"Hmph, even so, the value of Celestial Spirit Stones is immense, a strategic resource at the very least. If nothing else, we could exchange them for a massive haul of resources from factions in other domains." After Lei Dong's persuasion, the Abyss Lord's anger subsided somewhat. However, he was still considerably vexed by Lei Dong's exorbitant demands.

With the two sides currently in a honeymoon period, and the Abyss Lord desperately hoping Lei Dong would spearhead the attack to probe the combat capabilities and weaknesses of King Shengyao, it would have been a disservice to himself if Lei Dong hadn't asked for the moon. Seeing the Abyss Lord soften his tone, Lei Dong pressed his advantage, laughing, "Elder Brother, you've seen my army—truly elite, wouldn't you agree? Compared to Celestial Spirit Stones, resources that are perhaps less crucial to you, my men are worth far more. Warfare, after all, always involves losses, and every casualty is a significant cost to me."

Ultimately, the Abyss Lord did not wish to truly offend Lei Dong and risk him adopting a passively combative stance. Indeed, as Lei Dong pointed out, the Abyss Lord now possessed a mysterious alternate realm capable of refining Chaos Crystals; by comparison, the once vital Celestial Spirit Stones were indeed less irreplaceable. After a brief calculation, the Abyss Lord finally nodded: "Fine, I can give you one hundred Celestial Spirit Stones. However, esteemed brother, you must guarantee that you will eliminate King Chixing and his contingent. And until that is done, I will not allocate a single piece more of resource to you."

He mused to himself that although King Chixing's faction was the weakest among the various powerhouses under King Shengyao, they were far from easy prey, especially now that over a dozen Sky Cities, including one main Sky City, had been incorporated into the Abyss Domain by that old fossil of the Shadow Demon race.

Of course, the Abyss Lord wasn't purely sending Lei Dong to his death. His aim was certainly to see Lei Dong's overall strength somewhat curtailed after eliminating King Chixing.

"It's a deal, Elder Brother." Lei Dong's expression turned solemn. "Though I haven't been active for long, my credibility is sound. Of course, exactly how to engage them requires strategic deployment."

Seeing that Lei Dong finally agreed to fight, the Abyss Lord smiled with satisfaction. "Please elaborate, esteemed brother. We are allies now, destined to share resources and conquer the world together. Consider this initial campaign a trial run for our coordination."

"With my current strength, provided I disregard the cost, taking down King Chixing shouldn't be a major issue," Lei Dong mused briefly. "However, I need Big Brother to handle two things: first, deploy forces to tie down King Shengyao, King Guanghui, and other powerful figures. Second, if enemy reinforcements appear, I need Big Brother to dispatch elite troops to intercept them. In short, I require that during the assault on King Chixing, I remain undisturbed by other factors."

"That is naturally expected. Since esteemed brother will serve as the main combatant, this elder brother will certainly handle all necessary strategic containment," the Abyss Lord replied with sincerity. While he did harbor thoughts of weakening Lei Dong's overall power, he more strongly desired Lei Dong to eliminate as many enemies as possible. After all, King Shengyao's offensive was ferocious, and the Abyss Lord lacked absolute confidence in his ability to resist the onslaught solely by himself.

Following this, the two began detailed operational calculations based on intelligence reports and maps.

Almost simultaneously, in a notoriously perilous location within the Abyss Domain known as the Bone-Gnawing Deep Pool, a faint shadow, almost blending into the gusts of malevolent wind, drifted uncertainly. The Bone-Gnawing Deep Pool had always been a terrifying place in the Abyss Domain. Its topography formed a concave valley, at the center of which lay a frigid pool that had existed for untold millennia.

This pool was not formed by water, but by the condensation of dense Yin Sha energy and virulent miasma. Any weak creature touching this poisonous, baleful water would be dissolved and consumed within mere breaths, leaving no bone behind. Even powerful Nascent Soul level entities dared not linger long in the pervasive mist filling the valley, lest they suffer deep, lingering poisoning. Furthermore, such intensely vicious locales invariably bred exceptionally formidable natives, such as various vicious venomous insects and beasts, which contributed to the site’s reputation as a place of dread. While the native inhabitants might not possess exceptionally high ranks, their venomous ichor, fused from Sha energy and (miasma poison), was insidious and unavoidable.

Yet, in this renowned place of hardship, the venomous insects and beasts had been completely eradicated at some unknown point. A concealed fortress had been erected beside the Bone-Gnawing Deep Pool. Isolated by the continuous power supplied by arrays, the fortress remained utterly free of any Sha energy or miasma. Within its walls was stationed an army whose true strength was unfathomable.

With this army garrisoned here, the perilous location gained an even more fitting name. Any powerhouse daring to search for rare treasures in this area would be captured and slain, never to return.

To safeguard the immense secrets held here, the Abyss Lord had invested heavily in both capital and resolve, determined to protect this place at any cost. The general stationed here was a native of the Abyss Demon race, named Bloodhawk, a true confidant of the current Abyss Lord, Udis. In the abyss, a realm rife with betrayal and broken vows, a "true confidant" could only be someone controlled through unique means.

To achieve absolute control over Bloodhawk, Udis employed the most traditional and effective method: Soul Fusion Technique. Should Bloodhawk ever dare to betray him, a single thought from Udis would inflict agonizing pain, leading to the shattering of Bloodhawk's soul.

Soul Fusion Control was an ancient and highly effective method of subjugation, but it had drawbacks. Firstly, attempting multiple fusions could easily lead to demonic deviation and damage one's own soul. Secondly, if Bloodhawk were to die, the resulting spiritual trauma inflicted upon the Abyss Lord Udis would far exceed the consequences of some blood sacrifice rituals. Thus, while Soul Fusion was potent, it had to be used judiciously.

Unfortunately, in the Abyss, genuine trust between individuals was severely lacking. For such a momentous matter, Udis had no other recourse. This was because the Bone-Gnawing Deep Pool served as the entryway to that mysterious alternate realm.

Having been dispatched to garrison this location for years on end, Bloodhawk had grown weary and disgusted. Unable to return home, unable to leave, and unable to maintain any shred of contact with anyone—this had twisted the psychology of Bloodhawk and this contingent of several thousand Abyss Demon troops, rendering them aberrant and abnormal.

Here, their only amusement was tormenting the Succubi.

Bloodhawk, tall with powerful, dark muscles, was currently enjoying an open-air feast beside the pool with a group of his high-level Core Formation subordinates. They were surrounded by a gaggle of scantily clad, fair-skinned, deeply alluring Succubi. Normal carnal release was no longer enough to satisfy these strong figures, perpetually pent-up and harboring dark spirits. Using every imaginable cruel technique, they made the Succubi wail in agony and terror, only to find an ineffable satisfaction at the very moment of their deaths.

Though the Succubi possessed some degree of power, they were vastly inferior to these mighty Abyss Demons, able to be slaughtered like lambs. Once they died, bloody and their beautiful faces contorted, they were discarded like refuse into the Deep Pool, where the corrosive waters obliterated both body and soul.

Hidden within the void, aided by the stealth experts among the Ghost Squad, Mei’er, concealing her form, stood with a deathly pale face, desperately struggling to restrain the urge to rush down and slaughter every single Abyss Demon present.

"Miss Mei’er, the Master explicitly commanded during this mission that we infiltrate the mysterious alternate dimension without alerting the garrison here," transmitted Gui Ci, short in stature but radiating a dangerous, formidable aura, through cold spiritual projections. "If your rash actions jeopardize the Master's grand plan, not only will you perish, but your entire clan will suffer the repercussions."

"Gui Ci, what do you mean? How dare you use my clan to threaten me?" Mei’er’s face flushed dark. "Have you forgotten that the Master promised to help liberate my people and free the Succubus race from its agonizing fate? My kin are suffering; are you asking me to stand by and watch them endure endless humiliation and be tortured to death right before my eyes?"

"Hmph, a woman's perspective is truly short-sighted. There are likely billions of your kind in the Abyss Domain. If you jeopardize the Master’s major undertaking to save a few hundred kin here, forcing the Master to retreat from the Abyss Domain for self-preservation—then your billions of clan members will still remain..." Shu Shu Net

"You..." Mei’er’s spiritual fluctuations grew violent, her complexion alternating between green and white. Charging down alone would be utter suicide against thousands of powerful demon troops. However, the Ghost Squad was not hers to command, and she wasn't truly foolish. After regaining a sliver of composure, she realized that rescuing these few hundred kin would inevitably expose their presence. If the Abyss Lord became alerted, the grand plan would indeed be ruined. Taking several deep breaths, she forced her emotions to settle and stated coldly, "Gui Ci, you speak sense. However, I hope that after our mission is complete, this Bloodhawk and every last one of his subordinates will die."

"Agreed. If we have the opportunity to capture Bloodhawk alive, I will report to the Master and hand the beast over for your disposal." Having followed Lei Dong for several centuries, Gui Ci’s ideology had been deeply influenced by him. While he employed unscrupulous methods, he still possessed a fundamental moral line. He, too, could not abide this kind of bestial behavior purely for the sake of gratification.

...(To be continued)...