Years later, it was a desolate, sunless, gloomy, and bleak place. This region, colored grey-brown, vast in its expanse, and riddled with ravines and chasms, was known as one of the six domains—the Abyssal Domain.

Even though the environment of the Abyssal Domain was harsh, its ecosystem was quite rich. On the dark rock ground, riddled with minute fissures, as dust billowed in the cold wind, one could see various primordial insects moving nimbly across the bizarre and complex terrain, some preying, others serving as the prey.

Those strange-shaped insects, each fierce in appearance and possessing unique tricks and marvelous skills, enacted vivid and primal struggles of the jungle law. In the Abyssal Domain, where the naked jungle law permeated from the lowest stratum to the highest, there were no weaklings. Even an inconspicuous, humble bug that could be casually crushed underfoot might carry a potent poison, capable of overwhelming even a high-level cultivator if stung inadvertently.

Winds carrying bone-chilling and soul-piercing cold Qi howled past the ravines, canyons, and abysses, emitting shrieks reminiscent of ghostly wails and wolf howls. Within those dark and bottomless chasms, no one could guarantee what dangers lay hidden.

And beneath this seemingly tranquil atmosphere, an ambush could erupt at any moment.

Just as a greyish-black colossal scorpion, spanning seven or eight zhang in length, moved with a nimbleness that belied its massive size, it meticulously scaled the steep, damp, and cold rock face, stalking its prey cautiously. Its target was several clamoring, hungry fledglings nesting in a bird’s nest built upon a misty precipice.

It was evident that these fledglings were no ordinary hatchlings. Even with undeveloped wings, they spanned about ten zhang when spread. Their fuzzy feet were tipped with talons honed as if from cold iron. Their young eyes held a ferocity and cunning absent in other species. The fledglings were uniformly dusty grey, almost blending with the oppressive mist. Only their beaks, sharp as blades and hooked like sickles, stood out in a striking crimson hue. From these red mouths, one could infer that these seemingly unremarkable chicks would mature into one of the notorious avian monsters of the Abyssal Domain: the Abyss Blood-Rot.

This bird, called the Abyssal Blood Kite (Shen Yuan Xue Kuang), even within the Abyssal Domain, ranked relatively high on the food chain. If they survived adulthood, they typically reached the Golden Core stage, with the rare few who lived long or met fortuitous encounters ascending to the Nascent Soul stage.

The reason for coveting these Abyss Blood Kites was simple: powerhouses of various races in the Abyssal Domain favored taming monstrous beasts as mounts. The Abyssal Blood Kite was a symbol of status. Furthermore, the strongest ace legion under the Lord of the Abyss was the Blood Kite Army—a force of over ten thousand soldiers, every one mounted on a Blood Kite ranging from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul stage.

Of course, the intelligence currently available indicated the Blood Punishment Army maintained its traditional numbers. Heaven knew if the overall strength of the Blood Rot Army had been elevated by a level after the Lord of the Abyss acquired certain special assets.

If that army of over ten thousand Blood Vows suddenly transformed—Shu Shu Wang (a likely placeholder or reference)—

The stealthy, dark grey giant scorpion was clearly no simple creature. It crept silently, suppressing its aura, until it reached the several still-crying, hungry hatchlings. The fragile chicks seemed extremely starved, stretching their necks and calling out within the nest.

Suddenly, the scorpion lunged, its gigantic pincer, hard as refined iron, precisely clamping onto one fledgling. Amidst a shriek, the scorpion’s sharp tail stinger plunged deep into the chick’s body. The venom killed the fledgling with astonishing speed, subsequently dissolving it.

The scorpion’s smaller pincers rapidly shoved the delicacy into its hideous oral apparatus. The remaining three fledglings retreated in terror to the edge of the nest, chirping incessantly, but they posed no threat to the scorpion.

The scorpion was prepared. After quickly devouring this one, it intended to kill and carry off the rest. After all, in its own lair, a clutch of little scorpions awaited its return with prey.

However, luck was not on the scorpion's side. Just as it prepared to extend its wicked claws toward the remaining few Blood Kite chicks, a wisp of black, netherworld ghost energy, like a flexible whip, snaked from afar and wrapped around the scorpion.

With a violent flick, the scorpion was thrown backward, smashing against the cliff face, sending rock fragments flying. Simultaneously, a petite, delicately built young girl in a green dress appeared ghost-like beside the small blood-hued chicks, murmuring gently with faint pity, "There, there, little ones, do not be afraid. That giant scorpion won't trouble you anymore."

The scorpion clearly failed to gauge the power of the small, unknown being. It let out a sharp, piercing hiss, hovering mid-air, baring its claws and fangs, and spat a cloud of fetid poison mist toward the green-clad girl, appearing utterly defiant.

The green-clad girl frowned slightly, and a murderous glint flashed in her soft, delicate eyes. She scoffed, "Insignificant thing, courting death. I intended to spare you." Without looking back, she casually threw a punch behind her.

The force of the punch coalesced into a black fist that tore through the air, slamming into the scorpion's head. Boom—a muffled explosion sounded. The unlucky scorpion’s hard carapace immediately cracked, white scorpion flesh scattering everywhere. Such a creature, positioned high on the food chain, capable of running rampant in its vicinity, a mid-stage Golden Core giant scorpion, failed to withstand the girl's casual, offhand strike, being utterly pulverized with overwhelming superiority.

This demonstrated the terrifying extent of the girl's strength.

The green-clad girl didn't spare the unfortunate scorpion a second glance. Instead, she smiled charmingly again, soothing the few young Blood Kites. She even retrieved some superior restorative elixirs from her storage ring and fed them with relish.

Those few Blood Kite chicks, being anomalous avian species with considerable intelligence, immediately sensed the high quality of the elixirs after consuming one. Moreover, this seemingly formidable small creature had saved them. Instantly, they became affectionate toward the green-clad girl, causing her to giggle with delight. It was at this precise moment that a sharp, enraged bird cry echoed from the sky, piercing and shrill. Almost instantaneously, a behemoth bird, with wings spanning over ten zhang, tore through the mist, dragging a gust of foul wind, its two massive talons sweeping down tragically and angrily toward the green-clad girl.

When the girl saw the bird bore a resemblance to the chicks she had just saved, she understood it must be the mother. Having smelled blood, it likely assumed she was the murderer of its young.

Facing the immense Abyssal Blood Kite, which exuded the powerful aura of an early Nascent Soul cultivator, the green-clad girl showed not the slightest hint of fear. With a wave of her sleeve, a soft yet irresistible force brushed the bird away. She coldly stated, "Silly bird, don't be ungrateful. Had I not saved your children, they would already have been poisoned by that scorpion."

Unfortunately, the Blood Kite was a wild creature. It couldn't understand a word the young girl spoke. Driven by maternal protectiveness, it ignored its fear of the small but immensely powerful enemy before it. After spiraling in mid-air, it dove again with a mournful cry, its speed slightly increased. Clearly, this time, it was prepared to fight to the death.

The little chicks also sensed the intensely dangerous atmosphere, chirping anxiously.

"Fine, fine. Seeing your devotion to your young, I can't be bothered arguing with you," the green-clad girl said, swatting it away again. She flashed away, arriving on a peculiar small flying boat in the air. She pouted toward Lei Dong, who was watching her contentedly, complaining, "Brother, that big bird is truly stupid. I saved her babies, and she repaid me with ingratitude."

This girl, outwardly indistinguishable from a human maiden but possessing terrifying, immense strength, was naturally Gui Zu (Ghost Clan) Princess, Xiao You of the Heavenly Spirit Ghost clan. This group had now arrived in the Abyssal Domain.

"Heh heh, silly girl," Lei Dong chuckled, smoothing her beautiful hair. "Since you have already acted to save them, why must you insist on thanks? You saved those fledglings from the scorpion's maw; your goal is achieved. Why dwell on minor details?"

"Little You, that Blood Kite is also fiercely protective of its young. Any mother in the world loses control and acts recklessly when she sees her child in extreme danger," said Ding Wanyan, who had changed from her elegant attire into a dashing, heroic combat suit. After saying this, she seemed thoughtful, glancing toward Lei Dong with a lingering gaze: "Junior Brother Lei, we have been married for many years now. Shouldn't we..." Her words caused the other women to glance over secretly, as if deeply invested in this question.

Lei Dong hastily coughed twice, sending a dry, forced laugh via voice transmission: "Wanyan, we are in the Abyssal Domain now. We can discuss this thoroughly after we settle matters here."

"I don't fear the rest, but our cultivation levels are getting higher," Ding Wanyan also transmitted, a trace of worry in her voice. "You know, the stronger we become, the harder it is to..."

Lei Dong nodded, indicating he understood. For cultivators, conceiving offspring when weak versus when powerful presented different advantages and disadvantages. The higher the level of life evolution, the lower the probability of reproduction, but the resulting offspring were more likely to be perfected.

Just as Lei Dong was about to reply, an anomaly appeared in the sky. Lei Dong immediately frowned and swept his massive divine sense over it.

(Unexpectedly busy in October; only managed one chapter yesterday and today. My apologies~) (To be continued)