The Serpent King, known as the Poison King, had always been notoriously cruel and ruthless, confident that in terms of venomous hands and venomous heart, he was second to none in this era. But at this moment, even he was trembling all over, his eyes wide with profound shock! Such a vicious form of torture existed in this world! Such a cold-blooded and cruel person!
Was Jun Mo Xie’s heart truly forged of iron? How could he be so indifferent, so cold, so utterly… merciless! And yet, so utterly righteous, so perfectly justified!
Even the White-Clad Maiden, who remained unperturbed when Mount Tai collapsed before her, saw a change in her expression—it deepened into something inscrutable and unfathomable!
This fellow was truly vicious. Words like lingchi (death by a thousand cuts), being torn apart by five horses, being chopped into ten thousand pieces, or being mashed into a pulp—most people knew these threats, and many had probably uttered them more than once, harboring deep hatred for someone they wished to see suffer such fates. But to actually carry out such acts when it came to that extreme? That was exceedingly rare!
Humans are still human; the mental strain of enduring such hatred has a limit.
One might even say that among ten thousand people, perhaps not one could achieve it. This, perhaps, is another manifestation of the adage that knowing is easier than doing.
And saying something is different from doing it. To actually carry it out, and then remain completely composed without betraying a flicker of emotion, that is something almost impossible to find in the world! Because this involves surpassing the absolute limit of one’s endurance!
Anyone can spout harsh words; many have enjoyed venting verbally. But those who follow through with actual action are far fewer. However, if hatred accumulates to a critical point and bursts forth violently in a single instant, one might indeed commit the extremely bloody acts mentioned above.
But for someone like Jun Mo Xie to carry it out meticulously, step by step, and remain utterly unruffled, even exchanging light conversation with an air of utter nonchalance—that is truly rare. “Imagine, most of us frown and twitch our brows just watching someone kill a chicken or a pig, let alone a living, breathing human being, systematically stripping parts from a living person. Not to mention doing it, just the imagining is unbearable…”
Xiao Buyu, the powerhouse of the Fourth Stage of Profound Mystery, also found his capacity for endurance completely shattered. He stared blankly at the quivering mass of mangled flesh on the ground, frozen as if struck by heavenly lightning, utterly stupefied.
He never imagined Jun Mo Xie would act this way, dare to act this way, to be so utterly thorough, leaving absolutely no room for mercy!
And it wasn't just him…
In that instant, the dozens of Profound Skill Masters observing the scene, including the military commanders accustomed to bloodshed, all involuntarily held their breath. The silence was absolute, so deep a needle drop could be heard.
The Silver City's little princess, Han Yanmeng, whose composure was less than ideal, managed only a soft gasp before her eyes rolled back, and she fainted in Mu Xuetong’s arms. But in that moment, being able to faint was a great blessing.
Xiao Han, barely clinging to life on the ground, only saw endless, horrific writhing from the pile of wreckage. He desperately wished he could faint, or even die instantly, to end the boundless agony. It was too painful, yet for him, even death had become a grand luxury, let alone unconsciousness!
The other five Elders of Fengxue Silver City strained until their faces were crimson, but they remained trapped within the sphere of that immense, overriding force, unable to move an inch. They could only grind their teeth and stare with bulging eyes.
They were now certain that this colossal force stemmed from some peerless expert, perhaps even the mysterious figure backing the Jun family. Perhaps it was fortunate they couldn't intervene. If the five of them forcibly interfered and provoked that mysterious expert, judging by the sheer strength of this inexplicable resistance, eliminating them would likely be as simple as a mere wave of a hand…
The saying goes: close but not quite, yet still powerful. Indeed, the immense resistance did originate from a supreme expert, but it was not the mysterious figure of the Jun family; the White-Clad Maiden’s intervention had led to this fortunate coincidence…
“Heheheh Hooo…”
In the deathly silence, a gentle, clear laugh suddenly broke the tension. Everyone turned towards the sound. The person laughing had an exceptionally mild and serene expression; his smile seemed kind and approachable. Standing tall and straight like a proud jade tree in the wind was none other than Jun Mo Xie!
The one laughing was… Jun Mo Xie!
He could still laugh at this stage, after personally orchestrating such a horrific spectacle, and do so with such utter nonchalance!
“It feels… satisfying.” Jun Mo Xie looked at Xiao Buyu with a strange intensity. “Master Xiao the Second, do you know? The feeling when the long sword in your hand slowly slices into the flesh of the person you despise most—that sensation is simply magnificent, beyond description. No, the word ‘magnificent’ barely captures even one ten-thousandth of that sheer ecstasy. Especially since this person is named Xiao, surnamed Xiao Han; and I, I am surnamed Jun.”
Xiao Buyu’s previously motionless body swayed violently. His eyes were locked onto Jun Mo Xie, his throat emitting a strange, gurgling sound, yet he couldn't utter a single word.
“You don’t need to speak. I understand your feelings perfectly. I can even express sympathy, genuine sympathy!”
Jun Mo Xie sighed deeply. “After all, he is your closest kin, a bond of blood! The tragedy of an elder seeing off a younger generation is indeed a human calamity, especially… oh, forgive me, I misspoke. I truly apologize; I’ll be careful next time. Uh, wait, I realize I was wrong again. Look at me, I was just too elated, too excited, I misspoke without realizing it. Please don't hold it against me! Cough, cough. Actually, you should be grateful to me. Although Xiao Han has been utterly ruined, I at least spared his life. This means that the 'elder burying the young' scenario doesn't technically apply, wouldn't you agree?”
Jun Mo Xie rubbed his hands together, appearing somewhat embarrassed. “Besides, he’s not entirely useless. I haven't broken his spine yet. I am simply too soft-hearted, too compassionate to strike that final blow. If you feel I didn't go far enough because of this, how about I rectify that immediately? I guarantee you’ll be satisfied! Please accept my deepest apologies once more!”
“You… you… you are… a demon,” Xiao Buyu stammered, his lips trembling with inexplicable grief and rage. “Demon…”
“I really dislike those two words. Honestly, you flatter me too much; I don’t deserve them.” Jun Mo Xie shook his head dismissively. “You should consider finding a different word. Compared to your whole Xiao family, I’m hardly a demon by any measure…”
He raised his long sword, pointing the tip straight downward. The blood of Xiao Han immediately streamed down the blade’s edge, but in the blink of an eye, the sword body was bright and clean once more.
“What is a divine weapon? I understand today. Heh, ‘Kill a million men, yet the sword remains unstained by blood.’ Before, I thought that was just empty rhetoric. Now I realize such a sword actually exists. A fine sword! Truly a fine sword!” Jun Mo Xie mused, the statement sending tremors through everyone present.
Kill a million men, yet the sword remains unstained by blood…
“Master Xiao the Second, I know you are deliberately putting on a shaky appearance, but you are actually gathering strength, planning to kill me in one decisive blow. Today, you’ve resolved that you must kill me, regardless of the consequences, haven't you!?”
Jun Mo Xie smiled charmingly. “Of course, you’ve just been injured, and your spirit has taken a blow; you certainly need a moment to prepare, right? During this time, let me ask you a question, Master Xiao the Second. Do you know of the Yellow Flower Hall?”
“Yellow Flower Hall!” At this, Jun Wuyi’s eyes suddenly shot out piercing, sharp light.
Third Master Jun would never forget the horrific scene he witnessed when he and Jun Mo Xie burst into the Yellow Flower Hall that day! That human tragedy made Jun Wuyi tremble with rage every time he recalled it!
Xiao Buyu glared venomously at Jun Mo Xie, straining with all his remaining strength, yet remaining silent.
“The Yellow Flower Hall in Tianxiang City—I was the one who destroyed it! Are you surprised?”
Jun Mo Xie’s eyes flashed with compelling divine light, sweeping away all previous jesting and scolding, replaced by venomous severity, his tone filled with suffocating killing intent: “It was all truly an accident. When I first moved to destroy the Yellow Flower Hall, my initial intention was simple: I only thought it was a notoriously cruel organization focused solely on extortion.”
“But after witnessing the 'training ground' used by a certain establishment in Tianxiang City, I realized I was wrong—terribly wrong. Because even those despicable human traffickers who force people into prostitution wouldn't commit the inhuman atrocities that the Yellow Flower Hall carried out! For boys and girls with poor aptitude or looks, they would merely exile them, sell them off, use them as trivial additions, or train them into pages or gigolos…”
“Regardless, even those less humane traffickers rarely committed acts so contrary to heaven’s will as deliberately breaking the legs, arms, or spines of children, stuffing them into jars to 'raise' them into complete deformities. Such deeds were exclusive to the utterly depraved, insane, and inhuman Yellow Flower Hall. Before this, there was absolutely no precedent!”
“So I became curious, and from that point, I began to ponder one thing!”
“I wondered what depth of hatred could possibly drive the master of the Yellow Flower Hall to inflict such cruelties upon these children? These children clearly hadn't provoked them. Thus, there was only one explanation: what kind of enmity did the master of this Yellow Flower Hall hold toward these children's parents that would drive them to inflict such severe harm upon the offspring?”
“One evening, my grandfather, Old Master Jun, was lamenting to my Third Uncle about his former comrades-in-arms, sighing: ‘Where have all my old subordinates gone these days? Even if disheartened, they should at least visit this old man, shouldn’t they? Just knowing they are still alive would bring me great joy…’”
As Jun Mo Xie spoke this, Jun Wuyi’s body began to tremble. He clearly remembered the regret, disappointment, and nostalgia in his father, Jun Zhantian’s voice when he spoke those words. From Jun Mo Xie’s recounting, he vaguely sensed something, and his eyes suddenly turned bloodshot.”