Shangguan Ruolin woke from her daze, feeling as though she had slept comfortably on a warm bed at Madam Song's home, a sense of indescribable comfort spread from head to toe. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, noticing she was neatly dressed. The memory of being naked and snuggling in Shu Han's embrace seemed like a dream.

Thinking about that scene, Shangguan Ruolin's face couldn't help but flush in embarrassment, a strange emotion rippled in her heart. She was too shy to recall it, but her mind kept replaying it over and over again.

By now, the blizzard had passed, leaving the summit of the snowy mountain silent and vast, the horizon in the east was showing a trace of daybreak.

With the forthcoming dawn's faint light, Shangguan Ruolin looked around, eagerly searching for Shu Han's figure. She saw Shu Han walking towards the exhausted thousand-year-old snow lotus, which seemed utterly despondent as if the storm had drained all its energy the night before.

Shu Han reached the snow lotus, grabbed its root, and pulled it out completely.

In that instant, the east broke into dawn, and the first rays of sunlight spilled over the snow-covered mountain peak, lighting up the place as if it were a heavenly paradise on earth.

After storing the thousand-year-old snow lotus in his storage bag, Shu Han collapsed on the spot from exhaustion, staring blankly at the sunrise in the east.

Shangguan Ruolin walked over to him, Shu Han turned his head to look at her, showing a tired smile.

"Got the thousand-year-old snow lotus?"

Shu Han nodded.

Shangguan Ruolin's mind was a mess at the moment, not knowing how to continue the conversation. She turned around and said, "Let's go then, we've been gone for several days, and the people in Zhang Village are probably worried about us."

Suddenly, her hand was grabbed by Shu Han, who pulled her over and sat her down next to him. Shu Han let out a long sigh, with a satisfied smile watching the sun slowly rise in the east, he said, "Senior, it's rare that we both made it through. We're not in a hurry, stay with me here for a while."

Shangguan Ruolin didn't refute, she leaned against Shu Han in silence, her face flushed as she watched the sunrise with him.

Sitting on the top of the snowy mountain, seeing the glory of the sunrise gradually spreading over the world, along with the sparkling snow around them, it was indeed a breathtaking view. However, the more beautiful the sunrise was, the faster Shangguan Ruolin's heartbeat was, and the more flustered she became.

Shu Han suddenly said, "It's been a long time since I watched the sunrise like this."

Shangguan Ruolin remained silent, while Shu Han continued, "I joined a sect named Mystical Dragon Sect when I was young, living under the shadow of the sect's head for five years. Every dawn, I would practice my magic and martial arts as the sun rose, regardless of snow, rain, wind, or frost, never breaking the routine for five years. Because at that time, I knew I was facing a battle of life and death, and every day I survived, I gained a little more."

"Since coming to Great Cloud, I gradually forgot that feeling, thinking that I was free as a bird in the sky, a fish in the vast ocean. However, I later discovered that the vastness of the Great Cloud was nothing more than a broader Mystical Dragon Sect. Just like last night, we almost died in the blizzard."

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Suddenly, Shu Han laughed.

"Senior, you didn't mention it, but I know it too. The future struggle for the Heavenly Creation Fluid is bound to be a life-or-death gamble. I hope that after that event, we can survive like this morning and watch another sunrise together."

Shangguan Ruolin turned her head to stare at Shu Han's beaming face. Suddenly her racing heart stopped. The anxiety and worry that had been plaguing her somehow seemed to be soothed this morning.

Shangguan Ruolin nodded, "It's a deal."

...

Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Golden Silkworm Association in Cloud City.

Shangguan Ruotong was discussing with the President of the Golden Silkworm Association, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator named Daoist Golden Silkworm. They were analyzing the information about Shu Han and Shangguan Ruolin gathered from various places.

Suddenly, the teacup in Shangguan Ruotong's hand was crushed, her pretty face couldn't help but blush slightly, her mood suddenly stirred in a peculiar way but soon returned to commendable calmness.

Seeing Shangguan Ruotong's sudden change in complexion, Daoist Golden Silkworm couldn't help asking, "Miss Shangguan, what's wrong?"

Shangguan Ruotong quickly waved at him and rushed out of the reception room, leaning against a corner to take deep breaths, calming her sudden emotional upheaval. Once her mood settled, she relished the sudden surge of emotion again, her eyes filled with doubt as she looked at the distant horizon.

"Sister, what kind of emotion is this...? Living with you for eight hundred years, it's the first time I felt this strange emotion from you..."

She lowered her head and chuckled lightly, savoring the emotional fluctuation just now.

"Hehe, I understand. Sister, have you forgotten? We, as sisters, are not meant to have such feelings." Shangguan Ruotong couldn't help but look at the black mark on her right wrist, laughing, "Seeing you like this, even I feel a bit sorry for you... For you, it would be better to die here, instead of going back."

Having collected her emotions, Shangguan Ruotong returned to the conference hall.

"Daoist Golden Silkworm, I've already doubled the reward and paid you a huge amount of spirit stones, yet why haven't I received any accurate information about those two? Is this how your Golden Silkworm Association does business? I demand to immediately dispatch twice as many people to find the whereabouts of these two in the north of Great Cloud!"

Daoist Golden Silkworm wryly smiled, "Miss Shangguan, it's not just about doubling the manpower, even allocating the current manpower is already stretching our Golden Silkworm Association's resources. Not to hide from you, Miss, the Immaculate Realm, which opens once every twenty years in the north of Great Cloud, is about to commence. The Heavenly Creation Fluid produced therein has already been targeted by various sects, our Golden Silkworm Association also needs to concentrate resources to prepare for the immaculate realm event, we really can't spare more manpower."

The Immaculate Realm? Heavenly Creation Fluid!

Shangguan Ruotong thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "I see, so that's why you came to the north of Great Cloud. Sister, your ambition is truly not small."

Daoist Golden Silkworm was left puzzled by Shangguan Ruotong's statement.

Then Shangguan Ruotong said, "In that case, there's no need to trouble you with searching anymore. The reward I offered can be kept by your Golden Silkworm Association, in exchange, you give me a spot to enter the Immaculate Realm."

"Ah!?" Daoist Golden Silkworm exclaimed, "Golden Core cultivators cannot go into the Immaculate Realm, the dimension would collapse!"

"It doesn't matter! Since I'm going, I naturally will suppress my cultivation level, and I won't compete with you for the Heavenly Creation Fluid. Moreover, I might be able to help your Golden Silkworm Association in the Immaculate Realm."

Daoist Golden Silkworm's eyes rolled around and he quickly poured tea for Shangguan Ruotong, saying, "Before we proceed, I should let Miss know, that the Immaculate Realm is dangerous and we can't guarantee your safety."

Shangguan Ruotong snorted, "She dared to go there without any cultivation base, why wouldn't I?"

Huh?

Daoist Golden Silkworm continued, "In case... I mean, just in case, if Miss encounters any accidents in the Immaculate Realm, then at Senior Heaven Devil's side..."

Shangguan Ruotong interrupted him, "No, it won't be. Everything has nothing to do with your Golden Silkworm Association, you won't be blamed."