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

Alu threw herself into Lin Ping's arms first, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice soft and tinged with grievance: "Sir..."

Adele leaned against him, her tense body finally relaxing, her eyes filled with relief.

Zhu Xiaohan breathed softly, raising her eyes to look at the tall, upright figure in front of her who had sheltered them from the wind and rain. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

A gentle fragrance lingers around you, and an ambiguous atmosphere quietly spreads.

Despite the excruciating pain, Xiaoyuer stared intently at the embracing group, a renewed surge of madness in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Lin Ping! You think you've won?!"

She abruptly raised her hand, a jet-black token flashing in her palm, and laughed maniacally, "I've already sent a message to the Blood Shadow Pavilion headquarters! Southern Xinjiang is just the beginning. You can protect them for a while, but not forever!"

Lin Ping reached out and gently embraced the three women in his arms, protecting them one by one.

He didn't look at the hysterical Little Fish again, and turned to leave with everyone.

On the desolate hills of Nanshan, only Xiaoyuer stood alone amidst the ruins. The excruciating pain of her severed arm pierced her heart, but compared to the physical pain, the resentment and jealousy burning in her heart drove her to the brink of madness.

She stared intently at Lin Ping's tall, receding figure, her fingertips digging deep into her palms, blood seeping into her fingertips.

She had been planning for months, gambled on the resources of the Blood Shadow Pavilion, and risked her life, all for the sake of more than just breaking the formation and killing the enemy.

She had been in love with this man for a long time, and had coveted this peerless powerhouse.

But she witnessed with her own eyes that Lin Ping, with his extraordinary cultivation, only yielded to the beauty beside him and stood up for a group of unrelated people.

He had the well-being of all people in his heart and was gentle everywhere, but in his eyes and in his heart, there was never even a place for her, Xiaoyuer.

On what grounds?

Why should these delicate and ordinary women be able to monopolize all his tenderness and protection?

A sinister smile curled at the corners of Xiaoyuer's lips, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and hate, his obsession growing ever stronger.

Today's battle has given her a complete understanding of Lin Ping's hidden terrifying strength, and she is even more determined that she must have this man.

"Lin Ping... if you protect them, I will destroy all your weaknesses."

"I'll see how long you can protect them!"

……

After leaving Lingyun Mountain, Lin Ping did not lead everyone back to the perilous hotel.

The hotel was too conspicuous and had already been spotted by the Blood Shadow Pavilion; it was by no means a safe hiding place.

He drove directly to a private, detached manor on the outskirts of southern Xinjiang, taking Ade, Alu, Zhu Xiaohan, and Ake with him.

With white walls and black tiles, a spacious courtyard, surrounded by artificial hills and flowing water, and tight security, it is both tranquil and safe.

As soon as she stepped into the manor, Ake's eyes lit up instantly, her fear vanished, and her eyes were filled with surprise.

"Wow! This place is so beautiful! It's so much more comfortable than the hotel!"

She walked briskly through the courtyard, looking around, and after a moment she leaned close to Alu and asked her in a low, curious voice.

"Sister Alu, did Brother Ping rent or buy this manor? It's so grand!"

Alu glanced at her indifferently, her tone gentle yet subtly reminding her: "Just stay here in peace, don't ask too many questions, the master has made arrangements."

Ake nodded, seemingly obedient and compliant, but a hint of calculation flashed in her eyes.

She turned to look at Lin Ping, who was sitting quietly under the eaves, meditating. She feigned regret and said softly, "It's so nice. If Sister Aoxue were here too, we could all stay together forever."

Shen Aoxue.

These three words floated into my ears, instantly silencing the relaxed atmosphere.

Adele and Aru exchanged a glance and remained silent. Zhu Xiaohan lowered her eyes, her gaze filled with heartache.

Lin Ping sat motionless, his expression calm, and did not respond.

But deep within his eyes, a storm was brewing.

He has never forgotten Shen Aoxue, who is still trapped in enemy territory and whose whereabouts are unknown.

He has been repeatedly outmaneuvered and controlled at every turn because his weakness has been exploited. To break this deadlock, he must first rescue Shen Aoxue and cut off all of the opponent's bargaining chips.

A moment later, Lin Ping raised his eyes and looked at the four women in front of him, his voice steady and solemn.

"I have to go out for two days."

Ake immediately looked up: "Brother Ping, where are you going?"

"There is a reclusive master in the Southern Frontier who can break all the Blood Shadow Pavilion's array formations and secret techniques," Lin Ping deliberately said, spreading false information. "I will personally visit him to invite him to come out of seclusion, and he will definitely return within two days."

He glanced at the group and repeatedly instructed them: "Stay in the manor for the next two days, keep the gates tightly closed. No matter who knocks or what noises occur, do not go out. Look after each other and protect yourselves."

"We understand, sir, please rest assured." Adele nodded gently.

"We'll stay here obediently and won't cause you any trouble," Zhu Xiaohan softly echoed.

Only Ake lowered her eyes, concealing the fleeting joy in them, and obediently replied, "Ping-ge, take care on your journey. We'll wait for you to come back."

After giving his instructions, Lin Ping turned and drove away from the manor.

He didn't go far after the car drove out of sight.

Relying on his unparalleled martial arts perception, he quietly turned back and hid in the dense forest behind the manor, concealing all his presence and silently lying in wait to observe.

He never trusted Ake, who had managed to escape by sheer luck.

The scheme at Lingyun Mountain, the hotel's calculations—all the flaws point to one place.

Sure enough, as night fell, the windows of the guest rooms on the second floor of the manor were quietly opened.

Ake stood alone by the window, her daytime obedient and gentle demeanor gone, replaced by a coldness and competence in her eyes that belied her age.

She reached out and took out a palm-sized, jet-black paper butterfly with strange patterns from her sleeve.

With a slight movement of spiritual energy at her fingertips, the delicate paper butterfly suddenly spread its wings and floated gracefully in mid-air.

This is a secret communication token exclusive to the Blood Shadow Pavilion. It conceals its presence and remains silent, making it impossible for ordinary martial artists to detect.

A cold smile curled at the corners of Ake's lips as she murmured softly.

"Lin Ping has gone out to seek reinforcements, leaving the manor vulnerable. The time has come."

As soon as she finished speaking, she lightly tapped her fingertip.

A black paper butterfly fluttered its wings and took flight, transforming into a thin black shadow that cut through the night and sped towards the deep mountains on the outskirts of the city, conveying the whereabouts of everyone in the manor.

Lin Ping, who was hiding in the dense forest, took in the whole scene.

The last trace of warmth in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by a bone-chilling cold that swept over him.

All the guesses came true.

Ake, who always followed him and acted coquettishly and weakly every day, was actually an undercover agent planted by the Blood Shadow Pavilion to spy on him from beginning to end.

Gentleness and obedience are all pretense; pitifulness is all scheming.

He remained calm and composed, pretending to be completely unaware, waiting for the other party's next move.

And behind that paper butterfly flying into the deep mountains, there is definitely more than just Little Fish.

The real trap lurking in the shadows, the Blood Shadow Pavilion's ultimate backup plan, has quietly locked onto the entire manor and the vulnerabilities of all the women around him!