Chapter 63

"Good little brother, good little brother..." Suddenly, Ningning bit Yangdingtian's earlobe and let out a soft cry, her body arching and stiffening like a swan that had been shot.

For a full half minute, her body trembled violently, then her naked, soft body fell heavily onto Yangdingtian's body, limp like water.

Her entire body was drenched.

She lay on Yangdingtian's scorching body, her eyes closed, savoring the afterglow of the intense passion. Her breathing gradually slowed, and her body gradually returned to its original temperature.

The people outside had already left, and she didn't even know when they had gone.

Ningning felt a burning hardness still pressing against her buttocks. They hadn't actually had intercourse, just pretending, but their most intimate parts were tightly pressed together, rubbing wildly.

Despite this, Ningning still reached the peak of her desire, while Yangdingtian remained intensely aroused.

Both of them remained silent, as if neither wanted to be the first to open their eyes and face the possible awkwardness.

Finally, Ximen Ningning opened her eyes and said softly, "Xiaotian, do you want your sister to give it to you?"

Yangdingtian shook his head.

"Ningning didn't refuse you just now. It's because I'm still a virgin, and I was afraid that if we really did it, it would show," Ningning explained in a low voice. "I've never thought about marrying anyone in my life. I consider you like family. We've already gone this far, so I'm willing to give my body to you."

Yangdingtian opened his eyes and said shakily, "Ningning, you are the most alluring woman in the world, a true woman. But I always feel I don't have the right to take, I don't have the right to indulge."

"Is it because of Yan Yan? Or because of me?" Ximen Ningning asked.

"I don't know..." Yangdingtian replied.

"Poor little thing, you'll be crushed by responsibility," Ximen Ningning said softly, then her small hand trembled as she held Yangdingtian's burning hardness, rubbing it awkwardly.

"Ningning, don't do this. A cold shower will do," Yangdingtian said, breathing heavily.

"Be good..." Ningning leaned down and kissed Yangdingtian, saying softly, "I've never truly indulged myself. Since we've started, let's indulge completely today. Once we leave this bed, Xiaotian will still be Xiaotian, and Ningning will still be Ningning."

Yangdingtian hesitated for a long time before speaking, "Ningning, whether intentionally or unintentionally, we've become so intimate. Yan Yan once said she wanted you to marry her with her. If, when I have the strength to protect you, can I take care of you?"

Ningning smiled gently and said, "Is it because you like me? Or because you want to take responsibility?"

"It's hard to tell," Yangdingtian said.

Ningning said softly, "I really like hearing that. Hearing that you want to take care of me makes me very happy. But I can't marry, and I can't give my body to a man. This is my secret, a secret even Yan Yan doesn't know. I can't tell you now, but if we have the chance in the future, I'll tell you, okay?"

Yangdingtian nodded sadly.

Ningning leaned down and kissed him gently, saying, "But I'm really happy to hear that."

Yangdingtian smiled awkwardly.

"Okay..." Ningning said with a smile, "I'll wait for that day, when you're strong enough to break the chains on me, okay?"

"Ningning, you are truly the most gentle woman in the world," Yangdingtian said. "I really don't know which man in this world could truly make you fall in love."

"Silly..." Ximen Ningning said, "It's hard to say whether I love or not, but I do know that I like Xiaotian a lot. When Yan Yan blamed you, when I heard your story, and when I saw your stubbornness and determination, I felt very sorry for you."

"Alright, no more talking. Enjoy the care from your sister. This should be the only time," Ningning gently pressed her hand to Yangdingtian's lips, and the other hand increased the speed of her caresses.

Yangdingtian's body was scorching, his breathing heavy, and he closed his eyes with a mix of embarrassment and complexity. He thought he already understood this woman, but now he realized his understanding was too shallow.

"If you want, you can touch my body, anywhere," Ximen Ningning suddenly said, then grabbed Yangdingtian's hand and guided it to her buttocks, saying, "You love this part the most, right? Yan Yan said you always peek at her butt, and you occasionally peek at mine too."

As soon as these words were spoken, Yangdingtian's body arched like a tightly wound spring.

After about ten minutes, a low growl erupted, and a wave of passion burst forth.

******

Half an hour later.

Ximen Ningning had already bathed and dressed, and was putting on makeup in front of the mirror.

"We should go," Ningning said. "Take a bath, change your clothes, buy two horses, and we'll cross the border to the abandoned mine."

Yangdingtian said, "Ximen Ju shouldn't suspect us, right?"

"He shouldn't," Ximen Ningning's face turned red, and she said softly, "After all that, how could he suspect us?"

...

Yangdingtian bought a carriage and a horse. Ximen Ningning sat in the carriage, and he rode the horse, heading to the border checkpoint.

Leaving Iron Sword Village, the road was mostly through farmland and mountains, with mines and forests. These were all properties of Iron Sword Castle, but they had to pay taxes to Cloud Peak City.

Along the way, there was a castle every ten miles or so, large or small, housing varying numbers of swordsmen who guarded and maintained order in the area.

There were many carriages and horses on the road, and Yangdingtian didn't talk much with Ningning after what happened last night, even though they said it was just a dream, he still felt very embarrassed. However, Ningning gave him water and fruit a few times during the journey.

The journey was uneventful, and in less than half a day, they covered the last hundred miles to the famous border line. On the map, it was just a red line, but seeing it in person, Yangdingtian felt a sense of awe.

A bottomless abyss of lava, the earth torn apart. The abyss was about four to five miles wide, with blood-red lava churning and boiling, bottomless.

This was indeed a natural border. Yangdingtian knew that the lava abyss was over two thousand miles long, even exceeding the territories of Cloud Peak City and the Northwest Qin family.

A massive suspension bridge, five meters wide and over three thousand meters long, spanned the abyss, the only passage between the two regions. Two huge castles guarded the ends of the bridge, the eastern one belonging to Cloud Peak City and the western one to the Northwest Qin family. Along the lava abyss, there was a tall watchtower every ten miles, monitoring any flying beasts that might cross the abyss. Flying was not allowed here, and any flying beasts discovered would be immediately shot down.

Yangdingtian was now queuing in the square in front of the castle, waiting to cross the bridge.

Although this was Iron Sword Castle's territory, the castle was adorned with the flags of Cloud Peak City. This was a key forward base of Cloud Peak City, heavily fortified. Dense crossbows and giant crossbows were visible everywhere, and there were even a dozen stone-throwing machines.

"The commander of this abyss castle is Ximen Nu, the most favored adopted son of my adoptive father. We call him Second Brother. His cultivation is almost on par with Ximen Lie, and he commands eight hundred warriors, making him only slightly weaker than Ximen Ju and Ximen Lie," Ningning explained in a low voice. "He is very loyal to my adoptive father. Yan Yan sent him a message on her way back to Cloud Peak City, asking him to be loyal to you, but he didn't respond."

Ximen Ju, Ximen Lie, and Ximen Nu were the three most outstanding adopted sons under Ximen Wuyan, controlling the largest power in Cloud Peak City, known as the Iron Triangle. Ximen Wuyan relied on these three to completely sideline the council. But now, it seemed the Iron Triangle had already fallen apart.

Yangdingtian looked at the elite swordsmen and knights in the square, each one serious and sharp, showing no slack despite the upheaval in Cloud Peak City. He could imagine how formidable the commander of this castle, Ximen Nu, must be.

After checking their travel documents, because Yangdingtian, the driver, and the carriage made up three people and two horses, they paid two gold coins for the bridge toll. Yangdingtian and Ximen Ningning were then allowed to cross the famous suspension bridge.

Although it was a suspension bridge, it was different from what Yangdingtian had imagined. Many carriages and horses could walk on it without much shaking. The five-meter-wide bridge could accommodate two carriages side by side. It was supported by a dozen thick iron chains, with a solid wooden deck and no gaps. There were also railings on both sides, about a person's height.

It was hard to imagine how, hundreds of years ago, Cloud Peak City and the Northwest Qin family built this magnificent suspension bridge. Even on high-tech Earth, building such a bridge would be very difficult, as there was no support under the bridge.

The five-meter-wide bridge was divided into two lanes, one for eastbound and one for westbound traffic, allowing for smooth two-way travel.

The bridge was crowded, as it was the only passage for thousands of miles.

After crossing the five-mile-long bridge, Yangdingtian was checked again and paid three gold coins to enter the territory of the Northwest Qin family.

Compared to the bridgehead castle on the Cloud Peak City side, the Northwest Qin family's castle was larger, and there was even a small town outside the castle.

"This is Abyss Edge Town. The commander is the seventh younger brother of the Qin family's lord, and also Qin Hongmian's uncle. He is very familiar with Qin Hongmian, so we need to leave quickly to avoid being recognized," Ximen Ningning said.

The two sped up, leaving the crowded town, and gave the driver some money to send him away. They unhitched the carriage and rode their horses toward the abandoned mine.

The abandoned molybdenum silver mine was in the southwest, about two hundred miles away, in a remote wilderness. Yangdingtian and Ximen Ningning tried to avoid the main roads and rode through the remote mountain paths.

After traveling for dozens of miles, everything was peaceful. They were now in a desolate area with few people. They continued to ride southwest at full speed.

Suddenly, the ground ahead shook, and a cloud of dust rose, clearly indicating a large cavalry force.

"This must be Qin Shaobai's group returning to Cloud Peak City. Let's go quickly!" Ningning's face changed, and she quickly tried to evade.