Chapter 15: Absolute Kill

"Take them to get treatment, leave the useful ones." Zhang Jun spoke, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Liu Family guards responded, stepping forward to lift the barely breathing Zhao Wují and the Wang Family representative down.

Zhang Jun turned around and looked at Liu Quan.

"Elder Liu, this matter isn't over."

Liu Quan's face turned dark as iron, he nodded heavily: "That's right, behind these two families there must be someone backing them."

The hall was in disarray, the bloody smell not yet dissipated.

Zhang Jun walked to the center of the hall, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate his breath.

He had just won the fight, but he was also exhausted to the point of being breathless.

The Profound Yin True Technique circulated within his body, repairing the meridians damaged in the fight.

After about half an hour, Zhang Jun opened his eyes.

"Take me to see Zhao Wují."

In the Liu Family's rear courtyard there is a secret room where Zhao Wují is being held.

He was chained in iron, his whole body covered in blood.

Zhang Jun entered, sat opposite him, and said in a flat tone: "Zhao Family Head, shall we talk?"

"What to talk about? Kill or cut, do as you please!" Zhao Wují snorted coldly.

"I don't want your life." Zhang Jun shook his head. "I just want to ask, who sent you to deal with the Liu Family?"

"Keep dreaming your spring and autumn dreams!"

Zhang Jun wasted no more words, directly reaching out and pressing a palm onto Zhao Wují's chest.

A chilling yin qi instantly invaded Zhao Wují's body.

"Ah——" Zhao Wují let out a miserable scream, his body beginning to convulse violently.

"How does the cold poison of the Profound Yin True Technique feel?" Zhang Jun's voice gave no hint of emotion. "This thing will slowly freeze your five viscera and six bowels; tell me who's behind you, and I'll give you the antidote."

Zhao Wují gritted his teeth and endured, but the cold poison grew stronger, causing him pain so intense he felt like he was dying.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" He finally couldn't bear it anymore: "It's the people from Yanjing!"

Yanjing?

Zhang Jun frowned slightly: "Who?"

"I don't know exactly who they are; I only know they came from Yanjing." Zhao Wují gasped, speaking with difficulty, "They found me and the Wang Family, saying that as long as we join forces to deal with the Liu Family, once we succeed we'll definitely get our share of benefits."

"Then why do they want to deal with the Liu Family?"

"I really don't know." Zhao Wují shook his head. "They only said the Liu Family has something they want."

Zhang Jun thought for a moment, then asked: "What does that person look like?"

"He wore all black, with a cloth covering his face, so I couldn't see his appearance. But his aura was far stronger than mine." Zhao Wují tried to recall, "Come to think of it, he wore a dragon-shaped jade pendant on his chest."

Dragon-shaped jade pendant?

Zhang Jun's heart skipped a beat.

"That's right, the pendant also has the character 'dragon' engraved on it." Zhao Wují hurriedly added, "I've said everything I know; hurry up and detoxify me!"

Zhang Jun reached out and pressed a point on Zhao Wují's chest, forcing out the cold poison.

Only then did Zhao Wují regain some strength, his whole body collapsing onto the ground.

"Thank you…… for not killing me."

Zhang Jun stood up, looking at him coldly: "You Zhao Family colluded with outsiders, seeking to exterminate my Liu Family to the last— a crime deserving death. I spare your dog's life so you can watch with your own eyes how the Zhao Family meets its end."

Zhao Wují's face turned ashen like death.

Zhang Jun ignored him further, turned and walked out.

Returning to the hall, Liu Quan was already waiting there.

"How was it? What did you find out?"

Zhang Jun told Liu Quan everything Zhao Wují had said, in detail.

Upon hearing it, Liu Quan's face changed in an instant.

"The Long Family of Yanjing!" Liu Quan's voice trembled slightly. "Surely it's them!"

"Elder Liu, you know this Long Family?"

Liu Quan let out a long sigh: "The Long Family is one of the four great families of Yanjing, very powerful with deep roots. They and my Liu Family have had a grudge for a hundred years."

"What kind of grudge?"

Liu Quan fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly: "This is a long story. A hundred years ago, our Liu Family's ancestor and the Long Family's ancestor went together to seek an ancient tomb. Inside that tomb was a treasure; both families wanted it, and in the end our Liu Family's ancestor managed to seize it. The Long Family has never accepted that, and thus the grudge was formed."

"A treasure? What treasure?"

Liu Quan stood up, walked to an ancient painting, and gave it a light push.

Behind the ancient painting was actually a hidden compartment.

He took out an antiquated wooden box from the hidden compartment.

"This is the treasure we obtained from that ancient tomb back then."

Liu Quan opened the wooden box; inside was a damaged piece of jade stone, etched with strange patterns that looked like part of a map.

"This is……"

"A fragment of a treasure map." Liu Quan explained, "Supposedly, the place indicated by this treasure map hides a peerless martial arts secret manual; mastering it would make one invincible under heaven."

Zhang Jun leaned in to examine the patterns on the jade closely, suddenly noticing a familiar mark.

"This mark looks like the Long Family's clan crest?"

Liu Quan nodded: "Exactly. This treasure map is related to the Long Family, so they've always wanted to seize it back."

Zhang Jun thought for a moment, then said: "So the Long Family sent people to Jiangbei just to seize this piece of jade?"

"Eighty percent likely." Liu Quan sighed, "All these years, the Dragon family has never given up their wicked intentions. I never imagined they would actually collude with those Zhao and Wang family brats, dealing such a vicious blow to our Liu family."

Zhang Jun took the jade stone in his hand and examined it carefully.

The patterns on the jade stone vaguely resembled mountains and rivers, and there were some symbols he couldn't understand.

"What place does this map actually point to?"

"I'm not sure, this is just a fragment; there's no way to determine the exact location." Liu Quan shook his head, "I've heard the complete treasure map consists of three pieces; our Liu family only has this one, and nobody knows where the other two are."

Zhang Jun pondered for a long time, then suddenly said, "Old Liu, I plan to make a trip to Yanjing."

"What?!" Liu Quan jumped in fright, "The Dragon family in Yanjing isn't to be trifled with; going alone is too dangerous!"

"If we don't go to Yanjing, we won't be able to get to the bottom of this." Zhang Jun's tone was flat but firm, "Besides, since the Dragon family dared to send people to Jiangbei to cause trouble, they'll definitely act again. Rather than wait here for them to come knocking, I might as well go straight there."

Seeing Zhang Jun's mind made up, Liu Quan could only sigh, "If you really want to go, I'll arrange a few people to accompany you."

"No need." Zhang Jun waved his hand, "More people would just draw attention. I'm more convenient acting alone."

Liu Quan had no choice; he took out a small cloth bag from his bosom and handed it to Zhang Jun, "This is some silver the Liu family has saved; take it with you for the journey."

Zhang Jun took the cloth bag and nodded.

"By the way," Liu Quan added, "I have a letter here; when you reach Yanjing, you can go find the person named on it. He's an old friend of mine for many years, has some connections in Yanjing, and might be able to help you."

Zhang Jun took the letter and carefully put it away.