Village history secrets, the pact of the forbidden land

Under the ancient tree in the center of the village, the villagers had been dispersed, leaving only the old village chief, Medicine Old Man, and a few of the village's oldest elders who knew part of the inside story.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Nightmare, their reverence mixed with undisguised anxiety.

Nightmare did not waste time; he directly and selectively informed them of the information he had obtained from Han Li's memories regarding the ancient demon descendants, the Eshi Yue Organization, and their plot concerning the Back Mountain Forbidden Land.

Of course, he omitted the specific details of the soul-searching, saying only that it was obtained through interrogation.

Although they were mentally prepared, when they heard the words "ancient demon descendants," "Eshi Yue Organization," and "inciting beast tides," the faces of the old village chief and the several elders turned pale instantly. Medicine Old Man also knitted his brows tightly and sighed deeply.

"What was bound to come has finally arrived..." The old village chief seemed to age significantly in an instant. His hand gripping his cane trembled slightly. "The warnings passed down by our ancestors were true after all."

"Village Chief, at this point, is there still a need to hide the secrets regarding the Back Mountain Forbidden Land and what the village is protecting?" Nightmare looked at him calmly. "Only by knowing the full picture can we cope with the crisis."

The old village chief and Medicine Old Man exchanged glances, then looked at the few elders. Finally, the old village chief seemed to have made up his mind and nodded heavily. "Mr. Ye has a grace of reconstruction towards our village and possesses the power to contend with this catastrophe; this secret should indeed no longer be hidden from Mr. Ye."

He cleared his hoarse throat and began to recount the secrets that had been passed down orally from generation to generation in Shiquan Village, but never recorded in writing:

"According to our ancestors, in the distant past, before the Land of Absolute Spirit era had descended, this world was not like it is now. Back then, Spiritual Qi was abundant, ten thousand races stood, and many powerful figures emerged among our Human Race ancestors. And this Cangwu Mountain Range, it is rumored, was once the place during the ancient era where a powerful Human Race figure debated the Dao and eventually fought a decisive battle with an ancient demon venerable named 'Cangwu'."

"No one knows the outcome of the decisive battle. We only know that since then, the Spiritual Qi in the Cangwu Mountain Range began to mutate and gradually withered. That ancient demon venerable seemed to have fallen here, but their remaining power and will transformed into an undying 'demon ancestor origin pact', which was sealed deep in the Back Mountain. And the ancestors of our Shiquan Village were the lineage of Contract Guardians left behind by that powerful Human Race figure."

"We have lived here for generations, not to protect some earth-shattering treasure, but to guard that 'demon ancestor origin pact'! Ancestral teachings state that this pact is of great importance. Once obtained by those with ulterior motives, especially ancient demon descendants, they could use it as a guide to gather the scattered ancient demon remnants and powers across this world, and perhaps even open a passage to a world where ancient demons remain, triggering chaos!"

Medicine Old Man added, his tone heavy: "Han Li's lineage of ancient demon descendants must have sensed the existence of the origin pact and has never given up. And that Eshi Yue Organization... judging by Mr. Ye's description, their methods of inciting Vicious Beasts seem quite similar to an evil technique recorded in ancient books that uses 'extraterritorial evil patterns' to erode and control living beings! If their goal is also the origin pact, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

"Extraterritorial evil patterns?" Nightmare's rule fragment stirred, immediately associating this with the rule patterns on the silver-white creation and that wisp of chaotic thought fragment.

"It is just an ancient designation; the specifics have long been lost." Medicine Old Man shook his head. "But the ancestral teachings explicitly mention that we must be vigilant against any existence that attempts to contact or destroy the Seal and carries an aura not from this world."

Nightmare's rule fragment quickly integrated the information. Shiquan Village was guarding the "demon ancestor origin pact". The ancient demon descendants (Han Li) wanted to seize it to revive their tribe, while the mysterious "Eclipse Moon" organization might have come from outside the territory (or possessed extraterritorial power). Their goals were unclear, but their methods were strange, capable of using rule fragments to incite Vicious Beasts.

His own arrival was clearly seen as a variable by "Eclipse Moon". And the loosening of the Seal in the Back Mountain Forbidden Land was the fuse for all these conflicts to erupt.

"Why has the Seal loosened?" Nightmare grasped the key point.

The old village chief and Medicine Old Man both looked bewildered. Medicine Old Man pondered: "According to my observations, in the last few decades, the fluctuations in the Back Mountain Forbidden Land have indeed occasionally been abnormal, but the reason is unknown. Perhaps... it is the passage of time, and the Seal is naturally decaying? Or perhaps it is related to some overall change in the Land of Absolute Spirit? Otherwise..." He glanced at Nightmare and did not continue, but the meaning was obvious; perhaps it was also related to the arrival of Nightmare, this "visitor from beyond the heavens."

Nightmare's rule fragment deduced that all these possibilities existed. But regardless, the loosening of the Seal was a fact, and the crisis was imminent.

"What is the current state of the Forbidden Ground's Seal? How much longer can it hold?" Nightmare asked.

"The core of the Seal is located in the deepest part of the Forbidden Ground, maintained by a formation eye left by our ancestors. The outer perimeter has naturally formed mazes and obstacles, as well as... some guardian creatures that have mutated due to the influence of the sealed power." The old village chief said, "As for how much longer it can hold... I do not know. But according to the ancestral teachings, when signs such as 'Earth Dragon turning over' (lava Dragon abnormal movement) and 'Yin Wind reversing' (Yin Wind Ravine abnormality) appear on the outskirts of the Forbidden Ground, it is a sign that the Seal is unstable."

Lava Dragon, Yin Wind Ravine... Nightmare's rule fragment understood; the places he had explored before were indeed related to the Forbidden Ground.

"In other words, one must enter the Forbidden Ground to reinforce or even repair the Seal?" Nightmare concluded.

The old village chief and Medicine Old Man's expressions stiffened, revealing bitterness: "Easier said than done... Not to mention the many dangers within the Forbidden Ground, the method to reinforce that core formation eye has long been lost. Moreover, according to the blood oath, the lineage of Contract Guardians must not voluntarily step into the Core Zone, otherwise, it will trigger unpredictable consequences."

Contract Guardians cannot enter? That is a trouble.

Nightmare's rule fragment pondered for a moment, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes: "Since that's the case, then I will go in."

"What?!" Everyone was shocked.

"Mr. Ye, absolutely not!" Medicine Old Man said anxiously, "The Forbidden Ground is full of dangers and contains the remaining will and power of the ancient demon venerable, which is extremely repulsive to non-Contract Guardians! Although you are powerful, entering alone is truly..."

"There is no other choice." Nightmare interrupted him. "Both Eclipse Moon and the ancient demon descendants are eyeing it covetously. If the Seal breaks, Shiquan Village will bear the brunt, and I will find it hard to protect myself then. Rather than waiting for death, it is better to take the initiative."

His rule fragment analyzed that since the "demon ancestor origin pact" was left by an ancient demon venerable, it might also contain the mysteries of the rules of this world's ancient era, which might be beneficial for his understanding of the Land of Absolute Spirit and perfecting his Chaos Dao Foundation. Risks and opportunities coexisted.

Seeing that Nightmare had made up his mind and that his words were reasonable, the old village chief, Medicine Old Man, and the others looked at each other in silence. Finally, they could only bow deeply: "In that case... everyone in Shiquan Village is grateful for Mr. Ye's great kindness! If Mr. Ye has any needs, everything in the village is at your disposal!"

"I need more detailed information about the terrain inside the Forbidden Ground, the dangers, and the location of the formation eye. The more detailed, the better." Nightmare made his request.

"I will go and get all the ancestral records and maps related to it right away!" The old village chief said immediately.

"I will also go and organize the records of the past Medicine Old Men regarding the vegetation, poisonous miasma, and strange beasts on the outskirts of the Forbidden Ground." Medicine Old Man added.

Everyone left in a hurry to prepare.

Nightmare stood alone under the ancient tree, his rule fragment looking towards the cloud-shrouded Back Mountain.

The demon ancestor origin pact, the extraterritorial Eclipse Moon, ancient demon descendants, Contract Guardians... various forces intertwined, all pointing towards the depths of that Forbidden Ground.

And he would enter the center of this vortex alone with his Chaos Dao Foundation.

This time, not only did he have to resolve the crisis, but he also had to take this opportunity to glimpse the secrets of this world's ancient era, allowing his Chaos Dao Foundation to be tempered and sublimated in true danger!