Ding Wanyan’s face instantly turned somewhat pale, she snorted, turned, and walked away. Lei Dong, however, rubbed his face, shook his head with a wry smile. As someone who wasn't a fool, how could he not understand his Senior Sister's youthful affections? He himself harbored feelings and reluctance towards the Senior Sister he grew up with. It was just that he was currently only at the eighth layer of the Qi Refining stage; who knew how long it would take to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage? For someone of his Senior Sister's rare talent, as long as she cultivated steadily and diligently within the sect, advancement would come soon enough. But his own aptitude was ordinary. Without a massive influx of resources to squander, the chance of reaching Foundation Establishment within the next ten years was slim. To acquire such vast resources, however, it was impossible to spend all his time meditating in his cave abode; he would have to venture out to find a path to wealth.

After this Grand Competition, his name was beginning to carry weight. Pretending to be a weakling to lure others into a trap for robbery seemed rather unrealistic now. Moreover, in the past, being able to scrape together some initial capital within the sect could be excused due to his lack of assets.

Consistently robbing his own people within the Yinsha Sect wasn't necessarily a sustainable path. Furthermore, stirring up trouble within the Yinsha Sect often meant that while the monk might escape, the temple remained; it was easy to offend the powerful Ancestors lurking behind them. Over time, perhaps even the Myriad Ghosts Ancestor couldn't fully shield him.

Thus, after careful consideration, Lei Dong felt he had to leave the Yinsha Sect to seek his fortune. Outside the sect, however, it was unlike home; there were various restrictions from sect rules and the protection of Ancestors. Seeking opportunities for wealth outside was the most perilous path, yet it was one he had to take. Rather than stagnate without hope of reaching Foundation Establishment, he might as well gamble outside. But given his precarious existence, who knew if he would die out there? How could he possibly offer her a promise in his current state? Even if something were to happen with Senior Sister Ding, Lei Dong wouldn't want it to be while he was still in the Qi Refining stage.

He let out a soft sigh.

Lei Dong returned to his temporary quarters and resumed meditating to refine his qi. Since he had been lucky enough to receive a bye, he was directly advanced to the final four. As long as the grand alchemist in the sect wasn't unlucky enough to choke on water, securing a Foundation Establishment Pill seemed guaranteed. Most importantly, Lei Dong still wanted to test his luck. Among the final four, as long as he didn't draw the Twin Vixens, there was still a chance for second place.

Even if luck was against him and he faced them, there was still third place waiting for him to fight for. He had promised the Ancestor that he would help him secure third place. Lei Dong still wished to fulfill this commitment to the best of his ability. After all, the Ancestor had treated him well over the years, always showing him favor; he certainly had to repay that kindness.

He took a deep breath, driving away all extraneous thoughts. After consuming a few healing pills, he once again settled his mind to condense his qi.

After another hour of healing, his injuries had improved considerably. The consumed True Qi was also almost entirely restored. Feeling more invigorated than before, he returned to the drawing area.

Upon arrival, there were only four people present, including himself. Among the others, two were the Yinsha Twin Vixens; they were quite fortunate, having not yet encountered each other. The other to reach the final four was Yue Wuhen, the chief disciple of Netherworld City. This young man's talent ranking was only slightly below Bai Liuyun, whom Lei Dong had dealt with, placing him fourth among disciples of the same generation. He usually cultivated diligently, and although he hadn't reached the twelfth layer of the Qi Refining stage, he was not far off.

Lei Dong acted as if nothing had happened, greeting Ding Wanyan with a smile. However, Ding Wanyan seemed still annoyed by Lei Dong's earlier actions; her expression reverted to the icy aloofness she typically showed others. She turned her head away, completely ignoring him.

Lei Dong let out a couple of dry laughs and then stood still without speaking.

The subsequent draw required only one person to step forward. According to the drawing rules, it was Lei Dong's turn to draw. He reached in, felt around casually, pulled out one slip, and upon opening it, clearly saw the words: Oriental Fu of the Heavenly Demon Palace. The remainder was straightforward: Ding Wanyan versus Yue Wuhen of Netherworld City.

Lei Dong stepped off the platform with a slight sheen of sweat, only to hear Yue Wuhen starting to ingratiate himself with Ding Wanyan, wearing a look of humble respect: "Competing against Senior Sister, I, Wuhen, should rightly concede immediately. However, I do not wish to miss an opportunity for such sparring and guidance. Our respective Ancestors are friends; I beg Senior Sister to show mercy."

"Since Junior Brother Wuhen wishes to treat this as sparring instead of a formal match, Wanyan shall certainly oblige," Ding Wanyan's face suddenly seemed to shift, offering a gentle and charming smile: "But, Junior Brother Wuhen, don't go speaking of surrender after just a few exchanges when you find yourself at a disadvantage, alright? That wouldn't show much masculine spirit."

Seeing Ding Wanyan’s smile, reminiscent of clear skies after winter snow, and hearing her call him "Junior Brother Wuhen," Yue Wuhen couldn't help but tremble in excitement. He quickly vowed, "Senior Sister, please rest assured. This younger brother can swear an oath that I will absolutely not flee in disarray at the first opportunity."

Lei Dong listened, somewhat bewildered, wondering what trick Ding Wanyan was playing. Logically, given Senior Sister Ding's temperament and character, she wouldn't resort to this method to provoke him just because she was at odds with him. Still, after thinking it over and over, he couldn't fathom what she was plotting. Since his injuries hadn't healed, facing Yue Wuhen in the next match was highly likely; gaining an extra hour for recovery was always beneficial.

Lei Dong simply waved toward Oriental Fu, who was still veiled, and called out, "Senior Sister Oriental, I concede the match between us. My injuries haven't healed, so I won't waste either of our time." Having said that, without caring for Oriental Fu's reaction, he turned and walked away. After all, his only objective was third place; why fight Oriental Fu to the death? It would be better to save some strength to deal with that rogue Yue Wuhen later.

Unconsciously, Lei Dong had developed a subconscious malice towards that pretty boy daring to act familiar with Senior Sister Ding.

Another hour passed, and Lei Dong's complexion had slightly flushed, indicating his meridian injuries had improved significantly. Though far from recovered, a good session of activity on the stage should pose little problem.

But just as he walked toward the drawing area with imposing momentum, he only saw Ding Wanyan and Oriental Fu standing gracefully at the spot. These two Yinsha Twin Vixens exuded a cold aura, each more chilling than the last, both completely ignoring Lei Dong's arrival as if they lacked the interest even to spare him a glance. After looking around, Lei Dong found himself wondering where that brat Yue Wuhen had gone? He had timed his arrival precisely to maximize his healing time; could the boy be slower than him?

After waiting a short while longer, Oriental Fu glanced at Ding Wanyan and said in a mild voice, "Wanyan, time is up. It is time for you and me to step onto the stage." This was the only time Lei Dong had ever heard her speak so kindly to Ding Wanyan.

"I ask Oriental Sister to guide me," Ding Wanyan nodded slightly.

Neither of them showed off their movement techniques, proceeding gracefully toward the ring. Lei Dong was quite perplexed as to why Yue Wuhen hadn't appeared yet. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and call out, "Senior Sister, um, do you know where that fellow surnamed Yue has gone?"

"Hmph." Ding Wanyan didn't even turn her head back, continuing toward the ring without stopping her steps.

It was Oriental Fu who paused, turning back with a cold expression: "He should still be alive. Wanyan indeed showed mercy." With that, she turned and left.

Lei Dong stood there, utterly astonished. What did she mean by 'should still be alive'? After a moment's thought, a wry, almost laughter-tinged smile crossed his face. He figured Senior Sister must have known this scoundrel was not weak, and feared that if he fought for third place, his injuries might worsen. So, she had made up her mind and dealt with him early on to save trouble.

The fact that the boy had actually believed her words about not running away after a few exchanges...

Oriental Fu’s comment, "should still be alive," even made Lei Dong feel a touch of sympathy for that boy. He estimated that the Senior Sister’s initial restraint was perhaps because a light victory wouldn't be conclusive. Secondly, it was likely because he had shifted the topic at a critical juncture, leaving her still fuming. She took the opportunity to vent her anger on Yue Wuhen, who had delivered himself right to her doorstep.

Contemplating this, Lei Dong’s mouth twitched incessantly. The workings of this woman's mind were truly bizarre and unpredictable, even terrifying. Venting her anger was one thing, but she had to first deceive the boy into thinking she genuinely held him in high regard, making him swear he wouldn't flee...

...M

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