Chapter 214: Utter disgrace!

She wore an ancient-style longsword at her waist, her slim waist barely a handspan, yet her figure was shapely, full of youthful vigor and wild beauty.

What a pretty little chili pepper!

But her pretty face was covered with a layer of cold frost, her gaze at Zhang Jun full of scrutiny and hostility.

"Miss, what advice do you have?" Zhang Jun asked.

"Advice? I don't deserve that." The red-clad girl snorted coldly, sizing up Zhang Jun: "Where are you from? Why did you hurt someone for no reason in Yanjing City, and strike so vicious?"

Zhang Jun frowned slightly: "Unjust harm? Which of your eyes saw me harm someone without cause? It was that Gao who provoked first; I merely gave a light punishment."

"Light punishment?" The red-clad girl's eyebrows shot up: "Though Gao Yanei acts lawlessly, he's still a distant relative and old friend of my Murong family; how can you, an outsider, bully him at will? I see you clearly came to Yanjing City to stir trouble, wanting to step on my Murong family's name to rise."

Alright, back to the Murong family again. Zhang Jun felt a bit headache.

"Miss, your accusation is way too big." Lin Xue couldn't help but speak: "The whole story, everyone around saw it; right and wrong will be judged by public opinion."

The red-clad girl ignored Lin Xue, her phoenix eyes fixed on Zhang Jun: "No more talk! Whether a mule or a horse, bring it out for a walk! I, Murong Wanqing, will see today how much you weigh, you madman, daring to run wild in Yanjing City!"

Murong Wanqing?

She is the Murong family's eldest daughter whom the Inspector mentioned, investigating past events?

Zhang Jun's thoughts raced: This really is… you meet people everywhere in life.

However, this little girl is too impulsive, isn't she? She wants to fight without asking right from wrong.

"Miss, I think there must be some misunderstanding." Zhang Jun tried to keep his tone calm.

"Misunderstanding?" Murong Wanqing sneered, "Let's fight first!"

Before her words fell, her waist sword suddenly left the sheath, tracing a gorgeous flower; the tip wavered, thrusting straight at Zhang Jun's vital point on his chest.

What a fast sword! What a tricky angle!

Zhang Jun's eyes narrowed: Murong Wanqing's swordsmanship actually had structure, and her inner strength was not weak, far beyond that fool Gao Yanei.

He dared not delay, sidestepping to avoid the blade, employing the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams steps, his form flickering unpredictably.

Seeing her first strike miss, Murong Wanqing shouted repeatedly, her sword moves sweeping in like a violent storm, every move aiming at Zhang Jun's vital points.

Her swordsmanship carried an unyielding tenacity to not lose, and was unusually agile; obviously she had been instructed by a master.

Zhang Jun only defended, not attacking; he didn't want to forge too deep a grudge with this girl, after all he came to Yanjing for business, not to fight and flirt.

But the more he retreated, the fiercer Murong Wanqing attacked, mistakenly thinking Zhang Jun was inferior, making her nervous.

"Rascal, all you do is dodge!" Murong Wanqing grew angrier the more she fought, each sword faster than the last.

At the instant they crossed paths, to dodge her thrust aimed at his face, Zhang Jun jerked his upper body back, staggered a step, and unintentionally braced his hand behind him—

"Hn!"

Murong Wanqing felt a strange sensation on her buttocks, then an electric-like numbness spread through her body; she froze, her pretty face instantly flushing red enough to draw blood, even her ears burning.

Zhang Jun was also dazed.

Damn, what the hell is this!

In the panic just now, his hand, completely by chance, pressed… pressed onto Murong Wanqing's perky, elastic buttocks!

That feel… cough cough, now's not the time to think about that!

"You… you shameless!" Murong Wanqing reacted, both ashamed and angry, her pretty face flushing crimson, her eyes almost spitting fire.

She's never held a boy's hand in her life, yet today she was… actually groped on the butt by this stranger rascal!

Utter disgrace!

"I… I didn't mean to!" Zhang Jun couldn't explain himself; this matter truly can't be washed clean even by jumping into the Yellow River.

"Rogue! Lecher! Rascal!" Murong Wanqing trembled with rage, forgetting swordplay, she swung her scabbard at Zhang Jun's head.

Zhang Jun fled in a sorry state.

"Wait for me! I'm not done with you!" Seeing she couldn't finish him off quickly, and the onlookers' gazes growing strange, Murong Wanqing stamped her foot, pointed at Zhang Jun's nose, threw down a harsh line, then covered her face and ran away, ashamed and furious.

Zhang Jun rubbed his nose, smiling bitterly.

This trip to Yanjing starts at hell-level difficulty.

He faintly sensed that not far away, several hostile eyes were watching everything from the shadows.

Trouble, I'm afraid this is just the beginning.

The waters of Yanjing City are deeper than he imagined.

Speaking of which, that feel just now really… pah! What am I thinking! Get serious! Right, what I should consider is whether Murong Wanqing's appearance is a coincidence or someone's deliberate arrangement.

What is her purpose? Is it merely to stand up for that Gao Yanei?

No, she mentioned "stepping on the Murong family's name to rise"; that sounds more like a probe of a potential threat.

The messenger said "dead ground brings life"; does this situation count as dead ground now?

Damn, my head hurts!

That tattered sheepskin map, its corners worn, under the lamp Zhang Jun's fingertip has traced it hundreds of times; the twisted lines are about to imprint on his vision.

The arrow pointing to the northeast corner of the Murong mansion is especially strange.

The phrase "dead ground brings life" in the letter is like a thorn, making his heart itch.

"Murong family…" Zhang Jun rubbed his chin, his eyes deep, "What filth are they hiding?"

This place is clearly a mountain of knives and a sea of fire.

But if the master's clue is really there…

Once the thought arises, it grows like wild grass, impossible to suppress.

If I don't figure it out, I definitely won't sleep tonight.

"Xue'er," he looked at Lin Xue, lowering his voice, "Your lightness skill is good, but this dirty, tiring work I'll handle. You stay outside as backup; if anything changes, deal with it promptly. Prepare extra medicinal powder."

Lin Xue nodded, said nothing more, took out several differently colored porcelain bottles from her medicine pouch, lowered her head to examine them carefully, her expression focused.

"Brother Tie Shan," Zhang Jun said to Tie Shan, "You have plenty of experience; watch the perimeter, keep an eye on any movement, don't let anyone cut off our retreat."

Tie Shan slapped his chest, saliva flying: "Jun Ge'er, rest assured! I, the elder brother, am guarding; not even a fly can get in! Whoever dares to cause trouble, I'll cripple him first!"

Night fell, dark clouds obscured the moon—perfect time to move under cover of darkness.

The Murong Manor, indeed impressive.

The walls towered high, the courtyards deep, the stone lions at the gate carved ferociously—far beyond what an ordinary official household could match.

The manor occupies vast grounds, its end unseen at a glance, layers upon layers of courtyards, truly like a bewildering formation.