Admittedly, the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger possessed a mere trace of divine beast bloodline, and nothing more. Generally speaking, advancing to the late Golden Core stage represented the absolute limit of the Shadow Tiger's aptitude. To ascend even one level further was exceedingly difficult, a feat achieved by perhaps one in ten thousand.

Moreover, even if Lei Dong exhausted every means and resource to elevate the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger to the Nascent Soul level, its future path of advancement would remain fraught with monumental obstacles. To fundamentally resolve this issue, the only path was to alter the beast's lineage at its very root. This was the persistent, headache-inducing problem that had long occupied Lei Dong's thoughts.

It seemed that once the current affairs were settled, he would have to make a personal trip to the Beast Taming Sect. Although not an overwhelmingly powerful faction, the Beast Taming Sect was renowned for its specialized research and profound understanding of demonic beasts. Lei Dong had previously dispatched envoys to inquire, but they had been summarily dismissed. If peaceful means failed to achieve the desired end, he would likely have to resort to martial force.

Temporarily setting aside the myriad distracting thoughts, Lei Dong did not recall the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger. He took a deep breath, focused his spirit, and began to shout: "Black Wing Demon King, for all your noble, high-ranking Demon Clan heritage, do you not find it shameful to lurk in the shadows and employ such low-grade tricks like a stray dog?"

The Black Wing Demon King, hidden in the dark, inherently took immense pride in his noble lineage and possessed a fierce sense of arrogance. Being thus berated by Lei Dong, he was so enraged that he nearly spewed a mouthful of demonic blood. He, a dignified, high-blooded, high-ranking Demon Clan member, a Demon King by rank, was currently reduced to a pitiful, fleeing state, yet was being scolded by a mere junior at the Golden Core stage, too intimidated to emerge from his hiding place.

Had it been any ordinary Golden Core junior, the Black Wing Demon King would have long since rushed forward and crushed him into a pulp with a single slap. But the young man before him was no easy opponent. Not only did he possess a Ghost King, but he could also command such a vast army of spectral soldiers. Though individually weak, these ghostly troops were terrifying when amassed into a boundless ocean. In the era the Demon King hailed from, he knew of the formidable innate spiritual treasure, the Nether King Banner, capable of controlling endless legions of ghost soldiers and generals. Many who had reigned supreme in their time had ultimately perished within that infinite sea of ghosts.

If he were at his peak strength, he would scarcely fear these petty ghost soldiers. But in his current state, a rash charge into the spectral sea would likely result in utter ruin. Forcing down the impulse to attack, he employed a secret art, letting out a sinister, cackling laugh: "Boy, I have slain more beings than you have ever seen. Do not try to fool me with such paltry goading tactics. Since you dared follow me into this Desolate Valley of the East Sea, prepare to face the full brunt of my wrath." His voice seemed to emanate from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint his location.

Following the demise of the Blood Bat King, the remaining thousands of blood bats devolved into chaos—either fleeing aimlessly or being systematically cornered and slaughtered by the spectral phantoms. From start to finish, apart from the minimal losses incurred by his phantoms, Lei Dong’s strength remained undiminished.

And because Lei Dong specialized in the Netherworld Grand Art and possessed the Soul Devouring Pagoda, he customarily carried a substantial reserve of Yin Souls to replenish any losses instantly. If the Black Wing Demon King genuinely intended to wage a war of attrition in this manner, Lei Dong had nothing to fear, merely sneering, "Boasting emptily. You are nothing but a stray dog, yet you still dare call yourself 'This King'."

He immediately dispersed his divine sense outward, sending thousands of phantoms flying in every direction. In organized squadrons, they began to scour the surroundings. Since this was the blood bat territory, there was no threat from other powerful demonic beast clans, so Lei Dong felt no apprehension in this search; finding the Black Wing Demon King's hiding spot was the only objective.

Lei Dong’s previous verbal provocation had not been entirely in vain. While it failed to force the Demon King out of hiding, it confirmed he was situated nearby. Otherwise, his deliberately restrained, goading words would not have carried far enough for the Black Wing Demon King to hear.

Now, Lei Dong’s divine sense enveloped an area spanning roughly seven to eight li, and not the slightest disturbance escaped his perception. Although the Black Wing Demon King’s breath-concealment technique was exquisite, any movement must inevitably create ripples in the air.

As the spectral forces surged forth from the Nether Flame Ghost Banner, the last of the blood bats were eradicated. For tens of li around, the area became overwhelmingly saturated with phantoms. Under Lei Dong's command, they began searching every corner, inch by painstaking inch.

No matter how deeply the Black Wing Demon King concealed himself, he could not escape such a tightly woven net of surveillance. Due to the location being blood bat territory, there were no truly formidable demonic beasts, but countless low-tier demonic insects and small creatures were forced from their hiding places by the phantom army and were devoured entirely.

At this point, the Black Wing Demon King could no longer deny that his earlier speech had exposed his near vicinity. Several waves of phantoms had already flown past his position, and they were drawing closer with every pass. Under these circumstances, his exposure was inevitable. There was no longer time for deliberation; he violently flapped his black wings, unleashing a ferocious burst of demonic energy. His powerful demonic body transformed into a faint, blurred afterimage as he moved with extreme velocity.

As he tore through the area, the phantoms in his path were shredded into dust by the razor-sharp aura surrounding him. At this moment, he harbored a single, absolute objective: to utilize his formidable close-combat prowess to strike directly at Lei Dong and assassinate him. After all, no matter how powerful the boy was, most of his strength derived from external tools; eliminate the source, and all the ghostly hordes and the fearsome Ghost King would vanish into smoke.

It had to be admitted that his tactic was sound. Moreover, the sheer power unleashed at this moment seemed in no way inferior to the aura he displayed before battling the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Vajra Temple. This attested to the inherent strength of such a high-grade demonic bloodline; an unexpected strike might still have a chance of success.

Unfortunately for him, Lei Dong’s divine sense was already acutely honed, and his mind had been constantly alert for this fiend. The instant the Demon King moved, Lei Dong's divine sense clearly mapped his trajectory. While inwardly startled by the terrifying speed and momentum the Demon King could still muster despite grave injuries, Lei Dong’s expression remained unchanged; instead, he roared, "Well met!"

He activated the Ghost Shadow Evasion Technique. His figure became as unpredictable as a leaf in a hurricane or residual mist in the night sky, seeming to split into countless ghostly apparitions. The Ghost Shadow Evasion was a technique Lei Dong frequently practiced, having immersed himself in its mastery for decades. Coupled with the dual benefits of his Nether Body and the Netherworld Grand Art, its execution was truly uncanny and profound.

In an instant, he merged completely with the countless phantoms swirling in the air, and by concealing his aura, his true form became virtually impossible to discern.

"Clever boy, truly capable. Your concealment technique is quite marvelous," the Black Wing Demon King exclaimed, surprisingly pleased rather than dismayed by this turn. He cackled madly, "It's a pity you ran into me."

As his gaze swept past where Lei Dong’s true body was supposed to be, an icy chill stabbed to his core, and his spine instantly tightened as he inwardly thought, Not good. Lei Dong felt a sudden, sharp realization that he had overlooked something crucial. The Demon King had clearly calculated this ambush long ago, anticipating that Lei Dong would pursue him. He must surely have some special countermeasure ready.

In that flash of lightning, the Black Wing Demon King unleashed a savage palm strike. Towering demonic energy coalesced into a colossal, ink-black palm, slamming down viciously toward Lei Dong.

It was evident that the Black Wing Demon King’s mastery over the laws of space surpassed even Lei Dong's. The ink-black giant palm arrived instantly, enveloping Lei Dong like a miniature mountain. Seeing Lei Dong’s expression turn exceedingly grim, the Demon King felt a surge of vicious satisfaction: "You dared bully me, boy! Die for me!" In his mind, this single blow was enough to overwhelm even an early Nascent Soul cultivator, let alone this mere Golden Core brat. Even if the boy miraculously survived, he had follow-up plans ready.

At this critical juncture, Lei Dong had condensed his entire strength to its peak. Activating the Asura Wings required two or three breaths to fully unfurl, which was clearly insufficient. He immediately drove his entire True Essence, causing his body to rocket backward, leaving behind overlapping trails of afterimages, flickering like specters.

If one looked closely at the space surrounding his retreat, a strange ripple of spatial distortion could be seen. It was at this moment of ultimate peril that inspiration struck Lei Dong: he channeled a sliver of the spatial law power he had comprehended over many years into his movement technique. This rapid backward flight, while appearing deceptively slow, saw him actually retreating several zhang with every elusive phantom image.

But it was not enough. The black pursued him like an adhesive shadow, intent on crushing him instantly. Lei Dong now dared not hold back anything. All the True Essence in his body was instantaneously converted into pure Netherworld Ghost Qi, erupting from his right palm. A fierce dragon roar pierced the clouds as a monstrous, ten-zhang-long black dragon slammed headlong into the demonic palm.

The two overwhelming forces collided head-on without any finesse. The resulting shockwave of explosive energy caused Lei Dong’s internal organs to churn violently, and blood burst forth from his mouth as he was thrown about, tumbling like a tattered leaf in a gale.

"Good boy, you actually managed to evade that! But today, you are finished," the Black Wing Demon King roared with laughter, spreading his rear wings, preparing to press his advantage and execute the beheading maneuver.

Ah Chou, Lei Dong's loyal servant, was unwilling to stand aside. With a sharp cry, he slashed out with a streak of black blade energy.

"Scram!" The Black Wing Demon King was focused solely on killing Lei Dong; he cared not for the extent of his own injuries. Refusing to engage Ah Chou in protracted back-and-forth combat, he risked mutual destruction, pouring all his demonic energy into a brutal collision with the servant. In the end, a disparity in strength existed; Ah Chou was blasted backward. But the Black Wing Demon King suffered equally, as the residual blade energy sliced open his chest, inflicting another grievous wound.

However, before the Black Wing Demon King could catch his breath, something entirely unexpected occurred. A violent fluctuation erupted directly behind him. The Black Wing Demon King, every muscle tense, cried out internally, Bad! but it was too late to evade.

The Ghost Thorn, which Lei Dong had positioned in ambush, launched a fierce Ghostly Strike. The razor-sharp dagger plunged deep into his back, tearing open a massive hole.

"Roar!" The Black Wing Demon King shrieked in a roar that was both insane and filled with agony.