It was perfectly reasonable, then, that Lei Dong had ascended to the ranks of the pinnacle powerhouses by virtue of controlling a Nascent Soul-level puppet. Yet, once one reached that echelon of peak power, everything would undergo a seismic shift—status, standing, and intimidating aura would all increase exponentially. Even an entity like the Purgatory Demon King couldn't help but consider bringing him under his command.

The situation on the battlefield was subtly shifting, bit by bit. King Chi Gui, having suffered a grievous injury from Lei Dong due to her own carelessness, appeared fierce and imposing, but her actual strength was significantly diminished from her peak. Meanwhile, Mo Yu fought with increasing proficiency, integrating more and more combat experience gained from wrestling with war giants. Furthermore, Lei Dong, whose vital energy and spirit were gradually recovering, had begun playing a disruptive role from the sidelines, directing hundreds of suicide ghosts to execute harassment tactics whenever possible.

The destructive force unleashed by the explosion of a single suicide ghost was roughly equivalent to the full-power strike of a Golden Core stage cultivator. Individually, they posed little threat to a Nascent Soul-level expert. However, if hundreds of them detonated simultaneously, or if the bombardment was relentless, even a Nascent Soul powerhouse would find it extremely difficult to withstand.

Several hundred was not a large number, but if Mo Yu managed to land a solid blow right after such an impact, King Chi Gui’s good days would quickly come to an end. Battles between powerhouses were often decided by the narrowest of margins. Having a persistent swarm of threats buzzing about like flies, incessantly distracting her, instantly drew away a significant portion of King Chi Gui’s focus.

With one side gaining and the other losing, King Chi Gui gradually fell into a disadvantage. Unless she fled, there was likely no path left for her to turn the tide. But her defeat or direct death was not what everyone present wished to see. Take the Purgatory Demon King, for instance.

Admittedly, the Purgatory Demon King and King Chi Gui were strategic rivals concerning racial territory and even status. But at this moment, what concerned the Purgatory Demon King most was the Flame Essence Soul. If an outsider obtained it, at best they could use it to cultivate a potent fire-attribute technique or forge a respectable fire-attribute spiritual treasure.

However, the Purgatory Demon King possessed a secret art gained through a peculiar encounter, one by which he was confident he could bring about a monumental change in his own strength. He had been overconfident earlier and had taken a liking to the young man, which led him to offer a favor: as long as Lei Dong could overcome King Chi Gui, he absolutely would not use coercive means to claim the Flame Essence Soul.

Firstly, he genuinely admired the young man’s demeanor and ability; secondly, he was certain Lei Dong wouldn't survive King Chi Gui's challenge, thus effectively granting a favor without cost. But what was unfolding now vastly exceeded his expectations. Did this mean he would have to go back on his word?

Breaking his word was difficult for the Purgatory Demon King. It touched upon the very core belief and conviction of a true powerhouse. If an expert wavered and constantly doubted themselves, they could hardly become a genuine power. Of course, the Flame Essence Soul was far too crucial to the Purgatory Demon King, impacting numerous affairs; he must obtain it. For that reason, if the young man proved obtuse, he might ultimately have to test the limits of his own resolve.

Yet, unless absolutely necessary, the Purgatory Demon King did not wish to shatter the 'heart of a powerhouse' and the dignity he had painstakingly accumulated over long years. As his crimson brows furrowed, a solution surfaced. His eyes lit up, followed by a shake of his head and a soft sigh. Kid, you’re unlucky. But this time, this King will spare your life. With this thought, the Purgatory Demon King’s divine sense began to fluctuate.

……

“Hahahaha—exhilarating, truly exhilarating.” Mo Yu gripped his spirit weapon halberd, fighting with mounting fervor. Having been an artifact spirit before, when had he ever experienced such a blood-pumping battle? Especially against a renowned pinnacle powerhouse of the Purgatory Domain—King Chi Gui. That unfortunate Crimson Flame Serpent was being comprehensively suppressed by him. The sheer thrill of combat flooded his core, sending waves of ecstatic satisfaction through him.

He was enjoying himself, but his opponent, King Chi Gui, certainly was not. This inexplicable battle was intensely frustrating. She had come seeking vengeance for her daughter, Chi Wei, expecting no real difficulty. In her pursuit of speed to prevent her enemy from escaping, she had abandoned her army and flown solo at maximum velocity. But this haste had turned into her personal nightmare.

This was the first time King Chi Gui had felt the insecurity of being without her subordinates. Had her Crimson Flame Army been present, she wouldn't have needed to act personally; a mere wave of her hand could have effortlessly annihilated this arrogant puppet and that detestable young man. Super-level experts, at times, truly represented a point of supreme cohesion and could be the decisive factor in a battle. However, in this world, grand achievements were rarely accomplished through solitary endeavors. An expert, no matter how strong—even stronger than beings like the Purgatory Demon King or the Underworld Ghost Emperor—if unsupported by a powerful faction behind them, was essentially just meat for others. Their very physical components could end up as materials for forging artifacts or refining pills.

Just as King Chi Gui’s state of mind began to waver, contemplating whether to retreat first, a sudden explosion erupted from the abyss where Lei Dong had been refining and repairing the Nascent Soul puppet—the chasm filled with lava spewing the Six Extremes Yang Fire. A fireball resembling a meteor shot forth from within, landing with a deafening roar onto the battlefield.

This sudden, unforeseen event startled Lei Dong, who quickly sent a telepathic command: “Mo Yu, watch out! Retreat first.”

Although Mo Yu now possessed formidable combat experience and ability, his consciousness was still somewhat lacking. Faced with such an abrupt change, he paused for a fraction of a second. From the giant, meteor-like fireball, a whip of fire, solidifying almost to the touch, lashed out, burning with azure flames in the air.

Crack!

Though Mo Yu managed a desperate defense, he was still struck by the fire whip, which seemed covered in barbs. The immense force swept his several-dozen-foot body backward, slamming him heavily into rocks hundreds of yards away, shaking the crimson ground for miles around.

“Hahahahaha~”

The massive “meteor” unfurled from its coiled position like a hedgehog and simultaneously unleashed a string of piercing, shrill maniacal laughter. It shouted toward the sky: “Purgatory Demon King, thank you for honoring your promise and helping me break the seal! I am finally free from that accursed confinement!”

This declaration caused the Purgatory Demon King, hidden in the shadows, to see black spots and nearly fall from the sky. He cursed inwardly, Damn it, you can come out when you want, but why drag me into it? Is it fun? Truly a brainless brute; no wonder he was so easily tricked.

The core issue was that he had previously promised Lei Dong he wouldn't use force to compel him to hand over the Flame Essence Soul. But now, while it didn't appear to be direct coercion, unleashing this entity to deal with Lei Dong was tantamount to indirect duress. While it didn't technically violate the promise, it certainly danced around the edges of it. Even with the Purgatory Demon King’s renowned thick skin, his face flushed slightly. He boomed out, “Flame Demon King, I broke the seal to release you only because I honored the pact between us. You fulfilled certain tasks for me, and naturally, I kept my word. Now you are a free entity; what you do is your own business, it has nothing to do with me.” The implication was a swift disassociation from the Flame Demon King.

Flame Demon King?

King Chi Gui and Lei Dong both froze momentarily. What shocked King Chi Gui even more was the Purgatory Demon King's presence. When had he arrived? How had his stealth technique become so powerful that it escaped her notice? A series of thoughts flooded King Chi Gui’s mind.

Lei Dong, of course, had long been aware of the Purgatory Demon King lurking nearby, so he felt no surprise there. However, the sudden appearance of the Flame Demon King left him deeply unsettled. The form the Flame Demon King unfurled bore little resemblance to a human; it was more like an upright, crimson-scaled monstrous beast, possessing powerful lower limbs, a long tail covered in barbs, and a row of sharp spines along its back—all indicating this creature was not to be trifled with.

Most critically, his entire body was wreathed in a faint blue flame, a clear manifestation of the immensely powerful Six Extremes Yang Fire. Clearly, this Flame Demon King had already mastered the fundamental principles governing this flame. Earlier, Lei Dong had heard Wu Ji mention that the Flame Demon King was sealed within the core of a lava lake, but also that there were dozens of places called 'Lava Lake' in the Purgatory Domain.

At the time, though slightly cautious, he hadn't paid it much heed. After all, even if this were the Flame Demon King’s prison, it was still sealed and could effectively be ignored. But he had never imagined that at this crucial moment, he would come face-to-face with the legendarily tyrannical Flame Demon King.

The Flame Demon King likely originated from the Fire Elemental Tribe, theoretically sharing the same lineage as the Flame Elemental Phoenix. Perhaps that Elemental Phoenix was even a descendant split off from this Flame Demon King. Such fire elemental lifeforms would see their strength surge by at least several tens of percent when fighting in an intensely hot environment like this, making them exceptionally formidable foes. Conversely, if transported to a place like the Profound Ice Domain, their power would likely plummet by more than a similar margin.

But this location happened to be an area overwhelmingly rich in fire elements.

Lei Dong could only offer a wry smile. His original plan for coming to the Purgatory Domain had been sound: find a safe place to refine and repair his Nascent Soul puppet. Given how vast the Purgatory Domain was, encountering a Nascent Soul expert seemed as rare as finding a needle in a haystack. But fate had intervened, turning things completely upside down. Not only had he run into one Nascent Soul expert, but in total, he had encountered three. Most terrifyingly, all three were convening in the same spot. He was truly, utterly unlucky.