Soul-Binding Ancient Demon

The deepest part of the Soul Burying Valley.

The mist here was no longer grey-black, but a startling pure white. It was not a holy white, but the purest, most void-like white—the residue left after all things returned to Nirvana, and all color and vitality were completely erased. The power of annihilation was concentrated to the extreme here, transforming into visible white Qi currents that flowed slowly like living things. Wherever they passed, even space slightly twisted, emitting a groan of unbearable strain.

The protective Demonic Essence covering Nightmare's body hissed as it was corroded. Even with his Half-step Nascent Soul cultivation and his demonic body tempered by the Yellow Spring, he felt immense pressure, and his Demonic Essence was being consumed at an alarming rate. He had to slow his pace, urging his Myriad Poison Demonic Essence to its limit to arduously resist this terrifying annihilation environment.

The strange sound of chains dragging became clearer, seemingly not far ahead, carrying an ancient desolation and deathly silence. Every clang struck the deepest part of one's Divine Soul.

He abruptly activated his Divine Sense, forcibly piercing through the dense white annihilation Qi currents to probe forward.

The scene ahead caused Nightmare, who was experienced and iron-willed, to suddenly contract his pupils!

The very end of the valley was not a mountain wall, but an enormous pit!

The pit was bottomless, its edges smooth as a mirror, seemingly melted instantly by some unimaginable force. Inside the pit, there was no mist, but boiling, churning, viscous, pure white annihilation energy! They resembled a massive vortex, constantly spinning and collapsing. At the center was an ultimate black point, seemingly connecting to the end of the Void Realm, emitting a terrifying suction force capable of swallowing everything and grinding all things to dust!

This was fundamentally an eye of annihilation! It was the core manifestation of the Laws of Death and Nirvana within the Nether Ghost Domain!

Even more shocking was that above the massive eye of annihilation, suspended in the Void Realm, was a person!

No, perhaps it could no longer be called a “person.”

It was an Ancient Demon, extremely tall, with dark gold skin covered in profound demonic patterns! It had two horns curving skyward on its head. Its face vaguely retained a trace of its former majesty, but its eyes were now tightly shut and lifeless. Its four limbs and neck were tightly bound by five immensely thick, Dark Chains inscribed with countless golden Buddhist Mantras and Daoist Talismans!

The other ends of the five chains were not fixed to the rock wall, but plunged directly into the Void Realm, seemingly connecting to the mysterious Law power, continuously drawing strength from the Nether Ghost Domain, transforming into endless Seal power, suppressing this Ancient Demon!

Golden light and clear light flashed alternately on the chains. The Buddhist and Daoist mantras and Talismans flickered, counteracting and wearing down the destructive power emitted by the eye of annihilation below, forming a strange and dangerous balance.

And that heavy sound of dragging chains was precisely caused by the slight vibration of the chains when the energy tides of the eye of annihilation surged!

“This is... the demon binding chain!” Nightmare's heart shook violently. He recognized the Origin of the chains: a supreme Magical Artifact used by Buddhist and Daoist Great Experts in ancient times to suppress peerless Devil Heads, containing orthodox Law power that strongly countered all Devilish Qi.

The Ancient Demon suppressed here, even though it had long lost its vitality, its remaining Physical Body still emitted a terrifying pressure that made one tremble—an aura of horror that surpassed the Nascent Soul stage, perhaps even higher! In life, it was definitely an unimaginably terrifying existence!

“So the Soul Burying Valley buries the Divine Soul of such an Ancient Demon...” Nightmare suddenly understood. This eye of annihilation was likely both the core for suppressing it and the tool for grinding down its remaining demonic body and Divine Soul. Over the years, the interweaving of these two forces created this current deadly area.

Just as Nightmare was shocked by this ancient secret, the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture inside him suddenly began to operate faster on its own! It wasn't provoked, but rather produced a kind of... craving?

Was it a craving for the Ancient Demon's remaining body? Or a craving for the core power of the eye of annihilation? Or perhaps a craving for the Law power on the Buddhist/Daoist demon binding chain?

His Myriad Poison Demonic Essence inherently possessed the characteristic of devouring all things, and at this moment, it seemed to sense an unprecedented great tonic!

Almost simultaneously, the five demon binding chains also seemed to sense the pure and domineering Devilish Qi on Nightmare, and they suddenly shook!

Buzz—!

The Buddhist Mantras and Daoist Talismans on the chains suddenly lit up, emitting streaks of Demon-Subduing Golden Light and Pure Yang Clear Qi. As if stimulated, they actively pressed toward Nightmare! At the same time, the rotation of the eye of annihilation below abruptly accelerated, and more pure white annihilation Qi currents coiled toward Nightmare like tentacles!

These two forces—one being the utmost righteous and pure Yang demon-subduing power, the other being the ultimate silent and destructive annihilation power—were originally mutually antagonistic, but now, due to the intrusion of Nightmare, this “foreign demonic creature,” they subtly showed a tendency to combine and strangle him!

“Hmph! Something that's been dead for who knows how many years, and the few Restrictions it left behind dare to attack me?”

Although startled, Nightmare did not panic. Instead, a flash of fiery madness appeared in his eyes!

This was both a desperate situation and a heaven-sent opportunity!

If he could devour and refine even a trace of the Binding Demon Law from the demon binding chain, or the core energy of the eye of annihilation, it would be an unimaginable nourishment for his Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture! He might even use this to instantly gain insight into part of the Nascent Soul mysteries and directly trigger the Heavenly Tribulation!

“myriad soul banner, appear!”

He no longer hesitated, abruptly summoning the myriad soul soul-devouring banner! The ten-foot black banner flapped in the wind, and countless powerful Malevolent Souls roared out, forming a Soul Wall that violently slammed into the pressing Demon-Subduing Golden Light and Pure Yang Clear Qi!

Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

Like cold water dripping into hot oil, the Soul Wall violently collided with the golden light and clear Qi, mutually wearing each other down! The Malevolent Souls let out miserable screams and were continuously purified and dispersed, but the golden light and clear Qi were also temporarily blocked by the towering vengeful Soul Power!

“demonic vine, protect me!”

The Wind-Devouring Demonic Vine retracted instantly, densely wrapping around Nightmare's body, forming a tough Vine Armor that resisted the surging annihilation Qi currents! The dark gold patterns on the vines flashed wildly, constantly being corroded and constantly regenerating, actually managing to hold them off!

Meanwhile, Nightmare himself sat cross-legged in the air, abruptly forming a complex Demonic Seal with his hands!

One of the ultimate Divine Abilities of the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture—Heaven-Swallowing Earth-Devouring Demonic Technique!

Boom!

Behind him, the Void Realm twisted, and the illusory image of a massive, pitch-black, spinning Demonic Hole emerged! From within the Demonic Hole came an irresistible, terrifying suction force, which was no longer just absorbing energy, but directly devouring Laws!

He intended to forcibly seize and devour the Binding Demon Law and Annihilation Law of this place!

Although it was only the most superficial and rudimentary trace, it was still enough to shock the world!

“Devour for me!”

Nightmare let out a low roar, his face solemn. Threads of black blood even began to seep from his seven orifices! Simultaneously resisting and attempting to devour two vastly different yet terrifyingly potent forces, even with his Half-step Nascent Soul cultivation, he felt incredibly strained. Both his Physical Body and Divine Soul were bearing immense burdens!

A minute thread of Law, composed of golden Buddhist script and azure Daoist Talismans, along with a trace of pure white Annihilation Origin, were forcibly stripped from the demon binding chain and the eye of annihilation. Struggling and twisting, they were dragged toward the massive illusory Demonic Hole!

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The demon binding chain shook even more violently, as if enraged! The eye of annihilation also boiled more fiercely!

More golden light, clear Qi, and annihilation Qi currents erupted, surging toward Nightmare like a tsunami!

Crack! The Soul Wall formed by the myriad soul banner was the first to fail, letting out a wail before flying back, its spiritual light dim. The Vine Armor formed by the Wind-Devouring Demonic Vine also began to shatter over large areas!

Nightmare gave a muffled groan, his body trembling violently, the demonic patterns on his skin flickering erratically. He had clearly reached his limit!

But the madness in his eyes intensified!

“Not enough! Come here!”

He bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood, which merged into the illusory Demonic Hole behind him!

The suction force of the Demonic Hole suddenly surged!

That thread of Law and trace of Annihilation Origin were finally forcibly dragged into the Demonic Hole by him, instantly disappearing into his body!

Boom!!!

An indescribable, terrifying energy completely erupted within him!

On one side were Law fragments that were utmost righteous and pure Yang, specifically countering Devilish Qi; on the other was the Annihilation Origin that ground down all things and returned them to the Void Realm! The two forces violently clashed and raged inside him, seemingly intent on completely tearing him apart, purifying him, and annihilating him from the inside out!

“Ugh ah—!”

The intense pain made Nightmare let out an involuntary low roar. The surface of his body was instantly covered in cracks, like porcelain that would shatter upon touch! Blood continuously seeped from the fissures!

But he fiercely maintained a sliver of clarity in his spiritual consciousness, operating the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture to an unprecedented limit, frantically refining and harmonizing these two completely opposing forces, attempting to integrate them into his own Myriad Poison Demonic Essence!

This was an extremely perilous process; the slightest mistake would result in the destruction of both body and soul!

But his foundation was truly too profound! His Half-step Nascent Soul cultivation, his demonic body tempered multiple times, his powerful Divine Soul nourished by the netherworld ghost lotus, and the Heaven-Defying characteristics of the Myriad Poison Demonic Scripture itself—all erupted at this moment!

He didn't know how much time passed; it felt like only an instant, yet also like ten million years.

The violently conflicting energy within him finally subsided.

That fragment of Buddhist/Daoist Law and trace of Annihilation Origin were actually forcibly refined by him using a supreme Demonic Technique, integrating them into his own Demonic Path Law!

His Myriad Poison Demonic Essence was no longer purely pitch-black, but carried a minuscule, star-like golden-azure luster, along with a faint, indifferent grey-white Qi! This made his Demonic Essence even stranger, more domineering, and more... encompassing of all things!

An unprecedented feeling of power filled his entire body!

The cracks on his body rapidly healed, and his aura climbed steadily, instantly breaking through the limit of Half-step Nascent Soul!

RUMBLE!

Above the Soul Burying Valley, high above the grey-white mist that perpetually shrouded it, a muffled thunderous sound, like war drums, suddenly erupted in the vast sky of the Nether Ghost Domain!

A boundless, cold, and ruthless pressure from heaven and earth suddenly descended! It locked onto Nightmare in the deepest part of the valley!

The Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation was about to descend!

Nightmare abruptly raised his head. Far from showing fear, his eyes were filled with anticipation and Battle Intent!

He stood up tall, retrieving the myriad soul banner, whose spiritual light was slightly dim, and the damaged Wind-Devouring Demonic Vine.

His gaze swept over the remaining body of the suppressed Ancient Demon and the boiling eye of annihilation, and a proud curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Once I successfully Undergo Tribulation, I will return to collect these two ‘great gifts’!”

Before his voice fell, his figure shot skyward, actively heading toward the terrifying Heavenly Tribulation that was about to strike!

He intended to achieve the supreme Nascent Soul Demonic Path here, above the Soul Burying Valley, within the Nether Ghost Domain!