"I think what you mean by rebuilding the world must involve undoing the seal. But once the seal's broken, the monsters here will become a huge problem."
Mo Yang Xiānzūn's expression turned grim.
"It's not just the Immortal Realm that'll be in danger. The lower realms will face the same threat, maybe even a disaster that wipes out all living beings. So, we can't act rashly on this."
No one knew how long the seal had existed. Over countless years, it had loosened more than once, but every time, immortals managed to patch it up.
Now, if they actually removed the seal, things would spiral out of control.
As Mo Yang Xiānzūn's words faded, the air inside the cave grew heavy.
Song Wanníng's expression tightened, a flicker of conflict crossing her eyes. She already knew how terrifying those monsters were. The Golden Dragon Clan was proof enough, a living example she could never forget. If releasing the seal really unleashed those creatures, she'd be bearing an unforgivable sin.
Frowning, she asked, unwilling to give up, "Is there any chance we don't have to break the seal?"
Even as she asked, Song Wanníng didn't hold out much hope. Since the Heavenly Dao led her here, it had to be tied to the seal. And the fact that it brought her to meet Mo Yang Xiānjūn was the biggest hint of all.
Xuan Yan had been sitting quietly in the corner all this time, saying nothing. But the light in his eyes dimmed halfway. He'd thought he'd finally found a spark of hope, but Mo Yang Xiānzūn's meaning was clear—there was no way they'd remove the seal and endanger the Immortal Realm. That path had reached its end.
"I'm only guessing, I can't say for sure," Mo Yang Xiānzūn admitted honestly. He looked at the young woman before him, impressed by how fast she'd grown in such a short time. Her existence itself was already a miracle. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance.
"How about this," he said, "take me to that passage of yours. We'll study it together and see if we can come up with something. Maybe things will turn around."
At this point, that was all they could do.
Song Wanníng nodded. "Alright, I'll take you there."
After a short rest, she led Mo Yang Xiānzūn back through the storm, heading toward the opposite direction. She was returning to the passage.
Xuan Yan didn't speak, but he followed silently. Since he'd agreed to work with Song Wanníng, he had to ensure her safety. He couldn't let her fall victim to the spatial storm.
Soon, the three of them were swallowed by the violent gale again.
Luckily, Mo Yang Xiānzūn's power was overwhelming. He shielded them completely, not letting a single thread of that chaotic wind touch them.
Watching his tall figure in front of her, Song Wanníng's chest burned with determination. Once again, she felt the gap between their strengths. And once again, she felt the might of a true Immortal Sovereign. In that moment, her desire for power surged to the peak.
…
Under Mo Yang Xiānzūn's lead, they quickly cut through the storm and returned to the passage.
The moment they arrived, the monsters seemed to sense them. They swarmed closer like a black tide.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn's gaze hardened, and in the next instant, his sword flashed.
A single strike.
The sword light swept out, and in the blink of an eye, a huge wave of monsters fell dead.
The rest froze, trembling with fear.
But more kept rushing forward, one after another, crazed and relentless.
While fending them off, Mo Yang Xiānzūn slowly moved toward the deeper part of the passage with Song Wanníng in tow.
The deeper they went, the brighter the light became.
Song Wanníng caught a glimpse of something flashing ahead, but it vanished behind the horde before she could see it clearly.
"Wait here. I'll check it out!"
Mo Yang Xiānzūn said lowly, then shot forward into the depths. The light swallowed him whole, and he vanished in an instant.
Song Wanníng's heart sank. She kept fending off the monsters while staring into the glowing distance, waiting for him to return.
Xuan Yan watched in silence, his mind turning. The connection between the two puzzled him. They barely knew each other, yet trusted each other completely. Strange.
Time passed.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn still hadn't come back, and Song Wanníng was growing anxious. Even though she knew how powerful he was, no one knew what waited beyond that light. Was it dangerous? Had he been trapped?
A dozen possibilities flashed through her mind, and she started inching closer. No matter what, she couldn't leave him to face danger alone.
Just then, Mo Yang Xiānzūn's figure shot out from the depths like lightning. He grabbed her by the arm. "Go!"
Without hesitation, she followed him, running toward the direction of the storm.
A heavy boom echoed as they crossed back into the spatial storm. In the blink of an eye, they were back in the cave.
"Xiānjūn, are you hurt?"
The moment they landed, Song Wanníng asked anxiously.
A flicker of warmth passed through Mo Yang Xiānzūn's heart. He shook his head.
"I'm fine, just a small injury. I think I've found the solution."
"Really?"
Her eyes lit up as she quickly sat down beside him.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn crouched and drew a rough diagram on the ground.
"The end of the passage is a spatial rift. Those monsters are crawling out from there. I didn't dare get too close, because even from afar, I could feel a terrifying presence watching.
So this isn't as simple as it looks."
He seemed to have an idea, but since Song Wanníng didn't ask, he didn't explain further.
He circled another point on the drawing. "Here's where the passage connects to the storm. If we try to remove the seal completely, it's impossible. But if we modify it a little, it might work.
It'll just require both our worlds working together."
"You mean the cultivators from the Spirit Realm and the Immortal Realm cooperating?"
Song Wanníng frowned. "But we can't communicate…"
Before she could finish, Mo Yang Xiānzūn pulled out a stick of incense and handed it to her.
"Light this, and you'll be able to see me."
It was a Realm-Linking Incense, something he'd gotten long ago but never used. Turns out, this was its purpose.
Song Wanníng took it and immediately guessed this must've been the same kind Mu Zixu once used.
"Xiānjūn, just tell me what I need to do, what I can do."
She sat upright, her face serious. She didn't understand these things, but he did. And she trusted him completely.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn's brows relaxed, pleased with her composure. "We'll need to shift the seal's core from here and anchor it deeper inside the passage."