352: Chapter 352 Tender Moments Before Departure: The First Wife's Concern

The Battle Intent within the assembly hall soared to the clouds, and the oaths of dozens of Elders echoed above the palace for a long time.

Xu Chen waved his hand, signaling the Elders to prepare for the army's departure. He stepped out of the hall alone and walked along the corridor paved with thousand-year-old Warm Jade, heading straight for the core treasury in the deepest part of the Xu Family.

The night wind was slightly cool, dispersing some of the rising hot blood.

The two high-score coordinates in his mind were indeed tempting, and Xu Chen's mood was very excited at this moment, but his mind remained clear. That was a Forbidden Zone of Life where Ancient Emperors were buried; rumors said the Death Qi there could devour even starlight, and even a Quasi-Emperor would lose Lifespan if tainted by it.

As the Young Master of the Imperial Clan, he would never rely on hot-bloodedness to simply charge in; he had to make sufficient preparations.

Pushing open the heavy bronze doors of the treasury, Xu Chen unceremoniously began his shopping spree.

Twenty sets of Extreme Yang Formation Plates, specifically designed to counter impurities—taken.

A handful of Taiqing Jade Pendants, capable of resisting Divine Soul erosion—stuffed into his storage ring.

Reaching the deepest part of the treasury, he pulled out a set of Heaven-Locking Armor that only the successive heads of the Xu Family were qualified to use.

This treasure armor was dark gold throughout, inscribed with complex Extreme Dao Formation patterns.

Xu Chen decisively put it on under his dark gold casual robes, protecting his heart and meridians.

Just as he stepped out of the treasury doors, a faint, elegant medicinal fragrance wafted toward him.

Liu Hanyan, wearing a simple and elegant long dress and holding a purple-gold gourd, was waiting quietly at the bottom of the steps. The night dew was heavy, dampening the hair at her temples and adding a touch of pitiful charm to her aura as a devoted wife.

"Husband." Liu Hanyan stepped forward quickly and handed the purple-gold gourd to Xu Chen. "These are Miasma-Averting Pills that Sister Xiao Yu and I made overnight. They contain the Origin aura of the Nirvana Golden Flame, which should be effective against the Death Qi on the outskirts of the forbidden zone."

Xu Chen took the gourd and naturally held her slightly cold, soft hand, gently rubbing it in his palm to warm it.

"Thank you for your hard work." Xu Chen's tone was gentle, filled with undisguised pity. "Why did you run out into the cold wind in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? What if you catch a cold? Go back and rest quickly."

Liu Hanyan leaned against Xu Chen's broad chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat, and whispered her instructions: "Husband, you must be extra careful on this journey. So many people in the family are counting on you; do not push yourself too hard."

Xu Chen smiled and pinched her cheek, then called a maid behind him to escort her safely back to her courtyard before turning toward the bedchamber of his first wife, Su Qingge.

Candlelight flickered within the bedchamber.

Su Qingge had not gone to sleep. Draped only in a thin, plain outer garment, she sat before her dressing table. The desk was covered with defensive Formation diagrams for the Xu Family's inner residence; she was carefully checking the Formation eyes inch by inch by the candlelight, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration.

Hearing the sound of the door hinges turning, she immediately put down her brush and stood up.

Xu Chen strode forward and pulled this dignified and steady first wife into his arms, resting his chin in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling the reassuring fragrance from her skin.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Xu Chen asked softly, his arms involuntarily tightening.

Su Qingge leaned obediently against his warm chest, her fair fingers gently smoothing the wrinkles on Xu Chen's lapel, her eyes filled with unconcealed worry and concern.

"How could Qingge sleep when Husband is personally leading an expedition to the Forbidden Zone of Life?" Su Qingge sighed softly, her voice carrying a deep, lingering sorrow. "The Grand Elder said that place offers ten deaths and no life, and even Emperors have fallen there. Is it truly necessary for Husband to go?"

Xu Chen held her shoulders and made her look into his eyes, his tone carrying an unquestionable firmness and the responsibility of a family head.

"I must go. That black mist and Death Qi have already begun to spread toward the East Barren; if we don't take the initiative to extinguish its source, it will eventually affect the Central Region. My women and children, Xu Chen's family, must never live in fear. Rather than passive defense, it's better to bring the battlefield to the enemy's territory."

To dispel Su Qingge's concerns, Xu Chen pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed and patiently explained the family's defensive arrangements.

"After I leave, the Extreme Dao Imperial Formation of the inner residence will remain fully activated. I have already left some of the most elite Pojun Imperial Guards on standby at the Formation eye in the back mountain. If any shortsighted forces try to take advantage of the situation, they will immediately activate the Killing Formation."

Xu Chen took Su Qingge's hands in his and looked solemnly at his first wife.

"Qingge, you are the backbone of this inner court. Mo Han and Hua Jieyu are still carrying little ones in their bellies, so you must keep a close eye on them and don't let them run around. If the family truly encounters a disaster that even the Extreme Dao Formation cannot withstand, crush this jade talisman immediately to send a message to me."

Xu Chen pressed a jade talisman carved with a Dragon into Su Qingge's palm, his eyes deep.

"Remember, survival is the priority. I won't care even if the entire family fortune is spent. As long as you are safe and sound, even if this Central Region is overturned, your husband can win it back for you."

Hearing Xu Chen's meticulous instructions, the heavy stone in Su Qingge's heart finally fell halfway. The worry in her eyes gradually turned into a pool of spring water.

"Husband's journey is dangerous, and Qingge cannot help much, except..."

Su Qingge looked up, her eyes shimmering with a touch of charm and deep affection that she rarely showed. She reached out her jade-like hands, gently unfastening Xu Chen's outer robe, and then proactively let the thin garment slide off her own shoulders.

Accompanied by the slight sound of silk sliding down, a large expanse of snow-white skin was exposed under the faint yellow candlelight.

Her body, as soft as if it had no bones, pressed tightly against Xu Chen's warm chest. She stood slightly on her tiptoes, closed her eyes, and offered her red lips without reservation.

Xu Chen's eyes darkened as he took the initiative, cupping her cheeks and responding dominantly and passionately. He swept his delicate wife up into his arms and strode toward the large, soft bed.

Red candles flickered, and the gauze curtains hung low.

The usually dignified and steady first wife, who held power over the inner court, completely cast aside all her defenses and restraint under the catalyst of the impending departure, turning into the most tender and passionate of companions.

The cruel slaughter of the Great Age of Strife and the unknown fears of the forbidden zone were strictly shut out by the heavy palace doors. In this small, private world, there was only the lingering tenderness of a spring rain and that bone-deep affection.

Between the sheets, Su Qingge's fair arms clung tightly to Xu Chen's neck, as if she were afraid the person before her would vanish into thin air. Their fingers were tightly interlaced.

The candlelight filtered through the bed curtains, casting their overlapping shadows onto the wall.

Every deep breath Xu Chen took was accompanied by Su Qingge's uncontrollable, delicate low moans.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from her beautiful collarbones, shimmering with an enchanting luster in the faint light.

Her eyes were misty like water, her usual dignity and composure completely shattered, leaving only a wife's most instinctive compliance and longing for her husband.

She tried to use all her tenderness to soothe the Battle Intent between Xu Chen's brows and to dissolve the cold slaughter he was about to face.

Xu Chen felt the deep affection of the beauty in his arms, and his movements became increasingly tender and steady.

He whispered those private words meant only for the two of them into her ear, causing Su Qingge to tremble again and again, a tear of mingled joy and reluctance sliding from the corner of her eye.

Before they knew it, a sliver of white had appeared on the horizon outside the window.

The dawn breeze blew through the courtyard, dispersing the last trace of the night's gloom.

Faintly, the low sound of horns gathering the Pojun Imperial Guards could be heard echoing from the distant Xu Family Martial Arts Training Ground, carrying an aura of killing intent and the clashing of iron and steel.

Xu Chen was fully dressed, standing by the bed.

He looked at his lovely wife, who had fallen into a deep sleep from exhaustion. Su Qingge's cheeks still bore a lingering flush, a trace of a tear still hung at the corner of her eye, and her breathing was even and long.

Xu Chen leaned down and pressed an extremely gentle kiss onto that smooth, fair forehead, then carefully tucked in the corners of the brocade quilt to ensure not a single trace of the morning wind could leak in.