Chapter 769 Afterword

“Master, master, master……” The excited black tail said to me, “We have completed the task you entrusted to us!” As he spoke, he handed me the jar containing all the souls of Wang Yijian and Piaomiao.

I was first taken aback, then took the jar from Hei Wei’s hands and waved my hand, "Alright, thank you for your hard work, you can go now." Hei Wei hesitated to say something but silently stepped back. I cautiously opened the lid and, using the method that Bai Qin had given me, began to shape their physical bodies. Speaking of Bai Qin, she waited for the Slaying the Heavens Path for a hundred thousand years, but little did he know that Ju Mang also waited for her for a hundred thousand years. However, it seems they are together now; Bai Qin is the mother of Qing Yu. That makes Ju Mang my father-in-law... While waiting for their spirit and flesh to merge, I couldn’t help but let my thoughts wander.

With a "pop," I was pulled back from my thoughts. I slowly turned my gaze towards the familiar two figures: one remained steady and dedicated, living his life for that one sword; the other was still as ethereal as a celestial being, spending her life solely for that one person.

“Shixiong... Shixiong, immortal... no, ethereal... ethereal.” Looking at the figures of these two, I was momentarily at a loss for words, filled with excitement, guilt, or perhaps...

“Junior Brother,” Wang Yijian, who was beside me, first spoke with a tone that contained a hint of excitement mixed with a trace of gratitude. “In my life, Wang Yijian, I’m very glad to have you as a brother. You are not Dong Huang, and I am not Qing Hua; I am just me, and you are just Zhou Qing. Thank you to our Master for arranging this and giving us such a wonderful life.” I seemed to have more to say, but Wang Yijian asked, “What about your friends from the mortal realm, and how is Senior Brother Long? Is he doing well?”

“Hong Mao Ge has found his happiness. Last time we met in the Western Region, our friends Nan Qing and Bai Jing Qi also became husband and wife. Most of the mortal affairs are managed by the respected leader of the Hei Zong Yao, Zuo Shi San, and I trust his character. As for Long Shixiong, he has retreated to live with Shui Ning Bing—behind the Zhongnan Mountain, next to the Yang Tian Cliff. Heaven is jealous of talent, and the peerless beauty has vanished from the jianghu... What about you? What are your plans?”

“I, Wang Yijian, do not possess the extraordinary talent of Brother Long, nor do I have the heavenly inheritance and numerous beautiful companions like you, Junior Brother. What I have, and what I alone possess, is this sword, which I have devoted my entire life to.”

“Without the No-Catastrophe Sword and the No-Edge, does that mean they no longer exist? Do you want me to help you forge another one?”

“Thank you for your kind offer, but it's not necessary. As long as the sword intent is in my heart, every blade of grass and every tree can become my sword. When the time comes, it even includes myself and my opponent. Brother, we can have a few more matches and exchanges a thousand years later.”

Is the sword intent in my heart? Every blade of grass and every tree is my sword? I murmured these phrases repeatedly, feeling emotions surge; Wang Yijian's sword intent is still so supreme... "Alright, I will wait for that day, see you again."

“We'll meet again,” Wang Yijian nodded to me and the ethereal figure beside me, gradually vanishing from my sight.

In the great hall, only I and the ethereal figure remained. This woman, who I only realized loved me when she sacrificed herself for me, left me momentarily speechless. Was it because I owed her too much, feeling too ashamed to face her, or was it precisely because I owed her so much that I didn't know where to start speaking.....

“Zhou Qing, as expected, my fate can only be decided by you,” the ethereal and silvery voice echoed in my ears, the familiar sound still as pleasing as ever, “Once, we had no unforgettable memories together, and now you have so many intimate friends by your side, not to mention me...”

“No, that's not it,” I interrupted the ethereal words in excitement, “I don’t need any unforgettable past; I just need a glimpse, a fleeting moment... Do you remember our first encounter in Miaojiang? I stared at you for a long, long time, my soul was drawn in early on, but I dared not imagine that you, the high and mighty goddess, could only be someone who appeared in my dreams... So I had to quietly bury this fantasy deep in my heart. It’s so much like you, yet so different, because I have Luojia, Yuer, Yanyu Chen, and Qingyu by my side, but you are different—loved so deeply yet left unspoken... Do you remember that time with the Tianwen? You could have easily taken care of me, yet you didn’t press me hard, leaving the path of choice to me—when Zhou Qing matures, she laughs among the thickets, this perhaps is the epitome of your life. So can you give me another chance?”

I walked towards Piao Miao while speaking, wrapping my arms around her, and silently kissed her delicate, picturesque face. The familiar yet strange feeling of our tongues intertwining was long missed; it felt like a dream yet better than a dream. I hoped this dream would last forever and never end. Just then, a voice rang out, “Aunties, aunties, come and see! My mother has come back to life!” Xiao Douzi's innocent voice disrupted the beautiful silence. I was startled and hastily parted my lips, cursing inwardly: “This little Douzi, why couldn’t you come at any other time but now to mess things up? You could have come alone; why bring the aunties?” At this moment, the five people appeared in front of me again, and Xiao Douzi dashed towards Piao Miao, excitedly saying, “Mom, mom! Xiao Douzi missed you so much!” Piao Miao quietly patted Xiao Douzi's head, hesitating to speak; perhaps silence was better at this moment. Next to them, Luo Jia and Yan Yu Chen already understood the situation and just smiled. Ye Er softly said, “Sister Piao Miao...” Meanwhile, Qing Yu couldn’t stand it anymore. She pinched my ear, pretending to be angry, and said, “Zhou Qing, are you being fickle? If you dare to let down any of us, I swear I’ll hunt you down through the six realms of reincarnation!” Qing Yu was a typical sharp-tongued but soft-hearted person; I knew she was happy that Piao Miao could come back to life. “Even the great Qing Emperor has people he can't handle!” Someone in the hall remarked, and everyone burst into bright laughter...

The Immortal Manor, Tianxuan Mountain - The usually quiet Tianxuan Sect has become lively today. "Today is our Senior Sister's big day, welcome to all the guests," a disciple of the Tianxuan Sect announced to the guests from all directions.

“Hmph, what great joy! How could my senior sister fall for that kid Zhou Qing? My senior sister is naturally beautiful and exceptionally talented. What does that kid Zhou Qing have? He’s lost a hand, and on top of that, who knows how many wives he has behind him!”

“Purple Rhythm!” Hearing this, Fairy Lingluo hurriedly advised, “What do you understand? Don’t talk nonsense, child!”

“It’s true, though!”

“You’re still talking? I might get angry!” Fairy Lingluo shouted loudly, and Purple Rhythm stuck out her tongue, obediently falling silent. Lingluo glanced at Purple Rhythm, who had stopped speaking, while the soul of the elder sister in the ancestral hall had already reignited the Flame of the Soul. Watching all of this, Lingluo should have felt happy, yet a trace of sadness and loneliness brushed past her. “Perhaps all of this is destined. The one who can save sister is only you, and the one who can give her happiness is also only you. I wish you both happiness…” Lingluo chose not to dwell on anything further. Like the once ethereal being she was, she buried that love deep within her heart. Yes, to see the one she loves attain happiness is also a form of happiness, isn’t it?~

“吉时已到，新郎新娘入洞房。”黄冠戏谑而又调侃的声音想起，我挽着飘渺的手一步步走去，后有诗曰：缺月挂疏桐，漏断人初静。唯见佳人情深处，飘飘天玄影......

On the wedding night——I walked step by step towards Pianmiao, took out the hairpin that Donghuang had given to Jiuye from the black jade ring, and said to Pianmiao, "Goddess, I've always thought you cared about me because you loved Donghuang. The last time I visited your boudoir and saw this hairpin, to be honest, I felt a bit jealous at that moment!" As I spoke, I quietly handed the hairpin to Pianmiao. She seemed to want to say something, but I didn't give her the chance and kissed her again. The soft and tender sensation glided over my tongue and reached my heart. In this lifetime, it's only for this spring night...... After a long while, I took out the comb from the black jade ring, the comb I used to style her hair for the first time. Although one of its prongs was broken, it didn't affect me at all. The comb glided through her perfect hair, and we seemed to return to how we were back then. "You are no longer Jiuye, nor that once-goddess, and I am not Donghuang, but a Zhou Qing who is willing to comb your hair for a lifetime, until forever." After hearing this, Pianmiao’s eyes were filled with tears, and a faint blush appeared on her face. Time seemed to stand still, capturing that rare scene of a beginning to an end; once, it was the end of Donghuang and Jiuye, and now, it was the beginning of me and Pianmiao......

“Since father has found a mother and those few aunts, he has completely forgotten about me. Little Black is the same; seeing father with so many beautiful companions, he has also gone to seek his true love, and now no one plays with me!” Little Douzi muttered to himself, not knowing where he was.

“Come on, come play with me!” A voice echoed in the darkness.

“Sister Mei, Sister Mei, is that you?” Little Douzi called out excitedly, rushing towards the source of the sound...