This is a Master, Absolutely a Master

Yong'an City, Jili Pier.

Nightfall.

Flickering firelight, sounds of fighting everywhere.

"Charge! Drive them back!"

"Damn it, Jili Pier belongs to us, the Fierce Tiger Gang!"

"My head! You broke my head!"

"Damn it, shut up! Are you a dog or something?"

Over at the pier, two groups were locked in a chaotic brawl. Some wielded wooden sticks, others threw punches. The fight was fierce and lively.

Meanwhile, in an alley.

Two figures crouched in a dark corner, wooden sticks beside them. Some food lay in front of them.

"Little Fatty, where did you buy this pig's head meat? Why does it smell like alcohol?"

Lin Fan, crouching, picked up a piece of pig's head meat and put it in his mouth. He noticed the strong alcohol scent, but the meat was indeed good.

"Brother, I didn't buy it. I secretly picked up what my Hall Master left over. My Hall Master is so wasteful, he just pours alcohol into the leftovers," Little Fatty said truthfully. With the meager pay he got from being in the gang, he couldn't afford this.

"If this is poisoned, won't we be done for?"

"Heh heh, don't worry, Brother. If anyone's done for, it'll be me. I tasted it, it's not poisoned," Little Fatty chuckled foolishly.

Looking at Little Fatty before him, Lin Fan said nothing. He picked up another piece and put it in his mouth, then turned his head to look at the fighting on the distant pier, feeling utterly helpless.

How could a person be so unlucky?

That's right.

He wasn't from this world; he had transmigrated. He only remembered looking at his phone while walking, missing a step, and falling into a sewer. Then, he opened his eyes and found himself lying in a strange place.

It had been exactly two months.

Unfamiliar with the place and people, he had to find a way to fit in. No legitimate establishment would take in someone with his unknown origins and bizarre clothing. So, he had no choice but to join a local gang and become one of the lowest-ranking grunts.

The person he called Little Fatty was Zhao Er, the second eldest in his family. He came from a poor background and belonged to the Fierce Tiger Gang.

As for himself, he was now with the other gang involved in the current fight, the Loyalty Hall.

Being a grunt meant frequent fighting. For him, fighting was dangerous. A single mistake could leave him severely disabled. Fortunately, his sharp eyes spotted Zhao Er, whose bones seemed extraordinary and whose gaze was clear.

The first time, he didn't know if the other person would agree, so he dragged Zhao Er into an alley and beat him up severely. Zhao Er cried out in pain, wailing and begging for mercy, making him realize that in this life, one had to pay for their actions.

After his heartfelt speech and education, Zhao Er had a change of heart and became his good rival in the Fierce Tiger Gang.

Whenever there was a fight, during the formation, he would quickly find the other party. A glance was all it took. During the brawl, they would fight until they ended up in a corner, taking a break while waiting for the fight to end.

"Brother, meeting you is truly my good fortune. I haven't been injured since then," Zhao Er felt truly grateful to Lin Fan. He had never imagined that surviving in the gang could be so easy.

"Nonsense. With your skills, you'd be bedridden after a few fights."

"Brother, you're so powerful, why don't you show it? If you showed your strength, the gang would surely value you. You wouldn't still be a grunt like now."

This was something Zhao Er couldn't understand. He still remembered a few days ago, just like usual, acting out a scene with Brother Lin. Their own gang members charged at Brother Lin like they were on drugs, madly.

He thought something bad was going to happen, but who knew Brother Lin would shatter their ferocity with three strikes of his staff and then lie down on the spot, sleeping more soundly than anyone.

"You don't understand."

Lin Fan shook his head.

When he transmigrated, he found himself in an ancient world. The first thought that came to his mind was: early stages of martial arts, mid-stages of cultivation, late stages of becoming an immortal ancestor.

Therefore, he immediately inquired about martial arts. However, the information he received was cruel: Yong'an City didn't even have a single martial arts school. As for the so-called martial arts, they didn't exist. What seemed powerful was merely skill honed through practice and body strengthening.

But he didn't believe it.

Impossible.

If there truly were no martial arts, what was his cheat?

The cheat appeared when he was angrily whipping Zhao Er with a wooden stick. He vaguely remembered that while he was enjoying himself, a page appeared in his mind, accompanied by a prompt sound.

[Learned Basic Staff Technique] [Proficiency +1]

With this, he absolutely refused to believe that this world was one without extraordinary martial arts.

Perhaps the imperial court's regulations were too strict, prohibiting the existence of dangerous individuals capable of fighting a hundred men, thus completely suppressing martial arts.

And those who could control true martial arts had always been members of the royal family.

This was his thought, and he considered it the most likely possibility.

Because there was still the most crucial piece of evidence: the display on his panel.

[Name: Lin Fan]
[Realm: None]
[Basic Staff Technique (Mastered 12/1000)]

If there's no martial arts or supernatural abilities, what basis does this cheat have for displaying a realm? Having a realm implies the ability to cultivate, right?

He believed this wholeheartedly.

"Bro, bro..." Zhao Er nudged Lin Fan's arm.

Lin Fan snapped back to attention. "What's up?"

"It's almost quiet over at the pier, it's ending. We should get out of here," Zhao Er reminded him.

This was their usual routine, and they'd never been caught. After all, it was a dark and windy night, with people moving around; who would notice them here?

At this moment, the pig's head meat placed on the lotus leaves on the ground had also been finished. Lin Fan wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth, picked up his wooden stick, and stood up.

"By the way, how's your mother's illness? Is the money enough? If not, tell me, I still have some," Lin Fan asked.

They rarely met in private, precisely because they were afraid of being seen by those with ulterior motives. Why would rival gangs be so familiar with each other? It was bound to be suspicious.

"Bro, it's enough. Didn't you say you were saving up to go ashore? You should keep it for yourself."

He didn't understand what "going ashore" meant.

But he felt it must be very important to Brother Lin.

So he wouldn't affect Brother Lin's plans to go ashore.

"Alright then."

Lin Fan nodded. Zhao Er was his first and most familiar friend since arriving in this world. Furthermore, Zhao Er's involvement in the gang was out of necessity, and he was a good person through and through.

Then Zhao Er took out the chicken blood he had prepared and they smeared some on each other, proving their fight had been fierce and bloody. It wasn't easy.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Let's go."

As they neared the alley's exit, without a word, they picked up their sticks and began to fight. They cursed and fought, their blows landing back and forth, moving from left to right, mingling with the edge of the crowd without drawing any attention.

Bang!

Lin Fan kicked Zhao Er to the ground. Zhao Er, with his backside in the air, tried to get up, but Lin Fan kicked his butt again. Using the force, Zhao Er scrambled with his hands and feet, rolling and using the momentum to disengage from the fight. He got up, rubbed his rear, pointed at Lin Fan, and roared with a ferocious expression.

"I'll fight you to the death! Our Fierce Tiger Gang will not lose!"

He was about to charge forward, but it was as if an invisible hand was holding him back tightly.

"Don't pull me! I'm not afraid of him!"

His demeanor and tone were top-notch acting.

Lin Fan surveyed the surroundings. Both sides were fighting and sustaining injuries. At this point, the Hall Masters of both sides should come out to exchange insults.

As expected, the Hall Masters of both sides appeared.

The Fierce Tiger Gang's Hall Master, Yuan Jiang, was thin and had a long face with narrowed eyes, giving off a sinister impression.

His own side's Hall Master, Wang Changhai, though middle-aged, was well-built and looked like he could fight. But in reality, their Hall Master's body had long been ravaged by alcohol and women; he'd get winded just walking a few steps.

However, people said that when Wang Changhai was young, he was daring and fierce, capable of fighting four opponents alone. With a broadsword, he had carved a bloody path for himself and become the Hall Master of the Loyalty Hall.

"Monkey Yuan, Jili Pier is not something your Fierce Tiger Gang can meddle with. If you want to fight, I'll see you through. Let's see how many men you have."

Wang Changhai was quite pleased with the situation. Overall, their Loyalty Hall had a slight advantage.

Monkey Yuan's expression remained calm.

This gave Wang Changhai a jolt. He had a bad feeling about this; it was too calm.

Something was wrong.

As expected, Yuan Jiang clapped his hands and looked towards the shadows not far away. Wang Changhai followed his gaze. It seemed like only a faint flame was burning. But when torches were lit around them, He realized someone was sitting there, leisurely eating hot pot.

"Brother Chen, it's your turn to act," Yuan Jiang said.

At this moment, Lin Fan also noticed someone over there. His only thought was that this person was incredibly pretentious, sitting in the dark and ignoring the fight between the two gangs to eat hot pot.

This situation gave Lin Fan a bad feeling.

Could it be... a master?

After all, only masters could be so composed.

Composure was the hallmark of a master.

In Lin Fan's eyes, the middle-aged man, referred to as Brother Chen, slowly put the last piece of meat into his mouth, picked up his wine cup, and drank it down. Then, he took a cloth, wiped his mouth, and slowly stood up, walking towards them.

The man was powerfully built, even half a head taller than Wang Changhai. Especially when he rolled up his sleeves, revealing two thick, muscular arms that exuded explosive power.

Lin Fan had the thought of quietly retreating and shielding everyone behind him.

But Wang Changhai was standing right beside him, so retreating was impossible.

"Who is he?" Wang Changhai asked gravely.

Yuan Jiang, confident of victory, replied, "Wang Changhai, this is the renowned Iron Fist King Chen Niu. He's a master I specifically invited. Today, Jili Pier will definitely belong to my Fierce Tiger Gang, and as for you, Wang Changhai, I'll beat you like a dead dog."

Iron Fist King?

Chen Niu?

Wang Changhai's mouth hung slightly open, as if he were stunned. In reality, it was quite the opposite; the nickname reminded him of his own nickname from when he was young.

"Nine Times a Night."

"Never heard of him. Who's this random nobody? Kill him."

Wang Changhai looked to the side and waved his hand. The few thugs with clubs standing to his right dared not hesitate at the Hall Master's command. With a roar, they charged, arriving before Chen Niu. They raised their wooden staffs and swung with all their might towards the opponent's head.

Facing the onslaught of clubs, Chen Niu let out a low growl and raised his arms to block.

Crack!

Crack!

Wood splinters flew. The moment the wooden staffs touched the opponent's arms, they snapped.

Under the stunned expressions of the thugs, Chen Niu threw punches and kicks, taking down the several thugs before him.

Cries of pain filled the air.

Wang Changhai's expression was one of horror and disbelief.

"Hahaha... Good."

Yuan Jiang was overjoyed. As expected of the expert he'd hired for twenty taels of silver, he was truly formidable. No, he had to recruit this person after this, even if it meant spending more money, it would be worth it.

At this moment, Lin Fan's expression was also grave. The opponent's ability to break staffs with his bare arms was enough to indicate he was an expert, and he hadn't even shown a hint of pain.

Could he really be a Martial Way expert?

Thinking this, his hand gripping the staff became sweaty, and his heart pounded violently with nervousness.

He really wanted to ask the opponent, "Big brother, where did you learn your martial arts? Can you show me the way?"

But clearly, now was not the time.

Chen Niu looked arrogantly at Wang Changhai, blew away the wood splinters clinging to his arm, and raised his hand, making a provocative gesture towards Wang Changhai.

Enraged, Wang Changhai's chest heaved as if burning. He roared at Lin Fan and the others standing to his left:

"Get him."

The thugs felt fear, but facing their enraged Hall Master, they dared not disobey.

Lin Fan gripped his wooden staff tightly and charged towards Chen Niu with the others.

When he had first comprehended Basic Staff Technique, his method of using the staff felt as if he had practiced for years.

From beginner to minor accomplishment, and now to great accomplishment.

Every time he improved, he felt his strength increase, and the techniques for applying force became second nature.

As the people around him roared and swung their staffs, Lin Fan also roared, sinking his center of gravity, channeling power from his waist and hips to the tip of the staff. The muscles in his arms were as solid as stone, and he held nothing back, unleashing his full strength.

The whistling staff wind was sharp and fierce.

Chen Niu, calm and composed, didn't take the scene before him to heart at all.

He just wanted to tell everyone.

"Do you know this iron arm of mine has broken countless staffs? I stopped feeling pain long ago."

Bang!

Several wooden staffs struck the opponent's arm in unison.

Crack!

The wooden staffs broke.

"Ah..."

A scream erupted.

Chen Niu's arm bent at a bizarre angle, and Lin Fan's wooden staff, swift as lightning, struck the opponent's neck.

Bang!

A dull thud echoed.

Chen Niu fell to his knees, stumbled forward, and lay motionless on the ground.

[Basic Staff Technique Proficiency +1]

Lin Fan was startled. That was it?

When he had struck, although the opponent's arm was hard, he felt his strike had enough power to crush it. Honestly, he had prepared to be kicked flying by the opponent.

But the current situation was somewhat unexpected.

It seemed this wasn't an expert.

Zhao Er, from within the crowd, had initially been very worried about Brother Lin. But after seeing this, he was about to shout in joy when he suddenly remembered his allegiance and quickly covered his mouth, nearly giving himself away.

Yuan Jiang blinked, his mouth agape, frozen in place.

Wait, what's going on?

He's down already?

What happened to his confident claims of being a master?

Wang Changhai, seeing this, burst into hearty laughter, his anger turning to amusement.

"Haha, a master? This is what you call a master? Yuan Houzi, did a donkey shove your brain?"

"Good, well done! Hall Master will reward you handsomely."

Yuan Jiang's face turned ashen. With a wave of his hand, he led his men in a hasty retreat, not even sparing a glance at Chen Niu, who lay on the ground.

Lin Fan glanced at Chen Niu and followed the others back.

Wang Changhai clapped them on the shoulders, offered a few words of praise, then waved his hand, leading his underlings off to celebrate. This was the way of things in the Gang.

He didn't join the celebration.

Instead, he felt a pang of disappointment. He had hoped that the appearance of a Martial Way master would lead him to clues about the Martial Way. But as it stood, there wasn't even a shred of a lead.

Inside the room.

He lit the oil lamp and approached the table, looking at the book placed there.

Direct Interpretation of Laws

That's right, he needed to start studying now.

The Gang had no future. To put it bluntly, they were just common laborers. To find clues about the Martial Way, he needed status and position.

Therefore, he had to pass the civil service exam.

The higher his status, the closer he could get to the core.

He would study hard.

To prepare for the Security Bureau's entrance exam in a month.

He flipped open the book, and his eyes were met with dense, tightly packed text that made his head feel like it would explode and stars dance before his eyes.

He could only sigh, this is truly unbearable.

But there was no other way; he had to grit his teeth and power through.