, one, the first update of the day! Although the Blood of Yanhuang is still some distance from its full maturity, Jun Moxie remains quite satisfied with its growth rate! After all, Jun Moxie wouldn't slaughter indiscriminately just to feed the Blood of Yanhuang; a divine sword spurred by excessive killing would only breed uncontrollable negative side effects.

Once the Blood of Yanhuang transformed into a Bloodthirster Evil Blade, it would have lost its original purpose! It should only be drawn when killing is absolutely necessary! In that way, the drawing of the sword is the wielder's intent, not the sword's.

This is the fundamental difference.

A sword nurtured this way is truly one's own! Free from any danger of losing control! "Yanhuang...

do you know the core of my inner conflict?" Jun Moxie gestured, and the Blood of Yanhuang settled in his hand.

Facing the gleaming edge, he spoke in an unusually low tone.

The Blood of Yanhuang let out a low hum, seemingly in response.

Sensing the divine sword's melancholy, Jun Moxie couldn't help but smile: "Right now, only you can truly understand my heart.

Things here...

I really find it hard...

to be as carefree as before..." The divine sword whistled, its light flashing, an imposing killing intent suddenly manifesting. "You're not suggesting killing everyone off, are you?" Jun Moxie offered a bitter smile: "It's never that simple.

The most difficult part here is emotion, not the enemy's strength...

If everyone in the Illusory Mansion were my enemy, I wouldn't be so tormented by my actions..." The Blood of Yanhuang floated up lazily, and with a clang, it sheathed itself, clearly impatient with Jun Moxie’s complaints and, failing to comprehend, opting to sleep instead... "Damn it!" Jun Moxie cursed with a laugh: "Nurturing a sword, nurturing a sword, and now it’s developed a temper..." With his thoughts in disarray, Jun Moxie made his way over to the spiritual vein to check on the condition of Snake King Qian Xun.

Looking at the breathtaking beauty in green, sleeping soundly before him—her face still bearing that serene, almost content expression from the moment she threw herself in front of him to block the fatal strike—Jun Moxie felt an indescribable stirring in his heart.

Ever since the Snake King lay there, he visited several times a day, talking to her, channeling spiritual energy into her, and giving her full-body massages to prevent muscle atrophy and bone stiffness...

At other times, three times a day, he would squeeze spiritual fruits into a juice and feed her to sustain her vital life force...

As time wore on, Jun Moxie understood more and more why the Snake King had rushed to him so desperately back then.

The more he understood, the more his heart ached...

Because of love! And a desperate love, a love doomed to have no fruition! If I cannot have you, then I will simply die for you! Because he was the lover of the Great Sister Mei Xueyan, whom she revered most... "Is it truly worth it? Lying here, saying not a word, yet unaware of how the one saved by your selfless act feels inside..." Jun Moxie murmured: "Wake up quickly, Qian Xun.

I won't let you be heartbroken again.

What you can have, what you can obtain..." The corner of Snake King Qian Xun's mouth retained that faint, satisfied, gentle smile... "Alas..." Jun Moxie sighed dejectedly: "I will definitely wake you up soon! I will take you to roam famous mountains and rivers, to see all the world's beauty...

No matter what method I must use, I will make you...

wake up! Rest assured, Qian Xun! Your love is not hopeless; you can obtain everything you desire!" After casting one last lingering gaze at her peerless delicate face, Jun Moxie sighed and walked toward the other side.

On the far side of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Vein was a pond he had excavated, only half a meter deep, specifically for cultivating the Exquisite Lotus.

Digging deeper, he feared exposing the most precious Golden Nectar Dew, so he only dug about half a meter deep...

Although the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Vein lacked the expansive view of the pond in the Celestial Saint Palace, its length was ample—easily several dozen zhang long—meaning planting any number of Exquisite Lotuses would not be an issue! Above this man-made pond, a dense layer of mist hovered.

That was no ordinary water vapor; it was the purest spiritual energy between heaven and earth! As for the clear water held within this pool, it was nothing less than the essence of the purest Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy! Just this single pond, Jun Moxie believed, even the Celestial Saint Palace and the Ethereal Illusory Mansion combining their strength could never gather such a treasure! In the very center of the water floated two or three transparent lotus leaves, and beneath the surface, the tips of more roots could be seen, waiting to bloom above the water.

Each floating lotus leaf was nearly the size of a fist, and judging by their thickness, they had not fully unfurled, possessing potential to expand further...

It was worth noting that at the Celestial Saint Palace, the largest lotus leaves of these Exquisite Lotuses were only the size of a fingertip, yet here under Young Master Jun's care, they had grown to fist-size, with plenty of room for more growth...

If Qiao Ying, the one responsible for cultivating the Exquisite Lotuses, were to see this, she would undoubtedly be overjoyed beyond measure! As for the root body situated below, nestled among fine fragments of spiritual vein stones, it had already grown to the thickness of a middle finger...

nearly quadrupling in size from its original peanut-like dimensions...

In the pool, roughly every meter, a small, transparent lotus leaf floated—these were the ones truly only the size of a fingertip...

Counting them up, not one more, not one less, there were exactly twenty plants! These were naturally the twenty seeds of the Exquisite Lotus that Jun Moxie had acquired from Qiao Ying.

Under the mighty power of the Hongjun Tower, all twenty seeds had survived! They displayed vigorous life within this water condensed from spiritual energy! Or perhaps it should be said this way: while the seeds of the Exquisite Lotus were considered remarkable objects in the mundane world or by those from the Three Great Holy Lands, within the Hongjun Tower, they were, at best, slightly more precious plant seeds.

Bringing them to life was no rare feat; failing to grow them would be the rarity! Jun Moxie stood admiring them with his hands behind his back, much like an old farmer watching his crops thrive...

Suddenly, a spark ignited in Jun Moxie's mind: Since I already planned to use the Five Elements Qi to accelerate the growth of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree, why couldn't I employ the same method to spur on the Exquisite Lotus? No sooner said than done, Jun Moxie walked to the very last Exquisite Lotus, extended one hand slowly, gently grasping a leaf, and then secretly mobilized the long-unused Wood Force! A brilliant azure green light suddenly surged up from his body, slowly forming a massive green halo, with smaller circles nested within the larger one, emanating continuously from him in waves...

Before the outermost circle had fully dissipated, a new, smaller green halo was already emerging from him...

Then, these halos slowly merged into the tiny body of the Exquisite Lotus next to his hand.

The entire body of the Exquisite Lotus suddenly trembled slightly on the water's surface...

The lotus leaf, originally the size of a fingertip, began to grow rapidly at a visible speed, slowly unfurling, slowly expanding, gradually reaching the width of a palm, then two palms wide.

It wasn't just the leaves; the stem also grew thicker, transforming from its previous frail appearance to standing upright and rigid.

Stalks covered in fine, dense thorns continuously emerged, expanding from tiny young pads into broad lotus leaves...

Before Jun Moxie's eyes, an exceptionally thick stalk abruptly pushed upward, then slowly swelled into a pinkish-red bud, which then slowly burst open, filling the entire space with an intensely rich fragrance.

The lotus bloomed instantly, lasting only a moment, before slowly withering and turning into a seed pod, the color of the pod gradually deepening..." And the root below the water also began to grow...

longer, thicker...

Finally, within a three-foot radius, the area was filled with lotus leaves, and the submerged root had grown to the thickness of an arm, the size of an adult palm...

This root structure was a staggering seventy to eighty times larger than the lotus roots Qiao Ying painstakingly cultivated in the Celestial Saint Palace! Jun Moxie gazed at the root in pleasant surprise, unable to contain his excitement! It turned out everything...

was this easy! Next, he sensed something amiss: why were all these lotus leaves suspended in the air? Water...

ah, where was the water? Jun Moxie then realized that the entire pool, filled with pure water formed from condensed spiritual energy, was now completely gone...

leaving only the dry bottom of the pond...

Did nurturing this single Exquisite Lotus consume that much energy! Jun Moxie was genuinely startled! It turned out cultivating this thing was such a drain on resources! Without time to marvel, Jun Moxie quickly utilized another aspect of the Five Elements power: "Water Force! Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, heed my command, condense all as water here!" Jun Moxie stretched his left hand diagonally, fully activating the Water Force...

A dense ball of blue light suddenly burst forth from Jun Moxie...

If these treasures withered and died due to lack of water...

Young Master Jun would truly have no tears left to cry with.

Within the Hongjun Tower, the dense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy suddenly whooshed and formed a vortex above Jun Moxie's head, growing denser and darker in color.

Finally, with a whoosh sound, a clear stream of water poured down from the air like a small waterfall...

It wasn't long before the entire pool was filled.

Not stopping for a moment, Jun Moxie continued to exert the Water Force, commanding the spiritual energy within the Hongjun Tower to quickly turn into water, while simultaneously moving to the second newly sprouted Exquisite Lotus, shouting loudly, and once again activating the Wood Force with his right hand.

(To be continued, for what happens next, please log onto [website URL], more chapters are available, support the author, support genuine reading!)