Jun Mo Xie suddenly recalled that when he parted ways with Miao Xiao Miao last night, the elder Miss Miao had mentioned she would come looking for him today to retrieve the sheet music for the Dirge for the Funeral Flowers...

With the top figures gathering this morning, Miao Xiao Miao certainly wouldn't show her face.

But this afternoon... given that girl's temperament, she absolutely wouldn't be able to resist!

Normally, no one would dare trespass into his room, but Miao Xiao Miao was no ordinary person. If she discovered he wasn't there, it seemed the chaos would be enormous...

The thought struck him, and Jun Mo Xie instantly grew anxious. Without daring to delay further, he unleashed the full power of the Yin-Yang Escape, vanishing from mid-air in a flash, rocketing back towards Cao Guo Feng's small courtyard with electrifying speed as the Zhan Family went completely mad!

Within the Misty Illusory Manor, every single person, whether from the established clans or the common folk, could clearly sense this sudden shift!

Across the Seven Cities, any expert belonging to the Zhan Family, provided their strength was above the Heavenly Profound level, rushed back at full tilt simultaneously! Those closer simply didn't spare their Xuan Qi, flying back using Qinggong all the way...

In some locations, certain Zhan Family shops were temporarily closed because their managers were absent. One must understand, this wasn't just one or two establishments! Nearly all Zhan Family businesses simultaneously ceased operation! Even a single day’s halt would cause incalculable losses to the Zhan Family!

But the Zhan Family clearly could not afford to worry about such matters now. They were ceaselessly recalling vital forces, seemingly unconcerned by the massive financial losses!

All the powerhouses of the Zhan Family were converging under unprecedented circumstances!

And the level of external security around the Zhan Family perimeter escalated in moments to a degree that left everyone utterly stunned!

Presently, it could truly be said that not even a mosquito could freely enter or exit the Zhan Family compound! Even on the periphery, many stood with blood-stained longswords, their gazes menacingly fixed outwards!

On the ground lay piles upon piles of animal corpses—rats and snakes.

These were the unfortunate creatures crawling underground during the Zhan Family's intense lockdown, all of them caught and killed without exception...

What monumental disaster had struck the Zhan Family that they wouldn't even spare creatures like rats and snakes...?

The Great Clans swiftly began inquiring what colossal event had driven the Zhan Family to such frenzied measures. But whatever it was, the Zhan Family must have suffered a devastating blow!

They must have been hurt so badly, driven to the brink, for them to react like this! This much was beyond doubt!

But within the entire Illusory Manor, which force possessed such might?

Which power could target the strongest entity in the Manor—the Zhan Family—and inflict such heavy losses as to wound and infuriate them?

The relatively stable powers immediately began mobilizing troops and generals, because the Zhan Family's mobilization had already created an unprecedented tension across the entire Illusory Manor. Should any change occur, what awaited them was likely a complete reshuffling of the Illusory Manor's high-level hierarchy!

If preparations were not made in advance, they risked becoming the sacrificed cannon fodder...

Especially for the Miao Family, the atmosphere at this moment was incredibly delicate, reaching a point of immediate confrontation!

In fact, everyone knew that with the forceful rise of the Zhan Family, their primary rival could only be the Miao Family! Only by eliminating the Miao Family could the Zhan Family possibly ascend!

This was no longer a secret; it was just that both houses had previously maintained restraint. But today, as time crept forward, the atmosphere emanating from the Zhan Estate grew increasingly tense. And this tension, as the sun began to set, actually reached a critical peak!

With a roar that shook the heavens, the Zhan Family abruptly unleashed a terrifying power. An overwhelmingly strong aura lingered above their compound for a moment, mixed with a surging, overwhelming sense of righteous fury, instantly enveloping the surrounding thousand li!

The Zhan Family actually concealed such an astonishing super-expert!

The Great Clans felt a chill run down their spines...

The Zhan Family, having sensed the anomaly in the Nine Nether Soul Refining Ground, coupled with the mysterious deaths of their two rising talents, Zhan Qing Feng and Zhan Yu Shu, within the refining process, became the final straw that broke the camel's back!

Even Zhan Lun Hui, who had not yet fully broken through, suddenly exploded... This outburst, almost equivalent to going berserk due to blocked meridians, nearly led Zhan Lun Hui to utter ruin...

Truly, one terrible event followed another without any pause, and every piece of news was bad... Zhan Lun Hui, who had suppressed and restrained himself for so long, finally could not bear it and erupted completely...

At this moment, blood streamed from the corners of his mouth as he wept. His aura was extraordinarily violent, and he sat slumped on the ground, thin lines of blood seeping from ruptured meridians across his body. He stared wide-eyed, muttering in extreme anger, "They bully too much! This is outrageous! They bully too much... Damn it... Damn it..."

Unbeknownst to him, at the very same moment, Cao Guo Feng was also throwing a tantrum in his small courtyard!

The reason was simple: around noon, Miao Xiao Miao, who had been holding back all morning, arrived punctually to look for Mo Jun Ye.

Due to Jun Mo Xie's specific instructions beforehand, the servants dared not rush in, and Miao Xiao Miao felt too awkward to barge into a young man's bedchamber... So, she feigned nonchalance and waited outside... "But waiting didn't bring him out, and waiting again didn't bring him out. Miao Xiao Miao finally grew impatient. Little Sprout bravely volunteered to slip inside and check, only to discover that the only thing hiding in the covers was a pillow, and the Great Genius Mo, possessing the Ethereal Body, was nowhere to be found...

This discovery was monumental! Little Sprout’s pretty face turned ashen, and she scrambled out of the room, her complexion changed... "As soon as the situation was explained, Miao Xiao Miao was consumed by anxiety... And the servants in Cao Sheng Huang's courtyard also looked ashen-faced...

It was precisely at this moment that Cao Guo Feng and his seven brothers returned, beaming with joy...

Returning full of high spirits, they walked right into this messy situation! Even the usually even-tempered Cao Guo Feng couldn't help but fly into a rage! He cursed these useless underlings—they couldn't even keep track of one person...

Beside his fury, he was also burning with anxiety... Could that child have met with some mishap? Thus, the ten brothers left one behind to maintain order, while the other six split up to search...

And while they were searching, the Zhan Family erupted... "This discovery made Cao Guo Feng even more worried: the Zhan Family was clearly seeing red now...

If someone from the Zhan Family had encountered Mo Jun Ye and killed him in passing, that wouldn't be strange at all... Furthermore... perhaps Mo Jun Ye's disappearance was engineered by the Zhan Family? Didn't they see how they were assembling manpower at all costs? When things go against the norm, there must be a reason!

After such deliberation, the more he thought, the more he leaned toward the worst-case scenario. Cao Sheng Huang was furious, and with Bai Qi Feng standing by adding fuel to the fire with his conjectures, the situation escalated until they concluded that the Zhan Family had captured Mo Jun Ye, intending to boil and eat him, and had gathered everyone to ensure each person got a share...

Cao Guo Feng, in his great rage, immediately began gathering allies, preparing to storm the Zhan Family estate to demand the person back...

And precisely at this critical juncture...

Young Master Jun returned...

If he had been even a moment later, the situation would have truly spiraled out of control...

The entire world of the Illusory Manor would have been ignited by his disappearance... "To say nothing else, Cao Guo Feng and the Seven Great Sage Emperors, having been pushed to their breaking point, facing the Zhan Family members whose anger had reached its zenith, would have been locked in an inescapable, death-or-glory battle! That would have been truly disastrous!

"Where on earth did you run off to, boy? Why did no one know you left?" Hearing Cao Guo Feng's angry inquiry, Jun Mo Xie knew the old man was genuinely frantic; his anger was laced with genuine, deep concern...

Behind Cao Guo Feng, Miao Xiao Miao watched him with surprised, exquisite eyes. Her once clear pupils were now slightly swollen and red... He didn't need to ask to know that the girl had clearly cried, whether from worry, panic, or heartbroken distress over not finding him for so long...

"I didn't go far. I was trying to take a nap earlier, but I couldn't sleep. Feeling restless, I slipped out for a brief stroll. I don't know why, but after walking a short while, I felt sleepy again. Yes, right down on that slope ahead... I took a short nap."

Jun Mo Xie stretched lazily. "I have to say, sleeping under the sun, that feeling is just superb... If the setting sun hadn't signaled the ants to return home and disturbed me, I might have slept a little longer."

Cao Guo Feng was instantly dumbfounded.

His group had nearly gone insane with worry, and this fellow was simply finding a place to sleep? Wasn't that too heartless?!

However, facing that lazy, infuriatingly smug smile, Cao Guo Feng, Bai Qi Feng, and the others seemed utterly speechless. Should they hit him? They couldn't bear to! Should they scold him? They still couldn't bear to... What a joke! Seeing him return safe and sound was the greatest comfort imaginable. The anxiety and anger that had filled their hearts had long dissipated; now, there was only boundless joy. How could they possibly bring themselves to strike or scold him? What if they hurt him or embarrassed him—wouldn't they worry even more!

But if they didn't punish him at all, could they just let this lazy rascal go? If he truly cultivated this careless habit, it would be a huge problem later on...

While the old men were conflicted, unwilling to discipline but also unwilling to let him off, how sharp and perceptive was Young Master Jun? He swiftly deployed the tactic of changing the subject. He walked toward Miao Xiao Miao with a smile and whispered softly, "You're here?"

This was utter nonsense! She was already standing right in front of him, and he was asking if she had arrived!? If she hadn't, who was standing there...? A ghost!?

But this very piece of nonsense broke the delicately tense stalemate!

Miao Xiao Miao glanced at him, a flicker of shyness crossing her eyes, before softly lowering her head, emitting a barely audible, soft "Mm" sound from her nose. If you discounted that thin veil, one would likely see that Miao Xiao Miao's face had blushed right down to her neck...

This appearance of shy coyness and pitiful vulnerability—where was the Miss Miao who had nearly overpowered him for a forceful embrace last night?... Jun Mo Xie was utterly perplexed. How could she be so demure today when yesterday she was nearly throwing herself at him!? The contrast was too stark! (To be continued...)