Such individuals, when riding the crest of success, naturally find every endeavor blessed; but should they encounter adversity, their fighting spirit instantly collapses, leaving not a single spark of resistance!

It is precisely based on this realization that Jun Mo Xie relentlessly tempered the Remnant Heaven Soul Devourers, allowing them to be forged in the crucible of life and death, to drink blood and slay enemies amidst hardship and suffering! Only through such means can one attain strength in the truest sense!

A tiger confined to a zoo, no matter how massive—perhaps twice the size of one roaming the mountains—will inevitably suffer defeat if the two ever engage in combat; this is due to the same principle!

The masked man in black had already retreated twenty-seven steps! A full twenty-seven paces before that mysterious flying sword finally backed off slightly, gaining a small distance from his eye. This distance brought the sword to a stop right before Jun Mo Xie and Miao Xiaomiao.

The bizarre events unfolding before them left Miao Xiaodang utterly staggered!

What in the world was going on? And what kind of sword was this?

Such a miraculous demon sword must belong to an owner of extraordinary caliber!

She turned her head to look at Jun Mo Xie, only to find that the possessor of the Ethereal Physique also wore an expression of genuine shock and bewilderment! Clearly, even this great prodigy had no inkling as to the origin of the strange phenomenon before them.

Composing herself, Miao Xiaomiao bowed respectfully toward the direction of the sword. "I wonder which senior has intervened to save this junior and my companion. I implore you to reveal yourself so that I may express my deepest gratitude!"

The long night remained silent, yet no one answered.

Only for the sword light to suddenly flash, piercing with a pu sound the Qihai acupoint of the last remaining masked man, then bursting out through the man’s back trailing a streak of blood. A tiny, crimson sphere clung to the sword tip, slowly dimming...

The masked man in black roared, a sound born of soul-deep agony! That spot held the very essence of his lifelong cultivation! It had been utterly devoured by the sword, and furthermore, the sword had shattered his Qihai Dantian!

In that instant, he became an absolute cripple!

This sudden reality was more devastating to him than death itself! Heavily wounded and heartbroken, he managed only one agonizing cry before collapsing into unconsciousness, his final thought being: It's utterly finished!

The eerie demon sword circled once in mid-air, then suddenly erupted in dazzling light, releasing an ineffable, sinister aura that spread out abruptly. Instantly, it swept through the area like a hurricane across the steppes. Wherever this malevolent energy touched, all the vibrant green grass withered, covering an area spanning nearly ten zhang!

Then, the sword resumed its former majestic, kingly bearing, pausing elegantly in the air, shimmering with a soft radiance. It was like the bright, clear moon in the night sky—mysterious, graceful, hazy, supremely positioned, illuminating the cosmos, reflecting upon the world!

Miao Xiaomiao’s beautiful eyes shone with genuine affection!

No one could possibly dislike such an outstanding divine weapon.

Just as Miao Xiaomiao expected the mysterious master to finally materialize, the sword abruptly emitted a low, resonant hum. With a shua, it shot straight upward, its tip pointing toward the heavens, seemingly intent on piercing the firmament!

Upon reaching a height of several zhang, it let out another clear clang of a sword cry!

Darkness returned to the heavens and earth; the shadow of the sword was gone.

The sounds of insects chirping and grass rustling seemed to instantly resume, and the world was once again filled with vitality.

It was as if nothing had transpired in this region.

Seven lives had been lost in quick succession, in an area that should have resembled a charnel house, yet not a trace of blood scent remained!

"We've been saved; a mysterious master intervened for us."

Miao Xiaomiao’s delicate face was filled with inexplicable reverence as she murmured, "When I return, I must tell Grandfather. I imagine he will know who this senior is. I must properly thank this mysterious elder."

In Miao Xiaomiao’s mind, one who could employ such ghostly and unfathomable means, who rendered aid without expecting reward, eradicating the villains before gracefully departing, must be a highly respected hermit master, or perhaps even that elusive ancestor from the Illusory Mansion. Jun Mo Xie's expression flickered with a hint of complexity before returning to its former look of panic, nodding faintly as if still unnerved.

"I say, are you finally scared now? ... Didn't you hear the sound transmission I sent you earlier? Knowing there was danger here, why did you blithely rush in?"

Miao Xiaomiao glared at Jun Mo Xie, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. "Do you have any idea how perilous the situation just was? You were still engaging those masked men in pleasantries and haggling! If that mysterious senior had arrived even a moment later, we would have been truly miserable..."

Speaking of which, she naturally recalled the tragic fate the masked men had promised her upon capture, causing her to shiver involuntarily, her pretty face turning pale.

"Well, you can't blame me for that. Mainly, hearing your voice in such a remote location, I thought I was dreaming..." Jun Mo Xie explained with a wry smile. He thought to himself: With this Young Master present, forget six Venerables; even if six Saint Emperors arrived, it might not change the outcome! How could there be any real risk? If even this Young Master couldn't handle the danger, what good would your timely warning do anyway! But, of course, those words couldn't be spoken! However, in retrospect, wasn't it you, girl, who truly put yourself in harm’s way? This place had nothing to do with you, yet your involvement caused me so much unnecessary trouble—though, of course, that also couldn't be said. Darn it...

"Dreaming? Dream of your big head!"

Miao Xiaomiao was both shy and annoyed, her eyes sparkling, as she stamped her small foot petulantly. Was he... thinking of me while on his way? Otherwise, why would hearing my voice make him think he was having a sweet dream?

Considering the matter, she felt the fright she endured was simply too immense, and yet this Mo Jun Ye before her seemed utterly unconcerned, making Miao Xiaomiao feel unbalanced. She complained, "Look at you, you don't even have the ability to deal with them yourself, yet you kept provoking and insulting them with your words! If no savior had shown up, what would you have done? If that senior had been half a step later, your little life might have been over!"

Jun Mo Xie stared back, his eyes wide with surprise: "Why shouldn't I curse them? Precisely because I am no match for them, I must curse them soundly to vent my anger! Do you think that since they planned and organized this ambush so meticulously, they would have spared me even if I hadn't cursed them? The end result is death either way, so why shouldn't I curse them? It’s good to at least enjoy the satisfaction of sharp words, even if we're about to die—why not choose the enjoyable path?"

Miao Xiaomiao was instantly rendered speechless.

This Mo Jun Ye, whatever he said or did, seemed to possess his own brand of twisted logic. While this logic might not be perfectly correct, it was difficult to outright condemn it! In short, it sounded wrong, yet one couldn't pinpoint the flaw, possessing a baffling stubbornness. Just like now: having just escaped death's clutches, he was pontificating, but his reasoning was frustratingly hard to refute.

"Don't even mention it, the senior who saved us today was truly incredible! Absolutely magnificent!"

Miao Xiaomiao realized she couldn't win against the great genius Mo, and instantly switched topics, growing excited: "Heavens, that was the complete version of Sword Control Art! ... I’ve only ever heard tales of it in my life, never witnessed it firsthand! To see it today was just... incredible..."

She trailed off, unable to find the right adjective, but this did not dampen her excitement: "Do you know? Within the entire Misty Illusory Mansion, there aren't more than ten people who could execute such a technique! Moreover, they are all ancient seniors who have long withdrawn from the world... Oh, and that sword was so beautiful... so ethereal... If only I could possess such a sword..."

As she spoke, her gaze grew distant, lost in endless reverie.

Never try to guess a woman's thoughts; one moment she’s discussing one thing, the next she’s switched to something entirely different—it’s just too... much.

Jun Mo Xie looked at the unconscious masked man lying on the ground, feeling somewhat speechless, and finally spoke up to remind her: "Miss Miao, this fellow appears not to be dead. Shouldn't we wake him up and interrogate him? He’s our only living witness!"

His implication was... could you please pause your musings for a moment... The great figure you admire and are grateful for is standing right beside you, listening to your praise. Shouldn't we handle some actual business first?

"Um... it's not appropriate for us to interrogate him. If I take him back, the right people will question him," Miao Xiaomiao clearly had a plan for this. Getting down to business, she finally set aside her expression of awe and stated seriously: "Regardless of whose subordinate this masked man is, or which great family he belongs to, today's events constitute an unforgivable crime. We are merely the younger generation; there are many matters we cannot contemplate as thoroughly. If we handle this ourselves, aside from lacking sufficient authority, any misjudgment—whether too lenient or too careless—will lead to irrecoverable mistakes. It is better to simply pass the difficult task to the clans; they have nothing better to do anyway..."

Jun Mo Xie was surprised at how sharp the girl's mind was. She had already thought of this step without needing his prompting; she truly possessed sharp intellect and a discerning heart.

Since Miao Xiaomiao had offered such a reasonable suggestion, Young Master Jun naturally refrained from offering dissenting opinions. A thought flickered, leading him to another question: "Miss Miao, it's normal for me to be on this path, but why were you here as well?"

When this question came up, Miao Xiaomiao suddenly became hesitant, shuffling her feet and tilting her small head, saying nothing.

"It's understandable that you were here, but why did you jump out during such a dangerous moment? The facts are plain: if the savior hadn't appeared, I would certainly have died... but your appearance, it seems, only served to put yourself in harm's way, having little impact on the overall situation."

(To be continued. For further developments, support the author and genuine reading!)