"Lei Dong, this matter, I fear, carries immense danger, doesn't it?" Upon hearing that the Abyss Domain had seemingly turned into a dragon's den, Emperor Mo Long felt his resolve waver. "What if the Lord of the Abyss already commands an army of ten thousand Nascent Soul cultivators? Even if we are powerful, wouldn't going there be tantamount to sending ourselves to our deaths?"

Objections were expected by Lei Dong. The relationship between Emperor Mo Long and Lei Dong was, after all, tenuous, with a degree of animosity mixed in. Furthermore, Emperor Mo Long harbored the mindset of letting the taller man take the brunt of any disaster.

"Old Dragon, if you don't want to go, no one is forcing you." Evil Phoenix was distinctly displeased with her ally voicing such sentiments, feeling it cast a shadow in front of Lei Dong. After all, it was she who had prompted Lei Dong to invite Emperor Mo Long in the first place. She snorted, "Lei Dong already said it: if we don't deal with the Lord of the Abyss now, sooner or later he will accumulate enough power and turn against us."

"Lei Dong, this matter is of great consequence. Should we set aside past grievances and send invitations to the other strong figures, gathering together to discuss a grand strategy against the Abyss Domain?" Elder Li of the Myriad Puppet Sect also expressed deep concern. "Dealing with the Abyss Domain in its current state is an undeniable responsibility for us all. But it is also a responsibility for others, such as the Asura Domain, the Profound Ice Domain, and the human powerhouses of our Nine Continents."

"Heh, everyone, please quiet down for a moment." Ghost Emperor You Ming stepped forward to mediate. After chuckling softly twice, he said, "Regarding Lei Dong, allow me to impose on my seniority for a moment—I've practically watched him grow up. This young man values his life more than any of us here. Since he invited everyone over, he must have confidence that the people assembled here are enough to handle the Abyss Domain. If we add more people, wouldn't that just dilute the spoils? Of course, if someone is willing to forfeit their share of the spoils to the newcomers, I have no objections. In short, I, Ghost Emperor You Ming, have absolute faith in Lei Dong; I believe he already has a complete plan. Everyone just needs to focus on their assigned tasks and wait to divide the spoils afterward."

As an elder statesman, the words of Ghost Emperor You Ming managed to dissipate the fear in the hearts of most present.

"On that point, I agree with Old Ghost. That brat Lei is far too cunning; he wouldn't risk his own life carelessly, much less push his wife and companions into a fiery pit." Indeed, Purgatory Demon King always looked directly at the core of the issue. He smiled confidently: "Furthermore, the fact that this boy managed to snatch something from my hands, and I ultimately couldn't do anything about it, proves that this young man is no ordinary person."

Damn it, I only took something from him once! Is there really no need to bring it up every other sentence? A vein pulsed on Lei Dong's forehead.

As Purgatory Demon King finished speaking, everyone focused their attention on Lei Dong. They, too, were now convinced that Lei Dong would not act without solid grounds. Even if they didn't have an absolute guarantee of success for this operation, they estimated the probability of success was likely seven or eight tenths.

With a seven or eight-tenths chance of success, it was worth the gamble. Ultimately, no one truly wished to stand by and watch the Abyss Domain, which possessed the Heart-Stealing Demon, unify the Six Domains and Nine Continents. If they now had a good chance to strike, why not fight? Why wait until the enemy was at their doorstep before being forced to retaliate? Moreover, if they succeeded this time, there were endless benefits awaiting them. Even setting aside the heavenly materials, exotic treasures, and the Heart-Stealing Demon, wouldn't the wealth gained from leveling the Abyss Domain alone be immense?

Most of those present were towering figures in their own right. If it came to acts of murder and plunder, it was likely every one of them had similar experiences. Therefore, even if it meant leveling an entire Abyss Domain, most would have no psychological burden, especially since the Abyss Domain’s bizarre actions and unique style had earned it widespread loathing.

Seeing that both Ghost Emperor You Ming and Purgatory Demon King had stabilized the situation, Lei Dong showed little outward expression, responding calmly: "I am grateful to both seniors for speaking so righteously. Indeed, if I lacked some certainty, I would never have summoned everyone here to die. Here, I can guarantee one thing to all of you: I absolutely will not use any single person as cannon fodder or a mere pawn. However, if you participate in the alliance operation and then retreat, or if you refuse to obey orders during battle, do not blame me for imposing military discipline without mercy. Now, I must ask, are there any among you who do not intend to join this covenant? If so, state it now, and we will..." (ShuShuWu)

As he spoke, Lei Dong slowly surveyed the crowd, his tone gradually becoming more forceful. Of course, he could afford to act this way based on his current strength, which was vastly superior to before. Moreover, apart from a small fraction of outsiders, the rest were essentially his own people.

Although Lei Dong's words caused some to pause, and the language was harsh, none of them were lone commanders or mere rogue cultivators; they were all people who commanded vast forces. They understood perfectly the outcome of refusing to follow orders mid-battle—a pile of loose sand. Regarding this, they had no objection. Even Purgatory Demon King felt that once an alliance was established, military law must apply; otherwise, what difference would this alliance be from a disorganized mob? Lei Dong's assertiveness, paradoxically, instilled greater confidence in the operation. If Lei Dong had merely been conciliatory and yielding, that would have been truly cause for concern.

"Lei Dong is absolutely correct. Since this is a major operation, it must be sustained by strict military discipline. Otherwise, no matter how strong we are individually, we are just a disorganized rabble," Night Yaksha King, who had always been on good terms with Lei Dong, chimed in deeply.

"Indeed. If Lei Dong commands, I am willing to accept the military code unconditionally," Evil Phoenix also agreed.

The other strong figures expressed their assent one after another. This operation absolutely required a unified commander. On the surface, Ghost Emperor You Ming and Purgatory Demon King seemed more suitable for the role. However, in reality, Lei Dong was the most appropriate person to serve as the overall commander of this alliance. The other two were peerless experts, peak mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivators, possessing immense prestige. But it was likely that neither would fully submit to the other as the supreme commander.

Lei Dong, on the other hand, not only understood the entire background of the situation but was also the initiator and convener of this pinnacle gathering. Most importantly, he was by no means weak; the direct Soul Transformation experts revolving around him, excluding himself, numbered five. Most of the others were generally on friendly terms with Lei Dong.

Consequently, in the eyes of almost everyone, Lei Dong serving as the alliance's overall commander was the most fitting arrangement. Should problems arise, he would be the easiest to mediate. Any other person would likely struggle to shoulder such a heavy responsibility.

In truth, Lei Dong had been aiming for the position of overall commander. This role seemed thankless and burdensome. But provided this strategic objective was successfully met, Lei Dong's prestige among this large collective of forces would skyrocket. With greater prestige, as his own strength continued to grow, he could gradually incorporate those forces into his sphere of influence.

This was also one of the objectives behind Lei Dong gathering every available Soul Transformation expert for this expedition to the Abyss Domain. The Abyss Domain was non-negotiable. Regardless of what that item held by the Lord of the Abyss was, Lei Dong could not stand by and watch it fall into the hands of the Lord of the Abyss or King Sheng Yao.

It was better to benefit himself or his own people than to let others profit.

Once everyone agreed, the formal alliance ceremony immediately commenced. Although simple, the ritual was deeply solemn. Everyone present was a peak expert, and the oaths sworn before so many witnesses were taken very seriously. Moreover, the entire covenant process was recorded on Truth-Sealing Talismans and Shadow-Capturing Charms. Anyone who dared violate the oath would become the target of universal condemnation. Even an entity as powerful as Purgatory Demon King would not dare easily incur such consequences.

As soon as the covenant concluded, all present seemed to become subtly closer to one another. After all, they were now people aboard the same vessel, and retreat midway was impossible. Whether they would feast or starve in the future depended entirely on this operation.

Lei Dong then began detailing the true specifics, including the grudges between the former and current Lords of the Abyss, his assessment of the Lord of the Abyss's overall strength, and the involvement of the Bright Domain.

"Therefore, it can be said that King Sheng Yao and his faction, while appearing to be enemies on the surface, must actually be regarded as allies. Our goal this time is to let the snipe and the clam fight while the fisherman profits," Lei Dong stated seriously, then turned to Elder Li of the Myriad Puppet Sect and asked, "Elder Li, what is the status of the matter I mentioned in the jade slip message?"

Elder Li, whose entire body shone golden and resembled a puppet, chuckled: "Don't worry, Chief Lei, I handle matters reliably. Although the Thousand Illusions Gate is secretive and elusive, they fundamentally rely on our Myriad Puppet Sect. I sought the Thousand Illusions Masks from them; if they refused to comply, I would simply wipe them out."

As he spoke, a murderous aura emanated from him. He continued, "However, they don't have many of the highest quality Thousand Illusions Masks in stock. I only managed to secure twenty. When combined with the appropriate Breath Concealment Arts, even a Soul Transformation expert would struggle to see through them."

"Twenty is sufficient," Lei Dong nodded in satisfaction, then addressed the group: "Our greatest advantage in this operation is surprise. Therefore, we cannot reveal the overwhelming strength of our alliance beforehand. But neither should the Lord of the Abyss underestimate us too much. Having about four visible Soul Transformation experts on the surface seems appropriate. As for the others, they will need to utilize treasures like the Thousand Illusions Masks. The Thousand Illusions Gate is a hidden and very small sect; although not strong, they possess an unparalleled advantage in stealth, infiltration, and transformation. Enough talk, everyone try them out first."

After Elder Li distributed the Thousand Illusions Masks, King Yan Mo was the first to attempt the transformation. After a surge of twisting, a monster entirely engulfed in flames suddenly morphed into a robust middle-aged human male, and his vast Soul Transformation aura was obscured by about seventy or eighty percent.

... (To be continued)