The Nightmare took out his weapon. As the sword of endless resentment appeared, innumerable cries of pain resounded. All the swords in the surrounding began to weep alongside it.

Nightmare pointed to the heavens as he activated a technique: “Against the Heavens – Soul return”

At that time, the night sky brightened as hundreds of ghosts seemed to appear and began to flood towards the sword in Nightmare’s hand.

They entered it and were absorbed within.

Nightmare closed his eyes as he focused. He could feel and see what those souls witnessed in their latest moments. He could not help grinning from seeing for himself the devastation brought by his disciple.

Then he frowned when he saw what happened at the very end and Grunleden’s technique.

As the technique ended and the last ghost entered his sword, Nightmare’s eyes opened. They ended up fixed on the bloody Grunleden.

“You are quite ballsy to kill my disciple, little snake” he coldly stated.

Grunleden chuckled.

This was his end. So be it. Dying here to such a being was fine. Facing someone like that, there was nothing he could have ever done anyways.

If his fury could be focused solely on him…then fine. So be it.

However, it was not that simple.

The Nightmare stated calmly: “You shall all die to accompany my disciple in hell”

All the survivors still conscious fell to their knees as they began to cry.

Death.

It was one thing to die but it was another to be told you would die and being powerless to stop it from happening.

No one wished to die here.

An enormous amount of dark energy began to flood within the Nightmare’s sword as it howled. However, before he could slash down, another portal opened up. This one was pure white with energy particles in the form of small phoenixes escaping it.

Out of it, five people exited.

The five Saints of the righteous factions with Saint Bôrakos at the helm.

Their gazes were icy cold.

As soon as they appeared, the situation changed completely.

Cheng cursed the heavens while most others were helplessly praying that those five were here to save them.

Saint Bôrakos moved forward and spoke: “Alexander and Alexia, I recall that the two of you are supposed to be neutral”

The couple took a step back and they bowed. Facing the five Saints…They did not want to. Even for a supreme grade weapon, it was not worth it.

They remained neutral for so long precisely because they wished to live for eternity.

Their Greed for life triumphed over all others.

Alexander opened a portal behind him and stated: “You are right, we shall be taking our leave first, Saints”

They fled quickly.

Saint Bôrakos then turned his attention to the Nightmare.

He smirked: “Well, would you like this place to be your grave, Nightmare?”

The Nightmare frowned while he remained in his stance, sword held high and filled with energy. He did not want to fight them either. Not now and not alone at least.

One to five…

Bad odds.

He pondered for a moment before the energy within the sword dissipated. A portal appeared behind him and he walked backwards into it without uttering a single word.

He fled too.

Saint Bôrakos then looked down.

He saw the destruction and death that happened here and sighed. He also felt the problem with the formation node of this area. He sighed again.

He turned to one of the other Saint and said: “Go stop Hae-Hyuk and Cao Lei”

The other Saint disappeared.

Then, he looked at the people down there and wondered.

To be honest, it would likely be better for no one to ever remember what happened here today…

But if he made such an action here…As the leader of the Righteous Path…

He sighed.

In the end, it was his mistake. He would need to add more surveillance to the lower areas from now on.

As for the change in rule, there was only one possibility but it was simply inconceivable.

He saw Grunleden impaled down there and descended along with the other Saints. He asked the dying sea snake: “What happened to the rule?”

Grunleden chuckled but did not say anything. By now, whatever happened did not matter. Sarina managed to escape further away from him, they would not be able to detect her in any way.

Saint Bôrakos stated: “We can always search your soul”

Grunleden laughed: “Try it if you dare”

If they tried, he could always explode himself. Even the all-powerful Saints could not prevent someone of his level to do that.

Saintess Shalonna laughed: “Ahahahah, Bôrakos, even a little snake does not take you seriously! Ahahaha”

Bôrakos frowned but did not retort. Then, he relaxed his expression and sighed. He told Grunleden: “You’re going to die if we do not intervene”

Grunleden’s eyebrow rose as he asked: “A deal?”

Bôrakos nodded: “You tell us what we want and we save you”

Grunleden smirked: “Deal”

Bôrakos moved and grabbed at the golden spear. Then, he sent his own spiritual energy into it and it broke into millions of small particles.

A moment later, he placed his hand on the hole in Grunleden’s chest and light seeped out of it. The damage was being repaired.

In less than a minute, Grunleden was healed. Such was the unbridgeable gap between those under the 70th stage and those who went over it.

Bôrakos asked: “Who managed to temper with the rules here?”

Grunleden answered faithfully: “I do not know”

Bôrakos frowned: “Who does know?”

Grunleden shook his shoulders. He truly had no idea. He was not even aware of how this could even be possible. To his knowledge, the lower continents were under a restriction and had always been. It was something that should never have even been possible.