It seemed only the heavens knew the sheer terror those two sentences struck into Miao Zhan and the others.

Upon leaving the Illusory Mansion, Miao Jingyun had subtly hinted to the trio that the Lord of Evil might very well be Mo Junye of the Illusory Mansion. Thus, even back then, they had already connected the Lord of Evil with Mo Junye.

If they were indeed the same person, then they were no outsiders; Mo Junye was the prospective son-in-law of the Miao family.

Though they didn't know the exact reason the Lord of Evil went to the Illusory Mansion that day, the three felt quite certain that a person like Jun Moxie would never default on any obligation.

Especially after hearing reports that this man had repeatedly acted rashly for the sake of a beloved woman—he treated his women exceptionally well. Actions like starting a relationship and then abandoning someone, or deceiving feelings, seemed utterly impossible for him. Everyone had witnessed how he helped the little Miao girl through her tribulation; now that his true identity was revealed, all past doubts dissolved!

Therefore, the three had spent the journey contemplating what to do upon reaching the Lord of Evil’s Residence: should they reveal everything, or keep it hidden? How could they maximize their benefits?

But upon arriving at the Lord of Evil’s Residence and seeing Jun Moxie in person, the three simultaneously discarded their original suppositions.

The assumption they had held with such certainty now appeared utterly absurd. Jun Moxie and Mo Junye differed not only in appearance and physique but also in temperament, methods of handling affairs, and even their eyes differed significantly.

Those skilled in disguise knew that while one could make themselves look ugly, or prettier, or even completely transform into another person, the distance between the eyes could never be altered!

The fixed iron triangle—the distance between each person's eyes and the bridge of the nose—could never be changed, not even with the most advanced bone restructuring techniques. And in this crucial area, Jun Moxie and Mo Junye’s facial structures showed no similarity whatsoever!

This meant they were two distinct individuals, impossible to be the same person!

So, when the three first saw Jun Moxie, their sole thought was that the Mansion Lord had made a mistake! Jun Moxie absolutely was not Mo Junye. This idea took root in their minds.

As this thought surfaced, the carefully laid plans they had nurtured for so long crumbled. Based on the principle of sticking with what was familiar, their consideration for a cooperative partner naturally began to lean heavily toward the Three Great Holy Lands.

Yet, life is mysterious, and today’s events were profoundly dramatic. A conclusion they had firmly established was entirely refuted by the other party, only for the party they had just dismissed to provide a shocking answer, returning them to their initial conclusion!

Such a circuitous, bizarre outcome left even these three veteran cultivators at the level of Holy Venerable stunned and struggling to accept it!

So, when Jun Moxie uttered the word "True…," the three Holy Venerables’ eyes widened, their mouths fell open, staring blankly at him. Their expressions and movements were perfectly synchronized, even the look in their eyes was identical!

The three old men shared the same action, the same posture, the same expression, the same ridiculous appearance… a sight comical enough to make one burst out laughing.

If the young master Jun hadn't been so profoundly depressed at the moment, he might have nearly burst out laughing himself.

"Lord… Lord Jun… you, you…" Miao Zhan finally managed to clamp his mouth shut with a soft click, forcing a wry smile. "You've played quite a grand joke, but it’s not funny at all…"

"A joke? I am in no mood to joke with you gentlemen now…" Jun Moxie said gravely. "My using the pseudonym Mo Junye to enter the Illusory Mansion certainly had my own objectives, and it was disrespectful to the Illusory Mansion, but I maintain that I caused no harm whatsoever to the Mansion. Not only did I secretly foil the Zhan family’s heaven-defying, earth-shattering feng shui conspiracy against the Miao family, killing two Zhan family Holy Venerables, but I also stabilized the emotions of your Seven-Colored Sacred Tree and reached a consensus with Miao Qingcheng and Miao Qianji…" Miao Zhan and the three’s expressions finally grew solemn. "You… are really Mo Junye?" While doubt lingered, the Lord of Evil before them knew far too much. Much of what he knew, even the three of them were not privy to the finer details. If he wasn't Mo Junye, then who was he to explain all this…? "Is Mo Junye some incredibly important figure that I would need to impersonate?! Hmm, Cao Guofeng and the other seven Saint Emperors, did their advancement proceed smoothly…" Jun Moxie stated lightly, immediately dropping another piece of information no outsider could possibly know.

At this point, Miao Zhan and the other two harbored no further doubts. Evidently, the "accidental" advancement of Cao Guofeng and the seven was not an accident at all, but rather a parting "gift" from Mo Junye—the Lord of Evil, Jun Moxie, standing before them.

"I do not know for what reason the Jun family initially disguised themselves to infiltrate the Illusory Mansion—no matter what your objective was, I have no interest in knowing now, nor do I wish to pursue it at this moment…"

Miao Zhan chose his words carefully. "In fact, when we were leaving the Illusory Mansion, the Mansion Lord already hinted to us that the Lord of Evil might be Mo Junye. However, we dared not believe it, especially after seeing the true face of Lord Jun… But now, Lord Jun forces us to believe, leaves us no choice but to believe! Only…"

He managed a bitter laugh. "Only, why would Lord Jun tell us this now? I truly cannot fathom why you would go to such lengths, risking the wrath of the entire Boundless Illusory Mansion to achieve something. Now, as long as you deny it, nothing can be pinned on you. But you suddenly volunteer this information. Lord Jun is not such an unwise person, so…"

"There must be another reason…" Miao Zhan pondered, slowly voicing his thought.

"Exactly! There is a reason! And a very important one…" Jun Moxie declared firmly. "I did it for Little Miao…"

"For Little Miao?" Su Zhan and the other two froze simultaneously!

The three had never imagined that the crucial reason Jun Moxie cited would be Miao Xiaomiao!

Miao Zhan and the others were truly astonished. They even speculated what Jun Moxie’s true objective might be, or what his long-term plan entailed. Some even thought Jun Moxie revealed everything to gain the Illusory Mansion's understanding for his grand blueprint of dominating the world, paving the way for meticulous cooperation…

Jun Moxie had indeed mentioned, "Miao Xiaomiao, is the woman I acknowledge…" just moments ago, but to Miao Zhan and the others, that remark sounded merely like a tactic to foster closer relations, not something to be taken too seriously.

In this world, it was the utmost normalcy for a man to have multiple wives and concubines. Especially for a supreme sovereign like Jun Moxie? Even common young masters from prominent families would have a dozen or several dozen concubines; it was commonplace.

Women, to men, had always been little more than dependents, or perhaps status symbols. Even women from prestigious families, though appearing unique on the surface, were fundamentally just tools for advantageous political marriages. No matter how cherished they seemed, when critical interests were at stake, they would be unhesitatingly pushed forward as sacrifices! Even a prized daughter of the Miao family like Miao Xiaomiao would be little exception.

Yet now, for the sake of Miao Xiaomiao, Jun Moxie was shattering all his previous meticulous calculations, exposing his entire plan, and risking the massive wrath of the entire Illusory Mansion…

To the three of them, this answer, this reason, seemed utterly incredible! Even if the object of his affection was one of their own, or even the beloved daughter of the entire Miao elder generation!

Even the world's foremost beauty wouldn't be worth such a risk!

Especially since Jun Moxie was now a legitimate, unrivaled sovereign, a paramount figure whose might shook the heavens, one of the handful of powerbrokers standing at the absolute peak of cultivation!

To act this way for the sake of a mere woman seemed like utter madness.

From a pragmatic perspective, a person ruled so heavily by emotion was neither a suitable partner nor a qualified leader!

"Lord Jun, the reason you give is far too flimsy! What I wish to hear is your true objective, your genuine reason! Not a sermon on your infatuation or persistence! Little Miao is indeed a daughter of the Miao family, but even if you end up together, she will at best be one among your many women! If the Lord intends to use such a reason as the catalyst or foundation for our cooperation, we see no need to proceed any further!" Miao Zhan’s expression had turned rather grim. Clearly, Jun Moxie’s justification—"For Miao Xiaomiao"—was too light for his liking…

"That's right, Jun Moxie. All three of us are old fellows who have lived for thousands of years. Do you truly think we’d swallow such a weak excuse…" Miao Jian said gruffly.

"Have the three of you failed to understand what I said earlier? I never intended to cooperate with your Illusory Mansion. If you didn't hear clearly, or didn't comprehend, let me reiterate solemnly here: whether you believe what I said or not is irrelevant to me, and holds no meaning for me! I would do it the same way regardless. Even if the entire world disbelieves me, I, Jun Moxie, remain Jun Moxie! A person who acts independently and follows his own path…"

Jun Moxie rolled his eyelids, saying proudly, "You don't believe me because you don't understand me, Jun Moxie…"

"We are eager to hear more. I am genuinely interested to know what kind of person the Lord truly is…" Miao Zhan took a deep breath, signaling with his eyes for Miao Dao and Miao Jian to restrain their volatile tempers.