Miao Xiaomiao looked steadily at Jun Moxie for a moment, then broke into a smile as bright as spring blossoms: "While I certainly do not wish to gamble away my entire life with you! Nor will I stake my family on your all-or-nothing venture! But... whether the Young Master decides to attend that rendezvous seems to have absolutely nothing to do with me. Why should you allow my intentions to dictate your course of action?"

"What do you mean?"

Jun Moxie looked at her, genuinely perplexed.

"I mean... if you want to go, then go! If you don't want to go, then don't! Regardless of whether you ultimately decide to go or not, it has nothing to do with me."

A mischievous spark flashed in Miao Xiaomiao's eyes.

"But based on what you said, if I lose, the bet you mentioned earlier concerning the boat will also be lost to Zhan Qingfeng!"

Jun Moxie frowned: "Even though you didn't participate directly, the outcome is no different than if you had! Why involve yourself? I would rather not gamble at all than risk something someone values most!"

Jun Moxie’s face was filled with seriousness and solemnity, every word carrying weight: "Regardless of victory or defeat, I cannot bear the consequences of that outcome! To me, your Miao family might still be insignificant, but I dare not gamble with the life of a young lady! I cannot afford to owe this favor, much less repay it."

What Jun Moxie said was from the bottom of his heart.

He truly could not bear such a responsibility!

If he lost, Miao Xiaomiao’s life would be ruined. Although Young Master Jun firmly believed he would not lose, even if he won, the result might not be much better for Miao Xiaomiao. His true identity was, after all, an adversary of the Illusory Mansion; when revealed, it could easily implicate Miao Xiaomiao, perhaps even the entire Miao family!

What’s more, it could very likely entangle a young girl's heart!

This favor, he feared, could never be repaid, not in a lifetime.

Although Jun Moxie believed that Young Master Zhan who made the bet with Miao Xiaomiao might not truly enforce the wager, and Miao Xiaomiao likely wouldn't secure that spot so easily, he still didn't wish to press the issue...

"But if you truly choose not to go... then your future within the Illusory Mansion will certainly be fraught with difficulty! Your prospects are destined to be bleak!"

Miao Xiaomiao looked at him: "Actually... if I manage to cancel the wager between Zhan Qingfeng and myself, you won't need to bear any responsibility!"

"Cancel it?"

Jun Moxie frowned: "The bet is set; how can it be canceled?"

"I have my own clever plan. As long as Young Master Mo cooperates with this humble girl and disappears temporarily for an hour, I will certainly have a way to nullify this wager."

Miao Xiaomiao smiled mysteriously: "In fact, I might even make Zhan Qingfeng owe me a huge favor!"

"Haha..."

Jun Moxie was incredibly sharp and understood her meaning instantly. A light dawned on him, and he burst into laughter, shaking his head: "A brilliant strategy, truly a brilliant strategy!"

"Since the agreement is made, let's part ways and act immediately. I'll see you at Fragrant Drifting Tower later!"

Miao Xiaomiao winked, a playful smile on her lips. Jun Moxie gave a carefree laugh: "The Lady's wisdom is truly extraordinary; though I pride myself on unparalleled cleverness, you have found a mutually beneficial solution to this problem ahead of me. I am humbled!"

"Brother Mo, you were simply caught in the moment. Worry clouds the mind, and too many considerations naturally obscure clarity, hence why you didn't think of it immediately. I believe with your intelligence, once you calm down, you will easily grasp the entire situation."

A smile bloomed in Miao Xiaomiao's eyes, a faint blush quickly fading—she was clearly relieved. "May I ask Brother Mo, I understand your statement about 'daring not to gamble with a young lady's entire life,' but what was the intention behind the latter part: 'I cannot bear this favor, much less repay it'?"

"It was merely a passing sentiment, nothing more," Jun Moxie replied with an awkward chuckle. If he admitted the truth, wouldn't it seem like he was being presumptuous?

Miao Xiaomiao's face flushed deeply at some thought, then turned pale. Biting her lip, she said, "Then... Brother Mo, see you at Fragrant Drifting Tower."

"See you at Fragrant Drifting Tower."

Jun Moxie smiled and bowed: "One last piece of advice before I leave the Lady: A wager should generally commence under absolutely fair conditions. But too many people only honor it when the opponent is overwhelmingly strong. Miss Miao should not take such bets too seriously..."

"I understand. But given the status of these noble families, they wouldn't stoop to such behavior, would they?" Miao Xiaomiao asked uncertainly.

"Some people value their word more than gold, but for others, even an oath is no more than a puff of air—that is not surprising," Jun Moxie chuckled. "I only spoke casually. The Lady surely understands the situation better than I do."

"Brother Mo is too kind. Regardless, I thank you for the reminder."

Miao Xiaomiao smiled, taking Little Sprout, and descended the stairs. She paused briefly on the steps but did not look back. Her delicate figure swayed gracefully, her skirt billowing, vanishing in an instant, leaving behind only a lingering wisp of fragrance that refused to dissipate.

As Miao Xiaomiao walked onto the street below, she distinctly heard a sharp, clear 'smack' sound from upstairs. It sounded precisely like a resounding slap landing on someone's face. Her eyes inexplicably stung, and she quickened her pace.

That sound was Jun Moxie upstairs violently slapping his own face!

He stood lost for a moment, grinding his teeth: "So I really am quite despicable!"

He let out a long sigh, a look of unprecedented guilt flashing in his eyes. With a flicker of movement, he vanished instantly...

At the most opulent location in Heart Illusory City, the Fragrant Drifting Tower was currently teeming with people.

The already extravagantly luxurious establishment had been made even more grand.

What were once separate rooms had now all been opened up! Interconnected, they formed a massive hall capable of holding at least a thousand people.

Everywhere one looked, black hair flowed, and countless young faces reflected one another. Everyone wore an expression of defiance; every eye was alight with excitement and eagerness to test their mettle. They waited only for the arrival of the wielder of the Ethereal Physique, at which point they would collectively attack! No matter how exceptional his talent and foundation, today at the Fragrant Drifting Tower, they would ensure he arrived crestfallen and left weeping!

On the floor in the very center, a circle of young lords was seated. Every single one was handsome, refined, and exceptionally talented youth—not a single unsightly face was present!

Outside this small circle of young masters were scattered groups of various family guards, keeping their distance from their masters but certainly not far off. While no real danger was expected here, those tasked with guarding their charges dared not let down their guard. After all, an extremely shocking piece of news had just arrived: Young Master Gu Feiyu had been defeated because he underestimated his opponent, going alone. The exact process remained unknown, but the result was that the possessor of the Ethereal Physique had left him struggling between life and death, with even his grandfather, Gu Yunyang, being unable to render effective aid. It was rumored he remained in a dire, near-death state...

With such astonishing facts laid bare, everyone understood that this meeting would not be as simple as initially anticipated; danger could arise at any moment... If their young masters suffered any mishap while under the protection of their guards, they knew they would have no recourse but to hang themselves immediately...

Naturally, there were exceptions. Wang Neng and Li Jie, two Supremacy realm masters, stood worriedly by a corridor pillar. As time dragged on, it seemed that young fellow truly feared coming... If that were the case, wouldn't they two become scapegoats? A punching bag for the anger of all these young lords? If he didn't show, and this grand setup lacked its target, all that pent-up fury would inevitably be vented upon the two of them! This was a disaster!

Time wore on, growing ever later, but no one arrived.

The informants deployed by the young masters of the great families blanketed nearly the entire street!

With such a powerful network in place, fresh reports arrived continuously.

"It seems Miss Miao is negotiating with Mo Junye."

"Miss Miao is vigorously persuading Mo Junye to attend the rendezvous together."

"Miss Miao and Mo Junye are still not moving from their location, but Miss Miao appears very angry, seemingly because Mo Junye said he wants to go home and sleep and is unwilling to care about the fate of his two subordinates..."

"Miss Miao has gone downstairs, but Mo Junye did not follow... still remaining upstairs..."

"There is no one left upstairs now; the fellow has disappeared somewhere..."

"Not found to the East."

"No sign to the West."

"...None."

As the reports came in, the faces of the young lords slowly contorted with rage! How dare he ignore the presence of so many of them! One must remember, the Illusory Mansion could not sustain itself solely on the possessor of the Ethereal Physique, and these individuals represented the core of the future strength of the entire Illusory Mansion! He dared to stand them all up! If the great families united and made a unified move, even the Master of the Illusory Mansion could not withstand such immense pressure! Mo Junye, did he truly wish to end his career? Initially, they only wanted to tease him, but now, if he escaped today, let's see how he would evade them later; all these united forces would surely crush him!

"Big Brother, that fellow has probably slipped away."

Zhan Yushu, known as the most untouchable among the Zhan family's younger generation, sat on a chair and said to the youth seated in the very center: "If he truly became a timid turtle and didn't come here, then the wager between you and Miss Miao would be lost. Are you truly willing to concede the spot just like that? It seems hardly worth it!"

The youth seated in the superior position had sharp features and clearly defined contours on his face; his eyes were as deep and still as an abyss, seemingly bottomless. This was Zhan Qingfeng, the foremost figure of the Zhan family's younger generation, and Zhan Yushu's biological full brother.

He smiled faintly upon hearing this: "The hour is still early; it is not yet the deep of night, so the day has not truly passed. Why assume Young Master Mo won't come! The bet between Miss Miao and myself is our affair; why are you so anxious? Yushu, in terms of composure, you still need much tempering. A restless heart and impatience are cardinal sins for men of our standing!"

Zhan Qingfeng paused, then added: "From the methods he used against Gu Feiyu over there, this person's skills are far from ordinary, his temperament is utterly vengeful, and his heart is extremely ruthless; he is exceptionally adept at seizing every available opportunity! He truly cannot be underestimated. However, while his handling of Gu Feiyu was swift, it also exposed one of his weaknesses."

(To be continued...)

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