C14 Codex of Fists

In the bustling tavern of Wreah County, the clamor of voices filled the air.

A man clad in black took a sip of wine and turned to his companion, "Hey, did you hear about the manager of Chen's Pawnshop? He's run into some trouble."

The burly man chuckled upon hearing this, "Heard about it? Good riddance, he was no good anyway."

The man in black nodded, "True, but there's something odd about it. Weren't he and the ministry councillor close friends? Why would he have a hand in his death?"

Narrowing his eyes, the burly man replied, "What's so odd about that? It's just a case of dog eat dog. Better yet, if that Hu fellow got taken down too."

Overnight, Wreah County was abuzz with two bizarre incidents, occurring less than an hour apart.

Firstly, Chen Kuo was found dead in front of his pawnshop, with no weapon in sight, yet a gash from a blade marred his back.

Secondly, a walking skeleton materialized at the city gates, promptly restrained by the guards and displayed atop the city walls as a warning.

Word of these oddities spread like wildfire throughout the city, quickly becoming common knowledge.

With Chen Kuo's murder, the ministry councillor who had sought him out for a meeting was promptly suspected. Arrested by the country government, he was cast into the depths of the jail.

Bound to a post, the ministry councillor was mercilessly whipped by two jailers, his torso a patchwork of wounds.

His cries for mercy were relentless as he pleaded his innocence.

"Lord Hu, save me!" he exclaimed upon spotting two figures entering the torture room.

"Enough," commanded Magistrate Hu with a dismissive gesture, his gaze icy as he addressed the ministry councillor, "Chen Kuo died right before your eyes, witnessed by many. Denials will get you nowhere."

The ministry councillor, in distress, implored, "I bear no ill will towards Chen. Why would I harm him? Lord Hu, I beg of you, show mercy and release me."

"If it wasn't you, then who?" barked Magistrate Hu.

Trembling with fear, the ministry councillor stammered, "I truly don't know."

"Uncle, allow me to question him," interjected Hu Ren, turning to the ministry councillor, "What was your business with Manager Chen? Was someone else pulling the strings?"

Ministry Councillor Zhang answered honestly, "No one directed me."

Hu Ren pressed on, "Then, did you witness who killed him?"

The Ministry Councillor replied, "I did not see anything."

With patience, Hu Ren inquired further, "Manager Chen was clearly wounded by a weapon. Where is that weapon now?"

Ministry Councillor Zhang continued to shake his head, saying, "I have no idea."

Was his ignorance genuine, or was he concealing something?

Magistrate Hu's face was seething with anger as he declared, "Fine, fine, if you refuse to confess, I see no point in wasting more time on you."

Hu Ren gestured with a wave of his hand, signaling the jailers to resume their punishment. The man was being exceedingly uncooperative.

The jailer lifted his whip and delivered a fierce lash across the back of the middle-aged Ministry Councillor.

"Ah!" the Ministry Councillor screamed in agony, "Lord Hu, for the sake of our past acquaintance, please have mercy on me. I truly know nothing."

Magistrate Hu, however, turned a deaf ear and strode out of the jail, with Hu Ren trailing closely behind him.

He harbored some suspicions but was reluctant to voice them.

The circumstances of Chen Kuo's death were peculiar, and with the recent sighting of a skeleton at the city gate, Hu Ren was convinced that these events were closely linked to Lee Fei.

It was a sign that their adversary was seeking vengeance and was likely concealed somewhere within the city. An enemy lurking in the shadows was the most fearsome, robbing one of peaceful slumber.

Hu Ren followed his uncle out of the jail, unfurling a paper umbrella to shield himself from the sunlight.

Since the day he was wounded by the skeleton, he had developed a peculiar illness; the wound itched incessantly, his appetite waned, and he grew photophobic.

Despite several prescriptions from the physician, his condition only worsened, and now his neck had begun to itch as well.

Magistrate Hu glanced back and inquired, "Zi Shan, why do you need an umbrella on such a sunny day?"

Hu Ren replied with a smile, "Uncle, my eyes are a bit sensitive, and I can't risk exposure to the sunlight."

He chose not to reveal the full extent of his affliction, thinking it wise to keep it to himself, especially since finding Lee Fei was imperative.

Magistrate Hu did not probe further. Suddenly, he was embraced by a figure whose tender form dissolved all his concerns.

He coughed and asked, "Qiao'er, what's the matter with you?"

Zhang Qiao'er wrapped her arms around his neck and replied, "Master, I am frightened."

Magistrate Hu seemed to recall something and remarked, "You must have gone into the prison. I told you to wait outside for me, but you wouldn't listen."

"Master..." Zhang Qiao'er clung to Magistrate Hu, her beautiful eyes gazing toward the horizon.

Young Master Lee wasn't captured, which terrified me. I'm not sure if he's hungry, or if he even spares a thought for me.

"Achoo..."

Lee Fei sneezed and rose from his bed, rubbing his nose. He mused aloud, "Could it be that someone is thinking of me? But who?"

With four skeleton soldiers on guard outside his door, Lee Fei wasn't concerned about any potential assassination attempts, allowing him to enjoy a peaceful night's sleep.

He had been far from idle the previous night.

With Heilong gone, Lee Fei naturally took over all of his wealth.

In Heilong's room, he discovered a large chest secured with a lock. However, this was no challenge for him; he applied his lock picking skills and the lock sprang open with ease.

Inside the chest, alongside a trove of gold and jewels, were several thousand taels of silver.

In addition to the treasure, Lee Fei found a codex of fists tucked in a corner, entitled Heavenly Breath Fist.

Turning the page, he read the opening lines: "Inhale and exhale, the cycle of life; hold and release the breath to cultivate purity. Refine the heart into spirit, the essence into form, the breath into life—such is the essence of the Yin and Yang's ebb and flow."

Just from the preface, it was clear that this was a Taoist martial arts manual.

Lee Fei donned his armor, washed his face with fresh water, and slung the crossbow over his shoulder – the same one the black dog had retrieved for him the night before.

Upon opening the door, Lee Fei was greeted by Zhao Ruyu standing outside, still clad in her short attire, seemingly unconcerned about her exposed skin. Her petite hands were playfully exploring the skeleton soldier's bony frame.

"Cough, cough," Lee Fei cleared his throat and smiled in greeting, "Good morning, second-in-command. Have you had breakfast?"

"You're so formal, even though I've told you that you can call me Ruyu," Zhao Ruyu chided softly.

Lee Fei kept his guard up internally, knowing well that 'This woman is adept with poisons and is certainly not as harmless as she seems.' He chuckled and replied, "Perhaps I should continue to address you as Miss Zhao in the future, to avoid any misunderstandings and protect your good name."

"What's in that head of yours, mush?" Zhao Ruyu teased, shaking her head and playfully pointing at Lee Fei's forehead.

"Ouch, I'm starving," Lee Fei recoiled and swiftly exited, saying, "The kitchen's that way, right? I'm off to find some food."

"You're quicker than a monkey. Are you scared I might gobble you up?" Zhao Ruyu withdrew her finger, watching Lee Fei hurry off, and lightly licked her lips.

She turned her attention back to the skeleton, saying cheerfully, "Unromantic fellow. At least you lot are the best – you don't run away from me."

Even up in the mountains, the kitchen was well-stocked with rice and flour. The mute old man responsible for cooking was eager to please, knowing Lee Fei was the new Head Honcho, and quickly prepared a feast.

Lee Fei couldn't finish all the food himself, so he called over the black dog, who had essentially become his little sidekick.

The black dog thanked him and dug in heartily, devouring the meal like a whirlwind, not even bothering to chew.

Watching this, Lee Fei was astonished and remarked, "You eat as if you're on the battlefield. Relax, no one's going to snatch your food away."

Wiping his mouth, the Black Dog chuckled. "Heh, I've been eating like this since I was a kid. It's become a habit. Sorry if I'm making you laugh, Head Honcho."

Lee Fei joined in the laughter, then added, "After we've eaten, gather all the brothers. I have an announcement to make."

The Black Dog nodded and thought to himself, "The Head Honcho seems really happy. Maybe he's planning to hand out some money?" But he only guessed half of the situation correctly.

The night before, Lee Fei had observed the bandits' combat tactics, which were as ineffective as ants trying to take down an elephant. Despite outnumbering their opponents three to one, they still suffered heavy casualties.

Their fighting strength was embarrassingly weak, so he decided to put them through rigorous training and offer a silver incentive.

He picked out a clearing and placed two chairs there. Sitting down, Lee Fei quietly kept track of the time.

Soon, the bandits arrived in dribs and drabs, standing haphazardly together, most looking gaunt and malnourished.

In small clusters, they eyed Lee Fei, who was seated before them, and murmured among themselves.

Before long, Zhao Ruyu approached. The sight of her struck fear into everyone, silencing their whispers.

Her beauty was undeniable, but her reputation for being "poisonous" was just as well known.

A path cleared for her instinctively, absent of any cheers or applause, filled only with genuine fear.

Zhao Ruyu confidently took a seat next to Lee Fei and inquired, "Little White Dragon, what are you up to?"

Lee Fei replied softly, "You'll find out soon enough, Miss Zhao."

The bandits, dazed and lacking in both combat strength and loyalty, were in dire need of reform.