Chapter 21: Death by Black Tiger Fist

Chen Luo refrained from disturbing Old Man Lao Liu. After pausing briefly and bowing to Aunt Wang, he continued on his way.

As he ventured deeper, the surroundings grew increasingly desolate.

The areas most devastated by the military disaster were those inhabited by impoverished civilians.

Nearly every few steps, Chen Luo saw someone burning paper offerings. Some families had lost one member, others were left with only one survivor, and there were even several households where all lights had gone dark forever, as no family member escaped unscathed.

This sight weighed heavily on his heart.

Finally, Chen Luo arrived at Third Uncle’s doorstep.

Glancing at the kicked-in wooden door and the pitch-black interior beyond, he stepped inside.

Upon entering, he felt soft black ash beneath his feet, covering the floor entirely.

It was evident that raiders had ransacked the house, leaving everything in disarray. Even the water storage jar in the courtyard lay shattered. The main hall appeared scorched by fire, its roof collapsed, while the side rooms remained intact, suggesting that someone might have extinguished the blaze later.

After scanning the area quickly, Chen Luo briskly walked towards the spot where Third Uncle had buried Wei-gonggong.

Despite Third Uncle’s expertise, the haste in which he acted likely left traces that could be detected if investigated closely.

“They really did come!” Chen Luo’s pupils narrowed slightly.

He squatted down to examine the area closely and quickly noticed something amiss.

The spot where Third Uncle had scattered lime appeared disturbed, and the black ash from burning Wei-gonggong’s clothes had been unearthed. Although partially obscured by the subsequent fire, different materials leave distinct ashes after combustion. Having worked as grave diggers for a long time, Chen Luo could discern these differences.

To someone with expertise, such traces served as clear clues.

“Was it people from the palace or others?”

Chen Luo stood up, carefully mixing the black ash back into the debris of burnt house remains. This matter was far from over. The individuals behind Wei-gonggong were exceptionally cautious; so far, Chen Luo still didn’t know who his enemies were.

However, he did have a potential lead: the county magistrate of Qingya County.

Initially, his motive was simply self-defense, but now there was another reason compelling him. Being constantly on the defensive was unsustainable; no one can guard themselves indefinitely. He needed to uncover the mastermind and eliminate them once and for all. Chen Luo had no desire to spend the rest of his life, along with Third Uncle, under the constant threat of unknown pursuers, fearing even to turn in their sleep.

“We can’t come back here anymore.”

Without lingering further, Chen Luo rose and stepped outside.

As he watched the distant civilians, moving like walking corpses, a realization dawned on him.

Strength!

Only immense power could ensure his survival with unwavering confidence. In this world, reasoning with others was futile unless one possessed the might to make them listen.

If not for having learned martial arts by chance, Chen Luo and Third Uncle might have ended up among these lifeless bodies strewn across the ground.

Taking a detour through an alleyway, Chen Luo returned to the street where he had dispatched two soldiers earlier.

Now, the street lay completely silent, devoid of any human presence.

The corpses had been cleared away, but no one seemed concerned about what transpired afterward. Death in Qingya County, already chaotic, was all too common. The remaining soldiers were hardly any better; rather than true military men, they were akin to bandits merely donning the facade of officialdom.

After ensuring the little girl’s safety, Chen Luo headed in another direction.

He decided to check on his master Cripple Ma and Shimei He Min.

Both were no ordinary individuals, with higher chances of survival compared to others.

Earlier, due to his insufficient strength, he could only protect Third Uncle. Now, having gained more capability, it was natural for him to care for those close to him as much as possible. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of mastering these martial arts?

Crossing the street, Chen Luo swiftly reached the cordoned area.

The once-blockaded neighborhood now lay abandoned, with no one overseeing it. As Chen Luo leaped over houses, he noticed several burnt-down buildings. These properties belonged to Lord Bai of Qingya County, seized after accusations of colluding with bandits. The houses had been ransacked, emptied of their contents, and even the walls partially torn down.

As he passed one such house, Chen Luo suddenly halted and landed gracefully within its courtyard.

Unlike other scorched areas, this courtyard remained remarkably intact, with the plants and flowers still flourishing untouched. Inside, the study appeared meticulously organized, complete with ink freshly ground in the inkstone. It seemed likely that a person of considerable importance had resided here before.

Chen Luo scanned his surroundings, ensuring no one was present before swiftly entering the room.

Inside, everything was clean and exuded a faint, pleasant fragrance. Chen Luo approached the desk, dipped his index finger into the inkstone, picked up some ink, and brought it to his nose for a sniff.

“Less than ten days ago.”

Based on the freshness of the ink, he estimated when the occupants had left this courtyard.

This timeframe coincided with Qingya County’s ‘uprising.’ The fact that these residents knew beforehand and departed early indicated their involvement or at least knowledge of the mastermind behind the so-called ‘bandit suppression.’

“Wang Chengguan?”

Chen Luo spotted this name written nearby on a document.

The handwriting was remarkably neat and forceful, reminiscent of sword strikes. Though not well-versed in calligraphy, even he could discern its quality.

Tucking the paper into his chest pocket, he searched the room further but found no additional useful clues. Satisfied, he resumed heading towards Cripple Ma’s residence.

With the detour, night had grown deeper.

A chill enveloped the war-torn county, intensifying its icy atmosphere.

Soon, Chen Luo arrived at the alley where Cripple Ma lived. Similar to Third Uncle’s neighborhood, this alley had also been ransacked. The stove next door was toppled over, windows scorched black with burnt paper remnants. Cripple Ma’s house showed similar signs of destruction; repair tools were missing, and nearby stools lay overturned.

The front gate hung half-open, swaying gently in the night breeze, emitting faint creaks.

Chen Luo glanced at the gate, then quickly surveyed the adjacent courtyard wall. Climbing over the wall would be safer than entering through the gate, avoiding any potential ambush.

With a light burst from his feet, he leaped like a swift bird, clearing the wall in just two steps. This maneuver relied on his inner qi, enhanced by Bone Tempering, which granted him greater control over his strength, enabling feats previously unachievable.

The courtyard stood empty inside.

Upon entering, Chen Luo noticed that his training equipment had been overturned; the sandbag lay discarded to one side, its canvas slashed open with sand strewn across the floor. The main hall’s door was forcibly broken, and even the intact panels bore deep knife marks.

Quickly approaching the doorway, Chen Luo stepped over the threshold just in time to see a corpse lying inside.

His heart tightened as he swiftly turned the body over.

It was an unfamiliar face.

“Thankfully.” Chen Luo sighed in relief, but soon realized something amiss.

The body appeared to have died from a punch, specifically the lethal move from Black Tiger Fist—the Black Tiger Heart-Claw!

With this thought, Chen Luo ripped open the person’s clothing and discovered a hole in their chest where the heart had been removed.

“Could Master Ma have killed this man with his fist?”

As Chen Luo touched the wound, he sensed a familiar residual power from the Black Tiger Fist technique.