It is common knowledge throughout the heavens that the Life Divine Water of the Winged God Clan is an unparalleled treasure. Not only is it exceptionally effective for breaking through cultivation bottlenecks, but it is also considered the finest miraculous medicine in existence for healing wounds to the body and the soul. Many Deity Transformation stage experts deeply coveted the Life Divine Water, yet they had always been deterred by the sheer power of the Winged God Clan, making forceful seizure impossible. Coupled with the Winged God Clan’s refusal to trade this treasure, the Life Divine Water became even rarer.

Lei Dong frowned slightly, then spoke with gravity, "After the first ten bottles, you will have one." The Flame Demon King was momentarily stunned, a surge of annoyance rising within him. He grumbled internally, I’ve already agreed to serve you for three hundred years, and he’s putting my share behind the first ten? Let’s count—there are only four Deity Transformation experts here in total. No matter how I calculate it, I shouldn't be ranked lower than fifth! "Old Yan, Boss Lei is genuinely good to you," the Black Serpent chimed in, supporting him. "Even I am ranked tenth. Furthermore, this shows Boss Lei’s sincerity. If he had first tricked you by promising you a share only to later claim there weren't enough portions, that would have been a real problem. Besides, Boss Lei has always valued camaraderie and loyalty. As long as you serve him earnestly, he will never shortchange you on benefits." The Black Serpent’s words actually eased the Flame Demon King’s frustration somewhat. He reflected that if even the Black Serpent was only tenth, being eleventh in line wasn't so bad. Moreover, the Black Serpent seemed right: a boss who says one thing and means it is far better than one who sweet-talks you only to deny everything later. Besides, three hundred years? For an ordinary Deity Transformation expert, three centuries seems like an eternity. But as an elemental life form, he held an innate advantage in lifespan. Three hundred years to him was merely a fraction of his total existence. "Then, I shall rely on Boss Lei’s future care," the Flame Demon King said, sweeping his gaze over the three other Deity Transformation level existences surrounding him. He knew that any possibility of escape had vanished. Today, it was either fight to the death or surrender. Death was an outcome the Flame Demon King absolutely could not accept. Thus, the matter became simple: there was no path but surrender.

A slight smile graced Lei Dong’s lips, and a wave of exhilaration washed over him. He recalled when he was merely a fledgling Qi Refining cultivator—it seemed anyone could bully him around, and his very survival was not up to him to decide. Yet, here he stood today, where the life and death of even a Deity Transformation stage expert rested upon his single thought. This feeling of controlling his own destiny, and the destiny of others, was intoxicatingly wonderful. But Lei Dong knew deeply that none of this came for free; everything he possessed was strength accumulated bit by painstaking bit. And he himself had not yet reached the absolute apex of destiny, looking down upon all beings and laughing across the heavens. Therefore, after a brief moment of smug satisfaction, Lei Dong returned to a state of calm. He casually looked at the Flame Demon King and said, "Old Yan, Old Yan, we’ve only met twice. If I were to fully trust you, you’d probably think I was an idiot. You see, I need some means to prevent your rebellion, don't you think?" The Flame Demon King paused, realizing Lei Dong’s point was valid. If he showed no suspicion or precaution toward a forced subordinate like himself, he truly would be an incurable fool. On that count alone, the Flame Demon King admitted he would have rebelled; it would be too humiliating otherwise. However, the Flame Demon King sincerely did not wish to have a restrictive spell placed upon him, so he tried to flatter his way out: "Boss Lei, how about I swear a solemn oath?" "Unacceptable," Lei Dong dismissed with a smile. "Enough with the clowning around. I know that controlling the life and death of a Deity Transformation expert is difficult. At the very least, I don't currently possess a Beast Control Ring or anything similar. How about this: we use Soul Fusion to maintain your loyalty?" Soul Fusion—Lei Dong had experimented with it before with Qi Feifei—was a highly effective method for controlling others. But it had many drawbacks: first, one couldn't control too many people, or undesirable consequences might arise. Second, if the controlled subject progressed extremely rapidly, and their soul power surpassed the master’s, a backlash could easily occur.

However, none of this posed a significant problem for Lei Dong. For one, Lei Dong's strengths might be few, but his Spiritual Sense was supreme. Though his cultivation was only at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, the sheer intensity of his Spiritual Sense was already comparable to an average early-stage Deity Transformation expert. As an elemental life form, the Flame Demon King’s Spiritual Sense was never his strong suit; it could barely meet the standard for the early Deity Transformation stage. By this calculation, in terms of pure Spiritual Sense strength, Lei Dong even held a slight edge over the Flame Demon King. Therefore, performing a master-led Soul Fusion posed almost no threat to Lei Dong. After all, Lei Dong's strength was still in a state of explosive growth; he wasn't worried that the Flame Demon King’s cultivation speed would outpace his own. As for restrictive measures like Ghost Gu or Soul Devouring Insects, those might suffice against experts below the Deity Transformation stage. If either were placed within the primordial spirit of a Deity Transformation expert, it would likely be completely refined by the spirit within a short time. The primordial spirit was not the Nascent Soul; it could practically be called the mature form of the soul.

When Lei Dong mentioned Soul Fusion, the Flame Demon King became utterly miserable. "Boss Lei, must you be so harsh? Furthermore, you say three hundred years of service. What if, when the time comes, you refuse to grant me freedom?" "You can put your mind at ease on that score. I, Lei Mou, always keep my word. Moreover, if I break my promise to you in front of all my closest brothers, how could I possibly maintain my standing in the future?" Lei Dong stated solemnly. "Most importantly, Old Yan, you have no right to choose." Indeed, indeed. When strength is inferior, one must bow one's head. The Flame Demon King’s petty schemes were suppressed by Lei Dong, and he had no choice but to accept Lei Dong’s control via Soul Fusion. Under the watchful eyes of three Deity Transformation experts, the Flame Demon King dared not play any tricks. He complied obediently with every instruction Lei Dong gave. The process of Soul Fusion proceeded exceptionally smoothly. Once the fusion was complete, as Lei Dong let out a slight sigh of relief, he immediately sensed the Flame Demon King felt significantly closer to him. Unlike the Blood Sacrifice Art, after Soul Fusion, the souls of both master and servant shared a connection and resonance to a certain degree. Even at a great distance, they could vaguely sense the other’s location. However, there were considerable drawbacks: if the Flame Demon King were to suddenly die, it would inflict a severe wound upon Lei Dong’s soul, causing permanent and irreversible damage. Unless the combat power of the Flame Demon King was extremely useful and important to Lei Dong at this moment, Lei Dong would not have taken such a risk. Yet, although the Soul Control meant the Flame Demon King would henceforth be constrained and commanded by Lei Dong, in a sense, it also provided a measure of security. Because Lei Dong, even for the sake of his own soul's safety, would not wish for the Flame Demon King to perish. Therefore, the Flame Demon King did not need to fear being used as cannon fodder by Lei Dong.

Once the Flame Demon King had truly joined Lei Dong’s faction, the hostile looks Lei Long and Mo Yao had held toward him softened, revealing traces of friendly goodwill. As for the Black Serpent, who had always found the Flame Demon King agreeable, he now clapped the human-sized Flame Demon King on the shoulder, cementing their newfound closeness. The Black Serpent also deliberately poured out his grievances, detailing how miserable life had been under Evil Phoenix and expressing intense envy toward the Flame Demon King. This instantly dissolved much of the bitterness in the Flame Demon King’s heart. To acquire a top-tier expert of the Flame Demon King’s caliber might appear, on the surface, to benefit only Lei Dong. However, that was not the case. Through years of painstaking management, a community of shared interests centered around Lei Dong had formed. This circle thrived together—prospering together, suffering losses together. The addition of another Deity Transformation expert made this circle incrementally stronger. This was beneficial to everyone, which explained why Lei Long and Mo Yao offered friendly gazes. And Lei Dong felt a massive surge of satisfaction. Calculating it up, he now commanded directly the services of four Deity Transformation experts. "Old Yan, when I saw you rushing off last time, did you go to the lair of the Fire Elements to organize the remnants of the Fire Monarch's clansmen?" Lei Dong asked with great 'concern.' This showed that his ambition extended beyond the Flame Demon King himself; it encompassed the massive contingent of Fire Elements behind him.

At this moment, the Flame Demon King had truly entrusted his life to Lei Dong’s hands. Though slightly unaccustomed to it, he responded tactfully, "Yes, Boss. However, I have only managed to organize less than two-tenths so far. That stubborn old Fire Monarch left behind a horde of little stubborn ones. The ringleaders insist the Fire Monarch is not dead and that they are awaiting his return. Some bastards even claim I was banished by the Fire Monarch and have no right to lead the Fire Element Clan; even if the Fire Monarch is dead, they refuse to pledge allegiance to me—it infuriates me!" As he spoke of this, the Flame Demon King grew agitated, his flames burning fiercely, making him look like a humanoid flame monster. "Old Yan, Old Yan, are you really that useless? You’re killing me!" the Black Serpent roared with laughter. "I thought you were the rumored new Fire Monarch of the Purgatory Domain. How about this: once we wrap things up here, I’ll accompany you to the Purgatory Domain. We’ll see which blind fool dares stand in the way of my brother becoming Clan Head! Slaughter them all without mercy." The Flame Demon King faltered, clearly reluctant. "That… those fellows are certainly troublesome, but according to tradition, most of them are my brothers and sisters." Lei Dong’s eyes narrowed, a murderous glint appearing within them. "The Black Serpent is right. If you can’t be ruthless enough, the Fire Element Clan of the Purgatory Domain will only fall into fragmentation... (Update is late today, but two chapters will not be missing. Also, I've been very busy recently, I will try my best to maintain the update schedule, but if I can't manage it, the updates will shift to the afternoon or evening. Apologies for any inconvenience caused~~) (To be continued…RQ)