[Transcending tribulation is a hurdle that all cultivators must overcome before ascending.]
[It's extremely perilous.]
[Only one in ten cultivators who attempt it succeed.]
[The stronger the cultivator, the more intense the Heavenly Tribulation.]
[Within the dream realm, Ye Yu faced the Heavenly Tribulation for the first time.]
[The terrifying sense of destruction was suffocating.]
[Ye Yu dared not be careless, and could only remain fully vigilant, awaiting the arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation.]
[Two days later.]
[Ye Yu successfully passed through the Heavenly Tribulation.]
[An area of thousands of miles around turned into scorched earth.]
[During the tribulation, all the treasures and artifacts he used were destroyed.]
[Even the high-grade robe he wore became tattered and worn.]
[However, to Ye Yu, it was all worth it.]
[After the baptism of the Heavenly Tribulation, not only did he successfully step into the Ascension Realm, but his physique also underwent significant improvement.]
[This was an unexpected joy for Ye Yu.]
[He had never heard before that the Heavenly Tribulation could also improve one's physique.]
[But thinking about it, it made sense.]
[In the current cultivation world, no one had successfully transcended tribulation in thousands of years.]
[The Ascension Realm had almost become a legend.]
[Under such circumstances, naturally, there were many things that no one knew about.]
[Now that the ordeal of the heavenly tribulation was over, next, it was time to see who was worthy of being his nemesis!]
[But after wandering around for a day, Ye Yu felt a sense of confusion as if he was blindly searching with his weapon drawn.]
[Fumbling around aimlessly was clearly not wise.]
[So, Ye Yu decided to change his approach.]
[He would directly make a name for himself in the Northern Desolate Continent!]
[Thus, for the next two months, Ye Yu began challenging powerful cultivators everywhere he went.]
[Winning from the orthodox sects meant acquiring artifacts.]
[Winning from the demonic sects meant seizing techniques.]
[Taking artifacts was acceptable; treasures naturally belonged to the capable.]
[As for seizing demonic techniques, it was to gather knowledge from all sources and assimilate the strengths of various schools.]
[Then, using the unique traits of his innate Celestial Demon Body, he continuously improved his Devouring Spirit Technique.]
[As time passed bit by bit, Ye Yu practically swept through all the sects of the Northern Desolate Continent.]
[He acquired numerous techniques and artifacts.]
[But frustratingly, he hadn't even caught a glimpse of his nemesis.]
[Instead, he stirred up fear among cultivators in the tribulation crossing realm and above throughout the Northern Desolate Continent.]
[Could it be that the "North" predicted by Celestial Secrets Sect's founding patriarch wasn't referring to the Northern Desolate Continent after all?]
[If that were the case, how should he interpret the phrase "nemesis in the North"?]
[Ye Yu couldn't figure it out.]
[Afterward, he decided not to dwell on it anymore.]
[He simply left the Northern Desolate Continent.]
[However, upon Ye Yu's return to Mystic Yin Sect, he was immediately shocked by the scene before him.]
[What was once a thriving sect had suddenly turned into ruins.]
[There were numerous bodies scattered around, all belonging to members of the Mystic Yin Sect.]
[Seeing this, Ye Yu's face turned pale, and he immediately headed north.]
[But he eventually found that the location of the Treasure Pavilion had turned into a massive crater.]
[This made Ye Yu's expression incredibly grave.]
[His figure slowly descended to the edge of the crater, lost in thought for a long time.]
[What happened?]
[How could the Mystic Yin Sect end up like this?]
[And most importantly, where was Lan Lianyan?]
[Was she still alive?]
[At that moment, Ye Yu suddenly shook all over and looked back.]
[He saw Lan Lianyan standing not far behind him, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.]
[Upon seeing her, Ye Yu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.]
[You're alright, that's...,]
[He didn't finish his sentence because he noticed something in Lan Lianyan's expression—ice-cold determination.]
[Then he heard her chilling words.]
[Did you find it amusing to deceive me for so long, Master of Mystic Yin Sect, Ye Yu?]
[Ye Yu furrowed his brow slightly.]
[His identity was finally exposed?]
[Although he had known deep down that this day would eventually come, he still felt a pang of sadness when it actually happened.]
[From today onwards, he feared he would never have the chance to enjoy meals with Lan Lianyan again.]
[Ye Yu slowly exhaled a deep breath.]
[He said seriously, At the beginning, you mistook me for someone else.]
[I didn't kill you partly because I found you intriguing, and partly because I wanted to gather information about other spies in Mystic Yin Sect.]
[But later, I found out that you were truly adorable.]
[I enjoyed our meals together.]
[So I never revealed my true identity.]
[If possible, I would have liked things to continue like that forever.]
[You should feel that I harbor no ill will towards you.]
[In fact, just now, I was genuinely worried that you might die.]
[All of this was Ye Yu's heartfelt confession.]
[Whether or not she believed him, it was the truth.]
[After hearing Ye Yu's explanation, Lan Lianyan remained silent for a long time before softly asking, Are you saying that you like me?]
[Ye Yu widened his eyes suddenly, not understanding why Lan Lianyan would ask such a question.]
[Lan Lianyan stepped forward slowly.]
[Step by step, she asked, Do you like me?]
[After she finished speaking, Lan Lianyan had already arrived in front of Ye Yu.]
[Looking at this extremely adorable woman, the concrete walls around Ye Yu's heart began to crumble.]
[He nodded seriously.]
[Despite having promised to stay away from romantic entanglements, Ye Yu couldn't deny it.]
[He really enjoyed being with Lan Lianyan. It felt relaxing and joyful.]
[Ye Yu didn't want to go against his true feelings.]
[Even if Lan Lianyan truly was destined to be his nemesis. Ye Yu accepted it.]
[Ever since he learned the second prophecy, Ye Yu had harbored suspicions about Lan Lianyan.]
[Because the Treasure Pavilion where she was located was the northernmost part of Mystic Yin Sect.]
[It perfectly matched "the demon has a nemesis, the nemesis is in the north."]
[However, Ye Yu had been reluctant to admit it.]
[That's why he wandered around the Northern Desolate Continent.]
[In the end, he returned disappointed.]
[So, was Lan Lianyan truly his destined nemesis?]
[As Ye Yu pondered this, Lan Lianyan raised her hand again, pointing towards Ye Yu's heart.]
[Her movement was extremely slow, as if waiting for Ye Yu's reaction.]
[After much thought, Ye Yu didn't evade.]
[Because he noticed that Lan Lianyan's eyes remained as clear and devoid of malice as before.]
[The fact proved:]
[Ye Yu's guess was correct—Lan Lianyan didn't intend to kill him.]
[Instead, she closed her eyes as if sensing something.]
[She said seriously, Hmm, you didn't lie. I guess I didn't misjudge you.]
[This statement left Ye Yu confused.]
[What did she mean by this?]
[Then, Lan Lianyan began to explain everything that had happened recently.]