Republic of China era: Actor? Please call me Martial Arts Master!

Chapter 164 Black Dragon Society, Seventy percent of Marrow Cleansing, Twin Grandmasters of Internal Energy Transformation!

The sudden cold snap in Beiping always has an inexplicable and eerie quality.

Even in Tianjin, at the lower reaches of the nine rivers, the chill rising from the Haihe River scrapes down one's trousers and into the bones.

In those days, a dockworker who carried heavy loads all day would earn a meager twenty-odd copper coins, not even enough to buy a bowl of thick meat soup. He was only fit to hunch over and gnaw on a dry, hard cornbread on a street corner.

The night was as deep as an inkstone of thick, unyielding ink.

In front of Warehouse No. 13, a dim, yellowish gas lamp swayed in the wind, casting long shadows.

"Master Lu, after tonight's farewell, I don't know when we will meet again."

Huo Qingshan, the patriarch of the Huo family, was wearing a dark purple silk mandarin jacket with floral patterns, and he was holding two jade-like old walnuts in his hands.

Looking at Lu Cheng in his moon-white robe, she couldn't hide her admiration.

Just now, in this empty warehouse, the two of them had a closed-door sparring session.

Under the guise of a friendly exchange, Lu Cheng was actually giving Huo family's boxing theory a "finishing touch."

With his mastery of the Transformation Realm and the completion of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, Lu Cheng's simple gestures of raising his hand and taking Huo Qingshan's pulse were enough to enlighten Huo Qingshan, a master who had dedicated most of his life to martial arts.

"Mr. Huo, you're too kind."

Lu Cheng smiled slightly, his expression gentle.

"Mountains may be high and rivers may be long, and the journey may be long. But as long as the fire in our hearts doesn't go out, we'll meet again someday."

Beside him, Huo Zhenxiao, the eldest son of the Huo family, stood tall and straight like a pine tree.

Looking at Lu Cheng, there was not only admiration in his eyes, but also a youthful passion.

Not far away, a merchant ship flying the French flag was quietly moored by the pier, with wisps of white smoke rising from its boiler.

That was a boat chartered by the Qingyun Opera Troupe. Tonight, they would take advantage of the darkness to quietly transport the entire troupe, along with their opera trunks, back to Beiping.

This tactic of "passing off fish as pearls" was an extremely ingenious scheme.

On the surface, Lu Cheng was still "claiming illness and not coming out" at the National Hotel, but in secret, he was using the Huo family and the Green Gang's connections to prepare for a clever escape.

However, the smile on Lu Cheng's face vanished without warning the next second.

His normally calm phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

A faint golden light flickered deep within his pupils.

The intuition to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune sounded an alarm at that moment.

"It's foggy," Lu Cheng said calmly.

Huo Qingshan was taken aback and turned to look at the Haihe River.

Sure enough, a thick white fog suddenly rose from the river surface.

The fog arrived extremely quickly, as if it were alive, baring its fangs and claws as it devoured the dock.

But it wasn't ordinary fog.

Danger lurks in the fog.

"Da, da, da————"

The sound of uniform military boots treading on the bluestone slabs rang out simultaneously from all directions, piercing through the thick fog.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of the bolt being pulled back, like a countdown to death, filled the air.

"That's not right." Huo Zhenxiao's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly drew his sidearm from his waist.

"Splash!"

Several blinding beams of searchlight pierced through the thick fog like sharp swords, locking onto the door of Warehouse No. 13.

The light revealed Lu Cheng and the Huo family members, leaving them nowhere to hide.

The source of the beam of light was several military trucks and a large, heavily armed group of Japanese military police.

At the very front of the group of military police stood a Japanese man wearing a black suit and gold-rimmed glasses.

A smug look played on his lips. He was Sato, the new head of the Special Higher Police Section who had succeeded Nakamura.

"Lord Lu Cheng, your scheme to deceive is indeed ingenious."

Sato spoke in broken Chinese, toying with an ivory folding fan in his hand.

"Unfortunately, any clever tricks are futile in the face of the intelligence network of the Great Japanese Empire."

"Do you think we'd let you just swagger out of Tianjin like that?"

Behind Sato, two figures slowly emerged from the thick fog.

They were two elderly men dressed in traditional black kimonos, wearing wooden clogs, and with long, narrow samurai swords hanging from their waists.

They didn't speak, and even their breathing was extremely faint, but with each step they took, the surrounding fog seemed to give way to them.

Black Dragon Society, Grandmaster of Transformation Force.

And there were two of them!

A terrifying aura instantly enveloped the entire dock.

"Japanese military police, Black Dragon Society —"

"Could it be—those two?"

Huo Qingshan abruptly stopped holding the walnuts, and for the first time, a solemn expression appeared on his weathered old face.

He never expected that the Japanese would mobilize such a large force.

"Grandpa, let's fight them!"

Huo Zhenxiao's eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged on his forehead.

"Shut up!" Huo Qingshan shouted in a low voice, then sighed.

The Huo family has been operating in Tianjin for a century, and their heritage is unfathomable.

Right now, hidden in the underground passage of this warehouse number thirteen lies the trump card that the Huo family has accumulated over decades.

A total of twelve Grandmasters of Internal Energy!

If this power were unleashed, let alone the hundreds of Japanese military police and two Black Dragon Society masters in front of them, even if the number doubled, they could still fight their way out.

But—no!

Huo Qingshan's heart was bleeding.

These twelve grandmasters are the root of the Huo family.

It is the last embers preserved by the Tianjin martial arts community in preparation for the inevitable all-out war to come.

If, in the name of momentary pleasure, we were to reveal all our cards now, not only would the Huo family face fierce retaliation from the Japanese, but the entire martial arts community in the north would also face annihilation.

In this world, there are some things that are more important than personal life and death, or even a momentary sense of loyalty.

"Zhenxiao, pass on my order."

Huo Qingshan closed his eyes, his voice terribly hoarse.

"Everyone from the Huo family—evacuate through the secret passage!"

"What?!"

Huo Zhenxiao was struck dumb, staring at his grandfather in disbelief.

"withdraw!"

Huo Qingshan suddenly opened his eyes and shouted in a stern voice, which was the unquestionable majesty of the family head.

Lu Cheng stood to the side without saying a word.

He understood Huo Qingshan's thoughts all too well.

This is the wise advice of an experienced ruler, and also the most rational choice.

"Old Huo, take your men and leave."

Lu Cheng turned his head slightly, his expression still calm and composed.

"The scenery here is beautiful, I'll stay and enjoy the fog."

"Master Lu————"

Huo Qingshan's lips trembled as he bowed deeply.

This bow was filled with guilt and helplessness.

"I'm not leaving!"

Suddenly, a loud shout shattered the oppressive atmosphere.

Huo Zhenxiao shook off the family members who came to pull him away and stood directly beside Lu Cheng.

This usually gentle and refined young business tycoon was now like a leopard guarding its prey.

"Grandpa, for the sake of the greater good, you should go."

"But if I, Huo Zhenxiao, back down today, my entire life's worth of boxing skills will be ruined!"

"We martial artists train our bodies and bones, but if we can't even protect our benefactors or our compatriots, then we might as well not train at all."

Huo Zhenxiao stared intently at the Japanese man opposite him, then suddenly crossed his hands and assumed the stance of the Huo family's secret technique, the Mysterious Fist.

"Huo Jiazhenxiao is willing to die alongside Grandmaster Lu!"

"You unfilial grandson—"

Huo Qingshan was so angry that he trembled all over, but he couldn't say another word.

Lu Cheng turned his head and looked at the young man with a resolute expression.

With his discerning eyes, he saw the burning, fiery blood and energy within Huo Zhenxiao's chest—a pure, innocent heart, the most precious thing in this dark and chaotic world.

"it is good."

Lu Cheng did not try to persuade him to leave.

He simply reached out and patted Huo Zhenxiao on the shoulder.

The palm was warm and thick.

"If you want to see the scenery, then stand behind me."

"This storm won't even touch you."

After saying that, Lu Cheng ignored the Huo family members and instead shone his light on the merchant ship moored by the pier.

At the bow of the boat, Zhou Daikui, Shunzi, Lu Feng, Xiaodouzi, Qinglian, and Hongyu —

Everyone in Qingyun Class was leaning over the railing, staring intently at him.

Shunzi's hands were already digging into the wooden railing, and Lu Feng's teeth were bleeding.

They wanted to rush down. They wanted to die with their master.

But Lu Cheng simply smiled at them.

He didn't shout or yell; he simply raised his folding fan and waved it casually in mid-air.

That was a gesture from a traditional Chinese opera when "exiting" the stage.

It means: Stay calm, watch the show. Don't cause trouble.

The apprentices on the ship understood.

Their eyes were red, and they desperately suppressed the urge to rush down.

Because they knew that going down there would only be a burden.

All they could do was believe in their master and in the omnipotent god in their hearts!

"sail!"

Zhou Daikui gritted his teeth, tears streaming down his face, and gave the most painful order.

The merchant ship let out a long blast of its horn and slowly sailed away from the pier, retreating into the depths of the mist.

"Trying to leave? Open fire! Sink that ship!" Sato roared menacingly.

"Click."

Hundreds of Japanese military police simultaneously raised their guns.

But just as they were about to pull the trigger...

Lu Cheng made a move.

He did not draw that broken sword.

He didn't even bring the white waxwood stick he used for self-defense.

Alone, dressed in a thin, moon-white long robe, he strolled leisurely forward, facing hundreds of dark gun barrels.

"Buzz—!"

This step has been taken.

The world seemed to fall silent for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, an extremely strange wave rippled outwards from beneath Lu Cheng's feet, like ripples on water.

That's the [Transformation of Strength]!

It is the ultimate power that comes after the marrow cleansing is completed, when the physical body is flawless and one can communicate with heaven and earth!

"Let's put on a great show using the waters of the Haihe River."

Lu Cheng gave a soft shout and suddenly swung his sleeves forward.

"Boom!"

The once calm surface of the Haihe River suddenly began to boil violently, as if stirred up by an invisible dragon.

Under the pull of Lu Cheng's boundless, ocean-like aura, the sea fog began to gather and compress wildly.

"Water, come!"

Lu Cheng's ten fingers moved as if plucking strings on a zither, repeatedly strumming in the void.

A miracle occurred.

The extremely dense water vapor in the air was transformed into thousands of crystal-clear water droplets under Lu Cheng's protective aura.

Instead of falling, these water droplets defied gravity and floated densely in front of Lu Cheng, forming a huge water curtain wall.

"Fire! Fire now!"

Sato was so frightened that he took two steps back and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Bang bang bang bang."

The gunshots, like popping beans, instantly tore through the night sky.

Hundreds of bullets shot out like tongues of fire, heading straight for Lu Cheng.

However, when those high-speed bullets crashed into that seemingly fragile curtain of water...

"Puff puff puff puff————"

A series of dull thuds came from behind.

The bullet's kinetic energy seemed to sink into a bottomless swamp in the face of the water droplet containing Lu Cheng's ultimate "neutralizing force" and "adhesive force," its speed suddenly dropped, and it finally fell helplessly to the ground.

It uses air to control water, so that water cannot get in.

"Monster—what kind of sorcery is this?"

The Japanese military police watched in horror, forgetting even to change their magazines.

"witchcraft?"

A chilling glint finally appeared in Lu Cheng's usually calm and collected eyes.

"This is called traditional Chinese martial arts."

"go!"

Lu Cheng rolled up his sleeves.

The millions of water droplets suspended in mid-air instantly changed direction.

Driven by the internal energy, these soft water droplets burst forth with an initial velocity even more terrifying than a bullet.

Tearing through the air with a shrill sound, it swept back towards the group of Japanese military police like a rain of pear blossoms.

Falling flowers and plucked leaves can all cause injury.

Not to mention the countless water arrows that carried the wrath of a grandmaster.

"Aaaaaahh ...

Screams instantly echoed across the dock.

The dozens of military police at the forefront fell down in unison, like wheat being cut down.

The water droplets easily pierced their uniforms, leaving bloody holes in their bodies.

The excruciating pain of having their bones shattered was enough to instantly incapacitate them.

"Is this a monster, or... a deity?!"

The remaining Japanese military police watched this scene in horror, forgetting even to change their magazines.

Their legs were shaking like leaves, and some people had even started to back away uncontrollably.

However, amidst the wailing and lamentation, Sato, the newly appointed head of the Special Higher Police Section, stood at the rear. Although his face was pale, there was no utter despair in his eyes.

He turned around abruptly and shouted at the two figures behind him who were shrouded in wide black cloaks.

"My lords, I beg you."

"This scoundrel is extremely vicious. We must kill him here and display the might of our Great Japanese Empire."

These two dark figures are Sato's biggest source of confidence in setting up this inescapable trap tonight.

They were not ordinary Black Dragon Society masters, but rather members of the Special Higher Police who used the highest military authority to deal with Lu Cheng, a variable.

They specially chartered a military train and rushed over this evening to secretly transfer this ultimate trump card from the Manchurian camp in Northeast China.

Even within the Japanese martial arts world, very few people know the names of these two individuals; they are extremely mysterious and low-key.

They were like two shadowy demonic swords that existed only in the darkness.

Because they are rare twins.

The older brother's name is Kazama Sou, and the younger brother's name is Kazama Tsuki.

These two not only share the same mind, but also work together seamlessly.

What's even more terrifying is that they have reached a height on the path of transforming internal energy that is difficult for ordinary people to attain.

The [Marrow Cleansing] realm has reached 70%!

His bones were like white jade, and his marrow like lead and mercury.

"Whoosh!"

The two black cloaks were shattered simultaneously by a violent surge of internal energy the moment Sato finished speaking.

Amidst the flying fabric scraps, the Kazama brothers' lean and muscular physiques, clad in traditional black kimonos, were revealed.

They had identical sinister faces, and even the way they drew their samurai swords was exactly the same, as if they were looking in a mirror.

"boom-!!!"

Two powerful streams of energy, almost tangible, erupted from the two individuals' bodies.

The terrifying pressure of the seventy-fold marrow cleansing was like two mountains rising from the ground. The heavy aura, as heavy as lead and mercury, instantly forced the surrounding sea fog back several feet, creating a vacuum zone.

This momentum, though slightly inferior in level to that of Funakoshi Kazuo back then.

However, the oppressive feeling created by the fusion and superposition of their energies was even greater.

The pressure has skyrocketed!

Lu Cheng, who was standing still, frowned slightly.

His deep eyes were half-open, and deep within his pupils, a golden line quietly shone like the divine eye of a god.

With keen eyesight, one can see through anything!

In his vision, seventy percent of the bones in the Kazama brothers' bodies had already developed that jade-like luster, and the sound of their blood and qi surging through their meridians was no longer that of a stream, but rather that of a deep, muffled ocean tide.

"Seventy percent of the marrow has been cleansed—"

Lu Cheng secretly pondered, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

In terms of the progress of marrow cleansing, with the help of that short-term "Embracing the Elixir Experience Card", he has only just reached 50% of the marrow cleansing.

In terms of skill level, his opponent was even a cut above him.

What's more troublesome is that the two are twins.

"The Qi is interconnected and resonates at the same frequency."

"This is like facing a four-armed Asura with four arms and four legs, who never makes a mistake in coordination. It's indeed quite troublesome."