pencil and story: Magnus

Science fiction story, but inspired by the Chinese tradition, to which Magnus was particularly attached.
In the first part of the story, Captain Lu-Ta is introduced, who falls into disgrace after killing a wealthy butcher who has been bothering a dancer.
Forced to hide in a monastery, he takes the name of Deepspirit, but the monastic life does not please him.
Luckily for him, he's been appointed guardian of a garden in the village, so he's free to do as he pleases.
Deepspirit meets here the second character of the story, also a captain of the imperial guard: Lin-Chung, known as "Panther's Skull".
Lin-Chung's problems stem from his beautiful wife, who attracts the morbid attentions of a general.
The general manages to frame the captain, who is arrested and deported to a prison planet.
Only with the help of Lu-Ta manages to avoid the assassination by two hired killers by the general.
Lu-Ta decides at this point to join the brigands.
When he suffers a second attack, Lin-Chung too decides to join the same powerful band of brigands.
Well-defined characters (although Magnus' unmistakable style tends to make them all similar) and a particularly complex story, with a sequel that I've never read.