“Wan-er, don’t hold back. If you want to kill them, do it. I swear you can take them down before the divine emissary can interfere,” Long Chen transmitted to Tang Wan-er.1

However, Tang Wan-er responded with a maturity that Long Chen hadn’t seen before. “Long Chen, after everything we’ve been through, I’ve learned so much. Right now, I want them to live. Their heads can stay where they are for now, as a reminder of the pain they’ve caused us. Each time we see them, it’ll fuel our resolve. And when I’m in the mood—whether I’m feeling good or bad—I’ll take their heads. Let them live in constant fear of death.”2

Long Chen looked into Tang Wan-er’s tear-filled eyes and felt a deep ache in his heart. Growth...1