With the aid of the Minor Vitality Restoring Elixir, Lei Dong managed several more bursts of speed. However, each time, his direction was not fixed, but chosen entirely at whim. In a short span, the sky remained the same familiar expanse, and the sea, the same endless blue. Yet, Lei Dong knew he had traversed dozens of li. For a cultivator, a mere score of li might not seem far. But to cover such a distance in the span of ten breaths was terrifying.

Lei Dong did not pause. Instead, he summoned the Ghost Shroud, wrapping himself in a sheath of black mist, transforming into a dark haze as he sped toward a single destination. The Ghost Shroud was a long-distance flying artifact, and the one Lei Dong possessed was equivalent to a top-grade treasure. If he were willing to inject his true energy, given a moment to accelerate, it could sustain a top speed approaching three thousand li per hour, almost matching the Netherworld No. 9.

Of course, Lei Dong’s true energy was nearly depleted. He had to rely solely on the inherent flight power of the Ghost Shroud, driven by the specters within. The speed likely wouldn't reach its peak, but two thousand li per hour was certainly attainable. Before long, the mass of black mist accelerated, skimming just above the surface of the ocean, rushing forward at incredible velocity. The closer it hugged the water, the better it merged with the waves and the deep color of the sea, making detection difficult. The cresting waves, and even the occasional large fish leaping to chase the disturbance, created substantial interference for any pursuer’s spiritual sense scans.

Ignoring the rapid flight of the Ghost Shroud for a moment, Lei Dong consciously relaxed his entire body, swallowing another Minor Vitality Restoring Elixir during the high-speed travel to ensure his aura continuously regenerated. The sea held too many dangers; Lei Dong dared not plunge into the depths to hide. Should he encounter an aquatic demon beast of the Core Formation level, his life would surely be forfeit. Using anything like a False Death Pellet was out of the question. The only solution was escape, the faster the better. The vast ocean presented an immense challenge for both the pursued and the pursuer. For the latter, the sheer boundlessness of the sea made tracking down an individual exceedingly difficult. For the former, being lost in the immensity of the ocean meant finding a place to land or conceal oneself was equally hard.

A full incense stick’s time passed. Lei Dong felt a slight easing in his tension. Just as he mused that perhaps Wang Lei had chased in the wrong direction, a strange, peculiar disturbance erupted from beneath the waves, startling Lei Dong into sharp alertness. He swept his spiritual sense downward and broke out in a cold sweat. Beneath the surface, a mere few zhang down, a colossal, massive shadow was tracking him with astonishing speed yet utter silence, and its form was visibly rising.

A Tyrant Fish? No, the manifestation in his divine sense felt wrong. Tyrant Fish were generally long and slender [as noted in The Archfiend’s Journal, Update by Xiao Mei]. This sea monster gave him the distinct impression of possessing numerous tentacles. Without a second thought, Lei Dong urged the Ghost Shroud upward, carving a long arc diagonally into the sky. The monster beneath the sea seemed to sense his attempt to flee. A tentacle shot out of the water, whipping toward him with lightning speed, its velocity easily more than double Lei Dong’s flight speed.

Lei Dong’s heart tightened with profound alarm. His Crimson Refining Flying Sword flashed out, its crimson flame searing the damp air, producing a plume of white smoke as it whistled down to slash the appendage.

Sssshhh— A grating, piercing shriek erupted from the seabed. That sword strike from Lei Dong was undeniably potent, severing the tentacle as thick as a thigh. However, the counterforce transmitted through the spiritual sense clinging to the Crimson Refining made his head throb painfully. But he couldn't afford to dwell on it; he continued pulling upward. Just then, a water jet lashed out.

The Indestructible Spirit Shield manifested, arcane and incomprehensible runes glowing intensely. With a resounding boom, it intercepted the jet, which was as dark and viscous as ink. The impact sent Lei Dong, along with the Ghost Shroud, tumbling deep into the sky.

This thing was truly ferocious; Lei Dong dared not slow down to identify it. His Asura Wings suddenly unfurled on his back. With a powerful beat, Lei Dong, enveloped in black light, vanished from his position. He reappeared several li away. Forcing down the turbulent blood and energy churning within him, he dared not fly close to the water anymore. He shot straight ahead hundreds of zhang high, still piloting the Ghost Shroud. Glancing back, he saw no sign of the sea beast. A great wave of relief washed over him, his back already slick with sweat. If his awareness had lagged even slightly, he might have ended up as food for that savage creature. That thing probably captured passing fliers regularly; it had a whole repertoire of tricks. Although he knew the ocean was fraught with peril, this was his first time separated from the team, and he had nearly met total destruction. The memory left him deeply shaken.

Another half incense stick’s time passed.

“Hee-hee, little Lei boy, you made me work for this. Surrender now, save me the trouble of swatting you dead with one palm.”

Wang Lei had appeared behind Lei Dong unnoticed, just two or three li distant. He sent out a dazzling burst of light, like a shooting star, hurtling toward Lei Dong. His acceleration far surpassed Lei Dong’s current speed while relying on the Ghost Shroud’s own momentum. At this distance, it would take less than fifty breaths for him to close the gap completely. Lei Dong was horrified; this fellow was simply too terrifying. He had fled so far, weaving and turning, yet Wang Lei had tracked him down. Core Formation cultivators were indeed not to be trifled with. Although, perhaps the clash with that monstrous fish had created enough noise or energy to betray his location.

Using the same escape method as before was clearly insufficient. Lei Dong learned from experience. He immediately converted the true energy he had just managed to restore into Netherworld Ghost Qi and poured it into the Ghost Shroud. The already swift Ghost Shroud seemed to have been injected with adrenaline, its speed increasing by another significant margin, lagging only slightly behind Wang Lei.

This flying artifact startled the smug Wang Lei in the distance. He shouted across the expanse, “You little brat, how many top-grade spirit artifacts do you have on you? You’re infuriating me! I, a dignified Master Refiner, am not as rich as you!”

“Heh heh,” Lei Dong chuckled darkly, then commanded the Asura Wings with another thought, flashing forward once more, widening the gap between them to over six li. He did not maintain the burst but instead urged the Ghost Shroud forward. Simultaneously, he swallowed another pill and gripped a high-grade spirit stone. While flying at this pace was still a fraction slower than Wang Lei’s pursuit, Wang Lei wouldn't catch him in a moment or two either.

The pursuer took the next half incense stick’s time to close the distance back to within two li. Lei Dong, in turn, flashed forward again, stretching the distance back to six li. Wang Lei closed in, and Lei Dong flashed out again. Although each burst consumed nearly a tenth of Lei Dong’s true energy, the continuous recovery provided by the Minor Vitality Pills allowed him to maintain peak condition. Of course, sustaining this required an endless supply of Minor Vitality Restoring Elixirs.

However, if Lei Dong executed a flash every half incense stick, one Minor Vitality Restoring Elixir could sustain him for a full hour or more, as his strength continuously replenished even during full-speed flight. Wang Lei, toyed with like this, was initially furious, planning how he would torture the boy once he caught him. But when he realized the lad showed no sign of true energy depletion—in fact, seeming more spirited the farther he fled—his resolve wavered.

After chasing back and forth for over an hour, Wang Lei finally roared in frustration, “Kid, that’s enough, enough! I know you’re tough. Stop it, stop it! My old bones can’t take this chase anymore.” Wang Lei had lost his conviction. This boy seemed laden with top-grade spirit artifacts and certainly wouldn't lack pills. Chasing him for another ten thousand li would yield the same result.

Lei Dong turned back and laughed heartily, “Senior Wang, I yield, I yield.” Saying this, he slowly halted the Ghost Shroud to wait for him.

Once he stopped, Wang Lei quickly caught up, already exhausted from the long chase. He stared with envy at the flamboyant and domineering Asura King Wings on Lei Dong’s back, praising them without reservation. “These are unquestionably the finest spirit artifacts I have ever forged, bar none. Kid, I can proudly tell you that even if you meet a middling late-stage Core Formation cultivator, you now have a chance to escape.”

Lei Dong smiled wryly, “Senior, you flatter yourself too much! But speaking of which, these wings are indeed effective. I feel there is still much potential in them that I haven't unlocked.”

“Naturally! Treasures forged from the Asura King’s essence couldn’t possibly be ordinary!” Wang Lei glared at him impatiently. “Such a treasure, if not peerless, is still exceedingly rare. It’s quite an accomplishment for a mere sixth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator like you to even use them, let alone harness their full potential? Hmph, it’s almost an insult to the crafting!”

“Indeed, they are fine,” the faint voice of Tian Mo drifted up from behind them. Unbeknownst to him, she was already standing in the air, hands clasped behind her back, her expression impassive. “Lei Dong, go back and refine them further; their efficiency can certainly be improved. However, the most crucial element is still raising your cultivation level.”

Lei Dong looked at his wings, growing more pleased the longer he gazed. It wasn't just their incredible utility, nor simply their priceless value; there was a crucial third factor. These wings were stunningly imposing. Fully spread, the span reached sixty or seventy chi. They were dark and mysterious, and, crucially, they moved with slow, deliberate sweeps without requiring any conscious effort from him, allowing him to hover effortlessly. Coupled with Lei Dong’s pitch-black battle armor, he appeared entirely like a peerless Demon King.