Li Yuan asked, "What level are you on this frozen tundra?"

The Clan Leader stretched out his hand, shook it, and said, "Top five."

Li Yuan secretly sighed in relief and praised, "Impressive."

Clan Leader: ...

Li Yuan asked again, "You mentioned something is happening on this frozen tundra that’s causing the Nine Flames to have to find a way to move?"

The Clan Leader succinctly said, "The fire... is drifting toward the Immortal Tomb. Although it’s slow, it is indeed drifting. Once it reaches there, no one knows what will happen."

Li Yuan’s pupils contracted slightly.

...

After leaving the main tent, Zhenyan Xue happened to be nearby, re-pitching the tent. She drove in the last iron stake and waved her arm joyfully upon seeing Li Yuan.

They were already close to the fire here, and the temperature felt like springtime.

Li Yuan went to the newly set-up home and agreed with Zhenyan Xue, "When we next wake up, we’ll head to the Immortal Tomb."

Then, he sat by the fire.

At first, he sat seven or eight meters from the fire, gradually inching closer while sensing the fire’s effect on his body.

The fire was warm, keeping his Shadow Blood constantly active.

Li Yuan quietly stared at the fire.

This was one of his purposes for this trip.

Yet he completely didn’t understand the fire before him.

This fire appeared out of thin air, needing no wood, emitting a temperature suitable for humans, gentle rather than domineering.

’But since it’s fire, there must always be something burning.’

Li Yuan stared at the flames.

’What causes it to drift toward the Immortal Tomb?’

Li Yuan watched for a long time but discovered nothing.

The bright red fire made him feel warm all over, yet the surrounding area was a world of ice and snow.

Sitting by the campfire along with him were some clansmen, all sitting solemnly, drawing strength from the flames, like the people of the primitive age sitting by a great river.

The fire was their source of life.

After a long time, Zhenyan Xue ran out of the tent, her clothes changed into a skirt and bust wrap made of animal hide.

She ran to Li Yuan’s side, her long, white legs slightly bent, leaning against her man, staring blankly into the fire together.

"Wife, can I be like you all, possessing a strong physique?" Li Yuan asked abruptly.

Zhenyan Xue said, "Unless born by the fire, otherwise... no."

"Born by the fire?" Li Yuan murmured.

Zhenyan Xue saw he was not very spirited and suddenly thought of something, "Brother Yuan, do you know? There’s an entertaining story in the legends here.

According to legend... the Taiyang originally fell on our side.

However one day, the Divine Spirit disdainfully drove it to other lands.

And thus, this place became frozen tundra and Eternal Night."

Li Yuan followed her words, "Then these fires are the remnants of the Taiyang’s sparks?"

"Perhaps... nobody knows," Zhenyan Xue said, "I went to check from the mountains outside, but it’s so strange..."

Li Yuan was suddenly shocked by her words.

He remembered.

The Taiyang clearly sets in the west, so why is there no light here?

Before crossing over, explaining why one world has many areas with only darkness was possible.

This phenomenon is called "tidal locking," where due to the gravity gradient, the planet always faces the Taiyang with the same side.

But if "tidal locking" occurs, then... the outside world shouldn’t be dark.

Yet, everything is normal in the outside world.

This is problematic.

Very problematic.

Zhenyan Xue continued talking to herself, "I saw it, the Taiyang just set toward the west, in the direction of this frozen tundra, but..."

Li Yuan asked, "Has the Eternal Night Line ever had a sunny day?"

Zhenyan Xue and Li Yuan naturally understood his coined term "Eternal Night Line."

But she still shook her head, "It’s always snowing there."

Li Yuan said, "Perhaps we should wait until spring to see where the last sunlight falls."

The two talked for a while and started feeling drowsy. They turned and walked back, only taking a few steps to reach their tent.

This gave Li Yuan a feeling of "home is next to a scenic spot."

The bed inside the tent was made of hard frozen rock. After they bathed each other with water, intertwined with passion, then cuddled into sleep...

They didn’t know how long they slept, but once awoken, they got off the bed, easily wrapped and wore the nearby animal skin, ready to go outside.

As an Elder, food was naturally not scarce.

Soon, a large stone slab full of roasted meat was placed in front of Li Yuan.

On one side of the stone slab, a rough stone cup held water soaked with some "unknown red fruit."

Li Yuan took a sip, it was sour, but invigorating.

After finishing their meal, they went to the nearby Wolf Stable.

The Zhenyan Clan had a total of six Ice and Snow Giant Wolves; four rotated patrols, one belonged solely to the Clan Leader, and one was arranged for other tasks.

After Li Yuan stated his need to use an Ice and Snow Giant Wolf, the stable keeper led the wolf out and handed the reins to Li Yuan.

The wolf stood nearly two meters tall, with data floating around it reading "500~900."

"Grand Elder, this giant wolf is tamed and can be ridden by any of our clan," the stable keeper said.

Li Yuan replied, "Thank you, Wolf Mother."

The stable keeper also looked up to the sky, respectfully saying, "Thank you, Wolf Mother."

Then, Li Yuan pulled Zhenyan Xue, letting her sit in front of him.

With Zhenyan Xue holding the reins, Li Yuan embraced her waist from behind.

"Let’s go!"

Zhenyan Xue shouted spiritedly.

The giant wolf stepped out of the camp, then turned into a whirlwind, galloping away.

The fire will guide the Zhenyan Clan’s return, and the Immortal Tomb... will guide them too.

After about two hours, the surroundings became pitch black, with icy wind and snow lashing violently against them.

In the distance, deep in the darkness, a faint ghostly blue glow emerged, marking out the shape of enormous unique ice crystals, resembling decorations in a giant’s home, protruding haphazardly from the snow, outlining an incredibly vague elongated silhouette in Li Yuan’s vision.

Meanwhile, Zhenyan Xue’s eyes began turning red, like rubies in sunlight...

This allowed her to see the scene before them clearly.

"Husband, we have arrived."

"Can we go further in?"

"Yes...we can even enter the tomb, but we cannot linger long. Otherwise, we will be forever trapped in the tomb."

"Have you entered it before?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"No... I haven’t..."

"Go inside and tell me everything you see."

Li Yuan’s vision had become extremely blurry.

This land bore no Yin Qi, only pure coldness.

And such frozen soil hindered normal people’s probing like him.

The giant wolf stepped further in.

Zhenyan Xue cautiously observed the surroundings while describing what she saw.

"There are many ice crystals, ghostly blue, very beautiful."

"And ice crystal archways, so majestic..."

Li Yuan listened silently.

Suddenly, Zhenyan Xue paused and said, "We’ve reached the tomb."

Li Yuan opened his eyes, straining to see.

However, inexplicably, at this place...he was almost blind.

"Wife, you take control; if you sense any danger, we’ll exit immediately."

"There’s unlikely to be danger; this is where all people from the frozen tundra are buried... We need to walk along the edges, without disturbing them."

After a while...

Zhenyan Xue said, "Many people, lying on the ground, their bodies frozen stiff."

"Describe it in more detail."

"They’re all wearing light clothing to prevent garments from freezing to their skin.

Their postures are varied, surrounded by shimmering ghostly blue ice crystals, appearing very beautiful."

Zhenyan Xue described.

Li Yuan suddenly felt a hint of illusion.

Because... inexplicably, he thought of the Ice Coffin Ghost.

The Ice Coffin Ghost also wore light clothing, wandering the icy realm seeking a coffin, unable to find one, making whatever place it could be buried into a coffin.

His brow furrowed slightly.

It seemed matters weren’t so simple.

If this place birthed the obsession of an Evil Ghost, then it certainly wasn’t the Immortal Tomb.

Was everyone deceived?

Or perhaps, the Immortal Tomb is somewhere else?!