353: Spending the night in Qingshan Town

As Situ Jun's figure leaped over the high walls of the Wang Manor, the night dew was dampening his moon-white brocade robe.

The night breeze carried the crisp scent of greenery, but it could not dispel the gloom in his heart—those eyes hidden beneath long lashes, filled with stubbornness and despair, and the lingering swelling on her cheeks, pierced his mind like a fine needle.

He should have set off for East Lin City immediately.

His Cultivation had achieved a Breakthrough, and several women—Su Yunniang, Li Danying, the Embroiderer, and Shen Xingwan—were pregnant; logically, he should return early to visit them.

But as his feet landed on the bluestone road outside the Wang Manor, he hesitated to take the path toward the Official Road.

“Silly woman.”

Situ Jun cursed softly, his tone full of helplessness and heartache.

The data from the Eye of Detection was clearly imprinted in his mind: 71 points of favorability, a heart yearning to be cared for, and that feigned indifference born from past experiences.

She had clearly long since become completely disappointed in Steward Wang, and feelings had clearly stirred in her heart, yet she insisted on trapping herself in that cage, saying she was “used to life here.”

How could he not understand her concerns?

The power behind Steward Wang, her helpless situation, the fear of the unknown—all these were like shackles, binding her firmly.

But because he understood, he was all the more unwilling to accept it.

Unwilling to let her continue suffering in that gloomy Wang Manor, unwilling to let this predestined bond stall here, and even more worried about leaving her alone to face the next potential harm.

“I'll stay for two more days to see if this Steward Wang is still such a bastard. If he is, I'll have no choice but to cripple his Cultivation. As for this silly woman, if she stays stubborn, I'll exchange for a low-harm high-quality servitude pill and feed it to her.”

Thinking of Wan Xiangyu's mature and charming figure, Situ Jun felt a surge of heat in his heart while sighing slightly.

His body flickered as he changed direction, heading towards the center of Qingshan Town.

In the night, his figure was as swift as a ghost, avoiding the occasional pedestrians, and soon arrived at the only decent “Fortune Inn” in town.

He pushed the door open; the Shopkeeper was dozing at the counter. Startled by the sound, he rubbed his eyes and looked up:

“Guest, staying the night?”

“Give me a premium room facing the street, prepare plenty of hot water and food, and don't disturb me unless it's important.”

Situ Jun's voice was low as he casually tossed a silver ingot onto the counter, which landed with a crisp clink.

The Shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and he quickly rose to take the silver, smiling obsequiously:

“Right away! Please come in, guest, I'll lead the way!”

He personally led him to the second floor and opened a street-facing guest room as requested.

The room was simply furnished but clean, with a desk by the window. Opening the window provided a view of the street outside the alley.

Situ Jun dismissed the Shopkeeper and closed the door. With a flick of his finger, an invisible barrier of spiritual power enveloped the room, cutting off any outside prying.

He walked to the window, pushed open half of it, and looked past the scattered rooftops toward the Wang Manor.

The inn was only two streets away from the Wang Manor. Even at this distance, he could vaguely sense the movements within with his Cultivation, which satisfied Situ greatly.

The night was thick, and the silhouette of the Wang Manor loomed in the darkness, with only a few courtyards still lit by faint candlelight, likely the servants still busy.

With his Soul Transformation Stage Divine Sense, he easily found Wan Xiangyu's courtyard.

Wan Xiangyu's aura was steady, suggesting she had already retired for the night, but there was a faint, almost imperceptible trace of gloom in her aura, likely because the conflict and unease in her heart had not yet dissipated.

As the night deepened, the streets outside the inn gradually fell silent, leaving only the occasional sound of the night watchman's clapper.

Situ Jun sat cross-legged on the bed, circulating the Dragon-Phoenix Grand Derivation True Scripture, the Dragon-Phoenix True Qi in his Dantian flowing slowly.

For some reason, the True Qi circulation was exceptionally smooth today, perhaps because after merging with Wan Xiangyu's True Qi, their spiritual powers were more compatible, or perhaps because having someone to care about gave this power a clearer direction.

He closed his eyes, and Wan Xiangyu's image involuntarily surfaced in his mind: eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, that small cinnabar mole under her eye, and her shy yet stubborn look when she lowered her head.

The Eye of Detection showed she was 38 years old, but time seemed to have treated her exceptionally well; aside from the world-weariness in her eyes, her beauty remained peerless, even possessing a mature and gentle charm that surpassed many sixteen-year-old girls.

“Wan Xiangyu...”

He murmured her name in his heart, his fingertips curling slightly.

This silly woman, clearly yearning for warmth yet insisting on acting strong; clearly having him in her heart yet insisting on keeping him at a distance.

The moonlight from outside filtered through the window lattice, spilling onto his handsome face and outlining a soft silhouette... When the day broke, Situ Jun was already standing behind the carved window on the second floor of the inn.

Looking through the window paper toward the Wang Manor two streets away, his connected Divine Sense sensed Wan Xiangyu's steady aura—she should be awake.

The Waiter brought steaming rice porridge and side dishes, and Situ Jun ate a few bites hastily.

Before long, his Divine Sense detected a small maid carrying a food box hurrying into Wan Xiangyu's courtyard, likely bringing washing water and breakfast.

Not long after, he sensed Wan Xiangyu's aura moving, accompanied by the very light sound of clothing rubbing.

She was likely grooming herself, perhaps facing a bronze mirror and applying the jade dew ointment he had left behind.

Thinking that when her fingertips touched the ointment, she might recall the events of last night, a faint smile unconsciously tugged at the corner of Situ Jun's mouth, and the gloom in his heart dissipated a bit.

However, this warmth didn't last long before it was interrupted by another heavy aura in the Wang Manor—Steward Wang had woken up.

That aura was full of the turbidity and irritability following a hangover, accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking objects and his cursing voice, which vaguely reached Situ Jun's ears even across two streets.

“Useless! All of you are useless! Who carried me back last night? My whole body feels like it's falling apart!”

Then came the trembling replies of the servants, mixed with flattery and fear.

Situ Jun's brow furrowed slightly; he felt Wan Xiangyu's emotions were clearly disturbed by this noise, carrying a hint of imperceptible disgust and endurance.

He could imagine the scene in the Wang Manor's study: Steward Wang shirtless, revealing his greasy belly, his hair disheveled from last night's fall, and his face still flushed from the hangover.

He must be throwing a massive tantrum at the servants, venting all the anger from his splitting headache onto others.

Sure enough, after a moment, a maid ran out of the study crying, her hair messy, her sleeves torn, and a handprint on her face.

It seemed Steward Wang had taken his anger out on her and struck her.

Situ Jun's gaze turned cold.

The Eye of Detection had already told him about Steward Wang's character—alcoholic, lecherous, and violently unpredictable—but witnessing it still made anger surge in his heart.

Sharing a home with such a person, the grievances and scares Wan Xiangyu suffered were likely more than he had imagined.