The domain lord was furious and launched a massive army attack.

Black Rock Domain, Domain Lord's Mansion.

This was a magnificent fortress carved from a single colossal obsidian rock, situated atop the core mountain range where the Black Rock Domain's energy was most concentrated. Inside the fortress, the main hall was vast and eerie, with only the eerie blue Origin crystal embedded in the walls providing a cold light source.

At this moment, a tall figure slowly rose from the throne in the center of the hall.

He was clad in dark golden heavy armor, the naturally formed rock patterns on the armor seemed to flow, and his face was hidden in shadow, only his eyes shone terrifyingly, like two burning dark red stars. Just the act of standing made the air in the entire hall solidify, and the heavy pressure was like a tangible mountain, making it difficult for the several personal guards standing on either side to breathe, almost forcing them to kneel.

He was the ruler of the Black Rock Domain, a powerful Cultivator at the Intermediate Grandmist Dominator Realm — Black Rock Domain Lord Yan Kui.

"You said..." Yan Kui's voice was low and hoarse, like two rough rocks grinding together, "Black Wind... fell? His Divine Soul imprint... completely dissipated?"

Below, an elder in charge of guarding the Soul Hall trembled, sweat pouring down, almost burying his head in the ground: "Rep... Reporting to Domain Lord! It's absolutely true! Black Wind Protector's Soul Lamp... suddenly extinguished an hour ago, not even a trace of his remnant soul escaped! And then... and then the ten Soul Tokens of the supervisory team at the Abandoned Mine... also... also shattered at the same time!"

"Abandoned Mine?" The dark red light in Yan Kui's eyes suddenly flared, "What happened there?"

Another grey-robed Cultivator in charge of intelligence bit the bullet and stepped forward, his voice trembling: "Reporting to the Domain Lord! According to... according to scattered news from the Dark Market and the residual energy fluctuations near the mine... it is suspected that an external powerful individual broke in, killed the Dark Market's patrol Cultivators, and... and then encountered Black Wind Protector near Gale Canyon... After that... after that, they appeared at the Abandoned Mine, annihilated the entire supervisory team, and... and occupied the place."

"External powerful individual?" Yan Kui slowly repeated these four words, each syllable seeming to carry a cold killing intent, "One person?"

"Yes... all clues currently point to one person. This person's identity is unknown, and their Origin Qi is extremely strange and special, seemingly... seemingly having a strong suppressive and devouring ability over the Origin of our Domain's Cultivators. Their actions... their actions are extremely ruthless and decisive, leaving no survivors." The grey-robed Cultivator's voice grew softer and softer.

The hall was dead silent.

"Heh... hehe..." Yan Kui suddenly let out a low laugh, but there was no warmth in his laughter, only towering rage and killing intent, "Good, very good. A rat that crawled out of who knows which corner, dares to act so wildly in my Black Rock Domain! Killing my Protector, slaughtering my subordinates, occupying my mine! This is slapping my Yan Kui's face! This is challenging the prestige of the entire Black Rock Domain!"

He suddenly took a step forward, and the hard black stone bricks on the ground cracked with a rumble.

"Issue the order!"

His voice was like thunder, making the hall hum and vibrate.

"Order Protectors 'Iron Rock' and 'Firm Rock' to immediately gather the first and second squads of their 'Blackrock Guards', a total of twenty people! Led personally by the two Protectors, proceed to the Abandoned Mine!"

"Crush that rat for this Dominator, along with those traitorous mine dregs he gathered! Bring back their Divine Souls, this Dominator will personally refine them into the Heart of Rock Flame, to burn for ten thousand years!"

"Yes!" Everyone in the hall responded in unison, their voices filled with fear and solemnity.

Soon, two powerful Peak Initial Dominator Aura shot up from the depths of the Domain Lord's Mansion, followed by twenty uniform, awe-inspiring Initial Dominator Realm Aura. Two squads, completely covered in black heavy armor and wielding standardized Blackrock Halberds, led by one Protector whose Aura was as solid as iron and another whose Aura was as heavy as a mountain, transformed into a dense black cloud, carrying cold killing intent, and sped towards the Abandoned Mine! Wherever they passed, the Cultivators in the Black Rock Domain were all horrified and gave way, their hearts filled with doubt — the Domain Lord's elite forces were all dispatched, what formidable enemy were they going to annihilate?

Abandoned Mine, Core Refining Tower.

Nightmare slowly opened his eyes, the deep darkness in them flashing away. The faintly fluctuating Aura around him became even more restrained and profound, seemingly only a thin layer of window paper away from the threshold of the Intermediate Dominator. Black Wind Protector's Origin had been completely digested and absorbed.

Almost simultaneously, a subtle fluctuation came from the Restriction he had set up.

"Sir!" A hushed voice came from outside the tower. It was the leader of the five mine slave subordinates, a young man named Stone Firm. His tone was urgent, with undisguised nervousness, "A large number of powerful Aura have appeared in the northwest and northeast directions! Their speed is extremely fast, heading straight for the mine! Looking at their attire and Aura... they are the 'Blackrock Guards' from the Domain Lord's Mansion! The leaders... are Protectors Iron Rock and Firm Rock!"

Nightmare showed no surprise on his face; instead, a cold interest appeared.

"They came quickly." He stood up and walked out of the tower.

Outside, the five subordinates had gathered. Although their faces were pale, their eyes were still firm, and they held the best weapons they could find in the mine — a few rusty but still sharp mining picks and iron chisels. The other ten mine slaves who chose to stay hid far away behind the crumbling walls, watching in fear.

"Do as we discussed before." Nightmare didn't even look at the ten ordinary mine slaves, instructing the five, including Stone Firm, "Guard the narrow passage at the mine entrance, use the terrain to buy time, no need to fight to the death. If anyone is isolated or injured, work together to kill them."

"Yes, Sir!" Stone Firm and the other four gritted their teeth and responded. They knew this was their first battle after joining their new master, and a test of life and death.

Nightmare looked up at the grey sky. His Divine Sense had already perceived the rapidly approaching, hostile, and massive team, especially the two Peak Dominator Aura leading them, which seemed even more solid than Black Wind Protector's.

"Two Peaks... barely enough for a warm-up." He murmured, and his figure flickered, disappearing from his original spot.

The next moment, he appeared on a huge protruding rock above the mine entrance, standing with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the rapidly enlarging black dots on the distant horizon.

Rumble—!

Like muffled thunder rolling by, twenty Blackrock Guards, led by the two Protectors, arrived in an instant, hovering in mid-air outside the mine entrance. Their powerful Aura converged into a thick pressure, causing even the 碎石 within the mine to tremble slightly. They were well-trained and immediately spotted Nightmare standing high up, as well as the five mine slaves standing ready at the passage below.

"Arrogant!" The Protector on the left, Iron Rock, spoke with a voice like clashing metal. He was tall and slender, his skin had a metallic luster, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. "Was it you who killed Black Wind and occupied this desolate place?"

Protector Firm Rock, on the right, was burly, like a humanoid rock, and rumbled, "The Domain Lord has ordered to kill without mercy! Form the Formation — Blackrock Sky Lock!"

The two wasted no words and immediately gave the order!

The twenty Blackrock Guards shouted in unison, instantly spreading out to occupy specific positions, their halberds heavily striking the Void Realm, madly pouring in their Origin power!

"Buzz—!"

A huge, complex dark red Formation pattern lit up in the air, rapidly expanding, and in the blink of an eye, it covered the entire sky above the mine! The Formation light descended, forming a semi-transparent, dark red light screen with a pressure as heavy as a mountain, like an inverted giant bowl, completely sealing the entire Abandoned Mine and its entrance passage within!

Above the Formation light screen, faint illusory mountain shadows could be seen flowing, locking down space and cutting off any escape routes. This was the "Blackrock Grand Formation" used by the Black Rock Domain Lord's Mansion to deal with powerful enemies and encircle rebels, integrating entrapment, suppression, and weakening. Formed by twenty Initial Dominators, its power was enough to make even an Intermediate Dominator feel troublesome.

"The Domain Lord has ordered no one to be spared! Kill!" Protector Iron Rock roared, and he and Protector Firm Rock simultaneously transformed into two streaks of light, like two drawn sharp blades, piercing through the Formation light screen (the light screen had no effect on them), directly charging towards Nightmare standing high up! In their view, as long as they quickly killed this leader, the remaining small fry would be no match.

Facing the two charging Peak Protectors from the sky, Nightmare transmitted a message to Stone Firm and the other five in the passage below: "Now! Hold them!"

Before his words finished, he stomped his foot, and the huge rock beneath him crumbled. He, himself, charged upwards in reverse!

Not dodging, not defending, but actively attacking! He bravely charged into the newly formed "Blackrock Grand Formation," meeting the two Protectors head-on!

"Courting death!" Protector Iron Rock snorted coldly, pointing his fingers like a sword. A Sword Qi of extreme condensation, capable of piercing through the defenses of ordinary Initial Dominators, shot through the air towards Nightmare's face! (It contained the Origin of metal and rock).

Protector Firm Rock, on the other hand, crossed his arms, his muscles bulging, and a yellowish-brown light emanated from his body, as if he had transformed into a moving mountain, slamming towards Nightmare with immense force, intending to crush him with absolute power!

"Dao Reversal Ultimate Kill Domain — Full Activation!"

Nightmare roared, and the profound dark Domain instantly expanded to a hundred-zhang radius, enveloping both himself and the two charging Protectors!

Within the Domain, the Law of Reverse Path took effect!

Protector Iron Rock's invincible Sword Qi, the moment it entered the Domain, showed a subtle, imperceptible deviation in its trajectory, and its power seemed to be eroded and dispersed by an invisible force!

Protector Firm Rock's mountain-crushing Aura, within the Domain, seemed to sink into a viscous quagmire, its speed visibly slowing down by a fraction!

"As expected, there's something to this!" The two Protectors felt a slight chill in their hearts, but their attacks didn't stop. Their Realm was profound, and though the Domain was strange, it wasn't enough to completely suppress them.

However, Nightmare's target was never to directly confront their combined forces.

His figure flickered like a ghost within the Domain, skillfully avoiding the direct edge of the Sword Qi and the center of the mountain's impact, passing through the gap between their two attacks!

"What?!" Iron Rock and Firm Rock were greatly alarmed, not expecting the opponent's movement technique to be so bizarre and slippery.

And Nightmare had already rushed towards the twenty Blackrock Guards who were maintaining the Formation!

"Stop him!" Protector Iron Rock shouted urgently.

Several nearby Blackrock Guards instinctively turned their long halberds and thrust them at Nightmare.

"Scram!"

Nightmare's eyes sharpened, and the Hongmeng Reverse Dao Demonic Star Flame around him erupted. This time, it wasn't dormant but transformed into raging black fire waves, sweeping in all directions! Wherever the flames passed, the Blackrock Guards' protective Origin and armor were like paper, instantly ignited and devoured!

"Ah—!"

Screams rang out, and in the blink of an eye, four or five Blackrock Guards were engulfed by the Demonic Star Flame, turning into ash. The Formation nodes they maintained instantly collapsed! The originally seamless "Blackrock Grand Formation" light barrier immediately fluctuated violently, revealing obvious flaws and weak points!

"Bastard!" Protector Firm Rock's eyes were bloodshot. These Blackrock Guards were the elite of the Domain Lord's Mansion! He roared, abandoning his charge, and slammed his hands onto the ground!

"Rock Spikes!"

Rumble! The ground vibrated violently, and countless sharp Rock Spikes erupted from underground like living things, stabbing at Nightmare from all directions. Their coverage was extremely wide, sealing off all his dodging space.

However, Nightmare seemed to have anticipated it. His figure suddenly shot up, narrowly avoiding most of the Rock Spikes. At the same time, his right hand, held flat like a blade, condensed highly compressed Demonic Star Flame and fiercely slashed at a Blackrock Guard captain attempting a sneak attack from the side!

"Pfft!" The captain, along with the long halberd in his hand, was split in two, and the Demonic Star Flame instantly devoured his remains.

Using the recoil, Nightmare's figure changed again, like an arrow shot from a bow, advancing instead of retreating, actively charging towards Protector Iron Rock, who was the fastest and attacking again!

"Close combat with me? You're courting death!" A ruthless glint flashed in Protector Iron Rock's eyes. He Cultivated Metal Origin, and his Physical Body strength was considered top-tier among initial Dominators! He pointed his fingers like a sword, directly stabbing at Nightmare's heart. The sharpness at his fingertips seemed capable of piercing through anything!

Nightmare didn't dodge or evade, merely pushing his protective Demonic Star Flame to its limit, while his left hand seemingly hastily met that finger.

"Ding!"

A crisp collision sound rang out. The Demonic Star Flame condensed in Nightmare's left palm was slightly pierced by the finger-sword, and a trace of sharp Qi penetrated, causing his arm to tremble slightly and his figure to pause. His Aura seemed to momentarily become disordered and weakened.

"Nothing more than this!" Protector Iron Rock rejoiced in his heart, thinking he had found a flaw. Seizing the advantage, he changed his finger-sword into a palm, the edge of his palm like a blade, carrying a tearing sharpness as it fiercely chopped towards Nightmare's neck! If this strike landed, even with Nightmare's strong Physical Body, he would be severely wounded!

Seeing this, Protector Firm Rock, from behind, immediately controlled several thick Rock Spikes to block Nightmare's possible escape routes.

Just as Nightmare was about to fall into a desperate situation—

A chillingly cold arc formed at the corner of his mouth.

"Fool."

Amidst the low murmur, Nightmare's left hand, which seemed to have been pierced and whose Aura was disordered, suddenly clenched its five fingers! Not grabbing Iron Rock's palm, but... grasping at empty air!

"Reverse Path—Bind!"

The space around Protector Iron Rock seemed to instantly turn into solidified gel! A bizarre and unparalleled Reverse Path force appeared out of thin air, not only interfering with the operation of his Origin but also causing a fatal delay in the momentum of his incomparably sharp palm-blade!

It was this insignificant delay!

Nightmare's right hand, which had been accumulating power but had not yet struck, suddenly darted out like a venomous snake hidden in the shadows! At his fingertip, a black, ethereal light, condensed to the extreme, silently pointed towards Protector Iron Rock's glabella!

The speed was faster than thought!

Protector Iron Rock's pupils constricted to needlepoints. He felt a fatal crisis! He wanted to retreat, to defend, but his body was affected by that strange "Bind" force, slowing him down by half a beat!

"No—!"

"Pfft!"

A faint sound.

That black ethereal light easily pierced through the Metal Origin defense he had hastily condensed on his glabella, entering his skull.

Protector Iron Rock's body suddenly stiffened, the light in his eyes receding like a tide, replaced by a dead silence. A destructive Reverse Path force erupted within his Sea of Consciousness and Origin core!

Nightmare's palm followed closely, pressing against his chest.

"Star Devouring Dao!"

A terrifying suction burst forth! Protector Iron Rock's battle-hardened, extremely condensed Metal Origin, like a floodgate opening, surged wildly into Nightmare's body! His body rapidly withered.

"Iron Rock!" Protector Firm Rock let out a roar of shock and anger, controlling the Rock Spikes to frantically stab at Nightmare's back, attempting to relieve the siege by attacking the base.

Nightmare didn't turn his head, merely waved his hand, and a wall of Demonic Star Flame ignited behind him, burning and blocking all those Rock Spikes. He focused on devouring. In a few breaths, he had sucked Protector Iron Rock into an empty shell, then with a sweep of Demonic Star Flame, he turned him into ashes.

Another Peak Protector, fallen!

"Ah—! I'll kill you!" Protector Firm Rock completely went mad, his eyes bloodshot. He no longer held back, burning his Origin, his figure rapidly expanding, as if transforming into a true Rock Giant. Each step he took shook the earth, carrying a terrifying Divine Might capable of collapsing mountains and splitting the earth, as he charged towards Nightmare! This was a desperate strike!

Nightmare had just finished devouring Iron Rock's Origin. The power within him surged, and his Aura was at its Peak. He looked at the charging Rock Giant with cold eyes, advancing instead of retreating, his right fist clenched. The Reverse Path Demonic Star Flame and the Metal Origin he had just devoured and not yet fully refined strangely merged, forming a dark golden, destructive- 波动 corneous layer on his fist.

"Just right, let's test out this new power on you."

He threw a punch!

No fancy moves, only the purest clash of power and destruction!

"Boom—!!!!!"

The moment the fist and rock body collided, an earth-shattering roar erupted! A visible shockwave spread in a ring, sending the nearby Blackrock Guards, who were maintaining the Formation and already scared witless, flying. The Formation light barrier flickered violently, almost collapsing!

Crack! Crackle—!

A teeth-grinding sound of shattering echoed.

The Rock Giant that Protector Firm Rock had transformed into, starting from the chest where it met Nightmare's fist, instantly developed countless thick cracks all over its body! His eyes were filled with unbelievable horror.

"You... you devoured Iron Rock... your power actually..."

"Rumble!"

Before he could finish speaking, the Rock Giant exploded with a roar, turning into countless scattered flying 碎石! At its core, Protector Firm Rock's true body was exposed, already on his last breath, his Origin dispersed.

Nightmare's figure flashed, appearing before him, his palm covering his glabella.

The suction rose again!

After a few breaths, Protector Firm Rock followed in Iron Rock's footsteps, turning into flying ash.

With the two commanders fallen and the Formation broken, the Blackrock Guards' morale had long been in chaos, terrified. Some wanted to flee, others stood frozen on the spot.

"Kill!"

Below, at the passage, the five people led by Stone Firm, who had been patiently waiting, saw Nightmare display his Divine Might, consecutively slaying two Protectors. Their morale greatly boosted, and at Nightmare's command, they charged out like fierce tigers released from a cage, attacking the panicked and leaderless Blackrock Guards! Although their Cultivation was weaker, by utilizing the terrain and their coordination, they specifically targeted isolated and injured enemies, instantly throwing the opponent's Formation into disarray.

Nightmare, on the other hand, was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. Wherever he passed, Demonic Star Flame swept through, and the remaining Blackrock Guards fell like cut wheat, utterly powerless to resist. Their Origins and storage equipment were all plundered.

In less than an incense stick's time.

The battle ended.

Inside and outside the mine entrance, it was a mess. The ground was scorched with battle marks and scattered ashes. Twenty Blackrock Guards, along with Protector Iron Rock and Protector Firm Rock, were completely annihilated, their Divine Souls extinguished.

The five people led by Stone Firm were covered in blood and injuries, but their eyes were burning with the excitement of surviving a catastrophe and infinite reverence for Nightmare. In their hands, they carried several Blackrock Guard heads and captured weapons.

Nightmare stood in the air, slowly retracting his Aura. After continuously devouring the Origins of two Peak Protectors and some Blackrock Guards, the power surged within him. The threshold of the Intermediate Dominator Realm seemed to be gently trembling before his eyes, needing only an opportunity to completely cross it.

He scanned the battlefield and said faintly to Stone Firm and the others, "Clean up the battlefield. Gather all resources. Hurry and recover."

"Yes! My lord!" Stone Firm and the five responded excitedly.

Nightmare looked towards the core of the Black Rock Domain. There, an even larger, more furious Aura seemed to be slowly awakening, like a sleeping Vicious Beast opening its eyes.

"Yan Kui..." Nightmare softly uttered the name, his eyes devoid of fear, only cold Battle Intent and killing intent.

"Next, it's your turn."

His figure descended, returning to the tower. After the final rest and digestion, it would be a direct assault, a decisive battle with the Domain Lord of Black Rock Domain!

The mine returned to silence, but the blood and 肅殺 in the air hinted at a greater storm to come. The landscape of the Black Rock Domain was destined to be completely rewritten from this day forward.