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

Before the people behind him could react, Chen Zhan had already spurred his horse forward, the chestnut horse's hooves making a dense "clattering" sound as it trod on the bluestone slabs.

Zhao Qi, Zhang Kai, and Zhang Yi immediately followed, and the riders also spurred their horses and chased after them.

A distance of several dozen feet can be covered in the blink of an eye.

The back door was ajar. Chen Zhan dismounted and pushed the door open to enter.

The scene in the courtyard made his heart sink.

The backyard was full of people, some of whom were not from Shunyuan Escort Agency. There were disciples from Huiyou Escort Agency, several middle-aged men in plain clothes, and two or three who looked like constables from some government office.

The atmosphere was extremely heavy.

As soon as Chen Zhan entered the courtyard, he saw Guo Yunshen standing near the entrance of the main house, his hands behind his back and his brows furrowed.

Cheng Shaojiu was also there, standing with Lu Jun and Qin Ming. When the three of them saw Chen Zhan come in, their eyes lit up at the same time, but none of them said anything.

This was something Chen Zhan had instructed him to do before he set off.

They worked as bodyguards at Huiyou Escort Agency, their identities being "outsiders who were skilled in martial arts." They couldn't have any obvious connection with "Chen Sanshui" from Shunyuan Escort Agency, lest outsiders notice their secret.

Several people were shouting angrily in the courtyard.

"Chief镖师, we can't just swallow this insult and fight them!"

"This is outrageous! This is going too far!"

"We've already been so accommodating, yet they're still pushing us so hard. Do they really think we're pushovers?"

The voices rose and fell, all from the younger disciples of the escort agency. Their faces were flushed, their fists were clenched, and their eyes were red.

Chen Zhan ignored the crowd that followed him in and walked straight forward, pushing through the crowd to the front.

I saw Wang Wu.

Wang Wu was squatting on the ground, applying medicated wine to a person lying down. He was extremely careful with each movement, as if he was afraid of hurting the other person.

There was one person lying on the ground next to him, and two people sitting, making a total of four wounded.

Four wounded.

The two lying down were barely breathing, their chests rising and falling weakly, their faces as pale as paper, and there was still blood on the corners of their mouths.

The two sitting down were in slightly better condition. They were wrapped in bandages, leaning against the wall, and their complexions were not good, but at least they could still breathe.

Without hesitation, Chen Zhan strode over.

He took out a small porcelain bottle of elixirs from his pocket.

He squatted down next to the two people lying on the ground, pried open one of their mouths with each hand, and two pills rolled out of the porcelain bottle, landing precisely in their mouths.

The two of them had no strength left to swallow; the pills were stuck in their throats and they couldn't swallow them down.

Chen Zhan placed his palm against the throats of the two men, and gently pushed the pill down their esophagus into their stomachs.

As the medicine took effect, the two men's chests began to rise and fall more noticeably, and although their faces were still pale, the deathly gray of their near-death appearance faded somewhat.

There is hope.

Those nearby exclaimed in surprise when they saw Chen Zhan return.

"Chief镖师, how come you're back so quickly?"

"Chief镖师 Chen is back!"

Cheng Tinghua came out of the house and saw Chen Zhan, his tense expression relaxed slightly.

Guo Yunshen also came over and patted Chen Zhan on the shoulder. Huiyou Escort Agency and Shunyuan Escort Agency had a good relationship, and Guo Yunshen and Wang Wu were also old acquaintances.

"You're back. Did anything happen on the way?"

Chen Zhan nodded and turned his gaze to Wang Wu.

"These few have taken my medicine. Quickly take them inside; don't let them get chilled by the wind outside. There's still hope."

He had already taken their pulses when he delivered the pills to them.

Both suffered internal injuries, each having been struck in the chest by a palm, resulting in displacement of internal organs and internal bleeding.

If it were a hundred years from now, this kind of injury would be nothing. A trip to the hospital, an IV drip, surgery, and a few months of rest would be enough for recovery.

not now.

In this era, internal bleeding due to organ displacement can easily lead to death, with patients rarely surviving more than three days.

The Lesser Rejuvenating Pill can sustenance a life, and with the addition of internal energy cultivation, it can bring someone back from the brink of death.

Wang Wu nodded and waved to the people behind him.

"Quickly take it inside."

Two men stepped forward, together lifted a wounded soldier, and carefully carried him into the house, their movements as gentle as could be, for fear that the jolting would worsen his injuries.

The other two bodyguards also helped the seated wounded man up and escorted him into the house.

The atmosphere in the courtyard became a little more relaxed.

Wang Wu stood up, dusted off his knees, and looked at Chen Zhan.

"Did nothing happen on the way? Did they send anyone to stop you?"

"Sent them, killed them."

Chen Zhan's tone was indifferent.

"Killed them all?"

"That's right, they were all killed, including Xue Jiuzhong."

Wang Wu's expression froze.

"You killed Xue Jiuzhong too?"

He stared at Chen Zhan in shock, not because he doubted Chen Zhan's martial arts skills—he had personally witnessed Chen Zhan's abilities, and killing Xue Jiuzhong was indeed not a difficult task for Chen Zhan.

What terrified him was Chen Zhan's audacity.

Although Xue Jiuzhong is the weakest of the Four Mountains in the capital, his status is different.

He was the commander of the guards of Prince Yi's mansion, in charge of several thousand guards, with hundreds of disciples spread throughout the capital. He held a fourth-rank military position in the imperial court.

It's impossible to predict how Prince Yi will react if such a person is killed.

"What, he can't be killed?" Chen Zhan retorted.

Wang Wu looked at his face, remained silent for a moment, and then gave a bitter smile.

"Sigh, the killing is already done, what's there to say? Our Shunyuan Escort Agency isn't going to let this one grudge go."

He lowered his voice and whispered a few words in Chen Zhan's ear.

After listening, Chen Zhan's brows gradually furrowed.

Wang Wu was referring to something that happened just ten days ago.

Prince Yi's mansion set up a fighting arena at the street corner, where experts from all sides were challenged.

Originally, this matter had nothing to do with Shunyuan Escort Agency. It is not uncommon for martial arts practitioners to set up challenges. A challenge is a challenge, but not all martial artists have to accept it. If you don't want to fight, you don't have to. No one will force you.

However, the location of the arena was problematic; it was placed at the entrance of the alley in front of the Shunyuan Escort Agency.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: they chose Shunyuan Escort Agency.

If no one from Shunyuan Escort Agency comes forward to accept the challenge, then this business will be impossible to continue. If someone sets up the arena right at your doorstep and you don't dare to go up and accept it, who will trust you to escort goods?

In the escort business, reputation is everything; if your reputation is ruined, your business will collapse immediately.

Moreover, if they refused to fight for a day, the opponent's arena would remain open for another day. As time went on, the entire martial arts community in the capital would gossip, saying that Shunyuan Escort Agency had no masters and dared not accept the challenge.

Isn't this supposed to be Wang Wu's镖局 (escort agency)? Where did Wang Wu go? Is it a case of misrepresentation?

Such rumors, if they got out, could ruin an entire security escort agency.

This matter cannot be left unresolved indefinitely.

Despite Wang Wu's best efforts to suppress them, some of his disciples couldn't sit still and went up to the arena to fight the other side on their own.

At first, the other party was somewhat restrained, stopping short of serious injury.

But as more and more disciples were defeated, the opponents became increasingly reckless, resorting to all sorts of deadly moves. They dared to use lethal force, but Shun Yuan Escort Agency dared not.

The reason was that the other party was Prince Yi's man. Every one of the Iron-Cap Prince's men held some official position. They wore casual clothes during the fight, but their identities were all tied to the imperial court. Killing one of them would be a public case.

In the past few days, one person from Shunyuan Escort Agency has died.

There were countless injured, with minor injuries considered good, and at least six or seven seriously injured. The two lying on the ground just now were the ones who were carried back today.

Several people on the other side were also injured, but no one died, because the people from Shunyuan Escort Agency never dared to kill.

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhan chuckled.

"This is not like your usual style, Your Highness."

Wang Wu is not one to suffer injustice. A person who can endure such injustice can never become a grandmaster, let alone achieve the elixir of immortality.

The training emphasizes being ambitious and courageous, even if it means charging through a dead end.

But at this moment, Wang Wu was somewhat hesitant and timid.

Wang Wu sighed, his expression complex: "If it were me before, I would have rushed onto the stage, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks, leaving no one alive."

His voice was low and tinged with helplessness.

"But things are different now. I have hundreds of brothers under my command, and people in the imperial court are risking their lives to protect me. I can't let these people get into trouble because of my momentary impulse."

Chen Zhan looked at him.

A grandmaster, if he were to go all out in a one-on-one fight, could cause immense destruction.

But Wang Wu had a security escort agency, brothers, and friends like Tan Sitong and Yuan Shikai backing him up. It was easy for him to take action, but the chain reaction after he did so was something he couldn't bear alone.

He also knew what the other party's purpose was: to eliminate Tan Sitong's followers and suppress the reformers' supporters among the people.

"So how long are you planning to hold out?" Chen Zhan asked. "Will they set up another challenge tomorrow?"

"Yes," Wang Wu answered readily. "The other party said they want to hold the event for a full month, regardless of whether the person is alive or dead, only their skill level matters."

The people in the courtyard began to sigh again.

Many people are advising Wang Wu to go for it and not be hesitant.

But Wang Wu shook his head: "It's easy to say. We only have one life each. If you die on the stage, what will happen to your wives, children, and elderly parents? How can I explain that to them?"

Most of the people present were martial artists, with fierce blood and energy; once they got carried away, they would do anything.

But as soon as he thought about his wife, children, and elderly parents, the anger subsided.

Chen Zhan glanced around at everyone in the courtyard, then looked at Wang Wu.

"This arena is set up at the entrance of Qianmen Alley?"

Wang Wu nodded.

Chen Zhan and his group entered through the back door and didn't go through the front door, so they didn't see the arena. It was already dark, and although the arena was still there, the people had already left.

"So this arena was set up specifically for us?"

"That's right, it's placed right at our doorstep, who else could it be targeting?"

Chen Zhan's voice wasn't quiet, and someone below echoed, "They're here for us."

Chen Zhan shook his head: "I mean, this arena is only for people from the escort agency?"

His question was different from what others thought.

While everyone's thoughts were focused on whether or not to accept the challenge, Chen Zhan's thoughts had already shifted to the question of who could step into the ring.

Cheng Tinghua pushed up his glasses and shook his head.

"That wasn't mentioned. According to the rules of the challenge, anyone in the martial arts world can go up and challenge; there are no restrictions on identity."

"That's easy to handle, isn't it?"

Chen Zhan's lips curled slightly.

"I'm going to tear down his ring tomorrow."

After he finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Wang Wu paused for a moment, then looked at Chen Zhan, hesitating to speak.

Cheng Tinghua's brows furrowed at first, then slowly relaxed. He stared at Chen Zhan's face for a few moments, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

Guo Yunshen laughed heartily and patted Chen Zhan on the shoulder: "Good, good."

He didn't say much, but his excitement shone through every wrinkle on the old man's face.

After Chen Zhan finished speaking, he ignored everyone and glanced at Qin Ming, Lu Jun, and Cheng Shaojiu. Their eyes met briefly in the air before they looked away.

They did not recognize each other.

Chen Zhan turned and walked into the house to check on the condition of the four wounded, to see how effective the Lesser Rejuvenation Pill was, and whether any further treatment was needed.

Behind him, Wang Wu stared at Chen Zhan's back for a long time.

He suddenly remembered that night at the Fangshan mine, when the same person emerged from the darkness, single-handedly fought off a squad of foreign musketeers, and saved his life.

It's this same person who's come back again.

Just as the arena had been set up for ten days and the escort agency was cornered, the situation changed.

Wang Wu let out a soft breath, and his shoulders, which had been tense for more than ten days, finally relaxed.

A young bodyguard approached Cheng Tinghua and whispered, "Uncle Cheng, does this Chief Bodyguard Chen really have the ability to dismantle the arena?"

Cheng Tinghua didn't answer, but simply pushed up his glasses and smiled at the young man, a smile with a hint of deeper meaning.

The young man didn't understand, scratched his head, and retreated back into the crowd.

Guo Yunshen walked over to Wang Wu and whispered, "Brother Sanshui is back. Things will be easier now."

Wang Wu nodded, watching Chen Zhan's figure disappear behind the door, and said in a deep voice, "Hopefully, things will be resolved by tomorrow."

Guo Yunshen snorted: "No, not here. They're with Prince Yi, in the palace. Dismantling the arena is a minor matter; the real issue is the methods used afterward."

Wang Wu remained silent.

He knew what Guo Yunshen was talking about.

What appears to be a martial arts contest in the arena is actually a power struggle within the palace.

the next day.

Shunyuan Escort Agency is located on Xibanbi Street outside Qianmen.

The road is wide, and at the end, there is a large open space.

A wooden arena was built on this open space.

The platform is three feet high and about two zhang wide, with wooden pillars at the four corners and several flags hanging on top. The flags are just strips of red cloth with no words or names written on them, which flutter in the wind.

There was a person standing on the stage.

He was not only strong, but also extremely generous.

He was eight feet tall, with shoulders as broad as a door panel. His belly was not small, but it wasn't loose fat; it was the kind of heavy, thick fat that felt like it was filled with lead, firm and taut. His flesh was piled up on his skeleton, making him look like a mountain of flesh.

He has a wide face, large ears, a round face, drooping cheeks, a double chin, and small eyes that seem to be sunken in his flesh. When he smiles, his eyes are squeezed out of his face.

His face was full of fat.

Harald Wencha.

Born into the Plain Yellow Banner, he was a fierce general in the army and one of the commanders of Prince Yi's mansion.

This person was exceptionally gifted, with naturally larger bones than the average person and astonishing strength. It is said that when he was young, he could lift a 200-pound stone lock with one hand and walk around the yard.

He was proficient in various wrestling and grappling techniques, and he had mastered the wrestling styles of the Manchu Eight Banners, Mongolian wrestling, and Han Chinese wrestling.

His external martial arts skills were so refined that even a blunt knife couldn't leave a mark on his body, and a regular punch was no different from a tickle.

Putting someone like that on the ring would be like a living Yama.

A crowd had gathered around the arena. (End of Chapter)