“What?”

Elder Yan, Deacon Lu, the disciples, and Han Yu all stared in astonishment.

Deacon Lu and the other Deacon moved to flank Li Tonghai, boxing him in completely.

Elder Yan slowly relaxed his grip on the black vine staff, ceasing his relentless assault.

Li Tonghai hurriedly glanced down at the spirit sword hovering before him. The spiritual light on its blade flickered instability, causing his heart to ache. Using a Qi Refining late-stage cultivation to withstand the attacks of a Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator, even for a few breaths, had incurred a heavy cost.

Of course, the fact that neither the sword was destroyed nor the man killed was already the limit of his ability—aided significantly by Elder Yan’s desire to take him alive for questioning.

“Do not kill him yet! I have questions.”

At Elder Yan’s command, Deacon Lu and his colleague pressed their swords against Li Tonghai’s sides, immobilizing him.

Above Li Tonghai’s head, the black vine staff hovered menacingly. A single thought from Elder Yan would be enough to shatter his skull.

“You claimed Wanchun Valley colludes with Demonic Cultivators,” Elder Yan demanded, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean by that?”

Li Tonghai sneered. “I saw it with my own eyes. Hong Liang, the Steward of the Spirit Field Department and an Inner Disciple, cultivated the Blood Refining technique. Is that not a fact?”

Elder Yan frowned. “And are you aware that I brought this group here specifically to hunt down and execute Hong Liang?”

“Did you catch him? Did you kill him? Or was it all a performance, and you ‘accidentally’ let him slip away?” Li Tonghai retorted. He was initially stunned by the claim but quickly dismissed it with skepticism.

Elder Yan gaped, then laughed in sheer fury. “Is there anyone here who does not know how often Wanchun Valley purges spies from its ranks? Once a spy for the Demonic Cultivators is caught, there is only one outcome: death!”

“You are a disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect. Where in the world did you hear that our Wanchun Valley colludes with demons? We have never even heard such absurd nonsense!”

Li Tonghai curled his lip in disdain. “Everyone here belongs to Wanchun Valley. Right and wrong are whatever you say they are. What is strange about that?”

“Aside from your sect, which of the other four sects in the Southern Region is unaware of your collusion? You intend to overthrow the Southern Region! We are merely waiting to join forces and eradicate you heretics!”

“Wanchun Valley… heretics?” Elder Yan laughed, but the sound was laced with incredulity. “Who spread such ridiculous slander? Are the four sects hostile toward us solely because of this laughable rumor?”

It wasn’t just Elder Yan; the Deacons and the disciples felt the absurdity of the accusation.

They farmed, cultivated spirit herbs, and refined pills. They barely even specialized in combat arts. What kind of “heretic sect” operated like this?

But seeing Li Tonghai’s furious eyes and righteous indignation—as if he truly believed he was standing against evil—made the situation even more bizarre.

“I saw it with my own eyes! Your Wanchun Valley indeed harbors Demonic Cultivators!” Li Tonghai raised his head and shouted. “I was sent by my Master specifically to investigate this. Though my identity is exposed, I am prepared to die to achieve virtue.”

“When my Master comes to annihilate Wanchun Valley, even if I perish by your hands, I will find peace in death!”

Observing Li Tonghai’s demeanor, Elder Yan surmised that this young man was not inherently malicious, just deeply misguided. He sighed helplessly. “Young man of the Spirit Sword Sect, is it not true that I, an Elder, led Deacons and disciples to hunt down a traitor? Is that fake?”

“Why do you refuse to believe your eyes, yet place such faith in rumors?”

“Who told you we collude with demons? And what would we possibly gain from it?”

Faced with these questions, Li Tonghai began to waver. He looked around, realizing Elder Yan was trying to explain rather than execute him.

“You really went to hunt a Demonic Cultivator? Your sect isn’t plotting to plunge the Southern Region into chaos and bloodshed?” Li Tonghai asked, half-believing.

Elder Yan retorted, “We only wish to cultivate, farm, and refine pills. What benefit would chaos and bloodshed bring us?”

The Deacons and disciples nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps it is a disguise. Or perhaps you have all been deceived,” Li Tonghai said, still clutching his skepticism.

“I think it is more likely your sect is the one being deceived,” Elder Yan countered with a frown.

Li Tonghai shook his head stubbornly. “What exactly happened today? And what about that Hong Liang?”

Elder Yan opened his mouth to explain, but Li Tonghai interrupted. “Your word is suspect. Han Yu, you tell me!”

Everyone turned to look at Han Yu in surprise.

Han Yu blinked. “Me?”

“Correct. Though you are young, I have watched you. You cultivate and patrol the fields diligently every day. Your will is firm. You are not the type to kill indiscriminately or covet demonic arts. If you tell me the story, I will trust it!”

Li Tonghai spoke with conviction.

Every day after practicing his sword, Li Tonghai had observed Han Yu. He knew Han Yu was a dedicated cultivator and a simple Laborer Disciple. He didn’t trust the higher-ups, but he believed Han Yu wouldn’t lie.

Han Yu stepped forward and recounted the events involving Wang Hui, Hong Liang, Tian Qing, and the deceased spy.

Li Tonghai questioned him on specific details, and Han Yu answered each one clearly.

After finishing his interrogation, Li Tonghai frowned in deep thought.

“Your Wanchun Valley… truly isn’t colluding with the Demon Blood Sect?”

“Of course not!” Elder Yan snapped. The others nodded vigorously.

“Then why…”

“You ask us, how should we know?” Elder Yan said unhappily. “Kid, who is your Master? How dare he send an eighth-layer Qi Refining disciple as a spy? Was he not afraid we’d kill you?”

Li Tonghai’s expression turned reverent. He clasped his sword against his chest and bowed slightly to the air. “My honored Master is Ye Guxing.”

“Wh… what!”

Elder Yan’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

He jerked his hand back, withdrawing the black vine staff so quickly it blurred, terrified he might accidentally crush Li Tonghai.

“You are Ye Guxing’s disciple?”

“Correct,” Li Tonghai replied, his chin lifted in pride.

“Does… does your Master also intend to attack Wanchun Valley?” Elder Yan asked, his voice trembling visibly.

“If Wanchun Valley proves to be a den of heretics, my Master naturally will not spare it. Who does not know my Master’s hatred for the Demon Blood Sect? They are irreconcilable enemies.”

Elder Yan panicked. “But Wanchun Valley is innocent! This is a misunderstanding!”

Feeling his words might not carry enough weight against the reputation of the legendary Ye Guxing, Elder Yan hastily added, “Come! I will take you to see the Sect Leader and the Supreme Elder immediately. We must clarify right from wrong. You must explain this to your Master!”

“Wanchun Valley is a righteous sect! We have never engaged in heresy!”

Without waiting for a reply, Elder Yan grabbed Li Tonghai’s arm, pulled him onto his Magical Artifact, and shot toward the sect’s main peak.

Deacon Lu watched the usually formidable Elder Yan show such blatant fear at the mere mention of Ye Guxing. He was stunned.

Recovering his wits, Deacon Lu and his colleague handled the remaining arrangements at the Spirit Field Department before leading the Inner and Outer Disciples away.

Only Ji Yida, Hua Qi, and Han Yu remained.

“You worked hard today, Junior Brother Han,” Hua Qi said. “I have recorded your merit. Go and rest.”

“By the way, do you plan to visit the Technique Pavilion tomorrow? I can inform Zhong Yue for you. If she is unavailable, I can make a special trip to escort you.”

Han Yu nodded. “Please ask Senior Brother Hua to inform Zhong Yue for me.”

“If she is too busy, I will wait until after the Laborer Disciple competition to exchange for techniques.”

Ji Yida, Hua Qi, and the remaining Laborer Disciples departed, taking the corpse of the female spy with them.

Han Yu stood alone in the clearing.

He looked at the collapsed ruins of Li Tonghai’s stone house—formerly the home of Sun Kang.

He looked at the empty house of Tian Qing—formerly the home of Liu Lan.

He looked at the silent house of Wei Xiaoluo—formerly the home of Old Taoist Li.

Now, all the houses were empty.

His neighbors had changed yet again, wiped out in the blink of an eye.

The melancholy was fleeting. Han Yu returned to his room, calmed his mind, and produced the Storage Bag disguised by the Thousand Illusions Secret Art.

He began to take stock of his gains.

The Thousand Illusions Secret Art had been learned in haste, and many of its mysteries remained unexplored. Yet, its ability to conceal cultivation and disguise objects—turning the Storage Bag into a nondescript bundle of cloth—had already proven invaluable. It had allowed him to deceive a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

In addition to the secret art, he had obtained a bottle of Qi Gathering Pills and ten Minor Merits. His total Minor Merits now stood at fifteen.

But for Han Yu, the greatest reward was intangible. He had not been forced to expose his true strength. He did not have to flee Wanchun Valley.

He had secured another period of peace to cultivate.