Within this sacred temple, especially in the secluded space where the Soul Tree resided, the spiritual energy was overwhelmingly abundant. At some point, numerous simple wooden structures had been erected around it. A considerable number of cultivators were frantically absorbing the rich, pure spiritual energy resources within this domain.

Since Lei Dong executed the method that annihilated the Shadow Elder, and subsequently eliminated Tian Luo, another elder of the Monoceros Clan, the cunning-as-a-fox White Bone Old Demon grew acutely cautious. No matter how Lei Dong tried to lure him out, the old fiend remained entrenched within the Trial Space. Because Lei Dong’s refinement and control over this Spatial Artifact were still rudimentary, he couldn't bombard the demon with heavenly lightning from within the space, nor could he directly dispatch the Thunder Dragon guarding the Soul Tree to eliminate him there.

This brought the situation to an immediate standoff.

As for that Prophet Kukas, he was initially also within Lei Dong’s kill radius. However, after accepting the Saintess as his attendant, his relationship with the Guardian Clan suddenly became extraordinary. With Saintess Lan Qisi interceding, Prophet Kukas was persuaded and temporarily aligned himself with Lei Dong’s faction. Yet, unlike the Saintess, who possessed an unbroken lineage of inheritance, the descendants of the Guardian Clan, throughout the long, shifting history, had largely forgotten their original mission. In a sense, the Guardian Clan today functioned as an independent race. For Lei Dong to fully subdue the entire Barbarian Tribe would not be a simple task.

Strength, ultimately, was everything. If Lei Dong’s current power could overwhelm all rivals, he could naturally leverage history and his former master status to absorb the entirety of the Barbarian Tribe. But in the present, he was still reliant on the Saintess to indirectly influence them.

Naturally, Lei Dong harbored no intention of wiping out this faction, which showed significant potential for complete submission. Once his strength was sufficient, these people would become his most loyal warriors. Lei Dong had gradually come to understand that no matter how powerful an individual became, surviving in this world was rarely easy. Take the Yaksha King, for instance; possessing the power of the Nascent Soul stage, yet without his entire race backing him, he would have been eliminated countless times over simply acting alone.

Even so, after destroying two Nascent Soul cultivators, Lei Dong’s personal assets had increased dramatically. Though still far from being the richest man in Kang Prefecture, his personal wealth now surpassed that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators in the region. Among cultivators currently in the Foundation Establishment stage, such wealth was simply unheard of.

Of course, Nascent Soul cultivators could not be measured merely by personal wealth. Especially those in top-tier factions; the resources they could mobilize and their actual combat strength were immense. For example, when the Heavenly Demon prepared the materials for Lei Dong’s Asura King, it was achieved merely by opening his mouth. A rogue Nascent Soul cultivator might never acquire a heaven-defying material like the Asura King’s wings in their lifetime, let alone provide it to a Foundation Establishment cultivator. This was the foundational strength, the deep reserves, of the great, top sects and factions.

Though Lei Dong was now quite wealthy, the gap between him and those large, top sects remained as vast as heaven and earth.

The primary reason for delaying in this temple for five full years lay with the White Bone Old Demon. This individual had always navigated the cultivation world of Zhaozhou with remarkable success, naturally possessing a unique methodology. His life experience and accumulated knowledge far surpassed that of mere clan elders. During these five years, he preferred hunkering down defensively within the Trial Space rather than moving an inch, indicating an almost supernatural acuity for sensing danger.

This predicament effectively cornered Lei Dong within the temple. This temple had become immensely important to him; if he left rashly, what if this old demon wreaked havoc? While sending Prophet Kukas to strike him was an option—with Lei Dong and his group attacking in their home territory, they held a significant advantage and a high probability of success—it was difficult to prevent the Old Demon’s Nascent Soul from escaping. Furthermore, Lei Dong coveted that treasure the demon possessed...

Thus, the only recourse was to continuously accumulate strength, particularly that of the Winged God Clan Soul Slave, who was rumored to possess Nascent Soul-level strength at his peak. However, restoring him to that full power consumed five entire years of Lei Dong’s time.

Fortunately, Lei Dong had not wasted these five years. Before leaving Zhaozhou, he had filled his storage bracelet with various precious elixirs, ensuring his supply was abundant. Coupled with the intense spiritual energy within the Spatial Artifact, Lei Dong had now reached the pinnacle of the Foundation Establishment stage, merely one step away from the Core Formation stage.

However, Lei Dong knew his own aptitude was limited; the rare Ascension Pills alone might not suffice for success. Therefore, returning to Kang Prefecture soon to engage in dual cultivation with Qi Feifei, as he had planned long ago, offered at least an eighty percent chance of success. Even so, based on Lei Dong’s current strength, the intensity of his Divine Sense could truly rival a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, no longer just approaching it. He trusted that once he broke through the Foundation Establishment barrier, his Divine Sense would ascend even further.

Lei Dong’s overall combat capability compared to when he first left Kang Prefecture was nothing short of meteoric. While his Divine Sense strength couldn't fully control two mid-stage Core Formation Ghost Generals, managing one mid-stage and one early-stage was effortless. As for the Myriad Ghost Banner, he could now barely command three early-stage Core Formation vengeful spirits. Moreover, Lei Dong’s prized Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger had grown substantially after consuming and digesting the Shadow Elder’s Nascent Soul. The Tiger's current power verged on late-stage Core Formation, capable of holding its own against two Ghost Generals. It had transitioned from being a mere right-hand man to one of Lei Dong’s primary combat forces.

These terrifying array of abilities had vastly increased Lei Dong’s combat power and survivability. Even without counting the Soul Slave recovering to Nascent Soul strength, engaging an ordinary late-stage Core Formation cultivator in a prolonged battle was no longer impossible. This was nothing short of a terrifying miracle, achieved only by Lei Dong through numerous fortuitous encounters, self-planning, and relentless pursuit—a truly rare occurrence in the entire cultivation world. How could an average peak Foundation Establishment cultivator possess a Divine Sense stable at the mid-stage Core Formation level?

However, Lei Dong’s growth had hit a bottleneck. Further attempts to enhance his Divine Sense strength now yielded negligible returns; the only path forward was to break through to the Core Formation stage.

Turning again to Lei Dong’s Soul Slave, in a certain sense, allowing him to recover to Nascent Soul strength was a highly risky endeavor. Lei Dong had discussed this extensively with Prophet Kukas and Saintess Lan Qisi. Even with the most potent Soul Slave control techniques, if the disparity in power became too great, there was still a chance of backlash. Although Lei Dong possessed the ability to annihilate the slave if a full revolt occurred, there was no guarantee that the Soul Slave, Yikong, having endured enough torment, wasn't merely hiding his intentions now due to lack of strength, only to madly seek mutual destruction with Lei Dong once empowered. After careful consideration and weighing the various factors, Lei Dong ultimately decided to lay his cards on the table with Yikong.

The deal: Lei Dong would permit Yikong to utilize his peak power for three specific strikes in exchange for a chance at seizing a new body and rebirth. Watching Yikong’s fickle gaze finally settle into ecstatic joy, the hidden gloom vanishing completely, Lei Dong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He felt his decision was correct. Without restoring Yikong’s peak strength, a mere late-stage Core Formation entity offered limited, non-world-shattering aid. But restoring him meant constantly walking on eggshells, feeling as if a ticking time bomb resided within him. While Lei Dong’s own cultivation reaching a level where his Divine Sense neared that of a Nascent Soul expert would allow him to fully suppress Yikong, by that point, when his Divine Sense reached such heights, he would be qualified to control the Ghost King, rendering the Nascent Soul level of combat strength less critical.

Conversely, Yikong possessing Nascent Soul strength right now provided immense help to Lei Dong. After swearing an oath using the Heart Demon Invocation, Yikong’s twisted mentality and latent rebelliousness vanished instantly, replaced entirely by an intense yearning for rebirth. He obediently cooperated as his power returned to the Nascent Soul level.

After consuming so much time, the moment to draw the net and encircle the enemy was finally at hand. A fierce glint flashed in Lei Dong’s eyes. He had to admit, the White Bone Old Demon was talented; if circumstances allowed for a proper alliance, considerable benefits could be gained. Alas, events had progressed too far; the grievances between them were now too deep, leaving no room for compromise or negotiation.

Inside the Trial Space, the White Bone Demon Lord sat cross-legged atop a small earthen mound, his expression shaded with gloomy depression. These past few years, the sense of unease weighing on his heart had not dissipated in the slightest; instead, it had grown heavier. For a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator to be forced by a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator to remain confined to this small area for years was truly a widely known absurdity. Yet, the White Bone Demon Lord knew that the 'Ghost Eyes' he had secretly placed on the two Monoceros Clan Elders using esoteric arts had informed him that both were struck down by a terrifying enemy in rapid succession.

The White Bone Demon Lord felt a sting of regret, realizing he shouldn't have been so greedy as to enter this dangerously unknown temple, leaving himself unable to advance or retreat. What he regretted even more was failing to eliminate that brat Lei Dong; despite the boy being cunning as a fox, a surprise attack could have easily finished him off.

If he had to blame someone, it was his own greed for profit. The White Bone Demon Lord sighed softly, adding more creases to his face. In truth, had it not been for his covetous desire for the Soul Tree, perhaps he wouldn't have ended up in this predicament?

Suddenly, a sharp light flashed in the White Bone Demon Lord’s eyes. He murmured inwardly, Finally, they have arrived. ...A