Immobile as a slab of granite, he had remained in that cavern for days. Only the spectral Ghost Guards, loyal and unwavering, lingered at the mouth of the cave, guarding against any unforeseen calamity.

Suddenly, Lei Dong’s eyes snapped open. Within the depths of his pitch-black irises, there seemed to reside a layer of profoundness absent before. He expelled a heavy breath, the stale air leaving his lungs. His face was somewhat thinner, yet etched with a newfound, hard-won resolve. Having lived two lifetimes, Lei Dong considered himself seasoned. Yet, in both mind and body, he was still fundamentally a youth. However, that brief encounter with the mysterious woman had been a tumultuous journey, a clash of energies as violent as a volcanic eruption.

It was as if a clarity had settled within Lei Dong; the black-robed woman was like a flood, ruthlessly and irresistibly washing away the last vestiges of his childish naivety and ignorance, both physically and psychologically. She had swiftly transformed him from a boy into a man.

“Senior Sister!”

Lei Dong whispered the name softly. His Senior Sister, who had grown up alongside him, had always been dear to him. But Lei Dong had always sensed a faint undercurrent of flightiness and unreality in their bond, even a subtle sense of evasion. Only at the moment he faced suffocation and death did the image of his Senior Sister—her charming, innocent look tinged with petulance—flash before his eyes, so vividly and deeply imprinted. He realized then that she had, subtly and unconsciously, become deeply etched into his heart.

Contrasted with the black-robed woman’s cold ruthlessness and disdain, his Senior Sister’s tender care, her gentle, almost cautious efforts to protect his pride, filled Lei Dong with an intense warmth as he recalled them now.

His cultivation had advanced. Lei Dong never imagined that a single intimate union with that black-robed woman could propel him past the Eighth Layer of Qi Condensation straight to the Tenth. Could the legendary technique of Yin essence absorption truly yield such astounding results?

In truth, Lei Dong had misjudged the situation. What caliber of being was a Heavenly Demon? Within her Primordial Yin resided pure True Essence she had accumulated over countless years. Though such a meager trace of True Essence would be negligible to a powerhouse like the Heavenly Demon, the catalyst of the Flooding Dragon's potent venom had driven her desires to the absolute breaking point, a cresting, unstoppable tidal wave of passion.

This event inadvertently mirrored the path of male and female essence transference, and the vast majority of her Primordial Yin flowed directly into Lei Dong. For the Heavenly Demon, it was merely a faint trace of True Essence long settled within her Yin essence during cultivation. But for Lei Dong, it was a gift of immense proportion. This essence, long nurtured and sedimented within virgin Primordial Yin, required only minor refinement for Lei Dong to integrate it, allowing him to borrow its momentum for successive breakthroughs, catapulting him to the Tenth Layer of Qi Condensation.

Of course, had Lei Dong ignored it, that surge of potent True Essence would have gradually dissipated within a month or so.

Harvesting the virgin Primordial Yin of a peerless expert like a Heavenly Demon might be a swift path to advancement for disciples in the Qi Condensation stage. But the problem remained: barring Lei Dong's once-in-an-eon, singular coincidence, what male Qi Condensation disciple possessed such luck? No supreme expert woman would carelessly offer her virgin Primordial Yin to an ant-like Qi Condensation disciple. Daring to even ask would surely result in being instantly swatted dead.

Thus, Lei Dong’s fortune was not perhaps unprecedented, but it was undeniably rare. Had he already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, the gift from the Heavenly Demon would not have yielded such a dramatic effect. If he were at the Golden Core stage, the impact would be negligible. It was akin to Lei Dong attempting to seize his Senior Sister’s Primordial Yin now; he would certainly gain a trace of her True Qi, but because the gap in their power levels was small, the effect on Lei Dong would be minimal. In this lifetime, finding such an opportunity again would likely prove impossible.

Reaching the Tenth Layer of Qi Condensation meant he could now command one Ghost Guard while simultaneously controlling an additional High-Grade Elite Ghost Trooper. If not for his Forging Spirit Art cultivation lagging behind, he might even have been able to command two Ghost Guards at once.

At this juncture, Lei Dong found himself conflicted. Encountering that black-robed woman—was it a blessing or a curse? He had expected to be drained into a desiccated husk, yet he had ended up reaping such a monumental benefit?

Composing himself, Lei Dong dismissed further contemplation. He found a nearby pond and thoroughly cleansed himself. Feeling surprisingly invigorated, the Evil Ghost Shroud transformed into a hazy, spectral black mist, enveloping Lei Dong as he ascended toward the sky. At the Tenth Layer of Qi Condensation, Lei Dong distinctly felt that controlling the Evil Ghost Shroud was far more intuitive, and his speed had noticeably increased.

Sensing his newfound power, which felt significantly greater than before, Lei Dong swept away the lingering unpleasantness in his heart. Holding his breath and focusing his spirit, he flew onward.

Seen from afar, he appeared like a relentlessly advancing black meteor in the sky, trailing a long plume of black flames. However, the color of his light, suffused with a chilling ghost energy, immediately signaled that he was no benevolent soul. Any rogue cultivators who chanced to glimpse him from a distance would invariably turn tail, extinguishing their own lights to find a place to hide immediately.

Over several days, Lei Dong witnessed a few rogue cultivators flee from him, and his expression grew uncertain. They were now far enough from the Myriad Ghost Cave; perhaps it was time to test the efficacy of the Soul Beads.

To that end, Lei Dong altered his attire, cloaking his entire body in a black robe. He first traveled to a mortal village, sought out a young scoundrel notorious for his bullying, lured him out of the town with promises of silver and gold, and then seized him with a spectral green claw. He enveloped the man and forced him into the Evil Ghost Shroud, where rolling black mists and swirling dust dragged him away in a whirlwind abduction.

Days later, Lei Dong’s complexion was grim and displeased. Though he had held low expectations for the Soul Beads, the young scoundrel, possessing no spiritual roots, thrashed about screaming upon ingestion. Only after several days and nights did he finally explode and die. This outcome sent a sharp chill down Lei Dong’s spine. He was fortunate that his cautious nature had prevented him from carelessly consuming unknown substances.

Yet, Lei Dong was unwilling to give up. He journeyed to several other locations, capturing seven or eight young mortals devoid of spiritual roots. These were often vicious thugs or wanton pleasure-seekers—one could argue Lei Dong was doing a public service for those small mortal villages and towns, acting as a righteous hero. But the results chilled him to the bone, making his hair stand on end. Each one suffered the same agonizing cries for three days before bursting apart.

Still clinging to a sliver of hope, Lei Dong shifted his target to rogue cultivators who already possessed spiritual roots. This way, he could test whether the beads could enhance inferior spiritual root aptitude. Lei Dong disguised himself as a disciple from a nascent, small immortal cultivation family—not highly skilled, perhaps a bit arrogant in the market square, flaunting his modest wealth.

After observing several rogue cultivators exhibiting greedy glances from the shadows, Lei Dong swaggered out of the market. In a secluded spot, he captured them one by one. Three men and one woman, the highest among them only at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation, became Lei Dong’s test subjects.

Ignoring their desperate pleas, Lei Dong forced the Soul Beads into each of them. The result caused Lei Dong’s heart to grow utterly cold. Just like the mortals without spiritual roots, they writhed in agony. However, those with higher cultivation managed to endure for seven days before they too violently exploded.

Thus, Lei Dong completely abandoned any notion that the Soul Beads could improve his own aptitude. In fact, even if just one of those four rogue cultivators had succeeded, Lei Dong would never have experimented on himself. His own spiritual root talent was only slightly inferior to those with the aptitude of the Yin-Sha Dual Heroes; compared to the average disciple of the Yin-Sha Sect, it was slightly better; and compared to the vast majority of rogue cultivators, it was already quite exceptional.

Life was a single thread; Lei Dong had no desire to ingest a Soul Bead only to die by bursting open. Such a death would be far too foolish.

Having utterly discarded the idea of the Soul Beads, Lei Dong continued his flight toward his old home. Traveling intermittently, another half-month passed before Lei Dong reached the borderlands of the Yin-Sha Sect, arriving in the small state known as Wu. Having been away for over a decade, Lei Dong felt a touch of near-hometown apprehension, especially as he hovered above the quiet, peaceful town nestled beside the lake and mountain. His heart could not help but surge with excitement.

(To the brothers and sisters who enjoy casting rating tickets: please take note. Casting ten points has a vastly greater effect on the book’s standing than casting eight points; the former adds 2 popularity points, the latter only 1, and the latter actually lowers the overall rating. I trust that those willing to spend money on tickets genuinely enjoy this book, so why cast ratings like "not to be missed" or "worth reading"? You waste your money, the popularity increases slowly, and it causes me distress when the lowered rating upsets me. Therefore, I appeal: if you truly wish to cast a vote, please cast ten points. Of course, unless you intend to sabotage me—in which case, I can do nothing…)M