In fact, the Demon King of the Purgatory, on the verge of obtaining the Flame Essence Spirit, had begun to regard all races in Purgatory as his own faction, rather than competing for resources as before.

The Demon King of Purgatory also did not wish for King Chi Gui and that brat Lei Dong to become irreconcilable enemies, as Lei Dong not only possessed formidable personal strength but also seemed to share an extraordinary connection with many powerful figures in the Nether Ghost Domain.

Not to mention the Old Ghost of the Netherworld, this brat had even sought out the Evil Phoenix of the Nether Phoenix Clan as a witness to his arrangements. This slightly surprised the Demon King of Purgatory, as he was well aware that the Nether Phoenix Clan and the Ghost Clan were hostile forces, and the relationship between the two Soul Transformation experts was far from amicable.

If this brat managed to maintain good relations with both factions, would it cause the two clans to end their enmity and unite? If that happened, the entire dynamic of the Nether Ghost Domain would undergo a dramatic shift.

The more he considered it, the more mysterious and bizarre the brat seemed. So much so that even after being so thoroughly extorted by Lei Dong, the Demon King of Purgatory instinctively preferred not to be on hostile terms with him. Occupying the position of the representative figure of the Purgatory Domain, the Demon King always had to consider matters far more deeply than others. At the very least, having already paid such a steep price for the Flame Essence Spirit, why provoke the young master Lei? Thinking about many matters from a different angle could reveal entirely different perspectives and outcomes.

Rather than becoming an enemy of young master Lei because of this huge financial loss, it would be better to use this great expenditure to showcase the generosity and magnanimity of the Demon King of Purgatory, offering a convenient favor and making a strategic investment in the young man. In the future, perhaps Lei Dong could still prove useful.

This line of thinking for the Demon King of Purgatory was born out of a certain helplessness, much like a saying Lei Dong often heard in his previous life: if you cannot resist the forced imposition, you might as well enjoy it obediently; otherwise, you suffer the pain and still feel displeased. What was the point of such self-torment?

“Demon King, does this mean my daughter Chi Wei’s revenge is also abandoned?” King Chi Gui’s expression turned cold, filled with apparent rage.

“King Chi Gui, let me tell you one more time, starting today, this brat Lei Dong falls under my protection.” The Demon King of Purgatory’s aura instantly grew fierce: “If you dare to harm even a single hair on his head again, I won’t hesitate to personally lead the Demon Army of Purgatory to meet your Blazing Army of Chi Lian.”

Although King Chi Gui considered her Blazing Army powerful, it was ultimately inferior by several measures to the grand Demon Army of Purgatory, especially if the Demon King of Purgatory led it personally. In that case, the battle would be unwinnable.

Under the Demon King's coercion, King Chi Gui now had to swallow down the bitterness filling her stomach, unable to vent it. She knew that the Demon King of Purgatory always kept his word. If he truly led his army to attack her Crimson Sky Fortress, a fortress that had been maintained through countless years of effort, even if it might not be conquered, simply being surrounded would make life difficult for the Chi Lian Fire Snake Clan henceforth. What about the numerous cities and spirit veins outside? Should they all be handed over to the Demon Race of Purgatory?

For a moment, King Chi Gui was genuinely intimidated, daring not to move against Lei Dong, but she fixed him with a gaze overflowing with malice.

“There, there, King Chi Gui, you aren't without other daughters.” The Demon King was somewhat satisfied upon seeing that he had successfully deterred her. In his plans, after his eventual success, King Chi Gui would become one of his trusted confidantes. After suppressing her, he began to win her over: “Although that little girl named Chi Wei has decent aptitude and you view her as your heir, you are still young, after all. Have a few more. There will surely be other talented young girls, and you can pick the best as your successor. I will officially adopt her as my goddaughter, and I guarantee no one will dare bully her again.”

King Chi Gui was taken aback by the words spoken by the Demon King. If her daughter became the Demon King’s goddaughter, this situation might actually turn into a blessing in disguise. If she could truly align with the Demon Race of Purgatory, it would greatly benefit her clan's development.

However, was this not the Demon King of Purgatory’s strategy of wooing distant allies while attacking neighbors, dividing and conquering? The highly suspicious King Chi Gui began to harbor numerous doubts.

Knowing that the females of the Chi Lian Fire Snake Clan were naturally very suspicious, the Demon King of Purgatory did not mind and merely chuckled: “If you are unwilling, so be it. When you select a new successor, I will personally visit your Crimson Sky Fortress and deliver a grand gift to your daughter.” These words were spoken with genuine sincerity.

“Then I thank you, Demon King. Since this is someone you personally wish to protect, Chi Gui will grant you face this once.” King Chi Gui’s sorrowful and furious mood eased somewhat, being placated considerably. After all, she was facing not just a super expert whose strength surpassed hers by two or three times, but also the incredibly powerful Demon Army of Purgatory behind him. If the two clans truly clashed, King Chi Gui would find it almost impossible to win. In truth, if she genuinely wanted revenge for Lei Dong, it would be extremely difficult. His roots were not in the Purgatory Domain; he could flee anytime, even staying away for hundreds of years without affecting the Purgatory Domain. But to pursue and kill him in another domain would be courting death. Within this domain alone, without relying on her Blazing Army, she could not touch the brat. Having an off-ramp was better than having none. If people discussed the matter later, they would at least say she couldn't take revenge because the Demon King of Purgatory restrained her, rather than saying King Chi Gui lacked the ability to avenge her daughter.

Due to these various reasons, the death of Chi Wei was ultimately glossed over. In this world, even experts at the Soul Transformation level sometimes could not act entirely as they pleased; every Soul Transformation expert carried many burdens.

King Chi Gui withdrew from any action against Lei Dong, and the Blazing Demon King, who followed closely behind, also dared not provoke the Demon King of Purgatory alone. Although he was somewhat dense and impulsive, he was not truly foolish. Seeing that the situation seemed to be turning sour, he greeted the Demon King of Purgatory: “Well now, Demon King of Purgatory, this old demon will take my leave first. It has been a long time since I visited home; I wonder how those little brats are doing now.” Saying this, he transformed into a ball of fire and swiftly flew away. Clearly, having been imprisoned for so many years, and with the Flame Monarch now gone, he was impatient to consolidate the elemental lifeforms left behind by the Flame Monarch.

The Blazing Demon King, having suffered enough losses, had learned his lesson, fully understanding the principle that even a brave man needs allies. Without formidable power and armies, no matter how strong one’s individual prowess, one cannot thrive in this world; sooner or later, they will be taken down like a stray monster.

King Chi Gui, ultimately finding no recourse, glared fiercely at Lei Dong before bidding farewell to the Demon King and departing.

Thus, only Lei Dong and the Demon King remained.

Several months later, at a transfer hub situated between the Purgatory Domain and the Nether Ghost Domain, the area had been cleared under the Demon King of Purgatory’s orders. Now, only a sparse handful of individuals remained in this location. However, among these few people, apart from Lei Dong, every single one was a renowned figure from the Nine Continents of the Six Domains—individuals whose slightest action could cause tremors across three regions.

These figures were: the Elder of the Demon Race of Purgatory, the Great Demon King of Purgatory; the strongest entity from the Nether Ghost Domain, the Nether Ghost Emperor; the Clan Leader of the Nether Phoenix Clan, Evil Phoenix; and the Soul Transformation expert Nether Phoenix Serpent, who followed closely beside Evil Phoenix.

As for Lei Dong, although his reputation among the top experts of the Nine Continents of the Six Domains was not yet resounding, with a Soul Transformation level puppet standing behind him, no one could afford to underestimate him any longer.

“Senior Netherworld, Senior Evil Phoenix, thank you both for rushing here to assist after receiving my message.” Lei Dong bowed respectfully, his demeanor utterly sincere.

In fact, he was genuinely grateful. Their response to his message had been incredibly swift. Moreover, although this location was a border area, it still fell within the sphere of influence of the Purgatory Domain, meaning they had come risking significant danger.

The Nether Ghost Emperor, his white hair cascading over his shoulders, maintained his aura of inscrutability. His calm gaze swept over the Soul Transformation puppet behind Lei Dong without much reaction, speaking unhurriedly: “Lei Dong, your message stated you wished to conduct a fair transaction with the Old Demon of Purgatory and invited me to witness. Tell me truthfully, did the Old Demon of Purgatory coerce you with force, compelling you into an insincere exchange? If so, I will stand up for you.”

Evil Phoenix also shot a displeased glance toward the Demon King of Purgatory and stated solemnly: “Indeed. Lei Dong, you no longer need to be afraid. I have already assembled five thousand Nether Phoenix troops at the border. With a single command, they can be teleported here to secure this valley. If this Old Demon dares to coerce you, I, Evil Phoenix, will not stand by, even if it means war.”

The expression of the Demon King of Purgatory shifted. While he had anticipated Lei Dong’s deep ties with the Nether Ghost Emperor and Evil Phoenix, he had not expected that the two would be willing to risk war with the Purgatory Domain for this brat? This was not what the Demon King desired. His greatest wish now was to secure the Flame Essence Spirit quickly so he could advance his divine arts and dominate the Purgatory Domain. His expression flickered, but he then let out a hearty laugh: “Old Ghost of the Netherworld, and Miss Evil Phoenix, do you truly believe the face of this old demon is worth so little? Furthermore, since you share such a close relationship with young master Lei, you should certainly know how formidable and cunning Lei Dong is! Even if I wished to coerce him, I couldn't succeed. Most importantly, this brat was engaging in a business without capital, seizing what rightfully belonged to this old demon. Now, this old demon wants to spend money to buy it back—can you please stop being so relentlessly insistent?” By the end, the Demon King put on a wronged expression; even this old devil knew how to act pitifully.

Evil Phoenix’s slightly tense expression eased somewhat. Recalling her experiences with young master Lei, upon careful reflection, he certainly wasn't someone who tolerated being taken advantage of. She believed seven to eight parts of the Demon King's words, and glared at Lei Dong with annoyance, muttering inwardly that this fellow had truly made a name for himself, daring to steal from the Old Demon of Purgatory—and even more remarkably, forcing the old demon into a transactional method just to buy it back.

The Nether Ghost Emperor also looked at Lei Dong with surprise, musing that this brat truly knew how to stir up trouble, stealing things right from under the nose of the Old Demon.