If it were an ordinary person, they would surely feel as if the world before their eyes had completely changed. But for David Bolton, this place was extremely familiar, so he didn’t feel particularly surprised.

At this moment, he simply felt a sense of emotion—after more than thirty years, he had once again come here, this time as a novice disciple.

“It’s quite shocking, isn’t it? The first time I came here, I was scared too.”

Robert Carter looked a bit proud: “You haven’t been to the main academy of Sun and Moon Mountain. The grandeur there is hundreds of times greater than here…”

But then he noticed that David Bolton’s attention wasn’t on the world behind the mountain gate, nor was he really listening to what he was saying. Instead, with a complicated expression, he was looking at the twelve iron kneeling statues beside the gorge.

“Those are twelve heinous criminals from our Sun and Moon Sect, cast into iron statues by the Disciplinary Hall, forever kneeling here!”

As he spoke, Robert Carter thought of David Bolton’s identity and assumed he understood what was on his companion’s mind. He sighed softly: “Look at the one on the far left—that’s the main culprit of the Guanglin Mountain disaster three years ago, Henry Spencer. He colluded with demons and evil beings, causing 2,700 high-level spirit masters of our Sun and Moon Sect to perish, and 396 divine masters to fall within Guanglin Mountain. The Disciplinary Hall judged him as a traitor, expelled him from the sect, abolished his cultivation, and sentenced him to be refined by nine fires. Since his whereabouts are unknown, this kneeling statue was erected in his place as punishment.”

David Bolton wasn’t really listening, just staring blankly, thinking that in this world, there could hardly be anything more painful than fighting and bleeding for your sect, only to be branded a traitor by everyone, cast into a kneeling statue for all to see—nothing could be more helpless or unjust.

About three years ago, when David Bolton was still “Henry Spencer,” he was ordered to lead his fellow disciples to rescue Guanglin Mountain, which was under attack by evil forces. But there, they were betrayed—not only did they fail to save Guanglin Mountain, but their entire force was wiped out.

As the leader, “Henry Spencer” was also in a desperate situation and could only use the not-yet-mastered “Soul-Shedding Technique” to escape. It wasn’t to save his own life, but so his soul could return to the main Sun and Moon Mountain to warn the elders.

But for some unknown reason, he eventually awoke in an underground crystal coffin, his body replaced with the one he now inhabited, and beside him was “Grace Green,” who claimed to be a terminal intelligence, though to him, she seemed more like a spirit of the artifact.

Then, after finally making his way out of that deeply buried, steel ship that resembled a demonic palace, he was found by disciples of Guanglin Mountain, who mistook him for one of the survivors. It was then that he was shocked to learn that he had been branded by the sect as the instigator of the Guanglin Mountain disaster, the most notorious traitor in the Sun and Moon Sect in five hundred years!

With no other choice, he had to assume the identity of “David Bolton,” the son of a martial arts hall master from Guanglin Mountain. For the next three years, “David Bolton” was mostly in a coma due to a weak soul, only gradually recovering recently. He then eagerly participated in the biennial sect entrance trial.

—After three years, David Bolton thought he could face it all calmly. But when he saw his own iron statue, anger and hatred still surged in his chest.

Sorrow, grief, frustration, injustice, and helplessness—all these emotions welled up inside him, a bitter mix he could not express!

Still, he remembered that he was now “David Bolton,” and managed to keep his expression in check, not revealing any of these feelings.

Fortunately, his nature was cheerful and open-minded, so after a moment, he recovered, thinking that perhaps fate had not treated him so badly after all. Although this body’s cultivation aptitude was poor, at least he had been given a chance to start over, to seek the truth and clear his name.

At this moment, he heard Robert Carter say, “Don’t be too sad! Although Henry Spencer’s soul lamp hasn’t gone out and his whereabouts are unknown, the sect will eventually track him down and bring him to justice. As for those demons and evil beings, the Sun and Moon Sect will never let them go.”

David Bolton felt odd, then shook his head and asked curiously, “Senior Brother Carter, I see this kneeling statue was only recently cast. Wasn’t Henry Spencer’s crime determined three years ago?”

Hearing this, Robert Carter couldn’t help but grimace, his expression indignant: “It’s all because of those troublemakers in the sect…”

Before he could finish, a white light suddenly thundered down from the sky, like a flash of lightning. Before Robert Carter could react, this sharp sword energy struck ten zhang away, blasting Henry Spencer’s statue to dust!

The two looked up in astonishment and saw a figure shrouded in a black robe, floating in midair three hundred zhang above.

David Bolton could vaguely tell it was a woman, though her face was hidden. Then he heard the black-robed woman shout in a hoarse voice, “Everyone on Tianzhu Mountain, listen up! Three years ago, the Disciplinary Hall lacked evidence, yet acted arbitrarily and judged hastily, causing Senior Brother Spencer to suffer a grave injustice! We, the Xuán Hào Faction, refuse to accept this and will fight to the end! Justice lives in people’s hearts—this matter cannot be twisted by the Disciplinary Hall, nor can they frame the innocent. If the sect does not overturn the case and retry it, we will never give up!”

As her voice fell, she swept her sleeve, scattering countless sheets of paper, which fluttered down over a twenty-li radius, especially toward the direction of the martial arena.

“Those Xuán Hào Faction bastards again!”