Faced with their obvious hostility, Lei Dong remained utterly impassive. He felt not a single flicker of emotion regarding Bai Li Yun's animosity. As for Ancestor Ku Gu, even if he shamelessly attacked a junior in the Qi Refining stage, he still had the Ancestor Wan Gui standing right beside him.

Ancestor Wan Gui merely scoffed, "Ku Gu, don't act like this is the first time you've stepped into the arena. We cultivators of the Evil Sect fight destiny itself, seizing the very fortune of Heaven and Earth. If we dare contend with Heaven, if we dare snatch from the cosmos, what is your mere magical artifact compared to that? Furthermore, those materials for your High-Grade Dharma Tool, the Dragon Bone Whip and Dragon Bone Shield—were they simply bought with coinage?"

"Wan Gui, I won't waste breath bantering with you. What the truth is, both you and I know perfectly well." Ancestor Ku Gu's eerie green eyes sharpened, and he cast a venomous glare toward Lei Dong: "Since this trouble was stirred up by your disciple, I’ll make a wager with you. I bet your disciple will die by Bai Li Yun’s hand if he refuses to beg for mercy and surrender."

"Hmph. I wager that your three disciples will die by Ding Wan Yan’s hand if they refuse to beg for mercy." Ancestor Wan Gui dismissed Ku Gu with a disdainful glance, not even sparing a look for his own three disciples.

The mention of Ding Wan Yan instantly deflated Ancestor Ku Gu’s confidence. Normally, if Bai Li Yun hadn't been injured for half a year, and if Ku Gu had invested more spirit stones in him, he could have certainly been pushed to the peak of the twelfth layer of Qi Refining. But the current Bai Li Yun, after all, was lacking by more than just a hair's breadth. However, one must not lose face even if one loses the battle. Ancestor Ku Gu let out a string of sinister laughs: "Wan Gui, aren't you quite capable? Or perhaps your prized disciple can only hide behind women, letting them protect him?" Ku Gu was truly enraged by Lei Dong; that incident where the boy conspired with Wan Gui to trick him had been deeply humiliating.

Just as Ancestor Wan Gui was about to retort, Lei Dong spoke up with feigned excitement: "Reporting to the Ancestor, this disciple is willing to accept the challenge." He acted as if he had been provoked by Ku Gu’s taunts. Lei Dong had actually been worried that in the fight against Bai Li Yun, if the latter found himself losing, he would immediately surrender, thus stripping Lei Dong of the reason to kill him. Hearing that Ku Gu seemed intent on settling the grievances between the two sides during this Grand Competition, Lei Dong decided to play along.

"You have no right to speak here." Ancestor Wan Gui’s face turned icy as he reprimanded, "Hurry and step back for this Ancestor."

Lei Dong cast a resentful glare toward Bai Li Yun before stepping aside with a show of reluctance.

"Ku Gu, at your advanced age, you stoop to provoking a young man?" Wan Gui stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down at him with contemptuous eyes: "If you truly harbor some resentment in your heart, direct it at this Ancestor. See if I tremble before you."

"Wan Gui, if it weren't for Elder Tu's sake," Ancestor Ku Gu cackled sinisterly a few times, "I would surely teach you how to respect your elders. If you dare not make the wager, fine. But from now on, if you see this Ancestor, you will walk the long way around."

"Arrogant."

Wan Gui slowly floated upward, his voluminous black robes billowing without any wind. His eyes flashed sharply: "Bai Li Yun is your Chief Disciple. If a challenge is to be accepted, it should be by my Chief Disciple, Ding Wan Yan. When did it become Lei Dong’s turn? Come find me again when you have your wits about you."

With that, he waved his hand, retracting the spectral Ghost King Boat spanning dozens of feet, sweeping up his disciples and ghost servants as they descended.

As Wan Gui withdrew, Ku Gu did not pursue. Instead, he let out a cold laugh: "Bai Li Yun, when you fight that brat Lei Dong, use words to sting him as much as possible. Under no circumstances should you let him keep his composure and beg for mercy. As for facing Ding Wan Yan, you may concede directly; this Ancestor will not hold it against you."

"Yes, Ancestor." Bai Li Yun shot a hateful look toward Lei Dong, who had landed far away. He must hate the boy to the extreme; if not for Lei Dong, how would he have been forced to sever his own arm to use the Blood Escape technique? Yet, because of this sacrifice, the Ancestor had gifted him the long-treasured Arm of the Sacred Demon.

He slowly extended his left hand, which had been tucked into his robe. It was an appendage as black as night, utterly unlike a human hand, covered in dense scales, every muscle seemingly pulsing with infinite power. The five sharp claws were terrifyingly ghastly.

Suddenly, Bai Li Yun’s pale face contorted in extreme agony. Sweat poured down his forehead, his complexion shifting between stark white and sickly green. The demonic arm thrashed violently. It was acting up again—damnable! Bai Li Yun's face became savage, and he forced out a few words through clenched teeth, like a pained groan: "Lei Dong, may you meet a terrible end."

...

"That Bai Li Yun must have some special ability. Lei Dong, you must not be careless when facing him," Ancestor Wan Gui said gravely, leading his group to settle in a secluded courtyard.

"Yes, Ancestor. However, Bai Li Yun probably isn't confident in defeating Senior Sister Ding." Lei Dong’s expression also sobered: "It shouldn't be too strong of a trump card."

"Even so, Junior Brother Lei, you cannot afford to be careless." Ding Wan Yan, aware of the entire situation, frowned: "Ancestor, could we perhaps manipulate the arrangements so that this disciple faces him first?"

"Even if we arranged it that way, if Bai Li Yun lacked confidence, he would certainly surrender immediately," Lei Dong slowly shook his head, dismissing the idea: "Otherwise, the Ancestor wouldn't have tasked me with handling Bai Li Yun. Rest assured, Senior Sister. If I truly cannot match Bai Li Yun, I won't let my temper get the better of me and refuse to surrender."

Ding Wan Yan considered this and realized Lei Dong was not the sort to recklessly endanger his life over verbal taunts. She let go of her concern.

Next followed the usual procedures: reporting in, roll call, and identity verification.

The people of the Myriad Ghost Cave were settled into a relatively quiet courtyard. However, following the architectural style of the Yin Sha Sect, this place was naturally nothing like an earthly paradise. Instead, it exuded a pervasive, chilling ghostliness; the strange rocks were terrifyingly grotesque, and the courtyard was planted with Ghost-Face Peach trees, which could slightly boost the cultivation of ghost servants. Unfortunately, the fruit had not yet ripened; consuming them now would harm rather than help the servants. Otherwise, Lei Dong would have already plucked them all to feed his six natal ghost servants. Since most of his resources had been depleted on elixirs, Lei Dong was currently penniless.

After meditating in his room in the annex for a night, Lei Dong heard Zuo Chao calling him to go shopping early the next morning. Though the Ancestors only brought their direct disciples to the sect gathering held every ten years, disciples from all other tiers were free to attend on their own accord.

Besides the main competition and disciple selection, the gathering was an occasion for the Ancestors to convene, exchange insights on cultivation, and trade treasures. Meanwhile, their disciples would seize the opportunity to hunt for good items in the sect's market or set up stalls to trade with others. Even many Foundation Establishment disciples would use this time to earn money or buy what they needed—it was truly bustling. Moreover, many itinerant merchants from the demonic path would come to participate.

Since Lei Dong and the others had not yet formally entered the sect during the previous event, they were confined to the courtyard and forbidden from leaving, so they had never personally experienced these matters, only hearing about them occasionally from the words of their seniors.

Ancestor Wan Gui had gone off to converse with others the previous night and had not returned. Lei Dong and the others naturally had the freedom to move about.

When Lei Dong stepped out, he found not only Zuo Chao waiting but also Ding Wan Yan present. What surprised and unsettled Lei Dong was that he had detected no trace of Senior Sister Ding being outside just moments before. This demonstrated that even with his significantly enhanced Divine Sense, he could not compare to a peak twelfth-layer Qi Refining expert like Ding Wan Yan.

After paying their respects according to custom, the three left the courtyard together. After a brief inquiry, they learned the market was located on a platform halfway up the mountain, a dozen miles from their current location. The three immediately summoned their magical artifacts, transforming into three streaks of variously colored escaping lights, flying directly toward the market. Lei Dong’s was a sinister black light; Zuo Chao’s was a white streak. Ding Wan Yan’s was the faint, lingering green light emitted by her Green Cloud Shuttle.

... (Perhaps the previous chapters were written too hastily. I will calm down and write slowly. This is the second update for today. Thank you all for your votes~) (Also, a quick explanation: a Supreme-Grade Dharma Tool is the absolute best item for a cultivator in the Qi Refining stage. It is significantly different from a Supreme-Grade Dharma Treasure. In this story's setting, Qi Refining cultivators generally use Dharma Tools, Foundation Establishment cultivators use Spirit Tools, and only Golden Core cultivators use Dharma Treasures. What was awarded was a Supreme-Grade Dharma Tool, not a Supreme-Grade Dharma Treasure. That item was meant to be prepared for a prized disciple...)