table. Ao Peng wants to unify the martial arts of Tianjin, make a name for himself, and fulfill the morality in his heart. At this time, he can't be hesitant, timid, or only care about the morality of others.

There's an old saying that goes, "In the world of gangsters, everyone owes debts, and sooner or later you'll have to pay them back."

Zhao Laoliu led the group out of the Guandi Temple in single file. Seeing that Ao Peng had brought over a hundred men, all armed but not with firearms, he felt relieved. He stopped cursing Ao Peng and instead clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Master Ao, our two families are like fishermen by the river and fishers by the well. We keep to ourselves. If there has been any past conflict that has displeased you, Master Ao, please give me your instructions so I can prepare a feast to apologize."

Ao Peng laughed and replied, "There is no such thing as river water or well water in this world. They all flow with the blood of the Chinese people. There is no such thing as your family or my family. We are all a group of beggars from the Wu family."

Zhao Laoliu originally thought Ao Peng was a hothead because of his age.

But these words left even this seasoned veteran somewhat speechless. He could only give Ao Peng a deep look, clasp his hands in a fist and say, "I have learned a lot."

"So, why has Hall Master Ao come here today...?"

Ao Peng continued, "Since we're all family, we should eat from the same pot."

Well, Zhao Laoliu's goodwill towards Ao Peng vanished instantly. No matter how nice the words sounded, in the end, it was still about recruiting them.

Before Zhao Laoliu could answer, Hu Anmin, standing behind him, couldn't sit still any longer and blurted out, "Ao Peng, you son of a bitch, have you been bribed by that bastard? You don't want us to go to the ring, so you're here to cause us trouble!"

Ao Peng paused for a moment, then yawned like a tiger and said, "No, that's not it."

Zhao Laoliu was skeptical, but the fact that Ao Peng had said it to so many people made him feel slightly relieved.

"However... someone as simple-minded as you, whose skills are not up to par, really shouldn't be in the ring."

Zhao Laoliu's breath caught in his throat again, and he quickly pressed Hu Anmin down, asking, "Then, Master Ao, who do you think has mastered the kung fu?"

Ao Peng raised an eyebrow, his smile vanished, his eyes narrowed, and his expression shifted from languid to fierce. "I'm not targeting this idiot, but in all of Tianjin, apart from me, Ao Peng, everyone who practices martial arts is a novice. He'd better not embarrass himself!"

Having said that, he solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to the surrounding crowd, "Since this is a matter of martial arts, let it be a matter of martial arts! Since ancient times, there has been no first in literature, but there is no second in martial arts. Fellow villagers here, be my witnesses. Today, I, Ao Peng, will take on the Red Gang alone. Whether it is a matter of literature or martial arts, I will take it all on. The victor will be respected and will reign supreme in Tianjin. The loser will be condemned. I will leave behind my own martial arts manuals and have no regrets even if it means my death!"

Then, he untied his cloak, tossed it into Hong Niang's hands, revealing his short-sleeved shirt. The well-defined muscles rippled down his arms like the roots of an old tree. He spread his other hand, forming a single blade, and thrust it straight at the Red Gang members. "Ao Peng of the Huaxing Society, today I will measure the martial arts of Tianjin! Please enlighten me!"