Murong Yue suddenly froze.
Shen Mo noticed the change in her emotions. "What's wrong?"
Murong Yue shook her head. She looked at Shen Mo with determination. "Xiao Mo, I need to enter seclusion immediately."
Shen Mo instantly guessed her thoughts.
He nodded solemnly. "Alright. Let me know if you need anything."
Murong Yue said seriously, "Three years - I will step into the Divine Palace Realm."
"Thirty years - I will charge into the Dharma Manifestation Realm."
"I can't fall too far behind you. Otherwise, one day you'll leave me behind."
Shen Mo sighed softly and pulled Murong Yue into a tight embrace.
Cultivators possessed long lifespans.
A single major realm of difference could mean a gap of thousands, even tens of thousands of years in lifespan.
No one wanted to watch their loved ones grow old and die before their eyes.
He understood what Murong Yue was thinking.
All he could do was support her.
...
Several years later.
A tall, upright figure stood atop the highest peak in this small world.
The mountain winds here were bitingly cold and fierce.
It was as if countless icy blades filled the air, threatening to strip flesh from bone.
They were almost like tempest winds.
Yet the figure stood there, his expression unchanging.
This was Shen Mo.
He had come here in search of an eternal flame - The Everlasting Flame.
Ranked eighth on the Eternal Flames Ranking.
Though a flame, it brimmed with vibrant vitality.
It only appeared in the most frigid, desolate lands.
If a frozen wasteland suddenly gave way to a lush oasis teeming with life, it was likely the work of the Everlasting Flame.
This place was the northernmost region of Jing Kingdom, among the towering mountains where the Great Snow Palace stood.
Before coming, Shen Mo had asked the Heavenly Dao Will if there were any other eternal flames in this world.
The Heavenly Dao Will replied that only one remained.
But eternal flames were divine objects of heaven and earth.
This world's Heavenly Dao Will was fragmented - it couldn't pinpoint the flame's exact location.
It could only tell Shen Mo that the Everlasting Flame was somewhere in these towering mountains.
Shen Mo had searched here for a year without success.
But he was patient.
This small world had only one eternal flame left.
Wouldn't it be a shame if he left without obtaining it?
"Over there..."
Shen Mo scanned his surroundings, seeing nothing but endless white.
At first, the snowy landscape had been beautiful.
But after seeing it for so long, it had become tiresome.
This time, however, a flash of green caught the corner of his eye!
A surge of excitement rose in Shen Mo's heart, and he immediately quickened his pace.
A small green valley came into view.
Inside the valley, towering trees stood tall, flowers and fruits flourished, and everything brimmed with life.
The howling winds outside couldn't penetrate the valley, leaving its vibrant ecosystem untouched.
With a single step, Shen Mo appeared inside the valley.
Guided by the mutual attraction between eternal flames, he soon entered an underground cavern.
At the deepest part of the cave, he saw a green flame.
He took a deep breath and immediately felt an overwhelming surge of vitality coursing through his body.
There was no mistake.
This was the Everlasting Flame!
However, he could tell at a glance that this flame was at its peak.
Its strength was no less than a Half-Step Nirvana Realm expert.
Sensing the approach of a Nirvana Realm cultivator, the Everlasting Flame erupted violently, forming an androgynous face made of fire.
"Get lost."
"No one can tame me!"
"I am myself - I will never belong to any living being!"
In an instant, the cave filled with green flames, clearly ready to attack at the slightest provocation.
Shen Mo smiled. "You two, come out and have a chat with it."
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