On this day, the Forbidden Yin River Ye Family faced utter destruction.

    All of its members were wiped out. Under the relentless onslaught of sword energy, the family’s legacy of ten thousand years was reduced to rubble.

    When Ye Yu and Lin Miaoxue left, nothing remained but ruins and deep trenches carved by the sword energy.

    Unbeknownst to them, throughout the entire ordeal, an elder clad in a violet robe stood silently within the cliffside of the rear mountain, watching everything unfold.

    He made no move to intervene.

    This man was Ye Xuanji, the Ye Family’s Grand Elder and Supreme Protector—a late-stage Ascension cultivator and the family’s guardian deity. He had resided in seclusion within the rear mountains for over twenty thousand years.

    The number of people who knew of his existence could be counted on one hand.

    Even Ye Zhouhao, in his final moments, cast his gaze to the north, silently pleading for this guardian to intervene just once.

    But clearly, no aid came.

    Ye Zhouhao could not believe that Ye Xuanji, with his level of cultivation, would be unaware of the events unfolding before him.

    His lack of response spoke volumes.

    Even as he watched his kin slaughtered, Ye Xuanji remained unmoved, as if none of it concerned him. He appeared more like an outsider, observing fleeting passersby.

    Calm. Detached.

    Ye Xuanji stood for a while, his expression unreadable, before his figure vanished.

    When he reappeared, he was inside a vast and frigid hall deep within the rear mountain.

    The hall was desolate and dark, save for a single, blood-red pool at its center.

    Approaching the pool, Ye Xuanji spoke in an even tone. “The Ye Family is gone. It was Lin Miaoxue and a male cultivator who did it. That man... he’s strange. I cannot read his fate.”

    The blood pool began to bubble and churn, eventually forming the shape of a humanoid figure, its features becoming clear.

    If Lin Miaoxue were present, she would instantly recognize the man—the Ye Family patriarch of thirty thousand years ago, Ye Jiunian, the very one she had been searching for.

    “Ah, the world is vast, filled with countless mysteries. A fate that cannot be read is not so uncommon,” Ye Jiunian remarked. “The Ye Family has been in decline for generations. Their lives of comfort have rotted them to the core.

    “But it’s not entirely over. There are still over thirty Ye family members out searching for Lin Miaoxue. As long as they live, so does the family line. Hatred will make them stronger.

    “Besides, once I complete my technique, you and I will join forces. Wherever we go, we can rebuild the Ye Family anew.”

    Ye Xuanji’s lips parted, as though he wanted to say something, but the words died before they could be spoken. He sighed heavily and turned to leave the hall.

    Walking into the cold, dark chamber, he felt an unbearable chill seep into his very soul.

    Ye Xuanji was not a heartless man.

    Had he been more ruthless in the past, he might have already ascended to the Celestial Realm, rather than being here, watching his kin massacred.

    To be honest, when he saw Ye Zhouhao being killed, he had been tempted to step in.

    But Ye Jiunian’s telepathic voice had stopped him, reminding him of his duty.

    But as Ye Yu entered his room and closed the door, a peculiar feeling stirred within her.

    Tired? Rest?

    These words shouldn’t have anything to do with a mid-Tribulation cultivator, should they?

    Cultivators didn’t need sleep—especially not after reaching the Golden Core stage. A few moments of meditation were all that was required to restore their energy.

    Sleep was simply a waste of time.

    As for being tired?

    Even less likely.

    During the Ye Family massacre, Lin Miaoxue had done most of the fighting herself, venting her rage. Ye Yu had only intervened a handful of times.

    How could he possibly be tired?

    What did he mean by this?

    Lin Miaoxue’s brows furrowed as a realization struck her.

    Her cheeks flushed bright red.

    She remembered the agreement she had made with Ye Yu just a few days prior.

    Back then, she had personally promised that if everything he said was true, she owed him an immeasurable debt of gratitude—one that could only be repaid by giving herself to him.

    Now that everything was settled, it seemed the time had come to fulfill that promise.

    Ye Yu’s words just now might have been a hint.

    Before leaving the Qingyun Sect, Lin Miaoxue had already resolved to stay by Ye Yu’s side in the future.

    But now that the moment had arrived, she found herself at a loss.

    Standing in front of Ye Yu’s door, she hesitated.

    Walking in unannounced felt inappropriate.

    She was overcome with shyness.

    Yet, not entering left her feeling reluctant.

    The truth was, she had already fallen deeply in love with Ye Yu. Giving herself to him wasn’t a repayment but a reward for herself.

    On the Five Peaks, Lin Miaoxue had witnessed the vast difference between people like Yun Roumu, outsiders, and the main companions like Li Ruowang or Tuoba Qiyue.

    She didn’t want to be an outsider.

    Today was her chance, and she couldn’t let it slip away.

    Summoning every ounce of courage, Lin Miaoxue stepped to Ye Yu’s door.

    After taking two deep breaths, she raised her hand, preparing to knock.