"We do not submit! The entire Illusion Manor should not revolve around just one person! Even if you are the legendary Ethereal Physique, that’s not acceptable!" Zhan Yushu spoke clearly, his face calm, his analysis of the situation quite sharp, showing none of the impatience he exhibited before; this demonstrated that his earlier agitated curses were all a deliberate act.

He not only clearly pointed out the core of the conflict between everyone else and Jun Mowu, but he also slowly—very subtly—stirred up the emotions of the assembled crowd through his continuous narrative!

He was determined to draw out the resentment festering in the hearts of these young masters to its maximum degree, then gather their strength for a unified challenge! If it were just one person, or one faction alone, it might not be enough to shake the status of the owner of the Ethereal Physique. But here were gathered the descendants of almost every major power in the Illusion Manor. Would the high-ranking officials of the Manor really offend all their future pillars of strength for the sake of one person?

"Among us, some have made astonishing progress in cultivating Profound Qi; some are resourceful, far-sighted, capable of meticulous planning and decisive action from a thousand miles away! Some excel in refined music and the Way of Notation, unrivaled under the heavens! Some are masters of calculation and the Way of Arithmetic, second to none; some are brilliant at chess, never losing a single match! Furthermore, some possess unparalleled literary talent, composing poems in three steps and speeches extemporaneously! Even composing a thousand words is like waiting for the arrival of a horse—ready at a moment's notice! Some are skilled in painting, a brush in hand capable of rendering magnificent mountains, pristine waters, and beauties like jade; some are adept at management, some are proficient in combat..."

The faster Zhan Yushu spoke, the more animated his expression became. The great hall suddenly fell into an absolute silence, broken only by his voice. Everyone stared at him, their eyes blazing, faces lit up, breathing raggedly.

Finally...

Zhan Yushu suddenly roared, "All these talented individuals—which one of them is not a heaven-gifted genius? Which one is not an outstanding figure in this world? Which one is not diligent and hopeful for the favor of their own ancestors? To finally obtain the long-desired positions or benefits that, in the eyes of truly great figures, are utterly worthless?"

"Why is it that the moment you arrive, having achieved absolutely nothing, having made no mark, you can grasp these things we have yearned for so long effortlessly? Even more, those things naturally gravitate toward you? You simply reap the rewards without any effort? By what right?!"

"Tell me, everyone! Are you satisfied? Are you willing to accept this?" Zhan Yushu abruptly turned to the crowd and asked loudly.

"We are not satisfied! We are unwilling!" The response was immediate and unanimous!

The sound was thunderous, echoing for miles!

At this moment, Zhan Yushu's calm demeanor was gone, his voice ragged, his eyes bloodshot.

But Jun Mo Xie saw with perfect clarity: this fellow was purely acting!

The people he was speaking to might possess those mentioned talents, but the interests they truly sought were certainly not the petty offices or meager benefits Zhan Yushu claimed were 'utterly worthless in the eyes of truly great figures.' Given their status, why would they strive for mere scraps?

However, this 'passionate oration' by Zhan Yushu could maximize the rage of these individuals! It allowed their slight, underlying grievances to expand, solidify externally, and transform from a mere three parts of dissatisfaction into ten parts of pure hatred!

Through this exchange, he effectively placed himself directly against them all, making himself the public target of everyone's ire!

Even if he was the possessor of the Ethereal Physique, if he were unanimously rejected by them, in the days to come, he would likely have no choice but to cultivate in solitude, becoming a lone wolf!

Zhan Yushu's words and machinations were exquisitely clever and brilliant, yet this act was destined to fail because he had overlooked one very important factor!

His entire plan was based on a prerequisite: the assumption that Mo Junye, the possessor of the Ethereal Physique currently present, was genuinely just that—a simple identity.

But Jun Mo Xie fundamentally did not care about them. With Young Master Jun's cultivation level, he could basically wipe out all these young talents and future pillars with a mere flick of his wrist; how could he possibly hold them in high regard?

Did an ant roaring challenges at a dinosaur expect the dinosaur to engage or feel fear?

Besides, once he achieved his goal concerning the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit, he intended to leave immediately and exit the Illusion Manor; why would he stay here long-term, competing for so-called resources?

What an utterly ridiculous notion!

Once outside, after shedding the disguise, he would still be Jun Mo Xie! The Sovereign of Evil!

As for these petty youngsters squabbling here... they could do whatever they pleased! This Young Master genuinely had no interest in paying them any mind. If it weren't for his ultimate objective, would the great master have any interest in placating them? Who did they think they were?!

Jun Mo Wu maintained his slight smile, his expression unmoving, completely devoid of fluctuation. He steadily observed the crowd of young people around him. He saw that they were already provoked, their eyes tinged with red, and a few even trembling slightly, clearly overcome with excitement, looking at Jun Mobang with gazes that seemed ready to spew fire!

Especially among those who appeared the most incensed, a few wore robes that were not particularly bright, and one or two even looked quite plain, their garments somewhat threadbare—evidently, their families were not wealthy.

Jun Mo Xie instantly realized that the ones likely to challenge him were these disciples from humble backgrounds! Only they had truly given everything for a chance at recognition from the Illusion Manor. Therefore, the arrival of the Ethereal Physique, which had 'stolen what was originally theirs,' was the source of their intense anger and defiance...

Jun Mo Xie couldn't help feeling a pang of pity in his heart: What a bunch of fools! Did they really think that without me, they would obtain what they desired? They must understand that this world has always been unfair! Reality is never a fairy tale! Anyone who foolishly seeks fairness in this world is the most pathetic of all!

In fact, the most unfair people to them were those sitting around, looking on with feigned indignation but clearly enjoying the show! When they were needed, these individuals would serve as their tools, but when they were no longer useful, what were they then?

Their ancestors and fathers established foundations and accumulated the current estates, granting them everything they currently possessed. To claim that Mo Junye obtained everything without effort solely due to innate talent—what right did these second-generation aristocrats have to consider themselves superior? Were they not also beneficiaries of their ancestors' patronage, an equivalent form of unearned gain?

Who was more shameless? If the disciples from humble backgrounds resented Mo Junye, why didn't they see any of those pampered second-generation youths beside them harboring similar resentment toward the people who benefited them? Who was truly ignorant?!

Scholars from humble backgrounds might become county magistrates or minor officials; but, unless they were founding subjects, historically, how many scholars from humble backgrounds ever ascended to become regional governors or loyal ministers in the imperial court?

Foundation...

That was the accumulation of generation after generation...

The life's effort of a person with no background might allow him to climb to the level of a county office; if his son was capable and continued to strive for a lifetime, perhaps utilizing the connections his father built, he might reach the height of a prefecture governor; if the grandson was even more diligent, building upon the foundation and network of his father and grandfather, perhaps he could reach the rank of Provincial Governor...

That would only happen under the best and smoothest of circumstances!

Only with a great-grandson might there be a chance to enter the imperial court, becoming one of the few distinguished figures among hundreds of millions in the entire realm... But by then, would they still be considered disciples from humble backgrounds?

Perhaps from the moment the grandfather became a county magistrate, they were no longer truly considered humble!

While this wasn't a pure system of hereditary rule, it was a far more realistic form of hereditary succession! Regardless of the social structure, this phenomenon never changed!

The saying, "A hero begets a worthy son," was an undeniable truth! But it required a prerequisite: if you wanted your son to become a worthy man in the future, you yourself must first become a hero!

Therefore, the fact that these disciples from humble backgrounds were gathered here, incited by Zhan Yushu and others to oppose him, was fundamentally just their wishful thinking! Once this matter concluded, if the Ethereal Physique was indeed suppressed as they wished, who would remember these individuals who once fought fiercely against the Ethereal Physique?

For Zhan Yushu and the like, it was too much of a waste of brain cells. If they were displeased, or if they needed someone to take the blame for the 'untimely demise of the Ethereal Physique,' wouldn't these people be the perfect scapegoats?...

Even if scapegoats weren't necessary, and if, in a moment of generosity, they tossed these people a few trinkets, those would truly be the 'offices and benefits utterly worthless in the eyes of truly great figures!' It would be like a diner throwing an uneaten bone to a stray dog by the roadside—nothing more!

How could Mo Junye, the favored son of the entire Misty Illusion Manor, the pride of a generation of geniuses, care about something as worthless as a bone? It was less than garbage...

Yet, even such a bone represented a rare opportunity for these people!

Therefore, opposing him was merely an emotional outburst born from Zhan Yushu and others’ resentment and envy toward him, but it still directly concerned the future prospects of these individuals!

That is why, despite having absolutely no personal enmity with him, they unreservedly positioned themselves against the darling of the Illusion Manor!

And these young masters, nurtured in the homes of the powerful and noble, had long since mastered the art of political maneuvering. They learned from childhood how to command loyalty, how to use others as shields, how to extract the maximum benefit with minimal effort... even how to remain entirely behind the scenes, treating everything as a game played with folded hands...

Letting others fight tooth and nail, bleed and die! They themselves would simply sit back and watch the fish bite, remaining untouched even if the flames of destruction raged all around them...

Jun Mo Xie sighed inwardly.

For the tragedy of these people, and for the helplessness inherent in this world!

Zhan Yushu continued his impassioned speech, and the emotions of the crowd were being stoked to an ever-increasing intensity, resembling activated volcanoes, ready to erupt at any moment...