Wei Hua, after all, was a figure in the upper-middle tier of the Qi Refining third layer. Having undergone several cleansing and marrow-washing sessions, his physical constitution was naturally superior. After forcefully twisting through a few mid-air somersaults, he stumbled to a halt, then turned with a flustered look to glare fiercely at Lei Dong and Chen Ge. Yet, the moment his eyes fell upon Ding Wanyan, who stood nearby with a composed face, as calm and unattached as a passing cloud, his fierce expression immediately soured into distress. Taking a deep breath, he bowed deeply, saying, "Wei Hua pays respects to Senior Sister."

Ding Wanyan merely returned a polite, slight nod.

The dark-faced referee glanced at Wei Hua and said coldly, "The rules are clear enough; the match begins."

The very instant the last word left his lips, Wei Hua threw both hands up and shrieked, "I yield! I surrender!"

Even Ding Wanyan was momentarily stunned; the speed of his surrender was utterly unexpected. A wave of boos immediately rose from the surrounding crowd. However, Wei Hua, acting completely unashamed, cheerfully cupped his hands toward the onlookers before casually hopping off the stage. Lei Dong and Wei Hua exchanged glances; this fellow Wei Hua's skin was unexpectedly thick.

Thus, Ding Wanyan secured the first point without even summoning her primary offensive artifact.

Next up was Lei Dong’s match. The three walked over to the adjacent Platform C. The first bout on this platform involved two individuals also at the third layer of Qi Refining, both of whom had only learned one common spell and possessed entry-level equipment—a pair of hard-luck brothers. They commanded their dark green small swords, clashing with ping-ping-pang-pang sounds, occasionally throwing out a burst of fire while the other countered with an ice curse—all standard, widely known spells. This level of combat was so dull that even the supervising referee looked close to nodding off.

They fought straight through a quarter of an hour until both were struggling to maintain their True Qi reserves. Finally, one found an opportunity, using an Ice Curse to slick the ground. The other, losing his footing momentarily, was struck on the arm by a sword strike and could only shout his surrender. The winner was bursting with excitement, while the loser hung his head in dejection.

Soon, the tall, thin referee called out the names of Lei Dong and Wu Qianqiu. This Wu Qianqiu was tall and handsome enough, and he executed a movement technique, leaping up lightly before landing gracefully on the platform.

Lei Dong couldn't be bothered with him, ascending the steps one by one.

Since neither combatant was particularly formidable, few spectators gathered around.

"Senior Brother Lei, please show mercy," Wu Qianqiu said with a slight smile.

Lei Dong gave an indifferent nod.

As the referee declared the match started, Wu Qianqiu’s expression immediately hardened, overlaid with a faint, ashy-green hue. His left hand shot forward instantly, and a spectral, fierce ghoul, twisting and wailing like an illusion, lunged toward Lei Dong. Its momentum was immense, its speed like lightning.

"Ghost Fiend Palm!" the surrounding crowd immediately cried out.

This technique, along with Lei Dong’s Spirit Command Art, Chen Ge’s Nether Fire Bomb, and the Profound Yin Shield, were all signature foundational spells of the Yin Fiend Sect at the Qi Refining stage, with even stronger follow-up spells available upon reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. The Ghost Fiend Palm was certainly one of them. When selecting superior spells, Lei Dong had paid attention to this technique as well. It required no need to hunt down wandering spirits; one only needed to continuously absorb fiend energy during cultivation to temper the body, mixing that energy into the purity of the Profound Yin True Qi. This formed the prerequisite for casting the Ghost Fiend Palm.

Fiend energy, in a sense, was also a form of spiritual energy, existing both in primordial forms and those created later. These energies also came in various types and countless classifications, such as Thunder Fiend, Yang Fiend, Yin Fiend, and so on. Since the Yin Fiend Sect derived its name from Yin Fiend energy, they naturally possessed an extremely deep understanding and application of it, with numerous spells and methods within the sect related to Yin Fiend. Furthermore, within the sect's sphere of influence, areas rich in Yin Fiend energy were common.

It was clear that Wu Qianqiu had mixed Yin Fiend energy into his Profound Yin True Qi. Of course, even Yin Fiend energy possessed dozens of different quality grades. Lei Dong had not researched this aspect extensively and was not entirely clear on the specifics.

But the power of the Ghost Fiend Palm, being one of the Yin Fiend Sect's signature spells, was undoubtedly significant. Lei Dong's expression shifted subtly. He vaguely sensed a chilling aura enveloping him and knew that this opponent had refined the Ghost Fiend Palm quite well—to the extent that he could lock onto its form with his spiritual sense and guide its flight path. Lei Dong realized that if he tried to flee, the fiend would surely pursue him under Wu Qianqiu’s guidance. While his own speed wasn't slow, he couldn't outpace the ghost fiend’s flight.

Having no intention of meeting the Ghost Fiend Palm head-on with his body, Lei Dong merely raised his hand slightly, deploying the fourth-grade Bloodthirst Ghoul to stand guard before him. The Bloodthirst Ghoul immediately manifested a shield, condensing its ghostly form into a ball.

Boom! The materialized fierce ghoul collided violently with the Bloodthirst Ghoul. Fiend energy scattered in all directions like streams of current. As the Bloodthirst Ghoul was sent flying backward, its translucent shield shattered. Simultaneously, its ghostly body showed signs of becoming somewhat fragmented and unstable. This demonstrated the sheer power of this one strike from the Ghost Fiend Palm.

"Spirit Command Art, a fourth-grade Ghoul?" Those in the know among the spectators gasped. A fourth-grade Ghoul was basically as powerful as an ordinary cultivator at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. If nothing unexpected happened, this single fourth-grade Ghoul could sweep through the majority of disciples in the same cohort. Looking at Lei Dong again, the expressions of the crowd changed entirely. After all, a person possessing such a Ghoul could hardly be judged solely by his mere cultivation level of the third layer of Qi Refining.

It was widely known that the Spirit Command Art was relatively easy to cultivate, but to become truly powerful through it required the luck to capture a Spirit Ghost. Of course, one could also spend ten spirit stones to purchase one. Sadly, how many new disciples, having only cultivated for three years, had the spare cash to buy a Spirit Ghost? Even if they bought one, they would need an excellent Soul Nurturing Pagoda to sustain it, and they'd have to take it out occasionally to let it absorb flesh and blood. Consequently, although the Spirit Command Art was potent, it was incredibly difficult to cultivate effectively.

Wu Qianqiu watched his all-out Ghost Fiend Palm strike, which he was certain would succeed, get blocked by a fourth-grade Ghoul, and his ashy-green complexion immediately paled slightly. The Bloodthirst Ghoul, nearly dispersed, immediately let out a tearing sound, its entire body turning crimson as it lunged forward with its blade, howling ferociously and brimming with savage intent. Though the Ghost Fiend Palm was potent, Wu Qianqiu was still only at the third layer of Qi Refining; casting two consecutive, powerful Ghost Fiend Palms was impossible. Yet, admitting defeat felt deeply unwilling. He had no choice but to pull out his dark green small sword and command it with his spiritual sense to slash at the Bloodthirst Ghoul.

Lei Dong felt a pang of heartache for the injured Bloodthirst Ghoul and, naturally, could not stand idle. He simultaneously maneuvered his own dark green small sword, transforming it into a streak of green light, and thrust fiercely toward the opponent. With a clang, the Bloodthirst Ghoul stubbornly endured the incoming attack and managed to land a heavy chop on Wu Qianqiu first. Immediately, a dark shield carved with grotesque ghosts flared up on Wu Qianqiu’s body, absorbing the blow from the Yin blade.

Both combatants had unleashed their sect’s signature spells, which were far from weak. This immediately galvanized the Foundation Establishment stage referee, who had expected yet another dull match. Spectators from the other platforms, upon hearing about the emergence of the Ghost Fiend Palm and a fourth-grade Ghoul, also began gathering around.

With a sharp ding, Lei Dong’s dark green small sword was also blocked. Wu Qianqiu relied on his movement technique, awkwardly dodging the relentless onslaught of the Bloodthirst Ghoul’s attacks. However, he was still getting hit occasionally. His artifact shield could block a fatal blow at a crucial moment, but it wasn't a sustainable solution. Gritting his teeth, Wu Qianqiu shifted the majority of his focus onto Lei Dong, commanding his dark green small sword to stab toward him, gambling that Lei Dong lacked a defensive artifact.

It was true that Lei Dong had no defensive artifact. But was the mid-grade Ascending Cloud Boots, bestowed by the Ancestor, merely for show? With a slight shift of his body, the opponent's small sword only struck an afterimage. Simultaneously, he urged his own dark green small sword, cleaving ferociously toward Wu Qianqiu. A turtle shell is still just a shell; no matter how hard, it cannot endlessly withstand blows.

For a time, Wu Qianqiu was cornered in an extremely disadvantaged position, seemingly unable to cope with the pressure. But Lei Dong remained vigilant, remembering the bloody reversal he had witnessed three years ago during the sect’s decennial grand competition—a scene indelibly etched in his memory.

Bang!

Following a heavy strike from the Bloodthirst Ghoul, the shield shattered instantly. The spiritual energy that had been faintly flowing within it completely dissipated.

"I surrender," Wu Qianqiu exclaimed, his face drastically changed, clearly unwilling but realizing that continuing the fight might cost him his life. He could only swallow his pride and call out his surrender, his face flushing red.

Lei Dong immediately halted his assault. The Bloodthirst Ghoul obediently turned and flew back, positioning itself to guard his side.

"Myriad Ghost Cave Minor Competition, Platform C, Second Match: Lei Dong versus Wu Qianqiu. Match Result: Lei Dong wins, gaining one point."

As the referee announced the result, Lei Dong let out a slight breath, inwardly cursing Wu Qianqiu for hiding his strengths—not only was his Ghost Fiend Palm expertly refined, but he also possessed a defensive artifact.

Chen Ge and Wei Hua were the first to cheer loudly upon seeing Lei Dong win. The rest of the crowd, having witnessed such an exciting match, quickly followed suit with hearty shouts.