"Tell you? What good would telling you do? Xuan Yuan Jue, that bastard, and I plotted for three hundred years just for this day. We accounted for the other families on the Ancient Splendor Continent not intervening, and we assessed the Fang family's strength, yet we never expected that old thief Fang Zhentian would possess such a formidable magic artifact. Even my strongest move couldn't scratch him, whereas your ancient bell shattered with a single strike. That must have been given to you by that fellow, Zhuo Long, last time, right?" Dugu Bachen’s face was a mask of utter perplexity, which soon morphed into a strange sort of amusement.

"Yes, but right now I can only use it barely—just to smash things. I can't yet unleash its true power," Ye Jingyu nodded, and he even took out the cyan-colored ancient bell.

"Heh heh, that's more than enough. This thing must be a super magic artifact left over from the Primordial Era. Ah, I wonder if that clumsy dragon would cough up blood if he knew how incredible the artifact he gave away truly is!" As he spoke, a faint smile touched the corners of Dugu Bachen's mouth.

Ye Jingyu also recalled the sight of Zhuo Long going mad with grievance, and he let out a faint smile as well.

"Cough, cough..." Dugu Bachen broke into another fit of coughing, spitting blood once more.

"Master, please don't talk. You must circulate your energy to heal immediately..." Seeing how badly injured Dugu Bachen was, Ye Jingyu felt a fresh wave of worry.

"Heh heh, it's useless. Eighty percent of my vital essence has already burned away. I won't live," Dugu Bachen gently shook his head, his face still wearing that faint smile, as if he paid no mind to the imminent death awaiting him.

"Master..." Upon hearing that eighty percent of Dugu Bachen’s vital essence had been consumed, Ye Jingyu felt a profound agony in his heart.

"There's no need for you to grieve. In my life, I dominated the world, I did what I should, and I did what I shouldn't have. Dying now—isn't that just another form of release?" Dugu Bachen's voice remained utterly level.

"Master, I don't want you to die..." Ye Jingyu blurted out, his eyes unable to stop the flow of tears.

"Who in this world cannot die? In truth, death is merely another beginning for life!" Dugu Bachen smiled and shook his head.

"But—"

"No buts. You are my disciple, Dugu Bachen’s apprentice, so stop being so sentimental and fussy! Now, I'm going to tell you a story. Do you want to listen or not!" Before Ye Jingyu could finish, Dugu Bachen suddenly cursed out loud.

"I'll listen..." Ye Jingyu dared not say another word, forcing down the sorrow overwhelming him, and whispered his reply.

"Then sit up straight for me..."

Ye Jingyu quickly straightened his posture, adopting an air of eager attention.

Dugu Bachen glanced at him, then shifted his gaze toward the sky, showing no immediate intention of speaking.

Fearing he would interrupt his master's train of thought, Ye Jingyu sat quietly beside him. A full half an hour passed before Dugu Bachen’s voice returned.

"Long ago, there was a youth who aspired to be the foremost master under heaven. At the age of twelve, he left his parents, carrying only an iron sword, and arrived at the Dou Hun Continent... He used that iron sword to relentlessly challenge the major sects of the time. By the time he was sixteen, he had never known defeat, and countless people had fallen beneath his blade—for his sword never spared a living soul. On his sixteenth birthday, he met a girl. She was also recognized as a genius of her time, her swordsmanship possessing unparalleled power. The youth drew his long sword against the maiden without hesitation. Both were favored children of heaven, and a battle that shook the heavens and earth erupted. In the end, the youth prevailed, but the maiden was spared... Later, the youth was ambushed by old enemies and severely wounded. At the very precipice of death, he was saved by that same girl. She claimed it was to repay his mercy for not taking her life back then... However, at that time, the youth’s meridians were ruined; not only could he no longer wield a sword, but even walking was a struggle... During those hardest days, the girl silently cared for him. To find the spiritual medicine necessary to heal his injuries, she journeyed thousands of miles, carrying his weight as she sought the Celestial Gang Mountain Range... After enduring countless hardships, the girl finally restored the youth’s health... Having survived that catastrophe, the youth’s mind matured, and his strength advanced even faster, and the two fell deeply in love... From then on, the man and woman practiced the sword together, evaded assassins together, and roamed the world together. Just when they believed they could live happily ever after, the youth’s family suffered a terrible disaster. They were descendants of the Sword God, but all their top experts were defeated by one man named Xuan Yuan Jue... The youth, who had already risen to become a first-class master in his clan, challenged Xuan Yuan Jue without hesitation. But the result was his defeat at the hands of Xuan Yuan Jue, who also wielded a sword... That was the first time the youth had ever lost in single combat. From then on, the youth abandoned the sword for the saber. Driven by revenge and the need to wash away the shame, he dedicated every moment of his time to cultivation... During that period, the girl became pregnant with his child. But the youth, fixated only on vengeance, ruthlessly cast her aside... He retreated alone into the deep mountains to train his saber arts obsessively... The girl's heart, however, was mercilessly torn apart at that moment... She lost the child she carried because of her broken heart, and after that, the girl vanished from the human world... Ten years later, the youth, now a fully grown man, emerged from seclusion. With the saber in his hand, he defeated Xuan Yuan Jue, the one who had beaten him before, and he became the true foremost master under heaven. At that moment, he thought of her, but his solitary and proud nature absolutely refused to go back to find her, to apologize to her..."

As he spoke, Dugu Bachen’s placid face was now streaked with tears. Yet, as if unaware of them, he continued to recount his story with her...

"It wasn't until three hundred years later that they met again, but she died protecting him. Only then did he truly understand how deeply, how desperately he loved her, how much he missed her..."

"All that pride, all that fame, all that grand ambition—it amounted to nothing compared to the curve of her smile..."

"But it was too late. It was all too late. It was all too late..." By the end, Dugu Bachen's voice was choked with regret, sorrow, and an endless, profound grief.

Ye Jingyu listened in silence. Unbeknownst to him, his own face was now covered in tears. He truly never imagined that the indomitable, world-dominating Dugu Bachen held such tenderness deep within his heart. Perhaps some things are only truly cherished when they are already lost?