Immortality begins in Goose City

Chapter 3 Martial Arts Cultivation

The iron gate of the Huang Family Manor slowly slid inward, making a dull sound.

The carriage drove in, rolling over a gravel path shaded by bamboo groves. The rustling bamboo leaves filtered out the hustle and bustle of the city.

At the end of the path, the view suddenly opens up, revealing a magnificent five-story Western-style building standing amidst meticulously manicured lawns and flowerbeds.

The building is mainly made of gray and white stone, with arched windows and carved railings, which appear both elegant and solemn in the afterglow of the setting sun.

This is the main building of the Huang Family Manor, a symbol of the power center of Goose City.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, servants came forward to place footstools.

"Young Master Shujian, you're finally back safe and sound!"

As soon as Huang Shujian bent down to step out of the carriage, he saw a woman dressed in a light green maid's outfit running towards him, lifting her skirt.

She was petite, about 1.5 meters tall, with a round, baby-faced girl and big eyes, looking like a young girl who had not yet reached marriageable age.

This is Xiu'er, Huang Shujian's personal maid.

But Huang Shujian knew in his heart that Xiu'er was precocious and very clever.

The spoiled brat in her previous life tried to take advantage of her several times, but she deftly defused them each time, even making her suffer a loss she couldn't bring herself to say.

It was during that frustrating time that the original owner went to Yuchun Garden to listen to opera and relax, only to be caught in that fatal assassination attempt.

It is said that Xiuer was so frightened afterward that she was filled with remorse and almost got beaten to death by the enraged Huang Silang.

Fortunately, Huang Shujian transmigrated and spoke up to save her.

Although this girl is cunning, her concern for Huang Shujian has been genuine ever since that incident.

"Young Master, you're still not fully recovered. Don't leave Xiu'er behind next time you go out of town!"

Xiuer ran up to him, tilted her head back, reached out and tugged at Huang Shujian's sleeve, looking him up and down while muttering to herself.

"Otherwise, I'll be waiting here in the mansion, getting anxious to death!"

Seeing her worried expression, Huang Shujian couldn't help but reach out and rub her head.

Xiuer's body stiffened slightly instinctively, as if she wanted to dodge, but then she took the initiative to lean her head forward, letting that big hand mess up her hair.

"I'm just going to watch the fun. Instructor Wu is leading dozens of men with guns. What could possibly go wrong?"

Huang Shujian withdrew his hand, his tone casual, and asked instead, "Where's my father?"

"Master, he's been on the rooftop terrace all day, with Steward Hu Qian from the Inner Palace accompanying him."

"A message just came down saying that you must be tired from your return, young master. There's no need to come upstairs to pay your respects. Just go back to your room and rest."

"Oh?" Huang Shujian raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I understand."

He was happy to avoid his unpredictable father, so he took Xiu'er and headed straight for his room in the side wing of the main building.

Huang Shujian's room is located on the east side of the second floor, with excellent natural light.

Upon entering, one is greeted by a typical Western-style layout reminiscent of the Republican era.

Thick Persian carpets covered the floor, and light-colored wallpaper with subtle patterns adorned the walls, along with several Western oil paintings.

By the window was a large mahogany desk, with a brass lamp, an ink bottle, and a pen holder with several fountain pens on it.

Next to it is a coat rack with a glass mirror and a single sofa with soft cushions.

Huang Shujian entered the room and naturally opened his arms.

Xiuer obediently stepped forward and skillfully helped him take off his flannel suit jacket, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles and hanging it on the coat rack.

Huang Shujian walked behind the desk and sat down. He opened the drawer on his right and took out a notebook wrapped in kraft paper.

Opening the notebook, besides his neat handwriting written in fountain pen, there were also many pieces of newspaper cut out, of varying sizes, with yellowed paper.

His gaze was fixed as he scanned the records line by line:

"On January 5th, 1919, in the south of Goose City, a night watchman and several passersby claimed to have witnessed a headless corpse dressed in the official robes of a previous dynasty, leaping and killing people in the streets and alleys with immense strength, before disappearing into the darkness and vanishing without a trace..."

"On March 17th, 1919, in the eastern part of Goose City, a series of bizarre murders occurred. The victims were all found disemboweled with a sharp blade, their stomachs missing. Rumors circulated that the Western killer, Jack the Ripper, had fled to Goose City to commit these crimes..."

"On April 23rd, 1919, in the Xingli Garden of Goose City, the leading actress Lan Xiaodie was murdered backstage in her dressing room. Her body was decapitated, and her skin was completely peeled off. To this day, her head remains missing. Some veteran actors claim that it was a vengeful spirit seeking revenge, paying for an old debt..."

One bizarre and bloody incident after another! Defying all reason!

Although some accounts seem absurd, even mentioning Jack the Ripper, Huang Shujian knows that behind this seemingly familiar but actually distorted world, there is far more to it than just the surface-level tranquility.

This world harbors demons and evil spirits, and contains forces that cannot be explained by common sense.

The giant catfish in the Azure Pool is probably... just a very ordinary creature at the very bottom.

The scar on his own chest, and the powerfully beating heart of the mountain king, were both silently proclaiming this fact.

Crisis is everywhere!

We must become strong as soon as possible!

Huang Shujian slammed his notebook shut and stood up abruptly.

Xiuer, who was yawning, was startled by the sudden movement. She quickly stood up straight, a hint of panic flashing across her face: "Young Master, what are your orders?"

"Where is Wu Zhichong?" Huang Shujian asked, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible urgency.

Xiuer blinked and thought for a moment: "At this time... Wu Da Hu Zi should be in the martial arts training ground in the backyard. He usually drinks a little wine in the evening."

Huang Shujian said no more and walked out.

Xiuer quickly jogged to catch up.

The backyard of the Huang Family Manor is extremely spacious, resembling a small military training base.

To the east was a martial arts training ground paved with bluestone, where dozens of strong servants, shirtless, were practicing their fists and feet, their shouts resounding and full of masculine energy.

There is a shooting range on the west side, with mottled wooden targets standing in the distance.

Further away, there was a fenced-off horse ranch where a dozen or so horses were leisurely strolling.

The air was filled with the smells of sweat, dust, and a faint scent of hay.

Huang Shujian passed through the moon gate and immediately saw Wu Zhichong sitting in the pavilion not far away.

He still had his hair down, and his bronze-colored upper body was only casually covered with a short jacket. He was eating a dish of peanuts and drinking wine from a rough earthenware pot by himself.

Huang Shujian did not go over immediately, but stood at the edge of the training ground, silently observing the servants practicing their skills.

They were practicing a set of hard-style kung fu similar to Taizu Changquan, with fierce and powerful movements. However, in Huang Shujian's eyes, it seemed to lack a certain key spirit and was merely a formality.

Wu Zhichong caught a glimpse of Huang Shujian's figure, a look of panic flashed across his face, he quickly hid the wine pot behind the stone bench, wiped his mouth hastily, and hurriedly came to meet him.

"Young Master! What brings you here?" Wu Zhichong clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, still smelling of alcohol.

Huang Shujian's gaze fell on his well-defined, explosively powerful muscles, and he got straight to the point:

"Instructor Wu, if I remember correctly, you were a martial arts champion in the previous dynasty?"

Upon hearing the words "Martial Arts Champion," Wu Zhichong instinctively puffed out his chest, his face radiating a different kind of brilliance, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up within him:

"Young Master has a good memory!"

"Indeed, our family is the martial arts champion appointed by the Great Ying Dynasty in the year of Bingzi!"

"He was also the last martial arts champion of the Qin Dynasty!"

"Back then, when he rode through the streets on horseback, he was incredibly powerful and imposing! Who in the capital didn't know him?"