"Zagu, we've been friends for millions of years. Let's talk this out properly, no need for rough stuff." The Queen of Torment was utterly dumbfounded. Seeing him seemingly ready to launch the Great Yin Heavenly Thunder, her heart began to pound wildly. No way? Is this body-snatcher this insane? During their previous clashes, every move was a fight to the death—that was one thing. But now, he was actually pulling out the Great Yin Heavenly Thunder to smash her with it.

If she were at her peak, with all shields fully deployed and mentally prepared, the Queen of Torment might have barely withstood the Great Yin Heavenly Thunder, although the outcome would have left her at least half-dead. But now, the Queen of Torment couldn't guarantee she would survive it.

She simultaneously retracted all her attacks, lest she provoke him into unleashing the Great Yin Heavenly Thunder, while also maximizing her own shields and sending all manner of defensive magical treasures flying out to block in front of her. All the while, she spoke in a fawning tone: "Oh, Zagu. Please, don't be rash. You'll die too. We have no irreconcilable, life-and-death feud between us. Is there anything we can't discuss?"

Seeing that she had halted, Lei Dong temporarily stopped his motion to throw the thunder. However, the tyrannical aura in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest. Lei Dong, currently having entered the Peerless State, feared nothing, completely unafraid of mutual destruction or anything similar. But one must not forget that because of his poor aptitude, Lei Dong had always used the Peerless State to drain all his strength during his cultivation. Over a long period, even in this state, he had subconsciously developed a habit of using instinct and a modicum of control over this state.

This situation was likely something the Demon Emperor, who created this state, never anticipated. He had probably intended for this flawed state, passed down to successors, to merely serve as a desperate gamble in moments of extreme peril. After all, if one needed to use this state, it would surely be a life-or-death situation. Betting it all couldn't be wrong. What he hadn't foreseen was that his successor would possess poor talent but abundant resources, actually utilizing the Peerless State for continuous cultivation.

Because of this, whether now or in the past when Lei Dong unleashed the Peerless State against an enemy, although his actions appeared frenzied, he was actually relying on some instinctual self-control. Once faced with truly inescapable danger, retreat would inevitably become his course of action.

Ming Ji felt the oppressive divine thought fluctuation commanding her self-destruction vanish, and the ancient formations within the Underworld King Banner momentarily paused their frantic rotation. A feeling of survival after catastrophe washed over her. She manifested her form in mid-air, patting her chest that felt ready to burst from its confinement, and exclaimed, "That scared the hell out of me."

The Queen of Torment glanced at Ming Ji, then at the banner. Suddenly, her face changed drastically, and she gasped in shock, "The Underworld King Banner? This, how is this possible?" She was instantly thrown into disarray. The Underworld King Banner was a famously renowned Chaos Supreme Treasure, personally forged by the Underworld King, a powerhouse whose cultivation had reached the Supreme rank. In terms of both grade and ranking, it far surpassed the Whip of Torment.

How could such a priceless Chaos Supreme Treasure appear on Zagu? Then again, Zagu seemed to have been possessed. This Underworld King Banner must belong to the entity performing the possession. Who exactly was this person, to possess the Underworld King Banner?

The Queen of Torment’s mind began to whirl endlessly. Initially, she had presupposed that an ordinary person could not take over the body of a High Demon Race Demon King; the usurper must be an extraordinary individual. Now, seeing the Great Yin Heavenly Thunder and the Underworld King Banner confirmed her view. This person must have been an imposing, veteran expert who once commanded great authority—at least a High-Stage Integration realm expert, perhaps even at the peak of the Integration realm.

Of course, she dared not speculate as high as the Supreme level, because throughout history, besides the current Three Great Supremes, very few had ever achieved that status. Moreover, they had all perished. The most recent one was a fellow named the Demon Emperor, who, tens of thousands of years ago, caused immense bloodshed across the Three Realms, only to be eventually crushed by the combined forces of the Three Clans, who managed to eliminate him.

She also didn't believe that one of those renowned Supremes had possessed him. If it were truly a Supreme-level powerhouse, even through possession, eradicating her would have been effortless, not like the current, relatively manageable Zagu.

"Oh? You little demoness, you actually have some knowledge?" Ming Ji became smug, lifting her proud head. "That's right. I am the spirit of the greatest Chaos Supreme Treasure in history, the Underworld King Banner. Little demoness, upon seeing this Banner, why don't you kneel down quickly and lick my toes." Although there is a saying about forgetting pain once the wound has healed, Ming Ji healed her 'wound' remarkably fast, didn't she?

Then, a dark, violent gaze shifted over, and Ming Ji immediately shivered and shut up, flashing a fawning, appeasing smile toward Lei Dong. "Master, throughout all of history, you are the most remarkable, the greatest powerhouse. It is the fortune earned over eight lifetimes for this humble spirit of a Chaos Supreme Treasure to have the honor of staying by your side." In her heart, however, she cursed that following Master Lei Dong was the worst luck she'd had in eight lifetimes.

"Hmph." Lei Dong let out a cold snort, then turned his gaze, now incredibly frigid, toward the Queen of Torment. "I underestimated you; you actually managed to push me to this extent. Talk? There is nothing for us to discuss. Either submit to me, or be destroyed."

"Zagu, what kind of thing do you think you are?" The Queen of Torment’s face darkened with rage, as if a point of humiliation had been touched. "You dare demand that this Queen submit to you?"

"Insolent demoness!" Seeing her dare to insult her Master, Ming Ji immediately hopped out in a bootlicking manner, placing her hands on her hips and screaming like a shrewish woman. "You, a mere mid-stage Integration demoness, dare to insult my most wise, divine, and greatest Master! What crime is this? Kneel quickly! Otherwise, this Banner will ensure your ashes scatter, and your divine soul will be refined by me into a Netherworld Ghost King, never to rise again for eternity!" To Ming Ji, the fact that Lei Dong was her Master was indelible. Though she frequently vented her frustrations about his cruelty and viciousness in private, she could not tolerate others insulting her own Master. It was a very subtle psychological state.

The Queen of Torment paused. The tone of the Underworld King Banner was truly excessive! But then again, the Underworld King Banner was indeed an incredibly powerful Chaos Supreme Treasure; even the strongest spiritual treasures possessed by many peak Integration realm experts could not compare to it. Being well-informed, she was generally aware of the true might of the Underworld King Banner. As Ming Ji claimed, the Banner's greatest utility was refining the divine souls of Integration realm experts into Netherworld Ghost Kings, whose strength was not much weaker than when they were alive.

Precisely because of this, the Three Realms seemed to hold the Underworld King in great awe. She had heard some secret histories—apparently, the peak expert from the Azure Wave Palace in the Immortal Realm, the Azure Wave Fairy, took action and stole the Underworld King Banner. This is what saved the Three Realms from a catastrophe.

Otherwise, if the Underworld King Banner had managed to devour and refine a sufficient Netherworld Ghost Army, who in the Three Realms could stand against the Underworld King? The Queen of Torment felt a twinge of fear. If the Underworld King Banner contained even two or three Netherworld Ghost Kings, she would be no match for it. Furthermore, that mysterious and violent fellow held in his hand a Great Yin Heavenly Thunder, which could be called a great killing weapon.

No matter how she calculated it, she seemed to have no chance of victory. Moreover, judging by Ming Ji’s tone, it seemed her Master, before the possession, was quite an extraordinary figure. Vaguely, the Queen of Torment felt a degree of curiosity—who exactly was this person?

However, despite feeling nervous and afraid, it was impossible for the Queen of Torment to truly kneel. Nevertheless, she dared not maintain her arrogant tone anymore, instead asking cautiously, "May I ask which supremely powerful great expert is your true form? If you are powerful enough, having me submit and defect to you is not without hope."

Just as Lei Dong was about to speak, Ming Ji interrupted first, hands on hips with an exceptionally proud demeanor. "Hmph, little demoness, you truly have eyes but fail to see Mount Tai! My Master is wise, divine, and shines brilliantly! The moment his name is spoken, you will instantly reach ecstasy from fright!"

The Queen of Torment was currently in a wretched position, but hearing this, she felt a real surge of annoyance. However, she didn't dare act rashly at this moment, instead asking coldly, "Then hurry up and tell me what it is, I haven't yet experienced ecstasy from hearing a name; I'd like to see for myself."

"Little demoness, stand firm and listen well. My Master is a Supreme-level powerhouse who dominated the Ancient and Primordial Eras millions of years ago—Xiu Dis, the Underworld King Xiu Dis! Little demoness, isn't my Master's name sufficiently impressive? Hurry up and crawl over to lick my Master's feet!"

The Queen of Torment truly staggered, unable to maintain her footing. Her alluring face displayed a mixture of shock and disbelief, while her eyes were filled with terror. Supremes—they were Supreme-level figures! Can, can the spirit named Ming Ji be telling the truth? Or is she lying?

Lei Dong, even while steeped in the violent fury of the Peerless State, couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat upon hearing that. Boasting? That’s not how you boast! The Underworld King? Just thinking about it seemed exaggerated. If he were truly the Underworld King, crushing this Queen of Torment would be as easy as crushing an ant. Even if she were trying to deceive someone, she should have picked a more believable expert. Why specifically name the Underworld King? Why not the Demon Venerable? Neither would be credible. Also, can you stop with the constant licking and flattering? What kind of miserable environment bred a personality like Ming Ji's?

As expected, the Queen of Torment, momentarily startled, quickly regained her composure and said with exasperated anger, "What nonsense are you spouting? The Underworld King is a Supreme expert who governs by decree. Even if his power is greatly diminished, he is not someone I can handle."

"Ha! I was just cracking a joke to lighten the tense atmosphere," Ming Ji laughed wildly, completely unoffended. "Actually, my Master is the succeeding disciple of the Underworld King Xiu Dis. Even this status alone should be enough for you to submit."

For more novels, visit storyread.net.