The Selfless Realm

"Why was Luo Zheng so stupid as to accept Xu Lie's challenge? If it were me, I'd keep my mouth clamped shut and refuse even if they beat me to death!"

"Heh heh, he probably just passed the trial assessment and became an Outer Sect Disciple, so he grew arrogant and thought himself invincible. Guys like that usually have to pay in blood."

"I heard that wasn't what happened. Luo Zheng was so overbearing that he actually took the initiative and challenged Xu Lie!"

The news that Luo Zheng was going to challenge Xu Lie quickly spread throughout the Outer Sect of Little Rain Peak, becoming the biggest sensation there in recent days.

As one of the two protagonists of the arena match, Luo Zheng sat calmly on his bed and continued meditating and cultivating the Spirit Shocking Thrust.

There were still several days before the arena match. Since he had already agreed, he absolutely would not become a coward who hid his head in the sand.

If he could master Transform Soul into Thorn from the Spirit Shocking Thrust, his chances of victory in the arena would be even greater.

Transform Soul into Thorn...

How exactly could he transform his soul into a sharp thorn?

The soul was formless and intangible. Under normal circumstances, it maintained its original appearance.

That was because when people meditated, they unconsciously projected their true selves into it.

Thus, Luo Zheng's soul appeared in the form of Luo Zheng himself.

As long as he did not forget himself, Luo Zheng's soul would forever retain his own appearance. It could not transform into another shape, much less become a thorn.

Only by completely forgetting himself could he possibly transform into another form.

At this thought, a flash of insight streaked through Luo Zheng's mind.

"I understand. The key to accomplishing this is becoming selfless!"

How could he enter the Selfless Realm? Completely forget himself? How was that possible?

Luo Zheng's brows knitted together.

He closed his eyes and tried to forget who he was.

More than half an hour passed. Aside from wave after wave of drowsiness washing over him, there was not the slightest effect.

Luo Zheng could not help growing anxious. A sense of frustration had built up in his heart. He had chosen two supreme-grade cultivation techniques, yet his own aptitude was so dull that he could not comprehend even one of them. To Luo Zheng, it was indeed a blow.

Utterly depressed, Luo Zheng left his room and followed Little Rain Peak's steep mountain path upward.

Outside, it was only the fifth watch of the night. The sun had yet to rise, and the surroundings were deathly silent.

After walking roughly six or seven zhang along the mountain path, he saw a steep cliff ahead. It jutted outward, forming a natural viewing platform.

The craftsmen of the Azure Cloud Sect had naturally not abandoned this place. They had repaired a delicate little pavilion on the viewing platform.

At that moment, however, the little pavilion was completely empty.

Luo Zheng walked up at an unhurried pace and stood in the pavilion, gazing into the distance. The endless mountain peaks far away were all immersed in a vast white sea of clouds.

The nearby mountain was Sky Jade Peak, ranked twenty-first, while the one farther away was Spirit Ring Peak, ranked fifth...

These mountain peaks stood between heaven and earth. Perhaps they had existed for a million or ten million years. Even the most gifted and dazzling disciples were, to them, no more than a fleeting white colt flashing past a gap.

Standing amid those majestic peaks, Luo Zheng felt as tiny as a grain of sand in a great river.

In the face of this magnificent vista, a string in Luo Zheng's heart was suddenly plucked.

He slowly closed his eyes and imagined himself becoming even smaller. Smaller than sand was dust; smaller than dust was...

So tiny that he could be ignored entirely, so tiny that he became nothingness...

With a booming sound, it was as if a golden giant door had opened in Luo Zheng's mind.

At that moment, Luo Zheng had entered the realm of nothingness through his own method, making himself completely vanish, completely cease to exist. This was the Selfless Realm!

Although his eyes were open, none of what lay before him entered his sight. It was as if, if he imagined himself as a tree, he could become a tree; if he imagined himself as grass, he could become grass. He could transform into all things in the world.

As for Transform Soul into Thorn from the Spirit Shocking Thrust, a thought stirred in Luo Zheng's mind, and a gray, translucent thorn suddenly shot from between his brows.

He had finally succeeded!

He had successfully unleashed the Spirit Shocking Thrust. This translucent thorn was formed from Luo Zheng's soul. Other than Luo Zheng, no one else could see it, making it impossible to guard against!

Although he had only cultivated the Spirit Shocking Thrust for a short time, this thorn could attack only within a distance of roughly one meter, far from the technique's recorded "impossible to defend against within a thousand meters." However, now that he had comprehended the Selfless Realm, he had built a bridge across the river. The road ahead would be much easier.

A smile appeared on Luo Zheng's face. He had originally been somewhat worried about the arena match three days later, but now he faintly began to look forward to it.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On Little Rain Peak, taking the arena had always been an event that attracted considerable attention.

At the arena, one could observe true combat and experience things that were difficult to encounter during ordinary cultivation.

Many Outer Sect Disciples gained insights while watching others fight, integrated them with their own cultivation methods, and managed to break through.

Amid the dreary life of cultivation, this sort of arena battle filled with grudges, love, and hatred was inherently quite entertaining.

What was more, this battle was actually between a Viscera Refining Realm cultivator and a Half-Step to the Innate Realm cultivator!

If Half-Step to the Innate Realm Xu Lie was a mighty lion, then Viscera Refining Realm Luo Zheng was like a mouse. The two opponents were on entirely different levels.

Most people declared that the arena match would probably end very, very quickly. The result went without saying: Xu Lie would certainly crush Luo Zheng in a one-sided slaughter.

Xu Lie and his group had arrived at the arena early and were waiting there.

Today, another middle-aged man stood beside Xu Lie.

The middle-aged man wore a square cloth cap and gray cloth robes, looking every bit like a servant.

However, when the many Outer Sect Disciples of Little Rain Peak saw the Eight Trigrams embroidered on his gray robes, none of them dared look down on him.

That Eight Trigrams emblem was the crest of the Zhuge Clan, one of the Seven Great Clans.

Although this man appeared to be merely a servant, he ultimately came from the Zhuge Clan. The Seven Great Scholar Clans were renowned giants throughout the entire empire; an Outer Sect Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect was in no position to look down on them.

"Our young master said that this man must die today, no matter the cost." The servant's tone was blunt. Even when facing Xu Lie, a Half-Step to the Innate Realm cultivator, his face was haughty, and he did not take Xu Lie seriously in the slightest.

Anyone who managed to reach the Half-Step to the Innate Realm would develop some pride in their heart. But although Xu Lie was displeased, his future still depended on the "young master" mentioned by this servant. Thus, he suppressed his temper, nodded, and said, "That is only natural. On the arena, fists and feet have no eyes. That tiny Viscera Refining Realm brat dared accept my challenge, so he is already doomed to die."

The servant nodded. "Good. Haven't you always wanted to become an Inner Sect Disciple? The young master said that once today's matter is settled, he'll transfer you to Black Rock Peak next month and make you an Inner Sect Disciple!"

When Xu Lie heard this, he was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Then I'll thank the young master in advance."

Becoming an Inner Sect Disciple was extremely easy for an Aristocratic Clan Disciple, but for Xu Lie, who had been born a commoner, it was extraordinarily difficult.

Xu Lie had joined Little Rain Peak more than five years ago. During those five years, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, and he had devoted himself to becoming an Inner Sect Disciple.

No matter the peak, the treatment of Inner Sect Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples differed greatly. Once someone became an Inner Sect Disciple, the pills used for cultivation, the various monthly allowances, and even the cultivation grounds provided all improved significantly.

However, to enter the Inner Sect, one had to stand out among tens of thousands of Outer Sect Disciples. Although Xu Lie's strength was decent and he ranked around thirtieth among Little Rain Peak's Outer Sect Disciples, every time he competed for an Inner Sect Disciple slot, he fell short at the final moment.

After waiting for five years, Xu Lie's patience had finally run out. Now, someone had told him that killing Luo Zheng would earn him a transfer to Black Rock Peak, ranked second, as well as promotion to an Inner Sect Disciple there. This was an enormous temptation.

It was impossible for Xu Lie not to be tempted.

As for Luo Zheng, who had only just entered Little Rain Peak, his life was merely a stepping stone on Xu Lie's road to advancement. Who would care about that?

Thinking that he would soon rise above his circumstances, a trace of excitement could not help showing on Xu Lie's face.

After waiting here for half an hour, the impatient Xu Lie felt that time was crawling. At the same time, suspicion arose in his heart. Could that brat have regretted it after accepting the challenge?

The people waiting here to watch the battle were also discussing among themselves.

The Outer Sect of Little Rain Peak was one large collective, and everyone's reputation mattered greatly. If Luo Zheng went back on his word after agreeing, it would be a considerable blow to his reputation.

"Luo Zheng probably doesn't dare come. He talked big, then retreated at the crucial moment. A man like that is destined to have no future!"

"Let's go, let's go. There's nothing to watch. With this time, we might as well cultivate. I knew it—Little Rain Peak has produced another good-for-nothing!"

After an hour, many people had already lost their patience and were preparing to leave.

Xu Lie had always been hot-tempered. After waiting and waiting without seeing Luo Zheng, he had grown extremely impatient as well.

"Xu Lie, you said Luo Zheng would accept the challenge today. Why hasn't he appeared yet?" the Zhuge Clan's servant asked.

Xu Lie forced a smile and said, "Don't worry, Steward Zhu. That brat wouldn't dare not come!"

Steward Zhu snorted coldly. "Good. I hope you won't waste my time and disappoint my young master's orders."

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!" Xu Lie was speaking when he suddenly saw Luo Zheng's figure flash into view. Luo Zheng strode over from the entrance.