Remnant Core, Meteor Barrier

After leaving the relatively stable star remnant area, the sights of the outer remnant realm were even more chaotic and terrifying.

Spatial Turbulence acted like invisible, sharp blades cutting wantonly, while fragmented Law shards flickered with dangerous light.

Occasionally, the skeletons of huge, unknown creatures could be seen floating by, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure.

Nightmare's body was enveloped in rising Starfall Demonic Flame, burning and isolating all incoming Spatial Turbulence and Law shards.

After the Fusion of Star Power, the Demonic Flame's resistance to and understanding of spatial forces had improved by a grade, allowing him to travel through this harsh environment far more easily than an ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivator.

"Roar—!"

A hoarse, greedy roar sounded.

To the front-right, a massive creature composed seemingly of shadows and fragmented starlight lunged over.

It resembled a giant lizard, but its body was covered in scales capable of eroding Spiritual Qi and light.

The sharp teeth in its mouth shimmered with a cold light that could swallow stars—it was the "Star-Eroding Beast," a Vicious Beast native to the remnant realm.

"Mere vermin, you dare to block my path?"

Nightmare's eyes turned cold.

He didn't even need to use a Divine Ability; with just a thought, the Starfall Demonic Flame around his body surged violently, transforming into a huge flaming palm that slammed down heavily towards the Star-Eroding Beast!

The Star-Eroding Beast fed on starlight and Spiritual Qi, instinctively lunging towards the Demonic Flame, attempting to erode it.

However, the Power of the Stars contained within this Demonic Flame was pure and overbearing, far exceeding the dissipated starlight it usually devoured, and it also possessed the terrifying destructive properties of the Demonic Flame.

"Hiss—!"

The giant flaming palm struck the Star-Eroding Beast like a hot knife through butter.

The Star-Eroding Beast let out a shrill scream; its scales, which were capable of eroding Magic Treasure, quickly charred and melted under the Starfall Demonic Flame.

In less than three breaths, this Vicious Beast, capable of causing headaches for a Peak Golden Core Stage Cultivator, was refined into a pure, shimmering ball of energy.

In the center, a pigeon-egg-sized "Star-Eroding Beast Core" covered in star patterns floated uncertainly.

Nightmare beckoned, collecting the core and the energy ball.

"System, analyze this item."

[Ding! Star-Eroding Beast Core: A specialty of the remnant realm, containing pure star energy and a trace of 'Erosion Dao' characteristics (weak Erosion Law power).

It can be absorbed by the dao seed to strengthen star attributes and improve perception of the Power of the Stars.

After refinement, it can yield 'Pseudo-Star Blood,' which can be used to crack certain ancient star Formations.]

"Pseudo-Star Blood? Crack Formations?"

Nightmare recalled the obstacles mentioned by the star remnant's will regarding the Core Zone of the remnant realm, and he understood.

He put away the core for now and continued on his way.

The deeper he went, the richer the star aura became; some suspended, miniaturized star phantoms even began to appear—beautiful and magnificent, yet harboring murderous intent.

Several days later, Nightmare finally arrived near the destination indicated by the star remnant's coordinates.

The sight before him was shocking.

A "wall," whose width and height were indescribable, stretched across the Void Realm of the remnant realm, completely isolating the deeper regions.

This wall was not a solid entity but was condensed from countless shattered stars, solidified nebulae, and a sea-like vastness of the Power of the Stars.

It flowed and rotated slowly, emitting a majestic aura that suppressed the ages.

On the wall, dense, mysterious silver lines covered everything.

These lines interconnected to form a massive Formation that enveloped the entire barrier.

As the Formation's light flowed, it faintly connected to the supreme Law in the dark, emitting a powerful suppression force of the Heavenly Dao.

If an ordinary Cultivator were to approach, they would likely have their Divine Soul crushed and their magic power extinguished in an instant.

"Meteorite Barrier... ancient star Formation..."

Nightmare stopped in his tracks, his eyes solemn.

The scale and mystery of this Formation far exceeded any Restriction he had seen in his previous life.

Forcing a Breakthrough was absolutely impossible unless he returned to the Peak cultivation level of his previous life.

He sat cross-legged in the Void Realm before the barrier, closing his eyes, his dao seed mark glowing faintly between his brows.

On one hand, he mobilized the vast knowledge of Formations he possessed as a Demon Venerable in his previous life; on the other, the knowledge fragments left by the star remnant's will, along with the dao seed's natural affinity for the Power of the Stars, began to help him analyze this behemoth before him.

Time passed bit by bit.

Nightmare's Divine Sense acted like the most precise carving knife, cautiously probing into the gaps of the Formation's light, tracing the veins of its energy flow, and deducing the rules of its rune changes.

Three days and three nights later, Nightmare suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of realization and difficulty in his gaze.

"As expected... this Formation is called the 'Great Heavenly Stars Forbidden Formation' (Damaged), laid down by a Formation Grandmaster under the ancient Lord of the Stars, using the power of the heavenly stars to form an absolute barrier.

To pass safely, rather than breaking it by force, one must use 'Star Blood' as a guide to activate specific nodes and briefly open a portal."

Star Blood was the blood of the Lord of the Stars or their direct Bloodline descendants, containing the most original Star Law.

This item had long since vanished into the river of history along with the ancient war; where could he find it?

"Star Blood..."

Nightmare's gaze fell upon the Star-Eroding Beast Core in his Storage Pouch.

"The Star-Eroding Beast feeds on star remnants; the 'Pseudo-Star Blood' condensed within its body, while far inferior to the genuine article, might be able to pass as the real thing given the current damaged state of this Formation, combined with the trace of true star Origin aura that the star remnant's will bestowed upon me...!"

There was no time to lose.

Nightmare immediately found a relatively stable meteorite, set up a simple defensive Formation, and took out the Star-Eroding Beast Core and the previously refined energy ball.

He formed seals with his hands, and the Starfall Demonic Flame rose, wrapping around the core and the energy ball, starting the process of refinement and extraction.

In the dark flames, specks of starlight were stripped away and tempered, with Impurities dissipating as black smoke.

Finally, a thumb-sized, crystal-clear silver droplet, with what appeared to be a rotating galaxy inside, floated in the center of the flames, emitting pure and rich star fluctuations—the Pseudo-Star Blood.

Nightmare did not act immediately but adjusted his breathing for a moment, bringing his state to its Peak.

Then, holding the silver droplet, he cast a sharp gaze towards a seemingly ordinary node on the Meteorite Barrier, which, according to his deduction, was located at the intersection of several key energy circuits.

"Success or failure hinges on this."

He flicked his finger, and the drop of Pseudo-Star Blood transformed into a thin silver line, shooting precisely towards that node.

At the same time, he activated the dao seed, quietly attaching the trace of Origin aura bestowed by the star remnant's will onto it.

"Hum—!"

The moment the silver droplet touched the Formation of the barrier, the entire massive Formation seemed to pause for an instant.

Immediately following, the node that was touched suddenly lit up with blinding silver light!

The silver light spread rapidly along the lines of the Formation like flowing water, and wherever it passed, the light of the Formation dimmed slightly.

Nightmare held his breath and focused, staring intently at the changes.

After a few breaths, the silver light spread to three nearby secondary nodes, forming an irregular triangular area.

The light of the Formation lines within this area completely retracted, and the solid entity of the barrier seemed to become thin and transparent.

"Now!"

Nightmare transformed into a streak of light, his body protected by the Starfall Demonic Flame, and dashed rapidly towards the center of that triangular area!

Like passing through a layer of cold water film, a slight sense of resistance came, and the next moment, the scene before his eyes suddenly opened up.

Rich, nearly liquefied Spiritual Qi rushed towards him, and the Power of the Stars contained within was more than several times purer!

He had successfully crossed the Meteorite Barrier and stepped into the true Core Zone of the ancient remnant realm!

The gap in the barrier behind him was rapidly closing as the silver light dissipated.

Before Nightmare could carefully examine the environment of this Core Zone, the dao seed already transmitted a joyful throb, beginning to autonomously and greedily absorb the rich star Spiritual Qi in the air, and the star attributes within it began their initial Awakening.