Blood Key Mystery

After escaping the ghostly ship's shadow of death, Nightmare became even more cautious. While recovering his depleted Demonic Essence, he navigated through increasingly perilous regions according to the precise route provided by the cloud key.

The closer he got to the second gate, the more the harshness of the environment increased exponentially. Space was no longer merely fragmented; it was like a shattered mirror haphazardly pieced back together. One moment there would be a relatively stable passage, and the next it would collapse without warning into a Spatial Abyss that devoured everything. Chaotic energy storms of various colors were commonplace, even mixed with 'Void Cold Tides' capable of freezing Divine Souls and 'Law Acid Rain' that corroded Magic Treasures.

Even a complete route map could only provide a high-probability safe path; constant vigilance was still required for sudden changes.

Nightmare pushed his Divine Sense to its limit, continuously operating The Azure Nether Life and Death Dao Mind-Cultivation Technique, searching for a sliver of life amidst countless deadly dangers. The Phantom Cloud Fox also completely stopped its playful antics, its purple eyes filled with vigilance, often sensing hidden spatial cracks or energy turbulence a step ahead and warning with urgent 'chirping' sounds.

After several more close calls with death, and even having to use the cloud key's short-range emergency teleportation function once (consuming precious energy), he finally arrived at the destination area marked on the route map.

The sight before him made him gasp.

It was a **Gigantic Ruin** that words could not describe.

Its scale far surpassed any ruins he had seen before. Countless broken stars, shattered continental plates, weapon fragments as massive as mountain ranges, and various bizarre, clearly non-human architectural debris were piled and floated in this Void Realm like a junkyard. This place seemed like the graveyard of a world, recording an unimaginably tragic great battle.

And in the very center of the ruins was an enormous, slowly rotating **Dark-Red Whirlpool**.

The core of the whirlpool did not lead to nothingness; instead, the outline of a dilapidated yet still exuding ancient, mournful, and unyielding aura of a **Giant Stone Gate** was faintly visible!

The style of that stone gate was consistent with the finger bones in the Lost Village Forbidden Ground and the material of the Third Observation Post, but it was even grander and older! Most of the stone gate had already collapsed, leaving only a framework and some broken walls, covered with shocking claw marks, burn imprints, and huge penetrating wounds!

Even so, it still stood there stubbornly, like an unyielding warrior.

This was the **second gate**!

Nightmare could clearly feel that the cloud key's sensing of the 'blood key' originated from near the stone gate at the center of that whirlpool! Incredibly clear!

But at the same time, a heart-pounding repulsive force and chaotic energy field emanated from that Dark-Red Whirlpool, preventing all outsiders from approaching. That energy field was mixed with violent Void Realm energy, some kind of evil corrosive energy, and... the Cang Clan's power, imbued with a tragic will, emanating from the second gate itself!

Several forces intertwined and collided, forming an extremely dangerous Death Zone!

To approach the second gate and obtain the blood key, one must pass through this Death Zone!

Nightmare's expression was grave. He tried to fly closer and immediately felt immense pressure. The chaotic energy field frantically tore at his protective Demonic Essence, and various negative emotions and fragmented scenes of slaughter flooded his mind, attempting to erode his sanity.

The Phantom Cloud Fox on his shoulder also let out an uneasy whimper, its fur bristling.

"I must find a way to get in..." Nightmare carefully observed the energy field. He found that the intensity of the energy field was not constant; the Dark-Red Whirlpool's rotation had a certain pattern, occasionally revealing relatively weak 'gaps'.

Perhaps he could seize these gaps to rush in!

But the risk was extremely high; if he miscalculated, or if a gap suddenly disappeared, he would instantly be torn apart by the chaotic energy!

He waited patiently, like the most seasoned hunter, calculating the whirlpool's rotation cycle and the patterns of energy change.

At the same time, he vigilantly surveyed the surrounding ruins. In such an important place, The Fisherman organization would certainly have made arrangements.

Sure enough, he soon discovered an anomaly.

Behind several huge star fragments, several **Warships** were hidden, with ferocious styles, covered in black scales, and prows shaped like fishhooks! Runes flickered on the Warships' surfaces, almost merging with the surrounding environment. If not for the cloud key's subtle sensing of that evil aura, they would have been extremely difficult to detect!

On the Warships, Cultivators wearing Sea Hook Gang attire, but with a more formidable and sinister aura, could vaguely be seen patrolling. He could even feel a Soul Transformation Cultivator's Divine Sense vaguely sweeping across the area!

They had indeed established a stronghold here! Were they... guarding the second gate? Or perhaps, excavating something?

Nightmare's heart grew solemn. He condensed his aura to the extreme, hiding behind a massive shield fragment.

He had to be even more careful.

As he waited for his opportunity, the Phantom Cloud Fox on his shoulder suddenly patted him gently with its paw, then wiggled its small nose vigorously in one direction, its purple eyes showing a mix of confusion and excitement.

Nightmare followed its gaze. It was an inconspicuous ruin below the side of the second gate's whirlpool, piled with various metal and rock fragments, appearing completely normal.

"What's there?" Nightmare communicated with Divine Sense.

The Phantom Cloud Fox conveyed a vague thought: "...delicious...familiar...yet different..."

Delicious? Familiar yet different?

Nightmare's heart stirred. The Phantom Cloud Fox had an extremely keen perception of treasures and energy. What it called 'delicious' was likely something high in energy. And 'familiar yet different,' could it be related to the Cang Clan or the second gate?

Perhaps there was an unexpected discovery there?

He carefully observed that area and found that it happened to be in the blind spot of the several Fisherman Warships' patrol routes, and the energy field fluctuations seemed relatively calmer there.

He could consider investigating there first!

He reconfirmed The Fisherman patrol's routine and the timing of the energy field gaps, calculating a relatively safe path.

When the next weak energy gap appeared, Nightmare moved!

Executing the Demonic Shadow Evasion Technique to its limit, he was like a wisp of smoke merging into the shadows, silently passing through the chaotic energy turbulence, landing precisely on that ruin.

Upon landing, he immediately hid behind a large, twisted piece of metal, vigilantly sensing his surroundings.

After confirming he hadn't attracted attention, he looked at the Phantom Cloud Fox.

The little guy had already impatiently jumped down and was rapidly digging through a pile of ruin fragments. Soon, it returned, holding a palm-sized, rusty **Metal Disc** in its mouth, excitedly handing it to Nightmare.

Nightmare took the disc; it felt heavy in his hand. Wiping away the surface rust revealed complex structures and some already faded runes beneath. He had never seen the material of this disc before; it was neither gold nor iron, yet it gave him an exceptionally sturdy feeling. In the center of the disc was a small groove.

What is this thing? Some kind of key? Or part of a device?

He tried to inject a trace of Demonic Essence, but the disc showed no reaction. He then tried to inject Azure Qi and Blood. The disc vibrated slightly, and the runes on its surface lit up with a faint, almost imperceptible glow, but then quickly dimmed again.

It seemed to require special energy or activation method.

As he studied the Metal Disc, he didn't notice that on its back, an extremely subtle, eye-like rune quietly flickered.

At the same time, inside the largest Fisherman Warship nearby, a faint red dot suddenly lit up on a monitoring Magic Array!

In the core cabin of the Warship, an old man in dark gold, hook-edged robes, who had been meditating, suddenly opened his eyes, a glint flashing within them!

"Hmm? Abnormal energy fluctuations? Very weak... seems to be... a reaction from a Cang Clan relic? Right in the nearby ruins!" He immediately issued an order, "Patrol team, proceed immediately to Sector Seven for a search! Kill any suspicious targets on sight!"

Soon, a patrol team consisting of three Nascent Soul Cultivators left the Warship and rapidly flew towards the direction where Nightmare was hiding!

Nightmare immediately sensed the approaching aura and Killing Intent!

"I've been discovered!" His heart sank, and he immediately realized that the disc in his hand had likely exposed his position!

Damn it!

Without hesitation, he instantly stored the disc in his storage ring, simultaneously grabbing the Phantom Cloud Fox and retreating rapidly!

"He's there! Catch him!" The patrol team also spotted him, shouting angrily as they accelerated their charge, various Spells and Magic Treasures lighting up and blasting towards his hiding spot!

Boom!

The ruins were blown to pieces!

Nightmare narrowly avoided the attacks, fleeing deeper into the ruins without looking back!

"Chase! Send a signal! Notify Elder Mo Sha!" The patrol team pursued relentlessly, simultaneously sending out an alarm signal!

A sharp alarm instantly echoed through the silent ruins!

Bigger trouble was coming!

Nightmare's eyes were cold as he rapidly weaved through the complex ruins, trying to shake off his pursuers. But the opponents were clearly more familiar with the terrain here and coordinated seamlessly, constantly blocking his path.

Even worse, that powerful Soul Transformation Cultivator's Divine Sense reappeared, like an invisible shackle, firmly locking onto him!

It was the Soul Transformation Cultivator known as 'Elder Mo Sha' who had made his move!

Blocked from the front, pursued from behind, and locked on by a Soul Transformation Cultivator from above!

The situation instantly became extremely critical!

Nightmare's thoughts raced, his gaze suddenly fixed on the dark-red, violently energetic second gate whirlpool!

Right now, only that place might be the sole path to survival! And the only place where the blood key might be found!

He'd gamble everything!

He no longer hesitated, abruptly changing direction, no longer evading, but charging directly towards that death whirlpool!

"He wants to break through the gate! Stop him!" The pursuers behind him were furious and alarmed, their attacks growing even more frenzied!

In the sky, a giant black palm condensed from magic power also slammed down, it was Elder Mo Sha striking from a distance!

A look of madness flashed in Nightmare's eyes as he pushed his speed to the limit, even burning his vital blood again!

Just before countless attacks reached him, he accurately spotted a brief gap that was about to appear after a violent fluctuation in the whirlpool's energy field, and he plunged headfirst into it!

Boom!!!!

Countless attacks slammed into the whirlpool's energy field, causing violent explosions, but failed to completely penetrate!

Nightmare's figure disappeared into the Dark-Red Whirlpool!

"Bastard!" Elder Mo Sha's figure appeared on the Warship, his face ashen as he looked at the violently recovering energy whirlpool. "He actually managed to break in! Search! Keep a close watch here! Even if he can get in temporarily, he definitely won't last long! Once he comes out, capture and kill him immediately!"

Inside the whirlpool was a different scene.

This was not a passage as imagined, but a twisted, chaotic **Spatial Rift** filled with destructive energy!

Immense pressure came from all directions, frantically squeezing Nightmare's body! The dark-red energy was like a bone-scraping steel knife, constantly eroding his protective Demonic Essence! Even more terrifying, countless fragmented, resentful battle images and desolate wails directly assaulted his Divine Soul!

Here, every extra second was an immense torment!

Nightmare struggled to hold on, his myriad poison nascent soul operating at full capacity, The Azure Nether Life and Death Dao Domain shrinking to only protect a three-foot radius around him, arduously resisting the erosion.

His gaze anxiously swept across this desperate place.

blood key! Where is it?

Finally, in the deepest part of the whirlpool, beneath the broken stone gate frame of the second gate, he saw a faint **Blood-Red Light** pulsating like a heart!

That Blood-Red Light was entangled and sealed by countless dark-red chaotic energy threads, like a firefly trapped in a spiderweb!

It was the blood key!

But to get it, he had to cross this final and most dangerous Energy Strangulation Zone!

And Nightmare's Demonic Essence was already almost depleted!

Life and death, hanging by a thread!

The Patriarch of the Cang Clan.