Nameless Realm Chapter Ninety-Four: The Great World Trial

After questioning Shangguan Yixin, Zhou Xuanhong still could not determine whether Xiaona had been possessed or not, only managing to gather a few crucial pieces of information.

Regarding Xiaona’s current cold personality, even he was uncertain about her true nature. If her demeanor during their earlier interactions was merely aloof and distant, now it resembled the ruthless swordsmanship of Li Li.

Furthermore, Xiaona had entered a bottleneck stage, unable to break through to the Nascent Soul phase. She had been stuck at the peak of the Golden Core stage for three years. Though three years was not a long time, for a prodigy like her, it was quite unusual.

Zhou Xuanhong could only speculate that perhaps her Dao heart had developed flaws, or something remained incomplete within her, or maybe some circumstance forced her to suppress her cultivation.

Later, Zhou Xuanhong asked Shangguan Yixin about any major events expected soon in the Nameless Zone. Without prior intelligence, there was no way to prepare or strategize.

With great enthusiasm, Shangguan Yixin exclaimed, “Of course there is! Don’t you know? In just over a year, many major sects in the Nameless Zone will send their disciples to the Great Hao Golden Immortal Sect to participate in the trial! Hey, didn’t you come from the Left Hand Zone? How could you not know such a big deal?”

Zhou Xuanhong smiled faintly, “I didn’t return directly from the Left Hand Zone, but from the nearby Little Finger Zone. Tell me more about the Great Hao Golden Immortal Sect’s trial.”

Shangguan Yixin eyed him skeptically, but with her cunning, she couldn’t discern anything further.

“It’s like this,” she began, “The Great Hao Golden Immortal Sect controls a Great World, abundant with cultivation resources but fraught with dangers. It opens once every hundred years and has done so for more than four thousand years now.”

Zhou Xuanhong frowned, “If the resources are so abundant, why don’t they just claim it for themselves and keep it within their own sect?”

Shangguan Yixin looked at him incredulously, “Are you really from the Left Hand Zone? How could you not know about such a monumental matter?”

In truth, Zhou Xuanhong did not know. After devouring and absorbing Xu Yuqi’s soul, he had learned many things, but Xu Yuqi’s physical body had perished over five thousand years ago, so events in recent times were unknown to him. Moreover, the Xingyan Sect was a minor sect within the Nameless Zone and had no access to such high-level trials, so no records existed.

Zhou Xuanhong furrowed his brow. “No need to pry further. You answer my questions, and you won’t be left unrewarded afterward.”

Shangguan Yixin gave him an unwilling glare but had no choice; the initiative was in Zhou’s hands, so she continued.

“If it were possible to claim the Great World outright, they’d have done so already. But a Great World is not a Small World. Even experts at the Void God stage cannot refine it. Only when the Great Hao Golden Immortal Sect’s main branch acts personally can it be controlled. But the other major sects in the Left Hand Zone also have their own main branches, balancing each other out, resulting in the current stalemate.”

Zhou Xuanhong was puzzled. “Then why don’t the major sects simply divide it among themselves? Why does your Shangguan family even qualify?”

Shangguan Yixin shot him an annoyed look, her voice coquettish, “What do you mean by ‘your Shangguan family qualifies’? You look down on us? Then why are you even a guest at the Shangguan family? If you’re so great, go start your own sect!”

Zhou Xuanhong drummed his fingers firmly on the stone table and said calmly, “Watch your tone. When I reach the Fourth Rank Array Master realm, do you still want to improve yourself and shine in the trial?”

At the mention of this, Shangguan Yixin’s anger seemed to deflate like a burst bubble.

“Fine, fine, you’re impressive. I’ll answer honestly. Actually, we originally had no qualification. But as that Great World has increasingly declined and approached collapse, the original restrictions have been greatly relaxed, and the number of entry slots increased. The major sects only have so many disciples at the required cultivation level, so they simply allocate all slots to the major sects, recruiting from below. This way, the number of slots expands, and they also charge an entry fee for the Small World.”

Zhou Xuanhong thought briefly and understood the cleverness of the Great Hao Golden Immortal Sect. Presumably, the treasures in the Great World were scarce now, so they were generous in allowing entry, earning a tidy sum of spiritual stones. Most importantly, by distributing slots to major sects rather than to lone cultivators, they prevented the four great powers from planting spies among the freelancers.

Zhou Xuanhong asked, “What are the rules of the trial?”

Shangguan Yixin replied, “All cultivators under two hundred years old.”

Zhou Xuanhong frowned, “Nascent Soul cultivators can enter?”

She nodded, “Void God stage cultivators too, but under the Great World’s natural law suppression, any cultivation beyond the peak of the Golden Core stage is suppressed, so the highest they can reach there is the peak Golden Core.”

Zhou Xuanhong nodded, “While not entirely fair, it’s somewhat reasonable.”

Even if Nascent Soul experts were suppressed to the peak Golden Core stage, their strength would far exceed that of ordinary Golden Core practitioners in terms of understanding spells, battle experience, and the use of divine powers.

“Continue.”

Shangguan Yixin said, “I haven’t been inside myself. I only know the Great World is vast. Even a peak Golden Core cultivator flying at full speed for five years cannot find its end. The trial lasts five years. I don’t know much else; it’s mostly hearsay. For details, you can ask my father.”

Afterward, Zhou Xuanhong asked more about the Great World and nodded thoughtfully.

Both Small Worlds and Great Worlds involve spatial laws, which cultivators only begin to comprehend after reaching the Nascent Soul phase. For example, teleportation involves merging one’s body with space and reappearing elsewhere—this is a spatial law.

These worlds exist within these spaces and constantly shift, products of the Heavenly Dao between illusion and reality.

Having absorbed Xu Yuqi’s soul, Zhou Xuanhong understood some aspects of spatial laws, but personally experiencing it required breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

“I’ve told you all the news you wanted. Hurry and activate the formation!”

Zhou Xuanhong smiled as he sized up Shangguan Yixin teasingly. “Do body cultivators like you really enjoy being tormented so much?”

She stomped her foot, her face reddening. “None of your business! Just activate the formation!”

Zhou Xuanhong chuckled, “No rush. I’m preparing to customize a special body refinement formation for you. Tell me, how do you want to be tormented? Fire, piercing blades, freezing, wind, whipping, earth slams, or even being mobbed by puppets—I can tailor it all for you. Go on, tell me!”

For some reason, his teasing made Shangguan Yixin a bit excited. Could it be that she truly enjoyed being tormented?

Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, she asked seriously, “Will that be useful for me? Third-rank formations might not help me much.”

“Fourth rank.”

Shangguan Yixin brightened. “Have you already broken through to the Array Master realm?”

Zhou Xuanhong made a shushing gesture and laughed softly. “Just keep that to yourself. Remember our immortal oath.”

Yet Shangguan Yixin’s suspicion returned. “You’re really that kind? Although I have a fair amount of spiritual stones, it’s not enough to have a formation master customize a body refinement formation for me. If you want anything in return, just say it!”

Zhou Xuanhong laughed heartily. “You’re not foolish. Of course, it’s not free. Setting up the formation doesn’t require materials, but crafting the formation plate does. I’m not going to pay for that!”

“What else?”

“Help me secure a slot for the trial. Once the materials are ready, you’ll go to the Taiyin Ji Corpse Sect to observe Xiaona’s condition. When there is one year left before the trial, you return. By then, the formation plate should be ready. Use that year to improve yourself. How about that deal?”

Shangguan Yixin thought for a moment and nodded, “Agreed.”

Then, Shangguan Yixin was knocked unconscious by the formation once again—her final request before leaving. After all, she had been beaten for three days; only by passing out would it feel complete.

Zhou Xuanhong pressed his hand, calming the formation, shaking his head as he muttered, “What a strange woman.”

This time, Shangguan Yixin had prepared, wearing a fire-resistant spirit garment, so she wasn’t too disheveled. She simply fainted on the ground, drawing the attention of many cultivators.

Shangguan Liming, provoked by his sister’s cultivation, entered seclusion. With no one to escort Shangguan Yixin away, eventually a beautiful woman took her back to the Shangguan Manor.

Inside a cave, Zhou Xuanhong moved his mind, raising his palm. A screen appeared before him, displaying two lines of text:

Main Quest: Kill the former Heavenly Dao of the Fairy Star, currently parasitizing the human female cultivator Zhu Xiaona. (Accepted)

Quest Rewards: Host’s aptitude enhanced to Red Talent, one Heavenly Dao Seed, cultivation advanced to Foundation Establishment stage (expired)

Since the host had not activated the system for a long time or completed any tasks, the system had entered dormant mode. To restart, drip a drop of essence blood onto the system interface.

Zhou Xuanhong stared at the panel, a cold sneer forming in his heart. He trusted only himself, never relying on external forces. This so-called system had existed since his birth, but he had never used it once, knowing it was an external power. Borrowed things always come with a price. Only what one obtains with one’s own hands truly belongs to oneself.

“Though I don’t know what you really are, you underestimate me, Zhou Xuanhong. You’re just a high-level rule. One day, I will devour you. But if Xiaona is truly possessed, then I won’t need you to tell me—I’ll kill that person myself!”

Closing the page, Zhou Xuanhong returned his focus to his contemplation of array formations.