Chinese Martial Arts: My Super Beast Clone

Jingwu Association.

On the training ground, a dozen strong men were shouting and sparring, their fists and feet flying.

On the sidelines, several disciples gathered together, their faces filled with resentment and indignation. One of them had a bandage wrapped around his arm, clearly indicating that he was injured.

"It's not just Xiao Liu," another person chimed in. "Liu Cheng was also beaten up. He had six stitches in his head and is still in the hospital. Those guys specifically targeted our Jingwu Association disciples; it's clearly retaliation for what happened at Fuxing Car Dealership last time."

"Senior Brother Huo, are we really just going to swallow this insult like this?" a young disciple said through gritted teeth.

The man addressed as Senior Brother Huo was an exceptionally robust young man, around thirty-four or thirty-five years old, with a square face and round eyes. He was Huo Zhenshan, the third senior brother of the Jingwu Association.

Huo Zhenshan listened to his junior brother's complaints but did not speak immediately. Instead, he picked up the teacup on the stone table next to him, drank the tea in one gulp, and then slammed the rough porcelain bowl heavily on the table with a "bang".

"Swallow it?" He sneered. "I, Huo Zhenshan, never swallow my anger."

"But Second Senior Brother..." another disciple hesitated.

"Don't mention him!" Huo Zhenshan frowned, interrupting the man. "He's just too bookish, too timid. He's afraid of everything. By the time he figures things out, the Black Dragon Society's reputation will be ruined by those bastards!"

Upon hearing this, the people around him rallied their spirits.

"Senior Brother Huo is right! Master, our eldest brother died at the hands of the Japanese; this is an irreconcilable hatred!"

"That's right! Fuck him!"

Huo Zhenshan raised his hand to quiet the crowd, and the scene immediately fell silent. He glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice, "Shouting slogans is useless. Those ronin from the Black Dragon Society are not weak in martial arts, and they are ruthless. If we're going to do something, we have to do something big, strike at their vital point."

He paused, then continued, "I've been keeping an eye on him for a few days. The Black Dragon Society's Ming Jin master who escaped from Fuxing Car Dealership last time, named Watanabe Yu, has been going to 'Sakura Pavilion' every night these past few days. It's a brothel run by the Japanese. When he comes out of there, he'll definitely be at his most relaxed."

"What Senior Brother Huo means is..." A disciple's eyes lit up. It turned out that Senior Brother Huo had planned this all along.

"That's right." Huo Zhenshan's lips curled into a cold smile. "We'll take care of him halfway there! Kill one of their Ming Jin masters, let's see how arrogant the Black Dragon Society can be then!"

Upon hearing this, several young disciples felt their blood rush to their heads, their faces flushed with excitement.

"Let's do it!"

"Kill him! Avenge Master and Senior Brother!"

Only one slightly older disciple showed a hint of worry on his face: "Senior brother, about what happened at Fuxing Auto Shop last time... I always felt something was off. How could we have been led there by such a coincidence? Could it be that someone is plotting against us?"

Huo Zhenshan waved his hand impatiently: "Who cares who's scheming against whom! Are those female students kidnapped at Fuxing Auto Shop real? Yes, they are! Are we really the ones who rescued them? Yes, we really did! Since we've done a good deed, why worry about so much? Hesitating and looking back won't get us anywhere!"

Everyone was speechless after hearing his words, and they also felt that they made a lot of sense.

Just then, a voice came from behind them.

"What are you all doing gathered here? Aren't you practicing your skills?"

Everyone turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a white shirt with a refined appearance standing there. His eyes were calm, and he had an air of authority that commanded respect.

It was Fang Wen, the second senior brother of the Jingwu Association.

"Second Senior Brother." Everyone bowed in greeting, and the previously enthusiastic atmosphere instantly cooled down.

Fang Wen's gaze swept across everyone's faces, finally landing on Huo Zhenshan. "Junior Brother Huo, come with me for a moment."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the inner hall.

Huo Zhenshan frowned and said to his other junior brothers, "Disperse, everyone, and practice your skills properly!"

After saying that, he followed Fang Wen into the inner hall.

After the two left, the disciples on the sidelines finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sigh, every time I see my second senior brother, I feel like I can't breathe."

"Who says otherwise? Second Senior Brother always seeks to play it safe. He's forbidden from doing this and that. It's as if he's forgotten about Master's grudge and Eldest Senior Brother's grudge."

"Keep your voice down! If your second senior brother hears you, you'll be in big trouble."

"I just can't accept this! When has our Jingwu Association ever been this humiliated!"

……

Outside the north gate of Yangcheng, the official road extends northward, flanked by vast stretches of barren fields and low shrubs.

After leaving the city, Lao Qi rode an old horse ahead to lead the way, with Lu Zhengchuan following closely behind, and Lin Hai and the other three following behind.

The scenery outside the city was completely different from that inside. Without the crowds and dense buildings, the view suddenly opened up. In the distance were rolling hills, and further away, dark green mountain ridges could be faintly seen.

The morning mist had not completely dissipated, and the air was filled with the scent of earth and wild grass.

The horses' hooves clattered rhythmically on the dirt road.

After about fifteen minutes, Lin Hai had basically adapted to being on horseback. Just as Lu Zhengchuan had said, his foundation in stance training came in handy at this moment. His waist and legs were very stable, and his body naturally adjusted with the rise and fall of the horse, no longer as stiff as when he first mounted.

Ahead, Lao Qi and Lu Zhengchuan were chatting casually.

"Master Lu, did you bring these young lads here this time to broaden their horizons?" Old Seven asked with a smile.

"Hmm." Lu Zhengchuan, with a pipe in his mouth, exhaled a puff of white smoke. "Practicing boxing in a locked-up gym for a lifetime will never make them anything special. They need to see real beasts, see some blood, get some injuries, and then they'll know how to use their fists."

Old Seven nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. The first time I went into the mountains, I encountered a wild boar and my legs went weak with fear. But after killing many more, I became bolder."

"How did you find this tiger den?" Lu Zhengchuan asked.

Old Seven chuckled, perking up.

"Three days ago, I went into the mountains to gather herbs. When I got near that old forest to the east, I saw something." Old Seven lowered his voice, looking mysterious. "Master Lu, guess what I saw?"

Lu Zhengchuan glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Old Seven didn't keep them in suspense any longer. He held up one finger and gestured, saying, "A deer. But not an ordinary deer. It had a pair of antlers on its head and its whole body was bluish, like jade. I've been a hunter for over twenty years, and I've seen all kinds of wild animals, alive and dead, but this is the first time I've ever encountered a deer like that."

"Jade Horned Deer?" Zhou Tong suddenly interjected from behind, "That's a treasure beast. It's said that someone caught one three years ago and sold it for more than two thousand silver dollars."

"I had a feeling it was it!" Old Seven slapped his thigh. "That's a treasure beast! My eyes were practically bloodshot when I chased it into that forest. I followed it all night, but that little beast was too cunning; it vanished in the blink of an eye. I didn't find the treasure beast, but I stumbled upon this tiger's den. At least the trip wasn't a complete waste."

He does not mean that.

Lin Hai, who was behind, suddenly felt a stirring in his heart when he heard the words "treasure beast" and "jade horned deer".

A silent command was transmitted via mental link to the dragon-snake lizard, which was lying in ambush in a bush.

"Come north, follow my scent."