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

early morning.

Once outside the city, there was a main road leading directly to the dock. Jiang Yuan walked halfway there, looked around and found no one nearby, so he quickly slipped into a side alley.

The further in you go, the more rugged the road becomes; the muddy path is extremely muddy after being washed by last night's rain.

Before long, his calves were covered with yellow mud spots.

This road leads to an abandoned ferry crossing, which is rarely visited.

As he approached the river, the path became much easier. He came to a rocky outcrop and squatted down under a large rock to start digging.

The money he earned recently was hidden inside.

There was no suitable hiding place in the city, and the house was not safe either. My mother usually did some needlework and sold it. When no one was home, the house would be visited by petty thieves.

Jiang Yuan dared not gamble, so he simply hid the silver in a secluded place.

Soon, a small cloth bag came into view, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

This money was his apprenticeship fee for embarking on the path of martial arts.

The storyteller was well-informed, and he had inquired about martial arts matters quite a bit these days.

If one wants to learn martial arts, besides family tradition, the only other ways are through government agencies, aristocratic families, security escort agencies, and martial arts schools.

Every year, the government selects some promising talents for training, but Jiang Yuan was rejected long ago.

To join a prestigious family, one must sign a contract of servitude; to join a security escort agency, one must bring their own skills; leaving only the path of a martial arts school.

Top-tier martial arts schools are mostly located in the inner city, recruiting wealthy students.

There aren't many martial arts schools in the outer city, and they're a mixed bag.

These martial arts schools don't care about background; as long as the money is right, they'll accept you as a disciple.

Jiang Yuan plans to become a disciple of Kaishan Martial Arts School today.

This martial arts school's opening punch is quite famous in the outer city, but the apprenticeship fee is a bit expensive.

Jiang Yuan had already found out that teaching boxing alone would cost ten taels of silver, excluding food and lodging. If he wanted to add the accompanying herbal medicine, he would need to pay an additional three taels per month.

He carefully put away the silver and got up to walk back.

However, they hadn't gone far when a person suddenly came down from the slope not far away.

Eyes facing each other.

Jiang Yuan recognized Tian Chang, who often followed Liu San.

Tian Chang was also from Pingkangfang. He was honest from a young age, but after his father died, he lacked discipline and gradually became lawless. He spent his days stealing chickens and dogs, harassing women and young wives, and even angered his own mother to death.

Later, when Liu San took over the area, he also joined the Black Tiger Gang and became Liu San's loyal lackey.

Taking advantage of his familiarity with Pingkangfang, he committed many evil deeds, and everyone talked behind his back, calling him a scoundrel.

The 'chang' in 'to act as an accomplice to a tiger' is the 'changgui' (伥鬼).

If Tian Chang hadn't seen him, Jiang Yuan would definitely have kept his distance.

The road was narrow, and by the time the person was found, it was too late.

Jiang Yuan's heart was pounding, but he maintained a nonchalant expression.

As he approached, he quickened his pace and greeted him as usual, "Brother Chang."

Tian Chang nodded without saying anything.

Just as the two were passing each other, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Jiang Yuan's arm.

Jiang Yuan was startled, his face breaking into a sheepish grin: "Brother Chang, what's wrong?"

Tian Chang glanced at him: "What are you doing here, kid?"

"I've come to visit my father's grave."

Jiang Yuan naturally gave the answer he had prepared: his father was indeed buried nearby, but not along this route.

"I see." Tian Chang nodded as if suddenly understanding. "What's in that package?"

"The clothes I picked up, and the food I ate while working." Jiang Yuan's expression remained unchanged.

"Stop talking nonsense and show me."

Tian Chang didn't believe it. He roughly snatched it away, opened it, inspected it, and sneered, "The stuff is mine now. Get lost."

"Brother Chang, could you leave me some of the pancakes in that bag? I can't go hungry if I don't work enough, you know that," Jiang Yuan pleaded.

Tian Chang gave a sarcastic laugh, pulled out a pancake, and threw it on the ground.

Jiang Yuan bent down and picked up the mud-covered flatbread: "Thank you, Brother Chang."

He turned around and exhaled.

That hurdle is cleared.

Just as he was about to lift his foot, Tian Chang's voice rang out again: "Wait!"

Jiang Yuan stood frozen in place.

"Are you hiding something on you?" Tian Chang walked over quickly, squinting as he examined him.

"Brother Chang, it's food too, look."

Jiang Yuan chuckled and took out a rice ball from his pocket. It was the breakfast his mother had stuffed into his arms before she left, and he hadn't had a chance to eat it yet.

Tian Chang slapped the rice ball away, touched Jiang Yuan's body, and said disdainfully, "Trying to fool me? My eyes are my ruler; if I say you hid it, you hid it!"

Jiang Yuan stared blankly as the rice ball rolled onto the ground, covered in yellow mud, and was then stepped on by Tian Chang's foot, crushing it into a pulp.

"Hey, there really is something."

Tian Chang touched Jiang Yuan's chest but couldn't find it. He then touched his armpit and felt a bulging sensation.

This is the silver that Jiang Yuan wrapped under his armpit with a strip of cloth!

"Jiang Yuan, you're not being honest, are you? Take everything out, are you waiting for me to do something?"

Tian Chang laughed smugly, his eyes full of the teasing of a cat playing with a mouse.

Jiang Yuan lowered his head and reached into his robe.

One tael, five taels, fourteen taels.

Jiang Yuan took out all the silver he had on him and handed it to Tian Chang.

The remaining one or two ounces were used to pay for lighting and daily household expenses.

Tian Chang's face changed from mockery to surprise, and he asked sharply, "Where did you get all this silver?"

"A person floated up to the riverbank, and we found it on him," Jiang Yuan said in a low voice.

Hearing this, Tian Chang believed it to some extent; otherwise, where would this poor man who made a living at the docks every day get so much money?

Looking at the honest, simple peasant in front of him, Tian Chang was very excited. He never expected that he would get fourteen taels of silver just by casually begging for money.

He thought to himself that he should be more discerning in the future, lest he gain more benefits.

He patted Jiang Yuan on the shoulder: "Jiang Yuan, you're pretty good. I'll put in a good word for you with Third Master, and maybe I can get you into the Black Tiger Gang too."

"Really?" Jiang Yuan's eyes lit up.

"When has your brother Chang ever shirked responsibility?" Tian Chang said with a smile as he put the silver away.

Jiang Yuan raised his head, his eyes burning, and said, "Brother Chang, actually I still have a piece of silver on my waist."

"There's more? Hurry up and bring it out."

Tian Chang sounded excited, feeling that surprises kept coming one after another; today was truly his lucky day.

"Okay." Jiang Yuan nodded, his hand reaching for his waist.

Suddenly, a flash of cold light!

Before the joy on Tian Chang's face had faded, he saw a cold glint flash before his eyes, and he instinctively shrank back.

The knife tip sliced ​​through his shoulder, and blood flowed down instantly.

"You bastard, how dare you lay a hand on me!"

Tian Chang reacted quickly, grabbed the other man's wrist with his left hand, and fiercely tackled Jiang Yuan to the ground.

Having lived two lives, Jiang Yuan had never had any fighting experience. When his knife missed its mark, he felt a dizzying sensation as the world spun around him, and he was pinned down.

He tried to pull himself up but found that his hands were being held, and a ferocious face was staring at him.

Tian Chang's fighting experience was far superior to his, and in that critical moment, Jiang Yuan surprisingly remained calm.

He took a deep breath, spat out a mouthful of saliva, and sprayed it onto the other person's wide-open eyes!

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