Chapter 160 Divination of Heavenly Secrets, First Glimpse into the Nine Netherworlds

Nightmare's voice was calm, yet it clearly penetrated the Jiang Family's “Latent Dragon Guixu Grand Formation” and echoed in the ears of every anxious Jiang Family member.

The valley was completely silent.

Through the Formation light screen, they had clearly witnessed the brief but terrifying battle outside! That mysterious Black-Robed Person had crushed a Soul Transformation expert as easily as an ant, and even heavily wounded and forced back the Void Refining Stage Saint Emissary who had made them despair! What horrifying power was this?

Now, this harbinger of doom stood outside the valley. What did he intend to do? Was he foe or friend?

Family Head Jiang Yunshan exchanged a look with the several Elders, seeing suspicion and determination in each other's eyes. If it was a blessing, it couldn't be avoided; if it was a curse, it couldn't be hidden. If the opponent truly harbored ill intentions, this Formation probably couldn't stop him.

Jiang Yunshan took a deep breath and declared loudly, "I am Jiang Yunshan, the Family Head of the Jiang Family. Thank you, Senior, for intervening! Please wait a moment, Senior, we shall open the Formation now!"

He signaled the Elder controlling the Formation to open a gap in the light barrier. He then led the Grand Elder, and the two of them cautiously flew out, approaching Nightmare, and respectfully saluted.

"Junior Jiang Yunshan (Jiang Shi), greets Senior! Thank you, Senior, for the great life-saving grace!" Both men adopted an extremely humble posture; facing an existence that could easily slay Soul Transformation experts and force back Void Refining experts, they dared not show the slightest disrespect.

Nightmare's gaze swept over the two. rule fragment sensed the faint but unique Bloodline Power fluctuation on Jiang Yunshan, which was indeed related to Heavenly Derivation.

"This Sovereign did not specifically come for your Jiang Family; it was merely a coincidence." Nightmare said calmly. "This intervention was also done in exchange for something I seek."

Jiang Yunshan's heart stirred, and he quickly said, "Senior, whatever your command, the entire Jiang Family will do its utmost to repay this great favor!" The fact that the other party had a request actually put them at ease; what they feared most were capricious old monsters who acted without reason.

"This Sovereign needs to find a place called 'Nine Nether'." Nightmare stated directly. "Since your Jiang Family excels at divination and Heavenly Derivation, can you deduce its specific location or entrance?"

"Nine Nether?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunshan and Grand Elder Jiang Shi's expressions changed. They exchanged glances, seeing shock and difficulty in each other's eyes.

"What? Is there a problem?" Nightmare's gaze chilled slightly.

Jiang Yunshan quickly bowed: "I dare not conceal anything from Senior. The name 'Nine Nether' is indeed mentioned in my Jiang Family's ancestral 'Heavenly Derivation Secret Records,' but the description is extremely vague. It only says it is 'a place neither living nor dead, a gap between Yin and Yang, the shadow where all spirits return,' that it is extremely dangerous and an ancient ominous Forbidden Ground. Anyone involved with it will surely suffer misfortune... Furthermore, the Heavenly Derivation heavily obscures it, and forcing a deduction might incur heavenly wrath and backlash..."

His words were filled with deep dread.

Nightmare's expression remained unchanged: "Can it be deduced?"

Jiang Yunshan felt the pressure beneath that calm gaze and gritted his teeth: "Benefactor has saved my Family from annihilation, and the Jiang Family has no way to repay! Even if it means losing Lifespan and suffering backlash, Junior will do his best to try! Please follow me into the Valley, as I must utilize the ancestral 'Heavenly Derivation Mirror' and the 'Blood Divination Technique' to attempt this!"

"Lead the way." Nightmare was succinct.

Jiang Yunshan and the other man dared not delay, immediately leading Nightmare through the Formation gap and into the Latent Dragon Valley.

The Family members inside the Valley, seeing the Family Head invite the mysterious powerful expert in, were both curious and terrified, quickly stepping aside to salute. Nightmare ignored everything around him, following Jiang Yunshan directly to a secret chamber deep within the Jiang Family ancestral hall.

In the center of the secret chamber, an ancient bronze mirror was enshrined, its edges engraved with profound Talismans. The mirror surface, however, was hazy, as if shrouded in eternal mist. This was the Jiang Family's ancestral treasure—the Heavenly Derivation Mirror.

On the floor of the secret chamber, a complex Blood Formation was inscribed.

Jiang Yunshan dismissed everyone, leaving only Grand Elder Jiang Shi as Protector. He first bowed respectfully three times to the Heavenly Derivation Mirror, then took out a jade knife and unhesitatingly sliced open his palm, allowing crimson blood to drip into the designated grooves of the Formation.

"With my blood, I summon the spirits of my ancestors; with my Divine Soul, I question Heavenly Derivation..." Jiang Yunshan chanted ancient incantations. His Bloodline Power surged, and the faint divination power was pushed to its maximum.

The Blood Formation on the ground suddenly lit up, and streaks of bloody light poured into the Heavenly Derivation Mirror at the center.

Buzz!

The Heavenly Derivation Mirror shook violently. The mist on the mirror surface began to churn, and countless fragments of light and shadow flickered indistinctly, yet they were chaotic and difficult to coalesce.

Jiang Yunshan's face rapidly turned pale, and veins bulged on his forehead, clearly under immense pressure. He suddenly bit his tongue, spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the mirror surface, and roared hoarsely: "Heavenly Derivation Mirror, assist me! Reveal—Nine—Nether—!"

Crack! Snap!

The Heavenly Derivation Mirror groaned under the strain, and a tiny crack actually appeared on its surface! But at the same time, the churning mist finally managed to coalesce into an extremely blurry image—

It was a boundless, deep darkness, without up or down, left or right, only cold silence and flowing shadow. Vaguely visible were enormous, twisted, and indescribable silhouettes floating in the darkness... In the center of the image, there seemed to be a massive fissure spanning the Void Realm. The edges of the fissure shimmered with dark purple, eerie light, emanating an aura that devoured all life and connected to an unknown shore... Just as the image was about to clear!

Boom!

An invisible yet terrifying backlash force suddenly erupted from the Heavenly Derivation Mirror! It was as if some existence in the netherworld had been enraged!

Pfft!

Jiang Yunshan was struck by a heavy blow, spitting out blood. He flew backward, his aura instantly becoming extremely weak, and the light of his Divine Soul dimmed! The cracks on the Heavenly Derivation Mirror instantly spread, and its spiritual light completely faded, clearly suffering severe damage!

"Family Head!" Grand Elder Jiang Shi was horrified and rushed forward to support Jiang Yunshan.

Nightmare frowned slightly. rule fragment Power rippled slightly, silently soothing and annihilating the invisible backlash force filling the secret chamber. He raised his hand and sent a stream of Power of Annihilation containing vitality into Jiang Yunshan's body, stabilizing his collapsing life force and Divine Soul.

Jiang Yunshan slowly woke up, his face pale as paper. He weakly said to Nightmare, "Th-thank you, Senior... Junior is incompetent... I could only glimpse this much... That fissure... seems... seems to be located deep within the 'Endless Sea'... near the 'Eye of Guixu'... The exact location... cannot be determined..."

Having finished speaking, he fainted again.

"Endless Sea... Eye of Guixu..." Nightmare murmured these two place names. rule fragment vibrated slightly, sending a faint sensation pointing toward the distant East. The Endless Sea was the most vast and boundless ocean in this world, mysterious and unpredictable, and the Eye of Guixu was a legendary ocean Forbidden Zone—easy to enter, impossible to leave.

Although the scope was still large, it was much better than having no clues at all.

"Take good care of your Family Head." Nightmare said calmly to Jiang Shi, then tossed out a jade bottle. "This Medicinal Pill can help him recover his Origin Qi."

Jiang Shi quickly took it, tears of gratitude streaming down his face: "Thank you, Senior, for the medicine! The Jiang Family will never forget Senior's grace!"

Nightmare said nothing further and turned to leave the secret chamber. He was quite satisfied with the result of this trip; at least he had a clear direction.

Just as he was about to leave the Latent Dragon Valley, Grand Elder Jiang Shi hurried after him, holding an ancient compass made of neither metal nor wood.

"Senior, please wait!" Jiang Shi respectfully presented the compass. "This is another ancestral item of my Jiang Family, the 'star fixing compass.' Although it has no offensive or defensive capabilities, it is extremely sensitive to spatial fluctuations and abnormal energy. It might help Senior locate the 'Eye of Guixu' in the Endless Sea. Please accept it as a small token of the Jiang Family's gratitude!"

Nightmare's gaze swept over the compass. rule fragment sensed that this item was indeed somewhat mysterious, so he nodded and accepted it.

"This matter is concluded. This Sovereign takes his leave."

With that, his figure flickered and vanished from the Latent Dragon Valley.

After leaving the Black Wind Domain, Nightmare did not immediately rush to the Endless Sea in the East. The Eye of Guixu was unpredictable and dangerous, and he needed to make more thorough preparations. Moreover, Su Wanqing was still in the Immortal Cave in the Red Dragon Mountain Range.

He first made a detour to a large Cultivator market, purchased detailed sea charts and intelligence Jade Slips regarding the Endless Sea and the Eye of Guixu, and stocked up on some special Medicinal Pills and Talismans he might need.

Subsequently, he returned directly to the hidden Immortal Cave in the Red Dragon Mountain Range.

Inside the Immortal Cave, Su Wanqing had already emerged from seclusion. After several months of quiet Cultivation, she had not only fully recovered from her injuries and eliminated the hidden dangers of the Supreme Art of Forgetting Emotion, but her cultivation had also benefited from the misfortune, successfully achieving a Breakthrough to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, making her aura more condensed and profound.

Seeing Nightmare return, while she was delighted, she also keenly noticed that her master seemed to possess an indescribable sense of vicissitude, and... an even deeper sense of danger.

Nightmare briefly informed her of his trip to the Black Wind Domain and handed the star fixing compass to her for temporary safekeeping and study. Su Wanqing was quite interested in the compass; the star Talismans and spatial markers on it shared similarities with what she had learned.

"Is Master planning to go to the Endless Sea next?" Su Wanqing asked softly, with no fear in her eyes, only the determination to follow.

"Hmm." Nightmare nodded. "The Eye of Guixu is extraordinary; preparations must be made. This Sovereign needs to enter seclusion for a period to fully integrate what I have gained this time. You also need to stabilize your Realm. You may be required to activate the star fixing compass to assist then."

"Wan Qing understands." Su Wanqing solemnly agreed.

Next, Nightmare entered the quiet room again and began a deeper level of seclusion.

During this seclusion, he not only needed to consolidate his cultivation but also to deeply explore the mysteries of the Law of Space within the rule fragment, preparing for the journey across the Endless Sea and the search for the Eye of Guixu. At the same time, he began to contemplate the vague image of the 'Nine Nether' obtained from the Jiang Family, attempting to capture more clues from it.

The rule fragment radiated light, and countless spatial Talismans were generated and destroyed. Nightmare's aura was sometimes ethereal, as if merging into the Void Realm; sometimes solid and heavy, as if capable of suppressing eternity.

His comprehension of space rapidly improved. He could already perform precise instantaneous shifts over extremely long distances and had even initially touched upon the Domain of space folding.

Time once again flew by during Cultivation.

Outside the Immortal Cave, the Red Dragon Mountain Range remained desolate and silent, but the Central Continent was surging with undercurrents, and a storm was brewing due to the news of the death of the Heavenly Derivation City Prince and the annihilation of the Imperial Dynasty squad in the Black Wind Domain.

But for now, none of this concerned the two people inside the Immortal Cave.

Until one day, Nightmare suddenly opened his eyes, and countless spatial fissures seemed to appear and vanish within his pupils.

He slowly raised his hand and gently slashed at the Void Realm in front of him.

Tear—!

A slender, stable spatial fissure, like silk torn open by an invisible hand, appeared out of thin air in the quiet room! From the other side of the fissure, the scenery of the opposite side of the Red Dragon Mountain Range faintly appeared!

Spatial Tear!

This meant that his application of the Law of Space had entered a new Realm!

It was time to go to the Endless Sea.