361: Take action

The air pressure around Situ Jun was terrifyingly low, and a murderous intent like crashing waves surged in his eyes.

His figure flickered, rushing out of the window like an arrow leaving a bow. Enveloped in Spatial Spiritual Power, he silently glided over the rooftops, racing toward the Wang Residence.

Inside Wan Xiangyu's courtyard, Steward Wang was immersed in the pleasure of his violence, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

He pinned Wan Xiangyu's shoulders down firmly, his face full of a hideous smile, while curses continuously spewed from his mouth:

"You bitch, you refuse the easy way only to take the hard way! Let's see if you still dare to resist me, let's see if you still dare to give me attitude..."

Bang!

A loud crash exploded in the room like a thunderclap.

Steward Wang only felt an irresistible, massive force suddenly come from behind him, as if he had been slammed into by a small mountain.

Before he could even react, he was violently hoisted up by that massive force, his body flying out uncontrollably and smashing heavily onto the hard floor.

Several crisp cracks rang out—it was unclear if it was the sound of breaking bones or the floor splitting apart.

Steward Wang didn't even groan; his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness, slumping on the ground like a puddle of mud, motionless.

Situ Jun stood in the center of the room, the malevolent aura around him yet to dissipate. Dragon Phoenix True Qi swirled around him, forming a faint halo.

He didn't even spare a glance at the dog-like Steward Wang on the floor; his gaze instantly fell upon Wan Xiangyu on the bed.

That single look caused the fury in his heart to reach a peak, nearly incinerating his reason.

Most of her collar had been torn open, revealing a large expanse of fair skin on her shoulders and chest, marked by several hideous scratch marks. The red welts contrasted sharply with her fair skin, making one's eyes ache with pain.

Half of her face was flushed with an abnormal crimson, a trail of wet blood hung from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were hollow and hopeless. She looked like a bird with broken wings discarded in the cold wind, radiating despair and fear.

Situ Jun took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning murderous intent in his heart, and walked to the bedside step by step.

He took off his Moon-white Brocade Robe and gently draped it over Wan Xiangyu, carefully covering her exposed skin.

The robe still carried his body heat and a faint scent of Dragons Saliva Incense—crisp and clean, completely different from the alcoholic and greasy stench on Steward Wang.

Wan Xiangyu's whole body jolted, and she suddenly lifted her head, a flicker of light finally appearing in her hollow eyes.

When she clearly saw the familiar, handsome face before her, all the grievances, fears, and despair accumulated in her heart completely broke through the dam at this moment, and tears surged out once again.

This time, they were no longer tears of despair, but filled with grievance and reliance. She lunged into Situ Jun's embrace, her shoulders trembling violently as her suppressed sobs finally burst forth.

Tears, like pearls from a broken string, slid down her tear-stained cheeks and dripped onto Situ Jun's collar, blooming into small, dark wet patches, carrying her faint, elegant fragrance.

"Does it hurt?"

Situ Jun's voice was low and gentle, carrying an imperceptible trace of heartache.

He extended his fingertip, gently wiping away the blood at the corner of her mouth. His fingertip channeled gentle Dragon Phoenix True Qi, which he carefully applied to her swollen cheek, gradually dissolving the stagnant blood.

Everywhere the True Qi passed, it brought a cool sense of comfort, slightly alleviating that burning pain.

"It hurts..."

Wan Xiangyu choked out, her voice broken and fragmented.

The pain on her cheeks, the sharp pain in her wrists, the throbbing ache in her chest, and the humiliation that reached her very marrow—all of it transformed into an unspeakable misery, making it impossible for her to pretend to be strong any longer.

Situ Jun could no longer care about anything else and reached out to gently pull her into his arms.

His movements were so soft it was as if he feared breaking her. His palm pressed against her back, slowly channeling gentle Spiritual Power, trying to soothe her pain and trembling, and comfort her battered heart.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

He comforted her in a low voice, the certainty in his tone acting like a healing medicine, causing Wan Xiangyu's tense body to gradually relax.

The woman in his arms was as soft as if she had no bones, trembling slightly. She carried a faint, elegant fragrance—a scent unique to her, clean and pure.

Unlike the rich fragrance she had emitted during their entanglement in the secret room due to arousal, the scent now held a few more traces of pitiable fragility, making Situ Jun's heart ache with a dense, stinging pain as if it were being pinched.

Wan Xiangyu buried herself in his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, feeling the continuous warmth and gentle Spiritual Power coming from his palm.

The grievances and loneliness accumulated over the years were like floodwaters that had opened their gates, no longer able to be restrained, pouring out completely.

She subconsciously wrapped her arms around his waist, tightly clutching his collar, as if only by doing so could she confirm she wasn't dreaming.

"Why... why did he treat me like this?"

She murmured to herself, her voice laced with sobbing:

"What did I do wrong? I've been in this residence for ten years, honoring my parents-in-law and managing the household, never daring to be the slightest bit negligent. But why did he treat me like this? Why..."

She couldn't understand, she truly couldn't understand.

She believed she hadn't done anything wrong, yet what she received in return was endless humiliation, beatings, and torture.

"You are not in the wrong."

Situ Jun gently patted her back, his tone firm and unquestionable, carrying a convincing power:

"The one who is wrong is not you, but this scumbag, and this absurd Family."

He looked down at the tear-stained face of the woman in his arms. Her long eyelashes still held crystalline tears, and the small Rouge Mole beneath her eye had been blurred by the tears, adding a touch of broken charm that made his heart ache and his pity grow even more intense.

The guilt, pity, and that spark of attraction that had already quietly sprouted in the secret room intertwined, turning into an uncontrollable emotion that surged and echoed in his chest, nearly overwhelming all his reason.

He remembered her endurance and sacrifice in the secret room when she suppressed her shyness and discomfort to help him neutralize the poison; he remembered the slight but stubborn trembling of her back when she funneled True Qi into him; he remembered her decisiveness and feigned strength when she woke up and wanted to completely sever the connection between them to preserve her reputation.

He knew that while this woman appeared weak, she possessed an unknown resilience and pride in her bones.

But no matter how resilient the heart or how proud the spirit, it could not withstand such year after year of grinding and harm.

After crying for a long time, Wan Xiangyu's sobs gradually subsided, leaving only faint hiccups, like an injured kitten. Yet she still didn't release the hands wrapped around him; instead, she held him even tighter.

As if only this could make her feel warm.

She could clearly feel the warmth of Situ Jun's embrace, his careful protection, and the gentleness and respect contained within his Spiritual Power.

These were things she had never received in the ten years since she married into the Wang Residence.

To Steward Wang, she was only an object for exploitation, humiliation, and abuse; there had never been a shred of respect or care.

The accidental union in the secret room had already created an unspeakable bond between the two.

And now, his sudden appearance and gentle comfort caused the high wall Wan Xiangyu had built to protect herself to collapse instantly, shattering without a trace.

She knew that her heart seemed to have quietly tilted toward this man who had saved her from fire and water, without her even realizing it.

It was just that this emotion, in such a situation, seemed so untimely and filled her with such trepidation.

Situ Jun felt the woman's sobbing in his arms gradually quiet down, though her body still trembled slightly. He didn't rush her or ask more questions; he simply maintained his embrace, patiently comforting her and continuously funneling gentle Spiritual Power until her body completely relaxed and her breathing gradually stabilized.

The candlelight in the room still flickered, reflecting their embracing figures.

A faint, elegant fragrance permeated the air, creating a warm and lingering atmosphere that temporarily dispelled the gloom and humiliation in the room.

As for Steward Wang on the floor, he remained unconscious, and no one paid any attention to whether he lived or died.

In Situ Jun's eyes, keeping such a scumbag alive was only a recipe for disaster.

But at the moment, what he cared about more was the battered woman in his arms who needed to be properly cared for.

He secretly made a vow that from this day forward, he would never let her suffer even the slightest harm again.