"Since it is Wan Yan who wants it, this younger sister will not contend," Dongfang Fu glanced dismissively at Lei Dong, then let go of her hand.

The middle-aged cultivator from the Ghost Fiend Manor glared hatefully at Dongfang Fu and Ding Wan Yan. His face was ashen for a long time before gradually calming down. His cultivation, after a long thirty years of arduous practice, had finally advanced to the twelfth level of the Qi Refining Stage. Yet, he lacked the slightest courage to fight Ding Wan Yan to the death. With the fifteen thousand bid declared, he knew that the Foundation Establishment Stage was forever beyond his reach. Expressionless, he stumbled out of the auction house, one labored step after another.

The world of cultivation was just this merciless. Because resources were finite, true equality was impossible. Consequently, in the struggle for all kinds of resources, cultivators could only rely on their own means. Furthermore, this world was one where the rich grew richer, and the poor became poorer. Take someone like Ding Wan Yan, who could leverage her inherent advantages to secure vast resources. The strength and influence accumulated through these resources, in turn, enabled her to fight for even more. This endless cycle was the only way to travel further on the path of immortality. As for that middle-aged cultivator from the Ghost Fiend Manor, he was clearly a failure. He had spent thirty years accumulating strength, yet he was far inferior to what Ding Wan Yan had achieved in merely ten.

"Then I thank Dongfang for her generosity," Ding Wan Yan said with sincere gratitude. Looking around the hall, few could genuinely contend with her in a bidding war, but Dongfang Fu was certainly among them. Her willingness to yield meant Ding Wan Yan saved a considerable sum.

Having witnessed Ding Wan Yan’s previous withdrawal, even those who harbored ill will toward her dared not carelessly drive up the price. After all, for a Foundation Establishment Pill, the price of one hundred and fifty thousand was rather steep. Moreover, very few present could actually afford upwards of that amount. Even for the direct disciples of the vast majority of Old Ancestors, this was an astronomical sum.

Elder Gu called the bid three times, and when no higher offer materialized, the hammer fell, settling the matter: the Foundation Establishment Pill ultimately belonged to Ding Wan Yan.

With the Foundation Establishment Pill gone, it signaled the end of the auction. Among the items useful to Qi Refining Stage cultivators, only Supreme Grade Dharma Artifacts could be worth more, but such artifacts would never appear at an auction of this caliber. As expected, Elder Gu promptly announced the conclusion of the event.

Ding Wan Yan bade farewell to Dongfang Fu, making plans to meet again. Having achieved her objective, she took Lei Dong and Zuo Chao Fei back to the courtyard where the disciples of the Myriad Ghost Cave resided.

As dusk settled, the three senior and junior siblings retreated to their respective chambers—those needing to cultivate did so.

This was Lei Dong’s first time attending such an auction, and it left a profound impression. While innate talent was undoubtedly crucial in the pursuit of cultivation, spiritual stones were an absolute necessity. The most tragic fate was belonging to those who possessed neither talent nor spiritual stones. That was a guaranteed tragedy, much like the middle-aged cultivator today; had he managed to outbid Ding Wan Yan for that Foundation Establishment Pill, he might have stood a thirty percent chance of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. But now, it was highly probable he would remain in the Qi Refining Stage for the rest of his life. Foundation Establishment Pills were not easily acquired, and sects certainly would not distribute them freely to cultivators of his low aptitude. In truth, even those with talent like Ding Wan Yan and Dongfang Fu would not receive them without cost. If one did not strive to earn them through effort, how could one truly cherish them?

While regulating the flow of qi within his body, Lei Dong mulled over the day's events. First, that seductive witch from the Dual Cultivation Sect who had cast a charm spell on him from a distance in the market—Lei Dong harbored a vague suspicion regarding her. Had he not steadfastly continued cultivating the Spirit Forging Art, even while his cultivation progress lagged, thereby ensuring his mental fortitude far surpassed that of his peers, he might have unwittingly fallen prey to her machinations. Secondly, while Dongfang Fu's move to befriend his senior sister was ostensibly a good thing—it was like unexpectedly gaining access to the powerful influence of the Heavenly Demon Palace, providing strong backup for future confrontations—he knew absolutely nothing about Dongfang Fu herself. Her personality was unknown, and information about her was meager. This gesture either meant she genuinely desired a connection with his senior sister, or she had ulterior motives. After all, in this Grand Competition, his senior sister was her only true rival. However, until the situation became clearer, Lei Dong could not speak freely. If she truly intended friendship, his interference might only worsen matters. Two possibilities, fifty-fifty.

Having sorted out these thoughts, Lei Dong settled into deep meditation. Although one night or two wouldn't yield drastic results, even the slow drip of water hollows out stone; any minuscule increase to his cultivation was a gain.

Time passed swiftly, the sky quickly darkening, as if midnight had arrived in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, two extremely faint knocks sounded on his window, jolting Lei Dong awake. He instantly flooded the surroundings with his entire spiritual sense. Almost simultaneously, his left hand grasped two Yin Fiend Thunder Pills, while his right hand was enveloped in a faint, eerie green light—a clear prelude to invoking the Nether Ghost Claw technique.

Though he was meditating, his ingrained caution meant his six senses were never truly deactivated, especially when not in his own home.

Poof~ Whoosh~~

A slight sound of paper tearing reached him, followed by a pale cyan light shuttle shooting toward Lei Dong, moving neither quickly nor slowly, yet devoid of any killing intent or discernible aura.

Still, Lei Dong dared not reach out to catch it. His vast spiritual sense could detect no one outside. He could only thrust his right hand forward; a fearsome, chilling ghost claw tore free of his palm, reaching out. Lei Dong genuinely loved the Nether Ghost Claw spell; setting aside its numerous uses, it provided significant crowd control in battle. Because of this utility, he had thoroughly studied the technique, dedicating time daily to its practice.

Now, wielding it, while perhaps not reaching perfection, it flowed naturally. Both the claw's condensation and formation speed, as well as the precision of his control, were far beyond what they were when he first began practicing.

The spiritual and incorporeal Nether Ghost Claw swept out, enveloping the pale cyan shuttle. When Lei Dong retracted his hand, the ghost claw hovered obediently before him. Spreading its five talons, he saw that it was no shuttle at all, but distinctly a pale green jade hairpin.

Seeing the hairpin, Lei Dong was momentarily stunned, then offered a wry smile. As he extended his divine sense outward, he indeed sensed a faint silhouette moving away, gliding slowly into the distance.

Lei Dong pushed open his door, forgoing the use of his Ghastly Shadow Shroud. He immediately activated the Ghost Shadow Evasion technique. His entire form, hovering several feet above the ground, dissolved into a near-imperceptible shadow—silent, elusive, untraceable, yet moving forward with tremendous speed. He pursued the fuzzy human shape detectable by his senses tens of yards ahead.

This chase lasted for nearly half an incense stick’s time before the silhouette abruptly vanished. When Lei Dong arrived, he found himself beneath a small waterfall cascading from a cliff edge, its not-so-dense stream emptying into a clear, small pool, stirring up a light mist. In the moonlight, he could see a few fish swimming languidly. Remarkably, several peach trees stood by the pool, currently in full, glorious bloom, sending waves of cloyingly sweet fragrance toward him. It was unexpected to find such delicate, elegant scenery tucked away in a shadowy corner of the sinister Yin Sha Sect grounds.

Glancing around and seeing no one, Lei Dong held the pale green jade hairpin in his hand, shook it lightly, and chuckled wryly, "Senior Sister, stop teasing your little brother. With my meager cultivation, how could I possibly see through your hiding place?"

"Blockhead, are you angry today?"

As the crisp voice reached Lei Dong’s ears, a faint, misty malevolent aura brushed past him. Ding Wan Yan’s figure materialized silently beside the peach tree, her feet hovering slightly above the ground. With Lei Dong’s current vision, under the moonlight, he could clearly make out the slight flush on her cheeks. But as he focused his gaze intently, his eyes instantly froze, his face turned pale, and his breathing grew ragged. He stumbled, nearly pitching headlong to the ground.

...U