Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

As the last vestiges of darkness were about to be dispelled by the dawn's light, a faint pale white began to appear on the horizon.

Just as dawn was breaking, Chu Xiyao's body, which had been sleeping, suddenly stirred.

His ears keenly caught the slightest sound.

Almost instantly, he opened his eyes alertly, the weariness and drowsiness in them instantly replaced by a sharp vigilance.

His eyes were sharp as swords, quickly scanning his surroundings. His body was taut like a fully drawn bowstring, ready to deal with any danger at any moment.

Ling Yan was also affected by Chu Xiyao's sudden tension and was startled awake from her light sleep.

She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze immediately falling on Chu Xiyao's wary face.

Without needing to say a word, just from his expression of being on high alert, Ling Yan instantly understood the urgency of the situation.

Her gaze became firm and calm, without the slightest hint of panic.

Then she quietly reached for her waist, where she had hidden the silver needles she had prepared beforehand.

Her fingers gently grasped the silver needle, feeling its cold and hard texture.

They wait for the moment danger appears before delivering a fatal blow.

Just as Ling Yan and Chu Xiyao were fully focused and on high alert, the subtle movements gradually became clearer.

Judging from the voice, there was only one person coming.

The footsteps approached from afar, steady and powerful, each step seeming to pound on their tense nerves.

As the morning light gradually brightened, a figure slowly came into their view.

The newcomer was dressed in white, his robes fluttering gently in the breeze, like a celestial being descending to earth.

The white robe was spotless, as if it had blended into the morning mist.

However, what is most striking is the silver-white mask he wears on his face.

The mask gleamed with a cold light, obscuring most of his face, revealing only a pair of deep and mysterious eyes.

Those eyes gleamed through the gaps in the mask, as bright as cold stars, yet their emotions were impossible to fathom.

He wore a long sword at his waist, the hilt of which was inlaid with jewels.

The scabbard is engraved with exquisite patterns, which reflect a mesmerizing brilliance in the morning light.

Ling Yan and Chu Xiyao stared intently at the newcomer, their eyes filled with vigilance and suspicion.

As the person finally approached, the morning light shone perfectly upon him.

Lingyan and Chu Xiyao then realized who was walking towards them in the sunlight.

It turned out to be the white-clad swordsman who had saved them on a painted boat on the Qinhuai River in Jiangnan, with whom they had met once before.

However, Lingyan and Chu Xiyao did not lower their guard because of this; on the contrary, they found him even more suspicious.

Ling Yan narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze fixed on the white-clad swordsman in front of her.

His tone held a hint of probing as he asked, "Sir, how did you happen to appear here in this desolate wilderness?"

Chu Xiyao's eyes were also filled with doubt and vigilance as he kept a close eye on the white-clad swordsman's every move.

When Ling Yan asked the white-clad swordsman this question, he paused slightly, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes behind the mask.

He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to answer.

Should I tell the truth and say that I followed them all the way from Jiangnan to here, and then tracked them all the way here?

He remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, his voice somewhat hoarse: "I was just... just passing by."

Lingyan clearly didn't believe his answer: "Just passing by? That's too much of a coincidence. You just happened to save us on the pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River in Jiangnan, and now you've appeared beside us in this desolate place. It's hard to believe that it's just a coincidence."

Upon hearing this, the white-clad swordsman unconsciously clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them.

He tried to calm himself down and argued, "There are many coincidences in this world, so why should we investigate every single one of them?"

Lingyan pressed on, "But the series of coincidences happening to you makes one wonder about your motives."

This person suddenly appeared here, both times after she was in danger.

She absolutely refused to believe that she wasn't there for her, and she didn't believe it was any coincidence.

Because she never believed in coincidences.

Their purpose in approaching them is unknown, as is their identity.

Moreover, his martial arts skills are so high that they don't know if they have a chance of winning if they go head-to-head with him.

Faced with her suspicions, the white-clad swordsman felt as turbulent as the sea under a raging storm.

He knew that if he continued to remain silent, her suspicions would only deepen, and she might even regard him as an enemy.

He absolutely did not want to be on the opposite side from her.

At this moment, his gaze darted away, not daring to look directly into Ling Yan's suspicious eyes for long.

So he slowly opened his mouth and said, "My name is Shen Qingchen. I have indeed followed you all the way from Jiangnan to here. It is mainly because I admire your character and fair decision-making, which I deeply admire."

At this point, his eyes revealed sincerity and respect: "You have earned my respect, so I have no ulterior motives, I simply want to protect you in secret."

Shen Qingchen unconsciously clenched her fist as she spoke, as if to bolster her courage, and continued, "I was afraid that my abruptness would disturb you, and even more afraid that you would develop a dislike for me because of it, so I have not shown myself until now. But now, due to the circumstances, I have no choice but to show myself and tell you the truth."

His voice gradually lowered, carrying a hint of bitterness: "I know this explanation may be hard for you to believe immediately, but it is truly from the bottom of my heart. I have only respect and a desire to protect you, and absolutely no malice towards you."

After he finished speaking, he stood there quietly, waiting for Lingyan's response.

His eyes held both expectation and unease; the complex emotions intertwined made him appear incredibly tense.

He actually lied to her; he had other feelings for her besides admiration and respect.

He just didn't dare to say it.

Ling Yan and Chu Xiyao were shocked by his words!

The two exchanged a glance, both understanding each other's thoughts, and their hearts were filled with turmoil.

Ling Yan couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

He managed to follow them all the way from Jiangnan to here without being discovered.

That means he had been watching them secretly all along.

If he had been secretly watching them, he must have seen her and Chu Xiyao...

Along the way, Lingyan would have her bodyguards stay away at night.

Because she was a woman, they naturally wouldn't overstep their bounds regarding bathing and resting, and would even voluntarily keep their distance.

Besides, with Chu Xiyao's martial arts skills, he would be able to detect anything immediately.

Unexpectedly, Chu Xiyao and his guards had not discovered his presence for so long.

This shows that his martial arts skills are even better than Chu Xiyao's.

So profound and unfathomable, it's chilling.

A stranger, whose origins, identity, and purpose were unknown, suddenly discovered her affair with Chu Xiyao.

She simply couldn't bear to think about the consequences.