Chapter 149 Refining the Ice Lotus, Strange Movements in the Star Palace

Inside the Immortal Cave, all Restrictions were fully activated, isolating it from the outside.

Nightmare sat cross-legged, the seven-colored ice soul lotus, its brilliance slightly dimmed but its Origin still potent, hovering before him. Wisps of extreme cold spread out, covering the entire Immortal Cave with a layer of white frost. If not for the Restrictions, it would have long alarmed the outside world.

The cold poison in his left shoulder seemed to be drawn, becoming active again, throbbing faintly and emitting a strange fluctuation of both resistance and desire.

"Hmph, a mere poison without Origin, yet it dares to act so ferociously?" Nightmare snorted coldly, and the power of the rule fragment flowed, easily suppressing the cold poison's restlessness.

He took a deep breath, formed hand seals, and cast complex Dharma Seals onto the ice soul lotus. At the same time, the power of the rule fragment slowly seeped out, like the most precise carving knife, beginning to guide and strip away the incomparably pure Taiyin Ice Soul Origin within the ice soul lotus.

This was a delicate and dangerous process. The seven-colored ice soul lotus contained immense and violent power. A slight mistake would not only fail to expel the poison but might also trigger a backlash from the cold poison, or even freeze his Meridians and Divine Soul by the Ice Soul Origin.

But Nightmare's control over power had long reached the Transcendent state, further aided by the Heaven-Defying rule fragment. Under his manipulation, the seven-colored glowing petals of the ice soul lotus gradually melted, transforming into drops of crystal-clear liquid essence, emitting seven-colored radiance and extreme cold. Like living beings, they slowly flowed, eventually converging into a fist-sized, constantly shifting seven-colored halo.

The core Origin had been extracted!

Nightmare's gaze was solemn as he carefully guided a wisp of the seven-colored Origin to slowly approach the wound on his left shoulder.

"Hiss!"

The moment the Origin Power touched the wound, it was like cold water dripping into hot oil, instantly causing a fierce conflict! The previously dormant dark cold poison frantically counterattacked, trying to erode and devour this new icy power, while the seven-colored Origin displayed its sacred nature, pure and clean, naturally repelling and fiercely purifying the foul and insidious cold power!

Intense pain erupted from his left shoulder, far more severe than when the cold poison acted on its own! Cold sweat instantly beaded on Nightmare's forehead, but his eyes remained cold and calm. The power of the rule fragment firmly bound the two forces, forcibly suppressing them within the small area of the wound, preventing them from spreading and damaging his body.

This was an agonizing process. The two extreme cold forces used his body as a battlefield, eroding, devouring, and purifying each other. His left shoulder was sometimes covered in dark frost, sometimes shimmering with seven-colored radiance. The flesh and blood beneath his skin constantly twisted and writhed, even emitting faint cracking sounds.

Nightmare firmly guarded his Heart-Nature, silently circulating his Cultivation Technique. With his vast magic power as a backing and the rule fragment as his command, he meticulously controlled the seven-colored Origin, step by step eroding and purifying the dark cold poison.

Time passed little by little.

The cold Qi in the Immortal Cave grew stronger and stronger, the frost on the ground and walls became thicker, and countless tiny seven-colored ice crystals even condensed in the air, slowly drifting down.

After an unknown period, the stubborn darkness on his left shoulder finally began to fade and shrink at a visible rate!

Extremely subtle, yet sinister and malicious black Qi was forced out of the wound by the seven-colored radiance. The moment it appeared, it was frozen into black ice dregs by the surrounding extreme low temperature, and then purified into nothingness by the seven-colored radiance.

Nightmare could clearly feel that the insidious and malicious cold, which had clung to him like a gangrene for so long, was rapidly dissipating. The heavy, stagnant feeling in his left shoulder gradually vanished, replaced by a clear and cool sensation. In fact, due to the previous torment of the cold poison, the purified flesh and Meridians now had an even keener perception of icy spiritual energy.

When the last wisp of black Qi was forced out and purified, the wound on his left shoulder was completely enveloped by seven-colored radiance. The original wound healed rapidly, his skin returned to its smooth state, and even became tougher. The seven-colored Ice Soul Origin also consumed nearly half, with the remaining portion transforming into incomparably pure energy, integrating into Nightmare's limbs and bones, nourishing his Physical Body and Divine Soul.

Boom!

The long-lost, completely unhindered sense of power returned! His Mid-stage Dao Replenishing cultivation not only fully recovered but, under the dual effects of the Ice Soul Lotus Origin and the rule fragment, even advanced a tiny bit further. His magic power became more condensed and pure, subtly touching the Peak of the Mid-stage Dao Replenishing!

Nightmare opened his eyes, and a seven-colored icy glow seemed to flash through his pupils. His aura was perfectly harmonious and complete, surpassing his past self!

He slowly raised his left hand, clenched his fingers, and felt the surging, roaring power within his body. A satisfied arc finally appeared at the corner of his mouth.

All hidden dangers were eliminated, and his state returned to its Peak! He even benefited from the misfortune, as his Physical Body and Divine Soul, tempered by the extreme cold and the rule fragment, became even more powerful.

Now, facing the likes of Elder Li, he wouldn't even need to rely on the Ice Soul Lotus to erupt; he could suppress and kill them with a flip of his hand!

Just then, the rule fragment once again showed an anomaly!

This time, it wasn't a slight resonance, but a clear, rhythmic fluctuation, like a heartbeat, coming in waves from the southwest! The sense of summoning also became stronger, even carrying a hint of... urgency?

Nightmare rose abruptly, his gaze as sharp as lightning, piercing through the Immortal Cave's Restrictions and looking towards the southwest.

"Have the Ruins fully appeared? Or has something changed?"

He could feel that within Heavenly Derivation City, several powerful auras also suddenly soared into the sky, rushing towards the southwest without hesitation! Clearly, this fluctuation was unusually strong and could no longer be concealed, attracting all the high-level Cultivators in the city!

He couldn't wait any longer!

Nightmare didn't hesitate. His figure flashed, and he shot out of the Immortal Cave, transforming into a faint, almost imperceptible black shadow that merged into the night, rushing towards the southwest outside the city at an astonishing speed.

His speed was extremely fast, even surpassing the previous several Deity Transformation Cultivator's escape lights. The rule fragment not only granted him great power but also provided extreme enhancement in flying and escape techniques. It could also vaguely perceive the most accurate direction from which the fluctuation originated, preventing him from searching aimlessly like a headless fly.

Soon, he left Heavenly Derivation City, leaving the bustling metropolis behind. Below were rolling mountains and ancient forests, appearing deep and serene in the night.

The further southwest he flew, the clearer and stronger the sensation from the rule fragment became. It was not merely a simple energy fluctuation, but also contained an ancient, desolate, and somewhat mysterious aura, like scattered starlight.

Star Palace! It was definitely the aura of the Star Palace Ruins! And it was more complete and profound than the dilapidated Star Palace he encountered in the Northern Region!

After flying for about an hour, a vast swampy area, perpetually shrouded in mist—the Blackwater Marsh—appeared ahead. It was said that this place was filled with poisonous miasma, rampant Yao Beasts, and natural maze (maze formations), which ordinary Cultivators dared not venture deep into.

And the strong fluctuation and sense of summoning were coming from the deepest part of the marsh!

Nightmare didn't hesitate, rushing directly into the mist. The power of the rule fragment rippled slightly, and the surrounding poisonous miasma and maze Formations were like nothing to him, unable to affect him in the slightest. Some venomous insects and Yao Beasts lurking in the marsh, attempting to attack, were turned into ashes by the invisible Power of Annihilation before they could even get close.

After venturing deeper for a long time, the scene ahead suddenly opened up.

The mist dispersed, and a huge, dry lakebed appeared before his eyes. In the center of the lakebed, instead of the expected ancient buildings, a massive, irregular glowing vortex was suspended! The vortex was hundreds of feet in diameter, with twinkling starlight within, constantly rotating, emitting strong spatial fluctuations and that ancient Star Palace aura!

Around the vortex, more than a dozen figures already stood, each with a formidable aura, the lowest being Late Nascent Soul Stage, with five or six Deity Transformation Cultivators among them! They stood scattered, vigilant of each other, their gazes fixed on the starlight vortex, their eyes burning with fervor yet also full of apprehension.

Nightmare's arrival immediately drew their attention. When they perceived his undisguised Mid-stage Dao Replenishing cultivation and unfathomable aura, a hint of solemnity and apprehension flashed in everyone's eyes, and they subconsciously kept a distance from him.

Nightmare's gaze swept over the crowd, spotting a few familiar figures: Money Maple of the Myriad Treasures Tower in Heavenly Derivation City, who was also here, with a reclusive, withered-faced old man beside him, seemingly his Dao Protector. In addition, there were two Deity Transformation Cultivators dressed in imperial robes, and several people dressed as Sect Elders.

Their gazes lingered on Nightmare for a moment, then quickly shifted back to the starlight vortex. Clearly, the entrance to the Ruins was more important at this moment.

Nightmare also looked at the vortex. The sensation from the rule fragment was incredibly clear; the call came from the other side of the vortex. This was clearly a spatial entrance, leading to another Secret Realm or Small World.

"Star Palace Ruins... it truly forms another realm..." Nightmare understood. The entrance before him seemed to have just stabilized, but the spatial power was still violent, requiring them to wait for the optimal time to enter.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred!

The starlight vortex suddenly accelerated its rotation, and a thick, dazzling beam of light shot out from its center, piercing the clouds! Within the light beam, countless stars could vaguely be seen forming and perishing, and grand Law runes flowed unsteadily!

An ancient aura, a hundred times more immense than before, swept out!

"The entrance has stabilized!"

"We can go in!"

Someone shouted, and the two Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators closest to the vortex, unable to restrain their greed, instantly transformed into streaks of light and charged towards the starlight vortex!

However, just as they were about to touch the vortex, several dazzling starlight chains shot out from its edge, lashing at the two like lightning!

Puff! Puff!

The two Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators couldn't even let out a scream. Their protective spiritual light shattered like paper, and their bodies instantly exploded into two clouds of blood mist, their Divine Souls utterly destroyed!

Hiss—

Everyone gasped, retreating in horror, their faces pale!

This entrance actually had such terrifying Restrictions!

"Hmph, fools! How could the Star Palace Ruins be so easy to enter? This is an ancient Star Restriction, containing spatial cutting power. Without knowing how to break it, even a Deity Transformation Cultivator who forces their way in will die!" A royal Deity Transformation Cultivator said coldly, seemingly aware of some inside information.

Everyone's expressions grew even uglier, watching the Treasure Trove right before their eyes, yet unable to enter.

Just then, in Nightmare's mind, the rule fragment vibrated slightly, and a piece of information about the Star Restriction before him automatically appeared—not a method to break it, but... how to activate the power of the rule fragment to simulate similar star fluctuations, deceiving the Restriction, and passing through safely!

A sharp glint flashed in Nightmare's eyes. Without hesitation, amidst everyone's astonished gazes, he took a step and walked directly towards the dangerous starlight vortex!

"Is he going to his death again?" Someone whispered.

The withered old man beside Money Maple also shook his head slightly, seemingly not optimistic.

However, the next scene left them dumbfounded.

Nightmare was seen enveloped in a faint glow (the star fluctuations simulated by the rule fragment) that was of the same Origin as the starlight vortex but more profound. The terrifying starlight chains shot out again, but upon touching that faint glow, they paused obediently as if encountering a monarch, then slowly retracted back into the vortex.

Nightmare passed through unhindered, his figure instantly disappearing into the starlight vortex!

Silence!

A deathly silence!

Everyone's eyes widened, watching the now calm vortex entrance in disbelief.

"How... how did he do that?!"

"What kind of method is that? To be able to ignore the Star Restriction?"

"What is this person's Origin?!"

A glint flashed in Money Maple's eyes, and he whispered to the old man beside him, "It's him indeed... It seems this variable lies with him..."

The withered old man spoke hoarsely, "Young Miss, should we..."

"No hurry," Money Maple (or rather, this Myriad Treasures Tower manager seemed to have another identity) shook her head slightly, "Let others test the waters first. This Restriction will eventually weaken..."

Meanwhile, Nightmare had already passed through a dazzling spatial tunnel. A sense of weightlessness came over him, and the next moment, his feet landed on solid ground.

An incredibly rich breeze, mixed with ancient star spiritual energy, swept towards him.

He looked up, and the sight before him, even for someone of his Heart-Nature, couldn't help but be shocked!

What met his eyes was an incomparably vast, shattered, yet magnificent starry sky!

He felt as if he were in the cosmic starry sky. Beneath his feet was a massive, dilapidated corridor paved with unknown star stones, winding into the distance. On both sides of the corridor, above and below, in all directions, was a deep, dark Void Realm twinkling with billions of stars.

In the distance, countless huge palace ruins, broken stone pillars, shattered mountain Peaks, and even dry rivers floated... They all drifted silently in the Void Realm, emitting an ancient and desolate aura. Some palaces were still relatively well-preserved, shimmering with faint Formation light, while others had long been completely ruined, turning into cosmic dust.

The light of the stars illuminated this silent ruin, creating a bizarre and colorful scene. Occasionally, huge, lifeless skeletons of strange creatures drifted through the Void Realm, adding to the eeriness.

This was the Star Palace Ruins of the Central Plains!

Its scale and grandeur far surpassed the one in the Northern Region! This was more like a shattered ancient world, suspended in the starry sky!

The rule fragment was exceptionally active here, emitting an incredibly strong sense of joy and resonance. At the same time, the call pointed towards the deepest part of this ruin.

Nightmare took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, his eyes returning to their cold and vigilant state.

Opportunity often came with great danger. Such a massive Ruin would hide far more than just Legacy and Treasure Trove.

He restrained his aura, chose a direction, and cautiously proceeded deeper along the dilapidated starry corridor.

Soon after he entered, the external starlight vortex Restriction indeed began to weaken, as Money Maple had expected. The remaining Cultivators immediately became agitated, each employing their own methods to try and break through the weakened Restriction, rushing into this starry sky Ruin that had been silent for untold tens of thousands of years... A new storm was quietly brewing in this ancient starry sky ruin.

And Nightmare did not know if anyone had already 'stolen a march' before him...