Jingchan Palace was so famous, but it had been three hundred years. Even Zhou Wu and Zhao Xuan had no memories of it in their Life's Flashbacks.
Wen Qingkong's original self had merely been an ordinary person, and only fifteen years old at that. Naturally, he knew even less.
In contrast, Yin Tiannan was the young master of the Three Rivers Gang. The Three Rivers Gang had a long history, so it naturally possessed records concerning Jingchan Palace.
He had not found the wrong person after all.
"Thank you."
Yin Tiannan let out a sigh of relief and revealed a fawning smile, hoping Wen Qingkong would spare him.
But the next instant, his eyes flew wide with rage. Wen Qingkong shattered his heart with a punch, ending his sinful life.
Wen Qingkong intended to make use of the map. He had gone to such lengths to inquire indirectly about Jingchan Palace precisely to keep it secret and remove himself entirely from the matter. How could he possibly leave a witness alive?
Besides, killing a scoundrel like Yin Tiannan counted as ridding the people of evil.
After killing Yin Tiannan, Wen Qingkong flashed out of the room and sped away.
After returning to Corpse Seamstress House Number Nine and washing up, Wen Qingkong lay on his bed with the rough outline of a plan already formed.
He had not expected Jingchan Palace to have such an extraordinary origin.
Then naturally everyone would be interested in the Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map. Whoever obtained it could safely enter Jingchan Palace and acquire Li Jingchan's "Six Paths Fist Sutra," along with countless gold, silver, and treasures.
With that, dominating the world and unifying the martial world would be no problem at all.
A common man committed no crime, but possessing a treasure invited disaster.
Eunuch Jia, the steward of the Huangzhuang estate, was merely an ordinary eunuch. He relied entirely on Jia Jin, the Ninth Chief of the Black Cloaks, to throw his weight around.
But no matter how formidable Jia Jin was, he would never dare make enemies of all the heroes under heaven.
As long as word spread that the fragment of the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map" was in Jia San's hands, countless martial artists would surely come to fight over it. He could then seize the chance to kill Jia San, and even Jia Jin, the Ninth Chief of the Black Cloaks, would never discover that he was the killer.
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Wen Qingkong left the house.
He made a simple disguise, pasted on a beard, wore a crude human-skin mask, and placed padding beneath his feet to make himself taller.
Then, through the mouths of children and beggars, he spread word that Jia San possessed the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map."
Yujing City already gathered countless experts of the martial world.
The news spread far faster than Wen Qingkong had expected.
Or rather, he had underestimated Jingchan Palace's immense allure to martial artists.
That very afternoon, people rushed to the Huangzhuang estate outside the city to search for the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map," only to be killed by the estate's expert guards.
That had originally been the duty of the Huangzhuang estate's guards.
Yet in the eyes of the martial world, it only confirmed that Jia San possessed a fragment of the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map."
Thus, even more martial artists began sneaking into the Huangzhuang estate.
Wen Qingkong closely watched the situation, preparing to enter the fray.
After one night, Wen Qingkong received new information from the streets.
The old madam of the Dongan Escort Agency announced that her husband had been murdered by Jia San while delivering a fragment of the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map" to the Jiangnan Yan Family on Jia San's behalf. The Jiangnan Yan Family had likewise been exterminated because of that fragment.
For a time, the martial world was in uproar! People swarmed into action!
The Five City Garrison within Yujing City also moved swiftly, beginning a strict investigation of martial artists in the city. Yujing City was placed under curfew: entry was permitted, but no one could leave!
On the Black Cloaks' side, Jia Jin, the Ninth Chief, did not dare delay after receiving the news. He hurried to the Huangzhuang estate outside the city to see his adopted son.
He was deeply angered. If Jia San truly possessed a fragment of the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map" yet had failed to present it to him, he would kill Jia San!
Once Wen Qingkong saw the Black Cloaks leave the city, he immediately knew the time to kill Jia San had come.
As long as Jia San died, the matter of the Huangzhuang Four Brothers would be brought to a complete end.
Li Lan'er and her mother would no longer face any danger.
He told Li Lan'er and her mother to stay safely at home, then left the city and headed straight for the Huangzhuang estate.
Within the Huangzhuang estate, Jia San knelt trembling before Jia Jin, the Ninth Chief, his face bitter.
Xiao Sanchuan knelt beside him, equally panic-stricken.
As for the so-called fragment of the "Jingchan Palace Mechanism Map," it was currently in Jia Jin's hands.
Jia Jin took only one look, and his face darkened like still water.
His sharp eyes pierced Jia San like swords.
"Idiot!"
"Who taught you to do this?"
Jia San hurriedly pointed at Xiao Sanchuan.
Xiao Sanchuan immediately began kowtowing without pause. "My lord, it was my fault, it was my fault. I only wanted to swindle some silver from the Jiangnan Yan Family, so I forged this fragment. Then I had Zhao Xuan serve as escort, intending to use Zhao Xuan's transport of military supplies to bring down Marquis Fubo."
"I truly had no idea things would spiral into this!"
Xiao Sanchuan was on the verge of tears. He truly had not expected matters to reach this point. Since yesterday, the unending stream of martial artists had kept his heart pounding in fear.
He realized that things had grown too large, beyond his control, even beyond Jia San's control.
Jia Jin sneered coldly. "Calling you idiots is giving you too much credit. You knew nothing of Jingchan Palace's appeal to the people of the world, yet you dared forge a fragment of its map to swindle money?"
"Three hundred years ago, the Black Cloaks accepted the task of searching for fragments of Jingchan Palace's map. For a full three hundred years, not a single day passed without stopping."
"Who knows how many old monsters in the martial world have waited day and night for a fragment to appear?"
"Now that the mud has fallen into your pants, even if it isn't shit, it looks like shit."
"Such a precious item, and you say it is fake? Who would believe you?"
"Others will only assume you deliberately swapped it."
"Jia San, pray for yourself."
"As for you..."
Jia Jin looked at Xiao Sanchuan. Xiao Sanchuan repeatedly kowtowed and begged for mercy, feeling a tremendous danger rise from the depths of his heart.
He had to find a way to save himself.
He had studied the arts of persuasion and strategy, and debate was what he excelled at most. He could certainly convince Jia Jin.
Unfortunately, before Xiao Sanchuan could think of a way to persuade Jia Jin, a flash of blade light swept past. His head immediately rolled across the ground.
"Fucking idiot!"
Jia Jin cursed again, then took the Black Cloaks back to report.
Jia San sat collapsed where he was, utterly stunned.
He too had never imagined that this so-called fragment of Jingchan Palace's map would stir up such enormous waves.
Back then, Xiao Sanchuan had merely said that only something like a fragment of Jingchan Palace's map could lure in the Yan Family and swindle them of their money. Afterward, they would wipe out the Yan Family and pin the blame on Zhao Xuan. No one would care about the fragment stored inside that wooden box.
How... how had things developed into this situation?
Not long after the Black Cloaks left, martial experts from every corner charged into the Huangzhuang estate. They killed anyone they saw, and even the guards defending the estate could not withstand them.
Wen Qingkong blended in with them and was the first to charge into Jia San's room.
Jia San was packing up his gold, silver, and valuables, preparing to flee.
Seeing the entire large chest full of gold, silver, jewels, and treasures, Wen Qingkong could not help sneering. "At death's door, and you still can't bear to part with these riches."
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