The remnant spirit of Zhangxing Palace, an ancient secret.

The man in the green robe turned around, his gaze gentle yet profound like a sea of stars, resting quietly on Nightmare. He appeared young, but the vicissitudes contained within his eyes seemed to have witnessed the cycles of eternal Reincarnation.

"You have come." He spoke again, his voice calm with a hint of indescribable emotion. "Faster than I anticipated."

Nightmare's pupils contracted slightly, the Power of Annihilation subtly contained around him, and the rule fragment slowly circulated within his body, his vigilance reaching its peak. This person gave him an unfathomable feeling, as if they shared the same Origin as this broken starry sky, yet transcended it. He couldn't see through the depth of the opponent at all.

"Who are you?" Nightmare's voice was cold, showing no sign of relaxation. In such an eerie place, the sudden appearance of a mysterious person required utmost caution.

The man in the green robe was unconcerned by Nightmare's wariness, instead offering a slight smile tinged with loneliness: "Who am I? My former title has long been obliterated in the river of time; it's better left unsaid. If you must have a title, you can call me... the 'Tomb Keeper'."

"Tomb Keeper?" Nightmare's gaze swept over the endless ruins around them. "Keeping watch over this ruin?"

"For the former glory, for the departed stars, and also... for waiting." The Tomb Keeper's gaze turned back to the shattered great hall, the sorrow in his eyes deepening. "Waiting for an Opportunity, or rather, waiting for someone like you who can trigger the 'Star Core' resonance."

Star Core? rule fragment?

Nightmare's heart stirred violently, but he kept a calm expression. "I don't understand what you are saying."

The Tomb Keeper turned his gaze back, seemingly seeing through Nightmare's thoughts, and said gently: "No need to hide, and no need to be nervous. The fragment inside your body was originally a part of this place. It guided you here, and its resonance awakened me from my dormancy."

He gently raised his hand and pointed to the magnificent, shattered palace: "Do you feel its call? That is the Star Palace core fragment's yearning for its Origin. It... is welcoming you home."

Home? Nightmare's mind trembled slightly. The joy and resonance of the rule fragment were undeniable, and the feeling of seamless integration with this place was extremely real. But having experienced countless schemes and deceits, he would never drop his guard just because of a few words from the opponent.

"You said you are the Tomb Keeper, waiting for an Opportunity. What is your purpose?" Nightmare asked coldly, cutting straight to the core.

The Tomb Keeper lowered his hand and sighed softly, the sigh seeming to carry the weight of eternity. "For a Legacy, a warning, and an unfulfilled mission."

He paused, his gaze becoming distant, as if lost in long memories: "This ruin you see, in a distant era, was called the 'Sky Patrol Star Palace'. It was the ruler of a Star Domain, monitoring the Myriad Worlds and maintaining the operation of the stars. Its Palace Lord, 'Star Evolution Divine Lord,' was an even greater existence who had touched the Realm of Supreme Law."

"However, prosperity inevitably leads to decline. An unimaginable Great Calamity suddenly descended... terrifying existences from beyond the deep space, they devoured starlight, twisted the Laws, and corrupted the Star Souls... The Star Palace fought desperately, countless powerhouses fell, and the stars dimmed and collapsed... In the end, the Divine Lord used his own disintegration as the price to barely repel the powerful enemies, but the Star Palace was also completely destroyed, turning into this ruin, drifting within the Void Realm."

His voice was calm, yet it painted a tragic and grand picture of the apocalypse, making one's heart tremble.

"And I am merely a spirit body formed by a trace of residual Divine Thought that fused with the Star Palace's final Origin after the Divine Lord's demise, watching over this tomb, waiting for the day the spark reignites." The Tomb Keeper's figure seemed to become slightly fainter. "I waited for too long, so long that I was about to completely dissipate... until I sensed that an important core fragment, lost externally, was reactivated and returning toward this ruin."

His gaze landed on Nightmare again: "That fragment contains part of the Star Evolution Divine Lord's insights regarding the 'Annihilation' Law. It is the most lethal component of the Star Palace's power system. It chose you and brought you back here."

Nightmare listened in silence. The bursts of resonance and closeness emanating from the rule fragment confirmed the truth of the man's words. It turned out that his greatest reliance originated from this place.

"You said you are waiting for the Legacy and the warning?" Nightmare seized the key point.

"Exactly." The Tomb Keeper nodded. "The Legacy is the true core Legacy of the Star Palace, the 'Myriad Stars Evolution Dao Scripture,' and the Divine Lord's complete imprint of Law insights. They are sealed in the Final Secret Chamber of this Main Hall, and only those recognized by the Star Core fragment can open them."

"And the warning..." The Tomb Keeper's expression became extremely solemn. "It is about the Deep Space Demons that destroyed the Star Palace. They were not completely annihilated, merely repelled temporarily, lurking in the dark corners of the Universe. The Great Calamity will descend again one day. The new Sky Patrolmen must grow quickly and reassemble the power of the Star Palace to cope with the future crisis."

He looked deeply at Nightmare: "You are currently the only hope. The Star Core fragment choosing you means you possess the potential to bear this power and responsibility."

A massive amount of information impacted Nightmare's mind. The Star Palace Legacy, Law insights, Deep Space Demons, the future Great Calamity... all of this far exceeded his initial expectations. He originally only sought Opportunity to increase his strength and rescue Su Wanqing, but he inadvertently got caught up in a grand narrative spanning eternity.

Power and responsibility often coexist. Accepting the Legacy means potentially shouldering an unimaginable burden.

But... this might also be the only shortcut for him to achieve a Breakthrough in his current Realm, or even glimpse higher levels of power! The complete Legacy of the rule fragment was too tempting for him!

"How do I obtain the Legacy?" Nightmare asked directly, having made his choice. As for the future Great Calamity, that was not his immediate concern.

A relieved smile appeared on the Tomb Keeper's face: "Although the Main Hall is broken, the core Restriction remains. You need to rely on the Star Core fragment within your body to pass through the trials step by step and reach the Final Secret Chamber. Be careful, as along the way there may be residual demonic power erosion, or the Star Palace's own defense mechanisms."

He raised his hand and conjured a starlight rune, which sank into Nightmare's glabella: "This is a partial map of the Star Palace and key Restriction points, which can help you. I have little strength left and cannot personally guide you; everything depends on yourself."

Nightmare felt that his mind contained new information regarding the layout of the palace ahead and the dangerous areas.

"Go quickly. I can sense that quite a few outsiders have already broken into the periphery. Though they can hardly reach the core, interference would still be trouble." The Tomb Keeper's figure became more transparent, and his voice much weaker. "Remember, the hope of the Star Palace... rests upon you..."

His voice gradually faded, and the figure of the green-robed Tomb Keeper finally dissolved into specks of starlight, completely merging into the Void Realm, as if he had never existed.

Nightmare stood still, digesting the information he had received, his gaze once again cast toward the shattered great hall.

The rule fragment hummed excitedly inside him, pointing toward the depths of the great hall.

Opportunity and danger coexist.

Without the slightest hesitation, his figure moved, transforming into a streak of light, and he shot straight toward the broken palace gate, which gaped open like the mouth of a giant beast.

As soon as he entered the range of the Main Hall, a massive pressure instantly descended! It felt as if the power of the entire starry sky was pressing down on him! At the same time, the surrounding scenery changed, no longer simple ruins, but transforming into a hazy Starry Sky Illusion, where countless stars rotated with profound trajectories, containing deadly Killing Intent!

The Star Palace core Restriction had been triggered!

Nightmare immediately activated the power of the rule fragment, and faint starlight appeared on his surface, instantly reducing the massive pressure by more than half. Following the information given by the Tomb Keeper, he rapidly traversed the Star Illusion, avoiding the deadly star trajectories, and advanced step by step toward the depths.

Along the way, he saw more traces of battle, and even some remains of Star Palace guards contaminated by strange black substances, still wriggling and struggling—clearly caused by the erosion of the so-called "Deep Space Demon" power.

The rule fragment showed strong repulsion and destructive desire toward these black substances.

Suddenly, within the illusion ahead, several figures entirely condensed from starlight appeared. They held Star Halberds, their faces expressionless, blocking the way.

"Intruder... halt..." Cold, mechanical Divine Thought fluctuations transmitted the message.

Star Palace Defense Puppet!

Nightmare's eyes turned cold, and he did not slow down, charging straight ahead!

The Starlight Puppets immediately swung their halberds, drawing on the surrounding Power of the Stars, turning it into an incredibly sharp torrent of starlight that blasted toward Nightmare!

Nightmare neither dodged nor avoided, channeling the power of the rule fragment into his right fist, and punched out!

Nirvana Star Evil!

The dark Fist Force contained the power to annihilate everything, colliding fiercely with the brilliant Torrent of Starlight!

Sizzle!

There was no earth-shattering explosion; the seemingly massive Torrent of Starlight was instantly eroded, disintegrated, and annihilated by the Annihilation Fist Force, as if it had met its nemesis! The Fist Force was unstoppable, directly shattering the Starlight Puppets!

The shattered Puppets transformed into pure Power of the Stars, which was absorbed by the rule fragment, instantly invigorating Nightmare's spirit.

The power of the rule fragment had absolute suppression over these Star Palace creations!

His confidence greatly increased, his speed accelerated, and he pushed forward relentlessly, forcefully breaking through layers of Restrictions and obstructing Puppets, continuously advancing deeper.

After an unknown amount of time, traversing countless corridors, shattered side halls, and dangerous illusions, he finally arrived before a massive, intact Starlight Gate.

Engraved on the gate was the Diagram of the Stars, and in the center was a strange indentation, identical in shape to the rule fragment inside his body!

The Feeling of Summons reached its peak!

This was the Final Secret Chamber!

Nightmare took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and took out the rule fragment that had always resided in his Dantian and was intertwined with his life.

He slowly pressed the fragment toward the indentation on the great gate.

A perfect fit!

Buzz—!

The entire Starlight Gate suddenly erupted with dazzling light! Countless star runes lit up, circulating endlessly! A vast, ancient, and majestic aura rushed toward him!

Click... The heavy Starlight Gate slowly opened a crack inward.

Behind the door was an infinitely deep vortex of starlight, seemingly containing the ultimate mysteries of the Universe.

The true Star Palace core Legacy was right before his eyes!

A look of determination flashed in Nightmare's eyes, and he took a step, entering the Starlight Vortex!

Just as he entered, in a corridor far away in the periphery, Money Maple (or rather, she who had concealed her identity) sensed something, looked toward the direction of the core Main Hall, and curled the corner of her mouth into a meaningful smile.

"Finally... it begins..."

And the withered old man beside her also had a flash of light in his cloudy eyes.

Further away, the Cultivators who were struggling to explore the outer ruins and fighting against Remnant Souls and Evil Spirits had no idea that the most important Treasure Trove of this relic already had an owner.

Nightmare's destiny, and even the future of the entire world, quietly shifted because of this one step.