Survival in chaos

Nightmare moved away from the altar, sneaking deeper into the ruins battlefield, towards the area where the Laws were most chaotic and the energy most violent.

The deeper he went, the harsher the environment became. Space was no longer merely distorted; it was covered in cracks like a shattered mirror, threatening to collapse completely at any moment. Enormous, colorful energy storms raged and roared in the Void Realm like primordial beasts. Here, hardly any complete ruins could be seen, only the most primitive Chaos and destruction.

Even Nightmare's Myriad Poison Demonic Body felt immense pressure in this place, and his protective vital energy was consumed at an accelerating rate. He had to be more careful, avoiding the most dangerous energy currents and spatial rifts.

His target was the true 'overlord' of this area—according to scattered records on sea charts and rumors from the Ruins Market, an ancient and terrifying Void Demon Whale resided in this core region.

This beast was not made of flesh and blood, but rather condensed from pure Void Realm energy and chaotic Laws. Its body was as vast as a mountain, its temperament extremely brutal, taking pleasure in devouring spatial fragments and living beings that strayed into its territory. Its strength was comparable to a Mid-stage Dao Replenishing or even Late-Stage Transformation Spirit mighty expert! Ordinary people would never dare to provoke it.

Nightmare naturally wasn't going to challenge it; instead, he intended to... startle it!

He followed the direction of the most violent energy and the densest roars from the Void Realm, eventually spotting the colossal creature in an area of energy whirlpools resembling a boiling oil pot.

Even with prior mental preparation, Nightmare was still profoundly shaken.

The Demonic Whale's body was almost impossible to see in its entirety with the naked eye, as if it were a moving, living chaotic nebula! Its skin was like flowing dark crystal, refracting the surrounding chaotic light, and its massive body was covered in bizarre patterns formed by solidified lightning and spatial cracks. Each breath it took stirred energy tides for countless miles around, and when it opened its giant mouth, it could swallow large swathes of shattered space.

Just gazing at it from afar, the terrifying pressure made one's Divine Soul tremble.

"It's you..." Nightmare took a deep breath, suppressing the tremor in his heart. This plan was extremely insane; a slight misstep, and he would be the first to be devoured by the whale.

He cautiously moved along the edge of the Demonic Whale's activity range, searching for a suitable opportunity and location.

Finally, he found a relatively stable, massive floating rock mountain, conveniently located near the Demonic Whale's frequent patrol path, and the material of the rock mountain seemed to conduct energy quite well.

This is it!

Nightmare's eyes sharpened. He quickly formed hand seals, injecting his vast Demonic Essence, mixed with Azure Qi and Blood and Xiangliu Poison, into the rock mountain beneath his feet without reservation! He wasn't launching an attack, but rather using himself as a conduit to create unprecedented energy fluctuations!

He reversed the method for drawing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the Flowing Cloud Illusory Annihilation Art, combined with the Myriad Poison Demonic Body's devouring characteristic, frantically extracting the surrounding violent chaotic energy and forcibly channeling it into the rock mountain!

Immediately, a massive energy whirlpool began to form around him! It was like throwing another fire into a boiling oil pot!

Rumble!

The entire rock mountain trembled violently, emitting a groan of unbearable strain! Dazzling light and chaotic energy fluctuations erupted like a lighthouse in the dark night, piercing through layers of Chaos!

"Roar—!!!"

Almost immediately, the seemingly dormant Void Demon Whale in the distance was startled! Its massive body twisted abruptly, stirring up ten thousand feet of energy waves! Its gigantic eyes, formed of pure energy, instantly locked onto Nightmare's direction!

The anger of being provoked by a tiny creature, coupled with the attraction of those pure energy fluctuations, made it let out a roar that shook the Void Realm!

It's coming!

Nightmare's scalp tingled. Without a second thought, he pushed the Demonic Shadow Evasion Technique to its limit, even burning a trace of his Vital Essence Blood, transforming into an almost transparent phantom and desperately fleeing towards the altar!

Behind him, the thoroughly enraged Void Demon Whale, carrying destructive might, shattered countless spatial fragments and crushed through energy storms, like an out-of-control chaotic meteor, thundering in pursuit!

Wherever it passed, all things were annihilated!

Nightmare pushed his speed to his life's limit, even feeling the increasingly close, terrifying pressure and suction behind him that almost froze his Soul!

He frantically calculated distances and angles, weaving through countless ruins and debris, leading the Demonic Whale directly towards the altar!

...Above the altar.

Elder Mo Sha was meditating with closed eyes, overseeing the final preparations for the blood sacrifice ritual. Vigilant Wolf Protector and others patrolled and guarded below nervously.

Suddenly, Elder Mo Sha's eyes snapped open, a trace of shock appearing on his face beneath his hood: "Such powerful energy fluctuations! What's coming this way?!"

Vigilant Wolf Protector also sensed it. The terrifying pressure sweeping in from afar like a tsunami made even a Late Nascent Soul Stage feel a pounding heart!

"Elder! It seems to be... that old Demonic Whale from the core region! It seems to have gone berserk!" a subordinate shouted in terror.

"How can that be? That beast usually never leaves its lair!" Vigilant Wolf Protector was both shocked and suspicious.

Just then, they saw a faint, almost imperceptible streak of light flash past from the side at an incredible speed, instantly disappearing into the ruins below.

And right behind it, the Void Demon Whale, so massive it obscured their vision, carrying monstrous rage and endless chaotic energy, had already rushed to the vicinity of the altar!

It clearly took the energy fluctuations emanating from the altar (especially the vitality and resentment generated by the blood sacrifice) as a provocation and attraction, or rather, it simply didn't care what it was; anything that stood in the way of its rage had to be destroyed!

"This is bad! It's coming for us! Activate the altar's defenses!" Elder Mo Sha's face changed drastically as he roared furiously!

Vigilant Wolf Protector and the others frantically tried to activate the defensive Formation around the altar!

But it was too late!

The enraged Void Demon Whale gave no time to react. With a fierce flick of its giant tail, a destructive torrent composed of pure Void Realm energy, like a celestial river pouring down, violently slammed into the altar's protective barrier!

Boom—!!!!!!!!!!!

An earth-shattering roar erupted!

The altar's protective barrier violently twisted and flickered, its surface instantly covered in cracks! The few Sea Hook Gang Cultivators standing on the outermost edge didn't even have time to scream before they were directly shaken into dust!

The entire altar shook violently, rock fragments flying everywhere! The imprisoned Cultivators were thrown about, screams and the clanging of chains resounding throughout!

The blood sacrifice ritual was forcibly interrupted! The several flickering evil runes in the center suddenly dimmed!

"Hold steady! Hold it steady!" Elder Mo Sha was both shocked and enraged. His Soul Transformation Stage cultivation burst forth with full power, his hands pressed against the altar's core, trying to stabilize the Formation.

Vigilant Wolf Protector also desperately poured in his vital energy.

However, their opponent was a Void Demon Whale comparable to a Late-Stage Transformation Spirit!

Seeing that one strike failed to completely destroy that 'eyesore,' the Demonic Whale grew even angrier, and its massive body directly rammed towards the altar!

With its size and strength, if it connected, the entire altar would likely disintegrate instantly!

"Damn it!" Elder Mo Sha's eyes were bloodshot. He could no longer bother to maintain the ritual, roaring as he shot into the sky. His powerful Soul Transformation Stage magic power transformed into a black giant palm that covered the sky, slamming fiercely towards the Demonic Whale's head!

He had to stop it!

Vigilant Wolf Protector and the others also offered up their Magic Treasures, attacking the Demonic Whale, trying to attract its attention.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A Soul Transformation Stage battle erupted instantly!

Terrifying energy shockwaves spread wildly like ripples, leveling the surrounding ruins and debris once again! Space collapsed in large sections!

The entire altar area was plunged into unprecedented Chaos!

And under the cover of this extreme Chaos, a ghostly figure, like a venomous snake blending into the shadows, silently appeared at the bottom of the altar, among the imprisoned Cultivators.

It was Nightmare, who had returned!

His face was pale, and his aura was somewhat disordered. Clearly, the earlier monster-luring and escape had consumed a great deal, but his eyes shone terrifyingly bright.

This was his only chance!

He struck like lightning, the Nirvana Field poisonous light flashing on his fingertips, precisely cutting towards the black chains that bound the Cultivators!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

Those specially made chains, capable of imprisoning Nascent Soul Cultivators, snapped like rotten wood under his Nirvana Field finger wind!

"If you don't want to die, follow me!" Nightmare's voice was hoarse and low, yet carried an undeniable power.

The Cultivators, who had been numbly waiting for death, were first stunned, then their eyes burst with incredible ecstasy and a will to survive!

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist!"

"Our benefactor!"

They struggled to their feet one after another. Although weak, the instinct to survive supported them.

Nightmare didn't delay, quickly cutting chains while low-roaring: "Disperse! Flee towards the ruins in the northeast! Whether you live or die depends on your own fate!"

He couldn't take so many people with him; the target would be too large, and no one would escape.

The Cultivators instantly understood, gave Nightmare a grateful look, and then immediately fled desperately into the depths of the ruins in different directions!

"Oh no! The sacrifices have escaped!" Vigilant Wolf Protector, who was entangled with the Demonic Whale, caught a glimpse of the situation below from the corner of his eye, instantly filled with shock and rage!

"Little thief! How dare you!" Elder Mo Sha also discovered Nightmare, so angry he almost spat blood! So all this was this brat's doing!

He wanted to stop him, but the Void Demon Whale's attacks were like a torrential storm, making it impossible for him to disengage!

Nightmare rescued the last few Cultivators, not even looking at the two enraged figures in the sky. His figure flickered, once again employing the Demonic Shadow Evasion Technique, and rapidly fled towards the southwest, opposite to the direction most people went!

His objective had been achieved—create Chaos, interrupt the blood sacrifice, save people, and incidentally cause some major trouble for The Fisherman.

As for whether they could escape, that depended on their individual abilities.

Behind him were earth-shattering beast roars, angry bellows, and the terrifying rumbling of energy collisions.

The Sea of Nothingness, due to the stone he cast, stirred up monstrous waves.

And he himself was once again plunged into an even more dangerous escape.

But in Nightmare's eyes, a flame of excitement intertwined with calmness burned.

This was the challenge he wanted!

Walking on the edge of life and death, fighting for a path out of a ten-thousand-foot abyss!

His journey to the Gui Xu Sea Eye had just begun to get interesting.