The ancient road ambush, the crimson blood rages.

The deeper one went into the Crimson Blood Ancient Road, the steeper the cliffs on both sides became, and the blood-colored mist grew increasingly dense.

This mist possessed a strange erosive quality; if ordinary Cultivators inhaled it, their Origin would be gradually corroded, greatly reducing their combat power.

However, Nightmare and his party walked through the mist completely unscathed.

The Hongmeng Chaos Nirvana Anti-Dao Demon Star Flame formed a thin fiery barrier around each of them; as soon as the blood-colored mist approached, it was burned and purified, instead turning into pure energy that was absorbed by the Demonic Flame.

"My Lord, the terrain in the canyon ahead is treacherous; it is a good place for an ambush," the Deputy whispered a reminder.

Nightmare looked up.

Ahead, two mountain peaks had almost merged, leaving only a passage less than ten zhang wide.

Above the passage, the blood-colored mist was so thick it could not be dispersed, resembling a mass of congealed blood.

"The Chixue Sect will not let such a good opportunity pass," Nightmare said indifferently. "Pass the order: prepare for battle."

Just as his voice fell, a sharp sound of breaking air suddenly came from the thick mist ahead.

Hundreds of blood-colored arrows shot in from all directions, each aiming for a vital point and sealing off all space for evasion.

"Form up!" someone in the Vanguard Army shouted.

But Nightmare was faster than them.

He raised his hand and waved it, and black flames poured out like a waterfall, transforming into a fiery canopy above everyone's heads.

The blood-colored arrows collided with the canopy and were instantly burned into nothingness, leaving not even ashes behind.

"As expected, you have some skill."

Two figures walked out of the thick mist.

Both were wearing the dark red robes unique to Chixue Sect Elders, with three blood droplets embroidered on the left chest—representing the Early Stage of the Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm.

Behind them, nearly a hundred Chixue Sect Cultivators appeared from the mist, each exuding a sharp aura, with the lowest being at the Middle Stage of the Celestial Venerable Realm.

"I am Xue Sha, and this is Xue Hun," the thin, tall Elder on the left said coldly. "Daring to intrude upon the Crimson Blood Ancient Road and kill my sentry commander, you have quite some nerve."

The short, fat Elder on the right, Xue Hun, narrowed his eyes to examine Nightmare, then suddenly his expression changed slightly: "The flames on your body... could it be the rumored Nidao Demonic Flame?"

Nightmare did not answer, only asking, "Just the two of you?"

Xue Sha laughed in extreme anger: "Arrogant! A mere Late Stage Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm, do you really think you can act recklessly? Set up the Formation!"

A hundred Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators simultaneously cast incantations, and the blood-colored mist instantly erupted, surging toward Nightmare and his party like a tidal wave.

Sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling came from the mist, as if countless vengeful spirits were roaring.

"Blood Mist Ultimate Kill Formation," Xue Hun laughed sinisterly. "This Formation can erode a Cultivator's Origin and weaken their combat power. Even if you are at the Late Stage of the Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm, you can only exert seventy percent of your strength within this Formation."

The blood-colored mist had already enveloped the entire canyon.

Among the Nidao Vanguard Army, a few Cultivators with slightly weaker cultivation began to turn pale, clearly affected.

But Nightmare just took a light breath.

Then, he smiled.

"Erode the Origin?" He raised his right hand, palm facing upward. "Then let's see who erodes whom."

Boom—black flames erupted completely from within his body, instantly expanding into a flame Domain with a diameter of a hundred zhang.

Inside the Domain, all the blood-colored mist melted crazily like snow meeting fire; not only did it fail to erode the Demonic Flame, but it was instead frantically devoured and absorbed by it.

"What?!" Xue Sha's expression changed drastically. "How is this possible!"

"He is absorbing the Origin of the Formation!" Xue Hun said in horror. "Quick! Withdraw the Formation! He is using our Formation to strengthen himself!"

But it was already too late.

Nightmare's Dao Reversal Ultimate Kill Domain fully expanded, and the black flames spread like a living creature; wherever they passed, the blood-colored mist was swept away.

Those Chixue Sect Cultivators maintaining the Formation spat out blood one after another, as the Formation's backlash damaged their Origin.

"Kill!" At Nightmare's order, the Nidao Vanguard Army charged like tigers released from a cage toward the chaotic Chixue Sect Cultivators.

As for him, he took one step forward and appeared directly in front of Xue Sha and Xue Hun.

"Attack together!" Xue Sha gritted his teeth and formed hand seals; a blood-colored long whip was drawn from his palm, its body covered in barbs, and he lashed it toward Nightmare's face.

Xue Hun struck simultaneously, summoning a small blood-colored banner. As the banner shook, countless blood-colored ghost shadows pounced toward Nightmare.

Nightmare did not dodge or avoid.

He grabbed with his left hand, catching the incoming blood-colored long whip directly.

Black flames spread along the whip, instantly burning Xue Sha's hand.

"Ah—!" Xue Sha screamed. He wanted to let go, but it was already too late.

The flames were like maggots on rotting bones, spreading up his arm and burning to his shoulder in the blink of an eye.

Nightmare's right hand simultaneously slapped toward the small blood-colored banner.

Bang! The small banner shattered instantly, and the blood-colored ghost shadows were reduced to ashes in the flames.

The power of the backlash made Xue Hun retreat three steps, spitting out blood.

"Die." Nightmare's figure flashed, and he appeared behind Xue Sha.

His right hand, like a blade, pierced through Xue Sha's back and came out from his chest.

Xue Sha looked down at the hand burning with black flames in front of his chest, opened his mouth, but could make no sound.

The black flames erupted from within, burning him entirely into ashes.

A wisp of Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm Origin was extracted by Nightmare.

"Senior Brother!" Xue Hun's eyes were filled with rage, and he turned to flee.

But he had barely flown ten zhang when a long rope condensed from black flames coiled from behind, instantly binding his waist.

"No—!" Xue Hun was dragged back forcibly and thrown at Nightmare's feet.

"Spare my life! I am willing to submit! I am willing to offer all intelligence on the Chixue Sect!" Xue Hun knelt and begged for mercy, kowtowing like pounding garlic.

Nightmare looked down at him with cold eyes: "I don't need captives."

He stomped down.

Xue Hun's head exploded like a watermelon, and his Divine Soul was also reduced to nothingness in the Demonic Flame.

Nightmare took the Storage Pouch from his corpse and swept it with his Divine Sense, finding what he wanted.

The defense deployment map of the Chixue Sect headquarters, the distribution of surrounding forces, the contact method for the Divine Court...

"Not a bad harvest." He put away the Storage Pouch.

At this time, the battle in the canyon was also nearing its end.

The hundred Chixue Sect Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators had been wiped out under the siege of the Nidao Vanguard Army.

Black flames burned in the canyon, incinerating all corpses and bloodstains, as if a battle had never taken place here.

"Count the battle losses," Nightmare said.

"Reporting to my Lord, seven people were slightly injured, no one died," the Deputy reported back quickly.

Nightmare nodded and looked toward the depths of the canyon.

The blood-colored mist had been completely purified, and the view became clear.

At the end of the canyon, an open area could be vaguely seen.

"Continue forward." The army set off again.

Walking out of the canyon, the view suddenly opened up.

A vast plain appeared ahead, and at the end of the plain, the outline of a city could be vaguely seen.

The Deputy took out a map and compared it: "My Lord, one hundred li ahead is the core city of the Chixue Sect—Chixue City."

Nightmare narrowed his eyes and looked at the city.

Banners fluttered on the city walls, and a large number of Cultivators could be vaguely seen mobilizing.

Clearly, the Chixue Sect already knew that the Ancient Road had fallen and was gathering strength.

"Perfect," Nightmare curled his lips into a cold smile. "It saves me the trouble of going to find them."

He looked back at the army behind him.

After successive battles and the strengthening from plundered resources, this team had been reborn.

Everyone's eyes burned with Battle Intent, and their Killing Intent had almost condensed into substance.

"Rest for half an hour," Nightmare ordered. "Then, lay siege to the city."