"Given your strength, how could you possibly have a chance to save the Netherworld Ghost Emperor? Legend says the Ghost Emperor is an unparalleled powerhouse at the mid-stage of Soul Transformation." Mei Ji asked, shock and doubt warring in her expression after she recovered. A mid-stage Soul Transformation expert was no joke; they could handle two or three early-stage Soul Transformation cultivators simultaneously. And to a Nascent Soul cultivator like Mei Ji, even an early-stage Soul Transformation expert seemed like a celestial being.

"It can only be attributed to a series of coincidences and fortuitous encounters," Lei Dong replied, unwilling to elaborate further. He casually retrieved a dark token from his storage bracelet. On it, ancient script shaped like soaring dragons was branded with the characters 'Netherworld.' "The senior Netherworld Ghost Emperor made a promise: the moment I crush this token, he will instantly descend with his army, tearing through the void."

This token was no ordinary object; it was imbued with a sliver of the Netherworld Ghost Emperor's divine (divine thought), retaining his overwhelmingly powerful aura. With just one glance at the token, Mei Ji felt the genuine, surging might of the Netherworld Ghost Emperor bear down on her, stealing her breath. It was absolutely impossible for someone to fake such an artifact.

"This, this is simply..." Mei Ji was already eighty to ninety percent convinced. She just couldn't fathom the circumstances—with Lei Dong's power, he should be nothing more than an ant in the eyes of the Netherworld Ghost Emperor. How could he have saved him? Furthermore, rumors suggested the Ghost Emperor resided in the Netherworld Palace deep within the Nine Hells; who could possibly inflict such grave injuries upon him?

Such a rare powerhouse was someone even the powerful Xiu Luo and Winged God clans were reluctant to offend casually.

"Do you still believe that with Senior Netherworld upholding justice, your three sects have the might to destroy my sect?" Lei Dong's words were merely a tactic to shatter her certainty of imminent death, thereby making her cling to life. Only those who wished to live could be made to pledge allegiance; otherwise, it was like trying to scoop the moon from the water.

Indeed, after invoking the Netherworld Ghost Emperor, the way Mei Ji looked at Lei Dong changed significantly. Though Lei Dong had been strong before, essentially, he still projected the aura of a peak Golden Core cultivator. Psychologically, Mei Ji maintained a sense of superiority, at best placing Lei Dong on an equal footing with herself.

If that were the case, surrendering would inevitably present a hurdle she couldn't easily overcome.

In reality, if Lei Dong himself possessed the strength of Soul Transformation, having such an overwhelming advantage, his chances of recruiting a Nascent Soul cultivator would skyrocket manifold.

This was human nature, the stark reality of a world where strength reigns supreme.

After another moment of hesitation, Mei Ji slowly spoke, "I can surrender, but I have one small request: I will not participate in this current war. Once this battle concludes, I shall be your subordinate, completely at your disposal. Furthermore, I am very curious, by what means do you guarantee the loyalty of those you recruit?"

"Very well," Lei Dong considered briefly and agreed. "You won't play a critical role in this battle anyway, so I won't press you. However, you must swallow this Ghost Gu." Lei Dong said with a cold expression, explaining the Ghost Gu's effects in detail.

Mei Ji's face paled in terror. Once she ingested the Ghost Gu, her entire life would be entirely controlled by him; her life and death would rest entirely in Lei Dong's hands. A Ghost Gu? How could such a terrifying restriction item possibly exist in this world?

Lei Dong knew this was difficult for a Nascent Soul cultivator to accept, but he had already made up his mind. "For Feifei's sake, I can give you a promise. If you dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to supporting the junior for the next century, the junior will willingly remove the Ghost Gu."

A century? Mei Ji's expression immediately brightened considerably. For a Nascent Soul cultivator, living eight or nine hundred years, nearing a millennium, wasn't impossible. A century was long, but it wasn't a despair so crushing as to be unbearable.

Having settled their terms, Mei Ji, looking somewhat pale, accepted the Ghost Gu and swallowed it whole in one gulp. After a long moment, she stood up, bowed, and lowered the proud head of a Nascent Soul cultivator: "This servant, Mei Ji, pays respects to my Lord. I hope my Lord remembers his promise after a hundred years."

A wave of profound relief washed over him. Though this was the second time he had successfully recruited a Nascent Soul cultivator, the joy of success saturated his entire being. The last time, subduing the Blood Fiend relied heavily on external forces and the Blood Fiend's own emotional ties to the Yin Sha Sect; otherwise, success would have been impossible.

This time, successfully recruiting Mei Ji was entirely his own endeavor—the difference was stark. This was a Nascent Soul cultivator! Each one could be considered a Supreme Elder of a top-tier sect, aloof and holding the lives and deaths of countless people in their hands. In the past, any Nascent Soul cultivator was someone Lei Dong had to look up to; a mere display of their authority could shatter his courage. But now, he was starting to recruit Nascent Soul cultivators as subordinates. This feeling naturally sent an exhilarating rush through Lei Dong.

Mei Ji was also a rare talent. While her combat power might not match the Blood Fiend and others, she was still a Nascent Soul expert. Moreover, her powerful charm techniques would solve many problems for him and could be deployed as a surprise tactic in combat.

This world was perilous. Lei Dong’s unscrupulous, desperate pursuit of strength was solely to live better and more safely. Furthermore, there were cherished family members in this world he could not abandon. He had to continually grow stronger to earn the right to protect them.

Over the years, Lei Dong had gradually forgotten his previous world; from soul to bone, he had begun to integrate into this magical yet cruel reality.

"Senior Mei Ji need not be so formal." Lei Dong possessed a nature that respected virtue and capability; he did not adopt a masterly posture before Mei Ji but became even more courteous, personally helping her up. "From now on, we are family. I dare not guarantee everything else, but I will absolutely keep the promises I made to Senior Mei Ji." Saying this, he waved his hand, presenting three jade bottles and a Soul Nurturing Pagoda to Mei Ji.

Mei Ji opened them and saw three exquisite, perfectly spherical Infant Condensing Pills, their spiritual energy fragrant. Within the Soul Nurturing Pagoda rested an even more precious and rare supreme-grade Spirit Ghost. This sight filled her with surprise and joy, mitigating much of the frustration from having been forcefully subdued by Lei Dong. She began to think that serving Lei Dong for a century might actually yield considerable rewards.

Lei Dong knew he couldn't simply take a Nascent Soul cultivator and do nothing else. Relying solely on the Ghost Gu to control loyalty was undoubtedly the lowest-class method. A Nascent Soul cultivator who willingly pledged allegiance and one who merely paid lip service were two entirely different concepts.

What he was doing was using various legitimate means to win people's hearts. The Ghost Gu was merely the final, solid line of defense.

"Thank you, my Lord, for the gifts." Mei Ji’s delight was barely concealed. She had taken one Infant Condensing Pill before, given to her by her sect to consolidate her realm immediately after advancing to Nascent Soul, consuming countless contribution points. Even the Joyous Union Sect would find it impossible to freely distribute many Infant Condensing Pills. And a supreme-grade Spirit Ghost was even more invaluable. With some effort and resources to cultivate it using a Ghost Control technique, it would become a powerful auxiliary.

"This is what you deserve," Lei Dong replied courteously, then placated her further, "Senior Mei Ji was severely wounded under that demon. It would be best to find a safe place for a period of secluded recuperation. Once I resolve these matters, we can discuss grand development plans."

"My Lord, you must be careful of that Black Winged Demon King." Hearing Lei Dong mention that entity, Mei Ji's expression shifted back to one of shock and dread. "That demon has a significant background; he is one of the peerless fiends who perished in our Nine Continents Realm during the ancient era. Silver Fox accidentally obtained the essence spirit left by this demon during an exploration and has never dared to absorb its vast power."

Lei Dong's interest was piqued, and he pressed for details. "Oh? I observed this demon possessed power equivalent to the Soul Transformation level. What virtue or fortune does Silver Fox possess to dare ingest it? Doesn't he know he risks the demon king seizing his body?"

"My Lord may not know, but Silver Fox is neither the first nor the last to obtain the Demon King's essence spirit since ancient times." Mei Ji organized her thoughts. "Some who swallowed it were consumed by the essence spirit and transformed into demons. Others, however, gained an immense, pure surge of power from it. While it doesn't guarantee an advancement to Soul Transformation, the probability of advancing in their lifetime increases significantly."

"Oh? Is it purely a matter of luck?" Lei Dong felt a stir of desire upon hearing the Demon King's essence spirit could yield such effects.

"Certainly not. The most crucial factor is the strength of the mental imprint left by the Demon King's essence spirit, and whether it has faded through the passage of time," Mei Ji mused. "According to ancient texts, in the great war between the Primordial and Ancient eras, countless peerless experts from various races slaughtered one another, resulting in countless deaths. Several continents comparable in size to our Great Desolation Continent were shattered and sunk during that time."

Lei Dong was stunned, momentarily dumbfounded. Sinking a continent of the Great Desolation Continent's magnitude—what a terrifying concept that was. Were the beings of the Primordial Era all gods? That seemed too frightening.

Seeing Lei Dong’s shock and curiosity, Mei Ji could only say helplessly, "I also find those accounts difficult to believe, but that is what the records state. In fact, most records concerning that colossal Primordial War have vanished amidst successive massive conflicts. What remains now is largely vague and can only be treated as myth. However, one fact remains: many Primordial Great Powers possessed the ability to reach the heavens, and it is only natural they would leave behind life imprints within their primordial spirits to avoid their existence ending upon death. If they died in battle, their forms might dissipate entirely, or their primordial spirit might transform into an essence spirit to survive. Those essence spirits contain the refined core essence of Primordial Great Powers, which is certainly a great tonic for cultivators like us. But the problem is, if a certain Primordial Great Power was immensely strong and still retained a shred of residual will within the essence spirit, it could reverse the process and consume the eater, seizing the opportunity for rebirth during the ingestion process."