In the Lixing Pawnshop, Li Yan found no items of use. He heard that an old Daoist, who had succumbed to drug addiction, had once sold an object of dubious origin at a very low price. Its description bore a striking resemblance to a fragment from the "Ancient Novel Sinker Records," but it had already been purchased by someone else. The shopkeeper's memory of the details was hazy, and Li Yan's indirect probing yielded no results.

Over the following days, Li Yan experienced several premonitions. One of the fragmented manuscripts remained stationary; Li Yan learned that its location was where the Dragon City Committee held its meetings, accessible only to a few executive members and those close to them.

Another fragment, however, behaved quite playfully. As Li Yan approached, it would move away, and when he ignored it, it would stealthily draw near.

After several encounters, Li Yan was almost certain that the person in possession of this fragment was aware of his existence.

Perhaps, like him, they were another.

Initially, Li Yan hadn't considered this possibility, but after reflecting on his encounter with the Tapir, he was nearly convinced that he wasn't the only Yan Fu Wanderer.

The two had not met over these days. Compared to Li Yan's aggressive nature, the other party seemed much more cautious. Yet, Li Yan could feel that they were close to breaking their restraint. The day of confrontation with this potential adversary was not far off.

The sky was already dark as Li Yan sat on his apartment bed, gently caressing the pale yellow pages of the manuscript fragment in his hands.

Despite its fragile appearance, the texture felt surprisingly durable. The two fragments he held depicted two monsters.

One had the semblance of neither sheep nor pig, with eyes drawn in pale red lines that looked bewitchingly enchanting. In the lower left corner, the character for 'Ao' was written.

Li Yan flipped the paper over to reveal tiny, dense script.

"During the time of Duke Mu of Qin, a man from Chencang unearthed a strange object; its form resembled neither dog nor sheep, and none could name it. Taken to be presented to Duke Mu, it encountered two children on the way. The children said, 'This is called Ao, which usually dwells underground, feasting on the brains of the dead. If you wish to kill it, pierce its head with cypress.' The Ao then said, 'Those two children are named Chen Bao; capturing the male will make one a king, the female a hegemon.' The man from Chencang released the Ao to chase the children, who transformed into pheasants and flew into the Pinglin woods. The man reported this to Duke Mu, who then organized a grand hunt and indeed captured the female."

Li Yan turned his attention to the other fragment, which depicted a bizarre figure with five eyes and flowing hair and beard, with the words 'Qi Gong Shi' inscribed in the lower right corner.

On the reverse side, it read: "Qi Gong Shi, skilled in wondrous craftsmanship, could make a Flying Carriage to travel far with the wind."

"How interesting," Li Yan murmured, frowning.

The manuscript fragment exuded an air of mystery and antiquity from the medieval era. Unfortunately, despite being twenty-five years old, Li Yan was not well-versed in these ancient and fantastic tales that had been passed down through Chinese history. It was difficult for him to discern any secrets from them.

In the annals of Chinese mythological history, the Guhuo Bird, the ancient Ao, the clan of Qi Gong, and even the self-proclaimed Tapir are but phantasms and heretical apparitions, mere fabrications of fancy. Yet, that corpulent figure had indeed escorted Li Yan into the heart of the Nine Dragons Fortress Village.

Amidst the fierce combat with He Andong, Li Yan personally experienced the mystical potency of "A Fleeting Glance." The hoarse, deep voice that addressed him claimed to be the Yan Fu Wanderer. But what, then, is Yan Fu?

"Let's contemplate these questions upon my return," Li Yan thought, setting the conundrum aside. He proceeded to exchange his Hong Kong dollars for Yan Fu Points, keeping just over two thousand in cash.

On this tenth day, Li Yan had fought and triumphed in successive battles, amassing just over one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, equating to eighteen Yan Fu Points. To gather the three hundred points required within a month seemed an unlikely feat, yet Li Yan had his own stratagem.

He had deduced that only legitimately earned Hong Kong dollars could be converted into Yan Fu Points. Money that was truly his own either came through contractual means, such as earnings from the boxing ring or even wages from manual labor. In contrast, ill-gotten gains from acts like robbery needed to pass a forty-eight-hour period before becoming eligible for exchange.

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Li Yan had secreted away some of the Hong Kong dollars pilfered by He Andong and his accomplices, confirming this rule. Of course, under the watchful eyes of the police, the sum was not substantial.

Furthermore, borrowed money could never be exchanged for Yan Fu Points, regardless of the duration; even if one had the audacity to never repay the debt, it was futile.

"You have spent ten Yan Fu Points to purchase the ES Hematopoietic Cell Enhancer. This item can only be acquired once during the current Yanfu Incident."

ES Hematopoietic Cell Enhancer: Function briefly noted.

Usage instructions are as follows:

1. When treating a range of blood disorders, including abnormal hematopoietic cells, it induces strong somnolence. Please use in a safe location.

2. Wandering Lords with Bloodline Type Skills or those with blood anomalies due to their heritage may experience unpredictable results upon injecting this substance. Proceed with caution.

3. This item does not cure blood-related diseases. If the condition is severe, Wandering Lords should consider purchasing the ES Cell Completion Supplement.

In recent days, Li Yan's condition had taken a turn for the worse. His life was already measured in months, and the relentless duels in the boxing ring had taken their toll. On one occasion, after swiftly dispatching an opponent in the blink of an eye, he stepped out of the ring only to find his nosebleed unceasing.

Even Red Ghost noticed something was off with Li Yan and advised him to take a break. Therefore, Li Yan decided to use the Strengthening Injection first, fearing any mishaps.

Before him lay a Handgun Syringe with a pronounced metallic sheen, exuding a sense of technology that transcended eras. Interestingly, as Li Yan injected the substance into his veins, the used Handgun Syringe dissolved into a stream of black data and vanished into thin air.

The effect of the device was immediate. Soon, Li Yan felt his eyelids grow heavy, and a warmth spread throughout his body. He carefully tucked away two Fragmented Manuscripts and promptly fell into a deep slumber.

This sleep stretched unbroken until four in the afternoon the following day!

Upon reopening his eyes, Li Yan felt as though he had awakened to an entirely new world.

Every breath he took was imbued with a sense of exhilarating satisfaction.

High fever, bleeding, and, most perilously, the bone-deep pain—Li Yan had endured it all, sweating in silent agony.

To outsiders, he dominated the Boxing Ring, overpowering all challengers so that none could withstand him beyond fifteen breaths. His reputation as Yama grew increasingly formidable.

But only he knew the truth: swift victory was his only strategy. In his condition, he simply lacked the stamina for a prolonged fight.

Li Yan rose to his feet, his palms rotating inward and outward, his feet positioning and hooking, his left arm bending at the elbow, his right hand covering it, knees coming together, waist twisting, hips wrapping—a series of Single Change Palms flowed smoothly without a hint of stiffness. Only Li Yan was aware of the subtle shifts of internal force within. For a moment, he even felt as though he had fully recovered.

His Ericsson phone on the bed suddenly rang. Li Yan picked it up—it was Judy's voice.

"Ah Yan, are you free tonight?"

"There's no fight for me tonight, so of course I am. What's up, Sister Judy? Need someone to carry your shopping bags again?"

The woman on the other end chuckled, "I did buy a bit more, and you're still teasing me about it. I'm bored. Come with me to Fuyi tonight to watch the boxing. There's a New Blood in the sixth ring who's quite fierce. Come and see if he's a match for you."

"Sister Judy's wish is my command."

Li Yan fumbled on the bed for a moment before grabbing his jacket and draping it over his shoulders.

"What time tonight?"

"I'll be there around eight. Don't make me wait for you."

"Alright."

Li Yan hung up the phone with Judy.

The wall was lined with paper bags, filled with clothes, a watch, ties, and even cologne—all gifts from Judy to Li Yan. He had arranged them neatly, setting them aside with care.

His face was a shifting tapestry of shadows and light as he glanced at the objects before him, his thoughts inscrutable.

...

Fuk Yee Mansion

"Brother Yan, what brings you here? There's no fight scheduled for you today."

Black Swallowtail greeted Li Yan with a smile. These days, they had grown quite familiar with Li Yan's face. After all, compared to the fugitive assassins from Vietnam and Myanmar, Li Yan was much more approachable.

"Ah Zhen, could you fetch me a bowl of Char Siu from the kitchen? I'm starving."

Li Yan called out to the Black Swallowtail waiter.

"There's no Char Siu in the kitchen. I'll grab something else for you."

"That's fine, hurry back. I'll wait for you here."

Li Yan leaned against the red brick wall on the second floor, pulled out a stool hidden behind the curtain, and sat down. Although the stands in front of him were spacious, the seats were all taken, and Li Yan had no desire to join the throng. Instead, he chose to sit beside the curtain, gazing out at the boxing ring.

"Okay, wait for me."

Ah Zhen hurried off.

The boxer on the stage was Little Zhou, an acquaintance of his, facing off against a Vietnamese veteran who wielded a triangular military dagger, while Little Zhou was armed with a pair of Iron Claw Tigers.

"Weapon fight?"

Li Yan muttered to himself. He had not yet fought with weapons since arriving in Kowloon's Fortress Village and couldn't help but take a keener interest.

Compared to the triangular military dagger, Little Zhou’s Iron Claw Tigers seemed at a disadvantage. Li Yan had once handled a Chinese Type 56 military dagger and was somewhat familiar with such weapons. The wounds they inflicted were round holes, almost impossible to heal—vicious in nature. Even a stab to non-vital areas like the arm or thigh could be fatal due to excessive blood loss.

However, judging by the situation in the ring, it seemed Little Zhou had the upper hand.

"Mind if I sit next to you, buddy?"

Li Yan looked up to see a woman dressed in a tracksuit. Her features were soft, with elongated eyes and brows, and her long ponytail reached her waist.

"Not at all."

Li Yan pulled out a chair for her. She thanked him and sat down, then took a palm-sized porcelain jar from her pocket, uncorked it, and the thick scent of alcohol wafted out.

The woman took a sip and looked up to find Li Yan watching her.

"Bai Gan?"

**********

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