Well? This time your Third Uncle had to take the fall for you! Quite satisfying, wasn't it! The Old Madam shot Jun Moxie a look, then couldn't help but laugh: "You little rascal, you're getting trickier by the day. Dealing with you truly requires keeping your wits about you. To dare scheme against your own uncle—you have quite the audacity, don't you?"

Jun Moxie chuckled dryly and placated her with a smile: "It was all because of Uncle... Actually, that incident was just a momentary lapse... a coincidence, ah, purely a coincidence..."

"And that incantation was a coincidence too?" The Old Madam glared at him. Jun Moxie was instantly struck dumb...

"Uh... Grandma, let's talk about serious matters. The moment I heard the family was in danger, I rushed over without stopping, traveling day and night without rest. This journey was truly exhausting, hehe..." Jun Moxie tried to switch the topic, and the subject change technique seemed to be working.

"There is indeed danger... However, in any case, you shouldn't have returned." The Old Madam let out a steady hum and started walking: "We can handle this little disturbance with our own strength."

"Oh? It seems Grandma already has countermeasures prepared for the trouble stirred up by the Three Great Holy Lands this time?" Jun Moxie asked cautiously. He had figured it out: of the entire aristocratic family, this old lady was the most proud and the most fiercely protective of her kin.

"The Three Great Holy Lands are undoubtedly formidable, but our Eastern Family is no pushover either. If an Assassin Family doesn't kill or get killed, do we even deserve the name of a martial house?" The Old Madam scoffed: "No need to worry so much! We meet force with force, that's all there is to it. Stay with your Grandma for a few days, then hurry back. This affair doesn't require your involvement; the Eastern Family has the means to deal with it."

"Of course, with Grandma's divine might, sweeping across the world is... just around the corner! Haha, everyone knows how Grandma once ventured into the martial world alone with a single sword, making a name for herself and dominating the four seas. That was truly a magnificent display of feminine prowess surpassing that of men! With a sword surveying the world, putting every man to shame. As the poem goes: Tens of thousands are subdued, yet not one is a true man! A generation's beauty laughs at the world, her might unmatched throughout history..." Jun Moxie unleashed an endless torrent of unearned flattery, perfectly rehearsed.

"Enough, enough... Your grandfather Jun Zhantian might enjoy such praise, but your Grandma isn't falling for it! Stop being glib!" The Old Madam's complexion grew rosier, her gaze softening with satisfaction.

Her footsteps now carried a distinct clang, imbued with a certain aura of martial intent!

"Exactly! To speak from the heart, and truthfully, the thing I admire most about Grandma is precisely this: Who doesn't like flattery? Most people, once praised, forget their own name. Every high-ranking official suffers from this affliction! But Grandma, you stand unique, with eyes like blazing torches! Untainted by the mire, unsullied by the lotus pond—calm, astute, wise as the ocean! You never accept others' flattery! Those others are not even worth comparing to you! I'm not flattering you; I'm just stating a few truths, all absolute truths!" Jun Moxie continued to utter his "truths."

"That reasoning has merit! Indeed, people should not listen to too many compliments. One must remain rational, possessing basic judgment! This is what those in high positions must achieve, and only by doing so can correct decisions be made! I like that you, child, enjoy speaking the truth and are not hypocritical. Speak honestly, act honestly, and you won't suffer anywhere."

The Old Madam smiled contentedly, her eyes narrowed. A faint radiance emanated from her face, conveying a sense of 'Though the world is muddy, I alone am clear; though all others are drunk, I alone am sober'—the loneliness of the heights.

Behind her, Dongfang Wenjian made a face of utter despair. He looked up to the sky, his large Adam's apple bobbing up and down uncontrollably. Still talking nonsense? Heavens above! But he only grumbled this internally; if he dared utter it aloud, he would feel deeply uncomfortable all over...

"Yes, just like the Three Great Holy Lands provoking Grandma this time—they must have encountered misfortune spanning eight lifetimes! On my way here, I even ran into four experts from the Hidden Immortal Palace. They were actually discussing some so-called 'poisonous scheme'! Heh, it was like showing off calligraphy before an expert, a complete laughingstock!"

Jun Moxie's eyes spun rapidly as he steered the conversation back: "...They actually planned such and such... In truth, I knew it was completely useless. Under Grandma's seasoned planning and strategy, those supposed schemes are nothing more than a joke. Once truly encountered, it will inevitably be like pouring hot water on snow, blowing away dust with a flip of the hand, a mountain crushing down, or using a rocket launcher to swat a mosquito..."

Having finally explained the poisonous plots of the Three Great Holy Lands, Jun Moxie was nearly drenched in a cold sweat. He had let the last phrase slip out.

But the Old Madam’s expression had already turned grave; she hadn't paid attention to what Jun Moxie said in those final sentences.

The Old Madam naturally saw that Jun Moxie was relentlessly trying to cheer her up. Her grandson knew the pressure and hardship she had endured recently and was deliberately trying to lift her spirits—a display of filial piety. The Old Madam was happy to play along; it was genuinely pleasant to be flattered by her grandson. But once the conversation turned to substantive matters, she could no longer play along with him.

In fact, the moment Jun Moxie mentioned the arrangements of the Three Great Holy Lands, the grandmother and grandson tacitly ceased their sweet exchange of words.

The Old Madam walked deliberately, calculating and plotting. As they reached the main hall, she suddenly asked, "What is the result of the negotiations with the Second Master over there?"

Dongfang Wenjian started and quickly replied, "As you instructed, we are still stalling for time. I have directed them that calculations must include not just strength, but also travel distance, expenses, and potential accidents. I specifically ordered them to negotiate piece by piece, to haggle over every single fraction... So currently, both sides are exhausted from the talks..."

Jun Moxie burst into laughter. Such negotiations would lead nowhere, as new issues could be introduced at any moment. And negotiating for an assassin's services required haggling over travel distance inch by inch and price fraction by fraction? That would drive people mad! It was essentially a disguised refusal, a more tactful way of hoping the other party would give up out of frustration!

He truly had to admire his grandmother; how could she have devised such a mischievous yet effective strange method? This tactic was truly rare in history.

"Well, if they lose patience, then we simply stop talking altogether. Then it won't be us refusing the job, but their employers giving up on their own accord."

"Anyway, the initiative is in the hands of the Eastern Family... We just won't dispatch anyone because the terms haven't been agreed upon. Ah, are the Three Great Holy Lands going to swallow their pride and attack us instead?"

It had to be said, this move was absolutely perfect for dealing with those hypocrites!

"Mhm, stall on the others, but accept a dozen or so jobs first. We still need to act eventually; we can't drag this out indefinitely." The Old Madam waved her hand: "Remember our 'Three No-Kill' principle! For everything else, you decide!

"But... But Moxie just said the Three Great Holy Lands have already set up personnel around the targets... If we act rashly, won't we be walking into a trap?" Second Master Dongfang was stunned.

"We still have quite a few people in the family who can be dispatched. Although there aren't many high-level ones, we have plenty of mid-tier assassins." The Old Madam stepped onto the stairs: "We had to endure before because our strength wasn't sufficient. Now that our strength is adequate, why shouldn't we take the money that's already on the table? Moreover, it can further establish the might of our Eastern Family while weakening the enemy! Accepting a hundred or even a hundred-and-something of these beneficial assignments that bring both fame and fortune is not too much!"

"Strength is sufficient? How is strength sufficient?" Second Master Dongfang remained somewhat confused.

"Stupid!" The Old Madam turned around, looking at her second son with exasperation: "Moxie brought nearly seventy experts above the Supreme level this time. Did he travel thousands of miles just to watch a show with them? Can't they be deployed?"

Dongfang Wenjian grew even more dizzy and reminded her subtly, "Mother, I think you've misunderstood... Those people are not assassins from our Eastern Family; this might be problematic..."

Jun Moxie covered his forehead, utterly speechless...

"You blockhead! Why can't that stubborn brain of yours turn even slightly?!" The Old Madam immediately flared up: "As long as you don't mention the numbers, and no one else does, who knows where those people came from? Can the Three Great Holy Lands know? Even if they suspect, would we admit it ourselves? Why are you as dense as your father!"

Second Master Dongfang felt awkward but instantly understood: "Mother is absolutely right!"

Jun Moxie really couldn't hold back his laughter, letting out a hearty "Ha!"

The Old Madam sighed deeply, taking Jun Moxie's hand, and said somewhat sadly: "Moxie, you've been made to witness a spectacle today. Look at your uncles, each one as slow as wood. Grandma's white hair is entirely due to the frustration these three brothers have caused me... They are already this old, why can't their minds open up? When will they ever learn?"

Dongfang Wenjian's face darkened. He dared not speak aloud, but inwardly he muttered: What have we done to frustrate you? You were clearly worried sick over the little sister's situation... With one utterance from you, any fault gets shifted onto us...

Jun Moxie laughed heartily, "Grandma, don't worry. In a few days, I will specifically refine a batch of pills for you that will make you return to your youth. Those white hairs won't even be an issue; they will instantly turn black and lustrous again. You'll have the perfect appearance of black hair and a youthful face."

"Never mind whether you're joking to make me happy; one grows old... Why would I need black hair? It just makes people call me an old demon. Grandma just said that casually; this is fine too..." The Old Madam sighed with some melancholy.

Jun Moxie chuckled noncommittally and promptly changed the subject: "By the way, Grandma, what is this 'Three No-Kill' rule?"

"That is the rule of our Eastern Family! No killing commoners, no killing honest officials, no killing good people! Anyone who requests our services must have their target's background thoroughly investigated beforehand, including evidence of their crimes! Otherwise, if we discover something amiss later, we have the right to unilaterally terminate the mission, and we might even retaliate against the person who commissioned it!" The Old Madam smiled faintly.

"I see! The Eastern Family's Three No-Kill rule... it is a form of adherence," Jun Moxie sighed slightly, "Grandma, I absolutely must be included in this operation. I am a legitimate assassin of the Eastern Family!"