The Black Ghost, now blocked by Wei Changle, revealed a cold and murderous gleam in his eyes.

Without hesitation, he barked, "Then I’ll kill you!"

With a sharp shout, Black Ghost leapt from his horse like a hawk, diving directly at Wei Changle. His right hand clenched into a fist, and he swung it toward Wei Changle’s face with the force of a crashing boulder, the punch carrying an explosive wind.

"Second Young Master, be careful!" Zhu Nu couldn’t help but call out in alarm.

Wei Changle remained unflinching. Seeing Black Ghost’s airborne punch coming straight at him, he didn’t even hesitate—he clenched his right fist, channeling all his strength into it, and threw a punch directly at Black Ghost’s incoming fist.

Fist against fist.

"Crack!"

The sound of bones fracturing resounded as their fists collided with brutal force.

Wei Changle sat firmly on his horse, steady as a rock, while Black Ghost was sent flying backward. Upon landing, he stumbled several steps before managing to stabilize himself.

Black Ghost slowly raised his right hand, his entire arm trembling violently. His right hand’s bones had been shattered, the searing pain unbearable, as cold sweat poured from his face.

Wei Changle felt a surge of confidence. Steady on his feet now, he dismounted from his horse and began walking toward Black Ghost with deliberate steps, a mocking smile curling on his lips. "So it was you saying earlier about ‘destroying the evidence’? Damn, I thought you’d be stronger. You think wearing a mask makes you a master? Pathetic—I’m here to beat so-called ‘masters’ like you."

Beneath the Black Ghost’s mask, his venomous eyes now flickered with fear. He instinctively took a step back, muttering under his breath, "Sh... Shi Gang? No… impossible…!"

But Wei Changle gave him no chance to recover. Like a leopard, he pounced toward Black Ghost.

Even with his right arm crippled, Black Ghost didn’t back down. Letting out a low growl, he charged forward to meet Wei Changle head-on.

Wei Changle's right fist swung with the force of a gale.

Black Ghost suddenly ducked low, his left fist shooting upward toward Wei Changle's abdomen.

He knew his strength couldn’t match Wei Changle’s head-on, so he resorted to a cunning maneuver. He crouched to avoid Wei Changle’s punch and seized the opening to deliver a powerful strike aimed at Wei Changle's midsection.

If this punch landed, Wei Changle wouldn’t die immediately, but his internal organs would be severely damaged, leaving him incapacitated.

Wei Changle's punch missed, and Black Ghost's fist was mere inches away from his abdomen.

Just as it seemed Black Ghost’s attack would land, Wei Changle reacted in an instant. With a swift inward sweep of his left leg, it was as though a thousand-pound rod had swung across. Black Ghost realized too late how sharp Wei Changle’s reflexes were. Without enough time to dodge, there was a resounding "bang" as Wei Changle’s leg struck Black Ghost squarely in the waist.

Wei Changle had anticipated that Black Ghost would dodge his punch, and he had already prepared for this, using the missed punch to set up his sweeping kick.

Black Ghost let out a muffled grunt as he was sent flying, landing heavily in the snow.

As he hit the ground, a sharp pain radiated from his waist—he suspected his waist had been broken. The agony was indescribable.

Before he could even attempt to rise, Wei Changle was already upon him, pinning him down with one knee against his chest.

"Bang!"

Without a word, Wei Changle raised his fist and slammed it into Black Ghost’s face, shattering his mask into pieces.

"This punch is for the old innkeeper."

"Bang!"

"This punch is for the young worker."

"Bang!"

"And this punch is for myself!"

Wei Changle vented all his anger, delivering punch after punch. Black Ghost’s face became a shattered mess, blood spurting everywhere, leaving him unrecognizable. By the end, Black Ghost was barely hanging onto life, his breath shallow.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves pierced the night. Wei Changle looked up to see the one assassin who had yet to act turning his horse around and fleeing, abandoning his comrades without hesitation.

Wei Changle was momentarily stunned.

These four had donned masks and cloaks, appearing formidable, and he had assumed they were all highly skilled. Yet one had died from his own poison, another couldn’t take a hit, and now this one was running away at the first sign of trouble. How disappointing.

Without waiting for orders, Zhu Nu let out a shout, spurred his horse, and gave chase.

"You little brat! Why are you acting all brave?" Old Wei Gu, seated behind Zhu Nu, scolded loudly. "Second Young Master hasn’t said to chase—"

But Zhu Nu ignored him completely, galloping into the night at full speed and quickly disappearing from view.

Wei Changle turned his attention back to the barely alive Black Ghost, sneering, "A fancy decoration—looks impressive but completely useless. You’re nothing but trash."

Black Ghost, his consciousness fading from the beating, coughed up blood and muttered weakly, "Shi… Shi Gang… Shi… Gang…!"

"What did you say?" Wei Changle snapped, landing another punch and growling, "Can’t even speak properly? Speak clearly!"

The group had murdered the innkeeper and his assistant, leaving Wei Changle seething with rage. His punches showed no mercy.

With that final punch, the Black Ghost, who was still muttering incoherently, suddenly fell silent.

Wei Changle paused, reaching out to feel the man’s breath. He was stunned to find that the Black Ghost was no longer breathing.

"Damn, my punches are that strong? How did I beat him to death in just a few hits?" Wei Changle muttered, spitting on the ground. "Didn’t you say you’d kill me? Well, I said if you couldn’t kill me, I’d kill you. A man’s got to keep his word."

Having killed someone, Wei Changle didn’t feel panic or anxiety—instead, he felt a cathartic sense of relief from venting his anger.

Suddenly, a soft and calm voice came from behind him. "He was saying ‘Lion Gang.’"

Wei Changle turned around to find Fu Wenjun standing behind him, though he hadn’t noticed when she arrived.

Without her cloak, Fu Wenjun’s figure was fully revealed: a delicate waist and a full chest, graceful and curvaceous. Her enchanting appearance carried a sensual charm that didn’t quite match her usual reserved demeanor, like a ripe fruit ready to be picked.

"You killed the Fanged Masked Man?" Wei Changle looked toward the distance and faintly made out a figure lying in the snow.

Fu Wenjun simply replied with a soft "Mm," her voice calm and indifferent, as though she hadn’t just taken a life. "You came back to help me, so I owe you another favor."

Wei Changle gave her a thumbs-up and grinned. "Impressive. But don’t worry about it; I came to avenge the innkeeper. Your business doesn’t concern me—I won’t hold you to this favor." While saying this, he couldn’t help but admire Fu Wenjun’s skill. She had already dealt with the Fanged Masked Man while he was busy with the Black Ghost. Truly, this woman was formidable.

"Regardless, you turned back to help. I’ll remember this favor," Fu Wenjun said.

She wasn’t just skilled—she was honorable and fair. The more Wei Changle interacted with her, the more he found her admirable.

"By the way, what did you just say? Lion… something?" he asked.

"Lion Gang," Fu Wenjun replied softly. Her tone was calm as she explained, "The Three Ghosts of Lüliang aren’t particularly strong, but they’re notorious for their evil deeds. They’ve been lying low for the past two years, and yet they suddenly appear now." She glanced at the snow-covered corpse of the Black Ghost and added, "The one you killed had been practicing the Great Stone-Splitting Fist for over 20 years. Plenty of people have died at his hands."

"Great Stone-Splitting Fist?"

"It’s not an exceptional martial art, but it’s not easy to deal with for someone with ordinary strength," Fu Wenjun said. "I was surprised you managed to defeat him. I see now—it’s because you’ve cultivated the Lion Gang Qi."

Wei Changle raised his hand to stop her. "Wait. Lady Fu, you’re saying I’ve cultivated Lion Gang Qi? I don’t know anything about that. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?"

In his memories, while his body’s host had grown up in the military and practiced some basic swordsmanship and martial arts, there was no recollection of anything related to Lion Gang Qi.

"It doesn’t matter if you deny it. Whether you’ve cultivated it or not has nothing to do with me," Fu Wenjun said dismissively. She turned around, picked up her cloak from the ground, and draped it back over her shoulders.

As she moved, her elegant and curvaceous figure caught Wei Changle’s eye. He couldn’t help but ask again, "Lady Fu, what exactly is Lion Gang Qi?"

"You truly don’t know?" Fu Wenjun turned back, looking at him with suspicion. "The Lion, Tiger, and Elephant Gangs are three types of supreme martial Qi. Mastering even one of them can solidify one’s path in life. However, they’ve been lost to the martial world for many years. For the Wei family to have access to Lion Gang Qi—impressive indeed."

Wei Changle grew increasingly confused. Judging by Fu Wenjun’s tone, this Lion Gang Qi was no ordinary skill.

But he genuinely had no memory of anything related to Lion Gang Qi.

"They say the second son of the Wei family was born with immense strength. Now I see—it’s not innate strength but the result of cultivating Lion Gang Qi," Fu Wenjun remarked. She walked over to the Black Ghost’s horse, grabbed the unconscious Song Kun, and effortlessly tossed him onto the horse’s back. She continued, "Lion, Tiger, and Elephant Gangs represent pure, unyielding strength. However, if one’s body isn’t suited for it, practicing it can cause severe harm. For you to have reached this level means your body must be naturally extraordinary."

"You’re so knowledgeable—amazing!" Wei Changle exclaimed. Then, his eyes darted around as he hesitated before carefully saying, "Lady Fu, do you remember the favor you owe me?"

His face turned slightly red. Though it was true she owed him a favor, saying it out loud still felt a bit awkward.

Fu Wenjun nodded. "I’ll remember it and repay it in the future."

"We’ll deal with the future when it comes," Wei Changle said, straightening his clothes. With a serious expression, he continued, "But I have something I’d like to ask of you now—please don’t refuse."

"What is it?" Fu Wenjun asked directly. "As long as it’s within my ability, I’ll do my best."

"You’re knowledgeable and skilled," Wei Changle began, hesitating for a moment before finally blurting out, "I want to become your disciple. Will you accept me as your student?"

[--------------------------------------------]

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