Starting with photographic memory, I've worked my way up to become a martial arts immortal.

In the crowd, Jiang Yuan heard a familiar voice, and casually knocked down two gang members who were charging too aggressively, holding back a bit of his strength.

Not far away, a dark-skinned young man with a prominent nose saw that his orders had no effect, and his face grew increasingly gloomy. He glared fiercely at Boss Zhang.

Boss Zhang shuddered, turned around, and roared menacingly, "Stop! Didn't you hear what the young master said? Are you looking for death?!"

It wasn't that he was afraid of the young man in front of him, but rather that the man's father, as the leader of the Green Robe Gang, was extremely ruthless in dealing with disobedient subordinates.

He had personally witnessed a gang member who disobeyed orders being slashed all over with a knife, smeared with honey, and tied up.

The cloying sweet smell attracted countless ants that bit my entire body. Their inhuman howls lasted for two days before finally stopping. Every time I think about it, it makes me itch and shiver.

The group stopped in their tracks, cautiously watching the figure in the shadows, and slowly retreated.

In that short time, the person being attacked had already knocked down three or four people, proving to be truly ruthless and formidable.

Jiang Yuan dropped the gang member who looked like a chick in his hand, looked up, and his pupils couldn't help but shrink. This person was actually Han Qian from the White Crane Martial Arts School.

Han Qian said with an icy expression, "Zhang Lian, you are very good at training your subordinates. It seems that my words are far less effective than yours."

Zhang Lian stepped forward, his knees slightly bent, his head almost touching his chest, his voice filled with a humble anxiety, "Young Master, your subordinates did not mean to disobey orders, it's just that you often practice martial arts at the martial arts school, and they rarely get to see you. In the chaos, they couldn't recognize your voice."

Everyone stood there, realizing they had offended the young gang leader, and immediately lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

The men who had fallen to the ground grimaced as they got up and silently retreated to the side.

Jiang Yuan didn't hit them hard; they only suffered minor scratches and weren't seriously injured.

A moment of silence fell over the air; you could hear a pin drop.

Han Qian said with a half-smile, "Oh? So this is my fault?"

A bead of cold sweat dripped from Zhang Lian's forehead down his temple. "I'm clumsy with words...that's not what I meant."

He kicked aside his subordinates who were blocking his way and walked towards Jiang Yuan.

A smile played on his lips as he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, saying, "Senior Brother Jiang, these blind fools in the gang have offended you. Please forgive them!"

Jiang Yuan went up to him and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Han, what are you saying? It's just a misunderstanding."

The two chatted in the crowd as if no one else was around, and the atmosphere eased considerably.

Everyone looked up in surprise, exchanging glances. They hadn't expected to offend the young leader's senior brother, someone from the White Crane Martial Arts School. What were they going to do?

They all turned their gaze to Zhang Lian, who was standing at the back.

Zhang Lian's face was ashen. He walked up to Ma Wu, who was still lying on the ground, and asked in a low voice, "Tell me, did you lie just now?"

Ma Wu shook his head repeatedly, revealing a smile that looked more like a grimace. His lips trembled as he said, "Boss Zhang, how could I dare to lie to you? I, Ma Wu, am a man of my word. Even if that person is the young master's senior brother, I can't wrong someone, can I?"

Zhang Lian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "If what you said is true, I can still save your life."

"Thank you, Boss Zhang." Ma Wu gratefully tried to get up, but the movement aggravated his chest injury, causing him to groan, "Ouch, it hurts so much..."

Hearing the commotion, Han Qian glanced over and asked with a smile, "I still don't know how the brothers in the gang offended you, Senior Brother?"

Jiang Yuan nodded and recounted the whole story without bias, observing Han Qian's reaction as he spoke.

Han Qian's expression grew increasingly grim as he listened, and he immediately summoned Zhang Lian.

"Your men are a complete mess these days, have you forgotten the gang rules?!" Han Qian rebuked angrily.

"Young Master, you've been wronged! You can't just listen to outsiders' side of the story. Things aren't as you think at all," Zhang Lian protested.

"Oh? You mean my senior brother is lying?" Han Qian laughed angrily. "Do you know that my senior brother is a Ming Jin martial arts master? What are you people that he would lie and frame you for?"

Han Qian's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority, like a thunderclap in the silent night, making Zhang Lian's heart tremble.

He suddenly remembered the rumors about Ming Jin martial arts masters, who were all highly skilled and could easily break stone tablets and take lives.

They were far superior to those gang members who only knew some rudimentary martial arts and relied on their numbers.

Zhang Lian's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat, and he said in a trembling voice, "Young Master, please calm down! Master Jiang, please forgive me! It was my fault for being foolish and failing to manage my subordinate properly, which allowed him to offend such a master! I beg you, Young Master, to give me a chance to thoroughly investigate this matter and give Master Jiang an explanation!"

He cursed Ma Wu a thousand times in his heart, and regretted his own gullibility and arrogance in leading his men to ambush Ma Wu over such a trivial matter, only to find himself facing a formidable opponent. Offending the young gang leader was already troublesome enough, but offending a Ming Jin martial arts master... he dared not even imagine the consequences.

Han Qian snorted coldly, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over the silent crowd before finally settling on Ma Wu, who was pale and trembling.

"Zhang Lian, you brought these people here, and you started this whole thing. I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to explain yourself clearly in front of me and Senior Brother Jiang! If there's even a single lie, you should know how to deal with the third rule of the gang: deceiving superiors, covering up wrongdoing, and framing innocent people!"

Zhang Lian shuddered. The third rule of the gang... that was the punishment of cutting off one's mouth. Those who covered up or concealed things would not fare much better!

He whirled around, staring at Ma Wu, his previous protectiveness gone, replaced only by anger at being implicated and a desperate will to survive: "Ma Wu! What exactly happened? Speak now! If a single word is false, not only will you spare the helpers' hands, but I'll cripple you first!"

Ma Wu was already terrified. Faced with Zhang Lian's ferocious face and Han Qian's icy gaze, he burst into tears and gritted his teeth, saying, "I'll talk! I'll talk! It was... I was blind and asked Master Jiang for the monthly tribute money for the gang... It's not Master Jiang's fault, it's all my fault, Ma Wu's fault!"

After saying this, he burst into tears and struggled to crawl toward Han Qian. Blood trickled from his mouth as the injury to his chest aggravated his pain, making him look pitiful and wretched.

As soon as Ma Wu said this, the scene fell silent for a moment, followed by a chorus of soft gasps and suppressed commotion.

"Poor Brother Ma, he's being treated like this just for collecting fees for the gang."

"So what if he's the young master's senior brother? So what if he's a Ming Jin martial arts master? Does that mean his words are true?"

Several people who were close to Ma Wu couldn't help but whisper among themselves. In their hearts, they were all brothers in the same gang, so how could they easily believe the words of outsiders?

Han Qian frowned. He hadn't witnessed the truth of the matter firsthand. He only wanted to make friends with this senior brother who had just entered the Ming Jin realm, so he planned to give his subordinate a warning, show off his power, and let the matter pass by.

Unexpectedly, Ma Wu's commotion aroused dissatisfaction and sympathy among other gang members. If word got out, his own elder brother would be the happiest.

Zhang Lian, observing the situation, felt a sudden unease. Although he dared not openly question them, he feigned fear and whispered, "Young Master, Master Jiang... Ma Wu certainly made mistakes, but right now... he's really in a terrible state. In the chaos just now, perhaps... perhaps there really was some misunderstanding? After all, Master Jiang and Ma Wu each have their own version of events..."

His words, though seemingly cautious, were actually an implication that Jiang Yuan might be "abusing his power," giving everyone a psychological foothold.

Sure enough, many people showed expressions of deep agreement, but they dared not speak out because they were afraid of Han Qian and Jiang Yuan's power.

Han Qian's face darkened, and he was about to reprimand Jiang Yuan when Jiang Yuan smiled, a smile tinged with coldness.

"Different versions of events?" He shook his head. "Ma Wu, what you just said means that I injured you because I was dissatisfied with your demand for the Green Robe Gang's monthly tribute, is that right?"

Ma Wu could only grit his teeth and nod, coughing up blood, "Yes...it was I who offended Master Jiang by demanding tribute...Master Jiang is right to reprimand me..."

He still insists that the conflict was caused by "demanding filial piety gifts".

Jiang Yuan turned to look at Han Qian, knowing his junior brother's predicament. He pointed to the crowd and said, "Junior Brother Han, there were more than just Ma San there. Look at the one shrinking back, that's one of them."

Ma Wu's heart skipped a beat. In the urgency of the situation, he had no time to think of any other solutions and could only stick to his previous statement without daring to admit it. Otherwise, if he were to have his tongue cut out by the Punishment Hall and become mute, wouldn't that be worse than death?

At this moment, he could only secretly pray that the people present at the time would keep their mouths shut and not easily reveal the truth.