227: Chapter 226 The Last Tenderness

The book in Leng Yuexi's hand dropped to the floor with a " Snap" sound.

Her body stiffened slightly, and the eyes that were always cold and indifferent changed from initial disbelief to surprise, and that surprise then turned into moist, shimmering tears.

Su Xuanji's reaction was no less intense; she nearly dropped the teacup in her hand as she abruptly stood up, staring blankly at the figure that had appeared before her.

A few drops of cold tea spilled from the cup, but she was completely unaware.

Xia Jin's gaze swept across the hall, and when he saw those two familiar figures by the window, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

He took a single step, his figure appearing behind Leng Yuexi like a ghost. Before she could even react, his arms were already wrapped around her waist, pulling her entirely into his embrace.

Warm breath fell against her ear, carrying a familiar scent.

"Wife, I'm back."

Leng Yuexi went completely soft, leaning against Xia Jin's chest, feeling the warmth she had been separated from for three months. Her eyes reddened slightly, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall, merely reaching out to gently clasp the hand he had wrapped around her waist.

"Hmph! You... finally know how to come back. It's been three months, and you didn't even send word."

Her voice carried a hint of reproach, but it was filled even more with undisguisable joy.

Xia Jin rested his chin on the top of her head and rubbed gently; he didn't speak, merely holding her tighter.

Su Xuanji stood to the side, watching this scene, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and quietly turned away, pretending to tidy the tea set on the table.

"Xuanji."

Xia Jin's voice came from behind her.

Su Xuanji's hand paused, but she didn't turn around, only saying coldly, "Does Prince Jin still remember how to come back? I thought you were having such a good time outside that you'd forgotten home."

Her tone was cold, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Xia Jin chuckled softly, released his hold on Leng Yuexi, took a step forward, and arrived behind Su Xuanji.

Before Su Xuanji could react, an arm reached out from behind, wrapped around her waist, and pulled her into that same warm embrace.

"You!"

Su Xuanji's face instantly flushed, and she instinctively tried to struggle, but the arm held her too tightly, and she couldn't break free at all.

"Let me go! Who told you to hug me!"

She said this with her mouth, but her struggle grew weaker and weaker, until finally, she stood stiffly, letting him hold her.

Xia Jin lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and sincerity:

"What? You are this Prince's woman; can I not hold you when I miss you?"

These simple words were like a key, instantly unlocking the tightly closed door in Su Xuanji's heart.

Her eyes grew hot, her nose stung, and all her complaints and grievances surged up in that moment.

"Who... who asked you to miss me."

She muttered, her voice incredibly soft.

Leng Yuexi stood to the side, watching this scene, and far from having Life Qi, she covered her mouth and chuckled.

She knew Su Xuanji too well; this sister of hers, who had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, might have been saying no, but in her heart, she had likely been longing for this moment all along.

Xia Jin walked to the couch and sat down, then wrapped his left arm around Su Xuanji, while his right hand held Leng Yuexi's hand.

He felt his heart filled with an unprecedented sense of peace and satisfaction.

In this moment, he was not some Prince Jin, nor was he some Hun-class Disciple.

He was just Xia Jin.

"Right, Husband." Leng Yuexi looked at Xia Jin, her tone filled with curiosity. "What is the Temple actually like? Are there many strong experts there?"

Xia Jin lowered his head, glanced at her, and then looked at Su Xuanji, who was playing the ostrich in his arms, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Experts as numerous as clouds? Perhaps so."

"After all, in the current Eastern Profound Continent or other continents, the supreme experts existing are at most in the Land Immortal Realm, with perhaps a few rare existences at the low levels of the Tongshen Realm."

"But the Temple is divided into the Third Heaven. In the weakest First Heaven, if you pick anyone at random, they are already an existence in the Tongshen Realm. Even in the Second Heaven and above, experts of the Creation Realm are everywhere."

"What!? Husband, are you telling the truth?" Leng Yuexi's pupils contracted slightly, and Su Xuanji couldn't help but lift her head from his arms, her face full of shock.

Anyone at random is in the Tongshen Realm?

Such power, if placed on the Eastern Profound Continent, would be enough for any one of them to suppress a region. Yet in the Temple, they were merely in the weakest First Heaven?

Xia Jin watched the expressions of the two women and suddenly laughed. He reached out and gently pinched Leng Yuexi's cheek, then rubbed the top of Su Xuanji's head, his tone carrying a hint of dominance:

"But you don't need to worry. Your husband here is now, without a doubt, the number one in terms of strength among all the Disciples in the Temple."

These words were spoken with immense dominance, without a shred of humility.

But he was speaking the truth.

Leng Yuexi's eyes lit up instantly. She looked at Xia Jin, and at this moment, an expression of admiration, like that of a young girl, appeared on her face.

"Husband, as expected of you."

Although Su Xuanji didn't speak, her reaction was even more pronounced than Leng Yuexi's.

Xia Jin looked at the expressions of the two women, feeling a sense of comfort in his heart, and couldn't help but lower his head to peck Leng Yuexi lightly on the forehead, then kissed Su Xuanji on the forehead as well.

Su Xuanji's face turned red again, but this time she didn't dodge, only burying her head a little lower.

After a moment of tenderness, Leng Yuexi raised her head, looked into Xia Jin's eyes, and asked softly:

"Husband, how long do you plan to stay this time you're back?"

"This time..." The smile on Xia Jin's face gradually faded, replaced by a touch of gravity. "Tomorrow morning, I must return to the Temple!"

"Ah? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Xia Jin sighed and gripped the two women's hands even tighter.

"Because that World-Ending Catastrophe is coming. I do not want to watch Great Xia be destroyed in this calamity."

Leng Yuexi was silent for a moment, then gently leaned back against his chest and said nothing more. Su Xuanji bit her lip and looked up at Xia Jin. "Will that World-Ending Catastrophe really come?"

Xia Jin lowered his head, met her gaze, and nodded seriously.

"It will come."

A flash of panic crossed Su Xuanji's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She took a deep breath and squeezed Xia Jin's hand tightly.

"Then you... must be careful."

Xia Jin looked at her stubborn yet worried expression, felt a warmth in his heart, and nodded.

"Rest assured."

After a moment of silence, Xia Jin suddenly tightened his arms, pulling the two women closer into his embrace. He lowered his head, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Leng Yuexi and Su Xuanji's faces, a meaningful smile curling on his lips.

"Alright, it's getting late. Tonight, you two will accompany this Prince to rest."

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint blush appeared on Leng Yuexi's face, but she only gave a soft "Mn" and did not refuse.

Su Xuanji's reaction was much greater; her earlobes turned bright red in a "swish," and even her neck was stained with a crimson hue.

She struggled violently to get up from Xia Jin's embrace, her voice stammering, "I, I'll go back first! Let Sister Yue Xi accompany you! I, I need to—"

Before she could finish her sentence, her wrist was grabbed by a slender, delicate hand.

Leng Yuexi held her wrist, looking at her with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, her eyes carrying a hint of mischief.

Xia Jin watched the two women in this state and couldn't help but chuckle.

He raised his hand and waved his wide sleeve gently; the few candle flames in the hall were extinguished in response, and the entire Jin Wang Palace instantly plunged into a gentle darkness.

...

The next morning.

Xia Jin woke up. He propped himself up, looked down at the two women sleeping soundly beside him, lowered his head, and kissed them both gently on the forehead.

Then, he put on his black dragon robe and strode out of Jin Wang Palace.

Before leaving, Xia Jin specifically sought out Emperor Xia Yu, who was in the Imperial Study, and after entrusting him with some things, he left the Great Xia Imperial Palace.

Less than half an hour after Xia Jin left, Su Xuanji woke up.

She opened her eyes groggily and instinctively reached out to feel the space beside her; it was cold.

He was already gone.

She braced herself to sit up, but the moment she moved, a wave of soreness came from her waist, making her let out an "Ah" and fall back onto the couch.

Su Xuanji bit her lip, and scenes from last night involuntarily surfaced in her mind; her face flushed completely red in an instant.

"Bad thing..."

"Don't know where he gets that much energy..."

After scolding him, she couldn't help but laugh. As she laughed, her eyes grew sore.

She lifted her head and looked at the sky outside. That bad thing must have gone far away by now.

"I hope you will be okay... you must come back safely..."