Azure Phoenix Cave

A massive amount of information flooded into Nightmare's mind like a tidal wave, clearly revealing the purpose behind Gu Qingying's deep venture into the Southern Wasteland Demon Domain.

【Gu Qingying possesses the "Azure Phoenix Spirit Body" (not fully awakened). Three months ago, she sensed a call from a source of the same Origin deep within the Southern Wasteland Demon Domain. After verification through Sect secret records and calculations by a Nascent Soul Elder, it was determined that the source of the call is likely related to the ancient Divine Beast, the "Azure Phoenix."】

【Her target: The "Azure Phoenix Relic Tomb" located deep within "Burial Wind Ridge" at the extreme south of the Southern Wasteland Demon Domain.】

【Objective: To obtain the "Azure Phoenix Origin Essence Blood" or the "Legacy Feather" from the tomb to fully awaken her Spirit Body and lay the foundation for a supreme immortal base.】

【Companions: A strand of Divine Thought Clone of her master, "Immortal Master Yuheng" (Early Nascent Soul Stage) (attached to a defensive Magic Treasure), along with several items granted by the Sect for breaking Restrictions and ensuring survival.】

【Current Progress: She has arrived at the periphery of Burial Wind Ridge and is attempting to break the outer Restrictions. It is estimated to take seven days to fully break them.】

【Risks: Burial Wind Ridge is layered with Restrictions, including ancient wind evil traps and the tomb-guarding Yao Beast, the "Gale Falcon" (Peak Golden Core Stage, possessing a thin Azure Phoenix Bloodline). Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone is her greatest trump card, but it can only be used once.】

【Associated Impact: If she succeeds, the Azure Phoenix Spirit Body will be fully awakened, her destined Luck will increase significantly, and her cultivation may soar directly to the Late Golden Core Stage, posing a massive threat to the Host.】

The Azure Phoenix Relic Tomb! The Origin Essence Blood! Fully Awakening the Spirit Body!

Nightmare digested this information, his gaze becoming incomparably profound.

No wonder Gu Qingying traveled thousands of miles to this dangerous place; it was for such a heaven-defying Opportunity! The ancient Divine Beast, the Azure Phoenix, was an existence comparable to a True Immortal. The value of the Essence Blood or Legacy it left behind was simply immeasurable!

Once she succeeded, her strength would surely skyrocket. If he wanted to deal with her then, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven! He might even be hunted down by her in return!

He absolutely could not let them succeed!

But looking at it from another perspective, this was also a massive Opportunity! An Opportunity to severely injure or even plunder the greatest Opportunity of Gu Qingying, this daughter of destiny!

Burial Wind Ridge... layered with Restrictions... has a tomb-guarding Yao Beast... her master's Nascent Soul Divine Thought Clone can only attack once...

Nightmare's brain raced as an extremely risky yet tempting plan gradually took shape.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!

He would be that oriole! He would wait until Gu Qingying was exhausted from breaking the Restrictions and had suffered mutual losses with the tomb-guarding Yao Beast, then strike with thunderous force to snatch the Opportunity!

But the prerequisite was that he must have the ability to block or evade that strand of the Nascent Soul Cultivator's Divine Thought Clone at the critical moment! Even if it was just a strand of a Clone, its power was definitely not something a Golden Core Cultivator could withstand!

His gaze turned once again to the System's Destiny Treasury.

【Item Category: Silk Puppet Thread (Earth Rank Low Grade, can briefly control the actions of those with lower Luck than the user, one-time use)】 (Requires 3000 points)

Silk Puppet Thread... brief control...

A thought flashed through his mind. If he used this item at a critical moment to control the tomb-guarding Yao Beast, the "Gale Falcon," to block Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone...

Perhaps it could create a glimmer of Opportunity!

But it required 3000 Villain Points, and he only had 600 points left at this moment.

He still needed 2400 points!

Where could he get them?

Nightmare's gaze sharpened, scanning this dangerous Demon Domain. Time was tight; he had to gather enough points and reach Burial Wind Ridge before Gu Qingying broke the Restrictions!

He communicated with the System again: "System, scan the nearby area and find the target that will yield Villain Points the fastest! Whether it be Yao Beasts, spiritual plants, or... other Cultivators!"

【Area scan initiated (forced cooldown ended, energy consumption increased)...】

【Scanning...】

【Five hundred li to the southwest, a small-scale Cultivator conflict detected: Three Loose Cultivators (two at Peak Foundation Establishment Stage, one at Early Golden Core Stage) are besieging a team of merchant guards (one Early Golden Core Stage injured, three at Late Foundation Establishment Stage). Reason for conflict: Competing for a soon-to-mature "Earth Flame Spirit Flower" (Profound Rank High Grade).】

【Risk rating: Low. Opportunity rating: Low (estimated Villain Points obtainable: 500-800 points).】

【One thousand li due east, "Rotten Poison Demon Forest" discovered. A large number of Tier 3 Rotten Poison Spiders inhabit the Core Zone, and "Poison Spirit Crystals" (Earth Rank Low Grade Materials) are suspected to have condensed deep within their nest. Risk rating: High. Opportunity rating: Medium (estimated Villain Points obtainable: 1500-2000 points, but requires dealing with the spider swarm).】

【To the southeast... Warning! High-intensity energy reaction detected moving rapidly! Energy characteristics: cold, deathly, carrying Dragon Clan aura... Suspected "Nether Corpse Flood Dragon" (Peak Golden Core Stage, possessing a faint Dragon Clan Bloodline, enjoys devouring spirits and Evil Qi) is hunting! Its direction of movement... is heading toward the Host! Risk rating: Extremely High! Opportunity rating: High (killing it can yield 3000+ Villain Points, but its material value is average)!】

Three choices.

The Loose Cultivator conflict: low return, low risk.

The Rotten Poison Spider swarm: medium return, medium risk.

The Nether Corpse Flood Dragon: high return, extremely high risk!

Nightmare barely hesitated, a fierce light flashing in his eyes: "Lock onto the Nether Corpse Flood Dragon!"

High risk, high reward! And it was the fastest option! The Corpse Flood Dragon was actively delivering itself to his doorstep!

He immediately restrained his aura, concealed his figure, and quietly headed in the direction indicated by the System.

In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, a nauseating, fishy wind hit his face! In the distant sky, a dense black cloud carrying monstrous Death Qi and Evil Qi was flying rapidly toward him! Within the black cloud, one could vaguely see a hideous Flood Dragon, tens of zhang long, with a single horn on its head, covered in decaying scales, and with ghostly green soul fire burning in its eye sockets!

The pressure it emitted had clearly reached the Peak Golden Core Stage, even slightly stronger than the Green-Winged Bat King. In particular, that faint Dragon Clan aura had a natural suppressive effect on Yao Beasts with lower Bloodlines than itself!

This Nether Corpse Flood Dragon had clearly also discovered Nightmare on the ground. It let out an excited hiss, as if it had seen a delicious blood meal, increased its speed even further, opened its massive maw capable of swallowing a hill, and dove down!

Nightmare's gaze was cold; he did not retreat but advanced instead!

Just as the Corpse Flood Dragon was about to pounce, he abruptly raised his hand!

"Soul Shattering Finger" fired repeatedly, not attacking the Corpse Flood Dragon's tough body, but aiming at the two ghostly green soul fires in its eye sockets! At the same time, his left eye's Life Plunder activated again, crazily extracting the life force of the vegetation below, forming a thick green light shield to block in front of him!

The Corpse Flood Dragon clearly hadn't expected this "little bug" to dare to resist. The soul fire was hit by the finger wind; although not extinguished, it flickered, sending a stinging pain that caused the creature to pause for a moment, and its massive sharp claws slammed heavily onto the green light shield!

Boom!

The light shield fluctuated violently and was instantly covered in cracks, but it successfully blocked this fatal pounce!

Nightmare used the force to retreat backward while pinching a spell with both hands!

"demonic vine—Bind!"

Hum!

The ground shook violently, and dozens of pitch-black, hideous demonic vines burst from the ground like agile giant pythons, instantly wrapping around the Corpse Flood Dragon's massive body. A devouring power erupted, crazily absorbing its corpse-evil Yao power!

The Corpse Flood Dragon let out an angry roar, struggling madly, tearing with its claws and spitting out corpse evil, causing a large number of demonic vines to be severed and corroded!

But in the time it took to be obstructed, Nightmare had already completed his true killing move!

The Demonic Essence in his Dantian boiled. He held the "Late Golden Core Stage Yao Core" obtained from the Poison Pool Crocodile Dragon in his hand, and pure Demonic Essence mixed with Xiangliu Poison was frantically injected into it!

Then, he violently hurled this forcibly activated, extremely unstable Yao Core deep into the Corpse Flood Dragon's wide-open maw!

"Explode!"

Rumble—!!

A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering explosion erupted in the air!

The Late Golden Core Stage Yao Core was detonated inside the Corpse Flood Dragon, and the destructive energy produced instantly tore apart its relatively fragile internal organs from within!

The Corpse Flood Dragon let out a wail of extreme misery and despair. Its massive body twitched and expanded violently before finally exploding with a bang! Bits of flesh and rotten scales, mixed with foul-smelling black blood, fell like a rainstorm!

【Ding! Killed Peak Golden Core Stage Yao Beast, Nether Corpse Flood Dragon. Obtained Villain Points +3200!】

【Current Villain Points: 3800 points!】

Nightmare was also blown away by the shockwave of the self-destruction, his Qi and blood churning, but his eyes were filled with excitement!

Enough!

He did not stop for a moment. His figure flashed, avoiding the falling filthy blood, while he collected the Corpse Flood Dragon's hardest single horn and some scales that had not been completely contaminated into the System space.

"System, exchange for the "Silk Puppet Thread"!"

【Exchange successful! Consumed 3000 Villain Points! Obtained "Silk Puppet Thread" * 1.】

【Remaining Villain Points: 800 points.】

A thread as thin as a hair, almost transparent, yet flickering with an eerie spiritual light, appeared in Nightmare's hand. It felt cold to the touch, and he could vaguely sense a certain power of the Law of Control contained within it.

Nightmare carefully put it away and cast his gaze to the south, the direction of Burial Wind Ridge.

"Gu Qingying... I will accept your Opportunity!"

His figure turned into a stream of light, speeding toward Burial Wind Ridge with all his might!

A battle surrounding the ancient Azure Phoenix Relic Tomb was about to begin! And Nightmare, the oriole from the darkness, had already spread his net!