In the Endless Sea Domain, Lei Dong, clad in black armor with his wings spread wide, sat comfortably atop the main cannon of a flying vessel stretching over forty zhang. This was the newest flagship for Lei Dong’s squad, seized from an enemy and painstakingly upgraded in the black market at exorbitant cost with a single Fire Dragon Cannon.

A single high-grade spirit stone was required to fire a single shot of the Fire Dragon Cannon spell. Though its power fell slightly short of the Nether Fire Cannon, it was still a formidable weapon. This cannon might be common in Kangzhou, but in Zhaozhou, it was a rarity. Few flying ships carried spell cannons; even if they found a way to acquire one, they often lacked the requisite spirit stones.

The current conflict seemed to be drawing to a close. Qian Luo had boldly defeated a Golden Core cultivator in a direct duel. As for Qing Niangzi, Shangguan, and Old Zhao—all Foundation Establishment cultivators—their spiritual artifacts had seen massive upgrades; each now possessed two or three top-grade spiritual artifacts, placing their combat strength far beyond that of typical Foundation Establishment cultivators. They were currently engaging five enemy Foundation Establishment cultivators, handling them with casual ease and even indulging in games of cat and mouse.

Facing such a situation, Lei Dong lacked any desire to even enter the fray. Over the years, they had undoubtedly eliminated at least ten teams of this caliber. A tall, imposing Ghost General stood sentinel beside him in the void, radiating imposing power. On his other side, a massive Dark Mark Fierce Tiger, three zhang from tip to tail, lay resting in the void, allowing its master’s hand to gently stroke its head from time to time. Far from showing irritation, the fierce tiger displayed an expression of sheer pleasure. These two were, naturally, Lei Dong’s most treasured assets: the Critical Hit Ghost General and the Soul Devouring Shadow Tiger. After more than four years of continuous nurturing by Lei Dong, punctuated by timely feedings of the nascent souls of Golden Core cultivators, the beast had finally advanced to the Golden Core level. The Soul Devouring Shadow Tiger, now a Golden Core entity, seemed to finally unleash its true might, living up to its status as a primordial demonic beast carrying a trace of ancient divine beast bloodline. Against other Golden Core beasts of the same rank, it often gained a significant advantage, and even the Ghost General, now two levels higher in perceived strength, was no match for it. When Lei Dong unleashed both his ghost and tiger, even early-stage Golden Core cultivators were no match for him. This filled Lei Dong with immense satisfaction; at the tenth layer of the Foundation Establishment stage, he could already contend with early Golden Core cultivators—a feat considered utterly unimaginable by others, yet one he had achieved.

As for Qian Luo, in these years he had not only paid off all debts owed by his siblings but had also continually upgraded his array of magical treasures. Purely in terms of artifacts, he was likely among the elite of his cultivation tier, capable of holding Lei Dong to a stalemate, though unlikely to win. Yet, the longer he spent with Lei Dong, the more he admired the man. Although Lei Dong’s cultivation remained at the tenth layer of Foundation Establishment, still distant from the Golden Core realm, Qian Luo regarded him not just as an equal but held him in deep reverence and adoration. Nominally the captain, Qian Luo deferred to Lei Dong’s judgment in all matters; Lei Dong was, in reality, the squad’s true leader. Qian Luo harbored a blind conviction that Lei Dong would one day become a renowned hero, one of the overlords whose name would shake the world. Qian Luo considered himself possessing few true talents, but his judgment of character was always his proudest asset. Recognizing and sincerely recruiting Lei Dong in the first place was the greatest benefit of his entire life. From a down-on-his-luck Foundation Establishment cultivator to a respected Golden Core powerhouse who drew reverent gazes wherever he went—all this was given by Lei Dong. Without him, Qian Luo might still be piloting his rickety old ship on the periphery of the Endless Sea, struggling against Golden Core beasts, praying desperately whenever he encountered another crew. Perhaps he would have already been annihilated by another team, becoming someone else’s spoils and stepping stone. Especially after years of predatory activity, Qian Luo now grasped the sheer terror and peril of the Endless Sea. Looking back, he marveled at his own youthful audacity in daring to venture out with just a few Foundation Establishment cultivators; it was the courage of the ignorant. Even Qian Luo, a Golden Core cultivator, felt profound awe for Lei Dong. For Qing Niangzi, Shangguan, and Old Zhao, Lei Dong was practically divine. Without him, how could they casually consume Soul Transformation Pills? How could they possess two or three top-grade spiritual artifacts each? How could they afford powerful talismans, puppets, or even potent spell techniques and cultivation methods? Lei Dong’s arrival brought them a total transformation, a qualitative leap in both cultivation and equipment.

The three of them were not old, only slightly older than Lei Dong. To reach their current level at their age spoke to considerable innate talent. Now, under the incredibly lavish regimen of elixirs, they followed Lei Dong’s example, using the most extravagant Foundation Establishment elixir: the Soul Transformation Pill. Of course, they consumed it normally, unlike Lei Dong, who treated it almost like candy, consuming one daily during practice. Even so, their cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. Zhao Ge, Qing Niangzi, and Shangguan Hong all progressed from the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment to the tenth layer over the five or six years with Lei Dong. Thus, Lei Dong’s squad was now entirely composed of late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Furthermore, it was likely that, across the entire Endless Sea Domain, Lei Dong’s squad boasted the highest average quality of spiritual artifacts.

The longer they spent with Lei Dong, the deeper their regard evolved—from admiration to awe, and finally, to veneration. Every member looked to Lei Dong for direction. The reason was simple: in those five or six years, Lei Dong had not only led them to wealth and established their current status and power, but more crucially, in the perpetually perilous Endless Sea, Lei Dong had saved their lives countless times. Even Qian Luo owed his survival to Lei Dong on more than one occasion. In short, without Lei Dong, they would long ago have become food for demonic beasts or souls claimed by the blades of their enemies.

Qian Luo recognized the good character of the crew, and he firmly etched every life-saving act by Lei Dong into his memory. All his actions were guided by Lei Dong’s will.

During a skirmish involving the Lei Dong squad, a dark-faced cultivator battling Qing Niangzi erupted in a cloud of black mist, attempting to break through using a secret technique. However, Qing Niangzi, fully prepared, let out a cascade of delicate laughter. From her delicate mouth issued a stream of fine white silk that instantly coalesced into a net, enveloping the escaping foe. Simultaneously, a top-grade spiritual artifact flying needle shot out like a lightning-fast sliver of light, piercing the cultivator’s protective aura without hesitation and sinking directly into his temple, shattering his nascent soul. Violent yet precise energy rampaged through the dark-faced cultivator’s spirit. In an instant, he died with a look of agonizing pain.

This was one of Qing Niangzi’s newly acquired top-grade spiritual artifacts, the Soul Piercing Needle, which was almost impossible to guard against, easily breaching defenses to attack the spirit. Once struck, death was almost certain. As if seeking praise, she cast a flirtatious glance toward Lei Dong, who was sitting far off at the bow of the ship, seemingly lost in thought. Lei Dong, however, acted as if oblivious to her stellar performance, his gaze fixed distantly, clearly contemplating his "dear wife." Qing Niangzi thought resentfully; she had learned years ago that Lei Dong already had a wife back home, which was why he had refused her own past confession.

The battle concluded swiftly. The team, now practiced and efficient, secured the battlefield and collected the spoils. Lei Dong rarely fought anymore, especially in engagements of this level; the three of them, plus Qian Luo, could manage entirely. Only when they were overwhelmed, or if an enemy possessed a uniquely powerful flight technique, would Lei Dong be called upon. And when Lei Dong acted, almost no one ever escaped.

Of course, the Lei Dong squad had faced stronger foes. Two years prior, an encounter with a team comprising one early-stage and one mid-stage Golden Core cultivator nearly annihilated the entire squad. They barely escaped because Lei Dong risked his life to intercept the mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. Lei Dong himself suffered severe injuries in that incident, requiring nearly two months to recover. It was precisely because of that event that every member of the squad held an immense sense of adoration, gratitude, and respect for Lei Dong. By his own capabilities, escaping alone would have been effortless for him, yet he chose to intercept the stronger opponent. In this world steeped in selfishness where survival was paramount, a teammate like Lei Dong was exceptionally rare.

Regrettably, the others remained ignorant of the truth: Lei Dong’s injuries in that encounter were entirely self-inflicted, and the severity was exaggerated. In truth, if Lei Dong had not been confident in stopping the mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, he would never have gambled his life. He had initially refrained from challenging Qian Luo for dominance simply because his own foundation felt too shallow. Now, after five or six years of cultivation, he had finally solidified the loyalty of every member of the squad.

Moreover, this could not be called deceit; it was merely strategy. For Lei Dong had gathered intelligence over the years regarding the path back to Kangzhou. That route was notoriously treacherous. Without a powerful, unified team, Lei Dong had no confidence in traversing it alone.