Nameless Domain Arc Chapter Fifty-One: I Am the Chosen One
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“Hehehe, I’ve found a prey. He’s mine—don’t any of you dare try to take him!”
In a stretch of marshland, seven disciples from the Corpse Shade Sect discovered, within a hollow beneath a great tree, a cultivator of the Form Manifestation Sect attempting a breakthrough into Foundation Establishment. Ecstatic, they surged forward together, eager to strike him down.
Though the hollow was shrouded by a formation, the aura released during the breakthrough still alerted the passing Corpse Shade disciples, leading to the encirclement of the Form Manifestation cultivator—his fate seemingly sealed.
This disciple, named Mao Yishan, was a respected senior among the outer sect disciples, once a personal student of the Second Elder. Gifted by nature, his path was nonetheless marred when a battle left his foundation damaged, keeping him from breaking through for years.
Disheartened, he voluntarily left the Second Elder’s tutelage, taking on tasks in hopes of finding an opportunity to set foot into Foundation Establishment in this lifetime.
Today, he had found a rare spiritual herb in this swamp, one capable of repairing his foundation. After consuming it, the spiritual energy that had long stagnated within him suddenly surged forth, forcing him into a breakthrough before he could make much preparation—just as the seven Corpse Shade disciples happened by.
“Heaven toys with men’s fates. I am not resigned—I cannot accept this!”
Mao Yishan’s hoarse cries were filled with anger and helplessness toward the will of Heaven. Once a prodigy, now reduced to dust, and just as he glimpsed a chance for reversal, it was to be snatched away before it could blossom. How could he be calm? How could he not resent the heavens?
As the seven Corpse Shade disciples cackled and prepared to kill, the jade pendant at Mao Yishan’s waist suddenly exploded. A wisp of green smoke darted into his mind, and he froze, eyes losing their light.
After a moment’s trance, Mao Yishan’s aura soared, surging past the barrier of half-step Foundation Establishment.
Foundation Establishment—success! Second layer! Third! Fourth! The peak of the fourth!
Light returned to Mao Yishan’s eyes. He extended his divine sense, marveling at the transformation within his body. Rage and despair melted into wild joy and excitement.
The seven Corpse Shade disciples stared in shock as his cultivation climbed higher and higher. The oppressive might of a mid-Foundation cultivator left them breathless. They longed to flee, but dared not move—a powerful spiritual force seemed to lock them in place.
A wisp of green smoke rose from Mao Yishan’s crown and transformed before him into the form of an elderly Daoist—the Second Elder of the Form Manifestation Sect. His figure was so faint it seemed a mere gust could scatter him.
“Mas… Master?!”
The Second Elder looked at Mao Yishan with gentle affection and smiled. “You child, fate has been unkind. When you left my tutelage, I thought you would lose heart and waste away. Yet your resolve has only grown stronger. You never gave up, nor wavered in the face of temptations from other sects. Remaining true to the Form Manifestation Sect is our great fortune. How could I let you fade into the crowd?
“My time is short. Through soul-transference I have given you all my cultivation. If not for my injuries, you would have reached even later stages. The foundation for your future lies with you.
“Our sect’s task is to slay as many disciples of the other three sects as possible. If you cannot win, flee at once. Nothing is more important than your life—so long as you live, anything is possible.
“I have little time. Two things I must tell you: Your younger brother is still unable to protect himself. When you leave, look after him well. He may be proud and lustful, but at heart is not bad—let him suffer a few hardships, it will do him good. Second, as for the future, that is your choice. The Form Manifestation Sect is in troubled times; a great war is coming. Whether you stay or go is up to you. But remember, our sect is not a benevolent one, nor a place to linger long. I hope you live well, not as cannon fodder.
“I must go. Take care of yourself!”
The Second Elder’s apparition faded away. Mao Yishan’s eyes brimmed with tears; he knelt and kowtowed three times toward the spot where his master vanished.
“Farewell, Master. I will care for my junior brother as you wished!”
With the Second Elder gone, the oppressive sensation vanished from the Corpse Shade disciples’ hearts. They immediately fled in all directions—any later, and they’d be meat on the chopping block.
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Mao Yishan stood, picked up the shattered remains of his jade pendant, and gripped it tightly. Taking a step forward, his flying sword appeared beneath him. With the full force of a mid-Foundation cultivator, he sped off in pursuit.
“Corpse Shade Sect… Ghost Fiend Sect—you all deserve death!”
Moments later, Mao Yishan returned to the hollow with seven severed heads, arranged them in order, placed the broken jade in front of them, and kowtowed three more times.
“If one day I possess true strength, I will wipe out every last member of the Corpse Shade Sect and the Ghost Fiend Sect to avenge my master!”
When he stood again, the tears in his eyes had evaporated, replaced by a pride absent for decades.
The title “prodigy” is often used to describe one’s innate talent—quick cultivation, sharp comprehension. But that is not all. A true prodigy possesses, above all, an unyielding will—pressing forward through hardship, never retreating, clinging steadfastly to the immortal path. Is talent truly so important for us cultivators?
“I was born a prodigy, meant to stand above all. Even if I fall to dust, I remain so. To live and die as a prodigy—what use is the title for us who seek immortality?”
Laughing heartily, Mao Yishan mounted his sword, unleashed a spell that destroyed the ancient tree’s hollow, and vanished into the swamp. None would ever know that here, a prodigy forged the heart of a true strongman.
A quarter of an hour later, several figures arrived: Kong Xiaori and Kong Xiaoyue, brother and sister, along with two Foundation Establishment sword cultivators flying on their swords.
One swordsman had a small, adorable spirit beast on his shoulder—a Lou Wen, a famous tracking beast in the world of cultivation, prized for its ability to sense spiritual veins and treasures, as well as to follow prey.
The swordsman mused, “Strange. All seven Corpse Shade disciples are dead, but their wounds don’t look like the work of my fellow swordsmen. And all were decapitated—the handiwork seems to be from a single person. Xiaori, does your Form Manifestation Sect have such a powerful figure?”
Kong Xiaori shook his head. “How would I know? If someone that strong is around, maybe it’s that Wang Li. Since someone else got there first, let’s hunt other targets. If they all group up, we’ll lose our chance.”
“Let’s go!”
The four turned into streaks of light and vanished. Though the Kong siblings were not yet at Foundation Establishment, they could fly with the help of powerful talismans. Both were exceptionally strong, and the sword cultivators were happy to join forces with such allies. With Kong Xiaori’s map, they could hunt freely without fear of running into the main forces of the Corpse Shade Sect or the Five Spirit Pill Valley. An alliance was only logical.
Once they left, bloodthirsty insects emerged from hiding, burrowed into the seven corpses, devoured the heart’s essence, and began advancing to the mid-Stage of Qi Refinement.
One of the bloodthirsty insects’ souls shifted. Zhou Xuanhong, sensing its memories, watched Mao Yishan’s actions with interest.
“It appears the Second Elder is dead. As for Mao Yishan—he may prove useful yet. Jiang Ti’s senior brother, are you prepared to be played in the palm of my hand?”
…
Days later, Xu Biao emerged from an underground cave, ready to seek fortune and resources in the minor world.
He took out a jade slip. Zhou Xuanhong had inscribed for him a travel route—unlike Kong Xiaori’s, this one marked only the locations of spiritual treasures, not cultivators or beasts.
“So many treasures—could it be a trap? I’ll check the nearest one. There are always beasts near such treasures; I’d better be careful.”
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Xu Biao was accustomed to dealing with beasts and moved with practiced stealth to a spot near a waterfall. He stuck on a concealment talisman, suppressed his aura, and crept forward, watching for signs of danger.
“Strange. There’s definitely a beast’s presence—at least late-stage Qi Refinement—but I can’t see it anywhere.”
He edged closer and tossed a fireball talisman to probe the area—still, nothing. Not a shadow of a beast.
“Could it be underwater?”
He pulled a blood-soaked beast carcass from his storage pouch and tossed it into the water.
Time passed; the blood washed away with the current, but no beast appeared. Xu Biao finally relaxed.
Carefully passing through the waterfall’s curtain, he found a damp, shadowy cave with a patch of spiritual soil teeming with Serpent Striped Grass—a second-grade spirit herb.
Some were ripe, others still growing. The rich qi and blood energy made his heart race.
What he truly coveted, though, was not the grass but the small spiritual vein beneath the soil—a lode worth at least several hundred spirit stones.
“Looks like the beast is out. This is my chance—start digging!”
Xu Biao gathered up the grass and soil, stowed them in his pouch, then took out a treasure-grade shovel and began to dig.
“Wow, I’ve struck it rich! At least two hundred whole spirit stones!”
Gazing at the abundant spiritual stones, Xu Biao’s excitement made him forget the lurking beast as he shoveled them into his pouch. He’d never felt such joy.
After confirming there were no more stones left, he reluctantly left the cave—only then remembering the beast and breaking into a cold sweat. Had he been attacked while digging, the consequences could have been dire.
“Phew, lucky for me the beast wasn’t here. Time to slip away.”
Xu Biao left the waterfall and moved to the next treasure site, still trembling with excitement—he’d never seen so many spirit stones.
When he arrived at the next location, he was stunned to find the beast that should have been guarding the treasure was gone, leaving only the spiritual herb quietly absorbing qi.
“Could… could the young master have dealt with all these beasts? Impossible—he hasn’t even entered this place. What’s going on?”
Unable to resolve the mystery, Xu Biao simply bagged the spirit herb and moved on. “Who cares? Free treasures—why worry? Following the young master can’t be wrong!”
What Xu Biao didn’t know was that the route Zhou Xuanhong had marked for him followed in the wake of a great beast horde—he was reaping the spoils from their passing, stealing their very homes.