"Die! Just die! Die already!" Why haven't you died yet!" Mei Xueyan watched him coldly, her body trembling amidst a torrent of tears, yet she declared with grim resolution, "Why are you still not dead? Have you lost your nerve? Do you want me to send you on your way? Just say the word! I have no use for a goddamn scoundrel of a brother like you!"

At this, Jun Moxie truly grew anxious. Xueyan’s words had gone too far. Xiong Kaishan was straightforward by nature; for the sake of a brother, he could truly mean it if he said he would die. What if he couldn't turn that corner mentally...

"I... I won't die anymore!" Xiong Kaishan suddenly calmed down, slowly rising to his feet, his eyes now composed.

"Won't die?" Mei Xueyan looked at him coldly. "Now you decide not to die? Are you still plotting something in the fight? Hmm? Are you planning to die saving Old Man He? Then the Eagle King dies saving the Tiger King; the Tiger King for... and so on, until the last one dies saving me? And then I commit suicide? That way, we all perish together? A reunion in the Yellow Springs—how wonderful! Is that what you want?"

Xiong Kaishan flinched, looking up at Mei Xueyan with pleading eyes. "Big Sister, I beg you, please don't speak like that... I... I am in agony! I can't bear it, please stop talking..." Indeed, Mei Xueyan had accurately described the Xiong King's unspoken thoughts. Of course, he didn't want everyone to die, but he himself was already resolved to die!

The moment the Eagle King died saving him, Xiong Kaishan had lost his will to live. At that point, he truly didn't want to go on living! But he couldn't die then!

What's more, the Xiong King couldn't rest easy about his brothers! Therefore, he had resolved that in the upcoming battles, he would fight with even greater desperation, trying his utmost to protect his brothers so they might survive, no matter the cost! Just as the Eagle King had done for him...

Then, if he could die saving a brother, he would die with no regrets!

It wouldn't be a betrayal of their brotherhood with the Heavenly Punishment Kings!

But when Mei Xueyan said this, Xiong Kaishan felt a genuine, chilling dread and panic arise. Certainly, the Eagle King died saving him today, and he was heartbroken to this degree! If he were to die saving another brother tomorrow, wouldn't that brother feel the same agony he felt now?

To put oneself in another's shoes—it was the same for all men!

Must they truly follow Big Sister's words—everyone dying until they finally meet in the Yellow Springs?

No, I don't want that, absolutely not!

But...

If his own brothers were in danger, should he stand by idly?

No! He couldn't do that either! How could he!

For a time, the Xiong King was so hopelessly conflicted that he couldn't even speak.

"Among brothers, there is never anything that needs to be exchanged," Jun Moxie stated quietly. "The Eagle King sacrificed himself for you; his intent was never for you to repay him with your life. Don't you think that repaying your other brothers with your effort is expected?"

"It is expected! Do you understand? That is what it means to be brothers! Whatever your brother does for you is expected. Conversely, whatever you do for your brother is simply what you should do!" Jun Moxie continued. "Pain is inevitable, of course. But the Eagle King secured your safety; even in death, he would be happy! What you truly need to do is absolutely not to die for your brothers, but to live for them, and do the many other things you should do for them!" "If one day, you die saving your brothers, though we will grieve, we will only be happy for you. Because you died valiantly, died with peace in your heart! Just like Little Eagle now!"

Jun Moxie said gravely, "We must make our brothers live happily and proudly because of us; even if our brothers have passed, we must ensure they smile in the Yellow Springs!"

"Yes, that is right. For my brothers, I am willing to do anything! I don't fear death! But I fear disappointing my brothers!" Xiong Kaishan turned his head dejectedly, looking at the Eagle King. "But Old Ninth... he is truly gone."

"Ninth isn't gone; our brothers will forever remain in our hearts!" Jun Moxie took a deep breath. "Until the day you die of old age, your brothers—the Eagle King, your Big Sister, me, and the brothers not present here—will always accompany you! Even if they have passed, their hearts still exist. They are accompanying you! As long as you are here, and your heart is here, your brothers are here!" "I understand."

The Xiong King couldn't help wiping his tears, choking out, "I am here, my heart is here, and my brothers are here! Little Eagle is here too!"

"Exactly. So you must live well for the Eagle King, for your brothers. Because his greatest wish before he died was for you to live! Simply for you to live well!" Jun Moxie said. "You cannot disappoint him! Because he is your brother! Furthermore, the inheritance of the Eagle Clan requires your support! You cannot die! If you truly die uselessly, that would be the greatest disservice to Little Nine!"

Xiong Kaishan was silent, but his previously dim and lifeless eyes finally held a spark of vitality.

"One more thing: the blood spilled by our brothers cannot be in vain! If others make us bleed, we will make them utterly vanish!" Jun Moxie stated fiercely. "Old Xiong, prepare yourself. We will collect what is owed, with interest, and more!"

"Yes! How can the blood of a brother be shed for nothing! Absolutely not! Let those twisted bastards be utterly exterminated!" Xiong Kaishan's gaze flashed brightly, radiating profound hatred.

Then, he suddenly turned, his staggering steps leading him around, painstakingly, bit by bit, collecting the scattered flesh, blood, and feathers of the Eagle King from all around, with such meticulous care and focus.

And Mei Xueyan was doing the same thing...

The surrounding Bear Clan warriors were also searching silently.

They would restore the body for their departed brother!

...To allow their brother to complete his final journey in this world with dignity.

Finally, the collection was complete. Mei Xueyan pulled a strand of her hair free, then had Jun Moxie use his Gold Power to forge a fine steel needle. With careful threading, she began to stitch the scattered feathers and fragments of flesh and blood back onto her brother's form.

She was so focused; her needlework was so gentle, so familiar. Just like that time, when the Eagle King first manifested his human form and put on clothes, only to accidentally tear the new fabric, and she had sewn it up for him with needle and thread.

She vaguely remembered the little eagle frowning with a pained expression, and how she had playfully reached out to pinch his aquiline nose to tease him...

The situation was similar now, but her heart was crushingly heavy with sorrow...

As she sewed, Mei Xueyan asked in a low voice, "That Blood Eagle that appeared in the sky just now—was that the Eagle Clan's forbidden ultimate move, 'Nine Heavens Eagle Cry Shatters the Azure, Burning Heaven Annihilates the Profound Eagle Soul'?"

Xiong Kaishan sniffled and nodded heavily.

"And... the eight seniors?"

Xiong Kaishan turned his head, silent, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.

That massive body now seemed like a fallen leaf drifting in the wind.

"And... their bodies?" Mei Xueyan's heart sank, and with a flicker of desperate hope, almost a plea, she whispered, "Were they...?"

"Detonated... all detonated..." Xiong Kaishan replied thickly through his nose. He suddenly squatted down, clutching his head tightly with both hands, sobbing suppressedly.

Mei Xueyan's hand trembled, and her work paused. She looked up at the sky, silent for a long moment, before slowly lowering her head to continue her task. Though she made no sound, her tears fell, one by one, pattering onto the Eagle King's cold form..., Mei Xueyan was clearly heartbroken to the point of numbness! Yes, numbness! Her hands moved mechanically; she could think of nothing, dared not think further, dared not imagine: Her long, beautiful hair hung down, obscuring her face and shielding the mountain of sorrow that weighed upon her.

She would bear it alone!

Jun Moxie sighed deeply, stood up, and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Clever as he was, even he didn't know how to offer comfort now.

The fierce wind howled across the thousands of miles, whipping Jun Moxie's robes and hair, but inexplicably, his heart was filled with infinite pain and desolation.

Brother... he acknowledged so few brothers in this world, and now one had died fighting right before his eyes!

After this, would there be more...?

Although Mei Xueyan awoke shortly after fainting, Jun Moxie knew clearly that even he felt this way; Mei Xueyan's heart was utterly shattered, her delicate, tender heart already in pieces! At this moment, Mei Xueyan was merely forcing herself to maintain control.

As the ruler of Heavenly Punishment, she had no right to lose composure in front of her subordinates! No matter the time, she had to remain calm and collected!

Only this way could she instill confidence in her troops!

Having vomited blood and fainted earlier from excessive grief had already placed enormous psychological pressure on the warriors!

Now, Mei Xueyan absolutely could not show any lapse in composure!

If she needed to weep, she could only wait until the dead of night, to cry quietly alone! But tomorrow morning, standing before everyone, she would still be the Empress of Heavenly Punishment!

Strategizing and commanding with magnificent spirit, dominating the world!

Jun Moxie's heart ached too! A pain so intense it almost suffocated him!

He had always cherished every single brother of Heavenly Punishment. Not just the Beast King brothers, but even the ordinary Profound Beasts, Jun Moxie felt a deeper kinship with them than with humans! The simple, pure-hearted Profound Beasts were certainly more worthy of companionship than common humans.

The Eagle King's death made Jun Moxie's vision momentarily blur, his liver and guts tearing apart!

But since Mei Xueyan had already fainted, Jun Moxie knew he couldn't show even the slightest hint of losing control. If both were overcome by grief, it was easy to imagine the Bear Clan warriors immediately falling into disarray, and the situation spiraling completely out of control!

If that happened, it would be truly disastrous. Even if they tried to mend things later, morale would inevitably be unstable, and fighting with such a mindset meant these warriors faced immediate annihilation at any moment! Because the weakness of their leaders would rob them of any hope of victory!

Standing alone in the wind, looking out over the ravaged, bloody battlefield, though Jun Moxie's heart was like iron, he asked himself in silence: Was it worth it?

Was it worth it?

This was undoubtedly a question that was extremely difficult to answer.

Although he had repeatedly claimed that he was indifferent to the common people of the world, that the Xuanxuan Continent had nothing to do with him, that he wasn't some heroic swordsman, how could he truly be unconcerned? After all, in this continent, there were his brothers!

There were also his family, friends, and those he couldn't let go of!

How could he genuinely not care?

He might not care about the people of the Xuanxuan Continent, but how could he allow those disgusting alien races to enter the continent unchecked?

But—if he truly stopped them from entering, it was certain that both the Evil Monarch's Mansion and the Heavenly Punishment Profound Beasts would have to pay an enormous price! Especially now that the strength of the Three Great Sacred Lands was unexpectedly depleted—a price that Jun Moxie could not afford! And was unwilling to pay!

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