Winter's Illness, Wulin's Pursuit

Sunlight spilled across the long street, and the breeze was still.

Huo Yuhao had just soothed the sourness from Wang Dong'er's eyes. The proud girl's little face had softened slightly, and her tense shoulders had relaxed. The warmth between them, which had nearly shattered, was about to return.

But at that very moment, a cool, low female voice carrying the sharp edge of ice and snow suddenly rang through the entire street.

The voice was not loud, yet it was immensely penetrating. It held no emotion, cold and aloof, carrying an innate arrogance that seemed to stand above all living beings. It forcefully drowned out every sound of wind and breath around them.

"Finished arguing?"

Those three short words fell abruptly, instantly freezing the entire space.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er, who had still been immersed in their little spat and tender reconciliation, both stiffened and instinctively looked ahead.

The purple-gold girl standing deep within the light and shadows finally moved.

She lifted her eyes slightly. Her clear, translucent amber-gold pupils held not the slightest warmth as they fell indifferently upon the pair standing close together. Her long golden hair danced in the wind, flowing light shifted across the patterns of her purple-gold dress, and her tall, peerless figure stood alone in icy solitude, as though she had walked alone from ancient ages.

Just standing there quietly before had already silenced the entire scene.

Now that she spoke, the domineering pressure of an ultimate powerhouse, hidden deep within her bones and blood, erupted!

It was not the soul power intimidation released by soul rings, but the pride and loneliness originating at the level of the soul—a lofty gaze born from witnessing the rise and fall of ages and bearing endless solitude.

The pedestrians along the entire street instantly held their breath. Even their breathing seemed to stop as everyone instinctively retreated half a step, their hearts filled with awe and fear.

Huo Yuhao's expression turned grave at once. His spiritual power pulsed violently between his brows, his Spirit Eyes opened slightly, and every nerve in his body tightened to the limit.

He could clearly sense it—this girl before him was exceedingly powerful.

So powerful that she was unfathomable, so powerful that he could not see through her at all.

There was no malice exposed from her, yet when that indifferent gaze swept over them, it was as though she were examining two insignificant objects—detached, distant, devoid of any mortal warmth.

Wang Dong'er's emotions, which had only just calmed, suddenly rose again.

The jealousy that had just faded was stirred up once more by that abrupt, icy voice, and a powerful sense of danger faintly emerged in her heart.

The person before her not only looked exactly like her, but also possessed an aura so powerful it was suffocating.

She lightly clenched Huo Yuhao's sleeve. Her clear eyes stared straight ahead, carrying the stubbornness and vigilance unique to a young girl. She did not retreat a single step.

Wang Qiu'er's gaze slowly swept over Wang Dong'er's face and settled on that bright, gentle, clean, and pure countenance. A faint, icy trace of mockery flashed through her eyes.

Identical faces.

Yet one had grown toward the sun, cherished in another's palm and spoiled beyond measure; the other walked alone through the dark night, burdened by fate, with no one to rely on.

How ironic.

She spoke calmly, her voice still as cold and clear as water, every word falling distinctly upon everyone's ears. "You've been staring for so long. Have you seen enough?"

That statement was clearly directed at Huo Yuhao.

It was highly pointed, carrying a faint hint of scrutiny and teasing, as though mocking his earlier lapse while staring at her.

Huo Yuhao's heart tightened slightly.

He truly had been lost in thought for quite some time, utterly shaken by her peerless beauty and the aura that so resembled the Goddess of Light. Now that she had exposed it to his face, even with his composed temperament, the tips of his ears faintly reddened.

He steadied himself, suppressed all the turbulence in his heart, and stepped half a pace forward, gently shielding Wang Dong'er behind him. His posture was open and upright, his gaze proper, with none of his previous distraction remaining.

"May I ask who you are, fellow student? Why are you blocking our way?"

Huo Yuhao's voice was warm and steady, neither servile nor overbearing.

He knew they were within Shrek City. Her sudden appearance could not possibly have been accidental.

Wang Qiu'er raised an eyebrow lightly upon hearing this.

That faint motion was incomparably elegant, yet filled with coldness.

"Who am I?" she repeated softly, as though she had heard an interesting question. The corners of her lips lifted into a cold yet beautiful curve. "Who am I..."

Her gaze returned to Wang Dong'er. Her golden eyes were deep, as though they contained the storms of countless ages.

"You can think of me as... another you."

Boom!

That short sentence struck their hearts like thunder!

Wang Dong'er's pupils abruptly contracted. Her entire body trembled slightly, her face full of disbelief.

Another herself?

How could such a thing possibly exist in this world?!

The identical appearance, the completely different temperament, and now those words spoken from her own lips—it was so bizarre that it sent chills through their hearts.

Huo Yuhao was even more shaken. Countless chaotic thoughts surged through his mind in an instant.

He had come into contact with secrets of the God Realm and sensed legends of the Dragon God. Somewhere in the haze, he seemed to grasp a fragmentary thread, but it was far too vague for him to reach the truth.

Who exactly was this person before them?!

Wang Qiu'er seemed quite satisfied by their shocked expressions. Her gaze calmly swept over the stiff pair as she continued in an indifferent voice.

"You need not guess who I am."

"I came today merely to see what the person favored by fate, the one who possesses such a destiny, truly looks like."

Her words were faint, yet every one of them held hidden meaning.

Favored by fate?

Destiny?

The words left everyone confused, yet their hearts inexplicably grew heavy.

Wang Dong'er suppressed the shock in her heart, gathered her courage, and leaned slightly out from Huo Yuhao's side. Her bright eyes met Wang Qiu'er's directly, filled with unyielding stubbornness.

"You look exactly like me. Why?!"

That was the question she had wanted to ask most since first seeing her.

It was too strange, too unbelievable, completely beyond explanation by common sense.

Wang Qiu'er looked at her clear, untainted eyes, so full of confusion. The mockery in her gaze faded, replaced by an extremely faint complexity.

There was envy, indifference, and a sorrow no one could understand.

After a moment, she said softly,

"Identical, yet ultimately worlds apart."

"Wang Dong'er, you are very fortunate."

She had actually spoken Wang Dong'er's name outright!

This time, Huo Yuhao's expression changed completely!

The other party not only knew Dong'er long ago, but even knew her identity!

An unknown sense of crisis instantly filled Huo Yuhao's heart. His spiritual power spread out in full, locking firmly onto the girl before him, ready to deal with any unexpected situation at any moment.

Yet Wang Qiu'er paid no attention to his guarded stance. Her golden eyes lifted slightly toward the distant azure sky, her tone as light as the wind yet carrying the certainty of destiny.

"Seeing you today is enough."

"However, let me remind you—"

Her tone suddenly turned cold!

Her previously indifferent aura became sharp as a blade in an instant. The temperature across the entire long street seemed to plunge suddenly, and a biting edge pressed down from every direction!

"Fate turns, and worldly affairs are unpredictable. What you possess now may not belong to you forever."

"All the favor and glory in this world were never meant to belong to you alone."

Those words were aimed directly at Wang Dong'er!

They were domineering and forceful, carrying a silent declaration and a faint intent to contend!

Wang Dong'er's heart clenched. She instinctively tightened her grip on Huo Yuhao's arm again, and the unease in her heart reached its peak.

She understood!

That mysterious golden-haired girl before her was subtly declaring that she intended to take everything that belonged to her!

Her destiny, her opportunities, and even... the person by her side.

Huo Yuhao's face darkened completely. He firmly shielded Wang Dong'er behind him, staring resolutely at Wang Qiu'er as his voice rang out, steady and powerful.

"No matter who you are, no one can shake anything Dong'er possesses."

"No one."

The youth's voice was not loud, but it was incomparably firm, filled with absolute protectiveness and certainty.

Even if she was unfathomable, even if she was mysterious and bizarre, he would never allow anyone to threaten Dong'er in the slightest.

Wang Qiu'er looked at his resolute posture as he protected his wife, at the gentle determination in his eyes that shone for only one person. Deep within her amber eyes, a profoundly dark and painful shadow finally flickered.

A breeze swept through the long street.

Golden hair rose in the wind, peerlessly alone.

She quietly watched the young man and woman protecting one another, their hearts in harmony, for a long, long time.

In the end, she smiled faintly. The smile was cold and covered in loneliness.

"Is that so?"

"Then... we shall wait and see."

The instant her words fell.

Buzz—

An immensely vast and terrifying surge of soul power, far beyond what three- or four-ring Soul Ancestors could bear, suddenly exploded outward!

Purple-gold radiance burst from around her body, illuminating the entire long street!

Light and shadows swayed as her long hair whipped wildly.

Within the dazzling golden radiance, Wang Qiu'er's figure slowly retreated and faded.

"The next time we meet will be our true encounter."

"Huo Yuhao. Wang Dong'er."

"Remember my name."

"My name is—Wang Qiu'er."

As the final word fell, the light and shadows completely dispersed.

That purple-gold, golden-haired figure, stunning the world and shaking destiny itself, vanished abruptly and soundlessly at the end of the long street, just as she had come.

The wind stopped.

The light stilled.

The entire long street fell deathly silent.

Only the biting remnants of her aura remained in the air, along with the shock filling countless passersby's hearts.

And Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er stood side by side, their emotions endlessly churning.

At this moment, the curtain of destiny was fully drawn back.

I have strictly adhered to the original plot's progression, streamlined the transitional passages, briefly covered the journey to the Star Dou Great Forest and Wang Qiu'er's growing feelings, and finally touched upon the foreshadowing in passing, creating a natural continuation consistent with the original setting.

After Wang Qiu'er abruptly departed, the lingering pressure over Shrek Long Street remained for a long time.

The students gathered along the entire street did not disperse for quite a while. Everyone's hearts lingered on the shock brought by that purple-gold, golden-haired figure. Her aura of supremacy over all things, her unfathomable strength, and that declaration of destiny concealing rivalry filled everyone with awe toward this mysterious girl.

The street gradually returned to its bustle, but Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er's hearts remained unable to calm for a long time.

With the brief confrontation over, the jealousy and minor awkwardness that had hung between them earlier had long since vanished completely. After this incident, all that remained in their hearts was the warmth of being together, along with endless confusion over Wang Qiu'er's inexplicable appearance. Huo Yuhao softly comforted the still slightly uneasy Wang Dong'er at his side and gently promised her again and again that she would be the only one in his life, and that he would never let her down.

After sorting out their emotions, the two no longer dwelled on the earlier interruption. Their cultivation had advanced, and they urgently needed to break through to the next stage. After discussing it, they decided to follow their original plan and head to the Star Dou Great Forest to train, hunt soul beasts, obtain new soul rings, and solidify the foundation of their soul power.

After a brief rest and preparing their luggage and supplies, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er left Shrek City together, heading toward the vast and boundless Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest was a holy land in the hearts of soul masters across the continent and the natural paradise of soul beasts. Its forest sea stretched endlessly, ancient trees towered overhead, mist lingered among the woods year-round, and the vegetation brimmed with rich spiritual energy. Countless powerful soul beasts lurked even deeper within, where danger and opportunity coexisted.

The two entered the depths of the forest and advanced carefully. Huo Yuhao kept his Spirit Eyes activated at all times, spreading his spiritual power around them to precisely avoid dangerous soul beasts and protect Wang Dong'er thoroughly. One blue and one golden figure moved through the dense woods, their coordination flawless and their minds in harmony. Whether training, cooperating, or fighting enemies, they moved as one. Amid the intertwined light and shadows, they displayed the ultimate compatibility of their martial soul fusion.

They focused on training and calmly searched for soul beasts suited to them. The disturbances of the outside world and the entanglements of destiny were all cast aside, leaving only each other and the path of cultivation in their hearts.

But neither of them knew that, ever since their parting on Shrek Long Street, that proud and peerless golden figure had remained hidden in the shadows, following them from afar.

Wang Qiu'er had never gone far.

She was originally the beloved child of the Star Dou Great Forest, rooted in this forest sea for ten thousand years. The wind, vegetation, and circulation of soul power throughout Star Dou all lay within her senses and control. The instant Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er stepped into Star Dou, she learned of their whereabouts.

She still wore that cold, proud, unapproachable demeanor, hiding alone amid layers of tree shadows and mist. She did not reveal herself, disturb them, or stop them.

She merely watched quietly.

She watched Huo Yuhao carefully protect Wang Dong'er the entire way, saw how considerate, gentle, and attentive he was, how he did everything he could to keep the person beside him safe. She saw his steadfast mind and extraordinary talent, how he remained calm before dangerous soul beasts and resolved repeated crises through his ultimate spiritual power and martial soul techniques. She saw his youthful spirit, his kindness, and his compassion toward weak soul beasts, as well as his open and upright conduct.

This was the first time Wang Qiu'er had truly observed Huo Yuhao closely and for an extended period.

The vague impression born from their past entanglement of destiny gradually became clearer and more vivid through her day-after-day observation.

She had grown accustomed to the dangers of the world, the coldness of human hearts, the struggles between the strong, and people driven solely by profit. She had spent half her life walking alone in solitude, and no one had ever entered her gaze or stirred her heart. Yet Huo Yuhao's gentleness, honesty, resilience, and purity were qualities she had never encountered throughout her long, lonely years.

His boundless favor and absolute protection toward Wang Dong'er were sincere and blazing. His composure and decisiveness before powerful enemies, his refusal to ever give up, were dazzling and brilliant. The kindness and gentleness in his bones, the purity of his true heart, were clean and precious.

No one knew that during these few short days of following them through Star Dou from afar, the heart of the Golden Dragon, frozen for ten thousand years and coldly proud beyond compare, was quietly beginning to loosen and melt.

Wang Qiu'er had originally come only with unwillingness toward destiny and defiance toward fate. She wanted to glimpse the opportunities and favor that belonged to Wang Dong'er, to see what was truly different about this special blessing of fate.

Yet without realizing it, all her obsessions and resentment quietly veered off course.

She no longer fixated on winning or losing against destiny, nor on fate's favor. Her entire gaze had become involuntarily fixed upon that warm, resilient youth.

Her unfamiliar feelings for Huo Yuhao began to grow wildly at an astonishing pace in the hidden depths of the forest, quickly intensifying.

From initial scrutiny, testing, and unwillingness, they slowly became concern and attention, until a flutter and attachment quietly emerged in her heart—feelings that even she herself had not yet noticed.

Ten thousand years of solitude, and one sudden stirring of the heart.

These feelings arrived fiercely and passionately, hidden in her lonely heart and concealed within the shadows. No one glimpsed them, and no one knew.

The training in the Star Dou Great Forest continued steadily. Through his precise judgment and formidable strength, Huo Yuhao successfully found soul beasts suited to Wang Dong'er and himself. They hunted them successfully, absorbed their soul rings, steadily broke through in soul power, and advanced in strength once again.

As they traveled together throughout it all, the feelings between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er grew ever deeper, their tacit understanding increasingly unparalleled. They did not notice in the slightest that the gaze of the golden figure in the shadows had long since filled with deep, silent affection and wordless longing unknown to anyone.

The bonds of destiny quietly deepened.

No one knew that within this vast forest sea, the hottest and most irresolvable foreshadowing had already been quietly planted for the tangled love and hatred among the three of them in the future.

After returning from their training in the Star Dou Great Forest, life at Shrek Academy returned to peace.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er had gained greatly from this training. Both stabilized their soul power and improved their cultivation. The compatibility of their martial souls became ever more perfect, and as they spent each day together, their feelings deepened while their days remained gentle and peaceful. No one expected that an unforeseen calamity was quietly descending upon the bright young girl.

After resting for several days, Wang Dong'er suddenly received word from her family. She temporarily left Shrek to return home and handle some trivial matters. At their parting, her eyes curved with a radiant smile as she reluctantly bid farewell to Huo Yuhao. She only said she would return in a few days and told him to stay at the academy and cultivate without worry.

Though Huo Yuhao missed her, he did not think too much of it. He assumed it was an ordinary family matter and remained alone in his Shrek dormitory, focusing on refining the soul power he had just broken through with and organizing the insights he had gained from the Star Dou journey.

Dusk descended, and the evening glow passed through the dormitory window lattice, scattering warm shards of golden light across the floor.

The single dormitory was silent and still. Only a faint spiritual aura remained in the air, making the quiet seem somewhat lonely. Huo Yuhao finished a round of meditation and slowly opened his eyes. Deep in his Spirit Eyes was a clear, gentle light, while soul power flowed steadily around him. He was in excellent condition.

Just as he stood up to tidy himself and await Wang Dong'er's return, a faint tremor suddenly came from the tightly shut dormitory door.

It was not a knock, but an exceedingly subtle pulse of soul power, rich with the vitality of grass and wood, gently tapping at the door—gentle yet solemn.

A faint doubt rose in Huo Yuhao's heart. His spiritual power instantly spread out to investigate, yet he sensed no one's presence. He stepped forward and opened the door.

The hallway outside was empty. No one stood there.

Only a letter, sealed with emerald leaf veins and marked by ancient patterns, lay quietly in the middle of the threshold. An incomparably pure and majestic aura of forest origin lingered over the paper, heavy and ancient—something no human soul master could possibly condense.

With just that trace of aura, Huo Yuhao immediately recognized its source—it was from the Star Dou Great Forest, from Dong'er's deeply devoted elder father, Da Ming!

For no reason, his heart sank, and a sense of foreboding abruptly surged up within him.

He bent down and picked up the letter. The instant his fingertips touched the leaf-vein seal, an ancient, weighty aura rushed toward him. Before he had even read the words carefully, he already felt every character weigh heavily upon him.

Huo Yuhao shut the dormitory door behind him, cutting off all sounds from the outside world. Sitting alone before the table, he slowly opened the letter with trembling fingers.

Da Ming's handwriting was vigorous and archaic, without a single unnecessary word. The opening delivered disastrous news like a thunderclap, each word striking Huo Yuhao's heart like a heavy hammer.

Dong'er had been afflicted by a strange disease. A sudden grave illness had caused her spiritual consciousness to gradually collapse, while her life force rapidly withered. No medicine could cure it, no poison in the world could counter it, and no remedy could heal it.

Those few short lines instantly shattered all of Huo Yuhao's composure.

Buzz—

His mind exploded with a roar, turning completely blank.

His Spirit Eyes, warm and clear only moments ago, suddenly lost their focus. His pupils violently contracted, and the light in his eyes extinguished inch by inch. He sat frozen in place, clutching the letter tightly in his fingers until his knuckles turned white. His grip was so strong that he nearly crushed the ancient paper.

How was that possible?!

They had only been apart for a few days. When they parted, she had still been laughing and smiling, so lively and radiant. How could she suddenly be critically ill, on the verge of death, with her spiritual consciousness collapsing?!

He did not even have time to be shocked, much less to process it. Utter terror and agony instantly swept through every limb and bone, racing through his blood into his heart. Dense, heart-rending bitterness and fear clogged his chest until he could scarcely breathe.

He continued reading. In just a few words, Da Ming revealed the strangeness and hopelessness of this illness.

This illness was neither injury nor poison, nor any ordinary sickness. It stemmed from a hidden wound in Dong'er's original divine soul, brought about by a destiny that clung to her. Ordinary soul master medicines, sect treasures, and heavenly spiritual resources were all incapable of stopping the decay of her divine soul. At this rate, within a month, Wang Dong'er's divine soul would fall silent, and her life force would be completely severed.

Across the entire continent, no one could treat it. No medicine could save her.

Between the lines, even Da Ming, always steady and majestic, concealed a trace of utter helplessness and sorrow.

The two great rulers of the Star Dou Great Forest had exhausted their origin power to protect Dong'er's final wisp of remnant soul, barely sustaining her life. Yet they could only delay the inevitable and could not cure her. The only person in whom they could place their hopes was Huo Yuhao.

At the end of the letter was the sole path to survival Da Ming had left him, as well as the only way to break this deadlock.

Only the flower of ultimate devotion, the Lovesick Heartbroken Red, could stabilize her divine soul, consolidate her origin, renew her vitality, and reverse this hopeless situation.

There was only one such flower in the world. It grew in the Icefire Yin Yang Well of Sunset Forest, tempered by ice and fire for a thousand years. It bloomed only for devotion and could be picked only by a true heart.

After he read the final word, the emerald spiritual light on the letter slowly faded away. It scattered into specks of starlight in the wind and vanished completely.

The dormitory was deathly silent.

After a long silence, Huo Yuhao slowly raised his eyes. Not a trace of the young man's former gentleness remained in them; there was only overwhelming fear, lingering dread, and an unyielding resolve.

He clenched his teeth tightly, his lips taut, his eyes faintly reddened. The agony in his chest surged without end.

No medicine could cure her. Her divine soul was about to perish.

His bright, sunny, carefree Dong'er was somewhere unknown, weakening bit by bit, withering bit by bit.

And the only thing that could save her was the Lovesick Heartbroken Red in the Icefire Yin Yang Well of Sunset Forest.

There was not the slightest hesitation, not the faintest uncertainty.

Even if the road ahead was fraught with danger, even if forbidden lands covered Sunset Forest, even if the ice-and-fire tempering brought unbearable pain, even if this journey offered only a sliver of survival, he had no other choice—and no regrets.

As long as he could save Dong'er, he would tread even through mountains of blades, seas of fire, and bottomless abysses!

Huo Yuhao abruptly rose to his feet. His posture straightened at once, and all the panic in his eyes settled into utter determination and obsession.

He swiftly packed his belongings, taking essential pills and soul tools with him while casting aside every distracting thought. At this moment, there was only one thought in his heart—find the Lovesick Heartbroken Red and save Wang Dong'er.

Dusk deepened, and night descended.

The lights in Shrek Academy's dormitories hurriedly went out. Beneath the cover of darkness, a tall young figure quietly left the academy, his steps hurried but firm as he raced without hesitation toward distant Sunset Forest.

He did not know how perilous the road ahead would be, nor did he ask when he would return.

There was only one obsession in his heart: with my true heart, I will trade for her lifelong safety; even if I must cross ice and fire, I will obtain the Lovesick Heartbroken Red.

Far away, within a hidden secret realm of the Star Dou Great Forest, Wang Dong'er slept deeply, her life force faint. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if she sensed something.

Yet no one knew that this journey spanning ten thousand miles, this salvation that offered true heart as sacrifice and obsession as shield, would soon begin a trial of devotion powerful enough to shake divine souls within the ultimate desperate realm of the Icefire Yin Yang Well.

His sworn younger brother volunteered to brave danger at his side.

The night was black as ink, with the stars and moon hidden from sight.

Just as Huo Yuhao stepped out through the back gate of Shrek Academy, before he could even accelerate to full speed, a steady, upright figure carrying the heavy majesty of a dragon firmly blocked the road ahead.

The evening breeze stirred the youth's black hair. His simple Shrek Academy uniform accentuated his lean, sturdy figure. There was both youthful clarity in his brows and a temperament, maturity, and steadiness far beyond those of his peers in this era. It was Tang Wulin, who had long since traveled to the era of the Peerless Tang Clan and fully adapted to life in this world.

Since arriving in this era through a temporal misalignment, Tang Wulin had long shed the confusion and restraint he felt upon first arriving.

He had settled into Shrek, cultivated diligently, and become familiar with every fated path of this time. He had also quietly remained by the side of this sworn elder brother. He and Huo Yuhao had sincerely become sworn brothers; by age, Huo Yuhao was the elder brother and he was the younger. The two brothers trusted each other with their lives, their bond far exceeding that of ordinary fellow disciples.

During these days, he had silently watched the daily moments between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er. Seeing how deeply his elder brother and Dong'er loved each other, how tenderly they remained together, he had felt sincerely happy for them.

The instant Huo Yuhao's emotions fell into turmoil and his soul power surged erratically, Tang Wulin had sensed that something was wrong.

Though the two brothers had no martial soul connection, the bond of their sworn brotherhood linked their hearts and minds. When his elder brother's state of mind collapsed and fierce obsession arose, Tang Wulin sensed it immediately. He hurried after him and happened to intercept Huo Yuhao as he was leaving in the middle of the night.

Seeing the uncontrollable redness in his elder brother's eyes, the extreme anxiety and resolve covering his face, and the hastily packed luggage that made him look as though he was charging toward a desperate fate, Tang Wulin instantly understood.

Though he had not heard the contents of the letter, his thorough understanding of the plot's destiny let him immediately infer the cause and effect—Wang Dong'er must have been in trouble, and his elder brother was heading for the near-certain death trap of the Icefire Yin Yang Well.

When Huo Yuhao saw him, the tightly strung chord in his heart relaxed slightly. Yet he did not stop walking, and his voice was hurried and grave. "Wulin, it is late. Go back to the dormitory and cultivate. I have urgent business far away, and I do not know when I will return."

At that moment, Wang Dong'er, whose life hung by a thread, filled his heart and mind. He wished he could teleport ten thousand miles in an instant to reach Sunset Forest, and he simply had no time to delay.

But Tang Wulin planted his feet firmly on the ground and refused to yield an inch. His gaze was incomparably resolute, carrying the sincerity and responsibility of a younger brother. "Big Brother, I'm not going back."

He stepped forward and looked directly at the emotionally shaken Huo Yuhao, his voice calm and forceful. "I sensed that your state of mind was in chaos, and you are anxious to this extent. You must have encountered something extraordinarily dangerous. We are sworn brothers. If my brother faces danger, how can I stand by and watch?"

Huo Yuhao frowned tightly. Eager to be on his way, he said in a deep voice, "This matter is extremely dangerous. The Icefire Yin Yang Well in Sunset Forest is a desperate realm of heaven and earth. Ice and fire temper the body, and fate shows no mercy. Even I do not have absolute confidence. If you come with me, it will be too dangerous. Be good. Staying at the academy will be the greatest help you can give me."

He knew too well how terrifying the Icefire Yin Yang Well was.

Extreme cold and extreme heat intertwined there, ice and fire clashing as life and death cycled endlessly. Even high-level soul masters who rashly entered would have their bodies torn apart and their soul power exhausted. It was a natural purgatory. He was going to defy fate for Dong'er and had long since disregarded his own life and death, but he absolutely did not want to drag down his only sworn younger brother.

But Tang Wulin's attitude was exceptionally firm. He did not retreat even half a step.

Having passed through the cycles of the God Realm and crossed time itself, his character had long been tough as steel, far beyond that of an ordinary youth. During these years of adaptation, he had thoroughly integrated into the era of the Peerless Tang Clan. He had grown used to Shrek's everyday life and to spending each day alongside this gentle, loyal elder brother. Their sworn brotherhood had long since taken root in his heart.

"Big Brother, it is precisely because it is dangerous that I must go with you."

Tang Wulin's eyes burned brightly. A faint golden dragon's majesty quietly flowed around him, vast, weighty, and intensely resilient. "You must pick the Lovesick Heartbroken Red with your true heart, overcome the trial of love, and endure ice and fire with your body. Along the way, your mind will surely be thrown into turmoil, and you will suffer greatly. My cultivation may not match yours, but my Golden Dragon body and ultimate physique are best at enduring injuries, resisting danger, and breaking through deadlocks."

"One more person means one more safeguard. I seek neither credit nor opportunity. I only ask to accompany you through this desperate journey and protect you until you return safely."

Every word was earnest, every sentence sincere. There was not the slightest hint of youthful bravado—only the purest bond between brothers.

Huo Yuhao stared blankly at his sworn younger brother before him.

Under the moonlight, the youth's expression was calm, his posture upright, and his eyes held unreserved trust and devotion. After these years together, Huo Yuhao had long known Tang Wulin's character—loyal and righteous, resilient and patient. He appeared gentle, but beneath that exterior lay a stubbornness that would rather break than bend.

He knew that Wulin's physique was heaven-defying, his bodily resistance unmatched among his peers. He truly was the most suitable person to brave the ice-and-fire desperate realm.

As he prepared to make the journey alone, the road ahead was vast and uncertain, its fortune and danger impossible to predict. How could there not have been crushing pressure in his heart? Now that his closest sworn brother insisted on accompanying him, the chaos and anxiety in his heart suddenly eased by more than half.

When brothers were united in heart, they could cut through gold.

Huo Yuhao let out a long breath of stale air. Some of the anxiety faded from his eyes as he nodded heavily, his voice carrying the warmth of brotherhood. "Good!"

"Since my younger brother insists on coming, then we brothers will brave this Sunset desperate realm side by side!"

"Once I retrieve the Lovesick Heartbroken Red and save Dong'er, when we return, we brothers will drink and celebrate together."

"Mm!" Tang Wulin nodded heavily, a determined light shining in his eyes.

No more words were necessary. Years of sworn brotherhood and shared resolve needed no explanation.

The night wind howled past, lifting the hems of their clothes.

Huo Yuhao suppressed all the turmoil in his heart, once again igniting that unstoppable obsession. His utterly resolute gaze fixed on the distant direction of Sunset Forest. He would risk death for his beloved.

Tang Wulin stayed close beside him, his dragon heart lying dormant and gathering strength. He would brave danger for his sworn elder brother.

The two young figures hesitated no longer. Turning together, they became a streak of blue light and a streak of golden light, breaking through the heavy night as they raced beneath the stars, moon, and evening wind toward Sunset Forest, ten thousand miles away.

Ahead lay an ice-and-fire purgatory, a land of trials for devotion, a fated desperate realm with only a sliver of survival.

But from this day onward, Huo Yuhao would no longer walk alone.

The Golden Dragon youth returned from another world would advance alongside the Spirit Eyes war god. Thus began an ice-and-fire trial spanning destiny, complete in both love and brotherhood.