The remnants of the realm are evacuated, and the Demon Flame Alliance is formed.

The transit through the silver light gate was not a smooth teleportation, but rather like being thrown into a violent turbulence of stars.

Countless bizarre spatial fragments, twisted temporal light and shadows, and the unique, chaotic energy of the Remnant World frantically tore at Nightmare's protective Demonic Star Flame.

If he hadn't just achieved a Breakthrough to the Late-Stage Transformation Spirit, with his Origin Demonic Star dao seed stabilized and the essence of his Demonic Star Flame extremely high, he likely would have been injured during this transit.

Even so, he felt his Spiritual Qi rapidly depleting, and his Divine Soul bearing immense pressure.

This emergency passage left behind by the Lord of the Stars was clearly too ancient, and having been disturbed by the previous battle and the Heavenly Dao's pressure, it had become extremely unstable.

He did not know how much time had passed; it could have been an instant, or perhaps a year.

Ahead, a speck of stable, familiar darkness finally appeared.

Nightmare exerted all his strength, like a drowning person breaking through the water's surface, and finally broke free from the chaotic silver stream of light.

Thump.

He landed on a hard, cold rocky surface, his Demonic Star Flame automatically retracting into his body as he vigilantly looked around.

This was a natural underground cave, not large in scale, with damp air permeated by a faint smell of sulfur and pure subterranean Yin Qi.

The cave ceiling was illuminated by faint fluorescent moss.

In a corner of the cave, there was a simple, long-extinguished, and dust-covered teleportation Formation base connected to the sliver of silver spatial ripples he had just emerged from; it flickered a few times before completely dimming, collapsing, and turning into powder.

This retreat route could be considered completely ruined.

"I have already left the Remnant World..." Nightmare sensed his surroundings slightly and confirmed this fact.

Although the surroundings were filled with an eerie Yin Qi, the properties of the Spiritual Qi were completely different from the chaotic atmosphere of the Remnant World, which was mixed with Death Qi, star fragments, and ancient Battle Intent; it was closer to the subterranean environment of the Demonic Path regions in the Mortal Realm (relative to the Remnant World) that he was familiar with.

He immediately sat cross-legged and focused on regulating his breathing with all his might.

The transit just now had consumed quite a lot, but more importantly, he needed to carefully sense the Heavenly Dao's lock.

His Origin Demonic Star dao seed pulsed slightly, and his connection to the Laws of Heaven and Earth became clearer than ever before.

He could "see" that above his head, within the invisible network of Heavenly Dao Laws representing the "order" of this world, there was an extremely conspicuous scarlet mark, constantly emitting signals of "heresy," "insurrection," and "purge," firmly branded onto his Divine Soul and dao foundation!

This mark was like a lighthouse in the dark night, continuously sending positioning signals to the "main body" of the Heavenly Dao.

Following the mysterious connection between this mark and the main body of the Heavenly Dao, he could vaguely perceive a massive force of pure "erasure"—one that made his Soul tremble—gathering and mobilizing in a distant, unknown place.

The target was none other than him, the "Source of Insurrection"!

"As expected... I have been completely marked."

Nightmare's expression was grave.

According to the records in the Lord of the Stars' notes and his own intuition, this power of Heavenly Dao suppression was by no means comparable to an ordinary Heavenly Tribulation.

It was a direct "formatting" operation performed by the Heavenly Dao on a "program error" in order to maintain its own order.

Its power likely exceeded the scope of what Cultivators in this world could comprehend.

"Time..." he calculated rapidly in his mind.

Although that force was terrifying, its descent required time; it needed to "penetrate" layers of obstacles of Heavenly Laws and space to accurately locate and lock onto him, a target that was constantly moving.

"Three days at most... within three days, that force will definitely descend!"

He had to make thorough preparations before then!

Resisting the Heavenly Dao's suppression alone was akin to a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

He thought of the "Insurrectionists of the Old Era" mentioned in the Lord of the Stars' notes, and he also thought of his own identity in his previous life—a genius of the Demonic Path.

Opposing the Heavenly Dao was by no means a one-man task.

He needed allies, he needed a force, and he needed a base where he could catch his breath, prepare, and even strike back.

With this thought, the name of a place surfaced in his mind—the Ten Thousand Demon Valley.

That was a famous hidden stronghold in the Demonic Path region of the Mortal Realm, surrounded by three mountains where subterranean ley lines converged, naturally forming a powerful concealment and defensive Formation that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Countless Demonic Cultivators, Evil Cultivators, Loose Cultivators, and even some members of the Yao Race and other races who were not accepted by the orthodox path—all those dissatisfied with the Righteous Path Alliance and even the Heavenly Dao order—gathered here, forming a loose but formidable force.

In his past life, Nightmare had heard of this place and had even met a few of the strong experts in the valley.

That was his best destination for now.

Without further delay, Nightmare stood up, his Divine Sense surging out of the cave like a tide, quickly identifying his bearings.

He was currently in what seemed to be the depths of an abandoned ancient mine, located within a desolate mountain range, approximately tens of thousands of miles away from the location of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley in his memory.

If it were before, this journey would have taken quite a few days.

But now...

Nightmare's mind stirred, and his Demonic Star Flame surged out again, but this time, the form of the flames had changed.

They were no longer violently unleashed but became soft and condensed, wrapping around his body to form a thin, flowing layer of dark starlight.

At the same time, he channeled his Origin Demonic Star dao seed, attempting to establish a connection with the omnipresent yet weak and sparse Power of the Stars between Heaven and Earth.

"Stars... Resonance... Escape!"

As he exerted initial control over the Power of the Stars, the dark starlight wrapping around him suddenly elongated, and his entire being seemed to transform into a beam of starlight existing between the virtual and the real, instantly merging into the surrounding environment, and then, at a speed far exceeding ordinary movement techniques, he sped silently toward his determined direction!

Wherever he passed, he barely caused any fluctuation in Spiritual Qi, like a shadow sweeping across the land.

This was one of the benefits brought by the Fusion of the star dao fruit; his application of the Power of the Stars was more adept, and whether in combat, defense, or traveling, he now possessed more profound and mysterious means.

Relying on his Late-Stage Transformation Spirit cultivation and the star movement technique, he crossed the distance of tens of thousands of miles in just over half a day.

When Nightmare stopped his movement light and appeared before the entrance to a huge valley shrouded in thick, gray-black Demonic Mist, it was already dusk.

On both sides of the valley were pitch-black cliffs as steep as if cut by a knife, and the outlines of countless Immortal Caves and buildings could be vaguely seen on the cliff walls.

At the entrance, Demonic Mist churned, and there were faint traces of Formation fluctuations; two Demonic Cultivators with Late Golden Core Stage Auras were lazily guarding outside the wall of mist, eyeing every approaching person with fierce gazes.

This was the Ten Thousand Demon Valley.

Nightmare did not conceal his figure, nor did he hide his Aura.

His Late-Stage Transformation Spirit Spiritual Pressure, vast as an abyss, slowly spread out like an invisible mountain.

What was even more heart-palpitating was that within that Spiritual Pressure, there was a unique, ancient, domineering pressure filled with destruction and the Aura of stars, causing the Demonic Mist at the valley entrance to slightly recede.

The two guarding Golden Core Demonic Cultivators' expressions changed abruptly, their bodies instantly stiffening, their eyes filled with shock and awe.

Before this pressure, they felt like small boats in a storm, ready to capsize at any moment.

"Sen... Senior..." one of them stammered, his attitude respectful to the extreme.

A Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator was a top-tier existence even in the Ten Thousand Demon Valley; they dared not show the slightest negligence.

Nightmare swept his indifferent gaze over the two, his voice calm yet carrying an unquestionable penetrating power: "I want to see the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated the Demonic Mist and Formation at the valley entrance, reaching deep into the valley.

The atmosphere at the valley entrance instantly stagnated.

The two guarding Demonic Cultivators looked at each other; explicitly asking to see the Valley Master?

What an arrogant tone this stranger had!

But the stranger's unfathomable cultivation made them dare not question him.

Just as they were hesitating about how to respond, the churning Demonic Mist deep in the valley suddenly parted to the sides, revealing a wide passage.

A loud, hoarse voice, carrying a hint of suspicion and uncertainty, came from the end of the passage: "I wonder which Fellow Daoist has graced my Ten Thousand Demon Valley? Please enter the valley for a chat."

The owner of the voice also possessed an Aura of the Soul Transformation Stage, and although not as thick as Nightmare's, it was quite formidable; it was none other than the current Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley—Li Xiehe.

Nightmare's expression remained unchanged; he took a step and vanished from where he stood, and the next moment, he appeared at the end of the passage, in front of a magnificent black palace built on a cliff.

Several people stood at the entrance of the palace.

The leader was an old man with a tall figure, a withered face, and deep-set eye sockets, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's; he was dressed in a blood-colored robe and was none other than Li Xiehe.

Behind him stood several men and women, all with Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, clearly the core Elders of the valley.

At this moment, everyone was looking at Nightmare, who had suddenly appeared before them, with shock, scrutiny, and a hint of undisguised wariness.

Especially that unique Aura on Nightmare, which made their internal Demonic Techniques faintly feel pressure and resonance, causing their hearts to shake violently.

"Fellow Daoist, you look very unfamiliar. May I ask your name? What brings you to my Ten Thousand Demon Valley?" Li Xiehe suppressed the surging waves in his heart and asked in a deep voice.

He could feel that the black-robed youth before him, who looked excessively young, definitely possessed strength above his own!

Such a figure visiting suddenly was definitely no small matter.

Nightmare swept his gaze over everyone and spoke slowly, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears: "This seat is Nightmare."

Nightmare?! This name had been appearing with high frequency on the Righteous Path Alliance's kill order recently!

It was rumored that with Golden Core (or Nascent Soul) cultivation, he had repeatedly severely wounded the Qingyang Sect and the Xuantian Sect, and even clashed with the son of destiny Lin Hao multiple times without falling behind!

Unexpectedly, not only did the other party truly exist, but his strength had actually reached the terrifying level of the Late-Stage Transformation Spirit?! How much time had passed since then?!

Li Xiehe and the others' expressions changed again, their hearts churning.

Nightmare did not care about their shock and continued: "I have come here to form an Alliance."

"An Alliance?" Li Xiehe frowned tightly, "Fellow Daoist, your cultivation is heaven-reaching; what matter requires an Alliance with us? Furthermore, my Ten Thousand Demon Valley has always been free from worldly disputes, seeking only to live in peace in a corner."

"Free from worldly disputes? Living in peace in a corner?" The corners of Nightmare's mouth curved into a cold arc, and starlight and blood-red light flashed in his eyes, "Valley Master Li, do you truly believe that hiding in this Ten Thousand Demon Valley will allow you to avoid the Heavenly Dao's reckoning? To avoid the Righteous Path Alliance's purge?"

Without waiting for Li Xiehe to answer, light flashed in his hand, and that scroll of "Star Fall Notes" appeared in his palm, though he only displayed the cover and the title page, which could prove its Origin and authenticity.

"This is a notebook left behind by the ancient Lord of the Stars; it records how the Heavenly Dao views us Cultivators as ants and playthings, and how it uses the 'son of destiny' as a knife to eliminate dissenters and maintain its cold order."

"I, Nightmare, was one of the 'stepping stones' set by the Heavenly Dao in my previous life to set off Lin Hao; the destruction of the Xuantian Sect and the severing of my Dao path all stemmed from this!"

Nightmare's voice carried a hint of Divine Soul impact, which, combined with the ancient, sorrowful will emanating from the notes and his own monstrous hatred and Evil Qi, fiercely struck at the minds of Li Xiehe and the others.

"Now, I have returned Heaven-Defying, seized the star Legacy, and severely wounded the son of destiny, and have been completely marked by the Heavenly Dao as the 'Source of Insurrection'."

"In a few days, the Heavenly Dao's suppression will descend! The Righteous Path Alliance will also, under the guidance of Lin Hao and the Heavenly Dao, assemble a great army to purge all 'Demonic Path heretics'!"

His gaze was like a torch, staring at Li Xiehe, whose expression was changing incessantly: "The Ten Thousand Demon Valley, which gathers the 'misfits' of the world, is likewise an 'error' that must be cleaned up in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao."

"How long do you think you can hide? Will you continue to survive here, waiting to be defeated one by one and turned into dust; or will you join hands with me, gather your strength, fight for a sliver of survival, or even... tear open these shackles of the Heavenly Dao and fight for true freedom and transcendence for us Cultivators?!"

Nightmare's words were like a heavy hammer, fiercely striking the hearts of Li Xiehe and the others.

Heavenly Dao conspiracy? The truth about the son of destiny? Their own situation? This information was too shocking for them to digest all at once.

But Nightmare's terrifying Late-Stage Transformation Spirit strength could not be fake, and the ancient Aura on the Lord of the Stars' notes could not be fake either.

More importantly, the Righteous Path Alliance's suppression of Demonic Path forces had indeed become increasingly severe in recent years, and the situation of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley was becoming more and more difficult...

Li Xiehe's eyes flickered violently, and he quickly exchanged glances with the few Elders behind him.

A moment later, he took a deep breath, looked at Nightmare, and said in a deep voice: "Fellow Daoist Nightmare's words... are truly shocking. But your cultivation and these notes do not seem fake. I wonder... how do you wish to form an Alliance? And what will you use to resist the Heavenly Dao and the Righteous Path Alliance?"

Nightmare knew the other party was wavering.

He put away the notes, stood with his hands behind his back, his Demonic Star Flame rising slightly, emitting a domineering Aura that suppressed the entire scene.

"The Alliance agreement is simple: the Ten Thousand Demon Valley will honor me as the Supreme Guest Elder, possessing the highest decision-making participation and wartime command authority. In return, I will provide protection for the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, share part of the star Legacy Divine Abilities, and help you all improve your strength. We will jointly deal with the impending Heavenly Dao suppression and Righteous Path encirclement."

"As for resisting..." Demonic Star Flames burned fiercely in Nightmare's eyes, "By the Demonic Star Flame in my hand, by the Lord of the Stars' Legacy, by my ambition of returning Heaven-Defying, and more so... by your hearts that refuse to be fish and meat for the Heavenly Dao! When meeting on a narrow path, only the brave will win! Instead of sitting and waiting for death, why not rise up and fight?!"

His words were full of incitement and resolute confidence, combined with his monstrous Aura, causing flames to ignite in the eyes of many Demonic Cultivators present.

They were originally people who deviated from the norm and were unwilling to be constrained, otherwise they would not have gathered here.

The picture painted by Nightmare of "opposing the Heavenly Dao" and "striving for transcendence," although extremely dangerous, also made the rebellion and hot blood in their bones begin to boil.

Li Xiehe was silent for a long time; finally, he raised his head, a flash of ruthlessness and determination in his eyes.

In this Demonic Path where the strong prey on the weak, strength is everything.

Nightmare's strength was enough to crush everyone in the valley, and he had brought earth-shattering secrets and a possible way out.

Continuing to hold on might truly be a dead end.

He took half a step back and bowed solemnly to Nightmare: "Li Xiehe, on behalf of all in the Ten Thousand Demon Valley... is willing to form an Alliance with Fellow Daoist Nightmare! Together we will resist the Heavenly Fate and explore transcendence!"

The few Elders behind him also bowed and saluted, expressing their agreement.

Nightmare nodded slightly, the coldness in his eyes slightly abated.

The first step was accomplished.

"Since we have formed an Alliance, there is no time to lose. Valley Master Li, immediately summon all Cultivators above the Golden Core Stage in the valley, take inventory of the treasury resources, and reinforce the defensive Formation within the valley. At the same time, send out scouts to closely monitor the movements of the major Righteous Path Sects, especially... the Qingyun Sect, the Qingyang Sect, and the Wudang Sect!"

"Within three days, I must complete the initial integration and deployment of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley's forces. The Heavenly Dao's suppression... is coming very soon."

Nightmare's voice, carrying an unquestionable commanding tone, echoed before the cliff palace of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley.

Li Xiehe replied solemnly: "Yes!"

A storm concerning life and death, an act of defying Heaven, was about to sweep out with the Ten Thousand Demon Valley as its center.