Returning to the old place

Nightmare did not head directly to that Mortal town.

When he was still dozens of miles away from the town, he found a secluded forest and once again changed his appearance. He subtly adjusted his bone structure and muscles using a secret technique recorded in the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture, making his face appear more ordinary and unremarkable, difficult to recognize if he were to blend into a crowd. His aura was also completely suppressed, mimicking the faint fluctuations of a Middle Stage Qi Refinement Cultivator, appearing exactly like a low-level Loose Cultivator.

Such a disguise was the safest way to infiltrate a Mortal town and gather information.

He slowly walked into the town. This city was called "Anyuan Town," the largest human settlement within a hundred-mile radius, quite prosperous, with people coming and going on the streets, bustling with activity. Occasionally, he could see some low-level Cultivators mixed in.

Nightmare found a tavern frequently visited by Cultivators, sat down in a corner, ordered a pot of inferior spiritual tea, and seemingly closed his eyes to rest, but in reality, his Divine Sense, like an invisible net, quietly captured the conversations around him.

"Have you heard? The Qinglan Sect issued a kill order a while ago, targeting a Devil Head named Nightmare. They say the bounty is terrifyingly high!"

"Heard? More than just heard! Now, even slightly larger markets and teleportation arrays have Qinglan Sect Disciples or informants watching! They say that Devil Head was last seen in the Southern Wasteland Demon Domain..."

"Tsk tsk, to make the Qinglan Sect put in so much effort, that Devil Head must not be simple..."

"Hmph, no matter how powerful, isn't he like a stray dog now? I heard a few days ago someone seemed to have found some traces in the Blackwater Ravine to the north, and several Golden Core experts have gone after him..."

"Blackwater Ravine? That cursed place is heavily filled with Evil Qi, it's probably just a rumor..."

Listening to the discussions around him, Nightmare sneered inwardly. The news indeed spread fast, even this remote small town knew about it. Blackwater Ravine? That was clearly the direction he discarded the tracking compass, so it seemed his plan of 'shedding the cicada's shell' had worked, attracting a lot of firepower.

He sat quietly for a while longer, the information he gathered was largely similar, mostly about the Qinglan Sect's kill order and some hard-to-verify rumors of his whereabouts. He hadn't heard any follow-up news about "Ao Cang" or Gu Qingying.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, a conversation between two Cultivators at a nearby table, dressed in the uniform of a small merchant association, caught his attention.

"...This batch of goods must be delivered to the Black Mountain City branch as soon as possible, they're pressing for it."

"Black Mountain City? I heard it's not very peaceful there lately. It seems something happened deep in the mountain range; the miasma has erupted several times, and many crazed Yao Beasts have run out. The City Lord's Mansion has even imposed martial law..."

"Sigh, even if it's not peaceful, we still have to go! I heard many unfamiliar faces have arrived in Black Mountain City recently, seemingly looking for something. Maybe our goods can even fetch a good price..."

"That's true, the bold get rich, the timid starve! Then let's depart tomorrow morning!"

Black Mountain City?

Nightmare's gaze narrowed slightly. This name was not unfamiliar to him. It was the remote small city where he first arrived in this world, seized the Physical Body of Old Man Zhang's grandson, killed Steward Liu, encountered the Wang family Cultivators, and was ultimately forced to flee into the Black Mountain Range!

Changes deep in the mountain range? miasma eruptions? Crazed Yao Beasts? And unfamiliar faces searching for something?

Could it be... related to his previous intrusion into that demon sealing altar and the acquisition of the demon heart essence blood? Had the Seal loosened further? Or had the so-called "Holy Cult" or the Sky Patrol Alliance made new moves?

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Nightmare's mind.

Although Black Mountain City was dangerous, it might also hide opportunities. He was relatively familiar with the place, and the changes deep in the mountain range might allow him to fish in troubled waters. More importantly, those "unfamiliar faces" might provide more information about the current situation.

Compared to staying in this information-scarce Mortal small town, Black Mountain City was undoubtedly a better choice.

With his mind made up, Nightmare no longer hesitated, left the tea money, and quietly left the tavern.

He did not travel with the merchant association members but went alone, following the direction in his memory, rushing towards Black Mountain City. With his current pace, even without flying at full speed, his speed was far beyond that of ordinary Qi Refining Cultivators.

A few days later, that familiar yet unfamiliar black city reappeared before Nightmare's eyes.

Black Mountain City was still enveloped in a hazy mist, but the mist seemed thicker than before, and its color was deeper, faintly exuding an unsettling restless aura. On the city walls, the number of patrolling guards had noticeably increased, and they looked vigilant, scrutinizing those entering the city much more strictly.

Nightmare, in the guise of a Qi Refinement Stage Loose Cultivator, paid the entrance fee and easily blended in.

The atmosphere within the city was also heavy; pedestrians on the streets hurried along, and the proportion of Cultivators had significantly increased, most of whom had powerful auras and sharp eyes, unlike local residents. Various rumors about mountain anomalies and Yao Beasts harming people circulated in the market, causing widespread panic.

Nightmare first went to several larger shops, selling some low-grade Materials he obtained from the Southern Wasteland Demon Domain that weren't too difficult to handle, exchanging them for a small amount of Spirit Stones, and incidentally tried to subtly inquire about news.

The information he received was fragmented and chaotic. Some said there was a rare treasure in the mountains, attracting various parties to contend for it; others said an Ancient Demon was about to emerge; and still others swore they saw important figures in Sky Patrol Alliance uniforms appearing at the City Lord's Mansion... Nightmare gradually formed a clearer picture in his mind. The changes in the Black Mountain Range had indeed attracted attention from multiple sides. The situation was more complex than he had imagined.

He needed more accurate intelligence.

After pondering for a moment, Nightmare walked towards the chaotic shantytown district on the west side of the city. This area gathered a large number of low-level Loose Cultivators and Mortals, where information was most readily available, and it was easiest to buy some illicit items.

In a dark alley, he found an old Cultivator's stall, hanging a tattered banner and claiming to be a "Know-It-All." This old Cultivator only had Early Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, but his eyes were very shifty.

Nightmare tossed over a few Low-Grade Spirit Stones and lowered his voice, "I want to ask about something. The situation in the mountain range, and the origins of those new faces who recently arrived?"

The old Cultivator skillfully put away the Spirit Stones, chuckled, and his small eyes scrutinized Nightmare, "Fellow Daoist is very unfamiliar, are you also interested in the mountain's affairs?"

"Cut the nonsense," Nightmare's tone turned slightly cold, and an extremely subtle Golden Core pressure flashed and vanished.

The old Cultivator's face instantly paled, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his attitude immediately became much more respectful. He whispered, "Senior, please forgive me! This junior was blind! Whatever you wish to ask, please do, this junior will tell you everything I know!"

"Speak."

"Yes, yes, yes... It's said that things started going wrong in this mountain range about a month ago. First, the miasma inexplicably became dense and violent, and then Yao Beasts started rushing out like mad, biting anyone they saw, very ferocious! The City Lord's Mansion organized several purges, suffering significant losses each time, and later didn't dare to go deep, only guarding the periphery."

"As for those new faces... there are several groups! One group is dressed very uniformly, with righteous auras, but they are very arrogant and look down on everyone. They are said to be... people from the Sky Patrol Alliance!" The old Cultivator's voice was even lower, filled with reverence.

"There's another group, very mysterious, dressed in black robes, rarely showing their faces, but the City Lord's Mansion people are very polite to them. Someone occasionally saw them with... a black flame mark on their bodies..." The old Cultivator gestured.

Nightmare's gaze sharpened. Black flame mark? Could it be... the "Holy Cult"?

"Anything else?"

"And... then there are some Loose Cultivators and people from small Schools who rushed here hoping to gain benefits, a mixed bag. Oh, right, a few days ago, it seems several powerful Yao Race members also arrived and almost fought with the Sky Patrol Alliance people in the city, but were later persuaded to stop..."

Yao Race? Nightmare remembered the Yao Cultivator named Ao Cang. Could it be him?

"What's the situation in the mountain range now? Can one still enter?"

"You can enter, but it's too dangerous!" The old Cultivator shook his head repeatedly. "The periphery is fine, but no one dares to go deep! I heard that the miasma is now terribly poisonous; even a Golden Core Cultivator's protective spiritual light can't last long! And inside, there are not only poisonous beasts and crazed beasts, but it also seems to be... haunted!"

"Haunted?"

"Yes! Someone swore they saw Baleful Corpses, transformed from dead Cultivators, wandering in the mountains, and also black mist-like monsters that can devour human souls! It's very sinister!" The old Cultivator shivered as he spoke.

Baleful Corpses? Black mist monsters? Nightmare immediately thought of those things in the Hall of Eternal Slumber! Had the evil creatures from there escaped? Or had the Devilish Qi leaking from the demon sealing altar spawned similar monsters?

The situation seemed to be getting more complicated and dangerous.

After asking a few more questions and leaving a few Spirit Stones, Nightmare turned and left the stall.

He walked on the noisy streets of Black Mountain City, his brows slightly furrowed.

The Sky Patrol Alliance, the "Holy Cult," the Yao Race, various Loose Cultivators... plus the potential demonic creatures, Baleful Corpses, and the out-of-control Seal in the mountain range... this water was truly murky.

But precisely because it was murky, it was easier for him, this "fish," to hide and act.

He needed to find a place to settle down, and then... perhaps he could re-enter the mountain range amidst the chaos!

Not for the dangerous altar, but for some special poisons, Evil Qi crystals, or... the legacies of fallen Cultivators that might have been spawned in the mountain range due to the Devilish Qi leakage! These things were poison to others, but great tonics for him!

More importantly, he wanted to see if he could find more clues about the "Holy Cult" or the Sky Patrol Alliance's activities here.

With his plan decided, Nightmare walked towards the direction in his memory.

He remembered that there was an area in the north of the city specifically for renting Immortal Caves to Cultivators, which, although having thin Spiritual Qi, was secluded and quiet enough.

After passing through several streets, just as he was about to reach the northern area of the city, his steps suddenly halted.

His gaze fell upon a familiar figure that flashed past an alley entrance ahead.

Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, and the other party was wearing an ordinary grey cloak, deliberately keeping his head down, Nightmare would never mistake that physique and faint aura!

It was the Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator from the "Holy Cult" who confronted Sky Patrol Alliance envoy Zhantai Ming at the bottom of the sinkhole in the Black Mountain Range—Lin Langtian!

He was still here?! And he seemed to be in a hurry, as if avoiding something.

A glint flashed in Nightmare's eyes, and he immediately restrained his aura, silently following like a ghost.

This might be a Breakthrough!