An upper-grade Spirit Stone arced through the air, landing neatly in the hand of the alien woman. As the pure, dazzling light of the stone met her gaze, the haze in the woman’s dull eyes instantly cleared. With a flick of her wrist, the spirit stone vanished.

Yet, not a single one of the three veiled women raised the slightest objection. It wasn't due to any particular sentiment; rather, no one believed Lei Dong would genuinely seek a night of dalliance with that sort of woman. His taste simply wasn't that coarse.

However, several burly men from strange races nearby, witnessing the exchange, began to cautiously circle forward, their eyes glinting with greed. The Breath-Gazing Art was not mastered by every race, especially since Lei Dong and his three companions had all managed to suppress their formidable Golden Core auras to some degree.

“Roar~”

A colossal tiger, several zhang in size and covered in bizarre black markings, materialized from thin air, letting out a sharp, piercing roar with fierce eyes.

The powerful aura, utterly unrestrained, instantly sent those foreign individuals harboring ill intent scrambling backward in fear. The only one remaining was the alien streetwalker; her face was ashen with terror, yet she forced herself to stay put, demonstrating a surprising degree of professional fortitude.

“Take us to the quietest inn in the city,” Lei Dong commanded flatly, his expression unreadable. “And, as agreed, for the next fifty days, you belong to me.”

Whether due to Lei Dong’s evident power or the agreement sealed by the spirit stone, the alien streetwalker possessed no right to refuse. Forcing a smile onto her face, she led Lei Dong and his party into the city, taking the time to point out various buildings and shops. Lei Dong listened with genuine attention, showing no disdain simply because she was a streetwalker. In truth, his willingness to pay wasn't merely out of sympathy for this alien woman whose cultivation barely reached the initial stage of Qi Refining. More importantly, women who worked the streets interacted with all sorts of people, and many men enjoyed boasting in front of women, meaning she was likely privy to news unavailable elsewhere.

Entering Tian Gui City, Lei Dong naturally sought information. If luck favored him, he might even find what he needed on this Sixth Layer.

They proceeded at a leisurely pace into an inn whose dim atmosphere perfectly matched the style of Tian Gui City. Lei Dong had already gathered considerable hearsay from the streetwalker, particularly gaining an understanding of the various major and minor powers operating within Tian Gui City. What truly broadened the horizons of Lei Dong and his group was that in less than half an hour, they had witnessed more varied alien species than they had in their entire lives—dozens of different kinds, all shapes and sizes.

This was something unimaginable for those who had never set foot in the Nether Domain. Many believed the Nether Domain to be a terrifying place, overrun by wandering specters. In reality, it was a unique locale, vast and accommodating, home to countless races. Some races were indigenous to the Nether Domain, while others were transplants—some fleeing disaster, others seeking opportunities for fortune, and yet others looking to establish themselves.

“Human, I smell the scent of my kin upon you.”

A tall, fair-skinned female Asura, clad in tight leather armor, fixed her gaze on Lei Dong, speaking with a languid drawl. Her Asura wings, resting on her back, fluttered slightly with an air of easy composure.

“That’s quite normal,” Lei Dong replied without much concern. “Just as your Asura race uses the Golden Cores and Nascent Souls of us humans to forge magic treasures. I happen to possess a magic treasure crafted from Asura wings.” Still, he had to admit, this was his first time encountering a living Asura, and a female one at that.

The Asura race was synonymous with brute strength, danger, bloodlust, and terror. During the ancient era when powerful races abounded, they were among those at the apex of the food chain. At that time, humanity was still weak; while perhaps not at the very bottom, their existence was precarious. It wasn't until later, when intelligent and adaptive humans imitated the process of species evolution by inventing Cultivation, that humanity gradually grew stronger. In the great cataclysm that swept across the Three Realms, Six Domains, and Nine Continents in antiquity, humans endured until the end, eventually becoming one of the world’s most significant races, their influence spread across the Nine Continents.

The Asura race, however, suffered devastating losses during the final conflicts and retreated to their stronghold, the Asura Domain. The warlike Asuras subsequently launched numerous wars, clashing with humans, fighting the Winged Gods, and even engaging in fierce conflicts with the Yakshas. This constant state of warfare prevented the Asura race from ever fully recovering their strength.

Thinking of the Asuras, however, inevitably brought to Lei Dong’s mind their arch-rivals, the Winged Gods. Yi Kong hailed from the Winged God race. It was worth mentioning that the body with a Luminous Physique—a promise made to Yi Kong two and a half years ago—had been located for him over a year prior. Yi Kong had indeed managed to possess that body and was currently in seclusion, refining it. Still, without extended cultivation, Yi Kong could not expect to regain his peak condition.

“Hmph.” The female Asura offered no further commentary on the matter. After all, this world operated on the principle of the strong preying on the weak. To be bullied, mocked, treated as food, or used as material for refinement—one could only blame oneself for not being strong enough. However, her attitude toward Lei Dong certainly did not improve. She stated coldly, “Humans, are you looking for lodging? The best rooms here require one upper-grade spirit stone per day.” Spirit stones, in any world, were hard currency, and the inhabitants of the Nether Domain favored them too.

In the Nether Domain, things were not like the Nine Continents. The wilderness environments were incredibly harsh; setting aside the ever-present, unpredictable dangers, the treacherous and terrifying climate alone was enough to cause headaches. Unless absolutely necessary, no one wished to remain outdoors. In just two or three months, Lei Dong and his group already felt their bodies and minds utterly exhausted.

While gathering intelligence was one reason for settling into Tian Gui City, getting some much-needed rest for their strained nerves was equally vital.

Lei Dong and his companions were certainly not lacking in spirit stones. However, the female Asura’s quoted price was clearly extortionate. This caused Lei Dong’s brow to furrow slightly. “Since the proprietress does not wish to do business, then we shall take our leave.” With that, Lei Dong turned, preparing to walk away.

“Wait.”

Now it was the female Asura’s turn to call out to Lei Dong, her expression a mix of displeasure and threat. “If I speak the word, not a single inn in Tian Gui City will dare take your business.”

Lei Dong’s expression remained fixed. He scrutinized the female Asura, sensing with his Breath-Gazing Art that her strength hovered around the middle stage of the Golden Core—a respectable level of power. However, Lei Dong preferred to avoid trouble, but that didn’t mean he feared it. In fact, the City Lord of Tian Gui City, the Ghost King Tian Gui, maintained excellent relations with the Yin Sha Sect. Even if Lei Dong caused a ruckus here, given their group’s status and strength, it wouldn't lead to significant trouble.

“Are you perhaps looking to stir up conflict?” Lei Dong’s gaze began to turn sharp. Hands clasped behind his back, his expression chilled. He privately mused that if she insisted on being unreasonable, he wouldn't mind challenging her to a duel, following the local customs for resolving disputes in Tian Gui City.

Ding Wanyan and Qi Feifei immediately stepped to Lei Dong’s sides, projecting open hostility toward the female Asura. Dongfang Fu, after a slight delay, also took a stance clearly aligning herself with Lei Dong’s lead. Whether because Lei Dong had secretly gifted her two supreme-grade spirit ghosts or due to their personal connection, supporting him in this place was an undeniable duty.

Seeing that Lei Dong’s group appeared unafraid of conflict, their vital energy strong and their bearing confident—clearly individuals with backing—the female Asura’s demeanor softened considerably, easing the confrontational tension. “I only wished to ask, which of the Nine Continents are you four from?” The Nether Domain was indeed home to myriad races, and humans frequently appeared within it.

However, the Nether Domain was vast, and the lower layers were even larger. This mere Sixth Layer alone spanned an area comparable to the entire continent where Kang Zhou was located. This Sixth Layer hosted over a hundred Ghost Kings, each controlling their own territory.

Fortunately, pathways connecting the upper and lower levels of the Nether Domain were scattered everywhere, allowing for shortcuts; otherwise, it would have taken two or three years, not two or three months, to reach Tian Gui City.

Lei Dong couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge the rude, condescending female Asura, preparing to leave the inn entirely.

“Alright, alright, I was wrong,” the female Asura insisted, spreading her wings to block their path. She adopted a serious tone. “Then let me ask: are all of you cultivators at the Golden Core stage?”

“Indeed. What is your query?” Lei Dong frowned slightly. The Breath-Gazing Art and Aura Concealment Art were indeed skills where humans excelled. Human power was built from nothing, cultivated bit by bit. Races like the Asuras, however, derived most of their strength from innate talent, which gradually manifested as they matured. While they also cultivated, their cultivation practices were less varied and more rudimentary compared to the flourishing diversity among humans. Consequently, while the Asura race possessed formidable power, their skill in controlling and applying various techniques was far inferior to humans.

Thus, aside from Lei Dong, the other three women were merely employing standard Aura Concealment techniques, which this female Asura could not see through. This characteristic of humans was often a source of frustration for many other races.

The female Asura displayed an expression of confirmation; her mood brightened significantly, and she got straight to the point. “Recently, our people discovered a pair of Nascent Soul-level Profound Nether Ice Silkworms. We have already organized over a hundred Golden Core combatants to capture this pair of silkworms. I heard that you humans are skilled in formations, and we hope you can join us. Name any benefits or conditions you require.”

Nascent Soul-level Profound Nether Ice Silkworms? Lei Dong was somewhat moved. But what surprised him even more was the Asura’s blatant candor. Revealing the discovery of Profound Nether Ice Silkworms so easily?

...IO