Many heroes coveted

The closer one got to the core area of Ghost Cry Gorge, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.

Within the gray mist, figures of Cultivators could often be seen flashing, either alone or in groups, all rushing towards the same direction, maintaining a high degree of vigilance and distance from one another. The traces of battles on the ground became denser and more brutal, occasionally revealing un-dried bloodstains and fragments of broken Magical Artifacts.

Nightmare was like a ghost in the dark night, his Aura perfectly blending into the surrounding dense Evil Qi environment, yet his speed was astonishing. He didn't even need to deliberately hide; ordinary Cultivators simply couldn't detect his passage.

Not long after, a huge canyon crack appeared before his eyes.

On both sides were steep, knife-like black cliffs, towering into the hazy mist. Inside the gorge, a sinister wind howled, emitting piercing screams like ten thousand ghosts crying, which is how the name "Ghost Cry Gorge" originated. And at this moment, amidst this natural wailing of ghosts, there were also human Cultivators' shouts, the roar of Spells, and the clang of Magic Treasures colliding!

At the entrance of the gorge, the scene was even more astonishing.

Nearly a hundred Cultivators were gathered here, clearly divided into several factions.

The two largest and most imposing groups were two sets of people. One group wore the attire of the Xuanming Sect, led by a pale-faced, sinister-eyed Perfected Golden Core youth, accompanied by more than ten Disciples whose cultivation was all at Middle Golden Core Stage or above, several of whom had unstable Auras, clearly having just experienced battle. They occupied a higher vantage point, glaring menacingly.

The other group wore miscellaneous clothing, but each exuded monstrous Killing Intent. The leader was a burly, bald man with a hideous scar on his face, also a Perfected Golden Core Cultivator. The people behind him had slightly weaker cultivation but were more numerous, likely an Alliance of the Tiansha Sect and its affiliated forces.

Besides these two major factions, there were also twenty to thirty Cultivators scattered around, mostly Loose Cultivators or Disciples from small Schools in groups of three to five, whose cultivation was mostly at Middle Golden Core Stage or Early Golden Core Stage Stage. They dared not approach the two major factions, only circling the periphery, trying to find an opportunity, their eyes mixing greed, fear, and a glimmer of hope.

Everyone's gaze was focused on a large hole forcibly broken open in the canyon wall.

The hole was about three zhang high, with rough edges, clearly newly blasted open. The interior of the hole was dark and deep, making it impossible to see the specific situation, but extremely pure Yin Spiritual Qi and an ancient, desolate Aura continuously emanated from it, inviting speculation. However, the surface of the hole was covered with a faint, constantly flowing five-colored light membrane, upon which runes flickered, emitting powerful Restriction fluctuations that made one's heart tremble.

Clearly, this was the entrance to the ancient Cultivator's Immortal Cave, and the Restriction at the entrance was still powerful, not yet fully breached.

The Xuanming Sect and Tiansha Sect seemed to have just experienced a probing conflict and were currently in a brief standoff and stalemate. Neither was willing to fully attack the Restriction first, lest the other side become The Fisherman.

"Yan Li, this Immortal Cave was discovered first by my Xuanming Sect. You Tiansha Sect insist on meddling; do you truly want to start a war with my Sect?" Leng Juexin, the sinister youth from the Xuanming Sect, spoke coldly, his voice like scraping ice.

Yan Li, the scar-faced big man from the Tiansha Sect, heard this and let out a booming sneer: "Leng Juexin, what the hell are you talking about! Is this Nether Ghost Domain yours to open? Treasures belong to the virtuous! This Immortal Cave's Restriction is formidable; your Xuanming Sect has gnawed at it for days without breaking it, clearly showing a lack of virtue! If you know what's good for you, scram quickly, lest when the Restriction breaks, I deal with all of you!"

"You!" Leng Juexin's eyes flashed with Killing Intent, and a cold Aura emanated from his body, instantly freezing a layer of frost on the ground.

Both sides immediately drew their swords, the atmosphere became extremely tense, and a great battle was on the verge of breaking out.

The Loose Cultivators on the periphery were secretly excited, eager for them to start fighting so they could profit from the chaos.

Just at this critical moment.

A calm, even somewhat lazy voice, suddenly rang out in the field, clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"What's all the fuss about? This Restriction, can't you break it?"

Everyone was startled and looked over in unison!

In a shadow not far from the cave entrance's Restriction, a middle-aged Cultivator with a sallow complexion and an unremarkable Aura had appeared at some unknown time. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking up slightly, examining the flowing five-colored light membrane as if appreciating a work of art, completely ignoring the nearly hundred Cultivators glaring around him.

Who is he?

When did he appear?

Why did no one notice?

Countless questions instantly surged into everyone's minds.

Leng Juexin of the Xuanming Sect and Yan Li of the Tiansha Sect both had their pupils contract, and alarm bells rang in their hearts. As Perfected Golden Core Cultivators, their Divine Sense had been covering the surroundings, yet they had completely failed to notice how this person approached!

This person is strange!

"Who is Your Excellency?" Leng Juexin suppressed his anger and asked cautiously, his tone no longer as arrogant as before. Yan Li also narrowed his eyes, not speaking rashly.

Nightmare then slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, lingering slightly on the two Perfected Golden Core Cultivators, and said indifferently: "Who I am is not important. What's important is, if you can't break this Restriction, let me do it. Don't waste time."

As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar!

What arrogance!

A guy who looked like he was only at the Early Golden Core Stage Stage actually dared to speak to the two major powers, the Xuanming Sect and Tiansha Sect, like that simultaneously? And even boasted that he would break the Restriction they had failed to breach after days of combined effort?

"Arrogant!"

"Where did this madman come from? Is he looking for death?!"

"He doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"

The Disciples of both major factions shouted in anger.

Leng Juexin's face darkened: "Is Your Excellency mocking us? The strength of this Restriction cannot be easily broken without Nascent Soul power, how can you..."

He hadn't finished speaking, but Nightmare seemed to have lost patience.

"Noisy."

He ignored everyone, turned directly, and faced the five-colored light membrane Restriction.

Under everyone's suspicious and uncertain gazes, he slowly raised his right hand. His palm turned as black as ink, as if it could absorb all light, and a terrifying Aura of destruction and Devour permeated the air.

Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture—Restriction Breaking Demonic Hand!

He didn't use any fancy techniques; he simply, with one palm, pressed it against the constantly flowing five-colored light membrane!

"Hmph, seeking death!" A Cultivator sneered, as if already seeing Nightmare being repelled by the Restriction's backlash.

However, the next scene made all the sneers and taunts instantly freeze on their faces!

The five-colored light membrane, which was capable of repelling the full-force strike of a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, actually made a series of "chi chi" strange noises and fluctuated violently the moment it touched Nightmare's pitch-black palm, like snow melting in boiling water!

That palm seemed to possess some terrifying corrosive and devouring properties; the Five Elements Spiritual Qi on the light membrane was being frantically disintegrated and devoured! The five-colored light visibly dimmed at a rapid pace, and the flowing runes also began to flicker erratically, emitting a mournful wail of being overwhelmed!

"What?!"

"How is this possible?!"

"He... he's actually devouring the power of the Restriction?!"

Exclamations rose and fell, everyone's eyes almost popped out, including Leng Juexin and Yan Li, these two Perfected Golden Core powerhouses!

They had attacked it together for days and could only make the Restriction shake slightly, yet this person was actually disintegrating the Restriction with his bare hands?!

What exactly was this person's cultivation level?! And what Demonic Technique was he Cultivating?!

Just in the short two or three breaths of time while everyone was shocked into silence!

"Ka... cha cha..."

A clear cracking sound rang out!

That incredibly tough five-colored light membrane, under Nightmare's palm, was actually corroded and devoured, creating a large hole! The edges of the hole lost all brilliance, and the runes were annihilated!

The Immortal Cave entrance was open!

Nightmare calmly withdrew his palm, as if he had just done something insignificant. He even casually shook his hand and commented: "Ancient Restriction, somewhat interesting, but unfortunately, it's too old, and too much Spiritual Qi has been lost."

The entire scene was dead silent!

One could hear a pin drop!

Everyone was as if struck by a petrification Spell, staring dumbfounded at the forcibly broken hole, and the figure standing with hands behind his back at the entrance, whose Aura was still "unremarkable."

Fear, shock, greed, disbelief... all kinds of emotions surged in everyone's hearts.

The next moment, someone, it's unknown who, shouted first: "The Immortal Cave is open! Charge!"

This shout was like lighting the fuse of a powder keg!

The brief silence was instantly shattered!

All reason, apprehension, and standoff were drowned out by the greed for the Immortal Cave's Treasure Trove!

"Charge!"

"Grab the treasures!"

Xuanming Sect, Tiansha Sect, Loose Cultivators... all the Cultivators' eyes turned red, and like a tide, they frantically surged towards the broken entrance!

Leng Juexin and Yan Li also reacted instantly, suppressing the shock in their hearts, and roared: "Stop them!" "Xuanming Sect Disciples, follow me and charge!"

A chaotic battle for plunder instantly erupted!

Meanwhile, Nightmare, the instigator, at the moment the entrance was breached, his figure flickered like a ghost, and he was already the first to silently merge into the darkness deep within the Immortal Cave.

A cold sneer hung on the corner of his mouth.

"Fight, contend."

"There will only be one ultimate winner."