Chapter 170 The Black Wind Returns, One Hand Overwhelms the Shadow Guards

Outside the Latent Dragon Valley, in the Black Wind Domain.

The traces of the great battle between Nightmare and the Imperial Dynasty's Holy Emissary had not yet completely faded; the scorched earth and shattered rocks spoke of the brutality of the time. The Jiang Family had reactivated the “Latent Dragon Returning to the Ruins Grand Formation.” The light barrier was more solid than before, but the atmosphere inside the valley was even more oppressive and panicked than when they were previously besieged.

Several black figures, moving like ghosts, relentlessly patrolled outside the Formation's light barrier, clinging like gangrene. They wore specialized Concealment Robes; their aura was almost completely integrated with the surroundings, and their movements were silent. Only the occasional cold, viper-like gaze sweeping into the valley betrayed their presence.

The Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guards!

Individually, these Shadow Guards might not be supremely strong, mostly ranging from the Late Nascent Soul Stage to the Early Spirit Transformation Stage. However, they were skilled in Combined Attack Formations, Stealth Assassination, and Torture and Forced Confession. Even more terrifying was the suffocating will of the Central Province Imperial Dynasty they represented. They did not launch a full assault; instead, like the most patient hunters, they tightly besieged the Latent Dragon Valley, constantly applying psychological pressure. Occasionally, they would capture low-level Jiang Family Disciples operating outside, brutally torture and murder them, and then dump their bodies outside the valley, attempting to break the Jiang Family's will to resist.

Inside the valley, in the Jiang Family Deliberation Hall.

The Family Head, Jiang Yunshan, was pale, his aura weaker than when he performed deductions for Nightmare previously. Clearly, his old injuries had not healed, and new worries had been added. The Elders below him were also filled with gloom and despair.

“Family Head, the consumption of Spirit Stones for the Formation Base is immense; our reserves are less than thirty percent! If this continues, the Grand Formation can only hold out for another half month at most!”

“The Disciples we sent out to seek aid from friendly Sects have all vanished without a trace. I fear... I fear they have already met a terrible end!”

“The Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guards intend to trap and starve us to death! What exactly do they want?”

Jiang Yunshan closed his eyes bitterly: “What they want is my Jiang Family's Ability to Divine Heavenly Secrets. They want us to submit and become the Imperial Dynasty's tool for spying on Heavenly Secrets and Eliminating Dissenters! What they desire even more... is the Bloodline Origin of my Jiang Family members!”

The crowd fell into sorrowful silence. Submission might allow them to prolong their miserable existence, but they would inevitably end up having their Bloodline drained and becoming Puppets. Resistance, however, meant the Calamity of Clan Annihilation!

“Could it be... that Heaven intends to destroy my Jiang Family?” an Elder muttered in despair.

Just at this moment—

Buzz!

An invisible yet majestic and vast pressure, like the collapse of the firmament, suddenly descended upon the entire perimeter of the Latent Dragon Valley!

The Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guards, who had been patrolling like ghosts, suddenly froze. As if grasped by an invisible giant hand, they were forcibly expelled from their concealed state, their faces showing expressions of extreme dread!

They felt their Magic Power completely suppressed, their Divine Souls feeling as though they were pinned down by an iceberg; even moving a single finger became extremely difficult!

“Who?!”

The Shadow Guard Leader, a tall, thin man in the Mid-stage Dao Replenishing, roared with all his might, his eyes filled with unbelievable terror. This pressure far surpassed Soul Transformation; it was even much more terrifying than the Void Refining Stage Consecrated Elders he had seen!

The next instant, a black-robed figure stepped out as if from the Void Realm, silently appearing above the Latent Dragon Valley, looking down upon the Shadow Guards below, who resembled insects frozen in amber.

The newcomer was not large in stature, nor did he possess earth-shattering Spiritual Light, but standing there, he seemed to be the center of the entire world; all things revolved around him, and all light and perception were involuntarily swallowed by him, causing hearts to tremble just by looking.

It was Nightmare!

With a slight movement of his perception, he instantly grasped the situation here. There were thirteen Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guards in total: one Mid-stage Dao Replenishing leader, four Early Spirit Transformation Stage members, and eight Late Nascent Soul Stage members. Their Formation layout and assassination methods were like child's play in his eyes.

“Senior Ye... Senior Ye?!” Inside the valley, Jiang Yunshan, who had been anxiously watching the outside world, saw the figure through the Formation. He was stunned for a moment, then overwhelmed with such ecstatic joy that he nearly fainted!

It was that mysterious and powerful Senior Ye! He actually came!

All the Jiang Family members also saw the scene outside through the light barrier, witnessing the embarrassing sight of the Shadow Guards—who had terrified them day and night—being unable to move before the black-robed figure. A cheer of relief and excitement erupted.

“It's our Benefactor! Our Benefactor has come to save us!”

“Wonderful! My Jiang Family is saved!”

Nightmare completely ignored the reactions within the valley. His gaze coldly swept over the Shadow Guards below.

“Imperial Dynasty running dogs, do you only know how to bully the weak?”

His voice was flat, yet it struck the depths of every Shadow Guard's Divine Soul like ten thousand years of cold ice, making them feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss!

The Shadow Guard Leader's teeth chattered, and he fiercely shouted, suppressing his terror: “Who are you, Your Excellency? This is the Central Province Imperial Dynasty apprehending an Imperial Fugitive! Do not implicate yourself, Your Excellency. If you make an enemy of the Imperial Dynasty, there will be no place for you on heaven or earth!”

He attempted to use the Imperial Dynasty's name to scare the opponent away.

However, Nightmare simply raised his hand in response, aimed at the Void Realm below, and gently pressed down.

Nirvana Field: Suppress!

Boom!

The invisible force field suddenly intensified a hundredfold! It was as if the entire firmament had collapsed!

“No—!”

The thirteen Shadow Guards simultaneously let out desperate screams!

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The eight Late Nascent Soul Stage Shadow Guards couldn't even hold on for a single second. Their bodies instantly exploded into plumes of blood mist, like smashed watermelons. Not even their Nascent Souls managed to escape, resulting in instant destruction of both body and soul!

The four Early Spirit Transformation Stage Shadow Guards lasted only half a breath longer. Their protective Spiritual Light shattered, their Magic Treasures wailed and burst, and then their Physical Bodies disintegrated. Their Nascent Souls were crushed into the purest Spiritual Qi particles by the terrifying force field the moment they left their bodies!

Only the Mid-stage Dao Replenishing leader, relying on a Life-Saving Secret Treasure that burst forth with dark light, managed to barely protect himself. However, blood was leaking from all seven orifices, his entire skeleton was creaking loudly, and he was clearly about to follow his subordinates to ruin!

“Mercy! Senior, please spare me! I am willing to...” He completely broke down, begging frantically for his life.

Nightmare's eyes were icy, without the slightest fluctuation. He slightly clenched his five fingers.

Crack!

The Life-Saving Secret Treasure instantly filled with cracks and exploded! The Shadow Guard Leader's body was savagely squeezed by an invisible giant hand, instantly compressed into a ball of flesh smaller than a fist, which then violently burst open, turning into dust!

Body and soul destroyed!

From the moment Nightmare appeared until the thirteen terrifying Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guards were utterly annihilated, the entire process took no more than three breaths!

Clean, decisive, and overwhelming destruction!

Inside the Latent Dragon Valley, there was complete silence.

All the Jiang Family members stared dumbfounded at the light barrier, looking at the god-like figure and the Imperial Dynasty Shadow Guards that had instantly vanished into nothingness. Their shock was immense!

Was this the Benefactor's true strength? A Void Refining Mighty One? No! Even an ordinary Void Refining Mighty One probably wouldn't possess such terrifying methods!

Nightmare casually waved his hand, and a Wind of Annihilation swept through, obliterating all traces of blood and battle outside the valley, as if the Shadow Guards had never existed.

Only then did he slowly descend, arriving outside the light barrier of the Latent Dragon Valley Grand Formation.

Jiang Yunshan had already led all his Family members to open the Formation. They knelt in unison, their voices trembling and choked with tears: “Jiang Yunshan, leading the entire Family, old and young, thanks the Benefactor for saving our lives once again! The Benefactor's great virtue, the Jiang Family will never forget!”

Nightmare said indifferently, “Rise. This matter may have started because of This Sovereign, so it is only right that I bring it to an end.”

His gaze swept over Jiang Yunshan. With a slight movement of his perception, a pure stream of Life Force Energy entered his body, rapidly healing his old injuries and hidden ailments.

Jiang Yunshan felt a warm current surge through his entire body. His chronic illnesses of many years instantly improved by more than half, and his cultivation even advanced slightly. He was utterly moved to tears of gratitude.

“Since the Imperial Dynasty has targeted you, this place is not suitable for long residence,” Nightmare stated directly. “Is your Jiang Family willing to relocate the clan?”

Jiang Yunshan exchanged a look with the Elders and replied without hesitation, “We leave everything to the Benefactor's arrangement!” After this calamity, they clearly understood that only by clinging tightly to this unfathomable powerful figure could the Jiang Family have a chance at survival.

“Good.” Nightmare nodded. “Pack your belongings. In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, This Sovereign will send you to a safe location.”

He had already used his perception and Mo Cheng's intelligence to find a secluded, moderately Spiritual Qi-rich island somewhere in the Endless Sea suitable for reclusive living.

The Jiang Family members immediately sprang into action with high efficiency, quickly gathering the clan's important supplies, Legacy Texts, and Core Clan Members.

Nightmare's perception enveloped the entire valley. After confirming nothing was left behind, he formed hand seals, using the power of his perception to invoke the Law of Space.

Tear—!

A massive and abnormally stable Spatial Rift was forcibly torn open by him! On the other side of the rift was a clear view of blue seas and skies, and a lush, green island was clearly visible!

“Enter,” Nightmare commanded.

The Jiang Family members were once again profoundly shaken by this miraculous method. Not daring to delay, they flew one after another into the Spatial Rift.

After all the Jiang Family members were transferred, Nightmare took one last look at the Latent Dragon Valley, casually erased all traces of the Jiang Family's existence, and stepped into the rift.

The rift closed.

From then on, the Heavenly Secrets Jiang Family was no more in the Black Wind Domain.

Meanwhile, on that remote island in the Endless Sea, a reclusive Family was added, and their fate, consequently, became even more closely linked with that black-robed Demonic Lord.

After settling the Jiang Family, Nightmare did not linger on the island.

He hovered above the Endless Sea, took out the star pivot token, and once again checked the clues regarding the “Source of Annihilation” sent by Immortal Master Xuan Ji.

His perception subtly resonated with the information, guiding him towards an extremely distant direction, one that might not even be within the scope of the Central Province Great Region.

“Source of Annihilation... Nine Nether...” Nightmare's eyes were profound. This might be the key to completely resolving the hidden danger in his left shoulder and even glimpsing the final mystery of the Great Dao of Annihilation.

But before that, there were still some troubles that needed resolving.

The Imperial Dynasty, the Joyful Zen Sect... these flies were always buzzing, making them annoying.

It was time to actively seek out some trouble.

His perception moved slightly, locking onto the direction of a large stronghold established by the Central Province Imperial Dynasty in a nearby great region—Tian Shu City.

It seemed that a Void Refining Stage Elder from the Imperial Dynasty Consecrated Hall was currently stationed there.

Nightmare curled his lips into a cold arc.

His figure flashed, turning into an Annihilation Streamer that tore through the Void Realm, speeding away.

The hunt had begun.