Xun'er was sulking because Gu Fei refused to answer her questions directly and even left her behind to enter the cave with that woman. She was feeling quite frustrated.
Ling Ying, who had been silently observing like an invisible person, hesitated as he witnessed this little drama unfold.
"Miss, since Young Master Gu Fei said so, there's no way he would harm Xiao Yan."
"Young Master Gu Fei is highly respected among the younger generation in the clan. Although I don't know him well, I do know a bit about him. He doesn't just rely on absolute strength to command respect; his personal charm is a big part of it."
"At least from what I can see, there's no sign of him hiding anything or lying."
Ling Ying couldn't help but speak up, his tone filled with confidence in Gu Fei.
Gu Fei was a man of his word, and if he said he wouldn't go after Xiao Yan, then that was the truth.
On one hand, Gu Fei was a genius that Ling Ying had to look up to, and his status was extremely prestigious. Ling Ying had a deep respect for him.
When he first heard that Gu Fei wanted to marry Xun'er, Ling Ying had his reservations. After all, he had watched Xun'er grow up and naturally thought no man in the world was worthy of her.
But after observing for a while, Ling Ying came to genuinely acknowledge Gu Fei as a fitting husband for Xun'er.
When Xun'er asked Ling Ying to connect with Xiao Yan, Ling Ying had been reluctant. It was clear that Xiao Yan couldn't compare to Gu Fei in any way.
Between Xiao Yan and Gu Fei, Ling Ying clearly preferred Xun'er to be with Gu Fei.
Two people with extraordinary talents coming together would be perfect.
Though Xiao Yan had a good temperament and was steady, his talent couldn't match Gu Fei's.
However, Ling Ying couldn't resist Xun'er's stubbornness. Given their long-standing relationship, he had no choice but to help her pass messages to Xiao Yan.
"Uncle Ling, of course, I understand the reasoning. Since Gu Fei said he wouldn't harm Brother Xiao Yan, then it's set in stone; there's no possibility of it happening."
"I was just too impulsive, and in my panic, I spoke recklessly and questioned him."
Xun'er lowered her head and spoke softly.
Although she usually never let go when she had the upper hand, now she was feeling a bit remorseful.
Last time, Xun'er had been furious when Gu Yao sent people to attack Xiao Yan and, in her anger, wrongly accused Gu Fei without distinguishing right from wrong.
She thought she wouldn't make the same mistake again, but this time...
Just now, seeing Gu Fei and Yun Yun walking together so harmoniously and entering the cave side by side made Xun'er feel even more upset.
She bit her lip and suddenly said, "No, I have to go in and check. What if that woman has ill intentions? They better not end up in any trouble inside."
Ling Ying sighed helplessly but agreed nonetheless.
However, he didn't intend to follow her inside and chose to stand guard outside instead.
Xun'er hesitated for a moment, then decided to enter the cave.
Just as she was about to step inside, her expression changed as the sound of something cutting through the wind echoed in the sky.
"Humans, do not enter the cave without the master's permission."
"Step back."
The Amethyst Winged Lion King hovered in the sky, its massive figure casting a shadow over the area. It lowered its head and sternly warned Xun'er and Ling Ying.
The broken horn on its head still throbbed with pain, though Gu Fei had stopped the bleeding.
Today, the Amethyst Winged Lion King's nerves had been on edge all day, never once relaxing.
It had encountered too many powerful individuals today.
Not only had it faced Yun Yun, a Dou Emperor who had come to claim its Purple Spirit Crystal and severed half of its horn, but also Gu Fei, a Dou Ancestor expert.
And now, more people were coming to find Gu Fei, including someone at the peak of Dou Emperor.
Ling Ying, who usually remained inconspicuous, had a habit of hiding his presence, making him almost invisible.
Yet, the Amethyst Winged Lion King was wary of him too.
It focused on Ling Ying, calculating his strength.
As it issued its warning, its gaze was especially cautious, fixed on Ling Ying.
However, the Amethyst Winged Lion King understood that even if it wasn't a match, it had to step up and block the way to show its loyalty to Gu Fei.
Moreover, these two seemed to know its master, so they probably wouldn't attack it.
Ignoring the Lion King's low warning, Xun'er looked up at it without a trace of fear.
Her voice turned sharp as she rebuked it, "Move aside!"
The Amethyst Winged Lion King froze, its heart flaring with anger.
It didn't want to offend Ling Ying, but that didn't mean this arrogant girl could do as she pleased!
The Lion King fell silent for a moment, and then a subtle fluctuation spread through the air.
Ling Ying immediately noticed the gathering of Dou Qi and frowned slightly.
He stepped forward, placing himself between Xun'er and the Lion King, blocking its sinister gaze.
Turning to Xun'er, Ling Ying urged, "Miss, Young Master Gu Fei is probably still upset right now. It's better if we don't go in just yet."
"Wait until Young Master Gu Fei has calmed down. Then you can go explain. Right now, if you go in, you might just make him angrier, and that won't help."
Under Ling Ying's persuasion, Xun'er hesitated for a moment but eventually calmed down.
She cast a cold glance at the cave entrance and then decided to wait outside.
The faintly gathered Dou Qi dispersed, and Ling Ying let out a sigh of relief.
If he hadn't been able to convince Xun'er, a battle with the Amethyst Winged Lion King might have been inevitable.
Even if neither side fought seriously, they would have walked away with injuries.
...
Meanwhile, Yun Yun and Gu Fei walked side by side into the cave.
Yun Yun could feel the intense gaze from Xun'er behind them but didn't say a word.
As they walked a few more steps, Yun Yun couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "The Xiao Yan you mentioned earlier, is he the Xiao Yan from the Xiao family in Wu Tan City?"
Yun Yun's intuition told her that these two Xiao Yans were the same person.
But what puzzled Yun Yun was how a supposed waste from a small place like Wu Tan City could be connected to these top-tier talents.
"Yes."
Gu Fei responded indifferently with a nod, not elaborating further.
He could sense that Xun'er and Ling Ying were still outside the cave, not leaving.
This slightly irritated Gu Fei.
It wasn't because he was jealous of Xun'er's constant concern for Xiao Yan.
It was just that Gu Fei, as a normal person, felt naturally annoyed when falsely accused and suspected without cause.
At that moment, Gu Fei exhaled a long breath of frustration. Fortunately, he and Xun'er had already divorced, and she no longer had much influence over him.
If this had happened earlier, he might have been distracted and filled with self-doubt for the rest of the day.
Gu Fei shook off the distracting thoughts.
He suddenly missed that pure-hearted girl with purple hair and eyes, who was waiting for him in the little valley.
At least when she was around, Gu Fei never felt burdened by such negative emotions.