After infiltrating the main characters' group, I became the most beautiful woman in the world.

When Su Ning was pushed out of the dense forest, her hands were tied behind her back, her hair was disheveled, and her moon-white riding clothes were covered with mud and grass juice, as if she had been dragged for quite a distance.

The rope was a thin black cord that cut deep into the flesh of her wrist, turning that small patch of skin bluish-purple.

Her veil was still on, the sky-blue gauze hanging down, covering her face, but not her trembling body.

She was trembling, from her shoulders to her fingertips, from her knees to her ankles, her whole body shaking uncontrollably, like a withered leaf blown down by the autumn wind, making its last, powerless struggle before hitting the ground.

Everyone's gaze froze.

Only Xie Zhuo, who was restrained by Yue Zijin and Tang Xi and unable to move, remained indifferent and showed no concern whatsoever.

"Xixi, save me."

Her lips were pale, and the corners of her eyes were red, as if she had just been crying or choked by the dust in the forest.

Tang Xi instinctively wanted to save her, but the next moment she realized that her whip was binding Xie Zhuo.

She can't leave.

Not only her, but Yue Zijin is also unable to leave.

Tangxi turned her gaze to Pei Yunlian.

Lou Xianyue lured away the surrounding guards, leaving only Pei Yunlian as the only one who could move.

Su Ning staggered two steps and was almost pushed to the ground by the person behind her. She barely managed to stand up, raised her head, and looked over the light and shadow in the forest to Pei Yunlian.

There was fear and pleading in his eyes, the desperate cry of a drowning person clinging to the last piece of driftwood.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out, yet Pei Yunlian read her lip movements.

help me.

Pei Yunlian's pupils contracted.

And the culprit emerged from the shadows.

Yue Zijin tried his best to keep his eyes from looking in Su Ning's direction, until he saw the familiar black-robed man, at which point he gasped.

"It's you," he said with certainty.

He had seen him, or rather, they had all seen him.

The Shadow Pavilion Master of Ten Miles of Suspended Bells.

However, the Shadow Pavilion Master showed no intention of chatting with them.

"Release Her Highness, or rather, you want to see her die."

"Heh..." Yue Zijin let out a very soft, sarcastic laugh. "The famous Ten-Mile Bell Pavilion is actually a lackey of the imperial court."

"stop--"

That voice belonged to Pei Yunlian.

Su Ning's hair fell out from the edge of her veil, a few strands clinging to her cheeks, damp, whether from sweat or dew, glistening faintly in the morning light.

The Shadow Pavilion Master seemed to have no concept of tenderness or pity for women, and reached out to tear down Su Ning's curtain without any mercy.

Pei Yunlian could even see a few strands of the other person's hair that were caught in the curtain being carelessly torn down.

The pain caused Su Ning to frown instantly.

The cold dagger was already pressed against Su Ning's fair neck.

"Pei Yunlian, save me."

At that moment, the frail girl, shrouded in death, could no longer help but cry out.

He had just lifted his foot when Yue Zijin stopped him:

"Pei Yunlian, be careful, it might be a trap."

Without waiting for Pei Yunlian's reaction, he turned to look at the Prince Ling, who was being held hostage by them.

"Isn't Su Ning one of your people? Your court is truly heartless and treacherous. Is this the price you pay for someone who's no longer of use?"

He lowered his voice, but couldn't hide the sarcasm in his words.

The sword at Xie Zhuo's neck tightened even more, and a trickle of blood seeped out. He chuckled softly, his thin lips parted slightly, and his voice, clear and sharp like shattered jade falling onto a plate, was sharp and assertive: "They just wanted to save me."

"So, what about you? Would you choose to save her?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Pei Yunlian behind him who hadn't taken that step, and a faint, cold smile curved his lips.

His eyes were filled with condescending contempt: "If you don't go save her soon, I have no idea what my subordinates might do."

Pei Yunlian was indeed caught in a dilemma.

But he is different from Yue Zijin; he can make choices.

Seeing Pei Yunlian walk forward, Yue Zijin shouted, "Pei Yunlian, wake up!"

"Stop, I'll save her."

But has Pei Yunlian ever heard of Yue Zijin?

The answer is no.

As Pei Yunlian walked forward slowly, the Shadow Pavilion Master's movements became noticeably more tense.

The dagger pressed down a little further against Su Ning's neck, the blade digging into her flesh, and a thin line of blood seeped from the edge of the blade, crimson, flowing down Su Ning's fair neck.

Like plum blossoms fallen in the snow.

Su Ning frowned even more, her lips parted slightly, and she shook her head at him almost imperceptibly.

At the same time, Pei Yunlian had already arrived in front of Su Ning, and the distance between the two was no more than three feet.

Neither of them made any further moves.

He stared into the Shadow Pavilion Master's dark eyes, then dropped his sword.

The sword fell onto the grass with a clear, crisp sound.

Pei Yunlian suddenly recalled the teachings of her elders from before she entered the world:

"The most dangerous thing in the martial world isn't a knife, a sword, or those obviously deadly moves; it's what makes you willingly lay down your weapons."

"Release Su Ning, and I'll be your hostage."

"After all, Su Ning is a traitor to us. She only released me because she held me hostage."

After sizing him up, the Shadow Pavilion Master let out a low chuckle: "Not very old, but quite the romantic."

"The charm of the pastry chef is truly amazing."

He seemed to be sighing, yet also stating a fact.

Su Ning lowered her head, as if she dared not look at him.

However, Pei Yunlian's surrender-like exchange of hostages prevented him from escalating his actions further.

"Okay," he said, staring at the upright-looking boy in front of him, "come here, and I'll slowly put down my weapon."

"After all, we don't want to harm Dian Su Niang's life."

The hostage exchange is underway.

The dagger held to her neck was finally removed, but her wrists remained bound.

She was dressed in a moon-white dress, her hair slightly disheveled. Her small face, which could bring ruin to a country, was as pale as paper, her beautiful eyes filled with tears. She was so delicate that she seemed as if a gust of wind could blow her over, and her whole body exuded a fragile vulnerability that made people feel sorry for her.

Just as they brushed past each other, she whispered to Pei Yunlian, "Thank you."

Pei Yunlian only said softly, "Zijin and the others are waiting for you."

Meanwhile, Yue Zijin and Tang Xi were also staring at Su Ning, while Xie Zhuo, who was being held hostage by them, had a faint smile on his lips.

The next second, a sudden change occurred—

The beauty's drooping eyelashes suddenly lifted, and there was no trace of timidity in her eyes.

A smile, both dazzling and wicked, curled at the corners of her lips.

Yue Zijin, however, sensed something was wrong and quickly shouted a warning to Pei Yunlian: "Get out of the way!"

Unfortunately, as soon as Pei Yunlian turned around, she could only watch helplessly as Su Ning raised her head.

A cold glint flashed from the plain white sleeve, and a short dagger, like a venomous snake, plunged into Pei Yunlian's body without hesitation and with ruthless decisiveness when he was completely unprepared.

With a "thud," the cold dagger plunged deep into his shoulder blade.

The boy's body jolted, and he lowered his head in disbelief.

She withdrew the dagger, and drops of blood dripped down the sharp blade, blooming like red plum blossoms on the grass.

Su Ning took a half step back, clutching her chest, still looking fragile and vulnerable, but her gaze towards him held a playful and malicious glint, like a cat catching a mouse.

She chuckled softly, her voice sweet yet cruel: "Yun Lian, don't give up your sword so easily next time."