"You don't need to know who we are! Even less do you need to know why we've targeted you, because you won't get the chance to live anymore!" For some unknown reason, under the piercing gaze of the woman before him, Lei Jianhong blurted out such a senseless remark.

"I will not let you go! I will kill your entire family! Slaughter them all!" Princess Lingmeng's tears suddenly streamed down, but she stubbornly held her eyes wide open, not blinking once: "Even as a ghost, I won't spare you."

The sharp, piercing howl seemed to tear through the firmament, and the bleak autumn wind in the air suddenly began to howl, growing stronger and stronger. Princess Lingmeng's long hair billowed in the wind, lending her a strangely desolate beauty at that moment!

The pupils behind Lei Jianhong's masked face constricted violently. He suddenly felt a chill run through his body, an intuitive sense of trembling! This strange feeling only fueled his shame and anger. He was a grand Tianxuan master; how could he be unnerved by the words of a mere young girl? It was preposterous!

"Slap!" In a fit of frustrated rage, Lei Jianhong delivered a heavy slap to her face, cursing, "Stinking bitch, daring to talk nonsense when death is at your door. Believe it or not, I'll kill you right now."

A large handprint swelled high on Princess Lingmeng's pale face, and her hair fell loose, but her gaze remained fiercely fixed on him, full of venom and defiance.

Lei Jianhong met Princess Lingmeng's vicious stare again. Seeing that the princess showed no sign of yielding, an inexplicable anger surged anew. Coupled with the realization that this woman was deeply connected to the killer who had slain his three junior martial brothers with flying knives, and that two more junior brothers had been injured tonight because of her guards, rage erupted from his core, and a murderous intent bloomed.

The Third Junior Sister beside him noticed the Senior Martial Brother’s killing intent and quickly advised, "Senior Martial Brother, this woman is connected to that person. We cannot kill her until that person appears!"

Lei Jianhong snapped back to awareness, gnashing his teeth fiercely. He suddenly brought his palm down hard on the back of Princess Lingmeng's neck, snatched her up, and tossed her to the Third Junior Sister, then offered a brief farewell and prepared to flee.

"Villains, release the Princess." Dugu Xiaoyi and Sun Xiaomei leaped forward, though they knew they were no match, they could not simply watch as Lingmeng was abducted.

Lei Jianhong snorted coldly, his figure drifting upwards. With two sharp slaps, the two women were struck, blood staining the corners of their mouths as they were sent flying back. The three black-clad masked figures simultaneously sprang up, drifting eerily, and in just a few silent steps, they vanished without a trace.

It wasn't that Lei Jianhong didn't want to kill the two women; it was that he couldn't!

The matter of the Princess was driven by enmity and necessitated action, but Sun Xiaomei and Dugu Xiaoyi had powerful backing—one connected to the Sun and Tang families, the other to the Dugu clan. If anything happened to them, the ensuing conflict among the three great families would severely disadvantage the Li family where Junior Brother Li resided.

After a brief lull

A small white silhouette flashed like lightning, followed by the sound of hooves hammering down like a sudden downpour. Almost as soon as the sound was heard, a sturdy horse sharply rounded the street corner, arriving at the scene. A figure flashed, and two people leaped down.

On the ground, everything was a pool of blood! Ye Guhan lay alone in the crimson pool!

"Xiao Ye! Ye Guhan!" Third Master Jun cried out in alarm, landing beside Ye Guhan. Third Master still had to maintain the pretense of his legs being crippled, so he sat before Ye Guhan, placing one hand on his surviving left wrist. Pure Profound Qi surged into the man, bolstering his dwindling life force.

Ye Guhan had suffered massive blood loss and grievous injuries; he was practically running on fumes, his life force dimming. If not for a lingering concern he could not let go of, he would have certainly collapsed long ago. His eyes were already blurred, hazy, and unfocused, as if his soul was slowly leaving his body. Even boundless willpower struggled against the ebb of vitality and the encroaching arrival of death.

Suddenly forced by Jun Wuyi's incredibly pure Profound Qi, his senses cleared. He strained to open his eyes and saw Jun Wuyi’s lean face. His gaze suddenly brightened with an expression of extreme urgency.

Anxious, pleading emotion saturated Ye Guhan’s eyes!

"What on earth happened?" Jun Wuyi asked urgently. Ye Guhan could no longer speak. Jun Wuyi scanned his surroundings—this street, which should have been bustling, was now eerily silent, devoid of a single soul!

This scene was too unusual. Where had everyone gone?!

"Does anyone know what happened?" Jun Wuyi roared out in a mixture of urgency and anger, and the long street seemed to tremble in response.

Still no answer!

Jun Wuyi and Ye Guhan were the same age; Ye Guhan was even a few years older than Third Master Jun. When they were young, the Ye and Jun families had some acquaintance, so the two were childhood playmates. Ever since the Ye family's downfall, Jun Wuyi hadn't seen Ye Guhan in over a decade. To meet after so many years, only to find his old friend hanging on the edge of death, was devastating!

Ye Guhan felt Jun Wuyi's pure Profound Qi constantly flowing into him. He was astonished that Third Master Jun possessed a cultivation level surpassing his own, easily mid-stage Tianxuan, yet he simultaneously felt his own life force gradually vanishing, not improving at all despite the influx of pure energy. His gaze grew more frantic, eventually showing faint glints of anger.

Seeing Ye Guhan's breath weaken, Jun Wuyi looked up anxiously, "Mo Xie, can you save him?"

Jun Mo Xie sighed. Once Third Uncle asked, even if he hadn't wanted to intervene, he now had to. To be honest, with the aid of the Hongjun Pagoda, Young Master Jun was supremely confident that few injuries in this world were beyond his ability to heal—whether it was Third Uncle’s ten-year-long ailment poisoning his bones or Hai Chenfeng’s shattered Dantian and ruined Profound Qi.

Even Ye Guhan, clinging by a thread now, seemingly doomed, was the same. However, Young Master Jun never considered himself a savior. He held no affection for Ye Guhan or Princess Lingmeng, and helping them would very likely invite trouble. It was a losing proposition with zero upside!

But since Third Uncle had inquired, he couldn't refuse. Young Master Jun reluctantly crouched down slowly, reached out, and took Ye Guhan’s arm from Jun Wuyi’s grasp. He closed his eyes slightly and began channeling his pure primordial power from the Kai Tian Zao Hua Gong, letting it flow like a gentle stream.

His eyebrows twitched involuntarily.

Ye Guhan’s injuries truly shocked Young Master Jun. It wasn't just the severity—they surpassed even the critical damage Hai Chenfeng had suffered when his Qi was destroyed. These were almost certainly fatal wounds! Or rather, the fact that he had held on this long without dying was already a miracle! He barely had half a breath left—no, perhaps only a single flicker of conviction remained, not even half a breath.

Under the scope of Young Master Jun's divine sense, he found over thirty sword and palm wounds of varying sizes. His abdomen was pierced clean through by a sword. His shoulder had been penetrated by some unknown sword Qi or finger strike. The sides of his body were pierced through... The most fatal blow was caused by a massive palm strike to the chest, shattering and breaking every rib. All his internal organs were displaced; it was the worst state imaginable.

Faced with such injuries, even with Young Master Jun's immense confidence in his Kai Tian Zao Hua Gong, he had absolutely no certainty of healing Ye Guhan! All he could do right now was temporarily suspend the man's last breath, preventing the injuries from worsening and causing immediate death. But as for fully saving him, he had zero confidence.

From a distance, Dugu Xiaoyi and Sun Xiaomei staggered over, shouting from afar, "Brother Mo Xie! The Princess has been abducted! Hurry and save her!"

Jun Mo Xie saw the two women were badly hurt and almost went to meet them, but upon hearing this, he sat back down. The life or death of the Princess had nothing to do with him. Why should he risk his life? She wasn't related to him. Didn't they see how ruined Ye Guhan looked? He should risk his life? Should Third Uncle risk his life? On what grounds? Give me a reason first.

However, the dying Ye Guhan shuddered upon hearing these words. His pale face flushed instantly, and his eyes burned with fervor. He looked at Jun Mo Xie and Jun Wuyi with eyes full of entreaty.

This last straw, through direct physical contact, Ye Guhan realized Jun Wuyi had already reached the mid-stage Tianxuan realm, surpassing his own strength. If he acted, there might be a chance to rescue the Princess!

Jun Wuyi’s heart stirred, and he asked softly, "You want us to go save the Princess?"

A glimmer of joy appeared in Ye Guhan’s eyes.

"Stop messing around. With our strength, how could we possibly save her? Just tell us directly if you want us to go die!" Jun Mo Xie continued channeling the Kai Tian Zao Hua Gong without lifting his brow. "Third Uncle’s Profound Qi cultivation has indeed reached the Tianxuan realm, but his body is permanently immobile. You yourself are in this state; never mind him. As for this Young Master, I’m even less capable. To save her... we are truly powerless. As the ancients said: Life and death are determined by fate, wealth and rank by Heaven. This is destiny."

Am I an idiot? Why should I do such thankless work? Even if we actually managed to save that foolish Princess, what good would we get? We’d only expose Third Uncle’s strength, expose the fact that he’s recovered, and expose my own strength. It’s not worth it in any scenario. I’m willing to stabilize your last breath right now; you should be grateful! Anyone else, even Yun Biechen, the foremost among the Eight Supreme Beings, couldn't manage this!

Ye Guhan’s already faint breathing suddenly grew ragged. He glared at Jun Mo Xie with extreme fury. Jun Mo Xie clearly felt Ye Guhan’s heartbeat accelerate. The gasping intensified, causing a slight grinding sound from the tangled, broken bones in his chest.

Ye Guhan stared fixedly at Jun Mo Xie, his gaze holding infinite rage, infinite sorrow, which then gradually shifted to entreaty, to pleading. Seeing this utterly desolate look, Jun Mo Xie’s heart jumped! He had no doubt that if Ye Guhan could still speak, he would cast aside all pride and dignity to beg him to save Princess Lingmeng!

Ye Guhan’s eyes grew desperate. Suddenly, a flush spread across his face, and a gurgling sound emerged from his throat, as if he were gathering every bit of his strength. His last bit of power finally surfaced—nb;nb;—and he managed to expel two characters, weak and inaudible: "Beg help!"

Then, his head lolled to the side, and he fainted, with no further sign of life.

Ye Guhan had burned his final spark of life just to utter those two words!

Although he hadn't finished speaking, both Jun Mo Xie and Jun Wuyi understood the implicit meaning: Ye Guhan was begging, "Please, go save Lingmeng!" He had paid with his life, the final remnant of his vitality, to make this request!

"Is he dead?" Jun Wuyi asked, suddenly a little mournful and lost.

"Not dead yet. But close. He is currently in a state of suspended animation."

Jun Mo Xie continued pouring his energy into the man. "If this state lasts much longer, then even I won't be able to bring him back."

"Saving someone is like putting out a fire! Aren't you going to save her yet?" Dugu Xiaoyi finally rushed over, almost crying, and grabbed the lapel of Jun Mo Xie’s robe: "Hurry and save Lingmeng! What are you waiting for?"

"Why should I?" Jun Mo Xie looked at her, bewildered. "I'm just an ordinary commoner. Saving a Princess? That’s a task for some Prince. You're asking me to go? Isn't that sending me to my death? Haven't you seen that even the Tianxuan master Ye Guhan has been reduced to a ragged sack? And you want me, who has no strength to truss a chicken, to go? How could you say such a thing?"

The Young Master thought to himself, Pah. Princess Lingmeng isn't some little girl. Why should I undertake such a thankless, foolish task? I rushed over here for you, only to run into such a huge mess!

"You... woo-woo... What should we do then?" Dugu Xiaoyi's heart felt like it was being ground up. She suddenly remembered that with Jun Mo Xie's abilities, he seemingly couldn't even defeat her, so how could he possibly stand against those Tianxuan masters? What had she just said? Regret mixed with helplessness washed over her. "But why haven't those palace guards shown up yet?"

Unintentional words, but they struck home. The moment she spoke, both Jun Wuyi and Jun Mo Xie inwardly stiffened, exchanging a look of unspoken understanding.

"Mo Xie, for the sake of Ye Guhan’s sentiment, we should offer assistance. Furthermore, she is still the Princess," Jun Wuyi said subtly. He could see clearly that his nephew held very little regard for Princess Lingmeng. If he didn't speak up, his nephew might truly just stand by and watch without intervening.

Forget the Princess, even providing aid to Ye Guhan just now—if he hadn't spoken up, given his nephew's nature, he might have refused to even pay attention! Based on his understanding of his nephew, he was entirely capable of doing such a thing, and would feel completely blameless about it.

"I'm not going! Not interested," Jun Mo Xie flatly refused even his Third Uncle. He vaguely sensed a major hidden complication lurking beneath the surface, one that would force him to expose his identity. The consequences could be disastrous!

Never mind a mere Princess; even the daughter of an immortal—if she had nothing to do with him, he wouldn't care. He would rather spend that time teasing Xiao Bai Bai.

Besides, when has our Great Killer Jun ever done a business transaction with no profit?

"If you won't go, I will!" Jun Wuyi grew slightly angry, pushing himself up with both hands, ready to mount his horse! "I am not going for any Princess; I am going for Ye Guhan! Ye Guhan cares for Lingmeng, just as your grandfather once massacred the capital for you! This sentiment moves heaven and earth; how can we stand idly by?!"

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