First exploration of the spirit world, clearing out the stronghold

The wind in the Meteor Spirit Wasteland was dry and cold, carrying fine, dark red gravel that stung the face slightly. A faint pressure of the Heavenly Dao permeated the air, like an invisible veil covering every inch of land and every wisp of Spiritual Qi, completely different from the relatively loose and even chaotic Laws of the Mortal Realm. Here, even breathing seemed to require following some underlying 'order'.

Nightmare stood atop a low, dark red sandstone hill, his black clothing almost blending into the surroundings. He suppressed most of his aura, and the Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame flowed quietly within his body. The power of the star dao fruit acted like an invisible film, isolating him from the omnipresent, scrutinizing Heavenly Dao senses in the outside world.

"Spirit Realm... truly different," Nightmare muttered to himself. The Spiritual Qi here was denser, but also "heavier," carrying a clear brand of the Heavenly Dao. Ordinary Cultivators might find it twice as effective to Cultivate here, but for a Reverse Dao Practitioner like him, it was like being in a quagmire, requiring constant resistance against the invisible suppression and rejection brought by the environment.

Fortunately, the shielding effect of the star dao fruit was excellent, and the spatial affinity brought by the guixu dao reversal key also allowed him to better integrate into the environment. As long as he did not actively unleash his power or stay for a long time in the Core Zone where the power of the Heavenly Dao was concentrated, he should not be easily locked onto in the short term.

He closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his Sea of Consciousness, and communicated with the star dao fruit again. The dao fruit trembled slightly, emitting a warm starlight that, following a mysterious connection, pointed towards the central direction of the Spirit Realm continent. At the same time, a more specific stream of information was fed back—the second dao reversal key, the "lingyuan reverse key," was highly likely hidden in the extremely dangerous "Lingyuan Forbidden Land" in the central region of the Spirit Realm.

A Forbidden Ground often meant that danger and opportunity coexisted, and it also meant tighter blockades and defenses.

"I need intelligence." Nightmare opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping across this desolate and dead Meteor Spirit Wasteland. Based on the memory fragments (though incomplete) plundered from Protector Jinting, as well as the vague sensing of the star dao fruit, he knew this wasteland was not entirely uninhabited. On the contrary, this was one of the "outposts" for the Heavenly Dao forces to monitor the edge of the Spirit Realm. There was a Heavenly Dao-affiliated Sect called the "Meteor Spirit Sect," whose branch stronghold was hidden somewhere in this wasteland, responsible for monitoring abnormal spatial fluctuations, Reverse Path auras, and... handling some dirty work that could not see the light of day.

"Let's start with you all." A cold light flashed in Nightmare's eyes. To obtain a detailed map of the central Spirit Realm, specific information about the Lingyuan Forbidden Land, and the possible deployment of the Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao, this Meteor Spirit Sect stronghold was undoubtedly the best target.

His figure flickered, as if melting into the shadows, and he moved silently toward the gathering point that existed weakly but surely in the sensing of the star dao fruit, carrying the aura of Heavenly Dao order. He was not fast, but exceptionally stealthy, like a ghost on the wasteland.

After traveling about a hundred miles, a hidden valley located behind a natural barrier formed by several huge dark red rocks appeared in Nightmare's perception. Inside the valley, the Spiritual Qi was slightly more active than outside, and one could vaguely see several simple stone houses built from dark red rocks, as well as a slightly larger three-story stone tower engraved with pale golden runes on its surface. At the top of the stone tower, a suspended pale golden crystal ball rotated slowly, emitting weak scanning fluctuations that covered the valley and the surrounding dozens of miles.

This was the monitoring stronghold established by the Meteor Spirit Sect in the Meteor Spirit Wasteland.

Inside the stronghold, there were about fifty Cultivators. Among them, three auras within the stone tower were the most powerful, reaching the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage, clearly the Elders sitting in charge here. The others scattered among the stone houses or patrolling were all at the Soul Transformation Stage. They wore uniform dark red robes with pale golden patterns, moving with discipline and vigilant eyes.

At this moment, on the top floor of the stone tower, three Meteor Spirit Sect Elders were sitting around a stone table. A Jade Slip was spread out on the table, its light flickering, showing the spatial fluctuation map of the surrounding area.

"In recent days, the area corresponding to the 'Wind Burial Valley' in the northeast of the wasteland has had abnormally intense residual spatial fluctuations, suspected of large-scale cross-realm activity, but the fluctuations were quickly disturbed and erased by some power, making it difficult to trace the source." An Elder with a gaunt face spoke hoarsely.

"The Sect sent a message that the advance team led by Protector Jinting went to the Lower Realm (Mortal Realm) to execute a mission, and their Soul lamps... all went out at almost the same time." Another Elder with a hooked nose looked gloomy.

"This matter is of great importance. Protector Jinting was at the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage, and the team he brought was also elite, yet they were wiped out in the Mortal Realm... I fear it is related to the weak Reverse Path fluctuations that have occasionally flashed recently." The third Elder, with a goatee, stroked his beard, his eyes flickering. "The higher-ups have given strict orders for all strongholds to strengthen vigilance. Once any Reverse Path aura or suspicious person is discovered, report it immediately, and... try to capture them alive. If not, kill them on the spot and destroy the body."

The three of them were discussing in low voices when suddenly, the pale golden crystal ball responsible for scanning at the top of the stone tower flickered without warning, its light becoming intermittent!

"Huh? The scanning Magic Treasure is abnormal!" The gaunt Elder's expression changed, and he stood up abruptly.

"Did someone trigger the outer perimeter Restriction? Or is it spatial interference?" The hook-nosed Elder also immediately released his Divine Sense to sweep outside the valley.

However, just as their Divine Sense probed out of the stone tower—

A cold voice rang out as if it were right against their ears:

"No need to look, I am here."

The three Elders' hair stood on end, and they turned around violently!

They saw that the tightly closed stone door on the top floor of the stone tower had already opened at some unknown time. A black-clothed figure stood at the entrance like a ghost, against the dark red daylight outside the tower, his face unclear, only a pair of pitch-black eyes that seemed to swallow all light, watching them calmly.

It was Nightmare! He had actually broken through all the outer perimeter Restriction and patrols silently and appeared directly at the core of the stronghold!

"Enemy attack! Activate the Sect protection array!!" The goatee Elder reacted the fastest, roaring hoarsely, while simultaneously slapping the stone table in front of him, attempting to activate the emergency communication array inside the tower!

The other two Elders also erupted instantly, their Early Tribulation Crossing Stage auras released without reservation. The gaunt Elder formed seals with both hands, and countless dark red rays of light with corrosive and binding power shot toward Nightmare! The hook-nosed Elder sacrificed a pale golden Flying Sword, its sword light sharp, stabbing directly at Nightmare's throat!

Their reaction was not slow, and their cooperation was quite tacit.

However, in front of Nightmare, all of this seemed futile and ridiculous.

He didn't even move his feet.

He just moved his mind slightly.

Whoosh—!

The dormant Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame erupted from his body like a volcano that had been suppressed for a long time! The pitch-black flames did not spread, but turned into a stream of fire condensed to the extreme, sweeping from him as the center toward the entire stone tower, and even the entire stronghold valley outside the tower!

Wherever the flames passed, the palm wind slapped by the goatee Elder and the Spiritual Qi activating the array were instantly annihilated; the dark red rays of light shot by the gaunt Elder melted away like ice meeting boiling water; the hook-nosed Elder's pale golden Flying Sword made a mournful sound the moment it touched the edge of the flames, lost its spiritual light, and clattered to the ground!

Immediately after, the torrent of flames engulfed the bodies of the three Elders.

Before the horror, anger, and despair on their faces could fully unfold, their protective spiritual light shattered like paper, and their powerful Tribulation Crossing Stage Physical Bodies had no resistance in front of the Demonic Flame that contained the Origin of reversal and destruction!

"No—!!!"

The short and shrill scream stopped abruptly.

Three humanoid pitch-black flames burned on the top of the tower, and in less than a breath, they completely turned into nothingness, not even leaving a trace of ash, their Divine Souls destroyed.

Nightmare didn't even look at the three places where the flames were about to go out. His figure flashed, and he had already appeared outside the stone tower, standing in the air.

The valley below was already in chaos!

Harsh alarms (screeches emitted by some kind of Magical Artifact) resounded through the valley. More than fifty Soul Transformation Stage Meteor Spirit Sect Cultivators rushed out of various stone houses, some looking in horror at the demon-like figure in the air, some trying to activate the defensive array bases already set up at the edge of the valley, and others assembling into small teams, sacrificing Magic Treasures, preparing to attack.

"Form the Meteor Spirit Array! Quickly!" A Cultivator who looked like a leader roared.

Dark red light lit up at several array bases, attempting to connect and form a defensive light shield covering the valley.

Nightmare's eyes were indifferent as he looked down at the Cultivators who were like ants in a disturbed nest. He had no mercy, and no nonsense.

"Extinguish."

A faint word was spat out.

The Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame that had swept through the stone tower did not dissipate, but instead became even more surging, falling toward the entire valley like the highest order!

The pitch-black flames, like a world-destroying rain, covered every inch of land, every stone house, and every Cultivator!

Boom boom boom—!!!

The array bases at the edge of the valley that had just lit up exploded the moment they were touched by the Demonic Flame! The light shield that was trying to connect completely collapsed before it could even take shape!

The Cultivator teams that had assembled and sacrificed Magic Treasures in preparation for an attack saw their Magic Treasure spiritual light rapidly dim and disintegrate in the Demonic Flame. The Cultivators couldn't even let out a scream before being engulfed by the pitch-black flames and turned into fly ash!

The Cultivators trying to flee, no matter how fast they were, could not be faster than the Demonic Flame that was omnipresent and seemed to have a life of its own! The flames rose from the ground, fell from the air, and burned from inside their bodies to the outside!

The entire Meteor Spirit Sect stronghold turned into an ocean of pitch-black flames in just two or three breaths! The flames burned silently, devouring everything tangible and intangible. Stone houses collapsed, Magical Artifacts melted, Cultivators were annihilated... only the destructive aura that made the Divine Soul tremble filled the world.

Nightmare watched all this quietly, as if appreciating a silent pantomime.

More than fifty Soul Transformation Cultivators, in front of Nightmare who was at the Middle Stage of Tribulation Crossing and whose power essence completely restrained them, were no different from ants. Moreover, he used his full strength, without mercy, not giving the opponent any chance to form an array, resist, or even beg for mercy.

Decisive in killing, leaving no one alive.

Soon, the flames gradually calmed down and extinguished.

In the valley, it was scorched black. All buildings, corpses, and even most of the rock and soil had been burned and purified by the Demonic Flame, leaving only a smooth, mirror-like scorched giant pit several feet deep, and the heart-palpitating lingering destructive aura in the air. It was so clean that it was as if no man-made structures had ever existed here.

Nightmare landed, his Divine Sense sweeping over the scorched pit, and soon stopped at the entrance of a secret chamber under the original stone tower that had been deliberately avoided (controlled by him) by the Demonic Flame.

He waved his hand to brush away the remnants of the Restriction (already destroyed by the Demonic Flame) and stepped into the secret chamber.

The furnishings in the secret chamber were simple, with only a few stone shelves. On the stone shelves were a few Jade Slips, a few animal skin maps, and some scattered Spirit Realm specialty Ores and Spirit Stones.

Nightmare first picked up the animal skin maps. The maps were drawn quite precisely, covering most of the known areas of the Spirit Realm. One of them was specifically marked with "Spirit Realm Central Topography," and another focused on the general terrain and dangerous area markings on the periphery of the "Lingyuan Forbidden Land," and even included a few intermittent path markings suspected to be left by predecessors' exploration. Although not detailed, it was enough for him to determine the direction and avoid some obvious dangers.

He picked up the Jade Slips again. Probing his Divine Sense into them, most were internal affairs records of the Meteor Spirit Sect, and format Jade Slips for regular reporting to superiors (a certain department of the Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao). The latest one recorded information about the fall of Protector Jinting's team, strengthening vigilance, and... "The Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao Protector has led troops to set up the 'Spirit Realm Demon Suppression Array' around the Lingyuan Forbidden Land to strictly prevent Reverse Dao Practitioners from approaching"!

"Sure enough, they have already deployed defenses..." Nightmare's eyes were slightly cold. They acted fast.

He collected all the valuable maps and Jade Slips, especially the one mentioning the defense information. Then, he picked up the last thing in the secret chamber—a pale golden token with an ancient design, engraved with the mark of the Meteor Spirit Sect. This was a special communication Magical Artifact for the stronghold to contact superiors.

Nightmare's fingertips flashed with Demonic Flame, completely destroying the token, and incinerating all other sundries in the secret chamber.

After doing all this, he walked out of the secret chamber and took one last look at the scorched valley that he had thoroughly "cleaned up."

Intelligence obtained, obstacles cleared.

It was time to head to the Lingyuan Forbidden Land.

His figure turned into an almost invisible phantom, speeding toward the direction of the central Spirit Realm indicated by the map, and soon disappeared on the dark red horizon of the wasteland.

Only that scorched giant pit remained, silently recounting the brief and thorough destruction that had occurred here.