Zhang Guanxing reunites, revealing the truth behind the secret pact.

Heavenly Derivation City had descended into chaos. Alarm bells rang incessantly, and the Sky Patrol Guard poured out in full force, sealing all city gates and key thoroughfares. Powerful Divine Sense swept across the entire city like a comb, attempting to find the audacious culprit who dared to assassinate the prince. Panic spread, and rumors flew.

At this moment, at the Star Gazing Pavilion in the west of the city, the figure of Nightmare appeared as silently as a ghost, still wearing the disguise of an ordinary middle-aged Cultivator. The pavilion was empty, with only the whistling mountain wind carrying the faint clamor from the city in the distance.

He stood by the edge of the pavilion with his hands behind his back, looking down at the massive city plunged into chaos. His eyes were calm and waveless, as if the assassination, which was enough to shake the entire Central Province, had nothing to do with him.

The power of the [rule fragment] spread silently, carefully sensing every inch of the surrounding space.

A moment later, the shadows in the corner of the pavilion rippled like water, and a figure wearing a wide black robe slowly condensed. It was exactly the same as their last meeting; the aura was cold, obscure, and elusive.

"Fellow Daoist truly has… excellent methods." The Black-Robed Person's hoarse voice rang out, carrying a hint of undisguisable admiration and… a trace of imperceptible apprehension. "To take the prince's life invisibly amidst an army, remaining unscathed yourself, and even causing the entire city to fall into chaos without incurring a shred of Karma… I am impressed, truly impressed!"

He had originally prepared many contingencies, even preparing for the possibility that Nightmare would fail or be exposed, but he never expected that the other party would complete the task so cleanly and efficiently in a way that completely exceeded his expectations. That Zhao Wuji had died so suspiciously that even the Royal Old Ancestor guarding him could not find a trace; such methods were nearly godlike!

Nightmare turned slowly, his cold gaze piercing through his disguise as it fell upon the Black-Robed Person. "Enough nonsense. This Sovereign's task is done. What about your promise?"

The Black-Robed Person gave a dry laugh. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, I am not one to break my word."

He took out a black Jade Slip and flicked it toward Nightmare. "This contains deeper secrets regarding the Ice Soul Immortal Palace, including several hidden paths to its core secret treasury that even Fairy Leng Yue might not know, as well as the locations of several key fatal points in the 'Profound Ice Path of Forgetting Emotion'. Furthermore… there are some speculative clues regarding the source of the old injury on your left shoulder, which might be useful to you."

Nightmare took the Jade Slip, sank his Divine Sense into it, and browsed quickly. The [rule fragment] rapidly analyzed and verified the authenticity of the information. A moment later, he raised his head, a flash of understanding in his eyes. The information was true, and of significant value, especially the speculation regarding the source of the old injury, which actually pointed to an ancient Forbidden Ground that had long since been annihilated.

"It seems you are well-prepared," Nightmare said indifferently, putting away the Jade Slip.

"Cooperating with a Fellow Daoist naturally requires showing sincerity." The Black-Robed Person's tone relaxed slightly. "Now that Zhao Wuji is dead, my wish has been fulfilled, and we are considered even."

"Even?" Nightmare's mouth curled into a cold arc. "You borrowed This Sovereign's hand to eliminate a prince of the Central Province, stirring up the wind and clouds, and now you want to wash your hands of it? Tell This Sovereign, who exactly are you? And what grudge do you bear against Zhao Wuji and the Central Province Imperial Dynasty?"

The Black-Robed Person's body stiffened slightly, his gaze flickering beneath the shadow. "Why must you press for the truth, Fellow Daoist? Knowing too much will do you no good. Our transaction is complete; it is better to part ways here and forget each other in the Jianghu…"

"Forget each other in the Jianghu?" Nightmare stepped forward, the formless and intangible Annihilation Domain around him spreading slightly. Although it did not fully erupt, it caused the temperature of the entire Star Gazing Pavilion to plummet, and even the light seemed to distort and dim. "What This Sovereign hates most is being used as a blade without even knowing who is wielding it."

His gaze was like a torch, locking onto the Black-Robed Person. "Will you say it yourself, or shall This Sovereign… come to see for myself?"

A terrifying sense of oppression descended like a physical force. The shadows around the Black-Robed Person fluctuated violently, as if under immense pressure. He took a sharp step back, his voice filled with shock and anger. "Nightmare! Do you intend to burn the bridge after crossing it?! Don't forget, I know your true identity!"

"Oh?" Nightmare's eyes grew colder. "You can try it and see whether your message travels faster, or This Sovereign's Nirvana destroys you first."

The Black-Robed Person was instantly rendered speechless. Having witnessed the other party's unfathomable killing methods, he did not doubt for a moment that the other party had the ability to destroy him instantly. The concealment and life-saving methods he had relied on were likely vulnerable before a true Law Domain.

After a moment of silence, the Black-Robed Person suddenly let out a long sigh. The hoarse voice began to change, becoming clearer and colder, yet still carrying an eerie, inhuman quality.

"Fine… since things have come to this, there is no harm in telling you." He slowly raised his hand and removed the wide hood covering his head.

Beneath the hood was not the human face he had expected, but a face… formed by countless tiny, black, beetle-like runes, constantly flowing and shifting! There were no facial features, only two hollow eye sockets where two clusters of ghostly blue Soul fire flickered! This was not a living person at all! It was more like a Puppet or a Soul entity refined through special means!

"As you can see, I am not a living person." The eerie face produced a voice. "I am a remnant Soul of Mo Cheng, the last Master of the 'Ghost Soul Manor', surviving by relying on this 'Ten Thousand Rune Soul Puppet'."

"Ghost Soul Manor?" Nightmare searched his memory but had never heard of this Sect.

"Naturally, Fellow Daoist has not heard of it." The voice of Mo Cheng's remnant Soul carried endless sorrow and hatred. "My Ghost Soul Manor was a branch of an ancient rune array Legacy, skilled in Soul runes and the art of Puppets, living in seclusion for generations, removed from the world. Only because my Manor accidentally obtained a remnant page of the 'Void Realm Ancient Array', we were branded by the Central Province Imperial Dynasty with the crime of 'colluding with extraterrestrial demons'!"

"The Zhao Imperial Clan! The person they sent to lead the team was the Seventh Prince at the time, who is the grandfather of the current Zhao Wuji, Zhao Zheng! He led people to raid my Manor, leaving no one alive, seizing the ancient array remnant page, and even forcibly extracting and refining the Souls of thousands of people in my Sect to nourish his Demonic Technique! I exhausted my last ounce of strength, self-destructing my Physical Body and most of my Divine Soul, only then managing to narrowly escape with this sliver of remnant Soul into this pre-prepared Soul Puppet, surviving until today!"

His voice fluctuated violently due to extreme resentment, and the face of the Soul Puppet twisted uncontrollably. "I have endured humiliation for so many years, laying plans in the dark, just to make the Zhao Imperial Clan pay for their blood debt! Killing Zhao Wuji is just the beginning! I want his entire lineage to be wiped out!"

Monstrous resentment spread, causing the surrounding air to become bone-chillingly cold.

Nightmare listened quietly, the [rule fragment] sensing the other party's Soul fluctuations, confirming that what he said was true. It turned out to be a blood feud that had lasted for generations.

"So, you sought out This Sovereign because This Sovereign is strong enough, and 'demonic' enough, to be a suitable blade for this revenge?" Nightmare said indifferently.

Mo Cheng's remnant Soul gradually calmed down, his ghostly blue Soul fire flickering. "Yes, but not entirely. I have observed you for a long time, from when you auctioned the Ice Soul Lotus in Heavenly Derivation City to entering the Star Palace ruins… The speed of your growth exceeds my imagination, and you have even mastered that… power approaching the Law. You are the most suitable candidate. Moreover, it is not impossible for us to continue cooperating."

"Cooperation?" Nightmare's eyes shifted slightly.

"Indeed," said Mo Cheng's remnant Soul. "Although Zhao Wuji is dead, my revenge is far from over. That old monster Zhao Zheng is likely still alive, and the power of the Imperial Clan is unfathomable. As for me, I possess all the secret legacies of the rune arrays of the Ghost Soul Manor, as well as… a rubbing of that remnant page of the 'Void Realm Ancient Array'. This array is incredibly profound, involving the secrets of space and even time; if it can be comprehended, it will have infinite wondrous uses."

"More importantly," he emphasized, "I know a huge secret of the Imperial Clan that concerns the entire Central Province, and even the safety of this world! The Imperial Clan seems to be secretly carrying out a terrifying plan related to that 'Void Realm Ancient Array' and… the extraterrestrial! They are capturing Cultivators with special Bloodlines or Soul entities, seemingly for this very plan!"

Nightmare's gaze narrowed. Extraterrestrial? He immediately thought of the "Deep Space Demons" mentioned by the Star Palace tomb keeper. Could the Central Province Imperial Dynasty actually be involved in this?

"You and I cooperate, each getting what we need." Mo Cheng's remnant Soul continued. "I will help you improve your strength, provide resources and intelligence, and even share that Void Realm Ancient Array with you. And you, when I need it, will help me deal with the Imperial Clan. How about it?"

Nightmare was silent for a moment. Mo Cheng's proposal was indeed tempting. The rune array Legacy of the Ghost Soul Manor, the Void Realm Ancient Array, and the secrets regarding the Imperial Clan all held immense value for him. And if the Imperial Clan was truly related to extraterrestrial demons, there would inevitably be a battle in the future.

"Very well," Nightmare finally nodded. "But how we cooperate must be led by This Sovereign. If you dare to conceal or scheme again, do not blame This Sovereign for letting this remnant Soul of yours be completely annihilated."

Mo Cheng's remnant Soul's fire flared brightly, as if he had let out a sigh of relief. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. After this, how could I dare to deceive you again? This is a strand of my life-bound Soul Rune. If you hold it, you can sense my state and transmit information at any time. It is a token of my sincerity."

He condensed a complex rune emitting a ghostly light and floated it toward Nightmare.

Nightmare took the rune, and after the [rule fragment] confirmed it was correct, he put it away.

"What are your plans next?" Nightmare asked. Now that the whole city was under martial Law, investigating the culprit, they both needed to lie low for a while.

Mo Cheng's remnant Soul said, "I will go underground and continue to investigate the Imperial Clan's plan in secret. It is best if you also leave Heavenly Derivation City temporarily to avoid the limelight. Although they cannot track you, they will inevitably conduct indiscriminate checks. I know of a hidden place that might be suitable for you to cultivate in seclusion temporarily, and it can help you avoid the Imperial Dynasty's tracking."

He flicked another Jade Slip out. "The location and route are here. If there is anything urgent, you can contact me through the Soul Rune."

Nightmare took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Divine Sense. The location was in an ancient mountain range at the border between the Central Province and the Western Desolation, which was indeed remote enough.

"Good," Nightmare nodded. "I will contact you if anything happens."

Having said that, he did not linger. With a flicker of his figure, he dissipated into the air like green smoke and returned directly to the inn.

Mo Cheng's remnant Soul (or rather, the Soul Puppet) looked in the direction where Nightmare had disappeared. The ghostly blue Soul fire flickered quietly as he muttered to himself: "Nirvana… Star Palace successor… perhaps… you really can stir up this stagnant pool, and even… change that destined catastrophe…"

"The road of revenge is finally no longer lonely…"

The Soul Puppet slowly sank into the shadows and disappeared.

The Star Gazing Pavilion returned to silence once more, with only the mountain wind whistling, as if no one had ever been there.

Inside the inn room, Su Wanqing sensed Nightmare returning, immediately opened her eyes, and looked over with concern.

Nightmare removed his disguise, restored his original appearance, and briefly informed her of the current situation.

"The Central Province Imperial Dynasty… should we leave immediately?" Su Wanqing was also shocked to hear about the prince's death and said with concern.

"Yes," Nightmare nodded. "This place is not suitable for a long stay. We will go to a quiet place. You need time to fully recover, and I also need to go into seclusion to digest what I have gained this time."

He embraced Su Wanqing, and the space around them distorted slightly. The next moment, the two of them appeared silently outside the inn and merged into the crowd.

Relying on the [rule fragment]'s subtle influence on space and the Annihilation Domain's shielding of their own presence, they easily avoided all patrols and Divine Sense scans, like droplets merging into the ocean, quietly heading outside Heavenly Derivation City.

A storm sweeping through the Central Province had already begun because of him. And at this moment, Nightmare, carrying new secrets and power, was heading to the next place of seclusion, preparing for the next… thunderous descent.