The joyful atmosphere in Cloud City continued unabated.

Phoenix lanterns floated in the night sky, a rain that was supposed to fall tonight having been dispelled by cultivators from the Ascending Cloud Pavilion.

Jiang An’an held onto Ye Qingyu’s hand, hopping and skipping through the marketplace.

Tonight, she had played with a phoenix lantern, letting it drift over the entirety of Cloud City, and eaten many delicious things, making her endlessly happy.

“Sister Qingyu, look at this, this!”

Little An’an pointed to a jade pendant on a roadside stall, oval in shape, purely white in color, and carved with auspicious cloud patterns. It was truly exquisite.

“Is it pretty?”

Ye Qingyu nodded earnestly, “An’an has a good eye!”

Jiang An’an grinned, turning to the stall owner obediently, “Can I take a look at this jade piece, please?”

The stall owner was an old white-haired woman, who smiled and handed over the jade pendant, “Of course, little beauty.”

Jiang An’an turned her head shyly, holding the white jade and whispering to Ye Qingyu, “Sister, do you think it would look good on my brother if he wore it?”

Her voice was extremely soft, as if afraid someone would hear her and snatch it away.

Ye Qingyu thought for a moment. When she first met Jiang Wang at Jade Balance Peak, he seemed to have worn jade at his waist. But she hadn’t seen it on him since.

“It would look good,” she said.

“Then I’ll buy it!” Jiang An’an perked up.

Watching her rummage through her squirrel purse for silver, Ye Qingyu smiled, “Is this the New Year’s gift you’re buying for your brother?”

Jiang An’an nodded vigorously, counting the silver and muttering to herself.

“And where did you get the money to buy your brother a New Year’s gift?” Ye Qingyu teased her.

“My brother gave it to me!” Jiang An’an replied crisply, completely unaware that there was anything wrong with using her brother’s money to buy him a gift. She even turned to the stall owner to bargain, “Grandma, I want to buy this, can you give me a discount?”

Ye Qingyu couldn’t help but cover her face. This silly girl hadn’t even heard the price yet.

The old woman’s wrinkles deepened as she smiled, “I’ll give you the best price!”

After paying and receiving the jade pendant, Little An’an’s eyes curved into crescents. She carefully put the jade piece into her squirrel purse, then obediently took Ye Qingyu’s hand, happily saying, “Sister Qingyu, let’s go find my brother!”

That soft little hand brought a warmth in the cold night.

In the crowded marketplace, Ye Qingyu looked down and saw stars. Sparkling and shining, all in her eyes.

At this moment, Ye Qingyu understood Jiang Wang’s love for Jiang An’an all too well.

Who could not love Jiang An’an?

Her heart was pure as glass, and she had stars in her eyes.

While the bright moon illuminated Cloud City, it did not favor New Peace City tonight.

Dark clouds shamed the moon, and beneath the clouds, the arena fights continued.

Life and death were eternally divided.

Dong A had never given up any opportunity to resist.

Even with only one hand and one leg left, he was still fighting.

Even if he had to headbutt or bite, he would still fight.

He had done his best.

He asked himself, and believed he had done his best. He had lived up to his position, to the burden on his shoulders, to all the choices he had made along the way.

After all six life-severing nails had been hammered in and all four limbs had been severed, he could finally no longer move.

He was pinned to the ground, knowing he had no more chance.

His reaction was calm.

There was no fear, no despair.

It was as if the cold night was deep, as if he was about to fall asleep… and he accepted the fact that he would sleep.

This battle that took place on the streets of New Peace City was deliberately controlled in scope by Dong A and Jiang Wang, without affecting the common folk on either side of the long street.

Throughout the battle, they remained silent. They only greeted each other at the very beginning.

“Teacher, long time no see.”

“Indeed. It has been a long time.”

There was only this single exchange.

Apart from themselves, probably no one could understand their feelings.

In this battle in New Peace City, no matter how fierce the fighting, no matter how severe the injuries, neither of the combatants even groaned in pain.

Silent confrontation… silent slaughter.

Silent pain, silent endurance.

This former teacher and disciple seemed to possess the same tenacity, the same stubbornness.

Even now, with Dong A’s limbs severed and his endless vitality sealed by the life-severing nails, he did not utter a sound.

He merely felt the cold aura emanating from the six long nails, felt his inner mystical seed fruitlessly try time and again, and felt his blood flow uncontrollably.

The feeling of life slowly slipping away was clearer and more tangible than ever before.

He quietly looked at Jiang Wang, wondering what efforts this student had made and what stories he had experienced to obtain this set of long nails.

“It seems I’ve missed a lot…” he thought to himself.

Jiang Wang knelt on Dong A, restricting his movement, while also silently looking at him.

In Dong A’s resolute eyes, Jiang Wang saw no emotion.

Perhaps only his involuntarily twitching eyelids indicated that he wasn’t completely immune to physical pain.

This was good.

He could feel pain, even if only physically… this was good.

Jiang Wang silently turned his longsword and slowly moved it towards Dong A’s neck.

The process was slow, but unwavering.

Dong A’s gaze followed the sword, knowing clearly that death was approaching.

Steadily approaching.

“What is the name of this sword?” he asked, opening his mouth.

Jiang Wang turned the longsword horizontally, allowing him to see the inscription “Swallow Returns Home” on the blade.

“Its name is Longing.”

Looking at every roof, not one is mine; spring swallows fly back, unable to find their nest.

Wandering the old city, crying in vain; the four seasons have passed, and the heat and cold have faded!

The sword is named Longing, and inscribed with Swallow Returns Home.

This sword, this feeling, this heart!

Dong A withdrew his gaze.

“I understand,” he said.

For a moment, there was an extremely complex look in his eyes, but it was fleeting.

The sky was dark and gloomy. Rain was threatening to fall.

Longing slowly approached, finally resting across Dong A’s neck.

Jiang Wang looked into his resolute eyes and asked, “Do you have anything to explain?”

Dong A laughed.

His usually stern face was surprisingly unrestrained when he laughed.

He laughed arrogantly, “Boy, keep working hard. You’re not qualified to ask me for an explanation yet.”

This was the first time Jiang Wang had seen this man smile.

And it was the last.

The longsword slashed across, and a head was severed.

Within Dong A’s body, the Towering Palace collapsed, and the three inner sanctums crumbled in succession… The muffled sounds were like firecrackers, welcoming the new year with joy.

Even the emerald green mystical seed in the second inner sanctum dissipated.

Vitality extinguished.

The thirtieth day of the twelfth month in the 3918th year of the Dao calendar, Dong A was beheaded in the capital of Zhuang, New Peace City.

Rumble!

Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder roared.

The dark and gloomy sky, which had been brewing for so long, finally unleashed a downpour.

Jiang Wang remained kneeling on Dong A, removing the life-severing nails one by one and carefully storing them away.

His movements were slow and deliberate.

Dong A had died, Dong A had truly died.

Jiang Wang looked up at the sky, and the countless raindrops were falling towards him.

This was the New Year’s Eve of the 3918th year of the Dao calendar.

Because it was raining, because the rain was so heavy, Jiang Wang could not tell if he was crying!