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

The thunderous voice echoed in Lin Ping's soul for a long time.

Zhu Xiaohan, Wanyue, and Alu were captured.

Three days later, at the ancient altar in the western suburbs, he went alone to the appointment and handed over the origin of the World-Destroying Seal, or the three women's souls would be scattered.

Each word is like a knife, piercing the heart and bones.

Shen Aoxue gripped his cold hand tightly, her eyes filled with panic and worry.

"Husband, what's wrong? Don't scare me."

Lin Ping suppressed his turbulent emotions and looked down at the woman beside him, who was covered in wounds and extremely weak.

They all possess bodies that defy the heavens through cultivation, far surpassing the physical constitution of ordinary people.

However, the spatial tear just now severely damaged him, and coupled with the losses from the continuous battles, his physical body was already on the verge of collapse.

Even the strongest physical body is ultimately made of flesh and blood and cannot withstand extreme damage and overexertion.

He couldn't let Shen Aoxue stay here, much less take her, who was seriously injured, to risk her life to investigate.

Lin Ping raised his hand and gently wiped away the rain and tears mixed on her cheeks, his voice hoarse but steady.

"Your injuries are too severe; you must seek medical attention immediately."

"If Xiaohan and the others are in trouble, I will go to save them. No one can stop me."

Shen Aoxue's heart tightened, and she looked up at him intently.

She knew Lin Ping's personality well.

The supreme ruler of all ages is never coerced by anyone.

But now his weaknesses have been exploited, and the other party is clearly trying to force him into a trap.

"My lord, that shadowy figure's methods are unpredictable; your cultivation is now completely ruined..."

Even with my cultivation destroyed, I am still Lin Ping.

Lin Ping interrupted her, his eyes sharp as a blade.

Even if the foundation of the Dao is reduced to zero, and the Great Dao is completely scattered.

The ruthlessness, cunning, and strategic planning etched into their very souls remain undiminished.

As long as the eternal fighting spirit remains, there is no situation where certain death is inevitable.

Shen Aoxue bit her lip, her eyes filled with unease, but she finally nodded gently.

She couldn't stop her.

The fate of the other three sisters is unknown; any one of them would have done the same without hesitation.

Be careful in everything you do.

"The three-day deadline has not yet passed, and the other party will not make a move easily. Do not act rashly and fight head-on."

"I'll wait for you to come back from the hospital."

The words fell, filled with restrained concern and compromise.

Lin Ping bent down and carefully picked her up horizontally.

The movement aggravated the knife wound in his waist and abdomen, and excruciating pain instantly swept through his body, with blood seeping into his clothes again from the wound.

He didn't even frown.

Holding Shen Aoxue in his arms, he walked step by step out of the muddy ruins and flagged down a speeding ambulance.

He personally escorted Shen Aoxue to the special care ward of the city's central hospital and instructed the doctors to do their best to treat her.

Seeing the stable readings on the instrument, confirming that Shen Aoxue was out of immediate danger, he finally felt completely relieved.

The moment he turned to leave the ward, the last trace of tenderness in Lin Ping's eyes vanished.

All that remains is bone-chilling coldness and bloodshed.

The extraterrestrial servants under the shadow's command all have a unique bamboo leaf mark printed on their cuffs.

That is a unique symbol of power; there is no mistake about it.

To find the mastermind's hideout and any remaining clues, we must start with this bamboo leaf mark.

Over the next two days, Lin Ping gave up all rest and, dragging his heavily injured body, traveled throughout the entire city of Jiangcheng.

Every step he took was excruciatingly painful due to the fractured bone in his right leg, and the wounds in his waist and abdomen kept tearing open, causing continuous bleeding.

He found a pharmacy and got a simple bandage to stop the bleeding and relieve the pain, gritting his teeth and enduring the whole ordeal.

He traveled to all the martial arts strongholds, underground black markets, and secret clubs in Jiangcheng.

We made inquiries from various sources and conducted thorough investigations at each level.

Countless setbacks, countless times unknown to anyone.

As night fell, a useful lead finally emerged from an old street on the outskirts of the city.

The old street on the outskirts of the city is secluded and quiet.

At the street corner stands a quaint little tavern called Green Bamboo Tavern.

The people coming and going were a mixed bag, all of them unassuming martial arts practitioners and reclusive cultivators.

In the corner of the tavern's wooden signboard, there is a light blue bamboo leaf print.

It was exactly the same as the markings on the sleeves of those extraterrestrial servants.

We finally found it.

Lin Ping stood at the entrance of the tavern street, his gaze fixed intently on the signboard.

The shop was warmly lit, bustling with noise, and filled with the aroma of wine.

Amidst the comings and goings of people, not a single one of the hidden servants who had just fought in the ruins could be seen.

They certainly wouldn't be entertaining guests in the front hall; they'd most likely be hiding in the back courtyard or a private room.

Lin Ping suppressed the anger in his eyes and stepped into the tavern.

The shop is decorated in a simple and rustic style, with wooden tables and chairs, and the atmosphere is a blend of the smoke and the spiritual energy of practitioners.

He found a corner seat by the window and casually ordered a pot of low-alcohol rice wine.

The bartender brought over the drinks, his attitude both polite and distant.

"Please enjoy your meal, sir."

Lin Ping rubbed his fingertips against the wine glass, seemingly speaking casually.

"Where is the restroom in the store?"

"Go straight through the backyard, it's at the very end," the bartender replied casually.

Having obtained the route, Lin Ping tilted his head back and drank the rice wine in his cup in one gulp.

The drink went down my throat, slightly cool and tingling.

He put down his wine glass, got up, and walked straight through the noisy crowd towards the backyard.

The front hall was crowded and chaotic, making it impossible to keep secrets.

All the shady dealings must happen in the backyard.

Passing through the arched wooden door, the noise of the front hall is instantly shut out.

The backyard is quiet and secluded, with groves of green bamboo planted there. The bamboo leaves rustle in the evening breeze.

The air still retained an extremely faint aura of extraterrestrial evil energy.

It was the unique aura emanating from those dark servants!

Lin Ping's eyes narrowed, and he stepped deeper into the area.

In the corner of the backyard, a few black combat uniforms were haphazardly piled up among the clutter.

The cuffs are clearly marked with a blue bamboo leaf pattern.

These are the uniforms of the three assassinated servants!

People have indeed been here.

They have all left and disappeared without a trace.

Lin Ping's gaze swept across the entire backyard, finally settling on the innermost private bathroom room with its lights on.

Of all the rooms in the backyard, only this one was brightly lit, with the sound of running water emanating from inside.

someone.

He moved slowly and quietly closer, his fingertips gently touching the windowsill.

The window was half-closed, allowing excellent light to pass through.

He glanced at it subconsciously.

Inside the bathroom, a young woman in her early twenties was standing beside the bathtub.

The girl had snow-white skin, a beautiful and delicate appearance, and a slender and graceful figure.

She was raising her hand to loosen the belt on her shoulder, preparing to take a bath.

Lin Ping's gaze was caught off guard when it suddenly entered the frame, so he immediately looked away and turned his face to avoid the window.

Do not look at what is improper.

Even with countless acts of violence, he always had his bottom line and sense of propriety.

In the haste to avoid it, my fingertip accidentally brushed against the loose window latch.

Click.

A faint, crisp sound rang out, unusually clear and jarring in the quiet backyard.

The girl undressing inside the room suddenly stopped.

"Who?!"

The clear female voice carried a hint of panic and vigilance.

At the same time, security personnel patrolling the backyard of the tavern immediately approached upon hearing the noise.

Three hurried footsteps rushed towards the side room.

"There was a noise! ​​Someone broke into the backyard!"

"Quick! Go check it out!"

The shouts and footsteps from outside grew closer.

There was no time to hide, and no time to evacuate.

Lin Ping made a quick decision and exerted a slight force on his wrist.

wow-

He pushed the wooden window open from the outside.

With a swift movement, he deftly climbed through the window and landed steadily inside the bathroom.

The girl inside the room froze in fright and screamed instantly.

"Ah! Who are you!"

In her panic, she was at a loss and instinctively curled up, completely exposing herself.

Lin Ping reacted quickly, stepping forward and precisely covering her mouth with his hand.

The force was gentle, yet it effectively silenced all her cries for help.

He had his back to the window, lowered his voice, and spoke in a calm and solemn tone.

"Don't shout, I'm not a bad person."

"There are people investigating outside. I'm just hiding for a while and won't harm you in the slightest."

Warm breath fell on the girl's ear, and the deep male voice carried a strong sense of reassurance.

The girl's initial fear subsided slightly. She blinked her clear eyes and stared intently at the man who was so close to her.

He was covered in wounds, his white clothes stained with blood, his face pale and haggard, but his eyes were open and clear, without a trace of lewdness or malice.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of mockery, and pointed to her own body.

This indicates that he is currently naked and in a predicament.

Lin Ping kept his gaze straight ahead, never lowering it even slightly.

He immediately turned his head to the side, staring intently at the wall, completely avoiding all eye contact.

He then reached out and precisely grabbed the snow-white bath towel hanging to the side.

With a swift and decisive movement, he gently handed the towel to the girl.

He kept his eyes closed the entire time, maintained an upright posture, and appeared open and honest.

Looking at his meticulous and measured demeanor, the girl's tense nerves completely relaxed.

She couldn't help but chuckle softly, her eyes crinkling with a playful and teasing smile.

"I never expected that the stranger who barged into my bathroom would be such a gentleman?"

The voice just fell.

boom! boom! boom!

A sudden, violent knocking sound erupted, rough and urgent.

The stern questioning from the security guard outside the door could be clearly heard inside the house.

"Who's inside!"

"Did someone just break in?!"

"Open the door immediately for inspection!"

The atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.

Inside the cramped bathroom, a man and a woman found themselves in a delicate situation.

The pursuers outside were closing in, and a crisis suddenly arose.

Lin Ping slowly opened his eyes, all the gentleness in them vanished, leaving only a cold and sharp glint.

A close-quarters battle, a decisive and humiliating confrontation, is about to begin.

Unbeknownst to him, the surveillance cameras hidden in the tavern had already been firmly focused on the bathroom.

The shadowy figure in the ancient temple, far away, witnessed this scene through a real-time communication array.

A chilling laugh echoed once again throughout the empty ancient hall.

"interesting."

"On one side are four beloved people with whom I share a bond of life and death."

"On one side are new pieces that unexpectedly entered the game."

"Lin Ping, this game of chess, fallen to the mortal realm, will only become more and more exciting..."

"The altar meeting in three days—I'd like to see just how many times you can pull off a comeback!"

New synergies have been introduced, and the seemingly insurmountable deadlock remains unbroken.

The journey of a fallen emperor in the mortal realm to rise up and turn the tide has only just begun.