Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

Is the Spirit Realm going to perish in twenty years?

If anyone else had said such things in front of Xuan Yuan Wu Mu, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu would have definitely rolled up his sleeves, spat at that person, and then used his fists to reason with them.

What did our Spirit Realm ever do to you? Why are we suddenly facing destruction?

Xuanyuan Wumu stated that although he still has the physique of a child, his cultivation level is genuinely at the Refining Void and Harmonizing Dao stage, and his fists are quite powerful when he punches someone.

But when these words came out of Mu Ling'er's mouth, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu's face turned pale, and his voice trembled so much that he couldn't even finish his sentence.

"Linglingling... Sister, are you... are you telling the truth? The Spirit Realm really... really only has twenty years left?"

Xuan Yuan Wu Mu didn't think Mu Ling'er would lie to him, nor did he think Mu Ling'er would talk nonsense.

As the person closest to Mu An, Mu Ling'er knows far more secrets than anyone else. And Mu An, such a powerful being, could not possibly have left no tricks up his sleeve in the Spirit Blossom Realm, so he would naturally be able to know the current state of the Spirit Blossom Realm.

When Mu Ling'er said these words, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu already believed most of them, but...

Xuan Yuan Wu Mu's expectations and lingering hope made him unwilling to accept this fact.

It took Xuan Yuan Wu Mu a full fifteen minutes to calm himself down and review the day's events in his mind.

After thinking for a while, he looked at Mu Ling'er seriously.

"Senior Ling, you must have your reasons for telling Wu Mu this news today, and Wu Mu is willing to follow your arrangements."

Her clear and logical words shifted the focus back to Mu Ling'er, positioning herself as an obedient junior.

If it were decades ago, Mu Ling'er would definitely have given Xuan Yuan Wu Mu her own advice, which would most likely have been to persuade Xuan Yuan Wu Mu to stay in the Nine Domains and cultivate diligently.

As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn; only by surviving can one have a future.

For a mortal who isn't even an immortal, going back would be nothing more than sending himself to his death.

But today, Mu Ling'er did not do that.

She shook her head, her eyes meeting Xuan Yuan Wu Mu's evasive gaze, her voice unusually cold.

"I'm asking you, what are you really thinking?"

The study was deathly silent; even the sound of the wind outside had disappeared.

Seeing that Xuan Yuan Wu Mu had his head down and couldn't make a decision for a long time, Mu Ling'er didn't urge him, but spoke in a very patient tone.

"What I said today was indeed a bit abrupt, and I'm afraid you're having trouble sorting out your feelings right now. You can go back and think about it carefully, and give me an answer before nightfall tomorrow."

……

My head was spinning, and my limbs were cold and stiff.

Xuan Yuan Wu Mu didn't know how he left the study or how he got back to his room.

He sat heavily on the desk by the window, his body motionless.

His empty eyes stared out the window, making him look like a person who was about to die.

Even though Mu An had told Xuan Yuan Wu Mu that the Blooming Spirit Realm had been swallowed by the Demon Abyss and was destined to end, it was still a mystery.

After arriving in the Nine Realms, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu rekindled his newfound hope.

In the Nine Realms, he could more easily achieve the realm of immortals and gods, thereby possessing immense power and a long lifespan.

In the Nine Realms, he could stay by Mu An's side and, through cultivation, slowly search for a way to save the Spirit Blossom Realm.

Mu An's strength rekindled new hope in Xuan Yuan Wu Mu, which he naturally believed.

Just because you can't do it now doesn't mean you can't do it in the future.

Given more time, he will surely find a way to save the Spirit Blossom Realm.

If a hundred years isn't enough, then a thousand years will do.

The longer the time goes on, the stronger Mu An becomes, and the more benefits he, as Mu An's disciple, can obtain.

One day, he will be able to return to the Spirit Realm in his prime and save his home.

Until tonight, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu heard this cruel reality from Mu Ling Er.

Only twenty years left...

It turned out that there wasn't much time left at all, and everything was just his ridiculous fantasy...

Five thousand years of war, three thousand years of waiting, such a long period of time has passed, why can't we have a little more time now?

He had clearly seen hope, he had clearly found the path ahead, and he had seen the future that belonged to the Spirit Blossom Realm...

What can he accomplish in twenty years?

Twenty years is a long time; it's enough for a generation to grow up, from learning to speak to starting a family and building a career.

Twenty years is a very short time, so short that it is merely a period of seclusion for an immortal, or a period of slumber for a true dragon.

Between worlds, twenty years is a very, very short time, so short that it leaves one bewildered and filled with despair.

Xuanyuan Wumu had never wished that time would slow down, that heaven would give him more time, as he did now.

But Xuan Yuan Wu Mu also knew that time is the fairest thing, and it will not show favoritism to anyone.

He had very little time left.

It is to remain in the Nine Realms, to become an immortal and ancestor, and to live a mere thousand years.

We should regroup, return to the Spirit Realm, and organize all those willing to resist, like moths to a flame, for that final gamble.

When he was in the Spirit Realm, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu chose the former because he was filled with fear and did not want to die in a daze.

But during his years in the Nine Realms, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu suffered from insomnia, tossing and turning, regretting his choices time and time again.

He distanced himself from the situation, saw the truth as an observer, and was no longer as confused as before.

The clearer he saw, the more terrified he became.

……

The night may be long, but it will eventually come to an end.

The rising sun shone through the window onto Xuan Yuan Wu Mu, bringing him a touch of warmth.

The person sitting by the window remained motionless, staring blankly at the sky, watching the sun move from east to west.

As the sun began to set and the afterglow of the setting sun stretched the shadows of the trees outside the window into long, long stretches, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu smiled.

He slammed his hand on the table and said in a self-deprecating tone.

"How stupid!"

"The old man is right. I have neither great ability nor great ambition. I will never be an emperor nor an immortal in this lifetime..."

……

"Senior Ling, I've thought it through... I still want to return to the Spirit Realm..."

"You have too little time. You can't win, and you can't save your world." Mu Ling'er's words were exceptionally calm, presenting the facts to Xuan Yuan Wu Mu with the utmost objectivity.

Xuan Yuan Wu Mu first gave a wry smile, then quickly turned optimistic.

"Where there's a will, there's a way; we should always give it a try."

The boy stood ramrod straight; though small in stature, his face was filled with determination and composure.

"We finally made it to the Nine Realms, won't we regret going back now?"

The gaze remained calm, yet it carried a touch of gentleness and appreciation.

Under such gazes, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu nodded decisively, "Yes, definitely, he'll regret it for at least twenty years."

After saying this in an almost joking tone, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu raised his head a little higher.

"I'm not an ambitious person, I can't be a strong person, and I can't become an immortal... Wandering around the sect and taking walks in Taiyuan City used to be my favorite things."

The speaker's tone became increasingly calm, with a hint of nostalgia.

"Just like you, Sister Ling, when I have nothing to do, I always think about romance and love. I can't stand seeing people cry out in sorrow and suffering. If I don't go back now, I'll probably regret it for the rest of my life."

"Twenty years is a long time, but compared to a lifetime, twenty years is really short."

"call--"

A breath of hot air escaped Mu Ling'er's lips. She looked at Xuan Yuan Wu Mu without making any comments, and simply took out one treasure after another from her sleeve.

Only when the magical treasures she had taken out piled up into a small mountain on the table did she push them all across the table, to Xuan Yuan Wu Mu's surprised and astonished gaze.

"After all, you are my father's disciple. As your older sister, I have nothing else to offer but these magical treasures, hoping they can lend you a helping hand."

After pushing all the magical artifacts in front of Xuan Yuan Wu Mu, Mu Ling'er stood up, walked to Xuan Yuan Wu Mu, and gently patted his shoulder.

May everything go smoothly!

……

Year 96 of the Five Kingdoms Calendar.

December 22nd.

Xuanyuan Wumu knelt down devoutly before Mu An's desk, performing three kneelings and nine kowtows to express his gratitude to his teacher.

That afternoon, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Xuan Yuan Wu Mu embarked on his journey back to the Blooming Spirit Realm.

……