"Brother Sheng, you and Xue'er set up this scheme—don't tell me you came unprepared? You fear that man, you dare not kill him, but surely you aren't afraid to act against the others?" Before Gongsun Sheng could finish speaking, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan cut him off sharply.

"I understand, Your Highness!" Hearing Xuanyuan Xiaozhan's words, Gongsun Sheng could offer no further protest, merely nodding in agreement.

"Brother Sheng, please don't take offense. This time, I only brought Jing'er with me; I have no other masters present, and I cannot involve myself directly..." Seeing Gongsun Sheng's look of helplessness, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan continued.

"Your Highness need not worry, I understand!" Seeming fearful that Xuanyuan Xiaozhan might misinterpret his intent, Gongsun Sheng quickly clarified.

"Very well, then I shall cease bothering you and take my leave..." Xuanyuan Xiaozhan finished, rising to his feet.

"Your Highness, please..." Gongsun Sheng made a gesture of invitation. In the very next moment, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan took a single step forward, and his silhouette vanished without a trace.

Witnessing this, and feeling the complete dissipation of Xuanyuan Xiaozhan's aura in the air, a subtle change crossed Gongsun Sheng's features.

"Thirty years. It has been thirty years since I entered this realm, yet I still haven't taken that final step. It seems he achieved it long ago?" he murmured to himself, his cloudy gaze drifting towards the horizon where a solitary white cloud was slowly drifting by...

The night following Liang Xiaoke's emergence from seclusion, the entirety of Medicine City was ablaze with light. Whether the homes of the wealthy or the humble dwellings of ordinary folk, vibrant red lanterns adorned every doorway. Every street, from the grand avenues to the narrowest alleys, was draped in scarlet sashes. Even the towering ancient trees were hung with fiery red silk and paper, their greenery tinged with crimson, making the already beautiful Medicine City even more breathtaking.

The entire city was steeped in an inexplicable joy—the reason was simple: tomorrow, the eldest daughter of the Gongsun family, Gongsun Xiangyi, was to be married off to the city of Jincheng.

Given the prestige of the Gongsun family, any marriage involving their daughter would naturally be a grand affair, especially when the groom was a direct descendant of the Xuanyuan Imperial Clan.

Xuanyuan Xue, the youngest son of the Heaven Origin Empire's (God-King of the North), a Great General commanding two hundred thousand troops stationed in Jincheng—such status and position were enough to stir excitement.

With such a union between two powerful houses, the display could not possibly be modest. Thus, whether the citizens of Medicine City were willing or not, this night would be one of universal festivity.

Every person, whether genuinely happy or not, wore smiles of excitement and delight, as if the departing bride were their own daughter.

However, where there is joy, there must be sorrow. Not everyone in Medicine City bowed to the might of the Gongsun and Xuanyuan families. Even knowing that a magnificent celebration loomed tomorrow, some souls were profoundly displeased, and this displeasure manifested clearly in their expression, their bearing, and the atmosphere surrounding them...

On Lingzhi Street stood the Lingya Tower, one of Medicine City’s most renowned establishments. Since tomorrow marked the auspicious day for Miss Gongsun’s wedding, the entire structure exuded an air of sheer festivity.

"Hey, I heard that Miss Gongsun Xiangyi is not only exceptionally beautiful, but she also keeps a Seventh-Tier Sacred Beast by her side. She and His Highness Xuanyuan Xue are truly a match made in heaven—a perfect pair!" At this moment, from a seat on the third floor of the tavern, a man sporting a conspicuous mole on his face boasted with smug satisfaction.

"Heh heh, of course! They say His Highness Xuanyuan Xue drove back those Southern Barbarians as soon as he reached Jincheng. With Miss Gongsun's assistance, perhaps they can annihilate the Southern Cloud Empire in one swift campaign!" another man chimed in.

"Exactly, exactly! His Highness achieved great merit and was directly named a King; Miss Gongsun will be his Princess Consort. Our Medicine City will gain another Royal Princess!" a third man added.

Currently, stories of Gongsun Xiangyi and Xuanyuan Xue circulated throughout Medicine City. Regardless of whether people were satisfied with the Gongsun family's affairs, at this moment and in this setting, no one dared speak ill of them. Each person vied to embellish this marriage as the most flawless union under the heavens.

Yet, these words struck one listener as agonizingly sharp. This person was none other than Gongsun Lu, clad in a flowing white gauze dress.

Having just entered the tavern, she overheard the table discussing Gongsun Xiangyi and Xuanyuan Xue. Already in a foul mood, Gongsun Lu marched straight over and delivered a resounding slap across the face of the man with the mole.

The previously bustling third floor fell silent instantly, everyone staring in dumbfounded shock at the scene.

"Speak! Why have you stopped? Keep talking! Aren't you praising that slut? Why aren't you saying more?" The slap ringing against his cheek brought a sudden quiet. Gongsun Lu planted her hands on her hips and spat the words out fiercely.

It should have been her marrying him; only she was fit to be the consort of His Highness Xuanyuan Xue. But then Gongsun Xiangyi had appeared out of nowhere. She couldn't fathom how her great-grandfather had rushed to announce this marriage so quickly.

More critically, she suspected her own grandfather had discovered her attempt to send assassins after Gongsun Xiangyi and had severely reprimanded her.

In her entire life, her grandfather had never scolded her before. All of this—it was Gongsun Xiangyi’s fault! She had stolen her husband, snatched her honor, usurped the affection she held within her family, stolen everything from her! How could she not be consumed by fury?

Everyone present recognized the imperious young lady. Seeing her in such a state, none dared utter another sound. They began discreetly settling their tabs and slipping away. Even the man she had slapped dared not protest, simply turning and heading downstairs.

They likely understood: this Miss Gongsun seemed to be jealous—jealous of her own aunt's impending marriage...

Soon, the entire third floor was empty. At a time like this, no one wished to provoke the enraged Gongsun Lu.

However, tucked away at a corner table sat two men and two women. The men were handsome and dashing, the women exquisitely beautiful. Yet, one of the men was alarmingly pale, and the other man was so strikingly beautiful that he surpassed the two women beside him...

"Heh, brother, why are there such shameless people in this world? When they are clearly inferior to others, they still won't allow others to speak of it. Isn't that acting utterly indecent?" At this moment, the pale-faced man suddenly spoke up.

"Indeed, it's quite indecent. But she is just a little girl. If you know the truth in your heart, why bother pointing it out?" the beautiful man replied, taking up the conversation.

These words fell directly upon Gongsun Lu’s ears. Already incandescent with rage, hearing these few sentences was like striking flint against a pile of gunpowder, causing her to erupt completely...

(Sleepless again, damn it!)

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