THE BLACK CULTIVATOR

THE VOID REALM

Three days had passed inside the mysterious Void Mountain. Outside, however, barely four hours had slipped by.

Chris stirred in the suffocating darkness, a low, pained groan escaping his lips.

"Ahhhh! Fuck!"

His eyes fluttered open, stinging from the thick dust that coated everything. "God, wetin I go do myself?" (God, what have I done to myself?)

He couldn't smell anything except the thick, metallic stench of his own dried blood. Grunting with effort, he planted both palms on the cold stone floor and tried to push himself up.

His arms buckled halfway. His face slammed into the ground first, followed by his chest. Spit flew from his mouth as a cloud of dust shot up his nose.

"Ah-shu!"

He sneezed violently, then rolled onto his back with a sharp, pained hiss. "Ohhhh! I don die!" (Ohhhh! I have died!)

Lying there, he stared up at the strange, vein-like patterns glowing faintly across the tunnel ceiling.

[Host Body Status: Still Healing.]

[Host Has Been Unconscious For Three Days.]

"System… I missed you, sha," Chris muttered weakly. "But you dey fuck up oh. That guy beat me like small pikin. You no fit drop something wey go help me overpower am?" (But you dey fuck up oh. That guy beat me like a small child. You can't drop something that will help me overpower him?)

[I Wasn't Designed To Do That, Host.]

[Host Must Earn Everything Through His Own Achievements.]

Chris let out a weak, bitter laugh. "Man must earn everything through blood and sweat, no be lie." (That is true.)

His blurry vision drifted across the upper ceiling of the tunnel. The walls pulsed with an eerie, living light that made his skin crawl—unlike the cold, sterile glow of the monitors in his old lab, this energy felt ancient… alive… and strangely hungry.

"Once I'm fully healed and able to walk again, I will dominate this place and get stronger," he whispered, his consciousness already fading.

[25x Recovery Maxed Out… Bone Knitting At Accelerated Rate. Internal Bleeding Repaired.]

[Absorbing Dense Qi Energy To Stabilize Host And Restore Blood Volume To 40%.]

[Host Has Entered Temporary Sleep State.]

[Time Of Consciousness: Unknown.]

---

Outside the mountain, the heavy rain had finally stopped.

Elder Sung stood motionless before the ancient, shimmering barrier, his hands clasped behind his back. The translucent wall radiated lethal power.

*Just like the old stories,* he thought. *Only an immortal cultivator can pass through unharmed. Anyone weaker is instantly vaporized.*

"Master," a weak voice called out.

Lira limped into view, her once-pristine robe torn and filthy. She dropped to one knee, clutching her broken ribs in agony.

Sung didn't turn around. "You're awake. Good. You're still alive… and wounded."

Lira lowered her head, her voice trembling. "Forgive me, Master. I have brought shame to your name."

"You were never his match," Sung said coldly. "Next time you encounter that boy, do not attack recklessly. Retreat and call for help. Do you understand?"

"Yes—"

The ground suddenly cracked. Sung's overwhelming aura slammed down on her like a descending mountain. Lira's second knee hit the dirt hard. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she collapsed onto all fours.

"Master… please!" Tears carved clean lines through the dirt on her face.

Nearby disciples froze in terror. Some dropped to their knees instantly. Others trembled where they stood.

Lira's body sank deeper into the soil as the sickening sound of cracking bones filled the air.

"Master…" she whispered, her vision fading.

"Elder Sung!"

Hu descended from the sky with Elder Mia right behind him.

"Take her out of my sight," Sung commanded, his voice flat and emotionless.

The disciples rushed forward and hurriedly carried the broken young woman away.

"Brutal as always," Mia remarked with a faint smile.

"She needed the lesson," Sung replied indifferently. "What of the reinforcements?"

"They arrive in two days. Senior Yang is leading them. We've been ordered to wait," Hu said carefully.

Sung's jaw tightened. Without another word, he shot into the sky like a golden comet and vanished into the distance.

Mia glanced at Hu. "Do they still hate each other that much?"

"More than before," Hu answered. "They haven't spoken since the sect's decade blood competition."

Mia sighed and turned back toward the barrier. "Let's hope everything goes smoothly."

"That boy is probably already dead," she added with a cold smile. "The Void crushes anyone with a weak heart and weak mind."

"If he isn't," Hu said, his voice low and murderous, "I will kill him myself."

He disappeared in a flash of light.

---

Four days later, Chris's eyes snapped open.

"Ahhh… my body dey pain me like mad!" Chris groaned through gritted teeth, his bones popping audibly as he forced himself to sit up. (Ahhh… my body is paining me like mad!)

"Void Storage!" he summoned, his voice barely above a whisper.

A colorless cube materialized. He reached inside and pulled out a few fresh fruits and some leftover wolf meat porridge.

"Ham." He devoured two fruits in quick bites, washing them down with generous gulps of the rich porridge, juice running freely down his chin.

"Haaaa." He drank an entire jug of water, then tore a small piece from his tattered robe to wipe his mouth.

"Body no be firewood oh!" he shouted, pushing himself unsteadily to his feet. (The body is not firewood oh! — Meaning: The body is not made of wood / I'm not superhuman.)

Using the wall for support, he limped forward. The narrow tunnel eventually opened into a vast, endless space where floating castles and entire cities drifted lazily through the air.

[Host Has Entered Into The Void Realm.]

[Notice: At Current Level Host Cannot Clear The Realm.]

"Guy, leave your quest first. Make I observe this Void Realm," Chris said as he jumped onto a floating rock. (Guy, leave your quest first. Let me observe this Void Realm.)

"Woah! Castles dey float through the air. Some look like cities, others smaller," Chris exclaimed, a genuine smile lighting up his face. (Woah! Castles are floating through the air…)

For hours he climbed floating stairways and explored empty stone houses until he discovered a serene pool radiating thick, pure Qi energy.

"For this whole place, no animals, no humans, no gods, no demons, nothing. This place na ghost town," he said, stripping off his half-burnt robe. (This place is a ghost town.)

He stepped into the pool. It felt like bathing in a warm, luxurious hot tub. His meridians pulsed calmly as rich Qi flowed through his body.

[Host Body Status: Healing Complete.]

[Dense Qi Essence Is Being Absorbed Automatically.]

[Foundation Building Realm — Early Stage → Mid Stage Successful.]

[All Stats Increased x10.]

[+1 Grade 4 Brown Robe.]

"If I stay in this realm long enough, I fit achieve Golden Core," Chris smirked. (I can achieve Golden Core.)

[Warning: The Lion Clan Expedition Team Will Arrive In 2 Months, 4 Weeks.]

"No wam," he said casually, stepping out of the pool. (No problem.) His newly toned body glowed with power under the strange ambient light. He caught his reflection in a nearby mirror-like surface. "I look badass. Wait… I always have white hair like this?"

Hours passed as he continued exploring, moving from one floating city to another.

Eventually, he arrived at a large crimson field where every blade of grass shimmered blood-red.

"What is this—"

The field shook. The entire realm trembled. Even the mountain outside quaked.

A massive hall emerged from the field—a giant temple floating on its own independent landmass. Tall black pillars topped with carved eagle heads, snake-like designs etched into the enormous doors, and a stairway that seemed both illusory and real. Ancient glowing runes covered the walls.

"Damnnn!" Chris took a step forward.

**Bam.** He grunted. The ground cracked under his feet. Each step toward the stairway felt like an adult whale was tied to his back.

Sweat poured down his brow with every grueling step. He clenched his fists and marched onward with sheer willpower.

Minutes later, he reached the stairway. With every step upward, the oppressive pressure multiplied.

By the fifth step, he dropped to one knee.

[Host Body Status: Multiple Cracked Bones.]

[25x Recovery Engaged.]

[Vast Qi Essence Flooding Into Host's Body.]

[Foundation Building Realm Mid Stage: 20% → 40%.]

"Ahhhhh!" He roared, forcing himself back up and taking the next step.

The Naija youth finally reached the giant doors after the twentieth agonizing step.

He collapsed to the ground, chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Omo, everything for this world na do or die?" (Omo, everything in this world is do or die?)

[Foundation Building Realm Mid Stage: 80%.]

[Host Body Status: All Damages Healed.]

"Void Stor—."

"Welcome, Challenger." A deep, thunderous voice echoed through the entire realm. There was no visible body—just an ancient, commanding presence.

"This is the first trial hall of the Void. Only those with true courage and strength may enter.

The rules are simple:

Fight alone. No help from treasures or outside power.

Defeat all guardians within the time limit of one hour.

If you fail, you die.

If you win, you gain entry into the next city where you must search for the second trial hall.

At Trial Five, you will be granted the opportunity to leave the Void and receive a Token of Return.

Do you accept, Challenger?"

Chris exhaled slowly, his eyes studying the glowing rules board floating near the massive doors.

"I accept," he declared, pushing himself to his feet.

The giant doors opened with a deep, resonant groan. He stepped inside.

The hall was vast, like a football field. He walked around cautiously, observing the large pillars and floating golden flames. The door that had opened for him was now gone. There was no other visible escape.

The ground shook. Five circular lights appeared on the floor the moment he reached the center.

Five powerful Foundation Building beasts materialized from the light.

[Void Trial Has Begun.]

[Daily Quest Activated.]

[Daily Quest: Kill All Five Foundation Building Beasts.]

[Rewards: +10 Healing Pills, +1000 System Points, +1 Advanced Body Refinement Scroll.]