A storm is brewing in Central China; a falling star is about to rise.

The Central Plains, the core of the Human Race's cultivation civilization, with abundant Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, countless Sects, and intertwined Imperial Dynasties and noble families, was truly a place where winds and clouds gathered.

Nightmare and his group crossed mountains and rivers, finally arriving at the border of the Central Plains. Upon entering, one could feel an atmosphere completely different from before. In the sky, all kinds of flying Magical Artifacts, Spirit Boats, and even the escape lights of powerful Cultivators were endless. On the ground, towering cities and bustling markets showed the highly developed state of cultivation civilization.

They did not head to the most prosperous central area, but instead settled in a remote region near the northwest, not far from the entrance to the expected Starfall Secret Realm, called the "Dragon-Falling Mountain Range." The mountains here were steep, the population relatively sparse, and it was a mix of dragons and snakes—perfect for hiding their tracks.

Nightmare opened up another temporary Immortal Cave and set up a large formation to serve as their stronghold in the Central Plains.

After settling in, he immediately sent Mo Yuan and the others out to gather the latest news about the Starfall Secret Realm and the Sky Patrol Alliance.

A few days later, the information was gathered.

News of the Starfall Secret Realm opening early had already spread throughout the Central Plains, causing a huge sensation. Major Sects, noble families, Imperial Dynasties, and even powerful Loose Cultivators were all rubbing their hands, preparing to send elite Disciples into the Secret Realm to seek Opportunities. The Heavenly Secret Pavilion had rarely made public a large amount of data and star charts regarding the interior of the Secret Realm, seemingly intending to encourage more Cultivators to enter.

As for the rumored "strange treasure," the gossip was rampant. Some said it was a precious Legacy left behind by ancient Star Officials, others said it was the core of a fallen star from outside the domain, and there were even rumors that it might be related to the "secret of Ascension"! This made countless old monsters who had been stuck at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage for many years feel tempted, and they might spare no cost to send people in to fight for it.

The Sky Patrol Alliance naturally attached great importance to this. It was said that a Deputy Alliance Master would lead the team personally, sending the most elite younger generation of the Alliance, including several "Saints" and "Saintesses" who had been secretly nurtured and had never appeared in public, whose strength was unfathomable.

"Saint? Saintess?" Nightmare tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a trace of cold mockery flashing in his eyes. It seemed the Sky Patrol Alliance truly had a deep foundation; having lost one Ye Fan, they immediately had new replacements to fill the gap. It was just unclear which forces stood behind these so-called Saints and Saintesses, and whether they had any connection to that mastermind.

"Do you know the specific location of the Secret Realm entrance and the conditions for entry?"

"Returning to Benefactor, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion has announced that the entrance is located in the 'Starfall Valley' in the northwest. The Secret Realm has its own rules, rejecting any Cultivator above the Nascent Soul Stage, and the bone age must be under one hundred years. At that time, one must rely on a special 'Star-Guiding Talisman' to enter, and the number of Star-Guiding Talismans is limited, mainly divided by major forces; it is extremely difficult for Loose Cultivators to obtain one," Mo Yuan replied.

Below Nascent Soul? Bone age of one hundred? Nightmare frowned slightly. His bone age naturally fit, but his cultivation level had long since exceeded it. However... this could not stump him.

The "Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture" contained a secret technique called "Fetal Transformation," which could greatly restrain one's aura, suppress cultivation, and even briefly change bone age characteristics, sufficient to deceive most detection methods. Combined with the power of the rule fragment, deceiving the rule detection at the Secret Realm entrance would not be a problem.

As for the Star-Guiding Talisman... he would just steal one. Or, simply find a "fated person" to "borrow" one.

"Continue to investigate, focusing on those Sects and Cultivators who possess Star-Guiding Talismans, especially those who act unrighteously and have a bad reputation," Nightmare ordered. If he was going to steal, he might as well do it with a clear conscience.

"Yes!"

In the following time, Nightmare began to concentrate on cultivating the "Fetal Transformation" secret technique and further consolidated his cultivation, preparing for the trip to the Secret Realm.

The Central Plains truly had many Opportunities. Perhaps because of his Luck, Nightmare did not even need to search deliberately. While meditating in the Dragon-Falling Mountain Range, he accidentally discovered a hidden "Earthly Fiend Yin Pulse," the quality of which far exceeded anything he had seen before. He did not hesitate to extract and refine the entire Yin Pulse, making his Myriad Poison Demonic Essence even more pure and abundant, faintly moving towards the Great Perfection of the Late Nascent Soul Stage.

One day, while he was practicing Divine Abilities in the Immortal Cave, he suddenly felt an urgent message from Mo Yuan, who was outside, through the Demonic Seed.

"Benefactor! We have discovered a team of 'Black-Evil Sect' Disciples. They have at least five Star-Guiding Talismans in their hands! They are currently staying near the 'Black Wind Cave' and seem to be preparing to head to Starfall Valley tomorrow! The team is led by the Young Lord of the Black-Evil Sect, who has a cultivation level of Perfected Golden Core, and there are two Early Nascent Soul Stage Elders guarding him!"

Black-Evil Sect? Nightmare had heard a little about them. It was a notorious Demonic Path Sect in the Central Plains, known for being ruthless and vindictive—perfect for practicing on.

"Send me the location, keep an eye on them."

A cold light flashed in Nightmare's eyes, and his figure instantly disappeared from the Immortal Cave.

In a valley a hundred miles outside the Black Wind Cave, the Black-Evil Sect group was resting. In the center of the camp, a pale-faced, sinister-looking young man in brocade clothes was playing with several Jade Talismans flashing with starlight—they were the Star-Guiding Talismans. Beside him, two old men with cold auras sat cross-legged with their eyes closed.

"Young Lord, this Secret Realm is full of dangers, so we must act with caution," one old man said.

"Hmph, what is there to fear!" the Young Lord said disdainfully. "With two Elders protecting me, plus the 'Black Demonic Banner' bestowed by my father, who is my match below the Nascent Soul Stage? I will definitely seize all the Opportunities in that Secret Realm and make my Black-Evil Sect famous!"

The other old man frowned slightly and was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed, and he stood up abruptly!

"Who?!"

At the edge of the camp, a black-robed figure appeared quietly like a ghost, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at them coldly. The newcomer's aura was restrained, making it impossible to tell his depth, but those eyes were so cold that both Nascent Soul Elders felt their hearts tremble!

"Who is Your Excellency? Why trespass into our Black-Evil Sect's camp?" one old man shouted sharply, secretly signaling others to be on guard.

The black-robed figure was naturally Nightmare. His gaze swept over the Star-Guiding Talismans in the Young Lord's hand, and he said indifferently: "The Star-Guiding Talismans, leave them. You people can get lost."

"Arrogant!" The Black-Evil Sect Young Lord had never suffered such humiliation and was immediately furious. "Kill him for me!"

Although the two Early Nascent Soul Stage Elders were vigilant, they relied on their cultivation. Seeing the opponent acting so arrogant, they did not hesitate and attacked at the same time! From left and right, two pitch-black ghost claws carrying the power to corrode the Divine Soul lunged at Nightmare!

Nightmare was too lazy to even use a Divine Ability. He simply raised his eyes and glanced at them.

"Soul-Shattering Demonic Pupils"!

Boom!

The two Elders only felt as if their Divine Souls had been pierced by tens of millions of steel needles, and the excruciating pain instantly drowned their consciousness! The light in their eyes dimmed rapidly, their movements froze in mid-air, and then they fell straight backward, their breaths gone!

One glance! Instantly killing two Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators!

The entire camp was instantly deathly silent! All the Black-Evil Sect Disciples were frozen in place, as if frozen by ice!

The sneer on the Black-Evil Sect Young Lord's face instantly froze, turning into boundless fear and disbelief; he almost couldn't hold the Star-Guiding Talismans in his hand.

"Sen... Senior, spare my life! The... the talismans are yours! Take them all!" He was so scared that his soul was Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and he hurriedly offered all the Star-Guiding Talismans with both hands, kowtowing like pounding garlic.

Nightmare grabbed the Star-Guiding Talismans from the air, didn't even look at the Young Lord, turned, and took a step. His figure merged into the Void and disappeared.

It was not until he had disappeared for a long time that the Black-Evil Sect Young Lord collapsed to the ground, his whole body soaked in cold sweat, his eyes filled with lingering fear and the relief of surviving a disaster.

Nightmare returned to the Immortal Cave and threw one Star-Guiding Talisman to Mo Yuan: "You prepare as well; you will enter the Secret Realm with me when the time comes."

Mo Yuan excitedly took the Star-Guiding Talisman: "Thank you, Benefactor!"

Nightmare kept one for himself and put the other three away for backup. He carefully studied the Star-Guiding Talisman; it contained a trace of faint Power of the Stars, which seemed to be the key to guiding the direction and resisting the spatial pressure of the Secret Realm.

Time quickly arrived at the day the Starfall Secret Realm opened.

Outside Starfall Valley, it was already a sea of people. The flying boats and ceremonial guards of major forces were extraordinarily magnificent, and the Genius Disciples were high-spirited, their auras powerful. The Loose Cultivators gathered on the side, their eyes envious and longing.

Nightmare used the Fetal Transformation secret technique to suppress his cultivation to the Perfected Golden Core Realm, and his aura became ordinary, blending into the crowd of Loose Cultivators, completely inconspicuous. Mo Yuan followed behind him, also restraining his aura.

At exactly noon, the void in the valley suddenly shook violently! Countless starlight fell from the sky, gathering in the center of the valley to form a huge, rotating vortex of stars!

The Secret Realm entrance had opened!

"The Secret Realm is open! Those holding Star-Guiding Talismans, enter quickly!" The voice of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Elder resounded through the valley.

Suddenly, countless escape lights soared into the sky, rushing toward the star vortex like a hundred rivers returning to the sea!

Under the instructions of their Elders, the Disciples of major forces activated their Star-Guiding Talismans, turning into a ray of starlight to protect their bodies, and rushed into the vortex. The Loose Cultivators who possessed Star-Guiding Talismans also followed impatiently.

Nightmare and Mo Yuan looked at each other, also activated their Star-Guiding Talismans, turned into two inconspicuous rays of starlight, mixed into the crowd, and plunged into that brilliant and dangerous vortex of stars!

A feeling of dizziness and spatial transformation came.

The next moment, his feet touched the ground.

A burst of incomparably pure, yet cold and desolate Power of the Stars rushed toward him!

Nightmare steadied himself and looked around.

Before him was an incomparably vast, broken, and desolate strange world.

The sky was a perpetual dark purple, hanging with countless huge and broken star debris, emitting cold light. On the ground, there were huge craters, broken mountain ranges, and various strange, metallic-lustered plants. In the distance, one could even see some huge wrecks of what looked like warships or palaces, half-buried in the dust.

This was the Starfall Secret Realm! A broken world of stars!