Becoming a martial arts saint starting with Black Tiger Fist

After school that afternoon, Chen Yuan did not practice any more, but hurried home.

He planned to tell his mother the good news, pack his belongings tonight, and prepare to find a place to move to the inner city tomorrow.

As dusk approached, a cold wind swirled up scattered snowflakes, and the riverbank was desolate.

As Chen Yuan approached Hetan Town, he sensed something was wrong. The fish market, which usually had a few pedestrians, was deserted today, and the shops on both sides of the street had closed early.

Their own small fishing boat also had its awning tightly closed.

His heart tightened, and he quickly boarded the ship and opened the cabin door.

After preparing the meal, Song sat at the table in a daze, her expression blank.

Upon seeing Chen Yuan return, she rushed forward and grabbed his arm, her voice trembling, "Ah Yuan, you're finally back! Something happened at the riverbank last night!"

"Mother, what happened?" Chen Yuan helped his mother up and asked in a deep voice.

"It's Aunt Liu's family from upstream!"

Song's lips trembled. "My whole family was gone last night! This morning they were found, all five of us hanging neatly from the roof beam by water plants, our bodies shriveled up, as if we'd been sucked dry. Everyone says it was some dirty stuff from the river that came up!"

Chen Yuan felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. Aunt Liu's family lived not far upstream and were honest, simple fishermen.

The family's gruesome and bizarre deaths were not the work of ordinary bandits. Considering the strange rumors circulating on the riverbank and the recent actions of the Cizun Sect, a chill ran down Chen Yuan's spine.

Just then, footsteps were heard outside the ship.

"Aunt Song, Brother Chen, are you home?"

It was the voice of Deacon Wu from the Cizun Sect, still gentle, yet it made the mother and son inside the boat tent tense up at the same time.

Chen Yuan gestured for his mother to be quiet, then opened the hatch and went out.

Wu Zhong stood at the bow of the boat with his young follower, a warm smile on his face.

"Deacon Wu, is there something you need?" Chen Yuan stood in front of the cabin door, his tone indifferent.

"I heard that Brother Chen displayed great prowess at the Martial Arts Academy today. Congratulations!"

Wu Zhong smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, but then changed the subject, "However, hearing about the tragic events that befell Aunt Liu's family upstream today is truly heartbreaking!"

He sighed, his gaze seemingly sweeping across the cabin: "The merciful Lord has spread his grace far and wide, bestowing the Longevity Pill and the Incense of Peace, originally intended to protect the peace of this region and ward off disasters and difficulties."

"But if someone is not sincere and unwilling to accept the blessings of the Compassionate One, or even if they are suspicious and paranoid... alas, if they do not receive the blessings, evil spirits will naturally come knocking on their door."

He stared at Chen Yuan, his gaze pointed: "The Liu family's affair serves as a cautionary tale. It's said that they also didn't sincerely offer incense and take the elixir. Young Master Chen, it seems your family hasn't received the Longevity Elixir either? This riverbank has been rather unsettled lately; you must be careful."

Chen Yuan's heart sank upon hearing this. Judging from Wu Zhong's attitude, it was certain that the tragedy that befell Aunt Liu's family was the work of the Cizun Sect!

What sent chills down his spine was that the Cizun Sect actually had the ability to control the strange things in the Blackwater River!

Chen Yuan's eyes were cold, and he clenched his fists secretly, but his face remained calm: "Thank you for the reminder, Deacon Wu. We will be careful."

"Be careful, be careful," Wu Zhong's smile deepened. "I hope you will think this through carefully and not make a mistake for yourselves. The doors of the Compassionate One Sect are always open to those who are sincere."

After saying that, he turned and left with his followers, their figures quickly disappearing into the deepening twilight.

The next morning, Chen Yuangang returned from fishing upstream.

As if by prior arrangement, the fishermen on the riverbank gradually gathered around, including men, women, and children.

"Aunt Song, I heard you don't have a shrine to the Buddha at home?"

"The entire Liu family died so tragically because they didn't believe in the Compassionate One!"

"Deacon Wu said it himself: insincerity will bring disaster!"

"If your family wants to die, don't drag our entire riverbank down with you!"

"That's right, quickly eat the pills and light the incense! Apologize to the Compassionate One, and let Him continue to protect us!"

......

More and more people gathered, chattering and getting louder.

The scene at Aunt Liu's house was so tragic that fear spread like a plague among the riverside residents, and Chen Yuan's family became the source of trouble in their eyes, potentially bringing something dirty.

Song had never seen such a scene before, and was at a loss for what to do, so she could only hold tightly to Chen Yuan's sleeve.

Chen Yuan shielded his mother behind him, coldly surveying the pitiful people who had been fooled.

"Shut up!" Chen Yuan shouted in a low voice, his blood surging slightly, his voice not loud but full of power.

The crowd fell silent.

Just then, a lean man suddenly jumped out from the crowd, shouting, "Why waste words with them! Find their incense and pills and force them to eat them!"

He reached out to push Song Shi and Chen Yuan aside and squeezed into the cabin!

This man appears reckless and impulsive, but his eyes are calm and his steps are steady; he is by no means an ordinary fisherman!

Chen Yuan could see clearly that this person was among the first crowd to surge in, and he was the most aggressive in causing trouble!

They are followers of the Ci Zun sect who have mingled among the crowd!

A fierce glint flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes. Just as the man's hand was about to touch his mother, his right arm shot out like lightning, arriving first and grabbing the man's wrist!

The man was startled and tried to break free, but felt as if his wrists were being gripped by iron clamps, unable to move.

He clenched his other fist and punched Chen Yuan in the face, his movements surprisingly methodical.

They've definitely practiced!

Without dodging or avoiding, Chen Yuan suddenly twisted the hand that was gripping the other's wrist downwards, while at the same time his left fist slammed out from his waist, striking the other's chest and abdomen without any fancy moves!

"Bang!"

"Ugh!" The man groaned, sent flying backward by the punch, knocking over two or three onlookers. He landed on the ground, curled up like a shrimp, vomited bile, and couldn't get up for a while.

Chen Yuan held back his strength in that punch; otherwise, it would have shattered Chen Yuan's sternum.

Even so, Chen Yuan's formidable martial prowess instantly intimidated everyone.

The scene fell silent again. Everyone looked at Chen Yuan in horror, then at the man groaning in pain on the ground, and finally remembered that the tall and strong young man in front of them was a martial arts student who had entered the martial arts academy to learn martial arts!

Chen Yuan released his mother, took a step forward, and his cold gaze swept over the silent crowd, finally landing on a few figures whose eyes were darting around and who were quietly shrinking back.

"The tragedy of the Liu family will be investigated by the government. It has nothing to do with whether or not they ate elixirs or burned incense."

Chen Yuan's voice was clear and cold, "If the Compassionate Venerable Sect truly possessed supernatural powers, why didn't they directly eliminate that harmful entity instead of here bewitching people?"

He paused, looking at the numb faces, knowing that it was pointless to reason with these people.

"That's enough for today," Chen Yuan said loudly. "We, the Chen family, need not trouble you all. We will move to the inner city tomorrow to avoid implicating you all!"

Move away? To the inner city?

These words were like a stone thrown into stagnant water, stirring up ripples.

Most of the fishermen living on the riverbank have been trapped here for generations. The inner city is another world that is out of reach for them. Chen Yuan's family actually wants to move to the inner city.

Shock, envy, jealousy, and a variety of other complex emotions instantly filled everyone's hearts.

The indignation that had been stirred up quickly dissipated.