There was no war at the Thousand-Li Beacon.
Duanmu Xi took Wang Haotian back to the Goddess Palace.
After reuniting with Li Yu after a long separation, Tang Tian wanted to spend a few more days enjoying Sword City.
Ever since Wang Xian had gone to the Demon Realm, Tang Tian had grown more restless by the day. It was as if a thorn had lodged in his heart—he couldn't pull it out, and it wouldn't go away.
He often woke with a start in the middle of the night, dreaming that Wang Xian had fallen on some unknown wasteland, with not a familiar face in sight.
When he woke, he didn't want to talk about it. By day, he only stared blankly at the cultivators coming and going through Sword City.
So, for the first time in ages, Li Yu took Tang Tian up Cang Mountain outside the city on a snowy day like this.
Cang Mountain was very tall—so tall that even Li Yu didn't know how high it reached.
Fresh snow covered the mountain path, and their footprints fell soundlessly upon it.
When they reached halfway up the mountain, Tang Tian suddenly stopped and refused to climb any farther. He led Li Yu to a jutting cliff and quietly gazed down at Sword City.
In the wind and snow, Sword City looked like a sleeping giant beast. A ray of sunlight fell upon it, only to be swallowed by the snowy mist.
Tang Tian said nothing, and Li Yu didn't ask.
They simply stood shoulder to shoulder, just as they had years ago on the walls of Jinling City, watching the snow like this. Only back then, Wang Xian had stood beside them too.
Until—
A streak of sword light shot into the sky.
It was dazzling