Time rewinds to a moment not long ago.

In a disheveled alleyway, at the corner of a wall, Wu Yiyu left an insignificant mark.

The mark resembled a forked branch. At first glance, it seemed like a casual scratch, or perhaps the trace of wind and rain.

A slender figure cloaked in black robes passed through the alley, their footsteps light and airy. They passed the mark without so much as a pause.

Yet, they navigated the turns with practiced ease, naturally passing near the small courtyard where Wu Yiyu resided.

Unsurprisingly, they faintly sensed the subtle fluctuations of battle from afar.

No observation, no curiosity, no lingering.

The figure simply walked on.

As if completely unrelated, as if utterly unconcerned.

But shortly thereafter…

In that alley, on that wall corner, on that unremarkable mark, a line of green fire suddenly blazed.

An eerie green fire instantly consumed the entire inscription!

At the same moment, Wu Yiyu within the courtyard was seized by an indescribable surge of emotion.

It was resentment, it was unwillingness, it was fear – a convergence of numerous negative forces.

This birthed within him a potent impulse toward self-destruction, an overwhelming desire to cease existence.

He wanted to die!

He desperately wanted to die!

In that instant, the scenes of his life did not replay in his mind.

He merely recalled certain things, trivial things.

It was long ago…

That old codger had said something about how, in dealing with people and affairs, it was better to be foolish.

He had said that a healer seeks only to cure, that wealth and renown were not his pursuit.

He had said that his life’s devotion lay in these two words, in these two people.

Completely inexplicable.

What was he talking about?

I desperately want to die…

The impulse in his heart suddenly surged with power, allowing him to break free of the restraints that had bound him.

That feeling…

It was as if only a short time had passed, but freedom had been so long forgotten!

Freedom!

He cried out in his heart.

Then, he strangled himself, decisively ending his life before Jiang Wang could even react.

“This!” Chong Xuanxin was filled with terror, looking around wildly. “What is happening?”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but move closer to Jiang Wang, feeling safer beside a powerful expert in this moment of unknown terror.

Jiang Wang’s hand rested on his longsword, but he remained silent.

In that brief moment, he had sensed a familiar power fluctuation.

The power of curses.

It was Yin Guan, without a doubt…

His power had grown to such an extent that he could casually curse and kill an Outer Tower cultivator from afar, without even being present!

Although Wu Yiyu was restrained and unable to resist, and although he might have been affected by Yin Guan’s curse power for some time, it was still terrifying.

He had grown even stronger since their last encounter.

Truly a powerhouse who had transformed a narrow path into a thoroughfare to the heavens.

How rapid was his progress?

Wu Yiyu had no idea the mysterious nature of the mark that had always been his single point of contact with Hell’s Gate.

The power of curses belonging to King Qin Guang had long been influencing him.

He thought that after returning to Qi, he could freely betray Hell’s Gate. He even immediately considered using Lord Wuguan’s address in the Near Sea Islands as a bargaining chip.

But all turned to illusion, to deathly silence.

The black-robed figure who had passed through the alley was the “Little Ghost,” one of Hell’s Gate’s external affairs personnel recently active in the Near Sea Islands. After she somehow notified Yin Guan that Wu Yiyu had been captured, Yin Guan cast a curse from an unknown distance, killing him instantly!

This terrifying scene shocked Chong Xuanxin, and even Jiang Wang, who had guessed the truth, was secretly alarmed.

But Lin Youxie’s eyes lit up instead. “Wu Yiyu must know some secret, otherwise Hell’s Gate wouldn’t need to kill him!”

She even seemed excited. “He wasn’t harmed in Qi, but he was harmed here. That means the secret he knows is in the Near Sea Islands. What could it be?”

Chong Xuanxin glanced at her warily, feeling that this woman was somewhat unhinged! A Pulse Manifestation Realm cultivator relentlessly pursuing the infamous Hell’s Gate.

“Brother Jiang, what do we do now?” he asked Jiang Wang.

He hoped Jiang Wang would quickly decide to leave.

This place felt too dangerous, as if one might be controlled to “commit suicide” at any moment.

He also wanted to leave this crazy woman who was so eager to die.

But before Jiang Wang could speak, Lin Youxie had already looked over.

“Lord Jiang! Good news!”

She said earnestly, “We don’t know what secrets Hell’s Gate has in the Near Sea Islands, but one thing is certain: for something worth killing Wu Yiyu to silence him, they must at least have a Yama guarding this place!”

“What do you think?”

She seemed to have an innate passion for investigating and capturing criminals, and her whole person became radiant. “Want to join me in digging out that big rat? Once we dig him out, I believe the Patrol Tribunal will offer a reward worthy of a Yama! It will also give you a chance to get a Rank Three Azure Token sooner.”

“This rat is indeed large, but unfortunately, it’s too large.”

Jiang Wang politely declined. “I’m not interested, and I also have my own matters to attend to.”

Lin Youxie paused, seemingly only now remembering Jiang Wang’s purpose for coming here. Then she smiled. “Alright, no forcing.”

Jiang Wang carefully inspected the Chains of Imprisonment, confirming that there were no problems before retracting them.

Since his initial exploration of the Cloud Top Immortal Palace, where one of the Chains of Imprisonment was dispelled by the words “Dao Thief,” he had only managed to repair two of them so far. He didn’t know when he would truly have the power of the Ten Great Chains of the Legalist School.

The Chains of Imprisonment swam into the void, leaving only Wu Yiyu’s corpse lying there.

Jiang Wang thought for a moment and then said, “Chief Lin, while it is true that evil must be eradicated, one must know that human power has its limits. Please take care.”

Lin Youxie tilted her head, seemingly surprised that Jiang Wang would say such a thing. After so many entanglements and suspicions, even if he didn’t hate her to death, he should be extremely disgusted with her.

“Then, Lord Jiang, I will also give you a piece of advice.”

She thought for a moment and said, “In the Fengxian County case, although I did catch the perpetrator, there were still unresolved issues. Having been an Azure Token Hunter for generations, I have seen too much, and no one will believe anyone. But at the time, I inexplicably believed Zhang Yong, and didn’t suspect him for a long time. There must be something wrong with this person. Even though no one is investigating anymore, and the case has been dropped, it was a case I handled, and I must investigate it to the end.”

She looked at Jiang Wang. “I am now certain that you are not one of them. But you are the Qingyang Town Marquis of Qi. A Rank Four Azure Token Hunter. The state of Qi has treated you well. In the days to come, I hope you will think carefully and be cautious in your words and actions.”

It was unknown by what means she had determined that Jiang Wang and Zhang Yong were not on the same path. But it was likely related to her observation of him these past few days.

Jiang Wang suddenly thought of the inexplicable familiarity he felt towards Zhang Yong, and the inexplicable softheartedness he had shown at Cloud Mist Mountain.

Could it also be the Bifurcated Path?

It shouldn’t be. First, Zhang Yong was only in the Pulse Manifestation Realm at the time, and there was no reason for him to use a divine ability. Second, if he had truly mastered a divine ability like Bifurcated Path, he shouldn’t have lost to Jiang Wang in battle.

He thought a lot in his heart, but did not show it on his face.

He and Lin Youxie were not close, so there was no need to say too much.

Finally, Jiang Wang cupped his fist and said, “Then, farewell.”