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

She gently shook her head, her voice hoarse, yet she remained steadfast in her decision: "Lin Ping, I know you mean well. But she is still my sister. She's just blinded by jealousy; she's not inherently wicked. Let's give her another chance."

"If it weren't for my sister, I wouldn't have met you."

Shen Aoxue looked at Lin Ping, but her words were meant for Shen Qianxue.

Looking at the stubbornness and soft-heartedness in her eyes, Lin Ping knew that this kind-hearted woman was always swayed by gentleness but not by force. Even if she saw the truth, she would still think of blood ties and no one could persuade her otherwise.

He doted on her and didn't want to put Shen Aoxue in a difficult position, so he finally shut his mouth and said no more, letting her make the decision.

Shen Aoxue took a deep breath, looked at Shen Qianxue kneeling on the ground, her eyes filled with a hint of loneliness, her tone cold yet gracious: "This time, out of consideration for our sisterly bond, I will not pursue your crime, nor will I make it public. From today onwards, you are confined to your own courtyard. Without my permission, you are not allowed to step out of your room even half a step. Reflect on your mistakes and repent."

Such punishment is so lenient it borders on indulgence, showing absolutely no intention of reprimand.

Shen Qianxue was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed to Shen Aoxue in gratitude. On the surface, she still looked regretful, but in the moment she lowered her head, a cunning and unwilling look flashed in her eyes. She quickly glanced at Lin Ping and hid a strange emotion.

The storm has subsided for now.

As dusk fell, the bet made by the King of Zhenshan weighed heavily on Jiangcheng, causing a great uproar. Shen Aoxue, worried that Lin Ping might encounter misfortune if he left alone, insisted on keeping him at the Shen family villa and arranged for him to stay in the most spacious master bedroom.

She was still deeply worried about Lin Ping's safety and couldn't sit still all night, but she dared not persuade him to leave again. She just silently guarded the inexplicable sense of peace in her heart and firmly believed that what Lin Ping said was true.

In the dead of night, the Shen family villa fell into complete silence. Everyone was asleep, and all was quiet.

Lin Ping got up in the middle of the night, went to the bathroom, and returned to the master bedroom shortly afterward.

The door was gently pushed open. The lights were off inside, with only faint moonlight streaming in through the French windows.

A slender and graceful figure had quietly appeared on his bed at some point, her body wrapped in a blanket, revealing her fair and delicate shoulders, her hair disheveled and scattered. It was Shen Qianxue, who should have been confined to her room.

She had shed the dishevelment of the day, her makeup was exquisite, her clothes were light and thin, her figure was alluring, and her eyes were full of charm. She lay on her side in the center of the bed, looking at Lin Ping who had entered the room with a seductive gaze. Her voice was soft and charming, with a deliberate provocation.

"Mr. Lin, you're finally back!"

Lin Ping stopped in his tracks, a hint of impatience and coldness flashing in his eyes. He looked calmly at the self-deluded woman in front of him, without saying a word.

Shen Qianxue was not afraid at all; on the contrary, she became even more charming. She slowly sat up, the thin blanket slipped off her shoulders, and looked Lin Ping up and down with a smug look in her eyes. Her tone was light and provocative.

"My sister is weak-willed and indecisive. Apart from her family background, she is useless and not worthy of a peerless master like you."

"I'm younger than her, more delicate, understand men better, and am better able to help you control the Shen family. As long as you want me, I'm willing to give you anything and do whatever you want. I'm a hundred or a thousand times better than your rigid and aloof older sister. What do you think?"

She believed herself to be exceptionally beautiful and alluring, certain that Lin Ping would be unable to resist her. She was determined to seduce Lin Ping, hold onto this powerful backer, and completely bring down Shen Aoxue to realize her ambitions.

Lin Ping suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter light yet carrying an extreme sense of mockery and detachment, as he slowly walked towards the bed.

Shen Qianxue was overjoyed, thinking she had succeeded. She became even more shy and slowed down, moving closer to the edge of the bed.

But to her utter surprise, Lin Ping walked to the bedside, and without the slightest hesitation, grabbed the thin blanket and wrapped her tightly in it. His movements were swift and decisive, showing no tenderness whatsoever.

Before Shen Qianxue could exclaim in surprise, Lin Ping raised his hand, grabbed the corner of the blanket, and gently lifted it with precise force.

"Whoosh!"

A dark figure was thrown straight out of the open French window and landed heavily on the lawn outside the villa, looking extremely disheveled.

Lin Ping clapped his hands, his eyes remaining indifferent, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

"How dare such filthy things enter the house?"

He closed the window, lay back on the bed, closed his eyes and concentrated, his aura was restrained, and he still looked like an ordinary mortal, but a chill had already risen in his heart.

Shen Qianxue is still harboring evil intentions and will surely cause trouble if left alive. Meanwhile, the forces of the Mountain-Suppressing King have already laid a net in Jiangcheng, secretly watching the Shen family and their every move. The battle at Black Rock Valley three days later will be no easy task.

Unbeknownst to him, Shen Qianxue crawled out of bed from the bushes outside the villa, disheveled and filled with resentment, staring intently at the master bedroom window, her eyes brimming with hatred and ruthlessness.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Jiangcheng, inside the Zhenshan Prince's Mansion, in the pitch-black main hall, a powerful and icy voice resounded throughout the entire hall, and the warriors under his command knelt on one knee, their voices respectful.

"Your Highness, that brat Lin Ping is staying overnight at the Shen family's residence and refuses to leave. I have already arranged for top assassins to take his life tonight, thus establishing your authority!"

On the throne, the Mountain Guardian King opened his eyes, his eyes filled with murderous intent, his power shaking the four directions.

"Very well, no matter who he is, daring to provoke me, he is doomed. Kill him first, then wipe out the Shen family!"

On the lawn, Shen Qianxue struggled to break free of the quilt, her body covered in grass clippings and mud, her delicate makeup ruined, and her graceful demeanor completely gone.

She stared intently at the direction of the master bedroom on the second floor, her originally charming face twisted in extreme contortion, her eyes churning with resentment and unwillingness, her nails digging deep into her palms, drawing blood without her noticing.

"Lin Ping! Shen Aoxue!"

"You all look down on me and protect each other; I will never let this go!"

She was trembling all over, filled with hatred and anger.

She tried so hard to seduce him, but was instead thrown out the window like trash—a humiliating disgrace that she will never forget.

She hated Shen Aoxue even more for being born with everything, being pampered by Lin Ping, while she could only grovel and suffer cold looks.

A sinister gaze swept across the villa gate. Shen Qianxue gritted her teeth, clutching her aching body, and silently crept back to her confined room. The doors and windows were locked, and a mad obsession flashed in her eyes.

If soft tactics don't work, then she'll resort to hard ones. She's determined to destroy Shen Aoxue and get Lin Ping!

Meanwhile, inside the master bedroom of the Shen family.

Lin Ping lay on the bed with his eyes closed, his aura calm and seemingly without any cultivation. In reality, his divine sense had already covered the entire Shen family villa, and he could see every move within a hundred meters.

He was originally an unparalleled emperor from ancient times, who fell to the mortal world and hibernated in the city. His cultivation has not been fully restored, but his divine sense and killing methods are far beyond what ordinary martial artists can achieve.

In his eyes, the mere Zhenshan King was nothing more than an ant, whom he could crush with a wave of his hand.

The reason he kept quiet was simply to play the fool in the mortal world, and also to consider Shen Aoxue's feelings, not wanting to disturb this kind-hearted woman.

As the night grew colder, a faint wind rustled outside the window.

A glint flashed in Lin Ping's eyes as he noticed several figures clad in black, exuding a chilling murderous aura, silently scaling the walls of the Shen family villa like phantoms in the night. Their light footsteps bypassed all surveillance cameras, and they moved straight toward the master bedroom.

There were eight people in total, all of them martial arts masters with refined internal energy. They were all assassins under the command of the Mountain Guardian King, and their attacks were ruthless and deadly, all there to take his life.

Lin Ping curled his lips into a disdainful sneer, remaining motionless as if he hadn't noticed anything.

He didn't even bother to get up from these lowly thugs.

A moment later, three dark figures burst through the window, their blades gleaming coldly. Without a word, they slashed down at Lin Ping on the bed, the blades cutting through the air with a sharp killing intent, sealing off all escape routes.

"Dare to offend the Mountain-Suppressing King? Prepare to die!"