The Great Divine Physician Jun grabbed Ye Guhan’s hand, instantly channeling pure Innate Spiritual Qi. A faint choking cough escaped Ye Guhan’s throat, and a sliver of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“Difficult!” Jun Mowu shook his head, his brow deeply furrowed. He looked up at Jun Wuyi, “Extremely difficult! And the cost to save him… I fear it will be immense, truly vast!” He turned and barked at Dugu Xiaoyi and Sun Xiaomei, “Haven’t you two frightened waifs suffered enough? Go and rest over there immediately!” The 'over there' he indicated was naturally Guan Qinghan’s small courtyard.

Jun Wuyi understood the implied meaning immediately. “Niece Xiaoyi, Niece Xiaomei, why don’t you go play with your Sister Qinghan? We are here, don’t worry, everything will be fine. I have already sent someone to notify your Zou family, and people will come to take you back shortly. Although Little Ye is your elder, he is still a man, and it is inconvenient for Mowu to perform the rescue with you present.”

Dugu Xiaoyi pouted, unhappy. Although what Third Master Jun said was reasonable, the little girl felt excluded. She twisted her small waist and sulked, refusing to move, but Sun Xiaomei coaxed and pulled her away. The eldest Miss Sun was sharp enough to perceive that an urgent, private conversation was likely necessary between the uncle and nephew, and that they were inconvenient witnesses. “The Princess hasn't been found yet?” Jun Wuyi snorted with a smile, “If she hadn't been found, would you have come back? I know you well enough—you either refuse a task or, once accepted, you see it through completely!”

“It’s good that you know, why say it aloud?” Jun Moye continued to channel Spiritual Qi into Ye Guhan’s body, slowly setting the bone alignment. He sighed helplessly, “Third Uncle, regarding the Lunri incident; although Princess Lingmeng dislikes me, that was due to my past misconduct, and I cannot blame her. Ye Guhan is cold and aloof, but he is certainly a remarkable figure, a true hero!”

Speaking of this, Jun Moye’s voice grew heavy, “Though I say this, helping them today may not be the right course of action! Indeed, he shouldn’t be saved! Doesn’t Third Uncle know that our Jun family is already precariously balanced, and adding another variable now plunges us into deeper peril? Although I have made arrangements, they should not suspect me for the moment, but traces may eventually emerge. Dugu Xiaoyi and Sun Xiaomei are already a massive vulnerability! Secondly, there is you, Third Uncle—we both know Ye Guhan’s identity is exceptionally sensitive; he is not only the descendant of a rebel, but also… the protagonist of another matter!”

Jun Moye looked solemnly at Jun Wuyi, “Third Uncle, you truly failed to consider this! This action is not beneficial for the Jun family, nor for anyone else, including yourself!”

“I have considered all that you mentioned!” Jun Wuyi looked at Jun Mowu with deep eyes, his tone grave, and spoke slowly, “Do you know how many sons of prominent military families grew up alongside my father, your Second Uncle, and me back then? There were nineteen of us; now only I, Ye Guhan, the three brothers of the Dugu family, and Murong Chenglong of the Murong lineage remain; only six of us are left!”

Jun Wuyi sighed, “If we save Ye Guhan today, His Majesty will naturally be displeased; but it will only be displeasure. He has been displeased about this matter for over a decade! What does one more instance of displeasure matter? But if I go back on my word and abandon him, how will I face the other thirteen brothers when I am in the Nine Springs below? Even your grandfather would not spare me! Even if your grandfather does not blame me, I cannot forgive myself! I still insist: we save him!”

“Mowu, remember this! Our Jun family never claims to be benevolent gentlemen, but we always clearly distinguish between gratitude and resentment! A true man, born between heaven and earth, knows what he should not do, and what he absolutely must do! The descendants of our Jun family possess the pride and conviction of the Jun line! It has always been this way! Back then, your great-grandfather—your grandfather’s grandfather—was merely an ordinary blacksmith. Before his death, he passed down the Jun family maxim…” Jun Wuyi’s voice became stern. “What maxim, Grand-Uncle?” Jun Mowu asked with some curiosity. “‘If one is born with niao [testicles/balls], one must be a man! Stand tall between heaven and earth, to hell with it all!’” Jun Wuyi slowly recited the sixteen characters.

It must be said, the Jun family ancestor’s maxim was rather coarse, utterly unrefined.

“‘… If one is born with niao, one must be a man! Stand tall between heaven and earth, to hell with it all!…’” Jun Mo’e murmured the words twice. Initially, he wanted to laugh, but the more he pondered, the more those sixteen characters resonated deeply within him. “A fine maxim!” Jun Moye shouted his approval, his emotions surging slightly, “It seems this ancestor was indeed a man before his death!”

“Precisely! Countless people in this world are born with niao; yet how few can truly achieve what it means to be a ‘man’?” Jun Wuyi scrutinized Jun Mowu with eyes like a hawk’s ears.

“A man is a husband! A true, great man! A man of iron backbone and loyal heart, standing tall and upright!” Jun Mowu laughed heartily, speaking with immense exhilaration. As he uttered this, he felt his chest opening up, expanding, and clearing!

“Good! Timid, always worrying about consequences, hesitant, fearing death—such people, even if they marry a hundred wives and father eight hundred sons, are not truly men!” Jun Wuyi roared with laughter, “A man of iron backbone and loyal heart, standing tall and upright! Well said!” “However, what I appreciate most are the last four characters of this ancestor’s maxim: ‘To hell with it all!’” Jun Mowu laughed unrestrainedly, “These four words strike me to the core; they are strokes of sheer genius! To use these four words as a maxim—my Jun family ancestor deserves praise!”

Jun Wuyi smiled gently, “Indeed, these four words seem vulgar, yet the breadth of spirit and the arrogance of freedom they contain are expressed utterly perfectly!” “Do as I wish, follow my heart, and to hell with all the laws of heaven and earth!” Jun Mowu felt elated. Such an ancestral inheritance felt tailor-made for him! “You focus on the fourth line, but I focus on the third! Perhaps this is the difference between your nature and mine; it leads to the markedly divergent styles in which you and I, uncle and nephew, navigate the world!”

Jun Wuyi’s smile faded, and he slowly continued, “Stand tall between heaven and earth! My understanding of these four words is this: no matter the matter, one must be true to one’s conscience; only by first having a clear conscience can one stand tall between heaven and earth!”

“Death is nothing to fear, renown is worth nothing! Wealth must be acquired virtuously, and life must be without regret!” Jun Wuyi declared resolutely, “The ancestor’s maxim has an order: first be a man; then be true to your conscience; and under the premise of those two things, you can rightfully say to anything external: To hell with it all!”

After speaking, Jun Wuyi smiled meaningfully, “Moxie, have you understood the so-called ancestor’s maxim? Now, do you understand my choice?” “Yes, Third Uncle, I understand,” Jun Moye said solemnly, “First, one must be true to oneself, only then can one act as one wishes, following one’s heart!” “Correct!” Jun Wuyi was deeply gratified. Yet he failed to notice that Jun Moye’s understanding was fundamentally different from his own—completely different!

What Jun Mo’e spoke of was ‘being true to oneself!’ This differed vastly from Jun Wuyi’s ‘being true to one’s conscience,’ in fact, they were polar opposites, bearing no relation whatsoever.

While the uncle and nephew were speaking, Jun Mo’bang’s Heaven-Opening Fortune Technique continued to output its pure Spiritual Qi without interruption. Under the infusion of this worldly, unparalleled spiritual energy, Ye Guhan’s breathing had stabilized slightly, but he remained unconscious. In truth, Jun Mowu could only manage this much at present; he could only temporarily sustain Ye Guhan’s life from complete extinction, but to heal him, or even see significant improvement… that was currently beyond his ability!

Just then, a report arrived: Great General Dugu had come with his guards; Minister Sun had come to call; Jun Wuyi hurriedly arranged for them to be admitted. As Dugu Wudi and Minister Sun entered the room, they heard a servant report: Princess Lingmeng had arrived…

It turned out that after Princess Lingmeng was rescued by Master Wen and returned to the Imperial Palace, she immediately demanded to see Ye Guhan, to see her Uncle Ye. Her attitude was exceptionally fierce; even the Emperor himself failed to placate her. Moreover, after His Majesty the Emperor arrived, Princess Lingmeng’s resistance became more pronounced, showing a rather cold indifference. Eventually, she insisted on leaving the palace regardless of the consequences; the Emperor, having no choice, finally agreed.

Upon leaving the palace, Princess Lingmeng immediately inquired about Ye Guhan’s whereabouts everywhere. Upon learning that Ye Guhan had been rescued by the Third Master of the Jun family, Jun Wuyi, Princess Lingmeng was overjoyed and rushed to his door instantly.

Following Princess Lingmeng were three slightly breathless old men, comprising the three most renowned Grand Imperial Physicians, including Fang Huisheng. The guards following behind carried their medicine chests, marching in with great haste.

“Uncle Ye…” Princess Lingmeng almost forced her way into the Jun family residence, running straight in, completely oblivious to anyone else, anxiously asking Jun Wuyi, “Third Uncle Jun, where is my Uncle Ye? Where is he?”

At least she still knows how to address people, Jun Wuyi thought, that’s not entirely out of line!

Jun Wuyi gave a wry smile and shook his head; Princess Lingmeng felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her vision darkening, nearly collapsing. She cried out, “Could it be, Uncle Ye has already…”

“Your Highness, please do not jump to conclusions. Although Brother Ye’s injuries are severe, his life is not in immediate danger. I have already settled him in Moxie’s small courtyard. Alas… Wuyi dares not hide anything from Your Highness, although Brother Ye’s life is temporarily safe, the situation is extremely unfavorable.” Jun Wuyi paused, deciding it was best to prepare Princess Lingmeng psychologically by telling her the reality beforehand.

Third Master Jun spoke so sincerely, for no other reason than this: seeing that Princess Lingmeng, a daughter of the Emperor and a Princess of the realm, showed such true feeling and such intense care for Ye Guhan, it meant that Ye Guhan’s desperate efforts were not in vain!

This young girl, he mused, possessed a character that valued loyalty and righteousness. Having witnessed the infighting among the Emperor’s three sons, Jun Wuyi felt that this girl was quite admirable, seeing the pure, childlike devotion she held for Ye Guhan. At Ye Guhan’s bedside.

Fang Huisheng and the other two carefully examined him, then stood up with sighs of resignation, shaking their heads, stammering, “Your Highness, please accept our condolences. During the previous great battle, Mr. Ye suffered multiple grievous wounds; both external and internal injuries had reached a fatal state. That aside, the most intractable problem is that the blood loss Mr. Ye suffered previously was far too severe, exceeding more than half of the body’s total blood volume. Once the body loses one-third of its blood, recovery is extremely difficult, beyond the power of medicine and herbs! The fact that Mr. Ye managed to hold on until now is due to the life-sustaining, exquisitely pure profound energy actively supplied by two masters. However, that profound energy is ultimately an external source; sustaining life is its limit, and we believe there is no turning back now… Please, Your Highness, prepare for the funeral… prepare for the latter matters early.”

Fame is rarely undeserved; Fang Huisheng and the other two indeed proved themselves to be the most renowned three divine physicians in the Tianxiang Kingdom. They easily grasped the current condition of Ye Guhan, and even deduced that two grand masters had previously supplied him with energy to prolong his life. Alas, even their combined efforts could not save him!