Gu Yunyang spoke with a bitter edge. He had run through every possible measure in his mind, considering every contingency. Now that he understood the root of the injury, a cure was certainly within reach. Saving Gu Feiyu's life, perhaps even achieving a full recovery, was not an insurmountable problem. However, the true, devastating issue was that even after healing, his grandson would be permanently barred from further progress!

The only remedy that could fully restore Gu Feiyu without any lingering side effects, and potentially even allow for advancement, was the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit. No other measure possessed such efficacy.

That was why Gu Yunyang stooped so low as to apologize to Miao Xiaomiao, even offering concessions.

Cao Guofeng scoffed, "Gu Yunyang, you want the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit to treat your grandson? You truly are befuddled in your old age. Do you think that fruit grows on a cabbage patch in your backyard?"

Of course, Cao Guofeng was agitated!

Within the Illusory Mansion currently, only two individuals among the younger generation were eligible to consume the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit: Mo Junye and Miao Xiaomiao. The fruit only matured once every five hundred years, yielding just two complete sets upon ripening.

The two of them were perfectly matched, one set for each. If Gu Yunyang managed to secure a set... then one of these two would inevitably go without for the next five centuries!

That meant an additional five hundred years of waiting—a total span of a millennium!

The Miao family had controlled the Illusory Mansion since antiquity, and Miao Xiaomiao was the foremost genius of her generation, the very apple of the entire Miao clan's eye! Deciding who received the fruit—and who did not—was never a question worth debating!

"Cao Guofeng, what I plan is hardly within your jurisdiction to question!"

Gu Yunyang responded coldly, "Whether the Prefecture Master grants me face or not is also none of your concern!"

Gu Yunyang felt a strong internal resistance; he certainly did not wish to offend Cao Guofeng, who after all was a Saint Sovereign expert, and their prior relationship had been reasonably amicable. But at this critical juncture, he could not afford to hold back. Without consuming the Sacred Fruit, the progress of the Ethereal Body constitution would inevitably slow down! This would certainly impact the overall future balance of the entire Illusory Mansion... But his grandson... he mattered just as much!

"Please forgive me, Grandfather Gu, but I truly cannot make decisions on this matter."

Miao Xiaomiao replied cautiously, "However, regarding today's events, I will certainly explain the full details to my father and my grandfather once I return."

Gu Yunyang let out a long sigh. "Since that is the case, we shall leave it to fate."

Gathering the child into his arms, his figure flickered, and he shot out through the window, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye!

He left without even offering a proper farewell!

Miao Xiaomiao's words were deeply layered with implication. She only said she would speak to her family about today's events. But was she referring to the argument that just occurred? Or Gu Yunyang's request for the Sacred Fruit? If it was the former, explaining the details would be utterly meaningless! Moreover, there seemed little point in providing a detailed explanation of a mere quarrel!

Therefore, that statement, on some level, already conveyed a refusal to Gu Yunyang!

What kind of person was Gu Yunyang? How could the cunning old schemer fail to grasp this? So, Old Master Gu stopped embarrassing himself further, cradling his grandson and immediately heading back to his residence. After all, the sooner treatment began, the less damage would be sustained, and the milder the resulting sequelae would be.

With Miao Xiaomiao interfering, any hope for the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit had utterly dissolved!

Cao Guofeng chuckled, glancing at Jun Moxie, then at Miao Xiaomiao, finding them increasingly interesting. "Since everything is settled, I shall take my leave as well. Junye, you play for a bit, then head back quickly. I didn't want you causing trouble this time out, yet somehow you still managed to stir things up..."

Saying this, he looked at Miao Xiaomiao with a serious expression. "Young Miao girl, my apprentice is new here and unfamiliar with the Illusory Mansion. If you have no other plans, perhaps you could take my apprentice around for a tour later."

Miao Xiaomiao was already full of curiosity regarding Jun Moxie and had been looking for time to probe this fellow’s depths. Hearing this, she readily agreed.

Just as Cao Guofeng was about to depart, he suddenly realized he’d forgotten something, paused to think, and then asked, "Right, where are Wang Neng and Li Jie who were with you?"

Jun Moxie replied with a simple, slightly clueless expression, "Those two... um... I don't know where they went..."

They are probably in deep trouble right now, he thought. Best not to look for them, sir...

Cao Guofeng roared with fury. "When those two return, I will punish them severely! Given such an important task, they focused only on their own amusement! What use are these two wretches if they act like that!"

Shaking his head, he shot away with a swish, disappearing completely.

Seeing the two Saint Sovereign-level experts part ways in displeasure, leaving angrily, only Miao Xiaomiao, Little Sprout, and Jun Moxie remained in the private room of the tavern. The three of them looked at each other, but no one was willing to break the silence first, falling into a strange quietude.

Jun Moxie rubbed his nose. This young lady conceals half her face with a veil, making it impossible to see clearly—it’s like looking through fog. But silence won't do. He decided he possessed the necessary composure to break the stalemate first...

"Uh... Ladies, I wonder what you wished to see me about?"

Jun Moxie finally remembered that these two young women had summoned him. Before anything was settled, they had already engaged in a fierce verbal battle, causing the second-ranked master to leave unconscious...

This situation was certainly awkward, but at least it provided him with a serviceable excuse to speak first.

"Actually, it wasn't anything major."

Miao Xiaomiao spoke now only after careful consideration and much deliberation, sounding extremely cautious and deadly serious. This great genius, Mo Junye, looked outwardly sincere and honest, but his mind was clearly full of stratagems and tricks. Offending him would be no small matter; he might bite back fiercely without warning, and he wouldn't stop until he left one thoroughly mauled. It was best not to provoke him if possible.

Besides, there seemed to be no necessity for it. "Actually, I merely heard that the exceptionally talented Young Master Mo had arrived at the Illusory Mansion. Our Mansion has gained another young hero of limitless potential. I’ve heard the seniors constantly discussing you these past few days, which sparked my desire to meet you. Unexpectedly, so many disturbances arose, completely contrary to my original intention. It is regrettable."

"Ah... hehehe, Miss is truly too kind!" Jun Moxie gave a dry laugh. "In truth, there is nothing extraordinary about me. I am just a living person, with only one mouth, one nose, and two eyes. Perhaps I am merely a bit more handsome and better looking than the average person. I feel pain when struck, and I would still die if cut by a blade. I imagine you must feel quite disappointed now that you actually see me?"

Miao Xiaomiao widened her beautiful eyes, gazing at him for a long moment before stammering slightly, "N-no disappointment."

"That’s good, that’s very good."

Jun Moxie let out a long breath of relief, self-deprecatingly. "I thought perhaps my handsomeness had faded these past two days... It seems my charm remains undiminished. That puts my heart at ease."

Little Sprout next to her let out a little giggle, and Miao Xiaomiao, hearing the young master's boast, couldn't help but smile, arching her body to cover her mouth as she snickered. Young Master Gu shook his head. "Watching you laugh like that is exhausting! If you want to laugh, just laugh! Why cover your mouths and hide it? Look at me, this is how one should laugh—boldly, at least it’s unrestrained and joyful, isn't it?"

Saying this, he lifted his head, drew power from his dantian, and let out a booming laugh: "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Each laugh was tremendously powerful and resonant.

The two young lolis could hold back no longer, clutching their stomachs and swaying, laughing so hard they nearly convulsed. "Why are you still laughing like that? It seems my style is a bit too difficult for you."

Young Master Gu frowned with mock seriousness, seemingly pondering hard for a moment, then said gravely, "Perhaps you should try laughing like this; it might suit you better..."

Saying that, he threw his head back, crinkled his eyebrows, and laughed: "Haahaahahaha..."

This mannerism and sound perfectly mimicked the style of Stephen Chow. While laughing, he shrugged his shoulders. He laughed four times in total, progressing from one laugh to four, with fluctuating intonation and rich facial expressions. "Hahahaha..."

The two young women instantly discarded all pretense of propriety, slapping the table and roaring with laughter, their faces bright red, their cherry lips stretched wide, subtly revealing their small, pink tongues dancing happily within their mouths...

"See? Doesn't laughing like this feel wonderful? Comfortable? Extremely relaxing? Exceptionally happy!"

Jun Moxie instructed with a straight face. "This is how one releases their true nature! If you want to laugh, laugh loudly, laugh to your heart's content, freely and naturally. Laughter, fundamentally, stems from joy in the heart. If you must control yourself or adhere to some standard while happy, what is the meaning of laughing at all?"

Jun Moxie said somberly, "Living in this world, we are but grass and trees in the spring. Life is an admixture of bitterness and sorrow; there are rarely many moments of true joy. Whether it is separation by death or the entanglements of love and hatred, all things leave one wistful. Therefore, we must seize every moment, every tiny sliver of happiness, and laugh fully. Because after this bout of laughter, who knows when the next time we can laugh wholeheartedly will be..."

His words were subdued, yet they struck a deep chord with the two women.

Miao Xiaomiao sighed faintly and murmured softly, "That is true... Moments of happiness in life are indeed too few; while worries and hardships are so numerous... Brother Mo, your words truly capture the truth of life's myriad flavors."

She had previously only referred to the young master as 'Young Master Mo'; but now, without realizing it, she had shifted her address to 'Brother Mo.' Clearly, their relationship had advanced another step.

Jun Moxie chuckled lightly. "May I ask Miss Miao, before today’s laughter, when was the last time you laughed heartily? Do you even remember?"

A look of thought crossed Miao Xiaomiao’s eyes, slowly transforming into genuine melancholy. She murmured wistfully, "I don't remember. I truly cannot recall..."

Jun Moxie sighed silently, murmuring in reflection, "Life is like a dream, fleeting in the blink of an eye. Black hair yesterday, white frost today; when one is content, one must fully indulge in joy, otherwise, would it not be a betrayal of this brief span of youthful years?"