Locke said, "The Blue Rice Blight incident?"

Grace nodded, "Actually, the highly developed magical heavy industry lacked any regulations for a very long time, which led many wizards to develop the habit of draining the pond to catch the fish. They didn't consider future generations or others, only prioritizing their own interests. Among the major wizard lands, your Eastern Border Zone's Spiral Basin and several wizard lands in our Southern Border Zone were particularly severe."

"Because Spiral Basin connects to the super-large elemental plane in the endless void, the Corrupt Deep Sea, resources are scarce. It has the worst natural development conditions of all wizard lands."

"But because of this, Spiral Basin's wizards developed a reckless speculative style."

Locke nodded slightly. For example, Spiral Basin's White Wizard Association was probably one of the few White Wizard Association branches that could collude with black wizard alliances and completely ignore the White Wizard Association headquarters' orders.

Witch Grace adjusted the thick glasses on her nose bridge, then said, "Fifty years ago, Spiral Basin's White Wizard Association, in order to rapidly advance development, introduced a large number of magical heavy industry shop alliances that produced pollution."

"At first, many of us didn't know why those shop alliances would go to the impoverished Spiral Basin. Later we learned it was because Spiral Basin gave them many conveniences, conveniences that those heavy industry shop alliances in alchemy, enchantment, and transmutation couldn't obtain in other regions."

"Because those shop alliances brought prosperous production chains and abundant resources to Spiral Basin, Spiral Basin's White Wizard Association turned a blind eye."

"Spiral Basin's White Wizard Association mistakenly believed this benefited them. But later, the outbreak of the Blue Rice Blight made Spiral Basin's White Wizard Association pay several times more resources than they obtained from those shop alliances to make amends."

"Despite doing so much and paying so many resources, some damage was left permanently."

Witch Grace said, "Those shop alliances secretly discharged substances mixed with something called ring element particles in Spiral Basin, without even telling the local White Wizard Association, exploiting regulatory loopholes. That ring element is heavily used in manufacturing void battleship engines, as well as making golem energy pools and wizard tower energy pools. Alchemists all might use this element."

"Besides, a large number of advanced magical processed goods might also use this substance."

"But those shop alliances, out of selfishness and to obtain more economic benefits, concealed this matter from the White Wizard Association."

"Ring element particles have characteristics of being difficult to eliminate, biological accumulation, neurotoxicity, and disrupting air element bonding. They can turn vast lands into barren wastelands, can kill all plants, with powerful magical toxicity."

"Most terrifyingly, they have biological accumulation properties. Moreover, to hide this matter, the shop alliances spent much money bribing victims and wizards who discovered this, allowing the shop alliances to secretly discharge ring element particles in Spiral Basin for fifty years."

Witch Grace said angrily, "Without any warning, without any compensation, with almost no victims knowing about this, Spiral Basin's wizards, mortals, plants, and magical creatures had to drink magical heavy industry discharge water that hadn't undergone any treatment every day."

"Afterward, according to our investigation, all seventeen main rivers in Spiral Basin had been completely polluted by ring element heavy particles. Because of the special nature of ring element heavy particles, even after two hundred years passed, they could still be detected in the river water. This directly caused countless deaths and injuries, with indirect casualties already impossible to count."

"This ecological crisis attracted the Jungle's Hand's attention. But we all noticed Spiral Basin's situation because of the Blue Rice Blight incident."

Locke suddenly realized, "Under the stimulation of ring elements, some magical plants mutated?"

Witch Grace nodded, "Multiple agricultural crops in Spiral Basin mutated, but the most famous was poison rice. Blue rice, if consumed continuously for more than three months, would turn the entire skin blue, cause multiple organ failure, and irreversible mutation of the bloodline essence within the body." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Potion masters tried every method. Although they made remedial efforts afterward, this was a mistake that lasted fifty years. It couldn't be completely remedied by human power."

Witch Grace said, "After the Blue Rice Blight incident, a large number of wizards in Spiral Basin's White Wizard Association received severe punishment, but after some time, they would return to the White Wizard Association."

"We all know that transfers and demotions just let them temporarily change locations. They'll soon make a comeback. This is why our Jungle's Hand has always emphasized environmental protection."

Locke nodded slightly. "Then, the two elements those two nightmares just released were?"

Witch Grace said, "Nightmares died from pollution, so they transformed into nightmares in the Emerald Dream and continue spreading pollution. They were polluted by human hearts, yet now they act as accomplices, spreading pollution in the Emerald Dream for human hearts."

"Ring element heavy particles are very high-grade energy particles with intense pollution characteristics. Generally speaking, individual wizards find them difficult to resist with permanent defensive fields. Moreover, ring element heavy particles are very restrictive against life energy. They have biological accumulation properties and easily pollute life, a power that the Emerald Dream and natural forces cannot resolve."

"Hydrogen element particles are derivatives of ring element heavy particles, a highly toxic and strongly corrosive gas. But not as dangerous as ring element heavy particles."

"Ring element heavy particles have characteristics of ignoring permanent defensive fields and can destroy and damage contacted magical plants. Even though I haven't contacted ring element heavy particles, my body already can't endure it."

Witch Grace said, "Because ring element heavy particles have biological accumulation properties, this composite element particle happens to automatically gather toward living organisms. The toxicity source of ring element heavy particles easily combines with life energy, conversely plundering our life energy."

"At the same time, it has powerful neurotoxicity. Even without contacting it, just getting close, we're already poisoned. I just don't know why your permanent defensive field can block ring element heavy particles."

"The Ancient Life Tree Isisdar died because of local heavy industrial wastewater. Due to the Ancient Life Tree's kind nature, it kept trying hard to maintain the local natural environment, but in the end, it couldn't even protect itself."

Locke nodded. "I understand. Then how does your Jungle's Hand generally handle those nightmares?"

Grace hesitated for a moment, then took out a wizard sword emitting green magical radiance from her astral ring. "This is a wizard sword forged by Jungle's Hand's alchemists. Because nightmares are overly restrictive against magical plants and life magic, and the Emerald Dream only invites wizards of the Life School to enter."

"Therefore, this First Circle magical artifact was specially designed, the Nightmare's Enemy."

"As long as I can kill it with this sword, I can completely kill it and end its tragic fate."

Witch Grace said, "But I can't give it to you, because this wizard sword is extremely precious. I only carried one."

Locke nodded slightly. "Alright. However, I must thank you for letting me understand what nightmares are and letting me know the details of that life nightmare."

"I suggest we separate when we go out."

Witch Grace froze for a moment, "Hmm? We won't go together? Wouldn't it be better if the two of us faced that nightmare together?"

Locke nodded. "But the conscription battlefield is extremely vast. That life nightmare might have gone anywhere, so it's better for us to separate and search for it."

"Find it as quickly as possible. If we let it obtain enough energy during this process and become a Second Circle stage existence, wouldn't that be very troublesome?"

Witch Grace frowned, "What you say makes sense. But I always feel something's strange. Alright then. I'll leave this hiding place first. It's good we act separately. My trump card also isn't suitable for use when there's a companion."

"Beast Soul attacks don't distinguish between friend and foe."

"Then farewell, wizard from Cloud Marsh Wetland." During their previous exchange, Witch Grace had learned Locke's name. "Locke, it's a pity we're so far apart that there's no possibility of contact."

"Meeting you this time, I'm very happy. Seeing the natural world has so many outstanding wizards protecting it truly makes me happy."

Witch Grace used the Wind Bell Dandelion to quickly leave the interior of the baobab tree.

Shortly after she left, Locke used the Large Green Leaf Dragon Sparrow to fly out of the baobab tree's interior, then strolled through the Emerald Dream's magnificent scenery that was like paradise.

About an hour later.

A terrible evil power approached. Birds nearby flew away in flocks, and flowers, grass, trees, and woods all withered.

Life nightmare Isisdar brought the war nightmare it had summoned and came together. Behind it followed a long line of magical creature legions corrupted by its nightmare power.

Life nightmare Isisdar looked at Locke with his back turned and clamored, "I finally found you."

"My war nightmare locked onto your hostility long ago. Even if you used magic to temporarily conceal it, as long as you dispelled that magic for a long time, I could track you. Hahahaha... Wizard, you didn't expect this, did you?"

"Revenge nightmare arrives. I am nature's destroyer, I am nature's annihilator, I am nature's..."

Locke turned around. The Three-Eyed Tiger Cat's natural magic eye appeared on his forehead, and primordial runes appeared in the magic eye. That was the power of the Fierce Beast.

The next moment, Myst's Power slashed out. After Locke used the Fierce Beast panel to boost his magical pressure to 9,999, and even obtained some more powerful force in this Emerald Dream, that boosted Myst's Power became an irresistible force.

With just one strike, the polluted magical creature legion behind life nightmare Isisdar was completely annihilated.

Life nightmare Isisdar widened the red eyes on its tree trunk. "This..."

Locke turned his head and looked at life nightmare Isisdar, saying, "I know you had your war nightmare lock onto my hostility. I've always known. That's why I'm here alone waiting for you. After all, I don't want strange wizards to see my primordial runes."

"You..." Life nightmare Isisdar was astonished. "You did it on purpose? You're waiting for me here? What's that power on you? Why does it make nightmares afraid!"

Behind Locke, the phantom of the Three-Eyed Tiger Cat faintly appeared. That Three-Eyed Tiger Cat seemed to lower its body, looking down upon this nightmare with innate authority. "Grace's magical pressure is 9,300. Her age isn't very old, roughly in her early thirties."

"Still a young witch."

"Her mentor sent her to deal with you, indicating her mentor has some confidence in her. Therefore, the so-called beast soul in her body should be able to amplify her magical pressure and let her obtain power to resist ring element heavy particles. But when I fought you earlier, plus from learning your information from Witch Grace, after calculating, I discovered that if I use the Fierce Beast panel plus Myst's Power, I still possess... the power to crush you."

The war nightmare behind life nightmare Isisdar secretly circled behind Locke. The treant emitting black smoke attacked Locke's back, but was pierced by the Flowing Gold Fern Spear formed by Glittering Sea Gold Sand and pinned in the distance.

Using the Fierce Beast template, Locke's stats doubled, his power reaching the First Circle limit. His magical pressure completely surpassed life nightmare Isisdar and the war nightmare. Moreover, the Fierce Beast's power seemed to have a natural suppression effect on nightmares.

It turned out that natural force wasn't without power to deal with nightmares. The power of Nature Guardians could effectively suppress nightmares' nightmare power.

Myst's Power on Locke's body condensed into an axe. He swung the axe and chopped at life nightmare Isisdar. The life nightmare summoned life spears, accompanied by large amounts of sewage, shooting toward Locke.

The next moment, Myst's Power contacted the life spear. Then that life spear split in half with a crash.

Life nightmare Isisdar turned to flee. "What power is this? Why does my power naturally weaken by thirty percent before it!"

As soon as the treant turned, it saw that Locke had appeared before its eyes. Frightened, cold air shot from its canopy. The next moment, Locke extended his right hand and recalled the Glittering Sea Gold Sand transformed into a Flowing Gold Fern Spear.

Thus, Glittering Sea Gold Sand fell into his hand. At the same time, Locke held the flowing gold spear. Myst's Power gathered at the spear tip, strengthening and blessing this plant magic.

This was a new use of Myst's Power that Locke discovered during battle!

Using Myst's Power to bless plant magic, rather than simply using Myst's Power, could take his output to another level. Combined with the Fierce Beast power's blessing and the Emerald Dream's blessing for him, this strike probably reached the maximum output limit value achievable at the First Circle stage.

The next moment, life nightmare Isisdar's body was pierced through.

"How is this possible... Life magic, how can it kill me?" Life nightmare Isisdar retreated two steps, incredulous. Its nightmare power was actually collapsing. "Besides the Jungle's Hand, there's actually power that can kill me."

Seeing this scene, Locke wasn't surprised. During battle, he had discovered that Myst's Power could injure life nightmare Isisdar, but couldn't be completely fatal. At most, it could severely injure it.

That's why he chose to retreat and chat with Grace to obtain nightmare intelligence.

But he had suspected before that Fierce Beast power might work on nightmares. This was also why the Emerald Dream was so excited about his arrival.

He just wanted to understand a bit more. Careful sailing makes a ten-thousand-year ship.

But now indeed, Fierce Beast power was the nemesis of nightmare power.

Locke said, "If this is what the Emerald Dream wants me to do, then I've already done it."

Locke sensed his body was in a phantom state. It seemed he had completed this mission, so the conscription had ended.

At the same time, life nightmare Isisdar suddenly spoke, "No... not killing... this is actually purification."

The nightmare power on Isisdar suddenly shattered. The originally twisted nightmare returned to a beautiful Ancient Life Tree, lush and verdant.

Isisdar looked at Locke with awe. At this moment, under the prompts of the Emerald Dream's world will, it already knew Locke's identity. Isisdar also changed character due to the nightmare's death, returning to its original personality.

"Thank you, Nature Guardian. You purified the resentment on me."

"Saved my dignity."

"Led me back from my lost path."

Isisdar's body was also dissipating. "This way, I'm liberated. As thanks, I give you a portion of my life spirit. At the same time, according to my contract with the Emerald Dream, I give you one of my reincarnation seeds."

Isisdar's body completely dissipated, leaving behind a seed and a mass of pure life spirit.

Locke froze for a moment, then the world spun. He left the Emerald Dream.