175: Moonlight and Fragrant Breeze

After Shen Xingwan left, the cold, sweet fragrance in the study seemed to linger stubbornly, intertwining with the scent of books and ink, and the warm aroma of ginseng soup, creating a subtle atmosphere.

Situ Jun moved his gaze from the ginseng soup back to the floating Jade Slip, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth desk surface.

Fragments of intelligence sent back by Nightingale pieced together in his mind: deep within the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains of the Southern Border, the mist at the entrance of the Nether Crow Cave Mansion showed signs of dissipating, drawing several forces to gather.

People from the Poison Scorpion Cult, Xuan Yin Sect, Ten Thousand Poisons Gate, and the Qin Dynasty were mixed among them; small-scale conflicts broke out almost daily, and the smell of blood permeated the damp jungle.

Even more obscure news indicated that there were shadows of the Tianqi Dynasty's official background pushing things forward in secret.

"Li Xuan's hand... reaches quite far."

Situ Jun's eyes darkened slightly.

Bai Yu's secret report regarding the Zhou Dynasty's Half-step Nascent Soul Cultivator, "blood hand" Village Elder Gongsun, also surfaced in his mind.

This person's movements were mysterious; he liked to pose as a village elder and had a violent temperament.

He had once committed a shocking atrocity at the border of the Zhou Dynasty to refine the ten thousand souls banner; now he had quietly appeared in the area near the Southern Border, his purpose self-evident.

A Void Refining powerhouse's Immortal Cave was enough to drive any force mad, even breaking the existing balance. East Lin City was located at a strategic pass leading to the Southern Border; the Poison Scorpion Cult "passing through" was by no means accidental.

He organized all the information clearly in his mind, and with a slight stir of his Divine Thought, he struck several commands into the Jade Slips respectively:

To Zhu Changpo: Speed up the infiltration of spies, targeting the core area of the Southern Border, and obtain the exact opening time and internal intelligence of the Nether Crow Cave Mansion at all costs.

To Nightingale: Continue to stay undercover, focusing on the movements of the Poison Scorpion Cult, Xuan Yin Sect, and the activities of the Dynasty's secret lines.

To Wang Cheng (via Guard messaging): Besides monitoring the Poison Scorpion Cult, mobilize the hidden Guards to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of all new faces entering the city recently, especially those with connections to the Southern Border.

Only after finishing all this did he pick up the ginseng soup and drink it slowly, spoonful by spoonful.

The warm liquid carried the slight bitterness and sweet aftertaste of herbs, which indeed had some calming effect, dispersing a bit of the gloom in his heart.

As the night deepened, everything was silent, with only the occasional faint crackle from the candle flame.

Situ Jun stood up and stretched, wanting to return to his room to rest.

He swept with his Divine Sense, the corners of his mouth curling slightly, and his figure flashed as he disappeared from the study.

When he reappeared, he was already outside Lan Yanliu's door.

He knocked once and pushed it open.

What greeted him was a wave of warm fragrance and a lazy, enchanting gaze.

Lan Yanliu leaned sideways on an Imperial Concubine Couch, her Gauze Shirt half-undone, revealing her rounded, fragrant shoulders and a hint of a deep, thought-provoking cleavage. She toyed with a lock of hair in her hand, her eyes shifting with a thousand charms.

"Oh, Mansion Lord, instead of resting, what are you doing here at my place?"

Her voice was drawn out, carrying a hook-like allure.

Situ Jun raised an eyebrow, closed the door behind him, and walked over with long strides:

"After the competition during the day, I, your husband, feel that your Martial Skill needs improvement. Now that I'm free, I must give you some proper guidance."

Saying this, he unceremoniously leaned over, one hand propped on the edge of the couch, trapping Lan Yanliu between himself and the soft couch, while his other hand reached out directly, accurately gripping a vital point.

"Mmm~" Lan Yanliu let out a melodious, enchanting moan. Instead of dodging, she coiled around him like a water snake, her slender jade legs hooking around his waist as she flipped him over.

Situ Jun's breathing grew heavier, and his eyes darkened.

"After a long day, I don't believe you can still bully me like you did during the day. Hmph!"

Saying this, her jade hand reached out, gripping Situ Jun's vital point with some force. A provocative, enchanting smile appeared on her face, as if asking, 'Are you capable of training my Martial Skill?'

"Vixen!" he cursed in a low, husky voice, filled with defiance.

Lan Yanliu giggled, twisting her waist to meet him, breathing like orchids into his ear:

"What new Moves does the Mansion Lord have? Hmm?"

She actively guided his hand, reaching towards a more hidden vital point.

For a time, palm shadows flew, fists and legs clashed, the spring scenery was enchanting, and gasps and moans intertwined as the strong scent of flowers rose and filled the Warm Chamber.

The candle flame flickered, casting the two intertwined figures onto the brocade curtains, now bright, now dim.

Situ Jun's competitive spirit was sparked by Lan Yanliu's counter-restraint. With a turn of his wrist, he broke free from the binding, took the opportunity to embrace her slender waist, and lightly tapped a spot three inches below her ribs.

Lan Yanliu's body went soft, her moans suddenly pitching higher, but taking advantage of this moment of relaxation, she lightly nudged his waist with her knee while her jade fingers, like lightning, tapped towards a major acupoint on his chest.

"A sneak attack doesn't count as skill."

Situ Jun let out a low laugh, and while sidestepping to avoid it, he had already pinned her onto the couch.

The brocade quilt slipped down, revealing her skin as white as frost and snow, intertwined with her pitch-black hair, like a vivid ink painting.

Lan Yanliu's eyes rippled as she intentionally loosened her strength, her fingertips drawing circles over his heart:

"If the Mansion Lord can't even handle such a 'surprise attack', what's the point of talking about guiding Martial Skill?"

As she spoke, she suddenly struck his shoulder with her elbow, while her other hand reached inside his robe, her fingertips sliding over his firm muscles.

Situ Jun took a sharp breath, feeling the fire surging in his lower abdomen.

He pressed down her restless hand and leaned down to bite her small earlobe: "Then let me show you what real 'combat' is."

Before he finished speaking, he had already rolled over to trap her in his arms, his knee pressing against the back of her leg, making it difficult for her to use her clever strength.

Lan Yanliu, however, remained calm, her vermilion lips approaching his ear, breathing like orchids:

"Husband, have you forgotten? My 'Soft Entanglement Technique' is best at overcoming hardness with softness."

Saying this, her waist twisted like a snake, her Gauze Shirt completely slipped to the floor, and the moment their skin touched, Situ Jun felt his blood burning.

Outside the window, the moonlight grew thicker, a few rays of clear light spilling through the lattice, illuminating the hairpins and jade pendants scattered on the couch.

The sound of wind chimes in the Warm Chamber grew more hurried, occasionally mixed with Lan Yanliu's laughing scolding and Situ Jun's low, husky coaxing.

The shadows of palms and fists had long since vanished, leaving only the rubbing of fingertips and the entanglement of bodies, brewing the ambiguity in the cold night ever thicker.

After an unknown amount of time, the candle finally burned to its end. With a soft "crack," the Warm Chamber fell into a drowsy silence.

Lan Yanliu curled up in Situ Jun's arms, her hair messily stuck to her sweat-dampened neck, the corners of her eyes still tinged with a lingering flush.

Her fingertips lightly traced his chest, her voice as lazy as a cat:

"This 'guidance' is much more tiring than the competition during the day."

Situ Jun tightened his arms, holding her closer, his chin resting on the top of her head, his breath filled with the warm fragrance of her body:

"Naturally, actual combat is more exhausting than practice."

He paused, his fingertips brushing over her leg draped over him, touching the bruise on her knee—left over from the daytime competition.

"I'll apply medicine for you tomorrow."

Lan Yanliu let out a scoff, turned over to lie on his chest, her eyes clear:

"What does this small injury matter? As for you, you have to handle matters of the Southern Border tomorrow. After tossing about for so long tonight, aren't you afraid of delaying serious business?"

Situ Jun held her restless hand and said with a pleasant expression:

"Don't worry, all that needs to be arranged has been arranged." He thought of the undercurrents in the Southern Border, his fingertips unconsciously tightening, "As for you, don't leave the mansion lately. More and more experts are coming to East Lin City; it's not safe."

Lan Yanliu raised an eyebrow, her fingertips lightly tapping his chin:

"How? Is the Mansion Lord worried about me?"

Situ Jun lowered his head and pecked her on the lips, his voice carrying a trace of undetectable seriousness:

"Yes, worried."

Lan Yanliu's heart stirred slightly, and she suddenly restrained her enchanting manner, leaning gently against his chest:

"I know. But you must also be careful. Don't get yourself caught up for our sake or for the city's stability. If there's danger, don't worry about us, just run away yourself; we'll take care of ourselves."

Situ Jun smiled, stroking her long hair:

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

The night grew deeper, and only the sound of each other's steady breathing remained in the Warm Chamber.

Outside the window, the moonlight grew thicker, a few rays of clear light spilling through the lattice, falling on the scattered clothes. Lan Yanliu curled up in Situ Jun's arms and fell into a deep sleep.