Nameless Zone Arc Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Guest Becomes the Host

“Senior Brother Luo, Senior Brother Li, what brings you here?”

Xu Yuhan was lively by nature, and it was clear her mood was quite good. Though she had lost the pill competition, the negative emotions of defeat could not sway her overall cheerfulness.

Luo Tuan chuckled, “Tomorrow the small world opens, as you know. Last time, many of our brothers and sisters were lost in the campaign against the Fierce Ghost Sect. Now our sect’s Foundation Establishment disciples are few and far between, so we need you to help out.”

“Oh~”

Xu Yuhan didn’t immediately agree. She scanned the group, her attention settling on Li Li. With a charming smile, she ran to his side and took his arm. “Big Brother Li, it’s been so long! Today, how come you, the busy one, aren’t cultivating but came to see me?”

Li Li awkwardly withdrew his hand from her grasp, forcing a smile. “Junior Sister Xu, men and women should keep their distance.”

“Hmph!” Xu Yuhan pouted, unhappy, and tossed her head. “You saved my life. Isn’t it right for me to offer myself in gratitude?”

But Li Li kept shaking his head. “Stop being silly.”

Zhou Xuanhong and Ran Ziyu watched from the side, amused by the scene. There was no helping it; this generation of Xingyan Sect disciples had reached the age to seek companions, and with so many outstanding women around, it was only natural to be drawn to them.

Only Zhou Xuanhong seemed invisible to everyone, while Ran Ziyu, masked and cool-eyed, radiated an aura that discouraged strangers. In the sect, she had far fewer suitors than Qiao Yixue, nor did she possess Qiao’s knack for playing with men’s hearts.

Just as the scene grew awkward, a young girl flew in, seated on a toppled pill furnace. She looked about fourteen or fifteen, with delicate features and two braided pigtails. Her sharp little canine teeth showed as she smiled, making her look quite adorable.

“Sister Xu!” the girl called, rushing to embrace Xu Yuhan. The pill furnace shrank magically, becoming a pendant hanging at her waist.

Xu Yuhan affectionately stroked the girl’s head and sighed, “Cuiyao, don’t be mischievous. Let me introduce you. These are my fellow disciples of Xingyan Sect: Senior Brother Luo Tuan, and…”

She introduced each member, especially pausing at Li Li. The girl flashed a sly grin. “Oh~ so this is Senior Brother Li Li, the big hero you always talk about, the one who saved you from danger and won your secret affection!”

Xu Yuhan’s cheeks flushed. “You little rascal, what are you saying? Senior Brother Li Li saved me and Sister Qiao—being grateful is only natural. Don’t listen to her nonsense. This girl is Wei Cuiyao, my master’s great-granddaughter. She’s clever and loves to joke around. Senior Brother Li Li, don’t mind her.”

Li Li only smiled faintly. To him, it was just banter between two girls. His heart was wholly focused on Qiao Yixue, and he paid no attention to Xu Yuhan’s feelings.

“I don’t mind. We’re fellow disciples—helping each other in times of trouble is nothing more than my duty.”

Luo Tuan shook his head at this. There was no hope for Li Li; Luo was no stranger to affairs of the heart and could see the entangled emotions here, but that didn’t mean he would interfere. Emotional matters were just too complicated.

Zhou Xuanhong stood quietly aside, doing and saying nothing, simply observing. The more he watched, the stranger it all seemed, a curious puzzle.

Sword cultivators shouldn’t act like this. Was Li Li’s cultivation of the sword path not pure, and had it made him slow-witted? But a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak couldn’t possibly be a fool. Could Qiao Yixue’s charm really be so overpowering, or was there some hidden secret?

“It seems I should study the sword path myself. This Li Li might prove useful. In the future, he could become a fine sword for me to wield.”

The group didn’t linger. Xu Yuhan, out of consideration for Li Li, agreed to represent the sect in tomorrow’s battle, bid farewell to Wei Cuiyao, and returned to Xingyan Sect.

Zhou Xuanhong turned back to look at Wei Cuiyao, surprised to find her also staring at him. He kept his composure, responding with a faint smile.

Wei Cuiyao was indeed watching Zhou Xuanhong. Though this taciturn core disciple seemed stiff, her innate sensitivity to emotions allowed her to sense that this Zhou Xuanhong gave her an unusually sinister feeling.

But Zhou Xuanhong’s gaze was actually focused on a bloodthirsty insect hidden in Wei Cuiyao’s hair. He was curious about her glance but didn’t pay much heed—after all, a late-stage Qi cultivator could hardly cause trouble.

He didn’t know that this girl, Wei Cuiyao, would bring him unexpected change in the future.

After returning to the sect, Zhuge Yukun and Ran Ziyu took their leave. They belonged to the branch of the chief elder and only paid lip service to the sect master’s orders, doing just enough to appear compliant.

Zhou Xuanhong also said to Luo Tuan, “Senior Brother, I’ve just reached Foundation Establishment. I won’t delay the mission. Tomorrow’s situation might change rapidly, so I need some time to prepare.”

“That’s wise. Don’t worry—you just broke through, so there should be no risk of combat for you.”

After parting with Luo Tuan and the others, Zhou Xuanhong went to the library pavilion. The old mountain baboon at the door noticed his arrival, opened its eyes, jumped from the rocking chair, and blocked his way, circling him and scrutinizing him closely.

“Tsk, tsk, your luck is truly remarkable—you really managed to cultivate the ‘Xingyan Sect’ technique successfully.”

Zhou Xuanhong bowed deeply. “Thanks to your guidance, elder. I had a bit of fortune.”

Now that he had reached Foundation Establishment, Zhou Xuanhong could sense the baboon’s strength was only at the peak Foundation Establishment level. No wonder many disciples didn’t respect it, especially given its fondness for playing pranks.

But Zhou Xuanhong’s thinking wasn’t like ordinary cultivators. This mountain baboon, despite being only Foundation Establishment, was entrusted with managing the important library pavilion alone, and no disciple had ever broken the rules. Clearly, there was something mysterious about it.

Zhou Xuanhong probed, “Elder, I’ve heard that spirit beasts live far longer than humans. May I ask your age?”

The baboon perked up at the question, adopting an air of superiority, stroking its beard and raising its head. “Boy, are you asking about my age as a demon beast or as a spirit beast?”

A passing disciple muttered, “Here we go again!”

Zhou Xuanhong was undisturbed, calmly asking another question. “But you’re only Foundation Establishment—how do you have the right and ability to manage such an important place as the library pavilion?”

Not falling for Zhou’s tactic, the baboon was a bit annoyed, but its eyes rolled craftily and it squinted, saying, “I used to manage it well. Now, it’s barely adequate.”

After speaking, it stared at Zhou Xuanhong’s lips, hoping to hear those three words—‘Why is that?’ But it was disappointed again.

Zhou Xuanhong only nodded quietly and changed the subject. “I see. The first floor is for new and outer disciples; the second for inner disciples; the third houses rare secret techniques. What about the fourth floor—what level of techniques are stored there? Might I have a chance to see it?”

The baboon was irritated but figured this question would finally prompt a deeper inquiry. Suppressing its frustration, it adopted a sage-like expression and answered, “The techniques on the fourth floor are very advanced. If it’s you, I’m afraid you can’t learn them, but once you reach the Core Formation stage, you may.”

Zhou Xuanhong pondered a moment, making the anxious baboon wish it could prompt him to ask more, but it had to maintain its dignified demeanor, barely containing itself as its fur trembled.

After a pause, Zhou Xuanhong looked up at the fourth floor and smiled, “I understand. Thank you for your guidance, elder!”

With that, he entered the library pavilion, leaving the baboon trembling with rage.

It was like waiting for a cherished girl to play chess on a cold winter day—fire, snacks, fruit, and wine all prepared, only for her to stand you up after a day of anticipation.

“You little rascal!”

Zhou Xuanhong didn’t go to the second floor but browsed sword cultivation books on the first, ignoring the resentful gaze from the door.

He spent the whole afternoon immersed in the sea of books, but his mind was partly elsewhere, reflecting on the baboon’s words as he read.

The first question the baboon answered referred to demon beasts and spirit beasts, implying it didn’t join Xingyan Sect from birth but rather after achieving some cultivation.

The purpose of Zhou Xuanhong’s question was to discern whether the baboon held any significant secrets in the sect, such as hidden strength or special abilities.

While browsing books on sword cultivation, he also found information about mountain baboons. They are half-spirit, half-demon, innately perceptive, and adept at manipulating emotional energies.

In the mortal world, mountain baboons are known for playing tricks on passing humans. Once their cultivation reaches a certain level, they exploit human nature and fear to toy with people.

This explains why the library pavilion is managed by a single mountain baboon. Its innate abilities allow it to influence the emotions of disciples inside, quelling disputes—such as the near-conflict between Luo Tuan and Wei Yuli—which suddenly dissolved into calm without even a quarrel.

“Interesting—even a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator like Luo Tuan can be affected. This ability could be useful. But there’s always a risk. The sect’s leaders trust it to manage the pavilion, but if masters like Luo Tuan or Li Li were to fight, its strength alone couldn't stop them. It must have greater abilities or is hiding its true cultivation.”

The second question aimed to probe its means of preventing damage to the pavilion. Its answer—that it used to manage well but now barely—made Zhou Xuanhong suspect its lifespan was nearing its end, or perhaps some unknown change had occurred, though he couldn’t be certain yet.

The third question was a test: he wanted to know if the fourth floor’s treasures were real, and to gauge the sect’s attitude toward access.

The baboon’s reply gave Zhou Xuanhong pause. If the qualification for entering the fourth floor was Core Formation, why did it add an “afraid” before “can’t learn”? That suggested there might be circumstances under which a Foundation Establishment cultivator could also gain access. What sort of situation would that be?