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

At the entrance to the cellar, a chilling wind howled.

Feng Changshan held a torch in one hand and exerted hidden force in the other, his purplish-red iron palm poised to strike in the darkness.

"Da da da—"

The guards behind him held loaded Hanyang rifles, their muzzles pointed firmly forward.

Zhao Linchuan, Su Ruoxue, and other martial arts elites gripped their swords tightly, their foreheads covered in cold sweat.

This is the core cellar of the Fox Clan outside the Great Wall!

The pungent, nauseating smell of fox odor and peach blossom miasma was so strong that even standing at the cave entrance made one dizzy.

Everyone was prepared for a bloody battle.

Some even secretly prayed that the great fox demon, having devoured Lu Guan's flesh and blood, would be able to rest for a moment and leave them with a complete corpse.

"Stay close, shoot anything alive!"

Feng Changshan shouted and led the charge into the cellar.

The group, as if facing a formidable enemy, filed in one after another along the bluestone steps.

however.

When the torchlight illuminated the vast underground altar.

The expected fox demon attack did not occur.

There were no eerie winds or malevolent roars.

There wasn't even a single breath from a living person.

You could hear a pin drop!

"this……"

Zhao Linchuan, who was at the forefront, suddenly narrowed his eyes, and almost dropped the steel knife in his hand.

The scene before my eyes was like the deepest hell!

The altar that originally housed a wooden carving of a fox spirit has now been smashed into a shower of wood chips.

The fox spirit statue with ruby-encrusted eyes was split in two, and scorch marks from being burned by terrifying heat remained at the break.

The ground was littered with severed limbs and dried black blood.

"Click."

A martial arts student accidentally stepped on something.

Looking down, they saw several crystal-clear jade bones, with a broken fan painted with a nine-tailed white fox still remaining on the skeleton.

"This is... a magical artifact of the Fox Clan, the Soul-Capturing Fan?"

An experienced instructor, recognizing its value, gasped. "This thing was practically a magical artifact, priceless! To have it crushed to pieces like that is such a waste!"

Following the mess on the ground, everyone slowly shifted their gaze to the deepest part of the cellar.

On that blue brick wall, there was a deep "human-shaped blood pit" that was clearly imprinted.

A young man dressed in a tattered, pale white silk shirt was embedded in the wall like a lump of mud.

His sternum was completely shattered, and a bloody hole exploded in his back, his internal organs already turned into a pile of minced meat.

"This guy... is he the Fox Clan's manager in Tianjin?"

Feng Changshan recognized the mutilated corpse at a glance, and his heart was filled with shock.

This Seventh Young Master Bai is the direct descendant of the Fox Clan. He has countless lives on his hands, and even the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics couldn't catch a glimpse of him after investigating for more than half a year.

As a result, several of the most promising disciples from martial arts schools were tricked into being drained of their essence day and night, becoming their prey.

Now, he's been pinned to the wall with a single punch?!

"Gulp."

Throughout the cellar, the sound of swallowing filled the air.

Everyone is frantically searching for the monster that created this chaotic scene.

"Supervisor...look over there!"

A guard, his voice trembling, pointed to a corner in the shadows of the cellar.

The firelight flickered.

Beside the dilapidated offering table.

A thin boy wearing a faded, old cotton-padded jacket riddled with holes was standing with his back to the crowd.

He casually tossed a rag that had been stained with blood onto the ground and then turned away.

"Lu...Lu Guan?!"

Su Ruoxue's beautiful eyes widened, and she gasped in surprise.

Zhao Linchuan looked as if he had seen a ghost, taking two steps back and pointing at Lu Guan, his voice trembling.

"No, you...you're still alive?"

Lu Guan ignored Zhao Linchuan's loss of composure and nodded slightly, meeting the stares of the crowd who looked at him like he was a monster.

"Thank you all for making this trip."

"However, I've already cleaned up all the debris down there."

boom!

Upon hearing this, all the martial arts disciples felt as if a lit firecracker had been shoved into their heads and exploded.

Is it clean?!

One person, all alone, in the core cellar of the Fox Clan, wiped out the Fox Clan leader and a group of evil cultivators.

"This...this is impossible."

A direct descendant of the Iron Palm martial arts school turned ashen-faced and shook his head frantically.

"No, no, it's said that this Bai Qi is a wicked cultivator who worships a powerful fox spirit and possesses magical artifacts. How could you, a martial artist who has just entered the Ming Jin realm, possibly..."

That's enough.

Feng Changshan's loud shout interrupted Zhao Linchuan's questioning.

He strode up to Lu Guan.

His intuition, typical of a master of internal energy, allowed him to keenly sense the terrifying aura emanating from Lu Guan that had not yet been fully concealed.

It was a kind of masculine energy that even made a martial arts master like him, with his hidden strength, feel a faint tremor in his heart.

Feng Changshan grabbed Lu Guan's wrist.

Lu Guan raised an eyebrow, but he did not resist and allowed the other party to investigate.

Such an astonishing achievement tonight needs a "reasonable level" to back it up.

"Buzz!"

As soon as Feng Changshan's hidden force probed into Lu Guan's pulse point, he felt as if he had been electrocuted and abruptly released his grip.

His usually cold and stern square face was now filled with horror.

"You little brat..."

"You brat, you're not even a beginner in the Ming Jin realm!"

"The skin is like leather, and the blood and qi are like a net. Vitality is contained within, while yang energy is released outwards..."

Feng Changshan's surprise turned to joy, and finally he laughed and scolded.

"Damn it, you've clearly surpassed the Lesser Completion of Ming Jin. You've reached the Greater Completion of Ming Jin, the state where your Qi and blood are like a furnace..."

As soon as Feng Changshan finished speaking, it was like a heavy hammer blow to the top of the head of every martial arts disciple present.

The Ming Jin technique has reached its peak?!

Qi and blood like a furnace?!

"this……"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Linchuan was utterly dejected.

The heart of martial arts collapsed with a crash.

Zhao Linchuan prides himself on being a once-in-a-century prodigy of the Liuhe Martial Arts School, having grown up immersed in medicine and receiving guidance from renowned masters.

He trained hard for a full ten years!

It took the martial arts school countless dollars to purchase top-quality medicinal herbs before they barely managed to reach the threshold of "Ming Jin Da Cheng" last year.

But what is this Lu Guan in front of me?

Just two weeks ago, he was performing shadow puppetry under the overpass, braving the wind and snow for two copper coins.

A low-class actor who can't even afford a decent meal.

A few days ago in the courtyard of Fuju Class, he was only at the initial stage of Mingjin, and even needed the protection of himself and Su Ruoxue.

It's only been a few days?!

In just a few days, he accomplished what most people do in ten years of hard work?!

"Supervisor Feng has a discerning eye."

Faced with the shock of the entire audience, Lu Guan simply smiled faintly and put his hands back into the sleeves of his tattered cotton-padded coat.

"Not long ago, I had a sudden enlightenment, and with the help of the great medicine you bestowed upon me, I was fortunate enough to break through."

A lucky breakthrough?!

These four words were like four resounding slaps across the faces of all the self-proclaimed genius martial arts disciples present.

The martial artist carrying the nine-ringed saber could barely hold it steady at this moment.

This strange medicine from the Jiyi School isn't some kind of magic potion, is it? Is it really that effective?

In the crowd, Su Ruoxue bit her red lips, her beautiful eyes fixed on the figure whose aura was like a dragon.

Despite her shock, a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

"Damn it, we've struck it rich..."

At this moment, Feng Changshan was already overwhelmed with ecstasy.

I've struck gold!

The Military Affairs Department of the Governor's Office has found the most terrifying potential killer in the past decade!

"Hahaha, great. What a lucky breakthrough!"

Feng Changshan slapped his thigh excitedly, "I don't care how you broke through. In this chaotic world of Tianjin, having a strong fist and being able to kill demons is the most important thing!"

"Tonight you single-handedly took down the Fox Clan branch. For this outstanding achievement, I, Feng Changshan, will personally ask Director Shen for a reward on your behalf."

In Feng Changshan's view, no matter how Lu Guan attained his cultivation level, as long as he had the black iron waist token from the Armed Forces Department, he was a weapon in the hands of the Governor-General's Mansion.

The sharper this knife, the more prestigious the Armed Forces Department will be!

however.

After the initial shock and the collapse of their worldview, the martial arts students who were slumped on the ground gradually calmed down.

Zhao Linchuan thought for a long time, staring at Lu Guan, a complex yet enlightened look flashing in his eyes.

"I see……"

"No wonder...no wonder he was able to progress so quickly."

"Junior Sister Su, do you still remember that Bajiquan killing move he unleashed on the Changqing Temple training ground?"

"His master, the old troupe leader of the Fuju Opera Troupe, was definitely a remarkable person who had mastered a 'superior unorthodox lineage' back then!"

Zhao Linchuan didn't lower his voice deliberately, and the martial arts disciples around him heard it clearly, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Yes!

Only those unorthodox and unorthodox traditions can explain all of this!

In the underground world of Tianjin, there is a saying.

Some extremely domineering unorthodox lineages can squeeze out one's potential through secret methods, and even supplement it with evil inner cores and shady magical artifacts, allowing one's cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds in a short period of time.

"Senior Brother Zhao is right!"

The nine-ringed swordsman seemed to wake from a dream, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

"This kind of superior unorthodox secret technique, although its progress is terrifying, can even make him invincible within the Ming Jin realm."

"but……"

The martial arts master lowered his voice, his tone tinged with a bittersweet self-consolation.

"This method of forcing growth, like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, damages one's lifespan and fundamental nature!"

"He has been dealing with those supernatural and bizarre things for a long time, so his vital energy will inevitably be eroded by the evil influences. The older he gets, the faster his vital energy will decline."

"At most, he'll only reach the level of internal strength in his lifetime."

"As for the legendary Grandmaster of Internal Energy who supposedly cleansed his marrow and transformed his body... such a path is absolutely impossible!"

The martial artists around them nodded in agreement, as if they had grasped at a lifeline, desperately trying to accept this logic.

They couldn't accept that a genius who cultivated normally could surpass their ten years of effort in just a few days.

But if the price is the loss of future martial arts peaks and the shortening of lifespan.

Then their jealousy subsided considerably.

"but……"

Zhao Linchuan changed the subject, his eyes becoming eager again.

Even if he never progresses beyond the realm of internal energy, even if his lifespan is short.

"In the current Tianjin city guard, a living Yama who has mastered the Ming Jin technique and possesses terrifying killing moves and fist intent is definitely someone we must look up to."

"Gentlemen, since we cannot afford to offend such a god of death, we must make friends with him."

"Who knows, one day we might encounter a bizarre case that we can't solve, and we'll have to rely on Brother Lu's prestige to save our lives."

Everyone agreed.

In this chaotic world where life is uncertain, who cares whether your health and vitality decline when you get old?

As long as you have enough power to protect someone, you're a boss they should kowtow to!

In a short time.

The martial arts masters in the cellar who had previously harbored resentment towards Lu Guan, and even mocked him.

Their faces were plastered with fawning smiles, as if they wished they could offer Lu Guan a longevity tablet on the spot.

Listen to the deliberately hushed whispers in the crowd.

Lu Guan shook his head.

Unorthodox or heretical practices?

A sudden, hidden force causing a halt?

shorten one's lifespan?

"You can't talk about ice with a summer insect."

He didn't rely on any evil methods that overdraw potential, but rather on the "dragon tendons and tiger bones" that were genuinely cultivated by the "Creation Stage"!

His blood and qi were extremely pure, and his foundation was ten times deeper than anyone else present!

As for the so-called backlash of yin energy?

With the pure yang qi and blood of Dacheng Mingjin cleansing him, plus the "Seven Methods of Cleansing the Skin", the resentment in those spiritual skins couldn't even harm a single hair of his.

but.

Lu Guan did not intend to explain.

The deeper the misunderstanding, the more advantageous it is for him.

He kept his trump card hidden, making everyone believe he was a "short-lived killing god" who relied on overdrawing his life force to gain combat power.

In this way, those truly powerful entities will not prematurely regard him as a thorn in their side.

"Supervisor Feng."

Lu Guan changed the subject at the opportune moment, pointing to the corpse of Young Master Bai on the ground, as well as the half-roll of the insignificant Fox Clan account book that he had deliberately left behind.

"The leader of this Fox Clan branch has been killed."

"I came in early and stepped on the landmines for the brothers. The rest of the work of clearing out and confiscating property is up to you."

"Brother Lu is so generous!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding martial arts masters immediately beamed with joy.

The remaining profits in the Fox Clan mansion are astronomical. Since Lu Guan is willing to give up this lucrative opportunity, it's like doing everyone a huge favor.

"good!"

Feng Changshan laughed heartily, finding Lu Guan more and more pleasing to the eye.

"Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, understanding the proper measure. You're a natural-born official, kid."

"Men, turn this cellar upside down, don't leave these evil cultivators a single copper coin."

"Lu Guan, you have performed a great service tonight. Come with me back to the Armed Forces Department."

……

The snow in Tianjin finally stopped in the latter half of the night.

But that chilling cold that could freeze you to the bone was even colder than when it snowed heavily.

Outside Qinglong Village, several military trucks from the Military Equipment Department of the Governor's Mansion roared to life, spewing out plumes of black smoke from their exhaust pipes.

Lu Guan did not mingle with the disciples from the martial arts school.

He was wearing a military overcoat handed to him by Feng Changshan's personal guard, sitting in the passenger seat of a jeep, closing his eyes to rest.

No one knew that beneath that oversized military coat, Lu Guan was carrying a windfall that would make the entire Tianjin underworld green with envy.

Ten golden yellow croakers!

More than a hundred silver dollars, still warm from my touch!

In addition, there is a book of human skin that records the secret techniques of the evil cultivation of the Fox Clan, and half a piece of yellow weasel skin that has been stained with incense for a hundred years!

This is what a chaotic world is like.

Murder and arson bring wealth and honor, while repairing bridges and roads leaves no trace of one's body. If Lu Guan had simply performed shadow puppetry under the overpass, he wouldn't have earned even a fraction of what he did for a living, even if he sang until he died.

"What are you thinking, kid?"

Feng Changshan opened the car door and sat in the back seat, bringing with him a chill.

The way this master of internal strength looked at Lu Guan at this moment was as if he were looking at a rare treasure.

"Reporting to Inspector Feng, I wasn't thinking anything. I just found the fox odor at Qinglong Manor too overpowering," Lu Guan replied casually.

"Hahaha!"

Feng Changshan laughed heartily, "Good! You single-handedly took down a branch of the Fox Clan! Such audacity is unparalleled in my life! Let's go back to the Armed Forces Department; Director Shen is still waiting to see you!"

The jeep rolled over the snow and sped towards the red-brick building at the border between the French Concession and the Chinese-controlled area in the night.