Nameless District Chapter 26: Senior Brother Zhou

There were only five days left before the opening of the Spirit Herb Minor World. All the powerful outer disciples were working tirelessly to prepare for their entry, and even some disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage were eager to reap some benefits. Beneath the surface, undercurrents surged through the Formative Sect.

The Spirit Herb Minor World brimmed with medicinal resources, and its dangers paled in comparison to the outside world. Yet, it was nonetheless a minor world, and its resources, though abundant, were limited. Only twenty could enter. The selection would be held the day before the opening; only the top twenty victors would qualify. These were invariably the elites among the outer disciples.

From the very start, Zhou Xuanhong had no intention of entering the Spirit Herb Minor World. His position was fraught with risk—one careless move, and he could be stabbed in the back.

Still, he did not plan to sit idle as a mere bystander. The resources of the Spirit Herb Minor World tempted him as well. Since advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage, his consumption of resources had only grown. And spirit herbs, as a cornerstone of the cultivation world, were always in demand. Whether it was breaking through bottlenecks, trading for spirit stones, or dealing with others, spirit herbs were indispensable. As an alchemist—the wealthiest of all auxiliary professions—this sect event was nothing short of a grand feast. The twenty who entered the Spirit Herb Minor World would surely amass great wealth.

A powerful alchemist always stood atop a mountain of spirit herbs. For rare and precious ones, they would pay exorbitant prices. This was precisely how Zhou Xuanhong planned to profit.

At this moment, Zhou Xuanhong was dining with the Kong siblings at their usual spot. The meal was no ordinary fare—it was cooked in a set of artifacts he had crafted in the Artifact Hall with Yue Bu: a pot, a spatula, and a chef’s knife, all forged from golden-veined iron, hard and heat-resistant.

The chef’s knife was particularly sharp, inscribed with a keen metal rune. Even the hide and flesh of Foundation-stage demon beasts yielded easily before it—a half-spirit artifact, to be sure.

Zhou Xuanhong teased the siblings, “Your cultivation speed is astonishing! Not even a month has passed, and you’ve both reached the seventh layer of Qi Refinement. At this rate, you’ll soon surpass me. Truly, comparisons between people are odious.”

Kong Xiaori chuckled, “We started at the third layer, after all. And our situation is special—our resources are even better than yours, a personal disciple, not to mention our little bit of talent.”

Zhou Xuanhong laughed, “Ninety-nine percent effort, one percent talent. Yet, that one percent is where countless cultivators see their path to immortality cut short.”

Kong Xiaori shrugged indifferently, “Everyone has their own path.”

Zhou Xuanhong nodded in agreement, “Indeed. Do you see your path clearly? Why do you seek strength?”

Kong Xiaori took his sister’s hand and said earnestly, “So I can protect my sister forever—forever and ever!”

Kong Xiaoyue blushed and said softly, “I want to support my brother, help him become the strongest, and always be by his side!”

“Uh…”

Watching the siblings, Zhou Xuanhong’s mind spun with many mischievous thoughts. He couldn’t help but joke, “The more I see you two, the more I think you’re a perfect match.”

Kong Xiaori, ever the straightforward one, missed the implication and patted his chest with pride, “Of course! We’re twins, after all!”

Beside him, Kong Xiaoyue’s face turned even redder, and she pinched her brother, as girls always matured faster.

With their idle talk done, Zhou Xuanhong, now full and content, turned to serious matters with the siblings.

“Are you planning to compete for a spot in four days?” he asked.

Kong Xiaori nodded, “Of course. We’re not hothouse flowers. Our background may be impressive, but it’s too far away to help us now. Until we grow stronger, we can only rely on ourselves.”

Zhou Xuanhong knew something of their background—it was the distant Trunk Region, the mightiest territory on Celestial Star. Any of its great orthodoxies could crush the entire Nameless District without effort. The siblings’ backing was one of the most powerful orthodoxies in the Trunk Region. In their eyes, the Formative Sect was but an ant, and even the Grand Yin Corpse Sect was but a slightly larger one, easily swept away.

Yet, the Trunk Region was far removed. The siblings were native to the Nameless District and had not been truly accepted by their ancestral orthodoxy. The future was uncertain, and for now, they had to fend for themselves.

To be noticed by such an orthodoxy, Zhou Xuanhong knew their talent was extraordinary—perhaps even rivaling that of his own beloved wife. But what of it? In his eyes, talent was merely a ticket of varying grade. Once in the cultivation world, everything depended on oneself. The truly strong climbed to the peak step by step on their own feet.

He nodded, “I’ve reached Foundation Establishment; I can’t enter the Spirit Herb Minor World. But I’ll help you and participate in other ways, seeking the greatest benefit. Will you join me?”

Kong Xiaori pondered a moment, “Will it get people killed?”

Zhou Xuanhong did not answer directly, only smiled faintly.

Seeing this, Kong Xiaori, no fool, shook his head, “Well, we’ve boarded your pirate ship. Tell us what you want us to do.”

Zhou Xuanhong laughed and patted his shoulder, “Don’t be so grim. Working with me, you’ll make a fortune with little risk and great gain—though, admittedly, the death toll may be a little high.”

Thus, the two clever foxes began to conspire. Kong Xiaoyue sat quietly by, listening to their rather nefarious conversation with growing concern.

Would this Brother Zhou lead her brother astray? Why was he so full of schemes?

But then she thought, the cultivation world was just so. All resources had to be seized by one’s own efforts. If you didn’t kill, others would come for you. Better to strike first.

Zhou Xuanhong discussed his plans with Kong Xiaori, who did not object much—clearly a little rogue himself, unlikely to grow into a model citizen.

“All right, that’s the gist. Plans never keep up with change; just adapt as needed—it won’t affect my overall strategy.”

Zhou Xuanhong put away the soundproofing array disk, took his leave of the siblings, and headed to the Formative Sect’s gate.

The two gate guards had changed—as no one wanted to stand watch every day. If not for spirit stones, what cultivator would want such a job?

Beneath a tree outside the gate, Xu Biao was still waiting, for today Zhou Xuanhong would fulfill his promise and bring him into the Formative Sect.

“Come with me.”

Zhou Xuanhong led Xu Biao through the gate. The guards didn’t dare stop them; they were only at the late Qi Refinement stage. Never mind Zhou Xuanhong’s status—as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was not to be questioned by them.

However, once Zhou Xuanhong and Xu Biao had left, one of the guards took out a transmission talisman to report the matter to the Elder’s faction, while the other did the same for the Sect Leader’s faction. There was an unspoken understanding between them. The internal strife within the Formative Sect originated at the top, deadly and fierce, but among the lowly outer disciples, there was little real animosity. Their present concern was breaking through to Foundation Establishment; as for sect loyalty, who cared?

“Sigh, life’s tough for little shrimps like us. Even as guards, we have so much to deal with.”

“What can we do? We’re not like Senior Li Li, strong enough to survive in the cracks. Without choosing a side, we’d be dead already.”

At the Duty Hall, Zhou Xuanhong brought Xu Biao to complete the entry formalities. Everything went smoothly, and the attendant did not pry; it was just another outer disciple, after all.

As a personal disciple, Zhou Xuanhong was technically bending the rules by recruiting a talentless newcomer, but he had the right. At worst, he’d be accused of abusing his position.

But just then, in the registration room, a discordant voice rang out, “Zhou Xuanhong, as a personal disciple, you overstep your authority. What right do you have to recruit disciples on behalf of the sect?”

It was a young man of seventeen or eighteen, elegant and refined, but not amiable, and his tone was sharp, almost hostile.

Zhou Xuanhong turned and saw an old acquaintance: Wang Li, the Elder’s personal disciple, with three followers—each above the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, one even at early Foundation Establishment.

Zhou Xuanhong was unsurprised. This Wang Li had always been at odds with him in Luoshui City and had been bullied miserably. Even with his eyes closed, Zhou Xuanhong could sense the resentment simmering inside him.

He smiled, “Junior Brother Wang, aren’t you being a bit disrespectful? I’m your senior, both in age and cultivation. By sect rules, you should call me Senior Brother. For two great families of Luoshui City, your arrogance is unbecoming. As a junior, what right do you have to address me by name? Or do you think that being the Elder’s disciple puts you above me?”

His words left Wang Li with only two choices: address Zhou Xuanhong as Senior Brother, or admit his own superiority—which would suggest that, in the Formative Sect, the Elder outranked even the Sect Leader.

Wang Li, no fool, immediately looked sour. The feeling was all too familiar—ever since Zhou Xuanhong entered the Zhou family in Luoshui City, Wang Li’s good days were over. He was suppressed at every turn, bullied with no recourse. After becoming the Elder’s disciple, he had waited for Zhou Xuanhong to join the Formative Sect so he could exact his revenge—only for Zhou Xuanhong to become a personal disciple.

After some hesitation, Wang Li finally lowered his head and forced out three words through gritted teeth, “Senior Brother Zhou.”

But he quickly rallied and smiled, “Senior Brother Zhou, as a personal disciple, if you take the lead in recruiting disciples outside the proper channels, what will your master say when he hears of it? Might you be punished?”

Zhou Xuanhong sighed, “Ah, Junior Brother Wang, I do miss your rebellious spirit. But you misunderstand—this is not some random recruit, but a seeker sincerely devoted to the Formative Sect, whose character and strength are not inferior to most outer disciples. As the Sect Leader’s disciple, how could I turn away such a talent?”