The sky was low and oppressive, a hint of scarlet bloodlight bleeding through the gloom, and a crack of thunder sent a flock of obsidian birds scattering in panic from behind an earthen mound. Across the dusty brown earth stood strangely shaped, sharply pointed "stalagmites" of rock, riddled with cracks and crisscrossed by ravines.

A high-level Qi Refining demonic beast, resembling a hideous lizard covered in thick armor and bristling with barbs, lazily crawled out of a ravine. Its eyes, cold and savage, fixed upon a strangely-formed small creature. It shot forward with incredible agility, snatching the smaller beast in its jaws, heedless of its piercing, heart-rending screams. Just as the monstrous lizard prepared to drag its meal back to its lair for a leisurely feast,

A massive shadow swept down from the sky, flashing past like a gale. From a distance, one could see the struggling lizard already clutched in the raptor’s sharp talons. Upon closer inspection, it was a magnificent bird of prey, entirely black, with a wingspan spanning several zhang.

Raw, untamed nature—the law of the jungle—was enacted here in the Nether Domain, ceaselessly, everywhere.

Another clap of thunder ripped through the air, seeming to tear a wound in the already roiling, dark red clouds, which began to spin violently. Space itself warped in waves, coalescing into a vortex.

A majestic Ghost General burst forth, circling the area with sharp eyes before issuing some unseen signal. Moments later, several figures materialized from the vortex—men and women among them—all clad in exquisite spirit armor, radiating vigor, majesty, and distinction.

Notably, each of these individuals was flanked by two Ghost Generals and guarded by a Golden Core stage battle pet, forming a tight protective circle around the group.

“Is this the Nether Ghost Domain among the Six Domains?”

Qi Feifei, known as the Seductive Fox, lived up to her reputation as the most outstanding female disciple of the Yin-Yang Harmonious Union Sect. She had cultivated her seductive arts to an impressive degree. Not only were her appearance and figure exceptional, but her eyes held an implicit, pitiable charm. Her apricot eyes widened as she curiously surveyed her surroundings, appearing both innocent and heartbreakingly fragile.

This group was, naturally, Lei Dong and his companions.

It was the first time any of them had set foot in the Nether Domain. Before entering, Lei Dong and the others had studied extensive lore about the place. However, upon arrival, they found that descriptions fell short of reality. The Nether Domain seemed even more malignantly cold, desolate, and blood-soaked than they had imagined. Curiosity mingled with wariness as they looked around.

“The Nether Domain has nine layers; this is only the first. Both the spiritual energy and the ghostly Nether Qi here are exceedingly thin. Barring any surprises, given our strength, encountering real danger should be unlikely,” Lei Dong murmured, watching the fleeing raptor in the distance—it was only at the Foundation Establishment stage.

For this expedition into the Nether Domain, Lei Dong and his three companions had prepared for two full years. During this time, Dongfang Fu and Ding Wanyan focused on pushing through to the mid-stage Golden Core realm. Meanwhile, Lei Dong and Qi Feifei dedicated their spare time to gathering essential supplies for the trip. Besides two high-grade Spirit Ghosts allocated to each person, Lei Dong had procured a mid-grade magic treasure-level Ten Thousand Ghost Banner for each, valued at several million spirit stones.

To maximize the efficiency of Lei Dong’s Netherworld Grand Art and minimize casualties among his core group, Lei Dong devised a tailored "Ghost Sea Tactic."

The Ghost Sea Tactic involved refining vast numbers of low-grade ghosts into the Ten Thousand Ghost Banners, forming an intimidating array through sheer quantity. Take Lei Dong, for instance: although his cultivation remained early-stage Golden Core, the strength of his divine sense slightly surpassed that of an average late-stage Golden Core cultivator. Aided by the mid-grade magic treasure-level Ten Thousand Ghost Banner, Lei Dong could command an astonishing, terrifying total of over fifty thousand ghost cannon fodder.

Ding Wanyan and Dongfang Fu, having spared no expense in their advancement, consumed significant resources to barely reach the mid-stage Golden Core. Both had consumed Heart-Cleansing Fruits and regularly practiced the Spirit Forging Art while drinking Bodhi Clarity Tea. Consequently, their divine senses were robust, only slightly inferior to Lei Dong's. Each could command approximately forty thousand ghosts.

As for Qi Feifei, though early-stage Golden Core and also benefiting from the Heart-Cleansing Fruit, her soul power only tentatively qualified her for mid-stage Golden Core abilities. Under the same quality banner, she could command a maximum of just over twenty-five thousand ghosts.

Even so, the combined number of cannon fodder vengeful ghosts for the four of them reached over one hundred and fifty thousand. An army of this scale, a true ghost sea, would make even an early-stage Nascent Soul ghost tamer hesitate. Moreover, thanks to Lei Dong’s increasingly refined Netherworld Grand Art, every single vengeful ghost could exert the strength of an early-stage Qi Refiner, effectively doubling the army's power overnight.

A single early-stage Qi Refiner vengeful ghost might indeed be trash, easily crushed by anyone. But a ghost sea numbering one hundred and fifty thousand at that level was enough to make even a Nascent Soul entity retreat three paces. The primary reason Lei Dong avoided fielding small numbers of Golden Core vengeful ghosts in this scenario was that he could not afford the loss. Cannon fodder ghosts were expendable; the low-grade ghosts stored in the Soul Nurturing Tower were plentiful and easily replaced in bulk. Cultivating a Golden Core vengeful ghost, however, was costly and time-consuming—lose one, and it was gone, difficult to replace. Especially facing a Nascent Soul opponent, one couldn't simply send the Ghost Generals in as fodder for attrition.

Of course, it was utterly impossible to destroy a Nascent Soul entity relying solely on this one hundred and fifty thousand ghost sea. However, Lei Dong's group was far from being mere decoration. All four were exceptional talents among the younger generation, possessing formidable personal strength, bolstered by their numerous high-grade Ghost Generals. Eight in total, two per person. Six of these were late-stage Golden Core entities, and Qi Feifei’s two were mid-stage Golden Core.

Furthermore, the four each possessed a Golden Core stage battle pet—three high-grade and one mid-grade. Dongfang Fu’s pet was particularly astonishing: a rare late-stage Golden Core Profound Ice Dragon, whose noble lineage far surpassed the pets of the other three. Its value could not compare to Lei Dong’s Soul Devouring Shadow Tigers.

The Shadow Tiger’s chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage was extremely low and difficult. For the Dragon lineage, however, the Profound Ice Dragon’s chances of reaching Nascent Soul were significantly high. If a Profound Ice Dragon hatchling’s value surpassed that of a high-grade Spirit Ghost by several times, then a young Profound Ice Dragon likely surpassed a top-grade Spirit Ghost by several times over. This creature was one of those peerless treasures that even Nascent Soul cultivators would fight desperately for. Dragons are inherently rare and scarce, with a fertility rate so low it bordered on the absurd; obtaining a hatchling required immense fortune.

When Lei Dong first saw that Profound Ice Dragon, he nearly fainted. How could such an unattainable treasure have fallen into Dongfang Fu’s possession? What kind of luck was that? Lei Dong refused to believe any Supreme Elder in their sect would bestow such a thing upon her. No Nascent Soul cultivator would pass up an opportunity to more than double their own strength. It was clear this must be something Dongfang Fu acquired herself.

Despite their astonishment, Lei Dong and the others did not ask her how she obtained it. Everyone had their secrets, after all. Besides, while Lei Dong was surprised, his mental balance remained unaffected; Ding Wanyan had, after all, procured him a Celestial Spirit Ghost. While the Profound Ice Dragon’s value far exceeded a top-grade Spirit Ghost, comparing it to a Celestial Spirit Ghost was like comparing heaven and earth—they were not in the same category. The gap between them was similar to the difference between a top-grade Spirit Ghost and a Soul Devouring Shadow Tiger.

As for Qi Feifei’s pet, it was a Golden Armored Turtle. This turtle also possessed a trace of ancient divine beast bloodline, but its value was only comparable to that of a Soul Devouring Shadow Tiger. Through dedicated cultivation at all costs, this turtle now possessed mid-stage Golden Core strength. However, one should not underestimate its mere mid-stage Golden Core power; this turtle specialized fiercely in defense, and in that aspect alone, it was no less formidable than the Profound Ice Dragon.

The only slight regret was that Lei Dong had failed to secure a Golden Core stage War Puppet, which would have further boosted the group’s overall strength. The Tianji Sect maintained extremely strict control over Golden Core Puppets, rarely releasing them to outsiders.

Even so, the strength of Lei Dong and his three companions was already terrifyingly immense. Coupled with the massive army of over one hundred and fifty thousand ghosts, they possessed a chance, however small, to annihilate a Nascent Soul entity. This was the result of two years of preparation and the bedrock of their confidence for this venture.

Following this, the group began to proceed cautiously through the Nether Domain. The first few layers offered little of note; at most, they occasionally encountered mid-stage Golden Core Nether Domain demonic beasts or Ghost Generals. The party was exceptionally well-prepared, following their maps and directions, and within only two or three months, they penetrated to the sixth layer.

It was from the sixth layer onward that the danger truly escalated. This level marked the true core territory of the Nether Ghost Domain. In this vast expanse, imposing ghost cities sprang up from the ground, eerie and terrifying. The cities contained far more than just Ghost Guards and Ghost Generals. On the contrary, starting from the sixth layer, numerous intelligent races, possessing extraordinary power, began to appear within the Nether Domain.

Following the marked location on their map, Lei Dong and the others arrived at a main city called Heavenly Ghost City, which belonged to a ruler named the Heavenly Ghost King.

The reason for choosing this specific location was that this Heavenly Ghost King maintained a friendly relationship with the Yin Sha Sect, with whom they frequently traded. Furthermore, Heavenly Ghost City was a relatively open metropolis; any race could enter, even members of the Winged God race, whom the native creatures of the Nether Domain particularly despised, provided they adhered to the city's rules.

The moment Lei Dong, accompanied by the ladies, entered Heavenly Ghost City using the Yin Sha Sect waist insignia, they felt as though they had stepped into a bizarre, vibrant world. A burly creature, nearly ten chi tall with the head of an ox and the body of a man, glared viciously at Lei Dong, as if he owed the brute spirit stones. Meanwhile, another foreign woman, alluringly dressed yet possessing four hooves and a tail, winked suggestively and purred, "Human, just one mid-grade spirit stone, and tonight I am yours."