Misty Palace

The black waters were boundless, and the gray dense mist slowly writhed as if alive, swallowing light and sound. The flowing cloud secret edict in Nightmare's hand vibrated with a scorching heat, and the beam of light pointing into the depths of the mist sea was steady yet unsettling.

Nightmare stood by the water's edge, his expression grave. This sea of mist gave him an extremely dangerous feeling; his Divine Sense could only penetrate a few feet before it hit a wall of bronze and iron, being completely repelled. Within it, countless chaotic, tempting, whispering, and strange fluctuations tried to erode his mind.

If he hadn't just consumed the illusory miasma silver fruit, greatly increasing his resistance to illusions and Divine Soul attacks, he would probably have fallen victim by now.

"What a formidable Illusion Formation, truly worthy of Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's handiwork," Nightmare murmured. This sea of mist was definitely not naturally formed, but an immense ancient Illusion Formation, integrated with the entire body of water!

Forcing his way through would undoubtedly lead to death.

He once again immersed his Divine Sense into the flowing cloud secret edict. This time, he no longer merely injected Azure Qi and Blood, but tried to integrate his understanding of Formations and illusions, as well as his 'will' to seek the Legacy, into it.

The secret edict once again emitted a great black light; the ancient characters surfaced then quietly vanished. Immediately after, the Flowing Cloud patterns on the token's surface detached and slowly intertwined in the Void Realm before him, forming a **phantom path** made of Flowing Cloud Qi, just wide enough for one person, winding into the depths of the dense mist.

Outside the path, the mist still churned violently, filled with deadly killing intent, while inside the path, it was relatively calm.

"Indeed, the secret edict is the key," Nightmare stepped onto the cloud Qi path without hesitation.

As soon as he entered the path, the surrounding scenery instantly transformed.

The dense mist no longer obstructed his view; instead, it presented bizarre and kaleidoscopic illusions. Sometimes it transformed into thousands of celestial maidens scattering flowers, with ethereal immortal music, luring people into ultimate bliss; sometimes it became an endless Asura Hell, with wailing vengeful spirits tormenting one's mind; and sometimes it reverted to the scene of Starfall Pavilion, with the faces of Lin Hao, Qin Feng, the Law Enforcement Elder, and others appearing in rotation, either mocking, scolding, or chasing... all sorts of illusions, directly targeting the deepest desires and fears of the human heart.

Nightmare's Dao Heart was as firm as a rock, and the illusory miasma silver fruit further protected his Sea of Consciousness, keeping it clear. His eyes were cold, and he ignored the myriad illusions around him, his steps firm as he advanced along the cloud Qi path.

"False bubbles, dare you shake this Venerable One's mind?" He snorted coldly, and the Azure Qi and Blood around him circulated slightly, causing the approaching illusions to dissipate like ice and snow meeting the sun.

After an unknown period of walking through illusions, the mist ahead suddenly thinned.

The outline of a magnificent yet dilapidated palace gradually appeared in the sea of mist.

The palace was built entirely from an unknown white jade, with an ancient and grand style, completely different from current architecture. Most of the palace had already collapsed and been damaged, eroded by the black waters and gray mist; only the main hall in the very center remained relatively intact, emitting a faint yet eternal spiritual light.

The guidance of the flowing cloud secret edict pointed directly to that main hall!

The cloud Qi path also reached its end before the main hall's massive stone gate, which was covered with profound runes and tightly shut.

Nightmare stepped onto the white jade plaza in front of the main hall, his feet sinking into thick dust. Scattered on the plaza were fragments of broken Magical Artifacts and bones that had long lost their spiritual light, clearly indicating that a fierce battle had once taken place here.

He walked to the stone gate. The gate was covered with runes even more complex and profound than the Illusion Formation outside, and in the center were two recessed palm prints.

Nightmare, enlightened, pressed the flowing cloud secret edict into one palm print, and simultaneously pressed his own palm into the other, slowly injecting Azure Qi and Blood and Demonic Essence.

Buzz buzz buzz—

The runes on the stone gate lit up one by one, emitting a low, ancient hum. The heavy stone gate slowly slid open to both sides, revealing the deep space within the hall.

A desolate aura, sealed for ten thousand years, rushed forth.

The hall was vast and silent. There were no imagined treasures or mountains of Spirit Stones and Magic Treasures. Only in the center of the great hall, a continuously changing **Chaos cloud Qi** floated, and within the cloud Qi, Jade Slips, scrolls, and several Magical Artifacts with internal spiritual light could be vaguely seen rising and falling.

And beneath that Chaos cloud Qi was a jade-white skeleton sitting cross-legged. The skeleton was crystal clear, like Glass, emitting a faint pressure; it was the remains of Immortal Master Flowing Cloud. In front of the remains, a line of ancient characters was carved into the ground:

**"Illusions arise from the heart, Legacy is fated. He who is not of my Dao, touches and perishes."**

Nightmare's gaze sharpened as he looked at the Chaos cloud Qi. That was the true core Legacy of Immortal Master Flowing Cloud! But clearly, obtaining it would be far from easy. The cloud Qi itself was the final and strongest test—the core of the **Thousand Illusions Bewildering Heart Array**!

Once one's mind was not firm, or if it did not align with Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's Dao philosophy, forcefully touching it would immediately trigger the array's backlash, resulting in the complete annihilation of one's Divine Soul!

Nightmare took a deep breath and did not immediately step forward. He first respectfully bowed to Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's remains.

"Junior Nightmare, by chance, obtained Senior's secret edict. Coming here today, I do not covet all that Senior possessed; I only seek to obtain one or two Legacies to prove my own Dao and change my destiny against the heavens. If I have offended, I ask for Senior's forgiveness."

After completing the courtesies, his eyes sharpened. He cultivated the Demonic Path, which might not be compatible with Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's Righteous Path Cultivation Technique, but he also had his own advantages—the Realm and experience of a Demonic Venerable from his previous life, and the ancient power of Azure Qi and Blood.

He sat cross-legged before the Chaos cloud Qi, not attempting to break the Formation with force or directly collect it, but slowly released his Divine Sense, cautiously touching the unpredictable cloud Qi.

Boom!

As soon as his Divine Sense touched the cloud Qi, Nightmare felt his vision blur, and his Divine Soul seemed to be pulled into a new illusory space!

This illusion, this time, was far more real and dangerous than the one outside!

He was no longer Nightmare, but had become a young man named "Yun Yi," from a small cultivation Family, with ordinary Aptitude, but dedicated to the Dao... In the illusion, he experienced "Yun Yi's" entire life: the warmth of his Family, the difficulties of Cultivation, the betrayal of friends, the passing of loved ones, the infighting of Sects, countless desperate situations and struggles, repeatedly overcoming dangers with wisdom and resilience, finally comprehending the true meaning of the Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation and creating the Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation Art, achieving the position of Nascent Soul Immortal Master... This was Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's lifelong Dao Heart tempering!

Nightmare's mind was immersed in it. He experienced Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's Dao from both the perspective of an observer and a participant. It was a resilient Dao of maintaining one's original heart amidst change and seeking truth amidst illusion and annihilation, a spirit of defiance that refused to yield to the Heavenly Dao and fate!

To some extent, it surprisingly shared a similar path to his obsession with changing his destiny against the heavens!

After an unknown amount of time, Nightmare suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of vicissitude and enlightenment flashing within them.

He understood. Immortal Master Flowing Cloud set up this Formation not to find a successor with completely identical Cultivation Technique attributes, but to find an inheritor whose **Dao Heart resonated with his own**!

"Illusions arise from the heart... I understand."

Nightmare stood up, no longer hesitating, and walked directly towards the Chaos cloud Qi. This time, he did not use any Demonic Essence, nor did he try to suppress it with Azure Qi and Blood; he simply extended his right hand, reaching for the core of the cloud Qi.

His Dao Heart was utterly clear, containing only the incomparably firm will, tempered by two lives, to reverse his destiny!

His hand passed through layers of illusions without hindrance, touching the warm **Main Legacy Jade Slip** at the very core of the cloud Qi!

The moment his finger grasped the Jade Slip—

The entire main hall trembled slightly!

The Chaos cloud Qi, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, gently surged into his body, bringing no impact. Instead, it transformed into an extremely pure, balanced, and peaceful energy, nourishing his Meridians and Divine Soul! At the same time, complete information about the Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation Art, as well as Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's lifelong insights into Formations and evasion techniques, surged into his Sea of Consciousness like a tide!

"Ding! Successfully obtained Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's core Legacy, 'Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation Art' (Heaven Rank Low Grade), Formation insights, and Evasion Technique insights. Greatly increased Divine Sense strength and Formation comprehension. Obtained Luck value +500 (temporarily neutralized some negative Luck due to obtaining a Righteous Path Legacy), villain points +2000!"

"Hint: Detected Host possesses 'Starfall Demonic Art' (incomplete Earth Rank) and 'Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation Art' (Heaven Rank Low Grade). Cultivation Technique attributes conflict; please Cultivate with caution. It is recommended to find a Fusion or alternative solution."

Nightmare was overjoyed, then quickly calmed down. The Cultivation Technique conflict was indeed a problem. Although a Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique was good, it was incompatible with his Demonic Path Foundation; forcibly switching would only yield half the results with twice the effort. However, the Formation and Evasion Technique insights within it, as well as the Dao Heart comprehension of "maintaining truth amidst illusion and annihilation," were invaluable to him!

The few Magical Artifacts that fell with the cloud Qi also appeared: a shimmering Cloud Evasion Robe, a pair of Cloud-Treading Boots carved with cloud patterns, and a seemingly unremarkable Illusory Void Bead.

All were rare treasures, especially suitable for evasion techniques and illusion arts.

Nightmare collected all these items and once again bowed deeply to Immortal Master Flowing Cloud's remains.

"Senior's Legacy, Junior will engrave it in my heart. If I achieve something in the future, I will not fail Senior's Dao."

After bowing, he did not linger, turning and walking out of the main hall.

The moment he stepped out of the stone gate, the entire ruin began to tremble slightly, as if it had completed its final mission and was about to completely sink into this sea of mist.

Nightmare used the Demonic Shadow Evasion Technique, quickly departing along the path he came.

Just as he was about to rush out of the sea of mist, the corner of his eye suddenly caught a glimpse of a small, silver-pink figure not far to the side, flailing in a chaotic illusion, seemingly startled by the relic's anomaly and mistakenly entering the grand array's killing trap, about to be struck by several terrifying illusory annihilation divine lights.

It was precisely the **Phantom Cloud Fox** he had seen before!

Nightmare's steps paused slightly.

After a brief thought, he sighed, his figure flickered, and with a flash of his demonic shadow, he appeared beside the little fox, scooped it up, and simultaneously, the essence of evasion techniques he had just comprehended from the Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation Art naturally manifested. His figure was like a cloud, like an illusion, narrowly avoiding those destructive rays of light.

"Chirp?!" The little fox squeezed its eyes shut in fright. The anticipated pain did not come. It timidly opened its eyes, only to find itself being held by the person who had previously "snatched" its fruit. It had already rushed out of the most dangerous area and arrived at the relatively safe outer reaches of the mist.

Nightmare set it down, saying faintly, "This place is about to be annihilated; leave quickly."

After speaking, he ignored the little fox, his figure flickering several times before completely disappearing beyond the dense mist.

The Phantom Cloud Fox stared blankly in the direction he disappeared, its amethyst-like eyes filled with confusion and a trace of inexplicable emotion. It looked down at its furry paws, then back at the violently shaking, slowly sinking ruin, and finally let out a "chirp," transforming into a silver-pink stream of light, chasing in the direction Nightmare had left.

But Nightmare didn't know that shortly after he left.

In another edge of the Cloud Dream Great Marsh, space twisted, and a youth with somewhat damaged clothes, a gloomy expression, but incredibly sharp eyes, stumbled out of a suddenly appearing spatial rift.

It was none other than **Lin Hao**!

He had somehow managed to track him to the Cloud Dream Great Marsh!

In his hand, he tightly clutched a fragment of a compass that glowed with a faint starlight, and the fragment was pointing in the direction Nightmare had left.

"Night! Mare!" Lin Hao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes burning with frantic Battle Intent and hatred, "You can't escape! Your Opportunity, your life... I, Lin Hao, will claim them!"

A new round of pursuit and counter-killing was about to unfold once more in this ancient marshland.