Chapter 162 Nine Nether Skeletons, Silent Clash

Those pair of ghastly green giant eyes slowly moved in the endless darkness, carrying suffocating pressure, locking onto Nightmare and Su Wanqing, the uninvited guests. The malice contained in that hoarse, ancient roar was bone-chilling, enough to freeze the Divine Soul of a Deity Transformation Cultivator!

Su Wanqing's face was pale, almost unable to breathe under the terrifying pressure, and instinctively leaned tightly against Nightmare.

Nightmare's eyes were extremely solemn, rule fragment warning frantically! The strength of this unknown existence before him far surpassed the Void Refining Stage Saint Envoy he had encountered before, even giving him a feeling similar to facing the Star Palace Tomb Keeper! This was definitely a Late stage Lianxu, or perhaps even a terrifying Hedao Stage existence!

Moreover, in these Nine Nether Lands, the opponent held an absolute geographical advantage; its power seemed to be integrated with the entire environment!

"Step back!" Nightmare roared in a low voice, shielding Su Wanqing behind him. His Annihilation Domain suddenly expanded to its limit. That absolute "nothingness" Domain forcibly opened up a safe zone, resisting the overwhelming deathly pressure that surged forth.

"The taste of... Annihilation?" The giant existence seemed to sense the power of Nightmare's Domain, letting out a roar filled with confusion and even stronger disgust, "Disgusting... Dao Thief... Die!"

Boom!

A colossal bone claw, completely formed by pure Nine Nether Death Qi and obscuring the sky and sun, suddenly reached out from the darkness, carrying terrifying power that annihilated all life, and fiercely grabbed towards Nightmare's Annihilation Domain!

The might of this claw seemed to condense all the death Law of the Nine Nether Lands. Wherever it passed, space froze, and all things withered!

Nightmare's pupils contracted sharply; he dared not hold back in the slightest! rule fragment shone brightly, and the power of his Nirvana Law circulated with unprecedented intensity!

"Annihilation: Guixu!"

He thrust his palms forward fiercely, the power of the Annihilation Domain highly condensed, transforming into an incredibly deep black vortex, as if it could swallow all light in the Universe, meeting the giant bone claw!

This was not a simple defense, but a direct collision of two distinct Law powers, both representing "endings"!

One was the Nirvana Law of cosmic entropy and the end of all things!

The other was the Netherworld Law of the Nine Nether Lands, the ultimate destination of death!

Boom Kaka—!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a grating, strange sound, as if the Laws themselves were grinding and eroding each other!

The black vortex and the pale bone claw collided violently! At the junction, light twisted, and space cracked inch by inch like a shattered mirror, revealing deeper darkness beneath!

The Annihilation vortex spun frantically, attempting to completely annihilate and decompose the Netherworld bone claw! Meanwhile, the Netherworld bone claw erupted with monstrous Death Qi, intending to completely freeze and assimilate this "anomaly" that dared to provoke the Nine Nether Laws, turning it into a part of death!

The two extreme powers were locked in a stalemate, consuming each other!

Nightmare's body trembled violently, his face slightly pale. The opponent's power level was too high, and it was inexhaustible, as if backed by the entire Nine Nether Lands! Although his Nirvana Law was of an extremely high rank, his cultivation Realm still had a gap. Such a head-on clash consumed a vast amount of energy and could not last long!

The existence in the darkness also seemed startled, not expecting this "tiny" being to be able to block its enraged strike!

"Roar!!" It let out an even more furious roar, and another giant bone claw condensed again, carrying even more terrifying power, tearing through the darkness and slamming down fiercely!

Both claws arrived simultaneously! Their power more than doubled!

Nightmare's pressure sharply increased, and the Annihilation vortex vibrated violently, on the verge of collapsing!

Just then, rule fragment suddenly transmitted a stream of information—not about offense or defense, but about how to use the Nirvana Law to simulate, assimilate, and even... steal the Nine Nether Death Qi of this place!

Annihilation inherently encompasses all forms of endings! Death is also a form of ending!

A sudden enlightenment! Nightmare's eyes suddenly burst forth with frightening brilliance!

He no longer forcibly resisted the immense Nine Nether Death Qi; instead, he actively opened a tiny gap in his Annihilation Domain, guiding a portion of the Death Qi to surge in!

At the same time, rule fragment operated and analyzed with unprecedented efficiency. The power of the Nirvana Law subtly changed, no longer purely annihilating, but taking on a characteristic of "inclusion and transformation"!

The surging Nine Nether Death Qi did not corrode Nightmare; instead, it was captured, decomposed, and transformed by the rapidly spinning Annihilation vortex into an even more bizarre and powerful gray-black energy, containing both annihilation and death characteristics!

Using the opponent's spear to attack their shield!

"Take this back!"

Nightmare let out a low roar, controlling the transformed gray-black energy, mixed with his own Power of Annihilation, and fiercely injected it into the vortex!

Boom!

The originally pitch-black Annihilation vortex instantly turned an even deeper and more terrifying gray-black! Its power surged dramatically! Its rotation speed greatly increased!

Crack crack!

Under the impact of this mutated power, the two giant Netherworld bone claws finally could not hold on. Countless cracks appeared on their surfaces, and then they violently shattered, turning into a sky full of pure Death Qi energy!

But this time, this Death Qi did not dissipate back into the Nine Nether Lands; instead, it was frantically devoured and absorbed by the gray-black vortex, further strengthening the vortex's power!

"Impossible!!" The existence in the darkness let out an incredulous and enraged roar! It couldn't understand why a living being could control and even transform its power?!

Nightmare, having gained the upper hand, pressed on without mercy. rule fragment locked onto the direction of the ghastly green giant eyes, controlling the Annihilation vortex, which had expanded several times and turned terrifyingly gray-black, and fiercely pushed it into the depths of the darkness!

"Annihilation: Funeral!"

The gray-black vortex was like an ever-expanding black hole. Wherever it passed, all things returned to Guixu, and even darkness itself was swallowed! Its might was even more terrifying than the previous attacks of that Nine Nether existence!

The existence in the darkness seemed to sense a real threat, letting out a startled and enraged roar. Its massive body moved abruptly in the darkness, seemingly trying to evade!

But the Annihilation vortex was too fast, reaching it in an instant!

Boom—!

A muffled, ultimate roar echoed through the Nine Nether Lands!

The ghastly green giant eyes suddenly dimmed, letting out a painful wail! Countless pitch-black, oil-like liquids sprayed out from the darkness—that was its "blood"!

rule fragment could clearly perceive that the opponent's aura instantly weakened by a large margin, evidently suffering no minor injuries!

"Ant... you dare to harm me!!" The existence completely went mad. The entire Nine Nether Lands trembled with its rage, and even more terrifying power brewed in the darkness!

But Nightmare knew well that the previous strike was a clever trick and his limit. If he were to fight to the death, he might not fare well, not to mention having to protect Su Wanqing.

"Go!"

He did not linger in combat. The power of rule fragment violently tore open the space behind him, which had become extremely unstable due to the previous collision, grabbed Su Wanqing, and instantly vanished into it!

The very next second after they disappeared, the spot where they had stood was completely engulfed by an indescribable, solidified death shockwave. That area of space was utterly transformed into an absolute death Domain!

...When they reappeared from the spatial rift, both had already moved far away from the terrifying existence's direct Domain.

The surroundings were still endless darkness and silence, but that heart-pounding sense of being locked onto had vanished.

Nightmare's face was pale, his aura somewhat chaotic. Although the previous confrontation seemed to give him the upper hand, it had consumed him greatly, especially the forced transformation of Nine Nether Death Qi, which was a huge burden on rule fragment and his Divine Soul.

Su Wanqing quickly supported him, asking worriedly, "Master, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a bit exhausted." Nightmare quickly swallowed several Medicinal Pills for recovery, adjusted his breathing for a moment, and his complexion improved slightly. He scanned his surroundings, rule fragment still faintly vibrating, guiding their direction.

"What was that thing?" Su Wanqing felt lingering fear.

"It should be an ancient existence naturally born from the Nine Nether Lands, which can be called a 'Nether Skeleton'. Its strength is likely close to the Hedao Stage, and it's even harder to contend with here." Nightmare said in a deep voice, "We need to find our target quickly and leave this place."

His rule fragment's sensing and the faint throbbing of his old wound on his left shoulder both pointed in the same direction.

The two cautiously moved forward in the darkness. Nightmare retracted his Annihilation Domain to only envelop their bodies, perfectly concealing all vital Qi, like two cold stones moving.

Along the way, they saw more bizarre sights: bones of unknown creatures as vast as mountain ranges, shattered ancient chariots, clusters of ruined ancient palaces floating in the Void Realm, and even a faint, flowing phantom of a river with turbid yellow water, on whose bank stood a huge stone tablet carved with unidentifiable characters... Everything exuded an aura of eternal death, as if they had stumbled into the ruins of an ultimate battlefield from a mythical era.

Finally, guided by rule fragment, they arrived at a relatively "calm" area.

Here, there were no floating debris, only a pitch-black, mirror-smooth "ground." And in the center of the "ground," something was stuck.

It was a broken, entirely black, anciently styled... sword tip?

It was only about a foot long, with jagged edges, quietly stuck there, as if it had endured hundreds of millions of years. The sword body was covered with countless intricate, even deeper dark patterns. These patterns seemed to possess life, slowly flowing, emitting an ultimate, pure sense of "Annihilation" and "Ending"!

This Annihilation intent was far more ancient, purer, and closer to the Origin than what Nightmare himself had mastered!

rule fragment vibrated with unprecedented intensity at this moment, conveying emotions of immense longing and excitement! The same source of throbbing from his old wound on his left shoulder also reached its extreme!

Undoubtedly, this was the thing rule fragment had sensed, and the source of his old wound! A broken sword tip containing the most primordial Power of Annihilation!

Nightmare slowly walked forward. The closer he got, the more he felt the terrifying power emanating from the sword tip. If he hadn't also mastered the Nirvana Law himself, he would probably have been annihilated by the residual power it emitted the moment he approached.

He extended his finger, cautiously reaching towards the sword tip.

Just as his fingertip was about to touch it—

The black sword tip, which had been still for eons, suddenly trembled slightly!

A faint but incredibly pure Origin Power of Annihilation, as if finding its home, actively surged into Nightmare's body along his fingertip, instantly merging with rule fragment and his own Nirvana Law!

Boom!

Nightmare's body trembled violently, as if billions of stars were born and destroyed in his mind! Countless deeper, more ancient insights into the Origin of Annihilation surged in like a tide!

The light of rule fragment was brighter than ever before, and its form seemed to have undergone a subtle, imperceptible change, becoming more complete, more profound! The mysterious patterns on its surface faintly echoed the patterns on the sword tip!

Although his cultivation Realm did not immediately Breakthrough, his understanding and control of the Nirvana Law instantly rose to a new level! He even touched a trace of... the shadow of the Great Dao of Annihilation!

As for the sword tip, after transmitting that trace of Origin power, the dark patterns on its surface seemed to dim slightly, but it still exuded terrifying might.

Nightmare could feel that the sword tip still contained even more massive Origin power, but with his current Realm, he could only absorb and refine this insignificant trace. Any more, and he would be assimilated by it, his own consciousness annihilated, completely becoming a part of Annihilation.

"This object... is too terrifying..." Nightmare's heart was solemn. This was by no means something that should exist in this world! Its Origin was probably astonishingly great!

He tried to pull it out, but the sword tip seemed to be integrated with the entire Nine Nether Lands, not moving an inch. rule fragment indicated that unless he could completely control this sword tip, or possess the power to tear apart the entire Nine Nether Lands, he could not take it away.

To obtain a trace of Origin was already a heaven-sent Opportunity.

Nightmare no longer forced it, bowing slightly to the sword tip. Regardless of its Origin, he had received a favor this time.

With the Origin replenished, rule fragment's perception of the Nine Nether Lands became even clearer, even faintly discerning several relatively stable spatial rifts leading to the outside world.

"It's time to leave." Nightmare said to Su Wanqing. This place was not suitable for prolonged stay, and that "Nether Skeleton" probably wouldn't let them off easily.

He selected a passage that rule fragment judged to be relatively safe, once again tore open space, and, taking Su Wanqing with him, vanished into it.

Soon after they left, the ghastly green giant eyes lit up again in the distant darkness, gazing with resentment and a hint of surprise towards the black sword tip, yet seeming extremely wary, not daring to approach another step... Endless Sea, somewhere on the edge of the Eye of Guixu.

A spatial rift opened, and Nightmare and Su Wanqing tumbled out, looking somewhat disheveled. Feeling the familiar scent of seawater and the terrifying suction force around them, both breathed a sigh of relief. They had finally escaped from the bizarre Nine Nether Lands.

Nightmare dared not delay, immediately activating rule fragment fully, locking onto the direction of the distant continent, and once again tearing through space, making multiple long-distance jumps to completely distance themselves from the forbidden zone of the Eye of Guixu.

After several days, the two finally set foot on solid ground again, a desolate coastal reef.

Looking back at the still heart-pounding depths of the Endless Sea, Nightmare sat down cross-legged.

“I need to go into seclusion for a period.”

This trip to the Nine Nether Lands brought immense gains, but also immense risks. That trace of Origin Power of Annihilation needed to be digested and absorbed as quickly as possible, transforming into true strength. Moreover, he felt that after this experience, the Opportunity to Breakthrough to the Void Refining Stage might not be far off.

Su Wanqing nodded silently, standing guard beside him.

Nightmare closed his eyes, his mind completely immersed in rule fragment and the newly acquired Origin power.

A storm, perhaps, was about to truly descend because of his recent gains.