Young Master Jun’s mind was a chaotic jumble of thoughts. Only then did he remember to circulate his energy to assist.

Guan Qinghan awoke slowly, feeling a profound sense of comfort throughout her body, an almost soaring sensation. She couldn't help but be overjoyed! She had finally broken through to the Golden Profound realm, which meant she finally possessed considerable strength! She was no longer someone who had to be protected everywhere, utterly useless.

The impulse born of joy finally subsided, and only then did Guan Qinghan realize that the hand that had helped her so much was still pressed against her back. However, it was no longer transmitting power, yet she could still feel the warmth emanating from that palm.

What a warm, large hand!

Who exactly helped her? That boy, Jun Moxie, certainly didn't possess such a high cultivation level.

Driven by curiosity, she turned her head and saw her little brother-in-law, Jun Moxie, sitting cross-legged behind her with his eyes tightly shut, one hand still held out in the position it had been, pressed against her back.

How could this be?

It turned out to be him!

Guan Qinghan felt a wave of dizziness. When did this boy acquire such high cultivation? Could it be...

But for now, he was perfectly still. He must have expended considerable effort guiding her energy to break through, right? No wonder his eyes were closed now; he must have been utterly exhausted.

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt the hand on her back shift slightly. Then, his five fingers twitched, immediately sending a tingling itch across her back. This boy was actually kneading her back... then he moved again. Th-th-this... wasn't this caressing?

Guan Qinghan’s entire body instantly stiffened. Turning to look, she saw the detestable fellow still had his eyes closed, but his face held an expression of pure enjoyment, a vile, utterly lewd smirk curving his lips, his face radiating lustful desire.

This was the most vulgar side of her little brother-in-law she had ever witnessed. But... hadn't his previous actions been mere pretense?

How could it be...

That hand moved again, actually sliding lower...

Guan Qinghan instantly realized this boy was fundamentally taking advantage of her!

“Ah!” Guan Qinghan shrieked, jumping up as if her backside were on fire. Without thinking, almost instinctively, she slapped him. A crisp pa sound was followed by a chain reaction: a fierce kick... Then, stamping her foot, she froze for a moment, her face blazing red, before suddenly covering her face and fleeing in utter shame.

Miss Jun’s power had surged, and her speed was incredible. A flash of white, and she was gone, only stopping when she reached her own chambers. Her heart hammered like a drum, a mixture of anger and shame, fury and embarrassment. Her face felt scorched. She stamped her foot, and two clear tears streamed down her cheeks before she stared blankly for a long time. Suddenly, she threw herself onto the bed, burying her head, a suppressed sob faintly escaping, which she desperately tried to silence.

Jun Moxie was savoring the feel of the beauty’s silken back. Even through her clothes, the smooth softness intoxicated his mind. For a moment, he felt his mouth dry, and his hand seemed to develop a will of its own, tracing upward. It felt like he stroked it a few times...

So smooth, so... that good...

While marveling internally, he was utterly lost, his soul drifting, feeling almost immortal.

Just then, a sudden scream of "Ah!" startled Jun Moxie. Before he could even open his eyes, a sharp slap landed across his face. With the crisp pa sound, Young Master Jun was greatly annoyed—what was happening?!

Just as he was about to demand an explanation, a surge of overwhelming force erupted suddenly upon his lower abdomen. Before Young Master Jun could even register pain, his entire body flew backward as if caught in a cloud, traveling a full three zhang before landing with a thump amidst a bed of flowers.

A full three zhang! Although Young Master Jun’s small frame since his rebirth wasn't that of a stout, broad-shouldered strongman, he was still a standard male figure, weighing at least a hundred jin. To be kicked flying by a young woman—what formidable kicking power!

Or was it that after taking the medicine, she truly became that fierce?!

Medicine... one shouldn't take it carelessly...

Several sharp thorns happened to—and very timely, too—stab deep into Young Master Jun's tender spot, instantly leaving him completely deflated.

Clambering out in a daze, he found the area empty. After thinking for a long time, he finally understood what had happened, and he felt an urge to tear his hair out. He admitted, even if he had entertained thoughts of hooliganism and had acted slightly like a rogue... his original intention was to help her, though the outcome...

But even so, how could she attack without warning? That was so unreasonable! Although he was the one who acted like a rogue first, Jun Moxie found himself feeling increasingly in the wrong internally. It seemed... that slap and that kick were entirely justified. Was he guilty?

He couldn't even excuse himself! How could he not be depressed?

Young Master Jun was utterly speechless. He had delivered elixirs to the Old Master and Third Uncle, who nearly flayed him alive in gratitude. Then he gave Guan Qinghan the elixir and even helped her breakthrough. He thought perhaps the beautiful sister-in-law might offer some form of reward, or at least some acknowledgement, maybe even a gentle touch. Instead, he got a searing slap and a kick to the stomach.

It was a good thing the kick landed on his stomach; if it had landed lower... wouldn't he have been utterly castrated?

Jun Moxie wiped away another cold sweat and scurried away shamefully. He hadn't forgotten how fiercely erect he had been just moments ago. A kick there, even if it miraculously avoided castration, would at least mean he wouldn't have to travel to the southern regions. If he had to crouch down and practice frog jumps while clutching his second brother, his entire lifetime of fame would turn to dust.

At a command from Young Master Jun, the two hundred and fifty-four men undergoing ultra-high-intensity training at the Jun family estate—whether sparring, enduring impact training, or soaking in medicinal baths—all simultaneously halted their actions. In an instant, they swiftly divided into two lines and stood rigidly before him!

Two neat formations, every man brimming with spirit.

"Remember when you began your training, I said I needed two teams, the two strongest teams: one called Cantian, the other Shihun. These two teams would not only be the strongest but also my core foundation. The Cantian and Shihun teams will accompany me as I conquer the world and reign over the continent! The members of these two teams will be selected from among you! They will be the nightmare of the entire world, the strongest iron-blooded men, the most powerful warriors on the entire continent!"

Jun Moxie paced slowly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the face of every man before him.

Everyone’s breathing grew heavy. Everyone's eyes betrayed a deep, sincere yearning!

To become the supreme... to become the nightmare of any enemy! This was their greatest aspiration! Their utmost desire in this life!

"At that time, I also said you were not worthy! Not qualified enough! That is why, even now, I do not know your names! First, because I had no interest in knowing, and second, because you did not deserve for me to know!" Jun Moxie spoke slowly. His slow speech possessed a peculiar rhythm, like a dull pressure that seemed to slow down everything around them, even the passage of time itself!

"Four days from now, you will carry out the first mission I assign! The personnel for Cantian and Shihun will be selected after this operation! They will become the true power belonging to me, Jun Moxie! Everyone who survives this action will be a member of Cantian or Shihun, and they will embark upon their respective paths of power, paths of slaughter! So that in the future, the entire continent will tremble upon hearing their names!"

Jun Moxie gazed at them and suddenly said in a low voice, "However, this operation is different from all previous ones; it is absolutely different. This is a selection for true iron-blooded members, a collision between life and death. I tell you all clearly and unequivocally: this mission is extremely dangerous. Every one of you has a survival rate of over ninety percent. Stating it is 'nine deaths for one life' is an understatement! If anyone wishes to withdraw now, you may step back one pace. I will not force you. Planning for your own life is not shameful! Anyone can leave freely; I, Jun Moxie, and the Jun family will certainly not make trouble for you!"

The autumn wind howled, yet not a single one of the two hundred and fifty-four men moved, not even batting an eyelid.

"This is your only chance to leave; there will be no turning back. I reiterate: this mission has a near-certain death rate! You may not return! This is the final opportunity for choice!" Jun Moxie stated coldly.

Still, no one budged!

Jun Moxie nodded slightly, then suddenly roared, "Those who wish to become members of Cantian or Shihun, step forward one pace!"

Boom!

All two hundred and fifty-four men stepped forward in unison. They stepped with such force that the entire Jun family courtyard seemed to tremble from their coordinated stomp!

"Very good! Taking this step means embarking on a one-way road with no return, leaving no room for regret! It is also the road of the strong, a path of unyielding spirit—the path of the iron-blooded man! I will offer you a few words."

Jun Moxie paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up, his gaze like thunder and lightning, sweeping over everyone. Every man's heart tightened, and they involuntarily straightened their spines! Jun Moxie then spoke in a low roar:

"A man's road, just one step; heed not life's fortune or ruin! A man's blood, like iron it proves; through mountains of blades, his will unmoved! A man's tears, the costliest gold; against ten thousand foes, he won't retreat, bold! Bones may shatter, blood may flow; through life and death, one path he’ll go!"

"This is the Ballad of Manhood. Only the iron-blooded are worthy to sing it; only true heroes can comprehend it!" Jun Moxie stood with his hands behind his back, speaking leisurely, "May all my brothers be men! Gentlemen, take the first step of manhood, and from now on, accompany me to laugh proudly through the winds and dominate the world!"

The entire field fell into absolute silence! But the expression on every face became fiercely passionate! These few lines of the soaring Ballad of Manhood made everyone feel their blood surging; it seemed every pore in their bodies was spurting forth an energized force! Pairs of eyes, wide as ox-eyes, radiated a scorching brilliance!

What a Ballad of Manhood!

A man's road, just one step! Heed not life's fortune or ruin! Once the goal is set, taking that step defines a lifetime’s direction! This is a man’s persistence, an unregrettable persistence!

A man's blood, hard as iron, his will unmoved through mountains of blades! This is a man’s ferocity, a man’s true nature!

A man's tears, the costliest gold; against ten thousand foes, he won't retreat! Imagine, the sun setting, the ground covered in fallen red, corpses and blood everywhere, comrades all gone, only he, scarred and wounded, facing the enemy's million-strong army—how tragic! How could he retreat?!

Bones may shatter, blood may flow; through life and death, he won't look back! That is what a man is!

Led by the two captains, the two hundred and fifty-four stalwarts passed before Jun Moxie one by one, receiving their share of the elixirs. They then clasped their hands and strode away.

Moments later, the two hundred and fifty-four men had all received their elixirs, still perfectly aligned in two neat formations, not an inch out of order.

"These elixirs are rare spiritual medicines that seize the creation of heaven and earth. For these, this young master went through many hardships and spent tens of millions of silver taels! Now, these elixirs are all in your hands! Take them together. These elixirs can increase each of you by ten years of refined Profound Qi. Gentlemen, do not let down my expectations!" Jun Moxie stood with his hands behind his back, his tone grave.

Shock registered on everyone's faces! In the Profound Profound Continent, there were rumors of rare treasures—ten-thousand-year-old Ganoderma, ginseng, fleeceflower root, and other miraculous herbs that could boost cultivation. However, in the tens of thousands of years that had passed, there had never been such a pill that could directly increase a person's Profound Qi. They hadn't even seen one, let alone heard credible rumors. Now, not only had the Young Master procured such things, but he had placed these priceless treasures into their hands!

Instantly, a deep sense of gratitude swelled in every heart!

A subordinate will die for one who truly understands him!

Everything was understood without words.

At the command of the two captains, the two hundred and fifty-four men stepped forward simultaneously, maintaining a distance of about one zhang between each other. They simultaneously tilted their heads back and swallowed the three incredibly precious pills. Then, they sat cross-legged, their expressions solemn, urging the Profound Qi in their Dantians to fully absorb the medicine’s power.

Jun Moxie stood before the group, outwardly composed, but his hands were already secretly gripping throwing knives, his guard fully up! At this moment, in this place, even though it was his own home, his own territory, he dared not let down his vigilance in the slightest.

More than two hundred people elevating their power simultaneously—this was an unprecedented event!

Therefore, Jun Moxie certainly had to remain fully alert!

A short distance from the training grounds, atop a tall pagoda, Third Master Jun Wuyi gazed from afar, the bruise on his lip twitching. He grinned and muttered, "I knew this boy must have kept quite a bit for himself. Just as I guessed, two hundred and fifty-four portions at once—what a grand gesture..."

Old Master Jun grunted twice. "Mo Xie can use this medicine, but you must not use it carelessly. If news of this leaks, it will be an extremely dangerous matter for Mo Xie! An innocent man is not guilty, but possessing a treasure invites trouble. Such rare spiritual medicine, even for our Jun family, if anything were to go wrong, we could be utterly ruined in an instant! Wuyi, this matter requires the utmost caution, absolutely! It would be better to bury this medicine than to reveal its true origin! I absolutely will not allow even the slightest mishap to befall Mo Xie! Do you understand?"

"I understand." Jun Wuyi nodded deeply, his voice profound. "Only the Jun family's loyal death-sworn should attempt to take this medicine. If there is the slightest bit of doubt, we won't let them try. Better to miss out than to risk it!"

"Well said!" The Old Master’s deep eyes looked down at his grandson standing proudly below, revealing an intense protective love. He added, "Furthermore, those who take the medicine... and absolutely, the people taking the medicine must never know that their boost came from consuming a spiritual medicine. Do you understand how you must present this?"

Jun Wuyi nodded and said slowly, "Jun Wuyi was crippled for ten years. Though my body was damaged, my heart was not. By a stroke of luck, I created a method to increase the power of others using my own cultivation. That is all."

The Old Master’s gaze sharpened. "So, you are the one taking the risk?"

Jun Wuyi smiled faintly. "Father, rest assured; I know what I’m doing. This way, no one will trace this matter back to Mo Xie."

"Then you must be extremely careful!" The Old Master nodded, saying no more on the matter. His gaze grew solemn, a cold light flashing. "Those two hundred and fifty-four below—I want all their data. Including every detail of their experience in this life, every person they encountered, every matter they handled, their close friends, anyone they are still in contact with. Also, their background, family, parents, children, neighbors, or any current romantic entanglements, even... mistresses from the brothels. Scrutinize everything meticulously. If anything seems even slightly amiss, eliminate them root and branch immediately! Even if it is based on mere suspicion, better to execute the innocent than let a wrongdoer escape, do you understand?"

"Yes!" The Old Master’s command was absolute, delivered with the tone of a military order. Especially the final four characters, ning wang wu zong (better to wrongfully execute than let one escape), conveyed absolute decisiveness! Jun Wuyi responded with the solemnity of a subordinate officer receiving orders from a superior. Though it was only one word, both understood it was equivalent to signing a military pledge!

As soon as Jun Moxie’s elixir appeared, Old Master Jun Zhantian's first thought was the potential sensation and trouble this matter could cause! Thus, the Old Master’s current arrangements were all about preparing for contingencies!

For his grandson’s safety, the Old Master was now clearly willing to risk everything!

Similarly, for the safety of his only nephew, Third Master Jun was staking everything, even his own life as collateral!

Below, the warriors who had taken the elixir were already reacting!

Except for a few individuals who had already reached the Golden Profound realm and could more easily assimilate the pure Profound Qi and merge it with their existing energy, over ninety-five percent of the strong men fell into extreme agony. Their Silver Profound cultivation, forcibly propelled by the potent medicinal power, caused their veins to bulge and all their muscles to knot. Beneath their skin, a silvery light glittered—this was the Silver Profound Qi surging rapidly through their meridians. Although these men all possessed Silver Profound cultivation, their foundations were generally not very deep. Such a massive amount of pure Profound Qi erupting recklessly within their bodies forced each of them to endure immense pain!

But this pain had to be endured by themselves. Only by pushing through it could they reap the greatest rewards, and it would serve as tempering and learning for their future breakthroughs.

A few of those with the weakest Profound Qi cultivation were now drenched in sweat, their skin turning a blood-red hue, as if something was about to burst through the skin's surface. Their darkened faces were contorted, clearly showing the enormous torment they were undergoing!

Every stage of Profound Qi cultivation requires a breakthrough in realm—for instance, Silver Profound breaking through to Golden Profound, Golden Profound to Jade Profound, and so on—it is a breakthrough of quality. Within a single realm, there are also distinctions between high and low, strong and weak. Although the majority of the warriors currently experiencing a breakthrough were at least at the early Silver Profound stage, their inherent Profound Qi cultivation was not particularly robust; most were somewhat inferior to Guan Qinghan.

Although Guan Qinghan’s family was not large, they had deep ancestral learning, and she had cultivated since childhood. This was why Guan Qinghan, after consuming the three spiritual elixirs, was certain to achieve a breakthrough, and even without Jun Moxie’s help, it would have resulted in nothing more than an extra nap!

However, almost all the strong men now lacked the inherent Profound Qi cultivation to control the newly acquired ten years of pure power. Unlike Guan Qinghan, if they ultimately failed to master this new Profound Qi, they would not only fail this breakthrough but might never advance an inch further in their cultivation for the rest of their lives!

Fortunately, they had all undergone Jun Moxie's hellish training more than once. Their willpower was tempered far beyond that of ordinary people. Although the sensation was agonizing, they could endure it. To this day, none had cried out, but the sound of them grinding their teeth together was continuous.

At the training site, besides the sound of grinding teeth, there was not a single groan of pain.

On the high tower, Old Master Jun Zhantian’s gaze grew increasingly solemn. "These two hundred-plus men are truly iron-blooded heroes! Such resilience! Even this old man is tempted!"

Jun Wuyi smiled, his eyes full of approval.

Finally... a strand of Silver Profound light, almost substantial, transformed in a haze into a faint golden glow. Though the golden light was not dazzling, it was exceptionally solid. This meant one of them had finally endured that difficult threshold and entered the higher Golden Profound realm.

The second... the third...

As the golden profound light continued to flicker, dozens more individuals successfully advanced their cultivation. After enduring that most agonizing period, it was replaced by boundless exhilaration. They did not rise immediately; instead, they kept their eyes closed, slowly regulating their breath, savoring the immense transformation within themselves, guiding the unprecedented, potent energy through their meridians, striving to adapt to the bodily changes as swiftly as possible.

Next, a massive wave of silver light flashed and soared upward. The entire compound of the Jun family virtually became a dazzling expanse of silver. Over two hundred people broke through simultaneously, the brilliance of that instant nearly blinding even Jun Zhantian and his son watching from the top of the tower.

“Among these people, the weakest have reached the Mid Silver Profound realm; the vast majority are at the Peak Silver Profound, and those few who ascended to Gold Profound, the four highest cultivators are already at the Peak Gold Profound level!” Old Master Jun gasped, drawing a sharp breath. “If a contingent like this were sent onto the battlefield…”

“They will not be going to the battlefield; they are no longer soldiers,” Jun Wuyi stated calmly. “Their entire lives, they will fight only for Mo Xie. Sending them to the battlefield, for them, would be a sheer waste. Nor will I permit such waste.”

“Mo Xie once said he wanted these people to reach at least the Peak Earth Profound level. At the time, I merely thought he was boasting, but now, it doesn't seem impossible. Remember, these individuals, just three months ago, the highest cultivation among them was only the Eighth Grade. Now, they have actually surged to the Peak Gold level—what astonishing progress, truly heaven-defying advancement!” Jun Wuyi spoke slowly, a brilliant light of excitement flashing in his eyes.

“At least Peak Earth Profound,” you mean a force composed of over two hundred Heavenly Profound masters... Good heavens, such a grand undertaking—even the combined strength of Ice and Snow Silver City and Blood Soul Villa could likely not muster this. My word!

The Old Master was utterly speechless, and without realizing it, he gripped his beard so hard that a lock of snow-white hair was plucked out, yet he was completely unaware.

It was utterly staggering!