Chapter 423 Preparing for Battle in Seclusion, Fusion with the Reverse Dao Origin

Nightmare returned to the central stronghold of the core war zone. The oppressive feeling from his confrontation with the Heavenly Emperor still faintly lingered in his heart as soon as he stepped into the main hall.

"Late Stage of the Cosmic Supreme Realm... indeed, it's not something I can clash with head-on at my current level." A cold light flickered in his eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately summoned his Deputy.

"Pass down the order. I am entering deep seclusion. All affairs will be temporarily managed by you." Nightmare's voice was icy. "During my seclusion, if any force dares to provoke—especially those remaining scum from the Divine Court—there is no need to seek permission. Exterminate them directly, leave none alive."

The Deputy bowed and accepted the command: "Yes!"

Nightmare turned and walked towards the secret chamber, his steps resolute. Time waited for no one; the Heavenly Emperor would not give him the chance to grow slowly. Since the gap was right before his eyes, he would use the fastest method to erase it.

The heavy stone door of the secret chamber fell shut. Nightmare raised his hand and deployed three layers of Dao Reversal Defensive Formations. Layer upon layer of dark, gloomy light interweaved, completely isolating the inside from the outside. Even if a Middle Stage Supreme Realm expert launched a fierce assault, it would take them at least half a day to break through.

He sat down cross-legged, turned his palm over, and two clusters of light appeared.

On the left was the Late Stage Supreme Origin plundered from the Divine Court Heavenly Army Commander, swirling with golden light and containing the vast power of Divine Court Laws. On the right was the residual power of the primordial supreme crystal core, appearing in a chaotic color, continuously exhaling and inhaling Grandmist aura.

"Fusion..."

Nightmare muttered softly. The Dao Reversal Origin within his body erupted into operation. Jet-black power surged from his Dantian, transforming into two ferocious demonic dragons that opened their mouths and swallowed the two clusters of light.

"Boom—!"

The instant the three forces collided, the secret chamber shook violently. Nightmare's entire body's Meridians bulged, and three-colored patterns—gold, gray, and black—appeared on the surface of his skin, tearing at and eroding each other.

Excruciating pain assaulted him, but he didn't even furrow his brow. Instead, he accelerated the circulation of his Cultivation Technique, forcibly suppressing the three Origins together.

"How dare mere foreign Origins try to backlash?" Nightmare sneered coldly. Deep within his Divine Soul, three dao reversal keys resonated simultaneously. Wisps of dark flames rose from within his body—Grandmist Chaos Void Annihilation Reincarnation Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame!

The Demonic Flame coiled upwards, enveloping the rampaging Origins and burning them for refinement. The backlash force wailed within the flames, ultimately being devoured bit by bit and transformed into nourishment for Nightmare himself.

Seizing a gap in the Fusion, Nightmare split off a wisp of his Divine Soul to scan through the secret Jade Slips he had scavenged from the Heavenly Emperor Guards and the Heavenly Army commander.

A massive amount of information flooded his mind.

"...The Grandmist Heavenly Emperor Technique, claiming to be the orthodox path of the Divine Court, actually requires the constant devouring of Dao Reversal Origin to compensate for its flaws... Reverse Path power inherently counters the core of its technique... Ten thousand years ago, the Heavenly Emperor suppressed the Dao Reversal Ancestral Land and slaughtered three thousand Reverse Path Supremes..."

The killing intent in Nightmare's eyes grew even more intense.

"So that's how it is." He scoffed. "What orthodoxy? It's nothing but a joke maintained through plunder."

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

The energy fluctuations within the secret chamber grew increasingly stronger. The three-colored patterns gradually fused, ultimately completely transforming into a profound jet-black. Nightmare's aura surged upward layer by layer, continuously assaulting the barrier of the Late Stage Supreme Realm.

"Break!"

With a low shout, all the power within his body converged at a single point, forcefully shattering through the checkpoint.

"Rumble—!!"

A terrifying oppressive might swept through the entire secret chamber, causing the defensive formations to flicker between light and dark. Nightmare opened his eyes. Black flames swirled within his pupils, as if capable of incinerating all things.

He slowly rose to his feet, sensing the surging new power within his body—Late Stage of the Cosmic Supreme Realm, achieved.

Not only that, after fusing with the primordial supreme crystal core and the Divine Court Origin, the Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame had also completed its metamorphosis, transforming into the 'Grandmist Chaos Void Annihilation Reincarnation Unification Dao Reversal Demonic Star Flame,' its might skyrocketing.

"Now, it's time to settle accounts with that Heavenly Emperor."

Nightmare waved his hand, dispersing the formations. The stone door opened.

He stepped out. His Divine Soul power naturally expanded, instantly covering half of the core region of the Higher Domain. The defensive arrangements of the Divine Court Headquarters, the distribution of troops, and even the faintly discernible location of the Heavenly Emperor's oppressive aura were all clearly imprinted in his perception.

"Hiding quite deep, aren't you?" A cold arc curled at the corner of Nightmare's mouth. "However... it's time to clear the field."

His figure flashed, appearing in the main hall. The Deputy had long been waiting outside. Seeing him emerge from seclusion, he immediately stepped forward: "My Lord, there have been frequent unusual movements on the Divine Court's periphery recently. They seem to be mobilizing troops."

"Mobilizing troops?" Nightmare chuckled lightly. "Perfect. Saves me the trouble of hunting them down one by one."

He lifted his gaze towards the direction of the Divine Court Headquarters. His voice was calm yet brimming with chilling killing intent:

"Pass the order to the Reverse Dao Allied Forces—prepare for war."

"Start from the periphery. Push them flat, one stronghold at a time."