Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

The Twin Blades of Invincibility.

Xingyi knife technique.

The beauty of Xingyi footwork lies in the fact that "the foot arrives and the knife arrives," with each step precisely hitting the opening.

Chen Zhan wrapped his hands around his head and crossed his two swords to protect himself, dodging the muskets that were coming from the front.

With a flick of the wrist, the swords wrapped around the backs and necks, and with both Tang swords striking simultaneously, they severed the necks of the two soldiers cleanly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

The swiftness of Xingyi swordsmanship was on full display at this moment. As the saying goes, "the sword is like a fierce tiger." Chen Zhan poured his whole body's strength into every slash, his body was like a twisted rope, and his power was like a thunderclap.

One cut is enough to break bones and rupture tendons.

He executed a wrist-twisting and lifting move smoothly, raising his twin blades upwards to knock the muskets out of the hands of two soldiers. Then, he slashed down diagonally, cutting the two men in half at the waist. Blood gushed out, staining the soil beneath his feet red.

The musketeers moved swiftly, some turning to flee, others firing wildly, but they could never touch Chen Zhan's clothes.

His gaze beneath his straw hat remained icy. He kept moving, his twin swords opening and closing with thunderous force as he spun left and right. His intricate and progressive techniques, including stepping forward to strike with a collapsing sword, standing alone with a supporting sword, and advancing diagonally to chop with a sword, were all deadly moves.

Within a few short breaths, screams rose and fell as dozens of foreign-equipped soldiers fell one after another to the blade.

Corpses lay scattered haphazardly in the firelight, broken muskets, scattered shell casings, and blood mixed together, making the dark figure appear even more like a demon from hell.

Chen Zhan sheathed his sword and spun around, the two swords hanging down, blood dripping from the blades and splashing onto the ground.

They've all been killed here.

But on the other side, there was another team that had already fired several times.

Chen Zhan paused, glancing over to see a burly figure rushing down the earthen embankment to the west like a thunderbolt.

The man was dressed in coarse cloth shorts, with a straw rope tied around his waist, and a large, gold-backed cleaver gleamed coldly.

bang bang bang-

A volley of bullets swept in, causing the earth and rocks in front of the big man to explode into plumes of yellow smoke!

The Han army, however, did not retreat but advanced.

He pushed off with his left foot and slid three feet to the left like a fish. The movement seemed clumsy, but it was actually extremely skillful, allowing him to avoid the first wave of bullets.

He then twisted his waist, braced his right leg on an abandoned coal-carrying wheelbarrow, and darted out diagonally, managing to hide behind a coal hill in the nick of time.

The foreign soldiers frantically pulled the bolts of their guns.

It's now!

The burly man suddenly sprang up from behind Coal Hill, not charging in a straight line, but rather using a zigzag pattern, dodging left and right.

He was burly, yet incredibly agile, sometimes crouching low and disappearing into the shadows of the wooden fence, sometimes leaping three feet into the air by stepping on the mine cart.

The bullets chased after his heels and struck the coal pile, splattering black ash, but they were always a step too late!
"Damn it! Stop him!"

The sergeant drew his pistol, only to see a dark shadow flash before his eyes.

The burly man had already charged within ten paces!
"die!"

The golden-backed broadsword was drawn from its sheath, cleaving the air like a golden lightning bolt.

The knife was three feet three inches long and weighed seven pounds and six ounces. The back of the knife was thick, but the blade was as thin as a cicada's wing.

The burly man's arm muscles were bulging like the roots of an old tree. With a sweeping motion of his sword, the wind howled and even made a whistling sound as it cut through the air!

The three foreign riflemen in the front row didn't even have time to turn their bayonets before their vision blurred.

With a flash of light, three Enfield rifles were cleanly severed in two, followed by three streaks of blood shooting into the sky!

"what--"

Before the screams had even faded, the burly man had already charged into the enemy ranks.

This big man was highly skilled and experienced. It was several times more difficult for him to break into the formation than for Chen Zhan, because Chen Zhan himself was ambushed and was only discovered after he was already close enough to make a move.

The firearms could not be used to their full potential.

The big man was different; he had been targeted by dozens of gunmen and relied entirely on his agility, footwork, and the use of the terrain.

However, they quickly caught up with the foreign gun team.

His swordsmanship follows the Northern School's Pi Gua style, characterized by its expansive and powerful movements, yet also incorporating the agility of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) technique.

But the blades flashed like snowflakes, swirling and flying through the crowd.

With a leftward slash, he cleaved the soldier who was aiming his gun in two from shoulder to ribs.

With a rightward slash, the tip of the blade deflects the incoming bayonet, then smoothly lifts upward to slit the opponent's throat.

He spun around and slashed, the blade following his body, cutting the two soldiers who attacked from behind into four pieces at the waist!

The golden-backed broadsword looked heavy, but it was incredibly agile in his hands.

The blood was splattered on the black coal pile, instantly absorbed, leaving behind patches of dark brown stains.

The sergeant was terrified and turned to flee, but Wang Wu caught up with him in a flash and smashed the back of his head with the back of his knife, splattering his brains.

Within twenty breaths, the hilltop was littered with corpses lying haphazardly.

The burly man flicked the blood off his blade. His shoulder was grazed, drawing a little blood, but he seemed unharmed, his breathing steady.

He turned back and gave Chen Zhan a deep look, but did not go up to greet him. He then turned and ran into the depths of the mine.

His brothers were still fighting there.

Chen Zhan followed slowly.

The fighting in the mine is coming to an end.

Those thugs who rushed in during the chaos were just doing their jobs for money. When they heard the gunfire stop and saw the horrific scene of the foreign gunmen lying dead on the hilltop, they were terrified.

The leaders' legs cramped, they turned and ran, and the rest of the people retreated like a tide, leaving behind only corpses and the wails of the wounded.

The miners, holding pickaxes and chunks of coal, stood there stunned, unable to believe they had survived.

"Don't just stand there! Take stock of the casualties and treat the wounded!"

A clear voice came from the direction of the well shed.

Everyone turned around and saw a tall, thin man dressed in the robes of a seventh-rank official walking out quickly. He had thick eyebrows, narrow eyes, and a gaunt face, and appeared to be around thirty years old.

Behind him was the burly man who had been holding the knife, who was now haphazardly wrapping a strip of cloth around the wound on his shoulder.

The foremen recognized the man as "Lord Tan" and bowed to him.

Tan Sitong walked to the center of the field, looked at the corpses scattered all over the ground, and saw several foreign soldiers dressed in red in the distance. His face turned ashen.

Although he was the official in charge, he had never witnessed such a bloody scene. Forcing himself to remain calm, he said, "Everyone, please go back and rest to treat your injuries. I will find a way to handle this matter and give you all an explanation."

When he spoke, his demeanor was calm and composed, possessing a convincing power.

The miners relaxed slightly, dragging their tired bodies back to their lodgings.

"Going back to rest?"

A voice came from the darkness, unhurried yet clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Everyone turned around and saw Chen Zhan walking down the slope, his straw hat pulled low, covering most of his face.

Upon approaching, he raised his hand and removed his straw hat, revealing a young face in his early twenties. However, his eyes were too weathered and did not match his appearance at all.

"I'm afraid we won't be able to rest for long before we die. We'd better leave quickly, the farther the better."

The miners looked at each other in bewilderment. Some of them recognized the expert who had just killed the foreign soldiers on the hilltop, and a commotion immediately broke out.

Tan Sitong's gaze sharpened, staring at Chen Zhan for a long while. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he cautiously stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Tan Sitong. And you are?" "Chen Zhan."

Chen Zhan returned the greeting, "I have long admired Mr. Tan's reputation."

After speaking, he turned to the burly man beside Tan Sitong: "This must be Mr. Wang Zhengyi of the Shun Yuan Escort Agency, known as 'Big Knife Wang Wu'?"

Wang Wu was tightening the bandage around his wound when he heard this and was taken aback: "You've heard of me?"

"Of course I've heard of him. Who in the martial arts world doesn't know the name 'The Great Hero of the Capital'?"

Wang Wu had been famous for a long time, so it wasn't surprising that Chen Zhan had heard of him.

Tan Sitong, on the other hand, was only a candidate principal officer in the Ministry of Justice at this time, and his reputation was far inferior to Wang Wu's. When Chen Zhan said "I have long heard of your great name," Tan Sitong took it as a polite remark.

Moreover, he could tell that Chen Zhan was clearly more interested in Wang Wu, while he only exchanged polite greetings with him.

Perhaps it's because martial arts practitioners are attracted to each other, or perhaps it's for some other reason.

Tan Sitong had no idea that Chen Zhan's "lack of interest" in him was simply because the time was not yet right.

At this time, Tan Sitong was caught between reform and revolution, still harboring a sliver of hope for the Qing government and wishing to save the crisis through reform.

It will take him some time to truly realize that the court is rotten to the core.

Chen Zhan didn't believe that a few words could change this kind of person's mind, so he simply didn't bother to say anything more.

"Why do you say you're about to lose your life?" Wang Wu asked, enduring the pain in his shoulder, as Chen Zhan looked at him.

Chen Zhan glanced around, looking at the bewildered and exhausted miners, and said in a deep voice:

"If you want to live, leave quickly. Burn the mine's register so the foreigners can't find out who killed them. That way, the foreigners can only hold the imperial court accountable, and you'll still have a chance to survive."

"Otherwise, you miners will be the scapegoats, and your entire families will be executed, which would be the least of your worries."

Upon hearing this, everyone was greatly shocked.

Zhang Shun pushed his way forward, glaring at him, and said, "Who are you? What makes you say that? Lord Tan will protect us!"

"Protect you?"

Chen Zhan sneered, "Why are the foreigners causing trouble today?"

Wang Wu said in a deep voice, "They must have their eye on this mine."

"That's right. The Treaty of Shimonoseki was just signed, and it clearly stated that foreigners had the right to mine and set up factories in China. But how much trouble is it to mine? You have to explore for veins, build mines, and hire workers. Isn't it much easier to just seize existing good mines and save so much trouble?"

Chen Zhan pointed to the corpses of the foreign soldiers on the ground: "They came here today to provoke us, just waiting for you to fight back. As long as you fight and people die, they will have a reason to pressure the court and take over the mines."

"But if it were just about taking action and not killing many foreigners, it might be fine. But with so many foreign gunners killed, is one mine enough?"

He looked at Tan Sitong, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Lord Tan, what do you say?"

Tan Sitong's face was ashen, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

As the person in charge of mining, he naturally understood the key points.

The imperial court is now terrified of foreigners. If this matter really escalates to the Zongli Yamen (Foreign Ministry), not only will he not be able to protect these miners, but he himself will probably be thrown out as a scapegoat.

His silence was an admission.

Chen Zhan turned to the miners: "Therefore, you should quickly burn the roster, return to your hometowns tonight, and change your names. That way, you'll still have a chance to survive. Otherwise, once the foreign army arrives and the imperial decree comes through, you won't be able to leave even if you want to."

"Coco, our wages?" Some miners hesitated.

"He's already dead, and he still wants his wages?"

Tan Sitong sighed deeply, and was about to speak when Chen Zhan added, "Lord Tan, these are all unfortunate people with families to support. They cannot gamble with you on the court's conscience."

This is a blatant threat.

Wang Wu understood the implied meaning, took a step forward and stood in front of Tan Sitong, gripping the hilt of his knife.

He had personally witnessed Chen Zhan's skills; at this distance, if Chen Zhan wanted to take Tan Sitong's life, it would only take one strike.

Tan Sitong looked at the terrified miners, then at the foreign corpses lying on the ground, and remained silent for a long time before finally saying dejectedly, "That's enough. Let's go, all of you, let's go."

These words jolted the miners awake from their daze.

Someone shouted "Burn the roster!" and the crowd rushed towards the workers' sheds. Moments later, several thatched huts burst into flames. The rosters that recorded the miners' names and hometowns were reduced to ashes in the fire.

Without even bothering to pack their belongings, hundreds of miners scattered like birds and beasts, disappearing into the night.

In the firelight, Tan Sitong's figure appeared particularly desolate. He turned to Chen Zhan, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Mr. Chen, may I come inside for a talk?"

Chen Zhan smiled and said, "A chat is no problem. But isn't Lord Tan afraid that after this chat, he might not be able to leave?"

"oh?"

Tan Sitong raised an eyebrow. "Isn't Mr. Chen also trapped here?"

"no the same."

Chen Zhan shook his head, his gaze fixed on the dark official road in the distance. "If I want to leave, neither the foreigners nor the Qing court can stop me. What about you, Lord Tan?"

Wang Wu laughed loudly, aggravating his wound and causing him to grimace in pain: "What a madman! If you can leave, I, Wang Wu, can take Fusheng with me!"

Tan Sitong smiled and gestured, "Please."

The three turned around and strode into the council hall deep inside the mine.

Upon entering the hall and sitting down, Tan Sitong cut to the chase, "Are you a member of the Boxers?"

Chen Zhan didn't say anything else, just smiled and said, "It will be soon."

"Does Your Excellency believe that the Boxer Rebellion can save the country?"

Tan Sitong was somewhat disappointed. He had just read what Chen Zhan had said and thought he was a patriotic hero, brave and resourceful, just like Wang Wu.

"No."

"Then why join? Burning churches, killing foreigners, and destroying all foreign goods to vent their anger—they don't understand that, do you not understand it either?"

"You believe in divine possession and invulnerability to weapons, and that these abilities can save the country?"

Chen Zhan shook his head and said, "Because there is no other way to go, we can only take one step at a time."

"Forgive my bluntness, but on this land today, the Qing government has been weak for too long. There is no one and no way to reverse the current situation, not even to delay it."

"The road must be walked by people. The routes may be different, but the destination is the same. Some people may get separated, some may fall, and some may regret it, but that doesn't matter."

"There will always be someone to keep going. As long as those who came before continue to walk the path, and those who come after continue to pave new paths, there is hope, isn't there?"

He understood what Tan Sitong meant: the Boxers and the Yihetuan were indeed, in some respects, foolish.

But the routes are different.

No revolution can be accomplished overnight, and no intellectual enlightenment or awakening of public wisdom can be achieved in a short period of time.

Tan Sitong seemed to be deep in thought.

He began to understand the Boxers better; he had initially just thought they were "crazy."

But as Chen Zhan said, what can ordinary people do when they rebel from the bottom up, besides killing foreigners and causing destruction?

If you don't do it, you're just waiting to die.

We're just sitting here waiting to die.

"Dong dong dong."

The sound of people lining up in neat formation came from outside. Wang Zhengyi said, "People are coming, quite a few." (End of this chapter)