Middle-level domain consolidation, anti-Daoist alliance system

Nidao Star—that war fortress completely remodeled from Tianyan Star—was currently suspended in the heart of the Middle Universe Domain, emitting a majestic radiance interwoven with dark red and Chaos.

On the planet's surface, the magnificent palaces and exquisite pavilions that once belonged to the Tianyan Alliance had long since vanished, replaced by black structures with sharp, angular edges, piercing the sky like steel fangs.

The massive emblem of the Nidao Alliance—a blade wreathed in Chaos flames, severing stars—was projected onto the energy shield surrounding the planet, slowly rotating like a cold declaration.

Nidao Palace, the core main hall.

It was even more magnificent and austere than the previous temporary hall. The dome, over a thousand feet high, was cast from a single piece of "Void Black Crystal," and inside it seemed to be sealed a slowly flowing nebula of Chaos. The floor was made of smooth, mirror-like "Nether Profound Iron," reflecting the starlight from the dome and the burning Chaos-colored Demonic Flame braziers within the hall.

At this moment, nearly a hundred figures stood solemnly within the great hall.

The weakest among them were at the Peak of the High Sovereign Realm. They stood on both sides, clearly demarcated.

On the left was Nightmare's core team. The fifty Nidao Guards, with their condensed aura like tempered steel, had mostly stabilized at the Early Stage of the Dao Master Realm after the baptism of the Dao Palace's resources and the battle for Tianyan Star, with a few even touching the threshold of the Middle Stage. Blood Fang stood at their very front, clad in heavy armor, his aura having impressively broken through to the Early Stage of the Dao Master Realm; his eyes were fiercer, and he possessed a bit more composure.

On the right were the leaders of all the factions in the Middle Universe Domain that had submitted. The three Domain Lords of the Thunder Fire Domain, Ice Seal Domain, and Myriad Beast Domain (all with cultivation at the Dao Master Realm Mid-stage), as well as the heads of dozens of small and medium-sized factions (mostly at the Early Stage of the Dao Master Realm or the Peak of the High Sovereign Realm). They kept their heads lowered and appeared respectful, but deep in their eyes, there was inevitably a trace of trepidation and wariness toward the new order.

At the end of the great hall, atop a nine-tiered black iron staircase, was Nightmare's throne.

The throne was carved from a single piece of "Chaos Star Core," its surface naturally flowing with chaotic energy patterns. Nightmare leaned casually in the throne, one hand resting nonchalantly on the armrest, his fingertips unconsciously tapping against the cold surface of the star core, producing a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound. He had changed into a simple black martial outfit, covered by a dark red cloak, the edges of which were embroidered with the Nidao Alliance's emblem in gold thread. His face was expressionless, but those Chaos-colored pupils, like bottomless cold pools, calmly scanned the crowd below.

This "tap, tap" sound, in the vast and silent hall, seemed to strike at everyone's heart, making the atmosphere increasingly stagnant.

Finally, Nightmare stopped tapping.

"Everyone is here." He spoke, his voice flat, yet carrying an invisible pressure that caused everyone to unconsciously straighten their backs.

"Alliance Master, in the Middle Universe Domain, all registered faction leaders who possess Cultivators at or above the Dao Master Realm, totaling ninety-seven people, have all arrived at Nidao Star, awaiting the Alliance Master's instructions." Blood Fang stepped forward, reporting in a deep voice, his posture impeccable.

Nightmare nodded slightly, his gaze shifting to the leaders of the subordinate factions on the right.

"I know that among you, some are still unconvinced in their hearts." His tone remained flat, as if stating a fact. "You think I am merely an outsider who relied on a bit of luck and ruthlessness to luckily gain power. You think that although the Tianyan Alliance has fallen, it might not be without a chance to make a comeback, or... have other thoughts that shouldn't exist."

As his words fell, several people in the crowd on the right turned slightly pale, subconsciously avoiding Nightmare's gaze.

"It doesn't matter." Nightmare's lips curled into an emotionless arc. "I called you here today not to hear you pledge loyalty. That stuff is worthless."

He sat up straight, his hands folded on his lap.

"From today on, there will be only one voice and one will in the Middle Universe Domain."

"That is me, and the 'Grandmist Nidao Alliance' that I have established."

"The structure of the Nidao Alliance is very simple: three layers."

He held up one finger.

"The core layer, which I directly govern. This includes the Nidao Guards and any directly subordinate organizations to be established later."

The second finger.

"The management layer, composed of you leaders of the submitted factions. You are responsible for the daily management, resource submission, and troop recruitment within your respective Star Domains and spheres of influence. Do well, and resources and Legacy will not be lacking for you. Do poorly, or harbor other thoughts..." Nightmare paused, his gaze lingering for a moment on the few people with pale faces, "and the 'Execution Layer' will naturally handle it."

The third finger.

"The Execution Layer, with the Nidao Guards and the soon-to-be-formed 'Nidao Vanguard Army' as its main force. It is responsible for suppressing all internal rebellions, expanding territory externally, and clearing out all defiant enemies."

"Do you all understand?"

"Understood! We will strictly obey the Alliance Master's orders!" In the great hall, everyone responded in unison, their voices echoing in the vast palace.

"Very good." Nightmare nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Then, the first matter."

His gaze suddenly turned cold.

"Blood Fang, read the list you have compiled."

Blood Fang had been prepared; he stepped forward, unfolded a blood-colored Jade Slip in his hand, and read in a loud, cold voice:

"According to the investigation, since the fall of the Tianyan Alliance and the Alliance Master's announcement of the unification of the Middle Universe Domain, a total of seventeen Star Domains and thirty-nine small and large factions have outwardly submitted, but secretly remain in collusion with the remnants of the Tianyan Alliance's 'Dark Star Society,' hoarding resources, hiding rebellious Cultivators, and even attempting to collude and plot wrongdoing."

With every name read, one or several people in the crowd on the right had their expressions change drastically, cold sweat instantly soaking their backs.

"The list is as follows: The Thunder Fire Domain's affiliate 'Red Flame Sect,' Sect Master Yan Jin Daoist; the Ice Seal Domain's affiliate 'Frost Fang Castle,' Castle Lord Han Chi Old Ancestor; the Myriad Beast Domain's affiliate 'Beast Taming Villa,' Villa Master Wan Zheng Shangren; the independent Star Sector 'Broken Star Belt' leader, Duan Xinghe..."

Blood Fang finished reading the thirty-nine names in one breath, involving seventeen Star Domains, covering almost half of the Middle Universe Domain's territory.

After he finished reading, the great hall was deathly silent. Those who were named had faces ashen, some had flickering eyes attempting to argue, and a few even had a flash of fierce light in their eyes, their inner Qi faintly surging, seemingly wanting to fight to the death.

On the throne, Nightmare gave a soft "Heh."

"It seems that I haven't killed enough people, and the prestige I've established isn't heavy enough." He slowly stood up and walked down the steps.

As his footsteps fell, a terrifying pressure mixed with Chaos Demonic Flame and the remaining Evil Qi after a Celestial Venerable's fall, like an awakened ancient Vicious Beast, slowly permeated and enveloped the entire hall! Those Cultivators who had been named and harbored ulterior motives instantly felt as if they were carrying a mountain, their breathing became difficult, and even their inner Origin almost solidified!

"I gave you a chance." Nightmare walked to the center of the hall, his gaze sweeping over the thirty-nine people. "Unfortunately, you did not cherish it."

"Since that is the case..."

He raised his right hand and waved it lightly toward the void.

"Then all of you go die."

There was no brilliant Divine Ability light, no earth-shattering energy fluctuation.

There were only nine pitch-black shadows, whose auras were connected to Nightmare's own body but were even colder and purer, silently emerging from the shadow of the throne behind him.

They were the "Nidao Dark Guards" that Nightmare had re-refined and strengthened using his own essence blood and Nidao secret techniques, combined with a portion of a Celestial Venerable's Origin! Each Dark Guard possessed strength comparable to the Late Stage of the Dao Master Realm and was proficient in stealth, assassination, and Divine Soul tracking!

The nine black shadows dispersed like ghosts, instantly appearing behind the thirty-nine named Cultivators.

"No! Alliance Master, spare me! I was forced!"

"I am willing to offer everything, just begging..."

"Fight him! Argh—!"

Sounds of begging, roaring, and screaming erupted almost simultaneously, and almost simultaneously came to an abrupt end.

Because those nine black shadows had struck.

It was not a battle; it was a harvest.

The Dark Guards' hands either pierced through hearts like sharp blades, directly gripped skulls to shatter Divine Souls, or spat out Demonic Flame to instantly burn people into nothingness... The methods were simple, efficient, and lethal.

Middle Stage of the Dao Master Realm? Early Stage of the Dao Master Realm? Peak of the High Sovereign Realm?

In front of nine Late Stage Dao Master Realm Dark Guards proficient in slaughter, they were no different from lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Corpse after corpse, or ashes where not even a corpse remained, collapsed onto the smooth Nether Profound Iron floor. Dark red blood flowed slowly along the patterns on the floor, emitting a thick, bloody stench.

The entire process took less than five breaths.

Thirty-nine leaders, Old Ancestors, and Shangrens—who counted as powerful figures in their respective territories—all fell.

In the great hall, the remaining leaders of the submitted factions all turned pale, their legs weak, and some even uncontrollably trembled slightly. They lowered their heads, not daring to look at the corpses covering the floor, and even less daring to look at the figure in front who was like a Demonic God.

Nightmare seemed to have only done a trivial thing, his gaze turning to Blood Fang: "Uproot all the factions on the list. Leave not a single core member alive. Recover resources and planets for the Nidao Alliance's Coordination Department. Regardless of cultivation or background, kill all who resist."

"Yes! Alliance Master!" A bloodthirsty light flashed in Blood Fang's eyes as he bowed and accepted the order.

"In addition," Nightmare returned to the throne and sat down, "Pass on my order: Within the Middle Universe Domain, all Origin mines, cultivation Secret Realms, and ancient ruins must be registered and handed over to the newly established 'Resource Coordination Department' for unified management and distribution. Each faction will submit resources according to quotas and obtain cultivation qualifications and Legacy fragments based on their contributions."

"Understood!" This time, all the subordinate leaders scrambled to answer, their voices incomparably respectful.

"Finally," Nightmare flicked his fingertip, and a light screen unfolded before the throne, displaying a dense list and data, "Select one hundred Peak Dao Master Realm and three hundred High Sovereign Realm elites from the Nidao Guards and the various subordinate factions. Within ten days, assemble at the 'Meteor Training Ground' outside Nidao Star. I will personally review them to form the 'Nidao Vanguard Army'."

He paused, looked at the crowd below, his voice cold: "This is the opportunity I am giving you. The Vanguard Army will accompany me to campaign in higher-level worlds. The resources, opportunities, and Legacy within them are far beyond what the Middle Universe Domain can compare to. Whether you can grasp it depends on yourselves."

Once these words were spoken, hot light immediately erupted in the eyes of the crowd below! Higher-level worlds? Campaigning? That meant endless possibilities! The fear just caused by the bloody purge was instantly diluted by this huge temptation.

"The Alliance Master is wise! We will definitely do our best to select the candidates and not let the Alliance Master down!"

Nightmare said no more and waved his hand.

The crowd, as if granted amnesty, bowed and retreated from the great hall, hurrying away to execute the orders that would change the landscape of the Middle Universe Domain.

In the great hall, soon only Nightmare, Blood Fang, and the nine Nidao Dark Guards standing like statues in the shadows remained.

Nightmare took out an ancient purple-gold Jade Slip, which was one of the relics obtained from the Tianyan Alliance Master Ying Tiandao. Previously, he had been busy healing and conducting initial integration, so he had not yet carefully investigated it.

His Divine Thought sank in.

The information within the Jade Slip was complex, mostly about the secrets of the Tianyan Alliance, resource distribution, and some vague intelligence on the High Universe Domain. Nightmare browsed quickly, and suddenly, his Divine Thought stopped at the last part of the Jade Slip, before a piece of information that was specially encrypted and sealed with a Celestial Venerable's Origin.

"Hmm?" His mind stirred, and the Hongmeng Chaos Reverse Dao Demonic Star Flame seeped into the Jade Slip, easily burning away the Celestial Venerable Seal.

A clear star chart and a few lines of ancient text appeared in his mind.

The star chart pointed to a strange Star Domain at the very edge of the Middle Universe Domain, known as the "Nine Heavens Node." The text recorded:

"Nine Heavens Node, the beginning of the Grandmist Heavenly Road. Breaking the restriction opens the path, allowing passage to the 'Upper Realm.' However, the road is dangerous and obstructed; only those with great strength can cross it, and only those with great fortune can reach it. The successive Alliance Masters of Tianyan all aimed for this, yet in the end, none dared to initiate it lightly..."

Grandmist Heavenly Road? Leading to the "Upper Realm"?

A sharp light flashed in Nightmare's eyes. This "Upper Realm" was likely the place with a higher energy level than the Middle Universe Domain, known as the "High Universe Domain"!

"Finally... found the way." He whispered to himself, that cold arc at the corner of his mouth appearing once again.

He put away the Jade Slip and looked at Blood Fang: "Within ten days, the Vanguard Army must be formed. Ten days later, we depart."

"The target—" Nightmare's gaze seemed to penetrate the thick walls of the Nidao Palace, looking toward that unknown boundary in the depths of the starry sky.

"The Nine Heavens Node."