“First update of the day! Second update being revised… Third update in progress… Fourth update being imagined…”

The Young Master Jun, at the level of a cultivation simpleton, naturally had no knowledge of the underlying reasons. This recent failure in alchemy had already categorized those three pills as belonging to the extremely difficult, super-grade elixirs. In his mind, given the immense potency of the Tianyuan Pill, it was naturally the most precious, and surely more challenging to refine than the Tongyuan Pill…

After a brief respite, Young Master Jun, having washed up, prepared to plunge back into the struggle…

The little loli, Ke’er, stood by, her small face flushed, attending to him with utmost shyness… Gazing upon the young master’s fair, sturdy, and strong physique, which seemed to emit a faint, mysterious luster, the little girl’s face burned red, a feverish heat rising in her body, her heart hammering wildly. Her two pretty eyes darted about evasively, yet she couldn't control her urge to sneak glances… So handsome! How could anyone be this handsome…? The young master is a man… the little girl thought to herself.

“What? The Third Young Master is out? Let me in quickly… Why? On what grounds are you stopping me? I’m his brother, a good brother, you know! He’s bathing? Damn it! We’re both men, what’s wrong with me going in while he bathes? Am I going to do something to him? Get lost, now!” Shouting indignantly all the way, Young Master Tang Yuan burst in.

With a loud bang, as Tang Yuan forced his way through the door, Young Master Jun’s doorframe proved a bit too narrow, and he actually managed to knock one of the door panels askew in the process… Jun Moxie, who had been resting with his eyes closed in the bathtub, immediately snapped his eyelids open, having had a full, unobstructed view of his ‘brother’—how could he not be furious.

“Third Young Master… I am absolutely furious, furious enough to kill! That despicable family!” Before Jun Moxie could vent his anger, Tang Yuan initiated his own tirade: “To think such a thing could happen! That Huang family… that Huang family truly doesn't know how close they are to death! They actually want me to pay with my life for their despicable son, and they even want to hold some sort of spirit marriage ceremony, forcing the Dugu family to marry the little girl Dugu Xiaoyi to his son’s memorial tablet. Worst of all, they specifically demanded that Third Young Master kowtow and apologize before their son’s spirit tablet! What kind of world is this! Damn it, can rabbits actually threaten wolves now?”

“Fatty, what exactly happened?” Jun Moxie lay in the tub, eyes closed, frowning with palpable impatience. His brother was currently stark naked. If they had met like this at a public bathhouse, they would have seen each other stripped bare with open frankness, and there would be no concern; his physique was excellent anyway, so he wouldn’t lose out. But for him to barge in so abruptly while impeccably dressed, spouting foam right next to his tub… Brother felt genuinely awkward.

“Boss, you have no idea, this Huang family, I don’t know what got into them, they’ve suddenly become so arrogant, practically more ferocious than a dog with a docked tail!” Tang Yuan hopped about, his expression quite fierce.

“They are openly spewing threats outside right now! They’ve truly reached the height of courting death! This is utterly intolerable! I’ve decided to raise an army and wipe them out immediately! But I don’t know what my grandfather is thinking; he specifically sent someone to the Aristocrats’ Hall to warn me against any rash action. The Dugu family is also remaining passive… I am utterly baffled, can a mere Huang family really overturn the heavens?”

“The Huang family? Became arrogant?” Jun Moxie’s thoughts, which had been somewhat scattered due to his intense focus on cultivation and alchemy these past few days, gradually coalesced. He abruptly sat up, sending a spray of water everywhere. His expression had also grown remarkably grave.

Because at this moment, Young Master Jun suddenly recalled something the Second Madam of the Dugu family, who was from the Huang family, had said when Huang Shuliu was executed: ‘An ancestor of my Huang family was once a person from the Dreamlike Blood Sea.’

And a comment Mei Xueyan had made earlier resurfaced in his mind at this very juncture: ‘The effect of your pill is truly miraculous; I estimate that for the Bone Tempering Pill auction, people from the Three Great Sacred Lands will very likely attend.’

Jun Moxie frowned, pondering: “Could it be that this time, the Dreamlike Blood Sea from the Three Great Sacred Lands has truly been provoked? And the person who has arrived happens to be that ancestor from the Huang family? But this coincidence is just too damn much, isn’t it?”

“Fatty, don’t rush. Rushing is useless. First, tell me in detail everything that happened after you took action, leave nothing out.” Jun Moxie closed his eyes and settled back down, but his mind was racing, not letting a single word from Tang Yuan slip by.

Because he needed to see something tangible within these scattered clues!

Tang Yuan’s disposition was certainly not ordinary. After a moment of hot-headedness, he seemed to realize something, his heart giving a jolt. He didn’t dare speak carelessly anymore, instead honestly detailing every aspect of the events as thoroughly as he could.

In his memory, his Boss, Jun Moxie, had always been fearless, afraid of nothing. When had he ever displayed such a serious expression? Could this matter truly be so severe this time? Was there perhaps some formidable hidden figure supporting the Huang family?!

Jun Moxie listened as Tang Yuan recounted that from beginning to end, the Huang family had possessed absolutely no means of fighting back, and had even begun desperately seeking connections to beg for mercy; the entire clan had been living in near-constant dread, barely more alive than the dead. Yet, for some unknown reason, in the last few days, they had completely reversed their stance, transforming instantly from being servile to utterly domineering and extremely obstinate!

Moreover, the conditions they proposed were all things the Three Great Families found absolutely impossible to accept; it was clear they were being deliberately difficult, and seemingly intended to use the Three Great Families to establish their dominance!

On what grounds did the Huang family dare to act like this? If it were purely forces within the mortal realm, even with the Imperial Family of the continent or a handful of powerful clans as external aid, it shouldn't be enough to rely upon. On what basis did they dare?

This was the first question that sprang to Jun Moxie’s mind. The entire Huang family couldn't possibly be composed of fools. Since they knew how to yield initially, they wouldn't risk the lives of their entire clan. But such a sudden, drastic shift made Jun Moxie certain of his conclusion!

He believed that if that Huang family ancestor from the Dreamlike Blood Sea hadn't suddenly returned, even if the Huang family were given ten thousand times more courage, they absolutely wouldn't dare attempt something so suicidal with zero fallback option!

But if the Huang family had the backing of that ancestor from the Dreamlike Blood Sea, then the situation was entirely different. With the backing of the Dreamlike Blood Sea, let alone the Jun, Tang, and Dugu families, even a behemoth like Fengxue Silver City—the Huang family would dare to challenge them.

However, despite the Huang family’s ferocious shouting, after so many days, it was still all thunder and no rain. This further confirmed what Mei Xueyan had said: these people truly came for the Bone Tempering Pill!

“Tang Yuan, try to remain calm.” Jun Moxie said lightly, “Is a mere Huang family worth such a fuss? Wait a few days until my brother is done with his current tasks, and let them stew. It’s no big deal; revenge is sometimes more satisfying when taken slowly and steadily.”

The Fatty was stunned. He didn't disagree with Young Master Jun's logic—slow, steady torment was indeed more enjoyable—but the approach was completely unlike Jun Moxie’s usual demeanor!

“Also, stop keeping the Bone Tempering Pills at the Aristocrats’ Hall. I’ll ask Elder Ying to retrieve them for you later; keeping them here with me is safer.” A cold glint flashed in Jun Moxie’s eyes. Trying to deal with me and expecting to get my Bone Tempering Pills? Is there such a cheap deal in this world? I don’t care if you’re the Dreamlike Blood Sea or anyone else, what are the Three Great Sacred Lands to me? If you dare oppose this Young Master, you must be prepared to face the consequences of being toyed with until you break! You dare to shout at this Young Master just because you have support? This time, I absolutely will not kill you instantly; I will slowly, bit by bit, play you to death!”

Having Ying Bokong retrieve the Bone Tempering Pills meant it was utterly foolproof. Even if surrounded by the Eight Supreme Beings, this Prairie Eagle God, even if defeated, could still fly back and retreat unharmed…

“Yes, that is for the best. Recently, there have been continuous night visitors at the Aristocrats’ Hall, and even with Hai Chenfeng and Song Shang overseeing things, the results have been minimal. I’ve been worrying myself sick for days…” Tang Yuan pretended to wipe a bead of cold sweat from his brow. If Hai Chenfeng and Song Shang had heard this, they would likely have the urge to skin the Fatty alive!

The night visitors were entirely dealt with by those two; they were exhausted every night. If not for them, the Aristocrats’ Hall would probably have been torn down, yet this Fatty Tang’s snoring alone could likely shake the entire Tianxiang City, perhaps even audible ten miles away… How dare he claim to be worrying himself sick…

“Good. Fatty, if, by some chance, someone captures you and forces you to reveal the whereabouts of the pills, don’t stubbornly resist. There’s no need. You can even state that the pills are in the Jun family’s Yaxiang Small Cottage, and that there is a considerable quantity of superior quality.” Jun Moxie said solemnly.

“Why?” Tang Yuan asked, confused. “Yaxiang Small Cottage is where Sister Qinghan lives. If those people really break in, what should happen? Sister Qinghan is just a woman; that’s too improper, isn’t it?”

“Proper! Very proper!” Jun Moxie smiled slyly. “You don’t need to worry about those trivialities. If you are truly captured by some chance, just say that. Trust my advice, it won't be wrong!” Fatty, you only know that is Sister Qinghan’s residence, but you don’t know that two tigresses have recently moved in there! Cough, tigresses are not as terrifying as they are. Those two must be Empress-level tigresses at least. Whoever these people are, as long as they believe your words and go to Yaxiang Small Cottage to steal the pills… I believe they will meet a terrible end! This is akin to deliberately scraping a lit candle against a package of explosives… Besides, this isn’t exactly a lie; Young Master Jun did indeed give Mei Xueyan a few Bone Tempering Pills of the finest quality for her appraisal and tasting… Hahahaha… This is a dead loop, an absolutely unsolvable death trap.

Tang Yuan nodded vaguely. Though he didn't understand Jun Moxie’s meaning, he instinctively chose to believe him. With the instructions delivered, the water in the bathtub was growing cool. Jun Moxie glared, “Have you seen enough?”

Fatty Tang: “Ah? What do you mean, seen enough?”

“If you’ve seen enough, then hurry up and get out! Brother needs to get up and dress!” Jun Moxie snarled fiercely. “You’re a grown man, staring at another grown man bathing—aren’t you afraid of getting styes on your eyes! Brother never knew you had such a hobby!”

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