Chapter 21: Jiangbei Crisis

"Old man, I'll hold them off, buying you time." Mo Lao showed a resolute expression, "Go, the Liu Family of Jiangbei needs you!"

Zhang Jun still wanted to say something, but Lin Xue had already pulled him and ran toward the rear passage.

"Remember, you are the true hope!" Mo Lao's voice echoed behind them.

At the end of the passage was an open valley. The two looked back, and the cave entrance was already shrouded in thick smoke.

"Mo Lao..." Zhang Jun clenched his fists.

Lin Xue lightly took his hand: "We need to hurry back to Jiangbei; the Liu Family is in danger."

Zhang Jun took a deep breath and nodded.

The two exchanged a glance, tacitly cultivating their technique. Yin and Yang qi merged again, forming a powerful aura.

"Yin and Yang united, starting from this moment."

Zhang Jun and Lin Xue rushed day and night toward Jiangbei.

Along the way, the two continuously cultivated their technique; Yin and Yang qi merged, and their injuries healed extremely quickly.

"Do you think the Liu Family will be in danger?" Lin Xue asked.

Zhang Jun's face grew solemn: "Since the Long Family dares to send people to Jiangbei to cause trouble, they certainly won't let it rest."

As they spoke, fighting sounds came from the forest ahead. Zhang Jun signaled Lin Xue to be careful, and the two stealthily approached.

Under the moonlight, a man covered in blood was being besieged by five black-clad men. His moves were chaotic; he was clearly at the end of his strength.

"Liu Lei?" Zhang Jun recognized the man and immediately rushed forward.

Profound Yin True Technique operating at full power, Zhang Jun appeared like a ghost in the center of the battlefield. He struck out with a palm, and two black-clad men fell down at the cry.

Lin Xue closely followed, activating the Ice-Cold Heart Scripture; freezing qi swept out, encasing the remaining three men in place.

"Brother Zhang, you've finally returned!" Liu Lei sat slumped on the ground, his breath faint.

Zhang Jun hurriedly checked his injuries, his expression growing grim: "How did you get so badly hurt? Something happened to the Liu Family."

Liu Lei coughed up a mouthful of blood: "The Long Family sent experts, together with people from the Profound Heaven Pavilion, to attack the Liu Family. My father sent me out to fetch reinforcements, but I was intercepted halfway."

"What about Elder Liu?"

"He was captured." Liu Lei painfully closed his eyes: "They have locked my father in the ruins of Black Tiger Hall, saying they will force him to hand over the treasure map."

Zhang Jun's heart sank: "What about the other members of the Liu Family?"

"The dead are dead, the wounded are wounded, the rest are hiding." Liu Lei grabbed Zhang Jun's hand: "Brother Zhang, only you can save my father!"

Zhang Jun nodded: "You find a place to heal first; I'll go rescue Elder Liu."

Liu Lei took out a token from his bosom: "Take this, go to the Old Li Family Pharmacy in the southern part of the city; they will take me in."

After settling Liu Lei, Zhang Jun and Lin Xue changed into ordinary commoners' clothes and sneaked into Jiangbei City.

The atmosphere in the city was oppressive; the number of black-clad patrols on the streets was several times higher than usual. Zhang Jun recognized the insignia on their chests—it was the mark of the Long Family and the Profound Heaven Pavilion.

"They are searching for members of the Liu Family." Lin Xue whispered.

Zhang Jun nodded, pulling Lin Xue into a side alley. Just then, fighting sounds came from ahead.

Three Liu Family disciples were besieged by over a dozen black-clad men; the situation was critical.

"I'll go save them, you wait here for me." Zhang Jun said, then flashed forward and rushed out.

He did not use Profound Yin True Technique, but instead employed ordinary fist and foot techniques to take down several black-clad men, then quickly withdrew with the Liu Family disciples.

"Many thanks for your rescue, benefactor!" The three Liu Family disciples repeatedly expressed gratitude.

"Where is Elder Liu being held?" Zhang Jun asked directly.

"In the basement of Black Tiger Hall." A disciple replied: "The defenses are tight there, and the Young Master of the Long Family personally oversees it."

"Long Aotian?" Zhang Jun frowned.

"Yes, he holds a jade slip in his hand and studies it all day."

Zhang Jun and Lin Xue exchanged a glance, understanding implicitly. That jade slip is most likely related to the treasure map.

"You find a place to hide first; I'll go rescue Elder Liu."

As night fell, Zhang Jun and Lin Xue sneaked into Black Tiger Hall.

This once gang headquarters has now become a secret base of the Long Family and the Profound Heaven Pavilion. Outside the main gate, over a dozen black-clad men stood ready.

"The main gate is hard to get through; we'll go around the back." Zhang Jun led Lin Xue around to the rear courtyard of Black Tiger Hall.

The two easily scaled the wall and entered, hiding in the dark to observe. Lights blazed within the courtyard, with people coming and going from time to time.

"Where is the basement?" Lin Xue asked.

Zhang Jun pointed to the main building: "It should be underneath there."

The two stealthily approached the main building, looking inside through the window. Long Aotian was seated in the center of the main hall, playing with a jade slip in his hand, looking pleased.

"Father said that as long as we find the last piece of the treasure map, the Nine Yang True Scripture will be ours." Long Aotian said to his subordinate beside him.

"But that Zhang Jun and the Lin Family young lady have no trace." The subordinate worried.

Long Aotian sneered: "Don't worry, I've already sent people to the Western Regions. According to reliable intelligence, they fled there with the treasure map."

Zhang Jun's heart stirred. "Western Regions? Who put out this false information?"

"What about Old Man Liu?" the subordinate asked again.

"Wait until my father arrives, then we'll talk." Long Aotian stood up: "I'll go rest first; you watch the basement."

After Long Aotian left, Zhang Jun said to Lin Xue: "I have a plan."

He took out a slip of paper from his bosom, wrote a few words, then found an opportunity to have a drunkard deliver it into Black Tiger Hall.

Not long after, a commotion arose inside Black Tiger Hall.

"Report, Young Master: just received news that Zhang Jun and Lin Xue have appeared at the border of the Western Regions!"

Upon hearing this, Long Aotian was overjoyed: "Good! Relay my order: everyone follow me to the Western Regions; we must capture them!"

Shortly afterward, Long Aotian led the majority of his forces away from Black Tiger Hall in a mighty procession, leaving only a few to guard it.

"The plan succeeded." Lin Xue said admiringly.

Zhang Jun nodded: "Now's our chance, let's rescue Old Liu."

The two sneaked into the main building and found the secret door leading to the basement. The few guards were easily dealt with.

The basement was dark and damp; at the far end was a prison cell. Liu Quan was chained in iron, on his last breath.

"Old Liu!" Zhang Jun rushed forward and opened the prison door.

Liu Quan lifted his head, seeing Zhang Jun; a glint of light flashed in his eyes: "You've come back..."

Zhang Jun broke the iron chains, helped Liu Quan up: "Let's go!"

"Wait..." Liu Quan weakly pointed at the wall: "Look at those runes..."

Zhang Jun looked up; the prison cell walls were covered in strange runes, exactly matching the pattern on Lin Xue's jade pendant.

"Is this... a treasure map?"

Liu Quan nodded: "The Long family insists on obtaining the complete treasure map because cultivating the Nine Yang True Scripture requires a specific geographical location and timing. And this place is right underground in the Black Tiger Hall!"

Zhang Jun gasped in shock: "So the treasure they've been searching for is right under their feet?"

"That's right, but they don't know." Liu Quan pulled a jade ring from his bosom: "Zhang Jun, this is your father's relic. The ring bears engravings of your true origins. I had wanted to wait until you were stronger to tell you, but I can wait no longer..."

Zhang Jun took the jade ring, his heart tumultuous.

"Your parents were killed precisely because of this secret." Liu Quan said with difficulty.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the basement.