With a roar, Lei Dong transformed into a tempest of black wind and shadow, tearing through space. In a single breath, he covered several miles, suspending himself mid-air, wings fluttering slightly, arms crossed, observing the incoming streak of cyan light with keen interest. After a short while, Qian Luo finally halted before Lei Dong, his expression strained, before letting out a wry laugh. "Now I finally understand why those Foundation Establishment cultivators could never escape your grasp. This wing artifact of yours is truly absurd. It must be worth tens of millions of spirit stones, at least?"

Tens of millions? Heh. What a joke. Of course, Lei Dong couldn't be bothered to reveal the true worth of the item, lest he utterly shock the impoverished Golden Core cultivator before him. The whole charade was simply Lei Dong's way of giving Qian Luo a necessary nudge. After all, a cultivator’s mindset shifts dramatically between the Foundation Establishment stage and the Golden Core stage—much like how an established cultivator naturally adopts a superior air when dealing with a powerless mortal.

Frankly, from Lei Dong’s observations, Qian Luo possessed a good character, with a high likelihood of reciprocating kindness. However, mindset was an entirely different matter. While gratitude might compel him to look after a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like Lei Dong, what Lei Dong truly demanded was an attitude of equality. In this world, the only way to compel others to view you as an equal was to conquer them with sheer strength.

Furthermore, Lei Dong needed to issue a subtle warning to Qian Luo. Though still in the Foundation Establishment realm, he was emphatically not some clay figure to be carelessly molded. This was also a safeguard against unforeseen developments—perhaps an error in judging Qian Luo, or a shift in his attitude following some future event. A strong display of power now would preemptively smooth over any potential unpleasantness later.

"Captain Qian, shall we continue?" Lei Dong asked with a smile.

"Continue what nonsense? It’d be a miracle if I could even keep up with you," Qian Luo grumbled, a mixture of frustration and relief in his tone. "But thinking about it, the stronger you are, the better it is for me." Indeed, his demeanor toward Lei Dong had already undergone a subtle shift.

"Since the contest is over, Captain Qian, don't forget you owe me eleven million spirit stones," Lei Dong grinned, his eyes narrowing.

"Ugh, no, no, we need to find someone to rob," Qian Luo wailed, his face the picture of misery. "Otherwise, when will I ever pay off everyone’s debts? Once we reach the Endless Sea Region, we’ll hunt down other teams. Preferably those without Golden Core cultivators, for safety. Luckily, I have the Primal Form Revealed; if we’re cautious, we can use it to completely bypass Golden Core scrutiny. I’ve noticed that even the divine sense range of a Golden Core cultivator is far inferior to that artifact’s reach." After partnering with Lei Dong in a successful counter-robbery, the immense profit had turned him into someone addicted to the taste of sweet reward.

"Captain Qian, can’t you aspire to something more?" Lei Dong asked with an arch smile. "The Golden Core cultivators are the truly wealthy ones. With a bit of luck, taking down one Core cultivator is worth eight or ten Foundation Establishment ones. A few successful hits would be enough to clear all your debts."

"No, no," Qian Luo shook his head vehemently, like a rattle drum. "I just ascended to the Golden Core stage; I'm not yet familiar with the combat tactics at this level. More importantly, I'm broke—I have no spirit stones to purchase powerful magical treasures. In a direct fight, I’m probably no match for anyone."

"Never mind that; you’ll see soon enough," Lei Dong mused, thinking of his own Critical Strike Ghost Guard. It was a shame he couldn't feed it all the Golden Core demonic beasts at once; it needed time to digest. Still, he estimated a month or so would suffice. Once the Ghost General fully formed, his own strength would soar. Collaborating with Qian Luo, dealing with ordinary Golden Core cultivators shouldn't pose much of a problem.

Qian Luo had no idea what Lei Dong was scheming. As they spoke, the flying boat finally drew alongside them. Qing Niangzi shouted from the deck, "What are you two doing, not finishing your race?"

"Race? Finish what damn race?" Qian Luo shot Lei Dong an exasperated glare, acting as if the young man had deliberately tricked him out of a high-grade spirit stone. He leaped onto the deck and muttered mournfully, "This kid is too monstrous. I’m never falling for his tricks again. The gap is too wide, far too wide." Despite calling him 'kid' repeatedly, it was clear from his tone that his attitude toward Lei Dong had shifted to one of absolute equality and even familiarity.

Everyone on board stared at Lei Dong in stunned silence, collectively sucking in a sharp breath. He truly was monstrous—even a Golden Core cultivator called him that. Previously, everyone knew Lei Dong was powerful.

But in their hearts, they had attributed his strength merely to superior cultivation techniques, ample spirit stones, and better artifacts. Powerful, yes, but certainly not comparable to a Golden Core cultivator.

This was a psychological barrier; the Golden Core stage was the ultimate goal for all of them, perhaps the zenith of their lives. They held a deep reverence, yearning, almost sacred feeling toward the Golden Core realm. It represented a beautiful hope: ascension meant the power to command the world, to roam freely across the heavens and the earth. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator to be on par with a Golden Core expert was previously unthinkable. Consequently, their perception of Lei Dong now became shrouded in greater mystery. Some even secretly wondered if he was a Golden Core cultivator masquerading as a Foundation Establishment disciple to experience mortal life, perhaps even one in the mid or late stages of the Core realm.

Their speculation wasn't entirely unfounded. Logically, a Foundation Establishment cultivator simply should not reach this level of terrifying might. Even within the most elite sects, individuals this formidable were exceedingly rare.

This large flying boat, of respectable quality, proved excellent—fast and remarkably stable during flight. Unlike Qian Luo’s previous smaller vessel, which would shudder violently in even a moderate storm, this one handled the elements smoothly. Storms and torrential rain were commonplace in the unshielded vastness of the Endless Sea Region, where even a slight breeze could whip up waves several dozen feet high. Furthermore, its speed was double that of the smaller craft.

As a result, in just half a month, they reached the periphery of the Endless Sea Region. Upon arrival, Qian Luo’s nerves immediately tightened. Out at sea, anything could happen. Qian Luo spent his days constantly sweeping the waters with his Primal Form Revealed. The speed of the boat proved advantageous; within ten-odd days, Qian Luo detected a Golden Core demonic beast lurking beneath the waves—a common one-eyed sea demon, typical of the Golden Core tier, possessing no remarkable features. Yet, even so, it held the inherent value of a standard Golden Core beast.

During this time, Lei Dong’s Critical Strike Ghost Guard had been steadily devouring the captured Golden Core beasts. After consuming the final one, it transformed into a chrysalis cocoon and entered a promotion phase, rendering it temporarily unable to fight. Nevertheless, with Old Zhao’s formations, Qian Luo’s authentic Golden Core status, and Lei Dong’s sheer power, the group annihilated this one-eyed sea demon with ease and virtually no risk.

This initial victory greatly boosted the crew's morale, and they immediately clamored to pursue the next Golden Core beast.

They roamed the Endless Sea Region for three more months. Whether it was Qian Luo's ascension bringing good fortune or the faster boat increasing efficiency, the group managed to dispatch five more Golden Core demonic beasts during this period, smashing Qian Luo’s previous record of three. The continuous haul pushed the crew into a state of near-feverish excitement. But Lei Dong was even happier: after such a long wait, the Critical Strike Ghost Guard, which had been sealed in its cocoon, finally emerged from its promotion.

Though confined within the Soul Nurturing Pagoda, the Critical Strike Ghost Guard—no, the Critical Strike Ghost General—was now a third taller than before. Under the effects of the Ghost Controlling Art, an entire suit of awe-inspiring Soul Armor had coalesced around it; the plates were savage and fierce. Even when Lei Dong submerged his divine sense to observe it, he felt an overwhelming aura of ferocious dominance rushing toward him. A Ghost General, indeed, possessing the presence of a true sovereign.

Coincidentally, just two days later, Qian Luo exclaimed with excitement, "About twenty miles off the port bow, there seems to be another Golden Core demonic beast. Hopefully, it’s a valuable specimen." Even among Golden Core beasts, rare varieties fetched significantly higher prices. The most famous example Lei Dong had heard of was the Dragon Turtle.

With a burst of excitement, the crew steered the boat toward the sea directly above the target. Gazing at the turbulent, surging waves below, everyone began assisting Old Zhao in setting up the formation. Lei Dong, however, proposed, "Captain Qian, this time, let me try taking on that beast solo."

"Solo?" Qian Luo hesitated. "While grinding down a Golden Core beast is only a matter of time, Old Zhao's formation won't hold indefinitely."

"Don't worry; I just want to test it. If it doesn't work, I’ll let Captain Qian step in." Lei Dong’s expression was placid. His desire for a solo fight was naturally fueled by the need to gauge the power of the newly formed Critical Strike Ghost General. Theoretically, the Ghost General and an early-stage Golden Core beast were peers, but which was truly superior remained to be verified, depending on the specific type of beast—for instance, one that countered the Ghost General, like the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger, would be a poor matchup.

Hearing this, Qian Luo readily agreed. Once the formation was complete, Lei Dong flew down to the sea surface, raised his hand, and hurled a Nether Fire Pellet into the water. It plunged nearly a hundred zhang deep before detonating violently. Soon after, strong underwater currents surfaced, and the enraged Golden Core demonic beast revealed its back.

"A Dragon Turtle?" Qian Luo shrieked in ecstatic disbelief.