The oriole is behind

Burial Wind Ridge, located in the southernmost region of the Southern Wasteland Demon Domain, is a desolate land perpetually shrouded in Destructive Gale Winds.

Before truly drawing near, one could hear the howling of the wind, like the wails of ten thousand ghosts. The visible grayish-white gale winds slowly rotated like massive millstones, grinding everything within the ridge into the finest dust. Along the ridge's outer edge, the earth was cracked and covered in deep marks cut by wind blades, devoid of any vegetation or life, only silent desolation.

The wind here was not ordinary airflow, but the Destructive Gale Wind containing the Law of fragmentation. Its power was boundless; if a Golden Core Cultivator dared to intrude without a special protective Magic Treasure or Divine Ability, they would instantly be torn to shreds!

Nightmare hovered atop an isolated peak dozens of miles outside Burial Wind Ridge, gazing solemnly at the terrifying gale wind barrier.

Even with his current Minor Achievement Myriad Poison Demonic Body and Late Golden Core Stage cultivation, he could clearly sense the terrifying power contained within the gale winds. Forcing his way through would be certain death.

His Divine Sense spread out to its maximum extent, cautiously probing the fluctuations of the gale wind barrier.

Soon, he detected an anomaly.

At the edge of a relatively "calm" section of the gale wind belt, the spatial fluctuations appeared unusual. It seemed as if some force was constantly impacting and eroding the gale winds inside, attempting to carve out a temporary passage. Pure Sword Intent and a clear, sacred spiritual energy aura lingered there.

"Found it..." A sharp glint flashed in Nightmare's eyes. That must be the entrance opened by Gu Qingying and her Revered Master!

He restrained all his aura, operating the Demonic Shadow Evasion Technique to its limit. His figure silently approached the location, seemingly merging into the light-distorted air.

The closer he got, the more he felt the price paid to open the passage. Scattered around were fragments of shattered Magical Artifacts and the remains of several Talismans whose spiritual light had been exhausted and turned to ash. The passage interior was still filled with chaotic gale winds, but the power was indeed much weaker, barely allowing passage.

Nightmare did not enter immediately. Instead, he patiently searched the periphery for a highly concealed fissure in a boulder from which he could observe the entrance. Like the most patient hunter, he lay dormant, his Divine Sense covering the entrance area like an invisible spiderweb.

He was waiting. Waiting for Gu Qingying and her group to be mutually wounded by the Tomb-Guarding Yao Beast, the Gale Falcon, and waiting for the best moment for the Nascent Soul Divine Thought Clone to make its move!

Time passed slowly. Inside Burial Wind Ridge, there were occasional sounds of fierce energy collisions and clear sword cries, along with sharp, angry shrieks of birds; clearly, the battle inside was extremely intense.

Nightmare's heart was calm as still water. He quietly regulated his breathing, adjusting his condition to its peak.

Finally, after waiting for about two days!

From the depths of Burial Wind Ridge, a world-shaking boom suddenly rang out, followed by a mournful cry filled with pain and unwillingness! The demonic power fluctuations contained within that cry rapidly diminished!

Immediately afterward, a terrifying pressure, far exceeding the Golden Core level—clear, sacred, vast, yet carrying a hint of illusion—suddenly erupted, sweeping out like a tide before rapidly receding and vanishing!

"They made their move!" Nightmare's spirit was instantly roused!

Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone had acted! The Gale Falcon must have been severely wounded or even killed!

Now is the time!

Nightmare's figure shot out like a ghost, rushing without hesitation into the gale wind passage that had not yet fully closed!

The passage was still chaotic, the residual gale winds tearing at his protective Demonic Essence, producing grating friction sounds. But Nightmare ignored it, pushing his speed to the maximum, charging inward against the flow of the passage!

After passing through the long passage, the view suddenly opened up!

It was as if he had entered another world. Inside Burial Wind Ridge was actually a relatively peaceful mountain valley. In the center of the valley was an ancient Bluestone Altar. Above the altar hovered a three-foot-long, azure plume, flowing with seven-colored glaze light and radiating endless holiness and wind spiritual power!

Below the altar was a small pool. The pool contained not clear water, but viscous, liquid-jade-like Azure Blood, emitting immense life essence and a sacred aura of the same Origin!

The azure luan inheritance plume! Azure Luan Origin Essence Blood!

At this moment, Gu Qingying was sitting cross-legged beside the altar, her face pale and blood staining the corner of her mouth. Clearly, the battle with the Gale Falcon had been hugely taxing, and she had sustained significant injuries. However, her eyes were filled with excitement and desire as she fully operated her Cultivation Technique, attempting to draw the Legacy plume and the essence blood in the pool.

Beside her, a slightly illusory, vaguely featured azure figure was quietly hovering, radiating a heart-palpitating pressure. This was precisely Immortal Master Yuheng's wisp of Divine Thought Clone. The Clone's aura was much dimmer than before; clearly, killing the Gale Falcon had consumed most of its strength, and it was currently guarding Gu Qingying vigilantly.

On a nearby open space lay the corpse of a massive Yao Beast, resembling a giant eagle but sporting a magnificent azure crest. It was completely lifeless—the Tomb-Guarding Yao Beast, the Gale Falcon! Its body bore terrifying sword wounds and traces of Law annihilation.

Nightmare's intrusion instantly shattered the valley's tranquility!

"Who is it?!" Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone reacted first. Although illusory, its cold gaze instantly locked onto Nightmare, and a powerful pressure violently bore down!

Gu Qingying also snapped her eyes open. Upon seeing Nightmare, her cool, elegant face showed intense fluctuation for the first time—shock, disbelief, and a profound chill: "Nightmare?! How are you here?!"

She clearly had... "Are you very surprised?" Nightmare curved his lips into a cold arc, his gaze fixed intensely on the plume and essence blood on the altar. "Thank you for clearing the path and obstacles for me."

Before his words even fell, he gave the opponents no time to react and launched his attack immediately!

His target was neither Gu Qingying nor the Divine Thought Clone, but—the corpse of the Gale Falcon!

The Demonic Shadow Evasion Technique erupted. Nightmare appeared next to the Gale Falcon's corpse as if teleporting. The almost transparent Silk Puppet Thread in his hand shot out like a living thing, instantly sinking into the Gale Falcon's skull!

"Impudent creature! How dare you!" Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone was both shocked and enraged. It hadn't expected the opponent could manipulate the dead! An extremely condensed azure sword finger instantly materialized, carrying the terrifying power of the Nascent Soul level, and pointed toward Nightmare! Although its power was far inferior to the main body, it was more than enough to kill a Golden Core Cultivator!

However, just as the sword finger was about to strike his body!

The previously dead Gale Falcon's eye sockets suddenly lit up with two hollow, spectral lights controlled by the Puppet Thread. Its massive body violently reared up, letting out a silent roar, and fearlessly used its own body to shield Nightmare!

Simultaneously, the residual demonic power and the faint Azure Luan Bloodline within its body were forcibly detonated by the Puppet Thread!

Boom!!!

The azure sword finger slammed heavily onto the Gale Falcon's corpse!

Terrifying energy erupted, instantly shattering the Gale Falcon's corpse! But the majority of the Nascent Soul strike's power was forcefully absorbed by the remains of this Peak Golden Core Stage Yao Beast!

The residual shockwave sent Nightmare's Qi and blood churning, throwing him backward. But his eyes shone with the frantic light of a successful scheme!

It was blocked!

Seizing this chance, Nightmare's figure didn't pause. Using the force of the explosion, he shot toward the Bluestone Altar like a cannonball! His target was directly the azure luan inheritance plume!

He saw clearly that although the Origin Essence Blood in the pool was equally precious, its energy was too immense to collect quickly. The plume, however, was the key to the Legacy and much easier to seize!

"Don't even think about it!" Gu Qingying cried out angrily, suppressing her injuries. The phantom image of an ancient zither reappeared behind her, and her jade-like hand violently plucked the strings!

"Seven Strings of Absolute Sound: Seal!"

An invisible sound wave barrier instantly appeared in front of the altar, attempting to block Nightmare!

But Nightmare had anticipated this. A fierce look flashed in his eyes, and he didn't dodge, crashing straight into it!

*Pfft!*

The sound wave barrier vibrated violently. Nightmare's protective Demonic Essence instantly shattered, and his body was struck heavily, causing him to spit out blood again, yet his momentum did not decrease at all!

The powerful Physical Body of the Minor Achievement Myriad Poison Demonic Body was fully displayed at this moment! He successfully broke through the sound attack of a Middle Golden Core Stage cultivator, albeit injured!

His hand had already touched the azure plume radiating seven-colored light!

It was icy cold to the touch, yet contained unimaginably vast wind spiritual power and a sacred aura. There was even a faint consciousness resisting his touch!

"Get over here!" Nightmare roared, his Demonic Essence pouring out frantically, forcibly suppressing the plume's resistance. He violently tore it from the altar and stored it in the System space!

[Ding! Successfully seized the "azure luan inheritance plume" (partial), severely disrupting the son of destiny's Opportunity, gaining villain points +15000!]

[Warning: Extreme hatred has been incurred from Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone!]

The System notification sounded.

"Thief! Leave the plume!" Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone was completely enraged. Its illusory figure fluctuated violently due to anger, and it condensed an even more terrifying Sword Aura, locking onto Nightmare! Although its aura had weakened significantly again, Nightmare definitely couldn't withstand this strike!

Gu Qingying's face was also deathly pale, her eyes filled with heartache and determination. She plucked the zither strings again, coordinating with her Revered Master's Clone to attack Nightmare!

Attacked from front and back! There was no way to dodge!

Nightmare, however, seemed to have anticipated this. The moment he collected the plume, without even glancing at the essence blood in the pool, he unhesitatingly crushed something he had been holding tightly in his hand—the single-use Random Teleportation Talisman obtained from Ye Chen's Storage Pouch!

This was the final retreat path he had prepared!

*Buzz!*

Spatial fluctuations instantly enveloped him!

"Where do you think you're going?!" The Yuheng Clone roared, and the Sword Aura slashed down fiercely!

Gu Qingying's sound attack arrived simultaneously!

*Boom!*

The spot where Nightmare had been was completely engulfed by terrifying energy, blasting a deep crater in the ground!

But when the energy dissipated, the spot was long empty, with only a trace of residual spatial fluctuation slowly fading away.

"Ah!!!" Immortal Master Yuheng's Divine Thought Clone let out a roar of unwillingness. Its illusory figure faded slightly more, and it finally glanced bitterly in the direction Nightmare had vanished before turning to protect the pale, tottering Gu Qingying and the pool of essence blood.

Although the Origin Essence Blood was saved, the most crucial Legacy plume was stolen, and Gu Qingying's Opportunity had been severely disrupted!

...Tens of thousands of miles away.

In a desolate mountain valley, space twisted, and Nightmare's figure stumbled out in disarray, crashing heavily onto the ground.

*Pfft*—He couldn't help but spit out another mouthful of congested blood. His entire body ached intensely, and his injuries had worsened again.

But his hand tightly gripped the flowing, multicolored azure plume.

Feeling the immense power within the plume and the surge of 15,000 villain points in the System, a cold, triumphant smile finally appeared on Nightmare's pale face.

The Oriole Behind the Mantis, success!

Although the price was heavy, it was all worth it!

[Current villain points: 15,800 points!]