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

However, her eyes remained fixed on the Northern King, without the slightest hesitation or fear.

She kept her lips tightly pressed together, without uttering a single cry of pain.

Despite the pain causing her body to tremble slightly, she still tried her best to straighten her back and maintain an elegant posture.

She even smiled at him.

Her smile, though somewhat pale, was full of mockery and provocation.

In this agonizing torment, time seemed to stretch on endlessly.

Lingyan also tried her best to stay awake, her eyes never leaving the Northern King.

Upon seeing this, a complex smile slowly appeared on the face of the Northern King.

His gaze was fixed on Ling Yan, with a mixture of scrutiny and amazement.

"I am increasingly admiring you, woman."

The Northern King shook his head slightly, his tone full of emotion: "Look at you, under such intense pain, you were able to endure it so well. From beginning to end, you didn't even flinch, didn't cry out, and refused to admit defeat or beg for mercy. I have never seen such a strong mental fortitude in anyone else."

The Northern King slowly rose to his feet, then walked to Lingyan and continued, “Most women, faced with such pain, would have cried out to heaven and earth, begging me to spare their lives. But what about you? You stubbornly looked at me, without the slightest fear in your eyes. What kind of courage and determination do you possess to do this?”

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a composed smile. "Your Highness Bei Li flatters me. However, my ability to endure is indeed first-rate."

Even now, her gaze towards him remained firm and aloof.

A complex light flashed in the eyes of the Northern King upon seeing this.

There was admiration, apprehension, and a hint of barely perceptible curiosity: "Is that so? So I'm very curious, what exactly have you gone through to possess such a strong heart? Is it because of your status? Or do you have some ulterior motive?"

The Northern King narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to find the answer from Ling Yan's expression.

However, Ling Yan's face still held that stubborn smile, without the slightest change.

Of course, she didn't answer him.

Seeing this, King Li of the North knew that this woman was very discreet, so he didn't press her further, since he wouldn't get any information out of her anyway.

Then his gaze was fixed on Ling Yan.

That stubborn and resilient demeanor was like a boulder thrown into the once calm lake of his heart, creating ripples on the surface.

And the ripples kept expanding, making it impossible for him to calm down.

He looked at her, his admiration and curiosity growing stronger.

She was clearly experiencing such unbearable pain.

At this moment, his face was as pale as paper, he was breathing heavily, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat.

The beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks, making her already stunningly beautiful face even more captivating.

Her clothes were completely soaked, clinging tightly to her shapely figure.

She looked like a lily in the rain, delicate yet exuding an indomitable spirit.

This appearance is truly captivating to the Northern King Li.

A burning desire flashed in his eyes, and a strong urge surged within him, making him want to ravage her and subdue her beneath him.

So he stopped urging the Gu worms, and the tormenting pain instantly receded like a tide.

Then, the Northern King walked closer to Lingyan with increasingly firm steps.

Ling Yan naturally noticed the change in his eyes.

However, her face remained calm and composed, without the slightest sign of panic.

Before the Northern King could get close to her, Lingyan slowly stood up.

Although her body was still trembling slightly, her face was still pale, and sweat continued to roll down her forehead.

But her spine remained straight, like a pine tree on a cliff, resilient and unyielding.

The Northern King approached step by step, until he was three steps away from Lingyan.

He paused slightly, then took out a handkerchief from his pocket, extended it to Lingyan, and said softly, "Wipe your sweat."

The handkerchief was as white as snow, and it seemed to be embroidered with delicate patterns, emitting a faint fragrance.

Lingyan did not take the handkerchief.

Her eyes turned slightly cold, and a strong sense of resistance welled up in her heart.

She could take other things from him, but she would never take such a personal item.

In her view, this was not just a handkerchief, but also a symbol of ambiguity.

She didn't want any unnecessary entanglement with the Northern King.

So, Lingyan didn't reach out her hand, but simply raised her hand and wiped her sweat with her sleeve.

Although her sleeves were soaked, she didn't care at all, and just focused on wiping the sweat off her face.

Upon seeing this, the Northern King narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at Ling Yan, and slowly said with a faint smile on his lips, "You really are unconventional."

Then, the Northern King's gaze once again lingered on Ling Yan's exquisite figure, which was wrapped in her soaked clothes, and the burning desire in his eyes became more and more obvious.

"You look truly captivating right now. Such incredible endurance, such unyielding will, and such composure in the face of danger are rare among women in this world. And with your pitiful appearance, you are even more enchanting to me."

He paused slightly, his tone revealing an undisguised desire: "So I really want to ravage you."

Every word he spoke seemed to carry a dangerous aura, sending chills down one's spine.

However, Ling Yan's face remained completely expressionless upon hearing this.

She stood there quietly, her eyes cold and calm, as if the words of the Northern King had no effect on her whatsoever.

After all, she knew in her heart that he only expressed his desire verbally and in his heart, and would not actually take any action.

Because of her value, he certainly wouldn't take the risk.

Knowing that she would commit suicide, he certainly wouldn't, and dared not, take another step closer.

Moreover, she knew perfectly well that the King of Beili did not truly love her.

I just like her looks and body.

To put it bluntly, he's just a lecherous man who's obsessed with physical appearance.

This kind of desire is more physical than psychological; it comes quickly and goes quickly.

It is easier to extinguish a desire than one that arises from the bottom of one's heart.

So Lingyan took the initiative to change the subject, saying, "The Empress is easy to deal with, but your father-in-law, Grand Tutor Yao, is not so easy to deal with! If he wants His Majesty to punish me, this femme fatale who bewitches the Emperor, in court, you must protect me, Your Majesty! Also, if he wants to seek personal revenge in private, please send someone to protect me! After all, I am very valuable. If Grand Tutor Yao really kills me, you will lose more than you gain."

Upon hearing this, the Northern King narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of amusement in them, and slowly said, "Bewitching Your Majesty, a femme fatale? Now outsiders say that I dote on you to the core. Why don't I just make this a fact?"

Lingyan thought to herself: Are you still not done? Are you teasing her again?

Since that's the case, then don't blame her for teasing back.