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

Inside the sealed room, the air was bitterly cold, and a murderous intent surged.

Mo Qi's aura exploded completely, his black clothes billowed in the wind, and his eyes were as cold as frost as he stared intently at the little fish in front of him.

He pressed forward relentlessly, and with each step he took, the bluestone on the ground cracked silently. His overwhelming aura of power was aimed directly at Xiaoyuer's face.

"Do you think you can erase your crime of unauthorized interception and theft of my core assets by simply saying 'borrowing'?"

Xiaoyuer stood with her back against the crystal shield, her expression still nonchalant and calm, showing no fear whatsoever. Even when facing Mo Qi's overwhelming killing intent, her mechanical eyes remained filled only with calculation and composure.

"Mo Qi, we're all people who lurk in the shadows and plot against the earth's veins, why pretend to be righteous?"

She raised her hand and pointed to the fake Shen Aoxue sleeping inside the crystal dome, a mocking smile curving her lips.

"You imprisoned her for years, extracted her soul and memories, and used every form of torture, yet you still couldn't pry the core secrets of the earth's veins out of her mind."

"After I took over, I didn't harm her in the slightest. I only used her to restrain Lin Ping and observe the abnormal movements of the earth's veins. Compared to your brutal methods, I have been far more merciful."

"Benevolence and righteousness?" Mo Qi sneered sharply, his killing intent completely unleashed. "You've been eyeing the Southern Border's ley lines for a long time, simply hoping we'll break the ley line's restrictions so you can reap the benefits and monopolize the entire ley line's essence!"

"Who in the underworld doesn't know what you're thinking?"

Little Fish shrugged, his posture relaxed, completely ignoring the other party's rage.

"What good is knowing?"

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; it's all about the means. You couldn't handle Shen Aoxue, so I stepped in. What's wrong with that?"

These words completely crossed Mo Qi's bottom line.

For decades, this third-party force had been lying low, sparing no effort to slaughter the Shen family, imprison Shen Aoxue, and investigate the secrets of the earth's veins. Just when they were about to grasp the core key, Xiaoyuer, who appeared out of nowhere, intercepted their plans, and all their schemes fell apart.

Years of hard work, all for someone else's benefit.

Mo Qi clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking, and black spiritual energy surged around him.

"Since you insist on protecting her, then don't blame me for being impolite."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and waved.

Dozens of men in black instantly stepped forward from behind, their movements unpredictable and their auras refined. Each of them was a top-tier expert who had been through countless battles, far surpassing the modified assassins under Xiaoyuer's command.

"Take it down!"

At a command, the men in black charged out en masse, their fierce palm strikes and murderous aura instantly enveloping the entire secret chamber.

The carefree look in Xiaoyuer's eyes finally faded, replaced by a cold, sharp glint.

She had anticipated that Mo Qi would turn on her completely, so she dared not underestimate him. Her mechanical right arm instantly exploded with red light, the metal gears spun at high speed, and the murderous aura and mechanical energy intertwined and burst forth.

"You'd better see if you have the ability to steal my people."

Boom!

The two sides' experts instantly clashed, with explosions echoing throughout the secret chamber, debris flying everywhere, and malevolent energy raging.

The black-clad man's orthodox martial arts spiritual energy clashed violently with the Illuminati's mechanical and malevolent power, causing the entire stronghold's secret chamber to teeter on the brink of collapse.

Xiaoyuer moved with incredible speed, his mechanical right arm striking repeatedly with explosive force, each blow carrying the power to shatter gold and split rocks, instantly sending two black-clad men flying.

However, Mo Qi's men all cooperated perfectly, combining offense and defense, and were fearless. Their dense, layered attacks quickly entangled Xiao Yu'er.

After dozens of rounds, Xiaoyuer gradually lost ground. A sharp gust of energy struck his shoulder, tearing his clothes, exposing his skin and flesh, and causing dark red blood to seep out.

She frowned slightly, secretly alarmed.

Mo Qi had been lying low for many years, and her forces were indeed far greater than they appeared on the surface, far beyond what her current manpower could contend with.

Mo Qi coldly observed the battle, his tone icy and sarcastic: "Little Fish, with your meager strength, you dare to compete with me for chips?"

"I'm asking you one last time, are you handing over the person or not?"

Little Fish gritted his teeth and withstood the attack, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his lips, but his eyes grew increasingly stubborn and sinister.

"You want people?"

"impossible."

The person inside the crystal dome was her only trump card to restrain Lin Ping, and her last bargaining chip against a third-party force. Once handed over, the Light Society would completely lose its eligibility to participate and would only become cannon fodder in the game between the two sides.

The killing intent in Mo Qi's eyes was completely fixed.

"Stubborn to the end? Then we'll destroy you and take the chips!"

He flashed out of the battle, his palm gathering a dark and refined killing aura, and struck straight at Xiaoyuer's heart!

This attack was powerful and heavy, locking down all possible escape routes and clearly aiming to severely injure and crush Xiaoyuer in one blow.

Little Fish's pupils constricted sharply, and he hastily raised his arm to block.

boom!

A deafening roar!

The violent spiritual energy instantly shattered the defensive shield of the mechanical right arm, and the terrifying impact traveled through the entire body along the mechanical arm.

Little Fish flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the stone wall. He spat out several mouthfuls of black blood, and his life force instantly weakened.

Mo Qi slowly stepped forward, looking down at the little fish lying on the ground, his tone icy cold.

"Now, I'll ask one last time: hand it in, or not?"

Xiaoyuer struggled to her feet, supporting herself against the stone wall. Her mechanical right arm trembled slightly, and broken parts kept falling off. She looked up and stared intently at Mo Qi, her face full of resentment and malice.

"I admit defeat, but I will not hand over the man."

Even if you kill me today, you won't be able to take her away.

Mo Qi's eyes turned completely cold, and he raised his hand, ready to deliver a fatal blow to finish off Xiao Yu'er.

Just as his inner energy was about to burst forth, in the corner of the secret room, inside the crystal shield, the eyelashes of the fake Shen Aoxue, who had been sleeping, suddenly trembled slightly.

She was not fully awake, but stimulated by the clash between the two top forces and the impact of their immense energy, the remaining evil restrictions within her body began to stir. A faint wisp of blood-red evil energy silently pierced through the crystal shield and drifted into the air.

This wisp of malevolent energy was extremely well concealed; none of the fighting crowd, the enraged Mo Qi, or the injured Xiao Yu'er noticed it.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, the Lin family manor was peaceful and serene, with a gentle breeze blowing through the courtyard.

Lin Ping stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, but his eyes held a profound insight into all things.

The faint fluctuation of malevolent energy that had just crossed space was precisely detected by his senses.

Zhu Xiaohan noticed the subtle change in his expression and asked softly, "Sir, is there a fight breaking out at the stronghold?"

"Hmm." Lin Ping nodded slightly, his tone calm. "Xiao Yu'er and Mo Qi have completely broken off relations. The two major villainous forces have fought to the point of mutual destruction."

Aru's eyes lit up, her face beaming with excitement: "Great! They're fighting amongst themselves, we can just sit back and reap the benefits!"

Adele softly echoed, "Sir's plan is far-reaching and meticulous, saving us a lot of trouble."

Lin Ping smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the corridor where Ake had left.

"Internal strife is secondary; the real clues are about to be delivered to our door."

Zhu Xiaohan, with her keen intuition, instantly understood: "Has Ake already taken the bait?"

"Absolutely." Lin Ping said with certainty, "She saw with her own eyes that I was 'stubborn to the end,' and that Zhu Xiaohan exposed the fake person in public but was not trusted by me. At this moment, she has already let down all her guard."

"She was certain that the person in the manor was a fake Shen Aoxue, and that I was still being deceived by appearances. In order to seize the initiative in the land's feng shui and steal the secrets of the Shen family, she would definitely risk investigating the Peach Garden Secret Realm."

As soon as he finished speaking, faint footsteps came from the distant corridor.

Ake returned, still wearing that carefree and lazy smile, her expression natural, revealing no flaw whatsoever.

She walked slowly into the courtyard and gestured with her chin to the crowd.

"I went back to my room and thought about it, but I was still a little worried. After all, it's hard to tell what's real and what's fake. If it really is Xiaoyuer's trick, we'll suffer a great loss if we're careless."

She turned to Lin Ping and casually said, "Sir, I have nothing to do. How about I go out and investigate the unusual places in the southern border region for you? Maybe I can find clues to break the deadlock."

These words were spoken so succinctly, seemingly showing concern and offering comfort, but in reality, they revealed an eagerness to go out and investigate clues in Taoyuan.

Lin Ping understood the situation, but on the surface he still pretended to be stubbornly deceived, his brows furrowed slightly, showing a hint of impatience.

"No need for trouble, no need for unnecessary complications."

"I've said it before, Aoxue is definitely not a fake, you don't need to be overly suspicious."

His tone was obstinate, and his expression was angry, perfectly replicating the foolish and dull appearance of someone deeply entangled in a love affair and refusing to listen to advice.

Ake was secretly delighted, becoming even more certain that Lin Ping was completely unaware, and her plan to act was finally realized.

She readily conceded, smiling as she said, "Alright, alright, I won't suspect anything. I'm just bored and want to take a stroll through the mountains and forests of southern Xinjiang to clear my head."

Lin Ping feigned impatience and casually waved his hand: "Suit yourself."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir."

Ake chuckled in response, then turned and left quickly, her steps light and eager to rush into the mountains and forests to search for traces of the Peach Blossom Secret Realm.

As they watched her leave the manor completely, the pretense on everyone's faces vanished.

Alu couldn't help but chuckle: "She's in a hurry, afraid of missing out on the clues if she's even a step too late."

Zhu Xiaohan's eyes were cold: "She has great ambitions and has long coveted the secrets of the earth's veins. Now that she has seized the opportunity, she will definitely do everything in her power to investigate all the peach forest strongholds in the southern border."

"The more anxious you are, the easier it is to expose your flaws." Lin Ping's lips curled up slightly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "She thought she was secretly plotting to gain an advantage, but little did she know that the moment she stepped out of the manor, she had already become our sharpest knife."

"Xiaoyuer is the open pawn, Moqi is the hidden pawn, and Ake is the trigger. The three forces restrain each other, fight each other, and spy on each other. In the end, all the clues and all the flaws will be delivered to our hands."

Adele asked softly, "Sir, what should we do next?"

Lin Ping gazed at the distant, rolling mountains and forests of southern Xinjiang, his tone calm and resolute.

"Hold your positions and wait for the show."

"Ake will help us find the Peach Garden Secret Realm, and Mo Qi and Xiao Yu'er will continue their fierce battle to deplete their strength."

"When the three sides are exhausted from their battle and have revealed all their cards, that will be the time for us to reap the rewards, reclaim the ley lines, and uncover the truth behind the massacre of the Shen family."

Zhu Xiaohan nodded slightly: "I will track Ake's movements throughout the entire process, record all the strongholds she investigates, and monitor the movements of the Illuminati and Mo Qi's forces in real time, without missing a single clue."

"Hmm." Lin Ping responded, turning to look at Shen Aoxue's quiet bedroom. The coldness in his eyes faded, replaced by tenderness. "Aoxue is seriously injured and her soul is damaged. I will stay at the manor to protect her and wait for the situation to develop."

The group had a clear division of labor and a meticulous plan, with everything under control.

……

Meanwhile, in the secret chamber of the Illuminati in the back mountain.

Mo Qi's decisive blow ultimately failed to land.

Just as the spiritual energy at her fingertips was about to pierce through Xiaoyuer's vitals, the wisp of blood-red malevolent energy emanating from the fake Shen Aoxue's body suddenly exploded in mid-air of the secret chamber.

A faint yet extremely eerie aura emanated from the earth's veins, instantly spreading out and engulfing the entire secret chamber.

Mo Qi, who was originally furious, suddenly froze.

He turned his head sharply, staring intently at the fake Shen Aoxue inside the crystal shield, his expression changing drastically, his face filled with disbelief.

"Earth ley line fluctuations?"

"How could she possess the primordial energy of the Southern Frontier's geological veins?"

This aura was incredibly familiar; it was the core power of the earth's veins that they had been searching for for decades!

Little Fish was also stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked at the figure inside the crystal dome, full of doubt.

She had imprisoned the fake Shen Aoxue for a long time and had never noticed any abnormality in the earth's veins. Why was it suddenly emitting the aura of the earth's veins at this moment?

Mo Qi reacted quickly, instantly suppressing all killing intent and rage.

He disregarded dealing with Xiaoyuer and rushed to the crystal shield, staring intently at the sleeping woman inside, his eyes burning with fervor.

"I see! I see!"

"We've been wrong all along! The true secrets of the earth's veins aren't in the memories of the soul, but rather hidden within the very essence of our bloodline!"

"Only during extreme energy impacts and when bloodlines surge abnormally will the earth's ley lines leak out!"

Years of misunderstanding, cleared up in one day!

Mo Qi was overjoyed, and all his anger was instantly replaced by extreme greed.

As long as we capture this person, we can control the source of the earth's veins and the lifeline of the entire southern border!

Seeing this, Little Fish instantly understood the other's thoughts and became very anxious.

Ignoring her serious injuries, she suddenly stood up and blocked the crystal shield with a cold and stern expression.

"Mo Qi, are you trying to steal him away?"

"Get out of my way!" Mo Qi's eyes were filled with malice. "This is my opportunity, my ley lines! It has nothing to do with you!"

"You snatched this opportunity from my hands, did you even ask for my opinion?" Little Fish gritted his teeth and endured his injuries, as his mechanical arm charged up again.

The two forces, which had already fought to the point of exhaustion, were brought to a standoff again by a wisp of earth vein energy, reigniting their killing intent and making the atmosphere even more tense than before.

"court death!"

Mo Qi roared angrily, no longer holding back, and turned around to attack again, his fierce offensive crushing down.

Little Fish gritted his teeth and fought back desperately, unleashing all his mechanical power. Even though he was seriously injured, he was determined to hold onto this trump card.

World War II has fully broken out!

Inside the secret chamber, energy exploded and malevolent energy surged as the two top forces were completely locked in a life-or-death battle, disregarding the cost and fighting to the death!

……

As night falls, the evening wind howls through the mountains and forests of southern Xinjiang.

Ake traversed the mountains alone, her movements nimble and her speed incredibly fast.

After breaking free from the constraints of the manor, she lost all trace of her former languidness. Her eyes were sharp, her expression urgent, and she constantly probed the forest for any remaining scent of peach blossoms.

She was meticulous and had already analyzed the terrain of southern Xinjiang in advance, identified several hidden peach grove strongholds, and quickly investigated them.

As the evening breeze swept through the mountains and forests, a faint fragrance of peach blossoms drifted on the wind.

Ake suddenly stopped in her tracks, and a glint of light flashed in her eyes.

"Found it!"

The fragrance was subtle and lingering, carrying a hint of dampness from the earth, unlike anything found in ordinary mountain peach groves. It perfectly matched the environment of the underground prison in Shen Aoxue's memory!

Suppressing her overwhelming joy, she carefully followed the source of the fragrance, stealthily making her way to the most secluded valley in the deep mountains.

The valley floor is dark and damp, overgrown with vegetation, and the deeper you go, the richer and purer the fragrance of peach blossoms becomes.

Reaching the deepest part of the valley, a stone wall covered in moss suddenly appeared before us. From the crevices of the stone wall, a continuous stream of peach blossom fragrance gushed out, and faint echoes came from the empty underground below.

A triumphant smile appeared on Ake's lips.

"There really is a secret!"

"The whereabouts of the Shen family and the secrets of the earth's veins are all hidden here!"

She raised her hand to touch the stone wall, preparing to investigate the mechanism to open the secret passage, when a hint of hesitation suddenly flashed in her eyes.

She knew her strength was limited and that venturing into an unknown secret realm alone was too dangerous, but the incredible opportunity that was within her grasp made her reluctant to give it up.

After a moment's thought, Ake's eyes became completely resolute.

Fortune favors the bold, and the opportunity presented by the earth's veins is a once-in-a-millennium chance. As long as she masters this secret, she can break free from all constraints and rise above everyone else!

Without further hesitation, she gathered spiritual energy at her fingertips and began to explore the mechanisms in the stone wall, preparing to break through the secret passage and venture into the hidden realm alone.

Little did she know that her every move was precisely captured by Zhu Xiaohan in the distant mountains and forests, and transmitted back to Lin Ping's ears without missing a single word.

In the courtyard of the manor, a gentle evening breeze blows.

After listening to Zhu Xiaohan's telepathic report, Lin Ping slowly raised his eyes, looked towards the dark mountains, and a cold, calculating smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"The fish have finally swum into the net."

Alu asked expectantly, "Sir, can we go and collect the net now?"

Lin Ping gently shook his head, his eyes deep and his tone indifferent: "No rush."