Chapter 164: A Man Must Make His Own Decisions

Chapter 164: A Man Has His Own Resolve

After three days of unconsciousness, Zhao Qingxia finally woke up in the Shengmen Clinic of the Peace Hotel.

His injuries had also fully recovered under the tireless care of the medical Yanren.

This allowed Li Jun, who had waited by his side for three days, to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Brother Jun."

Li Jun looked at Zhao Qingxia's solemn face and couldn't help but laugh: "If you have to thank me even for a trifle like this, wouldn't Lord Ma wake up from sheer annoyance?"

Zhao Qingxia shook his head: "One thing is one thing. Just because I saved you before doesn't mean I should take all this for granted now. That's not how it works."

"Alright, enough of that."

Li Jun waved his hand, changing the subject, "What do you plan to do next?"

Zhao Qingxia didn't rush to answer his question, but asked instead: "How is Old Ma doing right now?"

"Not bad. This place is called the Peace Hotel, the proprietor is a Nuo Gong of the Yin-Yang School named Huang Liang. The damage to Lord Ma's core isn't too severe; he has a way to fix it, though it might take some time."

"If the Yin-Yang School are those Huang Liang giant rats, then they indeed have the means to repair a 'Ming Gui'."

Zhao Qingxia breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, stretched his back lazily, "Then let this stud horse sleep a bit longer. I'll come get him after I finish my business."

Watching Zhao Qingxia's relaxed demeanor, Li Jun's brows suddenly furrowed.

At this moment, he keenly sensed the sharp edge hidden beneath Zhao Qingxia's smile.

It was like a keen sword, sheathed for a long time, finally breaking free of its scabbard's shackles, ready to show its edge.

Li Jun fell into thought, and asked in a deep voice: "You're going back to the Tianzhi Association?"

Zhao Qingxia neither confirmed nor denied, merely smiling faintly: "Can't just let someone sell me out for nothing, right? Old Ma's been with me this long, never been beaten this badly before."

Li Jun's face showed surprise: "You already know the other party's identity?"

Zhao Qingxia answered frankly: "I don't. But there aren't many people in the Tianzhi Association's 'Mo Gong Group', and even fewer who dislike me. Worst case, I'll check them one by one; I'll find out who it is eventually."

Li Jun shook his head: "That's too reckless. Why not wait until I finish my business in Chongqing Prefecture, then I'll accompany you."

"No need, Brother Jun," Zhao Qingxia firmly refused Li Jun's proposal, "This is our Tianzhi Association's business. We can't let an outsider interfere."

"Then at least wait until Lord Ma wakes up. Can you handle it alone otherwise?"

Li Jun hesitated for a moment, uttering a sentence he himself found laughable: "A gentleman's revenge, ten years is not too late."

"That's an excuse those Confucian grandsons use to justify their own cowardice. I can't do that. If I can't settle this, I have no face to see Old Ma."

Zhao Qingxia patted his chest, his voice low, as if a lump were stuck in his throat, "I've never liked letting grudges fester overnight; otherwise, I can't sleep night after night. Thinking thrice before acting, planning for the long term—those things don't suit me."

"Besides, I'm worried that if I swallow this anger now, I'll never have the guts to seek revenge later."

Holding a breath of foul air in the chest, only then can one have a belly full of courage.

If one hesitates and looks back and forth now, the layered difficulties of long-term planning will only make one cower even more.

Once hot blood cools completely, reigniting it is no easy feat.

Since the decision is made, there is no need for further persuasion.

He is a man; he has his own resolve.

Li Jun asked: "When do you leave?"

Zhao Qingxia picked up the brand new martial attire prepared by the bedside and put it on, "Now."

"Then how do I contact you? Whether you win or lose, I should at least get word."

"When Old Ma wakes up, he'll naturally know if I won or lost."

Watching Zhao Qingxia's swift and decisive departure, a sudden certainty rose in Li Jun's heart.

If Zhao Qingxia wins this time, he probably isn't far from advancing to Mo Qi.

Using the body as steel, unyielding despite a hundred setbacks.

This is precisely the character the Mohist Sequence demands of its Followers.

"Right, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. That day at Nine Dragons Street, those Hunshui Paoge brothers..."

Zhao Qingxia's figure, already at the door, suddenly froze. His hands hanging by his sides abruptly clenched into fists.

"They're all dead. Yu Canghai's sword was too fast; there was no saving them."

All dead!

Even though he had a premonition, when the definitive answer finally came, Li Jun still couldn't help but fall into a trance.

During this time in Chongqing Prefecture, he had Zou Sijiu and He Zangjia use their respective channels to inquire about that day's events.

But the replies were all the same: the Qingcheng Group had sealed the news. Even if they found surviving witnesses, they kept their mouths shut, daring not to speak the truth no matter what.

So during this period, Li Jun actually harbored a sliver of luck in his heart, guessing that perhaps Yu Canghai had detained the Paoge members to threaten him into walking into a trap.

But now it seems Yu Canghai didn't even bother with such tactics, instead killing every single person who dared provoke the Qingcheng Group's dignity.

In a trance, Li Jun seemed to see that man again— the one who liked wearing cyan robes, holding a paper fan, feigning a romantic air.

That young helmsman who refused to burden him, leading men to single-handedly challenge the Annan Gang.

That Hunshui Paoge who would rather fight the Tianfu Guards in a bloody street battle than engage in false diplomacy.

"Kuang Qingyun."

Li Jun murmured to himself, his expression a mix of laughter and tears: "Why are they all such damn stubborn fools unafraid of death?"

His voice was hoarse and rough, like two coarse gravel stones grinding against each other.

Zhao Qingxia's shoulders trembled slightly, the corners of his mouth pressed into a straight line. He resolutely lifted his foot and stepped over the threshold.

An unknown amount of time passed before the door of the Shengmen Clinic was pushed open again.

Zou Sijiu, who had just entered, shivered from the cold air rushing at him.

Before he could figure out why the usually spring-like Shengmen was so cold, he was startled by a pair of eyes, indifferent to the extreme.

"Brother Li, someone's looking for you outside."

Zou Sijiu swallowed, speaking carefully.

"That person claims to be a subordinate of He Zangjia, the 'Tiger Head' of the Civil Plaque of the Chuan-Yu Gambling Association."

Upon hearing He Zangjia's name, Li Jun slowly took a deep breath, only then suppressing the murderous intent churning in his heart.

"What did he say?"

"He spoke vaguely. Said his boss and Zhou You were detained by Luohan Temple, asking you to save them."

Zou Sijiu said: "But I divined a hexagram; what he said should be the truth."

"Since it's the truth, then it's really 'a pillow delivered just as one dozes off'."

Li Jun let out a cold laugh, abruptly rising to his feet and striding out of the room.

Left hanging to the side, Zou Sijiu wore a face of bewilderment. The killing intent Li Jun had just revealed was even more intense than when he learned Zhao Qingxia was being hunted.

"What connection do this He Zangjia and Zhou You have with him? No, I have to use the Grand Case File Technique to investigate."

Zou Sijiu’s fingers flicked and pinched in rapid succession, their speed blurring into a phantom afterimage.

Suddenly, his complexion underwent a violent change; he fumbled urgently at his chest and produced a compass-like instrument, roaring hoarsely, "Investigate immediately whether we hold any debts or credits with Luohan Temple—if so, liquidate them at once!"

"Don't ask why, just get it done this instant! Past today, whether Luohan Temple even exists is an open question!"