... Hearing this, Lei Dong’s expression became solemn and sincere. He stated firmly, “Senior, since I joined the Yin Sha Sect’s Ten Thousand Ghost Cave, my master’s wife, my friends, and my brothers are all members of the sect. In other words, the Yin Sha Sect is inherently my home. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, what purpose would there be for me to betray my own home? Furthermore, the reason I am willing to use the Ghost Gu on you, Senior, is precisely to ensure that the overall strength of the Yin Sha Sect is not diminished. Therefore, I am absolutely prepared to swear this oath.”

With that, Lei Dong stood solemnly and recited the oath, word by word.

After Lei Dong finished swearing the oath, the Blood Demon looked at him, and a subtle feeling of closeness involuntarily emerged. In truth, the Blood Demon’s intense loyalty to the sect stemmed from deep historical roots. He had been an orphan since childhood, and after enduring countless hardships, his exceptional aptitude earned him the patronage of his master in the Yin Sha Sect. Moreover, in his pursuit of cultivating the Blood Fiend Divine Art, he had committed countless evils throughout his life. Had it not been for his master’s protection and unwavering advocacy, he would have been destroyed countless times.

Having been in the sect for seven or eight hundred years, how could he not possess such profound affection for it?

The Blood Demon took a deep breath and stated calmly, “Since that is the case, Lei Dong, give me your Ghost Gu.”

“Senior, have you considered this clearly? Once you consume the Ghost Gu, unless you advance to the Nascent Soul stage, there will be absolutely no possibility of escaping its control. At that point, your very life will be entirely in my hands.” Lei Dong reiterated the warning once more.

“Hah! I have roamed the world for so long, committing countless acts that draw the wrath of heaven and the resentment of men. However, I have never once broken my word,” the Blood Demon roared with laughter before becoming serious. “I see you as an ambitious man. Coupled with your abundant resources, immense potential, and superior intellect and willpower, it is not entirely out of the question for me to submit to you now that I have fallen into your grasp, my life hanging on your whim. After all, our ideals do not conflict; I too wish to see the Yin Sha Sect prosper to repay my master’s kindness. I will also make a vow here: if you can reach the Nascent Soul stage within a century, I willingly pledge my full allegiance to you as my master, without regard for time or cost, to unconditionally support your grand endeavor.”

“Good. You speak plainly, Senior. Then it is settled.” Lei Dong’s expression did not shift much, but his heart soared with joy. Achieving Nascent Soul within a hundred years was indeed difficult, but Lei Dong was eager to take on the challenge.

Thus, the Blood Demon swallowed the Ghost Gu. Only after Lei Dong experimented and confirmed that the Gu had indeed integrated into his Nascent Soul did he allow the Blood Demon to attempt refining it. After all, whether the top-grade Ghost Gu could truly control a Nascent Soul cultivator was merely Lei Dong’s conjecture. Without empirical proof, Lei Dong would have preferred to eliminate the Blood Demon immediately. Of course, such sentiments could not be voiced in front of the Blood Demon; success or failure would only be known after the trial.

As expected, the moment the Blood Demon attempted to refine the Ghost Gu, it immediately counter-attacked, ferociously tearing and devouring within his Nascent Soul. The agony caused even someone of the Blood Demon’s caliber to roar and scream wildly. After a long while, once Lei Dong remotely controlled the Ghost Gu to quiet down, the Blood Demon slowly recovered, his face deeply ashen, looking utterly depleted.

The Blood Demon had initially assumed that with his willpower and cultivation, he could at least resist or mitigate some of the pain, even if the Ghost Gu threatened his life. The reality proved that the Blood Demon had no desire to experience that level of torment a second time. Simultaneously, a sense of fear and apprehension towards the Ghost Gu developed. His demeanor toward Lei Dong naturally softened somewhat. Indeed, death was sometimes not the most terrifying prospect.

Lei Dong, being generous, provided the Blood Demon with several excellent healing and restorative elixirs. Although they were not inherently valuable, and the Blood Demon could easily produce them himself, the art of winning loyalty required slow, continuous cultivation. Controlling the Blood Demon’s life and death did not equate to complete control over the man himself. At the very least, if the old man chose passive resistance, Lei Dong would be helpless. Therefore, Lei Dong could not be stingy with the effort required to foster goodwill and loyalty. Sometimes, a small gesture yields unexpectedly significant results.

As for the promise of a top-grade Spirit Ghost, Lei Dong candidly deferred the matter for three months. The reason was simple: Lei Dong had already used all five of his top-grade Spirit Ghosts and needed time to capture Yin Souls for refinement. Lei Dong had thought over the matter of capturing Yin Souls extensively. He could easily gather a group of Golden Core cultivators who were particularly fearful of death, control them with the Ghost Gu, and then dispatch them to capture souls. The pretext would merely be that refining the Ghost Gu required a vast amount of Yin Souls. By then, he would possess a continuous supply of top-grade Spirit Ghosts. With careful management over time, Lei Dong was certain his future would be utterly bright.

Of course, the greatest gain from this encounter was the person of the Blood Demon himself. Although Yi Kong’s final chance to act had been spent by Lei Dong, gaining the Blood Demon in exchange was ultimately more advantageous.

Observing Lei Dong’s self-satisfied air, the Blood Demon also settled into his new role, offering a stern reminder, “Lei Dong, do not become complacent. While the Yin Sha Sect may dominate Kang Zhou, compared to the entirety of the Nine Provinces, we are merely one of the stronger sects. Especially Da Qian Province within the Nine Provinces, whose territory is a hundred times that of Kang Zhou, housing innumerable powerful factions.” Though the words were harsh, it showed the Blood Demon was now viewing matters from Lei Dong’s perspective.

At his current level, Lei Dong occasionally heard whispers of Da Qian Province. However, he had never imagined it was a hundred times larger than Kang Zhou. Wouldn't that make it nearly the size of the entire Great Desolation? Such a vast area, dominated by human cultivators, was naturally teeming with extraordinary individuals.

Hearing this shocking news, Lei Dong’s brow furrowed. After a long silence, he mused, “I hear that Li Yao hails from Da Qian Province?”

The Blood Demon’s eyes sharpened, and after a moment of thought, he confirmed, “Indeed. The sect Li Yao belongs to is called the Supreme Sect. Even within Da Qian Province, it is considered a powerful and flourishing sect, with a lineage traceable back to the ancient era.” He paused, then hesitated before explaining, “Lei Dong, were it not for our apprehension regarding the Supreme Sect’s overwhelming strength, and the fact that the Yin Sha Sect needs their cooperation on certain matters, I would have…”

“Enough. Since the matter is past,” Lei Dong waved his hand calmly, “there is no need to dwell on it. But that Li Yao completely disregards our Yin Sha Sect and covets my wife. Regardless of the cost, this man must die.” Lei Dong was not joking when he said this. If their strength proved insufficient, Lei Dong was prepared to cash in the favor owed by the Yaksha King.

The Blood Demon sighed helplessly, “Li Yao alone deserves death. But the Supreme…”

“Blood Demon Senior, if you lack even this much courage, how can you speak of revitalizing the Yin Sha Sect?” Lei Dong stood with his hands behind his back, meeting the Blood Demon’s gaze head-on, pressing him relentlessly, showing no deference despite the disparity in their status.

After a long moment, the Blood Demon was startled to find his own spirit somewhat suppressed by Lei Dong’s gaze. Shaken, he nodded, “Regardless, I have already agreed to obey you. As long as you issue a formal command, I will not hesitate in the slightest.” Having been infused with the Ghost Gu, the Blood Demon quickly settled into his position. After all, if Lei Dong died, the Ghost Gu he personally refined would immediately devour the host’s Divine Soul or Nascent Soul without exception.

This reaction brought Lei Dong a modicum of satisfaction, and he began inquiring about Li Yao’s strength.

After hearing the Blood Demon’s account, Lei Dong breathed a slight sigh of relief. Li Yao, the man from Da Qian Province, was not some impossibly formidable entity. His impunity in Kang Zhou was solely due to the prestige of his originating sect. In essence, the man was a standard Nascent Soul stage cultivator. It was true that Da Qian Province was vast, harboring countless powerful sects and possessing resources incomparably richer than Kang Zhou.

However, the number of cultivators in Da Qian Province also reached terrifying magnitudes. Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, compared to their Kang Zhou counterparts, did not possess a significant advantage in terms of spiritual artifacts or techniques. The reason was simple: the Nascent Soul cultivators in Kang Zhou occupied the apex of the food chain. Even though Kang Zhou suffered from resource scarcity, only a small elite benefited, naturally ensuring they were not weak—Li Yao was precisely such an individual.

Nevertheless, this did not mean Lei Dong would underestimate Li Yao. On the contrary, Lei Dong regarded him with extreme seriousness. Cultivators from a greater realm are often well-traveled and knowledgeable; they might possess unknown life-saving measures.

“Master~” Yi Kong, who had been silent, transmitted his voice to Lei Dong, “I am forever grateful for the Master’s grace, not only for rescuing me but also for continuously nourishing me with Netherworld Ghost Qi, allowing me to recover my strength quickly. As for the three opportunities to act that I promised the Master, the first was merely coming out to intimidate people alongside the Master, without actually engaging in combat; Yi Kong feels he owes you for that. Yi Kong is willing to offer the next opportunity as the third chance.”

Lei Dong’s heart stirred slightly. He pondered that with Yi Kong’s intervention, the matter would be absolutely certain. But outwardly, he transmitted back, “Yi Kong, since it was a promise, it must be honored. I will also, as promised, find a suitable physical body for you to possess.”

A distinct light shone in Yi Kong’s eyes. Anyone else would have treated him as a true servant, commanding him at will. But this Master…

“Regarding the physical body, I must still ask for the Master’s continued assistance,” Yi Kong bowed deeply from a distance. “Since the Master does not wish to break his vow, then please permit Yi Kong to negotiate terms with the Master. I hope that after I act this time, the body the Master helps me find will possess a shell naturally endowed with a pure Light Constitution, and its innate aptitude must satisfy Yi Kong’s standards.”

“Deal.” Lei Dong’s eyes narrowed. He thought to himself that with this arrangement, Li Yao, the man audacious enough to covet Wan Yan, was surely doomed.

...