378: The women returned to the northern frontier

Situ Jun smiled and raised his hand, rubbing the top of Shen Xingwan's head, his gaze sweeping over the women in the room as his heart filled with warmth.

"Thinking that I hadn't seen you all for a long time, I came over to have a look."

Hearing this, the women looked at each other and smiled.

Jiang Ya had always been lively and active, but at this moment, she restrained her temperament and sat quietly by his side, listening to him recount his experiences in the South Border, sometimes worrying for him and sometimes cheering for him, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Lan Yanliu was soft and graceful, her fingertips lightly brushing across his palm, the delicate touch conveying wordless affection; no words were needed, for a single glance was enough to understand each other's hearts.

Shen Xingwan was charming and lovely, leaning on his shoulder and whispering playful secrets in his ear from time to time, drawing bursts of light laughter from everyone and adding a touch of liveliness to this warm night.

In the quiet of the night, only the candlelight flickered in the wind, reflecting scenes of lingering tenderness.

Situ Jun enjoyed the tenderness in this gentle haven, every glance and every touch filled with the cherishing and love of a long-awaited reunion.

Mei Shuang had a quiet nature and usually enjoyed tending to flowers or cooking delicious food, but now she couldn't be bothered with shyness and walked into the room of her younger sisters.

Seeing this, Situ Jun released Consort Yu's jade-like hand and gently reached out to pull her into his embrace.

At first, she was a bit shy, her cheeks flushing and her eyes dodging, but after feeling his familiar scent, the shyness in her eyes gradually melted away, turning into full tenderness as she leaned obediently against his shoulder.

Hua Hanxiang, Widow Ya, and Luo Yu, though not by his side at this moment, were also secretly missing him in their respective rooms, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

A night of tenderness, with long-lasting affection.

Not until the eastern sky turned fish-belly white and the morning light spilled through the window lattices into the room did it gradually return to peace, leaving only the sound of each other's steady breathing, interwoven into a melody of happiness in the morning light.

Early the next morning, as the morning sun rose, the golden dawn light spilled across the streets and alleys of East Lin City like crushed gold, bathing the entire city in warmth.

In front of Yuxiu Pavilion, over a dozen carriages were already prepared, and the drivers were carefully checking the horses and wheels to ensure a smooth journey.

Inside the courtyard, the women had already packed their belongings.

Several large wooden boxes and Storage Pouches were neatly placed on the ground, filled with everyone's clothing, cultivation resources, and the important assets of Yuxiu Pavilion.

Shopkeeper Liu waited at the door early with the Waiters of Yuxiu Pavilion, looking respectful, prepared to see Situ Jun and the others off.

Embroiderer and Consort Yu were carefully instructing Shopkeeper Liu on some forgotten matters, from guest preferences to the settlement of the Waiters' wages; no detail was too small, ensuring that Yuxiu Pavilion's business would remain prosperous after they left.

After the instructions were finished, the two of them gathered by Situ Jun's side, their eyes full of anticipation.

Seeing that the large items unsuitable for Storage Pouches had all been loaded onto the carriages and the women had properly arranged the various affairs of Yuxiu Pavilion, Situ Jun looked around at everyone and said loudly:

"It's getting late, let's set off!"

As his voice fell, he was the first to step onto the carriage, followed by the women, each with a graceful figure that drew sideways glances from the surrounding Waiters.

These carriages were all crafted from High-grade Spiritual Wood, with exquisite Defensive Formations carved onto the bodies and spacious, comfortable interiors covered with soft Beast-skin Carpets; they were also equipped with Spirit Gathering Arrays, which could both resist the cold and Yao Beast attacks along the way and allow everyone to Cultivate in peace during the journey, without delaying their progress at all.

"Depart!"

At Situ Jun's command, the drivers urged the horses forward, and the dozen or so carriages slowly drove out of Yuxiu Pavilion, heading toward North Border City.

Shopkeeper Liu and the Waiters stood at the door, waving goodbye until the carriages disappeared at the end of the street before slowly dispersing.

As the carriages drove out of the city, their speed gradually increased, and the scenery along the way constantly changed.

At first, it was still bustling towns with rows of shops and clamorous voices, but as they moved forward, the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate, with occasional scattered villages and fields where farmers were working, a scene of peace and tranquility.

The interior of the carriages was extremely comfortable, with exquisite tea sets and fresh Spiritual Fruits placed on the tea tables; the women sat together, either drinking tea and chatting, sharing interesting stories since their separation, or closing their eyes to Cultivate, immersed in the nourishment of Spiritual Qi, the atmosphere warm and cozy.

Situ Jun leaned on the soft couch, looking at the smiling women beside him, his heart full of peace, feeling that such a time couldn't be better.

When they reached a fork in the road, Widow Ya and Hua Hanxiang called for the driver to stop.

Widow Ya turned to look at Situ Jun and the women, her eyes filled with some reluctance:

"Husband, sisters, let us part ways here."

Although Situ Jun was reluctant, he still nodded and said:

"Be careful on the road and pay close attention to everything; if there are any difficulties, send a message to me at any time."

The women also spoke up to say goodbye, their words full of concern.

Widow Ya and Hua Hanxiang took a deep look at Situ Jun, then turned into two streaks of light, speeding toward the Poison Scorpion Cult, their figures soon disappearing into the horizon.

Situ Jun looked in the direction they left, silently offering his blessings, then ordered the convoy to continue forward.

Half a day later.

Luo Yu suddenly received a transmission from Saintess Chi Yu, saying that she was waiting at the Official Road intersection not far ahead to return to the Xihua Sect with her.

Luo Yu had to part with everyone; before leaving, she looked back at Situ Jun, her eyes full of reluctance and expectation, and a thousand words turned into a soft "Husband, take care."

Situ Jun waved at her, signaling her to leave with peace of mind, and secretly made up his mind that after handling the matters of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty's Qintian Division, he would go to the Xihua Sect to find her.

The convoy continued forward; along the way, everyone sometimes admired the scenery, seeing the magnificent mountains and rivers, the lingering clouds and mist, and taking in the odd peaks and steep ridges.

Sometimes they chatted and laughed, their laughter filling the journey and diluting the fatigue of travel.

During this period, they also encountered many blind Yao Beasts and Cultivators.

Those Yao Beasts were all attracted by the movement of the convoy, attempting to treat the human Cultivators as food.

And those Cultivators were mostly petty people who were tempted by wealth; seeing the extraordinary scale of the convoy, they wanted to take the opportunity to make a profit.

However, these people had clearly picked the wrong target; before Situ Jun could take action, Tu Xiong and Cao Guang led the Guards to strike quickly. Amidst the clashing of blades and swords, the Yao Beasts wailed and fell, and the Cultivators fled in disarray, resolving the trouble in a short moment, demonstrating the formidable strength of the North Border forces.

Looking at Situ Jun's calm and confident manner, the women's admiration and attachment grew even deeper, feeling that as long as he was by their side, everything would be fine, and no matter what danger they encountered, they could pass through safely.

This day, the convoy reached a place called "White Crane Ridge."

The mountains here were steep, with overlapping peaks and dense forests that blocked the sun; sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground, making it appear exceptionally deep and secluded.

It was said that bandits frequently appeared here; it was a necessary path for trade convoys traveling between North Border City and East Lin City, and it was also a well-known dangerous place.