Nameless Domain Arc Chapter 84: Master of the Game (Part Nine)

In response to Zhou Xuanhong’s question, the middle-aged Daoist shook his head. “I do not know the details of this matter, but I can tell you that our Supreme Elder of the Taiyin Corpse Sect has been secluded for a long time. Your wife is her last disciple, and also a true disciple.”

He hadn’t intended to answer, but as he met Zhou Xuanhong’s gaze—even he felt a tremor in his heart. He could only speak in vague, clouded words. Zhou Xuanhong nodded; much need not be said directly, and everyone understood the implication. The middle-aged Daoist’s words suggested that Xiaona might have been taken over by the Supreme Elder, though he couldn’t be sure.

Zhou Xuanhong did not press further. His strength had diminished greatly after slaying the Corpse Master, and confronting the middle-aged Daoist now would be unwise. Some truths could only be discerned through personal experience.

Zhou Xuanhong said, “Senior, I have no intention to become enemies with your sect. Destroying the minor world was a last resort. If a powerful cultivator returns, sacrificing a minor world should be acceptable, should it not?”

The middle-aged Daoist nodded, his expression ambiguous. “Of course it’s acceptable, but your threat is no less than Xu Yuqi’s.”

Zhou Xuanhong replied, “I can swear an Immortal Oath.”

The middle-aged Daoist shook his head. “Your methods are peculiar. Even the Divine Imprint and Soul Blood restrictions were undone by you. Who knows what other tricks you possess?”

Zhou Xuanhong asked, “Then what does Senior propose?”

The middle-aged Daoist sent a message via divine sense. “What you’ve done is neither insignificant nor overwhelming for the Taiyin Corpse Sect. I can assist your departure from this region, but you must do me a favor.”

Zhou Xuanhong responded in kind, “Tell me what favor first.”

The middle-aged Daoist chuckled. “Rest assured, it’s not a major matter, but for me, it is a lifelong concern. I can see you hold no affection for Bai Youxuan, but I was acquainted with her in a former life, so…”

Zhou Xuanhong’s expression grew strange. “You want my help with such a matter, Senior? Are you joking?”

The middle-aged Daoist sighed. “If I could do it myself, I would. But Xuan’er gives me no opportunity. I have been her protector for eight years, hinting at my feelings, and she is clever, aware of my affection, yet she feigns ignorance and keeps her distance. It is a regret from the past. If I do not resolve it now, I will stagnate and never progress.”

Zhou Xuanhong replied, “How do you know I have a way? I am no expert in matters of the heart; you, a Nascent Soul cultivator who’s lived thousands of years, need my help?”

The Daoist felt embarrassed but lowered his head for the sake of his ambition. “I can tell she admires you, so I need your support. No one but you will do!”

Zhou Xuanhong nodded. “And what will you give me in return?”

The Daoist was puzzled. “You’re in my grasp; isn’t freeing you from your shackles enough?”

Zhou Xuanhong shook his head. “You underestimate me. You cannot hold me.”

“Are you certain?” The Daoist’s tone grew cold.

Zhou Xuanhong replied calmly and firmly, “I am certain.”

For a moment, silence descended. Master Dayan and the others sensed the divine conversation between the Daoist and Zhou Xuanhong, but it seemed negotiations were not going smoothly.

The surroundings quieted, lasting a quarter of an hour.

Zhou Xuanhong continued, “Don’t bother. Since you hesitate, you already have your intentions. I know you wish to be Dao companions with Bai Youxuan. It’s not merely a rekindling of past fate. I will help you, but when I need assistance, you must help me in return, just as Master Dayan and Master Black Ghost have. Why not?”

The Daoist was silent for a moment, then chuckled. “Your scheming is terrifying. You have not yet disentangled yourself from the matter of the Forming Sect, yet you already plot against the Taiyin Corpse Sect. What, do you intend to destroy even our sect as well?”

Zhou Xuanhong replied, “You jest, Senior. My current strength is temporary. Once the restrictions fade, I’ll return to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. How could a minor cultivator threaten a behemoth like the Taiyin Corpse Sect? But I have a question for Senior: what do you think of the Taiyin Corpse Sect?”

The Daoist said, “You’re probing my loyalty. If I tell you I am a direct elder of the sect, what then?”

Zhou Xuanhong responded, “I will do as planned. I have my answer, and so do you. How can you trust me, and how can I trust you?”

The Daoist laughed. “By swearing an Immortal Oath, naturally.”

Zhou Xuanhong asked, “Didn’t you just refuse to swear, fearing I could break it?”

The Daoist, while weaving his divine sense through the hidden laws of heaven, replied, “Even if you are from another domain, I am certain you cannot break it. The Immortal Oath is a rule of the Dao. Unless you possess a treasure surpassing the Dao itself—but if you did, with your fortune, you could easily deal with the sect without my help.”

Zhou Xuanhong also connected his divine sense to the hidden laws, establishing a link with the Dao. He sent, “I vow to help Senior become Dao companions with Bai Youxuan, provided Senior assists me in future plans within the Taiyin Corpse Sect and promises not to harm me.”

The Daoist sent, “I agree, but if within a hundred years I do not become Dao companions with Bai Youxuan, I reserve the right to act against you!”

Their vows resonated with the rules, and each extracted a drop of essence blood, merged it, and let it disperse into the world. Both could feel the oath’s success and the bond it created between them.

Master Dayan and the others saw the two make their Immortal Oath and breathed a sigh of relief, fearing a violent clash. Though Master Dayan did not fear the Daoist, if a fight broke out, their side would be at a disadvantage, with a greater chance of death.

The Daoist laughed. “Fellow Daoists, a misunderstanding, nothing more. I’ve explained matters to Young Zhou. Since events have unfolded as they have, and the sect war has lasted so long, it is time this farce ended. The Taiyin Corpse Sect will remain neutral. Whether it is the separated Forming Sect or today’s Yin Corpse Sect whose ancestor has fallen, I guarantee our sect will not intervene. Handle matters as you see fit. I have other business and will take my leave!”

The middle-aged Daoist cupped his hands in farewell, preparing to leave with Bai Youxuan, whose face was filled with anger from her restrained body. Yet Bai Youxuan stubbornly insisted on speaking with Zhou Xuanhong.

The Daoist asked Zhou Xuanhong via divine sense how he should proceed, and after receiving Zhou Xuanhong’s method, he agreed to Bai Youxuan’s request.

Bai Youxuan approached Zhou Xuanhong, admiration written all over her face. “Fellow Zhou, you’re amazing! Not only did you topple a sect, you slew a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. I can hardly believe a Foundation Establishment cultivator could achieve such feats!”

Zhou Xuanhong smiled. “Everyone has their own path. You admire my scheming and strategy, but I envy your cultivation talent. Don’t always focus on others. Take time to reflect on yourself, discover your strengths. One day, you’ll realize you are the protagonist, with a script of your own, and a Dao companion to soar alongside you, guarding you for all your lifetimes!”

As he finished, Zhou Xuanhong’s will projection began to fade, preparing to enter the fusion array, when suddenly a voice called to him—a pleasant yet complicated sound.

“Junior Brother Zhou… or Senior Brother Zhou…”

Beside Xu Yuan, Xu Yuhan stared at Zhou Xuanhong in a daze. She did not know what she felt for him, but it was more than mere camaraderie. As a scion of the Xu family, she should hate Zhou Xuanhong for destroying her ancestor and some of her kin, yet she felt little resentment. When Zhou Xuanhong was threatened by the Daoist, she stood forth without hesitation. Was it love? She did not know…

Zhou Xuanhong’s projection paused, sighing. His feelings for this woman were complex. To say he felt nothing was impossible; he was not like Li Li, who cultivated the Path of Ruthless Sword. He could see Xu Yuhan’s affection clearly.

But he would not accept this love. It was a mistake from the start; his initial approach was only to obtain intelligence about the Xu family. He had not expected her to take his cynical advice so seriously, shifting her feelings from Li Li to him, and since then, she could not let go.

Women are often like this—the harder something is to attain, the more they desire it. She had never even held Zhou Xuanhong’s hand, yet her feelings grew more uncontrollable.

Zhou Xuanhong shook his head. “Neither junior nor senior brother; we are neither friends nor foes. Your Xu family plotted against me first. Do you recall what I told you? In life, amidst crowds and comings and goings, be free, be dignified, love yourself. Don’t confine yourself to one person’s shadow. Clear away the clouds; the future is full of light. Don’t hold me in your heart. Look around—you’ll find the tree most suited for you to lean on.”

With that, Zhou Xuanhong’s projection vanished, merging into the fusion array. A teleportation array shone and disappeared from this world. With his departure, the self-destruct restriction within the array was activated, making pursuit impossible.

The Daoist watched Bai Youxuan and Xu Yuhan in their daze, all the more impressed by Zhou Xuanhong’s mastery over matters of the heart, and more confident of his own eventual success with Bai Youxuan.

He approached Bai Youxuan and said softly, “Enough staring—let’s go. Didn’t you want to improve your strategic acumen? On the way back, I’ll discuss it with you; soon I’ll have to enter seclusion to break through.”

Bai Youxuan returned to herself, looking at the Daoist. He seemed somehow different, though she could not say exactly how.