Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike

Chapter 13 Red Sleeves Seeks Help, Third Master's Reputation

After giving some pointers, the young man in the long robe leaped onto the nearby wooden stakes, stepped on the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbol, and turned to move nimbly.

His palms swirled around his body, striking the air with crisp "crackling" sounds.

The disciples stopped practicing, their eyes filled with eagerness.

"Did you see it clearly? The spine is like a dragon, and the palm strike is like a knife. Don't use brute force; what you need is this elasticity and crispness."

The young man smiled and gave a couple more pointers before getting off the stake and pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back.

He would occasionally stop and tap his disciple's knees or arms with a small bamboo stick, clearly pointing out where the power was not flowing.

"Teaching outdoors, what a bold and magnanimous spirit..."

Li Xin stood at a distance and watched for a long time, as if he had gained some insight.

This young man genuinely taught me some skills to make a living; he wasn't just trying to fool me.

Many people passed by, turning their heads to look, their eyes full of admiration and envy, and their steps unconsciously slowed down.

But there was one person who not only didn't slow down, but actually quickened his pace considerably.

They crept along the eaves and wall with small, furtive steps...

"Young master."

As the man approached, he exclaimed in surprise and bent his knees slightly, about to kneel down.

"It's you, Hongxiu, what are you doing here?"

Li Xin quickly helped her up, preventing her from bowing.

The newcomer was still wearing the same coarse blue clothes, looking disheveled.

When I first saw her in the courtyard of the alley, her face was as white as jade, and she was exquisitely beautiful.

At this point, it was a patchwork of black in the east and yellow in the west, looking like a big, messy face.

His eyes, however, shone with excitement, and when he smiled, the corners of his eyes turned up slightly, adding a touch of brightness that made people overlook the filth on his face.

"After I was helped by you, young master, and the matter was blown out of proportion, I ran away. I was thinking that I hadn't repaid your great kindness, so I searched everywhere for you, and luckily I didn't miss you."

Zhuang Hongxiu summed up her experience in one sentence: "Most of them have homes and can go back, but I have no home and can only wander the streets..."

"Stop. First of all, don't call me 'Young Master.' Is there such a thing as a down-on-his-luck young master? Besides, those young masters wouldn't care if you lived or died."

"Yes, young master, whatever you say goes."

Hongxiu lowered her head, clutching her clothes, her face flustered, and a hint of panic finally appeared deep in her eyes.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Li Xin's gaze swept over Zhuang Hongxiu's slightly trembling legs, knowing that her fear was genuine.

Perhaps it was the ruthless methods he had used in the alley that left a deep impression on her, and she didn't care that her current body looked like that of a child, and just wanted to seek refuge there.

Seeing that she couldn't accept it, she probably really didn't know what to do next.

Or perhaps, someone is chasing after you...

With her looks and demeanor, she wouldn't be safe anywhere.

That's probably why he smeared his face with dirt and walked with a hunched back.

"Tell me, which faction do those people belong to?"

"It's a stall owner from the Qing brand, headed by Bu Jing, also known as 'Black Snake.' I overheard it briefly; this time it's not for supplying various venues, but for some big shot. I heard that person is over seventy and has a thing for young girls..."

Damn it.

Li Xin grunted, just as he expected.

Generally speaking, these rats who kidnap people in the shadows are not entirely without purpose. Every poor soul they kidnap has already found a new home.

The upstream deserves to die, but the downstream deserves to die even more.

Such things have been repeatedly prohibited but never stopped in the past.

In this lifetime...

Murders in the street go unpunished, let alone the private hobbies of certain high-ranking officials and nobles.

When there is demand, there is market.

These rats at the bottom can act with impunity, completely devoid of any sense of awe.

"What's the deal with the 'Qing' brand?"

"It's the Yuanqing Society, mainly based around the South Gate area. They monopolize all the businesses, including gambling dens, opium dens, and entertainment venues. They also do lending, debt collection, and other shady things for people."

Besides the Qing brand, there's also the Feng brand in Chongwen. The two companies often fight over territory. I even saw them fighting in the street earlier.

These two brands are powerful, each with eight hundred to a thousand men under their command. The Yi and De brands aren't here, and while their influence is slightly weaker, they are still extremely difficult to provoke.

When Zhuang Hongxiu spoke of this, a deep worry seemed to linger between her brows. She glanced at Li Xin, opened her mouth, but then swallowed back the rest of her words.

Oh, I see.

Li Xin understood what the "Qing" and "Feng" brands were.

Where are your family members?

"My father suffered a naval defeat and was punished by Heaven. Our family's business, money exchange, and grain store were all shut down, and our house was searched."

My mother was already injured, and she passed away before the new year after falling ill. My aunt made me work in a laundry shop, and I had to hand over my wages. She would also beat and scold me at the drop of a hat... In reality, I have no home anymore.

"You know martial arts, don't you? Does your aunt know martial arts too?"

Li Xin suddenly asked.

It turns out this was once a wealthy young lady from a family with many businesses, but now she's fallen on hard times.

Her father's naval defeat, I should say the Sino-Japanese War, was caused by the defeat of the imperial fleet by the Japanese. It's just unknown which one her father was.

Those generals either died on the spot or were later sentenced; all of them met tragic ends. Their homes were confiscated, they were exiled, and their families were torn apart.

Hearing Li Xin ask this question.

Zhuang Hongxiu was startled and wanted to kneel down again, but Li Xin grabbed her and said gently, "Don't kneel down so easily. I don't doubt you. If I'm not mistaken, you practice Southern-style martial arts, right?"

One can tell whether a person has practiced martial arts or not, and also what characteristics a person's boxing style are, just by observing their posture and gait.

Li Xin wasn't too familiar with other boxing styles, but he was very familiar with this girl's boxing style from watching movies.

"My mother is from the south, and her surname is Liang. She comes from the Shaolin Yongchun lineage. I learned a little bit from my mother when I was young, which is the lineage of Master Yan."

Zhuang Hongxiu said nervously, and seeing that Li Xin did not respond, she continued, "Auntie is Auntie. She has the final say at home. If she wants to hit or punish someone, I can only endure it."

She rolled up her sleeves, revealing a dense array of new and old scars...

Some were pulled out, some were burned out, and some were cut out. He smiled bitterly and said, "It's no wonder she's like this. Anyone would be upset if something like this happened in their family. They would have to find someone to vent their anger on."

I work at the embroidery shop during the day and go to the laundry at night. This time, I was too tired and wasn't careful on the way, so I was ambushed by the thugs from the Qing gang. If it weren't for the young master's rescue, I would have had to find an opportunity to commit suicide.

She kept using the terms "young master" and "young master" on her lips, and she hadn't given up on it even now.

Seeing Li Xin standing under the tree, and noticing his gaze fixed on a certain direction, he suddenly smiled and said, "If you want to learn martial arts, becoming Master Cheng's disciple is indeed a very good choice."

Of the six most skilled men in the capital, the Third Master is the kindest, always showing great care and concern for ordinary people. Even the Qing family, which has become his disciples, dares not cause trouble for him.

"The Six Wonders of the Capital?"

Li Xin glanced at Zhuang Hongxiu in surprise.

Goodness, this former young lady is quite knowledgeable about the underworld in the capital.

They can bring up anything.

Moreover, according to her, her family used to own grain shops, trading companies, and money exchanges, so they might even know a little about commerce.

A slight thought crossed his mind, and his eyes changed.

I had previously found Zhuang Hongxiu's contribution of a little golden light power quite gratifying, and I was eager to make friends with her.

But I never really thought of treating them like family, bringing them close to my side.

After all, I am also living hand to mouth these days. There's no need to say more about my elder brother, and my younger sister is still so young.

We simply can't take care of them all.

However, Zhuang Hongxiu seems different.

She knows a lot and is very capable. Moreover, she knows martial arts.

The key is to be grateful; you can't fool your own psychic abilities.

This kind of person not only doesn't need to be taken care of, but their own family members are actually taken very well by them.

A fleeting look of joy crossed Zhuang Hongxiu's eyes, but she didn't try to hide it and quickly continued, "Young Master, you may not know this, but in our outer city, there's a saying that the best martial artists are known as the 'Two Sects, Six Unique Masters, and Eighteen Famous Masters.'"

Needless to say, everyone knows about the two sects. One of them is Dong Laogong, the creator of the Bagua Origin and Cold and Heat True Skill.

This person's skill is profound, perfectly embodying both strength and gentleness. I heard he went into seclusion to cultivate his inner elixir and delve into the mysteries of the universe, but I don't know if he succeeded.

Another grandmaster was Yang Wudi, who faked his death and escaped to live in seclusion in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs.

Some people say he's too old to fight, but I don't think so. He also has some very powerful disciples and grand-disciples, who are said to be direct disciples of their master and extremely strong.

This venerable master is likely enjoying his retirement, teaching and passing on his skills, no longer concerned with the world's troubles.

……