Formations rise and fall, mirrors shatter and people perish.

Time flew by amidst the silent planning and waiting of both sides.

The Sky Patrol Alliance's "Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array" finally neared its completion. Countless Formation Patterns hidden in the Void Realm were illuminated, connecting to the Earth Veins and drawing upon the Power of the Stars of the Surrounding Heavens. An invisible yet incredibly heavy net completely enveloped the area spanning several thousand miles centered around Ye Yan Palace!

Although ordinary Cultivators still found it difficult to detect, all living beings within this region inexplicably felt a heaviness in their hearts, as if the sky was about to collapse, and the circulation of Spiritual Qi became sluggish. The Disciples inside Ye Yan Palace felt an invisible pressure surrounding them, causing palpitations.

At the edge of the Barren Plain, was the Sky Patrol Alliance's Temporary Base.

Ouyang Shuo and Elder Wu stood side-by-side, gazing at a massive, luminous Formation Core Compass before them. On the compass, countless light spots shimmered, forming an incredibly complex pattern of Star Chains, slowly rotating and emitting suffocating power fluctuations.

"Hahaha! It's done! Locking the stars of the Nine Heavens, netting heaven and earth! Although this Formation is less than one ten-thousandth as powerful as the Headquarters' version, it is enough to trap and kill that Devil Head!" Elder Wu stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his face full of self-satisfaction. After three months and countless Materials and effort, this simplified Grand Array was finally complete!

Excitement and ruthlessness flashed in Ouyang Shuo's eyes: "Good! Elder Wu has worked hard! If we can capture and kill this villain and seize his Opportunity, Elder Wu will take the primary credit!" He seemed to already see the scene of Nightmare being suppressed by the Grand Array and begging for mercy.

"Patrol Envoy Ouyang, you flatter me." Elder Wu spoke humbly, but the pride on his face was even stronger. "Now that the Grand Array is complete, we only need to activate the core to fully unleash the Formation, drawing upon the power of the Nine Heavens Star Evil to form a Chain Demon Refining Platform! No matter what heaven-reaching methods that Devil Head possesses, he won't escape!"

"Without further delay, lest we give him too much time, let's act now!" Ouyang Shuo urged impatiently.

The two exchanged a glance, sat down cross-legged simultaneously, formed hand seals, and poured their massive Spiritual Qi reserves without reservation into the Formation Core Compass!

At the same time, the Sky Patrol Alliance Cultivators scattered across the seventy-two Energy Nodes and two other hidden Formation Eyes also received instructions and activated the Formation with all their might!

RUMBLE—!

A muffled clap of thunder seemed to echo between heaven and earth!

The invisible great net covering thousands of miles suddenly materialized! Countless massive chains, condensed from the Power of the Stars and Vast Righteous Qi, emerged from the Void Realm like icy Star Dragons, crisscrossing and instantly sealing the entire Ye Yan Palace region airtight!

A terrifying, ultimate suppressive force descended with a crash! The earth trembled violently, and the Palace Guarding Grand Array light screen of the Profound Yin Ravine flickered wildly, unstable, letting out groans of being overwhelmed! The Disciples within the Palace felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on them; those with weaker cultivation levels immediately spat blood and fainted!

"What happened?!"

"Heavens! What is that?!"

"What a terrifying Grand Array! It's the Sky Patrol Alliance! They've made their move!"

Inside and outside Ye Yan Palace, panic erupted!

Ouyang Shuo and Elder Wu watched the compass shine brightly. Sensing the smooth activation of the Grand Array and its boundless, heart-stopping power, they couldn't help but reveal vicious smiles of impending victory.

"Devil Head! Get out here and die!" Ouyang Shuo surged his magic power, his voice like thunder, crashing through the Grand Array toward the depths of Ye Yan Palace.

However, the moment his voice fell!

An anomaly suddenly occurred!

The "Nine Heavens Star Locking Grand Array," which had just taken shape and should have been operating perfectly, suddenly began to tremble violently, as if afflicted by epilepsy!

The Star Chains crisscrossing the Void Realm flashed wildly, sometimes expanding, sometimes shrinking, and some even began colliding and strangling each other uncontrollably!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Violent explosions erupted one after another throughout the Formation!

The Energy Nodes meticulously arranged by Elder Wu not only failed to provide energy but instead turned into unstable bombs, continuously exploding! The rampant energy instantly backfired upon the Cultivators managing the nodes, and screams rose one after another!

"What's happening?! Formation backlash?!" The vicious smile on Elder Wu's face instantly froze, replaced by immense horror and confusion. "Impossible! I checked it countless times! The nodes were absolutely stable!"

Before he could find the cause, an even more terrifying backlash arrived!

The power of the Earth Veins that had been connected seemed to be violently twisted by an invisible great hand. Instead of docilely providing energy, it became incredibly ferocious, rushing backward like a burst flood into the Formation Core and... the Central Hub where he and Ouyang Shuo were located!

"Pfft—!" Elder Wu bore the brunt of the attack. The Formation, which was connected to his life force, was forcibly twisted and destroyed. Coupled with the rampant backlash from the Earth Veins, he violently spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, his face instantly turning golden-purple, and his aura plummeting like an avalanche, his eyes filled with incomprehensible terror!

"Elder Wu!" Ouyang Shuo's expression also changed drastically. He hurriedly tried to stabilize the Central Hub, but the backlash power was too terrifying, like the might of heaven and earth. He felt an irresistible immense force violently strike his chest!

Crack! Pfft!

His protective spiritual light instantly shattered, and countless ribs were broken. Ouyang Shuo also spat out blood violently, was sent flying, and slammed heavily against the mountain wall, his eyes full of shock, anger, and disbelief!

"Why?! How could the Formation lose control?!" He couldn't understand why this Ultimate Killing Formation, which they had laid down, would suddenly backfire on them!

Just as the two suffered heavy injuries and the Formation completely descended into chaotic madness.

A cold voice, like the Demonic Sound of the Nine Hells, clearly echoed deep within the Divine Soul of every Sky Patrol Alliance Cultivator:

"Are you satisfied with This Sovereign's return gift?"

The moment the voice fell!

The countless Star Chains that had been suppressing Ye Yan Palace abruptly reversed direction, plunging toward the various nodes and the Central Hub where the Sky Patrol Alliance Cultivators were located, like enraged giant pythons, carrying a power even more violent and terrifying than before!

Furthermore, wisps of grayish-white Nirvana Star Evil, which made the Divine Soul tremble, wrapped around the chains!

"No!!" Ouyang Shuo and Elder Wu let out desperate roars, desperately urging their remaining magic power to resist!

But everything was futile!

Under the full counterattack of the out-of-control Grand Array and the erosion of the Nirvana Star Evil, their defenses were easily torn apart like paper!

Pfft! Pfft!

The screams abruptly stopped!

The Sky Patrol Alliance Cultivators scattered everywhere, along with the two Early Spirit Transformation Stage Protectors, were instantly strangled into blood mist by the backlashing Star Chains, their Divine Souls extinguished!

Elder Wu was simultaneously pierced by seven or eight chains. The terrifying Nirvana Star Evil surged in, instantly annihilating all his vitality. His Nascent Soul failed to escape, and he completely perished, his eyes filled with extreme terror and confusion!

Ouyang Shuo's eyes were splitting with rage. Burning his essence blood, he summoned the Bronze Token covered in cracks, barely blocking the fatal strikes of several chains, but he was still shaken until his bones were broken and he was critically injured, near death!

"Nightmare!!" He let out a venomous, curse-like roar.

However, the response was Nightmare's cold and ruthless figure.

Unbeknownst to him, Nightmare had silently appeared in the chaotic Central Hub, suspended in the air, his black robe flapping in the energy storm, looking indifferently at the dying Ouyang Shuo.

"It seems your Sacred Artifact cannot protect you either."

He simply raised his hand, Nirvana Star Evil condensed on his fingertip, and pointed it at the Bronze Token!

Crack!

How could the already damaged token withstand this terrifying strike that incorporated the power of rules? It instantly burst apart, turning into dust!

Ouyang Shuo was completely despairing!

But just as Nightmare's fingertip was about to touch his glabella!

A flash of madness and determination suddenly crossed Ouyang Shuo's eyes. He roared hoarsely: "Sacred Artifact has a spirit! I implore the Mirror Master's projection to descend! Slay the demon!"

The last trace of essence blood and Divine Soul in his body violently ignited, transforming into a strange Bloody Rune that shot into the sky!

Buzz!

From the depths of the Void Realm, an indescribable, Brilliant Mirror Light, seemingly capable of penetrating all falsehoods in the world, suddenly descended! Although it was only a phantom, it was ten times more powerful than what Ouyang Shuo had activated previously! The mirror light locked onto Nightmare, crashing down with a terrifying will of judgment and purification!

It was the projection of the Sky Patrol Mirror's main body!

This was Ouyang Shuo's final, mutual-destruction trump card!

However, facing this Sacred Artifact projection strike—powerful enough to change the expression of a Late-Stage Transformation Spirit Cultivator—a hint of mockery flashed in Nightmare's eyes.

"I've been waiting for you."

With a thought, dozens of tiny Spatial Traps, constructed based on rule fragments and already buried in the Void Realm, were instantly triggered!

The space around the descending mirror light phantom violently twisted, folded, and became disordered! It was as if invisible prisms were refracting and scattering it!

At the same time, Nightmare opened his mouth and exhaled. The power of the star source core surged out, transforming into a dazzling Nebula. Instead of meeting it head-on, it wrapped around the mirror light that had been weakened and dispersed by the Spatial Traps, frantically devouring and assimilating the Power of the Stars within it!

The essence of the Sky Patrol Mirror projection was also to draw upon the Power of the Stars!

But the star source core was the Origin of Ten Thousand Stars!

Hiss, hiss, hiss!

The Brilliant Mirror Light dimmed and shrank at a visible speed!

Finally, when it penetrated the layers of obstruction and reached Nightmare, its power was less than one-tenth of its original strength!

Nightmare simply waved his sleeve, and the phantom of the Myriad Tribulations Star Banner flashed, easily sweeping away the remaining mirror light!

"How is this possible?!" Ouyang Shuo watched helplessly as the Sacred Artifact projection, which he had activated at the cost of his life, was dissolved by the opponent so effortlessly. The last light in his eyes completely extinguished, filled with endless absurdity and despair. His head slumped, and he breathed his last.

Thus, the elite force sent by the Sky Patrol Alliance to surround and kill Nightmare—including one Late-Stage Transformation Spirit Patrol Envoy, one Mid-stage Dao Replenishing Formation Master, two Early Spirit Transformation Stage Protectors, and dozens of Nascent Soul Cultivators—was completely annihilated!

Nightmare raised his hand and collected Ouyang Shuo's and Elder Wu's Storage Magic Treasures, not sparing a glance for their corpses.

His gaze swept over the lingering Formation repercussions that were gradually collapsing and still raging chaotically due to the loss of their controllers. He simply stomped his foot!

The power of the rule fragment surged into the Earth Veins, forcibly smoothing the rampant energy.

At the same time, he waved his large sleeve, and the Myriad Tribulations Star Banner unfurled in the wind, swallowing and absorbing all the out-of-control Star Chains and the vast, scattered Power of the Stars, like a whale drinking water, using them as nourishment for himself.

Peace quickly returned between heaven and earth.

Only the widespread devastation and residual energy traces remained, recounting the astonishing counter-kill that had just occurred.

The Disciples inside Ye Yan Palace only felt the sky-shattering pressure suddenly vanish, and the sky became clear again, as if everything that happened was just a Nightmare.

They raised their heads in confusion, saw the black-robed figure standing tall in the air, and immediately erupted in wild cheers of relief!

"Long live the Palace Master!"

"The Palace Master is invincible!"

Nightmare glanced indifferently at the people below. His figure flickered, and he returned to his Immortal Cave, acting as if he had merely swatted away a few annoying flies.

After this battle, the Sky Patrol Alliance's strength in the Northern Region suffered heavy losses, and they would likely be unable to organize a siege of this scale again in the short term.

And his reputation would once again shake the entire Northern Region.

Next, it was time to check out the "Cold Abyss Dharma Assembly."

His gaze fell upon the Ice Crystal Invitation, and a profound light flashed in his eyes.