“Many thanks, Senior Sister,” Lei Dong said, but he quickly swept away the extraneous thoughts, accepting the bottle of Qu-Sha Pills with gratitude.

“No need to thank me. If you must thank someone, I should be thanking you for that High-Grade Magic Shield on your face.” Ding Wanyan saw Lei Dong accept it readily and felt a slight easing in her heart. However, thinking of something else, her delicate eyebrows arched, and she couldn't help but let out a light chuckle. “But speaking of which, Junior Brother Lei, you actually made me take the blame for you. It’s only proper that I get a share of the spoils. But isn’t this a bit too little? That Ghostly Fiend Young Master was worth far more than this.”

Ugh, Lei Dong was speechless. Was his Ancestor a gossip? How could such a secret matter have been leaked to Ding Wanyan? A wave of frustration washed over him. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ding Wanyan, but this matter was too huge for him; he couldn't afford any mishap. However, he absolutely couldn't admit it, so he could only offer a wry smile and shake his head. “Senior Sister, with my mere Qi Refining Sixth Layer strength, how could I possibly be the Ghostly Fiend’s match? Please don't wrongly accuse me.”

As if seeing through Lei Dong’s thoughts, a trace of cunning flashed in Ding Wanyan’s clear eyes. “Just as I suspected. I wondered why the Ancestor would casually bestow upon me a High-Grade Magic Shield and even prompt me to attribute the favor to you, Junior Brother Lei. After contemplating it later, and considering how you kept acting overly humble when the Ghostly Fiend arrived—that obvious attempt to conceal the truth—I began to guess that perhaps you were the one who caused trouble. A simple test, and sure enough, you showed your hand. Keep pretending. Do you even realize that while pretending in front of the Ghostly Fiend might make him think you’re weak, in front of the Ancestor and me, you can drop the act? Who doesn't know that your true strength already surpasses Junior Brother Zuo, and you’re not far behind even me? If you weren’t hiding something, if you were truly open and honest, why would you go to such lengths to make yourself look so pitiful?”

It was then that Lei Dong suddenly understood. He had been wondering why the Ancestor was so convinced he was the culprit. So, that was the issue—indeed, as Ding Wanyan said, his flaw was overacting. It was understandable that the Ancestor and Ding Wanyan, who knew his real strength wasn't weak and were both calm and composed individuals, would see through him.

Fortunately, fooling the Ghostly Fiend, who was unfamiliar with him, wasn't difficult; he currently didn't suspect Lei Dong at all. Instead, Senior Sister Ding and that highly renowned Dongfang Fu had attracted most of the heat.

Rarely did Lei Dong look so utterly stunned and embarrassed. Ding Wanyan found her bold junior brother somewhat amusing. She recalled when he was very young, he had killed a direct disciple from the Extreme Yin Cave. Afterward, he had put on a performance for her, complaining bitterly, making her genuinely believe the three of them had been severely bullied and spurring her on to bring her sword to help them fight back. Who knew that under Lei Dong’s direction, not only had they exacted their revenge, but they had also looted everything, feeding the corpses and spirits to their ghost subordinates. It was a good thing she had been worried for them.

“Uh, hehe. Senior Sister’s natural talent is exceptional, and her insight is like a torch. How could my petty tricks of the Netherworld possibly hide from your discerning eye, Senior Sister?” Lei Dong chuckled dryly, resorting to flattery, adopting a pitiful and appeasing posture. “However, I still need Senior Sister’s help to keep this quiet. Otherwise, with my humble status and fragile body, I won't survive the wrath of that old man Ghostly Fiend.”

Seeing him revert to such a pitiable display, accompanied by constant flattery, Ding Wanyan couldn't help but smile faintly, her delicate eyes narrowing slightly as she let out a soft, playful huff. “If you are sensible, Senior Sister can keep this secret for you. Otherwise, I might as well sell you to that old man Ghostly Fiend; it would fetch a handsome sum of spirit stones.”

“How could that be?” Lei Dong suddenly slapped his chest, radiating righteousness. “Since childhood, Senior Sister has taken excellent care of me. In truth, even if Senior Sister hadn't mentioned it or helped me take the blame, I would have thought of showing proper filial respect to you. How about this: anything of use that I possess, Senior Sister can take it; I won't even frown.”

“That sounds great. Why don’t you show this Senior Sister the spoils taken from the Ghostly Fiend’s son then?” Ding Wanyan’s crystalline jade lips curled slightly as she repeatedly scoffed.

“Alright, alright. I’ll bring them out right now…” Seeing that his banter and horseplay couldn't get him out of it, Lei Dong resigned himself to making a major sacrifice, though his heart was certainly aching.

Just as he was about to produce the items, Ding Wanyan immediately stopped him, letting out a faint, slightly satisfied smile, her eyes flicking sideways. “Forget it, forget it. How could I, as your Senior Sister, truly covet the spoils you fought to the death for? I was just teasing you. Look at the anguish on your face—aren't you embarrassed?”

“No, no, I was being serious. I have benefited from Senior Sister’s care all these years. If I have good things, I wouldn’t mind giving a small portion to Senior Sister in filial piety at all,” Lei Dong declared with grave sincerity. “But as Senior Sister knows, this matter is truly too significant; I dare not be careless.”

“At least you have a good heart,” Ding Wanyan nodded lightly before her expression turned serious again as she admonished him. “Junior Brother, it’s not that I want to nag, but you acted too recklessly in this matter. That Ghostly Fiend’s son possessed so many High-Grade Magic Artifacts; even I wasn't entirely confident of taking him down. And you, without a word, went and killed him. With even a slight misstep, would you still be alive? You are forbidden from being so impulsive in the future, understood?”

“Yes, Senior Sister. I’ve noted it,” Lei Dong replied, feeling a little touched. He had to admit that his Senior Sister genuinely cared for him.

“Here. The Ancestor spent considerable effort refining this Magic Shield again; even the Ghostly Fiend won't recognize it now.” Ding Wanyan lightly raised her hand, suspending a shield in the air, enveloped in spiritual mist, ethereal and void-like, possessing an extraordinary appearance. “I’ve named it the Ethereal Mist Shield. Take it and refine it quickly to familiarize yourself with it.”

Lei Dong was somewhat taken aback. It was one thing for Senior Sister Ding not to want the other spoils. However, this shield was specifically claimed by the Ancestor to be given to her, and Lei Dong had given it willingly and wholeheartedly. Why was she returning this shield to him? After all, any High-Grade Magic Artifact wasn't easy to acquire. The Ancestor had accumulated them for so many years, and there were only a few dozen such artifacts in the treasure vault. This showed how rare High-Grade Magic Artifacts were. Only direct disciples like Lei Dong had the chance to obtain them. Unaffiliated rogue cultivators outside the sect often fought tooth and nail for a decent Low-Grade Magic Artifact.

“Senior Sister, this…” Lei Dong felt a flush of shame. “This shield, I truly wanted to offer it to Senior Sister out of filial respect. Please don't make things difficult for me.”

“Then consider it the Senior Sister lending it to you,” Ding Wanyan seemed determined to return the shield to Lei Dong. She directly placed it in his hand and turned to float outward, swiftly forming a hand seal. Her figure became indistinct, vanishing into the gloomy, spectral Yin energy, leaving behind a lingering whisper: “I don’t particularly enjoy conflict anyway, and you, who loves stirring up trouble outside, should keep it for self-protection.”

The Yin Sha Evasion Technique was indeed miraculous, especially in this place swirling with malevolent energy. In the blink of an eye, Ding Wanyan completely disappeared from Lei Dong’s sight and divine sense. Even after calling out “Senior Sister” several times, he received no reply.

Lei Dong looked at the shield floating in his hand. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't see the original shield, which had been shrouded in dark energy and covered with carvings of ferocious ghosts and demons. Indeed, he couldn't find any trace of the original shield. He shook his head with a wry smile. Did Senior Sister Ding truly think he was so easy to fool? This was clearly not the same shield. Although its quality was in no way inferior to the dark shield, the Ancestor would have to be extraordinarily bored to spend so much effort reshaping a shield until it was unrecognizable.

With a soft sigh, he dismissed all his miscellaneous thoughts and swallowed a Qu-Sha Pill. He then regulated his breathing, entered the Qi Refining meditation state, and let the true energy inside his body flow slowly, refining itself drop by drop to become purer. Time continued to slip away. The only sound reaching his ears was the howling of the Yin Sha wind passing by, like the cry of a vengeful spirit. The loneliness deepened, yet Lei Dong’s heart remained like stone, unmoved. If one couldn't even endure mere loneliness, what right did they have to speak of defying the heavens in immortal cultivation?

……