Since the Insect Emperor brought her near the Styx, it stood to reason that this Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King must be close by. The Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worms were one of the notorious vicious insects of the Nine Nethers. While their fighting strength wasn't top-tier, their supernatural abilities were rather bizarre; they parasitized the souls of demon beasts or various intelligent races, gradually gnawing away at the spirit until the host was driven to unbearable agony. If one wished to avoid suicide, one would likely suffer for a long time before the soul was finally consumed, leading to death. Such a terrifying creature—the mere thought sent shivers down the spine.

Even at her peak, she would have been reluctant to face a Soul-Devouring Worm King that had cultivated to the Spirit Transformation stage alone. Not only was the creature disgusting, but it was also extremely difficult to deal with. Her earlier willingness to assist stemmed from two points: first, the terms offered by the Insect Emperor were overwhelmingly advantageous to her; second, she was accompanied by a large retinue of subordinates and the Insect Emperor himself, who was skilled in insect taming arts, making the venture virtually foolproof.

But now, the Evil Phoenix had likely never experienced such abject misery in her entire existence. Even during the confrontation hundreds of years ago when she was suppressed by the Netherworld Ghost Emperor, she had ultimately managed to escape using her exceptionally powerful spatial laws and speed, albeit in a rather wretched state. It was precisely because of this that the Evil Phoenix had always harbored a bone-deep hatred for the Netherworld Ghost Emperor.

Regardless, this was the weakest the Evil Phoenix had ever been since reaching the Spirit Transformation stage! To now face a Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King capable of shifting between vast and minute forms, appearing and disappearing at will, and extremely adept at swallowing divine souls, the Evil Phoenix couldn't help but feel a tightening knot in her mind.

Hearing the Evil Phoenix's shriek of terror, Lei Dong reacted instantly, hurriedly using his remaining divine sense to halt all his offensive maneuvers against her. He was acutely aware that neither he nor the Evil Phoenix stood a chance of dealing with the terrifying Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King alone. Their only hope of survival lay in joining forces with the Evil Phoenix.

Of course, were it not for the current predicament, Lei Dong would never have set aside his resentment toward the Evil Phoenix to ally against a common foe. If circumstances allowed, he would gladly have joined forces with the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King to deal with the Evil Phoenix. Unfortunately, all manner of insect-type demon beasts were notoriously high-risk and low-intelligence. Even an insect at the Spirit Transformation level possessed less wisdom than some cleverer low-tier demon beasts. Insect demon beasts were mostly driven by instinct; their minds were exceedingly simple. Perhaps because of this, insect demon beasts were considerably terrifying—they were living, cold-blooded machines. One could not trick an insect with cunning schemes, nor could one easily incite psychological changes in them through provocation.

Insect demon beasts were renowned for being stable and cold-blooded. Their existence revolved only around predation, avoiding being preyed upon, and then, upon reaching sexual maturity, instinctual mating, followed by death. A simple life made them all efficient killing machines.

The Evil Phoenix and Lei Dong exchanged a glance, seeing in the other's eyes a trace of unwillingness, yet also a shared desire to cooperate. In the heartland of these Soul-Devouring Worms, two individuals utterly drained of energy had no path but death if they did not unite. The Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King was certainly not to be trifled with.

However, just as the Evil Phoenix attempted to speak, a voice not much more pleasant than that of the Soul-Devouring Worm let out a sinister chuckle: "Evil Phoenix, for one of the Four Emperors of the Underworld, how did you allow yourself to be driven into such a sorry state by a mere Nascent Soul brat? Perhaps you need my assistance?"

"Insect Emperor—" The Evil Phoenix froze, her expression shifting from displeasure to alarm, as if recalling something profoundly negative. Her face gradually darkened, and she snorted coldly, "Insect Emperor, concern yourself with your own affairs. I can handle this trivial matter myself." Except for the Netherworld Ghost Emperor, the other three Emperors used "I" when addressing each other, signaling humility and avoiding unnecessary misunderstandings. But clearly, the Insect Emperor was in a rather arrogant mood, referring to himself as "Zhen" (Imperial 'I') directly in front of the Evil Phoenix. This was a sensitive distinction; the Evil Phoenix dared not take the risk. She was hardly a newcomer; how could she not understand the simple truth that one's heart is hidden behind one's face?

Furthermore, the Insect Emperor and the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King appearing simultaneously at this most crucial moment, with the Emperor showing no surprise whatsoever—the underlying meaning of this situation was certainly worth dwelling upon.

"A trivial matter? Heh, yet you look utterly spent, on the verge of collapse." The Insect Emperor suddenly laughed coldly, his form flashing as he appeared in a position forming a diagonal triangle between the two of them. Simultaneously, a monstrous, terrifying worm, over ten zhang long and as thick as a water vat, silently slithered to his side, seemingly circling his body with delight, much like a pampered pet fawning over its master. The Insect Emperor, abandoning the cold aura he previously radiated, extended his hand "kindly" to stroke the Soul-Devouring Worm King's gruesome head, completely ignoring the others, a truly horrifying sight.

Indeed, the complexions of Lei Dong and the Evil Phoenix twisted in shock once more. The reality was undeniable: this terrifying Soul-Devouring Worm King was the Insect Emperor’s cherished pet. Never mind that Lei Dong and the Evil Phoenix weren't fools; even an imbecile should have understood by now that the Insect Emperor’s sudden appearance was anything but benevolent. As if by telepathy, Lei Dong and the Evil Phoenix, enemies who had just been locked in mortal combat, subconsciously drifted a little closer, both harboring the thought of finding an ally to resist the enemy in this desperate moment.

"Insect Emperor, what is the meaning of this?" The Evil Phoenix took a deep breath, attempting to calm her turbulent emotions, and stated coldly, "You have long subdued the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Worm King, haven't you? What benefit is there in dealing with me this way? We entered the Nine Nether Styx Valley together; if only you return, the Nether Dragon Emperor will certainly know something happened to me. The Nether Dragon Clan and my Nether Phoenix Clan have always been closely allied; he will never let you off."

Hearing these words, Lei Dong couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly. The Evil Phoenix was too hasty, too volatile. The current situation clearly favored neither of them. The best course of action was to stall for time and recover some vital energy and stamina. Her current aggressive stance risked angering the enemy into a sudden shift in demeanor and striking them down. Immediately, Lei Dong slowly retreated several paces, his hand once again forming the seal for a top-grade temporary artifact, allowing the spiritual energy from the top-grade spirit stone to flow slowly into his meridians. The replenishment rate wasn't fast, but it was better than nothing. Even a sliver of true essence could prove lifesaving at a critical juncture. While the Evil Phoenix was powerful, perhaps it was due to her superior background that she hadn't endured much hardship, causing her, despite her advanced age, to be less mature than Lei Dong, who had clawed his way up from the bottom step by step.

"Heh heh." Perhaps in an exceedingly good mood, the Insect Emperor was unconcerned by the Evil Phoenix's questioning, instead laughing, "Phoenix Emperor, oh Phoenix Emperor, what am I to say about you? Have you become so accustomed to reigning supreme within your clan that you can still argue so righteously in the face of such disadvantage? Heh heh, you’d do better to emulate this cunning human, who takes the opportunity to accumulate his true essence and strength." As he spoke, the sinister eyes beneath the Insect Emperor's black robe cast a meaningful glance at Lei Dong, unusually showing a hint of appreciation. "Boy, for managing to scheme against me earlier, even getting the better of me, you truly have some substance. No wonder even the Netherworld Ghost Emperor's daughter looks upon a mere human like you favorably. I suspect the old ghost Netherworld also appreciates you? Tsk tsk, teaching you the secrets of the Ghost Clan, the True Words of the Spirit God Art—truly enviable. You even managed to flatter that grumpy old Netherworld Ghost, you are indeed a talent, a genuine talent."

Lei Dong remained completely unmoved, continuing his methodical absorption of the spiritual energy from the top-grade spirit stone, his expression placid. "Oh? Are you interested in my abilities and wish to recruit me as a subordinate?"

This time, it was the Insect Emperor's turn to be slightly taken aback, glancing curiously at Lei Dong. "What's this? You might actually surrender to me?"

"Why not?" Lei Dong shrugged nonchalantly. "I am a human from the Nine Provinces Continent. While I have had some minor conflict with Your Majesty, we have no prior enmity, let alone any conflict of interest. If Your Majesty truly possesses the magnanimity and ability to value this junior, I would willingly serve you and strive for a grand enterprise together."

Lei Dong’s words caused the Insect Emperor a moment of intense thought, but having been tricked once, he was wary of a second betrayal. He said sternly, "Boy, we will settle our scores later. His Majesty and the Phoenix Emperor shall catch up first. I hope you won't make any unfriendly moves, or don't blame me for showing no mercy. As for recovering your spiritual energy, feel free to take your time; I can't be bothered with you." After briefly displaying Lei Dong's supposed composure, the Insect Emperor looked toward the Evil Phoenix with renewed cheerfulness. "Phoenix Emperor, oh Phoenix Emperor, you have too many questions. Very well, as I am in a good mood today, I shall enlighten you. I brought you here for one reason, and one reason only: for your quasi-Divine Beast level primordial spirit. I advise you to surrender obediently and let my dear pet devour your spirit. As for that old Demon Dragon, rest assured, I have plans for him too. As for the old ghost Netherworld, I won't hide it from you: if my pet devours your Nether Phoenix spirit and a Nether Dragon spirit, it will have no problem advancing to the mid-stage Spirit Transformation realm in a short time. By then, why should I fear the Netherworld Ghost Emperor? Hahahaha."

Ugh, this fellow was too verbose. Lei Dong had always believed in swiftly eliminating an enemy when holding the advantage; prolonging the confrontation only invited unforeseen complications. This Insect Emperor seemed excessively self-satisfied. Even if he were to pledge allegiance to someone, it should at least be a figure with the extraordinary bearing and supreme power of the Netherworld Ghost Emperor. Perhaps having been suppressed by the Netherworld Ghost Emperor for too long, both the Insect Emperor and the Phoenix Emperor lacked the necessary bearing of true top-tier masters, falling short by a massive margin.