Inside the grand hall, besides Heng Xuanzhen’s name, there were many other name tablets.

Here, Ye Yu even saw the names of Lyu Nian and Bai Jia.

A guess formed in his mind, and he began reading—at a distance—the memories sealed within the Demon Conversion summons.

As expected, the Heart-Sword Grounds preserved a wisp of sword intent from every member of Ancient Sword Gorge’s God Alliance.

If a god-clan member fell, the wisp they stored would disperse.

Now only Heng Xuanzhen’s sword intent remained. That meant the entire Ancient Sword Gorge had just one survivor—her.

Wasn’t that a kind of sorrow?

A hall of heroes, and only one left alive.

Huh—wait.

Ye Yu suddenly noticed a glimmer in a corner.

A few breaths later, a pitch-black longsword slowly emerged, its sword intent growing denser and denser.

That genuinely surprised Ye Yu.

Hadn’t Tongtian Pavilion said they’d already slaughtered everyone inside Ancient Sword Gorge?

So why was another one appearing now?

He walked straight over and looked at the plaque beneath the black longsword.

Three characters stood out clearly: Zhu Cangwen.

The name wasn’t unfamiliar; he had already read the memories of Heng Xuanzhen’s master, Lyu Nian.

He had a basic grasp of everyone within Ancient Sword Gorge.

Zhu Cangwen was Lyu Nian’s junior sister, and Heng Xuanzhen’s aunt-master.

He didn’t know why her sword intent had suddenly begun to condense,

but it was absolutely a good sign.

Maybe Zhu Cangwen was still alive—which would mean Heng Xuanzhen wasn’t truly alone. She still had an aunt-master.

If she heard this, she’d be thrilled, wouldn’t she?

With that thought, Ye Yu moved to find Heng Xuanzhen and tell her.

Just then, the longsword representing Heng Xuanzhen’s sword intent began to surge violently.

Ye Yu’s brows tightened at once.

Had something gone wrong?

He flashed away and, in an instant, returned to the place where they had parted.

There he found Lyu Nian, Bai Jia, and the others waiting at a doorway.

After he asked, he learned the reason: having met her sectmates again, Heng Xuanzhen was overjoyed.

Her state of mind had shifted; she showed signs of breaking through on the spot, so she immediately entered seclusion.

The summoned beings did not leave; they stood guard at the door.

After all, Ye Yu’s order for today had been to keep Heng Xuanzhen company.

Even if she had entered seclusion, they would not abandon her.

Model disciples: obedient and quiet.

Ye Yu looked at the tightly closed door, his expression complicated.

Was Heaven-Defying Comprehension contagious now?

He had spent time with Liu Yuennong, and she’d gone into seclusion to break through.

Now he’d been with Heng Xuanzhen, and she was breaking through too.

Coincidence? Or was he the God Realm’s lucky star?

Stay with him a few days and you get a chance to advance?

That was pushing it, wasn’t it?

While Ye Yu was mulling it over, a tearing sound split the air behind him.

He turned to see Lyu Nian already cutting out a wave of sword energy to block a sword glow in the sky.

The other four Demon Conversion summons stepped in front of Ye Yu as well,

each face taut with solemn focus, as if facing a mortal foe.

A woman with an icy expression hovered in the air.

A wide, black robe rippled lightly around her, radiating a fierce weariness with the world.

She was none other than Zhu Cangwen, Lyu Nian’s junior sister.

Seeing Bai Jia, Lyu Nian, and the others clearly, Zhu Cangwen was startled.

“Senior brother... junior niece... you—you’ve come back to life too?” 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Hearing that, Ye Yu was about to speak.

But Zhu Cangwen’s brows snapped together as she said coldly, “No. You’re not revived. You’re wreathed in demonic aura—you were summoned by a demon god’s art, weren’t you?”

“Who did this? Who dared? Even in the earth, my senior brother deserves peace!”

Before the words finished, a razor-cold sword intent burst from Zhu Cangwen.

Pointing the edge of her divine sword at Ye Yu, she barked, “Vile yokai god—speak. The one controlling the martyrs of Ancient Sword Gorge—is he your accomplice? Where is he?”

Ye Yu’s face sank.

Yokai god is one thing—why add “vile”?

So you’re the noble one here?

And why do all of you assume the one controlling the God Alliance can’t be me?

Well... fair enough.

Lyu Nian and Bai Jia were sheathed in thick demonic aura.

At first glance, anyone would think this was the work of a demon god.

That worked for him—it made hiding his hand easier.

Especially when facing a Ancient Deity-realm swordmaster.

Ye Yu raised a hand and pointed south, speaking softly. “Looking for my friend? He just went that way.”

He had thought that would be enough to fool Zhu Cangwen into leaving.

He hadn’t expected her not only to stay, but to thrust another sword at him.

“Filthy yokai god. Your mere presence in a sacred place like Ancient Sword Gorge is an insult. Death is your only end.”

A colossal phantom blade fell, blotting out the sky. Its speed didn’t look fast, yet in truth it blanketed the entire gorge,

cutting off every path of retreat.

She meant to kill him outright.

Ye Yu’s mind moved. He dropped the pretense and ordered Lyu Nian, Bai Jia, and the others to strike together—taking injuries if they had to—to forcefully bear the blow of the colossal phantom blade.

Seeing that, Zhu Cangwen’s face grew even darker.

With one hand forming a sword seal, she sent countless phantom sword auras pouring down like a tide, gathering into a mass that slammed Lyu Nian, Bai Jia, and the rest aside—and then sealed them in place entirely with sword intent.

Zhu Cangwen walked toward Ye Yu, step by step.

“Boy, you didn’t tell the truth, did you?”

“If they’ll risk their lives for you like that, you must be very important.”

“In that case, I want to kill you even more.”

“Once I read your memories, I might learn a great many things.”

Ye Yu clenched his jaw, standing his ground and fighting to keep his stance.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to run; the sword aura flooding the sky had already wrapped him round and round, compressing every inch of space he could move in.