Zhang Wandu Star, Nine Heavens Locked Star

Inside the Immortal Cave, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Nightmare’s mind was completely immersed in the vast ocean of information from the two Jade Slips. The sinister ruthlessness of the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture, corroding bones and souls; the profound vastness of the ancient scripture of the star god, drawing in stars to refine the spirit. Two completely different yet powerful Legacies continuously collided, intertwined, and evolved within his Sea of Consciousness.

The rule fragment operated like the most efficient deduction core, frantically running, drawing pure power from the star source core as energy, constantly attempting to fuse and integrate the essences of the two Cultivation Techniques.

This was an extremely difficult and dangerous process. A slight mishap, and the conflict between Cultivation Techniques could lead to Qi Deviation, or even the destruction of his Dao Heart.

But Nightmare’s Dao Heart was as firm as a rock, and his control over power had reached a meticulous level. He did not seek to immediately create a perfect new Cultivation Technique; instead, he first attempted to integrate some characteristics of the Power of the Stars into the Divine Abilities of the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture.

[Deducing... Attempting to integrate the 'Star Nirvana' characteristic into the 'Myriad Poison Soul Devouring Finger'... Model building... Simulation running... Success rate 67%... Optimizing...]

[Attempting to strengthen the 'Myriad Poison True Demonic Body' with the 'Star Protection' characteristic... Structure conflict... Adjusting plan... Introducing the power of rules to reconcile... Simulation passed...]

[Attempting to activate 'Nether Spring Escape' with the Power of the Stars... Estimated speed increase 215%... Consumption increased...]

The System's prompts rang in his mind like flowing water, assisting him in countless deductions and verifications.

Days passed.

Nightmare's aura would sometimes turn inky black, suffused with poisonous fiendish Qi, at other times transform into dazzling starlight, vast and majestic, and then again, the two would intertwine, forming a strange yet powerful balance.

His fingertips would occasionally unconsciously trace through the Void Realm, leaving behind not just simple corrosive marks, but a terrifying Dao charm of star annihilation and the return of all things to ruin. On his body, dark gold patterns and starlight flickered alternately, and the strength of his Physical Body was constantly tempered and enhanced on another level.

On this day, Nightmare suddenly felt something, and abruptly opened his eyes.

He slowly raised his right hand, and on his fingertip, a wisp of grayish-white airflow swirled. At the core of this airflow, specks of starlight flickered, emitting an extreme stillness and coldness that could freeze one's Divine Soul, as if it could annihilate all things, even devouring light that approached.

It was no longer merely the power of the annihilation nether spring, but the Nirvana Star Evil, infused with the Origin of star annihilation!

He lightly tapped a piece of Profound Iron Essence Gold, used for testing within the Immortal Cave, which was strong enough to withstand an attack from an Early Spirit Transformation Stage Cultivator.

Hiss~

There was no sound, no explosion.

That piece of Profound Iron Essence Gold seemed to be erased by an invisible eraser; starting from the point where his fingertip touched it, it instantly turned into the finest dust and vanished. The Section was smooth as a mirror, with a lingering, heart-palpitating aura of Nirvana.

Its power was more than several times stronger than the simple Myriad Poison Soul Devouring Finger or annihilation nether spring! And it was even more insidious and impossible to guard against!

“Nirvana Star Evil... it’s done.” Nightmare’s eyes showed satisfaction. This was just the result of the initial Fusion, yet it already displayed astonishing potential.

He was about to continue deducing other Divine Abilities when his brow suddenly furrowed slightly.

It wasn't from outside the Immortal Cave, but originated from that trace of connection he had with the entire Ye Yan Palace's geomantic Luck.

He perceived that an extremely subtle, yet immensely vast Formation power was silently being constructed and spreading in the Void Realm far around the Ye Yan Palace!

This Formation power was held back, not yet unleashed, but it subtly connected to the earth's pulse, drawing upon the Power of the Stars from the heavens, forming an invisible net that was slowly enveloping the Ye Yan Palace. Its technique was brilliant, and its energy fluctuations were extremely weak. If Nightmare hadn't fused the rule fragment, making him extremely sensitive to the Laws of Heaven and Earth and energy changes, he would have been utterly unable to detect it!

“Formation? Star Locking?” Nightmare’s gaze turned cold, and he instantly understood. “Sky Patrol Alliance... they truly haven't given up!”

Although this Formation had not yet fully formed, its ingenious conception and grand scale were far beyond ordinary Formations; it must be the work of the Sky Patrol Alliance! Moreover, it was designed specifically to counter his mastery of the Power of the Stars!

“System, scan the surrounding Void Realm, analyze the Formation's structure, nodes, and core energy source!” Nightmare immediately ordered.

[Command received... Divine Sense combined with rule fragment for deep scan... Scanning... Interrupted by high-level stealth Formation... Cracking...]

[Traces of large composite Formation construction found... Formation type analysis: locking, suppressing, refining... Comparing with database, suspected to be Sky Patrol Alliance's “Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array” (simplified version)...]

[Three hidden Formation Eyes discovered, seventy-two energy nodes... Core energy source located... three thousand li east, deep underground in a Spiritual Vein... Cultivator's cultivation level: Mid-stage Dao Replenishing (Formation Master)... Early Spirit Transformation Stage Peak (Protector)... Several Nascent Soul Cultivators...]

[Formation completion: 41%... Estimated completion time: sixty-three days later... Once fully formed, its power can reach the level of a Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure, sufficient to trap and kill an ordinary Late-Stage Transformation Spirit Cultivator...]

The System's analysis results quickly appeared, exposing the Sky Patrol Alliance's conspiracy without reservation.

“Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array... simplified version... Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure level power... What a grand scheme!” The cold light in Nightmare’s eyes intensified. To deal with him, the Sky Patrol Alliance was truly willing to spend a fortune!

If he waited for the Grand Array to fully form, even with his current strength, breaking it would require considerable effort, and he might even be injured. And the opponent would surely have backup plans, such as the so-called “Sky Patrol Mirror” clone!

“They want to silently set up a Formation to trap and kill This Sovereign?” Nightmare’s lips curled into a cold, murderous arc. “Then let’s see who is preparing a burial ground for whom!”

He did not immediately act to disrupt their Formation setup. Startling the snake would be worse than playing along.

The opponent needed time to set up the Formation, and this also gave him time.

“System, reverse-deduce the complete Formation diagram of the 'Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array', identify its core weaknesses and critical energy flow nodes. At the same time, deduce Formation-breaking and countermeasure plans based on the rule fragment and star source core!”

[Command received... Starting reverse deduction... Requires significant computing power... Suggest providing high-level energy...]

Nightmare did not hesitate, taking out most of the remaining star core fragments as fuel for the System's deduction. At the same time, he fully participated in the deduction himself, the power of the rule fragment granting him an extraordinary ability to comprehend Formations.

A silent contest unfolded within Nightmare's Immortal Cave.

He had to be faster than the Sky Patrol Alliance! Before their Grand Array could fully form, he not only had to find a way to break it but also lay down countermeasures, turning this Grand Array, prepared for themselves, into their tomb!

Time quietly passed.

Elder Wu, the Formation Master of the Sky Patrol Alliance, led his Disciples, carefully carving Formation runes in the Void Realm outside the Black Fiend Wasteland, guiding the earth's pulse, and drawing in Star Power, using various stealth Formation Plates and Magic Treasures. They believed they were doing it completely undetected.

Ouyang Shuo, meanwhile, was stationed at the core of the Spiritual Vein in the rear, acting as Protector while anticipating the day the Grand Array would be completed.

They were unaware that their every move, and indeed every detail of the Formation, was under Nightmare's surveillance and deduction.

Inside Nightmare's Immortal Cave, on the System's light screen, the complex Formation diagram of the “Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array” was gradually completed and analyzed, its operating principles, weaknesses, loopholes, and energy nodes being marked one by one.

At the same time, several countermeasure plans based on rule distortion, star source core interference, and even Demonic Essence contamination were proposed, simulated, and optimized.

Nightmare's eyes flickered with wisdom and cold light, his fingers constantly moving in the Void Realm, outlining profound counter-runes imbued with the power of rules.

“Here... a 'Reverse Star Seed' can be buried. At a critical moment, it can detonate a node, backfiring on the main Formation user...”

“This critical point of the earth's pulse flow, subtly altered, can cause its energy to overload...”

“And here, the most vulnerable point where the Formation connects with the Void Realm, can be eroded by the power of rules, burying a space trap...”

One by one, insidious schemes took shape in his mind, and a counter-kill situation, where he would turn the tables and invite the enemy into a trap, gradually became clear.

He not only wanted to break the Formation but also to seize this opportunity to severely wound or even eliminate this elite group from the Sky Patrol Alliance! Especially that Mid-stage Dao Replenishing Formation Master and Ouyang Shuo!

In the blink of an eye, two months passed.

The Sky Patrol Alliance's “Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array” was seventy percent complete. The invisible Formation force field, like a giant, slowly contracting cage, enveloped the Ye Yan Palace. Although not yet fully activated, it had already made some high-level Cultivators on the wasteland feel vaguely uneasy, as if the sky had become much more oppressive.

And Nightmare's countermeasure preparations were also basically complete. Countless hidden runes containing the power of rules had been secretly planted by him at the critical nodes of the opponent's Grand Array, using Nether Spring Escape and the Law of Space.

Only when the Grand Array was completely formed and its core activated would the moment of truth arrive!

On this day, Nightmare suddenly felt a stir in his mind and received a message from Moyuan.

“Benefactor, Nirvana Cold Abyss has sent an invitation.”

“Nirvana Cold Abyss?” Nightmare’s eyes flickered slightly. At this time? He sent out a wisp of Divine Sense to probe outside the Immortal Cave.

He saw Moyuan holding a exquisite invitation card carved from ten-thousand-year-old cold ice, emitting faint chills.

“Present it.”

The ice crystal invitation flew into the Immortal Cave and landed in Nightmare’s hand. His Divine Sense swept over it, and the content of the invitation appeared in his mind.

The gist was that the Ice Soul Fairy, the Lord of Nirvana Cold Abyss, would host a “Cold Abyss Dharma Assembly” three months later, inviting various Soul Transformation Fellow Daoists from the Northern Region to discuss and exchange Dao, and specifically inviting Palace Lord Nightmare to attend.

The words were polite, seemingly just a normal social invitation.

But at this sensitive time, with the Sky Patrol Alliance secretly setting up a Formation to besiege and kill him, Nirvana Cold Abyss suddenly sent an invitation... Was it a coincidence? Or a hint? Or perhaps... they wanted to lure him away from the Ye Yan Palace?

Nightmare looked at the invitation, then “looked” at the seventy percent complete Grand Array in the Void Realm, and a playful smile curled at the corner of his lips.

The waters of the Northern Region were getting murkier and murkier.

Very well.

He would go and see what kind of 'Hongmen Banquet' this “Cold Abyss Dharma Assembly” truly was.

As for this “Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array”... he cast a cold glance at the Void Realm.

It would be a... generous gift... he would give to the Sky Patrol Alliance before attending the banquet!