Wang Hu, Black Cloud Fist Armor

Early the next morning, when the sky was only just beginning to brighten, the servants in the rear courtyard had just delivered breakfast. Wang Yue and Xu Li hurriedly finished eating. Instead of going to the training grounds to practice their fists as usual, they headed for Wang Hu's private residence, Tiger Roar Residence.

The autumn morning breeze carried a faint chill. Xu Li walked ahead with somewhat hurried steps, occasionally turning back to glance at Wang Yue, his eyes carrying a trace of nervousness.

Wang Yue followed behind, his hands tucked into his sleeves as he silently considered how to deal with Wang Hu once they met.

His fingertips still lightly rubbed the sheet of rice paper bearing the character for "fist." He had deliberately brought it with him yesterday, though he did not know whether it would prove useful.

Before long, the two arrived at the entrance to Tiger Roar Residence. The red lanterns still hung above the courtyard gate, but without their nighttime glow, they looked somewhat dim.

Xu Li stepped forward and lightly knocked on the door. "Foster Father, I've brought Wang Yue."

"Enter." Wang Hu's deep voice came from inside. Just as when Xu Li had come before, there was no unnecessary small talk.

Xu Li pushed open the door, moved aside to let Wang Yue enter first, then followed behind and quietly retreated to the doorway.

Wang Yue entered the room. There was now a steaming teacup on the table. Wang Hu sat behind it with a booklet in hand, only slowly raising his eyes when Wang Yue came in.

Just as Wang Yue was about to cup his hands in salute, Wang Hu suddenly rose!

His movements were as swift as a phantom. Wang Yue did not even see how he had stood or stepped forward. He only felt his vision blur, and a figure was already standing beside him.

Immediately afterward, a rough, powerful hand suddenly seized Wang Yue's left upper arm. Its fingers clamped tightly around his arm before violently shaking it!

"Hm?" Wang Hu's voice held a trace of puzzlement. Looking down at Wang Yue's arm, he muttered, "How strange... When I watched you practice your fists before, I guessed that you had Supreme-Grade Root Bone. But this root bone of yours cannot even be counted as high-grade."

He released his hand and took two steps back, sizing Wang Yue up and down, his eyes full of scrutiny. "Without body-nourishing medicines to supplement you, and without anyone giving you daily guidance, you still succeeded in Blood Condensation within a month. Your fist techniques have also progressed at such a startling pace..."

As he spoke, Wang Hu's gaze suddenly grew unfocused, as though he had recalled something from the past. In a low voice, he said, "When I was young, I once saw a youth in Hanshan Circuit carrying a small crimson cauldron. That youth's root bone was poor as well, yet his cultivation advanced at incredible speed. Later, his name spread throughout all of Hanshan Circuit. Even I, far away in a county under Xunlong Prefecture, had heard of his reputation."

"The world is vast indeed; there is no end to its wonders." Wang Hu shook his head, gathering his thoughts and fixing his gaze on Wang Yue once more. His tone returned to calm. "I had someone look into it for you. You only have Middle-Grade Root Bone. It is not high-grade, but neither is it low. Yet your cultivation speed far surpasses that of disciples with the same root bone."

He paused, his tone becoming more solemn. "But after succeeding in Blood Condensation, the martial path will no longer be so simple. Cultivation resources, weapons for fighting others, protective armor for defending yourself—you cannot lack any of them."

Having said that, Wang Hu turned toward Xu Li by the door and waved his hand. "Go outside and wait first. I have some matters to discuss with Wang Yue."

Xu Li froze for a moment, then hurriedly nodded. "Yes, Foster Father." With that, he quietly backed out and shut the door behind him.

Only Wang Yue and Wang Hu remained in the room, and the atmosphere grew heavy for a time.

After pondering for a moment, Wang Yue cupped his hands and said, "Please explain in detail, Uncle-Master Wang. What does this disciple need to do?"

Wang Hu walked to the table and took a sip from the teacup before slowly saying, "I have some private trivial matters that are not involved with the clan's business and need people to handle them. The clan's own disciples have their eyes above their heads, and their mouths are not tight enough."

He set down the teacup and looked directly at Wang Yue. "There are risks in handling these matters, but I will not have you work for nothing. Not only will you get to learn the ways of the world beyond the clan, I can also provide you with a handy weapon. It will be useful for practicing your fists and dealing with trouble in the future."

If you can't find the book by searching its title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

Wang Yue's heart tightened. He could feel the weight behind Wang Hu's words, but he still forced himself to ask, "Uncle-Master, these matters specifically are...?"

Wang Hu looked at him. A faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth, but it held no warmth. "Killing people, transporting goods, collecting debts. Do you dare?"

Wang Yue inwardly sighed. As expected, this was no easy favor. Wang Hu had not given him any chance to refuse.

He drew a deep breath and cupped his hands. "This disciple is willing to act according to Uncle-Master's orders."

Upon hearing this, Wang Hu's stern face suddenly broke into hearty laughter. He patted Wang Yue on the shoulder. "Rest assured, I will not send you to your death. Do as much as your ability allows; I will not make you do anything beyond your capabilities. Back then, when I wanted a job, I had to beg grandfathers and plead with grandmothers."

Wang Yue felt slightly relieved.

Wang Hu turned and walked to the cabinet in the corner. Bending down, he dragged out a heavy wooden box from the lowest shelf. It let out a creak as he opened it. Dark red velvet lined the inside, where a pair of pitch-black iron fist armor rested. Deep and shallow sword and blade marks could clearly be seen across the gauntlets' surface.

Yet the fist armor had been polished until it gleamed.

"This is a low-grade first-rank weapon, Black Cloud Fist." Wang Hu picked up the iron fist armor and handed it to Wang Yue, his tone carrying a measure of solemnity. "It can completely cover everything from the fist to the forearm. It was forged from a mixture of submerged wood and iron sand. It looks heavy, but it will not hinder your fist techniques in the slightest. On the contrary, you can borrow its weight to increase the force of your punches."

Wang Yue reached out and took it. It was indeed heavy in his hands, yet more nimble than he had imagined. Fine leather lining covered the inside of the gauntlet, fitting the curve of his palm, while the straps around the forearm could secure it firmly in place. He tried throwing a few punches and felt not the slightest sluggishness.

Lowering his head, he looked at the slash marks on the gauntlets. He could imagine that this pair of iron fists had gone through many battles, yet they had been maintained exceptionally well. Their gleaming surface carried the heavy presence of one seasoned by countless battlefields.

Suddenly, a prompt indicating it could be extracted flashed across Black Cloud Fist. Wang Yue suppressed the tremor in his heart and put Black Cloud Fist away.

"Take Black Cloud Fist with you when you handle the matter tomorrow."

Wang Hu pointed at the black face covering and fitted black clothing in the wooden box. "The towns outside the city are a place where fish and dragons mingle. The black clothes will conceal your build, while the face covering will hide half your face, leaving only your eyes exposed. Do not reveal your identity. Hide Black Cloud Fist in the sleeves of the black clothes, and only strike when trouble arises. You can catch them off guard."

Wang Yue nodded in agreement, placed Black Cloud Fist back into the wooden box, then picked up the black clothes and face covering. The fabric was thick yet soft, and indeed would not restrict movement.

Wang Hu took a folded slip of paper from a drawer and handed it over. "The address and the borrower's name are on the note. Set out early tomorrow morning and return before sunset. Your first task will not be difficult. You are only collecting a debt. Do not reveal the Wang Clan token unless absolutely necessary."

Wang Yue understood at once. It was likely because they feared tarnishing the Wang Clan's name. Loan sharking would never earn a good reputation.

He accepted the note, carefully folded it, and tucked it into his chest. Then he held the wooden box in his hands and cupped his fists. "Thank you, Uncle-Master. This disciple will remember."

Wang Hu nodded and waved his hand. "Go on now. Xu Li is still waiting outside. I will summon you again if there is anything."

Holding the wooden box, Wang Yue cupped his hands in salute, then turned and walked out. The moment he pushed open the door, he saw Xu Li standing not far from the entrance. Seeing the heavy wooden box in his arms, curiosity flashed through Xu Li's eyes, but he did not ask. He merely stepped forward and said, "Wang Yue, what did Foster Father say to you?"

Wang Yue shifted the wooden box behind his back and replied blandly, "Nothing much. He only asked me to help him with something and gave me something useful."

He did not say more about Black Cloud Fist. The weapon was connected to a private task; the fewer people who knew, the better. If Wang Hu had wanted Xu Li to know, he would not have sent him outside earlier.

Seeing that Wang Yue was unwilling to say more, Xu Li did not press further. He only said, "Then let's head back."