Republic of China: From Street Performer to War God in a Chaotic Era

"Buzz—"

The moment the blood mingled with the shadow puppet, the entire puppet trembled violently, and an indescribable aura rushed from Lu Guan's hand straight to his mind.

If it weren't for his qi and blood being as strong as a furnace and his fist intent protecting his body, this single clash of yin energy would have made him seriously ill.

Deep within his consciousness, the [Stage of Creation] trembled violently, and golden ancient seal characters rolled out into the void.

[Phase preparation complete!]

[Item obtained: "The Record of a Hundred Aspects" - The Hideout Rat (Low Grade)!]

[Fortune Unveiled: Possession of Another's Body!]

[Detailed Effects: The host can place this shadow puppet on their chest and activate it with their Qi and blood. During the possession period, the host will gain "Stealth," "Night Vision," and "Sensory Senses."]

[Duration: Based on the host's current Qi and Blood, each duration can last for a maximum of one incense stick's time.]

[Warning: Possession is a method to defy fate. During possession, the longer the host remains in the possession, the greater the risk of being corrupted by the lingering evil spirits within the spirit's body. If the will is weak, demonic possession may occur!]

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn is about fifteen minutes.

For a martial artist who has mastered the ultimate "Tiger Climbing the Mountain" technique, fifteen minutes of perfect stealth and night vision is enough for him to charge in and out of the enemy's lair seven times over.

Just then, the words on the stage of destiny began to flip and change once more.

Just like when "The Warrior of Cangzhou" was performed ten times to a standing ovation, it triggered the second stage of the advanced task.

[Triggering the second stage: Nighttime Gathering of Thoughts.]

[Requirement: Shadow puppets have no soul of their own; they borrow the form to cultivate immortality. The host must enter the game after midnight, donning the "Hidden Rat" form and disappearing into the darkness.]

[Conditions: Steal the "dark secrets" of the Southern City's underworld, or slay a villain burdened with heavy karma.]

Current progress: 0/3

[Reward: Completing three "Night Walks" will completely transform the shadow puppet. The host will be fully tamed by this form, the possession time will double, and the minor supernatural power of "Rat Concealment" will be unlocked... [Shrinking and Disguise]!]

"Bone-shrinking disguise?"

Lu Guan's breathing suddenly quickened.

In the complex web of power struggles in Tianjin, if a guard could master the supernatural ability of shrinking his bones and changing his appearance, he would truly become a ghost whose true nature no one could uncover.

He carefully tucked the shadow puppet of the "Hidden Rat" into his bosom and placed it close to his heart.

Night had fallen, and the snowstorm outside had stopped.

Lu Guan touched the "dark book" he had taken from Greyhound in his arms.

He was worried about not finding a suitable target to complete these "three night journeys".

And isn't this ledger, which records the dirty deals between the Canal Gang and various martial arts schools and corrupt police, an excellent "kill list"?

……

In Tianjin during the twelfth lunar month, the evil wind is like a knife, specifically designed to pierce into the bones.

On the third day after Greyhound went missing, the Cao Gang's Nanshi branch was in complete chaos.

The atmosphere in the backyard of the hall was oppressive.

Dozens of burly, green-skinned men stood with their hands hanging down in the courtyard, not daring to even breathe loudly.

In the main room, a middle-aged man dressed in a black silk gown sat upright in a grand chair.

The man held two glossy walnuts in his hand. He had a fair and slightly plump face and looked like a wealthy businessman who made his fortune in a friendly manner. However, his triangular eyes revealed a cold and ruthless nature that would devour people without spitting out their bones.

This is Pan Jiuye, the head of the Caobang Nanshi branch and a master of the Ming Jin (明劲) skill.

"The abandoned warehouse at the dock has been turned upside down?" Master Pan said, making the hearts of the several gangsters below tremble.

"Yes...yes, Ninth Master, we've searched everywhere."

A scarred man stepped forward, steeling himself.

"There was a pool of charred black ash on the ground, bloodstains mixed with lime powder, and... and half of the silver pocket watch that Master Hui always carried with him. But there was no corpse."

"Click."

Pan Jiuye squeezed an old walnut in his hand until a crack appeared.

"Good, very good."

Master Pan laughed in fury, "My gang's red-stick members were utterly annihilated on their own turf. That 'Insect King' from Baoding Prefecture, have you found him yet?"

"They dispatched over a hundred brothers, taking over all the inns, docks, and train stations in Nanshi. This man seemed to spring from a crack in a rock and vanish into thin air, leaving not a trace!"

"waste."

Master Pan slammed his hand on the table, shattering the fine mahogany eight-immortal table into pieces.

Amidst the flying sawdust, everyone in the hall knelt down in unison.

"Go and close the door. No one is allowed to come near the back room."

Master Pan took a deep breath and suppressed the rage in his heart.

Ordinary江湖 vendettas could never be carried out so cleanly. Even the "Grey Immortal" enshrined on Greyhound couldn't escape to deliver the message. This matter is extremely sinister.

They're probably after him, aren't they?

He got up, went into the back room, and pushed open the door to a secret room.

The secret room had no windows, only a few white candles lit, and on the altar in the very center, a half-foot-tall clay sculpture of a weasel was prominently displayed.

Although Master Pan Jiu practiced the Five Tigers Severing Door Saber, his ability to maintain his position as the head of the hall in the treacherous Tianjin Guard was not solely due to his fists and feet.

On his body was enshrined a "Yellow Immortal" with extremely profound Taoist cultivation.

"Please, sir, intervene and summon the soul to inquire about the way!"

Master Pan bit his middle finger, smeared a drop of his blood on the clay sculpture's forehead, then lit a yellow talisman while chanting incantations.

"call--"

A foul wind suddenly swept through the sealed room, causing the white wax flames to flicker violently.

A foul, weasel-like odor filled the air.

A faint green light suddenly appeared in the eyes of the clay sculpture, and a shrill voice rang in Pan Jiuye's mind.

"Little Nine, what business do you have with this great immortal?"

"Master, the greyhound in my shrine has perished, along with the grey fur he worshipped. I beg you, Master, to use your soul-capturing magic to bring the greyhound's soul here so I can get some answers!" Master Pan knelt respectfully on the prayer mat.

"Hmph, a worthless dead rat, it's fine as long as it's dead."

Huang Xian snorted coldly, but the clay sculpture still opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of yellow mist.

The mist swirled in mid-air, gradually coalescing into a blurry human figure—it was Greyhound!

But at this moment, the greyhound's soul was incomplete, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. He struggled frantically in the yellow mist, but could not utter a sound.

"This..." Master Pan was shocked.

"It's no use, he can't get any information out of him." Huang Xian's voice carried a rare hint of apprehension.

"His three souls and seven spirits were mostly shattered by an extremely domineering pure yang fist intent. Not only that, before he died, he heard... a tiger's roar! The ferocity of a tiger descending the mountain terrified his main soul."

"Tiger's Roar, Pure Yang Fist Intent?"

Master Pan gasped, "Could it be that some reclusive martial arts master has made a move?"

"No matter who it is, this soul is now just a wisp of remnant. It needs to be nurtured in my incense burner for half a month, and perhaps some fragments of memories can be pieced together."

"Tell your idiots to behave themselves these days and not to mess with the wrong people, or I won't be able to protect you!"

After Huang Xian finished speaking, the green light dimmed, and the secret room fell silent again.

Master Pan's expression shifted between light and dark as he stared at the dissipating yellow mist, a chill creeping into his heart.

It seems the waters of Tianjin are getting deeper and deeper.

……

Nanshi, outside the Liuhe Martial Arts School.

The snow stopped, and the sun came out in a bright, clear sky, but the chill was even stronger than when it was snowing.

Lu Guan was carrying two exquisite paper packages.

One serving was Guifaxiang's traditional twisted dough sticks, and the other was Zhang Yiyuan's high-quality broken tea.

In those days, this was considered an extremely respectable way to pay a visit.

Now that Greyhound is dead, the crisis at Fortune Beans Club is temporarily resolved. Now that he has a large sum of money, he naturally has to repay the favors he owed.

Lu Guan kept in mind Su Ruoxue's three silver dollars reward and those sincere words of advice.

"Stop right there, what are you doing?"

At the entrance of the martial arts school, two young apprentices dressed in martial arts attire reached out to stop Lu Guan, looking him up and down at his faded, patched, tattered cotton-padded jacket, a hint of contempt flashing in their eyes.

"Go elsewhere to beg for food. This is the Liuhe Martial Arts School, not a charity hall."

Lu Guan remained calm, showing no anger, and simply said...

"Please inform them that Lu Guan of Fuju Ban has come to express his gratitude to Miss Su Ruoxue."

"What Fuju Ban? Never heard of it!"

The apprentice on the left scoffed, "Senior Sister Su is a true disciple of our martial arts school, a big shot who's about to get top marks in the annual military exam. Do you think a lowly actress like you can just see her whenever you want?"

As he spoke, the apprentice reached out and pushed Lu Guan's shoulder.

However, the moment his hand touched Lu Guan's cotton-padded coat, it felt as if he had pressed against a city wall made of cast iron, and a powerful force rebounded instantly.