Outside the dominion of Maple Forest City, shaped like a haunt of ghosts, Forward remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he understood why Jiang Wang had brought him here.

This was Jiang Wang deliberately tearing open his own old wounds, exposing the raw, bleeding pain for Forward to see. It was to make him understand that despair was not unique to him in this world, that he was not the only one who had suffered.

He had once gazed into the abyss, but someone else was already dwelling within it.

When he, Forward, had stopped and sunk into that darkness, that someone else had still chosen to press onward.

For a very long time, his Master had been his god, his faith, and his sole reliance.

But then, that battle had ended abruptly. His Master, invincible in the Trial Sword World and a powerful figure in the Cave True realm, had died before his eyes.

His god had fallen, his sky had collapsed.

From that moment on, the once high-spirited young sword cultivator had been irrevocably lost, sinking into the decadence that now consumed him.

He had wandered through various places, experienced myriad people and events, yet nothing could stir him, nothing could penetrate his apathy. He had faced everything with a listless spirit, holding no expectations for the world, merely drifting aimlessly through existence.

“Life is meaningless.” “No matter how hard you try, it’s useless.”

These had become his catchphrases, his muttered laments, and his deepest inner demons.

Meeting Jiang Wang had been a chance encounter. At first, he was simply too lazy to move, and then he chose to stay in the mining area.

He admitted that the battle defending Qing Yang Town had ignited a long-dormant spark of excitement within him. He admitted that Hu Shuan Zi’s death had shown him what it meant to strive against futility yet willingly persist. He admitted that the little boy who yearned for an egg had suddenly made him willing to shoulder a small measure of responsibility.

He admitted that Jiang Wang was a diligent cultivator, an outstanding young man.

But all of that had been fleeting, lasting only for a brief instant.

He always felt that Jiang Wang’s relentless effort stemmed from not yet recognizing the true limitations of life, that effort was inherently meaningless. He felt that Jiang Wang’s unwavering persistence was only possible because he had not yet witnessed true despair.

He envied that youthful spirit, but it was merely envy, nothing more.

However…

This vast expanse before him, half-submerged in the netherworld, was clearly telling him that he was not the only one in this world to face despair.

This was Jiang Wang’s hometown; he was born here, grew up here, lived here.

It could be said that Jiang Wang’s entire past life was buried here. Yet, bearing such a heavy burden, he still stood tall, chest out, pressing forward resolutely.

Speaking of the word “despair”…

Jiang Wang had faced a rising kingdom, a formidable power possessing two Great God Immortals and a Lord in the Cave True realm.

And Jiang Wang at that time was merely a seventeen-year-old youth. His lifespan was diminished, his cultivation stuck at the Zhou Heaven realm, he had no renowned teacher, no inherited lineage… Anyone looking at him would have seen no hope.

But Jiang Wang had never given up. He had traveled alone for thousands of miles, leaving his hometown to wander. Alone, with a single sword, he had journeyed all the way to this point.

And what about him, Forward?

He possessed the absolute peak sword art of the flying sword era, he owned the world’s unparalleled flying sword, and his Master, before his death, had sealed all of his life’s learning into Forward’s sea of consciousness.

During those days in the Trial Sword World, his Master had shown him a thousand mountains and ten thousand waters, witnessed countless strange skills and unorthodox methods. He had broadened Forward’s vision, elevated his perspective, truly sparing no effort in cultivating him.

Compared to Jiang Wang, he possessed so much, he clearly had more possibilities…

Yet, he had chosen to give up!

Standing before this domain of humans and ghosts, he felt as though he could hear his Master’s voice again, that voice he dared not recall yet appeared time and again in his dreams.

“My sword path knows only advance, never retreat. Heaven and earth, I alone am invincible! Forward, remember your name!”

How had he answered then, and how had he forgotten it since?

“Heh heh, one sword shall cleave the path of life and death, who in the human world can stand against my turn? Master, watch me well. Within a hundred years, I shall reach the absolute peak!”

Had that god-demon-like man been too powerful, or were his ideals merely foolish delusions, his sword heart inherently fragile!

Unknowingly, Forward’s face was already covered in tears!

During the defense of Qing Yang Town, he had wanted to stand up. When Hu Shuan Zi died, he had been willing to show his edge. When that little boy had said he wanted an egg, his flying sword had once whistled with intent!

But why, what had caused him to stop short, to hesitate from moving forward?

He turned around without warning, suddenly bowing deeply to Jiang Wang. “Jiang Wang, I want to thank you. And I thank you with genuine sincerity and deep humility. You have allowed me to recognize myself. You have shown me how I have always evaded and retreated. Standing before you, my soul is ashamed of its vulgar form. You are like a mirror, reflecting my weakness.”

Jiang Wang did not avoid the bow, only looked at him and said, “So, have you thought about your future?”

Forward straightened his body, then lay back down, like a felled tree, lying straight before the life spirit monument. “Let me sleep here for a while. Perhaps I will have an answer when I wake up.”

Jiang Wang did not ask why. He knew that Forward had been immersed in darkness for too long and needed a sufficient amount of private time to reflect, to sort through the past, and then to begin anew.

He only nodded, then turned and left.

This was the old domain of Maple Forest City, also known as the “Maple Forest Ghost Haunt.” Few ordinary people would come here, so Forward could sleep undisturbed.

And conveniently, there was a place he wanted to go.

The two closest city domains to the “Maple Forest Ghost Haunt” were called Three Mountains and Hope River. One was to the southeast of Maple Forest City, the other to the southwest.

Jiang Wang had been to both Three Mountains City and Hope River City. He had friends in Three Mountains City and some enemies in Hope River City.

But whether they were friends or enemies, they probably didn’t know he was still alive.

No matter how magnificent his achievements in Qi Country, this was still the Western Territory. Most people only paid attention to those globally renowned absolute top powerhouses and rarely cared about geniuses limited to a specific region.

After all, not all geniuses managed to fully grow.

Leaving behind the life spirit monument etched with ugly characters and the deeply sleeping Forward, Jiang Wang walked alone towards the southwest.

He did not choose to go to Three Mountains City to see old friends, and his reason for going to Hope River City was not because of his enemies.

His Inner Mansion had been formed, yet he had no instant-cast Dao technique inscribed. Eight Sound Flame Sparrow and Explode Sound Flame Sparrow were techniques he had created himself; they did not need to occupy this position and could be applied in battle when needed. And an A-grade medium-quality Dao technique suitable for Inner Mansion realm cultivation was not easily obtained.

Jiang Wang’s plan was to use a Dao technique with potential and consume a large amount of merit to perform deductions on the Perform Dao Platform.

And in Hope River City, there was a Dao technique that had left a deep impression on him, called the Rotten Wood Decision.

Originally, during the Three Cities Debate Dao battle, a youth from the Hope River City Dao Academy named Fu Bao Song had relied on this technique to contend with Lin Zheng Ren.

This Dao technique was only B-grade superior quality, yet it had broken Lin Zheng Ren’s A-grade inferior-quality Green Python Bind in battle, undoubtedly possessing excellent potential.

Jiang Wang had actually developed an interest in this Dao technique at that time, and later he had even asked the Dao Academy instructor when he could learn the Rotten Wood Decision. He was told, however, that this Dao technique was the exclusive secret technique of the Hope River City Dao Academy Dean. Thus, he had given up.

But now, Jiang Wang was no longer a member of the Dao Academy.

He did not need to follow the Dao Academy’s rules, and his feelings towards the Zhuang Court were purely of hatred.

Thus, he decided to try and obtain it.