Presently, the estate yields nearly two million taels of silver annually, and nothing beyond that.” Jun Wuyi offered no resistance; he understood Jun Moxie’s intent in asking, and though still considerably vexed, he had no choice but to answer.

“Only this much? Seems far too little!” Jun Moxie said without reserve: “A mere two million taels barely suffices to maintain an ordinary large family, let alone support a great house like the Jun family. Such paltry income cannot possibly sustain a clan of our stature.” Two million taels a year, while seemingly substantial—indeed astronomical for common folk—was woefully inadequate when measured against the needs of the Jun family. Though the direct lineage was small, this single compound housed over a thousand people! The expenses for their food, clothing, and sundry needs, coupled with their wages, amounted to a staggering sum.

“Leave the finances to me for the time being; I might have a way to help the family improve its situation.” Jun Moxie paced a few steps, calculating inwardly. He recalled that his wines were soon to be auctioned; that should cover household expenses without issue. If all else failed, he would have to be ruthless once more: if one cup sold for ten thousand gold was considered expensive, then he would simply price them even higher. It was a matter of ‘take it or leave it’—the principle of ‘let the other fellow drown, not me’ was universally understood!

After a moment’s thought, Young Master Jun added: “As for the remaining twenty-four individuals, Third Uncle can spend the recovery period observing them closely, noting what interests them; perhaps it can be put to use later. While we intend to support them, we cannot simply feed them for life for no reason. If they are capable of contributing later but choose not to, what is the point of supporting them?”

“People must have their own value! One devoid of any value is merely a corpse that still breathes—better to discard them!”

Jun Wuyi nodded heavily. Regarding what Jun Moxie had said today, Jun Wuyi felt that familiar sensation once again: it was plausible, there was logic to it, yet it consistently bordered on contradicting the natural order and human propriety. But to argue against it felt impossible; every statement, though slightly skewed, was perhaps too pathologically sharp in its focus. Jun Wuyi shook his head helplessly. His nephew’s methods and his inner thoughts diverged drastically from orthodox etiquette and morals, yet they were undeniably more practical. Was this a good thing or a bad thing?

Little did he know that the Great Assassin Jun was also sighing inwardly. This Third Uncle was too much of a gentleman; from that perspective, he was hardly a qualified family head! The head of a great clan must not be entirely devoid of coldness, but they must certainly know what to do and what to avoid! Personal sympathy and pity could not be the basis for action; the sole guiding principle for all conduct ought to be the supreme benefit of the family!

But Jun Wuyi currently lacked that realization; at best, he was still operating at the level of a hardened military commander!

Jun Moxie returned to his chambers, but Third Master Jun Wuyi found himself utterly sleepless. He retrieved his wheelchair, set up a small tea table before it, uncorked a jar of wine, and poured a drink for himself under the moon, imbibing alone. A cool breeze rustled, the night air chilling like water, taking him back to the monotony of the past ten years.

Jun Wuyi was initially restless, thinking of those pitiable children and then of Jun Moxie’s words, which only amplified his agitation. Only after a long period of quiet contemplation did his mood finally settle again. As the saying went, wine poured into sorrow only deepens the melancholy, and he could not help but sink into dejection once more.

“Yao’er, if you were beside me, what would you do? Would you help me make these choices? Do you know, I miss you, how much I miss you…” Jun Wuyi murmured deeply, raising his cup and draining it in one go, swallowing the bitter longing, silent thereafter. The cool moonlight hung high in the sky, its faint radiance falling distantly upon him… Silence enveloped the surroundings, save for the chirping of insects and the sighing of the wind, a mournful, intermittent sound… Jun Moxie returned to his small courtyard to find two men in black already waiting.

“Young Master, this is the homing pigeon from the Nishang Pavilion.” One of the black-clad men bowed deeply.

He presented an intact pigeon.

“You didn’t hurt it, did you?” Jun Moxie took the bird, observed it, and inquired.

“The Young Master gave strict orders; how could we possibly harm it? If we let go now, this pigeon can still fly high and away to its destination; I trust there won't be much delay,” the black-clad man said confidently, smiling slightly.

Jun Moxie nodded, gently untying a tiny bamboo tube from the pigeon’s leg and extracting a small, crumpled piece of paper.

“Jun Moxie of the Jun family shall be killed within one month! We cannot coexist!” The note contained only this short sentence, the handwriting remarkably messy, suggesting the writer was highly agitated. The signature was a tiny character, “Yue.”

“Heh, this woman’s capacity for tolerance is truly too small. Is it necessary for such a fuss? I only cursed her as a whore and slapped her cheek once? Does she truly believe that merely bearing the title of a ‘Chaste Companion’ means she isn't a common slut?! Such narrow-mindedness prevents one from achieving greatness!” Jun Moxie smiled, shook his head, and spoke with utter disdain.

The faces of the two black-clad men twitched simultaneously. For any woman, facing such an ordeal would surely be enough to provoke a desire to kill, especially for a proud, peerlessly beautiful woman harboring profound inner strength. It seemed the woman wasn't even a Chaste Companion in the first place… “If we let this pigeon go, can we track it afterward?” Jun Moxie held up the slip of paper.

“Tracking is impossible,” the black-clad man admitted with visible difficulty. “These pigeons are excellent for long-distance flight and possess incredible tenacity. We can only capture or kill them immediately after they take flight; otherwise, our current abilities are insufficient to the task.”

“Oh, then there’s no issue,” Jun Moxie said. He carefully smoothed the note back to its original state, tucked it into the bamboo tube, and meticulously checked to ensure the folding and binding method was identical to how Miss Yue had fastened it. He even utilized the Kai Tian Zao Hua Gong technique to erase the faintest trace of his own aura from the paper before saying, “There. Release it now.”

The black-clad man took the homing pigeon and turned away. Jun Moxie smiled faintly as the night breeze brushed his cheek. “Set the mousetrap and wait for the big rat; cast out the net of heaven and earth, and which fish or shrimp can escape? Haha…”

This night was destined to be another unusual one for Tianxiang City.

In the silent, deep night, people occasionally rose into the air, their forms briefly illuminated by flashes of gold, silver, white, and yellow profound energy, disappearing as quickly as fireworks—a spectacle almost lively in its frequency.

Countless eyes vigilantly watched the shadowed capital, every ear straining to catch the slightest rustle of movement.

Occasionally, two groups of nocturnal wanderers would meet head-on; a brief disagreement would instantly spark a fight to the death, leaving behind pools of blood, severed limbs, and corpses before the survivors retreated.

The covert forces of the Li, Meng, Song, and Murong families had all mobilized significant power, maintaining surveillance at all times. Even a minor thug in the marketplace who carelessly uttered a single illicit phrase would instantly be ‘invited out for tea.’

The Nine-Rank Peak Profound Pill had undoubtedly seized the attention of cultivators across the realm!

Only the Dugu and Jun families remained completely unmoved. Furthermore, it was strange that although the Profound Pill was supposedly stolen from the Tang family, the Tangs maintained the most composed front among all the houses regarding this sudden rumor. They neither dispatched investigators nor made inquiries; instead, they recalled all Tang family members stationed abroad and issued strict orders forbidding anyone from venturing out without permission.

In the deep, somber night, eight dark figures swept toward the city wall like ghosts. Facing the towering fortifications, the eight moved as if treading level ground, silently infiltrating the city and proceeding invisibly toward the Li family compound… North of Tianxiang City, the rhythmic rumble of carriage wheels shattered the stillness of the night.

A contingent of people was advancing at full speed toward Tianxiang City in utter silence. Among them were several carriages of an almost extravagant luxury, drawn by steeds that were magnificent beyond compare. These horses stood a full head taller than ordinary ones, possessed two sharp horns on their foreheads, and their four legs showed faint traces of scales. They were clearly not ordinary horses but a special type of Profound Beast.

Each carriage in this procession was pulled by four such Profound Beasts, moving with incredible speed; even the swiftest warhorses would surely be left far behind. Despite traveling so rapidly, the entourage produced only the faintest of sounds.

Inside the lead carriage.

“…Sixth Grand-Uncle, we are unsure if this news about the Profound Pill is true, yet we have rushed thousands of miles. Isn't this perhaps overreacting? Moreover, Tianxiang City is secured by Uncle Six and Uncle Mu… Uncle Mu, and even overseen by the Ninth Elder. With such immense power stationed there, could anything truly escape their grasp?” The speaker sounded young, his voice carrying the sharp edge unique to adolescence, clearly exhibiting impatience.

“Fengwu, this concerns a Nine-Rank Peak Profound Pill; caution is necessary. You lack experience and do not comprehend. A few days ago, the Ninth Elder sent word that a Divine Profound Peak expert had appeared here, followed immediately by news of the Nine-Rank Profound Pill. This is sufficient proof of the matter’s veracity. In light of this, my current worry is whether we can truly secure the Pill even if we all arrive; it remains uncertain, as that is a Divine Profound Peak master, a truly unpredictable entity.” An aged voice responded.

“In this world, who dares oppose our Wind-Snow Silver City? Furthermore, the Third Elder accompanies us this time, plus you, Sixth Grand-Uncle. Even if it is a Divine Profound Peak, with the Ninth Elder already positioned strategically and the advantage of local terrain, securing the Profound Pill should be a certainty of nine out of ten chances. Grand-Uncle worries too much.” The younger voice was filled with an arrogant condescension, as if merely hailing from Wind-Snow Silver City was a monumental achievement.

“Boy, do not accuse your grandfather of being provincial. There are countless strong individuals in this world! Though our Silver City’s might is formidable enough to look down upon all others, we must not be careless.” The elder voice sighed, carrying a subtle undertone of pride: “However, it has been rare that things required the three of us—the Six, Three, and Nine—to act simultaneously. The last time was a decade ago… The saying that time ages men is undeniably true.”

“Also, one of the reasons for this journey is to allow the Little Princess to gain some experience. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many extraneous personnel accompanying us. The might of Silver City is not something ordinary people can provoke.” The elder sighed slightly, narrowing his eyes.