The eight remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators on the enemy side were utterly dumbfounded. Dozens of zhang away from the group, they halted their escaping lights, hovering in the air, afraid to advance further, yet unwilling to retreat outright. Lei Dong and the others, however, had lost all desire to pursue and kill; their entire focus shifted to the Amorous Scholar. Top-tier, high-powered spirit artifacts and spells rained down upon him in a furious assault.

Boom! Various flames danced across the sky, their clashing might creating ripples of energy that burst outward in all directions. Clearly, the Amorous Scholar, already straining to maintain his defense, could not endure it any longer. After Qing Niangzi’s Soul-Shattering Needle nearly pierced his temple, Lei Dong unleashed a Black Dragon’s Roar that struck him squarely in the chest, right where his broken shield had been.

Unless one specialized in external body refinement, a Golden Core cultivator, without protective shields or true qi barriers, stood virtually no chance of being impervious to blades or spears. Moreover, the spirit artifacts and spells wielded by Lei Dong and his contingent of Foundation Establishment cultivators were far from ordinary. Thanks to the accumulation of vast amounts of spirit stones, their strength clearly surpassed that of typical Foundation Establishment practitioners.

The Amorous Scholar could only muster a thin layer of gangqi around his skin to ward off Lei Dong's Black Dragon’s Roar. Under the immense impact, he was blasted backward, spitting blood. Simultaneously, he roared in fury, "If you don't advance now, you'll face the Hall’s disciplinary action!" His face instantly turned ashen; he had clearly fractured several ribs.

Ordinarily, the Amorous Scholar held those Foundation Establishment cultivators in contempt, yet at this crucial moment, he was utterly dependent on them to save his life.

Intimidated by the terrifying regulations of the White Bone Hall, the terrified Foundation Establishment cultivators reluctantly urged their lights forward. However, their speed lagged noticeably. A mere few dozen zhang felt like an insurmountable distance, an unreachable horizon. The Amorous Scholar was so enraged he nearly vomited blood, but the ensuing, overwhelming barrage forced him to focus on the fierce engagement. Still, he was cunning enough to fight while retreating, maneuvering toward the main body of his forces.

With just one or two exchanges, the two groups were fully locked in combat. Despite the fear permeating the Foundation Establishment ranks, they were forced to fight desperately as their lives hung in the balance. With the pressure shared by his subordinates, the Amorous Scholar finally managed to catch a slight breath. He produced a white skull, which instantly transformed into a streak of light soaring toward the firmament.

Lei Dong paused slightly, a sense of foreboding washing over him. This item was either for communication or designed to create a massive disturbance to summon aid. However, just as he prepared to unfurl his Asura Wings to intercept the white skull, the three Foundation Establishment cultivators targeting him launched a coordinated attack. Flames, ice cones, and a constantly spinning wheel-like spirit artifact sealed off every possible escape route. If Lei Dong forced his wings open, he was likely to be struck squarely. He immediately calmed his mind, initiating his Ghost Shadow Evasion Technique, becoming a phantomlike shadow that trailed a string of afterimages. He danced between the menacing attacks; for those he truly couldn't evade, he used his Indestructible Spirit Shield to grit through the impact.

Yet, at that very moment, not far away, a white light erupted from the two large flying ships belonging to the White Bone Hall. In the semi-dark sky, it appeared like a brilliant shooting star. It caught up to the white skull at extreme velocity, followed by another burst of white aurora that streaked directly toward the sea, violently hurling the white skull underwater.

Two or three breaths later, the white skull detonated. By divine sense, though the explosive power was not overwhelming, the resulting brilliance enveloped several li of the sea, nearly blinding everyone’s eyes.

Everyone was startled. If this thing had detonated at a higher altitude, it could have spread for at least ten li, forming a massive sphere of light. Furthermore, this was White Bone Hall territory. Who knew how many enemies that enormous light sphere might attract? Even Lei Dong’s heart clenched, thankful that the person in the blindingly fast streak of light had intercepted the skull.

But that escaping light’s speed was truly staggering, almost matching the pace of his own Asura Wings. Lei Dong cautiously handled his opponents while musing internally: why did that (escape light) feel so familiar? Could it be…

"Tantai Bingyun, you’re insane!" the Amorous Scholar shrieked, his face crimson. "Don't you know the severity of the Hall’s regulations?"

Hearing that name sent a tremor through Lei Dong. This name probably wasn't a common one, for even if it were a coincidence, this person couldn't possess such terrifying escape speed. It appeared Tantai Bingyun had suffered a fate similar to his own—being tossed into this chaotic archipelago sea by the Sea God's Wrath. Only their subsequent experiences must have differed. And it was precisely in the Amorous Scholar's shock and distraction over being betrayed that Qian Luo, who feared Black Iron Tower might escape his seal, finally seized an opportunity.

He flicked out one of his treasures: the Iron Mother Gall. This gall was spherical, barely the size of a fist, yet it weighed over a thousand jin. Refined through special methods, its power was irresistible, positioning it between a high-grade and a top-tier Dharma Treasure. With a whoosh, the Iron Mother Gall shot upward, like a black rainbow, striking the Amorous Scholar squarely in the chest again.

In desperation, the Amorous Scholar could only shield himself with gangqi, but his chest was directly blasted inward. Yet, the vitality of a Golden Core cultivator is notoriously tenacious. Even at this stage, he managed to erupt with a cyan light, escaping at terrifying speed—nearly two to three times the maximum speed of a normal Golden Core cultivator.

Tantai Bingyun moved again, remotely flapping her Divine King's Wings, intercepting the Amorous Scholar directly. From a distance, they saw a massive, cyan sword light fiercely cleaving the Amorous Scholar in two. Only as his corpse plummeted downward did Lei Dong and the others hear a wave of sharp, martial qin music.

Lei Dong knew this was Tantai Bingyun’s ultimate move, the Azure Lotus Sword Chant, whose power was extraordinary. He himself had nearly suffered a great loss from it previously, barely managing to repel her using the Heavenly Demon Transformation.

With the Amorous Scholar dead, the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators dared not linger and immediately scattered like startled birds. However, Lei Dong’s group already had several flawless strategies prepared for such breakouts: pursuit and interception. The more they fled, the more Lei Dong enjoyed the hunt. Within a mere ten breaths, the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators were wiped out; not a single one escaped.

The unfortunate Black Iron Tower, sealed rigidly by the Demon Binding Curse for nearly a hundred breaths, was only released after his companions were systematically annihilated. His dark face looked on everyone with a tinge of blue-green pallor. He was clever enough not to attempt escape, for while sealed, he had witnessed everything. These people possessed terrifying evasion speeds, especially the black-armored, black-winged man who could summon a horde of specters. Despite being only at the tenth layer of Foundation Establishment, he was terrifyingly effective, swiftly slaying several Foundation Establishment cultivators relying on his speed. And then there was Tantai Bingyun; Black Iron Tower didn't know why she had defected, nor did he know she was this powerful—much more so than her usual display suggested.

Since the chance of escape was so slim, it was better to remain compliant and still. Black Iron Tower, though rough-looking, possessed an astute mind, especially after observing for a hundred breaths. He perceived that the black-armored, black-winged Foundation Establishment cultivator seemed to be the true leader of this group, not the Golden Core cultivator named Qian Luo. As a group of unfriendly eyes swept over him, Black Iron Tower nervously raised his hands, fearing they might attack: "I surrender. Everyone, please hold your fire."

"Hand over your storage bracelets and the treasures within your soul," Qian Luo commanded cautiously, after receiving a look from Lei Dong.

"Naturally, naturally," Black Iron Tower sighed internally, truly feeling the tide had turned—thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west. Just moments ago, he was the one robbing them; who knew that in the blink of an eye, he would become a captive? He couldn't help but curse the Amorous Scholar internally: Why did he have to stir up trouble? This group was already preparing to pay a ‘peace fee,’ but he had to mess things up and infuriate them, leading to this situation. Had he known this would happen, he would have stopped the Amorous Scholar even if it cost him his life.

Qian Luo took his storage bracelet and three soul-refined Dharma Treasures: one for flight, one for attack, and one defensive item.

They were all excellent finds. The defensive treasure, in particular, was a high-grade Dharma Treasure. Qian Luo left the storage bracelet untouched for the moment, awaiting Lei Dong’s disposition.

"Little brother, I possess other assets, valued at around ten million spirit stones. I will use those assets to ransom myself. Moreover, I swear I will never speak of today's events." Black Iron Tower was straightforward, addressing Lei Dong directly: "Of course, if you are still uneasy, you can place some restrictions upon me."

Lei Dong couldn't help but smile faintly. This Black Iron Tower, despite his rough exterior, was quite astute. He chuckled, "Even if you returned, how would you explain this to the White Bone Demon Lord? You might as well follow me; I guarantee your life will be better than under the White Bone Demon Lord." Lei Dong genuinely appreciated this sort of person and began to try and recruit him.

"Brother, I can tell you are no simple figure." Black Iron Tower glanced at Qian Luo, his expression turning bitter: "It’s not that I’m unwilling to follow you and try for a future. But the White Bone Demon Lord strictly governs his subordinates. He planted a Ghost Gu worm inside my body. If I don't take his secret antidote within three years, the Gu worm inside me will devour my soul and cause my death."

"Ghost Gu? Such a thing exists?" Lei Dong’s expression flickered slightly, a hint of doubt entering his voice: "How have I never heard of this? Are you perhaps deceiving me? Even if a Ghost Gu were inside you, wouldn't it be simple for a Golden Core cultivator like you to refine it?"

"He speaks the truth." A faint, cold voice echoed, seeming to carry a touch of tremor: "Lei Dong, it has been a long time."