249: tired

The space inside the carriage became narrow and private, leaving only their intertwined breaths and the sound of heartbeats gradually spiraling out of control.

Situ Jun's hand quietly reached into her lapel, and when his palm touched that skin as smooth as grease, both of them trembled.

Hua Hanxiang's body tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed under his gentle touch, though her hand clutching his lapel tightened even more, her fingertips turning slightly white.

The carriage continued to gallop along the Official Road, the rhythmic sound of the wheels rolling over the ground cleverly masking the subtle movements inside the carriage.

Coupled with the soundproofing formation set up by Hua Hanxiang, only the intertwined tenderness of the two remained in the small space.

Hua Hanxiang only felt as if her whole body was on fire, unfamiliar pleasure hitting her consciousness wave after wave like a tide.

She could only cling tightly to the man in front of her, like the only piece of driftwood in the vast ocean, bobbing up and down in the storm he brought.

Situ Jun guided her with utmost patience, taking care of her every feeling, every touch carrying a sense of cherishing.

When she was lost in passion and couldn't help but let out a suppressed whimper, he lowered his head in time to kiss her, swallowing all of that moving sound.

The galloping carriage became their most secret pleasure ground, the swaying body of the vehicle seemingly adding to the excitement of this forbidden intimacy.

After an unknown amount of time, the heat inside the carriage gradually faded.

Hua Hanxiang slumped in Situ Jun's arms, her whole body so limp she didn't have a shred of strength left, the flush on her cheeks hadn't faded, tiny teardrops still clung to her eyelashes, and her breathing couldn't settle for a long time.

Situ Jun held her carefully, pulling over a thin blanket that had slipped aside to cover her sweat-dampened body, his fingertips gently combing through her slightly messy hair, his eyes full of the laziness after satiety and a love so thick it couldn't be dissolved.

He dropped a light kiss on her smooth forehead, his voice low and gentle:

"Are you tired?"

Hua Hanxiang didn't even have the strength to shake her head, she just rubbed against his chest, making a kitten-like hum, full of dependence and coquettishness.

Situ Jun felt his fatigue vanish, his whole body feeling refreshed, and he couldn't help but chuckle softly, the vibration of his chest gently transmitting to her, making her feel even more at ease.

He adjusted his position to make her lean more comfortably, then pulled the thin blanket again, wrapping her tightly so that not a hint of chill could invade.

"Sleep for a while, I'll call you when we arrive," he said softly, his tone full of indulgence.

Hua Hanxiang was indeed exhausted, her body and mind having experienced extreme impact and pleasure; now that she had relaxed, a heavy sleepiness immediately hit her.

She snuggled peacefully in his warm and solid embrace, her nose filled with his scent, and soon fell into a deep sleep, her breathing even and shallow.

Situ Jun held her, listening to her even and shallow breathing, and cast his gaze out the window.

The carriage was still flying along, the silhouettes of the distant mountains gradually becoming steep, and there was a hint of restlessness in the Spiritual Qi in the air, indicating that they were constantly approaching the location of the Nether Crow Cave Mansion.

The warmth in his eyes slowly retracted, replaced once more by calmness and sharpness.

A sound transmission jade talisman quietly appeared between his fingers, and his Divine Sense quickly immersed into it.

Yang Feng's report had already arrived:

Outside East Lin City, the refugees have been successfully guided to the open ground outside the city, porridge sheds and medical tents have all been set up, and the situation is temporarily stable. The same is true for Qingshui Town. In addition, the hidden guards have captured two spreaders of rumors; preliminary interrogation shows the clues faintly point to the peripheral personnel of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce.

A cold light flashed in Situ Jun's eyes as his Divine Sense imprinted new instructions:

"Closely monitor these displaced people to prevent anyone from instigating riots. Additionally, send some supplies to Qingshui Town to relieve their pressure. Raise the city defense Rank to Level Two; without my manual order, no one is allowed to mobilize a force of more than a hundred people."

The instructions were sent, and the glow of the Jade Talisman faded.

He looked down at Hua Hanxiang, who was sleeping soundly in his arms, and pulled her a bit closer, his movements so gentle he was afraid of disturbing her dreams.

The road ahead was fraught with unknown dangers, surrounded by hidden arrows and overt spears, and filled with treacherous schemes.

But at this moment, with the warm fragrance and soft jade in his arms, his heart was filled with unprecedented strength and determination.

Whether for the common people of East Lin City, for this woman in his arms who regarded him as her only reliance, or for the spatial secret treasure he urgently needed from that Immortal Cave, he must not lose the struggle for the Nether Crow Cave Mansion.

The carriage continued forward, carrying a carriage full of charming tenderness, as well as heavy responsibility and ambition, driving unwaveringly toward the center of the whirlpool that was about to stir up waves.

The scenery outside the window receded rapidly, transitioning from relatively gentle hilly areas to more rugged, densely forested mountainous areas; the aura of the Nether Crow Cave Mansion seemed to have quietly permeated the air.

After an unknown amount of time, Hua Hanxiang slowly woke up in Situ Jun's arms.

She blinked lazily, her consciousness gradually returning, only to find herself still tightly encircled in his arms, covered with his outer robe, the carriage still permeated with the faint, charming scent of their intimacy.

Her cheeks were slightly red as she looked up at Situ Jun, finding that he hadn't rested but was instead looking out the window with a calm gaze, the lines of his profile appearing resolute and deep in the flowing light and shadow.

"Didn't Husband rest for a while?"

Her voice still carried the hoarseness of just waking up, soft and moving, like a feather lightly scratching at one's heart.

Situ Jun looked down at the sound, the sharpness in his eyes instantly turning into gentleness, his fingertips naturally brushing away a stray hair by her cheek, his movements familiar and intimate:

"Not sleepy. But you, did you sleep well?"

Hua Hanxiang nodded lightly in his arms, rubbing against his chest like a satisfied cat, her voice full of dependence:

"With Husband by my side, I slept very soundly."

She moved her body, wanting to sit up:

"Let me pour a cup of tea for you?"

"No rush."

Situ Jun used a little force with his arm, not letting her get up, but instead took a warm jade pot from the small table beside him; the pot still carried warmth, obviously having been carefully kept at that temperature.

He personally poured a cup of Spiritual Tea at a moderate temperature and held it to her lips, his tone carrying a sense of coaxing:

"Drink some water to moisten your throat."

Hua Hanxiang obediently opened her mouth, taking small sips of the warm tea from his hand.

As the tea entered her throat, the warmth spread through her limbs and bones along her throat, and Hua Hanxiang let out a comfortable sigh, the laziness in her eyes not yet completely faded, adding a bit of watery luster that made her whole body and mind feel warm.

This meticulous care made her heart feel sweet, and she couldn't help but rub her cheek against his chest again, her eyes full of smiles.

She looked up at Situ Jun and saw that his gaze still drifted out the window from time to time; following his line of sight, she only saw the rapidly receding trees, their branches and leaves swaying in the wind, showing a bit of bleakness.

"Husband, are we getting closer and closer to the Nether Crow Cave Mansion?"

Hua Hanxiang asked softly, her fingers unconsciously drawing circles on Situ Jun's lapel.

Situ Jun withdrew his gaze, looked down at the woman in his arms, his fingertips lightly stroking her hair, his voice low and clear:

"Yes, at this speed, we should arrive at the outskirts of the Immortal Cave by noon tomorrow. It's just that the area is a mix of dragons and snakes, with constant unrest and many unknown dangers; the road ahead probably won't be so peaceful."

In the distance, mountains rose one after another, and among the dark trees, the sounds of insects and birds could be faintly heard, even the roars of beasts from very far away, torn into fragments by the wind.

Hua Hanxiang subconsciously shrank into Situ Jun's arms, not out of fear, but out of an instinct to seek closeness and protection.

"With Husband here, I am not afraid," she said softly, but her tone was very firm...