Nameless Region Arc Chapter 73: The Great Battle Approaches

Zhou Xuanhong spoke, “There’s no need for either of you to worry about my affairs. Cooperation is about mutual benefit. Senior Black Ghost, your aim is for the Fierce Ghost Sect to stand independent, or to dominate in any unification with the Yin Corpse Sect. I can tell you plainly: that’s not a realistic ambition, though it isn’t impossible. It requires two conditions. First, the Yin Corpse Sect’s True Corpse Master must fall in battle, and you must break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Second, your sect’s ancestor, the Unfettered Master, must return and take charge of the Fierce Ghost Sect. Only then can your sect claim the dominant position, and avoid decline after the coming war.

I know you understand all this, so my main point is another plan—one that targets their lower-level combatants. When the time comes, you’ll instruct those Fierce Ghost Sect disciples embedded within the Yin Corpse Sect to work without exerting themselves, preserving their lives as much as possible. I’ll ensure that disciples of the Shaping Sect and the sword cultivators from Song Mountain Sword Pavilion focus their attacks on the Yin Corpse Sect’s cultivators. As long as your people don’t court destruction themselves, I guarantee their survival! In this way, after the Shaping Sect is wiped out, the strength of the Fierce Ghost Sect will rival the heavily depleted Yin Corpse Sect!”

The old Black Ghost frowned and asked, “If you can truly pull this off, what about the Nascent Soul cultivators? I am still some distance from breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.”

Zhou Xuanhong chuckled and cast his gaze at Gu Zhen. “That will depend on Young Master Gu Zhen.”

Gu Zhen shook his head. “Me? My status is unique, but I won’t meddle in your dispute.”

Zhou Xuanhong laughed again. “It’s not that you won’t, it’s that you can’t. I’ve considered your special circumstances. You lack a suitable reason, that’s all. If everything goes as planned and the Fierce Ghost Sect and Yin Corpse Sect are locked in internal conflict, you can intervene as a member of the demon race, citing the Yin Corpse Sect’s cruelty to spirit beasts. Since it’s an internal sect dispute, not a struggle between factions, you have both justification and reason to interfere. Besides, your goal is the Small World, isn’t it? If you help Senior Black Ghost seize the dominant position, you can demand the Small World as compensation. Thus, the Fierce Ghost Sect is revived, and you gain the Small World you desire—a win-win for all, wouldn’t that be delightful?”

Both Black Ghost and Gu Zhen’s eyes lit up. If things truly unfolded as described, it was worth attempting. But both were shrewd and saw the dangers: if any part of the plan faltered, they’d be thrust into the eye of the storm.

Black Ghost smiled slyly. “I wonder, young friend, after all this scheming for us, what do you stand to gain?”

Zhou Xuanhong laughed heartily. “Of course I gain something. Once the Shaping Sect is destroyed, I need the original text of the Shaping Technique from the fourth layer of the Library Pavilion. The Xu family has plotted against me; if I don’t annihilate them, how can I justify my eleven years of endurance? Most importantly, I gain the friendship of you two. With such rewards, I am more than satisfied.”

Gu Zhen asked, “How did you know I was scheming for the Small World, and that I am of the demon race?”

Zhou Xuanhong glanced at Gu Zhen, then at Black Ghost, and burst into laughter. “Is it really so difficult to guess?”

Gu Zhen and Black Ghost joined in his laughter. Not only Zhou Xuanhong, even Black Ghost knew Gu Zhen’s identity. In fact, the upper echelons of the surrounding major powers were all aware; it was simply an open secret, tacitly unspoken.

After discussing the plan’s details, Gu Zhen asked, “If Xu Yuqi is still alive, you’ll have trouble dealing with him given his Void Spirit stage abilities. What countermeasures do you have?”

Zhou Xuanhong shook his head. “He certainly no longer possesses his Void Spirit stage soul power. At most, he’s barely surviving thanks to the Shaping Technique, and can only possess cultivators who practice it. That doesn’t worry me—I have a clever plan to handle him.”

Gu Zhen seemed to sense Zhou Xuanhong and Black Ghost’s wish for privacy and tactfully excused himself, leaving the vast space with only the two facing each other.

Black Ghost smiled. “Young friend, you know our deal isn’t just about all this. The most crucial part is my soul blood.”

That was the true heart of their bargain. Black Ghost sought freedom, but was bound by the Fierce Ghost Sect and controlled by the soul blood of the Unfettered Master. Alone, he couldn’t break free. Outside Lingbei City, at Lingbei Village, Zhou Xuanhong had given Black Ghost a jade slip—within it, a method to break the control of the soul lamp.

Zhou Xuanhong said, “I haven’t forgotten. The soul blood must be released. Even my own is controlled by Xu Yuqi. If I had no way to break free, how could I dare take such risks?”

A look of longing appeared in Black Ghost’s eyes. “What is your method, young friend?”

Zhou Xuanhong opened his palm. A bloodthirsty insect at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage flew from his sea of consciousness and landed in his hand.

“This is my greatest trump card—the Soul-Eater Worm. Besides devouring souls, it can consume any bonds tied to the soul, such as the Divine Mark within my sea of consciousness, or less complex connections like soul blood.”

Black Ghost gestured, and the Soul-Eater Worm flew into his hand. He probed it carefully with his spiritual sense, finding no flaws. “If it truly breaks the bond, I imagine the side effects must be severe?”

Zhou Xuanhong nodded. “Although the other party can no longer control you through soul blood, losing a drop renders your soul incomplete. Recovering from that is almost impossible.”

Black Ghost frowned, weighing the pros and cons. After long contemplation, he made up his mind. “I agree, but we must wait until I break through to the Nascent Soul stage before severing the bond. Otherwise, I’ll never attain Nascent Soul, nor ever have another chance to repair my soul.”

Zhou Xuanhong returned the Soul-Eater Worm to his sea of consciousness and laughed. “Don’t be so pessimistic. When the war breaks out, you’ll join the sect battle. I’ll give you an opportunity for breaking through to Nascent Soul. This way, you can sever the soul blood bond and help the Fierce Ghost Sect quickly dominate the Yin Corpse Sect. Even if Unfettered Master comes looking for you, with your Nascent Soul cultivation and the revived Fierce Ghost Sect, as long as he still values old ties, he’ll willingly return your soul blood.”

Black Ghost widened his old eyes and asked gravely, “Truly?”

Zhou Xuanhong pointed at himself. “You really think I just idly secluded myself for ten years?”

Black Ghost leapt up, cackling. “If so, once I break through, I’ll willingly guard your path for a hundred years!”

After a brief discussion, Zhou Xuanhong left the underground hall, gathered Mao Yishan and the others, and departed the City Lord’s mansion, heading back to the Shaping Sect.

On the way, the three said nothing, understanding clearly the cooperative relationship between Zhou Xuanhong and Black Ghost. They recalled how, ten years ago, Xuan Qizi had led inner sect disciples to eradicate the Fierce Ghost Sect remnants, nearly resulting in total annihilation, and how Liu Xiang’s clan had been wiped out—a tragedy surely entwined with Zhou Xuanhong.

Two days later, Mao Yishan noticed Zhou Xuanhong wasn’t heading back to the Shaping Sect and asked, “Brother Zhou, where are we going?”

Zhou Xuanhong’s mind stirred, and ten low-grade spiritual flying swords emerged, hovering around him. “Prepare yourselves—the war is coming!”

In that instant, Zhou Xuanhong’s speed surged as he charged toward two Yin Corpse Sect disciples.

“Zhou Xuanhong, true disciple of the Shaping Sect, is here to claim your lives!”

After a brief, fierce battle, one died on the spot, while the other, a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator, escaped with grave injuries.

Mao Yishan and his companions hurried over and asked in confusion, “Why did you let him go?”

Zhou Xuanhong ordered, “From now on, you three act separately. Your sole objective is to kill Yin Corpse Sect disciples—Fierce Ghost Sect disciples may be spared. But remember: if you face multiple enemies, kill only one; if alone, simply maim them. Make it as brutal as possible. When you encounter towns under the Yin Corpse Sect’s alliance, pillage freely—you may even target mortals loyal to the Yin Corpse Sect!”

“Yes!”

Soon, the three, armed with magical treasures, sped off in different directions. Zhou Xuanhong also dashed ahead, his ten flying swords circling him with chilling murderous intent.

Meanwhile, within the Yin Corpse Sect’s territory, several cultivation cities with Gold Core elders overseeing them suffered devastation at the hands of a mysterious Gold Core cultivator. Yin Corpse Sect disciples died in droves, while Fierce Ghost Sect disciples took losses, though far less severe.

In the shops of Five-Spirit Pill Valley, Shaping Sect disciples rampaged, robbing and smashing, joined by rogue cultivators and other forces opportunistically looting. The loss was catastrophic.

Within the Yin Corpse Sect’s domain, several powerful Shaping Sect cultivators preyed on the weak, wantonly slaughtering Yin Corpse Sect disciples with extreme cruelty, as if torturing them was their pleasure.

Within days, as such incidents escalated, the Yin Corpse Sect’s disciples, enraged, organized large forces and dispatched several Gold Core elders to hunt the perpetrators. Yet they found nothing; all Shaping Sect disciples seemed forewarned and vanished in advance.

After several days of fruitless searching, the larger groups dispersed, returning to their sects or resuming their tasks. The Gold Core elders disguised themselves as Foundation Establishment cultivators to fish for targets. One Gold Core junior actually encountered Mao Yishan’s ambush. After failing to kill him, he gave chase—only to run into Li Li and Qiao Yixue, who were on assignment and promptly killed the Yin Corpse Sect elder on the spot!

Once the news spread, hostilities between the two factions intensified, driving many fearful Yin Corpse Sect disciples back to their sect.

Unexpectedly, a powerful cultivator disguised as a Qi Refining disciple infiltrated the puppet pool, breached the formation, and planted numerous disposable destructive items. After leaving the Shaping Sect, he detonated the array, destroying the precious pool water and numerous corpse puppets, plunging the Yin Corpse Sect into collective fury.

Investigation revealed many of these items originated from the Shaping Sect, as did the recently slain Yin Corpse Sect disciples. It became clear this conspiracy against the Yin Corpse Sect was orchestrated by the Shaping Sect, pushing the conflict to its very peak—the war was about to erupt!