The Zhennan Army arrived, and the Demon Flame launched a counterattack and slaughtered.

The time of a joss stick passed quickly.

On the plains outside Chixue City, Nightmare stood with the Nidao Vanguard Army, arrayed and waiting.

Everything inside the city had been arranged; the garrison commander and one thousand troops had taken over the defense, while the main force was all here.

The time had just arrived.

The sky to the south suddenly darkened.

It wasn't clouds; it was pressure.

A pressure as vast as the sea swept over from the south, and dense black dots appeared in the sky.

Those black dots rapidly enlarged, transforming into streaks of light that landed on the other end of the plain.

There were over two hundred and fifty of them.

They were all wearing silver-based, gold-trimmed battle armor, with the emblem of the Hongmeng Divine Court engraved on their chests—a palace floating in the starry sky.

Leading them was an old man with white hair and beard; his face was withered, but his eyes were frighteningly bright, and a pale golden halo surrounded his body.

Hongmeng Celestial Venerable Realm, Early Stage.

Behind him were fifty Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators, and behind them were two hundred Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators.

Each person's aura was refined, their eyes sharp, and in their movements, they faintly formed a cohesive battle formation.

This was a true elite force, not something that an affiliated power like the Chixue Sect could compare to.

"Chixue City..." The old man looked up at the city walls, and when he saw the black flame flags fluttering on the walls, his brows furrowed. "Something really did happen."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached Nightmare's side.

"I am Jin Ming, the Third Elder of the Zhennan Branch of the Hongmeng Divine Court."

The old man's gaze landed on Nightmare. "The Chixue Sect is an affiliate of the Divine Court. Daring to destroy the Chixue Sect means you are enemies with the Divine Court."

Nightmare did not reply, only watching him quietly.

Elder Jin Ming's eyes grew cold. "Kneel down now, seal your cultivation, and follow me back to the Zhennan Branch to await judgment. Perhaps you might still be left a way to survive."

"Are you finished?" Nightmare finally spoke.

Jin Ming was stunned.

"If you're finished," Nightmare said slowly, "then let's begin."

The moment the words fell—Boom!

The Hongmeng Chaos Nirvana Anti-Dao Demon Star Flame erupted completely, and the Dao Reversal Ultimate Kill Domain instantly expanded, enveloping the entire plain.

The black flames spread like living things, and the air began to distort.

Elder Jin Ming's expression changed. "A Domain? How can a Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm have a Domain?!"

But Nightmare had already moved.

He took a step, his figure disappearing from the spot like a ghost, and when he reappeared, he was already in front of the Zhennan Army formation.

He grasped his right hand in the air, and the black flames condensed into a long blade burning with Demonic Flame—the Anti-Dao Grandmist Blade.

"Seeking death!" Behind Elder Jin Ming, a Deputy at the Peak of the Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm was furious and thrust his spear forward.

The long spear was like a Dragon, the point of the spear a speck of golden light piercing the air, aiming straight for Nightmare's throat.

Nightmare didn't even look, raising his left hand. Snap.

That hand burning with black flames steadily caught the spear tip.

The Deputy's pupils contracted sharply; he wanted to pull back the spear, but found it as if welded into the opponent's hand, not moving an inch.

"You..."

Before he could finish, Nightmare swung his blade with his right hand.

The Anti-Dao Grandmist Blade traced a black arc, sweeping across the Deputy's neck.

Pfft. The head flew up, blood gushing out.

The Deputy's headless corpse remained in the posture of thrusting the spear, standing stiff for a breath before crashing to the ground.

One strike. Peak Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm, dead.

The Zhennan Army camp was deathly silent.

Elder Jin Ming's expression finally changed. "You hid your cultivation?!"

"Wrong guess." Nightmare shook the blood off his blade, his gaze locking onto Jin Ming. "I am simply stronger than you."

He moved again. This time, his target was Jin Ming himself.

"Arrogant!" Jin Ming shouted angrily, forming seals with both hands, the golden halo around him surging, transforming into a massive golden light shield blocking in front of him.

Divine Court Origin Shield. This was the signature defensive Divine Ability of the Hongmeng Divine Court, said to be able to block a full-force strike from a Cultivator of the same level.

But Nightmare's blade had already arrived.

The Anti-Dao Grandmist Blade slashed fiercely against the golden light shield.

Clang—!!!

A deafening sound of metal clashing rang out; the golden light shield trembled violently, and countless cracks appeared on its surface.

The black flames, like poisonous snakes, seeped in along the cracks, crazily eroding the Origin of the light shield.

"Impossible!" Jin Ming gasped. "How could my Divine Court Shield..."

Crack. The light shield shattered completely.

Nightmare's blade, its momentum undiminished, slashed straight at Jin Ming's face.

"Zhennan Grandmist Seal!" Jin Ming gritted his teeth, pushing both palms forward.

A massive golden seal flew out from his palms, engraved with ancient runes, emitting a pressure that suppressed everything.

This was his Magic Treasure, which had once suppressed and killed several powerful figures of the same level.

The seal collided with the long blade. Boom—!!!

A terrifying shockwave spread in all directions, and the ground was scraped away by a layer.

Dozens of nearby Zhennan Army Cultivators were sent flying, vomiting blood.

Stalemate. But it only lasted for three breaths.

After three breaths, the runes on the golden seal began to dim, and fine cracks appeared on its surface.

But the black flames on the Anti-Dao Grandmist Blade grew stronger and stronger.

"What kind of flame is this?!" Jin Ming discovered with horror that his Magic Treasure was actually being eroded and devoured by the flames!

"The flame to send you on your way." Nightmare said coldly, his wrist exerting sudden force.

Crack-crack— The golden seal completely shattered, turning into golden specks of light filling the sky.

His Magic Treasure destroyed, Jin Ming suffered a backlash, spewing a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale instantly.

And Nightmare's blade had already slashed down to his head.

"Save me!" Jin Ming roared.

The surrounding Zhennan Army Cultivators finally reacted, dozens of attacks bombarding Nightmare simultaneously.

But it was too late.

The Anti-Dao Grandmist Blade slashed down.

From the top of his head to his crotch, Jin Ming's body was split in two.

The black flames instantly engulfed the two halves of the corpse, burning them to ashes.

A wisp of pure Hongmeng Celestial Venerable Realm Origin was extracted by Nightmare and stored in his Storage Pouch.

The entire process took less than ten breaths.

The highest commander of the Zhennan Army, fallen.

"The Elder is dead!"

"How is that possible... The Elder was at the Hongmeng Celestial Venerable Realm!"

The Zhennan Army fell into complete chaos.

And the Nidao Vanguard Army had already charged up.

"Kill—!"

Black flames collided with golden divine light, and a brutal slaughter unfolded on the plain.

But having lost Jin Ming, the Zhennan Army's morale had already collapsed.

Although their individual combat power was not weak, under the siege of the Nidao Vanguard Army, they were retreating steadily.

Nightmare did not strike again.

He stood in the center of the battlefield, watching this slaughter.

Occasionally, a few Zhennan Army Cultivators tried to break through, and were burned to ashes by a casual wave of his flame.

Half a joss stick later. The battle ended.

On the plain, there were corpses everywhere.

Most were from the Zhennan Army, their silver armor stained red with blood, gleaming with an eerie luster in the setting sun.

On the Nidao Vanguard Army side, there were also casualties, but compared to the completely annihilated Zhennan Army, they were almost negligible.

"Count the battle losses and loot the spoils." Nightmare ordered.

The Deputy soon returned with Jin Ming's Storage Pouch. "Master, there are quite a few good things in this old thing's Storage Pouch."

Nightmare took it and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

Inside, besides a large amount of high-level origin crystal and Medicinal Pill, there were a few Jade Slip.

One recorded the detailed location and defensive layout of the Zhennan Branch, and another mentioned a Secret Realm—

"Hongmeng Blood Pool..." Nightmare looked at the description on the Jade Slip. "Located in the Blood Mist Mountain Range between Chixue City and the Zhennan Branch, it is a top-tier Origin Secret Realm on the edge of the inland, containing blood-type Grandmist crystal core that can greatly enhance Hongmeng Celestial Venerable Realm cultivation..."

He put away the Jade Slip and looked to the south.

The Zhennan Branch... and this Hongmeng Blood Pool...

"Master, what should we do next?" The Deputy asked.

Nightmare thought for a moment. "First, take complete control of Chixue City. Then..."

A glint of light flashed in his eyes. "Go to the Hongmeng Blood Pool."