After descending the mountain, my aloof fiancée became completely devoted to me.

"I will go to the Zheng family in person."

Lin Ping made a decision immediately, his gaze falling back to Shen Aoxue on the bed, his fingertips gently brushing her slightly cool cheek, his voice gentle yet firm.

"Wait a moment longer, I will retrieve the spirit jade, and from now on no one will be able to torment you again."

In a simple sentence, he was full of doting affection and tenderness.

The women in the harem understood as they watched this scene. Although the master seemed indifferent and ruthless, he actually put the safety of everyone around him first.

Zhu Xiaohan nodded and said, "I will stay behind at the manor to reinforce the formation, protect Miss Aoxue, and prevent evil spirits from causing trouble along the way."

"I'll go with my husband!" Aru immediately stepped forward and volunteered.

"No need."

Lin Ping slightly raised his hand, his tone indifferent: "The Zheng family is nothing to cause trouble. You just stay here and guard this place."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and stepped out of the bedroom. In a flash, he disappeared into the night.

……

The ancestral home of the Zheng family in an ancient city in southern Xinjiang.

The courtyard is magnificent and ancient, covering a vast area, and is a long-established force in the ancient city with a history of hundreds of years.

The atmosphere inside the Zheng family's main hall was solemn at this moment.

Zheng Yan, who had his arm crippled by Lin Ping during the day and was in a sorry state, was sitting in the main seat with a gloomy face. His severed arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and he was weak, but his eyes were filled with sinister calculation.

In the main hall, an elderly man with white hair sat with his eyes closed, his body exuding a profound martial arts aura. He was none other than the patriarch of the Zheng family, who had been living in seclusion for many years.

"Ancestor, that Lin Ping is extremely arrogant! He crippled my arm, humiliated the Zheng family, and today he even crushed all my followers, showing absolutely no respect for the Zheng family of the ancient city!"

Zheng Yan gritted his teeth and growled, filled with resentment: "He seems invincible in battle, but he actually has a huge weakness! Shen Aoxue harbors ancient Yin evil within her, and he's hesitant to go all out because he's afraid of harming her! If we handle this properly, we can not only avenge ourselves but also seize control of the earth's veins!"

The white-haired old man slowly opened his eyes, his gaze cloudy and deep, carrying a sinister, calculating air.

"The Earth-Suppressing Jade has been sealed in my Zheng family for a hundred years, specifically to ward off evil spirits in the earth's veins. That kid must know the jade's uses, and tonight he will definitely come knocking to ask for it."

Zheng Yan was taken aback: "Does the ancestor mean he'll come begging to us?"

"That's right."

The old man chuckled softly, his tone playful: "Shen Aoxue is his Achilles' heel. To suppress the evil spirits and protect his loved ones, he has no choice but to bow down and beg the Zheng family."

"Once he comes to our door, we can seize the opportunity to force him to hand over control of the earth's veins and submit to the Zheng family. At that time, we will have power in the Southern Frontier, and the mere grudge of losing an arm can be avenged in the blink of an eye."

As the two were plotting their scheme, a slender figure quietly landed outside the courtyard.

Lin Ping walked slowly into the Zheng family ancestral home, his gaze sweeping across the vast courtyard, his voice calmly rang out: "Where is the head of the Zheng family?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly resonated throughout the entire hall.

Upon hearing the sound, Zheng Yan's eyes flashed with a sinister and wild joy. He immediately suppressed his expression, put on a respectful and guilty look, and rushed out of the main hall.

Upon seeing Lin Ping arrive alone, Zheng Yan bowed deeply, his posture extremely humble, his face full of sincerity.

"Mr. Lin's visit so late at night is unacceptable; I apologize for not greeting you properly!"

His attitude underwent a complete 180-degree change; he was no longer as arrogant and conceited as he had been during the day, and appeared humble and submissive.

Lin Ping remained indifferent, not bothering to watch his act, and spoke directly: "I've heard that the Zheng family possesses a spirit jade that can suppress the evil spirits of the earth's veins and stabilize the soul."

"I have come here today only to borrow the spirit jade to heal the person beside me."

Zheng Yan was overjoyed. Just as the ancestor had predicted, Lin Ping had indeed taken the initiative to come to Shen Aoxue's door to show weakness and ask for help.

But he showed no sign of it on his face; instead, he appeared generous and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Sir, you jest! You have quelled the evil spirits of the earth's veins and protected the peace of the Southern Frontier. You are the benefactor of all the people of the Southern Frontier! A mere jade pendant is nothing to speak of!"

"Don't even mention borrowing it, sir. If you need it, my Zheng family will offer it to you without hesitation, without the slightest selfishness!"

His demeanor was poised and his tone sincere, perfectly portraying an image of gratitude and righteousness.

Lin Ping's eyes darkened slightly. Having seen countless people, he saw through Zheng Yan's feigned flattery at a glance and knew in his heart that the Zheng family must be plotting something.

But saving lives was the priority at the moment, so he didn't reveal the reason.

"In that case, bring the jade."

"Very well! I'll take you to the treasure pavilion to retrieve the jade right away!"

Zheng Yan responded repeatedly, bowing and leading the way with utmost respect.

The two passed through layers of courtyards and headed straight for the treasure pavilion in the Zheng family's forbidden area.

Throughout the journey, Zheng Yan kept exchanging pleasantries, speaking humbly and expressing gratitude to Lin Ping for quelling the evil spirits and bringing blessings to the southern border. He seemed sincere, but in reality, every word he uttered was a test.

Lin Ping remained silent and composed throughout, a typical example of playing dumb to outmaneuver others, coldly observing the clown's performance.

Before long, they arrived at the treasure pavilion.

The attic floors are locked and protected by the Zheng family's ancestral protective array, making it the core place where the Zheng family stores their most precious treasures.

Zheng Yan personally stepped forward to unlock the formation, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and smiled as he led the way: "Sir, the Earth-Suppressing Spirit Jade is located on the jade platform at the very core of the pavilion. You may take it yourself."

Lin Ping stepped into the pavilion, his gaze instantly locking onto the jade platform in the center.

The jade platform was empty, smooth and flat, with not a trace of the jade pendant.

Instantly, Lin Ping's eyes turned slightly cold.

Zheng Yan's smile froze abruptly, his face filled with astonishment. He rushed forward, stared at the empty jade platform, and gasped in shock.

"What happened?! Where's the spirit jade? Our Zheng family's earth-suppressing spirit jade has disappeared?!"

His face was filled with panic and disbelief. He turned to look at Lin Ping, his expression anxious and guilty.

"Sir! This junior has lost a priceless treasure without my knowledge! It has been sealed away by my Zheng family for generations and has never been damaged in the slightest. Today, for some unknown reason, the spirit jade has vanished into thin air!"

"This junior is guilty! I failed to protect the treasure, delaying your important mission to save lives. This junior deserves to die!"

Zheng Yan repeatedly blamed himself, his face full of regret and guilt, looking extremely annoyed.

But deep within his lowered eyes lurked a triumphant, sinister smile.

The spirit jade had already been moved and hidden by the Zheng family patriarch in advance, just to control Lin Ping and wait for him to compromise and bow down.

All of this was a carefully orchestrated scheme by the Zheng family.

Lin Ping stood calmly in place, her expression serene and unfazed, showing no sign of surprise.

From the moment Zheng Yan suddenly became generous, he knew there must be something fishy going on.

Such sycophants and narrow-minded people would never generously give away their family's most treasured possession without a reason.

"It's gone?"

Lin Ping spoke calmly, his tone even, yet it carried a chilling undertone.

"Did it really disappear into thin air?"

Zheng Yan stiffened slightly, then nodded with a forced smile, his face sincere: "Absolutely true! This junior would never dare to deceive you, sir! It must be due to the recent unrest in the Southern Frontier, that some villains have infiltrated my Zheng family and stolen the spirit jade!"

"This junior will immediately mobilize all the Zheng family's manpower to search the entire city, digging three feet into the ground to find the spirit jade, without delaying your rescue efforts!"

He pretended to be eager to make amends, but in reality, he was stalling for time, waiting for Lin Ping to lose his composure and beg for mercy.

Seeing his clumsy acting, Lin Ping's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Keep the change, please."