Other than the Myriad Ghost Banner, the second high-grade magical artifact Lei Dong chose was a brand-new piece of inner armor. It was thin, almost like a second skin when worn, yet possessed formidable defensive capabilities that could turn away ordinary blades and swords. Of course, when pitted purely against a high-grade defensive magic shield, the inner armor was vastly inferior. At best, its defensive performance was comparable to that of a low-grade magic shield.

However, the inner armor possessed advantages that defensive shields lacked. For instance, when Lei Dong assassinated the pale youth, the youth hadn't managed to use his divine sense to position and defend with his magic shield, resulting in him being gravely wounded by the Shadow Ghost Servants. Had he been wearing this high-grade inner armor, even if the Bloodthirsty Ghost Servants’ strength could barely pierce it, they wouldn't have inflicted such catastrophic damage that led to his death. Thus, the purpose of the inner armor wasn't truly to resist attacks head-on, but rather to offer a chance of survival when all other defensive measures failed or when caught completely off guard. It was an enhancement to the almost physical resilience of the body.

Lei Dong sought methods to defend against ambushes because he was accustomed to launching them himself. Perhaps this inner armor would never be needed in his lifetime, but it might just save his life at some unforeseen moment. Naturally, Lei Dong prayed he would never have cause to use it.

After selecting the two treasures, he bid farewell to the Ghost Slaves and headed straight to Old Man Tang Qian to exchange for some cultivation techniques, preparing for a dedicated seclusion period before the Minor Competition. Having finally broken through his bottleneck, recklessly courting trouble outside would be highly unwise.

Nearly six years had passed since Lei Dong joined the sect, and he was certainly no longer the green novice he had been when facing Tang Qian. Tang Qian, in turn, treated Lei Dong with exceptional deference, adopting a perpetually meek and compliant demeanor. The reason was simple: Tang Qian was already quite old and had been stuck at the eighth level of the Qi Refining stage for a very long time. Meanwhile, Lei Dong had reached the sixth level of Qi Refining in a mere six years, and most importantly, he held the status of a direct disciple.

After a brief casual chat, Lei Dong requested Tang Qian bring out the jade slip catalogs so he could make his selections based on his needs. Ordinary disciples usually had to complete sect missions or donate resources and magical artifacts to learn techniques. However, Lei Dong still possessed nine hundred contribution points from placing fifth in the previous Minor Competition. After exchanging for some minor trinkets, he still had over seven hundred points remaining.

Lei Dong naturally wouldn't bother with common, easily accessible techniques. Considering the power of the various spells he had witnessed over the years, combined with his own requirements, Lei Dong ultimately chose three signature techniques of the Profound Yin Sect—spells renowned throughout the entire cultivation world and strictly forbidden from being taught to outsiders. If an outsider was found employing these techniques, they were to be killed if possible; otherwise, the matter had to be immediately reported to the sect for handling.

Profound Yin Shield: This appeared to be a defensive technique practiced by many, yet its effectiveness was undeniably potent. Once cast, it condensed Profound Yin True Qi into a semi-transparent shield enveloping the entire body. Its defensive power was astonishing, and it grew more formidable with increased cultivation and proficiency in its control. Simple, practical—a necessity. How many cultivators wouldn't cherish a life-saving spell?

In the beginning, people chose spells based on their initial focus due to limited time and energy. As progression continued, development tended to balance out; such was the pattern.

The second selection was an evasion technique called Ghost Shadow Evasion. As the name suggested, this technique should be centered on stealth, elusiveness, and swiftness. Lei Dong believed that with Ghost Shadow Evasion, the Profound Yin Shield, the inner armor, the Cloud Ascending Boots, and the unusually shaped high-grade defensive shield he hadn't dealt with yet, he would temporarily have enough means to protect his life.

For the final choice, Lei Dong deliberately skipped an offensive spell. Instead, he chose a technique named Nether Ghost Claw. Nether Ghost Claw was a capture-type control spell. This was the result of careful deliberation. For offensive output, he already had the three Ghost Servants, and in the future, he would have the Myriad Ghost Banner and the Ghost Fire Sword. Why waste effort mastering offensive spells?

It was the control-type spells that truly piqued Lei Dong's interest. As demonstrated when killing that pale youth earlier, the timely 'Ghost Roar' control exerted by the Howling Ghost Servant had proven invaluable. While the three Ghost Servants attacking in unison possessed formidable power, Lei Dong only needed to manage the battlefield to secure the greatest gains.

These three spells, plus an introductory jade slip for artifact refining, cost a total of one hundred and twenty contribution points. This highlighted that learning spells with contribution points was far more cost-effective than exchanging them for magical artifacts. The only pity was that the technique jade slips obtained were inscribed with restrictions, allowing only the bearer to use them.

Returning to his residence.

Lei Dong began cultivating these three techniques. Direct disciples had a significant advantage: their living quarters were several times larger than those of ordinary disciples. Each dwelling included a private, sizable training ground entirely for personal use.

After more than ten days of continuous enlightenment, Lei Dong finally began testing the spells.

Instead of using wooden dummies, he summoned the Bloodthirsty Ghost Servant to test the Nether Ghost Claw.

A Ghost Servant summoned through blood sacrifice, like the Bloodthirsty Ghost Servant, was essentially a natal ghost servant. In a sense, it was far superior to the spectral minions refined by the Myriad Ghost Banner. Besides being utterly loyal to its master and obeying his divine sense, it possessed its own independent intelligence; the higher its quality and rank, the stronger its intellect.

Consequently, Lei Dong simply gave it a command: try its best to evade his Nether Ghost Claw.

The Bloodthirsty Ghost Servant, already at level six, possessed combat strength comparable to an average sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator. Especially in its ghost form, its speed was high and its movements elusive, bearing a resemblance to someone executing Ghost Shadow Evasion. Under its master's command, the Ghost Servant began darting around the training ground without any discernible pattern.

Lei Dong stood still, appearing deep in thought. Suddenly, just as the servant zipped past him from directly ahead, Lei Dong formed a claw with his fingers, instantly enveloped by a burst of green light, which he thrust forward rapidly. The green light surged forth from his palm, transforming into a sinister, ghastly green claw that grew larger as it lunged toward the servant's flight path.

The Bloodthirsty Ghost Servant’s order was absolute: do not be caught by the Nether Ghost Claw. Its elusive form instantly halted, and the eerie claw swept past it by a hair's breadth.

Lei Dong snorted coldly, pulling and snapping his palm toward the rear left. The claw that had missed its mark actually executed a sharp turn and lunged at the servant again. But the Ghost Servant, possessing good intelligence and formidable strength, immediately utilized its unique evasive maneuver, constantly dodging. It let out excited, high-pitched squeals, as if playing hide-and-seek with the Nether Ghost Claw.

Lei Dong’s face flushed. After several failed attempts to grasp it, all easily dodged by the servant, the energy of the Nether Ghost Claw finally dissipated without a trace.

Closing his eyes, after a period of deep contemplation, Lei Dong unleashed another ghost claw. This time, the speed was slightly faster, and the movement a little more fluid, yet the servant still evaded with great enthusiasm. Lei Dong wasn't discouraged; he knew that any technique would exhibit flaws during its initial stages. Only through investing vast amounts of time in practice and refinement would it gradually become second nature.

This was also one of the most important reasons Lei Dong had selected his techniques with caution: better mastery of a few than superficial knowledge of many. It would be considered remarkable if one could grasp the essentials of the Nether Ghost Claw within several months, achieve mastery within a few years, and reach the peak of subtle application after more than a decade. Every single technique was the result of countless generations of refinement by predecessors.

The strength of a technique didn't just depend on the technique itself; ultimately, it depended on the caster. Only through repeated, rigorous tempering could one fully unlock its power, making it infallibly effective in combat. Take the Nether Ghost Claw, for instance: it seemed simple—cast it, and then you could seize the enemy in mid-air. But for Lei Dong to truly master this technique and apply it at will, extensive, repetitive grueling practice was indispensable.

Thus, Lei Dong cast the Nether Ghost Claw again and again. Between each attempt, he pondered the various issues and potential variations. It wasn't until a month later, during an accidental feint and shift, that he finally managed to capture the Bloodthirsty Ghost Servant. Watching the servant held tightly by that large, ghastly green hand, struggling wildly and squeaking, Lei Dong felt an undeniable rush of satisfaction. Hah, see if you dare act so arrogant now.

(Thank you all; I am truly touched. In just one day on the Newcomer Chart, you have voted me from twelfth place up to seventh. May every brother and sister who reads 'The Great Devil' author have happiness and joy every single day.)