"Oh, something that others have been desperately searching for so long and couldn’t find, you just bought it casually from a street vendor in the black market?" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Shen Li stood up and walked to Shen Tang, his tall and slender body casting a shadow over her, enveloping her in a poppy-like alluring yet dangerous aura that inexplicably carried an oppressive feeling. "Xiao Tang’er, should I say you’re lucky, or just a bit... dishonest."

Shen Tang frowned, instinctively taking a step back. "You’re acting strange today. This is really just a trinket I bought from a vendor. Is there a need to dig into it so deeply?"

The secrets she harbored weren’t new; the Beast Husbands had all witnessed them, but they maintained an unspoken understanding and never exposed it, usually turning a blind eye, pretending not to know.

Shen Li usually seemed indifferent about everything, but today he seemed to hold this matter in high regard.

Shen Li hesitated, then composed himself, pulling her into an embrace, and sighed softly, "You really have no idea what kind of treasure you’ve brought out. This map is enough to make the entire Empire... no, anyone in this world covet it. Apart from me, don’t ever show it to anyone else."

Shen Tang was baffled. "Is this Secret Realm really that formidable?"

"Have you ever heard a legend, Xiao Tang’er, that the Night Glow Empire is renowned as a divine sanctuary? In just a century, it rose from an obscure small nation to an empire and single-handedly halted the spread of the largest polluted area. All of this was thanks to the power within the Secret Realm."

Shen Tang frowned. "But just recently, the Empire faced another invasion by pollutants. This sanctified land is just a baseless rumor. It can’t be that amazing!"

Shen Li explained, "Perhaps this power is waning. Xiao Tang’er, why not go to the Secret Realm and retrieve that legendary treasure? Maybe it could resolve the Empire’s crisis."

Shen Tang broke free from his embrace, walked over to the desk, and picked up the map to examine it.

She unexpectedly found that the indicated entrance to the Secret Realm was at an unnamed hill near Wind Roar City.

Shen Tang couldn’t believe it. "Are you saying the treasure is hidden here?"

Shen Li walked over, nodded, and said solemnly, "I once thought the entrance to the Secret Realm was hidden in the Imperial City. I never expected the ancestors to be so clever, hiding it in such an inconspicuous place, making it even harder to discover."

As he spoke, he turned to her, his eyes carrying an alluring invitation, "Legend has it that the entrance to the Secret Realm is sealed with a special enchantment, only accessible by successive Monarchs. Would you like to go, Xiao Tang’er? Perhaps you can find the treasure like the ancestors once did."

"Shouldn’t we tell Lu Xiao and the others about this?"

"Ah Xiao has been busy dealing with the Lu Family affairs these past two days, Yin Zhou is shedding skin and has disappeared somewhere, Xiao Jin is stationed in Tieling City and can’t return yet, and the young prince still has to worry about things at the factory. I think there’s no need to tell them about this, to prevent them from being distracted," Shen Li said with a smile. "I happen to have nothing to do, how about Brother Li accompany you on a trip?"

Shen Tang thought about it and felt that Shen Li made sense. The other Beast Husbands were all busy and couldn’t make time.

It’s just a trip; there’s no need to make a big deal out of it.

Besides, the sly fox is quite powerful. With him accompanying her, there shouldn’t be any issues.

"Alright, the affairs at the Imperial City are almost done, and there’s nothing much tomorrow. Let’s go take a look early tomorrow," Shen Tang decided, feeling an urgent need to retrieve the treasure to avoid any future accidents.

After returning from the Lu Family, Shen Tang also stopped by the military department for a while. It was already getting late outside. She yawned, just about to head back to her bedroom to rest, when the man behind her called out,

"Xiao Tang’er."

Shen Tang paused, turning to Shen Li. "What is it? Do you need something?"

"... I just suddenly remembered that I haven’t seen you in a while, and I miss you."

Shen Li wrapped her waist and pulled her into his embrace, lowering his head to kiss her fiercely.

Shen Tang felt like a beached fish, almost unable to catch her breath!

There was something particularly different about Shen Li tonight.

Passionate as fire, sentimental and lingering.

Shen Tang had long noticed that this sly fox appeared to be the most flamboyant and passionate among the Beast Husbands, but in reality, he was the coldest-hearted and most distant of them all, a smiling fox that was hard to get close to.

Their intimate encounters were few and far between.

Most of the time, she was the one actively seeking him out.

After being with Shen Li for so long, Shen Tang still couldn’t fully understand this man. It always felt like there was a thin, veiled curtain between them, making him hard to fathom yet all the more captivating.

Shen Tang’s body and mind were ignited by him, blooming as she clung to his firm waist and back, indulging wantonly.

Amidst the heat of passion, she pushed him away, forcibly breaking the moment!

Shen Li’s breath was suddenly disordered, his eyes tinged with red as he looked at her, a hint of unfulfilled desire in his gaze. "Tang’er..."

"I’m tired tonight, I need to rest. You can... handle yourself," she teased.

This sly fox was hiding something from her, and Shen Tang wouldn’t let him have his way, so she turned and went to the bedroom.

But in the next instant, a strong force pulled her back into an embrace. Shen Li gripped her chin, lowered his head, and covered her soft lips with his, kissing her savagely!

"Mmm～" Shen Tang could only let out a soft whimper, her voice swallowed entirely by him.

She felt as if her lips were about to be bitten until they bled!

A faint trace of blood mingled between their connected lips.

Just as Shen Tang was about to run out of breath, Shen Li finally let go of her.

He gazed down at her flushed, aroused cheeks, his long, jade-like fingers gently stroking her overly red lips, a hoarse low whisper in his deep, heated voice, "... Do you remember the pair of earrings I gave you?"

Shen Tang felt weak in his arms, almost unable to stand, nodding feebly.

Shen Li lowered his head to affectionately kiss her plump, red lips, a hint of coaxing persuasion in his voice, "Put them on, let me see."

Shen Tang was puzzled why Shen Li suddenly mentioned that pair of earrings. Since he gave them to her on her birthday, they had been stored away with no occasion to wear them, nearly forgotten and gathering dust.

She took the earrings out from her storage space.

Shen Li assisted her in wearing them.

The woman was already stunningly beautiful, with black hair and snowy skin, delicate and exquisite features, her alluring cat-like eyes brimming with charm and allure, her lips as red as blossoms. The unadorned Red Jade Earrings only highlighted her flawless snowy skin, adding to her allure.

Shen Li gently stroked her cheek, his eyes brimming with infinite tenderness, filled with love. "You’re truly beautiful."

"Remember to keep them safe, Xiao Tang’er, don’t forget them."

Shen Tang nodded, "I will keep them safe."

Shen Li’s gaze at her was filled with deep affection, yet it seemed to flash with a trace of bitterness or other complex emotions, though Shen Tang couldn’t ponder further at this moment.

Shen Li turned her around, pinning her against the wall, his large hand gripping her waist, lowering his head to kiss her long, slender neck as his sharp teeth pierced her tender skin, leaving a lavish blood mark.

"Ah!"

Shen Tang shuddered, letting out a faint cry of pain, while her legs wrapped around his trim waist.

Shen Li’s breathing was turbulent, almost driving him mad.

In this stance, he carried the female in his arms, striding toward the bedroom.