"What?" a dark-skinned, burly man exclaimed in surprise and astonishment. "Lei Dong, your speed is incredible! It far exceeds our initial plans."

"Senior Zana, I was merely fortunate enough to overhear some intelligence regarding the Chaotic Spirit Energy Otherworld," Lei Dong responded with a casual nod and a smile, showing no sign of excessive pride. "So, I dispatched someone to investigate, and luckily, Gui Ci has already sent word of success." As Lei Dong spoke, it became clear that the burly man was Zana, the leader of the Rakshasa King clan.

"Good, Lei Dong, you truly haven't disappointed us," the rugged strongman, who was actually the Purgatory Demon King in disguise, slapped his thigh. "Not only are you reliable in execution, but you've also hidden nothing from us."

The others nodded in agreement, smiles plastered across their faces. They had all endured immense hardship and risked everything to ally and travel to the Abyss Domain. Their objective, naturally, was the Chaotic Spirit Energy resources within that Otherworld. Lei Dong, however, had not only acted swiftly but also showed no indication of hoarding anything. Otherwise, he could have easily concealed their entry into the Chaotic Otherworld and kept the bounty for himself.

"Regarding the minor Chaos Crystals obtained from Udis, according to the agreement we drafted, this humble Lei will take the liberty of enjoying them first. Later, this portion will be deducted from my share of the total spoils," Lei Dong said. Seeing everyone's satisfied expressions, he knew his morale-boosting efforts had succeeded. Although they were allies, and Lei Dong held the position of overall commander and coordinator, if he continuously embezzled spoils belonging to the alliance, word getting out would easily lead to passive resistance from his allies, potentially causing the collapse of the entire alliance.

Lei Dong would never commit such a foolish act, nor would he stoop to it. This was because the Chaotic Otherworld was not his true reliance. His greatest confidence stemmed from the Chaos Soul Devouring Tower in his possession; that artifact was what would truly unleash its maximum potential in due time. As for the Chaotic Otherworld, it served well as a cover story for his possession of vast amounts of Chaos Crystals. (Shu Shu Wu)

"Lei Dong, that was already stipulated in our covenant; stop wasting words. Tell us how this battle should be fought, and every single one of us will obey," stated a slender, refined man clad in the armor of the Submerged Dragon Army—the Netherworld Ghost Emperor. A rare flicker of intense eagerness shone in his eyes.

It was no wonder the Netherworld Ghost Emperor, several thousand years old, felt such heat and excitement. He had been stuck at the peak of the Nascent Soul Middle Stage for ages. He had largely given up hope of advancing to the High Stage in this lifetime, diverting all his focus to the next generation. Yet, fate had taken such a sharp, unexpected turn, presenting this monumental opportunity. If he seized it, reaching the Nascent Soul High Stage was a certainty; if the Otherworld was rich in Chaotic Spirit Energy, perhaps there was even a slim hope of challenging the legendary Void Refinement stage.

Everyone present had reached their current standing through talent, diligent effort, exceptional aptitude, good fortune, and relentless cultivation. The reason they were bottlenecked was the depletion of Chaotic Spirit Energy across the Six Domains and Nine Continents. With abundant Chaotic Spirit Energy, infinite possibilities opened up. This line of thinking wasn't exclusive to Lei Dong’s faction; even Holy Radiance King, who risked everything to lead his armies to the Abyss Domain for this desperate gamble, harbored the same resolve.

Under the spurred morale, Lei Dong's commands were implemented with maximum efficiency.

More than ten days later.

Over a dozen ethereal white sky fortresses, each the size of a city, encircled a colossal and majestic main sky city, floating silently in the dim and gloomy expanse of the Abyss Domain sky.

Inside the main city's temple, a handsome Winged Man with golden hair, blue eyes, and a pair of pure white wings elegantly sipped a glass of red wine. Surrounding his throne were numerous exquisitely dressed, seductive, and charming Winged race women.

The bright white armor of this young Winged Man was adorned with patterns resembling burning stars, instantly marking him as the renowned young talent from the Brightness Holy Domain: Holy Star King. (? There were some drafting errors in the preceding text, referring to Holy Star King as female; this is now corrected—this individual is male.)

Though young, only thirteen hundred years old, Holy Star King was already an established monarch. Under his careful governance, Holy Star Continent, while far from rivaling the top-tier Kings, possessed robust potential for future growth.

Logically, someone as young and accomplished should be enjoying a moment of triumph and high spirits. Yet, on Holy Star King's exceptionally handsome face, a trace of savage fury now lingered. He spoke coldly to a subordinate kneeling before his throne, "Is your intelligence absolutely accurate?"

"Reporting to my Lord, every word of my intelligence is true," the Winged Man, whose cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, knelt trembling, adding, "I mobilized my most hidden scouts to obtain this information." Smack!

The crystal, precious goblet shattered into fragments in Holy Star King's hand, the bright red wine staining his fingers, looking as ferocious as fresh blood.

"That bitch Liu Yue," he hissed the words through clenched teeth, dripping with cold venom and resentment. "I, Holy Star King, revered you like a goddess, cherished you carefully. I never expected you would willingly become a mere… Get out! All of you, get out! This King needs a moment alone."

Ultimately, Holy Star King was not a completely depraved maniac; he did not resort to slaughtering those closest to him to vent his rage. The Nascent Soul level Winged Man sighed in relief, quickly signaled the surrounding women to depart, and hastened his exit. In his heart, he pitied his Lord while simultaneously harboring intense jealousy toward King Liu Yue.

In Lei Dong's main camp, for security reasons, Lei Dong always resided in his personal vessel, the "Harem" model. At this moment, he was leisurely drinking with the Judgment King, whose vitality and spirit were clearly restored.

However, after hearing Lei Dong's words, the Judgment King's expression turned somber and annoyed. "Lei Dong, haven't you gone too far? Liu Yue was not willingly controlled by that old dog Shengyao; her true nature was simply clouded. Furthermore, although Chixing (Holy Star) is arrogant, he is generally a kind young man, utterly devoted to Liu Yue. Your decision to exploit this situation and spread rumors widely, purely to undermine their unity, shows a depth of nastiness and cruelty that deeply disappoints me."

Facing the Judgment King's rebuke, Lei Dong remained as calm as drifting clouds, leisurely replying, "Your Excellency, you must understand, this is a war of life and death. In war, mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward oneself. Your Sky City forces of the Winged God Race are overwhelmingly powerful, and I have no habit of wasting the lives of my own soldiers to plug gaps. Whether it is despicable or base, as long as it wins the war and reduces casualties among my people, I, Lei Dong, will execute it without hesitation."

"Lei Dong, how does this make you any different from that despicable dog Shengyao?" The Judgment King was clearly enraged, her face turning ashen. "Equally despicable, equally shameless. Lei Dong, don't think you can persuade me to help you contact Holy Star King."

"I can," Lei Dong stated calmly. "However, I wish for Your Excellency the Judgment King to grasp the current situation. If you refuse to help me execute this divisive tactic, then I, Lei Dong, will have no choice but to resort to a direct assault. By then, whether it is Holy Star King or King Liu Yue, I will eliminate them all. Once both the forces of Holy Star and Liu Yue are eliminated, the forces under Holy Radiance King will surely be unable to withstand the combined onslaught from myself and the Lord of the Abyss. At that time, given the ruthless methods of the Lord of the Abyss, he certainly won't show mercy to the enemy. Your Brightness Holy Domain and the Winged God Clan will see their elites wiped out, their vitality severely damaged. Even if a small remnant manages to retreat to the Brightness Holy Domain, will you have the capacity to withstand your old rivals, the Asura Clan, who are already sharpening their blades?"

The Judgment King’s expression changed drastically. As Lei Dong stated, if the majority of the Winged God clansmen brought by Holy Radiance King perished in the Abyss Domain, it would be a catastrophe for the entire Winged God Race, potentially leading to extinction. As Lei Dong pointed out, the Asura Clan would never pass up such a golden opportunity.

"Holy Radiance King has allowed greed to consume his true nature, and power has blinded his eyes. He believes he is leading the Winged God Race toward glory, yet he fails to see that it is actually a path to certain death and despair," Lei Dong sighed while sipping his tea. "Holy Radiance King is formidable, possessing great ambition and daring. If he manages to win this gamble, he would indeed bring a massive turning point for the Winged God Race. Judgment King, if you regret cooperating with me and wish to throw yourself into the embrace of Holy Radiance King, then I, Lei Dong, will give you one last chance: we will settle this on the battlefield."

The Judgment King hesitated slightly; the impact of Lei Dong's words was too profound. Her desire was to eliminate the despicable Holy Radiance King, but her original intention was never to push the Winged God Race toward annihilation. If that happened, the Judgment King herself would become a notorious sinner of the Winged God Race through the ages. Yet, she was so unwilling to accept that, surely, besides Holy Radiance King, there was no one else to save the Winged God Race?

Holy Radiance King, with his despicable shamelessness, was holding the fate of the entire race hostage. Must she also be coerced by him, sacrificing her own integrity to prevent the extinction of her race?

The intense internal struggle caused the Judgment King’s delicate body to tremble uncontrollably. However, she observed Lei Dong’s composed, almost predetermined demeanor and immediately felt a chill in her heart, understanding that even if she regretted her choices and was willing to sacrifice herself for the survival of her race, it might already be too late to salvage the larger picture. Otherwise, given Lei Dong's fiercely protective nature and unwillingness to endure unnecessary sacrifices from his subordinates, how could he possibly allow her to leave genuinely?

"I yield, Lei Dong," the Judgment King took a deep, steadying breath, fixing her gaze on Lei Dong.