He did want it, he saught out Cultivation on his own. And on top of that his memories returned and he choose to stop drinking and do better.
Redemption is the overcoming of a past failing.
Repentence is improving yourself so you do not repeat past failure
Forgiveness is not holding past failure against someone who has achived repentence.
One man can change the wolrd and in fact many have. Alexander the Great, Hitler, Gahndi, Stalin, Krustchev, Kennedy.