83: Chapter 83 Xiao Yan is truly oblivious to death.

The 6th day of the first lunar month, two days before the grand wedding.

In the side hall of the main palace in the Soul Realm, the candles were blazing bright. Hun Qian held a thick stack of reply lists, reading them out one by one to the group around the round table.

Gu Yuan had arrived yesterday with Gu Dao and Gu Qingyang, and they had been arranged to rest in the guest hall.

Yan Jin and Lei Ying had also arrived early, and Hun Qian had arranged for them to stay in adjacent courtyards so they could catch up.

From the Void Ancient Dragon side, the Great Elder of East Dragon Island had personally brought generous gifts, saying that while the Dragon Emperor could not attend in person, his well-wishes must be delivered.

Feng Tianyu of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan had ultimately sent an envoy; although the envoy kept a straight face the entire time, the weight of the congratulatory gifts was substantial.

As for the small and medium-sized factions, there was no need to mention them—upon receiving the invitations from the Hun Clan, they had prepared gifts and set off almost overnight, fearing that if they arrived late, they would be remembered.

As Hun Qian reached the latter half of the list, the corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily—the scale of this wedding was larger than the previous two combined, and as the steward, his face glowed with pride.

After finishing, Hun Qian closed the list and added, "There are still a few replies on the way. According to news from our secret channels, the Pill Tower, Flower Sect, and Burning Flame Valley have already dispatched envoys, but the distance is great, so they might not arrive until tomorrow."

Yao Yao laughed while peeling a grape: "See, Cai Lin's idea was better after all. Invite everyone once, and it becomes clear who is human and who is a ghost."

Just as everyone was discussing the details of tomorrow's wedding, the door to the side hall was pushed open silently.

The person who entered was Hun You, the head of the Assassination Department of the Hall of Souls, a Six-Star Dou Sheng, known for her gloomy temperament and ruthless methods, rarely appearing in public.

She did not walk through the main hall today, but instead came through the side door, passing through the back corridor directly into the side hall, clearly having urgent business to report.

Hun You knelt on one knee, her lips, visible beneath her hood, pressed tightly together.

She offered no pleasantries; her first sentence caused the atmosphere in the side hall to freeze instantly: "Young Master, there is movement from Starfall Pavilion. Xiao Yan has come out of seclusion, at the peak of the Six-Star Dou Sheng level. He consumed that Grade 9 Profound Pill, and his cultivation has surged by nearly a major rank.

Yesterday, he personally contacted over a dozen Central Plains factions, including the Pill Tower, Flower Sect, Burning Flame Valley, and the Cao Clan, intending to disrupt the wedding again on the day of the ceremony.

Furthermore, the remnants of the Sky Mansion Alliance have been gathering towards Starfall Pavilion recently. Currently, more than a dozen experts above the Dou Sheng level have assembled, including several old monsters who have been in seclusion for many years."

The side hall was silent for a long while.

Hun Feng put down the teacup in his hand; there was no anger on his face, nor surprise, only a kind of extremely complicated speechlessness.

He leaned back in his chair, remained silent for a long time, and then suddenly laughed.

There was no killing intent in that laughter, only a helpless, bitter amusement: "He is coming again? Does he truly not understand the current situation, or does he think I won't kill him? Last time he came to snatch the bride, he brought a group of confidantes, and in the end, both Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian remained in the Soul Realm.

Now he's coming again, and who is left by his side? The Pill Tower, Flower Sect, the Cao Clan—how fearless are these people to follow a peak Six-Star Dou Sheng to storm the Soul Realm?"

"Peak Six-Star Dou Sheng," Yao Yao spat out the grape skin, a cold light flashing in her peach-blossom eyes. The bone whip by her side vibrated silently. "This lucky guy really has nine lives. We should have slaughtered him last time. Since he's delivering himself to our doorstep this time, it saves us the trouble of finding an excuse."

"Where is he now?" Medusa's voice was as calm as usual, but her fingers holding the teacup tightened slightly.

"Still gathering troops at Starfall Pavilion, they have not departed yet," Hun You replied with her head lowered.

Gu Xun'er had not spoken from the beginning.

She sat upright in the third seat beside Hun Feng, her hands folded on her lap, her posture remaining the usual dignified manner of the Gu Clan's eldest young lady.

But Hun Feng noticed that her folded fingers were trembling slightly—not out of fear, but because she understood Xiao Yan too well.

She knew that Xiao Yan didn't fail to understand the situation; he was doing the impossible despite knowing it was impossible.

A peak Six-Star Dou Sheng, a dozen factions—this bit of strength wasn't even enough to fill the gaps between the teeth of the Hun Clan.

But he still came, betting his life to snatch her back.

She knew Hun Feng would not show mercy this time.

During the last wedding, Hun Feng let Xiao Yan go because he had her and Xiao Yi Xian as bargaining chips.

What would Xiao Yan use to trade this time? A dozen human lives?

"Xun'er." Hun Feng's voice suddenly became very soft.

Gu Xun'er raised her eyes to look at him, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

"Rest assured, I promised not to kill him, so I will not take his life with my own hands." Hun Feng picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone as flat as if he were discussing the weather. "But not a single person he brought this time will be able to leave. The Pill Tower, Flower Sect, the Cao Clan—since these people dare to come, they must be prepared not to return.

Hun You, keep monitoring the movements of Starfall Pavilion and report back at any time. When he departs, how many people he brings, which route he takes—I want to know clearly."

Hun You bowed to accept the order, her figure disappearing silently into the shadows outside the side door of the side hall.

Yao Yao retracted the bone whip to her waist, stood up, and flexed her wrists, a eager light flashing in her peach-blossom eyes: "A dozen factions, enough for me to warm up. Sister Cai Lin, don't compete with me this time. Last time, you cut down most of those elders from the Medicine Clan by yourself, and I only got a few."

Medusa picked up her teacup, her tone flat and firm: "We'll see. Xiao Yan is yours, the others are mine."

Yao Yao pouted and muttered, "It's always like this."

"Sister, do you think these people are truly brainless?" Yao Yao leaned back in her chair, the bone whip slowly twirling around her wrist. "Who on the continent doesn't know that the Gu Clan and the Hun Clan have already formed an alliance? The Yan Clan voluntarily offered their Heavenly Flame, the Lei Clan is maintaining neutrality, the Void Ancient Dragon sent people to deliver gifts, and the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan even sent phoenix feathers.

The Pill Tower, Flower Sect, the Cao Clan—on what basis do these people think they can go head-to-head with the Hun Clan? Just on Xiao Yan being a peak Six-Star Dou Sheng? Or on that old face of Yao Chen's that was shattered by Elder Hun Tu?"

"It's not a lack of brains; it's a lack of a way out. The recent expansion speed of the Hun Clan is too fast. The alliance with the Gu Clan, the defection of the Yan Clan, the destruction of the Medicine Clan—these pieces of news are like death warrants to the Sky Mansion Alliance.

They know that if things continue like this, they will be swallowed by the Hun Clan sooner or later. Rather than waiting for death, it's better to take one last gamble while Xiao Yan is out of seclusion. If they win, the Sky Mansion Alliance still has a chance to turn the tables; if they lose, it's nothing more than death. They don't fail to see the situation clearly; they see it clearly and realize there is no other path to take."

Gu Xun'er remained silent for a good while, then raised those clear eyes to look at Hun Feng, her voice very soft but every word clear: "I know. Brother Xiao Yan is someone who won't turn back until he hits the southern wall. He clearly knows that bringing these people here is a suicide mission, but he still came.

It's not because he thinks he can win, but because he feels he cannot do nothing. I can guess what he will do. But will you really not kill him? I'm afraid that if you get too heated, you'll forget what you promised me."

Hun Feng looked at the undisguisable worry in her eyes and reached out to gently hold her hand. Her fingers were very cold and still trembling slightly.

He held her hand, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand twice: "What I promised you always counts. Everyone Xiao Yan brings this time will not be able to leave. But him personally—I will not kill him."

Gu Xun'er held Hun Feng's hand back, a faint smile appearing on the corners of her lips, very light, but it indeed existed.

"The Pill Tower, Flower Sect, and other factions have always stood on Xiao Yan's side, and the Cao Clan goes without saying; they were originally on the Pill Tower's side. These factions don't rank high within the Sky Mansion Alliance, but together they can indeed boost their momentum.

It's a pity they forgot—the last faction that stood up for Xiao Yan was the Medicine Clan, and they have been walking on the road to the Yellow Springs for almost a year now."

Xiao Yi Xian placed the Poison Core Begonia in her hand gently on the table, the silver patterns on the edges of the petals shimmering with a faint luster under the candlelight. She raised her eyes, her voice calm and indifferent, "Since they want to block the blade for Xiao Yan, let them block it. My poison just happens to be lacking a batch for live combat testing."

Gu Xun'er looked back at her, and Xiao Yi Xian also happened to look at her. Their gazes met for a moment in mid-air, and Xiao Yi Xian nodded slightly—that was a silent communication that only they understood.

Xun'er cared about Xiao Yan's life and death, Xiao Yi Xian did not care, but she was willing to show a bit more consideration for Xun'er's sake.

Hun Feng leaned back in his chair, his gaze slowly sweeping over the four women, and suddenly felt that Xiao Yan was actually quite pathetic.

It wasn't because his cultivation was inferior to his own, nor because his faction was in shambles, but because the woman who once cared about him the most was now placing the majority of her heart on another man, only pleading for him out of duty and old feelings.

And the other white-haired medical woman, who once quietly guarded behind him, had long since given her body and heart to his enemy, caring only about whether tomorrow's wedding could proceed smoothly.

Xiao Yan probably still didn't know that the person he was risking his life to snatch back no longer needed him to save her.