Chapter 8: Infiltrating the Fang Family

Under the night curtain, the Fang Family estate lay like a crouching giant beast, its stillness tinged with oppression.

Zhang Jun's figure melted into the darkness; a few leaps and he easily cleared the high wall, evading the patrolling servants and omnipresent surveillance.

Inside the Fang Family estate, pavilions, towers, artificial hills and flowing water displayed utmost luxury.

Zhang Jun slowed his steps, moving like a wisp of smoke through the labyrinthine complex of buildings.

His ears twitched slightly, catching faint sounds in the air.

Soon, a study lit with light caught his attention.

"Dad, don't worry—with Black Tiger Hall taking action, the Liu Family is doomed this time!"

"I hope so. I always feel things aren't that simple."

"Dad, are you talking about that Zhang Jun?"

"Don't underestimate him. To make Old Liu Quan value him so highly, this kid must have something extraordinary."

"Hmph, even if he's formidable, could he possibly stand against Black Tiger Hall?"

Zhang Jun held his breath and focused, hearing the conversation between Fang Hong and his son Fang Zijie crystal clear.

"As expected, behind Black Tiger Hall lies the Fang Family scheming."

"But who is the 'superior' they speak of?"

Zhang Jun pondered, continuing his search.

He noticed that the rear wall of the study seemed somewhat unusual.

A light tap produced a hollow echo.

"A secret chamber?"

Zhang Jun's heart stirred; he concluded that this must hide the Fang Family's secrets.

Just then, the study door opened.

Fang Zijie walked out, heading toward the training ground.

Zhang Jun's eyes flickered; he decided to tail Fang Zijie first to see what he was up to.

The Fang Family training ground was brightly lit.

A group of martial artists in training uniforms were sweating profusely as they trained.

Fang Zijie walked to the center of the field, took off his outer garment, revealing a well-built physique.

"Young Master!"

The martial artists all halted their movements and saluted Fang Zijie.

"Spar with me."

Fang Zijie gave a light command, then assumed a stance.

Several martial artists exchanged glances, then stepped forward to spar with Fang Zijie.

Fists and feet flew, the wind howling.

Fang Zijie's movements were fierce, his techniques brutal—evidently the result of hard training.

Zhang Jun hid in the shadows, observing silently.

He discovered that Fang Zijie cultivated a fierce, overbearing fist style.

This style wields tremendous power, yet appears to have some flaw.

"Full of loopholes."

Zhang Jun shook his head, forming a rough assessment of Fang Zijie's ability.

After the burning of an incense stick, Fang Zijie halted his movements, slightly out of breath.

"Young Master, impressive skill!"

The martial artists all flattered him.

Fang Zijie waved his hand, signaling them to step back.

He wiped his sweat, preparing to leave the training ground.

Just then, an accident occurred.

A fist-sized stone fell from the sky, landing squarely beside Fang Zijie's foot.

"Who?!"

Fang Zijie's face changed; he shouted sternly.

The martial artists also grew alert, searching all around.

Seizing Fang Zijie's distraction, Zhang Jun flickered like a ghost and slipped into the study.

He quickly reached the secret chamber and pressed his finger lightly.

On the wall, a hidden door appeared.

Zhang Jun slipped into the secret chamber.

Inside the secret chamber stood several safes, along with some documents and data.

Zhang Jun did not rush to examine them; instead, he took a miniature bug from his pocket and installed it in a concealed corner.

Then he deliberately knocked a document onto the floor.

Having done all that, Zhang Jun left the secret chamber silently.

He returned to the vicinity of the training ground and waited quietly.

Moments later, Fang Zijie returned to the study with a few martial artists in haste.

"The secret chamber has been tampered with!"

One martial artist exclaimed.

Fang Zijie's face turned dark as he hurried into the secret chamber.

He examined it thoroughly and found no signs of forced entry on the safe, and the documents were all there.

"Could it just be an accident?"

Fang Zijie felt doubtful in his heart, but he still dared not be careless.

"Search! Search thoroughly!"

He ordered.

The martial artists received the order and began a carpet-like search inside the study.

Zhang Jun watched coldly from the side, sneering inwardly.

"Fang Family, the good show has only just begun."

He quietly left the Fang Family and disappeared into the night.

Inside the Fang Family's study, the search continued.

Fang Hong also heard the news and rushed over, his face grim and terrifying.

"Dad, do you think it might be that Zhang Jun?"

Fang Zijie asked.

"Quite possible."

Fang Hong nodded, "This kid is even harder to deal with than we imagined."

"So what should we do now?"

Fang Zijie was a little panicked.

"Hmph, since he dared to come, he shouldn't even think about leaving alive!"

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Fang Hong's eyes, "Pass the order down, launch a citywide manhunt for Zhang Jun!"

"Also, contact the Superior and request reinforcements!"

"Yes!"

Fang Zijie quickly replied.

A hunt targeting Zhang Jun quietly began.

The night grew deeper.

Zhang Jun returned to his residence, connected the eavesdropping device to the computer, and began playing back the recording.

Fang Hong's voice, tinged with anxiety: "... The Superior is pressing us, urging us to quickly resolve the Liu Family..."

A low, hoarse voice came from the computer: "That old thing Liu Quan is stubborn and incorrigible; keeping him around will always be a disaster."

"But... that Zhang Jun is really hard to handle..." Fang Hong hesitated a bit.

"Trash! A mere brat scares you like this?" The hoarse voice sounded displeased, "If it really won't work, I'll send people to assist you."

"No no no, Superior, rest assured, we will definitely take care of it soon!" Fang Hong hurriedly assured.

The call ended, Zhang Jun took off the headset, brows furrowed tightly.

After the call ended, Zhang Jun took off his earphones, his brows furrowed tightly.

The identity of the Superior remains a mystery. But from their conversation, one can infer that the other party's power far surpasses that of the Fang Family and the Black Tiger Hall. Moreover, they seem to have a certain determination to obtain the Liu Family.

Zhang Jun opened the photographed documents from the secret room and examined them carefully.

These documents detail the transactions between the Fang Family and the Black Tiger Hall, including fund flows, personnel allocations, and some shady dealings.

One of the documents caught Zhang Jun's attention.

This is an agreement concerning a "cooperation project," with Party A being the Fang Family and Party B the Black Tiger Hall, and the project's content is actually "human experiments"!

At the end of the document are the seals of the Fang Family and the Black Tiger Hall, plus a string of strange symbols.

Zhang Jun stared at that string of symbols, vaguely feeling they were somewhat familiar.

He flipped open the ancient martial arts secret manual he had casually taken from the secret room and compared it carefully.

Indeed, on the last page of the manual, he found the same symbols.

This manual is titled "Profound Yin Manual," recording an extremely domineering internal cultivation method.

Zhang Jun read it carefully and discovered that the Profound Yin Manual actually requires absorbing others' internal energy to enhance one's own cultivation.

【104】 Moreover, upon reaching a high level, it can also control others' minds, turning them into one's puppets.