The Shadow Demon Clan—a species existing in a liminal state, half-material, half-soul. They possess certain biological traits fused with spiritual characteristics, yet this combination is unlike any other life form. Traditional life forms, such as humans, possess weaker souls that grow stronger through constant cultivation, eventually maturing into Nascent Souls, achieving Primal Spirits, and so forth. Conversely, some beings are born with inherently powerful souls but weak physical bodies, like the Corpse Worms eradicated by Lei Dong. The situation with the Shadow Demons, however, is unique: their soul and ** are inseparable, forming a single entity. At times, they can transform their soul into a ** form, and at other times, the ** can convert into a spiritual state. This oscillation between substance and illusion renders the Shadow Demon Clan natural-born assassins. It is rumored that when the High Demons sought to conquer the Shadow Demons and press them into service, it took immense effort and significant cost. Even long afterward, many High Demons were assassinated by strong resistance fighters among the Shadow Demons. Lei Dong, unwilling to let this race, which once vexed even the High Demons, slip away, was determined to bring them under his command.

Due to the Shadow Demons’ peculiar nature, ordinary restrictions proved utterly useless for control. Fortunately, the High Demons, in their initial efforts to capture the Shadow Demon Clan, had long since developed effective means of subjugation, allowing these demons to be imprisoned like other races. Lei Dong, having long intended to round up some Shadow Demons, had prepared ample containment tools from the natives during his time coordinating the defense with the indigenous allied forces. Since the Shadow Demons are a race from the Abyss, the tools specifically designed for their confinement were already widely circulated in the Abyss Domain; otherwise, if they couldn't be contained, wouldn't they be invincible?

These devices resembled soul-sealing orbs, yet they were fundamentally different. The Shadow Demons’ unique morphology allowed them to be squeezed into these restricted spheres—the sensation was akin to forcibly crumpling a giant octopus into a ball and stuffing it into a crystal sphere. Lei Dong’s (Hidden Dragon Army) and (Fierce Ghost Army) moved swiftly and deftly, capturing the Shadow Demon Clan completely. Only then did Lei Dong order Mo Ge to release the captured Shadow Demon King, standing with his hands behind his back, observing the utterly wretched creature—alternating between black illusion and reality—with amusement. He smiled, “Shadow Demon King, you are now at a dead end. Do you still intend to resist stubbornly? I am offering you a kindness; I do not wish for a grand Abyss Lord such as yourself to perish silently here.”

“Hmph, Lei Dong, you speak sweetly,” the Shadow Demon King sneered, his body flickering between solid and ethereal states. “I never thought that after being clever my entire life, I would end up being schemed against by a mere human brat like you. I do not believe a cunning little thing like you, more treacherous than the Abyss races, possesses any goodwill. How can I, once a magnificent Lord of the Abyss, possibly become your lackey?”

Lei Dong was unfazed by his defiance. “I hear that your Shadow Demon Clan’s lives are somewhat similar to Elemental Beings, creatures favored by the cosmos, possessing extremely long lifespans. Assuming nothing unexpected occurs, Shadow Demon King, you still have many years left to live? Of course, if you wish to die, I can oblige you. After all, I have captured so many of your kind, and with Chaos Crystals, I can certainly cultivate a loyal Shadow Demon King or two.”

“This?” The Shadow Demon King knew the tide had turned. Past glories and honors were now history. For a moment, he seemed to let go, as if facing the end of his life, regretting some of his past actions. He sighed, “Commander Lei, my kin remaining in the war zone will likely be killed by King Shengyao in his rage. If it is possible, I wish to ask you to leave a sliver of hope for my race, to prevent my kind from truly becoming history. If you can achieve this, I am willing to offer a wisp of my soul for you, Commander Lei, to command.”

Lei Dong considered this for a moment. “Agreed, but there are several conditions. First, your Shadow Demon Clan will become a vassal race to me, required to provide me with offspring possessing good aptitude to join my army. Second, I will allocate a territory for your propagation, but when I issue a mobilization order for war, one-third of your clan must form an army to serve me.” //Fastest text update at Shumi Lou

The Shadow Demon King seemed deeply troubled, his form shifting violently. The conditions Lei Dong set were increasingly harsh and demanding, yet he had no means to argue against them, as the life of his entire race rested in the hands of this human who had previously seemed unremarkable. After this battle, only six or seven thousand of his race remained here. A single command from this man named Lei could wipe them out. Under such coercion, even the Shadow Demon King, who once commanded the entire Abyss, felt his spirit wilt, helpless. He and his people were meat on his chopping block; he could cut them as he pleased. “Lei Dong, I won’t ask you to swear oaths, nor do I believe in them,” the Shadow Demon King said, dispiritedly. “I hear you are a man who keeps his word. I only hope that, considering the future loyalty of our Shadow Demon Clan to you, you will treat them kindly.”

“Understood,” Lei Dong said gravely, then turned to the group of women. “Which of you is willing to accept this wisp of the Shadow Demon King’s soul?” Lei Dong had previously fused souls with the Flame Demon King, and engaging in too many such acts risked qi deviation and self-harm. Naturally, he intended to offer this opportunity to the women. Unexpectedly, just as Tian Mo was eagerly stepping forward to receive the Shadow Demon King, Xiao You spat lightly, “Xiao You doesn’t want to fuse souls with this filthy, ugly fellow. I heard that after soul fusion, when one prospers, the other prospers, and when one suffers, the other suffers, and there will be all sorts of mutual sensations between them. It’s truly annoying.”

This remark sent a sharp chill down Tian Mo’s spine, causing her to immediately retreat. While capturing a servant with the peak strength of a mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivator would be excellent, the thought of forming a soul connection where they would unconsciously begin to consider the other as part of themselves instantly killed her appetite. Even Tian Mo, who pursued strength fiercely, found this prospect too much to stomach. Seeing Lei Dong looking their way, Dongfang Fu and Ding Wanyan hurriedly shook their heads, refusing this “good fortune.”

“Heh heh, if the elder sisters-in-law dislike it, then this little brother gets the benefit,” Lei Long, who resembled Lei Dong closely, laughed triumphantly. “The Shadow Demon King is a peerless expert! Just now, after he was injured, the five of us together couldn't subdue him for a while. What a formidable subordinate! Thank you for letting me have her, Elder Sisters-in-law.”

“Alright, don’t gloat after getting your way. Hurry up and get this done,” Lei Dong said. His affection for his brother, Lei Long, was profound. Although they were of different races and had different cultivation levels, years of companionship had made them closer than ordinary blood brothers. “Coming, coming!” Lei Long scurried over eagerly, his gaze lecherous, sweeping over the Shadow Demon King from top to bottom, making the demon king’s heart tremble. He secretly wondered, Does this boy have a preference? He quickly explained, “Um, Young Master Lei, our Shadow Demon Clan has no gender…”

“Huh? Then why does your appearance suggest you are male, and your voice is so deep?” Lei Long had clearly missed the subtext and asked strangely. “Uh, that is because in the Abyss, most races are male-dominated,” the Shadow Demon King managed with a wry smile. “So, we usually adjust our behavior and demeanor to align with the masculine norm. But this doesn't mean I am male. Our race reproduces through fission. If we must define who gives birth as the mother, then in that sense, I am female…” As he finished speaking, the Shadow Demon King’s voice shifted to that of a delicate young girl, crisp and quite pleasant. He even twisted his external form into that of a slender woman. Good heavens, Lei Dong felt a massive headache coming on. Although he knew the characteristics of the Shadow Demon Clan, the Shadow Demon King twisting his gender back and forth made it truly hard for Lei Dong to accept such a heavy flavor. This Shadow Demon race was truly challenging his worldview.

“Oh? Since you are female, then it doesn’t matter. Soul connection is soul connection,” Tian Mo, who had been eagerly anticipating it, jumped out again. “Lei Long, give this Shadow Demon lass to me!”

Even Ding Wanyan, Dongfang Fu, and Xiao You felt a flicker of interest. Lei Long certainly wasn't willing to let the cooked duck fly away. He hurriedly cried out, “Elder Sisters-in-law, you can’t go back on your word! I, Xiao Long, have lived so long, and this is the first time I’ve had such a life goal. You can’t do this to me! Big Brother, Big Brother, please say something fair!”

Tian Mo glared at Lei Dong and transmitted his message fiercely through soul fluctuations: “Lei Dong, you handle this.”

“Uh, Mei Mei,” Lei Dong also messaged back via soul. “What you’re doing is dishonest. You didn’t want it yourself, and now you’re taking it away from Xiao Long. Even if Xiao Long is honest and straightforward, he shouldn’t be bullied like this! He’s my brother, after all. You need to be reasonable.”

“Hmph, I’m a woman, and women don’t need to be reasonable,” Tian Mo’s eyes flashed with menacing intent, her tone full of threats. “If you insist on giving it to Xiao Long, you won’t have a peaceful night tonight.”

“Uh…” Lei Dong broke out in a cold sweat, his heart trembling. But facing Lei Long’s earnest gaze, he steeled his heart: “Xiao Long, hurry up!”

“Fine! Lei Dong, don’t beg for mercy tonight!”

“Husband, this consort also wishes to have a child.”

……(To be continued)