Listening to Mo Han's heartfelt words, Liu Yanran's eyes turned red as she spoke, "Mm, I know. You must not get into any trouble for my sake, okay?"

Mo Han grinned mischievously and joked, "If you came over to hug me right now, I could beat the Sword God senseless tomorrow, sending him crawling for teeth. Then I definitely won't have any problems tomorrow."

Hearing Mo Han's ridiculous nonsense, Liu Yanran actually blushed, walked over to him, and with a look of immense resolve, sat down on his lap. Her face was crimson, and she simply hugged Mo Han tightly without speaking.

Mo Han held the soft, fragrant warmth in his arms, feeling the deadly perfume and ** vitality radiating from Liu Yanran. Her supple, yielding skin made Mo Han feel a definite physical reaction stirring within him. At that moment, Liu Yanran, still nestled in his embrace, lifted her head and asked strangely, "What did you bring with you? Take it away; it’s making me very uncomfortable with all this bouncing."

Mo Han smiled slyly, "Hehe, this thing can't be moved. If I take it away, what will become of us later?" Liu Yanran seemed not to grasp the implication and asked curiously, "What thing? Is it really that serious? Can it affect our future?"

Saying that, her hand curiously reached down between them and seemed to grasp something hot. As her small hand closed around it, it even gave a slight throb. Mo Han felt an intense surge of pleasure that nearly made him float, and he let out a comfortable moan. Liu Yanran also seemed to realize what she was touching, let out a sharp cry, and quickly jumped off Mo Han's lap. Covering her bright red face with both hands, she scolded him in embarrassment, "You... you bullied me!"

Mo Han feigned innocence, "Geez, girl, you were the one who grabbed without even asking! How can you blame me? I should be charging you for emotional distress, you know." Liu Yanran was so ashamed her head nearly touched the floor. She stomped her foot and declared, "I'm ignoring you, you pervert! You go out; I have things to do." With that, she bolted out of the room at top speed. Mo Han was left alone, letting out a happy laugh, secretly pleased with himself, feeling that his visit today was certainly worthwhile, hehe.

The next morning, Mo Han met up early with Yan Shi, Murong Tian, and Murong Feixue and headed toward the venue for the marriage competition. Dali and Latin, afraid of being recognized by people from the Water Blue Empire in the crowd, insisted on staying at the Murong Manor, which Mo Han agreed to; after all, with their current strength, it was better to avoid trouble than seek it.

Mo Han shared a carriage with Murong Yuguang, while Murong Tian rode with his daughter, Murong Feixue, in another carriage. Murong Feixue still concealed her face with a veil.

Mo Han felt a touch of melancholy. He had been at the Murong Manor for a full month now. Except for the very first time when he rushed over to treat Murong Feixue’s illness—and even then, she was in the middle of an episode, disheveled, and he couldn't properly see her features—Mo Han hadn't seen his patient at all during the entire month. He only knew from Dali and Anna that Murong Feixue was a peerless beauty; everything else about her remained a complete mystery to him.

Including this trip, this was only the second time Mo Han had seen Murong Feixue, and since she was veiled again, he still couldn't see her face. This sparked a flicker of curiosity in him—perhaps it was a universal male affliction: the more obscured a beautiful woman is, the more one yearns to truly see her.

Murong Feixue gracefully slipped into the carriage. The vehicle was surrounded by soldiers of the Raging Dragon Legion, clad in bright red armor, looking exceptionally spirited and immaculate. Even from a distance, Mo Han could feel the intense aura they exuded—the kind of presence only achieved by battle-hardened troops, completely unlike the armies Mo Han had encountered so far. This, he surmised, must be the elite contingent of the Raging Dragon Legion.

After inquiring with Murong Yuguang beside him, Mo Han learned that these were the personal guards of the Raging Dragon Legion, tasked solely with ensuring the safety of the Murong family members. Most of them possessed cultivation levels no lower than High Swordsmen.

Mo Han inwardly gasped. Damn, there must be at least three to four hundred of them. If they all reached the level of High Swordsman and possessed the flawless teamwork of a standing army, they would be far beyond the capability of ordinary High Swordsmen. Just how astonishing would their combat power be? Even a Sword Saint might only manage to flee in such a situation.

It was no wonder the Murong family had maintained their position as the foremost of the Four Great Families. Merely these soldiers alone could likely match the Imperial Palace Guards, who were renowned for their fighting prowess. This realization made Mo Han worry for Liu Yanran's safety.

Once Mo Han and the others were seated, the grand procession set off toward the Imperial Palace. The venue for the marriage competition was reportedly set up in the plaza just outside Dragon City, as only the central square could accommodate the massive crowds expected, comprising both the contenders and curious commoners.

After a short journey, the carriages arrived at the destination: the Dragon City Plaza. Mo Han was startled the moment he stepped out. Good heavens, there were truly an extraordinary number of people! There must have been tens of thousands. Everyone seemed eager to see who would cure Murong Feixue's illness and earn the title of the Murong family's future son-in-law.

Escorted by the Raging Dragon Legion’s personal guard, Mo Han and his party were led directly onto a temporarily constructed high platform in the center of the plaza. As they reached the platform, an elderly man dressed in the robes of a High Priest approached them in a friendly manner, accompanied by several Judgment Knights who appeared to be his protectors.

The elderly man spoke warmly to Murong Tian, "Old Man Murong, you're late!" Murong Tian replied with a smile, "Heh, old sly fox, you arrived too early. How can you blame me for being late?" With that, he walked over warmly and embraced High Priest Mora, which gave Mo Han goosebumps; he half-suspected they were filming a scene from Brokeback Mountain.

It was then that Mora noticed Mo Han standing to the side, smiling gently. He addressed Mo Han, "This must be the Envoy Mo Han the Saintess mentioned. Truly a man of talent and promise. I am Mora, the High Priest of Dragon City. I have heard your name whispered often. I admire you greatly. You discovered the truth behind Xue’er's most difficult ailment. I suspect today’s prize, the Murong family's favored son-in-law, belongs to you, hehe."

Hearing Mora refer to him as an envoy, Mo Han paused. He figured it must be a temporary title given by Shui Ling'er to make it easier for her to look after him. He felt a sudden wave of nostalgia for the willful Saintess.

Mo Han then launched into his own exaggeration, saying, "High Priest Mora, you flatter me too much. I see you as the one who is hale and hearty, dashing and elegant, handsome beyond compare, a man whose golden spear never falters—truly capable of captivating thousands of imperial maidens!" Hearing Mo Han's stream of absurd compliments, the Judgment Knights flanking Mora visibly shuddered.

Mora paused for a moment, but quickly recovered, bursting into hearty laughter. "Hehe, very amusing! You are exactly as the Saintess described, so full of spirit. I, this old man, must make you my friend!" Mo Han instantly liked the priest's straightforward nature and warmed to the middle-aged officiant. He replied verbally, "Then I too shall make you my dashing, elegant old friend!" The two men then laughed loudly together.

The group walked toward the center of the high platform together. Once seated, they began chatting amiably. Just as the conversation was reaching its peak, a voice boomed out, "Heh heh, General Murong, long time no see! This old man has truly missed you." Mo Han recognized the voice instantly—it belonged to Gongsun Wuji, the patriarch of the Gongsun family. Mo Han looked up and saw Gongsun Wuji leading Gongsun Hai, flanked by an elderly man in military uniform whose face was fixed in a distinctly displeased expression as he stared at their group. Jumping over...