Naturally, if the original Jun Moxie encountered such a situation, he would probably use Tang Yuan's method immediately without hesitation. This is because Jun Moxie is no longer the original Jun Moxie. Although the Evil Monarch was wicked, and could be counted as an absolute profligate, he was not a villainous brute like the original Jun Moxie and Tang Yuan who were spoiled to the core. Moreover, Jun Moxie had always been accustomed to relying on himself for everything, and his personality even contained an element of punishing evil and hating wickedness. The original Jun Moxie, however, was accustomed to suppressing people with power and overwhelming them with status; their methods of operation and ways of thinking were vastly different. How could they easily be unified? Yet, it had to be admitted that Tang Yuan's stroke of "divine inspiration" truly solved Jun Moxie's most pressing dilemma. Time was already tight, and Jun Moxie was still a complete novice at refining elixirs, having never practiced before, not to mention the lack of medicinal ashes. But Fatty Tang had instantly resolved the biggest hurdle. Although the means were admittedly a bit contemptible, Jun Moxie certainly wouldn't blame him now. A little extra compensation for the frightened bosses of those few families—it could even be argued as making up for their losses. This situation was unfair to them, of course. But where in this world has there ever been true fairness? I can traverse worlds; can you? That is unfair. Heaven and Earth are inherently imperfect; absolute justice and fairness simply do not exist in the world. Why aspire to such unattainable perfection? But regardless of fairness or unfairness, the formal process of refining elixirs must begin tonight. That is what truly matters. Jun Moxie was looking forward to it. What exactly could he manage to refine?

A dragon-like roar echoed as the Cold-Blooded Supreme, Lei Wubei, appeared above the Jun family courtyard, his face the color of pale gold: "Ying Bokong, look at the time! The contingent from Silver City has already set out. Aren't you leaving? How long do you intend to delay? Are you perhaps afraid of the Beast Tide!" If one looked closely, one could see that the Cold-Blooded Supreme's complexion was very poor, with faint bloodshot veins in his eyes; his vital spirit was extremely low. To cause a Supreme-level expert to appear in such a state, the instigator absolutely deserved to feel proud! "I'll leave when I want to leave, and I won't go if I don't want to! None of your business!" Ying Bokong retorted with extreme displeasure. Ying Bokong was deeply frustrated. Precisely at this critical juncture, that wretched Supreme Edict had suddenly appeared. You should at least wait until I've comprehended the Nine Forms of the Ghost Eagle! If I leave for Tiannan now, it's a long journey, and there are huge matters waiting afterward. Who knows when I'll be able to settle down and cultivate again? Was it easy for me to catch such a rare opportunity? If I miss it now, where can I buy an antidote for regret?

Lei Wubei added another sentence, his voice sinister: "I am departing today. Old Eagle, currently in Tianxiang City, it is only the two of us left. Although we have minor personal grudges, under the Supreme Edict, all grievances must be set aside temporarily! As one of the Eight Great Supremes, you should know the consequences of violating the Supreme Edict! I intended to travel with you, but I never expected you to be so unappreciative!" When Lei Wubei uttered this, not just Ying Bokong, but even Jun Moxie was startled. When did the Cold-Blooded Supreme ever invite company? And he was inviting Ying Bokong—that was even more unbelievable. But neither of them knew that Lei Wubei had spent the past few days frantically searching Tianxiang City for the murderer of his disciple—the so-called "Assassin Supreme Chu Qihun," his imaginary nemesis. His mind had been constantly tense, daring not to relax in the slightest, constantly guarding against a fatal ambush from Chu Qihun. To persist until now had already severely drained him physically and mentally; this was only possible because he possessed Supreme-level cultivation; anyone else might have suffered a mental breakdown long ago. Now, receiving the Supreme Edict, and considering the journey to Tiannan was thousands of miles long—along the way, whether in forests or inns, every place was convenient and easy for an assassin like Chu Qihun to exploit; moreover, the enemy was hidden while he was exposed. If he wasn't careful, his lifelong reputation could be utterly ruined. Thus, he conceived the idea of inviting Ying Bokong to travel together. Although he and Ying Bokong had their issues, they were not irreconcilable, life-and-death feuds. If he could gain Ying Bokong's assistance, with two Supremes traveling together, even if Chu Qihun were given ten times the courage, he would certainly not dare to attempt an assassination on either of them.

A figure flashed, and Ying Bokong appeared opposite Lei Wubei: "Lei Wubei, tell me honestly, what trick are you planning?" "Are you afraid?" Lei Wubei sneered provocatively. "Afraid? Hahaha! I know this is just your petty provocation, yet I'll travel with you anyway, to see what tricks you can pull!" Ying Bokong laughed loudly. "Hold on!" Seeing the two about to depart, Young Master Jun couldn't remain calm and quickly called out to stop them. He hadn't forgotten that the people from Wind and Snow Silver City had left ahead of time. They might even be waiting for Ying Bokong somewhere right now. Never mind that Lei Wubei wanted to borrow Ying Bokong's strength against Chu Qihun; if anything happened to Ying Bokong, Lei Wubei would definitely not offer aid—he'd likely kick him while he was down. "Action?" Ying Bokong frowned. "My master visited recently and left a few words for this junior to relay," Jun Moxie said, his eyes darting. Upon hearing this, Ying Bokong instantly jumped down, immediately adopting an eager, almost impatient demeanor: "What did he say? Spit it out, kid." In the sky, Lei Wubei was somewhat dumbfounded. Who was this kid's master that he could wield such power? One sentence made Ying Bokong, one of the Eight Great Supremes, jump down? "My master said to remember these few sentences: 'The Eagle soars in the void; clouds float in the void, wind and splendor float in the void; it resides not in the eagle, nor in the wind and clouds; but in the void. All laws are void, all things are void.'" Jun Moxie was straightforward, directly relaying this mantra crucial to Ying Bokong, using his unique secret sound transmission technique. The Cold-Blooded Supreme Lei Wubei in the sky only saw his lips move but couldn't hear a single word. "The Eagle soars in the void, like clouds floating in the void, wind and splendor floating in the void; it resides not in the eagle, nor in the wind and clouds; but in the void. All laws are void, all things are void..." Ying Bokong frowned in contemplation, grasping something but still missing the essence, a look of confusion in his eyes. "This is a profound realm of insight, grasped only through feeling, not easily explained, nor can it be understood in a short while. Because my master knows that Senior is about to rush to Tiannan, where fierce battles are likely to occur, he informed you of this in advance, lest it delay the advancement of your cultivation." "Thank you!" A trace of gratitude flashed across Ying Bokong's usually unruly face as he cupped his hands heavily. "My master also said that the six Divine Profound Elders of Wind and Snow Silver City, along with seven other Silver City Swordsmen of considerable cultivation, have already gone ahead to Tiannan, preparing to deal with Senior; please be extremely cautious. Only with caution can one sail the ship for ten thousand years." "Silver City's Six Divine Profounds? Seven Swordsmen? Could it be the Seven Swords of Silver City?" Ying Bokong's face grew heavy, and his heart sank. If someone else had said this, Ying Bokong might not have believed it, but coming from the mouth of Jun Moxie’s mysterious master, Ying Bokong believed it completely! "Indeed so. In that case, traveling with Lei Wubei, provided it is handled well, might have more advantages than disadvantages, perhaps even outweighing the drawbacks." Ying Bokong murmured to himself. After a long pause, his expression steadied. "Does your master have any other words?" "My master said that when Senior returns, it will be the time the Divine Eagle takes flight." Jun Moxie chuckled, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "Have a safe journey and take care." "Farewell!" Ying Bokong offered a rare, solemn cupped-hand salute: "Please thank my master again on my behalf. Ying Bokong holds my master in the highest regard. I have always kept the Jun family's affairs in mind; please assure him of that." With that, Ying Bokong let out a long cry, soared into the air, and vanished in a flash overhead with Lei Wubei following. "Supremes are indeed not ordinary people," Jun Moxie sighed deeply and turned back to his room.

That very night, throughout Tianxiang City, regardless of cultivation level or background, countless Xuan practitioners hurriedly packed and set off for Tiannan, either in small groups or alone. After all, no one dared to treat the Supreme Edict lightly. Even Song Shang and Hai Chenfeng came to the Jun residence to seek instruction, expressing their desire to go and assist, but they were directly stopped by Jun Moxie: "What are you two going for? Are you tired of living? You are forbidden to go! Stay put obediently. Song Shang, brew your wine; if you slack off even a bit, I’ll expel you from the sect immediately. As for Hai Chenfeng, just focus on developing your gang; ignore all other nonsense. Developing the gang properly is what's important." It was a joke. He couldn't stop Ying Bokong from leaving, nor did he have the standing to do so, but how could Young Master Jun let these two, already bearing the "Jun family" brand, leave? If he and his people left the Jun residence, what would happen if something occurred in Tianxiang City? But if Hai Chenfeng and Song Shang, those two Great Heaven Profound experts, remained in the capital to look after the Jun family, then even if trouble arose, the Jun family would be among the most powerful factions, ensuring they wouldn't suffer a loss. In the worst-case scenario, even if the Jun family didn't need their protection, they absolutely could not be allowed to go to Tiannan. As mentioned before, both of them were clearly marked with the Jun family label. Once they arrived in Tiannan, they might well be sent by the Xiao or Li families to be cannon fodder. Although they possessed Heaven Profound strength, in the current Tiannan, it was almost a situation where Divine Profounds walked around like commoners and Heaven Profounds were like dogs. It was safer to remain in Tianxiang! Did Brother finally manage to build a small following, only to throw them away in Yunan? The Xuan Beast Tide? What a joke. Even if all the people died, it wouldn't affect me in the slightest! The initially enthusiastic Hai Chenfeng and Song Shang were met with a cold splash of water, but they still had to heed Jun Moxie's words, so they could only return sheepishly.

At the Second Prince's Mansion. The Second Prince at this time was very pleased! Very content! He even felt as if the entire world was cooperating with him! The crossbows he needed were about to arrive in the capital, and precisely at this moment, two Supremes jointly issued the Supreme Edict, causing almost all known and unknown Xuan practitioners to depart, even in the capital city of Tianxiang. With so many experts leaving simultaneously, the capital's strength would inevitably be unprecedentedly weakened. His super weapons had already been safely delivered, and once his prepared forces were equipped with these killing tools, they would surely be like adding wings to a tiger. At that time, causing trouble in this weakened capital would be as easy as turning over his hand. Therefore, in the secret chamber, the Second Prince and his strategists were discussing tensely, everyone appearing somewhat excited. "Mr. Fang, notify the Divine Wind Guard that they can now move out from the south and rush to the capital as quickly as possible," the Second Prince looked kindly at his chief strategist before him. "I ask Mr. Fang to manage the overall planning for this matter." "Please rest assured, Your Second Highness. This is Fang Bowen's duty, and I will do my utmost to ensure absolute success." Fang Bowen pondered for a moment: "The Zhao Clan Merchant Guild escort team this time totals two hundred people, led personally by two Jade Profound experts. Additionally, Meng Xiaosong, the Vice President of the First Guild of Jiangnan, will lead eighty first-class warriors in a joint escort. That Meng Xiaosong is already an Earth Profound expert. With him accompanying the convoy, worries can be eased. With the Zhao Clan out in the open and the Guild operating secretly, advancing in separate stages will surely ensure a smooth journey. The Divine Wind Guard will travel with the Zhao Clan Merchant Guild. Furthermore, I have already notified the Blood Sword Hall. This time, the Blood Sword Hall will dispatch two Heaven Profound assassins, five Earth Profound assassins, and twenty high-level Jade Profound assassins to escort them covertly, ensuring complete safety. Forget that at this critical time when the major families in this small area have weakened their forces; even under normal circumstances, such a massive force is enough to guarantee absolute safety!" "Hmph, the Blood Sword Hall has always deployed no assassins above the Jade Profound level for missions! This resulted in several assassination attempts ending in failure; it was a waste of manpower and resources with no results. Yet this time, with the appearance of the Xuan Beast Tendon Crossbow, they are suddenly sending two Heaven Profound and five Earth Profound experts! The lowest level in the team is even Jade Profound... Such handling truly chills this King's heart!" The Second Prince said indignantly, full of anger. "The Blood Sword Hall's actions have always been profound and unpredictable; I do not understand the reasons for this," Fang Bowen frowned. "However, this batch of crossbows is of great importance to the Blood Sword Hall. Their extreme caution is not entirely without reason; it benefits both others and themselves... One must know that if one does not look out for oneself, heaven and earth will punish them..." Saying this, Fang Bowen paused abruptly, a flicker of doubt in his eyes, followed by a wave of terror! It seemed as though he had thought of something utterly terrifying. The Second Prince didn't notice his chief strategist's strangeness at all. Still simmering with residual anger, he took a few breaths and said coldly: "Forget it. Once the crossbows are in hand, there won't be much need for the Blood Sword Hall anymore, which is a good thing, saving me from their inexplicable temper." Fang Bowen’s white eyebrows furrowed deeply, and a strong sense of worry appeared in his eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then seemed to think his idea was absurd, too far-fetched, and he swallowed the words that were almost spoken. However, the faint worry in his eyes became even more pronounced, intentionally or unintentionally.

Careless words carry weight for the attentive listener. The Second Prince's complaint was merely a vent for his own annoyance, but to Fang Bowen, it sounded like a sudden thunderclap! All the vague matters gradually cleared up. Do I perhaps need to consider other avenues of retreat? On the side, the Second Prince stood with his hands behind his back, his expression clearly quite confident. He smiled to himself, filled with strong self-assurance and the yearning for his goal to be realized, muttering, "If I can use this opportunity to truly eliminate my elder brother and the third brother..." He did not finish his thoughts, but the deep malice on his face lingered for a long time. Suddenly, he turned around and asked, "Mr. Fang, how are the arrangements regarding Yue'er?" "Miss Yue'er has shown no signs of activity these past few days, and even Miss Yue'er herself has rarely appeared. Moreover, when we sent people to contact her, the attitude of the Nishang Pavilion has been rather ambiguous. This is truly bewildering," Fang Bowen spoke slowly, choosing his words deliberately, and the passage was remarkably halting, stuttering several times. Clearly, his heart was far from calm, and perhaps he was considering more than just this one matter. "Hmph!" A cold glint flashed in the Second Prince's eyes. After a long silence, he said, "Let's not talk about that side for now. Anyway... with her meager power, she can't stir up any big waves. What about Cheng Cao? What has he been busy with recently? Why haven't I seen him around for several days?" Fang Bowen's eyes showed a trace of disgust; it was clear that this Young Master Cheng did not have a good reputation in the Prince's Mansion. He replied, "I haven't seen Young Master Cheng for several days either. It seems he has been busy with something these past few days, but he keeps it secret from others, acting very mysterious. And the Cheng family's contingent has not yet arrived. Whether there has been some change... this..." The Second Prince frowned tightly, paced a few steps, and said grimly, "For now, all trivial matters are postponed. Everything... will be decided after the crossbows arrive!" A deep murderous intent suddenly flashed across his pale, fair face. A woman, a young master from a martial arts family... what do you think you are? How dare you defy my orders? Yue'er, don't mistake my favor for the capital to act willfully! You will regret it! And Cheng Cao, do you really think you've become some great figure? My Prince can destroy the mere Cheng family in a matter of days! "Yes." Fang Bowen noticed the Second Prince's killing intent, his white eyebrows trembled, and his heart involuntarily shuddered: This Royal Highness has enough ruthlessness and enough ruthlessness; but why is his composure so shallow? He is already so arrogant before achieving anything. If he truly succeeds in this grand endeavor, what will he become in the future? He suddenly felt increasingly bored and lowered his eyes, sealing all his thoughts within. The Second Prince stared at the moonlight outside the window, his face suddenly flushed as if on fire, with what seemed like burning flames in his eyes. He seemed to feel that he was already the exalted Son of Heaven, holding the supreme position...

The Jun family, Jun Moxie, also had a sleepless night. After extremely careful and earnest selection, Jun Moxie received over two hundred types of medicinal ingredients from the list he had drawn up earlier in one go. Although none of them were the truly rare spiritual medicines, nor were there any legendary heavenly treasures, this unusually large quantity of low-grade medicinal materials encompassed almost everything that existed in this world, save for a few that had yet to be discovered. These supplies filled more than half of the private storeroom in Jun Moxie's small courtyard. After dismissing all outsiders, even sending Fatty Tang back to rest, Jun Moxie found two trustworthy helpers and devoted himself entirely to sorting the medicines by category. The number of people Young Master Jun truly trusted was very small; the entire Jun residence seemed to have only four. He naturally wouldn't trouble Old Master Jun or Third Master Jun. As for the other two... Young Master Jun would certainly not be polite to Ke'er. And Big Sister-in-law Guan Qinghan, currently having nothing better to do, was semi-willingly conscripted by Jun Moxie. After all, Guan Qinghan, being the daughter of a Xuan Qi family, was not unfamiliar with these medicinal ingredients... She was Jun Moxie's greatest assistance for the Elixir Scroll; at the very least, she was trustworthy. Jun Moxie sat in a spot where the lamplight couldn't reach, motionless like carved wood, deep in thought, his brow tightly furrowed. The two women assumed he was contemplating something, judging by how tightly his brow was knit. They had best not disturb him, letting him ponder quietly... The two women crept around, even speaking in soft whispers for fear of disturbing his meditative silence, yet they worked with extraordinary speed according to Jun Moxie's instructions, weighing out specific portions of herbs, then mixing several types together, wrapping them into a bundle, and labeling them with a sequence number. Although this task wasn't excessively strenuous, performing it frequently over such a long period was still exceptionally tiring. Fatigue was one thing, but this monotonous tedium was even harder to bear. The two women worked until the dead of night before finishing one hundred bundles each for the five medicinal lists Jun Moxie had provided. The two women rubbed their tired eyes, finally able to stand up and catch their breath. Although they didn't know why Young Master Jun needed this done so urgently, seeing that he requested it so quickly, they dared not delay in the slightest, working through the night almost non-stop. Now that the task was complete, the two women stood up, exchanged wry smiles, and lightly massaged their aching waists, feeling sore and weak all over. Yet, they couldn't help but want to praise themselves for finishing the work so quickly. As they exchanged a knowing look, they simultaneously glanced towards Jun Moxie. Their task was done, so why was this fellow still sitting there frowning in thought? What problem required such prolonged consideration?

Jun Mo Xie still held his head slightly bowed, his face etched with heavy contemplation, his brow furrowed as if confronting some unsolvable, ancient mystery.

His focus was so intense that he didn't even notice the two women quietly approaching him.

“Ah! This scoundrel! Tricking us into working like beasts of burden here, when he was already passed out long ago! How infuriating!” Guan Qing Han observed for a long time before finally reaching this conclusion, and instantly, a surge of anger rose within her. If she hadn't drawn so close, she wouldn't have even heard his shallow breathing—he was clearly snoring.

This is too much! How could he possibly do this!

We toiled through the entire night until we were dead tired, and not only did you not help, but you put on a facade of deep thought while secretly sleeping. This is absolutely outrageous!

Rage sparked in Guan Qing Han’s heart. She rubbed her eyes, which were already too heavy with fatigue to open. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. She lifted her delicate foot and delivered a sharp kick to the thigh of this unscrupulous and shameless fellow.

Bang!

Jun Mo Xie tumbled off his chair and instantly woke up. In a flash, he understood the reason. Without panic, he slowly rose, deliberately sighed, and declared, “This problem has truly been taxing my mind.” I’ve been pondering it all night, and I haven’t grasped even a sliver of a solution—it’s truly draining!”

Young Master Jun put on an expression of deep bewilderment, letting out long sighs and drawing out his words, desperately feigning an air of nationalistic worry. His performance was so utterly convincing that anyone witnessing his expression would immediately feel that if he couldn't figure out this problem, the world itself might face immediate and dire consequences.

Guan Qing Han sneered, her slender jade finger pointing toward his chest as she glared with her beautiful, wide eyes, reprimanding him, “Third Young Master Jun, do you habitually drool this much when you are deep in thought?”

Jun Mo Xie sputtered a couple of times, his eyes darting around. He then replied mournfully, “That’s just a peculiar habit of mine. When I’m completely engrossed in thinking or doing something, my mind focuses so intensely on the matter at hand… Because I ignore everything else around me, if my mouth happens to be open when I start thinking, I simply don’t have the time to close it. Excessive drooling is completely normal, you see.”

What kind of utterly nonsensical justification was that?

Guan Qing Han was both furious and amused. She was about to reprimand him severely with a stern face when she saw Jun Mo Xie’s eyes suddenly shift, and he broke into an enthusiastic smile: “Third Uncle? It’s so late; why are you here?”

Guan Qing Han and Ke’er were startled and turned to look. Behind them, the space was empty; there was no sign of the Third Master, Jun Wu Yi. The two women instantly knew they had been tricked and turned back, ready to erupt in anger. Even the usually gentle Ke’er was provoked this time. But as they turned, they both gasped in astonishment. Jun Mo Xie, who had been right before their eyes moments ago, had vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye. Gone with him were the several pouches of medicinal herbs lying on the ground.

That speed was simply… miraculous.

The two women stared blankly at each other. Recalling Jun Mo Xie’s ridiculous performance just now, they couldn't help but burst into laughter simultaneously.

Ke’er pursed her lips, giggling, but her eyes were fixed on Guan Qing Han, filled with genuine admiration and praise. She said sincerely, “Young Madam, you look truly beautiful when you smile.” This is the first time I’ve seen you laugh in all these years. You really should smile more often; you are so lovely.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen you laugh in all these years.” Guan Qing Han felt a sharp jolt. A flicker of panic suddenly crossed her beautiful eyes, but then her expression immediately reverted to its usual cold detachment. She let out a soft sigh. “It’s late. Go down and sleep,” she said no more, silently walking toward her small courtyard.

Under the lamplight, her figure appeared so solitary, so desolate; yet, like a snow lotus blooming on the absolute peak of a snowy mountain, she stood aloof, exquisitely cold and utterly alone.

The “miraculous” Jun Mo Xie hastily plunged into the Hong Jun Tower to hide. Seeing the two tigresses about to unleash their fury, hiding was the only option! The reason he had been sleeping earlier was, firstly, that he hadn’t slept for two full days and nights and was genuinely exhausted; secondly, it was to conserve his energy to face the critical task of alchemy ahead.

As for the materials and formulas he had selected, these were the five types of pills that Jun Mo Xie had already gone through the formulas for and chosen, which he could refine successfully with his current cultivation level.

Xuan Yang Pill, Shao Yin Pill, Ju Shen Pill, Bai Jie Wan, Tong Mai Pill.