With a thunderous boom, a mass of black shadow suddenly appeared and lit up in the twisted void, spinning rapidly as it swelled to an enormous size, and in the blink of an eye transformed into a gigantic black vortex.

A continuous rumble of muffled thunder could be faintly heard, and at the center, arcs of silver lightning flickered in and out of sight within the vortex, as if the very sky above was about to collapse.

“What is that? Could it be a demon appearing in the world?” A boy of about thirteen or fourteen on the wooden boat muttered in shock, his eyes wide.

“Ordinary demons don’t have the ability to shatter the void so directly. I think it’s more likely some kind of treasure or secret realm appearing.” Another, the oldest middle-aged man on the boat, looked at the black vortex with a grave expression and spoke solemnly.

“Treasure! Secret realm!” The others on the boat were all stirred at these words.

The cultivators from the other faction riding the strange birds clearly thought of something as well, pointing excitedly at the black vortex and growing agitated.

Just then, a powerful wave suddenly swept out from the black vortex, and the enormous shadow of a black palace began to emerge from within.

At first, only a small, blurry part was visible, but after a moment, this part gradually became solid, and the palace gates could be seen clearly.

The gates of this black palace looked to be over a dozen zhang high, their surface uneven, and faintly, countless grayish-white human faces seemed to flicker in and out of sight upon them, sending chills down the spine of any who looked.

Chapter 9: The Nightmare Palace

“This... this is the Nightmare Palace! The Nightmare Palace that only appears in Tian Nan once every sixty years has actually appeared here! Quick, hurry and inform the clan!” The middle-aged man on the boat, upon seeing the shadow of the black palace, suddenly cried out, his face a mix of shock and joy.

“What, this is the legendary Nightmare Palace?”

“Heavens, quick, I must send this news back immediately. This time, we’ll surely earn great merit.”

“I’ve also heard that the Nightmare Palace holds countless treasures and opportunities. If we can enter... Wait, this is bad, the people from the Seven Birds Sect seem to have recognized it too—they’ve already sent someone to report back.”

The cultivators on the boat discussed in wild excitement, but soon noticed that their rivals on the strange birds had already split off two to fly back the way they came.

Seeing this, the cultivators from this faction on the boat no longer hesitated, and likewise sent their fastest to ride a giant disc-shaped magic tool and fly off in another direction.

Less than half an hour later, several passing cultivators also discovered the black vortex and the enormous palace, and after a brief commotion, each hurried off to report the news.

Only a small part of the Nightmare Palace had just appeared; it would still be about a month before the entire palace fully descended and could be entered, so no one was in a rush to try to get in first.

Before long, more and more streaks of light began to shoot through the sky nearby.

……

Several days later, in a side hall atop the highest peak of the The Sullivan Family, Grant Sullivan stood quietly before the hall doors, as if waiting for something, his face completely expressionless.

After a while, footsteps sounded, and from within the hall emerged an elderly man in a green robe, his hair and beard both white, with kindly brows and gentle eyes. It was Harvey, who had once brought him back to the The Sullivan Family.

“Harvey, did my father agree?” As soon as Grant Sullivan saw the old man, he took a deep breath and asked.

“Young Master Brooks, the clan leader once promised you that if you reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, you could make one not-too-excessive request of him. This old servant must confirm once more: are you sure you want to use this request for the Blood Lipid Pill? If you use your request now, the next time you can make one will only be after advancing to the Golden Core stage.” Harvey coughed lightly and asked.

“No need to persuade me further, Harvey. I’m sure I want this Blood Lipid Pill.” Grant Sullivan took a deep breath and replied without hesitation.

“Very well. Since Young Master Brooks has decided, this old servant will not stand in your way. Here is the Blood Lipid Pill you asked for.” Harvey nodded, took out a blood-red jade bottle from his robe, and handed it over.

“Thank you, Harvey. I’ll take my leave now.” Grant Sullivan did not dare be the least bit disrespectful. He gave a slight bow before accepting the bottle.

Unlike five years ago when he was still a mortal, Grant Sullivan could now clearly sense the terrifying magical power hidden within Harvey’s seemingly calm body. Though called a servant, he was almost certainly a Golden Core stage expert. Even the clan elders would likely treat Harvey with great respect.

“By the way, if there’s nothing urgent, Young Master Brooks, it’s best to stay within the clan for now. If you have time, you might want to visit the Fayuan Pavilion to buy some pills or magic tools—you never know when you might need them.” Harvey added with a smile.

“Thank you for the advice, Harvey. I’ll remember it.” Grant Sullivan replied respectfully, moved by the words.

“Very good. I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you any longer, Young Master Brooks.” Harvey nodded and turned to re-enter the side hall.

Standing before the hall doors, Grant Sullivan stroked the blood-red jade bottle in his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The meaning behind Harvey’s last few words was well worth pondering.

※※※

“Reporting to the master, this old servant has already given the pill to Young Master Brooks.”

In the side hall, Harvey stood before a man in white robes, hands at his sides, and spoke respectfully.