Within Cloud City, the joyous atmosphere persisted.

Phoenix blossom lanterns drifted across the night sky, a celestial spectacle. Though rain had been expected tonight, cultivators from the Lingxiao Pavilion had effortlessly dispersed the brewing storm.

Jiang Anan, her small hand clasped tightly around Ye Qingyu’s, skipped and hopped through the bustling market. Tonight, she had launched phoenix blossom lanterns, watched them float across the entire Cloud City sky, and savored countless delectable treats. Her happiness knew no bounds.

“Sister Qingyu, look, look at this!”

Little Anan pointed to a jade pendant displayed at a roadside stall. It was oval-shaped, its color a pristine white, and intricate patterns of auspicious clouds were carved upon it – truly exquisite.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Ye Qingyu nodded earnestly. “Anan has excellent taste!”

Jiang Anan beamed, then turned her head, obediently addressing the stall owner. “May I see this piece of jade?”

The stall owner, an old woman with a kind, white-haired face, smiled and handed over the pendant. “Of course you may, little beauty.”

Jiang Anan blushed slightly, holding the white jade. She whispered softly to Ye Qingyu, “Sister, don’t you think my brother would look good wearing this jade?”

Her voice was barely audible, as if she feared someone might overhear and snatch it away.

Ye Qingyu pondered for a moment. The first time she had seen Jiang Wang at Yuheng Peak, he seemed to have a jade pendant at his waist. Later encounters, however, she hadn’t noticed it.

“He would,” she confirmed.

“Then I’ll buy it!” Jiang Anan’s spirits soared.

Watching her dig for silver coins in her squirrel pouch, Ye Qingyu chuckled softly. “Is this your New Year’s gift for your brother?”

Jiang Anan nodded vigorously, counting the silver coins and muttering to herself.

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

“My brother gave it to me!” Jiang Anan answered brightly, not finding anything amiss with using her brother’s money to buy him a gift. She turned back to the stall owner and began to haggle. “Grandma, I’m buying this. Can you give me a little discount?”

Ye Qingyu couldn’t help but cover her face. This silly girl, the vendor hadn’t even quoted a price yet.

The old woman’s laughter creased her face into wrinkles. “I’ll give you the very lowest price!”

After paying and taking the jade pendant into her hand, little Anan’s eyes curved into crescent moons. She carefully placed the precious jade pendant into her squirrel pouch, then obediently held Ye Qingyu’s hand. “Sister Qingyu, let’s go find my brother!”

That soft, small hand brought a warmth that defied the cold night.

In the bustling market, amidst the coming and going of people, Ye Qingyu looked down and saw stars. They shone brightly, reflected in her eyes.

At that moment, Ye Qingyu truly understood Jiang Wang’s love for Jiang Anan.

Who could not love Jiang Anan?

Her heart was as pure as glass, her eyes held the very stars.

The bright moon illuminated Cloud City, but tonight, it did not favor New An City.

Dark clouds shamed the luminous moon, and beneath them, beasts still clashed and killed.

Life and death were, at their core, eternal divisions.

Dong A did not relinquish any chance of resistance.

Even with only one hand, one leg remaining, he fought.

Even if it meant using his head to butt, his teeth to bite, he fought.

He exerted his full effort.

He asked himself if he had given his all. He believed he had. Worthy of his official position, worthy of the burdens he carried, worthy of every choice he had made along this path.

After the six killing nails were fully driven in and all four limbs were severed, he could no longer move.

He was firmly pinned to the ground, and he understood that he had no more opportunities.

His reaction was remarkably calm.

No fear, no despair.

It was as if the cold night had simply deepened, as if he was merely about to sleep… and he accepted the fact of his impending slumber.

This fight in the streets of New An City, Dong A and Jiang Wang had deliberately controlled its scope, preventing it from affecting the homes of the common people lining the long street.

Throughout the entire battle, they had remained silent. Only at the very beginning had they exchanged greetings.

“Teacher, it’s been a long time.”

“Indeed. A very long time.”

Only this single exchange.

Aside from themselves, perhaps no one could truly know their inner turmoil.

In this battle that unfolded in New An City, no matter how fierce the fighting, no matter how severe the injuries, the two combatants did not utter even a single groan of pain.

Silent confrontation… silent killing.

Silent suffering, silent endurance.

This pair, once teacher and student, seemed to possess the same resilience, the same stubbornness.

Even now, with all four of his limbs severed and his immortal divine power sealed by the killing nails, Dong A made no sound.

He only felt the chilling breath emanating from the six long nails, felt the powerless attempts of the divine power seed within his body, felt his fresh blood flowing away unrestrained.

The sensation of life slowly draining away was, for the first time, so clear and tangible.

He quietly watched Jiang Wang, wondering what effort this student had expended, what stories he had lived, to acquire this set of long nails.

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

Jiang Wang knelt, pressing down on Dong A’s body, restraining his movements. At the same time, he silently watched him.

In Dong A’s steady eyes, Jiang Wang could discern no emotions.

Perhaps only his unconsciously twitching eyelids hinted that he was not entirely immune to physical pain.

This was good.

He was capable of feeling pain, even if only physically… this was good.

Jiang Wang silently turned the long sword, slowly moving it towards Dong A’s neck.

This process was agonizingly slow, but it was unstoppable.

Dong A’s gaze followed the movement of the sword, and he clearly knew that death was approaching.

Firmly approaching.

“What is this sword’s name?” He opened his mouth and asked.

Jiang Wang held the long sword horizontally, allowing him to see the inscription of three characters on the sword’s body: “Yan Gui Chao.”

“It is named Long Xiang Si.”

Look all over the eaves, none is, the spring swallow flies back but finds no nest.

Wander the old city, only to cry, the four seasons have ended, cold and hot have disappeared!

The sword is named Long Xiang Si, the inscription is Yan Gui Chao.

This sword, this sentiment, this heart!

Dong A withdrew his gaze.

“I understand,” he said.

For a brief instant, his eyes held an expression of profound complexity, but it flickered and vanished.

The sky was dark. The rain threatened to fall.

Long Xiang Si slowly advanced, finally resting against Dong A’s neck.

Jiang Wang looked into his steady eyes and asked, “Do you have nothing to say?”

Dong A began to laugh.

His normally stern face, when laughing, was unexpectedly unrestrained and wild.

He laughed maniacally. “Boy, keep striving! You are not yet qualified to demand an explanation from me.”

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

And it would be the last.

A single pull of the long sword, and thus, one head was severed.

Within Dong A’s body, the Tongtian Palace collapsed, followed by the successive collapse of his three inner mansions… each muffled sound like the crackle of firecrackers, joyously welcoming the New Spring.

Even the emerald green divine power seed within his second inner mansion dissipated.

His life force was extinguished.

On the eve of the New Year in Dao Calendar 3918, in New An City, the capital of the Zhuang Country, Dong A was beheaded.

Rumble!

Lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder exploded.

The dark sky, which had brewed for so long, finally unleashed a sudden downpour.

Jiang Wang still maintained his posture, kneeling and pressing down on Dong A, pulling out the killing nails one by one, and putting them away.

His movements were slow, and they were deliberate.

Dong A was dead, truly dead.

Jiang Wang raised his head and looked towards the sky. Raindrops fell all around him, cascading downwards.

This was the night of the New Year’s Eve in Dao Calendar 3918.

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

Originally, I intended for the ending to be just this, because this is the image I most wanted to capture.

At the beginning of the ‘Good Night’ arc, Jiang Wang leaves Cloud City, descends the Dengyun Stairs, leaving only a figure to the world. And Anan, in Ye Qingyu’s embrace, steps onto the cloud ladder and ascends to the sky.

At that time, I had already envisioned this scene today: one in Cloud City, one in New An, one laughing, one sorrowing. This is Jiang Wang’s choice, and also Jiang Wang’s burden.

This chapter has been revised repeatedly, each time it felt good, but I wanted the best.

Finally, this is the version presented to everyone.

The importance of having a writing buffer is evident here. Without it, I would have had to delay updating to revise.

Ending here is also very good, the emotions are full, and it aligns perfectly with my personal aesthetics.

However, considering the overall plot layout, after sitting dry for an entire day, I found a better option.

So, the story continues.