All demons have returned to their rightful place, and the rebellion has been quelled.

Crossing the spatial passage of the Meteorite Platform, the familiar turbid Qi of the Mortal Realm and the relatively thin Spiritual Qi rushed towards him.

The Far West Land was shrouded in gray skies and howling gale winds all year round. The environment was treacherous, but it was also the natural barrier where the forces of the Demonic Path were entrenched.

Nightmare did not delay. Carrying Lin Hao, who was still unconscious and bound by the Demonic Flame chains, he transformed into a streak of pitch-black light that almost merged with the dim sky, speeding towards the Ten Thousand Demon Valley.

The Ten Thousand Demon Valley was located in a rift deep within the Far West Land. Interwoven with natural Formation and Devilish Qi, it was easy to defend and difficult to attack, serving as the core Foundation that Nightmare had integrated and controlled after his rise in this lifetime.

However, when Nightmare arrived at the periphery of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, he keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere.

The guards at the valley entrance, who should have been strict, appeared sparse at this moment, and their expressions carried an undisguised tension and anxiety. The radiance of the Great Valley-Protecting Formation was also dimmer than usual, and its operation seemed somewhat sluggish.

Nightmare's gaze turned cold. Without stopping, he passed directly through the passage reserved by the Formation and descended into the Core Zone of the valley.

"Welcome back, Master!"

The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley—an old man in black robes with a sinister Aura—who had already received the message and was waiting there, hurriedly led several core Cultivators forward to bow and salute. But there was not much joy on their faces; instead, they were filled with worry.

The Valley Master looked up and saw the prisoner Nightmare was holding, who was on the verge of death but could still be identified as Lin Hao. A flash of shock crossed his eyes, but it was mostly replaced by gravity.

"Master, you have finally returned." The Valley Master's voice was low, carrying a hint of urgency.

"Speak." Nightmare landed, tossing Lin Hao casually at his feet. His pitch-black eyes looked at the Valley Master, his tone flat, yet it put immense pressure on the Valley Master and the others.

The Valley Master dared not hide anything and quickly reported: "During your time at the Chaotic Star Sea, Master, the valley... fell into chaos."

"Led by 'Old Ancestor Ghostbone', 'Demonic Lord Bloodfiend', and 'Grandmother Yin Wind', they gathered the three caves on the west side and some low-to-mid-level Cultivators. They claimed that you, Master... had encountered an accident while deep in a dangerous place. They were also incited by secret messages from certain Righteous Path forces, stirring up a rebellion. Now, they have occupied the western region, carved out territory for self-governance, refused to obey orders, and even... even threatened to welcome a new master and make peace with the Righteous Path."

After the Valley Master finished speaking, cold sweat was already visible on his forehead. He knew deeply how decisive this Master was. His failure to maintain order and the resulting internal chaos was already a dereliction of duty.

Nightmare listened without any change in his expression. Only the Aura around him seemed to grow a few degrees colder, causing a thin layer of black frost to quietly condense on the ground beneath his feet.

"Three Early Spirit Transformation Stage... dare to rebel?" Nightmare's voice betrayed no emotion, yet it caused the surrounding temperature to plummet.

"It is... it is this subordinate's incompetence for failing to suppress it in time..." The Valley Master hurriedly pleaded guilty.

"Lead the way." Nightmare interrupted him, concise and to the point.

The Valley Master dared not say more and immediately turned to lead the way, flying towards the western region of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley. Nightmare picked up Lin Hao and followed closely behind, unhurriedly.

The western region, originally consisting of three larger Immortal Caves and their affiliated territories, was now shrouded by a dark red light screen, separating it from the rest of the valley. Inside the light screen, figures were bustling, and Devilish Qi was dense, yet it exuded a chaotic and restless air of a rabble.

At the entrance of the light screen, many Demonic Cultivators who had heard the commotion and rushed over from various parts of the valley gathered, pointing and whispering at the light screen. When they saw the Valley Master leading Nightmare flying over, there was an uproar, then they quickly quieted down, automatically clearing a path, looking at the black-robed figure with awe.

Nightmare's arrival was like a giant rock thrown into stagnant water, instantly breaking the "calm" of the western side.

The dark red light screen fluctuated, and three figures flew out, hovering in the air. They were the three leaders of the rebellion: Old Ancestor Ghostbone (a gaunt old man holding a white bone staff), Demonic Lord Bloodfiend (a burly man surrounded by blood light), and Grandmother Yin Wind (an old woman with howling Yin wind around her). Behind them followed dozens of aggressive rebel key members.

"Nightmare! You are actually not dead yet?" Seeing Nightmare, a flash of suspicion crossed Old Ancestor Ghostbone's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by greed and ruthlessness. He looked Nightmare up and down, then glanced at Lin Hao, who was like a dead dog at his feet, and sneered: "It seems you obtained some Opportunity in the Chaotic Star Sea? However, that is perfect! Hand over the Opportunity you obtained, as well as this 'son of destiny', and perhaps we can spare your life!"

Demonic Lord Bloodfiend licked his lips and grinned grimly: "Why waste words with him! Take advantage of the fact that he just returned and might be injured. Let's attack together and slaughter him! From now on, this Ten Thousand Demon Valley will be decided by us brothers!"

Grandmother Yin Wind said sinisterly: "Nightmare, little brat, you act against the Dao and collude with ancient heretics (referring to the Star Legacy), which will sooner or later bring the wrath of the Heavenly Dao and destroy the Foundation of our Ten Thousand Demon Valley! We are correcting the path and acting on behalf of Heaven! If you are sensible, surrender obediently, and you might still keep your whole corpse!"

The three spoke one after another, their voices spreading everywhere, trying to shake the hearts of the onlookers in the valley and embolden their own side.

Nightmare listened quietly, his face still devoid of expression. Only after they finished speaking did he slowly lift his eyelids, his pitch-black gaze sweeping over the three.

"Are you finished?" he asked.

Three plain words, yet they made the hearts of Old Ancestor Ghostbone and the others skip a beat for no reason.

"Stubborn and unyielding! Do it!" Old Ancestor Ghostbone shouted sharply. Waving his white bone staff, countless pale bone spears were generated out of thin air, shooting towards Nightmare like a rainstorm! At the same time, thick green ghost fire rose around him, transforming into a huge ghost face that opened its mouth to bite!

Demonic Lord Bloodfiend roared, his figure swelling by three times, turning into a blood giant. Holding a blood blade the size of a door panel, he slashed down with a bloody wind!

Grandmother Yin Wind's figure flickered, merging into the surrounding howling Yin wind. In an instant, countless intangible yet razor-sharp Yin wind blades cut towards Nightmare from all directions, specifically targeting his Divine Soul and Meridians!

The three coordinated tacitly, using their full strength from the start, revealing their killing moves, clearly intending to take advantage of Nightmare being "unsteady on his feet" to kill him in one blow!

Facing this siege that would make an ordinary Mid-stage Dao Replenishing Cultivator flustered, Nightmare finally moved.

He neither dodged nor blocked.

He simply stepped forward.

With one step, his figure vanished from the spot like a ghost.

The next instant, he appeared in front of Old Ancestor Ghostbone, less than a foot away!

So fast!

Old Ancestor Ghostbone's pupils shrank, wildly urging his ghost fire to protect his body, his white bone staff sweeping back violently!

Nightmare simply extended his right hand, fingers spread, and gripped lightly towards the roaring green ghost face and the terrified face of Old Ancestor Ghostbone behind it.

"Reverse Path, Spirit Devouring."

In the palm of his hand, a miniature black hole that seemed to swallow light suddenly emerged!

That imposing green ghost fire was swallowed clean by the black hole like a whale sucking water! Even the Demonic Essence protecting Old Ancestor Ghostbone's body and the power condensed in the white bone staff poured in like a breached flood!

"No—!" Old Ancestor Ghostbone only had time to let out a short scream.

Nightmare's five fingers had already closed.

Puff!

A muffled sound.

Old Ancestor Ghostbone, along with the white bone staff in his hand, was like an egg crushed by an invisible giant force, instantly exploding into a mass of black-green blood mist mixed with bone fragments and Soul Power!

Before the blood mist could disperse, it was swept up by the residual Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame in Nightmare's palm and completely burned and purified, not even a trace of his Divine Soul escaping.

From attacking to Old Ancestor Ghostbone being destroyed in body and Soul, it took no more than a breath.

Nightmare's figure flashed again.

Demonic Lord Bloodfiend's heavy blood blade had just slashed down, but it lost its target. His heart rang with alarm, and just as he wanted to change his move, he felt a cold, bone-chilling destructive Aura coming from behind him.

He roared and turned around, his blood blade sweeping horizontally!

A palm wrapped in silent black flames arrived first, gently pressing onto his chest, which was wreathed in blood light.

"Demonic Star, Body Piercing."

Nightmare whispered.

Demonic Lord Bloodfiend shook violently! He felt an indescribable destructive fist force not striking from the outside, but erupting directly inside his body, deep within his pulsing demonic heart!

"Uh..."

Demonic Lord Bloodfiend looked down, seeing his chest intact, but from his seven orifices, pitch-black flames mixed with organ fragments suddenly gushed out! His massive blood demon body withered and charred rapidly like a leaking balloon, the light in his eyes fading quickly.

Boom!

The pitch-black flames erupted completely from the inside out, burning Demonic Lord Bloodfiend's remaining shell into flying ashes.

Nightmare didn't even look at the scattering ashes, his figure disappearing for the third time.

Grandmother Yin Wind, hidden in the Yin wind, was now scared out of her wits! She had witnessed Old Ancestor Ghostbone and Demonic Lord Bloodfiend being instantly killed; how could she have any Battle Intent left? She only wanted to use her Yin wind escape technique to flee far away!

However, just as she activated her escape technique, she felt the surrounding Yin wind suddenly solidify and flow backwards!

A slender hand seemed to reach out from the Void Realm, precisely gripping her intangible neck that was merged into the wind, dragging her forcibly out of her escape technique!

Grandmother Yin Wind revealed her form, her old face deathly pale, her eyes filled with boundless fear. She found that all her magic power and all her escape techniques failed under the restraint of that palm covered in pitch-black flames!

"Spare..."

She had just spat out one word.

Nightmare's hand, gripping her neck, squeezed slightly.

Crack.

The light sound of neck bones shattering.

Immediately, the pitch-black Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame spread along his palm, instantly engulfing Grandmother Yin Wind's entire body.

The flames burned silently, and the old woman's figure quickly twisted, shrank, and finally turned into nothingness in them.

Three breaths.

From the moment Nightmare took that step to the three Early Spirit Transformation Stage rebel leaders being destroyed in body and Soul, it took a total of only three breaths.

Fast! Ruthless! Absolute!

There was no earth-shattering collision, no protracted fight, and not even a chance for the opponents to leave any last words. Absolute suppression, ultimate instant kill!

The entire western region, whether it was the rebel Cultivators inside the light screen or the onlookers in the valley, fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was shocked by this crisp, clean, and terrifying killing method, their Souls chilled, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Nightmare stood in the air, his black robes fluttering slightly in the gale. He slowly retracted his hand, as if he had just casually brushed away a few annoying flies.

His gaze fell onto the rebel Cultivators inside the dark red light screen below, who were pale and trembling.

"The prime culprits have been executed." Nightmare spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, cold and devoid of any emotion, "Accomplices, kneel, and you may live."

As the words fell, it was like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The rebel Cultivators inside the light screen, like wheat being cut down, knelt down in unison, their heads buried extremely low, their bodies shaking like chaff, not even daring to say words of begging for mercy.

The Demonic Cultivators on the periphery who had originally been watching, and even those who had some small thoughts, also lowered their heads one after another, not daring to meet the gaze of the demonic god-like figure in the air.

Nightmare looked at the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, who was already stunned beside him.

"Clean this up. Confiscate all resources. If there are any more with ulterior motives," he paused, his gaze sweeping over the people below, "execute their nine generations."

"Yes! I will obey the Master's decree!" The Valley Master shuddered, hurriedly bowing to accept the order, his voice filled with unprecedented awe and excitement.

Nightmare ignored this side any longer. He picked up Lin Hao at his feet, his figure flashed, and he flew towards the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, towards the "Netherworld Cave" specially built for imprisoning important prisoners or Cultivating secret techniques.

At the bottom of the Netherworld Cave, there was a "Demonic Flame Prison" built with Earth Core Poisonous Fire and various evil Materials. That would be Lin Hao's "residence" from now on.

Nightmare wanted to imprison Lin Hao inside, using the Nidao Demonic Flame to continuously burn his Divine Soul. This was not only the tightest Seal to prevent him from escaping or being sensed by the Heavenly Dao, but also preparation for the subsequent continuous and efficient plundering of his remaining Luck of the son of destiny.

The rebellion in the Ten Thousand Demon Valley was like a stone thrown into water; although it stirred up ripples, it was instantly flattened in the face of Nightmare's absolute power.

Iron-blooded means, immediate effect.

After this battle, in the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, no one dared to question Nightmare's rule for even a fraction. His majesty had been deeply branded into the Soul of every Demonic Cultivator with the lives of the three Soul Transformation leaders.