The Nether Ghost Domain is one of the Six Realms, an exceedingly bizarre place with some connection to the Nine Provinces, yet existing as an independent world unto itself. Having lived two lives, and combining the knowledge gleaned from his previous existence, Lei Dong still couldn't quite grasp whether the Nether Ghost Domain was merely an alternate space relative to the Nine Provinces, or an entirely separate world.

The history of this world is ancient, scarred by countless years of warfare, burying the truths of many eras deep within the long river of time. The origins of the Nether Ghost Domain are subject to endless speculation, with no definitive answer. Even Lei Dong had to abandon the pursuit of understanding it, accepting its existence as its own truth.

The Nether Ghost Domain spans vast, boundless territory, miraculously divided into nine layered worlds. Each layer is both independent and interconnected, possessing its own distinct heaven and earth—a peculiar feature. The deepest layer, the ninth, is the most expansive and the most perilous, known as the Nine Hells. This place is saturated with nether energy, rich in spiritual resources, and teeming with countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

Precisely because of this abundance, the Nine Hells are riddled with hazardous zones; even an inconspicuous spot might harbor an old demon beast at the Nascent Soul level. The Four Ghost Tribes, including the Ghost Clan, each occupy a vast territory within the ninth layer, yet even the longest-lived and strongest among them, the Nether Ghost Emperor, had never managed to explore the entirety of the Nine Hells.

Among the famous dangerous locales in the Nine Hells, one of the most notorious is the Abyss of the Nine Hells—a place of supreme danger that surpasses even the Great Desolate Desert. No one knows its true depth, nor the number of peerless demon beasts concealed within. In short, it is a region where even Nascent Soul cultivators or Ghost Kings must proceed with constant caution, daring not to rush in blindly.

A small, inky-black flying vessel glided silently through the seemingly endless, star-like expanse of the Abyss of the Nine Hells. This small skiff possessed a highly unique form, its entire hull covered in lines that flowed like water. Within its compact frame, it seemed to contain a universe: there were elegant pavilions, small bridges, and flowing streams, where several rare, vibrant fish could be seen happily darting about, radiating life.

Though outwardly small, stepping inside felt like entering the lush, leisurely garden of a wealthy estate. This vessel resembled a work of art far more than a battleship. The Nether Ghost Emperor had actually imbued the tiny hull with the Law of Space, making it appear small while being vast—an extraordinary feat.

Moreover, the combat capabilities of this vessel were pushed to the extreme. Its small hull was overlaid with concealment formations and Nether Fire Cannon arrays; even its defensive shield utilized a fixed defensive formation commonly found at major sect gates. The Nether Ghost Emperor truly lived up to his reputation as a rare, peerless sovereign among the Ghost Clan, demonstrating inexhaustible talent in cultivation, combat power, artifact refining, formations, and even art and aesthetic pleasure.

This small flying vessel was naturally the Nether Ghost Emperor's most cherished personal craft, a private garden he had refined entirely by himself. The tiny skiff was akin to a mobile imperial palace. Now, this vessel, which he called the "Private Residence," belonged to Xiao You. And it was from the Nether Ghost Emperor, with his beard bristling and a look of genuine anguish on his face, that Lei Dong received this "Private Residence."

Lei Dong did not decline. His previous mount had been shattered by a single strike from the Thunder-Shattering Divine Crocodile. Whether for the journey into the Nine Hells or the future expedition to the Bright Domain, a high-performance mount was indispensable. Thus, this masterpiece, condensed from the Nether Ghost Emperor’s immense effort, now belonged entirely to Lei Dong.

A vessel of this caliber could not be purchased in the entirety of Kang Province; even if it could be found, acquiring such an exquisite craft would likely cost Lei Dong half of his entire fortune. It possessed the agility and concealment of a small skiff, yet offered living space broader than many large vessels. Most importantly, its stealth and combat prowess were first-rate, capable of withstanding the combined assault of several Nascent Soul-level demon beasts.

Ignoring the Nether Ghost Emperor’s murderous glare, Lei Dong renamed the vessel the Harem (Hou Gong). Casually, and perhaps with a touch of artistic disrespect, he affixed a massive lightning emblem to the bow. Watching the Ghost Emperor’s heartbroken expression brought Lei Dong a brief, mischievous sense of satisfaction.

Revisiting a familiar place brought Lei Dong a distinctly different set of emotions.

It seemed as if, since time immemorial, the Abyss of the Nine Hells had always presented this gloomy, vast appearance; little had changed over the years. The only slight difference was the absence of the massive, menacing Nether Profound Serpent that had guarded the entrance last time. Otherwise, Lei Dong wouldn't have minded settling old scores and enjoying a profound serpent feast.

Once inside the Abyss of the Nine Hells, it felt like being suspended in the utter coldness of deep space, devoid of stars or sunlight. The floating rock fragments resembled meteorites drifting in a void, almost tricking Lei Dong into thinking he had stumbled into some mysterious cosmos. However, the presence of various indigenous life forms, gravity, and oxygen quickly dispelled that strange notion.

Thanks to the Harem's superb concealment formation, it slipped through the depths of the abyss like a fish in water, disturbing none of the local inhabitants of this strange world, such as the infuriating swarms of Nether Crows.

This expedition had two primary goals. The first was to reach a place called the Styx River to retrieve an item known as Ten-Thousand-Year Nether Milk. This substance is an extremely rare heavenly treasure, particularly effective for the Ghost Clan or cultivators practicing Nether series spells, as it purifies the body and enhances one's Nether affinity. Uniquely, it also possesses the function of washing away a portion of the shackles imposed by Blood Oath laws. However, this item cannot be used excessively, lest it strip away memories.

Many legends surround the Ten-Thousand-Year Nether Milk within the Nether Ghost Domain. Some claim it can cleanse sins and purify the soul, or even allow a ghost to forget everything and reincarnate. Yet, the Nether Ghost Emperor dismissed these as nonsense. He recalled that when he was younger, before reaching the Ghost Emperor cultivation level, he ventured into the Styx River and drank a fair amount of the milk, and he certainly hadn't reincarnated. It was utter fabrication.

Lei Dong, however, paid little mind to these tales. Given his current relationship with Xiao You, using a Blood Sacrifice to bind her would be entirely superfluous. Lei Dong was certain that even after contact via the Blood Sacrifice, Xiao You would never betray him.

The second objective was to gather the essence blood of the Nether Ghost Tiger to elevate the bloodline of his beloved pet, the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger, by a level. Otherwise, even if vast resources were spent to push the Shadow Tiger to the Nascent Soul level, its subsequent potential for advancement would be virtually zero. Although the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger possessed a trace of an Ancient Divine Beast's bloodline, it was only a mere trace. Advancing past the peak of the Golden Core stage was nearly the limit imposed by its bloodline.

Of course, if possible, Lei Dong intended to collect more; Wan Yan also possessed a female Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger. If he could raise the bloodlines of both of them a bit, perhaps they could engage in that together, and any offspring might even become a unique strain. Setting aside the mechanics, in this world, encountering a single member of an extremely rare species is considered extraordinary luck; one cannot afford to be picky. While the Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger wasn't critically rare, prosperity shouldn't flow to outsiders.

However, this trip was hardly a leisurely outing; searching for items in the Abyss of the Nine Hells was not as simple as picking a cucumber from one's own garden. Even with thorough preparation, accidents were inevitable. Who knew if some ancient, ten-thousand-year-old monster might be leisurely wandering about? Whoever encountered it would be unlucky. It was an entirely possible scenario; the Abyss of the Nine Hells was vast, and the deep waters held big fish. Within such a boundless abyss, who knew what ghastly things lurked in its depths?

Therefore, within the Harem, Lei Dong had summoned a contingent of ghost soldiers from the Nether Flame Ghost Banner, ready to engage at a moment's notice. Yet, his greatest reliance for this venture was not these peculiar ghost soldiers, but his sworn brother, Lei Long. More than half a year prior, Lei Dong had managed to infiltrate the former Demon Emperor's palace, refine some aspects of it, and gain partial authority, allowing him to release the native species trapped within.

Consequently, Lei Long, who had been imprisoned for over fifty thousand years, finally gained his freedom. At this moment, within the courtyard of the Harem, beside the winding, gentle stream, stood an exquisitely crafted, unique pavilion. Lei Dong was leisurely sipping tea, playing chess with a young man who bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to him, only with a slightly more youthful face.

Lei Long had survived in the Demon Emperor's palace for over fifty millennia. Had it not been for a continuously supplying Soul Fruit nourishing his spirit, coupled with certain specialized formations within the palace that kept him in a deep sleep most of the time, the fellow would surely have dissolved into ashes long ago.

It was precisely because of his lack of worldly experience that he had never taken human form. The first person he saw after achieving spiritual awakening—other than a juvenile Three-Tailed Demon Fox—was Lei Dong. Therefore, his transformed appearance was directly modeled after Lei Dong. The reason for only a seven or eight-tenths similarity was his unfamiliarity with the transformation technique.

However, for a demon beast, the form taken during the first transformation often becomes permanent; Lei Long could not make himself look more like Lei Dong. Yet, this effect made the two look even more like biological brothers. After hearing Lei Dong’s explanation, Lei Long was extremely pleased with this appearance, proudly telling everyone he met that he was Lei Dong's biological brother.

The Nether Ghost Emperor, with his Fiery Eyes of Truth, was stunned speechless the first time he saw Lei Long, thinking to himself that this Lei Dong could casually claim a Transforming God-stage, Two-Winged Flying Dragon as a brother? In his four thousand years of life, he had never encountered such incredible luck. (To be continued)