"Little fox?" The image of that three-tailed spirit fox immediately flashed across Lei Dong's mind. A thought stirred within him, and a smile graced his face: "Exactly, it was that three-tailed spirit fox that requested us to come and save you."

"That's wonderful! I have been here for a very, very long time, and no one has come to keep me company." The incredibly huge flying dragon trembled with excitement, causing the very air around them to vibrate repeatedly. It was no wonder; tens of thousands of years of solitude were devastatingly potent against a sentient being that had awakened its spiritual intelligence.

Lei Dong assumed an amicable expression and began to engage the dragon in idle chatter. Though the flying dragon had lived for ages, its existence had been one of near-constant isolation since gaining sentience, leaving it utterly unacquainted with the treachery of the human heart or the darkness of society. In essence, it was profoundly naive. Lei Dong, however, was a cunning, seasoned veteran. With deliberate flattery and careful guidance, it wasn't long before the man and the dragon were calling each other sworn brothers.

Under Lei Dong’s direction, the flying dragon began its transformation. After several attempts, the dragon molded itself into the likeness of a young man, bearing a four or five-tenths resemblance to Lei Dong, and possessing a somewhat similar demeanor. Its overwhelming, formidable aura was perfectly concealed. Without any sharp edges showing, when it imitated Lei Dong’s smile, it looked more like a friendly neighbor boy.

However, Lei Dong and the other two truly understood the inherent danger of this creature; if provoked, they would struggle to withstand even a few blows given their current cultivation levels. Thus, despite their envy of Lei Dong’s burgeoning relationship with the dragon, both the Saintess and Tantai Bingyun dared not harbor any scheming intentions. Any mistake could easily result in their annihilation.

In a mere few days, thanks to Lei Dong's skillful maneuvering, the man and the dragon had become as close as brothers sharing the same pair of trousers. They linked arms, shared drinks, boasted, and chatted idly; there seemed no end to their camaraderie. Fortunately, Lei Dong's storage bracelet was capacious enough to hold some precious spirit wines he had collected during his boredom, which now found excellent use.

"Is it really that fascinating?" The creature, forcibly bestowed with the name Lei Long by Lei Dong, listened as Lei Dong vividly painted pictures of the bustling outside world, its eyes shining with undisguised shock and envy.

"Hey, brother, we both share the surname Lei—we’re family! Could I possibly deceive you?" Lei Dong put on an expression of feigned displeasure and indignant resentment. "As the elder brother, am I really going to lie to you? If you don't want to hear it, I won't say another word."

"Big Brother, your little brother was wrong. Please, continue. I have truly never been outside before." In just these few days, the tales of the vibrant outside world had set Lei Long's spirit alight with yearning. If not for some exceptional constraints, he would have already bolted out into the world.

Lei Dong pretended to sulk a little longer. After hearing Lei Long offer repeated, earnest apologies, he returned to his slightly sleazy tone, launching into discussions of tantalizing matters. The man and the dragon sipped their wine, excitedly recounting marvelous stories.

Without using his power to neutralize the alcohol's effects, Lei Long, after downing several jars of spirit wine, began to bask in the intoxicating, near-immortal bliss. Hiccupping and flushed, he bellowed, "Big Brother, I want to go out too! I'll snatch all the mother dragons across the realm and build a massive harem! We brothers will split it half and half. Anyone who dares disagree or bully you, I’ll beat them senseless! I, Lei Long, am the most loyal brother there is!"

Lei Long had not been baptized by the great cesspool of the outside world. Although his power was immense, his essential nature remained as pure and untouched as a blank sheet of paper. Thus, Lei Dong secretly guided him, constantly instilling certain values, putting particular fervor into teaching him about fraternal loyalty. Under Lei Dong's descriptions, story after story of passionate righteousness resonated deeply with Lei Long, inspiring him to resolve himself to be a dragon who upheld loyalty.

"That’s right, we brothers are one entity," Lei Dong declared with an equally impassioned fervor. "If anyone dares bully you, I, Lei Dong, will fight them even if it costs me this life."

"Big Brother, you are so good to me." Lei Long uttered these rather mushy words, genuinely moved. But it was understandable; for tens of thousands of years, the only sentient being he had ever encountered was that three-tailed spirit fox—and one that hadn't even awakened its true intelligence yet. Naturally, Lei Dong had managed to fool him considerably.

However, Lei Dong soon steered the conversation back toward the outside world. When they reached particularly exciting and joyful topics, both man and dragon couldn't help but burst into continuous laughter.

The Saintess and Tantai Bingyun kept a respectful distance, hesitant to stir up trouble. But that did not mean they were ignoring the situation; Lei Dong's suggestive words and crude notions were relentlessly washing over them too. Both came from distinguished backgrounds and had been cherished in their upbringing environments. Naturally, their delicate cheeks flushed crimson, and they inwardly cursed him repeatedly.

Tantai Bingyun, in particular, would have been utterly repulsed by such coarse language in the past, finding the filth and depravity in his thoughts sickening. Yet, having spent these days in close contact with Lei Dong, her perception of him, the supposed 'enemy,' had shifted dramatically. Setting aside his usual ruthlessness, the other side he displayed had caused Tantai Bingyun to reconsider him greatly. Especially his unilateral decision to assume the blame for the White Bone Old Devil's sins, risking death to shield everyone from catastrophe—though she said nothing outwardly, her heart remained far from calm. That opponent was a Nascent Soul cultivator; how many Foundation Establishment cultivators in this world could face a Nascent Soul cultivator with such poise, disregarding life and death? Tantai Bingyun knew that if she had participated in that wager, her chances of survival would not have exceeded thirty percent.

It was this very realization that spurred Tantai Bingyun to venture out recklessly in search of Lei Dong, which ultimately led to her acquaintance with the Saintess.

As the man and the dragon were cheerfully conversing, Lei Long suddenly sighed with regret, "What a shame, what a pity. I, Lei Long, am trapped here and cannot possibly leave. No matter how splendid the outside world is, I will never experience it."

"Oh?" Lei Dong had already suspected this outcome; otherwise, after such prolonged solitude, Lei Long would have found a way out long ago. Frowning slightly, he said, "Brother, tell me how you got trapped and unable to leave. I will think of a way to get you out, no matter how difficult it might be." This was hardly a trivial matter; from their few days together, Lei Dong had vaguely grasped that Lei Long's true cultivation level must be at the Soul Transformation stage—a peak existence in this world. If he had such a brother as a backer, who would dare provoke him? In Lei Dong's entire life, he had only met one Soul Transformation expert: the Yaksha King. The terror of that being’s divine abilities was beyond the comprehension of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself. Therefore, no matter the difficulty, as long as there was a sliver of hope, Lei Dong would never abandon the goal of freeing him.

"It’s not entirely without hope," Lei Long replied, naturally overwhelmed with gratitude at Lei Dong's words. He sighed, "I was sealed in this space before my sentience fully awakened. That seal is incredibly powerful, and I cannot break it. However, vaguely within my memories, I recall that I should guard this Soul Tree and defeat the trial-takers, but I am forbidden from killing them."

"Since it is a seal, it can always be broken," Lei Dong said, turning his gaze toward the towering, formidable temple, his brow furrowed in contemplation. After a moment, he continued, "Brother, if you don't mind, I will venture into the temple to try. If I can obtain the inheritance of this temple, perhaps there is a chance to break the seal that keeps you confined." This was a supreme trump card; if he could persuade him to leave, wouldn't the vast world be open for him to roam freely?

"No," Lei Long unexpectedly shook his head, refusing. After pondering for a long moment, he finally added, "In my soul's memory, only when summoned by the Holy Master can one enter that temple. Otherwise, the temple's guardian will kill you. And I cannot save you either, because I am under a restriction that prevents me from entering the temple or harming its guardian."

Lei Dong drew a sharp breath. How powerful must the Demon Emperor Sect, that mysterious, ancient demonic sect, have been? A restriction placed tens of thousands of years ago, still holding firm even when Lei Long was a monstrous beast at the Soul Transformation stage—it clearly possessed unique formidable methods.

"No matter what, even if it's ten times more dangerous, I must save you," Lei Dong stated with a solemn expression, though he secretly mused that since he himself possessed the Demon Emperor Sect's inheritance and the Emperor Demon Seed, he might have some unforeseen advantage. If all else failed, he could at least scout the temple entrance first.

Seeing his brother willing to fight so desperately for his sake, Lei Long was again flooded with gratitude.

Seizing the momentum, Lei Dong pressed on, "Brother, give me that newly ripened Soul Fruit first, so I can boost my strength. That way, I won't be too vulnerable when it gets dangerous." Lei Dong finally showed his true colors, glancing toward the crystal-clear Soul Fruit hanging on the Soul Tree that towered dozens of feet nearby, an almost uncontrollable fervor burning in his heart. That was a Soul Fruit! Consuming even one would bring immense benefits to the cleansing and strengthening of his own soul.

Unexpectedly, Lei Long shook his head vigorously, "No, I have a restriction placed upon me: unless you defeat me, I cannot be rewarded with a Soul Fruit." That millennia-old restriction was still functioning.

Defeat you? Lei Dong managed a wry smile. Dreaming! By the time he was capable of defeating Lei Long, this Soul Fruit probably wouldn't seem like much of a prize. Yet, a thought struck him: how did that three-tailed spirit fox, only at the Foundation Establishment stage back then, manage to pass this challenge? Compared to Lei Long, she would have been crushed instantly, wouldn't she?

"Big Brother, don't rush," Lei Long chuckled. "I know you can't beat me right now, but it is my duty, and I cannot neglect the requirement. To help that little fox back then, I puzzled over this for a long time before I figured out this trick!"

...A