The mortal realm returns to its rightful place, and forces are consolidated.

Space rippled like water as a dark red figure stepped out from the void.

Familiar yet thin Spiritual Qi, a slightly turbid sky, and the rolling black valley below shrouded in thick Devilish Qi—the Ten Thousand Demon Valley. He had arrived at the Mortal Realm.

Nightmare stood above the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, his gaze calmly sweeping below. The Devilish Qi in the valley was denser and purer than when he left, and the Formation layouts had clearly been significantly strengthened. The patrolling demonic Cultivator teams were orderly and possessed fierce auras. It seemed the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley had not been idle during his absence.

Almost the instant he appeared, several powerful Demonic Path auras soared into the sky from the core area of the valley, flying toward his position at an incredible speed. The leader’s aura had remarkably reached the Peak of the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage, surrounded by Blood Malice; it was the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley. Behind him followed seven or eight people, all with cultivation levels ranging from Late-Stage Transformation Spirit to Peak Spirit Transformation, all core Elders of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley.

"Welcome back, Lord!"

The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley led the crowd to stop ten zhang away from Nightmare, bowing in unison. Their voices were respectful, tinged with uncontrollable excitement. They could clearly sense that their Lord's aura was even more unfathomable than when he left, like a bottomless abyss. Just standing there made their Divine Souls tremble, giving them an urge to prostrate and worship. This was a natural reaction when the gap in strength reached a certain level.

Nightmare nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley. "Rise. How has the Mortal Realm been during my absence?"

The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley stood up and hastily reported, "Reporting to the Lord, everything has gone smoothly. There were occasional ripples, but they have been settled." He spoke clearly, with pride. "The fame of the Lord sweeping through the Spirit Realm's Heavenly Dao and seizing the dao reversal key has long since reached the Mortal Realm. The Demonic Path of the Mortal Realm is invigorated and no longer has divided loyalties. Following the Lord's instructions before leaving, I have wiped out all remaining Righteous Path Sects in the Mortal Realm that publicly adhered to the Heavenly Dao. Those who resisted were killed without mercy, and those who were sensible have joined our Demonic Alliance. Now, within the Mortal Realm, our Demonic Alliance can determine the fate of the world with a single word!"

"As for the Spirit Realm..." The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley paused and said cautiously, "The Lord's Divine Might is matchless. After the news of the destruction of the Spirit Realm's heavenly dao core arrived, several small groups of Cultivators claiming to be remnants of the Spirit Realm's Heavenly Dao did indeed appear sporadically near the spatial rifts bordering the Mortal Realm and Spirit Realm. They attempted to sneak into the Mortal Realm to stir up trouble or establish strongholds. Their numbers were small, and the strongest was only a Late-Stage Transformation Spirit. I led my men to intercept and kill them all outside the spatial rifts, not allowing a single person to step into the Mortal Realm."

"You did well." Nightmare spoke indifferently, acknowledging the work of the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley. His gaze swept over the core Elders behind the Valley Master, who were excited yet filled with awe; he already had a plan in mind.

"Summon all core members of the Mortal Realm's Demonic Path to gather at the Heavenly Demon Hall within the valley in fifteen minutes," Nightmare ordered in an unquestionable tone. "Additionally, I need to bring several people from the Spirit Realm."

Having said that, he didn't wait for the Valley Master's response. He raised his right hand and lightly slashed at the void beside him.

"Chila—"

A spatial rift with dark red Demonic Flames burning at its edges was forcibly torn open. On the other side of the rift, one could vaguely see the scene of a mountain range filled with dense Devilish Qi in the Spirit Realm. Several Demonic Path auras of varying strengths, all carrying uncertainty, were coming from the other side of the rift.

Nightmare's Divine Thought passed through the rift like a great bronze bell, ringing directly in the Divine Souls of the owners of those auras on the other side:

"Demonic Path of the Spirit Realm, I am Nightmare. The Spirit Realm's Heavenly Dao is destroyed, and order is reset. If you are willing to follow me and walk the path of Reverse Path, step through this gate now. The Ten Thousand Demon Valley of the Mortal Realm shall be your new Foundation. If not, suit yourselves."

As his voice fell, the rift floated quietly.

There was silence on the other side for a moment. Clearly, Nightmare's name and deeds had already spread among the Demonic Path of the Spirit Realm. Soon, a slightly aged but resolute voice came through: "I, Heisha, am willing to lead the remnants of Heisha Ridge to follow the Lord! Defying heaven to change fate begins today!"

"My Seven Emotions Valley is willing to go!"

"Count me, Old Devil Yin Bone, in!"

...In just a few breaths, seven figures of varying strengths, carrying apprehension, excitement, and resolve, stepped out from the spatial rift one after another. At the head was a black-robed old man whose aura was at the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage; he was the old devil who called himself Heisha. Behind him were six people, all at the Soul Transformation stage, including men, women, young, and old. They all carried more or less some injuries, and their auras were somewhat withered. Clearly, during the rule of the Spirit Realm's Heavenly Dao, life had not been easy for these unruly Demonic Path members.

As the seven stepped out of the rift and saw the scene before them, feeling the surging Devilish Qi of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley and the suffocating pressure from Nightmare, they were first startled, then one after another knelt on one knee toward Nightmare: "Greetings, Lord! Thank you, Lord, for granting us a chance at a new life!"

Nightmare glanced at the seven and nodded slightly. "Rise and follow me into the hall." With a wave of his hand, the spatial rift closed.

He led the way toward the most magnificent building in the core of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, the "Heavenly Demon Hall," which was constructed entirely of obsidian. The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, the Mortal Realm's core Elders, and the seven newly arrived Spirit Realm demonic Cultivators hastily followed.

A moment later, inside the Heavenly Demon Hall.

Within the vast hall, the lights were bright, and Devilish Qi lingered. The leaders and core Elders of the various Demonic Path forces in the Mortal Realm, having received the emergency message, had all arrived. A dense crowd of nearly a hundred people stood there, the lowest cultivation being the Peak Nascent Soul. At this moment, everyone held their breath, their gazes reverently fixed on the figure perched high upon the black demonic throne at the end of the hall—Nightmare.

Behind Nightmare, the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley stood solemnly on the left. On the right stood the seven Spirit Realm demonic Cultivators, led by Old Devil Heisha.

The atmosphere in the hall was solemn, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Nightmare's gaze slowly swept over the people below. The Mortal Realm demonic Cultivators lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at him. His gaze lingered for a moment on several Devil Heads with particularly robust auras who were vaguely the overlords of their respective regions, before finally landing on the two Spirit Realm demonic Cultivators behind Old Devil Heisha who had the most recalcitrant auras and flickering gazes.

Those two—one with red hair and a wide mouth, carrying twin blades on his back, known as "Blood Blade Demonic Lord," a Peak Spirit Transformation. The other had a pale face and sinister eyes, known as "Grandmother Xuanyin," also a Peak Spirit Transformation. Although they had also knelt to welcome Nightmare, deep in their eyes hid a few traces of subtle doubt and resentment. Especially after seeing the scale of the Mortal Realm demonic Cultivators and sensing that the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley was only at the Peak of the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage, that doubt seemed to grow heavier.

Nightmare withdrew his gaze and spoke indifferently, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "The Spirit Realm's Heavenly Dao is destroyed, and its remnants have been cleared by me. The Mortal Realm has also been unified. The path of Reverse Path begins beneath our feet. Next, I will head to a higher realm—the Immortal Realm—to find the third dao reversal key and face the immortal realm heavenly dao."

He paused, his gaze sweeping the hall again. "This journey is dangerous, and the rear must be stabilized. Therefore, from today onward, the Mortal Realm's Demonic Path and the Spirit Realm's Demonic Path willing to follow me shall merge into one Alliance, called the 'Dao Reversal Demonic Alliance.' The Ten Thousand Demon Valley of the Mortal Realm shall be the headquarters of the Demonic Alliance."

As soon as these words were spoken, most of the Mortal Realm demonic Cultivators showed expressions of excitement and took it as a matter of course. Among the seven newly arrived Spirit Realm demonic Cultivators, Old Devil Heisha and four others looked respectful and bowed their heads to accept the order. Only Blood Blade Demonic Lord and Grandmother Xuanyin frowned imperceptibly and exchanged a glance.

Nightmare acted as if he didn't see their small movements and continued, "During my absence, the Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley shall temporarily exercise the authority of the Alliance Leader and coordinate everything."

"I obey your command! I will certainly not fail the Lord's heavy trust!" The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley stepped forward excitedly and knelt on one knee to accept the order.

At this time, Blood Blade Demonic Lord finally couldn't help but take a step forward, cupped his hands, and said, "The Lord's Divine Might is something I submit to. However... I have one thing I don't understand, and I ask the Lord to clarify."

His voice was loud, carrying a sense of arrogance, instantly attracting the attention of the entire hall.

Nightmare looked at him calmly. "Speak."

Blood Blade Demonic Lord raised his head and looked directly at Nightmare (though his gaze subconsciously shifted slightly the moment it met Nightmare's), his voice carrying doubt. "The Lord wishes to go to the Immortal Realm and face the Heavenly Dao; such spirit is astonishing, and I admire it. But how powerful is the Immortal Realm's Heavenly Dao? It is far beyond what the Spirit Realm and Mortal Realm can compare to. Although the Lord is strong, leading us to oppose the entire Immortal Realm's Heavenly Dao... is it... is it a bit..." He weighed his words, seemingly wanting to be more tactful, but the arrogance in his bones still made him say it, "Is it a bit... too risky? We have just escaped the shackles of the Spirit Realm's Heavenly Dao, and our Foundation is not yet stable. Should we first stabilize the two realms and proceed slowly?"

Beside him, Grandmother Xuanyin also spoke hoarsely and added sinisterly, "Fellow Daoist Blood Blade makes sense. Lord, the path of Reverse Path is difficult; one wrong step and it's eternal damnation. We follow the Lord to seek a sliver of life and the Great Dao, not to... seek death."

Although the two did not say it explicitly, their intent to question was clear—you, Nightmare, are strong, but going to clash head-on with the Immortal Realm's Heavenly Dao, isn't that being too overconfident? We just joined you and don't want to follow you to our deaths.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became a bit subtle. Most of the Mortal Realm demonic Cultivators had a nearly blind worship of Nightmare, and upon hearing this, they immediately glared at the two. Some with more active minds couldn't help but have a trace of doubt stirred up. The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley's expression darkened, and he was about to scold them.

Nightmare, however, raised his hand and stopped him.

He remained seated on the demonic throne, leaning forward slightly, his gaze falling on Blood Blade Demonic Lord and Grandmother Xuanyin. His eyes were calm, without the slightest ripple.

"Are you questioning my decision?" His voice was very soft, yet it carried a bone-chilling coldness.

Blood Blade Demonic Lord felt a shiver in his heart from that gaze, but relying on his Peak Spirit Transformation cultivation and the slight dissatisfaction in his heart (feeling that the overall strength of the Mortal Realm's Demonic Path was just so-so), he still braced himself and said, "I wouldn't dare! I am only... only thinking of the big picture, thinking of the Lord, and thinking of the lives of the many Fellow Daoists in the Alliance! I ask the Lord to think twice!"

Grandmother Xuanyin also said, "Exactly! May the Lord be discerning!"

"The big picture? Thinking of me?" Nightmare suddenly smiled, a cold smile without any warmth.

The next second.

His figure disappeared from the demonic throne.

It wasn't teleportation, but speed pushed to the extreme. The vast majority of people present, including Blood Blade Demonic Lord and Grandmother Xuanyin, only felt a blur before their eyes.

When they looked again, Nightmare had appeared like a ghost in the center of the hall, right in front of Blood Blade Demonic Lord and Grandmother Xuanyin, less than three feet away!

The two were horrified, their hair standing on end, instinctively wanting to retreat and defend!

But it was too late.

Nightmare's hands had already shot out like lightning. He didn't use Demonic Flames or any divine abilities; it was just the simplest movement—his right index finger pointed toward Blood Blade Demonic Lord's brow, and his left index finger pointed toward Grandmother Xuanyin's brow.

The movement seemed slow, but in fact, it broke through the limitations of space, as if the moment he raised his hands, his fingertips had already touched the targets.

Blood Blade Demonic Lord roared, and the twin blades on his back automatically unsheathed half an inch, with Blood Malice blade light flickering and ready to erupt! Grandmother Xuanyin shrieked, and layers of pale Yin Bone Shield shadows appeared around her!

Useless.

"Pu."

"Pu."

Two extremely faint sounds, like bubbles popping.

Nightmare's fingertips lightly touched the center of their brows.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

Blood Blade Demonic Lord's eyes widened, his pupils dilated, and a needle-sized red dot appeared at his brow. The boiling Blood Malice blade light around him suddenly solidified and dissipated. The twin blades that were half-unsheathed on his back fell to the ground with a *clatter*, their spirituality completely lost.

Grandmother Xuanyin's expression froze on her face, and the layers of Yin Bone Shield shadows melted silently like ice and snow under the sun. She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but couldn't make any sound, only the dark red dot at her brow rapidly spreading.

The next moment.

" 轟!" " 轟!"

Two bursts of dark red Demonic Flames erupted without warning from the red dots at their brows! Instantly engulfing their bodies!

No screams, no struggling.

Under the horrified gazes of everyone, the two Peak Spirit Transformation Devil Heads, who were considered giants even in the Spirit Realm, were burned into a wisp of blue smoke from the inside out by those eerie dark red Demonic Flames right there in the hall. Not even ashes remained, and their Divine Soul fluctuations were completely annihilated.

From the moment Nightmare disappeared to the two turning into blue smoke, the entire process took less than a breath.

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.

Everyone froze in place, even forgetting to breathe. The air still held the terrifying high temperature that had instantly erupted and then vanished, as well as a trace of the Reverse Path destruction aura that made one's Soul tremble.

Nightmare slowly withdrew his hands, as if he had merely brushed away non-existent dust from his sleeve. He turned around and looked back at the crowd in the hall, who were as quiet as cicadas in winter. His voice was calm and rippleless, yet it was like ten-thousand-year-old ice striking everyone's heart:

"Those who follow me shall live; those who oppose me shall die."

"Why should I explain my actions to you?"

"If there are any more reckless discussions, questioning, or harboring of divided loyalties... this shall be the result."

His gaze swept over Old Devil Heisha and the other four Spirit Realm demonic Cultivators, then over all the Demonic Path leaders of the Mortal Realm below.

"We, your subordinates, respectfully obey the Lord's decree! We swear to follow the Lord to the death, walking the path of Reverse Path, and will not hesitate even in the face of ten thousand deaths!"

Old Devil Heisha was the first to react, falling to his knees with a *thud* and knocking his head against the ground. His voice trembled with fear and excitement. The other four Spirit Realm demonic Cultivators also hastily knelt, their bodies drenched in cold sweat.

"Respectfully obeying the Lord's decree! We swear to follow to the death!" The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley led all the Mortal Realm demonic Cultivators to kneel in a vast wave, their voices making the hall hum and vibrate. No one dared to show even the slightest sign of dissent.

Nightmare looked at the completely submissive crowd and then nodded slightly.

He walked back to the demonic throne and sat down, ordering, "Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley."

"Your subordinate is here!"

"From today on, you are the Vice Alliance Leader of the Dao Reversal Demonic Alliance, coordinating all Demonic Path forces in the Mortal and Spirit Realms, guarding the headquarters, and developing our strength. I grant you some resources to be used for enhancing the overall strength of the Alliance." Nightmare raised his hand, and several Storage Rings flew out, landing in front of the Valley Master. Inside were some of the resources he had plundered from the Spirit Realm and Immortal Realm Cultivators, including Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, Materials, and even several decent Magic Treasures and Cultivation Techniques.

The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley took them excitedly. "Thank you for the Lord's generous gift! I will certainly work myself to the bone to guard the Lord's Foundation!"

"Remember," Nightmare's voice turned cold, carrying an unquestionable killing intent, "during my time in the Immortal Realm, if any Immortal Realm forces dare to intrude into the Mortal Realm in any form or for any reason..."

He paused, saying each word clearly:

"Regardless of whether they are from the Immortal, Mortal, or Spirit Realms, regardless of their status or background, all shall be—"

"Killed. Without. Mercy!"

"No need to ask for instructions, no need for mercy. Slay them directly to serve as a warning to others!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" The Valley Master of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley responded in a deep voice, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes.

Nightmare's gaze finally swept over the hall, taking in everyone's expressions. With both kindness and power applied, and the iron-blooded integration complete, his worries about the rear were gone.

It was time to handle the last few loose ends in the Mortal Realm, and then... set foot in the Immortal Realm.

"Dismissed. Return to your respective places, reorganize your subordinates, and await the Vice Alliance Leader's orders." Nightmare waved his hand.

"Respectfully seeing off the Lord!" Everyone bowed in unison again, respectfully and orderly exiting the Heavenly Demon Hall.

Soon, only Nightmare remained in the hall. His fingers lightly tapped the cold armrest of the demonic throne, his eyes looking out at the dim sky outside the hall.

The Mortal Realm was temporarily stabilized.

Next, it was time to thoroughly clean up those "old friends" hiding in the corners who won't shed a tear until they see the coffin.