Within the illusory realm of Taixu, Jiang Wang’s battles had concluded. Without the aid of divine abilities, these contests proved far from effortless, yet he emerged victorious more often than not, his accumulated ‘merit’ steadily growing.

The strongest opponent he had faced thus far was merely a cultivator of the Three Mansions, albeit an ordinary one. Jiang Wang surmised that in due time, he would encounter those of Four Mansions, Five Mansions, and even cultivators blessed with divine abilities.

On the Dao Performing Platform, he had expended all his accumulated merit to further deduce the Rotten Wood Decision, yet only managed to elevate it to a mere first-grade lower quality.

A Dao technique of first-grade lower quality could only be cultivated at the Soaring Dragon Realm. This was clearly insufficient for Jiang Wang’s aspirations.

Thus, despite diligently studying the technique, he refrained from inscribing it within his inner mansion. It required further refinement, at least another breakthrough in quality.

Xiang Qian had been in slumber for three days and three nights.

Jiang Wang had remained by his side throughout this time.

During this period, An An’s Cloud Crane had flown back and forth incessantly. Had the Cloud Crane not been a construct of Dao technique, it surely would have perished from exhaustion.

Jiang Wang had employed every coaxing method imaginable to finally soothe her.

The Rotten Wood Decision itself lacked a fixed form, resembling more the evolution of a power. It bore some similarity to totem power or stellar power, though it was undeniably less grand, appearing instead veiled in darkness and narrowly focused.

That grayish-white, decayed power was profoundly strange. It carried an aura of vitality’s obliteration, yet it wasn’t pure death energy. To describe it accurately, perhaps the phrase “rotten wood” itself sufficed. The Dao technique’s name was remarkably apt. One could only wonder how the Dean of Wangjiang City’s Dao Academy had unearthed such a power.

However, the cultivation world was boundless in its possibilities. Many Dao techniques, though powerful for a time, might have originated from nothing more than an ordinary cultivator’s fleeting inspiration.

The more Jiang Wang familiarized himself with this technique, the more he affirmed his initial conviction: the Rotten Wood Decision held immense potential.

After idly practicing a formation Dao technique, Jiang Wang was contemplating whether to momentarily depart and attend to other matters when Xiang Qian suddenly sat upright.

Upon opening his eyes, a sharp brilliance shot forth in all directions!

“You’re awake?” Jiang Wang withdrew his Dao technique and inquired.

“I’m awake.” Xiang Qian closed his eyes, then opened them again, the sharp light receding, returning to his usual listless demeanor. Yet, something intangible had undeniably shifted within him.

This exchange held dual meanings in both the question and the answer.

“What are your plans now?” Jiang Wang asked.

Xiang Qian rose to his feet, lifted a finger, and a small flying sword pierced the void, suspending itself before him. His reply was tangential. “Do you know the name of this flying sword of mine?”

Jiang Wang shook his head. “You’ve never mentioned it.”

“I always felt I wasn’t worthy of it, so I was too embarrassed to tell you its name.”

As Xiang Qian spoke, the flying sword trembled, as if in disagreement.

He chuckled then, a laugh of unbridled pride and abandon. “This sword is forged from the world’s rarest treasures, gathered by my master. It was guided by my unique sword dao secret techniques, and I personally refined the sword embryo, cultivating it in tandem with my life. Its name is Dragon Light Shoot Dipper!”

“Dragon Light Shoot Dipper…” Jiang Wang repeated the name, sensing an endless keenness within it.

“Dipper is a celestial constellation. When it blooms, the sword light will reach directly to the stars in the heavens!” As he spoke of this sword, Xiang Qian displayed an excitement Jiang Wang had never witnessed in him before.

“Truly worthy of its name,” Jiang Wang praised.

“Compared to your Long Xiang Si, it is absolutely stronger, not weaker,” Xiang Qian lifted his head and puffed out his chest, utterly proud.

Before Jiang Wang could reply, Long Xiang Si within the Divine Dragon Wood Sheath suddenly chimed softly.

“It seems it disagrees,” Jiang Wang raised the sword in his hand and laughed.

Xiang Qian glanced at Long Xiang Si, a touch of surprise in his eyes. “It is also on the verge of giving birth to a spirit.”

For some time now, Jiang Wang had been nurturing Long Xiang Si with a unique sword-nurturing method specially created by Lian Que. He also kept its sharpness contained within the Divine Dragon Wood sheath. Its growth speed was undoubtedly promising.

Today, stimulated by the peerless flying sword, Dragon Light Shoot Dipper, its sharpness was immediately revealed.

Jiang Wang laughed with satisfaction. “Who is stronger and who is weaker is still undecided.”

Speaking solely of the sword itself, the current Long Xiang Si was naturally inferior to Dragon Light Shoot Dipper. However, since the sword had given birth to a spirit, Jiang Wang, as its master, naturally had to support it. Moreover, Long Xiang Si was still growing; its future remained uncertain.

Xiang Qian, being a true connoisseur of swords, simply said, “Then let us wait until we meet again to verify this matter.”

“Meet again?” Jiang Wang grasped the key point. “Where do you intend to go?”

“My Only I Sword Dao is the sole respected sword technique in the world. Dragon Light Shoot Dipper is a sword of ultimate sharpness. I cannot wrong them again.” Xiang Qian’s expression was unprecedentedly solemn. “I also wish to test my sword throughout the world, to walk the path of invincibility once more!”

“Uh…” Jiang Wang assessed Xiang Qian, contemplating offering a few words of advice, yet fearing he might shatter the hard-won confidence he had just rebuilt.

Fortunately, Xiang Qian had not completely lost his mind, for he himself added, “Of course, I will begin with the Soaring Dragon Realm.”

This was still pushing the boundaries!

With Xiang Qian’s strength, he could absolutely contend for the title of strongest in the Soaring Dragon Realm. And if he employed Dragon Light Shoot Dipper, Jiang Wang genuinely couldn’t think of anyone in the Soaring Dragon Realm who could defeat him for a moment.

He then said, “Indeed. After all, I, the strongest in the Soaring Dragon Realm, have already broken open my inner mansion. Wang Yiwu, who was second in the Soaring Dragon Realm, is also forging divine abilities. You are very hopeful of completing the path of invincibility in the Soaring Dragon Realm.”

These words were spoken in jest, yet they also served as a reminder that there were always higher mountains and more capable individuals.

Xiang Qian glanced at him. “Don’t be anxious. On the path of invincibility in the Inner Mansion realm, I will definitely meet you again!”

His meaning, unexpectedly, was to conquer the Soaring Dragon first, then the Inner Mansion, then the Outer Building… all the way up, invincible. Just as his master had done in the past. And he had placed Jiang Wang as a mandatory checkpoint on his Inner Mansion path of invincibility.

The perpetually despondent Xiang Qian rarely had moments where his sharpness was fully unleashed.

As a friend, Jiang Wang could only feel joy.

He laughed heartily. “It’s a pity I also desire the title of Inner Mansion Invincible! Furthermore, go on! I await you to come and sharpen my sword!”

Xiang Qian also laughed, a flamboyant, unrestrained laugh.

Dragon Light Shoot Dipper rose with the wind. He leaped onto the flying sword and sang a long, resonant song—

“This journey west to Qin to decide Kunlun, south to the lands of Chu to stir the long spear. North to the wilderness to quell the host of demons, east I come with sword to cleave the gates of life and death!”

His voice pierced the clouds, and he departed towards the west.

Years later, would anyone still remember the sword song of Cave True Invincible, Xiang Feng Qi?

Gazing after Xiang Qian’s westward departure, Jiang Wang also took a step forward.

Xiang Qian had left, to walk his own path. That path was destined to be arduous, destined to be bumpy, but also destined to be dazzling. The treasure sword had just emerged from its sheath, and the Dragon Light finally shot towards the Dipper.

And Jiang Wang, too, had his own direction, one that had never changed.

His path was not solely his own; it encompassed all he had experienced, all he had borne.

Among all that he had experienced and borne, Maple Forest City Domain was undoubtedly the heaviest.

Having gone through so much, standing now outside Maple Forest City Domain, those memories remained incredibly vivid, as if they were yesterday. They seemed never far away.

Here, Jiang Wang saw himself reflected time and again.

How had he initially left, and how much had he experienced to walk back?

Jiang Wang strode forward.

In truth, there was always a place he wished to go, a person he longed to see. But he was unsure whether he should go, should see.

After lingering outside Maple Forest City Domain for several days, at this moment, he finally made his decision.

Before leaving this place entirely, he felt a sudden stirring in his heart and glanced back at Maple Forest City Domain once more.

There was a faint expectation, stemming from an unknown source.

But he saw nothing.

P.S.: The name Dragon Light Shoot Dipper is taken from the “Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng,” specifically the line, “The grandeur of objects points to heavenly treasures; the Dragon Light shoots into the Ox’s ruins.”