Chapter 409 Initial Exploration of the Core, Forces Avoiding Each Other

The Barren Star Domain lives up to its name.

The "Star Domain" here does not refer to the starry sky, but rather a vast, abandoned cluster of continental fragments.

Countless landmasses of varying sizes float in the Void Realm, separated by hundreds or even thousands of miles, with deep darkness and chaotic Spatial Turbulence in between.

Spiritual Qi is thin, and all signs of life are severed.

Occasionally, one can see the remains of a few withered ancient giant trees, or some severely weathered architectural ruins, proving that a civilization once existed here.

But now, this is the edge of the Core Zone, a chaotic region ignored by all, and also a good place to hide.

Nightmare led the Core War Army and established a temporary stronghold on a landmass with a diameter of about one hundred miles.

"Master, within a radius of three thousand miles, a total of seventeen patrol teams have been discovered," reported a Cultivator responsible for reconnaissance. "Most belong to factions affiliated with the Divine Court, among which the Golden Sunset Sect, Purple Thunder Palace, and Profound Ice Valley are the most active, patrolling almost every day."

Nightmare stood at the edge of the stronghold, watching the streams of light that occasionally flashed in the distant darkness—these were the lights emitted by the patrol teams' flying Magic Treasures.

"Golden Sunset Sect..." He recalled those golden crystal monitoring devices he saw at the entrance of the passage; the style was very similar.

"Additionally," the reconnaissance Cultivator continued, "according to the scattered communication fluctuations captured, the entrance to the Grandmist Supreme Hall seems to be in the 'Supreme Mountain Range', but the specific location is still being confirmed."

Nightmare nodded: "Continue observing, and try your best to avoid the patrol teams. Our goal is the Secret Realm, not to go to war with these factions right now."

"Yes."

Three days later.

A twenty-man squad was patrolling the edge of the Barren Star Domain.

They wore uniform pale gold Daoist robes, with a golden cloud pattern embroidered on their chests—the emblem of the Golden Sunset Sect.

Leading them was a middle-aged Cultivator with a cold expression, whose cultivation was at the Late Stage Grandmist Heavenly Venerable Realm. He was followed by twenty Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators, each with refined auras, clearly all elites.

"Stay alert," the middle-aged Cultivator said in a deep voice. "The Core Zone has not been peaceful recently; it is said that an unknown faction has infiltrated. The Sect has issued an order: kill anyone suspicious on sight!"

"Yes, Commander Liu!"

The team continued to advance.

Suddenly, Commander Liu frowned.

He raised his hand, signaling the team to stop.

A hundred miles ahead, behind a larger landmass, faint energy fluctuations were vaguely transmitted—very weak, almost covered by the Void Realm's Spatial Turbulence, but they could not escape his perception.

"Someone is there." His eyes turned cold. "Let's go take a look."

The twenty-one people approached silently.

Behind the landmass, Nightmare was leading ten elites of the Core War Army to scout the terrain.

Suddenly, he looked up.

"Someone is coming," he said in a low voice. "Twenty-one people, the leader is at the Late Stage Grandmist Heavenly Venerable Realm; they should be from the Golden Sunset Sect."

The ten elites instantly entered combat mode, but their auras were restrained to the extreme.

"Master, should we avoid them?" one person asked in a low voice.

Nightmare watched the approaching team of Golden Sunset Sect Cultivators, remained silent for a moment, and shook his head.

"It's too late."

The other party had clearly already discovered them; retreating now would only be more suspicious.

"Prepare for battle," he said indifferently. "Leave no survivors."

"Yes!"

Commander Liu landed on the landmass with his team.

He saw Nightmare and the others at a glance—eleven people wearing ordinary black robes, their auras restrained, their specific origins indiscernible.

But the more this was the case, the more suspicious they were.

"Who are you?" Commander Liu stepped forward and asked coldly. "Why are you lingering in the Barren Star Domain?"

Nightmare turned around and looked at him.

"Passing through." Two simple words.

Commander Liu narrowed his eyes: "Passing through? The Barren Star Domain is under the jurisdiction of the Golden Sunset Sect; all travelers must report to the Sect and obtain permission. Do you have a transit token?"

"No."

"Then that is illegal trespassing." Commander Liu placed his hand on his sword hilt. "Surrender and follow me back to the Sect for investigation, and perhaps you might still keep your lives."

The twenty Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators behind him spread out, vaguely forming an encirclement.

Nightmare did not move, only watching Commander Liu: "And if I say no?"

A flash of killing intent appeared in Commander Liu's eyes: "Then die."

Before he could finish speaking, a Cultivator behind him suddenly changed complexion: "Commander! They... have the Reverse Path aura on them!"

The Reverse Path aura?!

Commander Liu's pupils constricted sharply.

He remembered the emergency order conveyed by the Sect's high-level officials a few days ago—the Divine Court headquarters had sent a secret order that a Reverse Path faction might have infiltrated the Core Zone, and all affiliated factions must strictly investigate, and once discovered, kill them on sight!

"It's you!" He stared fixedly at Nightmare. "The ones who recently infiltrated the Core Zone are you!"

He did not hesitate, flipping his right hand, and a golden Jade Talisman appeared in his palm.

A communication Jade Talisman!

As long as it was crushed, all Golden Sunset Sect Cultivators within a radius of ten thousand miles would receive an alert, and the Divine Court Heavenly Gate would also know immediately!

But he had no chance.

Nightmare moved.

He did not rush toward Commander Liu, but raised his hand, gesturing toward the sky, and made a slight grasping motion.

"Dao Reversal Cage."

The four words were uttered, and the space within a thousand feet instantly solidified.

All communication methods became ineffective.

The Jade Talisman in Commander Liu's hand had just lit up with golden light when it suddenly dimmed, and then with a "pop," it shattered into powder.

"What?!" He was greatly shocked.

And Nightmare had already appeared before him.

The distance between the two was less than three feet.

"You—" Commander Liu wanted to draw his sword, but as soon as his hand moved, he discovered that his movements were terrifyingly slow. It was not that he was slow, but the flow of time in the surroundings... had been altered?!

"Time Law?!" He was horrified.

But this was not the Time Law.

It was another application of the Nidao Demonic Flame—Void, which could make everything within a certain area become "sluggish," including thoughts, movements, and energy flow.

Nightmare did not give him time to think.

He raised his right hand and tapped his index finger lightly on Commander Liu's brow.

Puff.

A black-gray line of fire shot out from his fingertip, instantly piercing through his brow and exiting from the back of his head.

Commander Liu's body stiffened, and the vitality in his eyes rapidly dissipated.

The twenty Hunyuan Celestial Venerable Realm Cultivators behind him only then reacted, wanting to flee or attack, but it was too late.

Behind Nightmare, the ten elites of the Core War Army attacked simultaneously.

Ten black-gray flames shot out like venomous snakes, precisely wrapping around the necks of the twenty people.

There were no screams, no struggles.

The twenty people stiffened simultaneously, and then their bodies collapsed like sand sculptures, turning into twenty piles of ash.

From discovery to total annihilation, it took less than three breaths.

Nightmare withdrew his hand, and the spatial cage was lifted.

He walked to Commander Liu's corpse—the corpse had not completely dissipated; the Nidao Demonic Flame had intentionally left a sliver of vitality, allowing him to remain "alive" temporarily.

"Soul Search." Nightmare raised his hand and pressed it onto the top of Commander Liu's head.

The black-gray flame burrowed into the Sea of Consciousness, forcibly reading his memories.

A moment later, Nightmare withdrew his hand.

Commander Liu's corpse then completely turned into ash.

"Master, how is it?" the Deputy asked, stepping forward.

"The entrance to the Grandmist Supreme Hall is at the 'Heaven-Severing Cliff' in the Supreme Mountain Range," Nightmare said. "Three days later, the Secret Realm will officially open. Factions such as the Divine Court, Golden Sunset Sect, and Purple Thunder Palace have already sent vanguard troops ahead."

He paused, then continued: "Additionally, the Golden Sunset Sect headquarters has already received news of our infiltration, but the specific location is not yet confirmed. They are mobilizing personnel, preparing to launch a carpet search in the Barren Star Domain."

"Then we must leave here as soon as possible," the Deputy said.

Nightmare nodded: "Clean up all traces, and transfer immediately."

"Yes!"

Everyone took action quickly, erasing all traces of the battle, even disposing of the ashes cleanly using spatial rifts.

Half an incense stick of time later, the landmass returned to its original state, as if no one had ever been there.

Nightmare led the squad back to the temporary stronghold.

"Order the entire army," he commanded, "pack up immediately and head to the Supreme Mountain Range."

"Understood!"

The Core War Army assembled rapidly.

Nightmare stood at the edge of the stronghold, looking toward the direction of the Supreme Mountain Range.

Three days later, the Secret Realm will open.

And that place will be the site of his first head-on collision with the Divine Court's core factions.

"Let's go."

Two hundred and fifty figures turned into streams of light and disappeared silently into the darkness of the Barren Star Domain.