181: furnace

Situ Jun's figure was like ink dissolving into water as he silently returned to the Rain Embroidery Courtyard.

The faint golden halo enveloping the courtyard rippled slightly as if it possessed a spirit the moment he stepped in, then returned to tranquility, as if it had never been activated.

He walked straight to the main house and took off his mask, his face still bearing that calm and ripple-less expression, except that the cold killing intent deep in his eyes had already been retracted, replaced by a trace of imperceptible contemplation.

"Husband!"

"My Lord!"

The Embroiderer, Lan Yanliu, Liu Xuaner, and even Shen Xingwan, who had closed her door, rushed out of their respective rooms almost simultaneously. Their eyes fell eagerly on Situ Jun, scanning him up and down for fear that he might have suffered any injury.

Situ Jun's gaze swept over the women. Seeing the worry in their eyes, his heart warmed slightly, and his expression softened a bit:

"It's nothing, just a bit of trouble."

His voice was calm as he raised his hand to gently brush away a strand of hair by the Embroiderer's temple that had been ruffled by the wind:

"A few ignorant clowns who didn't know their place have already been dealt with."

"Dealt with?"

Lan Yanliu's willow-like eyebrows arched as she snapped her folding fan open with a "shua," her voice tinged with indignation:

"You let them off that easily? They dared to strike our people and even demanded the Master apologize? In my opinion, they should have been taught a harsh lesson..."

Situ Jun smiled faintly and caught her small hand holding the fan:

"You're still as impatient as ever. I'll tell you the details once we're back in the living room."

Having said that, he pulled Lan Yanliu toward the living room without further ado, and everyone followed them inside.

After taking a seat and sipping some cold tea, he saw the women still looking at him expectantly and chuckled wryly:

"It was an Elder of the Poison Scorpion Cult named Hua Hanxiang. She brought some subordinates to test our Yuxiu Pavilion. I have already warned her that East Lin City has its own laws. She is a smart person; I expect she won't offend again."

"Warned?"

Liu Xuaner's brow furrowed slightly, her voice carrying a hint of confusion:

"So arrogant, and it was just a warning?"

Based on her understanding of Situ Jun, this was definitely not his usual decisive and vigorous style.

The Embroiderer's mind was more delicate. She noticed Situ Jun's assessment of her as a 'smart person' and his overly calm tone.

This didn't seem like the attitude toward someone who had just maliciously provoked him.

She became thoughtful and didn't press further, only saying softly:

"It's good that you're safe, Husband. Since the other party is an Elder of the Poison Scorpion Cult, her identity is sensitive. Handling it this way avoids conflict that could affect the common people and considers the bigger picture."

Situ Jun nodded, looking at the Embroiderer with approval.

The Embroiderer's composure and understanding of the big picture always saved him a lot of trouble.

"The bigger picture?"

Lan Yanliu's red lips pursed slightly as she gently waved her fan, creating a fragrant breeze. Her tone carried a hint of coquettishness and defiance:

"Husband, is that woman pretty? How about capturing her and bringing her back to the residence..."

"That's enough, Yanliu."

Situ Jun interrupted her with a wry smile, his tone carrying an unquestionable sense of reassurance:

"She is very beautiful. At least on the surface, she won't dare cause trouble in East Lin City again."

He paused and looked toward the Drunken Immortal Tower, his gaze deep:

"From now on, she can be considered a part of our household. There are some matters where I will need her service."

These words were cryptic, but they struck a chord in the hearts of the clever Liu Xuaner and the Embroiderer.

Exchanging glances, they both saw surprise and realization in each other's eyes—no wonder it was just a 'warning'; he had already subdued her or reached some kind of deal.

Shen Xingwan sat to the side, listening to their conversation, her heart surging with turbulent waves.

An Elder of the Poison Scorpion Cult!

Such a notoriously powerful figure had been so nonchalantly 'recruited' by Situ Jun?

She stole a glance at Situ Jun's profile, feeling that this man was like a deep pool in a mist—powerful enough to make one's heart race, yet so mysterious that one couldn't help but want to draw closer and rely on him.

"Alright."

Situ Jun retracted his gaze and looked at the women with a deepened tone:

"The storm has subsided for now, but the chaos in Southern Border hasn't ended, and various forces are intermingled. Remember what I said before: do not leave the Rain Embroidery Courtyard unless necessary. Especially you, Yanliu—put away your little schemes and don't go provoking Hua Hanxiang."

Her thoughts exposed, Lan Yanliu's face flushed slightly. She huffed and turned her face away, muttering softly:

"Who's going to provoke her..."

Situ Jun shook his head helplessly and looked at Shen Xingwan again:

"Xingwan, since your maid has arrived, you can stay here with peace of mind. Little Lotus, take good care of your Young Miss."

"Yes, Lord of the Residence!"

Little Lotus quickly bowed and saluted, her voice crisp.

"Everyone, you may go."

Situ Jun waved his hand and turned toward the study.

He needed to digest the information brought by Hua Hanxiang and think about how to utilize this chess piece that had unexpectedly fallen into his hands.

Hundred Flowers Charming Body... Middle Stage Nascent Soul... this temptation was simply too great.

To him, Hua Hanxiang's value was far more than just a Late Golden Core Stage enforcer.

The women dispersed as told.

Lan Yanliu returned to her exquisite bedroom and leaned against the window, gazing toward the Drunken Immortal Tower, her beautiful eyes shimmering.

Situ Jun's words circled repeatedly in her mind.

Her fingers unconsciously twisted her silk handkerchief. The slight sour feeling in her heart was gradually replaced by a deeper curiosity and a faint sense of crisis.

She whispered softly:

"Husband... what exactly did you do to her?"

...Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Southern Border, in a nameless valley.

The air was thick with the heavy scent of blood and the smell of charred vegetation.

Several corpses wearing different outfits lay scattered in the mud, their deaths gruesome.

Tattered flags were stuck diagonally in the ground, with the words 'Tianqi Zhenguo' faintly discernible, but more were the insignias of Loose Cultivators or Disciples from small Sects.

Bai Yu's figure appeared like a ghost on the branch of a charred ancient tree, his black martial attire almost merging with the shadows.

He wore a special mask that only revealed a pair of cold, heartless eyes. His entire body emitted a heart-palpitating Half-step Nascent Soul pressure, deeper and more refined than before. Clearly, the Opportunity bestowed by Situ Jun had further advanced his Cultivation.

He looked down at the valley, which resembled an asura's battlefield, his eyes showing no fluctuation.

A fierce melee had broken out here last night, seemingly caused by someone discovering a secret passage that supposedly led to the outskirts of the Nether Crow Cave Mansion.

The elite Imperial Guards led by the General Zhenguo of the Tianqi Kingdom had intended to reap the rewards without effort but were instead drawn into the fray, suffering significant losses.

Forces from the Xuan Yin Sect, Poison Scorpion Cult, Ten Thousand Gu Sect, and Xihua Sect also suffered casualties, and the scene was in utter chaos.

Bai Yu's gaze swept across the battlefield, finally resting on several corpses wearing Xuan Yin Sect attire whose deaths were particularly eerie.

Their bodies were an unnatural purple-black, their muscles withered as if all the essence and blood in their bodies had been instantly drained. A trace of extremely cold and overbearing Saber Qi remained at the wounds!

"This Cultivation Technique is actually so malicious. Just who did this?"

The lips under Bai Yu's mask moved silently, and the cold light in his eyes surged!

He immediately took out a specially made transmission Jade Talisman, sank his Divine Thought into it, and carved an extremely brief message:

[Melee in Southern Border, Imperial Guards suffered losses. A Demonic person seems to have appeared, using extremely malicious and cruel methods. This subordinate is tracking them.]

After carving, the Jade Talisman turned into an imperceptible black light, instantly escaping into the Void Realm and vanishing.

Bai Yu's figure also vanished from the treetop, as if merging into the air, following that residual, nauseatingly cold Saber Intent into the depths of the dense forest.

The appearance of a Cultivator practicing a Demonic Technique cast an even bloodier and more ominous shadow over the already chaotic situation in Southern Border.

East Lin City, Rain Embroidery Courtyard study.

Situ Jun received Bai Yu's message.

The Jade Talisman turned to ash in his palm, and the information within cast a haze over his heart.

A Devil Head who practiced sinister Cultivation Techniques and acted without a bottom line had appeared in Southern Border. This was definitely a dangerous variable for the struggle over the Southern Border cave mansion's Legacy!

His eyes were cold, and his fingers tapped unconsciously on the desk.

The waters of Southern Border were murkier and more poisonous than he had anticipated!

Li Xuan's Imperial Guards had already suffered, various large and small forces were watching like tigers, and now a Devil Head practicing an evil Cultivation Technique had emerged.

He no longer felt certain about the crisis in Southern Border.