66: Chapter 66 Departure

Three months later, in the Soul Realm.

Hun Feng rose early. Yao Yao was still lingering in bed, one leg draped over the spot where he had just been lying, hugging his pillow in her arms. She mumbled something unintelligible, rolled over, and fell back asleep.

Hun Feng leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. She did not open her eyes, merely raising her hand to grope aimlessly at his face, the strength so light it felt like she was shooing away a non-existent mosquito.

He smiled silently, tucked the quilt in for her, and tiptoed out of the room.

The morning in the East Courtyard was as quiet as ever. A thin layer of dew had condensed on the leaves of the Dark Leaf Osmanthus, shimmering with a faint silver light under the grey morning sky.

Hun Muxiao was still sleeping; Lin Qingwan had taken her to the side hall to stay last night, saying she wanted to make a new set of clothes for her granddaughter so she could stay with her grandmother for a few more days.

Xiao Yi Xian and Gu Xun'er had not risen either—Xiao Yi Xian had been kept up half the night chatting by Yao Yao, while Gu Xun'er was accustomed to waking only at the hour of Mao.

Only Medusa's door was left slightly ajar, with a very faint light filtering from within.

When Hun Feng pushed the door open, Medusa was already sitting before the vanity, combing her hair.

Her movements were very light and slow, her long hair sliding through the teeth of the comb in strands, cascading down her shoulders and shimmering with a deep purple glow.

The bronze mirror reflected her cold, stunningly beautiful face; there was still a hint of post-sleep laziness between her brows, and though she wore no lip rouge, she looked even better than if she had.

"So early." She did not turn back, merely glancing at him through the bronze mirror.

"Couldn't sleep." Hun Feng walked behind her, took the comb from her hand, and clumsily combed her hair twice.

He had never combed anyone else's hair before; his technique was as raw as a novice apprentice, and halfway through, he accidentally snapped one of her hairs.

Medusa frowned slightly but said nothing, simply reaching out to snatch the comb from his hand, winding her hair into a bun in a few quick motions, and securing it with a jade hairpin.

Hun Feng didn't feel embarrassed; he rested his hands on her shoulders, leaned down, and propped his chin in the hollow of her shoulder, looking into her eyes in the bronze mirror. The two people in the mirror—one lazy and composed, the other full of energy—presented a stark contrast.

"The Medicine Clan is not like home; be careful with everything." Medusa's voice remained in that indifferent tone, but Hun Feng could tell she wasn't just giving instructions, she was showing concern.

"With you and Yao Yao around, what could happen to me?" Hun Feng pecked her lightly on the earlobe, then straightened up and adjusted his robes. "Let's go, let's check if Yao Yao is awake. She boasted last night about sleeping until noon, but I don't believe she can actually sleep that long."

Medusa stood up, took a thin, light purple cape from the coat rack, and draped it over her shoulders.

As Hun Feng reached the door, she suddenly called out to him. Her purple eyes lingered on his face for a moment, and a faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips: "For the Yao Clan Ceremony, you insist on going because Xiao Yan will be there, right?"

Hun Feng paused and turned back to look at her. He did not deny it, merely raised an eyebrow: "Do you mind?"

"Mind what?" Medusa walked past him, her skirt brushing against his knees, her tone as indifferent as if she were talking about the weather. "I was just thinking that you seem less and less at ease with him now. Back in the Demon Flame Space, you said it to his face—let him chase slowly."

"That was then." Hun Feng followed her out of the room, his tone frank and righteous. "Although he is a Five-Star Dou Sheng now, alchemy is not the same as cultivation. His teacher is Yao Chen, who has taught him alchemy since he was young. Hun Xuzi might not be able to suppress him. For something like a Grade 9 Profound Pill, even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance, it cannot be allowed to fall into someone else's hands."

Yao Yao, as expected, did not sleep until noon. When Hun Feng pushed open her door, she was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed rubbing her eyes. The quilt was bunched up at her waist, and the pillow of his that had been snatched last night was kicked to the foot of the bed.

She yawned and asked unintelligibly if it was time to leave, and Hun Feng pulled her up from the bed with a smile.

Yao Yao complained while putting on her shoes that he had worn her out too late last night, giving her dark circles, then turned to act coquettishly toward Medusa, saying, "Sister, look at him." Medusa, leaning against the doorframe holding a teacup, said indifferently, "You brought it upon yourself."

Yao Yao was choked by the retort, rolled her eyes, and threw the pillow in her hand at Hun Feng.

Half an hour later, the three were fully prepared at the Void Ferry outside the main gate of the Soul Realm.

Hun Qian personally led a squad of guards waiting at the ferry and bowed in salute upon seeing the three appear.

Hun Feng did not bring many attendants, selecting only four Hall of Souls Heavenly Venerables to accompany him, leaving the rest to Hun Qian to manage the internal affairs of the Soul Realm.

Today, he wore a black long robe with dark patterns, the cuffs and collar embroidered with the Hun Clan emblem in dark gold thread. His long hair was tied up in a simple bun with a black jade hairpin—a rare sight—making him look much more composed and less casual than usual.

Yao Yao stood on his left, wearing her signature black long dress with a high slit, her bone whip wrapped around her wrist, and her peach-blossom eyes glinting with eagerness.

Medusa stood on his right. Beneath her light purple cape was a dark-patterned tight-fitting outfit designed for mobility. Her long hair was tied into the simplest bun with a jade hairpin. Her face held no extra expression, but when her purple eyes occasionally swept across Hun Feng's profile, they would linger for an extra moment.

The light of the teleportation array flared, and the three figures vanished into the void rift simultaneously.

Wan Yao Mountain Range, entrance to the Medicine World.

The sky of the Medicine World was a very pale cyan, and the air was filled with a faint, elusive fragrance of medicinal herbs.

The welcome stone platform at the entrance was carved from a single piece of Wan Yao Cyan Jade, covered with the alchemy maxims of successive Medicine Clan leaders. The sides of the platform were planted with various rare medicinal herbs, some of which Hun Feng had only seen illustrations of in ancient texts.

In the center of the platform, the Medicine Clan's border-guarding elder was leading several disciples to welcome guests from all sides. He was dressed in green robes with white hair, his face thin and gaunt. He smiled politely, but the air of reserve unique to the Ancient Eight Clans could not be hidden.

When the three of them stepped out of the teleportation array, the welcoming elder's smile visibly stiffened for a moment.

Envoys from other factions nearby also turned their heads, and whispered discussions spread like wind sweeping over grass—the Hun Clan had arrived.

The Young Clan Leader of the Hun Clan had come in person, bringing two women—one, the Snake-People Tribe Queen, and the other, the successor with the purest blood-attribute Dou Qi of the Hun Clan.

In terms of cultivation, both were Seven-Star Dou Sheng; in terms of status, one was the Snake-People Tribe Queen, and the other was a consort of the Hun Clan's Young Clan Leader. This kind of display was enough to make anyone re-evaluate the weight of the Hun Clan at any grand event.

Hun Feng did not pay attention to those gazes. He stopped in front of the welcoming elder, bowed slightly, and spoke in a polite and composed tone: "Hun Clan's Hun Feng, accompanied by my wives Cai Lin and Yao Yao, have come to observe the ceremony."

The welcoming elder recovered, hurriedly bowed in return, and personally led the three toward the main hall of the Medicine World.

Hun Feng walked and looked along the way, his gaze lingering for a moment among the exotic flowers and rare herbs of the Wan Yao Mountain Range, and he whispered to Medusa, "The medicinal herbs here grow better than in the Soul Realm."

Medusa did not reply, but Yao Yao leaned over and whispered, "Then should we pilfer a couple to take back for Xiao Yi Xian?" Hun Feng flicked her on the forehead.

On the square in front of the main hall, tents of various colors and temporary alchemy stations already filled more than half the space. Alchemists from various sides were busy adjusting pill furnaces and counting medicinal materials. The air was mixed with dozens of different pill fragrances, so rich it was almost intoxicating.

Hun Feng was examining a purple-gold pill furnace with an archaic design when he suddenly sensed a familiar aura coming from the other side of the square. He stopped and slowly turned around.

Xiao Yan stood dozens of zhang away, walking up from another stone staircase. He was followed by Yao Chen and Xuan Yi. Yao Chen was still wearing that washed-out old robe, while Xuan Yi held Yao Chen's arm, her gaze sweeping vigilantly over the three from the Hun Clan.

Xiao Yan himself was a bit more composed than he had been over a year ago. The xuan heavy ruler was slung diagonally across his back, and the light of the four Heavenly Flames on the ruler's body was deliberately restrained to only faint dark patterns.

His gaze collided with Hun Feng's in mid-air, and neither moved away first.

Hun Feng smiled slightly, cupped his hands at him from afar, and spoke in a tone as casual as if greeting an old friend: "Brother Lucky, trust you have been well."

Xiao Yan's expression was gloomy! He looked into Hun Feng's eyes and remained silent for quite a while before speaking, his voice calm and distant: "The Young Clan Leader of the Hun Clan has arrived quite early."

"The Yao Clan Ceremony is a grand event, so naturally one must arrive early." Hun Feng withdrew his hand and shifted his gaze from Xiao Yan to Yao Chen behind him. "Old Mister Yao has come as well; it seems the battle for the champion of this Medicine Ceremony will be worth watching."

After saying this, he turned and walked toward the main hall with Medusa and Yao Yao. After walking a few steps, he suddenly turned back, his tone carrying a hint of elusive provocation, "By the way, Brother Punctual! I am looking forward to your performance today! I hope you won't disappoint me!"

Xiao Yan was stunned; clearly, he did not know what this meant, merely gripping the hilt of the xuan heavy ruler tighter.

Yao Chen patted his shoulder gently from behind and whispered, "Steady."

Yao Yao followed behind Hun Feng, glanced back with her peach-blossom eyes, and lowered her voice to say, "Husband, this trash looks much better than the last time you saw him."

Hun Feng did not turn back, only the corners of his mouth curling slightly: "Looking good is one thing, but the skills in the pill furnace will be revealed in a moment."