Chapter 1: Misstep into the Devil's Lair, Nine Dragons Appear

  Shijiazhuang

  The rooster crowed three times, and outside the window was still a hazy white. Shi Jin sat up and couldn't sleep anymore. He thought about the recent bandits on Mount Shao Huashan, whose movements were getting bigger and bigger, and he also thought about his father, Shi Taigong, who had been worried and suffering from insomnia due to the banditry. Shi Jin looked at him with a pained heart, but couldn't think of any good solution. Even thinking about it now was not pleasant.

  Father is the head of Huayin County and also the master of this Shi family village. Hearing that the gang of bandits will soon raid Huayin County, at this critical moment of life and death, both for public and private reasons, we should be prepared to take precautions in advance. The city gate catches fire, and the fish in the moat are affected, this principle Shijin understands very well.

  But all he knew was some stick and gun tricks, and the big Zhuang family were just a bunch of rough men. The county government was too busy to care about anything else, where would they send troops to protect... Thinking of this, Shi Jin couldn't help but let out a deep sigh, got dressed and went out the door.

  Shi Jin took up his staff and went to the rear stable, where there was no one around, the space was wide and open, it was Shi Jin's usual place for martial arts practice. Shi Jin took off his green cloth jacket, patted his palms, and started practicing with his bare upper body. The staff swept through the air, flying up and down, making a whooshing sound. With each strike and sweep, it seemed like a dragon's roar. His movements were not only light and agile, but also elegant and beautiful.

  Just as Shi Jin was about to make his move, Yu Guangzhong suddenly saw someone standing under the eaves of the house at the corner. He was wearing a coarse linen brown robe, and his height was average, but his build was very sturdy, especially those eyes, which were extremely sharp.

  Shi Jin saw that the man was just standing there with his hands behind his back, and he felt a powerful aura emanating from him, as if he could suppress Shi Jin's spear energy with just this posture.

  Shi Jin looked down, somewhat surprised, but the stick in his hand didn't stop or slow down, instead it became more vigorous, using all the moves he had learned from over a dozen martial artists to make that person secretly admire him.

  That man had clearly seen his move, and was about to leave, but before he could take a step back, he couldn't budge. Shi Jin also felt it at this moment, those sharp eyes were staring tightly at the illusory gun stick. Shi Jin felt a bit more comfortable in his heart, thinking: He must have never seen such a gun stick before, just looking at its appearance would make him dizzy, if he knew the secrets within, wouldn't he be scared silly?

  The staff held by Shi Jin was about three zhang long, with a thickness of about the wrist, and its entire body shone brightly like silver. On its surface floated dragon scales patterns. When wielded, a blue light flashed, as if dragon scales were flying about, dripping and dotting, confusing people's eyes, illusory and false, bewildering people's minds.

  As Shi Jin finished his gun and stick kung fu, he heard a sudden "ah" of amazement from behind him. Without even turning his head, he knew that it was the dragon scales that had startled the man, for at the moment when his movements had reached their extreme and were about to become still, the lifelike nine dragons tattoo on his back had suddenly appeared before the man's eyes.

  Shi Jin hadn't even had time to turn around when he heard the man take a deep breath. Shi Jin thought to himself, "This guy must think my spear skills are impressive and has surrendered in his heart." Thinking this, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of pride. But unexpectedly, he heard the man quietly sigh and mutter to himself, "He's using fancy spear moves, but can't defeat a true master... what a pity about that rod."

  Shi Jin heard this and suddenly became angry, turned his face to look at the stranger under the eaves, and said with some annoyance: "Sneaking around to watch me practice my staff, do you think you're a good man? You dare to mock my moves, let me test your heroism!" After speaking, he jumped aside and kicked a staff towards him.

  That man caught it in his hand at the time, Shi Jin had already shaken a stick shape, intending to try.

  "My son, you're being too rude!"

  A shout was heard. Shi Jin looked in the direction of the sound and saw his father, Shi Taigong, walking towards him with slow steps.

  Shi Taigong didn't speak to him first, but smiled at the stranger and exchanged a courtesy with him.

  "Please don't be alarmed, sir," said Shi Taigong. "This is just my young son, whose name contains the character 'jin'. From a young age, he has enjoyed playing with spears and staffs, and I'm afraid he may have startled you."

  That man smiled slightly and said, "Ta Gong is worrying too much. I also know a bit about guns and sticks. If Ta Gong doesn't mind, I can accompany him to practice, so he won't be lonely."

  Shi Jin heard this and immediately called out, shaking his sleeves, wanting to exchange blows with the man. The man humbly declined several times, until Shi Taigong openly advised him, saying "If there's any injury, it's his own fault" before he dared to show off a bit.

  The two men opened up the formation in the courtyard, each holding one side, and carefully began to circle around. The man made a move, then held the stick firmly in his hand, no longer moving.

  Shi Jin looked into his eyes, and the blood in his heart that had just been calm suddenly lost its patience. He thought to himself that this guy probably didn't have any tricks up his sleeve, and at this moment, he was probably anxious and losing his skills. Let me take him down a peg and make him reveal his true form. With that thought, a hint of disdain flashed across the corner of his mouth, and with a flick of his wrist, he launched an attack called "Holding Fire to Scorch Heaven".

  This move, although a single form, actually conceals a follow-up move. Using this form to feign an attack, the enemy's hand will inevitably reverse and dodge, then you can take advantage of the momentum to strike with precision, and by that time, your opponent will be at the end of their strength, unable to dodge, and must hit a vital spot.

  Shi Jin was also thinking along the same lines. But as soon as he made a move, that person just stood still, blocking the entrance with his staff, without even shifting his feet. Shi Jin launched an attack, but had no choice but to use the "dead horse as a living doctor" trick, using the "open door and see the mountain" move to strike down with his staff. With the power of ten thousand kilograms, borrowing the staff's high and mighty momentum, like Mount Tai pressing down on one's head, it came crashing down towards him. The airflow was stirred up, whistling and howling like a dragon's cry, as the staff's body shone brightly, transforming into countless dragon scales.

  That man didn't dare to be careless, he gathered his spirit and carefully observed. The stick approached his forehead before he could distinguish between reality and illusion. He hastily withdrew the stick and made a slanting stroke to dissipate the force of the blow. As a result, Shi Jing's rod tip was pressed into the ground with great force, stirring up a cloud of dust and smoke, and only then did the remaining force dissipate completely.

  Shi Jin's heart was filled with anger, and he loudly shouted: "You dare to use such a petty trick again? Come on, let's have another round!" As soon as he finished speaking, he shook his rod tip, like a dragonfly touching the water, and stabbed at that person repeatedly. Every move was aimed at the vital points in front of him.

  That man was secretly delighted, never having thought that this young whippersnapper had a few tricks up his sleeve, and couldn't help but feel a sense of "this kid is teachable". However, he was naturally impulsive, so wielding the staff wasn't particularly stable. That man intentionally pointed out Shi Jing, and decided to first crush his impulsiveness. As soon as that thought flashed by, he moved extremely quickly.

  Shi Jin only saw him waving his stick to provoke, and immediately sealed off his own path, without waiting for another way. The man then took a deep breath and chopped and hit, sealing off Shi's path completely.

  Just as Shi Jin was shocked, he didn't expect that his staff had been seized by the man with a swift move and held firmly.

  The outcome has already been decided after this move.

  Shi Taigong watched with relish, clapping his hands repeatedly. He had already made up his mind to ask the master to teach his son. His mouth couldn't help but praise him endlessly.

  At this moment, Shi Jin's heart was also in awe, but because of his pride, he couldn't back down, and for a moment, he felt somewhat embarrassed. Unconsciously, his thoughts were stirred up.

  That person saw no need to continue, was about to withdraw his hand and salute, when he suddenly felt the staff in his hand burning hot. A dragon's roar whizzed by, a silver staff instantly disassembled and reassembled, forming a fire spear, a silver dragon piercing through the gun body.

  At this moment, Shi Jin steadily held the hilt of the dragon's tail gun, and the deep dragon's mouth was coldly facing that person's face. A slender index finger mixed with Shi Jin's faint smile, and it was impossible to guess when he pulled the trigger.