Before Jun Wuyi’s eyes, the lower body of the human form in the vat was already severely twisted and deformed. From the waist down, even stretching from the calves to the thighs, it measured less than two feet in length. The arms were also deformed. It seemed they had been in the vat for so long that only a head was exposed for eating and drinking, and even bodily waste was all confined within the vessel.

These people only had their eyes still gleaming, still looking at the two of them pleadingly, yet they could only hiss without making a sound. Looking closely, their tongues had been cut out… Classic Novel Net.

“This is what humans are truly capable of.” These people would raise children who lacked talent and prospects within this confinement. They would let their bodies slowly warp and twist, and then sell them at high prices to traveling circuses. The circus performers would then exploit these deformed individuals to gain sympathy and wealth from the public. Jun Moxie glanced once, then turned his head away. “Third Uncle, do you still believe these people here do not deserve to die? That they only require education?”

“More than deserve it, they deserve to be slowly sliced into a thousand pieces!” Jun Wuyi flushed with shame, then erupted in fury! What kind of malicious heart could perform such heinous acts! Scum like this should have been dead long ago!”

“First, they take in homeless children. Then, they train those with better aptitude into killing machines; those with attractive appearances are subjected to *******; male children are cruelly trained into concubine-slaves, while female children are defiled into willing prostitutes. As for those whose appearance is not outstanding, they are trained into dog-slaves. Those remaining, utterly unfit for any abuse, are left to become the deformed wretches before our eyes! Everyone in this place participates in this operation! Do these people really think a few lessons are enough?!! That is why I choose to kill. I kill without hesitation, without mercy! Killing them fills my heart with satisfaction!”

Jun Moxie nodded slightly, watching as the door closed. A group of youths and maidens, initially timid and shrinking back, finally mustered the courage to pick up the scattered gold and silver on the ground. One by one, they kowtowed to the two of them, and then rushed out the door………

“Third Uncle, have you ever considered that among these children might be the offspring of your subordinates who died fighting on the battlefield? Don’t be so quick to deny it. Heaven’s will is unpredictable; it’s inevitable that some children are left parentless, with no support and nowhere to go, only to be rounded up and brought here!” As soon as Jun Moxie uttered this sentence, Jun Wuyi’s eyes immediately turned crimson!

Jun Moxie’s words were calm, cold, and almost bloodless, but they were undeniably reasoned.

“Within the Tianxiang Nation, while such places may not be everywhere you look, they are certainly not few! It’s just that most are not as brazenly open as this one.” Jun Moxie sighed, raising his eyebrows to look at the sky; hoofbeats like thunder were already approaching rapidly from afar.

“The young men and women ahead can still move freely and have hope of escape, but what about these people right here? What do you suggest we do?!” As a master of the Tianxuan realm, Jun Wuyi had certainly heard the commotion. But these dozens of deformed children trapped in the vats presented a major dilemma: taking them along was impossible, but leaving them meant throwing them back into the tiger’s maw.

“A good idea, Third Uncle? What good idea could there be! These people here have lost their tongues, their ears have been pierced deaf, their limbs are completely deformed—recovery is hopeless for life… Their entire hope in life has been destroyed; for them, mere existence is torture, a fate worse than death!” Jun Moxie sighed.

“You mean…” Jun Wuyi was utterly shocked. “No! Absolutely not! They are already pitiful enough; are we to rob them of the little life they have left?”

Jun Moxie turned his head. “If that is your conviction, then let’s hurry and leave; the officials are almost here; if we don’t go now, we’ll have to confront them head-on. Since you feel we shouldn't end their suffering, then leave them to continue being pitiful.”

He paused. “To let them continue living like this is the greatest torment for them! Alas, forget it, let’s wait and see the consequences; time is short. Let’s go.”

Jun Wuyi let out a deep sigh, ultimately unable to bring himself to act. Finally, he cast a complicated look at the figures in the vats, their eyes ashen. With a surge of resolve, he followed behind Jun Moxie, and the two swiftly vaulted over the rear wall. After a few turns and twists, they vanished as if they were never there.

They had barely departed when the thunderous hoofbeats stopped outside the door of the Yellow Flower Hall. Then came a clamor of voices as the soldiers burst in…

“Moxie, your temperament is a bit too cruel and bloodthirsty! You must learn to control this aspect carefully. While what happened today was rightly done through killing, I sense that your disposition is overly cold. In future matters, you must consider carefully,” Jun Wuyi lectured as they traveled.

“Eliminating evil is promoting good. Third Uncle, I do not deny that I am bloodthirsty, but I have never harmed a single good person! However, for those who deserve to die, I will wipe out their entire family and clan, eradicating the evil completely, leaving not even chickens or dogs behind!” Jun Moxie’s expression remained as calm as still water, a cold smile playing on his lips, his pace never faltering. The uncle and nephew were intimately familiar with the terrain, and their movements were exceedingly nimble. After crossing several streets and scaling a few walls, they arrived at a relatively secluded spot. The thunderous sound of hooves behind them was gradually fading into obscurity.

“You are right, eradicate evil completely. If we encounter such a place again, we must intervene; the existence of such places in this world is simply an affront to the heavens!” Jun Wuyi frowned deeply. “Moxie, why did you only kill the perpetrators just now, but not capture a single living soul to question the mastermind? Only by finding and eliminating the person behind it all can the deed be considered perfectly accomplished!”

“Third Uncle, do you think these petty minions on the periphery know anything? Questioning them would just be a waste of effort! Even if we managed to glean some clues, we would still have to waste our energy pursuing them, which would only expose us…,” Jun Moxie looked at him with interest. “Actually, after such an incident, how could the mastermind sit still? He will certainly heighten his vigilance, waiting for us to come calling, and he will also send people out to search or secretly gather intelligence on us. Will the reaction afterward not give us more certainty than passive investigation? At that time, we will be in the shadows, and the mastermind will be in the open. No matter what choice we make, it will be much more convenient!”

There was another thought Jun Moxie honestly hesitated to voice: If the investigation led to a high-ranking official in the court, or even someone from the Royal Family, would Third Uncle truly be able to strike? Based on the case of the Yellow Flower Hall alone, if the person truly in charge behind the scenes was the Third Prince, would you really eliminate him?!

“That is also true.” Jun Wuyi’s sword-like eyebrows lifted. “But my body has recovered now; I absolutely will not tolerate the existence of such ugliness in this world. If I know of one, I will destroy one!”

“Third Uncle, your nephew can only tell you that your task is both heavy and long-term. Heh heh, once we return, you must immediately arrange for trustworthy personnel to save as many of those who escaped as possible. If they rely only on themselves, they probably won't get away.” Classic Novel Net.

“Then why… did you give them silver?” Jun Wuyi was slightly puzzled.

“Merely so they can buy something to eat, or for the quick-witted ones to get further away, that’s all,” Jun Moxie smiled faintly. “In this situation, we can’t help them much; whether they can escape depends on their own capabilities. Therefore, among these people, the ones who get further away and hide themselves more secretly are the ones most worthy of being cultivated! And this, Third Uncle, should be your responsibility.”

Just as Jun Moxie was speaking, he suddenly stopped, stating quietly, “Having followed us for so long, shouldn’t you show yourself now, esteemed guest?”

Jun Wuyi was instantly startled. Had someone been tracking the two of them? Why hadn't he noticed? He had recently cultivated his power in seclusion and stabilized his cultivation at the initial stage of Tianxuan, making him a true Tianxuan master. Whoever possessed the ability to track him without his awareness must be an expert of considerable strength! And by what means did Moxie discover such an expert?!

After speaking those words, Jun Moxie stood motionless, his eyes fixed intently on the ground, as if something incredibly captivating lay there.

After a long pause, a hoarse voice drifted out. “Haha, truly not ordinary!” A flash of deep blue light appeared, and a thin, masked man materialized a dozen or so yards away, his sharp eyes fixed on Jun Moxie and the other. “Can you tell this old man how you discovered me?”

Jun Moxie gave a cold laugh. “Everyone knows a magic trick, and each has their own subtlety. Nothing in this world is too rare! Don’t presume too much of yourself! I just wonder, old man, what is your intention in following us?”

The man’s mask was clearly torn hastily from his clothes; it was crudely made, suggesting it was a last-minute arrangement.

“This old man harbors no ill will; I was merely deeply admiring two righteous heroes and followed out of curiosity. Haha, speaking of which, we are likely all comrades in this path…”

“Since you mean no harm, then please proceed as you wish, old man. We have urgent matters, and we certainly do not wish for anyone to follow us, nor do we wish for any mysterious comrades-in-arms to tail us! Even if that person is a Tianxuan master!” Jun Moxie spoke without courtesy.

“Young junior, you speak to me so rudely—do you know the consequences! If this old man had the slightest intention of keeping you two here, would it require any extra effort?” The old man seemed genuinely angered, his eyes wide. Hearing this, Jun Wuyi snorted coldly, straightened his back, and prepared to step forward.

“Young junior?! Are you talking about me?! Old man, I have always been reluctant to forge karmic ties, mostly just trying to avoid killing you without cause! If you dare try to keep us here, you can certainly try! Let’s see who stays behind!” A sharp glint flashed in Jun Moxie’s eyes, a crystalline blue light emerged, and his body leaned forward slightly. Spreading his hands, a vision of a vast blue sky and sea instantly materialized between them!

“Old man, since you had the audacity to track us, you should have prepared for a journey to the Yellow Springs. I shall grant you that!” Jun Moxie’s eyes held an air of supreme disdain, looking down upon the old man from a lofty height. “The invitation to the Yellow Springs is now—set off on your way!”

Jun Moxie’s eyes were filled with certainty