In almost an instant, a monstrously huge head plummeted down from the cavern ceiling. The head was black and grotesque, its protruding fangs easily ten feet long, accompanied by a foul stench and waves of black mist. Simultaneously, a powerful suction seemed to sweep everyone toward the beast's maw.

Fortunately, none of them were ordinary people; each unleashed various wondrous escape arts, rapidly retreating backward. Though the suction was strong, it could not yet overcome them. After retreating several dozen zhang away, Lei Dong and the others finally got a clear look and realized it was a colossal serpent. Its thick tail was firmly coiled around a pillar-like stalagmite atop the cave roof. The half of its body that was visible was already several dozen zhang long.

Lifting its massive head high, the serpent’s eyes stared down at the group with cold indifference.

From its shape, the faint black mists swirling around it, and the mysterious, talisman-like patterns covering its body, anyone with even a little knowledge could immediately identify it as a Netherworld Dark Serpent (Youming Xuan She).

The tracks of the Netherworld Dark Serpent are found almost everywhere in the Nether Domain. However, the stronger the concentration of Netherworld Ghost Qi, the more likely it is for exceptionally powerful specimens to appear. The Nine Nether Abyss is precisely where the Netherworld Ghost Qi gathers, meaning the serpents that grow here often reach the Nascent Soul stage.

But the Styx River (Ming He) lies in the deeper regions of the Nine Nether Abyss, where the Netherworld Ghost Qi is even denser, making it extremely suitable for the proliferation and survival of various Netherworld species. Even within the Nine Nether Abyss, the Netherworld Dark Serpent reigns supreme—a species of extreme danger, most proficient in all manner of ambush and stealth attacks. Its icy body and incredibly low aura make it seem like a predatory king stalking through the darkness.

The first time Lei Dong ventured to the entrance of the Nine Nether Abyss, he encountered a Nascent Soul-level Netherworld Dark Serpent blocking the way, which he finally managed to lure away with bait. This current serpent, however, exuded an even more suffocating coldness, suggesting it was exceptionally powerful.

“Everyone, be careful. This Netherworld Dark Serpent is already at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, just one step away from the Spirit Transformation stage,” the guard captain called out with a grave expression. If not for Lei Long’s exceptionally strong divine sense providing a vital warning a breath ahead of time, one or two Ghost King guards might have been carelessly swallowed.

A peak Nascent Soul Netherworld Dark Serpent caused even Lei Dong a slight measure of surprise. This creature truly possessed a powerful bloodline to have grown to such a level. Naturally, this growth was likely also connected to the unique environment here; it was only reasonable that all species would flourish rapidly where Chaotic Spiritual Qi existed.

Fortunately, with Lei Long present, a mere peak Nascent Soul demon beast presented practically no significant pressure, even if this was the Dark Serpent’s home turf.

That Netherworld Dark Serpent had likely lived for untold years. Although its instincts outweighed its reason due to its racial bloodline, preventing it from achieving human form, it was certainly not an unintelligent creature. By the time it reached this level, its sheer intellect was likely no less than that of a human.

Coiled upon the massive stalagmite pillar, it did not pursue after its missed strike, instead reforming its serpentine coils and fixing its gaze on Lei Dong and his companions from a distance. It was especially vigilant upon spotting Lei Long, acting as if it had encountered its natural nemesis.

Lei Long’s true form was that of a Flying Dragon (Fei Long). While this species was not as famous as Divine Dragons and other sacred beasts in the desolate ancient era, it was still an extraordinary entity. Moreover, Lei Long’s bloodline was exceptionally pure, having not thinned or mutated over the long river of history. This, too, indicated that the Demonic Emperor Sect had paid close attention to quality when selecting the guardians for the final trial gate.

Of course, it was not Lei Long’s bloodline that made the Netherworld Dark Serpent wary. Rather, it was the pressure emanating from Lei Long—who seemed unremarkable, blending in with the crowd—that felt overwhelmingly strong to the Dark Serpent.

“Merely a petty peak Nascent Soul Netherworld Dark Serpent,” Lei Long remarked with disdain after hearing the guards’ tense words. He had only been slightly careless moments before, almost falling for the ambush of the long-lurking beast. Now, having truly witnessed the serpent’s strength, Lei Long wore an expression of ease. Hands clasped behind his back, he took a single step forward.

Space seemed to vanish before Lei Long; with that single stride, he was already in front of the Netherworld Dark Serpent. He raised a hand and threw a punch.

The Netherworld Dark Serpent proved worthy of its peak Nascent Soul status, reacting with extreme swiftness. It opened its maw and spewed a cloud of black mist that ignited upon meeting the air, transforming into a cluster of scorching, eerie green Nether Flames that burned toward Lei Long.

“Hmph, a mere firefly dares to try and outshine the sun.” Lei Long snorted disdainfully, instantly changing his fist into a palm strike. He swept out a gust of fierce wind that sent the Nether Flames recoiling. Then, he casually flicked out two fingers. The finger strikes shot forth like shuttles, whistling sharply as they pierced the air. The Netherworld Dark Serpent dodged too late to evade the vital areas around its eyes, but it could not evade the intrusion of the finger energy. One finger struck its cheek, and the other pierced directly through its forehead.

The Netherworld Dark Serpent, possessing extraordinary vitality, erupted instantly. Its massive tail coiled heavily, effortlessly crushing the thick stalagmite into dust. In agony, it thrashed its tail wildly in all directions. Lei Dong and the others immediately retreated several paces. A trapped beast will still fight, especially one as powerful as this Netherworld Dark Serpent.

Lei Long did not manifest his true form, engaging the frenzied Netherworld Dark Serpent in combat while remaining in human shape. Alas, the serpent, having struggled so hard to reach peak Nascent Soul—only one step shy of transcending to a new level of existence—was met with the cruelty of the world: even the slightest gap in cultivation can prove fatal at a crucial moment.

Moreover, the difference between the two parties was an entire major cultivation realm. Peak Nascent Soul versus early Spirit Transformation, though seemingly separated by just one small tier, represented a disparity in combat power akin to heaven and earth.

In less than half an incense stick’s time, Lei Long, with absolute advantage, easily transformed his hand into a blade, using an incomparably sharp blade energy to sever the Netherworld Dark Serpent’s head. Thus, a peak Nascent Soul Dark Serpent that had reigned supreme for untold years met its end. Having defeated the serpent with overwhelming power, Lei Long pinched the demon infant—which resembled a small serpent—and stored it in the Soul Sealing Orb, promptly handing it over to Lei Dong. Lei Long knew well that Lei Dong’s Ghost Taming Art required a substantial supply of various souls.

Lei Dong was delighted to obtain a peak Nascent Soul demon infant so easily. One must understand that demon infants are not hard to find, but peak-level ones are exceedingly rare. Generally, demon beasts capable of reaching peak Nascent Soul through instinct, talent, or even bloodline, rarely possess low intelligence. They usually live in seclusion, seldom causing trouble or exposing themselves in the outside world, as each one is striving desperately for the breakthrough to the Spirit Transformation stage—an instinctual drive for life’s continuous evolution. Although the chance of success is less than one in ten, perhaps even less than one or two in a hundred.

“Utterly weak,” Lei Long commented, barely having drawn a breath after dispatching the Netherworld Dark Serpent, allowing himself a moment of slight smugness. This was understandable given his temperament; his cultivation journey had been one of terrifying isolation. Over tens of thousands of years, aside from sleeping and cultivating, the only people he had truly met, conversed with well, and considered friends were two:

One was the unusually clever little fox deeply etched in Lei Long’s memory, and the second was Lei Dong. During this time, he had never fought any true powerhouses. The only two fights he’d engaged in were when he helped Lei Dong deal with early Nascent Soul cultivators, which posed no difficulty due to the massive disparity in power.

Now, facing this peak Nascent Soul Dark Serpent, Lei Long had been slightly apprehensive at first. But the actual contest proved to be extremely easy to win. This demonstrated that even peak Nascent Soul is vastly different from the Spirit Transformation stage—it is a chasm, a barrier incredibly difficult to surmount. Unless one is an absolutely unique entity, achieving such a level of cross-tier challenge is nearly impossible.

The assembled Ghost King guards cast looks of awe mixed with reverence toward Lei Long. They had previously doubted whether he was a genuine Spirit Transformation expert or merely posturing about his strength. But after witnessing this battle, all their arrogance had been eroded. A gap is a gap.

Although he was a Spirit Transformation level expert, Lei Long had always treated Lei Dong as his superior, treating him as an elder brother both externally and deep within his heart, never harboring any arrogance toward Lei Dong despite his immense power. Feeling a slight eagerness, he asked, “Big Brother, that Netherworld Dark Serpent would not retreat even unto death; it must have been guarding some exceptionally rare treasure. Shall we search around? Perhaps there are some rare celestial materials or precious herbs nearby?”

To this suggestion, Lei Dong naturally agreed without hesitation. The group split into several teams and began searching through the numerous intricate branch passages. In less than half an hour, Xiao You was the first to discover an anomaly. When Lei Dong arrived, he saw that within a small, natural stone chamber, there was miraculously a vortex of Chaotic Spiritual Qi.

The vortex was not intensely dense, faintly pale cyan in color, perpetually spinning like the primordial universe, brimming with a mysterious and profound aura. Most peculiar was the center of the pale cyan vortex, where a peculiar flower bud was just about to bloom. The flower possessed three pale cyan leaves, tinged with a hint of golden yellow amidst the blue-green. The bud appeared both closed and opening, clearly on the verge of maturity.

“Is this… is this the Chaos Golden Lotus?” Lei Dong’s artifact spirit suddenly cried out in a wave of divine thought, mingled with overwhelming joy…