To be frank, Young Master Jun was fundamentally a killer by trade; calmness, coldness, even cold-bloodedness were old hat to him. At most, he would only show genuine concern for those who were truly good to him. In his past life, only his esteemed teacher and a few close martial brothers qualified for this regard. In this current life, it was limited solely to Old Master Jun and Jun Wu Yi; even the nominal sister-in-law, Guan Qing Han, had not yet earned a place on the list of those close to the great assassin Jun. Let alone anyone else. Young Master Jun might possess a sliver of pity for the unfortunate souls, but asking him to support them for the rest of their lives? He would politely decline! "Of course, benevolence must have its limits. If a day comes when we cannot look after ourselves, then perhaps these people will be the first I abandon. But while we have the capacity, we must extend a helping hand. The reason is simple: saving a person requires no justification!"

Jun Wu Yi’s words were laid bare, utterly unconcealed, yet this only solidified Jun Mo Xie’s perception of his resolve. A person might need a reason to harm another, but saving someone truly requires none! To possess the means to do good and yet refrain from doing so speaks of a naturally cold nature; but to insist on doing good without the ability to sustain it can only lead to the ruined state of both the helped and the helper! Jun Mo Xie certainly understood this principle, perhaps even more clearly than Third Master Jun.

"Right, what was it that brought you rushing to find me?" Jun Wu Yi turned and inquired.

"It's like this: I need a batch of Mysterious Beasts—from the lowest tier up to the highest. Ideally, I need some high-tier Eighth Grade Mysterious Beasts!" Jun Mo Xie offered a smile.

"Eighth Grade? Are you dreaming or just waking up? Where on earth am I supposed to procure those for you!" Jun Wu Yi looked at his nephew with a mixture of frustration and amusement. "Forget Eighth Grade; even lower-tiered beasts might be hard to track down. Those below Fourth Grade might still be intact, but once we reach Fifth or Sixth Grade, even if we manage to acquire one by some stroke of luck, it will certainly be disabled by injury and thus useless. As for Seventh Grade and above... Don't even dream about it."

"Only the lower tiers? That’s fine too; whatever you have should suffice. Oh, and if you happen to have any Fifth or Sixth Grade beasts, even crippled ones, bring them along as well, as long as they are alive," Jun Mo Xie pondered for a moment, then agreed readily. "I need them by tomorrow morning!"

"Understood. I'll arrange it immediately." Jun Wu Yi didn't hesitate, not even asking why Jun Mo Xie required these Mysterious Beasts. One must realize this represented a colossal expenditure! Even crippled Fifth or Sixth Grade beasts would command a significant sum. "Thank you, Third Uncle," Mo Xie said earnestly.

"En, you go back first. I still have matters to attend to. The sooner we render aid, the greater the hope, and at least we can alleviate some of their suffering," a hint of exhaustion crossed Jun Wu Yi’s face.

"I'll stay and look with Third Uncle," Jun Mo Xie stepped inside in one stride.

Inside the room were thirty-nine children, clearly washed more than once. The bedding and covers were stark white and brand new, yet even this could not mask the rank stench that permeated the air. Clearly, some filth was deeply ingrained in the skin, perhaps even in the very bones; this was not something that could be completely cleansed in a short time. These thirty-nine children were all skin and bones, emaciated. All of them shared a common trait: every single one suffered from deformed limbs, their tongues had been cut out, and more than twenty even had their ears pierced deaf. They were, literally and figuratively, mute and deaf.

Jun Mo Xie sighed, a surge of furious indignation rising in his heart toward the masterminds behind the Yellow Flower Hall! Such cruelty defied heavenly principles! Should I ever discover them, I shall repay them tenfold, a hundredfold! These children had already eaten, and their complexions showed clear improvement—they possessed at least a faint color, a spark of vitality. When the little ones saw the two men enter, knowing they were their saviors, although they could not speak, their eyes shone with gratitude. Children are like that; if you treat them well, they naturally know how to be thankful.

Jun Mo Xie, for the first time across his two lifetimes, allowed a gentle smile to grace his features, soothing these pitiful children before beginning his detailed examination, starting with the one closest to him.

His speed of examination was clearly much faster than Jun Wu Yi’s.

After a long while, Jun Mo Xie stood up, his expression heavy, and motioned to Jun Wu Yi. The two men walked out together.

"A small portion of them are beyond saving," Jun Mo Xie ground out through clenched teeth. "Three of them have bones that have rusted through; their entire lower bodies, down to the waistbones, are decayed. Death is merely a matter of time. Even with miraculous elixirs, there is no hope. Although they are still breathing, barely clinging to life, they absolutely won't last past half a month, and it will be a half-month of unimaginable pain and torment!"

Jun Wu Yi clenched his fists tightly.

"And a significant portion have had their limb bones and meridians completely necrotic; they can never recover and will remain deformed for life," Jun Mo Xie lowered his voice. "Among these, twelve individuals might survive if their lower limbs were amputated from the waist down. But, for their entire lives, they will lack the capacity for either male or female intimacy."

Jun Wu Yi let out a long breath, his face hardening.

"As for the remainder, although they also fall within the category of deformity, perhaps due to a shorter duration or other reasons, the damage isn't too severe. If they undergo a period of careful conditioning, then have their limb joints deliberately broken once, followed by meticulous medical treatment to allow them to regrow, and before the new growth fully sets, break them again, and then use Profound Qi to cleanse their meridians—doing this twice might allow them to recover to a state comparable to a normal person."

"To undertake such treatment, the cost for any single individual would amount to no less than ten thousand taels of silver, and that doesn't even guarantee the final treatment outcome. In fact, these concerns are secondary; the truly insurmountable hurdle is those two instances of bone breaking. This isn't just breaking one spot; every point must be fractured, shattered, and then allowed to regrow while ensuring the unobstructed flow of meridians! The immense pain the patient must endure..."

Jun Mo Xie’s gaze was profound, "...is something ordinary people cannot bear. There’s a real risk of dying from the agony! Moreover, even if they truly recover, at best, they will only retain sixty percent of the physical strength of a normal person throughout their lives. That is the most optimistic projection!"

Jun Wu Yi gasped sharply! Third Master Jun had absolute trust in his nephew's medical skill and did not doubt his judgment. According to his assessment, even if a few of these individuals were miraculously saved, it didn't mean they could live like ordinary people. For them, mere existence was already a form of suffering!

"If Third Uncle insists on saving them, I must state this upfront: the ten thousand taels of silver per person mentioned earlier is the most conservative estimate, and it doesn't even include the costs for their subsequent recuperation. While the expenses during the treatment phase are considerable, they cannot compare to the costs required to condition their bodies. Because their bodily functions have already withered to the lowest point, the medicines required for their conditioning will necessarily be extremely expensive and absolutely indispensable. When all of the above is completed—that is, when they can return to a near-normal level—the cost per person will be at least fifty thousand taels of silver. This figure, I believe, is an astronomical sum for any ordinary family! The combined total for all these people will reach an even more staggering height."

"Third Uncle, have you seriously considered all of this? I know our Jun family's resources are considerable, but Third Uncle must grasp the reality of this situation and consider it from the standpoint of the Jun Family Head. Once this endeavor begins, as we dismantle these nests of iniquity one by one, such unfortunate souls will only multiply. Should we save them, or not?! If we genuinely intend to save them all, I believe not just the mere Jun family, but perhaps even the Tian Xiang Kingdom itself, may not possess the vast treasury required to bear this astronomical figure."

"If Third Uncle still insists on taking full responsibility, then there will only be one final outcome: the Jun family will ultimately perish along with these people."

"I do not object to Third Uncle’s benevolent heart for good deeds, but concerning this specific issue, it must stop here! This precedent absolutely cannot be set!"

As Jun Mo Xie calmly, coldly, and ruthlessly dissected the situation, Jun Wu Yi's expression gradually grew heavy, even bordering on dejected.

Doing good deeds is hard, Jun Mo Xie sighed deeply. For children like these, in his previous life, perhaps a powerful clan like the Jun family could initiate an appeal to society to establish a charitable fund or an orphanage to support them, thus maintaining their chance of survival. But in this world, under this feudal monarchical system, was that possible?

The answer was undeniably no! Setting aside whether other prominent houses would respond to such an awkward situation requiring both money and effort with absolutely no return, the public adoration the Jun family would garner simply by stepping forward would be enough to unsettle the Royal Household! Under such a feudal structure, committing too many evil acts leads to execution, but overdoing good deeds can similarly bring about annihilation! "We shall proceed as you suggest. This precedent will not be repeated. Tomorrow, I will arrange for people to send the young men and women currently stored in the warehouse to the fiefdom. As for these people..." Jun Wu Yi gritted his teeth, "Since the action has been taken, there is no reason to stop halfway! I cannot allow them to reach the Jun family only to remain hopeless! This time only!"

"Good. We'll do as Third Uncle says. However, regarding those fifteen individuals who are completely beyond hope, Third Uncle should decide as soon as possible to grant them a swift end. Living a moment longer subjects them to another moment of immense suffering; existence itself has become a great torment! Yet, they lack the power to end their own lives. Killing them seems cruel, but for them, it is the greatest form of release! Also, please remember, Third Uncle: this is the only time!"

Jun Wu Yi nodded mournfully.

"Furthermore, after the treatment, I want to keep two people from this group. Among so many, only two possess some niche capabilities. At that time, Third Uncle must not be soft-hearted," Jun Mo Xie said. "Third Uncle, may I ask if there are any issues with our Jun family's financial income? This perhaps isn't my place to ask, but..."

In any world, for a family to prosper, it requires not just people, but money—vast channels for generating wealth! This question is sensitive for established clans, especially when a junior inquires of an elder who is already designated as the future Family Head. This situation inherently creates awkwardness.