And so, they agreed to meet in a small city within the state of Zheng. Forward had visited this very city with his master during their travels in times past.

Much like Jiang Wang, who had also journeyed through this same small city on his way from the state of Yun to the state of Qi.

As Jiang Wang stepped through the city gates, he happened upon two guards, taking advantage of the deepening twilight to tear down notices plastered on the wall.

With Jiang Wang’s current eyesight, he could naturally discern their contents with perfect clarity. They were several wanted posters, and the targets, remarkably, were none other than the members of Hell No Door!

The wanted posters depicted the Yama masks of Hell No Door and a portrait of Yin Guan—amongst Hell No Door’s Yamas, only Yin Guan had revealed his true face.

Hell No Door had once assassinated a border general of the state of Qu. Though Hell No Door had never disclosed the identity of the buyer, rumors had always pointed towards the state of Zheng.

Thus, in the eyes of those with discernment, this assassination by Hell No Door clearly aimed to stir up conflict between Qu and Zheng. Since the true mastermind remained hidden, both Qu and Zheng focused their primary efforts on Hell No Door.

Thereafter, Hell No Door found itself perpetually on the wanted lists of both Qu and Zheng.

However, Hell No Door was, after all, a formidable force. Any strong cultivator below the God Arrival realm would only be seeking their own demise by pursuing them. And states like Qu and Zheng, with their limited number of experts, could not possibly dispatch God Arrival realm cultivators to chase Hell No Door across the world. Hence, for a considerable time, their efforts had yielded little result, merely apprehending a few insignificant and easily replaceable underlings of Hell No Door.

Nevertheless, to demonstrate their resolve, the wanted notices for Hell No Door remained perpetually displayed on the city walls beside the gates of these two states’ major cities.

Chong Xuan Sheng had already discussed this matter with Jiang Wang previously.

Yet now… the state of Zheng had quietly begun tearing down these wanted posters.

In Jiang Wang’s estimation, Yue Leng’s successful capture of Tai Shan King had created a significant breakthrough in the pursuit. The Blue Card Pursuit Team’s operation, which resulted in only two members of the entire Hell No Door organization escaping, could hardly be considered a failure.

And Hell No Door had paid the price of four peak Outer Building realm Yamas for assassinating an Outer Building realm official from the Ministry of Rites. By any measure, it didn’t seem like a worthwhile exchange.

But he had overlooked the sheer might of the state of Qi.

Hell No Door had managed to complete the assassination within the capital of Qi and successfully escape. Even if only two Yamas had ultimately escaped, it was still an exploit worthy of being etched in history with grand characters.

Following this battle, Hell No Door’s fame had skyrocketed. Not only was it renowned within the Eastern Domain, but it also seemed poised to contend for the title of the world’s foremost assassin organization.

Zheng’s abandonment of the pursuit undoubtedly further underscored Hell No Door’s power.

Operating an assassin organization to achieve such widespread notoriety seemed like an irrational choice.

But Jiang Wang understood why Yin Guan acted thus—he himself had escaped from the state of You, but his cousin remained there.

The more famous he became, the safer his cousin would be.

Why did every other Yama in Hell No Door conceal their face behind a mask, while he alone consistently revealed his true visage?

Because he wanted the national teacher of the state of You to know he was still alive, and growing ever more powerful!

Perhaps Jiang Wang’s gaze lingered for too long, for one of the guards tearing down the notices abruptly bellowed: “What are you staring at? Are you looking for a death wish!”

Jiang Wang paid them no mind, withdrew his gaze, and walked directly into the city.

Soldiers were often the segment of a country’s populace with the strongest sense of honor. For them, as soldiers of Zheng, to be powerless against an assassin organization, resorting to secretly tearing down wanted notices under the cover of darkness, was undoubtedly a source of shame, inevitably leading to irritability.

Jiang Wang could understand.

As agreed with Forward, they were to meet at the first family inn encountered upon entering the city.

This inn was called “Welcome Guests Building.”

A rather common name, and predictably, the inn’s ambiance was equally unexceptional.

Jiang Wang approached the counter: “Shopkeeper, a moment of your time. Which room is Forward residing in? I’m his friend, we agreed to meet here.”

“Forward?” The middle-aged shopkeeper flipped through the register. “Young master, are you sure you haven’t come to the wrong place? We don’t have anyone by that name staying here.”

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment: “I’m looking for a man with a face like a dead fish, who looks like he’s perpetually asleep.”

In truth, Forward’s actual age was merely twenty or so, but if he didn’t reveal it, absolutely no one would guess.

The shopkeeper suddenly grasped the meaning: “You mean Mister Jiang Wang?”

“…Yes, that’s him.”

So this was what it felt like to have one’s name “borrowed.”

Jiang Wang nearly coughed, but managed to suppress it.

“Heaven Character Prop number room.” The middle-aged shopkeeper lowered his head and glanced at the register again, then said somewhat awkwardly: “You are his friend, could you perhaps settle his bill? He only paid for one day, but he’s already stayed for three.”

As for why Forward had only paid for one day yet could stay for three without being driven away… ordinary folk hardly had the audacity to evict a superhuman cultivator.

“…My apologies for the trouble.” Jiang Wang, feeling rather awkward, produced some knife coins and paid the bill.

Qi’s knife coins circulated relatively widely throughout the Eastern Domain.

Gold and silver were indeed usable everywhere, but Jiang Wang hadn’t prepared much in his storage box, preferring to save it for after leaving the Eastern Domain.

After all, at his current level of contact, the currency in circulation was Dao Yuan stones.

Upon arriving outside the room, Jiang Wang didn’t knock, but instead simply shook the door bolt open and pushed the door inward.

As expected, Forward lay on the bed, his head buried under the covers, sound asleep.

It seemed he hadn’t stirred from this spot for three days.

Of course, Jiang Wang knew that as long as he showed the slightest hint of hostility, Forward would immediately awaken.

But this didn’t necessarily prove Forward’s alertness; it was simply the sensitivity of his flying sword.

Jiang Wang walked forward and easily pulled the quilt away: “Time to go!”

Forward groggily opened his eyes, saw it was Jiang Wang, and immediately closed them again.

“Isn’t it still dark? Let me sleep a little longer!”

Sleeping in the daytime, sleeping at night. For him, no matter where he was, it was just a change of location for sleeping.

Jiang Wang shook his head somewhat helplessly, saying nothing further. He casually found a chair in the room, sat cross-legged, and began his evening cultivation session.

Having already opened his Inner Mansion, the isolated island of heaven and earth still required adjustment, but with each passing day of cultivation, it no longer demanded as much time.

Most of his effort still needed to be dedicated to the Inner Mansion. Cleansing and exploring the Inner Mansion was both an experience of exploring the human body’s treasure trove and a process of self-awareness.

Ancient sages had stated, “The Inner Mansion is the body within the body, the room within the room.”

This clearly demonstrated the significance of the Inner Mansion to cultivators.

After this period of “cleansing,” Jiang Wang already sensed the outline of the human body’s secret store, which could be excavated at any time.

For Inner Mansion realm cultivators, a divine ability seed was naturally the highest pursuit.

But divine ability seeds were things one could encounter but not seek; out of a hundred Inner Mansion realm cultivators, not necessarily one would be able to obtain one.

For cultivators without the fortune of a divine ability, excavating the human body’s secret store was the biggest goal of striving within the Inner Mansion realm. Jiang Wang’s current pursuit was also the secret store.

In cultivation, one night passed swiftly.

Jiang Wang opened his eyes, and everything in the room was as it had been yesterday; Forward hadn’t even adjusted his sleeping posture.

If only he put this much effort into cultivation, this young man might already be able to replicate the pinnacle of flying sword technique…

“Wake up!” Jiang Wang called out.

Jiang Wang was certain his shout had woken Forward, as the latter’s breathing paused for a moment.

But Forward remained silent, likely intending to pretend to be asleep.

Jiang Wang no longer wasted words, flicked a finger, and a flame blossom appeared, hovering above Forward, descending at a constant speed.

Forward paused for a moment, knowing there was no more room for struggle, and with a roll, he scrambled up, skillfully avoiding the flame blossom.

As if nothing had happened, without even washing up, he said directly: “Let’s go then!”

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