As these two names were spoken from Hai Bo Dong's lips, Xiao Yan's expression instantly darkened, his eyes flashing with barely concealed anger. "Cloud Shan is planning to marry Guo He and Yun Yun?" Hearing this, the guests in the hall were all taken aback, exchanging bewildered glances, speechless. "What on earth does this old man want now? He's making this move at just this moment—what's his game?" Mu Chen furrowed his brows, pondering. "What else could he possibly be aiming for? Naturally, he wants to strengthen his ties with Guo He at this time. Over the years, as Yun Yun has been confined, Guo He has grown somewhat distant from Yun Lan Sect, frequently excusing himself to go out in search of herbs, often staying away for long periods. A sixth-rank alchemical master—such a figure, even with Cloud Shan's stature, deserves serious attention. Yet, it's surprising that he's willing to use Yun Yun as leverage to secure Guo He." Jia Xingtian shook his head, coldly remarking. "Guo He has always held a favorable impression of Yun Yun, yet in the past, Yun Yun was the head of the household, with a lofty demeanor and a multitude of responsibilities, so she treated Guo He merely with the respect due to a senior elder—never extending any special favor. Anyone with sharp eyes could immediately see that Guo He's feelings were merely one-sided." Hai Bo Dong mused, glancing at Xiao Yan, whose expression was gloomy, and knowing a bit about the dynamics between Xiao Yan and Yun Yun: "Therefore, this wedding arrangement is likely entirely orchestrated by Yun Shan, with the clear intention of firmly anchoring Yun Shan, the master of alchemical medicine, to Yun Lan Sect." "Given Guo He's sentiments toward Yun Yun, if this wedding truly comes to fruition, he might just become a loyal ally of Yun Lan Sect." Jia Xing Tian frowned intently, speaking seriously, as they had interacted with Guo He on numerous occasions and thus knew him well. "Yet Yun Yun had never felt particularly drawn to Gǔ Hé before. She was a proud and lofty person herself; if Yun Shan wished her to marry someone she didn't care for, it would take more than mere persuasion for her to yield." Nalan Jie glanced at Xiao Yan's expression before speaking. As the group discussed in a flurry, Xiao Yan finally raised his hand, the gloom on his face gradually dissipating. He glanced at each of them and said slowly, "Gǔ Hé enjoys immense prestige within the Jia Ma Empire. Should Yun Lan Sect receive his support, the situation would become extremely difficult. Therefore, we must do everything possible to undermine this wedding. Sea Elder, when has Yun Shan scheduled the wedding?" "In two days." Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of cloudiness passing over them. "Then, please have everyone prepare all arrangements in the next two days. The grand battle with Yun Lan Sect will begin precisely then!" "So soon?" The group was all taken aback. "As soon as the ancient river truly aligns itself with Yunlan Sect and gathers a number of powerful allies, it will become significantly more difficult to defeat Yunlan Sect." Xiang Yan shook his head and said. Upon hearing this, the others paused and eventually nodded in agreement. If given sufficient time, ancient river would indeed gather many strong allies from all directions. "Mr. Xiang Yan, once your forces defeat Yunlan Sect's elite warriors, the rest of their disciples will be handled by our royal military. Moreover, over the past two days, our royal court has quietly issued orders to several commanders and generals who hold substantial military power, instructing them to secretly eliminate Yunlan Sect's spies and influence within the city." "Yao Ye pondered for a moment, then smiled at Xiao Yan, saying, 'As long as Xiao Yan can defeat Yunshan, the remnants of Yunlan Sect will surely be completely eradicated within the Gamma Empire.' Although the royal family may not match Yunlan Sect in terms of elite strength, their national infrastructure gives them the means to systematically eliminate Yunlan Sect once it loses its leadership. 'Then, it will all depend on Princess Yao Ye.' Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled in return. Yunlan Sect has deep roots within the Gamma Empire, and to fully eradicate it, only the imperial royal family possesses the scale of influence and resources required—something even Xiao Yan himself had to acknowledge. The royal family would undoubtedly achieve this far more efficiently than he could. 'But... what if Gu He truly aligns himself with Yunlan Sect?' Looking at Xiao Yan, Haibo Dong hesitated slightly before speaking." "I've said before that my blood feud with Yunlan Sect will only fade when either one of us is utterly destroyed—there is no other way. Therefore, no one can stand in my way to destroy Yunlan Sect, not even Guo He." Xiao Yan smiled calmly, a cold intensity and resolve flickering in his dark eyes. "If he truly wishes to aid Yunlan Sect, then he should act now and eliminate him completely. Of course, this will be his final resort—his pride is high, and when the time comes, I will use other means to make him retreat, knowing full well he'll find it difficult to face me." Looking at the two who had just spoken, Xiao Yan nodded with a smile and then glanced towards Jia Xingtian, speaking casually, "I've long heard that the royal family has a particularly powerful guardian beast. Given the significance of this matter, I suspect Jia, you'll have to bring it out as well." On hearing this, Jia was momentarily surprised and exchanged a glance with Yao Ye, both of them only to sigh with a smile. "Indeed, the royal family does have a six-stage guardian beast whose strength can match even seven- or eight-star Battle Monarchs. However, I fear it won't be able to participate this time." "Why not?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows. A beast capable of matching eight-star Battle Monarchs represents a substantial combat force. Among those present, aside from Jia Xingtian, only when Haibo Dong had fully regained his peak strength would he be able to stand a chance against it. "Master Xiao Yan, this is not something we've been holding back from the royal family. In fact, the Yuhai Dragon Beast has fought many battles for our dynasty over the years, accumulating numerous physical ailments. Recently, its condition has worsened significantly—now it's extremely weak, and its strength is only about half of its peak. We're not sure how effective it would be in battle if it were to participate." Observing Master Xiao Yan frowning, Tian Ye gently smiled and spoke softly. "Ailing condition?" With a slight lift of her brow, Master Xiao Yan chuckled, "Perhaps I can contribute something here. After all, everyone should remember that I'm also a pharmaceutical master." Hearing this, Tian Ye and Jia Xingtian exchanged a wry smile and said, "We know Master Xiao Yan is a pharmaceutical master. However, when we first consulted with Master Fama, he explained that to heal the Yuhai Dragon Beast's condition, a specific medicine called 'Hun Yuan Bone-Forming Pill' would be required." "Hun Yuan Bone-Forming Pill?" Master Xiao Yan murmured softly to himself. "This medicine has an especially remarkable effect on the魔兽's injuries, though its rank is quite high—reaching the sixth rank. A sixth-rank medicine is something even my abilities struggle to produce, so...," said Famu, who was also at a loss. "In the entire Addama Empire, only Guo He possesses such skill. However, given the current tense relationship between the royal family and Yunlan Sect, it seems highly unlikely that we'll be able to secure his assistance." Then isn't it saying that... this fellow has managed to break through to the sixth rank of alchemical skill in just three years? While everyone else is stunned, the faces of Fang Ma and Mitchell are particularly expressive. As alchemists themselves, they are well aware of how difficult it is to advance in alchemical rank. Yet here stands this individual, who has risen from a third-rank alchemist to a sixth-rank alchemist in just three years—a pace that is truly astonishing. "It's no wonder he has won the elder's favor; such talent is truly unparalleled," remarked one. "Although the Huanhuan Shuaguzhi Pill is a sixth-rank medicine, it isn't particularly difficult to prepare. With my current alchemical skill, I should have a solid success rate." Ignoring the astonished gazes of the others, Xiao Yan smiled calmly, "Later today, I'll send someone to bring the herbs over. Tomorrow, I'll personally present the pill." Seeing Xiao Yan's serious expression, Jia Xingtian and Yao Ye exchanged a glance, both unable to conceal their joy. They promptly responded with courtesy, stating that as long as the Yuhai Jiang Shou could regain its strength, the royal power would naturally flourish, which would also bring them considerable peace of mind. "After this, I will immediately dispatch someone to deliver the herbs to Mr. Xiao Yan. Regardless of the success rate, as long as Mr. Xiao Yan manages to prepare the medicine, even if the herbs are consumed in large quantities, the royal family will have no concerns," Yao Ye said with genuine delight, her tone revealing a sense of grandeur. Though the herbs for the "Hun Yuan Shu Gu Dan" were not ordinary, the royal family's extensive and precious reserves ensured there would be no issues. "Heard this, Yao Ye and Jia Xingtian quickly nodded in agreement, the latter laughing so heartily that he could hardly contain his joy, firmly believing that this collaboration was a win-win. Once most of the arrangements were finalized, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief, his gaze drifting toward the window, fixed on that distant horizon, his calm voice echoing softly among the gathered attendees. "Over the next two days, please gather all available combat forces. Two days from now, our united army will face off in a decisive battle against Yunlan Sect!"