Guan Dongliu’s eyes narrowed. He said coldly, “Why should I not be at ease? Qinghan is, after all, the steward’s daughter, and this whole affair originated because of her. If the family has the capacity to shield her, we will naturally spare no effort to do so. But when the family lacks that capability, sacrifice becomes unavoidable.”
“Nonsense! You haven't even tried, you haven't made a single effort, how can you claim we can’t protect her?! You’re just willing to sacrifice your daughter’s lifelong happiness. Are you even a man? You’re just a coward!” Jun Moxie exploded. “It’s simply because the other party is too powerful and you’re afraid! But when your daughter faces someone weaker than the forces backing the Guan family, will she still need your protection? You’re just bullying the weak and fearing the strong, finding excuses for your own cowardice!”
Guan Dongliu’s expression grew increasingly serene. “If sacrificing one person can save the Guan family, why is it not worth it? If sacrificing my own life could save the entire family, I would have sought out that old wretch Li Juetian long ago to fight him. But what meaning would that have? Merely indulging a moment of pride only to bring about the utter destruction of the whole family. For the sake of preserving one daughter, should I bet the entire clan on a game already lost? Would the world call me noble and great for such an act? While my choice is certainly for the sake of the Guan family, it is also for the sake of the friendship between our two houses, for the safety of the Jun family. If I truly wished to stand aside, and simply push the entire burden onto the Jun family, I ask you, would the Guan family suffer any harm then?!”
It had to be admitted that Guan Dongliu’s words carried their own logic. As the head of a family with over a thousand members, the choices he could make in certain situations were truly limited, and the fact that he hadn't abandoned the Jun family at this moment was commendable enough. But logic and commendability did not mean that his decision would necessarily be accepted!
“Steward Guan speaks grandly, but Sister Qinghan is now a member of the Jun family, long past being a daughter of the Guan family! If she lives, she is of the Jun family; if she dies, she is a ghost of the Jun family! A married daughter is like spilled water; she has absolutely nothing to do with your Guan family anymore! You truly have no right to decide anything!” Jun Moxie’s voice landed like a hammer blow.
He let out a cold laugh, dripping with disdain. “As for your family, you can’t even protect the women of your own house. What meaning is there in clinging to life in a state of decay? Why not just slit all our throats together!”
The fact that Guan Qinghan had been targeted by the Blood Soul Manor meant that if their demand wasn't met, both the Jun and Guan families would inevitably face annihilation! The authority of the Blood Soul Manor had always been something no one dared defy!
The choice made by Guan Dongliu, and indeed the entire Guan family, though born of desperation, was, in a certain sense, understandable!
Many people would surely make the same choice. Arranging marriages for women was an extremely common practice in this era. Sacrificing one woman to ensure the survival of two great families—in Guan Dongliu’s view, and perhaps in the view of most people in this world—was only natural, requiring no such agonizing decision.
She was just a woman! Even if she were his own flesh and blood, what of it?
But Jun Moxie would never allow himself to live in such disgrace!
What was the point of living if one couldn't even protect the women of one's own clan? For Jun Moxie, this was not merely an issue of Guan Qinghan’s honor, nor was it purely about survival. It was a matter of his fundamental principles as a man!
Perhaps this decision was foolish, perhaps it would lead to the simultaneous destruction of both the Guan and Jun families. But in Jun Moxie’s heart, there was absolutely no room for compromise on this matter!
Even if it meant forfeiting the lives of tens of millions of people across the entire Tianxiang Kingdom, Jun Moxie would still make the exact same choice!
Life and death? What the hell did they matter?!
A man lives for his breath; a Buddha strives for a single stick of incense!
If survival could only be bought by handing over an innocent woman, then it would be better to simply die.
Innocent or not, it was still a profound shame! A shame that no true man could ever endure!
And this was happening right beside him!
Even if it weren't happening to someone close to him, if Jun Moxie heard of such an incident, his first instinct would not be to punish the spoiled young bullies who dragged women away. Instead, he would first wipe out the family that offered up their daughter! You have no right to exist in this world! If you lose even the dignity of being human, what are you living for? You want to survive? Then I’ll annihilate you first! I’ll let you survive! Survive your mother’s backside!
The killer’s thesis was undoubtedly highly unconventional, deviating significantly from the general tenor of this world, and thus naturally found little approval from the majority, such as—
“Young Master Jun! What you are doing will bring absolute disaster upon the Jun family! Have you considered the magnitude of calamity your impulsive decision might cause? Even the Jun family—is it only your Jun family?!” Guan Dongliu became somewhat angry, stating heavily.
“The Jun family’s future rests in my hands, as I am the sole heir! If it is destined to be destroyed through me, I don’t mind doing it sooner. My decision is the Jun family’s decision!” Jun Moxie straightened his spine, his sharp gaze fixed on Guan Dongliu, and stated plainly: “Steward Guan, the Jun family does not agree to breaking the engagement! Your Guan family has done enough; you can completely stand aside!”
He then turned to Guan Qinghan: “If the Jun family’s strength cannot protect her, then before the Jun family is annihilated, I will kill her with my own hands! We would rather perish entirely than accept such humiliation!!”
Guan Qinghan’s matter stirred up an ultimate stubbornness deep within Jun Moxie; these words laid bare the sheer wickedness inherent in his very bones!
To sacrifice ten thousand lives for one person? So be it! What talk of grand righteousness or overall strategy—to hell with it all!
A member of the Jun family—living, they are of the Jun family; dead, they are the dead of the Jun family! No matter where they are, a Jun family member remains a Jun family member forever!
This was Jun Moxie’s temperament, in his previous life and in this one, it was always the same! Even if this situation had involved someone other than Guan Qinghan, he would have made the same choice! Even for a woman he didn’t know!
Tears streamed down Guan Qinghan’s face.
She had already fallen into despair and resigned herself to fate! The Blood Soul Manor—that was the ultimate forbidden ground of the entire continent. Though the world was vast and brimming with extraordinary individuals, how many dared defy a single decree from the Blood Soul Manor? If Guan Dongliu truly insisted on going his own way, even Jun Wuyi could not stop him. After all, Guan Qinghan was the daughter of the Guan family; once the engagement was broken, she would have no connection to the Jun family whatsoever!
Guan Qinghan had already prepared herself to commit suicide within the Blood Soul Manor after sacrificing herself for her family’s sake!
But she never imagined that at this critical moment, it would be Jun Moxie who resolutely stepped forward! This younger brother-in-law she usually looked down upon, the one she had tormented for months, this profligate, worthless younger brother-in-law, was uttering such words!
He was actually willing to court mutual destruction rather than let her face that tragic fate! He was even willing to risk his entire clan for her sake!
From the absolute firmness in Jun Moxie’s voice, Guan Qinghan clearly felt his resolve to sacrifice everything, even fight the entire world, just for her sake!
Guan Qinghan almost wanted to burst into tears at this moment! When even her own father and family had abandoned her, in a moment of utter darkness and complete hopelessness, here was a person willing to stand up for her at any cost!
Jun Moxie’s slender frame, his not-so-broad shoulders, suddenly transformed into the most reliable anchor—in this great storm of wind and rain, he became her sole reliance, her last resort!
Just moments ago, she had been moved by the affection her younger brother, Guan Qingyue, held for Yue’er. But now, how could Guan Qingyue compare to Jun Moxie? At least Guan Qingyue had come to persuade her to break the engagement and remarry, whereas Jun Moxie chose to protect her without the slightest hesitation!
One lived basely, willing to betray his sister for his own survival, willing to ignore all his principles for a courtesan! The other was passionate and fierce, stepping forward bravely to shoulder hardship!
They were utterly incomparable, like two extremes of heaven and earth; there was no basis for comparison!
Thinking of this, a burning flush spread across Guan Qinghan’s face. A thought arose in her heart that made her almost ashamed to show her face: Could it be... that his previous behavior towards me... was genuine? He only acted that way because of our differing statuses?
Otherwise, why would he be so agitated today? Why not even a shred of hesitation? It was as if he had been prepared all along, ready to be shattered to pieces for her sake, ready to fight the whole world?
Heavens, what was she to do?
Periods of panic, periods of despair, periods of excitement, periods of gratitude—Guan Qinghan stood frozen, her heart churning violently.
She did not know that the reason Jun Moxie acted this way was not solely for Guan Qinghan, but for his own unwavering principles! Jun Moxie’s unchanging principles, his eternal pride!
Better to fight the world wildly than to cling to a shameful existence!
In the heart of this King of Assassins, life and death were but fleeting illusions, ordinary things, unworthy of notice.
But principles and pride were the immortal driving forces that sustained Jun Moxie’s eternal advance!
On this, there would be absolutely no compromise!
Guan Dongliu was startled by Jun Moxie’s fierce attitude, a wave of indescribable emotion washing over him. But immediately recalling the decades-old foundation of his family, he couldn’t help but worry. He turned to Jun Wuyi, “Brother Jun, Young Master’s words are certainly bold, but youthful impetuousness is not always a perfect plan. For the sake of the greater picture, Brother Jun must consider this carefully. Naturally, the Jun family is not comparable to my Guan family, but the power of that Blood Soul Manor...”
Jun Wuyi smiled faintly, his face displaying an air of calm ease. “Moxie speaks correctly. Qinghan remains my Jun family’s daughter-in-law, a member of the Jun family! Moxie’s decision is the Jun family’s decision!”
Jun Wuyi’s voice was resonant and firm. Sitting motionless in his wheelchair, his upright back and broad shoulders seemed to carry the entire turbulent situation on his shoulders!
Jun Moxie might be considered rashly spirited due to his youth, but when these words came from Jun Wuyi’s mouth, it was tantamount to issuing a declaration of no quarter against the Blood Soul Manor!
Guan Dongliu stood stunned for a long moment, speechless. Suddenly, a deep sense of guilt welled up from the bottom of his heart! His own daughter, he had already given up on her, yet the entire Jun family, from the eldest to the youngest, showed not the slightest hesitation in protecting her!
He did not yet know that the Jun family had countless entanglements with Fengxue Silver City, even an irreconcilable feud! And now, because of Guan Qinghan’s matter, they were directly confronting the Blood Soul Manor!
The two great powers of the entire continent—the Jun family was standing against both! North and South, squeezed between them!
Yet Jun Moxie and Jun Wuyi, uncle and nephew, still smiled calmly, still laughed with unparalleled arrogance!