These damned little brats were the focus of Lei Dong's attention during the last decade spent within the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land. Once the energy of that realm was depleted, Lei Dong was forced to shift his development goals outward. The methodical training and catalysis over ten years had brought the first batch of little devils to maturity.

It was only because Lei Dong had focused the vast majority of his attention on stripping away their wild nature that while this initial cadre of imps revered him as a deity and obeyed his every command, their overall strength remained quite weak, positioning them in a rather fragile state.

Lei Dong was not overly anxious about this. After all, this first army of the Ghost Clan was his experimental batch, the seeds he had sown. The very first thing Lei Dong did after leaving the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land was to secure a territory for his Ghost Clan army.

Within the sphere of influence of the Yin Sha Sect, there were quite a few eerie, gloom-shrouded ghost realms. Lei Dong selected one situated near the Hengduan Mountain Range, drawn by the countless dangers and opportunities nestled within those peaks.

For the Ghost Clan, a life of secure defense was spineless. Only through ceaseless slaughter and the devouring of flesh and blood could these little ghosts truly mature into the invincible sharp blade under Lei Dong’s command.

After some reconnaissance by Ghost Thorn, they discovered that the ghost realm, which was not vast—only a few hundred li in circumference—held only a single Wild Ghost General, a few dozen Ghost Guards, and a thousand or so Wild Ghost Soldiers whose strength varied wildly. As for Yin Souls, there were only a few million in total.

However, this spot was the perfect starting point for conquest for these nascent troops, whom Lei Dong had christened the Fierce Ghost Army. After a decade of training within the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land, the original five hundred and fifty Spirit Ghosts were now reduced to five hundred and three; the rest had been subjected to military law for various infractions.

Because of this rigorous pruning, the Fierce Ghost Army was now extremely strict regarding military discipline, having already established its own internal system. Any violation of the code was handled by the army’s own Law Enforcement Corps, eliminating the need for Lei Dong to intervene personally.

At this moment, Lei Dong and the two Ghost Kings floated silently in the sky, observing the Fierce Ghost Army’s initial movements with their sharp eyesight and vast divine sense. The objective Lei Dong set was clear: eliminate the ruling Wild Ghost General of this realm, conquer the territory, and ensure their own casualties did not exceed ten.

All operational planning... was to be devised entirely by the Fierce Ghost Army itself.

Do not underestimate the intellect of these ghosts; they were all High-Grade or even Supreme-Grade Spirit Ghosts. After ten years of meticulous training and careful tutelage, while the Fierce Ghost Army’s raw strength might not be formidable, their intelligence was in no way inferior to that of humans. Furthermore, Lei Dong had even taught them writing and military strategy. He intended to cultivate an army geared for offense and conquest, not a mob of savage specters that only knew how to shriek and charge into a brawl.

This battle was the first true test of the fruits of Lei Dong’s decade of painstaking effort.

A Ghost General was no easy opponent. Since the majority of their time was spent on enlightenment and learning, even the fiercest commander in the Fierce Ghost Army, Red Ghost, was merely a Mid-Tier Ghost Guard. The rest were mostly Low-Tier, with only a portion of the elite reaching the Mid-Tier.

Red Ghost, encased in a suit of dark crimson soul armor, stared calmly across the ghost realm. Being appointed commander of the Fierce Ghost Army was no casual selection. Originating as a Supreme-Grade Spirit Ghost, he possessed innate talent, but it was his diligence, intelligence, and strength that secured him the top command through relentless trials and competitions.

Because this was their first engagement, the Master had provided him with some intelligence regarding the enemy’s strength. That Ghost General held a certain authority within this realm and could command and suppress all other ghosts. However, due to his poor innate talent and lack of education, the fellow was only slightly smarter than an ordinary Golden Core realm demonic beast.

The worst possible strategy would be to lead the Fierce Ghost Army in a brute-force charge, forcing the Ghost General into a decisive battle where strength alone would decide the victor. Although the General was powerful, he surely could not withstand five hundred Ghost Guards attacking simultaneously. The problem, however, was that the resultant losses would be substantial. A Ghost General, when pushed to desperation, possessed astonishing destructive power.

Red Ghost had thoroughly studied the various military texts provided by his Master. As a commanding general, his duty was to fulfill the Master’s strategic goals while minimizing his own casualties. Otherwise, what use was a commander leading a void? Moreover, he understood that the Fierce Ghost Army represented countless efforts and immense energy expended by the Master. Excessive casualties would certainly subject him, Red Ghost, to martial discipline. Those members of the Law Enforcement Corps would show no leniency whether he was a commander or a mere private.

Furthermore, Red Ghost did not wish to annihilate the Wild Ghost Soldiers and Guards. Even though their strength was lacking and they lacked extensive formal training, absorbing them as cannon fodder would be beneficial.

The stratagems of ‘capture the leader first,’ ‘lure the snake from its hole,’ and ‘beat the grass to startle the snake’ flashed through Red Ghost’s mind. But then, he recalled his Master’s repeated admonitions about leaders not acting unilaterally. Toward his Master, he felt both reverence and fear, treating him as a deity.

Consequently, he immediately convened a war council, attended by the two Vice-Commanders and ten Captains.

Following a spirited, unique Ghost Clan-style brainstorming session and intense debate, the tactical plan was finalized.

Next came the execution. A scouting squad proficient in stealth penetrated deep into the ghost realm to gather intelligence. The information provided by the Master was too vague; it lacked details on how many escorts the Ghost General kept or his precise location.

Another scouting team departed the ghost realm entirely, dissolving into a wisp of black mist that drifted far away, heading directly toward the Hengduan Mountain Range.

Lei Dong, floating in the air and unaware of their internal brainstorming, murmured curiously, "What are those little rascals up to?" This informal address betrayed Lei Dong’s growing acceptance of them. He was gradually becoming familiar with and fond of this Fierce Ghost Army. Watching them grow smarter and stronger day by day felt akin to watching his own children develop.

A-Chou and Ghost Thorn could only shake their heads awkwardly, unable to guess Red Ghost’s strategy.

Yet, in just a few days, the results became clear. Red Ghost led a contingent of elites to set up an ambush at a chosen location. Meanwhile, the scouting team heading toward the Hengduan Mountain Range finally sent a signal—a violent, sky-shaking roar that carried for hundreds of li to where Lei Dong hovered.

Lei Dong blinked in surprise, then gasped, "A Golden Core level Sky-Shaking Ape? Those little brats actually dared to provoke an existence of that magnitude?"

"It seems they intend to drive a wolf to devour the tiger," Ghost Thorn chuckled. "Legend says the Sky-Shaking Ape is immensely powerful but not particularly swift. They are the perfect choice to act as muscle."

"That assumes they can escape the Sky-Shaking Ape with their lives intact," A-Chou scoffed dismissively. "Ghost Thorn, the scouts you trained are too bold. I bet that scout squad leader couldn't run back here from hundreds of li away."

"That's not certain. The leader of that scout team has excellent innate talent, possessing both Swiftness and Invisibility. Moreover, he has learned some Netherworld-series spells post-training. He might not handle a fast Golden Core demonic beast, but the Sky-Shaking Ape is relatively slow."

"Hmph. Sneaky, not proper heroes..."

"We are ghosts, after all..."

"Alright, let's just watch quietly. Regardless of the outcome, this is what those little rascals chose themselves," Lei Dong interrupted their bickering. Come to think of it, since these two had developed greater intelligence, arguing had become part of their entertainment—perhaps the only way they could compensate for their former silence.

Soon, the Fierce Ghost Army put on a dazzling performance for Lei Dong and his entourage. The scouting squad successfully lured the massive, powerfully built Sky-Shaking Ape—easily dozens of feet tall—and then vanished completely.

The invaded Ghost General also roared furiously and engaged the Sky-Shaking Ape, initiating a fiercely contested battle that lasted for over half an hour throughout the entire ghost realm.

In the end, the Ghost General, utilizing his home advantage, narrowly defeated the Sky-Shaking Ape. At this juncture, Lei Dong felt almost certain the Fierce Ghost Army had won their initial victory. As expected, the scout team’s surprise attack provoked the heavily wounded Ghost General into a furious pursuit, leading him straight into Red Ghost’s ambush, where they were methodically surrounded and annihilated.

Red Ghost seemed unsatisfied and detached half of his forces to pursue and intercept the fleeing Sky-Shaking Ape.

Using pack tactics, they managed to blast the creature to death before it could escape into the mountains.

What followed was a textbook example of consolidating the remaining forces within the ghost realm. Although minor disorder occasionally surfaced, it was quickly suppressed.

Watching this, Lei Dong felt a surge of pride. After investing ten years of dedication and energy, he had finally forged a respectable army. The Fierce Ghost Army, suffering only the injuries of several Ghost Guards with zero fatalities, had eliminated two high-tier entities and subdued this minor ghost realm. This glimpse was enough to show the whole picture: once his Ghost Clan army reached full maturity, it would be his most capable force.

What gratified Lei Dong the most was that the Fierce Ghost Army scrupulously adhered to protocol when handling military merits and spoils of war. Though every member yearned to devour Golden Core flesh and the residual soul of the Ghost General to evolve, not one dared to act independently. Instead, all spoils were pooled, awaiting distribution.

Just as Lei Dong prepared to descend and offer congratulations, a faint energy signature flared within his divine sense. It quickly materialized into a visible streak of red light that shot toward the Hengduan Mountain Range.

Startled, Lei Dong hadn't expected such a powerful expert to remain hidden and dormant within this small ghost realm. Moreover, that escaping light seemed increasingly familiar the longer he looked at it. Ghost Thorn gave a cold laugh, his form dissolving into the void, vanishing from sight.

Yin Yang had truly been unlucky. For the past few years, he had been hiding and evading like a stray dog. Facing relentless pursuit from the Yin Sha Sect, he had nowhere left to run and finally chose this supposedly safest location.

But he hadn't anticipated that a refined army of the Ghost Clan would sweep through here. He couldn't help but curse inwardly, Damn it, has the Netherworld Ghost Realm begun invading Kangzhou?