The Tiger-Flood Dragon (虎蛟) was no ordinary beast. In some respects, it could be considered a divine beast-level entity. Known in ancient Chinese mythology as a creature with the body of a fish and the tail of a snake, the tiger-flood dragon is one of the many strange aquatic dragonkin species, with incredible combat prowess in water.
From the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing):"Five hundred li to the east lies Mount Daoguo… from it flows the Yin River, which runs south to the sea. Within it dwells the tiger-flood dragon, shaped like a fish with a snake's tail, its cry like that of a mandarin duck. Eating it cures hemorrhoids and causes no swelling."— Guo Pu annotated: "The flood dragon resembles a snake, has four limbs, and belongs to the dragon lineage."
So yes, the Tiger-Flood Dragon is of dragon descent, possessing dragon bloodline and terrifying battle strength.
Unfortunately, this particular tiger-flood dragon had terrible luck. Somehow, it was contaminated by the Qi of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man (天人五衰之气). In a desperate attempt to escape the decay, it severed one of its claws, hoping to purge the calamity.
But it was futile.
It perished anyway, and its corpse became part of the Day-Night Forest.
Yi Tianxing had already extracted the massive corpse and stored it inside the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower, which would slowly refine it. Once he was ready to leave, he would simply seal the spatial breach it created.With his current ability to open Nightmare Apertures, such a task was simple.
In the meantime, as the Nightmare Tree, Yi Tianxing continued absorbing nightmare power, which remained the most efficient path of cultivation in this world. Each day, the world within the pagoda would expand by over a thousand zhang in diameter.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime fortune—not a second should be wasted. Especially now, when his identity remained hidden.
Meanwhile, the roots of the Nightmare Tree kept spreading, dividing and multiplying, gradually covering an increasingly vast area.
"Since Yi Saint King has a plan, then I won't interfere," said Monkey with a grin."This Nightmare World is dangerous, yes—but it's also the perfect place to temper myself. Staying here under your protection is too comfortable—not good for training."
His eyes glinted with defiance. Though he now understood how terrifying the Nightmare World was, it had only stoked his battle hunger.
Defeat without despair.
Victory without arrogance.
That was the true Path of Battle.
"Very well. I'll give you this jade talisman. It contains a spatial gateway seal.If you're in a situation you absolutely can't handle, break the talisman—it'll open a portal back to the Day-Night Forest," Yi Tianxing said calmly.
"I'll give you several more. Even if you're far away, you can use them in sequence to jump home. But be warned—these aren't foolproof. Don't rely on them too much. When I'm ready to leave the Nightmare World, I'll send you a message via the talisman. Just return then."
Yi Tianxing never tried to restrain Monkey. They weren't monarch and subject, but fellow cultivators walking their paths together.
"Heh heh, I got it. Thanks, Yi Saint King!"
Monkey's eyes glowed as he accepted the jade talismans. In his view, these were life-saving treasures.
He wasted no time—turning into a streak of golden light, he soared away.
Escape Art Divine Power – Somersault Cloud (筋斗云)!
Since awakening his origin, he had inherited many of his true body's divine abilities. Now, using them was second nature—fast, powerful, and flawless. In a blink, he vanished.
"This reckless monkey... he's bound to suffer out there," Yi Tianxing murmured with a shake of his head.
In other worlds, rashness might be tolerable. But in the Nightmare World, rashness was a death sentence. No one knew where or when danger would strike.
At that moment, a ray of divine light tore through the void, piercing the barrier and landing before Yi Tianxing.
It was a bronze token, etched with the sigil of nightmare.
The Nightmare Token – from the Nightmare Holy City (梦魇圣城).
Only those who established a Nightmare Sanctuary were eligible to receive it.
Upon accepting the token, a stream of information flowed into his mind.
The Nightmare Holy City wasn't newly created—it had existed long before sanctuaries began appearing.It served as a hub that connected all sanctuaries.Through it, one could open portals and gather beings from sanctuaries separated by vast distances.
Anyone from a Nightmare Sanctuary could freely enter and exit the Holy City.The only rule: no fighting inside.Violators would face punishment—or even exile and revocation of entry rights.
The Holy City was designed to foster exchange, trade, and communication among survivors.
Every month, the Holy City opened once.
Anyone with access could enter to network, barter, or carry out other objectives.
It was the central hub of the Nightmare World—and one of its supreme marvels.
No one knew who built it, or how powerful it truly was. But it had always existed—roaming the Nightmare World like a drifting ghost fortress.
"Interesting. So very interesting," Yi Tianxing muttered with a burning gaze."In all the years my Great Yi Dynasty's people have entered this world, we never even knew such a thing existed.The sanctuaries... the Holy City…This is only the tip of the iceberg."
He couldn't wait to explore further. The Nightmare Holy City was clearly the true heart of the world, teeming with elites and limitless resources.
With a thought, a beam of light flashed beside him—and a figure stepped out of the Nightmare Tree.
Life Aperture – Clone (分身命窍)!
After welcoming many concubines into the Great Yi, Yi Tianxing never denied his interest in beauty. Through joyful cultivation and using the Heavenly Emperor Dragon-Taming Scripture (天帝御龙经), he had refined primal dragon pearls, which either:
Boosted his existing life apertures
Or opened up entirely new apertures
Each one was integrated into the Dragon-Taming Diagram, over which he held complete command.
One of these apertures was the Clone Life Aperture, which granted the power to create external incarnations.
There were many ways to do this:
Turn a single hair into a clone
Use external materials to mold an incarnation
Or condense one using the power stored in the life aperture itself
The current figure was a true avatar formed through this aperture.It looked identical to the original, though its combat power was about 50% of the main body.
The Nightmare Holy City would open in about ten days. There was no need to rush—he would act when the time came.
But for now, Yi Tianxing turned his attention to the first group of humans arriving at the Day-Night Forest.
A shimmering seven-colored barrier now surrounded the forest—marking it as a Nightmare Sanctuary.
Outside, a vast crowd of humans had gathered.
They came from all walks of life, dressed in wildly different garb. Different regions, ethnicities, and cultures—some clutching chickens and ducks, others carrying infants.
These were the closest survivors—those who had rushed to the sanctuary as soon as they received the call.
When they saw the shimmering barrier, their eyes lit up with blazing hope.
"It's the Nightmare Barrier! It's real!This really is a Nightmare Sanctuary!We finally made it!"
"Go! Inside! Only in the sanctuary can we truly survive.No more random deaths or terrifying changes.Our new life begins now!"
They surged forward as one.
The barrier did not hinder them—they passed through as easily as air.
Inside, they immediately sensed the difference.
The chaotic, oppressive laws of the outside world were gone—replaced by hidden, orderly rules. Most importantly, a sense of inner peace settled over them.
This was a place where one could truly live.
"Sanctuary. This… this is what sanctuary really means."
Countless humans wept with joy.
But they didn't stop there.Driven by an inexplicable call, they continued deeper into the forest.
Before long, they saw it—
A massive Nightmare Tree, towering into the heavens.Beneath it stood a solitary figure—Yi Tianxing himself.And beside him…a colossal ancient gate, over a thousand zhang tall, radiating a clear and uplifting aura.