Harmony Channel, Middle Domain

The five domains of Black Rock, Violet Lightning, Golden Wind, Azure Frost, and Green Water were unified, and the surrounding Star Domains submitted; the obstacles to the Middle Universe Domain had been cleared.

Nightmare did not indulge in the empty fame of being the hegemon of the Elementary Universe Domain, for the vastness and depth of the Hongmeng Universe were far beyond what this border region could compare to.

He handed over the integration of the five domains entirely to Stone Firm, Iron Edge, and Sand Shadow, who had already been tempered, as well as some prominent surrendered generals from the original Purple Lightning Domain.

Using the "Nidao Alliance" as the name, he established a simple yet efficient iron-blooded governing System: meritorious service was rewarded, transgressions were punished, and betrayal meant death.

The promotion channel was fully opened, but the order was strict, attracting countless Cultivators from surrounding Star Domains to gather, which actually caused this originally barren border region to gradually show signs of prosperity.

As for Nightmare himself, after meditating in the depths of Nidao Fortress for ten days, he selected fifty elites.

These fifty people were all outstanding survivors among the Nidao Guards, their cultivation all at the Peak of the Elementary Dominator Realm, and more than ten of them had breaths that vaguely touched the threshold of the Middle-level Sovereign Realm, needing only one opportunity to achieve a Breakthrough.

They wore uniformly improved dark gold light armor, carried specially made Reverse Path long spears on their backs, their eyes were sharp, and their breaths were condensed as one; they were the sharpest blade in Nightmare's hand.

There was no grand oath-taking, no extra instructions.

On this day, Nightmare walked out of the meditation room, his aura becoming more restrained, as if he were a piece of black iron tempered a thousand times.

His gaze swept over the fifty elite Nidao Guards standing solemnly in the fortress square, and he said only two words:

"Depart."

The fifty people shouted in unison: "Yes!"

The group boarded the "ni dao vessel" space ship, which had been modified many times and was now entirely dark gold with a huge Reverse Path pattern engraved on the bow.

The hull roared, the tail emitted dark exhaust flames, and it slowly ascended, heading towards the deep and dark passage vortex in the depths of the Thunderstorm Sea.

Passing through the familiar Thunderstorm Sea, they arrived at the huge ring-shaped platform.

The passage vortex was still rotating slowly, emitting an alluring yet dangerous aura.

The Nidao Guards stationed there saluted respectfully.

Nightmare stood before the vortex, looking back at the direction of the Elementary Universe Domain one last time, his eyes calm and waveless.

This place had become his rear base.

And ahead lay the true journey.

"After entering the passage, keep your minds focused and follow me closely," Nightmare instructed those behind him, then did not hesitate, stepping into the deep vortex.

The fifty elite Nidao Guards followed closely, entering one after another.

The feeling inside the passage was completely different from ordinary space travel.

It was not a simple space folding or wormhole Transmigration, but more like traveling through the "veins" of a higher dimension.

Around them were bizarre sights, countless twisted light and shadows and broken Law fragments flew past, and the immense spatial pressure and chaotic energy flows were enough to tear apart an ordinary Elementary Dominator.

Only by closely following Nightmare's stable, mountain-like aura in front, and relying on their own firm will, could they remain conscious and intact during this eerie journey.

I don't know how long it had been, perhaps an instant, perhaps a long time.

Suddenly, a violent spatial tremor came from ahead, and a stream of Grandmist Origin Qi, completely different from the Elementary Universe Domain—more pure, more thick, and also more violent and oppressive—surged over like a tide!

"We are almost there! Prepare!" Nightmare's voice came through Divine Thought.

The hull of the ni dao vessel shook violently, and it suddenly "squeezed" out of the twisted passage!

The view suddenly opened up, but it also felt more "crowded."

They appeared in an unfamiliar Void Realm.

The spatial structure here seemed more "dense," the concentration of Grandmist Spiritual Qi far exceeded that of the Elementary Universe Domain, and the colors were more colorful and mixed, carrying a kind of primitive wildness.

In the distance, stars were more dense, but most of their light was cold and dead; the background of the Void Realm was filled with faint, gray "stardust," as if it were the embers from when the Universe first opened.

And directly in front of them, a huge, gigantic space structure made entirely of some dark silver metal was floating!

The building was polygonal, its surface covered with complex runes and ferocious gun ports, countless thick energy pipelines connected to various parts of the building like blood vessels, and there was even a solid dark silver beam of light shooting out from the top of the building, constantly scanning every inch of space near the passage exit.

This was the passage exit node on the Middle Universe Domain side.

According to the intelligence previously obtained from the Purple Lightning Domain and the Tianyan Alliance, this place was called—"God-Felling Node."

As the name suggests, countless "gods" (Dominator Realm Cultivators) who tried to force their way in or escape had fallen here.

Almost the moment the ni dao vessel appeared, the "God-Felling Node" fortress reacted!

Hum—!

A harsh alarm sounded throughout the Void Realm, and more than a hundred gun ports on the surface of the node fortress instantly turned and locked onto the ni dao vessel, which had just left the passage and was still somewhat bumpy and unstable!

At the same time, ten powerful auras rushed out from the fortress, instantly blocking the path in front of the ni dao vessel.

These were ten Cultivators wearing uniform dark silver combat armor, with a complex and profound "Derivation" emblem embroidered on their chests.

They stood in the air, their auras majestic, and they were all at the Early Stage of the Middle-level Sovereign Realm!

Although they were only at the Early Stage, the ten people's auras were connected, vaguely forming a battle Formation, bringing a sense of oppression far exceeding that of Cultivators of the same level in the Elementary Universe Domain.

The leader was a middle-aged Cultivator with a mean face and arrogant eyes.

He looked up and down at the ni dao vessel and Nightmare and the others who appeared on the bow, especially when he sensed the "Lower Realm" aura on Nightmare and the others that was incompatible with the Middle Universe Domain, his mouth curled with undisguised contempt.

"Hmph, another group of ants from a low-level filthy place who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth and smuggled their way up."

The middle-aged Cultivator's voice was sharp, carrying a high-and-mighty judgmental tone, "This place is the 'God-Felling Node' under the jurisdiction of the 'Tianyan Alliance', the gateway to the Middle Universe Domain! Where did you come from, which elementary filthy domain? Report your names!"

He didn't wait for Nightmare to answer, or rather, he didn't care about the answer at all.

He stretched out five fingers, then felt it wasn't enough, and changed to ten: "According to the rules of the Tianyan Alliance, anyone entering the Middle Universe Domain for the first time must pay an 'Domain Entry Fee'—ten thousand standard units of Middle-level origin crystal per person!"

Ten thousand standard units of Middle-level crystals?!

This price was enough to buy a small mineral vein in the Elementary Universe Domain!

This was naked extortion!

The nine guards behind him also let out disdainful sneers, looking at Nightmare and the others as if they were fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

The middle-aged Cultivator's gaze lingered on Nightmare for a moment, as if he noticed his aura was a bit special, but he couldn't put his finger on it, only thinking it was caused by some niche Cultivation Technique from the Lower Realm.

His greed deepened: "You seem to be the leader, and your aura is a bit special.

How about this: in addition to the entry fee of ten thousand crystals per person, you will strip away fifty percent of your special Origin and offer it to me as a 'gift of submission.'"

"If I am in a good mood, I might find you a job in the Tianyan Alliance, so that you bunch of Lower Realm untouchables don't die in the Void Realm as soon as you come up."

He paused, his tone suddenly turning cold, and the threat was overflowing: "If you dare to say half a word of refusal, I will immediately activate the node's 'Purifying Divine Light' and blast you, the ship, and the passage exit into the most basic cosmic particles!"

"Let you know that the Middle Universe Domain is not a place for ants from the Lower Realm like you to come!"

The Tianyan Alliance was one of the three major hegemons of the Middle Universe Domain.

The Cultivators stationed at the node were long accustomed to this kind of extortion of visitors from the Lower Realm.

In their eyes, those who came up from the Elementary Universe Domain were all bumpkins who could be easily kneaded and squeezed for value.

Upon hearing this, the fifty elite Nidao Guards burned with anger, but military discipline was strict, and without Nightmare's order, no one acted rashly, only gripping their long spears tightly, their auras like a volcano about to erupt.

Nightmare listened quietly to the other party's remarks full of humiliation and greed, with no expression on his face, not even a flicker in his eyes.

He just looked up at the huge God-Felling Node fortress, and then at the ten Middle-level Sovereign guards who were connected in aura and arrogant.

Then, he sighed softly.

This sigh was extremely light, but it made the leading middle-aged Cultivator's heart jump for no reason.

"Are you done?" Nightmare finally spoke, his voice as flat as if he were asking "Have you eaten?"

The middle-aged Cultivator frowned; the other party's reaction was completely wrong.

Neither panicked nor angry, terrifyingly calm.

"You..." He just wanted to apply more pressure.

"If you're done, then hit the road." Nightmare interrupted him.

The moment the words fell—

Boom!

There was no warning, no energy buildup, no sign of any energy fluctuation!

With Nightmare as the center, a deep, chaotic, dark gold flame that seemed to swallow all light and sound, like the first darkness when the Universe opened, erupted silently!

In an instant, it covered the entire Void Realm in front of the ni dao vessel, including those ten guards!

Hongmeng Reverse Dao Demonic Star Flame—Chaos State!

This time, the Demonic Flame was different from when it was in the Elementary Universe Domain.

After devouring several Middle-level Sovereigns, especially the attributes of Golden Wind, Ice Frost, and Weak Water, it integrated more Origin characteristics, and after entering the Middle Universe Domain, it resonated subtly with the higher concentration of Grandmist Spiritual Qi; its power and essence had already undergone a transformation!

The contempt and arrogance on the faces of the ten Tianyan Alliance guards hadn't even had time to turn into astonishment before they were submerged by the boundless dark gold Chaos Demonic Flame!

"What?!"

"This flame... Ah—!"

The dark silver combat armor on their bodies, which was enough to withstand attacks from the Late Stage of the Middle-level Sovereign Realm, dissolved and vaporized instantly upon contact with the Demonic Flame, like residual snow under the scorching sun!

Their proud Middle-level Sovereign Realm Origin was as fragile as paper in front of this Chaos Demonic Flame, easily eroded, disordered, and devoured!

They couldn't even let out a full scream.

It took only one breath of time.

The dark gold Demonic Flame retreated like a tide, shrinking back into Nightmare's body.

In the Void Realm, the ten Middle-level Sovereign Realm guards of the Tianyan Alliance had disappeared without a trace, not even leaving a single speck of ash or a remnant soul.

It was as if they had never existed.

Only ten lusterless, slightly scorched Storage Rings, and a few scattered pieces of Magic Treasure fragments floated where they had been standing, proving the extremely short slaughter that had just occurred.

Silence.

The alarm of the God-Felling Node fortress had stopped at some point, and it seemed that the controllers inside were also stunned by this scene that exceeded their understanding.

The fifty elite Nidao Guards, even though they had almost blind faith in their lord's strength, couldn't help but be shocked at this moment.

Killing ten Early Stage Middle-level Sovereigns in seconds? What kind of terrifying power was this?!

After the lord entered the Middle Universe Domain, he seemed to have become... even more terrifying!

Nightmare raised his hand and collected the ten Storage Rings, not even looking at them, throwing them to an adjutant behind him.

His gaze fell on the God-Felling Node fortress, which had lost its guards and appeared somewhat "dazed."

"Are there any living people inside the fortress?" Nightmare's voice, through Divine Thought, went directly into the fortress.

In the fortress's control room, several Cultivators responsible for controlling the Formation, whose cultivation was only at the Elementary Dominator Realm, had long been scared out of their wits, and upon hearing this voice like a demon god, they were Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

"Mercy... Mercy, my lord! Mercy!" A response with a crying tone came from the control room.

"Turn off all early warning and attack Systems, and open the fortress's core control room." Nightmare ordered, his tone unquestionable.

"Yes! Yes! Immediately!" The Cultivators inside the fortress didn't dare to disobey in the slightest.

Soon, the runes on the surface of the fortress dimmed, the gun ports lowered, and the scanning beam of light also dissipated.

A hatch opened on the side of the fortress.

Nightmare left behind five of the most steady and experienced Nidao Guards: "You five, move into the fortress and control all Systems.

Clear all traces of our appearance.

If there are any communications from the Tianyan Alliance, just say... everything is normal, it's just that a few Lower Realm rats who didn't know the rules have been dealt with by the 'Purifying Divine Light'."

"Yes! My lord!" The five Nidao Guards accepted the order and flew into the fortress quickly.

"The rest of you, come with me." Nightmare stopped looking at the fortress and cast his gaze into the depths of the Void Realm, where it was gray and dark, with sparse stars, known as the "Desolate Star Sector," which was a chaotic place on the edge of the Middle Universe Domain and their best choice for a temporary foothold and intelligence gathering.

The ni dao vessel started again, carrying Nightmare and forty-five Nidao Guards, silently sailing away from the God-Felling Node, heading towards that unknown Desolate Star Sector full of opportunities and dangers.

On the bridge, Nightmare closed his eyes and felt the surrounding Void Realm.

The concentration of Origin in the Middle Universe Domain was indeed astonishing; with every breath, he could feel pure Grandmist Spiritual Qi pouring into his body, creating a subtle but continuous resonance with his own Dao Reversal Origin, as if parched land had been moistened by rain, and his strength was improving at a slow but steady speed.

"Tianyan Alliance..." Nightmare silently recited this name in his heart.

He had made an enemy as soon as he entered this domain.

However, he was never afraid of trouble.

Enemies were just stepping stones for growth.

The Desolate Star Sector would be his first stronghold in the Middle Universe Domain.

And the Tianyan Alliance would be his first... prey.

The ni dao vessel, like a dark gold ghost, merged into the gray, dark edge of the Middle Universe Domain's Void Realm.

The new journey, accompanied by a bloody start, had already begun.