Chapter 0031: The Way of Martial Arts (Part 1)

It was Old Master Qin's 50th birthday, and he had rented out the largest restaurant in Tianjin, Gu Yue Lou, to host a grand banquet for the local elders and townsfolk. 

Who would have thought that this day, which should have been a celebration, would also be his last? Huo Yuanjia, wielding a knife and a death warrant, stormed into Gu Yue Lou. The two fought fiercely for an incense stick's worth of time. 

In the end, Old Master Qin was killed by Huo Yuanjia. Huo Yuanjia sustained some injuries, but they were only superficial wounds, nothing serious. 

Old Master Qin's death was brutal—his head was cleaved off by Huo Yuanjia's blade.

"Huo Yuanjia, you..." 

"Senior Brother!" The man Chen Zheng had seen at Gu Yue Lou after Huo Yuanjia defeated ten opponents, the one who had looked down on him, rushed forward with a knife, wanting to challenge Huo Yuanjia. This man was Qin Lang, the eldest son of Old Master Qin, and the senior disciple of the Qin family. 

The Qin family members quickly restrained him. If Old Master Qin couldn't defeat Huo Yuanjia, how could Qin Lang?

"Master Qin, your father signed a death warrant with our teacher. Life and death are fated. Do you want to break the rules?" One of Huo Yuanjia's disciples arrogantly pointed at Qin Lang. This man had been in league with Zhao San and had even been slapped by Qin Lang earlier that morning.

"Take my father's body. We're leaving!" Qin Lang's eyes were red, his voice biting each word. 

Chen Zheng, standing at a distance, observed the scene. His mind was in turmoil. Was Huo Yuanjia wrong in doing this?

He didn't know. Chen Zheng didn't know if it was wrong or not. His heart was conflicted. Is this what martial artists are like?

With all the years of experience, Chen Zheng should have already become indifferent to life and death. After killing someone, he had already taken another two lives. Yet, he believed they all deserved it—those people were bad! 

But today, Chen Zheng had doubts. Did those people really deserve to die? 

Was Huo Yuanjia in the right or wrong? Was Old Master Qin deserving of death? Were the people Chen Zheng had killed truly deserving of it?

Chen Zheng had received a higher education, where ideas like human rights and equality had greatly influenced him. He had once questioned those notions but always convinced himself with the reasoning that they "deserved death." 

But today, the scene before him seemed unable to justify that reasoning. 

He looked at Huo Yuanjia's disciples, smiling proudly, while the Qin family members were in mourning—two completely different worlds yet existing side by side. Chen Zheng felt like an outsider, observing them. He didn't know what emotions to feel—joy, sorrow, anger, or...?

"Senior Brother, Master has become the number one in Tianjin!" Sixth Brother excitedly tugged at Chen Zheng's arm.

"Oh," Chen Zheng responded distractedly.

"Let's go. Tonight, Master is hosting a banquet at Yingbin Lou," Sixth Brother continued. Yingbin Lou was another large hotel in Tianjin, and since the events at Gu Yue Lou were beyond repair, they would hold the celebration elsewhere.

"Let's go, Senior Brother!"

"You go ahead," Chen Zheng forced a smile. "I'm not feeling well, so I'll skip this one. I'll go back to rest."

"Senior Brother, you..." Sixth Brother noticed Chen Zheng's unusual behavior and grew concerned.

"I'm fine. You go ahead." Chen Zheng patted his shoulder, then turned and walked away.

Huo Yuanjia also noticed him. Looking at Chen Zheng's retreating figure, a flash of bitterness crossed his face. He wasn't sure what Chen Zheng was thinking, but then he laughed heartily, waving his hand. "Let's go! Today is a day worth celebrating, let's enjoy it!"

"Good!"

Chen Zheng didn't notice Huo Yuanjia's mood. He walked back to the Huo family estate alone, like a soulless being. 

The distance from Gu Yue Lou to the Huo family estate was over a mile. On a normal day, it would take just a few minutes for Chen Zheng to make the trip, but today he was in no state to hurry. He didn't know how long it took him to reach the Huo family gate.

"Why isn't the door closed?" Chen Zheng looked at the slightly ajar gate, puzzled. Even though the Huo family was a large clan, the gates should have been closed by now. 

"What's that smell?" A breeze blew by, and Chen Zheng's expression suddenly changed.

In addition to Huo Yuanjia, the family consisted of his mother, wife, and daughter. The rest were servants and disciples. Huo Yuanjia had no other siblings in this world. 

Tonight, since Huo Yuanjia was going for the title of Tianjin's number one, all the disciples had gone out to support him. Only the servants and the women of the Huo family remained at home. 

Before Chen Zheng had returned, a disciple had come back to report that Huo Yuanjia had earned the title of "Tianjin's number one." His mother had asked the servants to prepare food and drink for the celebration. The family of three waited eagerly for Huo Yuanjia's triumphant return. 

They were incredibly proud of him. As a martial arts family, they understood the significance of this title for Huo Yuanjia, both personally and for the entire family. 

Huo Yuanjia's five-year-old daughter, Huo Cui, didn't yet understand the meaning of this title, but she was proud of her father. She had made him a sachet with her own hands, intending to give it to him as a gift. However, they waited for the meal to cool, but Huo Yuanjia never returned. Instead, someone else arrived.

Qin Lang!

Qin Lang was very filial, and he had been the one who organized his father's birthday banquet. What should have been a joyous occasion had turned tragic.

As he carried his father's body back to the Qin family, Qin Lang's anger grew with every step. This should have been a day of celebration. How did it turn into this?

He wasn't a match for Huo Yuanjia, but the death of his father couldn't go unavenged. He grabbed the large knife his father had used to duel with Huo Yuanjia.

"Senior Brother, what are you doing?" one of his juniors asked.

"What do you think? Of course, I'm going to take revenge!" Qin Lang shouted, his eyes bloodshot.

"Senior Brother, Master signed a death warrant. Besides, you're no match for Huo Yuanjia!"

"Get my father's body back," Qin Lang ordered.

"Senior Brother…"

"Do you still know I'm Senior Brother? Don't you understand my words?" 

Usually, Qin Lang was highly respected among his juniors, and seeing him this furious, none of them dared to speak out. They could only watch as he walked off alone, knowing what he was planning.

Qin Lang knew he couldn't defeat Huo Yuanjia, but the need for vengeance burned in his heart. He knew confronting Huo Yuanjia directly was futile, but he would make him feel the pain of losing a loved one, just as he had. He decided to go to the Huo family. Huo Yuanjia would surely be celebrating, and he would turn his joy into sorrow.