On the path to the Spirit Abyss, the Dharma Protectors intercepted them.

He deliberately avoided large cities, Sect territories, and areas with dense Spiritual Qi or potentially stricter Heavenly Dao monitoring marked on the map, choosing instead to travel through desolate mountains and rarely trodden paths.

Even so, the Spirit Realm was vast, and even the relatively remote areas were "busier" than he had expected.

Occasionally, he could perceive the escaping lights of Cultivators with non-negligible auras passing through the sky in the distance, and he could also detect fluctuations emanating from small Sects or Cultivator Immortal Caves hidden in deep valleys.

The level of cultivation civilization in the entire Spirit Realm was clearly higher than that of the Mortal Realm, and the average strength of the Cultivator was also stronger.

The faint pressure of the Heavenly Dao, omnipresent in the air, acted like background radiation, continuously attempting to "assimilate" or "reject" him as an anomaly.

Were it not for the dual shielding of the star dao fruit and Reverse Dao Power, he would likely have been exposed long ago.

For several days in a row, Nightmare traveled by night and rested by day, moving carefully as he gradually penetrated deep into the Spirit Realm.

The "Spirit Mist Forest" marked on the map was already in sight.

This was an ancient forest covering tens of thousands of miles, shrouded year-round by a peculiar, milky-white Spirit Mist that could interfere with Divine Sense and Spiritual Qi.

With its complex terrain and rampant Yao Beast, it was a natural obstacle on the way to the central Spirit Realm, yet due to its special environment, it had become the choice for many who did not wish to expose their tracks.

According to the map and intelligence obtained from the Meteor Spirit Sect outpost, passing through this Spirit Mist Forest would allow him to reach the outer area relatively close to the Lingyuan Forbidden Land.

Nightmare did not hesitate; with a flicker of his body, he plunged into the thick Spirit Mist that seemed capable of swallowing all light.

The mist was stickier than he had imagined.

When he extended his Divine Sense, it felt like sinking into a quagmire, compressed to a range of less than a hundred zhang around him.

His vision was even more blurred, only able to see clearly within a few dozen zhang.

The light in the forest was dim, with towering giant trees and tangled vines, while the air was filled with the damp scent of humus and a faint, dangerous odor mixed with the stench of various Yao Beast.

Nightmare restrained his aura to the extreme, moving between the giant trees like a ghost, his speed increasing rather than decreasing.

The Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame circulated slowly within his body, ready to deal with sudden dangers at any moment.

Although the Spirit Mist interfered greatly with his Divine Sense, its influence on his sensing of the star dao fruit was relatively small, and he could still clearly grasp the general direction of the Lingyuan Forbidden Land.

However, just after he had penetrated about a thousand miles into the forest, the previously relatively calm Spirit Mist in front of him suddenly began to churn and surge violently!

It was as if it had been forcibly stirred and pushed aside by an invisible force!

Nightmare's sense of alarm flared up instantly.

His figure suddenly stopped at the top of a giant tree that would require several people to embrace.

His pitch-black eyes sharply pierced through the mist, looking towards the direction from which the disturbance came.

He saw that several hundred zhang ahead, the thick Spirit Mist parted like a curtain to both sides, revealing a "vacuum" area about a thousand zhang in diameter that had been forcibly cleared!

Within the area, twenty-two figures were quietly suspended in mid-air, as if they had been waiting for a long time.

The two leaders were clad in brilliant golden armor, the style of which was more ornate and complex than that of the previous Golden Thunder Protector, with Heavenly Dao runes representing higher authority engraved on their chests.

Their auras were as vast as an abyss, far more formidable than the Golden Thunder Protector, and they were clearly both at the Middle Stage Tribulation Crossing!

Their faces were hidden behind faceplates, with only two pairs of cold, majestic, emotionless golden eyes locking onto Nightmare like sharp swords.

Behind these two golden-armored Protectors, twenty Cultivators dressed in silver chainmail and holding standard long halberds were arranged neatly.

Each of them had a condensed aura and eyes as sharp as eagles, all of them at the Peak Spirit Transformation!

Their energies were connected, faintly forming a battle Formation, and the Killing Intent they emitted actually forced back the surging Spirit Mist around them by quite a bit!

Clearly, this was an elite force specifically dispatched to intercept Nightmare!

They did not know what method they had used, but they had actually accurately predicted Nightmare's route and set an ambush here!

"Reverse Dao Practitioner Nightmare!" the slightly taller golden-armored Protector on the left spoke, his voice like the clashing of gold and iron, magnificent and cold, piercing through the mist and echoing in the forest.

"I am the Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao Protector 'Jinyao'! By the decree of the Heavenly Dao, I am here to capture you, a rebel who blasphemes the Heavenly Dao and disrupts order!"

"Do not be quick to surrender, and follow us to the 'Heavenly Punishment Platform' to accept judgment!"

The Protector on the right, "Jinchen," snorted coldly and added, "If you stubbornly resist, today, this place shall be your burial ground!"

"Your Divine Soul will be extinguished, and you shall never be reincarnated!"

The twenty Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators behind them stepped forward in unison, their long halberds pointing obliquely, the tips of the halberds spitting cold light, their energies firmly locking onto Nightmare.

As long as an order was given, they would launch a thunderous strike!

Facing this luxurious and murderous interception force, Nightmare did not show the slightest panic on his face; instead, a cold arc curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Judgment? Burial ground?"

His voice was flat, but carried a hint of faint mockery.

"Just based on you lot?"

"Arrogant!" Golden light burst from Protector Jinyao's eyes.

"Stubborn and unyielding, seeking your own death! Form the 'Heavenly Net Array', take him down!"

"Understood!" The twenty Spirit Transformation Cultivators shouted in unison, their figures dispersing like lightning, instantly standing in specific positions, their long halberds simultaneously pointing to a certain point in the air!

Boundless Spiritual Power and Heavenly Dao power surged from their bodies, intertwining in the air, instantly forming a huge light net composed of countless golden rays of light that covered the entire "vacuum" area!

Within the light net, runes flowed, carrying powerful powers of imprisonment, suppression, and purification, and it descended towards Nightmare's head!

At the same time, at the nodes of the light net, sharp golden halberd radiances condensed, ready to be unleashed!

The two golden-armored Protectors moved left and right, slowly approaching, each condensing a more solid and powerful "Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao Halberd" in their hands, with thunder wrapping around the halberd bodies.

Clearly, they were prepared to launch a fatal strike the moment the array trapped Nightmare!

Coordinated, chain-linked killing moves!

However, Nightmare moved.

He did not attempt to dodge the descending Heavenly Net, nor did he pay attention to the two approaching Protectors.

He just raised his right hand, palm facing upwards, and his five fingers slowly closed.

"Reverse Path Absolute Kill — Domain, open."

A low voice sounded.

Boom —!!!

With Nightmare as the center, a deep, pitch-black Absolute Domain that seemed to be able to swallow even light blossomed instantly like a black lotus, expanding with a boom!

The speed of the Domain's expansion was incredibly fast, instantly colliding with the descending golden light net!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle —!!!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a teeth-aching, violent dissolving sound like cold water poured into hot oil!

The moment the Heavenly Dao runes flowing on the golden light net touched the Reverse Path Domain, they were like metal thrown into strong acid, rapidly dimming, twisting, and disintegrating!

The twenty Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators who made up the light net all groaned in unison, feeling that the connection between themselves and the array had been forcibly cut off and reversed by an overbearing power.

Their blood and Qi surged in their bodies, and the backlash of the array had already struck!

But this was only the beginning!

Nightmare's right hand suddenly clenched into a fist.

On the fist, a point of pitch-black starlight, condensed to the extreme, suddenly lit up, like a miniature star that was heading towards annihilation!

"Demon Star Core — Explode!"

He roared lowly, and the pitch-black "star" on his fist, which had condensed a terrifying Reverse Dao Power, was violently thrown towards the central area where the Heavenly Net Array was densest and where the twenty Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators were most concentrated!

The pitch-black star left his hand, silent and soundless, yet carrying a destructive fluctuation that made the Soul freeze!

"Bad! Scatter!" Protector Jinyao's face changed drastically, and he shouted wildly!

But, it was too late.

The moment the pitch-black star entered the center of the golden light net —

There was no sound, only an extreme alternation of light and darkness!

It was as if an invisible black hole had exploded there!

First to be annihilated was the remaining golden light net, and immediately after, it was the twenty densely packed Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators!

They didn't even have time to make any effective defensive or evasive movements.

Their protective spiritual light was like paper in front of the annihilation power of the exploding pitch-black star!

The terrifying energy impact did not spread outwards, but collapsed, swallowed, and destroyed inwards!

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff...!

A series of slight yet blood-curdling muffled sounds rang out almost simultaneously!

The twenty Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators, like porcelain struck simultaneously by an invisible giant hammer, had their bodies twisted, deformed, and then... shattered into a sky full of powder mixed with silver armor fragments and pale golden blood mist!

Their Divine Souls could not even struggle in the aftermath of the annihilation power before completely dissipating!

With just a single strike, twenty Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators were completely wiped out!

"Bastard!!" Protector Jinchen's eyes were splitting with rage. Those were twenty carefully cultivated Peak Spirit Transformation elites! How could they be wiped out in a single encounter?

However, what shocked them even more was yet to come.

The moment the pitch-black star exploded and cleared out the cannon fodder, Nightmare's figure had already vanished from the spot like a ghost.

In the next instant, he appeared before Protector Jinyao, who had just roared in anger and whose mind was momentarily shaken by the total annihilation of his subordinates!

"Die."

A cold utterance.

Nightmare's right fist, wrapped in the tangible, condensed Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame, struck simply and unadornedly toward Protector Jinyao's chest!

Protector Jinyao was, after all, in the Mid-stage Tribulation Crossing. His reaction was extremely fast. He roared and held the Heavenly Dao Halberd in his hand horizontally across his chest, while the Heavenly Dao Origin within his body surged wildly, condensing several layers of thick, golden light shields in front of him!

The fist arrived.

Crack! Crack! Crack—!

The Heavenly Dao Halberd held across his chest shattered inch by inch like rotten wood!

The layers of golden light shields shattered one after another like bubbles!

The fist edge landed solidly on the brilliant golden armor on Protector Jinyao's chest!

There was no loud noise.

Only a muffled, extreme "thud," like a heavy object falling to the ground.

Protector Jinyao's entire body shook violently. The armor on his chest instantly caved in at the center of the fist mark, forming a clear dent, while countless fine cracks spread out like a spiderweb! He felt his Heavenly Dao Origin core, which he had cultivated for thousands of years, tremble violently under this punch, nearly shattering! A mouthful of blood mixed with organ fragments and golden light spots sprayed out wildly. His aura instantly withered, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable shock and... fear!

Nightmare succeeded with one punch and did not pause at all. His left hand shot out like lightning, fingers forming a claw, with pitch-black Demonic Flame flickering at his fingertips, instantly gripping Protector Jinyao's crown!

"Star Devouring Dao — Seize!"

The overbearing and unparalleled power of devouring surged wildly into Protector Jinyao's body through his five fingers, beginning to violently plunder and extract his pure and vast Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao Origin!

"Ah—!!!" Protector Jinyao let out a scream so shrill it didn't sound human. He struggled desperately, but felt like a fish pinned to a chopping board; all his power was rapidly draining and disintegrating under that devouring force!

In just two breaths, nearly half of the Heavenly Dao Origin within his body had been forcibly extracted and devoured by Nightmare! The aura around Nightmare's body became faintly more solid, and his suppression of Heavenly Dao power grew even stronger.

Nightmare casually tossed aside the dying Protector Jinyao, who was like a broken rag bag. A flash of Demonic Flame at his fingertips ended his life and remnant Soul.

From attacking to slaying Protector Jinyao and plundering his Origin, the entire process took only a few breaths!

The remaining Protector Jinchen was already scared out of his wits! He had witnessed the tragic state of his colleague being heavily injured by a single punch and having his Origin extracted alive! This Reverse Dao Practitioner's strength far exceeded the intelligence estimates! How was this Mid-stage Tribulation Crossing? This was clearly combat power at the Late-stage or even Peak Tribulation Crossing level! And that suppression of Heavenly Dao by the Reverse Dao Power had reached an unimaginable level!

Escape! Must escape! Go back and report! This person cannot be fought!

Protector Jinchen no longer had any Battle Intent. He didn't even care about avenging his colleague or upholding the dignity of the Heavenly Dao. He turned and transformed into a golden stream of light, fleeing wildly toward the depths of the Spirit Fog Forest! He even went as far as burning his essence blood, causing his speed to soar instantly!

"Want to leave?"

Nightmare's cold voice rang out behind him like a maggot attached to a bone.

A pitch-black long rope made entirely of condensed Demonic Flame, like a venomous snake emerging from the Void Realm, shot out at an even faster speed. It arrived first despite starting later, precisely binding the ankle of the fleeing Protector Jinchen!

"Get back here!"

Nightmare flicked his wrist violently and pulled back!

"Ah!" Protector Jinchen cried out in alarm. His figure was uncontrollably dragged out of the escape light and flew backward toward Nightmare!

He was shocked and furious. He slashed the Heavenly Dao Halberd in his hand back toward the Demonic Flame long rope, while his other hand crushed a life-saving Jade Talisman, attempting to break free from the binding.

However, the Demonic Flame long rope was extremely tough; the Heavenly Dao Halberd only sparked when it struck. The golden light that exploded from the life-saving Jade Talisman was also quickly devoured and disintegrated by the Nidao Demonic Flame wrapped around the rope.

In the blink of an eye, Protector Jinchen had been dragged to within a few zhang of Nightmare.

Nightmare did not kill him immediately, but stared at him with cold eyes and asked: "How is the defense line of the Lingyuan Forbidden Land specifically arranged? Who is sitting in command? What are the characteristics of the Formation?"

Protector Jinchen was tightly bound by the Demonic Flame long rope and could not move. Feeling Nightmare's bone-chilling Killing Intent, he was terrified to the extreme. But as a Heavenly Dao Protector, he had his pride and duties. He gritted his teeth and said: "Rebel! Don't even think about getting anything from my mouth..."

"Crack!"

Before he could finish speaking, Nightmare's left hand had already reached out, gripping his other intact ankle, and applied slight force. A teeth-aching sound of bone shattering rang out.

"Ah—!" Protector Jinchen screamed again, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"I don't have time to listen to your nonsense." Nightmare's voice had no fluctuation at all. "Speak, or I will crush every bone in your body bit by bit, extract your Divine Soul, slowly burn it with Demonic Flame, and use Soul-searching and Soul-refining; I will eventually find the information I want. It's just that if I do that, you will suffer more, and your Divine Soul will be destroyed even more thoroughly."

A calm tone, yet speaking the cruelest words.

Protector Jinchen trembled all over; he could feel that the other party was definitely not making empty threats. That cold gaze, that attitude of disregarding life, made him not doubt for a second that the other party would do it.

The fear of death, combined with the threat of dual torture to his body and Divine Soul, finally crushed his last shred of persistence.

"...I'll talk!" he said hoarsely, his voice filled with humiliation and fear. "The defense line is personally commanded by 'Great Protector Jinguang' (Late Tribulation Crossing stage), and the 'Spirit Realm Demon-Suppressing Formation' is set up, covering a hundred miles around the entrance of the Forbidden Ground. The Formation is based on eight 'Demon-Suppressing Steles' and requires eight Peak Spirit Transformation Cultivators to guard it simultaneously to exert its maximum power. It can suppress and purify all non-Heavenly Dao power, and it is particularly sensitive to Reverse Dao auras... The Formation eye is at..."

He spoke the intelligence he knew in broken sentences, verifying it with the information Nightmare had previously obtained from the Jade Slip, making it more detailed and specific.

Nightmare listened quietly and nodded.

"Very good."

As his voice fell, the five fingers of his right hand, which were gripping Protector Jinchen's crown, suddenly unleashed a burst of Demonic Flame!

Pfft!

Protector Jinchen's eyes widened, and the last gleam of light in them quickly dimmed and extinguished. His head, along with the Divine Soul within, instantly turned into nothingness in the Demonic Flame, and his headless corpse was engulfed by the Demonic Flame, quickly burning into fly ash.

Nightmare released the Demonic Flame long rope, letting the last of the ashes drift away.

He stood in mid-air, his gaze sweeping across the forest area that had become even more chaotic and turbulent with spirit fog due to the fierce battle. The remains of the twenty Spirit Transformation Cultivators and the ashes of the two Tribulation Crossing Protectors were rapidly being digested and covered by the dense spirit fog and the forest itself.

"Late Tribulation Crossing Great Protector... Spirit Realm Demon-Suppressing Formation..." Nightmare repeated the intelligence he had obtained in a low voice. Not only was there no fear in his eyes, but a flash of eagerness flickered instead.

He waved his hand to collect some valuable items remaining on the battlefield (mainly the two Protectors' Storage Rings and fragments of the broken Heavenly Dao Halberd), then did not stay any longer. His figure merged into the surging spirit fog, and he continued to speed toward the direction of the Lingyuan Forbidden Land.

The forest returned to "calm," with only the not-yet-fully-subsided energy aftermath and a faint aura of destruction proving that a short and bloody massacre had just occurred here.

The second wave of interception forces sent by the Spirit Realm Heavenly Dao ended in total annihilation once again.

And Nightmare, carrying the newly plundered power and intelligence, was moving unswervingly toward his goal—the Lingyuan Forbidden Land, and the second dao reversal key within it!