The final battle of the alliance leaders, the might of the Heavenly Venerable Realm

That blurry, towering figure slowly stepped out from within the violently roiling energy atmosphere of Tianyan Star.

With every step he took, a golden lotus platform of Law spontaneously condensed beneath his feet, supporting his body. His pace appeared slow, yet he traversed space with ease, crossing hundreds of thousands of miles in an instant to arrive at the void outside Tianyan Star, a region recently blanketed in blood and ruins.

The figure became completely clear.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in a purple-gold robe embroidered with nine dragons. His face was ancient and austere, his eyebrows slanted upwards, and his brow was etched with an innate sense of majesty. As his eyes opened and closed, shadows of countless stars being born and extinguished seemed to flicker within them. His long, pitch-black hair was unbound, cascading behind his shoulders, with every strand flowing with a faint golden Dao aura.

Without deliberately radiating pressure, simply by existing there, the spatial structure of the entire Star Domain seemed to "bend" and submit toward him. The surrounding floating energy dust and broken metal debris gradually settled and stilled under the influence of an invisible force of "order."

Celestial Venerable Realm.

This was the supreme Realm that truly transcended the "Dao Master Realm," beginning to touch the Origin of universal Laws, where every word and action could invoke the might of Heaven and Earth! Even having just entered this Realm, it was enough to crush the combined force of ten Peak Dao Master Realm Cultivators!

The leader of the Tianyan Alliance — Ying Tiandao.

His gaze, like two cold, golden suns, crossed the countless ruins and debris in the void, finally locking firmly onto Nightmare. In that gaze, there was the fury of having his majesty offended, the murderous intent over the stolen Legacy, and an indifferent arrogance that viewed all things as mere ants.

"Nidao evildoer."

Ying Tiandao spoke, his voice not loud, yet it resonated like an ancient, grand bell, striking directly into the depths of every living being's Divine Soul, carrying an unquestionable sense of judgment.

"You destroyed my Tianyan Alliance branch, slaughtered my Alliance's Elders, and seized the Dao Palace Legacy that my Alliance was destined to obtain... And now, you dare to lead an army to Tianyan, ruining my one-hundred-thousand-year foundation."

He slowly raised his right hand, fingers splayed, as if he intended to grasp the entire starry sky in his palm.

"Your crimes are unforgivable even with ten thousand deaths."

"Today, in the name of a Celestial Venerable, I shall execute the punishment of the Heavenly Dao and completely erase you, along with your rebellious lineage, from this Universe."

As his voice fell, Ying Tiandao's right hand fingers suddenly clenched!

Boom — — !!!!

An indescribable, terrifying pressure, like the collapse of the physical sky, smashed down fiercely toward Nightmare's location! This pressure was no longer a simple energy shockwave; it contained the prototype of a "Celestial Venerable Domain" — a form of absolute control and twisted will over all Laws within a local space!

The space around Nightmare instantly solidified, as if he were encased in ten-thousand-year-old black ice, making it difficult even to move a finger. The void beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, emitting groans of unbearable strain. The Origin of his Dao Master Realm Mid-stage surging within his body felt strangely sluggish in the face of this higher-level pressure!

Behind him, the members of the Nidao Alliance, who had been clearing out remnants and were just stunned by the appearance of the Alliance Leader, were struck as if by lightning! Blood Fang and other High Sovereign Realm Cultivators turned pale, stumbling backward with blood trickling from their lips. Those fifty Dao Master Realm Nidao Guards, though barely able to stand, felt as if stars were pressing down on their shoulders, making it difficult to breathe.

This was the might of a Celestial Venerable! A single thought was enough to suppress an army!

However, Nightmare, who was at the very core of the pressure, still showed no panic on his face. Only in those Chaos-colored pupils did an even more intense and colder flame begin to burn.

"Celestial Venerable... pressure?"

A low laugh escaped his throat, carrying undisguised mockery.

"It is nothing more than this."

"three keys of dao reversal — Open!"

Hum! Hum! Hum!

Deep within his body, the three dao reversal keys acting as his power core resonated and vibrated with unprecedented intensity! A "Reverse Dao Power" that originated from ancient times, even older and more untamable, erupted!

The Hongmeng Chaos Reverse Dao Demonic Star Flame was no longer just a flame; it transformed into countless phantom chains of Law flowing against the current, wrapping around Nightmare's body, forcibly tearing cracks into the solidified space and the crushing Celestial Venerable pressure!

"Hm?" Ying Tiandao raised an eyebrow imperceptibly, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes. The opponent could actually move under his initially deployed Domain pressure? The "Reverse Path" essence contained within that flame seemed even more troublesome than he had anticipated. But he did not care. No matter how much an ant struggled, it was still an ant.

"A mantis trying to stop a chariot; it only invites laughter."

Ying Tiandao held back no longer, his right palm facing the sky, lifting it slightly.

"Tianyan Celestial Venerable · Grandmist Judgment!"

In an instant, with his palm as the center, countless radiant golden threads of Law emerged from thin air, rapidly weaving and interlacing, eventually forming a golden pillar of light over a thousand feet in diameter, composed purely of highly condensed "Judgment Law"!

Inside the pillar of light, one could vaguely see the vast scenes of the creation of the world, the movement of galaxies, and the life and death of all things, as if it carried the "order" and "judgment" of a complete Universe! The destructive waves it emitted caused the massive Tianyan Star in the distance to tremble slightly, stirring up monstrous waves in its energy atmosphere!

This strike was no longer human power; it was akin to "Heavenly Punishment"!

"Suppress!"

Ying Tiandao pressed his palm downward.

That golden pillar of judgment, like a collapsing celestial river, carrying the supreme will to judge all Dao and purge the Universe, smashed down toward Nightmare! Before the pillar even arrived, the void below had completely turned into a scorching golden slurry; all matter, energy, and even fragments of Law were being ruthlessly "purified" and "judged"!

The power of this strike was enough to easily vaporize several Peak Dao Master Realm Cultivators, and could even pose a threat to Celestial Venerables of the same rank!

"Alliance Leader!" Behind him, Blood Fang and the others shouted in shock, their eyes splitting with rage.

Yet at this moment, Nightmare suddenly raised his head. There was not a shred of fear in his eyes; instead, there was a scorching Battle Intent bordering on madness!

"Judge me? You are not worthy!"

He crossed his arms over his chest, and all the power within his body — his Dao Master Realm Mid-stage cultivation, the three dao reversal keys, the newly manifested Hongmeng Chaos Reverse Dao Demonic Star Flame, and even the chaotic Origin he had just absorbed from the Tianyan Star's outer array and Cultivators — erupted and fused without reservation!

"Reverse Dao Grandmist Shield — Rise!!"

Rumble!!!

A giant shield, more solid than ever before, formed instantly above his head! The shield surface was not a physical object but was composed of countless layers of flowing Chaos-colored Demonic Flame, interlaced Reverse Dao runes, and a miniature, inversely rotating phantom of a chaotic nebula! At the edges of the shield, space constantly collapsed and was reborn, emitting a chaotic and powerful defensive aura.

This shield contained a trace of the true meaning of "Reversing the Grandmist" that he had comprehended from the "Grandmist Reverse Dao Sutra"!

The next moment, the golden pillar of judgment smashed fiercely onto the chaotic giant shield!

Dong — — !!!!!!!!!

A terrifying, indescribable roar erupted! At that moment, it was as if two stars had collided head-on! Extreme light and heat, mixed with a destructive energy storm of gold and Chaos, like billions of supernovas exploding simultaneously, swept madly in all directions!

The nearest debris of defensive platforms, the size of several continents, was lightly swept by this storm and dissipated into a stream of fundamental particles. The more distant Nidao Alliance fleet, even though they had already activated their energy shields to maximum power, was pushed backward like fallen leaves in a gale, their shields flickering uncertainly, and the hulls emitting teeth-grinding groans.

At the center of the storm, gold and Chaos colors were fiercely intertwined, eroding and annihilating each other!

The chaotic giant shield trembled violently under the bombardment of the pillar of light, and countless Reverse Dao runes on the shield's surface flickered and dimmed madly, even beginning to show fine cracks! The true meaning of "Reversing the Grandmist," when faced with the higher-level, more complete "Tianyan Judgment" Law, seemed to be falling behind!

Nightmare's body sank suddenly, and a trickle of dark golden blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, facing a Celestial Venerable's strike head-on, even with the Reverse Dao Legacy and numerous trump cards, was by no means easy. But the fierce light in his eyes grew even more intense!

"Give it to me — Absorb!"

He let out a low roar, and the seemingly teetering chaotic giant shield suddenly accelerated the reverse rotation of the chaotic nebula phantom at its center, producing a bizarre and domineering power of devouring!

Sss, sss, sss!

The energy of the golden pillar of light, which contained the Judgment Law, was actually forcibly torn and pulled into the chaotic nebula by this devouring force! Although the conversion was extremely difficult and slow, and even accompanied by more violent tremors and expanding cracks in the shield, it was undeniable that a portion of the Celestial Venerable power had been forcibly devoured and converted into nutrients to nourish Nightmare's Origin!

"What?!" Ying Tiandao's expression finally changed. The opponent could not only block his "Grandmist Judgment" but could actually devour the power within it?! What kind of bizarre flame and Legacy was this?!

For the first time, a look of genuine gravity and... a trace of apprehension appeared in his eyes. This child must not be left alive!

And at the very moment Ying Tiandao's mind was slightly shaken, Nightmare moved!

Bearing the golden pillar of light that was constantly descending and had been weakened and partially devoured by the giant shield, his figure was like black lightning surging against the current, stepping out!

The void beneath his feet was forcibly trodden into a Chaos-colored depression.

With the second step, he was already ten thousand feet away.

With the third step, only a thousand miles remained between him and Ying Tiandao!

For Cultivators of their level, this distance was almost face-to-face!

"Old thing, are you done judging? My turn!"

Nightmare's voice was ice-cold and piercing. He gripped his right hand in the air, and all the Demonic Flame, all the Reverse Dao Power within his body, along with the trace of chaotic Celestial Venerable power he had just absorbed and converted, surged wildly toward his palm!

A pitch-black Demonic Blade, with an even more ferocious design and a blade body wrapped in chaos qi flow and fine golden arcs of electricity, instantly took form!

"Reverse Dao Celestial Venerable Blade — Slash!!"

Nightmare raised his arms high above his head and brought this blade, which condensed all of his current strength and will, down fiercely toward Ying Tiandao's head!

The blade light was pitch-black, yet it seemed to devour all surrounding light, leaving only a single line of extreme sharpness that cut through space, cut through energy, and cut through the ubiquitous Celestial Venerable pressure, striking straight at his target!

This strike was the strongest blow Nightmare had unleashed since promoting to the Dao Master Realm Mid-stage and fusing with the complete Reverse Dao Legacy! The "Reverse Path" true meaning it contained even triggered the resonance and trembling of certain dormant Laws deep within this Star Domain!

Ying Tiandao's pupils constricted sharply. From this blade, he sensed a subversive power that could truly threaten him!

"Tianyan Protective Divine Ring!"

He shouted sharply, and the purple-gold Dao Origin around his body surged wildly, instantly condensing nine slowly rotating purple-gold rings of light, flowing with profound Dao patterns, outside his body! The rings were layered, protecting him in the center and emitting an aura of absolute defense, impervious to all Laws. This was a protective Divine Ability of a Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivator, and its defensive power far exceeded any shield of the Dao Master Realm.

Clang — — !!!!!!

The Reverse Dao Celestial Venerable Blade smashed fiercely onto the outermost purple-gold ring!

An ear-piercing sound of metal clashing rang through the starry sky! The purple-gold ring trembled violently, its light flashing wildly, and the Dao patterns on its surface flowed frantically, attempting to dissipate and deflect this terrifying blade!

The pitch-black Demonic Blade and the purple-gold ring were locked in a fierce stalemate, frantically eroding each other!

The muscles in Nightmare's arms bulged, the veins on his forehead popped, and the Origin within his body poured out like a floodgate opening, injecting into the Demonic Blade!

Ying Tiandao's expression was grim as he continuously drove his Dao Origin to reinforce the Divine Ring. He could feel that the "Reverse Path" power contained on the bizarre black Demonic Blade was frantically eroding his protective Divine Ring! Even more terrifyingly, a trace of almost imperceptible devouring power was actually passing through the ring, beginning to slowly draw upon his Celestial Venerable Origin! Although the speed was extremely slow, it meant that the opponent's attack could truly reach and injure him!

"Bastard!" Ying Tiandao was both shocked and furious. To be forced into full defense by a Dao Master Realm Mid-stage Cultivator, and even to have his Origin slowly devoured, was simply a great humiliation to him!

And just as the two were in a stalemate, and Ying Tiandao's mind was once again distracted —

"Now is the time!"

A fierce light flashed in Nightmare's eyes; he pressed his left hand into a sword finger and struck his own heart fiercely!

"Reverse Dao Blood Burning — Explode!"

Pfft!

He spat out a large mouthful of Origin blood essence burning with chaotic flames, pouring it all onto the Reverse Dao Celestial Venerable Blade in his right hand!

The Demonic Blade's power instantly surged! The chaos qi flow and golden arcs of electricity on the blade body darted wildly, emitting crackling explosions!

Crack!

The outermost purple-gold ring finally could not bear the burden and a clear crack appeared!

Immediately afterward, the crack spread rapidly like a spider web!

The second and third rings let out wails one after another, their light rapidly dimming!

"Not good!" Ying Tiandao's expression finally changed drastically, wanting to change his move, but it was already half a beat too late!

The Reverse Dao Celestial Venerable Blade, carrying the resolute power of Nightmare burning his blood essence, as well as that increasingly violent Reverse Dao devouring will, fiercely smashed through the final three layers of protective Divine Rings, the blade tip reaching directly to Ying Tiandao's glabella!

Although it had been heavily weakened, the blade edge still reached his body!

Pfft!

A faint sound, as if leather had been pierced, rang out.

The crown of the purple-gold robe on Ying Tiandao's forehead was shattered by the aftermath of the blade qi. A thin, bone-deep bloodstain spread downward from his glabella, across his high nose bridge, down to his jaw. Dark golden Celestial Venerable blood slowly seeped out along the wound.

The wound was not deep, and for the formidable vitality of a Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivator, it could not even be considered a serious injury.

But this strike shattered Ying Tiandao's invincible aura and absolute majesty as a Celestial Venerable.

He had been injured.

He had been wounded in the body by a Dao Master Realm Mid-stage "ant" who had directly broken through his Celestial Venerable protective Divine Ability!

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

In the distance, whether it was the surviving Tianyan Star Cultivators or the members of the Nidao Alliance, everyone was dumbfounded, as if petrified, looking at this scene in the starry sky in disbelief.

A Celestial Venerable... injured by a Dao Master?!

Ying Tiandao slowly raised his hand and wiped the blood from his cheek. He looked at the dark golden blood on his fingertips, and his eyes gradually transformed from the initial shock and rage into a kind of extreme coldness and... ferocity.

"Good... very good..."

He raised his head and looked at Nightmare, who was paler and whose aura was slightly withered due to burning his blood essence, but whose eyes were still as sharp as blades.

"It has been countless epochs... It has been a long time since I experienced the taste of being injured."

"Reverse Dao Practitioner... Nightmare."

"You have successfully enraged me."

Ying Tiandao's voice was terrifyingly calm. But beneath this calm, everyone could feel that an even more terrifying, more destructive storm was frantically brewing within this Celestial Venerable.

The purple-gold Dao Origin around his body began to collapse and condense inward in a way that defied common sense. A murderous intent that made one's Soul freeze, like a physical cold wave, instantly enveloped the entire battlefield.

"Next..."

"I will let you know the price of enraging a Celestial Venerable..."

"how... desperate it is."