If this were in Kang Province, offending an island master like that wouldn't matter much; after all, he had the backing of an entire Sect. But here, in this place called Zhao Zhou, within the Chaotic Archipelago, he was entirely alone and dependent on no one, so maintaining a low profile was paramount. After wandering around for another half a day, he found a place selling some flesh and blood of Golden Core demonic beasts, but the asking price was exorbitant, and even the quantity offered wasn't nearly enough to stuff the Critical Hit Ghost Guard's teeth.

After much deliberation, the only way to acquire the flesh and blood of Golden Core demonic beasts was to venture out to sea himself. Lei Dong had considered whether to hunt alone or form a team. If he went solo, firstly, Lei Dong was unfamiliar with these waters.

Secondly, he likely couldn't handle a Golden Core demonic beast alone, especially since these beasts were all creatures of the sea. After much thought, teaming up seemed the most prudent approach. As for those who might scheme for profit and commit murder, as long as they weren't at the Golden Core stage, Lei Dong didn't take them seriously.

Even if he encountered a Golden Core expert, if Lei Dong judged he couldn't win, escaping shouldn't be an issue. This was one of the crucial factors making Lei Dong confident enough to sail out: the Asura Wings. Having this as his safety net filled Lei Dong with absolute certainty. This was a rare treasure he had gone to great lengths and expense to refine specifically to guard against Golden Core cultivators.

Adjusting the black robe he wore, he urged some more Nether Ghost Qi to blur his appearance. After turning a few corners, Lei Dong arrived at a large square in the center of the small town. In the massive square stood hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators packed together. This was the largest congregation of Foundation Establishment cultivators Lei Dong had ever witnessed, even more than at the Yin Sha Sect's main square. This illustrated just how many Foundation Establishment cultivators had come here seeking fortune.

Lei Dong didn't use his divine sense; instead, he slowly scanned the square with his eyes. Although he had only been here a day, he already knew that on Canglan Island, using one's divine sense to sweep over others was considered taboo. It seemed every Foundation Establishment cultivator was someone not to be trifled with. Some deliberately dressed themselves bizarrely, and when your eyes lingered, they would shoot you a fierce glare.

At least half the cultivators were alone, finding a clear patch of ground to sit cross-legged. While they appeared to be conserving energy, every single one here was extremely vigilant. The slightest disturbance could trigger a sudden, violent attack. The remaining cultivators were in twos and threes, or gathered in larger groups, forming small circles. Within these small circles, there was clearly a leader. And those leaders were almost always late-stage Foundation Establishment experts, each carrying a fierce expression, returning Lei Dong's gaze with defiance when his eyes swept over them.

Lei Dong, at the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment, enveloped in swirling black mist, clearly didn't look like an easy opponent. Cultivators who reached this level were considered regional experts and were highly sought after. Lei Dong had barely walked a short distance before he heard two team leaders send him private messages extending invitations to team up. As for why they used private messages, Lei Dong speculated it was perhaps to avoid the embarrassment of rejection.

"One share. If you pass my test, I'll give you one and a half," one captain opened the conversation.

"I am at the peak of the twelfth layer of Foundation Establishment," another captain transmitted to Lei Dong. "I have been to sea five times and returned fully loaded every time. Brother, are you interested in joining our team? The reward absolutely won't let you down. Seeing your eighth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation, are you perhaps hoping to strike it rich and buy pills to break through to the late stage?"

If he hadn't mentioned it, Lei Dong wouldn't have felt anything unusual. He then noticed that many cultivators seemed stuck at a major bottleneck—for example, the fourth, eighth, or twelfth layers of Foundation Establishment. Lei Dong understood; these people must be desperately short of spirit stones, extremely short. Especially those at the twelfth layer of Foundation Establishment, where the bottleneck was most terrifying; there was a high chance they might never break through to Golden Core in their lifetime. And the resources required for each attempt at breakthrough were astronomical. The spiritual herbs, pills, or even raw materials capable of helping a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator break through to the Golden Core stage were absolute sky-high prices.

This was normal, after all. There wasn't a single Foundation Establishment cultivator, especially one who had painstakingly cultivated to the peak, who didn't wish to reach the Golden Core stage. If given a hundred percent chance of breaking through to the Golden Core, perhaps anything could be traded except their own life. This urgent mentality, coupled with other factors, caused the prices of rare spiritual items to soar to intimidating heights. This was precisely why Lei Dong had placed such importance on Qi Feifei, even going so far as to violate his principle of killing every enemy he faced just to spare her life—it was for this very reason.

Lei Dong didn't care much about his own cultivation level, but he was extremely interested in the captain's experience of going out to sea five times. So, he replied: "Five times? How many Golden Core demonic beasts did you take down?" As he spoke, Lei Dong glanced almost imperceptibly at the peak Foundation Establishment captain. He couldn't discern his exact age; the man looked middle-aged, with the head of a leopard and hawk-like eyes, and a fierce scar across his left cheek, making him appear very difficult to provoke. His current squad also consisted of four people, all with decent cultivation, around the seventh or eighth layer. Clearly, this old fox was very picky about his teammates.

"Don't worry, the team's efficiency is guaranteed. Every time we go out, taking one or two months, we secure about two or three heads," the leopard-headed captain continued transmitting when he sensed Lei Dong’s interest. "Brother, although our team isn't the strongest on Canglan Island, we are all elites above the seventh layer. Moreover, our casualty rate is very low, and we are united internally. Look at these fellows; the one who has been with me the least has sailed twice, and the longest, five times. I, the captain, have impeccable character; if the distribution is unfair, feel free to beat or curse me." The captain seemed to know that those who hunted for profit might not fear external enemies, but the true fear lay in betrayal from within their own ranks.

Two or three heads? Lei Dong was slightly taken aback; that seemed like quite a few. Before coming here, he had inquired at some shops. Generally, a team that secured a Golden Core demonic beast eight or nine times out of ten voyages was considered quite good. However, the captain's words were unsubstantiated, and Lei Dong couldn't trust him completely. Fortunately, Lei Dong didn't need to trust anyone. In this place, the only thing reliable was his own strength. So what if they were peak Foundation Establishment? Lei Dong believed that unless they were Golden Core cultivators, or peak Foundation Establishment cultivators from top-tier major sects, he wouldn't feel much dread. After all, in the East Sea Star Islands, he held the moniker Ghost Asura. The number of Foundation Establishment cultivators whose lives he had taken was uncountable.

"As for payment, I want the Golden Core demonic beasts," Lei Dong began transmitting his terms.

Upon hearing this, the captain's expression shifted slightly, becoming somewhat unfriendly. He transmitted angrily, "Brother, your demand is too high. The spoils from hunting Golden Core demonic beasts belong to everyone. Go find someone else; our team cannot afford to serve you." This display of anger suggested he misunderstood Lei Dong as wanting to monopolize the entire haul.

His reaction, however, made Lei Dong trust his character a little more. He continued transmitting, "What I mean is, I require the Golden Core demonic beasts, but I am willing to purchase the shares belonging to the other teammates with spirit stones."

The captain was slightly stunned, pausing before transmitting back, "What do you need Golden Core demonic beasts for? Are you skilled in artifact refining, alchemy, or...?" His surprise was understandable. Most cultivators who came here were seeking spirit stones to buy pills and herbs for breakthroughs. Those who arrived with spirit stones specifically to purchase Golden Core demonic beasts were rare.

"What I need the demonic beasts for seems to be overstepping the bounds of propriety, fellow Daoist," Lei Dong replied with a touch of dissatisfaction. "It only depends on whether you are willing or not."

"The Golden Core demonic beasts we hunt are all sold to Island Master Shang after signing an agreement," the captain hesitated.

"This Lei is willing to forgo my own share of the spoils and instead purchase the flesh, blood, and beast souls of the Golden Core demonic beasts at full price," Lei Dong lacked many things, but spirit stones were not among them currently.

A free laborer who pays full price for the flesh and blood? The captain's eyes immediately lit up. After all, such a good deal didn't come along often. However, he didn't make an immediate decision, instead consulting with his teammates. After a short while, he transmitted back with a tone that sounded slightly heavy, "Brother Lei, the teammates have agreed to your requirement. But there are two small conditions. One, you cannot use this to slack off or become passive in your work. After all, if we lose one person's strength, perhaps everyone could be wiped out by the Golden Core beast. Two, we cannot give you all the prey, as it would likely be difficult to explain to Island Master Shang. Of course, you will receive a share of the spoils equivalent to what would have been sold to Island Master Shang."

"A very fair trade," Lei Dong felt a little more hopeful about this team in his heart. He most feared teams that blindly agreed to everything. This captain, on the surface, seemed somewhat honest. Lei Dong agreed, "This Lei accepts joining your team."

Upon hearing Lei Dong's words, the captain's expression relaxed. For him, selling the Golden Core demonic beasts to anyone was the same; he would sell to whomever offered more money. He was only wary of Island Master Shang throwing a tantrum. The captain showed a slight hint of joy on his face: "Let's go, we'll leave the island for a bit. Brother Lei, please don't be offended. I am very particular about teammates. Although I trust you, the rules must be followed. Firstly, it is to test your strength and see what spoils allocation you earn. Secondly, it's to understand your strengths and weaknesses from your fighting style so we can arrange tactics accordingly."

Lei Dong felt his reasoning was sound; it was natural to familiarize oneself with a new member. Moreover, in this world, there truly were cultivators with high levels of attainment but disappointingly poor actual combat ability. He felt no annoyance and cupped his hands: "Captain, please lead the way."

Including Lei Dong, the six of them flew out past the island. The captain scanned the team and then said, "Shangguan, go and exchange pointers with Brother Lei." (To be continued. For future developments, please log in to Qidian for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)