Demonic traces lurking, news of a falling star.

Inside an ancient Immortal Cave deep within the Southern Barrens, Nightmare slowly opened his eyes. The divine light in his pupils was restrained, and the aura around him, which had been boiling from stealing heavenly mandate, had completely calmed, becoming as deep as an abyss and immeasurable.

The benefits brought by the Secret Curse of Stealing Fate and Exchanging Heaven far exceeded expectations. Although his Cultivation Realm still remained at the Late Nascent Soul Stage and he hadn't directly broken through to Soul Transformation, his comprehension of the Laws of Heaven and Earth, especially his insight into Fate and Karma, had already touched the threshold of Soul Transformation, or even higher! His Divine Soul strength, Demonic Essence quality, and control over his own power had all reached a new extreme.

More importantly, a vast amount of Luck was added to him. Now, whether he was walking, sitting, or lying down, he could feel a smooth sense of "Heaven and Earth working together." Many past cultivation difficulties suddenly became clear, and deducing Cultivation Techniques and comprehending Divine Abilities yielded twice the results with half the effort. He even vaguely felt that if he were to travel outside now, the probability of encountering Opportunities would greatly increase.

"Heavenly mandate is with me..." Nightmare lightly clenched his fist, feeling the omnipresent favor, and a curve of controlling everything appeared at the corner of his mouth.

His gaze swept across the Immortal Cave. Mo Yuan and the others were still in seclusion, healing and digesting their insights from this Protector experience, and their auras had all improved. Su Wanqing sat quietly beside him; her Profound Yin Body, after being baptized by the secret curse, seemed even more perfectly integrated and transparent, and her connection with him became increasingly close.

It was time to leave the Southern Barrens. Although this place was temporarily safe, it was not a place for long-term stay. The trouble with the Blood Crow Tribe, the possible pursuit by the Azure Luan Demon King, and the unfathomable source of the karma mud... continuing to stay would bring too many variables.

He woke everyone up.

"Get ready, we should go."

"Benefactor, where are we going?" Mo Yuan respectfully asked. By now, he held unwavering reverence for Nightmare.

Nightmare pondered for a moment. Now that the heavenly mandate flower and karma mud were both in hand (although the karma mud involved a great deal), the Secret Curse of Stealing Fate and Exchanging Heaven was complete, and Ye Fan's heavenly mandate had been seized... In the short term, there didn't seem to be any particularly urgent goals.

However, he knew deeply that the path of cultivation was like sailing against the current; one must advance or fall back. Especially now that he carried immense Luck, it was a great time to bravely and diligently advance.

"First, leave the Southern Barrens and find a safe place for you all to Cultivate in peace and consolidate your Realms," Nightmare decided. "I need time to thoroughly digest what I've gained this time and deduce the next step of my Cultivation Technique. As for afterward..."

His eyes flickered slightly. The Starfall Secret Realm was still more than ten years away, so there was no rush for now. Perhaps... he could go to Central Continent first? That was the most prosperous place for Human Race cultivation civilization in this world, with countless Opportunities, and it would be easier to inquire about the "System" and the unknown black hand.

Moreover, the Sky Patrol Alliance Headquarters was also in Central Continent... perhaps it was time to gradually settle those old scores.

Once the plan was set, everyone immediately took action, quietly leaving this temporary Immortal Cave.

With Luck bestowed upon them and rule fragments shielding the heavenly secrets, their withdrawal was exceptionally smooth, attracting almost no attention. Even if they occasionally encountered some Yao Race from the Southern Barrens, they would often miss them due to various "coincidences" or be avoided by them in advance.

Several months later, the group safely left the Southern Barrens territory and entered a chaotic mountain range at the border of the Southern Domain and Central Continent.

Nightmare once again found a hidden place to open an Immortal Cave and set up a grand formation as a temporary foothold.

After settling Mo Yuan and Su Wanqing, Nightmare began a long period of secluded cultivation.

He had many things to do:

First, **thoroughly consolidate his Realm**: completely digest and absorb the insights and power brought by stealing Luck, solidifying his Foundation.

Second, **deduce the Follow-up of the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture**: the Cultivation Technique after the Nascent Soul Stage was incomplete, requiring him to use his current Realm and insights, combined with rule fragments, to deduce the path to Soul Transformation and even higher Realms.

Third, **refine Magic Treasures**: the myriad soul soul-devouring banner and Wind-Devouring Demonic Vine both needed to be re-refined and nurtured, incorporating new Materials and insights.

Fourth, **research the karma mud**: this item involved too much, requiring careful study of its more uses, perhaps it could become a powerful trump card.

Fifth, **monitor external developments**: especially news about Ye Fan and the unknown black hand.

Seclusion knows no time.

In a blink of an eye, five years passed.

Inside the Immortal Cave, Nightmare slowly opened his eyes. After five years of quiet cultivation, his aura became even deeper and more restrained. When his eyes opened and closed, it was as if stars were born and died, and Karma flowed.

In five years, he had completely consolidated his Late Nascent Soul Stage Realm, and even vaguely touched that ethereal Soul Transformation Bottleneck! The subsequent Cultivation Technique of the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture had also been roughly outlined, and although the road ahead was still difficult, the direction was clear.

The myriad soul banner and Wind-Devouring Demonic Vine, after being re-refined, were even more powerful than before. Especially the Wind-Devouring Demonic Vine, which had devoured too much energy, had reached the critical point of the Nascent Soul Stage, only needing an Opportunity to Breakthrough.

However, research on the karma mud progressed slowly. The power level involved in this item was too high, and he dared not delve into it easily, only able to initially use its most basic power—briefly interfering with or sticking some simple Karma lines, for use in actual combat to disrupt an opponent's mind or perform a certain degree of "curse."

During these five years, through occasional inquiries by Mo Yuan and others, as well as his own Luck perception, many things had happened in the outside world.

In the Southern Barrens, the Blood Crow Tribe suffered heavy losses due to the Blood Beast chaos and mine collapse, and several conflicts erupted with neighboring tribes. Preoccupied with their own troubles, they had long given up on tracking the "Myriad Poison Demonic Lord." The Azure Luan Demon King also seemed to have no activity.

And the news about Ye Fan was somewhat strange. It was said that his Dao Foundation was completely destroyed, his cultivation plummeted to the bottom, and he had long been abandoned by the Sky Patrol Alliance, confined to a remote courtyard, like a cripple, ignored by everyone. This seemed to contradict the dark barrier Nightmare had previously sensed; either it was a smokescreen released by the Sky Patrol Alliance, or that black hand's methods were extremely clever, concealing everything.

On this day, Nightmare was deducing a Divine Ability when he suddenly felt something and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Through the vast power of Luck within him, he vaguely sensed that in the depths of the distant starry sky, a strange tidal fluctuation of the Power of the Stars was occurring, creating a faint resonance with the earth beneath his feet.

This resonance... seemed to be related to the "Starfall Secret Realm"?

He immediately exited seclusion and summoned Mo Yuan.

"Is there any news recently regarding unusual stellar activity or the Starfall Secret Realm?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Yuan immediately replied, "I was just about to report to Benefactor! Three days ago, the Central Continent Heavenly Secret Pavilion Headquarters suddenly issued an announcement, stating that due to unusual stellar activity, the opening time of the Starfall Secret Realm has been greatly brought forward! It is expected to be in just three years!"

"It's been brought forward?" A sharp glint flashed in Nightmare's eyes. As expected! With Luck bestowed upon him, Opportunities came naturally! He just needed time to settle and find a Breakthrough Opportunity to Soul Transformation, and this Starfall Secret Realm opened early! There were clues to the "heavenly mandate flower" there!

"Do you know the specific reason?"

"The Heavenly Secret Pavilion was vague, only saying it was due to changes in astronomical phenomena. But there are rumors," Mo Yuan lowered his voice, "saying that some **exotic treasure** might be appearing in the Secret Realm, causing the celestial changes..."

exotic treasure? Nightmare pondered. Combined with the previously sensed stellar tides, this matter was probably true.

"Very good." Nightmare nodded. "Prepare yourselves, we will depart immediately for Central Continent."

He was determined to obtain the Starfall Secret Realm. Whether for the heavenly mandate flower or the potentially existing exotic treasure, it was worth the trip.

Moreover, Central Continent was a place where heroes gathered, and the Sky Patrol Alliance Headquarters was located there, so it was a good time to begin the next phase of his plan.

"Oh, Benefactor, there's one more thing," Mo Yuan added. "Our informants in Central Continent sent word that the Sky Patrol Alliance seems to have been secretly collecting various **young boys and girls** with special Physiques or Fates in recent years. Their behavior is strange, and we don't know what their intentions are."

"Special Physiques? Fate?" Nightmare's gaze narrowed slightly, and he immediately thought of Ye Fan's strange current situation and the black hand behind him.

Sky Patrol Alliance... what exactly are you up to? And what is your connection with that unknown entity?

"Understood. Continue to pay attention, especially regarding Ye Fan's true situation."

"Yes!"

Nightmare looked in the direction of Central Continent, his eyes profound.

Starfall Secret Realm, Sky Patrol Alliance, mysterious black hand, special Physiques... The trip to Central Continent certainly won't be boring.

He flicked his sleeve, sweeping everyone up.

"Let's go, to meet the Prodigies and magnates of Central Continent."

"Let's see who truly controls the world!"

Their figures transformed into streaks of light, disappearing into the horizon, heading straight for the vast, prosperous, yet turbulent land of Central Continent.

A new journey has begun.