The Will of the Sacred Flame is truly powerful—so powerful, in fact, that people often mistake it for the Heaven's Limit Monument. That roaring blaze seen in the Shadow Realm wasn't the Heaven's Limit Monument at all, but the Will of the Sacred Flame itself. Whether by coincidence or some mysterious law we haven't figured out yet, the Will of the Sacred Flame and the Heaven's Limit Monument always seem to appear together.
Even with the guidance from the Limit Monument of the Earth, Jill Young only realized, after sensing the Will of the Sacred Flame up close, that it was not the same as the Heaven's Limit Monument.
The Will of the Sacred Flame possesses a mental field so formidable it's hard to imagine. This field, a product of psychic interference, is vast and overwhelmingly powerful—far surpassing the King-level phenomenon of top-tier martial artists.
In short, the Will of the Sacred Flame is an incredible force. Legend says that every Saintess favored by the Will of the Sacred Flame achieves greatness. The Silver Priestess pursues the Will as her destiny—and honestly, she’s not wrong.
But Jill Young knows perfectly well—this isn’t what she’s looking for.
Dazzling lights, surreal colors—the long, winding tunnel felt like a wormhole through time and space, making everyone dizzy. Waves of strange energy swept over the four of them like shockwaves, each pulse striking at their very souls. In the realm of the mind, time and space got blurry and twisted; though they sat together in one car, it felt like each was being dragged into a different journey.
Deep within the Promised Land, all four faced a powerful test of the heart.
In a haze, Faye Bright froze. She saw her whole life flash by—her repression, her endurance, her numbness. She saw herself forced down this path by everyone’s expectations. Simone once said her black-and-white psychic phenomenon revealed how stifled and repressed she was. That remark cut straight to the core, nailing her deepest secret.
But under the impact of the Will of the Sacred Flame, every hidden weakness in her heart was dragged out and blown up to monstrous proportions.
It was a sword aimed straight at the soul.
But the one who suffered most under this soul-piercing sword wasn’t Faye Bright—it was Simone.
In a daze, Simone felt like she’d time-traveled back over twenty years. She stared blankly at her old boudoir, at the maid passing by with a zither and a scroll, nodding at her; at her father and mother smiling from the far end of the corridor. Everything was so familiar, so vivid.
“No, no way! How could I be back here?” The scene was so real, so detailed, it shook her to the core. She clenched her fists, knowing it couldn’t be real—she must be trapped in an illusion. She even knew how to break free: just deny it all, and she’d snap out of it.
“This is fake! My home is gone! My zither’s been burned! My parents are...” Simone’s words caught in her throat. She gritted her teeth, struggling to speak. Her heart wrestled, her mouth opened and closed again and again. Just as she finally steeled herself to shatter the illusion, a voice cut in.
“Dreamer!”
It was a beautiful voice—gentle, clear, the kind that could make any girl swoon.
When Simone heard it, she jolted. Her eyes flashed with a storm of emotions—fear, hope, pain, longing. Slowly, she turned, just like that afternoon twenty years ago. There was a young man, climbing up a tree outside her window, grinning and waving: “Dreamer, your folks didn’t see me, right?”
His smile was truly bright and gentle—the kind that could make any girl fall head over heels.
Seeing him, Simone tried to hold back, but couldn’t help blurting out, “You came?”
“I’m here.” The young man reached out his hand, sunlight sparkling on him like crystal. “Come with me—I’ll help you fly out of this cage!”
“A cage?” Simone looked at everything familiar before her. She wanted to laugh, she wanted to cry—she didn’t know what to say. She just stared at the young man, breathing in and out, hesitating, just like that day twenty years ago. After a moment, she seemed to make up her mind and slowly reached out her hand, just as she had back then.
When their hands touched—boom! Her mental domain exploded, and endless memories surged up from the depths of her soul.
Beautiful, ugly, sweet, excruciating—then it all turned wild and desolate. All the moments she’d tried to forget came flooding back, drowning her in an instant. In that brief moment, she relived every heart-wrenching memory. The Will of the Sacred Flame tore through all her defenses, dragging out those festering wounds and laying them bare.
On the Rebel Rider, Simone squeezed her eyes shut. Suddenly, a crystal tear slipped out, then another, and another—her tears flowed silently.
Everyone’s journey shapes what they see and feel. In the bizarre mental field, Jill Young’s visions were unlike anyone else’s. She didn’t see her own past—she saw others’. All kinds of people, all kinds of stories, full of joy and heartbreak. But none of it shook her; thunder sparked in her eyes, her iron will shredded every illusion in her way.
Joan clung to Jill’s back, just like that freezing night in the Snowy Mountains. Every illusion that swept toward them felt like that biting wind and falling snow. It was just like last time—pursuers behind, peril ahead. But!—Jill Young gritted her teeth, lightning flashing in her eyes—whether last time or this time, nothing’s stopping me from saving you!!
The Lotus Crown blazed with radiant light; the sword in her heart was unsheathed, slicing through the line between illusion and reality. Jill Young’s eyes saw both worlds at once, just like that time in Shanghai with the giant tree. The Rebel Rider roared, unleashing its full speed. A scorching fire streak raced deep into the earth—the Rebel Rider tore through the boundary in a flash.
Screech—the tires shrieked against the ground as the Rebel Rider came to a sudden halt.
That screech snapped Simone and Faye Bright back to reality. Faye’s face turned ghostly pale as she tumbled out of the car, retching nonstop—she still hadn’t recovered from the mental shock. Simone, though, just sighed softly, wiped away her tears, and slowly opened her eyes.
When she opened her eyes, she froze—because she saw a river of stars.
To clarify: she was still trapped in a mindscape, but this one wasn’t ruled by the Will of the Sacred Flame, nor was it full of endless psychic torment. This illusion was vast—like a silent, deep prairie under the night sky. And before Simone, a river of stars shimmered overhead.
The star river was so immense, so grand, so gorgeous—countless stars flashed with rainbow light. The river flowed, constellations shifted, radiating ancient beauty. There was no fixed shape, but the moment Simone saw it, the idea of a "tree" popped into her mind.
The very existence of this star river was a silent message—you instantly grasped its meaning. All those countless stars were like lush leaves; this was clearly the crown of a peerless tree.
Beneath the World Tree, Jill Young and Joan had already stepped out of the car, standing side by side.
“We’re here,” Joan said, gazing at the dreamlike World Tree as if looking at the end of destiny. The Will of the Sacred Flame’s trial couldn’t shake her anymore. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, we’re here.” Jill Young took off her sunglasses, looking up at the star river in the illusion—and also at a stone cave in reality. Her eyes shimmered with complicated feelings, and she sighed softly. “Finally found it—the Heaven’s Limit Monument.”
The sentiment lasted only a moment; she snapped back to her usual fighting spirit and called to Faye Bright without turning her head: “Just like we agreed—go find the Sacred Flame Core. I’m here for this.”
With that, she ignored Faye Bright and strode toward the stone cave.
Joan hurried after, watching Jill Young’s back. Her hand tightened inside her sleeve—the Bonded Energy Exchange was ready. Joan’s eyes narrowed; she didn’t dare show too much, because those expressive eyes were overflowing with emotion.
[Sorry—I should’ve waited for you to pass the trial before transferring my power, but I just can’t hold out that long.]
She thought she’d face the end with calm, but now that it was here, she just couldn’t let go.
[Sorry—this makes your trial harder, but I believe you can do it.]
Joan silently raised her palm and struck.
[Sorry—back when I brought you food, I already tested you. You let your guard down around me, so you can’t dodge this strike.]
The strike was gentle and soft, just like a friendly pat.
[Sorry—I lied to you.]
[I said I’d always be by your side, but I can only go this far with you.]
That gentle strike landed on Jill Young’s back.
But just then, Jill Young—who should’ve been totally caught off guard—suddenly pointed to a corner above with exaggerated flair and yelled, “Look, a UFO!”
Joan tensed, instinctively going on guard, and her strike slowed for a split second. In that instant, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind. First, she was exasperated—she realized Jill Young was playing dumb and messing with her again, and she’d fallen for it! But then she paused, wondering—why would Jill Young pull a stunt like this right now?
Could it be...
Before she could finish the thought, a voice rang out: “My lady~~” It was Simone, pouring all her power into her Sound Skill! The call hit Joan’s ears, and—after burning through so much mental energy—Joan actually got a little dazed, her hand slowing even more.
At that exact moment, Jill Young’s left arm shot out like a phantom, five fingers grabbing for Joan’s wrist. Muscles bulged, dragon-elephant strength exploded—her grip could shatter clouds and stone, and her speed was unreal!
Faye Bright saw that grab and instantly felt a chill—it looked way too familiar.
Smack—clean, sharp, ruthless. Got her!
Joan was shocked—before she could react, Jill Young spun around, flashing a wicked grin: “Sorry, Joan, but I’ve got to trick you.”
“You—!” She barely got the word out before an unstoppable force surged down her arm.
Just like all those times they’d horsed around—once Jill Young got close, no legendary master could do a thing.
Just like all those times before—one scream, a whirlwind, and she lost control of her limbs. When Joan came to, Jill Young had her by the wrist and legs, pinned face-to-face on the ground. Platinum and jet-black hair spilled all around them, tangled together.
Faced with this sudden turn, Faye Bright was stunned. She couldn’t figure out why the three of them were suddenly fighting and quickly jumped aside.
Joan froze, then gritted her teeth and tried to summon her power to break free. But Jill Young snarled, full of resolve: “Unless you use your inner strength to kill me right now, I’m not letting go!”
Joan’s mind raced, and she suddenly understood everything. She glared at Simone, shouting through clenched teeth: “You told her? How could you lie to me!”
Simone raised her hand, looking innocent: “My lady, you’re blaming me! Sure, I tattled, but the boss already knew. If anyone lied to you, it’s her—she’s the worst. With or without me, it’d be the same.”
Joan immediately looked at Jill Young, furious and anxious, and couldn’t help but shout, “You—you’re cheating!”
“That’s right, I’m cheating! What are you going to do about it? Past, present, future—I’ve got you, and I’m not letting go! Besides, you cheated first. Since you did it to me, why should I go easy on you?” Jill Young suddenly grew agitated, her long-suppressed emotions bursting out as she shouted at Joan for the first time: “I know exactly what goes on in that little head of yours. Listen up—no way, no chance, not allowed! As long as I’m alive, it’s not! Hap! Pen! Ning!!”
Joan looked up at Jill Young’s eyes, so close—domineering, unyielding, and with a trace of sorrow buried deep within. That sorrow made her heart suddenly ache; she found herself unable to resist that gaze.
She turned her head aside, dodging the stare, and sighed softly. “Don’t be foolish…”
“I’m not foolish! I know everything—I understand it all. You’re the one who doesn’t get it! Simone told me about ‘the sky can’t have two suns, the people can’t have two rulers,’ and ‘add a torch to light the way’—but who says the sky can’t have two suns? Why do you have to ‘add a torch’? Let me tell you—those are all lies, all garbage! Our road, we walk together; our fire, we burn together; our dream, we chase together! You want to rest first? Not! A! Chance!”