169: Night whispers, a grand event is about to begin

Qu Feiyan's invitation, laden with scorching heat; Su Wanqing's cool yet impossible-to-ignore gaze; and Gongsun Yu's eyes, filled with both innocence and expectation—these three invisible nets simultaneously enveloped Lin Xuan. For a moment, the air in the quiet room seemed to freeze, permeated with a subtle and alluring tension.

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, knowing that any biased response at this moment could trigger unnecessary "turmoil." He gently patted the back of Qu Feiyan's hand, which was wrapped around his waist. He did not immediately respond to her invitation but instead swept his gaze over the three women, his tone gentle yet filled with unquestionable firmness:

"The Myriad Elixirs Grand Gathering will begin tomorrow. With forces from all sides gathering, Heavenly Frost City will certainly not let things rest, and I fear there will be wave after wave of trouble. Tonight, we must conserve our energy and maintain our best condition."

He first looked at Su Wanqing, his eyes filled with trust and reliance: "Wanqing, your Taiyin Sword Intent is sharp. I need you to exert yourself; keep watch over the surroundings of the courtyard, and if there is any unusual movement, sound the alarm immediately."

Su Wanqing met his gaze, a flash of realization crossing her icy eyes, and she nodded slightly: "Very well." She understood that Lin Xuan was assigning duties, but also giving her a way out, preserving her cold and aloof nature. She took a deep look at Lin Xuan, then turned and walked into the courtyard. The frost silence sword was hidden within her sleeve, and her Divine Sense, like an invisible spiderweb, quietly covered the entire small courtyard. Her cold, elegant figure stood in the moonlight like a guardian goddess.

Having sent away (or rather, settled) Su Wanqing, Lin Xuan looked at Qu Feiyan, who was still clinging to him with alluring, seductive eyes. He smiled helplessly: "Senior Sister, your yaoguang immortal sound zither is profoundly mysterious; it can bewilder the mind and confuse the soul, making it a Sharp Weapon for dealing with group attacks and ambushes. Tonight, I need you to sit at the core of the room, using your musical arts to assist Wanqing in keeping watch, while also protecting Xiao Yu and Yun Shang."

How could the intelligent Qu Feiyan not understand Lin Xuan's intention? She pouted her red lips with a hint of dissatisfaction and poked him lightly on the chest with her jade finger, transmitting her voice: "You little heartless thing, you only know how to order your Senior Sister around~" However, she also knew that Lin Xuan's words were reasonable. With the Myriad Elixirs Grand Gathering imminent, it was truly not the time for romantic entanglements. She let out a dainty huff and, though reluctant, finally released him. She swayed her waist as she walked to the cushion in the center of the quiet room and sat down, placing the yaoguang immortal sound zither on her lap. Her fingertips lightly brushed the strings, and an invisible sound wave rippled outward, faintly echoing Su Wanqing's Divine Sense, together constructing a solid line of defense.

Finally, Lin Xuan's gaze fell upon the somewhat bewildered Gongsun Yu and the quiet Yun Shang, his tone becoming even softer: "Xiao Yu, your injuries have not yet healed, and Yun Shang's cultivation is slightly weaker. Tonight, you shall regulate your breathing here in my quiet room, so I can keep watch nearby, just in case."

This arrangement was reasonable and appropriate; it not only cared for Gongsun Yu's injuries and ensured Yun Shang's safety but also placed him in a central position to coordinate and protect everyone.

Upon hearing this, a relieved smile appeared on Gongsun Yu's small face, and she nodded vigorously: "Mm! I will listen to Big Brother Lin!" Being able to stay by Lin Xuan's side was the best arrangement for her. She obediently walked to a cushion on the side of the quiet room and sat down, beginning to close her eyes and regulate her breathing.

Yun Shang also gave Lin Xuan a grateful look and silently walked over to sit beside Gongsun Yu.

Such an arrangement was comprehensive, considering everyone's characteristics and conditions, maximizing the team's defense, and cleverly balancing the subtle jealousy between the three women, allowing them to perform their respective duties with no time for other distractions.

Lin Xuan himself walked to the main seat and sat cross-legged. Appearing to close his eyes to regulate his breathing, he was actually highly focused, his Divine Sense connected to the warning network constructed by Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan. At the same time, he looked inward at his Dantian, continuing to deduce the Taichu Sword Domain and the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art, making final preparations for the challenges that might come tomorrow.

The long night stretched on, but both inside and outside the small courtyard, a strange tranquility and harmony took hold.

In the courtyard, Su Wanqing stood by the railing. The moonlight cascaded down, coating her in a layer of clear radiance. Her icy eyes vigilantly scanned the darkness, her Divine Sense sharp and peerless like a sword. She would occasionally look up toward the direction of the quiet room, where the man she adored resided, along with the sisters who "shared" this affection with her. Although there was an occasional twinge of bitterness in her heart, it was outweighed by a sense of groundedness from fighting side-by-side and protecting one another. Her Dao was protection—protecting the Sect and also protecting the person before her.

Inside the room, faint, ethereal zither music flowed from Qu Feiyan's fingertips. The melody was not an attack but like the finest gauze, brushing over every corner of the courtyard; any fluctuation of Qi that did not belong there could not escape her perception. Her alluring eyes were slightly closed, but in her heart, she was calculating the various situations that might be encountered at tomorrow's Grand Gathering and how to better assist Lin Xuan. She knew her nature was flighty and her methods were neither strictly righteous nor evil, but for his sake, she was willing to temper her edge and integrate into this small group. This affection was scorching and obsessive.

In the quiet room, Gongsun Yu's breathing was steady; under Lin Xuan's protection, she felt incomparably at ease. The thunder Origin within her body was slowly nourishing the cracks in her Golden Core. From time to time, images of Lin Xuan's heroic demeanor during battle and scenes of her being cared for by him would surface in her mind, a mixture of sweetness and a desire to become stronger intertwined in her heart. She knew she was the weakest, but she would use all her strength to catch up and become someone who could fight alongside him. This love was pure and firm.

Although Lin Xuan's eyes were closed, he could clearly feel the three distinct yet equally devoted affections tied to him: Su Wanqing's cool protection, Qu Feiyan's scorching tolerance, and Gongsun Yu's innocent reliance. There might still be small rivalries between them, but when facing a great enemy, they could all set aside their prejudices and work together. To have such women, what more could a man ask for?

The sense of responsibility on his shoulders and the desire to become stronger had never been more intense. Not only must he protect them, but he must also lead them to forge a path to the heavens in this treacherous world of cultivation!

The next day, when the rising sun cast its first rays of golden light upon Tianshu City, the entire massive city seemed to awaken from its slumber, erupting with unprecedented vitality!

The Myriad Elixirs Grand Gathering officially begins today!

The sound of bells and clamor came from the "Alchemist Emperor Plaza" in the center of the city, like a horn signaling the start of a campaign. Countless Cultivators surged toward the plaza like a tide, and various streams of light from flight techniques intertwined in the sky, resembling a magnificent rainbow bridge.

Inside the small courtyard of Listening to Bamboo Pavilion, the five of them were already prepared. After a night of rest and vigilance, everyone was energetic, with their conditions adjusted to their peak.

Lin Xuan had changed into a clean green robe, his aura restrained and his gaze calm. Su Wanqing covered her face with a white veil, revealing only a pair of clear, icy eyes. Qu Feiyan was still in her provocative red dress, but she had reined in some of her allure, adding a touch of solemnity. Gongsun Yu's injuries had mostly healed, and she had changed into a neat, agile outfit, her small face filled with expectation and a hint of nervousness. Yun Shang followed quietly at the end.

"Let's go." Lin Xuan swept his gaze over the four women of distinct charm before him and said in a deep voice, "Let us meet this grand event of the Eastern Region's alchemy world, and see what kind of 'surprise' Heavenly Frost City has prepared for us."

The five of them pushed open the courtyard gate and merged into the surging crowd rushing toward Alchemist Emperor Plaza.

The Grand Gathering commenced, with Dragons and snakes mingling together. Opportunity and crisis were both waiting for their arrival in this Mortal World, where the fragrance of elixirs permeated the air.