It took quite some time, but nothing conclusive emerged. Circumstances dictate reality; in this world where might makes right, strength is always the most potent bargaining chip. After a lengthy huddle, the three elders knew they still had to depart.

Why?

Why indeed! The contingent from the Illusory Mansion had been out for a significant period already, and the members of the Zhan family accompanying them had been utterly wiped out by Jun Moxie. They had to return to clean up the mess...

As for how the Zhan family would react next, that remained to be seen, but all three understood that since Jun Moxie dared to kill, he naturally possessed the means to handle the aftermath.

This was an unspoken truth known by all.

Never mind that the surface seemed utterly calm now, radiating amiability and a united front against outsiders—beneath the surface, storms capable of triggering tsunamis were brewing at any moment...

As the people from the Three Great Holy Lands departed, those from the Illusory Mansion also left; in essence, it was just the three elders departing together. Only as they left did Jun Moxie pause, adding one final remark: "Go back and tell Elder Miao Qingcheng that if... by some chance, a lightning tribulation occurs, he should swiftly come to Tiannan."

Jun Moxie was planning for contingencies. Should the Zhan family make a move and Zhan Lunhui recover his strength, there was truly no one in the entire Illusory Mansion capable of suppressing them except Miao Qingcheng.

But Miao Qingcheng's appearance was always heralded by a lightning tribulation...

This was simply Jun Moxie preparing for the unlikely worst.

After two full days of excitement, Tiannan finally returned to its former tranquility.

Only a select few, like Tang Yuan and Li Youran, remained behind. The Dongfang, Duanmu, and Sikong families, along with Snow and Wind City, had all returned. These four clans had made up their minds: if the Evil Monarch’s Mansion participated in the Battle for Heaven’s Will, their families would go too!

Even if they couldn't join the actual fighting, they could cheer from the sidelines, lending support. Just having the chance to experience that atmosphere, they believed, would greatly benefit their families' future development...

The God of Wealth, Tang Yuan, practically squeezed his way into the living room: "Heh heh, Third Young Master, heh heh, I've truly missed you to death..."

"I..."

Jun Moxie cried out, slapped his forehead, and rolled his eyes: "Fatty, haven't you gained weight again from the 'April Fat' feed? It's only been a few days! You've hit a new high..."

Ah, the 'April Fat' was a hormone-based feed used on Earth to fatten pigs, a term Tang Yuan naturally didn't know. He patted his belly, looking innocent: "Third Young Master, this... you can't blame me, can you?..."

"What? You can't blame yourself? Are you going to blame me?"

Jun Moxie sighed powerlessly. He truly had no way with this fellow!

"Fatty, since you're here, don't leave for now. Brother will give you a proper slimming treatment..."

Jun Moxie sighed sincerely: "I am genuinely worried. If you continue like this, one day you might suddenly collapse. Brother isn't exaggerating; your weight is truly excessive. There are thousands of ways to live and die, intricate and varied, but if you actually 'die from being fat,' the story won't sound good. If you 'die from being fat,' while Brother would naturally be sad, I could still understand. But if you're mistaken for a pig one day on the street and dragged off to the slaughterhouse, that would be a true tragedy. Who would imagine that such a physique didn't belong to a pig... Brother wouldn't even have a decent reason to stand up for you. My words are harsh, but the logic is sound. Just entrust all this flesh to me..."

Tang Yuan shuddered, clearly recalling the memory with lingering fear: "Third Young Master, what are we to each other? Staying a few days is naturally fine. Even if you didn't ask me to stay, I'd cling on for a few days anyway. But... maybe we can skip the slimming, right? Brother is just a little overweight, it's not that severe, is it? I will never forget the sensation from last time... Please skip this round, huh..."

"Skip this round? Impossible. I am responsible for my brother's very life! Rest assured, after this treatment, your physical fitness will definitely return to a normal level, and you likely won't get fat again because I'm confident: the moment you think about gluttony or avoiding exercise, you will absolutely remember this treatment. I also believe that the course of therapy I personally oversee this time will ensure you never forget it for the rest of your life!"

Jun Moxie snorted twice, his eyelids twitching.

Tang Yuan recoiled sharply, his eyes wide with alarm, nearly falling onto the floor. The painful slimming process from last time was something Fatty Tang would rather die than endure again! Fatty Tang had made a firm resolution regarding this!

Now, hearing that this time’s severity seemed even greater than the last, Fatty's heart trembled, nearly making him faint on the spot: No way? My heavens, you don't have to torture me like this, do you?

"Brother, avoiding some hardship this time is unavoidable, but I'm doing this for your own good. Never mind the danger to your life, look at how fat you are now—what about that thing between you and your wife...?"

Jun Moxie looked at him with disappointment: "Do you know how tired Bie Xiaomei is?"

Tang Yuan immediately flushed crimson, yet his gaze darted evasively. After a long pause, he mumbled: "Third Young Master... I don't want to either. Every time, before I can even get started, it's over. Getting fat has severely weakened my... other aspects. I used to be quite formidable..."

"Don't worry, leave it all to me. As long as you are obedient and get rid of this bulk, I guarantee you will return displaying great prowess, making your wife swoon!"

Jun Moxie pounded his chest, taking full responsibility.

Any man, once his masculine pride is touched, would readily face mountains of blades or seas of fire—what was a little hardship compared to exhibiting supreme vigor before the beloved? Every suffering would be deemed worthwhile!

With this thought in mind, the idea of undergoing the slimming treatment seemed much more bearable to Fatty!

With nothing better to do, Jun Moxie decided to refine pills once more.

This time, he not only intended to further boost the inherent strength of his subordinates but also to completely forge an elite killer squad embodying his own style, turning the assassin corps led by Baili Luoyun and Leng Ao into the world's number one Dark Swords.

At the same time, the two juniors, Tian Can and Di Que, needed a true metamorphosis!

To truly achieve a state where their actions would cause the heavens to be maimed and the earth to be lacking!

Furthermore, Jun Moxie was designing a specialized Slimming Pill tailored specifically for Fatty.

This was a targeted method Jun Moxie devised after agonizing thought and referencing countless materials.

Otherwise, looking at Fatty's trajectory of obesity, Young Master Jun wouldn't just be scaring him or using hyperbole—Fatty absolutely had a chance to literally "die from his legs..."

This was undoubtedly what was called "morbid obesity," and the condition was already severe. Jun Moxie was well aware of this malady; controlling diet and increasing exercise were no longer solutions. Now, even if Tang Yuan ate nothing but grass like a donkey every day and worked twice as hard, he would still gain fat faster than a fattened pig!

Whether this was due to a congenital physical issue, a blood problem, or a vitamin deficiency... Jun Moxie was an assassin, not a specialized doctor, so he couldn't know the details. But the Young Master was trying to concoct a medicinal pill whose effect would cause all of Tang Yuan’s prodigious fat reserves to burn away in a short time!

Only by curing the root cause could the symptoms be addressed. Once that mountain of fat was gone, the rest would be easier to handle; at the very least, Fatty would no longer face the imminent crisis of sudden death!

Naturally, this was still in the exploratory phase, and it required a specific experimental subject—and inevitably, that subject had to be Young Master Tang Yuan! Since this was tailor-made for him, if he didn't serve as the guinea pig... who would?

Besides, this pill was essentially useless to anyone other than Fatty!

Although the process was bound to involve some pain and discomfort, with Young Master Jun overseeing it, death was absolutely impossible...

Galvanized by the matter of his masculine dignity, Tang Yuan resolved to try, but lingering fear was unavoidable. With a miserable, fat face, he went off to prepare. On the way, he kept feeling a chill and a sense of impending doom, as streams of ominous premonitions constantly bombarded his nerve center alongside Jun Moxie's sinister smile.

If it weren't for his profound trust in the Young Master—absolutely certain that this friend would never harm him—Fatty would have fled in terror that very night...

Walking in a daze for a long distance, Fatty finally hardened his resolve and declared grimly: "Damn it, I weigh five or six hundred jin anyway. Let him do whatever he wants. As long as it lets me regain my vigor, what's a little suffering..."

Not long after Tang Yuan left, Young Master Li Youran gracefully walked in: "Third Young Master, your current achievements truly astonish me."

Li Youran maintained a faint smile, his demeanor one of easy calm, possessing outstanding grace.

But he knew internally that Jun Moxie's current achievements were far beyond mere astonishment—they were something unimaginable even in dreams!

The Jun Moxie who once engaged in secret battles of wits with him in Tianxiang City had now ascended to heights where Li Youran could no longer look up!

If any conflict arose between them now, Young Master Jun wouldn't even need to exert much effort; a mere breath could snuff him out!

Faced with such a vast gulf, he found himself unable to muster even a shred of jealousy. He could only utter one thing: A monstrous talent...

"Li Youran, Young Master Li, the words you speak today carry a hint of sourness. That doesn't sound like you! What, are you envious?"

Jun Moxie smiled with interest.

"It is precisely because the gap between us is so vast that I dare speak my true thoughts. A divine dragon soaring in the nine heavens will never mind being looked up to by an ant! How could I be merely envious..."

Li Youran sighed deeply and sat down.

"That's well said; I enjoy hearing it! Since we are all acquaintances, there's no need to be so distant. If you are willing, I can help you."

Jun Moxie said seriously: "You might not be incapable.

The Evil Monarch’s Mansion currently lacks a large number of management talents, especially schemers like Li Youran. Therefore, Jun Moxie had long been considering whether to put in the effort to see if he could pull this young man back from the clutches of greed and recruit him for his service...